After Entering a Contract Marriage with a Disabled Alpha - Chapter 15

Realizing what a stupid thing he had just done, Pei Yu frantically moved his hand to Qin Shen’s thigh. He was so mortified he forgot how to breathe.

He had actually accidentally pressed down on Qin Shen’s…

Even though it was just a few seconds of unintentional contact, that warmth felt like it was stuck to his hand, impossible to shake off, a numbing heat that seeped into his very bones.

“Cousin?!”

“What are you guys doing here? It’s the middle of the night and you don’t have the lights on—it’s scary, okay!” Qin Yiyang, who had assumed a thief had broken in, turned off his phone’s flashlight and flipped the wall switch for the main lights.

Security at the old estate hadn’t always been perfect, and break-ins had happened before. Hearing rustling sounds, Qin Yiyang thought a thief was once again eyeing his grandfather’s collectibles.

“It’s nothing. We were just putting back the Ru-ware Grandfather gave to Xiao Yu,” Qin Shen said, subtly adjusting his bathrobe.

“Ru-ware?” Qin Yiyang coughed twice in shock. That was one of his grandfather’s most prized possessions. He marveled privately at how generous his grandfather was toward Pei Yu, then noticed that the boy’s cheeks and ears were bright red.

The night air in summer was cooler than the day, but it was still muggy; a warm breeze brushed against their cheeks, feeling sticky and oppressive.

“Brother Pei, your face is so red,” Qin Yiyang noted. “It’s hot out here, go back to your room and rest in the AC.”

Pei Yu’s face burned even hotter. “…” He followed behind Qin Shen, completely unable to find his voice.

When they reached the bedroom doors, Qin Shen glanced at the lingering flush on the boy’s face.

“I was the one who got pressed on, yet you look more embarrassed than I do?”

Pei Yu gave a light cough to ease the awkwardness and skipped the topic entirely. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to my room. You should rest early too.”

“Not going to massage my legs anymore?” Qin Shen asked with a smile.

Pei Yu shook his head repeatedly. “Another time, another time.” How could he possibly have the heart to massage Qin Shen’s legs now? Saying another two words to the man felt like it would be the death of him.

Qin Shen’s eyes flickered slightly. “Fine. See you tomorrow,” he said unhurriedly.

Pei Yu gave a tiny wave. “See you tomorrow.”

The midnight hallway returned to silence. Back in his room, Pei Yu let out a long sigh of relief and sat on his bed, staring at his palm for a long moment. He went to the sink with a burning face to wash his hands; white foam and water flowed through his fingers, and only under the cold water did his abnormally hot palm and racing heart finally start to cool down.

He looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. His earlobes were so red they looked like they might bleed.

“You have one too, why react so strongly!” Pei Yu pointed at himself in the mirror, determined to stop thinking about the accident.

Back on the bed, he picked up the pale pink jade bracelet. Each bead glowed with a moist, clear luster under the light. The bracelet was slightly elastic and fit his wrist perfectly. He took a photo, intending to send it to Qin Shen, but remembered he didn’t have his WeChat. He found Qin Yiyang in his contact list—they had exchanged info while playing games earlier.

[Pei Yu: I don’t have Qin Shen’s WeChat yet. Can you send me his contact card?]

Qin Yiyang found it strange: Love at first sight, yet they haven’t even added each other on WeChat? Still, he sent over the contact info.

Qin Shen’s WeChat nickname was simple: [qs]. His profile picture was a starry night sky, looking like a spontaneous shot taken from a high vantage point—no strange filters, just the brilliance and loneliness of the stars.

The friend request was accepted within seconds. Pei Yu saved the contact with Qin Shen’s full name. After thinking for a moment, he sent a photo of his wrist wearing the jade beads.

[Pei Yu: I really like this gift. I’ll tell Grandfather as soon as I wake up tomorrow!]

