What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 22

Chapter 22 – Heart Flutter

When an Alpha marks an Omega, except for the final mark which can’t be covered, temporary marks like the one on Duan Yi’s neck can be completely covered.

All it needs is a stronger Alpha biting on his neck.

Sheng Yunze seemed burned by this thought. He quickly went back to his dorm and took a cold shower.

Pingtou jumped in surprise to see him return so late. Even the hand he used to hold Sheng Yunze’s test paper looked embarrassed.

“What’s wrong, bro?” Pingtou put down the test paper guiltily. “It’s almost November. Don’t take cold showers. You might catch a cold.”

Sheng Yunze, topless, was drying his hair. Pingtou saw his abs and drooled in envy. “How do you train your body?”

Not too muscular, not too skinny. His skin glowed white, water droplets rolling down. He looked as perfect as a magazine model—no, even models wouldn’t dare look this perfect.

Sheng Yunze put on a short-sleeved shirt, put on headphones, and pulled out a chair.

Pingtou immediately handed over chips. “Want some? I took them from Lao San.”

Sheng Yunze: “No thanks. Where’s my test paper?”

Pingtou: “Lao San took my test to copy. I wanted to copy yours, but you didn’t finish.”

Sheng Yunze picked up his pen. “Two big questions left.”

Pingtou: “Then finish first. I’ll copy after.”

Pingtou’s grades were average. He was lazy and couldn’t control himself. With the sports meet coming in a few days, his mind was already on the field, not focused on the test.

Really, everyone was restless. Since the start of third year, classes were two math, two physics, plus evening self-study, corrections, lectures, all rotating. Even weekends had extra classes. Two months of this had worn students down.

The sports meet was a rare break. Teenagers couldn’t contain their excitement. Finding five students like Sheng Yunze who could calmly take tests at Second High School would be hard.

Pingtou sighed, thinking gods were different from ordinary people.

He didn’t know that “god” Sheng Yunze, looking at the test, had a blank mind—filled only with images of Duan Yi’s pale, slender neck, as delicate as a lady’s.

Someone knocked on the dorm door. Zhao Lai called out, “Pingtou, tell Commander Sheng to come.”

Pingtou gently tapped Sheng Yunze’s shoulder. Sheng Yunze took off his headphones. Pingtou said, “Zhao Lai came to find you.”

“I’m coming in!” Zhao Lai shoved two printed pages at Sheng Yunze. “Old He told me to give you this. The opening speech for the sports meet. Memorize it and find time to coordinate with Jian Qiao later.”

Pingtou looked surprised. “Why didn’t Old He ask President Duan?”

At Second High School’s sports meet, Jian Qiao and Duan Yi had always been the opening speakers—two years running since freshman year.

For all major school events—from cultural performances to festival announcements—it was always either Jian Qiao or Duan Yi.

“Duan Yi’s suspension notice is still on the bulletin board. This sports meet is with Seventh High School. How shameless is Old He?” Zhao Lai grumbled. “Besides, Duan Yi refused. Said he’s not feeling well.”

Sheng Yunze turned slightly. “But I thought he was better. Is he sick again?”

Zhao Lai muttered to himself, why are you asking about Duan Yi?

The bad relationship between Sheng Yunze and Duan Yi had spread through school forums, becoming common knowledge. Though their recent interactions had improved, anyone connected to Duan Yi still saw Sheng Yunze’s questions about him as a fox visiting a chicken farm—never with good intentions.

“Who knows about Duan Yi? I’ll go check on him later.”

Pingtou was surprised. “Why are we working with Seventh High School? Is what the forum said true?”

“Seventh High’s sports field is being fixed. Since we’re close, we’re doing it together.” Zhao Lai put the announcement script on Sheng Yunze’s desk. “Whatever Old He told you to do, don’t ask me. Commander Sheng, if you don’t want to, go ask Old He. Worst case, we’ll make Duan Yi work while sick. I’m leaving—it’s so late and I need to shower.”

