Spreading rumors behind someone’s back was one thing, but being overheard by the person in question was another.
Lin Yan covered his eyes, unable to watch, then peeked through his fingers. Shang Sui wore a faint smile, as if nothing had happened.
In that moment, Lin Yan admired him greatly, thinking to himself, This guy really knows how to keep his cool.
Shang Sui spoke. “Xiao Qi.”
Shi Qi responded instantly. “Here!”
Shang Sui was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a robotic reply. When he looked again, Shi Qi’s face was red, as if it were bleeding, and it was clear his brain had completely shut down.
“I’ll take him away first,” Shang Sui said, offering a polite smile to the group.
Everyone else nodded along—on one hand, hoping this awkward but thrilling scene would end quickly; but on the other, unable to resist watching the drama unfold.
It was as if Shi Qi had just received a new command. Hearing Shang Sui say they were leaving, he fumbled to take off his ski boots, but his fingers were too weak. After several failed attempts, he still couldn’t undo the buckles.
“I’ll help you take them off.”
“…” Shi Qi could only nod. “Okay.”
The tall Alpha crouched in front of the Omega, deftly unfastening the straps and buckles one by one.
The difference in their builds created a natural sense of dominance. Though the gesture was one of help, it resembled an untamed wolf pinning down a small, fluffy animal with its claws.
The group fell silent, as if under a spell, everyone holding their breath.
Shi Qi reached out to grab the boots himself, but before he could, Shang Sui gripped the back of his knee with one hand and pulled the boot off.
His calf tensed, and the spot Shang Sui had touched tingled with a numb sensation.
“All done.” Shang Sui stood. “Let’s go.”
Shi Qi pulled out his sneakers from under the bench, slipped them on, and followed closely behind.
After they left, Su Zhou let out an innocent sigh. “Xiao Qi and his boyfriend have such a good relationship.”
Someone nearby added excitedly, “My face was burning just watching! No wonder it got so intense—you can tell they’d mess around from one end of the bed to the other.”
Lin Yan: “…”
Lin Yan: “Haha, yeah, you’re totally right.”
Seeing everyone so thoroughly convinced by Shi Qi’s scandalous rumors, Lin Yan thought grimly to himself that taking one bullet for Shang Sui probably wouldn’t be enough.
He’d need to take at least two.
When they reached the vending machine, Shang Sui stopped. “Want some water?”
Earlier, Lin Yan had handed him a bottle, but Shi Qi hadn’t had the chance to drink it. To defend Shang Sui’s reputation, he’d set it aside. Now, he was genuinely thirsty.
Shi Qi gave a soft “Mm” and watched as Shang Sui turned to operate the machine, his mind in turmoil.
Was the matter really just being brushed aside like this?
Maybe that was for the best. The more they talked about it, the more embarrassing it would be.
Shang Sui bought Shi Qi’s favorite peach soda, along with an unflavored electrolyte drink to help replenish his energy.
When he handed both bottles to Shi Qi, he suddenly said without warning, “Open your mouth. Let me see.”
Shi Qi was just about to reach for the drinks. “See what?”
“To check if your throat really got hoarse.”
“…”
Shi Qi hadn’t expected the drinks to be a setup for this kind of ambush. His hand slipped, and the soda can flew out.
Shang Sui caught it effortlessly and teased, “Weren’t your legs shaky? How come your hands are weak too?”
Fuming, Shi Qi stomped on his foot. “You know full well—” nothing even happened!
He stomped partly out of awkwardness and partly from shyness. But when he looked down at the black footprint on the clean white sneaker, he froze for three seconds, starting to wonder if he had gone too far.
But Shang Sui just laughed. “Mm, I know.”
Neither of them had gone to the hot spring last night, so naturally the others would ask what they’d been doing. For a couple in the middle of a fight, only leaving a temporary mark during heat was unusual. To cover it up, the explanation had to be vague and suggestive.
He just hadn’t expected Shi Qi to describe it so… unrestrainedly.
