Baby, You Should Break Up with Him - Chapter 5

On the basketball court.

 

 

Thump—

 

 

A Wilson basketball bounced off the ground, only to be deftly intercepted and hooked back by a large hand. Looking up, one would see a handsome face, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes.

 

 

Under the LED court lights, his beautiful blond hair shimmered as it lifted with his movements. It was easy to imagine that if this alpha’s animal form were some kind of canine, the tail behind him would be wagging like a propeller about to take off.

 

 

Feng Wen, dressed in his basketball uniform, was taking small sips from a straw. As he passed Shen Che, he commented without looking at him, “Your scent is too strong, A Che”—just like a puppy in heat.

 

 

Shen Che, having been called out, just chuckled, unconcerned. With a backward slap, he passed the ball to a teammate.

 

 

Pheromones were like an alpha’s emotional scale. Some could hide them without a single leak; others were full of holes.

 

 

Feng Wen could smell Shen Che’s jubilant canine scent in the air.

 

 

“Xuyan said he’d come. Have you seen him?” Shen Che’s gaze swept repeatedly over the spectator stands, which were already about seventy or eighty percent full. He scanned past a large crowd of faces that looked like a mosaic, his eyes pausing for a noticeable moment on one particular spot before quickly looking away.

 

 

Seeing this, Feng Wen glanced over. Sure enough, in the spot Shen Che avoided like the plague, a black-haired beta sat obediently, holding a bottle of water and smiling gently, seemingly chatting with a friend.

 

 

“No,” Feng Wen said flatly, looking away and bending down to set his water bottle on the floor.

 

 

“How could this be?” Shen Che, not giving up, scanned the crowd several more times but still couldn’t find the person he was looking for. He muttered to himself in disappointment before following Feng Wen to line up with the team.

 

 

At 7:00 p.m. sharp, the practice match officially began.

 

 

Under the LED lights, sneakers squeaked sharply against the wooden floor, accompanied by a dazzling display of dribbles, slides, and steals… The hoop roared continuously as the score kept updating.

 

 

Shen Che was exceptionally active, racking up points like a peacock displaying its tail feathers. In the final 5.7 seconds, he twisted his body to an incredible height in mid-air, executed a reverse layup, and sent the ball smoothly into the basket, sealing the game’s outcome.

 

 

The sharp sound of the final whistle tore through the air. The scoreboard froze at 105 to 65. The overwhelming victory sent the entire stadium erupting into thunderous cheers.

 

 

Jin Ling shrieked and nudged the remarkably calm Xie Zhizhi beside her, her face flushed as she asked, “That was so cool! Hey, Zhizhi, when are you going?”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi thought for a moment. “A little later, maybe?”

 

 

And so, the two of them sat there until the crowd began to disperse.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi dawdled, carrying a bottle of electrolyte water as he made his way through the crowd toward the court.

 

 

The first person to see him was Feng Wen.

 

 

At that moment, he had just taken off the slightly sweat-dampened cooling towel from his face. His gaze swept around and locked onto the black-haired beta not far away. He reached out and patted Shen Che’s shoulder.

 

 

“Someone’s here for you.” After speaking, Feng Wen took a few steps away with his own water bottle and straw, leaning against the basketball hoop and taking small sips.

 

 

“Xuyan? Where?” Shen Che turned his head at the words. The happy expression that had just appeared on his face vanished less than two seconds later when he saw who it was.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi, who was being so obviously treated differently, secretly rolled his eyes. After a few silent words of self-reassurance, he stood obediently in front of Shen Che.

 

 

The beta’s face shone with the most contrived, rapturous glow, as if he had been captivated by the alpha’s skills on the court. “Shen Che—” His voice rose like a cat’s meow.

 

 

“What do you want?” Shen Che was impatient.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi stared straight at him. “You were amazing today, Shen Che. So handsome.”

 

 

Shen Che glanced him up and down, replying coolly, “Oh. If there’s nothing else, you can go.”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi displayed just the right amount of dejection. “I… I came to bring you some water. I’ll leave right after.”

