Beta on the Run: Mr. CEO, Take it Easy! - Chapter 17

When they signed that contract five years ago, it marked the beginning of Chi Xinglan’s nightmare. He was terrified of Liang Xiao. The image of an Alpha in their rut had left a deep shadow on his heart.

Perhaps noticing this fear, a subtle shift began to occur in their relationship. If Chi Xinglan wanted to stay in his room, Liang Xiao would stay there with him. While Chi Xinglan read quietly, Liang Xiao would work by his side. Eventually, it evolved into Liang Xiao holding him while they read together.

Liang Xiao began to take note of everything he said. When Chi Xinglan mentioned he liked flowers, Liang Xiao sent him a bouquet every day and filled the balcony with potted plants. Because he loved books, a study appeared in the house, packed with every title imaginable. Whatever he liked, he never had to wait for a holiday or special occasion to receive it.

In the following years, Liang Xiao spent his ruts relying on suppressants. No matter how agonizing the experience was, he would only hold Chi Xinglan close. Over a year, Chi Xinglan’s resentment began to fade, and he slowly started to accept the relationship. He grew used to Liang Xiao’s company and the way he always appeared whenever he was needed.

But habit is a terrifying thing. When Chi Xinglan realized his feelings for Liang Xiao, he fell into a long period of confusion and internal struggle. He had fallen hopelessly in love. Yet, because of the power imbalance between them, he knew that if his feelings were discovered, it would be the end. At the core of it, he believed he was merely a plaything Liang Xiao had bought for amusement—something that could be discarded at any moment. He lived in constant fear of the day Liang Xiao would announce the contract was over.

In the past, he had tested Liang Xiao’s feelings countless times. Now, he no longer needed to test them to be certain of Liang Xiao’s love.

During this month apart, Liang Xiao seemed to have developed a fear of his own. Chi Xinglan could feel Liang Xiao’s gaze on him at all times; whenever they went out, Liang Xiao held his hand tightly. It was as if he were holding a reclaimed treasure, terrified of losing it again, gripping it so firmly he refused to let go.

The most amazing thing to Chi Xinglan was that Liang Xiao had learned to wear his heart on his sleeve. If Chi Xinglan wanted to hear it, Liang Xiao was never stingy with moving words, openly and generously expressing his love.

That day by the sea, Liang Xiao spoke every word he hadn’t said over the past five years. For the first time, Chi Xinglan felt that the winter sea breeze could be gentle and intoxicating.

“But what can be done?” Chi Xinglan said. “Liang Xiao, I still feel wronged.”

Time may be a cure-all, and love can cover scars, but pain requires time to heal. They both needed to give each other enough space. Chi Xinglan chose not to return with Liang Xiao yet, staying instead at the hotel in the small town. He loved the environment here; it brought him peace. While he believed Liang Xiao would take excellent care of him back home, he wasn’t in a hurry to leave his sanctuary.

When they returned to the hotel, just as Liang Xiao was about to enter the room, Chi Xinglan gave him a push back and locked him out. “You should head back first.”

Even though Liang Xiao had apologized sincerely, it didn’t mean Chi Xinglan had to forgive him so quickly. As he had said, years of grievances cannot be smoothed over in a day, nor can they be dismissed with a few apologies. Chi Xinglan leaned against the door, waiting for several minutes. Hearing no response, he curiously cracked the door open. Liang Xiao was gone. The hallway was empty.

Chi Xinglan froze at the doorway. Did Liang Xiao… leave? He stood there for a long time, staring at the end of the hallway before finally closing the door. Sitting on the sofa, he couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

After a long while, the doorbell rang. “Xiao Chi.”

It was Liang Xiao’s voice. Chi Xinglan scrambled off the sofa and rushed to the door, but hesitated before opening it. Didn’t he leave? Why is he back? He wiped the tear tracks from his face and waited a moment before opening the door.

Liang Xiao stood there looking somewhat disheveled, clutching several takeout containers. Chi Xinglan sniffled and sobbed, “I thought you left.”

Liang Xiao set the bags down at his feet and pulled him into a hug, gently patting his back. “I didn’t leave. You’re here; where else would I go? Did I do something stupid again and make you worry?”

“Who was worried about you?” Chi Xinglan countered.

Liang Xiao sighed softly. “Stop crying; your eyes are all swollen. Is our Xiao Chi made of water?”

Chi Xinglan bit his lip, feeling embarrassed. He had told himself if Liang Xiao wanted to leave, let him yet here he was crying like this.

“It’s my fault,” Liang Xiao coaxed gently. “I’m always making you sad.”

Chi Xinglan didn’t speak, looking down at the bags by his feet. Liang Xiao followed his gaze and picked the food up again. “You didn’t eat much for dinner. I was worried you’d be hungry, so I went to buy something. I’m not familiar with the roads here, so it took a bit longer.”

Because so much had happened today and his emotions had been such a roller coaster, Chi Xinglan hadn’t had an appetite. But hearing Liang Xiao say it, he did feel a bit hungry. At the very least, the baby was hungry.

Thinking of the baby, he realized he hadn’t heard Liang Xiao bring the subject up yet.

“Xiao Chi, can I come in?” Liang Xiao asked.

