Chapter 50: Punishment

Chapter 50 Punishment

Song Yuqing looked up at Qi Zhengqing, tilting his head slightly as if he hadn’t quite understood what Qi Zhengqing was saying. "Huh?"

Before Qi Zhengqing could repeat himself, Song Yuqing was already on his tiptoes.

In a secluded corner, Qi Zhengqing’s large hand gripped Song Yuqing’s waist, supporting him as he lifted himself.

Song Yuqing tilted his head, attempting to bite Qi Zhengqing’s scent gland. Unable to reach it, he instead bit down on Qi Zhengqing’s neck.

It was a daring and improper move—a beta biting a top alpha, turning the possessive act of marking an alpha into his own privilege.

No alpha would willingly offer their scent gland for their partner to bite. Alphas had always seen themselves as the ones in control, never permitting such a submissive act to occur.

Yet, at this moment, Qi Zhengqing remained perfectly still, waiting as soft lips brushed against his skin. His hand on Song Yuqing’s waist tensed, veins standing out on the back of his hand, while a storm of emotions churned in his calm eyes. He pulled Song Yuqing completely into his embrace, shielding him from prying eyes.

"I’ve marked you," Song Yuqing murmured softly, still watching him.

Light spilled upon the beta’s delicate eyelids, the tip of his nose, and his lips. Song Yuqing simply gazed at him, expressionless, like a bewildered kitten. The alcohol was taking effect, making the kitten's head fuzzy.

Qi Zhengqing tapped his own neck. "Here, this isn’t the scent gland."

"That doesn’t count as a 'mark'," Qi Zhengqing reminded him.

Song Yuqing: "."

That made sense.

He should have bitten Qi Zhengqing’s scent gland for it to count as a mark.

Qi Zhengqing reached for the wine glass from Song Yuqing. "You’ve had enough. No more."

But Song Yuqing refused to let go, looking somewhat displeased. "I’m not drunk. Mr. Qi, do you think I can’t hold my liquor?"

Qi Zhengqing didn’t want to provoke him now. Song Yuqing had a low tolerance and was already feeling dizzy after just a few drinks, though he refused to admit it. If challenged, he’d likely keep drinking.

Qi Zhengqing spoke to him gently, like coaxing a child. "No, I don’t think you can’t drink. You’re very capable."

Song Yuqing stared into Qi Zhengqing’s eyes, as if sensing he was being humored. "You’re fooling me. You just think I’m no good."

Song Yuqing narrowed his eyes, fixing Qi Zhengqing with a look that demanded an explanation.

Qi Zhengqing chuckled softly and ruffled Song Yuqing’s hair. "I’m not fooling you. I can only drink this much."

He gestured with his fingers, indicating a tiny amount. "You’re much better than me."

Song Yuqing: "Lightweight."

Qi Zhengqing fell silent for a moment, then watched as Song Yuqing downed the rest of his drink and turned the empty glass upside down toward him, adding, "You’re the lightweight, not me."

Qi Zhengqing: "..."

Qi Zhengqing grabbed Song Yuqing’s wrist. "No more. You’ll have a headache tomorrow."

Song Yuqing swatted his hand away. "Don’t bother me. I have my own plans."

Qi Zhengqing: "..."

"If my head hurts, you can blow on it for me," Song Yuqing said seriously. "Blowing on it will make the pain go away."

Qi Zhengqing couldn’t help but laugh, amused by Song Yuqing’s words.

Blowing on his head.

Right now, he felt like blowing on Song Yuqing’s head. But rather than waiting for a hangover tomorrow, he’d prefer if Song Yuqing never got a headache at all. "Qingqing, come with me to get some fresh air. I’m drunk and need to sober up."

Only then did Song Yuqing allow Qi Zhengqing to take his hand and lead him out of the party.

As they walked out, Song Yuqing still appeared calm and detached, even carrying a hint of cold indifference in his eyes.

He didn’t look drunk at all.

When others noticed Qi Zhengqing and Song Yuqing together, they approached to greet Qi Zhengqing.

Naturally, the conversation turned to Song Yuqing. "And who is this?"

Qi Zhengqing: "My beloved."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Not really.

He didn’t know if Qi Zhengqing loved him, but he certainly didn’t love Qi Zhengqing.

