After Entering a Contract Marriage with a Disabled Alpha - Chapter 9

The hospital was quiet late at night. With only a few nurses and doctors on duty, the incandescent lights in the hallway appeared somewhat deathly pale against the surroundings.

Pei Yu did not have a good impression of hospitals. His father had passed away after struggling in a hospital for some time without successful resuscitation, and his mother frequently visited hospitals due to her condition. Back in middle school, he would usually endure minor ailments; only when a condition was serious enough to require an IV or hospitalization would he reluctantly stay.

Now that he was at the hospital again, the familiar smell of disinfectant filled the air. However, Pei Yu felt much better this time because someone was by his side.

After the suppressant was administered, most of the adverse reactions vanished, leaving him only slightly weak. His shirt was damp with a thin layer of sweat, clinging to his body in a crumpled mess. Wearing his black-rimmed glasses, he looked thin and frail. He appeared weary and malnourished.

After a brief assessment of the situation, the doctor looked at the man accompanying the youth. Qin Shen had changed into a different suit; he was low-profile, yet his noble temperament was undeniable.

“He has a bit of anemia and is malnourished. Now that he has differentiated into an Omega, his constitution will not be as strong as before. In this day and age, whether it is a Beta or an Omega, parents should take better care of them.”

The doctor’s tone was not particularly pleasant. He assumed the patient’s family still held the outdated, trashy notion of favoring Alphas and Omegas over Betas even though stable Betas were the backbone of every industry.

Pei Yu’s face flushed. He wanted to explain, but Qin Shen interrupted him.

“I apologize. I will pay more attention to the kid’s health from now on.” Qin Shen rested his long hands on his lap and lowered his head slightly, appearing as though he was taking the doctor’s words to heart.

Pei Yu’s face turned even redder. What was going on? He had already troubled Mr. Qin in the middle of the night, and now he was being misunderstood by the doctor.

The doctor’s attitude softened considerably. “Mhm. Have him rest well for the next few days. Do not let him get too tired; he needs to nourish his body. Otherwise, the reactions during his future heats will be even more severe. To be safe, stay in the hospital for a day.”

The doctor prescribed some medicine and gave instructions on the dosage before sending them to handle the admission procedures. Private rooms were in short supply, so Qin Shen settled for a double room. Hearing Pei Yu’s stomach growling, he sent his assistant to buy some light porridge.

To avoid disturbing the other patient, Pei Yu tried to keep his voice down as he moved in, but he still woke his roommate. Pei Yu whispered an apology. The person gave a brief glance, nodded to signal it was fine, and closed their eyes again.

Pei Yu changed into a hospital gown. The oversized sleeves swallowed his slender wrists. Qin Shen’s gaze fell on the blue veins on Pei Yu’s wrist, thinking the boy was indeed far too thin. If he were truly Pei Yu’s family, he would at least feed him until he gained some weight.

Qin Shen had the driver fetch a cup of warm water. He took out the pills and handed them to Pei Yu. “Take the medicine first, then rest.”

There were several types of pills. Pei Yu decided to swallow them all in one go, but he overestimated his throat. One bitter brown pill slipped through, dissolving on the tip of his tongue. The bitterness caused Pei Yu’s face to crumple.

Qin Shen raised a hand to cover his lips. The corners of his narrow eyes lifted as a lazy, soft chuckle escaped his throat. Pei Yu’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as he clutched the water cup and drank greedily. He had already lost count of how many times he had said “thank you” in such a short period.

When he finished saying thank you once more, the man caught his wrist. Pei Yu looked at him in confusion, then felt a tickle in his palm. It was a strawberry-flavored filled candy.

Pei Yu: “?”

“Did you not say it was bitter? Eating some candy might make it better,” Qin Shen said.

Pei Yu’s eyes lit up as he tore open the wrapper. The sweet strawberry flavor that spread across his tongue suppressed the bitterness of the medicine.

