Chapter 77 – A Paper Box
Novel Title: 你的虎牙很适合咬我的腺体 (Your Fangs Are Perfect for Biting My Glands)
Author：麦香鸡呢 (McChicken)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 周舟 (Zhou Zhou -MC), 程澈 (Cheng Che -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Zhou Zhou was discharged from the hospital half a month later, with Jian Yan by his side all along. Zhou Moming went back home to deal with company matters. But flew back after just two days. He said he wanted to be with his son. But in reality, he couldn’t live without Jian Yan.
When Zhou Zhou and Cheng Che lived together, Zhou Qiao didn’t stay with Cheng Yan all the time. Instead, she moved to another apartment left by Zhou Moming and Jian Yan. She coaxed Jian Yan into staying with her and Zhou Moming, insisting they shouldn’t live in separate places. She wanted them to live together for a while, with Zhou Zhou joining them. After the college entrance exams, everyone would go their separate ways.
Zhou Moming was about to find someone to clean the other apartment so that Jian Yan could move in. When he heard Zhou Qiao’s words, he looked at Jian Yan, squeezing his phone.
He may say he wants to be with his son, but Zhou Moming fundamentally prefers the world of just him and Jian Yan. After all, it’s been too long since he lived with his son and daughter, so he’s not used to it.
Jian Yan turned to look at Zhou Moming, smiling as he asked, “Isn’t it good?”
He was helpless in the face of his smile and could only nod, “Yes.”
***
Zhou Zhou went home, took some books and clothes to bring over to Zhou Qiao’s place. Then, he found a paper box and packed up Cheng Che’s clothes and some other items in it.
He picked up an exquisite long box from the wardrobe and opened it. Inside it, there was a dark blue striped tie.
That was the birthday gift he had ordered for Cheng Che. It was shipped from the official website but had been stuck in customs for a long time. He only received it over half a month ago and hadn’t had a chance to give it to Cheng Che yet.
Zhou Zhou gently turned the tie over. On the back, embroidered in a deeper colour, were the initials ‘C&Z’, which Zhou Zhou had specifically requested to be embroidered.
He looked at it for a while and then put the tie and the gift box into the paper box together. The paper box was filled with the scent of clear minty sake. Zhou Zhou lowered his head to sniff it before carrying it out of the closet.
Zhou Qiao had just come out of her room with some things. She looked at the paper box in Zhou Zhou’s hand and asked, “What is that?”
“Cheng Che’s,” Zhou Zhou said softly. “Give it to Uncle and ask him to pass it on to Cheng Che.”
Zhou Qiao hesitated for a moment. But then just nodded.
***
Zhou Zhou rested at home for a day before returning to school. At Omega Center, where there was no alpha pheromone influence, people generally didn’t wear neck guards. However, Zhou Zhou’s scars from the gland injury were somewhat noticeable. He didn’t want his classmates to ask about them. So, he wore a regular neck guard and remained somewhat silent. Omegas only knew that Zhou Zhou had fallen ill due to using the wrong suppressant during his heat. So they didn’t bring up the topic, let alone mention Cheng Che. Gradually, Zhou Zhou relaxed again.
Omegas treated Zhou Zhou as they had before, with a bit more cautious kindness and care. However, there was one person who continued to avoid Zhou Zhou, and that was Wen Ran.
Zhou Zhou bumped into him several times on the way. But before Zhou Zhou could call out to him, Wen Ran lowered his head and avoided him.
One noon, Zhou Zhou accidentally scraped his hand on something. He went to the medical room to clean and bandage it. When he came out, he bumped into Wen Ran in the corridor.
They stood face to face. Wen Ran had no room to avoid Zhou Zhou this time. He just hung his head and didn’t look at Zhou Zhou.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Zhou asked. “Are you feeling unwell?”
“It seems like I have a slight fever,” Wen Ran spoke, his voice hoarse. “I’ll go check my temperature.”
“I’ll accompany you. It’s not convenient to be alone.”
“No need.” Wen Ran took a step back, looking up at Zhou Zhou. His eyes were bloodshot, and his lips were devoid of colour. He furrowed his brows. “Zhou Zhou, I beg you. Stay away from me.”
“Let’s check your temperature first to see if you have a fever. We can talk about the rest later.” Zhou Zhou noticed Wen Ran’s poor complexion and frowned, reaching out to him.
With a pained expression, Wen Ran took another step back. He bit his lip and stared at Zhou Zhou, his eyes filled with an incomprehensible sense of helplessness.
Then, he reached down and pulled up the hem of his school uniform’s short sleeve, tugging at the waistband of his pants, revealing a long, thin, pale scar running across his lower abdomen.
On the lower side of his belly, there was a hideous scar, over ten centimetres long, not including the portion hidden by his pants. It crawled across his smooth, fair skin, its colour not too dark but striking enough to be horrifying.
In this moment, revealing this scar, Zhou Zhou knew it could not have been from a surgery like appendicitis.
Zhou Zhou had noticed the scar on Wen Ran’s gland area early on. But Wen Ran didn’t seem to deliberately conceal it. He never wore a neck guard and calmly let the scar be seen by others. Now, thinking about it, in Wen Ran’s mind, the scar on his gland area should be nothing compared to the one on his belly.
Wen Ran’s expression was despairingly calm. “Did you see it?”
“We are not the same, Zhou Zhou,” Wen Ran let go of his clothes and adjusted them. “I’m different from you. There’s no omega in our school who has experienced a miscarriage at nineteen.”
