Mark Me, Okay? - Chapter 1

Monday morning at the gates of A City No.1 High School

“Class monitor! You’re here!” Two students from Class 4, Grade 11 stood side by side, red armbands on their sleeves, greeting Qi Xiangxing as she pushed her electric bike.

Dressed in denim, Qi Xiangxing flashed a bright smile. “Here I am!” The morning sunlight illuminated her strikingly beautiful face and tall, upright figure.

Qi Xiangxing was the quintessential alpha prototype—outgoing, athletic. Though she hadn’t presented yet, everyone knew she’d become an alpha. Both her older siblings were alphas, and genetics made it nearly certain.

“Monitor, why aren’t you in uniform?” The classmates glanced around nervously upon seeing her outfit. “There’s a school assembly today with flag-raising! Class 3’s on gate duty checking uniforms!”

Qi Xiangxing pouted. “Why are we on duty with Class 3 again?”

“Student council’s arrangement,” the other student whispered. “Their monitor Luan Li’s the council president—she calls the shots.”

“Is Luan Li at the gate?” Qi Xiangxing’s eyebrows lifted slightly at the name.

She and Luan Li were childhood friends—literal next-door neighbors. Their parents had been university classmates, then business partners, eventually buying adjacent homes. Their friendship showed in how the teachers’ pet Luan Li had always covered for troublemaker Qi Xiangxing since childhood.

“Yeah, guarding the main gate.” The Class 4 students complained, “President or not, she assigned us the farthest duty post from the entrance! Who does that?”

Not really listening, Qi Xiangxing nodded absently. “I’ll head in first. You guys come back when your shift’s over!”

Pushing her bike toward the gate, she left them behind.

“Given their relationship, she wouldn’t report our monitor, right?” One student mused. “Why’d we even warn her?”

“Enough—don’t gossip. It’s not right,” the other chided.

“Monitor! Isn’t that Qi Xiangxing from Class 4?” A Class 3 student beside Luan Li spotted the uniform violation excitedly. “She’s not wearing it! This is our chance to outscore them!”

Luan Li frowned slightly, smiling helplessly. “Don’t say such things.”

Bent over her clipboard, she revealed a delicate profile, glossy black hair loosely tied back. Even the shapeless uniform couldn’t hide her slender grace.

So, omega! Our monitor’s totally omega!

The Class 3 student lamented—how could anyone bully someone so gentle? That demoness had no heart!

“Good morning, Luan Li!” Qi Xiangxing wheeled her bike over, grinning to show two rows of white teeth, prominent little canines on full display. “How was your weekend?”

“Good morning, Qi Xiangxing. Thanks to you, I’m doing quite well.” Luan Li gave her a gentle smile, warmth radiating from her delicate features. She lightly patted Qi Xiangxing’s shoulder and asked, “So, Qi Xiangxing, where’s your school uniform?”

Luan Li’s voice was soft and sweet, her slightly cool palm resting lightly on Qi Xiangxing’s shoulder. Through the thick denim fabric, she could almost feel the heat of Qi Xiangxing’s body.

Seeing Luan Li’s smile, Qi Xiangxing’s ears turned red. She coughed lightly, avoiding Luan Li’s gaze, and replied somewhat awkwardly, “It’s in the classroom.”

For some reason, she couldn’t lie while looking directly into Luan Li’s eyes. Whenever she met those obsidian-like eyes, Qi Xiangxing felt completely transparent before her.

Luan Li raised an eyebrow slightly, her smile taking on a knowing edge.

“Just admit you forgot to wear it instead of saying it’s in the classroom,” a classmate from Class Three muttered under their breath.

Facing others, Qi Xiangxing regained her confidence: “Hey now, that’s not a fair thing to say. Do you have proof? Why don’t you come with me to check? What if my uniform really is in the classroom?”

The Class Three student flushed red.

“Alright, alright, stop teasing them,” Luan Li tapped the basket of Qi Xiangxing’s electric scooter. “Hurry up and go inside.”

Qi Xiangxing grinned and said to the Class Three student with mock seriousness, “You should have more trust in your fellow students!”

“Enough joking around!” Luan Li tugged at Qi Xiangxing’s clothes and whispered with a frown, “We’re at the school gate—mind your image.”

Qi Xiangxing gave an “Oh” and quietly said to Luan Li, “Wait for me after school! I’ll give you a ride home on my scooter. Why did you leave me behind this morning? I—”

Before she could continue, Luan Li shot her a sharp look, making Qi Xiangxing shrink back. She quickly got on her scooter and rode off.

“Class monitor, you’re just letting her go like that?” the Class Three student complained. “We could’ve noted her name and deducted points from their class! Wouldn’t that give us an advantage this week?”

Luan Li smiled. “It’s fine. I saw her uniform on her seat when I left on Friday—no favoritism here.”

The Class Three student gave an awkward laugh, regretting their earlier impulsiveness.

Luan Li’s smile widened as she recalled the school uniform she’d seen drying in Qi Xiangxing’s yard that morning, barely suppressing a laugh.

