We should call off the engagement.

The last class of the morning was with Class A.

Smart students.

Polite smiles.

A strong thirst for knowledge.

And the very pleasing sight of Pei Qingyu.

All of it was extremely friendly to Teacher Wu, and perfect as the ideal ending to today’s teaching schedule.

Before the bell for the second-to-last class rang, Wu Qie had already started preparing his teaching materials seriously.

When he stepped out carrying a pile of things and arrived at the third-floor corridor of the teaching building, he “surprisingly” discovered that the atmosphere in the hallway had changed again from the morning.

The way students looked at him now carried more sighs… and admiration.

Wu Qie was completely confused.

Using the opportunity of handing out exercise books, he called Pei Qingyu to the podium.

As he passed the book over, his hand tightened slightly.

Lowering his voice but keeping his tone gentle, he asked the class monitor,

“Student Pei, could you please tell me what new chaos has occurred at this fine institution during the three classes I was gone?”

Pei Qingyu hummed thoughtfully.

“Possibly admiration for the teacher.”

Wu Qie clearly did not understand that answer.

Just as he was about to ask again, Pei Qingyu calmly unlocked his phone and handed it over.

Wu Qie glanced down.

The screen was open to a WeChat group chat, the messages scrolling wildly as members enthusiastically typed.

The group name was:

[Adults Crushing Kindergarteners]

Wu Qie: “……”

Pei Qingyu said calmly,

“Everyone is discussing Zhao Shu’s strange behavior over the past two hours.”

The chat was currently being spammed with photos of Lin Zuwen.

Lin Zuwen sitting in a corner with his head lowered.

Zhao Shu sitting expressionlessly at his desk, chin propped on his hand.

Lin Zuwen looking up with red eyes as if holding back tears.

Lin Zuwen touching his neck.

The dazzling luxury anti-bite collar was still around his neck.

But sitting on the table in front of him was another collar—

A plain medical anti-bite collar.

The functional kind produced by pharmaceutical companies.

White.

Bulky.

Utterly unrelated to words like fashion, decoration, or style.

It looked like a piece of sports equipment.

Another photo showed Lin Zuwen talking to Zhao Shu.

Another showed Lin Zuwen looking completely shattered.

In the chat:

[Can someone explain what happened??]

[I joined late. I only saw the hallway drama this morning. Why is there more?? Someone tell the whole story!]

[This morning Lin Zuwen arrived wearing the brand-new Elizabeth “White Egret” collar. Why is there suddenly this ugly medical one on the table??]

One person asked.

A hundred replied.

The thread quickly turned into a relay story.

[Class A reporting in.

It started this morning when Lin Zuwen showed up wearing the collar supposedly gifted by Zhao Shu’s family head.

He had his followers bump into Teacher Wu in the hallway.

Teacher Wu dropped everything he was carrying.

Then Teacher Wu didn’t pick anything up.

He stood there and told Lin Zuwen to pick it up.

Our class monitor tried to mediate but failed.]

[Class monitor? President Pei? That really fits the image of a white knight saving innocent civilians.]

[First time seeing Teacher Wu angry. Actually maybe not angry… just very firm. He literally took the workbook our class monitor picked up and threw it back down on the floor LOL. He insisted Lin Zuwen pick it up.]

[Then Zhao Shu appeared.]

[Then Teacher Wu said if Lin Zuwen wouldn’t pick it up, Zhao Shu could do it instead since they were all in the same gang.]

[Then Zhao Shu got scolded along with him.]

[WHY WAS IT SO FUNNY HAHAHAHAHA Zhao Shu randomly catching stray fire]

More witnesses joined in.

[Class D continuing the story.
Teacher Wu came to our class for the next lesson.
Zhao Shu chased him from Class A all the way to the door of Class D.]

[Important detail: Teacher Wu never turned his head the entire time until Zhao Shu grabbed him.]

[According to our door reporters, Teacher Wu questioned the Zhao family’s stance on the engagement.

Zhao Shu said something like “Should I just take the collar back then?”

Teacher Wu immediately said “Sure, go ahead.”

You should have seen Zhao Shu’s face. I almost died laughing hiding behind the wall.

Never thought I’d see Zhao Shu repeatedly shoot himself in the foot like that.]

