There were actually classmates passing by around them, but no one moved. The two of them simply held each other close.
Ji Qiu buried his face against the back of his neck, mischievously sniffing at his gland.
The heat had passed, so the scent was faint—Ji Qiu had to lean in very carefully just to catch the faint trace of mint.
Too little. Not enough.
Ji Qiu tried to press his face even deeper.
After all, last time during the heat they had accidentally knotted. Even though they tried to clean up carefully afterward, it still wasn’t entirely safe.
If the marking had gone further back then, the chances of “something happening” would’ve been much higher.
So later, both of them started keeping the necessary supplies ready by the bedside.
Ji Qiu thought about this casually, while his nose still chased after that faint thread of pheromone.
“Have you sniffed enough?”
After about two minutes of Ji Qiu’s shameless behavior, Liang Yan finally couldn’t stand it anymore and interrupted.
Any more and passersby would notice something was off.
What Omega liked sniffing their partner’s neck like this?
Only then did Ji Qiu shift away a little. “I just couldn’t help it.”
Liang Yan didn’t respond, so Ji Qiu repeated his earlier question: “Let’s move out together, okay?”
Liang Yan stayed in his arms. His words were blunt, but he also gave him enough time to think it over.
Leaning on his shoulder, Ji Qiu said softly: “I’ve been busy these past few days, couldn’t see you, and even made you upset.”
Ji · expert at saying the wrong thing · Qiu immediately got stepped on. “I’m not upset.”
So he changed tactics, trying to play the pitiful card: “But Yan Yan, think about it! An Alpha like me, living in that dormitory…”
“So?”
“Surrounded by wolves, stared at by tigers—aren’t you worried about my safety…”
At least his idioms were used well.
“Get lost.”
Just as Ji Qiu was about to find another angle to persuade him, he suddenly heard Liang Yan say: “Have you already picked a place?”
His tone sounded rather natural.
Ji Qiu’s head was still resting on his shoulder; from that angle he could only see half the back of Liang Yan’s head. He badly wanted to know what expression Yan Yan was wearing right now, but he held himself back, afraid that if he pushed too much, this plan might fall through.
He quickly said: “I checked out several places. They’re all pretty close, with good surroundings. Will you come with me to take a look when you have time?”
In the end, after dinner, the two of them didn’t go anywhere else—they chose a place that very day. The next day, Ji Qiu organized his own things, and by the third day, he went to Liang Yan’s dorm to help him move.
Yin Tongguang hadn’t expected things to happen this fast. Carrying Liang Yan’s luggage, he was deeply shocked that his roommate was just… leaving him like this. “Yan Yan…”
Liang Yan looked up from the wardrobe he was organizing. “Hm?”
“Nothing, nothing. I’ll still save a seat for you every day.” Yin Tongguang swallowed back all the chatter he wanted to spill out. After all, the main Alpha was standing right there. Even though Ji Xiao Qiu had a good temper, who knew if his Alpha instincts might flare up and tear him apart on the spot if he dared to fight over Yan Yan?
They moved quickly. Yin Tongguang also got to take a tour of the rental apartment. It was a small two-bedroom unit, compact but complete, and he was quite satisfied with it—except he didn’t understand why they needed two rooms and two beds.
He didn’t know, and he didn’t dare to ask.
They called Lai Qiutong, and when Xu Yishu heard about it, he came over as well. In the bright living room, the group ordered Haidilao hotpot delivery to celebrate the couple’s new home.
While they ate, Yin Tongguang kept marveling aloud, saying he never would have guessed that in the end, someone would really whisk Yan Yan away—and so fast at that.
The “whisked away” one complained about his chatter: “Can’t you shut up even when eating?”
Yin Tongguang mimed zipping his lips shut, then grinned and kept eating.
Lai Qiutong seemed genuinely happy. On the surface she looked no different from usual, but when her gaze fell on the two of them, her eyes were filled with tender blessings.
While clearing the table, Liang Yan happened to catch that look. For a moment, his heart gave a sharp tug.
