Chapter 19

Originally, Zhuo Xiang Ming was worriedthat Tong Yan’s classmates would talk about him behind his back, but Tong Yanpersisted, so he went to school on Monday according to schedule.

Fortunately, the students in his class seemed quite normal. When he enteredthe classroom, Tong Yan didn’t feel a sudden hush or curious glances. Only the fewstudents he was familiar with that sat near him expressed their concern.

Ashe sat down, the warning card on his chest swayed a few times, and Chai ManManmoved closer to ask, “Is your body okay?”

TongYan took out his part of the group assignment from his schoolbag, saying,“I’m fine. After taking the tranquilizer and sleeping, I felt better rightaway.”

“The things they’re saying online … don’t pay attention to it.” ChaiManMan said with a bit of anger, “Nowadays, people really can talk nonsenseabout things they don’t understand.”

“I know.” Tong Yan smiled at her.

“It didn’t upset you?”

TongYan: “I felt some irritation at the start, but I got over it quickly.”

ChaiManMan: “Right, you have your alpha to comfort you.”

She knew that Zhuo Xiang Ming picked up anddropped Tong Yan off every day to and from school, so she always thought thatthe two had a loving relationship.

TongYan could only reply: “Yeah.”

The omega and beta pair sitting in front of him eavesdropped with perkedears. They really couldn’t hold back, turning back to say, “Seriously, don’tbe sad Tong Yan! That’s just how strangers gossip! The mid-term exams arecoming up, don’t let that kind of thing affect your work! “

Theomega echoed: “Right, right!”

Hisclassmates’ words of comfort weren’t groundbreaking, but they were very valuableto Tong Yan. With a relaxed tone, he said warmly: “I know, thankyou.”

Chai ManMan said carefully: “My mom said this morning that she wasafraid you wouldn’t come to school, she’s also worried.”

TongYan muttered: “How does even your mother know……”

The beta boy named Xu Ji Yun couldn’t help but say, “Doesn’t everyoneknow?”

“…” Tong Yan said, “Okay.”

Chai ManMan: “Just now, we were discussing how to send you amessage, so you’d know that just because of this, we wouldn’t…you know?”

TongYan nodded: “I know.”

Actually, as he was walking upstairs, his heart was also beating a drum,but now, it was completely fine. The morning study bell sounded, and Tong Yan senta message to Zhuo Xiang Ming under his desk: No one harassed me, go to work,okay? (* ￣3 ￣)­­­­­­ ╭

ZhuoXiang Ming replied quickly: Good

Betweenclasses, the homeroom teacher called for him, and the class leader who cameover to inform Tong Yan said, “The teacher asked you to pick up theregistration forms for the sports competition.”

Thismeant that the class leader could bring it over if he wanted him to. TongYan knew that everyone was working hard to help him not feel uncomfortable, he nodded,saying, “Okay, I’ll go now.”

TongYan went to the homeroom teacher’s office, she was counting a stack of paper,it should be the notice. She looked up to see Tong Yan, and immediately said:“Tong Yan, come in. Wait a minute, after I count this, you can distributeit to your classmates. Remember to tell everyone that it’s not necessary topick, but each person mustn’t register for more than three events.”

TongYan: “Understood, teacher.”

Twenty-five copies didn’t need to be counted for long. The teacher heldthe stack in her hands, not handing it to Tong Yan for the time being.

“It’s been a month since school started. How is it? Are you comfortable?”

TongYan: “I’m comfortable. The teachers and my classmates are very good tome.”

“Good.” The teacher looked at him, her usually solemn facesporting a slight smile, “I see that Chai ManMan’s grades can be furtherimproved, you should help her when you have free time”

TongYan promised: “Understood, teacher.”

Teacher: “There’s something else. About this weekend’s sports meeting, Iasked your guardian for his opinion this morning. He sent me your latestmedical record. The hurdle isn’t big, but he asked me to get your opinion.Would you like to join?”

After thinking over it, she showed some screenshots of the conversationto Tong Yan. After Zhuo Xiang Ming sent the medical record, he also circled afew more points on top. It was a few parameters that needed to be checked. Heexplained: If the site’s purification system can control the pheromonecomplexity level and concentration to within this range, I agree to let himparticipate, but I’ll still trouble you to ask Tong Yan for his opinion.

Zhuo Xiang Ming also sent one more message: Try not to let him feel thathe must participate in the sports meeting. There are two choices; no option iscorrect or wrong.

