"I'm up, I'm up!" Jiang Wei scrambled into his clothes, pulling on his jacket as he swung the bedroom door open, nearly colliding head-on with Tang Zihe, who was standing in the hallway looking at his phone.
"You had five minutes. It’s only eight o'clock, so there’s no need to rush. What do you want for breakfast?" Tang Zihe asked.
"Whatever. Just get me the same thing you're having," Jiang Wei said, rubbing his eyes. He had moved too fast; his head was still ringing.
"Alright." Tang Zihe turned and headed downstairs.
The two of them had fallen back into an old rhythm. Whether at school or home, as long as they were staying together, Tang Zihe would always get up on time to wake Jiang Wei—since Jiang Wei was notoriously difficult for an alarm clock to rouse—and then go buy breakfast for both of them. During that time, Jiang Wei would get dressed and washed, then either head to the classroom to find his breakfast waiting on his desk or sit in the living room to eat whatever Tang Zihe brought up.
This habit didn't seem to have faded over the past two years; everything felt perfectly natural.
There was a breakfast stall right next to Tang Zihe’s building. By the time Jiang Wei had splashed his face with cold water twice to wake himself up, breakfast was already on the table.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Jiang Wei. He looked up at Tang Zihe. "We aren't in a rush today. Why did we have to get up at eight?"
"If you wake up late today, you’ll never get out of bed on Monday," Tang Zihe explained. "Besides, you were the one who said you wanted to fix your biological clock."
*Oh.* Jiang Wei tilted his head, vaguely remembering saying something like that in passing.
"Beef ramen. Eat it before it gets soggy," Tang Zihe said, pushing the bowl toward him to reclaim his attention.
Jiang Wei’s taste buds didn't fully wake up until he was halfway through the bowl, realizing the ramen was actually quite delicious.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
***
"Don't scam me, man. I feel like I've been walking for half an hour already," Jiang Wei groaned, dragging his feet as he trailed behind Tang Zihe.
"We're almost there," Tang Zihe said, his expression unchanged.
Jiang Wei let out a series of pathetic whimpers.
"We're here." Tang Zihe stopped and pointed at a massive building ahead.
If it hadn't been for the "Book City" sign hanging on the front, Jiang Wei would have bet anything that this ultra-modern, artistic structure was some kind of high-end cinema complex.
"Are you sure?" Jiang Wei asked, still skeptical.
"It opened just a few years ago. It’s one of the two largest bookstores in the city," Tang Zihe said, turning back. "Do you need me to give you a brief history of its existence?"
"No, no, I'm good." Jiang Wei waved him off. "Now that we're here, let's just go in. I want to get back and take a nap after this."
"..."
As they walked toward the entrance, Jiang Wei realized the place was actually quite crowded for a weekend, likely because the commercial street was just a bit further ahead.
"Tang Zihe."
Both of them turned around at the same time to see a boy waving at them.
The boy held a half-smoked cigarette in his left hand and a bag of art supplies in his right. Even standing in a corner, he was the kind of person who commanded attention.
"What are you doing here?" Tang Zihe walked over to ask.
"Accompanying Lu Zisheng." He shook the bag in his hand. "And you?"
"Accompanying Jiang Wei to buy books." Tang Zihe patted Jiang Wei on the shoulder. "The new transfer student in our class. Did you hear?"
"Yeah, Xia Shan told me." The boy stepped aside, stubbed out his cigarette in a nearby bin, and turned back with a smile, extending a hand to Jiang Wei. "Hi, I'm Shen Yannan."
Jiang Wei reached out and shook his hand, pursing his lips before saying, "Hi, I'm Jiang Wei."
He had actually seen this Shen Yannan person before.
Yet, as if by unspoken agreement, both of them acted as though they were meeting for the first time.
"What are you guys chatting about?" Another boy walked over, greeted Tang Zihe, and naturally took his place beside Shen Yannan.
"Just meeting a new friend from our class." Seeing the newcomer, the smile on Shen Yannan’s face widened. He bid Tang Zihe and Jiang Wei farewell. "I'll head out first. Let's chat at school when we have the chance."
Tang Zihe smiled and said goodbye.
"Did you sneak another cigarette?" Before the pair had even walked far, the other boy leaned in to whisper.
Shen Yannan clicked his tongue. "Lu Zisheng, does your nose have to be that sharp?"
"Smoking is bad for you; you need to quit." Lu Zisheng fished a chocolate-flavored lollipop out of his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into Shen Yannan’s mouth. "Next time you want to smoke, have a sweet instead."
