The elevator ascended slowly. Ming Shao watched the light indicating the twelfth floor, then, after some thought, pressed the button for the thirteenth floor as well.
Was it the twelfth or the thirteenth floor?
Given that theirs was merely a marriage of convenience, he rarely paid attention to such details. Ming Shao felt a bit irritated, not knowing why, but there was also a sense of unease. But what was he uneasy about? He glanced at the phone that had gone unanswered and decided to check both floors.
Shen Luo had left his phone aside. After returning home last time, he had run into his younger brother, who, despite Shen Luo’s efforts to hide it, immediately noticed something was wrong.
Coincidentally, Ming Shao called at that moment, but Shen Luo didn’t want to answer, so he ignored it. His brother, noticing the hesitation, quickly took the phone from Shen Luo.
After that, his brother stayed by Shen Luo’s side, and Shen Luo never received another call from Ming Shao.
Shen Luo suspected that his brother had blocked Ming Shao, but it didn’t really matter. After all… it wasn’t like Ming Shao would call him anyway.
Shen Luo smiled to himself bitterly. The warm water soothed his stomach, bringing a bit of warmth back to his body.
“Shen-ge, are you feeling better?” The assistant placed the empty cup aside. “Do you need more hot water?”
“I’m feeling better now,” Shen Luo replied, coming back to his senses. “No need, let’s call it a day.”
After packing up, Shen Luo noticed that his assistant was still waiting by the door.
“Shen-ge, since I’m leaving too, shall we go together?”
Shen Luo nodded gently. He understood the assistant’s concern, likely not wanting him to walk alone since he had seemed unwell earlier.
“Thank you.”
“No problem! There’s actually a pharmacy not far from the building, and they have some great medication. My mom used to get stomach aches too…”
“Ding—” The elevator arrived. One of the elevators seemed to be coming up from the twelfth floor, but the other opened its doors first.
“Shen-ge, over here.”
“Okay.”
The elevator door closed just as the other one reached the thirteenth floor.
Ming Shao had checked the twelfth floor first, but most of the employees had already left. After circling the floor and not finding Shen Luo’s office, he happened to run into a cleaning lady who informed him that Shen Luo’s office was on the thirteenth floor.
The Alpha had previously asked Shen Luo about the specific location of his office, so when he arrived on the thirteenth floor, he headed straight there.
But the office was empty.
Where could he be? The cleaning lady had mentioned seeing Shen Luo earlier that afternoon.
Even though he wasn’t particularly interested in seeing Shen Luo, and even though he had no real feelings for his marriage partner…
Since he was already here, meeting him was just convenient.
Ming Shao looked around the empty office and then walked over to the window, peering outside. From this vantage point, he could see the company’s entrance, where a few people were still leaving, as the evening rush hour had already passed.
Where was Shen Luo?
Ming Shao stared at the thirteen unanswered calls on his phone, the knot in his chest tightening further.
Just as he was lost in thought, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance.
It was Shen Luo!
Ming Shao was about to head downstairs when he saw Shen Luo turn around, as if waiting for someone.
The next moment, a young man approached Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded at him, and the two of them walked off together, chatting as they went.
Ming Shao: !!!
Ming Shao: ???
Who was that? And why was he walking with Shen Luo? And why were they talking and laughing together?
The knot in Ming Shao’s chest didn’t just tighten—it twisted and constricted around his heart, making it hard to breathe.
What could possibly be around the corner? Shen Luo was always someone who went straight home after work—was he now taking walks with someone else instead of going home?
The knot in his chest ignited like a spark setting off days of pent-up frustration. The sight of Shen Luo and that man together was the flame that caused the fire in his heart to grow, and Ming Shao clenched his fists tightly.
What right did Shen Luo have to walk with that person? Didn’t he consider the Alpha at all?
Frustrated, Ming Shao jabbed the elevator button repeatedly, but the elevator was still on the third floor. The arrow indicating upward movement seemed to crawl like a snail, and Ming Shao couldn’t wait any longer, so he headed for the stairwell instead.
Meanwhile, Shen Luo was following his assistant to the pharmacy. After hearing the assistant’s recommendation based on his mother’s experience, Shen Luo found himself convinced to try the medicine.
“Shen Luo!” A voice called out from behind, and Shen Luo turned around, puzzled, only to see Ming Shao, drenched in sweat and seething with anger, running toward him.
The assistant was shoved aside, stumbling a few steps before regaining his balance.
“Who is he?”
Ming Shao grabbed Shen Luo’s wrist, pulling him closer. Shen Luo instinctively tried to pull away, but the Alpha only tightened his grip.
“Shen-ge?” The assistant looked at Shen Luo, concerned.
Shen Luo shook his head at the assistant. “It’s fine. Thank you for today. You can head home now.”
“…Alright. See you tomorrow, Shen-ge.”
“Mm.”
Their casual exchange only fueled Ming Shao’s anger. Tomorrow? They would meet again tomorrow? Talking about meeting tomorrow in front of his own Alpha?
Rage burned away at his logic, and at the same time, a pang of bitterness welled up from deep within. Ming Shao tightened his grip on Shen Luo’s wrist, making Shen Luo wince in pain.
Ming Shao slammed the car door shut and locked it, leaving the car in an eerie silence.
“Ming Shao, let me out—”
“What’s your relationship with him?”
They both spoke at the same time.
Silence filled the car once again.
Ming Shao unscrewed a bottle of water and took a long drink, gradually calming himself down.
Suddenly, he realized how absurd his anger was.
Why was he so angry?
Because of Shen Luo? But they were only married in name—a relationship in name only.
Why would he get angry over a Beta? Why would he even ask such a question? Shen Luo’s relationships with others shouldn’t matter to him.
It should be irrelevant.
He had come to Shen Luo’s office for no reason, chased after him for no reason, and got angry for no reason. Ming Shao rubbed his temples, thinking that he must be tired and confused lately.
“Forget it, stop making a fuss. Let’s go home.” Ming Shao finally said, “You can do whatever you want outside, but keep it discreet in public.”
“Do whatever… I want?”
“Mm.” Ming Shao was feeling more irritated. He knew this wasn’t what he meant to say, but the image of Shen Luo and that man walking together replayed vividly in his mind, so he continued with a hint of malice, “We’re only married in name, without any real feelings. Loyalty isn’t part of it.”
“You can have other people, of course, and so can I. We can all have a few beautiful encounters.”
“These things are common in a relationship like ours that’s barely alive. You don’t have to hide it from me.”
Ming Shao’s voice grew quieter with each word, until it was almost inaudible.
But Shen Luo heard it clearly, especially when Ming Shao added, “Besides, I’m not interested in Betas.”
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