CH 74

Title: 顶级掠食者 (Alpha Predator)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists ：沈岱 (Shen Dai -MC), 瞿末予 (Qu Moyu -ML)

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​​After the sun went down, the spring cold invaded. The doors and windows in the ward were closed and the temperature dropped significantly.

Shen Dai was only wearing a thin sweater. In fact, it was colder than it was now when he went out before dawn. But Qiuqiu was so hot that he completely ignored his own warmth and coldness. Only now he felt cold. He looked at his phone. After a while, the nurse will come to take Qiuqiu’s temperature and he thinks Qiuqiu’s temperature should be okay by then.

Suddenly, a weight fell on his shoulders. He was surrounded by the cold woody fragrance and warm body temperature. The chill around him was suddenly isolated. He looked down and saw that it was Qu Moyu’s suit jacket wrapped around him. The ebony wood pheromone concentration made him a little flustered.

Qu Moyu sat down and took hold of Shen Dai’s hand that wanted to take off his coat: “Wear it. You are wearing too little.” He held Shen Dai’s wrist and frowned. It was too thin. As if the clothes can easily be torn at any moment.

Shen Dai withdrew his hand and silently looked at Qiuqiu who was sleeping. Qiuqiu seemed to be much more stable and it could be seen that his body was no longer uncomfortable.

“The fever should be gone. But to be on the safe side, you should stay here for another night.” Qu Moyu said, “There is almost everything here. You just need to tell the nurse.”

Shen Dai nodded. The VIP ward where Qiuqiu stays now is more luxurious and comfortable than a five-star hotel. It is indeed safer to observe him for another night. He also doesn’t want to bring Qiuqiu back to Cheng Zimei, so that Cheng Zimei can sleep well again.

“Don’t stay in the hotel after you’re discharged from the hospital. Let’s move to the apartment you went to last time. Qiuqiu should live in a better environment.”

Shen Dai slowly turned his head to look at Qu Moyu: “I haven’t stayed in that hotel for a long time. I’m staying at Cheng Zimei’s house now.”

Qu Moyu was slightly startled.

“You also said that you could go to the hotel to find me if you couldn’t reach me through the phone.” Shen Dai’s face was very calm, “Since you have started to monitor me, you must be clear about my resignation. Mr. Qu, put aside our relationship. Tell me, aren’t you too cheap to make things difficult for an innocent employee like this?”

The tension between the two of them finally eased up but now they were tense again. Qu Moyu frowned: “I just hope to delay it so that you will have more time to make a decision instead of impulsively doing something that will affect the rest of your life.”

“I have already made a decision since a year ago.”

“Ah Dai, look at Qiuqiu. This is the first time he gets sick. But it won’t be the last time. Who will take care of him when you go to work? What kind of environment and educational resources will he get when he grows up? What kind of school, what kind of job will he do? Do you want him to be crowded into a messy public hospital ward in the future? Are you going to ignore him because you want to make money to support your family? He can’t enjoy a good education and won’t have a better space to play.”

Qu Moyu is indeed a person who is very good at negotiating. At the negotiating table, he is aware of the other party’s needs, weighs his own chips, and seeks to maximise his benefits. It is a pity that Shen Dai is not his business partner or competitor.

Shen Dai said slowly: “The environment of public hospitals is a bit poor, but most of the people are cured there. And some people are picked up by drivers when they go to school, but children who take buses and electric cars will not die just because of a little rain. If I didn’t grow well, my career was delayed for a year, it doesn’t mean I can’t get up again. I have confidence in myself and I can give Qiuqiu a good life.” He quietly stared at Qu Moyu, “We have different definitions of what is good. Your family is sitting on lavish wealth but didn’t your parents ignore you? Your father was determined to make you the perfect heir. Your mother couldn’t face you because of the loss of a child. You feel good having money, power, and constant pursuit of victory. But I don’t think so. And I don’t teach my kids that way.”

Qu Moyu’s complexion gradually darkened.

“You think that if you give me money and a good material life, I should accept to be your mistress and let my son and I both carry this inferior status.” Shen Dai laughed mockingly, “You don’t see how wrong that is.”

“I……”

“Mr. Qu.” Shen Dai didn’t give him a chance to speak, “You will think of me during the susceptible period and you will think that you ‘like’ me. It’s just the side effect of the ‘mark’. No one will treat someone they ‘like’ the way you treated me. When you marry the right wife and ‘mark’ him, you won’t need me anymore.”

Qu Moyu looked at Shen Dai’s clear and indifferent eyes. His chest felt tight and painful. The more he could not forget how Shen Dai looked at him with admiration, the more he could not bear the resistance and alienation from this person.

That’s right. His longing for Shen Dai was just a side effect of the ‘mark’ and he had told himself the same. But in the year before the susceptibility period, there was never a single day that he really forgot about Shen Dai. He was angry. He also missed and worried because of Shen Dai’s departure. And then, the next year, he could no longer bear it. What else could he use to explain it? He can only rely on cognition and common sense to find a similar emotion in the mundane world – and that is ‘liking’ someone.

