YPSSS Chapter 43

Several light snowfalls blanketed C City throughout January.

The tall trees scattered across Science University were covered in a thin layer of white snow, bringing an instant feel of winter.

When the sound of a camera shutter pulled Xia Shiruan back to reality, he was on the last page of the book in front of him.

He glanced up toward the source of the shutter sound and met eyes with a girl wearing a knit hat.

The girl froze for a moment, then smiled sheepishly. She pointed at her camera, indicating she had just taken his photo, and asked if he minded.

Xia Shiruan was always indifferent to such things. He gave a casual smile, lowered his eyes, and crossed off the book he just finished from his review schedule.

The title of “Science University’s only Omega in the Department of Particle Physics” remained quite eye-catching. Xia Shiruan attracted more attention than before when walking around campus. Although people occasionally tried to chat him up, most were scared away by the tall Alpha with cold eyes who stayed by his side.

After similar incidents happened many times, the campus gossip evolved. What started as a story about one person became about two.

Two people who originally had nothing to do with each other, yet were both Science University celebrities for different reasons, inexplicably became connected.

Soon someone dug up that the first-year Military Engineering Alpha who dominated Chen Jiu at the library that time was likely the same person who had been hanging around Xia Shiruan lately.

This spawned many more topics of discussion.

Like whether his surname belonged to the Xie family that just received another military medal in this year’s Asian Alliance commendation ceremony. With this addition, he could strut around the entire Alliance without fear.

Or how Xia Shiruan was probably guaranteed a spot at Institute 741 after graduation, possibly even bypassing the physical assessment through a fast track.

A few anonymous IDs shared their snide opinions, saying sarcastically how great it was to have connections. Thanks to his relationship with Xie Ji, Xia Shiruan might become the second Omega Chief Engineer after the legendary one from Institute 463.

These IDs were quickly attacked by everyone.

What’s with the sarcasm? If you’ve got guts, don’t hide behind anonymous accounts.

I’m getting so angry. Why are there so many sarcastic people on the forum lately? The atmosphere is getting worse. What did Omegas ever do to you?

Just say outright that he’s using connections if that’s what you mean. But frankly, if Institute 741 could be entered purely through connections, their research strength wouldn’t be what it is today. Look at their annual funding, patent applications, and National Science Progress Awards.

Those anonymous users don’t need to be so bitter. There’s nothing unfair about Xia Shiruan entering Institute 741. His only disadvantage is his gender. His credentials are more than enough otherwise… He won several national awards during undergrad, and I heard he’s already the project lead for their department’s military project mid-term review last weekend. If the project succeeds, it would be enough for a PhD graduation, let alone padding his resume. He crushes the competition, entering 741 is a sure thing.

To be honest, Institute 741 is a pure research facility. Although it’s under the Military Department, you don’t need to go to the frontlines. I never understood why they used to be so strict about gender and physical requirements. When you’re just sitting in an office all day staring at data and modifying models, why do you need to run three kilometers?!

Hey anonymous bros, how’s your final exam review going? Finished your graduation thesis? For grad students, how’s your final defense prep? Like someone said in a previous post, even if Xia Shiruan packed up and went home to get married, he’d still be better off than you. Worry less about others and more about yourselves.

The person above is right. But if Xia Shiruan got married, wouldn’t he be marrying into the Xie family? Aren’t families like theirs just like in novels, with requirements for daughters-in-law? Like, *You must give birth to X number of alpha children within X years, and if their pheromone levels are high enough, here’s a bonus of several hundred million*… Haha, I’m just making this up.

…

The thread sparked another round of discussions about whether Xia Shiruan and Xie Ji really had an improper Alpha-Omega relationship, whether Xia Shiruan should hurry up if he wanted children, and what the best childbearing age was for an Omega.

In short, for one reason or another, Xia Shiruan and Xie Ji dominated the campus forum for several months.

Xia Shiruan was unaware of most discussions, but occasionally saw screenshots, usually from the gossip-loving Pei Hu, and sometimes from Xie Ji.

Xie Ji would sometimes show Xia Shiruan screenshots from who-knows-where and ask questions that Xia Shiruan had no idea how to answer, so he habitually played dead.

However, Xie Ji might be the person in the world who best knew how to deal with Xia Shiruan. He would use Xia Shiruan’s refusal to answer as an opportunity to exchange for other things – sometimes waiting for him after class with desserts, other times demanding a kiss that Xia Shiruan had to initiate.

January was exam month at Science University. While Ph.D. students didn’t have traditional finals, they faced something far more terrifying: the annual research progress review.

All doctoral students in a department would sit in one classroom, enduring scrutiny and criticism from professors of different labs, who would say how some people wasted the whole year, how some people’s work was worse than undergrads’, how they were squandering their doctoral stipends, and so on.

Usually, professors went easy on their own students while being stricter with others’. Professor Lu was the exception. He was even harsher on his own students.

This meant that at each year’s doctoral work summary meeting, Professor Lu’s lab students suffered the most.

Liu Yutong had learned this from senior students and had been spreading panic in the lab group chat for several weeks.

Xia Shiruan wasn’t as scared as the others, but he still methodically organized and summarized his work from the past several months.

After a full semester, he needed to present perfect results in all aspects.

He was currently at an on-campus café. The place had few customers due to its remote location and poor food quality, but its large tables and comfortable sofas had gradually turned it into a study and leisure spot for engineering students. They could sit here all afternoon with just an inexpensive drink.