She must have once had this kind of happiness too.
After the meal and cleanup, everyone gathered together for a while.
“These past days, Xiao Qiu and I have collected some more evidence. Combined with your pheromone data,” Lai Qiutong gestured toward Liang Yan and Xu Yishu, “we’re planning to reach out to another media outlet, to see if there’s any progress this time.”
“Of course, we could go through legal channels. But companies like this have fully developed legal departments—whole teams.” She paused, then continued with some helplessness. “Yes, we could file a case. But whether it’s submitting materials or presenting evidence, everything takes time. They’re experts at dragging things out—pushing each step until the last possible moment before moving to the next. By the time it reaches trial, who knows how long it will have been.”
And they were just a group of students—how could they outlast professionals who specialized in this?
“Then we’ll just have to take it step by step.” Lai Qiutong smiled. “Don’t be so pessimistic. We’ll definitely reach one or two media outlets. If that fails, we can start by building momentum. Once more people know, public opinion pressure will build, and at least KB won’t be able to act so arrogantly.”
“Yeah,” Ji Qiu nodded, self-mocking. “We’ll inevitably have to deal with KB’s slick-tongued legal team. Forget it, forget it—let’s wait until after finals. We’ll have more time then to wear them down slowly.”
It was going to be a long, stinking tug-of-war.
Suddenly, Liang Yan said: “Otherwise, I can ask my father.”
These companies were usually very shrewd. To maintain relationships with partners, they never skimped on gifts during holidays. Liang Yan sometimes saw KB representatives visiting his father.
“But Dean Liang doesn’t know about this matter. Wouldn’t it be bad to bring it up abruptly?” Ji Qiu asked, rubbing his chin.
“If my dad knows about my condition, he’ll probably believe me,” Liang Yan said. “After all, I always get my suppressants from his office—he must have noticed.”
“Yan Yan… your father doesn’t know about your body?”
“At the time, I really didn’t think it was this serious. I just felt unlucky, thought my constitution was too unusual. And if I had told him… knowing both him and my mom, they’d probably keep me under constant watch, maybe even try to set me up with an Alpha.”
After saying that, Liang Yan gave Ji Qiu a subtle glance.
Come to think of it, Ji Qiu was technically an Alpha his father had introduced to him too.
So, in life, some things may seem like coincidence, but behind them are countless inevitabilities.
After sending off the three friends, Yin Tongguang deliberately put on a reluctant face and said goodbye to Liang Yan:
“From today on, the dorm will be mine alone! Yan Yan! You’re always welcome to come back to your maiden home for a visit!”
Liang Yan gave him a cold look, thinking this guy was becoming more and more like Ji Qiu.
But at least Yin Tongguang cherished his life and wouldn’t go too far. Noticing Liang Yan’s darkening expression, he immediately changed his tune:
“But even if we don’t live together anymore! I will still firmly guard the secret between you and Xiao Qiu! And I’ll resolutely defend the dignity of your O-O love on the forum!”
“That last part really isn’t necessary.” Liang Yan tugged at the corner of his lips and mercilessly pushed Yin Tongguang out the door.
Yin left sulking. Liang Yan locked the door and walked back into the living room. Seeing Ji Qiu curled up on the sofa fiddling with the TV, he couldn’t help but feel a little dazed.
It felt like just at the start of the semester, this person was still fooling him with fake pheromone perfume. Yet as the semester neared its end, they were already moving in together.
Ji Qiu finally got the TV working and began absentmindedly flipping through channels. Liang Yan sat down beside him.
“You like watching TV?”
“Not really,” Ji Qiu answered quickly. “But having some noise in the background feels… not bad.”
Liang Yan gave him a puzzled look.
“Feels kind of like a home,” Ji Qiu finished.
So Liang Yan let him be.
The apartment was neat and tidy. They flipped through channels for a while but found nothing worth watching, so they went back to their rooms to study.
Ji Qiu continued searching for media contacts, sending emails one by one, while Liang Yan quietly worked through the practice questions Ji Qiu had specially prepared for him.
