What to Do If Beta Cannot Be Marked? - Chapter 36

Who knows how the person involved felt at that moment, but Jiang Baixiao was already numb. He thought, Lu Zhi really heard it!

Having your gossip overheard by the subject nothing could be more despairing. Though it wasn’t truly malicious gossip, being publicly refuted by the person in question added an extra layer of embarrassment on top of the despair.

Jiang Baixiao just wanted to vanish from the planet right then.

But Lu Zhi didn’t give him the chance.

Lu Zhi’s gaze was slightly chilly as he swept a casual glance over Jiang Baixiao and said, “This is how rumors get started.” After a brief silence, he added coldly, “Stop spouting nonsense to him.”

Jiang Baixiao hunched his shoulders, determined to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, and whispered, “I’m sorry, Class President. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have spread rumors.”

Forum discussions and word-of-mouth gossip often worked this way, even if few things were true, repeated often enough, falsehoods could become accepted as truth, at least by many people.

Rumors gained traction because one or more individuals served as conduits, and Lu Zhi was one of those individuals.

There was no reason to blame others for things they didn’t truly understand. Lu Zhi withdrew his imposing stare, pulled out a chair to sit down, and fell silent, not casting another glance at Chi Jinxian.

It was as if his earlier explanation “I’ve never been in a puppy love” had been an illusion.

Since childhood, Chi Jinxian had never been one to dwell excessively on things that didn’t happen around him. Moreover, compared to hearsay, he trusted what he saw with his own eyes.

He hadn’t believed Jiang Baixiao’s claims from the start. His surprise stemmed from imagining, based on Jiang Baixiao’s words, that Lu Zhi might have been in a relationship before whether or not Lu Zhi had experienced puppy love was his own business and part of his past. Chi Jinxian had only met Lu-ge in high school and had no right to judge his earlier life.

But people naturally felt possessive toward those or things they liked. Chi Jinxian was just an ordinary person, and one with plenty of flaws at that. The thought that someone might have had Lu Zhi long before him inevitably made his heart ache.

So, his demeanor had turned a bit unnatural.

But Lu Zhi’s unexpected statement just now was enough to catch Chi Jinxian off guard. Now, far from feeling upset, his heart was pounding with joy. He thought, No puppy love means no first love so Lu Zhi’s first love will definitely be me!

He was confident of that!

Chi Jinxian tightened the cap on his water bottle and quietly took his seat.

His mood was practically floating, though he didn’t show it.

In stark contrast, Jiang Baixiao sat slumped in his seat, lost in self-reflection. The Alliance Know-It-All had actually slipped up and in such a spectacular fashion.

He was deeply mortified, and the class president had been a bit harsh earlier.

Aside from being a desirable crush, Chi Jinxian was also a considerate deskmate.

Having sorted through his own assumptions, he immediately noticed Jiang Baixiao’s mood. Seizing a moment before class started, he leaned closer and nudged him with his shoulder, whispering, “Dear Baixiao, Lu-ge didn’t mean to scold you. Don’t shut down.”

Jiang Baixiao sighed like a weary old man.

Chi Jinxian knew it was highly unlikely because of Lu Zhi’s words and chuckled, “Your reputation as the Martial Arts Alliance Know-It-All hasn’t collapsed it’s still intact. I’ll still rely on you for all the major intel about the school in the future.”

Jiang Baixiao cared deeply about his identity as the Know-It-All.

After all, the phrase “knowledgeable about astronomy, geography, and everything in between, including gossip and curiosities” was still floating around on the forum. It was perfectly normal for him to struggle with such a sudden blunder.

Hearing this, Jiang Baixiao indeed shot a fierce glare at Chi Jinxian, baring his teeth in a threatening manner: “Don’t you dare spread what happened today.”

Chi Jinxian nodded repeatedly, saying, “Mhm, mhm, mhm.”

Perhaps because he had just messed up once, Jiang Baixiao was desperate to regain some face. He grabbed Chi Jinxian’s arm and whispered into his ear, “Let’s not talk about matters of the heart the more you say, the more mistakes you make. But you have to believe me on this: Ren Yiran is the childhood friend that God Lu once beat up. Their relationship ended on very bad terms.”

“So I advise you, in the next couple of days when Ren Yiran transfers here we still don’t know which class he’ll be in. If it’s ours, try to keep your distance from him to avoid upsetting God Lu.”

Chi Jinxian listened attentively and nodded in agreement: “Okay, got it.”

“Also, Ren Yiran likes God Lu he’s liked him since they were kids.”

