After Entering a Contract Marriage with a Disabled Alpha - Chapter 42

Because he was called “baby,” Pei Yu was subjected to Qin Yiyang’s relentless and merciless ridicule.

During the walk from the front door to the car parked outside the courtyard, Qin Yiyang walked side-by-side with Pei Yu, making strange, teasing “eee-hee” noises. It was the kind of taunting typical of high school classmates who just discovered two people were secretly dating.

“I didn’t expect you and my brother to be so… adventurous with each other,” Qin Yiyang snickered, covering his mouth.

Qin Shen was leading the way just a few meters ahead, so Qin Yiyang didn’t dare laugh too loudly. But Pei Yu was the person Qin Shen called “baby”!!! Heaven knows that when he heard that nickname, the image of Qin Shen as a cold, imposing figure instantly crumbled in his mind. The word “baby” simply didn’t match Qin Shen’s stern, icy appearance.

“If you’re so brave, laugh at me to Qin Shen’s face,” Pei Yu grumbled through gritted teeth. “Is it really that funny?”

“I wouldn’t dare bully you in front of my brother,” Qin Yiyang said happily. “I’m not stupid. You’re his baby, after all.”

“…” Pei Yu’s face flushed a deep crimson.

This was too much! Qin Yiyang was being way too arrogant! It was just a nickname between a couple; was such an exaggeration necessary?!

Pei Yu looked at Qin Shen’s back. The man wore a crisp, dark blue suit; even sitting in a wheelchair, his back was straight and his aura was distinguished. A hint of a white collar peeked out at his neck—that white shirt had been on Pei Yu’s own body just last night.

Pei Yu felt a sudden impulse to run up to Qin Shen and “tattle” on Qin Yiyang’s behavior. But tattling was beneath a gentleman. He licked his dry lips and glanced at the smug grin on Qin Yiyang’s face.

“Sigh—” Pei Yu let out a heavy, dramatic sigh.

Qin Yiyang’s ears perked up. Why the sudden sighing? Did he take the joke too far? That wasn’t his intention. If Qin Shen found out he was making fun of Pei Yu, would he even live to see tomorrow?

“Uh,” Qin Yiyang paused. “Actually…” I was just kidding.

But Pei Yu cut him off. “I understand you. After all, you’ve been single for so many years, shouting every day about wanting to find an Omega but never succeeding. If acting like this makes you feel better, then go ahead and laugh. I accept it.”

Pei Yu paused, adding a final blow: “After all, people who have never been in a relationship definitely find these nicknames too mushy.”

With that, Pei Yu gave Qin Yiyang a look filled with “sympathetic understanding,” shook his head, and quickened his pace to catch up with Qin Shen.

The two in front began chatting and laughing, leaving Qin Yiyang frozen in place, staring blankly.

Wooo… I don’t want to live anymore. It turns out I’m the clown.

In the backseat of the car, Qin Yiyang was slumped over, looking like he had lost all will to live.

Qin Shen noticed that the normally high-spirited Qin Yiyang had suddenly become despondent. Curiously, he asked, “What’s wrong with him?”

Pei Yu suppressed a laugh and said meaningfully, “He’s probably contemplating the meaning of life.”

Qin Shen raised an eyebrow. He took Pei Yu’s wrist and gave it an affectionate rub. “About earlier… that was an accident. I let it slip without thinking. Baby, don’t be mad at me.”

Sitting in the front, Qin Yiyang vaguely caught the words and felt like he had been dealt another critical hit.

“I’m not mad. Just be careful next time,” Pei Yu’s ears turned red. “Don’t just shout it in front of so many people.”

“Alright,” Qin Shen nodded gently.

When they arrived at Yangshen High, Pei Yu unbuckled his seatbelt. He grabbed his backpack, intending to jump out, but paused and turned back. He leaned in and gave Qin Shen’s cheek a quick mwah.

The youth’s eyes crinkled into a smile. “I’m heading in. Good luck with work today!”