 

 

The blue bottle of electrolyte water was offered forward with both hands, the beta’s bright, dark eyes overflowing with anticipation. “I picked this one especially. I know you like it.”

 

 

Perhaps the beta’s gaze was too scorching, or perhaps it was because the person he’d been waiting for hadn’t shown up, but after a few seconds of cold scrutiny, Shen Che, for once, didn’t spit out a “get lost.” Instead, he slowly raised his arm to take the bottle.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi smiled obediently and added in a slow voice, “The Old Master wants us to go home for the weekend. Is that okay?”

 

 

Shen Che frowned. “The week—”

 

 

Thump—

 

 

Before he could finish, a sudden, loud thud of something heavy hitting the floor cut him off.

 

 

Everyone present instinctively stopped what they were doing and followed the sound. Not far away, Wen Xuyan stood with a deathly pale face. The several bottles of electrolyte water he had been holding were scattered on the ground. One of them, completely tactless, rolled forward until it was stopped by the toe of Xie Zhizhi’s shoe.

 

 

Anyone with eyes could see that the current scene was a total train wreck, and an extremely awkward silence fell over them.

 

 

A few seconds later, Wen Xuyan ran off without a backward glance.

 

 

Shen Che’s hand, which had been reaching for the water, froze awkwardly mid-air. Staring at the omega’s fleeing back, he yelled, “Xuyan!” and hastily chased after him.

 

 

And just like that, the two main characters at the center of this love triangle made a swift exit, leaving only the black-haired beta standing there, arm outstretched, looking utterly stunned and out of the loop.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi glanced at the water bottle that had failed to be delivered, then at the backs of the two who had already disappeared. He silently retracted his arm and awkwardly rubbed his fingertips together.

 

 

The forums were definitely going to be lively tonight.

 

 

Everyone on the court busied themselves, trying to act casual. Sensing someone standing beside him, Xie Zhizhi looked up and saw Feng Wen’s intrigued profile.

 

 

“Now what?” Feng Wen said, looking with him toward the exit. “You’ve doomed him.”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi blinked, almost thinking that Wen Xuyan was the one with the marriage contract.

 

 

Not that he particularly wanted it, anyway.

 

 

Not knowing what to say, Xie Zhizhi gave a few dry laughs. “If I’d known he was coming, I wouldn’t have.”

 

 

Feng Wen stated calmly, “If you were really told not to come, you wouldn’t have been happy either.”

 

 

This conversation was really going nowhere.

 

 

Silently twisting open the cap, Xie Zhizhi politely offered the bottle to the side, changing the subject. “Want some?”

 

 

Feng Wen raised an eyebrow and lowered his gaze.

 

 

Under the lights, the beta’s hand holding the bottle appeared even more well-defined, with a lustrous sheen.

 

 

The blue liquid inside the bottle sloshed with the movement. Connecting this to what had happened before, Feng Wen couldn’t help but think of the rejected matcha-flavored Pocky—the two situations were practically identical. Now, here was a bottle of water, also rejected by Shen Che.

 

 

He had the bizarre feeling that he was like a pet owner cleaning up after his dog.

 

 

“Never mind, then.” Getting no response after a long moment, Xie Zhizhi was about to retract his question.

 

 

Feng Wen let out a laugh. Just as the offer was about to be withdrawn, he naturally reached out, took the bottle, and, to be polite, tilted his head back and took a swig. “Thanks.”

 

 

 

Night fell.

 

 

Back in the classroom, Xie Zhizhi opened his phone to browse his unread messages. The sender was Zhang Siyi.

 

 

SYY: My dearest money tree, waiting for you at the usual spot tonight.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi replied helplessly: I have to watch the basketball game; how could I make it? No Can Do.

 

 

SYY: Just come hang out for a bit. If you just show up as our mascot, my revenue will double. I’m begging you, big bro will cover your drinks for life Kiss Kiss

 

 

Xie Zhizhi thought about it and decided it was a good deal. He typed: It’ll have to be later then White Cat OK.