With God Lu himself sitting right behind them, Jiang Baixiao didn’t dare say more. After finishing, he released Chi Jinxian’s arm and went to prepare the books for the next class.

At home, Yuan Si Bai had repeatedly told Chi Jinxian not to pry into others’ family or private matters. It was neither friendly nor polite in short, it was quite rude.

Even though, to Chi Jinxian, Lu Zhi wasn’t just “others,” he still wouldn’t go out of his way to do something that would obviously upset him.

So, although he was genuinely curious about this Ren Yiran, Chi Jinxian had no intention of asking Lu Zhi about it.

Nor would he deliberately seek out information. He’d find out when the time was right.

Just as he was thinking this, his phone in the desk drawer vibrated with a “buzz.”

All his thoughts were temporarily interrupted. Chi Jinxian took out his phone and saw a message from the person sitting right behind him.

Lu Zhi: 【If you have questions in the future, come ask me directly.】

As if he had misread, Chi Jinxian blinked twice in confusion, but no matter how many times he checked, the contact name above the chat box still read 【Future Husband】.

It was definitely Lu Zhi.

But why didn’t he say it to his face instead of sending a message? Chi Jinxian turned his head, but as soon as he started to twist his neck, someone pinched the spot just below the nape of his neck Lu Zhi had even carefully avoided his scent gland, even through the fabric of his clothes.

Chi Jinxian was immobilized by the grip, only his eyes straining to look back, and he whispered, “Bro?”

Lu Zhi said, “Pay attention in class. Don’t get distracted.”

His tone was cold, clearly not in the mood for a proper conversation.

Leaning into Lu Zhi’s grip, Chi Jinxian nodded obediently and replied, “Okay.”

After the Alliance Know-It-All’s blunder, whenever he shared intel with Chi Jinxian afterward, he used more reliable wording.

For instance, when talking about Ren Yiran’s transfer, he didn’t specify an exact timeframe but said “in the next couple of days.”

However, by the second period in the afternoon, a new student had already transferred to the senior year division of First Interstellar Alliance High School.

Before this, it was noon dismissal time. Jiang Jin called out Lu Zhi’s name from the window, and two people from Class 10 of Grade 12 came out one after another.

The three of them went to the cafeteria together for lunch.

Today, Chi Jinxian was unusually quiet, not chattering cheerfully as he usually did. Yet he didn’t seem like someone who had offended Lu Zhi and was afraid to speak.

Curious, Jiang Jin asked, “Cash, why aren’t you talking today?”

“Huh?” Chi Jinxian looked at him. “No reason. I’m hungry.”

Just as he said “hungry,” their steps happened to carry them into the cafeteria.

Every food service window had long queues, and the aroma of the meals unabashedly flaunted their deliciousness, wafting in waves that drilled straight into their nostrils.

Chi Jinxian’s eyes lit up slightly, but then his stomach unexpectedly rumbled. The sparkle in his eyes faded with the sound, replaced by a hint of embarrassment.

Jiang Jin couldn’t hold back a laugh and commented, “I believe you’re really hungry.”

Listening closely, his words clearly carried a trace of schadenfreude.

Chi Jinxian shot him a resentful look.

“Go find seats.” Suddenly, Lu Zhi’s voice sounded beside them.

Chi Jinxian immediately shifted his gaze over and instinctively replied, “I need to go buy… Bro? Why did you take my meal card?”

While Chi Jinxian was saying he needed to buy food, Lu Zhi had already reached into Chi Jinxian’s pocket as if it were his own and taken out the meal card.

He turned and walked toward the food service windows without another word.

Very straightforward.

Chi Jinxian was a bit dazed. Watching Lu Zhi leave, he still wanted to chase after him, but Jiang Jin grabbed his arm and said, “He told you to go save seats, so just go. Why run errands voluntarily? Just go sit down.”

By then, Lu Zhi had already reached the food service windows, so Chi Jinxian had no choice but to give up and go look for empty seats.

Jiang Jin, being alone and responsible only for himself, returned relatively quickly. He set his tray down diagonally across from Chi Jinxian, but Lu Zhi hadn’t returned yet.

“You really are a bit quiet today,” Jiang Jin remarked casually while taking out a napkin to wipe his chopsticks, as if making small talk.

Chi Jinxian mumbled in response.

“Something on your mind?” Jiang Jin balled up the used napkin and set it aside, then looked up and asked in a light, conversational tone.

