ABMSI Chapter 59

In just that instant, everyone on the sports field felt as if they’d been dropped into a forest thick with white pine. The sheer aggression in Fu Duqiu’s pheromones made everyone present — except the few Betas — go weak in the knees.

Li Shao’s legs gave out completely, and he dropped straight to his knees before Fu Duqiu and the others. From Duan Wei’s angle, he couldn’t see what was happening at all — only two figures, one standing and one kneeling, locked in invisible combat.

Rumors about Fu Duqiu and Duan Wei had never really quieted down at school, and Li Shao had heard them too. He never believed them at first, but now he was forced to face reality: the Alpha standing before him held a fierce protectiveness — and a kind of possessiveness only Alphas could understand — toward the Omega in his arms.

And with Fu Duqiu being a top-tier Alpha, his natural dominance made one thing clear to Li Shao: he might dare to offend Duan Wei, but this Alpha in front of him was someone he absolutely could not afford to provoke.

So he could only surrender to fate and kneel there. Even if he wanted to stand, Fu Duqiu’s overwhelming pheromone pressure kept him pinned to the ground.

Just then, Duan Wei shifted weakly in Fu Duqiu’s arms, frowning from discomfort. Even though he’d been marked, he still couldn’t fully withstand the intensity of an Alpha’s pheromones at this level. That alone was enough to show how furious Fu Duqiu had been to release such a crushing amount.

Seeing this, Fu Duqiu finally pulled back his pheromones, allowing the people around them to breathe again. He didn’t say a single word, but the entire field instantly tensed. Peng Yan hesitated for a moment, then hurried toward them. After exchanging a brief look with Fu Duqiu, the three of them headed toward the infirmary.

Inside sat the same young female doctor from before. When she saw Duan Wei and Fu Duqiu walk in, they looked familiar to her. She checked the injury on Duan Wei’s forehead — and in just this short time, it had already swollen noticeably. Even a gentle press made him suck in a sharp breath.

“Good thing you didn’t hit it any harder,” the doctor said as she disinfected the wound. “Otherwise, this little infirmary wouldn’t be enough. I’ll prescribe oral meds and a topical. Avoid strenuous exercise these next few days — and keep your diet light.”

Seeing the two beside him looking so tense, Duan Wei tried to lighten the mood and joked, “sis, you’re even prettier today.”

“Quit the sweet talk,” Fu Duqiu said coldly.

Duan Wei could only shut his mouth in defeat.

By now, the doctor had remembered exactly who they were — the same students who had come in months ago. As an outsider, she could see even more clearly that something between them had subtly changed; their relationship was no longer the simple classmate dynamic it was back then.

With a knowing smile, she put the medicine into a plastic bag and handed it to Duan Wei, reminded them of a few more precautions, and sent them on their way.

Most of PE class had already passed. Rows of students sat neatly in the classroom, and when the three walked in, every head turned. After all, no one expected that today’s PE class would come with extra drama… and a bonus serving of couple energy.

Mr. Tong, standing on the podium, gestured for them to enter. Fu Duqiu and Duan Wei took their seats. The moment they sat down, Fu Duqiu lightly tapped the bandaged spot on Duan Wei’s forehead and asked softly, “Does it still hurt?”

His voice was so gentle that several students in front literally shivered. It was hard to believe this was the same man who had just crushed Li Shao with his pheromones.

Duan Wei shook his head. “Doesn’t hurt anymore.”

After thinking for a moment, he added, “Let’s practice again in a few days.”

“No,” Fu Duqiu rejected immediately. “Forget the sports meet. We’ll talk after you’ve healed.”

True, Duan Wei’s injury wouldn’t recover before the competition… but he’d signed up for multiple events. If he dropped out, those slots would go completely empty.

He explained all of that earnestly, but Fu Duqiu still didn’t agree. Instead, he said, “I’ll take your place.”

“I signed up for long jump and high jump, you know?” Duan Wei gave him a look — he didn’t believe Fu Duqiu was that all-round. Sure, basketball and badminton, fine… but everything else?

Fu Duqiu didn’t answer. Instead, he took out his phone, checked the time — nearly dinner — and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“Let’s just order takeout. I was craving claypot rice yesterday,” Duan Wei perked up immediately, forgetting the sports meet entirely. He started scrolling and was just about to order spicy chicken gizzard claypot rice.

Before he could hit confirm, Fu Duqiu stopped him. His brows furrowed. “Did you even listen to what the doctor said?”

Without waiting for a response, he pulled out his own phone and held it in front of Duan Wei. Duan Wei glanced over, confused — and then couldn’t look away.

