Senior, Stop Pretending to be an Alpha - Chapter 2

Xie Bufei stood before the mirror, applying lipstick.

The light red paste lightly traced her full lips. She opened and closed her mouth, pressing her lips together gently before offering a faint smile to the mirror. In the reflection, her peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents; beneath slender eyebrows, her vermillion lips and white teeth glowed in harmony.

Raising an eyebrow with satisfaction, Xie Bufei gathered her long hair away from her neck and pressed a pheromone-suppressing patch down firmly onto her gland. The faint scent of pheromones in the air became almost imperceptible.

Having finished her morning routine, she dressed in her skirt and pushed open the dormitory door.

The morning light of five or six o’clock met her eyes. A cool breeze brushed against her face, bringing with it the scent of damp earth. Looking out from the corridor, the entire campus was tinted in an indelible, gloomy gray, with large patches of rain marks still lingering on the concrete ground.

The rain had likely just stopped.

The sweltering heat of August had been somewhat driven away by the recent drizzle, making the air feel less stifling. As Xie Bufei walked down the stairs, she encountered a swaying figure at the corner.

She stopped in her tracks, observed for a moment, and raised an eyebrow. “Bai Yi?”

The figure froze, standing crookedly while clutching the handrail with one hand. “Sh—She Bofei?”

Xie Bufei stepped closer, met by a pungent, overwhelming stench of alcohol. She knit her brows and stepped back without changing her expression. “How much did you drink?”

Bai Yi giggled, her face flushed as she held up a single finger, her tongue thick. “Th—three bottles!” She looked quite proud of herself.

Xie Bufei was utterly speechless. “You are heavily wasted.”

Bai Yi looked innocent. “Am not… I’m very sober.” She looked at Xie Bufei, realizing something a beat late. “Eh, are you gowing out?”

“Yes.”

Bai Yi waved her hand. “Then go on. I’m going back to sween—sleep.”

Xie Bufei looked at her. “Can you make it back on your own?”

“Of course I can!” To prove herself, Bai Yi hurriedly tried to stand straight. However, in her attempt to show how sober she was, she accidentally slipped and nearly performed a backflip down the stairs.

She patted her chest, still shaken. “Wow!” She seemed entirely unaware of how close she had just come to an accident.

Xie Bufei sighed. Out of the pity and helplessness born from being roommates for two years, she stepped forward, hooked her arm under Bai Yi’s, and hauled her up to the third floor. During the process, Bai Yi repeatedly and restlessly tried to break free to prove her independence. Finally losing her patience, Xie Bufei gave her a quick chop to the neck. “Shut up.”

Bai Yi went quiet.

Opening the dorm door, she patiently placed Bai Yi on the bed, removed her crumpled jacket and sneakers, and pulled the nearby quilt over her. The hand-chop hadn’t knocked Bai Yi unconscious, but she had drifted off to sleep unknowingly, wearing a sweet expression.

Xie Bufei took out some sobering tea, boiled fresh water to brew a pot, and placed it on the desk below Bai Yi’s bed. After settling everything, she quietly closed the door and left the dormitory once more.

The sky had brightened slightly. The sun could be seen peeking through the dim clouds, illuminating the gray world. By the time she walked from the dormitory area to the sports field, she saw a figure on the empty track moving from a distance.

The person was wearing black short-sleeved sportswear, revealing fair and smooth forearms. Heavy black-rimmed glasses rested on a slender bridge of the nose, sliding down every so often.

Xie Bufei stopped. She watched for a while before approaching the red track.

Yu Qiao had a habit of morning runs. Usually, at five in the morning, the field was devoid of students; there were no stray footballs being kicked onto the track and no strollers blocking the way. Avoiding the small puddles along the way, she was nearly finished with her sixth lap. As she ran toward the finish line, she saw someone in a lake-blue dress standing nearby from afar.

Here to run?

Yu Qiao quickly dismissed the thought; a skirt wouldn’t be convenient for that.

As the distance closed, the figure became clearer. A faint fragrance drifted toward her with the breeze, gently lingering at the tip of her nose.

In an instant, Yu Qiao’s throat felt like it was on fire, and the rhythm of her steady breathing was disrupted. Her mind went blank as she crossed the finish line. Her feet hit the white line, and she jogged a few more steps due to inertia before stopping. Flushed, she leaned over with her hands on her knees, panting. The metallic taste of blood lingered in her throat.

“Want a drink?” A pleasant voice sounded beside her. Yu Qiao saw a bottle of water appear before her eyes.

Everything felt so familiar.

“You…” She opened her mouth, then corrected herself, “Senior Xie.”

The beautiful fox-like eyes curved slightly. Xie Bufei said with a smile, “So you recognize me now.” Her rising intonation felt like a small paw lightly scratching at Yu Qiao’s heart.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, Yu Qiao stood up straight and looked at the water. “No thank you, I brought my own.”

Xie Bufei didn’t push. She withdrew the water and watched as the girl in the black-rimmed glasses reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of tissues. With slender, well-defined knuckles, Yu Qiao drew a tissue and unfolded it with both hands.

