Chapter 6: Her Lover, the Deceiver

Clutching the sick leave slip, Jia Hua and Zhen Yan walked back to the classroom at an unhurried pace. Just as they reached the classroom door, the end-of-class bell happened to ring. Yet, not a single person in Senior 3 Class 1 dared to move. The entire class sat with backs ramrod straight, hands folded neatly on their desks, even more well-behaved than the primary school students at An City No. 1 Primary School down the same street.

There was only one reason: two students had dared to skip class, and Teacher Li was extremely displeased.

The moment Jia Hua and Zhen Yan appeared, they were immediately met with the class’s fervent expectations and a hint of sympathy.

Teacher Li stood on the podium, one hand propped on the lectern, her eyes calmly watching them. Her thin lips parted slightly: “Someone, explain. What is the reason for skipping class.”

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhen Yan took a step forward. But then she stepped back.

Teacher Li’s gaze shifted between the two of them: “Jia Hua, classmate Zhen Yan wants you to speak.”

Jia Hua glanced at Zhen Yan beside her, who had stepped back, hung a standard smile on her lips, stepped onto the podium, and presented the sick leave slip to Teacher Li with both hands.

“Zhen Yan wasn’t feeling well. I told her to go to the Infirmary, but she…” Jia Hua hesitated.

Teacher Li, her face frosty, slightly raised her chin: “Speak. What about her.”

Jia Hua looked back at Zhen Yan standing at the doorway and said slowly: “She begged me to go with her, saying she didn’t dare go to the Infirmary alone.”

“Didn’t dare go to the Infirmary alone?” Teacher Li raised an eyebrow, took the certificate from Jia Hua, scanned it quickly, then returned it to Jia Hua. “Next time you’re sick, tell the teacher. The teacher will have a classmate accompany you to the Infirmary. That way, the teacher won’t worry, not knowing where you’ve gone.”

“Sorry for making you worry, teacher,” Jia Hua said sincerely.

Teacher Li nodded, glanced at the entire class, and then said: “Class dismissed.” She then walked out of the classroom. As she turned to leave, her eyes, smiling, glanced at Zhen Yan, who was standing at the doorway.

So, it turns out that Zhen Yan, who always appeared to everyone as the image of a strong Alpha, didn’t even dare go to the Infirmary alone.

When Zhen Yan walked into the classroom, a crowd of classmates immediately surrounded her, asking about her health. Zhen Yan had no choice but to say she was truly fine and that no one needed to worry.

After finally shaking off the many enthusiastic inquiries, Zhen Yan immediately walked back to her seat and sat down.

As soon as Zhen Yan plopped into her chair, she turned to Jia Hua and ground out in a hushed voice through gritted teeth: “Since when did I not dare go to the Infirmary alone?”

Jia Hua pulled out the textbook for the next class from her drawer and tilted her head, blinking: “Then why did you step back at that moment? It was basically pushing me out front.”

Zhen Yan felt a bit awkward. As an Alpha, pushing an Omega out front seemed a bit shameful: “I thought you were more eloquent, so I just…”

Jia Hua propped her chin on one hand and nodded: “Yeah, so I made up a reason on the spot. See, we got off scot-free, didn’t we?”

Zhen Yan: “Well, you could have said something else at least! This makes me…”

Jia Hua shrugged: “Then next time I’ll just tell the truth. You were watching ad—mmph…”

Zhen Yan reached out and covered Jia Hua’s mouth, saying into her ear, flustered and exasperated: “Don’t tell anyone! And besides, I wasn’t watching anything!”

Before Jia Hua could even nod for her to let go, a box of expensive Chocolate was placed onto Zhen Yan’s desk.

Not only did Jia Hua see it, but Zhen Yan saw it too. And the entire class of Senior 3 Class 1 also saw it.

The person who had delivered the Chocolate stood right next to their desk—it was that pretty and adorable rich girl Omega, Liu Yangyang.

