Senior, Stop Pretending to be an Alpha - Chapter 27

The Omega dormitory building is located in Zone B, only a few hundred meters away from Zone A where Yu Qiao and the others reside. Separating the two is a shaded pedestrian path lined with lush trees and two canteens that are highly acclaimed among the students and faculty of A University.

Due to the special nature of the Omega constitution, they receive more preferential treatment and consideration; thus, the Zone B dormitories are closer to the teaching buildings, the sports field, and the south gate.

 

Yu Qiao followed the two of them, strolling down the tree-lined boulevard.

 

It was currently outside of class hours, and passersby were sparse. The September morning wasn’t humid; instead, a gentle breeze brought a hint of coolness.

 

The camphor trees on both sides of the sidewalk were a deep, sea-like green. From a distance, they seemed shrouded in a layer of pale gold morning mist.

 

“Should we go to the second canteen later to buy some soup dumplings or something?” Bai Yi skipped along as she walked, chirping excitedly. “I’m telling you, their dumplings are delicious. Just thinking about them makes me drool.”

 

Yu Qiao waved her hand. “I’m full.”

 

Bai Yi looked longingly at the person beside her. “Feifei?”

 

Xie Bufei said, “Not eating. We’ve already eaten. Didn’t you just have an egg tart?”

 

Bai Yi’s face fell. “I did. But thinking about good food makes me hungry again… You can never get enough of delicious food!”

 

Xie Bufei let out a soft laugh. “Do you have a dinosaur in your stomach? You sure can eat and drink.”

 

Bai Yi scratched her head. “Hehe… My dad says being able to eat is a blessing! It’s true—the more you eat, the higher your sense of happiness.”

 

Although she was a Beta, her alcohol tolerance and appetite were things even many Alphas would find intimidating.

 

Yu Qiao followed quietly by Xie Bufei’s side, listening and occasionally curling her lips into a subtle smile.

 

When she heard Xie Bufei say earlier that she only wanted to be alone with her, she had thought there might be some friction between the senior and Bai Yi. Looking at them now, their relationship seemed very good.

 

Perhaps it was just a joke.

 

Xie Bufei laughed leisurely. “Not everyone is like you, able to eat whatever you want without gaining weight.”

 

Her hands were tucked into her pockets, her posture upright, and shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks. The warm morning sunlight fell on the girl’s fair face, her smile bright and radiant.

 

Yu Qiao’s gaze lingered on her head for a moment before she reached out.

 

Xie Bufei felt a shadow fall over her as the person beside her suddenly leaned closer, her fingertips lightly brushing across the top of her head.

 

She looked sideways. “What’s wrong?”

 

Yu Qiao clenched her hand into a fist and shook her head. “Nothing.”

 

Once Xie Bufei looked away, Yu Qiao lowered her head and opened her palm. Resting in the center was a camphor leaf.

 

The oily green leaf emitted the unique, faint fragrance of the camphor tree. Looking through the light, one could see the yellow veins on the oval leaf spreading out clearly.

 

It looked like just an ordinary fallen leaf. Yu Qiao remained silent for a moment. She had originally intended to throw it away, but for some unknown reason, she slipped the leaf into her pocket.

 

Treading over the scattered shadows on the ground, they arrived downstairs at Zone B. Xie Bufei called Cheng Yeli and asked him to bring the things down.

 

Alphas and Betas are not allowed into Omega dormitories without permission, so they had to wait downstairs for the time being.

 

A moment later, two boys appeared at the dormitory entrance, each carrying a box.

 

Cheng Yeli, dressed in a sharp tracksuit that made him look clean-cut and handsome, raised an eyebrow at them. “Yo.”

 

The boy following behind him had dark skin and looked at them with a somewhat shy expression.

 

Bai Yi leaned in curiously. “What’s all this?”

 

“This box has a scratching post, a litter box, and stuff.” Cheng Yeli gestured with his chin toward the box in his arms. “The other box has cat toys, cat food, and snacks…”

 

Bai Yi poked through the toys, shocked. “That many snacks just for one cat?!”

 

“Can’t be helped, Curry likes these things.” Cheng Yeli looked at them. “These are a bit heavy. Who’s carrying them?”

 

“I’ll do it,” Yu Qiao said. She stepped forward to take the box from Cheng Yeli’s hands. After weighing it, she found it manageable. “Thank you, Senior Cheng. Sorry for the trouble.”

 

Cheng Yeli’s gaze fell on her. Remembering something, he squinted and smiled. “You’re Yu Qiao?”

 

Yu Qiao felt his smile held a deeper meaning. Stunned for a moment, she replied, “Yes.”

 

Cheng Yeli said meaningfully, “Then I’ll leave Curry in your care.”

 

“The other box…” His gaze circled around, landing on Bai Yi. “You?”

 

Bai Yi took a step back, looking horrified. “No, no, no, I’m just passing by…”

 

“Is that so? I thought you were here to act as manual labor…” Cheng Yeli smiled, revealing a row of white teeth as he teased, “After all, our Miss Xie here wouldn’t personally carry things herself.”

