Chapter 92 - Pay Attention to Me

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Wang Xiaorou nodded, half understanding, half confused.

 

Yin Che didn’t expect her to actually get it. He lifted his chin slightly.

“Take me to your brother.”

 

She remembered her brother saying he was going to play basketball before leaving the house, so she led Yin Che to the court inside their residential complex.

 

By the time they arrived, Jiang Yao was already there—face flushed, looking like he’d just finished a round.

 

“Gege, can I stay and watch?”

 

Jiang Yao patted her little head.

“Go home and finish your homework. If Dad finds out, he’ll scold me again.”

 

Wang Xiaorou pouted.

“Okay…”

 

Yin Che didn’t involve himself in their sibling chatter. He walked to the sidelines, set down his backpack, and was about to take off his jacket when a weight suddenly settled on his shoulder.

 

“Cheche.”

 

“What.”

 

“Nothing. Just calling you.” Jiang Yao rested his chin on Yin Che’s shoulder, grinning like a fool. “Why are you so cute?”

 

“Did you get hit in the head?”

 

“I didn’t… Anyway, my dad and my father aren’t home this afternoon.”

 

“So?”

 

“Want to come to my room?”

 

Yin Che turned his head to look at him.

“Your sister’s still at home. What are you thinking?”

 

Jiang Yao lowered his voice, leaning right up to his ear.

“I’ll lock the door. Just keep your voice down.”

 

Yin Che froze for a second, then narrowed his eyes.

“When have I ever made noise?”

 

“Today I’ll definitely make you—oof!” Jiang Yao doubled over, clutching his stomach. “Attempted murder of your future husband…”

 

Yin Che withdrew his elbow.

“Stop saying vulgar things to me.”

 

Jiang Yao chuckled.

“Then turn around and let me look at you. Haven’t seen you all day—I missed you.”

 

Yin Che gave him a you’re insane look, but turned around anyway. His eyes, however, looked somewhere else entirely.

 

“Look at me too.”

 

“There’s nothing to look at.”

 

“You don’t miss me?”

 

“Barely.”

 

“Oh…” Jiang Yao’s shoulders drooped. “Am I the only one thinking about my love…? Fine, let’s just play.”

 

Yin Che glanced at him. After a few seconds of hesitation, he decided not to say what he truly felt.

 

No need to let him get smug.

 

…

 

Back at school, the endless grind continued.

 

The new units were nearly finished, and they’d entered the first round of review—practice papers in every subject, raining down like artillery fire, wearing everyone down to ghosts of themselves.

 

Zhang Ke sighed, “I’m so jealous of the first-years right now. They’re so pure and clueless…”

 

Han Meng replied, “You’re also pretty clueless.”

 

Zhang Ke slapped the desk. “How could you say that, Old Han! Class monitor, help me out!”

 

Chen Yingying rubbed her forehead.

“Don’t bother me. My head hurts… Forget it, I’m going to the infirmary.”

 

Two periods later, she returned from the infirmary full of energy—chasing Han Meng around with renewed vigor.

 

Yin Che watched them for a moment, then casually stretched out a leg, pretending to block their path, and quickly drew it back. Han Meng nearly tripped and spun around in shock.

 

“Brother Che, you—”

 

Chen Yingying couldn’t stop in time and crashed straight into Han Meng’s arms.

 

Yin Che raised a brow.

 

Han Meng’s eyes filled with gratitude:

Thank you, sir!

 

Jiang Yao rocked back and forth in his chair.

“Your boyfriend wants a hug too.”

 

“You’re fine.”

 

“They’re fine too.”

 

“Class monitor went to the infirmary for an inhibitor injection.” Yin Che caught the faint trace of pheromones in the air. “Her scent’s been leaking a little lately. You didn’t smell it?”

 

“I only smell you.” Jiang Yao dropped his chair legs back down, resting his chin on his hand as he stared. “Why haven’t you gone into heat lately?”

 

“A single mark lasts months. What, you want me to go into heat?”

 

“Of course. You know.” Jiang Yao winked.

 

An omega’s heats escalated gradually; next time he went into heat, a gland bite wouldn’t be enough to hold it back.

 

“I don’t want to know. Maybe I’ll just start using inhibitors,” Yin Che replied.

 

Jiang Yao frowned.

“Am I really that unappealing to you…?”

 

Hearing this, Yin Che turned to look at him.

 

Jiang Yao’s features were striking—likely the result of mixed-blood genetics—which made even the slightest twist of emotion painfully obvious.

 

He really did look disappointed.

 

…

 

That afternoon, rain arrived suddenly.