Zhen Yan released the hand covering Jia Hua’s mouth. She looked at the Chocolate on the desk, then at Liu Yangyang, who wore a sweet smile.

“I heard you weren’t feeling well, so I came to see you. Are you feeling better now?” Liu Yangyang smiled softly.

Zhen Yan nodded: “I’m fine. You didn’t have to make a special trip to check on me.”

Liu Yangyang shook her head lightly with a smile: “It’s good that you’re fine. I’ll head back then. I don’t dare be late for Teacher Li’s class either.”

She tilted her head, gave a sweet little smile, and turned to leave.

“Wait—” Seeing Liu Yangyang about to go, Zhen Yan shot up instantly. As Liu Yangyang turned around, she handed the Chocolate back to her. “You forgot to take your things with you.”

Senior 3 Class 1 was dead silent. The entire class, including Jia Hua, was quietly watching the two of them.

Liu Yangyang looked into Zhen Yan’s eyes and pursed her lips: “This is something my mother brought back from the Imperial Capital. It’s really good. This box, I brought it especially for you.”

Zhen Yan gently shook her head: “Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t really like Chocolate. You should take it back, don’t let it go to waste.”

The Chocolate was held out in front of Liu Yangyang.

Liu Yangyang’s eyes widened. She struggled to prevent the glistening tears from falling. Holding back tears, she looked at Zhen Yan, then at Jia Hua, who was sitting in her chair observing them both. Biting her lip aggrievedly, she quickly reached out and took back the Chocolate she had offered. Turning away, she ran while wiping her tears and soon disappeared from Senior 3 Class 1.

The class soon broke into hushed chatter, only quieting down once the teacher walked in.

Jia Hua sighed helplessly and said to Zhen Yan, who had opened her textbook and was listening attentively: “Liu Yangyang is so cute, and she likes you so much. Don’t you like her?”

Without turning her head, looking at the electronic screen, Zhen Yan said: “No, I don’t.”

Jia Hua blurted out quickly: “Is it that you don’t like her, or that you don’t like Female Omegas?”

Zhen Yan turned her head, frowning at her.

Jia Hua instantly remembered how the original owner had learned that Zhen Yan liked Female Alphas and felt like slapping her own mouth on the spot.

Jia Hua hastily changed the subject: “The teacher is looking this way! Listen to the lecture, listen…”

Only then did Zhen Yan turn her head back, her brows slightly furrowed.

At noon, when Jia Hua went to the Canteen alone to eat, she noticed students around her sneakily glancing at her.

Whispered discussions drifted into Jia Hua’s ears. She vaguely caught the words “school forum.” She pulled out her phone and logged into the school forum, immediately seeing a pinned post at the top.

#Zhen Yan Rejected the Chocolate Liu Yangyang Gave#

Jia Hua clicked in. The main post had a picture and a text description from the poster. Jia Hua scanned it quickly; the poster’s account was still fairly objective.

She scrolled down a few times and saw comments like:

【I heard all along that Zhen Yan and Jia Hua broke up. Looks like it’s true, Liu Yangyang even went to confess!】

【Tsk tsk tsk, as if Liu Yangyang doesn’t know what kind of person she is. Even if Zhen Yan broke up with Jia Hua, she’d never take a liking to her! She thinks she deserves to be Zhen Yan’s girlfriend?】

【Hey, upstairs, watch your mouth. Even someone like Jia Hua, that kind of Female Omega, was wanted by Zhen Yan. Isn’t Liu Yangyang ten thousand times better than Jia Hua? Jia Hua, that Female Omega who’s almost taller than a Female Alpha, she’s so ugly!】

【Jia Hua is so disgusting! Claiming she broke up with Zhen Yan must be a lie. Look at her sitting there, her expression three parts cold contempt, seven parts indifference and detachment. With her jealous and possessive nature, could she be planning to bully Liu Yangyang in private?】

【Upstairs is right! I still remember in first year high school, Jia Hua ripped up the love letter Liu Yangyang gave to Zhen Yan right then and there and threw it in her face. Her expression was terrifying! Even I, standing nearby watching, was scared!】

【Wow, Jia Hua is that terrifying? No wonder she has no friends and eats and goes to the bathroom alone. Even I wouldn’t dare be friends with her.】

【No wonder she clings desperately to Zhen Yan. It must be because Zhen Yan is nice. If it were me, I’d be so disgusted I’d want to puke…】

Jia Hua scrolled down a few times. All the comments were along these lines.

