MVCFO CH11

Class 6 and Class 7 of the senior year were neighboring homerooms. Every day at lunchtime, students from both classes would silently count down the seconds in their heads, and the moment the teacher permitted dismissal, they’d bolt from the classroom to compete over who could reach the stairwell first—and ultimately seize the best dining spots in the cafeteria.

Usually, Shen Qiaolan stayed until the end. He would wait until the crowd thinned out before lazily getting to his feet.

He disdained scrambling for those few extra minutes, and frankly, he didn’t need to eat in the cafeteria at all. Shen Qiaolan usually spent his entire lunch break off-campus.

His driver would make a reservation at a high-end restaurant the day before and wait for him at the school gate to escort this young master to his private lunch.

But today was different.

The moment the bell rang, before the teacher could even say a word, Shen Qiaolan—sitting in the last row by the window—suddenly stood up. Under the shocked stares of his classmates and the teacher’s complicated expression that was a mix of anger and restraint, he swaggered out of the classroom through the back door as if no one else existed.

He didn’t have to wear the school uniform. He was dressed in private clothes with no visible logos, but even the most fashion-ignorant students could tell that his outfit was undoubtedly a luxury designer piece tailored just for him. With his tall, slender frame, he stood out starkly among the sea of dull uniforms.

As soon as Shen Qiaolan stepped out of the classroom, the students from Class 7 next door also poured out.

He immediately spotted Lin Xiangqi, who was also wearing the standard grey-and-white sports uniform. Even though everyone was dressed the same, Lin Xiangqi still stood out.

And just as noticeable as Lin Xiangqi was the person beside him—Lu Cong.

Shen Qiaolan’s face darkened unconsciously, his hand clenched into a fist inside his pocket.

Just how close were those two? Walking shoulder to shoulder like they were glued together! And that Lu Cong—what was his hand doing? Brushing Lin Xiangqi’s hair? Was that really necessary? Did Lin Xiangqi not have hands of his own?

Because Shen Qiaolan had exited first, he was also the first to reach the stairwell. But he didn’t go downstairs.

He just stood at the hallway entrance, wearing a face that screamed displeasure, his gaze arrogant and cold as he watched the oncoming crowd with disdain.

People froze when they saw him.

By now, every class on the floor had been dismissed, and students from different classes were mingling. Many didn’t recognize each other—but everyone recognized Shen Qiaolan. They grabbed the nearest person and started whispering:

“What’s Shen Qiaolan doing? Standing there like he’s about to pick a fight with someone?”

“The young master’s gone mad. We mere mortals better clear out fast.”

“No way. Didn’t he just get into a fight last week? Shouldn’t he be laying low right now?”

“You didn’t hear? Last Friday, the class president from Class 7 countered him with pheromones and triggered his gland. He’s probably holding a grudge and is here for revenge.”

“Wait, what? Class 7’s class president? Who’s that badass? Isn’t Shen Qiaolan a top-tier Alpha? His pheromones should be really strong. Maybe it was just an accidental reaction.”

At that moment, a voice from the back boldly shouted above the murmuring crowd, “Our class president is top-tier too, okay!”

Hearing that, Shen Qiaolan suddenly looked in the direction of the voice.

“Chen Qiutian, no one will think you’re mute if you shut up,” Lin Xiangqi hissed, kicking Chen Qiutian in the butt. Then he pulled Lu Cong along, cautiously staying at the back of the crowd, trying to avoid Shen Qiaolan’s gaze.

They were carrying an insulated lunch container filled with food Lu Cong had gotten up early to cook. They were originally planning to eat with classmates in the cafeteria—a privilege Chen Qiutian had begged them for half a day to get.

Because Lu Cong’s cooking was incredible. But he only cooked for Lin Xiangqi. So anyone who wanted to try it had to ride Lin Xiangqi’s coattails.

Last week, when Lin Xiangqi and Lu Cong were “cold-warring,” Lin had eaten at the cafeteria like everyone else for an entire week. Today’s meal was a rare improvement, so of course Chen Qiutian and his foodie gang had wanted to share.

Unfortunately, that didn’t look likely anymore.

No one knew what had gotten into Shen Qiaolan. The young master who always liked to go his own way had, for some reason, chosen to stand right there, blocking the stairs, clearly waiting for someone.

