65
Fortunately, Qi Wei stopped after being reprimanded.
He froze, but Qi Zhao couldn’t relax.
He regretted wearing such thin clothes just because the house had central air conditioning and intelligent temperature control.
That aggressive feeling was truly…
Qi Zhao’s nerves were tense, his voice trembling slightly. “Qi Wei… calm down.”
Qi Wei could sense Qi Zhao’s resistance.
He didn’t understand. Qi Zhao had said they were a couple, so why was he so resistant?
The alpha, caught in a pseudo-rut, couldn’t help but feel uncertain—Did Qi Zhao truly like him?
Had he agreed to be with him out of affection, not pity?
The oppressive aura around Qi Wei intensified. He stared at Qi Zhao, and when Qi Zhao’s lips moved, as if to speak, he kissed him, silencing him.
It was still a forceful, possessive kiss, the initial bite drawing a faint metallic tang of blood.
The feeling of suffocation and plunder filled Qi Zhao’s heart, his survival instincts kicking in, one hand weakly hitting Qi Wei’s back, signaling him to ease up.
The fact that Qi Zhao wasn’t entirely averse to the kiss made the alpha feel slightly better, his rationality returning somewhat.
Qi Wei released Qi Zhao, who was gasping for air, his beautiful, glassy eyes filled with both tension and a hazy confusion.
But Qi Zhao hadn’t truly struggled that much.
“…Ah Zhao.”
Qi Wei lowered his head, burying his face in Qi Zhao’s embrace, inhaling his scent, trying to calm himself. “Sorry.”
He vaguely realized he had done something wrong.
“…”
Qi Zhao took a moment to catch his breath, then said hoarsely, his tongue still tingling, “Calm down.”
Qi Wei mumbled in agreement.
They remained still, but even after a while, Qi Zhao’s nerves couldn’t fully relax.
He couldn’t ignore Qi Wei’s… arousal!
So Qi Zhao could only try to reason with him. “Qi Wei, can I… change positions?”
This was truly terrifying.
But Qi Wei murmured, “Ah Zhao, should I help you… ?”
Qi Zhao felt that he was the one with a problem.
He was actually thinking he should be touched that Qi Wei, even in this state, still remembered to ask, his question already implying a desired answer.
At least he asked.
Qi Zhao’s lips moved, his Adam’s apple bobbing before he said, his voice strained, “N-no need.”
He was indeed slightly aroused by Qi Wei’s actions, but it wasn’t the right time.
He was afraid that helping Qi Wei would lead to something more.
And what if he had to help Qi Wei…
It wasn’t that Qi Zhao was unwilling or resistant, it was just… a strange feeling.
Like awkwardness and embarrassment.
It made him feel at a loss.
After all, he had never even… touched himself.
And…
“Don’t worry about me.”
Normally, Qi Zhao couldn’t discuss these things with Qi Wei, especially during the day. But today, he had no choice. “I’ll be fine in a moment, j-just loosen your grip a little.”
Qi Zhao finally understood that he couldn’t indulge Qi Wei too much just because he felt sorry for him.
Because the alpha, who should have obediently loosened his grip, even if reluctantly, not only didn’t let go, but held him even tighter.
“Ah Zhao,” Qi Wei practically burrowed into Qi Zhao’s embrace, “I won’t touch you, I’ll just hold you like this.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
You being like this was already dangerous enough.
Just as he was about to say no, Qi Wei, unable to endure it any longer, murmured hoarsely, “I feel so uncomfortable…”
Qi Zhao paused, then sighed and stopped struggling, letting Qi Wei hold him tightly.
And as Qi Wei had promised, he didn’t do anything more.
But just being held like this made Qi Zhao break out in a sweat. In the overheated embrace, with nothing else to do, and nothing else he could do, he gradually relaxed, and with the help of the alpha’s calming pheromones, he even dozed off.
When Qi Zhao woke up again, their positions had changed.
The alpha, now in a light pseudo-rut, was nestled in his arms, pressed against his chest through their clothes.
Qi Zhao’s hand was still on the side of Qi Wei’s neck, the gland beneath his palm no longer burning hot, but still warm.
Qi Zhao, confirming that Qi Wei’s breathing had steadied, was relieved.
He looked down at the top of Qi Wei’s head, which was peeking out from under the blanket, and sighed inwardly.
It felt like holding a giant stuffed animal… and the stuffed animal’s legs were wrapped around his, like vines, trapping him completely.
Qi Zhao didn’t move, afraid of waking Qi Wei.
He wondered if such a strong side effect from the medicine was normal.
Qi Wei… what was wrong with him?
Qi Zhao pursed his lips.
After a long while, Qi Wei finally woke up.
The side effects had clearly subsided, and he seemed much more alert.
“Sorry.”
“…You don’t have to apologize.”
Qi Zhao said helplessly, “I’m not upset or angry.”
Qi Wei raised an eyebrow slightly, his face hidden in Qi Zhao’s embrace, and asked slowly, “Not even… before?”
