34: Feelings
After successfully forcing Shen Jin to break off the engagement, Madam Ke went off to Ao City with a group of wealthy ladies to splurge without restraint.
She was extremely satisfied with the resort’s all-in-one services. Practically every indulgence she could think of was included, and the duty-free shops even had an H-brand bag she’d had her eye on for ages, one that was sold out worldwide.
One of her socially adept friends smiled and said, “This place was actually acquired by the Qian family over a decade ago. Back then, the concept of a resort didn’t even exist. It was their little crown prince who proposed the idea, and Old Master Qian approved it on the spot.”
“So this was purely something they bought for their grandson to play with?”
“They can afford it. Besides, that young master has terrifyingly sharp vision. One childish suggestion, and the profits from the Ao City properties have doubled year after year.”
“And then look at my own kid. Comparing people really does make you mad. I hear this little crown prince is even more handsome than celebrities. Wouldn’t families with Omegas be scrambling over themselves?”
“What’s the use? The Ji family has been eyeing him since the day he was born. Even now, the Qian family’s attitude is just polite words about their child still being young. It’s obvious they look down on the Ji family. The Ji family has been laughed at plenty over the years.”
“Even the Ji family isn’t good enough? Are they planning to pair him with a prince or princess?”
The more Madam Ke listened, the worse she felt. She had always been proud of her son. Among his peers, very few could compare to Ke Minghuai. To suddenly hear about someone younger, someone who quietly surpassed him in every aspect, and to realize it was a name she recognized, made her chest tighten.
Her son had participated in competitions of all kinds since childhood. For a period of time, whenever there were international youth competitions, they would always run into a fellow competitor from Hua Country. His name seemed to be Qian Kun.
And more often than not, it was Ke Minghuai who lost. Only after Qian Kun suddenly stopped competing did Ke Minghuai’s era truly begin.
Just hearing the name Qian Kun once was enough to give her heartburn.
Thinking about how joyfully she spent the past few days, only to realize it had all been on Qian family property, Madam Ke felt as though she had a fishbone lodged in her throat.
Carrying a pile of shopping bags, she returned home with a dark expression and discovered that the son who wasn’t supposed to be back until the day after tomorrow was already there.
Ke Minghuai sat quietly at the tea table, holding the handle of the teapot as he poured. A thin stream of water flowed from the spout into the cup. This was how he calmed himself. He only did this when his mood was exceptionally bad.
Madam Ke was ushered inside. He didn’t look up, only handing her a cup after she sat down across from him.
“Ah Huai, why did you come back early?”
“The competition ended. I came back and went to find Xiao Jin,” Ke Minghuai said calmly, looking at her. “I heard some unbelievable news.”
“You mean the engagement being called off?”
“I was the last to know about my engagement. Then my broken engagement, I was again last to know?” Ke Minghuai pressed down on his anger. “Shouldn’t you give me an explanation, Mother?”
“Didn’t I tell you the day before you went abroad? You didn’t object!” Madam Ke was actually a little afraid of him like this.
Ke Minghuai froze.
The day before he went abroad, he hadn’t known how to face Shen Jin, who needed him so much. Pressured by his classmates’ drinking, he’d had a bit too much. Even now, his memories of that day were hazy.
“I don’t remember,” he said. When he woke up the next day, only the slap mark on his cheek remained. He could only vaguely guess that he’d done something excessive to Shen Jin. “Why didn’t you call again to confirm?”
“That assumes I could even get through.”
“……”
One look at her son told Madam Ke where he stood, but she had finally shaken off the Shen family. There was no way she would eat her words now.
“There’s no point talking about it anymore. The disengagement papers are already filed. Besides, he differentiated into a Beta. He’s useless to your research now, isn’t he?” She knew her son well. He was a research fanatic.
Ke Minghuai snapped his head up, his gaze sharp as a blade.
“Does Xiao Jin know this matter?”
Shen Jin’s pheromone level was extremely high and had already drawn the attention of the pheromone authorities. An Omega like that, once entering heat, was like a ticking time bomb, potentially a public safety hazard.
The engagement back then had been decided after weighing many factors.
When Ke Minghuai first learned he was engaged, he refused. He didn’t want to be engaged to someone he wasn’t familiar with.
