Which Fierce Alpha Disguises as a Beta to Abduct a Wife? - Chapter 9

Zhou Yunqiu hailed a taxi by the roadside to go to the hospital alone. By the time he arrived, Zhou Yunqing had also just reached the entrance. Seeing Zhou Yunqiu get out of a taxi, Zhou Yunqing’s already somber expression darkened even further.

“Where is Jiang Huaiyan? Why didn’t he drive you?”

“It would have wasted time for him to come get me. It was faster to grab a taxi myself. Let’s just go in,” Zhou Yunqiu replied. He didn’t mention that Jiang Huaiyan was at the “Summit Heights” club.

If his brother found out that Jiang Huaiyan hadn’t answered his calls, Jiang Huaiyan would certainly be scolded, and might even be fired. Zhou Yunqing didn’t press the matter and followed him inside.

Standing at the door of the emergency room, their hearts felt heavy as they listened to the doctor. Zhou Yushen’s heart had suddenly stopped moments ago. Although his heartbeat had been restored after emergency resuscitation, he was not yet out of danger; he could pass away at any moment.

“Brother, will he die?” Zhou Yunqiu asked, his eyes vacant.

Even though Zhou Yushen had never been a role model father—having left them to be raised by nannies to pursue his own hedonistic lifestyle after their Omega father passed away—aside from his brother, Zhou Yushen was his only remaining immediate relative.

He didn’t want him to die.

“Everyone has their time; it’s just a matter of sooner or later.” Zhou Yunqing’s expression was much more composed than Zhou Yunqiu’s. It was as if the person dying inside wasn’t his father at all.

“I don’t want him to die. If he dies, I’ll only have you left.” Zhou Yunqiu’s eyes were rimmed with red, brimming with tears.

Zhou Yunqing quickly pulled him into an embrace, comforting him softly, “He won’t die. He’s as tough as old boots.”

“He won’t. He definitely won’t.”

“Mm, he won’t, he won’t,” Zhou Yunqing repeated soothingly.

Fortunately, this time was another narrow escape. Zhou Yushen successfully passed the most critical moment and was transferred to the ICU. Zhou Yunqiu let out a small sigh of relief, leaning weakly against the wall, his pale face devoid of color.

Zhou Yunqing received a phone call and had to leave to handle some business; he couldn’t stay at the hospital any longer.

“Qiuqiu, you should head back too. I’ll find someone to keep watch here.”

“I don’t want to go back. You go ahead and get busy; I’ll sit here a while longer.” If he went back now, he would be all alone. He didn’t want to stay in that empty villa by himself.

“I’ll leave someone to protect you.”

Zhou Yunqiu didn’t refuse.

After his brother left, the entire corridor fell silent. He sat quietly on the bench, staring blankly at the snow-white walls, his heart remaining heavy. He didn’t understand why he wasn’t happy. His father was out of danger; he should have been happy.

But he couldn’t bring himself to feel it. He wanted to be angry, to lose his temper, to vent… but there was no one around for him to make a scene with. The person his brother left behind was outside protecting him; he couldn’t very well scold them.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress that surge of irritation, when the lights in the corridor suddenly flickered. An eerie sense of dread immediately washed over Zhou Yunqiu. He shot to his feet, his legs feeling weak as he started walking toward the exit.

The lights behind him continued to flicker incessantly, as if they might be extinguished by a demon at any moment. He walked extremely fast, his footsteps making a thump-thump-thump sound. Simultaneously, another set of footsteps accompanied his.

The sound made his hair stand on end. He broke into a run. As he ran, the other set of footsteps quickened as well, even faster than his own. Terrified out of his wits, he rounded a corner and slammed straight into someone’s chest.

“Ah!” he shrieked.

“Young Master, what’s wrong?”

A familiar voice, full of security, rang out above Zhou Yunqiu’s head. His racing heart instantly settled back into place. Clutching Jiang Huaiyan tightly, he said with a choked voice, “Someone is chasing me from behind.”

Jiang Huaiyan immediately became alert, shielding Zhou Yunqiu as he looked back toward the direction they came from. They saw Zhou Yunqing’s bodyguard running over anxiously.

“Young Master, why did you suddenly start running? I thought you were in danger.”

Jiang Huaiyan: “…”

Zhou Yunqiu: “???” His face was pale as he glared at the bodyguard. “You were the one chasing me?”

“Yes. I saw you leaving so I followed you. I didn’t expect you to start sprinting out of nowhere.”