The night was long, and so was the road ahead.
News that Liang Yan and Ji Qiu had moved out of the dorms together quickly spread around campus.
Those stubborn “fangirls” who had insisted all along—“They hug, they kiss, but they’re just good sisters!”—finally couldn’t fool themselves anymore, breaking down in despair.
Meanwhile, the Alphas who had already been heartbroken found some twisted comfort in seeing others in worse shape than themselves.
【Accept it, friend. Some things are beyond our control.】
【Don’t stress. Living together is living together. Two Omegas at most can only hug and kiss, nothing more.】
【Maybe they moved out because they didn’t want to go into heat at the same time. That’d be awkward.】
【What do you think their heat would be like?】
【I’m not an Omega, I wouldn’t know.】
【Probably like two people grilling each other face to face.】
【LOL that’s a brilliant description.】
【You guys know nothing: heh, you’ll never know.】
【Oh, “Hammer Bro” is here again, once more the lone voice of reason.】
【Let’s drop this topic. It feels wrong to speculate.】
【Fine, fine. It’s not like either of them is mine anyway…】
【I’m really curious—does Dean Liang know about this?】
【I want to know too.】
【Don’t ask. Who would dare bring that up?】
【That I can answer—Dean Liang just got back from a business trip. None of his lab students dare mention it in front of him.】
【You guys know nothing: …to be honest, I want to know too.】
【Wow, Hammer Bro finally on the same side as us?】
【Amazing! Anyway, side note—did anyone catch the joint Christmas Eve gala? Doesn’t matter if Xiao Qiu likes Omegas or not, I’d still willingly kneel at the feet of his fox cosplay.】
【Finally someone said it! I’ve got pics!】
【[image][image] His fox cosplay was insane.】
【Insane +1】
【I’m suddenly… a little jealous of Liang Yan.】
Whether or not people were jealous was one thing. The next day after moving in, Liang Yan received a delivery from the dry cleaner:
The fox costume Ji Qiu had worn at the gala.
The deliveryman clearly explained—it was Ji Qiu who’d dropped it off and instructed them to deliver it here once cleaned.
Liang Yan frowned suspiciously, shut the door, and called Ji Qiu over from the sofa. Spreading the costume out, he asked, “Why on earth did you have this washed?”
Wasn’t it just a cosplay outfit?
Shouldn’t it have been returned long ago?
“So fast! Already back?” Ji Qiu was surprised, then happily took it. “This was something I worked hard to get.”
“…So the whole reason you agreed to do that cosplay thing was for this?” Liang Yan’s face was one of disbelief.
Why not just buy one online?
Ji Qiu still tried to make excuses: “No, no, I did it for the school’s reputation. And also, uh, by the way.”
Liang Yan inhaled, covering his face with one hand. “Reputation is one thing. But why not return it afterward?”
“I didn’t! He never even wore it. So I just… bought it…” Ji Qiu realized too late he’d slipped up.
Liang Yan silently stared, waiting to hear what other excuse he could come up with.
Finally, Ji Qiu admitted defeat, mumbling awkwardly: “I—I was afraid if I bought one outright, you’d think I had a weird fetish.”
So sneaking around to get it somehow proves you don’t?!!
“Go on then. What kind of fetish?” Liang Yan crossed his arms and leaned back on the sofa, waiting. “Want to wear it again?”
Not that it would be impossible. He recalled Ji Qiu’s appearance last time—it had been rather good-looking.
Ji Qiu stammered, “N-no, not that…”
“You want me to wear it?”
Liang Yan wasn’t stupid. Two questions in and he could already guess.
Sure enough, Ji Qiu’s eyes instantly lit up as he nodded vigorously.
“—Not in your dreams.”
Ten minutes later—
The little dinosaur had happily fitted his little bear with furry fox ears and a fluffy tail.
…The result was a bizarre, mismatched creature.
But Ji Qiu was quite satisfied.
Liang Yan, in his bear pajamas with fox ears and a tail attached, sat coldly letting him fuss.
