After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 42

The night told Gu Yu what this affection truly meant.

 

From that moment on, he and Shen Jin were no longer just rivals. He lost the excuse to cling to him, couldn’t demand that Shen Jin take care of his health just so they could fight, and apart from eSports club activities, he probably wouldn’t have many opportunities to speak with Shen Jin again.

 

Or rather, he would be more conscious about it, perhaps even withdrawing from the eSports club altogether.

 

Considering the vast campus of C University and the differences in their schedules, as long as they didn’t go out of their way to meet, the likelihood of Gu Yu and Shen Jin encountering each other during their entire time at university would probably not exceed 15 times.

 

Gu Yu closed his eyes tightly, trying hard to suppress the turmoil in his chest.

 

But the coughing echoing in his ears wouldn’t let him rest—in the darkness, Shen Jin, perhaps afraid of disturbing Gu Yu’s sleep, had covered his head with a blanket. The sound had indeed softened, but it had also become muffled.

 

So, in that moment, Gu Yu finally couldn’t take it anymore. He turned over, got out of bed, and stormed into the other bedroom.

 

—

 

In the not-so-large room, the breathing of the two people intertwined, clearly audible.

 

“Gu Yu?” Shen Jin was startled, nervously asking, “…Did I wake you?”

 

He hurriedly suppressed the scratchy pain in his throat and said, “I’ll return to the dorm tomorrow or find a hotel to stay for a few days—”

 

But the next second, Gu Yu brought his heavy breathing right to Shen Jin’s ear, his voice slightly angry, “Who said you could go back to the dorm or stay in a hotel?”

 

Shen Jin’s throat tightened, and he said, “But you have classes and assignments during the day…”

 

“…You’ve already covered yourself with the blanket; how could you disturb me? At worst, I have earphones,” Gu Yu said, his tone quickening with frustration. “I didn’t come to talk about that.”

 

Moonlight poured in through the window. Shen Jin still wanted to say something, but Gu Yu didn’t give him a chance. He leaned over, pressing half his weight onto Shen Jin, while the other half was supported by his arms, pinning Shen Jin beneath him.

 

In this position, Shen Jin couldn’t move. He tried to shift his shoulders and finally squeezed out a few words: “Then…what do you want to say?”

 

Had Gu Yu had a nightmare? Was he worried I’d die in my sleep?

 

…Or was it something more straightforward, like entering his susceptible period?

 

As a fellow man, some dangerous thoughts immediately exploded in Shen Jin’s mind. He hurriedly curled up, secretly covering his slightly concave abdomen, and preemptively said, “…Not tonight.”

 

He was still in pain. There was no way he would agree to “help each other out” with Gu Yu right now, not even for money.

 

No matter what, he was determined to take the lead during their first “face-to-face” encounter as adults. He would be on top.

 

But that kind of approach was said to be very exhausting for an omega. He was afraid his current self wouldn’t withstand the impact of the pheromones, losing all strength and getting laughed at by Gu Yu. So, he emphasized again, “Let’s… wait until later—”

 

“Senior…” But Gu Yu seemed unable to hold back anymore. “Can I hug you?”

 

He lowered his already gentle, deep voice, sounding like there was not a trace left of the boy he used to be.

 

Shen Jin’s face immediately flushed from the teasing tone. The person in front of him was clearly no longer the childish boy who used to square off against him, but a mature, full-grown alpha, whose very tenderness carried a hint of aggression.

 

Shen Jin coughed softly, his whole body trembling. “Hug…hug me for what?”

 

Ignoring his response, Gu Yu simply picked him up and enveloped him in his soft embrace. “Does it still hurt?” he asked.

 

Shen Jin was momentarily stunned, unconsciously feeling a mix of shyness and affection as he nestled into Gu Yu’s arms, reluctant to move. “Mm… it still hurts.”

 

Whatever Gu Yu had in mind, Shen Jin figured he wouldn’t lose out. After all, it wasn’t his first time enjoying an alpha’s warmth.

