A Beta From the Countryside (10)

Xue Ci's elective was entered into the system the next day. He packed his schoolbag two minutes early, and as soon as the dismissal bell rang, he eagerly set off for the archery hall, urging Xie Yishu to hurry.

There was a touch more indulgence in Xie Yishu's smile.

Xin Yue, however, couldn't muster any energy.

Only students enrolled in the class could swipe their student cards to enter the archery hall. Each class lasted two hours, and sometimes, if the students hadn't had enough, the teacher would extend it.

Xue Ci might spend the whole afternoon there.

Anyone just learning archery needed instruction. Xue Ci was already shy around strangers, and Xie Yishu was particularly good at offering help, so Xue Ci would surely stick to him like a little tail.

Xin Yue felt irritated for no apparent reason.

Xie Yishu was indeed gentle and polite, but over time, Xin Yue had seen that it was only a facade. He kept everyone at a distance.

Xin Yue had an even worse assessment of him: his politeness was an act too, and he actually looked down on everyone equally.

But he was obviously different with Xue Ci.

It was Xin Yue's sixth sense as a fellow Alpha. He hated the way Xie Yishu looked at Xue Ci, as if he were suppressing some cloying, deranged emotion, ready to tear off his disguise the next second and devour the delicacy before him.

The kind of devouring that wouldn't leave even the bones.

Even so, Xin Yue only reminded him, "Go and come back early, and don't hurt your fingers."

Sure enough, Xue Ci, who was looking forward to archery, gave a perfunctory "Mm" and left his seat.

Xin Yue's gaze followed him all the way to the back door of the classroom. Only when the slender figure disappeared from sight did he look away.

Little did he know that, in others' eyes, he looked just like a stone waiting for his wife to return.

Lowering his head, Xin Yue breathed in the scent Xue Ci had left on him. It was faint, sweet, and pleasant. He just didn't know whether it would last the whole afternoon.

He seemed to realize something was wrong with him. Usually, he was decisive and efficient about everything and never fussed over trifles. Yet when it came to Xue Ci, he was so careful that he even collected every trace of scent the other man left on him.

Like some pervert with pheromone dependency.

This abnormality... Xin Yue wasn't stupid, and he quickly figured it out.

He thought,

He probably liked Xue Ci, his brother's fiancée.

Many high-end archery ranges were outdoors. The ceiling on the top floor of the noble academy's archery hall could open from the middle, much like certain automatic doors. When the weather and temperature were suitable, it opened, providing a broad, bright view that made it feel as though one were completely outdoors. In winter and summer, it closed and exchanged the air automatically. Even the lawn was maintained at great expense with artificial lights and sprinklers.

A long corridor led to the target wall, its floor made of a special material. As Xue Ci walked along it, the sound of his soles rubbing against the floor echoed throughout the hall.

Afraid of disturbing others, he lightened his steps.

"It's all right. There's some distance between here and the shooting area, and the walls are soundproofed," Xie Yishu said, patting Xue Ci on the shoulder. "I'll take you to the teacher to collect your equipment first."

Beginners were usually issued only a bow; arrows were handed out at the range.

Xie Yishu collected a bow, along with a set of protective gear and a bow-drawing aid. He had requested the extras from the teacher in advance. The aid would help Xue Ci draw the bow and save him some effort.

He had also wanted to request a sight, but had crossed it off in the end.

If Xue Ci had a sight, he wouldn't come to him for help.

There was a changing room at the end of the corridor. Xie Yishu gave Xue Ci a key card corresponding to a locker number. From now on, he could leave his bow there instead of collecting it each time.

Xue Ci ran his hand along the grain of the longbow.

You're a little heavy.

The protective gear went on his arm, fingers, and face. He slipped it on easily, leaving only the white tape for wrapping his fingers, which was difficult to manage.

Xie Yishu had Xue Ci sit on the sofa, then crouched in front of his knees and carefully wrapped white tape around his finger joints.

Xue Ci's fingers were slender and fair, their pads soft and smooth, his nails a healthy pale pink.

Xie Yishu knew them well.

Only last night, he had traced them carefully with his tongue.

My hand's so tired... Isn't he done yet? Xue Ci held his hand up in midair, barely able to keep it raised.

Every movement the Beta made was in full view of Xie Yishu.

Though he was much taller, his position now forced him to look up at Xue Ci.

"If holding it up makes it tired, you can rest it on my leg."

"Thank you." After lowering his hand, Xue Ci asked, "Do you need me to wrap yours later?"

