Chapter 33
Xu Qingyang noticed that Tan Ning seemed out of sorts all morning, but he felt too embarrassed to talk to him directly. Instead, he nudged He Qingrui with his elbow and whispered, “Tan Ning’s been distracted all morning.”
He Qingrui looked at Tan Ning. “Really? I didn’t notice.”
“I’m serious. Go ask him what’s going on.”
As He Qingrui approached, Tan Ning stood up and began packing his bag.
He Qingrui quickly took a big step forward. “Where are you going?”
“Tutoring.”
“Weren’t you there yesterday?”
“I have another three hours today. His finals are coming up, and his parents scheduled an extra session.”
“Oh,” He Qingrui scratched his head and tentatively asked, “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. Why?”
He Qingrui gave an awkward laugh. “Nothing. You just looked a bit serious.”
Tan Ning said he was fine. Before leaving, he turned back and told He Qingrui, “By the way, Qingrui, if you want to join the Law and Business Experimental Base, you can sign up next week. Don’t forget.”
“Oh, right! Thanks for reminding me.” He Qingrui pulled out his phone to make a note.
After Tan Ning left, Xu Qingyang propped his head up and said, “I remember Tan Ning doesn’t receive any financial aid. He doesn’t seem to lack anything. Why is he working so hard to earn money?”
He Qingrui also pondered. Given that Tan Ning is dating Lin Song’an, he shouldn’t need the extra tutoring money. But then he thought, in a relationship that can’t be made public, there’s always a risk of breaking up. Everything could be an illusion; only the money he earns through hard work is truly his.
Perhaps that’s why.
At Lin Qi’s place, Lin Qi seemed to have been disciplined by his father and was very well-behaved during the lesson. After Tan Ning finished tutoring, Lin Qi tugged at his sleeve before he left and said softly, “Don’t be sad, Teacher Tan.”
Tan Ning found it strange. Was he showing it that obviously? Two people had asked him that today.
Maybe it would have been better to keep things casual.
Continuously telling himself not to love, not to like, not to care, was better than feeling sad now.
As he was leaving the Lin residence, he happened to run into Lin Yecheng, who was heading out. Mrs. Lin helped straighten his suit collar and said, “Teacher Tan, why don’t you take Lin Qi’s father’s car back to school? It’s on the way.”
Tan Ning quickly declined.
“It’s no trouble, really. Don’t be so polite. It’s on the way, and the subway from here to A University isn’t direct. I already feel bad that you have to go out of your way each time.”
Lin Yecheng added, “Yes, Teacher Tan, don’t be so formal.”
Unable to refuse, Tan Ning accepted the offer.
Back at school, he went straight to the library and ran into He Qingrui, who waved him over.
Sitting next to He Qingrui was a student Tan Ning didn’t recognize, who resembled He Qingrui a bit but was taller and wore black-framed glasses. He Qingrui introduced him, “This is my brother, He Qingming.”
Tan Ning nodded in greeting.
He Qingming was also preparing for the IELTS exam. Seeing the essay book Tan Ning took out, he remarked, “I’ve heard this one is quite challenging.”
Tan Ning replied, “It’s alright.”
He Qingming glanced at Tan Ning but didn’t say more.
When they finished studying, the three of them headed to the cafeteria. As they walked, He Qingrui suddenly noticed that his brother and Tan Ning seemed about the same height. He asked Tan Ning, “How tall are you?”
“179 cm, probably not quite 180.”
He slapped his brother’s shoulder, “Didn’t you say you’re 184 cm? Where’s that extra 4 cm?”
Feeling wronged, He Qingming protested, “I really am 184 cm!”
Tan Ning found their bickering amusing. The next second, He Qingrui grabbed his arm, pulling both Tan Ning and his brother together. He Qingrui squinted, comparing their heights closely, then scoffed at his brother, “Liar! You’re at most 181 cm. Always bragging about being the tallest among betas. Caught you!”
Embarrassed to be called out by his younger brother in front of others, He Qingming pretended to roll up his sleeves as if to teach him a lesson. He Qingrui hid behind Tan Ning in fear. Tan Ning couldn’t help but smile.
There was a protruding step nearby. Worried that He Qingrui might cause Tan Ning to trip, He Qingming reached out to steady Tan Ning, guiding him to walk on the right.
“He Qingrui, watch where you’re going. There’s a car behind you.”
All three turned to see a black Range Rover passing by.
The smile hadn’t faded from Tan Ning’s face, and He Qingming’s hand was still on his elbow. The three of them were playfully together, and Tan Ning seemed much less gloomy and withdrawn.
Suddenly, Lin Song’an felt very distant from Tan Ning.
So Tan Ning could smile after all.
Tan Ning rarely showed genuine smiles in front of him. Most of the time, he was expressionless, his eyes dim. Occasionally, he would smile to provoke him, like when he told him that two thousand yuan per time was the market rate.
Standing in the light, they couldn’t see the face inside the car, but the silhouette looked familiar. Just as He Qingrui tried to take a closer look, his brother pulled him onto the cobblestone path.
He Qingming guided Tan Ning and He Qingrui onto the safer path. “What’s wrong with you two? Walking in the middle of the road?”
As Tan Ning was about to look back, Lin Song’an’s car had already driven past them.
“That’s a really impressive car. Do you know whose it is, bro?”
“A Range Rover, I think. The new sport model. The higher-end configurations cost over two million yuan.”
