After the Breakup, He Washed Away the Memories Chapter 55

Chapter 55

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Rong Qiu rarely took the initiative like this. In his memory, although he was the one on top, all the seduction and intimacy were initiated by Ah Ye. Ah Ye was enthusiastic, passionate, and knew how to tease him. Ah Ye often wore his favorite uniform to arouse him.

Now, looking at the tall man lying on the bed, Rong Qiu, for a moment, didn’t know where to start.

He just said, “No kissing.”

So, let’s just get started.

With one hand against Qin Muye’s chest, the other continuously unbuttoned the silver cross-patterned buttons on Qin Muye’s white shirt. The buttons sparkled in the bright light, but Rong Qiu’s fingertips were delicate and white, like premium marble.

The warm nails warmed the cold buttons, and as Rong Qiu unbuttoned one, he felt the person beneath him moving gently. Rong Qiu paused, his ears twitching, and the alpha’s breathing accelerated.

“Are you nervous?”

Qin Muye shook his head, remaining silent.

Rong Qiu lowered his head to continue. By the time he unbuttoned the last one, the white shirt’s collar spread open, showcasing the man’s well-defined physique. Rong Qiu raised an eyebrow slightly, showing appreciation in his gaze.

The alpha’s figure was truly impressive.

As a naturally born hanger for clothes, it was not only pleasing when dressed, but now, as he undressed, the muscles flowed smoothly, the chest and abdominal muscles subtly moving with the man’s deep breaths. Whether it was an illusion or not, when Rong Qiu used his fingers to push aside Qin Muye’s clothes, the muscles tensed instantly. The hand that was lightly placed on Qin Muye’s body also lifted slightly.

While marveling, Rong Qiu suddenly realized what he should do next.

Oh, right.

He remembered.

Rong Qiu got off the bed with a serious expression. He must have been absent-minded; the things he prepared were still on the coffee table.

Seeing Rong Qiu picking up things and coming back, Qin Muye sat up, still wearing his pants. He pulled the nearby thin blanket over his legs, seemingly covering something.

“Cold?” Rong Qiu put down what he held.

“Not cold.”

“Shall I continue?”

Qin Muye’s expression grew even darker. “Yes.”

Rong Qiu: …

Rong Qiu didn’t know what to say. Qin Muye’s expression was quite subtle now. If he agreed willingly, the alpha’s expression would always appear somewhat restrained and resigned. If he didn’t want to, he wouldn’t be lying on his bed like this, seemingly letting Rong Qiu do as he pleased.

But since he said it was okay to continue, Rong Qiu would continue.

Qin Muye’s shirt was already completely removed, and Rong Qiu also took off his bathrobe. The beta’s tall figure looked even taller without clothes, and although he seemed slender, his body still had a thin layer of resilient muscles. It was a healthy white, with a hint of pink, more mature and attractive than the beta five years ago.

Qin Muye’s eyes widened.

He said, “Can you turn off the lights…”

Rong Qiu, who was preparing to come, paused for a moment. However, he followed Qin Muye’s suggestion, turning off the main light and leaving only the dim lamp by the bedside. The light was yellowish, making Qin Muye’s originally robust muscles appear even deeper.

“Let me help you undress.”

Qin Muye’s waist stiffened, and each of Rong Qiu’s words and every subtle movement had a fatal attraction to him. He watched as Rong Qiu took away the thin blanket covering him, and then, with a calm and calm face, he noticed the sudden change in Qin Muye’s expression.

At this moment, Rong Qiu was extremely shocked and embarrassed. This embarrassment even made him forget the next move.

The light was very dim, and Qin Muye looked very good.

But why was it so big down there?

So big!

Not only that, everything about Qin Muye was bigger than him. Now Qin Muye laid on the bed, but he sitting beside the man looked like an obvious zero, as if he would be enveloped by Qin Muye in the next second…

Qin Muye remained calm.

Highlighting Rong Qiu’s surprise.

But before he could do anything, he was restrained by Qin Muye.

