Xu Ze’s rut this time was relatively short. He took a day off on Monday, and with the weekend, it was less than three days in total. During the swimming class on Tuesday afternoon, Xu Ze took the thermos container to the pool, even though he wasn’t sure if Lu Heyang would attend the class.
When the swimming class began, Xu Ze looked around but didn’t see Lu Heyang. He assumed that Lu Heyang wouldn’t be coming today.
But 20 minutes later, Xu Ze happened to look up during his training and saw Lu Heyang walking down the steps at the entrance and looking in his direction.
For the past few days, Xu Ze had been wondering whether Lu Heyang had noticed anything unusual. But the answer remained uncertain—judging from Lu Heyang’s attitude, he didn’t seem to have taken the matter to heart, or perhaps he thought it was normal. After all, he had been in rut, and various bodily reactions were common.
In any case, Xu Ze instinctively wanted to hide. He was swimming in the pool, so he could only hide in the water.
He dove underwater and swam in the swimming lane just like he would during regular training. However, he could spot someone walking along the edge of the pool and slowly following his diving speed.
When Xu Ze reached the end, he didn’t surface from the water. His whole body remained submerged. He looked up to see the other person standing there, appearing rather patient.
Xu Ze knew that his behavior was ridiculously silly, but he had already done it.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t taken in enough oxygen due to his panic before going underwater, and he couldn’t stay underwater much longer.
He couldn’t help but release a couple of bubbles in the water.
Thirty seconds later, he surfaced and gasped for air.
Lu Heyang was standing by the poolside with a pair of swimming goggles in his hand. He looked down at Xu Ze and said, “As far as I can remember, the final exam doesn’t include diving.”
“…” Xu Ze wiped the water from his face and avoided direct eye contact with Lu Heyang. He was glad that he was wearing swimming goggles.
After a while, Xu Ze asked, “What locker room are you in?”
Lu Heyang didn’t answer, but crouched down and said, “I can’t hear you. Swim closer.”
His posture with one knee on the pool edge, resembled that of a trainer in an aquarium, and Xu Ze, like a summoned dolphin, followed the command and swam closer to the edge. His limbs were stiff from nervousness, but he braced himself and asked again, “What locker room are you in?”
“What’s up?” Lu Heyang’s hand dangled in the pool, stirring it as he asked.
“You forgot to take your thermos. I will return it to you after class,” Xu Ze said.
“Thermos?” Lu Heyang seemed to have no recollection.
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Lu Heyang was late for class, and as a result, he got out of class a few minutes late. He headed toward the locker room to get his clothes. On his way, he noticed someone enter behind him. When he turned to look—it was Xu Ze.
Xu Ze was holding a towel in one hand and the thermos container in the other. He placed the container on the bench and said, “Thank you,” before hastily trying to leave without waiting for Lu Heyang’s response.
“Xu Ze,” Lu Heyang called him without turning his head as he took a bottle of water from his locker.
Xu Ze froze and turned around a second later, asking, “What is it?”
Lu Heyang took a sip of water and wiped his hair with a towel, “Why do you have your rut so often?”
He raised his eyes, looked through his slightly wet and messy fringe, and fixed his gaze on Xu Ze’s face.
At the mention of his rut, Xu Ze couldn’t help but think about what happened on Saturday, which in short made him eager to flee from the other person as soon as possible. It was just that Lu Heyang’s expression didn’t seem to be teasing in any way. Instead, it appeared to be a genuine question.
“I differentiated for a second time into S-level,” Xu Ze explained, “It happened in the second year of middle school. Before that, I was only A-level.”
“Secondary differentiation as an alpha means that pheromones aren’t as stable, and ruts will be slightly more frequent,” he clarified.
Lu Heyang nodded. Secondary differentiation wasn’t common, and there wasn’t much information about it in biology textbooks. He didn’t know much about it before this.
“Is it painful?” he asked. Lu Heyang had never experienced a real rut and wasn’t sure what it felt like.
But this question made it difficult for Xu Ze not to overthink it—would it be painful? Painful enough to do such a thing in front of an alpha? Xu Ze felt extremely embarrassed and clutched his towel as he replied, “A little.”
Lu Heyang was about to say something when he heard He Wei’s voice at the locker room door, “Heyang, are you ready yet?”
“Oh?” When He Wei walked in and saw Xu Ze, he greeted him, “Hi!”
His eyes immediately focused on Xu Ze’s upper body, particularly on his abs and body contours. He realized that they were identical to those of Seventeen. He blamed himself for not having seen Xu Ze shirtless before, so he hadn’t connected the dots between him and Seventeen earlier. This had to be the reason.
When Xu Ze saw He Wei staring at him, he felt perplexed. Then, he sensed Lu Heyang coming toward him. Xu Ze’s hand became empty; Lu Heyang had picked up his towel—he draped it over Xu Ze’s left shoulder, the towel hanging down just enough to cover most of Xu Ze’s body.
He Wei’s sight was abruptly blocked. He frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction by saying, “Hey!” Lu Heyang interrupted him, “Weren’t you going home for dinner today?”
