Doesn't Understand

Shen Yanlang's eyes flickered as he said, "Let's make a bet—on when Xiao Xu will finally figure it out."

[What should I make him do if I win?]

Duan Xu: "..."

Heh. If he couldn't hear Shen Yanlang's thoughts, he really would have taken that bet.

"No bet," Duan Xu refused.

Shen Yanlang raised a brow. "Why not?"

Duan Xu was about to answer when someone called from the side, "Shen Yanlang."

The two followed the voice and saw a handsome boy with a cool, aloof appearance. He had slightly upturned phoenix eyes that made him seem condescending whenever he looked at someone. His entire presence was ice-cold, like a living ice beauty.

When Duan Xu got a clear look at his face, he sucked in a sharp breath, startled all over again.

The protagonist's love interest! The protagonist's love interest had appeared!

Duan Xu's gasp was quiet, but it couldn't escape an alpha's hearing. Shen Yanlang turned his head and once again saw those startled doe eyes.

[Why was he so easily frightened?]

[Besides... what was so scary about an omega who looked all right?]

Looked all right? You called that looked all right?

That was your future omega! Wasn't he supposed to be the most beautiful person in your eyes?

Duan Xu only knew that the plot had started within the past few days, but he didn't know the exact date. He knew even less about how they met, how they crossed paths, and how they got together, because the dream had mainly followed his own perspective.

The other boy approached and introduced himself, his voice just as cold as he was. "My name is Han Xi. I'm a first-year student from the School of Management."

Shen Yanlang's expression remained indifferent. "What do you want?"

Hearing that, Han Xi glanced at Duan Xu, clearly telling him to excuse himself.

Duan Xu immediately said, "You two talk. I'll go first."

Without waiting for Shen Yanlang's response, he turned and ran off.

Shen Yanlang frowned slightly at the sight, suddenly growing impatient. "What is it?"

"President Xue said..." Han Xi had barely begun when Shen Yanlang immediately guessed what he wanted to say and cut him off. "I'm not going. Tell him to stop wasting his time."

With that, Shen Yanlang strode away to chase after Duan Xu.

Han Xi watched his retreating figure without the slightest ripple in his eyes, then left as if nothing had happened.

At the entrance to the dormitory building, Shen Yanlang caught up with Duan Xu and called out, "Duan Xu."

Duan Xu turned around in surprise. "You finished talking that quickly?"

"Yeah." Shen Yanlang nodded.

[We didn't talk at all.]

Duan Xu: "..."

So they hadn't caught each other's eye yet?

Fine. It was their business, anyway. He wouldn't meddle.

On Saturday, Duan Xu went to his part-time job. Xiao Xu went training every day without fail, Zhou Zhou had dance practice, and Shen Yanlang was invited out by a childhood friend.

That evening, after finishing his shift, Duan Xu walked down the tree-lined path leading to the dormitory, thinking about finding part-time work during the National Day holiday.

The path ran alongside an artificial river, and there was an octagonal pavilion by the water—a prime dating spot for couples.

As Duan Xu passed by, he glanced over and saw people inside: two boys, one tall and one short. The light was too dim to make out their faces, though, and he clicked his tongue inwardly. Sure enough, a couple.

Just then, Duan Xu suddenly heard Shen Yanlang's voice. It was low and impatient. "I really don't have that kind of intention. Don't come looking for me again."

Duan Xu paused and couldn't help taking another look. This look was something else—whoa, weren't those Shen Yanlang and Han Xi?

They hadn't even talked yesterday, yet after only one day, they had come to a romantic date spot?

Things were moving fast!

No, wait. Shen Yanlang had just said he didn't have that kind of intention. What kind of intention?

"I understand." Han Xi's voice was clear and cold. After saying that, he walked out of the pavilion.

It was too late for Duan Xu to hide. He could only look at them awkwardly.

When Shen Yanlang looked up and saw him, his dark eyes glinted. His tone was much lighter than before. "You're back?"

"Yeah." Duan Xu glanced at Han Xi. Han Xi still showed no expression and didn't even look at him before leaving.

Shen Yanlang walked over to Duan Xu. "Let's go back to the dorm."

[What a coincidence. I had just finished rejecting him.]

Rejected him?

Duan Xu was dumbfounded. What kind of plot was this?

Had Han Xi just confessed to Shen Yanlang—and gotten rejected?

Seeing that Shen Yanlang had no intention of bringing it up, Duan Xu was dying of curiosity, so he asked, "That was the guy from yesterday, right? Did he come to see you about something important?"

"Not important." Shen Yanlang genuinely didn't want to join the Student Council. It was boring.

[Anyway, I'd already turned him down. He wouldn't come looking for me again.]

Duan Xu: "..."

If that really had been a rejected confession, wouldn't there be a wife-chasing crematorium in the future?

It was another new week, no different from the previous ones, except Shen Yanlang had been voted the new campus heartthrob.

#A fresh campus heartthrob has been crowned! Don't miss him!#

[Ahhh! His smile is so charming! I'm dead!]

[Does the campus heartthrob have an omega? If not, I'm making my move!]

[Don't discriminate against betas! What if the campus heartthrob likes betas?]

[Stop dreaming, person above! AO is the true path!]

[Hey, but get this—the campus heartthrob has a beta following him around all day. They're practically inseparable!]

[Huh? No way? The campus heartthrob is taken?]

[Come on, let's just post the picture!]

The picture had been taken on Friday night while they were walking back to the dorm after dinner. They hadn't run into Han Xi yet. Shen Yanlang had been turned toward Duan Xu, talking to him, and the two stood very close. With a filter added, it looked extremely suggestive.

Duan Xu opened the photo and hissed. The image looked great on its own, but he found it a little horrifying.

Would Han Xi get jealous if he saw it?

Had he unknowingly made Shen Yanlang's wife-chasing journey even harder?

Beside him, Shen Yanlang was also reading the post. When he reached the same part, he casually saved the picture three seconds later.

[It was taken pretty well. I'll save it as a memento.]

Duan Xu: "???"

Wasn't something wrong here?

"The photographer's skills are really good!" Zhou Zhou had also scrolled to that photo. "It even makes me want to... ahem!"

Want to what? Say it clearly! Duan Xu was getting anxious.

Xiao Xu wasn't looking at his phone. He had opened his laptop and was typing something, though no one knew what. He assumed Zhou Zhou was talking about Shen Yanlang. "Isn't it perfectly normal for Brother Yan to be voted campus heartthrob?"

"You don't understand." Zhou Zhou smiled meaningfully, then looked at Duan Xu and raised his brows at him.

Duan Xu: "..."

I don't understand either.

Shen Yanlang didn't understand either. [What were they talking about?]

Hearing that, Duan Xu was relieved. At least he wasn't the only one who didn't understand.

At the end of the month, freshman welcome parties were held one after another by the various colleges. Zhou Zhou's School of Fine Arts held theirs on the twenty-eighth, while Shen Yanlang's School of Computer Science held theirs on the twenty-ninth.

On the evening of the twenty-eighth, the three of them entered with their tickets after dinner. Their seats were in the middle, with a decent view, though they were fairly far back.

After sitting down, Xiao Xu started chatting on his phone, though no one knew who he was talking to.

Duan Xu had just taken his seat when the person beside him arrived as well, patted him, and said with a delighted expression, "Duan Xu, what a coincidence."