“What are you doing!?” His voice even had a hint of a whine.

Qin Muye didn’t say a word.

Then Rong Qiu was shocked.

He ejaculated within 3 seconds.

Rong Qiu slightly opened his lips in surprise, but when he reacted, his ears were so hot that they were about to explode.

Very embarrassing, embarrassingly to the extreme.

Why did he finish so quickly even before the alpha did anything?

It was simply his shame.

Qin Muye was also surprised.

But he gently reassured, saying it was okay. When Rong Qiu came to his senses, how could it be okay? Rong Qiu immediately threw many tissues onto Qin Muye’s hand, instructing him with a cold face to clean up.

Qin Muye obediently followed each instruction, strangely compliant.

But Qin Muye’s obedience made Rong Qiu feel even more frustrated.

Originally, he already felt that he wasn’t big enough, and now finishing so quickly, Qin Muye must have thought something of him.

But they still had to continue later.

It’s just that after this, he wouldn’t recover so quickly.

He dawdled to put on the protection, while Qin Muye watched him intently. Although he had just been in a submissive position, Qin Muye seemed to have gained some newfound confidence, even tearing open the bag of protection and wanting to help him. 

Rong Qin dodged the man’s hand and angrily bit Qin Muye’s arm, his voice coarse. “Listen to me! Then I will be gentle later!” 

While he said to be gentle, Rong Qin clearly felt the muscles of the arm he grabbed tense up, even the veins on top were visibly throbbing. 

He just bit him casually, but the reaction was so pronounced.

Rong Qiu quickly relaxed his grip on his teeth.

Looking at the obvious bite marks on the man’s arm, Rong Qiu shifted his gaze away, lowering his head to earnestly fiddle with the protection in his hands. Despite having many experiences with Ah Ye, he now felt a bit tricky and unsure.

He moved slowly, and Qin Muye started urging him.

“Is it not ready yet?”

Rong Qiu turned to look at him, causing the protection in his hands to become crooked. Rong Qiu felt frustrated but maintained a fierce demeanor on the surface. “Why the rush? I’m coming.”

However, a familiar ringtone interrupted Rong Qiu.

It was piercing but timely.

Both Qin Muye and Rong Qiu breathed a sigh of relief.

Rong Qiu calmly dismounted from Qin Muye, and Qin Muye calmly pulled the thin blanket over to continue concealing.

The caller was from Rong Qin.

But the speaker was Beta Boss.

The boss said on the phone that Rong Qin had gotten drunk, holding onto his phone and threatening to call and scold someone. It ended up dialing Rong Qiu’s number, and the Beta Boss couldn’t stand it, so he answered the call for him. While answering the phone, Rong Qin was still hitting and kicking the Beta Boss, treating him like some scum.

Rong Qiu responded, saying he would come to pick up Rong Qin immediately.

After hanging up, he seemingly composed but actually apologetically apologized to Qin Muye for the interruption.

Rong Qiu took the opportunity to leave.

But when changing clothes, he agreed to let Qin Muye stay overnight at his place. Otherwise, it would be inhumane to ditch the person he invited, leaving hastily and leaving him alone. 

Qin Muye also sighed in relief.

After Rong Qiu left, Qin Muye immediately went to the bathroom.

He wasn’t feeling any better than Rong Qiu, but he endured, enduring not to scare Rong Qiu and enduring not to push Rong Qiu away the moment he touched his back. Fortunately, Rong Qiu left before touching him there.

As the sound of running water filled the room, the man’s low, panting voice also followed.

His desire was longer and more vigorous than Rong Qiu’s, ultimately catalyzing the complete release of the alpha, still during the moment of Rong Qiu’s bewildering release.

It was a bit fierce.

But still very cute.

***

Rong Qiu’s car drove fast, wanting to escape the villa like escaping a cage.

It was so fast that even the Beta Boss was surprised, marveling if Rong Qiu had run a red light.

