20
After Tang Huaiyuan left, Qi Zhao stayed in the pantry for a while.
He poured himself a glass of iced milk and drank it slowly, digesting everything he had just heard.
The weather was still beautiful today, the bright sunlight streaming through the window to the point of being dazzling.
Because everyone in the company wore suits, the air conditioning was set very low. The suit Qi Zhao was wearing was bought with Qi Wei’s card. The tie clip, whose price had prompted curious questions from his colleagues about where he bought it, was also personally chosen by Qi Wei.
He had been avoiding the truth this whole time.
He knew it very well.
From the moment Qi Wei stood before him at seventeen, spouting nonsense about digging out his gland, he had known that Qi Wei liked him.
But for him, that year had been chaotic, and after it passed, he assumed he would never cross paths with Qi Wei again, so he never thought…
But upon returning to Z Country and sitting before Qi Wei again, he should have understood.
When Qi Wei said those words, he should have guessed and known that the alpha’s obsession with him was probably difficult to explain, but he still avoided it and tried to escape.
He kept thinking of various possibilities, diverting his thoughts, unwilling to face the reality of his situation with Qi Wei…
Qi Zhao pinched the bridge of his nose.
He remembered his teacher asking him why he had never been in a relationship.
At the time, Qi Zhao had smiled and said, “I haven’t met anyone I like.”
His teacher, who taught alpha behavioral studies and was also an excellent psychologist, had asked him, “Qi, are you sure you don’t have some psychological trauma because of your family?”
And then Qi Zhao… avoided the topic again.
He knew he was avoiding it.
He knew it very well.
If it were the him from before, the him who hadn’t been sent abroad for being a beta, he definitely wouldn’t have such a “weak” personality.
Even if he couldn’t accept being in a close relationship, he would state the reason directly, instead of vaguely saying that he couldn’t accept intimacy.
He had truly changed a lot.
Qi Zhao touched his pocket, wanting to light a cigarette, then remembered that Qi Wei had taken his cigarettes and lighter, and couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t borrow a cigarette from a colleague, but since the alpha didn’t like it, there was no need to smoke.
Qi Zhao exhaled softly and finished the last of his milk.
As he drank, he inexplicably thought of that day when he called Qi Wei “Er-ge” and Qi Wei had looked inexplicably sad.
…Qi Wei had seen him before, the him from the past.
And it was that version of him that Qi Wei had fallen for. Was Qi Wei sad because he had lost his sharp edges?
Qi Zhao didn’t know why, but the moment this thought entered his mind, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt a tightness in his chest, his nose stinging slightly.
Qi Wei truly cared about him, truly liked him.
Even though he had changed so much, Qi Wei wasn’t disgusted or disappointed, but sad for him…
Qi Zhao turned his head.
At twenty-four, he hadn’t cried in a long time, but now his eyes were red-rimmed. For the first time, he felt a loss of control, wanting to stand before Qi Wei right now and apologize.
He had been ignoring him because of his own avoidance.
Qi Zhao composed himself and smiled wryly.
He didn’t dislike this feeling of losing control because it allowed him to find his true self, as if pulling him out of a numb mire.
“It seems doing good deeds is important after all.”
Qi Zhao thought.
His fight back then had pulled Qi Wei up, and today, Qi Wei, having gained power, had pulled him up.
It truly was a cycle, they had become each other’s lifeline.
Qi Zhao threw the disposable cup into the trash can, calmed himself, and went back to work.
Finish today’s goals early, leave work on time, and then go see Qi Wei. Qi Zhao wanted to tell him that he could be contacted during his rut, and he would be there for him.
However, when it was time to leave work, Qi Zhao didn’t receive a message from Qi Wei, but from Qiu Ji, who said Qi Wei had arranged for him to pick him up.
Qi Zhao paused, not saying anything for the moment. After politely saying goodbye to his colleagues, he got into the car.
Sitting in the back seat, he said calmly, “Qi Wei’s rut has started?”
