After Entering a Contract Marriage with a Disabled Alpha - Chapter 37

Pei Yu kept a clear boundary between his studies and his feelings.

Qin Shen was no idle person, either; he handled a vast amount of work every day. In Qin Yiyang’s words, under Qin Shen’s management, the Qin Group boosted Jiangcheng’s GDP significantly.

Yangshen High wasn’t strict about phone usage. If Pei Yu wanted to, he could message Qin Shen during school hours, but he didn’t. For most of his time at school, he focused seriously on his studies, using his phone even less than Qin Yiyang.

During a break, Qin Yiyang returned from playing basketball, drenched in sweat. His pheromones were leaking out quite a bit. Zhou Yue, being a Beta, couldn’t smell much, but seeing her seatmate so sweaty, she wrinkled her nose and covered it in slight disgust.

Qin Yiyang was indignant. “I went out of my way to buy you milk tea, and this is how you treat me?!”

Zhou Yue: “…” She let go and took a deep, exaggerated sniff. “I swear I’m not disgusted.”

“Bought it on the way back—less ice, half sugar. Don’t mention it.” Qin Yiyang sipped his iced milk tea while handing out the other three cups to Zhou Yue, Pei Yu, and the new student.

As Qin Yiyang turned to approach the back row, his pheromones drifted over. Pei Yu put down his pen and took the milk tea, inserting the straw. “Thanks.”

“New student, aren’t you drinking?” Qin Yiyang blinked, pushing a cup toward Su Yan.

As Qin Yiyang moved his arm, a sweet and sour fruity fragrance wafted out. Catching that tart, fresh scent, Su Yan’s fingertips instinctively tightened. His breathing grew ragged, and his hair trembled slightly.

When several seconds passed without Su Yan speaking, Qin Yiyang looked puzzled. “Do you not like milk tea? If you don’t, I’ll give it to someone else.”

“Are you alright?” Pei Yu asked softly.

His voice, clear and pleasant as jade, pulled Su Yan back from his tense emotions. Su Yan lightly squeezed the wristband on his arm and met Qin Yiyang’s curved eyes.

“Sorry, I just spaced out for a second.” Su Yan took the milk tea and started drinking. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Qin Yiyang sat lazily sideways on his stool, elbows propped up on the front and back desks, making his frame look quite broad. He glanced at Pei Yu’s work and muttered, “Brother, why are you doing homework even during breaks?”

Pei Yu said flatly, “There’s nothing else to do.”

Qin Yiyang couldn’t understand the joy top students found in doing homework. “Fair enough.”

Noticing his scent, Pei Yu reminded him, “You should wipe off your sweat; your pheromones are drifting over.”

“Oh, oh, oh… I didn’t notice. I’ll wipe it.” As Qin Yiyang put down his milk tea to rummage for tissues, a slender hand reached out.

Su Yan said, “I have some here.”

Qin Yiyang smiled and took them, wiping the sweat from his forehead and collarbone. Su Yan parted his lips and asked as if casually, “That faint fruity scent… is it lemon?”

“Lemon?” Zhou Yue chirped before he could answer. “Nope! He’s ‘Green Grape’ flavored.”

Qin Yiyang looked surprised. “Wait, you’re a Beta. How do you know what I smell like?”

Zhou Yue chuckled. “I heard the Alphas and Omegas in class talking about it!”

Qin Yiyang: “Fair enough.”

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the classroom with a warm, golden glow. Su Yan’s clenched fingertips slowly relaxed. He let out a soft sigh of relief and slowly continued drinking his milk tea.

Pei Yu noticed his tension fading and blinked thoughtfully. Is he repelled by the smell of lemons?

Taking a moment during the break, Pei Yu pulled out his phone to search for recommended romance movies. He rarely watched this genre; more accurately, during his busier years, he had no time for leisure.

The wide variety of romance movies—with their mixed reviews—made him dizzy. Feeling a bit of choice paralysis, he asked for Qin Yiyang’s opinion.

“A movie about love?” Qin Yiyang tilted his head, about to suggest a film he enjoyed, when he caught the faint blush on Pei Yu’s cheeks. He paused and asked hesitantly, “Are you planning to watch it with my brother?”

Pei Yu suppressed his smile, looking bashful. “You caught me. I was thinking of watching something with him…”

Qin Yiyang had a sudden realization. He had naively thought Pei Yu was just asking for a general recommendation. He let out a casual, knowing laugh.

Thinking that an Omega with a simple personality like Pei Yu—who was in his first relationship—probably hadn’t been exposed to “certain films,” he thoughtfully decided to recommend something delicate, beautifully shot, and with just the right amount of passion.

He leaned in and lowered his voice. “First time watching this kind of ‘flick’? I’ll recommend a good one. I’ll send it to you…”

Send it to me?

Pei Yu was confused. Why didn’t Qin Yiyang just tell him the name of the movie? He could just search for it on the computer in the media room when he got home. While he was wondering, Qin Yiyang had already opened WeChat and sent him a link.