With the help of the Beta Boss, Rong Qiu tried to lay Rong Qin down on the back seat comfortably. Rong Qin wasn’t too drunk, so he could still recognize people.

Seeing that it was Rong Qiu who came to pick him up, Rong Qin gave Rong Qiu a big hug, like an octopus. Rong Qiu was tightly squeezed, trying to persuade him gently, finally managing to convince Rong Qin.

Thanking the Beta Boss, Rong Qiu took Rong Qin home.

However, once in the car, Rong Qin instantly seemed sober. His originally slouched waist quickly straightened up, but the smell of alcohol was still there. He uncomfortably used his fingertips to massage his furrowed brow bone. His eyes were clear, not at all like a drunk person.

“Is Brother Rong Qin drunk?”

“No.”

He pretended to be drunk just to deceive the people sent by Qin Zexi to monitor him.

These days, he always felt someone watching him from the shadows. At first, he thought it was some kidnappers with ill intentions, so he was cautious for several days. However, with no apparent results, he realized that these people might be sent by Qin Zexi.

Was an S-rank alpha only capable of this?

Daring not to meet him in person, just sending people to monitor him.

Without asking why Rong Qin pretended to be drunk, Rong Qiu still pressed on the highest speed allowed by traffic laws, driving from the Beta Bar back to his villa.

Even though there were no obvious signs of Rong Qin being drunk, Rong Qiu still intended to make a hangover remedy for him. Rong Qin sat on the sofa in the living room, holding a mobile phone in his hands, tapping the screen quickly, but his expression was ferocious.

Seeing Rong Qin like this, Rong Qiu knew he was venting violence.

The ingredients for the hangover soup were prepared, and the kitchen water was boiling.

Rong Qiu came out to talk to Rong Qin.

Initially aggressive, Rong Qin quickly changed his expression. He tried to use gentle and clean language to tell Rong Qiu about being monitored.

But Rong Qiu’s reaction was even more significant.

He slapped the marble coffee table in front of him with a loud smack, and Rong Qin watched, feeling the pain.

“How could he monitor Brother Rong Qin!?”

The more a child grows up independently, the more they value personal privacy. Rong Qiu couldn’t imagine being monitored someday—three meals a day, reporting every word and deed. Would he still be living a normal life?

Rong Qin’s reaction was better than Rong Qiu’s because he knew what kind of person Qin Zexi was. He also knew the type of alphas in Qin Zexi’s circle.

All scum.

Now, the filter that Rong Qin had for Qin Zexi was gradually dissipating.

Perhaps it was because Rong Qin was getting older, and he wasn’t as focused and serious about love as before. Therefore, Qin Zexi’s advantages gradually dissipated, and his flaws became more apparent.

Two betas exchanged remarks, with Qin Zexi becoming the epitome of scum in their mouths.

And the scum’s younger brother was coming down the stairs.

Rong Qiu, with his back to the stairs, didn’t see Qin Muye coming down. Rong Qin saw him, and his eyes widened like copper bells. How did this alpha appear wetly in Rong Qiu’s house? Moreover, he was wearing Rong Qiu’s pajamas, obviously a bit small because his muscles were taut.

Rong Qin suddenly stopped talking, and Rong Qiu realized what had happened and turned to look.

Seeing Qin Muye coming down, his face instantly turned red.

It was one thing for him and Qin Muye to have an arrangement, but it was another thing when the arranged partner appeared in front of Rong Qin. He regarded Rong Qin as a real brother, so he felt caught like a child being caught by his parents.

Rong Qiu’s toes tightened.

Fortunately, Rong Qin didn’t say anything, and Qin Muye just nodded slightly at him. After sniffing something, he went to the kitchen.

Once he left, Rong Qin lightly bumped Rong Qiu with his shoulder.

Setting aside his own affairs, Rong Qin quickly returned to his cheerful self. “Did he become your bed partner?”

Rong Qin’s toes, which had just relaxed, tensed up again. He never lied, all of his emotions and responses showed on his face. Rong Qin lowered his head, twirling the pattern on the hem of his clothes, and softly responded.

