The Class Reunion

“Ding——”

Early in the morning, An Ran’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Forced awake from his slumber, he wasn’t too happy to open WeChat and see who was bombarding him with messages.

Fu Zao: It’s over.

Fu Zao: [Screenshot]

Fu Zao: What to do?

Si Huan: Last time at the service area we didn’t get to chat properly. The monitor said the class reunion is set for tonight. I’m waiting for you.

An Ran looked at the messages from Fu Zao and Si Huan, startled, and quickly opened the class group chat to see what was happening.

[Patriotic Man-eating Flowers Group Chat]

[This is our first class reunion after graduation. It’s already the 26th of the lunar month, so everyone should be back in Ning City, right?]

[Been back early, waiting for you to say when to have dinner.]

[How about tonight? After tonight, everyone will probably be busy.]

[Sure, no objections from me.]

[Is the whole class here? Anyone not in the group?]

[What about An Ran? An Ran joined, right?]

[I added him last time and told him about the class reunion. He should come.]

[That’s settled then.]

An Ran scrolled to this point and felt like the sky was falling.

What’s with the roll call?

Fu Zao: Headpat.jpg

An Ran: orz

An Ran: Since it’s been brought up like this, I guess there’s no way to refuse.

Fu Zao: It’s fine, I’ll have your back at the dinner tonight.

Actually, An Ran didn’t dislike class reunions per se, but he thought they took too long. Originally everyone agreed to just have a meal together, but then after dinner there was KTV, and after KTV there was late-night snacks, dragging on until very late before going home.

He wanted to leave early but didn’t know how to say it, afraid of spoiling everyone’s fun.

The reunion was in the evening, and today An Ran’s family was busy. During the day, An Ran had to go buy New Year’s supplies with his mother.

AR: [Picture]

AR: Should we put couplets on the cat house?

AR: “Cat fat, home prosperous; Meow things go smoothly.”

AR: Horizontal scroll: “People and cats thrive together.”

An Ran sent several messages to Gong He but got no reply. He guessed Gong He was busy.

Not until nearly evening did Gong He reply, saying he wanted to give An Ran a surprise, then disappeared again.

AR: \*hits you.jpg\*

AR: Playing hard to get.

AR: Hmph.

An Ran: “Not at all.”

Fu Zao: “You two have been on break so long and haven’t thought about dating or anything? Liucheng isn’t far from Ning City, right?”

An Ran: “.”

He didn’t even dare to mention that Gong He had wanted to come to Ning City to find him several times but he had refused. Before, he had been too busy to make time for dates with Gong He.

Now that he wasn’t busy anymore, Gong He hadn’t brought up coming to Ning City again, and An Ran didn’t dare to bring it up either.

An Ran and Fu Zao arrived early, so the two of them sat in a corner chatting.

Near seven in the evening, more people gradually arrived.

After graduation, An Ran had hardly seen any of his senior year classmates. Looking at them now, it seemed everyone had changed a bit.

“How did you get so dark?”

“Don’t even mention it. My college military training lasted a whole month. Can you beat that?”

“A whole month?!?”

“Talking about it makes me want to cry. You have no idea how I got through it. I don’t know how many bottles of sunscreen I emptied, but I still ended up this dark.”

“If you didn’t speak, I’d think some black guy got mixed in.”

“Damn, your mouth is so sharp.”

“Jiangda’s food seems good. I remember you were a little twig, how did you get so fat now? Did you major in pig farming?”

“It’s not Jiangda’s food. It’s winter break at home—the food is too good!! Could Jiangda’s food be good? It’s a miracle I didn’t starve to death.”

Si Huan came over to An Ran and Fu Zao’s corner and greeted them: “You two hiding here?”

Fu Zao laughed: “It’s quiet here. Over there is too noisy.”

An Ran’s face looked a bit pale. He poured himself a cup of hot water and drank several sips before feeling better.

From earlier on, he felt that the air was filled with various pheromones, almost suffocating him.

Fu Zao: “I brought blocker spray. Want some?”

An Ran shook his head: “I feel okay now.”

Fu Zao: “Your gland is too sensitive. No wonder you’re dependent on Alpha pheromones.”

Si Huan looked at the blocker patch on An Ran’s gland in surprise: “You’ve presented?”

An Ran didn’t explain much, just lightly “mm” in response.

Si Huan nodded, then suddenly asked: “Last time at the service area, you said you were waiting for your boyfriend. I caught a glimpse from afar later, and I felt your boyfriend looked familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him. Did you meet at Liuda? So your boyfriend is also from Liucheng?”

Before An Ran could respond, a classmate who had been listening silently for a while said in shock: “An Ran is in a relationship?”

Si Huan: 1

The classmate nodded, looked at An Ran, and said: “Is your boyfriend an Alpha?”

An Ran felt strange: “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Nothing much. Just, do you remember our Chinese class representative?”

“…”

Although the Chinese class representative was an Alpha, he was a very nice person, without the arrogance of Alphas. He was humble and left a good impression on An Ran.

That classmate looked around and said quietly: “I happened to find out. I heard he made advances toward An Ran several times but got no response. Later, he heard An Ran didn’t like Alphas, so he had to give up.”

An Ran was stunned. So back then, the goodwill the Chinese class representative showed him was deliberately courting him, but An Ran was slow in matters of the heart and hadn’t thought about it that way.

