Di Zhe froze stiff with fright.
His mind rang with a sharp buzz.
This, this was what it meant to be terrified to the core.
It was like a tiny spark had been tossed into oil.
Three months’ worth of fear, guilt and a tangle of even more complicated emotions exploded all at once, surging outward alongside the burst of alpha pheromones.
He heard himself ask blankly, “Y…. you… why are you here?”
“Zhi, la, ”
As he stood up abruptly, the chair behind him scraped harshly across the floor, its legs producing a piercing, grating noise.
How would Shen Yandong respond to him?
He had made everyone misunderstand, thinking Shen Yandong was heartless. With Shen Yandong’s pride, he must be furious, right?
…Was he about to lose his temper?
At that moment, a gust of wind brushed past the treetops outside the window and the fractured light slanting across the floor inside the room trembled along with it.
In this air conditioned room, the sunlight that should have been scorching felt devoid of any warmth at all.
Shen Yandong shifted slightly. He simply looked at him, a faint smile lifting his lips as he said, “Long time no see… we meet again. What a coincidence, we’ve become classmates again.”
No matter how one thought about it, it couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
Di Zhe asked uneasily, “Didn’t you say you were going to Z University?”
Shen Handong replied lightly, “This university isn’t bad either.”
Shen Handong was still smiling. It was a beautiful smile but there wasn’t the slightest hint of warmth in his eyes.
In the past, Di Zhe had always wanted to make him smile. Occasionally, he succeeded a few times. Shen Yandong would laugh in exasperation, or smile helplessly. There was also that time during the sports meet,
They had won first place and Shen Yandong had smiled too, right before Di Zhe had pounced on him and hugged him.
In any case, right now, Shen Yandong’s smile only made him afraid.
Di Zhe thought, if only Shen Yandong had pheromones. Then he could at least gauge his mood from them.
But now, he had no clue at all.
It was Shen Yandong who broke the silence first. He shifted his gaze away, as though he were merely an ordinary acquaintance with a bit of shared history and knowingly asked, “This one next to me is my bed, right?”
Di Zhe was still in the middle of his heat. “Mm… yeah.”
Normally, with Di Zhe’s meddlesome personality, he would definitely help a new roommate settle in.
But if that person was Shen Yandong, then it was a completely different story.
Di Zhe no longer had the mood to play games, nor the energy to chat idly with others. He just stood there stiffly, watching as Shen Yandong efficiently organized his belongings.
Inside, he was a mess of anxiety.
Wait, was he really moving in?
He and Shen Yandong were now university classmates… and roommates?
This had to be fake, right?
Someone tell him what the hell was going on.
What exactly was Shen Yandong trying to do?
He really knew how to play his cards.
For some reason, Di Zhe suddenly had the illusion that his backside was starting to ache again.
No, wait, he was an alpha. Why on earth would he be afraid of being… taken advantage of by a beta?!
That was way too pathetic!
Ugh, last time it was only because he had drunk too much and didn’t have any strength.
He swore that from today on, he would never let himself get drunk again!
While arranging the desk, Shen Yandong turned his head to look at him.
Di Zhe immediately straightened up, standing at attention. “What?”
Shen Yandong smiled faintly. “Did you wipe the desk for me? It’s very clean, thank you.”
Di Zhe answered honestly, “Not me. My mom did it.”
Shen Yandong responded smoothly, “Then thank your mom for me. I’ll thank her in person another day.”
Di Zhe started stammering again, “Th… that… that’s not necessary, right?”
Shen Yandong said calmly, “It’s just a polite remark.”
Di Zhe:
Especially when he watched Shen Yandong making the bed, Di Zhe couldn’t help but feel a surge of regret. Because it was a double room, it was relatively spacious. The bed was an ordinary low bed, not a bunk bed. At first, he had been quite happy that he wouldn’t have to climb up and down anymore.
But now…
With no barrier whatsoever, he suddenly felt like he had absolutely no sense of security for his backside…
Wait, no!
Why was he starting to be afraid of being taken advantage of by a beta again?!
