Chapter 57: I've fallen in love with you, my dear wife. Chen Huixing noticed...

Pei Jiqing has been doing well lately, projects progressing smoothly and beautifully, and he's also showing a certain high spirits.

Old acquaintances, once estranged for various reasons, are now reappearing in groups of three or four at dinner parties and in phone logs, as if it were a recurring cycle orchestrated by fate.

The rear-end collision occurred in a torrential downpour on Thursday evening, the brake lights glaring red against the drizzle.

As Pei Jiqing exited the car, two drops of mud splashed onto the hem of his suit pants. Looking up, he met the other driver's astonished gaze. Xu Ze still clutched his phone, his hair sticking wetly to his forehead. His Adam's apple moved before he managed to utter, "Are you still going back to Ling City?"

His tone was a little complicated.

Xu Ze opened his umbrella, tilting it slightly towards him.

As the rain trickled down the ribs, Pei Jiqing suddenly remembered the man before him: Chen Huixing's former secretary, who always wore a gray suit.

He once blocked a drink for him at a party.

When a traffic police officer came through the traffic, Xu Ze waved him off, saying there was no need to assign blame.

Pei Jiqing offered to pay for his car repairs, and Xu Ze left Pei Jiqing his contact information.

A few days later, Xu Ze sent a message asking for dinner. It was a short, businesslike message, even the punctuation was crisp and official.

Pei Jiqing stared at the unreceived payment for the repairs in the transfer history, drummed his knuckles on the edge of his phone twice, and finally replied, "Okay."

The restaurant was perfectly chosen, not in the heart of the city, yet not deserted. The warm yellow light softened his features.

Xu Ze sat by the window, his suit jacket draped over the back of the chair, his shirt sleeves rolled up, revealing the understated mechanical watch on his wrist. Seeing him arrive, Xu Ze stood up and naturally pulled out the chair for him, his movements as familiar as if he had done it countless times.

Pei Jiqing thanked him. He remembered that the secretary used to look at him with a certain scrutiny, as if she was evaluating an unqualified product.

But now Xu Ze just smiled and said, "You don't have to be so polite to me."

After sitting down, he mentioned Pei Jiqing's latest new program, praising him for being suitable for the TV camera. His tone was calm, even with a hint of sincere praise.

The dishes were served quickly. They were all to Pei Jiqing's preference, with moderate spiciness. Even the wine pairing was his favorite.

Xu Ze talked about his recent situation. He now holds an important position in another department and has left that position. Pei Jiqing found that his conversation was not as sharp as before. His tone was relaxed, and occasionally he had a bit of self-deprecating humor. He was completely different from the cold-faced secretary back then.

They talked about economic trends, industry changes, and even some insignificant gossip. The atmosphere was harmonious, unlike two people who once disliked each other.

When it came time to pay the bill, Pei Jiqing raised his hand to signal the waiter, saying that it was his treat as a payment for the repairs. Unexpectedly, Xu Ze had already paid.

Xu Ze lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea. When he spoke, his voice was very soft, but every word was clear: "This is my little apology. I had many complaints about you because of work. I'm sorry."

Pei Jiqing suddenly remembered the past. Xu Ze stood half a step behind Shen Huixing, his suit was straight, his eyes swept over him coldly, and the corners of his mouth were set into a restrained straight line.

He was really stupid at that time. He found it ridiculous when he thought about it now. No wonder the golden secretary didn't even bother to hide his disgust at that time.

The night was getting darker outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant, and the neon lights cast flowing light and shadows on the glass.

Pei Jiqing suddenly realized that from the time they met again until now, Xu Ze had never called him "Madam" like others did.

"Did you know that Shen Huixing and I are divorced?" He asked directly.

Xu Ze was stunned for a moment, and finally said as if it was certain: "Divorced."

Pei Jiqing had let the cat out of the bag, but since Xu Ze had resigned, there was really no need to call him Madam anymore.