On the other side, Qin Shen looked at the photo, clicked it, and zoomed in. The slender wrist, offset by the peach-pink jade, had an indescribable beauty. Pei Yu’s hands were very attractive—slim, fair, and with distinct knuckles. Because of his frequent part-time jobs, his fingertips weren’t as smooth as the back of his hands, but they were still lovely.

And it was this soft, warm hand that had just touched him.

Qin Shen’s breath hitched. The Alpha pheromones in the air intensified instantly. After a few seconds, he closed the photo with somewhat hurried movements. After saving it, he replied: [I’m glad you like it. The bracelet suits you well.]

Following his message, he received a “Goodnight” GIF: a cute cat wearing a nightcap, sleeping with a little snot bubble. Qin Shen smiled and placed his phone on the nightstand.

In the room across, after exiting WeChat, Pei Yu noticed several text messages from Jiang He sent while he was returning the porcelain. She asked if he was adjusting to living with the Qins and if the elders were treating him well.

Pei Yu typed slowly: [It’s good. They treat me very well. It’s much more comfortable than living with the Lins.]

He thought Jiang He would be asleep by now, but she replied instantly: [That’s good. I heard Qin Shen has the same illness as I do.]

One of the reasons Jiang He’s condition was so severe was her refusal to find an Alpha with high compatibility. But she knew the treatment methods—nothing more than physical intimacy.

She asked hesitantly: [Has he… forced you to do anything?]

Pei Yu’s pupils shrank. That feeling of being disregarded by Jiang He rushed back like a tide. If it weren’t for his good luck—if it weren’t for Qin Shen’s integrity—how could he be wearing soft pajamas in a room of his own?

Pei Yu quickly replied: [No.] He turned off his phone and pulled the covers over himself.

He had expected to have trouble sleeping on his first night at the Qin estate. When he moved into the Lin house, it had taken a week to get used to the environment. But within minutes, sleepiness washed over him. Accompanied by the faint scent of roses drifting from the bedside, Pei Yu drifted off.

The next morning, Pei Yu woke up naturally. He blinked his slender lashes and rubbed his bleary eyes. Looking out the window, the sky was a hazy gray; it was still early. He lingered in bed for a while before slowly getting up to wash.

Entering the walk-in closet and seeing a wardrobe full of new clothes, Pei Yu suddenly faced a choice-making crisis. Eventually, he picked a cream-colored short-sleeved shirt and black casual pants. He didn’t recognize the brands, but the fabric felt incredibly soft and comfortable.

He had woken up early. The lights downstairs were on, and the faint aroma of food drifted through the air—the servants were making breakfast. Pei Yu vaguely heard a sound coming from another room.

It was a deep, low growl, followed by the sound of gritting teeth that sounded extremely painful—like a sound squeezed from the throat during torture, hoarse and heavy.

Pei Yu guessed what the sound might be and followed the source. He stood at the door of the rehabilitation room. The sounds inside drummed against his eardrums. He turned the handle and looked through the half-open door.

It was just as he thought: Qin Shen was undergoing leg rehabilitation.

Although Pei Yu had imagined what Qin Shen’s rehab might look like, facing it directly still had a powerful impact on him.

Qin Shen looked to be in extreme agony. The veins on his forehead stood out, his face was flushed, and he gritted his teeth so hard his jaw looked locked. Hoarse growls escaped his throat, like a trapped beast struggling with all its might. He was radiating heat, and sweat soaked his black hair, face, neck, and collarbone.

His soaked black workout gear revealed the fluid lines of his muscles. His physique was tall and broad-shouldered with a narrow waist—the silhouette of his arched spine was visible through the thin fabric—but right now, he couldn’t walk fully upright. He looked as if he were being crushed by a heavy weight, forced to bend over. Every step looked like he was treading on blades.

Pei Yu was pinned to the spot, a dense pang of heartache blooming in his chest. How much must it hurt…?

The medical staff accompanied him closely, hands raised, terrified that Qin Shen might collapse. Pei Yu silently cheered for him in his heart. Finally, after more than ten minutes, Qin Shen finished a five-meter stretch that an ordinary person could cover in a few easy steps.

