This Alpha Is So Devoted to His Wife - Chapter 44

Sunlight streamed into the classroom. With the end of the semester approaching, students were focused on reviewing the material, completely unaware of the situation in the back row, even though the two appeared to be discussing schoolwork normally.

“You’re not solving this problem correctly,” Duan Yu’luo tapped the calculus limit problem Lu Xinghe had just completed with his pen.

Lu Xinghe rested his head on one hand, intently watching Duan Yu’luo: “Then teach me.” The hand under the table gripped Duan Yu’luo’s chair and, with a slight pull, drew the boy and the chair closer.

Their arms touched, and their body warmth transferred between them.

Duan Yu’luo picked up his pen and first wrote the character ‘解’ (Solution) on the scratch paper in front of Lu Xinghe, then drew a large heart.

Lu Xinghe’s lips curved upward uncontrollably. He suppressed his delight, coughed, and pretended to be calm, acknowledging it with an ‘Mm’: “Right, it should be solved this way. And then?”

“Then it’s your turn to write,” Duan Yu’luo placed the pen back in front of Lu Xinghe.

“Okay.” Lu Xinghe immediately lowered his head and seriously ‘re-solved’ the problem on the scratch paper.

The two continued with their heads close together, and the pen did not stop for even a second.

Outside the classroom, Duan Yifan and Jiang Nianqiao, who had just finished physical education class, stood by the back door, curiously watching the two whose heads were pressed so closely. They exchanged a look.

“What are those two doing? Studying?”

“Do you stick your heads together when you study?”

“Are they playing tic-tac-toe? One person writes a character, and the other solves some problem?”

“Should we go in and check?”

So, the gossipy duo quietly pushed open the back classroom door and walked up behind the two whose heads were touching.

Duan Yu’luo had just finished drawing the twentieth heart when he caught sight of someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. He calmly pulled his scratch pad over, covered Lu Xinghe’s with it, and quickly solved the limit problem they were working on.

“Tsk?” Lu Xinghe was about to ask why Duan Yu’luo wasn’t drawing any more hearts, but then he noticed Duan Yifan and Jiang Nianqiao walking over. He muttered an indirect complaint: “This problem is really tough.”

Duan Yifan stood between them with his hands behind his back, then placed his hands on both their shoulders, separating them. Like an older brother, he inspected what they were doing, and then realized: “Oh~ you’re solving a problem.”

Lu Xinghe looked annoyed, raising a hand to wave away Duan Yifan’s hand on his shoulder, and casually flicked away the hand resting on Duan Yu’luo’s shoulder: “You knew and still interrupted us? Have you two finished all your credits for the semester? You’re so leisurely.”

Seriously, why interrupt them? They have to complete 520 hearts every day!

They haven’t even finished yet!

“We haven’t finished. We still have the Social Practice credits to complete. Have you guys finished your Social Practice?” Jiang Nianqiao leaned against Duan Yu’luo’s desk with her arms crossed. She looked down at the problem they were working on, and glanced at Duan Yu’luo questioningly.

Duan Yu’luo leaned back in his chair: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jiang Nianqiao chuckled, tapping the problem with her finger: “Have you two been working on this problem the whole time?”

“Mm,” Duan Yu’luo replied.

“How could you two be stumped by a problem this simple? Was it you who didn’t know, or Lu Xinghe?” Jiang Nianqiao scanned the two of them with interest. Shouldn’t a problem like this be an easy giveaway for them?

“Him.”

“Me.”

Duan Yu’luo and Lu Xinghe spoke in unison, one pointing to the other and one pointing to himself. Their movements were clean and swift—incredibly coordinated. They exchanged a look, then calmly looked away.

It was entirely deliberate and affected.

Jiang Nianqiao nodded: “Oh~” Her voice trailed off with a smile: “Alright.”

Just then, the bell rang for the end of class. The study session ended, and students trickled out of the classroom to relax.

“Drink some water.” Lu Xinghe unscrewed the lid of the thermos on his desk and handed it to Duan Yu’luo, supervising him to drink more: “You haven’t drunk enough water today. Omegas need to drink more water.”

Duan Yu’luo obediently took the thermos. He opened it and hesitated for two seconds, looking at Lu Xinghe.

“It’s not hot, it’s lukewarm,” Lu Xinghe said.

Duan Yu’luo drank it this time.

Duan Yifan and Jiang Nianqiao watched with amusement. As they were enjoying the sight, Lu Xinghe glared at them, which only made them smile even more broadly.

“Oh, look how thoughtful and gentlemanly someone is~ Truly a good Alpha. I wonder which Omega’s heart he’ll capture someday,” Duan Yifan joked, leaning against an empty desk with his arms crossed and raising an eyebrow.

