26: Help! My Wife Is Just Too Pretty – What Do I Do?
Hua Yong stayed in the hospital for three days, sleeping more than he was awake. Sheng Shaoyou shuttled constantly between the hospital and his company, so busy his feet barely touched the ground. At night he came home alone, turning down all drinking and social engagements, and when he collapsed into bed and closed his eyes, he kept seeing that displeased orchid face.
The day Hua Yong was discharged, Sheng Shaoyou cleared an entire day’s schedule to pick him up himself — but still didn’t get so much as a friendly look.
After they got home, Hua Yong moved into the guest bedroom. Sheng Shaoyou, feeling both annoyed and stifled, thought of the pheromone-level alarms now installed all over the house and figured it was safe enough for Hua Yong to sleep alone. So he didn’t insist on keeping him.
Lately, Hua Yong had been sullen, gloomy, passive, and withdrawn. If Sheng Shaoyou didn’t take the initiative, their interactions became cold and distant. Meanwhile, Shu Xin — bubbly and adept at acting coy — kept desperately trying to win him back, texting him selfies and little greetings.
Sheng Shaoyou hated clingy Omegas, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to block her entirely. So he just let her send her harmless little messages now and then.
On top of that, there were plenty of other appealing Omegas lining up to be spoiled by him. By comparison, Hua Yong’s deliberate coldness seemed downright exasperating.
Sheng Shaoyou had never been given the cold shoulder before. Irritated, he started to get stubborn himself.
It was just an Omega — what, was he supposed to fall head-over-heels and pine himself to death?
The more he thought this way, the more determined he became to prove Hua Yong was not irreplaceable. He told himself the only reason he softened toward him was because he pitied him — not because he was ready to hang himself from this one tree and play the part of a devoted lifelong lover.
Once he figured this out, Sheng Shaoyou threw himself back into his old pleasures.
Having been away for a while, he returned to the nightlife circle. Seeing that he hadn’t brought Hua Yong along, Li Baiqiao and the others tacitly assumed Sheng Shaoyou had gotten over his “heartbreak” and abandoned the orchid-scented Omega for good.
But one night, it came up in conversation, and they were shocked to learn that Sheng Shaoyou had actually gotten him back.
“Holy shit! You fought Shen Wenlang because of that Omega?” Everyone in their social circle had already been gossiping about that fight for months.
Sheng Shaoyou kept his head down and drank, saying nothing — but in his mind, he kept replaying that morning when Hua Yong had come out of the guest bedroom, standing silently in the doorway to hand him a freshly baked cake.
“Shaoyou, I’m talking to you.”
“What?”
“That orchid — no way Shen Wenlang didn’t touch him, right?” Li Baiqiao smirked lasciviously. “Come on, a beauty like that and he’s still intact? You don’t like dirty ones, do you? Then let me have him.”
“You?” Sheng Shaoyou finally looked up, gave him a disgusted once-over, and sneered: “You think I spent over a hundred million just to hand him over to you?”
“Then sell him to me!”
“With what money? A hundred million? Careful, or your brother will wring your neck.”
“Why would he?” Li Baiqiao grumbled. “It’s just a second-hand Omega, it’s not like I’m marrying him. You don’t even want him anymore — why shouldn’t I have a little fun?” Then he paused, licking his lips and laughing: “And who knows how many hands he’s already passed through…”
Beside him, Cheng Zhe noticed Sheng Shaoyou’s face darken and quickly tried to signal Li Baiqiao to shut up. But Li Baiqiao was too caught up in his own fantasy. “Doesn’t matter — as long as he’s got that face, I don’t mind. I’d be doing you a favor, recycling your ‘waste.'”
BANG — Sheng Shaoyou set his glass down with a thud, face like a thundercloud. “Who are you calling waste?”
Li Baiqiao jumped and stammered.
Cheng Zhe quickly interjected: “He means himself. Yesterday he chased some cute little Omega, bought drinks all night and still got nowhere. Right, Baiqiao?”
Seeing how pissed Sheng Shaoyou was, Li Baiqiao nodded furiously: “Right, right — I meant myself.”
Whatever. He, Li Baiqiao, had no ambitions in life anyway. Famous for being a good-for-nothing heir, the ultimate wastrel. As long as he didn’t get beaten up by Sheng Shaoyou, being a waste was fine by him.
Better a cowardly waste than a bloody-faced elite!
After all, Sheng Shaoyou seemed to have been in a foul mood lately — crazy enough to even beat up Shen Wenlang!
At the end of the night, Li Baiqiao, thoroughly drunk, tried to have a heart-to-heart: “Shaoyou, be honest — next time we see that Hua Yong, do we have to call him sis-in-law?”
Sheng Shaoyou didn’t answer, but his face darkened even more.
Cheng Zhe sighed, tugged at Li Baiqiao. “You’re drunk. Shaoyou, ignore him.”
Still, the question left Sheng Shaoyou unsettled.
Because he himself hadn’t figured out yet what Hua Yong really meant to him. Husband and wife? Definitely not yet. But just imagining handing Hua Yong over to scum like Li Baiqiao made his blood boil!
Couldn’t send him away. Couldn’t marry him. At home he treated him like royalty — and still got attitude from him.
