The Beautiful Cannon Fodder Becomes The Heartthrob of the Dating Show - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Have You Ever Used Your Hands?

Xu Jingchu felt that if a god truly existed in this world, it would be Huo Yan. It wasn’t just because of the man’s peerless, handsome face, but also that noble and refined aura that seemed to radiate from his very bones; no one could resist the light he drew to himself.

Xu Jingchu solemnly expressed his view: “Huo Yan isn’t an old man. He is a very charming young man.”

Hao Nan: “…” Is that really the point?

He couldn’t help but ask, “Is this Huo Yan you’re talking about the same man you were with this morning? Why does that name sound so familiar?”

Xu Jingchu didn’t intend to discuss Huo Yan further with others and changed the subject: “Don’t you have class this morning? Why haven’t you left yet?”

Hao Nan made a bitter face: “Who do you think I stayed for? I was stunned when I saw the photos on the forum. If I hadn’t been waiting for you to come back, I would have left ages ago.”

Xu Jingchu smiled: “Well, you can leave now.” He picked up his clothes and headed toward the bathroom.

“Hey, wait,” Hao Nan grabbed him. “Chuchu…”

Xu Jingchu turned back slowly. A somewhat pungent scent of wine wafted toward him, and he instinctively frowned, taking half a step back.

Hao Nan immediately withdrew his hand and rubbed his nose, his cheeks flushing: “Sorry, my boyfriend’s rut started over the weekend.”

Hao Nan was also an Omega.

If Xu Jingchu understood a bit more about the ABO world, he would realize the underlying meaning of Hao Nan’s words: My boyfriend is in his rut, I let him mark me temporarily, so I’m covered in his pheromones.

An Alpha shouldn’t recklessly release pheromones around an Omega who isn’t their partner, which was why Hao Nan apologized.

“Ding-dong—” Just then, Xu Jingchu’s phone chimed with a text notification.

Xu Jingchu paused and took out his phone.

Good Friend: Have arrived at the company.

It was a text from Huo Yan. The text, devoid of visible expression, seemed very stiff and formal, like he was reporting his itinerary.

Xu Jingchu’s lips curved upward unconsciously. Holding the phone with both hands, he typed back earnestly.

Have arrived at the dorm.

Hao Nan didn’t mean to pry into someone else’s privacy, but his eyesight was excellent. With a casual glance, a row of question marks practically floated over his head.

He couldn’t help but ask again: “Your dad?”

Xu Jingchu looked at him strangely. “Why do you think it’s my dad?”

Hao Nan looked even more puzzled. “In this day and age, chatting via SMS—and in this ‘reporting the itinerary’ style—I can’t imagine it being anyone other than an elder.”

Xu Jingchu, who had never used entertainment apps, blinked softly. “Can’t young people chat via SMS?”

Hao Nan was choked for words. It wasn’t that young people couldn’t use SMS, but even elementary schoolers nowadays were pros at various chat apps. It was hard to imagine a college student still using the phone’s built-in text messaging function to chat.

Xu Jingchu was genuinely curious. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Hao Nan thought about how Xu Jingchu always went to work after class and usually ate the most basic meals in the canteen.

Maybe he can’t afford… mobile data?

Hao Nan tucked away his curiosity. “No, it’s just that very few people I know use the built-in SMS function.”

Actually, Xu Jingchu was the only one.

Come to think of it, it was quite amazing. They had shared a dorm for a while now, yet it only occurred to him today that their only way of contacting each other was a string of phone numbers.

Xu Jingchu didn’t dwell on the issue and asked: “You said your boyfriend’s rut started?”

Hao Nan nodded. “Yes.”

Xu Jingchu asked very directly: “How do you soothe your boyfriend’s emotions?”

Earlier this morning, although Huo Yan was very restrained, Xu Jingchu could feel the man’s tension regarding him. The doctor said Alphas in their rut are very clingy toward their friends, and since he was Huo Yan’s only friend, it was natural for Huo Yan to be tense about him.

He wanted to help Huo Yan, but he had no experience in this area.

Omegas often discussed similar topics among themselves, so Hao Nan didn’t think much of it: “Just stay with him, pay close attention to his moods, and if he’s really suffering, just… just let him bite.”

This was quite similar to what the doctor had said.

Xu Jingchu thought for a moment. “Then, do you help out manually?”

Hao Nan froze, his cheeks turning bright red instantly. He stammered: “That… that… occasionally, yes.”

They were adults, after all, and having that kind of life was normal. It was just that they had never talked on this scale before, so it was inevitable to feel embarrassed.

Hao Nan’s answer matched the doctor’s again. Xu Jingchu looked thoughtful: “Okay, I understand.”

He had no classes in the afternoon; the timing was perfect.

“Ding-dong—” Another SMS notification.

 Good Friend: Meeting in three minutes.

Xu Jingchu replied actively.

 Leaving in five minutes.

After sending the text, Xu Jingchu dashed into the bathroom with his phone, leaving Hao Nan standing there in a daze.

Was that ‘reporting’ style of chatting really not an elder?

To leave exactly in five minutes, Xu Jingchu changed his clothes and washed up at top speed, rushing out of the dorm in the final three seconds.

On the way to the classroom, he took a moment to send another text.

Meanwhile.

Inside the conference room, a man’s deep, mellow voice spoke unhurriedly, yet it carried an air of natural authority.

The executives below were as quiet as mice; even in the routine weekly morning meeting, no one dared to lose focus.

“Ding-dong—” The default system SMS tone suddenly rang out.

The executives instinctively looked at the… phone on the right side of the man in the head seat, its screen lighting up.

Huo Yan paused his speech and casually opened the message.

 Little Sun: I’m heading out!

With just those three words, Huo Yan seemed to see the boy’s smiling eyes and sunny expression. The corners of his lips lifted unconsciously as he typed a reply.

 Mm.

For the rest of the morning meeting, the executives below felt a strange, palpable sense of relief, even though the man in the head seat maintained nearly the same expression and tone as before.

After the meeting, Huo Yan stayed in the room alone.

A moment later, Secretary Shen pushed open the door and walked in, looking a bit odd. “Boss, according to the surveillance footage, your car definitely did not hit that person.”

Huo Yan lowered his head, slowly editing an SMS. His voice was gentle yet carried a hidden threat: “Get to the point.”

Secretary Shen coughed lightly. “His name is Xu Yiqiu. He was awake by the time I arrived. He said he didn’t mean to fall in front of your car. He…” At this point, Secretary Shen’s expression turned odd again. “He said he fainted while crossing the road because of malnutrition.”

Logically, one shouldn’t explain their situation so thoroughly to a stranger, but this Xu Yiqiu was very strange. Not only did he reveal his health status completely, he even took the initiative to say where he went to school and what his family situation was like, as if he were desperately afraid people wouldn’t remember him.

Secretary Shen took several printed images from his briefcase. “By the way, there’s a coincidence. He and the Pink-Eared Rabbit… ahem… he and Xu Jingchu go to the same school. I checked the school forum and found photos of you and Xu Jingchu.”