Lin Xiangqi wasn’t afraid of Shen Qiaolan causing trouble for him. He now held the “script.” If Shen Qiaolan messed with him, he’d just throw everything out the window and fight back.

But he didn’t want Shen Qiaolan to notice Lu Cong—much less start something with him.

Because Lu Cong was the original novel’s antagonist. Shen Qiaolan was the protagonist.

Anyone who’s read even a little fiction knows—even if the villain is powerful, they’ll never beat someone with a protagonist’s plot armor.

Lin Xiangqi had read the original, and Lu Cong’s ending… wasn’t good.

Later in the story, Lu Cong became a Major General—powerful, influential, untouchable. By all logic, taking care of someone like Shen Qiaolan—a spoiled rich kid raised with servants, whose greatest skill was playing corporate overlord—should’ve been a piece of cake.

But what actually happened?

Shen Qiaolan beat him with nothing but “talk therapy.” He used emotional manipulation to defeat logic.

He first pointed out that Lin Xiangqi’s death had been an unexpected tragedy, that he too had grieved and felt guilty for years. Then, with a twist of words, he pinned the blame on Lu Cong—accusing him of neglecting Lin Xiangqi’s health and failing to notice his worsening condition.

Just like that, with a few carefully placed phrases, Lu Cong had a complete mental breakdown.

From then on, Lu Cong never confronted Shen Qiaolan again. Instead, he drank at Lin Xiangqi’s grave every day, haunted by memories. His mental state deteriorated, and he began hallucinating, convinced Lin Xiangqi was still alive.

Eventually, during a renewed conflict, Lu Cong’s unstable pheromones exploded in a fit of madness, and he died in what should’ve been a sure-win battle—his life ending in chaos.

The more Lin Xiangqi thought about it, the angrier he got.

Lu Cong had always scored well on mental health evaluations and was known for his emotional stability. Lin Xiangqi remembered how, when Lu Cong’s grandparents passed away, he—just a neighbor’s kid—had cried so hard he could barely breathe. Yet Lu Cong had quickly composed himself and even comforted Lin Xiangqi. He’d been just ten years old then, already so mature it was almost frightening.

Someone with such strength of mind had been destroyed by Shen Qiaolan’s empty words in the original plot.

All because of that ridiculous protagonist halo!

Lu Cong would never win against Shen Qiaolan. Lin Xiangqi had made up his mind.

He poked Lu Cong’s side and whispered, “Let’s take the other way.”

If he couldn’t beat him, he could at least avoid him.

Lu Cong’s gaze—still icy from whatever he’d been staring at—softened as it met Lin Xiangqi’s. He nodded and said, “Alright.”

The other route was much longer and led away from the cafeteria, so it was mostly deserted. They successfully bypassed Shen Qiaolan.

No one knew what triggered it, but suddenly, Shen Qiaolan released a wave of unstable pheromones.

Though it wasn’t aggressive, it laid bare his irritation and restlessness.

An Alpha’s pheromones carried a certain pressure, even to non-Omegas.

Everyone heading downstairs shrank back, not daring to move.

Only the students of Class 7 stood straight and proud—their class president had successfully suppressed the temperamental young master Shen Qiaolan. They felt a bit of pride, and a lot more courage.

Just then, that bold voice shouted again: “Even dogs know to find a corner to pee in. Some Alphas, though, just run wild in school every day. Seriously—worse than dogs—”

Someone clamped a hand over Chen Qiutian’s mouth. “Are you crazy? Have you lost it completely?”

Chen Qiutian, still defiant, muttered, “What’s there to be scared of? Our class president has our back—”

He turned around, then froze. His soul practically left his body. “Oh f*ck. Where’s the class president? Where’s Brother Qi?!”

No wonder no one had chimed in with him—he was alone!

Meanwhile, the “worse-than-a-dog” Shen Qiaolan was staring at him with a cold, sinister smile. “Chen. Qiu. Tian.”

Shen Qiaolan recognized Chen Qiutian—of course, because of Lin Xiangqi.

Lin Xiangqi had many friends and was well-liked across the grade, but most were just acquaintances. The only people who stuck by him constantly were Lu Cong and Chen Qiutian.