After Tong Yan finished reading, the teacher took back her cell phoneand continued, “The logistics department said that this level iscompletely achievable, so it all depends on you. Of course, the conversationwith your guardian shouldn’t have been shown to you, but teacher also holdsthis opinion. Don’t force yourself, Tong Yan. You can participate in the sportsmeeting only if you feel you’re 100% ready.”

That evening, Zhuo Xiang Ming came to pick himup from school. After Tong Yan got into the car, he habitually looked for milkin the small icebox, and Zhuo Xiang Ming helped him fasten his seat belt.

“I want to tell you something.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming asked cooperatively: “What’s up?”

TongYan grinned and said, “We have a sports meeting this weekend.”

“Wow.” This time Tong Yan saw it, Zhuo Xiang Ming’s acting wasvery fake, “Then, would you like to participate?”

Nevertheless,Tong Yan didn’t expose him, he simply thought, concerning school matters, howmany times had Zhuo Xiang Ming and the homeroom teacher talked things over,then he helped him come up with ideas while pretending not to know?

If the homeroom teacher had just asked his opinion normally today, then rightnow, he surely would be asking Zhuo Xiang Ming for a solution.

Too cunning! Tong Yan scolded inwardly, but an enormous smile couldn’thelp but pop up on his face.

“What are you smiling about?” Zhuo Xiang Ming asked.

“Nothing.” Tong Yan believed that he was saving Zhuo XiangMing’s dignity, at once feeling that he had matured a lot. “I’ve decided to participate.I also picked the 400-meter relay.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Really amazing.”

TongYan carefully observed his expression, and Zhuo Xiang Ming grew uncomfortable underhis stare: “What’s up with you today?”

TongYan said: “You called me amazing, was that sincere?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming said immediately: “Of course!”

Amoment later, Tong Yan said, “I also felt it looked like it.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming looked at the road as he explained, “What do youmean, ‘looked’? It is.”

TongYan held his half-finished milk and thought it over, saying: “Then say itagain.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming had no choice but to say it again: “You’re reallyamazing.”

“Why? Just because I’m doing the relay?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Of course. Not every student will participate inthe sports meeting, and even if they’re participating,it doesn’t meanthat everyone is involved in events. Plus, the relay is a game that requires alot of team effort. Why can’t I praise you for doing this?”

“Okay.” Tong Yan said, “I understand.”

Afterthis, he quieted down, staring out the windshield, thinking about something.Although Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’t know Tong Yan’s specific problem, he wasn’t tooworried.

The worries of teenagers came quickly and left quickly, and if somethingwas truly bothering him, Tong Yan wasn’t the type of person to conceal it. He wasa very good child.

Sure enough, just a short while later, Tong Yan turned around and lookedat him with smile, dragging out the word, “Brrrooother.”

“What?”

“You constantly praise me.” Tong Yan said, “I just realized.”

Afterthinking over it, Zhuo Xiang Ming asked, “Constantly?”

TongYan: “Yes, for example, sometimes I’ll just turn a flower pot towards thesun, and you’ll praise me.”

“Is that so?”

TongYan: “Thank you.”

After coming out of the homeroom teacher’s office today, Tong Yanseriously thought about Zhuo Xiang Ming’s behavior towards him, and found manydetails he’d ignored.

He’d opened the post under the username “zxm” he’d bookmarked.Some of the things Zhuo Xiang Ming did really was on there, but there was nosuch thing as “constantly praise your child”.

Overthe past ten years, the way he and Tong Yang dealt with things like this was completelydifferent.

If it was Tong Yang, if he felt that he couldn’t participate, he would bluntlytell him that he couldn’t go, and if he felt he could participate, once he heardwhat game he picked, he might say “Don’t trip and bring us shame”,“Running with alpha, what chance do you have?”, and so on. Tong Yan knew thathe was just joking around, because Tong Yang was that sort of person, so henever felt that anything was amiss.

Still,people really did need praise. Tong Yan overlooked Zhuo Xiang Ming’s lameacting skills, no longer wanting to make fun of this clumsy adult, sayingsincerely: “Thank you brother. Every time you praise me, I feel like I’mreally quite amazing. Being here with you … I feel very happy.”

After saying this, Tong Yan again felt that he was being a bit arrogant,and lowered his head. Zhuo Xiang Ming reached over and touched his burning redearlobe: “Then, I want to thank you too, because I’m also very happy.”

==============================================================

T/N:

This meant – the way the class monitor worded it, it’s kind of implied that Tong Yandidn’t have to go if he didn’t want to. I couldn’t really bring this out in English,sorry

I also felt it looked like it- 我看着也像, unsure of translation