Chapter 22: Who was the adulterer? Now he was being assaulted by his Omega...

Pei Jiqing had no idea what had provoked Chen Huixing, but he tormented him for the better part of the night, his fingertips roaming over every inch of his skin.

Moonlight shattered into dust in the folds of the curtains, and he lost count of how many times he was thrown against the waves, the sobs escaping his throat broken into intermittent bursts.

He was being tormented, and Chen Huixing truly enjoyed it, leaving Pei Jiqing powerless to resist.

Pei Jiqing felt as if all the moisture in his body was being evaporated. He cried, begged, and lost his temper, only to be suppressed.

Chen Huixing gripped his trembling wrists tightly with his thumb and toyed with them. As beads of sweat rolled down his neck, Pei Jiqing felt as if he had turned into a dehydrated fish. The sheets wrinkled into surging waves, and he was trapped in a swirling vortex of moisture.

Those tearful pleas for mercy ultimately shattered on the pillow, transforming into a few red scratches on Chen Huixing's shoulders.

His quilt was unusable, dishevelled and soaked, its wrinkled fabric stained with stains of varying depths, like a desolate wasteland ravaged by a rainstorm.

The two of them then moved into Chen Huixing's quilt.

Deep in sleep, their breathing gradually steadying, their intertwined body heat slowly fermenting between the mattresses until dawn, when Chen Huixing quietly departed, leaving only a half-empty bed.

When Pei Jiqing awoke, the velvet quilt still held the faint scent of redwood from Chen Huixing's body. He felt as if he were sinking into a warm cloud. A pale arm peeked out from beneath the thin gray blanket, its fingertips unconsciously stretching and curling, as if grasping at some ethereal warmth. He hadn't even noticed when Chen Huixing passed away. When he opened his eyes, he repeatedly clenched the hand raised above his head.

He propped himself up with his hand and sat up to see clearly what the cold touch on his ring finger was. There was a ring there, the cold gleam of metal gleaming faintly in the morning light. Pei Jiqing looked down at it

, the ring was clasped tightly at the base of his finger, as if it had never been lost. That day, Chen Huixing was so angry that the jewelry box fell over and the wedding ring rolled into the shadows in the corner and disappeared.

Now it was back on his hand.

In fact, Pei Jiqing didn't like to wear rings on weekdays.

Firstly, it was not convenient for the program, and secondly, the ring was not the style Pei Jiqing liked.

The ring was simple and monotonous. When it was sent to the exchange ceremony, it was the first time Pei Jiqing saw it.

Chen Huixing always carried it with him for some kind of status symbol.

Pei Jiqing never liked to wear rings.

His knuckles were empty, which made him feel more comfortable.

When shaking hands and adjusting the microphone in front of the camera, the cold gleam of the metal would always be reflected into the camera at some unintentional angle, too conspicuous and too deliberate. Besides, that ring—a plain silver band, devoid of any ornamentation, even its edges polished to an excessively blunt finish—wasn't Pei Jiqing's style.

He'd first seen it on the velvet tray at the exchange ceremony, as their wedding ring. He could guess where it came from, perhaps one of the secretaries.

He slipped the silver ring off and set it in the shadow of his bedside drawer. The soft clink of metal against wood was like a barely audible sigh. Pei

Jiqing wore a dark green robe, hanging loosely around his shoulders. The fabric rubbed against his skin, causing a slight sting. He leaned over and scooped a handful of cold water onto his face. The water dripped down his jaw, slid across the mottled marks on his neck, and spread all the way to his collarbone, barely visible beneath the robe. It was a horrible sight.

Noticing something unusual about Chen Huixing last night, Pei Jiqing pulled out the pheromone detector hidden deep within.

The pheromone meter's screen glowed coldly in the dim bathroom, its data curve fluctuating wildly. Pei Jiqing's fingertips hovered over the peak, revealing a frighteningly long period that only subsided in the early morning hours.

Pei Jiqing frowned, thinking it shouldn't be the case.

His estrus period and Shen Huixing's susceptible period should have overlapped perfectly, having been adjusted with considerable effort.

