01
A Country.
As the largest city in Country A, often mistaken for the capital, everything here was prosperous and bustling.
Even after nightfall, the city below was brightly lit, sparkling like earthly stars, captivating.
Qi Zhao leaned against the railing of the open-air balcony, a lit cigarette dangling between his fingers, untouched. He exhaled silently.
Not far away, his friends nudged each other, whispering.
“What’s going on?”
“Haven’t you heard about the Qi family? The Second Master’s daughter is having a political marriage.”
“That omega? Who’s she engaged to?”
“A widower of three years with a beta son. An alpha.”
Hua Tang sighed, “It’s that CEO Liu, the one who made his fortune in new technology.”
The other friend’s eyes widened. “But he’s about fifty years old…”
Hua Tang said gloomily, “That’s why they’re sending his sister over there, hoping she’ll bear an alpha to inherit the family business.”
“…You could speak a little louder.”
Qi Zhao glanced sideways at Hua Tang. The bangs that hung over his eyebrows were a little irritating, making him seem somewhat gloomy, especially with his hoarse voice and the thick-rimmed glasses that reflected the light. He looked like he might kill someone at any second. “It’s not like I’m an alpha. I can’t hear anything.”
Hua Tang fell silent.
Not being an alpha was Qi Zhao’s greatest pain.
Because of this, he was exiled by his family to a foreign country, far from the center of power. Also because of this, his sister was about to be sent into the lion’s den, and he was powerless to stop it.
Qi Zhao stubbed out his cigarette.
If he had fought for it back then…
No, he couldn’t have fought for it at all.
In this world of distinct social classes, from the moment he was confirmed as a beta, he was declared out of the running.
Hua Tang leaned in again. “Brother Qi, actually, that sister of yours, she’s not your biological sister, just a cousin. Your relationship is so-so, you don’t usually contact each other. Her parents aren’t even worried for her, so why are you?”
Qi Zhao didn’t have much affection for the Qi family. In fact, in this society, people from families of their class didn’t have deep family ties, especially betas.
Because betas were destined to be abandoned by their families.
But…
“She’s different.”
Qi Zhao picked up a glass of wine and took a gulp. “She helped me twice, and she’s the only one in the family who asks about how I’m doing… I owe her.”
Hua Tang understood, but he found the situation tricky.
With Qi Zhao’s personality… once someone he cared about was involved, it was hard for him to continue living a muddle-headed life. Hua Tang knew this, which was why he had the feeling that the heavens were about to change. “So what are you going to do?”
Qi Zhao lowered his eyes. “I’ll go back home and see if I can salvage something… The Qi family has no shame, sending her off for a political marriage. It’s likely they’ve encountered difficulties. I’ll try to see if I can help them overcome their difficulties, and in return, maybe they’ll let her off the hook.”
Hua Tang didn’t doubt Qi Zhao’s abilities, but “…Brother, you know. If they’ve resorted to a political marriage, and chosen such an undignified one at that, then the situation must be dire. They won’t trust you.”
Hua Tang pursed his lips. “We’re betas. Betas are born ordinary.”
This wasn’t a definition he set for himself, but one imposed by the world, by those alphas and omegas.
Qi Zhao patted his shoulder and squeezed it. “I know, don’t try to persuade me.”
He looked towards the skyline, towards the direction of “home.” “I have a bad habit. I don’t give up until I hit a wall. I hit it once last time, accepted my fate, and came abroad. This time, I have to hit it again before I can accept it.”
He wouldn’t be reconciled without trying his best.
Hua Tang straightened his back. “Brother Qi, I’ll go back with you!”
Qi Zhao laughed. “No, you stay here. In case I come crashing back, I’ll need you to help me patch up my wounds.”
Hua Tang nodded repeatedly. “Okay, then I wish you won’t come back, Brother Qi.”
He knew Qi Zhao didn’t like Country A, and he knew Qi Zhao’s gaze always lingered on their country on the map. If he went back this time… he hoped Qi Zhao could take root there again.
