The afternoon exam went smoothly. Jiang Wei even managed to catch a nap in the exam hall after finishing his paper, so he felt completely refreshed by the time he left.
"Is it English tomorrow morning and Biology in the afternoon?"
After the exam, everyone gathered back in Class 1. The air was filled with the buzzing sound of students comparing answers.
"Yeah," Xia Shan replied as he grabbed some books from the locker at the back of the classroom. "Are we studying together today?"
"We could, but the school locks the classrooms at night. Where would we go?" Yang Xiangtong asked, casting a meaningful glance toward Gu Renwen.
Jiang Wei, who was sitting next to Tang Zihe listening to the conversation, nudged him. "What’s that look for?"
"When there’s an exam like this, he likes to study in a perfectly silent environment," Tang Zihe explained objectively. "He hates any noise. Even a pen dropping on the floor is too much for him."
Xia Shan finished packing his bag and hopped onto the desk opposite Jiang Wei.
Jiang Wei thought for a moment before suggesting, "Um... do you guys want to come to my dorm?"
"It might be a bit smaller than a four-person room, but..." He counted the heads. "It should fit six or seven people comfortably."
"Really?" Ding Banfan appeared out of nowhere, leaning against Xia Shan. "I’ve been at this school for years and I still don't know what the single dorms look like."
"Sure, if you don't mind..."
Xia Shan waved his hands dismissively. "Mind? Not at all! I’m going to move the rest of my crate of drinks to your door right now. We’re drinking our fill tonight!"
"We're going there to study, you idiot," Yang Xiangtong teased.
Shen Yannan, who had been quietly and slowly packing, finally finished. He slung his bag over one shoulder and leaned against the doorframe.
The group followed the massive flow of students back to the dormitory building. Xia Shan was true to his word, already waiting at the door clutching a bunch of drinks.
Jiang Wei unlocked the door, and everyone filed in.
"I wasn't even thirsty, but seeing these drinks makes me want one," Yang Xiangtong said, unceremoniously grabbing a bottle from Xia Shan. She sighed deeply. "Such is human nature."
"Next time you say something like that, try to control your face. Your grin is reaching your ears," Tang Wanbai said as she caught a bottle Xia Shan tossed her.
"Just sit wherever there's space," Jiang Wei said, quickly kicking off his shoes and shedding his jacket before sitting on the edge of his bed. "There's only one desk, so I suggest you use the bed as a table."
"Good suggestion." Shen Yannan immediately dumped his books onto Jiang Wei’s bed.
Tang Zihe sat down next to Jiang Wei. Looking at the solitary pen sitting in front of the other boy, he couldn't help but ask, "Are you planning to just stare at that pen and hope the knowledge writes itself into your brain?"
"?" Jiang Wei blinked, then rummaged through his bag for a long time, coming up empty.
"I'm doomed," he said, looking at Tang Zihe in horror. "My English workbook has been eaten by something unknown."
Tang Zihe: "..."
"Just say you forgot it in the classroom. Do you really think anyone believes that?" He sighed and pushed his own English workbook toward Jiang Wei. "Use mine for now."
The room erupted in laughter.
Since Tang Zihe no longer had his own materials to review, he became the group's dedicated "answering machine." However, this machine seemed to have a bit of a "double standard."
If anyone else asked the "machine" a question, it would patiently read the problem and provide an explanation, even repeating it a second time if they didn't understand. His attitude was so good that Jiang Wei was tempted to ask for help too.
But the moment Jiang Wei asked a question, the vibe shifted instantly.
"Come on, use your toes to remember—this is a fixed collocation that’s appeared a thousand times," the "machine" said, poking the options with a finger. "Now, analyze the grammar of this sentence..."
Jiang Wei: "..." *I should have known better than to expect a nice attitude from you.*
Learning his lesson, Jiang Wei turned to Shen Yannan the next time he hit a snag.
However, Shen Yannan rejected him with an airtight excuse.
"Sorry, I have to serve the ladies first."
Jiang Wei: "..."
After waiting a few minutes and seeing that Shen Yannan really was occupied, Jiang Wei reluctantly turned his gaze back to Tang Zihe.
"This one. I don't get it."
Tang Zihe looked down at the page for a few seconds. Surprisingly, he didn't mock him. He simply started explaining the problem.
Jiang Wei had braced himself for the usual sarcasm, but when it didn't come, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the other boy.
"What? Still don't get it?"
"No, it's not that..." Jiang Wei stammered.
"So you're just looking for a scolding?" Tang Zihe huffed softly. "You really have no vision, using the rank-one student as a mere backup. You deserve a scolding for that."
Jiang Wei: "???"
"Backup my ass!" He punched Tang Zihe’s arm. "Can't you just talk like a normal person for once?"
Across from them, Tang Wanbai whispered, "Help, the 'CP' energy from my ship is overflowing."
"It's a bit much, girl," Yang Xiangtong agreed, leaning on Tang Wanbai’s shoulder and giggling behind her hands.
Since everyone in Class 1 already had a solid grasp of the material, the review was mostly just a way to keep the information fresh. They finished quickly and spent some time chatting before deciding to turn in early.