“If I didn’t make it sound intense, they’d think you had a problem. I was protecting your image.”
The more Shi Qi spoke, the more justified he felt. Emboldened, he turned the tables and said, “Hurry up and thank me.”
“Thank you.”
Knowing how thin-skinned Shi Qi usually was, Shang Sui figured it had taken him a lot of mental effort to say something like that. He added affectionately, “Such a good baby.”
“…”
By now, Shi Qi was sure that whenever he called him “baby,” he was definitely up to no good. It was always when he was being cheeky.
“But that counts as intense?”
Thinking of what Shi Qi had said earlier, Shang Sui’s mind wandered, and he suddenly counterattacked, “Why not just say I tied you up and wouldn’t let you off the bed until I marked you—”
Shi Qi’s whole body flushed, and the image actually popped into his head. He quickly cut him off. “Shut up! You’re so lewd.”
Shang Sui burst out laughing right next to him, unable to hold it in.
After skiing, everyone split up for free time.
Most were sore and headed to the hot springs to relax, while a few energetic ones went hiking up the snowy mountain. Shi Qi, completely exhausted, turned down all activities, took a shower, and fell straight asleep.
When he woke up again, it was already dark outside. Night had fallen.
He glanced at his phone—it was 7:30 PM, and a pop-up notification warned of a rare winter thunderstorm tonight.
Having slept so much during the day, he figured he’d probably be wide awake again at night. Sighing, he got out of bed as usual.
The hotel was fully heated, so light spring clothes were enough. He hesitated a moment, then, on a strange impulse, picked up the pink floral hoodie Shang Sui had given him last night and put on his own jacket over it.
When he arrived at the restaurant, Lin Yan and the others happened to be there too.
After finding out that there was an esports room on the top floor, Qin Shuhe couldn’t wait. “Wanna play later, Your Majesty? I really miss your Aphelios.”[mfn]Aphelios = League of Legends character[/mfn]
Shi Qi leaned lazily against the chair. “I’ll think about it.”
Qin Shuhe gave an “Oh” and looked around. “Where’s my ge? Didn’t he come with you?”
Shi Qi shot back, “What, just because we’re dating, we have to be glued together?”
Chu Tao giggled. “Well, you two do seem pretty inseparable.”
Shi Qi: “…”
The guy next to Qin Shuhe said to Shi Qi, “We were just saying the other day that Teacher Shang shows up to work every day like he’s walking a runway, and every now and then someone confesses to him.”
“So it turns out it’s all because he’s dating—trying to show off like a peacock in front of his beloved.”
Chu Tao jumped in to defend him. “Hey! That’s our empress you’re talking about. It’s just some tricks to charm the emperor.”
Qin Shuhe exclaimed in admiration, “So my ge has already been crowned as the empress? No wonder he’s so deeply favored by His Majesty.”
Everyone laughed and joked, while Shi Qi only curled his lips, thinking they were all imagining things.
Shang Sui had always been like that—it wasn’t because of him.
Just then, the person they’d been discussing walked into the restaurant.
“Ge! You haven’t eaten either?” Qin Shuhe waved enthusiastically. “Over here, over here!”
Shi Qi watched Shang Sui pull out the chair next to him and sit down. “You went back for a nap too?”
Shang Sui shook his head. “Did some painting.”
For some reason, even though Shang Sui acted no different than usual, Shi Qi still felt that he was in a bad mood.
Shi Qi asked tentatively, “Will you come play games with us after dinner?”
He was holding his chopsticks as he spoke, and the sleeve of his black jacket slipped down, revealing a colorful sweatshirt underneath.
The hoodie was oversized, and the pink cuff covered most of his hand, making his fingertips look especially slender.
“Sure.” Shang Sui smiled at him. “You wore my hoodie?”
“…Mm.” Shi Qi added, “Didn’t feel like finding clothes, so I just threw it on.”
The restaurant was well-heated, and halfway through the meal, Shi Qi took off his jacket.
