Chapter 72: The Married Beta's Life Is Upended

The next day, Bai Yu awoke in Situ Jing's embrace to a flurry of goose-feather snowflakes outside the window, swirling lightly and dreamily like a scene from a crystal ball.

Situ Jing was still asleep but pulled Bai Yu closer, as if unwilling to let him stir.

Bai Yu nestled his head against Situ Jing's chest and closed his eyes again. They didn't rise until well into the afternoon.

During brunch, Bai Yu asked, "Can I go back to Xinze Third Road today to see Babao?"

It had been a long time since Bai Yu last visited Babao; Secretary Zhou had been overseeing the cat's care.

Although Secretary Zhou sent him videos every time he fed Babao, Bai Yu felt a growing disconnect, a sense that they were no longer as close.

Situ Jing's gaze drifted to the aquamarine bracelet sliding on Bai Yu's wrist. "You may."

Bai Yu managed a faint smile for Situ Jing, giving his cheek a light peck before leaving.

The heavy snow outside had ceased, leaving the landscape blanketed in silver.

Bai Yu settled into the car and glanced down at the bracelet on his wrist. He used his phone to identify it as aquamarine, a stone symbolizing courage, wisdom, and peace.

Secretary Zhou, assuming Bai Yu was checking the bracelet's price—a natural assumption—casually remarked, "The boss is always generous. If you hadn’t gone to Song Huaiqian’s place, this gift would have been yours yesterday afternoon."

So, the bracelet was destined for him regardless.

Bai Yu frowned, not particularly pleased. "I thought I was just having a normal conversation. What's wrong with helping deliver clothes and borrowing records?"

"You could have entrusted those tasks to me, or to the butler and servants at Yanting. The boss prefers you not to seek help from others."

"But Song Huaiqian is a beta. He's practically a priest, just missing the ordination. How could someone so celibate and disciplined have any improper involvement with me?"

"Regardless of his gender or status, you cannot. You should be well aware of what the boss is like when he's angry."

Bai Yu suddenly recalled the incident at school, when Situ Jing had gripped the back of his neck and threatened him with his sister. His fingers involuntarily curled.

But he still didn't understand.

"Why?"

Secretary Zhou paused, then delivered his familiar refrain: "You shouldn't be asking 'why.' You simply need to adhere to the contract and obey your employer. As long as you follow this, you'll remain safe. Nothing else will change."

Bai Yu shook his head helplessly, glancing at the snowdrifts outside the car window. "He doesn't let me do anything. I feel like I'm becoming useless from being pampered."

Secretary Zhou looked puzzled, observing the young man in the rearview mirror. "How could you become useless? You know the difference between a house cat and a stray, right? Just like Babao, whom you rescued—after being well cared for, he's now transformed into a beautiful cat. That's the difference between scarcity and abundance. Isn't it good to be pampered and well-treated?"

Bai Yu hesitated, wanting to speak but ultimately remaining silent.

In Secretary Zhou's eyes, he likely seemed ungrateful for his good fortune. Yet, this life brought him little joy.

Only during that brief half-hour nap at Song Huaiqian’s house, listening to music, did he truly find peace—completely free from Situ Jing’s control, not objectified, and feeling like himself again.

Now, even that small sanctuary was forbidden.

Bai Yu picked up his phone and scrolled through short videos, coming across news of an injured desert cat being rescued.

"Desert cats inhabit high-altitude regions in the northwest, with fur similar to orange tabbies. This desert cat was rescued by a herdsman after being injured, received excellent treatment, and recovered. The herdsman released it back into the wild, but the cat repeatedly returned to his home, unwilling to leave, even following the herdsman during his migrations."

In the interview, the herdsman held the desert cat in his arms, playfully squeezing its paws, and grinned: "It's nice to keep him—he catches mice. Winters are cold outside, and he doesn't want to stay out there anymore. He followed me all the way and just wouldn't leave."

Bai Yu long-pressed the video, selected "Not Interested," and continued scrolling.

Upon returning to the house on Xinze Third Road, Bai Yu was struck by how cramped the place felt. The musty scent of dust hung heavy in the air, and the peeling wall plaster stood out starkly.

Babao barely recognized Bai Yu, hiding under the table and warily observing the situation.

Bai Yu used a small mouse toy to coax Babao closer, gradually reacquainting himself with the cat until it allowed him to be held.

