ABO: A Debt to Repay - Chapter 10
Evening study sessions at school were optional. Since Xu Xi was the kind of person who could study effectively anywhere, she chose to go home and continue studying there.
But just as she arrived home that afternoon, Aunt Wang told her that He Lin would be taking her out for dinner that evening.
Xu Xi waited for a while, and soon He Lin called, asking her to come downstairs.
As soon as Xu Xi got into the car, He Lin glanced at her school uniform and asked, “Why didn’t you change clothes?”
Xu Xi looked puzzled. “Why should I? Is it a formal occasion or something?”
He Lin chuckled and shook his head. “No, it’s fine. You can dress like that.”
He Lin wasn’t usually drawn to Omega aesthetics, but if he ever invited someone to a meal—regardless of the setting—they would typically dress to impress, down to every strand of hair. No one ever came this casually dressed.
But Xu Xi was still young and innocent. That kind of simplicity? He Lin found it irresistible.
He took Xu Xi to a high-end restaurant. Only when they reached the door did He Lin finally mention, “You’ll be meeting two of my friends. They’re easy to get along with—just say hi and be yourself.”
“…Alright.”
Inside the private room, Xu Xi saw two men—one with a baby face, the other tall and muscular, with a mature and manly aura. Both had striking features and a charismatic presence.
“He Lin, is this the Omega you mentioned? He’s adorable! Hello there! I’m Su Huaizhi, and this muscle man next to me is Du Wenfei.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Xu Xi.”
The baby-faced man, Su Huaizhi, had a youthful charm that made him look like a high schooler. He reached out to shake hands with Xu Xi, but He Lin smacked his hand away.
Su Huaizhi didn’t mind and simply raised an eyebrow at Xu Xi, teasing, “Tsk, someone’s possessive. Looks like he really likes you!”
Like? They’d only known each other for a few days—how could it be that serious?
Xu Xi was self-aware enough not to overthink it. After greeting the two men, she quietly took a seat next to He Lin.
With everyone seated, they began ordering food. As the only Omega at the table, Xu Xi naturally became the center of attention.
He Lin placed the menu in front of Xu Xi and asked gently, “What do you feel like eating? Order whatever you like.”
There were outsiders present, so Xu Xi felt a little awkward. She glanced at the menu and said, “Uh… anything’s fine.”
He Lin didn’t insist. He just picked a few dishes himself—all of which happened to be Xu Xi’s favorites.
Xu Xi glanced at him, touched by the thoughtfulness. He Lin met her gaze with a smile and gently ruffled her hair, drawing a few more teasing remarks from Su Huaizhi.
Embarrassed, Xu Xi offered a sheepish smile. Thankfully, they didn’t tease for long. Soon, He Lin and his friends started talking about things Xu Xi didn’t really understand.
With the food not yet served, Xu Xi decided to take out her vocabulary book to study. Unexpectedly, this caught Su Huaizhi’s attention again.
“Wow, such a diligent student! Is the college entrance exam coming up?”
“Uh… yes.”
Su Huaizhi patted He Lin on the shoulder and said, “Back in the day, our dear President He was the top scorer in all of A City. If you’re studying, you should ask him for help! Don’t waste the opportunity!”
Xu Xi looked at He Lin in surprise. He Lin smiled and said, “What? Don’t believe me?”
Xu Xi shook her head, still stunned.
He Lin continued, “Guess I never mentioned it before. Now you know. If you have any tough problems, send them to me. I can tutor you when I have time.”
At that, Xu Xi’s eyes lit up like stars.
Su Huaizhi chuckled, “Your Omega is really something else!”
“Of course,” He Lin said, a note of pride in his voice—happier than if the compliment had been directed at himself.
Su Huaizhi and Du Wenfei exchanged a glance.
He Lin’s expression wasn’t one of someone treating his Omega like a temporary plaything. If anything, the affection ran deep.
The expensive dishes at the restaurant were worth every cent. Xu Xi couldn’t help indulging—by the end, her stomach was a bit bloated and uncomfortable.
Su Huaizhi and Du Wenfei wanted He Lin to join them at a bar afterward, but He Lin declined and left early with Xu Xi.
In the car, He Lin saw Xu Xi rubbing her stomach and gently pulled her closer.
He placed his large hand over Xu Xi’s, the warmth of his higher body temperature spreading to Xu Xi’s slightly distended belly as he slowly and soothingly massaged it.
It felt so good that Xu Xi didn’t pull away. She leaned back in her seat, relaxing into the comfort.
Seeing her close her eyes like that, He Lin felt like he was petting a well-fed kitten—soft, content, and completely at ease. His heart melted.
By the time they got home, Xu Xi had already fallen asleep on He Lin’s shoulder. He Lin carried her inside with uncharacteristic tenderness, so gently that Xu Xi didn’t wake until the next morning.
When she woke up, she was genuinely surprised she had never slept that long before!
Fortunately, she hadn’t left any homework unfinished the night before. But… how had she gotten home?
After she washed up and stepped out, Aunt Wang solved the mystery.
“Last night, sir carried you home, ever so carefully. That man really knows how to take care of someone!”
Xu Xi: “…” That kind of comment was usually said about married couples. Were they…
Well, maybe in Aunt Wang’s eyes, she and He Lin already seemed like a couple.
And truth be told… He Lin had been very good to her.
Xu Xi mentally recited a classical Chinese passage to shake off the lingering fuzziness. But when she got to school, she immediately sensed something was off.
Classmates kept sneaking glances at her. Some even stared outright and whispered to others. Xu Xi was confused, until she caught sight of Zhao Yuran, who was watching her with eyes full of challenge.
Then she remembered what Zhao Yuran had said the day before:
“You just wait.”