Pei Yu felt instinctively happy and excited for him. However, the moment Qin Shen turned around, he jerked his head up, dripping with sweat. A pair of deep, narrow eyes looked straight at him.

Like a little rabbit targeted by a hawk, Pei Yu’s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, he panicked, closed the door, and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

It felt like Qin Shen didn’t want him to see him during rehab. Did I invade his privacy? Pei Yu thought regretfully.

And it was true; Qin Shen did not want Pei Yu to see him in such an unsightly state.

A cold, sharp pheromone scent swept through the rehab room along with his sweat. The medical staff felt a chill numbing their bodies this was the intense aggression of S-class Alpha pheromones. Their legs felt weak instinctively. It was like being stared at by a bird of prey; move even a little, and your neck would be snapped in the next second.

Yet they knew Mr. Qin wasn’t as terrifying as his pheromones suggested. On the contrary, Qin Shen was the most persistent person they had ever seen in rehab, capable of enduring immense pain. It required incredible willpower.

“Mr. Qin…” a staff member called out tremulously.

Qin Shen gave a low “Mm,” withdrew his gaze, and sat back in his wheelchair. He planned to rest for ten minutes before the next round. The staff reported on and analyzed the recovery of his legs. Statistically, there was no significant improvement. However, Qin Shen could feel the pain and walk longer distances; everything was moving in the right direction.

“Is there room to accelerate the training schedule?” Qin Shen asked in a deep voice.

“This Mr. Qin, your training intensity is already much higher than anyone else’s,” the medic said. “If you’re too hasty, your body might not handle it. My suggestion is still to take it step by step. I believe that one day.”

“I understand,” Qin Shen said.

Qin Shen pinched his legs, his gaze deep and pensive. He looked up and continued, “Discuss it further. Increase the intensity as much as my physical condition allows.”

“Yes, sir. We understand,” the medical staff replied with a nod. “We’ll go back and recalibrate the adjustment plan for your rehabilitation.” They began tidying up the medical instruments and various monitoring data.

Qin Shen grabbed the towel hanging on the railing and wiped away his sweat.

As the medical staff were about to leave, they suddenly heard Qin Shen ask, “The sight of rehabilitation… must look quite unsightly to an outsider, right?”

“This…”

The medic was slightly surprised. In his mind, Qin Shen wasn’t the type of person to care about such things. Then he suddenly remembered the boy who had accidentally walked in earlier, and he understood.

“Sir, it isn’t unsightly at all.”

“I believe anyone who saw you in rehab would admire you from the bottom of their heart.”

“Besides,” the medic added, “the young master just now was silently cheering for you.”

“I see. Thank you.” Qin Shen turned his wheelchair. “See you next time.”

Back in the bedroom, with the help of a caregiver, Qin Shen took a shower, changed his clothes, and went downstairs.

By the time he arrived, the others were already seated at the dining table. Qin Shuo usually sat at the head of the rectangular table; currently, Pei Yu was sitting to his right, head down and smiling as they chatted.

Pei Yu lifted his wrist, showing Grandpa Qin the string of pink jade beads. Under the dining room lights, the boy’s forearm looked slender and translucent, so fair it seemed it had never touched the sun.

Pei Yu said something that made Qin Shuo burst into hearty laughter. As Qin Shen approached, Qin Yiyang happened to tease them about the previous night.

“Grandpa, you have no idea how scary they were last night. Running off to the collection room in the middle of the night.”

Qin Shuo joked, “Ah, it seems my gift wasn’t the right choice.”

Pei Yu quickly chimed in to smooth things over. “No! I really like this bracelet. As for the Ru-ware, it’s in the display cabinet now; I can go see it whenever I want.”

“Besides,” he added softly, “I’d feel bad accepting something so expensive. The psychological burden is quite heavy…”

Grandpa Qin wanted to insist, but Qin Yiyang helped Pei Yu out. “Exactly, Grandpa. You should give him things a student can actually use. Like limited edition sneakers—I noticed Brother Pei only has a few pairs of athletic shoes.”

