The Scorching Sun and an Unexpected Encounter

The sun relentlessly scorched the earth, the surface temperature already soaring past 40 degrees Celsius.

Even through the thick soles of his shoes, An Ran could feel the searing heat radiating from the ground.

Occasional gusts of wind offered no respite, failing to stem the oppressive waves of heat that washed over them.

An Ran felt lightheaded and disoriented, as if he might faint at any moment.

Amidst the interwoven sounds of whistles and cicadas, the drill instructor’s stern reprimands echoed in his ears.

An Ran stood ramrod straight, not daring to show the slightest hint of laxity.

His back was already drenched in sweat, clinging to him with an uncomfortable stickiness, yet he could only force himself to endure the discomfort, striving to relax his tense muscles.

With their naturally weaker physiques, Omegas quickly succumbed to the scorching sun, collapsing one after another after only a short time.

The instructor had no choice but to let them stand in the shade, while Betas and Alphas were still required to remain exposed, ostensibly to temper their willpower.

The sun had wilted An Ran, leaving him utterly listless and devoid of energy.

Despite applying a thick layer of sunscreen before leaving that morning, the intense UV rays still caused a stinging sensation on his skin.

The moment the drill instructor bellowed, “Dismissed!” everyone surged towards the shade of the trees for relief.

Fu Zao, who had been resting in the shade much earlier, felt relatively fine.

However, seeing An Ran’s pale face, a pang of sympathy struck him.

He gently wiped the sweat from An Ran’s face with a tissue, saying, “You’re not in the best health to begin with; enduring this long is already incredibly impressive.

Perhaps you should speak to the instructor later and get some early rest?”

An Ran glanced at his watch, shaking his head.

“I’ll hold on a little longer. It’s almost eleven.”

The instructor was so formidable that An Ran didn’t even dare to meet his gaze directly.

Fu Zao fanned him with his hat, a frown creasing his brow as he murmured, “Poor baby.”

Since An Ran wasn’t an Omega, he couldn’t enjoy the same special treatment.

An Ran sighed, stating glumly, “I prayed for rain during military training for so long, but then I checked the weather forecast, and it’s been perfectly clear lately. There’s no chance of rain at all.”

If there were heavy rain, military training might be canceled.

Even a postponement would be welcome; training in autumn or winter would be far more comfortable and less exhausting.

This scorching weather felt like it was baking people senseless.

Fu Zao echoed his sigh.

“Omegas and Betas like us should absolutely enjoy special privileges.

If military training could be shortened to just three days, that would be wonderful.

Let’s leave the extra twelve days to those energetic Alphas.”

Omegas inherently possess weaker constitutions and aren’t suited for such high-intensity training.

Betas generally have better physical fitness, but not all Betas are in peak condition.

Unlike Alphas, who seem to be born with an inexhaustible wellspring of strength.

An Ran chuckled at his words.

“It’s almost lunchtime. What should we eat?”

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” Fu Zao replied.

“It’s too hot; I just want something sweet and refreshing to drink.”

An Ran suggested, “How about we see if there’s any cold noodles?”

Fu Zao’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

“Sounds great! While we’re at it, let’s check for frozen watermelon or mung bean soup (TL Note: A traditional Chinese dessert soup, often served chilled or frozen, made from mung beans and sugar).

In the afternoon…”

“Are those students from the management department next door?”

“It looks like they haven’t had much rest all morning.”

“Why do I feel like everyone in their class is an Alpha?”

“Did you see the Alpha in the fourth row, standing at the very back?”

“I saw him ages ago!!”

“He’s so handsome! I really want his contact information!”

Fu Zao’s words were cut short by the chatter nearby.

Curiously, he and An Ran followed the others’ gazes towards the students still undergoing military training.

The drill instructor stood at the very front, back ramrod straight, his stern voice ringing out.

“Show me the posture befitting Alphas! Don’t look so lifeless! This is only the first day of military training; can you not handle this much intensity? What kind of Alphas are you?!”

Fu Zao leaned in close to An Ran’s ear and whispered, “Isn’t that Gong He?”

Most of the person’s face was hidden beneath the brim of their hat, revealing only a glimpse of a refined jawline and thinly pressed lips.

An Ran wasn’t entirely sure if they were referring to Gong He.

