Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Bai Qi was always direct when this topic came up. Strangely, Qi Heyan showed no trace of shame; in fact, he found it quite exhilarating.

If Qi Heyan hadn't had a general understanding of himself, he might have suspected he was a pervert before losing his memory.

"Because you're here," Qi Heyan said, walking alongside Bai Qi, his tone steady and seemingly unaffected. "You're the one who triggered this reaction in me."

"You want to sleep with me?" Bai Qi bent down, peering at Qi Heyan with a frown. "No, that kind of thought is unacceptable."

"No."

Qi Heyan truly hadn't entertained the idea of sleeping with Bai Qi. He explained, "It's just a normal physiological reaction. We're highly compatible, and you unconsciously release pheromones."

Bai Qi paused, processing Qi Heyan's words. He didn't feel this kind of impulse towards other alphas—they were all men, after all. Was there really a difference between male omegas and male alphas?

"I don't understand."

Bai Qi shook his head, as if trying to clear away unwanted thoughts, and mumbled, "Let's go home first."

"Okay."

Qi Heyan dropped the subject. But after returning to their small house, he sat outside alone, letting the cold wind blow over him. Bai Qi called him several times, but he didn't respond. Eventually, the omega gave up. Still feeling unwell, Bai Qi fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

The alpha sat stiffly on a small wooden block, the wind ruffling his hair. Qi Heyan casually brushed it back. His legs were numb, but his lower half clearly had other ideas. After repeatedly confirming he had no medical issues, he finally decided it was best to go back inside.

Qi Heyan stood up and stomped his feet, a jolt of pins and needles shooting through him. He hissed, then looked up and spotted a ship in the distance, steadily approaching the docks. Squinting, he noticed a figure on board—someone clearly powerful, dressed in clothes far too luxurious for the slums.

The people here wore tattered clothes, but this person's attire was exquisite, making them stand out starkly in the impoverished district.

And behind them, a crowd of followers. Was this some important person?

Qi Heyan remained silent, only entering the house once the ship was out of sight. Bai Qi was already fast asleep. The alpha walked over and listened to the omega's breathing—it was heavy, and somewhat obstructed…

"Bai Qi?" Qi Heyan gently patted his shoulder. "Did you eat?"

"Mmm…" Bai Qi turned over, struggling to lift his eyelids. Only after confirming it was Qi Heyan did he answer, "I saved you some food. Remember to eat."

"Okay. Are you feeling unwell?"

Qi Heyan's voice softened the moment he touched Bai Qi. After a moment's thought, he got up to fetch a cloth, then drew some water, and began carefully wiping Bai Qi's face. "Let me wipe the dust off you."

Bai Qi didn't resist. Still half-asleep, he was groggy. "I'm not uncomfortable anymore."

"That's good." After cleaning Bai Qi's face, Qi Heyan moved to his neck, meticulously wiping every exposed patch of skin. Bai Qi cooperated, curling his legs obediently as the alpha worked, his gaze fixed on Qi Heyan.

Qi Heyan lightly held Bai Qi's ankle—and "held" was indeed the right word. The omega was so thin that his bones were palpable. Yet beneath that slender frame lay remarkable resilience. Bai Qi had raised himself well.

To have grown from such a small, fragile being to the person he was now—it was truly impressive.

Once he finished cleaning Bai Qi's legs, Qi Heyan drew the thin blanket over him, tucking him in with awkward but tender gestures.

Bai Qi finally became fully awake, his head following Qi Heyan's hands as he took in the alpha's actions. Biting his lip, the omega worked up the nerve to ask, "Have you ever been in love?"

"Huh?"

The question took Qi Heyan by surprise. He actually paused to consider before both of them realized how silly that was. The omega was the first to speak. "Right, I forgot you lost your memory."

"Me too." Still, Qi Heyan added, "Probably not."

"You're really handsome. How could you not have a lover?" Bai Qi turned onto his side, meeting Qi Heyan's eyes as the alpha sat on the edge of the bed. "Hmm," he continued, "Good-looking people usually have lots of admirers. And when I brought you back, you had so many valuables on you. You were rich."

"You're very good-looking too. Why haven't you been in a relationship?"

"I always hide my appearance," Bai Qi retorted matter-of-factly. "No one notices me because of how I look."

Qi Heyan nodded, not refuting Bai Qi's point, but then asked, "Then… is there someone you like?"