Qin Shen’s throat felt a bit tight. “Okay,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll work hard to earn more money.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Pei Yu started to explain, then saw the teasing glint in Qin Shen’s eyes. Fine… he fell for it again.

Pei Yu rubbed his nose sheepishly and turned to exit. “Bye!”

Usually, Pei Yu walked straight into the school, but today he felt a sudden urge to check if Qin Shen had left. He turned around and saw the car still parked at the curb. From this distance, he couldn’t see Qin Shen inside, but he had a strange feeling that Qin Shen was watching him.

The black luxury car eventually became a small dot and slowly disappeared. As the warm sunlight spilled over the campus and a breeze blew by, the corners of Pei Yu’s mouth curled into a small smile.

After morning exercises, Pei Yu and Qin Yiyang headed to the school store.

Pei Yu remembered the movie incident. “What kind of movie did you send me? I asked for a romance film!”

“It was a romance,” Qin Yiyang replied casually. “Did you and my brother not like it? I have even better ones.”

“…” Pei Yu muttered under his breath, “No, I thought it was a normal movie. How was I supposed to know you’d give me something so… improper!”

Qin Yiyang suddenly understood and burst into laughter. “My bad! I thought you and my brother wanted to ‘watch a film’ together.”

Pei Yu’s cheeks flushed pink. “Even if we did, we wouldn’t ask you for it.”

“True,” Qin Yiyang admitted. “I didn’t think it through. My brother definitely has his own collection.”

“He does?” Pei Yu paused, holding a bottle of strawberry yogurt. He couldn’t quite imagine the image of Qin Shen watching those kinds of films alone. In his mind, whenever Qin Shen opened his laptop, it was for work.

“Let’s pay for these together.” Qin Yiyang pointed to the yogurt, and the cashier quickly scanned the items.

The long break lasted thirty minutes; if they finished exercises quickly, they had about fifteen minutes of free time. Most students weren’t in the classroom yet. Though the autumn air wasn’t as hot as summer, the air conditioning in the classroom was kept on all day. To stay warm, students would drape their school jackets over their shoulders.

Su Yan’s stomach had been bothering him during the break, so instead of going to the playground, he was napping at Zhou Yue’s desk. The standing A/C unit in the back was pointed directly at both Su Yan’s and Pei Yu’s seats, so he had made a deal with Zhou Yue to squint for a bit. To block out the noise, he had covered his head with an autumn jacket. His thin arms supported his head; his slender frame and the outline of his shoulder blades were visible through his summer uniform. At a glance, one might mistake him for Zhou Yue.

Pei Yu pushed open the classroom door and walked over with Qin Yiyang. A few students nearby were chatting in low voices.

“Su Yan did so poorly on the college entrance exams because his boyfriend cheated on him.” “He even tried to commit suicide.” “No way, it was just a breakup.” “That’s too much. If he hadn’t messed up his performance, Su Yan would have definitely gotten into a top-tier university.” “His ex was a super rich second-generation heir.” “What a jerk. Cheating during senior year… no Alpha with a conscience would do that.” “Actually, you can’t entirely blame the Alpha. I heard his compatibility with Su Yan was only in the 20s, while the Omega he cheated with was over 70%…” “Whoa, that high?! Then it’s kind of normal.” “It’s decided by genes. When a Rut and a Heat collide, things happen in seconds.” “To be safe, I’m definitely looking for a high-compatibility partner in the future…”

They talked on, unaware that the person at Zhou Yue’s desk shifted slightly. Su Yan had actually woken up as soon as they started talking. He was about to sit up when he heard his own name and instinctively stayed still.

Because of pheromones and high compatibility… cheating is… ‘normal’?

In a daze, he heard his ex-boyfriend’s defensive, sobbing voice again: “Su Yan, please forgive me… it’s not all my fault; that Omega seduced me! Do you know how high our compatibility was?! You knew my Rut was coming up, yet you insisted on going to Yan City for that exam! He’s pregnant, and my parents are forcing me to marry him… I have no choice.”

