Chapter 74 – Shen Dai’s Decision
Novel Title: 顶级掠食者 (Alpha Predator)
Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 沈岱 (Shen Dai -MC), 瞿末予 (Qu Moyu -ML))
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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After the sun set, the spring chill crept in. Even though the doors and windows in the ward were closed, the temperature clearly dropped.
Shen Dai was only wearing a thin sweater. In fact, it was colder when he left the house before dawn. But Qiu Qiu was so hot that he completely ignored his own coldness, and only now did he feel cold. He looked at his phone. In a while, the nurse would come to check Qiu Qiu’s temperature. He touched Qiu Qiu, who was no longer that hot.
Suddenly, a weight fell on his shoulder. He was enveloped in a cold, woody scent and a warm body temperature, which isolated the surrounding coldness. He looked down and saw that it was Qu Moyu’s suit jacket. The suddenly increased concentration of ebony pheromone made him a little flustered.
Qu Moyu sat down beside him and held Shen Dai’s hand, preventing him from taking off the jacket. “Keep it on. You’re wearing too little.” He held Shen Dai’s wrist, frowning at how thin it was. It was as if it could easily break.
Shen Dai withdrew his hand and silently looked at the sleeping Qiu Qiu. Qiu Qiu seemed much more at ease, presumably because he was no longer feeling uncomfortable.
“The fever should be gone. But to be safe, you should stay here tonight,” Qu Moyu said. “This place has almost everything. If you need anything, just ask form the nurse.”
Shen Dai nodded. The VIP ward Qiu Qiu was in was more luxurious and comfortable than a five-star hotel. It was indeed safer to stay overnight for observation. He also didn’t want to take Qiu Qiu back to Cheng Zimei’s place and disrupt her sleep again.
“Even after discharge, don’t stay in a hotel. Move to that apartment from last time. Qiu Qiu should live in a better environment.”
Shen Dai slowly turned his head to look at Qu Moyu. “I haven’t been staying in that hotel for a long time. I’m living at Cheng Zimei’s house now.”
Qu Moyu was slightly taken aback.
“You even said you’d go to find me if you couldn’t reach me by phone.” Shen Dai’s expression was very calm. “Since you’ve already started monitoring me, you must be well aware of my resignation. Mr. Qu, putting aside our personal relationship, isn’t it a bit demeaning to make things difficult for an innocent employee like this?”
The atmosphere between them, which had just started to ease, became tense again. Qu Moyu frowned slightly. “I just wanted to delay things a bit, to give you more time to think, rather than impulsively making decisions that will affect the rest of your life.”
“My decision was made a year ago.”
“Ah Dai, look at Qiu Qiu. This is his first time being sick. But it won’t be his last. Who will take care of him when you’re at work? What kind of environment and educational resources will he have during his formative years? What school will he attend, what job will he have? Do you want him to squeeze into a chaotic public hospital ward in the future? Since you need to earn money to support the family, will you end up neglecting him? Won’t you be unable to give him a good education and better opportunities?”
Qu Moyu was indeed a skilled negotiator—on the negotiation table, he could perceive the other party’s needs, weigh his own chips, and seek the maximum benefit. Unfortunately, Shen Dai was neither his partner nor his opponent.
Shen Dai slowly said, “The public hospital environment might be worse. But most people still get treated there. Some kids have drivers to take them to school. But kids who take the bus or electric bike won’t fail to grow up well just because they got a little wet from the rain. My career was delayed for a year. But that doesn’t mean I can’t bounce back. I have confidence in myself that I can give Qiu Qiu a good life.” He quietly gazed at Qu Moyu. “We have different definitions of what’s ‘good’. Your family has endless wealth. But didn’t your parents still neglect you? Your father wanted to mould you into a perfect heir, and your mother couldn’t face you because she lost a child. You think a good life means having money, power, and constantly pursuing victory. I don’t see it that way. And I won’t raise my child that way.”
Qu Moyu’s expression gradually darkened.
“You think giving me money and a good material life means I should accept being your mistress. And that my son and I should bear this inferior status for a lifetime.” Shen Dai laughed mockingly. “Otherwise, I’m being ungrateful.”
“I…-“
“-Mr. Qu.” Shen Dai didn’t give him a chance to speak. “You’ll remember me during your susceptible period and you’ll think that you ‘like’ me. It’s just a side effect of ‘marking’. No one treats someone they like the way you treat me. When you marry a wife who matches your status and ‘mark’ him, you naturally won’t need me anymore.”
Qu Moyu looked at Shen Dai’s clear, indifferent eyes, feeling a suffocating pain in his chest. The more he couldn’t forget how Shen Dai used to look at him with admiration, the more he couldn’t bear the resistance and alienation from this person.
Yes, his desire for Shen Dai was just a side effect of the ‘marking’. Or at least that’s what he told himself. But what about the year before his susceptible period? There was never a day he truly forgot about Shen Dai. He was being angry, missing him, worrying about him, to the point of being unable to bear it anymore. How could he explain that? He could only find a similar emotion in the secular world—liking him.
He didn’t think he needed to reject the emergence of feelings. After all, he is human too. But he had to control the impact of emotions on his decision-making. He couldn’t allow Shen Dai, who could influence him, to remain outside his control. What he needed, he had to get. He needed Shen Dai.
