I Have To Love【Abo】 Chapter 7
byPink Face Takes the Stage
In the Chairman’s office of the Hengling Group, the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entirety of Tancheng. From this vantage point, it felt as if one possessed the entire city.
Two knocks sounded at the door. Su Tai, standing by the window, turned his head. “Come in.”
The bodyguard Su Tai had assigned to Xie Qiao entered. “Sir, the young master did not go to the library.”
Su Tai had known since last night that Xie Qiao wouldn’t go to the library, so he wasn’t surprised. “He’s probably looking for clues about his father again. You can step in and help sometimes, just don’t let him get hurt.”
The bodyguard nodded. “There’s one more thing.” He leaned in and whispered a few sentences into Su Tai’s ear.
Su Tai took a sip of the tea in his cup. “Understood. You may leave.”
The bodyguard withdrew, and Su Tai looked out the window.
It was late autumn, nearing evening, and the outside was a hazy gray. Far away, a large building displayed a company name in red, though the characters were illegible.
The secretary entered to inform Su Tai that it was time for his meeting. “Mr. Su, the meeting starts in five minutes. Everyone is present.”
“Let’s go.” As Su Tai walked, he suddenly looked at the secretary. “Your scent today is very pleasant. Are you dating someone?”
The secretary was startled, blushing with shyness. “Yes.”
“If you need time off for a date, come to me for approval.”
After work, Su Tai was driven home. The exterior walls of the downtown mall were covered in decorations; snow-like fairy lights hung on the bare branches of trees. The glass window of a chain craft store displayed many dolls.
He remembered a doll Xie Qiao had when he was little. Xie Qiao claimed he had picked up the rag doll from a trash can. It had button eyes, two long braided fabric pigtails, and wore a floral dress. When Xie Qiao first arrived at the Su family, he was dirty, but that single doll was spotless.
Later, Xie Qiao even learned to sew clothes for the doll. But one day, that precious doll suddenly disappeared, and Xie Qiao never tried to find it.
“Turn up ahead. I’m going to the mall.”
The car pulled into a roadside parking spot, and Su Tai got out.
The night wind was cool. Stepping out of the warm car, the wind caught the hem of Su Tai’s overcoat. He walked toward the store with his hands in his pockets.
The security guard pushed the door open. Su Tai entered, and a sales associate in a black uniform and high heels approached. “Hello, sir. How may I help you?”
Su Tai gave a rough description. “I’m looking for a doll wearing a dark floral dress, with deep brown, wide fabric strips for hair, and deep amber button eyes. Do you have anything like that?”
“Yes, sir. We have several models here.”
The associate led Su Tai to a sofa and brought over five similar dolls. “Sir, these five match your description. This one is our best seller.”
Su Tai glanced at them. They were similar but not the same as the one in his memory. “I’ll take this one. Please wrap it up for me, make it look nice.”
Su Tai thought that all omegas must like pretty things, regardless of gender.
“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”
Su Tai walked home carrying a beautifully wrapped gift bag tied with a pink ribbon and lightly sprayed with a floral perfume. It was only then that he realized his brother was 23 years old, a law student, and past the age for playing with rag dolls.
As the car entered the Su residence, he saw Xie Qiao waiting for him from afar, but as soon as Su Tai arrived, Xie Qiao walked back inside.
Su Tai carried the gift bag into the house. Xie Qiao’s eyes immediately spotted it, and his smile froze for a second. Su Tai didn’t notice. “How was your studying at the library today? The exam is tomorrow.”
Xie Qiao pulled his gaze away from the gift bag. “I finished reviewing. Did you meet anyone today?”
“No, I was busy with work all day.”
There were several attractive women among the company executives, including one omega—a beautiful and highly capable omega whom Su Tai had once praised in front of Xie Qiao and with whom he had traveled on a business trip.
“Is that so?” Xie Qiao couldn’t help but ask, “Then who is the gift in your hand for?”
Su Tai smiled and handed it to Xie Qiao. “It’s for you. I passed the mall and saw this. I remembered you used to have a similar doll. I only realized after buying it that you’ve grown up. I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
Xie Qiao’s eyes fell on Su Tai’s wrist, which wore a watch, and the long fingers holding the gift bag. “For me?”
“Why else would I buy it?”
Sending a rag doll to a lover would make him look like he was bankrupt. Besides, who gives a doll after sleeping with someone? How strange.
Xie Qiao took it. “Thank you, Brother.”
Su Tai vigorously ruffled his hair. “As long as you like it. I don’t know what you’re thinking about all day. Hurry up and eat.”
During dinner, Xie Qiao used his left hand. Although he could use both hands flexibly, he usually favored his right.
“What’s wrong with your right hand?” Su Tai went straight to the point.
Xie Qiao glanced at his hand and answered smoothly, “Someone bumped into me, and I scraped it against the wall.”
Su Tai frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to be careful?”
“It was an accident,” Xie Qiao said. “You know I’m not a child. A little injury is nothing, and it’s not serious.”
Xie Qiao had strong self-esteem and was stubborn. Moreover, children grow up and have their own ideas; they can’t always act according to his wishes. He didn’t know why, but he just felt that Xie Qiao should be kept and cared for at home. Perhaps the previous Temporary Mark was at work.
