Chapter 35
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
—Who told you he’s married? Ah Qin said that his later boyfriend died eight hundred years ago. It’s said that the grave is already chosen, waiting for the two of them to be buried together in the Fengshui treasure land of the Thirteenth Military District.
Even if Qin Muye thought a lot, he never thought this was a possibility.
When he first came to the Thirteenth Military District, he wanted to win back Rong Qiu. But since Rong Qiu had a beta partner, all his efforts came to a halt. Now, his brother told him that Rong Qiu’s beta lover died years ago. This meant that a certain moral boundary he should have adhered to had ceased to exist.
Rong Qiu was now single.
The unnamed restraint disappeared.
This was undoubtedly a good thing, but he felt a bit uneasy in his heart.
Clearly, both were people who had loved each other, but the treatment he and Rong Qiu’s second beta boyfriend received was completely different.
Thinking about the beta’s ring on Rong Qiu’s finger, Qin Muye’s inner anger flared up.
Rong Qiu now treated him like a stranger, deliberately pretending not to recognize him, keeping a distance of thousands of feet. In contrast, when that beta died, Rong Qiu put a ring on him and referred to him as his “lover” to the outside world.
The disparity in treatment was too great.
Qin Muye’s face looked extremely unpleasant.
However, he could also understand why Rong Qiu reacted with such coldness and harsh words when he saw him for the first time.
He was the one who had made a mistake in the beginning, saying those hurtful words in the bar. At that time, he didn’t know that he would be so infatuated with Rong Qiu later on, thinking about him every night during the five years of sensitivity, even recalling him during the day.
He admitted his mistakes.
He had started to regret.
He could bend his own pride and apologize to Rong Qiu. He could make amends to Rong Qiu in various ways. After dealing with the accumulated complexities of the major research institutes in the Thirteenth Military District, both in terms of career and emotions, he could satisfy Rong Qiu.
And as an S-rank alpha.
He could do much more than others.
Therefore, he needed to understand more about Rong Qiu’s situation.
Qin Muye continued to ask, “So, is he wearing the ring just to commemorate his deceased boyfriend?”
“Yeah, that’s about it.”
“It’s really not a marriage partner?”
For some reason, every time he thought about the beta having a legal “marriage partner,” his mood became particularly gloomy, and even a coldness rushed up from the soles of his feet.
It was the same this time.
A sense of weightlessness.
And a sense of being lost.
But more than anything, it was the desolation and emptiness that pervaded.
Fortunately, Qin Zexi retorted.
Shaking his head, Qin Zexi rubbed his chin. “Not a partner. If that little beta got married, Ah Qin would definitely let me know. I guess he hasn’t gotten married, and his prospective marriage partner died.”
Knowing that Rong Qiu hadn’t married, Qin Muye felt relieved.
It was as if the dark lake in his heart was suddenly illuminated.
Whether he was fortunate that the beta died early or felt a bit happier about something else, he couldn’t tell.
Afterward, Qin Muye couldn’t help but ask again, “Did they… once love each other?”
“It must have been like that.” Qin Zexi affirmed, “I think that Rong Qiu is the type to be sentimental in relationships. Every breakup is painful for him. When you two broke up, he was so upset that Ah Qin had to comfort him. Even now, they get along well, they still call each other ‘Brother Rong Qin’ and ‘Little Qiu.’ I think they’re closer than real brothers.”
Qin Zexi had talked a lot before and after, but he only paid attention to Qin Muye. He wasn’t too concerned about Rong Qiu’s affairs initially. He had completely let go of his worries when he learned that the two had broken up. What he knew about the subsequent events was all sporadically mentioned by Ah Qin.
Ah Qin paid a lot of attention to that beta, to the extent that Qin Zexi was jealous for a long time.
Unfortunately, Qin Zexi still didn’t know.
Ah Qin’s statements about Rong Qiu were half true and half false, serving to appease him. If Qin Zexi knew that every time Rong Qin went to the Thirteenth Military District for procurement tasks, he would have meals with Rong Qiu, and sometimes even stay at Rong Qiu’s villa, Qin Zexi would have been even more envious.
Rong Qin knew about an alpha’s jealousy, so he kept it half true and half false.
