36

One after another the members of the Qu family arrived, until all of them were present.

Though Shen Dai had met some of them before, there were even more unfamiliar faces.

Grandpa Qu had four children, each of whom had gone on to establish their own households. With four generations now under one house, the family could truly be called prosperous and thriving.

While Shen Dai quietly sat next to Qu Moyu, listening to him chat with his relatives, Qu Moyu’s parents were on the other side exchanging pleasantries with others. Qu Chengchen had also arrived and was presently playing poker with some relatives. Two children ran about the living room while laughing loudly, letting out ear-piercing shrieks from time to time. At this moment, the immense and quiet estate finally had some of the noisiness and liveliness of a home.

Just then, a young Alpha girl came over to them. She appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old and very pretty. She was very respectfully greeting her seniors one by one, seeming like a little grown-up: “Happy new year, Biaoge. Happy new year Biaosao.”

( 表哥 biǎo gē | Older male cousin : She is calling Qu Moyu this because she's the daughter of Qu Moyu's father's sister. 
表嫂 biǎo sǎo | wife of one's older male cousin: She is calling Shen Dai this because he's the wife of Qu Moyu)

“Renren got taller again,” said Qu Moyu, gently patting the girl's head and giving Shen Dai a wink. Shen Dai had several red envelopes* tucked in the inner lining of his jacket, prepared for giving out to the children of the family. Retrieving one from his pocket, he passed it to her and said, "Happy new year.”

She graciously accepted it. Looking towards Shen Dai, she asked, “They say you graduated from the University of Science and Technology and that you work at the Research Institute? Do you have a master’s degree? Have you already gotten your doctorate?”

“I’m currently working on it.”

She nodded and gave him a quick once-over. “Last year, I won first prize nationwide in the mathematics category of the Youth Cup Competition hosted by the university over summer vacation. In the future, I’ll be able to get a recommendation for admission there, though I do have better alternatives, of course. What are your thoughts on the campus life there?”

Shen Dai was struck by how mature, put-together, and self-assured this girl was. Was this simply how Alphas from wealthy families were raised - with a combination of emotional and intellectual intelligence that far surpassed their peers, showing no trace of shyness and carrying themselves with ease? At that same age, just receiving a red envelope from his elders would have made him retreat shyly and hide, and he most certainly wouldn't have been able to converse so smoothly or steer the conversation.

All of a sudden, the thought of Qu Moyu’s older female cousin crossed his mind - how lofty the ambitions of an Alpha born to privilege must have been, and how intense the frustration of suffering a defeat in competition must have felt. It was a story that became all the more heartbreaking the closer you examined it.

“I find it good,” replied Shen Dai, smiling at her. “Though, I'm not sure if it will meet all your expectations.”

“I’m still not sure either. I’m quite keen on studying there, but I’m still young, so I’m not completely settled on my plans for the future,” said Renren, returning Shen Dai’s smile. “Add me on WeChat! If I have any questions next time I’ll be able to ask for your guidance.”

After she had walked away, several relatives began praising her. Shen Dai leaned in close to Qu Moyu and whispered, "Were you like this when you were young?”

Qu Moyu snickered, “Isn’t she adorable?”

“Adorable.” Only not very childlike.

“I was smarter than her,” said Qu Moyu. He reached under the table to grab Shen Dai’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Shen Dai instantly clasped Qu Moyu's fingers. The two of them had already done every intimate deed imaginable together, yet this clandestine act of holding hands under the watchful eyes of others still stirred his heart. How he wished that this ambiguity and sweetness could last just a little while longer.

・・・

A little later, Grandpa Qu made his appearance. He was seated in a wheelchair, his face sallow and gaunt, greying hair at his temples. With clouded eyes and the backs of his withered hands dotted with intravenous needle marks, he appeared to be in very bad shape.

Shen Dai recalled a photo taken in Grandpa Qu’s prime years that he had seen displayed on the company’s exhibition wall.