 

Xie Bufei raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

 

Cheng Yeli said calmly, “I mean you’re delicate.”

 

He was taking advantage of Yu Qiao’s presence, knowing Xie Bufei wouldn’t dare snap back at him right now, to return all the bitter “toxic-tongue” suffering he usually endured from her.

 

Xie Bufei’s gaze was icy. She stared at him for a while before silently mouthing: You are dead.

 

She stepped forward, took the cardboard box from the other boy’s hands, and gave a shallow smile. “Thank you.”

 

The tall boy’s face suddenly flushed. He whispered, “Classmate, should I help you carry it back?”

 

“No need.”

 

Xie Bufei declined flatly. As she turned around, a clack was heard.

 

Something slid out of her pocket, hit the ground, and rolled a few times before stopping right at Yu Qiao’s feet.

 

It was a liquid injection vial.

 

Cheng Yeli’s pupils shrank. He instinctively reached out, but Bai Yi was one step ahead of him and picked up the vial.

 

“What is this?”

 

She looked down at it, her expression turning a bit strange.

 

Bai Yi read the words on it one by one: “Omega-exclusive pheromone suppressant?”

 

As the clear voice reached her ears, Xie Bufei stiffened imperceptibly. Her mind let out a loud boom and fractured.

 

Her trembling fingers reached into her pocket; it was already empty.

 

…Crap, it accidentally fell out!!

 

“Feifei, you dropped this, right?” Bai Yi said gossipingly. “Ooh, tell us, tell us! Why do you have an Omega’s thing on you?”

 

Yu Qiao’s gaze landed on Xie Bufei. She tilted her head, her expression one of dazed curiosity.

 

Isn’t the senior an Alpha? Why would she…

 

The surroundings fell silent for a moment. Xie Bufei suddenly turned around, her red lips parting slightly, her eyes calm. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

 

“Last time you accidentally left your suppressant with me.” She looked at Cheng Yeli, her tone flat. “I was going to give it back to you just now, but I forgot.”

 

Cheng Yeli gave a few dry laughs, practically wanting to give a thumbs-up to her calm performance. “Hahaha, so that’s what it was. I thought it looked familiar.”

 

He took the vial from Bai Yi, breaking into a cold sweat. “Thanks.”

 

Bai Yi suddenly understood. “Oh, so that’s how it is.”

 

Xie Bufei smiled without reaching her eyes. “What else did you think it was?”

 

Bai Yi pumped her fists, looking excited. “Darn! I thought you had hooked up with some Omega and secretly made off with her suppressant.”

 

What a wicked thing that would be.

 

Xie Bufei remained expressionless. “You’re overthinking it.”

 

She lowered her eyes, her expression indifferent, as if it were truly just a trivial matter.

 

However, a layer of cold sweat had already soaked her back.

 

Xie Bufei stole a glance at Yu Qiao, only to find the other girl staring back at her with clear eyes.

 

Yu Qiao looked at her and whispered, “Senior and Senior Cheng have a really good relationship.”

 

In that split second, she couldn’t describe the strange emotion in her heart; she was just suddenly a bit envious of Cheng Yeli.

 

Envious that he could joke and mess around with Xie Bufei so naturally, and even openly return something as private as a suppressant.

 

One could tell at a glance that they had a great relationship, had known each other for years, and had experienced many things together.

 

Meanwhile, she and Xie Bufei had known each other for less than a month. Her understanding of the other person was still a vast, blank space.

 

“Hmm?” Xie Bufei was startled. “You!”

 

“It’s nothing,” Yu Qiao said. “I’m just speaking casually. Don’t mind me, Senior.”

 

She looked away, her expression returning to normal, turning back into the unflappable Yu Qiao.

 

On the way back, Bai Yi felt guilty and specifically offered to help carry the boxes for a while.

 

The three of them took turns in a relay, eventually moving both boxes into Room A301 and setting the items out one by one.

 

Curry, from within the cat nest, came over and circled around Xie Bufei’s shins, gently nudging her with its head.

 

“Stinky Curry, did you miss me?” Xie Bufei bent down to pick Curry up, fiddling with its pink paw pads. “You seem to have gotten fat again.”

 

Curry affectionately rubbed against Xie Bufei’s palm and let out a meow.

 

Nearby, Yao Rudong laughed. “Don’t worry, Senior. We arrange delicious food for it every day.”

 

“Three people live in your dorm?” Bai Yi looked around with an envious expression. “How lively.”

Gemini said

Lu Yun: “Aren’t you guys the same? I thought everyone had four-person dorms.”

Bai Yi let out an “mm”: “Originally we did, too. But later, one roommate became a commuter and the other took a leave of absence. Now, only Feifei and I are left in the dorm.”

Xie Bufei teased Curry with a small fish toy, saying nonchalantly, “It’s better this way, it’s quieter.”

