GBROTAH CH31

Shen Bianye bought a lot of pastries from Daoxiang Village, and since they had a long shelf life, a large gift box sat on Xie Yuanxing’s desk for many days.

“Xie Yuanxing, you, hey, what’s this, Daoxiang Village?”

When Gao Yufei and his dormmate, an upperclassman, came over to visit, they immediately saw the Daoxiang Village gift box on Xie Yuanxing’s desk. “It’s been so long since I’ve had this.”

“Where did you buy it?”

Xie Yuanxing opened the box and generously offered it to Gao Yufei, “Uncle Gao bought too many. Shen Bianye gave them to me. Want one?”

Shen Bianye often gave things to people, so his answer wouldn’t arouse too much curiosity.

Seeing Gao Yufei take one, he then handed the box to the sophomore who had come with Gao Yufei, saying, “Senior, you should have some too.”

Behind them, Shen Bianye, sitting on a chair, was lazily playing a game, showing no reaction to Xie Yuanxing sharing the pastries he had specially bought back after five hours.

He only glanced at the newcomer when he heard the word “Senior,” then casually looked away, continuing to operate his game character on the screen.

The person holding the Daoxiang Village pastry approached Shen Bianye, grinning, “Brother Shen, aren’t you doing unboxing anymore? Let me have a go.”

“Last time, the gold that Er-ge opened, you gave it all to him. We were so envious.”

That gold, though not super rare, could be sold for 1,500 yuan by Er-ge.

Shen Bianye pressed the mouse with a cold face, instantly killing the opponent with one shot, and said indifferently, “If you don’t have money to buy boxes, don’t come begging your dad here.”

“If you want to open them, buy them yourself.”

Old San from the next dorm chuckled awkwardly, “Dad, Dad Shen, why are you so irritable today?”

What a joke, opening a box cost more than ten yuan, and to get anything good, even a hundred boxes were just a sprinkle, not nearly enough.

They were all students. Besides someone like Shen Bianye, who had that much money to spend?

Xie Yuanxing was called out by Gao Yufei. Shen Bianye, from the corner of his eye, saw the two leave one after the other, his eyes tinged with irritation. He remained seated, but his gaming style gradually became more aggressive.

He remembered Gao Yufei’s pheromone scent, an unpleasant sea salt. Xie Yuanxing couldn’t smell anything, always bringing back a faint scent.

Because Gao Yufei was enthusiastic and outgoing, he always liked to sling his arm around people’s shoulders. Xie Yuanxing was a Beta, so Gao Yufei wouldn’t keep his distance like he would with an Omega.

It was inevitable to pick up a little scent, just a little. Normal human contact was unavoidable.

Moreover, if it wasn’t intentionally acquired, this faint scent was almost imperceptible.

This was normal.

It was nothing.

It was his pheromone disorder that made him smell it so clearly.

This was normal. Gao Yufei was enthusiastic and open, and Xie Yuanxing should make some friends too.

It was nothing. It was all normal contact between Alphas and Betas. Xie Yuanxing was a Beta; he couldn’t smell anything.

He just shared the pastries he bought back with Gao Yufei. He also gave four boxes to Zhou Chao.

Xie Yuanxing was a Beta.

He couldn’t smell anything.

“Bang!!”

The sound of gunshots exploded from the thousands-of-yuan speakers. Shen Bianye’s face was gloomy as he watched the screen darken, and he slammed down his mouse.

Old San from the neighboring dorm, who was watching from the side, felt his heart pound uneasily, somewhat regretting having chosen this time to come over. He had something important to say, should he say it or not?

After hesitating, he said, “The counselor said an entrepreneur would come to school in a couple of days to donate money, and wants you to be part of the etiquette team to receive them. She couldn’t find you, so she asked me to check the dorm to see if you were in.”

Shen Bianye frowned, “I’m not part of the school’s etiquette team. How did I become a ‘figurehead’? And she wants me to go?”

Old San said, “You’re handsome! Everyone at school thinks you’re the campus heartthrob. None of the Alphas in the etiquette team are as handsome as you.”

He chuckled, “The Omegas in the etiquette team are really pretty. If they invite you to a social gathering after the event, can you bring your brothers along?”

Shen Bianye perfunctorily replied, “I’m going to find the counselor now. We’ll see about any social gatherings later.”