But last night, Shen Huixing's pheromones had practically materialized, a hot, chaotic, and aimless sensation that threatened to fill the entire room.

In the past...

Pei Jiqing might have wrapped his arm around his shoulders, letting the soothing pheromones entwine around him like a chain to restrain a wild animal.

But last night, he was so exhausted that he closed his eyes, letting his consciousness drift, unwilling to pretend to be an inanimate vessel for those burning, almost violent desires.

Pei Jiqing stared at himself in the mirror, a cold, fragmented light swirling deep in his pupils. Drops of water slid down his chin like a tear mark that had not yet dried, making the mottled kiss marks even more glaring.

He thought of the rules that he had recited over and over again, every word engraved in his bones. He had to subconsciously get close to the Alpha when he got close, like a vine craving for sunlight. He had to be even more docile during the mating period, offering his neck, playing the role of a perfect, intoxicated Omega, satisfying all the absurd fantasies about "virtuous wives."

But the most important one, he almost forgot -

that is, he must never fall in love with the Alpha.

The mirror reflected the corners of his lips that were slightly raised, and that smile was as thin as a layer of ice, with a kind of self-deprecating sobriety hidden underneath.

Pei Jiqing had breakfast and drove out by himself.

In the early morning light, the wind from the Ling City dock blew in the salty smell of the sea. Wei Ji saw the white SUV parked in the distance. When the car door opened, the tip of Pei Jiqing's shoe touched the ground first - the off-white linen cloth wrapped around his thin figure, and the dark blue trouser legs were casually rolled up, revealing a slender ankle, which was dazzlingly white in the sun.

The moment Pei Jiqing's sunglasses were removed, he squinted, and the sea breeze blew his hair into a mess.

"Is this what you showed me?" His voice was soft, but it clearly penetrated the noise of the port.

Pei Jiqing's eyes swept behind Wei Ji - the freighter was slowly passing, the whistle was deafening, and the waves splashed on the rusted hull.

"Synthetic pheromone chemicals shipped to the United States of America," Wei Ji said, facing the sea breeze, "the market is huge."

In the salty and humid air, the corners of Pei Jiqing's clothes were blown up by the wind, and then fell down.

The sea breeze, carrying the smell of diesel and salty fish, blew in Pei Jiqing's face. The shaking ship and the broken sky were reflected on the lenses of Pei Jiqing's sunglasses. Wei Ji took him on board and held out his hand to him.

"Isn't this too exaggerated?" Wei Ji's eyes fell on the sunglasses that covered half of his face.

Pei Jiqing gently pushed the frame with his fingertips, and the metal frame emitted a cold light in the sun. He thought that the three words "Chen Huixing" were like burning irons. If he was not careful, it would burn his skin and leave scorch marks. He really didn't want the public opinion personnel of Chen Huixing to trouble him again. Now he is no longer active on the big screen.

Amid the roar of the freighter's engine, Wei Ji's voice mixed with the sea breeze floated in intermittently.

Pei Jiqing listened to Wei Ji talk about the history of his rise to wealth.

After leaving the lower city, he got the opportunity because he blocked a bullet for the person in charge of Qingyu Technology.

Those memories were like rusty anchor chains being dragged out of the water, the burning pain of a bullet piercing flesh. The head of Qingyu Technology pressed Wei Ji's shoulder and said, "I remember your kindness.

" "People like us who stand out," Wei Ji's knuckles thumped against the railing, "almost cost us our lives."

Pei Jiqing smiled bitterly behind his sunglasses. Yes, how could he not understand? The harsh brake sounds in his memory still ring in his dreams at midnight. The car accident carefully planned by the Pei family, the flying windshield fragments were like a frozen rain.

At that time, Chen Huixing was indeed like a knife light that split the darkness of Pei Jiqing's world.

When Chen Huixing insisted on marrying him, Pei Jiqing was moved on the one hand, and on the other hand, he could indeed escape from the quagmire of the Pei family. It's a pity that the redemption at the time has now grown into a new cage.

The waves hit the side of the boat and broke into countless turbid foam.

Although his married life is not what he wanted now, it was the best choice for Pei Jiqing at the time.

