After the Corporate Slave Beta and the Top Alpha Married - Chapter 11

Knock, knock, knock

A rhythmic series of knocks sounded just as Ji Yu was getting dressed.

Though they had lived together for less than a week, Ji Yu had already come to understand many of Shang Yuanzhou’s habits. For instance, he always knocked three times—never rushed, always steady, with a soothing sort of cadence. He also never pushed the door open before receiving an answer, and he preferred to speak from the hallway rather than stepping into Ji Yu’s private space.

They were like two rule-abiding roommates; they weren’t curious about each other’s lives, didn’t enter without an invite, and didn’t touch each other’s things. Ji Yu was very satisfied with this “cohabitation.”

Ji Yu dressed quickly, opened the door, and smiled at Shang Yuanzhou. “I was putting on my pants just now. Is something up?”

The first part was an explanation for the delay. Shang Yuanzhou’s gaze dropped slightly, landing on Ji Yu’s long, well-proportioned legs, which looked straight and lean in his beige casual trousers.

The second part was a question as to why Shang Yuanzhou was knocking so early on a weekend. Hearing this, Shang Yuanzhou looked at Ji Yu, his brow furrowing slightly.

Ji Yu’s smile gradually stiffened. He couldn’t figure out why Shang Yuanzhou would knock on his door on a Saturday morning only to stand there in silence. “A-Zhou?”

Shang Yuanzhou’s voice was flat, devoid of any inflection. “We’re supposed to take our wedding photos today. I told you before.”

Ji Yu: ? Ji Yu: !!!

Between work and coordinating the wedding details over the past few days, Ji Yu’s mind was a mess. The wedding had to be organized quickly, but given Shang Yuanzhou’s status, the ceremony had to be grand, meaning the logistics were numerous and complex. Although Shang Yuanzhou told him not to worry, Ji Yu felt that since he was receiving a large sum of money—and since it was technically his own wedding he should at least put in some effort.

As a result, he had completely forgotten such a major event.

Ji Yu followed Shang Yuanzhou out in a panic. Even after they were settled in the car, the atmosphere remained stiff. To be precise, Shang Yuanzhou’s expression was exceptionally cold.

Ji Yu had rarely seen Shang Yuanzhou like this. Since the gala, the man’s attitude toward him hadn’t been overly warm, but it had never been icy either. He had only seen this “cold-faced” version of Shang Yuanzhou when the man was dealing with others.

It was a novel experience, but not a pleasant one.

Ji Yu glanced at the driver, who was driving quietly, completely oblivious to the trepidation in the back seat. Beside him, Shang Yuanzhou’s phone chimed. The Alpha tilted his head slightly and shot a glance at Ji Yu.

Ji Yu sat up straight, his heart fluttering under that gaze. Why look at me before looking at the phone? Is he… is he about to blow up at me?!

Shang Yuanzhou withdrew his gaze and tapped the notification on his screen. Ji Yu wanted to see his expression and tried to peek out of the corner of his eye, but he saw Shang Yuanzhou subtly tilt the phone away.

The message is from me, and he’s still blocking me from seeing it?

He feigned nonchalance and stole another quick look at Shang Yuanzhou’s face, only to find with frustration that no emotion could be read from it. Is he going to forgive me or not? Ji Yu wanted to sigh but held it in.

On Shang Yuanzhou’s screen was a single, simple sentence:

Little Carp: “I’m sorry, President Shang. This was a professional oversight on my part. Please punish me.”

A professional oversight.

Shang Yuanzhou was almost driven to a frustrated laugh, though his eyes remained dark. Only someone who didn’t care would forget. He was struggling in a web woven around Ji Yu, yet Ji Yu viewed it as a “professional oversight.”

A surge of unwilling resentment made Shang Yuanzhou want to drag Ji Yu down with him to wrap him in the same silk threads until he couldn’t escape.

Punish him? He certainly deserves a good punishment.

“President Shang, we’ve arrived.” The driver brought the car to a halt, breaking the heavy silence between the two in the back.

Ji Yu sat still, glancing cautiously at the motionless Shang Yuanzhou. Just as he was wondering if he should get out, the driver opened the door for him.

“Mr. Ji, please.”

Ji Yu stepped out and offered a quick, “Thank you.”

Because he had stepped a bit too close, the driver suddenly recoiled two steps. “No need for thanks, Mr. Ji!”

Ji Yu: “…”

It had been the same when he got into the car. He touched his face, confirming it was still smooth and hadn’t turned into some terrifying monster.

Shang Yuanzhou also stepped out and said to the driver expressionlessly, “Good job.”

