After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 63

Shen Jin mumbled for a while, “It’s not that you’re healthy, you’re just lucky,” but Gu Yu ignored him and led him to check out of the room.

Afterward, Shen Jin informed his roommates that he planned to leave Qingyun Mountain with Gu Yu and the others.

In the car, Shen Jin thought Jiang Lan or Tao Yan might bring up the matter of Song Yizhi, but instead, Tao Yan asked, “You two—why do you feel different from before?”

Gu Yu blushed, propping one hand under his chin as he gazed out the window, while his other hand held Shen Jin’s. He answered, “What are you talking about?”

From the front seat, Jiang Lan turned around, pointedly adding, “After everything that happened last night, you didn’t let the senior rest properly, did you?”

Gu Yu’s hand grew warm, and he hurriedly said, “Stop saying weird things in front of him… we haven’t done anything.”

He naïvely wanted to protect Shen Jin’s “innocence,” though Shen Jin didn’t mind. He simply smiled and explained on Gu Yu’s behalf, “Yeah, nothing happened. He just told me some things I didn’t know before.”

“Things the senior didn’t know?” Tao Yan looked knowingly at Gu Yu and said, “Like how in your third year of high school, you almost got into a fight with that teacher Zhang in the office? Now that I think about it, it was probably for Shen Jin, right?”

Shen Jin was puzzled, “A teacher named Zhang?”

Gu Yu turned his head, pretending nothing had happened, but Tao Yan chuckled, “His name was Zhang Yong. My middle school deskmate also went to your high school and said that the school tyrant Shen Jin and that teacher really didn’t get along.”

Jiang Lan also seemed to know a lot, “Isn’t that how the rumor of the school heartthrob fighting with a teacher came about?”

Shen Jin anxiously tugged at Gu Yu, “Why did you butt heads with Zhang Yong? Weren’t you afraid of getting expelled?”

“He brought you up,” Gu Yu covered Shen Jin’s cold hand, his voice low, “And made nasty comments about your mother’s appearance and figure… Regardless of your relationship with her, Zhang Yong saying that was disgraceful for a teacher.”

Shen Jin pursed his lips, not arguing, but mumbled, “To get away with that, your family must have some high-ranking official, right?”

“My family’s nothing special, just part of the working class. And besides, he’s no longer a teacher,” Gu Yu breathed on Shen Jin’s hand to warm it, then continued, “If he doesn’t shape up, he probably won’t even be a teacher in a few years.”

Then Gu Yu asked, “…Why are your hands always so cold? Even with gloves on, it doesn’t help.”

“Cold-handed omegas were angels with broken wings in their past lives, didn’t you know?” Shen Jin laughed lightly and comforted him, “It’s okay, just hold them a bit longer, they’ll warm up.”

He gently curled his hand to let Gu Yu’s hands wrap around it, then leaned comfortably against Gu Yu’s shoulder.

Shen Jin had been away for less than two years, but it seemed like many things had changed at the school. Through their conversation, he learned that even the principal had changed. He couldn’t help but glance at Gu Yu before asking Jiang Lan and Tao Yan, “Is there anything else I don’t know?”

Gu Yu immediately knew these two were about to cause trouble for him. He straightened his back nervously, trying to stop Jiang Lan and Tao Yan from ruining his image, but with Shen Jin leaning against him, he couldn’t move much, as if he was cradling a fragile, fluffy little animal.

Taking advantage of Gu Yu’s inability to cover his mouth, Tao Yan quickly continued, “There’s a lot! Like the summer after you graduated—this guy was down in the dumps. Every time I visited, he looked like he’d just cried and told me to get lost. So I had no choice but to sit alone in his 200-square-meter living room, crying and playing video games.”

Jiang Lan chimed in, “During your third year of high school, someone told me Xiao Yu was back to being as quiet as he was before. A lot of people at school said he was going crazy missing you—I thought it was a joke, but now I realize it was all true.”

What’s more, during winter break tutoring, Gu Yu would often take detours to pass by Shen Jin’s old apartment building, hoping for a chance encounter, but he never managed to see him.

At the time, Gu Yu hadn’t realized how badly Shen Jin’s relationship with his family had deteriorated to the point where he wouldn’t go home for winter break. Gu Yu had just nervously and expectantly walked past that old building, only to leave disappointed, repeating the same route the next day.

