Chapter 22.2

Gu Shiyu could not help but want to interrupt this confession that seemed utterly bizarre to him. However, before he could speak, Jiang Sirar’s voice rang out again from the other end. It was soft and smooth, like a snake slowly approaching its prey, or a deceptive bait that forced an Alpha to draw near.

“And I can also help you leave Su Jingyi,” Jiang Sirar said. “You have always wanted to leave him, have you not? Perhaps, by using me, you can make him let you go willingly.”

Gu Shiyu suddenly clenched his fingers. Jiang Sirar’s words continued to drill into his ears.

“And that way, you will not have to be entangled with that Gu Shiyu or Qi Ziyan anymore. I will take you back to North City, far away from them. How about it?”

“Like hell you will!” Gu Shiyu thought.

Li Qingran had long ago made an agreement with him to be sent away with his help. How could a pervert like this be allowed to sow discord here? Li Qingran will definitely refuse. As Gu Shiyu thought this, the fingertips gripping his phone began to tremble uncontrollably. Soon, he heard Li Qingran’s voice. The Alpha’s tone carried a hint of doubt, but more than that, it held an obvious sense of wavering.

“Really?” Gu Shiyu heard him ask. “Can you really make Su Jingyi leave me willingly?”

“No! It is not true! He is just lying to you!”

Gu Shiyu opened his mouth, wanting to tell Li Qingran the truth, but his throat felt as if it were blocked by a ball of cotton. It was dry and congested, making it impossible to produce a sound. He could only listen as Jiang Sirar continued his lies.

“Then,” Li Qingran began.

“Beep, beep, beep.”

Gu Shiyu hung up the phone. He did not listen to Li Qingran’s answer, nor did he have the time to do so.

“Where is Su Jingyi now?” Gu Shiyu turned to look at the subordinate beside him, who was drenched in sweat and sitting on the floor at some point. He asked in a cold voice.

The latter finally came back to life, gasping for air as he spoke. “He is still at the manor picking out clothes.” He paused, then observed Gu Shiyu’s expression and asked cautiously, “Has something happened, Mr. Gu? Do you need me to go pick up Young Master Su right now?”

Judging by the pheromones he had just endured, his boss was more than just a little angry. Was there another conflict with Young Master Su? Or was there a problem with the personnel sent to start the project on Ortis Island? The subordinate could not help but speculate, sensing that Gu Shiyu was likely angry because of the latter issue. After all, he had seen many confrontations between his boss and the Su family Omega, and the Alpha’s emotions had never been this agitated because of him, let alone to the point of losing control over his pheromones.

But this time, he might have guessed wrong. After hearing his words, Gu Shiyu immediately said without hesitation, “No need. I will go personally!”

Given Su Jingyi’s personality, it was impossible for him not to have installed a GPS tracking system on Li Qingran’s phone. As the Alpha spoke, he strode toward the parking lot. He walked very fast, the wind catching the hem of his black trench coat and whipping it up like a dark cloud.

Li Qingran looked up at the sudden change in weather outside the window, then turned his gaze to the Alpha in front of him, who was radiating joy and was so excited he seemed at a loss. He spoke calmly.

“Contact the driver.”

“Now?” Jiang Sirar froze for a moment. “Are you not going to eat?”

“I will eat when I get back,” Li Qingran said. He paused, then gave Jiang Sirar a slight smile. “I think the food your family’s chef makes will probably taste better.”

“You want to go to my home?”

Jiang Sirar was so happy he did not know what to say. He decided to mark today as his lucky day. Not only had he found the person he had long desired to touch, but that person had also agreed to use him and was even coming home with him. Could Lady Luck favor him even more?

“Okay, great!” Jiang Sirar nodded repeatedly. His dark green eyes shone brightly as he looked at Li Qingran. He no longer looked like a cold snake; instead, he looked a bit like a dog. He was a loyal dog devoted to its master.

Li Qingran smiled and stood up. But before leaving the private room, he suddenly looked at Jiang Sirar beside him as if he had just remembered something.

“Oh! My phone! It fell on the floor earlier.”

“Your phone?” Jiang Sirar turned around and scanned the floor. His narrow eyes lit up when he caught a glimpse of white amidst the gray. “Found it!”

He did not wait for Li Qingran to move. He returned to the booth, picked up the phone himself, and handed it back to Li Qingran. An embarrassed expression appeared on his face.

“Did it fall when I scared you? I am sorry. I was just so desperate to prove you were the Alpha I met in the alley. I did not mean to cause trouble.”

“I know.”

The Alpha interrupted Jiang Sirar while quickly turning his phone on and off. There was a faint smile in his eyes, and he did not seem angry about it. On the contrary, he looked quite happy. Was it because he was leaving Su Jingyi and going home with him? Jiang Sirar smiled as well. The two figures paused briefly at the door before disappearing completely. Only their voices could be heard from the open private room.

