After Transmigrating as a Beta, I Got Messed Up with an Alpha (BL) - Chapter 21

“The seasonal sports meet is about to begin, so let me say a few words first. This isn’t the first time the upperclassmen have participated, but it is for the first-years. New students, take note: First, whether you are an Alpha, Beta, or Omega, everyone must participate. Second, results are recorded in your attendance, which is beneficial for you; naturally, there will be punishments for those who do not attend. Third—”

On this day in November, under a light dusting of sleet, the temperature plummeted suddenly from positive to negative—reaching double digits below zero. Frosty snow drifted through the sky, dissipating before it even hit the ground. Having grown up in the south, Pei Yule had never experienced such low temperatures in his twenty years. He couldn’t take it; he dug out his thick winter school jacket and wrapped himself in three layers inside and out, yet he still couldn’t negate the piercing, bone-chilling cold.

The sky was clear, but the sun’s warmth on his face felt completely cold. Pei Yule wished for nothing more than to curl up in a heated classroom. Only now did he realize what a luxury being in class was; once the door was closed, time and space felt divided, the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors no less than the difference between heaven and hell.

He exhaled a cloud of white mist. Listening to the principal speaking through a megaphone on the playground podium, he stood at the back of the Beta line, hunched over and shivering despite his efforts.

Today was the sports meet.

No. 1 High School’s sports meet was a school-wide integrated event, regardless of gender. In other words, Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all had to participate. It was said that the founder established this once-every-three-months event to foster better harmony between the three types.

Of course, Alphas were born with superior physical constitutions. Having them participate in physical strength events alongside others was pure bullying. The school knew this, so the events where all three could compete together were mostly special projects that relied on brainpower and skill.

But when it came to IQ and technique… Alphas still held the advantage. Heaven was biased toward Alphas; ordinary people couldn’t help but be envious.

As a quarterly event, this sports meet was usually the moment for Alphas to shine, while Betas were only required to be competent extras. Pei Yule quickly found his position, identifying himself with the Beta crowd, hoping to pass the day without any surprises or excitement.

However…

He glanced around, feeling a bit distressed.

Even though he had settled on his role, the current situation was making things a bit difficult. He didn’t know if the people of this city were naturally resistant to the cold or if he was just exceptionally sensitive to it, but out of the massive crowd on the playground, only he and a few fragile-looking Omegas were wearing the thick cotton coats that reached down to their thighs.

Not a single other Beta was wearing this school jacket.

“…”

As a newly minted Beta, Pei Yule felt he was somewhat losing face for the Beta community. He hesitated for a long time, thinking several times about taking the coat off, but he couldn’t withstand the constant freezing wind and decided to shamelessly keep it on.

Was “face” more important than health? No.

Therefore, his thinking was correct. His body was his own, and he didn’t want to catch another cold. After all, before becoming a Beta, he was just an ordinary person who was terrified of the cold.

Having made up his mind, Pei Yule decided to ignore the stares and focus his attention on the sports meet. He had done a little research: he wasn’t great at sports, so he decided to sign up for archery. This was an event held at the meet where everyone participated together. Thinking it over, he felt this was the most suitable sport for him.

Events like track and field or ball games were out of the question—he was completely unskilled at them. Honestly, if it weren’t for the school regulation requiring everyone to join at least one event, Pei Yule would have much preferred to stand on the sidelines watching others sweat.

As a somewhat shut-in college student, he had zero desire to make himself sweat in such cold weather. He’d much rather be back under his covers sleeping. He’d leave the sweat-inducing sports to those favored by the heavens.

At this thought, Pei Yule couldn’t help but look over at the Alpha line. He spotted Huo Juan immediately, standing with Xu Yanxi at the very back of the line.

Pei Yule didn’t expect to see Huo Juan so quickly, but it was mainly because he and Xu Yanxi were taller than the other Alphas and had striking appearances. It was impossible not to notice them.

A week had passed since that day of “contact therapy.” During this week, the school had been busy organizing the sports meet and mobilizing everyone. As a member of No. 1 High, Pei Yule had naturally been swept into the grand preparations.

As for Huo Juan, he hadn’t been to school for the week, presumably due to his hand injury. So, this was the first time Pei Yule had seen him since that day. The “contact therapy” had naturally stopped as well.

Before, Pei Yule would have felt relaxed and at ease, but for some reason, he kept thinking that he owed Huo Juan something. Now that the man was here, that thought grew stronger, reaching a level that made him restless. He figured Huo Juan really had been injured because of him; their first formal cooperation hadn’t soothed the Alpha but had instead left him wounded. This was one of the reasons for Pei Yule’s guilt.

Therefore, he wanted to do what he could to help alleviate Huo Juan’s symptoms. But with Huo Juan not coming to school, he had no way to start.

