The Marked Alpha Is Extremely Hard to Coax - Chapter 49

When Zhou Die returned, Jiang Yunbian was sitting in his seat, treating the wounds on his hands with alcohol.

 

He didn’t know how hard he had been on himself, but he even managed to injure himself.

 

Jiang Yunbian simply applied some alcohol, which stung a bit, and gently blew on his hands. “He didn’t die, did he?”

 

“No, Alpha’s tough.” Zhou Die pulled out a bottle of pheromone blocker from a drawer, sprayed it on himself to disperse the annoying ylang-ylang scent.

 

Jiang Yunbian had been rough, and when they brought Wen Lin to the infirmary, even though he had passed out, he still couldn’t control his pheromones.

 

“I feel like I might have lost my composure.” Jiang Yunbian set down the alcohol spray and turned to Zhou Die. “That person seemed to be deliberately provoking me.”

 

Zhou Die’s gaze traced his profile, his voice soft, fitting his current mood. “Why?”

 

“He kneeled in front of me.”

 

After Alpha’s pride is stripped away, what remains is an inherent arrogance, making them naturally resistant to submission. Yet, Wen Lin had discarded all his pride in front of him.

 

Compared to a sincere apology, Jiang Yunbian was more inclined to think that Wen Lin was maliciously provoking him.

 

After all, the one who should have been kneeling was Jiang Yunbian.

 

“Tsk, I should have been even harsher,” he suddenly felt a bit regretful.

 

If Wen Lin had withdrawn from the training session after such a beating, Jiang Yunbian would have considered it a fair trade for some peace.

 

Zhou Die patted his head. “Being self-protective is a good thing, but next time, be mindful of the degree.”

 

Jiang Yunbian understood his words, and with a guilty look, lowered his head. “Did I… did I scare you?”

 

“I’ve fought with you when school started, and you’ve bitten me more than once. Do you think a scene like that could scare me?”

 

Jiang Yunbian clicked his tongue. “It wasn’t a misunderstanding back then…”

 

Zhou Die wanted to reassure him, but Jiang Yunbian pulled at his collar.

 

“Zhou Die, can I ask you for a favor?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Jiang Yunbian zipped down his jacket. “I need a temporary mark.”

 

Wen Lin’s provocation had made Jiang Yunbian’s emotions very restless. He needed something to calm himself.

 

And Zhou Die was his Enigma for marking.

 

Jiang Yunbian took off his jacket halfway, leaving it hanging on his arm, with a short-sleeve shirt underneath.

 

He reached back to his neck and pulled down the collar.

 

“Superficially, it’s because my heat is coming soon, and I’ll be uncomfortable.” He lowered his gaze, his voice softening, “On a deeper level, I want your pheromones.”

 

Zhou Die suddenly felt a dry sensation in his throat.

 

Zhou Die was sure that, even with the pheromones Jiang Yunbian had leaked earlier, there was nothing unusual. He still had two or three days before his heat.

 

This straightforward request completely satisfied Enigma’s possessiveness and control, especially after Jiang Yunbian had just shown a fierce side.

 

He was wild and untamable, yet presented his most vulnerable side, softly asking for a bite.

 

Why is he so irresistible?

 

Zhou Die sat on Jiang Yunbian’s bed, watching him approach step by step.

 

The curtains in the temporary dormitory were of poor quality, letting light through and breaking up the dusk into a fragmented light and dark.

 

Alpha approached him with slight restraint, gently placed his jacket in front of him, then turned, holding Jiang Yunbian around the waist.

 

Jiang Yunbian felt a slight bump against Zhou Die’s chest.

 

The subtle tremor traveled down his spine, spreading to his fingertips, making him uncontrollably tense.

 

The nearly eighteen-year-old boy felt like a fruit on the verge of ripening, exuding an enticing fragrance, tightly embraced by Zhou Die.

 

When Zhou Die reflected, he realized the position between him and Jiang Yunbian was unprecedentedly intimate.

 

He reached out, peeling down the collar of his shirt like removing petals. Jiang Yunbian felt a tightness in his throat and whispered, “Wait a moment.”

 

Zhou Die was patient.

 

Jiang Yunbian lifted his long, slender fingers to unbutton the three buttons of his short-sleeve school uniform, revealing a large, mint-scented, fair, and delicate neck.