As for why he wouldn’t wear the full outfit—
It was way too humiliating.
Fortunately, Ji Qiu wasn’t in a rush. There was always time.
I must be insane, Liang Yan thought. Somehow, he’d let himself be coaxed into this.
Omega skin was naturally pale, and the props were very realistic. With the ears on, his features looked even more delicate and refined.
His face showed no emotion, but when Ji Qiu excitedly rubbed against him, the faintest blush tinged his cheeks.
Ji Qiu kissed his little fox, deeply satisfied, secretly thinking this “purchase” was well worth it.
He pinched the ears, then the tail: “Feels like something’s missing… something’s not quite right…”
Not “not quite right”—everything was wrong.
Liang Yan’s patience was at its limit.
Why had he agreed to this nonsense again?
But Ji Xiao Qiu, being who he was, figured it out just in time.
He quickly drew the curtains, scooped up his bizarre little hybrid, and carried him toward the bathroom:
“I know what’s missing! Of course, it’s better without clothes—awwooooo—”
The howl cut off in pain when Liang Yan yanked off the fox tail and smacked him with it the moment they entered.
But after that, there were no more howls from the bathroom.
Later still—
Ji Qiu tossed the abused tail and ears out of the bathroom, booking the next dry-cleaning appointment on his phone while already scheming when he could get Yan Yan to wear the full set.
So yes—beware of fox spirits.
It wasn’t without reason.
After Liang Yan dragged Ji Qiu out by the ear, Ji Qiu immediately began diligently blow-drying his hair for him.
It wasn’t too late yet. Liang Yan, his whole body sore and weak, leaned against Ji Qiu’s back. Through the hum of the hairdryer, his eyes fell on the desk covered with sticky notes.
On them were all sorts of contacts—public WeChat media accounts, official newspaper emails, and more.
“Have you managed to reach someone who knows the situation?” Liang Yan asked over the noise of the dryer.
“Huh? Ah?” Ji Qiu was focusing hard, trying his best to play the role of a qualified hairdresser. With the dryer so close, he could only tell Liang Yan was speaking but couldn’t make out a word. “Yan Yan, is it too hot?”
He lowered the temperature a bit. “Better now? If it’s uncomfortable, tap me.”
“…It’s fine.”
Liang Yan didn’t repeat his question.
Later, while Ji Qiu returned to his room to work, Liang Yan stepped onto the balcony and called his father.
“Dad, has KB Company been in touch with you recently?”
Liang Chen was a little puzzled, not sure why his son suddenly asked this. “Yes, how did you know?”
He and the dean of the affiliated hospital were colleagues. Recently, his friend had mentioned KB’s upcoming new drug launch. The affiliated hospital had an Omega inpatient ward, so KB had been sending reps around nonstop—organizing lectures, pushing science popularization, showering every department head with attention. The goal was obvious: to promote their soon-to-launch drug.
If they could secure partnerships with big hospitals, the profits would be substantial.
Liang Yan had grown up around hospitals and understood this sort of thing, so Liang Chen hadn’t really hidden it from him.
“They’ve been around before too. Didn’t their company borrow the university’s high-end lab? Always had excuses to send things over. But it wasn’t this frequent until recently—”
Liang Yan understood.
After chatting with his father for a while, he had a clearer idea of the situation.
Just as he was about to hang up, he remembered he hadn’t mentioned moving out. He decided it was better to report it: “By the way, Dad, I moved out of the dorm these past couple of days. Just letting you know.”
Since childhood, Liang Yan had never been rebellious or gone astray, so Liang Chen usually gave him a lot of freedom. Hearing his son was moving out, he didn’t object—just asked roughly where the place was and reminded him to stay safe.
Still, at the end of the call, curiosity got the better of him: “Why suddenly decide to rent a place?”
He knew his son’s temperament—if he didn’t want to say, pressing him would be useless. So he just asked casually.
On the other end, silence stretched so long that Liang Chen thought his son wouldn’t answer.
