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Qi Zhao’s neck truly suffered.
Even after he surrendered, Qi Wei continued to nibble on his neck, relentlessly.
Qi Zhao moved his lips, and after catching his breath, said hoarsely, “…Wash your hands.”
Qi Wei loosened his grip slightly, licking the blood, his nose nuzzling against Qi Zhao’s skin, confirming that his scent was there, before saying, “It’s not dirty.”
Qi Zhao: “I think it is.”
He moved his legs. “Go wash your hands. I also want to… wipe myself down.”
He was covered in sweat.
Qi Wei didn’t want to move, but Qi Zhao offered, “Let me hold you while you walk.”
So Qi Wei finally sat up and then effortlessly scooped Qi Zhao up with one arm.
Qi Zhao, suddenly lifted and pressed against his shoulder, paused. “…”
He couldn’t help himself, even though Qi Wei wasn’t carrying him over his shoulder, this posture of being held in his arm was still… “You look like a bandit.”
Qi Wei, feeling incredibly satisfied, his mind no longer clouded by lust, could even retort, “Yes, carrying you home to be my wife.”
Qi Zhao chuckled, his heart softening.
People usually said “bride,” which was typically used for women or omegas.
But even in this situation, Qi Wei wasn’t treating him like an omega.
Qi Wei washed his hands and then took out a wet wipe. “Ah Zhao.”
Qi Zhao’s scalp tingled. “Don’t…”
Qi Wei held the wipe between his hands. “I warmed it up, it’s not cold.”
Qi Zhao: “.”
That wasn’t why he was refusing!
But he couldn’t overpower Qi Wei, and he was afraid that being rejected too firmly would stir the alpha’s barely suppressed emotions, so Qi Zhao could only sit on the bathroom counter, letting Qi Wei clean him as if he were a precious antique.
Arousal was inevitable, and in the end, Qi Zhao was not only soft-hearted, but his body was also weak and pliant. After washing up, he let Qi Wei carry him downstairs.
Honestly, Qi Wei’s condition during this rut was indeed better than the last time, except for his inability to let go of Qi Zhao.
After that early morning episode, Qi Zhao was hungry.
Fortunately, he had mentioned wanting dumplings yesterday, so Qi Wei had made them with him last night, and they just needed to be reheated.
However, Qi Zhao was held by Qi Wei while he retrieved the dumplings, held by Qi Wei while he turned on the stove, and then held by Qi Wei as they sat on the sofa.
Qi Wei buried his face in Qi Zhao’s embrace, inhaling deeply, then nuzzled his neck.
Since Qi Zhao wasn’t an alpha or an omega, there was nothing in his neck to hold Qi Wei’s pheromones.
The sweet, liquor-scented pheromones had already dissipated, so Qi Wei, without thinking, bit down on Qi Zhao’s neck again.
Qi Zhao hissed softly.
Qi Wei’s canines were a bit too sharp.
Qi Zhao was already numb from being bitten repeatedly, and he even started negotiating with Qi Wei. “Qi Wei, why don’t you bite the other side?”
Qi Wei blinked, releasing the soft flesh of Qi Zhao’s neck, and then licked the blood with his tongue.
He looked at the messy bite marks and the intertwined, varying shades of red and purple, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and then actually kissed the other side of his neck.
It wasn’t the expected pain, but rather, an unexpected, soft moan from Qi Zhao.
Then he heard Qi Wei’s hoarse voice, strained and suppressed, asking, “Does it hurt?”
Qi Zhao sighed softly, his heart aching yet also full. “It doesn’t.”
He raised his hand and placed it on the back of Qi Wei’s head, whispering, “I just think… it’s a little strange.”
Qi Wei’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Then, have I marked you?”
At this moment, Qi Zhao suddenly wondered again why he wasn’t an alpha. Although a relationship between two alphas was difficult, due to their natural repulsion, humans were complex, and there were cases of alphas being together, especially with certain medical conditions.
If he had a gland, even if he wasn’t an omega, Qi Wei’s pheromones could leave a mark.
Even if it didn’t last as long as on an omega, Qi Wei would still feel more satisfied.
“Yes,” Qi Zhao’s voice was slightly hoarse, “I’ve told you, Qi Wei, if I’m not willing, I’ll tell you.”
So Qi Wei bit down on the side of Qi Zhao’s neck again, his suppressed pheromones surging, trying to leave their mark.
During breakfast, Qi Zhao still sat in Qi Wei’s lap.
And Qi Wei, his arm around him, held the plate and insisted on feeding him personally. Qi Zhao didn’t understand his actions, but he respected the alpha, especially since he was in rut.
He obediently didn’t use his hands, and after eating his fill in Qi Wei’s arms, he couldn’t help but yawn.
Qi Wei lowered his head and kissed the corner of his lips. “Want to sleep for a while?”
Qi Zhao: “…Sleeping right after eating is strange.”
Perhaps thinking the same thing, Qi Wei chuckled softly. “Not strange.”
He nuzzled Qi Zhao’s neck, which had become his usual way of speaking since this morning. “It’s my fault for not letting you rest properly.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
That was even stranger.