By that logic, Chen Qiutian was one of Lin Xiangqi’s best friends.

Shen Qiaolan shoved aside the people around him and walked straight up to Chen Qiutian, scaring him so badly that his knees trembled. Despite trembling all over, Chen Qiutian still tried to talk tough: “Y-You! If you dare to kick me, t-t-two million won’t be enough. I-I’ll make you pay!”

“Don’t be so nervous, Chen Qiutian.” Shen Qiaolan reached out and patted him on the shoulder, showing no hint of anger. Instead, he even flashed a rather untimely smile. “You’re honest and righteous—no wonder Lin Xiangqi would be friends with you… Want to grab a meal together?”

Everyone around was stunned.

No one was more shocked than Xu Muwen.

Xu Muwen had spent the entire weekend bending over backward to please the young master Shen, stopping just short of licking his boots. But Shen Qiaolan had either ignored him with disdain or humiliated him with biting sarcasm. Forget getting invited to a meal—just getting close to Shen Qiaolan would earn him a swift kick away.

He had always comforted himself with the thought that even Lin Xiangqi, after following Shen Qiaolan for so long, had been met with the same cold indifference. That proved Shen Qiaolan didn’t care about anyone, so being disliked wasn’t a big deal.

But why did this blockhead Chen Qiutian get the red carpet treatment out of nowhere?!

Xu Muwen’s eyes were practically popping out as he watched Shen Qiaolan sling an arm around Chen Qiutian’s shoulder.

Chen Qiutian looked just as confused. He followed Shen Qiaolan down the steps, still dazed, and asked, “Are you planning to kill me and have your chauffeur dump my body in the mountains?”

Shen Qiaolan didn’t explain much. He just chuckled, “Ha, why would I?”

Everyone who saw Shen Qiaolan invite Chen Qiutian to lunch that afternoon probably had the same thought as Xu Muwen—this guy is about to be recruited as the young master’s newest lackey.

When Lin Xiangqi and Lu Cong returned to class, they immediately heard Xu Muwen shout sarcastically, “Some people really know how to pick friends. Their buddy gets poached and they don’t even notice.”

He was looking directly at Lin Xiangqi as he said it.

Lin Xiangqi’s first reaction was to glance at Lu Cong. “You poached my friend?”

Lu Cong replied with a blank expression, “No.”

“Good. You’re not allowed to poach my friends. Our houses are next to each other—if one wall gets pulled out, both sides will collapse.”

Clearly, Lin Xiangqi had no interest in arguing with Xu Muwen. He just cracked a joke with Lu Cong and walked past.

“Lin Xiangqi! You probably don’t even know, huh?” Xu Muwen said loudly, lacing every word with sarcasm. “Chen Qiutian had lunch with Shen Qiaolan today. And guess what? When they got in the car, Young Master Shen personally opened the door for him.”

He added with an exaggerated tone, “You’ve been chasing Shen Qiaolan for so long—ever even sat in his car? Forget lunch. Didn’t he throw the water you gave him straight into the trash?”

Lin Xiangqi’s expression really did freeze for a moment.

Chen Qiutian… got in Shen Qiaolan’s car?!

First off, he absolutely didn’t believe Chen Qiutian would poach his friend.

Chen Qiutian was a full-on straight Beta guy. No way he’d have any kind of feelings for an Alpha like Shen Qiaolan. Plus, Lin Xiangqi knew his personality—dumb, yes, but also fiercely righteous and honest to the core.

It was far more likely that he just got curious about Shen Qiaolan’s intentions and followed him, or maybe his brain glitched and he didn’t have time to say no before getting in the car.

Anyway, Lin Xiangqi didn’t believe he’d go bootlicking like Xu Muwen.

But Lin Xiangqi’s serious, contemplative expression made everyone else think he’d been emotionally crushed by what Xu Muwen said.

Even Lu Cong gave him a look.

Like Lin Xiangqi, Lu Cong didn’t think Chen Qiutian was that kind of person—but he couldn’t be sure how Lin Xiangqi saw it.

After all, they’d just patched things up after a cold war, and he knew Lin Xiangqi had a tendency to go “brain-dead” whenever it came to Shen Qiaolan.

