A cool, clear scent of fresh snow.
Liang Xiao’s heart raced, his mind unclear. He instinctively pinched himself hard.
…It didn’t wake him up.
Huo Lan’s movements were exceptionally gentle. His pheromones were cool, but his breath was scorching hot, intertwining with Liang Xiao’s somewhat urgently.
The formidable power of a top-tier alpha was strictly contained without a trace. Huo Lan’s pheromones enveloped him like the rare thin snow in Jiangnan.
Delicate and gentle, not cold even when touching clothes.
Huo Lan closed his eyes, fully focused on kissing him, his dark eyelashes quietly lowered in the light.
Dazed and moved by the kiss, Liang Xiao couldn’t resist anymore and tangled his fingers in the hem of Huo Lan’s clothes.
Liang Xiao held his breath and shifted slightly, carefully trying to align better. But as soon as he moved, Huo Lan pulled back.
Liang Xiao, who had just started the engine, was stunned for a moment: “…”
Huo Lan lowered his gaze, looking at the dazed Liang Xiao, his eyes darkening: “I’m sorry.”
He propped himself up with one arm, intending to get up and leave, when suddenly Liang Xiao grabbed his arm.
Huo Lan tried hard not to look at his expression and turned his head: “Don’t be afraid… It’s alright.”
Huo Lan said softly: “I’ll leave now.”
Liang Xiao tried his best to steady his heartbeat and breathing, pressing his forehead: “President Huo.”
Huo Lan heard the unusual tone in his voice, his shoulders tensing as he closed his eyes.
Unable to suppress the momentary pain and melancholy, he had impulsively kissed Liang Xiao. But as their breaths mingled, Huo Lan had already begun to regain his composure.
…He had done such a thing to Liang Xiao without even asking.
To call it offensive or disrespectful would be an understatement.
Not wanting to anger him further, Huo Lan remained silent for a while before saying softly: “Go to sleep.”
Liang Xiao was amused by his reaction: “How can I sleep now?”
It was one thing not to allow touching or undressing, given Huo Lan’s upright and proper nature. Liang Xiao could understand that.
But how could he kiss and run, taking no responsibility?!
Liang Xiao couldn’t understand it. He held onto half of Huo Lan’s pajama top, not letting go: “Is that all?”
Huo Lan frowned slightly, not daring to argue with Liang Xiao. Pulled back by him, he reluctantly sat on the edge of the bed: “I’m sorry, I–”
This time Liang Xiao didn’t interrupt. He nodded, waiting for Huo Lan to continue.
Huo Lan was silent for a while, having nothing more to say. He closed his eyes.
Liang Xiao was taken aback: “President Huo?”
“I took liberties with you,” Huo Lan said. “Punish me as you see fit.”
Liang Xiao’s voice was slightly hoarse: “Any punishment is fine?”
Huo Lan nodded slightly, then after a moment, grasped Liang Xiao’s hand: “…I won’t leave.”
Liang Xiao was used to their President Huo constantly worrying he might run away. Hearing this, he nodded, being very agreeable: “Of course I won’t leave.”
Liang Xiao let Huo Lan hold his hand while propping himself up with the other to move closer: “Huo Lan, do you know–”
Liang Xiao’s ears turned hot. He coughed once: “What the internet says boys closing their eyes means?”
Huo Lan didn’t know and shook his head.
Never having encountered someone who would kiss so suddenly and then take no responsibility, Liang Xiao had initially wanted to scare him a bit. But noticing Huo Lan’s palm was cold with sweat, he suddenly felt a pang in his heart.
Liang Xiao turned his wrist, grasping Huo Lan’s hand in return. He laughed softly and began unbuttoning his pajama top one by one.
Huo Lan rarely saw this attitude from him and felt uneasy. He instinctively opened his eyes, suddenly freezing: “Liang–”
“It’s not cold,” Liang Xiao said, lowering his head and accurately raising his hand. “Don’t look.”
Huo Lan was stunned as Liang Xiao covered his eyes. He didn’t speak, obediently closing his eyes as told.
Liang Xiao exhaled, tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Their President Huo had never been in such a disheveled state.
His pajamas were completely unbuttoned, pulled open messily. One side of the hem was lifted, vaguely revealing the taut muscle lines of his waist.
Liang Xiao admitted he was taking advantage of the situation. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Huo Lan’s waist.
Huo Lan’s breath hitched slightly.
Though Liang Xiao appeared calm, he was actually nervous too. He held his breath, concentrating hard on steering straight.
With eyes tightly shut, he tremblingly but squarely planted a kiss on their President Huo’s lips.
–
Early the next morning.
