The Beta Wife Claimed by Competing Alphas - Chapter 51

The moment those few words fell, it was as if all the strength had been drained from Lu Chong. His vision went black, and even standing became a struggle.

Mu Yan didn’t want him.

Mu Yan truly didn’t want him anymore.

He lowered his head, his lips trembling slightly as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

At that moment, Shang Qiyue reached a hand out of the rolled-down window, holding out an unsigned check.

“You heard him, didn’t you?” He looked at Lu Chong with a smile, his voice nonchalant. “Sign this check for one hundred thousand yuan and then get lost.”

Lu Chong’s gaze fell on the check, his chest heaving violently.

If fury had physical form, he would have burned a hole right through Shang Qiyue.

In the dim light of the night, the words “One Hundred Thousand Yuan Only” appeared exceptionally clear to Lu Chong.

Everything was complete; it was only missing his signature.

Shang Qiyue, you absolute bastard.

He didn’t dare lose his temper at Mu Yan, but toward Shang Qiyue, he didn’t have a shred of patience left.

He clenched his fists abruptly, his eyes practically spitting fire as he stared at Shang Qiyue, wishing he could just throw a punch.

“What happens between him and me is none of your business,” he ground out, a cold sneer escaping his lips. His tone was icy enough to tear someone apart. “You lowly thing, born but not raised by a mother, a third party who interferes in other people’s relationships—who the hell do you think you are?”

“Lu Chong!”

Mu Yan’s eyes widened, and his heart gave a violent jolt. He hadn’t expected Lu Chong to suddenly say such things.

No matter how biting or mean Lu Chong’s words had been in the past, Mu Yan had never heard such vulgarity from him.

Even more so, he hadn’t expected Lu Chong to suddenly insult Shang Qiyue like that.

He had always thought Lu Chong only had a bad temper in front of him because he was willing to coax and yield to him. He never thought Lu Chong would act this way toward an outsider.

Just as he was about to speak, the car door beside him was pulled open. Immediately, his wrist was seized by a powerful hand. In the next second, he was pulled into the car by Shang Qiyue.

“Sir,” Mu Yan cried out in a soft, panicked voice. Before he could pull his hand away, a steady arm buckled around his waist, pulling him into a familiar embrace.

The car door slammed shut with a “bang,” cutting off the sounds from outside.

Lu Chong remained standing there, the veins at his temples throbbing and a wild rage surging in his eyes. He looked like a thoroughly enraged beast that wanted to rush forward and snatch Mu Yan out of the car.

“Sir, I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would say those things to you.”

Shang Qiyue’s hand stroked the bone of his spine at his waist, gentle yet firm, as if telling him not to care—that it wasn’t his fault.

He rested one hand lazily on the window frame and smiled at Lu Chong with total indifference. “You’re right to curse. I was indeed born but not raised by a mother.”

Mu Yan’s pupils constricted, and his fingernails instinctively dug into his palms.

During his susceptibility period, Shang Qiyue had mentioned his mother once, saying she always promised to pick him up early from kindergarten but always broke her word and sent the nanny instead.

Shang Qiyue clearly should care quite a lot about his mother.

“As for being a third party,” Shang Qiyue’s gaze swept disdainfully over Lu Chong’s flushed face, the curve of his lips becoming even more mocking, “what of it? I’m happy to be one. Being a third party isn’t illegal.”

“If an Alpha isn’t impotent and treats his partner well, could someone else even become a third party? Flies don’t swarm around eggs that don’t have cracks. Only a useless man like you would stand there barking like this.”

Lu Chong’s expression instantly became hideous. His fists made a cracking sound as they clenched, and the fire in his eyes looked ready to consume everything.

Yes, Shang Qiyue was right.

He hadn’t been good to Mu Yan. He wasn’t gentle, hadn’t provided a good life, and hadn’t been sincere.

He was useless; he hadn’t made Mu Yan happy.

He had simply grown accustomed to Mu Yan’s gentleness, accustomed to Mu Yan busy working for him, and accustomed to Mu Yan always being by his side no matter what.

He had taken Mu Yan’s kindness for granted but had never returned the same sincerity.

So, if it were Mu Yan scolding him, he wouldn’t have offered even half a word of rebuttal.

But what right did a dog like Shang Qiyue have to scold him?

How could a person like Shang Qiyue have even a shred of genuine heart for Yanyan?

Shang Qiyue still held the unsigned check, leaning lazily against the window as he tilted his head toward Lu Chong.

“What, unwilling to sign?” He gave the check a slight shake, his tone teasing. “Or is it that Young Master Lu is now so poor he can’t even produce one hundred thousand?”

Lu Chong’s hands tightened, his face terrifyingly grim.

Shang Qiyue smiled even wider and continued unhurriedly: “If you don’t have the money, we can still negotiate.”

His slender fingers rubbed the check, his gaze carrying a hint of nonchalant malice. “After all, it’s only one hundred thousand. Yanyan lent this money out. Since you’re unwilling to pay it back, I don’t mind paying it back on your behalf.”

Lu Chong’s face grew even more distorted.

If he had any choice, he absolutely did not want to make even the slightest concession to Shang Qiyue at this moment.

The window of the Cayenne was rolled all the way down. He could see Mu Yan leaning against Shang Qiyue’s shoulder, held completely in his embrace.

It was a very common posture for a couple, but in Lu Chong’s eyes right now, it looked like nothing but a provocation.

