Take a Whiff: The Alpha's Hidden Scent | Chapter 38 | The Heartbeat Challenge | Novela.app

The person appearing in the video was none other than Tang Zihe, who was currently sitting right next to him, looking just as stunned. Given the guy’s looks, it shouldn't have been a surprise to see him in such a video, but seeing his own photos in a fan-made edit still gave Tang Zihe an indescribable sense of eeriness. Jiang Wei’s rambling commentary naturally came to a screeching halt. He didn't even dare to look at the expression of the person beside him, intending to take the opportunity to lock his phone screen. But just as he reached out, Tang Zihe grabbed his hand. It was a clear move to stop him. "Don't be in such a rush to close it," Tang Zihe said, explaining his actions. "Let’s appreciate it a bit more." Jiang Wei had no choice but to pull his hand back awkwardly. The angles of the photos were as tricky as ever, covering basically every possibility for a candid shot. One could almost imagine the creator being dedicated enough to crouch outside the restroom door waiting for an opportunity. "These were probably taken during tenth or eleventh grade," Tang Zihe said in a low voice. Until he said it, Jiang Wei hadn't realized. This was the Tang Zihe of tenth and eleventh grade. It was the Tang Zihe he had never met, and perhaps would never have the chance to see again. This realization made his mood turn complicated, yet his eyes remained honestly and intensely focused on the screen. He suddenly felt the photos in the video were flipping by too fast—so fast that if he didn't pay full attention, he wouldn't be able to memorize every frame. Tang Zihe glanced at him, pursed his lips, and a faint, imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The creator was very fair with screen time; after ten seconds, the subject changed again... to the two of them together? This time, it was clear the locations were mainly the sports field and the teaching buildings. Most of the photos were snapshots of them walking, though there were a few scattered shots of them messing around on the grass in the middle of the field, or leaning toward each other to chat... but as long as their faces were visible, one thing remained constant. Their faces always bore a smile that couldn't be hidden. Even someone as dense as Jiang Wei could sniff out a hint of something unusual from the photos... something like romantic tension. "I, I, I... this..." He was so nervous he started to stutter. His fingers tapped rapidly on the screen, trying to close the video quickly. But because he tapped too fast and his aim was off, not only did he fail to close the page, but the system registered it as a "double-tap to like." Looking at the little pink heart lighting up on the right side of the screen, Jiang Wei felt that in all his years of growing up, he had truly never been this embarrassed. Never. If he could, he would rather take a literal knife to the heart right now to ensure his "good brother" hadn't noticed anything amiss. But God apparently felt the current situation wasn't disastrous enough and decided to add another layer of misery. The video’s background music continued to loop, but the comment section popped up in the next second, occupying half the screen. **Catalytic Alcohol (OP):** [The last few shots were originally meant to be of the new student who just came back from a leave of absence, but every time I tried to take a photo, our Study God was always right there. They were too close to crop him out, so I could only show them as couple shots for everyone to see.] **Catalytic Alcohol (OP):** [Anyway, the couple shots look just as beautiful—] **A Little Sheep:** [I’m literally screaming. OP did the right thing. These two look the best together, ughhh.] **I Want a Vacation:** [I’m begging on my knees for the original files of all the photos in the video! OP, can you DM them?!] **Excavator Spirit:** [Same here.] **Yogurt is Delicious:** [Same.] **Cloud Cake:** [Same.] **Pink Marshmallow:** [The Study God clearly used to be a loner, but now that handsome guy is with him every single time! Sisters, have I discovered the key point?!] **From Mars:** [Holy crap, sister upstairs, you’re so right! The relationship between these two is definitely not simple!] **Mango-flavored Xiaoyuan:** [I’m tired of saying this: if these two are just 'bros,' I will literally eat my phone.] **QAQ:** [Calm down upstairs, the phone is innocent.] **A-woo:** [Is no one focusing on the looks of the third-to-last guy? How can he be so handsome? He’s so ethereal that as an Alpha, I’m actually shocked into having a physiological reaction.] **Blank:** [As a member of No. 4 High, I suggest the person upstairs give up. That one already has a boyfriend.] ... Jiang Wei felt his face burning. If he wasn't mistaken, it was probably already bright red. But right now, he had absolutely no idea what to say or do to alleviate this awkward situation. If time could turn back, he would never have let his hands get itchy enough to click on the video Xia Shan sent to the group. To make matters worse, the person beside him didn't seem to have any intention of speaking either. "You..." Jiang Wei only felt the person beside him leaning very close. A puff of warm air brushed against the tip of his ear as the other spoke. The moment he turned his head, their noses almost collided. Too close. Jiang Wei’s breath hitched. This distance was so close he could clearly see and count the other’s trembling eyelashes. He only just realized that Tang Zihe’s iris color was different from most people’s; it was a very clear amber, reflecting a faint halo under the soft light. In those beautiful eyes, he saw his own reflection. Muffled voices came from outside the door. Tang Zihe’s blinking