F District was a prefecture-level city under C City’s jurisdiction. It was economically developed but not very large, and there were many people and things in the city related to Shen Jin. Gu Yu had met people Shen Jin worked with, delivering groceries, visited sports venues Shen Jin frequented, and even lingered outside houses rented by Shen Jin’s “brothers” numerous times, but he never managed to run into him.

“It was like you vanished from the face of the earth,” Jiang Lan said. “Back then, I didn’t know your situation or whether you liked him. I just cursed at you, saying at least you had his number, right? But this guy—he went ahead and deleted your number, making me think you two were sworn enemies.”

Gu Yu tried several times to cut them off but failed. He could only explain to Shen Jin, “That was just an impulsive moment, but I remembered your number and saved it again later.”

Before Shen Jin could respond, Gu Yu looked up, pouting and sulking at Jiang Lan, “…We’re not friends anymore.”

“Fine,” Jiang Lan laughed. “Anyway, your breakups are as punctual as your heats.”

“…” Gu Yu puffed his cheeks, unable to say a word. At first, Shen Jin had thought they were just teasing, but now he couldn’t help feeling a little heartache. He gently touched Gu Yu’s face and asked, “In your third year… did you really think I abandoned you in the rain?”

Gu Yu took a deep breath and rubbed against Shen Jin’s hand, softly saying, “Don’t listen to them.”

Knowing how much Gu Yu enjoyed physical contact, Shen Jin didn’t pull his hand away and continued to ask, “Then… if you had really ‘run into’ me last winter, what would you have said?”

Gu Yu lowered his head without responding, but Shen Jin already knew the answer.

He thought, Gu Yu probably would have stopped from a distance, standing in the cold wind, and then hurriedly turned and run away before Shen Jin noticed him.

“…You’re such an idiot,” Shen Jin muttered, hugging Gu Yu sideways, but Gu Yu still argued, “I hadn’t seen you in half a year back then. I probably wouldn’t have recognized your face—especially since you’d dyed your hair and got earrings. I definitely wouldn’t have recognized you. So where’s the chance encounter?”

Shen Jin laughed for a long time, his shoulders shaking. “Yeah, you wouldn’t have recognized me—until I punched you a couple of times, then you might remember what I look like.”

Gu Yu tugged Shen Jin’s hand down and started rubbing it to warm it up. But his voice was cold and harsh, “Who punches who isn’t set in stone.”

“Wow, so tough?” Jiang Lan couldn’t take it anymore. “Who was it last time showing off about how they set their phone’s unlock code to the senior’s last name?”

Shen Jin noticed the sudden warmth in Gu Yu’s palm. Gu Yu closed his eyes as if wanting to avoid the topic, but this only piqued Shen Jin’s curiosity. “Phone unlock code? Isn’t it the number 5?”

“It’s the number 5—” Gu Yu hastily grabbed his hand, but Tao Yan and Jiang Lan didn’t let him off, continuing in perfect harmony, “It’s the letter ‘S,’ representing ‘Shen,’ senior.”

Shen Jin opened his mouth, completely surprised to realize that the password he had entered so many times wasn’t the number 5. Tao Yan continued, “I also noticed that the background image on his phone is the hallway of your high school classroom, did you ever notice that, Senior?”

Of course, Jiang Lan didn’t stop laughing, saying, “Someone give Xiao Yu a Nobel Prize for pointless subtlety.”

The two shared a knowing smile, but this time, Gu Yu was more assertive. He directly opened his phone and showed it to Shen Jin. “I told you not to listen to them, it’s not true.”

As he spoke, he held onto Shen Jin’s right hand, almost like he was being a little clingy.

Shen Jin comfortingly squeezed his hand back and lowered his head to look at the screen in front of him. 

Displayed was a scenic picture with the moon and tree branches as the main focus. It had nothing to do with the hallway of their high school.

So, naturally, Shen Jin sided with Gu Yu, looking up and saying, “You two are just making stuff up. Where’s the hallway?”

Tao Yan glanced over, then simply asked, “Did you change it?”

Gu Yu turned off his phone and took a long moment before replying, “I’ll just tell Senior later.”

Both Jiang Lan and Tao Yan questioned him, “Why tell him and not us?”

Gu Yu’s ears turned slightly red, but he kept his tone casual. “I belong to Senior now, you two can get in line.”

Tao Yan, shocked, responded, “We’re your team captain and vice-captain!” But Gu Yu paid no attention to them, only focusing on whether Shen Jin’s hands were still cold. Shen Jin let the three kids continue to argue, but suddenly leaned in close and teased Gu Yu in a low voice, “Why do I feel like… my little strawberry is even cuter and more innocent than I imagined?”

