Married the Abandoned Puppy Alpha - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Hosting a Wedding

“I’m saying, can we please stop choosing this coffee shop as our meeting spot?” He Xinglou looked at his several close friends speechlessly.

“Haven’t you guys noticed that the servers all recognize you now?”

The group had just walked in and sat at their usual spot they hadn’t even ordered when the server directly brought over their customary desserts and drinks.

Luo Qingzhe sucked on his juice with a slurp: “But I feel choosing this place for gatherings is sacred. After all, it’s where Xinglou and I first met.”

“Mind your words. Xinglou is having his wedding tomorrow. Don’t let the paparazzi hear you, or it’ll turn into a high-society scandal immediately.” Shen Yuzhe, being experienced in such matters, couldn’t help but warn him.

It would have been better if he hadn’t spoken; as soon as he did, Luo Qingzhe’s eyes grew watery. He grabbed He Xinglou’s hand and wouldn’t let go: “Is it really decided then? Are you truly going to marry him? Actually, my family is very rich too”

“Stop right there, watch your words!” He Xinglou nearly spat out his water, interrupting him hurriedly. “The server is looking over again!”

Luo Qingzhe was good in every way, except he was loose-tongued and always said things that invited misunderstanding. It was fine for their group to hear, but if Shi Qingze found out, he’d probably come to intimidate this little Omega again.

“I still feel like we should have scheduled a rehearsal today.” Lin Shuyan was uncharacteristically restless, constantly flipping through a preparation checklist. “I have social anxiety; I feel like I’ll forget my lines tomorrow.”

“If you forget your lines, I’ll take over,” Song Xiao waved a hand. “Watch me improvise!”

Great. Not a single reliable person here.

The wedding arrangements had been left entirely to Shi Qingze’s team. Originally, He Xinglou wasn’t nervous, but seeing them like this made him feel a bit apprehensive.

Just then, his communicator buzzed with a message.

He Xinglou tapped it open. It was Shi Qingze asking him what he wanted for dinner, accompanied by a photo of him buying groceries at the supermarket.

That photo was so filled with the atmosphere of daily life, and when matched with the text, it gave off a “virtuous spouse” vibe that instantly put him at ease.

He Xinglou started ordering dishes without hesitation: [Sweet and sour pork ribs, and braised beef brisket with carrots.]

A voice message came back. He Xinglou didn’t realize it was on speaker and clicked it directly. Shi Qingze’s smiling voice rang out:

[Okay, I’ll make these two tonight. I knew Brother loves eating ‘kid dishes’.]

The rowdy group at the table went silent instantly, their eyes widening as they stared at He Xinglou…’s communicator.

He Xinglou: “…”

He tried his best to explain: “I didn’t mean to play the voice message out loud.”

“Shi Qingze has this kind of persona at home??” Shen Yuzhe absolutely couldn’t accept it. “I saw him scold Fang Chi until he cried before.”

“Something like that happened?” He Xinglou was surprised. “Then I’ll have a word with him when I get back.”

“No need for a ‘word’, just scold him a few more times for me to vent my anger.” Shen Yuzhe clearly still held a grudge regarding Fang Chi.

Song Xiao and Lin Shuyan were also shocked, looking at He Xinglou as if they didn’t recognize him.

“When you took Shi Qingze in back then, did you make the kid cook for you then too?”

He Xinglou was unjustified yet acted boldly: “I didn’t ask him to; he insisted on doing it himself.”

“He’s completely wrapped around your finger,” Song Xiao remarked with emotion. “To think I used to worry he would bully you.”

Wrapped around my finger?

He Xinglou recalled their history together it seemed like it really was like that.

If there was one thing in this world he would never doubt now, it was surely this: Shi Qingze loved him very, very much.

He had once been afraid of such an intense concentration of emotion, always feeling that he couldn’t return an equal amount of love and would thus be unfair to Shi Qingze.

But after Shi Qingze heard him mention this, he simply embraced him with great satisfaction.

“Brother is worried about such things because he feels bad for me. Thinking of it that way, doesn’t Brother love me especially much too?”

What a hopeless romantic is just a little bit of pity enough? He Xinglou had helplessly returned the embrace, vowing to be even gentler to Shi Qingze.

That vow lasted only until that night.

