I Am Not a Scummy Alpha (GL) - Chapter 1

“Gu Qiu, why do you only cling to Lin Jinzhu?…”

It was October, the weather had long turned to autumn, and the temperature had dropped.

At Svir Academy, the European-style buildings of the academic halls displayed both grandeur and technology. In a classroom of one of the buildings, the anatomy instructor was explaining the knowledge points for the semester.

“In the new calendar year 459, humans were affected by the environment, causing genetic changes. To adapt, some individuals’ bodies began secreting certain hormones. From then on, human genders gradually transformed…”

“In the new calendar year 1023, the Alpha, Beta, and Omega gender classifications were established, and the concept of pheromones was born. The research institute discovered a certain strong-to-weak connection between genes. Based on this research, the Imperial Capital government classified pheromones into different grades…”

“Studies show that the higher the pheromone compatibility between two people, the easier it is for them to attract each other. It can be said that pheromone compatibility is one of the important criteria for choosing a partner.”

This anatomy class was an elective that had only started last week. The instructor’s content was very basic—physiological knowledge that every citizen of the Imperial Capital had known since they were a few years old. Few people in the audience were listening attentively; most were daydreaming.

Gu Qiu was no exception; she was spaced out.

She sat in a window seat. The window was half-open, letting a cool breeze blow in. She was only wearing a light jacket, and her slightly curled hair, tied in a half-waterfall ponytail, draped over a small part of her shoulder as she moved. An exquisite and elegant rose earring dangled from her earlobe.

But the usually vibrant Alpha looked somewhat listless today.

Xu Wenyue was sitting next to her. Seeing her friend’s unusual state, she asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Hearing the question, Gu Qiu lifted her eyes briefly but quickly let them fall again, saying glumly, “Nothing, I just find it really boring and can’t get motivated.”

Her features were bright and lively. As she spoke, her fox-like eyes were half-closed, her brows slightly furrowed, and a dark mole was visible on the bridge of her nose. The colour wasn’t deep, but it was particularly eye-catching on her fair face.

Xu Wenyue guessed the reason almost instantly: “Lin Jinzhu didn’t come to school today?”

Gu Qiu’s voice was a little muffled: “Yeah, she didn’t.”

Lin Jinzhu had been in heat yesterday and was still feeling unwell, so she took a leave of absence. An Omega’s heat period becomes increasingly difficult to endure as they get older unless they are marked by an Alpha with high pheromone compatibility.

Lin Jinzhu was 19 this year and didn’t have an Alpha partner, so her heat was definitely uncomfortable. She needed good rest and couldn’t come to school.

No wonder Gu Qiu was so dejected.

Xu Wenyue figured out the reason and found it rather amusing.

If one sentence were to summarise the relationship between Gu Qiu and Lin Jinzhu, it would be ‘childhood sweethearts’ whose relationship had been strong since they were young.

How strong? Besides eating, sleeping, and attending classes, the thing Gu Qiu did most often was go find Lin Jinzhu.

Xu Wenyue smiled slightly: “Gu Qiu, we’ve known each other for many years, why do you only cling to Lin Jinzhu?”

“If we hadn’t tested it before and known your pheromone compatibility was only five percent, I would even suspect you two were secretly together.”

Xu Wenyue was only joking. After all, the minimum pheromone compatibility for couples is thirty percent.

Regardless of other factors, only exceeding this value can stimulate internal hormones during interactions and generate the initial feeling of romantic attraction.

Honestly, Xu Wenyue herself didn’t take her own teasing to heart, but Gu Qiu sat up straight, her face full of seriousness, and said, “Don’t make such a joke. Lin Jinzhu doesn’t like me; she’ll be unhappy if she hears that.”

As childhood friends who grew up together, Gu Qiu knew that Lin Jinzhu actually disliked these boundary-crossing jokes.

Xu Wenyue said helplessly, “Alright, alright, I take it back and apologise to both of you.”

Gu Qiu gently “hmph-ed”: “Not to me, it should be to Lin Jinzhu.”

Secretly together?

Gu Qiu’s heart skipped a beat in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

Recalling Lin Jinzhu’s character—cold and distant to outsiders—she thought to herself, how could Lin Jinzhu possibly like her?

Xu Wenyue’s joke was really going too far.

Gu Qiu turned her head back and glanced at the optical computer on her wrist.

It was a watch-like device; a small, silvery-white band was wrapped around her slender, fair, yet sculpted wrist. Gu Qiu lightly tapped it, and a small electronic screen appeared before her.

Because she had enabled private mode, only she could see the screen.

Gu Qiu openly navigated to the chat page with Lin Jinzhu. She had messaged Lin Jinzhu in the morning. It was already afternoon, and the other person still hadn’t replied.

Gu Qiu restrained herself, but finally couldn’t hold back, typing another line and sending it.

: Why aren’t you replying? Lin Jinzhu, are you still feeling unwell? (Puppy head poking out jpg.)

After the message was sent, the chat page remained still.

This was very strange. Aside from when they first met as children, Lin Jinzhu had never gone this long without replying to her message.

Meanwhile, at the Lin residence, a woman in a thin white pyjama set was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, her brows slightly furrowed, appearing to be in an uneasy sleep.

The optical computer was flashing nearby, notifying its owner of incoming messages, but she was still deep in unconsciousness and had not awakened.

She had a dream. In the dream, Gu Qiu was holding an Omega whose face she couldn’t see. Gu Qiu’s bright face had a sweet smile as she said to her, “Lin Jinzhu, this is my girlfriend.”

Lin Jinzhu’s heart, however, kept sinking, as if plunging into an abyss: “What did you say?”

“Lin Jinzhu, I like her. I want to be with her for the rest of my life.”