Pingtou picked up the script. “So many words…”

He secretly looked at Sheng Yunze. Holy shit, working with Jian Qiao? Damn, Second High’s two beauties are teaming up for the first time—this is big news!

Then he took out his phone, logged onto the school forum, and posted, “This year’s Second High sports meet opening will be hosted by Sheng Yunze and Jian Qiao. Selling high-quality photos of the school beauty in the front row. You know which one I mean [winking face]. Want them? PM me.”

The post instantly turned red on the forum’s main page.

Pingtou put down his phone. After making sure everyone on the forum saw his post, he prepared to wash his feet.

Just as he set his basin down, before he could put on his shoes, Sheng Yunze—who was facing away from him—asked a question that made Pingtou fall to the ground.

“What do you think of Duan Yi?”

Sheng Yunze heard a loud thud. He turned to see Pingtou scrambling up from the floor, staring at him in disbelief.

Pingtou: “Duan Yi…? What happened to you?”

Sheng Yunze: “Why do you ask that?”

Pingtou: “Just guessing. I heard people say you two don’t get along.”

No, school beauty!

Why are you acting like you’re discussing a crush with your best friend in a dorm scene?

This isn’t the Alpha dorm’s image!

But the combination of “Duan Yi,” “crush,” and “best friend” applied to Sheng Yunze felt like a fantasy. Pingtou’s girlish imagination had gone overboard.

Sheng Yunze, hearing for the first time that he and Duan Yi weren’t close, was surprised. “We don’t get along?”

Pingtou answered honestly, “That’s what they say, but it must be false.” He kept glancing at Sheng Yunze as he spoke. “But after you two were in the same class, you seem to interact more. Though that makes sense, ha ha ha ha ha. Someone like President Duan gets along with everyone.”

Sheng Yunze asked, “Why?”

Pingtou was taken aback by his serious questioning attitude. Sheng Yunze looked like he was asking about a math test’s last big question or a physics competition’s super-hard problem. Pingtou suddenly felt important, like a hero with a shining halo behind him, ready to fly.

Holy shit… Sheng Yunze is asking me questions…

“It’s just Duan Yi. Don’t you think he has a good personality?” Pingtou quickly answered. “I wasn’t in his class in first and second year. Before, I thought he was some super gangster who would beat people up for no reason.”

Sheng Yunze couldn’t hold back and smiled a little. The “gangster” description must have tickled his funny bone.

“What happened after that?” Sheng Yunze asked.

“Then you saw him like this. We were in the same class in third year. I found out he wasn’t like the school rumors, so he’s… quite… quite…”

Pingtou got stuck after “quite”.

“…quite cute?” Sheng Yunze suggested.

Pingtou turned pale. “Damn, Sheng-ge! I didn’t say that! I might have thought it, but I never said President Duan is cute!”

He might think Duan Yi has a good personality, but he wouldn’t dare call him cute. Duan Yi’s fights at Second High School could raise the average fighting skills of all Hang City high school students.

Pingtou sat up straight and said, “He’s just a nice guy. Remember when he skipped class to play games? It was late that night, and I mentioned wanting late-night food in class. Tuantuan jumped in, saying President Duan would be out that night and I should ask him to bring some food. I said, ‘How could I?’ Even though it’s just a small favor, I thought Duan Yi wouldn’t agree. Don’t all school bully stories say the same thing? A school bully who sneaks out to play games wouldn’t bring back late-night food for classmates, right?”

Sheng Yunze asked, “Did you ask him?”

Pingtou said, “I did. Duan Yi really brought me food. That night, I almost worshipped the meal with three incense sticks.”

Sheng Yunze seemed to be remembering something, thinking about that night he went out with Duan Yi.

The person’s WeChat kept ringing nonstop, full of messages asking for food. Even with a slight fever on the way home, he still brought milk tea for Jiang Wangshu and Hao Shanshan.

He also remembered earlier times when he used free seaweed soup from the cafeteria to feed a group of stray dogs at Second High School’s back gate.

He thought about how he lay on the desk, enduring Fang Yun’s new nail polish torture. Though unhappy, he didn’t resist her small actions.

