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“Move.”
And so, Qi Zhao once again fell asleep and was carried into the bathroom.
Qi Wei, while cleaning him, wasn’t having impure thoughts, but he knew he couldn’t afford to. Although his condition was slightly better this time, it was only slightly, so he had to control himself.
Cleaning Qi Zhao was also quite troublesome.
It wasn’t that Qi Wei didn’t want to use protection, but there was no way.
Not only were there no suitable sizes, but alphas generally didn’t consider using protection.
Firstly, with omegas, even if their primary gender was female, pregnancy only occurred through the reproductive cavity. With betas, if they were male, there was no need to worry about pregnancy. If they were female betas, it was indeed a bit troublesome, and they would usually consider getting sterilized—the alpha, that is.
Secondly… alphas would ejaculate, and the volume was too much. Manufacturers had done a lot of research and released many types of protection, but none of them could solve these two problems. On the contrary, they would only make things worse, so those things were mostly used between betas.
However, Qi Wei was very patient, repeatedly making sure Qi Zhao was clean before carefully bathing and washing his hair, drying it, and then changing him into pajamas. He then carried him to bed, Qi Zhao nestled in his arms as he worked on his tablet.
Exhausted, Qi Zhao dozed off for a short while, less than an hour.
When he woke up, smelling Qi Wei’s scent, he instinctively nuzzled closer, asking groggily, “What time is it?”
“Just past three.”
Qi Wei touched his forehead, checking for a fever. “Are you hungry?”
Qi Zhao was okay. “I want some water.”
This time, Qi Wei, prepared in advance, didn’t have to let go of Qi Zhao. He simply opened the water bottle and held it to Qi Zhao’s lips.
After a few sips, Qi Zhao was more awake.
He glanced at Qi Wei’s neck and pursed his lips. “Does it hurt?”
He had bitten Qi Wei there at Qi Wei’s request.
Qi Zhao had vaguely remembered that an alpha’s neck was vulnerable and that he should be careful, but the moment he bit down, Qi Wei had suddenly tensed up, his fingers pressing against the small, red mark, instantly making Qi Zhao lose control, tasting blood.
Qi Wei smiled, touching the bite mark on his neck, and instead of answering the question, he asked, “Ah Zhao, do you know that alphas have strong regenerative abilities?”
Qi Zhao didn’t understand, but he still nodded. “Yes.”
As it turned out, he should have guessed.
Qi Wei never spoke unnecessary words.
Qi Wei said, “So after you bit me, the wound started to heal, and your saliva is still there.”
He wasn’t teasing Qi Zhao, but genuinely finding comfort in this thought, his eyes smiling, his joy overflowing. “Ah Zhao, this is your mark on me, unique and special.”
Qi Zhao: “…”
He said sincerely, “Do all alphas think this way?”
Qi Wei’s smile deepened at his words, and he buried his face in Qi Zhao’s hair, inhaling deeply. “Ah Zhao.”
He chuckled against his skin. “You’re so cute.”
Qi Zhao: “.”
Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? he thought.
He voiced his thought, and Qi Wei hugged him tighter, his tone light and cheerful. “Ah Zhao.”
Qi Zhao thought he was going to say something else, so he instinctively replied, “Hmm,” and then heard Qi Wei say the simplest words, words he had said so many times that they were etched into Qi Zhao’s bones, words whose absence would make him feel like something was missing—
“I love you.”
But no matter how many times he heard it, Qi Zhao’s heart still skipped a beat, a warmth spreading through him, making him want to curl up closer to Qi Wei.
But he was already in Qi Wei’s arms, so there was no need to reach out and hug him.
Qi Zhao just smiled faintly, and the alpha, without needing any words, could sense his happiness.
No one disliked being loved by the person they loved.
After that day, Qi Wei didn’t mention marriage again, and neither did Qi Zhao.
The end of the year arrived, and Qi Wei became busy. Qi Zhao hadn’t officially started working yet, but he started helping him with some tasks out of concern.
Qi Zhao’s work abilities were undeniable, even Qi Mu hadn’t questioned them, even sending him abroad for fear of him competing with Qi Wense and tearing the Qi family apart.
Although Qi Mao had still fallen, it was the inevitable consequence of their inability to adapt. Many in the industry believed that if Qi Zhao had stayed, the outcome might have been different.
Qi Zhao had some understanding of Qi Corp, having often heard news and updates about them while abroad.
And after being with Qi Wei, since Qi Wei never hid his work from him, Qi Zhao naturally had a general understanding of the company’s operations. He quickly grasped the non-confidential matters and handled them efficiently.
Xu Chenzhou, when they were still close, had said that he was a natural-born worker, with an unmatched talent in this area.
Although there were many year-end tasks to be completed, there were also many project proposals to be prepared. They couldn’t just start planning in the new year; they usually started outlining the general direction the year before.
Xinfeng Technology focused on unmanned technology, while Qi Corp’s own tech company specialized in smart technology, particularly smart home systems, and was currently developing a more integrated system.
Qi Zhao had also done research in this area, so he was mainly helping Qi Wei with these tasks. They worked together at the same desk, and whenever Qi Zhao had a question, he would ask Qi Wei.
After all, it wasn’t his company, and he wasn’t privy to all the internal matters.
Initially, he would ask properly, but later, because there were too many details to confirm, he would simply nudge Qi Wei’s ankle with his foot.