“Well not really,” Chi Jinxian said, his eyes still fixed on Lu Zhi, who remained at the food service windows. “Bro Jiang, Lu Zhi’s childhood friend is also your childhood friend, right?”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin paused slightly as he was about to pick up food with his chopsticks, probably understanding now. “You know Ren Yiran is transferring here?”

Chi Jinxian: “Haven’t all the senior high school students been spreading it on the forum?”

Jiang Baixiao had mentioned it. Ren Yiran was exceptionally outstanding at his own school, much like Lu Zhi at First Interstellar Alliance High School consistently ranking first in every exam. He was the kind of student that both teachers and parents trusted completely, a living example of the “other people’s child” archetype.

So when the school’s treasure suddenly decided to transfer to another school, especially during the critical final year of high school, both schools’ forums naturally went wild with the news.

“That’s true,” Jiang Jin nodded. “Yeah, the three of us grew up together.”

After a moment of silence, he added, “Lu Zhi and I are Alphas. Yiran is a Beta.”

Hearing this, Chi Jinxian instinctively furrowed his brows slightly and murmured, “A Beta?”

“Brother Lu said that if I have anything to ask in the future, I should just ask him directly,” Chi Jinxian lightly scratched his hair and said softly. “But this is his private matter. Although I’m curious, I don’t really dare to ask.”

“Actually, I don’t really want to ask either.”

But Chi Jinxian really liked Lu Zhi. Regardless of whether he asked about Ren Yiran or not, this person was already firmly planted in his heart, so naturally he didn’t say much.

Jiang Jin understood and said with a laugh, “Lu Zhi told you to ask him if you have questions?”

Chi Jinxian nodded, “Mm-hmm.”

“Tsk, then just ask him when you feel like it,” Jiang Jin was still chuckling lightly as he pushed the vegetables around on his plate with his chopsticks. “His relationship with Yiran is quite strained, but I only know a little about the specifics. Neither of them has told me the details, so I won’t say more. Anyway, when Yiran transfers here, you’ll probably have to meet him eventually. Just be careful Yiran is the kind of person.”

Jiang Jin’s words suddenly cut off, and he didn’t say anything more.

Lu Zhi first placed Chi Jinxian’s meal tray in front of him before sitting down himself.

He reached out and slid the meal card across the table to Chi Jinxian, as if he had used Chi Jinxian’s card to buy the meal.

For a moment, Chi Jinxian even had that illusion.

“Brother, didn’t we agree that I would buy lunch at noon?” Chi Jinxian handed Lu Zhi a tissue to wipe his chopsticks and asked.

Lu Zhi thanked him and took it without looking up, “Stop talking nonsense, just eat.”

Having someone else buy the meal and letting him “enjoy the fruits without labor” why not? Chi Jinxian didn’t ask further, curved his eyes, and started eating.

Judging by Lu Zhi’s attitude today, it seemed like he planned to buy meals from now on. Chi Jinxian was originally the one freeloading meals, and now he couldn’t even help with the work. Feeling quite guilty, he finished his meal, said a quick word to the others, and hurried back to the classroom, taking the initiative to fetch water for his Brother Lu in advance.

With only the two of them walking back to the classroom, Jiang Jin strolled leisurely, in no hurry. He was still very curious about something and couldn’t resist nudging Lu Zhi’s arm with the back of his hand. When Lu Zhi glanced over, he said, “Hey, Lu-dog.”

Lu Zhi withdrew his gaze as if looking at him any longer would make him go blind on the spot.

Jiang Jin didn’t mind his attitude and nudged him again with the back of his hand, asking, “Come on, tell me, tell me, what do you really feel about Cash?”

“We’ve been childhood friends for 18 years, and if nothing goes wrong, we’ll probably keep hanging out in the future, right? If I don’t find out now, I’ll have to find out eventually, so don’t hide it. Just open your golden mouth and tell me.”

Ever since finding out that Lu Zhi and Chi Jinxian had reconciled, Jiang Jin had been like he was pumped full of adrenaline, determined to figure out the dynamics between those two. His curiosity was overwhelming.

It was as if not knowing the answer would leave him unable to sleep at night or think clearly during the day, so he seized every opportunity to ask seized every opportunity to ask.

As if aware of Jiang Jin’s dogged determination to “keep asking until he got to the bottom of it,” Lu Zhi remained silent for a long time this time but didn’t immediately tell him to get lost. Jiang Jin knew there was hope.

Whether it was true or not, to shut him up, Lu Zhi would answer this time.

But when he finally got what he wanted and heard Lu Zhi speak, the suggestive smile on Jiang Jin’s face abruptly vanished, and he even subconsciously halted in his tracks.

