The Little Wretch Differentiated into an Alpha - Chapter 6

Even as a mere bystander, Gu Yanxiu could feel the awkwardness radiating through the air.

Noel, in particular, looked like a fool. He had marched over with a small army of classmates trailing behind him like a gang of lackeys, clearly intent on flaunting his connections. Being new to the school, his popularity was largely a byproduct of his father’s status. After all, the District Head was a high-ranking official with direct jurisdiction over the Inner Harbor. Many students’ family businesses were rooted locally, creating a complex web of interests that made sucking up to the official’s son a practical necessity.

But Noel hadn’t expected Zhou Yu to be so unimpressed.

With Zhou Yu refusing to play along, Noel’s ego took a visible hit. He had only just arrived at this school and gathered a following; with the rest of his class watching, he couldn’t afford to lose face. He cleared his throat and forced an awkward laugh, searching for a way to pivot and save the moment when his peripheral vision caught the person standing beside Zhou Yu.

The stranger was tall and elegant, with broad shoulders, a lean waist, and exceptionally long legs. He hadn’t even fully turned around; he merely tilted his head slightly, his profile sharp and handsome as it was bathed in the morning light.

Where did this pretty boy come from?

Just the sight of that striking face was enough to irritate Noel. In his foul mood, he completely ignored the other boy’s aura of noble detachment and drawled casually, “Is President Zhou showing a newcomer the ropes? Not a bad-looking one, either.”

He’s decent looking, sure but he’s too tall. He’ll end up being another Alpha or Beta.

…Pathological, Gu Yanxiu thought.

Feeling the scrutinizing gaze on his face, Gu Yanxiu said nothing. He didn’t even bother looking at the group. He simply turned back, glanced at the communicator on his wrist, and moved on.

He ignored Noel completely.

Staring at Gu Yanxiu’s nonchalant retreating back, Noel felt as if he’d been slapped across the face. Before he could snap back, Zhou Yu shot him a frigid look and turned back to Gu Yanxiu. “Senior Gu, I’m sorry for wasting your time. This way, please.”

Noel froze.

Senior Gu? Which. Senior Gu?

As Noel watched Gu Yanxiu walk away, flanked by Student Union officers without so much as a backward glance, he began to hear the whispers of the surrounding students.

“Senior Gu! That was actually Gu Yanxiu!”

“So handsome. He looks even better in person than in the holograms.”

“Think we’ll see him on stage today?”

Noel felt like he’d been slapped a second time. Gu Yanxiu. That was Gu Yanxiu. In a school where few could rival his own family background, Noel had just tried to mock the one person who stood at the very top.

Last month, his father had pulled every string imaginable just to get an invitation to the Gu estate. Noel had tagged along, hoping to make Gu Yanxiu’s acquaintance, only to find the “Crown Prince” absent. He’d heard people whispering that Gu Yanxiu was busy managing projects at the company and rarely appeared at casual dinners. At the time, Noel had bitterly thought the guy was just a poser.

As it turned out, the real thing was even more of a “poser” than he’d imagined. Not only did Gu Yanxiu not look at him, but he also treated Noel’s blatant disrespect with absolute, crushing indifference.

Noel could feel the other students not just whispering about Gu Yanxiu, but peeking at him, waiting for the punchline of the joke he’d become. His eyes fell on Yuan Ling-Sakura nearby. Thinking of his classmate, Noel’s mind suddenly jumped to another person in their year.

He spun around, scanning the crowded path.

The way to the auditorium was bottlenecked, and there he was stuck in the crowd, eyes downcast and brow furrowed with that same “half-dead” expression.

A malicious grin spread across Noel’s face. Right. The Gu family didn’t just have Gu Yanxiu now.

He shoved through the crowd and grabbed the boy by his collar. “Hey, brat. Wasn’t that your brother who just walked by? What, did he forget he knew you?”

***

Noel had heard about Yuan Ling-Sakura’s failed attempt at a conversation the moment he arrived in class. Someone had posted the photos on the forum, and when Yuan Ling-Sakura shed a few tears at his desk, Noel’s blood boiled.

Noel had met Yuan Ling-Sakura at a dinner party when he first arrived in the Inner Harbor. A sweet, beautiful “Omega-to-be” the boy was Noel’s ideal type. Unfortunately, Ling-Sakura was an “ice beauty,” and Noel hadn’t managed to get his contact info that night.

And yet, this beauty had approached someone else, only to be rejected. And the reason for the rejection was a joke!

No communicator? Dammit, it was 2325, not the Stone Age. That excuse was a blatant insult. Everyone who heard it was laughing; no wonder Ling-Sakura cried.

Noel had been suppressing his rage because rumors suggested the one who rejected Ling-Sakura was the son of the Continental Speaker. But then, the brat ended up in his class. With his cold eyes and arrogant “the world doesn’t exist” attitude, he made Noel’s knuckles itch.

Noel had held back, thinking he was the Speaker’s son. Then, the truth came out.

When the teacher called the roll and said “Lu Ye,” the boy stood up. Not just Noel, but the entire class was stunned. Even Yuan Ling-Sakura forgot to cry.

