Qi Yue, Exactly Five Years Old Today

During the break, Qi Yue planned to finish the homework he hadn't completed in the morning to free up time to spend with Jiang You and Jiang Qi.

However, the moment the bell rang, before he could even open his workbook, a figure blocked his light. Qi Yue looked up to see Gu Baiqing.

Qi Yue thought he had made things very clear with Gu Baiqing yesterday. Although he was still slightly annoyed by his lack of respect for Jiang You, he wouldn't lose his temper with Gu Baiqing, only offering a cold shoulder.

Gu Baiqing tapped Qi Yue's desk and pointed toward the door.

Outside stood an Alpha wearing thick black-rimmed glasses, with long bangs and a slender build.

Jiang He?

Qi Yue glanced at Gu Baiqing, then at Jiang He, and stood up to follow them. He wanted to see what these two wanted from him.

Walking through the school's botanical corridor, Qi Yue followed behind them. The sunlight filtered through the dry vines, creating small spots of light. The winter was cold, and the botanical corridor felt even chillier, likely because few people came here. A few more steps led to the back of the chemistry building.

Thinking of this, Qi Yue recalled a few days ago when he, Jiang You, and Jiang Qi had confessed to each other. The Omega at that time had been incredibly adorable. Even now, Qi Yue clearly remembered the scene of the Omega pinning him against the wall, his warm breath brushing against his neck, and the faint scent of his pheromones.

It was cool yet carried a hint of sweetness, like... Ah, right, like a tempting fruit, blending coolness and sweetness. Qi Yue felt as if he had smelled this scent in the countryside when he was a child. What scent was it?

Qi Yue was lost in thought, not noticing the two in front had stopped, and bumped straight into them.

"Ouch, Qi-ge, watch where you're going." Gu Baiqing, who had been bumped, stumbled forward two steps before turning back to complain to the dazed Qi Yue.

Qi Yue felt a bit embarrassed. He apologized to Gu Baiqing and Jiang He, then looked around.

This was the space between the chemistry building and the corridor. The corridor had a long flight of stairs leading down to the back of the chemistry building, but since few people came here, the janitors were lazy and didn't clean it thoroughly, leaving it covered in dust.

The three of them found a relatively clean spot to sit down. Qi Yue waited for them to speak, but they remained silent. Looking at their expressions, they seemed to be contemplating how to begin. Qi Yue didn't rush them.

It wasn't until the running music ended that Gu Baiqing cleared his throat, his voice still slightly husky. "Qi-ge, do you remember the first time we met?"

Qi Yue paused, looking up at Gu Baiqing. Gu Baiqing's face was expressionless, his head slightly lowered, his eyelashes hiding the emotions in his eyes, looking somewhat pained.

Jiang He also looked highly dejected. He took off his glasses, his gentle eyes filled with unspeakable emotions. He placed a hand on Gu Baiqing's shoulder, squeezing it as if giving him the strength to continue. Gu Baiqing turned to offer Jiang He a smile.

The two of them looked like helpless little beasts comforting each other.

If it were anyone else, Qi Yue might not remember, but he had a very deep impression of Gu Baiqing and Jiang He.

Before the age of five or six, he had always been raised at his maternal grandfather's house. Because of his weak health, he couldn't join the other children in the village to climb mountains, climb trees, or run around. He spent his days following his grandfather and the elderly neighbors, but the young Alpha still felt a bit bored.

When he met Gu Baiqing and Jiang He, Qi Yue had just recovered from a serious illness. His complexion had been terrible, he threw up everything he ate, and he was so thin he was practically skin and bones.

However, the newly recovered Qi Yue had an excellent memory. He remembered his grandfather telling him that some young friends would be coming to play with him.

Qi Yue had sat on the bed, holding a small mirror as he seriously adjusted his hair. He wasn't very handsome then, so he had to start with these small details to make a good impression on his new friends!

The young friends had entered behind his grandfather and an unfamiliar uncle. Qi Yue had politely greeted his grandfather, looking curiously at the two children.

They wore thick clothes and held hands, looking very close, but what surprised Qi Yue most was that they were just as thin as him.

Qi Yue had pinched his own wrist, looking at them with bright eyes, but unfortunately, their gazes never drifted toward him.

Later, his grandfather and the unfamiliar uncle went outside, and Qi Yue finally got the chance to speak to them.

"My name is Qi Yue, I'm exactly five years old today!" Qi Yue had introduced himself excitedly.

Neither of them answered.

