Night fell like flowing water. The Omega, exhausted from the turbulence and rocking, drifted off to sleep. Beads of sweat still clung to his temples, his cheeks flushed a deep red. His snow-white body was covered in mottled red marks, especially his gland, which had been bitten to the point of swelling and tenderness.
Duan Baisui carried him into the bathroom and gave him a simple rinse. Zuo Nian didn’t wake, only murmured faintly, saying it hurt, saying he didn’t want Gege anymore. What a little liar. He was obviously clamping down so tightly, obviously enjoying it so much, yet still kept begging for mercy with that mouth of his, making one want to bully him even more.
After washing his sticky body clean, the two returned to bed.
Duan Baisui took out an ointment and gently applied it to Zuo Nian, carefully tending to him before turning him back into his arms.
He held Zuo Nian’s hand, lacing his own fingers tightly between his. Under the light, Zuo Nian’s ring finger was bare. It wasn’t that they didn’t have rings when they got married. It was that Zuo Nian was always afraid of losing his, so he’d cautiously locked it away in his safe.
But calling it a “safe” was giving it too much credit. It was more like a storage box.
Duan Baisui had seen it a few times. It was tucked in the back of their wardrobe, carefully covered with clothes by Zuo Nian. Made of hard plastic, it had the image of an adorable lying-down bear on the outside. The only security was a small combination lock at the opening, and it only needed three digits to open. It wasn’t safe at all, really.
Everything Zuo Nian held dear was inside. Besides their wedding rings, there was also the token of affection Duan Baisui had given him when they were kids. After all these years, Zuo Nian was still keeping it safe with the utmost care.
Duan Baisui kissed his fingers and once again recalled what Liu Gong had said at the bar earlier that evening.
“It was just a plastic ring. He wore it around his neck every day. I was just curious and tried to pull it down to look… It’s not worth anything. I thought it was a toy. I didn’t expect him to react so strongly all of a sudden…”
From Liu Gong’s mouth, Duan Baisui learned what Zuo Nian’s high school life had been like.
He hadn’t had a good time. Because of his beauty, he was coveted by Alphas. Because he was slow to react, he wasn’t liked by teachers. Because he didn’t talk much, he didn’t make many friends.
During those three years, he kept to himself, walking alone, all while enduring the gossip and slander from others. But even so, Duan Baisui still remembered that during every holiday or festival, he would receive a message from Zuo Nian with warm wishes. At the time, he would casually ask: How’s high school life? Are you adjusting well?
And Zuo Nian’s reply would always be: Everything is great every year. Don’t worry, gege. You have to take good care of yourself.
He truly believed it then. He thought Zuo Nian was doing just fine.
Duan Baisui pulled Zuo Nian closer in his arms. That silly little thing never complained to him, never brought up his own unhappy experiences over and over again to seek pity from others.
He always only spoke of his most beautiful memories. As for those darker moments, it was as if he’d automatically filtered them out. So whenever Duan Baisui was with him, what he felt was always warmth, healing, and peace. But then… how were the scars on that little fool ever healed?
The more he tried to understand Zuo Nian’s past, the more afraid he became. He was afraid that once he dug all the way down, he would collapse, would hate the cold and indifferent person he used to be.
After days of cloudy, drizzling skies, the sun finally broke through. The warm sunlight chased away the lingering spring chill. Bright golden rays slipped through the curtain’s gap, drawing a band of light across the bed.
Duan Baisui woke early. He kissed the person in his arms over and over before finally letting go and getting out of bed.
By the time he finished washing up and came back out, Zuo Nian had also woken. The dazed Omega was rummaging around the bed, then jumped off bare-bottomed and finally picked up his little underwear from the floor.
Duan Baisui leaned against the walk-in closet door, arms crossed, watching him. Zuo Nian held the underwear up to his eyes and stared at it for a long time, then turned his head and said, “Bad gege! You tore Nian Nian’s underwear again. This is already the third pair!”
Duan Baisui chuckled and reached out to pick him up. “I’ll buy you new ones when I get back tonight.”
“You have to buy three pairs!” Zuo Nian held up three fingers.
“Mhm.”
“Then Nian Nian will forgive gege.” Zuo Nian instantly beamed with joy. So easy to coax, it was almost laughable.
