Chapter 91: Let Me See, Baby.

Chapter 91 Let me see, darling.

Zheng Kaiji opened his mouth, struggling for a moment before managing, "This..."

"This isn't a decision I can make alone. My influence in the council isn't that significant, I..."

Pale, slender fingers gently traced the rim of the white porcelain cup, their tips dampened by the steam and even slightly reddened from the heat.

Like crimson plum blossoms scattered on snow, it was strikingly beautiful.

Hearing Zheng Kaiji's words, Song Yuqing slowly lifted his gaze.

His facial contours were sharp yet soft, exuding a cool elegance, though his cheeks appeared pale. Coupled with his ink-black, long eyelashes, he looked as delicate and ethereal as an ink wash painting, easily disturbed.

In that fleeting eye contact, Zheng Kaiji inexplicably fell silent.

A sudden thought flashed through his mind—if Song Yuqing joined the council, couldn't all those social engagements be entrusted to him? With such striking good looks, wouldn't they effortlessly gain advantages that others couldn't?

But Zheng Kaiji quickly dismissed his absurd notion.

"Then discuss it when you return," Song Yuqing said airily, as if Zheng Kaiji's attempt to shirk responsibility was of no great consequence.

Passing the buck seemed to be a universal tactic.

But he wasn't the one in a hurry.

"Mr. Zheng, please," Song Yuqing dismissed him.

Even someone as ineffectual as Zheng Kaiji wore a stiff expression. "Then I'll go back and discuss it with them."

Before Zheng Kaiji could leave, he heard a voice from behind.

"Then cooperate with our Xiao family. We can offer generous terms. The key is, I'll follow your lead completely."

"I'm not like those dogs outside who can't read the room."

Zheng Kaiji, the target of the veiled insult: "..."

The dog heard.

The dog is leaving.

Is no one seeing the dog off?

Seems like no one is. Oh well, the dog has to go meet with other dogs now.

"This isn't what I want." A soft murmur, tinged with melancholy and a sigh, drifted vaguely into Zheng Kaiji’s ears as the door closed.

Zheng Kaiji walked out of the meeting room, his meek expression unchanged.

Song Yuqing was resolute, not someone easily provoked.

Yet his appearance was deceptive, always making people forget that he had developed a robot like Number Six, always making people forget his unyielding attitude, always making them inexplicably feel he should be a beautiful socialite instead.

Zheng Kaiji wasn’t afraid of Song Yuqing’s firmness, but he was most afraid of misjudging him.

People who are too forceful or too idealistic aren’t much of a concern in politics, because reality will inevitably wear down their edges and dim their ambitions.

What kind of person would Song Yuqing be?

Zheng Kaiji got into the car, and his secretary handed him a stack of documents.

It contained detailed records of Song Yuqing’s life from birth to his public emergence.

Failed his exams at eighteen.

Entered Victor Academy the same year due to his marriage with Qi Zhengqing.

That year, Song Yuqing accomplished many things.

Initially bullied and looked down upon by everyone, Song Yuqing turned the tables—he confronted Pei Huai, Xiao Jinshi, Tan Shu, Qi Ran...

Zheng Kaiji: "?"

This is what you call being bullied by everyone?

Who was bullying whom? Who wrote this report? Song Yuqing hasn’t even joined the council yet, and they’re already sugarcoating the wording?

Suppressing his unease, Zheng Kaiji continued reading.

Joined Gu Jingtang’s research group, then left.

Became the top student, got Tan Shu expelled, became the student council president. After Song Yuqing became president, incidents of noble students bullying commoners at Victor Academy sharply decreased, and student performance improved by 10 to 20 percent.

Developed robots and collaborated with Qi Zhengqing.

Created Number Six and became known across all four continents.

Clearly, he was a beta skilled at shaping his own environment.

If he didn’t like something, he changed it.

Though not explicitly stated, Song Yuqing’s actions showed he had a strong pursuit of equality.

It was almost... "naive."

Zheng Kaiji recalled the words he hadn’t quite caught clearly.

—"This isn’t what I want."

So what did Song Yuqing truly desire? To overthrow unequal treatment, to allow the people of the Fifth District slums a seat at the table, and to ensure equal rights for alphas, betas, and omegas?

