TAHDO Chapter 34

However, this subtle moment went unnoticed by the crowd of onlookers.

All they saw was that these two Omegas had gathered together again—clearly, their relationship was anything but ordinary.

Ji Qiu walked over with a bright smile. “I’m competing here. Are you heading to the library to study?”

Liang Yan hadn’t expected him to guess correctly, so he just hummed in acknowledgment. After a brief pause, he still added, “Good luck in the competition.”

Hearing this, Ji Qiu’s eyes curved slightly, and he nodded. “Thanks!”

The nearby discussions drifted by like a barrage of comments:

“Wuwuwu, I cheered for Qiuqiu, but he didn’t even hear me.”

“But as soon as Liang Yan says something, he responds immediately. Ugh, I’m jealous.”

“Don’t be salty. He’s Liang Yan. Who are you?”

“I’m unworthy! But I’ll still sincerely wish Qiuqiu the best!”

Liang Yan hadn’t realized Ji Qiu’s popularity was truly this overwhelming—he had just casually said “good luck,” and someone was already feeling envious.

He was about to say he’d continue to the library when, after hesitating for a while—perhaps due to Yin Tongguang’s expectant and curious gaze—he ended up asking instead, “Are there any seats left?”

Ji Qiu hadn’t expected Liang Yan to actually want to watch his competition. He nodded quickly. “Yes! If you’re coming, I’ll save two front-row seats for you.”

“Sigh, it’s over.”

“Even so, I still believe they are just purely friends. There can’t be anything more.”

“Ah…”

The envious crowd collectively mourned.

Meanwhile, Yin Tongguang, still somewhat confused, followed along into the clinical skills center to watch the competition. He was puzzled—weren’t they originally heading to the library to study? Since when did Yan Yan enjoy such noisy places?

But soon, he stopped thinking about it.

To make the event more exciting and to showcase the contestants’ true abilities, the competition used a battle-round format—tense and thrilling. Many of the questions were from textbooks, but their difficulty was beyond just flipping through the pages.

Liang Yan sat in the audience, answering the questions mentally as they were announced. More than once, before he could even think of an answer, the Omega on stage had already responded correctly—with both speed and accuracy.

With each new round, different contestants stepped up, but Ji Qiu was like a cheat code—no matter how tricky the question, he could always answer it. By the competition’s halfway point, his score was already far ahead of the rest, making him the clear first-place winner.

Gradually, the audience began to realize just how much knowledge he had.

“As expected of the S-Class elite, I can’t even compare.”

“Qiuqiu is too strong, too strong!!”

“This must be the difference between me and a top student—no, a genius.”

“And to think he’s an Omega! No wonder Dean Liang personally brought him into the lab. I’m done being jealous—I’m just too weak.”

“Why do I feel like this is a boss bullying a newbie? This is like a pro gamer crushing bronze ranks…”

Listening to the murmurs around him, Liang Yan couldn’t help but glance at the stage.

Ji Qiu’s pheromone level was already exceptionally high. Liang Yan’s own pheromone concentration was considered top-tier among Omegas, but Alpha physiology was naturally more adept at learning. And today’s performance wasn’t something an ordinary undergraduate could achieve—Ji Qiu’s true abilities must be even more formidable.

So this was why he had been involved in the development of the 3.0 suppressant?

Recalling his own strange bodily reactions after the injection, Liang Yan found himself growing curious.

Regardless, the Omega on stage had already secured his victory.

Before Liang Yan could look away, Ji Qiu’s gaze met his.

Perhaps because his mind was still occupied with various thoughts, Liang Yan’s eyes held a hint of confusion. When their gazes met, he was momentarily stunned.

Feeling slightly awkward, he intended to shift his gaze away, but then he saw Ji Qiu smile at him.

It was as if he were saying, See? With your encouragement, I became number one.

For the first time, Liang Yan saw a sharp confidence in him—an unhidden brilliance.

It was as if his secondary gender didn’t matter; he was dazzling regardless.

And, almost instinctively, Liang Yan didn’t look away.

Instead, he found himself—subtly, ever so slightly—curling his lips into a faint smile.

The competition ended with a long series of speeches and award ceremonies. Ji Qiu remained on the podium, occasionally waving at the crowd below.