But just as he was about to change the subject, he heard Liang Yan say:
“Because I found someone.”
???
Dean Liang almost dropped his phone.
He quickly calmed down, though. Yan Yan was an adult now, an Omega in a school full of Alphas—it wasn’t surprising if he’d found someone he liked.
Children had to grow up eventually. He couldn’t shelter him forever. Liang Chen kept telling himself this, then finally managed a steady: “Alright, I understand.”
Liang Yan hadn’t planned to hide it from his father for long. It wasn’t the right time to explain everything yet, but his father needed time to adjust and accept it, so he decided to give him that heads-up.
There was a long silence from Liang Chen. Then he asked a few casual questions, sighed, and warned his son to be careful—not to fall for some scummy Alpha.
After all, there’d been the Zhou Jiapeng incident before. Even though he trusted Liang Yan’s judgment, he couldn’t help but worry:
“This partner of yours… are they from our university? Which department? How much do you really know about him?”
Liang Yan thought about it. Ji Qiu did fit those criteria. “Yes. I know him fairly well.”
Hearing it was a student from his own university, Liang Chen pressed on: “What year? Good grades? Well, never mind that—how’s his character? His temper? If you two quarrel, will he let you have your way? Yan Yan, don’t be too stubborn yourself. If something’s wrong, you must tell Dad, don’t bottle it up. Oh, is your partner male or female?”
Liang Yan hadn’t expected such nagging. “…Male.”
“Is he good-looking? Well, if you like him, he probably isn’t too bad… No, wait, looks aren’t everything. The most important thing is that he’s a good person.”
Liang Yan started regretting bringing it up so early. “…He looks alright.”
“Just alright?? Then his other qualities must be outstanding. Especially his personality…” Dean Liang rambled on, intending to give an example. “Like Xiao Ji—his temperament is excellent. Don’t mind that he’s an Omega. He’s very capable, and I hope you’ll spend more time around him—”
Liang Yan considered how his father might react if he knew he and Ji Qiu had “spent time” in bed together.
Hearing his father still lecturing, he cut him off: “Dad.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll bring him home this weekend to meet you.”
Back in the bedroom, Liang Yan plugged in his phone and fluffed the pillows.
Although the apartment had two bedrooms, Ji Qiu hadn’t earned the right to sleep in the other one—his mischief had actually decreased since moving in. So for days now, they’d been tangled up sharing the same bed. After all, it was bigger than the dorm bed, and they didn’t have to worry about being overheard.
Ji Qiu had been on good behavior recently—clingy, but proper.
Receiving permission, he hugged Liang Yan, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and said softly, “Okay.”
Then he heard Liang Yan ask, “Are you free tomorrow?”
Still busy snuggling in his hair, Ji Qiu nodded eagerly. “Mm-hm.”
“Come home with me.”
“Oh, sure,” Ji Qiu thought it was just as a student of Dean Liang, joining for a meal. That role he could play well—he was confident Dean Liang wouldn’t suspect a thing.
Then came Liang Yan’s next sentence, which nearly froze him solid:
“I told my dad I’d bring my partner home.”
!!!
???
Ji Qiu instantly turned into a statue at the bedside. He didn’t hug, didn’t kiss—just stood motionless for a full three minutes.
“Stunned?” Liang Yan poked his arm. “What are you afraid of? My dad actually likes you.”
Not the same at all!
Ji Qiu was sure Dean Liang would tear him apart on the spot.
“Yan Yan wuwuwuwuwu…” This time Ji Qiu wasn’t acting cute—he was genuinely scared, clutching Liang Yan and trembling.
“What?”
“I’m scared QAQ.” He tried to get some comfort.
“Oh.” His Omega was utterly unsympathetic, just giving a cold reply.
“Exactly,” Liang Yan added. “After all, you were personally recommended by my dad. You’re still working in his research group, aren’t you?”
“No…” Ji Qiu answered truthfully. “Dean Liang was on a business trip. He just came back, so he hasn’t called me in yet.”