Qiu Ji paused, swallowing the words “I’ll take you to the hotel first.”
After a few seconds of silence, Qi Zhao asked again, “Qi Wei didn’t let you tell me, why?”
Qiu Ji thought for a moment. His boss hadn’t told him not to explain. “…Boss’s ruts are usually quite… intense. He’s probably afraid of losing control.”
He was implying that Qi Wei was afraid of hurting Qi Zhao, because sometimes it was truly destructive, like a god of death descending.
But what Qi Zhao thought of was Qi Wei being afraid of losing control and doing what an adult alpha in rut most wanted to do to their chosen partner.
That was indeed a valid concern.
So Qi Zhao also fell silent for a few seconds.
But he raised his hand and gently rubbed the small round ball on his necklace. “Take me to him.”
Qi Zhao said softly, “I believe he won’t.”
Qiu Ji hesitated, and Qi Zhao said, “Don’t worry, if he settles scores later, I’ll speak up for you.”
Qiu Ji thought for a moment and finally started the car. “Boss, if you’re going into the villa, it’s best to bring a weapon.”
Qi Zhao: “…That serious?”
Qiu Ji lowered his voice, as if murmuring to himself, “He’s been relying on suppressants… Suppressants only suppress an alpha’s instincts, they don’t soothe them.”
As someone who had studied alpha behavior, Qi Zhao naturally knew this.
So he didn’t speak immediately, not continuing the conversation.
The car drove into the villa community. At the entrance, Qi Zhao saw a cordon and beta police officers who specialized in handling such situations.
—An alpha’s oppressive pheromones were indeed effective against betas, but in this situation, an alpha usually wouldn’t actively release oppressive pheromones. If an alpha or omega were standing here, they would be triggered into rut or heat by Qi Wei. So the advantage of being a beta was evident at this time.
Seeing Qi Zhao get out of the car, a middle-aged man in a white coat’s eyes lit up. “Qi Zhao, right?”
Qi Zhao nodded. “Teacher Wu.”
He knew this man, a renowned alpha research scholar. His presence here wasn’t surprising, given that Qi Wei was a super S-rank alpha.
Teacher Wu: “Qi Wei’s rut started earlier than expected. Do you want to go in?”
Qi Zhao didn’t know how to explain his relationship with Qi Wei, but seeing that Teacher Wu clearly knew about Qi Wei’s obsession with him, he nodded.
Teacher Wu gestured to a police officer. “Come here.”
The police officer came over with a box and opened it. Teacher Wu took out a miniature gun. “If you want to go in, you have to take this with you.”
Qi Zhao was stunned, and Teacher Wu explained, “Don’t worry, it’s not loaded with regular bullets. This is a tranquilizer gun, but be careful not to shoot yourself. The tranquilizer in it is enough to knock out an elephant… You can also rest assured that for an alpha like Qi Wei, this dosage will only weaken his limbs. He can still walk normally, just not exert much force. If his rut doesn’t end in two days, you’ll have to give him another shot.”
“Actually, you can relax a bit. His rut this time is unexpectedly… calm…”
Despite saying that, Teacher Wu still looked at Qi Zhao. “It’s probably because you’re here.”
Not across the ocean, not unsure whether Qi Zhao would be willing to be bound to him… Even if an alpha had self-doubts during their rut, there was now a seed in his heart that could calm him down.
More importantly, there were definitely things belonging to Qi Zhao inside the villa.
Teacher Wu murmured, “His theory was actually correct…”
The situation was urgent; there was no time for idle chatter. After saying this, Teacher Wu returned to the matter at hand.
He looked into Qi Zhao’s eyes and said seriously, “Qi Zhao, you must listen to my instructions. Don’t be soft-hearted towards him, or you’ll die at his hands.”
Qi Zhao had experience with guns.
He had learned shooting before and still practiced at the shooting range from time to time. But… even with a tranquilizer gun, he had never shot at a person.
