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Sheng Shaoyou was well aware that he was being hunted or courted. Honestly, it was getting harder to tell the difference.
As a popular Alpha and a social butterfly, Shaoyou was used to eyes being on him. But usually, those eyes didn’t belong to a Enigma who has an aura so dark it routinely made freshman Betas cry.
On campus, People said he could suppress an Alpha’s pheromones with a single glance. They said he only had one friend because anyone else who stayed near him too long ended up in a state of existential dread.
Shaoyou, however, found him absolutely hilarious.
Currently, Shaoyou was sitting by the campus café window, taking a slow sip of his iced tea. Out in the courtyard, standing completely exposed next to a waist high decorative fern, was Hua Yong.
He was wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled up, holding a textbook upside down, and staring directly at Shaoyou.
When Shaoyou caught his eye and raised his glass in a silent toast, Hua Yong slowly, lowered his head until the top of his hood was partially hidden by a single fern leaf.
Brilliant, Shaoyou thought, biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Master of disguise.
If Shaoyou went to the library, Hua Yong would sit three rows over, If Shaoyou went to the gym, Hua Yong would suddenly appear on the treadmill directly behind him, running at an aggressively fast pace while stealing glances through the wall mirror.
Everyone else thought Hua Yong was plotting a targeted assassination. Shaoyou, who had a sharp nose and zero fear, just smelled the faint, incredibly flustered undercurrent of ghost orchids beneath the Enigma's heavy pheromones. The terrifying campus Enigma was just a, socially inept softie who didn't know how to say hello.
The truth was, Hua Yong had no idea how to talk to regular people, let alone his beautiful Senior.
Inside the bedroom of the Hua family mansion, a huge rolling whiteboard stood in the center of the floor. It was covered in various photos of Shaoyou laughing, Shaoyou walking across campus, and a detailed copy of Shaoyou’s class schedule.
Shen Wenlang, sat on a luxury leather sofa, slowly sipping tea. He looked at the board, then at Hua Yong, who was holding a marker.
"Hua Yong," Wenlang sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You are an Enigma. Your family practically owns this city. People are literally lining up to get a glance from you. Why are you tracking this Alpha student like you are the FBI?"
Hua Yong just kept looking at photos without saying anything.
"You look like a serial killer," Wenlang said. "Just go up to him at the university tomorrow and say, 'Hi, I am the rich Hua Yong, let’s get dinner.' It works for everyone else!"
" He is not like everyone else" Hua Yong muttered, his dark eyes staring intensely at a photo of Shaoyou eating a pastry.
The next morning at the university, Hua Yong tried a new stalking strategy. It was an absolute disaster.
Shaoyou was standing near the main building hallway, chatting happily with a classmate who was leaning in a bit too close to show him something on a phone. Ten feet away, Hua Yong was trying to hide. Because there were no plants or pillars nearby, he was using Wenlang as a human shield.
Hua Yong kept his heavy, strong hands on Wenlang’s shoulders, pushing the guy forward and peeking over his head.
"Hua Yong, let go of my jacket!" Wenlang hissed, struggling against the Enigma's insane strength. "Everyone is looking at us!
"Be quiet, Wenlang," Hua Yong commanded, his dark eyes narrowing as he glared at the classmate. "You are a perfect shield, move left. He is smiling at him again."
From across the hall, the air pressure suddenly seemed to drop. The classmate felt a freezing chill go down his spine. He looked up, met Hua Yong’s terrifying stare, and froze. The sheer intensity of the Enigma's presence made the poor student gather his books in a panic, stutter an excuse, and run down the hall as fast as his legs could carry him.
With the rival successfully cleared, Hua Yong stopped using Wenlang as a shield. The scary, dominant aura vanished instantly. He stood there rigidly, looking at Shaoyou.
"Good morning, Senior," Hua Yong said. He tried to sound deep and smooth, but his voice cracked slightly on the last word.
"The... the grass is very green today."
Shaoyou tilted his head, a lazy, amused smirk pulling at his lips. "It is, Junior. Are you going to stand there all day?"
