He is not my Alpha! - Chapter 7
Saturday morning at 8:00 AM at B City subway station.
Shang Yan, who had gotten up quite early, was very curious why they absolutely had to go to A City’s library. Although the subway ride was only an hour and a half, B City also had a library.
He looked at Ji Yifei next to him, who was still wearing his long black down jacket, wrapped up like a caterpillar.
Shang Yan silently thought to himself that this person was truly afraid of the cold. The two of them met up at the subway station, and after a simple greeting upon seeing each other, they were essentially silent the entire time.
Ji Yifei was standing next to him, fiddling with his phone, abnormally quiet. Shang Yan glanced at him. Ji Yifei looked up, met Shang Yan’s eyes, recalled that he hadn’t explained anything yet, and said, “I also made plans with other people today.”
Shang Yan: “???”
Shang Yan’s heart immediately started to churn silently, as if something he had looked forward to for a long time was suddenly interrupted.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke again, “How many did you invite?”
As he asked this, Shang Yan silently clenched the corner of his clothing, afraid to hear “one person” from Ji Yifei’s mouth, which would mean he would suddenly become the one tying his shoelaces and being abandoned in a three-person “friendship.”
Ji Yifei: “Two, from No. 1 High School. The second and fourth place from the last joint exam.”
Shang Yan’s OS: Are the second and fourth place from the last monthly exam two Alphas or two Omegas…
Shang Yan subconsciously adjusted his glasses, and the subway arrived.
He and Ji Yifei found seats and sat down.
Ji Yifei’s seat was not ideal; next to him was an A (Alpha) who reeked of smoke.
It’s common knowledge that AO (Alpha/Omega) bodies are different. Although Ji Yifei had a good build, he was indeed a few centimeters shorter than Shang Yan.
The smoke-reeking Alpha looked at the high school Omega next to him, and his body started to get restless. Ji Yifei could feel that the middle-aged man next to him kept leaning over.
To be precise, he was leaning onto Ji Yifei.
Haha, Ji Yifei hated this kind of old pervert the most. He usually fought back directly against such scumbags.
Just as he was about to pinch the man’s thigh, Shang Yan stood up, pushed Ji Yifei into the outermost seat, and took Ji Yifei’s original seat, giving the man a look.
Any Alpha would understand that expression. It was telling him: “This is my Omega. Touch him and you’ll go see the Omega Protection Association!”
That Alpha definitely didn’t expect high school students to start dating so early. Compared to himself, who hadn’t done anything, wasn’t it also illegal for a minor to be with an Omega?
Shang Yan would never have guessed that the Alpha would curse him to fail in pursuing the Omega he liked.
Perhaps Shang Yan’s look made the seat feel prickly, as the Alpha stood up and got off at the next stop. Suddenly, there was no one next to Shang Yan and Ji Yifei.
Ji Yifei was holding a book that he had casually picked up from the bookshelf at home, planning to kill time on the subway.
He saw Shang Yan was also staring at him, and feeling that Shang Yan must also be bored, he placed the book between them and flipped to the first page.
Shang Yan glanced at the title, held back a laugh, and read the title aloud: “On the Self-Cultivation of a Reserved Omega?”
Ji Yifei’s face immediately flushed as he closed the book. Perhaps because the book was thick, the sound was a bit loud, and the people around them all turned their attention to Ji Yifei and the copy of On the Self-Cultivation of a Reserved Omega in his hand.
At that moment, an innocent little child tugged at her mother’s sleeve and asked:
“Mommy, what is that book?”
Evidently, her mother didn’t know how to answer.
In fact, On the Self-Cultivation of a Reserved Omega was a book every Omega had read.
To be precise, it was about how Omegas who were looking for a partner should interact with different types of Alphas while maintaining rationality and composure.
You could also interpret this book as teaching you how to find an Alpha suitable for you.
Sadly, this book was completely useless for Ji Yifei, a sophomore Omega who had just turned adult not long ago and whose scent gland hadn’t fully developed.
