SCOM - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

While Ji Yuezhi was looking for the dance studio, Zuo Luohuan held onto the bouquet. It wasn't until he found the large studio and everyone had gone inside that she returned the flowers to him.

"Your flowers." Zuo Luohuan handed them to him, her gaze falling on the iris in the center. She hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back. It was the first time she had ever been so hesitant.

Ji Yuezhi noticed. He took the flowers from her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zuo Luohuan thought it over carefully. She figured that Ji Yuezhi might have always thought of himself as an Alpha, so he wasn't familiar with being an Omega for the first time and hadn't noticed these details. As a classmate, she felt it was necessary to remind him, "Don't casually give things related to your pheromones to an Alpha."

Seeing the lingering confusion in Ji Yuezhi's eyes, Zuo Luohuan had no choice but to be direct. She pointed to the iris in the middle of the bouquet he was holding. "This. Don't just give it to people randomly. An Alpha might get the wrong idea."

"Did you get the wrong idea?" Ji Yuezhi tilted his head slightly, his beautiful eyes showing a hint of confusion.

Zuo Luohuan: "...You asked me to help you hold them. What is there to misunderstand? I'm just reminding you out of kindness, that's all."

Ji Yuezhi held the flowers in one hand at his side and took a step closer to Zuo Luohuan, leaning in near her ear. His long lashes lowered as he said in the most innocent tone, "But your actions toward me can also cause misunderstandings. My father asked me who gave me the neck lock."

His light, warm breath tickled her ear. Zuo Luohuan resisted the urge to pull away, remaining silent for a long moment before explaining, "About the neck lock, I apologize. I thought you were going to differentiate into an Alpha back then." If Ji Xixiu saw that she had given his son a neck lock, she was probably already on the Ji family's assassination list.

Ji Yuezhi pulled back and pushed the flowers directly into Zuo Luohuan's hands. He looked up and said seriously, "I don't need your apology. Whether I'm an Omega or an Alpha, I am just me... and flowers are just flowers. They're for you."

He hadn't expected Zuo Luohuan to say all this to him. He had originally just wanted to momentarily pretend to be an Omega giving something related to his pheromones to the Alpha he liked. Since it had come to this, he went along with it, feigning indifference and giving the flowers away completely.

"I was overthinking it." Zuo Luohuan reverted to her usual self. She took the flowers, held them up, and said casually, "Thanks for the flowers, Captain."

By now, the yoga instructor was ready to start the class. He told everyone to get changed and then asked his own students to guide Zuo Luohuan and her group. But what normal person would dare to approach Zuo Luohuan? What if they got beaten up? So, soon enough, Jiang Hong and the others all had instructors, while Zuo Luohuan was left alone.

"There's still one more student," the yoga instructor said, glancing at Zuo Luohuan, who hadn't moved. "Yuezhi, you've always been the best. Go teach this classmate."

From the moment Zuo Luohuan accepted the flowers, Ji Yuezhi had been in a good mood. Even if the teacher hadn't called on him, he would have found a reason to go over. He sat down opposite Zuo Luohuan.

But now, with a legitimate reason, Ji Yuezhi walked over to Zuo Luohuan with extreme naturalness. He had already changed into loose training clothes and was barefoot on the dance studio floor. He looked into Zuo Luohuan's eyes and slowly lowered himself into a side split.

"Let's start with this move," Ji Yuezhi said, tilting his head up slightly.

Zuo Luohuan was still standing. She glanced around and saw that everyone in the dance studio had gone into a split. Ji Yuezhi's action was perfectly normal. But for some reason, she found his gaze too alluring, with an indescribable charm.

Crazy, Zuo Luohuan cursed herself internally.

Unlike Ji Yuezhi's fluid movement, Zuo Luohuan's split was sharp and efficient, a clear habit from her usual martial arts practice.

"The teacher says your way is wrong." Ji Yuezhi had already drawn his legs back and was kneeling opposite Zuo Luohuan. He reached out and gently placed his hand on the back of her knee. "Yoga is a class for developing flexibility. It doesn't need to be so forceful."

"..." Zuo Luohuan grabbed Ji Yuezhi's hand. "Jiang Hong just said we were coming to back you up today. We're not really here to take the class. We just need to put on a show."

She really wasn't used to people touching her, even though Ji Yuezhi had only touched the back of her knee.

"Back me up?"

"People from three military academies are all taking this class with you. It didn't seem right, so we came along too."

Going too far is as bad as not going far enough. Ji Yuezhi didn't insist, saying, "You can just sit here and wait for the class to end."

Aside from the instructor's guidance and the pained cries of the visiting students, the dance studio was filled with the low murmurs of others. Ji Yuezhi and Zuo Luohuan sat in the farthest corner, leaning against the wall.

Ji Yuezhi nearly savored this moment of tranquility with Zuo Luohuan by his side.

"Luo Shaoyuan is a very skilled fighter," Zuo Luohuan said suddenly. "The Northern Military Academy is in the Northern District, where the environment is harsh. She was adopted by the Winter Army as a child, so you could say she grew up in the Winter Army."

Ji Yuezhi turned his head to look at her. "You know her?"

"I met her for the first time a few days ago. I'd heard my dad mention her before." Zuo Luohuan crossed her hands behind her head and leaned back against the wall. "More than a decade ago, there were many orphans in the Northern District. The Winter Army adopted all they could, and Luo Shaoyuan was the most conspicuous one among them."

Ji Yuezhi instantly understood Zuo Luohuan's meaning. The Northern District had a harsh environment and valued martial prowess, and the Winter Army also prioritized strength. Since Luo Shaoyuan was a skilled fighter, she would have certainly stood out from that group of orphans.