“Xiao Qi, that hoodie isn’t yours, is it?”
Chu Tao’s eyes were unconsciously drawn to him. Even though the size was wrong, the pink surprisingly suited him, making him look both cool and cute.
She couldn’t help but suggest to Shang Sui, “Can you sneak more colorful clothes into his closet? He looks great in them.”
“I agree,” Lin Yan chimed in immediately. “I’m tired of his black and white outfits. We need a Dress-Up Xiao Qi.”[mfn]reference to Nikki games[/mfn]
Something Shi An and Jiang Youning had failed to do for years, Shang Sui had managed effortlessly. If Shi Qi’s family found out, they might carry Shang Sui home in a grand sedan chair.
“I’d like to, but I don’t know if he’d be willing.”
Meeting Shang Sui’s smiling eyes and hearing the people around egging them on, for a moment, it really did feel like they were a close couple who shared clothes.
Not wanting to embarrass his fake boyfriend in front of others, Shi Qi finally murmured, “It’s up to you.”
–
Because Shang Sui said he didn’t play games often, Shi Qi ultimately decided not to play League of Legends.
Ignoring Qin Shuhe’s wails of protest, he sat down at the console with Shang Sui and picked a casual two-player game.
After browsing for a while, Shi Qi settled on the classic It Takes Two. The controls weren’t difficult, the visuals were beautiful, and it was fairly easy for beginners to pick up.
As he was teaching Shang Sui how to use the controller, Qin Shuhe and Lin Yan sat down at the machine next to them and chose the same game.
Shi Qi looked up and asked, “Are you two just copying us?”
Tonight, Lin Yan discovered how much fun it was to tease Shi Qi and thought to himself that it was no wonder Shang Sui liked messing with him so much. “What, only you and your boyfriend get to play together? We’re not allowed to sit next to you?”
Qin Shuhe still remembered how Shi Qi had heartlessly abandoned him. “Exactly! Forgetting your friends when you’re in love.”
Shang Sui chuckled beside them, clearly finding the whole scene amusing.
Shi Qi couldn’t be bothered with them and just tossed back, “Fine.”
The game had barely started when Shi Qi realized Shang Sui really didn’t have any experience.
He was unfamiliar with the various game mechanics, but he learned quickly and stayed calm under pressure, clearly thinking things through. He was already doing much better than Qin Shuhe, who only knew how to scream whenever he got chased.
Shi Qi taught him along the way and unexpectedly felt a small sense of accomplishment.
Seeing Shang Sui stuck and unsure what to do next, Shi Qi prompted, “Hit the targets inside. That’ll open the door.”
“Okay, hubby.” Shang Sui aimed at the targets with his character. “I’ll follow your lead.”
Shi Qi nearly threw his controller. “Who is your hubby?!”
Shang Sui pointed innocently at their characters on the screen. “Aren’t you?”
The two game characters were indeed a married couple. They’d been together for years, had a daughter, but their marriage was falling apart because of all kinds of trivial matters.
Shang Sui was playing the wife, and Shi Qi the husband. So in a sense, Shi Qi was the “husband.”
“Then I’ll change it.” Shang Sui took full advantage, not giving Shi Qi a chance to respond. “Wifey?”
Shi Qi’s face burned, his train of thought completely derailed. “…We’re about to get divorced! Don’t call me that!”
Qin Shuhe and Lin Yan, hearing this exchange, felt like their ears were about to explode.
Driven by some masochistic curiosity, they paused their own game and came over to watch.
After observing for a while, Qin Shuhe couldn’t help commenting, “No offense, ge, but Shi Qi playing with you feels like he’s carrying a girl. He’s doing all the hard work.”
Lin Yan sounded even more pleased. “So this is what gaming with a boyfriend is like? Our Xiao Qi is finally learning to be considerate.”
Just as Shi Qi was about to tell them to shut up, Shang Sui naturally embraced the role of the one being carried. He turned to Shi Qi and said, “You’re amazing, gege. You’re so good to me.”
