CAADTB Chapter 11

Prompted by Lin Yan’s reminder, everyone gradually caught on.

“I did think something was different about Xiao Qi at first, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Turns out it was the clothes.”

The president of the dance club, a tall girl with grapefruit-pink hair, smiled as she praised him. “You look great! Feels like you could debut on the spot.”

“Why the sudden change in style, Xiao Qi?” asked an Alpha dressed all in white, with a sunny, handsome face. “I always said you suited light colors, and it looks like I was right.”

Shi Qi gave an indifferent nod, which only made the Alpha smile wider.

For some subtle reason, Shang Sui gave the Alpha a second glance.

Compared to Shi Qi, who didn’t notice anything, Lin Yan was much more perceptive and stepped in to interrupt. “Like you need to say that, Gu Cheng. Shi Qi looks good in anything.”

Even though Lin Yan was pretty blunt, Gu Cheng’s smile didn’t falter. “Exactly. Xiao Qi is the face of our dance club, after all.”

“Totally. I’m gonna run his fan page.”

Amid the playful banter, someone’s eyes lit up as they asked, “Hey Lin Yan, who’s the handsome guy next to you?”

“He’s Shang Sui,” Shi Qi cut in before Lin Yan could answer. “A friend of mine.”

Friend?

Shang Sui raised an eyebrow.

Lin Yan and Shi Qi were close, so it wasn’t surprising he knew about their fake relationship. But around other people, Shang Sui would’ve rather been introduced as Shi Qi’s “boyfriend.”

Still, seeing the faint pink tint on Shi Qi’s ears, he decided not to make trouble for now.

Shang Sui smiled at everyone and walked over to sit across from Shi Qi, about to settle onto the wooden floor.

Lin Yan had caused such a scene earlier that Shi Qi hadn’t even realized Shang Sui was wearing the jacket he’d given him.

Under the black-and-orange baseball jacket was a thin knit shirt with a similarly low neckline, and a delicate chain resting along his collarbone.

That swaying little chain drew Shi Qi’s gaze more than once. When he finally snapped out of it and noticed Shang Sui’s movements, he quickly stopped him. “Someone just stepped there—it’s dirty.”

Shi Qi patted the clean, empty spot beside him. “Sit next to me.”

Shang Sui obediently sat down beside him.

The small space was rather cramped for a tall Alpha like him. Unable to stretch his legs, Shang Sui crossed them halfway. Then, he naturally reached out and straightened Shi Qi’s collar. “Your collar’s a bit messy.”

Compared to Shi Qi’s skin that was still warm, Shang Sui’s fingertips were noticeably cold.

His slender fingers brushed past the back of Shi Qi’s neck, like the soft, chilly wings of a butterfly. The motion lasted no more than a second or two, but it made Shi Qi instinctively tense up.

Just a little more, and Shang Sui would’ve touched his glands…

“You look really good right now.” The voice at his ear was soft, so only Shi Qi could hear it. “Even more beautiful than I imagined.”

He was probably complimenting the sweater?

But for some reason, those gentle words made Shi Qi tremble slightly. He stared blankly at the wooden dance floor, gave a muffled response, then added, “You’re not too bad yourself.”

Shang Sui couldn’t hold back a quiet laugh beside him.

Gu Cheng took it all in and couldn’t help but frown.

“Welcome, welcome! Nice to meet you, new friend!” The club president, unaware of the subtle tension in the air, greeted him enthusiastically. “We’re trying to convince Shi Qi to join the competition, but he won’t agree. Yanyan, you and this handsome guy come help persuade him!”

Shang Sui was intrigued. “What competition is it?”

“You know this area’s full of universities. There’s going to be a joint dance competition among all the major colleges in two weeks. No restrictions on dance styles, more like a friendly exchange between schools.”

“We’ve actually been rehearsing for over half a month, but yesterday our center dancer twisted his ankle playing basketball. The doctor said he shouldn’t even be getting out of bed for at least a week.”

The president pressed her palms together in a pleading gesture. “Only you can save the day now, Xiao Qi!”

Shi Qi had heard of the competition before. The top three individuals or groups could win prizes, but because of the cold weather, he’d been too lazy to get involved.

When the president first encouraged everyone to sign up, he hadn’t said a word. If he suddenly joined now as the center, it would feel inappropriate no matter how they spun it.