Qi Zhao boarded the plane with Hua Tang’s blessings and landed.
Thirteen hours of jet lag. Qi Zhao pinched the bridge of his nose. As he collected his luggage, looking at the energetic alphas, he couldn’t help but feel a little envious.
He had contacted a friend back home in advance, an alpha, they had gone to the same school in middle and high school. He just hadn’t expected the other party to come pick him up.
“This is quite a surprise.”
Qi Zhao pulled his suitcase and stopped in front of Xu Chenzhou with a smile. “Why did you come to pick me up?”
In middle school, Qi Zhao had been a bit taller than him. Later, Xu Chenzhou differentiated into an alpha. Although his rank wasn’t top-tier, he was still rated B+, and suddenly he was taller than Qi Zhao.
Now he was almost a head taller than Qi Zhao, and his frame was significantly larger. It had to be said, he was indeed an alpha.
There were A-rank alphas in Qi Zhao’s family. He had seen them in the news and made a rough comparison. In front of them, he would probably be a head shorter.
Xu Chenzhou chuckled. “What? A few years abroad and you don’t recognize your brother anymore?”
Qi Zhao got into his car. “How could I? Besides, shouldn’t I be the one saying that to you?”
From Xu Chenzhou seeing him off at the airport back then to being willing to pick him up now, Qi Zhao knew that even after seven years, he was still his good friend.
“I saw the news. Someone’s working at the Qi family now, by Second Young Master Qi’s side.” He joked, “I’m the one who doesn’t recognize you anymore.”
Xu Chenzhou paused almost imperceptibly, then laughed. “We said back then, ‘Don’t forget each other when you get rich.’ The work I do by Second Young Master Qi’s side is important, but not that important. If you really want to stay in the country, stay at home, you can come work under me first. Your family won’t say anything. After all, you’ve also connected with another ‘Qi’.”
Among the three great families of the world, the Qi family of Z Country occupied one spot. And now, with the world’s only super S-rank alpha, the Qi family seemed poised to become the king of the hill.
The Qi Zhao family wasn’t small, but in front of the Qi family, they were still insignificant. Qi Zhao knew that if he nodded, the Qi family would definitely stop sending him away.
But it wasn’t enough.
Qi Zhao looked out the window at the billboard for the Qi family’s jewelry business. The huge LED screen took half a minute to disappear from view even as the car sped past.
He said softly, “Ah Zhou, you know why I came back, and you know this isn’t enough to get her out.”
He looked at Xu Chenzhou, a hint of earnestness in his eyes. “Can you tell me what exactly happened to the Qi family?”
Xu Chenzhou sighed. “…I inquired for you on the way here. You know that the main industry your family runs is now a sunset industry. By Second Young Master’s side, I’m in charge of emerging industries, so I don’t know much. But it seems your family wanted to invest in unmanned technology to break through the bottleneck, but they accidentally clashed with Liu Feng’s side. Liu Feng’s team developed the technology first, so your family’s investment went down the drain…”
There was no need to say more; Qi Zhao understood.
The unmanned technology investment had probably sunk all the Qi family’s liquid funds. A gamble, and it failed. Now they could only break through the bottleneck in another way.
Liu Feng succeeded. If they became in-laws with him, all their problems would be solved.
Qi Zhao closed his eyes.
A hellish start.
Xu Chenzhou glanced at him. “Then I’ll take you to your doorstep.”
Qi Zhao opened his eyes and said calmly, “This car is under Second Young Master Qi’s name. Don’t take me to the doorstep.”
Xu Chenzhou knew what he was worried about. Qi Zhao was afraid that Qi Wei would take offense. Xu Chenzhou felt guilty, but also warmed by his friend’s concern. “Don’t be so polite with me. Second Young Master knows I came to pick you up today. He didn’t say anything. Second Young Master never cares about whether someone is an A or a B.”
Qi Zhao didn’t quite believe that Qi Wei knew.
