Mark Me, Okay? - Chapter 7

Early the next morning, Qi Xiangxing sat up with dark circles under her eyes. She had spent half the day searching online yesterday but hadn’t found any constructive advice. Some even said things like, “So what if you’re an omega? Omegas are supposed to be delicate—why try to be some tough omega?” This infuriated Qi Xiangxing so much that she grabbed her keyboard and spent ages arguing with that person online.

In despair, she turned off the incessantly ringing alarm beside her and flopped straight back down, staring blankly at the ceiling as she debated whether to go to school today.

Go, don’t go, go, don’t go.

Before she could reach a conclusion, her eyelids grew heavier, and drowsiness took over. Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, she heard Luan Li’s familiar voice calling from downstairs:

“Qi Xiangxing! Get up! Time for school!”

“Qi Xiangxing! Hurry up! You’re going to be late!”

With a groan, Qi Xiangxing glanced at the clock, then yanked the blanket over her head. “Luan Li! Are you crazy? It’s only 6:30!”

Mrs. Qi shuffled up in her slippers and knocked on her daughter’s door. “Xingxing, get up. Lili is waiting downstairs to go to school with you.”

A muffled voice came from inside the room. “No! I don’t want to go to school!”

“Lili says if you don’t get up, she’s coming in.”

“Mom, don’t let her in! I’m getting up now!” At the threat of Luan Li entering, Qi Xiangxing’s eyes flew open, and she leapt out of bed, tearing off her pajamas and scrambling into her school uniform. As she frantically dressed, she yelled, “Don’t let her in, no matter what!”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to school today?” Mrs. Qi suppressed a laugh, deliberately teasing her.

“I was lying! Mom, don’t believe me! I’m up, I’m up!” The moment she finished speaking, Qi Xiangxing yanked the door open and stuck her head out, looking around nervously. “Where? Where? Luan Li didn’t come in, did she?”

“No.” Mrs. Qi ruffled her daughter’s messy hair, barely holding back her laughter. “Hurry up and wash up. Lili is waiting for you downstairs.”

Qi Xiangxing pouted and muttered under her breath, “Tricked me again…”

Mrs. Qi ignored her and went back downstairs.

By the time Qi Xiangxing dawdled through her morning routine and finished breakfast, it was already 7 a.m. Half an hour had passed, and she thought to herself, There’s no way Luan Li would wait this long for me. She must have left by now.

But when she opened the front door, there was Luan Li, sitting upright on her electric scooter, parked right in front of the house. Qi Xiangxing closed the door expressionlessly, took a deep breath facing the door, and tried to reassure herself:

A hallucination. Definitely a hallucination.

It must be because Luan Li scared me yesterday. All in my head.

She opened the door again, and there was Luan Li on the scooter, smiling brightly and waving at her. “Qi Xiangxing!”

Qi Xiangxing bit her tongue hard enough to bring tears to her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she forced a neutral expression as she walked toward Luan Li. “Luan Li.”

Luan Li’s smile was radiant, completely different from her usual faint, reserved ones. Qi Xiangxing felt a pang of bitterness. So what if you’ve differentiated into an alpha? What’s there to smile about!

“Hop on.” Luan Li patted the handlebars of Qi Xiangxing’s scooter.

Holding her breath, Qi Xiangxing clenched her jaw. “Who said you could ride my scooter?”

Luan Li tilted her head, watching her.

Qi Xiangxing took a deep breath and was just about to retort when she suddenly felt her nose tingling, much like when she had started sneezing uncontrollably the day before. Covering her nose, she took a few steps back, clutching her backpack to her chest as she eyed Luan Yi warily. “Luan Yi, why do I feel like sneezing every time I get near you?”

“Maybe you’re catching a cold? Hurry up and get on, or we’ll be late.” Luan Yi grabbed Qi Xiangxing’s backpack and tossed it into the bike basket, urging her impatiently, “Come on!”

Reluctantly, Qi Xiangxing climbed onto the bike.

Just a few days ago, she had been the one biking Luan Yi home after school. How had their roles reversed so quickly? Silently, she pulled a mask from her pocket and put it on.

She definitely wasn’t sick! There was just something off about Luan Yi’s pheromones!

“Hurry, hurry! Is everything set up yet?” The students of Class Four were busy decorating the classroom. Word had spread that their class monitor, Qi Xiangxing, had presented after yesterday’s competition. Under the direction of Du Ziheng, the class organizer and Qi Xiangxing’s deskmate, banners were being hung up.

“Hey! That ‘Alpha Domination’ banner should go in the back!” Du Ziheng darted around excitedly. “Come on, guys, speed it up! The monitor will be here any minute!”

“To celebrate our monitor successfully presenting as a top alpha and our Class Four finally overtaking Class Three, let’s get moving!”

Luan Yi parked the bike in the shed and handed Qi Xiangxing her backpack from the basket. Turning around, she noticed Qi Xiangxing wearing a mask and frowned. “Why are you wearing a mask?”

Qi Xiangxing took her backpack and mumbled through the fabric, “None of your business!” Then she hurried off toward the classroom, bag in hand.

“Hey! Your bike keys!” Luan Yi called after her, but Qi Xiangxing ignored her. With a resigned smile, Luan Yi locked the bike and chased after her.

Masked and head down, Qi Xiangxing rushed through the hallway, eager to reach the classroom and escape Luan Yi. But as soon as she reached the door, her waiting classmates showered her with confetti, cheering loudly:

“Congrats on presenting as a top alpha!”

“Our monitor is the best! Go, go, go!”

“Qi Xiangxing! The ultimate alpha!”

When the words finally registered, Qi Xiangxing’s face twitched uncontrollably.

“Monitor! Check out my awesome decorations!” Du Ziheng bounded over, holding a gaudily decorated book. Beaming, he presented it to her like a treasure. “Look! This is our gift to celebrate your presentation!”

Recognizing the familiar lake-blue cover and the bold title—The Alpha’s Guide to Excellence—Qi Xiangxing’s lips twitched. After a long pause, she finally said, “I didn’t present as an alpha.”

Du Ziheng’s smile froze. “…Monitor, d-don’t joke around like that…”

Qi Xiangxing scoffed, yanking off her mask to glare at him. “What, got a problem with omegas?”

Du Ziheng forced a laugh. “N-no, of course not…”

The cheers in the classroom gradually died down.

Taking a deep breath, Qi Xiangxing stepped onto the podium and announced solemnly, “Thank you all for your kindness, but…” She pressed her lips together. “I presented as an omega.”

She sighed, “I’m sorry for letting everyone down.” Her gaze fell on the banner at the back of the classroom that read “Mighty Alphas Must Win,” and a wave of mixed emotions washed over her.

“Class president, it’s okay! So what if you presented as an omega?” a classmate suddenly spoke up. “You’re still our class president!”

“Yeah, exactly!” another chimed in. “Even as an omega, you’re still the fiercest one!”

The sports committee member of Class Four acted even faster. Standing on a desk and stretching on tiptoe, he took a marker and crossed out the “A” in “Mighty Alphas Must Win,” replacing it with an “O.” Jumping down with a bright smile, he announced, “Class president! All sorted!”

Qi Xiangxing blinked, suddenly feeling her eyes grow moist. Her voice trembled slightly, “…Thank you, everyone…”

What was going on? Why was she so prone to tears after presenting as an omega?

As Qi Xiangxing turned her head absentmindedly, she spotted Luan Li standing by the window. Meeting her gaze, Luan Li raised an eyebrow slightly and flashed her a radiant smile.

Qi Xiangxing’s face flushed red, and in that moment, she felt as if her entire world had brightened.