It was only after he was done talking did Duan Jiayan start moving his lips.

His words travelled to his lips but were swallowed down again. 

Duan Jiayan slowly shook his head.

He wanted to say something but felt that it was not too good to do so. He looked at the boy in front of him. He did not seem to be surprised by his reaction but after seeing Duan Jiayan’s obvious rejection, Lu Xingci’s gaze dimmed, the corners of his lips lowered.

After a while, with downcast eyes, he asked gently, “Can’t consider it for just a little bit?

Duan Jiayan avoided his gaze, his voice was also very quiet, “It’s not a matter of whether I can consider this or not.” 

“Then what is the issue?”

“It’s,” He hesitated a little, seeming to stumble over his words, “I just don’t feel like we are compatible……”

“En.” Lu Xingci answered mellowly.

“……”

“Then, where aren’t we compatible,” He looked at him patiently. “I’ll see if I can make some adjustments.”

“Don’t, Lu-ge,” Duan Jiayan bit his lips, expression a little stilted. “Let’s just… can’t we just be friends?”

Hearing this, Lu Xingci noticed his brows seemed to be showing his nervousness and gently said, “It seems like we can’t.”

Duan Jiayan never thought that Lu Xingci would not leave him even a way to take a step backwards. 

His patient and determined attitude made Duan Jiayan feel a little uncomfortable.

Duan Jiayan fell silent for a moment and decided to be ruthless.

“You see, my results aren’t good, my temper isn’t all that great either,” He studied Lu Xingci’s expression as he spoke. “I don’t have any particular talents and no life goals. You could be a winner at life, but if you get together with me, I could end up leading you astray. Shen Chilie also mentioned before that I’m not one to take care of the house. Who knows, in the future I could…”

In order to let Lu Xingci see the severity of the issue, Duan Jiayan considered it and committed to being ruthless, “I could cheat on you.” 

“……”

Duan Jiayan sincerely added, “Don’t let yourself be wronged like this.”

“You sure made some long term considerations,” Despite all that Duan Jiayan said, Lu Xingci still laughed and said, “That’s fine too.”

What’s fine? Even cheating is fine? 

Duan Jiayan felt like this situation was going differently from what he imagined.

“Then can I,” Lu Xingci deliberated and licked his lips before looking at Duan Jiayan. “Be  a little wronged by you.”

The fireworks were done going off and quietened down.

Duan Jiayan did not know how to react. 

After understanding what the other meant, Duan Jiayan finally understood what it meant to feel a rare moment of powerlessness. He looked at Lu Xingci and hesitated, “Did you start liking me because I became an omega?”

“It was because you became an omega, we got to know one another and then I started liking you,” Lu Xingci corrected him. “It has nothing to do with gender.”

“……” Duan Jiayan really did not know what to say.

“If you can’t get used to it, we can continue being friends.” 

“Then don’t you think, having these sort of feelings towards you friends,”

“Am I not trying now?”

“What?”

“I’m trying… to see if I can turn my friend into my boyfriend,” After Lu Xingci was done talking, he looked at Duan Jiayan’s dazed expression and his eyes curved as he smiled. “Let me try to woo you, okay?” 

“If I make you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me to stop,” Lu Xingci paused, carefully studying the other’s reaction. “After you say that, I won’t disturb you anymore”

At this point in time, Duan Jiayan was bewildered.

He stood in a daze for a long while before suddenly exclaiming, “You woo me? Why are you wooing me? There’s no need to do this right, Lu-ge? I feel like there’s no need.”

He continuously spoke four sentences in a row, with no pauses in between. 

Lu Xingci saw him being stunned and knew he was more than a little shocked right now. He took the initiative to say, “Then let us go play first. Which attraction did you say you wanted to play?”

Gejc Aljsjc cfnfg fzqfmafv atf abqlm ab mtjcuf rb delmxis. Lf fzmijlwfv bea ibev jr tf aglfv ab mjamt eq ab Oe Wlcuml’r agjlc bo atbeuta.