He and his ex had known each other a long time. At first, he didn’t like him, but in high school, the pursuit became so intense that Su Yan gradually developed feelings. He touched his wrist. That day, he hadn’t actually planned to end his life, but by the time he realized what he was doing, everything was red. He didn’t feel much pain, but he realized it was a mistake and managed to call for help.

Later, when his aunt and uncle heard about it, they scolded him and cried over him until his head ached. He had developed some psychological issues. The doctor was patient and gentle, initially assuming Su Yan was depressed because of the breakup. But Su Yan knew better.

He had calmly explained his history to the doctor: “My parents’ compatibility was very low. My father made all sorts of vows when he pursued my mother, but he still cheated after marriage. When my mother found out, she killed him, then held me while lighting a basin of coal. A neighbor found us and called the police. I was resuscitated, but my mother died. If they can’t do it, why do Alphas even bother with low-compatibility Omegas? Is it to prove how great they are, or that they can overcome their nature?”

Su Yan couldn’t quite remember how the doctor had answered. He had stayed with his ex partly out of affection, and partly to see if an Alpha who promised to love him forever—despite low compatibility—could actually do it. He was disappointed. His ex had even blamed him, saying it was because Su Yan wasn’t there that he ended up with someone else during his Rut.

As his ex-boyfriend ranted and made excuses, Su Yan suddenly felt that the world was quite meaningless. Everyone said being an AO was great. He would rather have been a Beta. At least Betas weren’t controlled by pheromones; if a Beta cheated, they couldn’t use “compatibility” as an excuse.

Su Yan’s fingers moved, and just as he was about to lift the jacket off his head, a clear, cheerful male voice rang out above him.

“That’s hilarious. ‘Normal’ my foot…”

“When Alphas cheat, they blame it on compatibility and pheromones. Do they think they’re just animals? If they can’t control themselves, then they’re just beasts! Besides, look at history—Zhao Qianheng, Zhou Shenguang, Lin Yinhan, Liang Gaosheng…”

Qin Yiyang rattled off several names. “They literally stabbed their own legs with knives during their Ruts or Heats to stay conscious, and they controlled themselves just fine. Blaming cheating on pheromones? That’s just pathetic. It’s disgusting to listen to.”

Qin Yiyang sat down heavily in his seat. “Besides, if you’re so afraid of causing trouble, just lock yourself up in advance. According to you guys, should we just cheat every time we meet someone with high compatibility? If it’s that hard, they could just have their glands removed and become Betas.”

“Brother Pei, don’t you agree?”

Qin Yiyang slammed the milk onto Zhou Yue’s desk. “Zhou Yue, here’s the milk you wanted.”

“You’re right,” Pei Yu said as he twisted the cap off his strawberry yogurt and took a slow sip. “Cheating and straying, then looking for excuses… that’s just pathetic.”

Whether it was because Qin Yiyang’s argument was so well-reasoned or his tone so firm, the group of Alphas found themselves speechless. They exchanged glances, muttered a few “yeah, true”s, and quickly scattered back to their seats.

Qin Yiyang caught Zhou Yue moving under the jacket. “Awake? That milk was three-fifty, remember to transfer me the money.”

Su Yan paused, then pulled the jacket off his head.

“Why are you sitting here?!” Qin Yiyang was genuinely surprised.

Su Yan gathered his school uniform, motioning for Qin Yiyang to let him out. Qin Yiyang, too lazy to actually stand up, simply pressed his chest against the edge of the desk, leaving a narrow gap of only a few centimeters behind his back.

“Just squeeze out through here.”

Zhou Yue was a girl and could usually slip through easily, but Su Yan, though slender, had a larger bone structure. As his soft midsection brushed against Qin Yiyang’s lower back, Qin Yiyang stiffened for a fraction of a second.

“Don’t take what they said to heart,” Pei Yu said, pressing his lips together. “Those guys probably thought you weren’t in the room. Talking behind someone’s back is pretty low.”