The butler, familiar with the routine, ignored the main bedroom and quietly pushed open the door to the side bedroom.
Liang Xiao, exhausted from the previous night’s ordeal with the film crew, was still sound asleep, using his arms and legs to tightly hug a human-shaped pillow.
President Huo’s pajamas were open at the chest, one arm embracing Liang Xiao.
Their clothes were in disarray.
The butler was so pleased he almost wanted to invite the matchmaking god back. He tightly covered his mouth and was carefully about to leave when Huo Lan called out softly: “Contact the manager and help Mr. Liang request a day off.”
The butler nodded quickly: “Yes, yes, of course…”
Despite their efforts to keep their voices low, Liang Xiao still heard something. He frowned slightly, his biological clock urging him to open his eyes.
Huo Lan shielded him from the light, saying softly: “It’s alright, sleep a bit more.”
Liang Xiao obediently coughed twice and buried his face back into Huo Lan’s chest.
The butler sensed something was off and felt worried: “Is Mr. Liang… not feeling well?”
Huo Lan felt Liang Xiao’s forehead: “He’s fine now.”
Huo Lan soothed Liang Xiao back to sleep, carefully tucked him into the blanket, stroked his hair, and whispered a few words to him.
In his drowsy state, Liang Xiao mumbled a response, instinctively nuzzling Huo Lan’s palm.
Huo Lan got up, buttoned his pajamas, left the bedroom, and gently closed the door.
The butler, who had been on standby all night, grew increasingly anxious at this development, his heart suspended between joy and worry: “You–”
“Yesterday, I,” Huo Lan closed his eyes briefly, “kissed Mr. Liang.”
“…” The butler: “Oh.”
Huo Lan, oddly displeased with the butler’s tone, added: “Mr. Liang also kissed me.”
The butler felt conflicted, partly wanting to give him a gold star, but worried Huo Lan might not like it: “…Oh.”
The butler moved to the side, discreetly removing the doorstop.
…At least it was twenty years ahead of the doctor’s predicted progress.
They could get one free consultation now.
The butler calculated, feeling slightly comforted, and handed President Huo a warm towel.
Huo Lan frowned at him, then continued: “Mr. Liang didn’t blame me for taking liberties. Last night he asked if I knew what closing one’s eyes meant. I didn’t know, so he told me not to look.”
Huo Lan felt it wasn’t appropriate to say such things, but since there were no outsiders present, he paused before continuing as concisely as possible: “He undressed me, and also undressed himself…”
The butler exclaimed: “No need for details on that part!”
Huo Lan, cut off just as he was about to say what he most wanted to, frowned deeply and opened the door to the main bedroom.
The butler stood in the metaphorical heavy snow for two seconds: “…Go on.”
“Mr. Liang hugged me and kissed me once.”
Huo Lan: “He told me… meeting me was the happiest thing in his life.”
The butler was stunned.
Huo Lan hadn’t slept all night, constantly thinking about that sentence. Each time he recalled it, his heart grew warmer and fuller.
Liang Xiao had been too emotionally drained last night to say more. He had given Huo Lan a stiff kiss before burying himself in Huo Lan’s embrace.
Mr. Liang had curled up into a warm little ball.
It took Huo Lan over ten minutes to carefully unfurl him, holding him in his arms and gently patting him to sleep.
The butler was stunned for a while, suddenly understanding what Huo Lan wanted to hear. His eyes grew warm as he smiled: “That’s wonderful.”
The butler said with strong conviction: “Mr. Liang likes you and is happy to have met you. He will surely be able to stay with you forever.”
The butler added: “Together for a lifetime.”
Huo Lan stood for a while without responding, then turned and went to the master bedroom to freshen up.
The head of security quietly approached and asked softly: “Is President Huo still angry?”
The butler shook his head: “President Huo isn’t angry at all.”
The security head, who hadn’t dared approach earlier due to the heavy snow, heard this and was somewhat skeptical: “Really?”
“Really,” the butler said, pulling him away. “President Huo is ecstatic.”
In all his years with the Huo family, the security head had only seen young Huo Lan ecstatic once, when the butler had pretended to deliver gifts from his parents.
Unable to connect the dots, the security head was stunned for a moment. He looked back and asked: “Does it snow when President Huo is happy too?”
“It still does now,” the butler explained. “But it won’t in the future.”
“Now that Mr. Liang is here, he will gradually teach President Huo how to relax and be happy.”
The butler added: “President Huo will learn diligently, and he’ll surely learn quickly.”
Hearing this, the security head also felt happy: “President Huo learns everything quickly.”
The butler nodded, glanced at the slightly ajar door of the master bedroom, quickly wiped his eyes, and pulled the security head out of the suite.