Rong Qin didn’t ask any more questions.

In the past five years, he rarely saw Rong Qiu like this, rebellious yet gentle.

There was an inexplicable tenderness.

Rong Qin sighed deeply; he didn’t know how long Rong Qiu’s current state would last. But with Qin Muye getting closer to Rong Qiu, he couldn’t stop it. Even if Qin Zexi wanted to do something, he couldn’t intervene.

Currently, the only reassuring thing for him was that Qin Muye was not like Qin Zexi.

Qin Muye could endure to the extent of doing what he did to prevent Rong Qiu from regaining his memory. If it were Qin Zexi, it would be impossible. Even if he died, Qin Zexi would want to keep him by his side. Now, the only hope Rong Qin had was for Qin Zexi to lose interest in him quickly. It would be best if the Federation could immediately find a solution to Qin Zexi’s omega stress disorder.

Rong Qin sighed again and finally asked Rong Qiu to get some wine.

Qin Muye took over the hangover soup Rong Qiu was preparing. Last time, he was unfamiliar with making soup, but this time he was becoming more skilled. He knew it was for Rong Qin, and Qin Muye couldn’t help but add some orange peel to it, fearing that Rong Qin wouldn’t wake up easily from the alcohol and disturb Rong Qiu.

In the gap of preparing the hangover soup, his phone in the pocket of his pajamas rang.

It was a call from Qin Zexi.

Qin Zexi was direct, asking why he wasn’t at home and where he was. Qin Muye didn’t directly answer, and Qin Zexi sneered, directly deducing that he was at Rong Qiu’s place. Then Qin Zexi paused, asking if Rong Qin was also at Rong Qiu’s place and if Rong Qin was heavily intoxicated.

Qin Muye just evaded his brother’s questions.

Holding a bowl of hangover soup, Qin Muye found the two betas had started drinking again. Rong Qin had a good alcohol tolerance and had already finished a bottle, while Rong Qiu, slightly inferior, had also drunk half a bottle, with obvious signs of intoxication in his eyes.

“Is he drunk?”

Qin Muye put down the hangover soup and sat next to Rong Qiu, who still held a bottle of alcohol in his arms. Seeing him sit down, Rong Qiu, with only a pair of eyes, stared at him.

Without waiting for Rong Qin’s answer, he knew that Rong Qiu was already drunk.

Qin Muye frowned, feeling a bit tricky.

He pulled the alcohol bottle from Rong Qiu’s arms, but Rong Qiu held onto it tightly, as if holding onto something precious.

“Don’t disturb him; he tends to cry when he’s drunk.”

Somehow, every time he got drunk and felt slightly uncomfortable, he tended to shed tears, quite different from the usual confident chief mecha designer.

Qin Muye dared not touch him.

Because he saw that Rong Qiu’s eye sockets were already moist, with a hint of red at the corners of his eyes.

He couldn’t bear such eyes.

He was about to step back to bring a bowl of hangover soup for Rong Qiu, but Rong Qin stopped him.

“Was it Qin Zexi who called you just now?”

“Yes.”

Qin Muye was still waiting for Rong Qin to continue, but Rong Qin didn’t ask anything. Instead, he drank a big sip of wine, motioning for him to quickly go and cook the hangover soup.

When Qin Muye came out, he saw Rong Qin teasing Rong Qiu.

“Qiu Qiu, who am I?”

“Brother Rong Qin.”

“Is Brother Rong Qin good or not?”

“Good.”

“What about this person?”

Rong Qiu looked at Qin Muye in front of him, and his pupils, originally unfocused, instantly focused. Rong Qiu shrank back, as if recalling some painful memory. His feet were on the sofa, and he suddenly drew back.

Seeing Rong Qin teasing him, he froze, and Qin Muye was also puzzled.

Before either of them could say anything, Rong Qiu’s evasive expression was quickly dispersed. The beta, holding onto the bottle of alcohol, seemed to fall asleep, still muttering the questions Rong Qin had asked, as if the previous caution was just a momentary confusion in the presence of the two.

