The Hand He Wasn’t Allowed to Touch

In the dim lighting, Zhao Shu might not be able to see Wu Qie’s face clearly.

But he absolutely recognized the bandages wrapped around that wrist.

That was his handiwork.

That afternoon, despite radiating reluctance from every pore, Zhao Shu had still been dragged to the infirmary by his brother to bandage Wu Qie.

“What’s the point of bandaging this? It’s barely red. Not even broken skin. Compared to that, Lin Zuwen was carried out of class.”

“Zhao Shu.”

“I only squeezed lightly. If it turned this red, that just means he’s unhealthy. Too much internal dampness—”

“Zhao Shu.”

Zhao Guipu called his name again.

“Can you shut up?”

It was phrased as a question.

It was not one.

So the young master shut his mouth.

Watching the black-haired Beta sit on the infirmary bed, Zhao Shu simmered with resentment.

To him, this was nothing.

Sleep it off.

No need even for medicated oil.

“Where does it hurt?” he asked impatiently.

Wu Qie shook his head.

Didn’t say he was fine either.

So Zhao Shu, expression blank, applied bruising ointment and wrapped the wrist in layer after layer of bandage.

Zhao Guipu watched the entire process in silence.

When Zhao Shu finished, Zhao Guipu spoke.

“I told you to protect your fiancé.”

“Not to become the most dangerous presence around him.”

Fiancé.

Over and over.

Zhao Shu felt his chest tighten.

He let go of Wu Qie’s hand and turned to his brother.

“I don’t like male Betas. There are six genders in this world. Every one can be soft and fragrant except male Betas and male Alphas. Isn’t this forcing someone into prostitution?”

As soon as the words fell, a hand patted his shoulder.

He turned.

The male Beta behind him sighed.

“That’s not how you use that phrase.”

As if he hadn’t paid attention in Chinese class.

Zhao Shu fell silent.

Swatted the hand away.

“You want to marry me?”

He remembered clearly.

In his mocking tone, Wu Qie had paused.

Smiled cautiously.

Shook his head.

“Not particularly.”

“Then why don’t you resist?”

“I tried. No one listened.”

“….”

Fair enough.

And yet—

That same night, here he was at a nightclub blind date.

Flirting with Omegas.

Making eyes at Alphas.

If he himself didn’t even like Betas, why force Zhao Shu to swallow one?

Going for trendy open marriage?

Playing separate games?

Then what was with acting pure and harmless in front of Zhao Guipu earlier?

Back in the present, Zhao Shu’s gaze sharpened.

When he recognized Wu Qie downstairs, he instinctively assessed the Alpha beside him.

Not ugly.

Cufflinks glittered under the lights.

But who wears cufflinks to a nightclub?

Suspicious taste.

Silver in his hair—either vanity or premature aging.

Maybe used to be wealthy.

Maybe bankrupt now.

That’s what he chose?

Avoided Zhao Shu like the plague, yet came here for some middle-aged Alpha?

Was there something wrong with his eyesight?

Did Zhao Guipu know?

That would affect the next generation.

From the railing, Zhao Shu watched as Zhang Gengxin stormed into the center of the scuffle and tore his Omega away from Wu Qie.

…

“What are you doing?”

Lan Yin turned, annoyed.

But seeing Zhang’s face, he froze.

“Planning to hang on him all night?” Zhang asked coldly. “Need milk too?”

Despite being called a brainless rich kid, Zhang came from a family that monopolized nightlife in Jiangcheng.

No one in that lineage was harmless.

Lan Yin dangled from his grip like a chick.

Tears welled instantly.

Wu Qie noticed the smeared stage makeup.

The fallen rhinestones like scattered stars.

Li Ying glanced at the time.

Show was starting soon.

No time for a crying drummer.

“Why scare him?” Wu Qie asked evenly. “Let go. He can’t breathe.”

Zhang shot him a glare.

Finally loosened his hold.

His hand had been covering Lan Yin’s gland.

Where his temporary mark still lingered.

“Why are you here?” Zhang demanded.

Wu Qie stepped slightly toward Li Ying.

“Not to join you.”

That line hit hard.

Lan Yin, as if things weren’t messy enough, protested.

“I invited you!”

“Li Ying invited me,” Wu Qie corrected gently.

Li Ying nodded.

“He’s here to meet people. Not for you.”

Lan Yin fell silent.

He wasn’t still in love.

But instinct is stubborn.

What once carried your scent doesn’t detach easily.

Zhang felt irritated seeing him teary.

His hostility toward Wu Qie remained.

“Leave,” he said coldly.

It was his venue.

Hard to argue.

Wu Qie turned to Li Ying.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have come.

“Leaving?”

Li Ying lit a cigarette.

“Open a club and chase customers away?”

Smoke mixed with apple-cider pheromones.

Zhang’s expression darkened.

“Li Ying, what are you implying?”

“I’m saying if you chase my guest out publicly, don’t expect my band back. Though I doubt this place will last long.”

The tension snapped.

Wu Qie sensed it even without pheromones.

He tried to step between them.

“Li Ying, it’s fine—”

She flicked his lip lightly with her finger.

Shut up.

This was Zhang’s territory.

No Alpha tolerated challenge in their domain.

The smell of apple cider spiked.

Zhang’s restraint snapped.

He shoved Wu Qie aside and lunged at Li Ying.

She dodged.

Wu Qie wasn’t so lucky.

He stumbled three steps.

Pain flared in his bandaged wrist.

Before he could react, the dance floor had cleared.

Cheers erupted.

Alpha fight.

Wu Qie tried grabbing Zhang from behind, but lacked the strength.

Li Ying seized the moment and smashed an ashtray against Zhang’s head.

“f*ck!”

Zhang reeled.

Turned.

Saw Wu Qie behind him.

Raised his hand to slam him down—

But another hand intercepted midair.

“Who the f*ck—?!”

Zhang shouted.

He couldn’t shake it off.

He looked up.

Zhao Shu stood behind Wu Qie.

Tall.

Expressionless.

“That’s me.”

“I told you not to touch him.”

A top-tier Alpha appearing from nowhere silenced the chaos.

Even with no pheromones released.

The nightclub went quiet for seconds.

Wu Qie turned back, confused.

Zhao Shu met his gaze coolly.

“You’re a walking disaster,” he said flatly. “Wherever you go, trouble follows.”

Wu Qie ignored the insult.

“If my wrist didn’t hurt, I would’ve grabbed him.”

Zhao Shu paused.

Then scoffed.

“What, blaming me?”

He scanned the crowd once.

Anyone itching to join backed off.

Then he grabbed Wu Qie by the collar and dragged him toward the stairs.

“Show’s over. Move.”