Chapter 21: Can I call you Zhimian?
In the dormitory hallway, Han He’an reached out to tear off his pheromone isolation patch. His pine Alpha pheromones surged out, intensely irritating.
“Top-tier Alpha? Other than that, what do you have?”
Shi He didn’t move. He only lifted his eyelids, waves rolling in the depths of his eyes. “Han He’an, you are as incorrigibly stupid as always.”
He had injected an extra dose of suppressant before leaving.
Han He’an wanted to use pheromones to guide him into making a mistake. Top-tier Alphas were different from ordinary Alphas; when they used pheromones in crowded places, it could cause many people to go berserk.
This dormitory building was shared by Alphas and Betas. If he proactively attacked Han He’an now…
All these people opening their dorm doors to watch would become witnesses.
“Who’s in their special period?”
“Where are these pheromones coming from?”
“Stop watching and leave quickly. I don’t want to lose control.”
Ruan Zhimian couldn’t smell pheromones. Hearing the discussion, he opened the door and shouted at Han He’an, “Han He’an, let go of him!”
Han He’an: “?”
Shi He, who had been pinning his shoulder, was now standing there looking extremely uncomfortable, while Han He’an’s hand was still on Shi He’s shoulder. To anyone watching, it looked like Shi He was the victim.
Ruan Zhimian supported Shi He’s arm. “Where are you feeling unwell?”
Shi He naturally allowed Ruan Zhimian to support him. His black eyes, which had turned cold due to the pheromone interference, lowered slightly. “Ruan Zhimian, this isn’t very good.”
Baby… you actually chose me.
Is Han He’an not that important to you anymore?
Perhaps I should be even more crazed. “I’m fine. I’ll be okay after resting a bit.”
Han He’an was completely ignored. His A+ pheromones, which he had always been proud of, were also disregarded and had no effect.
On the scene, only some affected ordinary Alphas left the interference range with pale faces.
“Mianmian, are you helping him? You’re my fiancé; you should stand on my side.”
“He’s my roommate. I saw you bullying him—is there a problem with me helping him?”
What? Roommate?
Right, Ruan Zhimian is a Beta; it’s normal for him to have a roommate.
A Beta again. A disgusting Beta—the most ordinary of genders.
Han He’an reached out to grab Ruan Zhimian’s arm, questioning, “Mianmian, he hit me! He used pheromones to attack me! You should call the police right now and testify for me.”
Ruan Zhimian didn’t believe Han He’an’s nonsense. He shook off his arm. “Let me ask you, why would he attack you?”
“Because he’s jealous of me! He’s a deafie!”
Shi He pulled at Ruan Zhimian’s hem. He kept his eyes downcast, shaking his head in denial. “Zhimian, I didn’t.”
“There are cameras here; it can be investigated.”
“I was just about to return to the room. He saw me and wouldn’t let me go, mocking me with all sorts of nasty words…”
“What did he say?”
Han He’an was itching with rage. “Ruan Zhimian, I called him a deafie! He killed his own kin back then—did I say anything wrong?”
“You clearly know about these things too.”
If Han He’an hadn’t come to see him, they wouldn’t have met, and Shi He wouldn’t have had to hear these nasty words.
Ruan Zhimian was heartbroken. For the first time, he shouted fiercely, telling the dormitory manager who had come to maintain order to kick Han He’an out. “If you say one more word, I will never see you again!”
Disgusting. No class at all.
The “bristling cat,” his fluffy black hair sticking up in the air, was currently angry with puffed-out cheeks. Shi He suddenly really wanted to give them a rub.
Shi He had heard these nasty words thousands of times already.
For him, they had no capacity to harm.
Han He’an left with a dark face. Ruan Zhimian helped Shi He back into the dorm and poured him water. “Do you Alphas need to take medicine in this situation?”
“If I haven’t lost consciousness and entered a berserk state, usually not.”
“I was injured yesterday, and I’m a bit weak during my special period.”
Ruan Zhimian listened intently. So Shi He was in his special period. “I promise, I won’t let him appear again.”
Those beautiful eyes showed heartache as he focused on the wound on Shi He’s forehead. “Have you changed your dressing? I’ll help you.”
Shi He: “I haven’t. Thank you.”