“…”
While Shi Qi was diligently evading the wasps pursuing him, his fingers suddenly froze upon hearing the words, causing his character to be unexpectedly killed. The screen turned black and white. Since the game required at least one player to survive in order to progress, and Shang Sui had already died, they had to restart from the last checkpoint.
Shi Qi clicked his tongue inwardly and awkwardly asked, “Why are you calling me that?”
Shang Sui was clearly three years older than him.
What was he acting spoiled for? It was outrageous. Did he really think he was that young?
…
But he hadn’t quite caught it earlier; perhaps Shang Sui could say it again.
“Can’t I call you that?” Shang Sui gestured toward the others, as if to emphasize he was earnestly pretending to be a couple. “I noticed others saying it too.”
Following his gaze, Shi Qi saw Su Zhou playing a duo game with his boyfriend and calling him “gege” repeatedly, vividly illustrating Shang Sui’s point.
Shi Qi: “Su Zhou is younger than his boyfriend, so it’s appropriate for him to use that term.”
Shang Sui: “Then I…”
Shi Qi reluctantly said, “But if you really want to, it’s not unacceptable.”
Shang Sui readily agreed, “Alright, gege.”
This time, Shi Qi remembered to grip the controller tightly, avoiding any mishaps.
For reasons unknown, Shi Qi suddenly seemed invigorated, taking full control of the game—effectively turning It Takes Two into It Takes One. Except when absolutely necessary, Shang Sui was mostly just responsible for sitting back.
Qin Shuhe and Lin Yan were dumbstruck, surprised that Shi Qi was so happy to be called “gege.” The more they watched, the more they felt that Shang Sui resembled the reincarnation of a fox spirit, whispering enchantments into Shi Qi’s ear.
Lin Yan blinked and suddenly said to Qin Shuhe, “Gege~ can you handle the boss fight while I just sit back? I promise I won’t die.”
Qin Shuhe played along, “You can even promise not to die? Our baby is much better than Xiao Qi-gege’s baby~”
Shi Qi turned around, scanning them from head to toe with a chilly smile.
“Are you two done yet?”
Seeing that Shi Qi was genuinely annoyed, Lin Yan and Qin Shuhe quickly retreated.
When he turned back, Shang Sui was trying to suppress his laughter.
Shi Qi: “…And you! Now that you’re revived, get to work!”
Shang Sui laughed and said, “Alright, don’t be mad.”
Shi Qi: “…”
Shi Qi: “Forget it, just find a spot to hide and try not to die.”
Lost in the repeated calls of gege, Shi Qi led Shang Sui through numerous challenges. Before leaving the game, Shang Sui, evidently pleased with the experience, said half-seriously, “I want to play games with gege for a lifetime.”
Shi Qi initially wanted to retort that with his beginner-level skills, playing together for a lifetime would be a nightmare. But instead, he changed his response to a seemingly reluctant, “Mm, fine.”
Just as Shang Sui was about to say something else, his phone vibrated.
He disliked notification sounds and usually kept his phone on silent. Seeing the caller ID, he stood up and said to Shi Qi, “I’ll just take this call.”
Almost immediately after answering, Yu Wan’s concerned voice came through.
“Xiao Sui, I just saw the weather forecast. There’s going to be a thunderstorm tonight.”
“Do you want to come home for the night? Your dad and I aren’t around, but at least the housekeeper is there.”
“Or I can have someone bring Twelve over to keep you company.”
Twelve was their family’s Samoyed—lively and very good at understanding people.
Because of what had happened in the past, Shang Sui didn’t like thunderstorms. More accurately… he deeply detested them.
“I’m at Xiaozhong Mountain.”
Yu Wan was stunned. “Xiaozhong Mountain? Is it raining there?”
“Yes.” Shang Sui had also seen the weather forecast. “It’s fine. Don’t worry.”
“Are you alone? Or with Xiao Yan and the others?”