He picked up his phone from the table and strode out of the dorm, leaving Old San from the next dorm looking confused at the empty room.

No, was he even from this dorm?

How did everyone from this dorm leave and leave him, an outsider, standing here?

As soon as Shen Bianye stepped out of the dorm, he saw the two in the corner of the corridor to his right, standing very close, whispering about something.

The elevator was on the left, but Shen Bianye walked to the right.

As he passed by, the two talking stopped simultaneously. Shen Bianye’s eyebrows subtly furrowed as he spoke, “What are you two doing here?”

Xie Yuanxing didn’t speak. Gao Yufei smiled awkwardly, “I was asking him something, Senior Shen, are you…?”

Shen Bianye said indifferently, “Going to find the counselor. I haven’t exercised today, so I thought I’d take the stairs down.”

After Shen Bianye walked away gracefully from the two, Gao Yufei finally exclaimed with a hint of understanding admiration, “You know, no wonder he’s the campus heartthrob.”

“Just that dedication to staying in shape, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, exercising anytime, anywhere.”

Xie Yuanxing subtly rolled his eyes and said, “You don’t need to try and reconcile my relationship with Fang Zhi anymore. We’re not in the same dorm, and there’s no need to force ourselves to get along.”

He was used to ignoring people he disliked. After more than a week, he had completely ignored Fang Zhi. It must have been that Fang Zhi had said something to Gao Yufei again, which made Gao Yufei want to mediate.

There were many people Xie Yuanxing disliked, a few he strongly disliked, and one he disliked to the point of disgust.

Fang Zhi was in the “strongly disliked” category.

Once someone entered the strongly disliked category, Xie Yuanxing would truly not give them any attention, without regret or turning back.

“I still have homework to do, so I’m not talking to you anymore.”

Gao Yufei was helpless: “How can there be so much homework? You still need to relax occasionally.”

Xie Yuanxing: “I need to prepare for the English Level 6 exam, the computer exam, and a data measurement…”

“Wait, wait!” Gao Yufei urgently stopped him, “How is it already English Level 6? Level 4 won’t even be until December, right?”

Xie Yuanxing: “I’ve done the English Level 4 papers, and I’m sure I can pass.”

Linear algebra had stumped him early in his freshman year, but Xie Yuanxing was still very good at these other things.

Gao Yufei: “…So you’re already preparing for Level 6? Why don’t you prepare for IELTS and TOEFL too?”

Xie Yuanxing blinked, looking slightly innocent: “IELTS and TOEFL scores are only valid for two years.”

Gao Yufei was defeated, waving his hand, exhausted. “Go on, let me be a useless bum who just waits to die.”

Xie Yuanxing nodded, and literally walked away.

If he could, he would also like to just coast along, but only by having good grades here and enough certificates could he get a job offer from a big company after graduation.

Earn lots and lots of money, and buy back his home.

Meanwhile, in the office.

Shen Bianye watched the counselor in front of him with a headache. “Counselor, I’m not in the honor guard, nor the etiquette team. I can’t do this job.”

Their class counselor was an Omega with long hair, a gentle and intellectual middle-aged woman. Hearing this, she smiled and said:

“Why can’t you? You’re going out to represent our A University of Technology.”

After a year of getting along, she knew that for the most part, Shen Bianye as a student was still very obedient.

Shen Bianye said leisurely, “It’s really not possible, counselor. I can’t be a doorman.”

The counselor was torn between laughter and tears: “What are you talking about? Are you saying that all the other students in the etiquette team are doormen?”

Shen Bianye clicked his tongue, neither admitting nor denying, and slowly began to argue with the counselor.

There was another teacher in the office, talking on the phone about arranging a small reception performance. When Shen Bianye heard “piano performance,” he looked up.

The counselor was about to say something more, when Shen Bianye suddenly said, “How about this, I’ll recommend someone to perform the piano on stage. If you let him perform, then I’ll go be the doorman.”

Both the teacher on the phone and the counselor were startled, looking at Shen Bianye in unison.

When Shen Bianye returned from the office, Xie Yuanxing was listening to English with his headphones on.

The desk-bed setup limited the brightness on the desk side. To see more clearly, one would usually place a lamp on the desk, or attach a long strip light under the bed board, on top of the desk.