Besides, at that time he really didn’t like Alphas. He had told Fu Zao that he preferred gentler Betas.

Gong He’s appearance was indeed an accident.

“Quite surprising. Never thought An Ran would turn out to be an Omega and end up with an Alpha.”

Fu Zao: “So that’s why he came to ask me for An Ran’s WeChat a while ago.”

Si Huan: “Did you give it?”

Fu Zao spread his hands: “I did, but I also said that whether he added or not was another matter.”

Although he gave the Chinese class representative An Ran’s WeChat ID, he didn’t tell An Ran that person was the class rep, nor did he mention the matter, because Fu Zao knew An Ran never looked at friend request messages.

An Ran usually added people on WeChat himself. If someone added him, he thought they might be advertising or scam.

“Ah, I don’t know how to put it. I feel a bit regretful.”

Fu Zao: “Hey, stop right there. No regrets. An Ran has someone he likes now, and they’re very stable.”

That classmate laughed awkwardly: “Uh, yeah, I misspoke. Sorry.”

An Ran smiled: “It’s fine.”

“When are we eating? I’m starving.” Fu Zao changed the subject.

An Ran’s neck felt uncomfortable. He wanted to go to the restroom to change his blocker patch and spray some pheromone blocking spray.

After An Ran left, Si Huan gossipily leaned close to Fu Zao: “So, between An Ran’s current boyfriend and our Chinese class representative, who’s better looking?”

Fu Zao rolled his eyes: “Why are you so gossipy?”

Si Huan chuckled: “Just tell me. I’m curious. Last time at the service area I didn’t see An Ran’s boyfriend. I felt it was a shame.”

Fu Zao knew he wouldn’t stop asking until he got an answer, so he said flatly: “The current boyfriend is better looking, alright?”

Si Huan nodded: “I saw his back last time, and I thought An Ran’s boyfriend was really handsome. Too bad I didn’t get a clear look at his face, just vaguely felt I’d seen him somewhere. Do you know his boyfriend’s name?”

Fu Zao: “Why are you always asking about his boyfriend? Trying to steal him away?”

Si Huan choked, then smiled sheepishly: “Okay… I’ll shut up.”

An Ran didn’t expect to run into the Chinese class representative they’d just been talking about at the restroom entrance. Perhaps because he’d learned of the rep’s intentions from others, An Ran felt very uncomfortable.

“Hi, long time no see.”

An Ran: “Long time no see.”

Seeing the blocker patch in An Ran’s hand, the class rep’s eyes showed surprise. He instinctively looked at An Ran’s neck, and it was hard to miss the shock in his voice: “You’ve presented?!”

An Ran nodded: “Mm.”

Class rep: “Are you an Omega now?”

An Ran: “Yes.”

A flash of delight passed over the class rep’s face. He took out his phone, about to ask for An Ran’s WeChat, but An Ran spoke first: “Sorry, my boyfriend is calling me.”

The joy on the class rep’s face instantly faded. He stood there blankly, staring at An Ran in astonishment.

An Ran had just made up an excuse, but unexpectedly Gong He actually called. He quickly stepped aside to answer.

“Hello?”

Gong He: “I’m in Ning City.”

An Ran’s eyes lit up, his face unable to hide his joy: “Now?”

Gong He’s lips curved into a smile: “Mm. I just got home and picked up the car. I’m coming to find you now.”

An Ran: “I’ll send you the location of our dinner. Can you pick me up here?”

“Do you really have a boyfriend? Or is that just an excuse to brush me off?”

Suddenly, the class rep’s voice cut in. An Ran hadn’t noticed when he’d come up behind him.

Gong He: “Baby, is someone with you?”

“Mm, hold on.” An Ran seemed to smell Alpha pheromones from the rep, and his face turned extremely pale. “I have no reason to lie to you. If you don’t have anything important to discuss with me, there’s no need to add WeChat, right?”

In his impression, An Ran was a soft little bun.

Even when angry, he was soft.

Even the class rep was startled by An Ran’s tone and attitude.

The atmosphere between them was tense.

“An Ran, what took you so long? What happened?”

Fu Zao’s appearance broke the silence between them.

When An Ran looked at Fu Zao, he instantly relaxed.

Fu Zao came up to An Ran and found that his hands and feet were cold, even trembling. He looked coldly at the class rep and said: “Releasing Alpha pheromones at an Omega is a despicable, shameless, and disgraceful act. I think you should know the severity of this matter?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I lost control of my emotions for a moment.”

An Ran didn’t notice that his call was still connected. He let Fu Zao help him back to the private room.

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid.”

An Ran felt that his gland hurt even more.

Fu Zao frowned worriedly: “Feeling really bad? Should we go back first?”

Si Huan: “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Fu Zao simply said: “An Ran isn’t feeling well. I’ll take him back first.”

Many classmates’ attention was drawn over.

Class monitor: “What’s wrong? Is An Ran unwell?”

Fu Zao: “Yeah, you guys have fun. We’ll head back first.”

Class monitor shook his car keys: “Want me to drive you back?”

“No need.” An Ran shook his head: “My boyfriend will pick me up.”

Fu Zao: “Huh?”

Just then, heavy breathing mixed with a cold voice sounded from behind the crowd:

“Is this the Ning City High School Class 3 reunion?”

“I’m looking for An Ran.”