Xia Shiruan had been here for several hours. He already completed everything on today’s schedule, so he closed his notebook, checked the time on his phone for the second time, and glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Light snow fell outside. Everyone passing by walked hurriedly, but none were the person he was waiting for.

The server brought two hot drinks to the table with a soft thud, saying, “Your two lattes.”

Xia Shiruan turned his head, said “thank you,” picked up one cup, and took a small sip.

Just as he swallowed, someone gently tugged his ear.

A laugh sounded above his head. “Slacking off instead of studying? Sneaking drinks?”

Xia Shiruan was startled at first, then froze for a second, looking up dazedly to see Xie Ji standing behind him.

He wore a black coat that accentuated his tall, straight figure. There were still snowflakes on his shoulders, and he wore a smile on his face.

“Where did you come in from?” Xia Shiruan asked.

He had been checking the door every three minutes but didn’t see any sign of Xie Ji.

Xie Ji sat down beside him and put down his bag. “Side door.”

Xie Ji didn’t mention that he’d arrived early. He found it too amusing watching Xia Shiruan’s seemingly cold expression while he kept glancing outside, so he couldn’t help but watch for a few minutes before entering through the side door in Xia Shiruan’s blind spot.

Xia Shiruan nodded, made a small “oh” sound, then pushed the other cup on the table toward him, explaining, “I wasn’t sneaking drinks. I finished today’s review. I just ordered these, this one’s for you.”

With latte foam still on his lips and eyes wide open, his serious explanation about finishing his homework before eating made him look just like a child.

Xie Ji stared at him, gave a short laugh, then suddenly leaned over and quickly licked away the sweet foam from his lips.

At that moment, from the corner opposite Xia Shiruan, another camera flash went off.

But Xia Shiruan had no time to look at that girl. He only felt his cheeks growing hotter than the café’s heater, his lips tingling.

The not-yet-twenty-year-old Alpha was full of energy and passion, and having just tasted what it was like to kiss someone he liked, he couldn’t go more than a few minutes alone with Xia Shiruan without getting handsy.

At first, Xia Shiruan would feel embarrassed, but he got used to it after many times. As a result, Xie Ji grew bolder, now he even dared to steal kisses even in public.

“You…” Xia Shiruan stammered, but couldn’t think of any words of blame, so he could only whisper, “There are people here.”

“Hmm?” Xie Ji sat back properly after the kiss, as if he didn’t just lean over to do something, glancing around, “Where are the people?”

“…” Xia Shiruan felt sorry for those classmates who’d been classified as non-people. He tugged Xie Ji’s sleeve, quietly pointing in one direction, “There, someone’s taking photos, we just got caught on camera.”

Xie Ji looked in the direction he pointed. The girl was still holding her camera but shrank back when she met his gaze, and did not dare to bring out her camera again.

“Let her take photos,” Xie Ji said carelessly, “What are you afraid of?”

Xia Shiruan paused. “Nothing.”

After so many years at Science University, Xia Shiruan had grown accustomed to all kinds of looks. The only time he felt uncomfortable was right after his recent Omega presentation when everyone found out, but now he didn’t mind much anymore.

In some ways, Xia Shiruan was really a self-centered person.

But now he gradually cared about more things, almost all related to Xie Ji.

He would wonder if Xie Ji would like something, if he would mind certain things, thinking about many questions that had never before entered Xia Shiruan’s mental territory.

Although he still struggled with many questions, wondering why, whether he found answers or not, the process of thinking itself seemed to make him happy.

Xie Ji made an “mm” sound, saying “that’s fine then,” while thinking that it would be better if everyone found out, better if everyone knew.

There were many ways an Alpha could possess an Omega. Actually, there were cruder, simpler ways to mark Xia Shiruan inside and out with his brand, make him emit his scent, let people know at a glance that this Omega belonged to Xie Ji.

This urge had existed for a long time, traceable to his earliest sexual awakening, but when he was very young, he had done something irrational because of this urge, so this time, he wouldn’t mess things up.

First one kiss, then many kisses, and there would be more in the future.

They arranged to meet here today because Xie Ji said he had some study questions for Xia Shiruan, but they didn’t get to the actual matter after all this time.

Xia Shiruan forced himself back from his scattered thoughts, lightly patted his backpack, and asked, “Where’s the book you brought?”

Xie Ji paused for a second, remembered, then opened his backpack, took out a textbook, laid it on the table, turned to a page, and asked Xia Shiruan how to solve it.

Xia Shiruan took it, read the question carefully, wrote several formulas on draft paper, let out a soft sigh, and quickly formed an explanation in his mind.

Xie Ji watched him from the side, head propped up, a smile curving his lips.

Xie Ji was actually very smart and didn’t need Xia Shiruan to teach him anything extra. After all, their department’s courses were very different from Xia Shiruan’s, and although Xia Shiruan could understand them, his explanations might not be as quick as Xie Ji reading on his own.

But Xie Ji just liked asking him questions, sometimes just enjoying the comfort of listening to Xia Shiruan’s calm, quiet voice.

Sitting together at one table studying like this made it feel like they were back in their childhood.

During summer breaks then, they often stayed in the same room, usually one at the desk studying, the other sitting by the bay window, turning a page, glancing at Xia Shiruan’s quiet silhouette.

“Xia Shiruan,” Xie Ji watched his profile and suddenly said, “Want to go home together tomorrow?”

Xia Shiruan’s mind was still occupied with the problem. Startled by the sudden question, he froze momentarily before responding, “…Huh?”

“Just kidding,” Xie Ji smiled, “My mom’s coming back to C City tomorrow, we’re having dinner at my grandmother’s house, want to come?”