The little girl’s mother could only use “You’ll know when you grow up” to put off her daughter.
Ji Yifei, on the other hand, wished he could find a hole to crawl into. Looking at the “certain someone named Shang” next to him who was holding onto the handrail and trying hard to stifle his laughter, Ji Yifei really wanted to kick the person out!
Just as Ji Yifei was thinking about which method to use to assassinate “a certain Shang,” his phone rang.
Ji Yifei had to put away his murderous thoughts towards Shang Yan.
Shang Yan silently perked up his ears to listen to the voice on the phone. The person must also be a male sophomore, probably “bickering” with the other boy on his end.
Listening a little closer, the two seemed to be deciding what to eat.
Ji Yifei couldn’t stop laughing at the interaction between the two people on the other end of the phone, but he couldn’t laugh out loud on the subway, so he had to bite his own hand while listening.
Shang Yan saw that his hand was covered in teeth marks, and coupled with Ji Yifei’s fair skin, the marks were accompanied by a patch of red.
By the time Ji Yifei’s “self-abuse” ended, the subway was one stop away from their destination. Shang Yan and Ji Yifei both stood by the doors, holding onto the handrail.
Perhaps because the “self-abuse” was a bit severe, Ji Yifei struggled to grip the bar.
He quietly looked towards Shang Yan on the other side.
Shang Yan was looking down at his phone, a Bluetooth earphone visible on the side of his head. Today, he was wearing a coffee-colored sweater and a cream-white down jacket. Perhaps because he was an Alpha, his bone structure had already matured to be similar to an adult’s. Paired with his silver-rimmed glasses, Ji Yifei could clearly feel the temperature of his own face rising.
Perhaps he had been staring for too long, as Shang Yan noticed and turned to look at Ji Yifei.
At that moment, the subway train emerged from the tunnel. The winter sunlight streamed onto the two teenagers, making them appear exceptionally bright in the carriage.
Shang Yan walked over, held the bar with one hand, and grasped Ji Yifei’s recently “self-abused” hand with the other.
Surprisingly, Ji Yifei didn’t resist.
The two remained like that until they reached the platform. People were walking out, changing positions, but the hands that were held together did not change.
Shang Yan couldn’t understand why he did this. His face was getting redder and redder. He felt like he was about to catch fire in the middle of winter.
Meanwhile, Ji Yifei’s mind was full of: Is Shang Yan a first-time subway rider who needs someone to hold his hand and accompany him…?
Shang Yan’s blush didn’t last long. Perhaps because they were both too focused on walking outside, they accidentally bumped into someone.
Actually, they didn’t completely bump into them. To be precise, just as they were about to collide, the person opposite them was pulled back.
“Watch where you’re going,” a low male voice came over.
“Oh, I know, I know! Don’t pull my hat… Ji Yifei!” Ji Yifei and Shang Yan both looked up and saw the two people in front of them.
From the moment he heard the voice, Ji Yifei was ready to rush forward for a hug. The person opposite was the same; upon seeing Ji Yifei, he also opened his arms, ready to embrace him.
Ji Yifei shouted, “Wan Dong!”
Well, they didn’t manage to hug. The two were “forced to pull apart.”
Ji Yifei and Chen Wandong, one with his arms crossed and the other with his hands on his hips, watched the two who were shaking hands.
Shang Yan extended his hand and said, “Hello, I’m Shang Yan, Ji Yifei’s classmate.”
The boy opposite him shook Shang Yan’s hand, nodded politely, and replied, “Nice to meet you. I’m Xiao Hese, Chen Wandong’s Alpha.”
Perhaps because they were both Alphas, Shang Yan could feel the other person briefly releasing his pheromones, as if to assert his status. Not to be outdone, he also released a bit of his own pheromones, demonstrating that his pheromone level was roughly the same as the other person’s.
Xiao Hese sensed the pheromones. There weren’t many Alphas with a similar level to his these days. He raised an eyebrow and re-examined the person in front of him: Tall and not unattractive.
