I Have To Love【Abo】 Chapter 11
byA Face Takes the Stage
Xie Qiao had always been a student and didn’t have many clothes suitable for formal occasions. Su Tai had someone deliver clothing magazines that morning, and after eating, he sat on the leather sofa picking out clothes for Xie Qiao.
“How about this one?” Xie Qiao had fair skin, so black looked good on him, but Xie Qiao said everything Su Tai picked was good. Su Tai vetoed his own choice, “This one is too serious. Let’s go with this one instead, the light color suits you.”
Xie Qiao sat beside him, leaning slightly to look at the magazine with him. It was a light blue suit with a simple notch lapel, suitable for a birthday banquet—an occasion that seemed casual but was actually business-oriented. “It’s nice.”
Su Tai finalized the outfit and called his secretary to have it delivered before they left. After hanging up, he glanced at Xie Qiao. At home, Xie Qiao usually wore short sleeves and casual trousers, not caring much about dressing up, which gave him a clean and refreshing look.
“After the banquet, I’ll take you to get a few custom-made suits. I overlooked this before, but you’ll need them for work or when attending events with me later.”
“It’s okay, I can buy my own when the scholarship money comes in a few days.”
Su Tai replied to a work message, then glanced at him. The kid had strong self-esteem, thinking he needed to rely on himself now that he was older. Why rely on himself when he was only in his twenties and still in school? “Why are you being polite with me? I’m your brother.”
Xie Qiao moved his lips but didn’t speak.
“How much is the scholarship?”
“The special prize and the competition prize combined are thirty thousand.” Xie Qiao answered truthfully.
Su Tai thought that amount wasn’t even enough for the tailor’s labor fee. “That’s quite a lot. You can treat me to a meal then, and I’ll buy the clothes.”
Hearing this, Xie Qiao wished he could give all his scholarship money to Su Tai right now. His peach blossom eyes lit up happily. “Okay.”
The secretary delivered the clothes to the Su Residence around one in the afternoon. Su Tai had Xie Qiao change in his room. When the young man put on the suit, his muscles filled it out, making the suit look even better than on the model.
“Is this alright?”
Su Tai paused, then snapped back to attention. “Something is missing.”
“What?”
Su Tai walked over, producing a box from his hand. “This.”
The velvet box opened to reveal an indigo Paraiba tourmaline brooch shaped like an iris. The curved petals of the iris were studded with diamonds, looking lifelike.
“Is it for me?”
“It was too late to buy something temporary. This one is suitable for you.” Su Tai stepped forward, lowering his head to pin it on Xie Qiao.
An Alpha pinning a brooch on an Omega is an intimate act, and Su Tai had never done it for anyone else, so his movements were clumsy.
The Alpha’s fingers fiddled with the brooch on Xie Qiao’s chest, his breath brushing against Xie Qiao’s skin. Xie Qiao’s heart pounded rapidly and irregularly, feeling as if he might faint from the speed the next second.
After securing it, Su Tai straightened up. “Wait for me outside. We’ll leave together once I change.”
“Okay.”
Xie Qiao went out and sat in the living room, waiting for Su Tai to come downstairs. Sunlight streamed through the glass, falling at Xie Qiao’s feet. The hand that had adjusted the brooch felt like it was still there, scalding his heart with every beat.
His phone rang. Xie Qiao looked at it and answered.
“Boss, the medical records you asked for have been sent to you.”
“Got it. What about the doctor? How is the surveillance going?”
“The doctor seemed to know we were coming; the place was empty.” Cheng Yong continued, “And I found someone helping him conceal his whereabouts.”
Xie Qiao sat on the sofa with his legs apart, his eyelids lowered, suggesting a storm was brewing. “Understood. I remember his hometown is in Suoxi, and he has a child attending school there with his parents. Go look for them. Also, find out who is covering for him.”
“Yes.”
After Cheng Yong hung up, Xie Qiao opened the file he sent. The dozens of pages of diagnostic reports were categorized. For heart issues, there was only one record of myocarditis treatment.