Xu Yanxi came to school every day, and Pei Yule had actually asked him about Huo Juan’s condition. The other had only said Huo Juan was recovering. Pei Yule didn’t know if Xu Yanxi knew about the “contact therapy,” so he didn’t dare ask directly.

Xu Yanxi, being sharp, had likely seen through something and once said to him with a smile: “Even if Huo Juan doesn’t come to school, you can go to his house to find him. Don’t you know his passcode?”

“…” Pei Yule, of course, wouldn’t take the initiative to seek Huo Juan out.

Since the person wasn’t coming, he had to set aside his guilt for the time being and focus on school life. The following days were indeed busy, with studies and sports meet preparations leaving him dizzy. Gradually, Pei Yule had no time to think about it.

After a week of not seeing him, the tall Alpha didn’t seem to have changed at all. He still had that same demeanor—standing there normally, yet possessing a casual, sovereign air that said he was the only one who mattered.

Before the assembly, as desk-mates, they had naturally run into each other. When Pei Yule saw Huo Juan, he noticed he was still using blocking agents. The cold cypress scent had vanished without a trace; even at an arm’s length, he couldn’t smell a thing.

Huo Juan’s pheromones had caused Pei Yule suffering before. That feeling of being suppressed by pheromones and being completely unable to resist still made him a bit apprehensive. But he didn’t know if he had just gotten used to the smell, because he felt… Huo Juan was born to have that cold, arrogant fragrance. Now that he couldn’t smell it, he felt a sense of loss, like something was missing.

Of course, Huo Juan using blocking agents was actually great for him. After all, his limbs wouldn’t suddenly go weak, and he could be much more relaxed in Huo Juan’s presence. Furthermore, Huo Juan had said that without pheromones, it would be easier for him to stay calm during contact therapy, so for both of them, it was likely a win-win situation.

While Pei Yule felt he was missing some piece of information, since Huo Juan had put it that way, he wouldn’t be talkative enough to tell him that he looked more like an Alpha “boss” when he had his pheromones.

Pei Yule pulled back his wandering thoughts. Looking at the thin school shirts Huo Juan and Xu Yanxi were wearing, he sniffled, letting out an envious sound. He was living in winter, while others seemed to be living in summer; it was truly enough to make one die of envy. There were a few other Alphas only wearing shirts, but for some reason, Pei Yule felt only Huo Juan and Xu Yanxi were particularly eye-catching. Seeing them dressed so lightly, he sincerely felt they weren’t cold at all.

There were many reasons to envy Alphas, and not being afraid of the cold was just one of them—hardly worth mentioning. Even though his pheromone scent was blocked, Huo Juan was undeniably an Alpha; this was evident from his aura, which didn’t fade even when standing among so many other Alphas. He was, after all, a top-tier Alpha, the Emperor of No. 1 High. Even without releasing pheromones, his sheer presence was enough to command respect.

Pei Yule sighed inwardly. He pulled his thick coat tighter, tucked his head down, and even shrunk his chin into the collar to conserve body heat. Just as he finished his observations and began waiting for the sports meet to officially start, the other side wasn’t idle either.

Xu Yanxi lamented: “He’s really sensitive to the cold, like an Omega.” In this weather, only a few cold-sensitive Omegas across the school were wearing the specially made heavy school coats—and Pei Yule, a Beta, was one of them. Seeing Pei Yule huddling his head like a little quail, Xu Yanxi felt hot just looking at him.

He remembered that Pei Yule had caught a fever after being doused with water; his constitution really wasn’t much different from an Omega’s. Could he really be a latent Omega? However, since Huo Juan wouldn’t let anyone examine Pei Yule’s body, Xu Yanxi naturally wouldn’t be boring enough to bring it up again.

Huo Juan’s gaze was fixed on Pei Yule. He saw how extremely cold-sensitive he was; despite being wrapped in three layers inside and out, he was still curled in a ball, the fluffy hood of the heavy coat almost completely blocking his head.

This person was actually tall for a Beta, standing half a head taller than many in the rows in front of him. If one only looked at Pei Yule’s height and build, his physique actually leaned more toward an Alpha’s—yet he was that sensitive to the cold.

Among the crowd of Betas, he stood out at the very back, dressed so thickly. It was truly conspicuous. Yet the man seemed completely oblivious to the stares of others; when a cold wind blew, he shivered and pulled his collar tighter of his own accord.

Huo Juan didn’t look away. He kept staring at Pei Yule and said: “His constitution isn’t very good.”

This was what the doctor had told him during Pei Yule’s fever. The doctor said it might be an issue from childhood; although he looked tall, his physical fitness was lagging. Especially in winter, he was prone to catching chills and fevers; he needed a balanced diet and to be very careful about staying warm.

Recalling how the boy had hesitated for a long time, looking at his surroundings, and starting to unzip his jacket several times before finally being unable to bear the cold and zipping it even higher to curl up like a cold-sensitive animal, a trace of a smile flashed in Huo Juan’s eyes.

