46
While soaking in the bath, Qi Zhao couldn’t resist glancing at his phone.
To check Qi Wei’s post.
Dingdong allowed you to see likes and comments from non-friends on your friends’ posts, and he and Qi Wei shared a large social circle.
Except for President Yang Shou, Qi Zhao knew and had met all of Qi Wei’s close friends. However, Tang Huaiyuan was the only one he was friends with on social media.
—Xu Chenzhou wasn’t Qi Wei’s friend, but his subordinate.
Although there were likes from IDs not on Qi Zhao’s friend list, Qi Wei’s comment section was clean, without a single comment.
Qi Zhao figured that it was because of Qi Wei’s status; most people wouldn’t dare joke around with him. Those who did… were probably in their private group chat.
So Qi Zhao, after liking the post, searched through his emojis and finally chose a hand-drawn emoji of a black cat making a heart sign and left it as a comment.
He liked this emoji set; it was very cute.
But as soon as he commented, Qi Wei replied immediately, and in the comment section.
[Reply] Qi Wei: [Cats cuddling.jpg]
The emoji he replied with was from the same set as Qi Zhao’s, depicting two small black cats cuddling, soft and adorable.
Qi Zhao was a little surprised that Qi Wei had this emoji set, but on second thought, he didn’t find it strange.
It was 90% likely that Qi Wei had seen him use this emoji, searched for it, and started using it himself.
It wasn’t that Qi Zhao was being narcissistic, but this was just Qi Wei’s personality.
Qi Zhao smiled, not replying to Qi Wei in the comments, but putting away his phone, his mood lifted.
He liked this side of Qi Wei.
So after soaking in the bathtub for a while, Qi Zhao remembered something and picked up his phone again, saving Qi Wei’s post and then posting one himself.
He thought for a moment, then decided not to add any captions, just posting the picture.
Unlike Qi Wei’s post, Qi Zhao’s immediately blew up.
The first to comment was Hua Tang, who was currently during the day due to the time difference.
[Hua Tang: ???????????????]
Then he received a private message from Hua Tang.
[Hua Tang: Whoa, are we friends or not? I had to find out you’re dating from your post?]
Qi Zhao apologized. [My bad, it was a bit sudden… I haven’t fully processed it myself yet.]
This was true.
Actually, not just Qi Wei, but Qi Zhao also felt a sense of unreality.
He was actually together with Qi Wei now?
[Hua Tang: Wait, you’re dating that person? You weren’t tricked, were you?]
[Qi Zhao: No, it’s someone I knew before I went to Country A. He was also the one who helped resolve Qi Yi Liu’s situation.]
[Hua Tang: ?]
[Hua Tang: It’s easy for me to misunderstand that you made some kind of deal with him.]
[Hua Tang: Especially since you’re so attractive.]
[Qi Zhao: …]
Hua Tang was actually half right.
I genuinely…
Qi Zhao typed these words in the input box, then paused, his finger hovering over the “send” button for a few seconds, various images of Qi Wei flashing through his mind.
Qi Wei’s smile, Qi Wei’s warmth, Qi Wei’s embrace… and the light that sparkled in his dark eyes when he looked at him, like finding scattered stars in the dark night sky, incredibly captivating.
And Qi Wei shooting himself with the tranquilizer gun during his rut to avoid hurting him…
Qi Zhao knew very well.
He hadn’t rejected Qi Wei’s “contract” not just because of Qi Yi Liu, but also because he wasn’t repulsed by Qi Wei.
If it were anyone else, Qi Zhao would have definitely proposed other ways to reach an agreement, not selling himself. He still remembered Qi Wei’s words from seven years ago. They were like a small seed planted in his heart, and after seeing Qi Wei again, especially after realizing Qi Wei still had those feelings for him, it had taken root and sprouted.
But he was also afraid.
Qi Mu had also loved An Xinzhi very much before and would lock himself up during his ruts to avoid hurting her. But in the end…
He was afraid of becoming the second An Xinzhi.
But feelings couldn’t be avoided; they would still arise.
He was only twenty-four, and he wasn’t An Xinzhi.
Qi Zhao recalled his feelings earlier that day, holding onto that fleeting sensation of freedom, and typed the two words he had been avoiding, sending them out.
[Qi Zhao: I genuinely like him.]
After Qi Zhao finished his bath, it was Qi Wei’s turn.
Qi Wei hadn’t expected a surprise in the bathroom.
Perhaps Qi Zhao was too relaxed, or perhaps he thought Qi Wei wouldn’t do anything like that when he wasn’t in rut, so Qi Zhao’s changed clothes were still in the laundry basket, and just like last time, his undergarments were simply placed at the bottom.
Qi Wei squatted in front of the basket, his large frame making the basket seem small in comparison.
His fingertips hooked the black fabric, his eyes lowered, a subtle smile playing on his lips as he looked at the small laundry basket.
His Ah Zhao’s guard was truly too low around him.
Qi Wei deliberately waited until he finished showering before telling Qi Zhao, “I put your clothes in the washing machine.”