 

His submission was like feathers falling on an arm, lightly brushing, bringing a pleasant itch.

 

Zhou Die tightened his grip, fingers resting on his waist, gently stroking.

 

“Bite me.”

 

Jiang Yunbian nodded with his head lowered.

 

The slightly protruding spine was smooth and delicate.

 

This was Alpha’s neck, and Jiang Yunbian had resisted his physiological arrogance, showing his most vulnerable place to him.

 

Zhou Die first pressed his lips to his skin. When he felt Jiang Yunbian’s uncontrollable shivers and stiffness, he realized that Jiang Yunbian was still somewhat resistant and scared.

 

Without any unnecessary pause, he bit into the most hidden gland.

 

Jiang Yunbian let out a faint groan, feeling a slight sting.

 

As the pheromones were injected, he clenched the blanket uncontrollably, not daring to relax.

 

He suddenly felt like a small animal being held by the scruff of its neck, unable to move.

 

Zhou Die gently licked the place where the pheromones were injected, and when he pulled away, Jiang Yunbian noticeably relaxed.

 

“Are you scared?” He lightly pinched Jiang Yunbian’s neck, not loosening his hold.

 

Jiang Yunbian lifted his hand to touch it, still with some moisture and bite marks.

 

His voice carried a vague complaint: “I haven’t bitten an Omega before, but I’ve been bitten by you three times…”

 

Zhou Die heard the regret in his words, letting his fingers trail down Jiang Yunbian’s arm, finding the gaps.

 

“I’ll let you bite me in return.”

 

When Jiang Yunbian turned around, his hair was slightly raised, his eyes sparkling with light. “Is that okay?”

 

Zhou Die casually noted his expectations, deliberately drawing closer so their breaths entangled.

 

“I’ll try,” he lowered his gaze, his eyes purposefully tracing his lips, “as long as you’re willing.”

 

Jiang Yunbian’s hand suddenly landed on Zhou Die’s shoulder, like a small dog leaning in. “I’m willing, definitely willing.”

 

Zhou Die chuckled, patting his back. “Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

 

Jiang Yunbian shook his head. “How about we discuss when I can bite you?”

 

Zhou Die didn’t expect him to be so interested, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Enigma only relaxes its vigilance for those it has lifelong marks on. When do you think?”

 

Jiang Yunbian had tried to bite Zhou Die before, but physiological suppression made it clear that he was not allowed to infringe. Whenever he approached Zhou Die’s neck, his own glands would burn painfully.

 

And now, the only marking method Zhou Die proposed was… a lifelong mark?

 

Jiang Yunbian sensed the ambiguity in Zhou Die’s eyes, immediately stood up, creating distance, feeling that any contact with him was scorching.

 

“Well, maybe it’s better not to. It’s not worth it for me.”

 

Zhou Die lowered his gaze, gently lifting Jiang Yunbian’s fingers.

 

“Hmm, if you’re unwilling, then it’s fine.”

 

Even so, Jiang Yunbian clearly felt his ring finger being gently pressed by him.

 

“I’ll wait for you.”

 

*

 

Jiang Yunbian felt he had been quite harsh. As for why Wen Lin was still standing in the line like nothing had happened the next day, he guessed it might be due to good genes.

 

If an Alpha could end up in the hospital just from taking two punches, it would be quite ridiculous.

 

The training camp’s schedule was tight: in the morning, there was group rock climbing, and the students who reached the summit would receive red slips with their names from the teachers. In the afternoon, there was a team activity to make Kongming lanterns, with the emphasis on speed. After making the lanterns, the teachers would light the electronic Kongming lanterns for the group members.

 

The lanterns made by each group would be collected by the training camp for display in future sessions.

 

“It’s really environmentally friendly,” Xu Zhaoruo muttered from the back of the line, writing her name on a red slip.

 

Jiang Yunbian wrote his name on the red slip and, as he handed it in, he suddenly caught sight of Zhou Die through a gap in the line.

 

Zhou Die had also finished writing his name and turned around just as their eyes met.

 

Jiang Yunbian couldn’t help but feel his neck warm up slightly, but he didn’t want to touch his neck in Zhou Die’s gaze.

 

Zhou Die noticed the subtle change in Jiang Yunbian’s expression. When he glanced back, he noticed another gaze following Jiang Yunbian.