“Good, that gives him some buffer time.” Liang Yan nodded solemnly. “Otherwise, seeing you every day would make it even more of a battlefield.”
“…QAQ.”
Ji Qiu looked utterly defeated. Please stop talking.
Liang Yan tilted his head and glanced at Ji Qiu, noticing that the Alpha looked as if he were marching bravely toward death. It was as if he had already mapped out the entire process of how he would die inside his head—brows furrowed, lips trembling slightly, looking genuinely nervous.
So Liang Yan put away his playful thoughts and stood up to ruffle his hair.
Ji Qiu was still slumped on the bed, letting him do as he pleased.
Suddenly, Liang Yan found him irresistibly cute.
How surreal—an Omega like him actually finding his Alpha cute.
But he never dwelled on such things. Leaning in, he cupped Ji Qiu’s face and pressed a kiss to his still-trembling lips. “You’re really that scared?”
No kidding.
Right now Ji Qiu just wanted to self-destruct.
“I really am that scared, QAQ!”
Just imagine—he’d been praised by Liang Chen for so long, held up as a model Omega. And now to find out his student had been sleeping with his son, deceiving him for so long—what father could possibly accept that?
Just as Ji Qiu’s thoughts spiraled, he was suddenly pulled into Liang Yan’s arms.
He was sitting on the bed while Liang Yan stood, and since Ji Qiu was tall, when Liang Yan hugged him, Ji Qiu’s head rested right against his waist.
His Omega’s movements were gentle—fingers lightly brushing through Ji Qiu’s hair and over his ear, arm wrapped around his back, patting softly.
Ji Qiu’s breath was uneven, warm against Liang Yan’s waist. It seemed to tickle, making him shiver instinctively, yet he still didn’t let go.
And not only that—
He even quietly released a little pheromone to help calm him down.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Liang Yan said. “I didn’t tell him about my condition. I just called him earlier—KB has already started sending reps to hospitals to promote the drug.”
“My dad’s a fair man. Maybe we can seek his help. That’s why I decided to tell him. What do you think?” Liang Yan continued, still patting his back.
“I know you’ve been busy these past two days,” he added. “I want to do something too. Don’t shoulder everything alone.”
You’ve given so much already, and yet every day you still try to cheer me up.
Liang Yan ruffled Ji Qiu’s hair again. “Hmm?”
And the Alpha in his arms finally reached out, slowly, and hugged his waist back.
He said, “Okay.”
A faint trace of pheromone spread through the small room.
He knew his Omega was soothing him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Holding him, feeling his warmth, Liang Yan suddenly remembered when they first met.
Back then he’d been foolish—knowing something was off but still insisting on going to the anatomy building, only to be locked in the third anatomy room by Zhou Jiapeng.
He hadn’t been particularly afraid, even worrying more about the specimens.
But Ji Qiu had quickly found him, chatting with him while saying he could definitely become an excellent surgeon.
Later, when he accidentally fell asleep, Ji Qiu had leaned against the door, releasing pheromones to comfort him.
So pheromones really are a strange thing.
Sometimes they’re a sorrowful chain—people hate them, see them as inescapable instincts that force submission to another, nothing more than nature’s decree.
But other times, they’re gentle.
Released little by little, they can convey words that can’t be spoken aloud, precisely and tenderly.
Telling him: I’m here. Don’t be afraid.
The next day, when Liang Yan woke up, Ji Qiu was already standing at the wardrobe picking out clothes.
Seeing Liang Yan open his eyes, Ji Qiu walked over, kissed him, and smiled. “Did I wake you?”
“No.” Liang Yan rubbed his eyes, puzzled. “Dinner’s later. Why are you picking out clothes now?”
Ji Qiu’s face stiffened. “You don’t get it! This time I’m not meeting a teacher—I’m meeting my father-in-law!! Completely different level! I have to put myself together properly.”
When Liang Yan heard him suddenly say “father-in-law,” his brows twitched. He sat up and started dressing. “Then pick. Hopefully you’ll be done before lunch.”