“How do you have candy on you?” With something in his mouth, Pei Yu’s voice was muffled and sounded a bit soft.

“It was from the hotel. I picked it up on the way.”

“Oh.”

Pei Yu sucked on the candy while Qin Shen watched him quietly. Gradually, Pei Yu became bashful. He remembered how he had acted spoiled and even stepped on the man’s knees back at the hotel. In short, the atmosphere had been ambiguous and strange.

As a “blank sheet of paper” in the realm of romance, Pei Yu didn’t overthink it. He simply felt that tonight’s experience would be unforgettable.

“I am sorry,” Qin Shen said deeply.

Pei Yu was confused. “?”

Looking at the youth’s innocent “white rabbit” appearance, Qin Shen explained, “Tonight, I smelled your pheromones and could not control myself from entering your room.”

“Huh?” Pei Yu chewed the candy. “But if you had not come in, how could you have helped me?”

Seeing that the boy had not thought of anything untoward at all, Qin Shen suddenly sighed. “I am an Alpha, and you are an Omega. It is very easy for things that should not happen to occur.”

Qin Shen continued, “In short, tonight was my fault. Do not trust strange Alphas so easily in the future, and remember to lock your door when staying at a hotel.”

Pei Yu realized something in a daze. No way… Mr. Qin looks so upright; could he actually have thought about that?

Pei Yu’s ears felt a bit hot. Remembering that Mr. Qin was also an Alpha, that glimpse of a “certain something” back in the bathroom didn’t seem out of place after all.

“Alright, I accept your apology. I will be careful in the future,” Pei Yu said with a smile. “But I think you are a good person, so it should be fine.”

President Qin is a good person?

Li Shuang, who was entering with the food, nearly died of fright. A few years ago, he had almost been scolded to death by President Qin for a work error! Although President Qin hadn’t said a word at the time, that look as if he were looking at a piece of trash had sliced through him a thousand times.

After finishing the porridge, Pei Yu felt sleepy. Seeing this, Qin Shen left with his assistant to return and rest.

“Wait!” Pei Yu instinctively called out to him.

“Is there anything else?” Qin Shen turned and asked.

Pei Yu remembered the contact information left on the bedside table at the hotel. He hadn’t saved Mr. Qin’s number yet but found it awkward to ask directly.

“It is nothing. I just wanted to say goodnight.”

The corners of Qin Shen’s mouth curled into a smile. “Goodnight.”

He turned and left the patient room, leaving the late night to return to its original stillness.

In the morning, a ray of warm sunlight spilled into the room. After waking up, Pei Yu slowly ate the breakfast delivered by the hospital. The medication, the water cup, and the strawberry candy wrapper on the nightstand were all tangible evidence that everything last night was real.

His roommate had also woken up. While eating, the person stole a few glances at Pei Yu and struck up a conversation.

“Was that man last night your boyfriend?”

“Cough, cough—” Unprepared for the question, Pei Yu choked and coughed several times before recovering.

“Oh, so he wasn’t.” The person shrugged. “Sorry, my mistake. I just thought he was quite gentle with you, even giving you candy.”

“Mhm…” Pei Yu, who wasn’t very good at socializing, shook his head. “It is fine.”

“What are you in for?” the person asked curiously.

Pei Yu replied, “Secondary differentiation.” It wasn’t something that needed to be kept secret, so he answered quite openly.

“I see,” the roommate nodded.

When Pei Yu tried to reciprocate the question out of politeness, the person suddenly went quiet. A look of dejection and sorrow washed over their pale face. Seeing this, Pei Yu assumed the illness was serious and that he had touched a sore spot. He quickly apologized, saying it was okay not to tell him.

The roommate squeezed out a heavy, forced smile.

In the afternoon, while Pei Yu went to collect his lab reports, he accidentally overheard the nurses mentioning the roommate’s name.