 

Wen Lin, who had been beaten up by Jiang Yunbian the night before and had spent the night in the infirmary due to uncontrollable pheromones, had also received an inhibitor shot as a precaution.

 

The previous night, Jiang Yunbian had told him that Wen Lin seemed to be deliberately provoking him.

 

At seventeen or eighteen, when Alphas are at their most spirited, Zhou Die, despite being Enigma, didn’t think Wen Lin would kneel down so easily.

 

His feelings of guilt should be more directed at Jiang Yunbian. For someone like Jiang Yunbian, who was of the same kind, it seemed a bit extreme.

 

“Alright, students from Group One, follow me.” The team leader collected the name slips and placed them in a large box before directing the students to assemble.

 

Zhou Die was in Group One, and Jiang Yunbian was in Group Two. The rock climbing area was divided into East and West sections, with the teachers splitting up to manage the tasks.

 

The East and West areas were quite far apart. When the forty students arrived, the teacher took out the name slips from the box.

 

“Climb high and see far. I hope each of you will complete this climb if your body permits, and get your name slip. It’s a good omen, like passing the imperial exams!” The teacher spoke with great enthusiasm, and many students were stirred up by his words.

 

Alphas had strong learning abilities and physical qualities. Among the eight schools participating in the training, each had thirty Alphas, most of whom were in Group A.

 

“The East Peak is fifteen meters, and the West Peak is ten meters. The Beta and Omega students are more in the West, so they need extra care,” the teacher explained. “Our school climbs ten meters, but since you can reach the top academically, this extra five meters should be a piece of cake!”

 

Zhou Die pulled a piece of candy from his pocket and unwrapped it.

 

After hearing about the split between odd and even groups in the morning, Jiang Yunbian had given him a pack of candy.

 

Last night, when Xu Zhaoruo was secretly ordering takeout, Jiang Yunbian had asked her to buy it.

 

“Zhou Die,” a not-so-pleasant male voice called from behind him.

 

Zhou Die lifted his gaze, and Wen Lin, with a polite but distant smile, addressed him. “Thank you for taking me to the infirmary last night.”

 

“I just didn’t want our school’s students to get into unnecessary trouble.”

 

“Is that so?” Wen Lin seemed unfazed by the sarcasm. “I thought you’d be curious about what happened between me and your school’s student after the way things were left yesterday.”

 

After all, if they were classmates, seeing such a violent confrontation between Alphas would make most curious about the cause of the conflict.

 

Especially since this person was involved and had been taken to the infirmary.

 

Wen Lin was waiting for Zhou Die to speak, hoping to reveal his different past with Jiang Yunbian.

 

After that incident, Wen Lin hadn’t expected his close friend to be so deeply hurt. He had heard that Jiang Yunbian’s parents divorced, he was living with his father in a blended family, lost friends, and had imprisoned himself in guilt and self-blame.

 

That wasn’t the ending he had wanted, and he deeply regretted it.

 

But he also felt that Jiang Yunbian had merely returned to a time when he wasn’t familiar with him, with no one close to him and no one to hurt him.

 

Until the person in front of him appeared.

 

Wen Lin couldn’t remember his feelings when he saw these two walking side by side in the mall, but he couldn’t control his rationality at the time.

 

Even though Jiang Yunbian had repeatedly stated not to contact him, he couldn’t help but call him.

 

He wanted to ask Jiang Yunbian if he had made new friends, but when the call was answered, he found himself unable to say anything.

 

The person in front of him seemed eager to communicate, and Zhou Die’s polite smile had faded. “Step aside.”

 

The casual words carried strong pressure.

 

Wen Lin stood still, feeling as if his inner self was being scrutinized in an instant, with all his thoughts laid bare.

 

Even though they were both Alphas, Zhou Die could easily suppress him.

 

Often, when facing Zhou Die, Wen Lin felt a sense of humiliation that forced him to lower his head.

 

“Hey, good luck with the climb later, Brother Wen!” A student from Ning Gao approached, “This time, there’s only one top student in the third group, and we’ll crush it with our stamina!”

 

It seemed like he was still hung up on losing to Ning Gao that day.

 

“Don’t underestimate others’ top students,” Wen Lin smiled lightly, showing a bit of reluctance to stir up trouble. “But I’ll do my best.”

 

Wei Chu, in the third group, frowned slightly when he heard this.

 

Wen Lin from Ning Gao… wasn’t quite what he had imagined.

