After Transmigrating into a Book, I Saved the Cheap Shou - Chapter 15

Because he hadn’t come to class the previous day, Gu Jingning was called in by his homeroom teacher for a talk. Fortunately, thanks to his usual good reputation, the teacher only gave him a mild lecture and even asked with concern whether he had skipped class due to too much pressure. After Gu Jingning repeatedly assured him that he had no mental health issues, the teacher let him go.

The moment he closed the office door, an unexpected person was leaning against the wall, striking a pose. Pei Yuanqing held a book in his hands, lazily leaning against the windowsill. The corners of his lips carried the same gentle smile as always. Sunlight poured over him, giving him a glowing halo, while a circle of his admirers — both male and female — surrounded him.

Pei Yuanqing greeted the people around him and walked toward Gu Jingning.

Gu Jingning thought Pei Yuanqing was heading into the office, so he didn’t think much of it and turned to walk toward the classroom. However, Pei Yuanqing called out to him.

“Where were you yesterday?”

Gu Jingning ignored him.

“Hey!” Pei Yuanqing grabbed Gu Jingning’s hand, but the next second, it was flung away. In that instant, Pei Yuanqing’s pupils shrank slightly.

Gu Jingning frowned and looked him up and down for a moment. “We’re not that close, are we?”

Pei Yuanqing laughed in anger. “What? I can’t even show concern for you? After all, we used to hang out together for quite some time.”

Gu Jingning rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

Pei Yuanqing grabbed his hand again, his steps hurried, and dragged him into an empty corner.

Gu Jingning tried to struggle, but found he couldn’t match an Alpha’s strength. He was pushed against the wall by Pei Yuanqing.

Pei Yuanqing placed both hands on either side of him, his handsome face enlarged right in front of Gu Jingning. Disgusted, Gu Jingning turned his head away. Seriously? In the novel, does the male lead push people against the wall like this no matter who it is, even if they’re not the official couple?

“Talk if you want to talk. Don’t get handsy.” He tried to push the other person away. Fortunately, Pei Yuanqing also felt uncomfortable with the position and quickly took a step back.

Pei Yuanqing didn’t know why he had acted this way toward Gu Jingning either. Whatever — he had done it, so be it.

“Yesterday I called Xiao Yu. He’s very concerned about you and wanted to know how you’ve been.”

Gu Jingyu — his half-brother from the same father, and one of the main characters in this world.

Legitimate children naturally felt aversion toward illegitimate ones. Moreover, Gu Jingyu’s mother had married Gu Linghai less than three months after the original owner’s mother had died. While his mother’s body was barely cold, the three of them had put on a harmonious family act right in front of the young Gu Jingning.

Gu Jingning and Gu Jingyu had names that differed by only one character, yet their fates were completely different. The two had disliked each other since childhood; if they didn’t fight for a day, they felt uncomfortable all over.

So, Gu Jingyu was concerned about him? What a joke.

“How I’m doing is none of his damn business.” Gu Jingning’s face was full of disgust as he turned to leave, but Pei Yuanqing once again grabbed his wrist and shoved him hard against the wall. His back slammed into the surface, causing him to gasp in pain.

Fuck, again?!

A cold cedar scent with a chilling edge rushed into his nose, forming an invisible wall of air around the Beta. The sudden burst of Alpha pheromones caught Gu Jingning off guard.

“Talk if you want to talk! Don’t get so close to me!” Gu Jingning tried to shake him off, but his wrist felt as if it were locked in an iron vise and couldn’t move an inch.

“If I don’t hold you, you’ll run away again!”

Gu Jingning’s wrist hurt from being gripped so tightly. A surge of anger rose in his chest. He glared at the Alpha who seemed to have gone crazy and snapped, “Pull back your pheromones! Do you know you’re sexually harassing me?!”

Pei Yuanqing looked completely unconcerned. “You’re a Beta anyway. It has no effect on you.”

Gu Jingning was about to lose it. He was just about to lift his leg to let Pei Yuanqing experience the harshness of the world below the belt when a blur flashed before his eyes. Pei Yuanqing was violently knocked away and fell to the ground.

A slender, upright teenage figure stood in front of him, back tense.

Having been knocked to the ground, Pei Yuanqing’s expression instantly turned dark. He was about to see who had the guts to do it, but when he saw it was Su Chen, the originally furious Alpha’s face changed into a gentle, spring-like smile.

Pei Yuanqing stood up, patted the dust off himself, and asked the protective Su Chen, “What is Junior Su doing?”

“I should be the one asking what Senior is doing. The class bell has already rung. Shouldn’t you two be in class?” His face showed no fear as he stared straight at the Alpha who was a head taller than him.

“I still have something to discuss with him.” Pei Yuanqing’s expression was playful. Su Chen’s reaction amused him.

“I don’t think what just happened looked like a peaceful discussion.” Su Chen emphasized the word “peaceful” heavily.

“Then you must have misunderstood.”

A layer of coldness covered Su Chen’s eyes. “I don’t think this scent is a misunderstanding. Senior may not be able to smell it, but I can clearly sense that these are Alpha pheromones released in anger.”

Hearing this, Gu Jingning’s expression changed. He immediately pulled out a handkerchief, covered Su Chen’s mouth and nose, and shoved the still-speaking Pei Yuanqing away. “Get lost! Stop showing off your crappy pheromones!”

Pushed back, Pei Yuanqing’s face turned livid. However, unwilling to leave a bad impression in front of Su Chen, he left Gu Jingning with one sentence: “Remember to contact Xiao Yu,” and walked away.

The moment he left, Gu Jingning pulled Su Chen closer, asking anxiously, “Are you okay? Did you inhale a lot? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Should I go buy you a suppressant?!”

Su Chen grabbed the hands that were searching over him and endured his racing heartbeat as he said uncomfortably, “I’m fine, Senior.”

Seeing that Su Chen really was okay, Gu Jingning relaxed. “Next time you see him, stay far away.”

Su Chen blinked gently. “No.”

Gu Jingning: “…?”

Su Chen: “He was bullying Senior. I don’t want to pretend I didn’t see it.” Otherwise, how would I be any different from those people?

Gu Jingning: “No! Stay away from him.” You two are destined partners with a 98% pheromone compatibility rate. Have some sense, protagonist shou!

Su Chen: “I won’t!”

Being rejected again, Gu Jingning didn’t get angry.

Because he realized that Su Chen — who in the book had always compromised — had just refused him many times.

The protagonist shou had learned to say no!!!

Gu Jingning felt a slight relief in his heart. This meant he had at least had some positive influence on Su Chen.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Fine. He would just keep a closer eye on things. If the plot still followed the original path in the end, there was nothing more he could do.

At that moment, Su Chen took out a spray and sprayed it on Gu Jingning.

Gu Jingning asked in confusion, “What’s this?”

“Pheromone blocker.”

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he seemed to see a trace of unhappiness on Su Chen’s face.

Thinking that his body might still carry Pei Yuanqing’s scent, Gu Jingning wanted to pour the entire bottle over himself. But he held back. A few seconds later, however, he couldn’t resist saying to Su Chen, “…Spray a bit more for me.”

Su Chen laughed softly. “Okay.”

Hm? He’s happy again, Gu Jingning thought.

After confirming that there was no longer any of that annoying cedar scent on Gu Jingning — only his own unique scent remained — Su Chen carefully straightened Gu Jingning’s rumpled uniform.

Afterward, the two of them walked toward the teaching building, one in front and one behind.

Su Chen walked behind him, his eyes full of smiles. His fingertips lightly hooked onto the hem of Gu Jingning’s uniform. Since it was class time now, he wasn’t worried about being seen by others.