After Differentiation, I Marked My Arch-nemesis - Chapter 17

A gentle breeze carried a faint, elegant fragrance through the air. The lingering rays of the sunset passed through the swaying branches and leaves, casting a beautiful, crisscrossing silhouette on the ground.

The entire city of Jiangcheng was blanketed by the setting sun, making it look like a romantic and dreamy painting.

Afternoon

It was the last period of self-study for the day, and Class 1, Grade 11 was very quiet.

The student on duty for the day sat at the front of the classroom. The rest of the students were either on their phones, doing their homework, or sleeping soundly at their desks. Everyone was busy with their own thing and was very disciplined.

Jiang Youli rested her head on her desk, staring blankly at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window.

She didn’t know what she was thinking.

Because her mind was a mess, as if it were filled with glue.

Or maybe she wasn’t thinking about anything at all.

She was just in a messy and unhappy mood.

Chen Huaian was on his phone while keeping an eye on the hallway. Tan Yushan hadn’t come to the classroom yet, but he always showed up during self-study, so he and Jiang Youli didn’t leave early to avoid getting caught.

Jiang Youli lay motionless on her desk.

Chen Huaian thought she was asleep and was keeping a lookout for her.

Not long after, Tan Yushan suddenly walked in through the front door.

Chen Huaian quickly nudged Jiang Youli’s shoulder.

Jiang Youli turned her head while still on her desk. “What’s wrong?”

Chen Huaian pointed at Tan Yushan, who was standing at the front door. He put his phone in his pocket and pretended as if nothing had happened. “Old Tan is here.”

Jiang Youli calmly looked at Tan Yushan.

At that moment, their eyes met.

They stared at each other.

Tan Yushan’s eyes widened. He seemed to be silently asking her, “What are you doing on your desk? Sit up, read your book, and do your homework.”

Jiang Youli was speechless.

She understood Tan Yushan’s silent signal. She took her chemistry book out of her desk drawer and placed it on the table, pretending to read it. The book was so clean she hadn’t even written her name in it.

Chen Huaian also took out a book and pretended to read. “Boss.”

“What?” Jiang Youli asked.

“Brother Feng wants to go to the arcade after school. He said you bailed on him last time,” Chen Huaian whispered. “He said we have to go today no matter what.”

Jiang Youli wasn’t in the mood to go out, but she still agreed. “Got it.”

“Boss, should I tell him you’ll go?” Chen Huaian asked.

“Go ahead,” Jiang Youli said, idly flipping through her clean chemistry book.

The new book had a nice smell to it.

Chen Huaian lowered his head, using his bangs to hide his eyes as he watched Tan Yushan’s every move. When he saw that Tan Yushan was looking at someone else’s homework, he quickly took out his phone and carefully sent a few messages to Su Yufeng.

A moment later, Su Yufeng replied.

Chen Huaian put away his phone after a few messages. “Boss, I’ve already talked to Brother Feng. He said to go straight to the arcade and wait for him.”

“Got it,” Jiang Youli said, looking down at her chemistry book.

Tan Yushan left the classroom a few minutes before the end of the last period.

Jiang Youli and Chen Huaian had already packed their bags.

The moment Tan Yushan left, they followed him out. But as soon as they left the classroom, they saw Qiao Yixun, who had been waiting for a long time at the staircase at the end of the hallway.

Qiao Yixun was alone.

Jiang Youli and Chen Huaian walked toward her.

“Boss,” Chen Huaian asked curiously. “Why is Sister Xun here?”

He suddenly realized something. “Don’t tell me Sister Xun is…”

He couldn’t think of any other reason why Qiao Yixun would suddenly come to the eleventh grade section alone, other than for Lu Yaoyi.

Jiang Youli didn’t say anything.

She figured Chen Huaian was thinking the same thing as her.

Qiao Yixun was here for Lu Yaoyi.

A moment later, Jiang Youli and Chen Huaian walked up to Qiao Yixun.

Chen Huaian rubbed the back of his head. “Hello, Sister Xun.”

