"This is awkward," Gao Tu said lightly. He sipped his orange juice and scanned the faces at the table.
"You all look constipated."
Shaoyou exhaled and crossed his arms.
It was bound to be awkward. Hua Yong had somehow inserted himself into their lunch plans, dragging along his gloomy friend who had been glaring at everyone like the world owed him an apology.
Now they all sat in a fancy restaurant, staring at one another instead of eating.
The alpha decided to cut to the chase, raising a brow at Hua Yong. "Are you stalking me?"
Hua Yong's friend scoffed, picking up his spoon. "You think too highly of yourself. We attend Nexus University too."
Shaoyou glanced at him. "And who are you?" he asked rudely.
The other have him a sweet smile. "Shen Wenlang."
The alpha hummed, tapping his chin. "If that's your name, why are you answering for Hua Yong?"
Shen Wenlang's face went red in embarrassment. He pointed a finger at him. "You—"
"That's enough, Wenlang," Hua Yong cut in.
The other huffed, focusing on his food.
Hua Yong smiled softly. "I'm not stalking you, Sheng Shaoyou. We attend Nexus University."
"Is that so?" Gao Tu's brows furrowed. "But I've never seen you around before."
The other hummed. "We're freshmen. Computer Engineering."
Shaoyou's eyes narrowed at that. "But the semester is already halfway. How did you—"
"Is that any of your business?" Shen Wenlang interrupted rudely, looking up from his food. "Is this a police interrogation or what?"
The alpha frowned. "Do you have something stuck in your ass or what?"
The other glared at him. "I swear I'll punch—"
"Don't threaten him," Hua Yong interrupted, glaring at him. The temperature of the room seem to drop a few degrees.
Shaoyou felt a chill run down his spine.
He could have sworn he saw the other's eyes flicker to pink for a moment but it could have been a trick of the light.
Shen Wenlang clicked his tongue and turned his face away.
Gao Tu cleared his throat. "How are you liking the university so far? You're not from Jianghu, right?"
"You're right, Senior," Hua Yong replied calmly. He looked nothing like the person glaring at Shen Wenlang earlier.
"We're from Country P."
"Senior?" Gao Tu repeated, confused at the address.
"Mn," the other said. "You're both my seniors. It's only right that I accord you that respect."
His tone was sweet and sincere, his words meant to stir the heart of the listener.
Shaoyou rolled his eyes at the shameless display.
Where was this so-called respect when Hua Yong startled him and had the audacity to laugh?
"You're truly good with words," he commented.
Hua Yong smiled. "Are you pleased with me, Senior?"
Shaoyou glared at that innocent face.
*************
"My bathroom looks better than this," Shen Wenlang said, slumping on the couch. His gaze roamed around the condo's interior with disdain.
"Is this what the people of Jianghu call luxury?"
Hua Yong sat on the sofa, going through his phone. "You're just complaining. There's nothing wrong with this place."
"You have a penthouse in Jianghu," Shen Wenlang pointed out. "Can't we just stay there?"
The enigma lifted his head from his phone. His brows furrowed in thought. "That will be too far from school."
His friend arched a brow at him. "Since when do you care about school?"
"I don't care about school," Hua Yong replied, focusing his gaze back to his phone. "But, my mate attends this school so I don't want to be far way from him."
Shen Wenlang wanted to throw a pillow at him. "You're a total lunatic. He doesn't even like you, yet you're claiming him."
"Have you no self-respect, Hua Yong?"
The enigma nodded without shame. "When it comes to Shaoyou, I have none."
"I just want to be with him."
Shen Wenlang shook his head.
This lunatic was a lost cause.
Hua Yong paused his scrolling, as if remembering something. He stared right at him. "Stop arguing with my mate, Wenlang."
Shen Wenlang blinked at the warning. "Are you taking his side now?"
The enigma raised a brow, the smell of orchids slowly enveloping the room. "You started the argument. Wenlang, don't do it again."
The alpha rolled his eyes, yawning. "I'm hungry. What are we making for dinner?"
"I can't cook," Hua Yong said. "I'm busy."
Shen Wenlang watched the lunatic scrolling with a smile. "What are you doing with that phone?!" he snapped furiously.
The enigma didn't look at him. "I'm looking at Shaoyou's WeChat moments."
"He's really cute and fluffy," he added with a small chuckle. "I told you my alpha is a softie."
"So we should both go hungry because you decided to stalk a grown man's account?" the alpha asked incredulously.
Hua Yong didn't reply, too busy scrolling.
*************
"I can't believe your fridge is empty."
Shaoyou shrugged, putting his books away. "I forgot to go grocery shopping."
His friend gaped at him. "What am I supposed to eat now?"
"How can you invite me over only to starve me?"
Gao Tu frantically searched through the pantry and cupboards, gasping when he found them empty.
"Can you stop being dramatic for a second?" the alpha sighed, rubbing his temples. He was this close to developing a migraine.
"We can just order takeout."
The omega let out a long sigh. "That's going to take forever. By then, I'll probably be dead."
"If I die, I'm coming back as a fierce ghost to haunt you."
Shaoyou's lips parted to retort when the bell rang.
He frowned in confusion. "I'm not expecting any visitors."
Gao Tu scoffed. "Go and check who it is."
At his friend's urging, Shaoyou went to the door and looked through the peephole.
The alpha's brow furrowed. "...Hua Yong?"
What was he doing here so late in the night?"
He opened the door, causing the younger to jump. "What is it?"
The other blinked owlishly at him and he raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to stare at me all day or tell me why you're here?"
Hua Yong seemed to regain his senses and immediately handed the large warmer in his hand. "I made rice pudding for you."
Shaoyou stared, making no move to collect it. "Why?"
The other tilted his head. "Do I need a reason to?"
The alpha's eyes narrowed at the witty response. "You're really—"
"Are you sleeping at the door?" Gao Tu yelled. "Get back here!"
Hua Yong frowned. "Is that Senior—"
"Yeah," Shaoyou said. "We're studying."
He took the warmer. "Thanks you for this."
Then he shut the door in Hua Yong's face.