 

Winter rain carried a sharp chill, cloaking everything in a misty film, as if the world had slipped into bone-deep cold.

 

Guo Zhixiong stared at the downpour outside with grave, sorrowful eyes. His voice was heavy.

“I sense… the ominous presence of a stolen PE class.”

 

Right on cue, the math teacher, Mr. Ma, walked in.

“Your PE teacher said the class is canceled. We’ll use the period for math instead.”

 

“Ahhh…” the students wailed.

 

Yang Yile said, “Great! I thought we wouldn’t finish the worksheet today.”

 

Guo Zhixiong, who had been mourning with Zhang Ke over their kidnapped PE teacher, nearly collapsed at these words.

 

But Mr. Ma continued, sending the room into a frenzy:

“I also have class with Class 5. You’ll have to drag your chairs over and join them. You’re on the same schedule anyway.”

 

Some teachers at No. 1 High handled many classes, so arrangements like this happened occasionally—but for Class 1, it was the first time.

 

Going to another classroom, sitting next to strangers—there was novelty in it, and the faint, restless thrill of adolescence.

 

Zhang Ke, who moments ago had been brooding gloomily by the window, was already at the door dragging a chair and carrying his math papers.

“Comrades! I’ll go ahead!”

 

Guo Zhixiong roared,

“Traitor! You never truly loved PE!”

 

Jiang Yao and Yin Che had gone to the snack store during break. When they came back to an empty classroom, a classmate explained the situation, so they dragged their chairs to Class 5—last to arrive.

 

“Reporting in.”

 

Every head in the packed classroom turned toward the door.

 

Two tall boys entered.

One wore his uniform sloppily, collar loose, expression relaxed. Rain had dampened half his shoulder and his hair. As he casually pushed his hair back, a wave of excited murmurs filled the room.

 

The school prince—handsome enough to make hearts race.

 

The other stood straight and proper, not a drop of rain on him. His uniform zipper was pulled all the way up. His face was striking but cold, and his sharp gaze swept over the students who had just squealed.

 

“…”

 

The school tyrant—so cool it was terrifying.

 

“Quiet,” Mr. Ma said, pointing at the only empty seats left in the aisle. “Sit down, both of you.”

 

Yin Che nodded and dragged his chair across the front of the room, taking the seat in the first row. Next to him sat Tang Shasha.

 

Jiang Yao was two rows behind, next to Su Qi.

 

Class 5 had already braced themselves for drama.

 

A year ago, Tang Shasha had been exposed by these two and removed from her position as head of the Arts Committee. She’d been humiliated for a long time afterward. Since then, she avoided them like the plague. Now seated side-by-side… who knew what sparks might fly?

 

The bell hadn’t even rung yet, but Mr. Ma was already racing against time, quickly writing the first solution step on the board.

 

Most students from Class 1 had shared desks together with Class 5 students, spreading out their worksheets on top as they took notes. Yin Che placed a math textbook under his paper and began writing. His handwriting wasn’t as neat as usual—impatient strokes, slightly uneven.

 

“You want to use mine?” Tang Shasha asked coldly, shifting her desk aside.

 

Yin Che looked at her, then nodded. “Thanks.”

 

“Hmph. I’ll count that as you owing me.”

 

Su Qi watched him set his paper down, then whispered to the person beside her, “Jiang Yao… um, do you want to use my desk too?”

 

“No need, thank you.”

 

“But writing like that will make your handwriting all crooked…”

 

Jiang Yao smiled. “It’s fine. My handwriting looks ugly even when I try.”

 

“……”

 

Yin Che didn’t hear their conversation. All he saw was Jiang Yao smiling at Su Qi.

 

Smiling… happily, at that.

 

One class period passed. Though Class 5 didn’t witness any of the drama they hoped for, they still had a feast of gossip. That night, someone from the class immediately opened a gossip thread on the school forum:

 

“Shocking! The two school legends might be breaking up!”

 

The post described the scene vividly:

“Why did former rivals share a desk today? Why did the school prince completely ignore his boyfriend, laughing with another omega instead? Come hear the strange happenings of Class 5!”

 

Replies poured in:

 

“I knew they’d break up eventually.”

 

“Who can stand an omega that cold every day?”

 

“My bet: one more month at most. Jiang Yao’s just temporarily blind.”

 

…

 

Zhang Ke cursed in the class group chat:

“Judging by the title, I KNOW that’s one of my idiot brothers from Class 5. I’m telling him to delete it now!”

 

Yin Che closed the link, folded a tiny paper star, dropped it into his jar, then climbed onto his bed.

 

He leaned against the wall, drew his knees up, and touched the string around his ankle.

 

It had been there so long it was fraying—rough against his fingertips.