Naturally, he wasn’t.
By the time they realized, they had skipped lunch. Ji Qiu suddenly hated every piece of clothing he owned, so he consulted Lai Qiutong—who had a decent sense of fashion—for advice. After getting some outfit suggestions, he dragged Liang Yan off to the mall in a rush.
Watching his determined, going-into-battle expression, Liang Yan couldn’t help but find it funny. Rarely, he didn’t tease him, instead saying gently, “Don’t be nervous.”
Ji Qiu, resolute as ever: “I can do this! I can! I’ll just buy a new set!”
Liang Yan let himself be pulled along. “Mn.”
After a few steps, Ji Qiu suddenly turned back. “Yan Yan.”
“Uncle Liang doesn’t have violent tendencies, right?”
Liang Yan was momentarily thrown off by the odd question. “Of course not.”
“Mm.” Ji Qiu nodded, then muttered under his breath, “So it’s not hereditary after all.”
“Hm?” Liang Yan raised a brow. “Didn’t catch that. Say it again.”
“I said my Yan Yan is the gentlest in the whole world!” Ji Qiu quickly corrected.
Liang Yan chuckled softly and let it go.
If joking around a little could ease the tension, then that wasn’t so bad.
Even though Ji Qiu clung to Liang Yan and acted coquettishly all the way, what was meant to come still couldn’t be avoided.
Liang Yan’s home was quite far, and this time they didn’t take the bus and subway slowly like the first time Ji Qiu had gone there. Ji Qiu was terrified that his carefully crafted perfect image would be ruined by the crowded subway or bus, so he carefully ordered a high-end private car to take them to the destination.
The whole way, Ji Qiu didn’t even dare open the car window, afraid the evening breeze might mess up his freshly styled haircut.
Watching the whole thing, Liang Yan was thoroughly entertained.
Seeing how much Ji Qiu was suffering, Liang Yan eventually felt too sorry for him to keep teasing. He caught Ji Qiu’s hand and said, “It’s really fine, don’t be afraid.”
Ji Qiu stiffly nodded.
The experienced driver could tell at a glance that they were off to meet the parents, and he kindly encouraged, “First time, huh, young man?”
“Mm… mm.”
The driver looked at them through the rearview mirror and smiled. “Don’t be nervous, there’s always a first time for everything.”
Ji Qiu gave an awkward laugh. “…Thank you, sir.”
The driver noticed their interlocked hands and kept chatting: “And really, there’s nothing to worry about. There aren’t many Omegas these days, and you two look so well-matched… oh, you’re a little taller than him? That’s no problem at all. Just look, your Alpha clearly dotes on you—nothing’s going to go wrong.”
The more he spoke, the happier he got, completely unaware of his misunderstanding.
Ji Qiu felt despair wash over him. For the first time in his life, he actually had the urge to grab someone by the collar and shout, I’m the Alpha! Look properly!
But with the current situation, he had no energy to care about correcting it. He simply collapsed into Liang Yan’s arms in resignation. “Yan Yan!! What do I do!!”
Liang Yan wanted to pat his head like last night, but remembering how Ji Qiu had taken extra care with his hairstyle today, he withdrew his hand and just patted his shoulder instead. “It’s fine, really.”
The driver chuckled. “See? Your Alpha really knows how to comfort you…”
Ji Qiu froze in place, lifeless.
Might as well let Yan Yan finish him off here. End it all.
But Liang Yan wasn’t angry, nor did he correct the driver’s misunderstanding about secondary genders. Instead, he went along with it: “Of course. After all, my Omega is clingy and knows how to act cute.”
The clingy, coquettish Ji Xiao Qiu: “……”
Whatever. So be it.
Half an hour later, Liang Yan helped Ji Qiu stand in front of his house.
“Stand up straight,” Liang Yan said while fishing for the keys in his bag. The Alpha beside him looked as if his legs had gone weak, clinging to him lifelessly.
“Let me lean just a little longer,” Ji Qiu said with tragic determination, “let me savor the peace of life one last time.”