Whenever his rut or stormy weather came around, Yu Wan would become extremely anxious, terrified that the outside world might hurt him all over again.
Sometimes, Shang Sui felt that compared to him, it was Yu Wan who was more stuck in the past.
Even while vacationing abroad with his father, she still constantly worried about him.
“I’m with other friends,” Shang Sui said naturally. “Did you forget? It’s been many years, and I’ve spent plenty of rainy nights on my own.”
“…”
His intention had been to reassure her not to worry so much, but instead, Yu Wan only felt more guilty, not even knowing how to respond.
“I’m really okay,” he repeated. Then, as if something came to mind, he glanced in the direction he’d come from. “Besides, I might not be alone tonight.”
Shi Qi, having nothing to do, was flipping through other games on the platform. His cat-like gray eyes were large and bright, as if filled with twinkling stars.
Whenever he encountered something that interested him, he always wore that expression.
“What?” Yu Wan asked hesitantly.
“There’s a very cute kitten nearby,” Shang Sui said as he lowered his gaze. “If I’m lucky, I might have a cat to keep me company.”
While Shang Sui was on the phone, Shi Qi had browsed through the game rankings.
The current most popular title was a horror game set in a school environment. It was known for its high-quality production and seamless blend of sound and visuals.
As Shi Qi read the game description, Qin Shuhe suddenly leaned over.
“I’ve played this cursed game.” Just thinking about the blood, sweat, and tears he’d poured into it, Qin Shuhe instinctively grimaced. “They changed the setting to a school to pass censorship, but apparently, it was originally based on a serial murder case from ten years ago.”
Because of what had happened at the amusement park last time, Shi Qi had learned quite a bit about special ruts and had naturally read about that infamous case. “The one where an Alpha in a special rut disguised himself as a Beta to kill people?”
“Yeah,” Qin Shuhe replied. “The final boss is the killer, and he can control the player’s mind. The first time I got forced into suicide by him, I was shocked.”
“Even if it’s based on a true story, I’ve never heard of any Alpha in a special rut being able to mentally control others in real life. It’s not a fantasy novel, after all. That part was probably added by the developers.”
Qin Shuhe rattled on, “The boss’s mind control ability is tied to his pheromones. After dying a million times and finally looking up a guide, I found out you have to choose ‘Beta’ as your gender from the start if you want to minimize the effect and stand a chance at winning… Ah, ge, you’re back.”
Shi Qi looked up to find that Shang Sui had finished his phone call at some point and was now silently standing beside them.
It was nearing midnight, and people were gradually logging off. From a distance, Chu Tao raised her arms and stretched lazily.
Shi Qi asked, “Should we head back?”
Shang Sui glanced at the screen, then nodded in agreement.
Qin Shuhe’s room was right next to Shi Qi’s. In the elevator, Qin Shuhe suddenly thought of something. “So, you two have made up now? If I’d known, we could’ve just booked one room tonight.”
Unexpectedly, neither Shi Qi nor Shang Sui responded.
Qin Shuhe gave them a puzzled look, wondering how, after laughing and joking together all day, they could still end up going their separate ways at night.
Shi Qi broke the silence. “We’ve made up.”
Shang Sui, as if prompted, followed up with a matching response. “Mm, we’re staying together tonight.”
Qin Shuhe breathed a sigh of relief. “Told you. I was worried I said something wrong just now.”
Because of that exchange, the two of them ended up entering Shi Qi’s room together.
He always felt that acting like this with Shang Sui was strange, as if they were doing something shameful. Shi Qi shook off the thought and estimated the time. “It should be fine now.”
He added awkwardly, “Be careful going back. Don’t let anyone see you.”
But unexpectedly, Shang Sui leaned his head onto Shi Qi’s shoulder. “I don’t want to go.”
“The forecast says there’ll be thunderstorms tonight. I’m scared to sleep alone.” Shang Sui rubbed against his shoulder like he was acting spoiled. “I want to sleep with gege.”
