CAADTB Chapter 34

“Yes,” Shi Qi repeated blankly, “we couldn’t do something like that.”

Even though he said it was wrong, his tone was unsteady.

Combined with the pheromones leaking from his body, it wasn’t convincing at all.

Because we’re good friends, we can’t…

Shang Sui seemed to smile, or maybe not.

Shi Qi’s head spun. Everything felt as if it were dusted with fine, golden sand. The world appeared to be overlaid with a dreamy, hazy filter.

The dark velvet night sky, the pristine white snow, the café on Christmas night playing songs about first love…

Aside from Shang Sui’s voice and the subtle expressions on his face, Shi Qi couldn’t remember anything else from that night.

It was as if he’d been bewitched.

Up until New Year’s Eve, no matter what he was doing, that scene would flash into his mind from time to time.

Two days before the official vacation, the department happened to have no major classes. Shi Qi decided to skip the public lecture and start his holiday early.

Jiang Youning came to pick him up, and they took Lin Yan home on the way.

She drove a pink-gold supercar, her dazzling silver hair styled in big waves. Jiang Youning bore a strong resemblance to Shi Qi, but as an Alpha, her looks were even more imposing, like a regal and exquisite ragdoll cat.

The moment she saw Shi Qi, the ragdoll cat said cheerfully, “Princess~ I’ve come to take you home.”

Shi Qi: “…”

Noticing the curious stares from people nearby, Shi Qi felt a wave of embarrassment and dragged Lin Yan into the car as fast as he could.

The last time they’d met, Jiang Youning’s hair hadn’t been this color. Shi Qi glanced a few more times. “You changed your hair color again?”

“It matches you.” Jiang Youning looked into the rearview mirror and said to Shi Qi, “With your gold and my silver, the two of us could form Treasure Island now.”[mfn]Treasure Island is literally “Gold and Silver Island” in Chinese[/mfn]

“…”

Jiang Youning dropped the joking expression. “Xiao Qi, did you know? Yu Zhiling’s in trouble.”

“What?” Shi Qi was stunned, surprised to hear that name from her first.

“He was involved in selling illegal drugs. Apparently, he’s tied to multiple cases. A lot of people got hooked through him, and there are even a few models I know.”

At this point, Jiang Youning unconsciously furrowed her brows. “He probably only got involved with that stuff after entering the circle. The reason he got famous so fast was because of a trade-off—he helped sell drugs, and someone boosted him from behind the scenes.

“Yu Zhiling was just a key middleman. If he’d cut ties quickly, he might’ve made it out. But it seems like someone’s been stirring the pot, and the whole operation got exposed.”

Shi Qi gasped. “Illegal drugs?”

Lin Yan was just as shocked. “So he really did that stuff! No wonder he’s been acting crazy. Turns out he is one of those celebrities who end up in mugshots.”

Then Lin Yan realized something. “Wait, doesn’t that mean he’s going to be sentenced?”

Shi Qi realized it too. The two exchanged a look, and Shi Qi blurted out, “Justice descends from the heavens.”

Lin Yan followed up instantly, “So satisfying!”

“…Why are you guys reacting like this?” Jiang Youning had expected Shi Qi to be worried and asked in surprise, “Isn’t Yu Zhiling pretty close to you?”

“I haven’t had the chance to tell you—Yu Zhiling is disgusting.”

Now it was Jiang Youning’s turn to be stunned.

Shi Qi briefly recounted what had happened a few days ago. Jiang Youning flew into a rage and unleashed a furious stream of curses, using elegant and non-repetitive classical Chinese profanity to thoroughly insult not just Yu Zhiling, but all eighteen generations of his ancestors. Lin Yan listened in awe. “Youning-jie’s combat power hasn’t declined a bit.”

At the end, Jiang Youning declared, “This isn’t over! I’m going to talk to someone, and he needs to face serious consequences.”

The timing was too coincidental. Shi Qi thought of something and asked, “You said Yu Zhiling offended someone?”

“Mm, I heard Huanyun was involved too. The tip-off came from them. Someone over there specifically wanted to deal with him.”

Jiang Youning said in confusion, “But that doesn’t make sense. Isn’t Elowen, the brand he’s endorsing, under Huanyun? Even if there was conflict with the brand side, Elowen is nothing compared to headquarters, and it’s just a side project they threw money into. No reason to go after Yu Zhiling like this.”

Huanyun?

Qin Shuhe’s words had come true. If the head office got involved, the endorsement would definitely be gone.

But compared to a prison sentence, losing an endorsement was nothing.

“Do you think it’s possible…” Lin Yan and Shi Qi thought the same thing. “Why don’t you ask him?”

Shi Qi had already sent the message.

17: [Was what happened to Yu Zhiling your doing?]

Jiang Youning asked, “What are you two talking about?”

Before Shi Qi could answer, a call came in.

“I got the news today and was about to tell you.”

Shang Sui’s voice came through the phone. “He’s getting five years. That’s the heaviest sentence within the standard range.”