Xie Yuanxing used an “inheritance” left by the previous occupant, a firmly glued long strip light.

He was bent over, writing on his paper. The light from the fluorescent lamp shone down from above his head, making each strand of hair seem to glow. The black tear mole below his eye prevented his face from appearing too pale, yet it also imbued a deep, dark hue of desire.

Shen Bianye vaguely began to look forward to this person’s radiant presence on stage.

Would he be like a peacock, or even more beautiful than a peacock?

The searing, almost palpable gaze forced Xie Yuanxing to look up. He took off his headphones and asked, “Tomorrow’s Saturday, are we going to the hospital for a check-up?”

Shen Bianye slightly raised his eyebrows in displeasure and said, “Not for now. I’m joining the etiquette team.”

Xie Yuanxing didn’t ask what for, but Shen Bianye walked towards him, his tall figure standing behind him, his arm outstretched and propped against the desk, almost encircling him in the chair.

“Xie Yuanxing, let me smell you.”

Smell what?

Before Xie Yuanxing could even open his mouth, Shen Bianye pressed against the side of his neck, his nose brushing against his skin, his breath spilling over it.

Shen Bianye smelled Xie Yuanxing’s soapberry scent, still that milky smell, which smelled very fragrant, like a milky aroma that could glide down the throat.

But Shen Bianye knew that once he licked it, what he tasted would not be this milky scent.

Xie Yuanxing was a stingy liar, unwilling to let him taste any sweetness.

Shen Bianye’s eyes flickered, then he stood up. Never mind, at least he didn’t smell that unpleasant, pungent sea salt scent.

At least Xie Yuanxing was well-behaved.

Xie Yuanxing sat in his seat, his small face filled with confusion, not understanding what strange behavior it was for Shen Bianye to come back, sniff him first, and then go play games.

Was he a cat or something?

Was he just “sucked”?

Xie Yuanxing turned his head to look at Shen Bianye, wanting to say something but hesitating, then quickly averted his gaze as the latter almost looked back.

It was also a dormitory. In the senior high school dorm, a few scattered students were lazily lying on their beds, preparing to rest for a while before heading back to evening self-study to receive another deluge of knowledge.

Xie Zhuowu wasn’t lying down. He was constantly refreshing the forum of A University of Technology on his phone. The page was filled with irrelevant content, and the more he scrolled, the more irritated he became.

The rumors on the forum about Xie Yuanxing being kept had long since passed. After that, no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find any new information.

Xie Zhuowu clicked on the calendar and saw that senior year had many classes, and there were no holidays at all.

The nearest holiday was damn near New Year’s!

Xie Yuanxing definitely wouldn’t come back for New Year’s. Only he would go, he would go find Xie Yuanxing.

Xie Zhuowu reopened the chat interface with Xie Yuanxing. A stark red exclamation mark silently declared the fact that he had been blacklisted.

The expression on his face twisted for a moment. That ungrateful wretch, living off others, how dare he ignore him?

He had been blacklisted for too long; he couldn’t stand it anymore.

At this moment, the student on the opposite bed, who wanted to remind Xie Zhuowu to put away his phone so the dorm supervisor wouldn’t find it, was startled by his expression. Such a ferocious look was actually a bit frightening.

After a pause, he said, “The dorm supervisor will be checking through the small window at the door these days. You should put your phone away.”

Xie Zhuowu looked up, waved his hand at him, “Got it, thanks. I’m going to the restroom.”

His calm and cheerful demeanor showed no trace of his previous gloom. After striding into the restroom, he sent a message to his mom with a grim face.

“Mom, transfer me 1000 yuan. I’m going to find Xie Yuanxing next week.”

The other side replied quickly, with a voice message. In the background, there was the sound of mahjong tiles clattering. “Money, money, money, all you do is ask me for money. Don’t you know what the family situation is like now?”

“Besides, what are you going to find that jinx for?”

“He cursed his dad to death, cursed his mom to death, and he’s cursing our whole family. If you want to find him, wait until he graduates and gets a job. Let him give money to our family, otherwise, we’ve raised him for six years for nothing.”

Xie Zhuowu thought of the post about being kept and wanted to say that he could ask Xie Yuanxing for money now, but he wasn’t sure if it was true, so he hesitated and didn’t mention it.