Because of his height, he had to hunch his back to do this. Rather than being leaned on, Shi Qi felt like he was being completely enveloped in Shang Sui’s arms.
Shi Qi was caught off guard. “?”
What kind of act was this now?
Shang Sui quickly lifted his head and gave him a smile, his gaze particularly hazy.
That look reminded Shi Qi of a scene from the game they’d just played—a swarm of jellyfish drifting in the night sea, their glowing lights flickering on and off.
There was something in that unreadable expression that made the joke feel unexpectedly real.
Shang Sui asked in a low voice, “Is that okay?”
Shi Qi’s heart clenched.
His instincts told him Shang Sui wasn’t lying.
Beneath the seemingly lighthearted words was something real. Shang Sui really didn’t like thunderstorms.
No wonder…
Shi Qi suddenly realized.
No wonder Shang Sui had seemed in a bad mood when they first arrived at the restaurant.
Shi Qi had no doubt that if he refused, Shang Sui would laugh it off and walk out of the room like it was no big deal.
He was sure Shang Sui could pull it off so flawlessly, it would feel no different from when they joked around while playing games.
Since Shi Qi would remain completely unaware, he wouldn’t feel the least bit awkward or troubled.
But what about Shang Sui himself?
Why was he being so cautious, so hesitant?
He wasn’t the timid type. In fact, he could be quite assertive at times. But when it came to this, Shang Sui always held back, as if he were afraid to cross the line.
It was almost like… like he had been rejected by Shi Qi before and had gotten used to seeing himself as someone easily left behind.
When Shi Qi didn’t respond, Shang Sui withdrew his pitiful expression. As Shi Qi had expected, he acted as if nothing had happened. “Just kidding. I’ll head back.”
Shang Sui hadn’t held out much hope to begin with—being afraid of thunderstorms sounded more like an excuse.
He was already in his twenties, not some kid.
Besides, one of them was an Alpha and the other an Omega. Unless there was a special reason, it really wasn’t appropriate for them to sleep in the same bed.
If it hadn’t been for that phone call from Yu Wan, he probably wouldn’t have brought it up at all.
He understood all of that, and yet a trace of uncontrollable, unwanted disappointment welled up inside him.
Back then… Shi Qi would have kept him company.
But then Shi Qi said, “Stay.”
Rather than sounding like a response, his tone was firm, like he was the one making the request.
Shang Sui froze. “…Really?”
Shi Qi gave a short hum. “You’d better not be a restless sleeper.”
“I sleep really well,” Shang Sui replied almost instantly, the corners of his mouth lifting without him realizing. “I’ll go grab my pajamas.”
Just then, Shi Qi grabbed his hand. “Wait.”
Shang Sui stopped, back still turned, silently hoping Shi Qi hadn’t suddenly changed his mind.
“If you don’t like sleeping alone on stormy nights, you can just say so. You don’t have to worry about being considerate for my sake.”
As Shang Sui turned around, Shi Qi tightened his grip, holding his hand firmly.
It was the first time he’d seen Shang Sui like this.
Shang Sui clearly hadn’t expected his thoughts to be seen through. His eyes widened slightly, and compared to his usual confident ease, he looked almost dazed.
For some reason, Shi Qi found him a little cute like this. A small smile crept into his eyes as he added seriously, “I wouldn’t make things difficult for you over something like this.”
“When you need me, I won’t say no.”
Author’s note: Back to sharing the same bed after years apart
Let’s talk about their personalities: Xiao Sui is quite sensitive and full of thoughts. Back in Chapter 6, when Xiao Qi suggested pretending to be a couple, his first instinct was to think Shi Qi would pick someone else because he had been abandoned before.
In contrast, Shi Qi is very pure and stays true to himself. Their personalities complement each other very well.
![[Rebirth Rise] The Male God is Explosively Handsome](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1751665213563.jpg "[Rebirth Rise] The Male God is Explosively Handsome")