Hua Yong’s throat shifted as he swallowed hard. His face began to turn a light shade of pink. "I am... operating... I mean, walking... to class. Goodbye, Senior."
He turned around so fast his jacket whipped through the air, and he walked away while Wenlang walked beside him, covering his face in pure embarrassment.
By late afternoon, the sky completely opened up. A sudden, violent summer downpour turned the university brick pathways into miniature rivers.
Shaoyou was trapped. He had left his umbrella in his locker, and his stomach was rumbling aggressively. He was just about to be brave and run for the cafeteria when a back car pulled up.
The passenger window rolled down. Hua Yong sat behind the wheel, staring straight ahead, his knuckles white on the leather steering wheel.
"Are you offering me a ride, Hua Yong?"
Shaoyou asked with a soft smile.
Hua Yong still didn't speak. He looked completely caught, like a deer in headlights.
Instead of answering with words, Hua Yong gave a sharp, embarrassed nod.
Then, before Shaoyou could even react, the Enigma scrambled out of the driver’s seat. He threw himself straight into the pouring rain, completely ignoring the downpour. He pulled the passenger door open, standing while the water drenched his hair and clothes.
Shaoyou was completely surprised. A soft gasp left his lips, he climbed into the car. Hua Yong closed the door behind him and quickly got back behind the wheel.
Now, both of them were soaked. Water dripped from Shaoyou’s hair, and his clothes were damp, clinging slightly to his shoulders.
"You didn't have to open the door for me, " Shaoyou said, his voice dropping to a softer, warmer tone. He turned in his seat to look at the younger boy. "Look at you, you’re completely drenched."
Hua Yong didn't answer right away. He was staring at Shaoyou, his dark eyes fixed on the wet hair sticking to Shaoyou's forehead, and the way a stray droplet of water ran down his jawline, stopping right at the dip of his collarbone.
The scent of fresh, sweet oranges, Shaoyou’s unique Alpha pheromones was blooming in the warm, enclosed space, made even stronger by the damp rain.
Without even realizing what he was doing, Hua Yong leaned across the center console.
Shaoyou froze, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't move away as Hua Yong came closer and closer, until the space between them completely disappeared.
Hua Yong tilted his head, his nose brushing just a millimeter away from the warm skin of Shaoyou’s neck. He took a deep, shaky breath, inhaling the sharp, sweet orange scent directly from the source. The heat radiating from Shaoyou's skin was dizzying, making Hua Yong's heart hammer violently against his ribs.
For a second, the heavy, dominant Ghost orchids scent of the Enigma flared up, thick and demanding, wrapping around Shaoyou like a physical touch.
Shaoyou’s fingers gripped the edge of his seat. His own Alpha instincts usually made him want to fight for control, but right now, under the intense weight of Hua Yong’s closeness, his pulse just raced with a completely different kind of excitement.
He watched Hua Yong’s long eyelashes, so close he could count them.
Just as the tension reached a breaking point, Hua Yong seemed to snap back to reality. His eyes widened in pure panic as he realized how dangerously close he was to losing his mind.
In a frantic rush to save himself, Hua Yong reached blindly past Shaoyou's hip, grabbed the metal tongue of the seatbelt, and pulled it across Shaoyou's chest with a sharp snap. He clicked it into the buckle, making it look like he had only leaned over to help his Senior buckled up.
But he didn't pull back immediately. He stayed hovering over Shaoyou, his hands resting on the back of the seat, trapping the older boy beneath his frame. Their chests were almost touching, rising and falling with heavy, uneven breaths.
"Safety... is important," Hua Yong whispered, his voice dropping to a low, raw rumble that sent a sudden shiver right down Shaoyou's spine. Up close, Hua Yong's face was completely flushed, a deep, burning red that spread all the way down his neck.
Shaoyou looked up at him, his lips parting as a lazy smile slowly returned to his face. He didn't back down... Instead, he leaned up just little, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"Is that why you got so close, Junior?" Shaoyou murmured, his voice a soft, teasing purr. "To check my safety?"