Seeing Rong Qiu respond positively to the question about Brother Rong Qin, Rong Qin’s heart softened.

However, Qin Muye’s expression was very serious, even condensing. He picked up the slightly awakened Rong Qiu.

Rong Qiu stared blankly at him, seemingly trying to figure out who he was.

But Qin Muye earnestly comforted him, making Rong Qiu drink the half-bowl of hangover soup. The soup was sour, but the more sour it was, the more effective it was. Rong Qiu drank it with a frown, then casually grabbed a pillow, hugged it, and closed his eyes to feign sleep.

Qin Muye knew he hadn’t really fallen asleep because Rong Qiu’s curled eyelashes were still trembling lightly. Soon, Rong Qiu covered his mouth, wanting to vomit, and Qin Muye immediately brought a trash bin and warm water.

Watching Qin Muye taking care of him, Rong Qin couldn’t help but smile. “The two of you brothers are really different.”

Rong Qin always thought Qin Muye was taciturn, childish, and stubborn. Now it seemed that Qin Muye was still good when he was serious about Rong Qiu.

But Rong Qin’s perspective was not important to Qin Muye.

Seeing him not speaking, Rong Qin’s mood turned sinister again.

“If you tell Qiu Qiu that you are the one below, are you really willing to do it?”

Qin Muye was very straightforward, “I don’t want to, but Qiu Qiu wants it even less.”

Actually, Rong Qin was trying to get information from Qin Muye.

“So, are you feeling wronged? Wronged to be Qiu Qiu’s bottom? You are not like your brother. You clearly can find an omega. If you feel wronged, just separate from Qiu Qiu sooner.”

“No.” Qin Muye looked at Rong Qiu, who was about to vomit but didn’t, only patting his back gently and caressing him lightly, “Being together is already good enough.”

“If your brother had a bit of your understanding, we wouldn’t have quarreled like this…”

Rong Qin sighed, then remembered something, his eyes lit up, “Oh, right, after Qiu Qiu drinks, he won’t blackout. What we said today, he will remember it tomorrow.”

Qin Muye:…

***

Awake, Rong Qiu felt awkward. He remembered getting drunk last night and then hearing Qin Muye saying he was willing to indulge him.

He also realized for the first time that Qin Muye was very averse to being bottom. 

He didn’t like being in the submissive position, but he compromised for him. 

Rong Qin began to doubt the reliability of this bed companion contract, but soon, he had no time to think. He had another court session coming up; last time it was Chu Ming, and this time it was an alpha from the Mecha Research Institute. The lawsuit was grandiose, and the alpha had many influential friends. Surprisingly, they launched a smear campaign against Rong Qin, spreading false information on the internet, alleging that Rong Qin was dismissed from the institute due to misconduct.

Rong Qiu remained calm.

He provided proof of his voluntary resignation, but they didn’t acknowledge the written words. It escalated, involving even the military district, and eventually, the Star Network had to step in, blocking the accounts spreading false information.

Rong Qiu was content to watch the drama unfold from the sidelines.

In his free time, Qin Muye called him to inform that the instruments for Rong Qiu’s research project had been ordered. However, given the substantial initial investment, Qin Muye wanted to confirm if Rong Qiu had enough funds.

But neither of them mentioned making plans to meet again.

It was quite harmonious.

However, Qin Muye hinted that the incident Rong Qiu faced might become a case study, summarized during the quarterly meeting.

Rong Qiu thought the summary would be in written form, but to his surprise, it was presented at the military district quarterly meeting. Qin Muye even spoke multiple times on various media platforms. Rong Qiu gained fame, appearing several times on the hot news of the Thirteenth Military District, mostly positive and friendly.

But the evening Federal News was a different story.

Federal News was accessible nationwide, and in the other twelve military districts, many alphas expressed negativity, jealousy towards betas, and criticized Rong Qiu for not keeping a low profile as a beta.