[Combining the scene of ordering an Omega around and then scolding an Alpha… Teacher Wu is the most fearless Beta I’ve ever seen.]

Then followed dozens of praises for Wu Qie.

Photos from the D-class hallway.

Girls in the chat screaming that WeChat should add a “like” feature for group messages.

The images were too chaotic.

Wu Qie didn’t even click them.

The gossip soon moved into territory he hadn’t witnessed.

[Continuing from the Teacher Wu vs Zhao Shu breakup at Class D’s door.

I’m from Class F, let me explain.

During the break after the second class, a second-year idiot found a smashed phone on the rooftop and brought it down asking if it belonged to Zhao Shu.

Judging from Zhao Shu’s face… it definitely did.

Then during the third class break Zhao Shu returned with a delivery bag.

We didn’t know what he was doing.

Then he pulled out that ugly medical collar and gave it to Lin Zuwen.

He didn’t force him to change it on the spot though.

He just dropped it on the table and left.

Apparently Zhao Shu asked his family and found out the luxury collar wasn’t personally chosen by Zhao Guipu.
The driver picked it.

Honestly it’s already pretty decent Zhao Shu didn’t expose that directly.]

[And that’s why you see the photos now.
End of story.]

A flood of reaction memes filled the chat.

[Teacher Wu scolding elementary schoolers – Zhao Shu caring a lot.JPG]

[Very much caring.]

[Imagine Lin Zuwen’s perspective. His world probably collapsed.]

[Still though… he shouldn’t have messed with Teacher Wu.]

[Teacher Wu not punching him already shows restraint.]

[Also Zhao Shu and his friends already said the engagement wasn’t cancelled this morning.
People just didn’t believe them.]

[Now Zhao Shu made Lin Zuwen change collars… why is he listening to Teacher Wu so much??]

[Because Zhao Shu suggested it himself first. Teacher Wu just casually agreed.]

[Bro has started his unrequited love arc LOL]

[Honestly the Zhao–Wu alliance is very stable. I checked Teacher Wu’s family background once… terrifying. Basically another Zhao family in Bincheng.

The Lin family can’t compare.]

The conversation gradually drifted.

Soon they were discussing Zhao Guipu’s romantic life.

When someone posted paparazzi photos of Mr. Zhao in swim trunks and commented that “this doesn’t look like someone living a celibate life”, Wu Qie finally moved his eyes away from the phone screen.

He looked at Pei Qingyu.

“So Zhao Shu really bought Lin Zuwen another collar?”

Pei Qingyu replied calmly,

“Halfway through second period he burst into our classroom like a bandit and demanded my phone to place an express order.”

He paused.

“When he asked for my payment password, he sounded like he was grinding his teeth.”

“Oh.”

Pei Qingyu looked at him again.

“Wasn’t that what you told him to do?”

Everyone in Class D had heard it.

Wu Qie thought about it for a moment.

Back then he had been angry because if the Zhao family really changed their stance on the engagement, it would be humiliating for the Wu family.

Later he calmed down and realized Zhao Guipu probably hadn’t personally chosen the collar.

Parents rarely selected gifts themselves for non-relatives.

“Yes,” Wu Qie admitted easily.

“I was a little angry then. When he asked whether he should replace the collar, I just casually said sure.”

Pei Qingyu raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

At that moment the class bell rang.

After a pause, Pei Qingyu chuckled softly.

“They’re right.”

He looked at Wu Qie meaningfully.

“Teacher Wu is quite impressive.”

Wu Qie had no classes in the afternoon.

And he didn’t feel like going home to face his mother’s questions about school.

So he made plans.

Lunch first.

Then some basketball practice at the gym.

He didn’t want to go to the cafeteria alone and get surrounded by questions, so he returned to the classroom and invited Pei Qingyu to play basketball during lunch break.

Pei Qingyu agreed immediately.

Then he added casually that the basketball team actually had scheduled noon training today anyway.

Coach Sun Mi had even asked him to invite Teacher Wu earlier.

Wu Qie: “……”

The heart that had briefly sped up at the thought of playing with his crush calmed down again.

“Oh,” he said slowly.

Then he added casually,

“I suddenly feel like I might have something to do later. Can I skip training?”