frequency suddenly increased, and he looked a bit nervous. Jiang Wei also seemed to finally react to what was happening. He jerked his head back, and before he could even cry out, he fell straight backward. But Tang Zihe’s reflexes were clearly a few beats faster. Without hesitation, he grabbed the other’s arm, pulling back the person who was about to crash into the windowsill. Jiang Wei watched as the other calmly withdrew his hand. He only felt his arm burning—not with pain, but with a sort of numbness, and perhaps a bit of an itch. He couldn't help but swallow. And then— He started coughing uncontrollably. "Cough, cough, cough..." At this moment, Jiang Wei was absolutely certain that God was playing with him, and doing so quite ruthlessly. Perhaps because the coughing finally broke the suffocating silence, just as he coughed until tears were about to fall, he heard the other’s slightly cheerful laughter. Jiang Wei silently swallowed the words "What the hell are you laughing at" that were about to slip out. "Don't be nervous," Tang Zihe turned his head away, tidying up the test papers scattered messily on the floor. "It's not like I'm going to eat you." If Jiang Wei had dared to look up before the other turned his head, meeting those darkened eyes, he certainly wouldn't have believed a single word coming out of that mouth. But unfortunately, his current state could only be described as a mess of nerves—and perhaps more. *I’m not worried about you eating me; I’m worried I won’t be able to control myself.* Jiang Wei felt like crying but had no tears. Tang Zihe’s arm reached directly across him to pick up a test paper that had fallen by his side. "I just wanted to remind you," Tang Zihe maintained his leaning posture, slightly turning his body to look at the person who had been standing there like a wooden chicken. "You seem to have forgotten something." People who don't speak clearly are the worst! Jiang Wei opened his mouth, trying hard to steady his breathing before asking softly, "What?" Tang Zihe curled his lips. Holding the test paper in his left hand, he glanced toward the phone screen, which had turned off at some unknown point. After two seconds, he gave a seemingly helpless yet amused reminder of the keyword: "Commentary." ... *You forgot to give me a commentary.* Images from several of the photos he had just seen instantly flashed through Jiang Wei’s mind, forcing him to instinctively admit in his heart: *He really is handsome.* This was a feeling one could never experience normally, just as you would never think your own siblings were particularly good-looking. Only when seeing it objectively through another perspective like this would one notice. But if those words were ever to be spoken aloud, Jiang Wei wouldn't be Jiang Wei. "What... what is there to comment on?" He discovered for the first time that he had a habit of stuttering when nervous. He silently cursed his own uselessness while his mouth continued to stubbornly hold the line. "The creator must have had broken eyes and a broken brain to include you... and the two of us in the edit." Tang Zihe fought hard to suppress his expression. *How can this guy be so silly that he even insults himself?* Jiang Wei felt like he couldn't stay for another second. He stood up abruptly, grabbed the test papers the other had helped tidy, and headed for the door. Seeing his frantic state, Tang Zihe couldn't help but ask out of concern, "What's wrong?" "I need to pee." Jiang Wei felt his face was flushed red—and certainly not from holding it in. "Oh." Tang Zihe actually nodded with great understanding. "Remember to take your pen, too." Jiang Wei had no choice but to turn back, scoop up the pen left on the side, and then quickly walk out of the room again. Tang Zihe watched the closed door with a hint of amusement. *It seems I really did tease him too much.* The moment Jiang Wei stepped into his own room, he slumped to the floor with his back against the door. The scent of tea from when the other had leaned close seemed to still linger at the tip of his nose. It smelled fresh and peaceful, yet it inevitably made him feel a bit restless. By this logic, the other person might currently be savoring the smell of his pheromones as well. *Dammit.* Once that realization hit, his face turned crimson again. Of course, with his brain currently turned to mush, Jiang Wei couldn't possibly realize that an Alpha who wasn't in their rut, was perfectly healthy, and had even specifically sprayed scent blockers because of school, couldn't possibly have leaking pheromones. Clearly, it had been intentional. Tang Zihe remained sitting by the window. The curtains were lifted by the evening breeze, tracing several soft arcs in the moonlight. He lightly rubbed his index finger against the tip of his nose, his lips curving into a delighted smile. | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 不要心动挑战 | Don't Heart Challenge / Heartbeat Challenge | A social media trend where people try not to get flustered by attractive clips. | | 四中帅哥图鉴 | No. 4 High School Handsome Guy Compendium | A gallery or collection of handsome students from their school. | | 学神 | Study God | A term for an exceptionally brilliant student, even higher than a "top student." | | 催化酒精 | Catalytic Alcohol | A username in the group chat/video comments. | | 妖孽 | Ethereal / Bewitching | Used here to describe Shen Yannan's exceptionally beautiful, almost otherworldly looks. | | 气味阻隔剂 | Scent blockers | Products used in ABO settings to hide or neutralize pheromones. | | 易感期 | Rut / Susceptibility period | The periodic state of heightened hormones/aggression for Alphas in ABO settings. | | 暧昧 | Romantic tension / Ambiguity | A state of relationship that is more than friends but not yet officially lovers. |