Chapter 26
When he stepped out of the Mecha Society, Xingchen had already walked away briskly. Although they hadn’t exchanged many words, it was evident that his emotions were different from usual.
Lu Jingning furrowed his brows and followed Yan Hebin and the others silently towards the dormitory. However, midway, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. The others turned around to look at him.
Ren Jin asked, “What’s wrong, Lu bro?”
Lu Jingning scratched his head. “It’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered something. You guys go ahead; you don’t need to wait for me.”
Without waiting for their further inquiries, he turned around and started running frantically.
Looking into the distance, they could see his golden hair shimmering in the wind, leaving the others slightly astonished. What urgent matter could it be?
Lu Jingning ran all the way along the path that Xingchen had taken but couldn’t find a trace of him. Finally, after searching around the nearby teaching building, he spotted Xingchen in the corridor of Zone B.
Xingchen was leaning against the railing, holding a mint-flavored cigarette between his fingers. The smoke enveloped him, blending with the starlight and casting a faint halo around him. The breeze gently lifted his hair.
Just as he was skillfully about to bring the cigarette to his lips, he seemed to sense something and subconsciously turned to look. He caught sight of Lu Jingning standing at the stairway’s entrance.
Glistening beads of sweat adorned Lu Jingning’s golden hair, making him even more radiant than usual.
The cigarette paused midway to Xingchen’s lips, and he inexplicably felt as though he had been caught red-handed. After an eerie standoff, he cleared his throat, trying to act casual. “Hah, why haven’t you gone back yet?”
Lu Jingning remained silent, merely raising an eyebrow in response to the cigarette in Xingchen’s hand.
After a moment of silence, Xingchen extinguished the cigarette, and as Lu Jingning leisurely approached, he teasingly asked, “What? Don’t tell me you don’t like this scent?”
The lingering smell of smoke was still present when Lu Jingning approached, and he couldn’t deny it, the scent was as alluring as Xingchen’s pheromones.
However, this time, Lu Jingning wasn’t buying into Xingchen’s tactics. He replied, “Why should I like it?”
Xingchen chuckled, “Don’t like it? Then why were you so eager for my pheromones before?”
Lu Jingning realized that Xingchen was the type who didn’t just irritate himself but others too. Just like now, he couldn’t feel at ease if he didn’t have a few jabs at him.
To be honest, in some aspects, this guy was even more childish than him.
Actually, not just childish, he was also narcissistic – in short, his personality was just terrible.
Lu Jingning mentally rolled his eyes and decided not to continue this pointless discussion of whether the mint smell was good or not.
He reached into his pocket, took out a mint candy, removed the packaging, and lifted his hand, directly stuffing it into Xingchen’s mouth without giving him any chance to resist, “Experience this, the mint flavor of this candy is much more pleasant than the smell of cigarettes.”
Xingchen didn’t even have a chance to react before he tasted the instant sweetness in his mouth.
Lu Jingning, on the other hand, opened his candy and leaned lazily against the railing, squinting his eyes as if enjoying it. “See, this is what life is about!”
Staring at Lu Jingning’s back, Xingchen was momentarily stunned. After a while, he asked, “So, what made you so anxious to find me?”
Lu Jingning seemed to have just remembered why he ran after him and propped his head up with one hand, turning to look at Xingchen, “Oh, right, I wanted to ask you, what scent of laundry detergent do you like?”
Xingchen raised an eyebrow, “Laundry detergent?”
Chewing on the mint candy, Lu Jingning nodded slowly, “Yeah, you asked me to clean my coat before returning it to you, right? I’ll use whichever scent you like. You’re so picky, so it’s better to avoid any hassle later on.”
Xingchen remained silent for a moment before replying, “Green plum sauce scent.”
Lu Jingning: “???”
Lu Jingning looked at him, and the corners of Xingchen’s mouth lifted slightly as he continued, “I said I like the green plum sauce scent.”
A gust of wind swept by, dispersing some of the bitter cigarette smell around them.
The clamor around them gradually faded as the group of people from the Imperial Navy Patrol Unit passed by.
They were a mix of males and females, all with slender figures, clad in uniform white military suits, with delicate badges on their shoulders signifying their distinguished identities.
Among them was one person sitting in a wheelchair, pushed by a wavy-haired female Alpha, seemingly injured.
Nevertheless, this didn’t diminish the excitement the others felt upon their arrival.
With his excellent hearing, Lu Jingning easily caught fragments of their conversation as they passed by.
“Ah! It’s the Imperial Navy Patrol Unit! They finally returned to campus!”
“I heard they assisted the military in wiping out the War Scourge Team in the SU8052 battle. They’re so cool!”
“Wuwu, I guess I’ll never have a chance to participate in such thrilling military missions in my life.”
“But this time was extremely dangerous! Look, even Senior Qiu Shu got injured. I wonder if it’s serious. It’s really worrying.”
“Is that Kang Hanyun? Oh my God, he’s so cool!”
“Kang Hanyun is my goddess; everyone else can move aside!”