Su Tai didn’t ask further and changed the subject. “What time does your exam finish tomorrow?”
Xie Qiao said, “4:30 PM.”
Su Tai placed a piece of beef in Xie Qiao’s bowl. “Eat more, you’re like a kitten. Do you have class after the exam?”
Xie Qiao ate the beef. “No.”
“Come home after the exam, get ready, and I’ll take you out.”
“Take me out for what?”
“Did you forget your birthday?”
Xie Qiao had indeed forgotten. He didn’t think birthdays were important. If being born meant suffering, then a birthday was the start of hardship.
“I was busy with the exam, so I did forget.”
“Focusing on your studies is good. You never cared much about your birthday before, either. Sometimes I get busy and need my secretary to remind me.”
Su Tai remembered that Xie Qiao hadn’t celebrated much since he came to the family at age eight. It might also be because Su Tai was often abroad and missed them. Children usually like celebrating birthdays, so Su Tai had taken the liberty of celebrating many times for him.
Xie Qiao opened his beautiful eyes. “Did the secretary remind you this time too?”
Su Tai chuckled. “Of course not. I started preparing a long time ago. Though someone did remind me.”
Two months ago, he met a woman, a gentle omega. While shopping with her, she was choosing a birthday gift for her own younger brother, which reminded him that Xie Qiao’s birthday was approaching.
“Your girlfriend?”
“An acquaintance.”
Xie Qiao translated that as a one-night stand. His already poor appetite vanished completely. He put down his chopsticks and said he was full and was returning to his room to study.
Su Tai sighed. Xie Qiao was too dependent on him. Perhaps he really should find him a sister-in-law, though he worried Xie Qiao would cause trouble afterward and demand to move out of the house.
Back in his room, Xie Qiao found his body uncomfortable. The damned Alpha Pheromones were rampaging inside him. He took a Blue Pill and sat on the windowsill, lost in thought.
The expensive cashmere blanket was soft and white. He lightly stroked it, watching the lights outside the window. He had no father, no dad, only his brother as a relative. If only he could just see Su Tai as a brother, but he was unfortunately in love with Su Tai.
At 11:50 PM, Su Tai knocked on his door. “A’Qiao, come to the study. I have something to tell you.”
Seeing Xie Qiao following him barefoot, Su Tai ordered him to put on his shoes.
In the office, Su Tai sat on the sofa and patted the spot next to him, signaling Xie Qiao to sit down.
“What do you want for your birthday this year?”
After years of navigating the business world, Su Tai had lost the youthful aggression of a spoiled young man, retaining only the composed and self-assured demeanor of a superior. His emotions were unreadable, and his eyes were always deep and unfathomable, regardless of the time, place, or person he faced.
Xie Qiao loved his youthful arrogance, and he also loved his noble stability.
“I don’t want anything. It’s enough if Brother can spend my birthday with me.”
Su Tai smiled. “I knew you’d say that. You never want anything.”
It was the same when Xie Renqing fought for shares in the Hengling Group for him; he didn’t want anything, only to live here.
“Because I genuinely don’t want anything. As long as I have food and drink, and can see Brother every day, it’s enough.”
Su Tai said, “You will eventually start a family and career. You need to think long-term.”
He pushed a document toward Xie Qiao. “This is my gift to you.”
It was a contract for the transfer of shares in a jewelry company.
“I’ve been busy acquiring this company for the past few days. Since you don’t want shares in Hengling, this company is independently under my name. It’s a jewelry company with good performance. Don’t all omegas like pretty things? It will be yours from now on.”
All omegas like pretty things. Xie Qiao chewed on that sentence, momentarily unsure whether to be happy or unhappy.
“If you want to do something else later, you can. If you want to open a Law Firm, this company will earn you the Startup Capital. If it’s not enough, ask me for more.” Su Tai glanced at his watch and, precisely at midnight, said to Xie Qiao, “A’Qiao, happy birthday.”
“Thank you, Brother.” Xie Qiao looked at Su Tai’s face, resting his head on his shoulder. Small sobs and tears fell onto his shirt.
“What’s wrong?” Su Tai had no experience comforting a crying omega and felt a little helpless.
Xie Qiao muffled, “Brother, I wish Dad were here too.”
So, he was missing his father.
Su Tai’s heart tightened and felt sore. “He will know.”
He will know.
Xie Qiao awkwardly pulled away from Su Tai’s embrace, wiping the dampness from his shoulder.
Su Tai looked at his small face, flushed pink from crying, and was startled. He knew Xie Qiao was handsome, but crying made him even more delicate and moving.
Are omegas always so watery? The tears fell drop by drop, making it impossible not to soften one’s heart.
“Why are you shy? You’ve cried before. You even used to hold my hand when you talked nonsense.” Su Tai was used to being a scoundrel, and he momentarily spoke such flirtatious words. He watched Xie Qiao’s face turn even redder.
“I’m your brother. It’s okay. Go back and rest early.”
Su Tai sent Xie Qiao back to his room and sat alone in the study, spacing out.