Love Me, Please Look - Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Zhang Shixu and Qi Junhe were practically inseparable these days, while Chen Nan spent most of his time with Jin Heng. It wasn’t until much later that Zhang Yan started to suspect something.
“Hey,” he said, pausing his game, “you guys hiding something from me?”
Zhang Shixu and Chen Nan exchanged a quick look.
Finally, Zhang Shixu thought, the slowpoke catches on.
“Not me,” Zhang Shixu replied coolly, eyes glued to his computer.
Chen Nan didn’t respond, just clicked to queue for another round of his game.
Zhang Yan got up, marched over to Chen Nan’s side, and said, “If Zhang Shixu won’t talk, you will.”
He reached over and canceled Chen Nan’s game match with a dramatic tap.
With Jin Heng usually heading home at night, Zhang Shixu ignored the commotion. That left Chen Nan cornered, nowhere to hide.
Chen Nan scratched his nose awkwardly. “Okay, yeah, maybe… something.”
“I knew it!” Zhang Yan yelled. “Zhang Shixu, tell me the truth!”
Zhang Shixu got up, walked over, and gave Chen Nan a firm pat on the shoulder. “Might as well just admit it. We’re brothers—nothing worth hiding.”
Chen Nan was clearly torn, but under pressure from both sides, he finally cracked.
“I’m dating Jin Heng.”
Zhang Yan froze. “What? Since when?!”
He turned to Zhang Shixu, betrayed. “You knew?!”
Zhang Shixu just shrugged. “Honestly, you’re really late to the party.”
“I should post on the campus confession wall: ‘What should I do if my roommate is dating… my other roommate?!’”
Zhang Shixu held him back as he flailed around. “Come on. What’s so shocking?”
Chen Nan joined in. “Yeah, is it really that big a deal?”
“No, what’s shocking is that neither of you said anything!” Zhang Yan huffed. “No wonder you two have been acting all clingy. Gave me goosebumps!”
Chen Nan raised an eyebrow. “We have?”
“A little bit,” Zhang Shixu admitted, thinking back. “You two have definitely been… obvious.”
Zhang Yan was gearing up for another round of complaints when Chen Nan’s phone rang.
“Hold on. Let me take this,” he said, stepping out to the balcony.
Zhang Shixu took the opportunity to shove Zhang Yan back into his chair. “Go queue your game. Don’t worry your head over grown-up business.”
And just like that, Zhang Yan was forcibly pacified by Zhang Shixu’s dominance and distracted by the glowing game screen.
When Chen Nan returned, his expression had changed.
“What’s up?” Zhang Shixu asked, noticing his mood.
Chen Nan sighed and dropped his phone on the table. “My mom wants to bring my little brother over so I can show them around. He’s thinking of applying to our university.”
Chen Nan came from a very rare Beta-Omega family. His Omega mother had four sons trying to produce an Omega. The first three—Chen Dong, Chen Xi, and Chen Nan himself—were all Betas. Only the youngest, Chen Rui, was the much-desired Omega.
Zhang Shixu was familiar with the way their family doted on Chen Rui and overlooked Chen Nan. If it weren’t for Chen Nan’s strong academic performance, he probably would’ve been pushed into working or marriage already.
“So what, they’re visiting campus?” Zhang Shixu asked.
“Yeah. Want me to show them around.”
“They’re coming here?” Zhang Yan chimed in.
Chen Nan simply nodded, not saying more.
Since Chen Nan didn’t seem inclined to protest, Zhang Shixu and Zhang Yan didn’t press it.
…
When the day came, Yuhang—Chen Nan’s mother—arrived with Chen Rui unannounced. Her only message: “We’re here.”
By chance, Chen Nan and Jin Heng bumped into them while walking on campus.
“Brother!” Chen Rui called out excitedly.
Hearing the familiar voice, Chen Nan turned and spotted his mother and younger brother standing together.
He quickly walked over. “Mom? You came without saying anything.”
Yuhang gave Jin Heng a glance. “Xiaorui had the weekend off, so we thought we’d visit.”
Noticing the gaze, Jin Heng greeted her politely. “Hello, Auntie.”
“Your classmate?” Yuhang asked.
“Yeah,” Chen Nan replied quickly, not wanting to reveal anything. “This is Jin Heng, my roommate.”
“This is my mom, and that’s my little brother, Chen Rui.”
Pleasantries were exchanged.
“Have you eaten?” Yuhang asked.
“Not yet,” Chen Rui answered, glancing between Chen Nan and Jin Heng.
“I’ll take you out,” Chen Nan offered, then turned to Jin Heng. “You okay with that?”
“I’ll drive,” Jin Heng said calmly.
“No, it’s fine—”
Before Chen Nan could finish, Chen Rui interrupted, “Thanks, that’d be great!”
Chen Nan: …
Jin Heng’s car was a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Luxurious, but more importantly—spacious.
Chen Nan took the front seat while his mother and brother sat in the back.
“Brother Heng, this car’s amazing,” Chen Rui said with interest.
Jin Heng, who was usually quiet, humored him for Chen Nan’s sake. “Your brother likes a spacious ride.”
Chen Nan shot him a glare, clearly annoyed by the comment.
Chen Rui laughed. “You two seem really close.”
During the drive, Chen Rui mostly talked about school plans, but every time he tried to pull Jin Heng into the conversation, Chen Nan jumped in first.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Jin Heng didn’t go in. He just said, “Go ahead—they’re expecting you. Call me if you need anything.”