Xiao Hese pursed his lips and lowered his head. When he looked up again, his arm had consciously wrapped around Chen Wandong, who was chatting happily with the person next to him, pulling him into an embrace.
Shang Yan looked at this gesture, which could be called a display of affection, glanced at Ji Yifei, and silently lamented in his heart: “Isn’t this just bullying single people?”
Fortunately, at this moment, Chen Wandong, nestled in Xiao Hese’s arms, interjected with “When are we going to eat!” and Ji Yifei’s “I’m hungry too,” which timely pulled the two from their unspoken tension.
As they walked up from the subway exit, Chen Wandong naturally held Xiao Hese’s hand. Ji Yifei and Shang Yan walked side-by-side next to them. Four grown men walking abreast attracted some attention from passersby. Chen Wandong didn’t like this feeling, so after a few words with Xiao Hese, he consciously looped his arm through Ji Yifei’s.
Ji Yifei was slightly taller than Chen Wandong and naturally looped his arm back. Chen Wandong chattered happily next to Ji Yifei like a little puppy. The path they were originally taking to the library now turned into a path to a restaurant.
Xiao Hese followed behind with his hands in his pockets. Because Chen Wandong and Ji Yifei were walking side-by-side, he had to fall back and walk side-by-side with Shang Yan.
“Are you two… together?” Shang Yan asked, starting a conversation.
Xiao Hese replied with a simple “Mm.” His eyes were fixed on Chen Wandong ahead. His gaze was like an invisible string tethering Chen Wandong, giving him freedom only within his line of sight. The Alpha’s possessive gaze made Shang Yan feel a chill.
“What about you two?” Xiao Hese asked.
Shang Yan glanced at the Omega in front of him, silently mocked himself, and said, “No, I’m just here purely for studying.”
The Alpha next to him responded with a “Hah,” and said nothing more. Shang Yan mentally labeled this Alpha as “aloof.”
They had no further conversation on the way, but the two people in front chattered the whole time. Since it was still a bit early, they casually found a dessert shop by the side of the road and each ordered a dessert.
Shang Yan and Ji Yifei ordered taro balls, and Chen Wandong ordered a red bean dessert. The few of them started eating.
Xiao Hese sat next to Chen Wandong, his gaze still fixed on Chen Wandong. Ji Yifei saw all these looks and silently lamented the terror of being in love.
The two of them talked about recent school gossip. As they chatted, Chen Wandong suddenly leaned in and asked, “What’s up with the person next to you…?”
“Huh?” Ji Yifei replied.
Chen Wandong gave him a look as if he were an idiot, leaned in a little more, also glanced at the Alpha next to the person opposite them, and then spoke again in a quieter voice, “You suddenly brought an Alpha out, what’s the meaning of this? Explain clearly, what’s your relationship?” After saying that, he deliberately widened his eyes, showing an expression that implied he would never forgive Ji Yifei if he was hiding something.
Ji Yifei let out an “Aiya,” leaned back, pointed a finger at the person next to him, cleared his throat, and adopted a serious posture as he answered, “This person is No. 4 High School’s heartthrob, the first in his grade, and currently, our relationship is ‘deskmates’.”
His candidness stunned Chen Wandong. Shang Yan was also clearly stunned by Ji Yifei’s action, and he raised his hand and gave a “Hi?” to the two people opposite him.
The three people at the table fell silent. Ji Yifei then added, as if adding a final blow, “We’re just simple friends, don’t overthink it.”
…
The atmosphere at the table grew even more awkward. Chen Wandong laughed twice to smooth things over, then pulled Xiao Hese up and suggested they go to the library, bringing the incident to an end.
On the way to the library, Shang Yan’s expression was strangely off. Ji Yifei realized that Shang Yan was in his Alpha special period these two days, and might have special feelings for a recently-marked Omega. His previous statement might have made Shang Yan feel a bit hurt.
So, on the road, he quietly dropped back next to Shang Yan, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “It’s alright, Shang Yan. I said that for those two to hear. Our relationship, you know.” After saying that, he couldn’t help but laugh heartlessly twice.
