But I’m Just a Beta 18

18

The next morning.

When Qi Zhao received his dried clothes, he apologized to Qi Wei. “You always fold and put away my clothes for me…”

“It’s okay.” Qi Wei smiled, his expression natural. “I should blame myself for sleeping so late.”

Their clothes, except for undergarments which were washed in the dedicated laundry machine in the bedroom, were all washed in the laundry room outside. Because the washing machine there was a large-capacity washer-dryer, and Qi Zhao, accustomed to being frugal over the years, felt it was a waste of water and electricity to wash only his clothes. After asking Qi Wei, he washed his clothes together with Qi Wei’s.

—Qi Wei didn’t wear suits every day. His suits were professionally cleaned. Sometimes he changed into comfortable casual clothes after work, leaving his suits at the company for Qiu Ji and the others to send for dry cleaning.

Qi Wei had apparently also lived frugally before. Years of living a wealthy life hadn’t erased his inherent thriftiness. He was happy to wash their clothes together and even told Qi Zhao with a smile that when the weather was cooler, he would save up even more clothes because washing just one person’s clothes was a waste of water and electricity.

—At least, that’s how it seemed to Qi Zhao.

But Qi Wei slept late. Qi Zhao had already finished washing up while he was still working in the study, which meant Qi Wei was the one who started the laundry at night.

Qi Zhao had thought that Qi Wei would just leave the clothes in the washing machine after they were done, but he hadn’t expected Qi Wei to take them out and fold them. This made Qi Zhao feel a little embarrassed, even though he knew Qi Wei was pursuing him and would naturally want to make a good impression. He still felt a little “ashamed.”

Qi Zhao: “Er-ge, you don’t have to do that. I can take care of it myself.”

Qi Wei tilted his head slightly, looking at Qi Zhao, who was still being polite, and sighed inwardly. His expression, however, was firm. “But I want to fold your clothes for you.”

Qi Wei discovered that Qi Zhao now had a strange habit: whenever someone was assertive with him, he would subconsciously avoid confrontation.

…And this “someone,” Qi Wei had observed, was limited to him. He wondered if it was because of the contract they had signed.

Qi Zhao: “…”

Forget it.

Completely unaware that he was already wrapped around Qi Wei’s finger, Qi Zhao said helplessly, “Fine.”

Qi Wei’s eyes curved into crescents. “Ah Zhao, you’re so good.”

Qi Zhao: “?”

He paused, truly unable to understand this sentence. “You folded my clothes for me, and you’re saying I’m good?”

Qi Wei smiled. “Because you let me fold them for you.”

Qi Zhao: “…”

Did the Qi family know that you became so easily pleased when you liked someone?

Qi Zhao looked at Qi Wei, wanting to take this opportunity to ask him why he liked him.

Because in his memory, their first meeting was when he was seventeen, and Qi Wei suddenly stopped him and said those things…

But before that, Qi Zhao had heard Qi Wei’s name, and more than once. It was because of Qi Wei’s background… sigh.

Just thinking about it made Qi Zhao’s heart ache with a mixture of sympathy and pain.

He wasn’t just an illegitimate child, but an illegitimate child born from his alpha father raping his omega mother.

Even the circumstances of his return to the Qi family had been the biggest joke in their circle.

Qi Wei had been working a part-time job when he ran into Qi Yuanrong, his half-brother, an alpha with a terrible temper. Qi Yuanrong, annoyed that Qi Wei was in his way, started a conflict with him. Qi Zhao heard that Qi Yuanrong almost beat Qi Wei to death. It was one of Qi Yuanrong’s followers who said jokingly, “Rong-ge, you know, this kid actually looks a bit like you.”

Qi Yuanyu, who happened to be there to see what the commotion was about, overheard this, stopped Qi Yuanrong, and after taking a closer look at Qi Wei, realized something was amiss.

Qi Yuanyu and Qi Yuanrong had conflicting interests. At the time, Qi Wei’s alpha father was the head of the family, and Qi Yuanyu naturally wanted to protect Qi Wei.

