Chasing Husband
Shao Wei's high fever lasted for three full days.
Si Qi sat by the bed, watching the numbers ticking on the medical monitor. Shao Wei's temperature had just dropped to 38 degrees Celsius, and a hint of color finally appeared on his pale face. His eyelashes fluttered softly in his sleep, like the wings of a wounded butterfly.
Outside, a blizzard raged. The villa's power supply was temporarily cut off, forcing Siqi to activate the backup generator. The fire in the fireplace blazed, casting their shadows on the wall, entwining them.
Si Qi reached out and brushed away the sweat-soaked hair from Shao Wei's forehead. His fingertips felt a burning sensation, and he frowned. A top-tier Alpha's estrus reaction was several times more intense than that of an average Alpha, and Shao Wei's case seemed even more unique—his body had developed a resistance to the inhibitor.
"Hmm..." Shao Wei hummed softly in his sleep, his brow furrowed. His lips were dry and cracked, so Si Qi dipped a cotton swab in water and gently moistened the pale, soft area.
"Seven years ago...that rainy night..." Shao Wei suddenly murmured, his voice as thin as a mosquito.
Si Qi's hand froze in mid-air. What rainy night? He and Shao Wei had barely crossed paths before the marriage. The Shao family operated primarily in the south, while the Si family's sphere of influence lay in the north. If it weren't for the shipping route negotiations, they might never have met.
"What are you talking about?" Si Qi leaned closer, but Shao Wei had fallen asleep again, and only his rapid breathing showed that he was still fighting the high fever.
Si Qi stood up and walked to the window. The snow had stopped, and the moonlight shone through the snow-covered courtyard, a pure, unreal light. He pulled out his cell phone and called his doctor.
"Still the same?" Dr. Zhou's voice was tired from the other end of the line. He had been remotely guiding Siqi on how to deal with this rare Alpha estrus symptom for three consecutive days.
"His temperature has dropped a bit, but he just said some nonsense." Si Qi lowered his voice, not wanting to wake Shao Wei. "He mentioned something about the rainy night seven years ago."
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. "Doctor Zhou?"
"Ah, it might be hallucinations caused by the high fever." Doctor Zhou's tone returned to professionalism. "Continue to observe. If the temperature returns to normal tomorrow morning, you can start taking the recovery potion."
After hanging up, Si Qi stared at his phone screen, lost in thought. Dr. Zhou's momentary hesitation was all too apparent. He turned back to the bedside and gazed at Shao Wei's sleeping face. In the moonlight, this usually calm and composed face looked unusually fragile, even childish. Si Qi suddenly realized that he knew almost nothing about his legal partner.
On the morning of the fourth day, Shao Wei's temperature finally returned to normal. Si Qi, who was dozing lightly on the sofa, was awakened by a slight noise. He opened his eyes and saw Shao Wei trying to sit up in bed, his arms trembling with weakness.
"Don't move." Si Qi took two steps at a time and walked to the bedside, pressing Shao Wei's shoulders. "You need to rest."
Shao Wei's pupils dilated slightly, as if he hadn't expected Si Qi to be there. His gaze swept over the pile of medicine, water cups, and used ice packs on the bedside table, finally landing on Si Qi's wrinkled shirt. Si Qi, always meticulous, hadn't changed his clothes in three days, and there was a noticeable dark spot under his eyes.
"You... have been here all the time?" Shao Wei's voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.
Si Qi poured a cup of warm water and handed it to him: "What else?"
Shao Wei took the water cup and accidentally touched Si Qi's finger. At that moment, Si Qi felt a faint electric current running up his spine from the point of contact. He pretended not to notice and turned to pick up the pills.
"It's not your fault that the inhibitor failed." Si Qi said with his back to Shao Wei, "Doctor Zhou said that top-level Alphas will experience this condition under long-term stress."
Shao Wei swallowed the pill silently, his Adam's apple rolling up and down. Si Qi noticed the bite marks on his neck, now scabbed over, standing out against his fair skin. They were his teeth marks, the mark of one Alpha on another. Normally, such marks would quickly fade due to rejection, but they were unusually stubborn.
"Board of Directors..." Shao Wei said suddenly.
Si Qi snorted, "You're still thinking about that? Grandfather forced the Eastern Front merger through while I was away." He paused, "He also publicly questioned the legitimacy of our marriage."
Shao Wei's fingers clenched the quilt. Si Qi knew what he was thinking—Shao Wei hated being a burden to others. This marriage had been strongly pushed by Si Qi from the beginning, and Shao Wei had simply accepted the arrangement calmly, just as he had accepted all the arrangements made by his family.
"I'll take care of it," Si Qi said, not understanding why he had to comfort Shao Wei. Logically, this marriage had been about profit, and now that the Eastern Front merger was a foregone conclusion, there was little point in continuing. But the thought of breaking off the engagement felt like a huge rock weighing down his chest, a heavy, uncomfortable feeling.