But he did believe that Qi Wei didn’t care much about A’s, B’s, or O’s.
He still remembered Qi Wei looking for him before he left Z Country…
Qi Zhao rubbed his temples.
He shouldn’t have offended Qi Wei. But even if he had known, with his temper back then, he would have still retorted a few words. Alphas held grudges. Half a sentence was enough for them to remember, let alone a few sentences.
“But this is you using a company car for personal matters.”
“It’s fine.”
Xu Chenzhou reassured him. “Everyone knows I have a good relationship with you.”
Qi Zhao knew he couldn’t refuse. He couldn’t jump out of the car either. He could only say, “Then I owe you a favor. If you need anything, feel free to ask me.”
Xu Chenzhou: “…Okay.”
When they arrived at the Qi family’s gate, the security guard looked at the luxury car with some confusion.
Qi Zhao got out of the car and told the guard that he wanted to see the head of the family.
The guard reported his name, and he waited for a while before someone came to receive him.
It was the butler. When the butler saw the car next to Qi Zhao, he froze for a moment, then his eyes widened.
But after Qi Zhao said goodbye to Xu Chenzhou, Xu Chenzhou left.
As he turned around to leave, he made a phone call. “Second Young Master.”
Xu Chenzhou lowered his voice. “I’ve taken him to his doorstep and told him everything as you instructed.”
He hesitated slightly. “Why didn’t you just tell him directly?”
“…Heh.”
A chuckle came from the other end of the phone. Qi Wei seemed very happy, his casual tone tinged with a lightness. “You don’t understand him enough. You don’t know, he’s the proudest person.”
Xu Chenzhou thought of Qi Zhao’s hair that almost covered his eyes, his somewhat simple clothing, and the thick-rimmed glasses that didn’t look good on his face… Over the years, Qi Zhao had changed a lot.
Perhaps he really didn’t understand his friend well enough.
“Did you spray your suppressant?”
“Yes.”
To be honest, he wasn’t in rut, so he really didn’t know why Qi Wei asked him to spray suppressant.
“Keep your pheromones contained, okay?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, don’t wash the car. Close the windows now and drive it straight to me.”
Xu Chenzhou: “…Yes.”
He didn’t understand, but he respected it.
When Qi Zhao stood before the head of the family, he softly called out, “Father.”
It might be unbelievable, but this was his father, his biological father.
He was an A-rank alpha, and when he stood in front of him, Qi Zhao could feel the silent pressure.
Betas couldn’t smell pheromones, but they could feel the pressure from alphas. This was also why betas were eliminated in various situations.
“You’re back because of your sister?”
“Yes.”
Qi Zhao straightened his back and looked down at the cracks on the desk. “If I said I have…”
“Qi Zhao.”
The man said calmly, “I told you this seven years ago. The marketplace is also the battlefield for alphas now. You, a beta who can’t smell anything, even if an alpha releases malicious pheromones towards you, shrouding you with his pheromones, telling others you’re his dog, you won’t feel anything. You’ll be teased and labeled by their pheromones, and you won’t feel anything. You’ll lose from the very beginning.”
Qi Zhao pursed his lips.
“The war of alphas begins with pheromones. You have nothing. What will you use to knock on this door?”
Qi Zhao: “You could consider assigning me an alpha assistant…”
The man scoffed. “Go ask which alpha would be willing to be a beta’s assistant?”
Qi Zhao knew that from the moment he stepped into this room, the man had never looked at him directly. That was why he could be so calm, not because he was his son, which might have earned him a few kind words.
Seven years ago, he refused to be a stepping stone for others, so he slammed the door and went abroad.
But today, seven years later, Qi Zhao was willing to bend over backward to save the only person in this family who had shown him warmth after he was confirmed as a beta.
“…Or I could assist my younger brother.”
“He’s an A-rank alpha now.”
The man asked him again, “Do you think it’s realistic for an A-rank alpha to listen to a beta?”
The man said coldly, “From the moment you slammed the door and left, he stopped calling you his older brother.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
Was it his fault?
