Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Bai Qi didn't want to dwell on such matters with Qi Heyan. He lowered his head and quickened his pace. "Hurry up, or the shops will be closing soon."

The omega walked swiftly, leaving Qi Heyan no choice but to follow. Bai Qi was clearly in a state of refusing all communication.

Many shops were still open on the street, though most were small. Bai Qi rarely bought clothes and had no idea which store was good, so he simply picked one on a whim.

No matter how familiar Bai Qi was with the slums, he was still a novice in this particular area. He took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked, "How much are your clothes?"

The shop was run by an elderly woman. She coughed lightly and strained to get a clear look at the two figures before her. Her voice was hoarse. "Winter or autumn clothes?"

"Winter."

"Twenty-five star coins a piece." The old woman scrutinized them both before walking further inside to retrieve a few garments. "Son, you're too big. I don’t have many pieces that’ll fit you. These are all handmade by me. Try this one first."

She directly handed the clothes to Bai Qi. "Try this on."

"Ah, okay." The omega found it hard to refuse an elderly person. He gave a dry chuckle and quietly slipped the clothes over his body. He wasn't exactly clean, so he didn’t bother taking off his outer layer—it was thin anyway and wouldn't be a problem.

Bai Qi had a small frame. Though the shop owner was advanced in years, her eye for detail was still sharp. The clothes she made were warm, well-fitted, and stylish. When Qi Heyan saw the omega in them, his eyes lit up.

"Comfortable?" the alpha asked softly. "Do you like it?"

"I like it." Bai Qi felt a little self-conscious. It had been a long time since he’d worn new clothes, especially something so thick. His old garments had been patched up year after year but were still wearable.

The omega had his growth spurt at fifteen, shooting up in height until his clothes became too tight. Later, perhaps due to malnutrition, he stopped growing. Now, at nineteen, he remained the same.

Qi Heyan nodded and asked the shopkeeper to pick out more for Bai Qi, but the omega balked. He tugged at the alpha’s sleeve and whispered, "Buying too much is a waste of money."

The alpha glanced down at him. Just when Bai Qi thought he’d listened, Qi Heyan became even more enthusiastic. "Please pick out a few more sets for us, and give us a discount."

"Qi He—" Before Bai Qi could finish, Qi Heyan covered his mouth. This tall, wicked alpha shamelessly took advantage of his height to bully him!

"Don’t cover my mouth!" Bai Qi raised his hand and elbowed Qi Heyan in the stomach, though he held back his strength. Despite the alpha acting as if nothing had happened, his wounds hadn’t fully healed. He turned his head and glared. "What are you doing?"

"Buying you clothes." Seeing Bai Qi’s expression, Qi Heyan felt no guilt—instead, he was even happier. "You want them."

"I do. I really do." Bai Qi wasn’t particularly materialistic, but wearing something new still stirred something in him.

Hearing this was enough for Qi Heyan. He smiled broadly. "Then let’s buy them!"

Bai Qi didn’t say another word. He just looked up at Qi Heyan a few times before meekly following the shopkeeper to try on more clothes. Twenty-five star coins per piece meant fifty for a full set. Qi Heyan bought three sets for him and two for himself, totaling two hundred and fifty star coins. When he handed the money to the shopkeeper, he couldn’t suppress a grin.

Not because of the amount, but simply because he could spend money on Bai Qi.

Pure happiness.

"What are you laughing at?" Bai Qi didn’t understand. He tilted his head and leaned closer to the alpha. "Hmm?"

Qi Heyan shook his head. "Nothing."

"Oh." Bai Qi immediately dropped the subject. He clutched his new clothes and quietly waited for Qi Heyan to finish paying.

"What’s your relationship?" the shopkeeper asked casually after counting the money. "Friends or partners?"

"Friends!"

Qi Heyan answered particularly quickly this time, afraid Bai Qi would beat him to it and say they were just sharing a place. "We’re… very good friends."

After speaking, the alpha cautiously glanced at the omega. Seeing no reaction, he relaxed. "Why do you ask?"

"Just friends, huh." The shopkeeper left it at that. She simply handed each of them a candy. "You two seem like a good match. Here’s some candy for you. It’s nice to have someone by your side—fights off the loneliness."

"Yeah, fights off the loneliness." Qi Heyan chimed in, then glanced sideways at Bai Qi. The omega remained silent, staring at the candy in his hand as if lost in thought.

The alpha’s grin faded slightly. He said softly, "We’ll be going now. Thank you for the candy."

Qi Heyan led Bai Qi out. The omega hadn’t said a word the entire time, clearly lost in his own world. The alpha hesitated several times before finally speaking up once they got home. "What’s on your mind?"

