68
Qi Wei truly loved him.
Qi Zhao looked at Qi Wei, who was working beside him, and thought this sincerely.
That heavy, suffocating feeling, like being dragged down into the depths of the ocean by seaweed entangled around your ankles, even the mere image of it was enough to make him feel breathless.
But…
Qi Zhao tilted his head slightly, resting it against Qi Wei’s shoulder, and lowered his eyes, returning to the page in his hand.
This was also what he wanted.
If Qi Wei was the vast ocean, threatening to bury him within its depths,
He wanted to be the only skeleton on the seabed.
Qi Zhao didn’t know what the future held, but he knew that at least for now, Qi Wei had fulfilled this wish.
Qi Wei shifted slightly, pulling Qi Zhao closer into his embrace.
Qi Zhao looked up at him, and Qi Wei murmured, “This is more comfortable.”
It was indeed more comfortable, but it would be inconvenient for Qi Wei to type.
Qi Zhao’s eyes curved into a smile, but he didn’t refuse. “Okay.”
He knew Qi Wei wanted him to prioritize his own comfort, not to be overly polite or considerate.
Perhaps it was an alpha’s instinct, or perhaps simply because Qi Wei truly loved him.
Qi Wei wanted to be the one to pamper him.
—Qi Zhao already knew that Qi Wei wasn’t treating him like an omega.
Because countless times, during their passionate kisses, Qi Wei, unable to control himself yet forced to restrain his instincts, would just nuzzle and caress the side of his neck with his lips.
That was where an alpha’s gland was located.
He knew that an alpha’s instincts would urge Qi Wei to mark his partner during moments of passion, but alphas usually targeted the back of the neck, while Qi Wei always caressed the side of his neck, even sniffing it like an alpha would another alpha’s gland.
This meant that in Qi Wei’s subconscious, even if he could mark him, he still saw him as an alpha.
Qi Zhao wasn’t prejudiced against omegas, but if Qi Wei treated him like one… he would be a little sad.
After all, alphas and omegas were meant to be together.
And he was just a beta.
Qi Zhao didn’t ask Qi Wei why he hadn’t allowed Qi Wense to visit him abroad, and neither did Qi Wei bring it up.
The day of the pre-parliamentary banquet finally arrived. Qi Wei had ordered their suits long ago. They were the same style, just with different colors and embellishments, practically couple outfits.
Before they left, Qi Wei had Qiu Ji buy some snacks that Qi Zhao liked.
“The food at the banquet might not be to your liking,” Qi Wei handed Qi Zhao some takoyaki, then opened a package of egg tarts. “And you’ll have to drink some alcohol. Eat until you’re almost full, and if you’re hungry afterward, we can get some late-night snacks.”
Qi Zhao was touched by his thoughtfulness, momentarily speechless.
He took a bite of the perfectly warmed takoyaki and offered the other half to Qi Wei. “You have some too.”
Qi Wei smiled and took the takoyaki from his hand, eating it.
He loved eating things that Qi Zhao had eaten; Qi Zhao knew this.
After all, Qi Wei would always deliberately drink from his glass, and it was the same with their daily soy milk or milk. If it was poured into a glass, it would be a large one, under the pretense of washing one less glass.
—Even the dishwasher would thank him.
After sharing the snacks, Qi Wei offered him a breath mint.
Grape-flavored. Qi Zhao only ate this flavor; he found other mints with added mint too bitter.
But Qi Wei, watching him roll the candy around in his mouth with his tongue before biting down on it, felt a surge of desire and couldn’t help but lower his head and kiss him.
There were still plenty of breath mints, yet he chose to chase this small piece of candy.
The cool, refreshing taste of grape exploded between their lips, the distinct sound of their kissing echoing in Qi Zhao’s ears, the proximity making his scalp tingle, his nerves on edge.
Qi Zhao instinctively wanted to pull back; Qi Wei’s possessive fervor was too intense.
But the moment the thought arose, the perceptive alpha caught it.
Qi Wei raised his hand, cupping Qi Zhao’s chin, forcing him to tilt his head back, his mouth slightly open, letting him take what he wanted.
This action was forceful, full of possessiveness, turning the originally consensual kiss into something ambiguous and dangerous.
By the time Qi Wei released him, Qi Zhao couldn’t think straight, just instinctively catching his breath, his eyes hazy like a delicate flower filled with clear wine, incredibly alluring.
Qi Wei licked his canines, suppressing the urge to bite Qi Zhao’s neck, and then lowered his head, licking away the moisture on Qi Zhao’s lips. “…Ah Zhao.”
His voice was hoarse and slightly strained. “I want to bite you… is that okay?”
Qi Zhao: “?”
He was exasperated and amused by Qi Wei’s suggestive question. “No!”
If it were any other time, he might consider it, but they were about to go to the banquet. If he let Qi Wei bite him now, given Qi Wei’s current state, it would be difficult to control the situation.
But Qi Wei, despite being rejected, didn’t let go immediately. Instead, he stared at him intently, his tone matter-of-fact. “Then Ah Zhao, why don’t you bite me?”