His school uniform’s back ad space showed messy writing from two years of classmates.

He didn’t want to be class president but still ran around handing out tests.

When he was sick, his desk filled with cold medicine from all over.

Teacher’s comfort, classmates’ care, friends’ kindness, his ex-boyfriend who kept trying after being rejected, and the school beauty who wanted to stay friends after refusing—Duan Yi was always surrounded by people.

His gentle nature seemed hidden under teenage awkwardness, flowing slowly like water.

This hard-to-see kindness was what drew so many people to him.

Pingtou swore in his mind, pressed the shutter, and secretly sent a photo of Sheng Yunze to the group chat.

The dorm group chat immediately lit up, “School beauty’s smile is so sweet. Damn, what’s he thinking?”

Pingtou hesitated slightly, “…Maybe President Duan?”

[ Group message notification: You have been removed from this group. ]

A roommate messaged him privately, serious, “Our School Beauty Growth Protection Association group doesn’t allow spreading rumors or false information. Got it?”

Pingtou: …

Sheng Yunze thought about Duan Yi for a moment, then felt something wasn’t right.

Why was Duan Yi so nice to everyone? Was his kindness to me just the same as everyone else?

Then I don’t have anything special either…?

He even gave Pingtou a haircut and brought him midnight snacks? Why didn’t he ever do that for me? And he let Fang Yun paint his nails.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so happy anymore.

Sheng Yunze’s smile disappeared, feeling slightly annoyed.

He even started disliking the sight of Pingtou.

Pingtou, startled by Sheng Yunze’s sudden hostile look, paled and asked, “What’s wrong with me?”

“What could be wrong with you? You’re still daydreaming in broad daylight, daring to tie chicken feathers to a sky lantern pole.” Jiang Wangshu laughed, turning from his conversation with Fang Yun to shout, “Duan-bao, are you done handing out the numbers?”

Duan Yi stood at the podium, frantically distributing white-red athlete numbers, too busy to leave.

The classroom buzzed with chaos—students drinking, sticking numbers on, changing clothes—a boiling pot of activity.

The pre-sports meet preparations hummed with intensity.

“You’re dead, Jiang Wangshu! Get over here and help!” Duan Yi yelled.

Jiang Wangshu turned, grinning, “I won’t. I’m training you. This is called being second-in-command instead of boss—stealing a moment of leisure now means you’ll gain real-world experience later.” Then he asked Fang Yun, “Where were we?”

Fang Yun put the “Campus Beauty Protection Association” group photo and a forum post asking “Is Campus Beauty Dragon Maiden really in a relationship?” together. She continued the unfinished conversation, “I’m not brave. Look at the photo—the campus beauty is so gentle… Now everyone online says Sheng Yunze has a secret girlfriend. It’s true! Yesterday, four of my five friends left the group chat!”

Jiang Wangshu made an “ah” sound. He asked sadly, “Did they leave peacefully?”

Fang Yun shook her head sadly, “They died unhappily! Their last wish was to know who the campus beauty’s secret girlfriend is.”

Jiang Wangshu said, “Asking me won’t help. I don’t know.”

Fang Yun made a funny face, “Have President Duan ask. He seems close to the campus beauty.”

Jiang Wangshu said, “That’s even worse. Last night he was cursing Sheng Yunze’s ancestors in the dorm. I don’t know what the campus beauty did to upset him. He woke up in the middle of the night, teeth grinding in anger.”

After Duan Yi finished handing out name tags, Jiang Wangshu threw the uniform at him, “The teacher wants you to lead the uniform change. Boys change in the classroom, girls in the dorm.”

Before the Second High School sports meet opening, there were two groups: the national flag team and the flower team. This year, Third Year Class 1 was the flower team. They all had to wear Second High School’s fake “The Age of Awakening” uniforms.

Duan Yi held the clothes. “Is everyone here?”

Jiang Wangshu said kindly, “Xiaoduan, with me, you can ask anyone you want. No need to pretend.” He understood easily. “Sheng Yunze, Jian Qiao, and two second-year hosts are practicing lines upstairs in the media room. Want to watch?”