 

He wanted Jiang Yao to make a new one for him… but had no idea how to bring it up.

 

There were so many things he didn’t know how to say.

 

After years of avoiding people, even simple words—simple gestures—felt difficult for him to express.

 

Especially in front of Jiang Yao.

 

There were so many things he wanted to say. So many things he wanted to do.

 

The daylong rain blew onto the balcony, pattering sharply against the windowpane, noisy and irritating.

 

Yin Che pulled his blanket over himself, curled into darkness, reached toward the corner of the bed, and dragged a piece of clothing into his arms.

 

It was a school jacket—not his size. He buried his face in it and inhaled deeply.

 

A scent that soothed him. A scent he was addicted to.

 

The method he read online was surprisingly effective. He was becoming more accustomed to Jiang Yao’s pheromones. Craving them, even.

 

He wanted more—closer intimacy.

 

But he also hesitated. Unsure whether he could handle it. What if they started, and halfway through he realized he couldn’t… it would ruin everything.

 

Which led him back to the same question:

How was he supposed to tell Jiang Yao?

 

A sudden knock startled him.

 

He quickly stuffed the jacket back into the corner and got up to open the door.

 

Jiang Yao stood outside, worry written all over his face.

“You saw that post, right? Don’t overthink it. It’s not what they said.”

 

Yin Che didn’t ask a single unnecessary question. “I know. It’s fine.”

 

“You trust me?”

 

“Mm.”

 

“You’re not jealous?”

 

“No.”

 

Jiang Yao shut the door behind him and stepped inside.

“I was laughing with another girl—one who even confessed to me once—and you don’t care?”

 

“Should I?”

 

“At least pretend to be jealous.”

 

“Oh.” Yin Che’s voice didn’t waver. “I’m jealous.”

 

Jiang Yao stared. “That’s way too fake.”

 

What counted as real? Yin Che wanted to ask. He did care—just didn’t see the point in saying it.

 

Jiang Yao loved him. That was enough.

 

“You’re always so calm. Even when we broke up,” Jiang Yao muttered. “You walked away without looking back. Didn’t even cry. Sometimes I wonder… if we break up again, would you be the same?”

 

“I’d go find my ex-boyfriend,” Yin Che replied calmly.

 

Jiang Yao froze. “…You had an ex-boyfriend?”

 

“Mm.”

 

“When? Middle school?”

 

“High school.”

 

Jiang Yao instantly panicked, grabbing his shoulders.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me? Am I not your first love!?”

 

Yin Che stayed silent, watching him grow more flustered. Then he suddenly curved his lips.

“You’re an idiot.”

 

“What?”

 

“If we broke up… who else could my ex-boyfriend be?”

 

Jiang Yao stared, then slowly processed the words.

 

Yin Che expected him to laugh. But Jiang Yao didn’t.

“Why joke about that… I really thought you considered breaking up again.”

 

Yin Che’s smile faltered. His lips slowly lowered. “Sorry.”

 

Maybe he really wasn’t good at making people feel loved.

 

The dorm manager’s voice rang through the speakers:

“Lights out in fifteen minutes! Everyone finish washing up!”

 

Chaos erupted in every dorm room—except theirs, which remained still and quiet.

 

Jiang Yao exhaled deeply.

“I should be the one apologizing. Forget what I just said. Even if you really did want to break up… I’d go along with whatever you want.”

 

“…I won’t break up with you.”

 

Jiang Yao ruffled his hair gently.

“No one knows the future. You like me now, but maybe one day you won’t. And besides—right now, you don’t even like me that much.”

 

Yin Che frowned. “That’s not true—”

 

“Mm. I know. It’s not,” Jiang Yao cut him off, and turned to the door. “Enough. I’m leaving. Sleep early.”

 

His hand had just touched the doorknob when something tugged sharply at the hem of his shirt.

 

Jiang Yao turned around.

 

Yin Che’s expression was calm, almost blank—but his fingers clenched his shirt with desperate strength.

 

“It’s not like what you said.”

 

“What isn’t?”

 

“I really… I…” Yin Che pressed his lips together, unable to finish.

 

Jiang Yao bent his knees slightly and lowered himself, meeting him eye to eye.

“Really what? Really like me?”

 

Yin Che stayed silent, eyes lowered.

 

Jiang Yao leaned in and kissed his tightly pressed lips.

“Tonight… can I stay?”

 

Nearly ten seconds passed before the little rabbit in front of him gave the smallest nod.

 

Author’s Note:

Our cunning big bad wolf really knows how to play pitiful (and yes—the little rabbit did cry the day they broke up. You all saw, right?)

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