Ji Qiu swung his long legs as he sat on the chair, thoroughly satisfied as he admired Jiang Xinglan’s expression for a while.
“So you two…”
So it wasn’t an OO relationship at all?
Jiang Xinglan didn’t say it out loud.
Then Liang Yan’s reactions suddenly made perfect sense.
“I was worried before about your situation… that it might be very difficult,” Jiang Xinglan smiled slightly, some of the fatigue on his face easing. “But now it seems that won’t be the case. Congratulations.”
Ji Qiu, like a noblewoman from the Middle Ages enjoying afternoon tea, delicately placed the cup back on the table and lifted his chin. “Many thanks, many thanks.”
At this moment, he was a man standing on high ground!
Refined!
Just as he cleared his throat with restrained pride, preparing to make a speech about their heaven-made match, Liang Yan finally couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed some snacks from the side and continued throwing them at Ji Qiu. “Are you done yet?!”
His temperament had been more volatile since becoming pregnant, and it was probably because he hadn’t hit his Alpha in two days and his hands were itching. He flexed his fingers and successfully watched Ji Qiu instantly back down.
Only then did Ji Qiu stop showing off under Liang Yan’s murderous glare. He cast Jiang Xinglan one last lingering look and meekly replied, “Oh,” adding humbly, “Yan Yan, don’t be mad. Getting angry is bad for your health.”
The corners of Liang Yan’s mouth finally relaxed a little.
Looking at the two of them, Jiang Xinglan felt the tension in his thoughts and emotions, stretched tight ever since he’d come from the art academy—ease somewhat.
Ji Qiu being able to keenly detect his pheromones meant that his pheromone level was definitely extraordinary. Jiang Xinglan had never seen an Alpha with pheromones of this rank who wasn’t aggressive or competitive, someone who instead pretended to be an Omega in front of outsiders, and who could fuss over his partner, caring and attentive, even obediently letting himself be scolded or hit.
This way of getting along felt novel to him.
Perhaps the things he had always insisted on… also had another side.
He thought silently.
Still, when he recalled how Ji Qiu had looked when Jiang Xinglan first found him back then, he couldn’t help glancing at Liang Yan again.
When had he found out this man was an Alpha? And how had he fallen for him?
Jiang Xinglan was thoroughly confused but he didn’t ask a single question.
Maybe this, too, was another kind of “compatibility.”
Ji Qiu didn’t fool around for long. Xu Yishu still couldn’t make it, but Jiang Xinglan’s personal ability was very strong, and once trust was established, things progressed quickly.
Jiang Xinglan also did his best to help them avoid unnecessary pitfalls. After a period of discussion, everyone relaxed quite a bit.
The only thing that made Jiang Xinglan a little uncomfortable was…
Perhaps influenced by the group’s atmosphere, he found himself showing expressions other than his usual polite smile—a rare occurrence.
Frowning, he watched Ji Qiu tiptoe over and pull Liang Yan away from him, utterly puzzled. “I really don’t have any thoughts about your… boyfriend anymore. You don’t need to be this guarded against me. Really.”
Ji Qiu glared at him. “Nonsense! I just smelled your pheromones!”
Jiang Xinglan sighed helplessly. “…That was just—I didn’t rein it in properly for a moment.”
And the scent was so faint there was no way it could cling to an Omega from that far away.
Seeing the hostility in Ji Qiu’s eyes, he hesitated and added, “And I don’t think my pheromones smell that bad…”
Ji Qiu snorted. “Well, they’re still not as good as mine!”
Jiang Xinglan had no desire to compete with him over pheromones.
“……” Suddenly, Jiang Xinglan felt that talking to Ji Qiu was more exhausting than dealing with unreasonable clients he’d encountered during his internship.
This guy was clearly trying to drag him down to his level of intelligence, then beat him with sheer shamelessness.
So how on earth did this person get admitted with the top score in the Southwest?!
“And that’s not the point,” Ji Qiu said seriously. “You’ve misunderstood our relationship.”
Jiang Xinglan blurted out, “Aren’t you boyfriends…?”
Only after saying it did he realize that since Ji Qiu was already an Alpha and given Liang Yan’s current condition, they might very well have already taken things a step further.
Ji Qiu met the other man’s gaze and said even more proudly, “Yes, Yan Yan is now my—”
Before he could finish the last word, all sound was swallowed by a cry of pain.
Ji Qiu immediately wailed for mercy. “I was wrong! Husband, I was wrong! Don’t hit me, wuwuwu QAQ!!”
Unfortunately, Liang Yan paid him no heed. With his free hand, he pinched the flesh at Ji Qiu’s waist and gradually increased the force.
“Husband! Husband, I won’t talk nonsense anymore!”
Liang Yan was, after all, rather thin-skinned, and Ji Qiu’s words made his face start to flush.
Lai Qiutong and Yin Tongguang were already used to this scene and remained unmoved. Only Jiang Xinglan, seeing it for the first time, found it astonishing.
He had originally thought Liang Yan was the type who rarely got angry but now it seemed… not quite so.
Before long, evening arrived. Jiang Xinglan didn’t have time to head back, so he simply stayed on the medical university side for dinner.
This time, no one went far. They casually went to the second floor of the cafeteria, ordered a few dishes, and made do.
After dinner, they chatted as they walked Jiang Xinglan to the school gate, then went their separate ways.