Shi Qi suggested, “Why don’t you rework the choreography?”

Gu Cheng joked, “That’d be way too hard. Just mapping out the moves last time nearly killed the president.”

“It really did—I can’t go through that again,” the president added. “We’re just trying to have some fun and earn a few credits on the side. The original routine was choreographed for boys, but since we didn’t have enough people, Jiajia and I joined in. Now it’s a mixed group.”

The dance club had never had many members, and with midterms coming up, most students with heavier coursework hadn’t signed up.

Seeing Shi Qi remain silent, the president decided to act cute and coax him. “Come on, Xiao Qi. There’s a dance break in the middle that’s perfect for us to partner. Pleeease?”

Maybe it was because of Jiang Youning’s influence, but Shi Qi had a hard time dealing with girls acting cute. He felt a little awkward and was just about to give in.

Gu Cheng chimed in, “It’s been a while since Xiao Qi last practiced choreography, hasn’t it? The last time was early autumn. If you stay inactive too long, you’ll get rusty.”

Then he added deliberately, “But you’re so skilled, I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly.”

“…”

Shi Qi hadn’t wanted to care, but this guy just wouldn’t shut up, and it was really starting to get on his nerves.

Shang Sui kept his temper in check and said to Shi Qi in a gentle tone, “I want to see too. I’ve never seen you dance in person.”

Without realizing it, everyone around them had started to look their way. Feeling the weight of their anticipation, Shi Qi met Shang Sui’s gaze for a moment and finally agreed. “Alright, I’ll join.”

Time was tight, so the club president wanted to drag Shi Qi straight into rehearsal, and the dinner had to be postponed. Having to change plans so suddenly, Shi Qi inevitably felt a bit guilty. However, Shang Sui didn’t seem to mind. He simply said, “Xiao Qi.”

“Hm?”

“Are there a lot of people who can call you Xiao Qi?”

For a moment, Shi Qi thought he heard a trace of grievance in Shang Sui’s voice.

He mentally shook his head and pushed the absurd thought away. “They’re just outgoing types. It kind of happened without me noticing.”

The president was a third-year student, one year above them. Since she often called him “Xiao Qi,” other members who were even slightly familiar with him had started doing the same.

“I see,” Shang Sui replied.

“Are you upset?” Realizing Shang Sui had been waiting the whole time, Shi Qi felt bad for standing him up. “Why don’t we go eat first? I can come back to rehearse after—”

“Who’s talking about food? No one’s allowed to eat tonight!” The president had sharp ears and caught their whispering. “I’ll treat everyone to a late-night snack later. Hurry up and come rehearse! …Center? Did our center hear me?”

“Go practice. It’s fine,” Shang Sui said. “Meeting next time will be the same.”

Once Shi Qi confirmed that Shang Sui truly didn’t mind the sudden change in plans, he gave a small nod.

He made a mental note to treat Shang Sui to a meal later when he got the chance. The president kept urging him, so Shi Qi said goodbye and joined the rehearsal.

Just as the president had expected, Shi Qi was able to pick up most of the choreography after going through it once.

Though he skipped many of the finer details because he couldn’t recall them clearly, by the third run-through, he could more or less keep up with the group.

Every time she watched Shi Qi dance, she was convinced that his talent proved dancing required a natural gift.

…

After practice, the president collapsed onto the floor in exhaustion. “Now that we’ve rehearsed, I feel like this routine might actually be saved.”

“Forget saved—with Shi Qi on board, shouldn’t we be aiming for the top three? Even third place gets a 2,000-yuan prize.”

“I think it’s possible.” The president sat up with a jolt. Seeing that Shi Qi didn’t respond, she assumed he wasn’t interested. “Look how calm he is. Xiao Qi isn’t obsessed with prize money like the rest of us. That’s what a true pro looks like.”

Shi Qi didn’t join in the joking, but he understood everyone had high expectations for him.

He didn’t say anything, but he began spending more time in the studio after hours, watching choreography videos during breaks, analyzing each detail over and over.

Once he agreed to join, he wanted to give it his best.

Just like that, the days passed in a blur of classes and dance practice, and the competition crept closer. Wednesday afternoons were reserved for a school-wide general course, and once it ended, everyone headed straight to the studio for rehearsal.