In the classroom, Chi Jinxian had already fetched water and was now sitting at his desk playing on his phone, head bowed as he messaged his online friend.

Cash Pool: [Gently nudged my head to coax Xiao Lu out. Is Xiao Lu out yet?]

Approaching: [I’m out now.]

Cash Pool: [Hehe, Xiao Lu, what are you doing?]

Approaching: [Eating. How about you?]

Chi Jinxian bit his fingernail while typing a reply. When movement came from the back door, he naturally glanced backward and said, “Bro, you’re back.”

Lu Zhi first put away his phone and responded, “Mm.” After answering, he moved to close the door but was stopped by Jiang Jin, who had followed him to the doorway. Jiang Jin raised a hand to block it, his tone serious, “Are you serious?”

No one spoke. Jiang Jin frowned, his voice lowering as if struck by something unbelievable, “What did he do to you?”

Lu Zhi kept his eyes downcast and only said, “Don’t speak nonsense,” before firmly closing the door.

They had just returned together after eating, yet both seemed somewhat displeased. Chi Jinxian also temporarily put away his phone and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Zhi pulled out his chair and sat down, saying, “Nothing. He’s being neurotic.”

Whether it was neurotic or not, the other party beyond the door didn’t hear and naturally wouldn’t respond. Jiang Jin remained standing outside Chi Jinxian’s window for a while, quietly observing Lu Zhi, then quietly watching Chi Jinxian for a moment, as if unable to comprehend or change anything, before finally turning to head back to his own class.

If the other person didn’t want to talk, Chi Jinxian wouldn’t press. He carefully gauged that Lu Zhi’s mood seemed fine, without any particular oddities, and reassured, he let out an “Mm” before turning back to continue chatting with Xiao Lu.

He told Xiao Lu about Lu Zhi’s good qualities, about his feelings of liking Lu Zhi, and eventually, without meaning to, brought up last night.

Cash Pool: [Xiao Lu, let me tell you, last night when I was on the phone with my brother, he called me Xiao Chi!]

Cash Pool: [It’s the first time he’s called me that so intimate!! It sounded so nice!!!]

Heaven knew Chi Jinxian had wanted to share this with Xiao Lu the moment it happened. After all, getting to this point with Lu Zhi was largely thanks to Xiao Lu’s counsel!

But after that brief surge of joy, his mind and heart were completely occupied with Lu Zhi’s unhappiness and the need to keep him company, so this obvious bragging had to wait until today.

Approaching: [Do you like it when he calls you that? [Rose]]

Seeing these words, Chi Jinxian seemed a bit embarrassed, raising a hand to touch his ear while the other hand kept typing.

Cash Pool: [Yeah. I like it, I really like it.]

Cash Pool: [It feels like I’ve gotten so much closer to Brother Lu!]

As they exchanged feelings back and forth, Jiang Jin from the neighboring class remained seated with the same shock from noon, his brow furrowed as if stumped by some major dilemma.

His deskmate had watched him maintain this state and expression for two classes. Nearing the end of the period, he couldn’t hold back any longer: “Are you keeping that face just for me to see?”

“Huh?” The unfounded accusation left Jiang Jin somewhat bewildered; besides his earlier confusion, his expression now carried a hint of puzzlement.

The deskmate continued, “Otherwise, why have you been frowning all this time? And you haven’t said a word to me.” As he spoke, his own brow furrowed, and he asked, “Did I offend you?”

“…” Jiang Jin was astonished. He reached out and pressed the back of his neck, saying, “Am I not talking to you right now? Even ancient emperors didn’t convict people so arbitrarily. You’re something else.”

His deskmate grabbed his wrist, telling him to get lost, but his expression turned more serious. “Then what’s wrong with you?”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin sighed and said, “Don’t ask. It’s easy to get assassinated.”

His deskmate: “…”

But because of this, the words Lu Zhi had said to him on the way back at noon uncontrollably flooded his mind again. He had asked Lu Zhi what he thought of Chi Jinxian.

Lu Zhi had remained silent for a long time so long that they had already reached the foot of the teaching building before he finally replied, “Hate, I suppose.”

His face showed no expression, and his tone was utterly calm, as if he were merely making a trivial comment about someone entirely unrelated to him. Only his half-lowered eyelashes prevented anyone from seeing into his eyes.

But Lu Zhi never joked.

With the second class almost over, Jiang Jin grew increasingly uneasy. He couldn’t even wait a few more minutes until after class to go directly to Class 10 of the senior year to find Lu Zhi for a game of basketball. While the teacher was still lecturing at the podium, he hurriedly took out his phone, secretly typed a message, and sent it.

