The Marked Alpha Is Extremely Hard to Coax - Chapter 31

After getting used to the dorm life, Jiang Yunbian felt a bit unsettled when his roommate took leave.

 

Even in class, he occasionally leaned back and bumped into the desk, only then realizing that Zhou Die was absent, leaving him with no one to chat with.

 

By Thursday, Gao Zining noticed that Jiang Yunbian had come back and immediately collapsed into sleep, shaking his head while standing next to Xu Zhan.

 

“Tsk tsk, your son is visibly lonely,” he said while sipping on yogurt.

 

Xu Zhan, who was busy catching up on homework, didn’t even look up: “You’d better keep your voice down. If he hears you, he’ll smack you with a book.”

 

Born mischievous, Gao Zining squatted by Jiang Yunbian’s desk, clicking his tongue like he was teasing a dog: “Come on, big brother will keep you company.”

 

Jiang Yunbian’s foot, which was resting on the desk bar, stomped onto the ground. He then narrowed his eyes, sitting up straight with a menacing look on his face.

 

“Say that again?”

 

Gao Zining instantly bolted eight hundred meters away: “Sorry to disturb you.”

 

Xu Zhan chuckled, put down his pen, and started fanning the flames: “Hey, hey, you two don’t be like this. If there’s something off, just fight it out, don’t be cowards!”

 

Jiang Yunbian was just about to teach the instigator a lesson when Zhou Die’s figure leisurely appeared at the door.

 

Gao Zining ran faster than anything, instantly darting behind him: “Brother Zhou, save me!”

 

Jiang Yunbian snorted: “Zhou Die, I advise you not to side with injustice. Hand over Gao Zining!”

 

Gao Zining was about to argue that Brother Zhou would never be unfair, but Zhou Die just turned his head: “Did you hear that?”

 

Gao Zining, with no way out, started babbling: “Brother Zhou, didn’t you take leave yesterday? Jiang Yunbian was completely out of it, lying on his desk all day ignoring everyone. If you weren’t both A’s, I’d seriously suspect he’s got a one-sided crush!”

 

Just as Jiang Yunbian was about to scold this nonsense-spewing fool, Zhou Die had already walked up to him.

 

He placed a prepared thermos on the desk, his tone laced with a teasing smile: “Missed me, huh? Here’s compensation.”

 

Jiang Yunbian: “…”

 

Xu Zhan quietly watched for a moment, then took out a lemon tea from his drawer and sipped it right in front of Jiang Yunbian.

 

Jiang Yunbian was amused by him, raising a hand to pinch his mouth: “Is it really sour, huh?”

 

Zhou Die sat down at his seat, watching the little tyrant successfully become the center of the class’s attention with just a breakfast, suddenly finding it amusing.

 

Jiang Yunbian was actually quite cute.

 

The morning consisted of back-to-back English classes. After completing a reading comprehension exercise, Jiang Yunbian leaned back in his chair: “Zhou Die.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“What were you doing yesterday?”

 

Zhou Die’s pen paused slightly as he was underlining keywords, then he looked up: “Are you really curious?”

 

Jiang Yunbian scoffed: “Not really, just showing a little concern.”

 

When the bell rang for the end of class, Jiang Yunbian still hadn’t received Zhou Die’s answer when Xu Zhan slung an arm around him: “Come on, P.E. class, let’s go play ball!”

 

Jiang Yunbian turned slightly to avoid him, not too pleased: “I’m not going.”

 

Gao Zining chimed in: “We don’t mind if you join us, come on!”

 

Jiang Yunbian threw an eraser at him: “Do you even have the right to mind?”

 

Gao Zining chuckled and walked over to Zhou Die’s side: “Brother Zhou, you joining us to play ball? Opportunities to thrash Jiang Yunbian don’t come often!”

 

Zhou Die raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at the desk in front of him.

 

Jiang Yunbian had already turned his back on this group of mortals, clearly not wanting to interact at all.

 

Zhou Die, being considerate, didn’t press further. When the group couldn’t get him to join, they left to secure the court. After most of them had left, Zhou Die looked at Jiang Yunbian’s back.

 

“Can’t play basketball?”