Around three in the afternoon, Bai Yu took Babao for a walk in the park near the neighborhood.

Secretary Zhou received a phone call and caught up with Bai Yu. "The boss says it's getting late and wants you to return."

"Understood." Bai Yu picked up Babao and headed back.

After returning to Yanting, Situ Jing was on the golf course and asked Bai Yu to join him as a practice partner.

Bai Yu, with his novice skills, played with Situ Jing until dark, sweating profusely.

That night, Situ Jing tormented him again, eliciting moans and cries.

By the time he awoke on Sunday, his entire body ached intensely.

Situ Jing, however, seemed thoroughly satisfied. After dressing, he walked to the bedside, lifted Bai Yu, gave him a gentle squeeze, buried his face in Bai Yu’s neck for a deep inhale, and murmured, "Be good."

Bai Yu closed his eyes, waiting for Situ Jing to release him, but Situ Jing held on, seemingly demanding a response.

He lifted his eyelids to meet Situ Jing’s deep gaze. "Mmhmm, have a safe business trip. Don’t overwork yourself."

Only then did Situ Jing release him.

After the man closed the door and left, Bai Yu curled up and drifted back to sleep.

Over the next two weeks, Bai Yu immersed himself in the world of music, working on his own compositions and gradually finding his rhythm.

His core and elective courses concluded, and Mu Qingkong and the other two temporarily ceased their provocations.

Pei Wenliang and Yao Jia, both struggling students, had missed many classes and were now scrambling to prepare for exams. Mu Qingkong was also busy preparing his entry for the arrangement competition.

Situ Jing hadn't returned to Yanting since Christmas. Occasionally, Bai Yu would send him perfunctory good morning texts online, almost like a daily check-in.

The other side seemed aware of his half-hearted efforts and didn't even bother replying.

It was as if everyone had pressed the pause button.

But it only takes a spark.

*

A month later, the arrangement competition was held as scheduled, featuring over 300 participants—mostly music majors, along with a few students from performing arts and fine arts who shared a passion for music.

The competition was divided into three rounds, with final scores determined by votes from the live audience and online stream viewers, as well as judges’ evaluations.

After submitting his recorded demo to the competition committee, Bai Yu was scheduled to perform on the final day.

He had drawn a late slot. By the time he arrived at the grand auditorium, the competition had already begun. The venue was packed with audience members, and staff nearby monitored the live stream equipment, which was buzzing with comments.

To his surprise, Situ Jing appeared in the VIP section dressed in a black suit, exuding an air of refined elegance. He occasionally offered polite smiles and nodded to the university president beside him.

The students nearby were captivated by Situ Jing.

Bai Yu looked toward the back of the audience seating, where a banner hung that read: "Thanks to Hengyu Technology for sponsoring this arrangement competition."

So he was the sponsor—no wonder the early promotions had boasted of prize money far more substantial than in previous years.

As Bai Yu withdrew his gaze, his eyes briefly met Situ Jing's. Unconsciously, he quietly tucked his left hand behind his back.

Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing that gemstone bracelet today.

Song Huaiqian, seated at the judges' table and listening to the performers, noticed Bai Yu's arrival and discreetly took out his phone to send a message.

Song Huaiqian: [Ready?]

Bai Yu felt his phone vibrate, took it out, and read the message.

Bai Yu: [Yes.]

Without lingering, Bai Yu headed straight backstage.

The backstage area was a cacophony of noise—the click of high heels, vocal warm-ups, and clusters of people gossiping.

As it happened, Fu Yusheng was also competing that day. Dressed in a dark brown suit and a beret, he waved to Bai Yu, "There's a seat here."

Bai Yu walked over, and the two sat together, waiting.

Fu Yusheng noticed Bai Yu’s simple attire—a white shirt, jeans, and a thick coat—and remarked with a smile, "Your outfit is pretty casual."

Bai Yu glanced down at his clothes. "Yeah, I didn’t want to overcomplicate things." It was also a precaution against anyone trying to sabotage him.

Soon, two staff members hurried through the waiting area carrying a pair of enormous angel wings.

Contestants nearby whispered, "Whose are those?"

"Mu Qingkong's. He’s having the stage crew hoist him up with a harness so he can descend slowly onto the stage."