Bai Qi clearly didn't know how to respond. He licked his dry lips, deliberated, then decided to change the subject first. "Can you get me some water?"

"Sure."

Qi Heyan got up to pour water for Bai Qi. The omega's cup sat on the table. They had a small thermos, but it didn't keep water hot. If Qi Heyan remembered correctly, this water had been sitting there since he first woke up.

"Is this water even safe to drink?" Qi Heyan hesitated before handing it to Bai Qi, concerned. "You could get sick."

"It's hard for me to boil water here. Every time, I have to borrow a metal kettle first, then burn wood to heat it. It's too much trouble. Besides, I've been drinking this since I was little. It's fine."

Bai Qi gulped down the water in one go, handed the cup back to Qi Heyan, then burrowed under the covers again. "I'm going back to sleep!"

"Is a kettle really that expensive?"

Qi Heyan tugged the blanket down from Bai Qi's head, truly wondering. "How much does it cost?"

"Forty star coins."

"Then why not buy one?"

"Because it's expensive!" Bai Qi emphasized the last word, giving up on the childish tug-of-war over the blanket and sprawling on his back like a beached fish. "I want to build a house here, so I have to save money. Every coin matters."

"Getting sick today was already a huge expense. I need to buy this, buy that—how am I supposed to save anything?"

Bai Qi grumbled in annoyance. "I don't want to waste money on things like that."

"What about the things I had on me? Did you sell all of them?"

Qi Heyan came straight out with it. There was no accusation in his tone, just curiosity. "You've mentioned several times that I had money. At first, you said you sold the valuable things on me, but you couldn't meet my eyes. It was clear you weren't being truthful."

Bai Qi went still, his mind racing to figure out if Qi Heyan was bluffing or if he actually knew.

"I'm not trying to trick you," Qi Heyan said, immediately understanding Bai Qi's hesitation. He sighed. "I'm genuinely asking."

Bai Qi hesitated for a long time, studying Qi Heyan's expression to confirm he wasn't being deceived. Finally, he admitted, "You're from *there*."

"From where?"

"You're dense. If there's a slum, of course there's a wealthy district. The things you had on you were far too precious. Selling one might be believable, but selling too many would draw attention. If people found out I had treasures, they'd break in and rob me."

Bai Qi sat up, his voice quiet as he stared at the ground. "I didn't mean to hide it from you."

"I'm not blaming you." Qi Heyan grasped Bai Qi's hand, giving it a small shake. "I was just thinking—maybe we could sell some of it to get money. At the very least, we shouldn't let your health suffer. Small illnesses can turn into big ones if ignored."

"We can't sell them." Bai Qi pursed his lips, equally frustrated. "Who knows what you used to do? Everything on you was high-quality."

"Hey, if you get your memories back… will you just leave me behind?" Bai Qi's thoughts suddenly veered off, his tone growing agitated. "Think about it. You regain your memories, leave the slums, live the high life—and forget all about poor Bai Qi still suffering here. Right?"

"Of course not. I'd never forget my little savior."

"I'm a *big* savior."

"Alright, my savior." Qi Heyan was amused by Bai Qi, who always liked to be particular about certain things. "Once I get my memories back and have money, the first thing I'll do is take you out of the slums and get you a huge house. You can do whatever you want and eat whatever you like."

"I'll also get you a car so you can drive wherever you go. And we'll replace your clothes—nice, stylish ones—so you won't have to rub dirt on your face anymore. Sound good?"

Bai Qi's eyes lit up, clearly delighted by Qi Heyan's words. He thought seriously for a moment. "But I don't know how to drive!"

"We can find someone to teach you. Even if you don't drive, we can hire someone to drive for you."

"A driver, right!" Bai Qi clapped his hands, grinning. "I know rich people have their own drivers who take them everywhere. So cool!"

"Exactly."

Seeing Bai Qi's smile, Qi Heyan couldn't help but laugh too. "So, saving me wasn't a mistake, was it?"

"Hey." Bai Qi immediately raised a hand to stop him, his expression turning serious. He crossed his arms, adopting a lofty stance. "Don't count on it yet. Everything you're saying is just fantasy. Talk to me when it actually happens—right now, it's all just empty words."

"Ouch… you're ruthless." Qi Heyan clutched his chest, pretending to be wounded, but Bai Qi remained unmoved. The alpha's smile faded, and he looked at Bai Qi with utmost seriousness—

"Don't worry, I'll definitely give you a good life!"