Not long after returning home, Shi An learned about Shang Sui’s family background from Jiang Youning.
Shi An’s reaction was even more intense than Jiang Youning’s. He seized the chance to question Shi Qi about everything and quickly realized that his own child knew absolutely nothing. With a serious expression, Shi An said, “You need to find time to have a proper talk with him.”
“He should be upfront with you about everything. It’d be best if he handed over his paycheck after marriage, and most importantly, he must be willing to listen to you in the future.”
Shi Qi didn’t even pause to think. “Why should he?”
Shi An: “?”
“It’s enough if he listens to himself,” Shi Qi said. “And why are we even talking about marriage?”
“You two are dating—of course the goal should be marriage! The doctor said last time that your condition gives you less than a year. After New Year’s, you’ll basically have just nine months left. Are you planning to break up and start over with someone new?”
According to Shi An’s plan, the ideal schedule would be: meet with Shang Sui after New Year’s, then arrange a meeting between both families, and at the latest, get engaged by May or June.
For once, Jiang Youning sided with Shi An. “Xiao Qi, if you’re serious about being with him, you need to consider that because of your glandular degeneration, once you make a permanent mark, it can’t be undone.”
Shi Qi felt overwhelmed and eventually couldn’t handle the pressure anymore. He escaped into his room.
Just before shutting the door, he vaguely heard Jiang Li trying to mediate. “Weren’t things fine before? Why is everyone so agitated today? The most important thing in marriage is mutual respect and understanding. You two shouldn’t always think about overpowering the other…”
Shi An argued back, “With Shi Qi’s personality, if he feels mistreated, he’ll explode! I can’t stand seeing him cry. One tear and my chest starts to ache.”
Jiang Youning: “Exactly! It makes me want to punch someone! All these years I’ve restrained myself from bullying him to tears. Why should another Alpha get that privilege?”
Then she added, “Well, except in bed. I’ll allow that much.”
Shi An was horrified. “Absolutely not—!”
Shi Qi: “…”
Shi Qi honestly didn’t know whether to feel moved or exasperated.
With Jiang Youning’s outrageous remark, the chaos outside intensified. Shi Qi quickly closed the door, cutting off all sound.
Why were they overthinking everything?
Regardless of how things actually stood between him and Shang Sui, wasn’t mutual affection the most important part of dating or marriage?
Maybe because the other person had been brought up again and again, he couldn’t resist sending him a message.
17: [What are you doing?]
Neither of them was the type to chat much over the phone. They had plenty to say when they met, but unless it was necessary, Shang Sui rarely messaged him just to talk.
According to Lin Yan, this behavior was apparently called… push and pull?
Creating some distance on purpose to make someone constantly think of you—a common social tactic.
The strange part was, even after a whole day and night had passed, he still hadn’t received a reply.
Even with push and pull, you couldn’t just outright ignore someone.
Shi Qi started feeling a little upset.
For this trip home, Shi Qi had only brought the painting and the waist chain that Shang Sui had given him for Christmas.
When Jiang Youning found out who the gifts were from, she asked curiously, “Can I take a look?”
Shi Qi nodded. Jiang Youning carefully unwrapped the painting. She was instantly struck by how stunning it was, and after staring at it for a long time, she said, “I feel like your boyfriend’s painting looks kind of familiar…”
The bold, crashing colors and carnival-like atmosphere really resembled the work of a painter who had become famous at a young age.
But that artist had lived abroad for years, so it was probably just a similarity in style.
Shi Qi asked casually, “You know about this stuff?”
“Your sister-in-law likes to paint.”
Jiang Youning’s girlfriend was a journalist. The two had been together for many years and had a stable relationship.
She opened the box containing the waist chain and grumbled, “I mean, I did study art after all. Of course I’d know a thing or two… Oh my god—Shi Qi! He even gave you this?”
Jiang Youning was instantly drawn in. “It’s beautiful! He’s got great taste!”
But Shi Qi wasn’t paying attention. He looked out at the gloomy sky and suddenly asked, “Will it rain today?”
“The forecast said it’d be sunny all week.” Jiang Youning unlocked her phone while speaking. The weather forecast had unexpectedly changed. “Eh? Really! …Looks like there’s going to be a thunderstorm.”
Shi Qi sent Shang Sui another message.
17: [Where are you?]
17: [The weather’s changed. Looks like there’ll be thunderstorms tonight. Should I come keep you company?]
Shang Sui still didn’t reply. That was when Shi Qi finally sensed that something might be wrong.
Back at Huijian, he had exchanged contact information with Jiang Yan. Shi Qi sent him a message, and Jiang Yan said he’d check for him.
A while later, Jiang Yan sent him another account.
Jiang Yan: [Shang Sui’s in rut. He’s home alone. Probably hasn’t checked his phone.]
Jiang Yan: [Ask this person for details. He knows more.]
The newly added account accepted the request quickly. The person on the other end greeted politely: [Hello, is this Shi Qi?]
From the tone of the message, Shi Qi quickly guessed the sender’s identity.
17: [Shen Qianyu?]
After receiving confirmation, Shi Qi couldn’t help thinking back to how Jiang Yan had just referred to him as “this person.”
