On Friday afternoon, they had a training class at Training Hall S2. Before class, they had to run twenty laps around the track.

Rong Shi, dressed in sportswear, jogged leisurely at the back of the line, his mind sorting through the clues he had recently gathered.

But every time he reached a crucial point, his train of thought would break.

Their class wasn’t the only one having a training session in the hall.

As he passed the long jump area, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. Rong Shi turned his head to look and saw Lin Dang standing to the side, doing warm-up exercises.

The other party noticed his gaze, suddenly smiled, and then quickly looked away.

That smile practically screamed “provocation.”

“You’re being underestimated, gege,” Song Yu ran up beside him.

His train of thought was interrupted by that “gege.” Rong Shi’s mind suddenly flashed with a completely unrelated thought.

Mianmian hasn’t called him “gege” recently; he’s been calling him “ge” (older brother, less formal)?

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, carrying a strong scent of jasmine.

Rong Shi paused, looking in the direction the wind came from.

Noticing his unusual expression, Song Yu also stopped: “What’s wrong?”

Rong Shi: “Did you smell something fragrant?”

“Jasmine? Maybe from the garden over there—” Song Yu stopped halfway through his sentence. It wasn’t jasmine season; how could there be such a strong floral scent?

“Why is it suddenly getting hot?”

“Damn, why is my heart rate accelerating after just two laps?”

“Did you guys smell that? The scent is so strong.”

The Alphas on the track began to stir.

[Located. Pheromones are coming from the 4th floor of Teaching Building B4.]

Rong Shi didn’t hesitate, immediately running out of the training hall.

Seeing him run, Song Yu followed without a second thought.

The training instructor had just walked into the training hall when he ran head-on into Rong Shi, who was running out.

Running out right at the beginning of class, this was definitely a clear case of cutting class with his “wife.”

He immediately spoke up to stop him: “Rong Shi, where are you going?”

Rong Shi didn’t stop, speaking urgently: “An Omega’s pheromones are leaking. Immediately activate lockdown mode and have them stay in the training hall; don’t let them run around.”

As soon as his words fell, his figure was gone.

The instructor stood frozen for a moment, muttered a curse, and immediately ran into the control room.

The two took a shortcut, moving quickly.

What was normally a fifteen-minute journey was covered in less than five minutes.

The elevator wasn’t on the first floor. Song Yu looked around, found the stairwell, and pulled Rong Shi: “This way.”

As soon as they opened the stairwell door, the pheromone scent became even stronger.

Rong Shi grabbed Song Yu, who was about to run upstairs: “You wait outside.”

Song Yu frowned: “Why?”

Rong Shi: “I’m afraid this concentration of pheromones might be too much for you.”

Song Yu scoffed: “What kind of joke is that?”

Song Yu pushed his hand away and ran up a few steps.

Just as he reached the second floor, there was a sudden scream, and a dull thud from above. Something rolled down the stairs.

Rong Shi sped up. On the third-floor landing, a person lay there, curled up in a ball.

“Wu Han?” Rong Shi walked over in a few steps and helped him up.

Song Yu looked up, only catching a glimpse of a black hem. He stepped over Wu Han, propped himself on the handrail, and vaulted over.

Wu Han tightly clutched his right hand, breathing rapidly, his forehead covered in cold sweat. It took him a while to recognize the person in front of him: “Chairman?”

Rong Shi: “Are you alright?”

Wu Han gasped, his whole body aching: “I… I think I’m fine.”

Sounds of struggle came from upstairs. Rong Shi had him lean against the wall: “I’ll go up and check first.”

Wu Han, enduring the dizziness, shook his head: “It’s okay, I’m fine.”

Song Yu chased after the person, caught him in a few moves, twisted his arm, and pinned him against the wall: “Alpha?”

This was not the Omega emitting pheromones.

“Let go of me!” The Alpha struggled hard, but Song Yu punched him fiercely.

Song Yu: “Weren’t you so good when you pushed someone?”

