BDBE 72
Chapter 72 Glutinous Rice Balls
After coming out of the house, Zhou Hui didn’t immediately get into the car, but looked at Qi Xiao, who was already waiting at the door.
Qi Xiao was leaning against a tree in the yard with his arms crossed. When he saw Zhou Hui come out, he didn’t take the initiative to go forward, but raised his voice slightly and said,
“Actually, Xiao Wan’s current physical condition is not unable to withstand the marking. I think he himself would prefer to complete the marking directly, so why are you unwilling?”
For this reason, he even went so far as to wear an anti-bite device.
Zhou Hui took off the anti-bite device. Although it was a hollow design, he could breathe more smoothly after taking it off.
Qi Xiao was an impatient person. Seeing that he didn’t answer for a long time, he asked, “What are you thinking? Do you really not love Xiao Wan anymore?”
Zhou Hui still didn’t speak, and slowly walked a few steps away from Qi Xiao and stopped.
Then he spoke; he didn’t answer but asked a question: “You know his biological age is only 18. Would you be with an 18-year-old Alpha?”
Qi Xiao was stunned for a moment, the fog in his mind suddenly dissipated.
Zhou Hui threw the anti-bite device into the trash can in the yard, his tone heavy: “I’m 20 years older than him now. Even if the wedding vows are the most sincere, I can’t be with him until he’s old.”
Qi Xiao’s expression also became serious: “So you’re planning to push him away completely?”
Zhou Hui lowered his gaze; his eyes drifted to a point that couldn’t focus, the air around him filled with sadness.
“I just want to give each other time to think,” Zhou Hui said. “He still sees himself as my partner, so he wants to be with me without hesitation. But time is cruel. Someday in the future, when he is still young and has many possibilities in his life, he may find that he actually wants to choose another path.”
Zhou Hui turned around, his deep black eyes shone with a particularly solemn light as he looked at Qi Xiao and said, “So, it’s too early to make a commitment now. I want him to have more time to think things through more carefully to reduce the probability of regret in the future.”
Qi Xiao’s heart sank. He advocated enjoying life to the fullest and was least adept at dealing with these unavoidable and heavy issues.
“Why didn’t you think so much back then?” Qi Xiao frowned. “You marked each other when you were eighteen.”
Qi Xiao asked a question he already knew the answer to.
Back then, Zhou Hui and Shen Wanchao were both eighteen years old. The young people who fell in love with each other were as innocent as blank sheets of paper, and they didn’t have the complicated thoughts that adults would have.
Zhou Hui also knew that he didn’t need his answer, so he didn’t speak.
A moment later, Qi Xiao sighed, “You should tell these things to Xiao Wan.”
“Ha, no way.”
Zhou Hui suddenly smiled slyly, revealing his canine teeth.
“I told you all this so you would feel that I’m still very devoted, thus dissuading you from encouraging him to find another Alpha. But if I told him personally, what if he seriously considered it and really went after a new life, abandoning me, this old man?”
Qi Xiao gritted his teeth, “…Then you shouldn’t have said that last sentence to me!”
“Looks like it worked quite well, even you fell for it.”
Zhou Hui’s previous seriousness vanished, and he laughed twice before walking towards the Maybach parked outside the yard.
He reached out and opened the car door, and turned back to wave to Qi Xiao one last time, “If you’re going to tell Xiao Wan about our conversation today, please repeat every word, and embellish it a bit, make sure he’s really moved. That’s all, bye-bye, I’m going to work.”
With that, he got into the driver’s seat, closed the door, and drove away.
Qi Xiao: “…”
Dream on! He wouldn’t tell Shen Wanchao a single word of what he just said!
…
Afternoon.
Shen Wanchao sat on the sofa watching TV, a fruit platter peeled and chopped by Zhou Ruolin in front of him.
The TV showed a recently popular family drama called “Harmony and Beauty,” and the main scene involved slapping.
The wife who had been bullied for years finally slapped her evil mother-in-law. At the same time, Shen Wanchao’s phone, which was on the coffee table, rang twice. He got up to pick it up and found that it was a message from his partner.