“I’m not going home. I won’t go back in this lifetime,” He Wei replied, “Let’s go to a party tonight. I’ll introduce you to a pretty omega.”
Xu Ze kept his eyes downcast. He knew that he should leave, but he was currently positioned between He Wei and Lu Heyang. It would be rude if he suddenly turned around and walked away. Besides, Xu Ze didn’t have much experience in interrupting conversations, so he didn’t know when it would be appropriate to say “I have to get going”.
“I don’t want to go,” Lu Heyang bluntly declined He Wei’s invitation.
“You’re no fun. Are you incompetent?” He Wei looked disappointed, “Lu Heyang, if you don’t date in high school, are you planning to wait until Uncle Lu arranges a partner for you in university?”
As he finished speaking, Lu Heyang showed no reaction, but Xu Ze raised his head and looked at Lu Heyang. Xu Ze had been standing quietly, so it seemed abrupt when he raised his head.
As a result, Lu Heyang also looked at Xu Ze. Their gazes crossed briefly before Xu Ze quickly looked away.
“Xu Ze, are you dating Chi Jiahan?” He Wei’s attention returned to Xu Ze again and he asked him.
Xu Ze seemed to be lost in thought and paused before replying, “No, we’re just friends.”
“Then is Chi Jiahan dating another alpha?”
“No,” Xu Ze paused again before adding, “He’s afraid of A.”
Actually, Xu Ze was putting it mildly. Chi Jiahan wasn’t afraid of alphas, but he loathed them. Xu Ze seemed to be one of the few alphas he was willing to be close friends with.
“What does that mean? Is he gay?” He Wei was shocked. He had researched Chi Jiahan thoroughly. The first two questions were just casual conversation with Xu Ze, but this aspect was really something he hadn’t expected.
“I don’t think so,” Xu Ze hadn’t speculated on Chi Jiahan’s sexual orientation, but he didn’t think that Chi Jiahan was gay.
He Wei fell into thought, and Xu Ze finally found an opportunity to interrupt, “I have to get going.”
Lu Heyang didn’t reply. Xu Ze gave him a quick look before turning around and walking out of locker room 3.
Xu Ze went to the shower room to take a shower and then returned to his locker room to pack up his things. The swimming pools were almost deserted so it was very quiet. Xu Ze heard footsteps coming from the corridor and recognized He Wei’s voice.
“Are you really not going?” He Wei was still insisting on going to the party.
“I’m not going,” Lu Heyang refused again.
Xu Ze put on his wristband unhurriedly. He thought about what He Wei had said earlier, which should mean that Lu Heyan wasn’t in a relationship yet.
Even though this matter had essentially nothing to do with him—after all, Lu Heyang’s entire life couldn’t have anything to do with him. Still, this made him feel a little less guilty, at least it meant that he hadn’t jerked off to an alpha with a girlfriend at that time.
The two of them slowly approached the locker room exit. Xu Ze’s locker was close to the door, and they were just blocked by the wall.
“What did your cousin say?” Lu Heyang asked He Wei.
“He said he wanted to see how Xu Ze fights first. I was thinking of taking him to the boxing ring on Friday, but I don’t know if Xu Ze will fight this week. Wasn’t he injured last time?”
“Ask him then.”
“Heyang.” He Wei’s voice was unexpectedly serious, “I feel like you’re treating Xu Ze… how should I put it. You’ve never cared about other people’s affairs. I don’t get what you mean.”
Xu Ze’s movements halted. He stared at his wrist, and his heartbeat suddenly quickened. He wasn’t expecting anything, he just didn’t know how Lu Heyang would respond.
“Is it because he’s pitiful and you sympathize with him?” He Wei continued.
The voice was extremely clear through the wall. After several seconds, Lu Heyang remained silent as if he tacitly agreed.
The sun had set, leaving the locker room dim. The empty lockers loomed like boxy black mouths waiting to swallow him whole.
Xu Ze’s eyes were unfocused. The locker door made a low and faint creak as he slowly closed it.
A long time later, so long that their footsteps became indistinct in the distance, Xu Ze heard Lu Heyang’s reply.
“Maybe.”
Translator’s note: 🎉🍊 Happy Lunar New Year !! 🧧🐉
Nooo! Poor Xu Ze will think its pity instead of love QAQ
Nooooooo poor Xu Ze TT
Happy lunar new year and thank you for the chapter~ 🧧🧧
Ah sorry I replied by accident 😅
Nooooooo, XZ cover your ears \QnQ/
happy lunar new year!!! thank you for another great chapter 🥺
Noo my baby I feel so bad for him 😭😭
Happy lunar new year ♥️♥️
Thank you for translating this novel. It’s so fun to read 🫶🫶
Happy Lunar New Year
Thanks for the chapter
My heart. Ahhhh 😭
Ouch 😣. That sure hurt , Xu Ze is crushed. Pity is the last thing he wanted from Lu Heyang. Well, I get the feeling we are getting on the angst and drama train. Xu Ze, my poor baby 🥺🥺🥺🥺