Chapter 22

The two reached the gate almost simultaneously; Xu Ze paused a step, letting Lu Heyang scan in first.

The display screen was neither too big nor too small. Lu Heyang stood directly in front of it, with other students queued behind him. In the screen, Lu Heyang saw Xu Ze looking at the back of his head; a second later, Xu Ze glanced at the display, and in that instant their eyes met.

Xu Ze hadn't expected to meet Lu Heyang's gaze through the screen; he immediately lowered his head.

"Verification passed. Please proceed."

The machine prompt sounded; Lu Heyang passed through the gate, and within a few seconds, Xu Ze also entered the school.

Xu Ze was still a bit dazed, turning over in his mind the omega who had just driven Lu Heyang to school — the same one he'd seen last time in Old Town, when he'd helped Lu Heyang fix a flat tire. Only today the omega wasn't wearing sunglasses, and by Xu Ze's aesthetic standards, that face was a rare beauty: cold, striking, aloof — the kind one couldn't forget after a single glance.

Just as Xu Ze had imagined — he'd always thought that if Lu Heyang were to date someone, his partner should be exactly that kind of person.

Without any sadness or grief, Xu Ze had never entertained any possibility between himself and Lu Heyang. For him, upon discovering that an unattainable person belonged to another excellent person, Xu Ze would only feel that the world's rules always made sense — because well-matched people stood together.

The beautiful trophy always belongs to the champion, and he would never be the champion, so all he could do was applaud and look up.

Walking one after the other like this, Lu Heyang suddenly turned to look back.

Just a very ordinary glance — but when that face turned sideways, lit by sunlight, then turned back into a retreating figure, Xu Ze seemed to be under some kind of enchantment. He actually found himself opening his mouth slightly, though he didn't even know what he would have said if a sound had actually come out.

Xu Ze immediately pressed his lips tight, swallowing those strange things down.

Then he noticed Lu Heyang had slowed his pace; within a few steps, the two were nearly walking side by side. Lu Heyang, still looking ahead, asked casually: "Do you bike to school every day?"

Xu Ze nodded, then realized Lu Heyang probably couldn't see him nodding, so he said: "Mm. I live close by."

"Old Town is indeed pretty close to the Preparatory Academy," Lu Heyang said.

Xu Ze suddenly didn't dare answer carelessly — he didn't know whether Lu Heyang remembered he lived in Old Town because of the last time he'd helped fix his car, or because of that Tuesday night when Lu Heyang had driven him home.

If it was the latter, it meant that night, in front of Lu Heyang, he had been Xu Ze — not Number 17.

Actually, Xu Ze's memory of that night wasn't very clear — he'd drunk too much and slept in the car, so many details seemed hazy. He only remembered that Lu Heyang's attitude had been a bit different from usual — the kind he'd only show in front of Number 17. Though it wasn't obvious, Xu Ze could always sense it, just a little.

Xu Ze decided to test once.

But since he had zero experience in 'testing,' the test Xu Ze ultimately gave was — he said: "128 yuan."

128 yuan — the total Lu Heyang had spent last time on the anti-inflammatory medicine and antiseptic for him.

After saying it, Xu Ze realized how utterly stupid it was.

Lu Heyang was startled for a moment, but he only turned his head after walking a few more steps, asking: "What?"

There was about a three or four centimeter height difference between them, so when he looked over, his eyes were slightly lowered — but Xu Ze felt almost as if he were being looked down upon, full of pressure, unsure how to explain.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Xu Ze said.

"Mm." They'd already reached the flower bed beneath the teaching building, and they weren't in the same building. Lu Heyang said, "I'm heading to my classroom first."

Xu Ze stood in place: "Okay."

He watched Lu Heyang's back until the other reached the stairwell. This kind of seeing-off gesture — watching an alpha schoolmate he wasn't close with walk into a building — was actually very strange, only Xu Ze himself didn't notice.

Before afternoon dismissal, Lu Heyang received a message from Xiao Feng — tonight's boxing match fighter list.

Reading from top to bottom, Lu Heyang asked: Isn't Number 17 fighting?

Xiao Feng: Ah, aren't you and Number 17 friends? Didn't he tell you? Today he's fighting the warm-up match — the entertainment kind, no money, just for show.

Xiao Feng: Also... I heard Number 17 apparently offended the Boss. Not only won't he get paid for fighting this week, but supposedly the guy he's matched against next Friday is a very brutal fighter — someone who's killed people in the ring before.

Xiao Feng: Maybe you should talk him out of it... tell him not to fight next week, it feels really dicey.

Lu Heyang stared at the screen for a while, said nothing, only asked Xiao Feng to save two seats. Tonight He Wei had been ordered home for dinner and couldn't make it to Chengxi, so Lu Heyang was going with Gu Yunchi.

Another day Gu Yunchi hadn't come to school. Lu Heyang stepped out of the school gate just as Gu Yunchi arrived. Lu Heyang got in the car and said: "Take me to buy something first."