"Got it." Shen Yannan pouted slightly, pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and put it back in his pocket.
"What is it?" Lu Zisheng asked, looking down.
"Nothing, just sending a friend request to my new friend," Shen Yannan shrugged. "I want ice cream."
At that exact moment, Jiang Wei’s phone buzzed.
[*'Getting Better' has sent you a friend request.*]
[*Hi, I'm Shen Yannan. Remember me?*]
"What kind of person do you think Shen Yannan is?" Jiang Wei asked casually as he browsed the shelves with Tang Zihe.
Tang Zihe didn't think much of it, tossing another exercise book into the basket Jiang Wei was carrying. "What kind of person? You'll find out once you spend some time with him."
"Fair enough." Jiang Wei wasn't surprised by the answer. He looked down at the books in his basket. "Wait... one, two, three... six books already? Isn't that enough?"
"My dear classmate, please respect your status as a senior who has been out of school for two years. We ordinary high schoolers go through one or two exercise books per subject every semester. These are the 'best of the best' that I’ve carefully selected for you." Without even looking up, Tang Zihe flipped through another book for less than five seconds before putting it back on the shelf.
"Six times two times two... you guys have already finished twenty-four exercise books?!" Jiang Wei looked horrified. Did that mean if he wanted to catch up, he’d have to grind through twenty-four books day and night on top of his regular homework? Twenty-four?!
The number alone made his head spin.
"Oh, it's not quite that many. Xia Shan and the others have probably done about eighteen by now, following the standard pace," Tang Zihe said nonchalantly, as if he were merely discussing what to have for lunch.
*Eighteen...* The number circled in Jiang Wei’s head several times before he realized Tang Zihe hadn't used the word "I." Which meant...
"What about you?" Jiang Wei tapped the basket. "How many has a 'non-standard' person like you finished?"
Tang Zihe put down his book and held up two fingers, then another digit with his other hand to indicate a double-digit number.
Jiang Wei’s legs nearly gave out, and he had to steady himself against a nearby bookshelf.
"Don't lie to me, that's impossible..." Jiang Wei gave a forced laugh. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and swallowed hard before he could find his voice again.
Tang Zihe shrugged with a "believe it or not" expression.
Jiang Wei did some mental math and finally accepted that Tang Zihe’s position as the "Rank One" student definitely wasn't a stroke of luck.
To put it simply, even if this guy had the elite genes of a top-tier Alpha, he couldn't have achieved such stable "success" so easily. Genes could certainly put someone ahead at the starting line, but they weren't everything. Otherwise, with so many Alphas in the school, why were nearly a fifth of the students in Class One Omegas? If genes were everything, the world's Omegas would have turned into idiots long ago.
No one could truly understand every physics formula just by leaning back in their chair during class. Everyone was burning the midnight oil, working hard to climb up bit by bit.
Jiang Wei offered a three-second silent prayer for his future life in the sea of senior year academics.
"Is that enough?"
It was the third time Jiang Wei had asked the question before Tang Zihe finally stopped and glanced at the basket.
Tang Zihe thought for a moment. "Close enough."
Jiang Wei clapped his hands and hurried Tang Zihe toward the checkout, terrified that another lap around the store would result in two more books.
"What are you doing for lunch?" they chatted while waiting in line.
"My parents definitely won't be back, so I'll just scrounge up something," Tang Zihe said, scrolling through his phone.
Jiang Wei took a small step forward and placed the heavy basket on the counter.
"You in the back, stop playing on your phone and come pay." The cashier’s voice was like a booming bell. Tang Zihe looked around and realized the cashier was pointing at the basket Jiang Wei had just left on the counter.
*Where did he go?* Tang Zihe pushed the basket forward in confusion as the cashier skillfully scanned the items.
*Disappearing the moment it's time to pay? Is he pulling a 'dine and dash' on me?*
Tang Zihe gritted his teeth. He really shouldn't have been so nice to that guy; he was getting way too bold.
At the same time.
A girl in a school uniform was standing by a bookshelf built into the wall. She was on her tiptoes, reaching desperately for a book, her arm trembling slightly from the effort.
"This one?"
A slender hand suddenly appeared in her field of vision, pointing at the book's cover.
"Ah, yes," the girl replied instinctively, not yet processing what was happening.
The boy pulled the book out and placed it in her hands.
"Next time, remember to ask a staff member or a kind soul like me for help," the boy said with a smile.