He and his father used Qi Wei to send Qi Wei’s alpha father to prison and then acknowledged Qi Wei as part of the family. But this didn’t mean Qi Wei’s life had truly improved.

Qi Yuanyu and the others didn’t care much about Qi Wei. They had only seen him as a tool and naturally didn’t care much about whether he was bullied or not, as long as he was alive and looked presentable.

They even preferred him to differentiate into an omega, so he could be used for a political marriage.

Qi Zhao heard that Qi Yuanyu and the others were ruthless and had immediately taken control of Qi Wei’s omega mother. But the details, whether it was true or not… after all, his family didn’t have much interaction with the Qi family, so he wasn’t sure.

He only knew that it was fortunate that Qi Wei had differentiated into an alpha. If he were an omega, his current situation might be even worse than a beta’s.

Before Qi Zhao could speak, Qi Wei’s phone rang.

So Qi Zhao stopped talking. Qi Wei glanced at the caller ID, gestured to him, and then answered the phone.

Qi Zhao was touched by this small gesture.

Qi Wei… truly cared about his feelings.

He knew, he could feel it.

That’s why he was willing to help Qi Wei within his acceptable limits.

Qi Wei had steamed dumplings for breakfast today and even prepared sweet and sour sauce for Qi Zhao to dip them in. After breakfast, there was no opportunity to ask, so Qi Zhao didn’t bring it up and got into the car.

Tang Sheng Real Estate and Qi Corp’s headquarters were on the way, so Qi Zhao could commute with Qi Wei, just getting off earlier.

He didn’t mind if others saw them; he was comfortable carpooling.

“Ah Zhao.”

As he was getting out of the car, Qi Wei called out to him softly. “See you this afternoon.”

Qi Zhao nodded. “I’ll let you know if I have to work overtime.”

Qi Wei’s eyes curved into a smile. Although he didn’t want Qi Zhao to work overtime, he liked hearing him say that. “Okay.”

Qi Zhao entered Tang Sheng and met with the HR representative. Qi Zhao wasn’t nervous, but the HR representative seemed tense. After giving him a brief introduction, he took Qi Zhao to Project Group One.

Perhaps because they knew a young team leader would be parachuted in today, although it wasn’t time yet, most of the team members were already there.

After introductions, Qi Zhao said directly, “I want to go and take a look at the site. Who among you is most familiar with it?”

A woman raised her hand. “Me.”

Qi Zhao remembered the name she had just introduced herself as. “Fang Xingxing.”

Fang Xingxing nodded. “I’m mainly responsible for liaising with the local village committee. I’ve been there the most and I’m familiar with the terrain.”

“Let’s go then.”

Fang Xingxing quickly agreed and brought some materials with her.

The others looked at each other. Qi Zhao turned around, then seemed to remember something. “You guys can relax and do whatever you need to do. I’ll take a look first and then we’ll talk.”

“…Is he always this efficient?”

“Seems like he’s not just an ordinary connection, but a capable one.”

“Don’t you guys follow financial news? He’s the eldest son of Qi Mao Real Estate!”

Because the project was currently stalled, they didn’t have much to do, so they gossiped.

“But there hasn’t been any news about him for a long time. It was said that after he was confirmed as a beta, he was sent abroad for ‘further studies.'”

“…? Doesn’t his information say he’s an alpha? An A-rank, and he looks like an alpha too.”

“Secondary differentiation, then. I remember the news at the time suggested he was highly likely to differentiate into an alpha. Qi Mao really has no foresight, pushing their own son to the rival company.”

The person shook his head, then became a little expectant. “I heard he’s a genius. Maybe he can quickly solve our problem. And he had a good relationship with our President Huaiyuan before. Maybe he’s the rescuer President Huaiyuan specifically invited.”

He even added a conspiracy theory, “Maybe they’re going to team up and completely crush Qi Mao!”

Qi Zhao and Fang Xingxing went to see the land.

Taking the high-speed train and then a taxi didn’t take long. The location was indeed a bit remote. As for whether it was worth it, it was hard to say before seeing the returns after development. And he had looked at the documents Fang Xingxing gave him on the way; Tang Sheng Real Estate hadn’t spent much money acquiring this land.