Zuo Luohuan glanced at the person beside her and, seeing him still in thought, said, "The greatest advantage of the people from the Northern Military Academy is their fighting ability. The few of us can handle that. You should focus on Cha Lili from Yundong Military Academy. Do you know his nickname?"

"Future Jia," Ji Yuezhi replied smoothly and naturally. Jia Hailan's reputation in the Eastern District was undoubtedly the highest in history, and Cha Lili was called the future Jia Hailan by the Eastern District. This showed how high their expectations were for him, and also gave a glimpse of Cha Lili's excellent command abilities.

However...

"He doesn't look like it right now." Zuo Luohuan lifted her chin, gesturing for Ji Yuezhi to look at Cha Lili, who was drenched in sweat and stubbornly enduring for some unknown reason.

Ji Yuezhi saw Cha Lili cry out in pain as the teacher pressed down on him, only to immediately bite the back of his own hand to try and act normal. He couldn't help but smile, his eyes curving as he said to Zuo Luohuan, "They probably think this course has some great importance."

"Isn't it important?" Zuo Luohuan tilted her head to look at his rare smile. "You're taking the class."

Ji Yuezhi: "...It's important." It concerned his future life.

The two sat in the farthest corner, in a rare moment of peace, like any normal pair of friends at the military academy.

But time always passes. The yoga class soon ended, and the instructor was also sweating profusely. But looking at the visiting students collapsed on the floor, he felt a great sense of accomplishment. "I hear you'll be staying for a few days. If you have time, you're welcome to come more often. I have two classes a week. Next time it's in a different dance studio."

Luo Shaoyuan immediately shook her head. "Teacher, we have other places to visit. We won't be coming back."

The Northern Military Academy students near her all shook their heads in unison.

Healing hidden injuries or not, they seriously suspected this was a trap! They, from the Northern Military Academy, would rather die in pain outside than be broken in a dance studio!

"Alright then," the yoga instructor said, a little disappointed. "I actually think you all have talent for yoga. More practice would be very beneficial."

Luo Shaoyuan quickly said, "Let the people from the First Military Academy have this benefit. We at the Northern Military Academy are not so fortunate."

The captains from the other two military academies didn't offer any further opinions. They were in a state of existential crisis, sprawled on the floor, their souls having flown away.

"Now that we've all finished class together, let us take you to eat," Jiang Hong said, delighted to see the suffering of the visiting students.

"No, thank you. We need to go back and rest," Cha Lili refused. "Just seeing us to our dorms would be enough."

After messing around all day, all they had gained was a body full of aches. They needed to go back and train. Fortunately, the First Military Academy was polite to visitors, and most of their requests were met.

"We're going back too. We'll just eat at the dorms," An Yingjing said, getting up and forcefully suppressing the pained grimace on his face.

Luo Shaoyuan got up, holding her lower back, and walked resolutely to Zuo Luohuan. "I'll go to class with you on Monday. Want to have a match with me?"

Zuo Luohuan had already changed back into her military uniform and was still holding the flowers. "If the teacher agrees to a spar, we can have a match."

Luo Shaoyuan looked Zuo Luohuan up and down, finally pouting. "You sound like you're very obedient to the teacher. Not at all like someone who skipped class for a whole year."

"After all, people grow up," Zuo Luohuan said nonchalantly. "I've turned over a new leaf."

When she said this, not only did the visiting students not believe her, but even Jiang Hong and the others didn't believe it.

Zuo Luohuan paid no mind to what they were thinking and walked out, holding the flowers.

"Why..." Guan Xue watched the departing figure and turned to ask Qian Mao beside her, "didn't Zuo Luohuan give the flowers back to Ji Yuezhi? Wasn't she just holding them temporarily?"

Qian Mao craned his neck to look and saw that Ji Yuezhi and Zuo Luohuan had already gone their separate ways and were far apart. He shook his head. "I don't know. They're just flowers, Captain won't mind."

"But it's weird," Guan Xue said, scratching her cheek. "Zuo Luohuan doesn't even like flowers."

"That's secondary gender discrimination. Can't an Alpha like flowers?" Qian Mao said.

"I can't get through to you," Guan Xue gave up.

Qian Mao immediately retorted, "Then don't ask me to fix your gun next time."

Guan Xue instantly raised her hands in surrender, just short of kneeling down in apology.

...

Before returning to her dorm, Zuo Luohuan made a special trip to buy a vase to put the flowers in.

She looked at the flowers standing in the vase and recalled Ji Yuezhi's nonchalant attitude earlier that day, an indescribable feeling rising in her heart. He probably didn't think of himself as an Omega either; his reaction on the night of his coming-of-age ceremony was likely just due to biological factors.

Zuo Luohuan raised her hand, her fingertip landing on the iris in the center. After a moment, she bent down and gently sniffed it. The iris was a bit overly sweet, and it seemed... not as pleasant as Ji Yuezhi's pheromones.

Pheromones and flowers were, after all, subtly different.

In a single room in another dormitory building, Ji Yuezhi sat on his bed after washing up. He lifted the covers, revealing a military uniform jacket lying on one side. After lying down, he gently rubbed his face against the jacket.

The pheromones on the jacket were actually almost gone, but it was her jacket.

Ji Yuezhi closed his eyes, his fingertips gently stroking the chest of the jacket as if resting over someone's heart, imagining the sound of a heartbeat beneath them. She was a little different today; she cared about the flowers he gave her.

Zuo Luohuan never concerned herself with things outside of her friends. Was she starting to consider him a friend?

Ji Yuezhi slowly opened his eyes. They still had to train together and participate in the military academy exercises together. In the future, they would grow closer and closer.

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