Even in his drunken state, Song Yuqing had his own sense of order. In situations like this, he remained silent or simply nodded slightly. He still understood basic social etiquette and knew to save face for Qi Zhengqing in public.

So, even after hearing Qi Zhengqing’s words, Song Yuqing didn’t refute them.

Standing side by side, the two looked like a perfect pair. The alpha was tall and imposing, exuding the authoritative presence of someone long accustomed to power, making others hesitant to approach.

The beta was elegant and coolly detached. Though young, he carried an air of lofty indifference.

They were inexplicably well-matched.

Those who had earlier entertained thoughts about Song Yuqing broke out in a cold sweat.

No wonder Qi Zhengqing had attended the alumni event—he was there for his spouse.

The man named Chen, in particular, was drenched in sweat, wishing he could slap himself twice over. How could he have been so reckless? He’d dared to say things he shouldn’t have.

After the two left, the crowd couldn’t help but murmur among themselves. "So this is why Qi Zhengqing married a beta—for that stunning appearance. And here I thought he married out of gratitude. Turns out it was just lust at first sight."

"Do you think Song Yuqing’s only asset is his looks? Rumor has it that Mr. Qi’s new project relies on technology provided by his wife."

"I used to think Qi Zhengqing stayed in the marriage because his wife was clever. But now it seems… Mr. Qi is truly fortunate."

"A peerless beauty, top-tier family background, exceptional talent—heaven truly favors him."

Someone nearby chimed in lazily, "But he’ll probably die young."

The group fell silent, exchanging glances. Surprisingly, they saw calculation in each other’s eyes.

Betas already had difficulty bearing children. Given Qi Zhengqing’s protectiveness toward Song Yuqing, it was unlikely he’d disrupt his studies or force him to have children.

If Qi Zhengqing were to die, Song Yuqing would become a young and beautiful widower, inheriting a massive fortune.

If someone could seize the opportunity, they might not only take over the Qi family but also claim Qi Zhengqing’s stunning wife for themselves.

Song Yuqing turned around and glanced back.

In the banquet, those well-dressed, upper-crust elites were all looking in their direction. Those calculating and disgusting gazes were all too familiar to Song Yuqing.

Qi Zhengqing reached out and covered Song Yuqing’s eyes. "Don’t look. It'll dirty your eyes."

Only then did Song Yuqing coolly look away and walk alongside Qi Zhengqing. "They’re waiting for you to die."

Qi Zhengqing: "Mm."

"Rest assured..." Song Yuqing walked steadily, not a hint of drunkenness in his steps.

Qi Zhengqing: "..."

Qi Zhengqing rubbed his temples in exasperation, sensing that whatever reassurance Song Yuqing was about to offer wouldn’t be anything good.

"When you die, the Qi family will be mine. I won’t let them take it. Trust me. You can die peacefully."

Qi Zhengqing: "..."

"Are you coming home with me today?" Qi Zhengqing decisively changed the subject. He didn’t want anyone else to see Song Yuqing drunk like this.

Song Yuqing shook his head. "I’m not going back."

"If you’re not going back, where are you going?"

If he wasn’t coming home with him, was he going to find that dog he kept, only to be eaten alive by him?

Qi Zhengqing’s tone wasn’t harsh, but Song Yuqing could tell he was upset, maybe even mad.

Song Yuqing was confused and looked up at Qi Zhengqing. "What are you angry about?"

Qi Zhengqing had long since smelled other alphas on Song Yuqing—among them, even the scent of Qi Ran.

"What did you do with the dog you keep?" Walking to a pavilion covered in vines with drooping tendrils, Qi Zhengqing cornered him against one of the pillars, his tone carrying a forceful, accusing edge.

The scent of other alphas on Song Yuqing was strong and heavy—too heavy for it to be just a temporary marking. It was more like he had been thoroughly soaked through, inside and out, with the scent of other alphas.

Qi Zhengqing didn’t want to dwell on it, but since Song Yuqing had refused to go home with him, he could no longer suppress his thoughts about what they might have done.

"Three alphas?" There were scents of three alphas on Song Yuqing, as if marking him as theirs to show other alphas their possessiveness, forcefully declaring that Song Yuqing was theirs.

Qi Zhengqing’s fingers dug into Song Yuqing’s waist, his large hand sliding under Song Yuqing’s clothes, fingers stroking the young man’s waist, unable to resist leaving his own mark on him.

