69

 Shen Dai had no choice but to ask: “Where?”

“Back home.”

“……I’m not going there.”

As soon as he thought of the Qu residence, he would always feel a tightness in his chest. In the end, all the sweetness of the past had been destroyed beyond recognition, turned into painful memories precipitating within that house, like cobwebs and dust in places not easily seen, hidden, but there all the same.

Hesitating for a moment, Qu Moyu replied, “Then, let’s go to the apartment in the city.”

For a while Shen Dai was silent. “Does your mother actually want to see Qiuqiu?”

“Qiuqiu?”

“It’s his nickname.”

“Qiuqiu,” repeated Qu Moyu, savouring the syllables carefully, finding the sound of it very cute. Just saying it out loud gave one a sensation as sweet as sugar. “She really does want to see him.”

Shen Dai took a deep breath. “I’ll go bring him downstairs.”

After getting back inside, he started packing the things Qiuqiu needed into his backpack before taking Qiuqiu from Cheng Zimei. Confronted with her inquisitive gaze, he admitted, “It’s his mother. She wants to see Qiuqiu.”

She nodded vigorously: “Ok, then you better hurry.”

Qiuqiu was talking to her, babbling; it seemed he was saying goodbye.

By the time Shen Dai reached downstairs, Old Wu was already waiting by the car door. As soon as the driver saw the baby, his eyes lit up. He even seemed to be a little emotional.

Qiuqiu was still not aware when Shen Dai got into the car, but not long after the door was closed, he froze in shock. He blinked his round eyes and stared at Qu Moyu, but before the latter could say a word, his mouth opened and he started to wail.

His crying startled everyone in the car. Inside the sealed cabin, the force of its volume on the heart was just about equal to standing beside an amplifier at a nightclub.

“There, there, Don’t cry anymore, don’t cry anymore.” said Shen Dai, patting Qiuqiu’s back before shooting Qu Moyu a complicated look.

Qu Moyu frowned, remembering Shen Dai had said the other day that Qiuqiu was afraid of him. He was this little brat’s real father. What was there to be scared of?!

Qiuqiu’s fear of Qu Moyu was palpable. At the moment he was still learning how to turn over by himself, so even straining to twist his body, he could only face his butt toward Qu Moyu. With his two tiny hands grabbing at the window, he tried with all his might to escape.

His crying was making Shen Dai’s heart and head hurt. Shen Dai released pheromones, patting Qiuqiu’s back with one hand and rummaging through his bag with the other.

“What are you looking for?” Qu Moyu, helped him pull open the zipper, taking the opportunity to lean over and breathe in his pheromones. They had always been faint, but that single strand he caught was enough to cause his body to heat up.

“A little grey bear.”

Finding the toy that was only as big as the palm of his hand, Qu Moyu’s expression changed at once.

It was emitting a pure and strong woody scent: Bai Xiangwan’s pheromones.

Shen Dai grabbed it and stuffed it into Qiuqiu’s arms. “There, there, Don’t cry anymore.”

Qiuqiu gave the little bear a hug. Now with the comfort of Bai Xiangwan’s pheromones, his crying subsided a little, gradually turning into hiccupping sobs. But he was still struggling to get away from Qu Moyu. With a pair of big eyes brimming with tears, he looked utterly pitiful.

Qu Moyu’s face was ashen: “What is this?”

Shen Dai was anxious to get Qiuqiu to calm down and didn’t pay Qu Moyu any mind. Was he supposed to answer that it was a child’s toy? Freeing a hand, he dug through the bag again, took out a small spray bottle, and spritzed it onto the bear.

The scent of the Siberian elm inside the cabin of the car became stronger.

Qu Moyu was so furious that his hands curled tightly into fists. “What are you doing ? You actually carry Bai Xiangwan’s pheromones with you?!”

Shen Dai remained perfectly calm as he explained, “These are substitute pheromones made from Bai-shixiong’s glandular fluid, Qiuqiu likes the scent. He needs substitute pheromones during development.”

“He should be using mine.” Qiuqiu’s crying was also making Qu Moyu very agitated. His omega was using another Alpha’s pheromones as a soothing agent for their child. When had he ever been subjected to such indignity!

Shen Dai shot him a cold look. “He has never met you before, and now he’s even more afraid of you. To him you’re just a stranger that threatened him.”

Qu Moyu was at a loss for words. And thinking of what happened the other night, he was even more remorseful than ever. He never used to be someone that would do things based on impulse. Why did he have to make a fool of himself time and again in front of Shen Dai?

Seeing Qiuqiu crying to the point where he couldn’t breathe, Shen Dai was also at a loss for what to do. He opened the car door: “Send me the address. I’ll call a taxi.”

“No, don’t get down.” Qu Moyu took a deep breath, suppressing his indignation and sullenness. He opened the door and went to sit in the front passenger seat.

Separated by the partition of the driver’s cabin, Qu Moyu’s pheromones were successfully blocked off. Qiuqiu’s senses were not yet fully developed, and before long he could only smell Shen Dai’s and Bai Xiangwan’s pheromones; his state gradually calmed down.

