But I’m Just a Beta 69

69 

Qi Zhao was thankful they hadn’t changed clothes yet.

He sat in the beanbag chair, his hands covering his face, listening to the sound of water from the bathroom, his entire body flushed.

He found Qi Wei truly terrifying and overwhelming.

The side of an alpha’s neck was their most vulnerable spot, and he wasn’t even an omega, yet Qi Wei had become so aroused just because he was the one who bit him…

Was he crazy?

Qi Zhao remembered smelling something… off, Qi Wei’s hand on the back of his head, his voice hoarse yet strangely cheerful, “Ah Zhao, you can bite harder, you won’t leave a mark like this.”

At the time, there had been a slight tremor in Qi Wei’s voice, so he had even…

Crazy.

Qi Zhao closed his eyes, a faint arousal stirring within him.

Because… Qi Wei, unable to contain himself, had pulled him into an embrace, and the dampness… had rubbed against him.

Qi Zhao also needed to shower, but since Qi Wei was in a more urgent situation, he went first.

And of course, Qi Wei, carrying the bite mark Qi Zhao left, had asked, with a satisfied and smug look, if he wanted to join him.

Qi Zhao almost punched him.

Qi Wei’s shower was relatively quick.

He immediately looked for Qi Zhao after coming out.

The moment he saw him, Qi Wei bent down and kissed the back of Qi Zhao’s hand.

Qi Zhao knew he was there, of course, but he was finding it difficult to face Qi Wei right now.

This was the first time a man had…

…become aroused because of him.

Qi Zhao felt utterly at a loss, wanting to hide but unable to.

Like a cat caught and forced to expose its belly, utterly helpless.

Qi Wei, sensing Qi Zhao’s despair, chuckled softly and kissed his fingers, restraining himself from licking them. “Ah Zhao.”

He whispered against his knuckles, “It’s your turn to shower now.”

Qi Zhao: “…”

He took a deep breath and finally moved his hand.

And the wicked alpha, seeing Qi Zhao’s expression, felt a surge of pleasure, unable to resist teasing him further. “Ah Zhao.”

Qi Wei lowered his head and whispered in Qi Zhao’s ear, “Did you know an alpha’s… also has a unique scent? Yours is quite strong right now…”

And Qi Wei, as he wished, was pushed away by Qi Zhao.

Qi Zhao shoved him and stood up abruptly, his eyes wide, glaring at him. “Qi! Wei!”

Qi Wei’s smile deepened, but afraid of truly angering Qi Zhao, he softened his tone. “I’m sorry.”

Qi Zhao glared at him. “I don’t think you’re sorry at all!”

After saying this, he turned and went into the bathroom, clearly not wanting to talk to him anymore.

But Qi Wei licked his canines, his fingers tracing the uneven surface of the bite mark on his neck, feeling incredibly pleased.

His Ah Zhao was so cute.

He wanted to devour him whole.

However, Qi Wei had to pay the price for his actions, because Qi Zhao clearly wasn’t letting him touch him after coming out of the shower.

Qi Zhao dressed himself, and when he started to tie his tie, Qi Wei took it from him, offering to help.

But Qi Zhao moved away. “I can do it myself.”

Qi Wei paused, knowing that Qi Zhao was still upset, and obediently returned the tie. “Ah Zhao, I’m sorry.”

Qi Zhao ignored him, putting on his jacket and even fastening his cuffs himself.

“Ah Zhao.”

Qi Wei softened his tone and tried to take Qi Zhao’s hand. “I really know I was wrong, I won’t tease you anymore.”

He explained, “I just couldn’t help myself, your reaction was too cute.”

But this time, Qi Zhao anticipated his move and pulled his hand away, pointing at him. “Don’t touch me.”

Qi Wei stopped.

He watched Qi Zhao turn to leave the room, his hand moving to rest on the table beside him, his eyes lowered.

The alpha wasn’t following him, so Qi Zhao paused and turned to look. Qi Wei was standing under the dim, orange light, his large frame seemingly shrinking as he hung his head, reminding Qi Zhao of a scolded puppy in a video he had seen, dejected and pitiful.

And the fresh bite mark on his neck added a sense of vulnerability.

Qi Zhao felt that he must be crazy to think Qi Wei looked pitiful.

But he couldn’t help it, his anger melting away. He took a step forward and extended his hand towards Qi Wei. “Stop acting.”

Qi Wei looked at the hand offered to him, his eyelashes fluttering. He was about to continue his act, saying he wasn’t pretending, that he truly felt uncomfortable, when Qi Zhao warned him, “If you keep acting, you’re sleeping in the other room tonight.”

Qi Wei immediately straightened up and took his hand, smoothly changing the subject. “Ming Jingsong might come tonight. Aren’t you interested in meeting him? I’ll introduce you.”

Hmph.

Qi Zhao scoffed inwardly, amused.

Normally, Qi Wei wouldn’t mention these things, but he was clearly trying to appease him now.

This alpha truly…

Qi Zhao glanced at him helplessly. “I’m not angry at you, it’s just that what you said was truly…”

…too much.

Qi Wei sighed inwardly.

His Ah Zhao was perfect, just too innocent.

But this innocence was also endearing.

Qi Wei, noticing his embarrassment, smiled faintly and said obediently, “I’ll be more careful next time.”

More careful to take things slow, to let Qi Zhao gradually adapt.