But he didn’t say anything, just, “I can’t sleep after eating… How are you feeling?”
Qi Wei tightened his grip around his waist. “I’m fine.”
Qi Zhao thought, No, you’re not.
If Qi Wei was fine, he wouldn’t be clinging to him so tightly.
But Qi Zhao also knew that compared to his last rut, this was much better.
So Qi Zhao tilted his head slightly and leaned against Qi Wei’s head.
He knew that Qi Wei loved his closeness, so this would probably soothe the alpha during his rut.
He couldn’t provide soothing pheromones, so he could only do this, a more complex form of comfort.
After holding Qi Zhao for a while, Qi Wei felt his pheromones on Qi Zhao’s neck fading, his canines itching. As he raised his head, he gently nipped Qi Zhao’s neck.
Qi Zhao’s eyelashes fluttered; he was truly numb.
He felt like his neck was beyond saving today.
A beta couldn’t be temporarily marked, so Qi Wei had bitten his neck countless times today.
Qi Zhao even felt more tired than after a day of work. Qi Wei’s constant attempts to mark him weren’t the problem; the problem was that Qi Wei couldn’t let go of him. He didn’t know if it was because he hadn’t taken his medicine this time, or because the last time was Qi Zhao’s first time accompanying him during his rut…
Qi Zhao knew that one’s appetite, once whetted, would only grow.
Steamed dumplings for breakfast were easy to handle, but lunch and dinner were more problematic with Qi Wei like this.
In the end, Qi Zhao, unusually, took charge of cooking, letting Qi Wei cling to him as he clumsily prepared two meals.
While cooking, Qi Zhao even complained, “I’m not a good cook to begin with, and you’re holding me like this. Don’t blame me if it doesn’t taste good.”
“It’s delicious,” Qi Wei lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of Qi Zhao’s neck, his nose nudging his collar, his breath hot against his skin. “You smell so good.”
Qi Zhao’s scalp tingled, and he wisely chose to remain silent.
And the most difficult part wasn’t cooking, but showering.
Qi Zhao negotiated with Qi Wei, who was now biting his neck again. “Ten minutes, just ten minutes in the bathroom. You can even wait outside the door.”
Qi Wei bit down harder, and although he didn’t speak, and Qi Zhao couldn’t feel the pheromones that were practically chaining him, he could sense Qi Wei’s resistance.
Like a kitten guarding its food, growling softly, warning others not to touch it.
Qi Zhao thought about it and, despite seeing how large and imposing Qi Wei was, his tense muscles radiating danger, he still found him endearing, momentarily forgetting his carefully prepared arguments.
Then Qi Wei released him and murmured softly, “Ah Zhao, let’s shower together.”
Qi Zhao snapped out of his endearing thoughts and immediately refused, “No.”
Qi Wei wasn’t surprised, but his pheromones surged with a twisted restlessness. If they could materialize, they would have dragged Qi Zhao into the bathroom and then…
Qi Wei forcefully suppressed his chaotic thoughts, his tone softening. “Ah Zhao, I can’t let go of you, I feel uncomfortable…”
As he spoke, he buried his face in Qi Zhao’s embrace again, inhaling deeply, murmuring, “I’ll go crazy if I can’t smell you.”
Qi Zhao’s scalp tingled, then he heard Qi Wei continue, “I really won’t do anything, you know that, right?”
He nuzzled Qi Zhao’s chest, trying to make him relent. “I know I can’t… now… I know I’ll hurt you, and I don’t want to.”
“Qi Wei…”
“Ah Zhao,” Qi Wei interrupted him, “I can’t find anything to replace your scent.”
These words struck Qi Zhao right in the heart.
Qi Zhao was silent for a moment, then finally closed his eyes, his resolve weakening.
Although he didn’t say anything, when Qi Wei tried to carry him into the bathroom, he didn’t resist.
But for Qi Zhao, this felt like slow torture.
He listened to Qi Wei instructing the AI to fill the bathtub with hot water, and he felt Qi Wei untying the ribbon of his pants…
Qi Zhao moved, wanting to step back, but Qi Wei had anticipated this, his back against the translucent door, trapping him, leaving him with no escape. He could only grab Qi Wei’s hand, flustered, as if burned by his touch. “I can do it myself.”
But Qi Wei didn’t move. “Ah Zhao.”
He held the ribbon, his voice low, “I won’t do anything, I’ll just help you.”
Qi Zhao’s mind was muddled, so he didn’t realize that Qi Wei had already said this once before.
So logically, Qi Wei should just be holding him while he showered; nothing else was allowed.
But after a few seconds of resistance, Qi Zhao finally let go, letting the alpha undress him gently, like changing the clothes of a beloved doll.
This was the first time they were facing each other like this, and Qi Zhao didn’t dare look at Qi Wei, yet he was still held in Qi Wei’s arms.
And more importantly, the moment their skin touched, Qi Wei’s arousal pressed against him, hardening considerably as Qi Zhao froze, at a loss.