Qi Yue was a stubborn person, which could be seen even from his childhood. *If you ignore me, but I want to be friends with you, then I will definitely make you my friend.*

Afterward, Qi Yue used all sorts of methods to catch their attention. Once his health improved, he led them up the mountains to climb trees and catch loaches, finally bringing them closer.

It was only after they became close that Qi Yue learned Jiang He, the quietest of the three, was actually his cousin. Not long after, Jiang He was taken abroad by his family, leaving only Qi Yue and Gu Baiqing in the village.

Qi Yue recalled that on the night Jiang He left, Gu Baiqing had slept beside him. All three of them had shared a bed in the village. That night, while they slept, Gu Baiqing had suffered an episode.

That wasn't the first time Gu Baiqing had suffered an episode. When Gu Baiqing and Jiang He first arrived in the village, they barely slept at night, keeping their mouths open as they whimpered silently, highly alert to any movement around them.

Qi Yue had cared for Gu Baiqing all night. He had his suspicions about their condition but never asked. In his heart, Gu Baiqing and Jiang He were no different from ordinary people.

Of course, he had heard casual remarks from his grandfather, which, though brief, had revealed a corner of the crime to him.

...

"Qi-ge, we were young then, so you might not know. There was a kidnapping case that shocked the entire nation. In City A and many other places, many children went missing... they were kidnapped... and used for... experiments."

Gu Baiqing's flat tone trembled slightly.

He looked up at the somewhat harsh sunlight, squinting, then looked at Qi Yue's expression, teasing, "Qi-ge, what's with that face? It doesn't look handsome at all."

But the curve of his lips was very stiff. After trying for a moment, Gu Baiqing still couldn't force a smile. His face went blank, his voice dissolving into the wind, light as if it could be blown away.

"Those children were treated like objects, divided into different experiments, with each experiment built on a separate level. Qi-ge, can you imagine? There are actually so many crazy people in this world."

Jiang He placed his hands on his knees, his fingertips trembling slightly as he clenched his teeth, listening to Gu Baiqing slowly recount the past.

"Through genetic testing, even though the children hadn't differentiated yet, their future differentiation tendencies had already been determined—Alpha, Beta, or Omega. We knew early on what we would become."

"But that was useless, because those madmen would alter our genes. At that time, you could actually feel yourself changing, as if your entire body was being shattered and rebuilt, feeling as though you were no longer yourself."

Qi Yue opened his mouth, feeling that whatever he said would sound hollow. He stood up, walked over, and placed his hands on their shoulders, squeezing them.

"You are still yourselves. Gu Baiqing, Jiang He, you are real right in front of me. No matter what..." Qi Yue felt his words were disjointed, not knowing what he wanted to express, and finally choked up. "Alright, as Alphas, don't overthink. Just stay true to yourselves."

Hearing Qi Yue's disjointed words, Gu Baiqing burst out laughing. After years of friendship, he knew Qi Yue cared about them. He continued, "Actually, Little He and I are fine. We were only held for two months, and the gene recombination only made us uncomfortable during the nightly injections."

"Qi-ge, you don't know that there was an Experiment Level Two that specifically targeted the human mind. That kind of experiment has the greatest impact on a person. Qi-ge, physical pain isn't scary; what's scary is the constant mental pressure, which can directly crush a person."

Qi Yue suddenly had a bad premonition. Gu Baiqing wouldn't bring up this experiment for no reason. His earlier words could be considered a heart-to-heart between brothers, but the subsequent topic seemed to target someone.

Qi Yue grew tense. He looked at Gu Baiqing, then at Jiang He, who had remained silent, and pursed his lips. "If you have something to say, say it straight. Don't beat around the bush."

Gu Baiqing stared at Qi Yue to confirm his mental state, then signaled Jiang He to sit beside him, so that if Qi Yue became too agitated, he could hold him back.

Qi Yue didn't notice the exchange between Jiang He and Gu Baiqing. He was troubled by the vague suspicion in his heart, his face filled with panic, so much so that he didn't even notice Jiang He sitting beside him.

Gu Baiqing sat opposite him, seeing everything clearly. Seeing Qi Yue looking conflicted, pained, and carrying a trace of ruthlessness, he stopped teasing. "Qi-ge, it seems you've already guessed."

"Your lover was once one of those kidnapped, and the level he was on was the Experiment Level Two I mentioned."

Gu Baiqing stared at Qi Yue's expression, not stopping because of the pain on his face, speaking word by word: "Qi-ge, those who underwent experiments on Level Two can exhibit aggressive behaviors. I don't want you to be with him; I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

"At the same time, I'm also afraid that if one day you stop loving him and abandon him, it would be too cruel."