The Beta from the Countryside (09)

Gu Xu handed the phone to Li Xun. "Don't look at this kind of nonsense anymore."

Li Xun said, "Oh," but secretly bookmarked it behind his back.

He had heard the gossip long ago: the transfer student, Song Xueci, came from the countryside and had barely seen the world. He was probably a quiet little country bumpkin. But when Song Xueci actually came to class, every one of them was stunned.

Had someone so fresh and lovely really grown up in the back of beyond?

He was so pale. Li Xun had never seen a Beta that pale.

Some people in their dorm had even discussed whether Song Xueci had never been in the sun. Someone had offered a high price for a pen he had used, and someone else had worked up the courage to approach him.

But Song Xueci was very shy around strangers and didn't like talking to his classmates. Every day, he stayed with a few of his roommates.

Those Alphas were pretty strange too. Whenever anyone got even slightly close, they released highly aggressive pheromones.

"How about this one?"

The sudden question made Li Xun immediately put aside his scattered thoughts. He glanced at Gu Xu, who had changed into a white T-shirt and was holding a black one. He had apparently sprayed something in his hair and styled it too.

When Li Xun didn't answer for a long moment, Gu Xu hesitated. "Does it look like I'm trying too hard?"

"Huh?"

Li Xun's jaw dropped.

Why was he acting like an innocent young boy going on his first date?

As far as Li Xun could tell, the two shirts were identical except for the color. "The white one you're wearing looks good."

Apparently, he had been used to eliminate the wrong answer.

The next second, Gu Xu changed into the black one.

A few minutes after Xue Ci replied to the message, someone knocked on the dorm door.

He got up to answer it. A tall Alpha stood outside, his head nearly touching the top of the doorway and blocking most of the view.

So tall... Xue Ci couldn't help stepping back.

Gu Xu came in. Knowing Xue Ci was a bit of a clean freak, he pointed to the new clothes draped over his arm. "Should we wash them first?"

Xue Ci had just reached out to take them when Gu Xu asked, "Is the washing machine on the balcony?"

"Mm..."

As soon as he answered, Gu Xu strode to the balcony and smoothly put the clothes into the washing machine.

Is he worried I don't know how to use it?

Xue Ci followed and edged him aside. "I know the steps. Xin Yue taught me."

Xin Yue again.

Gu Xu frowned, only for Xue Ci to brush lightly against his arm. There wasn't much room beside the washing machine to begin with, and Xue Ci had taken up three-quarters of it.

His heart pounded like thunder. He forgot what he had just been thinking and could only stare at Xue Ci's snowy-white profile.

Xue Ci pressed start. Soon, the washing machine began to run. He tilted his face up, looking a little pleased with himself, as if showing off that he had remembered such a complicated procedure.

Gu Xu gave a deliberate cough. Usually stingy with praise, he managed a single word. "...Impressive."

At the compliment, Xue Ci's eyes curved into a smile.

Gu Xu found it even harder to look away.

When he realized how long he had been staring, he awkwardly changed the subject. "Have you decided to take the same elective as Xie Yishu?"

11 suddenly popped out. [Host, a mission has arrived. Having just arrived, you don't know that Gu Xu dislikes Xie Yishu. You'll say good things about Xie Yishu in front of Gu Xu and make him angry.]

According to the original plot, Gu Xu disliked Xie Yishu, so he would surely dislike hearing someone praise Xie Yishu in front of him too.

Xie Yishu had many good qualities, and Xue Ci casually picked a few.

Sure enough, before he was even halfway through, Gu Xu's expression began to darken.

"Why do you trust people so easily?" Gu Xu didn't realize that his expression was no different from that of a jealous husband gritting his teeth. He simply thought that Xue Ci came from the countryside and was so innocent he might never even have had a physiology class. He didn't know how dangerous it was to stay in a dorm full of Alphas.

"Do you know how many bad men there are out there? You're so pretty and have no guard up. You'll believe someone after just a few words."

Gu Xu blocked the sunlight and leaned down slightly, enclosing Xue Ci in an utterly possessive posture.

"Don't you know Alphas are all wild dogs who go around licking everything?"

"When the time comes, they'll definitely pull you onto their laps, lick your fingers, and kiss your mouth."

"And you won't have the strength to resist. You'll just have to let them devour your mouth and tongue, and all you'll be able to do is cry. You won't even be able to speak."

The torrent of words left Xue Ci completely dumbfounded. He looked up, his round eyes slightly bewildered. Only after a few seconds did he pick out the key words.

W-what is he talking about...

Heat rose from his neck and spread to his ears and cheeks. Xue Ci's skin was so fair and nearly pigmentless that even the slightest color showed vividly.

Even the corners of his eyes turned red with shame and anger.

Bright and vivid.

His face fell, and he was visibly unhappy. His lashes fluttered like wings, and his lips parted and closed again, as if he were considering how to refute words that were practically sexual harassment.