“The official ruling will take some time, but the result won’t change.”

Back in Qijiang, Shang Sui had mentioned he was looking into something.

Shi Qi had assumed at most he’d dig up something work-related, but he hadn’t expected Yu Zhiling to have such serious issues, nor that Shang Sui could actually pull this off.

Yu Zhiling had made cruel remarks about the special rut, but it had been clear that Shang Sui didn’t care much about his words or actions.

At the end of the day, Shang Sui did it for him.

“Did it take a lot of work?”

“Yeah, I was busy with it for quite a while.” Hearing the concern in Shi Qi’s voice, Shang Sui didn’t miss the chance to take credit. “So…”

His voice carried a smile. “Is Xiao Qi going to thank me?”

As if by conditioned reflex, the moment Shi Qi heard Shang Sui’s voice, his glands began to heat up like that night.

The memory of Christmas Eve surged back once again. Those words that had tugged at his heartstrings became soft, tenacious threads of spider silk. Only now did Shi Qi realize they had never disappeared, but had been quietly winding around him this whole time, wrapping him up.

His glands were hot, and so was his head. Shi Qi couldn’t think straight. Gripping his phone tightly, he said, “I don’t know how to thank you. What do you want?”

He added, “Whatever you want is fine.”

Jiang Youning seemed to catch on to what was happening. “Hey! Absolutely not! Shi Qi, don’t go saying things like that!”

Her younger brother seemed hard to approach, but in truth, he was very pure. Before Shi Qi had started dating, he hadn’t had much contact with other Alphas either.

Fu Siyue had his rough edges, but he was actually quite simple too.

For someone to handle something this serious so cleanly, Shi Qi’s boyfriend was clearly in a different league from Fu Siyue. If he ended up being sweet-talked and tricked into a permanent mark, what then?

“Spend the next thunderstorm with me.”

Even through the phone, Shi Qi could picture exactly how Shang Sui looked at that moment.

He was so familiar with him that every gesture could be vividly imagined.

“Okay,” Shi Qi said. “Not just the next one.”

They could spend every one after that together too.

Understanding the hidden meaning in his words, Shang Sui chuckled. “Xiao Qi is so sweet.”

Shang Sui spoke with him a little longer, explaining the details of what had happened, then hung up the call.

“It really was Shang Sui?” Lin Yan couldn’t help saying, “He’s that awesome?”

“Your boyfriend’s name is Shang Sui?” Jiang Youning keenly sensed something was off. “Didn’t you say he’s a teaching assistant at the art academy? Why does it sound like neither of you know much about him?”

Shi Qi opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

“He is,” Lin Yan quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “We never really asked about his family, and he never brought it up. But you can tell his family’s pretty well-off. Right, Shi Qi?”

Shi Qi nodded immediately. “Yeah, that’s right.”

Huanyun had started as a pharmaceutical company. After years of development, most of the common suppressants and blockers on the market came from them. With Alphas and Omegas making up about half the population, that meant their products were used by half of all people.

Beyond that, Huanyun’s operations were extremely diverse, spanning multiple industries, with connections even in politics. She remembered it was a family business, and every person in charge had the surname Shang.

Could it really be that much of a coincidence…

If that were the case, then Shi Qi’s boyfriend came from a background far too powerful for their family to manage.

“Remember what I said before? That you should find an Alpha whose background was worse than ours?”

“To handle something like this so fast, no matter what, his family must be senior management at Huanyun. At the very least, they’re on par with us.” Jiang Youning was visibly worried. “What are we going to do? You won’t be able to bully him later. And if you two fight, you can’t just lock him up.”

Lin Yan: “…”

Shi Qi’s assertive personality had a lot to do with how spoiled he was growing up.

Honestly, the fact that he hadn’t become a bossy troublemaker spoke volumes about how good-natured he truly was.

Jiang Youning had said similar things before, but at the time, Shi Qi hadn’t taken them seriously.

But now, hearing phrases like “lock him up” associated with Shang Sui…

Shi Qi’s face went hot. He shook his head sharply. “I don’t want to bully him. He’s really good to me.”

Seeing how readily he took Shang Sui’s side, Jiang Youning looked even more devastated.

–

After hanging up with Shi Qi, Shang Sui headed to the bathroom.

He had just finished his regular workout and was sweating. Even after showering, the subtle heat in his body hadn’t faded.

The fever-like headache had grown worse, to the point of causing waves of dizziness.

Due to his special rut, his physical condition was far superior to the average person’s, and he rarely got sick. So something like this could only mean one thing…

No way.

Hadn’t they just talked about his rut not long ago? How could it show up so suddenly?

Trying to make light of the situation, he thought: At least it was just before the New Year’s break. That would make it the third time this year, hitting the average frequency.

While he was still relatively clear-headed, Shang Sui contacted Shen Qianyu to inform him that he was about to enter his rut.

Shen Qianyu would check in with him every other day to make sure everything was fine. If it still hadn’t passed after five days, Shen Qianyu would take appropriate measures.