And the worst part was, he honestly didn’t feel he’d done anything wrong to make Hua Yong this unhappy.
Life was getting impossible.
Still, to shut these degenerates up, Sheng Shaoyou brought Hua Yong along to their next gathering.
That orchid had been cooped up at home long enough — practically getting moldy. Time to get some sun.
When Sheng Shaoyou told him, Hua Yong froze: “Now?”
“Yes. It’s Li Baiqiao’s birthday. Change into something presentable. Spruce yourself up a little.”
Hua Yong quietly nodded and went to the dressing room.
Fifteen minutes later, he emerged fully dressed. Sheng Shaoyou was still reading quarterly reports on the sofa and, without looking up, asked, “Ready?”
“Mm.” Hua Yong sat opposite him, poured himself a cup of tea, and waited silently.
When Sheng Shaoyou finally finished his work, checked the time, and glanced up — he froze.
His brows furrowed. “Didn’t I tell you to spruce up a little?”
Hua Yong flinched and touched the pale blue orchid brooch on his chest. “Mr. Sheng, I did spruce up.”
“Go change!” Sheng Shaoyou snapped. “Can’t you understand ‘a little’? I didn’t say dress up like a fairy!”
He had just grabbed something random from the closet and pinned on his orchid brooch — he hadn’t even washed his face yet. What more did he want?
“Then what should I wear?” Hua Yong asked innocently.
Sheng Shaoyou dragged him into the closet, searched for a long time, and found nothing plainer than what he was already wearing. He grew even more irritated.
Help! My wife is just too damn pretty — what do I do?!
Simple and unadorned, yet more dazzling than any ornament. With Hua Yong’s face, he could wear a burlap sack and still look fresh, pure, and stunning.
Unable to find anything better, Sheng Shaoyou’s face turned sour and his tone harsher. “Fine, just like this. When we get there, don’t talk to anyone without my permission, got it?”
“Mr. Sheng…” Hua Yong hesitated. “Can I not go?”
“You don’t want to go with me?” Sheng Shaoyou’s gaze turned dangerous.
“That’s not it.” Hua Yong lowered his head, avoiding his predatory eyes. “Will it be… inappropriate?”
“What’s inappropriate?”
The Omega said nothing more, his jaw tight, staring at his toes as though being punished.
For some reason, this irritated Sheng Shaoyou even more. He almost cursed Li Baiqiao for being born today and causing trouble.
After a long silence, Hua Yong finally murmured, “Being with you… doesn’t feel right.”
Sheng Shaoyou’s anger evaporated. His heart slowly went cold.
He understood what Hua Yong meant.
They both knew.
It was still too soon. Those terrible memories were still too fresh.
Hua Yong pressed his arms to his sides, fingers fidgeting with his hem.
Sheng Shaoyou grabbed his hand. Hua Yong’s was smaller, much paler, soft to the point of heartbreak.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong,” Sheng Shaoyou said firmly, his calm confidence giving Hua Yong courage.
“Really?” he asked softly, looking up at him with moist, gentle eyes.
“Really.” Sheng Shaoyou led him out of the dressing room with a helpless sigh. “Just go like this. You already look like a fairy — can’t exactly make you ugly.”
Hua Yong chuckled faintly at that.
That rare smile melted some of Sheng Shaoyou’s frustration. His tone softened. “And when we’re there, ignore Li Baiqiao. He never says anything decent.”
Hua Yong nodded. Sheng Shaoyou ruffled his fluffy hair a few times, found it did nothing to dim his brilliance, and gave up, taking his hand again. “Let’s go.”
Li Baiqiao’s powerful brother had returned from Zurich, so Li Baiqiao had to behave himself lately. His birthday was a modest dinner at a familiar restaurant, only thirty or so guests.
Sheng Shaoyou arrived last. Everyone else was already chatting and mingling.
Li Baiqiao was dressed decently for once. When he saw Sheng Shaoyou, he grinned widely — then his eyes landed on Hua Yong and lit up even more. “Shao-you! You came! And… sister-in-law came too? Hello!”
Hua Yong didn’t react at first. When he realized, his face flushed pink, shy as a pretty little shrimp.
He murmured, “Hello.” Then, glancing at the birthday cake, added softly, “Happy birthday.”
Li Baiqiao beamed. “Ah, thank you, sister-in-law!”
Sheng Shaoyou scowled. He hated hearing Hua Yong and Li Baiqiao talk. Worse, that “little” before “sister-in-law” sounded wrong — like Hua Yong was just a mistress, not a proper partner.
The host of the party was a female Omega, a minor celebrity in the events world, who once dated Li Baiqiao. She blew him kisses from the stage while giving sultry glances to the rich Alphas below.
Watching Hua Yong, silent but at ease, Sheng Shaoyou couldn’t help recalling the first time he brought him to an event.
That time, Hua Yong wore an out-of-place old sweater but still sat calmly by his side — making Sheng Shaoyou the most envied Alpha there.
It was probably Hua Yong’s first time at a glamorous high-society gathering. Yet despite his plain clothes, he carried himself gracefully, curiously observing everyone while maintaining perfect composure.
Even back then, Sheng Shaoyou had thought: this quiet, dignified Omega was far more suited to him than all those who couldn’t eat a meal or buy a bag without posting a thousand photos online.