But he didn't even know how to curse someone, so in the end he could only bite his lower lip lightly. When he let go, his lips were deep red and glistening with moisture.

Clearly.

This Beta was angry.

Even though he looked so... when he was angry, Gu Xu was terrified that the next thing he said would be that their friendship was over.

Someone as honest as Xue Ci would really leave no room for negotiation if he said he was ending their friendship.

That couldn't happen.

Gu Xu lowered his eyes and spoke in an almost pleading tone.

"...I was wrong."

Alphas were always proud, overbearing, and looked down on everyone. He had never said anything like an apology before, so it came out particularly stiff.

But he emphasized it once more, formally and with his head bowed.

"I shouldn't have said that, Xue Ci."

He was so sincere that Xue Ci, who had been a little angry, froze.

"If you're still angry, slap me."

"..."

Is it really that serious?

Xue Ci felt embarrassed instead. "I'm not angry anymore, it's just-"

Remembering what Gu Xu had said, he corrected him word by word. "I'm not stupid, and I'm not that weak."

"Mm." Gu Xu tactfully agreed.

Buzz, buzz-

His phone vibrated a few times in his pocket. Xue Ci took it out and opened the message. Xie Yishu had sent him a photo of some specialized archery equipment.

Gu Xu hadn't meant to look at someone else's phone, but he was so tall and stood so close to Xue Ci that he accidentally caught a glimpse of the message.

It was clearly a group chat, with four members shown.

It was probably the dorm group chat.

Xue Ci was in a group with the three Alphas. Realizing this, Gu Xu discovered... he had been left out.

After repeatedly making sure Xue Ci was no longer angry with him, Gu Xu returned to his dorm, but he couldn't concentrate on anything.

A few minutes later, he stopped what he was doing and called Xin Yue.

"Hello, what's up?" There was a lot of echo on the other end. Xin Yue was probably at the swimming pool.

Gu Xu was silent for two seconds before asking, "Does your dorm have a group chat?"

"Mm, yeah. We share a dorm, so it's convenient if anything comes up." For some reason, Xin Yue felt a little guilty.

Gu Xu sneered inwardly.

Why didn't you have a group back when it was just the three of you?

He didn't expose him, finally stating his purpose. "Can you add me?"

Xin Yue said, "Huh?" A strange feeling rose in his heart.

As he saw it, Gu Xu didn't seem quite as indifferent to Xue Ci as he claimed. He suppressed his complicated feelings. "I can add you, but I'm not an admin."

Gu Xu said, "Just add me first."

During the day, he had gone to the office to submit an application to the teacher to add another person to the dorm, and he had already ordered a bed... He really couldn't feel at ease leaving Xue Ci, a Beta, living with three Alphas. What if one of them really had ulterior motives?

Of course, once the application was approved, he would still need to ask Xue Ci what he thought.

They had spent a fair amount of time together. From what he had seen, Xue Ci seemed like the rather traditional, conservative type, and might not be willing to live with his fiancé before registering their marriage.

Gu Xu put those thoughts aside. Soon, Xin Yue sent him the group link. But the very next second after he applied to join, a notification appeared-

[Admin "Xie Yishu" rejected your request to join the group.]

Xue Ci had another class at eight the next morning, so he washed up and went to bed early. At some point, his face felt a little itchy, and he blearily opened his eyes... Xie Yishu had returned.

"I think there's a mosquito..."

His voice was soft and sticky, coming almost entirely through his nose, making him sound especially dependent on Xie Yishu.

The way he struggled to get up, moving his arms and legs, was like a kitten kneading.

"Is that so? Let me take a look for you."

Xie Yishu's warm, gentle voice made Xue Ci feel safe, and he closed his eyes.

"Found it. I've chased it away."

Xie Yishu was looking for the mosquito for him. When he spoke, his voice was close and lower and huskier than usual, and his breath fell against Xue Ci's ear.

Goosebumps rose on Xue Ci's skin. He struggled to open his eyes, but only managed to make his lashes flutter.

At last, his light breathing settled into an even rhythm.

Xie Yishu's eyes gradually became like a deep, unfathomable pool.

Dark and clinging, as if ready to draw someone in at any moment.

"Baby, you smell so damn good."

"I put Baby's new clothes away. Just like the rest of your clothes, they all have my pheromones on them."

"But those Alphas crowd around you like dogs every day, staring at you. I can't even chase them away."

"If only Baby could be marked."

His usual warmth and refinement were long gone. Where Xue Ci couldn't see, Xie Yishu watched him greedily for a long time.

His smooth, fair nape looked as though it would break at the lightest touch of teeth.

If pheromones were forced into it, the skin there would surely swell taut and shiny. With just a gentle press of a hand, the Alpha's scent would flow out.

Author's note:

No matter how much of a pervert he is, he's still Baby's doggy.