 

Jiang Yunbian replied confidently, “Yeah, I’m not some genius who’s good at everything. What, you looking down on me?”

 

Zhou Die admired his expression, gently smoothing his hair: “How could I ever look down on you?”

 

Jiang Yunbian, calmed by his gentle tone, looked at him for a while: “You can’t play either?”

 

Zhou Die thought for a moment, then held up his fingers, showing the same width as the other night: “I’m rather unlucky; I can only do this much.”

 

Jiang Yunbian suddenly remembered that this was the gesture he made when he said he had a talent for singing that night, and he laughed, giving his hand a light slap.

 

“Enough already.” He unzipped his jacket and stood up.

 

Jiang Yunbian’s way of taking off his jacket was different; he started from the neck. Zhou Die watched as the most ordinary school jacket slid down from his shoulders to his lower back, and then he tugged at the sleeves to remove the jacket and drape it over the back of the chair.

 

The curve of the boy’s back was clear—slender but not sickly, his arms even fairer than a girl’s.

 

Jiang Yunbian had no idea what kind of scenery Enigma saw in that brief moment. He lifted his chin: “Come on, I’ll go watch you play.”

 

“Jiang Yunbian.” Zhou Die called his name.

 

Jiang Yunbian turned back, the wind outside lifting the curtains, sunlight falling on his profile.

 

Zhou Die looked into his deep brown eyes and took out a box from the drawer.

 

“For you, try it on.”

 

Jiang Yunbian looked at the glass box, inside which lay a pendant. The pale green gemstone was in the center, a thin diamond shape with no excessive embellishments.

 

Jiang Yunbian stood still: “What is this?”

 

“A pheromone necklace.” Zhou Die gently opened the box, “It’s crafted based on Omega’s data, and this necklace contains my pheromones. It can provide simple comfort when you’re forcibly induced.”

 

Jiang Yunbian, unlike an Omega, didn’t have a bracelet made for him.

 

“I don’t need it.” Jiang Yunbian took a step back, staring at the pendant without touching it.

 

“It’s for your physical safety, and you’ll need to wear it for withdrawal symptoms as well.” Zhou Die stood up, his posture calm and unhurried, with no intention of forcing him.

 

But Jiang Yunbian still felt the allure from the pheromones.

 

Zhou Die’s pheromones were condensed inside.

 

Seeing him waver, Zhou Die softly said again, “Try it on? If it doesn’t fit, I can replace it.”

 

“Do I have to wear it during withdrawal too?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Then it’s just a matter of time. Jiang Yunbian lifted his hand and hooked the cool silver chain on his fingertip.

 

“How do you open this?” He held it in his hand, examining it for a while.

 

“Let me help you.” Zhou Die took it from his palm, touching the warm skin of his hand as he took the necklace.

 

Jiang Yunbian’s hand felt softer than expected.

 

Zhou Die undid the clasp, standing sideways behind Jiang Yunbian.

 

The Alpha was momentarily slow to react; he only realized that Zhou Die was behind him when the cool necklace touched his skin.

 

Once you notice something, you begin to react. Even though Zhou Die was only standing close, his nape felt as if a feather had lightly brushed over it, a tickling sensation.

 

Jiang Yunbian instinctively stood up straight, belatedly realizing that his glands had become more sensitive than before.

 

Zhou Die noticed all the subtle details that the Alpha thought he had hidden well, but he was gentlemanly enough not to touch that section of skin.

 

However, his gaze inevitably lingered over every inch of Jiang Yunbian’s nape—those beautiful lines, the slightly raised cervical vertebra, and the skin hidden beneath the collar.

 

Jiang Yunbian was the first Alpha that Zhou Die couldn’t take his eyes off.

 

But Enigma has always been very patient.

 

After fastening the necklace, Zhou Die stepped back and asked, “How does it feel?”

 

Jiang Yunbian tucked the pendant into his collar and felt the side of his neck. “It’s okay, just a bit cold.”

 

This slight chill was nothing to the young man. As soon as he put on the necklace, he felt the scent of cedar settle over him. 

 

It adhered to his skin very gently, just enough to balance a certain sensory point. It wasn’t exactly soothing, but it did make him feel a little more at ease.