Having never received praise from the CEO in all his time working there, the driver was overjoyed, shouting “Thank you, President Shang!” three times to the man’s retreating back. Shang Yuanzhou strode forward, rendered speechless by the sheer idiocy behind him.

Ji Yu felt that Shang Yuanzhou seemed even angrier now.

The photography team flocked toward them. The lead photographer, face full of smiles, began explaining the day’s itinerary.

“Let’s begin,” Shang Yuanzhou said.

From the moment the photographer started talking, Shang Yuanzhou’s expression remained tepid. That “Let’s begin” sent a shiver through the entire team. This didn’t feel like the joyous atmosphere of a couple taking wedding photos at all.

Ji Yu remembered the clause in the contract about fines for letting others see that their marriage was unhappy. He had already asked for a punishment for his mistake he didn’t know how much Shang Yuanzhou would dock from him and if he added this fine on top of it, how long would he have to work to earn it back? His corporate-slave heart ached sharply.

What Ji Yu didn’t know was that he was currently drenched in the scent of a highly aggressive Alpha’s pheromones. The Alphas on the photography team didn’t dare get within half a meter of him, and the Omegas stayed even further away.

A Top Alpha’s pheromones left on a partner even on a Beta who couldn’t be marked carried a fierce territoriality, warning everyone else to stay away. To other Alphas, the proximity felt like a physical sting; to Omegas, it was pure terror.

With pheromones this thick, no one would ever think their marriage was unhappy. They would only think Ji Yu was cherished to the extreme that even without a mark, the Alpha’s possessiveness was so strong he likely bit into the barren gland at Ji Yu’s nape until the marks were fresh.

But Ji Yu was a Beta. He couldn’t smell it, knew nothing of it, and no one was going to explain such private, intimate details to him.

So, Ji Yu sat down beside Shang Yuanzhou and tentatively hooked his arm through the Alpha’s. The body beneath his touch stiffened instantly, but Ji Yu wasn’t pushed away. He looked at Shang Yuanzhou’s shoulder, wondering if he should lean on it, but the mere thought gave him the chills, so he gave up.

He gave Shang Yuanzhou’s hand a little tug and lowered his eyes to avoid the others’ gaze. “A-Zhou, I was just groggy this morning and forgot. Please don’t be mad at me anymore.”

“You can punish me however you want.”

If I take this punishment, surely, he won’t dock the fine too.

Shang Yuanzhou pulled his hand away only to wrap his arm around Ji Yu in a hug. Ji Yu felt a slight itch at the top of his head it felt like Shang Yuanzhou had rubbed his chin against his hair, or perhaps given the crown of his head a faint, ghost-like kiss.

Ji Yu assumed it was the former. When he had hooked his arm earlier, Shang Yuanzhou’s body had been as stiff as iron. Clearly, the man wasn’t used to his proximity but had to pretend to be intimate for the sake of the performance. Shang Yuanzhou really worked hard to secure his position as the head of the family.

Shang Yuanzhou released him and spoke with a slight hint of a smile, which instantly relaxed the atmosphere. “I’m not mad. I just remembered something else. But… I’ll hold you to that last sentence.”

As expected, the boss is an expert at docking pay. Even Shang Yuanzhou can’t escape the ugly face of a capitalist.

…And they only hugged once. Why was everyone else smiling like obsessed matchmakers? Had they never seen a couple hug before? How annoying.

Ji Yu grumbled internally while nodding with a slight flush on his ears, not daring to meet the teasing eyes of the photography team.

“Alright, if the two of you would go change, we’ll start with the indoor shots before moving outside.”

After living together for a while, Ji Yu had grown somewhat used to Shang Yuanzhou’s devastatingly handsome face, but the photography team clearly had not. When Shang Yuanzhou emerged in his new outfit, every eye in the room was full of wonder including Ji Yu’s.

“President Shang, put your hand around your husband’s waist. Yes, yes, move closer.”

Ji Yu stiffened for a second but leaned into Shang Yuanzhou at the touch.

“Just call him Mr. Ji,” Shang Yuanzhou corrected.

The photographer gave an awkward laugh. “Right, Mr. Ji, don’t be so stiff. Relax, relax. Now, the two of you, hold hands.”

After several outfit changes and backdrops, Ji Yu felt like a spinning top, practically becoming a marionette in the photographer’s hands.

“Shang Yuanzhou.”

A familiar voice came from the entrance. Ji Yu turned to see a man walking in. He was about the same height as Ji Yu, with a face that shared some resemblance to Shang Yuanzhou.