“Senior Wen Ye finally came back. I haven’t seen him for nearly half a semester.”
“Wen Ye is really something. He’s said to have earned a second-class military merit this time. I bet he’ll go straight to an important position in the military after graduation, being the first among us in the Imperial Sea Army.”
Listening to the last part, Lu Jingning realized that the topic had shifted to the current team leader of the Imperial Sea Patrol Unit, Wen Ye. The adulation and flattery seemed endless, as if they were trying to lift him up to the heavens.
He couldn’t help but think, “Is he really that amazing?”
This was the first time Lu Jingning formally encountered the legendary Imperial Navy Patrol Unit. Although he was curious about them, he instinctively looked back at Xingchen, whose gaze was focused on the man at the forefront of the group. His expression was once again emotionless, impossible to discern.
Lu Jingning blinked; he might finally understand the real reason behind Xingchen’s reluctance to join the Mecha Society.
So, was it because of his elder brother?
The surrounding noise slowly faded as the group from the Imperial Sea Patrol Unit moved further away.
The two stood there in silence for a while before finally deciding to return.
“Well, let’s go back,” Xingchen’s emotions seemed to have plummeted again, but at least he didn’t look as agitated as before.
Lu Jingning also had a few older brothers, but they had always doted on him, and he had never experienced any tension with them. Not knowing the specific circumstances of Xingchen’s family, he didn’t inquire further. He just followed him on their way back and suddenly remembered something, “By the way, Lao Wen, do you know the president of the Mecha Society?”
Xingchen responded, “Yeah.”
Lu Jingning asked, “What’s his background? It’s weird; I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
Xingchen’s footsteps paused slightly, and instead of answering, he counter-questioned, “Have you met the Principal?”
Lu Jingning looked baffled, “Yes, I have.”
“You don’t think they look alike?” Wen Xingchen raised a meaningful smile, “Bing Yunlin is the grandson of Principal Bing Cang. So, while it’s highly unlikely that he would harm you, it’s still best to keep some distance from such a man. Otherwise, you might find yourself counting his money after he sells you off. I hope you understand what I mean.”
Lu Jingning: “……”
Lu Jingning: “!!!”
Damn it? No wonder he had this strange feeling of familiarity. These two are like a cunning old fox and a young fox cub!
…
Usually, club activities took place on weekends, so Lu Jingning didn’t meet the members of the Mecha Club again so soon. However, the next day in the afternoon during the combat class, he found himself facing Wen Xingchen.
Previously, he hadn’t noticed it, but now he realized that his classmates had already connected him and Wen Xingchen together as a team when it came to team battles.
Given that the total number of students in the Quadruple Faculty wasn’t large, all sixty students from the three classes were gathered together on the training ground, creating a spectacular scene.
The teacher explained the points of force for body strength during the combat class. Two students stood facing each other, and they had to push the other person down with their own strength to win. They were divided into six groups of ten students each.
As the students of the fifth group finished their bouts, the combat instructor blew the whistle. “Last group!”
Thus, Lu Jingning found himself standing there face to face with Wen Xingchen, attracting everyone’s attention.
The atmosphere around them was electric.
Upon hearing the command, Wen Xingchen got into position, but Lu Jingning, lost in his thoughts, couldn’t remember the instructions the teacher had given earlier. He mimicked Wen Xingchen’s posture as best as he could and asked, “Where do I put my hands? Like this?”
“Spread both hands open, palms facing down, then lock them together. No, not like that,” Wen Xingchen fell silent for a moment. “Stand properly. Give me your hand, and I’ll help you.”
Lu Jingning raised his hand, and as Wen Xingchen adjusted his posture, he couldn’t help but smile and say, “I know the last part, locking our hands together. It’s like this, right?”
Before Wen Xingchen could react, Lu Jingning’s fingers suddenly twisted, interlocking with his between the gaps of their hands, tightly connected.
They could feel the warmth from each other’s palms in that moment.
Wen Xingchen: “……”
The combat instructor was checking the correctness of each group’s postures. When he turned around and saw the two of them tightly holding hands, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “What are you two doing? I asked you to compete, not to hold hands and bond!”
Everyone’s attention was now focused on the conspicuous pair.
Accustomed to being the center of attention, Lu Jingning felt his palms heating up and found it hard to maintain his composure. “Ahem, Teacher, please correct our stance!”
The combat instructor walked over and adjusted their postures. “See, this is the proper form!”
Lu Jingning modestly said, “Yes, we see. You’re an amazing teacher!”
Wen Xingchen couldn’t help but laugh softly. “You’re good at flattery.”
Lu Jingning gave him a disdainful look. “Are you still laughing? If you weren’t such a lousy instructor, we wouldn’t have to endure being mocked by the teacher!”
Wen Xingchen nodded, “You’re right.”
Two minutes later, the last group was ready.
With a whistle in his mouth, the combat instructor stood nearby and blew it loudly. “Ready, begin!”
Though it started as a joke, Lu Jingning immediately focused when he heard the command.
They pushed against each other with all their strength, fully engaged in the duel.