 

The effect of pheromones is truly amazing.

 

“Let’s go, time for P.E.”

 

When they arrived at the sports field, the teacher took attendance and, after warm-ups, allowed them free activity time.

 

Gao Zining, that shameless guy, was already dancing around Jiang Yunbian on the court. “Some people, on the surface, seem like school bullies, but in reality, they’re too scared to even play basketball!”

 

He Ru, not fearing for his life, chimed in, “Some people, on the surface, seem like top-level Alphas, but in reality, they’re too afraid to accept challenges!”

 

Xu Zhan also joined in, fanning the flames. “Some people…”

 

“Heh.” Jiang Yunbian chuckled lightly and stepped out from the shade of the trees. “Three-on-three, want to play?”

 

Gao Zining and He Ru’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Let’s make it interesting—loser buys lunch for a week!”

 

Zhou Die, who was standing nearby, watched Jiang Yunbian calmly raise the stakes. “Come on, if we’re going to play, let’s make it big—how about covering all three meals?”

 

Xu Zhan whistled and patted Jiang Yunbian on the shoulder. “Kid, the stakes are too high. I’m out.”

 

Jiang Yunbian kicked him. “Hurry up and get over there.”

 

Gao Zining was on the basketball team, and He Ru and Xu Zhan were both skilled as well. As for Jiang Yunbian, not only was it uncertain whether he could play, but he also hadn’t even gathered three players yet.

 

Xu Zhan wavered. “Hey, are you really planning to play one-on-three?”

 

“Hey, relax.” Jiang Yunbian waved off his concern and turned back to the shade under the trees. “Hey, back-row!”

 

Zhou Die slowly shifted his gaze, looking at him with a half-smile.

 

“Come on, help your buddy out!”

 

His nickname was always flashy and never the same twice. Zhou Die lazily looked at him. “What’s in it for me?”

 

Jiang Yunbian draped his arm around his shoulder. “Come on, we’re desk neighbors and bunkmates. Do we really need to talk about benefits?”

 

“I’m not really one for favors,” Zhou Die looked at him, “I need a fee.”

 

Jiang Yunbian raised an eyebrow. “To be honest, it’s already on your desk in the dorm.”

 

Just needing an excuse to return the jade pendant, Jiang Yunbian smoothly set up the situation. “Alright, let’s go.”

 

“Kid, even if you manage to coerce Zhou over, we’re not playing with uneven teams,” Xu Zhan said.

 

He Ru nodded. “Winning wouldn’t be fair, and losing would be embarrassing.”

 

“Ugh, why’s everything so complicated?” Jiang Yunbian glanced around, noticing that the sixth class had either dispersed or started their own games. The few remaining spectators were all girls.

 

Jiang Yunbian frowned, then suddenly spotted a figure and quickly waved. “Hey, you—”

 

Guan Jiajie, who had just returned with a bottle of water, froze and pointed at himself.

 

“Yes, you. Want to play?”

 

Guan Jiajie jogged over, listened to the situation, and looked at Zhou Die and Jiang Yunbian. “So the three of us against the three of them? What’s your skill level?”

 

Jiang Yunbian snorted. “Let’s not talk about our level yet, but against those three, you think you’d lose?”

 

This provoked both sides, and the game began immediately, with the class monitor being called over to referee.

 

The tip-off was between Zhou Die and Gao Zining. The latter didn’t hold back. “Master Zhou, I won’t go easy on you on the court.”

 

Zhou Die didn’t care. “No need.”

 

As soon as the ball was tossed, the captain of the basketball team, Gao Zining, watched as Zhou Die jumped a full head higher than him, quickly intercepted the ball, and started running down the court.

 

“What the hell?” Gao Zining was stunned by Zhou Die’s agility and jumping ability. He hadn’t even turned around before Zhou Die had already dribbled past Xu Zhan, who tried to block him.

 

Then, swish!

 

A perfect three-pointer.

 

“Whoa—”

 

The sound of astonishment and applause rang out simultaneously. Zhou Die lightly shook his right hand, expressionless. “Didn’t feel quite right.”

 

Gao Zining, He Ru, and Xu Zhan: “…”

 

Damn.

