Chapter 10

Chapter 10

010

School Days

Chu Li had waited for over a week, even driving away the little kitten, all for this day.

Yet, Chu Heyang actually said he wasn't allowed to go to school with him?

A chillier expression settled on Chu Li's face. "Oh? If I'm not going with you today, then when should we go to school?"

"When…" Chu Heyang took a step back under the pressure of his demeanor, almost wanting to retreat, but he still mustered the courage to say, "There's no need for you to attend school anymore! Just stay at home! You eat and drink off us, yet you still spend our money on education. Don't you think that's too much?"

"I don't think so," Chu Li said indifferently. "It was your decision to adopt me, and adopting is no different from giving birth. The moment you decided to adopt me, it meant you were prepared to take responsibility for my life. There's no logic in abandoning me halfway just because you realize I'm not what you wanted. That's called abandonment."

"How… how is it abandonment?" Chu Heyang was confused by his firm words. "You're already in your twenties, an adult!"

"What you said makes sense," Chu Li replied calmly. He was indeed in his twenties now, but the original owner had been belittled and suppressed by this family at the age of sixteen. Zhu Wei and Chu Deyue had never treated the original owner as a family member and failed to instill proper values in him.

Even sending him to the Omega Academy was merely because the institution was known as the Bride Academy, and its graduates were supposedly more 'marriageable.' They hoped to use his Omega status and good looks to benefit the family in some way.

Yet, to their surprise, someone did indeed take a fancy to the original owner. But that someone was the person Chu Heyang liked.

Now, they wished for the original owner to step aside and not disrupt Chu Heyang's prestigious marriage.

How could such a convenient situation exist in this world?

The original owner had treated them like family, unwilling to bear to criticize or argue, and had endured until he could no longer bear the torment. Chu Li didn't think the original owner was at fault, but he also wouldn't submit to them as the original owner had.

He was going to hold them accountable.

With his arms crossed, Chu Li leaned against the door frame and asked, "But you already promised me. Are you planning to go back on your word?"

Chu Heyang was rendered speechless by his questioning.

Though he appeared capricious and fierce, he wasn't particularly intelligent. Apart from throwing tantrums and relying on Zhu Wei's affection for him, he had no other abilities.

Chu Li continued, "Why the sudden change of heart? Did the results of your and Shu Chengxiong's pheromone compatibility test come out? Do you think I'm standing in your way? I've already made it clear that I don't like him and won't have any relationship with him. Yet, you still refuse to let me attend school?"

"No way is it possible! Why are you even talking so much?" Chu Heyang finally mustered the courage to speak up loudly, "Just stay at home! With your status, you're only fit to be locked in this tiny room. What's the point of going to school? Anyway, since you've already been... been... you know, do you still need to attend school?"

Chu Li never expected the consequences of the final mark to manifest so soon. People in this world truly valued the significance of the final mark.

In his previous life, there were also those who placed great importance on virginity. If a girl unfortunately encountered something unpleasant, they would secretly label her as tainted or impure.

He had never thought it was the fault of those girls back then, nor did he now think that being marked by someone made him any less. The problem lay with Chu Heyang for voicing such opinions.

Just because one was marked, did it mean they couldn't marry anyone else and therefore didn't need to go to school? What kind of absurd logic was that?

It was getting late, and he had no intention of engaging in this meaningless argument with Chu Heyang. Instead, he looked at the open terminal screen and said, "Did you hear all that?"

Chu Heyang was startled to realize that Chu Li's call had never been disconnected! Their entire conversation had been overheard by another person.

Moments later, Shu Chenghang's voice, tinged with hesitation, sounded through Chu Li's personal terminal, "Yang Yang, are you really not planning to let Little Li attend school? This... isn't this rather inappropriate?"

In fact, before Chu Heyang arrived, Chu Li had been on the phone with Shu Chenghang. Shu Chenghang informed him that their compatibility test results were out, and their families decided they should get engaged. Despite feeling reluctant to part with Chu Li, Shu Chenghang had called to discuss the matter.

As for what he hoped to achieve, even Shu Chenghang himself might not have been clear.

Abandoning a compatibility rate of ninety-five percent to be with Chu Li was out of the question. Chu Li detested Shu Chengxing's indecisiveness and attempt to straddle two boats. Over the phone, he had made it clear multiple times that who Shu Chengxing married was his own business and unrelated to him. Yet, Shu Chengxing continued to hesitate, trying to show concern for Chu Li. Frustrated, Chu Li had prepared a string of insults, ready to teach this aristocrat a lesson about human duplicity. Just as he was about to do so, Chu Heyang arrived.

He had burst through the door too hastily, and Chu Li didn't have time to hang up the call. Ironically, this turned out to be advantageous.

Upon Shu Chengxing's inquiry, Chu Heyang fell into a daze, then, after a long while, exclaimed, "You did that on purpose!"

Confused, Chu Li replied, "You barged in without knocking and started talking nonstop."

"You, you, you..." Chu Heyang tried to maintain his composure despite his uncertainty, "Don't think that you can intimidate me just by mentioning Brother Shu. I, I, I..."

