After the Corporate Slave Beta and the Top Alpha Married - Chapter 28

“Ji Yu?”

“Knock, knock, knock”

The sound of knuckles rapping against the frosted glass of the bathroom door was followed by Shang Yuanzhou’s magnetic, slightly puzzled voice: “Are you alright?”

Ji Yu’s face was still red a deep, abnormal flush beneath his snow-thin skin.

Clean, clear water rushed from the faucet, intercepted by his long, slender hands before spilling through his fingers. He splashed a handful of the cool water onto his face; it was exactly what he needed to dampen his surging heat and shame.

Ji Yu didn’t dare open the door, answering muffledly through the glass: “I’m fine, why? What’s wrong?”

His voice sounded like a mouthful of maltose sticky and with a strange, sweet thickness.

As he spoke, he was staring miserably at the “spirited little fish,” his gaze hesitatingly drifting toward the showerhead nearby.

A cold shower… that should work, right? Why did a simple brush against Shang Yuanzhou’s leg trigger…?

Feeling flustered and embarrassed, Ji Yu leaned forward to rest his forehead against the cold glass, but he misjudged the force. A loud CRACK echoed through the room. It didn’t just startle Ji Yu; it gave Shang Yuanzhou outside a real fright.

“Ji Yu?”

The doorknob rattled. Ji Yu frantically tried to stop him: “No, wait! Don’t come in yet!”

But it was too late.

Ji Yu stood by the sink in his pajamas, looking utterly lost. Seeing that Shang Yuanzhou had already turned the handle and entered, he didn’t have time to regret forgetting to lock the door; he just lowered his head and stood to the side.

Shang Yuanzhou’s pupils contracted sharply. “Don’t move!”

His tone was harsh, his sharp brows knit tight like a layer of bone-chilling frost. Those two words sounded like an impatient reprimand.

Ji Yu was startled into freezing. He bit his lip. “I’m sorry.”

The bathroom was a mess. The floor was covered in water and shards of mirror glass. Ji Yu hadn’t expected that leaning forward to rest his head against the mirror would cause most of it to shatter. He had a habit of lightly tapping his forehead against things tables, books, water bottle caps but he’d never encountered a situation like this.

And on his first morning at Shang Yuanzhou’s villa… Plus, Shang Yuanzhou looked… very angry.

Ji Yu stood there helplessly, murmuring, “I’ll pay for the mirror.”

“No need.”

Shang Yuanzhou walked over with a dark face, wrapped an arm around Ji Yu’s waist, and lifted him up in a horizontal carry. Ji Yu opened his mouth but didn’t dare say a word, allowing himself to be carried out obediently. Like a doll, he was placed onto the bed.

The tall, handsome man crouched down before him. His ankle… was grabbed.

Ji Yu flinched and instinctively tried to pull away, but he was held in a death grip. The large, powerful palm felt like a shackle, locking him in place.

“Are you injured?”

As Shang Yuanzhou spoke, Ji Yu’s tense expression relaxed slightly. He shook his head quickly. “No.”

“Don’t run around without shoes next time.”

Shang Yuanzhou held Ji Yu’s ankle; the thin layer of pale skin revealed faint veins beneath. His calloused thumb grazed heavily and slowly over the protruding bone of the ankle before finally letting go.

He stood up. Just as the “little fish” was beginning to relax, he dropped a piece of “bait” that sent ripples through Ji Yu’s mind: “It’s just morning wood. There’s no need to be so embarrassed that you flee to the bathroom without shoes.”

Ji Yu: ?!

Some people look like they are sitting calmly on the surface, but in reality, they have already died once inside. “How did you…”

Shang Yuanzhou: “I guessed based on your reaction.”

Ji Yu covered his face, feeling a total breakdown imminent.

Shang Yuanzhou called someone to deal with the glass shards. The butler stood there with a stiff face, declaring he would track down the manufacturer, while a dazed Ji Yu sat down at the breakfast table.