His current impression of Gong He was rather vague, his memory only recalling a sharp, unkind face and impossibly long legs.

“I heard Gong He enrolled in the Business Administration major,” Fu Zao said.

“But I haven’t actually seen him in person, so I can’t tell if that’s him.”

An Ran’s gaze fell upon the person again, and he casually responded, “So he’s in that major.”

Fu Zao chuckled.

“Shouldn’t you pay a little more attention to your roommate? Besides knowing his name, it seems you don’t know anything else about him.”

An Ran immediately shook his head.

“I’d rather not.”

Gong He always wore an expression of cold indifference whenever he saw him.

An Ran always felt like he was walking on eggshells (TL Note: Chinese idiom ‘夹着尾巴做人’ (jiāzhe wěibā zuòrén) literally means ‘to live with one’s tail between one’s legs’, implying behaving timidly or cautiously) in the dormitory, trying to stagger his return times with Gong He to minimize their encounters.

Moreover, there was no need for them to become close; maintaining a distant relationship suited him just fine.

If the dorm supervisor informed him he could switch rooms, then there would be even less reason for them to get acquainted.

An Ran’s class had rested for quite a while, much to the displeasure of the adjacent management department students.

“Report, Instructor! I’d like to request a break!”

The instructor checked his watch, denying the request.

“Just hold on for another ten minutes, then you’re dismissed.”

“Report, Instructor! May I request to be dismissed ten minutes early?”

The instructor shot him a glance, scoffing, “Please provide a reasonable explanation.”

“Report, Instructor! I have a UV allergy.”

The instructor instinctively glanced at the sun overhead, then chuckled derisively.

“An entire morning has passed, and you’re only telling me now that you have a UV allergy? What were you doing before? Is this not utter nonsense? Get back in line!”

“Report, Instructor! I only just discovered it myself.”

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

The instructor rubbed his throbbing temples, exasperated.

“You, come stand at the very front. Let me see how severe your allergy is. Everyone else, dismissed on the spot.”

However, the moment the instructor’s words fell, the person melted into the crowd and vanished in an instant.

Fu Zao watched the person’s retreating back, unable to suppress a laugh.

“That person has such a great sense of humor (TL Note: ‘有梗’ (yǒu gěng) means ‘to have a good punchline’ or ‘be witty/memorable’), he’s witty, charming, and handsome—he’s my ideal type!”

“???” An Ran asked, bewildered.

“Isn’t Gong He your ideal type?”

“Of course not!!” Fu Zao exclaimed, pulling out his phone to snap a photo of the person’s back, intending to send it to the Omega group chat to ask for his contact information.

Seeing An Ran’s puzzled expression, he had to explain, “My admiration for Gong He is purely aesthetic; I just appreciate a handsome face.

It’s not really ‘liking’ him, you know? He’s too distant, and Gong He’s personality is far too cold. I don’t want to be frozen solid by being with him.

I much prefer the guy who just spoke; he seemed really handsome. I wonder if there’s any chance to get to know him.”

An Ran: “?”

‘How could Fu Zao have discerned the person’s appearance from such a distance?’

An Ran asked, bewildered, “Did you even see what he looks like?”

“No,” Fu Zao chuckled.

“Handsome is a feeling.”

An Ran: “??”

Fu Zao pulled up the photo he had just taken and showed it to An Ran.

“His height is absolutely on par with Gong He’s, and both of them have broad shoulders, narrow waists, and incredibly long legs.

Even though his hat obscured most of his face, his overall physique makes you intensely curious to uncover what he looks like.”

An Ran: “???”

Fu Zao grew more animated as he spoke.

“I *must* get his contact information!!”

An Ran: “.”

In the end, he still couldn’t grasp what “handsome” as a feeling truly meant.

‘Just thinking of Gong He’s stern face was enough to make him feel utterly deflated.’

An Ran asked curiously, “What if that Alpha’s face doesn’t match your imagination at all? Would you still like him?”

Fu Zao paused.

“As long as his face isn’t completely pockmarked, I think it could still work.

His physique alone is a major plus; even if his face is ordinary, his body would definitely earn him bonus points.”

An Ran: “…”

‘You’re just hungry.’

****

The whistle shrilled, and An Ran quickly returned to his place in the formation.

