After Entering a Contract Marriage with a Disabled Alpha - Chapter 16

Pei Yu, not wearing a school uniform, stood out like a sore thumb in the sea of blue and white. Not to mention, he wasn’t wearing those horribly unfashionable glasses anymore. Having stepped out of a luxury car and walking so closely with the school heartthrob, Qin Yiyang, several “buffs” stacked together to make Pei Yu an instantly dazzling presence.

“Brother Pei, so many people are looking at you,” Qin Yiyang whispered, leaning in. He instinctively raised his hand to throw an arm around Pei Yu’s shoulder, like he would with any of his bros.

But as his hand reached Pei Yu’s shoulder blade, Qin Yiyang caught himself. He pulled his hand back and slapped it as if acting out a play. “Why can’t I control myself? I told you not to keep trying to put your arm around Brother Pei—he’s an Omega!”

Pei Yu looked at the foolishly behaving Qin Yiyang. “?”

“Haha, well, it’s just that between an Alpha and an Omega… it’s not convenient for me to put my arm around you. I usually hang out with Alphas, so it’s a reflex…”

Pei Yu understood but hesitated before saying, “Actually, just a hand on the shoulder is fine.” As long as he didn’t touch his sensitive waist, Pei Yu was perfectly okay with it.

“My brother would kill me.” Qin Yiyang muttered under his breath. “You didn’t see the way his eyes looked like daggers this morning.”

“Really?” A trace of confusion flickered in Pei Yu’s eyes. “Your brother wouldn’t actually kill you.”

“Of course he would! For real! You have no idea—Alphas are incredibly domineering!” Qin Yiyang exclaimed. “My brother might not actually hit me, but his pheromones are way too aggressive.”

Now that Qin Shen wasn’t around, Qin Yiyang started rambling about the uniform incident from earlier that morning. “I was actually suicidal enough to try and lend you my uniform this morning,” he said, shaking his head.

Pei Yu grew even more confused. “Didn’t you say your uniform was too big for me, and that’s why you didn’t lend it to me?”

Meeting Pei Yu’s half-ignorant gaze, Qin Yiyang sighed. “Brother Pei, you’re a bit slow.”

“My uniform smells like my pheromones. My cousin would have been pissed, so I didn’t dare lend it to you.”

Pei Yu thought back silently, but he couldn’t recall Qin Shen’s expression or attitude being like that at all. However, seeing how certain Qin Yiyang was, Pei Yu’s ears couldn’t help but turn hot.

Even though he and Qin Shen weren’t in a romantic relationship, the agreement had tied them together. In Qin Yiyang’s eyes, he was indeed Qin Shen’s Omega—an Omega close to Qin Shen, and one who would make Qin Shen’s possessiveness and desire for control flare up.

With a flushed face, he murmured, “I guess so…”

“Qin Yiyang!” several teenage voices called out.

Pei Yu and Qin Yiyang turned to see several tall boys in school uniforms with backpacks running toward them. Two of them immediately threw their arms around Qin Yiyang’s shoulders, boisterously pushing his back and messing with his hair.

“Haven’t seen you all summer—did you grow even taller, you bastard?!” “Nice shoes, man! You actually managed to snag those?” “Are we hitting the internet cafe and the BBQ stalls after school today?!”

Qin Yiyang, a boy who believed that while heads could roll, his hairstyle must remain perfect, grew annoyed. He broke free and hid behind Pei Yu. “Is my hair something you guys can just touch?!”

“You’re too handsome, it’s annoying!” Wang Kexin started to say, but his voice trailed off. He looked at the person in front of Qin Yiyang… an Omega? He instinctively gasped, “Holy crap, is this your new boyfriend?! He’s so beautiful—you actually got a partner behind our backs?!”

Pei Yu met their burning gazes and explained, “You’ve misunderstood.”

Qin Yiyang added quickly, “Don’t talk nonsense. Let me introduce you—this is my…”

He originally wanted to say Pei Yu was his cousin’s Omega, but he instinctively felt that wasn’t appropriate. Although one could get a marriage certificate at eighteen in modern society, they were still seventeen or eighteen and in school. Plus, introducing him that way felt a bit weird.

So, Qin Yiyang changed his tune. “He’s my brother—the very close kind. He transferred here today, so look after him in the future.”

Pei Yu waved. “Hi, hello everyone~”

His smile, set against the bright morning sun, struck a chord in the hearts of every Alpha and Beta present.

