CAADTB Chapter 51

Entering the bathroom, Shang Sui slowly helped Shi Qi wash his face.

Shi Qi’s cheeks had been flushed since earlier, his expression dazed, like a cat that had overdosed on catnip.

Shang Sui occasionally poked at his lips with a finger, the jeweled bracelet on his wrist swaying with the motion. The chain around Shi Qi’s ankle was pulled slightly, grazing gently over his prominent ankle bone.

In a daze, Shi Qi took Shang Sui’s finger into his mouth on his own, as if the prolonged activity from before had formed a habit.

Shang Sui couldn’t help but smile and suddenly remembered, “Did you spit out everything just now?”

“I did.”

“Let me check.”

Shi Qi said nothing, and Shang Sui pressed forward, prying at his lips and tongue. His fingertips brushed against the sharp tip of a canine tooth.

From all the rubbing, Shi Qi’s lips had flushed into a deep, rich red. Shang Sui examined carefully and confirmed they were clean.

But he deliberately lied to him, “There’s still a bit left. Did you do that on purpose?”

“…?”

“Xiao Qi is so greedy, just like earlier.”

Shi Qi blinked, wanting to deny it, but thinking about it, he did seem rather “greedy.”

A trace of honeyed sweetness lingered in his mouth. Compared to that rich, mellow flavor, all the sweets he had ever eaten paled in comparison.

The highly compatible pheromones made it impossible for him to resist Shang Sui’s taste. His mouth felt hot, as if it were melting.

Shi Qi was already not very clear-headed, and with Shang Sui’s suggestive words, he began to feel like there really was something left in his mouth.

Under Shang Sui’s surprised gaze, Shi Qi’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, and he actually made a swallowing motion.

Shang Sui stared at him for a long while, then suddenly asked, “Was it really that good?”

“It was.” Shi Qi hesitated a moment. “Like candy.”

Shang Sui’s breath faltered, staring at his unaware face. “You really are…”

He had offered to help, followed every instruction, and now he was even saying things like that.

And yet, the person in question didn’t seem to be trying to seduce him—what might be considered wanton behavior in others, Shi Qi treated as mere closeness and affection.

Shi Qi was still being stared at directly, unaware of what he had done wrong, when he suddenly heard Shang Sui say, “Baby, you’re so wild.”

“?” Shi Qi retorted in dissatisfaction, “You’re the wild one. You were moaning so loud just now, even louder than me.”

Shang Sui couldn’t hold it in any longer. Laughing, he cupped Shi Qi’s face and bent down to bite his lips hard.

–

Although they had never gone all the way, with Shang Sui’s help, Shi Qi still slept soundly every night.

It wasn’t just because their 100% pheromone compatibility eased his insomnia, but also because most of the time, he was utterly exhausted, usually falling asleep right after they were done, with no energy left to even keep his eyes open.

Shi Qi had been thoroughly worn out the night before, and by mid-morning, he still hadn’t woken up.

Shang Sui got out of bed quietly. After washing up, he went to the living room to get some water. Suddenly, his phone lit up with a new message.

Yu Wan: [Just happened to be passing by your neighborhood. Are you awake? If it’s convenient, I’d like to stop by and see you.]

Shi Qi was woken up by a phone call from Shi An.

“Hello, Papa Xiao An…?” His voice was languid as soon as he spoke, carrying a trace of satisfied exhaustion.

Shi An was silent for three seconds, choosing not to think too deeply about what had happened the night before. “We’ll be going to Qijiang in a few days. When are you planning to come home?”

“I’ll come back this afternoon then.”

“Alright.” Shi An hesitated for a moment. “Before you leave, let’s make a trip to Ningshan Hospital and have you checked out?”

Shi Qi had just woken up and didn’t quite catch on. “What kind of check-up?”

“Gland examination. I heard the deputy director at Ningshan is really good in this field. I want to see if he can give a more precise timeline.”

At a previous hospital, doctors had diagnosed Shi Qi with glandular degeneration, but were unable to give an exact deadline. They only said that if he wanted a permanent mark, the sooner the better, and it must be done within a year at the latest.

