Even though he had seen the message, Shen Yan chose not to reply immediately. Instead, he leisurely finished his bedtime routine, dried his hair, and lay on the bed with his legs crossed, pondering how to respond.
[Monogatari]: Let’s decide tomorrow. I’ll let you know in advance. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? I’ll try to work around them.
[……..]: I have a meeting at the Academic Building at 8 a.m. tomorrow. It might take about two hours. Other than that, I’m free.
[Monogatari]: Got it. Thanks, Wen (^_^)
[……..]: No problem.
Shen Yan stared at Wen Xiuran’s last message, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes half-lowered, a hint of mischief lingering in his gaze.
“Is that your crush texting you? You’re grinning way too hard, man.” Across from him, Xu Chu looked at him with exasperation.
Shen Yan raised an eyebrow and replied nonchalantly, “Not yet.”
“Are they from our school?”
“Not telling.” Shen Yan teased, keeping him in suspense.
Xu Chu rolled over. “All of you are getting partners, and here I am, still single… By the way, are you free tomorrow? Want to grab hot pot nearby? They have a great deal on a double set.”
“Can’t. I have plans tomorrow.”
“You literally just said you didn’t.” Xu Chu complained, his tone disgruntled.
“Now I do.” Shen Yan spoke like a seasoned veteran, patiently advising, “Young man, you must understand plans never survive contact with reality.”
Xu Chu caught a whiff of gossip and waggled his eyebrows. “Is it a beta or an omega?”
Shen Yan wagged a finger. “Neither.”
“Wait… it’s not that alpha who drenched you in his scent yesterday, is it?” Xu Chu frowned thoughtfully. “Well, that’s not too bad, but his pheromones were weird. I couldn’t tell his rank.”
“But I’d advise you not to mess with high-ranking alphas. They’re all freaks.”
Shen Yan burst out laughing. “Xu Chu, aren’t you an alpha too? Talking about yourself like that?”
“But what are the traits of a high-ranking alpha? Aside from pheromones—I’m a beta, I can’t smell them anyway.”
“I’m just a regular alpha, not a freak.” Xu Chu stared at the ceiling, recalling carefully. “High-ranking alphas tend to be exceptionally good-looking. They don’t rely much on pheromones, have extreme territorial instincts, are ridiculously smart, lack human warmth, and are obsessively fixated on people or things. Emotionally, they’re pretty barren. To sum it up—they’re not very human.”
Shen Yan rested his head on his arm, his lashes casting shadows over his eyes.
Beautiful and independent, intelligent and rational, and fiercely loyal in relationships—weren’t these all good traits?
The image of Wen Xiuran earnestly typing his contact information flashed through his mind, and Shen Yan’s heartbeat skipped a beat.
That alpha’s looks were truly beyond reproach.
Shen Yan had heard countless compliments about his appearance growing up. He considered himself exceptionally good-looking and thus had impossibly high standards.
But when he saw Wen Xiuran, even he was stunned.
If Shen Yan’s beauty carried a youthful handsomeness, Wen Xiuran’s face exuded the noble grace of a gentleman.
Xu Chu’s warning still echoed in his ears, but Shen Yan smiled nonchalantly. It was just a relationship—how could it be as terrifying as Xu Chu made it out to be?
As a beta dating Wen Xiuran, he knew Xiuran’s parents would inevitably interfere. In the end, it would probably just be a matter of taking a breakup settlement and moving on.
Shen Yan set an alarm for eight o’clock on his phone, planning to “accidentally” run into Wen Xiuran at the club fair the next day.
At the start of the semester, S University held a grand “Club Wars” event, where all student organizations set up booths on the sports field to recruit new members through various promotions.
The sports field was also next to the Academic Building, making it a route Wen Xiuran would definitely pass by.
The summer sun was still scorching, but Shen Yan didn’t want to bother with an umbrella. Instead, he wore a baseball cap and a sun-protective jacket as he wandered around, hopping from booth to booth, trying to spot Wen Xiuran.
An omega girl approached him, carrying a stack of flyers. She enthusiastically sidled up to him. “Hey, junior! You’ve got great looks—have you considered joining our film club? We hold regular casting events, and who knows, you might even get to be an actor!”
Shen Yan politely took the flyer while subtly holding his notebook half a palm’s length above the girl’s head, shielding her from the sun.
The omega glanced at him, her cheeks slightly flushed. “You don’t have to do that, junior. I still have to go around promoting, so I’ll be under the sun anyway.”
“Seems like you’re really dedicated,” Shen Yan remarked, his sweat-dampened bangs clinging to his forehead. His expression was calm, but his peach-blossom eyes seemed to smile as he looked down at her teasingly. “I’ll take the flyer for now. If I decide to join, I’ll find the group. Keep up the good work, senior!”
“Mhm! Think about it, okay? Bye, junior~”
Shen Yan waved and turned around—only to spot Wen Xiuran surrounded by a crowd not far away.
The young man stood tall and poised, dressed in a crisp blue shirt with an armband around his bicep, his collar neatly fastened.
Students around him handed him flyers, which Wen Xiuran accepted without refusal. He stood solemnly in the crowd, scrutinizing the pamphlets with such seriousness it looked like he was attending a press conference.
Casually crossing his arms, Shen Yan pretended to pass by.
