[风情 | FengQing]: This Is Why Birthdays Are The Best! [TGCF ABO Universe]

24. Back To Liquor.

*** 

Mu Qing unlocked the bar three days later, and his heart was sinking with fear. He had managed to escape from his mother, who was far too worried for him, not really wanting him to go back to work. But he needed to get away from her suffocating care, and her pills, sorely regretting the fact that she was a medic. He knew that she'd just been too stubborn to admit that he needed another kind of care now. He was not a baby any more. He was a grown-up now, fully, officially.

An Omega needed an Alpha. An Omega craved for an Alpha.

He entered, and it felt like a thousand years had passed, and not just a couple of days. It was around noon, and he sighed  –  he had quite a lot to do, a lot to clean up and prep the place up. He was grateful for the chance to be busy again, as the last days had been too taxing on him, both mentally and physically.

He wasn't sure how things were going to be now, but it all seemed scary. He had no idea whether his scent would be affecting the Alphas now. He didn't know how he would be reacting to Alphas either. He was a little worried about him being in the same room with Dianxia even  -  he knew that Xie Lian and Hua Cheng were not bonded. And he obstinately didn't even want to think  about him being close to  Feng Xin.

He didn't remember all  -  thank god!  -   but he remembered some, and it was enough. He knew that it had all been embarrassing, bothersome. He dreaded meeting Feng Xin now, and he prayed to all the gods that the bouncer would not come to work today. He was going to be quite ready, and even happy, to shoulder all the work until midnight all by himself, just to avoid having to look him in the eyes. The Alpha was sure to be mocking him for weeks now!

- It's probably a good idea for me to just quit...  -  he mumbled under his nose, washing some glasses that were left in the sink from the day of the storm.  –  My dad would be too happy to send me to a military school, for sure...

-Ha! Are you talking to yourself now, brat?

Mu Qing froze. He knew that voice, he knew it far too well. What the hell?!  It wasn't even 4 o'clock! Feng Xin was supposed to be coming to work after 6!

- You're early!  -  he frowned, but managed to gather the energy to turn around, blushing severely.

-Am I not allowed into your bar now? Can't I have a drink here any more?!  -  the Alpha mocked, relaxing on one of the high stools next to the counter  -  his favorite  -  with a grunt now.

Mu Qing ignored those words for a second, and stepped closer. The Alpha looked awful. He had lost a lot of weight; there were dark circles under his eyes, and his scent was very weak, bearing traces of... He wrinkled his nose  –  there were chemical traces in his scent; he had been taking pills too. It was... sad. 

And he was to blame for it.