The Beta Wife Claimed by Competing Alphas - Chapter 44

After returning from the research institute, Shang Qiyue pushed open the door to Mu Yan’s home.

At the institute, he had told the doctor about his susceptibility period coming early. The doctor collected his physical indicators and stated that this was very likely a sign that his condition was improving.

As the door opened, a familiar pheromone scent wafted toward him, though for some reason, the fragrance of bread had faded considerably.

Is Mu Yan not here? He frowned. Where did he go? Is he not off work yet?

“You’re back, Sir?” Mu Yan emerged, having just finished his shower. He didn’t have the habit of using a hair-drying cap; his hair was soaking wet, with water dripping down. “Have you eaten?”

Seeing that he was home, Shang Qiyue finally felt slightly relieved.

“I ate a bit near the institute.”

Hearing that he had been to the institute, Mu Yan casually asked what the doctors there had said.

“Quite good,” Shang Qiyue replied. Mu Yan’s hair was still dripping, but he seemed completely unaware of it, looking at Shang Qiyue with concern. “Why aren’t you using a hair-drying cap? Don’t we have one here?”

A drop of water fell onto the back of Shang Qiyue’s hand. Mu Yan quickly wiped it away with his thumb. “I’m not a girl or an Omega. I don’t keep my hair that long, so I don’t use those.”

Shang Qiyue was amused by him again. Mu Yan looked at him blankly, not knowing what he had said to make him feel strange this time.

“Mu Yan, a hair-drying cap costs a few dozen yuan. Before you met me, your monthly salary was in five figures. Just because you aren’t an Omega or a girl doesn’t mean you can’t use a twenty-yuan hair-drying cap.”

Shang Qiyue found a new hair-drying cap in the cabinet and wiped Mu Yan’s hair. “This dries it much better, and you can blow-dry it faster too. Even if you want to save money, this isn’t the way to do it.”

Mu Yan was too embarrassed to say that to save electricity, he usually only blew it until it was half-dry. Shang Qiyue found the hairdryer under the sink, pulled Mu Yan down to sit, and began drying his hair for him.

Mu Yan wasn’t used to being cared for like this. He turned his head slightly. “Sir, I can do it myself.”

“Sit still.” Shang Qiyue pressed down on his shoulder with his left hand, the one not holding the hairdryer.

Mu Yan’s hair wasn’t long, so it dried quickly. Although the airflow from the hairdryer didn’t seem very strong, for some reason, it dried his hair very fast. Shang Qiyue looked at the pajamas he was wearing. “Are you tired from work today? Do you want to rest early?”

Mu Yan tried to guess Shang Qiyue’s underlying meaning. “Does Sir want to go out for a stroll?”

“Come out with me in a bit.” Shang Qiyue nodded.

Mu Yan didn’t ask what they were doing and simply gave a gentle “okay.”

Shang Qiyue took him to a custom suit shop. The owner was Italian, and Shang Qiyue spoke a lot of things to him that Mu Yan couldn’t understand before taking Mu Yan’s measurements.

Mu Yan stood straight, his shoulders slightly tense. Shang Qiyue sat on a nearby sofa, slowly flipping through a magazine, but his gaze remained fixed on Mu Yan.

Mu Yan had a lean and upright figure with clean features. Even in his most ordinary dark sweater and cargo pants, he was beautiful.

However, when he changed into clothes that were more decent and attractive by worldly standards, this beauty became even more eye-catching.

Mu Yan felt uneasy and instinctively looked toward the familiar Shang Qiyue.

Their gazes met in the air. Only then did Mu Yan realize that although Shang Qiyue had a magazine in front of him, he had been watching him the whole time.

He felt his cheeks heat up and couldn’t help but lower his head.

Why is President Shang looking at me?

Custom-made clothes like this must be very expensive.

Mu Yan thought this but didn’t ask. He was gradually beginning to understand that sometimes when Shang Qiyue spent money on him, it wasn’t just for Mu Yan’s sake; sometimes it was for Shang Qiyue’s own satisfaction. Dressing him decently meant the man wouldn’t lose face when taking him out.

“Accompany me to a friend’s engagement banquet next week.”

Shang Qiyue, who had been talking to the owner, suddenly turned around and said this to Mu Yan in Chinese.

Mu Yan was stunned. Although he had prepared himself for the possibility that Shang Qiyue was getting him custom clothes to take him out, an engagement banquet for a friend was such a formal occasion.

According to the customs in Mu Yan’s village, there were no engagement banquets. A couple would meet both sets of parents, get their certificate, and hold a wedding feast, and that was considered marriage.

Rich people really placed importance on these things. No wonder so many young people at the company were saying “where is the love without money.”

“What’s wrong, don’t you want to go?”

“No, no,” Mu Yan hurried to deny. “But President Shang, this is too formal. If I go, would it be inappropriate?”

“It’s just a meal,” Shang Qiyue said calmly. “What’s inappropriate about it?”

If Shang Qiyue said it wasn’t inappropriate, then it was appropriate.

In addition to the custom formal wear, Shang Qiyue also had Mu Yan try on several standard-sized suits. The saying “clothes make the man” really wasn’t just talk; once Mu Yan changed out of his cheap clothes, he looked different immediately.

With a wave of his hand, Shang Qiyue had all those clothes packed up.

Shang Qiyue really didn’t know what to do with him. It was his first time discovering that someone’s desire for material goods could be this low. With 300,000 yuan deposited into his card every month, he insisted on not letting himself enjoy any luxury at all, not even willing to buy himself a few better pieces of clothing.