Qi Zhao instinctively wanted to run, to escape this chaotic scene, to avoid all the eyes on him, but…
Qi Zhao took a deep breath, rubbed his slightly trembling wrist, calmed himself down, and slowly picked up the gun. “Where is he now?”
“According to the thermal imaging, he’s currently here.”
Teacher Wu’s assistant handed Qi Zhao a tablet. It displayed the 3D structure of the entire villa and a heat signature huddled in… a closet?
Qi Zhao immediately recognized it as Qi Wei’s old room, his current room, but he couldn’t recall which closet it was—he wasn’t familiar with this house yet.
Qi Zhao said, “Okay, I’ll go find him.”
The police officer handed him an earpiece. “Put this on. If anything happens, just call us, and we’ll rush in immediately.”
He wasn’t trying to help Qi Wei, but simply stating a fact. “Mr. Qi told the President that your life takes precedence over his.”
Qi Zhao: “—”
His heart clenched at these words.
But the situation was too chaotic; he didn’t have time to process his thoughts. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he put on the earpiece and slowly crossed the cordon.
If Qi Zhao were an alpha or omega, or if his secondary gender were one of those, he would be able to sense it. The moment he stepped within the cordon, the pheromones that had been isolated by special equipment, like a trapped beast’s confused and scattered scent, instantly surged towards him as if they had found their prey, clinging to him frantically.
But it wasn’t a suffocating embrace, but a courting one.
All the pheromones clung to Qi Zhao, surrounding and accompanying him as he walked forward, excitedly informing their owner—
Your mate has arrived.
Mark him quickly.
Possess him quickly.
Claim him quickly.
Kiss him, touch him, embrace him, and…
Qi Wei, a large man squeezed inside a closet, tightly clutched Qi Zhao’s clothes and the pillow he had slept on, burying his face in them to seek comfort. Now, he seemed to have found a better “substitute,” the “real thing,” and slowly raised his head.
His dark eyes were filled with suppressed emotions. At first glance, they seemed cold and indifferent, but upon closer inspection, one could see the intense desire churning within, turning into a chilling coldness.
Qi Wei didn’t move. Free from the gazes of others, and inside the villa, the quiet allowed Qi Zhao to regain some composure.
He remembered that alphas exhibited nesting behavior during their ruts, so…
Qi Zhao stopped at the bedroom door and carefully opened it.
The bedroom was indeed empty, but nothing was damaged. The only things missing were his blanket and pillow.
As soon as he took a step inside, the alpha’s hoarse voice came muffled from inside the closet. “Don’t come any closer.”
These three short words were gritted through clenched teeth, filled with a bloody struggle, revealing how much it tormented him to push Qi Zhao away.
“…Er-ge.”
Qi Zhao exhaled silently and closed the bedroom door behind him—he truly didn’t realize how dangerous it was to be alone with an alpha, especially an alpha who considered him his mate, in a closed space.
Because Qi Zhao was a beta, no one had warned him, like they would an omega, to be careful of any alpha in rut. There were no danger warnings between alphas of the same secondary gender.
And because the alpha’s pheromones were all about courting, he didn’t feel any oppression. He was only a little nervous because he knew that an alpha’s rut was dangerous.
The disadvantage of a beta’s insensitivity was fully displayed at this moment.
Qi Zhao had no idea what kind of danger he had put himself in. He was still thinking about Qi Wei’s condition, so he asked softly, “Your rut has started, and the suppressants aren’t working, right?”
Hearing Qi Zhao’s voice, Qi Wei’s forced calmness crumbled, leaving only the last shred of his sanity struggling to hold on, like a lone boat tossed about on a stormy sea, about to capsize at any moment.
And as Qi Zhao walked towards the closet, his hand reaching for the door, he overturned that fragile boat.
Before Qi Zhao could say anything, Qi Wei opened the door.
He didn’t even have time to see what the inside of the closet looked like. Before he could react, Qi Wei pounced on him!
The bedroom was carpeted, so Qi Zhao’s fall wasn’t painful, especially since the alpha’s arms wrapped around him like a snake, cushioning his fall.