Xie Renqing had always been healthy. During the difficult times before entering the Su family, he rarely got sick. After joining the Su family, he indulged in heavy supplements, constantly consuming health products and tonics. Myocarditis wasn’t a major illness and wouldn’t be the cause of death.
Su Kun lived in a villa in the old city district, a two-hour drive from the Su Residence. The road administration was constantly repairing something, leaving the road perpetually uneven. The black sedan drove smoothly over the bumpy road.
It was nearing dusk. The tall trees in the villa area stood silhouetted against the afterglow, their gray-white birch trunks partially obscuring the houses behind them.
After Su Tai got out of the car, a servant rushed over. “Young Master.”
Su Tai said, “The gift is in the trunk.”
The servant waited for Su Tai to leave before retrieving the item from the trunk.
Su Tai led Xie Qiao toward the back garden. The flowers in the main garden had withered, but dozens of potted fresh flowers filled the space, creating a riot of color.
Su Tai walked up to Su Kun. “Father.” He then bowed slightly to Su Kun’s friends behind him.
The elderly Alpha had neatly combed black hair, and the wrinkles around his eyes added a touch of scholarly refinement.
Su Kun nodded and looked at Xie Qiao standing behind Su Tai, maintaining a facade of kindness.
“Ah Qiao is here too.”
Xie Qiao bowed slightly. “Happy birthday.”
A friend of Su Kun’s next to him laughed and teased, “You’re comfortable now. Ah Tai manages the company so well, you get to enjoy life.”
Su Kun laughed and replied, “Not yet. If Ah Tai doesn’t settle down, how can I enjoy life without grandchildren? But he is diligent in his work, which saves me worry.”
His friend said, “Kids these days have their own ideas. My son also says he won’t marry, and he argues with me every time I bring it up. It’s the same everywhere, relax. Ah Tai has such good prospects, are you worried he won’t find someone?”
Su Kun couldn’t control Su Tai. He couldn’t control him before, and Su Tai certainly wouldn’t listen to him now. Su Kun smiled and clinked glasses with his friend. “He’s used to being wild. I don’t know what kind of Omega could tolerate him.”
Su Tai found the conversation boring and looked at Xie Qiao, who was standing slightly behind him, lost in thought.
“Ah Tai.” Su Kun’s friend called him. “My son is cooperating with one of your branch companies recently. Give him some guidance.”
Su Tai replied, “Of course. Don’t worry.”
Xie Qiao acted like he was invisible, his gaze surveying the entire area.
“Are you hungry?”
Xie Qiao looked up at the question. “What?”
“I saw you staring at the dessert table. If you’re hungry, go grab something.” Su Tai leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I can tell you don’t want to be here.”
Xie Qiao shivered slightly. “Okay.”
All kinds of desserts were arranged on exquisite plates. Xie Qiao took a cookie; the caramel shortbread was a bit sweet.
Just as he was looking for a glass of water to wash it down, a cup of black tea was offered to him.
A beautiful female Omega, wearing a fitted, wide-strapped haute couture gown, held a colorful porcelain cup with a delicate hand. Xie Qiao’s gaze fell on the shimmering pearls around her neck before he accepted the teacup and thanked her.
He had seen that pearl necklace at Su Tai’s place.
“Are you Ah Tai’s younger brother?”
“No.” The Su family had never formally announced his identity. There were rumors when he first entered the family, but after Xie Renqing died, Su Tai cut off all related reports, and no one knew he still lived in the Su Residence.
“I can guess. You are. That day, he stood me up, saying he had to take the kid at home to school. He must have been talking about you. I’ve seen your picture; you look better in person.” The girl was cheerful, her eyes sparkling when she smiled.
“Thank you for the compliment, you are very beautiful too.” Xie Qiao took a sip of tea. “Your necklace is lovely.”
The girl’s nails were painted with a light pink polish, round like almonds. She gently picked up the necklace. “This? Ah Tai gave it to me.”
