“Hey, classmate Ji, want to head to the training grounds together?”
A student from the same class spotted Ji Chenxi on the way over and walked straight up to him. The guy wore a warm, friendly smile—not the fake, over-the-top kind, just the right mix of enthusiasm and politeness. Honestly, most people wouldn’t have the heart to turn that down.
Ji Chenxi smiled back and casually called out the other person’s name, then gently refused the invitation.
The timing of the approach was actually pretty good. The family behind this student, while not quite on the level of the big clans Ji Chenxi usually dealt with, could still barely squeeze into the upper circle. The only reason Ji Chenxi turned him down… was because this was already the seventh invitation he’d gotten along the way.
To be honest, compared to being surrounded by a lively crowd, Ji Chenxi sometimes preferred being alone. And even if he wanted to build connections at the academy, it should be done quietly, behind the scenes—not this obvious.
The light brain on his wrist buzzed softly, but he didn’t pay it much attention. He headed straight to the simulation pod and trained for four hours before moving on to other matters.
The first stop was the student council.
In most schools, the student council holds real power, and that’s even more true in the Royal Academy, where the elite gather. With his identity as a prince, Ji Chenxi had easily secured the position of vice president as soon as he enrolled. The president position required at least a second-year student to run, and honestly, Ji Chenxi was perfectly happy having someone guide him—or more accurately, handle all the tedious work for him.
The first thing Ji Chenxi did after joining the council was win over the current president. She was a third-year from the command department. Privately, a lot of people described her as picky, difficult, and full of rich-girl attitude. But in reality, this so-called domineering young lady had a soft spot for fluffy animals. She kept over a dozen beautiful cats of different breeds at home. The moment she saw Ji Chenxi, she eagerly asked if she could see his “cat.”
Snow leopards were already one of the most popular big cats among humans, and Ji Chenxi’s snow leopard was far more beautiful than the average one.
Lan Ruoxi, the current student council president—before Ji Chenxi showed up, she had dumped most of her work onto the vice president. Now, though, things had flipped, and she, the president, was the one handling what should’ve been the vice president’s duties.
The moment she saw Ji Chenxi walk in, Lan Ruoxi—who had been frowning slightly while sorting through documents—instantly brightened up with a smile. Even her red fox perked up and ran over to Ji Chenxi’s side, those pretty fox eyes practically screaming, ‘Where’s the cat?’
Since he was already acting like a hands-off boss, Ji Chenxi simply released the snow leopard. The moment it appeared, it moved with quick, smooth agility and dodged a certain woman whose face carried a rather strange smile.
Lan Ruoxi watched the snow leopard dash away with clear regret. Even when her red fox immediately chased after it, her expression was still full of disappointment.
“So close, so close! I almost got to hug the little cutie. Why run so fast? Could it be this reflects the Third Prince’s true inner self?” The bright and beautiful female alpha complained.
Ji Chenxi ignored her and said instead, “I looked over the schedule you arranged. Why is there still work on the weekend?”
Lan Ruoxi quickly returned to her usual self. She took a sip of coffee, and unlike her gentle, elegant name, her way of doing things was bold and firm—especially when she got serious.
“I don’t see any problem with the weekend plans I arranged,” she said calmly. “The student council isn’t just a title. With power comes a lot of work. One day for semester summary and planning, the other for a group gathering—chatting, having tea. Isn’t that nice?”
Ji Chenxi went quiet for a moment before asking, “Can’t you just put both into one day? Do they have to be split?”
Lan Ruoxi smiled and turned him down without hesitation. The schedule had already been sent out, and changing it last minute would only weaken her authority over the council.
After setting her coffee down, she settled into a soft hanging chair. With a light push of her toes, the chair swayed gently. “This is the first time this semester that all student council members will be present. Third Prince, you have to show up.”
Ji Chenxi’s mood darkened a little, irritation creeping in.
He had thought that compared to the strict First Military Academy, the Royal Academy would give him more free time. But in reality, the instructors kept assigning time-consuming work, there were extra training sessions, and the student council meetings never seemed to end. This whole past month, he’d barely had any time to himself.
To put it simply, not long after he and Chi Zhuo got together, they were already stuck in what felt like a long-distance relationship—one where they barely even talked.
Just yesterday, Ji Chenxi had glanced through their chat history. Honestly, judging by the messages alone, they didn’t look much different from a couple going through a cold phase right before a breakup.
So for this weekend, he had no intention of wasting it at the academy. He planned to just show up at the summary meeting, make an appearance, and slip away halfway through.
Only after returning to his single dorm did Ji Chenxi finally have time to check his light brain.
It had buzzed earlier, and he’d assumed it was Su Yu—after all, the only people who casually messaged him were Su Yu and Man Ye. Who would’ve thought it was actually Chi Zhuo, someone who rarely took the initiative to text him?