As the combat class mainly focused on their physical strength, and they weren’t using their information auras, there wasn’t much risk of accidents.
Gradually, the other groups finished their bouts, leaving only the last group.
Everyone knew about Lu Jingning’s strength, and the students from the other two classes were surprised to see him holding his ground against Wen Xingchen for so long.
After all, Omega’s physical condition was naturally weaker than that of an Alpha. Although Lu Jingning’s S-class aura affected his strength, Wen Xingchen, as an S-class as well, should have been on an equal footing.
As the time passed, the contest became more intense.
Others began to feel the pressure, but Lu Jingning remained focused.
However, he sensed that his stamina was slowly dwindling due to the prolonged battle. Without being certain about Wen Xingchen’s situation, he knew he needed to end this quickly based on his past experiences.
Lu Jingning’s eyes filled with determination as he gathered all his strength and focused it in his hands.
In the next second, just as he was about to push forward with full force, a deep, hoarse voice suddenly sounded from the entrance of the training ground, “Excuse me, Instructor Chen. I’m looking for someone.”
At the familiar voice, Wen Xingchen was momentarily distracted.
Before he could react, a powerful force came crashing towards him. He didn’t have enough time to respond, and he was completely overwhelmed.
Lu Jingning hadn’t expected Wen Xingchen to be distracted at that moment.
Helplessly watching the situation unfold, he couldn’t stop the collision. They ended up falling together in a cloud of dust, with Lu Jingning ending up on top of Wen Xingchen in a rather suggestive position.
The onlookers were left dumbfounded, witnessing the unexpected spectacle of the two equally matched opponents suddenly entangled in such a compromising manner.
The crowd couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow!”
This scene is so thrilling! Wen Xingchen lay beneath Lu Jingning, and through their thin clothes, they could feel the erratic heartbeat when they were pressed so close together.
Everything happened so suddenly that even the thoughts that had scattered earlier due to the newcomer were instantly pulled back by the intense impact.
For a brief moment, their minds seemed to go blank.
Lu Jingning seemed a bit dazed as well. Winning was undoubtedly his goal, but the current winning position was far beyond his expectations.
What exactly was happening?
Lu Jingning’s gaze slowly dropped, and he found himself looking at Wen Xingchen’s graceful neck.
Perhaps due to feeling a bit parched, he subconsciously swallowed down.
The surroundings fell eerily silent, and time seemed to freeze in that very moment.
Both of them were overheated, and even the air around them felt scorching.
After what felt like an eternity, Wen Xingchen finally managed to regain his composure and spoke in a calm and restrained manner, “Are you alright? Can you get up?”
Only then did Lu Jingning snap out of it.
He blinked his eyes and, while getting up from Wen Xingchen’s body, regained his usual arrogance, saying with a hint of pride, “See, I won again!”
“Uh, yes, you won,” Wen Xingchen replied absentmindedly. He took a deep breath before standing up from the ground and casually adjusting his clothes.
With all eyes on him, Wen Xingchen glanced at the man standing at the entrance.
It was an unexpected presence, and everyone was close to exclaiming with excitement.
Lu Jingning, however, remained calm, slightly furrowing his brows as the smile on his face receded slightly.
The man who had suddenly appeared was none other than Wen Ye, the current Captain of the Imperial Navy Patrol Team.
Nobody had expected him to show up here.
Wen Ye’s attention never wavered from Wen Xingchen. Only when their eyes met did he speak in a measured tone, “Xingchen, can we talk?”
Wen Xingchen casually grabbed a towel to wipe off the sweat from his forehead and replied calmly, “Sure, let’s chat.”
The combat instructor seemed familiar with Wen Ye and didn’t mind the interruption of the class. He immediately granted Wen Xingchen’s temporary leave.
As they left one after the other, the once-quiet training ground exploded with whispers.
“What’s going on? Wen Xingchen knows Wen Ye, the senior student?!”
“They both have the surname ‘Wen.’ Could they be brothers?”
“Come to think of it, that’s entirely possible…”
“My goodness, if that’s true, then it’s no wonder they’re both extraordinary with such fantastic genes!”
Amidst the intense discussions, Jian Luan had already slipped away, and Yu Qingcang had no one to ask. He could only approach Lu Jingning with a flattering expression, “Brother Lu, what’s happening? They say that Wen Xingchen is Wen Ye’s younger brother. Is it true or just a rumor?”
Lu Jingning was busy drinking water, and upon hearing the question, he gave Yu Qingcang a faint look and retorted with a rhetorical question, “From childhood till now, you’ve been my little brother. Do you think that’s true or just a rumor?”
Yu Qingcang: “…”
Lu Jingning: “If you love gossiping so much, why don’t you ask Uncle Yu to make you a security guard at the vegetable market? You’d be able to perfectly utilize your developed limbs and simple mind. It’d be a great fit for you.”
“…,” Yu Qingcang felt wronged.
Big brother, I just asked casually. What did I do to provoke you?
You weren’t like this before. Why are you becoming more and more like someone else with such a sharp tongue?
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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