 

 

He pocketed his phone, fished a power bank out of his drawer, and stared into the darkness for a while before slowly getting up.

 

 

To get to Shang Huan, he’d have to go back to An Huan Wan to change. Xie Zhizhi made a rough calculation and started walking toward the west gate again.

 

 

The west gate was in the opposite direction of the dorms. Along the way, he occasionally saw a few young couples out for a stroll.

 

 

Since he was just going to be a mascot, Xie Zhizhi, for once, didn’t think about anything and simply enjoyed the evening breeze.

 

 

Along the path, his shadow on the ground stretched long and then grew short, repeating this back and forth for some time. It wasn’t until he was passing near Han Cui Lake that a hand suddenly shot out and grabbed his wrist with lightning speed.

 

 

A powerful force pulled him into the shadows—

 

 

Shen Che’s face was dark and grim. His left hand gripped Xie Zhizhi’s wrist, dragging him further in, while his right held a half-smoked cigarette.

 

 

A long ash had formed on the end. Seemingly finding it a nuisance, he irritably tossed it to the ground and crushed it out with his foot.

 

 

“A Che?” Xie Zhizhi hadn’t expected to run into him here. He struggled slightly, but the alpha didn’t budge.

 

 

Shen Che dragged him to a deserted corner and unceremoniously shoved him onto a bench. The hard wood slammed painfully against his flesh. Xie Zhizhi sucked in a breath, but before he could get up, Shen Che’s tall frame loomed over him, leaving no room for escape.

 

 

The intense pressure made Xie Zhizhi press his lips together nervously as he slowly leaned back.

 

 

Shen Che braced one hand on the back of the bench and the other on the armrest, looking down at him with a frigid expression. His amber eyes were stripped of any warmth, casting a look of utter contempt and disgust upon the beta’s face beneath him.

 

 

The air was thick with a heavy, woody pheromone. At such a close distance, even a beta with a degenerated vomeronasal organ could faintly smell it.

 

 

A rabid dog.

 

 

“Shen Che.” Xie Zhizhi clenched his fists discreetly.

 

 

Shen Che didn’t notice.

 

 

The corner of his mouth pulled up into a sharp arc. Facing his fiancée in name, Shen Che spoke without a shred of courtesy.

 

“Are you a fucking masochist, Xie?”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi’s pupils contracted.

 

 

“Didn’t I warn you to get the hell away from me?” Shen Che grabbed Xie Zhizhi’s chin, the force strong enough to leave a deep red mark on his skin. “I really don’t get it. You used to be able to stay far away. Why are you getting so close now?”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi’s lips trembled. “I…”

 

 

Shen Che had no desire to listen. He jerked his chin up roughly, forcing him to swallow his words.

 

 

His gaze was chilling as he continued to twist the knife. “Is it because the Xie family is on its last legs?”

 

 

“So they’re sending you, their beta son, to a man’s bed, hoping you’ll sleep with someone generous enough to bail you out? And you’re eagerly coming here, begging to be fucked, is that it?”

 

 

His eyes roamed over him as if inspecting merchandise, before he let out a sneer.

 

 

Slap—

 

 

The beta beneath him swung his hand.

 

 

It was fast and hard. Shen Che, a top-tier alpha, didn’t even have time to react before his head was snapped to the side. A sharp numbness spread across his face, followed by a fine, stinging pain.

 

 

His eyes widened in disbelief. Frowning deeply, he turned his head back, grabbing the beta’s chin and yanking him inches closer.

 

 

“Are you crazy?”

 

 

The usual obedient and gentle expression on Xie Zhizhi’s face was gone. Now, his expression was incredibly cold as he stared right back at him, enunciating each word. “You’re the one who’s crazy.”

 

 

“Didn’t I ask you, Shen Che?”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi’s chest heaved uncontrollably. After taking two seconds to try and calm himself, he licked his lips, coating their dry surface with a layer of moisture before suddenly retorting, “Years ago, I had someone ask you about breaking up amicably. What did you say?”

 

 

“What?” Shen Che paused, confused.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi let out a soft laugh. “Have you forgotten?”

