On the seventh day after the new year, Zhang Peng was driving Qiao Qiao to work when they got caught in traffic.
Qiao Qiao glanced at the time and realized he might be late. “I should just take the subway.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Zhang Peng sent a quick message to his assistant, asking him to arrange for someone to pick up the car. Then the two of them headed to the subway together.
It was rush hour, and the subway was packed like a sardine can. They barely managed to squeeze in, surrounded by walls of people on all sides.
Zhang Peng used his arm to create a small space around Qiao Qiao, shielding him from the crowd. His above-average pheromones effectively blocked out the scents of the few scattered alphas, the sweat, and the body odors of most betas around them.
His pheromones were so strong and dominant that they attracted a lot of attention. Some people looked at his face, vaguely recalling that he might be a celebrity, though they couldn’t quite place him.
After all, he wasn’t someone who appeared in the media frequently.
But being a notable figure and so strikingly handsome, people naturally wanted to take a photo and share it on social media, whether it be on WeChat or Weibo.
#GuessWhoIJustSaw#
In reality, even the person posting had no idea who he was.
After circulating online for a while, someone actually recognized him.
It was the famous CEO of Yiqiao Technology from last year!
No one expected him to be so down-to-earth, even taking public transportation.
This kind of humble image is always well-received. When people saw the picture of Zhang Peng on the subway, they couldn’t help but give it a like or share it.
Soon enough, the hashtag #ZhangPengOnTheSubway# started climbing up the trending list, reaching the top twenty.
Then, someone noticed there was a person in Zhang Peng’s arms.
Could it be “Qiao”?!
The hashtag #YiqiaoCEO’sWifeFinallyRevealed# shot up to the top five in no time.
Bored netizens flooded the comments: Let me see what the CEO’s wife looks like!
However, it was impossible to get a clear view.
Zhang Peng protected his wife too well.
For a moment, single folks online started feeling envious, while those in relationships began tagging their significant others.
As the discussion heated up and people started digging into who this “wife” might be, the trending topic was suddenly removed.
All topics related to the Yiqiao CEO’s wife quietly disappeared.
At that moment, Qiao Qiao was casually looking at a flyer someone had handed him as they exited the subway.
It advertised Luxury Riverside Apartments, Schools Right at Your Doorstep, Two Steps to the Subway, Shopping Centers Everywhere.
Don’t ask—just know it’s a deal you can’t afford to miss.
Qiao Qiao folded the flyer into a paper airplane and set it aside, continuing with his lunch.
His colleague, Xiao Fang, walked over with a tray and sat next to him.
“Qiao Gong, happy new year!” He greeted cheerfully.
Qiao Qiao was puzzled. “Why so happy to be back at work?”
Xiao Fang replied righteously, “I love work! Work makes me happy.”
Seeing Xiao Fang in such high spirits, Qiao Qiao reflected on himself, thinking that he, too, should work harder this year.
For example, he could go from working out twice a week to five times a week, and from two-hour sessions to whole nights.
Xiao Fang asked, “Qiao Gong, did you check Weibo this morning? Zhang Peng is trending again. People are saying the person he was holding might be the Yiqiao CEO’s wife!”
“I didn’t see it. I was busy working this morning.” Qiao Qiao replied. “Work makes me happy.”
Xiao Fang blushed, feeling guilty. “I only took a quick peek during a break.”
Xiao Fang wasn’t in Qiao Qiao’s project group, so Qiao Qiao couldn’t really reprimand him.
“Got any pictures?” Qiao Qiao asked, suddenly interested.
The Yiqiao CEO’s wife didn’t want to be a public figure.
Xiao Fang quickly said, “I was fast enough to save it! The trend only lasted about ten minutes!” He pulled out his phone to show Qiao Qiao the picture while lamenting, “It seems like Zhang Peng has a PR team now. The topic was removed so quickly.”
Qiao Qiao glanced at the photo. It was taken on the subway, so blurry you could barely make out that it was a person.
Relieved, he said, “You guys actually recognized that as Zhang Peng?”
Xiao Fang replied, “Zhang Peng has a lot of fans now. He’s practically becoming a national husband.”
“That won’t do. Zhang Peng already has someone he loves.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Xiao Fang said, laughing. “We’re just joking around. I didn’t expect you to take it so seriously, though.”