After Jiang Wei showered and returned to his room, he felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
*Is it because they accidentally left some pheromones behind?* he wondered as he sprayed scent neutralizer all over the room.
Once the headache subsided slightly, he knelt down and opened a dusty suitcase tucked away in the corner. He pulled something from the very bottom and slipped it into his school jacket pocket.
He patted the pocket, finally feeling a sense of security.
This would ensure nothing went wrong.
***
In the morning, Jiang Wei did his usual round by Class 1 and patted Tang Zihe on the shoulder.
"Morning."
As soon as Tang Zihe turned around, he noticed the faint dark circles under Jiang Wei’s eyes. He frowned. "Why do you look so terrible?"
Jiang Wei rubbed his eyes. "Oh, I was probably just nervous about the English exam. Didn't sleep well."
*Bullshit,* Tang Zihe cursed silently.
"Hey."
"Yeah?" Jiang Wei had already stepped out of the classroom but poked his head back in. "What is it?"
"Good luck on the exam."
Jiang Wei let out a small snort and smiled, nodding. "You too. Good luck."
For the English exam in Exam Hall 5, the proctor was "Sister Yang."
Jiang Wei scanned the listening comprehension section and then moved on to the multiple-choice questions.
His head still ached. Jiang Wei pressed his temples, frowning as he filled in the bubbles.
By the time he finished the multiple-choice, the introductory audio for the listening section was ending.
He flipped the paper back over.
A faint ringing had started in his ears.
*I'll finish the listening part, then go use the injection,* he thought, taking a few deep breaths.
"Part 2."
The scent of various pheromones in the room seemed to grow thicker, aggressively invading his nose. The headache intensified, and the ringing in his ears became dominant. The voice coming from the speakers sounded distant and muffled.
A drop of blood fell onto his exam paper.
Jiang Wei raised his hand.
"Teacher... my nose is bleeding... requesting to go to the restroom." He then stumbled out of the exam hall.
The restroom was right next to Exam Hall 5.
Jiang Wei ran into the furthest stall of the male Omega restroom and slammed the door shut.
*Damn it. I should have washed my face first.*
Gasping for air, Jiang Wei looked at his blood-stained left palm. Resisting the urge to wash up first, his trembling hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the syringe he had hidden there last night.
The restroom seemed empty.
Without the chaotic mix of pheromones from the exam hall, Jiang Wei felt his headache ease slightly. His limbs regained enough strength for him to pop the cap off the needle.
The sound of a flush came from the adjacent male Alpha restroom.
Ye Feiyang never thought he’d have to run out in the middle of a listening exam to use the bathroom just because he drank too much water.
It was embarrassing.
Ye Feiyang washed his hands and headed out.
As he passed the male Omega restroom, he caught the scent of camellia pheromones drifting out.
There was an Omega in heat inside.
Ye Feiyang frowned. Even though an exam was going on, people were constantly coming and going. If those pheromones were caught by someone with bad intentions...
*Tsk.*
He stopped at the door of the Omega restroom.
"Hey, whoever's in there. Do you need a suppressor?"
Leaning against the wall, Jiang Wei’s ear-ringing had stopped, allowing him to hear the outside world clearly.
He recognized the voice instantly and found it hard to believe.
Ye Feiyang waited for a moment, but there was no response. However, the scent of the pheromones began to fade.
*Prepared, then. Smart.*
He stood at the door for another two minutes before turning to head back upstairs.
After the suppressor took effect, Jiang Wei waited for his pheromones to dissipate completely. He then meticulously sprayed himself with scent neutralizer.
Once he was sure he wouldn't be exposed, Jiang Wei stepped out of the stall, washed the blood from his face and hands at the sink, and headed back.
As Ye Feiyang walked upstairs, he couldn't help but look down out of curiosity. He happened to see a figure walking out of the restroom.
Jiang Wei returned to the exam hall just as the listening section was ending. He could only scribble down answers for the last two questions.
*It's over,* he thought with a bitter smile. He’d missed half the listening section; he had definitely lost the bet.
The scent of pheromones in the classroom was gone now.
At the very least, he could focus on the rest of the paper and try to minimize his point loss.
*Sigh...*
Jiang Wei couldn't help but let out a heavy breath.
***
It wasn't until the afternoon exams were over that Jiang Wei returned to Class 1 to pick up his things.
Yang Xiangtong wasn't in a great mood. "I feel like Biology was actually kind of hard..."
"When do you *not* think Biology is hard?" Tang Wanbai laughed, patting her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm here to be the bottom of the class for you."
"Jiang-ge, how'd it go?" Xia Shan slung an arm around Jiang Wei’s shoulder, grinning.
"You look like you did well," Jiang Wei said, brushing Xia Shan’s hand off and shaking his head. "I'm not so optimistic. I missed half the English listening section."
Tang Zihe walked over. "What do you mean, missed it?"
"I know!" Ding Banfan raised his hand. "I heard in the bathroom earlier. Some guy in Exam Hall 5 had a sudden nosebleed in the middle of the listening test and ran out. That wasn't you, was it?"
Jiang Wei, who felt strangely embarrassed having his own excuse repeated back to him, said, "..."