Shao Wei looked up at him, a flicker of something in his amber eyes. "Don't force it," he said softly. "The original agreement... has been fulfilled."
Si Qi suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable anger. Why could Shao Wei always talk about separation so calmly? It was as if nothing existed between them except that contract. Those countless nights spent sleeping in each other's arms, those analysis reports quietly placed on the desk, and the intertwining of breath and body temperature during the susceptible period—were they all just obligations to Shao Wei?
"You're quite open-minded," Si Qi sneered, then regretted his harshness. Shao Wei had just escaped danger, and he shouldn't have spoken like that.
Shao Wei simply lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow on his face. "I'm going to take a shower," he said, and was about to get out of bed, but the moment his feet touched the ground, his legs gave way and he fell forward.
Si Qi grabbed his waist. Through the thin pajamas, he could feel Shao Wei's body temperature and heartbeat. The cedar pheromone had faded due to weakness, but it still clung to him stubbornly, like a never-ending snowfall.
"Don't be so stubborn." Si Qi whispered, picked up Shao Wei and walked towards the bathroom. Shao Wei surprisingly did not struggle, but just leaned quietly on his chest, as if he had exhausted all his strength.
After the bathtub was filled with water, Si Qi hesitated for a moment: "Need me..."
"No need." Shao Wei said quickly, with a blush on the tips of his ears.
Si Qi nodded and left the bathroom. He leaned against the door, listening to the faint sound of water. His phone suddenly vibrated. It was his grandfather calling. He walked to the balcony before answering.
"Finally answering the phone?" Grandfather's voice was filled with sarcasm. "For that Alpha, you're even giving up the company?"
Si Qi lit a cigarette and let the cold wind blow away the smoke: "I have the right to take a vacation."
"Vacation?" Grandfather sneered. "Everyone's saying you're being controlled by that Shao family Alpha using pheromones! How could two top Alphas possibly combine normally? He must have used some trick—"
"That's enough!" Si Qi suddenly raised his voice, "Shao Wei is my legal spouse, please show some respect."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "You've changed, Siqi." Grandfather's voice suddenly became tired. "Something was wrong from the moment you insisted on this marriage. Tell me the truth, did you know each other before?"
Si Qi blew out a puff of smoke and said, "I don't know him."
"Then why him? There are so many Omegas for you to choose from, why an Alpha? And an Alpha with such a... special reputation."
"What reputation?" Si Qi narrowed his eyes.
Grandfather was silent for a few seconds. "Go check it out yourself. Anyway, the board has decided to re-vote on the Westport project next Monday. If you still want the position, you'd better bring your divorce papers with you."
The call ended. Si Qi stared at his phone, anger boiling in his chest. He didn't care about the Sihanoukville project, but his grandfather's insults to Shao Wei made him want to smash things. Even more unsettling was that "reputation"—what did Shao Wei know that he didn't know?
The bathroom door opened, and Shao Wei emerged in a bathrobe, his hair dripping with water. His complexion looked better than before, but he still walked unsteadily. Si Qi stubbed out his cigarette and walked over to help him.
"Thank you." Shao Wei said softly, his eyes glancing at the phone in Si Qi's hand, "Is there something urgent?"
Si Qi hesitated for a moment: "Grandfather wants me to go back and attend the board meeting."
Shao Wei nodded, his face expressionless: "You should go back."
"And you?"
"I'm fine." Shao Wei walked to the closet and took out a set of clean clothes. "Doctor Zhou can take care of me."
Si Qi suddenly grabbed his wrist and said, "Come back with me."
Shao Wei looked up in surprise, a drop of water sliding down his wet hair like a tear. "It's not appropriate," he said softly. "There must be a lot of reporters outside right now."
"So?" Si Qi took a step closer. "We are a legal couple. What's there to be ashamed of?"
Shao Wei's pupils dilated slightly, and his breathing became rapid. Si Qi could smell the fragrance of his shower gel mixed with a faint cedar pheromone, which miraculously soothed his restless emotions.
"Siqi," Shao Wei rarely called his name, "You know our marriage has been..."
"What is it?" Si Qi pressed. "A deal? A joke?"
Shao Wei looked away: "You know the answer."
Si Qi suddenly felt exhausted. He let go of Shao Wei's wrist, turned around, and picked up his coat. "I'll call Dr. Zhou over. There's food in the refrigerator. Don't order takeout. A reporter might be posing as a delivery driver."
Shao Wei quietly watched him put on his coat, and suddenly said, "We met seven years ago."
Si Qi paused. He turned slowly and asked, "When?"
"A charity dinner." Shao Wei's voice was soft. "You may not remember it."
Si Qi searched his memory but couldn't find any relevant fragments. He had attended countless dinner parties, most of which he remembered vaguely. "Why do you remember?"