During a break, Gu Cheng pretended to casually lift his shirt to wipe off sweat, revealing his toned abs.

As far as he knew, Omegas were always into a few specific things, and a body that could make people go weak in the knees was definitely one of them.

Just as he was feeling confident, Shi Qi walked right past him without even a glance.

Gu Cheng: “…”

Shi Qi took a water bottle from Lin Yan. “Thanks.”

Noticing that Lin Yan’s phone was showing a grayed-out game interface, Shi Qi chuckled. “You died again?”

Lin Yan was technically the manager of the dance club, though the title was mostly for show. He’d originally joined just to earn some credits.

However, he was far more responsible than most would’ve expected. He often stayed for rehearsals and even brought drinks. Everyone in the club got along well with him.

“I was overwhelmed by the stench of arrogance.” Lin Yan was staring at a certain Alpha who was now awkwardly lowering his shirt. “That kind of toxic air even messed with my gameplay.”

“Hmm?”

Lin Yan had caught Gu Cheng’s entire act and couldn’t help making a sour face. For a moment, he considered warning Shi Qi to be careful around Gu Cheng.

Shi Qi had always been indifferent to the various rumors circulating on campus, but Lin Yan was well-informed. He’d heard that Gu Cheng’s personal life was a mess, and now, seeing how Gu Cheng kept trying to get close to Shi Qi, he couldn’t help forming a negative impression of him.

But after a second thought, he decided maybe it was better if Shi Qi didn’t know anything. At least that way, he wouldn’t be affected the way Lin Yan was. “Nothing, I was just rambling.”

Shi Qi was used to Lin Yan’s random comments. He tapped twice on his phone. “I’m heading out for a bit.”

“Hm?”

“Shang Sui’s here.”

Apparently, Shang Sui was just passing by and had brought some desserts for afternoon tea.

“Nice, nice.”

Right now, Lin Yan was hoping Shang Sui would show up every day to keep that narcissistic Gu Cheng in check. Noticing Gu Cheng glancing over, Lin Yan immediately raised his voice. “Shang Sui’s here to see you? Go on, go!”

Shi Qi was momentarily baffled by his sudden enthusiasm. Lin Yan gave him a thumbs-up with a knowing look. “Go get a good look at a real handsome guy. Refresh your eyes a bit.”

The dance studio wasn’t far from the school gate, and Shi Qi got there quickly. From a distance, he spotted Shang Sui waiting.

He stood out so much that most students passing by turned to look. A few girls even stopped in place, seemingly debating whether to go ask for his contact info.

Just as Shi Qi was about to walk over, a flashy silver-blue sports car drifted in with style, coming to a stop right next to Shang Sui.

He had thought the car was just passing by, but then the person inside rolled down the window, took off their sunglasses, and gave Shang Sui a wink, calling out sweetly, “Xiao Sui-gege~”

Shi Qi froze in his tracks.

Noticing that Shang Sui was carrying several dessert bags, Jiang Yan asked curiously, “You switching careers to food delivery?”

Shang Sui ignored Jiang Yan’s hyper behavior and replied coolly, “What do you want?”

“I came all the way to deliver something to you personally. Are you touched?”

In truth, Shang Sui had been procrastinating and hadn’t gone to sign the paperwork for Huijian. Worried that his benefactor might back out, Jiang Yan rushed to draw up a contract and came to find him.

He had assumed Shang Sui would be at the art academy today, but… this seemed to be A University?

Just as Jiang Yan was feeling confused, someone walked straight up to them.

It was a very beautiful Omega. Even someone like Jiang Yan, who was used to seeing the gorgeous men and women of Huijian, was momentarily stunned by his looks.

But his expression was icy cold, like a crystal sculpture carved from ice.

Shi Qi looked at Shang Sui. “Is he your former boss?”

Like how Shang Sui used to call him?

Jiang Yan caught the keyword and jumped in immediately. “Yeah, yeah.” He was the boss of Huijian, after all. And once Shang Sui bought shares, he’d technically become his direct superior.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yan added gleefully, “I’ll be his boss in the future, too.”

Shi Qi had initially assumed this was some old fling, but now this guy dared to talk about a “future”?

He looked up at Shang Sui, his voice turning frosty. “Didn’t you say you’d never work at Huijian again?”

