"Let's get out of the school first," Wen Lan whispered, his words barely audible. His fingers curled tightly around the strap of his bag. His knuckles whitening as he straightened his back. Not caring to spare a glance at Qiangqiu as he spoke. Instead, his eyes drifted together with the figure.
"Are you a nerd?' Qiangqiu commented, seeing Wen Lan's sudden change of behaviour. Wen Lan was definitely the opposite of a nerd…
Qiangqiu opened his mouth to say more but Wen Lan had already begun walking. One hand on his bag strap and one hand grabbed Qiangqiu's sleeve, dragging Qiangqiu together with him towards the school gate. Following after the trail of the alpha's pheromones.
Qiangqiu stumbled, "hey! Slow down!"
"Lower your voice," Wen Lan cut in sharply, his tone deep "he's right in front,"
Just ahead was Jiaquan, modestly making his way towards the school gate. Unaware of the 'stalker' trailing behind him.
The gates creaked slowly as Wen Lan and Qiangqiu stepped through them.
For now, Wen Lan actually felt relieved that Qiangqiu had gotten into trouble and allowed him to at least see Jiaquan outside of class. His eyes still focused on Jiaquan. Watching him as he nonchalantly connects his earpiece to his phone and tucking it back to his pocket.
Oh how Wen Lan wished that Jiaquan would share one side of his earpiece with him… what songs would Jiaquan listen to?
Rock? no , he doesn't look like the one who enjoys rock. Maybe even R&B? But it was rare to find alphas who enjoy that kind of music… 'too emotional' 'too cringy' however, if Jiaquan really does like R&B then that would be another win. Wen Lan just couldn't imagine someone as good-looking and smart as him would listen to hard rock music. Looks really do create assumption about music taste.
"Are you even listening to me?" Qiangqiu nudged Wen Lan, snapping him out of his daze.
Wen Lan gave a vague hum in response, his attention still split between the street ahead and the distance Jiaquan was putting between them. Qiangqiu analyzed his expression.
'5 years of friendship you think I'm that stupid to not be able to tell that you're lying!" Qiangqiu internally thought.
He cleared his throat, "what I said was, chinese new year is next week. " he continued, "I'm heading back to my hometown, there's already two tickets booked meant for me and my sister. But for some reason she couldn't make it. So… I was thinking, since you don't celebrate with your family, why not come with me?"
"I'll pass," Wen Lan replied without hesitation.
Qiangqiu blinked. "Huh?"
"I'll stay here," Wen Lan said. "I unfortunately need to study."
Qiangqiu stared at him like he'd just said something sacrilegious. "During Chinese New Year?"
"It's quieter," Wen Lan replied simply, his eyes still on Jiaquan
"Wen Lan! We'll be playing with lots and lots of fireworks! Aren't you intrigued!" Qiangqiu attempted to convince him. He knows how much the beta beside him loves fireworks.
Wen Lan shook his head, "No… I can't risk slacking… The school holds Chinese new year celebrations too for those that remain."
Qiangqiu narrowed his eyes. He glanced ahead again, then back at Wen Lan, the corner of his mouth twitching. "If you're really staying here," he said slowly, deliberately, "then that guy—" he tilted his chin toward the figure still walking a short distance ahead, "he looks like someone from this area. Why don't you ask him to celebrate Chinese New Year with you?"
Smack.
Qiangqiu yelped, clutching the back of his head. "How many times are you going to hit me today?!"
Wen Lan's hand stung, but his expression was far sharper. "How many times are you going to keep spouting nonsense?" he snapped, ears blazing red. "If he was originally from here, why would he suddenly transfer in? He's most likely here just for his studies!"
Qiangqiu opened his mouth to argue.
"…."
Then paused.
Wen Lan shot him a look that clearly said
don't you dare.
The two of them kept walking, shoes crunching lightly against the pavement outside the gates. Jiaquan was still ahead, no longer close enough to hear, but close enough to see. Close enough for Wen Lan to notice the subtle way Jiaquan adjusted his bag, or how his shoulders relaxed once he left the school grounds.