Even though Jiang Youli knew why Qiao Yixun was here, she pretended to be clueless. “Sister Xun, why are you here? Are you looking for me?”

“You know why I’m here, A-You,” Qiao Yixun said with a smile.

“Because of Lu Yaoyi,” Jiang Youli said.

“Yep, I’m here for Lu Yaoyi,” Qiao Yixun said, elegantly leaning against the hallway railing. “I want to walk her home.”

Jiang Youli didn’t say anything.

“She was hurt by that perverted male Alpha from Grade 12 last week, wasn’t she? I want to walk her home to protect her. As long as I’m around, no one will dare to hurt her again,” Qiao Yixun said. “But most importantly, I want to go after her.”

Jiang Youli was slightly stunned.

She’s right. If Qiao Yixun walked Lu Yaoyi home, she would be very safe.

In a flash, a voice in her mind seemed to ring out, The only one who can protect Lu Yaoyi in this world is an Alpha…

But she forgot that she, a non-Alpha, had also protected Lu Yaoyi.

She looked at Qiao Yixun and asked without changing her expression, “Sister Xun, does Lu Yaoyi know you’re here to see her?”

“No,” Qiao Yixun said, shaking her head.

“Then… did you get her contact info?” Jiang Youli asked.

Qiao Yixun gave a helpless smile. “I did, but she refused my friend request. However, her refusal doesn’t stop me from wanting to walk her home.”

Jiang Youli didn’t say anything.

Qiao Yixun walking Lu Yaoyi home should be a good thing.

At least her safety would be guaranteed.

But…

She felt uncomfortable.

“Oh, right, A-You,” Qiao Yixun said.

“Huh?” Jiang Youli asked.

“You and Lu Yaoyi are neighbors, aren’t you? It’s almost time to go home, so why don’t we walk together?” Qiao Yixun looked at Jiang Youli with anticipation. “With you, I’ll have a more legitimate excuse to walk Lu Yaoyi home openly.”

Jiang Youli was speechless.

She should have agreed to this request. After all, Qiao Yixun was always so good to her, treating her like a little sister. But without even thinking, she directly refused. “I’m sorry, Sister Xun. I’ve already made plans with Brother Feng to go to the arcade. I bailed on his party last time, so I can’t do it again today. How about another time?”

She regretted it as soon as she said it.

She shouldn’t have offered to walk Lu Yaoyi home with Qiao Yixun another time.

She… she didn’t want to walk Lu Yaoyi home.

Qiao Yixun knew Su Yufeng and said, “Okay, another time then.”

“Sister Xun, then Huaian and I will get going,” Jiang Youli said.

“Okay,” Qiao Yixun nodded. “Go ahead.”

Jiang Youli and Chen Huaian turned and went down the stairs.

The moment they walked out of the academic building, the school bell rang, and the entire building became noisy.

Chen Huaian looked back at Class 1, Grade 11, and said with concern, “Boss, do you think Sister Xun will do anything to Lu Yaoyi?”

“No,” Jiang Youli said.

“Why are you so sure?” Chen Huaian asked.

“You know what kind of person Sister Xun is,” Jiang Youli said.

Even though Qiao Yixun was a player, she never forced an Omega.

The Omegas who liked Qiao Yixun either willingly slept with her after falling in love and were then dumped by her, or they knew she was a player and were still willing to sleep with her for a one-night stand.

In short, Qiao Yixun would never force an Omega.

Since Lu Yaoyi had already rejected her, Qiao Yixun wouldn’t do anything to force her.

She was very clear about this.

Besides, didn’t Qiao Yixun say she wanted to protect Lu Yaoyi?

“I know,” Chen Huaian said.

He didn’t give up. “But what if?”

“There is no ‘what if,’” Jiang Youli said.

“Lu Yaoyi is an S-class Omega. It will be very dangerous for Sister Xun if she smells her pheromones,” Chen Huaian said. “Aren’t you worried at all?”

Jiang Youli suddenly felt a familiar annoyance. She stopped walking and said impatiently, “Why should I be worried? What does what happens to Lu Yaoyi have to do with me? Can you please stop talking about her?”

