Take a Whiff: The Alpha's Hidden Scent | Chapter 5 | Echoes of the Past | Novela.app

Jiang Wei was the first to leave Tang Zihe’s dorm and return to his own room. There was nothing that really needed tidying. He simply shoved his scratchpad and pen haphazardly into his backpack, and then he could finally lie comfortably on his bed. He switched off the light, but as he stared up at the ceiling in the dark, he couldn't help but sink into a vast sea of wandering thoughts. In that state between wakefulness and sleep, Jiang Wei felt as though he were remembering things—traces and details that had been mostly worn away by time. They felt distant, yet so close they could have happened only yesterday. From the days of learning to babble to the approach of the High School Entrance Exam; from whispering under the covers to being forced to stand in the hallway together as punishment; from their first promise to their first argument... Jiang Wei felt as if he were slowly falling. If time could be wound back, if heaven were willing to give him one chance to resist... Would the story be different now? *** "Mom, that..." Tang Zihe tugged at the hem of the woman’s skirt. She smoothed her dress and knelt down. "What is it, baby?" "If you want to know him, go say hello," the woman said, patting Tang Zihe’s head. "Our Zihe is so cute; I’m sure he’ll want to know you, too." And so, the nursery school freshman, who had only just learned to speak, walked forward with sturdy little steps. Jiang Wei sat on a bench, swinging his short legs with his hands braced behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he had already noticed the little boy walking toward him. "What... what’s your name?" Tang Zihe nearly tripped in front of Jiang Wei. To keep his balance, he braced both hands on Jiang Wei’s knees. Jiang Wei didn't seem to mind. He just smiled, looking very happy. "Jiang Wei." "What about you? You’re so pretty, your name must be pretty too," Jiang Wei asked in return. "I’m Tang Zihe." Jiang Wei steadied Tang Zihe and hopped down from the chair. "It sounds nice. I like it." *** "How did you fall?" Tang Zihe pulled Jiang Wei up from the track. Jiang Wei’s knee was badly scraped, and beads of blood mixed with grit were welling up bright red. Jiang Wei grimaced, pointing at a figure running into the distance. "That bastard pushed me. Just wait, I’m going to kill him in a few days." Tang Zihe glanced indifferently in that direction and patted Jiang Wei’s back. "Go to the infirmary first." When Jiang Wei tried to corner the guy that afternoon, he found the boy was nowhere to be seen. Also missing was Tang Zihe, who usually walked home with him. However, it seemed that person never bothered him again after that. *** Tang Zihe took his test paper, glanced at the score, and shoved it into his desk. He packed his bag amidst the noisy atmosphere of the classroom because Jiang Wei was waiting for him outside, a lollipop in his mouth. "It’s raining out." Jiang Wei pointed toward Tang Zihe’s desk. "I’ll go grab your umbrella for you." Jiang Wei walked into Tang Zihe’s classroom as if he belonged there. "So what if his grades are good? What’s he so smug about?" A boy pulled Tang Zihe’s paper out of the desk, frowning with dissatisfaction. "I wonder what kind of face he’ll make tomorrow when he finds his paper torn to shreds in his desk." "What did you say?" Jiang Wei’s voice rang out coldly. He snatched the paper from the boy’s hand. "Doing something like this over a single exam... don't you feel pathetic?" "Who the hell are you?" The boy, likely feeling humiliated by a complete stranger speaking to him like that, said angrily, "Are you crazy? Mind your own business!" "I’m the one giving you advice. Either stop having these thoughts, or..." Jiang Wei thrust the umbrella toward the boy’s shoulder and snapped it open with a loud *thump*. The boy jumped back in fright. "...don't let me catch you." "What are you doing? Why are you taking so long to grab an umbrella?" Tang Zihe ignored the boy’s pale face and urged Jiang Wei along. Jiang Wei closed the umbrella and walked over as if nothing had happened. "Coming. Can't you have a little patience?" *** In their second year of middle school, Jiang Wei successfully differentiated into an Alpha. "See that? See that? From now on, I’m an Alpha!" Jiang Wei held his differentiation report in front of Tang Zihe, excitedly poking the "Result" column. "Oh." Tang Zihe was aimlessly playing on his phone, only sparing the report a brief glance. "When you differentiate into an Omega later, I’ll definitely protect you," Jiang Wei said with a blink. "You’re so good-looking; we can't have you being kidnapped by some Alpha with ulterior motives." Tang Zihe: "..." That night, Tang Zihe sent a photo to Jiang Wei. It was also a differentiation report. Tang Zihe: Alpha. Jiang Wei immediately sent back a heartbroken voice message: "Fine, then I’ll just have to marry an Omega who’s even better looking than you." Tang Zihe: "..." *** "Which school do you want to apply to?" Jiang Wei scratched his head while holding his laptop. "Even though you could get into any school you want, I bet you’ll pick No. 4 High. It looks like a decent place." "No. 4 High it is, then." Tang Zihe selected his first choice. "See how well I know you? That school has the highest cutoff score," Jiang Wei sighed. "Then I’ll apply to No. 4 High too." The corners of Tang Zihe’s mouth curled up. Unfortunately, the entire story reached its final curtain call with the end of the High School Entrance Exam. *** "Morning." The moment Jiang Wei walked into the classroom, he was met with Xia Shan’s smiling face. "Morning." Jiang Wei swung his backpack off his shoulder. Hearing the sounds of desks and chairs clattering or scraping against the floor throughout the room, he asked, "We just move the desks to the side, right?" "Yeah, just a rough adjustment is fine," Xia Shan shrugged. "Shi Zong and the others don't really care." Jiang Wei pulled his pencil case out of his empty backpack and asked, "What’s the exam order?" "You’ll know when the papers are handed out." Tang Zihe arrived late, chiming in just as he entered. Xia Shan was about to speak when he saw Jiang Wei nod thoughtfully and say, "True." Xia Shan: "..." How was that "true"? "Don't listen to Tang-ge. A teacher will come by in a bit to write the exam order on the board; they should be here any second." Yang Xiangtong walked over carrying her water bottle. "Anyone want to go get water?" "Me." Xia Shan looked back at his empty bottle. "I won't lie, it’s been so long since I’ve taken an exam, I’m actually a bit nervous," Jiang Wei whispered into Tang Zihe’s ear after the other two left, rubbing his hands together. "As long as your intelligence hasn't regressed, there are still plenty of people in this class you can beat," Tang Zihe whispered back. "Your intelligence is the one that regressed." Jiang Wei rolled his eyes and hummed as he returned to his seat. "Everyone in the room, stop wandering around. Sit down, sit down." Shi Zong’s voice, accompanied by his signature rhythmic clapping, instantly spread through the classroom. The chatting students sat down one by one, just as Xia Shan and Yang Xiangtong ducked through the back door and scurried to their seats. "I’m proctoring the first session. It’s Chinese. Hurry up and review whatever you need to memorize," Shi Zong said while writing on the blackboard with his back to the students. "Sometimes clutching the Buddha’s feet at the last minute actually helps." The sound of pages flipping filled the room. Jiang Wei hadn't quite adjusted to waking up this early yet. Feeling a bit sluggish, he decided to close his eyes and rest at his desk for a moment. Tang Zihe didn't seem to plan on reviewing either. He pulled a notebook from his desk, tore out two random sheets of paper, and placed them on the desk. He aimlessly twirled a black pen in his hand. At first, he occasionally glanced at the back of Jiang Wei’s head, but seeing that the guy was motionless—as if he really had fallen asleep—he stopped paying attention. Shi Zong sat at the podium scrolling through his phone, silent. Everyone was waiting for the first bell to ring.