“Kbvjs lr sbeg ylgatvjs,” Oe Wlcuml mbeiv afii ktja tf kjcafv ab rjs. “P vbc’a kjca ab yf yijwfv obg cba ifaalcu sbe qijs ab sbeg tfjga’r mbcafca.”

Duan Jiayan met his gaze and went along with him, “Yes yes yes, let’s go play first. I saw a map over there just now, let’s go take a look.” 

After he said that, he swiftly turned around and hurriedly escaped.

Seeing Duan Jiayan so eager to leave, Lu Xingci could not resist laughing as he made his way over as well.

After looking at the map, Duan Jiayan noticed that they were not far from the haunted house.

If they were to go to the haunted house, they might just bump into Chen Yue and Zhou Xingchen. Duan Jiayan opened his mouth and asked, “Let’s go to the haunted house?” 

Lu Xingci nodded.

There were two girls who were also looking at the map. They were pushing each other and one of the girls secretly looked at them before patting her friend on the arm encouragingly.

Noticing that they were leaving, the girl who had her arm patted gathered up her courage to run up and ask, “The xiao ge ge in front, can you wait for a bit?”

She was blushing slightly, and there was a bunny-ear hairband on her head. Seeing them pause, the girl felt embarrassed as she tugged her friend over, “We heard that you were going to the haunted house. We were also thinking of going there, can we go over together?” 

Duan Jiayan was about to respond when Lu Xing gave the girls a smile. He could see the girl’s entire face turn red.

“My apologies but I’m together with him,” Although he was laughing, Lu Xingci did not hesitate to reject them. “We don’t want to be disturbed.”

“……” Duan Jiayan realised what was going on and stared at Lu Xingci in disbelief. “What are you talking about? Who is together with you?”

After hearing this and that, the embarrassment of being rejected turned into a sense of curiosity. 

After seeing the two girls looking at him in curiosity, Lu Xingci generously said, “He’s being difficult with me right now.”

He did not sound embarrassed as he spoke, his eyes were also curved, somehow looking like he’s indulging the other.

The other girl pulled on her friend who seemed like she still had something to say, and shot Lu Xingci a smile, “Then we won’t bother you any longer.”

After she said that, the girl could not hold her thought in any longer and quietly added, “That… you two look very compatible.” 

After the girls had left, Duan Jiayan turned to Lu Xingci and ground his teeth, thinking about what he should say.

Without waiting for Duan Jiayan, Lu Xingci said first, “You wanted to play together with them?”

He actually did not want to.

Duan Jiayan tried to hold it in but failed, “But there was still no reason for you to say all that.” 

“There is indeed no reason to,” Lu Xingci said. “But I had my own selfish intentions.”

“……”

“I won’t say that anymore,” He spoke as if he was consoling a young child, gently coaxing him. “Don’t be unhappy.”

Duan Jiayan wanted to say, ‘I’m not unhappy.’ 

But if he were to say that, it’d give the wrong impression that he wanted to be a couple with Lu Xingci.

Duan Jiayan sighed in his heart, feeling like he was falling into a trap.

After walking along the road, they say Zhou Xingchen and Chen Yue standing by the door of the haunted house. Duan Jiayan had never felt so happy to see the pair before today.

After Lu Xingci had confessed to him, he realised that some of Chen Yue’s behaviour seemed a little suspicious. Compared to Chen Yue who was silently helping Lu Xingci, Duan Jiayan was a lot more satisfied with the foolishly innocent Zhou Xingchen. 

“Zhou! Xing! Chen!” Duan Jiayan shouted and ran over to him.

Zhou Xingchen saw Duan Jiayan running over like a cheery puppy, he was just missing two gold beams coming out from his eyes. He looked at the skewers in his hand and asked, ‘Are you hungry? Though I’ve already eaten from this skewer.”

He came to the haunted house with Chen Yue. Just as they were almost done queueing, Zhou Xingchen decided to ask some of the visitors that were leaving the haunted house. They all said that they got scared to death, a young lady even looked deathly pale. Zhou Xingchen contemplated it and decided to first get something to eat before going in.

