Chapter 8

Hao Yu's heart thundered in his chest, each pulse resonating like the powerful engine of a race car. Momentarily, his vision blurred, throwing him off balance as he stumbled forward, only to find himself steadied by the firm embrace of strong arms.

As he regained his composure, the first sensation to greet him was the soothing familiarity of Wei Long's scent—a harmonious blend of the spicy warmth of black pepper and fresh rain. It wrapped around him like a comforting embrace on a chilly night, creating an atmosphere of warmth and security which reminded him of the first time he met Wei Long, when Wei Long dashed into his burning room after hearing his cries and carried him out safely.

That night, Wei Long had completely captured his heart and that was when his painful journey of unrequited love began.

"Are you okay?" Wei Long's voice rumbled, husky and slightly deep, carrying an undertone of comfort that seemed to envelop Hao Yu like a warm blanket. As Hao Yu looked up, he found himself ensnared in Wei Long's gaze, drawn into the depths of his chocolate-coloured eyes. Each glance felt like a gentle caress, holding him captive in a trance-like state.

A subtle smirk tugged at the corners of Wei Long's lips as he observed Hao Yu's lack of response. There was a playful amusement in his eyes, a glint of mischief dancing within the depths of his gaze. He knew it. He was irresistible. Even Hao Yu could not help but fall for his handsomeness and unique charm. Everything that had happened earlier must have been an act to gain his attention. What omega wouldn’t fall for him? Hao Yu was no different.

Hao Yu noticed Wei Long’s smirk deepening and the glint of amusement in his eyes. A sudden realization washed over him as he snapped out of his trance-like state, his cheeks flushing crimson with embarrassment. With a quick intake of breath, he composed himself, regaining his bearings and swiftly extracting himself from Wei Long's comforting embrace.

“I-I’m fine.” He stuttered, clearing his throat nervously as he stepped back, averting his gaze to avoid any further embarrassment. He couldn’t believe than he had allowed himself to stare at Wei Long like that for so long. He nervously glanced around, his blush deepening when he noticed all the eyes on them. He wanted to cry. He had tried to avoid Wei Long but ended up in his arms. What sort of game were the Gods playing with him? When he was an Alpha, he could never get Wei Long’s attention but now, as an omega, he was getting attention not only from Wei Long but Xu Kaiwen, a person he considered his brother and many other Alphas and Betas from the school.

It really wasn’t fair!

A soft chuckle escaped Wei Long's lips as he watched Hao Yu's flustered reaction, finding his predicament endearing. Stepping forward with a confident stride, he opened Hao Yu’s jacket, boldly draping it around his shoulders with a playful flourish. Despite Hao Yu's attempt to maintain composure, he couldn't help but squirm under Wei Long’s gaze. No matter how much he tried not t react, he couldn’t for Wei Long just automatically elicited the reactions out of him.

With a smirk still lingering on Wei Long’s lips, he leaned in closer, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he whispered to Hao Yu; "You didn’t need all that drama earlier to catch my attention. I already noticed you when you raced past me and won the marathon."

Hao Yu's heart raced as Wei Long's words echoed in his mind, leaving him stunned and frozen in place as he watched Wei Long lean back then walk away. For a moment, all Hao Yu could do was blink in disbelief, his mind struggling to process the sudden turn of events.

As Wei Long disappeared into the crowd, a whirlwind of thoughts swept through Hao Yu's mind. He couldn't shake off the surprise of Wei Long's boldness. The Wei Long he had known in his former life was indeed reserved, a quiet presence that seemed content to observe rather than engage. Never had Hao Yu imagined him being so outspoken, so daring in his approach. When did Wei Long change? What had prompted this transformation? Or has Wei Long always been like this? But then, how didn’t he know?

Well, in his former life, he had rarely engaged with Wei Long in high school. Even though Wei Long had noticed him for winning the marathon, that was the end of it. They barely spoke again until they ended up in the same college as neighbours in the dormitory and also classmates for they shared the same major.

"Hao Yu!” a familiar voice called out, cutting through his haze like a beacon in the fog.

Turning towards the sound, Hao Yu noticed Chen Jie right behind him. He couldn’t believe that he had completely forgotten about him.

"Hao Yu, are you alright?" Chen Jie asked, his brow furrowing slightly with genuine concern. “I called you like 3 times already. What did he say to you? Why do you look so confused?”

With a quick shake of his head to clear away the lingering remnants of his thoughts, Hao Yu offered Chen Jie a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Don’t worry. I'm fine," he replied. "Just got lost in my own head for a moment there."

Chen Jie folded his arms and looked at Hao Yu sternly. It was obvious that he didn’t believe him. He knew Hao Yu like the back of his hand and he could tell that something was wrong.

Hao Yu noticed the look that Chen Jie was giving him and he sighed. “I’m serious. There’s nothing wrong.”

Since he was insisting, Chen Jie decided to drop it. “Fine. But you’ll tell me if there’s anything wrong right? You know I’m always here for you.”

“Of course.” Hao Yu nodded. Despite this, he couldn’t shake off the lingering fluster from his encounter with Wei Long. He could still hear his heart hammering away.