“Wow, so expensive! Which school leader can afford that? Even if they could, they wouldn’t dare drive it here. So who does it belong to—” He Qingrui stopped mid-sentence, suddenly looking at Tan Ning, then jumped to stand between Tan Ning and his brother, separating them.
Tan Ning remained calm.
“Oh no, Tan Ning…”
“It’s fine.”
“He won’t misunderstand, will he?”
Tan Ning repeated, “It’s fine.”
There were already enough complications between him and Lin Song’an; this wouldn’t make a difference.
Lin Song’an had been urgently called to the company by his father to handle some public relations issues. He dealt with them methodically and quickly resolved the problems. After returning to his father’s office, he sat on the sofa, lost in thought. Usually, he would childishly seek praise from his father, but today he was unusually calm.
After finishing a meeting, his father, Lin Yexun, saw him in this state.
“What’s wrong?”
Lin Song’an looked up, his eyes bloodshot. “Dad, back when Mom hadn’t appeared yet, during your rut periods when the pain was unbearable, and that person couldn’t help, did you ever think it might be better to break up—for both your sakes?”
His father replied, “Yes, often.”
Lin Song’an’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
“What did your mother say?”
“She wouldn’t listen.”
“You haven’t told her yet, have you?”
“No. She would definitely cause trouble for Tan Ning.” Lin Song’an vaguely remembered that when he was young, whenever Fang Jin argued with his father, she would threaten to find that beta and get answers. Even though his father had cut off all contact with his first love before marriage, Fang Jin didn’t believe it. Her demeanor was so intimidating that Lin Song’an was scared to talk to his mother for two days.
He couldn’t put Tan Ning in danger. Tan Ning needed to finish his undergraduate studies smoothly, go abroad for further education, and then return to join a law firm or do whatever he wanted.
Covering his face with both hands, Lin Song’an said, “Just growing up has been hard enough for Tan Ning. He can’t handle any trouble from my mom.”
“Do you want to break up?”
“Of course not,” Lin Song’an repeated softly, “Of course not.”
Looking at his son, who he was so proud of, now trapped in the same pain he had experienced twenty years ago, Lin Song’an’s father felt conflicted. Lin Song’an was even younger than he had been back then, not even graduated from university. If not for the rut periods and his mother’s stubbornness, he could have enjoyed a wonderful campus romance.
How could he change his mother? Lin Song’an’s father had tried for over twenty years without success.
He didn’t dare to dampen his son’s spirits by saying, “Actually, your mother is right. Pheromone compatibility has more power than you can imagine. Over time, feelings can develop, and with a complete mark, it can create an illusion of love.”
“You can forget. You can tell yourself that what you missed wasn’t meant to be, that everything depends on the outcome.”
At his age, Lin Song’an’s father still couldn’t point his son in the right direction. He was conflicted. Rationally, his son’s health was most important. Relying on sedatives and endurance to get through susceptibility periods would cause significant harm to an alpha’s body and mind. Lin Song’an’s increasing silence since adulthood was evident of this. Even if a drug were developed, it would only alleviate the rut periods. As a top-level alpha, never having a complete mark in his lifetime went against physiological norms.
It was hard to imagine the pain, temptations, and endless anxieties the two would face in the future.
But emotionally, he hoped his son could be stronger—just a bit stronger.
Lin Song’an looked at his watch, rubbing the dial with his thumb.
After a long time, he looked up at his father and said, “Dad, I won’t break up. I’ll find a way.”
His father was taken aback.
“Tan Ning has already been abandoned once by his mother. I can’t abandon him again.”
Lin Song’an thought: Since I’ve adopted this little cat, I must take care of him for life.
Exiting the elevator, Lin Song’an sent a message to Lei Xin: [My mom matched me with an omega from the gene bank who turns out to be related to Ye Ling—a distant cousin.]
[Really? That’s quite a coincidence.]
[Yes, it’s true.]
Lin Song’an knew Lei Xin well. In the few minutes he didn’t reply, he must have called Ye Ling to inform him. Ye Ling would not sit idly by after finding out.
If he couldn’t solve the issue with Fang Jin, he’d have to use Ye Ling to deal with that ticking time bomb of an omega.
There was no other way now.
But what about Tan Ning?
The next evening, during the Law and Business Case Study class, he deliberately arrived late and sat in the first row, two seats away from Tan Ning.
But Tan Ning didn’t look at him once.
During the break after the first period, He Qingming stood at the classroom door and waved at Tan Ning, softly calling his name.
Both Tan Ning and Lin Song’an looked up simultaneously.
He walked in, holding an IELTS vocabulary book. “I realized when I was using it that this is yours. I think the one in your bag is mine. The covers are identical, and neither of us wrote our names.”
Tan Ning immediately took out the book from his bag and handed it to him. “Sorry about that.”
“No worries. I feel bad. I did an exercise in yours before I realized.”
“It’s okay.”
Just as He Qingming was about to leave, he sensed an intense, scrutinizing gaze from the side.
It was the look only an alpha could have.
And clearly, an angry alpha. A strong pheromone leaked from the inhibitor patch, affecting several omegas in the back row, causing discomfort.
After greeting Tan Ning, He Qingming quickly left.
After two classes ended, Tan Ning was preparing to go downstairs when, as expected, someone pulled him into a dark room. Lin Song’an pressed him against the door, and his kiss fell instantly.