Brick-and-mortar businesses were struggling now, and real estate had become a wait-and-see project for many.

In just the past few years, countless real estate-focused companies had experienced financial crises, mired in debt, and many had even gone bankrupt.

Qi Zhao knew why Tang Sheng was still buying land at this time. Because all the developable land had been developed, and they couldn’t just rely on old projects; old projects wouldn’t generate significant profits.

Since it was already lunchtime after they finished looking at the site, Qi Zhao told Fang Xingxing that they would eat in Yancheng and just submit the receipts for reimbursement. “Do you have any dietary restrictions or anything you want to eat?”

Fang Xingxing didn’t dare to make any requests of her superior, especially a newly appointed one, who, despite seeming approachable, was still an A-rank alpha.

She was a low-ranking alpha, but she could still smell pheromones. Earlier, when they were walking on the mountain road, Qi Zhao had helped her up, and being close, Fang Xingxing naturally smelled the faint pheromones on him.

It was somewhat like liquor, similar to the faint scent of his perfume. But even though it was faint, the aggression within it was still chilling. For a moment, Fang Xingxing felt as if a knife was being held to her throat.

—The faint pheromones on Qi Zhao came from the small round ball hanging around his neck.

It was unlikely for the small ball to release a large amount of oppressive pheromones, but alphas above B-rank always carried a faint scent of their pheromones. This wasn’t something they could control. However, this kind of pheromone was like perfume; you couldn’t smell it unless you were very close. Fang Xingxing had only smelled it because Qi Zhao had helped her up.

Qi Wei gave this to Qi Zhao so he could better disguise himself as an alpha, and it also served as a “defense.” If other alphas deliberately used pheromones to test him, the pheromones released from the small ball would act as a “shield.”

Qi Wei’s pheromones were absolutely dominant and would naturally block all others. This would make others even more convinced that Qi Zhao was truly an alpha.

Qi Zhao decided where to have lunch. He chose an affordable but delicious restaurant. After sitting down and ordering, he took out his phone and messaged Qi Wei, telling him that he was in Yancheng and would return to Kyoto after lunch.

[Qi Wei: Okay.]

[Qi Wei: Can you take a picture and let me see what you’re having for lunch?]

[Qi Zhao: I ordered some local specialties. I’ll take a picture after they’re served.]

They exchanged some casual, lighthearted messages. Perhaps because Qi Zhao seemed so approachable, Fang Xingxing, sitting opposite him, couldn’t help but ask, “Team Leader, are you dealing with the demolition issue?”

“No.” Qi Zhao looked up and casually replied, “I’m messaging my…”

He paused and coughed slightly. This term and relationship still felt a little awkward to him, but he didn’t mind others knowing, so he continued, “…partner.”

Fang Xingxing was stunned, her eyes lighting up. Everyone loved gossip, especially since, in her opinion, Qi Zhao’s pause just now was out of embarrassment, which made it even more intriguing.

Because along the way, Qi Zhao had been silent and composed, not at all like someone who was only twenty-four and had just graduated two years ago. He handled everything quickly and skillfully, and every question he asked her about the project was so on point that Fang Xingxing felt like a big shot had taken over.

“Team Leader, can I ask a gossipy question? Is your partner also in our industry?”

By “our industry,” she meant real estate; Qi Zhao knew that.

Qi Zhao didn’t really mind. He thought for a moment. “You could say that.”

The Qi family also had real estate projects, but they weren’t their main focus. They were just subsidiaries, and not as large as Tang Sheng.

Fang Xingxing: “That’s great! My partner isn’t in our industry. She’s a teacher, so weekends, winter and summer vacations… she never understands why we’re so busy.”

She sighed.

Qi Zhao smiled. “Have you been working a lot of overtime lately?”

“Yes, there’s no way around it.” Fang Xingxing said, “This land has been stalled for over half a month, and President Huaiyuan even lost his temper once.”

Qi Zhao knew Tang Huaiyuan’s personality. Losing his temper was just to scare them, to show his stance, not because he truly blamed them. But he didn’t say anything more. “It’s indeed not good to drag this out.”