After the call, Shang Sui messaged his family and then requested leave from the art academy.

Some Alphas had severe ruts that required isolation in a hospital ward, where medical professionals would monitor them in real time.

But in recent years, his condition had remained very stable. There was no need for anything so complicated, and he just had to lock himself up properly.

During ruts, he hardly had any appetite. Unsure how long it would last this time, he selected a few simple, filling food items and stocked up on water.

After a moment’s consideration, this time he chose to shut himself in the studio.

Shang Sui secured one end of a chain into a fixed ring embedded in the corner of the wall; the other end was fastened around his right ankle.

The key to the shackle was left in the bedroom where he couldn’t reach it, and his range of movement was restricted entirely to the studio.

Clack.

The shackle snapped shut tightly.

The ankle ring contained an internal electronic device that continuously monitored his physical data. It would only unlock under two conditions:

One, if he suffered severe injuries and abnormal readings appeared; Two, if his pheromone levels dropped back to normal and the rut ended.

Regular chains couldn’t hold him. This one, made of composite metal, was particularly heavy. Each movement dragged the chain across the floor, producing a harsh scraping noise.

So damn loud.

Shang Sui thought with a blank expression.

That cursed noise grated on his nerves every single time.

During the rut, Alphas exhibited heightened aggression and possessiveness, becoming more sensitive to Omega pheromones. In those with special ruts, this was even more severe—destructive urges, aggression, and sexual desire were all amplified several times over.

Noticing that his emotions were growing more irritable, Shang Sui forced down the roaring urges within and decided to make himself sleep to pass the time.

He thought it would be hard to fall asleep, but surprisingly, it didn’t take long before he lost consciousness.

He had a dream.

Everything was chaotic, like worlds nested within worlds, falling into one dream inside another.

When he regained consciousness, the sky outside the window was strangely dim.

He thought he had only slept from day to evening, but checking the time, he realized more than a full day and night had passed.

He hadn’t eaten anything, only drunk a bit of water, yet he didn’t feel the slightest hunger.

It felt like something unusually thrilling had happened, something so intensely stimulating it could sustain the deepest desires buried within him.

Still groggy, Shang Sui took two steps forward. The chain clinked and scraped with his movement. Then, he saw something placed not far away, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

A freshly finished painting stood on the easel. The thick layers of paint gleamed with a damp sheen, the still-wet colors vivid and saturated. It was clear he had painted it while in a state of impaired consciousness.

Delicate, seductive flowered vines entwined around an enormous golden birdcage. Inside, a completely naked angel sat on the ground, hugging his knees.

Wings as pure as moonlight extended from the angel’s slender back, folded inward to shield the private parts of his body. His delicate skin was nearly the same color as the wings, and his platinum-blond hair had a fluffy texture.

In contrast to the dense, vibrant vines surrounding him, the angel looked pure and untouched.

On his supple white thighs was a tiny, rouge-colored beauty mark, complementing the ruby chain wrapped around the slender waist.

As if locking him in the cage wasn’t enough, jeweled shackles fastened his delicate ankles, serving both as restraints and adornments, together decorating that beautiful body.

A sharply defined jaw, a straight nose, lips as soft and tender as petals.

The angel imprisoned within the gilded cage showed only a partial profile, with no clear features. His eyes were lowered, and his heavy, thick lashes shimmered in a translucent dark gray.

Anyone familiar would instantly recognize who the “angel” was meant to be.

During every rut, Shang Sui’s memories scattered into fragments. Whether fully recovered or briefly lucid like now, he could only recall bits and pieces.

Flashes of the painting process flickered through his mind like snapshots. He vaguely remembered his own abnormal state—both excited and obsessed.

Shi Qi, Xiao Qi.

Baby, sweetheart, my love.

Only now did he belatedly realize that the entire studio was filled with a thick concentration of his pheromones.

On the easel, on the floor, and even on himself.

Traces of thick fluid with a fishy scent were left everywhere. Some had dried into white blotches, exuding an overwhelmingly sweet honey smell.

A special rut didn’t end on its own; it only stopped when either desire was completely satisfied or the body was entirely exhausted.

If this kind of desire were a jar of water, he could feel that after just a day and a night, half the water had already been poured out.

So he had done it in front of the painting…?

Was it during the process, or after finishing it?

Whichever form of release it was…

Shang Sui closed his eyes.

He really was perverted.

But quickly, that burning sensation swept through his body again.

He fell once more into that half-lucid state, with reason gradually slipping away.

The weather forecast had promised clear skies through the New Year, but dark clouds outside had thickened rapidly. In just a few hours, a sudden storm had overtaken what had been a bright sky.

Dazed and disoriented, Shang Sui didn’t notice someone had messaged him an hour earlier.

17: [Where are you?]

17: [The weather’s changed. Looks like there’ll be thunderstorms tonight. Should I come keep you company?]

---

Author’s note: A lamb entering a tiger’s den.

Finally reached the rut!