Married the Abandoned Puppy Alpha - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Giving the Wedding Ring

He Xinglou finally discovered some benefits of the interstellar era.

Back on Earth, if you missed a massive meteor shower, you might not have the chance to see another for the rest of your life.

However, Planet Muxia was located in a binary star system. The chaotic gravity made comets and meteor swarms a regular occurrence; even if things had ended on a sour note the previous night, they could make up for it tonight.

The two seemed to return to the days when they sat on the roof counting stars, able to talk about the various events of the past two years without any reservations.

He Xinglou showed Shi Qingze the photos on his communicator one by one, recounting the part-time jobs he had worked, the residences he had cycled through, and how he had escaped the pursuit of the investigators—narratives that earned him quite a few of Shi Qingze’s tears.

“I didn’t even cry over these things, why on earth are you such a crybaby?” He Xinglou kept wiping the tear tracks from his face.

“Didn’t you say you’d grown up and matured?”

Shi Qingze shook his head repeatedly, covering He Xinglou’s hand with his palm and pressing it tightly against his own cheek.

“If only I had gathered the courage to find you a little sooner.”

Before he finished speaking, his tears began to fall pitter-patter again.

He Xinglou thought about such a scenario: “If it had been a little sooner, I might have run away the first time I saw you.”

“Perhaps everyone has a specific timing for meeting and reuniting, so now is the best time.”

Shi Qingze still couldn’t seem to let it go, sitting on the beach with red-rimmed eyes, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Xinglou found it amusing, so he withdrew his hand, stood up, and went to get a bottle of iced soda, pressing it against Shi Qingze’s eyelid.

“I know you still have many questions to ask, but give me a little more time. I will tell you everything.”

Like his transmigration, for example, or the parallel world he had mentioned before.

When he walked over from the beach, his feet were covered in fine white sand, so Shi Qingze bowed his head to wipe the sand off the top of his feet one by one.

“Does this mean Brother has decided not to leave?”

“…Mm.”

“And won’t divorce me either?”

He knew this person would take a mile if given an inch.

He Xinglou helplessly: “Mm.”

Shi Qingze finally began to smile.

“Then shouldn’t Brother also accept this?”

Just as he spoke, Shi Qingze pulled a velvet box out of his pocket.

He Xinglou was taking a small sip of soda; upon seeing the box in the other’s hand, he immediately realized what would be inside.

The fizzing bubbles of the soda danced incessantly in his mouth, nearly jumping straight into his heart.

“Didn’t you already have this ready yesterday?” he whispered.

“Not yesterday.” Shi Qingze slowly opened the velvet box, revealing a simple, silver-white ring inside.

He adjusted his posture to kneel on one knee and said seriously: “I’ve been carrying it with me all along.”

“From the day we took measurements for the custom formal wear, I’ve had it on me, just waiting for the day Brother was willing to accept it.”

Xinglou’s heart skipped a few beats as he thought of another possibility: “Then what if I really had taken the starship and left today?”

Shi Qingze said without hesitation: “Then I would have kept the ring on me forever. The other half of the wedding ring was only ever meant for Brother’s finger size, so keeping the ring by my side would be as if Brother were still”

“Oh god, stop talking.” Xinglou’s heart felt soft and aching, and he leaned down to kiss him.

…

Ever since He Xinglou put on that ring, Shi Qingze was as if he had been given a dose of a powerful sedative, never again showing expressions of being plagued by gains and losses.

However, after eating too much of the island’s catering, both of them found it a bit bland and began to miss daily home-cooked meals.

So, Shi Qingze volunteered to go into the kitchen to cook.

The rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables drifted out, and steaming vapor wafted from above the kitchen door frame. He Xinglou had been completely turned into a pampered person, no longer thinking about anything, playing games while eating snacks.

Occasionally, when he felt it was too quiet around him, he would roll over on the bed a few times and look up at the figure in the kitchen.

They truly felt like they were on a honeymoon now. Shi Qingze wore only loose daily clothes, eyes lowered as he seriously watched the soup bubbling and boiling in the pot.

Under the kitchen lights, the shoulders and back wrapped in soft fabric revealed clear muscular contours; his figure was as upright as a poplar tree.

Xinglou stared for a long time, then suddenly buried his face in the pillow and punched the mattress several times with his fist.

“Brother?” Hearing the noise, Shi Qingze hurriedly came out, looking at him inquiringly.

“It’s nothing!” He Xinglou didn’t dare lift his head at all. “I just lost my game!”

After he spoke, he heard no reply and thought Shi Qingze had returned to the kitchen. Only then did he lift his head with a flushed face to catch his breath, only to crash directly into Shi Qingze’s eyes right in front of him.

He Xinglou: “…”

Those lead-gray eyes crinkled slightly: “What is Brother thinking about? Your face is so red.”

The heat on He Xinglou’s face burned even more intensely, and he scrambled to push Shi Qingze’s face away.

Shi Qingze burst into laughter, good-naturedly letting him knead his cheeks. But as soon as He Xinglou settled down a bit, he immediately took the chance to pounce, wrapping He Xinglou entirely in his arms.