This had been weighing on Shi An’s mind all along. He had thought that now that Shi Qi had a boyfriend, he would naturally take steps toward bonding with him to cure the condition. But he had seen no signs of action from Shi Qi.

Could it be that he was just dating for fun and hadn’t seriously considered marriage?

Given Shi Qi’s personality, it wasn’t entirely impossible. Besides, every time the subject of marriage came up, Shi Qi had always been evasive.

The more Shi An thought about it, the more worried he became, but he didn’t dare push too hard. In the end, this roundabout approach was all he could manage.

“To find out the latest possible time for a permanent mark.” Shi An paused. “Once we know the date, we can plan everything else accordingly.”

In the past, any mention of this topic would make Shi Qi resist.

Shi An was feeling anxious, unsure whether Shi Qi would agree, when he heard him respond, “Mm, okay.”

Shi An breathed a sigh of relief, offering countless thanks in his heart, and even felt slightly more favorable toward that unknown Alpha who had swept Shi Qi away.

After hanging up, Shi Qi got out of bed.

He tentatively called out Shang Sui’s name and heard a response from the living room.

Shi Qi didn’t think much of it. As he walked, he joked, “Why didn’t you come wake me up?”

His whole body felt sore and weak. He had been tied with ribbons the night before, and faint red marks still lingered on his legs.

The red ribbons had bound his legs separately at first, then tied them together in the end. He couldn’t break free, like a fish laid out for the slaughter.

Remembering how Shang Sui had toyed with him, Shi Qi retaliated by saying, “You’re so getting a beating.”

Just as he said that, he suddenly noticed there was someone else sitting next to Shang Sui.

Yu Wan bore a resemblance to Shang Sui, and anyone could tell they were related. Her back was slender and held perfectly straight. She wore a white coat with a matching cashmere shawl, evoking the image of a graceful and elegant swan.

Shi Qi: “…”

Crap, what did I just say?

Shang Sui introduced, “Xiao Qi, this is—”

Shi Qi put on the most obedient smile of his life and tried to bluff his way through. “Hello, jiejie.”

After he said that, both people across from him had somewhat odd expressions.

Shi Qi felt uneasy and was just about to explain that he wasn’t usually so spoiled or prone to threats of violence, when Yu Wan smiled at him.

“Hello, I’m his mother.”

“…”

Seeing Shi Qi standing there awkwardly, Yu Wan smiled and said, “It’s been years since someone mistook me for Xiao Sui’s sister. I was so happy just now, I didn’t even know how to respond.”

“You’re Xiao Qi, right? Come sit over here.”

Shi Qi moved like he’d been given a command and sat down beside her as told.

“I picked up some cake on the way here. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Have a little something first.” Yu Wan opened the paper box and placed it on the coffee table.

Shang Sui noticed Shi Qi was silent and gently pinched his wrist. “You wanted to eat the honey fig cake from that shop on the corner yesterday. Since my mom happened to be passing by, I asked her to pick one up.”

He paused briefly and leaned in to whisper in Shi Qi’s ear, “It’s okay, don’t be nervous.”

Shi Qi thanked them and took the cake from Yu Wan.

The taste of honey and creamy fig spread across his tongue. The sweet flavor helped him relax a little.

As he ate, he listened to Yu Wan and Shang Sui chat. Halfway through, he couldn’t help sneaking a glance at her again.

Unfortunately, Yu Wan was very sensitive to gazes and smiled at him the moment she sensed it.

Caught peeking, Shi Qi tried to act like nothing had happened, but the cake in his hand suddenly fell onto the coffee table with a soft thud.

“…”

First threatening violence, then addressing her with the wrong title, and now fumbling clumsily—Shi Qi didn’t even dare to imagine what a terrible impression he must have left.

“I’m sorry for dropping in unannounced the first time we met.” Sensing his nervousness, Yu Wan gently added, “I was just passing by, so I’ll…”

“Wait, don’t leave.” Shi Qi snapped out of it. “My family asked me to go back. I should be leaving anyway.”

Yu Wan opened her mouth slightly, a bit worried that she might be the reason he suddenly wanted to leave.

Facing Yu Wan and Shang Sui’s similar eyes, Shi Qi hesitated for a moment but chose to speak frankly, “I was joking at first. I didn’t actually intend to hit Shang Sui.”