The pheromone suddenly intensified. Song Yu’s vision wavered, and the Alpha seized the opportunity to break free, swinging a punch back.

The punch aimed squarely at Song Yu’s face missed. As he looked up, he was pressed against the wall by a hand.

Rong Shi supported Song Yu with one hand, saying calmly: “I told you you couldn’t handle it, but you still wanted to go up.”

His head throbbed faintly. Song Yu cursed under his breath, pushed Rong Shi’s hand away, and searched for the source of the pheromone.

Rong Shi casually locked the person in the stairwell’s utility room and followed Song Yu: “You go downstairs and look after Wu Han.”

Song Yu’s face was grim. His aptitude wasn’t low, and he had received pheromone resistance training since childhood. It made no sense for Rong Shi to be unaffected while he reacted.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Rong Shi explained: “It has nothing to do with aptitude. I’ll explain later. I only have two hands and can’t carry two injured people.”

Teaching Building B4 must have twenty-eight floors, with four floors connected to B5 by a metal skybridge.

[Holy crap! That Omega avoided all surveillance! Even your grandpa (me) can’t find him!]

01’s agitated voice echoed in his mind.

Rong Shi: “Can the pheromone source be traced?”

[The concentration center is shifting towards B5, but it’s already weakening. At this rate of dissipation, the possibility of catching up is 1%.]

In other words, after being discovered, that Omega hid.

Large-scale diffusion of Omega pheromones is extremely rare, especially today with strong winds, almost causing the entire school to suspend classes. Alphas clutched themselves tightly, fearing they might accidentally chase after the pheromones.

“Who’s so wicked, trying to cause a scandal?!”

“They already distribute so many suppressants every month, why do Omegas still so often unexpectedly go into heat?”

“Smelling this, he’s an old Omega, definitely not his first heat.”

“How the hell can you smell that sort of thing?”

Wu Han was sent to the infirmary, covered in bruises. Because he only focused on protecting his right hand when he fell, even his face was disfigured.

“Luckily, no bones were injured,” said Jiang Huai, the young doctor in the infirmary, as he bandaged him.

Wu Han gasped occasionally, but didn’t forget to say thank you.

Jiang Huai turned on the medical equipment: “Lie still for ten minutes, or it will affect wound healing.”

Wu Han obediently nodded, lying there stiffly like a corpse, almost forgetting to breathe.

Jiang Huai smiled and patted his shoulder: “You can still breathe.”

Rong Shi and Song Yu were in the adjacent infirmary.

Rong Shi smelled the alcohol in the air, watching him bite off the cap of the syringe and inject the suppressant into his arm.

Just now, Jiang Huai offered to help him, but was flatly refused. He wasn’t even allowed to enter the room.

“Are you that wary of doctors too?” Rong Shi asked casually.

Song Yu recapped the empty syringe, put it in his pocket: “Doctors whose backgrounds haven’t been checked are no different from assassins.”

Rong Shi: “What about me?”

He didn’t think too much when he asked this question, just purely curious why Song Yu, who saw everyone as an enemy, had repeatedly shown trust in him.

Alphas are particularly wary when their pheromones are affected.

But Rong Shi had been present every time Song Yu was affected.

Song Yu chuckled, “What do you think, wife?”

Rong Shi: “…”

Forget it, no point arguing with a child.

Rong Shi: “It can’t be that you love me too much.”

Song Yu had a look of utter disbelief: “…”

How can you say that so calmly?

When the two walked next door, Wu Han had already completed the initial treatment, his pain mostly subsided, and his pheromones had stabilized.

Rong Shi pulled up a chair and sat by the hospital bed: “What happened?”

Wu Han’s hand on the quilt suddenly tightened, and he stammered, “N-nothing, I just accidentally fell.”

“If you fell yourself, then why did he run?” Song Yu scoffed. “Couldn’t be a love triangle, a fight between rivals?”