Qin Yiyang had a closet full of sneakers and truly felt Pei Yu didn’t have enough to wear.

“Alright, then Grandpa will have people buy more things you can use daily.” Qin Shuo looked at Qin Shen as he approached. “Take Xiao Yu to the mall this weekend and get him whatever he likes.”

Qin Shen answered directly for Pei Yu, “Alright.”

He steered his wheelchair to sit beside Pei Yu, only to see the boy shrink his neck like a timid quail.

Was he really scared by the sight of my rehab? Qin Shen thought, his lips pressing into a thin line. He took the milk Aunt Zhou handed him and watched Pei Yu out of the corner of his eye.

Pei Yu was peeling a hard-boiled egg. The shell came off bit by bit, revealing the white protein inside. The egg seemed a bit hot, as Pei Yu’s fingertips were turning pink from the heat. His fingers were so white they almost blended with the color of the egg, though they were less translucent and more like the solid white of fresh snow.

Pei Yu held the egg and dipped it lightly in a small dish of sugar. Instead of putting it in his own mouth, he held it out to Qin Shen and whispered, “Do you want some?”

“My brother doesn’t really eat su—” Qin Yiyang started to warn him, only to meet Qin Shen’s direct, warning gaze.

Qin Yiyang: ? Holy crap, why did it suddenly get cold in here?

Next, he watched as Qin Shen leaned down and bit into the egg while it was still in Pei Yu’s hand. Pei Yu was slightly stunned by the proximity of the man’s head. His fingertips even brushed against Qin Shen’s lips.

Though it was just a fleeting touch, Pei Yu’s heart tightened instinctively. So soft…

“What’s soft?” Qin Shen looked up, a bit of sugar stuck to his lip.

Realizing he had spoken out loud, Pei Yu’s whole body tensed up. The tips of his ears turned a faint red as he defended himself, “I meant the egg. The egg is soft.” To demonstrate, he pinched the remaining half of the egg.

“Is that so?” Qin Shen looked steadily at Pei Yu, his eyes seemingly seeing through everything.

Pei Yu: “…” His face turned even redder. He quickly put the rest of the egg into Qin Shen’s bowl.

“Eat more sugar. It won’t hurt as much then.”

When Pei Yu was little and got sick, he would wail after getting an injection. Jiang He would always feed him candy; the sweetness acted like a painkiller, dulling the sting.

Qin Shen paused, understanding Pei Yu’s meaning. After finishing the rest of the egg, he finally asked, “You didn’t think I looked… ugly just now?”

“Ugly…?” Pei Yu didn’t catch on at first. “Of course not. You looked very cool.”

“Really?” Qin Shen felt a warmth in his chest.

Pei Yu took a large gulp of milk, leaving a bit of foam on his lip. “Of course.”

“What are you two whispering about? Count me in!” Qin Yiyang shouted from across the table.

“It’s nothing,” Pei Yu said, looking up.

Just as he spoke, a soft tissue wiped his lip. He turned to see Qin Shen withdrawing his arm. “You had some milk on you,” Qin Shen said naturally.

Pei Yu nodded blankly. “Thank you.”

A hearty laugh came from the head of the table. Grandpa Qin squinted at them with a smile. “Good, good. Have A-Shen accompany you both to school in a bit.”

After breakfast, Qin Yiyang went upstairs to change into his school uniform. Thinking he had a spare set, he asked Pei Yu if he wanted to wear one of his.

Pei Yu was about to agree when Qin Shen spoke up. “No need. It’s normal for a transfer student not to wear a uniform on their first day.”

“But I have an extra set! If he doesn’t wear a uniform, we’ll have to explain everything to the guard and register at the gate. It’s a huge pain!” Qin Yiyang was babbling away when he suddenly met Qin Shen’s dark, heavy gaze.

A chill ran from the base of his spine straight to his brain.