The girl smiled shyly, glancing in Su Tai’s direction, only to meet his eyes by chance.
She watched Su Tai slowly walk toward them, blushing with shyness. Her gaze inadvertently fell on Xie Qiao’s chest, where the beautiful Paraiba brooch refracted the light. “Is that brooch yours? Did Ah Tai give it to you?”
“Have you seen it before?”
“He said he would give me a brooch as an apology. My Omega Scent is Turquoise Iris.” The girl’s expression was calm, but Xie Qiao’s hand paused, detecting a hint of provocation in her demeanor.
“Is that so? I’m sorry, but he gave it to me. I’ll have my brother make a new one for you.” Xie Qiao’s voice was soft. “Mr. Su invited you here, right?”
The girl didn’t answer but waved behind her. Xie Qiao turned and saw Su Tai approaching.
“Didn’t you say you wanted something to eat? Why are you drinking tea?”
“It was too sweet. I’m grateful this lady brought me a cup of tea. She said she was good friends with my brother.”
Su Tai looked at the girl. He hadn’t expected Su Kun to invite her to the banquet. It was just a fleeting affair, and now it looked like he was about to marry her with all the proper ceremonies. “I suppose so.”
The girl said, “CEO Su.”
CEO Su? Didn’t she just call him Ah Tai very intimately? Xie Qiao thought.
“Huh? Aren’t you my brother’s girlfriend?” Xie Qiao looked innocently at Su Tai. “She said so.”
“You should go rest, wearing such high heels.” Su Tai looked at the girl, politely asking her to leave.
The girl looked at the two standing together, feeling like the odd one out, and turned to leave.
After the girl left, Su Tai watched Xie Qiao, who had stuffed a cookie into his mouth, frowned at the sweetness, and then rushed to drink tea, his cheeks puffed out. Su Tai asked, “What exactly did she say to you?”
Xie Qiao choked, coughing violently. Su Tai patted his back until he stopped.
Xie Qiao’s eyes were red from coughing, moist and pitiable. “She said the necklace was a gift from you.”
“Yes.”
“And… she said her Omega Scent is Turquoise Iris.”
At this, Su Tai roughly understood their conversation. “The brooch wasn’t originally meant for you, but the one meant for her wasn’t this one either. This piece is a private collection item that my father bought at an auction when I was twelve.”
Xie Qiao looked at the brooch, the ice in his eyes melting into a gentle stream. “You’re giving me something so valuable?”
“Things are meant to be used. Why shouldn’t I give it to you?” Su Tai smiled, looking at Xie Qiao, and ruffled his hair. “You thought your brother was the kind of person who would give you a gift meant for a mistress. I’ve been terribly wronged.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m very curious about what image you have of me now. Don’t let me work so hard only to leave a bad impression in your heart.”
“You have a very good image.”
The milestone birthday banquet was grand, complete with fireworks. The sky was filled with dazzling fireworks that bloomed in the night, a three-million-yuan display that lasted only a few minutes.
When it ended, Su Tai was tasked by Su Kun to see off the guests, as Su Kun claimed he had drunk too much and needed rest.
Xie Qiao sat on a sofa in the corner, watching Su Tai chat with and send off the guests.
A maid approached. Xie Qiao rarely came here, so she didn’t know how to address him. “Hello, the Master requests your presence in the study.”
Xie Qiao lifted his eyelids, his eyes more captivating than the gemstone on his chest. “Understood.”
He knew before coming that Su Kun had something to say to him; he had been waiting.
Su Tai was talking to a clan uncle. He glanced toward Xie Qiao’s direction and found he was gone. He called a servant to ask, but no one had seen him leave.
In the study, Su Kun sat on a pearwood chair, completely sober, with a tea set beside him. Xie Qiao walked over, his posture upright, completely lacking the shyness he displayed around Su Tai.
Su Kun scrutinized him for a moment before saying, “Sit.”
Xie Qiao looked like his father, a rare beauty, but that Omega was not as sharp as the one before him.