“By the way, that sandalwood incense was so thick. Was it because you added medicine to it?”

“Yes. But believe me, it was not an aphrodisiac, and it would not make you lose consciousness. I just added a lot of sedatives. Inhaling too much makes you feel weak for a short time, but other than that, it has no effect on the body. I would never hurt you, let alone use drugs like that. Believe me!”

The black haired, green eyed youth stood before him. His black shirt outlined his broad shoulders and lean waist. His back was to the sunlight, and his shadow almost completely enveloped Li Qingran. He had the physique to knock someone out with a single punch and a cold, sharp appearance, yet he showed an anxious expression because of a single sentence. Even his eyes became watery.

Li Qingran smiled, then reached out and patted his head. “I believe you.”

“Like hell I do!”

In the elegant bedroom, Su Jingyi violently threw the coat in his hand at Gu Shiyu, who was standing at the door.

“Do you think I would believe your nonsense? How could Li Qingran possibly leave with Jiang Sirar? They do not even know each other!”

“Why is it impossible?” Gu Shiyu reached out and batted away the coat. His black eyes revealed obvious impatience and coldness. “The fact is that they do know each other. If you are still immersed in the fantasy that you have hidden Li Qingran well, then please wake up. Open the tracking system and see exactly where your good brother is right now!”

“You!”

“What about me?” Gu Shiyu did not give Su Jingyi a chance to speak. “Instead of wasting time on a meaningless debate with me, would it not be better to confirm the situation by opening the tracking system yourself? Or are you going to escape reality again and go back to the virtual world where you and Li Qingran are still in love, just like how you avoided the fact that he and Qi Ziyan were together?”

“Gu Shiyu!” Su Jingyi’s voice reached a terrifying pitch. He was trembling with rage at the Alpha’s words. His well groomed blond hair fell over his face again, making his complexion look even paler and his lips redder. “If you are only here to mock me, then please get out immediately before I change my mind about our cooperation.”

“Do I look that bored?” Gu Shiyu dropped the calm and silent demeanor he usually maintained in front of Su Jingyi. His words were extremely cutting to the Omega, who was on the verge of a mental breakdown. “As for cooperation, I guarantee that if you keep avoiding this, you will not even have the chance to cooperate later!”

“You!”

Su Jingyi glared at Gu Shiyu in anger, and the latter glared back just as fiercely. The tension between the Alpha and Omega was so thick it felt like a fight would break out at any second. There was no trace of the affection they had shown in front of the Su family a few days ago. They seemed born to be on opposite sides. Even if their genetic compatibility reached a staggering one hundred percent, they would not be attracted to each other. Their brief peace was only due to shared goals and interests.

And clearly, that goal had not disappeared yet. Gu Shiyu took a deep breath, truly not wanting to argue with Su Jingyi at this critical juncture. “If you still want to see Li Qingran, hand over the phone. There should still be time.”

Su Jingyi did not speak again. His hand had been accidentally cut during the heated argument. Blood slid down his fair hand to his fingertips, gathering into droplets that pitter pattered onto the white floor, forming vibrant red blossoms. The Omega’s strength seemed to have been sucked away by these flowers. He could only lean against the floor to ceiling window to steady himself. He looked incredibly fragile, his face as white as paper and his gaze empty. It was as if his soul had flown away the moment Gu Shiyu blew apart his beautiful illusion.

After a long while, Gu Shiyu heard his raspy voice again. “How does he know Jiang Sirar?”

“They met on the day Qi Ziyan went into a sudden heat. Later, Jiang Sirar asked Li Qingran for his name, and he gave him yours. That is why Jiang Sirar sought you out in the first place.”

Su Jingyi’s eyes moved. Gu Shiyu’s voice continued. “But because you canceled the meeting, Jiang Sirar tracked him down directly.”

“So, it is my fault again.” Su Jingyi wanted to sneer, but he did not even have the strength to curl his lips.

“Now is not the time to argue about who is right or wrong,” Gu Shiyu emphasized again. “If you still do not want to give up on Li Qingran, hurry up and get the phone so we can go bring him back together.”

This time, Su Jingyi did not resist. He pointed to the cabinet by the bed and said, “It is in there. The password is 30020101.”

As he spoke, the servants who had been hiding in the corner swarmed forward. They surrounded Su Jingyi, using a medical kit to carefully dress the Omega’s wound. On the other side, Gu Shiyu had already stepped over to the cabinet and opened the phone before Su Jingyi even finished saying the password.

