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)

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After the three arrived at the hospital, the nurse vaccinated Qiuqiu.

Qiuqiu’s sense of smell is extremely keen and as soon as he smells the disinfectant, bad memories are triggered. Before this, during vaccination injection, he cried a lot all the way from entering the room until he left. But this time, he was held in his arms by Qu Moyu. With small eyebrows, he looked like he was about to turn into an earthworm. He held back from crying. He didn’t cry until the moment the needle was injected and he was quickly coaxed after the injection.

Shen Dai recalled what he had read in parenting books. Alpha pheromones can make young children feel more secure, brave and strong. During this time, Qiuqiu was indeed less sensitive and frightened. He also slept a lot at night. He didn’t want to admit it and he still had to admit that with Qu Moyu being there, it was indeed better for Qiuqiu’s physical and mental health.

After being vaccinated, they went to see Shen Dai’s grandmother again. The only one who looked after his grandmother was the nurse. Shen Qin was said to have gone out early in the morning. Shen Dai was dissatisfied but he was already used to Shen Qin’s unreliability.

His grandmother’s spirit is getting worse and worse. She spends most of the day sleeping and now she is too tired to even hold Qiuqiu in her arms. Someone must be by her side to support her arm in order for her to do it. She enjoys the best medical care here but it can only help in delaying her leaving this world someday.

His grandmother slowly gave some advice to Qu Moyu in a few words. She told him to be good to Shen Dai and Qiuqiu. She no longer had the strength to distinguish whether Qu Moyu was good or bad for him. She only knew that this was the only alpha that both Shen Dai and Qiuqiu could rely on.

Qu Moyu kept nodding his head and making promises on the side. He listened carefully like a humble student. In Shen Dai’s impression, Qu Moyu had never been so patient even with his own parents. He just watched him silently and his heart was filled with sorrow and grief. Yes, Qu Moyu will definitely treat Qiuqiu as well as he promised and he will also provide him with generous ‘offerings’ by the way. In a certain sense, with that being said, this was in line with his grandmother’s expectations.

Anyone who sees this absurd plot will probably only congratulate him that ‘he and his son are precious’. No one can understand his inner despair.

They had lunch with his grandmother before they left the hospital.

In the car, Qu Moyu comforted Shen Dai: “At least with her being here, with mild treatment, grandma won’t have too much pain.”

Shen Dai nodded: “I’m mentally prepared.”

“I’ll accompany you.” Qu Moyu held Shen Dai’s hand again, “Any time you want.”

Shen Dai didn’t hold back the warm and powerful hand but he didn’t pull it back either. For a moment, he thought that he could just keep pretending like this. He could keep pretending that he didn’t know anything. He didn’t need to expose Qu Moyu’s reason for being ‘affectionate’. He could just cooperate with the play of this so-called ‘family’ so that everyone except him would be satisfied. Isn’t that the best thing to do for Qiuqiu?

He has no answer. And he has no plan. He dragged his tired and hurt body for a long time, but he still can’t see the light. Maybe when he no longer expects to ‘get out’ of the dark cave and no longer pursue anything, everything will naturally come to him. It really doesn’t matter anymore.

***

They returned to the Qu family’s old house, but Qu Shen was not there. Madam Qu said that he received a call from work and hurried out.

Shen Dai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Facing Qu Shen is more pressuring on him than facing Qu Moyu.

Qu Moyu said unhappily: “He wants us to come back for dinner and he is not here. I will bring Ah Dai and Qiuqiu back today. I can’t put anything aside just for him.” He took out his mobile phone and wanted to make a call. He needed Qu Shen to see that Qiuqiu and him had become close.

Madam Qu persuaded him: “Forget it. It’s not like you don’t know him yet. The three of us can just eat together.” She held Qiuqiu in her arms and kissed him over and over. She seems to look more relaxed with her husband’s absence.

Qu Moyu thought about what she said for a while and put down his phone. Anyway, they were going to stay until the night and his father would definitely come back by then.

This is the first time Qiuqiu has come to the old house. All the helpers in the family have come to see the young master. Half of these people have worked in the Qu family for two generations and served Qu Moyu when he grew up. Now that they see that he has a child, they are very happy. The wonderful appearance of Qiuqiu is really attractive.

Madam Qu took the child to Zhang Luo for dinner and Qu Moyu took Shen Dai to ‘look around’ in the old house.

This is not the first time Shen Dai has come here, but it is the first time he really came to look around. Qu Moyu took him to see the room he stayed in when he was a child and told him that he moved out after he became an adult at the age of eighteen. Tus, this bedroom is still full of the youthful atmosphere. There are many collections and toys belonging to little boys and things used for studying and learning. There are some sports awards and many books far beyond his young age to read.

The growth of an S-class top alpha is full of dazzling experiences like dealing with the gods.

Qu Moyu took Shen Dai to every corner of the house, followed his growth trajectory and memory path, and shared his childhood and youth with Shen Dai. It was the first time he did such a thing. He didn’t think he needed to share his past with anyone, but now he wanted Shen Dai to understand him. And he hoped that Shen Dai would have more contact with him. What an interesting thing. He was so eager to get closer to a person, from his body to his heart. And also from his heart to his body.