“Hello, Brother Pei.” “Don’t mention ‘looking after’ him; we’re all brothers here.” “By the way, Brother Pei, you’re so beautiful, you must be an Omega. Is it okay to ask if you’re single? Want to add each other on WeChat? I know this school inside and out; I can show you around!”

A jet-black phone was thrust toward him. Faced with the extremely enthusiastic Alpha, Pei Yu instinctively took a step back and awkwardly rubbed his nose.

Qin Yiyang intervened just in time. “Get lost, all of you! Don’t get any ideas—he’s already taken.”

The “already taken” Pei Yu blinked but didn’t protest. The Alphas sighed in disappointment. “Sigh, as expected, beautiful people are always snatched up early.”

As they walked toward the school gate, the disciplinary officer stopped Pei Yu since he wasn’t in uniform, but after he explained the situation, he was allowed in smoothly.

Yangshen was one of the top private aristocratic schools in Jiangcheng. It had a powerful background, and its classrooms, cafeteria, and dormitories were all top-tier. The faculty was strong, and the teaching quality was excellent.

The students at Yangshen were generally divided into two types: those from wealthy families and those who were academically brilliant but underprivileged, whom Yangshen recruited as “Special Excellence” students. A decade ago, Yangshen’s average grades weren’t anything special in Jiangcheng, but in recent years, thanks to the heavy investment from the Qin Corporation, Yangshen’s senior exam results had become a match for the city’s old-brand public schools.

The campus was beautifully landscaped with various trees; Pei Yu even spotted some small ginkgo trees. To his right was the library—grand, imposing, and looking nearly as large as the city library. Before, besides studying and working, Pei Yu’s only hobby was visiting the library. Looking at the bright glass curtain wall, he felt a spark of anticipation.

“Qin Yiyang, I heard the Lin family’s ‘True Young Master’ actually married your cousin?”

Hearing gossip about himself, Pei Yu paused. “Uh…” Qin Yiyang said uncomfortably, “Why are you asking that?”

“I just think he’s pretty pitiful. Didn’t his life use to be really hard when he was little?”

Pei Yu thought for a moment and interjected, “Actually, it was okay.”

The group stared at the beauty. “?”

“Ahem,” Qin Yiyang said. “My cousin isn’t actually as tragic as the rumors say. Don’t listen to those lies; they’re completely unreliable.”

“Oh, I see.” Wang Kexin chuckled twice. “I’ve seen a lot of people guessing how long the True Young Master can stay with your cousin.”

“I want to join in on the fun. Give me a suggestion?” The surrounding Alphas chimed in in agreement.

“Hehehehe,” Qin Yiyang gave an awkward laugh. Discussing the man right in front of him and even asking for his suggestion made Qin Yiyang incredibly uncomfortable, yet his good friends kept pressing him.

“How about… let’s guess a year first,” Pei Yu said, blinking his eyes.

“Is a year too long? It’s a business marriage,” one of them said. “I bet three months at most.”

Pei Yu smiled. “It’ll definitely be longer than that.”

“Beauty, you sound so sure. Are you certain?” Wang Kexin asked. “Is your source reliable?”

Qin Yiyang was breaking into a cold sweat.

“I’m certain,” Pei Yu said unhurriedly. “Because I’m the one who married Qin Shen.”

Silence. Dead silence. The faces of the Alphas, who had just felt a flicker of attraction, turned bright red.

“Holy crap! You’re that guy?!” “Beauty, please don’t be mad…” “Right, right! we definitely didn’t mean any harm.”

Pei Yu smiled. “It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”

These Alphas were from the sports class and weren’t in the same class as Qin Yiyang. After they parted ways at the stairwell, Qin Yiyang breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Pei Yu’s face, which still wore a smile.

“Brother Pei, you’re really not mad? They were just joking.”

Pei Yu shook his head. “Really, I’m not. But I’m a bit curious about that forum they mentioned. Can you tell me about it?”

“This…” Qin Yiyang hesitated.

The forum was filled with all sorts of voices. Under the poll guessing how long Qin Shen and the Lin family’s True Young Master would stay together, many comments were very rude. There were lazy rich heirs who had grown up being compared to Qin Shen by their parents; after Qin Shen’s accident, they cursed him, saying he deserved it for showing off. There were companies struggling under the weight of the Qin Corporation that would send people to call Qin Shen cunning or slander him for using dirty tactics. There was also Lin Shuxing, who played the victim by saying the True Young Master was targeting him; many people who liked him helped him bash Pei Yu, saying he sold his body for money and even dared to marry a disabled Alpha.