The corners of Shao Wei's mouth curled up slightly, revealing an almost bitter smile: "Because that was the first time I saw an Alpha who was not controlled by pheromones."
Si Qi wanted to ask more, but Shao Wei had already turned and walked towards the kitchen, ending the topic. He stood there, looking at Shao Wei's thin back, and suddenly had a strong premonition - that night seven years ago, was far more than just an ordinary encounter.
When Si Qi returned to his downtown apartment, he found a dozen reporters waiting outside the door. He went upstairs in the private elevator with a blank expression and called his secretary.
"Two things to check," he said into the phone. "First, Committee Member Shao's true position in the Shao family. Second, any possible interactions between him and me seven years ago."
After hanging up the phone, Si Qi walked to the liquor cabinet and poured a glass of whiskey. Outside the French windows, the city lights were ablaze. He remembered Shao Wei standing at the window of his villa, watching the snow, so quiet, as if cut off from the world. He suddenly longed to hear Shao Wei's voice, even if it was just to say, "You're back."
My phone vibrated. It was a message from Dr. Zhou: "Mr. Shao is in stable condition, but he refused to let me stay overnight. Also, there's something you should know—he has an old injury to his gland, which may be the reason the inhibitor is ineffective."
Si Qi stared at the message, his temples throbbing. An old gland injury? Alphas' glands are extremely sensitive, and any damage would affect pheromone secretion. Why hadn't Shao Wei ever mentioned this?
He put down his glass and dialed another number: "Uncle Li, I need all of Committee Shao's medical records. The more detailed the better."
It started to rain outside the window, and the raindrops hit the glass like some kind of code. Si Qi stood in front of the window and suddenly remembered the words Shao Wei said when he was in a coma - "The rainy night seven years ago."
The floodgates of memory suddenly opened a crack. Seven years ago, he had indeed attended a charity dinner, and it was raining heavily that day. In the middle of the banquet, he left early because of an Omega's induced estrus, and encountered...
Siqi's hands suddenly clenched. In the parking lot, a young Alpha, soaking wet, huddled in a corner, blood pouring from the back of his neck. What did he do then? He gave him his coat, and then...
Then the memory broke.
My phone vibrated again. It was the secretary's preliminary investigation results: "While Shao Wei is nominally the second young master of the Shao family, his actual situation is complicated. His mother died young, and his father remarried and gave birth to an Omega brother. Rumor has it that Shao Wei was sent abroad at the age of 15 for harming his brother, and only returned to China in recent years. Furthermore, on June 18th, seven years ago, you and Shao Wei did attend the Lin's charity dinner together."
Siqi's heartbeat quickened. June 18th—this day was marked "Do Not Schedule" on his calendar every year. Why? What exactly happened that night?
He called the villa's landline, but no one answered. He called Shao Wei's cell phone, but it was turned off. A sense of foreboding gripped him. Si Qi grabbed his car keys and rushed out the door, driving furiously in the rain back to the villa.
The rain was getting heavier, a curtain of water on the windshield blurring his vision. Si Qi recalled Shao Wei's expression when he said, "Life is inherently boring," and a sharp pain stabbed in his chest. He stepped on the accelerator, and the sports car drifted dangerously on the slippery road.
The villa was completely dark. Si Qi rushed in and turned on all the lights: "Shao Wei!"
There was no response. The bedroom, study, and bathroom were all empty. Only a note lay on the dining table, with Shao Wei's neat handwriting on it:
"I've signed the agreement and put it in my study drawer. Take care."
Si Qi felt his head spin. He rushed into the study and opened a drawer. Inside, there was a divorce agreement, Shao Wei's signature still wet in ink. Next to it was a plain silver ring—their wedding ring, which Shao Wei had never taken off.
The rain roared like thunder. Si Qi stood in the empty villa, suddenly understanding what loss meant. He pulled out his phone and dialed a rarely used number: "Use everyone, find Committee Member Shao. Immediately."
The person on the other end of the phone hesitated and said, "Boss Si, the old man just ordered that no one is allowed to assist you..."
"Listen," Si Qi's voice was low and dangerous. "From now on, I will destroy anyone who tries to stop me from finding Shao Wei. That includes my grandfather."
After hanging up the phone, Si Qi picked up the wedding ring. The inner ring was engraved with their wedding date, along with a line of small characters: "SQ & SW"—the initials of Si Qi and Shao Wei. This had been his idea, and Shao Wei had quietly let him do it.
Now, the always quiet man has disappeared, taking with him all the unspoken secrets.
Si Qi clutched the ring in his palm, the metal edge digging into his flesh. Amidst the sound of rain, he seemed to hear Shao Wei's words, soft as a sigh, again: "Because that was the first time I saw an Alpha not controlled by pheromones."
On the rainy night seven years ago, who saved whom?
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