Stop being scared!
Di Zhe, you useless alpha! If you got serious, Shen Yandong definitely wouldn’t be able to beat you!
It was almost five o’clock.
Di Zhe received a call from his mother. “Jiji, your dad and I had lunch at a really delicious restaurant today. We thought we’d bring you there to try it too. We’re already at the school gate, looking for a parking spot. Go change your clothes, alright? Come downstairs to meet us.”
“Oh right, has your roommate arrived? If he has, bring him along. We’ll treat him to a meal.”
Di Zhe’s scalp went numb. “Maybe not, Mom…”
His mother didn’t understand. “What’s with you all of a sudden? Has your roommate arrived?”
Di Zhe hesitated. “He has, it’s just, ”
Just as he was wavering, Shen Yandong’s voice suddenly sounded right by his ear. “Hello, Auntie. I’m Di Zhe’s roommate. Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”
When did Shen Yandong get so close behind him, like a ghost?!
Di Zhe: “!!!”
His hand jerked and although he didn’t throw his phone, it ended up smashing straight into Shen Yandong’s face.
Hard.
Di Zhe watched, wide eyed, as a red mark instantly bloomed along the cheekbone of Shen Yandong’s fair, beautiful face. He was completely at a loss.
Yet Shen Yandong didn’t seem angry at all, as if he didn’t feel any pain. He simply looked at him.
From the other end of the call, his mother heard the noise and asked, “What was that sound? What happened?”
Shen Yandong lightly touched the spot on his face where he’d been hit. While looking at Di Zhe, he answered on his behalf, “It’s nothing.”
His mother sounded confused. “Who is that?”
Di Zhe replied blankly, “My university roommate…”
What was he supposed to do now?
Di Zhe really didn’t want to bring Shen Yandong along to dinner but Shen Yandong had already agreed on his own.
Sigh… and he had even clumsily hit him just now.
That tiny, tiny bit of guilt made it impossible for him to say anything now.
Did his parents even remember what Shen Yandong looked like? They had only seen him a few times back in high school. Maybe they didn’t remember anymore.
While Di Zhe was still worrying, his thoughts in complete disarray and no solution in sight, his parents had already found their way to the dorm.
Knock, knock.
Didn’t they say they would wait downstairs?!
Why was no one following the plan?!
Seeing that Shen Yandong was about to open the door, Di Zhe hurried forward and got there first, pulling it open.
His father stood outside, arms full of seven or eight bags of various sizes, all filled with food. Without ceremony, he squeezed his way inside. “Your mom and I went shopping this afternoon and found some good snacks. We bought extra for you and your roommate to try.”
The moment he stepped in, his father saw Shen Yandong and froze.
He paused for a step.
Di Zhe’s heartbeat seemed to stop along with him.
Then his father moved again, walking over to the desk and setting everything down before waving at the two of them. “Let’s go, I’ll take you both out to eat.”
Di Zhe’s father began chatting with Shen Yandong. “Young man, you look very familiar. I feel an immediate sense of closeness with you, like I’ve seen you somewhere before, hahaha. Must be fate. My kid here is living in a dorm for the first time. He may look tall but he’s been pampered since he was young, so he lacks life experience and still needs to learn. If he does anything wrong, I hope you’ll be patient with him and give him room to grow…”
This was suffocating.
Dad, you really didn’t recognize him?!
That wasn’t just “familiar”, you’ve actually met him before!
Even bad memory should have its limits, shouldn’t it?!
Standing to the side, Di Zhe felt as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, practically running in circles inside yet he couldn’t get a word in.
And just like that, he ended up bringing Shen Yandong into his family’s car.
Shen Yandong smiled faintly and looked back. “Hello, Auntie. I’m Di Zhe’s university roommate. My name is Shen Yandong.”
As they got into the car, his mother looked at Shen Yandong a couple more times, her expression puzzled.
From the driver’s seat, his father fastened his seatbelt and said with a cheerful laugh, “Shen Yandong? That’s a good name, it sounds really familiar. I remember Jiji had a classmate with that name back in high school, ow! Honey, why are you pinching me?!”