The surfers from the Thirteenth Military District disagreed.

【Why should you care if a beta is outstanding? If you’re not good enough, don’t blame the beta for being excellent! (IP: Thirteenth Military District)】

【Don’t babble now; in the future, don’t let me see alphas from other military districts using  our beta-designed mechs! (IP: Thirteenth Military District)】

【You’re impressive with your mech designs! Looking at your webpage, an alpha with such little pheromones acting so proud? As an alpha, I feel embarrassed just looking at it! Ridiculous! (IP: Thirteenth Military District)】

…

…

【Um, I just checked, and his mechs are really amazing! In the Federal Thirteen Military District, apart from the Thirteenth Military District, every other district has placed huge orders!!! (IP: First Military District)】

【Our district too… Just saw the news on the military news website. (IP: Eighth Military District)】

Everyone realized that Rong Qiu wasn’t just an ordinary mech designer; he was the youngest chief mech designer in the Thirteenth Military District. The term “chief” shone brightly no matter where it was placed, especially when the main person was a beta.

The person in charge of letting him go from the First Military District regretted it deeply. If he hadn’t approved Rong Qiu’s transfer application, the mechs designed by Rong Qiu would now belong to the First Military District.

Rong Qiu had the support of the Thirteenth Military District’s citizens, and many betas from other military districts also spoke up for him.

Because Rong Qiu was also the Federation’s first beta chief designer.

It was insanely impressive.

While the online discussions were intense, Rong Qiu started working on the application for his private mech research institute. Submitting the documents was a cumbersome process, involving submission, political scrutiny, and an examination of background assets. If it involved sensitive backgrounds, the application could be rejected.

But Rong Qiu was not sensitive; he was an orphan.

So, after submitting the documents, he quickly received approval for the application.

Rong Qiu began selecting a location. The Thirteenth Military District was very friendly, providing several options, but Rong Qiu needed a vast open space, so he finally chose a plot of land by the seaside.

There was a lighthouse there, the closest civilian area to the restricted area of the Thirteenth Military District. Rong Qiu was willing to accept regular inspections from the Thirteenth Military District, making it more convenient.

After sorting out these matters, Rong Qiu also helped Rong Qin with his affairs. Rong Qin’s volunteer army had started recruiting, mainly consisting of veterans, and some joined out of admiration. Rong Qin didn’t discriminate; as long as the physical fitness was sufficient, betas, alphas, omegas – all could join.

Rong Qin invested a significant amount of money, and he was extremely busy. Even though he hadn’t officially resigned, he completely let go of the business of the Qin family’s main company. As a result, Qin Zexi was angry in his office every day.

If he and Rong Qin hadn’t quarreled, he could have seen Rong Qin delivering documents and coffee to him every day.

But not anymore; Rong Qin hadn’t paid him any attention for a long time.

Finally unable to bear it, Qin Zexi asked Qin Muye what to do.

But he didn’t expect that his calls went unanswered.

At this time, Qin Muye was signing a contract with Rong Qiu. Rong Qin was also present, subtly investing in Rong Qiu. Qin Muye also became a shareholder.

Rong Qiu accepted because he didn’t expect his research institute to grow so rapidly. Relying on his accumulated funds, he purchased all the equipment. Even with Rong Qin and Qin Muye’s investment, he became completely financially strained, and this deficit would only be covered once the mechs he designed were delivered.

But once they were on sale, his personal account’s wealth would skyrocket at an astonishing rate.

***

Time flew, and it was already late autumn.

Rong Qiu’s research institute had started taking shape, and Rong Qin’s volunteer army had completed recruitment. But Rong Qiu’s institute still needed professionals from the Thirteenth Military District for a systematic inspection to ensure the safety of the machinery and the people.

The day before Rong Qiu’s birthday, Rong Qin invited him to dinner since he would be busy training his volunteer army the next day.

Speaking of birthdays, Rong Qiu’s heart inexplicably ached.