The cover of the video showed two men kissing. Seeing it made Pei Yu’s ears turn hot. “Does… does this movie have a plot about mutual feelings and confessions?”

Qin Yiyang thought back. “Yeah! I specifically picked a romance with a gentle pace and delicate emotions, considering you’re watching it with my brother.”

In the future, he could selflessly share his more “direct” romance resources with Pei Yu. After all, they were brothers!

“Okay, thanks,” Pei Yu said. “I’ll download it when I get back.”

That night, the school hallways were silent.

It was the final evening self-study session for the seniors. The lights in the junior building across the way had long since been extinguished. Pei Yu and Qin Yiyang packed their bags and walked out of the campus together, spotting the familiar car.

Pei Yu approached, wanting to greet Qin Shen, only to find he wasn’t there. Full of questions, he and Qin Yiyang got into the car.

Pei Yu asked in a gentle voice, “Uncle Yang, why didn’t Qin Shen come with you today? Is there some urgent work?”

Uncle Yang turned the steering wheel, explaining as he drove, “President Qin’s parents just returned. He and the Old Master are at home catching up with them.”

“You mean my aunt is back?” Qin Yiyang was surprised. “Makes sense, I guess, since my cousin is about to get engaged.” But thinking of the icy relationship between his cousin and his parents, he frowned slightly.

“I see,” Pei Yu nodded.

He knew Qin Shen’s parents would be coming back, but hearing it so suddenly still made him nervous. He wondered what they would think of him. After all, his relationship with Qin Shen began as a business alliance and “alliance” was a polite way to put it. Even though Qin Shen told him not to worry about their opinions, he couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious.

Pei Yu leaned toward the passenger seat. “Is it bad that I’m going back empty-handed without bringing anything?”

Qin Yiyang pouted. “What could be bad about it…” He wanted to say more, but remembering that his own father had once fought over shares with his cousin, he sheepishly shut his mouth. Luckily his father had backed out early, or they wouldn’t be enjoying the good life they had now.

The car stopped outside the old mansion. Pei Yu and Qin Yiyang got out while Uncle Yang went to park. Before walking into the living room, Pei Yu took several deep breaths.

After walking only a few steps closer, the sounds of conversation drifted from the living room. A woman’s voice was doing most of the talking, occasionally punctuated by Grandpa Qin’s agreement and Qin Shen’s brief, clipped responses.

“Grandpa, we’re back.”

Qin Yiyang walked in front, tossing his backpack onto the sofa and offering a greeting: “Hi Auntie, Hi Uncle.”

Pei Yu paused for a beat before following him forward. He hesitated for a second before saying, “Hello, Auntie. Hello, Uncle.”

He quietly observed Qin Shen’s parents. Qin Shen’s mother was beautiful, dressed in fashionable, lavish clothes that accentuated her curves. Her light brown, wavy hair lent a touch of softness to her otherwise sharp, aggressive beauty.

The man sitting beside her was exceptionally striking. Despite being nearly fifty, time had been kind to him; his face was virtually wrinkle-free, and his slicked-back hair was neat and sharp. He looked barely in his thirties, handsome and polished in a well-tailored suit.

No wonder Grandpa Qin said Qin Shen’s mother was completely head-over-heels for him.

“You must be Xiao Yu?” Qin Shifang greeted him with a practiced smile.

Lu Shan smiled gently and nodded. “A pleasure to meet you for the first time.”

Both of them seemed so warm and mild-mannered; one could never tell from this exterior that they had once conspired against their own son. Lu Shan, in particular, looked like a perfectly refined, elegant gentleman.

Since it was their first meeting, Pei Yu felt it would be rude to leave immediately, so he sat down beside Qin Shen and engaged in light small talk.

“Xiao Yang, here’s a gift. Take a look and see if you like it,” Qin Shifang said, handing a bag to Qin Yiyang. She then passed another shopping bag to Pei Yu. “Xiao Yu, this is a gift Auntie prepared for you.”

“Thank you.”

Pei Yu took the gift and set it aside. As soon as his hand was free, Qin Shen took it, resting it on his lap and gently rubbing his palm. Pei Yu looked at Qin Shen. Those deep black eyes were devoid of emotion, and the smile on his lips seemed entirely performative—a polite response for the sake of decorum.

The rift between Qin Shen and his parents appeared even deeper than Pei Yu had imagined.

Qin Yiyang wasn’t overly emotional, but he was happy to receive a gift. He wasn’t one for formalities and opened the shoebox in front of everyone. “This pair…” He said flatly, “I already have these. This style came out in the first half of the year.”

The atmosphere instantly froze. Qin Shifang’s cheerful expression stiffened, and in the awkward silence, Qin烁 (Qin Shuo) let out a light cough.

Qin Yiyang quickly put on a playful grin. “Thanks anyway, Auntie! I appreciate the thought. Since you’re abroad, it’s normal not to know what shoes I have. Next time, I’ll make sure to tell you exactly what I want in advance!”

