Does An Inferior Omega Also Have To Marry First, Then Fall In Love? - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Ji Qingyu Spends Most of His Time

Ji Qingyu spent most of his time accompanying Lin Ying at the hospital. When he returned home, he heard from Wang Sao (the housekeeper) that the lawsuit between the two families was causing a huge scandal. Ji Qingyu saw many discussions on Weibo about the case; Ji Ran might face jail time because of it. The Ji family’s stock price plummeted, which brought out more of their unsavory deeds.

“Madam, your father has visited twice. He seemed anxious to find you, but you were away each time.”

The Ji family finally couldn’t sit still anymore, and Ji Deyong, despite his age, came to visit. Ji Qingyu looked at the man who was his father in name, who was aggressive and had a terrible attitude.

“No matter what, he is your younger brother. Do you really want to kill him?” Ji Deyong glared at Ji Qingyu. Truthfully, he didn’t understand this illegitimate son, and the thought of the consequences of that reckless night only filled him with disgust.

“You pushed me out, and then behind my back, you let Ji Ran collude with Fu Yunsheng. You never intended to let me live, so why should I let him off?” Ji Qingyu slowly asked.

“Ji Qingyu, I know you resent me for not caring for you and your mother, but haven’t you grown up fine? If it weren’t for the Ji family connection, could you have married Fu Han?” Ji Deyong frowned, acting as if the imminent crisis wasn’t his, and that talking to Ji Qingyu was a condescension.

“I don’t have the energy to hate you. Whatever you do has nothing to do with me, and whatever happens to the Ji family has nothing to do with me,” Ji Qingyu said calmly. “You should be satisfied that I’m not actively adding insult to injury. Frankly, every second I spend with you makes me feel sick. I believe Ji Ran’s poor character is largely due to your negative influence.”

“Is this how you speak to your father?” Ji Deyong’s face darkened. Due to his long-standing debauchery, his face was flabby. He constantly tried to maintain a father’s dignity, yet despite his inner worthlessness, he wanted everyone to worship him. Where in the world was there such a bargain?

“Father?” Ji Qingyu lowered his gaze. “You are merely a rapist. Even beasts don’t show affection everywhere; you are worse than a beast.”

Ji Deyong paused for two seconds, disbelieving that such words would come from the seemingly obedient and gentle Ji Qingyu. He stood up, his expression ferocious, and furiously raised his hand to strike him, only to have a glass of water splashed over his head.

The pain was too sharp; what were these curses and insults? Ji Qingyu didn’t care at all.

Clang—the glass shattered, and sharp porcelain shards scattered across the floor.

Ji Deyong looked astonishedly at the Omega before him. He had never been treated like this. Everything before him did not match his expectation, and he was momentarily stunned.

“To me, you are a mass of air. Whether you live or die has no connection to me. I never needed you before, and I won’t have any ties with you in the future.” Ji Qingyu finished speaking, stood up, and asked Wang Sao to show him out. Ji Deyong tried to rush forward but was grabbed and dragged out by the bodyguard.

“Ji Qingyu, what good do you think the Ji family’s collapse will do you? You’ll lose your last bargaining chip with Fu Han! You’re nothing more than an illegitimate child from the slums. Without the Ji family, you’ll immediately be kicked out. Do you think a purely self-interested person like Fu Han will tolerate you?”

Ji Qingyu smiled faintly.

These people always thought everyone was like them, skilled at weighing pros and cons, where marriage was power, affection was leverage, and self-interest reigned supreme, driving them to do anything for fame and profit. But who cared? He never cared from the beginning to the end.

…

Fu Han had recently insisted on squeezing onto the small bed in the secondary bedroom with Ji Qingyu. He was home too often. Ji Qingyu didn’t want to see him, and during their shared time at home, he tried to avoid him as much as possible, locking himself in the room.

They were silent with each other. Ji Qingyu hoped their final time together could end peacefully.

However, he never expected that their crudely produced stage play would unexpectedly be nominated. The entire crew was ecstatic. This also forced the two people, who hadn’t spoken a single word in days, to attend the event together.

The drive to the venue was neither long nor short, taking about fifteen minutes. The two sat in the car in silence as the sunset glowed in the sky.

Fu Han suddenly leaned over. He lowered his head and very naturally took Ji Qingyu’s hand, his gaze sharp: “Maintain the company’s image later.”

Ji Qingyu didn’t speak. Fu Han held Ji Qingyu’s hand all the way until they got out of the car. They went backstage to get ready. Ji Qingyu didn’t know why Fu Han came so early to accompany him. The actors immediately gathered around. The one playing the student Omega, Yu Yue, rushed over and gave Ji Qingyu a hug.

“Xiaoyu, your husband looks so handsome!” Yu Yue was a very straightforward girl with an attractive, spirited look, and she got along well with Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu was pulled away by Yu Yue.

Fu Han slowly followed behind. He still had that noble and arrogant demeanor, his features sharp and handsome. Wearing a bite inhibitor, his suit made him look even more radiant.

Yu Yue secretly pulled Ji Qingyu closer to gossip: “I’ve been obsessed with the gossip lately. Look at the mess your husband made with Ji Ran for your sake.”

Ji Qingyu didn’t know what expression to put on. He just smiled and smoothly changed the topic.

“Teacher Ji, your lipstick needs a touch-up,” the makeup artist said, holding a brush.