No matter how bad Chen Huixing treated him, at least there was still some humanity in his coldness. Compared with the viciousness that seeped into the bones of the Pei family, it was already merciful.

From the boat, Pei Jiqing received a call from Liang Yi.

Liang Yi had gone into seclusion a few days ago, cutting off all contact with the outside world. Upon learning of what had happened, he quickly called Pei Jiqing and started by cursing Chen Huixing, calling him a bastard

. Liang Yi's voice exploded from the receiver, carrying a rage that even his seclusion in the mountains hadn't smoothed out: "He's used to being overbearing and doing things according to his own will. How dare he do that in front of so many people—"

Pei Jiqing's gaze dropped to the sea, where the waves shattered the sunlight into thousands of swaying pieces of gold foil.

"Forget it," Pei Jiqing's voice was as light as foam. "I've known about him for a long time."

"Did he apologize to you?"

Pei Jiqing looked at the white trail left by the freighter in the distance, remembering Chen Huixing's always straight back and his eyelashes that never drooped. For twenty-seven years, Chen Huixing's soul had been immersed in the aura of an S-class Alpha. Where had the word "apology" ever entered his vocabulary?

Their marriage was like a one-sided domestication; they never went through a break-in period. Every step Pei Jiqing took to give in turned into tiny shards of glass, deeply embedded in his flesh and blood.

"Dad," the sea breeze filled Pei Jiqing's throat, and he spoke with some difficulty, "was it the same with you and father back then?"

A long silence came from the other end of the line, and finally Liang Yi's voice came with a subtle hesitation: "Sometimes I wonder... if the eldest brother is my son. Why does he have such a temper?"

Pei Jiqing and Wei Ji had lunch in the restaurant on a boat in the harbor, the hull swaying gently with the waves.

The wind lifted a corner of Wei Ji's black shirt, revealing the faint tattoo on his waist - an identical pattern to Pei Jiqing's, glowing a faint red in the sun. There was nothing special about the tattoo when they got it, it was simply because Pei Jiqing liked roses.

A thin wisp of white smoke rose from the cigarette between Wei Ji's fingers, which was blown away into transparent silk threads by the sea breeze.

"Want one?" Wei Ji raised his eyebrows, and his earrings flashed a sharp light in the sunlight.

Pei Jiqing shook his head: "It smells good."

Wei Ji chuckled, his Adam's apple rolled, smoke overflowed from his lips, and was blown away by the wind. He leaned lazily on the back of the chair, the muscle lines under his shirt rose and fell slightly with his breathing, and when the hem of his shirt was lifted by the wind, a tight waist and abdomen were revealed. He squinted his eyes, as if he was nonchalant, but also as if he was deliberately testing: "You can take a shower."

After a pause, he added: "Oh, that would really be like having an affair."

Pei Jiqing frowned, he hated Wei Ji's frivolous jokes.

"Are you so afraid of Chen Huixing?" Wei Ji's voice was low and a little hoarse, "If you marry me, I will let you ride on my head."

Pei Jiqing was silent.

The cry of seagulls mixed with the sound of whistles in the distance seemed empty and distant.

He had no one to talk to. Everyone thought he was living in honey, and even he himself tried to believe it. He had tried so hard to play the role of a happy person, but later he realized that the stability of a relationship is never judged by outsiders.

As if in a fit of anger, he suddenly reached out and took the cigarette box beside Wei Ji, took out a cigarette and lit it. His slender fingers held the thin white cigarette, and his thin lips pursed lightly. In the smoke, his outline seemed particularly clear. The sea breeze brushed the tips of his hair, and his voice was very soft, but extremely clear: "We can't get to the stage of getting married." We

will separate.

Wei Ji stared at him with a burning gaze: "I think I will be a good husband."

Pei Jiqing looked at the undulating sea in the distance, and the sunlight shattered into countless sparkling points on the water. He smiled faintly, but there was silence in his eyes: "I used to think I was too."

Wei Ji suddenly reached out and clasped his wrist, his fingertips stroking his wrist bone, his voice low and firm: "Jiqing, I will give you confidence."

The sea breeze was still blowing, and Pei Jiqing did not answer.