He had observed countless people, and the way Xie Qiao looked at Su Tai today gave him an uneasy suspicion.
“Are the courses at Tancheng University difficult?” He asked something unrelated. “I heard Ah Tai say you are studying law.”
“Not difficult. Yes, I am.” Xie Qiao was a man of few words. The tea beside him gradually cooled.
“You are 23 this year, right? I remember you were only eight when you first came to my house.”
Xie Qiao didn’t speak. He didn’t think Su Kun was a nostalgic person, especially not toward him.
“Is the school far from home?”
Xie Qiao replied, “Not far.”
“Are you dating anyone?”
“No.”
A truthful answer that cut off the topic. Su Kun took a sip of tea and smiled. “You and your father are truly different. He was gentle by nature and timid. You are completely unlike him.”
Xie Qiao replied, “You are the one who understood him best.”
“Do you still remember that incident?”
“Of course.”
“I remember being very clear about it back then.”
Su Kun’s words were the same as they were years ago. He had looked at him just as coldly then, saying, “Your father suffered a heart attack, missed a step, and fell down the stairs. This is the evidence; you should be able to see clearly.”
Xie Renqing was Xie Qiao’s only reliance in the Su family. When he was gone, Xie Qiao naturally had to leave. Xie Qiao couldn’t say whether the pain he felt then was from the loss of a relative or the prospect of being homeless.
Su Kun’s answers were flawless; Xie Qiao couldn’t extract anything new.
“You don’t need to say the same thing twice.”
“In that case, I won’t say what I’m about to say a second time either. You should move out.” Su Kun’s tone was very slow, not a question, but a notification.
Xie Qiao looked at the fingers tapping the armrest, then at his placid eyes. “Did you tell my brother?”
Su Kun said, “Only you need to know.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“For the sake of your father and Ah Tai, I will give you a sum of money and an apartment, enough for you to live comfortably. Ah Tai cannot keep supporting you; he has his own life.” Su Kun’s tone was full of warning at the end.
“I only listen to Su Tai.”
“Are you planning to cling to my son forever? He doesn’t owe you anything.”
Xie Qiao’s eyes narrowed, looking at Su Kun, and a chill instantly arose.
“Do you? Do you owe me anything?”
Xie Qiao spoke slowly, suppressing his emotions, scrutinizing Su Kun.
It was the first time Su Kun had been looked at this way by an Omega, and the words he wanted to say caught in his throat.
“You, as the head of the family, should know more about what happened back then than I do.”
Su Kun’s hand holding the teacup paused, then he calmly said, “I told you your father’s death was an accident.”
Xie Qiao smiled. “I wasn’t talking about that incident.”
Su Kun immediately reacted. “Are you investigating Xiao Ren’s cause of death?”
“No comment.” Xie Qiao glanced at his phone. Su Tai had sent a message asking where he was. “If you have nothing else to say, I’ll leave now. My brother is looking for me.”
Su Kun didn’t speak. Xie Qiao bowed slightly and left.
Su Tai watched him come down from upstairs. “What were you doing upstairs?”
The second floor was Su Kun’s area. Aside from necessary servants, people generally weren’t allowed up there.
“He wanted to see me.”
Su Tai frowned. “What did he want?”
“He told me to move out. Don’t worry, he’s said it more than once.” Xie Qiao smiled. “Unless you think so too, Brother.”
“Little fox.”
The grand birthday banquet included fireworks that covered the entire sky, blooming brilliantly in the darkness. The three-million-yuan display lasted only a few minutes.
When it ended, Su Tai was tasked by Su Kun to see off the guests, as Su Kun claimed he had drunk too much and needed rest.
Xie Qiao sat on a sofa in the corner, watching Su Tai chat with and send off the guests.
A maid approached. Xie Qiao rarely came here, so she didn’t know how to address him. “Hello, the Master requests your presence in the study.”
Xie Qiao lifted his eyelids, his eyes more captivating than the gemstone on his chest. “Understood.”
