After Transmigrating as a Man-Eater Omega, I Got the Protagonist Shou - Chapter 2

Looking at the bleeding wound on Qi Yan’s arm, Qiao Xingyin’s brow furrowed unconsciously.

He offered an invitation: “I happen to be heading to the hospital right now. Want to come along?”

Qi Yan lowered his eyelashes, his voice deep and frigid, calm without a single ripple: “No need.”

Qiao Xingyin suggested earnestly, “But your wound needs treatment.”

Qi Yan didn’t even consider it: “Unnecessary.”

Qiao Xingyin opened his mouth to say more, but Qi Yan cut him off.

“Thanks for earlier.” Qi Yan lifted his gaze, his dark eyes deep and piercing. “But in the future, don’t meddle in other people’s business.”

Qiao Xingyin: “…”

If he hadn’t dreamed about the original novel and known that Qi Yan was a “cold outside, warm inside” type, he might have actually been deterred by this icy demeanor.

But Qiao Xingyin knew that Qi Yan was actually a soft-hearted person. He was the type who would build shelters for stray cats on rainy days, help the night shift school janitor organize equipment in the dead of night, and use his tight living expenses to buy unsold roasted sweet potatoes from lonely elderly vendors.

Besides, he had helped him just now. Qi Yan was a stranger to him, so there shouldn’t be any reason for him to actually hate him. Though, looking at the situation, Qi Yan probably could have escaped on his own even without the help.

Qiao Xingyin pulled out his phone, ready to ask for contact information, when his ringtone rang at the perfect or imperfect moment.

“Brother?” Qiao Xingyin saw the caller ID was his older brother, Qiao Xingyue, and answered.

The voice on the other end was clearly anxious and tense: “Go home and wait for me. I’m coming back right now to take you to the hospital.”

Qiao Xingyin knew his new homeroom teacher must have contacted him. He used the most relaxed tone possible: “Aren’t you preparing for a competition? I can go to the hospital by myself.”

Qiao Xingyue remained insistent: “I’m going with you.”

Hearing this, Qi Yan glanced at Qiao Xingyin imperceptibly. He invited me to the hospital earlier is he unwell?

Qi Yan’s gaze lingered briefly on Qiao Xingyin’s flushed cheeks and deep red lips before quickly shifting away. The boy’s pale skin was tinged with an unnatural feverish glow, his moist lips looked as if they were stained with rouge, and even his breathing carried a slight tremor.

Qi Yan’s brow furrowed almost invisibly, but ultimately, he said nothing. He turned and walked away, his lean silhouette looking solitary in the twilight.

By the time Qiao Xingyin hung up, Qi Yan’s figure had already vanished at the end of the street. He felt a bit of regret, but then remembered they attended the same school there would be other chances to add him later.

When Qiao Xingyue arrived home, Qiao Xingyin was curled up on the living room sofa, his body burning with fever. He tossed and turned uncomfortably, the gland on the back of his neck stinging as if it were on fire.

Even as Qiao Xingyue unlocked the door and made noise entering, Qiao Xingyin didn’t notice.

This made Qiao Xingyue even more anxious. He pressed his palm against the boy’s forehead. “You’re burning up this badly, why didn’t you tell me immediately? I had to wait for your school teacher to notify me. You’re really something, aren’t you?”

Qiao Xingyin woke up in a daze, realizing it was too late to pretend nothing was wrong.

“I just didn’t want to affect your competition. It’s your first one in university. If you get a good ranking, life will be a lot smoother later on.” As he spoke, Qiao Xingyin’s beautiful eyes were clouded with misty fatigue. “Differentiation is something everyone goes through; it’s no big deal. You’re exaggerating.”

Qiao Xingyue stared at him, his brow furrowed into a deep ‘V’. “It is a big deal.”

Because the differentiation period makes one more sensitive and fragile than usual, Qiao Xingyin flinched slightly under the stare. “You just like making a mountain out of a molehill. I think the competition is more important.”

