Once Jian Song was ready, the two of them headed downstairs. Before going down, Jian Song asked with a hint of worry, “Are the two uncles awake yet?”
Lu Yingchi waved a hand dismissively. “No, my Little Papa likes to sleep in, and my father usually stays in bed with him.”
Jian Song let out a sigh of relief. As he swung his school bag onto his back, the movement tugged at the wounds on his back, causing him to hiss softly in pain. Lu Yingchi turned around instantly, concerned. “What is wrong?”
Jian Song did not want Lu Yingchi to know about his injuries, so he hastily made up an excuse. “I did not apply medicine to the cuts on my face yesterday, and it feels a bit sore.”
Lu Yingchi frowned. “You did not apply medicine?”
He had intended to use the first-aid kit when he first found Jian Song, but he had assumed Jian Song would have taken care of himself once he was home. He had not expected to hear that he had not. Lu Yingchi stepped closer, pinched Jian Song’s chin with one hand, and inspected the injuries on his face closely.
Jian Song felt uncomfortable being held like that and frowned, trying to pull Lu Yingchi’s hand away. He was instantly pinned in place by Lu Yingchi’s soft but firm command: “Do not move.”
Jian Song froze for two seconds, realizing he had actually been intimidated by Lu Yingchi. He awkwardly turned his head away, dodging the touch. “It is nothing major. It has been a whole night, it is practically healed.”
Lu Yingchi dropped his hand and scoffed. “Practically healed after one night?”
Jian Song felt a bit irritated by his tone. “Brother Jian, I know you are a top-tier Alpha with a great physique, but you do not need to be so confident. Wounds do not just heal themselves. They only fester and wait for a massive explosion later.”
In truth, Jian Song was no stranger to injuries and often forgot to apply medicine, yet nothing catastrophic had ever happened to him. He was completely dismissive of Lu Yingchi’s warning.
“Brother Jian is different from other Alphas. My body is very resilient. I have had countless wounds big and small, and they all heal after a night.”
Jian Song confidently wiped his nose and lifted his chin toward Lu Yingchi. “Do not worry about me, Brother Jian. I am fine. We should get to school.”
Lu Yingchi stared at Jian Song’s dismissive attitude, his brow tightly locked. He wanted to say more, but Jian Song had already walked ahead. Jian Song simply did not want to hear Lu Yingchi’s nagging; the cuts on his face were trivial, but the injuries on his back were truly agonizing. That bastard Lu Jian’an had truly laid into him. He would have to sneak off to the infirmary to apply medicine once he got to school.
Lu Yingchi did not notice Jian Song’s stiff, awkward posture as he carried his bag. He sighed. Jian Song did not want to listen, and he could not force him; after all, they were not that close yet. Although they had slept in the same bed, this was truly only the second day they had known each other. Last night had been an emergency, which was the only reason Jian Song had chosen to come with him.
Lu Yingchi was right; they did not see Xu Feng or Lu Zhili when they reached the ground floor. The lights in the living room were off, clearly indicating the two were still asleep. Jian Song breathed a sigh of relief. He gripped his bag tightly; he had not noticed the pain while sleeping, but now that he was awake, the throbbing in his back was crystal clear. After a night of inflammation, the pain was significantly worse, and every movement of the surrounding muscles sent sharp stabs of agony through him. Jian Song tightened his lips, suppressing the pain.
Lu Yingchi followed behind, unaware of the struggle on Jian Song’s face. Once he saw Jian Song putting on his shoes, he hurried over. “Brother Jian, are we going to get breakfast?”
Jian Song looked back. “Of course. If you skip breakfast, your stomach will hurt.”
Lu Yingchi nodded. “I will eat too. What do you want to have?”
Jian Song let out a long, thoughtful hum. “I am not sure yet. Let us see what Little Qi’s mother is making.”
Lu Yingchi looked confused. “Little Qi’s mother? Jiang Qi’s mother?”
Jian Song waited by the door for him. “Yes. Little Qi always brings my breakfast. His mother usually makes an extra portion when she cooks; I am used to it.”
Lu Yingchi watched Jian Song’s indifferent expression, a wave of jealousy rising in his chest. It was clear that the relationship between Jiang Qi and Jian Song was far from ordinary. Lu Yingchi took a soft breath, suppressing his displeasure. “By the way, Brother Jian, did you not say you and Jiang Qi grew up together? Why do you not live in the same place?”
Jian Song’s thoughts paused for a moment. “I used to live there, but I moved later. Even though I moved away, I still hang out with Jiang Qi.”
Lu Yingchi nodded. “I see. Should we go over to wait for Jiang Qi, or go straight to school?”
Jian Song’s tone was matter-of-fact; this was his morning routine, a habit he refused to break. “Wait for Little Qi. That kid is such a dawdler. We have to go over there and hurry him up.”
Lu Yingchi narrowed his eyes slightly. “Alright, I will listen to Brother Jian.”
Jian Song noticed Lu Yingchi had not finished putting on his shoes and clicked his tongue impatiently. “Have you not put your shoes on yet?”
Lu Yingchi looked up at Jian Song, afraid he would leave without him. He stood up quickly after finishing. “They are on. Let us go, Brother Jian.”