What about me?

Lin Jinzhu stared at Gu Qiu’s eyes in the dream, wanting to ask: We promised to stay by each other’s side forever, did you forget?

Gu Qiu, you’ll be with her for life, but what about me?

But she couldn’t make a sound at that moment.

The Gu Qiu in the dream didn’t wait for her reply and left, pulling the blurry-faced Omega along. The two walked side-by-side, getting farther and farther away from her.

A trace of panic stained Lin Jinzhu’s eyes, which were accustomed to composure.

“Gu Qiu, where are you going?”

“Gu Qiu, stop for a moment…”

“Gu Qiu! Gu Qiu!”

But no matter how she called, Gu Qiu didn’t look back.

“Gu Qiu! Don’t go!”

As Gu Qiu completely vanished, Lin Jinzhu on the bed finally screamed out that last sentence. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she was jolted awake.

She was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat. Her jet-black long hair was spread out, covering her fair, delicate shoulders. A few strands stuck to the side of her face. Because of the heat period, even after receiving a suppressor injection, a swollen sensation lingered in her glands, making her uncomfortable.

But she paid no attention to it, staring blankly at the void.

Her chest felt terribly heavy, as if stuffed with wet cotton, making it hard to breathe.

She didn’t know why she had such a dream, but recalling the scene in the dream, Lin Jinzhu’s gaze darkened, and her fingers gripping the blanket tightened.

She hated that sight; it was truly unbearable.

The dismissal bell at Svir Academy was a graceful, melodious piano piece. Gu Qiu stood up, unable to wait almost as soon as the prelude began.

She originally had one more class in the afternoon, but Lin Jinzhu’s delayed response made Gu Qiu worried. She couldn’t care less about attending class, her mind solely focused on checking on Lin Jinzhu.

In the hallway, she looked at Xu Wenyue and said, “Go to class by yourself later. I need to go see Lin Jinzhu.”

Xu Wenyue: “…”

“Can’t you just wait until the afternoon class is over? Lin Jinzhu is staying at home; she won’t run away. Do you really have to skip class now?”

Gu Qiu stated matter-of-factly, “No, Lin Jinzhu hasn’t replied to my message. I can’t calm down.”

In fact, if Lin Jinzhu hadn’t been so insistent that she come to class, she wouldn’t have come to school at all today.

Xu Wenyue was silent for a moment: “You are too clingy. What will you do when Lin Jinzhu eventually finds her own Alpha?”

Generally, whether Alpha or Omega, people usually confirm a partner at twenty years old to help them through the susceptibility and heat periods. Lin Jinzhu would eventually be matched with an Alpha suitable for her.

Gu Qiu’s heart constricted, instinctively very resistant to the topic. She frowned slightly, feeling a surge of unexplained irritation, and didn’t answer the question.

Just then, her wrist suddenly vibrated twice—an optical computer notification.

Gu Qiu opened it to look, and her eyes instantly lit up. The internal irritation was briefly blown away.

Her tone was cheerful as she held up her optical computer and said, “Lin Jinzhu replied to me.”

As she was saying this, another voice message arrived.

Gu Qiu tapped to play it.

Lin Jinzhu’s warm, pleasant voice emerged. It was like a breeze in the forest, very clear and faint. Perhaps due to her heat, the tail end of her voice was slightly hoarse and very alluring.

Gu Qiu’s heart inexplicably softened. After listening to it the first time, she quietly played it again for a second listen.

Lin Jinzhu: “I fell asleep and just woke up. I’m fine. You are not allowed to skip class to come over.”

As concise as always.

Just as Gu Qiu understood her, she also understood Gu Qiu.

Gu Qiu: “…”

Though reluctant, she answered glumly: Fine, I’ll come find you right after class, but you must take good care of yourself.

She replied earnestly, her hair lifted by the wind passing through the hallway, a part of it falling onto the side of her cheek, adding a hint of tenderness to her brightness.

Xu Wenyue was used to this on the side. Only Lin Jinzhu could persuade Gu Qiu; it had been this way since they were little.

Bored waiting, she suddenly remembered something and casually brought it up, saying, “Oh, by the way, Gu Qiu, did you know? A commoner student just enrolled in the school today.”

“I heard she’s an Omega, admitted as a special talent student.”

In any other place, this might not attract attention, but it was very rare here at Svir Academy.

After all, there had never been a precedent for admitting special talent students in this school, which was filled with rich people.

Gu Qiu was busy replying to the message and was neither concerned nor curious. She didn’t even lift her head: “Hmm, is that so.”

Finally enduring the last class of the afternoon, Gu Qiu immediately rushed towards the school gate, her eagerness to find Lin Jinzhu obvious.

Xu Wenyue had other things to do and wasn’t going the same way after class ended.

But before Gu Qiu could even walk out of the school gate, a figure suddenly crashed straight into her.

“Thump.”

This person was clearly aiming for her embrace, but Gu Qiu reacted quickly and moved her foot sideways. The person ultimately hit her shoulder.

Gu Qiu was wearing relatively high-heeled shoes today, and the impact pushed her back a small step.

The person who hit her was clearly an Omega, as they only reached her chin because Gu Qiu was wearing heels.

Gu Qiu frowned. Before she could say anything, the Omega who had collided with her looked up immediately, as if having eaten gunpowder.

When she saw Gu Qiu, the other person’s eyes obviously brightened, followed quickly by a look of defiance and unyieldingness.

The Omega clenched her small fists, tilted up her small face, and said to Gu Qiu, “Hey, you apologise to me!”

Gu Qiu: “?”

Apologise for what?

Why was this person being so strange? Could she please not obstruct her from seeing Lin Jinzhu?