Pei Jiqing suddenly found it interesting. How could a man with such a strong control desire like Chen Huixing let go of such a capable confidant? He said so out loud.

But Xu Ze was just stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly: "Because I violated Mr. Shen's taboo."

Pei Jiqing: "What? Threatened his position? Then you are really ambitious."

But Xu Ze just smiled, neither admitting nor denying.

When he returned home, it was not late at night. Pei Jiqing stopped walking when he turned the corner - Chen Huixing fell asleep leaning against his door.

His suit was wrinkled under his body, and a few strands of hair fell on his forehead, shining with tired matte light under the light.

He looked like he had just finished a long flight and came here directly. There was a faint blue-black under his eyes, and even his breathing was heavier than usual.

Pei Jiqing stood two steps away and looked at him, remembering that the battle in Linhe was tense, and he didn't know how he could squeeze out such a little time.

Pei Jiqing wanted to enter the password.

Chen Huixing woke up suddenly, stretched out his hand and grabbed Pei Jiqing's clothes as if by reflex.

"You went out with someone?" Chen Huixing's voice was still sleepy, but he had already frowned instinctively.

Pei Jiqing looked down at him and found that he seemed to have not had a good rest for a long time.

"Go back to sleep if you want," Pei Jiqing turned his eyes away, "what are you doing here."

Chen Huixing stood up: "Did you drink with someone?"

Pei Jiqing couldn't help but frown at the tone. The alcohol made the corners of his eyes turn slightly red, and under the light it looked like he was wearing a layer of light rouge.

"What does it have to do with you? You have so many eyes around me, shouldn't you know everything?"

Pei Jiqing casually draped his coat over his arm, and rolled up the sleeves of his light-colored shirt to his elbows, revealing his beautifully shaped arms. This outfit was Pei Jiqing's usual style - seemingly casual, but in fact every detail was carefully matched. The fabric wrapped around the waistline properly, and the outline of the back could be vaguely seen when he walked.

Pei Jiqing had excellent taste. He knew what to wear to highlight his advantages, such as his long legs and tight, flexible waist. This was also the reason why Chen Huixing once disliked Pei Jiqing showing up in public.

Chen Huixing's gaze moved away as if burned, but he couldn't help but turn it back.

He knew too well how eye-catching this body was. Every time he took Pei Jiqing out, those secret glances cast at him made his temples tighten when he thought about it.

Chen Huixing's fingers tightened unconsciously at his sides. The sensor lights in the corridor cast shadows of varying shades on his well-defined profile.

"I didn't ask anyone to monitor you..." he said in a low voice. "I'm just concerned about you. Your estrus period is coming soon."

Pei Jiqing suddenly smiled. The smile was superficial, but his eyes were cold.

"Oh—" he dragged out his tone, as if he suddenly remembered something interesting. "You reminded me. I haven't experienced estrus in a long time."

He raised his hand and casually brushed the hair on the back of his neck. Where there should have been a mark, there was only a light scar, almost invisible under the light.

Chen Huixing's Adam's apple rolled.

Of course he knew why. After the operation to remove the mark, Pei Jiqing's glands were like a precision instrument that had been completely disrupted. Even the pheromones became intermittent.

This situation would continue for a long time, perhaps half a year or even a few years.

Chen Huixing almost ruined Pei Jiqing.

".....Sorry." His voice was dry, as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper.

"But thank you for reminding me," Pei Jiqing tilted his head slightly, "I will definitely find a suitable partner for my estrus experience."

His tone was light, and he listed them one by one: "At least he should take care of me and have a good temper, instead of just living a bad life for his own pleasure."

Chen Huixing's expression suddenly became ugly after being scolded for being a bad life, and a tight line was drawn when his Adam's apple rolled up and down: "Do you remember everything?"

Pei Jiqing leaned in the shadows, he raised his hand and tapped his temples: "A little bit, just remembered the memory of your terrible life, Executive Shen."

Chen Huixing thought, Pei Jiqing's red eyes, sweaty temples, and lower lip with teeth marks, were they all fake? He wanted to ask, but didn't dare to ask it out loud.