That morning, just after arriving at the office, Luo Yin came over and said, “Director Duan, Director Xu is here, and so is President Rong.”
Duan Baisui was a bit surprised. Xu Yi’s illness shouldn’t be fully recovered yet. The doctor had advised him to go out as little as possible, especially to avoid places with many people, where unfamiliar Alphas’ pheromones could accidentally stimulate his gland.
He thought for a moment, planning to go persuade Xu Yi. After all, his little dad was a complete workaholic. A few days ago, due to Rong Jin’s false accusations, the company had been thrown into disarray, and the stock had fluctuated as well. Duan Baisui wondered if Xu Yi had come to clean up the mess.
But just as he reached the door of Xu Yi’s office, he heard the man’s angry voice burst out through the door: “Let your foolish son rot in prison for the rest of his life! Our partnership ends here. From now on, we have nothing more to do with each other!”
“Director Xu, I swear this time I won’t cover for Xiao Jin anymore. Please don’t act out of emotion. If you pull out your investment now…”
“See him out!” Xu Yi cut him off and shouted.
Secretary Lin, calm and composed, said, “President Rong, this way please.”
Rong Lin still tried to fight for a chance. “Director Xu, this is a critical time. If you withdraw now, everything we’ve worked for will be in vain. Your previous investments will all go down the drain, too. It’s my fault for not disciplining my son properly, but I promise you, no matter how Xiao Jin is sentenced this time, I won’t interfere.”
Xu Yi replied coldly, “A few tens of millions. I, Xu Yi, can afford the loss!”
“Chairman Duan…” Seeing that Xu Yi was immovable, Rong Lin quickly turned his attention to Duan Yan.
But Duan Yan interrupted him: “I listen to my wife in everything. Besides, when that bullying incident first happened, I already told you to stop spoiling that youngest son of yours. But you still pulled strings to get him out, and even went so far as to threaten the artists under my company to force a settlement. Rong Lin, that’s a pretty dishonorable way to do things.”
The office door opened. Duan Baisui watched as Rong Lin walked out, shoulders slumped, looking utterly defeated. He seemed to have aged a great deal overnight, completely different from the high-spirited man he had seen at the banquet before.
“Alex, why aren’t you coming in?” Xu Yi called out gently when he saw him standing in the doorway.
The person who had just been furious only moments ago would always soften as soon as he saw him. So in Duan Baisui’s eyes, Xu Yi had always been the gentlest Omega. So gentle that it was impossible to associate him with the cold-hearted reputation he had in the outside world.
Duan Baisui pushed open the door and walked in, calling, “Dad, Little Dad.”
Duan Yan nodded. Xu Yi walked around the desk, came out, and patted him on the shoulder. “These past few days must’ve been hard on you.”
Duan Baisui shook his head. His parents, his lover, and his friends all believed in him. He didn’t feel wronged at all.
Besides, Xu Yi and Duan Yan had been working nonstop for his sake. The sudden betrayal and leaked recording from Hu Chun had all been orchestrated by Duan Yan.
And Xu Yi had even broken off his collaboration with Rong Chuang for him. Rong Chuang had poured nearly all its liquid assets into that project. If Xu Yi withdrew funding halfway through, the project might stall, and the company could face a funding crisis.
He knew Xu Yi was standing up for him.
Xu Yi couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes. He could never bear for him to be wronged.
This Little Dad of his, in a sense, really did spoil him.
“If you’re feeling down, take a couple of days off and go out for a bit. We’ll handle things at the company,” Xu Yi said with concern.
Duan Baisui asked, “Little Dad, are you allowed to go out now? What did the doctor say?”
Duan Yan chimed in, “The doctor still recommends he stay home. But your Little Dad refuses to listen. I can’t stop him. When he gets fierce, he looks like he’s about to scratch someone.”
Xu Yi: …
“You don’t have to worry. Something like this won’t get to me. I’m not that fragile,” Duan Baisui reassured him.
Xu Yi sighed. “You’ve been like this since you were little. Your father and I never had to worry about you. But sometimes, I do wish you could be a bit more like other kids—more rebellious, a little less considerate.”
Duan Baisui smiled. “My rebellious phase ended a long time ago.”
Back when he was abroad, he used to race cars and do extreme sports. Duan Yan and Xu Yi didn’t know it, but that was his rebellious phase.
