Chapter Text
The first day of university is always chaos, but for Gao Tu, it felt like the exact opposite. He was dazed and nervous, but he preferred to take it slow and let his instincts guide him.
The professors requested that the new students head to the auditorium. That was where he saw him: Shen Wenlang, standing on the podium, speaking with a steady voice as he handed out instructions for the welcome ceremony.
Gao Tu still remembers that day with vivid clarity—the first time he laid eyes on him. It was his freshman year, and for the first time, he felt genuinely attracted to someone. Shen Wenlang remained at the front, standing with his back straight, dressed in a suit, looking utterly impeccable. He was an Alpha who commanded respect with a single glance.
A perfect Alpha. Straight posture, a confident gaze, and a presence that imposed itself without ever needing to raise his voice.
"Welcome to the university," he said with a smile. "I hope we can all give our best this year."
Gao Tu looked down, reminding himself that there was something more important than admiring that man: protecting his secret. No one here could find out he was an Omega. Not if he wanted to be taken seriously. And so, on his university records, he was listed as a Beta.
During the first few weeks, everything passed uneventfully. He made a few friends and ate with them during recess, but at the end of the day, he always returned home alone.
A month passed since he first saw Shen Wenlang. It wasn’t that he didn’t see him in the hallways; it was just that, compared to him, Shen Wenlang was popular and rarely walked alone. Whenever Gao Tu spotted him, someone was usually blocking his view. Besides, he couldn't just stop and stare—that would be considered stalking, and he didn't want any trouble.
However, a few days later, he saw him in the library. This time, he was finally alone. For a brief moment, Gao Tu could observe his attractive features—something Gao Tu felt he himself lacked at first glance. He often wondered if anyone, at any point in his life, actually noticed him. Would someone look up as he passed by and tell themselves that he was, at the very least, pleasant to look at? He shook the thought away; no one could think of him that way.
Shen Wenlang was checking a bulletin board filled with sign-up sheets for volunteers for an upcoming academic event. Gao Tu moved to another desk, pretending to read a book while watching him out of the corner of his eye.
Shen Wenlang furrowed his brow. There weren't many participants, a fact that seemed to annoy him rather than discourage him. He turned around and spotted Gao Tu sitting alone.
"Do you want to sign up?" Shen Wenlang asked, placing the form on his desk.
Gao Tu blinked, startled that he was being spoken to. He looked up at him. "Uh... maybe... it depends on the schedule."
"We need responsible people," Shen Wenlang said, pulling out a pen. "If you have the time, sign up."
Gao Tu took the paper. 'Responsible people.' He didn't know if it was a compliment or a test.
As the weeks went by, he found himself participating in student council meetings, always in the same groups as Shen Wenlang. Sometimes it was coincidence; other times, it was pure strategy. In that regard, Gao Tu was remarkable. But he never managed to hold a conversation with him that lasted more than a minute. Shen Wenlang was handsome, but Gao Tu began to realize he wasn't exactly a "great guy." A doubt began to form in Gao Tu's mind: 'Why are all the handsome guys usually such jerks?'
One afternoon, while they were organizing folders for a debate, Shen Wenlang asked him, "What is your major?"
"Communications," Gao Tu replied.
"That explains why you don't talk much," Shen Wenlang joked with a slight smile. "Do good communicators know to listen first?"
It was the first time Shen Wenlang had shown him that kind of attention. That smile burned itself into his memory. When he got home, he realized that Shen Wenlang had only paid attention to him because they were the only ones there. He could have ignored him, right? But he didn't. Gao Tu felt a surge of happiness; Shen Wenlang had finally spoken to him kindly.
By the second semester, they began to spend more time together—not as close friends, but as teammates. Gao Tu never missed a meeting and never turned in a project late. Shen Wenlang seemed to appreciate him for it. Without Gao Tu, the team would have fallen apart long ago.
One night, after a long event, they were the only ones left picking up chairs and papers.
"You could have left earlier," Gao Tu said as he folded a tablecloth.
"And leave you alone with all of this? That's not my style," Shen Wenlang replied, stepping closer to grab the other end.
The proximity made Gao Tu’s heart leap. He controlled his breathing, maintaining his Beta facade.
But there were moments when Shen Wenlang looked at him as if trying to read something deeper than what Gao Tu was showing. It made him nervous. Shen Wenlang felt an urge to tease him because he had never seen him angry; he found the reality of Gao Tu interesting. He didn't believe the boy was actually that calm.
Even so, Gao Tu couldn't pull away. The lie of being a Beta was his shield, and being near Shen Wenlang was his most dangerous weakness.
From that moment on, he knew two things: he liked him, and he could never allow himself to be discovered as an Omega. Not with someone like him. So, he lied. He registered as a Beta, took suppressors, and perfected the role of the "neutral classmate."
"Are you coming to the meeting on Friday?" Shen Wenlang asked one afternoon, looking over some papers.
"Of course," Gao Tu replied, smiling discreetly. "I don't miss anything where you are involved."
He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. But Shen Wenlang didn't seem to grasp the weight behind them; they just hung in the air. Gao Tu quickly said his goodbyes, hoping the other man hadn't taken it the wrong way.