“Tremella lotus soup, crucian carp broth, corn ribs, a light stir-fry…”
Duan Wei had no idea how Fu Duqiu managed to find dishes on a delivery app that usually only showed up in hotel restaurants. He stared at him with a what-is-wrong-with-you expression.
“What are you doing?”

“The doctor said you can’t eat oily food,” Fu Duqiu replied calmly, already about to place the order. “Eat these. I’ll order for you.”

“Wait—don’t you think this is a bit too extravagant?” Duan Wei hurried to stop him, lowering his voice. “I can order for myself.”

Fu Duqiu took his phone away and said, “Then you can’t eat any spicy chicken gizzard nonsense. You can only eat this—”

On the screen was a claypot rice with vegetables and tofu, neatly ticked.
“…”

Duan Wei: “…I suddenly think your choices are great. Go ahead, place the order.”

Fu Duqiu chuckled softly and confirmed the order.

The last class of the day was scheduled right after PE — which meant going from intense exercise straight into mental torture. No one could take it. But with it being Mrs. Tong’s English class, no one dared slack off, so they all endured it in agony.

When the bell finally rang, Duan Wei collapsed onto his desk in defeat.
Fu Duqiu, perfectly unfazed, put his workbook and pen away and headed to the back door to pick up the food.

By the time he came back, Duan Wei had already fallen asleep on his desk.

Fu Duqiu set the food down quietly. First he checked to make sure Duan Wei wasn’t pressing on his injury, then crouched down beside him so their faces were level.

This person looked completely different asleep and awake.
Awake, Duan Wei was lively, bright-eyed, smiles half-squinted with boyish innocence and warmth.
Asleep, he was quiet, breathing softly — making one instinctively afraid to disturb him.

The classroom was empty, so Fu Duqiu simply watched him for a long while.
He didn’t know how long it had been until his phone buzzed twice in his pocket. Only then did he snap out of it. He stood and gently patted Duan Wei awake.

“Get up and eat. The food’s getting cold.”

Still lost somewhere in dreamland, Duan Wei frowned a little. It took him quite a while to finally open his eyes. He sat up groggily, blinking at Fu Duqiu.
Meanwhile, the latter took out every food box and set them neatly on the desk.

He broke apart a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Duan Wei. Only after Duan Wei accepted them did he open his own set.

Duan Wei’s circulation wasn’t great; it always took him a while after waking to feel fully conscious. He shoveled a few bites into his mouth, then belatedly checked the time.

“Why did you take so long?”

“…”
Of course Fu Duqiu wasn’t going to say he had spent ages staring at him sleeping.
So he said, “Delivery was late. I waited.”

“Oh.”
Duan Wei responded absently, scooping food into his mouth without much enthusiasm. The dishes were generous, but to him, still too bland.

Watching him stir the lotus seed soup with his spoon, Fu Duqiu said, “I finally understand why you’re supposed to be in your growing years, yet you still don’t grow taller.”

“???”
Duan Wei, extremely satisfied with his height of over 1.8 meters, glared. “What do you mean I don’t grow tall?”

“You’re not as tall as me,” Fu Duqiu replied simply.

Duan Wei: “…”

Seeing him choke on that, Fu Duqiu hid his smile and dropped a few ribs into his bowl.
“Eat more nutritious stuff so you can grow.”

“I’ll say it again — I’m not short,” Duan Wei corrected him sternly. “You can’t be this harsh to an Omega.”

Fu Duqiu raised a brow. “So you do admit you’re an Omega now?”

“I’ve always admitted it!”
Duan Wei’s trash-talk never lost steam. After speaking, he stuffed the rib into his mouth with a look of disdain.

Across from him, Fu Duqiu smiled faintly.
The man was ridiculously easy to distract — just toss him a random topic and he’d immediately lose track of the previous conversation, obediently eating whatever was placed in his bowl.

Lovably dumb.

Half coaxing, half tricking him, Fu Duqiu managed to get Duan Wei to eat most of the food.
Duan Wei set down his chopsticks, ready to nap again, when he heard—

“Don’t move.”

Before he could react, Fu Duqiu’s fingers touched the corner of his lips.
He could easily have pushed him away — just a gentle shove — but for some reason, he didn’t.

He felt the pad of Fu Duqiu’s thumb brush against his lips, while the rest of his fingers rested lightly on his jaw. The cool touch made him instinctively want to lean back, yet he stayed frozen in place, letting that touch linger.

It didn’t last long.
Fu Duqiu withdrew his hand, a single white grain of rice stuck to his thumb.

He wasn’t the slightest bit bothered. He merely smiled, wiped it off with a tissue, and said softly:

“Were you planning to save that for a midnight snack?”

“…” For some reason, Duan Wei stared blankly at every one of Fu Duqiu’s movements. His throat tightened.

Then — in a sudden rush — his face flushed red.