Unsurprisingly, that pot of soup burned completely.

As the elder party, he was actually being played like a fiddle by Shi Qingze. He Xinglou felt quite indignant in his heart, so he resolved to find an opportunity to strike back.

That opportunity came very quickly.

Since the Shi family’s affairs hadn’t been finalized, Shi Qingze would spend a significant amount of time handling work matters. During these times, He Xinglou would tactfully leave the room and wander around the island on his own.

And he really did find something useful.

So when Shi Qingze finished his business and went out to look for He Xinglou, he saw He Xinglou standing by a vending robot, taking a box of pheromone electronic cigarettes from a mechanical arm.

Shi Qingze: “…”

He Xinglou acted as if he hadn’t noticed him, naturally opening the packaging and putting the electronic cigarette in his mouth.

He was as self-assured as if he were sucking on a lollipop. Shi Qingze looked on in shock.

Tobacco had been lost during the space race era; today’s electronic cigarettes contained synthetic pheromones, which could alleviate the symptoms of rut and heat.

Without a doubt, He Xinglou had taken out a box of Alpha-pheromone electronic cigarettes.

Perhaps because his heat was approaching, He Xinglou felt the need to buy such a thing. He tilted his head slightly, his exposed neck as white as a trackless snowfield, then opened his lips slightly and exhaled a puff of mist.

The smoke was actually a sickly-sweet strawberry flavor, worlds apart from Shi Qingze’s pheromones.

Shi Qingze couldn’t take it anymore.

He walked sullenly to He Xinglou’s side, bowing his body to rest his chin on that slender shoulder, his eyes fixed on the electronic cigarette emitting Alpha pheromones at He Xinglou’s lips.

“Is Brother’s heat about to arrive?”

He Xinglou suppressed a smile: “No, I just occasionally need to relax my mood.”

Relaxing your mood with Alpha pheromones?? Then why not look for me!

Shi Qingze reached out and snatched the cigarette away, looking incredibly aggrieved: “I am also an Alpha, and an Alpha who has a marital relationship with Brother.”

“Mm, so?” Xinglou glanced over, asking what he already knew.

“So, if Brother needs to relax his mood, you can use me.” Shi Qingze gritted his teeth and added, “Usage in any manner is fine.”

He Xinglou couldn’t hold it back anymore, turned his face away, and burst out laughing.

Now Shi Qingze understood—this was He Xinglou’s revenge for his previous teasing.

He took a deep breath, picked the person up by the waist, and sat him on the edge of the nearby yacht to be at eye level with him.

“You know that this kind of behavior, for an Alpha, is equivalent to a provocation, right?” Shi Qingze’s ears were bright red as he pretended to be angry.

“And now Brother is covered in the smell of synthetic pheromones; it’s practically as if…”

He Xinglou gave him a soft look, teasing him: “As if what? As if I have someone else outside?”

Just hearing this hypothesis, Shi Qingze showed a wounded expression, his eyes turning red as he made to walk away.

He Xinglou hurriedly pulled him back: “…Are you really angry?”

Shi Qingze kept his head down and didn’t speak.

It seems the joke went too far. Xinglou thought worriedly.

He hesitated for a moment and opened his arms toward Shi Qingze.

“Then… Do you want a hug?”

“Yes!”

The person who was just pretending to be a crying puppy immediately lifted his head and used his old tricks to pounce, pinning He Xinglou into the yacht.

By the time He Xinglou got up with an aching waist and sore back, rubbing his neck and smelling the scent of pine coming from his body and gland, he only hated himself for having such a soft heart.

…

The starship stayed at Planet Muxia for an entire week; every day they could see clear skies and the Milky Way.

And just when He Xinglou thought this kind of vacation life would continue, Shi Qingze suddenly received a message from the ancestral manor.

After Shi Qingze ended the call, he looked very exhausted, a state He Xinglou hadn’t seen him in for a long time.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Xinglou approached and gave him a hug.

Shi Qingze buried his face in the crook of his neck, sniffing the soothing pheromones He Xinglou had intentionally released.

He tightened his arms, and after a long while, he said in a muffled voice: “Grandfather is seriously ill, I have to go back.”

When the starship stopped at the Imperial Capital Star, the two rushed to the sanatorium without stopping, only to see the old man sitting in the garden, looking in fairly good spirits.

“You’re back?” The old man saw them and greeted them with a smile.

In the Shi family, the only person Shi Qingze cared about was his grandfather. Seeing the elder’s quite haggard face, he secretly clenched his fists, trying his best to suppress his emotions.

Seeing this, He Xinglou reached out and squeezed his palm.

This action soothed Shi Qingze well; only then did he walk over silently and kneel halfway before the old man’s wheelchair.

“Has the doctor checked you today? Can you come out to catch the breeze?”

The old man laughed loudly: “I’m not that fragile! Soaking up the sun is still fine.”

Although he spoke with a full voice, He Xinglou’s sharp eyes noticed the purpura on the back of the old man’s hand. Compared to their last meeting, the old man was noticeably thinner; now sitting in a wheelchair, he presumably could no longer stand.