His wandering gaze locked with Wen Xiuran’s.
“Wen Xiuran,” Shen Yan called out, his dark, glistening eyes brimming with amusement. “What a coincidence—running into you again.”
“Whoa—” A guy suddenly popped up beside them, speaking rapidly. “Hey, bro, I can tell just by looking—you’ve got the makings of a skateboarding legend! Wanna join our club? Trust me, your future’s bright! Listen to your senior—greatness awaits!”
“Cut the crap! You just want him to help you recruit!”
“Don’t project your pettiness onto me!”
Shen Yan was no stranger to such scenes and handled it with perfect grace.
“So, junior, have you made up your mind? Want to join our club?”
Wen Xiuran, who was being questioned, shook his head.
The other person was puzzled. “Why not? Don’t you like it?”
“No,” Wen Xiuran replied, his long lashes fluttering slightly as he lowered his gaze. “Your club’s schedule conflicts with my lab time. Also, the school hasn’t approved a fixed venue for extreme sports, so there are safety concerns.”
Shen Yan’s fox-like eyes widened in surprise. He hadn’t expected Wen Xiuran to actually give a serious explanation.
There was an indescribable dissonance between Wen Xiuran’s deadpan expression and the earnest way he laid out his reasoning.
“Uh, seniors, we have other things to take care of, so we’ll get going first.” The expressions of the surrounding seniors had darkened, and Shen Yan, fearing Wen Xiuran might get punched if he kept talking, tugged at the other’s sleeve and pulled him away.
They hadn’t gone far when Wen Xiuran suddenly asked, “Are we going to give a statement?”
The campus was huge, and he didn’t believe in coincidental daily “run-ins” with the same person. Last night, he had posted his schedule for the day, and today, Shen Yan just happened to show up—there was no doubt this was deliberate.
Shen Yan paused, then looked at him with an innocent expression. “No, I came to check out the club recruitment today. Want to join me?”
“No.”
The beta seemed a little flustered by the rejection. He scratched his neck, trying to change the subject. “It’s so hot out—do you want an ice cream? I’ll buy you one.”
“No need.” Wen Xiuran’s gaze was distant.
“Can you not be so cold?” Shen Yan sighed. “We’re classmates. The more we see each other, the more we’ll become friends. Why act like this?”
Wen Xiuran’s brow furrowed slightly. Asking for his WeChat, tracking his movements, skipping the statement—all just to be friends?
Though he had grown up in the Wen family with few friends to speak of, his instincts told him this beta’s motives weren’t pure.
“So, you just want to be friends with me?”
Caught off guard by Wen Xiuran’s directness, Shen Yan decided not to hide it. “I like you. I want to pursue you.”
There was no shame in admitting his feelings. Besides, most people had a psychological tendency to reciprocate affection—being liked sparked curiosity and self-validation. Once someone knew they were liked, they’d naturally pay more attention to the person who liked them.
Shen Yan wanted Wen Xiuran’s curiosity and attention.
Sure enough, Wen Xiuran looked baffled. “You like me?”
“You have to believe in love at first sight.” Shen Yan’s ears turned red, his demeanor awkward. “This is my first time actively liking someone, so I might not do it well, but I don’t want to pressure you.”
“Me liking you is my own business. I’ll work hard to chase you. Until you like me back, you’re free to do whatever you want, like whoever you want—I won’t interfere.”
“I don’t like anyone,” Wen Xiuran retorted.
Shen Yan’s eyes widened, then he broke into a smile. The sunlight bathed his face, making him seem to glow. “That’s really great.”
“You can call me Yan Yan.”
Like a smug little fox, Shen Yan pressed closer, seizing the advantage. “Then can I call you Ranran?”
“No!” Wen Xiuran’s expression darkened.
“Then Xiuran? Can I call you Xiuran?” Shen Yan pouted, sulking. “I just think calling you the same as everyone else isn’t right. I’m trying to pursue you—how can I stand out if I use the same name as everyone else?”
People nearby were starting to glance their way, and Wen Xiuran finally noticed Shen Yan was still holding onto his sleeve. With Shen Yan standing beside him, head lowered, and himself scowling, they probably looked like a quarreling couple.
Annoyed, he yanked his sleeve back, his mind clearing.
This person clearly said they wouldn’t force anything, yet immediately overstepped by pushing for terms of endearment.
Wen Xiuran stiffly replied, “I’m leaving.”
Shen Yan obediently nodded, bid him goodbye, and watched as Wen Xiuran walked away.
The club recruitment fair was still ongoing, but Shen Yan had no interest in lingering. His mission for the day was accomplished, and he couldn’t be bothered to waste any more time.
Overall, the other’s reaction hadn’t been too negative—though that wasn’t surprising. Every alpha he’d encountered before started off aloof but eventually turned overly enthusiastic.
Wen Xiuran was indeed a lofty, unattainable flower, but that just made the challenge more interesting. Besides, as the future heir of the A Group, being with him would guarantee access to resources and support.
After finishing his tasks for the day, Shen Yan curled up in his dorm and stared at his chat window with Wen Xiuran. He typed out a message and hit send.
[Storyteller]: I heard there’s a great hotpot place nearby. Want to go with me?
The moment the message was sent, a red exclamation mark popped up beside it.
Below it, a cold notification appeared:
…has enabled friend verification. You are not yet friends.