Hiiragi Yu paused, processing the words with a slight delay. His eyes widened in bewilderment, and his hands moved quickly into signs.
【There is no need to trouble yourself…】
Cheng Shenzhi interrupted him again gently. “It’s hard to get a taxi in this weather.” He shifted his gaze toward Hiiragi Satoru, who was fast asleep and leaning heavily against Yu’s chest, before adding with a faint smile, “Besides, the child should go home and rest.”
That reasoning completely dismantled Yu’s defenses. Hesitating, he raised a hand to point toward the horizon.
【Over in the east side of the city.】
Cheng Shenzhi nodded smoothly. “Coincidentally, my home is in that direction, too.”
Huh? Yu looked up in surprise.
【Really?】
Before Shenzhi could reply, Yu caught himself, what reason would a man like Mr. Cheng have to lie to him? Flushing with mild embarrassment, Yu offered an apologetic gesture.
【Thank you for your trouble, then.】
“It’s no trouble at all,” Shenzhi replied politely.
Noticing Yu struggling to lift his sister, Shenzhi naturally reached out, stopping at a distance that felt neither overly formal nor uncomfortably intrusive. “Shall I?”
Yu’s instinct was to decline, worrying that Mr. Cheng thought he was being too slow. But whether it was his awkward posture or his sister’s dead weight, the more anxious he grew, the less strength he could muster.
The Alpha’s steady gaze remained fixed on him, throwing Yu into further fluster. A fine layer of sweat broke out across his forehead, and the corners of his eyes flushed a faint, delicate red.
Watching him, Shenzhi felt the depth of his own eyes darken imperceptibly. He suddenly recalled that night, the boy’s supple waist, and those perpetually reddened eyes. He closed his eyes briefly to suppress the memory.
Yu was still in a quiet battle with his sister. Heaven knew why sleeping children were so heavy! He had carried her countless times before… could she really have grown this fast?
Suddenly, a hand with long, distinct knuckles reached out, gently stabilizing Satoru’s limp form before another arm reached around to lift her cleanly into a secure hold. Sensing the transition, Satoru let out a small grunt and kicked her legs haphazardly in her sleep.
Yu immediately stepped closer to pat her gently, opening his mouth to soothe her out of instinct before remembering he couldn’t make a sound. He pursed his lips and fell silent.
Shenzhi lowered his gaze.
Overwhelmed by concern for his sister, the boy had momentarily dropped his guard, stepping close enough that a small patch of his usually concealed collarbone was revealed. Beneath the dim light, a fleeting, pale pink mark flashed before Shenzhi’s eyes.
Shenzhi narrowed his eyes, instinctively catching himself before trying to scent the air. Yu was a Beta, even if Shenzhi had marked him that night, three days had passed, there were no lingering pheromones left to trace.
An involuntary pang of dark regret flared in his chest, a possessive, wicked streak inherent to his Alpha nature. Realizing the turn his thoughts had taken, Shenzhi caught himself and frowned in self-disgust.
It all happened in a split second. Distracted by his sister, Yu remained completely unaware of the dark storm passing through the mind of the man beside him.
Satoru settled quietly against Shenzhi’s chest, fast asleep and showing none of her usual mischievous energy. Watching her sleeping face, Yu suddenly realized that their own father had never held her like this. A quiet ache pressed into his heart, he truly felt sorry for her.
“Shall we go?”
The deep voice sounded from directly above him, so close that Yu fancied he could feel the faint breath brush against the back of his neck. Realizing he was standing far too close, Yu hurriedly took two steps back. He opened his hands to explain his abrupt movement, but realized there was nothing to explain, he had been the one to step close first, only to pull away without reason.
Shenzhi didn’t seem to mind. As Yu hesitated, the apologies on his fingertips faded away.
【You seem very experienced at holding children…】
“Is that so?” Shenzhi replied noncommittally. He glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms, then up at Yu, who looked somewhat lost in thought. “I have younger brothers at home.”
【You must have a very good relationship with them.】
Shenzhi paused. A subtle, indescribable expression flickered across his features before he offered a succinct, “It’s decent.”
Sensing the man’s reluctance to elaborate, Yu obediently kept quiet and followed behind him. As they reached the exit of the cafe, Yu quickened his pace to grab an umbrella from the stand, eager to make himself useful. Mr. Cheng was holding his sister, after all, and it would be terribly impolite to let him handle everything.