There were also rumors at the time, saying Shen Jin’s arrival might steal Shen Xie’an’s affection, that he would be troublesome.
Ke Minghuai didn’t care whether those rumors were true. He simply didn’t want to create trouble for himself.
A few days later, however, staff from the relevant authorities came to his home. They hoped he could observe Shen Jin’s condition at all times, and that he’d need to cooperate with marking if necessary.
Now Shen Jin had already differentiated, losing that observing value.
Ke Minghuai himself was very interested in pheromone research, but over all these years, he had never touched Shen Jin.
Perhaps his original motives weren’t pure. Yet as time passed and he truly came to know Shen Jin, he realized Shen Jin had never taken away Shen Xie’an’s affection. Claims of him throwing his weight around were completely unfounded.
Those who owed Shen Jin weren’t just the Shen family, he did too.
In the years that followed, taking care of him had also been driven by guilt, a desire to make amends.
Mother Ke was intimidated by Ke Minghuai’s appearance, shaking her head. “Not yet.”
Ke Minghuai sighed in relief. Seemed there was still time. “Block the news of the broken engagement. I didn’t agree to this. It doesn’t count.”
Madam Ke grew annoyed. “Didn’t you say you always treated him like a younger brother?”
Ke Minghuai headed upstairs, leaving one sentence behind.
“That’s exactly why I can’t bully him.”
He was actually just a softhearted fool.
He cried a lot as a child. After growing up, he hadn’t seen him cry even once.
He wondered if this time, Shen Jin would hide somewhere and cry.
*
The moon rose high, and all was silent.
Shen Jin felt that he already made things clear with Ke Minghuai. As for the broken engagement, he understood both sides’ positions from beginning to end.
He learned long ago that crying was the most useless thing. That was when he would put his tears away.
It was Shen Xie’an, that silly kid, who used to say ridiculous things like “I’ll cry for my brother.”
Now, aside from worrying a bit about Qian Kun’s injury, Shen Jin suddenly had far fewer things to worry about.
He fell asleep again, sleeping especially soundly.
He didn’t know that someone else was staring in his direction until dawn.
Because they agreed that Shen Jin would walk him to class the next day, Shen Jin had set an alarm the night before. As soon as it rang, he got out of bed to wash up.
Today, though, his movements paused for a few seconds. Every morning, he’d wake up to see toothpaste shaped into various designs. That certain young master was truly bored enough to do things no normal person would while getting up at night.
Today however, the strangely shaped toothpaste was gone.
At first, Shen Jin had thought it was just a matter of adapting to a roommate’s quirks. It wasn’t a matter of principle, so he’d let it go. Over time, he’d grown used to it.
He figured Qian Kun must not have gotten up last night because of his injury.
When Shen Jin came out, he thought of calling to the opposite bed.
The bed across from him was empty.
Shen Jin saw a note on the desk: I went for a morning run. See you in class.
On his way to buy breakfast, Shen Jin passed the track and spotted a familiar figure jogging along the lanes.
His waist was injured, yet he could still exercise this intensely?
There were more and more Omegas gathering around Qian Kun. Shen Jin noticed a particularly pretty girl among them, someone from Class Eight, Qiao Yishan.
He remembered her because she had invited him several times to participate in school performances. Usually though, the student council was too busy during large events, so he had always declined.
The few times he had seen her before, her attitude had been a bit arrogant. He hadn’t expected her to be so expressive now.
Shen Jin watched for a moment, then went to buy breakfast anyway. Lately, he’d been handling Qian Kun’s breakfast too.
As soon as he reached the classroom, he was surrounded by Class Nine students. Luo Ying asked with concern, “Ice God, are you okay? Are you hurt? Is anything broken?”
Several other Omegas nodded along.
They knew it couldn’t be real, but thinking about their precarious Qian-Jin ship, and looking at Shen Jin’s face that might get scarred, their hearts ached.
Big shots, we’re not even asking you to get along. Just be peaceful, okay?
Those two flawless faces, could you please not damage them?
“?”
Shen Jin was baffled by the enthusiastic concern. Once he learned the reason, though, his heart went completely still.
Jiang Yifan had mentioned the medicated wine on WeChat last night. Now the whole class, even the whole grade, thought they’d gotten into a fight. No wonder he’d been met with concerned looks all along the way.