 

As they put on their safety gear, Zhou Die and Wen Lin stood at the starting line.

 

Wei Chu waited in the back, as he would be next in line.

 

He planned to map out the climbing route but saw Ning Gao’s people moving closer to Zhou Die.

 

“Care for a little competition?” Wen Lin asked with a friendly smile.

 

Wei Chu noticed Zhou Die’s expression remained unchanged, as if an insignificant bug had merely flown by.

 

For some reason, in Wei Chu’s view, Wen Lin was supposed to be as aloof as Zhou Die, but from what he had seen in recent days, only Zhou Die was truly aloof.

 

Wen Lin seemed indifferent, smiling slightly. “I used to compete with Yunbian. He never managed to beat me.”

 

Wei Chu noticed Zhou Die’s mood changed after this statement.

 

It was hard to tell whether it was for better or worse, but it was clear that he was paying attention to Wen Lin.

 

“Ready, set, go!”

 

At seventeen or eighteen, teenagers have long, slender builds. Their wrists and ankles are exposed in the light during rock climbing, showing clean, defined lines. Their movements, filled with explosive energy, appear agile and light after the whistle blows.

 

Wen Lin intended to compete with Zhou Die, but the difference in their physical abilities quickly became apparent.

 

Wen Lin lost his grip in the later stages, breaking his rhythm slightly. When he regained his focus, he was greeted by the blinding sunlight from above.

 

The whistle signaling the summit sounded, and he turned around to see someone already at the top.

 

Zhou Die stood at the highest point, his gaze calm and arrogant as he looked down on Wen Lin. His eyes betrayed an unhidden disdain and indifference of a victor.

 

“You lost.”

 

Zhou Die suddenly realized he had a strong competitive streak, unwilling to hear about Jiang Yunbian’s past that he didn’t know.

 

Below, Wen Lin’s face, exposed to the glaring sunlight, suddenly broke into a grim smile.

 

After the grimace, Zhou Die saw Wen Lin’s foot push off the wall. 

 

He let go of his grip and fell backward directly towards the ground.

 

“Wow——”

 

The crowd below gasped. Wen Lin’s safety rope tightened, and he landed safely.

 

Ning Gao’s people rushed over to protect him, fearing he might have hurt himself.

 

The teacher sighed deeply at the railing. “As long as he’s safe, it’s fine.”

 

Zhou Die remained expressionless, turning slightly to shield his eyes from the sun, his gaze falling into the shadow cast by his fingertips.

 

His low, husky voice carried a hint of sarcasm. “Crazy.”

 

*

 

Jiang Yunbian had no competition on the West Peak. After completing the climb and receiving his name slip, he continued to cheer on others.

 

Xu Zhaoruo, despite being so beautiful, was terrified during the climb, like a koala. After climbing just three meters, she cried out, “I can’t go up, I can’t go up…”

 

Jiang Yunbian, amused, teased her. “Come on, there’s still half left. If you come up, I’ll buy you a drink at noon.”

 

“I can’t drink!” Xu Zhaoruo was looking for a foothold to retreat to the ground.

 

“If you come up, I’ll hold an umbrella for you all day,” Jiang Yunbian said, pulling out an umbrella he had gotten from the teacher.

 

“I’m touched,” Xu Zhaoruo’s voice trembled, “but you’re still so annoying.”

 

“Come on, climb up and I’ll grant you a wish,” Jiang Yunbian said, thinking for a moment. “Today, I’m Aladdin Xiaojiang.”

 

Xu Zhaoruo was utterly annoyed with these seventeen or eighteen-year-olds who had such sharp tongues.

 

“I wish you beauty, wealth, and happiness for life. How about that?”

 

Xu Zhaoruo, stirred by Jiang Yunbian’s words, gritted her teeth and climbed up using both hands and feet.

 

Jiang Yunbian whistled and held the umbrella over her, offering a hand at the end.

 

“You’re not bad at all.”

 

The teacher nearby praised loudly, the most hoped-for sight being each student overcoming all difficulties to reach the summit.

 

Xu Zhaoruo looked back and realized she had actually climbed ten meters. She sat down in a slightly wobbly manner.

 

Jiang Yunbian held the umbrella for her, with water and candy set aside. “How are you doing?”

 

“Wish,” Xu Zhaoruo said.