Crap. I’m actually asking his Omega to wear another Alpha’s uniform in front of his face?!!!

Qin Yiyang swallowed hard, feeling his cousin’s gaze grow even heavier.

“Actually, I should just wear yours,” Pei Yu said. “Sorry for the trouble.”

Qin Shen sat beside them in silence. Qin Yiyang blinked guiltily. “Ah! I just remembered, I had Aunt Zhou take that spare set to the wash last night. It’s probably still wet.”

Aunt Zhou, who was silently tidying up: ?

Pei Yu questioned, “It’s so hot today, it should be dry by now, right?”

“Uh… I guess so,” Qin Yiyang said reflexively. Then he caught sight of Qin Shen, who had his arms crossed, watching him with an expectant look. His voice grew even more shaky. “B-but my clothes will definitely be too big for you.”

“I’m 190cm. You’re probably only about 170-something.”

Pei Yu, for whom height was always a sore spot, felt like he’d been stabbed. He pouted. “…Oh.” His heart hurt.

After getting into the car, Qin Shen noticed Pei Yu seemed down. He thought back to what happened. “Are you unhappy?”

Pei Yu shook his head. “Not really. I just think Alphas are so tall. It’s enviable.” Like Qin Shen—even sitting down, one could tell how long his legs were.

“You aren’t short. Besides, you’re still young; you’ll keep growing,” Qin Shen said.

Pei Yu didn’t quite believe him. “Really? But I’m already eighteen.”

“You can still grow at eighteen. You’re still in the development stage at this age.”

Comforted by this, Pei Yu nodded. As he looked down, his eyes accidentally landed on the creases of Qin Shen’s suit trousers where his legs were spread. He glanced at Qin Yiyang, who was playing games in the passenger seat, and the driver, who was focused on the road.

He leaned in close to Qin Shen and whispered softly, “So, besides height, other parts of the body will keep developing too? Compared to you… I’m lacking quite a bit.”

Even as an Omega, as a fellow male, Pei Yu felt he shouldn’t be too far behind an Alpha. It was a matter of pride.

Qin Shen froze, finally realizing what Pei Yu was referring to. Remembering the night before, Qin Shen’s ears felt a bit hot. He cleared his throat and, looking into the boy’s sparkling eyes, said something that went against common sense: “Yes, they will.”

“That’s good,” Pei Yu chuckled and sat back.

After a moment, Qin Shen added, “Now that you’ve differentiated into an Omega, it’s best not to discuss these things in front of Alphas.”

“Huh?” Pei Yu paused.

Gender (male/female) was their primary sex; ABO was their secondary sex. Having been a Beta for eighteen years, Pei Yu hadn’t yet fully mastered the sense of boundaries. Reminded by Qin Shen, he nodded awkwardly, his face flushing red.

An awkward silence filled the car. Pei Yu pressed himself against the car door and turned to look at the trees flashing by outside. Qin Shen’s gaze fell on the boy’s flushed cheek, and he noticed once again that the scent-blocking patch on his neck was crumpled.

“The patch is bunched up again,” Qin Shen said. “Did you bring others?”

Pei Yu opened his backpack and showed them to him. “I did.”

Qin Shen asked if he wanted a new one. Pei Yu actually felt the bunched-up patch was quite uncomfortable, so he nodded. By the time the patch was replaced, Pei Yu’s face was completely red; the sensation of his gland being touched was too itchy and… strange.

The car slowed to a halt at the gates of Yangshen High School. After Pei Yu got out, Qin Shen asked, “Do you want me to accompany you to see the teacher?”

Under the brilliant morning sun, Pei Yu’s exquisite face seemed to be coated in a soft glow. He turned his head and glanced briefly at Qin Shen’s legs. He smiled and said, “No need to bother. I can go by myself.”

Qin Shen watched Pei Yu’s retreating figure in silence. Only after he had blended into the crowd of students did Qin Shen slowly withdraw his gaze.

He looked down at his legs and pinched them.

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