Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Li Yang forcibly averted his gaze. Despite his efforts to ignore it, the scorching stare from behind remained intensely palpable.

There was no window in his new seat. He uncomfortably stared at the wall for a couple of seconds, his mind a jumbled mess, unsure of what he was thinking.

Beside him, Wen Yun was engrossed in a novel. His drawer was crammed with books of every genre, their titles shockingly outlandish.

Titles like *My Perverted Brother Fell in Love with Me*, *Sister-in-Law, You Smell So Good*, *My Sweet Stepfather*…

Li Yang had initially thought of borrowing one to distract himself, but the titles left him stunned, his eyes blinking mechanically.

He hadn’t expected Wen Yun to be into such things.

“What’s wrong?” Catching his subtle gaze, Wen Yun suddenly recalled something and explained, “Oh, the titles are just exaggerated to grab attention. The content is all proper novels.”

“If you want to read, try this one.” He rummaged through dozens of novels, pulled one out, and handed it to Li Yang. “This title is okay. I haven’t read the content, so you can see if it’s any good.”

Li Yang lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the bold letters on the cover—*Those Years of Secret Love*.

Amidst a sea of outrageous titles, this one was so normal it was bizarre.

He opened the book, flipped past the table of contents, read the author’s introduction—everything seemed normal. Then he continued to turn the pages.

What met his eyes was—

“That burning hand caressed his waist, gradually moving downwards, until it brazenly cupped the soft, plump…”

Realizing he had read too quickly, Li Yang slammed the book shut, his face instantly flushing crimson, his mind feeling like it was about to combust.

The most innocent-sounding title contained the most indecent content.

With a stiff face, he returned the book to Wen Yun, his gaze darting elsewhere. “I’m not reading it. Here, take it back.”

“What’s wrong?” Wen Yun asked, initially curious about Li Yang’s intense reaction. He opened the book, saw the content, and immediately snapped it shut, shoving it deep into his drawer in embarrassment. “Uh, this was a freebie, not something I bought. I didn’t know the content was so… explosive.”

Li Yang said nothing, raising a hand to cover his face, attempting to conceal his burning cheeks.

His face was hidden, but his ears were alarmingly red, the flush even spreading to his neck, his skin tinged with a faint pink.

Ying Xi, passing by and witnessing the scene, paused. Just then, the novel slipped from the drawer and landed at his feet.

He bent down to pick it up, and a passage even more shocking than the first chapter caught his eye.

Ying Xi: “…”

Wen Yun didn’t know whether to take it or leave it, secretly observing Ying Xi’s face. Seeing no change in his expression, he tried to clear his name.

“I didn’t buy it. Someone gave it to me.”

Damn these freebies!

Ying Xi calmly closed the book, placed it back on the desk, and returned to his seat with a cold expression.

Then he lowered his head, burying his face in his arms.

The only visible part of him was his slightly reddened ears.

Wen Yun: “.”

He felt like an anomaly.

He looked at Li Yang, then at Ying Xi, scratching his head as he asked, “Are you two… that innocent?”

“No.” Li Yang lowered his hand, feeling much calmer after mentally reassuring himself. He pressed his lips together and explained, “I just didn’t expect it to be about that.”

Wen Yun quickly flipped through the book, making sure it was securely stuffed into the drawer before withdrawing his hand.

“It’s fine. It’s only 90% indescribable and 10% plot. There’s still some readable content.”

Li Yang glanced at his drawer, unable to bear the sight. Even when Wen Yun later enthusiastically recommended other books, he refused to look at them again.

After class, when he had nothing to do, he would either play mobile games to pass the time or take a nap.

The only strange thing was that he and Ying Xi had become nodding acquaintances.

But just like before, no matter where he was, if he turned around, Ying Xi would always be there.

“Why don’t you two just talk it out?” Wen Yun sighed during lunch. “It’s not even about you, and I’m feeling the pressure.”

Every time Li Yang looked up, he could see Ying Xi sitting directly opposite him, behind Wen Yun.

He lowered his head, feigning indifference, but the tight grip on his chopsticks betrayed his unease.

“It’s fine,” Li Yang said. “Maybe he just passed his rut. It’s normal for him to be strange.”

“That’s not it,” Wen Yun blinked rapidly. “My heat ended, and I wasn’t like him. Maybe he’s planning something big.”

Before Li Yang could answer, he casually added, “Maybe he’s thinking about how to marry you.”

“That’s impossible.” Li Yang lowered his head, eating as he mumbled indistinctly, “I won’t marry him, and we can’t anyway.”

Even if Ying Xi and he agreed, Ying Xi’s family would never accept a high-ranking Alpha marrying a Beta.

Wen Yun was about to say more when his fingers twitched, and his chopsticks clattered to the floor.

At the same time, most of the Omegas in the cafeteria turned pale, their bodies losing strength and collapsing to the ground.

Li Yang was about to ask Wen Yun what was happening. As he stood up, his vision went black, and all images twisted into black and white lines.

A foul odor invaded his nostrils, so pungent it made him instantly cover his mouth and nose, bending down to instinctively feel for the mask in his pocket.

Empty.

With the recent calm in class, he hadn’t been carrying a mask. His only one was in his desk drawer.

Li Yang instinctively turned to leave the cafeteria, but his vision was too blurred to distinguish the correct path. Unfortunately, he tripped over a chair leg, lost his balance, and lurched forward.

The expected pain never came. Instead, he collided into a warm embrace.

The suffocatingly foul pheromone scent vanished instantly, replaced by a faint, cool aroma that immediately swept away all nausea.

His body began to relax, his breathing smoothed, and Li Yang’s vision quickly cleared.