Chen Huaian shrunk his neck. “Okay…”

They went to the bike shed, got their bikes, and walked toward the school gate without saying a word.

When they got outside, the street was bustling with traffic and people.

Chen Huaian got on his bike and was about to leave.

Jiang Youli suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong, Boss?” Chen Huaian asked, looking at her strangely.

“I almost forgot,” Jiang Youli said.

“Forgot what?” Chen Huaian asked.

Jiang Youli looked at him. “I almost forgot that my Little Dad told me to go home early today. I can’t go to the arcade to see Brother Feng.”

Chen Huaian was speechless.

Last time, it was because of Jiang Xiyuan.

This time, it’s because of Li Henian?

“Boss, are you saying you’re bailing on Brother Feng again?” he asked.

Jiang Youli pushed her bike in the direction of her house. “Yep.”

Chen Huaian was speechless.

“Just tell Brother Feng that something came up at home,” Jiang Youli said, walking away without looking back. “I’ll apologize to him in person next time.”

“Okay, Boss,” Chen Huaian said. “Be careful on the way home.”

“Got it,” Jiang Youli said, waving her hand.

Chen Huaian had to go to the arcade by himself.

Jiang Youli walked for a short distance before stopping and looking back. Chen Huaian had disappeared down another street. She immediately got on her bike and rode to the street across from Jiangcheng No. 1 High School. From this street, she could see the school’s front gate.

The area was bustling with people.

No one would be able to see her unless they had a great sense of sight.

She hid in the crowd and waited for a while.

Soon, Lu Yaoyi appeared in her sight on her bike.

And not far behind her was Qiao Yixun.

This meant that…

Lu Yaoyi still didn’t talk to Qiao Yixun.

Why does she feel a little satisfied?

She waited until Lu Yaoyi and Qiao Yixun passed by on the other street before immediately following them on her bike. The current situation was Qiao Yixun following Lu Yaoyi on her bike, and she was following Qiao Yixun stealthily, hiding as she went. An outsider would have thought she was catching her cheating girlfriend.

She didn’t know why she was doing something so strange as stalking.

But…

She thought of a reasonable excuse for herself. Although she believed Qiao Yixun wouldn’t force Lu Yaoyi to do anything, she was still following them just in case. After all, Lu Meishan and Guan Luyu were so good to her.

It was only natural for her to look out for their daughter.

Yes. Everything she was doing now was for Lu Meishan and Guan Luyu.

The breeze blew, and the sun set in the west.

Jiang Youli followed Lu Yaoyi and Qiao Yixun all the way to her neighborhood.

The sunlight shone on Lu Yaoyi and Qiao Yixun.

It was especially beautiful and dreamy.

Jiang Youli looked at the backs of the two of them riding their bikes ahead.

From a distance, Lu Yaoyi and Qiao Yixun actually looked pretty good together.

Too bad Qiao Yixun isn’t a good Alpha.

At least not in relationships.

Jiang Youli hid behind the corner of a wall until she saw Lu Yaoyi walk into her house.

Only then did she completely relax.

She saw Qiao Yixun turn her bike around to go back the way she came.

She quickly pulled her head back, rode her bike into a random person’s yard, and hid.

That was close.

Qiao Yixun almost saw her.

A moment later, she heard the sound of a bicycle passing by the wall. She peeked her head out of the yard gate and watched Qiao Yixun’s retreating figure. Only after Qiao Yixun disappeared did she come out of the yard and ride her bike home.

As she passed by Lu Yaoyi’s house, Jiang Youli stopped and fell into deep thought.

She didn’t think Lu Yaoyi should be with an Alpha like Qiao Yixun. Although she didn’t want to admit she was speaking up for that annoying girl, Lu Yaoyi, she did.

Lu Yaoyi… deserves a better Alpha.

“…”

Wait, what am I doing?

She suddenly realized she was being an idiot in front of Lu Yaoyi’s house.

She slapped her forehead in annoyance.

Then she rode her bike home as if she were running away.

So annoying.