“Sure. When we come out later, I’ll take you straight to the crematorium,” Liang Yan replied.
“Yan Yan QAQ…” Ji Qiu instinctively whined again. Liang Yan sighed, just about to say something, when Ji Qiu suddenly leaned over and kissed him carefully on the lips.
Ji Qiu must have been truly nervous—he didn’t even get the position right, just brushed the corner of his lips.
“Alright, I’m ready to die now.” Ji Qiu clasped his hands together solemnly. “I can do this! I can!”
But before he could lower his hands, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Liang Chen, having heard movement at the door, couldn’t sit still any longer and came to open it himself.
The door opened—and instead of strangers, there stood his own son and… his student.
“Xiao Ji?” Liang Chen hadn’t expected Ji Qiu to be here. He thought to himself, As expected of the child I value so much—even Yan Yan trusts him deeply.
Indeed, a promising student. Liang Chen looked at Ji Qiu with satisfaction. Dressed in an outfit balanced between casual and formal—a long coat paired with a fine sweater and black slacks—his hairstyle fresh and neat, he looked spirited and impressive.
Ji Qiu had always dressed casually in sneakers when working in the lab. The sudden change in style was refreshing.
But something seemed off today. Ji Qiu appeared too nervous to even look him in the eye.
Ji Qiu cleared his throat before greeting, “Good… good evening, Uncle Liang.”
“No need to be so polite, this isn’t your first time here,” Liang Chen warmly welcomed him in, his eyes full of approval.
Truly a good kid.
Still, Liang Chen couldn’t help glancing around.
Didn’t his son say he was bringing his partner home today? Why were there only the two of them?
Could it be something came up and he decided to postpone?
If Yan Yan didn’t bring him, there must be some special reason. Liang Chen asked, “Yan Yan, didn’t you say yesterday… you’d be bringing your boyfriend home?”
Liang Yan nodded. Instead of answering right away, he calmly changed into his slippers and led the completely stiff Ji Qiu into the house.
Liang Chen was still watching him.
Under his father’s questioning gaze, Liang Yan held Ji Qiu’s hand and spoke calmly:
“Boyfriend? I brought him.” He gestured to his father’s prized student. “It’s him.”
Dean Liang, suddenly shaken to his core: ???
He recalled overhearing rumors in the lab not long ago about a “double-O couple.” The students had been gossiping eagerly, but every time he appeared, they’d fall silent.
He had assumed they thought he was too old-fashioned, too conservative to accept such unusual orientations.
He’d even thought at the time, I’m a kind father, an open-minded dean—I know the importance of tolerance.
But now, looking back… so all along, the reason they kept quiet was because the protagonists of those rumors were his own son??
Liang Chen took a deep breath, but still…
He was drafting a script in his head.
He first tried to adjust his own mindset, then thought about how he should respond.
Dean Liang was afraid that if his emotions showed too much, Liang Yan would be hurt. After all, since his son was willing to bring someone home, it must mean he truly liked them and had even made preparations for this moment.
Liang Chen even began rehearsing lines in his mind: telling his son it was fine, that homosexuality wasn’t an illness, and as long as he was sure about it, Dad would still love him.
But before he could say a single word, he heard Liang Yan finish the sentence himself—dropping the final, heaviest punch right in front of him.
“Ji Qiu, he’s an Alpha.”
“……”
Liang Chen suddenly remembered the things he’d said earlier when he had called Liang Yan.
If the person only looked average, then their personality must be good—they must know how to treat others well. Ideally, someone like Ji Qiu…
Don’t be fooled by the fact that he’s an Omega; Dad admires him very much…
Dean Liang looked at his son, then at the proud protégé he had personally guided, standing right beside him.
A man who had always been healthy, Dean Liang suddenly felt his blood pressure rising, and his chest tightening.
His precious son seemed to have anticipated this very scene. He pulled a small bottle of medicine from his pocket and handed it over:
“Dad, do you need nitroglycerin? Remember, take it sublingually.”
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