"If it were anyone else, it might seem a bit over-the-top, but Mu Qingkong’s stage presence is truly impressive."

"He’s even sung at concerts with his uncle before."

…

As they spoke, the surrounding contestants glanced at Bai Yu, whether intentionally or not, whispering softly among themselves.

Fu Yusheng asked, "Do you think you can win first place this time?"

Bai Yu pressed his lips together. "I hope so."

The rhythm of this song was different from his previous works—it was either a breakthrough or a disaster. It all depended on the audience’s reaction, but deep down, he felt confident.

The competition judges had always been fair; as long as the work was outstanding enough, it would stand out.

But since Situ Jing appeared, he’d felt a bit uneasy.

The student union’s logistics team brought several boxes of bottled water backstage for the contestants.

Bai Yu and Fu Yusheng each took a bottle, drank a few sips, and set them aside.

Just then, a student passing by Bai Yu and Fu Yusheng dropped his phone. "Oops, where did my phone go?"

Bai Yu saw the phone land under his stool, bent down, and picked it up for him.

The student took the phone, checked that the screen wasn’t cracked, thanked Bai Yu, and left.

Bai Yu nodded slightly and went back to listening to music with his headphones on.

Fu Yusheng’s turn was coming up soon. With two contestants ahead of him, he grew nervous, clutching his water bottle and drinking constantly.

Bai Yu said, "Don’t drink too much water. What if you need to go to the bathroom when it’s your turn?"

Suddenly, Fu Yusheng’s face flushed red. He grabbed his throat, making choked, gurgling sounds.

Bai Yu took off his headphones and stared at him. "What’s wrong?!"

Fu Yusheng couldn’t speak a word and collapsed on the floor.

Someone screamed, and the surrounding contestants froze. Bai Yu quickly helped Fu Yusheng up and guided him outside.

The student union staff in charge of the area noticed something was wrong and rushed over to ask what happened. They reported to the teachers and hurriedly helped carry Fu Yusheng out to send him to the hospital.

The judges and audience noticed the commotion near the back of the stage and began speculating about what had happened.

Song Huaiqian saw Bai Yu and left the judges’ panel to follow him out.

"Bai Yu?"

Bai Yu had just sent Fu Yusheng off in the ambulance and hadn’t yet recovered from the shock. The staff urged him to return to the competition, but he didn’t hear them.

It wasn’t until Song Huaiqian grabbed Bai Yu’s hand and asked, "Bai Yu, what happened?" that he snapped back to attention.

Bai Yu looked up, his eyes filled with fear and panic. "He lost his voice completely."

Song Huaiqian spoke softly to comfort him. "Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Tell me, why did he suddenly lose his voice?"

Bai Yu shook his head. "I don’t know. We were sitting together, and suddenly he grabbed his throat and collapsed."

"Did he eat or drink anything?"

"Only the mineral water the student union gave us."

Bai Yu’s words halted abruptly as he looked at Song Huaiqian. "Fu Yusheng and I placed our water bottles together. Someone passed by us, dropped their phone under my stool, and I bent down to pick it up for them. I felt the person move slightly, but from my angle, I couldn’t see what they were doing. Fu Yusheng was on his phone and didn’t notice either."

Song Huaiqian’s expression grew serious. "Are you saying it’s likely that person switched your water bottle, and then Fu Yusheng picked up the wrong one and drank what was meant for you?"

"Yes."

Bai Yu didn’t want to assume the worst of others, but what happened to Fu Yusheng was beyond simple mischief. A chill ran down his spine.

Had Mu Qingkong truly crossed every line of decency?

Song Huaiqian clenched his jaw, his face stern. "Go back and compete first. I’ll handle this."

Bai Yu turned to head back to the auditorium but suddenly noticed Situ Jing standing not far away, a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze cold and fixed on him.

Bai Yu froze. Had he been too absorbed in talking to Song Huaiqian earlier? He hoped he hadn’t done anything too intimate.

Song Huaiqian also noticed Situ Jing out of the corner of his eye and paused slightly before urging Bai Yu, "Hurry, the competition is what matters now."

Bai Yu looked down, not daring to look at Situ Jing again, and followed Song Huaiqian back into the auditorium.

*

When the two returned backstage to look for the water bottle Fu Yusheng had drunk from, it was already gone.