Jia Hua: …What does this have to do with me? And since when has my expression been three parts cold contempt and seven parts indifference and detachment?

Right now, the comments on this post were all revolving around Jia Hua, having very little to do anymore with Zhen Yan or Liu Yangyang from the main post. At most, those two were dragged out as pitiful souls, both tormented by Jia Hua alone.

Under the vivid, unrestrained descriptions of numerous schoolmates, Jia Hua had become the most vicious Female Omega in An City No. 2 High School, a bully who had terrorized countless poor Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.

Jia Hua ate as she read the post, almost finishing her meal without realizing it.

Hmm, quite appetizing.

At that moment, a food tray was placed on the table opposite her. Jia Hua looked up and saw Zhen Yan taking a seat in front of her.

Zhen Yan sat down and immediately started eating, not saying a word.

“What about Zhang Juan? Weren’t you eating with her? Where’d she go?” Jia Hua turned off her phone and asked casually.

Zhen Yan: “She had something to do. I came to eat by myself.”

Jia Hua: “Oh.”

Jia Hua finished eating quickly. She took a tissue from her pocket and handed one to Zhen Yan. After wiping her mouth, she was about to pick up her tray and leave.

“Sorry.”

As she was about to leave, she heard Zhen Yan’s voice.

Jia Hua turned her head and met Zhen Yan’s gaze. She knew what Zhen Yan was referring to.

Jia Hua shrugged and said: “It’s fine, doesn’t affect me at all. Take your time eating. I’m going first.”

Watching Jia Hua’s figure gradually recede into the distance, Zhen Yan’s eyes darkened. She swept a cold glance around at the prying eyes nearby, then finally lowered her head to continue eating.

Jia Hua… really had changed a lot.

Later that afternoon, when Jia Hua wanted to check that post again, she found it had already been deleted. Jia Hua tilted her head to glance at Zhen Yan, who was seriously working on practice problems. She didn’t ask anything, just turned off her phone, put it in her pocket, and started reading too.

Through these past few days of intense catch-up, she clearly felt she was gradually hitting the average level of contemporary senior-year education.

When was the exam? She planned to shock everyone with her results.

Right at that moment, the Homeroom Teacher ran into the classroom from outside, clapped the lectern heavily, and as the whole class looked over, she said rapidly: “All the male and female Alphas in the class, go assemble at the sports field! Teachers from the Empire’s four great Military Academies have come to our school for early recruitment! Hurry up!”

This news was like a sudden thunderclap, blasting every Alpha’s ears!

As soon as the teacher finished, the class’s male and female Alphas immediately stood up and rushed outside like they were fleeing for their lives!

Zhen Yan was no exception. Jia Hua had just been about to ask Zhen Yan why all the Alphas needed to go down just because people from the Military Academies came, but when she turned her head to look, Zhen Yan had already vanished without a trace.

The Betas and Omegas in the class also got excited, constantly looking out the window, clearly also wanting to go out but being stopped by a single sentence from the Homeroom Teacher.

“Self-study for the whole class. Class Monitor, maintain discipline.” With that, the Homeroom Teacher left hurriedly.

As soon as the Homeroom Teacher was gone, after just a few minutes of quiet in the classroom, a student suddenly clutched her stomach, feigning extreme pain.

“Monitor, my stomach hurts so bad! I need to go to the Infirmary and get it checked!”

“Monitor, I’ll accompany her to the Infirmary!”

“Monitor, I need the bathroom, I can’t hold it much longer!”

“Monitor, I also need the bathroom!”