Ji Chenxi raised a brow slightly and opened the message. The moment he read it, his eyebrow almost shot up.
【Free this weekend? Want to go to the aquarium together】
A faint smile tugged at Ji Chenxi’s lips as he replied:
【A date?】
Looking at the message Chi Zhuo had sent hours ago, Ji Chenxi still found it a bit surprising. Chi Zhuo actually asked him out first. Thinking about it carefully… the two of them had never really gone on a proper date before.
Chi Zhuo replied almost instantly—but instead of answering the question, he sidestepped it and asked:
【Are you free?】
Ji Chenxi’s weekend had nothing to do with being “free.” Aside from student council matters, he still needed to use the weekend to discuss follow-up plans with Chen Xing. But the casual tea gathering wasn’t something he absolutely had to attend—even if it was the perfect chance to build ties with those rich kids. And as for secret plotting… that could be done anytime.
He only ran through it briefly in his mind before giving a firm reply.
【I’m free.】
For a split second, Ji Chenxi even felt like he could hear Chi Zhuo’s low, muffled laugh.
【Then I’ll pick you up on Saturday, Your Highness】
Another instant reply. The message itself was proper and straightforward, just about picking him up—but somehow, Ji Chenxi still read a hint of softness in it. If every cold line of text came with hidden feelings like this… He scrolled back through their chat history and suddenly felt like there was nothing wrong at all. What “long-distance couple on the verge of breaking up”? They were clearly still deep in the sweet phase.
Ji Chenxi was tempted by the invitation, but he still refused.
【I’ve got an annoying student council meeting on Saturday. Might only be free at night. How about Sunday instead】
【Student council? That’s routine, right? It won’t go past 4 p.m. I’ll come pick you up then. We can grab dinner and go to the aquarium at night. The lighting there looks really nice in the evening】
This time, Ji Chenxi didn’t refuse again. Keeping it reserved, he simply typed:
【Mm.】
Since it was a date, Ji Chenxi put a bit of effort into his appearance.
That mainly showed in the details—he swapped out his favorite glass earrings for cooler-toned accessories with a silver black snake design. Not only that, he replaced his usual inhibitor ring with a patch and a more stylish choker.
Whether it would attract Chi Zhuo, he didn’t know yet—but it definitely caught the attention of almost everyone in the student council.
Ji Chenxi felt a little regret. He should’ve just kept it casual. Now it looked like he was really looking forward to the date. Even Lan Ruoxi seemed pleasantly surprised when she saw him today. Not only had he put effort into his outfit and accessories, he had also tied up his long silver hair. The high ponytail, paired with today’s look and his already delicate, striking features, made him stand out even more.
His regret grew stronger when he wanted to slip away halfway through the meeting—because with so many eyes on him, how was he supposed to leave?
Even though he was annoyed, Ji Chenxi held out for quite a while. The long, dragging meeting finally neared its end. At most, there were forty to fifty minutes left.
Ji Chenxi began preparing his escape in advance.
Running off took skill. He acted like he was just stepping out for some air, then casually walked toward the exit as if nothing was unusual. But before he could even leave the student council building, he was stopped in the small garden outside.
The one who stopped Ji Chenxi was a very pretty female omega. She looked young—around seventeen or eighteen, still very much like a girl. When she smiled, there was a shy softness to it, and two small dimples showed on her cheeks.
Ji Chenxi gave a polite nod and was about to walk past her, but the slightly shy omega girl hurried after him and blocked his way again.
“Do you need something?” Ji Chenxi asked in a low voice.
The faint blush on her cheeks didn’t go unnoticed. Because of that, his tone carried a slight chill—but his looks leaned toward a naturally cool and refined kind of beauty, so when he spoke, it didn’t come off as cold at all. Instead, it just made him seem gentle and polite.
The girl hesitated for a moment, then gathered her courage and asked, “Are you… leaving early, Ji?”
Ji Chenxi nodded. “I’ve got something to take care of, so I’ll head out first. Could you help me let the president know?”
The girl looked nervous, her fingers gripping her sleeve tightly, though her cheeks stayed softly flushed. She looked up at him, trying her best to meet his eyes. “Then… how about we leave together? I’m a freshman too, and I’m not really used to how the seniors do things. I want to leave early, but… I’m a little scared.”
Out of basic courtesy, Ji Chenxi listened while looking at her, waiting for her to finish. Then he planned to refuse without hesitation. Honestly, he should’ve been more direct earlier instead of wasting time here in the garden.
But after she finished speaking, Ji Chenxi didn’t reply right away. Instead, he looked off into the distance.
For a brief moment, he had the strange feeling that someone had secretly taken a picture of him.
His gaze swept quickly across a few spots that would be perfect for hiding—but he didn’t find anything suspicious.
A slight frown formed in his heart, a hint of annoyance at something he couldn’t control. Still, he turned back, rejected the omega girl once more, and quickly left the area.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