Shang Yuanzhou’s expression turned indifferent. “What is it?”

Shang Yuanchen smiled cheekily. “I heard you were taking wedding photos, so I came to take a look.” He knew Ji Yu had only heard his voice before, so he waved broadly. “Hi, sister-in-law.”

He reached out to put an arm around Ji Yu’s shoulder, but Ji Yu dodged him before Shang Yuanzhou could even issue a warning. “Hello.”

Shang Yuanchen wanted to laugh. He looked Ji Yu up and down with an evaluative gaze that made Ji Yu very uncomfortable.

Shang Yuanzhou extended his hand to Ji Yu. “Are you tired? We’re going to do the outdoor shots now. Do you want to rest a bit longer?”

Ji Yu shook his head, knowing it was time to perform. He placed his hand in Shang Yuanzhou’s, and they walked together toward the lawn. It was a perfectly manicured field with stables in the distance, all prepared for the shoot.

Ji Yu, wearing a gentlemanly morning coat, sat stiffly on a horse. A staff member led the horse by the reins as it began to trot slowly. Shang Yuanzhou swung his long leg over his own horse and rode up beside Ji Yu with ease. “How are you? Are you okay?”

Though his body was tense, Ji Yu’s eyes were sparkling; riding a horse was a very novel experience for him. “I’m okay.”

The photographer called out from a distance, “Mr. Ji, relax! We’re going to take some shots of the two of you riding side-by-side. We’ll edit out the horse handler later.”

Shang Yuanzhou looked at Ji Yu. “Don’t be afraid. In a bit, I’ll take you for a run so you can feel what it’s like.”

That was when the accident happened.

Ji Yu’s horse suddenly let out a sharp whinny, yanked the reins free, and bolted forward. Ji Yu, losing his balance, began to slip from the saddle.

Suffocating pheromones exploded into the air instantly. With the physical reflex and explosive power of a Top Alpha, Shang Yuanzhou managed to catch Ji Yu before he hit the ground.

The scene went dead silent. No one shouted for help; even the horse stopped its whinnying, its legs going weak as it collapsed to the ground like an animal sensing a predator.

The photographer’s face went white, sweat pouring down his forehead. The Omegas present felt a wave of unease and tears welled in their eyes, while the lower-level Alphas found themselves unable to stand.

Further away in the gazebo, Shang Yuanchen’s expression changed instantly. He cursed under his breath. What a monster.

Shang Yuanzhou looked at Ji Yu, who was leaning against him, and began to soothe him. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Are you hurt anywhere?” As he spoke, he realized his own voice was terribly raspy.

Ji Yu’s heart was still hammering from the fright. He managed a weak smile. “My hand… I think it hurts a bit.”

Only when they spoke did the Betas in the crowd snap out of it. They began frantically asking what was wrong with the Alphas and Omegas while rushing toward the couple.

“The reins weren’t secured properly, it was an accident! We’re so sorry, it was our oversight. We will cover all expenses!” “Should we call an ambulance? Is anyone hurt?” “President Shang, please don’t be angry, we will fulfill any request!”

Ji Yu declined the ambulance with a wry smile and was taken to the hospital by a grim-faced Shang Yuanzhou.

“A slight bone fractures. It’s not serious. We’ll put it in a cast for two weeks. Just take it easy during this time and don’t get it wet.”

Shang Yuanzhou gave a raspy “Thank you” to the doctor.

The doctor left to prepare the cast. As Shang Yuanzhou was about to follow, Shang Yuanchen—who had driven himself to the hospital spoke up. “Tsk tsk.”

“Our President Shang really has the best moves. Now you’ve added ‘life-saving gratitude’ to the list. They say people fall in love easily in a crisis what do they call that again?” Yuanchen smacked his lips. “Ah, right. The suspension bridge effect.”

Shang Yuanzhou looked at him sideways and began walking toward him, step by step. With every step, Yuanchen’s face grew paler.

On the final step, Yuanchen’s knees buckled, and he slammed onto the floor. The scent of bitter wine was so thick it was suffocating, like tons of surging seawater concentrated into a poison pressing down on him.

Shang Yuanzhou looked down at the man kneeling on the floor. When he spoke, it was as if a frigid winter had descended.

“There are things you should say, and things you shouldn’t.”

“You’re a smart man. From today on, you’d better learn exactly where my bottom line is.”

He could not bear to see Ji Yu hurt, and he would never use Ji Yu’s injury as a way to gain favor. Shang Yuanzhou didn’t explain this to Yuanchen; he didn’t deign to.

What happened between him and Ji Yu didn’t require anyone else’s understanding.