Qiangqiu sighed dramatically. "Wow," he muttered. "So you're really choosing an alpha over your best friend now?"
Wen Lan stiffened. "That's not what this is."
Qiangqiu shot him a sideways glance. "Do you remember who stayed up with you the night before finals? Who covered for you when you skipped morning assembly?"
Wen Lan looked away. "Stop exaggerating."
"I'm serious," Qiangqiu said, tone softening just a little. "You're really going to abandon me during Chinese New Year?"
"I'm not abandoning you," Wen Lan replied. "You're the one leaving!"
Qiangqiu scoffed. "That's worse."
They fell into silence for a moment.
Ahead, Jiaquan reached a junction and turned without looking back, disappearing into the flow of the street. Wen Lan slowed unconsciously, his gaze lingering on the empty space where Jiaquan had been just seconds ago.
Qiangqiu noticed.
Of course he did.
"…You're hopeless," he said, shaking his head. "Five years of friendship, and I can't even compete with a guy you haven't spoken to once."
Wen Lan didn't respond. His fingers tightened around his bag strap, knuckles whitening again.
"I'm studying, you should too!" he murmured.
Qiangqiu studied him for a long moment,
then sighed. "Fine. Stay. Study. I'm sure you'll be spending your time reading those novels and manhuas on your bed instead,"
He grinned suddenly. "But don't cry when I send you videos of fireworks."
Wen Lan huffed. "…Idiot."
Yet, despite himself, when he imagined the campus during Chinese New Year empty corridors, quiet nights, the distant echo of firecrackers beyond the walls. His thoughts drifted not to textbooks, but to a certain alpha who might still be nearby.
His pheromones were extremely comforting…
The fact that Wen Lan realized this really bothered him. This feeling was stronger than it normally would be, for Wen Lan. Wen Lan was not sure why it affected him this way.
The smells were not as strong now. They were weaker because of the distance and all the other smells on the street. He could smell food from the stalls, car exhaust and the sweet smell of the afternoon.. He could still smell a faint sense of it. The smells of the street were still there. The other smells, the ones he was thinking of were fading away.
Wen Lan slowed down his pace without realizing it. He was not really thinking about how he was walking, he just slowed down.
Qiangqiu, still standing next to Wen Lan saw that he was not walking normally. "Hey " Qiangqiu. He used his elbow to gently push Wen Lan. " Are you daydreaming again Wen Lan?"
Wen Lan suddenly stopped feeling spaced out and started walking. "I am walking."
Qiangqiu gave him a look. "You really think you are not memorizing the back of Jiaquan's head?"
Wen Lan stiffened. He said "stop…"
They walked a little farther before the street got wider and opened up into an intersection. You could see red banners already going up. Some were a bit crooked. Some were brand new but the bright red color of the red banners really stood out against the dull concrete. Some shop owners were getting a head start on decorations with lanterns stacked up neatly by the doorways of the shops just waiting to be put up. The red banners were a touch.
Qiangqiu looked around with his hands in his pockets. He said after a while "You know it is going to be really loud at my home. My relatives love fireworks just like you, they like a lot of noise from the fireworks."
Wen Lan hummed softly to himself the sound was really quiet. Wen Lan liked humming when he was all alone. It made him feel happy and calm so Wen Lan just kept on humming.
Qiangqiu went on to say that they will probably keep setting off fireworks until midnight. "My grandma will definitely complain about the smoke. Then she will secretly light another firework herself."
Wen Lan's lips started to move a little. He could not help it.
Qiangqiu asked again. This time he asked really quietly. He said "You really do not want to come?"
Wen Lan shook his head. "I already told you that I will stay. " Wen Lan said.
Qiangqiu let out a breath and said "You are really stubborn."
"So are you."
They came to another junction. This time there was no one they knew ahead of them. no one to help Wen Lan focus. The street felt really empty without Jiaquan. It was weird because nothing was really different. It felt that way. Wen Lan missed Jiaquan that is why the street felt empty.
