Chapter 25: I accept your apology, but his Omega just…

Chen Huixing thought Pei Jiqing was just lip service.

The thought floated lightly in his mind, like a piece of snow that hadn't yet hit the ground, melting before it even touched anything. He took Pei Jiqing's words as his usual bluff, but when his face darkened and his fingertips moved slightly, trying to give Pei Jiqing another way out—he caught nothing.

Pei Jiqing's movements were incredibly fast. The suitcase's wheels rolled over the carpet, a dull sound swallowed by the thick fabric. The door locked with a click, without a single hesitation. The

Alpha was left alone.

Xu Ze handed over the room card with a respectful expression. Pei Jiqing had unearthed his sunglasses at some point, the dark lenses covering most of his face, revealing only the smooth curve of his jaw. He raised his head slightly and whispered, "Secretary Xu, I never thought you'd lie one day."

Xu Ze's usually calm face cracked, a trace of shame rising to his face. He whispered, "Madam, I'm... so sorry." He

had indeed exaggerated a bit—but some of it wasn't false.

It's just... it's just...

this really went against his usual style.

Pei Jiqing thought, this whole birthday celebration for him thing was a lie.

Chen Huixing was like a blunt knife, slowly and repeatedly grinding at his heart. The pain wasn't sharp, but it was long-lasting. The happiness he'd once imagined was just a layer of frosting, shattered to dust at the slightest touch.

The trust between them was also treading on thin ice.

Separated by a wall, Pei Jiqing lay awake, eyes wide open.

The night pressed down heavily, like a damp, cold fog, suffocating him.

He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling uncontrollably—how could Chen Huixing be so cruel? Was he heartless? I am so beautiful, and for all these years, he hasn't wavered at all?

Chen Huixing's eyes, I'm afraid they were donated at birth, otherwise how could...

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He clenched his teeth and squeezed out a low curse word from between his teeth. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he stopped abruptly, and his fingertips subconsciously touched his lower abdomen, rubbing it twice vigilantly - a small embryo, it shouldn't understand words yet, right?

The temperature under his palm was slightly warm, like a silent response.

He suddenly felt hungry, his stomach was empty, and even his emotions seemed to be drained away. A whole day of running around, arguing, and being discouraged, all turned into heavy fatigue at this moment, and his eyelids drooped heavily.

He curled up, his fingers still protecting his abdomen loosely, as if protecting the last unextinguished flame. Then, wrapped in darkness and silence, he fell asleep in a daze.

Pei Jiqing was awakened by hunger.

A burning, empty feeling in his stomach pulled him out of his hazy dream. He struggled to describe it, but he dreamt of a miniature version of Chen Huixing, staring at him and asking, "How could you have given birth to such a fool?" He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, tasting a bitter aftertaste.

He slowly rose, staring at his slightly pale face in the mirror as he washed up. A faint shadow of blue clung to his eyes, like the lingering shadows of last night.

He went downstairs for breakfast. As the elevator doors slowly closed, a couple's complaints filled the air.

"...I was almost suffocated by Alph pheromones last night," the girl's voice was low, yet her annoyance was unmistakable. "What unethical Alpha was it, releasing pheromones so carelessly? And he's a very strong Alpha, causing us to..."

"The hotel doesn't even care," her boyfriend replied, his tone tinged with irritation. "There's no point complaining."

Pei Jiqing stood in the corner, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the hem of his sleeve. Hearing the phrase "a very strong Alpha," his brow furrowed slightly.

——Could it be Chen Huixing?

But he quickly denied it.

Chen Huixing is not that kind of person.

He has always been restrained, even his emotions are well-controlled, let alone letting his pheromones get out of control.

The elevator continued to descend, and the feeling of weightlessness slightly pulled at his weak nerves. Pei Jiqing lowered his eyes, staring at the tip of his shoes, and suddenly felt a little ridiculous. He had clearly decided not to think about him anymore, but when he heard any clues, he would still subconsciously associate it with him.

Really... useless.

Pei Jiqing's reaction to Shen Huixing's pheromones was actually mixed with a bit of deliberate performance. Every time the scent of redwood invaded him, he would soften his waist just right, and the corners of his eyes would turn slightly red, like a ripe peach, which would overflow with sweet juice with a light pinch.

He needed this posture - he needed to make himself look soaked in the Alpha's pheromones, and he needed to make every touch seem natural.

But in reality, his pheromone levels shouldn't have been so sensitive to the pressure of an S-rank Alpha. The more compatible an Omega is, the more easily they're captivated by an Alpha's aura, yet he seemed to have forced himself into this trap.

Alphas like Chen Huixing, physically imposing and energetic, experienced estrus as a normal physiological response, as natural as eating and drinking.

Yet, this man was stern and rigid, a man of military merit. He always held a stern jawline in front of the media cameras, and even his eyes were icy in military meetings, as if discipline and restraint ran deep in his veins.

Only occasionally—during the heat of estrus—did Chen Huixing let down his guard and drifted off to sleep in Pei Jiqing's arms. His short, wiry black hair pinned his chin, and the muscles in his shoulders, neck, and arms, while still sharp when relaxed, revealed a gentle, exhausted softness. At that moment, he was like a ferocious beast, claws folded, its throat exposed to the Omega's grasp.