"Ah…" Bai Qi set the clothes down and dragged a wooden stool over to sit. He muttered offhandedly, "I was just thinking about someone I knew a long time ago."

"Who?"

"Someone I met when I was little." Bai Qi still remembered that person—all skin and bones like him but willing to share food. "If he hadn’t passed away, he probably would’ve grown into one hell of an alpha."

An alpha?

Qi Heyan suddenly felt uneasy. He couldn’t shake the ugly feeling. He was an alpha, that person was an alpha—was Bai Qi just that appealing to alphas?

No, Wen Si also liked Bai Qi—

"Was he good-looking?" Qi Heyan controlled his tone, trying not to sound too sarcastic. "Better-looking than me?"

Bai Qi thought he was being absurd. He was about to get water to clean up—since he hadn’t sweated today, a full bath wasn’t necessary. Hearing this, he couldn't be bothered to explain and simply said, "Better-looking than you."

"Taller than me?"

"Yeah, he was two meters ten."

Just as Bai Qi was about to lift the bucket, Qi Heyan snatched it away. The omega just stared. "What are you doing?"

"I’ll go." Qi Heyan’s voice went rough. He frowned but still asked, "Do you still keep in touch?"

"You said you didn’t have many friends." The alpha softened his tone as he spoke. "What was his name?"

Even Bai Qi, oblivious as he could be, picked up on the weird vibe. He hissed, "What's with the interrogation? That’s my private business."

"I don’t want you getting tricked."

"Why don’t you say you’re the trickster?" Bai Qi had to laugh. He stretched his shoulders and, seeing Qi Heyan still frozen there, added a few more words. "He’s been dead for years."

Dead?

Qi Heyan just hummed before finally turning to leave. He didn’t notice Bai Qi’s lingering gaze.

Though the omega had no experience with romance, he could still sense Qi Heyan’s unusual attitude toward him. But this made Bai Qi feel resistant. Did he dislike Qi Heyan?

No—he enjoyed this time they spent together. Bai Qi felt he was inherently lazy, and every time Qi Heyan helped with chores, the omega was happy to share the burden. But other emotions…

Bai Qi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. He stood up, poured some hot water, and began wiping the dust off his face with a towel.

Qi Heyan went out to fetch water, but Bai Qi’s words still echoed in his mind. Someone the omega remembered for so long…

Even after death. What was it called again? A first love?

What was Qi Heyan even to him? He didn't understand why he felt jealous—maybe it was because he thought Bai Qi belonged to him, or perhaps he believed they shouldn't be separated.

Every time Bai Qi told him to leave, Qi Heyan was genuinely afraid. He didn’t want to lose the omega. He wanted to see him smile, to see him fresh and put together, so everyone knew they belonged together.

Is this love?

Could love really be this simple?

Qi Heyan felt like he hadn’t just lost his memories—his brain must’ve gotten scrambled too. He probably never had a relationship before, leaving him completely out of his depth with this stuff.

"Do I like Bai Qi?"

He liked the omega.

Well—

Maybe he fell for him at first sight, or maybe Bai Qi’s personality drew him in. From the very first glance, Qi Heyan didn’t want to be apart from him. Their pheromones matched so well—didn’t that prove they were meant to be?

They were always supposed to be together. No one fit together like they did.

Thinking this far, Qi Heyan’s mood improved significantly. So what if there was some idealized past love? A ghost couldn’t compare to someone alive.

His chest was warm, his heart was beating. He could talk to Bai Qi, give him a better life—

"Bai Qi… Bai Qi."

Whispering the name under his breath, Qi Heyan’s steps grew more energetic on his way back.

Bai Qi felt bone-tired for no reason. How would he know what Qi Heyan was thinking? All he wanted was to collapse into bed. He took off his shirt, shivering as the cold air hit him. His movements were sluggish—his arms ached, too weak to lift.

Even his scent gland felt feverish.

"What’s wrong with me?" Bai Qi pressed a finger to the gland, the soft bulge that was his lifeline. Every touch sent a tingling sensation through him.

The omega shuddered slightly. Just as he was about to wipe his neck, the alpha suddenly walked in. Bai Qi whirled around, alarm flashing in his eyes. "Wait—!"

Qi Heyan froze mid-step. Pushing the door open, he saw the omega—clean, pale skin flushed pink where the warm water had touched, the air thick with the scent of sandalwood.

Bai Qi’s pheromones.

The alpha tensed, inhaling sharply before slowly backing away. But his gaze had already darkened. "Bai Qi."

"Your scent is pulling me in—"