 

Gu Yu, upon hearing this, gently patted Shen Jin’s back while draping a soft pajama top over him, wrapping him securely within his embrace. “It won’t hurt as much with me here, alright?”

 

“If you’re sick, don’t cover yourself with a blanket. Without air circulation, you’ll feel worse. Got it?”

 

Perhaps Gu Yu still wanted him to recover soon, so they could fight again.

 

But Shen Jin just couldn’t resist this kind of careful nurturing. Instead, he cautiously nestled deeper into Gu Yu’s arms, softly replying, “Mm, got it…”

 

It was rare. He didn’t make his usual quips, and instead, he grew bolder, imitating others and using a soft voice to act coy: “Then, then will you stay with me until I fall asleep, okay?”

 

He thought, he might as well take advantage of this. He had wronged Gu Yu—Gu Yu was genuinely decent. They had shared a bed before without crossing any lines, and now he just wanted to comfort a sick person. Shen Jin shouldn’t have doubted anything.

 

However, Shen Jin didn’t expect to be hit with reality just seconds later.

 

After Gu Yu hummed in agreement, he didn’t just hold Shen Jin like before. Instead, he suddenly asked a question: “Senior… Can I kiss you?”

 

His tone was casual, as if he were asking what they would have for breakfast tomorrow.

 

Shen Jin froze, his fingers instantly clenching tight, suddenly wide awake. “What?”

 

It happened so many times, but Shen Jin seemed to have never understood the words coming from Gu Yu’s mouth. “You…you said what?”

 

The air was deathly still. Gu Yu’s voice was as clear and cold as melting snow on pine trees. “I said… I want to kiss you.”

 

His eyelashes trembled slightly from the nervousness, but he still maintained the calm dominance of an alpha. “I want to do it now.”

 

Shen Jin’s chest had already been aching, and now it felt even tighter.

 

He was completely stunned, as if possessed, almost wanting to immediately wrap his arms around Gu Yu’s neck and fulfill his wish. But reason was still plucking at the taut string in his mind, forcing him to ask: “Kiss me? You… you’d better give me a reason.”

 

The alpha in front of him visibly blinked, his eyelashes trembling as he struggled to respond, “The reason is… I’m sleepwalking.”

 

“…Do you think I’m stupid?” Shen Jin snapped back to reality, suddenly filled with inexplicable desire and anticipation, saying, “Wrong answer.”

 

The two embraced, and Gu Yu’s clean and soft hair brushed against Shen Jin’s face and heart, making him itch. He wasn’t sure what answer he was waiting for; he just knew he was so nervous that his nose started to sting, and he subconsciously gripped Gu Yu’s clothes tighter.

 

In the quiet moonlight, Gu Yu’s hot breath was frighteningly close to Shen Jin’s ear. He gritted his teeth and deflected, “Well, the sensitive period is approaching… I want to kiss.”

 

Shen Jin did not acknowledge this and pushed him away, “Can’t you find someone else to kiss? Aren’t milk-flavored omegas everywhere?”

 

For 20 years, Shen Jin had always thought his temper was quite good. Extreme emotions were almost foreign to him, but when it came to Gu Yu, he would always lose control, be willful, impulsive, and sad, and get anxious for no reason—just like now, he was so angry he wanted to pry open Gu Yu’s mouth to examine his throat’s structure.

 

“Explain clearly, why do you want to kiss me?” Shen Jin pushed him away, intending to make his voice sound more forceful, but a sharp pain surged from his lungs, causing him to gasp and emit a low moan, “Hmm—”

 

It hurt so much.

 

He pressed his hand to his chest, clearly blaming the cold air and emotional turmoil.

 

But it was this very scene that made Gu Yu panic, quickly supporting Shen Jin’s shoulders, willing to say anything, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

 

“I’ll tell you the reason now, okay?”

 

The air was silent for a second, and before Shen Jin could react, Gu Yu gritted his teeth and said, “Before the test started… I thought it was 100% like, but after verification, I realized it’s actually 300% like.”

 

He was a bit incoherent, but as long as Shen Jin wasn’t angry, it seemed he could do anything.