“By the way, does Nian Nian know about this?” Xu Yi asked worriedly.
“It’s blown up this much. It’d be hard not to know,” Duan Baisui said helplessly. “He’s been comforting me these past few days. He’s very sweet. He’s never once doubted me.”
Xu Yi nodded. “That’s good.”
After a brief silence, Xu Yi asked again, “That Ju Xiao…”
Duan Baisui immediately clarified, “I’ve never met with him privately, not even once. So whatever Rong Jin said, it’s all nonsense.”
“See? I told you. Our son knows what he’s doing,” Duan Yan said lazily. “He’s grown up. He considers everything carefully before he acts. You don’t need to worry so much. Focus on your health. Who knows, in a while, he might become a father himself. Are you still going to treat him like some clueless kid?”
“No matter how grown up he is, he’ll always be a child to me,” Xu Yi retorted.
Duan Yan said, “Alright, alright.”
As he spoke, he stood up and reached out to put his arm around Xu Yi. “You’ve let off steam today, seen your son, and cleared everything up. Think you can head home a bit early later?”
Xu Yi lowered his eyes. “Mm.”
After leaving Xu Yi’s office, Duan Baisui went to the meeting room as usual.
By the time it ended, it was already close to eleven.
Just then, his phone buzzed twice. It was a WeChat message from Zuo Nian.
Zuo Nian: Gege, the plush toy I promised Papa Duan is finished. Are you free tonight? Should we drop by Papa Duan’s place?
Duan Baisui remembered. Before he left the house that morning, Zuo Nian had asked him to buy underwear. He’d even picked out the style in his head. How could he possibly go back tonight?
Zuo Nian cried loudly, and he had trouble suppressing his pheromones. Both his fathers were home. How awkward would that be? Wouldn’t it be obvious to everyone that he was “bullying” Zuo Nian?
Thinking this, Duan Baisui replied:
Duan Baisui: We’ll go tomorrow. I’ve got something going on tonight.
Zuo Nian: Okayyy~ Do you have a social dinner tonight? What time will you be back?
Duan Baisui: I’ll head home after dinner. Not sure about the time yet.
Although he said he wasn’t sure, he actually planned to be back before 8.
At that moment, Luo Yin said, “Director Duan, the car is ready. Shall we head out now?”
“Yes.”
He’d had a short break at noon, and the afternoon schedule had been packed tight. This was the only window he had to go out and satisfy his lover’s “needs”.
What a night to look forward to.
—
Probably because of the warmer weather, the streets were a bit livelier today. After a full day of work, Zuo Nian finally closed up the shop and headed home around 7.
After changing his shoes and walking into the living room, he saw Duan Baisui sitting on the sofa reading a book. His suit had already been changed into home clothes. It looked like he had been home for quite a while.
Zuo Nian said in surprise, “Eh? Why are you back so early?”
Duan Baisui put down the magazine in his hands and reached out to him. “Come here.”
Zuo Nian said a little shyly, “But Auntie Liu is still here.”
Duan Baisui replied, “She left. Her little grandson got sick, so I gave her three days off.”
Only then did Zuo Nian drop his backpack and run over to Duan Baisui, naturally straddling his lap. “Didn’t you say you had dinner tonight?”
“It ended early. And I missed you so much, so I came home,” Duan Baisui said.
“Gege is saying sweet things again,” Zuo Nian said with a sugary smile.
“I’m not,” Duan Baisui said, looking at him closely. “I’m just expressing my true feelings.”
It was something he’d learned from Duan Yan. Love shouldn’t only be proven through actions; it should be said out loud often. Only then can one’s partner truly receive it and feel secure.
It seemed Duan Yan’s method worked pretty well.
“Nian Nian missed Gege a lot too. It’s really strange. We see each other every day, and yet it still doesn’t feel like enough.” Zuo Nian smiled with narrowed eyes.
Yeah, really strange. They saw each other every day. Every night, he wanted him. And still, it didn’t feel like enough. Just a bit of separation, and the longing became unbearable.
“Mm,” Duan Baisui responded approvingly, then asked, “Have you eaten yet?”
“I did,” Zuo Nian nodded. “Things ended late today, so Nian Nian just ordered takeout. Did Gege eat?”