He always thought he disliked celebrating his birthday, but for some reason, every time it approached, he felt uneasy. Yet, on the day of his birthday, he always put on a good face, not letting anyone celebrating for him notice anything unusual.

He could only attribute the reason to his birthday being on November 11th, or being an orphan without a precise birthdate, making the idea of celebrating his birthday ridiculous.

But these were just Rong Qiu’s speculations.

If he hadn’t erased his memories, he would undoubtedly remember that five years ago, when he returned from the Fourth Military District to the First Military District, he had hoped for some alpha to wish him a happy birthday, but there was none. Leaving that time, he was already heartbroken.

For his birthday this time, Rong Qin ordered a cake for him and even gifted him a watch.

Ever since the fallout with the institute’s director, he had ceased contact with him, and he had also removed the watch the director had given him.

The watch Rong Qin bought for him was very stylish, with a dial that sparkled like stars and silver hands. Seeing the sparkle in Rong Qiu’s eyes, Rong Qin felt reassured that he hadn’t chosen the wrong gift. When they were selecting the watch at the store, Rong Qin even saw a pair of couple watches that looked good, but he didn’t buy them. That alpha, Qin Zexi, wasn’t worthy of wearing his watch.

This time, Rong Qiu received many gifts for his birthday. Zhao Nanchen also gave him a gift – a whole box of cheese. Unaware of Rong Qiu’s recent aversion to cheese due to Little Ming’s incident, Zhao Nanchen was still enthusiastic.

Rong Qiu accepted the gift. That night, he sat in the study with an exceptionally thick journal in front of him.

He recorded today’s events, including the gifts he received.

Flipping back a few pages, he realized that the last time he wrote in the journal was a month ago. Reviewing his past, he dedicated a whole page each year to record his birthday, but he couldn’t find the entry for his birthday five years ago.

Back then, he should have still been with Ah Ye.

Unfortunately, the journal had many missing pages from a certain point onwards, and he had no way of knowing what happened during that time.

Although Rong Qiu didn’t know what was missing, he felt that he shouldn’t care or couldn’t care. It was like there was a hidden thunder in the diary, and as long as it wasn’t opened, it wouldn’t ignite. This difficult and melancholic feeling occurred every year around his birthday.

Empty and unbearable.

Like countless ants relentlessly gnawing.

***

The next day was Rong Qiu’s birthday.

Rong Qiu was watering the seedlings in the nursery, and his flowers had surprisingly sprouted with a hint of robust growth. Delighted, Rong Qiu immediately set up a warm greenhouse for them.

Someone skilled in modifying mechs must be good at manual work. When Qin Muye drove over, he saw that Rong Qiu had already finished the greenhouse. Three meters long, one meter wide, and one and a half meters high – it was delicate and beautiful, as if designed by a professional.

Qin Muye got out of the car, holding a cake in his hands.

Seeing him, Rong Qiu put down his tools and went to greet him.

It had been a while since Rong Qiu had seen Qin Muye. Qin Muye was busy, with continuous small and large meetings in the Thirteenth Military District. Rong Qiu knew all this, so he hadn’t disturbed him. He just thought that once the institute was fully equipped, he must design several mechs that could be sold, which would be a return for the money Qin Muye and Rong Qin had invested in him.

Qin Muye was serious, saying that he was there to celebrate Rong Qiu’s birthday.

After saying that, he gestured with the small cake in his hands.

This was the second birthday cake Rong Qiu had eaten this year. It didn’t compare to the exquisite one Rong Qin brought yesterday, being only two palms in size, but its shape was both ugly and cool because it was a mech-shaped cake.

The gift Qin Muye brought was a limited-edition pen, with words engraved on it. However, this pen was neatly packed in an exquisite pen box, and Rong Qiu didn’t notice what it was.

He put it aside and invited Qin Muye to sit down for dinner.

He thanked the Thirteenth Military District for taking care of his trial case. If the district hadn’t suppressed those troublemakers, he would still be the focus of the internet. Emotions were a mysterious thing, easily influenced by others, especially negative emotions, which could spread like wildfire if not controlled.