“The competition is worth jack shit,” Qiao Xingyue cursed, a rare occurrence. “Let’s go. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

With that, Qiao Xingyue put an arm around him to lead him to the door, tending to him so carefully it was as if he were a critically injured patient. In fact, Qiao Xingyin was pretty sure if he hadn’t stood up from the sofa within a second, his brother would have carried him out in a princess carry.

Qiao Xingyin struggled weakly: “Brother, I can walk on my own.”

“Stay still,” Qiao Xingyue’s tone brooked no argument, though he adjusted his arm to make sure his brother was leaning comfortably.

At the hospital, Qiao Xingyue was a whirlwind of activity registering, paying fees, and picking up medicine. Sitting on the hallway bench, Qiao Xingyin dizzily recalled the time right after their parents passed away. Qiao Xingyue had been just like this then, handling everything single-handedly so he wouldn’t have to worry.

“Qiao Xingyin,” the nurse called from the clinic door.

“Here,” Qiao Xingyue responded, helping him up.

The doctor was a kind, middle-aged Beta woman. She looked at the test results, then at the visibly tense Qiao Xingyue, and reassured them: “No need to worry too much, differentiation fever is a normal phenomenon.”

“He’s at 39°C,” Qiao Xingyue frowned. He had specifically researched this; usually, the worst part of an Omega’s differentiation was a low-grade fever. But Qiao Xingyin was running a high fever, looking as thin and fragile as transparent paper.

“I’ll prescribe some inhibitors and fever reducers. Rest well these next few days and avoid contact with the pheromones of strange Alphas. We also need an ultrasound of the gland. Go to the B-scan room on the third floor and bring the report back to me,” the doctor said.

The results were identical to the school doctor’s diagnosis: Qiao Xingyin’s glands were developing healthily, but he possessed a fatal attraction to the vast majority of Alphas.

The doctor, despite seeing countless patients daily, found this case unique: “Your pheromones are very special far more likely to trigger an Alpha’s attention than a normal Omega’s. You must be extra careful with your safety. You must carry specialized inhibitors with you at all times.”

Qiao Xingyue’s face instantly darkened.

Qiao Xingyin knew what his brother was thinking and tugged at his sleeve. “Don’t worry, it’s not that big a deal. I’ll protect myself.”

The problem was that these specialized inhibitors were not only expensive but produced in very low quantities. Even in a medically developed city like North City, they would need to be backordered. Really, I get all the “lucky” breaks, he thought.

Qiao Xingyue: “From now on, I’m picking you up after school.”

Qiao Xingyin shook his head and refused immediately. He had transferred to North City because his brother got into a university here, but the home their parents left them was near his high school. One was in the south of the city, the other in the center, a huge distance. Qiao Xingyue usually stayed in the dorms and only planned to come home on weekends.

“The school is so far from your campus. If you come every day, you’ll miss your entire afternoon of classes. If you lose attendance points, you’ll fail. If you fail, you might get kicked out. Brother, you’re smart, you know how to weigh the pros and cons. At most, I’ll just send you ‘status reports’ constantly.”

Qiao Xingyue hesitated before finally compromising.

After finishing his IV drip, Qiao Xingyin followed his brother out, clutching the medical report.

“I’ll go get the car. Wait here,” Qiao Xingyue rubbed Qiao Xingyin’s hair. “Don’t wander off.”

Qiao Xingyin nodded. Once his brother was far enough away, his gaze drifted toward the hospital pharmacy on the first floor. He remembered that nasty wound on Qi Yan’s arm back in the alley. By the time he snapped out of it, he was already standing at the pharmacy counter.

“What do you need?” the pharmacist asked.

Qiao Xingyin said: “Yunnan Baiyao aerosol and waterproof band-aids.”

The bag was handed over quickly. As he was about to pay, he remembered something else: “And a box of anti-inflammatory pills.”

When he walked out of the pharmacy, Qiao Xingyue was already waiting. “Where did you go?”