“Monitor…”

Just as various sudden illnesses were breaking out among the students, Zhang Juan and a few other Alphas who had already come of age trudged into the classroom, dejected. They slumped onto their desks without a word.

Sitting in front of Zhang Juan was a female Beta who usually played with her. Right now, she immediately shook Zhang Juan, asking why she was back so soon.

Zhang Juan rested her chin heavily on the desk and heaved a deep sigh: “The military academy’s rule says that the minimum standard for Mental Power Level for adult Alphas is B-rank.”

Her front-seat neighbor asked: “What’s your level?”

Zhang Juan gave her a heartbroken look, buried her head in her elbows, and let out a muffled voice: “C-rank.”

The underage Betas and Omegas who didn’t understand the rank regulations listened intently as those with some knowledge explained.

“The Mental Power Level of contemporary people is generally D-rank. C-rank is relatively decent. C is already pretty good. As for B-rank, it’s even rarer, but it still exists. The Military Academy’s minimum standard is B.”

“Entering the Military Academy to study and then serve the Empire has always been the innate aspiration and mission of Alphas. The Academy is mostly composed of Alphas, but will recruit a large number of Beta students for some logistical departments. As for delicate Omegas, they wouldn’t appear in the Military Academy.”

“What about A-rank? Alphas with A-rank Mental Power?” A curious student asked.

“A-rank Mental Power? They exist too, but we probably won’t see one before our eyes close. For an Alpha to have A-rank Mental Power, both of her parents, whether it’s Father-Father, Father-Mother, Mother-Father, or Mother-Mother, must have exceptionally high Mental Power—at least a double B—to even be capable of producing an A-rank Mental Power Alpha. In a remote place like our An City, just having a B-rank is already very good!”

“Since our school was founded, we’ve never had an Alpha student with A-rank Mental Power. And, of course, no teacher either.”

Zhang Juan, who had been slumped on her desk in grief, felt much better hearing this and proactively joined the conversation: “True. It’s not just all the adult Alphas in our class who all came back. The adult Alphas from the next class, Class 2, also all returned. Not one was B-rank, all D’s. At least I’m a C!”

“…”

Jia Hua sat in the back, silently listening to the chatter from the students up front, gradually understanding how important this Military Academy was to Alphas.

Actually, it wasn’t just Alphas who took it seriously; the school valued it immensely too. For an entire afternoon, no teachers came to teach, and the whole grade had self-study.

During this time, however, underage Alphas trickled back to the classroom one after another. According to the returning Alphas, the teachers from the Military Academy were putting them through various training drills. Anyone who failed a single item was eliminated.

“It’s really strict! Large swaths of people get weeded out for each drill!”

But until the dismissal bell rang, Zhen Yan still hadn’t returned to the classroom.

As Jia Hua, carrying her backpack, walked out of the classroom, she couldn’t help but sigh internally. Zhen Yan was truly impressive; no wonder people called her Sister Yan. It seemed she indeed had some real skills.

Jia Hua walked home alone. At a turn, through the reflection in the window glass of a roadside shop, she spotted six people—male and female—tailing her.

A faint smile rose at the corner of Jia Hua’s mouth. She deliberately walked into a quiet, deserted alleyway. Hearing the fine, fragmented footsteps behind her, Jia Hua suddenly began running forward with her backpack.

The people behind instantly gave chase, but just as quickly, Jia Hua vanished before their eyes.

“Damn! Where did that bitch run off to!” A female Omega cursed angrily.

“Hello there. May I ask, are you looking for me?”

A clear, crisp voice came from above them. The six people immediately turned and looked up. They saw Jia Hua sitting atop the surrounding wall, her legs swinging leisurely. When they looked up, she even tilted her head and smiled at them.

Of the six, five glared furiously at Jia Hua. Only one female Alpha furrowed her brows tightly, staring at Jia Hua seated on the wall.

This wall was a full three meters high. How did Jia Hua, an underage Female Omega, get up there?