My Alpha
The morning light filtered through the gauze curtains onto the medical report. Si Qi repeatedly read the last line of the conclusion: "The patient's pheromone levels remain stable, and glandular tissue shows signs of regeneration. It is recommended that the current treatment plan be continued."
"That's impossible." Doctor Li pushed up his glasses and pointed at the cell sample under the microscope. "Once an Alpha's gland is damaged, it can't regenerate. That's common medical knowledge."
Another older doctor came closer and took a deep breath. "Unless... there's something wrong with his gland structure."
Si Qi stood at the door to the lab, his fingers unconsciously tapping the doorframe. For three weeks, he had punctually marked Shao Wei's pheromone every day, strictly supervised his medication and rest, and even learned how to give him nutritional injections. Now, the numbers and charts proved that his efforts had paid off—Shao Wei's pheromone levels had remained above the safe level for two weeks.
"Mr. Si," Dr. Li turned and called to him, "We need to re-examine your spouse's genetic sample."
Shao Wei sat on the examination bed in the next room, his shirt unbuttoned to the third button, revealing the pale skin beneath his collarbone. The nurse had just drawn his blood and was applying a hemostatic tape. When Si Qi walked in, he looked up, then quickly lowered his eyes like a child who had done something wrong.
"Another blood draw?" Si Qi asked, frowning. He stood beside Shao Wei and naturally shook his hand. This had become a new habit between them - touching, confirming existence.
Shao Wei's fingers curled slightly in his palm: "The doctor said it's getting better."
"It's not just getting better." Si Qi couldn't help but smile, "It's a miracle."
Shao Wei looked up at him, his gray-blue eyes like melting glaciers under the light. Ever since that kiss that day, their relationship had subtly changed. Shao Wei no longer deliberately kept his distance, but he still showed unease when Si Qi got too close. Just like now, when Si Qi couldn't help but want to kiss his forehead, Shao Wei turned his face away slightly.
"There are police waiting for you outside," Shao Wei said softly, "about...that incident."
Si Qi's expression froze. Ever since he reported his father's lab, the police have been investigating this illegal experiment that took place fifteen years ago. He squeezed Shao Wei's fingers and said, "I'll be right back."
In the hallway, Officer Chen was flipping through a file. Seeing Si Qi, he closed the file with a complicated expression: "Mr. Si, there's new progress in the investigation. Regarding your spouse's identity..."
"What's the meaning?"
Officer Chen handed over a yellowed file and said, "According to our investigation, Mr. Shao Wei is very likely not the biological son of the Shao family."
Si Qi took the document. It had a photo of fifteen-year-old Shao Wei on it, with "Subject No. 7" labeled below. The document detailed the date "No. 7" was sent to the lab, the dosage of the drug injected, and...his adoption by the Shao family.
"Fifteen years ago, the Shao family 'adopted' Shao Wei from the laboratory on the condition that he sign a confidentiality agreement," Officer Chen explained. "Their only son had just died in an accident, and they needed an heir."
Si Qi's fingers crumpled the edge of the file. He suddenly remembered what Shao Wei had said—"Life is inherently meaningless." It's no wonder that a test subject raised as a substitute would have such thoughts.
"Does he know?" Si Qi's voice was hoarse.
"Not sure." Officer Chen shook his head, "But we found this in the Shao family's safe." He handed over a small box.
Si Qi opened the box and found a chip inside with "Project A7" engraved on it.
When he returned home, Shao Wei was sitting on the balcony, reading. The sunlight bathed him, casting a golden glow on his pale skin. Three weeks of treatment had restored some color to his face, but his figure remained as thin as a sheet of paper. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his lips curling up in a tiny curve—a new expression he had acquired since his illness, which Si Qi dubbed the "Shao Wei smile."
"What did the police say?" Shao Wei asked after closing the book.
Si Qi sat down beside him, hesitating how to start. He didn't want to ruin this rare moment of peace, but hiding it seemed even more cruel. Finally, he pulled out the chip: "They found this."
Shao Wei's expression froze. He took the chip, his fingers trembling slightly. "I know this."
"You know?"
"Yeah." Shao Wei's voice was very soft. "When I was twelve years old, I saw it in my father's—I mean, Chairman Shao's—study. At the time, he said it was a commercial sample." He smiled bitterly. "I've never been a good liar."
Si Qi's chest tightened: "So you know you are not..."
"Biological?" Shao Wei looked off into the distance. "I knew that a long time ago. How could an Alpha who couldn't even control his pheromones possibly be a Shao family offspring?" He stroked the chip. "But I didn't expect... the experimental subject to be so exaggerated."
The sunlight suddenly grew blinding. Si Qi reached out to hold Shao Wei's hand, only to find it as cold as marble. "No matter who you are or where you come from, to me you are Shao Wei. Just Shao Wei."
Shao Wei looked at him quietly, his eyes complicated: "What if I am the product of that experiment? What if my existence itself is illegal?"
"So what?" Si Qi said firmly, "I love you, not your background."
This sentence was like turning on a switch. Shao Wei stood up suddenly, and the book fell to the ground with a dull thud. "Don't say that!" His voice suddenly rose. "Don't say you love me when I don't even know if I'm a human or a ghost!"
Si Qi was stunned. This was the first time Shao Wei had spoken to him loudly, the first time he had expressed his anger so openly. In the sunlight, Shao Wei was like a ball of burning ice, a sickly blush on his pale face, his chest heaving violently.