Wen Lan suddenly stopped walking. It was so abrupt that Qiangqiu nearly walked straight into his back. "What now?"
Wen Lan did not answer. His eyes wandered away from the road. Looking at the small shops across the street. These shops were lined up one after the other. Then Wen Lan's eyes stopped at the bus stop sign that was a way down the road. The numbers on the sign that showed which buses stopped there were faded. The numbers were still stuck to the metal pole. They were really worn out from being outside in the weather for a long time. Wen Lan looked at the bus stop sign and the faded route numbers, on it.
Qiangqiu followed his line of sight, he was really confused. "Are you okay?"
"Wait here…" Wen Lan said.
Before Qiangqiu could ask him questions Wen Lan had already stepped off the curb. Wen Lan walked across the street fast like he knew where he was going. He went into a store that was between a pharmacy and a closed tailor shop. The store was very narrow. Wen Lan just slipped into it.
Qiangqiu squinted after the man. He thought to himself what is Qiangqius friend doing now?
A few minutes passed. Then Wen Lan came back. He had a plastic bag in his hand. The bag was swinging back and forth lightly from his hand. Wen Lan was holding the plastic bag.
Qiangqiu raised an eyebrow. He said "You left me for that?"
Wen Lan walked up to him and pushed the bag against his chest. He said "Open the bag" to him. Qiangqiu looked down. He felt really confused. Then Qiangqiu peered inside to see what was going on.
Inside were two things,
a neatly packed box of stomach medicine, and a single thermal heat patch.
The man just stopped moving. He was like a statue.
Qiangqiu asked, "You still remember?" He said it slowly.
Wen Lan looked away. "You always get stomach pain after a long ride," he said in a stiff voice. "You get stomach pain during holidays because you get so excited that you forget to eat your meals."
Qiangqiu looked at what was inside his fingers, getting a grip on the plastic that was making a crinkling sound. He did not say a word, for a moment.
"I was going to buy these soon anyways… " Qiangqiu replied… however it was obvious that he would clearly forget to.
"You are just really bad at remembering things, " Wen Lan said.
"…Wow," Qiangqiu muttered.
Then he laughed. It came out shaky, exaggerated, the kind of laugh that was obviously trying to cover something else. He dragged a sleeve across his eyes. "This is insane. I never thought you'd be this kind of person."
Wen Lan frowned. "What kind?"
"The kind that does stuff like this without saying anything," Qiangqiu replied, sniffing loudly on purpose. "You know how unfair that is? How am I supposed to leave now?"
"You're overreacting," Wen Lan said flatly.
"I'm not!" Qiangqiu protested, fake-sobbing dramatically. "I'm emotionally wounded. My best friend is secretly this thoughtful and I only find out now? Tragic."
Wen Lan clicked his tongue. "You're embarrassing."
Qiangqiu took a breath, straightening, gripping the bag a little tighter. "You know," he said, "I was kind of annoyed earlier."
Wen Lan glanced at him.
"But now?" Qiangqiu leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Now I feel like I'd be committing a crime if I left without doing something for you."
"…You don't need to," Wen Lan said.
"I do," Qiangqiu insisted immediately.
He grinned. "I'll dig up information about Jiaquan."
Wen Lan stiffened. "What?"
"Relax," Qiangqiu said quickly. "Nothing weird. Just normal stuff, where he transferred from, what year he's in, maybe whether he's staying during Chinese New Year. Information you'd never ask."
"…Why?" Wen Lan asked, though his heart had already betrayed him.
Qiangqiu lifted the plastic bag. "Because you bought me medicine like my mom would."
He slung an arm around Wen Lan's shoulders. "Give me one day. Tomorrow, I'll tell you everything."
Wen Lan hesitated. "…You really don't have to."
Qiangqiu laughed. "Too late. I've already decided."
The bus pulled in with a low hiss.
Qiangqiu stepped back, waving the bag. "I'll get going now!"
Wen Lan nodded once.
As Qiangqiu walked toward the bus, Wen Lan stayed where he was, the evening air brushing coolly against his skin.