In short, Qin Yiyang didn’t dare give the link to Pei Yu. He made up an excuse. “That kind of forum requires real-name registration; it’s quite a hassle.” He tried his best to discourage him.

Pei Yu didn’t suspect anything. He nodded and took out his phone, transferring five thousand yuan to Qin Yiyang.

Qin Yiyang: “?”

Pei Yu said, “Then help me place a bet too. What’s the longest time option?”

“Huh? Let me check.” Qin Yiyang opened the forum. The longest option was three years, and not a single person had voted for it. “Three years,” he said.

Pei Yu: “Then help me vote for that.”

Qin Yiyang paused, then realized and responded with a smile. “Sure! I’ll vote too. Let’s make those people talking behind your back lose everything.”

However, when it came to choosing the duration, he hesitated. Ultimately, he chose one year. After only a few days together, he felt that Pei Yu wasn’t someone who would simply resign himself to fate. While he hoped from the bottom of his heart that his cousin and Pei Yu would fall for each other, the two hadn’t even added each other on WeChat until yesterday, and they weren’t even sharing a bedroom. It probably wasn’t the love at first sight he had imagined.

He could tell his cousin liked Pei Yu, but Pei Yu didn’t have any obvious reaction. It was a pure marriage of convenience; whether feelings could be cultivated was a matter for the future.

In a year, Pei Yu would be in college. There would be so many young, energetic Alphas with great physiques in college, and Pei Yu was so good-looking. If he were pursued by an Alpha from a good background, he might just be moved. If it really came to that, his cousin wouldn’t refuse to let him go. Even if… he got used to or fell in love with Pei Yu, his brother wouldn’t do anything to hurt him.

Although his cousin was rich, there was a significant age gap and his legs were injured. Qin Yiyang felt a bit of sadness in his heart. He didn’t look down on his brother; it was because his brother worked so hard every day that he and his father could live well. But there aren’t many ideal situations in this world. As a lifelong partner, having disabled legs was a significant disadvantage.

Pei Yu had good grades, was beautiful, and was an Omega; he would be popular wherever he went. It was only because of Jiang He’s illness that his brother could even start a relationship with Pei Yu. In other words, their beginning was a transaction. Whether Pei Yu would fall for Qin Shen was entirely unknown.

Qin Yiyang fell into a melancholy mood. Sensing his shift, Pei Yu looked at him with a giant question mark in his head. “What are you dazing out for? Did you place the bet?”

Qin Yiyang bet two pairs of sneakers on one year, then used an alt account to bet on three years. “All done. Let’s go.”

In these social circles, such games involved voting first, and once the result was out, the admin would contact both parties privately to settle the bet. Since it wasn’t for profit, most people didn’t bet cash but rather small items they didn’t need like watches, bags, bracelets, signed CDs, old records, signed jerseys, or basketballs just for fun. If you didn’t like the item you won, it could be converted into cash.

As for why they discussed how long Qin Shen and Pei Yu could stay together, it was partly because they enjoyed using the high-and-mighty President Qin as gossip material. It satisfied the playful mentality of these idle rich heirs.

Qin Yiyang selected “One Year” and “Three Years” respectively. The “0 people” in the three-year column changed to “1 person.”

The lively forum was instantly flooded with dozens of new comments.

【LMAO, is someone actually crazy enough to pick “A Lifetime”?】

【Is this some kind of “high stakes, low odds” move? If they actually play this out, they’re going to lose their literal pants on this bet.】

【Hahaha, this is interesting. I give it three months tops.】

【Yeah, maybe in three months that Omega won’t be able to take it anymore and will run away.】

【Run away only to be caught and dragged back? Terrifying.】

【Actually, it’s not a given. Don’t people say Qin Shen is “incapable”? Maybe it’s just neck-biting?! The person who bet three years might actually have a shot at winning!】

The comments were reckless and unrestrained. Qin Yiyang cursed under his breath as he read them.

Previously, he had actually asked his cousin if he wanted to have someone take down the forum. Qin Shen had refused. He reasoned that besides talking about him, people used it to exchange other information; even if the forum was gone, they would just start a group chat. As long as it didn’t cause significant damage to his reputation, Qin Shen maintained an indifferent attitude toward such things.

Standing at the top, he had been called cold-blooded and ruthless by many. A few words wouldn’t hurt him, nor would they stir a ripple in his heart.

While Qin Yiyang finished his selection, on the other side of the city, Li Shuang who was currently slacking off saw Qin Yiyang’s name on the forum’s administrative backend. At the same time, he saw the bet: two pairs of limited-edition sneakers and five thousand yuan.