Chen Yue saw how terrified he was and after teasing him for a bit, also followed him to get something to eat. 

Duan Jiayan rushed over just as they were starting to queue once again.

“I’m not hungry,” Duan Jiayan stood in front of him. “You eat.”

“……” Spotting Lu Xingci who came along with Duan Jiayan, Zhou Xingchen exclaimed, “Lu-ge, why are you two here?”

“He wanted to play this,” Lu Xingci glanced at Duan Jiayan who was standing by Zhou Xingchen’s side. The other person met his gaze before turning away, pretending to not have seen it. 

Just as they were about to reach the entrance, Zhou Xingchen noticed Duan Jiayan standing with him. This sort of situation made him curious, “Why aren’t you standing with Lu-ge? Do you think I’m more fun to play with?”

Duan Jiayan was about to speak when Zhou Xingchen answered his own question, “I also think that you’re more fun than Chen Yue. Like this, we both seem to have good taste.”

He turned the topic back to himself. Duan Jiayan had never seen such a foolish person and could not resist snickering, “Yes, you are very fun to be with.” 

Duan Jiayan added, “Aren’t you scared of ghosts? Why not after we go in, I’ll walk beside you to protect you.”

Zhou Xingchen was about to nod his head.

Lu Xingci, who was silent all this while, heard what Duan Jiayan said and felt a little peeved. He was about to cut in when he thought of something. He adjusted his expression, pretending to glance furtively at the haunted house’s entrance, “I’m also afraid, aren’t you going to care about me?”

Chen Yue, “……” 

Chen Yue silently wondered, “Where did this song of yours come from?”

Zhou Xingchen was a lot more direct than Chen Yue, he directly opened his mouth to ask in suspicion, “Lu-ge, you—”

Chen Yue suddenly interrupted and laughed fakely, “Lu-gou you’re already so old, how can you still be scared of stuff like this hahahahahahaha!” 

Zhou Xingchen, “????”

Lu Xingci was more into the act than Chen Yue. He looked at Duan Jiayan and muttered, looking a little pitiful,” Look, even Chen Yue is laughing at me.”

Chen Yue felt a chill in his heart and he nearly stopped laughing. In order to cooperate with Lu Xingci, he could only continue laughing fakely.

After he was done laughing, he felt as if he was using his life to act this out. 

Duan Jiayan saw Chen Yue heartlessly teasing the other and remember Lu Xingci being frightened back in the tunnel. He really did seem quite pitiful.

But he also did not really want to walk together with Lu Xingci.

Duan Jiayan hesitated before speaking, “Then you take care of yourself.”

No matter how foolish Zhou Xingchen was, he could still tell that something was not right. 

He glanced at Chen Yue helplessly and saw the other nodding at him. It meant to keep silent and not say anything.

Zhou Xingchen saw Chen Yue nodding and exclaimed loudly, “Lu-ge you’re so weak hahahahaha!”

Chen Yue, “……”

Lu Xingci did not bother about him, looking only at Duan Jiayan. 

They kept their gaze for a few seconds before Lu Xingci suddenly looked down, seeming a little disappointed. Yet also looking like he did not want to trouble Duan Jiayan.

“Okay,” He did not look at Duan Jiayan, only saying softly. “I’ll take care of myself.”

“……” Duan Jiayan suddenly felt like a horrible scum. 

After they entered the haunted house.

The haunted house was fashioned after a haunted school, with a student that had died unjustly. Visitors assume the role of an investigator, going to the school to investigate the reason for the student’s death.

After they entered, their surroundings darkened.

Duan Jiayan and Duan Jiayan walked in front, with Lu Xingci and Chen Yue following some distance back. 

Chen Yue quietly asked, “What is up with Duan Jiayan and you?”

Lu Xingci saw Duan Jiayan walking a few metres in front of him, with his back towards him and completely kept away his previously terrified expression. He said calmly, “I confessed to him.”