Lu Xinghe first glanced at Duan Yu’luo, seeing no reaction from him, then glared at Duan Yifan: “Gossip.”

Duan Yifan: “…You are the gossip.” He helps and still gets insulted.

“Where are you two planning to go for your Social Practice credit?” Jiang Nianqiao brought up the real reason for coming to find them. As she spoke, she accidentally knocked Duan Yu’luo’s pen off the desk. She bent down to pick it up and, under the desk, noticed that the two were wearing matching white canvas shoes.

It was ridiculous—even their sock colors were the same.

Oh.

Duan Yu’luo put down the thermos and thought for a moment: “Let’s go to the welfare center. It’ll be a good opportunity to gather data for our competition.”

“Mm, I think that’s a great idea,” Lu Xinghe quickly agreed. Seeing Duan Yu’luo had finished his water, he took the thermos back and put the lid on.

The two exchanged another glance, then quickly looked away again.

Duan Yifan scrutinized them, sensing a very different atmosphere between the two. It was subtle. He bent down, resting his arms on the backs of their chairs, and looked from left to right: “Are you two… dating?”

Duan Yu’luo glanced sideways at Duan Yifan, and said flatly: “No.”

Duan Yifan raised an eyebrow and asked in return: “Really not?”

“Say that again and I’ll tell my Great-Dad you’re bullying me.”

Duan Yifan: “…” He stood up decisively. No is no. How dare he threaten him and say he’ll tell his big brother? Things would be bad if he lost his allowance.

Duan Yu’luo gave Duan Yifan another look: “Don’t spread rumors.”

Duan Yifan: “???” He spread his hands, confused and innocent. He hadn’t said anything! Spread what rumors?

Saint Littleton International School offers AP & AL innovative courses, using an elective system and credit system, making credits especially important for students.

From Grade 10 to Grade 12, every student must complete at least 200 hours of extracurricular activities, including volunteer work, community service, and personal interest activities, to earn credits through various forms of social practice.

Azure Blue Welfare Center—

Several large trucks were parked at the entrance. Workers were unloading gifts for the children at the center one by one. Another vehicle was unloading various daily necessities donated to the center.

Duan Yu’luo changed into a red volunteer vest, took a gift from a worker, and placed it on a nearby table.

The weather was hot, and he was covered in sweat after a short while of activity.

He arranged the gifts on the table one by one, counting the quantity of gifts with the center’s person-in-charge. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Lu Xinghe under the truck a short distance away, his back t-shirt already drenched.

The items being hauled and carried from the large truck were boxed daily necessities. The weight was significant, and sweating profusely was natural for this kind of work in the hot weather, just like the actual laborers.

Lu Xinghe was carrying a box of supplies, wearing white gloves. His arm muscles were tense, faintly visible through his t-shirt. The hair on his forehead was already damp and was brushed back casually. Sweat ran down his neck and soaked his collar. Sweat dripped from his pale yet strong arms.

His mixed heritage made his skin dazzlingly white.

Duan Yu’luo thought: How is this guy so white despite constantly doing outdoor activities?

Pale and firm, yet so white. So sexy when he sweats. I kind of want to take a bite. It’s probably salty right now.

He excused himself to the person counting the gifts and walked over to help.

Lu Xinghe was hauling supplies from the truck bed and handing them to the worker below. He handed one to the worker standing below, turned to continue hauling, and as he prepared to pass down the next box, he saw that it was Duan Yu’luo who was reaching out to take the box of supplies from him.

“Hand it to me,” Duan Yu’luo stretched out his arm, ready to take it.

Lu Xinghe didn’t hand the box to him. He first set the box aside, knelt on one knee in the truck bed, and looked down at Duan Yu’luo, who was standing below and looking up at him. He pulled up his shirt from his chest to wipe the sweat from his face, then smiled:

“This box is heavy. You can’t carry it.”

“Let me try,” Duan Yu’luo saw how much he was sweating and knew he was working hard. He wanted to take the lighter job. He continued to reach out his hand to take the box.

Instead of taking the box, his arms were held below the elbows by Lu Xinghe’s hands, and he was abruptly lifted and carried onto the truck bed.

Duan Yu’luo: “…”

Before he could react, he stood in the truck bed, staring blankly at Lu Xinghe, who had lifted him up. Then, Lu Xinghe’s strong arms briefly hugged his head. The scent of sweat, the scent of Alpha pheromones, rushed into his nostrils.

A very rich, hormonal scent.

“You don’t even weigh as much as this box. Just stand here obediently; it’s not as sunny,” Lu Xinghe saw Duan Yu’luo staring blankly at him. His face was already flushed from the sun. Perhaps because he looked so adorable, Lu Xinghe couldn’t help but touch his cheek with the back of his hand: “Just watching me is helping me.”