Shen Dai was a little resistant in his heart. This is because the act of sharing the past represented too much meaning, which would greatly shorten the distance between people. But he couldn’t help but to still listen and observe carefully. Even when he saw Qu Moyu’s photo in middle school, in every episode of the past that he was brought into, there was the figure of that handsome boy.

When walking to the garden, Shen Dai found that many Epiphyllums were planted here. When he first came here, he remembered that there were no short-lived flowers in the garden.

Qu Moyu also looked at those short-lived flowers. They were collected by his parents when he was tortured to the point of death during the susceptible period. Most of these flowers were collected within a few days. With them blossoming, he built a nest with Shen Dai’s clothes. Accompanied by the fragrant scent of Epiphyllum, he survived the fatal torment. Looking back on it, he is still terrified to the point of palpitations. He can no longer experience the second susceptible period without Shen Dai, nor can he accept the second half of his life without Shen Dai.

Qu Moyu fiddled with a full-bodied flower with his fingers while at the same time, he moved closer to Shen Dai’s ear and said softly, “It’s all for you. Whether you like it or not.”

An electric current slipped through Shen Dai’s body and he took a half step back. He said indifferently: “They can’t survive during the winter.”

“When it’s cold, they will be moved indoors. They will be raised well. And they will be planted in my own home and my office.” Qu Moyu hugged Shen Dai from behind. He shook him gently and kissed his cheek softly, “In the future, everywhere we live will be full of Epiphyllum. And when the flowers bloom, we will appreciate the flowers together as a family, okay?”

Shen Dai felt a little sting in his eyes.

“Okay? Ah Dai?” Qu Moyu rubbed his nose against Shen Dai’s smooth cheeks, absorbing the faint pheromone scent emanating from his glands, “You are so fragrant. Epiphyllum is the best smelling flower in the world.”

Shen Dai closed his eyes in pain.

*** 

Qu Shen did not come back until after dinner. He still had that unsmiling appearance, which made it hard to fathom his emotions. But when he saw Qiuqiu, his expression obviously changed. He even had a faint smile.

“Come. Let me hold the child.” Qu Shen waved to Madam Qu.

Madam Qu glanced at Shen Dai and held Qiuqiu to Qu Shen’s side.

Qu Shen took Qiuqiu. He looked at his beautiful eyebrows carefully and said with emotion, “This child is too similar to Moyu when he was a child.”

Qiuqiu seemed a little uncomfortable, so he kicked Qu Shen a little.

“Oh, he’s really energetic.” Qu Shen smiled, with a certain pride on his face, “He is similar to Moyu.”

Madam Qu also looked at Qiuqiu lovingly: “Yeah, he’s really like him.”

Qu Moyu said: “Really? I think he is more like Ah Dai.” 

“Like both of you. Looks like both.” Madam Qu touched Qiuqiu’s head, “His brows are more like yours and his mouth is more like Ah Dai’s.”

Shen Dai hoped in his heart that Qiuqiu would cry quickly. Maybe Qiuqiu really received his father’s ‘hope’. So he became more and more impatient and finally hummed.

“He’s going to cry. Give him to me.” Qu Moyu reached out and held Qiuqiu. He patted his little chest skillfully and showed off to his parents, not forgetting to emphasise, “Qiuqiu is very close to me now.”

Qu Shen nodded with satisfaction: “Very good. It should be like that.”

Shen Dai stood aside, watching their Qu family hold and discuss matters regarding his child. But he was like an outsider and he felt very uncomfortable.

“Father, Qiuqiu is so healthy and beautiful. This is because Shen Dai was born and raised well.”

Madam Qu also said, “Yes, Ah Dai used to take care of the child alone. It was so hard and he took care of Qiuqiu so well. “

Qu Shen nodded. He looked at Shen Dai. His eyes could be called looking somewhat kind. Before this, he looked at Shen Dai as if he was nothing. He then said: “Xiao Shen, it’s hard for you. No matter what, Qiuqiu is still the baby of our Qu family.”

Shen Dai didn’t know how to react.

“I was really against you being together at first and I hope you can understand me too. The last marriage arrangement was mixed with a lot of benefits, which you can only imagine. But now that you have such a good relationship and already have a child, many things seem to be more logical this way.” Qu Shen stared at Shen Dai and said with a smile, “Moyu has to be filial to his late grandfather for three years. It’s still less than two years right now. He can’t get married yet. You can let Qiuqiu return to the Qu’s family first and wait for three years. After that, you two can get married.”

Shen Dai’s eyes narrowed.

Qu Moyu and Madam Qu were also surprised. Originally, they hoped to convince Qu Shen to accept Shen Dai and Qiuqiu step by step. Unexpectedly, they didn’t say anything and Qu Shen already agreed to their marriage.

“Father, we…”

Qu Shen raised his hand to stop Qu Moyu: “Don’t worry. When the time for filial piety is up, you have the final say on what you want and what to do with the wedding. But the child can’t continue to be an illegitimate child all the time. First, put Qiuqiu’s custody in Qu’s family and change his surname. All his future living standards, educational expenses, trusts, insurance, funds, and shares will be given to the eldest grandson of the Qu family.”

“No!” Shen Dai said solemnly.

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Next update: 2022.08.30

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*Translator’s note: Well, can you guys guess why Qu Shen acted like that? Yes. You’re right. Shen Qin that asshole really…grrrrrr -K