Chapter 16: Explanation

Chapter 16: Explanation

Cai Gu neatly arranged the books, his muscles aching faintly. He used his hand to tie up his loose black hair, revealing the damp nape of his neck.

As he bent over to organize, that nape was exposed to the students, sweat trickling down over his shrunken gland.

His cheap work uniform had long become semi-transparent, the outline of his full chest half-visible.

Cai Gu gathered the straps he used to tie the books and piled them on the cart. It was now class time, and the hallway was empty, yet students still stared intently at Cai Gu through the windows.

The newly adult Alphas were particularly restless. Cai Gu's plump build was exactly their type, and pheromones wafted all around.

Cai Gu glanced at his dust-covered hands, thought for a moment, then left the cart in a corner of the hallway and headed toward the restroom.

Seeing him go to the restroom, the student he'd turned down earlier slipped out the back door of the classroom. His classmates glanced at each other, whistled, and followed suit.

The teacher was long used to their unruly behavior. The students of Yasa Academy were not people he could afford to provoke.

The teacher pretended not to notice and continued reading the key points from the textbook.

The students left in the classroom hid behind their books and whispered among themselves.

"I want to go out too. Is he a security guard? When did our school get such a good-looking security guard?"

"I don't know. Let's see if Yue Xun and his crew can get their hands on the guard."

"Wait, is he a Beta or an Omega?"

"Who cares? I'd take him even if he's an Alpha. His body's amazing, just a little old."

The restroom was empty, the air filled with the smell of disinfectant. Cai Gu pumped some hand soap, rinsed his hands under the faucet, then grabbed a wet wipe and cleaned his face in the mirror.

In the polished mirror, Cai Gu saw four or five students entering from outside. The one leading them looked familiar—it was the student who had wanted to help him carry books earlier.

Cai Gu smoothed down his stray strands, preparing to leave. He gave Yue Xun a sincere smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling, showing fine lines.

Just as he was about to brush past Yue Xun, the young man grabbed his wrist. "Where are you going? My watch went missing in the classroom. I need to search you thoroughly."

*

"Bang."

The door to a stall in the restroom slammed shut. Cai Gu was cornered by four or five students, stumbling back until he was pinned awkwardly against the wall.

Cai Gu panicked, not knowing what to do with his hands. He quickly searched his pockets, trying to prove his innocence. "I didn't take it! I've been moving books the whole time, I wouldn't steal your watch..."

A silver object dropped from his pocket. Everyone's eyes focused on the watch on the floor.

Cai Gu felt something was wrong. He looked at the young men, then at the object that wasn't his, swallowed hard, looked up, and asked timidly, "This isn't it, is it?"

Yue Xun picked up the watch from the floor and sneered. "So you're a thief. If you weren't a guard, you'd never set foot in this school. You know what? This watch could buy you ten times over, you broke ass."

Yue Xun's hand tightened, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He grabbed Cai Gu's chin like a demon, as if retaliating for being rejected earlier.

Cai Gu winced in pain, biting his lip, the corners of his eyes drooping pitifully. He didn't know how the watch had ended up in his pocket and struggled to prove his innocence. "Surveillance cameras—yes, there are cameras in the classrooms..."

"No need for that." Yue Xun said in a low, threatening voice, pressing down on Cai Gu's shoulder and yanking his shirt down. "Let's just search and see what else you've stolen."

The security uniform was cheap to begin with. With a slight tug, the buttons on the chest popped open, revealing a perfectly sculpted chest to the young Alphas.

They had never seen such a sexy body—broad shoulders, narrow waist, large frame but not bulky, and with age, his muscles had softened some.

The Alphas' eyes were blazing with hunger. Cai Gu was forced to look up. He tried to push their hands away, but they grabbed his wrists instead, running rough fingers over his skin.

"I didn't steal anything! Don't take off my pants, there's nothing hidden inside!"

Cai Gu desperately clutched his waistband, but the Alphas were far stronger than him, and with their numerical advantage, he had no strength to resist.

Just as he was in despair, Cai Gu heard the sound of running water from outside. Seeing it as a lifeline, he shoved the Alphas aside and threw himself at the door. "Help—"

Before he could finish, Yue Xun slapped a hand over his mouth, preventing him from making a sound. Cai Gu was pinned to the door, his back pressed against Yue Xun's chest.

His skin was smooth, making Yue Xun reluctant to let go. He lowered his head, nudging the hair aside on Cai Gu's nape with his nose, then stuck out his tongue and licked the spot gently.

Cai Gu let out a low whimper. The Alpha's fangs were already resting on his nape, ready to bite and inject pheromones as soon as the person outside left.

The sound of water grew quieter and finally stopped. Just as Cai Gu was losing all hope, the stall door got kicked hard.

Once, twice.

Yue Xun cursed under his breath, afraid the door being kicked in might hurt Cai Gu, so he pulled the Beta into his arms.

