Chapter 33 We're Fighting

Ji Yaoming finally managed to locate the elusive access key on the official website, guided step-by-step by Wen Qi.

Throughout Wen Qi’s demonstration, the captain maintained a deep frown. Wen Qi had never seen Ji Yaoming so utterly out of his depth before, and he found it rather novel.

“All done.” Wen Qi handed the phone back to him. “Just enter your account password to complete the order.”

“082493671.”

“Huh?”

Wen Qi paused at the first four digits. If he remembered correctly, it was the date his mother and sister had left.

“Is that something you should be sharing?”

Ji Yaoming looked at him and said, “It’s fine. There’s barely any money in this account anyway.”

Oh, I see.

Wen Qi swiftly entered the password. It was easy to remember—the first four digits were the date, and the last five were the final five digits of Ji Yaoming’s military ID number.

After the payment went through, a message popped up: “Payment successful. Account balance: 9899999100 galash.”

Wen Qi: “......” He looked from the phone to Ji Yaoming, then back down at the string of numbers... Even when the Wen family treated him best, he’d never seen so much money.

Wen Qi let out a soft chuckle and shook his head, handing the phone back to the man who had just carefully carried the metal box into his bedroom and returned. His earnestness made Wen Qi even more curious about its contents.

But he held back from asking. After all, Ji Yaoming wasn't his responsibility, and no one would want their privacy casually probed.

Ji Yaoming tucked the phone away and sat on the sofa, patting the spot beside him. Wen Qi met his eyes for a moment before walking over and sitting down.

Outside, the night was quiet—perhaps because it was already late, or perhaps because Wen Qi’s attention was entirely on the person beside him, making him oblivious to his surroundings.

“So, can you tell me the result of our bet this afternoon now?”

Ji Yaoming’s voice was soft, fitting for the night, but Wen Qi detected a lazy, relaxed quality in it.

Wen Qi replied, “Yeah, I was planning to tell you about it.”

“Did I win?” Ji Yaoming lifted his gaze slightly, his eyes resting lightly on the other man's face.

Wen Qi shook his head, then his lips curved into a smile, his eyes crinkling like crescent moons as he looked back.

“I won.”

Ji Yaoming blinked, turning his face away, somewhat uncomfortable. Sensing this, Wen Qi, knowing how suspicious and distrusting he was, immediately pulled out his phone.

“I have it on video. I wouldn’t lie to you. Look.”

As soon as Wen Qi pressed play and the first syllable of the broadcast sounded, a slender but strong hand reached over and stopped the video.

Wen Qi gave him a puzzled look.

Ji Yaoming was the type who had to do everything himself, especially matters important to him.

To put it bluntly, he was deeply suspicious and trusted no one. Given his position and status as the sole heir of the Ji family, he’d been kidnapped more than ten times as a child by people seeking ransom. Wen Qi could understand why he was like this.

Which was why he was confused about why Ji Yaoming didn’t want to keep watching.

Ji Yaoming kept his hand in place, his four fingers resting lightly on Wen Qi’s pale hand, barely brushing against them.

“No need to watch. You said you wouldn’t lie to me. Unless you don’t even trust your own words?”

“That’s not it.” Wen Qi pulled his hand back awkwardly. Ji Yaoming felt the warmth slip away but didn’t try to hold on. Instead, he asked, “Do you want to know that badly?”

Wen Qi nodded.

Ji Yaoming’s eyes darkened, his lips pressed tightly together as he stared into Wen Qi’s bright eyes.

It was a pretty unpleasant time.

No.

It was downright awful.

Ji Yaoming first learned about Wen Qi and Song Can through the butler, who wordlessly handed him a photo.

In the photo, a man was beaming, holding hands with Wen Qi, even bending slightly to wipe ice cream off the corner of Wen Qi’s mouth.

His first instinct was to kill him.

But he held back for the sake of the person beside him. That photo was still pinned to the wall in his training room with a knife.

After that, the photos the butler gave him were left untouched in a drawer. He thought about taking Wen Qi back, demanding why he acted as if nothing had happened, leaving him behind.

But with the suppressants he had to take three times a day, he ultimately didn’t go through with it.

Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed that night either. That’s what he thought back then.

Fortunately, they broke up not long after. Wen Qi was the one who ended it, but the evidence of the affair was something Ji Yaoming had sent.

Ji Yaoming admitted Song Can was no good, and neither was he. What kind of decent person would rather shatter Wen Qi’s happiness than let him stay with Song Can?

But he had never been a magnanimous person.

Even with his own physical flaws, even at his most despicable.

Ji Yaoming let out a soft laugh as he looked at Wen Qi’s face, startling him.

This time, unless he died, he would never let go again.

“Captain Ji, are you too tired?” Wen Qi said. “Maybe we can talk tomorrow? I’m not in a hurry.”

“Song Can,” Ji Yaoming said abruptly, “your ex-boyfriend, right?”

The unexpected words struck Wen Qi like a bolt of lightning from head to toe.

Why was he bringing this up again? Was whatever bothered him related to Song Can?

Wen Qi could only nod.