Qi Zhao said okay, then seemed to remember something and jumped up from the sofa. “Wait, I have something to hand-wash…”
What needed to be hand-washed went without saying; Qi Wei knew.
But Qi Zhao was a little embarrassed to say those words in front of him.
However, Qi Wei stopped him, half-embracing him. “No need.”
He said casually, “I washed them for you.”
Qi Zhao: “…?”
He looked at Qi Wei incredulously, his ears turning red. “What did you do???”
Qi Wei blinked, his face even more mesmerizing in the dim, orange light, like a glass of beautifully colored wine in a vintage goblet, intoxicating just to look at.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Qi Zhao quickly covered his lips with his hand. “I heard you. I’m not asking you to repeat it.”
Qi Wei chuckled and grabbed his wrist, not pulling his hand away. “There’s no separate washing machine here.”
Meaning there was no separate washing machine for delicates.
“I was washing my own clothes anyway, so I just washed yours along with them.”
His tone was normal, without a hint of anything amiss.
But Qi Wei was truly taking advantage of Qi Zhao being a beta.
If Qi Zhao were an alpha, or even an omega, he would have been able to tell from Qi Wei’s pheromones that the alpha was doing it on purpose.
Qi Wei was a truly wicked alpha.
Not only did he deliberately do such a thing, but his pheromones also clung to Qi Zhao shamelessly, binding him tightly.
Unfortunately, Qi Zhao was just a beta.
He was completely oblivious, even feeling a little guilty for questioning Qi Wei—but given Qi Wei’s past behavior, he still asked suspiciously, “You just washed them, you didn’t do anything else, right?”
“No,” Qi Wei swore, “last time was because I was in rut, and I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
He truly hadn’t done anything like that last time, just smelled them a few more times.
Qi Zhao stared at Qi Wei for two seconds, about to say, “I’ll trust you this once,” when Qi Wei’s throat itched from his gaze. “Ah Zhao.”
He whispered, “Can I kiss you now?”
Qi Zhao paused. The already intimate atmosphere was instantly amplified by these words. He instinctively wanted to escape, but Qi Wei’s hand was on his lower back, seemingly just a loose embrace, but Qi Zhao knew how strong and possessive Qi Wei’s hold could be.
More importantly…
Qi Zhao’s instincts and emotions were at war, his nerves stretched taut.
He swallowed unconsciously, his gaze averted by Qi Wei’s intense stare, and finally said, his voice slightly unsteady, “With our current relationship… you don’t have to ask anymore, right?”
Qi Wei paused.
Then he chuckled softly, the sound filled with an almost explosive joy that only he and Qi Zhao could truly understand.
“You’re right,” Qi Wei said. “My mistake.”
What mistake…
Before Qi Zhao could finish, Qi Wei called out again, “Ah Zhao.”
Qi Zhao instinctively looked at him.
But before he could see Qi Wei clearly, Qi Wei lowered his head and kissed him.
He captured his lips, his tongue impatiently sweeping past his teeth.
This alone made Qi Zhao tremble, his body instinctively recoiling.
The moment he retreated, Qi Wei, as expected, tightened his embrace, locking Qi Zhao firmly in his arms.
The alpha’s pheromones erupted almost instantly, the strong, aggressive scent of liquor now tinged with a sweet note. The entire room was filled with his pheromones, like a colorful snake mimicking a beautiful flower, trying to lure its prey into a trap.
Unfortunately, the person being seduced couldn’t sense the pheromones.
Qi Wei’s kiss was unrestrained, like barbarians storming through the city gates, pillaging and plundering, incredibly wild and possessive, completely catching Qi Zhao off guard.
He felt as if his breath had been stolen, his mind blank for a long time, until he realized Qi Wei was kissing him too hard, almost to the point of suffocation.
The subtle pain and lack of air made Qi Zhao feel like he was about to be bitten and devoured by Qi Wei.
Incredibly dangerous.
But because Qi Wei was holding him so tightly, he could clearly feel the alpha’s arousal elsewhere, a clear sign of his pleasure.
Utterly contradictory.
There was a difference in strength between a beta and an alpha; Qi Zhao couldn’t break free.
By the time Qi Wei released him, Qi Zhao was slightly dazed, his swollen lips parted as he instinctively gasped for air. The faint moisture in his beautiful, bright eyes, coupled with his hazy gaze, made Qi Wei’s heart itch, and his arousal… even more obvious.
Qi Zhao could feel it, but he was speechless. Qi Wei’s kiss, which was almost a mix of kissing and biting, had left him breathless and slightly sore.
It felt as if Qi Wei was treating his lips like a gland, marking him temporarily.
How strange.
And he kissed so deeply and unrestrainedly, like a wild beast, more strenuous than holding his breath while swimming.
He felt Qi Wei lower his head again. Qi Zhao wanted to say, “No more kissing,” but before he could speak, Qi Wei kissed the corner of his eye.
And then licked it with the tip of his tongue.