“Just buying some vitamins.” Qiao Xingyin stuffed the bag into the deepest layer of his backpack.

Qiao Xingyue looked at him suspiciously but didn’t ask further. “Get in.”

Qiao Xingyin slept for a few days until he felt mostly recovered. When he got up to get some water in the living room, he was startled by the items covering the coffee table.

“Brother? What are all these?”

Qiao Xingyue had taken a few days off to care for him. He poked his head out of the kitchen, his Snoopy apron forming a sharp contrast with his serious expression. “What you’re holding is a high-concentration pepper spray. Be careful not to trigger it by accident.”

“You’re carrying all of this from now on,” Qiao Xingyue introduced them one by one. “Pepper spray, a personal alarm, a stun baton, and a GPS tracker, if you press it three times, it automatically sends your location to me.”

Qiao Xingyin was caught between laughter and tears. “This many? People will think I’m going to war, not school.”

But Qiao Xingyue was deadly serious. “Do you have any idea how dangerous a newly differentiated Omega is, especially one with a rare pheromone type? You just aren’t taking this seriously. If it’s too heavy, I’ll hire a driver. Once you’re at school. I remember they make those backpacks with wheels you can drag along?”

“Stop right there,” Qiao Xingyin said. “Those are for elementary schoolers.” He quickly shut down his brother’s ideas. “Fine, fine, I know you mean well. I’ll take them all with me.”

“Hungry?” Qiao Xingyue nodded, bringing out a white porcelain bowl. “I made tomato beef brisket noodles.”

The noodles were distinct, and the beef was stewed until tender. The tomatoes had melted into a rich, savory sauce topped with fresh green scallions. It looked mouth-watering.

Qiao Xingyin praised him: “Brother, with these skills, it’s a waste that you don’t open a restaurant.”

Qiao Xingyue smiled. “Yeah. So even if I get expelled and we run out of Mom and Dad’s money, I can still support you.”

Qiao Xingyin huffed playfully. “Nonsense. I don’t need you to support me.”

He intended to become a self-reliant Omega. Even if it was just to keep his brother from worrying, he would protect himself well.

The next day, Qiao Xingyin returned to school.

Even though it wasn’t the first time seeing his new seatmate, Wen Ke’s eyes lit up. “Qiao Xingyin, I wanted to say this the other day you’re really good-looking. Like a celebrity on a poster.”

Even though Wen Ke couldn’t smell the pheromones, his assessment held true. Qiao Xingyin wasn’t just unique in his scent; his appearance and temperament were one in a million. His skin was clean and pale, his features exquisite. When silent, he looked like a quiet porcelain doll possessing a beauty that felt untainted by the world.

Qiao Xingyin remained humble as usual: “That’s an exaggeration.”

“No way.” Talking to Qiao Xingyin made Wen Ke feel like he was in a good mood. “Are you okay now? You can ask me anything if you have problems.”

Qiao Xingyin: “Actually, I do have a question. Did your parents name you Wen Ke because they wanted you to study Liberal Arts (Wenke)?”

Wen Ke waved a hand. “No, they are obsessed with me studying Science (Like). My dad’s only regret is that his last name isn’t Li.”

Qiao Xingyin laughed. “Being named Wen Ke while studying Science is good too proficient in both.”

Wen Ke gave a forced laugh. “Haha, or useless in both.”

Qiao Xingyin spoke again: “I actually have another question.”

Wen Ke was all ears. “Speak away.”

Qiao Xingyin said: “I want to know about Qi Yan. I heard his grades are great. Do you know much about him?”

At the mention of the name “Qi Yan,” Wen Ke’s expression became a bit subtle. “Qi Yan from Class 1. His grades are amazing, but his personality is too cold.”

Qiao Xingyin nodded. “Tell me more.”

Wen Ke summarized seriously: “No matter how much other students howl about how hard the exams are, Qi Yan always gets near-perfect scores. He basically slaps everyone’s face with his talent.”