Shen Dai coaxed him, whistling a lullaby, hoping that he would fall asleep soon. When he cried this hard, he usually tired himself out; once he was tired, he would fall asleep quickly, and once asleep, he wouldn’t fret anymore.

Seated in the front passenger seat, Qu Moyu kept stealing glances at Shen Dai through the rearview mirror, watching him with his eyes lowered as he softly coaxed their child. His patience and warmth was deeply moving. Without him realising it, Qu Moyu’s gaze also softened with tenderness.

That was his omega. That was their child. The three of them should be together.

・・・ 

On the road over, Qiuqiu fell asleep. When they arrived, Old Wu took Shen Dai’s bag and led them upstairs. Qu Moyu could only follow behind and didn’t even dare to ride in the same lift as Qiuqiu.

“Mr Shen, this child is an Alpha right? He’s so cute. You can tell from how loud his crying is that he’s full of energy.”

“He is. I’m sorry it was so noisy.”

“It’s fine. There’s no such thing as a kid that doesn’t cry. Ah, Mrs Qu is going to be delighted.”

The two of them went inside. Mrs. Qu seemed to have already been waiting for some time. She immediately rose from the sofa and hurried over. “Shen Dai…have you been doing alright?”

Seeing her, Shen Dai was also moved with emotion. If not for her, there would be no Qiuqiu. He would never forget this kindness for the rest of his life.

A calm smile spread across his face. “Mrs Qu. It’s been a long time. We’ve been well.”

Mrs. Qu gazed at Qiuqiu, fast asleep. She cautiously reached out a hand but didn’t dare touch him, as if that was a beautiful, fragile dream that couldn’t withstand a reality check. She smiled, but her eyes quickly became red. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Shen Dai couldn’t begin to imagine the tumultuous emotions that she must be going through at this moment.

“Would you like to hold him?” he asked quietly.

“He’s…he’s sleeping.”

“It’s fine. He’s worn himself out from crying, so he won’t wake up that easily.”

Mrs Qu held her hands out. She shifted the angle of her slender arms several times as she tried to find the right position, eager to try, but seeming also like she didn’t know where to begin. It had been far too long since she had last held a child, and she had forgotten how to hold something so precious and fragile correctly.

Finally, with Shen Dai’s help, she managed to carry Qiuqiu in her arms. Though the baby smacked his lips twice, and his rosy eyelids trembled, he didn’t wake up.

Mrs Qu let out a long sigh of relief, then looked at Shen Dai and smiled.

“Let’s bring him inside,” whispered Shen Dai. Qu Moyu should be coming in anytime now and they couldn’t let him get too close to Qiuqiu.

Mrs Qu carried Qiuqiu into the bedroom. Despite the super king-sized bed in the room, she still didn’t want to put him down, gazing at him as she held him, her eyes brimming with joy.

“He’s far too cute. He looks just like Moyu when he was little.”

Shen Dai felt a little awkward.

Mrs Qu also realised she shouldn’t have said it. “Why was he crying just now?” she asked, meaning to change the subject, but unfortunately the question was even more awkward.

Hearing Qu Moyu enter the house, he could only tell her the truth: “He’s afraid of President Qu. He can’t be near him.”

Mrs Qu was taken aback. “Why?”

“…..” He truly didn’t know how to explain.

Perhaps vaguely being able to guess, she sighed to herself. “In that case don’t let him come close.”

The two of them stayed in the bedroom for a while. Mrs Qu had many questions about Qiuqiu, including why he had another Alpha’s pheromones on him, all of which Shen Dai answered frankly.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. “May I come in?” came Qu Moyu’s subdued voice from outside.

Shen Dai got up at once. He opened the door slightly, sticking his head out partway. “Qiuqiu’s asleep.”

Qu Moyu could smell the Siberian elm contaminating Shen Dai’s body. Forcing aside his feelings of jealousy, he asked in a low voice, “Can we talk?”

Shen Dai looked at Qu Moyu, his guard up. He didn’t want to leave the room but didn’t want him to come in either. The last time Qu Moyu had also said he wanted to “talk”, and then what had he done? 

Qu Moyu softened his attitude: “I’m not going to do anything to you. I just want to talk.”

Shen Dai turned and glanced at Qiuqiu, then stepped sideways out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stared straight at Qu Moyu, then warned him coldly: “Your mother is here. Can you please act with some decency?”

Qu Moyu could only feel his face burn, as if Shen Dai had given him a slap. What kind of person had he become in Shen Dai’s eyes? A violent abuser? Someone who would go into rut regardless of time and place?

Before his head had been spinning with rage and envy. But now his mind was clear. He knew clearer than ever that he wanted Shen Dai. Call it liking or simply possessiveness, he couldn’t bear the thought of him being with anyone else. The longing and desire he had felt for this person during his rut had already let him experience torment to the fullest. By whatever means possible, he wanted his Omega, along with their child, to come back to him obediently!