"Shao Wei, calm down." Si Qi stood up and tried to help him, "Your body—"
"Enough!" Shao Wei shook off his hand. "I'm tired of being treated like a fragile object! I'm tired of you watching me take medicine, sleep, and breathe every day!" He took a few steps back, his back hitting the balcony railing. "I'm not your responsibility, Siqi. If guilt is driving you to do this, there's no need."
Si Qi felt a pang of pain: "How can you think so? I did all this because -"
"Why?" Shao Wei sneered. "Love? Sympathy? Or perhaps Alpha possessiveness?" His voice began to tremble. "You know, I'd rather go back to the way things were. At least back then I knew my place—a dispensable contract spouse."
After saying that, he turned and rushed into the house, leaving Si Qi standing on the balcony with the damn chip still in his hand.
For the next three days, Shao Wei locked himself in the guest room, receiving only the most basic medication and food. Si Qi tried knocking on the door, writing letters, and even speaking through it, but all he received was silence. On the morning of the fourth day, he found the door to the guest room open, and Shao Wei was gone.
The phone's location showed Shao Wei at a café in the east of the city. When Si Qi arrived, he saw Shao Wei sitting in a corner, several documents spread out before him, whispering to a strange man. The man was wearing a white lab coat and had a badge labeled "Si's Biotechnology" pinned to his chest.
A nameless anger surged into his heart. Si Qi strode over and pulled out a chair: "Explain."
Shao Wei looked up, dark circles under his eyes, but his expression was calm. "This is Dr. Lin, the assistant researcher for the experiment."
Dr. Lin nervously pushed his glasses up. "Mr. Si, I just... Mr. Shao contacted me to inquire about the details of the experiment, and I want to make amends..."
"Do you know how dangerous this is?" Si Qi lowered his voice and said to Shao Wei, "Can you just contact anyone involved in the experiment?"
Shao Wei closed the file and said, "I need answers, and you are the last person to provide objective answers."
This sentence pierced Si Qi's heart like a knife. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down: "At least let me participate, I can help-"
"I don't need help," Shao Wei interrupted him, "especially from you."
Dr. Lin stood up awkwardly: "I think I should go. Mr. Shao, please keep the information and contact me if you need anything." He left in a hurry, leaving the two men to confront each other.
Si Qi sat down and looked directly into Shao Wei's eyes: "What are you looking for?"
"Myself." Shao Wei pushed aside a document. "According to the records, the purpose of 'Project A7' is to create a 'perfect Alpha' capable of self-repairing glands." He pointed to a blurry text. "I may be the only successful experimental subject."
Si Qi scanned the document, his heart beating faster: "This means your recovery is not accidental..."
"It means that my existence itself is an experiment." Shao Wei smiled bitterly, "From the moment I was born until now, not a single moment has been real."
Sunlight shone through the glass onto the documents, and the cold terms and data seemed to mock them. Si Qi reached out to shake Shao Wei's hand, but was dodged.
"Don't." Shao Wei's voice was very soft. "Before you touch me, I need to know...who you are touching."
On the way home, the two were as silent as strangers. After entering the room, Shao Wei went straight to the guest room, but Si Qi stopped him: "We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about." Shao Wei tried to avoid him.
Si Qi grabbed his wrist and said, "Yes!" He forced himself to use less force. "Shao Wei, look at me. No matter what the experiment results are, no matter who you are, I love you as you are now. The you who secretly helped me edit the documents, who remembered my coffee taste, who stood outside the study door on rainy nights. This... the real you."
Shao Wei's eyes flushed slightly: "What if I don't even know what is real?"
"Then let's look for it together," Si Qi said softly, "not as experimental subjects and observers, not as patients and caregivers, but simply as... Si Qi and Shao Wei."
A tear fell from the corner of Shao Wei's eye. He quickly wiped it away and turned to walk towards the guest room, but this time he did not close the door.
That night, Si Qi was in his study, sorting through the police documents, trying to piece together the truth. At two in the morning, he heard a muffled thud from the guest room. Rushing inside, he found Shao Wei huddled on the floor, trembling, his forehead burning.
"I didn't take the medicine..." Shao Wei explained intermittently amidst the pain, "I wanted to prove...that I didn't need it..."
Si Qi was furious and anxious. He picked him up and put him on the bed, then searched the medicine box on the bedside table. Sure enough, three days' supply of pills was still untouched. He quickly prepared the medicine and helped Shao Wei up. "Drink it, quickly!"
Shao Wei swallowed the potion with difficulty, then curled up in pain. Si Qi lifted his collar and found the area around the gland was red, swollen, and hot. Without hesitation, he bit the fragile skin again and injected his pheromones.
Shao Wei arched his back in pain, his fingers clutching the bedsheets tightly as tears streamed silently. By the time the marking was complete, he was already half-conscious, but he still muttered to himself, "I'm sorry... I just... don't want to be a burden..."
Si Qi's heart ached, and he hugged him in his arms: "You have never been a burden."
Shao Wei trembled in his arms, the high fever making his mind confused: "I'm afraid... I'm afraid that you'll leave after you know the truth... So I'd rather... never get close..."
"What's the truth?" Si Qi asked softly.
"I love you..." Shao Wei's voice was filled with tears, "Since the first time I saw you... But how can a test subject be worthy... So I pretended... I didn't care..."
These words split the night sky like lightning. Si Qi hugged him tightly, feeling the man's scorching body temperature and trembling breath in his arms. "I love you too, Shao Wei. Not out of responsibility, not because of the experiment, but simply because of you."
Shao Wei slowly calmed down in his arms, and the courage brought by the high fever also dissipated. At dawn, when his body temperature finally dropped, he returned to his habitual distance, as if the confession at night was just a dream.
But Siqi knew that the ice wall separating them finally had its first crack.
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