Chapter 2 Follow Me
“My name is Shang Qiyue,” the man introduced himself as if he hadn’t heard him. “We’ve met once before, at the entrance of Liuguang. Do you remember me?”
The man seemed to be born with the aura of a leader. He was well-born and had a unique demeanor. Once you met him, you would never forget him.
Mu Yan subconsciously searched her mind for the man's appearance.
We met once.
At that time, my brother was in a terrible predicament because of Lin Guojun's gambling debts. In order to secure a big deal, he went to Liuguang to drink with clients.
Liuguang is a high-end club, and its intricacies are far beyond their capabilities. Mu Yan's omega brother offended a customer for some reason, and his lover said she was going to see him. She called Mu Yan and asked him to watch over her niece. Mu Yan and his brother's nominal father, Lin Guojun, who was the instigator of the incident, also reluctantly said that he would go along.
Mu Yan was worried, so he sent his niece to the home of a close colleague and went with them to Liuguang. However, Liuguang was a high-end club, so it was naturally a members-only club. Without a membership card, they had no chance of getting in.
The brother's partner, an honest beta who had lived an honest life for half her life, awkwardly offered a cigarette to the security guard, hoping he would make an exception for her.
The security guards at Liuguang naturally wouldn't accept his cigarette; on the contrary, several guards showed expressions of surprise and even a desire to laugh.
Three betas stood helplessly at the club's entrance, probably about to be forcibly dragged away. Passersby couldn't help but glance at them, and although they didn't say anything, the mockery in their eyes was self-evident.
It was at this time that Shang Qiyue appeared.
He seemed to have come out for some fresh air, a cigar between his fingers, almost burned out but not being smoked, and he stood at a distance, watching the farce with amusement.
Mu Yan didn't step forward until the security guard had placed his hand on his shoulder.
A speck of ash fell onto the security guard's arm, and the guard who was holding Mu Yan quickly released his grip: "Mr. Shang."
"He doesn't look like someone who's looking to cause trouble. What's he doing in Liuguang?" He turned to Mu Yan and asked calmly.
Perhaps his original intention was just to have some fun, but after asking where Mu Yan's brother was in the room, he actually managed to bring him out in just a few minutes.
The older brother's clothes were disheveled, and his eyes were filled with fear. Even after they had stepped out of the Flowing Light Gate, he was still trembling uncontrollably. The older brother's husband took off his coat and wrapped it around him, and Mu Yan thanked Shang Qiyue repeatedly.
"Thank you so much for bringing my brother out. I remember you, sir..." Mu Yan was surprised to see him and was momentarily speechless.
Shang Qiyue skipped over his thanks: "I have pheromone disorder and can't smell the pheromones of normal omegas. You smell very nice, so I remembered you."
"Your father..." Shang Qiyue paused here, "or rather, your nominal father, seems to have memorized my license plate number around that time. Later, he stopped my car and asked if I was interested in you. I probably glanced at you a couple of times, but I didn't really notice."
When Shang Qiyue said this, he seemed to think it was a matter of course. It was common for people to guess his likes and dislikes, and he didn't care whether they disliked him or not.
"Of course, it seems now that he didn't discuss it with you beforehand, right? Now that this has happened, I'm partly to blame."
"You really suit my taste, Mu Yan. Come with me. I'll help you with your family matters. If you're willing, we can sign an agreement when my assistant comes over in a bit."
Mu Yan subconsciously wanted to ask what kind of agreement it was, but such a thing was too far removed from him, an ordinary person who had only recently graduated from university, so much so that he couldn't think of it immediately.
Shang Qiyue remained silent, simply looking at Mu Yan, waiting for him to understand.
There was a light knock on the door. The sound made Mu Yan realize the disheveled state he was in. Shang Qiyue smiled and said it must be someone bringing them clothes, as yesterday's clothes were no longer wearable.
He closed the bathroom door. Mu Yan heard him walk a few steps to the door, then open it and politely thank the person outside.
When Shang Qiyue opened the door again, he had already changed out of the hotel's white bathrobe. The clothes he had just changed into fit him well and were appropriate, which made Mu Yan feel even more embarrassed.
A paper bag was handed to Mu Yan: "Try it and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll ask my assistant to buy another one."
Shang Qiyue had no intention of watching him change clothes. He closed the door and left. Mu Yan didn't recognize the logo on the paper bag, but he knew that such clothes were beyond his means. He wanted to call Shang Qiyue back and tell him that he couldn't afford such expensive clothes, and that he couldn't agree to Shang Qiyue's agreement.
But should I just go out like this without wearing anything? What will Shang Qiyue think of me?
Looking at the bruises and red marks on his body, Mu Yan couldn't bear to go out and face the impeccably dressed Shang Qiyue. In the end, he put on the clothes that Shang Qiyue's assistant had bought for him.
"You're actually very good-looking, you just don't like to dress up," Shang Qiyue said generously as he saw him come out of the bathroom. "You could cut your hair a little shorter. Your eyes are very beautiful, it would be a shame to cover them up."
Upon hearing such praise, Mu Yan subconsciously lowered his head: "I didn't intentionally grow it long. I've been quite busy with work and haven't had time to get it cut..."