If that were the case, Zheng Kaiji wouldn’t need to bother—the council would naturally "beat" Song Yuqing into shape.

"What do you want?" Xiao Jinshi asked.

The next second, Song Yuqing tapped his head. "I don’t want anything."

Xiao Jinshi tried to grab Song Yuqing’s wrist, but Song Yuqing dodged. "Brother, you’re lying again."

Pei Huai’s gaze was piercing, full of resentment, like a jealous husband.

Pei Wei: "..."

Falling in love with someone else’s wife does this to you. That dog son of mine is such a jealous husband, it’s hard to watch.

"You continue talking. I’m getting old, my energy is lacking." Pei Wei felt he shouldn’t be here and turned to leave without any hesitation.

Song Yuqing: "Let me see you out."

Pei Wei was somewhat flattered—Song Yuqing was escorting him out? Song Yuqing hadn't even gotten up to see Zheng Kaiji off earlier when he left. Not that Zheng Kaiji had a higher status than him, but he thought Song Yuqing looked down on everyone and couldn't be bothered with anyone. After all, Song Yuqing certainly had the standing to act that way.

Pei Wei didn’t refuse and chuckled, "I appreciate it, Mr. Song, for seeing me off."

Qi Zhengqing also followed them, but as soon as they reached the door, Song Yuqing waved him off. "I’ll handle it."

Qi Zhengqing halted, his gaze darkened as he watched Song Yuqing walk through the glass corridor and stand beside Pei Wei.

Pei Wei sounded a bit awkward. "About that stuff I said to Pei Huai earlier..."

Song Yuqing: "I know."

"As his father, it's only natural you'd have those expectations of him."

Song Yuqing’s understanding made Pei Wei unable to resist trying to help his son by playing the sympathy card.

"I only have this one son. His mother died in childbirth, and I’ve raised him from childhood, drilling him in the military. I've given him everything he wanted, but I was never able to make up for the lack of a mother growing up. My indulgence has also made his temperament pretty bad."

Song Yuqing listened quietly, nodding slightly only after Pei Wei finished speaking, demonstrating perfect manners and upbringing.

Just as Pei Wei felt relieved, thinking his no-account son might still have a chance, Song Yuqing spoke up. "It is indeed a bit indulgent. He got fifty-nines across the board—you know that, right?"

Pei Wei was rendered speechless, like a chicken with its neck wrung.

His face flushed red, and his straight posture slumped. In front of teachers, he could still say, "If Pei Huai doesn’t want to study, then so be it." But now, hearing it from his son’s romantic interest, Pei Wei didn’t even know how to scold that idiot son of his.

With such lousy grades, no wonder he could only be the third wheel. After all, he knew Qi Zhengqing had never scored a fifty-nine—not even in a single subject.

"Of course, I’m not here to discuss Pei Huai’s grades with you, Mr. Pei."

Song Yuqing briefly went over the main points of his conversation with Pei Huai, making his position clear.

After saying this, Song Yuqing lowered his eyes and added, "While you’re still spry enough in the next few years, you could take Pei Huai with you and whip him into shape."

Pei Huai had a high starting point and an even higher ceiling.

He didn’t want Pei Huai to become a good-for-nothing lovesick fool.

Pei Wei: "..."

What was he, some alpha whose remaining usefulness could be squeezed dry before being left to die? "While you’re still able in the next few years"—who talks like that?

"I don’t like alphas who are a complete mess emotionally. I prefer useful alphas."

In other words, stop trying to gain sympathy for your son.

You’d be better off spending that time improving what he's actually good at.

Pei Wei wasn’t a fool like Pei Huai; he understood Song Yuqing’s implication perfectly.

Pei Wei: "I understand."

By now, it wasn’t just Qi Zhengqing standing there—Xiao Jinshi and Pei Huai had also come out and were watching from where they stood.

After saying what he wanted to say, Song Yuqing turned around and met Qi Zhengqing’s dark, intense eyes.

Qi Zhengqing stepped forward. "Let’s go home."

Song Yuqing nodded and glanced back at Xiao Jinshi and Pei Huai.