*

The warm water flowed down Pei Jiqing's shoulder line, forming a winding water mark on the tile floor.

The bathroom mirror was fogged, blurring his silhouette into a hazy outline. Washing away the nicotine and the smell of the sea, he changed into his home clothes. The rich aroma of cream of mushroom soup wafted from the kitchen, and the chef's meticulously prepared dinner was perfectly laid out on the table.

The electronic sound of a door unlocking echoed from the entrance.

Pei Jiqing turned from the kitchen counter to greet Chen Huixing. His kiss on the cheek carried the familiar scent of pheromones, like a routine postmark.

As Chen Huixing changed, Pei Jiqing's fingertips touched the buttons of his shirt, the fabric rustling softly beneath his fingertips. He lowered his eyelashes, unbuttoning the third button to reveal his Alpha chest: "Honey, your pheromones have been a bit unstable lately."

Chen Huixing's jawline curved sharply under the overhead light: "No."

He denied it too quickly.

Chen Huixing suddenly leaned over, his nose brushing against Pei Jiqing's still damp hair: "Why are you taking a shower at this time?"

Pei Jiqing said: "It's a bit hot during the day."

The evening breeze outside the window was lifting the gauze curtains.

After dinner.

Dusk fell, and the ground lights in the garden gradually lit up, casting a mottled halo of light on the cobblestone path.

Pei Jiqing took Chen Huixing's hand and walked towards the white double swing. The wisteria flowers wrapped around the iron railings dropped a few strings of pale purple, swaying gently in the evening breeze. The swing made a slight creaking sound when he sat down, and his arm naturally wrapped around the alpha's shoulders.

The fabric of Chen Huixing's clothes was cool with the night dew.

Chen Huixing never talked about business when he came back. Pei Jiqing never asked what he was busy with outside or who he met. He used to share his interesting things during the day, but now he had nothing to share, so he had to ask Chen Huixing what he did during the day.

The Alpha's brow bone cast a sharp shadow in the moonlight: "I met a disgusting person."

Pei Jiqing knew Cen Yuean, who

worked in the military. He was at the same level as Chen Huixing, and the two were at loggerheads. Pei Jiqing once accompanied Chen Huixing to a military banquet.

His Omega was standing next to him, and Cen Yuean looked at him with extremely critical eyes.

Pei Jiqing didn't know where he had offended him.

However, the Omega that Cen Yuean married was quite outstanding.

"He is against you because he is jealous of your excellence." Pei Jiqing rested his chin on Shen Huixing's shoulder, and his breath was filled with the pheromones of the other person.

This sentence was like a key, unlocking the lock between the alpha's eyebrows. Chen Huixing seemed to be in a better mood again. When his side face brushed against Pei Jiqing's cheek, a slight shudder rose.

Chen Huixing asked Pei Jiqing what he had done, and Pei Jiqing said he had gone to visit Yin Ning for a while.

Chen Huixing said, "Just be obedient and wait a few months."

Pei Jiqing thought it was amazing that Chen Huixing would actually comfort him, but it was just some hopeless hope.

Pei Jiqing hummed.

The June wind carried the heat of early summer, and Pei Jiqing's birthday was approaching.

In his memory, June 5th was always accompanied by a beautifully wrapped gift box and VIVI's blessings.

Pei Jiqing could imagine what the gifts would look like: a watch inlaid with cold light, or sapphire cufflinks in a leather jewelry box. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse suite would overlook the lights of the entire city, and Chen Huixing's kiss would fall on the side of his neck, as if completing a predetermined procedure overnight.

But this year, there was no movement at all, completely blurred in Shen Huixing's busy schedule.

It seemed the preparations for the change of command had taken up all of Chen Huixing's spare time, and he even had to travel for those few days.

Pei Jiqing didn't object; it was just a birthday.

Chen Huixing had been acting strangely lately. Sometimes, while Pei Jiqing leaned against the bedside reading, he could sense that physical gaze—Chen Huixing's gaze, like an unsheathed sword, silently hovered at the side of his neck, staring at him intently. His pheromones were also erratic.

This was actually quite unusual. Yet,

Chen Huixing insisted it wasn't.