As he said this, he raised his other hand and gently caressed his own gland.
Qi Zhao: “…?”
What was wrong with him?!
“What are you doing…”
Qi Zhao turned his head, avoiding his touch, his ears burning red. “You know how vulnerable an alpha’s gland is. I’m not an omega; biting you there will only hurt…”
“It won’t.”
Qi Wei followed Qi Zhao’s gaze, staring into his eyes, demanding his attention. “Ah Zhao, I’ve always wanted you to bite me.”
For an alpha, this was a form of marking.
Even though Qi Zhao didn’t have pheromones, even though he couldn’t give him any.
But his saliva, the mark he left, was also a form of marking.
A mark that could be etched into his soul… he wanted it.
Qi Wei’s voice softened, trying to coax him. “Ah Zhao, I’ve bitten you; shouldn’t you reciprocate?”
Qi Zhao: “? What kind of logic is this… And you bit me because you wanted to, I didn’t ask you to!”
Qi Wei held Qi Zhao’s wrist, his other hand resting on the back of Qi Zhao’s chair, trapping him within his shadow. His pheromones, barely contained, were restlessly swirling around Qi Zhao, trying to seduce him.
But Qi Zhao was just a beta, immune to Qi Wei’s courting pheromones. He was like an impenetrable wall, unmoved by the pheromones, no matter how alluring they were.
Qi Wei whispered, “But Ah Zhao, didn’t you also like it?”
Qi Zhao: “…”
He recalled that chaotic night, Qi Wei biting down on his neck.
He hadn’t felt anything physically, because he was a beta, but he had felt other things.
Like how sharp Qi Wei’s canines were.
Like how hot his lips and tongue were, how the wet heat against his neck made him shiver…
Qi Zhao’s fingers curled involuntarily, wanting to jump off the barstool and run, but Qi Wei had anticipated this, trapping him with no escape.
And the alpha lowered his head, tilting it to expose the side of his neck, openly displaying his most vulnerable spot. “Ah Zhao.”
He even added, “Aren’t you curious? What it would be like to mark an alpha?”
Qi Zhao’s heart flickered intensely.
He truly… was curious.
To be honest, he sometimes enjoyed watching Qi Wei’s various expressions, especially the gentle focus and suppressed desire in his eyes when he looked down at him.
So he was curious about how much Qi Wei could control himself if he bit down.
After all, alpha behavioral studies mentioned that for an alpha, having their partner touch their gland was a signal of submission and desire.
Last time, when Qi Wei had asked him to touch the side of his neck, it had almost gotten out of control. This time…
Qi Zhao’s mind still clung to a shred of rationality, not completely swayed by that captivating face, not yet ready to give in. “Qi Wei, we have to go to the banquet.”
But Qi Wei leaned closer, his pheromones, now almost mimicking an omega’s in an attempt to seduce him, reaching a level that Qi Zhao, as a beta, couldn’t detect. “Ah Zhao.”
Qi Wei said slowly, “I want to go with your mark on me.”
Qi Zhao liked Qi Wei.
He was indeed just a beta, but he was also a man.
He naturally had possessive desires.
Born from his affection for Qi Wei.
But Qi Wei had actively done so much to satisfy his need for exclusivity, so Qi Zhao usually didn’t show it.
But…
Qi Wei’s words hit the bullseye, striking Qi Zhao right in the heart.
Having Qi Wei attend the banquet with his bite mark would let everyone know that not only did this super S-rank alpha have a partner, but that he was his chosen one, his only one.
After all, it wasn’t just simple affection that allowed one to bite an alpha’s neck; it had to be a deep, profound love, beyond words, that made an alpha willingly submit to being bitten.
Qi Zhao didn’t speak immediately, and Qi Wei knew he had a chance.
He smiled faintly, his voice soft yet hoarse, truly like a devil disguised as an angel, whispering temptations. “Ah Zhao, I want everyone to know…”
Such a mark wouldn’t just let everyone know that Qi Wei had chosen Qi Zhao, his decision unwavering.
It would also let everyone know that Qi Zhao was his.
No one could covet or touch him.
Qi Wei released Qi Zhao’s wrist, his fingertips resting on Qi Zhao’s chest through his clothes, feeling his racing heartbeat, and whispered the final blow, “Ah Zhao, didn’t you say you wanted me to feel more secure? Are you still willing to give me that security now?”
Qi Zhao finally moved.
His Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously. The moment he met the alpha’s deep gaze, he felt like he had stepped into quicksand, being dragged down and swallowed whole.
Qi Zhao lowered his head, his mouth still cool from the breath mint, and bit down on the alpha’s hot neck as Qi Wei, unable to contain his joy, his smile filled with excitement.
He didn’t have canines, so he had to bite down hard to leave a mark.
And the moment he bit down, the sharp pain turned into a rush of pleasure for Qi Wei as he smelled Qi Zhao’s scent and realized that it was Qi Zhao marking him, his already considerable arousal instantly…
