Her Pheromones Smell Like Sparkling Water (GL) - Chapter 11

Shang Ranzhu’s smile, which she had been preparing for the crew, gradually disappeared from her face. She stared at Shen Tingjun, fuming on the inside.

Meanwhile, Shen Tingjun was perfectly composed. She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked up to Ranzhu with natural grace. “Let’s go.”

“…Mm.” Ranzhu nodded stiffly.

The words had already been said—there was no taking them back now, right?

The two walked side by side, and neither of them said much. Shang Ranzhu walked fast, and since she was wearing flat shoes, her pace was faster, while Shen Tingjun, in heels, gradually followed her from behind.

The sound of high heels echoed unevenly against the ground as she tried to keep up. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting light on the pavement and stretching Shang Ranzhu’s shadow far ahead of her.

Eventually, Shen Tingjun couldn’t keep up. She came to a stop on the stairs, alone, accompanied only by that distant, fading shadow.

Panting softly, she called out, “Shang Ranzhu.”

“What?” Ranzhu turned around with her hands in her pockets; her tone was cocky and careless.

One stood at the top of the stairs, cold and elegant. The other leaned casually on the bottom railing, haughty and defiant. Their opposing auras clashed in the air like sparks flying between them.

Dark clouds swallowed the last sliver of sunlight, draping the path in shadow.

Shen Tingjun liked it. Her voice was soft as she said, “Wait for me.”

Ranzhu saw something sharp flash in Shen Tingjun’s eyes. It wasn’t a request—it was a command. Yet for some reason, she didn’t feel like disobeying.

“Fine. I’ll wait,” she said.

Shen Tingjun placed a hand on the old stair railing, her heels knocking steadily against the stone steps—dull, deliberate.

Ranzhu watched her approach, her graceful figure slowly closing the distance.

Something stirred in Ranzhu’s chest—an unreasonable, reckless desire.

She wanted this woman. Wanted to conquer her. To make her yield.

Shen Tingjun stopped in front of her. “You were walking so fast—do you even know where you’re going?”

Ranzhu shook her head. “Nope.”

She said it boldly, without shame. Shen Tingjun’s lips twitched. She reached out and hooked a finger through the chain bracelet on Ranzhu’s wrist.

“Then walk slower and follow me.”

Shang Ranzhu was led along. Shen Tingjun’s cool fingertips brushed the back of her wrist—half cold and half warm. The closeness felt excessive and almost flirtatious.

She yanked her hand and said, “Hey, isn’t this… inappropriate?”

“Hey?” Shen Tingjun stopped walking and gave her a sharp look.

Ranzhu was about to snap back, but just then, the wind picked up, lifting the faint trace of Shen Tingjun’s scent—the one she usually kept carefully suppressed.

Standing downwind, Ranzhu had no chance to react. The scent spread and hit her senses hard. Within seconds, she gave up.

“…Miss Shen.”

Shen Tingjun smiled and looked clearly satisfied. She let go of Ranzhu’s bracelet. “A little one should remember their manners.”

For the rest of the walk, Ranzhu obediently followed behind Shen Tingjun. Her hands were in her pockets, looking thoroughly deflated.

It was the first time she’d lost in a pheromone standoff, and she was stewing about it.

How could she be so easily overpowered by Shen Tingjun?

She needed to win this back. No matter what.

They were still heading toward the building where the production team had scheduled a meeting. In the distance, they saw Director Xu Yiren walking toward them slowly with a small group of staff.

Seeing Ranzhu and Shen Tingjun together, Xu Yiren grinned and teased, “Oh? You two came together? Bit late though. We’ve already wrapped up the meeting. What were you off doing?”

Shen Tingjun ignored the teasing and asked, “Did you finalize the locations?”

Xu Yiren clapped her shoulder, friendly as ever. “All set. You two just rest today. We’ve got a dinner gathering on the rooftop tonight—don’t be late.”

“Okay,” both Shen Tingjun and Shang Ranzhu nodded.

“Oh right,” Xu Yiren added, “we’re short on rooms this time. You two are sharing one.”

Upon hearing what the director said, the temperature on the path suddenly dropped down.

Shen Tingjun didn’t even finish sending her update to Andy before freezing in place.

“You’re kidding, right?” Ranzhu asked flatly.

“Nope. “We are also squeezing four people into a room.”

The men around Xu Yiren all nodded in agreement.

“Enrollment season was starting. There were more freshmen this year. We just have to make it work,” he said in a soothing tone.

Neither of the two women showed any reaction to him. Both fell silent, one with ice in her gaze and the other with fire, staring straight at him. Xu Yiren shifted uncomfortably under the pressure.

“Oh come on,” he said, trying to joke his way out, “don’t be embarrassed just because of all that ‘Double Alpha Doomed Romance’ stuff online.”

Embarrassed?

Director, how thick is your CP-tinted filter? Where do you see awkwardness between me and Shen Tingjun? This is pure hostility, okay?

Ranzhu cursed inwardly.

“Are you sure there’s no way to get one more empty room?” Shen Tingjun asked.

Shang Ranzhu nodded too, backing Shen Tingjun up. “Yeah, yeah. In fact, I would even be willing to take a room at the end of the hall. Haunted, cursed, whatever.”

Xu Yiren’s hair practically stood on end. A cold sweat broke out down his back. “Ranzhu, don’t joke like that. This is already the best I could arrange for you two. Your dorm is the largest of all. Just be grateful, okay?”