This guy was Shen Wanchao’s former colleague. When he wanted to quit and start his own business, this guy followed him without hesitation and even mortgaged the house he bought for his wedding to invest in the business.
Zhang Huohuo: [Good news! The Atom platform is willing to feature our documentary! They also promised to give us a banner recommendation!]
Shen Wanchao sat up straight and swallowed the apple in his mouth.
Atom was currently the streaming platform with the most users nationwide; it produced many hit dramas every year, and the platform itself also invested in and produces many adaptations of major IPs. Shen Wanchao had Zhang Yan try sending over a sample video to see if he could get lucky, but he didn’t have high hopes.
After all, their documentary wasn’t a big production, nor was it very entertaining; it was a money-losing proposition, which didn’t align with Atom’s usual selection preferences.
Shen Wanchao had even planned to open his own account and post on social media.
He hadn’t expected Atom to actually accept their documentary.
Could it be that Zhou Hui pulled some strings…?
Shen Wanchao shook his head. Probably not. He hadn’t revealed the final title of the documentary to Zhou Hui, nor had he shown him even a single frame of the sample video. Besides, Zhou Hui didn’t usually concern himself with the affairs of his subsidiaries; if he didn’t specifically mention it to him, Zhou Hui wouldn’t notice.
Shen Wanchao opened the emoji pack, about to send a thumbs-up emoji, when another message came from the other end:
Zhang Huohuo: [However, they made a request… They hope that Director Shen can cooperate with them for publicity, including but not limited to creating social media accounts and shooting videos showing your face.]
Shen Wanchao: [?]
Zhang Huohuo: [I’ve already agreed and signed the contract! I know that for our documentary to be a huge hit, Director Shen certainly won’t mind making this little bit of effort!]
Shen Wanchao: [??]
Zhang Huohuo: [I believe in your charm from being voted the most beautiful reporter in the country by the audience!]
Shen Wanchao typed a few more question marks and sent them back. The other end replied with a >M< emoji and then pretended to be dead.
The phone screen went off, and Shen Wanchao leaned back on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling.
Social media accounts…
“Xiao Wan.” Jiang Yin’s voice came from behind, interrupting Shen Wanchao’s thoughts.
Jiang Yin walked over with a small bowl and handed it to Shen Wanchao, “The sweet glutinous rice balls are ready. Try them and see if you want some more sugar.”
The bowl contained steaming hot sweet rice balls, each about the size of a pea, floating in a thick, fragrant broth. A few bright orange goji berries served as a garnish in the white dessert.
Shen Wanchao scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and ate it in one bite.
“It’s delicious.” The perfect sweetness made him smile. “Thank you, Mom.”
Jiang Yin was relieved and happy as well: “I’m glad you like it. There’s more in the pot.”
After saying that, Jiang Yin went back to the kitchen and served Zhou Ruolin a bowl of glutinous rice balls. Shen Wanchao sat on the sofa and slowly finished the whole bowl of glutinous rice balls.
At that moment, Shen Wanchao had no idea that this would be the last proper food he would eat in the next few days.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, his heat officially started.
Shen Wanchao locked himself in the room that Zhou Ruolin had prepared in advance. It had a 24-hour air purification system and hot water that was always available. There was a whole week’s supply of nutritional supplements and inhibitors in the cabinet.
Qi Xiao and Zhou Ruolin stood outside the door.
Zhou Ruolin knocked on the door: “Xiao Wan, Xiao Wan?”
There was no response from inside.
Helpless, Zhou Ruolin could only take out the spare key, open the door, and go in with Qi Xiao.
As soon as the door opened, a strong minty scent wafted out, and the two of them felt like they had suddenly entered a cool oasis from a hot desert.
Qi Xiao fell behind and immediately closed the door.
Shen Wanchao was nowhere to be seen in the room. There was only a bulge under the blanket in the middle of the double bed.
Zhou Ruolin sat down on the bedside, and pulled back the covers.
Shen Wanchao’s face was flushed red under the covers. His black hair, damp with sweat, plastered to his forehead like seaweed.
“You child, what are you doing hiding under the covers? Be careful not to suffocate,” Zhou Ruolin brushed aside the stray hairs on his forehead. “Get up and let Xiao Qi give you an injection of suppressant, okay?”