Qi Zhao didn’t know what dirty thoughts were running through the alpha’s mind. Hearing Qi Wei’s promise, he let it go. “Okay.”

The banquet, although important, wasn’t a state affair, so it wasn’t held in a conference hall, but at a famous hotel in Kyoto.

The hotel had been cleared out since yesterday and was closed to the public today. Security personnel had been stationed there since midnight, patrolling tightly.

Qi Wense, being an A-rank alpha, could have attended.

But with Qi Wei present, he received a direct email “reminder” not to appear. Qi Yuanyu wouldn’t be coming either.

Qi Zhiwen, however, would be there. He was also an A-rank alpha. On their way, Qi Wei said to Qi Zhao, “Qi Zhiwen is a smart man, or perhaps he’s just old now. He knows that fighting for power at this time, gambling big, isn’t as good as enjoying his retirement.”

Qi Zhiwen had also tried to persuade Qi Yuanyu.

But Qi Yuanyu was stubborn and extreme, and his alpha instincts made him unable to control himself.

As an alpha, Qi Wei naturally understood.

Just like his feelings for Qi Zhao.

He knew that many of his actions were wrong, any one of them enough to damn him, but he couldn’t help himself.

He couldn’t help but fly abroad countless times after the situation stabilized, sneaking onto the balcony of Qi Zhao’s apartment, just to watch him sleep.

Qi Zhao never knew that he would always leave his pheromones behind as a warning to those who were interested in him.

Even before Qi Zhao agreed to be with him, he had already drawn a circle around him, not allowing anyone else to touch him.

When they arrived, Qi Zhao and Qi Wei got out of the car, and immediately, someone came to escort them inside, respectfully addressing them as “Second Young Master Qi” and “Mr. Qi.”

Qi Wei extended his hand towards Qi Zhao, and Qi Zhao, looking at the grand, antique-style hotel, took his hand.

Qi Wei held his hand tightly and led him inside.

There were only a few steps from the entrance to the main hall, but there were many reporters and photographers, swarming around Qi Wei like bees to honey, especially since Qi Zhao and Qi Wei were holding hands, and Qi Wei wasn’t hiding the bite mark on his neck, openly displaying it for everyone to see.

The media went into a frenzy.

This was the first time Qi Wei had brought a companion to a public event!

And not only that, but the mark on his neck was a clear declaration of the other person’s status… No, what was even more significant was that it was Qi Zhao!

Qi! Zhao!

Everyone had lamented the fall of Qi Mao and the misfortune of Qi Zhao, the former genius.

Confirmed as a beta, disappearing abroad for seven years, finally returning, and somehow connecting with Qi Wei, only to see Qi Mao crumble.

But now it seemed…

Qi Mao’s downfall might not have been entirely due to the changing times.

Everyone present was sharp and perceptive, and after exchanging glances, they all guessed the underlying currents.

But honestly,

The media, their gazes through their lenses focused on the two figures walking side by side, their posture relaxed and casual, not deliberately trying to appear powerful, but rather like they were just strolling down the street, thought that they looked even more compatible than imagined.

—Could it be that Qi Wei, who had never had an omega partner, and had never been romantically linked to anyone, was actually so devoted to Qi Zhao?

After entering the venue, Qi Zhao saw many familiar faces.

Greetings were unavoidable, but since they were all alphas, their interactions were distant—literally.

Especially with Qi Wei; everyone maintained a certain distance.

Even though most alphas were wearing blocker patches to avoid pheromone-induced chaos with so many alphas and omegas gathered together, they still kept a distance of more than two meters from Qi Wei.

And the omegas even more so.

Qi Wei’s aversion to omegas, even stronger than his aversion to alphas, was no secret among them. And seeing Qi Zhao standing beside him, they all had their answer as to why.

He was truly devoted.

As Qi Zhao and Qi Wei walked further in, they saw Yang Shou sitting in a chair, yawning, and beside him, a tall, slender man in a white Zhongshan suit.

He had shoulder-length hair, half of it tied back. He didn’t even glance at Yang Shou but said coldly, “Can you at least act like a President?”

“Come on,” Yang Shou hissed softly, “these are all my buddies, why bother? We all know what kind of creatures we are beneath our human skin.”

The man glanced at him, a look of exasperation in his eyes.

Then he turned to look at Qi Wei and Qi Zhao and nodded slightly.

Since they were all friends, there were no excessive formalities.

Qi Wei lowered his voice and said to Qi Zhao, “That’s Ming Jingsong. You can go over and say hello if you want; I won’t. He’s not in good health, and we’re both alphas. Even if we don’t release our pheromones, it’ll still affect him.”

This was a safe distance.

Qi Zhao shook his head, but nodded towards Ming Jingsong in greeting, then said to Qi Wei, “I won’t go over.”

He smiled. “Lest you drown yourself in vinegar.” (Meaning Qi Wei would become overly jealous)

Qi Wei paused slightly.

Alphas had excellent hearing, and it wasn’t just them entering the hall now; other alphas, Yan Shuang and Tang Huaiyuan, had also arrived. So everyone definitely heard Qi Zhao’s words.

But Qi Wei didn’t mind.

Not only did he not mind, but he also smiled, a joyful glint in his eyes.

His expression clearly said, “Look how much my Ah Zhao dotes on me.”

Making the others looking at them speechless.