Lu Yingchi grabbed his bag and walked alongside Jian Song. Jian Song knew the area well, while Lu Yingchi, being new to the neighborhood, had to rely on Jian Song to lead the way. Jian Song took a shortcut he always used to get to Jiang Qi’s house. The small path was quiet, filled only with the rustling of leaves and the soft sound of their footsteps on fallen foliage.
“This little path was where Jiang Qi, Lu Xing, and I used to play hide-and-seek,” Jian Song remarked. “Jiang Qi always liked hiding behind the trees for us to find; sometimes it would take forever.”
It was 6:00 AM, and the sun had not quite risen, casting only a faint, dawn-like glow over the earth. Lu Yingchi listened silently to Jian Song’s childhood stories without interrupting.
Jian Song pointed to a particularly tall, sturdy tree. “That tree has a hollow in it. Lu Xing led us to dig it out. When he was little, Lu Xing was a pretty good brother.”
They had been young then; children did not understand the complexities of love and hate. To the Jian Song and Lu Xing of that time, they were simply playmates. Lu Xing’s attitude had only changed after entering the third grade and being influenced by peers. Jian Song still remembered the day Lu Xing broke things off with him. Thinking about it now, he found it laughable; it was just childish squabbling, long since carried away by the wind.
Jian Song’s voice trailed off. The air around them went quiet, as if even the wind had ceased to blow. Jian Song was not sure why he had suddenly grown sentimental or why he was telling Lu Yingchi such private details. He sniffled and suddenly smelled the scent of wine on himself—faint, ethereal, and intoxicating. It was the scent of Lu Yingchi’s pheromones.
Jian Song frowned and turned to look at Lu Yingchi. “You brat, your pheromones have spilled over onto me.”
Lu Yingchi looked confused and sped up his pace slightly. “No, I have not. I have been controlling my pheromones very well.”
Now it was Jian Song’s turn to be confused. He lifted his own arm to sniff. “Then why do I smell your pheromones on me?”
As Jian Song sniffed and spoke, Lu Yingchi suddenly remembered that he had held Jian Song in his arms all night. He snapped his fingers. “Brother Jian, I know why. It must be because we slept in the same bed last night. My room is likely saturated with my scent, so it must have rubbed off on you.”
Jian Song thought about it, and it seemed plausible. “Lu Yingchi, it seems we are truly fated. We are both Alphas, and yet our pheromones do not repel each other.”
Lu Yingchi’s grades were far better than Jian Song’s; he knew full well that Alpha pheromones repel each other, especially as the rank increases. Because Alphas were territorial, anything stained with another Alpha’s pheromones was treated as an infringement—a claim of ownership that no Alpha would tolerate.
Lu Yingchi’s gaze shifted. That their pheromones did not repel was partly because he was an Enigma, but also, surely, because his compatibility with Jian Song must be incredibly high. An Enigma was not immune to repulsion; in fact, the repulsion could be even more intense, as they were simply a more powerful rank than an Alpha. Compatibility still mattered.
Lu Yingchi’s mood visibly improved. Did this not prove it? He and Jian Song were a match made in heaven.
While Lu Yingchi was caught up in his wild fantasies, Jian Song led him to the street corner near Jiang Qi’s house. Seeing no sign of Jiang Qi, Jian Song clicked his tongue. “As expected, that kid is still not ready. Come on, Lu Yingchi.”
Lu Yingchi snapped out of his thoughts, feeling a bit confused, but he followed Jian Song obediently. They ducked into a small alleyway, Jian Song navigating familiar twists and turns until they reached a breakfast stall.
Lu Yingchi hesitated, wondering why they were stopping here instead of waiting for Jiang Qi to get breakfast. Before he could ask, Jian Song called into the stall, “Auntie, where is Little Qi?”
Lu Yingchi stepped closer and saw a beta woman busy amid the steam, looking up with a weathered face.
“Oh, it is you, Songsong! Little Qi is still asleep. I shouted for him, but he will not get up. I am glad you are here; help Auntie wake him up for school, or he will make you late again.”
Jian Song waved at Lu Yingchi as he entered the stall. “It is fine, Auntie. I am used to it. I will go wake him up now.”
“Aiy, what would you like for breakfast today? Auntie will get it ready for you.”
Jian Song thought for a moment. “I would like soup buns, please. Thank you, Auntie.”
“No problem.”
Jiang Qi’s mother smiled kindly, her hands never stopping, before spotting Lu Yingchi behind Jian Song. She called out in surprise, “Oh, Songsong, you brought a new classmate along?”
Jian Song climbed the stairs, calling back, “Yes, his name is Lu Yingchi.”
Jiang Qi’s mother’s expression softened. “What would you like for breakfast, Student Lu?”
Lu Yingchi scanned the little shop. It had been converted from their living room, and the menu written on the wall was extensive. Seeing Lu Yingchi’s refined air, Jiang Qi’s mother could tell he came from a wealthy family. Looking at her modest shop, she added awkwardly, “It is fine if you do not like anything here.”
Lu Yingchi smiled gently. “It is fine. I will have the same as Jian Song. I will go up and check on Little Qi too. Sorry for the trouble, Auntie.”
Lu Yingchi placed cash into the collection bucket and headed toward the stairs. Not knowing where Jiang Qi lived, he turned back to look at Jiang Qi’s mother. Before he could speak, she chimed in, “Little Qi is on the second floor. Take a turn at the landing, and you will see it.”
Lu Yingchi smiled. “Thank you, Auntie.”