It was simpler to directly say that Rong Qiu had a lover who had died but still occupied his heart.
This way, even if they accidentally met in the future, it could be resolved. After all, in Rong Qiu’s heart, there was truly a beta lover named Qin Ye who had passed away.
But Qin Zexi didn’t know about this.
He only knew that his beta lover had been acting cold and distant recently, not replying to messages or answering calls. Unable to bear the public business emails in front of him, he decided to chat with Qin Muye.
He told Qin Muye everything he knew from Rong Qin.
Qin Muye listened attentively, occasionally asking detailed questions where he had doubts.
Just like now.
Even though it hurt inside, Qin Muye didn’t miss any crucial information.
“Was his deceased lover an alpha or a beta?”
“Beta.” Qin Zexi remembered something, and his brows furrowed even tighter. “It’s because he found a beta boyfriend after separating from you that I worried Rong Qin might be swayed. After the beta he liked died, a more outstanding beta appeared by his side. Who knows, he might change his mind.”
“It’s impossible.”
Qin Muye’s rebuttal this time was very quick.
But even quicker were the synchronized responses of the two brothers that followed.
-“Ah Qin is so outstanding. Many people like him.”
-“Rong Qin is just like that, so only you like him.”
The similarity between the two brothers was perfectly reflected in this moment—protectiveness.
Qin Zexi protected his beta lover, while Qin Muye protected Rong Qiu.
In Qin Zexi’s eyes, Rong Qin was the perfect beta lover, and he could only like him in this lifetime.
On the other hand, Qin Muye believed that Rong Qiu would never be interested in Rong Qin.
Before he could retort, his phone lit up.
Surprisingly, it was the long-unseen Su Ran.
Since the last time Su Ran sent him those videos, they hadn’t interacted. However, he had kept his promise not to interfere with the Su family anymore.
This was their first interaction after their friendship had been strained for a long time.
And it was Su Ran who took the initiative to contact him.
Su Ran didn’t waste any words and directly sent him a screenshot of a dynamic post.
Qin Muye didn’t recognize the person in the post, whose profile picture was a sheep, and the nickname was unfamiliar.
However, he was very familiar with the two photos that were posted. One was a ticket for a starship journey, and the other was a picture of Rong Qiu, taken five years ago at his graduation. Qin Muye didn’t remember this particular photo, but he could tell it was from the graduation ceremony, especially with the A University graduation sign behind the young man catching his eye.
The man’s gaze in the photo was lowered, looking reluctant to move his eyes away from the pictures.
This time, combined with the accompanying text, Qin Muye had a clear understanding of who this person was.
Unexpectedly, after five years, this annoying alpha was still lingering around Rong Qiu. What particularly surprised Qin Muye was the intimacy in Chu Ming’s words.
—Just one more hour, and I can see the senior from the Thirteenth Military District! Excited! This time, living together, I will definitely clean the house well and be a qualified roommate!
House cleaning, a qualified roommate?
Qin Muye nearly crushed his phone in his hand. The black metal shell pressed harshly into his palm, but he seemed oblivious to the noticeable, heavy, and undeniable dull sensation.
Chu Ming came to the Thirteenth Military District?!
This was too coincidental.
So, was he the one Rong Qiu received today?!
From Chu Ming’s words, Qin Muye clearly saw the arrogance of this fellow alpha.
Yes, it was arrogance.
Because there were many comments below. This alpha seemed to be acting like the master, although his words were modest. Qin Muye could still discern the joy and satisfaction in his heart.
Comment 1: Congratulations! Transferring to the military region is not easy. I can’t understand why you would give up the great future in the First Military Region.
Chu Ming’s reply: It is indeed difficult, but it’s worth it.
Comment 2: Can you cook? Can you clean? Don’t get kicked out by the senior (laughs.jpg).
Chu Ming’s reply: Yes, I can, I can. I won’t lose to the other alpha junior in the senior’s house!
…
There were many comments, but they all inexplicably stabbed Qin Muye in the eyes.
After he turned back to the conversation, Su Ran had sent him a new message.
Su Ran: It seems like he’s going to find Rong Qiu…
Su Ran: I just saw it, and then I wanted to remind you. I remember back when we were at A University, he seemed quite interested in Rong Qiu.