But the room was packed and noisy, and Liang Yan found himself growing irritable. Lacking the patience to stay, he left early.

Just as he stepped outside, his phone rang—it was his father calling.

Today was his scheduled day to visit home. Liang Chen gave him an address, saying they wouldn’t be eating at home tonight. Instead, he was meeting an old friend he hadn’t seen in years, and Liang Yan should join them.

Liang Yan found it odd. Why did his father want him there when meeting an old friend?

But since he only returned home once a month, he didn’t refuse and arrived at the address on time.

It was a quiet and private restaurant. A waiter led Liang Yan to a private dining room, where three people were already seated inside.

“So this is Liang Yan?” One of them, a middle-aged man about the same age as Liang Chen, had a scholarly demeanor despite his years. He smiled and said, “I’ve heard your father mention you many times, but today is my first time meeting you.”

Liang Chen gestured toward the man. “This is your Uncle Jiang Qi, my best friend from school. He’s been doing research abroad for years and just returned.”

Liang Yan gave a slight nod. “Hello, Uncle Jiang.”

“And this is Uncle Jiang’s son, Jiang Xinglan. I’m not sure if you’ve met before—he’s from the neighboring Law University. Oh, and he’s an Alpha.”

Liang Yan politely inclined his head in greeting.

That person sat up straight, and when Liang Yan glanced over, they responded with a perfectly measured smile.

Jiang Xinglan had the kind of handsome face that made him look ready to debut as a celebrity at any moment. He wore a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose, adding a scholarly touch to his appearance. Everything about him—his features, physique, and even his taste in clothing—exuded an air of refined elegance.

He stood up and, in a gentlemanly manner, pulled out a chair for Liang Yan. Every movement was a display of impeccable upbringing.

Liang Chen exchanged a few more polite words with the other two, while Liang Yan remained silent.

“Yan Yan is always like this—just a little quiet.” Liang Chen, knowing his son’s personality well, made this comment both to smooth things over and to subtly shift the conversation away from Liang Yan.

“Not at all. A quiet personality is wonderful—unlike my son, who’s always making a fuss.” Jiang Qi made a polite remark, and Jiang Xinglan cooperated with a small, apologetic smile.

He certainly seemed like someone with both high emotional intelligence and intellect.

Throughout the meal, Liang Yan didn’t have much of an appetite, but out of respect for his father, he sampled a bit of every dish.

Just as he was about to set his chopsticks down, the door to the private dining room opened again. A server entered with a smile, carrying another plate. “Your dessert.”

Liang Chen blurted out, “Didn’t we already get everything we ordered? And this…”

The server hesitated for a moment, about to explain, when the young Alpha beside them chuckled and spoke first.

“No, Uncle Liang. I added this just now when I stepped out,” Jiang Xinglan said.

Everyone instinctively turned to look at him.

“I noticed that Liang Yan didn’t have much of an appetite, so I did a quick check. This place is known for its desserts, and they’re supposed to be quite good.” Jiang Xinglan adjusted his glasses and smiled warmly. “I thought he might like this dish better. The portion is small, so he can just give it a try.”

The server, relieved that someone had spoken up on her behalf, gave Jiang Xinglan a grateful bow before exiting the room.

Jiang Xinglan placed the elegantly presented dessert in front of Liang Yan. “Want to try it?”

Liang Yan’s expression didn’t change much, but he still nodded. “Thank you.”

Regardless of anything else, the dessert did taste pretty good.

During the meal, Jiang Qi and Liang Chen eventually drifted into a discussion about research. Since they were both in academia, the conversation quickly gained momentum and became difficult to rein in.

After discussing public projects, they moved on to industry trends, and from there, the topic shifted to students.

“Speaking of students, I made a special exception this time and brought a sophomore into my project,” Liang Chen said, unable to resist mentioning his prized student. “The kid is outstanding—an incredibly good person, enthusiastic, and, most importantly, smart. Last time, I kept him late for an experiment, so I just brought him home to meet Yan Yan. They’d make great friends.”

Liang Yan silently took another bite of his dessert.

The mention of Ji Qiu brought back memories of the first time he had come over to his house.