Shenzhi paused slightly. It was one of the few times Yu had proactively taken the initiative around him. Seeing the faint flush on the boy’s cheeks from moving so quickly, Shenzhi nodded. “Thank you.”
Yu shook his head, popping the umbrella open as they stepped beneath the eaves. Shenzhi ducked slightly under the canopy and stepped out beside him.
The rain had intensified, pooling into large puddles along the curb. Struggling against the wind to keep the umbrella steady over Shenzhi and his sister, Yu completely neglected his own side, letting half his shoulder get soaked.
Shenzhi frowned. “Come closer.”
The noise of the rain drowned out his voice. Yu turned to him with a blank, inquiring look. His soft, fluffy hair was now damp and drooping, sending stray raindrops sliding down his cheeks and past his eyes, leaving wet trails like a bird with damp feathers.
The image hit Shenzhi with a sudden, vivid echo of that night. He closed his eyes, steadying his breath. “Excuse me,” he murmured softly.
This time Yu heard him, but before he could process the phrase, Shenzhi had already stepped in close. Their shoulders brushed, their arms pressed together beneath the narrow canopy.
Aside from his sister, Yu was rarely this close to anyone, least of all a fully grown Alpha, even one working so consciously to suppress his innate dominance. Every nerve in Yu’s body went taut with discomfort, yet he forced himself to stay still, comforting himself with a quiet thought. At least Mr. Cheng isn’t saying anything overwhelming now. Sharing an umbrella in heavy rain is completely normal.
Reassuring himself with this logic, he intentionally ignored the heavy gaze that remained fixed on his face the entire walk to the car.
The sleek car idled near the curb. Shenzhi carefully settled Satoru into the back seat first, then took the umbrella and signaled for Yu to get in.
The interior was immaculate, reflective of its owner’s meticulous nature. Yu hesitated for a second at the door, carefully wringing the water from the hem of his jacket before ducking inside. He immediately scooted into the far corner, tucking his arms close to take up as little space as possible so as not to crowd Mr. Cheng, even though the back seat was spacious enough to fit several more people comfortably.
Observing the boy’s guarded movements, Shenzhi was once again reminded of that night. The setting was similar, yet the dynamic between them had shifted into something far more complicated.
“Let’s go,” Shenzhi instructed as he joined him inside. “To the residence in the east end.”
Assistant Tao was in the driver’s seat. He had been genuinely startled when he saw his boss carrying a child alongside Hiiragi Yu, assuming they were taking the young man back to his own place.
Hearing the destination, Assistant Tao froze for a fraction of a second. Does the boss even own a property in the east district? Still, his hands moved with practiced efficiency as he put his foot on the accelerator.
Silence settled over the cabin. Shenzhi slowly rubbed his thumb against his forefinger, wondering if now was the time to address what had happened between them. He hadn’t fully figured out how to handle the situation himself, and pressing a young man who had barely reached adulthood felt unfair.
Yet Yu was undeniably the victim, and he deserved clarity. Truthfully, had it been anyone else, Shenzhi would have resolved it quickly, money, resources, and connections were the bargaining chips he knew best.
Instead, this boy was far too obedient, almost painfully cautious, and visibly intent on avoiding him. Shenzhi was not blind to it.
As he remained lost in thought, Yu nervously clenched his fingers and extended his phone toward him.
The interior of the car was dark, and Mr. Cheng had seemed distant ever since they sat down. After a long period of internal debate, Yu had defaulted back to the safest form of communication he knew.
Shenzhi was slightly surprised. He didn’t take the phone immediately, leaning in slightly to read the screen in the dim light.
[My uncle only returned to the city recently, so I don’t know him very well… but he goes to the Morning Light Welfare Home every Tuesday afternoon, the one near A University. He and my mother both grew up there.]
Reading the message, Shenzhi remembered their initial topic of conversation.
To be completely honest, while his grandfather did admire Hiiragi Hanqing, Shenzhi’s relationship with the old man wasn’t close enough to warrant personally hunting down rare background details for a gift. He had brought up the uncle merely as a gentle conversational bridge to lower the boy’s guard.
Looking up at Yu, Shenzhi offered a warm, deliberate smile. “Thank you. This is very helpful.”
Upon hearing those words, Yu visibly relaxed, the tension draining from his narrow shoulders as he returned a soft, shy smile.