I Heard You Only See Me as a Friend - Chapter 5

When Feng Jin finished dressing and stepped out, Ji Wan was still sitting at the desk working on a test paper. The pheromones belonging to Feng Jin had already dissipated; Ji Wan had returned to being that clean, scentless person.

“What is it?” Ji Wan didn’t quite understand why Feng Jin was staring at his hand holding the pen. He asked tentatively, “Do you not know how to do this problem? Should we discuss it?”

“…” In all his years, Feng Jin had never heard anyone say such a thing to him. The issue was that Ji Wan actually did have the qualifications to discuss it with him, which made it feel like he had invited Ji Wan into the dorm just to suffer a blow to his pride.

The more Feng Jin thought about it, the darker his expression became. He pulled out his own desk chair, sat down back-to-back with Ji Wan, and began his own studies.

Ji Wan spent several days in the dormitory without incident. The legendary, fierce “school bully” Feng Jin hadn’t done anything to him, nor did he actively pick fights. At most, his attitude was a bit irritable, but it was well within a normal range.

Occasionally, Ji Wan thought back to the unknown syringe he had accidentally seen in Feng Jin’s cabinet, but he never saw Feng Jin open that cabinet again—it was as if it didn’t exist.

On this particular morning, during the third period, which was Chinese class, the headteacher was slowly reciting classical prose on the podium. Below, half the class had already drifted off to sleep.

Ji Wan sat upright, one hand holding a pen while the other scrolled through his phone under the desk. A periodic reminder popped up on the screen: [Today: Go to the hospital for a routine check-up.]

He scrolled through the page a few times, put the phone away, and was about to focus on the lesson when he heard a snap from behind, like someone had thrown a pen onto a book. Then came the sound of a chair scraping against the floor.

Ji Wan turned back and saw Feng Jin standing up.

“Teacher,” Feng Jin said, hands in his pockets. He ignored the gazes of the entire class, his eyelids half-lidded. “I’m not feeling well. I’m taking the half-day off to return to the dorm.”

The headteacher pushed up his glasses. “Not feeling well again? Classmate Feng Jin, the frequency of your ‘discomfort’ is getting a bit high.”

“Yeah,” Feng Jin said. “I’m fragile.”

A few muffled laughs broke out in the classroom but were quickly silenced. The headteacher stared helplessly at Feng Jin for a long while before waving him off.

Ji Wan watched Feng Jin leave without looking back, then glanced at Kong Liyan. Kong Liyan seemed very used to this; he simply let out a yawn and went back to sleep, sinking into a sweet dream.

When class ended, Ji Wan went to the office to find the headteacher.

“You want to take leave too?” The headteacher’s eyes widened.

“Yes… I have a heart condition and need to go for my periodic check-up and to get my medicine,” Ji Wan said softly. “I’ll be back in half a day. Thank you, teacher.”

The headteacher clearly trusted Ji Wan much more. He spent several minutes fussing over Ji Wan’s health, telling him to speak up if he ever felt unwell, before approving the leave slip.

Ji Wan hesitated for a second before asking, “Is Feng Jin also in poor health?”

“Feng Jin?” At the mention of him, the headteacher’s eyes widened again. “Once he told me he was unwell and took leave, only for me to run into him having a fight the very next period. Perhaps his health really is quite poor.”

Ji Wan: “…” I shouldn’t have asked.

The remaining classes were electives, which Ji Wan didn’t plan on attending. He intended to go back to the dorm to get his medical records before heading straight to the hospital.

The bell for the next class rang, and the school grounds became empty. Ji Wan walked quickly back to the dormitory building and reached his room. He noticed the door wasn’t tightly shut, but left open by a crack.

Who’s inside? Feng Jin?

Ji Wan was light and his footsteps were quiet; he approached the door without seemingly alerting the person inside. After a moment’s thought, he slowly pushed the door open.

Feng Jin was sitting in a chair, his long legs propped up on the desk. One arm was extended while the other held a syringe, injecting the liquid into his arm.

As the door opened, Feng Jin looked toward the entrance almost simultaneously. His gaze was as sharp as a blade; for an instant, Ji Wan felt a palpable sense of killing intent.

Fortunately, in the next second, Feng Jin lowered his eyelids. He accurately tossed the empty syringe into the trash can in the corner and asked coldly, “What are you back for?”

Even without much observation, Ji Wan could tell Feng Jin’s current mood was terrible. In the time he had known him, this was the lowest “atmospheric pressure” he had ever seen from Feng Jin.

If any other Alpha or Omega were present, they would have been driven back by the violent and aggressive pheromones filling the room. But Ji Wan was a Beta. He cast a discreet glance at the discarded syringe casing in the trash and walked in. “I’m back to get my medical records. I’ll leave quickly.”

Feng Jin watched silently as Ji Wan rifled through his cabinet. Once Ji Wan pulled out a medical record book, Feng Jin spoke up: “Are you sick?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Feng Jin realized his tone was too sharp—it sounded less like an inquiry and more like an insult meant to pick a fight. He felt a bit of regret, but his own mood was so poor that he couldn’t think of a way to soften the atmosphere. He looked at Ji Wan with a cold face, only to be stunned.