He's too uncomfortable with people focusing on his appearance. He's a beta; the word "beautiful" is usually associated with omegas.
Even Lu Chong never used the word "beautiful" to describe him.
Mu Yan was startled by his own thought. How could he compare Shang Qiyue to Lu Chong? Lu Chong was his boyfriend, while Shang Qiyue was just a stranger he had met by chance because of his father's greed.
When he pressed himself against Mu Yan last night, he was almost a rapist in Mu Yan's mind.
“…Thank you for the clothes,” Mu Yan said awkwardly, trying to hide the strange thought in his heart, “I…don’t have money to give you, and I don’t have money to buy you a return gift.”
"I won't consider that agreement you mentioned. If you've already given my father the money beforehand, there's no way I can get it back for you."
Shang Qiyue seemed to have already guessed his refusal, and his face showed no obvious emotion.
"Of course I won't take it back, it's just a small tip. Why won't you consider it? Can you tell me why? You haven't even asked me what terms I can offer."
Mu Yan subconsciously shook his head: "It's not a matter of conditions..."
It's not a matter of conditions.
There are some things that cannot be changed.
He has a boyfriend, and he wants to live an honest and upright life, and he wants to marry Lu Chong.
He never intended to pay off Lin Guojun's debts completely; he only wanted to scrape together enough money to pay off a portion so that the debt collectors would stop harassing his brother's family. His brother was moving soon, and he had already promised to delete all of that person's contact information.
“We can discuss the money,” Shang Qiyue interrupted him. “I can find a caregiver to look after your old man, provide for his food and clothing, and prevent him from gambling. Your brother works in sales, but it’s clear he’s not suited for this line of work. I can find him a more stable, respectable, and less strenuous job.”
“You have a job, and I can accommodate your original job. You only need to come once a week. I will send someone to pick you up.”
Of course, there is another objective condition: Shang Qiyue considers himself to be quite good-looking. If he has to pay extra for emotional distress to his sugar daddy because of his looks, then most male models in H City can pack their bags and get lost.
Countless omegas have always wanted to sleep with him, free of charge, just to be his sex partner. However, Shang Qiyue has a problem with his glands, making him unable to accept omegas, and he's extremely picky, so no one has ever succeeded.
Alphas like him are born to be chosen ones. Growing up in that kind of illusion, it's already quite humble for someone like Shang Qiyue to not be narcissistic.
"It's not a matter of conditions. Of course I know you are very generous and capable of solving all my problems. But I still don't want to do that kind of thing, I..."
Mu Yan lowered her voice. In this world where people laugh at poverty but not prostitution, it seemed ridiculous for her to say such things because of her principles and her desire to live an honest life without being kept, especially after she had already slept with a man.
"Don't you like being kept?" Shang Qiyue smiled understandingly. "Why would you feel embarrassed to say it? Having principles is a good thing. I don't have a lover, and I don't like relationships with multiple people. Let's just pretend we're dating. Helping my boyfriend with small problems and giving him some living expenses, is that abnormal?"
Shang Qiyue spoke gently and beautifully, offering titles, face, and money—he was willing to give anything.
He looks completely different from the stereotypical image of a sugar daddy, so even if you introduce him to your brother or stepmother as your boyfriend, they won't suspect anything.
"I have a boyfriend, Mr. Shang... Thank you, but I'm really sorry..."
Just then, a message came in, and Mu Yan's phone, which was on the cabinet, lit up.
Shang Qiyue also glanced over there. The lock screen wallpaper was a photo of Mu Yan and an alpha. Mu Yan's head was turned towards the man, and she smiled gently and shyly, completely different from her timid and hesitant demeanor in front of him.
"Boyfriend?" he asked.
Unlike Mu Yan, Lu Chong was not shy when taking photos. He looked calmly at the camera, as if he were looking at Shang Qiyue and Mu Yan.
For no apparent reason, Mu Yan's heart skipped a beat. He subconsciously dared not look at Lu Chong's gaze on the screen. He turned off his phone and nodded to Shang Qiyue.
Shang Qiyue smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; he merely curled his thin lips slightly.
It seemed to be just a laugh, a laugh devoid of any meaning. Mu Yan couldn't discern any element of reassurance or attempt to ease the tension in that laugh.
"I have no interest in being a third party."
Shang Qiyue walked to the bedside, took a business card from the bag on the bedside table, and handed it to Mu Yan.
"But if you regret it, you can call the number above."
Mu Yan wanted to wave his hand to refuse, but it was just a business card, and he had no reason to insist on returning it.
If he accepted the business card, would someone of Shang Qiyue's status continue to harass him?
Shang Qiyue watched him accept the business card and quickly walk out of the room like a startled little rabbit, and couldn't help but find it somewhat adorable.
Actually, his assistant was waiting downstairs and could have easily taken Mu Yan back.
Although he had never kept anyone as a mistress, letting the little canary go home on its own after sleeping with her would probably be something that Shang Qiyue's spoiled rich friends would laugh at.
Mu Yan was clearly terrified last night and was very wary; he definitely wouldn't agree to let her take him home again.
It's okay, I'll come back to him.
He picked up his phone and made a call.
"Sister Lu Zhi, it's been a long time."
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