Chapter 104 I’m Chasing You

Chapter 104: I'm Pursuing You

"No."

Zhao Jinzong refused flatly.

"Alright..." Chen Su was silent for a moment, and waited, but the call wasn't hung up. "Goodnight, Zhao Jinzong."

Chen Su hung up.

The next day was Saturday, no work. Xiao Li was studying for his graduate degree and wasn't coming home either. Chen Su sold his car and bought a cheaper one. In the afternoon, he went to the golf club for two lessons, and afterward, he went to the mall to pick out a fountain pen.

Chen Su called Uncle Wen and asked when Zhao Jinzong would be leaving.

Uncle Wen: "Uh..."

He glanced at Zhao Jinzong, who was then sitting in the back seat. "We've already arrived."

Uncle Wen turned his head, gestured to the phone, and reported softly, "It's Mr. Chen's call."

Zhao Jinzong said indifferently, "Mm."

Uncle Wen put it on speaker.

On the phone, Chen Su asked, "Uncle Wen, when does the banquet end?"

Uncle Wen had been with Zhao Jinzong for many years and was very perceptive. He thought he could read some of Zhao Jinzong's thoughts, but now, with Zhao Jinzong's bleak and indifferent gaze, Uncle Wen couldn't read it. He could only weigh every word, afraid of misinterpreting.

"Not sure. It depends on whether Mr. Zhao ends up drinking. Elder Mr. Zhao might ask the Director to stay overnight. Is there something you need?" In previous years, Elder Mr. Zhao would always have Zhao Jinzong stay at the old house for his birthday.

"I bought a gift for Zhao Jinzong. If he's not coming back tonight, I'll come another day, or I can leave it with the butler."

"Alright..."

"I'll come by later, then." Chen Su hung up.

Uncle Wen looked up, and Enigma had already left the back seat.

Uncle Wen: "………………?" Had he said something wrong?

Or had he misjudged the situation?

...

Chen Su drove to the Zhao private residence at nine in the evening, arriving half an hour later. The residence was pitch black, unclear whether they had already gone to bed or simply weren't back yet.

Chen Su called Zhao Jinzong.

The first call didn't get through; the second one did.

"Zhao Jinzong, are you home?"

"Mm." Zhao Jinzong's voice was weary and lazy.

"Are you asleep?"

"I was woken up."

"...Sorry." Chen Su looked at the insulated container on the passenger seat. "I'm downstairs now. I made some hangover soup. Would you like to try some?"

"No, thanks."

Chen Su looked up at the direction of Zhao Jinzong's bedroom—pitch black. He got out of the car wordlessly, took out the hangover soup and the pen, and placed them at the entrance of Zhao Jinzong's villa.

Chen Su wanted to send Zhao Jinzong a message, only to realize the call hadn't been hung up.

Was Zhao Jinzong still asleep?

Chen Su asked softly, "I left it by the villa entrance. Are you still asleep?"

"..." Through the phone, Zhao Jinzong's heavy breathing was audible. "No."

"If you feel unwell, have some soup. Also... the medicine I sent yesterday—if you haven't thrown it out, there's stomach medicine inside. If you did, there's a box of stomach medicine beside the insulated container." Chen Su spoke a lot in one breath.

Zhao Jinzong was silent.

Chen Su continued, "Zhao Jinzong, come down and have a little."

Chen Su wasn't the type to beg, but now he was showing every kindness and pleading in every way, begging Zhao Jinzong to take better care of himself.

Chen Su suddenly realized...

Zhao Jinzong used to beg him this way too.

Zhao Jinzong's attitude toward Chen Su was infinitely better than Chen Su's attitude toward Zhao Jinzong.

Every time Chen Su thought of this, he felt a pang of guilt and wanted to treat Zhao Jinzong better, ever better.

Zhao Jinzong didn't answer; instead, he asked, "What are you doing?"

What was Chen Su doing?

What did this act mean?

Chen Su thought hard for a moment. "I just want to make you happy."

Zhao Jinzong said flatly, "It's guilt."

"No, that's not it..." Chen Su said anxiously, "It's not just guilt. Zhao Jinzong, I'm pursuing you."

"What did you say?"

"I said I'm pursuing you."

"..."

"I know it's probably hard for me to fit into your world, but I'll try. I'll work hard to keep up with your pace, learn what interests you, and be on the same wavelength as you. I know I might not have much to offer, but I'm not busy. I have plenty of time. I promise I'll love you more than anyone else can."

Zhao Jinzong laughed. "And what guarantee is that?"

"..." What could Chen Su offer as a guarantee? He had nothing of value to swear on.

Chen Su thought long and hard, then said, "I can swear on my own life."

Zhao Jinzong's tone turned cold. "Just go back."

Chen Su always instinctively brushed off Zhao Jinzong's cold words. "People in Huai City don't make vows lightly. Zhao Jinzong, I'm serious. I mean it."

"..." Zhao Jinzong hung up the phone.

Chen Su listened to the cold beeps, took the phone away from his ear, glanced at the thermos by the villa gate, and drove off.

He never found out whether Zhao Jinzong had drunk the hangover soup at the door or accepted his fountain pen.

Chen Su bought small gifts every day and sent them to the Zhao family's private residence, but he could count on one hand the times he actually saw Zhao Jinzong.

He was genuinely pursuing Zhao Jinzong.

One day, he ran into his ex-husband, Sheng Beiqing, on the street.

When Sheng Beiqing saw Chen Su, his brows furrowed tightly, and he scoffed. "Chen Su, I warned you a long time ago."

Sheng Beiqing knew about Chen Su's tattoo and that Chen Su was an omega. He had kidnapped Chen Su to forcibly mark him, ensuring Chen Su could never leave him.

Sheng Beiqing knew Chen Su's secret and used it to blackmail Chen Su into a year and a half of marriage.

He constantly reminded Chen Su of his omega identity, insisting that Zhao Jinzong would never like omegas.

Zhao Jinzong might not have an outright hatred for omegas, but he felt a deep disgust for omega partners—after Zhao’s mother died, his father—pregnant and in a hurry to remarry—was an omega.

Chen Su had also heard with his own ears that Zhao Jinzong said he didn’t like omegas.

Even though Chen Su loathed Sheng Beiqing, he couldn’t deny that what Sheng Beiqing said was true.

Chen Su fell silent and quickly tried to walk away.

Sheng Beiqing blocked his way and said cruelly, "Old Master Zhao found Zhao Jinzong an alpha with 99% compatibility. Chen Su, you've been totally given up on."

Chen Su gave a faint smile. "Sheng Beiqing, you always think everyone is like you."

For Chen Su, having a brief relationship with Zhao Jinzong was already a miracle.

Being abandoned was only natural.

Chen Su was pursuing Zhao Jinzong, trying to make it up to him. Even if Zhao Jinzong didn't choose him in the end, he understood completely.

No matter who Zhao Jinzong ended up with, Chen Su would respect and wish him well.

"I don't believe you're not even a little sad."

"I'm not sad." Chen Su pushed aside Sheng Beiqing's arm and added, "Oh, I forgot to mention—I'm an alpha now."

As Chen Su was about to leave, Sheng Beiqing shouted, "Chen Su, do you know why you received the letter of intent from the International Federation again a year ago?"

"..."

"Zhao Jinzong risked his life for that, but... you never intended to marry him."