Shen Jin cast a cold glance at the gossip king. Jiang Yifan felt a chill on the back of his neck.
Shen Jin posted in the class group chat: [He just fell.]
Qian Kun arrived just as the class bell rang. The teacher was already lecturing. Under the desk, Shen Jin quietly passed him his portion of breakfast.
Qian Kun looked at the familiar stainless-steel lunch box. In the past, Shen Jin would never have broken rules like this during class.
He was a model student, always proper, never stepping out of line.
Now though, he seemed to be getting led astray bit by bit.
Was he a good influence on Shen Jin?
Did Shen Jin really want to be disturbed by him like this all the time?
Qian Kun said softly, “Thanks, but don’t bring it next time.”
He began consciously putting distance between them.
Shen Jin looked at him strangely. “Didn’t you say I’d be bringing it for a whole semester?”
Qian Kun originally wanted to say he didn’t need it anymore. The words reached his lips, but during class, both of them were speaking quietly. To hear him clearly, Shen Jin leaned over slightly. With just a tilt of his head, Qian Kun could see the fine fuzz on that pale earlobe.
A flash of unease passed through him. He changed his wording. “I’m worried you’ll get tired.”
“I won’t.”
It was just one extra portion.
Shen Jin sensed the subtle shift in Qian Kun’s attitude. It wasn’t obvious, but he’d always been sensitive to changes in how others treated him.
He didn’t understand why Qian Kun had suddenly grown distant. Slightly at a loss, he lowered his head to look at his test paper, fingers unconsciously pinching the edge.
On the courts, now that autumn had arrived and the weather was crisp, more students came to watch games nearby.
It had rained lightly in the morning. Now sunlight leaked through the thick clouds, and the air carried a fresh, post-rain scent.
Alphas brimmed with enthusiasm, calling out to friends as they gathered on the courts.
Several basketball courts were packed today. Qian Kun played especially fiercely. After two quarters, he finally left the court, giving the Class Eight Alphas a chance to breathe.
He sat down on a bench and wiped his sweat with a towel.
Liu Qimai wanted to rush back in, but Zhou You bumped his elbow and signaled with his eyes.
The two exchanged a few words. Liu Qimai plopped down beside Qian Kun.
“What’s going on with you? Did you eat gunpowder today? They’re all begging you to show mercy and get back in later.”
Qian Kun didn’t respond. He watched the ball being passed back and forth, then suddenly froze.
On the neighboring court, he spotted Ke Minghuai. It had been a long time since he appeared at school. Even many third-years busy with college entrance exams had gathered, making the field even louder.
Qian Kun glanced once, then looked away.
“If an Omega has a lover, but the lover isn’t around, and he really needs marking, what would he usually do?”
Liu Qimai felt this question really didn’t fit Qian Kun’s usual style.
However, Zhou You had warned him earlier. No matter what Qian Kun asked, don’t ask why. Just answer honestly.
Liu Qimai thought it through. “Go to a public safety matching room. It’s safe, convenient, and doesn’t drag in personal relationships.”
Qian Kun seemed to have expected the answer. His expression didn’t change.
He held his water bottle without opening it, his tone growing even flatter. “What if the lover comes back?”
Liu Qimai figured most Alphas would be furious, some might even turn violent.
Their Omega had been marked by someone else. Even if it was just a purchased tool, it could still easily provoke an Alpha’s possessive fury.
What else could they do? Forgive it. It wasn’t intentional. It was an emergency.
“Though I can understand, once I’m back, I’ll immediately redo the marking and completely cover the other person’s scent.”
Cover it.
On what grounds?
This is a marking I worked so hard to coax out.
Liu Qimai stared blankly as Qian Kun crushed the water bottle in his hand. Water sprayed out, dripping through his fingers.
Even someone as slow as him could tell that Qian Kun was furious.
*
On the third-year side, someone approached Ke Minghuai. It was Zhao Haotian, who had been recuperating in the hospital and still hadn’t fully recovered.
That day, when he’d gone looking for trouble with Zheng Zhepang outside school, he hadn’t gained anything. Instead, he’d run straight into Qian Kun. The terrifying pheromone pressure still haunted him.
Qian Kun was an Alpha. No one knew that secret.