“It’s all because of me.”
The little cat lowered its head dejectedly, turning to wash his hands and disinfecting them with alcohol. He carefully tore off the bandage, took a cotton swab, and wiped away the dried blood traces bit by bit before reapplying medicine to prevent infection and promote healing.
“I forgot to ask just now—can I call you Zhimian?”
“You can.”
Shi He reached out and rubbed Ruan Zhimian’s head. His long, clean fingers slowly retracted to hang at his side. “It’s not because of you. Han He’an and I running into each other was bound to happen sooner or later. He’s always been defiant toward me; every time we meet, it’s like today.”
“I didn’t show my face often before partly because of that.”
“I’ve heard these things too many times; I’m not unhappy.”
Shi He was truly too good.
The little cat lowered its head with teary eyes, wiping away the stinging tears from the corners of its eyes. “Aren’t you sad?”
“If you hear it enough times, you become numb.”
Shi He turned around. He picked up his jacket, glanced at the cold breakfast on the desk, and picked up their backpacks from the chairs. “Let’s go eat. It’s not good to eat cold food.”
Ruan Zhimian immediately went to the balcony to get his shoes. “I’ll change.”
He didn’t want to eat anything Han He’an sent either—not a single bite.
A series of things had happened this morning.
When class started at 8:00 AM, Shi He and Ruan Zhimian arrived just in the nick of time.
As soon as they entered the lecture hall, someone waved their hand and shouted toward Ruan Zhimian, “Young Master Ruan!”
Wen Song, who was reading in the third row, looked back and clicked his tongue. He told his roommate not to call Shi He over and went back to his book.
Can’t stop it. Can’t stop it.
The bitterness of love—you just go ahead and eat it.
Shen Ziyu, ever since he ran into Ruan Zhimian in the library last week, had been frequently appearing wherever Ruan Zhimian showed up, doing things like saving seats and pouring water.
Ruan Zhimian shook his head and didn’t sit down. There was only one empty seat. He looked ahead. “Thanks, but there aren’t enough seats. We’ll sit in the front.”
Shi He’s phoenix eyes flickered slightly as he swept a faint glance at Shen Ziyu.
Shen Ziyu called out to stop them, pushing the roommate beside him one row forward. “Sit quickly; the teacher is about to start.”
Ruan Zhimian had no choice but to sit down. However, Shi He sat between Ruan Zhimian and Shen Ziyu.
He didn’t pay much attention, opening his book and starting to listen.
Shen Ziyu looked at Shi He indignantly. “Who are you?”
“Roommate.”
Shi He listened carefully to the lecture along with Ruan Zhimian. Throughout the session, Shen Ziyu barely found any chance to talk to Ruan Zhimian, being suppressed by Shi He’s gaze the moment he opened his mouth.
During the break, Ruan Zhimian went out to take a call from Teng Yu.
Once class was over, Teng Yu was coming to find him.
Shen Ziyu snorted. “You like Zhimian.”
Wen Song “passing by”: Tsk, tsk.
Shi He ignored him. He unscrewed his thermos and took a sip of the warm tea Ruan Zhimian had poured for him, then took out his phone and began tapping the screen to send a message to “Mianmian.”
Baby, can everyone call you Zhimian?
[Gege: Baby, are you feeling unwell? Did something happen?]
Ruan Zhimian hung up the phone. Standing in the hallway, he was too guilty to reply.
He lowered his small head and turned off the screen. He wanted to change to a new social media account and buy a new SIM card.
As soon as Ruan Zhimian entered, Shen Ziyu stood up to call him. “Zhimian-ge, there’s a newly opened bar nearby. Do you want to go and play today?”
The seemingly easy-to-talk-to beauty said warmly, “Maybe next time. I have things to do today.”
Shen Ziyu lost his steam. Today he had also heard that Ruan Zhimian and Han He’an had a fight; it was really hard to ask Ruan Zhimian out.
The Alpha beside them was quietly tapping on his laptop screen with half-drooped eyelids, looking as if he were answering the question the teacher just posed.
However, Shen Ziyu watched as Ruan Zhimian, who had just rejected him, slowly leaned over and asked softly, “Shi He, is your head still dizzy?”
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