Qiao Qiao said earnestly, “Of course, because Zhang Peng is my husband.”
“Pfft.” Xiao Fang burst out laughing, almost losing his head. Qiao Gong was always so humorous—it was one of the things Xiao Fang loved about chatting with him.
Qiao Qiao pointed at the person in Zhang Peng’s arms in the photo. “Don’t you think that person looks a lot like me?”
“Definitely.” Xiao Fang played along.
Qiao Qiao: “…”
Xiao Fang: “…”
Feeling he might have said something wrong and needing to make up for it, Xiao Fang noticed the paper airplane on the table.
It looked like it was made from a flyer, and he saw the words Riverside Apartment on it.
“Are you thinking of buying a house, Qiao Gong?” Xiao Fang quickly switched topics.
“I’ve considered it.” Qiao Qiao said. “If you know of any good properties, feel free to recommend them.”
Xiao Fang replied, “I made a spreadsheet, listing various neighborhoods, their layouts, prices, and nearby amenities…”
Qiao Qiao was impressed. “You really planned ahead.”
Xiao Fang sighed, “I prepared everything, except the money.”
Qiao Qiao offered a token sympathy, “That’s a sad story.”
Knowing how rich Qiao Qiao was, Xiao Fang couldn’t help but shed tears for himself as a single man.
Before the end of the day, Xiao Fang remembered and sent the spreadsheet to Qiao Qiao.
“I’ve organized it super thoroughly!”
“Thanks, thanks.”
Qiao Qiao forwarded it to Zhang Peng.
Zhang Peng was too busy to pick him up, so he sent an assistant instead. But he replied on WeChat: “I’m a bit tied up right now, but I’ll look at it later.”
Qiao Qiao replied, “No rush.” and then got into the assistant’s car.
While chatting with the assistant about the day’s trending topic, the assistant reassured him that the matter had been handled by professionals.
“You don’t have to worry about it reaching your level.”
It was such a classy, high-society gesture.
Qiao Qiao thought to himself, My Peng Peng has really grown up.
But he didn’t know that removing a trending topic was just the beginning. The marketing accounts that tried to dig into Qiao Qiao’s identity all crashed that day, and major media outlets received a notice that any reports on Zhang Peng’s private life were off-limits, comparable to how Wei Zong’s affairs were handled.
Some bold individuals tried to investigate further, finding out where Qiao Qiao worked and attempting to stake out Chuangwei Microchip, only to end up getting detained.
The police explained they had received reports (read: orders from higher up) about a stalker, and the suspect was detained for half a month.
All of this went unnoticed by Qiao Qiao, who was too nervous about meeting Zhang Peng’s parents for Lantern Festival to care about anything else.
On the day of the Lantern Festival, Qiao Qiao was as nervous as he was on his first date with Zhang Peng, trying on one outfit after another.
Zhang Peng questioned this, “Weren’t you just wearing a white shirt and jeans the first time we met?”
Though years had passed, he still felt his heart flutter when he remembered the gentle youth from that day. But that outfit didn’t seem like something carefully chosen.
Qiao Qiao explained, “There are different kinds of white shirts, and jeans vary too.”
Zhang Peng was baffled.
This was clearly a knowledge gap for a science guy.
Qiao Qiao glanced at Zhang Peng’s wardrobe, filled only with tailored suits. “I can’t count on you. Come on, take a picture of me and send it to Jiang Wan for advice.”
Zhang Peng became alert, focusing intently on the differences in each outfit Qiao Qiao tried on.
He didn’t want to be outdone by another man!
But in the end, he was at a loss. “They all look great. How do we choose?”
So, he took full-body photos of Qiao Qiao and sent them to Jiang Wan, asking for his input.
Jiang Wan quickly chose one and even reminded Qiao Qiao, “Loosen the top button on that shirt, and your coat’s collar is a bit wrinkled—try ironing it out.”
Qiao Qiao followed the advice, ironing his coat again before finally leaving the house. By then, it was already getting late.
Zhang Peng had to tell the assistant to drive a bit faster.
Qiao Qiao, feeling a bit guilty, saw Zhang Peng’s family group chat.