Gu Yu immediately let go of his hand, but then reluctantly grabbed it again, wrapping it back up in warmth, his voice low as he said, “You’re bullying me too.”

Shen Jin rubbed his chin against Gu Yu’s shoulder, his face full of smiles. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault, Senior was wrong. Senior will make it up to the little strawberry, okay?”

Gu Yu, feeling his chest heat up after just a few nudges, quietly replied, “Mm, I’ve forgiven you, Senior—”

He pinched Shen Jin’s hand and said, “You can sleep a bit more, I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

The car was warm, and Shen Jin didn’t refuse. Soon, his tired eyes closed, and he fell soundly asleep beside Gu Yu.

Once they confirmed Shen Jin was truly asleep, the others exchanged glances.

Tao Yan was the first to speak. “About Yi Zhi… I think Uncle Song will call us soon.”

Jiang Lan nodded, whispering to Gu Yu, “We’ll handle the explanations. You just take care of Senior. Even though Du Jun didn’t succeed in hurting him, something like this can have a deep impact on an omega’s mental and emotional well-being. Senior might not be as unaffected as he seems.”

“Mm.” Gu Yu tightened his grip on Shen Jin’s gradually warming hand, replying in a serious tone, “I’ll handle it.”

*

By the time they returned to University Town, it was already 3 p.m. Gu Yu brought Shen Jin back to his own place, quickly tidying up and encouraging Shen Jin to rest a bit more.

As Shen Jin was about to burrow into the warm coral fleece blanket, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Gu Yu sat on the edge of the bed, holding up the blanket so Shen Jin could slip in more easily. “I’m not tired.”

“You didn’t sleep at all last night, and you’re telling me you’re not tired?” Shen Jin reached out, pulled him down with force, and Gu Yu tumbled into the soft bedding like someone falling into water, giving up resisting as he let out a low groan, “Senior, remember to pay me extra.”

Initially, Gu Yu just wanted to cuddle Shen Jin, but as he bent over, the person in his arms suddenly tensed up, and his breathing became erratic, almost as if he had an involuntary reaction.

Gu Yu froze, immediately pulling back, asking cautiously, “Are you afraid of me?”

Shen Jin clutched his sleeve, unable to answer for a long time.

Unlike their previous kisses and hugs, this moment felt much closer to the literal sense of “sleeping together.” Gu Yu naturally understood where Shen Jin’s fear came from.

After all, just last night, Shen Jin had narrowly avoided being drugged and assaulted by an alpha. There was no way he could be completely unaffected.

“…I feel like I’m being pathetic,” Shen Jin finally lifted his eyes to look at Gu Yu after a long silence. “I was the one who pulled you down, damn it.”

He felt a bit of self-loathing—as if, deep down, he couldn’t control his wariness around any alpha.

That wariness was undoubtedly a form of hurt to Gu Yu as well. Shen Jin felt extremely uneasy, but Gu Yu didn’t get angry. Instead, he leaned down to brush aside the messy hair on Shen Jin’s forehead and said, “It’s not your fault, Shen Jin. You should rest first. I’ll go make some soup. When you wake up, you can have some, okay?”

Shen Jin was slightly taken aback. His wildly racing heart was soothed by Gu Yu’s gentle voice, slowly calming down.

Gu Yu stayed beside him, seemingly seeing through all of Shen Jin’s worries, as he continued, “Don’t worry, Senior. I won’t feel hurt because of this.”

Holding back the worry that was on the verge of spilling over, he gently touched the thin layer of sweat on Shen Jin’s forehead and added, “If you’re not afraid to see a doctor, we can even make an appointment to talk to a therapist.”

Shen Jin stiffly nodded, his eyes unknowingly growing a little teary. “But what if… what if it doesn’t get better for a while? Your birthday’s coming up—”

Gu Yu was slightly startled and immediately asked, “What does my birthday have to do with this?”

“…” Shen Jin panicked for a second and said, “N-no reason.”

The room grew warm, and suddenly Gu Yu understood the implication behind Shen Jin’s words. He became so nervous that he pinched Shen Jin’s cheek. “…Don’t be ridiculous.”

“…But I already picked out a tail style.” Shen Jin muttered as he scratched the back of Gu Yu’s hand, signaling him to let go. But instead, Gu Yu became even more brazen, repeatedly poking Shen Jin’s face before standing up and scolding him, “W-what tail? Focus on getting better. Don’t think about anything else.”