Shen Yan also felt that the alpha named He Yi looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen him before.
The messages he sent to Wen Xiuran were still marked with a red exclamation point—the other man clearly wasn’t ready to relent. Shen Yan didn’t want to push him too hard, especially since today had already yielded some progress. It seemed Wen Xiuran had a hard time refusing people who played pitiful.
Two weeks into the semester, Shen Yan’s classes officially began, and his days grew increasingly busy. But not so busy that he could forget about Wen Xiuran.
Every mealtime, he would detour across an entire sports field just to eat at the farthest dining hall, tray in hand, scanning the room for Wen Xiuran. At first, Wen Xiuran had been cold toward him, even going so far as to pick up his food and switch tables the moment Shen Yan approached. But Shen Yan would shamelessly follow, and eventually, Wen Xiuran stopped bothering to move.
Over time, Shen Yan learned Wen Xiuran’s class schedule, his favorite dishes, and even his preferred seating spots.
Eventually, it reached the point where Shen Yan would prepare Wen Xiuran’s favorite meals when he was held up after class, leaving them on the table and only leaving once Wen Xiuran arrived.
Despite Shen Yan’s many casual attempts to bring it up, Wen Xiuran always flatly refused to exchange WeChat contacts.
“I brought you some yogurt this time. Last time, I saw you carrying a big carton back to the dorm,” Shen Yan said naturally, placing Wen Xiuran’s bag on the chair beside him and nudging the yogurt toward him. “You can take it back with you.”
Wen Xiuran, now accustomed to this, didn’t even look up. “No.”
“No.”
Another voice echoed his at the same time. Wen Xiuran glanced up to find Shen Yan mimicking him.
The beta’s lips curled into a sly smile, his expression brimming with smug satisfaction as he asked, as if fishing for praise, “I rushed to buy it for you as soon as class ended. Aren’t I nice?”
By now, a month had passed since they’d met. Initially, Wen Xiuran had thought Shen Yan was a timid, gentle beta, but after spending time with him, he realized Shen Yan was more like a fox—skilled at retreating to advance, using just the right amount of feigned helplessness and calculated charm to inch closer.
Yet he always knew where to draw the line. Every time Wen Xiuran teetered on the edge of losing his temper, Shen Yan would tactfully back off before things escalated.
Wen Xiuran thought his rejections had been clear enough. He didn’t understand why Shen Yan was so persistent.
“Wen Xiuran,” Shen Yan said seriously, “can I ask you something?”
After a brief hesitation, Wen Xiuran nodded.
“Have you been rejecting me this whole time because I’m a beta?” Shen Yan gazed at him quietly. “A lot of alphas don’t choose betas as partners. They think betas have no reproductive value and are weak. Is that why you’re turning me down?”
“But I guess it’s normal. Back at the orphanage, plenty of people took an interest in me at first glance, but the moment they found out I was a beta, they gave up immediately.”
Shen Yan swirled his spoon absently in his soup, waiting silently for Wen Xiuran’s response, his demeanor pitiable and endearing.
Truthfully, he didn’t care about Wen Xiuran’s answer at all. He was just playing the sympathy card. The hundred-day deadline wasn’t up yet. Shen Yan wasn’t ready to let go.
“Why does a partner need reproductive value?” Wen Xiuran countered, expressionless. “If an alpha is mediocre, that’s when they’d resent their partner for being weak. He should be reflecting on himself.”
Shen Yan was slightly taken aback by these words—the response was unexpected. Almost immediately, he followed up with a half-teasing question, “Then what do you think of my abilities?”
Wen Xiuran frowned slightly, showing a hint of impatience. “You got into S University. What do you think?”
“Then why did you reject me?” Shen Yan pressed on, once again crossing the line. “Am I not good-looking enough?”
Wen Xiuran didn’t answer. Instead, he lowered his head and began eating his meal in small, deliberate bites.
Whenever he didn’t want to answer a question, he would start eating.