Zhang Jia’s Sweet Trio (3)
Zhang Peng: We’ll be home in twenty minutes. Get ready. @Old Zhang @Liu Nüshi
Old Zhang: Drive slowly!
Zhang Peng: Don’t worry, the assistant drives steadily.
Old Zhang: No, your mom’s still doing her makeup. Give her some time.
Zhang Peng chuckled, “Check out my mom.”
But Qiao Qiao found Liu Nüshi endearing.
When they arrived at Zhang Peng’s place, Zhang Peng was just about to take out his keys when he noticed the door was wide open, and Liu Nüshi’s angry voice echoed from inside.
“Take your things back! Don’t even think about using us!”
Zhang Peng frowned and quickly walked in.
Inside, a disheveled beta man with stubble was holding a bottle of Maotai liquor and a carton of Soft Zhonghua cigarettes.
He bumped into Zhang Peng head-on, his initial worry turning into joy.
He had only come to see if he could leverage his connection with Zhang Peng’s parents. Who would have thought he’d run into Zhang Peng himself?
The beta quickly introduced himself, “Zhang Peng, I’m Old Chen from Pearl Jade Capital. Do you remember me?”
Zhang Peng recognized the face, and when the man introduced himself as Chen, he instantly recalled.
It was the same Chen from that time he was left waiting on a cold bench.
Qiao Qiao’s memory was excellent. He remembered Zhang Peng mentioning the time Pearl Jade Capital had turned him down. This must be the guy who stood Zhang Peng up.
Qiao Qiao stepped forward protectively, his expression unfriendly. “Chen Zong, what are you doing here?”
Chen Zong noticed the closeness between Qiao Qiao and Zhang Peng and quickly surmised that this attractive young beta must be the rumored love interest of Zhang Peng.
“I’m just here for the Lantern Festival, making a visit.” Chen Zong said with a forced smile. “I’m Ah Shun’s cousin. Zhang Peng, I even held you when you were a baby…”
But before he could finish, Liu Nüshi, holding a feather duster, chased after him, causing him to lose his train of thought.
Tears welled up in Chen Zong’s eyes. “Ah Shun, please have mercy. I’m too old to lose my job now. How will I survive?”
Liu Nüshi replied, “Back then, I gave you a five-thousand-yuan gift, and you promised to help Peng Peng. It’s like throwing buns to a dog—the dog at least wags its tail at me. You want my help now? Fine, return the five thousand first.”
Chen Zong stammered, “We’re family. Why talk about money?”
Liu Nüshi’s eyebrows shot up. “Who said we’re family?”
Chen Zong realized his distant cousin wasn’t to be trifled with, and seeing the fierce expression on Qiao Qiao’s face, he quickly decided to cut his losses.
“Let’s not talk about this today. It’s a holiday—no need to hurt our feelings. Happy Lantern Festival, I’ll be going now.”
Liu Nüshi spat, “What kind of uncle do you think you are?”
Chen Zong didn’t dare respond, quickly making his exit.
Liu Nüshi stood with her hands on her hips, still fuming as she watched him leave. Just as she was about to curse him further, someone tugged at her sleeve.
She turned around impatiently, only to see Old Zhang. In a gruff voice, she asked, “What is it?”
Old Zhang nodded toward something behind her.
Following his gaze, she saw Qiao Qiao standing there, looking at her with a sweet and innocent expression.
Liu Nüshi, who had planned to present herself as a well-mannered and refined mother-in-law: “…”
After an awkward silence, Old Zhang stiffly said, “Peng Peng, why are you and Xiao Qiao still standing at the door? Come inside, come inside.”
Zhang Peng nodded, taking Qiao Qiao’s hand and leading him in.
Liu Nüshi hesitated for a moment, then said, “Oh, the soup in the kitchen is still on the stove. I’d better go check if it’s ready.”
Qiao Qiao didn’t have a chance to call her “Auntie” before she scurried off. He had to settle for smiling at Old Zhang, calling him “Uncle.” and then presenting the gifts he had brought.
Old Zhang, saying, “There’s no need to be so polite.” took the gifts, fetched slippers for Qiao Qiao, and hung up his coat.
The food had long been ready, but even so, Liu Nüshi seemed content to hide in the kitchen forever. Old Zhang eventually had to drag her out.