His entrepreneurial achievements from that period marked by gripping turns and dramatic highs and lows were all a subject of avid discussion among those within the industry.

To Shen Dai, this person was a legendary figure, one of the pioneers who had driven the flourishing growth of the domestic Rare Earth industry, leaving behind contributions worthy of being recorded in history. It was only a pity that such a formidable entrepreneur could be so easily destroyed by illness.

Standing decorously to his left and right, his children and grandchildren wished him their respects for the new year in unison.

Grandpa Qu nodded his head in approval: “Everyone is here. What a big family we have. Good, good.”

“Dad, you seem a lot more energetic today,” remarked Qu Shen with a smile.

“The old master managed to eat half a bowl of rice and a few bites of dishes today. He also took a nap in the afternoon and saved up enough energy to celebrate the New Year,” said the nurse standing behind Grandpa Qu.

Unexpectedly, a wave of cheerful applause broke out.

Grandpa Qu beamed. “When I look at you grown-ups, it’s as if nothing ever changes. But the children grow and change in the blink of an eye.”

Only after the nurse had pushed him to the head of the dining table, did the rest take their seats one after the other to start the New Year's Eve reunion dinner.

During the meal, Grandpa Qu spoke slowly and at length with his family. He touched upon various matters concerning the company, but his main focus was offering advice to his family members, encouraging husbands and wives to resolve their marital conflicts, for instance, or the question of educating children. Combined with his frail condition, it was all rather poignant.

After dinner, it was time for the children and grandchildren to take turns to wish Grandpa Qu a happy new year. As the eldest, Qu Chengchen’s father had the honour of being the first to serve tea, accompanied by his wife. Now that all the members of the children’s generation had taken their turn serving tea, it was now Qu Moyu’s turn.

Shen Dai approached together with Qu Moyu. He couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Ever since his internship at the Starship Corporation, he had thought about catching a glimpse of this legendary entrepreneur in person, although by then, Grandpa Qu was already semi-retired. Never did he imagine that he could be a granddaughter-in-law of the Qu family one day, if only just a temporary one.

The history of Grandpa Qu and the development of the Starship Corporation came vividly to mind. This was the first time he truly felt the immense power of the Qu family and could see with remarkable clarity the unbridgeable gap that separated him from Qu Moyu.

The two of them held up their teacups and respectfully bowed. “Yeye, Happy new year.”

 (爷爷 yé ye | one's paternal grandfather )

Grandpa Qu nodded and smiled. Seeing Qu Moyu, he visibly brightened. This was his most favoured top Alpha successor, after all.

"How are things at the company recently?"

“Everything is fine. You can rest assured.”

“You must also make sure to take care of your health.”

“I will.”

Turning towards Shen Dai, Grandpa Qu said, “They've told me a few things about you. For an omega to have carved out such a career is no small feat. But now that you have married into the Qu family, you need to make every effort to put your family first, and always take good care of Moyu.

Shen Dai replied softly, “I understand.”

“Quickly give the Qu family a few Alphas.”

Although Shen Dai responded with deference, inside, he felt like he had no other choice. This once-mythic figure had suddenly lost his halo.

Grandpa Qu gestured to the nurse standing behind him and said, “This is a small gift for our first meeting*. May you both have a happy life together.” The nurse then took out a red envelope and handed it to Shen Dai.

“Thank you very much.”

Once all the grandchildren had finished paying their respects, Grandpa Qu became tired, and the nurse pushed him back to his room to rest.

・・・

Some people were watching TV, others were playing cards, and a few were chatting, all waiting for the New Year’s Eve bells to ring and to complete the entire process of bringing in the new year.

While Qu Moyu had been dragged away by some of his elders to play cards, Shen Dai took out his mobile phone and went into the empty sitting room to make a video call to his grandmother. This room was decorated in a European style which could conveniently pass off as a hotel in a foreign country.