The meal was enjoyable.

After dinner, Rong Qiu washed the dishes because Qin Muye had cooked the birthday meal today.

It was only a month ago that Qin Muye couldn’t cook at all, and now he was adept at everything – frying, boiling, steaming. He even made a bowl of longevity noodles with a fried egg. Unfortunately, Rong Qiu couldn’t eat much, only having a bit to show appreciation.

Qin Muye didn’t rush to leave after the meal.

Rong Qiu finally noticed Qin Muye’s particularly stylish outfit and exquisite accessories. Suddenly, Rong Qiu realized something.

Qin Muye wouldn’t be here today to seduce him, right?

He even asked, and Qin Muye didn’t deny it.

Qin Muye asked Rong Qiu to go take a shower first, but Rong Qiu asked if Qin Muye had really made up his mind. Even though he was drunk that night, he knew that Qin Muye wasn’t sincerely interested in going further.

Since that was the case, they wouldn’t pursue it.

Rong Qiu initially wanted to suggest helping each other manually, but Qin Muye misunderstood. The alpha stood up nervously, casting a shadow like a towering mountain, blocking the light overhead.

“I don’t agree.”

Seeing his intense reaction, Rong Qiu didn’t say anything more. He took his clothes and went to take a shower. After the shower, Qin Muye went to Rong Qiu’s bathroom to wash. In the meantime, Rong Qiu opened Qin Muye’s gift.

It was unexpectedly a deep blue pen.

Rong Qiu was stunned. The color and design of this pen were very similar to the one he had given Ah Ye before.

Rong Qiu remembered that the pen was a gift from the director and the aunties at the orphanage after he entered A University. He valued it a lot and gave it to his beta lover. Now, Qin Muye had given him a pen that looked very similar. He should be happy, but Rong Qiu’s heart sank as if an unnamed knife silently stabbed at his heart.

He took a deep breath.

He always felt like something was missing from his heart. This feeling became particularly severe every year around his birthday. The air was pressurized, oxygen was depleted, and this sorrowful emotion reached its peak the moment he saw the pen.

Qin Muye’s heavy footsteps broke his unclear state.

A soft and dry towel was draped over Rong Qiu’s head, a large hand resting on the towel, gently rubbing his hair.

“Why didn’t you blow-dry it?”

Rong Qiu silently looked up at him. The slender and resilient finger joints were holding the beautiful pen.

Qin Muye, thinking that Rong Qiu didn’t like the pen, spoke with a muffled voice, “If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”

“I don’t dislike it.” Rong Qiu shook his head, his gaze returning to the pen in his hand.

But Qin Muye was still worried. He squatted in front of Rong Qiu, pressing the back of Rong Qiu’s neck with one hand, gently lowering it, not using force, as if this action could provide Rong Qiu with a great sense of security. “But I feel like you don’t like it. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to force yourself to say it.”

“I don’t dislike it,” Rong Qiu repeated, earnestly explaining, “I just remembered that I had a pen like this before, but I gave it to Ah Ye. Ah Ye is gone, and that pen probably got buried somewhere in the Thirteenth Military District with him. So when I see a similar pen, it feels a bit uncomfortable for me…”

Rong Qiu’s tone was gentle, and all the sharp edges were gone from his face.

But this affable calmness made Qin Muye’s heart skip a beat.

He finally remembered what he had discarded along with his phone – it was the deep blue pen that Rong Qiu gave him after they got together!

He indeed recalled a mysterious occasion when Rong Qiu handed him a long box, and upon opening it, there was that blue pen inside. At the time, he accepted it calmly on the surface but couldn’t help but sneer inside because a beta was giving him such an ordinary pen, and it even showed clear signs of use.

Memories could be painful.

The disdain and dislike at that time had now swollen his face.

He had discarded what Rong Qiu valued the most.

The realization struck Qin Muye.

Qin Muye felt as if he were in an icy abyss.

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