Ji Qiu went back to cook porridge for Liang Yan, while Jiang Xinglan, still feeling uneasy, hailed a taxi after walking only a short distance and went back to the place he had visited that morning.
He felt that he had probably changed.
Something within his heart was growing wildly, and even his usually calm self couldn’t suppress it.
Setting that aside, however, some school netizens who had inadvertently seen the group eating together had plenty to say.
Yin Tongguang heard quite a few people discussing it on his way back.
“I saw Jiang Xinglan having dinner with Yan–Qiu today!!!”
“I saw it too!!!”
“And Lai Qiutong was there too!! And that Yin Tongguang guy who’s always slacking off!!”
He was indignant, what do you mean I’m always slacking off?!
These are my comrades! Comrades!!
The discussion continued.
“Holy crap, what kind of hell-level love triangle is this??”
“No, this plot is confusing. Didn’t Jiang Xinglan pursue both of them before? And now the three of them can still sit together and eat??”
“Does he still have feelings?”
“With his conditions, probably not. Really, probably not.”
“Reborn as me and the two Omegas I once pursued…”
Yin Tongguang rolled his eyes hard, shut his dorm door, and went to take a shower.
Thus, within the school, the relationship between Ji Qiu and Liang Yan became more and more talked about and increasingly mysterious.
Yin Tongguang rarely had the time to deal with these people and could only sneer inwardly. If you ever find out the truth, don’t come crying with nowhere to go.
The school forum was buzzing nonstop. Gossip was gossip, but the things they needed to do were all still being carried out.
They had something far more important ahead.
According to the earlier process and plan, Ji Qiu was about to formally accept an exclusive interview from one of the industry’s authoritative major media outlets.
The theme was an apology.
Countless people were guessing what explanation this student, whom KB had already branded as committing “extortion”—would give for his actions.
Would he break down in tears and admit fault, saying he’d been blinded by money and thus did something that affected the progress of a new drug?
Or would there be some kind of reversal, with him continuing to bite down on alleged flaws in the other side’s pharmacological effects?
But since the theme was already stated as an apology, who exactly was he apologizing to?
Putting aside the outside voices, at least within the school, most people still supported their alumnus.
【Why am I starting to worry about Qiuqiu? No matter what, he’s just a delicate Omega!】
【Isn’t KB going too far?! Forcing Xiao Qiu to apologize!】
【Didn’t they say Xiao Qiu himself was willing to contact this media outlet? That doesn’t count as being forced, right?】
【Hard to say… What if he was threatened or something else? Making Xiao Qiu say he’s doing it voluntarily on the surface, but actually being coerced…】
【Isn’t KB going too far?! Forcing Xiao Qiu to apologize!】
【The more you think about it, the scarier it gets 1】
【Ahhhhh no matter what, Qiuqiu has to hold on! Is there a livestream? Is there?!】
【Yes, there is—link here → XXXX】
【Holy crap, there’s a livestream? I’m so scared Xiao Qiu will get nervous and break down mentally at the end. Wuwuwu, even though he’s not single anymore, he’s still my Xiao Qiu!】
【I wonder how Liang Yan is feeling right now】
【I wonder how Liang Yan is feeling right now 1, but he’s probably not feeling great—after all, that’s his boyfriend】
【That’s why OO relationships are unreliable, no one believes it, but they definitely won’t last…】
【Isn’t it kind of inappropriate to curse people to break up at a time like this??】
【Some people really are just sour grapes when they can’t have any—classic jealousy】
【Let’s stop this topic】
【I happened to see them once; the way they interacted seemed the same as ever—probably doing pretty well】
【Go, Xiao Qiu!!】
Yin Tongguang read everyone’s comments with intense nervousness, his heart filled with unease.
This media outlet was directly affiliated with a TV station, so the interviewee had to show up in person and arrive at the designated location at the agreed time.
That day, everyone came. Yu Zhenghao drove the company car to bring him over, and Liang Chen kept sending Ji Qiu messages anxiously, afraid he wouldn’t be able to hold up under the pressure.
When the car pulled up downstairs at the TV station, Liang Yan got out with Ji Qiu, while the others stayed behind to wait for news.
Ji Qiu didn’t look particularly nervous. After all, everything had been discussed beforehand and a plan was already in place. He even smiled and gave Liang Yan a hug.
“Yan Yan, I’m going in,” he said, his eyes curving into a smile as he turned toward the revolving door.
“Wait.” Liang Yan suddenly spoke, stopping him.
Ji Qiu paused and turned back.
His Omega reached out, fingers brushing against Ji Qiu’s tie in the biting winter wind.
Ji Qiu’s clothing style was always simple. Aside from the day they got their marriage certificate, when he wore a suit, this was only the second time.
Last time, it had been a slightly playful bow tie; this time, it was a more formal, solid black tie.
Today he was dressed in a full dark suit, the lines sharper than usual. If he wasn’t smiling, he even looked a little cold and distant.
Liang Yan’s skin was very fair, his long, slender fingers wrapped around the black tie like snow resting on evergreen branches in winter—strikingly beautiful.
He was only slightly shorter than Ji Qiu, yet at this moment he still reverently rose onto his toes and took the initiative to kiss the corner of Ji Qiu’s lips.
The kiss was light, carrying a gentle sweetness tinged with mint.
The Alpha naturally slipped an arm around his waist.
“Go on,” Liang Yan said, looking into Ji Qiu’s eyes.
His voice was soft, with a tenderness that was hard to notice.
“My hero.”
