After the Beautiful Omega Was Targeted by His Straight Roommate - Chapter 11

By the time Tao Ran snapped out of his daze, he realized he and Qi Yuxiao had almost reached the playground.

Heaven only knew that the “temporary running partner” Zhuo Qiang had found for him was actually Qi Yuxiao.

Tao Ran had the impression that Qi Yuxiao had class tonight; he wasn’t sure why he had agreed to help Zhuo Qiang. Tao Ran quickened his pace to keep up, following closely behind. “Qi Yuxiao, don’t you have class tonight?”

Qi Yuxiao walked slightly ahead, one hand in his pocket. “No.”

Oh, it seemed Tao Ran had remembered incorrectly.

After a few more steps, Qi Yuxiao suddenly asked, “Zhuo Qiang said you were afraid to come to the playground alone. Is it because of those guys from the basketball court?”

Tao Ran’s expression slumped, his gaze dimming as he replied softly, “Yes, that’s right.”

This source of irritation had been suppressed in his heart for nearly a week. It had worn down his appetite and left him looking withered, like a drooping little yellow flower.

Tao Ran might not have noticed it himself, but his personality was pure, and his emotions tended to show vividly on his face. That was how Zhuo Qiang had noticed something was wrong at a glance, even without knowing the specifics.

Finding his worries hit dead center by Qi Yuxiao again, Tao Ran’s desire to confide spilled out naturally. “When I run by myself… he keeps pestering me. He follows behind and I can’t shake him off. Even when I ignore him, he just won’t stop talking.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuxiao’s eyes darkened, and the aura around him grew several degrees colder. He asked, “Do you remember what he looks like?”

Tao Ran thought back carefully. “His skin is a bit dark, and he has heavy dark circles under his eyes.” After that dry description, Tao Ran realized he wasn’t actually very familiar with the man’s face, likely because he had never looked at him directly. He added, “He seems to be the one who asked for my WeChat among that group that blocked me at the basketball court.”

Qi Yuxiao responded, “Understood.”

Understood what? Tao Ran didn’t have time to ask before Qi Yuxiao spoke again. “Why did you suddenly decide to start running?”

Tao Ran’s attention shifted with the topic. “Oh, the physical fitness test is coming up soon. I wanted to improve my stamina; I’m afraid I’ll fail.”

Qi Yuxiao raised an eyebrow slightly and asked casually, “What was your time for the 1,000-meter run in your senior year of high school?”

Tao Ran: ” ”

Tao Ran choked for a moment. “I barely managed to pass.”

In reality, he had failed twice before finally getting through. Their high school had never taken the fitness test very seriously, usually just having the PE teacher organize it during class. The teacher, who already tended to turn a blind eye, saw Tao Ran fail to reach the passing line even after three tries and finally decided to close both eyes, recording a passing grade for him.

Tao Ran would never admit to such an embarrassing story. He worked hard to protect his small amount of self-esteem, fearing Qi Yuxiao would look down on his hard-won passing grade. He offered a hollow explanation: “Back in senior year, I was always in intensive training and preparing for mock exams. I lacked exercise.”

“Mm.” Qi Yuxiao didn’t seem suspicious.

Tao Ran asked, “How fast do you usually run the 1,000-meter?”

Qi Yuxiao: “Two minutes and forty-something seconds.”

What kind of top-tier pro was this?

Realizing there was no glory in comparison, Tao Ran chose to shut up. He wished he hadn’t asked.

The sunset was a fading crimson and the evening breeze was pleasant, though the plastic track still held a trace of the sun’s lingering heat. Tao Ran and Qi Yuxiao walked a few laps side-by-side before beginning to jog, one in front of the other.

Qi Yuxiao ran in front at a steady, even pace, every step firm. Tao Ran focused on following him, letting the surrounding scenery drift past.

After this period of training, Tao Ran’s stamina had improved significantly. As they entered the fifth lap, he found he was handling it well. It wasn’t until the seventh lap that his body sounded the “stamina exhausted” alarm. His steps grew heavy, and his consciousness began to wander.

Finishing the seventh lap, he used the last of his strength to call out, “I’m stopping!”

Following his momentum for a few more steps, he finally halted, resting his hands on his knees and gasping for air. Qi Yuxiao had stopped at some point and was standing nearby, waiting for him to recover.

Tao Ran lifted his eyelids while panting and found Qi Yuxiao looking at him with complete composure, not looking at all like someone who had just run seven laps. He asked breathlessly, “Are… are you… not tired?”

“I work out regularly, so it’s fine.”

Qi Yuxiao wasn’t out of breath at all. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his skin, but as the cool breeze blew, the last trace of his exertion vanished. His gaze fell on the reddish corners of Tao Ran’s eyes, then moved down to his slightly parted lips, catching a glimpse of the moist, rosy tip of his tongue, looking like a piece of soft, peeled fruit.

Qi Yuxiao’s expression faltered for a second, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. A gust of wind blew past Tao Ran toward him; he subconsciously inhaled and caught the clean, fresh scent of laundry detergent from Tao Ran’s clothes.

Not smelling the fragrance he expected, Qi Yuxiao felt a suppressed longing in his heart.