“No, he and I—” Shang Sui started, but Jiang Yan interrupted with a dramatic cry, “Huh? That won’t do!”

Seeing Shi Qi’s expression grow darker by the second, Shang Sui quickly cut Jiang Yan off. “We’re just friends.”

“He’s not right in the head. Everything he says is nonsense. Don’t take it seriously.”

“Oh.” Shi Qi clearly didn’t buy it. “Would a friend call you ‘Xiao Sui-gege’?”

Shang Sui wasn’t the kind of person who lied.

He had said clearly before that he wouldn’t keep in touch with other clients, that he’d only be with him.

A faint sense of grievance rose in Shi Qi’s chest. He asked in a cold tone, “How many of these friends do you have?”

He didn’t even understand why he cared this much, but quickly came up with a rational explanation. “You don’t need to hide it from me. If something like this happens again, I’d like to be prepared. Just in case my family finds out one day.”

Shi Qi kept talking, but Shang Sui didn’t hear a word.

All his attention was stuck on that “Xiao Sui-gege,” and now he could only watch Shi Qi’s lips move. Shang Sui tried to hold it in. Despite knowing this wasn’t the time, he just couldn’t help it. “…Can you say that again?”

Shi Qi: “?”

Jiang Yan finally caught on and turned to Shi Qi. “Wait, did you misunderstand something? Shang Sui and I are innocent. We’re really just friends.”

“And he’s an Alpha,” Jiang Yan added sincerely. “I’m an Alpha too. There’s no way anything could happen.”

“Isn’t it normal for an Alpha to like him?”

“Ah! Now that you mention it, you’re right.” Jiang Yan was caught off guard by Shi Qi’s question. He suddenly remembered how, back in high school, people from all three ABO genders had confessed to Shang Sui. “I guess Alpha and Alpha can work too…”

Shi Qi hadn’t expected the guy to start seeing the light on his own. Watching the situation spiral further out of control thanks to Jiang Yan’s interference, Shang Sui finally lost the last shred of patience he had.

“Jiang Yan,” Shang Sui said in a tightly controlled voice, drawing on a lifetime of restraint, “can you get lost?”

“……”

Jiang Yan knew very well that when Shang Sui truly exploded, his emotions would always seem unnaturally calm.

The future of Huijian still rested on Shang Sui’s shoulders. But even if it didn’t, Jiang Yan wouldn’t dare test his limits.

He didn’t even stop to think about the contract. Without so much as a proper goodbye, he quickly drove off.

Once that walking disaster was out of sight, Shang Sui turned to Shi Qi and explained again, “I really haven’t been working with Huijian. Jiang Yan doesn’t think before he speaks… but he is my friend.”

Shi Qi had already believed him the moment Shang Sui told Jiang Yan to get lost.

After all, if you paid for something and that’s the kind of service you got, only a masochist would stick around.

“And also…”

Shang Sui wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to bring this up, or if it would make him seem like he was reading too much into things, but after a moment’s hesitation, he told Shi Qi, “You were the only client I ever took.”

Shi Qi paused, then looked up at him.

“I only worked there twice. Both times were with you.” Shang Sui continued slowly. “There was no one else.”

The bad mood from earlier quietly melted away. Somewhere in Shi Qi’s heart, little sparks lit up and burst like stars.

So all those sweet words and coaxing gestures—Shang Sui had only used them on him?

“Really?” Shi Qi looked at him. “But you…”

Just by looking at you, it’s obvious you’d be in high demand. How could you have only worked twice?

Shi Qi wasn’t good at hiding his thoughts—they were written all over his face.

Seeing his mood visibly lift, Shang Sui coaxed gently, “I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”

Without realizing it, a small smile tugged at the corners of Shi Qi’s lips.

“Oh, okay.”

He gave a proud little nod, but the smile in his eyes sparkled like starlight.

Unable to resist, Shang Sui asked again, “Won’t you really call me that one more time?”

Seeing Shi Qi’s confused look, he shamelessly added, “If you call me ‘gege,’ I’d do anything for you.”

“…No.” Shi Qi belatedly realized just how suggestive that word sounded and pulled a face. “You two Alphas are so corny.”

“……”

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Author’s note:

2s: Injustice! I just wanted to be your gege. Lord Cat, please judge fairly.