Fang Xingxing: “So, Team Leader, have you thought of a solution?”

Qi Zhao: “I have an idea, but we’ll have to try it out. And we’ll need to write a new proposal.”

He had skimmed through the previous proposal on the high-speed train. Although it seemed to have added new elements, it was still the same old approach, attractive but not entirely compelling, not irreplaceable.

Fang Xingxing was now truly admiring Qi Zhao. “Team Leader, you’re so efficient.”

Qi Zhao smiled faintly. “Since your previous efforts haven’t resolved the issue with the holdouts, it’s better to come and take a look first. And I heard some rumors before I took over, so I have some ideas.”

He joked, “I came prepared.”

As they were talking, the food arrived. Qi Zhao took a picture and sent it to Qi Wei. Fang Xingxing blinked, thinking that Qi Zhao’s partner seemed quite clingy.

After lunch, they packed up and returned to Kyoto.

On the way, Fang Xingxing messaged the “remaining” employees, telling them they were returning to Kyoto, and expressed her admiration for Qi Zhao.

It was said that a new official always starts with three fires. Even though Fang Xingxing said Qi Zhao was easy to get along with, the other team members were still a little tense when he returned.

Qi Zhao noticed but didn’t mind. He was always efficient at work, separating personal and professional matters, and didn’t like dragging things out or engaging in formalities. So he said directly, “There are two hours left until the end of the workday. Let’s work quickly and try not to work overtime. Who’s in charge of liaising with public relations?”

The bespectacled man with the sharpest ear for gossip immediately raised his hand and stood up.

Qi Zhao: “I’ll send you the document. Discuss with public relations about the specific implementation and see if you need to consult with President Huaiyuan.”

He had written a brief template on the way back.

“The person in charge of the proposal, come with me to the small conference room for a meeting. Bring your note-taking tools.”

Qi Zhao was also quick during meetings. He spoke concisely and clearly, directly stating his thoughts and requirements, and he also listened to their opinions. There were no vague questions like “What do you think?” or “Tell me your thoughts,” which required people to guess his intentions.

So the meeting ended in less than an hour, and everyone quickly started working on a simple first draft.

When it was time to leave work, Qi Zhao clapped his hands. “Is the first draft finished?”

The person leading the proposal nodded. “It’s done.”

“Send it to me, and then you can all leave.”

Everyone was stunned.

They were used to working overtime, sometimes even until midnight, so their first reaction to his words was—how unusual.

But Qi Zhao was already tidying up his desk and even took the time to ask the employee in charge of public relations, “Have you finished discussing with them?”

The bespectacled man nodded repeatedly. “Public relations said they’ll give you a concrete plan tomorrow.”

“Then you can all leave. Today’s work is done.”

Everyone left, still a little dazed.

They took the elevator down with Qi Zhao.

There weren’t many parking spaces left in Tang Sheng Real Estate’s underground parking lot, and since Qi Wei was just picking him up and wouldn’t stay long, he parked by the roadside.

As Qi Zhao walked over, Qi Wei didn’t get out of the car but let Qi Zhao open the passenger door himself—it was after work hours, and Qiu Ji had already left.

Qi Wei wanted to drive Qi Zhao himself.

After getting into the passenger seat, Qi Zhao said, “Thank you.”

Qi Wei raised an eyebrow. “Ah Zhao, are you dedicated to fulfilling my wishes?”

Qi Zhao smiled.

But he truly wanted to thank Qi Wei, because he knew Qi Wei had deliberately not gotten out of the car to avoid being recognized, which would lead to more gossip at the company.

—Not everyone followed the gossip of the upper class, and his relationship with Qi Wei hadn’t been caught by the media. Qi Zhao guessed that Qi Wei had suppressed the news, only letting those within their circle know.

As for why he wanted to suppress it, why he wanted to hide it… it was for Qi Zhao’s own good.

The identity of Qi Mao’s eldest son was already eye-catching enough. If he added the prefix of being close to a super S-rank alpha, Qi Zhao’s own accomplishments would be overshadowed.