With such a distant way of speaking, Jiang Yan and Shen Qianyu probably hadn’t reconciled.
It must have been hard for Jiang Yan to ask on his behalf…
Shen Qianyu: [Shang Sui’s rut is different from that of most Alphas. He uses some special methods to ensure there are no accidents. It will end in about five days.]
17: [Special methods?]
Shen Qianyu: [Chains.]
Shi Qi stared at the word in shock.
17: [You mean he locks himself up…?]
17: [Why?! Shang Sui just has a special rut; he’s not a criminal!]
The screen showed that Shen Qianyu was typing, but no message came through for a while.
After seeming to ponder for a long time, Shen Qianyu finally wrote: [Because of certain experiences and his own physical condition, he’s different, even among Alphas with special ruts.]
[In recent years, his ruts have been relatively stable, but it’s still hard for him to maintain rationality, especially when he’s around you. He’s highly likely to be driven purely by desire, with only the instinct to possess remaining. I don’t recommend you go see him.]
[He probably didn’t tell you about this because he doesn’t want you to see him like that.]
Shi Qi had seen what Jiang Li and Jiang Youning were like during their ruts.
Usually gentle, Jiang Li would become irritable and short-tempered, then vanish with Shi An not long after. Jiang Youning, during her adolescent ruts, wanted to tear the house apart every time.
After her first rut following differentiation, none of the elders were around. Shi Qi had only been ten years old then, and she had scared him to tears. As he cried, he clung to her and said, “Don’t be sad, jiejie.”
Jiang Youning had pulled him into her arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
After she got together with her current girlfriend, Jiang Youning greeted every rut with excitement and a glowing face. The chaos of those early days was never seen again.
In Shi Qi’s impression, an Alpha without a partner during rut was like a trapped beast—
dangerous, yet also pitiful and suffering.
17: [Is his rut just as hard to endure as a regular Alpha’s?]
Shen Qianyu: [No.]
Before Shi Qi could feel relieved, Shen Qianyu added: [It’s more painful.]
Shi Qi grabbed his phone and headed for the door.
“You’re going out?” Jiang Youning looked up and reminded him, “Papa Xiao An reserved a New Year’s Eve dinner. Make sure you come back early.”
“I’m going to see Shang Sui. I’m not coming home tonight,” Shi Qi added. “He’s in rut.”
He and Shang Sui had a 100% compatibility rate. His Omega pheromones could help soothe and relieve the discomfort of the rut.
And with a thunderstorm tonight, Shang Sui was probably suffering even more.
Shi Qi had promised to stay with him during the storm. He couldn’t break that promise.
“Oh, I see. So you’re going to… huh?!” Jiang Youning suddenly caught on. “Hold on, you’re going empty-handed?”
Seeing Shi Qi looking confused, Jiang Youning stomped in frustration, rushed into her room, and came back with something she stuffed into a bag and handed to him.
“Take a bite guard.”
Wearing a bite guard would prevent an Alpha from biting into an Omega’s glands and injecting pheromones to mark them.
Shi An was overprotective of Shi Qi because of his glandular degeneration, but Jiang Youning didn’t see sex as a big deal, as long as there was no permanent mark involved.
“This one’s brand new, never used,” Jiang Youning explained. “I bought a few in different colors. This one’s gunmetal black. The quality’s good; at least I can’t undo it during rut.”
“There’s a built-in lock. The key’s in the bag. You have to make sure he puts it on before you get close.”
The heavy weight in his hand made Shi Qi belatedly realize he was about to face an Alpha in rut, and Shang Sui was more intense than most.
Shen Qianyu’s warnings had taken root. Thinking it really would be safer if Shang Sui wore the bite guard, Shi Qi agreed.
Jiang Youning whispered, “Oh, right, can’t risk pregnancy either.”
She didn’t know if Shi Qi’s boyfriend had condoms at home, so she grabbed some just in case.
With practiced ease, she went to Jiang Li’s study and pulled a brand-new box of condoms from a drawer. “They’re for male Alphas, so the size should be close enough.”
Shi Qi: “?”
Jiang Youning saw that his expression looked off. “You don’t like the vanilla scent? I’ll go with you to buy another kind—”
Shi Qi absolutely did not want to think about that any further and quickly cut her off. “No, this is fine!”
Jiang Youning drove him there. Along the way, she couldn’t stop worrying and reminded him over and over to be careful.
Afraid he didn’t grasp the full picture, she gave him several examples: Alphas in rut were moody. Some who were usually tough might start nest-building and cry; those typically gentle could become aggressive, even to the point of breaking their partner’s leg and continuing regardless… If things started going south, she told him to run.
The last time Shi Qi had visited Shang Sui’s house, he had registered his fingerprint and face.
Jiang Youning’s examples were so graphic that, as he unlocked the door, his fingertip trembled slightly without him realizing it.
The moment the door opened, sweet pheromones rushed out toward him.
Not a single light was on inside, and the house was unnaturally silent.
“Shang Sui…?”
He called his name, but there was no response in the darkness.
Shi Qi didn’t know where the light switches were, so he turned on his phone flashlight and used it to illuminate his surroundings while feeling along the wall.