Thankfully, Lin Xiangqi didn’t lose all reasoning like before whenever Shen Qiaolan was mentioned.

After a moment of silence, he said seriously to Xu Muwen, “I understand now.”

His expression was solemn and earnest.

Xu Muwen blinked, stunned. “Understand what? You know why Shen Qiaolan had lunch with Chen Qiutian?”

Lin Xiangqi shook his head. “No, I understand why I smelled such a strong sour stench when I walked in. At first, I thought someone spilled vinegar—but now I get it. There’s only one truth—”

Everyone was hooked, waiting for his next words.

Even Xu Muwen couldn’t help but listen in.

Then Lin Xiangqi dramatically raised his arm, pointed straight at Xu Muwen, and declared:

“You’re in love with Shen Qiaolan!”

Everyone: “?”

Xu Muwen pointed at himself: “…Me?”

“Exactly.” Lin Xiangqi continued his deduction. “You saw Shen Qiaolan have lunch with Chen Qiutian and not with you. You’re jealous. You’re hurting. You’re seething with powerless rage. You’re afraid Chen Qiutian will steal him from you. But you’re timid, you’re cowardly, so you don’t dare confront him directly. Instead, you come to me for answers. You know I’m close with Chen Qiutian, so you hoped I’d spill something. But unfortunately, I know nothing. If you’re really so curious, just wait till Chen Qiutian comes back and ask him yourself.”

The students watching the drama all nodded along: “Ohh, so that’s what it is.”

Xu Muwen clutched his head in horror. “No, it’s not!!”

Lin Xiangqi gave a cold chuckle and said, “Don’t bother explaining. Ask yourself honestly—would a normal person, after seeing two classmates eat lunch together, follow them to the school gate, observe their every move, and even remember who opened the car door for whom?”

The classmates exchanged looks and chimed in together: “Of course not!”

Xu Muwen: “I… Damn it!”

Lin Xiangqi added, “That’s right, even your mom approves of you and Shen Qiaolan.”

Classmates: “Whoa, even met the parents already!”

Xu Muwen smacked himself. “No!! Not at all!!”

Lu Cong, who had been watching the entire nonsense unfold, silently rubbed his forehead. In the ten-plus years he’d known Lin Xiangqi, he had never seen him lose an argument.

Clearly, Xu Muwen didn’t understand Lin Xiangqi yet—he couldn’t even tell when Lin Xiangqi was talking complete nonsense. Just as he was still trying to recover, Lin Xiangqi raised his voice again:

“But Xu Muwen—!”

His powerful tone startled the whole room.

Xu Muwen instinctively stood at attention like a soldier and looked at Lin Xiangqi with helpless frustration, like a scholar facing a brute: “Now what?!”

Lin Xiangqi stood with hands on hips, speaking with righteous fervor: “Falling in love in high school is wrong, Xu Muwen. Even if you’ve fallen head over heels for Shen Qiaolan, even if you’ve lost your mind and soul, you still shouldn’t act like a resentful housewife toward an innocent classmate—me!”

He continued relentlessly, giving Xu Muwen no room to respond. “I study hard every day, go over mistakes with the class rep, read notes. Even at lunch today, I memorized two more vocab words with the class rep’s help. I have no thoughts of dating—I’m 100% in love with studying. But you, Xu Muwen, in such a crucial year like senior year, you only care about romance. All you talk about is Shen Qiaolan this and Shen Qiaolan that—how is this fair to anyone?”

“Think about our teachers. They work day and night for our future, skipping lunch just to come back and explain one more problem to us. And you? You waste such precious time getting jealous over a boy from another class. If the homeroom teacher finds out, how disappointed would they be?!”

Xu Muwen choked, about to protest that he absolutely wasn’t in love with Shen Qiaolan—but then Lin Xiangqi’s last sentence diverted his attention.

He muttered, “What does this have to do with the homeroom teacher…?”

And right then, from just outside the classroom door, the homeroom teacher Qin Xiao’s terrifying voice floated in:

“Very good, Xu Muwen. Not only are you neglecting your homework, you’re also getting into an early romance? Sounds like Class 7 of Grade 12 is no longer a suitable place for a Buddha like you. Come. Let’s have a talk in my office.”

Xu Muwen: “……”