 

Jiang Yunbian didn’t know much about basketball, but that three-pointer Zhou Die just made was visibly impressive. It got him a little fired up.

 

“Did you see that? Underestimated us?” Jiang Yunbian shook his head, looking regretful. “Get ready to be my meal slave for three meals a day!”

 

Zhou Die’s hand lightly landed on Jiang Yunbian’s head, giving it a small pat. “We haven’t won yet.”

 

The next tip-off was by Gao Zining. He seemed determined to regain the upper hand, quickly exchanging a glance with He Ru to set up a pick-and-roll. But just as the ball left his hands, Zhou Die intercepted it again.

 

“Damn…” He Ru laughed out of frustration. “Your reaction time is too fast.”

 

He was also hard to block. Zhou Die, with a quick glance at Jiang Yunbian’s position, passed the ball to him swiftly.

 

Everyone on the court could see how beautiful that pass was—it was fast, well-placed, and perfectly tailored for Jiang Yunbian. The only issue was that the receiver froze for a moment, and his first reaction was to swat the ball to the side.

 

The ball went out of bounds.

 

The heated atmosphere of the court quickly quieted down.

 

Xu Zhan laughed so hard his stomach hurt. “Oh my god, that reaction was way too slow, Jiang Yunbian, you’re killing me.”

 

Guan Jiajie was stunned. “Bro, if you didn’t want to dribble, you could have just passed it to me. What was that swat about?”

 

Gao Zining patted Guan Jiajie on the shoulder. “Don’t doubt it—this is the level of your teammate.”

 

Jiang Yunbian’s face flushed a bit. After a long pause, he managed to come up with an excuse. “…I wasn’t ready!”

 

He Ru waved it off. “Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.”

 

Jiang Yunbian touched his earlobe, turning back to meet Zhou Die’s gaze.

 

That man just had a faint, gentle smile. “It’s alright, you’ll get used to it after a few more.”

 

The news of Jiang Yunbian teaming up with Zhou Die on the basketball court quickly spread across half the sports field. Even students who were slacking off in the classroom rushed over to the court, eager to see the two school heartthrobs in action.

 

In just a few minutes, tales of handsome three-step layups, perfectly synchronized alley-oops, and even game-winning buzzer-beater dunks were being exaggerated and spread with great enthusiasm. Everyone flocked to the court with high hopes, only to come to the same conclusion after three minutes of watching:

 

They’d been tricked.

 

Well, not completely tricked.

 

After all, Zhou Die did deliver on the three-step layups, steals, and flawless three-pointers. But the other focal point, Jiang Yunbian, was still struggling to coordinate his limbs.

 

First, Gao Zining roared, “Jiang Yunbian! That’s traveling!”

 

Then Guan Jiajie, on the brink of collapse, shouted, “When you make a move, take the ball with you!”

 

Finally, Xu Zhan, in utter despair, begged, “Stop kicking the ball with your feet!”

 

During the halftime break, Jiang Yunbian sat in the audience seats, fuming.

 

Guan Jiajie was so angry at him that he felt a headache coming on, even worse than the last time Jiang Yunbian forfeited a game.

 

“When playing against the school bully, it’s all about physical strength. I’m really worried that if my blood pressure spikes, I might just pass out.”

 

Jiang Yunbian, clearly dissatisfied, retorted, “Why are you so concerned about a friendly match? You guys blocking Zhou Die with three people is really despicable!”

 

Gao Zining squatted down, grabbing his head, “We’re doomed. He’s gotten addicted to playing. I shouldn’t have called him over to play.”

 

Xu Zhan, who was standing by the backboard, shut down, “Can we stop playing? I’m willing to fetch his meals every day if it means we don’t have to play.”

 

He Ru lay down in the audience seats, pretending to be dead, not wanting to admit that he had coached Jiang Yunbian on basic skills last semester.

 

Just as the game was about to fall apart, everyone watched as Zhou Die, who remained calm, walked toward Jiang Yunbian.

 

He pulled out a piece of candy from his school uniform pocket, “Jiang Yunbian.”

 

Jiang Yunbian looked up at him, still upset, “If you want to laugh, just do it. I admit, I suck.”