He thinks that he could reject the generation of emotions. But, he is a human being after all. He however must control the impact of his emotions on his decision-making. He cannot allow Shen Dai, a person who can affect him, not be controlled by him. Whatever he needs, he must get it. And he needs Shen Dai.

But Shen Dai refused him again and again. No matter what he did. No matter how much he knew. No matter what he promised. He was obviously just an omega with no ability to resist. Why can he be so stubborn and tough? This is making him restless and uncomfortable. He’s about to lose his dignity!

Shen Dai’s influence on him was so great that he was afraid. How could he continue to let himself and Shen Dai go?

At this moment, the nurse knocked on the door and came in.

Shen Dai turned his face away and stood up at the same time.

The nurse took Qiuqiu’s temperature and said with a smile, “Sure enough. The fever has subsided. Did he just drink milk?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Then he should be fine soon. After taking a few more meals, he will recover. That’s how children are.”

Shen Dai breathed a sigh of relief: “Thank you.”

The nurse gave a few words of advice and then left the ward.

Shen Dai took off Qu Moyu’s coat and handed it to him: “Mr. Qu, you can go back first. I’ll stay here with Qiuqiu for another night.”

Qu Moyu looked at Shen Dai. His pupils were dark and heavy: “I’m here to accompany him too. My pheromone can appease Qiuqiu. He has accepted me.”

“He’s just sick. When he’s healed, I won’t bother you anymore.” Shen Dai still kept raising his jacket with his hands up, with a dull expression, “Mr. Qu, thank you for today, Please go back.”

A sharp light flashed in Qu Moyu’s eyes. He grabbed the coat and at the same time took advantage of his strength to drag Shen Dai towards him, hugging him tightly. The faint scent of epiphyllum permeating his heart. Qu Mo hugged him tight and didn’t want to let go.

Shen Dai was startled, but immediately remembered that Qiuqiu was still sleeping. He struggled and shouted: “Let go!” Qu Moyu’s arms were as hard as iron. He seemed to be trapped in a cramped cage. How can he be free? No matter how much he scolded and resisted, he still can’t break free.

“Ah Dai.” Qu Moyu’s voice was so low that it was hoarse, conveying an indescribable pain. “Don’t be so stubborn. You come back to me. Okay? We can be the same as before.” He never pleaded as softly as this in his life. For him, this is already his greatest compromise.

“I don’t want to be the same as before.” To be the same as ‘before’ is where you enjoyed all the benefits and I took all the pain.

Qu Moyu’s eyes burst out with twisted pain and terrifying coldness. His limbs gradually became rigid. He let go of Shen Dai and finally took a deep look at his omega and his son. He then grabbed the coat and walked away without looking back.

***

​​Shen Dai slept on and off in the hospital for several hours. He would wake up whenever Qiuqiu moved.

After taking his temperature in the morning and all is fine, Shen Dai took Qiuqiu away.

When he returned to Cheng Zimei’s house, Cheng Zimei had already gone to work. He put Qiuqiu away and started replying to Bai Xiangwan and Xiao Die’s messages. Although they had been in contact for the past few days back in the capital, this time that Qiuqiu had a fever, he didn’t want to tell them. He took pictures of Qiuqiu sleeping as usual and reported their safety.

After a while, Bai Xiangwan called.

Shen Dai knew that Bai Xiangwan must be calling to ask about his resignation. But after thinking about it, he could only tell the truth. With the taint of being fired in his career, his job search will definitely be frustrating. Employers can know everything. But as long as the employer doesn’t care, it’s not a problem for the time being.

But Bai Xiangwan was still very indignant after listening to it: “What kind of bastard logic is this? Didn’t Qu Moyu approve the long sick leave? Why is he trying to embarrass you like this?”

“There is some unpleasantness between us.” Shen Dai didn’t want to continue the topic at all so he pretended to smile lightly, “Anyway, I finally resigned. I still have some trivial matters to tend to and I will return to Lancheng in two days.” He must see that Qiuqiu’s condition is completely improved before he dares to fly again.

“Okay. If you have any difficulties, just tell me directly. The position here has been reserved for you.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Bai.”

“Don’t be polite to me. Is Qiuqiu alright? I miss him a little.” Bai Xiangwan smiled, “I miss him being noisy and I’m not used to not hearing him cry now.”

“He’s very good and he was very close to my grandma.” Shen Dai smiled, “He must miss you and Xiao Die too.”

Bai Xiangwan paused and said in a gentle voice, “Ah Dai, come home early.”

Shen Dai’s heart warmed: “Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Shen Dai began to plan his next move.

He left in a hurry at the beginning and didn’t bring many things with him. Since this time, he was really moving away, he still had to send some things off. He had to communicate with his grandma in advance and pick a time when Shen Qin was not at home to go back and pack his things. Grandma said that Shen Qin should have another boyfriend and he has been out a lot recently. But fortunately, Shen Qin took the money from Qu Chengchen and hired two nannies to take a look at his grandmother during his absence. Since grandma didn’t want to go to Lancheng with him, he left the house for his grandmother to live in. It is so that he could feel a little more at ease.

Leaving home is bound to be painful. But where he and Qiuqiu are, that is his home.​​​​

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Next update: 2022.07.12

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