Before Duan Yu’luo could speak, he saw Lu Xinghe carrying the box and climbing down, looking as if he was carrying it very easily.

Duan Yu’luo didn’t believe it and bent down to carry a box next to him.

Two seconds later, he stood up.

He happened to meet Lu Xinghe’s gaze, which had turned back toward him.

Lu Xinghe had just put down the box. As he stood up, he saw Duan Yu’luo attempt to carry it but then stand up. He raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Why aren’t you carrying it anymore?”

Duan Yu’luo pretended to be calm and clapped his hands lightly: “Heavy.”

Lu Xinghe laughed out loud and reached out to pat the back of his head: “I’ll do the carrying.”

Under the tree canopy, the tall, sweaty youth smiled brightly and handsomely, looking at him with eyes full of only him. The smile was captivating.

“We are truly grateful to the Galaxy Group (Yinhe Jítuán). They donate to us every year, allowing our children to receive excellent educational resources and living necessities.”

Inside the welfare center, Duan Yu’luo was talking to the center’s director. He smiled: “To be able to truly help you is the greatest meaning for us. We hope the children like this batch of gifts.”

He turned slightly and saw Lu Xinghe, who had finished distributing the gifts, squatting under a tree and playing with a child.

Tree shadows dappled Lu Xinghe and the child. They were laughing and talking, playing something that seemed very joyful. This scene was extraordinarily beautiful.

It also created an indescribable sense of aspiration.

The center’s director looked at Duan Yu’luo in front of her. Her smile was kind, and she put her hands together to express her gratitude: “Our Azure Blue Welfare Center is sincerely thankful for the decades of support from the Galaxy Group. Good deeds bring good fortune. I wish you everything you desire.”

Duan Yu’luo returned the hands-together gesture, his gaze on Lu Xinghe, his eyes filled with warmth: “May we all have what we desire.”

With a ‘creak,’ the old warehouse door in the welfare center’s backyard was pushed open, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Duan Yu’luo, pushing a cart carrying the children’s discarded equipment, stood outside. The dust made him cough, and he couldn’t help but sneeze. Then, his nose was rubbed gently.

Seeing Duan Yu’luo sneeze, Lu Xinghe reached out to rub his nose, pulled a black sun-protection mask from his pocket, and put it on him: “There’s a lot of dust here. Wear a mask.” Then, he took the cart from Duan Yu’luo and pushed the discarded equipment inside.

Duan Yu’luo touched the mask. He didn’t know what he was thinking, but he looked at Lu Xinghe’s retreating back and followed him.

The old warehouse in the backyard was used to store broken equipment or unused tools. It was rarely cleaned, full of dust, and the items were scattered haphazardly.

“Just leave them here. When I have time, I’ll find someone to come and clean up the warehouse,” Lu Xinghe said, placing the rusty small tricycle and bicycle from the cart aside.

Just as he finished placing the items, he felt his waistband being tugged. He turned around and saw Duan Yu’luo tugging at him.

“Xingxing.”

Lu Xinghe straightened up. Because his hands were dirty, he kept them at his sides: “What’s wrong?”

Duan Yu’luo reached out and forcefully tugged Lu Xinghe’s waistband, pulling him right up to him.

Lu Xinghe was taken by surprise and staggered a few steps before stabilizing himself, stopping just short of bumping into Duan Yu’luo. He raised his arms, his dirty palms facing upward, afraid of staining him. His face held a look of surprise. Before he could react, he saw the youth in front of him stand on his tiptoes.

Through the thin layer of the ice-silk mask, he kissed him.

Lu Xinghe froze.

Sunlight streamed through the broken window. Dust particles flew in the light. The two figures were reflected on the dusty floor. The hands held up by Lu Xinghe near his ears, afraid to touch the other, seemed to articulate his emotions. Outside, the cicadas chirped, signaling the intensity of midsummer.

Thump-thump-thump—

But nothing was as intense as his heartbeat.

Duan Yu’luo pulled away from Lu Xinghe’s lips, his heels dropping to the floor. Seeing him staring at him blankly, he said seriously: “We have six hundred days left.”

Lu Xinghe felt his throat go dry. He stared intently at the other person, his chest rising and falling with his breath. His body leaned in slightly until it stopped just before the mask, his eyes growing hotter: “…Duan Yu’luo, don’t do that.”

Forget about waiting 600 days to date; if he keeps kissing me through this mask, I won’t be able to hold out for six seconds.

Duan Yu’luo pulled down his mask and smiled: “I did it through a mask; that’s not cheating. It’s you who can’t hide it, and you who can’t hold out.”

The youth’s face was beaming, his eyes filled with mischievous cunning. He was clearly doing this on purpose.

Lu Xinghe still couldn’t resist reaching out and squeezing the back of his neck.

Hold on a little longer. It’ll be soon.