Out of fear of Qian Kun himself, Zhao Haotian hadn’t told anyone.
Now that Ke Minghuai was back though, his thoughts stirred again.
“Huai-ge, Qian Kun and his people are way too arrogant. The moment they showed up here, they stole all the Omegas’ attention. Even the ones who liked you got led away. He’s basically a male fox spirit. Want to go teach them a lesson?”
Ke Minghuai glanced at the injuries on Zhao Haotian that still hadn’t fully healed. “Zhao Haotian, what do you think my IQ is?”
Zhao Haotian didn’t understand.
“Trying to use me as a weapon?”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Huai-ge. How could I think that?” Zhao Haotian denied it repeatedly.
Zhao Haotian had once tried to secretly film Shen Jin. With insufficient evidence, he only received a disciplinary warning.
Ke Minghuai hadn’t wanted to let it go. He’d deliberately eased relations, then found leverage on Zhao Haotian, which led to Zhao Haotian acknowledging him as a big brother.
After being taught a lesson by Shen Jin several times, Zhao Haotian had also received warnings from Ke Minghuai.
He knew Ke Minghuai had his own rules. Otherwise, how could he have run the student council so well?
“Good, then.” Ke Minghuai smiled faintly and passed the ball to a classmate.
After lunch, Shen Jin wanted to rest his head on the desk and nap.
Maybe he had eaten too much. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t fall asleep.
He checked Group Two. The Omegas in his class were posting photos, mostly of Qian Kun playing basketball. Sweat flying, expression cold and sharp, fingers controlling the ball, carrying a faint but imposing aura.
Shen Jin thought of the bruise on Qian Kun’s back. It couldn’t possibly be painless.
Yet if Qian Kun wanted to exercise, could anyone stop him?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt he was worrying for nothing. He lay back down.
Five seconds later.
Shen Jin turned over with a stiff expression.
Ten seconds later, he flipped again.
……
In the end, Shen Jin brushed his messy hair back and stood up.
He went to the convenience store and bought a bottle of imported mineral water he normally wouldn’t buy. Holding it, he headed for the field.
He was just going to take a look.
This injury was because of him. Ignoring it completely would be too heartless.
As Shen Jin approached the field, there were even more students cheering on the outskirts. Judging by the uniforms, there were plenty of third-years preparing for exams.
Shen Jin played basketball well himself, but he rarely watched from the sidelines.
He scanned the area and walked straight toward the most crowded spot. As soon as he got close, a wave of cheers erupted. Shen Jin saw the ball hit the rim, and a long figure launched upward with astonishing spring, slamming the ball home.
“Whoa—”
“Oh my god—”
Dunks were rare to see live. The entire field filled with cheers and screams.
“Kun-ge, do another one!”
After cooling his furious mind slightly, Qian Kun left the court with the other Alphas.
Liu Qimai suddenly spotted a figure in the crowd he couldn’t ignore. He shouted in surprise, “Why is he here?!”
“He never watches games, right?” another Alpha said.
“Did something unbelievable appear on the field today?”
In truth, many people noticed Shen Jin the moment he arrived.
He was too eye-catching that Qian Kun noticed him without even trying.
What appeared on the field?
Just Ke Minghuai.
Treatment like that would make any Alpha’s heart stir.
Did Ke Minghuai treat him well?
Did Shen Jin regret being marked by me now?
Qian Kun’s thoughts wandered aimlessly. He bent down lazily to switch towels. Qiao Yishan, who had been waiting nearby, handed him a fresh one.
As Qian Kun lifted his head, he saw Shen Jin walking toward him out of the corner of his eye.
Thump.
Thump thump.
Thump thump thump.
His heart raced violently.
Dangerous feelings were collapsing and rebuilding in his heart at devastating speed.
He’s not coming over to me, is he?
Author’s Note:
He has a lover. I can’t interfere.
Don’t come closer! One more step, and the only thought I’ll have left is stealing him away.
.
Madly smitten Qianqian, hehehehehe~
.
At the beginning, Huai treated Jinjin more like a convenient arrangement. Later, he genuinely cared for him and looked after him with sincerity. It’s hard not to fall for a kid as good as Jinjin through time spent together. He hasn’t realized his own feelings yet, but Qianqian will make him understand what he’s missed. Hmph.
0 Comments