Hua Yong let out a tiny, choked sound. He scrambled backward so fast his back slammed against the driver's side door.
He stared fixedly at the wet windshield, his hands shaking noticeably as he gripped the steering wheel. The burning crimson color reached the very tips of his ears.
"I...I have to look at the road," Hua Yong stammered, his voice cracking slightly as he desperately tried to find his composure. "If I look at you, we will... crash..no i mean because of rain... i have drive carefully"
Shaoyou settled back into his seat, a low, pleased chuckle vibrating in his chest. He watched the younger boy's flustered profile, enjoying the reaction.
The car pulled out of the university gates and into the quiet flow of traffic. The silence returned, but this time, the air felt warm with the lingering scent of oranges and ghostorchids.
After a few minutes of quiet driving, Hua Yong cleared his throat. He kept his eyes locked straight ahead,
"Senior," Hua Yong said suddenly, his voice a bit too deep, as if he were trying to sound very serious.
"Yeah?" Shaoyou turned his head, propping his cheek on his hand.
"What is... your most favorite thing?" Hua Yong asked. He swallowed hard.
Shaoyou blinked, highly amused by the sudden question. He hummed softly, thinking about it. "Favorite thing? Honestly... a perfect platter of authentic Peking Duck. The kind where the skin is so crispy it practically shatters, and the meat is incredibly juicy. Wrap that up in a warm, thin pancake with a bit of sweet bean sauce and fresh cucumber... give me that and I am completely yours."
Hua Yong’s fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard the leather groaned. His mind completely halted at the words and I am completely yours.' He stared at the red traffic light ahead, his throat tightening.
"I will... skin the duck for you," Hua Yong said stiffly, his brain totally short circuiting.
Shaoyou burst into a bright, joyful laugh, the sound echoing in the warm car. "You're going to skin a duck for me, Hua Yong?"
Hua Yong's eyes went wide. He looked like he wanted to jump out of the moving car. "Cook!" he corrected in a panicked, high pitched voice, his face burning like fire. "Cook the duck! I will make the wraps! The pancakes! Please do not look at my face, Senior."
Shaoyou smiled gently, he looked at blushing Enigma. "Alright, alright. I'll look at the rain."
Shaoyou kept his word and looked out the side window, letting his blushing Junior focus on the road. A comfortable silence filled the car,
After a ten minute drive, the car smoothly slowed down.
Shaoyou looked out the window and blinked in surprise. Directly in front of them was the entrance of his apartment building.
Shaoyou sat up, a look of realization washing over his face. He turned to look at Hua Yong, who was already putting the car in park , looking very pleased with his smooth driving.
"Wait a minute," Shaoyou said, "Hua Yong?"
"Yes, Senior?" Hua Yong asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible.
"I don't think I ever told you my address," Shaoyou murmured, leaning in a little closer. "And you didn't ask me once during the entire drive. But you brought me right to my front door."
Hua Yong froze. His posture went completely rigid, and his hands locked onto the steering wheel.
He had completely forgotten that, to a normal person, this was highly suspicious.
"I..." Hua Yong stammered, his eyes darting around the dashboard in absolute panic. "
He desperately searched his mind for a logical excuse, but his brain was entirely melted. "I... I guessed.
"A guess?" Shaoyou teased, propping his chin on his hand, his eyes sparkling with pure amusement. "Right to my exact apartment block? Should I be worried that my scary junior is stalking me?"
"I am not scary!" Hua Yong squeaked, his voice cracking horribly. He hid his burning face in his wet hands, resting his elbows on the steering wheel. "I just... I wanted to make sure you got home safe. I did not mean to be a creep."
Seeing the powerful Enigma look so small and helpless made Shaoyou’s heart soften completely. The teasing smirk on his face turned into a deeply warm, gentle smile.
"I’m not mad. Actually, I think it's pretty sweet that you care so much." Shaoyou said softly, rubbing his thumb over the back of Hua Yong’s warm hand.