There was a faint scent of Alph floating in the air, not his.

He had already removed all those monitoring Pei Jiqing, forcing himself to endure this torment of the unknown like a withdrawal addiction, willingly hanging on, experiencing this elusive, hot-and-cold, faint hope.

"Don't look for outsiders..." Chen Huixing's voice was hoarse. "They're all dirty."

He took a half step forward, almost pleading, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll learn it. Don't look for others." Chen

Huixing was truly going crazy.

Pei Jiqing said slowly, "Do you think you're not dirty?"

Chen Huixing shook his head slowly.

Pei Jiqing's voice was as sharp as a thin knife: "How does 90 percent feel?"

Chen Huixing was visibly stunned, his brows furrowed unconsciously. "What do you mean by 90 percent?"

"In front of Ling University's Art College." As Pei Jiqing uttered these words,

Chen Huixing's expression suddenly froze, as if someone had pressed the pause button. It was unknown how long it took before he spoke: "...So you've always thought I was cheating?"

Pei Jiqing couldn't stand Chen Huixing's reaction, as if he had heard a terrible humiliation, so he opened the door and tried to enter.

As Pei Jiqing was pressed against the door, his lower back hit the sideboard in the hallway. The dull pain didn't shoot up his spine as Pei Jiqing had expected, because Shen Huixing's palm was like an iron clamp around his waist.

Alpha pheromones overflowed uncontrollably, enveloping Pei Jiqing with a long-suppressed violence.

"I didn't touch that omega!" Chen Huixing's voice was low, yet it seemed to come through between his teeth, the veins on his temples barely visible. "During the most critical period of the election, someone tried to manipulate pheromones. I had him sent away. Now he's abroad, and he'll never appear before you again."

Pei Jiqing was pinned down, unable to move.

Xu Ze had suggested that he meet the omega in person, but Chen Huixing initially refused, telling them to handle it. Just send the omega away and keep him out of Pei Jiqing's sight.

Xu Ze had said, "After all, it's a 90% match, so it's definitely worth meeting. And sending him away would only make your sincerity clear and demonstrate your stance. Someone has already contacted him. What if he shows up in front of your wife..."

Chen Huixing finally left.

The business car was spacious enough, and the leather seats exuded a faint scent of leather.

The omega sat in the back seat, clutching his violin case, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge. Across from him, Xu Ze was clearly stating his terms.

Chen Huixing glanced at the Omega in the back seat. The sunlight streaming through the car window cast a soft glow on him, but it didn't keep Chen Huixing's gaze for even a second.

He looked away expressionlessly.

The outside world often portrays S-class Alphas as insatiable beasts, seemingly at the mercy of pheromones at any moment. Chen Huixing did lose control sometimes—but only in front of Pei Jiqing. Only that person could make his proud self-control crumble, only that person could make him willingly surrender to his instincts.

He wasn't a true beast; even when he was horny, he had to choose his partner. As a human, his rationality always prevailed, a principle he had adhered to for over thirty years.

The Omega finally said "yes" and looked in Chen Huixing's direction.

Chen Huixing didn't even turn his head.

By now, Chen Huixing had long forgotten what that Omega looked like.

Chen Huixing rested his forehead against Pei Jiqing's neck, his breathing hot and rapid, the Alpha's pheromones emanating uncontrollably, tinged with a strong sense of possessiveness. His voice was hoarse, with a rare hint of weakness: "If it's love at first sight... I liked you the first time I saw you."

The words seemed to be squeezed from the depths of his chest, burning with heat.

The first time he met Pei Jiqing, Chen Huixing knew he was a substitute for the Pei family, but he didn't care.

Chen Huixing needed a stable family and an Omega partner. He needed to give his superiors a boost, to allow him to go to the front lines, to hold power. He needed that opportunity.

When he first saw Pei Jiqing, he thought he was perfect for him as an Omega. Their pheromones were indeed high. He attributed his abnormal heartbeat to a "false" compatibility.

