But I’m Just a Beta 48

48

In the end, Qi Zhao didn’t know how he fell asleep.

He had washed up, and then, held and kissed and occasionally bitten by Qi Wei, his tense nerves gradually relaxed, and he drifted off to sleep amidst Qi Wei’s clinginess.

He woke up in Qi Wei’s arms, held tightly.

There was a time when Qi Zhao loved sleeping with stuffed animals as a child, and he felt like that stuffed animal now.

Held close, needed, a source of comfort and security for someone.

It was a strange feeling.

And it strangely filled his heart.

Qi Zhao closed his eyes, unconsciously nuzzling closer to Qi Wei, inhaling the alpha’s scent.

The faint lingering fragrance of the perfume still hung in the air, a slightly intoxicating scent, intertwined with Qi Wei’s natural smell. Although Qi Zhao couldn’t smell his pheromones, his brain had memorized Qi Wei’s scent.

It was unique, unlike anything else.

…Perhaps even better than pheromones.

Qi Zhao’s small movement was naturally noticed by the alert alpha. Or perhaps Qi Wei had woken up when he instinctively moved.

But Qi Wei didn’t do anything, didn’t move. He wanted to hold Qi Zhao for a little while longer, and unexpectedly received a small, pleasant surprise.

Qi Wei smiled and tightened his embrace.

Qi Zhao paused, his voice still hoarse and sleepy. “Did I wake you?”

“No.” Qi Wei lowered his head and kissed Qi Zhao’s hair, this time openly, not hiding it. “Alphas don’t need much sleep.”

Qi Zhao knew this, and he said sincerely, “That’s the thing I envy the most.”

Because they could sleep for only an hour or two a day, and high-ranking alphas could even go without sleep for days, so they could work or study continuously.

For Qi Zhao, this was the “superpower” he wanted most.

Thinking of superpowers, Qi Zhao suddenly changed the subject. “I heard that S-rank alphas have special abilities related to their pheromones. Do you have any?”

“There are indeed such rumors,” Qi Wei said, “but I don’t. Yang Shou does.”

He casually revealed a state secret. “That’s a big part of the reason why he became President.”

Qi Zhao: “…”

He was just curious about whether Qi Wei had any, not Yang Shou.

Seeing his silence, Qi Wei chuckled. “It’s fine, you’ll find out eventually. It’s just a matter of sooner or later.”

These words implied that he assumed Qi Zhao would become his lifelong partner, and Qi Zhao knew it.

But Qi Zhao didn’t feel anything in particular. He had long been aware of Qi Wei’s possessiveness and desire for control.

And… the alpha deliberately bringing this up now was to bind Qi Zhao to him even more tightly. Qi Zhao knew this too.

After all, if he didn’t have a close enough relationship with Qi Wei, knowing such things… wasn’t safe.

Qi Zhao said helplessly, “Qi Wei.”

Qi Wei acted as if he hadn’t just revealed a hidden agenda. “Hmm?”

Qi Zhao wasn’t displeased; he just found it amusing.

He even found this side of Qi Wei a little cute. The image of a high-ranking official in the news, gentle yet distant and aloof, deciding the direction of the business world with a few words, had completely disappeared, replaced by someone who felt like his peer.

—Only two years older; they were practically the same age.

He felt a strange sense of closeness.

Perhaps because this calculating Qi Wei seemed more human. The Qi Wei in the news, the composed and gentle Qi Wei, always had an almost god-like air about him, which felt unreal.

So Qi Zhao smiled. “Nothing, just asking about your plans for today.”

Qi Wei smiled, his entire demeanor relaxed. “I want to be like this with you forever.”

Simple, just spending every day together, sleeping, eating, without any other worries.

Actually, Qi Wei longed for an ordinary life.

But he also knew very well that Qi Zhao was so exceptional and outstanding that if he were an ordinary person, Qi Zhao wouldn’t even glance at him, and he wouldn’t be able to have him.

His Ah Zhao admired strength.

Qi Zhao wouldn’t dislike weak people, but he would see them as needing protection, under his wings, always following behind him.

Only those who could stand beside him, or even walk ahead of him, could catch his eye.

But Qi Wei’s words were tempting.

Like a rusty hook piercing Qi Zhao’s heart.

Even after being pulled out, it would still leave a mark.

Qi Zhao imagined it and sighed slightly. “We can only have that kind of life after we retire, when we’re old and gray.”

Qi Wei paused and chuckled.

His laughter was unrestrained joy, and realizing this, he didn’t bother hiding it, holding Qi Zhao and laughing softly against his chest. He was truly happy, his laughter unstoppable for a moment.

Qi Zhao, held tightly, his body vibrating with Qi Wei’s laughter, couldn’t help but ask, “…What are you laughing at?”

He hadn’t said anything strange.

“Ah Zhao.”

Qi Wei finally pulled back slightly, kissing Qi Zhao on the lips, making his eyes widen in surprise. But the kiss was devoid of lust, a pure expression of joy. “You’re already thinking about our life together when we’re old.”

Qi Zhao: “.”

What kind of thought process was this?

Wasn’t this how normal people talked?

Qi Zhao paused, deciding to indulge Qi Wei. “Yes…”

After all, they were destined to be together for life.