“I’m sorry for calling you by the wrong title. And… thank you for the cake.”

“Oh, goodness,” Yu Wan was momentarily taken aback, but then she smiled happily. “Oh, that’s nothing. I thought maybe you didn’t like me being here—glad that’s not the case!”

“You like sweets, don’t you? We have an auntie at home who’s good at making traditional pastries. I’ll bring some for you to try next time.”

As she spoke, she gave Shang Sui a pat, ignoring his baffled expression. “Just hit him if he acts up. If you don’t want to do it yourself, I’ll help you.”

This time it was Shi Qi’s turn to be stunned. “…Thank you?”

The more Yu Wan looked at him, the more she liked him. “Can I have your contact info? His father and I only knew he liked someone, but we didn’t even know you two were dating. He doesn’t tell us anything.”

Shi Qi nodded, then thought of something. “But didn’t you urge him to get married before…?”

Urge to get married?

Seeing Shang Sui signaling her with his eyes, Yu Wan quickly followed his lead. “Oh, yes, of course. It’s just that Xiao Sui doesn’t meet many people, as he’s always cooped up in his studio. We were just worried he’d end up alone.”

“If you two are willing, you might want to consider things like that sooner.”

She said it so naturally that Shi Qi didn’t sense anything wrong.

Yu Wan originally wanted Shang Sui to walk him out, but Shi Qi insisted there was no need, telling them to enjoy their time together a bit longer.

After quickly packing his things, Shi Qi said goodbye to Yu Wan, and Shang Sui accompanied him to the door.

Shi Qi had previously mentioned that his family was planning a vacation to Qijiang, and Shang Sui would be joining them later. Since they’d be seeing each other again soon, Shi Qi didn’t feel reluctant to leave. His mind was preoccupied with something else.

“Make sure to explain to your mom that I’m not usually this weird.”

“You’re not weird,” Shang Sui said casually. “You’re especially cute.”

Shi Qi was momentarily speechless, thinking he saw him through rose-colored glasses. “Cute? More like ridiculous.”

Before Shang Sui could respond, Shi Qi added, “Anyway, explain it properly. I want to leave a good impression on your mom.”

“Alright.” Shang Sui cupped his face. “Give me a kiss, and I’ll explain it for you.”

Shi Qi was about to tell him to be serious, but Shang Sui lowered his head and pressed their lips together.

With sweet breaths mingling between them, Shang Sui whispered softly, “Don’t worry. She’s already beyond thankful.”

“If she knew everything… she’d probably worship you.”

Shi Qi didn’t catch what Shang Sui mumbled midway through.

Since Yu Wan was still in the living room, they didn’t kiss deeply and just kept their lips pressed together, brushing gently.

Perhaps it was because they had indulged too much lately, but by the end of the kiss, Shi Qi was so swept up in it, his legs felt like jelly.

Last night, Shang Sui had held him and tied his legs; for a moment, he had nearly asked him to go all the way.

Even though his legs were still sore and weak now, being tangled up with Shang Sui had felt so good. Would it feel even better if they really did it?

Seeing Shi Qi’s dazed expression, Shang Sui’s breath caught. He asked in a soft voice, “Xiao Qi, what are you thinking about?”

“…”

To have his mind full of lewd thoughts just from a kiss—Shi Qi felt that was a bit indecent.

He said nothing, but Shang Sui’s hand tightened around his slender waist and gave a prodding squeeze. Shi Qi was forced to let out a faint hum.

Meeting Shang Sui’s half-smiling gaze, Shi Qi suddenly lost his temper—

“I was thinking, since you’re so capable…”

He deliberately paused halfway through the sentence, his large, cat-like eyes flashing with provocation.

“Why didn’t you sleep with me last night?”

“……”

Without waiting to see Shang Sui’s reaction, Shi Qi turned and bolted. “Bye-bye! See you in Qijiang!”

Shang Sui stood frozen in place. After a long moment, the knuckles of his hand gave a sharp crack.

His fingers slowly curled inward, veins bulging on the back of his hand, like he was trying to grab something.

He had thought Shi Qi wasn’t ready yet, that he didn’t want to go all the way.