"Thank you." The girl held the book in both hands and returned a polite smile.
***
"Where did you run off to?"
Tang Zihe shoved the heavy bag into Jiang Wei’s arms as he approached.
Jiang Wei scrambled to catch it, grinning. "I was just doing my good deed for the day. Don't be mad."
"Which of your eyes sees me being mad?" Tang Zihe said expressionlessly. "That was four hundred and six yuan total."
Jiang Wei sighed inwardly. *Man, he probably thinks I disappeared to dodge the bill.* Heaven was his witness—if that girl hadn't been wearing their school uniform, triggering his "mutual aid and friendship" instincts, he wouldn't have given her a second look.
"Here, here. And lunch is on me today too. Consider it compensation for the 'time loss' of having the great Young Master Tang accompany me out." Jiang Wei shook his head with a laugh. "But please, Young Master Tang, be a bit nicer to your benefactor, or your benefactor might get very sad and hurt."
Tang Zihe hadn't actually been angry, so he was easily amused by Jiang Wei’s nonsense.
"Keep talking and I'll drag you to an Imperial Feast for lunch and bleed you dry," Tang Zihe huffed as they walked out side-by-side.
"Don't do that! I'll definitely make you stay there and wash dishes with me to pay off the bill," Jiang Wei countered, raising an eyebrow.
"True. 'If I'm going down, you're coming with me'—that is very much your style."
"So, back to the point, what are we actually eating?"
Jiang Wei looked at the empty street outside. A cold breeze blew past; there wasn't even a decent place to take shelter from the wind.
"Two choices."
Tang Zihe held up two fingers. "One, keep walking. A block away is the shopping mall, but there’s nothing good there except fast food. Two, go home and order delivery."
"Is there anything good on delivery?"
"Sure. Fast food." Tang Zihe spread his hands and shrugged.
Jiang Wei: "..."
So there really was no choice. Lunch was tentatively decided as fast food.
The moment they got back to Tang Zihe’s place, Jiang Wei collapsed onto the sofa like he’d been drained of all life. He kept whimpering about wanting water but refused to move an inch. Eventually, Tang Zihe brought him a glass, preventing him from dying of thirst on the couch.
"Please use your little finger to open your phone and order lunch," Tang Zihe said, sitting on the other end of the sofa, right against Jiang Wei’s legs—the guy had taken up two-thirds of the space.
"On it."
Jiang Wei unlocked his phone with his fingerprint, then stopped.
Tang Zihe looked at him, puzzled. He clearly didn't believe that Jiang Wei’s lifestyle had been so healthy that he hadn't ordered a single delivery in two years.
"You..." Tang Zihe wanted to ask more, but seeing Jiang Wei’s innocent expression, he swallowed the question. This guy’s words were always half-true anyway; he wasn't to be trusted.
"Forget it. Give me your phone, I'll do it for you."
"Okay!" Jiang Wei handed his phone over with zero hesitation, seemingly having no guard up at all.
Tang Zihe had no interest in Jiang Wei’s messages. He downloaded an app and started ordering, dragging Jiang Wei up once to press his thumb for the payment.
"Check what you want to eat." Tang Zihe gave a casual pat to the person beside him without looking. A second later, he realized the spot he’d patted felt soft—not the firm texture a leg should have.
"That tickles... don't touch." Jiang Wei covered his stomach, looking at him with an expression that said, *I didn't think you were that kind of person.*
Tang Zihe raised an eyebrow. As he tossed the phone back, he said casually, "Have you gained weight?"
There was a bit of soft flesh on his belly.
"What are you talking about? I've just been neglecting my exercise! I haven't gained weight!" Jiang Wei said huffily.
Tang Zihe didn't know why he suddenly remembered a time he’d accidentally seen Jiang Wei lift his shirt. Back then, the guy had a six-pack that looked lean and fit—a far cry from the soft sensation he’d just felt.
He rubbed his fingertips together.
"I placed the order! Did you hear me?!" Jiang Wei shouted.
Tang Zihe snapped out of it. "Stop yelling, I'm not deaf." He pushed Jiang Wei’s face away and dramatically rubbed his ear.
"What were you thinking about? You were totally spaced out."
"Nothing." He shook his head, thinking, *I can't exactly tell you I was thinking about the fat on your body.*
Jiang Wei didn't expect an answer and changed the subject himself. "I really can't understand you rich people sometimes. Living in a place like this where there’s absolutely nothing around... it’s basically 'isolated from the world.'"