Zhou Yunqiu’s expression turned hideously sour. He pushed Jiang Huaiyan away and began to scold the guard in frustration, “Don’t you have a mouth? Couldn’t you have called out to me? I thought a criminal was chasing me! You scared me to death!”

“I’m sorry, I was afraid a sudden shout would startle you, so I didn’t—”

“Get lost. I don’t want to hear another word from you.” Zhou Yunqiu’s anger was flaring up uncontrollably.

The bodyguard glanced at Jiang Huaiyan.

“You head back first. I’ll protect the Young Master,” Jiang Huaiyan said. The man turned and left.

Zhou Yunqiu started walking toward the elevator, showing no intention of acknowledging Jiang Huaiyan.

“Young Master, I’m sorry. I lent my phone to someone else to make a call earlier, so I didn’t see your call immediately,” Jiang Huaiyan followed him, apologizing.

Zhou Yunqiu didn’t respond and kept walking.

“Young Master, it was my fault. You can hit me or scold me, whatever you like.”

Zhou Yunqiu entered the elevator, still refusing to give Jiang Huaiyan so much as a glance. Looking at his face, Jiang Huaiyan thought to himself that he was truly doomed. This was usually the calm before the storm.

On the way back, Zhou Yunqiu remained dead silent. No matter what Jiang Huaiyan said, he ignored him. It wasn’t until they reached the villa and saw Duan Mingxu standing at the door that Jiang Huaiyan’s heart truly “died.”

“Young Master Zhou, what’s so urgent that you’ve called me over this late at night?” Duan Mingxu extinguished his cigarette and asked with a smile.

Zhou Yunqiu walked inside, speaking his first words in half an hour: “Come in and talk.”

In the Living Room

Zhou Yunqiu sat on the sofa and got straight to the point: “Tell me about the relationship between you two.”

“Huh? Doesn’t Young Master Zhou already know our relationship?”

Zhou Yunqiu ignored him and looked at Jiang Huaiyan: “You tell me.”

“We are friends. He asked me for a favor today to pose as his friend to discuss business with a partner.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Yunqiu looked at Duan Mingxu.

Duan Mingxu nodded. “This bodyguard of yours has such a great image and aura; just standing there, he can intimidate people.”

“Do you like him?” Zhou Yunqiu switched questions.

Duan Mingxu struggled to keep up with his jumping train of thought, laughing as he replied, “I like him, yeah. Who wouldn’t?”

“Then why are you finding Omegas for him? How much is your ‘liking’ worth then?”

Duan Mingxu: “…”

“I didn’t find any Omegas. That was prepared by the business partner. I didn’t touch them,” Jiang Huaiyan interjected.

Zhou Yunqiu glared at Jiang Huaiyan. “Did I give you permission to speak?”

Jiang Huaiyan shut his mouth.

“Or rather, do you have some weird fetish for watching him flirt with other Omegas?”

Before Duan Mingxu could defend himself, Zhou Yunqiu smirked. “It seems I guessed correctly. I never imagined Young Master Duan had such a hobby. I wonder if anyone else knows about this.”

Cold sweat began to bead on Duan Mingxu’s forehead. This Young Master was notorious for spreading rumors; if this reached his old man’s ears, his legs would be broken for sure.

“Tell me, if I were to tell Uncle Duan, what would happen?”

Duan Mingxu was the youngest child of the Duan family, born late in his parents’ lives and dearly loved. However, the family rules were strict; philandering was absolutely forbidden, and nothing was allowed to tarnish the Duan family reputation.

Duan Mingxu knew exactly how capable Zhou Yunqiu’s mouth was at spreading gossip. He immediately backed down. “Young Master Zhou, I was wrong. I don’t like him like that. I won’t find Omegas for him in the future, nor will I find Betas or Alphas. Not only that, I’ll help you keep an eye on him to make sure no one with ulterior motives gets close to him.”

“Then I thank Young Master Duan. It’s late; you should head back.”

Duan Mingxu didn’t stay a second longer, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Only Zhou Yunqiu and Jiang Huaiyan were left in the living room. Jiang Huaiyan didn’t speak, waiting for Zhou Yunqiu to initiate. Zhou Yunqiu looked at him for a long time, then patted the spot next to him.

“Sit here.”

Jiang Huaiyan didn’t move.

“I don’t want to say it a second time.”

Jiang Huaiyan sat down beside him with a nervous heart. Suddenly, Zhou Yunqiu swung his leg over, straddling Jiang Huaiyan’s lap. Before the other could react, Zhou Yunqiu lowered his head and bit down hard on his lips.