"No, I have calluses on my hands." Xie Yishu had just finished wrapping his fingers. After letting go, he showed Xue Ci the calluses on his palm. The thick calluses on his finger joints and between his thumb and forefinger were particularly noticeable.

Surprised, Xue Ci reached out and touched them curiously.

They were rougher than he had imagined, and the friction against his skin felt uncomfortable.

Once everything was ready, the two took their equipment to the range. They had arrived early and could practice on their own before the teacher came to class.

Xue Ci had thought only the bow would be heavy, but he hadn't expected the arrows to be heavy too. His arms felt as if they were filled with lead, and by the time he finally mustered all his strength and shot an arrow, his neck and the roots of his ears had flushed red.

Unfortunately, the result was less than ideal.

Xue Ci was a little disappointed at first, but when he remembered that this was how the original plot went, he took the opportunity to work on his task. He asked Xie Yishu for help: "Class monitor, could you teach me?"

He deliberately softened his voice, making it sweet and clear.

Xie Yishu came over at once.

"Open your shoulders and use your waist."

Xue Ci simply played helpless, leaning almost his entire body against him and putting all his weight on him.

The Alpha reached out to support his wrist. His palm was broad and thick as it closed around Xue Ci's slender, fair wrist, his thumb resting squarely over his pulse.

It beat again and again, rising and falling with the rhythm of his heart.

Xie Yishu wore a white shirt, buttoned all the way to the top. No one saw the restrained emotions faintly surging in the depths of this proper, self-controlled class monitor's eyes.

With Xie Yishu's guidance, Xue Ci finally managed to shoot an arrow into the target.

Xie Yishu helped him remove his protective gear, then spread a towel over a chair and told him to sit down and rest.

Xue Ci's breathing was completely uneven. His palm-sized face was pink and fair, richly beautiful, with tiny, translucent beads of sweat on his skin. He licked his dry lips and picked up the mineral water that had been prepared beside him. After he drank, his lips became rosy and soft.

As he rested, he watched Xie Yishu shoot an arrow into the bull's-eye.

11's voice suddenly rang out: [Congratulations to the host on completing the task!]

Xue Ci looked up and saw that quite a few people were indeed looking over. Someone even happened to come over specifically to mock him. "Hey, what's your major? What's your name? Did you just start learning?"

The boy was tall and thin, dressed entirely in black. He had noticed this beautiful Omega as soon as he entered the range.

He wanted to say something else, but then he felt an exceptionally powerful, intense wave of pheromones assault his nose. Though he was also an Alpha, he couldn't fight back at all. His head spun, and his legs went weak as he dropped to his knees.

Startled, Xue Ci wanted to ask if he was all right, but the next second, the boy struggled up from the floor and scrambled away.

What happened...? He stood up, intending to call him back.

[Watch out, host!!!] 11 was so frightened that all his fur stood on end!

Before Xue Ci could react, he felt someone embrace him from behind, warmth passing through their clothes. Soon, something seemed to strike the back of the person behind him.

There was a heavy, muffled thud.

A tennis ball rolled into a corner.

The boys playing tennis at the range saw that they had hit someone and immediately ran over, apologizing repeatedly. They had only wanted to get Xue Ci's attention, but hadn't expected the ball to fly out when an arm veered off course.

Fortunately, the person who had blocked the ball looked fairly well-built.

"Are you all right? Sorry about that." The boy apologizing wanted to say more, but then he saw the look the person they had hit was giving him.

It was so terrifying that it looked as if he wanted to carve a chunk of flesh off his face.

"You're not allowed to bring other sports equipment in here. Didn't you know that?" He spoke word by word, his voice icy.

"C-class monitor... does it hurt?" Xue Ci's face was pale. He had heard the sound when the ball hit Xie Yishu; it must have hurt.

Xie Yishu put away the look he had been giving the boy, as though he were already dead. When he turned back to the Beta, he seemed like a different person.

His face showed pained restraint as he tried to reassure him. "...It hurts a little."

Xue Ci already felt guilty, and hearing Xie Yishu say that made his eyes grow even more watery. "Did it hit your back? I-I'll take you to the infirmary!"

The area around them was full of sports facilities, and the infirmary wasn't far away. Xie Yishu let Xue Ci support him by the arm.

The spot where he had been hit began to heat up with a burning sting.

But Xie Yishu felt that it wasn't the only place growing hot.

A strange rush of pleasure spreading from his heart to his limbs, and his gradually boiling blood, led him to classify this feeling as-

Excitement.

He was excited when he got hurt for Xue Ci's sake.

Only...

When he heard Xue Ci's phone vibrating incessantly, disgust quickly surfaced in Xie Yishu's eyes.