Hua Yong peeked at him through his fingers, his dark eyes wide and full of quiet, honest devotion.
"I do care," Hua Yong whispered, his voice finally dropping to a low, sincere rumble. "A lot."
Shaoyou's heart did that familiar, happy flip again. He let go of Hua Yong's hand, unbuckled his seatbelt,
"Well, thank you for the ride, my hero," Shaoyou said, opening the passenger door. He paused and looked back, gave Hua Yong a beautiful, lingering wink.
Before Hua Yong could even process, Shaoyou darted out of the car and into the building lobby.
Inside the car, Hua Yong sat frozen for a full minute, staring at the empty passenger seat. His face was still completely red, but a small, dazed smile finally broke across his lips.
The next day, the rain had cleared, leaving the campus fresh and bright. Shaoyou was sitting at his usual courtyard bench, surrounded by a couple of friends from the drama club who were chatting about an upcoming script.
Suddenly, the conversation died, Shaoyou looked up and saw his friends visibly paling,
Hua Yong was marching down the path. He looked as intimidating as ever, but in his hands, he was carrying a pastel pink insulated lunch bag that completely ruined the 'dark villain' aesthetic.
A few yards behind him, Shen Wenlang was watching with his head in his hands, silently praying his friend wouldn't mess this up.
Without a word to anyone else, Hua Yong stopped right in front of Shaoyou. He unzipped the pink bag pulled out a heavy glass container, and set it on the stone table.
Inside was a platter of Peking Duck. The duck skin was perfectly caramelized, glistening and crispy. Next to it were neat piles of thinly sliced green cucumbers, sweet bean sauce, and a stack of warm, paper thin pancakes wrapped neatly in foil. It looked like it had come straight from a five star restaurant, but the lingering smell of flour and roasting in the air proved it was freshly homemade.
Shaoyou looked at the food, then up at Hua Yong's fierce, unblinking stare. "You made this?"
"Yes."
Shaoyou took a piece, closing his eyes as the rich taste dissolved on his tongue, he whispered, genuinely impressed. "Hua Yong, this is incredible. You're a genius."
Hua Yong took a deep, heavy breath, trying to summon every bit of his Enigma courage. He looked directly into Shaoyou’s eyes, his face incredibly serious, and declared loudly:"I love you. I want to marry you."
The drama club friends collectively gasped, one of them choking on their own spit. A marriage proposal from the campus Enigma was not on anyone's bingo card today.
Shaoyou, however, didn't even flinch. He just took another bite , chewed thoughtfully, and leaned back against the bench with a lazy, playful smile. He wasn't scared at all, he was entirely in his element.
"You drop an 'I love you' and a marriage proposal right in front of my friends, out in the open courtyard?" Shaoyou chuckled, his eyes dancing with mischief. "So honestly, it’s your headache. What am I supposed to do about that?"
Hua Yong didn't back down. He stepped closer, effectively blocking out the rest of the world, "Marry me," he repeated, his voice dropping to a low, serious rumble. "That's what you do."
Shaoyou’s heart gave a sudden, unexpected thump. Up close, the sheer sincerity in Hua Yong's face was a little dizzying. The playful smirk on Shaoyou's face softened into something much warmer. He set the chopsticks down and looked up at the terrifying Enigma, a beautiful, teasing smile pulling at his lips.
"You know, Junior," Shaoyou murmured, tilting his head up, "the food is amazing. But I think I would have liked it a whole lot more if you had actually taken me somewhere nice to eat it."
Hua Yong froze. His brain took exactly three seconds to process the words. Somewhere nice. An actual date.
Hua yong turned bright red from his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears. He let out a tiny, helpless sound, taking a clumsy step backward, looking entirely defenseless.
Shaoyou just laughed happily, picking the lunchbox up and sliding over on the bench to make room. "Sit down, You can tell me where we're going this weekend while I finish this."
From behind the notice board, Wenlang closed his eyes, let out a massive, exhausted sigh of relief, and muttered to himself, "Finally,The idiot actually did it."