Realizing he was still in a tilted posture, he gripped the other person’s clothes to steady himself and stand upright.

“Thank you.” Li Yang covered his mouth and nose, thanking him without looking at his face, immediately checking on Wen Yun’s condition.

Perhaps because he was a lower-tier Omega, unlike the other collapsed Omegas, he could still support himself and stand up.

“Hey, you’re in rut and still wandering around, are you doing this on purpose?”

Wen Yun, enraged to the point of irrationality, picked up a plate and hurled it towards a certain spot. Unfortunately, the pheromone influence was too strong, leaving him with little strength; the plate only flew a meter before clattering to the ground.

*Clatter.* The dull thud jolted Li Yang even more awake.

No wonder the pheromones smelled so awful—it was an Alpha in rut.

He turned away with a look of disgust, accidentally meeting Ying Xi’s thoughtful expression and scrutinizing gaze.

Li Yang froze, his hand hovering over his mouth and nose, unsure whether to lower it or keep it there, his body stiffening in silence.

The young man’s eyes were clear, his brows subtly furrowed with unconcealed irritation.

Ying Xi frowned, casting a cool, indifferent glance into the distance.

Wen Yun, who had just managed to stand up, had his legs buckle from the sudden surge of powerful pheromones, hastily grabbing Li Yang’s arm for support.

“Ying Xi, I know you mean well, but stop releasing pheromones—there are too many Omegas here,” he forced out, his vision growing hazy.

Li Yang instinctively reached out to support Wen Yun.

With his mouth and nose now uncovered, a jumble of chaotic pheromones flooded his nasal passages. His head swam, ears buzzing.

Then, precisely at that moment, a crisp, cool mint scent overwhelmed all other pheromones. Li Yang’s heart, which had been racing from nausea, gradually calmed.

The scent vanished in an instant, too quickly to pinpoint its source. He gazed intently at Ying Xi, his eyes struggling for a moment before he ultimately decided not to ask.

…

The Alpha in rut, now completely lost to his instincts, was suppressed by that overwhelming pheromone, gasping for breath, his limbs weak as he fell to the ground.

Sensing danger, he dared not act rashly, his bloodshot eyes scanning frantically.

The person releasing the pheromones seemed only to subdue him; the moment he fell, the pressure vanished.

With an enraged roar, the Alpha scrambled up, even more violently, lunging to grab an Omega.

Others, seeing this, pulled out their phones to call the school doctor, briefly explaining the situation.

Soon, the school doctor and security guards rushed over, apprehending the Alpha who had already been collectively restrained by the crowd.

“School regulations state that Alphas in rut are not allowed to roam freely without suppressants. Why did you knowingly violate the rules?”

The school doctor immediately injected a suppressant, glaring at the defiant Alpha. “So many students were affected by you—was this intentional?”

“So what if it was?” The Alpha sneered, raising an eyebrow. “My rut is unstable. What’s wrong with finding an Omega to satisfy my needs?”

Utterly shameless.

The school doctor couldn’t hold back, throwing a punch that knocked out one of the Alpha’s front teeth.

“I’m calling the police on you!” The Alpha spat blood, enraged, writhing wildly. “You, a Beta, dare to hit me?”

An Alpha in rut possessed extraordinary strength, not easily restrained by an ordinary person. Fortunately, three security guards arrived, using all their limbs to pin him firmly to the ground.

The school doctor scoffed, delivering another punch. “Still trying to influence people with pheromones? Too bad we’re all Betas.”

Blood splattered from the Alpha’s nose as he slumped to the ground, his eyes vacant, forced into silence.

“Suspend his classes, call his parents to school. Students who were severely affected, come with me.” The school doctor stood up, beckoning the Omegas in serious condition.

“You’re just a Beta, how dare you…” The Alpha, barely conscious, continued to mumble offensive words.

The school doctor, already annoyed, unceremoniously delivered another kick, and the Alpha completely passed out.

Several Omegas experienced early heat and had to take suppressant patches before being excused to go home.

Others couldn’t help but complain about the deranged Alpha.

“If you’re sick, go get treated. Why come here? I didn’t even get to finish my meal.”

“What bad luck. The school should just castrate Alphas like this.”

“…”

“This school is too dangerous,” Wen Yun murmured, uncomfortably rubbing his aching neck. Worried about potential issues, he went to the school doctor for a check-up.

“Been affected by a lot of pheromones lately?” the doctor asked.

Wen Yun gave a bitter smile and nodded.

What else could he do? After all, his class was the most abnormal in the school, a complete madhouse.

After the incident, Li Yang had no appetite to continue eating. He bought a sandwich and was about to head back to the classroom when Ying Xi blocked his path.

“Are you okay?” His eyes were filled with worry, his tone concerned, devoid of any prying intent.

Li Yang still felt very awkward, sidestepping him with a concise reply: “I’m fine. Just some stomach discomfort lately.”

Ying Xi said nothing, silently following him for a distance before disappearing.

Fearing another sudden incident in the classroom, Li Yang sat on the sports field, slowly finishing his sandwich.

The rustling of plastic bags was incessant. Then, in a blur, his arms were suddenly piled high with various items—medicine, snacks, supplements… it was dazzling.

Uncomfortably, Li Yang hugged the overflowing bag, his eyes bewildered: “Why are you giving me all this?”

“Eat,” Ying Xi replied simply, then added, “To nourish your body. You’re too thin now.”

His words carried the same blunt, taciturn tone from their earliest days.

Li Yang, who indeed couldn’t compare to Ying Xi’s muscular build, fell silent. Staring at the items in his arms, he felt as if a million ants were crawling all over him, so much so that the words on the tip of his tongue slipped out without a second thought.

“Weren’t you tired of me?”