After a few brief words from the instructor, dismissal was announced, and everyone immediately rushed towards the school cafeteria.

After a morning of training, their stomachs were growling with hunger.

An Ran and Fu Zao managed to snatch two empty seats with some difficulty.

Although they were in a corner, the advantage was the air conditioning inside, sparing them from having to share a single fan outside with others and sweat profusely while eating.

What An Ran hadn’t expected was to encounter Gong He in this small eatery.

He had just finished serving his food when he turned around and saw Gong He standing in line behind him.

He flinched, freezing completely on the spot.

Gong He merely gave him a fleeting glance.

“Excuse me.”

An Ran snapped back to reality, an embarrassed blush creeping onto his face.

He mumbled a soft, “Sorry,” and quickly retreated to his corner seat.

His anxious heart slowly began to settle.

An Ran suddenly realized that every time he encountered Gong He, he was either blocking his door or his path.

He felt as though he was once again teetering on the brink of social death (TL Note: ‘社死’ (shè sǐ) is a Chinese internet slang term, short for ‘社会性死亡’ (shèhuì xìng sǐwáng), meaning ‘social death’. It refers to experiencing extreme public embarrassment or shame, feeling like one’s social standing is completely ruined) — his toes could practically dig out a three-bedroom, one-living room apartment from the floor.

Fu Zao looked at him with concern.

“What’s wrong with you? Your face is so red; are you having heatstroke?”

An Ran shook his head.

“I just didn’t expect to run into Gong He here.”

Fu Zao bit his chopsticks, uttering a complex, unreadable remark.

“So, you were scared by him?”

An Ran: “.”

‘You could say that.’

Fu Zao looked somewhat confused.

“I’ve seen photos of Gong He; I remember him not looking so… intimidating?”

Fu Zao’s voice trailed off, his gaze fixed on Gong He as he walked towards the empty table next to theirs.

Finally, he gave a light cough and fell silent.

There was nothing more mortifying than being overheard gossiping about someone by the person themselves.

An Ran, even more so, kept his head down, huddled in the corner, eating silently and not daring to utter a sound.

The Alpha walking behind Gong He glanced at them, then couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

“I keep telling you not to wear that perpetually grim expression. Look how you’ve scared the poor Omega.”

‘That voice…’

Fu Zao’s head snapped up, his eyes gleaming.

He quickly grabbed his phone and sent An Ran a message.

[Fu Zao: Ran Ran! The person sitting with Gong He is the Alpha who asked the instructor for a break during military training, right?!]

[Fu Zao: Their voices are identical, I couldn’t be mistaken!]

[Fu Zao: He really is handsome, thankfully not some ‘shrimp-like’ (TL Note: ‘虾系长相’ (xiā xì zhǎngxiàng) is a Chinese internet slang term referring to someone whose looks are disappointing or unattractive, often implying they look better from behind or in certain angles, like a shrimp) face!]

[Fu Zao: Oh my god! I feel like I’m falling in love!]

[Fu Zao: But I don’t dare ask for his contact information orz]

An Ran swiftly raised his eyes, darting a glance at Gong He and his companion, then just as quickly averted his gaze.

In truth, he hadn’t seen anything clearly.

He was merely afraid his gaze would be too obvious and attract Gong He’s attention.

[An Ran: Peeking kitten.jpg]

[An Ran: QAQ]

His mind was now entirely consumed by the fact that he and Fu Zao had been gossiping about Gong He behind his back, only for Gong He himself to overhear.

He felt overwhelmingly guilty.

[An Ran: Let’s just finish eating quickly and go back to rest.]

[An Ran: Pitying kitten.jpg]

‘He wondered what Gong He’s mood would be, having caught him and Fu Zao speaking ill of him behind his back.’

‘Surely no one would be pleased by such an occurrence?’

‘He felt that his impression score in Gong He’s mind had plummeted entirely into negative territory.’

Fu Zao agonized for a long time but still couldn’t bring himself to take the first step and ask the Alpha for his contact information, returning to the dormitory with regret.

After they left, the Alpha looked at Gong He and teased, “Is that the roommate you mentioned? I thought the school didn’t allow Alphas and Omegas to live together.”

Gong He merely shot him a glance.

“He’s a Beta.”