Qin Shifang was about to take the graceful exit offered—

“Heh.” Qin Shen’s lips curled, and a dry chuckle escaped his throat.

Qin Shifang: “…”

Watching this, Pei Yu curled his toes in vicarious embarrassment.

“A-Shen,” Qin Shuo said sternly.

“Mhm?” Qin Shen played dumb.

“Oh, I almost forgot this one.” Qin Shifang broke the tension by leaning over and picking up a smaller shopping bag. “This is a gift Mama prepared for you. See if you like it.”

The luxury brand on the bag was Patek Philippe—the very place Pei Yu had just visited.

Under Qin Shifang’s confident gaze, Qin Shen glanced at it and slowly opened the box. Inside was a collector-grade watch encrusted with diamonds. It screamed “expensive” at a glance.

Pei Yu bit his lip. The watch radiating brilliant light was clearly far more expensive than the one he had given.

“Do you like it? I specifically won it at an auction as a gift for you,” Qin Shifang said, her eyes drifting to the watch on Qin Shen’s wrist. “Your status isn’t what it used to be. As the President of the Qin Group, you need to wear something more valuable. It gives you ‘face’ when you go out to negotiate deals. You shouldn’t be wearing a watch that only costs a few hundred thousand anymore.”

Go out?

A self-deprecating smirk touched Qin Shen’s lips. He put the diamond-encrusted watch back and said indifferently, “I actually quite like the watch I have. I’ll try yours out when there’s an opportunity in the future.”

The flashy, diamond-studded watch didn’t really suit Qin Shen’s low-key, reserved image. Qin Shifang’s brow furrowed slightly.

Thinking Qin Shen was being intentionally disrespectful, Lu Shan spoke up in a heavy tone, “Your mother went to a lot of trouble to buy that. A-Shen, just try it on.”

Seeing Qin Shen remain unmoved, Lu Shan’s irritation grew. “You won’t even put it on once? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“And so?” Qin Shen tilted his head, his tone turning icy. His eyes were cold, as if he were looking at a stranger. The scene was so tense that Qin Shuo’s heart tightened.

“Hey, your father isn’t trying to blame you,” Qin Shifang said, softening her voice. “Mama just wants to see how you look in this watch. Besides, the one on your wrist looks like it’s only worth a few hundred thousand. Compared to this diamond watch, it’s not worth much~”

Pei Yu sat to the side, remaining silent.

Qin Shen glanced at his parents and said with a half-smile, “Who told you your gift is more valuable than the watch on my wrist?”

In front of Qin Shuo, Qin Yiyang, and the servants, Qin Shifang’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. Lu Shan, unable to stand seeing his wife lose face, spoke sharply in his capacity as a father. “She’s just asking you to try it on, and you’re making all these excuses? Anyone with eyes can see your watch is only worth a few hundred thousand. If you don’t welcome your mother and me back, just say it. Don’t pull this attitude.”

“Shifang, Lu Shan…” Qin Shuo started to intervene.

Qin Yiyang, who had been watching the drama, didn’t even dare to breathe, backing away until he was almost out of the living room.

“You’re right. I don’t welcome you,” Qin Shen said with a smile. “Grandpa convinced me that it would look bad if my parents weren’t present for my engagement. Otherwise, the guests might think you were dead.”

“You—!” Lu Shan was livid, his chest heaving.

Qin Shen moved his wheelchair. “We’ve chatted long enough, and it’s getting late. Pei Yu and I are going to our room to rest.”

Qin Shifang and Lu Shan looked miserable. Qin Shuo didn’t know what to say; any further persuasion would only add to Qin Shen’s annoyance. If they had known it would come to this, they shouldn’t have acted as they did in the past. Now that they saw Qin Shen making the Qin Group bigger and better, it wasn’t going to be easy to reclaim their parental bond.

Qin Shen squeezed Pei Yu’s palm and said huskily, “Let’s go back to the room.”

“Oh, okay!” Pei Yu didn’t even pick up the gift Qin Shen’s parents had given him. He stood up and stayed close to Qin Shen’s side.

“We shouldn’t have even come back!” Lu Shan fumed in a low voice. Qin Shifang’s brow was deeply furrowed as she stared at the rejected diamond watch on the table, speechless.

“One more thing,” Qin Shen’s cold voice rang out in the living room.

All eyes focused on him. Qin Shen was smiling, his slender fingers slowly stroking the gold band on his wrist. A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

“This watch is a gift my beloved carefully chose for me. It is indeed far more precious than your gift.”

“Next time, remember not to be so overconfident. It only invites laughter.”

At those words, Qin Shifang’s face exploded in a deep red, and Lu Shan’s expression turned ashen.

“Let’s go.” Qin Shen took Pei Yu’s left hand.

“Then, Grandpa, I’ll head upstairs first.” The tips of Pei Yu’s ears were burning with embarrassment. He whispered a soft goodnight and followed Qin Shen upstairs.

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