Chapter 10

Li Han was not good at showing emotions or getting too angry or sad but it brought happy emotions to his heart knowing that Liu Yifei had cured the unsettledness in his chest.

After class ended, Li Han headed toward the toilet, needing a moment of quiet. But before he could reach the main hallway, several tall figures suddenly appeared, crowding him backward into a dim, forgotten corner of the corridor—one of those spots no one ever bothered to look at.

Confusion hit him harder than fear. He blinked up at them, registering the overwhelming wave of alpha pheromones crashing over him like thick, suffocating perfume. Even though betas didn’t have a particularly strong sense of smell for pheromones, the intensity of these scents was impossible to ignore—almost like walking straight into a field of overpowering flowers.

He didn’t recognize any of them, but one stepped forward, voice low and accusing.

“So you’re the Li Han who’s been bullying our girls.”

The words clicked into place almost immediately. These must be the boyfriends—or maybe even girlfriends—of the fan club members who had confronted him earlier. The realization only deepened his confusion.

'Shouldn’t they be more worried that their partners spend all their time fangirling over the twins instead of obsessing over me supposedly “bullying” them?' Li Han thought to himself and if his memory served him correctly—which it always did—he hadn’t bullied anyone. He had barely spoken to those girls, deliberately keeping his distance to avoid exactly this kind of trouble.

He didn’t bother responding. Instead, a small, quizzical frown creased his brow, the only outward sign of his bewilderment.

The alphas clearly didn’t like his silence. One of them sneered. “Not much of a talker, huh? By the time we’re done with you, you’ll confess all your evils.”

Before Li Han could react, rough hands shoved him hard against the cold wall. Pain bloomed across his back and shoulders.

“Leave the twins alone, you dumb beta.”

The words made even less sense now. Were they defending their girlfriends… or fighting for the twins themselves? The thought barely had time to form before another violent shove slammed him backward again. Hands grabbed at his uniform, yanking and tearing at the fabric. He understood, dimly, that he was being harassed—cornered and manhandled—but a strangely detached part of his mind could only think: They’ve probably taken the candy Liu Yifei gave me.

Then, suddenly, the air changed.

A heavy, oppressive presence rolled in like a storm front—so thick and powerful it forced Li Han’s knees to buckle. The alphas staggered too, faces paling as they fought to stay upright. Li Han squeezed his eyes shut against the pressure, struggling to breathe.

When he finally opened them again, the twins stood at the entrance of the corner, their expressions murderous. Rage burned in their eyes, dark and lethal; they looked capable of tearing the alphas apart without hesitation. Their pheromones flooded the space, choking and overwhelming, making even Li Han’s vision blur at the edges.The attackers didn’t wait to find out what would happen next. They scattered, fleeing down the hallway in panicked silence.

The twins didn’t chase them. Their attention locked entirely on Li Han. The fury in their gazes softened instantly into something fierce and protective. Without a word, they closed the distance, one gently lifting him while the other pulled him into a tight, enveloping hug. No words were needed—the warmth of their hold, the careful way they cradled him, said everything they might have shouted.

Li Han knew he could have fought back earlier. He could have struck where it would hurt most, used every trick his father had quietly taught him about self-defense. But that would only make things worse. Alphas always held the upper hand in situations like this, and any retaliation from a beta would be twisted against him. Besides, the last thing he needed was his father finding out and losing his temper. So he simply took a slow, deep breath, forcing his racing heart to calm.

“Put me down,” he said quietly.

They obeyed immediately, setting him on his feet with careful gentleness. Yo Han reached up, stroking the back of Li Han’s head where it had been slammed against the wall.

“Fu Fu, we need to take you to the clinic so they can check if you’re okay,” he murmured, voice soft and full of worry.

Li Han pushed his hand away, not harshly, just firmly. “I need to use the bathroom.”They let him go without protest.

Inside the bathroom, Li Han moved quickly—first relieving himself because he really had needed to, then washing his hands and splashing cold water on his face. He stared at his reflection in the mirror: the same pale face, the same dark eyes, the same calm expression he always wore.

Maybe it would be better if he avoided the twins entirely from now on. He couldn’t blame them for what had just happened—this was the consequence of his own quiet life choices, the way he kept getting pulled into their orbit no matter how much he tried to stay on the edges.

A single tear slipped down his cheek, surprising him. He wiped it away quickly with the back of his hand, muttering to himself that he had no time for this.He reached into his pocket, hoping to feel the familiar crinkle of the candy wrapper. Nothing. The pocket was empty. Anger flared hot and sudden in his chest—not at the twins, but at the loss of that small, silly gift.

He stormed out of the bathroom, footsteps sharp against the tile. The twins were still waiting right outside, expressions anxious.

“Fu Fu, where are you going?” Yo Sun asked softly, almost pleading.

“Don’t follow me,” Li Han said, voice flat. “I’m going back to class.”

He didn’t look back as he walked away. The twins hesitated for only a second before turning in the opposite direction, heading toward their own classrooms. They understood—when Li Han said no, he meant no. He needed space, needed time to let the ache settle.And for once, they gave it to him.