A crisp "pop" sounded at the entrance.

Pei Jiqing's hand was still suspended in mid-air, his palm slightly numb.

He pushed Chen Huixing away with a crisp, decisive movement: "Don't be a hooligan."

Chen Huixing slowly straightened up, rubbing his fingertips across his burning left cheek.

Every slap he had ever received in his life had come from this Omega.

Pei Jiqing thought Shen Huixing would go crazy and press him against the wall to bite him.

But this time Shen Huixing just stood there, his knuckles pressed against his red cheekbones, his eyes dark and unclear. He slowly raised his head, the strands of hair in front of his forehead drooping, his eyes so blunt that they were almost naked: "Don't look for others." After a pause, he added stubbornly, "They are dirty, I am not."

This pleading tone almost made Pei Jiqing's palms numb.

Pei Jiqing slammed the door almost instantly, and the metal door lock made a crisp "click". His back was pressed against the door, and he could clearly feel the breath of the person outside the door who had not left yet, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his palms.

Sister Zhang's footsteps came from the inner room, deliberately making a quiet sound.

"Zhizhi is asleep." She whispered.

Pei Jiqing sent a message to Shen Huixing saying "Don't go crazy in my house anymore", and finally the sound of footsteps came from outside the door, getting farther and farther away, and finally disappearing.

Chen Huixing was quiet for a few days, with the news scrolling about him returning to Ling City to attend a high-level military meeting.

When Pei Jiqing was tidying up documents in the office, the screen of his mobile phone lit up, and a message from Xu Ze popped up. It was a link to an unpopular art film, followed by a polite invitation.

Pei Jiqing's finger hovered above the screen for a few seconds, and a strange feeling arose in his heart.

I'm afraid I don't have time. I have to take my daughter to the amusement park this weekend.

Pei Jiqing replied politely, and only after sending it did he realize that his tone was too stiff, so he added an emoticon.

The phone soon vibrated again. Xu Ze sent two VIP tickets to the amusement park. They were the inner field tickets that Zhizhi had been talking about for a long time, the kind that could see the float tour up close.

Xu Ze said that he had children at home who also wanted to see the movie, so he got two extra tickets.

The sunset outside the floor-to-ceiling window dyed the office orange. Pei Jiqing thought it was time to make things clear with Xu Ze. The car repair bill had to be settled, and these seemingly ambiguous invitations should come to an end.

So they made an appointment to watch a movie that night.

It was late at night, and the neon lights at the entrance of the theater cast colorful reflections on the wet ground.

When Pei Jiqing walked out of the screening room, the night breeze blew across his forehead, taking away some of the stuffy air in the theater.

"The movie is great," he turned to Xu Ze and said, "By the way, how much are the tickets?"

His tone was polite and distant, as if he was completing some necessary social etiquette.

Xu Ze chuckled, and his eyes behind the glasses glowed gently under the streetlights: "No need."

Pei Jiqing hesitated for a moment. Xu Ze didn't drive today, so he opened the driver's door: "Then I'll take you home, so we can chat. "

Xu Ze agreed and just sat in the passenger seat.

A black car opposite suddenly turned on the dazzling high beam, and the white light split the night like a sword.

Pei Jiqing subconsciously raised his hand to block his eyes, and saw the figure of Chen Huixing stepping out of the car between his fingers. Every step was extremely heavy and carried a murderous aura.

Pei Jiqing didn't know why, but suddenly wanted Xu Ze to escape.

But Xu Ze suddenly approached Pei Jiqing at this moment, and his warm breath brushed Pei Jiqing's ears. He said recklessly: "Mr. Shen fired me because I violated his taboo - I fell in love with you, my dear madam."

This sentence was like a key, clicking to open the lock of memory.

Pei Jiqing suddenly understood why he saw the scene of Chen Huixing meeting the Omega with a 90% match. It was all a deliberate arrangement.

When Chen Huixing realized that his secretary had set his sights on his Omega, it was too late.