His long fingers tapped the screen rapidly. Soon, a map image appeared. The gray background was filled with countless intricate black lines, making the screen look hazy, but it made the single glowing red dot even more prominent.

“Found him?”

“Found him!”

Jiang Sirar carefully presented an old but exquisite small box to Li Qingran.

“My grandfather gave this to me after I returned home. He said it is a Jiang family heirloom. My grandmother wore it for years, and he locked it away after she passed. He only took it out when I came home, telling me to give it to my future lover.” Jiang Sirar paused, seemingly afraid Li Qingran would reject it, and added, “It is said that by wearing this, one unconditionally owns half of the Jiang family assets.”

“Oh?” Li Qingran raised an eyebrow, then took the box under Jiang Sirar’s expectant gaze.

There was a small copper lock on the wooden box that could be easily opened with a twist of the fingers. Li Qingran lifted the lid. Nestled in red cloth over sponge was a ring set with a green gemstone.

“Just by wearing this, I can own half of the Jiang family assets?”

The green gemstone danced between the Alpha’s fingertips. Every time Jiang Sirar thought it would slide off, the Alpha would catch it with a finger and hang it on another. As the ring swayed with his fingers, Jiang Sirar’s heart raced up and down. For a moment, he was so nervous he did not even hear Li Qingran’s words. It was not until the Alpha repeated himself that he snapped out of his daze.

“Yes! Exactly! As soon as you put it on, I will sign the contract immediately.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

But Li Qingran still did not put the ring on. In the ancient manor, inside a room with a burning fireplace, the Alpha sat with his legs crossed, resting his chin on one hand. The orange red glow of the fire made the half of his face near the fireplace look slightly flushed, lending a touch of warmth to his pale gray eyes. But his gaze toward the ring remained indifferent, and his movements as he toyed with it were casual and careless. It was as if what was dancing between his fingers was not a golden mountain enough to drive every member of the Jiang family mad, but a random toy from a street stall.

“If I do not wear it, will you not sign the contract?” Li Qingran asked before Jiang Sirar could speak.

The Alpha, who had been looking a bit restless, immediately sat up straight. His anxiety turned into sincere devotion. “How could that be? Whether you wear it or not, I can give the assets to you. Not just half, all of it would be fine!” Jiang Sirar started to get up. “Wait here, I will go draft the contract right now.”

It seemed the Jiang family assets were about to be given away before they even got warm in his hands. One wondered if the old man would regret the effort he spent finding this filial descendant.

Li Qingran reached out and caught Jiang Sirar as he was leaving the sofa. “I was just joking. Do not take it seriously.”

“But,” Jiang Sirar started.

“Tell me more about how you reacted to my pheromones in the alleyway.” Li Qingran looked up at Jiang Sirar. His fair face was tinged with a faint red, and a light mist covered his gray eyes the moment he grabbed him. It was hazy and blurred, tempting Jiang Sirar to lean in and see what lay behind that mist.

“It was a very contradictory reaction.” Jiang Sirar sat back down on the sofa, his voice sounding a bit dazed. “At first, it was disgust and rejection. Especially when the pheromones overwhelmed me from all sides, I wanted to vomit and fight back. But later, for some reason, those emotions vanished. My body was in pain, but my nerves became more and more excited. Later, I even wanted more, as much as possible.”

The dim room swallowed most of the voices. Only the fireplace emitted light, its flickering orange yellow glow following Li Qingran’s shoulder, brushing past Jiang Sirar’s cheek, and landing on the floor. Their shadows overlapped, rising and swaying. Jiang Sirar’s breathing became increasingly disordered. He could not control his urge to get closer to Li Qingran, but he was stopped by a finger just as he was about to kiss him.

The cool fingertip pressed between his lips. A faint scent of pheromones entered his mouth through the Alpha’s skin, making his scalp tingle with numbness. It seemed to have started raining outside again, but it did not affect the quietness inside the manor.

“Do you want to experience that feeling again?” someone asked softly.

“Yes!” Jiang Sirar answered immediately.

“Then will you do as I say later? Help me with an experiment. After the experiment is over, I promise to give you the reward you want.”

The Alpha’s gentle voice, along with a cool scent of pheromones, landed on Jiang Sirar’s face. His heart began to beat faster and faster. The violent thumping made it almost impossible to hear exactly what the other was saying. He only felt the world become blurred again.

“What did you say?” Jiang Sirar asked.

“I said, let them come up. Yes, both of them together.”

Rumble.

Li Qingran put down the landline receiver and hung it back in its place. Soon, in the silent hallway, the old wooden floorboards made two creaking sounds. They were urgent and anxious. Li Qingran smiled silently. His gaze slid from Jiang Sirar to the window nearby. The shadows of the trees swayed in the pouring rain.

“Look, 888, it is another beautiful day.”