No Ambition: 【Lu Zhi, I don’t know much about what happened between you and Yiran, and I know even less about what’s between you and Cash, but】

After a long pause, the class bell rang as expected, and Jiang Jin finally typed a second message.

No Ambition: 【Don’t do anything you’ll regret.】

It was unclear whether Lu Zhi had seen the messages. As soon as class ended, he headed to the playground, stopping by Jiang Jin’s classroom on the way to glance at him, signaling for him to come along.

Having stayed up late on the phone the previous night, Chi Jinxian was now paying the price. Even by the afternoon, he hadn’t caught up on sleep. After class, he told Lu Zhi he wouldn’t be going to the playground and would instead sleep a bit longer in the classroom. He reminded Lu Zhi not to forget to bring water, then slumped over the desk and fell asleep.

Ren Yiran arrived before class started. The campus was crowded, and though he didn’t draw attention to himself, he still attracted many gazes along the way.

It was his first day at the Interstellar Alliance, and his uniform wasn’t ready yet. He wore the simplest casual clothes, his chestnut hair faintly gleaming in the afternoon sunlight.

It was as if he absorbed all the brightest things around him, making his entire person radiate brilliance.

“Cash, ahem, Cash.” It sounded like someone nearby was calling Chi Jinxian’s name. Chi Jinxian was sleeping soundly, facing the window. Hearing the noise, he mumbled, nuzzled the back of his hand, and ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, as if trying to signal not to wake him.

But his wish wasn’t granted. Jiang Baixiao took direct action, discreetly tugging at the hem of Chi Jinxian’s uniform and whispering very softly, “Cash.”

His tone sounded almost afraid of being overheard by someone.

Chi Jinxian reluctantly opened his eyes, thinking to himself that his “sister flower” wasn’t being cute anymore. He wouldn’t be sticking close to Jiang Baixiao for the next week.

But the first person he saw wasn’t Jiang Baixiao due to his sleeping position, he had been facing away from his “sister flower.” Instead, his gaze fell on a complete stranger. Chi Jinxian was certain he had never met this person before, yet the individual was leaning casually against the corridor by his window, scrutinizing him with a composed, unabashed, and evaluating stare.

The other person was quite handsome, but Chi Jinxian, who had just woken up unnaturally, subconsciously furrowed his brows slightly. He felt an intense discomfort.

That gaze was scrutinizing him as if he were some rare object.

Though rare, an object was still an object something that could be carelessly destroyed.

Chi Jinxian had opened the window facing him before falling asleep, worried that the classroom might feel stuffy if he slept too deeply.

Now, without the barrier of glass or a screen, that gaze felt almost tangible, making Chi Jinxian even more uncomfortable.

Noticing Chi Jinxian was awake, the other person’s eyes shifted, gleaming with a spark of readiness, as if finally facing a worthy rival. He straightened up from leaning against the corridor and approached Chi Jinxian’s window, a friendly smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Just as Jiang Baixiao behind him softly began with “He is”, the young man spoke first, “Hello, I’m Ren Yiran.”

His tone was natural and unaffected, genuinely conveying an intention to make a new friend.

As he spoke, he extended a hand with distinct knuckles toward Chi Jinxian, his eyes radiating nothing but friendliness.

Chi Jinxian rose from the desk, met Ren Yiran’s gaze briefly, then let his eyes drop to the outstretched hand meant for a handshake. He replied, “Oh, hello.”

The earlier discomfort upon waking had completely vanished. Chi Jinxian chalked it up to being in a bad mood when Baixiao woke him and misinterpreting the situation. As a new student, Ren Yiran had no reason to make enemies, even if he was Lu Zhi’s childhood friend. Besides, he had proactively extended his hand for a handshake. As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face, and Chi Jinxian was not an impolite person.

He stood up from his chair and reached out his hand as well, introducing himself.

But just as their fingertips were about to touch, Chi Jinxian’s hand was abruptly and firmly grasped by a larger palm.

Chi Jinxian blinked in surprise, instinctively looking first at his hand, then at the person.

Outside the window, Lu Zhi had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, his breathing uneven, whether from playing ball too intensely or rushing back from the field, it was unclear. His gaze was intense as he stared at Chi Jinxian, ignoring the person standing right beside him. His large hand completely enveloped Chi Jinxian’s.

“He’s not a good person,” Lu Zhi said. “No handshakes allowed.”