"Did you sleep well last night?"
"Huh?" The non-sequitur caught Jiang Wei off guard, but he answered instinctively. "Yeah, I did."
"Do you think the flowers and plants in the little courtyard outside look nice?"
"Yeah, they do."
"See?" Tang Zihe leaned back against the sofa. "There are the benefits."
Jiang Wei: "..." He was actually starting to be convinced.
Half an hour passed in silence until they both heard the doorbell.
Jiang Wei bounced off the sofa, and Tang Zihe naturally went to the door to get the delivery.
"Save me! It smells so good!" Jiang Wei followed behind Tang Zihe, following the scent to the dining room.
Tang Zihe began taking the items out of the bag one by one, giving a casual instruction: "There are disposable gloves in the kitchen, in the usual spot. Go get them."
Jiang Wei trotted into the kitchen, navigating it as familiarly as if it were his own home, and brought out a box of gloves.
All the containers were opened, and the aroma was so thick it seemed to fill the entire house.
Jiang Wei focused entirely on devouring the food.
In comparison, Tang Zihe’s eating habits were much more elegant—at the very least, he wasn't in a rush.
After a while, once his stomach was mostly full, Jiang Wei started talking again.
"Are you going back to school this afternoon or tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow afternoon. Why?"
Jiang Wei thought for a moment. He had just realized he was currently wearing Tang Zihe’s clothes. Which meant if he stayed another night, he’d have to borrow another set...
Jiang Wei’s voice dropped. "I was thinking... I think I forgot to wash my clothes last night..."
"I washed them," Tang Zihe said, gnawing on a chicken wing. "I threw them in the machine with mine."
"???!!!"
Jiang Wei nearly dropped his chicken wing.
"They've been hanging on the balcony. They're probably almost dry by now."
Jiang Wei gave a couple of awkward laughs.
Just then, Tang Zihe’s phone rang—it was his mother. The conversation naturally cut off.
Jiang Wei clearly heard Mrs. Tang’s command for him to stay another night so she could drive them both to school tomorrow.
Tang Zihe spent the one-minute call giving non-committal "mhm"s and "okay"s.
As soon as he hung up, Tang Zihe took off his gloves, indicating he was full. He went to his room, brought down two pencils, and curled up on the sofa again—taking up two-thirds of the space. He used one hand to flip through the newly bought exercise books and pulled one out.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Wei asked, confused.
"Finding something for me to do now and for you to do in ten minutes," Tang Zihe replied with his back to Jiang Wei. "Remember to clear the table when you're done."
Eating alone felt boring, so Jiang Wei didn't even make Tang Zihe wait ten minutes before he had the table cleared and cleaned.
He crept up behind Tang Zihe, intending to give him a scare.
Instead, he got a sharp tap on the forehead from the exercise book.
"Ow!" Jiang Wei clutched his head, but it was too late. "Take it easy, will you?"
"You deserved it." Tang Zihe smirked. "No more resting. Come look at these problems."
Jiang Wei: "...???"
"Are you sick? Studying right after eating gives me a headache." Jiang Wei tried to sit on the sofa, but Tang Zihe stretched his legs out, claiming the remaining space for himself.
Jiang Wei puffed out his cheeks and sat on the floor in a huff.
Tang Zihe didn't actually want to make things too hard for him. He said gently, "Go rest in the room for a bit then. I'll call you in half an hour."
Jiang Wei shook his head. Forget it.
"Are all top students this obsessed with every second?" he asked, tilting his head as he watched Tang Zihe rapidly circling problem numbers.
"No," Tang Zihe answered with total sincerity. "I just want to hurry up and enjoy the look of agony on your face when you start doing these."
He then added a question of his own: "Is this your first day knowing me?"
Jiang Wei: "My apologies. I thought too highly of your character."
"Mhm. You're welcome."
Jiang Wei: "..."
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 书城 | Book City | A very large, multi-story bookstore. |
| 陆梓笙 | Lu Zisheng | A character name; Shen Yannan's boyfriend. |
| 沈颜南 | Shen Yannan | A character name; an Omega classmate. |
| 满汉全席 | Manchu Han Imperial Feast | A legendary, massive banquet; used here as a metaphor for an incredibly expensive meal. |
| 金主 | Benefactor / Sugar Daddy | Literally "gold master"; used jokingly here to refer to the person paying for lunch. |
| 年级第一 | Rank One / Top of the Grade | Refers to the student with the highest academic ranking in the entire grade. |
