Middle Child Syndrome - Chapter 201

Chapter 201: Ch 201: Another friend?
“Rika, is Zhu Li sitting with us during lunch? You should have told me about this beforehand. If you told me, then I would have prepared my heart for this encounter.”

Fey complained as her eyes moved to look at the impressive alpha in front of her every few seconds. She was not sure what to make of this man.

Zhu Li was aware of the looks he was getting, too.

Whenever Fey turned her head to look at the dominant male, he smiled back at her and caused Fey to blush and look away. The poor beta had no immunity to Zhu Li’s looks.

“Tsk, stop falling for this pretty face. I can read his intentions. This man is here to cause trouble. You are doing well ignoring him, Rika.”

Flourite assured Rika, and his eyes narrowed as he observed Zhu Li’s looks.

He could not make presumptions, but his instincts told him this man hid way more than he was showing.

“I know. I don’t trust Zhu Li as well. And I have asked him to leave me alone more than I can count. But the alpha is a problem. Every time I talk, he pretends he cannot understand me. It is getting annoying now.”

Rika complained just loud enough for Zhu Li to hear her.

But as expected, the alpha pretended he did not hear her and continued to look at Rika with his dumped face. It annoyed her, but she did not want to say anything to him and encourage him further.

“Come on! Things are alright. Look at the bright side of things. You now have an alpha bodyguard who follows you all the time. No one has tried to mess with you today, either. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Fey asked, but Rika knew that things were more complex.

The reason no one had messed with her had less to do with Zhu Li and more to do with the fact that the last alpha-omega couple to do so had died.

No one wanted to die, so they were careful about retreating Rika.

“I don’t think I want to hear these ridiculous solutions anymore. If you need me, then I will be in my classroom. I will see you when Uni ends. Have fun in class.”

Rika stood up in time for Fey to make an annoyed face.

“Ugh, who has fun in class? It is a place where you go to feel tortured. I would not want to go there ever again. If not for my grade…ugh, I would never want to set foot in the uni.”

Fey’s complaining was entertaining. But as amused as Rika was, she knew she needed to return to class on time.

Zhu Li also stood up with her, and his intention to follow Rika out was evident.

Rika was tired of being followed by the alpha, so she confronted him.

She turned around swiftly so that Zhu Li could not avoid her. But the man had no intention of turning around or pretending he was not stalking Rika.

“Will you stop following me like this? It is annoying, and it also makes my blood pressure shoot up. I don’t want to see you like a showdown, always walking behind me. Just tell me what you want from me?”

Rika finally asked as she turned around and faced the alpha behind her.

The alpha looked spooked but quickly gathered himself and gave Rika an amused look that said, ‘Why are you asking this?’

Ultimately, Zhu Li decided to answer Rika because it did not look like she would back down and take her question back.

“I told you this before – I want to be your friend. There is no alternative motive I have for following you around. You can lower your guard with me around.”

Zhu Li gave Rika a serene smile, but she felt even more suspicion when she saw it. It looked like a criminal’s smile, and Rika shuddered as soon as she saw it.

The alpha noticed that Rika did not believe what he had to say. So, he sighed and decided to come clean about what he wanted from her.

“I want you to help me out. You would be more open to helping me track down the supply of those drugs if I became your friend. There, I came clear to you. Are you happy now?”

Zhu Li was questioned with a flat face. His smile was absent when he told the truth.

That was how Rika knew that she was not being tricked.

At the same time, her heart also gave a painful lunge at the fact that Zhu Li had not genuinely wanted to be her friend. He had only asked her this because he needed her help.

‘I don’t even know why I am disappointed at this point. Genuine friendship does not exist for me. People only approach me if they want something else.’

That was not to say that Rika did not have genuine friends. However, she could not use the term ‘friend’ to define her relationships.

The closest anyone has gotten to this definition currently is Charon and Fey. But Rika did not know how to define her relationship with those two.

“Hey, don’t be mistaken. I did not lie when I said I wanted to be your friend. But I am also desperate here. That’s why it would be my best solution if I could get your friendship and help. What do you say?”

The man asked almost tensely, and Rika had no choice but to agree. She did not want to help Zhu Li out, but it did seem like the alpha was desperate.

And Rika had a soft spot for these kinds of alphas. They reminded her too much of Emily’s struggling childhood when she was unpresented.

Contrary to her instincts, which told her not to, Rika sighed and decided to give Zhu Li a chance. After all, what would have been the worst thing that could have happened if she had done this?