41: Very Urgent
The phone screen displayed: “Typing…”
Dozens of seconds passed. Silence returned. Shen Jin rubbed his chin with one hand, lost in thought.
He waited a little longer before finally confirming the other party was not going to reply.
Then in an especially innocent tone, he typed: [Sorry, I meant to ask my classmate, I clicked the wrong profile picture.]
Shen Jin sent the exact same message to Qian Kun too, as if he really had messaged the wrong person. Neither side replied for the moment.
As expected, Shen Jin pulled out the profiles of those few Alphas who had come out of the shower room earlier. He had just borrowed them from Yu Pingling. The student union kept some basic information on certain Alphas.
In the afternoon, sunlight beat down on the field. It was that lingering late-season heat people called the “autumn tiger,” and the air was stuffy, like it was brewing a storm.
The PE teacher had a headache, looking at Class Nine’s group of delicate Omegas. They clung to his arms and acted cute, and as an Alpha, he was having a hard time resisting.
So the originally outdoor running and frog jumps were changed to indoor exercise.
They all moved inside. The PE teacher swept his gaze around and picked two people he felt were representative to lead the run, so this bunch of Omegas would not start making a fuss again.
“Qian Kun, Shen Jin, you two come up front and lead.”
This was basically like hanging a carrot in front of a rabbit. What was that called? Motivation.
Too bad other classes did not have living signboards like this. Otherwise the same formula could be applied anywhere.
Shen Jin was already near the front. He stepped into position, then watched Qian Kun finish putting on his wrist guards before he strolled over to Shen Jin’s side.
“I’ve noticed you wear them every time.”
Qian Kun’s heart jumped slightly. Hearing Shen Jin’s voice so close, ripples spread across his heart.
He had been the only one absent at noon, and he had thought Shen Jin would at least ask him about it. He had even prepared an answer.
Shen Jin did not ask.
Shen Jin’s thoughtfulness was always like this, gentle as a silent rain.
Qian Kun said, “You like them? I’ll get you a pair made.”
His were custom-made, upper-arm ones and wrist ones. When playing ball, he sometimes could not control his force and ended up hurting people. His family had a special set made, also to help regulate his own output.
Shen Jin felt the young master really was generous. His tone made it sound like whatever Shen Jin asked for, he could hand over.
Shen Jin continued warming up and said, “No need. I’m not good at sports.”
Back when he was an Omega, he could not act too different.
He had gotten used to saying that.
“Then should I slow down later?”
“Just run normally. I’ll try to keep up.”
Qian Kun started running first, with Shen Jin following.
At the start, they kept an even pace. Qian Kun deliberately slowed to accommodate him, but Shen Jin looked relaxed, so Qian Kun sped up. Shen Jin still kept pace, steadily increasing his speed too.
…Not good at sports?
They did not have to run the outdoor 400-meter track, but PE Teacher Yang had thoughtfully arranged something else. Indoors, they still had to run at least thirty laps.
Teacher Yang saw students in the back slacking and blew his whistle. “Control your mouths and move your legs. Don’t drag your feet. Get some spirit. The sports meet is next week. Let the other schools see our positive energy!”
Class Nine loved complaining, so of course it started immediately.
“I seriously suspect Old Yang secretly read his wife’s weight-loss journal. Listen to him, slogans for days.”
“Isn’t the sports meet just First High and Fifth High again, the same old faces? So what if they’re better at sports. Who cares if they see us.”
“I heard they added a private school this time. Something like Sengshi High.”
“Whoa, that absurdly expensive elite school? What are they coming for, a performance? Tossing gold coins?”
“Not going to lie, I’m tempted.”
“If we compete with them, we should be able to crush them.”
“I’m starting to look forward to it.”
Liu Qimai and the others heard it too and sneered. A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years.
It was time for these arrogant Class Nine people to learn who their dad was.
At first, everyone could keep up. After a while, they started panting.
The two bosses at the very front though, did not even blush or breathe hard. Shen Jin looked especially like an ice sculpture, barely sweating at all.
When the thirty laps were done, quite a few students stopped caring about their image and sat right on the floor.
Jogging slowly would not have been that exhausting, except the two in front were too fast. One accelerated, the other accelerated too.
Did you two coordinate this? Did you come here specifically to torture people?
Shen Jin said he was not good at sports. Did he have some kind of misunderstanding about himself?
Talents like this… if you two are not running the 3000 meters, we are not watching.
Neither of them cared about their classmates’ resentful stares. They were at the front, so when they rested, they were close together.
Qian Kun noticed that when he sat down, his shoe tip accidentally touched Shen Jin’s sneaker tip.
Shen Jin was catching his breath and did not notice.
Even if he did notice, he probably would not take this kind of everyday contact to heart.
Qian Kun’s calf seemed to sense its owner’s mood. It did not move, staying tense.
Until Shen Jin turned his head, Qian Kun still not move his foot away. He handed over a tissue.
Shen Jin took it and wiped. He noticed that Qian Kun trained heavily and sweated more. Right now, sweat slid down from his temple, making those glassy eyes look even deeper.
After exercise, Alphas could easily leak pheromones. That was why, after every game, the Omegas in class always reminded them to reapply suppressant spray.