Shang Yan felt like he had been stabbed twice in the heart, and the bl00d could splatter 100 meters away…
What does “you know” mean? Are they just friends with benefits?
Shang Yan smiled without saying anything, and adjusted his glasses again.
When the few of them arrived at the library and found a spot, they immediately opened their books and started studying.
Although they had been delayed earlier, their grades were all excellent, so they quickly got into the zone once they picked up their pens.
Ji Yifei looked at the math test paper in front of him, and his head immediately started to hurt.
He couldn’t solve it at all… He silently raged in his heart, but his hand didn’t stop, continuously spinning his pen. He had specifically followed tutorials and practiced for one semester in the ninth grade just to look cool by spinning his pen during an exam.
Although others viewed him as cheating during the actual exam.
He was suffering alone and remembered that he had a “helper” who had come along today.
Shang Yan was sitting right next to him. He turned his head to look. The Alpha was writing on his test paper with his head lowered, his hand moving the pen. He had taken off his glasses at some point. Ji Yifei was mesmerized. He seemed to understand a little how this person was named the school heartthrob.
The pen in his hand spun faster and faster, and something else also sped up.
“Swoosh.” A sound interrupted Ji Yifei’s gaze. Before he could pull his eyes back, a pen flew over, leaving a blur.
It hit the person opposite him’s hand perfectly.
Shang Yan looked at the extra pen on his desk and raised his head to look at the opposite side.
The person he had just been staring at suddenly looked up and met his eyes. Ji Yifei blushed a little. He felt like the library was a bit warm. He lowered his head and pretended that nothing had happened. Anyway, they were in the library now, so Shang Yan couldn’t do anything to him.
In a spot he couldn’t see, the Alpha was momentarily happy in his heart, and the corner of his mouth also curled up. He picked up the pen and couldn’t help but spin it a few times. If Ji Yifei had seen it, he would have noticed that the person’s pen-spinning routine was exactly the same as his own.
Ji Yifei lowered his head, trying to focus on the question in front of him, but Shang Yan’s raised gaze seemed to be engraved in his mind. The image kept flashing in his head. He understood that this was all a reaction brought about by the marking. But he was still a little… a little…
He heard his phone vibrate, opened it, and saw a message from “Shang Three Years Old.”
Shang Three Years Old: Don’t you want the pen?
Ji Ten Years Old: Yes. Send it over.
Ji Yifei looked up again, ready to take the pen, but found that the person opposite had no intention of sending it over. He watched the other person typing on his phone, and his own phone vibrated again.
Shang Three Years Old: Pay the custody fee.
Shang Three Years Old: Tsundere expression.jpg
“Huh?” Ji Yifei chuckled and typed back on his phone.
Ji Ten Years Old: Giving you one cent.jpg
A little while later, Ji Yifei got his pen back. He was once again certain of the compatibility between Shang Yan and this WeChat username.
The efficiency of studying in the library was fast. The four of them finished their homework quickly. Chen Wandong suddenly got a call saying his mom was back and left with Xiao Hese. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to complain to Ji Yifei for a while before Xiao Hese finally pulled him away.
Ji Yifei watched them bicker and joke. After their figures disappeared, he and Shang Yan were walking toward the subway exit when Ji Yifei suddenly said, “Falling in love is really scary. I definitely don’t want to fall in love.”
Shang Yan raised an eyebrow, turned his head, and asked, “Why?”
Ji Yifei lowered his head, following the rule of only walking three tiles per step, and replied, “Looking at how Wan Dong and Xiao Hese were, the thought of being in a relationship and being like them gives me goosebumps for some reason.” After saying that, he was quiet for a moment, then suddenly started to laugh.
Shang Yan couldn’t quite follow his train of thought, and he looked at the Omega, who was walking slightly faster than him, and asked, “What are you laughing at?”
Ji Yifei suddenly stopped, looked up, and met Shang Yan’s eyes. He answered, “I imagined what you would look like in a relationship. It must be hilarious.”