The door, now busted open, hung loosely. Yue Jin leaned against the doorframe, taking in the cramped stall packed full of people.

Yue Jin lazily glanced over the Alphas, his golden eyes icy, and finally landed on the trembling figure.

Yue Jin smiled faintly, clapping his hands. The sound echoed in the restroom. "How interesting."

His tone shifted. He drew a dagger and drove it into the stall door, the tassels on the dagger swaying. "Get the hell out."

Yue Xun glared at Yue Jin with a contorted face but didn't dare fight back. Yue Jin was the Saint of the Blue Luo Religion, the highest authority in the sect. Except for the ancient elders, no one could touch him.

He reluctantly released Cai Gu, his nails digging into his palms. He lowered his head and quickly left Yue Jin's side.

After the troublesome Alphas were gone, Yue Jin frowned and released his lily-scented pheromones, overwhelming the dirty low-level ones.

Left behind, Cai Gu trembled, hugging himself. The lily pheromones brushed over his nape, covering it, and he felt a bit less awful.

Cai Gu wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, looking pitiful. He looked up and saw the young man lounging against the door. Yue Jin wasn't wearing the robe from their first meeting; he had on the Yasa Academy uniform, his long golden hair pulled back.

Yue Jin glanced at Cai Gu's shirt, torn to shreds, and raised an eyebrow. "Did the old men abandon you after your mission failed and hand you over to Yue Xun?"

In Yue Jin's mind, Cai Gu was still someone who had tried to kill him. He curled his lip and added cryptically, "They're really ruthless, aren't they?"

Cai Gu's mind was a blank, he couldn't follow what he was saying. He hunched his shoulders, as if recoiling from Yue Jin.

Yue Jin was amused at his reaction. He pulled the dagger from the door and used the hilt to lift Cai Gu's chin. "What are you shrinking from? If it weren't for me, they'd have fucked you to death. With that many Alphas, could you really take it?"

Yue Jin spat out a bunch of harsh words, but Cai Gu didn't let them sink in. Once he got himself together, he looked up and thanked him softly.

Cai Gu knew that Yue Jin had saved him. He sniffled, using his hand to pull his torn shirt up, and whispered in defense, "I don't know any old men you mentioned. I wasn't spying on you that night when you were... doing that. I'm a security guard, so I was at the church."

Being misunderstood twice left Cai Gu feeling really wronged, but he couldn't even bring himself to get angry.

"Security guard?"

Yue Jin was rarely caught off guard. He'd lost it that night and hadn't gotten a clear look at Cai Gu's uniform. So someone this good-looking was just a security guard?

"Then why were they targeting you?"

Cai Gu quickly explained, "He said I stole a watch, but I didn't steal anything—I didn't do it…"

His voice grew softer and softer, and finally he looked at Yue Jin with a hint of grievance, showing a glimmer of trust: "Do you believe me?"

Yue Jin looked down at Cai Gu, who was completely disheveled—a beauty who had just been molested by an Alpha, with large patches of skin exposed, alone and helpless, even forgetting that the young man before him had once slandered him and was a merciless killer.

Yue Jin suddenly smiled. He spoke more slowly, took off his school uniform, and draped it over Cai Gu, savoring the other's trust: "Of course I believe you."

"Let me take you away first." Yue Jin extended his hand, his back to the light, making his expression hard to read. Cai Gu obediently placed his hand in his.

Cai Gu gathered the school uniform around himself, glancing around fearfully, terrified that Yue Xun might pop out of some corner at any moment. As he left, he still remembered to take the cart with him.

After they left the teaching building, sunlight shone on his body, and Cai Gu finally felt like he could breathe again. He put the cart back into the truck with one hand.

Yue Jin followed Cai Gu toward the security booth. As he looked at the increasingly familiar path and the booth next to the east gate, he started to believe Cai Gu's words to some extent, though he still planned to confirm it with someone when he got back.

"Do you live here alone?" Yue Jin let out a knowing chuckle. "It's so remote—aren't you afraid? If someone hid nearby and crawled into the booth while you were sleeping, no one would hear your cries for help, and there wouldn't be someone like me to come and save you."

Cai Gu unlocked the security booth with his key and led Yue Jin inside. Yue Jin discreetly observed the surroundings—the originally cramped space had been made quite cozy by his furnishings.

Reminded by Yue Jin's words, Cai Gu quietly clutched the school uniform jacket: "It probably won't happen..."

Yue Jin rested his hands on the desk and said slowly, "No, the one who bullied you just now was my younger brother, Yue Xun. He's been very vengeful since childhood—once someone makes him unhappy, he'll bite down like a mad dog."

Seeing Cai Gu tremble again, a smug smile appeared on Yue Jin's face. He idly thought, *So his fear isn't just directed at me.*

Having scared Cai Gu, Yue Jin waited for him to beg for protection.

But instead, Cai Gu looked at him with a worried expression: "Then will he retaliate against you? Will you be hurt?"

Author's note:

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Yue Jin: (Heart fluttered)