Instead, he said, “Then transfer me 500, the school needs to collect material fees.”

Xie Zhuowu’s mother, Wu Xiuli, transferred the money, grumbling a long message: “Oh, your school really, there are too many fees like this and that. If it weren’t for you being in your crucial senior year, I would definitely go make a fuss with your teacher. The money’s transferred to you, you must study hard, hear me…”

Xie Zhuowu stopped listening halfway, went back to his bunk, and lay down, staring at the rusty iron frame of the upper bunk, contemplating taking a green-skin train to A City with five hundred yuan.

If he didn’t have a holiday, he would skip class and go.

He thought differently from his mother. Xie Yuanxing got into a good school, and it would be too late to control him after Xie Yuanxing graduated.

He had to seize the opportunity now, while Xie Yuanxing’s education couldn’t be converted into money, while Xie Yuanxing was caught between a rock and a hard place.

A pathetic worm dared to ignore him? He was going to see what Xie Yuanxing was up to.

If he really was being kept… damn it, he’d have to repay their family first.

Xie Yuanxing’s classes were numerous and dense, and he used his weekends for studying. The only time that could be considered relaxing during the week turned out to be the piano elective he later chose.

Up on the stage, the music teacher was giving a lecture, while below, Xie Yuanxing was propping his head up, daydreaming and spacing out. Beside him, his annoying, clumsy roommate would occasionally poke his arm, asking him if he had drawn the musical staff correctly.

University courses were usually two sessions per subject. After one session ended, the music teacher on stage suddenly spoke, “Xie Yuanxing, come with me for a moment.”

Xie Yuanxing’s head shot up instantly, his mind filled with dread.

Shen Bianye, sitting next to him, made way for him to leave, speaking gloatingly, “Skipping class because you know piano, huh? Still ignoring me, I bet.”

“Get ready for a scolding.”

As Xie Yuanxing passed him, he quickly glared at him, then trudged out of the classroom, following the music teacher.

The music teacher began, asking, “I’ve noticed in your classes lately that you haven’t been very serious, yet all your homework is correct. Can you play the piano?”

Xie Yuanxing didn’t know whether to nod or shake his head. After thinking for a moment, he nodded, “A little.”

The music teacher seemed relieved, and said, “Have you passed any piano grades? Which one?”

Xie Yuanxing shook his head this time, but the music teacher led him to the practice rooms down the corridor. She swiped her card to enter and said, “I’ll show you a piece of music. See if you can play it.”

She handed Xie Yuanxing an A4 sheet with a musical score printed on it. Xie Yuanxing looked at it, placed it on the music stand, and played it once in front of the music teacher.

The piece wasn’t difficult. Although it was Xie Yuanxing’s first time playing it, he was only a little rusty and unfamiliar at the very beginning. As he played, it gradually became smoother.

The music teacher clapped her hands beside him, smiling, and then said something surprising: “In a few days, there’ll be a small campus performance. Would you be able to accompany the singing students on piano then?”

?

What?

Xie Yuanxing was stunned, stammering, “Teacher, I, I probably can’t, right? Why not let another student go?”

The music teacher shook her head: “It’s you. You’ll go as one of the freshman representatives. The timing is sudden, and it’s hard to find someone who can play the piano and has a good image.”

“Or are you saying I need to talk to your counselor, and then your counselor needs to talk to you, for you to agree?”

“This represents the school’s image. This opportunity is hard to come by, and you should cherish it.”

Impossible, A University of Technology was, after all, one of the top-tier schools in the country. Wouldn’t it be easy to find someone who could play the piano in freshman year?

Xie Yuanxing wanted to refuse, but the music teacher clearly wasn’t going to give him the chance. She patted his shoulder and told him to go back to the classroom.

In the piano classroom, Shen Bianye sat outside. When he saw Xie Yuanxing approaching, he didn’t move aside. Instead, he said, “How was it? Did you get scolded? Tell me, I’ll laugh.”

It was almost class time, and most people in the classroom had already sat down. Xie Yuanxing pursed his lips and said, “Can you let me in to talk?”

Shen Bianye didn’t get up. He pushed his long legs, shifting the chair back a little, but not much, because his back was already against the wall. “Come in.”