Shen Wanchao hid most of his face behind the pillow, and whispered, “Don’t look…”
Zhou Ruolin paused, stood up from the bed, and chuckled, “Still shy? You’re really acting like a child.”
“Uncle Zhou, you can go out now. I’ll stay and give him the injection,” Qi Xiao said.
Zhou Ruolin could understand; after all, it was hard not to feel embarrassed to be seen like this by his elder. So he nodded to Qi Xiao, handed Shen Wanchao over to him, and then turned and left.
After closing the door, Qi Xiao walked to the cabinet where the inhibitors were stored. He smiled as he said to Shen Wanchao, “Alright, your dad’s out. Dr. Qi will give you the injection now. Don’t be shy, get up.”
Shen Wanchao slowly poked his head out from under the covers, the rest of the blanket still wrapped tightly around him. He sat on the bed.
“Zhou Hui…”
Qi Xiao opened the inhibitor packaging as he listened to the buzzing of mosquitoes behind him, and smiled helplessly, “What are you saying? I can’t hear you.”
“Where is Zhou Hui?” Shen Wanchao raised his voice and repeated.
Qi Xiao turned around, syringe in hand, and said mischievously, “Who’s Zhou Hui? I don’t know him. Hurry, stick your neck out.”
Shen Wanchao’s face fell, and he pulled his neck under the covers. “I want Zhou Hui.”
Qi Xiao knelt on one knee on the bed, and slowly approached Shen Wanchao. The syringe reflected the silver light under the lamp. “I told you I don’t know any Zhou Hui. There’s only the handsome Dr. Qi here.”
“Zhou Hui is…” Shen Wanchao’s eyes were shrouded in a layer of mist.
“Who is he?” Qi Xiao quietly pulled the blanket.
“He’s the child’s father!” Shen Wanchao noticed his movement and quickly pulled the blanket tighter around himself and backed away.
“Hahaha…” Qi Xiao laughed so hard he couldn’t stand up straight. “Okay, okay, you’ll be good and get the injection. After you’re done, I’ll find the child’s father for you.”
“Promise?” Shen Wanchao looked up at him expectantly.
Qi Xiao, a seasoned player in the dating scene, effortlessly showered Shen Wanchao with sweet talk: “I promise.”
The poor, emotionally naive Shen Wanchao, who had only ever been in one relationship and was in heat with his rationality completely gone, believed his lies. He obediently pulled the blanket down to his shoulders, exposing his neck, and turned his head to accept the injection Qi Xiao gave him.
The medication was injected around his glands, which caused a tingling and sore sensation.
Qi Xiao wasn’t so considerate; after the injection, he turned to take out the trash, leaving Shen Wanchao to rub the medication into his skin himself.
After throwing the syringe and gloves into the trash can, Qi Xiao turned back with a smile, and asked, “Are you a little more awake?”
The inhibitor had begun to take effect, and Shen Wanchao was awake, but remembering the embarrassing self he had just shown in front of Qi Xiao, he wrapped himself back up in the blanket.
Qi Xiao laughed twice, walked over and flicked his forehead: “Alright, I’ve seen you at your silliest after all these years, what’s there to be ashamed of? Sorry, I can’t keep my promise to bring Zhou Hui. Your dad only allows him to see you once a day, he can only come tomorrow.”
Shen Wanchao coldly said: “Don’t you have to work?”
Qi Xiao was stung by his words. He hugged himself, and exaggeratedly accused: “How cold-hearted you are! I took a day off specifically to be with you, and you still say this to me!”
In the living room downstairs, Zhou Ruolin and Shen’s parents sat on the sofa looking at each other. Although they stayed here to take care of Shen Wanchao, in the end, Shen Wanchao still had to get through it on his own.
Shen’s parents were both Betas, they didn’t know what an Omega’s heat cycle was like, but they had heard about it, and it was never a pleasant experience.
Jiang Yin even sighed and said: “Ha, how did this child end up being an Omega…”
Shen Xianru didn’t say anything, but patted her shoulder to comfort her.
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