Which dead dog is after him now?

Fortunately, Alphas were naturally strong. Aside from a bruise that would appear in a couple of days, Xie Yishu was fine.

Xue Ci picked up a box of medicine for bruises. "Are you still going to class?"

"Mm." Xie Yishu saw that his lips had turned pale. "The doctor said I'm fine."

Xue Ci lowered his eyes and said softly, "It'll still hurt, though. You definitely can't do archery for the next couple of days."

"Then let's go back to the dorm." Xie Yishu found that when he saw Xue Ci looking unhappy, his own heart tightened slightly too.

Xue Ci was satisfied. The two returned to the range and explained the situation to the teacher. The teacher knew Xie Yishu and immediately excused him, telling Xue Ci to take him back to rest. He also sternly reprimanded the boys who had been throwing a tennis ball around the range.

For the past few days, Xue Ci had been completely inseparable from Xie Yishu.

Fortunately, Xin Yue and Duan Xingyan took care of all the chores assigned to the dorm.

Gu Xu couldn't find a chance to talk to Xue Ci all day.

That Xie Yishu was putting on such an act. His back was injured, yet he behaved as though he were disabled, making Xue Ci accompany him even to the bathroom.

Finally, after a teacher called Xie Yishu away, Gu Xu went to discuss something important with Xue Ci.

At the end of the month, their family was celebrating his and Duan Xingyan's nineteenth birthdays. He asked Xue Ci if he wanted to go back with them.

Xue Ci hadn't expected time to pass so quickly.

Gu Xu's birthday was a key plot point. After that day, Xue Ci would develop skin hunger.

That day, Gu Xu would drink alcohol, and Xue Ci would want to take care of him, only to be coldly rejected. Heartbroken, he would decide to give up on Gu Xu. But then the plot would develop in the direction of a crematorium, with Gu Xu taking the initiative to apologize to him.

A country bumpkin secretly in love with someone would surely forgive him easily.

But just when he thought he was growing closer to Gu Xu, he would unluckily develop skin hunger and be mistaken for a frivolous person.

Hearing Xue Ci say he would go back with them, Gu Xu restrained his delight. "By the way, what size clothes do you wear? I need to tell my brother so he can have a formal outfit made."

He wanted to call Gu Ling, but found that his phone was out of battery, so he used Xue Ci's phone to dial him.

The phone rang for only two seconds before Gu Ling answered.

That fast? Isn't he in a meeting?

On the other end, President Gu, who was still in an online meeting, began dividing his attention after seeing Xue Ci's call. Unfortunately, it was Gu Xu's voice that came through the phone. "Brother, aren't we having a birthday banquet at the end of the month? I'll have Xue Ci send you his clothing size."

"It's already being made."

Gu Xu froze.

Making a formal outfit required very detailed body measurements. How did his brother know Xue Ci's clothing size?

A strange thought arose, and both ends of the call fell silent, leaving only a faint crackle on the line.

Gu Ling didn't explain. Instead, he asked, "Where's Xue Ci?"

"Oh... he's right here." Gu Xu handed the phone to Xue Ci. After taking it, Xue Ci obediently greeted the person on the other end. "Big brother."

Gu Ling hadn't heard Xue Ci's voice in a long time. His eyes flickered, and his sharp features softened. He knew Xue Ci had been wearing the clothes he had sent someone to deliver, but nearly half a month had passed in the blink of an eye, and he hadn't spent a cent from the card Gu Ling had given him.

The man felt the frustration of having failed to provide for his younger brother.

"Why haven't you used the card I gave you?"

The academy's restaurants and supermarkets all accepted card payments. Hu Shenglan had put plenty of money on his student card, and he had used only a little, so he hadn't even remembered the card Gu Ling had given him.

"There's still money on my student card," Xue Ci said, accidentally catching sight of Gu Xu standing beside him out of the corner of his eye.

A lot had been happening lately, and the protagonist's progress bar hadn't risen at all.

Xue Ci decided to take the opportunity to praise him. "Besides, Gu Xu often transfers money to me."

Standing beside him, Gu Xu gave an affected cough.

As he saw it, whoever Xue Ci spent money from first was the person he was closer to.

Gu Ling said nothing on the other end.

Although Xue Ci didn't know why, he sensed something. He seems unhappy...

Accustomed to treating kittens and puppies equally, he immediately added, "I'm saving your money, big brother, to spend on the most important things."

He favors me most.

The corners of President Gu's lips lifted slightly.

The author has something to say:

President Gu: My eyes are my ruler.