Su Yan shook his head. “It’s fine. They weren’t exactly lying.”

“Is the wound… better?” Pei Yu asked tentatively.

“Yeah, much better,” Su Yan replied. “The scar is just very noticeable. It’s better to keep it covered.”

Pei Yu hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t help but say, “Life is the most important thing. Don’t do something silly over a relationship ever again.”

Su Yan remained silent. He wanted to explain, but felt his relationship with Pei Yu wasn’t quite at that level yet. He simply accepted the kindness. “I won’t do anything stupid again.”

The Engagement Preparations

As National Day approached, the atmosphere in Class 3 grew increasingly restless. Most of senior year was a grind of books and mock exams, so the upcoming holiday was something every student looked forward to.

Their teacher, Sun Hai, seeing the flighty mood, gave the usual lecture: “Don’t forget there’s a monthly exam right after the break. Put some heart into your studies.”

Meanwhile, the engagement banquet was being organized with precision. Right on schedule, the custom-tailored high-fashion suits were delivered.

The craftsmanship was exquisite. One was white—elegant and understated; the other black—steady and imposing. Looking closely, the matching cuts and subtle patterns visible only under the light made it clear these were a couple’s set.

The Qin family had sent out the invitations early. Business partners who received them felt a sense of prestige at being invited to the engagement of the CEO of the Qin Group.

In the study, Pei Yu and Qin Shen sat close together, each focused on their own tasks. Qin Shen pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced sideways. “Is there anyone else you want to invite?”

Pei Yu thought for a moment. “Not really. The Lin family is already coming, and I’ve told my mom. As for friends, Qin Yiyang already invited Zhou Yue.” He paused, his eyes darting around. It felt a bit awkward not having any personal friends to invite to his own engagement.

Back at his old school, he’d had two decent friends, but his life had been so consumed by part-time jobs and studying that he hadn’t had the energy to maintain those friendships. Since the transfer, they had naturally drifted apart.

“Oh, I’ll ask my seatmate,” Pei Yu said. “I forgot to tell you, my seatmate is the same person who was in the bed next to me when I was hospitalized for my differentiation.”

Qin Shen didn’t recall the person but nodded. “Quite a coincidence. Ask him, then.”

“I will, after I finish my homework.”

Regarding whether Qin Shen’s parents would attend, Qin Shen wasn’t particularly keen on it. However, he couldn’t bear to see his grandfather sighing in disappointment, so he decided to tolerate it.

Suddenly, Qin Shen remarked, “When we get married in the future, we’ll only invite the close friends and family we actually like.”

Skreeeech! Pei Yu’s pen dragged a long, jagged black line across his worksheet.

Qin Shen let out a soft chuckle and reached out to rub the back of Pei Yu’s neck. “Such a big reaction to the mention of marrying me?”

Pei Yu’s neck shied away sensitively. He swatted Qin Shen’s hand away, his face heating up. “No… it’s just… you said it so suddenly.”

“Isn’t marriage a long way off?” Pei Yu added.

“Is it?” Qin Shen’s lips curved into a shallow smile, his dark eyes shimmering.

“Mmhmm…” Pei Yu hummed vaguely.

Suddenly, Qin Shen leaned in and gave him a warm, fleeting kiss on the cheek. He ruffled the boy’s hair. “It is early. I’ve been thinking about it constantly, but since baby is still young, we can take it slow.”

Pei Yu’s face burned. “You’re so sure we’ll definitely get married?”

The air grew quiet for a few heartbeats. Then, Qin Shen’s low, husky voice brushed against his ear: “I’m not ‘sure.’ I’ve simply never doubted it.”

Pei Yu’s eardrums felt like they had been struck by a heavy beat; his heart hammered like a drum. His chest felt tight and hot. It took him a long time to find his voice. “I… I get it.”

The Confrontation

On the last day of September, Yangshen High followed the school notice and canceled evening self-study, letting the students go after afternoon classes.