Still unable to locate the switch, he hesitated for a moment, then raised his phone and walked toward the source of the pheromones.
Shen Qianyu had said Shang Sui had locked himself in the studio. Shang Sui’s house was too big, and Shi Qi couldn’t remember exactly where the studio was, but he could figure it out by following the scent.
The farther in he went, the thicker the honey aroma became. It felt as if even the air had stopped moving, leaving only a dizzyingly sweet fragrance behind.
A low rumble of thunder sounded faintly from outside, and then the downpour came suddenly.
The house was so well soundproofed that everything seemed muffled. Lightning tore across the sky beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. For a moment, the room looked like an overexposed film frame, then it sank into even deeper darkness.
He was actually very afraid of ghosts and the dark.
Shi Qi rubbed his face and gave himself a mental pep talk.
It’s fine, it’s fine. This is Shang Sui’s home, not a haunted house.
The owner of the house had probably just fallen asleep.
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, as though, even through the walls, someone could precisely sense his presence.
Almost as if, from within a separate enclosed space, that person was slowly following him at the same pace, eager to catch up with him.
“Shang Sui, Shang Sui?” Shi Qi called as he walked deeper in, stopping in front of a door.
He was certain this room held the densest concentration of pheromones. After a brief pause, he pushed the door open. “Are you awake?”
This time, Shi Qi distinctly heard a faint metallic clinking, like something moving, with chains dragging behind.
It was as if… someone had been standing in the corner of the room and was now quietly trailing behind him.
The thought sent a chill down his spine. Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind and clamped over his mouth and nose!
Mmph—!
Before he could struggle, a slightly hoarse, decadent voice leaned close to him and laughed.
“Sweetheart, did you just crawl out of one of my paintings?”
Shi Qi’s face was so small it was almost entirely covered by the long-fingered hand of the Alpha.
When his mouth was covered, his eyes flew wide open. The moment he realized who was behind him, all the tension drained from his body, like someone who’d just barely escaped danger.
Shang Sui was just like a ghost!
In the panic, Shi Qi accidentally flung both his phone and the bag containing the bite guard. He didn’t even catch the ambiguous term of endearment and only vaguely registered Shang Sui mentioning a painting. Still shaken, he stammered, “N-no, I didn’t…!”
His lips were pressed tightly against Shang Sui’s palm, and the tip of his tongue accidentally brushed the smooth skin at the base of his fingers.
The motion seemed to spark something in the Alpha. Shang Sui paused for a beat, then slightly tightened his grip, gently but firmly pinching Shi Qi’s cheek.
Shi Qi’s eyes went hazy for a second before he fell silent.
Even though he knew Shang Sui was the most dangerous presence in the entire house, his body betrayed him and shamefully began to relax.
He smelled so good.
Shang Sui smelled amazing.
“I thought I was dreaming.” Shang Sui didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the fact that Shi Qi had licked his fingers. His voice lifted with excitement, with an eerie edge that sent shivers down the spine.
“I’m so happy to see you.”
The pheromone concentration in the room was overwhelming. Shi Qi’s knees soon gave out.
The Alpha behind him caught him, letting go of his face and instead wrapping an arm around his waist. Shi Qi’s feet barely touched the ground as he was dragged forward with him.
Shang Sui held him close and turned on the light.
The sudden burst of brightness caught Shi Qi off guard, making his eyes sting and water. A tear slipped down his cheek.
Shang Sui lowered his gaze to look at him, unblinking.
Shi Qi also looked up, and his heart skipped a beat.
The corners of the Alpha’s eyes were tinged with a rosy flush, as if dusted with blooming peach blossoms.
Shen Qianyu and Jiang Youning had warned him about many things, but no one had told him that Shang Sui looked this beautiful during his rut.
Even if he were a ghost, he’d be a seductive one.
Held in Shang Sui’s unwavering gaze, Shi Qi was struck by the absurd thought that the man might actually lean down and lick the tear from his cheek.
What was he thinking?
Shang Sui wasn’t a dog.
Shi Qi shook his head hard to drive out the bizarre idea.
With the lights on, he could finally make out his surroundings.
The studio was spacious, with a sleeping area and a separate bathroom. Not far from where they stood was a large canvas, covered and mounted on an easel—it looked like it had just been completed.
Noticing Shi Qi’s gaze, Shang Sui suddenly said, “I just painted it. Want to see it?”
If the cloth were lifted, Shi Qi would see the angel imprisoned among flowers and in a cage.
Shang Sui tried to imagine how Shi Qi might react and guessed he probably wouldn’t like it. Shock, fear, fleeing the room… Whatever the reaction, as long as it came from Shi Qi, it would be worth looking forward to.
If he chose to look…
Shang Sui would press him against the painting and fuck him.
The painting hadn’t fully dried yet. If he were pressed against it, that fair body would inevitably be stained with paint.
Just imagining Shi Qi crying, screaming for mercy, trembling all over in the end with a dazed expression filled him with uncontrollable excitement.
“Do you want to see it?” he asked again, voice tender and affectionate. “It’s beautiful. Just like you.”