Xie Bufei stared at her hands. “Is that the one I gave you yesterday?”

“Yes.” Not understanding the intent, Yu Qiao took off her glasses and used the tissue to wipe the sweat from her face.

The sweet, light fragrance diffused recklessly into the air. The gaze on her was too obvious to ignore—it felt as though it was piercing through the thin tissue, landing on her eyes, cheeks, and lips. With every wipe, it felt like a flame was being stoked.

After wiping her sweat, Yu Qiao pursed her lips, knowing she likely looked a mess. She lowered her head to put her glasses back on when she suddenly heard Xie Bufei laugh. “You look better without the glasses.”

Yu Qiao paused. She put the glasses on anyway and said calmly, “Thank you for the tissue yesterday, Senior.”

Xie Bufei ignored the comment and asked, “Have you had breakfast?”

Yu Qiao didn’t understand why the topic changed so fast, but she answered, “No.”

“Then let’s go together.”

Before entering the cafeteria, Yu Qiao couldn’t figure out how she had ended up following along so easily.

“So, Senior, you weren’t here to run?”

“Of course not.” Xie Bufei looked back at her, squinting with a smile. “I was just passing by and happened to see you on the track.”

Yu Qiao noticed that when she smiled, there were faint, almost imperceptible dimples on her cheeks. “Oh.”

As they entered the cafeteria, the smile on Xie Bufei’s face quickly faded. She was tall with swaying black hair, walking with an aura that was stunning yet gave off an unapproachable vibe.

“What do you want to eat?”

Yu Qiao replied, “Anything is fine.” She wasn’t a picky eater.

Xie Bufei scanned the area and asked, “Which shop were you working for yesterday as a delivery part-timer?”

Yu Qiao blinked, then pointed toward a noodle stall. The LED sign next to the shop listed the items and prices; it wasn’t expensive. Xie Bufei approached the window and tapped on the glass.

It was barely past six, and there were very few people in the cafeteria. The drowsy staff member was startled awake and tried to muster some energy. “Hello, beautiful. What can I get you?”

Xie Bufei looked at Yu Qiao, signaling for her to go first.

“I’ll have a bowl of tossed noodles and a clear soup, please.”

Xie Bufei: “I’ll have the same as her.”

The noodles were simple and prepared quickly. The thin noodles were drizzled with plenty of aromatic peanut sauce, and the soup was sprinkled with pepper to whet the appetite. Xie Bufei found a quiet seat, and Yu Qiao sat opposite her with her tray.

Xie Bufei took her first sip of soup and suddenly clicked her tongue.

Yu Qiao gripped her spoon. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s hot.” Xie Bufei opened her mouth slightly, sticking out a small tip of her light-red tongue, hissing for air.

Yu Qiao tried a sip of her own and said curiously, “Mine seems okay.”

Xie Bufei blinked, tongue still out. “I have a cat’s tongue; I’m sensitive to heat.”

Yu Qiao realized, “I see.” Another bit of strange knowledge acquired.

She watched Xie Bufei hold her spoon and blow on it carefully, like a cat poking at a new toy with its paw. The sight was somewhat clumsy and cute, completely overturning the “cold beauty” image from moments ago. Yu Qiao couldn’t help but smile.

Xie Bufei glanced at her. “What are you secretly laughing at?”

Yu Qiao stopped smiling and said solemnly, “Nothing.”

Xie Bufei looked at her and arched an eyebrow. She casually remarked, “I still don’t know your name.”

“Yu Qiao.” Yu Qiao paused. “By the way, I haven’t paid the Senior back for breakfast yet…”

“Just add me on WeChat and transfer it to me.” Xie Bufei took out her phone. “掃我的碼 (Scan my code).”

The QR code was thrust before her eyes. Yu Qiao instinctively scanned it; her phone chimed, and Xie Bufei’s profile popped up. The avatar was a blue-eyed Ragdoll cat, and the name was “Gary.”

Once they added each other, Yu Qiao quickly transferred the money.

Xie Bufei accepted it, her lips curling into a smile. “Actually, it wasn’t much. You didn’t have to pay.”

“I had to.” Yu Qiao shook her head. She didn’t like owing favors.

Xie Bufei finished her last bite of noodles and elegantly wiped the peanut sauce from her lips with a napkin. “Do you have classes this morning?”

“No. What about you, Senior?”

“I have one.” Xie Bufei checked the time and stood up. “See you next time.”

As Yu Qiao stood up to say goodbye, she saw Xie Bufei turn back and smile at her. “Do you want to treat me to lunch?”

The sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto her face—bright, bold, and seemingly the focus of the entire world. Yu Qiao stared at her blankly and, under the other’s gaze, nodded instinctively.

Xie Bufei left quickly, and her faint scent faded.

Walking out of the cafeteria, Yu Qiao suddenly realized: I could have just scanned her payment code. Why did I add her on WeChat?

She rubbed her brow, caught between a laugh and a sigh.

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