29
Qi Zhao hadn’t specified the duration of his leave. Logically, since Qi Wei was fine now, he could return to work that afternoon.
But he still decided to stay another day, to accompany and comfort the alpha.
After all, Qi Wei had hinted that he thought he was heartless.
The police didn’t have any objections to being stationed there for seven days, especially since Qiu Ji took good care of their food and drinks. Besides, it was part of their duty.
After Qi Wei slowly withdrew his pheromone territory, he held Qi Zhao’s hand and thanked them.
He returned the tranquilizer gun and said politely, “Please send the bill for the earpiece I damaged to my assistant, and we’ll compensate you.”
Qi Wei was always like this, without the arrogance of many alphas, so they all found him easy to get along with.
—At least, those who didn’t have conflicting interests with him did.
They knew that Qi Wei treated his rivals differently.
The news made that clear.
And the first person to rush over after hearing that Qi Wei had safely passed his rut was Teacher Wu.
Qi Wei received him in the front yard. “Teacher.”
The sun was a bit strong today, and Qi Zhao found it dazzling, so he stood in the hallway by the door, his back against the central air conditioning unit, watching Teacher Wu wave some kind of device around Qi Wei, muttering, “Let me see, let me see.”
Then their voices lowered, and Qi Zhao couldn’t hear them anymore.
He didn’t mind and let his thoughts wander, wondering if he should also contact his own teacher.
He was starting to consider addressing his psychological issues.
However… an alpha’s possessiveness and desire for control…
Qi Zhao thought that he should probably ask Qi Wei first.
Judging from the claws Qi Wei had recently revealed, he probably preferred Qi Zhao to be the one to help him overcome his issues.
That kind of mindset, wanting to occupy all the important positions in his life.
Meanwhile, Teacher Wu lowered his voice and said to Qi Wei, “…Why didn’t you just take advantage of your rut and sleep with him? I think he’s soft-hearted. He would have agreed if you asked.”
Qi Wei said helplessly, “Teacher.”
“What? Are you young people more conservative than us old folks now?” Teacher Wu said, exasperated, “Do you know what your situation is?”
Qi Wei himself had studied medicine and had done research in this area; how could he not know? “It’s fine.”
He said casually, “Didn’t you say it’s better now?”
“…Your ‘better’ is like a shattered vase with only a fingernail-sized piece put back together! Your gland won’t be able to handle this much longer!”
Teacher Wu lowered his voice and scolded him, “He’s not an omega. Even if you like him, and your pheromones crave him, he’s still not an omega. The effect he can have on you is extremely limited…”
“Teacher,” Qi Wei interrupted him, his voice softening, “you know I like him. He’s not a tool for me to treat my illness.”
Although the alpha was suppressing his pheromones, the pressure still weighed on Teacher Wu, silencing him.
Qi Wei continued, “I know you’re afraid I’ll die, and the experiment will be interrupted. Don’t worry, I’m quite resilient.”
He tilted his head slightly, looking at Qi Zhao, who was standing in the hallway, lost in thought, and murmured softly, “I won’t give up my place beside him.”
Teacher Wu was startled by the sudden danger emanating from him and instinctively took a step back. Finally, he said, “You better not,” and tossed Qi Wei a bottle of medicine. “The side effects are listed in the instructions. Read them yourself.”
If Qi Wei weren’t his test subject, he wouldn’t want to have much interaction with him.
Qi Wei said, “Okay,” and then called out to him again, “Teacher Wu.”
He said casually, “You haven’t told him that I’m a test subject, have you?”
“…This research is strictly confidential.”
Teacher Wu said, exasperated, “I can’t even tell my wife, let alone him? Don’t worry, as long as you don’t tell him, no one will dare to.”
“Besides, even if he knew, what could he do?”
It wasn’t some inhumane experiment.
Qi Wei put away the medicine bottle and turned to walk towards Qi Zhao.
This meant the conversation was over; he wouldn’t say anything more.
—He always acted this way, seemingly approachable and easy to talk to, but actually dismissive and “impolite.”
Teacher Wu didn’t mind and left the villa.
Qi Wei stopped in front of Qi Zhao. “We’re done talking.”
Qi Zhao came back to his senses. “…Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. He was just checking on my pheromone levels.” Qi Wei chuckled softly. “Teacher said my pheromones are more stable than ever before, even more so than when I’m not in rut.”
So… his contact with Qi Zhao was indeed effective for Qi Wei.
Qi Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled genuinely. “That’s good.”
He was truly worried about Qi Wei.
He followed Qi Wei inside and, after some thought, asked, “What did Teacher Wu give you just now?”