“Yet another case of deep affection losing to high compatibility. I cannot believe they tried to commit suicide.”

“Life is so precious. To throw it away over a scumbag Alpha… their family must be so heartbroken.”

“I hope the kid snaps out of it soon.”

Pei Yu understood now. Even though he had only spent a few hours with the roommate, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. He went outside the hospital to buy some candy and chose the strawberry flavor.

The roommate accepted the candy and popped it into their mouth. “Thanks.”

With school starting in a few days, Pei Yu hadn’t planned on taking a day off, but the manager insisted he rest. He said thank you.

During his day at the hospital, Pei Yu enjoyed a rare moment of leisure. After telling Jiang He what happened, he watched two or three movies he had wanted to see for a long time. This tranquil mood was swept away when his biological parents and Lin Shuxing arrived at the hospital to visit him.

The hospital followed standard procedures; a secondary differentiation into an Omega meant notifying the guardian. After the Lin family had found him, they had officially changed his guardian from Jiang He to Luo Meihua.

“Xiao Yu, why did you not tell Mom you differentiated into an Omega?” Luo Meihua brushed back the long hair draped over her chest. “I knew it. Your father and I are an Alpha and an Omega; the probability of producing a Beta is quite low.”

She continued to chatter, “It must be because Jiang He did not take good care of you. Malnutrition affects differentiation.”

Pei Yu’s brow knit slightly. “It has nothing to do with my mom. It is a matter of personal constitution.”

Hearing his biological son call that poor woman “Mom” again, Luo Meihua couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“We will nourish your body properly once you are back,” Lin Yifeng said. “Since you are an Omega, stop working part-time at bars. Those places are prone to trouble.”

Pei Yu replied, “Deep Blue is managed very well. Since starting my summer job, I have only encountered one instance of a guest making things difficult.”

Lin Yifeng’s face darkened. “Someone made things difficult for you? Who would dare bully Lin Yifeng’s son?”

“He is standing right here,” Pei Yu said, casting a meaningful look at Lin Shuxing.

Luo Meihua and Lin Yifeng both turned to look at Lin Shuxing, who immediately defended himself.

“How was that making things difficult? The wine I treated my brother to cost hundreds of thousands. I just wanted him to have a taste. Besides, he didn’t get drunk, did he? Differentiation into an Omega might even have been catalyzed by the alcohol. Brother should actually be thanking me.”

Pei Yu let out two cold laughs. “I am tired and want to sleep for a while.”

A blatant order to leave. The atmosphere in the room became extremely awkward. Eventually, the Lin couple managed a few dry words: “Then rest well.”

On the way back to the Lin residence, Lin Shuxing said, “Mom, since Brother is also an Omega now, let’s run a compatibility test between him and the Qin family too.”

Luo Meihua replied, “There is no need. Your compatibility with Qin Shen is already so high.”

Lin Shuxing didn’t want to marry the rumored old and crippled Qin Shen. For the past two days, he had been thinking that if all else failed, he would take a large sum of money and run away to another city. With his looks, catching a rich heir wouldn’t be difficult.

But now that Pei Yu had differentiated into an Omega, there was a “what if.” Besides, if push came to shove, he could secretly have the hospital alter the compatibility results. Once Pei Yu was sent over and the “rice was cooked,” the results couldn’t be changed for the sake of both families’ reputations. Wasn’t “substitute marriage” common in ancient times?

“We can do one for Xiao Yu too,” Lin Yifeng said, stroking his chin. Pei Yu was his biological son, after all, and because Jiang He needed money, he was easier to manipulate than Lin Shuxing.

Lin Shuxing nodded. “Fine, leave it to me. I will contact the doctor right now.”

Ever since Old Master Qin was discharged, he had transferred to the high-end private nursing home where Jiang He was staying. He was personally handling the matter of Qin Shen’s marriage.