The biggest difference between Gu Yunchi and He Wei was that Gu Yunchi didn't have the same burning curiosity, nor would he dig into every little thing until he'd gotten to the bottom of it. He said "mm" and let Lu Heyang report the address to the navigation system.

Halfway there, Lu Heyang got a call from home — the housekeeper said Lu Chengyu was catching a flight tonight and wanted him to come back early.

"Okay, I'll be back soon."

Lu Heyang hung up, gazing absently out the car window. He understood that Lu Chengyu wasn't trying to chat or bond with him as father and son — it was just that the bodyguard had reported his whereabouts again, so Lu Chengyu was using this method to summon him back.

"Uncle Lu is back?" Gu Yunchi asked.

"Mm."

Gu Yunchi glanced at him: "Then just watch a bit and head home."

Lu Heyang nodded once, saying nothing.

When they arrived at the Gym, the opening match had just ended. Lu Heyang didn't go sit in the audience; after saying something to Gu Yunchi, he headed for the backstage.

Xiao Feng wasn't there. Lu Heyang followed last time's route toward backstage — this backstage was apparently shared by the entire Underground Club, with passages from other venues leading here. The corridor was lined with all sorts of storage rooms, makeup rooms, and changing rooms. Because it was early, there were many people backstage, mostly heavily made up or smoking; among them, Lu Heyang looked conspicuously clean, and people kept glancing at him, though because he was an S-Class Alpha, no one approached him lightly.

Lu Heyang walked straight to the changing room at the end, knocked, and pushed the door open.

Two fighters were standing inside; they turned, watching him warily: "Who?"

"Looking for Number 17," Lu Heyang said, expression flat. "Something to give him."

One of the fighters tilted his chin toward a door beside the lockers: "In there."

"Thanks," Lu Heyang said.

He walked over and pushed the door open. Inside was a cramped bathroom and shower, the lighting dim. Number 17 was standing with his back to him, bent over the sink, a towel draped over his shoulder. The faucet was running; Number 17 seemed to be washing his face. Lu Heyang stepped to the side and saw the yellowed sink full of bloody water, slowly draining through the somewhat clogged drain.

Number 17 turned off the faucet and straightened slightly; as his hands moved away from his face, his nose was still dripping blood.

The instant he raised his head, in that grimy, smudged mirror, his eyes met Lu Heyang's. Number 17's eyes widened slightly; he immediately turned his head to confirm Lu Heyang was really standing behind him.

"You..." Number 17 turned around, wiped his nose with the back of his hand, paused a second, then asked, "Did you just arrive? I didn't see you before."

"Yeah," Lu Heyang looked at him, a half-smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Were you looking for me?"

Number 17 had inexplicably set a trap for himself; he caught on, his eyes dropped, and he wiped his nose again, saying: "Just asking."

Lu Heyang glanced at the time on his Wristband, then handed the paper box to Number 17: "This is for you."

The tungsten filament in the overhead light flickered, emitting a faint buzz. Number 17 looked at the box, then at Lu Heyang; finally he took the towel from around his neck, wiped his hands clean, and took the box.

"See if you like it," Lu Heyang said.

Number 17, like a robot running a program, quietly followed Lu Heyang's instructions and opened the box.

A fresh leather scent rose. Number 17 looked down at the black-and-red boxing gloves; when he saw the brand name printed along the cuff, he looked up with some surprise. His face was filthy — cheap grease paint and half-dried blood — yet his eyes were very clean, deep gray, with a hint of blue barely visible under the low-wattage light.

It was too extravagant a gift — both the gift itself and the giver, so extravagant one didn't dare accept it, yet wanted to look a few more times. Number 17's throat moved; he asked softly: "Why give it to me?"

"To celebrate your victory," Lu Heyang said.

A very bad thought flashed through Number 17's mind — he wanted to accept this gift meant to celebrate a victory — but he quickly dismissed it, like a child attempting to lie for the first time, whose conscience and lack of experience made him decide in the end to obediently tell the truth.

"I didn't win. The opening match — I lost," Number 17 said quietly, sounding a bit regretful; he had never cared about winning or losing before.

But Lu Heyang didn't look surprised or taken aback; he just smiled: "It doesn't matter, it's not important. Consider it an early celebration of your next victory."

Number 17 didn't refuse further. He looked at the gloves, ran a hand over the smooth leather, then said to Lu Heyang: "Thank you."

Though Number 17 didn't show it obviously — no smile, no shining eyes — Lu Heyang could sense his happiness. Number 17 kept examining the gloves, treasuring and liking them; that feeling was hard to hide.

The mobile phone in his pocket vibrated — he knew without looking that the nanny was urging him. Lu Heyang ignored it, but he also knew he was out of time. He had to go.

"I'm leaving," Lu Heyang said. "See you next week."

Not only had he received expensive new boxing gloves, but he'd also gotten a "see you next week" promise. The messy, sticking-up hair on Number 17's head from fighting seemed to look lighter, almost cheerful. He looked directly into Lu Heyang's eyes, pressed his lips together — like a faint smile.

Number 17 said earnestly: "See you next week."