Li Shuang remembered those two pairs of shoes vividly. The last time Qin Shen went abroad for a meeting, Qin Yiyang had asked for new shoes, and Qin Shen handed the task to Li Shuang. The shoes were mobbed the moment they went online; even after staying up for several nights, Li Shuang couldn’t snag them. Qin Shen told Qin Yiyang they were sold out.

Later, Qin Yiyang added Li Shuang on WeChat and begged him repeatedly, calling him “Good Big Brother.” Li Shuang ended up writing a specialized script overnight just to barely manage to grab them.

The forum required real-name registration to maintain a civilized online environment; if someone truly caused trouble, they could be traced back to their source. Li Shuang happened to be the forum administrator.

His becoming an admin was a coincidence. During university, he was looking for a side hustle online when someone hired him for daily maintenance of the forum’s order. He had been doing it for several years. It was precisely because of this identity that he, then a green rookie, managed to get hired as Qin Shen’s assistant. In Qin Shen’s words, “gathering information is always the first step to being invincible.” Although Qin Shen later learned Li Shuang’s role was just a coincidence, Li Shuang’s work capability was up to par, so Qin Shen kept him by his side.

The forum didn’t actually serve much purpose beyond being a hub for gossip within Jiangcheng’s upper social circles. Qin Shen didn’t care for it, but Jiang Yibai loved it and had even become an “active member.”

At this moment, Li Shuang’s face turned the color of wilted vegetables as he saw Qin Yiyang using the sneakers—the ones Li Shuang had exhausted himself to get—as a betting chip. He was nearly fuming. In front of me, it’s “Good Brother, help me get the shoes,” but behind my back, the passion lasts three minutes before the shoes become a gambling stake!

“What’s wrong?” Qin Shen asked, noticing Li Shuang’s expression.

Because of Qin Shen’s mobility issues, Li Shuang’s desk was positioned right next to his for easier coordination.

“The forum backend is running on my computer for data monitoring. I saw Yiyang participated in the vote regarding how long you and Young Master Pei will stay together.”

“He wagered the two pairs of shoes I spent a week trying to get!”

Qin Shen knew about this poll. A while ago, Jiang Yibai had also voted, even claiming that if he won, he’d treat Qin Shen and Pei Yu to dinner. He wasn’t as resentful as Li Shuang; after all… he wasn’t the one who had worked hard to get the shoes.

Li Shuang knew that young people’s passion for new sneakers was fleeting. He grumbled a bit and returned to work.

Qin Shen’s brow furrowed slightly. He disapproved of Qin Yiyang participating in the vote. Jiang Yibai had never met Pei Yu, so his vote could be seen as a joke at Qin Shen’s expense. But Qin Yiyang and Pei Yu were friends; he worried that if Pei Yu found out, he would be hurt.

He opened WeChat to ask Qin Yiyang about it.

【Cousin: Bro, don’t worry about it. Pei Yu won’t be mad. He even participated in the vote.】

Qin Shen’s expression froze. His heart felt as if it were being scratched by a cat’s paw. He was extremely curious about the duration Pei Yu had chosen.

【Cousin: Oh, I voted for one year, and he voted for three years.】

Qin Shen suspected Qin Yiyang had remembered incorrectly: 【Are you sure…?】

【Cousin: I’m not stupid. Can’t talk now, Bro, I’m taking Pei Yu to see his head teacher.】

It took a long while for Qin Shen to recover. In a rare move, he logged into the private forum, opened the page, and stared at the “1 person” under the 【Three Years】 option. He looked at it for a long time. Suddenly, a soft chuckle escaped him.

“…”

The air conditioning was set low, but Li Shuang, who was already shivering, suddenly heard that cold chuckle and got goosebumps. The CEO is actually smirking at his phone screen.

This is freaking terrifying.

“Li Shuang, can forum administrators add new voting options?”

“Huh?” Li Shuang said blankly. “Removing or modifying is troublesome, but adding is possible as long as the voting period hasn’t ended.”

“Good. Add another duration…” Qin Shen thought for a moment. “A Lifetime.”

He sent the link over. Li Shuang looked at the question on the voting page, and his teeth felt suddenly sore from the “sweetness.” Why am I being fed dog food this early in the morning?!

If I remember correctly, Young Master Pei and the CEO have only known each other for a few days?!!!

Feeling a bit stifled, Li Shuang added the “A Lifetime” option.

