62
That afternoon, Qi Zhao couldn’t remember what the movie was about; he had spent most of the time being kissed by Qi Wei.
Even when Qi Wei was… aroused, he still wouldn’t let go of Qi Zhao, enduring it even as the veins on his hands bulged.
And to Qi Zhao’s surprise, he didn’t even mention wanting to bite his neck this time.
…Such strong self-control.
However, the prolonged kissing inevitably made Qi Zhao’s lips chapped, and even after applying ointment, they hadn’t fully healed by the time he went to work the next day.
Qi Wei, seeing this, rubbed his canines with his fingertip, a look of self-reproach on his face.
Qi Zhao watched his actions, captivated by his appearance.
Especially when Qi Wei frowned, the usual gentleness and aloofness vanished, replaced by a dangerous, almost violent intensity.
Qi Zhao wasn’t afraid; in fact, he felt strangely drawn to this Qi Wei, his gaze lingering on him for a few seconds.
Qi Wei lowered his hand, the air pressure around him still low, but he didn’t speak.
So Qi Zhao asked, “What’s wrong?”
“My teeth,” Qi Wei said, his tongue touching his sharp canines, “they always hurt you.”
Even though he had refrained from biting Qi Zhao’s lips, he had still inevitably grazed them during their kiss.
Qi Zhao hadn’t expected him to be concerned about this; he had thought Qi Wei’s gland was acting up again.
So after a pause, his tone softened unconsciously. “It’s okay.”
Qi Zhao touched his lower lip, genuinely not minding. “It’s not a big deal.”
Qi Wei asked, “Ah Zhao, you really don’t mind?”
“My colleagues all know I have a partner; they’ll just tease me a little, like Yan Shuang and the others do to you. It’s fine.”
Qi Zhao was slightly exasperated by Qi Wei’s excessive concern for him. “If I minded, I would have told you last night.”
He added, “Besides, it’s not something you can control. You’re already being very careful.”
Whether it was because he had gotten used to it, or because Qi Wei had truly learned to restrain himself, Qi Zhao didn’t feel as uncomfortable as before.
Qi Wei licked his canines again, not speaking immediately.
As Qi Zhao buttoned his shirt, a sudden thought occurred to him. “…With that fierce look on your face just now, were you thinking about filing down your teeth???”
He wasn’t just surprised; an alpha’s canines were incredibly important to them.
Qi Zhao always avoided touching them with his lips when kissing Qi Wei, because they were very sensitive. Even those who hadn’t specifically studied alpha behavior knew this. Some even said online that an alpha’s canines were like a second gland.
So if Qi Wei truly did that, it would be like stabbing his own gland.
Life-threatening.
However, Qi Wei said, “An alpha’s canines are different from other teeth; they can’t be filed down.”
His tone was casual, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “So I was thinking, if it’s really a problem, I might as well just have them removed.”
Qi Zhao’s eyes widened in disbelief. “?”
What was Qi Wei saying? He wanted to have his canines removed???
Unable to contain himself, Qi Zhao frowned at him. “Are you crazy?”
Qi Wei smiled, reached out to take Qi Zhao’s hand, and leaned closer, the faint, unique scent of Qi Zhao becoming stronger, calming his mind yet also, contradictorily, making his gland more restless. “Ah Zhao.”
Qi Wei’s eyes were filled with uncontainable joy. “You’re worried about me, you care about me.”
Was that the point?
Qi Zhao found Qi Wei truly ridiculous.
Before he could steer the conversation back on track, Qi Wei said casually, “These teeth are only for marking anyway, they have no other use. Now, they’re only hurting you, so I might as well have them removed.”
He even added, “Ah Zhao, don’t worry, it’s not a big deal. Medical technology is advanced now. The replacement teeth will be no different from other teeth.”
“There have been cases of alphas having their canines removed for various reasons. The technology is mature.”
Judging by his tone, he was truly considering this, not just saying it to manipulate Qi Zhao.
But it was precisely because of this that Qi Zhao was deeply touched by his seemingly simple words.
A sense of suffocation spread from his chest to his left arm, like tight rubber bands constricting his blood vessels, making him feel immobile.
Qi Zhao had to raise his hand and rub his left wrist, exhaling softly before saying seriously to Qi Wei, “Qi Wei, you don’t have to do this.”
Qi Wei nodded, then chuckled. “I know, I was just thinking about it. Since you said it’s okay, I won’t touch them.”
It sounded like, “If you don’t dislike them, I won’t remove them,” and also like, “If there’s anything about me that you don’t like, I’ll change it.”
Qi Zhao had always disliked the word “change,” especially when it came to someone changing themselves for another person.
He found it too heavy, too restrictive, as if stripping away the person’s independence, making them subservient, doing everything according to the other person’s wishes.