“I did,” Duan Baisui said. As he spoke, he wrapped his arms around Zuo Nian’s legs and stood up, letting him hang securely onto his body. “But I didn’t eat enough.”
“Mm? Then should Nian Nian cook something for you?” Zuo Nian asked innocently.
Duan Baisui curved his lips into a smile. “No need. Let’s go check out the underwear I bought you first.”
“You really bought it for Nian Nian?” Zuo Nian kicked his legs happily.
Duan Baisui: “What else would I have done?”
“Gege is just too, too, too good!”
If Zuo Nian had known what kind of underwear Duan Baisui had bought, he definitely wouldn’t have said something like “Gege is too good.”
Zuo Nian pinched the fabric strip between his thumb and forefinger. It was just two thin strings. Zuo Nian asked, “What’s this?”
“Try it on and see?”
Zuo Nian said, “This is the underwear you bought for Nian Nian?”
“Mhm.”
Zuo Nian’s face dropped. “Gege, you’re being so stingy. Would adding just a little more fabric cost that much?”
“It wouldn’t. But I want to see you in it,” Duan Baisui said, kissing him. “Will you let me?”
Although Zuo Nian had bought risqué underwear before, it had never been this explicit. This one was practically the same as wearing nothing.
“Hmm? Baby, will you let me see?” Duan Baisui murmured, pecking him with soft kisses again and again.
Zuo Nian lost all sense and restraint under his gentle coaxing and softly agreed, “Only for a little bit, okay?”
“Mhm.”
Zuo Nian wasn’t exactly skinny. His figure was full in all the right places. When he got smacked, soft ripples would spread across his skin.
The thin string clung tightly around his waist, with only a small patch of fabric covering the front. He felt self-conscious and tried to shield himself with his hands. “This isn’t right.”
Duan Baisui sat on the sofa, resting his chin in one hand, watching him leisurely. “What’s not right? Didn’t you buy something like this before? Didn’t you say you wanted to wear it for me? When I didn’t look, you even cried.”
Zuo Nian bit his lower lip shyly. “Back then, Gege scolded me and told me not to buy this stuff again. Said it wouldn’t be of any use…”
His memory really shouldn’t be that good.
There was a glint of restrained madness in Duan Baisui’s eyes, and his voice came out hoarse. “Back then, I didn’t know Nian Nian would taste this good.”
The blackout curtains in the bedroom hadn’t been drawn. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the view stretched wide. One could see the large garden and swimming pool below at a glance.
Even though he knew there was no one nearby and no chance of being seen, Zuo Nian still felt humiliated. He pressed up against the glass, and behind him, the man grabbed the string at his waist and yanked him up, then rammed in deep and hard.
His hands, pressed flat against the window, were suddenly covered by another large hand. The Alpha’s fingers slid between his, and in a low voice, asked, “Without a wedding ring, how will others know you’re married?”
Zuo Nian answered in broken gasps, “Th-they know…”
“Liar. If they really knew, why would someone still be giving you milk tea?”
Duan Baisui had only found out while checking Zuo Nian’s surveillance footage. Zuo Nian often received little snacks from girls.
Zuo Nian had no time to wonder how Duan Baisui had found out about it. He replied, “They’re all… really good customers… Nian Nian… Nian Nian also gave them little gifts… I didn’t just take it for nothing… Gege, slower, please…”
Duan Baisui pinched his chin and made him turn around for a kiss.
Zuo Nian stood on tiptoe, calves trembling. He felt this was too intense. He couldn’t handle it.
“One of these days, I’ll get you a new ring. You have to wear it all the time, okay?”
“I’m… I’m afraid I’ll lose it. Nian Nian… is clumsy… I always lose things…”
“Then I’ll get a cheap one. So it’s fine even if you do.”
“Okay… whatever Gege says… but right now—can we not do it here?” Zuo Nian asked, voice choked with tears. “Nian Nian can’t stand anymore…”
The person behind him let out a soft laugh, then actually picked him up. The Alpha held his legs up, as if helping a child pee. On the glass, their reflections overlapped. Zuo Nian, overwhelmed by the sensation, trembled and came.
Duan Baisui said in a low voice, “Ah… looks like we’ll need a ring here too.”
oh god theyre so freaky
poor NianNian’s butt lolol