Seeing him agree, Qi Wei’s smile became even brighter.

His face, when he smiled like this, was truly beautiful, without the usual pressure of a high-ranking official, without the subtle danger that made one tense up, making Qi Zhao’s heart skip a beat.

When Qi Wei kissed him again, he didn’t avoid it.

Of course, even if he hadn’t been momentarily dazed, he wouldn’t have avoided Qi Wei’s kiss.

Qi Wei just lightly pecked his lips before pulling back. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

He lowered his head slightly, his forehead touching Qi Zhao’s, and murmured, seemingly dejected, “Why can’t alphas self-clean?”

Qi Zhao: “…”

Qi Zhao: “?”

He was amused by Qi Wei’s words. “You…”

Qi Zhao’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Do you think alphas are machines?”

Self-cleaning.

But… Qi Wei wasn’t disgusted with him for not having brushed his teeth; he was worried about himself not being clean.

Qi Zhao’s heart was touched, but he didn’t say he didn’t mind, just, “Then let’s get up.”

Don’t develop the habit of staying in bed; it would become a habit.

Qi Wei had no objections. “Okay.”

He could hold and kiss Qi Zhao anytime he wanted now anyway.

The alpha got out of bed in a cheerful mood to wash up, but he couldn’t help but lean down and kiss Qi Zhao again as he moved.

He kissed Qi Zhao on the cheek, a silent peck, yet its presence was undeniable. Qi Zhao paused, and turning his head, he met Qi Wei’s bright, playful eyes.

He was truly happy; anyone could see it. And they could also see how much he liked Qi Zhao.

That’s why Qi Zhao was always so touched by him.

He even felt as if his heart was a target, and Qi Wei was standing before it, a quiver full of arrows on his back, shooting arrow after arrow into his heart, until Qi Zhao realized he was trapped, unable to free himself from the dense cluster of arrows.

Qi Zhao knew that his feelings were developing somewhat unhealthily, because he was falling for Qi Wei because Qi Wei liked him so much, but… since he wasn’t the only one with unhealthy feelings, and Qi Wei’s love was also somewhat “twisted,” it should be fine.

He recalled an old saying—

Every pot has its lid.

Indeed.

Qi Zhao smiled.

Qi Zhao and Qi Wei didn’t stay in Guangtang City for long. Besides their work schedules, the food here wasn’t quite to Qi Zhao’s liking.

They returned to the city center that day, and Qi Zhao’s motorcycle was transported back to Kyoto. On the plane, Qi Zhao said to Qi Wei, “When we have time, I can take you for a ride in the mountains.”

He smiled. “To a more remote place, where there are no cars, and you can let go and spread your arms. The feeling of the wind through your fingers and arms is truly unique.”

Qi Wei’s eyes flickered, but he focused on something else. “Ah Zhao, you’ve experienced that.”

He held Qi Zhao’s hand, his fingers interlaced with his, his thumb firmly pressed against the base of Qi Zhao’s. Although Qi Wei’s voice was still soft, Qi Zhao’s nerves instinctively tensed. “Have you ridden on someone else’s motorcycle?”

“…”

It was a rhetorical question.

Qi Zhao’s scalp tingled; he found Qi Wei truly incredible. “That was a long time ago.”

He told Qi Wei, “And we were just friends.”

“Yes.”

Qi Wei said slowly, “I know.”

He lowered his eyes slightly. “Ah Zhao, you had many friends before.”

“…”

Qi Zhao sighed. “It was someone from the motorcycle club. I don’t remember who specifically, but I didn’t know how to ride at first; I just thought it was cool. I hung out with them a lot, and they taught me.”

He told Qi Wei openly, “I’ve ridden on many people’s motorcycles. I wasn’t a good rider before, and I couldn’t get up some slopes, so they helped me.”

Qi Zhao turned to look at Qi Wei, slightly exasperated. “Are you jealous of something that happened in the past?”

Qi Wei thought of the young, inexperienced Qi Zhao, being guided by older riders, and felt a pang of jealousy. “…I also wanted to teach you.”

It was a pity he was only two years older than Qi Zhao.

Qi Wei murmured, “Sometimes I wish I were much older than you.”

That way, he could have differentiated earlier, gained power earlier, and been able to protect Qi Zhao sooner.

“Don’t.”

Qi Zhao said without thinking, “If you were much older than me, your gland problem would only be more serious. I’m afraid that by the time you’re not committing a crime by sleeping with me, you would already be…”

Qi Wei considered it and agreed. “That’s true.”

But Qi Zhao didn’t know that he was already on the brink.

His gland was constantly losing control, not just sudden, violent outbursts, but also an inability to summon his pheromones at times. This disorder was like rust and mold, corroding his soul.

Qi Wei looked at Qi Zhao, his eyes smiling, but he didn’t say anything more.

He had originally planned to use this as his last resort. If he couldn’t keep Qi Zhao by his side no matter what he did, he would have to resort to making him feel sympathy for him. But now, things were different. He didn’t want Qi Zhao to carry such a heavy burden.

After all, it was precisely because of Qi Zhao that he instinctively rejected all omegas, that he had become like this.