Ji Qingyu cooperated and nodded. The next second, Fu Han walked over and took the lipstick from the makeup artist. He held Ji Qingyu still and applied the lipstick to Ji Qingyu’s lips little by little.

Ji Qingyu was stunned. Fu Han remained expressionless. Finally, he used his fingertip to wipe away the excess lip gloss. Ji Qingyu’s body was tense. He averted his gaze, choosing not to look at Fu Han. The sensation on his lips still lingered. Ji Qingyu stared blankly at the lipstick stain left on Fu Han’s fingertip.

Perhaps it was merely habit; Fu Han was always adept at this kind of perfunctory show.

The nominees for this award included many formidable teams. The crew members basically didn’t hold much hope. In fact, being nominated was already a fantastic beginning for them.

The awards ceremony began. They didn’t win the Best Screenplay award, but surprisingly, Yu Yue actually won Best Actress. The entire crew, including Yu Yue herself, was in disbelief and then erupted in cheers. Ji Qingyu also smiled. Before going on stage, Yu Yue rushed over and hugged Ji Qingyu.

His focus was somewhat scattered, and his mind was sluggish. Most of the time, he was thinking about Lin Ying, with fragments of the past constantly resurfacing. As he was zoning out, his hand was suddenly gripped by Fu Han.

The host had approached Ji Qingyu without him realizing it. The previous award had been given out, and before announcing the next one, the host arranged for a floor interview and was now standing in front of Ji Qingyu.

“Mr. Ji, you and your husband look like you have a wonderful, loving relationship. Could you share your love story with us?” the host asked with a smile.

“…” Ji Qingyu fell silent. The surrounding area went quiet for a few seconds. Fu Han also looked down at him. Ji Qingyu couldn’t find anything to say. He didn’t want to utter a single word right now.

For about ten seconds, the person in front of the camera was expressionless, quiet, even cold. The atmosphere grew tense. Fu Han tightened his grip on Ji Qingyu’s hand slightly, but Ji Qingyu remained silent.

The host gave an awkward laugh: “It seems Mr. Ji is a little nervous. Next, we will be presenting the Best Music Score Award. Who do you all think the winner will be?”

No wonder the host came to interview him. The lights shone on Ji Qingyu, but he still hadn’t reacted. His name was already being read out on stage.

Perhaps because too many bad things had happened in the past, this moment felt somewhat unreal. Ji Qingyu hadn’t even prepared a speech, watching the crew members below as he thanked them one by one.

He didn’t mention Fu Han. The Alpha didn’t seem to mind and even stood up specifically to meet him when he came off stage. Ji Qingyu didn’t take the extended hand, instead walking off alone, clutching the trophy.

Fu Han’s hand hung in the air for a few seconds, looking slightly stunned. A crack appeared on that face, which was always impossible to read, and he looked up at Ji Qingyu’s receding back with a hint of confusion.

But it was only for a moment. He quickly concealed his emotions, and the expression on his face was once again flawless.

After the awards ceremony, everyone went to an izakaya (Japanese pub) for a celebration. Yu Yue subtly poked Ji Qingyu: “Did you and your husband have a fight?”

Fu Han was sitting on Ji Qingyu’s left. Even though they were talking softly, he could still hear them.

“We’re not really married; it’s just a contract marriage.”

Yu Yue covered her mouth in astonishment, looking at the two of them in disbelief.

Fu Han’s hand, holding the chopsticks, paused. He reached for his glass, but his grip slipped. The glass fell, wetting his entire lapel. He rarely had such a loss of composure.

The people around him gasped, and those nearby quickly offered him a dry towel.

Fu Han stood up to clean himself, glancing at Ji Qingyu twice on the way out. Ji Qingyu never looked in his direction the entire time.

His heart sank deeper and deeper. He couldn’t even deceive himself anymore. It was as if he was standing on the edge of a cliff, and an unknown fear was consuming him.

After dinner, Ji Qingyu said goodbye to the others. Only Fu Han and Ji Qingyu were left on the roadside. Ji Qingyu had been persuaded by the crew to drink too much. A cold wind blew, making him feel dizzy. He was about to get into the car to go back, but his arm was grabbed. Fu Han slammed him against the wall. The still-damp water marks on his suit made him look somewhat disheveled, and his tone cooled: “Why did you tell people we were in a contract marriage?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Ji Qingyu looked past Fu Han, his eyes empty. The cigarette in Fu Han’s hand ignited, the crimson ember glowing hot in the night. Ji Qingyu coughed a few times from the smoke. The cigarette was stubbed out and tossed into the trash can.

“Isn’t this what you hoped for? Didn’t you always tell me to know my place? What else are you dissatisfied with?” Ji Qingyu spoke plainly, devoid of emotion. His tone was too cold and detached. Fu Han didn’t speak for a moment.

After a long pause, the Alpha’s hand, gripping Ji Qingyu’s arm, suddenly tightened. He lowered his head to kiss Ji Qingyu, seemingly trying to compensate for something this way. Ji Qingyu allowed him to kiss him, treating it like a dog bite, offering no response.

On the way back, the two were completely silent with each other.

Fu Han seemed genuinely angry this time. As soon as he entered the house, he slammed the master bedroom door shut, finally no longer squeezing into the narrow secondary bedroom with Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu couldn’t be bothered to care. He slammed the secondary bedroom door shut with even greater force. Now, he could finally sleep soundly.