Mu Yan thought Shang Qiyue would drive back after buying the suits, but to his surprise, the man drove to a shopping mall in the city center.

The mall lights were soft and bright. Mu Yan followed behind Shang Qiyue, keeping his steps small and deliberately avoiding the price tags in the display windows.

He wasn’t sure what Shang Qiyue wanted to buy; he just followed wherever Shang Qiyue went.

It wasn’t until Shang Qiyue stopped at a luxury store that Mu Yan froze slightly.

“Mr. Shang.” The clerk greeted them with a beaming smile. “Are you picking out a gift for your female companion, Sir?”

Mu Yan instinctively took a step back and lowered his eyes. He remembered Shang Qiyue mentioning a friend’s engagement banquet; it was probably a gift for that friend’s fiancée.

Shang Qiyue didn’t answer. His gaze swept around, and he had the clerk take down a wine-red dress from the display rack. He turned and asked Mu Yan: “How is this one?”

Mu Yan was stunned for a moment, then answered earnestly: “Sir has very good taste. This dress is very beautiful. That lady will like it.”

“Shall I wrap it up, Sir?”

Shang Qiyue looked at the clerk. “Wrap it up. Also, I remember a white tube-top dress from the Miranda show this year. Do you still have it? If not, send it to my house when it arrives.”

The clerk smiled. “You have such good taste. We only have one left in size 2. If your female companion is an Omega, it might not be quite right. I’ll send a size 1 to your home when it comes in.”

“No need,” Shang Qiyue said calmly. “Just the size 2. Wrap them up together.”

Shang Qiyue took the receipt. Mu Yan stood quietly to the side, naturally reaching out to take the bags.

Shang Qiyue looked at him and smiled, his tone ambiguous: “So obedient.”

Nightlife in City A had just begun. The mall was brightly lit, the glow reflecting off the glass counters in warm tones.

Shang Qiyue picked up a pair of cufflinks, held them against Mu Yan’s sleeve to compare, then swapped them for a jade pair. His brows furrowed slightly as if weighing which pair was more suitable.

“These are good, try them.” Shang Qiyue handed the cufflinks to Mu Yan.

Mu Yan hesitated, looking down at the exquisite cufflinks and then at Shang Qiyue’s expression.

“What is it?”

Something this expensive must be the gift Sir is picking for the friend who’s getting engaged.

“It’s nothing, Sir.”

“Do you not know how to put them on?”

“These cufflinks are worn with French-cuff shirts. Let me put them on for this gentleman.” The clerk stepped forward but was pushed back by Shang Qiyue’s gaze.

Mu Yan watched blankly as Shang Qiyue unpacked the cufflinks. His slender fingers held the small piece of metal. He leaned over slightly and directly grasped Mu Yan’s wrist.

“Sir,” Mu Yan instinctively shrank back, his voice very light.

Shang Qiyue didn’t let go. Instead, he looked down, gripped his wrist, and frowned slightly: “Don’t move.”

Mu Yan froze, standing obediently. He looked down at the man’s fingers as they unhurriedly unbuttoned his shirt cuff, threaded the cufflink through the holes, and meticulously fastened it.

His movements were slow. His fingertips occasionally brushed against Mu Yan’s skin, bringing a specific tactile sensation that made Mu Yan uncontrollably tighten his fingers, his tips curling unconsciously.

Before he could snap out of it, Shang Qiyue had already picked up a wristwatch and tilted his chin toward him: “Put this on too.”

Mu Yan stood there stunned as Shang Qiyue lifted his wrist, leaning down to personally fasten the strap.

The cold touch of the metal pressed against his skin, while Shang Qiyue’s fingertips were warm. His movements weren’t exactly gentle; they even carried a hint of irresistible authority. Mu Yan could only let him tighten the buckle, his throat tightening slightly.

Only when the watch was firmly on his wrist did Shang Qiyue speak unhurriedly: “There, done.”

Mu Yan unconsciously curled his fingers. Just as he was about to say something, Shang Qiyue turned to the clerk: “Just these. Check them out; no need to wrap them up.”

Mu Yan looked at the cufflinks and watch on himself, stunned. “Don’t, don’t we need to take them off and wrap them, Sir?”

Shang Qiyue looked at him and smiled. “No need. Keep them on. I picked them out specifically for you.”

Mu Yan looked down at the cufflinks and the watch. The items that had felt cold just a moment ago suddenly became scalding hot.

“President Shang, this is too precious. I can’t wear this out.”

Mu Yan was a bit uneasy. He didn’t want Shang Qiyue to think he was being pretentious or high-minded, yet he didn’t want to accept such a gift either.

He was always very clear about his position. For someone like him, even if the real thing was worn on his body, it would look like a fake.

He was a stone; he wouldn’t turn into gold or jade just because he spent a long time with someone like Shang Qiyue.

“Why can’t you wear it out? It looks great on you right now, doesn’t it?”

Seeing a hint of displeasure in his expression, Mu Yan immediately realized what he had just said.

He had just rejected Shang Qiyue.

“Thank you, Sir,” Mu Yan began to stammer an explanation. “I just felt it was a bit wasteful. These are very beautiful, but they’re too expensive, they cost so much money.”

Seeing him accept them, Shang Qiyue’s furrowed brows quickly smoothed out. He took the tie packed by the clerk and took Mu Yan’s hand.

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