Qi Zhao paused, recalling the earlier scene, his body flushing, an instinctive urge to escape rising within him, but not out of rejection.
His voice was tense. “No…”
Qi Wei understood.
Qi Zhao wasn’t repulsed; he was just scared and embarrassed.
Fear was normal, after all, alphas were inherently stronger than ordinary humans, especially since he was a super S-rank alpha.
And shyness was also normal.
Although his Ah Zhao was an adult, he hadn’t had much experience in this area.
Qi Wei had observed many times that Qi Zhao would become awkward when he heard his friends tell slightly suggestive jokes.
Qi Zhao was too pure, too innocent.
Both inside and out.
So it was okay.
They would take it slow. Qi Zhao had already progressed from being uncomfortable with physical contact to actively kissing him.
He just needed to find the right opportunity and give Qi Zhao a gentle push.
—Not when he was in a confused state. Qi Zhao knew very well that during a pseudo-rut, or a real rut, or when his gland acted up, his self-control would be significantly weakened.
With Qi Zhao, he had to take it one step at a time.
Qi Wei raised his head and kissed Qi Zhao’s lower lip, his lips brushing against the small wound. “Should I apply some ointment later?”
Qi Zhao said, “It’s okay. It won’t heal immediately anyway, and it’s inconvenient with the ointment.”
“Okay.”
Qi Wei then asked, “Are you hungry?”
Qi Zhao was indeed hungry.
After that episode with Qi Wei, although they hadn’t done anything, he had used up a lot of energy. “Yes.”
But he asked, “Are you alright now?”
Qi Wei nodded. “The side effects have worn off… This medicine is a bit strong.”
Qi Zhao pursed his lips. “…Qi Wei, what’s wrong with you?”
Qi Wei lowered his voice. “It’s not a big deal, just that because I’m a super S-rank, my drug resistance is very high, so the medication is a bit strong, and sometimes it can irritate my gland.”
Qi Zhao lowered his eyes, and Qi Wei met his gaze, holding him and shifting slightly upward, their foreheads touching. He said softly, “Ah Zhao, don’t worry, I’m fine.”
He would be fine.
He couldn’t leave Qi Zhao.
As October arrived, the weather in Kyoto started to cool down, and the development project Qi Zhao was in charge of in the suburbs of Yancheng was also nearing completion.
After finishing the final touches, he could submit his resignation, take a few days off, and then start working with Qi Wei.
Unlike before, when he wanted to avoid Qi Wei, Qi Zhao was now looking forward to it.
Looking forward to working by Qi Wei’s side.
Near the end of the workday, Qi Zhao messaged Qi Wei about what he wanted for dinner, when someone from another team came to Project Group One and asked, “Team Leader Qi, could you come out for a moment?”
Qi Zhao paused and walked over. “What’s wrong?”
As he asked, he glanced at the man’s work ID, which indicated he was from the customer service department. They rarely interacted with the project team.
The man nervously followed him into the pantry, where they ran into other members of Project Group One having tea.
They exchanged glances and then tactfully said, “Team Leader, we’ll get back to work.”
Qi Zhao nodded. “Go ahead.”
So only Qi Zhao and the man were left in the pantry.
The man closed the door and lowered his voice. “Team Leader Qi, I’m here because your brother asked me to relay a message to you.”
Qi Zhao paused slightly, thinking that there were truly no secrets in this world.
Even with Qi Wei’s tight security, someone from the Qi family still managed to contact him. He wondered if Qi Wei would find out, and if he would lose control…
Qi Zhao sighed inwardly, then said, “Go ahead.”
He was also a little curious about what Qi Wense wanted.
The man: “He said he wanted to visit you abroad countless times, but someone wouldn’t allow it.”
Qi Zhao froze.
His first thought was that it was Qi Mu, but then he realized something was wrong.
If it were Qi Mu, Qi Wense would have said “my father wouldn’t allow it,” not “someone.”
Qi Zhao’s fingers twitched involuntarily, and he saw the man hesitate before continuing, “And… he said you should be careful of the person you’re with. Someone told him that he has a secret relationship with a company executive.”
Qi Zhao froze.
What?
He didn’t understand what it meant at first, until the man added, “And he also asked me to tell you about your cousin. He just said, ‘Tell him about our cousin, just this one sentence.'”
Qi Yi Liu?
Qi Zhao instantly understood.
He had returned because of Qi Yi Liu, and his family wanted him to marry Liu Feng from Xinfeng Technology.
Did Qi Wei have a close relationship with Liu Feng from Xinfeng Technology?
Were they friends, or…
Qi Zhao lowered his eyelids, and as the man asked nervously, “Team Leader Qi?”, he replied calmly and gently, “I understand, thank you.”
The man nodded and then said, “You’re welcome… Do you have anything to say to Qi Wense?”
Qi Zhao thought for a moment, then smiled. “No.”
He said, “If he asks, just tell him I have nothing to say.”