At the time, everyone’s attention was on Bai Yu and the collapsed Fu Yusheng—no one had noticed the water bottle beside them.

Mu Qingkong, wearing delicate makeup and a white suit with a flowing ribbon, walked up to Bai Yu and asked, with feigned concern, "Are you okay?"

Bai Yu clenched his fist and did not respond.

Song Huaiqian approached Mu Qingkong and said, "Step outside with me for a moment."

Mu Qingkong shrugged and said casually, "Professor, I just arrived and have nothing to do with this matter from beginning to end."

Song Huaiqian narrowed his eyes. "Do I need to say some things to you in public?"

After being forced to leave, Mu Qingkong looked annoyed.

However, walking past Bai Yu, Mu Qingkong smiled at him and said, "I hope your performance goes smoothly today."

Bai Yu coldly replied, "Same to you."

After Song Huaiqian called Mu Qingkong out, the two walked to a secluded flowerbed nearby.

Mu Qingkong gestured with his hands and asked, "Professor, what do you want to say?"

Song Huaiqian got straight to the point. "I used to think you were a promising student, just that being born into a wealthy family gave you some bad habits. But now it seems you've totally gone astray. I suggest you find a priest to get an exorcism."

Mu Qingkong glared at Song Huaiqian. "Professor, just because you don’t like me, you can’t slander me, can you?"

Song Huaiqian gave a light laugh. "Whether it’s slander or not, you know it in your heart. I’ve been in the music industry for a long time and have seen many things. If you think you can succeed in this field with such tricks, you won’t last long. Because by doing these things, you’ve already admitted that you can’t defeat your opponents through fair means."

A flicker of hesitation appeared in Mu Qingkong’s eyes, but he quickly recovered his composure and said mockingly, "Thank you for the reminder, Professor, but I believe I will win. We are both your students. Whoever takes first place will reflect well on you. Why make things so tense?"

Song Huaiqian shook his head helplessly and turned to leave. "You really should go get an exorcism."

Mu Qingkong stood still, grinding his molars secretly. "What does he mean by admitting I can’t defeat my opponents through fair means? Hmph."

Pei Wenliang came out from behind a stone pillar not far away, looking around cautiously, and grabbed Mu Qingkong’s clothes, demanding, "Are you insane? How dare you poison someone?!"

Mu Qingkong pushed Pei Wenliang away, smoothed out the wrinkles in his disheveled clothes, and calmly said, "Why are you panicking? It’s just an anticholinergic drug. It only damages the vocal cords—he’ll still be able to speak in the future."

Pei Wenliang shoved his hands into his suit pockets and stared at Mu Qingkong. "This was never part of our plan. You never told me you were going to drug anyone! What if something serious happens?"

"I’m not holding you responsible," Mu Qingkong said as he walked toward the performance hall.

At this point, Pei Wenliang had a vague premonition of the impending danger. He grabbed Mu Qingkong’s hand and said, "Situ Jing is here. Didn’t you see him?"

Mu Qingkong smiled at Pei Wenliang and squeezed his hand back. "I know he’s here. So what? I want Bai Yu to be destroyed right in front of him."

"You mean we should continue with the plan?"

"Of course we continue."

Pei Wenliang lowered his voice. "If this goes too far, none of us will escape."

Mu Qingkong kissed Pei Wenliang and said confidently, "Bai Yu is just a beta. If Jing cared about him, he would have confronted us when the incident during the last assessment happened. This means Bai Yu didn’t dare tell him what happened at school because Jing wouldn’t stand up for him. Help me one last time, and we’ll make our relationship public."

He speculated this because Bai Yu had gotten into that car that day, but the Christmas gift from Situ Jing—an aquamarine bracelet—was not on Bai Yu’s wrist.

The bracelet was delicate and lightweight, suitable for everyday wear.

Either Bai Yu had sold the bracelet after receiving it, or he never received it in the first place.

Who would dare sell something given by Situ Jing?

The only remaining possibility was that Bai Yu was not the intended recipient of the gift. He was unimportant to Situ Jing, and bullying him would come at no cost.

Pei Wenliang grabbed Mu Qingkong by the collar and leaned in close. "One last time. If you don’t keep your word, I’ll never have anything to do with you again."

"Deal."

Mu Qingkong was like a gambler desperate to turn the tables, throwing all his chips on the table, determined to win at any cost.