Old Yang came to pick up Pei Yu; Qin Shen wasn’t in the car. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the Qin family estate. As Pei Yu walked into the living room, he saw Qin Shen’s parents arguing with him.

“This project has real potential! Can’t you just support me for once?” Lu Shan demanded. “I’m not asking for much, just one hundred million.”

“You’re in charge of the Qin Group now. As your father, I can’t just be an idle bystander. It looks bad.”

Qin Shifang sat quietly to the side, offering no opinion.

“I told you,” Qin Shen said coldly. “If you want an investment, bring me a specific proposal and a feasibility analysis. Without data, I’m not handing over that much money.”

“The Qin Group belonged to Dad anyway!” Lu Shan snapped. “You’re our son. Without us, you wouldn’t even be in this position.”

Qin Shen had no interest in arguing. “Anything else? If not, I’m going to the study.” His voice took on a warning tone. “The engagement is tomorrow. I expect you two to act like parents and keep the peace.”

Lu Shan was fuming, gesturing wildly at Qin Shen’s retreating back. “Shifang, listen to how he talks!”

Qin Shifang patted his back. “Don’t be angry. Just listen to Dad and take a management position in the company. Starting new projects right now is too risky.”

“You don’t believe in me either?!” Lu Shan narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not that,” she said quickly. “We’re at an age where we should just enjoy ourselves. Why work so hard?”

“You just don’t understand,” Lu Shan huffed. Even if he joined the company, he’d be reporting to his son. A father being managed by his son? It was a laughingstock.

Pei Yu, carrying his backpack, tried to slip through the living room unnoticed, but Qin Shifang called out to him. He looked over, confused.

“Come, sit for a moment,” she said, waving him over. “Let’s chat, since you and Xiao Shen are getting engaged.”

Pei Yu couldn’t refuse. He didn’t even take his backpack off, just sat down.

“I heard you and Xiao Shen have 100% compatibility,” she began. “Your feelings for each other must be quite good?”

“They’re fine,” Pei Yu said simply.

“Did Xiao Shen give you a betrothal gift? Even if it’s an arrangement, the Qin family must follow proper etiquette. If he hasn’t, I’ll make up for it.”

“He gave it to me,” Pei Yu replied. “There’s no need for more.”

“What exactly did he give you?” Lu Shan asked, curious.

Pei Yu licked his lips, unsure of how much to reveal, so he mentioned a portion of it.

“That much?!” Lu Shan’s jaw dropped. His expression lost all of its “refined gentleman” facade.

Qin Shifang was equally stunned. She had assumed that since the Qin and Lin families were already collaborating, the gift would be a symbolic million or so. She hadn’t expected it to be in the tens of millions.

Seeing their shock, Pei Yu felt a pang of regret. He should have said less. He worried he might have caused trouble for Qin Shen.

Lu Shan slammed his hand onto the sofa. “What the hell is wrong with your son? He won’t give me a hundred million, but he throws this at an outsider?!”

Qin Shifang glared at him. “What do you mean ‘your son’? Xiao Shen is your son too!”

“Every time it comes up, I get pissed!” Lu Shan yelled. “What kind of son is he? I’m his biological father, and I’m treated worse than a stranger!”

“What did you just say?” Pei Yu froze, thinking he had misheard.

How could anyone talk about their own son like that? Qin Shen didn’t give you money, and you don’t even know why?! The anger surged into Pei Yu’s throat. “How can you talk about him like that?”

Lu Shan paused, then arched an eyebrow. “I’m his father. I can’t say a few words about him?”

“Lu Shan…” Qin Shifang sensed the atmosphere shifting and patted his hand to get him to stop.

“I’m about to be engaged to him, so I’m not exactly a stranger,” Pei Yu retorted angrily.

Facing a teenager’s backtalk, Lu Shan put on an air of arrogant superiority. “Don’t act all devoted in front of me. It’s just a marriage deal. You’re just after the Qin money. If Qin Shen was broke, you’d be gone in a heartbeat. Why would a precious Omega look at a cripple—”

BAM!