The person who had just suggested playing basketball now looked reluctant.

Anyone could guess why.

Pei Qingyu smiled faintly.

“Probably not.”

He set down the papers he had been organizing and pointed behind Wu Qie.

“Because Zhao Shu is already here to catch you.”

Wu Qie turned around.

Standing in the empty classroom doorway was a tall Alpha almost the same size as the doorframe.

Backlit by the corridor light, Zhao Shu stood there with his hands on his hips, staring expressionlessly at Wu Qie and Pei Qingyu.

Wu Qie: “……”

Zhao Shu spoke first.

“What are you looking at? Lin Zuwen’s collar is now sitting in my drawer with the rest of my trash.”

Wu Qie replied calmly,

“You can let him switch it back.”

The straightforward answer made Zhao Shu freeze for a moment.

He looked genuinely confused.

“What do you mean? Are you messing with me?”

“Yes.”

Wu Qie’s honesty plunged both Alphas into silence.

Then Zhao Shu laughed.

But the dark brown eyes—almost black with anger—held no amusement.

His sharp canine teeth showed clearly.

The air grew tense.

Wu Qie instinctively glanced at Pei Qingyu.

Maybe he could hide behind him if necessary.

But before he moved, Zhao Shu had already walked forward and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“Why are you looking at him?”

His rough fingers pressed against the back of Wu Qie’s neck in warning.

“Next time I’m talking to you, try looking at someone else again.”

“I’ll dig your eyeballs out.”

As Zhao Shu dragged him toward the basketball gym, Wu Qie silently reflected.

Something about this situation had gone wrong.

Originally their arranged engagement worked under one condition:

mutual non-interference.

They weren’t free to choose their marriages anyway.

Who they married hardly mattered.

But now everything felt strange.

Especially after Zhao Shu replaced Lin Zuwen’s collar.

Now the entire world thought Zhao Shu was fiercely defending their engagement.

Some even believed he had fallen in love.

Unrequited love.

Even marriage-first romance.

That was absolutely not the case.

“Zhao Shu,” Wu Qie said.

“I have a question.”

“Think carefully before asking.”

“Did you realize that replacing Lin Zuwen’s collar today looks like you’re expressing loyalty to our engagement?”

Zhao Shu froze.

“…What?”

“From whose perspective?” Wu Qie continued.

“The Zhao family’s? Or your personal one?”

“….”

“Don’t stay silent. You remember what we agreed on, right?”

“What agreement?” Zhao Shu finally snapped.

They had agreed:

Even if their wedding photos ended up on the same grave one day, they would never share the same bed while alive.

Zhao Shu scoffed.

“So now you’re blaming me for replacing the collar?”

Wu Qie hesitated.

“Well… you did suggest it first.”

Zhao Shu gritted his teeth.

“Wu Qie. I really want to punch you.”

“Zhao Shu.”

“What?”

Wu Qie looked thoughtful.

“Is it just my imagination, or do you actually take our engagement very seriously?”

Zhao Shu’s expression froze.

“Are you insane?”

“If that’s true, then how am I supposed to deal with it?” Wu Qie said honestly.

“If I talk to Pei Qingyu even a little, it’ll feel like cheating.”

“Great.” Zhao Shu sneered.

“Then don’t talk to him. Delete him on WeChat too.”

Wu Qie went silent.

Then he changed the topic entirely.

After a moment he said quietly,

“I think… maybe we’re not suitable for an arranged marriage.”

Zhao Shu stopped walking.

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe we should both ask our families why this engagement was arranged in the first place.”

“If there’s no real reason… maybe we should just cancel it.”

Wu Qie said it sincerely.

For a moment Zhao Shu stared at him without speaking.

Then his face darkened.

He turned and walked into the basketball gym without another word, his shoulder bumping hard into Wu Qie’s as he passed.

Wu Qie staggered and grabbed the doorframe to steady himself.

Watching Zhao Shu disappear into the locker room, he sighed.

Every time they met, they lasted less than thirty minutes before arguing.

How were they supposed to endure a lifetime of marriage like this?

One day one of them would probably wake up and strangle the other.

Canceling the engagement peacefully was clearly the best solution.

So why was Zhao Shu so angry about it?

Wu Qie truly couldn’t understand.