When Shi Qingze made some particularly excessive requests in bed, He Xinglou, thinking of their conversation during the day, rarely didn’t refuse. By the time he regretted it and tried to vocalize a rejection, Shi Qingze immediately pretended not to hear, clinging to him like a wolf cub. No amount of begging for mercy was of any use.

“This won’t do; he’ll be spoiled rotten,” the sore and aching He Xinglou thought the next morning, making a move to argue with the person beside him on the pillow.

Just then, the person beside him opened his eyes and embraced him with a sated smile, his tone soft: “Good morning, Brother.”

He looked incredibly well-behaved.

The fire that had just risen in He Xinglou withered instantly; he couldn’t say a single word of reproach.

“Just who is wrapped around whose finger?” He retorted huffily, but then let out two “hehe” laughs.

The laughter sounded a bit silly, and the group stared at him speechlessly.

“You should just go back; your ‘kid dishes’ are waiting for you.” Lin Shuyan issued an eviction notice.

He Xinglou was also embarrassed by his own silly laugh and stood up: “Then I’ll head out first. I still have to… go back and try on the suit. I’ll get together with you guys again after tomorrow is over.”

The group hadn’t finished their snacks, but their faces were full of the expression of having had their fill [of public displays of affection], waving him away hurriedly.

As He Xinglou walked out of the coffee shop, he looked up and saw a familiar hovering car parked across the street.

The moment he appeared at the door, the driver’s side door opened immediately, and Shi Qingze stepped out carrying a bouquet of sunflowers.

“We’ve only been apart for how long? Why are you giving me flowers?” He Xinglou asked helplessly.

Shi Qingze nodded with great ceremony: “Mm. I have to give Brother flowers every day.”

…The density of sweet talk is too high!

He Xinglou looked away, trying to change the subject: “How long have you been waiting here? Didn’t you go buy groceries?”

As he opened the car door for him, Shi Qingze replied: “I came over right after buying the food. Since you guys always gather here anyway.”

He paused, then smiled: “I didn’t go in. After making such a scene in that shop last time, I reckon the manager doesn’t welcome me.”

“At least you know,” He Xinglou teased with a long drawl.

The hovering car took flight. He Xinglou rummaged through the shopping bags and found not only the dishes he ordered but also some snacks he liked; however, one bag of figs was not on his preference list.

“Why did you buy these? And so many of them.”

Shi Qingze gave an “um”: “I just simply had a bit of a craving for figs.”

Really? I don’t believe it. Xinglou glanced at him with a hint of a smile.

Since returning from the Solar System, He Xinglou’s work had been quite busy, recently reaching the point of needing overtime. Shi Qingze had even more to handle. Although they lived under the same roof, they were both leaving early and returning late, having little time to be together.

Until today, when He Xinglou applied for wedding leave from the Institute of Cultural Relics.

Shi Qingze was easy to understand. He used to insist on buying citrus-scented things, but after learning about He Xinglou’s pheromones, he replaced all the citrus scents with fig.

When they first returned to the Imperial Capital, their reunion was passionate. They were quite reckless at home, to the point where He Xinglou couldn’t distinguish whether the fig scent in the room was the fragrance of their bath products or if he was in heat at every single moment.

Now Shi Qingze was buying figs again

He Xinglou didn’t press further, holding the bag of light purple fruit and closing his eyes to rest.

He had to seize the time to rest.

…

Back at home, Shi Qingze entered the kitchen with a calm expression and began preparing dinner in an organized manner.

He Xinglou sat on the sofa for a while. As time ticked by, his patience soon ran out. He rested his neck against the back of the sofa, leaning back to watch Shi Qingze’s silhouette.

Is he really cooking seriously? He Xinglou arched an eyebrow.

He simply rose from the sofa, carried the bag of fruit to the kitchen door, leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, and continued to stare.

Shi Qingze turned at the sound: “Brother? Are you hungry?”

He Xinglou admitted: “A little.”

Shi Qingze’s movements sped up: “Then why don’t you have some snacks, I’ll be quick”

But before he could finish, He Xinglou walked directly to his side, took out a fruit knife and a cutting board, and sliced open a ripe fig.

The bright red, luscious flesh was revealed. Pale pink juice stained He Xinglou’s fingertips like a frostbite mark.

He licked his fingertips, placed half of the sliced fig in his palm, and reached out toward Shi Qingze’s lips.

Shi Qingze didn’t move. He pursed his lips and looked at him, his eye color lightening at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to eat figs?” Xinglou tilted his head. “Do you want some?”