"Yang Yang!" Shu Chengxing's tone over the phone was stern, "You can't do this! No matter what, Little Li is your brother. Besides, when we get married in the future, Little Li will be part of my family too. I won't allow you to behave like this."

These words made Chu Li feel a headache, and he couldn't help but hold his forehead in exasperation.

The two of them were truly a perfect match in their own way.

He interrupted their conversation directly, "It's getting late, and we'll be late if we don't leave soon. May we depart now?"

In front of Shu Chenghang, Chu Heyang finally succumbed; he didn't dare to insist on not letting Chu Li go to school.

Seeing his silence, Chu Li hung up the call with Shu Chenghang and turned to pick up his suitcase, asking, "Shall we leave?"

He was taller than Chu Heyang, so even a casual glance gave an impression of superiority.

Chu Heyang's lips quivered, and his eyes started to redden as he turned and ran outside!

Chu Li: "..."

He truly couldn't get accustomed to certain behaviors of the Omega males here.

But he quickly bowed his head and recited silently a hundred times: "One's preferences are free," "One's sexual fantasies are also free," "One must respect the freedom of choice in humans, regardless of what they like or how they present themselves, treating everyone equally."

After roughly two minutes, he regained his composure and lifted his head to walk towards the door.

At the entrance, Chu Deyue had already returned. The car was parked outside the building, and beside it were Chu Heyang's belongings.

There were five large suitcases and two carry-on bags. To those who knew, it might seem as if he were going to school; to those who didn't, it could easily be mistaken for a move-out.

Chu Deyue's family lived on the ground floor, and Chu Li didn't have much difficulty dragging his luggage to the car. However, earlier, Chu Heyang and Zhu Wei had told him not to go to school, and they hadn't prepared a place for his luggage at all.

As soon as Chu Heyang ran out, he rushed to Zhu Wei's side to recount what had just happened. Zhu Wei's face was filled with concern. They still didn't dare defy Shuchenghang's wishes. If they kept Chu Li at home while Chu Heyang went to school, Shuchenghang might question them.

They had no choice but to let Chu Li come along.

But when it came time to load the luggage, another conflict arose. Chu Heyang had too many items and needed to leave one suitcase behind to make space for Chu Li's belongings.

Chu Heyang started protesting again, "No way! These are my pheromone patches and cosmetics. The ones at school smell too strong, I can't tolerate it. I must bring these with me!"

"That one's not allowed either! It has my clothes in it!! And my snacks, my stuffed toys – I won't be able to sleep without them at night!!"

Chu Li remained calm, folding his arms and watching from the side. He didn't have that many possessions, and everything he packed was essential and couldn't be left behind.

Just as Chu Heyang was reluctant to put down one item after another, a soft "Meow" echoed nearby.

It was gentle and hesitant, almost tentative.

Chu Li jumped in surprise, turning around to see the kitten he had left in the morning crouching stealthily behind a brick. The cat's entire body was pressed against the ground, its chin resting on its paws, both eyes fixated on them as its bottom wiggled slightly.

This was the stance of a feline predator, but it had just meowed. Besides, Chu Li was a biped; from his standing height, he could easily spot where the kitten was hiding.

What did it intend to do?

Chu Li felt a bit uneasy. He could deal with the irrational Chu Heyang and the indifferent Chu Deyue couple, but not this kitten! He didn't want to witness the little one getting hurt, so he waved his hand at it, gesturing for it to leave.

For some reason, he sensed a fleeting hint of disappointment in the kitten's eyes after seeing his action.

Why was the biped chasing it away again?

Had it done something wrong? Was it because it hadn't fetched medicine in time when the biped had a fever? Or was it because it hadn't licked the back of his neck hard enough when he had nightmares at midnight? Or perhaps... the biped thought that it was useless for not bringing him prey.

The kitten's gaze turned pitiful, but unfortunately, Chu Li wasn't fully focused on it. Next to him, Chu Heyang was stirring up trouble again.

He genuinely didn't want Chu Li to go to school. The mere thought of being stuck in the same car with him for four or five hours made him reluctant to step inside.

"Can't we arrange another car for him? There's no room in here! Or how about letting him go tomorrow? It doesn't really matter if he's a day late since he's already been marked."

"Dad! Please get him another car, I don't want to go to school with him! It would be so embarrassing!"

Despite Chu Heyang's distress, Zhu Wei and her husband didn't yield. The reason was simple: they were of modest means, and Chu Deyue had only taken half a day off work. He couldn't send Chu Li again, nor could they afford to hire a car solely for him.

Faced with Chu Heyang's relentless persistence, Zhu Wei felt conflicted. "Yang Yang, please bear with it just this once..."

"I won't, I won't!" Chu Heyang grew even more agitated. Seeing that Zhu Wei wasn't taking his side, he glared fiercely at Chu Li.

It was all because of this person! Why did Mom and Dad adopt him back then? If only he didn't exist!

If not for him, Shu Chenghang wouldn't have been indecisive, and the Shu family wouldn't still be hesitant about betrothing him!

The more Chu Heyang thought about it, the angrier he became, until even Chu Li's suitcase grated on his nerves. With his parents not supporting him, he, in a fit of rage, swung the bag in his hand at Chu Li, yelling, "Go to hell!!"