Ji Yaoming continued, “What did you two do when you were together?”

This time, Wen Qi’s brain completely short-circuited.

“Th-this… I don’t even remember. It was so long ago, and I don’t keep track of these things. It’s all in the past.”

“Held hands 32 times, hugged twice, argued 51 times, kissed…” Ji Yaoming’s voice grew softer and softer.

Goosebumps broke out all over his body. Wen Qi stared wide-eyed at the man who had been expressionless and staring intently at him since earlier, a weird feeling welling up from the depths of his heart.

"How did you..."

"Do them with me."

Ji Yaoming interrupted his question, his gaze still intensely predatory.

Wen Qi just wanted to run. The person in front of him gave off dangerous vibes, yet he heard himself asking despite himself.

"Do what?"

"Everything you just mentioned—the things you did with Song Can—do them with me." Ji Yaoming's lips curled slightly, though his eyes remained icy. "What bothers me is you and Song Can."

I was here first.

It should have been me.

Wen Qi understood, his mind went blank for a second before racing again the next.

No, even though he had no feelings for Song Can, weren’t those things Ji Yaoming just mentioned things only couples do?

"But those are things only partners would..."

"Is there a problem?"

The couch cushion beside him dipped as Ji Yaoming leaned in, so close Wen Qi could feel the heat coming off him.

Ji Yaoming: "I told you what you wanted to know, and I gave you a solution. You said you wanted things to improve."

Wen Qi swallowed nervously.

"Changed your mind?"

After these words, the room fell into an eerie silence, even more tense than the daytime atmosphere in the dark room.

Ji Yaoming pulled back and stood up. "Take your time thinking about it. It’s fine if you don’t want to do it."

He stepped away, intending to return to his bedroom to shower and change into fresh clothes before going to sleep. But before he could push open the door, the person in the living room called out to him.

"...Ji Yaoming."

Wen Qi’s voice no longer sounded gentle but was unusually serious.

Ji Yaoming remembered.

He had heard that tone on that rainy night.

Wen Qi balled his fists at his sides. "I don’t know why you care about that matter, and I don’t know how you know about those things like holding hands. Whether you made it up or are messing with me... these things should be reserved for someone you love, not because of some random bet."

"Is that what you think?"

"Yes, so please don’t joke about this kind of thing."

"A joke?"

Ji Yaoming let out a low chuckle, turned around, and their eyes met. Wen Qi had never faced him with such conviction before.

After all, how could someone who once ignored him and looked down on betas suddenly develop feelings for him?

And it really wasn’t necessary for a bet. He knew better than anyone how miserable it was to be with someone you didn’t like.

That’s why he wanted it even less.

"Wen Qi."

Ji Yaoming called out to him, half his face hidden in the darkness. Wen Qi could only see his lips quirking in a faint smile as he said, "Do I seem like someone who jokes a lot?"

Wen Qi froze. But this time, the man didn’t linger. Without looking back, he entered his room, and soon the sound of running water could be heard, leaving a dumbfounded Wen Qi behind.

What did that last look mean?

Ji Yaoming had just said he wasn’t joking, but if he wasn’t joking, then why? Did he find it fun to mess with him?

Wen Qi didn’t understand.

Ji Yaoming was hard to read.

He didn’t even know how he made it back to his room. His thoughts were scrambled. After a quick wash, he lay in bed, replaying everything that had happened today.

But over the past half month, Ji Yaoming hadn’t acted particularly dislikeful towards him. So if it wasn’t dislike, what was it? The only explanation left was that he was messing with his head.

It had only been a year since he left the Wen family. Had all rich people become like this now?

As he pondered, Wen Qi’s eyelids started drooping. He simply closed his eyes and stopped thinking, completely unaware that the door behind him had been pushed open a crack before slowly closing again, until the mattress dipped.

Wen Qi’s eyes snapped open.

It was Ji Yaoming. What was he doing in his room again?

Just as he was about to turn around and ask, an arm snaked around his waist, holding him tightly, making it impossible to move. Hot breath ghosted against the back of his neck. Although a beta’s glands were less sensitive, they were still incredibly sensitive. The tingling spread from his glands throughout his entire body. Wen Qi struggled instinctively to break free from the restraint, but it only tightened further.

"Ji Yaoming, what are you doing... mmm..."

His chin was suddenly grabbed, and Wen Qi felt someone gently tracing his canine tooth with a finger.

"Wen Qi, aren’t we in a fight right now?" The voice behind him was low, sending another shiver down Wen Qi’s spine. "After the fight, I hope I can get a hug."

"Are you out of your... what..."

Wen Qi’s eyes widened in disbelief as he felt the blazing embrace behind him, making it impossible to break free.

"Go to sleep. We have training tomorrow."

The person behind him shifted around until he stilled. Wen Qi then felt a fuzzy warmth against his neck, followed by steady breaths warming his back.

But Wen Qi’s own breathing quickened.

Dammit! How was he supposed to sleep in this situation?

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Author's Note: The chase is on~~~~ Thank you, dear readers, for the nutrient solutions. I’ll gulp them down and work hard to update [shy][shy].