The pheromones in the air had lost their usual restraint, the scent of redwood and myrtle sometimes strong as a rainstorm, sometimes thin as dying embers.

Such fluctuations should have been cause for alarm, but Chen Huixing insisted that nothing was amiss, as if the anomalies were merely Pei Jiqing's illusions.

After all, Chen Huixing was meticulous, almost demanding, and he must have cared more about his health than anyone else.

Pei Jiqing's estrus period was delayed, so he simply put the matter behind him.

On his birthday, Lao Yu said that the TV station would send him flowers, but Pei Jiqing said forget it, let's get together at my house.

Lao Yu agreed. On

his birthday, the sun shone brightly across the courtyard. Lao Yu's colleagues from the TV station were chatting and laughing around the long table, their glasses clinking with each other.

It was at this time that the bouquet of roses was delivered -

the sea of ​​flaming red flowers almost burned the sight, 9999 plump buds bloomed almost loudly in the sun. The gold-plated font on the card read "You will always be warm in my heart." There was no signature, but it caused a burst of ambiguous laughter from those around, saying that the executive officer was very romantic.

Several people were needed to move it. Pei Jiqing had originally asked the villa's housekeeper to let his guests in, and they should have taken this as his permission. The flowers were placed in the yard, and Pei Jiqing had a headache for a moment, thinking about getting rid of them before Shen Huixing came back.

When the party started, Pei Jiqing didn't pay any attention to the mobile phone beside him.

Just when Pei Jiqing was laughing with his friends, Huacai suddenly fell silent, and pointed his finger tremblingly behind him -

when Pei Jiqing turned around, Chen Huixing was standing there, his face was so ugly that it was horrible.

Alpha's suit jacket was on his arm, but there was a terrifying undercurrent in his eyes. His pheromones spread out of control.

"Hubby, why are you back?" Pei Jiqing stepped forward quickly, but was slammed away as soon as his fingertips touched the other's wrist.

Chen Huixing's question was like a knife tempered with ice: "Shouldn't I come back?"

His eyes swept across the bouquet of dazzling roses, then fell on the guests in the courtyard, and finally fixed on Pei Jiqing's slightly pale face: "Who sent it?"

Pei Jiqing wanted to pull his hand: "Let's go upstairs first, there are guests here-"

Chen Huixing didn't move: "Who?"

Pei Jiqing was puzzled: "What did you say?"

"Who sent the flowers? Who did you go out with? Pei Jiqing, you should be loyal to your marriage!" Chen

Huixing looked even more abnormal now. He pulled at his tie and looked extremely anxious: "You brought other people home?"

Pei Jiqing didn't dare to respond to this. After a while, he was still coaxing him in a good tone: "Husband, let's go upstairs and talk. When did you come back? Why didn't you tell me in advance?"

"Who's the adulterer?" Chen Huixing suddenly grabbed his chin, pinching it hard enough to leave a bruise. "You brought him home too?"

His voice was low, but every word pierced his heart. "You shower every time you come home... Did you sleep with him?"

Chen Huixing felt as if a fire burned in his chest, driving him wild and unable to calm down.

This was especially true when he saw Pei Jiqing smiling so freely at others.

SMACK!

Chen Huixing was slapped in the face the moment he finished speaking.

Everyone present was stunned: the servants, Pei Jiqing's colleagues, and even Chen Huixing.

Chen Huixing usually had a powerful presence, a calm glance that could intimidate people, making it difficult for anyone to mistake him for being unapproachable.

But now, he was being slapped hard by his Omega.

The air froze for a moment.

Chen Huixing's face tilted to the side, his hair falling to obscure his crimson eyes and his dazed expression. Everyone held their breath, even a few sparrows in the courtyard were startled and flew away. Pei Jiqing's hand was still suspended in the air, his fingertips trembling slightly. He then immediately touched Chen Huixing's face and said in a gentle and nervous voice, "Hubby, you were talking nonsense just now. I thought you were possessed by something dirty and scared me. Are you awake now?" Since

Pei Jiqing's birthday, Chen Huixing and him have been in a cold war for a month.