But because of this, Qi Zhao couldn’t shoot Qi Wei with the tranquilizer.
Qi Wei’s body temperature was alarmingly high, much hotter than usual. His tightly wrapped arms and legs pressed against Qi Zhao, restricting his movements, making him feel slightly suffocated even in just an embrace.
And the alpha lowered his head, burying his face in the side of Qi Zhao’s neck, like a starving wolf, sniffing eagerly, searching for a place to bite.
Qi Zhao’s body tensed from his hot breath and frantic sniffing, the dangerous feeling of suffocation intensifying. He managed to open his mouth, but before he could speak, an anxious voice came from the earpiece, “Mr. Qi? What’s the situation over there—”
Before the person on the other end could finish, the sharp-eared alpha twitched his ears, lifted his head slightly, and turned to bite Qi Zhao’s ear—
Qi Zhao: “!”
Alphas had canine teeth for marking, so they were sharp. Even though Qi Wei didn’t bite down hard, Qi Zhao could still clearly feel his ear being held captive in Qi Wei’s mouth.
Not to mention, Qi Wei’s body temperature was truly high, and the temperature inside his mouth was even higher.
Hot and wet, engulfing his entire ear.
Half of his body went numb, especially when Qi Wei used his tongue to hook out the tiny earpiece and held it between his teeth.
Qi Zhao met his dark eyes and watched him suppress his emotions, crushing the earpiece with his teeth and spitting it out silently.
At this moment, Qi Zhao finally understood the terror everyone had spoken of.
In the face of absolute power, it was truly difficult not to be afraid. The chilling feeling of being about to be devoured by a monster made Qi Zhao tremble slightly. But it was this tremble, and the watery fear in his eyes, that calmed the agitated alpha slightly.
Qi Wei’s eyelashes fluttered, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggled to speak, his voice hoarse. “Q…Qi… A… Ah… Zhao… Ah… Zhao.”
He truly sounded like a monster learning to speak at this moment, making Qi Zhao shrink back even more.
But Qi Wei lowered his head, restraining himself, his brows furrowed tightly, his facial muscles twitching, carefully pressing his forehead against Qi Zhao’s face, inhaling the scent that drove him crazy while also giving him a sense of homecoming.
He bit his tongue, suppressing the urge to lick Qi Zhao, and mumbled incoherently, “Gun… shoot…”
Qi Zhao understood what he meant, especially since Qi Wei loosened his grip slightly, giving him some room to move.
Qi Zhao’s hands were trembling. He numbly gripped the tranquilizer gun, his wrist shaking as he raised it and pressed it against Qi Wei’s shoulder. He didn’t know if he should shoot, because…
He knew that being injected with a tranquilizer wasn’t a pleasant experience, he knew the damage it could do to the body, especially to an alpha in rut. This tranquilizer…
Qi Zhao choked back a sob, then he felt Qi Wei, who had somehow regained a bit of sanity, raise his hand and grab his trembling hand. The moment his finger touched the trigger, Qi Wei pressed down on it without hesitation, shooting himself!
The tranquilizer took effect instantly. Qi Wei exhaled, looked at Qi Zhao, his lips curving into a slight smile, then carefully lowered his head, resting it in the crook of Qi Zhao’s neck. “Ah… Zhao…”
He murmured, “Not… a hallucination…”
Qi Zhao didn’t know that this tranquilizer was specifically formulated for him. The pain of the injection would be unbearable for others, causing them to faint on the spot. But for Qi Wei, it could bring him back to his senses slightly.
Before, it allowed him to restrain himself from hurting others. Now… it allowed him to confirm that the beta in his arms wasn’t a hallucination.
But the alpha, still in rut, couldn’t help but rip off the necklace he had given Qi Zhao, the necklace that carried his pheromones, the small round ball that was hindering him from smelling Qi Zhao’s scent, and then completely bury his face in Qi Zhao’s embrace.
Without a trace of his previous ferocity, he nuzzled Qi Zhao’s neck affectionately.