After all, this was the person he’d finally gotten back after six years. He had been afraid of doing anything wrong, afraid of breaking him, so he handled him as delicately as a beautiful, fragile flower.

After all, Omegas were small all over, not exactly built to endure.

But now it seemed like those concerns might’ve been unnecessary?

Shang Sui chuckled to himself and sent Shi Qi a message.

Ss: [Just you wait ^^]

After calming himself down, he returned to the living room.

Remembering Shi Qi’s request, Shang Sui asked Yu Wan, “So, you’ve met him—what’s your impression?”

“Very beautiful. And…”

Yu Wan thought about how to phrase it. Recalling the way Shi Qi had secretly peeked at her while eating cake, his gaze full of curiosity, she finally found the right words, “Like a little cat. His personality is very straightforward, too.”

Then she changed the topic, “But when did I ever push for marriage?”

Shang Sui replied smoothly, “You can start pushing from today.”

Yu Wan fell silent for a moment, then quickly caught on to his intent and teased him, “Shi Qi’s still young, and he might not have even considered that yet. You’re that eager to marry him?”

“Exactly,” Shang Sui smiled too. “I never told you before, but he’s that person from back then.”

He added softly, “That special friend.”

Yu Wan didn’t understand at first. But when she finally connected the dots, her eyes widened in disbelief. “You mean…?”

After what had happened eight years ago, Yu Wan had thought the trauma Shang Sui experienced was too severe for him to recover from quickly. By the time she realized something was truly wrong, it was already too late.

She took him to see a psychologist. That afternoon, while waiting outside the consultation room, she sat with her face in her hands, crying quietly, once again feeling that she had failed as a mother. Shang Yao, who sat beside her, gently patted her shoulder, also full of guilt and unease.

As a form of psychological self-defense against the trauma, Shang Sui developed a mild mental disorder and became withdrawn and quiet.

His condition wasn’t severe. As long as he was willing to speak, he could communicate just fine, but he strongly resisted connecting with the outside world.

His personality as a child had always leaned toward the reserved, but for those two years, he was unusually quiet, as if he were living entirely in his own world.

Yu Wan had seen his paintings. Most were vivid landscapes, but sometimes his emotions would slip through into the work, and those scenes shook her to the core.

Because of his exceptional talent, his depictions of blood and violence were especially vivid—some disturbingly realistic, others like something out of a surreal cult classic.

Looking back now, he had always been sensitive by nature and must have picked up on her emotions too. Her worry had only added more pressure on him.

Because of this, once Yu Wan finally woke up from that long nightmare, she was filled with guilt toward Shang Sui. She only wanted to do everything she could to make it up to him, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing seemed to work.

The doctor advised her not to be overly anxious and relax.

After going through all of that, the fact that he was still alive and only left with some psychological shadows was already a very good outcome.

Later…

As the years passed, Shang Sui gradually emerged from that darkness. His mild disorder healed, but he remained reticent.

Until one summer in Qijiang, when he met a special friend.

Yu Wan didn’t know exactly what had happened between them, just that it hadn’t ended well.

She asked, “Did you ever ask Xiao Qi why, back then, he…”

Shang Sui shook his head. “He doesn’t remember.”

Yu Wan hadn’t expected that answer. For a moment, she didn’t know whether it was a good thing or not.

“In that case, you’d better show him your best. Don’t let him leave again.” After some thought, she encouraged him, “You’ve been managing your ruts well these past few years. Dr. Shen even said there’s not much difference between you and a typical Alpha anymore. You don’t need to keep locking yourself up.”

“Everything’s different from before. You won’t scare him again.”

But Shang Sui didn’t respond.

Seeing this, Yu Wan was just about to ask if he was worried about Shi Qi finding out about the past.

Shang Sui whispered, “It seems like, whether I can control myself or not, he’s never been afraid.”

After all this time, if he still doubted whether Shi Qi could accept his abnormalities, that would be underestimating him.

He could feel how indulgent Shi Qi was toward him, from the small things in their daily interactions after they started dating, to the big things like the rut and mental control. The other party never seemed to mind, always treating him in the most natural way.