She never liked crowded or noisy places to begin with.

By the time everything was organized, it was already noon. Bai Yi said she was heading to a bar to snag a free meal and said her goodbyes first.

This left Xie Bufei and Yu Qiao looking at each other.

Xie Bufei turned to Yu Qiao and asked, “Junior, do you have plans for the afternoon?”

Yu Qiao shook her head: “No.”

Xie Bufei curled her red lips into a smile. Taking Curry’s small paw, she gently tapped Yu Qiao’s arm, her eyes curving into crescents. “Then, do you want to go out and play with me?”

Looking at the two beautiful faces—one large and one small—Yu Qiao asked instinctively, “Where to?”

“Accompany me shopping.” Xie Bufei rested her chin on Curry’s head and tilted it to the side. Her fox-like eyes were sparkling as she said coaxingly, “Is that okay?”

Yu Qiao never had any objections to Xie Bufei’s suggestions: “Okay.”

Not far from the school gates was a long commercial street. Since it was the weekend, the street was bustling with people. Having just finished lunch, the asphalt road shimmered under the midday sun as the summer heat rose in waves.

“It’s so hot. Let’s find a cool place to kill some time first.” While waiting for a green light, Xie Bufei checked her phone. “How about we go see a movie?”

Yu Qiao nodded, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her at the crosswalk. “I’m not sure what good movies are out lately.”

“Let me check.” Xie Bufei lowered her head to look at her phone, when suddenly her wrist was caught and her whole body was gently pulled back.

“Watch out!”

Her eyes widened. An electric scooter rushed past her, inches away, bringing a sharp gust of wind.

Yu Qiao stepped in front of Xie Bufei, shielding her. Watching the retreating back of the scooter, she frowned slightly. “How can they be like that…”

They didn’t even offer an apology.

Xie Bufei’s heart raced—whether from the fright or the surprise, she wasn’t sure. Leaning against Yu Qiao’s shoulder, she peered out with bright eyes and whispered, “That gave me a start; it almost hit me.”

“Thank goodness Qiaoqiao was here…”

“Mm, it’s okay now.” Yu Qiao turned around and naturally reached out to pat her head.

Xie Bufei froze for a second, then obediently narrowed her eyes, wearing the expression of a cat being stroked.

She looked incredibly cute.

Yu Qiao paused, then gave her head a few more firm rubs before letting go.

The two entered the cinema. There weren’t many people watching movies at noon, so the wait wasn’t long.

Xie Bufei asked, “I’ve checked the listings. Qiaoqiao, is there a specific genre you want to see?”

“Anything is fine with me,” Yu Qiao said, looking up at the popular films displayed above.

Xie Bufei leaned in close, casually hooking her arm through Yu Qiao’s. She whispered, “Then how about we watch this one?”

Yu Qiao looked down and was taken aback.

The Unmanned Night Bus.

It looked like a horror movie…

Xie Bufei noticed her expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes curved with a playful smile. “Does Qiaoqiao not like horror movies?”

“It’s not that,” Yu Qiao said. “I’m just a bit surprised that Senior likes this kind of film.”

Xie Bufei smiled. “I actually quite enjoy thrillers.”

After buying the tickets, Xie Bufei went to the counter to get popcorn. Yu Qiao stood at the entrance, studying the movie poster for The Unmanned Night Bus.

A woman with curly hair stood in the middle of an empty bus, her face twisted in terror, as if she had seen something unspeakable.

Yu Qiao wasn’t afraid of horror movies, nor did she particularly like them, but she disliked seeing excessive gore. Those violent, extreme images would inevitably remind her of the scenes she saw coming home from school during her junior high years.

The dim, yellowish afterglow would spill through a narrow crack in the door, illuminating her mother’s bruised and battered face. There would be spots of blood blossoming on the front of her clothes as she stood there, numb and exhausted, bowing her head to cook dinner.

While she was lost in thought, her earlobe was suddenly flicked gently.

“Qiaoqiao?”

Yu Qiao snapped back to reality and saw Xie Bufei standing in front of her, holding a bucket of popcorn, her eyes bright and her smile radiant.

“What are you thinking about? Your expression looked so scary.”

Seeing her, Yu Qiao’s expression softened. She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

Seeing this, Xie Bufei suddenly made an “ah” sound toward her. “Qiaoqiao, open your mouth.”

Unsure of what was happening, Yu Qiao had just opened her mouth when she saw Xie Bufei reach out and bring something to her lips.

A fingertip brushed against the edge of her mouth, and in the next second, a faint strawberry flavor dissolved on the tip of her tongue.

Yu Qiao was stunned. With the candy in her mouth, she looked at her, caught off guard.

“I just grabbed it from the counter over there,” Xie Bufei blinked. “How is it?”

Yu Qiao lowered her eyes and smiled, her mood gradually calming.

She silently chewed the strawberry-flavored candy and whispered, “It’s very sweet.”