He was fine, Liang Yan supposed—maybe a little too enthusiastic at times.

As for being smart?

Liang Yan suddenly recalled how Ji Qiu, before revealing his identity, had gone on and on about what a “great older brother” he was.

…Maybe his brain wasn’t entirely in order.

Beside him, Jiang Xinglan picked up the conversation at just the right moment. “Uncle Liang, you speak so highly of him that I’d like to meet him too.”

“You’re interested? He’s an Omega, very outgoing. He and Yan Yan are friends now. Next time there’s an opportunity, I’ll have them introduce you,” Liang Chen, still completely unaware of the full story, eagerly promoted his student.

Jiang Xinglan smiled with perfect poise, even the curve of his lips seeming well-practiced.

He certainly knew how to charm elders.

The dinner dragged on due to the two old friends catching up. They even indulged in a bit of light drinking as the conversation flowed.

Jiang Qi arranged for a designated driver for his old friend and was on the phone sorting out the details.

“Yan Yan, do you…” Liang Chen, knowing he couldn’t drive after drinking, was about to ask if Liang Yan wanted to go home with him.

Sensing where the conversation was headed, Liang Yan shook his head. “I have to go to the library tomorrow morning. I’ll just walk back to my dorm.”

The restaurant wasn’t far from campus—about a ten-minute walk.

“Dad, you should head back early. I’ll take care of myself.”

Standing there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, Liang Yan spoke in the crisp autumn night air.

Liang Chen thought about it for a moment. The nearby streets were relatively busy, so he decided it should be safe enough. “Alright.”

Just then, Jiang Qi finished his call and returned, only to hear his son speak up.

“I’ll walk Liang Yan back,” Jiang Xinglan offered. “A short stroll after dinner is good for digestion, and I can head back to campus afterward too.”

After the pleasant dinner conversation, Liang Chen had already developed a favorable impression of this junior. Seeing that he was offering to escort his son, he felt even more at ease. He nodded approvingly. “If it’s not too much trouble, then thank you, Xiao Jiang. Oh, Yan Yan, do you have enough inhibitors?”

Since taking a few from Liang Chen’s office last time, Liang Yan hadn’t asked for more.

He nodded calmly. “I have enough.”

“Good, then.”

The designated driver arrived quickly. To put his father’s mind at ease, Liang Yan agreed to let Jiang Xinglan accompany him back.

Jiang Xinglan was, without a doubt, a man with excellent boundaries. He picked a few light topics for conversation, making sure there were no awkward silences even when Liang Yan didn’t respond. Since he was the son of his father’s old friend, Liang Yan occasionally replied, and the atmosphere remained passably pleasant.

Fortunately, the walk from the restaurant to campus wasn’t long. Before long, they arrived at the dormitory building, where Jiang Xinglan stopped and waved. “I’ll head back now. See you around. It was nice meeting you tonight.”

Everything about his words and gestures was perfectly appropriate. Liang Yan, maintaining his politeness, expressed his gratitude. “Thanks for the trouble.”

“It was no trouble at all.” Jiang Xinglan smiled. “Having dinner with an outstanding Omega like you and walking you back—it’s my honor.”

Liang Yan didn’t react much to that comment; he simply nodded and went upstairs.

True to his gentlemanly nature, Jiang Xinglan remained in place, watching Liang Yan’s figure disappear into the dormitory before finally turning around and leaving campus.

By the time Liang Yan returned to his dorm, he felt utterly exhausted. He greeted Yin Tongguang briefly before heading into the bathroom.

When he came out after showering, Yin Tongguang was lying on his bed playing on his phone. Suddenly, he spoke up, “Yan Yan, did you see Jiang Xinglan from the law school today?”

Liang Yan was briefly amazed at how fast Yin Tongguang always got the latest news. “My dad’s friend’s son. We had dinner, and he insisted on walking me back. Why?”

“Nothing much. Someone saw you two and started talking about it.” Yin Tongguang sounded displeased. “What’s with these people? They just love making pointless comparisons.”

Although he enjoyed gossip, Yin Tongguang always remained fairly neutral. Curious, Liang Yan asked, “Comparing what?”