“Good morning, class monitor!” As soon as Qi Xiangxing entered the classroom, someone handed her a school uniform jacket. She took it with thanks, shrugging off her denim jacket as she asked, “How did you know I didn’t have my uniform?”

Her deskmate, a male beta, scratched his head. “I didn’t. Xiao Zhao and the others were on duty at the east gate this morning and told me they were checking uniforms. Since I live nearby, I figured someone might forget theirs, so I brought an extra.”

Then he voiced his confusion: “Didn’t our class usually do duty inside the school? Why the change to outside? Though it worked out—if Xiao Zhao hadn’t reminded me, I wouldn’t have brought an extra uniform before coming in.”

Qi Xiangxing paused while zipping up her jacket, a faint smile in her eyes.

“So, Class Monitor, about that weak omega from Class Three—” Qi Xiangxing’s deskmate hadn’t even finished speaking when he noticed her amused expression and quickly corrected himself: “Sis-in-law came really early today.”

Qi Xiangxing tilted her head back proudly. “My wife didn’t even wait for me to give her a ride today! Just look how much she’s sacrificing for school duty!” She then glared at him: “Du Ziheng, if you’ve got nothing better to do, go memorize your texts! Whatever competition you have with Class Three is your business—don’t drag my wife into your insults!”

Du Ziheng gave an awkward laugh and pulled out his Chinese textbook to start memorizing.

During morning reading, Qi Xiangxing was called out by her homeroom teacher and Chinese instructor, Yue Qiu, to recite a passage.

Grimacing as she struggled to recall the text, Qi Xiangxing kept sneaking glances at Yue Qiu’s textbook while trying to piece it together.

After much stammering, Yue Qiu lost patience and snapped her book shut. “Well? What comes after ‘large and small pearls falling on a jade plate’?”

Yue Qiu, a female alpha, frowned as she handed the book back. “Put some effort into it. This will be on the test.”

Qi Xiangxing grinned, attempting to charm her way out. “Teacher, you look especially beautiful today—”

“Save it,” Yue Qiu rolled her eyes. “And don’t try that with Teacher Qin next door either. She’s an omega—kind-hearted and soft. You’re just taking advantage of how much she likes you, huh?”

“Luan Li! Come here!” Yue Qiu’s eyes lit up when she spotted Luan Li and beckoned her over. “Recite ‘Song of the Pipa Player’ for Qi Xiangxing. Let her see what a model student looks like.”

Her prized student, Luan Li, obediently approached. After a glance at Qi Xiangxing, she began reciting.

Qi Xiangxing’s focus gradually drifted from the text to Luan Li’s face.

Luan Li was so beautiful…

Qi Xiangxing stared, mesmerized. Luan Li’s beauty was delicate and fragile, like a trembling peach blossom adorned with morning dew. She seemed like a fairy emerging from the mist—ethereal and breathtaking, carrying an otherworldly grace.

The tips of Qi Xiangxing’s ears turned faintly pink.

Yue Qiu watched approvingly as her star student finished reciting, then lightly tapped Qi Xiangxing with her book. “See that? Take notes!”

“Teacher, I have matters to attend to with Teacher Qin. I’ll take my leave.” Without looking at Qi Xiangxing, Luan Li gave Yue Qiu a slight nod and departed.

Yue Qiu smiled warmly after her.

“You’ve got feelings for her, don’t you?”

Qi Xiangxing snapped out of her daze to meet Yue Qiu’s knowing gaze, flushing. “I—”

“You haven’t even presented yet—don’t get ahead of yourself!” Yue Qiu sighed, eyeing Qi Xiangxing with concern. “Does Luan Li even know you like her?”

Qi Xiangxing smiled shyly. “Teacher, I’ll tell you a secret—don’t spread it around… Luan Li and I actually have an arranged marriage from childhood.”

“Childhood betrothal or not, you’re still unpresented kids,” Yue Qiu raised an eyebrow. “By the way, have your presentation test results come in?”

“They’re in! I told you I’d be an alpha!” Qi Xiangxing blinked eagerly. “The report says I have a 99% chance of presenting as an alpha. I peeked at Luan Li’s too—she’s 99% likely to be an omega. Don’t worry, Teacher, I’ll protect her!”

With that, Qi Xiangxing pressed her index and middle fingers together in a salute towards Yue Qiu, then grabbed her book and slipped back to the classroom.

Yue Qiu chuckled helplessly, “Is that what I’m worried about? I’m worried your puppy love will affect Luan Li!”

Qi Xiangxing had only taken two steps out of the office when she suddenly remembered something. She turned and dashed toward the stairwell, finally spotting Luan Li at the landing near the math department. A blushing girl stood in front of Luan Li, shoving a pink letter into her hands before turning and running off.

Qi Xiangxing froze in place, eyes wide. She opened her mouth but ultimately didn’t call out to Luan Li.

She rubbed her head, pouting slightly in frustration.

Why did the weather suddenly feel a little… green?