Rong Shi: “…”

Never straying from the topic of love rivals, typical of you.

Wu Han frantically waved his hands: “No, no, I really just fell by myself. Senior Zhou En just happened to be passing by there and might have been scared, that’s all—”

Indeed, there had been no sound of an argument.

Rong Shi: “Do you know the Omega in heat?”

“No,” Wu Han shook his head. “I just got there and suddenly smelled that scent and accidentally fell… I didn’t see anyone.”

Full of holes!

Song Yu was about to question him, but then heard Rong Shi say calmly: “Get some good rest. If you remember any details, you can tell me anytime.”

Wu Han’s eyes flickered, and he nodded hesitantly: “Thank you, Chairman.”

Walking out of the infirmary, Song Yu was very dissatisfied with Rong Shi’s way of handling things.

“You’ve been busy for so long, and you haven’t gotten any useful information out of him.”

Rong Shi: “Would forcing him help?”

Song Yu: “How would you know if you don’t force him?”

Rong Shi tilted his head to look at him: “You’re not a student council member, don’t meddle.”

Song Yu looked over lazily: “Why not? I’m the chairman’s family.”

Rong Shi: “…”

The controlled Zhou En was taken to the intensive care unit. Besides the injuries they inflicted, the most severe problem was the irritation to his scent gland.

Half an hour after the suppressant injection, his pheromone levels remained unstable.

“Whatever you want to ask, come back tomorrow,” the school doctor Jiang Huai told Rong Shi: “He’s overstimulated; he probably won’t recover mentally overnight.”

After leaving the medical office, he checked the time; it was time to pick up Mianmian.

Rong Shi couldn’t be bothered to go back and change clothes, heading straight for the kindergarten department. To his surprise, Song Yu also followed.

“Why are you looking at me like that? I’m here to pick up my brother too,” Song Yu said casually, hands in his pockets.

“Where are his family members?” Rong Shi asked.

Song Yu: “Ever since they knew I was around as a convenient older brother, they’ve been dumping the kid on me.”

Rong Shi didn’t like to pry into others’ privacy. In his previous life, his understanding of his apprentice was limited to his talent. Usually, their interactions were mostly technical, and he rarely had time for small talk, let alone asking about family matters.

At the kindergarten gate, there was another large crowd of parents.

Rong Shi glanced from afar, then turned and walked towards a small side gate.

By the time Song Yu realized it, Rong Shi was almost out of sight.

Just as he was about to follow, he was suddenly surrounded by a large group of people.

“Oh my gosh, it’s really Song Yu?! He’s even better looking in person, hahahaha!”

“Wow, is that skin real? It’s better than mine, an Omega!”

“Are you here to pick up the second cub? Where’s Rong Shi? Why are you alone?”

“Hahahahaha, when are you planning to have your third child?”

Song Yu: “…”

Damn it, couldn’t you have dragged me along when you ran off?!

Rong Shi went straight in through the side gate.

Mianmian was slow and not in good health, so he wouldn’t push his way out with the other children.

It was better for him to just go in and wait.

Just halfway there, his calf was suddenly bumped. Rong Shi looked down. Who else could it be but his stupid apprentice?

“Mmm!” Cola covered his nose, puffing out his cheeks, ready to throw a tantrum. Seeing it was Rong Shi, he immediately jumped up and hugged his leg.

“Gege,  Mianmian, quick, take me to find Mianmian!”

Rong Shi: “…”

Such practiced leg-hugging.

When the bell rang, the little ducklings rushed out.

He waited until most of the children were gone before reaching the door of the small class.

Through the window, Rong Shi saw Mianmian writing something. After finishing, he slowly put his stationery into his backpack, slung the backpack onto his back—and then was crushed to the ground by the weight of the backpack.

Rong Shi: “…”

He really needed to exercise.

“Mianmian!” Cola slid down from his leg and excitedly ran into the classroom to carry his backpack for him.