He knew that morning thing was a normal physiological phenomenon for men something beyond one’s control. For example, when Shang Yuanzhou had been pressed against his leg earlier. Through a thin layer of pajama pants, Ji Yu had clearly felt the… heat and hardness.

Though it was embarrassing, Shang Yuanzhou had been asleep at the time, and Ji Yu knew he was unaware. But he was different! He had… been the one to move when he tried to get up, rubbing against Shang Yuanzhou’s leg.

He couldn’t pass it off as a purely involuntary phenomenon. He had been so panicked he wanted to flee the scene of the crime immediately. And because his reaction was so extreme, he’d been caught red-handed.

Ji Yu wanted to die.

He took bite after bite of breakfast, barely tasting what was in his mouth. It wasn’t until he bit down on a piece of clam shell in his seafood porridge that a sharp ache shot through his tooth. His eyes uncontrollably went red.

Plip. A tiny, almost silent splash as a tear hit the porridge.

Shang Yuanzhou looked over and saw Ji Yu crying. The faint hint of a smile on his face vanished instantly.

Is his skin really that thin? Or… does he really repulse me that much?

The butler’s voice suddenly broke the silence of the dining room: “Why is Mr. Ji crying?”

Ji Yu snapped his head up, but before he could speak, the butler added another line: “Is marrying President Shang such a grievance to you?”

“Uncle Yu,” Shang Yuanzhou said softly, a warning hidden in his tone.

Ji Yu was shocked. “No! I just… I bit a clam shell too hard.”

The butler glanced at the other servants nearby. Under Shang Yuanzhou’s gaze, he emboldened himself to deliver another line: “If you’re going to make up an excuse, make it a plausible one. Do you think anyone else will believe that?”

Why wouldn’t you believe it?!

It wasn’t like he had some “White Moonlight” in his heart and was being forced to marry Shang Yuanzhou. Ji Yu desperately wanted to shake Uncle Yu by the shoulders and tell him to watch fewer weird dramas, but then he saw the people behind the butler.

The housekeeper was standing right there!

Ji Yu rubbed his eyes, making the tender skin around them even redder. He sniffled. “Actually, I just… I can’t bear to see A-Zhou go to work.”

“If only I could accompany him to the office.”

Shang Yuanzhou reached out a hand toward Ji Yu. “Come here. Husband’s hug.”

Ji Yu’s eyes were red, and his ears were redder. He walked over and sat on Shang Yuanzhou’s lap. Shang Yuanzhou gripped the back of Ji Yu’s neck, applying a bit of pressure to make him tilt his head, and pressed a kiss to Ji Yu’s forehead.

“I can’t let you accompany me today. Didn’t you want to do photography? The person I found for you said she wants to meet you.”

“I’ll send the address to your phone. Let Uncle Yu drive you there, hm?”

The butler nodded. “Yes, President Shang. I’ll go prepare the car.”

I can only help you this much, President Shang. Why didn’t you kiss his mouth? In the CEO dramas, this is the part where you go for the lips.

My family’s CEO is truly… not ‘CEO’ enough at all.

He took two steps back before turning around, his expression stern and archaic, hiding his heroic contribution.

The very first morning at the villa had been so “eventful” that Ji Yu was already starting to regret moving back. He followed Uncle Yu into the car and gave him the address Shang Yuanzhou had sent.

Following the location was another message and a second address:

“I’ll find an excuse to have the bedroom checked today. Don’t come back too early. We have a gala to attend tonight; I’ve sent the address.”

The news about checking the room made Ji Yu sigh in relief. Then, he leaned back against the seat, feeling a bit worried.

The interior of the car was low-key yet luxurious. The ceiling was covered in tiny lights a “Starlight Headliner,” he’d heard it called. But he wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it.

His reaction to Shang Yuanzhou this morning had exceeded his range of acceptance. And because of that, he had remembered something else. It had been quite a while, and Ji Yu had almost forgotten it. Now it was back in full force! He’d worked so hard to forget it!