“To put it bluntly, he’s basically a ‘cheater’ (god-tier player).”

“The school beauty confessed to him once, and he just brushed her off right in front of everyone.”

“That school beauty is a rich socialite, the daughter of a school board member. Naturally, she wasn’t happy, and they’ve been at odds since. She formed a clique and spread a lot of negative rumors about him.”

“The school bully, Pei Yi, also has a beef with him. Apparently, their parents’ generation had some emotional drama.”

“Oh, and since he’s a Beta, most people looking for partners prioritize Alphas or Omegas. Those who had crushes on him eventually gave up.”

“Gradually, no one dared to approach him.”

Qiao Xingyin mulled it over and concluded: “The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be buffeted by the wind. That makes sense.”

“…”

Wen Ke didn’t expect that reaction. “Why put it like that? You don’t actually want to be friends with him, do you?”

Qiao Xingyin didn’t deny it: “Yeah.”

Wen Ke’s eyes widened, and he slapped Qiao Xingyin’s shoulder. “Brother, don’t do anything reckless. I haven’t even told you the scary parts yet.”

Qiao Xingyin asked, “How scary?”

Wen Ke’s tone became more exaggerated: “I heard his dad is mentally ill and killed someone before, but wasn’t sentenced because of his condition. Who knows if it’s hereditary?”

“Look at his face, cold as a block of ice. Don’t you think it’s terrifying?”

“Extremely antisocial, extremely high IQ he’s likely a high-IQ criminal in the making.”

Qiao Xingyin countered, “You can’t say it like that. That’s his father, not him. And the story about his father is just a rumor, isn’t it?”

Even though in the original novel, Qi Yan would eventually be “whitewashed” and redeemed as the protagonist, for some reason, Qiao Xingyin didn’t want him to stay in that darkness for even a second.

During the lunch break, the hallways were empty. Qiao Xingyin snuck to the back door of Class 11-1. The classroom was also empty. During the long break, he had secretly observed that Qi Yan’s seat was in the last row of the fourth group, by the window.

Qiao Xingyin walked straight to the seat, crouched down, and opened the drawer of Qi Yan’s desk. Inside were a few neatly placed textbooks, notebooks, and a black fountain pen. Nothing else.

Qiao Xingyin took out the prepared medicine box and band-aids and placed them inside the drawer.

Class 11-1’s first afternoon period was PE. The boys were split into two teams for basketball training. Qi Yan stood outside the three-point line, ignored by everyone as usual.

“Pass to me, over here!” a classmate, Chen Ming, shouted while waving. The ball immediately flew to him even though Qi Yan was standing closer and had a better angle.

Qi Yan adjusted his wrist guard expressionlessly. The standard black tracksuit of North City High made his skin look even paler. He was long accustomed to this invisible exclusion. No one joined his team, no one ate with him, and no one considered his position when passing.

“Lone wolf, how do you do it?” another classmate, Xu Hao, joked nonchalantly. “No one even wants to acknowledge you.”

Laughter erupted in the group.

“I heard his dad is a murderer.”

“No wonder he’s so gloomy all the time. Just looking at him feels like bad luck.”

“Last time I touched his desk, I got sick when I went home. Calling him a ‘god of plague’ isn’t an overstatement, right?”

“I heard he lives in the slums in the north part of town, smells of poverty.”

Qi Yan didn’t even lift an eyelid; no emotion showed on his face. He kept his tall frame moving mechanically.

“Hey!” Xu Hao suddenly shouted at Qi Yan, “Catch!”

Before the words had even finished, the basketball flew toward Qi Yan’s face at incredible speed. It wasn’t meant to be a pass.

Qi Yan reflexively raised his hand. The ball slammed heavily against his wrist with a dull thud.

“Sorry, my hand slipped,” Xu Hao apologized without an ounce of sincerity.

Qi Yan shook his stinging wrist, bent over to pick up the ball, and sent it back with a standard shooting form.

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