Mianmian floundered on the ground for a bit before pulling himself up by a table leg: “It’s okay, I can carry it myself.”

“Liar, you just got squashed on the ground.” Cola hugged Mianmian’s backpack, refusing to give it to him.

Mianmian: “…”

Rong Shi didn’t help, just watched, waiting for them to walk over.

Mianmian: “Ge, did you wait long?”

Calling him “ge” again.

Rong Shi felt something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint it.

He took Mianmian’s hand and gently pressed his elbow.

The arm under his hand suddenly stiffened, and he heard a soft gasp like a little kitten.

Rong Shi: “Did you fall and hurt yourself?”

Mianmian shook his head: “Doesn’t hurt.”

Rong Shi rubbed his head, took their backpacks from Cola, and hung them on his arm, carrying one in each arm.

Walking out of the school gate, he saw Song Yu walking over, a grim look on his face.

Rong Shi: “Are you here to pick up the kids, or are we picking you up?”

Song Yu sneered: “You’ve got some nerve saying that.”

“Ge, you’re too slow!” Cola complained, “I want to switch to Mianmian’s gege as my old brother.”

Song Yu picked him up: “Then I wish for that too.”

Cola waved his dangling limbs and protested: “You can’t even carry me! I’m very angry now.”

Song Yu let him sit in the crook of his arm, leaning against him: “If you keep complaining, I’ll send you back to your dad.”

That single sentence completely deflated Cola, making him wilt like pickled radishes.

Rong Shi looked at the wild monkey, then at the quiet little medicine jar in his arms, and suddenly felt a bit lonely.

He wished Mianmian were more lively too.

“Ge, it’s okay if you don’t pick me up every week,” Mianmian suddenly said.

Rong Shi flicked his forehead: “Don’t mimic him. Call me Gege.”

Mianmian covered his forehead: “…Ge-gege.”

On Saturday morning, Rong Shi’s dorm training room was bright with sunlight.

The two little cubs, dressed in sportswear, stood ramrod straight. Song Yu sat on a piece of equipment nearby, watching the spectacle.

Rong Shi brought over the props he had bought and sat cross-legged on the floor five steps away from them.

He looked at Cola’s flushed little face, his feelings complex.

He was originally going to teach Mianmian self-defense against “wolves,” but now the wolf had come to learn too.

And not just the wolf, even the wolf’s brother came. It was just absurd.

The plan Rong Shi had in mind was perfect.

Mianmian’s physical foundation was poor, and he probably couldn’t handle endurance training. He would have to start with some basic technical skills, step by step, not aiming for anything too powerful, but at least to strengthen his body.

“Today’s first lesson, I’ll teach you the over-the-shoulder throw,” Rong Shi placed the prop in front of him. “Today’s goal is to throw it 20 times.”

Mianmian and Cola looked at the prop.

The black, ugly rabbit was about their height, dressed in punk denim, and a cyclops with an embroidered scar on its face.

Cola hid behind Mianmian: “This rabbit is so ugly.”

Rong Shi patiently explained the steps and demonstrated several times, then had the two little ones practice in turns.

Cola sat beside Mianmian, giving him encouragement: “Beat that ugly bunny to death!”

Song Yu also chimed in: “Go, little bunny.”

Mianmian took a deep breath, grabbed the rabbit’s arm, and twisted his body: “Hiyah!”

He yelled, and threw the rabbit hard to the ground.

But before the rabbit hit the ground, he himself fell first.

Rong Shi: “…”

The spectating Song brothers: “…”

Mianmian scrambled up from the ground, dizzy and disoriented. He looked around, wondering why no one was there: “Gege?”

Rong Shi: “…Behind you.”

After he said that, he saw Mianmian turn around, his legs twisting into a pretzel, tripping himself again onto the ground.

Rong Shi: “…”

The plan might need adjustment.

Author’s note: 

Mianmian: I heard my combat power will be off the charts when I grow up.

Rong Shi: Traded for your brother’s kidney.