Chen Nan nodded. “Thanks.”
Inside the lavish private dining room, Chen Rui looked around with wide eyes while Yuhang turned her attention to her son.
“You two seem close,” she said, referring to Jin Heng.
“We’re roommates. This restaurant’s owned by his family,” Chen Nan replied.
“In fact,” he thought, “his family owns the whole building.”
“His family must be wealthy,” Chen Rui added.
“Mm-hmm.”
Yuhang nodded approvingly. “That Alpha’s not bad.”
Chen Nan blinked. “Alpha?”
“Yes,” Chen Rui said smugly. “I smelled his pheromones the first time we met.”
Chen Nan, being a Beta and surrounded by other Betas in his dorm, had never noticed. No one had ever mentioned anything about Jin Heng being an Alpha.
“That’s impossible,” he said firmly.
They’d been roommates for two years. Slept side by side. An Alpha couldn’t hide that for so long… could he?
“If he’s that close to you, maybe introduce him to your brother,” Yuhang suggested casually.
Chen Nan’s face darkened. “He’s not an Alpha.”
Chen Rui smirked. “Don’t tell me you want to keep him for yourself?”
Their food arrived, cutting short the exchange. But Chen Nan wasn’t eating.
“Would an Alpha even like a Beta?” Chen Rui muttered between bites. “And his pheromone smells like bitter apricot—couldn’t you tell?”
Chen Rui wasn’t sure why he was saying all this, but he knew one thing—he wanted Jin Heng, and Chen Nan always gave in.
“Are you dating him?” Yuhang asked bluntly.
“No,” Chen Nan said, voice low.
He had always followed orders, never knowing how to push back. In front of his family, he was obedient. Only around Zhang Shixu and Jin Heng did he feel more like himself.
Chen Rui smiled. “Then there’s no problem.”
Yuhang added, “You should help your brother. He’ll be an adult soon. Might as well make a match while it’s easy.”
That was the final straw.
Chen Nan stood up. “I’m not eating. I’ve got school stuff to do.”
He tossed out one last line before leaving: “The bill’s already paid.”
He didn’t wait for a reply—just walked out and immediately called Zhang Shixu.
…
When Zhang Shixu picked up the call, he and Qi Junhe had just finished watching a movie. Hearing the stress in Chen Nan’s voice, they rushed over.
They found him standing outside the mall, smoking.
Zhang Shixu walked over, knocked the cigarette from his hand, and stomped it out. “Since when do you smoke? What happened?”
Chen Nan shook his head, too emotionally drained to answer.
Zhang Shixu pulled him into the car’s backseat, and they drove back toward campus.
“What’s going on?” Zhang asked again, this time softer.
Chen Nan looked pale, like someone who’d had the rug pulled out from under him.
“It’s… Jin Heng. He’s an Alpha,” Chen Nan said shakily.
“What?!” Zhang Shixu froze. He even touched Chen Nan’s forehead to check for fever.
“He lied to us,” Chen Nan whispered.
Zhang turned to Qi Junhe. “Is that true? Have you smelled his pheromones?”
Qi Junhe hesitated, then nodded.
Zhang Shixu: “?!”
“But his student file says he’s a Beta!”
Chen Nan took a deep breath. “His uncle wants him dead. Pretending to be Beta was the only way to survive.”
Zhang Shixu was quiet.
Chen Nan added, “I just don’t understand… if he lied to everyone else, fine. But why me? Why not tell me?”
“And now,” Chen Nan said bitterly, “my mom wants me to give him up to my brother.”
Zhang Shixu was furious. “Are you seriously asking if you should give in again?!”
They sat in silence as the car rolled into the school lot.
“Did you at least tell him you’re together?” Zhang asked.
Chen Nan shook his head. “No.”
Zhang was exasperated. “He finally belongs to you, and you’re ready to let that go?”
Chen Nan smiled sadly. “If I truly mattered to him… he wouldn’t have lied.”
Then he opened the door and walked away.
Zhang Shixu watched him go, helpless.
…
Over the weekend, Chen Nan ghosted Jin Heng entirely. When Monday came, he didn’t even look at him.
Jin Heng was confused. He thought maybe Chen Nan had been scolded by his family.
After class, he cornered Chen Nan.
“Why are you ignoring me?” he asked softly.
Chen Nan didn’t look at him. “Please move.”
“Did your mom say something again?”
Chen Nan broke free from his hold. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Chen Nan, what’s going on?”
Chen Nan stared at him. “You tell me. What are you hiding?”
Jin Heng blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll ask one time,” Chen Nan said coldly. “Are you, or are you not, an Alpha?”
Jin Heng was stunned. After a moment, he admitted it: “You found out.”
“How long were you planning to lie to me?” Chen Nan asked.
Jin Heng was silent.
Chen Nan didn’t wait for excuses—he turned and walked out.
…
Later, as Qi Junhe and Zhang Shixu ate dinner, Junhe peeked at his boyfriend.
Zhang Shixu raised an eyebrow. “What are you looking at me for? You look like you’ve done something wrong.”
‘Is Chen Nan okay?’ Qi Junhe signed.
Zhang Shixu sighed, pinched his nose affectionately. “They’ll figure it out. Just eat.”
Qi Junhe nodded but then added playfully, ‘Say one more word, and I’ll knock you.’