So Shi Qingze leaned down slightly. He didn’t pick up the half-fruit; he simply opened his mouth and bit into it.

A bit of the sweet juice dripped onto He Xinglou’s palm and slid down his wrist toward his forearm. He maintained his position, looking at Shi Qingze with a smile.

Shi Qingze’s face was still resting against his hand as he lifted his eyelids to meet his gaze. His lips were already shiny with fig juice, and the vivid red core of the fruit with its intricate texture was still pressed against his lips.

He Xinglou tried his best to keep his expression looking composed, but the tips of his ears secretly turned bright red.

“Eat dinner first, or let me ‘feed’ first?” Shi Qingze asked in a lowered voice. “Brother must be hungry too, right?”

If He Xinglou hadn’t already smelled the pine pheromones waiting for their chance, perhaps he would have believed the other’s politeness.

Still pretending even now. Xinglou puffed out his cheeks.

But Shi Qingze seemed determined not to move until he heard an answer, his light gray eyes locked onto He Xinglou’s face like a wolf waiting for its prey to deliver itself.

He Xinglou had no choice. He lowered his gaze with trembling lashes and said softly: “I… I ate something at the coffee shop.”

This was his final hint! If he pushed any further, he would he would

Before he could resolve to be firm, Shi Qingze suddenly nipped his earlobe and pushed him directly against the kitchen counter, pinning him down.

“Wait!”

The dense scent of pine spread out. Xinglou’s legs went soft instantly, and he hurriedly tried to push the other away with his hands.

“Not here!”

Shi Qingze was now completely out of control. He let out two low laughs, his moist touch still lingering on He Xinglou’s earlobe.

“But the dining counter is exactly where I take my ‘meals’.” A voice feigning innocence drifted over.

This guy! He Xinglou was fuming, thinking that he absolutely couldn’t indulge him this time. He turned to dodge, only to be picked up by a pair of arms and seated on the counter without a word.

Shi Qingze leaned down, bringing his face close to the edge of the counter, and his lips curled into a smile.

“Didn’t Brother proactively invite me to ‘eat figs’?”

…

The truth was, there is absolutely no good outcome from proactive provocation.

He Xinglou stared blankly at the ceiling, resolving that the fruit ‘fig’ would absolutely never appear in this house again.

Fortunately, Shi Qingze knew there was important business the next day and didn’t make things too difficult for his lover, allowing He Xinglou to get a good night’s sleep.

…

“Are the bodyguards all arranged? Except for a few named media outlets, no other reporters are to be let in.”

When He Xinglou finished changing, he heard Shi Qingze giving instructions to his assistant.

The assistant had been checking the itinerary seriously but looked up to see the person behind Shi Qingze and gave him a greeting with a smile.

Only then did Shi Qingze turn around. His originally furrowed brow relaxed instantly, and he stepped forward to give He Xinglou a hug.

“Why are you so nervous? What are you worried about?” Xinglou used his index finger to push at the space between his brows.

Shi Qingze said unhappily: “Last time someone came to cause trouble.”

“There’s no need to stop eating for fear of choking. Didn’t you call us here this time?” Someone joked as they walked in.

He Xinglou turned to look and found it was Shi Zhao and Shi Qing, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.

These two brothers were closer than blood brothers and appeared in pairs every time. They were now both wearing black suits, clearly arranged by Shi Qingze to be best men.

Shi Qing’s words were as sharp as Lin Shuyan’s: “You’ve cleaned out all the ‘rat droppings’ in the Shi family. What are you afraid of? You can’t be guarding us, can you?”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Shi Qingze said helplessly. “Just taking precautions.”

“Don’t worry, the security personnel from both our families have been sent over. There definitely won’t be any problems,” Shi Zhao also gave him his word.

“Thank you,” Shi Qingze nodded.

He Xinglou silently observed their interaction, thinking that after the several elders of the Shi family had been dealt with, there were still a few normal people left.

Just then, Shi Qing suddenly walked straight toward him, his face written all over with excitement.

“Are you pregnant?”

He Xinglou: “…”

What kind of question is that for a first meeting!!

Shi Qing seemed completely unaware of his intrusion, as if he had some obsession with this matter. He continued: “Didn’t I recommend my ‘Pregnant Omega Rights Association’ to you before? If you ever want to join, you’re welcome anytime.”