 

Zhou Die held the candy out in front of Jiang Yunbian, “Do you want it?”

 

“No,” Jiang Yunbian turned his head away in a huff.

 

This group of people dragged him into playing, and now they wanted to make fun of him. His pride couldn’t take it.

 

Zhou Die couldn’t hold back a smile, thinking to himself, what a bad-tempered kid.

 

His voice was calm and quiet, and when he got closer, a faint scent of snow pine mixed with the sweat on his skin.

 

“I’m not laughing at you, really.”

 

The girls who witnessed everything from the side almost went crazy. What is this? Isn’t this a heartwarming gesture full of affection?

 

The school bully, who was throwing a tantrum because he sucked at basketball, was being comforted by the silent genius who offered him candy… Could this really be happening?

 

One of the girls covered her face, “Oh my gosh, Die Die really knows how to win a man’s heart. Mom is so proud.”

 

“Jiang Jiang, you dumb puppy, still needs to be coaxed. My goodness…”

 

“If I were even one-tenth as good at pampering as Die Die, I wouldn’t be single.”

 

Today, the candy Zhou Die brought was grape-flavored, which slightly diminished Jiang Yunbian’s frustration.

 

The soothing scent in the air relaxed him, and Zhou Die spoke unhurriedly, “Eat this buff; you’ll have a lucky boost when you play later.”

 

He lowered his eyes and muttered softly, “Are you a kid?”

 

“Yeah, I’m three months younger than you.” Zhou Die straightened up, glancing at the court, “Come on, let’s continue.”

 

Jiang Yunbian didn’t really understand what Zhou Die meant by “buff,” but it was clear that Zhou Die was on a different level from the others. After grabbing a few rebounds, Zhou Die quickly brought the score back up.

 

With the score tied, Jiang Yunbian heard the class monitor count down that there were fifteen seconds left in the second half.

 

“Jiang Yunbian,” Zhou Die called his name as he snapped back to reality.

 

Jiang Yunbian’s eyes lit up like a puppy hearing its name.

 

Zhou Die pointed to the opponent’s basket, “Three steps, can you do it?”

 

“I can!”

 

They openly discussed strategy, but because Zhou Die’s skills were too strong, Xu Zhan and Gao Zining didn’t have time to get back on defense.

 

Jiang Yunbian quickly got into position, and the ball was passed to him.

 

He took a breath, looked at the basket in front of him, and attempted a somewhat unsteady three-step layup.

 

The moment the ball left his fingertips, Jiang Yunbian felt like he had given it his all. He stood there, looking up, as the basketball spun around the rim and wobbled before falling in.

 

26-24, Jiang Yunbian won with a buzzer-beater.

 

“It went in—” Jiang Yunbian ran happily toward Zhou Die, completely forgetting his previous irritation. “I made the shot!”

 

Zhou Die, holding his collar, smiled gently, “Nice.”

 

“I give up, I’m totally convinced,” Xu Zhan tugged at his school uniform collar, wiping off his sweat, “I always thought the term ‘carried’ was an exaggeration, but today I saw it for real.”

 

Gao Zining followed behind him, “Bro, are you interested in joining the school team? You’re really good.”

 

Guan Jiajie, who also enjoyed the latter part of the game, added, “Brother Zhou, call me next time you play. I just love easy wins.”

 

Jiang Yunbian stood there for a moment, lightly pinching his fingertips, and then walked out of the crowd.

 

Xu Zhan and the others were sitting down, still arguing about who would run and get water, not wanting to move at all.

 

Zhou Die raised an eyebrow slightly and followed him, “What, running away with the candy?”

 

Jiang Yunbian raised his hand and tossed the candy back.

 

Zhou Die caught it, feeling the warmth of the candy that had absorbed some of Jiang Yunbian’s body heat, “Still mad?”

 

Jiang Yunbian clicked his tongue and looked back, “Am I mad? I’m just leaving the spotlight for the star player, not stealing your thunder.”

 

Zhou Die responded with a sound, standing still, “Weren’t you the one who made the crucial buzzer-beater?”