Almost every Omega in Jiangcheng’s wealthy families had tested their compatibility with Qin Shen’s pheromones. So far, the highest was the Lin family’s son, Lin Shuxing, with a score of 68. He called his grandson to talk about it.

“A-Shen, I have something to tell you. Remember how you promised me you would enter a marriage of convenience? We have found a suitable person. The Lin family’s son has a 68 percent compatibility with you.”

Qin Shen’s heart skipped a beat. He asked in his usual tone, “68? Did they agree to the marriage?”

Grandfather Qin replied, “Of course. Why else would they test for compatibility?” He was afraid his grandson might back out at the last minute. “You promised me. No backing out.”

Qin Shen said, “I did not say I was backing out.”

Grandfather Qin was overjoyed. “So you are agreeing to it?”

“Mhm.”

“Good, good, good! Then I will arrange for you and Lin Shuxing to meet.”

Qin Shen paused. “Lin Shuxing?”

“Yes. Who else did you think I was talking about?”

Qin Shen’s Adam’s apple rolled. Casting his pride aside, he immediately retracted his agreement. “If it is Lin Shuxing, then forget it. I am not getting married. Anyway, there has been new progress in the research project for my pheromone disorder; maybe there will be medicine in a couple of years.”

Grandfather Qin, feeling toyed with, started shouting. If the nurse hadn’t been there advising him to stay calm, he might have fainted from anger. As he scolded, he realized something was off. He asked keenly, “Do you mean you are interested in the Lin family’s real son?”

Qin Shen remained silent.

“But is he not a Beta?” Grandfather Qin asked. “How could a Beta work? They do not even have pheromones.”

“He had a secondary differentiation into an Omega,” Qin Shen said.

This time, it was Grandfather Qin’s turn to smile. If his grandson didn’t have someone he liked, he would naturally pick the one with the highest compatibility. But since Qin Shen did have someone he liked, Grandfather Qin preferred that he experience a happy romance after the accident rather than a purely clinical arrangement. Low compatibility didn’t matter; as long as he was an Omega, he could alleviate an Alpha’s pain to some extent.

“That is good. It is lucky he differentiated into an Omega.”

Qin Shen added, “It would have been fine even if he had not.”

Grandfather Qin was speechless. “I get it. Just shut up. If he is an Omega, you should just be happy about it.” After some small talk, he asked, “Does he like you back?”

“…”

“Heh, I see. So you haven’t even touched the poor kid’s hand yet.”

Qin Shen really wanted to argue that he had touched him, but he held back.

Before hanging up, Grandfather Qin said, “I will go ask the Lin family if they are willing to let the younger son enter the marriage instead.”

Before making the call, he organized his thoughts. Since this was someone his grandson actually had feelings for, he wanted to show enough respect to avoid causing any resentment from the “True Young Master.”

Just as he was about to call, the chairman of Lingfeng Appliances sent him a photo. It was the compatibility result between Pei Yu and Qin Shen: 99.99 percent.

Grandfather Qin froze, stunned into silence. He relayed the news to Qin Shen.

Qin Shen knew his compatibility with Pei Yu was high, but he hadn’t expected it to be that high. No wonder Pei Yu could smell his pheromones even when he was still a Beta.

Qin Shen asked with some uncertainty, “You are saying that Pei Yu agreed to marry me?”

“Yes,” Grandfather Qin replied. “The Lin family sent over the compatibility results voluntarily.”

The call ended. Qin Shen looked up, gazing at the bustling city of Jiangcheng through the curved glass of his office. If he remembered correctly, the kid probably didn’t even know his full name was Qin Shen.

Agreeing to a marriage with an Alpha just like that?

Qin Shen’s face grew increasingly dark. He didn’t have to think hard to realize that the Lin family must have used some form of coercion against Pei Yu. The child had only just differentiated, yet the Lin family couldn’t wait to use him as a tool for profit.

Recalling the youth’s innocent smile, Qin Shen clenched his fist tighter. After a long time, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it is me.

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