Pei Yu hurled his backpack at him.

“Watch your mouth! If you won’t care for him as a father, at least stop belittling him! What right do you have to talk about Qin Shen like that?”

“Hiss—!”

A sharp pain shot through Lu Shan’s forehead. He touched it, and his fingers came away crimson. The scent of rust began to fill the air.

“Lu Shan! Are you okay?!” Qin Shifang looked at the blood in a panic.

“You actually dared to hit me!” Losing all reason, Lu Shan grabbed a heavy glass ashtray from the coffee table and raised it to strike—

Pei Yu’s pupils shrunk. He reflexively raised his arms to shield his face.

Suddenly.

A fierce cedar-mint pheromone, laced with a bone-chilling cold, swept through the living room like a blizzard.

Lu Shan let out a sharp cry of pain.

Pei Yu looked toward the source of the freezing scent. Not far away, Qin Shuo and Qin Shen had appeared.

“Have you two argued enough?!” Qin Shen’s voice cracked like a whip.

Qin Shifang shrunk back. “Dad…”

Qin Shuo’s face was ashen. He stepped forward and delivered a heavy slap to Lu Shan’s face—so hard that blood trickled from the corner of Lu Shan’s mouth. “Get out! Both of you! Don’t let me see your faces again!”

Qin Shifang opened her mouth to argue. “Dad—”

“Don’t call me Dad,” Qin Shuo barked. “I don’t have a daughter like you. Take Lu Shan and get out!”

After the Storm

In the elevator, Qin Shen radiated a silent coldness. The air pressure was low, his lips pressed into a tight line.

Pei Yu stole a glance at him and leaned against his shoulder. “Don’t take what happened to heart,” he said softly. “It’s not worth getting angry over them.”

Qin Shen’s fingers twitched, then gently rubbed the back of Pei Yu’s hand. “I’m not angry because of them. He actually tried to hit you with an ashtray… I almost failed to protect you.”

“You didn’t,” Pei Yu smiled. “Your pheromones stopped him instantly. You were right on time.”

After a few seconds of silence, Qin Shen licked his dry lips. “I’m sorry.”

Ding. The elevator doors opened. Pei Yu pushed Qin Shen out into the hallway. The wall lamps cast a soft glow, stretching their shadows against the floor.

Pei Yu stopped in front of Qin Shen and cupped his face. Looking into his dark eyes with his own light brown ones, he said, “We’re getting engaged tomorrow. Stop saying ‘sorry.’ Why are you being so polite? It wasn’t your fault. Lu Shan treating you like that and insulting you… it’s just infuriating.”

Pei Yu’s cheeks puffed out in frustration; he was angrier than Qin Shen was. He kept rambling about how terrible Lu Shan was, his face flushed with indignation.

Qin Shen looked up at him, the dark, heavy emotions in his eyes melting into a lingering tenderness.

“At least Grandpa is on your side—”

Before he could finish, a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist. Pei Yu was pulled into Qin Shen’s embrace. The grip tightened, and as Qin Shen buried his face against Pei Yu’s midsection, Pei Yu paused, then gently stroked the man’s dark hair.

After a long time, Qin Shen finally looked up, his lips slightly parted. “Baby, I want to kiss you.”

Pei Yu’s face turned pink. “Oh… I really can’t do anything with you.”

He leaned down, and as he drew near, his soft lips were met with a warm pressure.

Qin Shen’s pheromones drifted over. This time, the cedar-mint scent didn’t feel like the freezing blizzard in the living room; instead, it was as soft as melting snow. His scent was always so gentle when facing Pei Yu, as if terrified the cold might freeze his little rose.

Qin Shen lightly licked Pei Yu’s lip, the love in his eyes burning intense and thick.

He lowered his lashes and whispered hoarsely, “Baby, thank you for always staying by my side.”

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