"Qingqing, can you take it?"

So fragile, so soft—just having his waist held made him this sensitive, unable to stop himself from trying to escape his grasp. Could Song Yuqing really handle so many alphas?

"Why couldn’t I handle it?" Song Yuqing tilted his head up slightly, the corners of his eyes flushed red.

"Even three of someone like you—I could handle it." Song Yuqing’s tone was pushing back.

Who did Qi Zhengqing think he was looking down on? Pei Huai, Qi Ran, and Xiao Jinshi—he had got all of them locked up. Handling three alphas at once wasn’t difficult either.

Qi Zhengqing wasn’t sure what he felt upon hearing Song Yuqing’s words—perhaps a mix of pissed and amused at his audacity.

"Three?"

Song Yuqing tilted his head slightly, dark strands of hair falling beside his face, his pale face tense as he confronted Qi Zhengqing. Despite his delicate, fragile appearance, his expression as he faced the alpha was one of sheer stubbornness. "Yes, three."

Qi Zhengqing suddenly moved closer to Song Yuqing. "I don’t believe you."

"Qingqing, if you can’t handle it, you can’t. No one will laugh at you."

Song Yuqing tugged at Qi Zhengqing’s tie. "You talk too much. If you want to know whether I can handle it, just test me yourself."

The alpha’s palm was already resting on the base of Song Yuqing’s spine, rubbing in a way that drew a soft moan from him.

Song Yuqing’s mind was foggy, and Qi Zhengqing’s touch felt strange.

A tingling, electric feeling made him want to pull away, but doing so would make it seem like he couldn’t handle Qi Zhengqing, as if he were admitting defeat.

Song Yuqing forced himself to endure the tingling sensation, his thin back pressed against the pillar, his breathing growing uneven. "It’s just like this—it doesn’t even hurt."

He looked away from Qi Zhengqing, biting his lip.

"But Qingqing, even just touching you and holding you—you can’t handle it." Qi Zhengqing’s voice was low.

Even now, facing only him, Song Yuqing turned his head away, holding back his noises between his lips.

At this moment, Song Yuqing was more tempting than ever. Qi Zhengqing wanted to kiss him, unbutton his clothes, kiss his collarbone, his lips, his gland.

Qi Zhengqing’s fingers moved to the back of Song Yuqing’s neck, his rough hand stroking Song Yuqing’s gland, making him shiver again. Qi Zhengqing held him close, feeling the tremors and fragility Song Yuqing struggled to suppress and conceal.

"Does it feel bad?" the alpha asked softly.

Whether alpha, omega, or even beta, the gland has plenty of nerve endings. The sensation of having it touched was way more intense than being touched elsewhere.

The pain of an injured gland would be more severe, and so would the pleasure.

Song Yuqing bit his lip, annoyed with Qi Zhengqing, his tone got sharper, as if dissatisfied with Qi Zhengqing’s pressure. "No, it’s strange. Can you push harder? You’re pressing too lightly."

Song Yuqing couldn’t stand such gentle caresses; he’d rather Qi Zhengqing bite him—the pain would be far more familiar and tolerable.

"No." Qi Zhengqing shot down.

Song Yuqing was irritated and displeased with Qi Zhengqing. Qi Zhengqing refused to give him what he wanted—that teasing, rubbing touch was truly strange.

"If you won’t, then let go. Don’t touch me."

His dazed eyes glazed over with a hazy, lustful sheen.

Qi Zhengqing asked seemingly casually, "Did they do this to you too? Did they touch you like this? Did it make you angry too?"

Song Yuqing seemed confused. "...N-No, of course not."

Qi Zhengqing’s hand stilled abruptly. They didn’t?

They didn’t engage in any foreplay to pleasure Song Yuqing? Or did they do nothing at all?

"Then what did you do?" Qi Zhengqing’s voice was rough as he questioned Song Yuqing.

"You... want to know?" The young man still leaned against the pillar, his fair face flushed with an unhealthy flush. The lush leaves scattered around his face made him look like an otherworldly prince pulled down to earth.

Pulled down by him.

But more than wanting to know what they had done, Qi Zhengqing now wanted to kiss Song Yuqing’s lips.

"I’ll show you."

He wanted Qi Zhengqing to know the consequences of not listening to him.