“Well…” Yin Tongguang hesitated before saying, “Jiang Xinglan is really popular in the law school. People say he’s their most desirable Alpha. And now some folks, with nothing better to do, are comparing him to Sister Lai, wondering who’s more impressive… But seriously, what’s the point of comparing a male Alpha to a female Alpha!?”

After making his point loudly, Yin Tongguang muttered under his breath, “And even if they do compare, Sister Lai obviously wins. Tsk.”

Seeing Yin Tongguang’s indignant expression, Liang Yan found it amusing.

Thinking it over, Jiang Xinglan was indeed flawless in many ways. But…

“I agree with you,” Liang Yan said lightly. “She gets my vote too.”

Seeing that Liang Yan also supported his goddess, Yin Tongguang was thrilled—indeed, a great roommate!

So he blurted out, “Great! I support you and Ji Qiu too!”

Liang Yan: “…?”

“Oh, no,” Yin Tongguang quickly corrected himself upon realizing his slip of the tongue. “I didn’t mean anything else. Just now, people were debating whether you look better with Ji Qiu or Jiang Xinglan, and of course, I’d pick you and Ji Qiu.”

“Besides, we should keep good things within our own school. Even if Ji Qiu is an Omega, he still belongs to our university—we can’t just hand him over to the neighboring law school,” Yin Tongguang said with a strong sense of loyalty.

Liang Yan remained silent.

His situation with Ji Qiu… He wasn’t sure how long he could keep it a secret, or whether he should even tell Yin Tongguang.

The days of late autumn always seemed to drag on. After that meal his father took him to, several long days passed.

That day, after class, Liang Yan walked out of the lecture hall alone. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw the person who had last escorted him back to the dormitory.

Jiang Xinglan had been waiting there for an unknown amount of time. He stood straight, his elegant posture unaffected by the stream of students filing out of the building. It was as if just by standing there, he commanded his own presence.

Some students, unfamiliar with his face but noticing his striking appearance, began whispering.

Liang Yan actually wanted to pretend he hadn’t seen him, but Jiang Xinglan had sharp eyes. The moment he spotted Liang Yan in the crowd, he immediately approached him with a smile.

“Class just ended?” Jiang Xinglan attempted to take Liang Yan’s books like a gentleman, but Liang Yan shook his head in refusal.

They weren’t that heavy—no need to be overly courteous.

Liang Yan looked up at the Alpha before him.

Jiang Xinglan was slightly taller than him, dressed in a stylish black trench coat with a sleek, minimalistic design. Combined with his naturally handsome features, it was no wonder he was considered a standout Alpha in the law school.

“I came here with a friend today,” Jiang Xinglan explained casually. “I figured you’d be having class around this time, so I asked around for your classroom and decided to wait for you.”

Liang Yan said nothing.

Just as he was about to take a step forward, a familiar voice suddenly called out from the side.

“Yan Yan—!”

Ji Qiu appeared out of nowhere, clutching a stack of books as he greeted Liang Yan.

Since their last competition, their relationship had somewhat improved. As long as Ji Qiu didn’t act overly dramatic when they were alone, Liang Yan could still tolerate him.

Without realizing how much his bottom line had lowered, Liang Yan gave a small nod.

That said, they were still deliberately keeping a bit of distance. Ji Qiu didn’t lean in as he used to, instead maintaining a proper social space while speaking to Liang Yan. “Class just ended?”

“Mm.” Liang Yan didn’t feel like talking much.

He had a sudden, inexplicable urge—he didn’t want Ji Qiu to see him walking together with Jiang Xinglan.

However, Jiang Xinglan had already noticed. He politely asked, “And this is?”

Liang Yan replied indifferently, “The student my father mentioned last time.”

Jiang Xinglan paused, recalling the Omega Liang Chen had described as kind, cheerful, intelligent, quick-witted, and enthusiastic…

Well.

That wasn’t exactly wrong.

It was just that…

Jiang Xinglan looked at the Omega in front of him—clearly good-looking, but with rather expressive features. His personality seemed a little too animated.

Liang Yan rubbed his forehead.

Meanwhile, it was peak time after class, and more and more students were streaming out of the building. With these three standing there, all particularly eye-catching, they inevitably attracted attention.