Su Ran only sent these few lines and didn’t say more.
Qin Muye, holding the phone with one hand, tapped his fingertips lightly.
Qin Muye: Download the photo from Chu Ming’s Moments and send it to me.
Su Ran: …
Even though there were six dots, Su Ran obediently downloaded the photo and sent it to Qin Muye.
Qin Muye coldly thanked him and then turned to transfer the photo to his own phone.
The downloaded photo could be enlarged in high definition. Although the angle of the photo was slightly tilted, Qin Muye could only see Rong Qiu’s profile. Yet, he could still clearly see what Rong Qiu looked like at the graduation ceremony five years ago.
Thinner, shorter, and with a softer complexion.
Correspondingly, Rong Qiu’s personality at that time was also softer, believing anything said to him, like a sweet little custard. Occasionally, if poked with force, he would gradually bounce back.
The man’s fingertips gently traced Rong Qiu’s red lips, the tip of his nose, and the corners of his eyes.
Finally, in his mind, Rong Qiu’s current appearance and the photo gradually overlapped. This created a strange chemical reaction, as if with just a blink of an eye, Rong Qiu had crossed from five years ago to the present.
The gentle and obedient beta transformed into the decisive and capable Rong Qiu.
Everything was drifting away.
However, this indescribable emotion couldn’t be indulged for too long. When he realized that the small house meant for the beta was about to be occupied by a second alpha, the sourness became overwhelming.
Is Chu Ming the same as the alpha he encountered before?
Is he also Rong Qiu’s bed partner?
He remembered that Su Ran, during his university days, maintained the appearance of being single but had many bed partners. Since bed partners didn’t need to be exclusive like lovers, having two bed partners simultaneously didn’t seem excessive.
It was normal to change when one got bored.
But Chu Ming was different.
This alpha transferred from the First Military Region to the Thirteenth Military District specifically for Rong Qiu. Qin Muye didn’t believe that the alpha’s only desire was to secure a position as Rong Qiu’s bed partner.
With this thought, a storm seemed to gather on the man’s face, and in an instant, a tempest of emotions swept over.
Qin Zexi, seeing his expression, was taken aback.
He had just put down his phone.
Rong Qin seemed to be ignoring him again, and their recent cold wars had become frequent and inexplicable. So, Qin Zexi, who was already unusually irritable, felt a slight relief seeing Qin Muye’s brows furrowed to the point of catching mosquitoes.
Understanding what was bothering him, Qin Zexi offered a “sincere” piece of advice from his perspective.
“If you still like him, go after him. Otherwise, you’ll definitely regret it.”
Despite Qin Zexi’s words, Qin Muye remained silent.
Three seconds later.
He put down his phone, and the cold profile of his face, illuminated by the neon lights outside the window, looked elegant and charming. However, faint veins appeared on his neck, revealing his inner turmoil.
Indeed.
A certain budding idea was growing madly.
Since Rong Qiu had no legal marital bonds, why couldn’t he make a move…
But before that, there were two alphas surrounding Rong Qiu.
That was too conspicuous.
Even though they weren’t together yet, the possessiveness of an alpha made his blood boil. He was an S-rank alpha who had been intimately involved with Rong Qiu countless times five years ago.
They were entwined, their heads tilted together.
If it came to a bed partner relationship, he was undoubtedly the most suitable for Rong Qiu.
But his pride didn’t last long.
Rong Qiu’s new dynamic shattered his thoughts.
—Sure enough, playing with young kids is the most joyful.
Rong Qiu’s previous dynamic was about mech research, and Qin Muye had flipped through numerous dynamics related to his work or retweets from the research institute. Only a few were genuine expressions from Rong Qiu.
Qin Muye had scrolled through three of them before.
The first one expressed disappointment that the design of the mechs remodeled by the research institute before was outdated and would kick up dust when flying.
The second one bluntly stated that the institute’s food was unappetizing.
The third one complained about the flowers from the thirteenth planting cycle wilting again.
Now, Rong Qiu, being more talkative than before, spoke from the heart.
Because of this.
The man wished he could chew up the few words Rong Qiu posted this time and swallow them down, pondering carefully.
What did this mean?
Qin Muye glanced at the time on the phone.
