The next evening, Li family’s mid-mountain estate in the capital.
Since Han Qiyu gave birth, he and the child had been resting at the estate. Li Qin had been staying with them for the past few months.
“I heard last night the Third Young Master took his Alpha racing on the mountain road?”
Han Qiyu, lounging on the study sofa with a book on his lap, spoke casually. “Hasn’t he played in a while?”
Li Qin replied, “Yeah, just young people wanting fun.”
Li Xi’s Alpha was twenty-two, the perfect age for thrill-seeking.
Han Qiyu smiled, “The Third Young Master seems to really like his brother-in-law.”
It was evident from a few shared meals that Li Xi genuinely cared for his newlywed Alpha.
Affection could be faked, but the subtle gestures and concern couldn’t.
Those automatic actions—blocking drinks, concern, frowning when the Alpha faced trouble—weren’t fake.
Li Qin recalled the research she had done and said, “That Alpha is indeed impressive.”
But she commented lightly, showing little personal interest in Ying Zhiyu.
She had never been concerned with private matters beyond work.
As a child, she ignored her parents’ feelings; as an adult, she didn’t care about her siblings’ romantic lives.
Li Qin had always been calm, focused, and indifferent.
Han Qiyu stopped the conversation, and Li Qin, after working for a while, asked, “Did you take your medicine today?”
Han Qiyu looked up, paused, then shook his head: “The child’s born—why take medicine?”
Li Qin frowned; clearly, this wasn’t a satisfactory answer.
Han Qiyu reflected—he was still attentive to emotions and details, insisting on them until now.
He smiled, “Take it slow. I promised this would be the last one; no more after this. Just raise the child slowly.”
The Li family’s pheromone business empire needed an Alpha or Omega heir. If Li Qin had children, it would greatly increase her chances of inheriting LI.
Even as a child, Han Qiyu admired Li Qin.
No one expected she would become an Alpha; everyone assumed she would be Omega.
At twelve, she differentiated into Alpha.
Han Qiyu felt a brief disappointment, then realized it was for the best—she was suited to be an Alpha.
Two years later, no one expected Han Qiyu himself to differentiate into an Omega.
The Han family was shocked.
They had been grooming him as heir, yet he became an Omega.
The Han family, conservative compared to the Li family, wouldn’t allow an Omega to lead. If Han Qiyu had children with Li Qin, they could support her inheritance.
For this reason, he didn’t hesitate to deceive Li Qin, using certain means to conceive this last child.
He just wanted one last chance.
Entering December, there were two major events for the Li family.
The first was Li Xi’s birthday on December 24. Ying Zhiyu’s birthday was September 9, and Li Xi had prepared so many gifts and surprises then. For Li Xi’s first birthday after their marriage, Ying Zhiyu couldn’t fall behind either.
The second was that Li Yue had set her sights on a highly intelligent Beta.
Xu Suxiao had been pursuing Li Yue for years. Although Li Yue had never openly acknowledged the relationship, in the capital’s upper-class circles, it was almost universally accepted that Xu Suxiao was the Li family’s future ideal son-in-law.
Yet, at this moment, Li Yue suddenly announced she was going to elope.
And the person she was eloping with was not Xu Suxiao.
It was a Beta, knowledgeable and talented.
These were Li Yue’s own words.
She explained that this Beta was also highly intelligent, already an associate professor in the Chinese department at the capital’s university in his early thirties.
Li Xi didn’t react much.
But when he heard Li Yue planned to go straight to register the marriage, he frowned: “No.”
Li Yue widened her eyes. “Why not?”
Li Xi could marry a talented young man, yet ordinary people weren’t allowed the same freedom?
Li Xi shook his head: “You say he rejected your date invitation, and now you want to just go register your marriage? What kind of logic is that?”
Li Yue replied matter-of-factly: “If you like someone, just marry them, right? Didn’t you plan the same back then?”
This was also the first time, after meeting, that Li Yue realized that her brother and his Alpha had never met before—the trip home had been their first encounter!
From this, Li Yue gained insight.
People just need to check the background, be satisfied themselves—the other party agreeing is secondary.
Li Yue thought this was far better than finding some socially matched Alpha in the circle.
How many Alphas in their circle behaved properly in private?
Moreover, the one her brother chose was excellent.
Handsome, talented, and sensible.
A true intellectual Alpha should be like her brother’s, not some Alpha acting like a hyperactive super male during his heat period.
Li Yue had rejected Xu Suxiao precisely because of one of his heat periods.
Unlike Omegas, an Alpha’s heat period sometimes served as an excuse: a “drunk and acting wild” cover.
Li Yue had never outright refused Xu Suxiao’s pursuit and had even gone on a few dates. But that didn’t mean he could forcibly kiss her without her consent.
Did he think being domineering made him handsome?
Luckily, Li Yue was a Beta. Xu Suxiao could at most forcibly kiss her. If she were an Omega, he could have claimed her as “marked” and then casually said, “Sorry, it’s my heat period.”
Had she not seen Ying Zhiyu’s heat reaction, she wouldn’t have realized an Alpha could experience a heat period so “normal.”
Later she understood: loss of control is fake. Using the heat period as an excuse to vent emotions normally restrained, or to do things one dares not otherwise, that’s the real nature.
It’s a person’s true instinct.
Normally, Alphas just disguise themselves. The heat period simply exposes their true nature accidentally.
Li Xi had no idea what had happened between Li Yue and Xu Suxiao, nor why they fell out.
Li Yue had her own life and was capable of handling matters around her, so the siblings rarely interfered in each other’s affairs.
Yet on this matter, Li Xi still shook his head after thinking it over.
“If you’ve investigated and think he’s good, then find a way to make your move.”
Li Yue was beautiful, independent, and wealthy—all advantages. The other party was just a university professor. Male Betas had fewer choices, mostly female Betas, and their genders matched.
“Appeal to his interests, entice him, show kindness—whatever it takes,” Li Xi said.
“But at least, first let him willingly accept you.”
Li Yue didn’t understand: “Why make it so complicated? Once we’re married, living together like you and your brother’s Alpha, won’t love naturally grow? Why bother?”
Li Xi was silent for a long time.
“You said he even rejected the department head’s daughter. That shows he has pride.”
Li Xi analyzed objectively: “An associate professor at a top national university in his early thirties is indeed outstanding. But if he’s still single, there are only two possibilities.”
“One, he hasn’t had enough experience, or is a lifelong singleist. Two, he has high standards for marriage and won’t take it lightly.”
Li Xi warned his sister: “If you start off on the wrong foot, you basically end any chance of developing a relationship with him.”
A bully has no right to demand love from the bullied.
Those in power can force obedience, but can never expect love in return.
Since Li Yue said the man was excellent, this first step was crucial.
Author’s note:
By now, you probably understand why the previous life ended in a true BE.
It was actually hinted at in Chapter 3.
Not one who couldn’t speak, but one who couldn’t, and one who dared not.
p.s. For those revisiting earlier chapters, please avoid spoilers [hug].