Lu Ye? Wasn’t that the “lower-district wild seed” the Gu family had taken in, the one all over the news a couple of days ago?

The class was speechless. Once the teacher left, Noel summoned his courage and walked up to Lu Ye’s desk.

“You’re Lu Ye?” Noel demanded.

Lu Ye didn’t even look up, quietly organizing his things.

Noel felt his ego take another hit. His gaze swept over Lu Ye’s desk. He realized then that Lu Ye’s backpack wasn’t some “limited edition distressed luxury” item. It was a dark, frayed canvas bag old, with machine oil stains that wouldn’t wash out. The pens on his desk were cheap, brittle plastic industrial trash, essentially.

And his hands. they were long and lean, with strong knuckles and visible veins. They looked “cool,” sure, but they were covered in thin callouses and scars. These were the hands of someone who did manual labor.

This was no Speaker’s son.

Noel’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile. “Your name is Lu Ye, right?” he asked. “As in ‘Wild’ the wild seed?”

In hindsight, what happened next was a bit embarrassing for Noel.

The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Ye looked up. His eyes were pitch black, like he was looking at a dead man. For a split second, Noel actually shivered and reflexively took a step back. It wasn’t until his lower back hit the desk behind him that he realized what he was doing.

He was afraid of a “wild seed” from the lower districts!

Flushed with shame and anger, Noel lunged forward and gave Lu Ye a violent shove. The desk screeched against the floor, startling the other students.

Lu Ye, however, merely shifted his shoulder. Noel hadn’t budged him an inch.

Noel was nearly 190cm tall and built like a mountain. Lu Ye sat there, lanky and silent, looking like a stray dog waiting to be kicked. But the boy’s bones were like iron; the impact left Noel’s palm throbbing with a dull ache.

Noel shook his hand out, his fingers curling into a fist. He was going to deck this brat right here, right now.

But before his fist could fly, the classroom intercom crackled to life, announcing that all students were to gather in the auditorium. Noel’s new “underlings” rushed over to hold him back.

“Noel, don’t bother with this trash.”

“Yeah, it’s not worth breaking school rules over him.”

Noel shook them off, glaring at Lu Ye before glancing toward Yuan Ling-Sakura and raising his voice. “Over him? He’s not worth it! I’m just pissed off that he dared to bully Ling-Sakura!”

Nearby, Yuan Ling-Sakura was quietly explaining himself to his friends with a wronged expression. “I wasn’t hitting on him,” he said. ” I just happened to pass by and noticed a strange smell, so I asked.”

His friends chimed in. “Exactly! Who knew it was just the stench of the lower districts? How was our Sakura supposed to know? He’s being framed!”

The surrounding students immediately agreed. Why would Yuan Ling-Sakura be interested in someone from the slums? Rumors are terrifying. If he were to talk to anyone, it would surely be someone like the District Head’s son, right?

Hearing the praise, Noel’s ego was soothed, and he let Lu Ye go for the moment.

But then, before even reaching the stadium, he’d lost face again because of Gu Yanxiu! Now, Lu Ye was his designated punching bag.

He hadn’t forgotten that he couldn’t move Lu Ye earlier, so this time he grabbed the boy’s collar instead of pushing. Lu Ye wasn’t much shorter than him; even in Caina Academy, where genes were top-tier, he stood out.

While secondary differentiation usually happened after sixteen, the influence of pheromones often showed in the two years prior. Height, physique, brain development, and personality all began to shift. If he hadn’t known Lu Ye’s parents were lowly Betas, Noel might have actually suspected the boy would one day differentiate into an Alpha.

But now, he didn’t have to worry. A Beta from the lower districts had a life worth less than a blade of grass.

Noel gripped Lu Ye’s collar, his smile twisted. “Your brother was just there, wasn’t he? Why didn’t he acknowledge you?”

“Don’t tell me… our noble Crown Prince of the Gu family won’t admit he has a ‘wild seed’ brother from the slums?”

His lackeys erupted in laughter. Noel looked at Lu Ye, waiting to see a face twisted with rage or humiliation.

To his surprise, Lu Ye didn’t even look up. The insult “wild seed” didn’t seem to land at all. He merely tilted his head even with his collar gripped, he remained calm, almost bored, as he looked off in another direction.

Noel followed his gaze.

He saw Zhou Yu who had just treated him with such coldness eagerly holding open the glass side-door of the auditorium. Gu Yanxiu seemed to tilt his head to say “thank you,” and she looked absolutely starstruck, waving her hands in protest.

That social climber! Noel fumed.

When he looked back, he caught Lu Ye’s eyes.

The deep, cold eyes held no expression, yet they were filled with a chilling, silent mockery. It was as if he were asking: Is that all?

In an instant, Noel felt seen. His sycophancy, his jealousy, and his deep-seated insecurity were all laid bare under that dark gaze.

Lu Ye! How does this bastard dare look at me like that.

Noel snapped. His rage boiled over. The next second, in front of everyone, Noel raised his fist and slammed it hard into Lu Ye’s face.

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