He Xinglou said embarrassedly: “I don’t have that plan for the time being.”

Shi Qing gave an “oh,” and his eyes darted around: “Then I also have a ‘Pregnant Omega Conditioning Center”

“Enough, enough. They’re having their wedding today; you’re talking about it too early.” In the end, Shi Zhao came over and pulled him away.

Only then did Shi Qing pout unwillingly, letting Shi Zhao pull him out the door. But just as they reached the doorway, he shook off the hand and walked back, pressing a business card into He Xinglou’s palm.

“Everything I said was serious.” For the first time, Shi Qing withdrew his smile and looked into his eyes. “If you need it, you can contact me.”

He spoke so solemnly that He Xinglou forgot to answer. By the time he reacted, Shi Qing had already turned and left.

“What’s the matter with him?” He Xinglou’s head was full of question marks, holding the card and not knowing what to do.

Shi Qingze was amused by him: “Don’t mind him. He doesn’t have bad intentions.”

“I used to suspect he wanted me to donate money to his foundation.” He Xinglou looked at the card wonderingly. “But looking at it today, it seems that’s not it.”

Shi Qingze’s smile faded a bit as he explained: “He’s just obsessed with the matter of children. After all, he was once very close to getting married. But the Shi family’s factions were complex; no one wanted to see him, an Omega, marry first and gain inheritance rights, so…”

Shi Qingze didn’t finish, but the following words were easy to guess.

He Xinglou’s expression changed slightly: “And his Alpha?”

“He was a Beta from an ordinary family,” Shi Qingze corrected. “He couldn’t protect the other person; he has already passed away. Including their unborn child—nothing was left.”

He Xinglou was stunned into silence.

No wonder Shi Qing always asked him so nervously if he was pregnant…

“I misjudged him before.” He felt very guilty. “I have to find a way to make it up to him.”

Shi Qingze touched his cheek comfortingly: “Don’t worry. After experiencing those things, he’s not that fragile. Also, at the time, they deliberately pretended to be unfamiliar with me so it would be easier to work together later. It’s normal to be misunderstood.”

Is that so? He Xinglou nodded blankly.

Speaking to this point, a shadow fell over Shi Qingze’s eyes again: “Back then, I was thinking if I had rashly contacted Brother, I’m afraid our ending would have become like that too.”

He Xinglou finally realized.

Shi Qingze used to say he didn’t dare look for him, which is why he broke off contact for two years. But putting himself in the other’s shoes and thinking about the internal undercurrents of the Shi family at that time, one could imagine what kind of life Shi Qingze led.

Forget protecting him wasn’t Shi Qingze himself someone who had experienced a kidnapping and returned to the Shi family with a narrow escape from death?

Shi Qingze said softly: “At that time, I made up my mind: if I was to come back and find Brother, it had to be when I could protect Brother. Even if I have to risk my own life, I will absolutely not let Brother be bullied by them.”

He Xinglou actually didn’t know much about the Shi family’s entanglements. Shi Qingze had indeed protected him too well. During the family struggles, he was far away on Planet Muxia. By the time He Xinglou realized what was happening, Shi Qingze had already handled everything himself.

“These things must have been very hard to handle, right?” He Xinglou suddenly felt a bit sad. “I didn’t help you with anything.”

“Of course not!” Shi Qingze hurriedly retorted. “These things were originally unrelated to Brother. I’m the one who’s always pulling you into the mess.”

“What do you mean ‘pulling me into the mess’? We are family, right?” He Xinglou said disapprovingly.

Shi Qingze froze upon hearing this, then started to smile: “That’s right. We are family. So Brother shouldn’t always feel like he has to help me. You staying by my side is already my salvation.”

He imprinted a light kiss on He Xinglou’s forehead: “No matter what happens, as long as Brother is here, I will feel happy.”

He Xinglou’s heart softened completely at the words. His eyes carried a bit of moisture as he nodded forcefully.

“Then let’s go out.” Shi Qingze took his hand.

He Xinglou took a deep breath and pushed open the large doors together with him.

White rose petals flew all through the air, the pipe organ played melodiously, and all the guests were familiar friends, all clapping with sincere smiles.

“Let’s go over together, Brother.” Shi Qingze held his hand firmly, and the two stepped slowly into the rain of petals.

The start and end of this road will be traveled by the two of them together, arriving together, never to be separated even after crossing mountains and rivers.

<Full Text End>