Tao Ran swallowed against his dry throat, feeling a surge of thirst. Just as he realized he had forgotten to bring water, he heard Qi Yuxiao’s calm voice. “Rest here for a bit. I’ll go to the convenience store nearby to buy some water.”

Having no strength left to walk, Tao Ran nodded.

After Qi Yuxiao left, Tao Ran sat on the grass in the center of the playground to rest. Feeling the drum-like thumping of his heart, he stared blankly at the lights of the distant high-rises. Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of footsteps behind him, coming closer.

Thinking it was Qi Yuxiao, Tao Ran quickly turned around. When he saw the face of the newcomer, his whole body stiffened.

“I thought you weren’t coming tonight.” Zhao Kaiyun still wore that same beaming smile. “I was at the playground the last few nights, but you didn’t show up. You made me wait for so long.”

As the other man moved to sit beside him with unearned familiarity, Tao Ran scrambled to his feet, avoiding any possibility of contact. He brushed the grass off his clothes and said flatly, “No one asked you to wait.”

He turned to leave but worried Qi Yuxiao wouldn’t be able to find him, so he stood there anxiously.

“But I wanted to wait,” Zhao Kaiyun said suggestively. He stood up and moved close to Tao Ran, suddenly lowering his voice. “Tao Ran, we are the same kind.”

The same kind?

Tao Ran’s face showed shock. His first thought was: Is Zhao Kaiyun also from the ABO world?

His brain worked rapidly. No, aside from the smell of sweat, Zhao Kaiyun didn’t have a trace of pheromones. Even Dr. Chi, whose glands had regressed after being here for so long, still retained a faint scent. Therefore, Zhao Kaiyun wasn’t an Alpha or an Omega.

Could he be a Beta? Tao Ran considered the possibility but dismissed it quickly. Betas can’t smell pheromones; if Zhao Kaiyun were a Beta, he wouldn’t recognize Tao Ran as an Omega.

Since none of his theories worked, what did “same kind” mean?

Looking at Tao Ran’s stunned face, Zhao Kaiyun felt his suspicions confirmed. He had guessed correctly; Tao Ran really was gay.

Zhao Kaiyun couldn’t help but move closer, his heart racing. He suppressed his excitement and, feeling strangely nervous, stammered out a confession. “Tao Ran, do you know? Actually, I wasn’t originally… but ever since I saw you, I don’t know why, I just… am.”

What kind of riddle was this?

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Tao Ran knit his brows, backing away cautiously. He gave a stern warning, “D-don’t come any closer.”

“The way you blush is so cute. Are you shy?” Zhao Kaiyun wasn’t deterred at all. Instead, he let out a silly laugh. The way Tao Ran was forced to retreat like a frightened little animal was incredibly adorable, making Zhao Kaiyun’s heart itch with the desire to tease him more.

Tao Ran retreated a few more panicked steps until his shoulder hit something solid. He realized he had bumped into someone. His body swayed, but a warm, strong hand immediately gripped his shoulder.

Steadying himself, Tao Ran looked up in surprise. The person behind him was Qi Yuxiao, back from buying water. With his back to the lights, his tall figure easily cast a shadow over Tao Ran.

“Qi Yuxiao.” Feeling the steady presence of the other man, Tao Ran’s racing heart finally began to settle. “Did you get the water?”

“Mm,” Qi Yuxiao looked down at Tao Ran and gave a soft response. Then, with an expressionless face, his gaze swept over the person in front of them.

“Qi Yuxiao?” Zhao Kaiyun froze, awkwardly retracting his left foot. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

The veins on the back of the hand resting on Tao Ran’s shoulder bulged slightly. Qi Yuxiao asked tonelessly, “Do you have business with my roommate?”

“Nothing much, just wanted to make a friend. I didn’t expect your roommate to be so timid.” Zhao Kaiyun turned to Tao Ran and apologized, “Sorry, classmate, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Tao Ran pressed his lips together, his face still full of wariness. He looked back and forth between Qi Yuxiao and Zhao Kaiyun, a hint of doubt rising in his mind. Was it his imagination, or did Zhao Kaiyun seem exceptionally well-behaved and almost cramped in front of Qi Yuxiao, the complete opposite of how he had been harassing him just now?

Qi Yuxiao: “If there’s nothing else, we’re leaving.”

Zhao Kaiyun sent them off with a smile. “Sure, take care. I should head back too.”

Watching their departing backs, Zhao Kaiyun turned around, his smile instantly turning dark and grim. A trace of panic flickered in his eyes.

After returning from the basketball court last time, he had learned from Jiang Zhao that Qi Yuxiao and Tao Ran were roommates. But knowing Qi Yuxiao lived off-campus, he assumed they were just casual acquaintances who had happened to run into each other. After all, one was arrogant and taciturn while the other was mild and timid; they belonged to two different worlds.

That was why he hadn’t given up on pursuing Tao Ran. But now it seemed they weren’t strangers at all; they were actually quite close. Recalling the way Qi Yuxiao had looked at him just now, his mind linked it back to that time at the basketball court.

That protective, warning look, full of danger…

Zhao Kaiyun’s pupils contracted as a ridiculous thought struck him.

It couldn’t be… Qi Yuxiao couldn’t also be like him…

Wasn’t he completely straight?

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