He Xinglou was inevitably saddened. He was standing not far away listening to the two chat when he suddenly saw the old man wave to him, signaling him to come over.

He was a bit lost, instinctively turning his head to look at Shi Qingze, only to see the other give him a reassuring smile before leaving the garden, leaving the time to the two of them.

What is going on…

He Xinglou and the old man had only met once; he really couldn’t fathom what kind of conversation needed to happen in private.

Give him three million to leave Shi Qingze? No, no, the old man probably wouldn’t do something like that.

Of course, he wouldn’t agree anyway.

While he was lost in thought, he heard the old man ask gently:

“Those things from before I went to investigate them properly later. My several good-for-nothing sons caused quite a bit of trouble for you, didn’t they?”

He Xinglou thought for a moment and answered honestly: “As long as they don’t come to affect my life anymore, it’s fine.”

The old man took his hand and patted it, saying solemnly: “Good, I will definitely help you handle this matter.”

He spoke with a certainty similar to Shi Qingze’s, as if a promise given would inevitably be fulfilled.

Turning around, the old man noticed the ring on his hand and gave a knowing smile: “Getting along well with Qingze lately?”

“It’s… alright.” He Xinglou thought of their days on the island and felt very embarrassed.

“I wonder if Qingze has mentioned to you my requirements for the Shi family heir.”

He Xinglou immediately became nervous, worried that their contract marriage had been exposed.

But the old man only continued: “Perhaps to outsiders, deciding an heir based on their family happiness seems unconvincing and rash. But… it is indeed the best method I could think of.”

He signaled He Xinglou to sit down. The breeze of a clear day blew over, making the old man’s white hair tremble, like a weak flame that could be easily extinguished.

The old man said with a smile: “Actually, during the years I was starting from scratch, my several sons could still get along very well. At that time, my wife was still around and could discipline them; even if there were grievances between brothers, they could be communicated and handled quickly.”

“But later I became busy with my career, and after my wife died of illness, ill-intentioned people incited my several sons to turn against each other. The sibling rivalry nearly brought the company to ruin, and later, things like kidnapping Qingze occurred…”

The old man looked at He Xinglou with guilt: “The reason you and Qingze encountered these things is all because of my lack of discipline.”

With money, the family fell apart instead. This kind of thing wasn’t uncommon even before He Xinglou transmigrated.

He Xinglou shook his head and said with understanding: “Family education is only a part of personal growth. If someone can be easily incited to succeed, it only means that person already had a different heart.”

The old man was stunned, then burst into loud laughter.

“You actually see things more clearly than most people in our family.”

“But my sons, and even the grandchildren, don’t understand. So I also wonder, what’s the point of creating such a vast commercial empire? A person only lives this once; if only regret remains before death, possessing all the wealth in the world is for nothing.”

The old man said seriously: “That’s why I decided that only a descendant who can think clearly about their life goals and personally grasp happiness is fit to be my heir. He must first withstand the test of sincerity, so as to be less likely to be alienated by wealth and become someone whose greedy face is unrecognizable.”

Xinglou held his breath, suddenly understanding why the old man had suddenly called Shi Qingze back to the Imperial Capital Star.

Immediately, he saw the old man turn his gaze toward him with some apology: “But once Qingze becomes the heir, he will inevitably face the difficulties I once encountered. He might become very busy, or he might become different from how he is now. Can you be psychologically prepared for this?”

He Xinglou slowly raised his eyes and suddenly laughed: “Are you warning me that Shi Qingze might have a change of heart?”

The old man dodged his gaze guiltily: “After all, the temptations in the circle of fame and fortune… are many.”

Xinglou thought about this answer very carefully.

No one can say for sure about future matters; after all, he never thought he would encounter something like transmigration.

In the past, he would have been very afraid of the love Shi Qingze showed him, always feeling it was too pure and intense to be real. Now that the love was so passionate, what if the ending was just like that? Could he really accept such a massive disparity?

But looking back at himself, there was also the “transmigration” time bomb on him. He didn’t know if he would have the chance to make a choice on the day he truly could return to his original world.

Could these unknown futures refute the sincerity of the present?

He Xinglou breathed deeply and finally gave his answer: “Although I don’t believe there will be a day when Shi Qingze has a change of heart, it’s better to live the present well than to think about an ethereal future.”

“The Shi Qingze I love is the one who could happily watch the stars with me even in the slums. If he really changes his appearance in the future, it won’t affect the fact that I once loved him as he is now, so I won’t regret it.”

After he finished speaking, he saw the old man in front of him suddenly freeze for a moment, as if seeing someone else through him.

“If that’s the case, I’m relieved.” He heard the old man say with gratification.

Coming out of the garden, He Xinglou searched for a while before seeing Shi Qingze squatting next to a vending robot.

Shi Qingze saw him quickly and waved the item in his hand with a smile.

“Brother, look what I found! It’s the blue popsicles we used to buy.”

The smile before him overlapped with the face of the youth from three years ago. Xinglou smiled silently, stepped forward, and embraced him.