He knew before coming that Su Kun had something to say to him; he had been waiting.
Su Tai was talking to a clan uncle. He glanced toward Xie Qiao’s direction and found he was gone. He called a servant to ask, but no one had seen him leave.
In the study, Su Kun sat on a pearwood chair, completely sober, with a tea set beside him. Xie Qiao walked over, his posture upright, completely lacking the shyness he displayed around Su Tai.
Su Kun scrutinized him for a moment before saying, “Sit.”
Xie Qiao looked like his father, a rare beauty, but that Omega was not as sharp as the one before him.
He had observed countless people, and the way Xie Qiao looked at Su Tai today gave him an uneasy suspicion.
“Are the courses at Tancheng University difficult?” He asked something unrelated. “I heard Ah Tai say you are studying law.”
“Not difficult. Yes, I am.” Xie Qiao was a man of few words. The tea beside him gradually cooled.
“You are 23 this year, right? I remember you were only eight when you first came to my house.”
Xie Qiao didn’t speak. He didn’t think Su Kun was a nostalgic person, especially not toward him.
“Is the school far from home?”
Xie Qiao replied, “Not far.”
“Are you dating anyone?”
“No.”
A truthful answer that cut off the topic. Su Kun took a sip of tea and smiled. “You and your father are truly different. He was gentle by nature and timid. You are completely unlike him.”
Xie Qiao replied, “You are the one who understood him best.”
“Do you still remember that incident?”
“Of course.”
“I remember being very clear about it back then.”
Su Kun’s words were the same as they were years ago. He had looked at him just as coldly then, saying, “Your father suffered a heart attack, missed a step, and fell down the stairs. This is the evidence; you should be able to see clearly.”
Xie Renqing was Xie Qiao’s only reliance in the Su family. When he was gone, Xie Qiao naturally had to leave. Xie Qiao couldn’t say whether the pain he felt then was from the loss of a relative or the prospect of being homeless.
Su Kun’s answers were flawless; Xie Qiao couldn’t extract anything new.
“You don’t need to say the same thing twice.”
“In that case, I won’t say what I’m about to say a second time either. You should move out.” Su Kun’s tone was very slow, not a question, but a notification.
Xie Qiao looked at the fingers tapping the armrest, then at his placid eyes. “Did you tell my brother?”
Su Kun said, “Only you need to know.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“For the sake of your father and Ah Tai, I will give you a sum of money and an apartment, enough for you to live comfortably. Ah Tai cannot keep supporting you; he has his own life.” Su Kun’s tone was full of warning at the end.
“I only listen to Su Tai.”
“Are you planning to cling to my son forever? He doesn’t owe you anything.”
Xie Qiao’s eyes narrowed, looking at Su Kun, and a chill instantly arose.
“Do you? Do you owe me anything?”
Xie Qiao spoke slowly, suppressing his emotions, scrutinizing Su Kun.
It was the first time Su Kun had been looked at this way by an Omega, and the words he wanted to say caught in his throat.
“You, as the head of the family, should know more about what happened back then than I do.”
Su Kun’s hand holding the teacup paused, then he calmly said, “I told you your father’s death was an accident.”
Xie Qiao smiled. “I wasn’t talking about that incident.”
Su Kun immediately reacted. “Are you investigating Xiao Ren’s cause of death?”
“No comment.” Xie Qiao glanced at his phone. Su Tai had sent a message asking where he was. “If you have nothing else to say, I’ll leave now. My brother is looking for me.”
Su Kun didn’t speak. Xie Qiao bowed slightly and left.
Su Tai watched him come down from upstairs. “What were you doing upstairs?”
The second floor was Su Kun’s area. Aside from necessary servants, people generally weren’t allowed up there.
“He wanted to see me.”
Su Tai frowned. “What did he want?”
“He told me to move out. Don’t worry, he’s said it more than once.” Xie Qiao smiled. “Unless you think so too, Brother.”
“Little fox.”