The Beautiful Wife I Picked Up Is A Little Mute - Chapter 50

Chapter 50: What are you panicking for?

If it were a large lecture shared by several classes, blending in wouldn’t be noticeable. But for a specialized course with only a dozen people, it was Xie Mo’s first time, and he felt a stifling nervousness, as if there were nowhere to hide.

Attempting a last-minute cram, Xie Mo tried flipping through the textbook Ji Hanyue had handed him. It would have been better if he hadn’t; looking at it made his head spin. The dense thicket of formulas and symbols felt like tangled hemp being forced into his brain. They swirled around his chaotic thoughts for a moment before drifting away, leaving him without a clue.

Glancing over, he saw that Ji Hanyue had become addicted to playing with his hand. Ji Hanyue looked up at the bewildered Xie Mo staring at the textbook, his smiling eyes upturned slightly in a tease.

“Understand any of it? Class is about to start.”

Whenever Xie Mo got nervous, he habitually clenched his fists. Right now, his soft, white hands were stiff and tense. The texture didn’t feel as good to the touch, so Ji Hanyue told him to relax.

It was just a lecture; the other students in the room were either looking down at their phones or typing away on their laptops. Only Xie Mo looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy, summoning every ounce of focus to take it seriously.

“If you’re nervous, just play on your phone,” Ji Hanyue offered kindly.

Xie Mo shook his head and wrote seriously and methodically on the Alpha’s hand: “You shouldn’t play on your phone during class.”

Ji Hanyue was amused. “Fine.”

Because there were so few people, the professor could roughly remember the faces of the students who usually attended. His gaze scanned the room, paused, and suddenly stopped at the window seat in the third-to-last row. It was an unfamiliar face. Subconsciously, the professor thought it might be a substitute, but he still smiled politely.

“Has this student perhaps wandered into the wrong classroom?”

Xie Mo froze. Realizing the professor was addressing him, he instantly became even more flustered. Ji Hanyue had originally intended to tease him, but he was just about to find an excuse to bail him out when—thud—the previously stiff Omega suddenly stood up.

The professor clearly hadn’t expected Xie Mo to be so obedient and was momentarily taken aback. The flush on Xie Mo’s neck climbed all the way to his ears, making him look like a cooked shrimp. He wanted to use sign language to explain, but his hands hovered in mid-air and stopped. He remembered that no one here could understand him, so he let them drop dejectedly.

“Don’t be nervous. If you’re in the wrong room, it’s not too late to leave now,” the professor reminded him gently.

Xie Mo opened his mouth soundlessly. Suddenly, a hand gripped his wrist, and an arm draped over his thin shoulders. Then, Ji Hanyue said with a straight face:

“He’s my Omega. He’s been a bit clingy lately and insisted on accompanying me to class.”

The professor had a moment of realization. Many Omegas develop a physiological dependence on their Alpha after going through a heat cycle. Usually, in these situations, the Alpha would choose to stay home with the Omega; seeing someone bring their Omega to class was rare.

“I see. No need to be nervous, student. Please, sit down.”

The interlude was brushed aside easily, but Xie Mo felt as if he were being roasted over hot coals. His ears were so red they looked ready to bleed, and he kept his head low, not daring to look at anyone.

“I’m right here. What are you panicking for?”

Ji Hanyue used his fingertip to brush against the burning skin behind Xie Mo’s ear. Watching him shrink back like a startled rabbit, Ji Hanyue found the reaction quite cute.

The content of this lecture was no different from a foreign language to Xie Mo. He became increasingly restless, feeling an urge to leave. He quietly tugged at the sleeve beside him and wrote his thoughts in Ji Hanyue’s palm. Then, he looked at Ji Hanyue expectantly.

Just then, Ji Hanyue’s phone vibrated on the desk. It was a message from Ren Wen.

— “Nie Xi asked me to eat with him. Save a seat for me in the evening class.”

Ji Hanyue typed “Mm” with one hand, while his other hand caught Xie Mo’s hovering fingertips and gave them a gentle squeeze.

Xie Mo felt like the gazes from all directions were a fine net trapping him in place. He was so embarrassed he wished he could find a crack in the floor to crawl into. Ji Hanyue turned off his phone and gave in. He had been listening to this course for nearly three years and was still in a fog; he naturally didn’t expect Xie Mo to understand it in one sitting.

He made up a quick excuse to leave, and Xie Mo followed him out of the oppressive classroom. Walking down the hallway, Xie Mo clutched the hem of his clothes. He really wasn’t suited for this environment. Following his previous plan, Ji Hanyue took Xie Mo directly to his dorm.

The dorm was rarely occupied, and Ji Hanyue had seen his roommates only a handful of times in three years. There was no need to worry about running into other Alphas. Upon arrival, Ji Hanyue looked down to straighten Xie Mo’s messy scarf and habitually ruffled his hair.

“Stay in the dorm and wait for me to come back.”

The faint red on Xie Mo’s face hadn’t yet faded. He nodded and waved him off, signaling that he could go. However, after taking a few steps, Ji Hanyue suddenly doubled back. It was peak class time, so the hallway was nearly empty. Xie Mo was still standing in the doorway, not having entered yet, when he was grabbed by the shoulders and subjected to a flurry of bites and kisses for no apparent reason.

Ji Hanyue kissed him like he was washing a face; Xie Mo’s eyelids, nose, and lips were not spared. He couldn’t stop it, so he could only indignantly wipe his face with a tissue afterward.

…

Walking back to the teaching building, Ji Hanyue’s heart skipped a beat for no reason. He felt a sudden pang of anxiety. He wondered if he had made a mistake. But leaving Xie Mo in the dorm was the most sensible choice. After all, the majority of the population at A University were Alphas. While some Alphas had good grades, their character was yet to be vetted. No one could guarantee that an Omega who couldn’t speak wouldn’t encounter danger.

…

Xie Mo was alone in the dorm. The warmth of the Alpha’s hand still lingered in his palm. He pursed his lips and found an empty seat to sit down.

The dorm was a four-person room. Ji Hanyue’s desk was as smooth as a mirror, and the other three beds were made with precise, orderly blankets. You couldn’t tell that people had lived here for three years.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t bored. After sitting for a while, Xie Mo began to feel drowsy. Perhaps because winter had arrived, humans felt like hibernating too. Xie Mo couldn’t help but yawn, his white breath condensing into tiny water droplets in the cold air. He rested his forehead on the cool tabletop, thinking: If I sleep for a bit, Ji Hanyue might be back.

Below the dorm was the sports field; occasionally, the “thump-thump” of a basketball hitting the ground drifted in through the window, mixed with distant cheers. Instead of being a distraction, it became a gentle white noise.

In the silent dorm, at the innermost desk, Xie Mo slept soundly with his head on his arms. His hair fell over to hide his reddened ears, and he didn’t notice the slight click of the metal lock turning.

Then came the sound of unhurried footsteps.

Perhaps he was having a bad dream; Xie Mo’s brow furrowed, and a tiny, fragmented whimper escaped his throat. If one listened closely, a tiny bit of sound could be heard.

The person held their breath and leaned in closer and closer. Their hot breath practically fanned against the back of Xie Mo’s neck—the place where the scent-blocking patch was applied, where faint red marks still lingered.