But the people around them seemed to take it all for granted.
The noise from next door started again during the day, and Qin Chu realized that the person inside hadn't died.
Levy has been coming to the studio as usual these past few days.
It seems his perfect score on the pheromone resistance test wasn't just bragging.
However, this person rarely sat on that small bed anymore, as if deliberately avoiding it, and spent the whole day standing and wandering around the studio.
These days, very few people come to the studio.
One after another, military academy students took leave, and the painter was bored staying alone in the studio, so he simply invited the models out to play.
Qin Chu was initially worried that he wouldn't be able to keep up with the competition's progress, but now that he's in heat, he suddenly feels that he might be the fastest progresser.
Actually... Qin Chu also wanted to give Levi a break.
But before the alpha could say anything, he suddenly wanted to take a vacation, which seemed very unprofessional.
On the fifth day, when Qin Chu passed by the door of the painting studio next door again, he was shocked.
He then realized why the estrus period is called the estrus period.
That use of the word "period" is absolutely accurate.
That day, the sounds from next door remained as if they were still engrossed in their art. From the moment Qin Chu entered the studio in the morning until now, when it was dark outside, the intermittent noises had not stopped.
"...Don't they sleep?" Qin Chu couldn't help but ask the question that had been on his mind.
Qin Chu's shock was palpable, causing Levi to burst out laughing.
He's been rather quiet these past few days, and usually doesn't speak to Qin Chu, even avoiding eye contact.
He smiled with his head down for a while, then realized that Qin Chu was asking the question very seriously.
So he said, "You must be sleeping, otherwise how would you have the energy?"
Qin Chu: ...Yeah, how come you have so much energy?
After saying that, Levi felt it might have been a bit crude, so he added, "Um... I learned in a book that at this time, Omegas are more, uh... passionate?"
It seems like the more I try to explain, the worse it gets?
The inexperienced alpha blushed again and casually grabbed a handful of hair: "Anyway... even if an alpha wants to sleep, it's not allowed."
Qin and Chu were once again greatly shocked.
Qin Chu had become numb by then.
On the seventh day, he discovered that the isolation layer outside the room next door was open, and the Omega pheromones that had been lingering had changed their scent. Although Qin Chu had never smelled it before, he quickly realized that it meant that he had already been marked.
When I arrived at my studio, there were already people there.
Levy arrived early and helped him set up his easel, which looked quite professional.
Qin Chu opened the door and couldn't help but sigh, "It's finally over."
Alpha stuck his head out and sniffed: "It's not over yet."
"...It's not over yet?" Qin Chu's eyes widened.
"Well, it's probably just a change of location; it should take a few more days," Levy said calmly.
He visibly breathed a sigh of relief after the couple next door left.
Being in such an awkward space with your favorite Omega every day, and not being able to do anything with him, is unbearable for anyone.
They're finally gone.
Qin Chu and Levi both thought so.
After putting everything away, Qin Chu wanted to wash the paint, but when she looked down, she saw that the paintbrushes she had thrown on the ground yesterday had already been washed and dried.
Sitting down in front of the easel, Qin Chu glanced at the weatherstripping on the doors and windows: "Now that they're gone, let's remove the weatherstripping, shall we?"
“Don’t dismantle it yet,” Levy said.
Qin Chu quickly realized that this was a wise decision, and also fully understood that Levy's talk of competitive estrus was not a joke.
Just two days after the young couple next door left, another Omega in the art studio went into heat.
This time it's an Omega in the art studio on the first floor.
The first floor is an awkward place because no matter which floor the art studio is on, you have to pass through the first floor.
So the artists and models, who had only been back for a few days, started going out to collect inspiration again.
Qin Chu was no longer as shocked as he had been at the beginning.
Anyway, it's not next door to him.
His studio had an Omega who was already in heat on one side and a Beta on the other.
There shouldn't be any more disturbances for a while.
With the strange noises from next door gone, both Levi and Qin Chu felt much more relaxed.
Although Levy was still a little hesitant to sit on that small bed, he no longer made a conscious effort to avoid Qin Chu when wandering around the studio.
This time, he even went around behind Qin Chu and peeked at the drawing board.
The paintings from this period in the Qin and Chu dynasties already show their initial form.