His grandmother asked him many questions, worried about whether he was adjusting to life overseas, whether he was tired from the plane journey, and so on. Every now and then, Shen Qin would appear in the frame to update him on the menu for their New Year’s Eve dinner. With grandmother, son, and grandson chatting together about everyday matters, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Shen Dai even found that his father was beginning to grow on him.

After chatting for half an hour, his grandmother, afraid that he might not be able to get over his jetlag, hung up the call to let him rest.

Just as Shen Dai was about to leave, Qu Chengchen came walking in. Shen Dai didn’t know whether he had simply entered by chance or was deliberately blocking him, but either way, his guard was immediately up.

Qu Chengchen somewhat wanted to laugh. "What are you so nervous about? What can I even do to you?”

“Nothing good ever comes out of your mouth,” snapped Shen Dai. “What do you have to say this time?”

“You're being so unfair to me.” Qu Chengchen pouted innocently. “I keep trying to help you, yet you always reject my good intentions.”

Shen Dai glared at him.

Moving a few steps closer to him, Qu Chengchen remarked, “Hmm…you have my big brother’s scent all over you."

Shen Dai unconsciously wrinkled his nose, but immediately caught himself. Qu Chengchen had only been messing with him. In the absence of a mark or any deliberate release of pheromones by Qu Moyu, the scent would quickly fade away even if they had been in close contact.

Qu Chengchen chuckled softly to himself. “What I wanted to say is the same as the last time. I can help you get my big brother’s mark. That’s what you want more than anything, right?”

“I’m not going to trust you. And I’m not going to be used by you either,” replied Shen Dai coldly. “How about saving your effort for actually improving your performance at work?”

“Why are you being so resistant? Isn’t this clearly a win-win situation?” Qu Chengchen crossed his arms. “Don’t you want him to be your alpha?”

“That’s absolutely none of your business.”

'”Yes, or no?” asked Qu Chengchen, looking him directly in the eye with a piercing gaze. 

Under the formidable pressure of a top alpha, Shen Dai felt his legs weaken. With that pair of eyes fixed upon him, he had even lost the nerve to refute him or lie. He gritted his teeth, secretly clenching his hand into a fist. “I will fight for the things I want, but only in an upright and honest way.”

“Upright and honest?” Qu Chengchen could not keep himself from laughing. “Under normal circumstances, my older brother would never bestow his mark upon an omega lacking any power, influence, and even any good genes to speak of. Perhaps for now he finds you pleasing to the eye, enjoys the comfort of sleeping with you, and doesn't mind keeping you by his side. But that's all there is to it. He'll toss you some trivial favours, nothing more. When a suitable wife candidate shows up, you'll just have to step aside and watch him marry someone else. Uprightness? Honesty? With just the likes of you?”

Shen Dai was so furious his chest was pounding. Time and again, Qu Chengchen had tried to make things difficult for him and humiliate him. But more than that, every word he said had struck a nerve, because every word of it was true.

"Because you've got so few chips in your hand, you can only gamble with so little and dream of hitting the jackpot. Upright and honest? Once you have his mark, it doesn't matter how you got it, half the battle is already won.” Qu Chengchen winked. "Well, did I pique your interest?”

“In your entire lifetime, have you ever beaten him once?” said Shen Dai icily. “What makes you think that you have the power to control something as significant as this?”

“Ordinarily, my older brother could be described as invincible, someone with virtually no weaknesses. But at the end of the day, he is still human. During their yearly rut, even the most powerful top Alpha will become as vulnerable as a child.”

Shen Dai froze for a moment, and in that extremely brief instant, he felt a trembling of his heartstrings; that was a type of feeling which could be called 'wavering'.

 

1. Red envelopes | 红包 : Married couples are expected to give red envelopes / packets as blessings to children and unmarried family members between the first and 15th days of Chinese New Year. 

 2. ..small gift for our first meeting |见面礼 : Traditionally, when a junior meets an elder for the first time, the junior is expected to pay respects, while the elder should present a gift or money in return.