"A nosebleed? Too much internal heat?"
Everyone laughed, except for Tang Zihe, who asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
"I don't know, but I should be fine," Jiang Wei said vaguely, rubbing his nose.
"Whose phone is that?" Tang Wanbai pointed to a bag sitting nearby.
After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Wei realized, "Oh, it's mine."
He walked over and opened his bag. His expression shifted when he saw the screen. Pursing his lips, he hit the decline button.
Tang Zihe instinctively asked, "Who was it?"
Jiang Wei smiled. "Nothing, just... my brother calling."
"You have a brother? Is he handsome too?" Tang Wanbai asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Not as handsome as me, and he's a total scumbag," Jiang Wei joked. "Be careful, he'd probably kidnap and sell you the moment you met him."
Tang Wanbai muttered, "Stop trying to scare me."
He gave a half-real, half-fake laugh and shrugged. "My brother wants me to pick something up. I'll come back up to find you guys in a bit."
"Okay."
On his way downstairs, Jiang Wei received another call.
This time, he didn't hang up. With a cold face, he pressed accept.
"It's been so long. Didn't you miss me?" A deep male voice came through the speaker, making Jiang Wei’s frown deepen.
"Why would I miss you?"
The man sighed, sounding somewhat regretful. "Well, I certainly missed you."
"Stop being so hypocritical." Jiang Wei gritted his teeth, feeling a wave of nausea. "Jiang Yi, what do you want to give me?"
"You'll know when you get here. Back gate, two minutes," Jiang Yi chuckled and hung up before Jiang Wei could respond.
Jiang Wei silently mouthed a curse.
From the teaching building to the back gate, the only way to make it in two minutes was to sprint.
*Sprint my ass.* He rolled his eyes internally and took his sweet time walking there.
Jiang Yi was waiting outside the back gate, leaning against a car and wearing sunglasses. He waved at Jiang Wei.
"Five minutes." He took off his sunglasses and checked his watch. "It seems your obedience and efficiency have dropped quite a bit after living at school for a while."
Jiang Wei gave him a cold look. Not wanting to waste words, he got straight to the point. "What are you actually here for?"
"To see how my dear little brother is doing at school." Jiang Yi didn't seem bothered by the attitude. He even leaned in closer and whispered, "By the way, is the identity cover-up going smoothly?"
Jiang Wei instinctively took a step back until his back hit the wall.
"Does it matter?" Jiang Wei felt the air around him begin to surge with pheromones again. The headache he had managed to suppress started tearing at his nerves once more.
"It seems it's going well. I did the math; these few days should be your heat. It probably started last night?" Jiang Yi said, his mood brightening as he watched Jiang Wei’s face darken. "So, I came as soon as I was free to bring you some 'daily necessities'."
He opened the car door and pulled a bag containing a black box from the back seat, handing it to Jiang Wei.
Jiang Wei didn't even need to open it to know it contained suppressors.
He took it and let out a self-deprecating laugh.
He knew Jiang Yi was intentionally releasing a small amount of pheromones to suppress him. He was even certain that Jiang Yi had timed this perfectly—the first wave of the heat, when suppressors were most needed, had already passed. If Jiang Wei hadn't been prepared, he couldn't imagine what state he'd be in now.
The pathetic thing was that, as an Omega, besides the pain and trembling, his entire body was screaming one thing:
*Submit.*
Furthermore, this act actually qualified as "providing help in a time of need"—because the school wouldn't provide him with suppressors, and he didn't have the time or energy to go to a hospital for an exam and a prescription.
"It's a three-month observation period. When the time is up, I'll tell the school that you're actually an Omega. Then you can stay here openly and legitimately as an Omega." Jiang Yi reached out to pat Jiang Wei’s head, but the boy dodged.
*Openly and legitimately.*
Those words were like a blade, carving a bloody wound into Jiang Wei’s heart. For once, he showed a violent surge of emotion. "What is there left to observe? You had all that time before and couldn't reach a conclusion..."
Jiang Yi wagged a finger. "This is different. Before, we never had the chance to observe you in a crowd of Alphas and a mix of ABO types. We were afraid you'd run away if we looked away for a second. Otherwise, why do you think they agreed to let you go to school?"
Jiang Wei reminded him coldly, "It wasn't 'they.' It was 'you all'."
"Fine, if you think I have decision-making power too." Jiang Yi sighed and checked his watch again. "I should probably get going."
As the car engine started, Jiang Wei remained standing where he was.
"Oh right, I almost forgot," Jiang Yi rolled down the window. "I wish my dear brother a pleasant school life."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
结合热 | Heat / Estrous cycle | The periodic state of sexual receptivity in Omegas.
抑制剂 | Suppressor | Medication used to manage or hide heat symptoms and pheromones.
气味阻隔剂 | Scent neutralizer / Scent blocker | A spray used to mask or eliminate pheromone scents.
江奕 | Jiang Yi | Jiang Wei's brother; an Alpha.
名正言顺 | Openly and legitimately | To do something with a proper and valid title/reason.
观察期 | Observation period | A specific timeframe mentioned by Jiang Yi regarding Jiang Wei's status at school.
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