But Shen Dai kept rejecting him, no matter how he tried to persuade him with reason or promises, no matter how much he coaxed or pressured him. He’s clearly just an omega without any power to resist. But how could he be so stubborn, so unyielding? It made Qu Moyu anxious, unsettled, and losing his dignity.
Shen Dai’s influence on him had reached a level that frightened him. How could he continue to let himself and Shen Dai go on like this?
At that moment, a nurse knocked and entered the room.
Shen Dai turned his face away and stood up.
The nurse took Qiu Qiu’s temperature and smiled, “The fever has indeed gone down. Did he just have some milk?”
“Yes.”
“Then he should be fine soon. After a few more meals, and once he gains strength, he’ll recover. That’s how it is with children.”
Shen Dai sighed in relief. “Thank you.”
The nurse gave a few more instructions and then left the room.
Shen Dai took off Qu Moyu’s jacket and handed it back to him. “Mr. Qu, you should go back. I’ll stay here with Qiu Qiu tonight.”
Qu Moyu looked at Shen Dai. His pupils were dark and deep. “I’ll stay here with him too. My pheromones can soothe Qiu Qiu. He has already accepted me.”
“He’s just sick. Once he gets better, you won’t need to trouble yourself.” Shen Dai kept holding out the jacket. His expression was indifferent. “Mr. Qu, thank you for today. Please go back.”
A sharp glint flashed in Qu Moyu’s eyes. He grabbed the jacket and, using the momentum, pulled Shen Dai into his arms. He tightly embraced him. The faint scent of night-blooming epiphyllum filled his senses. Once Qu Moyu had Shen Dai in his arms, he didn’t want to let go.
Shen Dai was startled but immediately remembered that Qiu Qiu was still sleeping nearby. He struggled and whispered sharply, “Let go!” Qu Moyu’s arms were as hard as iron, trapping him in a narrow cage from which no amount of shouting or resistance could free him. How on earth could he escape!
“Ah Dai,” Qu Moyu’s voice was hoarse, conveying an unadorned pain, “don’t be so stubborn. Come back to me, okay? We can be like we used to be.” For someone who had never pleaded in his life, this was as close as it got.
“I don’t want to be like we used to be.” In the past, you enjoyed all the benefits while I bore all the pain.
A twisted pain and chilling coldness flashed in Qu Moyu’s eyes. His body gradually became rigid. He released Shen Dai. And after a deep look at his omega and his son, he grabbed his jacket and walked out without looking back.
Shen Dai slept fitfully for a few hours in the hospital, waking at the slightest movement from Qiu Qiu. But at least he got some rest.
After checking Qiu Qiu’s temperature in the morning, Shen Dai took him and left.
When he returned to Cheng Zimei’s house, Cheng Zimei had already gone to work. He settled Qiu Qiu and started replying to messages from Bai Xiangwan and Xiao Die. Although they had been in contact over the past few days since he returned to the capital, he hadn’t told them about Qiu Qiu’s fever. As usual, he took a photo of Qiu Qiu sleeping to reassure them.
A while later, Bai Xiangwan called him.
Shen Dai knew Bai Xiangwan was probably calling about his resignation. After thinking it over, he decided to tell the truth. Having a dismissal on his record would certainly hinder his job search since headhunters could find out everything. But as long as the hiring company didn’t mind, it wouldn’t be an issue for now.
However, after hearing the story, Bai Xiangwan was still outraged. “What kind of bullshit logic is that? Wasn’t the extended sick leave approved by Qu Moyu himself? Why is he deliberately making things difficult for you?”
“We had some unpleasantness between us.” Shen Dai didn’t want to continue this topic. So he forced a light-hearted laugh. “Anyway, I finally resigned. I have some things to handle, and I’ll go back to Lancheng in a couple of days.” He needed to make sure Qiu Qiu was completely better before daring to fly again.
“Alright. If you encounter any difficulties, just let me know. There’s already a position waiting for you here.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother Bai.”
“Don’t be so formal with me. How’s Qiu Qiu? I kind of miss him.” Bai Xiangwan laughed. “It felt noisy with him around. But now it’s strange not hearing him cry.”
“He’s doing well. And he was very affectionate with my grandmother,” Shen Dai said with a smile. “He must be missing you and Xiao Die too.”
Bai Xiangwan paused, his voice softening, “Ah Dai, come home soon.”
Shen Dai felt a warmth in his heart. “Okay.”
After hanging up, Shen Dai began planning his next steps.
When he left in a hurry before, he didn’t bring many things. Since this time he was moving for real, he had to send some items ahead. He needed to discuss this with his grandmother and pick a time to go back and pack when Shen Qin wasn’t home. His grandmother mentioned that Shen Qin seemed to have a new boyfriend and was often out recently. Fortunately, Shen Qin had taken money from Qu Chengchen and hired two nannies on rotation to take care of his grandmother. Since his grandmother was unwilling to go to Lancheng with him, he would leave the house for her. As long as she lived there, he could have some peace of mind.
Leaving his hometown would inevitably cause some pain. But wherever he and Qiu Qiu were together would be home for them.
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Next update: 2022.07.12
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*Proofread by 2024.08.17* I will proofread these chapters slowly and randomly when I’m free. So please understand if there are any delays or discrepancies. TQ.
Proofread version of the rest of the novel will only be available on Novels Space.space while Mature Chapters will be released on my Blog.