Hearing that, Shen Tingjun sighed softly. She knew the director had tried his best. She gave in. “Understood. You can go now.”

Xu Yiren didn’t wait for her to change her mind—he bolted, dragging his crew with him.

A layer of gloom lingered under Shen Tingjun’s eyes, but she quickly brushed it away. Lifting her head, she looked at Ranzhu. “Shall we?”

Ranzhu looked like she’d just witnessed a betrayal.

Who gave her the right to decide for both of them?

Who agreed to share a room?

Shen Tingjun, seriously? You’re a rich heiress from the Northeast. Could you please exert some influence or show off your wealth?

Noticing Ranzhu’s resentful expression, Shen Tingjun didn’t bother hiding her own thoughts anymore. She laid it out: “I know you really don’t want to stay with me. Trust me, the feeling is mutual.”

Hearing it straight from her lips hit differently. Ranzhu didn’t know why, but those words struck something deep inside. Her chest tightened—she actually felt a little… hurt.

“This is the best outcome we’re going to get,” Shen Tingjun continued. “All we can do now is accept it. We will establish a clear boundary for the next month or so of training. Don’t invade each other’s privacy, and don’t interfere in each other’s lives. That’s the best solution I can offer. Agreed?”

Yeah. What’s done is done. There’s no point in fighting reality.

And Shen Tingjun didn’t seem like the unreasonable or messy type.

They’d probably be able to get through the fifty-some days without any drama.

“…Okay.”

Having come to an agreement, they dragged their suitcases over to the dorm building.

It was a pretty standard four-person dorm—bunk beds up top and desks below. On the desk by the entrance sat stacks of sparkling water bottles, and Ranzhu immediately recognized them as the ones from her family’s fried chicken shop.

She was a little moved. Liu Lihua had actually prepared this for her.

I love you, Mom!

Just as she was about to crack one open for a taste of home, Shen Tingjun snatched it from her hand. “We agreed—don’t touch each other’s things.”

“…Excuse me?” Ranzhu blinked. “That’s my family’s product. When did it become yours?”

“It’s compensation—deducted from the over ten thousand bottles of sparkling water you owe me.” As she said it, Shen Tingjun pulled out a recording from her phone.

It was the drunk call from the other night. Ranzhu’s own voice echoed from the speaker.

Her shame meter spiked to the max. “Y-You were recording?!”

“You ruined one of my dresses. I deserve some form of compensation.”

Shen Tingjun said it calmly while opening the bottle. She took a sip, her pale red lips glistening with droplets. Her throat moved gently with each swallow.

Ranzhu’s eyes unconsciously followed the motion, trailing down to Shen Tingjun’s neck and shoulder.

She was dressed casually today—just a white shirt with a few buttons loosely undone, revealing a smooth shoulder and delicate collarbones. She exuded a sense of coolness, elegance, and temptation.

Maybe Shen Tingjun noticed that she was looking. She tugged at her collar slightly. “Which bed do you want?”

And just like that, those pretty collarbones vanished. So stingy.

Ranzhu answered with a bit of regret, pointing lazily. “That one.”

“Alright. Then I’ll take the one opposite. Let’s use the middle floorboard crack as the vertical line and the bed frames as the horizontal axis. That’ll be our personal territory.”

Ranzhu watched as Shen Tingjun gestured, amused. Honestly, her plan was pretty solid. “Fine by me.”

Shen Tingjun added, “Now for the important part. We’re training in the classroom every morning at eight. There’s only one sink in the bathroom, so we’ll have to schedule morning routines to avoid conflict.”

Ranzhu didn’t object. “I always cut it close in the mornings. I’ll go last.”

“Will one hour be enough?” Shen Tingjun asked.

“Plenty.”

“Then I’ll finish everything before seven. I won’t use the bathroom after that.”

Ranzhu thought about how Shen Tingjun would have to wake up more than an hour earlier than her. She felt quite pleased and gave her a smug little thank-you. “Thanks, Miss Shen.”

Shen Tingjun looked up and saw that smug little expression. Ranzhu was humming to herself as she packed, completely satisfied with this tiny win.

So easily pleased, Shen Tingjun thought.

Just a little concession is enough to make her happy.

Shang Ranzhu had been in boarding schools all her life. She had a knack for organizing small spaces. In no time, she unpacked everything.

Feeling a little generous, maybe even guilty—about Shen Tingjun waking up so early, she decided to help out.

She tiptoed over, silently weaving between boxes, and appeared beside Shen Tingjun.

“Need a hand, Teacher Shen?”

Ranzhu moved like a cat, not making a sound.

By the time Shen Tingjun heard her voice, she was already standing right there. At that moment, Shen Tingjun had been trying to stash away her box of suppressants. She panicked.

Her footing slipped, and she fell backward.

Ranzhu reacted fast, catching her around the waist.

Now the quiet room held two people that were pressed together.

Awkwardness flickered between them—but so did something else.

Ranzhu’s faint creamy-sweet scent curled around Shen Tingjun, shaking her composure and plucking at the strings of her self-control.

Shen Tingjun tried hard to suppress the heat rising inside her, along with the wave of weakness caused by the scent. Her whole body felt numb and weightless. If not for Ranzhu’s arm holding her up, her legs would’ve given out completely.

She couldn’t even push Ranzhu away.

And just then, Ranzhu chuckled softly with a voice that’s sultry and teasing. Her lips curled into a slow, wicked smile—like a flame burning with endless desire—and whispered into her ear:

“Teacher Shen, your face is so red… You really do look like an Omega.”