After Qin Shen successfully registered, he refreshed the page and, with an expressionless face, clicked the 【A Lifetime】 option below the three-year mark. When the pop-up asked for a wager, Qin Shen scanned his surroundings and took a quick photo of the watch on his wrist. Once finished, he dove back into his work.

At the same moment, the forum exploded. Every vote came with the wager listed behind it. Not only did the “A Lifetime” option appear out of nowhere, but it was followed by a photo of a watch.

The rich heirs on the forum were laughing and joking about which idiot chose “a lifetime,” but before they opened the picture, they assumed the wager was just some spare watch. After zooming in, they were completely stunned.

This legendary watch had appeared at the Phillips watch auction in Geneva, with a closing price of $7.08 million.

The forum was based on real names; the people inside had wealth and power, and wagers couldn’t be easily backed out of because bored rich heirs would actually take it to court.

【Wait, is this a joke? We can wait and see for three years—if Qin Shen and Pei Yu stay together for more than a year, the person who bet three years wins. But how do you even settle “A Lifetime”?】

【But if Qin Shen and Pei Yu break up within three years, this watch…】

【Uh, who bet this watch and intentionally added a new option?】

【Holy crap, I figured it out. It has to be Lin Yifeng. This is pure sincerity and a blessing! After all, the Qin Corporation’s General Manager Jiang often browses this forum.】

【That makes sense. I heard from my dad that if this project between the Lins and the Qins succeeds, the profit will be hundreds of millions.】

【As expected of Lin Yifeng. Such boldness. No wonder he could build such a large enterprise.】

【Hehehe, “boldness”? More like selling his son for glory~】

At School.

On the other side, Qin Yiyang had just brought Pei Yu to the teacher’s building when his WeChat was bombarded by friends. Wang Kexin sent him a screenshot of the vote.

“Holy crap, no way! Someone is even crazier than you?! This is insane,” Qin Yiyang said excitedly.

“What’s happening?” Pei Yu asked curiously.

“It’s…” Qin Yiyang babbled on. “Everyone is guessing that the person who voted for ‘A Lifetime’ is your biological father.”

My father?

Would someone as old as Lin Yifeng participate in this kind of poll?

Pei Yu looked at the photo of the watch, which was rumored to be worth tens of millions. Suddenly, it looked familiar—as if he had seen it somewhere today.

Qin Yiyang pointed inside: “Right there at the third door, Teacher Sun’s office. I’m going back to the classroom to copy homework first.” Qin Yiyang swung his backpack.

“Okay, go ahead,” Pei Yu said. He walked toward the office alone.

A few steps from the door, a flash of inspiration hit him, and he suddenly stopped. He pulled out his phone, found 【Qin Shen】 in his WeChat list, and opened the chat. His slender fingers tapped the screen as he sent: 【Mr. Qin, are you working right now?】

The reply was instant: 【Mm.】

Pei Yu licked his lips: 【I’m a bit curious about your office environment. Could you take a photo?】

In the Office.

Qin Shen, who had been wearing a stern face, saw the message, and the corners of his lips couldn’t help but turn up. He’s interested in my work.

Qin Shen placed his hands on the keyboard, striking a handsome pose, and had Li Shuang take a profile shot of him. Li Shuang found it baffling, it was as if someone were “checking in” on the CEO’s location.

After taking the photo, Qin Shen added a filter for the first time before sending it.

When Pei Yu received the photo, he didn’t have time to admire the man’s straight back or his sharp profile. He zoomed in on the watch on Qin Shen’s wrist.

“…” Identical.

Furthermore, in the photo, the skin on the wrist was cold white, the lines of the wrist bone were sharp, and there was a small black mole on the side.

The CEO… is actually so bored.

He’s actually as bored as I am joining a poll and wagering a watch worth tens of millions.

While Pei Yu grumbled and complained in his head, his heart began to race uncontrollably. His blood felt restless, as if an unknown heat was rushing from the soles of his feet to his head. He clutched his chest in the empty hallway, feeling the thump-thump-thump of his heart.

This feeling of palpitations was strange, uncontrollable, wonderful, and addictive. Quietly, a large patch of red spread from Pei Yu’s cheeks down to his collarbone; even his eyelids felt hot.

With a bang, the door in front of him suddenly opened. Sun Hai looked at the boy standing motionlessly at the door and shouted in surprise.

Pei Yu blinked rapidly, waking up from the overwhelming, absurd heat.

“Hello, Teacher Sun. I’m Pei Yu, reporting for the transfer.”

Support