 

Jiang Yunbian finally heard some praise, turned around, and said, “That’s true. I’ve never missed a clutch shot.”

 

After all, it only happened once, so he had a 100% success rate.

 

Zhou Die beckoned him to come over.

 

Jiang Yunbian was slightly confused but walked closer, only to be pulled into a half-embrace by Zhou Die.

 

The warm breath fell near his ear, and Zhou Die’s hoarse, deep voice was surprisingly soothing.

 

He said, “Actually, my stamina is pretty bad. My legs can barely stand now. If you walk any faster, I’m going to collapse.”

 

Jiang Yunbian chuckled, “Alright, I’ll get you a wheelchair. Just wait.”

 

Zhou Die slightly curled his lips but didn’t let go of him, “Okay, let me lean on you for a bit. I’m really tired.”

 

Since Zhou Die had carried him through the game, Jiang Yunbian wasn’t that ungrateful. He raised his hand to support Zhou Die’s waist, gently holding him up, “Are you okay?”

 

Alpha’s close proximity made Zhou Die’s throat a bit dry. He caught the faint scent of mint coming from Jiang Yunbian’s nape, letting himself lean in a little more.

 

“I’m a bit thirsty.”

 

“Shall I go buy you a bottle of water?”

 

“If you leave, I won’t be able to stand.”

 

Jiang Yunbian huffed a laugh, “Zhou Die, I’ve realized you’re quite the shameless guy.”

 

Zhou Die’s expression didn’t change, “Really.”

 

Jiang Yunbian thought for a moment, then pointed to the back of the gym, “Come on, I’ll carry you to the convenience store. How about that?”

 

Zhou Die felt a strange annoyance as he watched Jiang Yunbian casually turn around.

 

“If it were Xu Zhan who couldn’t walk, would you carry him?”

 

Jiang Yunbian was puzzled, how did Xu Zhan come into this?

 

But before he could answer, Zhou Die’s hand suddenly landed on the back of his neck, squeezing slightly as if picking up a small animal by the scruff.

 

Jiang Yunbian instantly felt a tingling sensation and reflexively turned back, swatting away Zhou Die’s hand and protecting the back of his neck.

 

Zhou Die saw the startled look on his face, restrained his smile, and replaced it with a nonchalant apology.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Jiang Yunbian hadn’t expected the back of his neck to be so sensitive. When hanging out with Xu Zhan and the others, they often grabbed each other’s necks and he never reacted like this.

 

Jiang Yunbian couldn’t tell if this abnormality was due to his nerves or something else. He shook his head, “No, it’s not your fault. I just…”

 

Just what, he couldn’t explain.

 

Zhou Die saw this but didn’t tell him, “Let’s head back.”

 

The tingling sensation on the back of his neck felt like a glitch, and no matter how much Jiang Yunbian touched it afterward, it didn’t react the same, so he didn’t dwell on it.

 

Around noon, Jiang Yunbian received a message from his sister. She had sent him another package.

 

Since Xu Zhan was helping him with meals, Jiang Yunbian decided to go sign for it, and he ran into Zhou Die at the door.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“To pick up a package. My sister sent me something again.”

 

The midday heat was intense, and Jiang Yunbian wasn’t wearing a jacket. Zhou Die glanced at the back of his head, “I’ll go with you.”

 

Jiang Yunbian pointed to the sky, “Young master, the sun is blazing.”

 

Zhou Die walked over, grabbed an umbrella, and said, “I’ll hold the umbrella for you. I need to buy a pen anyway.”

 

With free help, Jiang Yunbian wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. The two of them shared the umbrella and walked out the back door to the convenience store.

 

Jiang Yunbian found the package with his name on it and signed for it just as Zhou Die finished paying.

 

Back in the dorm, Zhou Die had just put the umbrella away under the table when he heard the sound of Jiang Yunbian opening his package.

 

He turned around and saw Jiang Yunbian shaking out a piece of clothing.

 

It was a light blue pajama set with a cute Shiba Inu face printed on it. The back had a hood with dog ears and a soft, fluffy ball-shaped tail.

 

Jiang Yunbian shook it out for a second, and in the next moment, he stuffed the pajamas back into the box and flipped the box upside down on the table.