Ji Wan didn’t look angry at all; he even smiled. “Yeah, heart disease. I need to go to the hospital periodically for a check-up and to get medicine.”

Feng Jin went silent for a moment.

“You have heart disease and you still told me you wanted to do the climbing wall twice? Do you have a death wish?” Feng Jin frowned and let out a cold, mocking laugh. “What if you were afraid of heights and had a sudden heart attack up there? What then?”

Ji Wan: “…”

He hadn’t expected Feng Jin to still be dwelling on that. Hearing Feng Jin’s reasoning now, he was even more certain that Feng Jin was the one afraid of heights.

“I’m not afraid of heights, I knew what I was doing.” Ji Wan thought for a moment and added, “Thanks. No one has ever deferred to me like that before. You helped me fulfill a small dream.”

Feng Jin’s face visibly softened. He scoffed, “Pathetic. Getting this happy just because I let you play one more time? You’re really easy to coax.”

Ji Wan thought to himself that he didn’t know if he was easy to coax, but Feng Jin was certainly easy to please—getting happy over something like that.

Ji Wan bid farewell to the now-cheery Feng Jin and headed to the hospital alone.

He arrived smoothly, and after an examination, the doctor confirmed his heart was fine. While writing the prescription, the doctor warned: “This heart condition can be serious or minor depending on you. Your emotions directly determine your state. Remember not to get angry; keep a pleasant mood. You seem to be doing well, though. Your family must treat you quite nicely?”

The doctor looked up at Ji Wan. Even as a Beta, this boy’s appearance was exceptionally superior, the kind that makes people happy just to look at him. Someone with such a condition, even if not an Omega, would surely be pampered in an ordinary family.

After a brief pause, a faint smile appeared on Ji Wan’s cold features. “Yes, there’s nothing at home worth getting angry over.”

After thanking the doctor, Ji Wan went to the pharmacy. As he left the consultation room and walked down the stairs, the smile faded, and that layer of detachment wrapped around him once more.

Living in that house for so long, he had learned not to take people or things too seriously. As long as one doesn’t care or have expectations, any potential anger is kept to a minimum. Ultimately, it was just a matter of closing his heart and not letting anyone else in.

After getting his medicine, Ji Wan walked to the “Pheromone Problem Clinic” located in a side building.

It was best for teenagers to have their glands checked periodically. During the last mass school check-up, he had come to the hospital but hadn’t been tested; he figured he might as well do it now.

The doctor in charge was also a Beta. After waiting for ten minutes, the doctor brought the report.

“Your development is excellent, no issues at all. You are a Beta,” the doctor said, sighing in admiration. “It’s quite rare to see a ‘Pure Beta’ like you. In all my years as a doctor, you’re the first.”

The world is divided into three genders: Alpha, Beta, and Omega. Alphas and Omegas have pheromones. Betas don’t, but there are distinctions—some lean toward A or O tendencies, though they never cross the line.

A Beta leaning toward Omega will be slightly influenced by an Alpha’s pheromones, and the Alpha will be slightly influenced by them in return, though it’s negligible compared to a real AO bond. The same applies to Alphas and A-leaning Betas.

Among them, there are a tiny few “Pure Betas” caught in the middle. They are completely unaffected by pheromones and do not affect others.

“Yes, thank you.” Ji Wan took the report and stood up, but his eyes were drawn to the medicine cabinet nearby.

Inside was a syringe package that looked exactly like the one Feng Jin had used.

“Doctor, could I ask what that syringe is for?” Ji Wan pointed to it.

“That?” The doctor turned around. “There are a very few Alphas whose pheromones are too strong. Relying on daily natural dissipation isn’t enough to keep their internal levels balanced. When they don’t yet have their own Omega to vent their pheromones, they need medication to help maintain the balance.”

Ji Wan understood. “So before they find an Omega they like and can mark, they can only rely on drugs… that sounds quite difficult.”

“Indeed. And the side effects of long-term use are quite large. It forces those elite Alphas to find an Omega early, leaving them with little room for choice.” The doctor shook his head and looked at Ji Wan. “However… it’s not like there isn’t a better solution.”

Ji Wan: “Oh?”

The doctor continued, “The best solution for an Alpha like that is to find a Pure Beta like you. You aren’t affected, and you don’t affect others. An Alpha with this condition can periodically inject their pheromones into you to balance their internal levels. They wouldn’t have to worry about side effects and could take their time finding an Omega they truly like… It’s just that not every Alpha with this condition is lucky enough to run into a Pure Beta like you.”

Ji Wan remained silent. The doctor added, “Young man, why do you ask? Do you know an Alpha like that? If so…” The doctor hesitated. “You should be careful.”

A normal Pure Beta wouldn’t influence an Alpha, but Ji Wan was too good-looking. The doctor was worried he might be toyed with, only to be abandoned once the Alpha found a suitable Omega, leaving him scarred.

Ji Wan smiled without giving a definitive answer. He thanked the doctor again and left.

The dry summer wind blew against his face. Ji Wan sighed and rubbed the space between his brows.