Even now, he still found it too heavy. The love Qi Wei gave him couldn’t be simply described with “like” or “love.”
Too heavy.
But…
It was also like Pandora’s Box.
Qi Zhao released his hand and took Qi Wei’s.
When he was wearing a suit, Qi Wei would always restrain himself from touching him, especially before going to work; Qi Zhao knew this.
Qi Wei was always incredibly considerate in this regard.
Qi Zhao: “It’ll hurt a lot.”
He told Qi Wei, “So there’s no need.”
He paused, and before Qi Wei could say “I’m not afraid of pain,” he added seriously, “And I like your canines.”
Usually, they weren’t visible, but when Qi Wei kissed him, or when he wanted to bite his neck, his mouth would open slightly, revealing his canines, and when he smiled widely, they would also show. Qi Zhao’s gaze always lingered on them for a moment.
Qi Wei hadn’t expected Qi Zhao to say he liked his teeth, so after a pause, he held Qi Zhao’s hand and leaned closer, even adjusting his angle, opening his mouth slightly to reveal his canines to Qi Zhao.
Like presenting a treasure, he said, “Ah Zhao, do you want to touch them?”
Qi Zhao: “…?”
He pulled his hand back, suspecting that all the previous talk had been a setup. “No, let’s go, we have to go to work.”
They would be late if they delayed any longer.
Qi Wei: “Okay.”
He followed Qi Zhao, but didn’t let go of his hand, still asking, “Then Ah Zhao, can you touch them after we get back?”
“…” Qi Zhao was speechless. “Qi Wei, do you even realize that I’ve studied alpha behavior?”
He looked at Qi Wei. “I know what it means to touch an alpha’s canines.”
It was no different from touching an alpha’s gland on their neck, or touching a man’s…
That’s why every time Qi Wei bit his tongue with his canines, Qi Zhao felt so restless and tense, wanting to escape but unable to, like being pinned down on a chopping block, about to be marked and devoured.
Qi Wei blinked slowly and said, “Ah Zhao, I can control myself.”
Qi Zhao said earnestly, “I can’t trust you on this.”
Qi Wei just hummed in acknowledgment, not angry at all, but looking at Qi Zhao’s back with a smile.
He truly liked this Qi Zhao.
Constant compliance would only make Qi Wei feel a sense of unreality, making him wonder if Qi Zhao was just a figment of his imagination, a delusion brought on by his illness.
But the current Qi Zhao… he could feel the string pulling on the kite.
***
After a few busy workdays, Qi Zhao, concerned about Qi Wei’s condition, asked him if he had gotten his new prescription and how he was feeling as soon as he got off work on Monday.
Qi Wei seemed normal, his answer casual.
He had gotten the new medicine, it was better, he could control it now.
Qi Zhao observed him for a while, and seeing that he seemed to have returned to his usual stable state, he was relieved.
After another busy week, the weekend finally arrived.
Qi Zhao finished his work on Friday, working a little overtime, and then clocked out.
As usual, Qi Wei came to pick him up. Qi Zhao had attended two meetings today and contacted the government representatives, the high-intensity work leaving him slightly tired.
As soon as he got in the car, he loosened his tie, and Qi Wei, who was about to hand him some snacks, paused, unconsciously licking his canines.
They itched.
He wanted to leave his mark on Qi Zhao’s hand and his moving Adam’s apple.
But the fatigue on Qi Zhao’s face was evident.
So Qi Wei suppressed his urge, handed Qi Zhao a cheese tart, and poured him a cup of sweet tea. “Didn’t you say your work would be done after this project? The proposal has been approved, so why are you still so busy?”
“…There was a slight delay with the government approval process.”
Qi Zhao took the teacup and sipped, feeling slightly revived. “There’s some paperwork, and since there are many new elements, like escape rooms and murder mystery games, Tang Sheng hasn’t worked with such partners before, they don’t have a list of contacts, and I’m not familiar with the domestic market, so I have to do more research.”
Qi Wei understood. “Do you need my help?”
“No need.” Qi Zhao smiled. “I can handle it.”
He took a bite of the tart. “Mmm.”
Qi Zhao sighed contentedly. “Having some dessert after a long day at work is the best thing in the world.”
Qi Wei smiled, then said accusingly, “See? I told you, you’re the one who doesn’t want to be a slacker.”
Qi Zhao smiled, admitting it. “Completing a project, especially a development project like this, seeing an entire complex being built according to your plan, is truly rewarding.”
Qi Zhao turned to Qi Wei. “It’s like playing those construction and management simulation games; very satisfying.”
Qi Wei chuckled softly.
Qi Zhao: “What are you laughing at?”
Qi Wei said casually, “Nothing, I just think you’re cute like this, Ah Zhao.”
Qi Zhao: “…?”
He hadn’t done anything!