It was at the cocktail party the first time he had actually seen Shang Yuanzhou. Silver suit, black hair, red eyes… those narrow, deep red eyes like gemstones set in a beautiful face. A perfect visage, like a vampire from a storybook.

That night, while Ji Yu was “taking care of himself,” Shang Yuanzhou’s face had inexplicably flashed through his mind. And now, today.

Could it be that I’ve… Develop a lust for Shang Yuanzhou’s looks?

The thought hit Ji Yu like a lightning strike, leaving him rigid. He had to admit Shang Yuanzhou was handsome, but he was also dangerous! Ji Yu closed his eyes in pain, deciding that when he got back tonight, he would sleep on the floor. No matter what, he couldn’t share a bed with Shang Yuanzhou again.

With zero dating experience and never having had a crush, Ji Yu was dazed when it came to judging emotions. He guessed he might have some feelings for Shang Yuanzhou or at least for that peerlessly handsome face. But Shang Yuanzhou was not a person he could afford to provoke.

And he didn’t want to.

An Alpha’s rut is impossible to endure without an Omega; enduring it repeatedly only makes the pain deeper. There’s also pheromone compatibility between Alphas and Omegas. Two people with high compatibility are instinctively drawn to each other like dry wood and fire. Even if an Alpha already has a marked Omega, they can still be drawn to an Omega with higher compatibility. Humans are like beasts in that regard, controlled by ethereal pheromones. Without self-control, many end up cheating.

Just like… his father.

Ji Yu silently pinched out the tiny spark of a crush before it could even sprout, hitting his forehead against the back of his hand. This is crazy. What am I thinking?

With their close proximity day after day, the distance between them had closed too quickly, making Ji Yu almost forget. The reason Shang Yuanzhou chose a Beta like him was precisely to avoid being “clung to” after it was over.

He was a corporate drone here to work. He wasn’t a “Little White Flower” in a real romance with a CEO. Diligently following the contract and cooperating with Shang Yuanzhou’s plan was what he was supposed to do.

I’ve watched too many dramas; my brain is getting fuzzy. Ji Yu suddenly wanted to discuss TV shows with Uncle Yu in the front seat. But it seemed Uncle Yu didn’t know that Shang Yuanzhou had already ruthlessly exposed his background. If he were to suddenly point out the acting… Ji Yu put himself in the butler’s shoes.

The secondhand embarrassment was already setting in. So, how should he start the conversation?

Before Ji Yu could decide, the car stopped in front of a building. He saw a young man in a bright yellow shirt waiting at the entrance. The man looked over curiously as the car stopped. Once Ji Yu stepped out, he ran over excitedly. “You’re Ji Yu, right?”

Without waiting for a reply, he offered a warm greeting: “I’m An Nian, you can call me Niannian. Sister Ji asked me to pick you up.”

An Nian was very sweet-looking with a cute dimple when he smiled. “By the way, I’m an Omega. What about you?”

Ji Yu spoke politely: “Ji Yu. I’m a Beta.”

“A Beta? I thought you were an Alpha.” An Nian drew out his words, looking Ji Yu up and down with a strange look. Suddenly, he reached out and tugged on Ji Yu’s sleeve, lowering his voice conspiratorially: “Then… whose is that massive Alpha scent on you?”

Ji Yu’s face turned red in an instant. Didn’t people say these things aren’t discussed openly? Who asks a stranger whose pheromones they’re wearing the moment they meet?! Doesn’t asking that directly basically equate to asking ‘Who did you sleep with last night’?!

He even emphasized that the scent was “massive.” Even as a Beta, Ji Yu knew that was practically a neon sign saying “intense bed activities.” This Omega was so bold and open that Ji Yu found him hard to handle.

Then, a second thought flashed through his mind: What exactly does Shang Yuanzhou’s pheromone smell like?