He didn’t think much of it, but the first time he did it, Qi Wei paused, his typing stopping.
He turned to look at Qi Zhao, who was seriously reviewing the documents in his hand, asking him about company matters.
This, of course, didn’t suppress Qi Wei’s wandering thoughts, but rather, made him even more restless.
He truly liked this Qi Zhao, so handsome it made his heart itch.
But Qi Wei, looking at his packed schedule, could only endure.
So, for the first time, the CEO, Qi Wei, wished for the world to end.
That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about work.
He exhaled silently, but he hadn’t expected Qi Zhao to do it again, and again…
Qi Zhao’s actions were convenient for him, but they were torture for the other person present.
So when Qi Zhao nudged his ankle for the seventh time, asking for the financial statements from previous years, Qi Wei finally couldn’t help himself and placed his leg over Qi Zhao’s foot, trapping it.
Qi Zhao froze. “…?”
He truly wasn’t trying to tease Qi Wei, so he looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
Qi Wei smiled gently, his expression calm and refined, as usual, yet inexplicably, Qi Zhao felt a shiver run down his spine, instinctively wanting to pull his foot back.
As it turned out, his instincts were right.
Because in the next second, the shameless alpha pulled his foot onto his lap.
They were at home, the air conditioning was on, the floor was carpeted, and Qi Zhao, for comfort, wasn’t wearing socks, his slippers kicked aside.
So the sole of his foot was pressed against Qi Wei’s casual pants, the contact sending a jolt of sensation through him.
Qi Zhao’s eyes widened in disbelief, his voice strained. “Qi Wei…!”
How could someone be thinking about this while working?!
Qi Wei held Qi Zhao’s ankle, preventing him from pulling away, his body leaning forward, his expression unreadable.
He whispered, “Ah Zhao, you can’t blame me for this, it’s you…”
He didn’t omit a single word, but Qi Zhao’s mind, focused on work, filtered it out, his body flushing as he froze, not daring to move a muscle.
After all, any movement would only increase the friction, making the situation even more dangerous.
Qi Zhao found Qi Wei truly ridiculous, but he didn’t know what to say, so he just gritted his teeth, his grip on the documents tightening. “We’re working…”
Qi Wei’s Adam’s apple bobbed, staring at him intently, not speaking, not letting go.
Qi Zhao, left with no other choice, finally whispered, “Tonight…”
Qi Wei’s lips curved upwards, and he immediately agreed, “Okay.”
He even gently caressed Qi Zhao’s ankle with his fingertips before releasing his foot, not making any further moves.
Qi Zhao’s foot landed back on the carpet, the different texture making him speechless.
He stared at the documents for a while, trying to regain his composure, before continuing to read. But as he read, he felt something was amiss.
“…”
Qi Zhao turned to look at Qi Wei. “Qi Wei, did you do that on purpose?”
Qi Wei, savoring the sweet taste on his tongue, his pheromones, undetectable to the beta, already enveloping Qi Zhao, asked innocently, “What?”
Qi Zhao glared at him. “You know what I’m talking about. Stop playing dumb.”
Qi Wei looked wronged. “I really didn’t.”
He lowered his voice. “Ah Zhao, if you don’t want to tonight, if you refuse, I won’t force you. Right?”
…That was true.
Qi Wei continued, “Given our relationship, you wouldn’t force yourself just because you agreed, right?”
Qi Zhao’s eyes flickered.
He recalled Qi Wei saying he was too cautious, not assertive enough…
“Yes.”
He would refuse Qi Wei if he didn’t want to.
Qi Wei concluded, “So how was I being deliberate?”
Qi Zhao, his mind still mostly on the documents, hummed thoughtfully.
Perhaps he had wrongly accused Qi Wei?
—At this moment, Qi Zhao truly didn’t have the mental capacity to consider that Qi Wei might have just been teasing him, and… having seen his feet many times, wanted to touch them.
Qi Zhao had worn a pure gold anklet as a child, bought by his maternal grandparents when An Xinzhi was pregnant with him. It was a local custom, symbolizing something holding the child down, so they would grow up strong and not wander too far, similar to a longevity lock.
The anklet was adjustable, so Qi Zhao had worn it for a long time, until he grew older and it wouldn’t come off, so he had left it on, reluctant to cut it off.
But in the end, it had still been cut off.
Not a sad story, just that he had grown older, and the anklet was too small, even at its largest setting.
Qi Wei had seen the golden anklet many times when Qi Zhao’s ankles were exposed; it was beautiful.
So he had thought about it many times.
And later that night, when Qi Wei kissed Qi Zhao, his hand resting on his firm abdomen, Qi Zhao didn’t refuse.
So… he wanted it too.
After all, Qi Zhao truly enjoyed seeing Qi Wei’s intoxicated expression, and he liked Qi Wei’s warmth, his embrace, his kisses, even his gentleness amidst their passionate moments.
Although being with Qi Wei felt like the world was ending, Qi Zhao could sense the alpha’s efforts to control himself, the extent of his restraint a measure of his love.
Not daring to be too forceful, not daring to go a second round, immediately stopping if he said it hurt, enduring it even when his eyes were red-rimmed, waiting for his consent before continuing, but much more gently.
Qi Zhao had initially thought it would be difficult to accept being the “bottom,” but after being with Qi Wei, he didn’t mind it at all.
He couldn’t do what Qi Wei did anyway.