It was a brief look that seemed to show little emotion, but the two alphas who shared that glance felt both excited and jealous—thrilled that Song Yuqing had looked at them, but displeased that it was Qi Zhengqing standing by Song Yuqing’s side.

Pei Huai and Xiao Jinshi understood clearly: Song Yuqing had made it clear they shouldn't follow.

Without another glance at Pei Huai and Xiao Jinshi, Song Yuqing left with Qi Zhengqing.

Watching Song Yuqing and Qi Zhengqing walk away, Pei Huai slammed his fist into the door, making it clatter loudly. "Damn it."

They had just kissed, and yet Song Yuqing left without so much as a glance.

Did he kiss Qi Zhengqing right after kissing him?

Was his kissing skills so bad that it displeased Song Yuqing?

Unable to contain his frustration, Pei Huai called Song Yuqing to demand. "What did I do wrong when I kissed you?"

"Did I bite you? Or suck too hard?"

Pei Huai’s voice was loud enough for not only Song Yuqing to hear but also Qi Zhengqing and Xiao Jinshi.

"Can I change?" Pei Huai’s voice suddenly softened, with a touch of hurt. "Just tell me, and I’ll learn. I can change."

"Change what?" Qi Zhengqing’s fingers gripped Song Yuqing’s neck. "You kissed him?"

Song Yuqing: "..."

He suspected Pei Huai was doing this to get him in trouble.

"Where did he kiss you?"

"Where did he suck?"

The alpha’s questions came one after another, each dripping with enough jealousy to drive any alpha mad.

"Darling, open your mouth. Let me see." Qi Zhengqing’s hot palm pressed against the tiny gland on the back of Song Yuqing’s neck.

Song Yuqing tilted his head, trying to escape the intense heat, but the nerves around his gland were too sensitive. With just a slight brush from the alpha, his lips parted slightly.

"Qi Zhengqing... stop touching me."

His voice barely escaped before being muffled by the roughness of Qi Zhengqing’s calloused fingers. "You... be gentler."

Even his usually cool voice held a seductive quality.

"Gentler? Is that enough?" In the tight space, there was nowhere for Song Yuqing to hide.

And Qi Zhengqing knew all too well how sensitive Song Yuqing was—just a few kisses, touches, and embraces were enough to make him gaze at him dazedly.

Song Yuqing, completely overwhelmed, pressed his fingers against Qi Zhengqing. His voice was cold, though a hint of huskiness he couldn't quite hide seeped through. "Enough. Stop touching. Just kiss me directly."

Song Yuqing tilted his head back slightly, his long eyelashes glistening with moisture. His slender figure was completely trapped in the alpha’s embrace.

Qi Zhengqing's palm slid along Song Yuqing's spine, dipping into the small of his back, pulling Song Yuqing completely into his embrace until their skin was nearly touching.

"Closer..." Qi Zhengqing lowered his head, nuzzling Song Yuqing's nose.

The scorching breath burned through Song Yuqing's pale skin, bringing a faint blush to the surface. "Let me see, darling. How did he do this?"

"He was too rough when he kissed you—he even bruised you here," the alpha's voice was deep and low.

Qi Zhengqing was blunt in his criticism of the other alpha’s scent. "It’s all the smell of another alpha’s pheromones, Qingqing. His scent is foul—so strong and overwhelming."

His words seemed designed to make Song Yuqing remember the scene of his kiss with Pei Huai.

But now was clearly not the time to be remembering kisses with Pei Huai—at least, no alpha in his right mind would bring up another alpha in a moment like this.

There was a kind of calm madness about this alpha. Song Yuqing frowned slightly and looked at Qi Zhengqing. "So what? Do you have to bring him up?"

Song Yuqing was clearly dissatisfied with Qi Zhengqing’s pointless talk.

Qi Zhengqing’s eyes darkened as he stared into Song Yuqing’s light-colored pupils, watching as his own reflection was all he could see reflected in them. It seemed only in moments like this that Song Yuqing’s eyes and heart were completely filled with him.

"So, I’m going to cover the scent he left on you."

Author's Note:

Pei Dog: ...Touching my wife again.

Xiao Jinshi: ...Touching my brother again.