From start to finish, Wen Xiuran never responded to Shen Yan’s inquiries. After finishing his meal, he wordlessly took out a medicine bottle, grabbed a cup, and went to the water dispenser to fill it.
Shen Yan, quick as lightning, snatched the medicine bottle, glanced at it, and placed it back in its original spot.
When Wen Xiuran returned, he found Shen Yan sitting primly with an innocent expression. His gaze flickered to the slightly moved medicine bottle, then back to Shen Yan, his eyes turning even colder.
Without a word, Wen Xiuran took the pill.
Casually, Shen Yan asked, “Are you feeling unwell? Why are you taking medicine?”
“Hormonal imbalance,” Wen Xiuran replied curtly before standing up and striding away.
Shen Yan called out softly, but when the other ignored him, he quickly grabbed his tray and scurried after him, chattering away. “Your blood test results came out, right? I heard you’re an A-grade Alpha. Aren’t A-grade Alphas supposed to be immune to pheromone influence?”
Wen Xiuran stopped in his tracks and turned around. “I’m S-grade.”
Shen Yan’s mind raced. Seizing the opportunity, he deliberately bumped into Wen Xiuran’s chest. The impact caught the other off guard, causing him to stagger before steadying himself.
Through the thin fabric of his shirt, Shen Yan could feel the warmth and surprising softness of Wen Xiuran’s skin.
“What are you doing?!” Wen Xiuran’s ears flushed red instantly as he grabbed Shen Yan’s arm and shoved him aside.
A burst of peach scent exploded from Wen Xiuran.
People around them turned to look, and a few Omegas even covered their noses and hurried away.
Strange, Shen Yan thought as he looked up. Why could he smell the other’s pheromones?
Wen Xiuran’s face was exquisitely proportioned, his jawline sharp. From Shen Yan’s angle, he could see the slight bob of his Adam’s apple.
For the first time, Shen Yan truly grasped Wen Xiuran’s height. His own 180 cm frame seemed insignificant in comparison.
The Alpha’s body was rigid, his fists clenched loosely, his breathing slightly uneven. He disliked physical contact, and now, after such close proximity with an unfamiliar Beta, Wen Xiuran felt his control slipping.
Only when Shen Yan innocently claimed it was an accident did Wen Xiuran take a deep breath and walk away without another word.
Shen Yan didn’t plan to follow. Today’s move had been too risky. The fact that Wen Xiuran hadn’t punched him was already a mercy.
He clicked his tongue inwardly. Wen Xiuran had just revealed he was an S-grade Alpha. Did that mean even his rut cycles wouldn’t compromise his rationality? If so, where did that leave Shen Yan’s chances?
None of the Alphas he’d encountered before had been this impervious to both soft and hard tactics. But then again, none had treated Betas with as little prejudice as Wen Xiuran did.
Not only was he a blank slate in matters of the heart, but his mind was also refreshingly simple.
Who would’ve thought the future heir of the Wen conglomerate could be so innocent? He seemed easier to handle than any Alpha Shen Yan had met before.
The thought of possibly tasting an S-rank alpha again in the future sent Shen Yan’s blood boiling with excitement, leaving him restless and agitated.
But for now, Shen Yan scratched his cheek. Wen Xiuran probably wouldn’t be coming to the cafeteria for meals again for several days.
It worked out, since he had other things to focus on lately. He could set this aside for the time being.
Shen Yan hammered a few more nails into the frames, roughly shaping his artwork, then put away the paints before riding his bike out of the studio.
After washing up in the dorm, Shen Yan lay in bed and noticed Xu Chu curled up under his covers. Xu Chu usually spent his time gaming or chatting with family in the dorm, but today, he lay motionless.
“Xu Chu? Are you going to the studio tomorrow?”
No response.
Shen Yan frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
Xu Chu’s blanket shifted slightly.
Shen Yan climbed down and carefully pulled back Xu Chu’s covers, only to find his forehead drenched in cold sweat, his breath scorching hot, his entire body trembling.