Teacher Yang saw the students had rested enough and told the Alphas to lay out the soft mats. Next was sit-ups. The students wailed. Teacher Yang did not budge. “Pairs of two. Find your partner. This counts toward your usual grade too. Once you’re done, you can have free activity.”
Someone raised a hand. “Teacher, can an Alpha partner with an Omega?”
Teacher Yang laughed. “If you can get an Omega to agree, that’s your skill.”
Everyone laughed at that Alpha’s obvious intentions. Shen Jin had already chosen a mat that looked relatively clean.
In the past, no one held his legs for this. It was not that people refused, but most students saw his icy stare and backed off. The most important part was that even without someone holding him down, he still ranked among the best.
This time, he lay down. Everyone around him had already paired up. Liu Qimai wanted to move closer to Shen Jin, but Zhou You grabbed his arm.
He watched helplessly as there was actually space beside the Ice God. No way. If no one was going, he would go.
Before he could take a few steps, Qian Kun silently walked up and stood in front of Shen Jin.
Liu Qimai’s temple twitched. He had the nagging feeling he had missed something.
When did Kun-ge get so close to Ice God? He was baffled. This time, he did not even need Zhou You to pull him back. He casually asked Luo Ying if she wanted to partner with him.
Luo Ying glanced at him and unexpectedly answered, “Sure.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Do you have a fever?!”
While pairing was still in progress, Shen Jin watched the tall shadow fall before him. As if he had not noticed Shen Jin’s hesitation, Qian Kun asked, “Want to pair up?”
Qian Kun lowered his gaze. Dense lashes cast shadows across his eyelids, and his expression was swallowed by the backlit shade.
He squatted down and placed both hands around Shen Jin’s shoes, holding them steady.
From Shen Jin’s angle, it almost looked reverent.
That was impossible.
The whistle blew. Shen Jin followed his own rhythm, curling forward toward his knees, then lying back down.
His gaze passed over the gym’s bright ceiling and returned to Qian Kun’s face. He used his sense of smell to carefully read Qian Kun’s scent.
Other than a faint natural body scent and the warmth of sweat, there still was not the slightest trace of pheromones.
Shen Jin frowned inwardly. Qian Kun was practically flawless. If anyone knew what he suspected, they would probably think he had lost his mind.
As Shen Jin moved, his breathing and aura rolled outward into the space around them.
Qian Kun slowly closed his eyes. The rush of stimulation from adrenaline kept acting on the hands that were in contact with him.
“How can you count with your eyes closed?” Shen Jin asked.
“I’m counting silently. I can feel it.” Qian Kun opened his eyes and stared at Shen Jin, focused.
At that moment, several seniors walked into the gym carrying sports equipment as they passed through.
Ke Minghuai had only glanced over casually, then his gaze froze as he looked toward the two of them in the distance.
*
The end-of-class bell rang. Today, Class Nine excitedly went to the mall together.
After asking Liu Qimai, Shen Jin decided to book the restaurant on the fifth floor of the mall they went to last time. He had heard the private rooms there could be used for eating, playing games, and even karaoke. It sounded multifunctional.
Shen Jin lowered his head to reply to a message from his cousin, Xie Ling. Xie Ling had arranged for Shen Jin to return to the Xie home after finishing dinner with classmates.
It had been a while since Shen Jin had seen Xie Ling. After confirming, he put his phone away. When he returned to the chat, [Hate Rabbits] had replied: [It’s fine.]
On [CAT]’s side, there was no reply.
“Didn’t you see WeChat?” Shen Jin looked at his deskmate, who was playing a game.
“Oh, I forgot to check,” Qian Kun said, then opened WeChat. “I’m not going. I have plans tonight.”
“Then if your date ends and you have time, could you come by and take a look?”
“You want me to come?” Qian Kun did not expect Shen Jin to ask a second time, like he truly wanted him there.
“It’s my first time treating everyone,” Shen Jin did not answer directly. “Stay in touch on WeChat?”
If Qian Kun came, it meant Qian Kun did not truly want to distance himself from him.
If he did not…
Then Shen Jin would understand what Qian Kun meant.
*
The classmates arrived at the commercial complex by different means of transportation. Since it was not time for the meal yet, they split into groups to wander other floors. The Omegas went together to browse the jewelry counters and the little trinket sections.
After things had been made clear with Shen Jin, even classmates who used to be too nervous to talk to him now could come over and say a few words.
They invited Shen Jin to go with them, but Shen Jin sat on the sofa and said that as long as they did not buy him gifts, it was fine.
“Then we’re going first. Birthday star, don’t spend too much today. Look at my serious eyes. Don’t think I’m just being polite.”
“We don’t eat that much. This place looks so expensive.”
“Exactly. We only spent 78.2, and you’re multiplying that by dozens of times. I feel super guilty.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Shen Jin had already pre-ordered the dishes in the restaurant app. Hearing that, he said, “If you feel guilty, then eat more later. Don’t worry about the cost. I have some savings.”
“Ice God, I couldn’t tell before. Are you a rich second-generation?”