 

The moonlight tore through his voice, exposing his pain—his mature and composed demeanor easily crumbled, revealing the anxious boy who was distressed after upsetting his beloved.

 

Shen Jin stared at Gu Yu, his vocal cords vibrating almost uncontrollably, “What?”

 

He really didn’t understand, “What does 300% like mean?”

 

Although he had repeatedly thought about Gu Yu’s “test” and rehearsed various reactions in his mind to handle any situation, when Gu Yu actually said this conclusion, his brain went blank, and he forgot all his lines.

 

Unfortunately, Gu Yu didn’t give him, the breathless patient, any chance to recover.

 

Under the moonlight, Gu Yu took a deep breath and pressed his warm palm against Shen Jin’s cold face, reluctant to hurt him. He used all his courage to say, “What I mean is, I like you. I like you.”

 

A flicker of starlight cut sharply across the windowsill, reflecting into Shen Jin’s stunned eyes.

 

He slightly parted his lips, with his tongue hanging in his mouth, but couldn’t say anything until Gu Yu repeated it. He then instinctively recoiled in panic, wishing he could immediately grab the blankets and pillows and cover his head, which was about to explode from heat.

 

Gu Yu… really likes me?

 

Aren’t we rivals?

 

How could he possibly like me?

 

Shen Jin’s breathing trembled, and he clutched the blankets tightly, unable to move.

 

It was damn frustrating. Others used to think he was a strong-willed and domineering alpha, but if he had to admit, he was shy and tearful, obedient and clingy. If things continued like this, he’d have to throw himself into Gu Yu’s arms and call him “hubby,” and it would be the soft and cuddly kind.

 

…Damn.

 

Shen Jin cursed inwardly, embarrassed to the point of subconsciously creating a bit of distance.

 

Even though his chest was filled with a sweet, sour sensation, he still lowered his head and suddenly didn’t dare to say anything.

 

His mind remained chaotic, recalling Gu Yu’s attentiveness, indulgence, and tenderness. Everything unusual seemed to have an explanation, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but remember the longstanding grievances between him and Gu Yu.

 

It was rare for an omega like him, who had beaten up someone for years, to encounter such a situation. He didn’t understand where Gu Yu’s “like” was coming from.

 

After the anxious and urgent joy, he realized he uncontrollably feared that Gu Yu’s conclusion might be wrong, that it might be an impulse, and he feared that Gu Yu might one day recall past events and remember his flaws.

 

Shen Jin’s face turned red with embarrassment, but the mental carousel continued to play out the entire process of Gu Yu wanting to break up, remove the mark, and sever ties.

 

For a moment, he couldn’t tell whether he was shy or scared, only that he was frantically avoiding eye contact, his body language clearly rejecting this outcome.

 

He suspected he was going mad, his mind racing with thoughts of “Isn’t it you who forced Gu Yu to speak? Hurry up and hug him and call him ‘hubby’,” but his limbs wouldn’t obey, remaining stiff and immobile.

 

The moonlight poured down, and Gu Yu paused in Shen Jin’s actions, not forcing the kiss he had wanted earlier, as if he had never hoped for it.

 

“…I’m sorry.” He barely regained some composure, letting go of Shen Jin and saying, “It wasn’t my intention to cause you trouble.”

 

As an alpha, breaking into an omega’s bedroom in the middle of the night and saying this was already highly offensive and not something a normal adult male should do.

 

In the darkness, his Adam’s apple trembled, squeezing out a few words with difficulty: “Rest well, come back whenever you want.”

 

“According to what was said before, the past grievances are erased, and I won’t seek revenge or anything.”

 

“I’ll withdraw from the eSports club and won’t appear in front of you again.”

 

“Just consider that these past few months never happened and that I never applied to C University.”

 

Before the breathless Shen Jin could say anything, Gu Yu turned and left the bedroom, then took his coat and hurriedly fled the apartment to calm down.

 

The room fell silent, and the sound of the door closing immediately brought Shen Jin back to his senses, causing his heart to panic. He immediately got up and chased after him.