Chapter 12: “Instructor Yu, your heat cycle is approaching…” part 1
The sky had turned completely dark. After crossing the noisy main road, the surroundings gradually quieted down.
A drizzle began to drift in the air as the two walked side by side.
Yu Shi asked casually, “You said you’d give me a lift. Where’s the car?”
“Car?” Xie Ren was puzzled. “I hitched a ride here.”
Hitched his uncle’s Cullinan.
Yu Shi realized once again that his family background was poor; he probably couldn’t bear to pay for a taxi.
Returning to NDU could be done via maglev train, but that also cost money. Given Xie Ren’s self-esteem, he absolutely wouldn’t let Yu Shi swipe his card.
He thought for a moment and said, “Then let’s walk back.”
He added another excuse: “Just right to chat about your thesis progress.”
Xie Ren: “…”
The thing grad students feared most was “chatting about thesis progress.”
Rain fell on Yu Shi, condensing into droplets in his hair. Xie Ren glanced at him and said, “Walking back in the rain like this? That’s not good.”
“Let it rain,” Yu Shi said indifferently. “You guys never use umbrellas during training. What’s a little rain?”
Actually, for soldiers, let alone rain, snow, or hail, even if it were raining knives and guns, as long as superiors issued the order, they would charge out with guns in hand.
Because of this, Xie Ren simply didn’t have the habit of carrying an umbrella when going out.
He looked around and said, “Wait for me a moment.”
Without waiting for Yu Shi’s agreement, he turned and walked quickly toward the intersection.
Yu Shi had to wait where he was. He took the opportunity to call Liu Yin, telling her he wouldn’t be coming back tonight.
Before he could say a few words, a black umbrella appeared over his head. He looked along the handle and saw Xie Ren holding it.
Yu Shi showed surprise. He hadn’t expected him to run off specifically to buy an umbrella. He mouthed, “I’m on the phone.”
Xie Ren gestured for him to walk forward, simultaneously moving slightly closer so the two were squeezed into the small space under the umbrella.
Raindrops hit the umbrella surface, making dull thudding sounds. A faint scent of peppermint drifted through the air, likely the smell of Xie Ren’s body wash.
Liu Yin said on the other end, “Just take care of yourself. Come back for a few days if you have time. I heard NDU inspects housekeeping very strictly, forcing you to learn to fold quilts and such. You never do these things at home; your leaders won’t scold you, right?”
The communicator’s speaker was too good, and her voice was loud and resonant. Xie Ren heard it clearly.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
He subconsciously turned to look at Yu Shi, surprise flashing in his eyes. The Great Demon King who was extremely harsh to students, the instructor who kept a straight face and scolded people meticulously every day, actually didn’t know how to fold a quilt himself?
The tips of Yu Shi’s ears turned slightly red. He gritted his teeth and said, “Mom, they don’t inspect my housekeeping.”
The Alpha beside him couldn’t hold it back, leaking a muffled laugh, his shoulders shaking lightly.
Yu Shi glared at him fiercely.
“Oh, that’s good then. Are there aunties there to help wash clothes? You don’t know how to use a washing machine. Take more clothes with you. Last time I ordered a year’s supply for you; just mail them back when they get dirty. Being a teacher outside, you still have to pay attention to your image, unlike at home.”
Xie Ren was trying desperately to suppress his laughter, about to break.
Yu Shi’s vision went dark. Before he could speak to stop her, she continued on her own.
“And regarding your diet, if I don’t remind you every time, you won’t remember to eat fruit. Always eating junk food like fried chicken and cola. Remember to eat on time for me, and eat less cake…”
“Mom, I’ll call you later.” Yu Shi made a prompt decision.
Xie Ren pressed his fist against his lips, coughing uncontrollably, nearly losing his grip on the umbrella. Veins popped out on his forehead from holding it in.
Liu Yin said, “Alright… By the way, how are things with that blind date? I heard his grand—heard him say you seem to be chatting nicely. Have you agreed to meet?”
“No, I’ve been very busy recently,” Yu Shi frowned. “I think that person is a bit strange. No rush to meet.”
“What’s strange about him? That app is very legitimate. Put your heart at rest.”
“…” Legitimate where?