The distance between him and the piano was clearly not enough for one person to pass. If Xie Yuanxing wanted to get in, he either had to step over his legs or brush past him.

Xie Yuanxing glanced at him, unsure if he was doing it on purpose, but the class bell was about to ring, so he had no choice but to lift his leg and step in.

His slender body briefly brushed against Shen Bianye, squeezing into the seat.

Shen Bianye’s expression was normal. He said, “Why aren’t you saying what the music teacher called you for?”

“Too embarrassed to speak because you got scolded?”

Xie Yuanxing shook his head: “No.”

His expression was quite perplexed as he said, “She wants me to play piano accompaniment for a small performance in a few days.”

“It’s so strange. Why would she ask me?”

Shen Bianye slowly said, “Has the music teacher discovered your musical genius with her keen eye, or is it a case of a thousand-mile horse meeting its true judge?”

He chuckled softly, emitting a low sound, “Hmm? Little pony?”

Xie Yuanxing couldn’t help but roll his eyes at him, then went back to his own melancholy.

Shen Bianye, just before the teacher walked in, said, “What are you afraid of? You can play, anyway.”

“At least from my perspective, your skill is pretty good. You can win applause.”

Xie Yuanxing looked at him in surprise, said nothing, and followed the music teacher’s footsteps, shifting his gaze to the teacher.

Outside school, Xie Zhuowu waited until the last class was dismissed, then borrowed a passerby’s phone to call Xie Yuanxing’s number.

Xie Yuanxing, still in the classroom listening to the music teacher tell him to practice diligently during this period, saw the unfamiliar number and answered without much thought.

An irritating voice came from the other end, causing Xie Yuanxing’s face to instantly cloud over.

Xie Zhuowu: “Xie Yuanxing, bro, I’m at your school gate.”

“Are you coming out to pick me up yourself, or should I shout ‘Where’s Xie Yuanxing? Where’s my brother?’ and get surrounded by people, then you’ll come pick me up?”

After getting into college, Xie Yuanxing had thought that he would see Xie Zhuowu again.

But not now, not here.

It should be in court, after he graduated, when he wouldn’t face the risk of forced suspension due to his family causing trouble. It should be then.

Isn’t it Monday now?

Why was Xie Zhuowu here? Shouldn’t he be at school?

Given Xie Zhuowu’s personality, if he could find his way here, he wouldn’t leave so easily.

Xie Yuanxing’s heart sank little by little, a cold, flustered voice asking:

What should he do?

He walked out of the classroom, his eyes meeting Shen Bianye’s, who was waiting at the door.

Shen Bianye was about to call him “little pony,” but suddenly noticed that Xie Yuanxing’s face was off.

Very pale, unnaturally pale.

He frowned deeply, instinctively reaching out to touch Xie Yuanxing’s face, and immediately his own expression became grim: “Why is it so cold?”

Shen Bianye wanted Xie Yuanxing to gain applause and build confidence, but if performing on stage would scare Xie Yuanxing this much…

His thoughts were interrupted by Xie Yuanxing.

Xie Yuanxing: “Shen Bianye, can you do me a favor?”

Shen Bianye paused, looking at the person in front of him.

That gloomy mushroom, accustomed to keeping his head down, shrinking into corners, yet with a backbone straighter than anyone else’s, was tugging at his clothes, asking for his help.

The pull was light; he could easily pull his clothes away from Xie Yuanxing’s hand with a slight movement.

Shen Bianye knew he didn’t even need to directly refuse; he just needed to pull away that small bit of clothing, and Xie Yuanxing would never ask again.

So he kept his voice very soft, even softer than Xie Yuanxing’s, as if afraid that even a little force in his words could make this piece of clothing deviate.

“Tell me,” Shen Bianye said.

Xie Yuanxing lowered his gaze: “My cousin is here, at the school gate, but I don’t want to see him right now. Can you help me get rid of him?”

Shen Bianye heard this and agreed with unusual swiftness, “Okay, I’ll go right now.”

He was already annoyed at not being able to find Xie Yuanxing’s wretched cousin, and now the guy even dared to show up.

Shen Bianye smiled, the amusement in his eyes cold and filled with malice. He wouldn’t just make the person leave; he would also “take good care” of them.