Levi was always curious about what this senior could draw on his portrait, since, to some extent, the painting represented Qin Chu's impression of him.
After seeing Qin Chu's masterpiece in the preliminary round, Levy was fully prepared for Qin Chu's "unconventional" painting skills.
But when he saw what was on the drawing paper, Levy remained silent for a long time.
“…Although I was prepared, knowing that my senior might not have a good impression of me,” Levi sighed, “I never expected him to draw me as a dog.”
"...What nonsense are you talking about? It's not a dog at all." Qin Chu defended himself. "It's clearly a, well... a very fierce beast."
Qin Chu painted a star beast, and it was of a high level.
Golden scales, fluffy curly mane, and those icy blue eyes that were exactly like Levi's.
This ferocious beast has very special eyes; its blue irises seem to glow, and the outermost layer of the irises has a dark halo, making it look somewhat eerie.
Picking up the pen, I added a dot of pitch-black pupils to that icy blue, and a chilling danger emanated from the painting.
This was indeed Qin Chu's most profound impression of Levy.
Dangerous, eerie, but... beautiful.
Qin Chu spent most of his time at the border dealing with star beasts, sometimes even face-to-face, without any protection.
This race doesn't attack humans under normal circumstances, but sometimes they'll stroll along the edge of the protective shield as if on a leisurely stroll. The more powerful the star beast, the more beautiful it is, even possessing a captivating beauty.
Qin Chu had killed many star beasts, but he also admitted that some of them were indeed very beautiful.
It is the beauty that comes from danger and power.
Perhaps because he had been wary of Levi all along, he calmly accepted the man's identity after learning that he was indeed related to the Star Beasts.
Qin Chu covered the painting with a cloth.
"Hey, I haven't seen it clearly yet." Levi reached out to lift it.
"...Not now." Qin Chu was reluctant to let him see.
Aside from the discomfort of having his work observed by a crowd, he was afraid that if he accidentally caused Levi to regain his memories, there would be a whole host of troubles to come.
"When can we do that?" Levy asked.
He sighed again: "Don't worry, senior can draw it however you want, I won't be angry."
"Submit it to the judges and we'll decide based on the scores."
Qin Chu got up to wash his paintbrush.
Levi, holding the palette, followed closely behind him: "That will take a long time."
"How long?" Qin Chu didn't quite understand. "The second stage has already started for a while, and the submission date has been set."
Levi pulled his hands out of the cold water, looked at the always clueless Omega beside him, and sighed: "With so many Omegas in heat, how could the submission deadline not be postponed?"
"...So many? There are only two, aren't there?" Qin Chu was a little confused.
Levi snapped the tap off, turned to look at him, and gave a small smile: "Did you really think they went out for a field trip?"
Qin Chu: "..."
Qin Chu understood.
When the topic was brought up again, the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Qin Chu then realized that after the noise attack in the past period, he had probably developed feelings for the alpha beside him because of the "shared hardships". Unconsciously, he had let down most of his guard against the alpha beside him.
Now the two of them are standing by a pool, rinsing the paint with the same tap.
At such close range, he didn't even notice anything amiss.
Even the lingering smell of blood that had been on my nose for some time now seemed to have become commonplace.
Qin Chu couldn't help but take a step back.
He soon realized that he had gotten used to Levi's pheromones, but that didn't mean the man had gotten used to his.
Because the person standing next to him also took a step back, their ears turning red, looking at him hesitantly, and said softly, "Senior... um, you need to reapply your concealer."
Qin Chu subconsciously raised his hand and pressed it against the back of his neck.
The next morning, Qin Chu received a system message informing them that due to some force majeure, the first submission deadline for the second stage would be extended by fifteen days.
Force majeure, very good.
Qin Chu lay on the bed and sighed, wondering what he had been working so hard to finish the manuscript in those creaking, squeaking conditions a few days ago.
I should have known he would also take a vacation.
That's what Qin Chu thought, but he still went to the art studio as usual.
He still needs to refine some details.
All art students received the message, and some people couldn't help but complain a bit while walking down the street.
The complaints weren't about Omegas' heat cycles, but rather that too many military academy students couldn't control themselves during this time and had to frequently ask for leave.