 

 

He reminded Shen Che in a calm tone, “You told Bai Xi that I was very beautiful, with a good family background, and that I looked like I would differentiate into an excellent omega. It was a sure-win deal, so there was no need to go to your grandfather and ask for trouble.”

 

 

As soon as he finished, Xie Zhizhi was satisfied to see Shen Che’s expression turn frosty, as if he had just remembered something.

 

 

To be fair, Xie Zhizhi was indeed very beautiful.

 

 

Even now, wearing large, black-framed glasses in a vain attempt to hide it, with his bangs hanging smoothly over his forehead, at such a close distance, one could see the young man’s handsome yet sharp features in their entirety.

 

 

Xie Zhizhi asked him mockingly, “Remember now? Weren’t you a willing party? Oh—and I even went to your grandfather, whining and begging to be let off the hook. What did you say then?”

 

 

Shen Che’s grip on his hand tightened. Xie Zhizhi could even see the alpha grinding his teeth in resentment, causing a small muscle to bulge in his jaw.

 

 

His chin throbbed with pain, but Xie Zhizhi just sneered. “You’ve completely forgotten, haven’t you?”

 

 

After a long moment, Shen Che suddenly let out a low laugh, looking at him coldly. “So what? The sight of each other disgusts us now, doesn’t it?”

 

 

But Xie Zhizhi denied it. “How could that be? I never said that.”

 

 

“But let me remind you, Shen Che.” Xie Zhizhi raised a hand to press against Shen Che’s wrist, pushing him away as he stated calmly, “We can certainly get married. But the best solution would be for you to go back to the family estate, kneel, and beg your grandfather to forgive your youthful recklessness. Beg him to let you off the hook—”

 

 

The light was dim.

 

 

The two remained in a standoff, not saying a word. As time passed, the already stagnant atmosphere completely froze over.

 

 

The dense, woody pheromones flooded the air with an abnormal frenzy, as if announcing that the alpha’s patience was about to run out. If an omega were pinned beneath him at this moment, they would have long since been driven into a daze. Xie Zhizhi, however, only felt his sinuses becoming congested and uncomfortable.

 

 

Shen Che ground out through his teeth, “Sooner or later, I will…”

 

 

Bzz—

 

 

His words were cut short.

 

 

The phone, which had slipped onto the bench during the rough shove, vibrated and lit up. Both of them looked at it.

 

 

It was a text from Song Huanqing.

 

 

Bring A Che back for dinner, Zhizhi.

 

 

Another one followed immediately.

 

 

Don’t throw a tantrum. Be good.

 

 

In the long, oppressive silence, the phone screen went dark.

 

 

Shen Che tilted his head as if he were a kindergartener who had just won something. Then he leaned in close to the pale-faced Xie Zhizhi and said in a low voice, “Xie Zhizhi, don’t throw a tantrum. Be good.”

 

 

He cruelly reminded him of certain facts, one word at a time. “It seems your mother is really, really anxious.”

 

 

Xie Zhizhi’s nose twitched. He looked at Shen Che in disbelief, suspecting that the other man’s dog brain had malfunctioned and gone completely insane.

 

 

The pheromones in the air were so thick that even he, a beta, felt dizzy.

 

 

“Are you fucking…” crazy?

 

 

He couldn’t get the words out. The pheromones rushed in, seeping through every pore.

 

 

Shen Che also felt that he wasn’t acting normally, but he still couldn’t stop himself from lifting the man’s chin higher, until it was a taut line, and saying cruelly, “She really is anxious, isn’t she? So, can you handle it, Xie Zhizhi? Is it really okay if we get married?”

 

 

The overwhelming pheromones enveloped him. The suppressed beta twitched uncomfortably like a fish just pulled from the water, looking quite pitiful.

 

 

Shen Che’s heart skipped a beat, but it still wasn’t enough. He said cruelly, “Without an alpha’s pity or affection, and with the glands you need to withstand an alpha’s pheromones already degenerated, don’t you think it will hurt even more?”