Qiu Sui’s heart pounded in dread as he listened to the ringtone loop for the second time. His fingers stiffened around the phone, too scared to press accept. Since it went unanswered for so long, the call finally hung up automatically.
As the name vanished from the screen, Qiu Sui’s breath hitched involuntarily. He slowly opened WeChat and saw that Shen Zhixiao had sent several messages before calling—the earliest one from just after eight in the morning, asking if he’d gotten up for breakfast.
Qiu Sui had dozed off in a haze the night before. He hadn’t enabled do-not-disturb, but he’d slept so deeply through his dreams that he hadn’t noticed the notifications at all.
Seeing no reply, the other man had waited cautiously for an hour before sending more.
Shen Zhixiao: Qiu Sui, are you awake now?
Shen Zhixiao: Can we talk in person?
Shen Zhixiao: Can I come find you?
Shen Zhixiao: Still sleeping?
Shen Zhixiao: Qiu Sui.
Shen Zhixiao: It’s ten o’clock now. I’ll bring lunch over and wait for you to wake up.
Shen Zhixiao: I’m at your dorm entrance. Can you reply if you’re awake?
Shen Zhixiao: [obediently squatting.jpg]
Shen Zhixiao: Sorry, Qiu Sui. It’s past eleven now. I couldn’t help knocking on your dorm door, but you don’t seem to be awake.
Shen Zhixiao: I’m a bit worried. Can I give you a call?
Shen Zhixiao: [Call missed]
Shen Zhixiao: Qiu Sui, are you still resting?
Shen Zhixiao: If you’re awake, can you send me a message back? I’m really worried about you.
After reading the latest message, a strong sense of foreboding surged in Qiu Sui’s heart. He instinctively looked up at the light yellow wooden door, his heart thumping wildly.
Shen Zhixiao is outside right now?
Shouldn’t he still be in his Susceptible Period? How could he even go out?
What does he want to talk about?
Staring at the cautious tone on the screen, an unwelcome suspicion bubbled up in Qiu Sui’s mind, one he quickly denied amid growing unease.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. He slowly pushed himself up from the bed, moving as quietly as possible. Having slept too long, his head spun a little as he shifted from lying down to sitting up.
He paused there to steady himself, then slipped on his slippers and crept to the door. Pressing his ear against the wood, he tried to eavesdrop, but heard nothing.
Qiu Sui stared at the chat history, biting his lip in hesitation. Suddenly, a muffled cough came from just outside the door, startling him so badly he nearly jumped.
Confirming Shen Zhixiao was still there, Qiu Sui paced in frantic circles, his mind in chaos. His fingers hovered over the chat box for ages before he finally typed:
I just woke up. Is something wrong?
Shen Zhixiao replied almost instantly.
Shen Zhixiao: Yes, Qiu Sui.
Shen Zhixiao: But can we talk face-to-face?
Shen Zhixiao: I’m at the door right now with lunch. You didn’t eat breakfast. Will you have a little something first?
Just one door away, Qiu Sui could almost hear him approaching with the bag. He gripped his phone tightly and glanced down at his loose-necked sleep shirt and baggy shorts, typing nervously.
Qiu Sui: No need. Whatever it is, we can just say it on WeChat, haha.
After sending it, there was an uncharacteristic two-second silence from the other side before a simple “Okay.”
Qiu Sui had just exhaled in relief when a WeChat call came through, accompanied by popping text messages.
Shen Zhixiao: Some things are hard to explain over text. Can you pick up? Qiu Sui.
Shen Zhixiao: You don’t have to say anything. I can just talk.
Qiu Sui watched the messages appear one by one, his heart lifting with them.
The phone’s ringtone rang out loudly, and he realized he was standing right behind the door. A pang of guilt hit him, like he’d been caught doing something wrong. He panicked and hurried toward the balcony.
His breathing quickened involuntarily. He stared stiffly at “Shen Zhixiao” on the screen, taking several deep, struggling breaths. Finally, on the second ring, he tapped to answer.
As the connection tone sounded, the Alpha’s faint panting came through the earpiece. Qiu Sui tensed, straightening his back nervously.
He held his breath without thinking, then heard Shen Zhixiao’s warm, slightly low voice, laced with soft breaths.
“Qiu Sui.”
The familiar tone made Qiu Sui’s heart skip half a beat, inevitably dragging up memories he’d tried so hard to forget.
His fingers tightened on the phone. Lips pressed thin, his mind heated. The next moment, Shen Zhixiao’s voice came low from the speaker, raspy but clear: “I’m sorry.”
“That night before last, my Susceptible Period went haywire. When I saw you, I couldn’t control myself…” Shen Zhixiao’s voice paused heavily, trailing off without details, but Qiu Sui knew exactly what he meant.
The words “that night before last” jolted his memories awake. A flush of shame shot up his spine, spreading through his whole body.
The half-length mirror by the sink clearly reflected all his exposed, reddened skin.