He wasn’t stupid; he knew how to take care of himself.

Xu Yanxi didn’t miss that hint of a smile and was practically amazed. Having known Huo Juan for so many years, his childhood friend had always been a very cool—or rather, a very cold—kid. Even he had only seen him smile a handful of times. It was as if he had a facial muscle disorder or was born lacking the emotion of “joy.”

His lack of expression aside, it was as if his desires and passions were also purified. While Xu Yanxi was teasing girls in kindergarten, Huo Juan was playing with a Rubik’s cube or a Nine-Linked Ring puzzle. While Xu Yanxi was kissing the girl at the desk next to him in elementary school, this guy was calculating calculus. And while Xu Yanxi was driving around with pretty girls in middle school, this guy was looking at complex stock market charts.

Now in high school, Xu Yanxi had settled down a bit, and Huo Juan finally showed signs of descending to the mortal realm. It was truly worth celebrating.

Xu Yanxi was happy to see this change in Huo Juan, though there was an element of wanting to watch the drama. He rubbed his chin and said: “If his constitution isn’t great, he really needs to exercise.”

Being targeted by an Alpha—especially a top-tier one—would be very taxing without a strong constitution. Having grown up with Huo Juan and shared showers during their adolescence, Xu Yanxi had seen a “certain aspect” of him that was already quite frightening in middle school; though it had been years since he’d seen it, he assumed it hadn’t shrunk.

Xu Yanxi sincerely lit a candle for Pei Yule. Betas were different from Omegas. Omegas were soft and fragrant, and their bodies would adjust and adapt to their mates. But Betas were solid; if they were strong, they could endure it, but if they were weak or sensitive to pain…

Xu Yanxi stopped thinking about it and heartily hoped for the best for them.

“…Mm.” Huo Juan seemed to think of something; his voice dropped slightly, and he nodded slowly. “He does need to exercise.”

After all, it wasn’t good to always be sick because of a weak constitution. Later on, he would naturally devise a plan to help Pei Yule strengthen his body. He wanted him to be healthier.

“Good, as long as you have that awareness.” After all, this was for the sake of his own future “happiness”—a strong body made all kinds of play more convenient. Xu Yanxi let out a sly laugh. His topic jumped as he stared at Pei Yule, thinking of his current shivering state. He suddenly asked suspiciously: “I wonder what event he signed up for? He looks like he’s in a bad way, like he can’t do anything—hiss.”

The unfinished words turned into a short hiss of pain. Huo Juan had elbowed him. Despite the calm expression on his face, the strike was quite ruthless and fast; if it weren’t for the sudden pain, Xu Yanxi wouldn’t even have known what happened.

Xu Yanxi shot Huo Juan a soulful look, rubbed his aching chest, and exhaled slowly. Fine, the “protectiveness” was here. He couldn’t even say a word. It was just a “plastic” brotherhood after all—he fully understood.

The megaphone on the podium barked one final sentence: “Although the weather is cold today, I hope everyone’s hearts are fiery. Face this sports meet with your best attitude and heat up the field! Now, without further ado, the sports meet officially begins!”

As the school’s commentary officially ended, Xu Yanxi was about to say a few words to tease Huo Juan, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the lines starting to break up. A person also wearing a heavy coat approached Pei Yule and said something to him. Pei Yule, with his head tucked into his hood, looked up at the newcomer with a dazed expression.

That was… an Omega?

Unaware of what the person was saying to Pei Yule, Pei Yule nodded and followed him away.

“Hey, your little Beta is being led away.” Xu Yanxi was amused and said to Huo Juan: “That’s Qiao Shengmo from our class, a top-tier Omega with countless admirers in school.”

Huo Juan didn’t speak. His dark eyes followed Pei Yule’s back as he left with Qiao Shengmo. They were walking further away, seemingly heading toward the integrated building.

Seeing that he wasn’t moving, Xu Yanxi put on a drama-watching expression and reminded him with a smile: “Aren’t you going to take a look?”

Huo Juan narrowed his eyes slightly. He retracted his gaze, swept it over Xu Yanxi, and asked flatly: “Are you bored?”

Xu Yanxi was exceptionally annoying today. He wasn’t bored; he’d have things to do in a bit. But for the sake of their “plastic” brotherhood, he decided to give things a push, offering a meaningful smile: “Juan-ge, this is your first time in the mortal realm, so you might not fully understand mortal affairs. Allow me to tell you…”

He intentionally drew out his words, saying each one slowly: “Between Betas and Omegas… there are quite a few who end up as partners.”

And Qiao Shengmo from their class was an Omega with top-tier pheromones. He had countless admirers—Alphas, Betas, and even many Omegas who followed him. If this person wanted to seduce someone, that obviously inexperienced Beta… might not be able to hold out.