It was a little past eight.
Rong Qiu seemed to have received a message from Chu Ming.
So, was this sentence expressing his thoughts on that young alpha?
The realization that both alphas Rong Qiu had close ties with were younger than him triggered a sense of crisis in Qin Muye. Although he and Rong Qiu were close in age, these two younger junior alphas made him feel uneasy.
In anger, his fingers accidentally pressed the like button.
A fiery red heart appeared on Rong Qiu’s dynamic.
Qin Muye’s pulse stirred.
He took another glance at the filled-in red heart symbol, freezing the illuminated page on his lap.
What he couldn’t see, he could pretend didn’t exist, pretending to be ignorant.
At present, the most important thing was to make things clear with the beta.
***
Rong Qiu originally posted this dynamic just to express his feelings.
Most researchers in the mech research institute were over fifty, highly qualified but somewhat old-fashioned in character. So, Rong Qiu didn’t have much interaction with them.
If it came to young people, there was indeed another young alpha living with him—Zhao Nanchen. However, Rong Qiu saw him as somewhat like a mischievous Husky that could help with household chores but was too noisy.
So, Chu Ming was better.
A sincere and considerate junior.
Look at that, he brought another cooler full of cheese this time.
Chu Ming, carrying a huge backpack, appeared calm and composed, not overly intimate. Instead, he politely bowed to Rong Qiu, expressing gratitude for Rong Qiu’s willingness to accommodate him until he found a rented place.
He had blocked the dynamic he posted today from Rong Qiu.
Naturally, Rong Qiu was unaware of his thoughts.
Rong Qiu moved all of Chu Ming’s bags to the back seat of the car. Although he didn’t have much stuff, he made two trips.
But after loading everything into the car, when he turned around, Chu Ming was still outside.
“Why aren’t you getting in?”
Chu Ming stopped outside the passenger seat. “Little Qiu, can I sit in this seat?”
Rong Qiu chuckled, patting the passenger seat. “Come on, I’m not as fussy as you young people.”
Satisfied, Chu Ming took the front seat.
Watching Rong Qiu drive attentively, Chu Ming quietly tilted his phone and took a discreet photo. However, this time he didn’t post it to his own social media; he kept it for himself.
After a busy day, Rong Qiu took a refreshing hot bath in the evening and then laid down on his bed.
The entire second floor was empty, with his room being the only lively one.
Actually, there was another room on his second floor, but he wasn’t used to having outsiders around. Chu Ming had been assigned to stay downstairs with Zhao Nanchen. Fortunately, both alphas didn’t mind. The guest room downstairs was spacious, with a large bed and even a sizable sofa, so there was plenty of space.
Having two more people in the house, it still felt a bit unfamiliar.
For example, he used to casually appear downstairs after washing his hair and taking a shower, but now, with outsiders around, he couldn’t do that anymore.
He had to restrain those irritable temperaments.
This inevitably made Rong Qiu feel a bit restrained.
But Zhao Nanchen would probably stay for another month or two at most before his brother, Zhao Dongqi, came to take him back. Chu Ming, being capable, would undoubtedly settle into a new place quickly at the Thirteenth Military District.
At that time, there would be only him in the house.
Oh, no, there was still his beta partner living in his memory.
That’s what comfort meant.
Rong Qiu laid on the bed, feeling blissful.
Then he took out his phone, flipping through the dynamic feed as a pre-sleep routine. Soon, he noticed that the dynamic he posted today received four red hearts.
One from his brother Rong Qin, one from Zhao Nanchen, one from Chu Ming, and the last one…
Hmm? Something’s odd.
Take another look.
What’s going on?
Did that S-rank alpha’s account get hacked?
He actually liked his post.
Well, let it be, maybe it was a mistake.
Rong Qiu plugged in his phone for charging, then dragged his tired body backward. The man sprawled on the soft bed, his messy hair falling back due to gravity, highlighting his clean, exquisite features.
Drowsiness surged.
In the hazy dreams.
Rong Qiu saw the man he met at the Star Harbor Airport again.
Qin Muye was wearing a simple gray casual outfit, a mask covering his face, but his eyebrows and eyes looked gentle.
Such a man really resembled his beta partner.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