“Maybe he grew up and stopped caring about those things. Or maybe I’ve made some progress since back then and I’m not so unstable anymore… or maybe it’s just that he really likes me now and is willing to accept my differences.”

As he said this, Shang Sui couldn’t help but laugh.

“I want to tell him about the past, little by little.”

Compared to six years ago, he could now control himself, and he had the confidence that he wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes.

He could finally admit that he had never truly let it go.

It seemed like desire was always hard to satisfy. At first, he thought just being happily together would be enough. But once they actually became lovers, he wanted more and couldn’t bear for everything to remain only in memory.

Even if it was a past not worth remembering for the other person, he still hoped Shi Qi would come to know about it.

Deep inside, a faint hopeful voice cautiously spoke for the first time: What if there was more to the story? What if Shi Qi didn’t actually want to forget him either?

No matter what the future held, since he had chosen to be honest, he needed to start thinking of a way to help Shi Qi remember.

In Qijiang, where it felt like spring all year round, layers upon layers of blooming Endless Summer hydrangeas swayed outside the window.

Shang Sui’s gaze swept over the walnut bed too crowded with linen pillows that spilled onto the carpet, the shelving in the corner lined with his paints tier by tier. Sunlight streamed in through the window, making everything feel like it had returned to that midsummer six years ago.

After leaving back then, he had someone regularly take care of the place. The house and the flower field below remained exactly as they had been.

He had arrived early, not only restoring the room’s interior to its former appearance, but also placing three scarecrows of varying shapes and sizes in the sea of flowers.

One held a cigarette, another appeared to be dozing off, and the last one stood looking down at the ground.

During those years, Yu Wan had treated him like fragile porcelain, afraid he might suffer another accident. Even during vacations in the mountains, she arranged bodyguards for him.

Even though those bodyguards together probably couldn’t handle him alone, Shang Sui hadn’t refused to put her at ease.

Later on, he found himself quietly grateful for her arrangements. Because of them, Shi Qi had initially misunderstood and thought he was being imprisoned in that house.

He still remembered how Shi Qi, counting on his fingers like he’d discovered a secret, had told him.

“I memorized the guards’ patrol routes, so I can sneak you out.”

“The chubby one hides in the corner to smoke, the tall skinny one takes naps in the afternoon; the average-sized one is the most responsible, but he doesn’t look up carefully. If you just leave your easel on the balcony, he’ll think you’re still here and won’t notice anything.”

After speaking, Shi Qi looked at him, clearly waiting to be praised.

Shang Sui hadn’t said anything then, but deep down, he’d found it funny.

The night before, he had gathered the three bodyguards one by one and given each specific instructions.

“You go smoke in the corner.”

“In the afternoon, you pretend to nap.”

“And you,” Shang Sui’s eyes paused on the last one, “don’t look up.”

“If you see a boy with gray eyes, pretend you didn’t notice him and let him in.” After saying this, he thought for a moment and added calmly, “There’s no need to tell Madam about this.”

They all obeyed Shang Sui’s instructions without question. Even if it meant keeping it from Yu Wan, no one objected.

After all, it was just a child.

“Understood.” One of the bodyguards asked hesitantly, “But why are you doing this?”

“Why…”

[——What are you doing here all by yourself?]

That was the first thing Shi Qi ever said to him.

The boy had landed silently on his windowsill, gazing at him with curiosity.

Bioluminescent spores floating slowly, crystal-clear bubbles, lights, half-melted crystals, fleeting flowers in sci-fi films… all the things he found beautiful seemed to rush into his mind the instant their eyes met.

He even thought he had seen an angel.

Even late at night, the image of their meeting during the day refused to fade.

Because that little angel looked like he found the whole thing quite interesting.

Compared to a young master idling on vacation, maybe a pitiful soul trapped in a tower with no way out was more intriguing.

“Because I want to keep him.”

He never explained this to Shi Qi, but instead went along with it and made up a beautiful fairy tale.

His heart thudded wildly as he waited for the angel to return.

---

Author’s note: The encounter from 17’s perspective is in Chapter 32.

Someone may seem aloof and cold, but secretly goes along in order to cater to Lord Cat’s tastes.

I roughly finished outlining the later part, and it’s turning out to be more than I expected. Let’s go!