Yu Shi gave a few perfunctory responses and finally hung up.
Xie Ren put away his smile and asked casually, “Is Instructor Yu still going on blind dates? Did you meet anyone you liked this time?”
Yu Shi wasn’t used to discussing privacy with others, especially when the other party was his student. He said lightly, “No.”
“Then you’ll continue looking?”
“If nothing unexpected happens, I probably will.”
Xie Ren mocked, “Seems Summer Training is too leisurely, having so much time for romance. Since Instructor Yu isn’t busy, why not help me revise my thesis?”
“If you hadn’t mentioned it, I almost forgot. I was just about to ask you,” Yu Shi said seriously. “Teacher Li said you haven’t published in a C-level journal yet, and the graduation evaluation is next year. What do you plan to do? I’ve read the thesis you submitted. It’s about field tactics, written decently. Why was it rejected by so many journals?”
Xie Ren was unhappy. “I wasn’t rejected by ‘many’ journals.”
“What?”
“I only submitted to one. Particle.”
Yu Shi was shocked. “He said you were rejected fourteen times… Are you saying you spent the whole year submitting to just this one?”
Xie Ren sounded muffled. “Can’t I? I just like that one.”
Yu Shi was greatly shaken. How stubborn does one have to be?
“…You can, but it will delay your graduation progress.” His mouth twitched. “Why are you obsessed with this one? The graduation requirement is publishing in a C-level journal; submitting to other C-level journals works too.”
Xie Ren smiled self-deprecatingly. “I know it’s easy for you. You can take up the most space for consecutive years, with a string of your students listed after the first author. But not many people can publish as easily as you. It’s the dream journal for many.”
Yu Shi was somewhat surprised. “You’ve read my papers?”
Xie Ren said subtly, “…I read them when consulting literature.”
Yu Shi was silent for a moment, then said, “If you’re willing, I can serve as your thesis advisor. Come ask me anytime if you don’t understand something. You can also include my name among the authors.”
The meaning of these words couldn’t be more obvious. As long as the name “Yu Shi” was among the authors, Particle would definitely give face.
Xie Ren was stunned. “You… want to help me publish a paper? I… I have a lot of questions. It might delay your blind dating.”
“It doesn’t matter. After all, you are my student. This is part of my job.”
Yu Shi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He has to work part-time as an escort, stay up late working on his thesis, and go on missions from time to time. Not an easy life for a kid.
As a teacher, he should help where he could.
Joy flashed in Xie Ren’s eyes. He feigned calmness and said, “Thank you, Instructor Yu. Um, I haven’t added your StarChat yet. Can we add each other?”
“Sure.”
Yu Shi pulled out his communicator from his pocket, pulling out a pink box along with it.
Seeing the box about to fall into a puddle, Xie Ren had quick eyes and hands, bending down to scoop it up.
His reaction speed was extremely fast, possessing an agility different from ordinary people. Under the umbrella, he was so steady not a drop of rain drifted in.
He pinched the box with two fingers. The tender pink packaging looked particularly petite in that hand.
Xie Ren’s gaze darkened as he whispered, “Instructor Yu, your heat cycle is approaching?”
Asking about an Omega’s physiological cycle was either being a pervert or being a pervert.
Or being a pervert.
But Yu Shi didn’t react much. He looked at the box of suppressant patches with disdain. “Not yet. If you need them, you can take them.”
Alphas didn’t need suppressant patches. However, during a date, proactively preparing suppressant patches was a sweet and respectful gesture toward the other party, capable of winning the Omega’s favor to a great extent. This was common in AO relationships.
He was tacitly assuming the other party had no shortage of Omegas.
Xie Ren was quiet for a few seconds, then reached out to hook the edge of his pants pocket, stuffing the suppressant patches back exactly as they were.
This action was a bit boundary-crossing. Yu Shi wanted to dodge back but was blocked by the umbrella.
“I have no use for them,” Xie Ren said coldly. “Instructor Yu wouldn’t think every Alpha is like that person just now, right?”
He had deliberately not asked along the way, acting like he didn’t care, but the subtlety in his tone betrayed his thoughts.
“You mean Qin Yin? He’s indeed not a good person.”
“Hmph, I could tell. Is he your blind date?”
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