No.
It wasn’t.
He lowered his eyes.
Why couldn’t an alpha listen to a beta?
He looked at the man and couldn’t help but ask, “If I were an alpha, would you be kneeling down and begging me right now?”
Just like he had knelt down and begged him for a chance back then.
The man said lightly, “Become an alpha, then we’ll talk.”
He glanced at his watch. “Five minutes are up. See him out.”
The butler came in, opened the door, and addressed Qi Zhao with a relatively good attitude: “Mr. Xiao Zhao.”
Qi Zhao didn’t make things difficult for him and turned to leave.
After he left, the butler said to the man, “Master, it was Second Young Master Qi’s car that brought Mr. Xiao Zhao back.”
The man sneered. “His relationship with Xu Chenzhou is as good as ever.”
The butler understood. Xu Chenzhou was most likely trying to show support for Qi Zhao.
But… the adults weren’t fools.
Qi Zhao didn’t go to see his cousin but left the Qi family directly.
“Home.”
How ridiculous.
He was already a “guest.”
Qi Zhao had booked a hotel in advance. After checking in, he first looked up information on Liu Feng. Because he didn’t have many channels, he could only piece together information from the internet, discerning truth from falsehood.
By dinnertime, he was about to get something to eat when Xu Chenzhou called him and asked about the situation.
Qi Zhao gave a wry smile. “I can only think of a way myself.”
What if… he could help Liu Feng and ask him not to marry his sister in return?
He was going to try that route.
Xu Chenzhou seemed to hesitate for a moment, then asked, “Do you want to come over to my place?”
Before Qi Zhao could say anything, Xu Chenzhou lowered his voice. “Second Young Master is also here. You know, the Qi family can do a lot of things.”
Qi Zhao understood what Xu Chenzhou meant.
Ask Qi Wei for help?
Thinking of that madman, Qi Zhao unconsciously curled his fingers around his phone.
He hadn’t planned on appearing in front of Qi Wei on this trip back.
But…
He also knew in his heart that this might be the only way.
Qi Zhao closed his eyes, helpless. “…The address.”
He couldn’t delay any longer. He couldn’t let his cousin’s reputation be ruined just because he didn’t want to see Qi Wei.
Xu Chenzhou: “…I’ll send it to your phone.”
Qi Zhao said, “Okay. Ah Zhou, no matter what, thank you.”
Xu Chenzhou lowered his head, looking at Qi Wei opposite him, his body involuntarily trembling from the pressure and cold air emanating from Qi Wei. “…Don’t mention it.”
He forced a smile. “We’re friends.”
After hanging up the phone, Qi Wei tugged at the corner of his mouth slightly, his deep eyes clouded with a dark look. “He’s quite intimate with you.”
Xu Chenzhou’s scalp went numb, and he didn’t dare say anything.
Then he heard Qi Wei say coldly, “With me, it’s just ‘psycho’.”
Xu Chenzhou: “…”
So what exactly did you do back then…?
Qi Zhao didn’t bother to tidy himself up, just washed his face and went.
The address Xu Chenzhou gave him was a high-class club. When Qi Zhao arrived, he realized it had been cleared out. But that made sense. With Qi Wei’s status, not clearing it out would be an insult to his rank.
The club staff didn’t need Qi Zhao to say anything. They just glanced at him and respectfully led him inside.
Through the front hall, then upstairs, up to the top floor, to the open-air balcony.
He saw Qi Wei sitting in a chair, leaning against the railing.
From afar, Qi Wei looked over immediately.
Xu Chenzhou wasn’t there. Beside Qi Wei was another person, whom he didn’t recognize, but he could guess he was probably a bodyguard.
An Alpha?
He didn’t look tall. Low rank?
He’d heard that Qi Wei was the world’s top alpha, and the higher the rank of the alpha, the more impatient he seemed to be with them.
As Qi Zhao got closer, Qi Wei curled his lips slightly and said slowly, “Junior, long time no see.”