Shen Yandong continued to smile. “That would be me, Uncle.”
For a while, the atmosphere was unbearably awkward.
But they were already in the car and after all, they had been the ones to invite him. It wasn’t as if they could just ask him to get out halfway.
And so, with everyone in the car harboring their own thoughts, they traveled in silence toward the restaurant.
They had just arrived and taken their seats at the reserved table.
Di Zhe’s mother tugged at him. “Oh dear, I forgot something. Jiji, come with me to get it.”
Of course, it was just an excuse.
The moment they stepped outside, his mother turned to him and asked, “What’s going on? Isn’t that your high school crush?”
Di Zhe nodded blankly. After thinking for a moment, he nodded again. “…I don’t know what’s going on either. How did he end up at the same university as me… and even in the same dorm?”
Seeing his foolish, dazed expression, his mother laughed. “That really is quite the coincidence.”
Then her tone shifted as she spoke up for him. “What’s with that look on your face? Don’t tell me you still have feelings for him? Can you have some self respect? He strung you along for two years, ignored you whenever he felt like it and even dumped you so harshly. Someone like that has bad character. No matter how good looking he is, it’s not acceptable. Stop being a pushover.”
Di Zhe felt incredibly guilty, stammering without a proper response.
His mother patted him reassuringly. “Alright, let’s go back. Think of this as a bit of life experience. An alpha should act like an alpha, understand?”
“Got it…” Di Zhe muttered.
After all, she was a businesswoman. By the time they returned to the table, his mother’s expression had completely changed. There was no trace of her earlier dissatisfaction toward Shen Yandong.
Di Zhe sat there silently, listening as the two of them exchanged words layered with hidden barbs.
“Xiao Shen, how did you end up studying at F University? I remember your scores were excellent. Didn’t I hear you were going to Z University?”
“When Di Zhe applied to F University, I chose F University as well.”
How did he even know I was going to F University? Did the homeroom teacher betray me?
“That’s quite a pity then.”
“Not at all. Being able to see Di Zhe is enough.”
What did that mean? Did he come here specifically for me?
“Haha, I never realized you two were so close back in high school.”
“Back in high school… I wasn’t very enlightened yet.”
As he said this, Shen Yandong lowered his head. His hands, resting on the table, tightened around his teacup. He fell silent for a moment, as though he could barely suppress something painful. Despite his beautiful face, cold and flawless, like it had been carved from diamond, almost devoid of expression, one could still sense the heaviness he was holding back.
Di Zhe’s heart inexplicably clenched.
Then, when Shen Yandong lifted his head again, he had already returned to normal. He took a slow breath and smiled faintly. Without avoiding them, he looked directly at Di Zhe’s parents and spoke with utmost seriousness.
“Auntie, I think you may have some misunderstandings about me. There were indeed some misunderstandings between Di Zhe and me. It was all my fault.”
“But I didn’t dump Di Zhe.”
“I like him.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Their journey continues. Their coffee cup, however, does not.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Love at first sightChapter 2 · Lack of discretionChapter 3 · ShamelessChapter 4 · UnreasonableChapter 5 · PerseveranceChapter 6 · College Entrance Examination EndChapter 7 · Graduation dinnerChapter 8 · Confession nightChapter 9 · Pressing in step by stepChapter 10 · Enough is enoughChapter 11 · A huge blowChapter 12 · University start dateChapter 13 · Roommate meetingChapter 14 · Relentless harassmentChapter 15 · I’ll pick you upChapter 16 · It’s my vulnerable periodChapter 17 · Voluntary datingChapter 18 · Open your heartChapter 19 · Obedient to allChapter 20 · Not a virginChapter 21 · Swear to love meChapter 22 · Youthful DaydreamsChapter 23 · Teenage ThoughtsChapter 24 · EmptyChapter 25 · Extremely anxiousChapter 26 · Too lazy to struggleChapter 27 · From now on