He lowered his head, chuckled self-deprecatingly, and said, “In fact, I can’t even be considered an omega.”
Wen Ran closed his eyes, feeling weary. He had endured so much for so long. And now he could only manage to speak a few sentences, afraid that saying too much would unleash the nightmares of the past, like a flood breaking through his defences. He was not yet ready to lay bare his old wounds, as the nightmare was still ongoing. Before it ended completely, he would rather chew up and swallow everything.
Feeling a warmth in his palm, Wen Ran opened his eyes to see Zhou Zhou standing beside him, holding his hand.
He looked up, and Zhou Zhou was smiling at him.
“It’s okay. You know, the most important thing now is the college entrance examination. You said you wanted to study at the research institute and get a scholarship. I also want to go to the research institute. We’re the same. We can work hard together.”
Wen Ran was stunned for a few seconds before turning his head away with tears streaming down his face.
For him, it was really difficult to see the sunlight in his life.
“Thank you, Zhou Zhou.”
***
The college entrance examination was approaching so the atmosphere in the third year of high school was already very tense. Omegas, who were often seen as representatives of weakness, did not necessarily give up the opportunity to become strong, especially in the distribution and fight for knowledge resources. Over the years, although there had always been a gap in the enrollment rate between the Omega Center and the Alpha Center for the research institutes, it could not be denied that this gap had been narrowing.
Every day, they faced countless exam papers, dense notes, and mistakes to correct. The classroom was filled with a quiet and sweet scent of pheromones. Everyone buried themselves in books and problems, with only the sound of flipping pages filling the room.
The school no longer forced them to run or exercise. While the juniors and sophomores were doing morning exercises on the playground, the seniors were allowed to stay in the teaching building, free to move around. After all, they had been studying since early in the morning. Therefore, occasional relaxation was necessary.
Zhou Zhou leaned on the railing. The sun was shining brightly, making him squint slightly. The breeze was also fragrant, blowing through the tender green leaves. In the bright sunlight, Zhou Zhou always felt like he was back at the Alpha Center not long ago. Whenever he stood in the corridor, he could always see Cheng Che with a slight smile, watching him attentively, step by step, coming closer.
“Zhou Zhou, it’s time for class.”
“Okay.” Zhou Zhou turned his head and smiled at his classmates.
***
During this time, it was always Zhou Moning and Jian Yan who came to pick up Zhou Zhou after school. Zhou Zhou had rarely experienced this before. But as the college entrance examination approached, he enjoyed it. He didn’t feel embarrassed at all. Every time he walked out of the school gate and saw Zhou Moning leaning against the car and Jian Yan standing by with snacks in her hands, Zhou Zhou would smile like a primary school student.
“Don’t run so fast.” Jian Yan handed the dessert box to Zhou Zhou and took out a tissue to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “It’s too hot. Get in the car quickly.”
Zhou Moning opened the car door for them. “Zhou Qiao finished work early today. The whole family is going out for dinner.”
“Okay!” Zhou Zhou retreated into the car. “In the future, you can just wait for me in the car. It’s too hot outside.”
“When you were in kindergarten, we used to pick you up. There was one time we were late, and we saw you being held by the teacher, crying and shouting, ‘Why isn’t Daddy waiting for me outside today?’ Do you remember?” Jian Yan asked with a smile.
“I don’t remember.” Zhou Zhou ate his pastry. “How could I remember kindergarten? I’m eighteen this year. It’s too long ago.”
Zhou Moning laughed and scolded, “You still know you’re already eighteen.”
***
Cheng Che sat in the car, quietly watching Zhou Zhou walk out of the school gate and bid farewell to the person next to him. He then smilingly ran towards his fathers.
His dear omega still had a cheerful and smiling demeanour. It was as if he had already escaped from the nightmare.
Cheng Che knew that his grandfather had met Zhou Zhou’s fathers. With the combined efforts of both families, Su Han’s case was settled. Su Han was sentenced to six years in prison for illegally extracting and using omega pheromones. It was all supported by Cheng Che’s injury and Wen Ran’s testimony.
Cheng Che would wait for Zhou Zhou at the school gate almost every day. Since that incident, his grandfather, who had always trusted him, had imposed some degree of discipline on him. He instructed him not to disturb or influence Zhou Zhou anymore. They arranged for a special driver to pick up and drop off Cheng Che to school. After the driver picked him up from school, Cheng Che would ask him to wait at the Omega Center for a while, until Zhou Zhou finished class, just to catch a glimpse of him from afar at the school gate.
When Cheng Che received the paper box from Cheng Yan on behalf of Zhou Zhou, he really didn’t know what would happen between him and Zhou Zhou after the college entrance examination ended.
The tie still had traces of strawberry milkshake pheromones on it. Zhou Zhou must have carefully looked through it before the accident happened. Cheng Che didn’t expect that the birthday gift from Zhou Zhou would be delivered to him in this way.
Regardless of whether it was his fault or not, it was too difficult for Zhou Zhou to face what had happened.
However, seeing Zhou Zhou still able to run and smile, Cheng Che couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.
“Let’s go,” Cheng Che said wearily to the driver in a soft voice. He then closed his eyes and leaned back in the back seat.
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*Translator’s Note: I’ve tried to find if the writer had written another story about Wen Ran but so far, I couldn’t find it. Well, I was just kinda curious. -K
Next update: 2024.03.09
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