Duan Yi refused. “Who wants to ask Sheng Yunze? Don’t guess what handsome guys think.”

“Then forget it,” Jiang Wangshu said. “I won’t mention it.”

Duan Yi looked upstairs but didn’t go.

He remembered Sheng Yunze’s cruel act last night—and how he’d stupidly closed his eyes like an idiot. This was one of the most embarrassing moments in Duan Yi’s life, maybe even in the top ten.

The kind of embarrassment that made his toes curl, made him want to roll on the floor and scream to stop thinking about it.

Duan Yi covered his face. He hated his own stupid action, Why did I close my eyes?!

Did he really think Sheng Yunze would kiss him?

It was all habit!

Duan Yi thought, It’s all that parallel world Sheng Yunze’s fault!

He was the type who loved hugs and kisses, always bullying others.

After changing clothes, Third Year Class 1 came to the track field.

Jiang Wangshu: “Hey Xiaoduan, come here. Look at this waist and legs. You look decent in that suit. All the girls’ eyes have been on you since we got here.”

Duan Yi ignored him.

Second High School’s imitation “Little Era” uniform looked similar, but as a school uniform, it wasn’t quite right. It required students to have perfect body shapes.

At this age, high school students were either tall and skinny from growing too fast, or had acne from studying too much. Even if they wore fancy clothes, they still looked like sticks in bags—loose and shapeless.

Duan Yi, who could wear the uniform like a movie star, was truly one in a million.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” Jiang Wangshu suddenly got excited, hitting his shoulder hard.

“What?” Duan Yi asked, annoyed.

“Your goddess and your ex-husband bro are here!” Jiang Wangshu shouted. Even if everyone didn’t understand “ex-husband bro”, they knew “goddess”.

At Second High School, the only “goddess” for Duan Yi could be Jian Qiao.

Everyone turned their heads at once, all eyes on the same spot.

Sure enough, at the playground entrance, behind the blue-green wire fence, a boy and girl walked side by side.

The girl was Jian Qiao, and the boy was naturally Sheng Yunze.

As they walked out together, almost all classes near the gate looked over. Even Duan Yi’s gaze stayed on Sheng Yunze for a long time.

He… looks really good in the uniform…

“Damn, he’s so handsome! Can’t you see that?!” Hao Shanshan pulled out her phone and started taking pictures. “My legs can’t close! Aaahhhhh! A once-in-a-millennium sight! We owe President Duan everything! I thank you on behalf of all Second High School’s omega sisters! Thank you for being sick! Otherwise, how would we ever get to see Commander Sheng in a uniform?!”

She kept taking pictures while jumping up and down with her best friend Yang Suyan, screaming.

Duan Yi: …

Sheng Yunze always wore two autumn uniforms, one over the other. His style was very unique, almost like a middle school student’s. To put it simply, at school, no one had ever seen him wear regular clothes.

Jiang Wangshu sipped his drink. “Wow, just as expected from Second High School’s Twin Flowers. They’re showing off so much. Those Seventh High School students have never seen anything like this—their eyes are about to pop out!”

“Second High School’s Twin Flowers?” Duan Yi asked.

Jiang Wangshu gave a thumbs-up. “It means two school beauties. Second High School has never had just one star.”

Jian Qiao walked over. Seventh High School students sitting on the bleachers booed and whistled at her.

Sheng Yunze’s eyes scanned the crowd, found his class, and immediately spotted Duan Yi.

Everyone wore the same uniform, and Duan Yi’s position wasn’t special. But somehow, Sheng Yunze saw him right away.

The ordinary flowers around him, the familiar track field, suddenly looked different.

It’s like walking past a lawn every day. One day, a small flower grows there. You fall in love with that flower, so the whole lawn becomes special.

Even the wind felt different.

Sheng Yunze felt a strange happiness he couldn’t explain. He followed Duan Yi’s gaze—then saw Nan Yi.

Fuck.