During dinner, the usually talkative Liu Nüshi kept her head down, only sipping her wine, clearly feeling embarrassed.
Zhang Peng asked her, “Mom, is Chen Zong really a relative of ours? Why haven’t you mentioned him before?”
Liu Nüshi mumbled, “He’s a distant relative, far beyond the fifth degree of kinship.”
Old Zhang explained, “At that time, he was a big-shot executive, and we were just ordinary people—how could we consider him family? But your mom heard you mention how tough it was to secure investments, and that’s when she remembered him. She didn’t want to burden you, so she took it upon herself to reach out to this distant cousin, offering a five-thousand-yuan red envelope just to get him to look at your proposal.”
Touched by this reminder, Liu Nüshi raised her head, eyes blazing with anger. “He took the money and did nothing! It wasn’t enough that he didn’t help, but now he’s lost money on other investments and wants you to talk to Wei Zong for him. I’ve never seen someone with such thick skin!”
She managed to avoid using the word “damn” but only barely.
She glanced nervously at Qiao Qiao. She usually didn’t swear much, but she couldn’t help it when she got worked up.
Would her future daughter-in-law think she was uncouth?
Her heart was full of unease.
But Qiao Qiao echoed, “People like that deserve to be thrown out with a big stick.”
Liu Nüshi was taken aback. She had assumed that Qiao Qiao, coming from an academic family and holding a doctorate, would look down on her small-minded ways. Who would have guessed that he was so focused on Zhang Peng’s well-being that he didn’t care about her rough edges at all?
With her face glowing, Liu Nüshi asked, “Xiao Qiao, you’ve read a lot of books. Do you think Auntie handled it well?” She noticed Old Zhang shaking his head and quickly added, “But I shouldn’t have spent that five thousand yuan in the first place. It’s karma for trying to pull strings—I should have known better.”
Qiao Qiao replied sincerely, “Auntie, seeing you reminds me of my own mom. She’s the same—tough on the outside, but with a heart full of love, always looking out for me.”
Zhang Peng nodded in agreement. “I did wonder why Pearl Jade Capital was suddenly interested in my small company’s proposal. Now I know it was because Mom was helping me behind the scenes.”
“Auntie has it tough—she probably had to put up with a lot.” Qiao Qiao added.
By the end of dinner, Liu Nüshi was so happy that she slipped away to add another five thousand yuan to Qiao Qiao’s red envelope before handing it over.
It was so full it almost burst.
Zhang Peng remarked, “Liu Nüshi, why don’t you just transfer the money?”
“Don’t you understand the importance of ceremony?” she retorted. “Besides, it’s not for you, so why are you so anxious?”
Zhang Peng was confused.
When he visited Qiao Qiao’s family, they each received a red envelope.
But Liu Nüshi had already taken Qiao Qiao’s hand warmly, telling him that if Zhang Peng ever mistreated him, he should call her immediately—she would come and set him straight.
When Zhang Peng tried to say, “Who would dare bully him?” she seized the opportunity to scold him for quite some time, harping on his attitude.
Zhang Peng, billionaire CEO: Life is too hard…
===The Wedding Boundary===
After meeting each other’s families, buying a new home, getting their marriage license, and planning the wedding all became top priorities.
At first, Qiao Qiao went house-hunting by himself, finding it difficult to decide.
Sometimes the layout wasn’t right, or the floor was too high or too low, or the location wasn’t ideal… It seemed impossible to find a perfect home.
But when Zhang Peng found some time to join him, they quickly made decisions.
Is the city center property too small? Buy it as a commuter home.
Is the lakeside property only available on the lower floors? Buy a small villa instead—no worries about sunlight.
Is the suburban property near the mountains with great views but inconvenient transportation? Buy a villa for summer vacations and keep a car in the garage.
In short, just buy them all.
Old Qiao and Su Ya were taken aback by how they bought houses like groceries.
Although they knew Zhang Peng’s business was booming, this kind of spending was beyond their expectations.
Old Zhang and Liu Nüshi, however, felt Zhang Peng was doing the right thing.
Ever since they sold six of their eight houses, keeping just one to live in and one to rent out, they hadn’t felt secure.
They didn’t understand stocks or blockchain, but owning property made them feel grounded.
Zhang Peng bought several homes, putting both his and Qiao Qiao’s names on the deeds.