 

Jiang Yunbian replied, “Sure, make your wish.”

 

Xu Zhaoruo said, “When you two get married, you’ll cover my share of the wedding gift.”

 

After the students from the West Peak came down, those from the odd-numbered groups had already gone to the cafeteria. When they disbanded for lunch, several people continued to discuss their rock climbing experiences.

 

Zhou Die leaned next to Jiang Yunbian and extended his hand. “I’m injured.”

 

Jiang Yunbian, still somewhat tense, looked at Zhou Die’s hand and noticed a small hangnail on his index finger.

 

What kind of injury is this?

 

A passing boy nearby remarked, “So even handsome guys get hangnails, huh?”

 

Jiang Yunbian ignored him. “Just trim it when you get back.”

 

Zhou Die persisted, “It hurts.”

 

With his hand resting in his own lap, Zhou Die seemed quite downcast.

 

Jiang Yunbian suddenly realized Zhou Die had been in the same group as Wen Lin in the morning. Did they have a conflict? Was there some friction during the climb?

 

There was no other option, so Jiang Yunbian pinched his fingertip and gently blew on it when no one was watching.

 

“Alright, if it stops hurting, don’t say I caused you pain.” Jiang Yunbian spoke quickly, “You need to tell me what happened today.”

 

Zhou Die twirled his fingertip. “Today I competed with Ning Gao’s guy.”

 

“And?”

 

“I won.”

 

Jiang Yunbian’s prepared consolation was on the tip of his tongue, but he realized Zhou Die was just being coy.

 

He patted Zhou Die’s palm. “You were just trying to be cute.”

 

Zhou Die smiled lightly, his gaze meeting the people from Ning Gao across the room.

 

Wen Lin was surrounded by others, and some girls, having heard about his fall from the climbing wall, were inquiring about his condition with great concern.

 

Wen Lin smiled and patted one girl’s head, speaking softly to comfort her.

 

Several people around him blushed.

 

Even though he was surrounded by concern, his gaze uncontrollably drifted towards the Third Middle School’s direction.

 

Then he seemed startled, his smile frozen.

 

Zhou Die leaned closer to Jiang Yunbian, and the low pressure around him seemed to lift when he saw the necklace around Jiang Yunbian’s neck.

 

What was he so restless about?

 

The person in front of him had come so close yesterday, asking for a mark, and now was within reach.

 

No one could take Jiang Yunbian away.

 

“By the way, Zhou Die,” Jiang Yunbian turned around and was surprised to see how close they were, a bit startled.

 

As he leaned back, he bumped into a classmate next to him, and all eyes turned to them.

 

Jiang Yunbian suddenly felt like he had just finished showering and come out without changing clothes, only to find the living room filled with relatives.

 

He awkwardly moved away from Zhou Die and hastily handed his still-uneaten soup to the classmate next to him.

 

“Here you go, don’t be shy.”

 

Classmate: “?” Do top students’ affections come so suddenly?

 

Xu Zhaoruo noticed this and appropriately steered the conversation back to rock climbing. Soon, people were complaining about sore hands and sunburn, quickly shifting the focus.

 

Jiang Yunbian sighed in relief and then pulled out a small slip of paper from his pocket.

 

“Want to exchange?”

 

Zhou Die looked at his palm and just wanted to lean in. “Yes, let’s exchange.”

 

How could they not exchange?

 

As Jiang Yunbian secretly swapped his name slip with Zhou Die’s, he felt a bit like an ancient noblewoman exchanging a token of affection with her lover.

 

It felt a bit awkward.

 

After lunch, the afternoon activity of making Kongming lanterns was more relaxed. Everyone just had to write their wishes and draw a bit on the provided paper.

 

Everyone was curious about what Jiang Yunbian would write and waited around to see him finish.

 

In a carefree manner, he wrote the word “chase.”

 

“One word?” The people nearby waited for a while, incredulous. “Just this?”

 

“You don’t understand the cultural meaning behind it,” Jiang Yunbian said, putting down his pen and sitting back in his chair while peeling an orange. He slipped over to Zhou Die’s side amidst the crowd.

 

He was curious about what Zhou Die would write.

 

The distance from Group One was a bit far, so Jiang Yunbian had eaten half an orange by the time he could see Zhou Die’s back clearly.

 

Zhou Die wrote his word swiftly and also wrote just one character.

 

“Wait.”