Both Ji Qiu and Liang Yan were already campus favorites for gossip, and now, with an elegant and unfamiliar man joining them, the onlookers grew increasingly excited.

“Who’s the guy with glasses?”

“Wow… With that outfit and that face, I can already imagine an entire ‘refined scoundrel’ character.”

“You don’t know? That’s Jiang Xinglan from the law school.”

“Ohhh, I think I’ve heard of him. He’s an Alpha, right? Kind of on the same level as Lai Jie at his school.”

“Wait, could it be that he’s fallen for Ji Qiu too? Ah! No wonder, our little Qiu Qiu is irresistible!”

“Hold on, why do I feel like he’s standing closer to Liang Yan?”

“True… Though they do look good together, I’m still rooting for my ‘forbidden ship’.”

“???????”

“It’s the Yan-Qiu cult.”

“Give it up—two Omegas have no future.”

Although the three of them couldn’t hear the gossiping crowd, Jiang Xinglan didn’t seem inclined to waste much time here.

Watching Liang Yan head toward the dormitory, Jiang Xinglan followed behind him.

He had assumed Ji Qiu would leave.

But not only did Ji Qiu stay, he naturally walked up beside Liang Yan.

And Liang Yan didn’t refuse, even shifting slightly to make room, as if worried about crowding him.

Jiang Xinglan recalled what Liang Chen had mentioned—that these two got along well. It wasn’t surprising for two Omegas to be close.

Jiang Xinglan had always respected Omegas, but for some reason, an inexplicable sense of unease crept up whenever he looked at this particular “Omega.”

Hopefully, he was just overthinking.

“By the way, Liang Yan,” Jiang Xinglan adjusted his glasses, looking for a topic. “I remember Uncle Liang mentioning something about inhibitors during dinner the other day.”

Liang Yan responded with a nonchalant “Mm.”

“I think inhibitors are a brilliant invention,” Jiang Xinglan said confidently. Like Liang Chen, he seemed to hold a positive stance on Omega rights. “They solve the biggest issue Omegas face and grant them greater autonomy—because personally, I detest the idea that Omegas must be marked or mate during their heat.”

At the last word, Liang Yan’s brow furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Even though Jiang Xinglan wasn’t wrong.

“Humans are meant to progress, and inhibitors perfectly facilitate that progress. If we remain shackled by biological instincts, how could we ever achieve great things?”

“You’re not wrong,” Ji Qiu, who had been listening the whole time, suddenly spoke up. His tone was innocently curious, almost playful, as he asked, “But what if some Omegas are naturally incompatible with inhibitors? Does that mean they don’t deserve achievements or autonomy?”

Bringing up such a question in this setting almost seemed like a deliberate challenge.

Jiang Xinglan was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his composure. “Of course not. But that’s no reason to stop striving for progress. Biology is important, but surpassing it and reaching greater heights—that’s the true meaning of progress.”

“Oh.” Ji Qiu responded lightly after Jiang Xinglan’s entire speech. Whether he actually absorbed any of it was unclear.

Liang Yan remained indifferent, and Jiang Xinglan didn’t seem offended.

“I booked a table at a restaurant nearby,” Jiang Xinglan slowed his pace, his lips curving into a perfectly practiced smile—the kind that made many Omegas blush and their hearts race. “Would you do me the honor?”

Liang Yan stopped in his tracks.

Jiang Xinglan was indeed an excellent Alpha, but his first instinct was still to refuse.

Noticing his hesitation, Jiang Xinglan was about to say something else when, in the blink of an eye, a figure darted forward at lightning speed.

Before anyone could react, that figure had already latched tightly onto Liang Yan’s arm.

Ji Qiu clung to him, his voice sorrowful, almost tearful, yet resolute—like a fierce Omega refusing to bow down to a tyrant.

“No! Yan Yan and I already planned to go to the North District cafeteria to buy crab roe soup dumplings!”

Liang Yan: ?

Since when did they plan that?

Jiang Xinglan looked at them, clearly puzzled.

Ji Qiu tilted his head back, as if embracing his fate, and declared with unwavering determination:

“Yan Yan is mine!”

“…My best sister!”

Liang Yan’s expression twitched slightly as he looked down at the person suddenly clinging to his arm.

Great.

A sudden grave relocation.

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