Signing was a sign of weakness; not signing was also a sign of weakness.

No matter what, he was losing.

Lu Chong snatched the check and quickly signed his name.

“That’s much better,” Shang Qiyue said, taking the check back with satisfaction. “I was saying, how could Young Master Lu not afford one hundred thousand? Just the license plate on your Maybach is worth many times that.”

Shang Qiyue looked over the signature on the check, the corners of his mouth curving up with satisfaction, then he pressed the button to roll up the window.

But before the glass could rise, Lu Chong’s hand slammed down on the edge of the window. The force wasn’t huge, but Lu Chong was a madman and Shang Qiyue wasn’t; Shang Qiyue instinctively released the button.

Is this guy sick? Coming here to pick a fight?

“You may be able to take Mu Yan away today,” Lu Chong said, looking at the relaxed, victorious man inside the car, “but it’s because he hates me, not because you are actually that good.”

Shang Qiyue couldn’t hold back his laughter this time. “So, you do know how trash you are. I thought you didn’t.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Lu Chong stared at Shang Qiyue, enunciating every word.

“You’d better pray he doesn’t get snatched back by me.”

The interior of the car fell silent for a moment.

“The car door isn’t locked.”

Shang Qiyue glanced sideways at the quietly sitting Mu Yan, his tone very light.

“I didn’t force him, I didn’t use low-handed tactics to play the victim, and I didn’t pretend to be some noble gentleman to seduce him. He got in of his own free will. If he wants to get out, he can do so at any time.”

Lu Chong stood there, his shadow stretched long by the Maybach’s headlights.

For the first time, Mu Yan felt that he looked a bit… lonely.

How could Lu Chong be lonely? A favored child of heaven like him, even if he were always alone, people would only think it was because he looked down on everyone else.

“Lu Chong, let go. You should go back,” Mu Yan said softly.

The moment he heard Mu Yan’s voice, Lu Chong instinctively released his hand.

Mu Yan told him to let go.

He had to listen to Mu Yan.

In the past, he wasn’t honest, wasn’t sincere, didn’t value Mu Yan’s efforts, and didn’t listen to Mu Yan. That was why Mu Yan had left in anger.

He was being obedient now. He would do whatever Mu Yan said. He would never lie to Mu Yan again.

“Yanyan, don’t stay with him…”

The window rose slowly, completely cutting off the wind and the view outside.

Along with Lu Chong’s unfinished words.

The heater in the car was running strong. Shang Qiyue turned his head, patted Mu Yan gently, and handed the check over.

Mu Yan looked at the familiar signature on the check and whispered his thanks to Shang Qiyue.

“I got your money back for you. Why are you still unhappy?”

While Mu Yan was in a daze, Shang Qiyue had already used his thumb to wipe away the tears at the corners of his eyes.

Just now… was he crying?

The dampness at his eyes and Shang Qiyue’s words reminded Mu Yan that it wasn’t an illusion, but he couldn’t explain why he was crying.

“I’m sorry…”

Confused, Mu Yan instinctively apologized.

Shang Qiyue must have wanted him to be happy, which was why he helped him get that one hundred thousand back.

But why were the tears falling? He clearly wasn’t sad at all.

The money was back, and he had no more ties to Lu Chong. He clearly should be happy.

“What are you sorry for? You’re allowed to cry,” the man said in a low voice, his palm slowly stroking Mu Yan’s back. “It’s okay. I won’t be angry.”

In reality, it wasn’t a very convincing promise, at least not regarding matters involving Lu Chong.

“At least not today, I won’t be angry over Lu Chong,” Shang Qiyue, possessing enough self-awareness, had to add. “I promise. Just cry it out, and then forget it.”

“I know it’s not your fault for being lied to. It’s not that you’re stupid. You’re very good, very sincere. It’s all his fault. I mind it a little, but I know you’re strong and brave. You know how to move on, right?”

Mu Yan finally buried his head in Shang Qiyue’s shoulder and let out a very, very soft sob.

“Cry.” Shang Qiyue gently patted his back. “I wasn’t angry with you just now, and I won’t be now. It’s normal to want to cry; it’s normal to feel sad.”

Mu Yan’s tears seemed to understand his words, falling even more uncontrollably.

Shang Qiyue simply pulled the man entirely into his arms, doing nothing but wiping away his tears.

Tears that couldn’t be wiped in time slid past Mu Yan’s chin and into his neck, leaving his entire face wet.

Crying like a little kitten, so pitiable, Shang Qiyue thought.

The car drove into the night, leaving the black Maybach further and further behind.

Vaguely, Shang Qiyue felt a bit uncomfortable in his heart. Even though this was exactly the purpose of bringing Mu Yan to Fu Jiayan’s engagement banquet, and he had enjoyed insulting Lu Chong, it didn’t feel as satisfying as he had imagined.

It was probably because the sound of Mu Yan crying was so unpleasant like an underage kitten. He didn’t cry out fully, just gasping for air, as if he might run out of breath at any moment. It was a distressing sound.

However, thinking of how Mu Yan had leaned into his neck to act spoiled when he mistook him for Lu Chong while exhausted, Shang Qiyue felt he could endure it.

In any case, without Lu Chong, all of that treatment would be his from now on.

The gentleness, the reliance, the acting spoiled, it would all be his.

Mu Yan would like him just as much as he had once liked Lu Chong.

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