“And you’re hiding your identity and came to our class to experience life?” Luo Ying, full of girlish fantasy.
Shen Jin answered with little sincerity, “Yeah. So are you going to shop or not?”
“Sigh, Ice God is still so cold-blooded.”
“Ice God’s gentleness was just an illusion.”
Zhou You did not leave. He sat near Shen Jin and placed a bank card beside him.
Shen Jin laughed helplessly and pushed it back.
“It’s really enough.”
Zhou You watched him and saw he was not faking. Only then did he take the card back.
He explained for his friend. “Something’s going on with his relatives.”
Shen Jin glanced at Zhou You, who looked like he had seen through everything, and said, “Last time, didn’t you ask me if Gu Yue’s dorm still had room for another person?”
Shen Jin’s counterattack made Zhou You pause. He still wanted the answer and asked, “So does it?”
“Single room. Not taking anyone.”
“…”
“But there are two beds. I can ask again for you.”
“Thanks.”
Shen Jin was not putting on a brave front. He really could afford it. He had savings from live-streaming while doing homework and getting tips, and that alone could cover treating everyone.
After the engagement was broken off, Xie Ling said he would help invest twelve million for him. It sounded like it had doubled by now. Not long ago, Xie Ling had sent the interest to Shen Jin’s account and called it spending money.
Because of transfer limits, Shen Jin had planned to send it back in installments. He had just returned the first portion when Xie Ling had given him the cold shoulder for nearly a week. No amount of sweet talk worked.
If it were not for this birthday, Xie Ling probably would have continued the cold war.
They played until close to eight. The indoor lighting was dimmed. One group crowded around tabletop games. Another group rotated at the microphone and howled dramatically, with Liu Qimai’s voice the loudest of all.
Amid the liveliness, Shen Jin took out his phone and checked. It was quiet.
Just then, a server knocked and came in, saying a student from their school had arrived and asked whether they could come in.
“Who is it?”
“Other than the ones who have cram school, everyone from our class is here, right? Who’s left?”
Shen Jin blinked. His fingers rubbed urgently across his chin, fast. He said, “Let him in.”
…
Qian Kun really did have plans. His older female cousin had called him to attend her housewarming party.
They were close relatives. He could not refuse this kind of face.
Qian Kun sat on a sofa on a high-rise terrace. String lights dotted the area. Looking out, you could see a spread of night scenery that resembled starlight. People chatted nearby, and now and then someone glanced toward where Qian Kun sat.
Tonight’s crowd had too many Omegas. Perfume mixed with drifting pheromones, tinting the entire gathering with a faint, ambiguous mood.
Qian Kun shook off several Omegas who kept clinging to him and went straight outside.
Qian Man made her way through the chaos in the living room and spotted Qian Kun the moment she reached the terrace. Around him was an oddly empty zone.
Her cousin was the kind of person people chased for his family background, his personal ability, his looks, and even his personality.
He was always under attention, like priceless meat everyone wanted a bite of.
Before she could walk over, she saw exactly what she expected. An Omega dressed in something sexy approached with a drink.
Qian Kun did not even lift his head. The “gentleman” those Omegas praised at school could not be bothered to pretend outside. He waved a hand and dismissed the Omega.
Qian Kun scrolled through Liu Qimai’s Moments. It was full of photos from today’s gathering. When he saw a few that captured Shen Jin’s profile, or showed him in the background, he quietly saved them and put them into a hidden folder.
A few Omegas came nearby, discussing elite family gossip. Qian Kun had intended to leave, but the moment he heard Ke Minghuai’s name, he stopped.
One of them said, “Ke Minghuai came back early. I heard it was to make it in time for his fiancée’s coming-of-age ceremony.”
Another sighed with admiration. “Wow, so doting.”
Qian Kun frowned. The parts he had looked into did not touch Shen Jin’s privacy. How affectionate those two were had nothing to do with him, and he did not want to know. Qian Kun prepared to leave again.
Those two continued talking as if no one else existed.
“Doting? It’s just a surface act. To this day, no one even knows what his fiancée is called. Only a few families know. They say it’s ‘protecting’ the other party, but who gets engaged and doesn’t make it public?”
“I also heard that this fiancée’s family is far inferior to the Ke family. Usually they have to act humble and subservient, and during holidays they have to go serve the future in-laws.”
“That sounds suffocating.”
“The way those Ke relatives talk about that fiancée is so vicious I can’t even listen.”
“Ke Minghuai doesn’t help at all?”
“He can’t help if he doesn’t know. Those people are clever. They only torment behind the scenes. Ke Minghuai is an experiment maniac too, so he probably overlooks things.”
“Ke Minghuai looks so gentle and refined. I thought being his fiancée would be happy. Who would have thought…”
Qian Man had just walked over when she saw Qian Kun, usually steady as a mountain, show panic on his face for the first time.
He stood up abruptly, his aura turning razor-sharp.
“Not going to play in the dance area?” Qian Man watched him grab his coat and leave without looking back. “Where are you going? Are you in a hurry?”
His voice carried back on the wind.
“I am.”
Very urgent.
Author’s Note:
Now you know what urgent feels like!
Wishing sweethearts a happy Qixi Festival.
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