Chi Xinglan hesitated. On one hand, he was still feeling stubborn and didn’t want to be too intimate. On the other, he didn’t want Liang Xiao to actually leave him alone. Perhaps it was the pregnancy making him extra sensitive and a bit temperamental. Even though he didn’t need Alpha pheromones, his emotional dependence on Liang Xiao had nothing to do with biology.

Liang Xiao seemed to understand exactly what was going on in his head. “I’ve already rented the room next door,” he added softly. “I’ll just watch you finish your meal, and then I’ll head back to my room to rest.”

Chi Xinglan lowered his head, thought for a long time, and then gave him a playful, light kick. “Fine.”

From that day on, Liang Xiao settled into the small town. Every morning, he would prepare breakfast and wait for Chi Xinglan to wake up. Afterward, they would walk along the beach together.

In truth, Liang Xiao was a disaster in the kitchen. At first, he couldn’t even manage a simple fried egg; it was either burnt to a crisp or served with bits of eggshell still in it. When he tried to cook rice, he either added too much water or too much rice, resulting in a massive, overflowing pot.

Because of the pregnancy, Liang Xiao refused to let Chi Xinglan lift a finger. Even his water was brought to him on a schedule, and fruit never appeared before him unless it was already washed and peeled. Between his failed culinary experiments, Liang Xiao was constantly working—bogged down by endless video conferences and phone calls. Despite how busy he was, he always made time for Chi Xinglan. If Xinglan didn’t go back, Liang Xiao wouldn’t either. Despite the inconvenience of living in a small town, Liang Xiao never uttered a single word of complaint. It was as if whatever Chi Xinglan liked, he liked too.

The Reality of the Month Apart

With less than a week left until the Lunar New Year, the festive atmosphere in the town was infectious. Having been away for over a month, Chi Xinglan decided it was finally time to return.

While Liang Xiao was in a meeting, Chi Xinglan retrieved his phone from the corner where it had been tossed. The moment he turned it on, he was bombarded with messages. Liang Xiao had left over a hundred missed calls and countless texts. He couldn’t help but scroll through them.

Liang Xiao: Xiao Chi, where are you? Liang Xiao: Wen Ran and I are just acquaintances. I have never thought about having a relationship with him. Liang Xiao: If you don’t want the child, it’s okay. I never cared if we had children; I only care about you. Liang Xiao: I hope you can give me a chance to explain.

As he read, the bitterness in his heart surged. He had never seen Liang Xiao so humble. Every day, Liang Xiao had sent a message, eventually shifting from explanations to daily updates:

Liang Xiao: Xiao Chi, have you eaten? Liang Xiao: The osmanthus you planted grew taller. I water it every day. Liang Xiao: The roses seem sick, but I don’t know what medicine to use. Liang Xiao: Auntie Chen made osmanthus cakes, but she says they aren’t as good as yours. Liang Xiao: Do you have enough money? I transferred some to your account. Liang Xiao: Xiao Chi, I miss you so much.

Every single message ended with: “Xiao Chi, I miss you so much.” Tears blurred his vision. He covered his mouth, sobbing quietly so Liang Xiao wouldn’t hear him. He then opened his chat with Xiao Lin, who had been sending real-time updates:

Xiao Lin: CEO Liang said he only loves you! Brother Chi, watch the stream! Xiao Lin: Are you watching?! He’s going to propose! Xiao Lin: Brother Chi, are you safe? Xiao Lin: I’ve never seen the boss so anxious. He’s going crazy looking for you. Xiao Lin: Brother Chi… Wen Ran has retired from the industry.

The Aftermath of the Livestream

Chi Xinglan was shocked by the news of the retirement. He opened Weibo and searched for Wen Ran. The top results were a mess of “collapsed persona” and “one-sided love.”

He watched the recording of the birthday banquet. On screen, Wen Ran had walked up to Liang Xiao with expectant eyes. With both sets of parents and many guests watching, Wen Ran assumed Liang Xiao would compromise for the sake of the families’ business partnership.

But Liang Xiao had looked at him with nothing but coldness and disgust. His voice was ice: “I told you long ago that I don’t like you and have no intention of marrying you. If you didn’t hear me then, I don’t mind saying it one last time: Wen Ran, I have never liked you. I didn’t care about the rumors you spread before, but please have some self-respect.”

Then, Liang Xiao looked directly into the camera: “I am already in a stable relationship, and we will be getting married soon.”

After that, Liang Xiao walked out, leaving the guests in shock. Wen Ran had looked utterly devastated before fainting as the scene devolved into chaos. Shortly after, he announced his retirement and moved abroad.

Chi Xinglan felt a sense of melancholy. He unfollowed Wen Ran’s account. Looking back, he felt foolish. He had let Wen Ran’s words get to him because he was insecure about Liang Xiao’s love. He had ignored five years of devotion because of a few sentences from an outsider. If Liang Xiao had been faking it for five years, he deserved an Oscar.

The wall Chi Xinglan had built around his heart crumbled completely. He realized that punishing Liang Xiao was only torturing himself.

He opened his door and saw Liang Xiao coming out of the room next door. He had clearly just finished his meeting.

Chi Xinglan looked at him, then spoke softly into the quiet of the hallway:

“Come in.”

“And hold me.”

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