He stared down at the dry sink, suddenly gripped by the impulse to crawl down the drain and vanish from the dorm entirely. He could barely make out what Shen Zhixiao said next.
Shame at having to face this honestly, mixed with despair at being lied to by that encyclopedia entry, filled Qiu Sui’s heart. He nearly broke down with a mental shout.
Doesn’t Susceptible Period mean Alphas don’t remember anything they do when they’re out of their minds?! Why does Shen Zhixiao remember? Just because he’s an S-grade Alpha?!
“I can’t pretend nothing happened that night before it did. So this morning, after waking from my Susceptible Period, I’d already made up my mind.” Shen Zhixiao’s voice cut clearly into Qiu Sui’s jumbled thoughts, slow and solemn. “I’ll take responsibility for you, Qiu Sui. If you’re willing, we can go register at the Civil Affairs Bureau right after the holiday…”
Qiu Sui nearly choked on his breath. His lips trembled as he stammered incoherently, “W-Wait, register what?”
The person on the line kindly explained in detail: “Register our marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Qiu Sui. They’re closed over the holiday, so we’ll have to wait until after. But don’t worry—I won’t shirk responsibility or pretend it didn’t happen. I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life…”
Shen Zhixiao’s blunt words exploded like a bomb in Qiu Sui’s brain. He clutched the phone in panic, one hand flailing uncontrollably as he cut in: “No, no, no… I’m fine. No, I mean, you don’t have to take responsibility like that. I was drunk too, so let’s just pretend nothing happened…”
“But I can’t pretend nothing happened, baby.” Shen Zhixiao’s gentle voice came through, but he quickly corrected himself in a mild, earnest tone: “Sorry, I couldn’t help calling you that, Qiu Sui.”
Qiu Sui bit his lip slightly at the words, his heart trembling uncontrollably. Before he could respond, Shen Zhixiao continued slowly: “I like you, Qiu Sui.”
“So I can’t pretend nothing happened. I want to take responsibility for you—and stand by your side legitimately. I’m despicable; the first thought I had when I sobered up was this.”
Shen Zhixiao’s voice grew a little hoarse. He chuckled softly, laying his scheme bare while joking lightly as if to ease things: “I’m a pretty cunning suitor, Qiu Sui. Can you tell?”
Qiu Sui’s heart clenched at the sound of Shen Zhixiao’s voice, gripped by this strange, unfamiliar feeling. He made no sound in reply.
But Shen Zhixiao didn’t press for one. His voice stayed gentle as he went on. “But I’ve never once successfully appeared by your side—not even managed to get friend status like Xiao Mu. So I’m jealous of him.”
“I used to think you were scared of me, hated me. But you said no. Still, every time I got close, you’d dodge me. I could only watch you hurry past and think about how to show up next time.”
He called Qiu Sui’s name softly: “I’m sorry that night before last, when I saw Xiao Mu getting close to you, I lost control. I was so jealous of him.”
“Extremely jealous.” Shen Zhixiao stated it plainly again, without hiding. “I only took you away because I didn’t want him near you anymore. I didn’t realize my Pheromones were already disordered from my emotions, leading to an even bigger mistake. I’m sorry…”
His breathing filtered softly through the earpiece, tugging at Qiu Sui’s nerves. His lashes fluttered faintly as he listened to Shen Zhixiao’s gentle, sincere words: “I want to take responsibility. But if that burdens you, we can take it slow—start as classmates, friends, and try getting along for a month.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything. If there’s something you don’t like, just say no clearly. After a month, if it still doesn’t feel right, you decide our relationship then. I’ll accept it and won’t bother you anymore. Okay?” At the end, he said earnestly, almost pleading softly: “I don’t want us fooling ourselves into thinking nothing happened that night. Maybe facing it differently will lead to a different outcome?”
The chaotic thoughts swirling in Qiu Sui’s head faded unnoticed, leaving only Shen Zhixiao’s words echoing in his ears. He’d absorbed every one unconsciously.
His racing heart gradually steadied to the rhythm of Shen Zhixiao’s voice. His lashes trembled in hesitation. After a long pause, he whispered: “You’ll accept whatever the result is after a month, right?”
“Yes, Qiu Sui,” Shen Zhixiao promised steadily and sincerely.
Qiu Sui’s gaze fell on the white sink. His dangling fingers twitched faintly. He had to admit his heart stirred for a moment.
Unconsciously, he curled and uncurled his fingers, listening to the other man’s breathing. His eyes stayed blankly fixed in place. After a long while, he let out a tiny, low hum.
The breathing paused briefly, then quickened slightly. But his voice remained light and slow: “Can I take that as agreement, Qiu Sui?”
Qiu Sui’s fingers tightened around the phone at the sound. He wavered, tempted to back out, but Shen Zhixiao spoke first, a hint of joy in his tone: “Then can you open the door for lunch now? It’s in an insulated box, but I’m still worried it’ll get cold.”
![The Tower Will Fall [Apocalypse]](https://i2.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/93.jpg?resize=151,215 "The Tower Will Fall [Apocalypse]")