Chen Yue, “!”

Lu Xingci, “He didn’t accept.” 

Chen Yue, “……Damn.”

As they were talking, a female staff dressed as a ghost rushed up to them.

She had a head of messy hair and was wearing an oversized white dress with a face of special effects makeup and blood-red eyes.

Seeing the female ghost getting closer, Chen Yue paused and asked Lu Xingci, “So right now, are you afraid or not? I’ll play along.” 

Before Lu Xingci can reply, Zhou Xingchen had heard movement and turned around before letting out a terrified scream, “Prosperity, democracy, civilisation, harmony— What is that! What! Is! That!”

He screamed while running forward, Duan Jiayan could not even hold onto him on time.

In a blink of an eye, Zhou Xingchen was gone. Duan Jiayan turned around and saw that Chen Yue was mysteriously gone as well.

He saw Lu Xingci standing on the spot and assumed the other had been scared stiff. 

“Lu Xingci!” Duan Jiayan hurried shouted. Seeing no response, he turned around and rushed over to hold his hand.

After holding onto him, Duan Jiayan turned and ran. Lu Xingci realised what was going on and sped up to keep up with him.

However, it seemed like the female ghost staff really liked Lu Xingci. Seeing him run away, she started chasing after him while continuing to scream.

Perhaps because they angered the female ghost, the corridor lights started flashing red, dying the walls the colour of blood. 

It was not ideal to just keep running. Just when they managed to keep some distance from the female ghost, Duan Jiayan spied an empty classroom. He kicked it open and staggered around before finding a closet in the classroom.

Typically, if a visitor hides in such a place, the staff members would no longer follow them.

Duan Jiayan made his way to the closet and opened it before indicating for Lu Xingci to go in. The latter obediently hid in the closet and Duan Jiayan, after seeing that there was still space, also entered the closet before shutting the door behind him.

The female ghost came running into the classroom. 

She hesitated for a moment before walking up to the closet. Raising a hand, she repeatedly scratched the doors of the closet, her fake nails sounding ear-piercing against the closet doors.

It sounded particularly miserable.

Lu Xingci was in quite a good mood as he heard the sound of nails scratching against the doors.

Duan Jiayan was protecting him just now. 

He clearly said that he was not going to care about him but in the end, he still came running over to catch his hand. Thinking about that, Lu Xingci looked down and met Duan Jiayan’s gaze, the corners of his mouth could not help curving into a slight smile.

“What’s the matter? Running so fast.” This guy was clearly shocked stiff by the ghostly cries before, yet now he is smiling so gently and with sentimentality. “Worried about me?”

His tone was even a little amorous.

Definitely not like a good person. 

Duan Jiayan wanted to say yes but also felt like he wouldn’t sound as imposing and so straightforwardly asked instead, “Can’t I?”

“You can.” Lu Xingci stared at him and continued in a low voice, “Then later if we bump into another ghost, can you still protect me?”

Somehow, alpha pheromones started to be released. The originally musty smell of the closet was gradually replaced by a clean herbaceous scent. As the closet was too cramped, Lu Xingci had to stoop down uncomfortably, his legs were also bent.

In the narrow space, Duan Jiayan and Lu Xingci were squeezed together, and could more or less see the other’s eyelashes flutter. 

For the first time, Duan Jiayan was very clear that the person in front of him was an alpha.

Lu Xingci looked at him, waiting for his response.

Duan Jiayan’s shirt and jacket were both white, making his skin look even fairer and smoother than it already is.

His face was small, with a sharp chin and a slender neck. 

“I can’t just leave you here by yourself,” Duan Jiayan said before averting his eyes uneasily.

Just now, in that one instant, the closet was filled with pheromones that spoke of desire and lust.

Right now, Lu Xingci wanted to hug him.

He also wanted to kiss him. 

The author and something to say: Today you’ll no longer be a human. Is being a human more important than having a wife? Lu-gou, rush forward for me!