Old Qiao and Su Ya were somewhat worried, fearing their in-laws might have concerns.
But Old Zhang and Liu Nüshi took the initiative to explain that if it weren’t for Qiao Qiao’s unwavering support, Zhang Peng wouldn’t be where he was today.
Liu Nüshi said, “They’ve been through thick and thin together, so now they must share the good times too.”
For years, Qiao Qiao had lived with Zhang Peng in rented apartments. There was a long period when Zhang Peng couldn’t even pay the rent, so Qiao Qiao essentially supported him.
Old Qiao marveled to Su Ya, saying it’s no wonder they raised such a good son.
Su Ya chuckled, “You used to look down on him.”
“That’s ancient history.” Su Ya replied with a smile.
When Zhang Peng graduated and decided to start his own business, there were years when he couldn’t even pay the rent, leaving the burden entirely on Qiao Qiao’s shoulders. Back then, she only felt sorry for her son.
Now she realized her son had good judgment.
But Qiao Qiao told Su Ya, “Mom, it’s not about good judgment. I just love him with all my heart.”
After all, someone who could make Qiao Qiao love him so completely couldn’t be anything but exceptional, right?
While buying homes, they also started planning the wedding.
No matter how busy Zhang Peng was, he always made time to discuss wedding details with Qiao Qiao.
Over three months, they traveled to various locations, eventually creating a ten-minute VR video.
Zhang Peng also arranged for a spectacular light show with 999 drones, which was in rehearsals.
They had been preparing for this wedding for a long time, and Zhang Peng didn’t plan to keep it low-key—he wanted the whole world to know he had found the love of his life, to ward off any lingering omega suitors.
But in reality, the wedding itself wasn’t very large.
Only close friends and family were invited, which was enough for them.
Xiao Fang was invited to the wedding, unaware that his invitation was being traded at sky-high prices in certain circles. After all, Wei Ning, the CEO of Wei Corporation, would be there.
If someone could attend and maybe even sit at the same table as Wei Zong, it could set them up for life.
Arriving at the wedding, Xiao Fang saw Zhang Peng on stage, his usually stern face softened with deep affection for Qiao Qiao. Only one thought circled in his mind: Qiao Gong’s lover is really Zhang Peng, ah ah ah!!!
Xiao Fang trembled: I only gave two thousand yuan as a gift… Was it too little…?
However, his worries about his inadequate gift soon vanished.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine drones soared into the sky, hovering for a few seconds before forming a fiery phoenix.
The lines formed by the drones were so fluid and graceful, unlike the stiff, rough displays commonly seen.
The phoenix circled the city once before returning to the wedding venue.
In the next breath, the phoenix exploded like fireworks, lighting up the entire night sky.
The drones scattered, resembling countless stars, creating a breathtakingly romantic scene.
They then regrouped, their lights turning a warm orange, slowly forming the word “Qiao.”
Yiqiao Technology is a love letter to Qiao.
Everyone remembered that saying.
The wedding was filled with guests marveling at the spectacle.
The cost of the light show was secondary; what mattered was the sentiment behind it.
It was said that the technical difficulty was so high that the company rehearsing the drone formation earned a Guinness World Record!
It was also rumored that Zhang Peng personally oversaw the entire rehearsal process.
At the main table, Wei Ning listened to the envious and congratulatory words around him. As the music started, couples rose from the table to join the dance floor. Even a beta who seemed like a lone wolf had someone invite him to dance (Xiao Fang: QAQ).
But Wei Ning remained alone, sitting in solitude.
He thought to himself: Just wait. Marriage is like a fortress. Once the honeymoon phase ends, they’ll probably end up like me, attending weddings without their spouse.
He waited to see Zhang Peng’s marriage falter.
But to his surprise, he ended up waiting decades. The Yiqiao couple’s love only grew stronger, year after year, never changing.
Once, an omega who had repeatedly tried and failed to seduce Zhang Peng asked Qiao Qiao: “As a beta, why are you never worried that your alpha will lose control? The allure of pheromones is irresistible.”
Without overthinking it, Qiao Qiao replied, “Our desire for each other far surpasses the stimulation of pheromones. If pheromones are like an aphrodisiac for the body, then we must be addicted to each other’s souls.”
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