Pei Jiqing would gently stroke his hair, his fingertips trailing down his back, a hidden emotion welling up within him. He felt incredibly powerful, truly able to soothe an S-rank Alpha.

Pei Jiqing had heard that S-rank Alphas were prone to frenzy due to excessive desire.

But what could Chen Huixing possibly want?

Physiology textbooks said that an Alpha in heat would be like a starving dog, revealing a primal desire for a compatible Omega, begging for mercy, cherishing, and comfort, gazing at an Omega like a beast gazing at flesh and bones, his eyes drenched in greedy saliva.

But Chen Huixing was different.

Even during his vulnerable period, he carried an innate arrogance, his features stern. Even amidst the turmoil of his passions, he remained commanding, as if even desire was subject to his will. Pei Jiqing sometimes felt that this man might have a cold soul deep down, but was only hindered by the lustful body of an S-rank Alpha.

In the past, Pei Jiqing could not wait to pack himself up and deliver himself to the door, actively becoming the Alpha's soothing agent like a sacrifice. He never wanted to let Shen Huixing feel the slightest bit of hunger and thirst, and would never let him go hungry.

He carefully carried the secret of compatibility, worried and afraid as if crossing a single-plank bridge.

But now, this little life being conceived in the belly has become the most dangerous evidence.

If he wants to stay with Shen Huixing...

this child cannot stay.

Not long after Pei Jiqing returned to the room, there was an abrupt knock on the door.

When the door opened, Chen Huixing saw a weary face. The skin under the Omega's eyes looked a sickly pale in the morning light, and even the color of his lips was faded. An unknown irritation suddenly gripped Chen Huixing's heart - it turned out that Pei Jiqing had not been having a good time these days.

Xu Ze said that his Omega had been crying all day for the past month, regretting his rude and impolite behavior.

Chen Huixing stared at the person in front of him, remembering that this Omega had always been docile and soft when held in his arms. Perhaps it was because he was born too beautiful and received some good treatment, which nurtured some harmless vanity and willfulness. Every time he made a mistake, those affectionate eyes would be filled with tears, and he would use coquettishness to get away with it.

But this time, perhaps realizing that he had caused a big disaster, he changed his approach.

In the cold white light of the corridor lamp, Pei Jiqing's eyelashes drooped, and thick shadows were cast on his cheekbones, and his whole body exuded a kind of listlessness and decadence.

Earlier in the restaurant, Chen Huixing had seen him sitting alone in a corner, his food tasteless yet stubbornly forced into his mouth, his thin shoulders straining.

Chen Huixing suddenly felt certain his Omega had learned his lesson.

The pheromones he had deliberately released last night must have kept Pei Jiqing awake. He must have been tormented, craving comfort but stubbornly refusing to speak.

Xu Ze had rarely spoken before, his voice steady as still water: "Sir, as the head of the family, you should tolerate the whims and mistakes of your family members."

Chen Huixing's eyebrows twitched slightly, surprised that Xu Ze could offer such tender words.

But then he reflected on his already piling indulgence of Pei Jiqing, only to have the Omega become even more reckless, even daring to challenge his boundaries with his reckless words.

For example, every time he came back from going out, he always had to take a shower. This behavior was really weird. Chen Huixing's suspicion was not groundless. People whose secrets were exposed would either be angry or try to cover up their secrets.

He just couldn't tell which type Pei Jiqing belonged to.

But no matter what, with their almost perfect compatibility, no one in the world could understand how to make Pei Jiqing fall in love with him better than him.

Every time they made love, that body trembled under his palm like a leaf in the wind, and the tears in the corners of her eyes were brighter than the stars.

Chen Huixing sometimes wondered, would other Omegas be like this? Or was it only Pei Jiqing who could bloom with such a dying beauty for him?

Yan Zhen said that they were a match made in heaven, and it was quite natural for Pei Jiqing to love him.

Chen Huixing never doubted it.

Chen Huixing often thought that if those blind people outside deliberately wanted to break them up, Pei Jiqing might really be shaken. His Omega has always liked those shiny things - jewelry gleaming coolly in velvet boxes, gorgeous clothes hanging on hangers with soft waves of satin, each of which can easily capture those eyes that are always filled with mist.

Those flashy temptations are like spider webs wrapped in honey, and his Omega is born with a naive brain that is easily bewitched by beautiful things.

How can such a Pei Jiqing resist the sugar-coated trap carefully woven by the outside world?

So he has to keep a closer eye on him.

Pei Jiqing in front of him looked tired, with a faint green shadow under his eyes, and those strands of hair that were once carefully groomed now hung obediently in front of his forehead. Chen Huixing didn't understand the purpose of those bottles and jars on the dressing table, but he clearly remembered that Pei Jiqing always looked energetic when he put them on, and even the ends of his hair danced with a flamboyant luster.

He suddenly sighed in his heart, and the breath was heavy.

Pei Jiqing tensed his shoulders. The moment he saw Chen Huixing, he was ready to argue again.

But the next second, Alpha's breath suddenly enveloped him. Chen Huixing's arms wrapped around him, and his body temperature came through the clothes, with irresistible force: "I accept your apology."

Pei Jiqing froze in place, and all the prepared words of attack solidified on the tip of his tongue. He slightly widened his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling, and cast a blank shadow on Alpha's shoulder.