“Didn’t I say my gland has some minor problems?” Qi Wei said openly, “It’s medicine, but we don’t know if it’ll be effective, or how long it’ll take to work.”
Qi Zhao understood. “It’s a new drug specifically developed for you.”
That meant… the “minor problem” Qi Wei mentioned wasn’t something currently known to the medical world.
Qi Zhao recalled Tang Huaiyuan’s words and couldn’t help but lower his eyes slightly.
Qi Wei took two small bowls from the refrigerator and shook them. “It’s done.”
Qi Zhao came back to his senses and walked over to him. “You’re amazing.”
He was being sincere.
“It’s just double skin milk.”
Qi Wei smiled faintly. “I can teach you if you want to learn.”
Qi Zhao looked up as Qi Wei reached for a spoon and couldn’t help but ask, “You’re really willing to teach me?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Qi Wei knew what he was asking. “I’ll have to go on business trips eventually, and if you want to eat it then, you can make it yourself. You can’t order the kind of double skin milk you like from takeout here, and the taste isn’t as good if it’s delivered.”
Qi Zhao was touched again, then heard Qi Wei add slowly, “But… if you’re willing to follow me in the future, you won’t need to learn such trivial things.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
Yes, it was still the opportunistic Qi Wei.
This time, he wasn’t trying to avoid the topic but couldn’t help but smile.
Qi Wei looked at him, his eyes darkening slightly.
There was a reason why many people mistook Qi Zhao for an alpha; he was truly exceptionally good-looking.
His face wasn’t the type that would instantly grab your attention, but the more you looked at him, the more you would find him perfect. Not particularly striking, yet unforgettable.
Anyone who took the time to truly observe him, if asked who they thought was the most attractive, would immediately think of Qi Zhao.
So he was truly captivating.
Qi Zhao wouldn’t know.
Qi Wei had secretly dealt with countless of his admirers, driving away anyone who had even the slightest bit of interest in him.
He was truly like a dragon, guarding the entrance to its cave, hoarding jewels that didn’t belong to him, unwilling to let others see even a glimmer of their brilliance.
They were all his.
And could only be his.
Qi Wei smiled. “So… are you willing to work by my side in the future?”
He added, “I want you to come.”
Qi Zhao naturally knew that Qi Wei wanted him by his side. “…Okay.”
Qi Wei raised an eyebrow slightly and grabbed his wrist as he handed him the spoon.
Qi Zhao: “?”
Qi Wei: “You agreed so quickly. It feels unreal. Just confirming.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
He said helplessly, “Because I’ve been thinking about this too… I was planning to tell you that I would resign from Tang Sheng after finishing this project.”
They sat down to talk, and Qi Wei said, “But you were very firm when you left me before.”
Qi Zhao was taken aback by his words, feeling a little speechless. “Qi Wei, do you have to phrase it like that?”
Qi Wei nodded. “Because I was actually very sad, but I had to let you go at the time. Because I was worried that if I restricted you too much, you would be unhappy.”
He shared his feelings with Qi Zhao, and Qi Zhao, influenced by him, unconsciously shared his own thoughts with Qi Wei.
Qi Zhao drew patterns on the double skin milk with his spoon and said slowly, “I did want to avoid you for a while, but more than that… I guess I still had some unresolved feelings.”
Towards the Qi family.
He hadn’t completed a full project in this field before, and he wanted to. Not only to show Qi Mu that his talent was unmatched, even by Qi Wense, an A-rank alpha, but also to address his own regrets.
Qi Zhao turned slightly to look at Qi Wei, and just as he was about to say something, he was suddenly pulled into an embrace by Qi Wei, who was sitting beside him.
Qi Zhao froze, momentarily forgetting what he wanted to say.
Qi Wei didn’t say much, just held him and said, “I really want to comfort you, but I know, Ah Zhao, you’re strong.”
Qi Zhao didn’t need comfort.
He had always been the type to strive for what he wanted, not to beg others for it, not to hope for sympathy or pity.
Qi Zhao put down the spoon, raised his hand, and hugged Qi Wei back, lowering his head and closing his eyes.
“…This is enough.”
To be honest, Qi Wei’s embrace was very warm, especially now.
It always reminded him of what he used to receive when An Xinzhi was still alive, whenever he didn’t do something well, or made a mistake, or when he was unhappy.
An Xinzhi’s embrace.
His mother was like this too, saying nothing, just holding him and gently patting his back.
And for Qi Zhao, this was enough, even what he truly wanted.
How strange.
Why did he always think of An Xinzhi because of Qi Wei?
Qi Wei wasn’t just an alpha, he wasn’t even a woman, and he wasn’t treating Qi Wei as his “mother.”
Qi Zhao couldn’t understand.