"You're not being good at all," Song Yuqing said angrily. "You're the most disobedient pup I've ever seen."

Song Yuqing clamped down on Qi Zhengqing's wrist, afraid that Qi Zhengqing might run away. He was determined to take revenge on Qi Zhengqing—since Qi Zhengqing had touched his gland, he would lock Qi Zhengqing up, touch his gland, and then sink his teeth into it.

On the way, Qi Zhengqing had already sensed that his words might not line up with what Song Yuqing meant, but after following Song Yuqing into the lab and seeing the disheveled Alpha locked up by Song Yuqing,

Qi Zhengqing still felt the need to say that their conversation had gone way off track.

If it were about handling other Alphas, Song Yuqing might manage, but being kissed and touched by three Alphas was something Song Yuqing couldn’t take.

Song Yuqing was too sensitive, way too sensitive.

As the lab lights turned on, the three Alphas were pressed up against the glass, watching Song Yuqing. The moment they saw him, their eyes lit up to varying degrees.

When they noticed Qi Zhengqing entering with Song Yuqing, their expressions instantly shifted to unconcealed disgust and disdain, as if looking at a homewrecker.

Qi Zhengqing shot them a look full of pressure, but it couldn’t suppress the three Alphas’ desire to replace him.

Song Yuqing crouched in front of Pei Huai’s containment area, tapping on the glass. "See? An S+ ranked Alpha, locked up by me."

Like a child showing off his toy.

Song Yuqing said, "Pei Huai, make a sound for him."

Pei Huai: "..."

Even Pei Huai, as slow as he was, could tell that Song Yuqing was acting differently than usual.

He still looked cold and detached, but there was a kid-like quality to his words. Damn, it was adorable—he really wanted to hold Song Yuqing in his arms and kiss him until he cried.

He even asked him to make a sound. If Qi Zhengqing weren’t here, he wouldn’t mind—after all, it was just humoring his partner—but with Qi Zhengqing present, what would it make him look like?

Some cheap sidepiece putting on a show?

Pei Huai tried to negotiate with Song Yuqing. "Qingqing, how about I do it for you after Qi Zhengqing leaves? However you want me to make the sound, I’ll do it."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Pei Huai was disrespecting him.

Qi Zhengqing said, "Enough. He’s not obeying. I didn’t want to hear him make a sound anyway."

Song Yuqing didn’t push Pei Huai too hard. Even when drunk, his willfulness had its limits—he might cause some trouble, but he knew when to stop.

"Sorry, I was wrong. I misunderstood you," Qi Zhengqing apologized without hesitation once he realized his mistake, crouching beside Song Yuqing and humbling himself.

Song Yuqing shook his head.

Qi Zhengqing’s heart softened again. Why was Song Yuqing so forgiving? A simple apology, and he let it go so easily.

The next second, Qi Zhengqing was tackled by Song Yuqing—fast and precise. Qi Zhengqing had no time to react. Song Yuqing looked down at him with narrowed eyes.

"You felt me up for so long, and you think a simple apology is enough?"

Song Yuqing tilted his head slightly, his tone full of dissatisfaction.

Pei Huai: "?"

Xiao Jinshi: "?"

Qi Ran: "..."

Pei Huai's voice nearly cracked, "What were you doing touching Qingqing? Where exactly did you touch him?"

Qi Zhengqing firmly held Song Yuqing's waist, "I was wrong. However you want to punish me—bite my scent gland, 'mark' me, alright?"

Xiao Jinshi scoffed coldly, "Is that a punishment? Sounds like you're just trying to get something out of this. I can see right through your scheme."

After saying this, Xiao Jinshi then whined to Song Yuqing, "Brother, don’t listen to him. He’s trying to trick you."

Song Yuqing pressed his lips together, "I know. Of course I won’t let him off easy."

He thought it over seriously—he and Qi Zhengqing weren’t on equal footing. When Qi Zhengqing touched him, it felt strange, which made Qi Zhengqing think he *couldn't* handle it.

If he couldn’t stand Qi Zhengqing’s touch, Qi Zhengqing definitely couldn’t either.

He would punish Qi Zhengqing using Qi Zhengqing’s own methods. Song Yuqing reached his hand toward the back of Qi Zhengqing’s neck. As soon as he made contact, Qi Zhengqing let out a muffled groan.