Chapter 73

The numbing tingle from his lips shot straight down to his tailbone.

Qin Han’s voice, tender yet laced with danger, set Xie Ling’s entire body aflame. Mortified, he wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room, yet a strange thrill stirred deep in his chest that he couldn’t quite name.

Caught in a whirlwind of emotions, Xie Ling clung to one unyielding thought: he couldn’t let himself lose. He seized Qin Han’s wrist, mindful that they were still in the classroom, and forced a casual smile. “If you’ve got the guts, bring it on. You think I’m scared of you?”

Qin Han’s breath caught in his throat. He ground his teeth together fiercely. This little rascal had clearly clocked that he couldn’t act on his impulses right now and was toying with him on purpose.

They were in a classroom, after all—anything more extreme was off-limits. Qin Han tamped down his surging desire and started to pull away, hoping to steady his racing heart. But then his eyes flicked to the faint shadow beneath Xie Ling’s.

“Why do you have dark circles?” Qin Han’s brow furrowed slightly. “What have you been doing lately?”

He’d noticed Xie Ling looking worn out recently, but this wasn’t his heat period. The midterm cram sessions were intense, sure, but they shouldn’t have been much of a challenge for him.

“Nothing much. I’ve been binge-reading this epic-length comic. Staying up late for it.”

Xie Ling was known to pull all-nighters for comics or grinding ranks in games, so Qin Han didn’t press the issue. “Even so, show some restraint. Don’t wreck your health.”

“Don’t worry.” Xie Ling brushed his fingers along Qin Han’s cheek and flashed a lazy grin. “This body’s saving itself for you to wreck. I’ll take good care of it.”

Qin Han: “…”

~~~

Xie Ling never imagined the bold flag he’d planted in his overconfidence would come crashing down just days later.

In the final round of the midterm exams, he blacked out right there in the testing hall.

When he came to, groggy and disoriented in his own bedroom, reality hadn’t quite sunk in. “What happened? Wasn’t I in the middle of the exam? Cough, cough—”

Qin Han stood at his bedside in his school uniform. The sound of that cough twisted something in his chest. He lifted the glass of water he’d prepared earlier and helped Xie Ling drink. “Exam? Do you even realize you have a fever?”

Xie Ling let out a startled “ah” and belatedly touched his forehead. “Whoa. Want some grilled meat tonight? I can lend you my forehead as the grill—eco-friendly and hassle-free.”

Qin Han’s brow creased.

Seeing the look, Xie Ling dropped the jokes and pivoted. “You’re here babysitting me. What about your exam?”

He’d felt off all day leading up to the test—maybe some gut instinct. He’d blazed through the questions at top speed. Vaguely, he recalled only leaving the final essay unfinished. But Qin Han…

Qin Han met his anxious gaze. “Relax. I finished mine fast today—got everything done before bringing you back.”

With that, he turned to pour another glass of water.

Xie Ling buried half his face in the blanket. He studied Qin Han’s profile and sensed a chill in the air around him, like low barometric pressure before a storm.

When Qin Han returned, Xie Ling latched onto his hand with a clingy grip, his voice laced with a hint of wheedling. “I’m fine, really. They say a little fever now and then is good for you. I just went overboard with the fun these past couple days—a tactical slip-up…”

Qin Han melted at that tone. He clasped Xie Ling’s hand in return, his own voice tinged with exasperation. “How long were you planning to keep this from me?”

Xie Ling blinked, then spotted the book in Qin Han’s other hand. It was the one he’d cracked open that morning before school and hadn’t had time to put away. The title: Enterprise Strategic Management.

Qin Han had a copy too—one Ye Shuanghua had shoved at him recently, along with a project assignment. He had two weeks after finishing the book to apply its principles to that project.

“You’ve been pulling all-nighters for this?” Qin Han asked.

Xie Ling could feel the grip on his hand tighten, a faint tremor running through Qin Han’s fingers.

He mustered a smile. “I was just curious, that’s all. Hey, check this out—I even knocked out that project you mentioned, using stuff from the book.”

He fished a folder out from under his pillow.

Qin Han froze. Once he’d skimmed through it, he set the folder aside and pulled Xie Ling into a tight embrace. “…Thank you.”

Xie Ling hesitated, then hugged him back. “Why the big fuss? I only did it because it seemed fun.”

Qin Han fell silent. He knew full well that Xie Ling had zero interest in business matters. He’d even turned down Xie Cheng when his brother tried to teach him. And yet, here he was…

It didn’t take a genius to figure out who this was for.

“These are my problems. You don’t need to bother with them anymore…”

The words died on his lips as a sharp sting bloomed there.

Qin Han’s pupils contracted. Xie Ling had bitten him.

“Qin God,” Xie Ling said, flicking his tongue over the offending tooth, his flushed cheeks sharpening into a fierce grin, “talk like that again, and are you trying to break up with me?”

Qin Han’s heart pounded with a mix of longing and alarm. “I didn’t mean—”

“Then don’t say it again.” Xie Ling followed the stick with the carrot, gently rubbing the spot he’d nipped. “You’re my boyfriend. Your problems are my problems. Got it?”

The direct hit sent Qin Han’s heart quivering—joy, gratitude, and a bittersweet ache swelling within him.

He crushed Xie Ling closer. “But I don’t want you wearing yourself out. Just stay happy every day. Let me handle all the headaches.”

“No way.” Xie Ling smiled. “We tire together. We thrive together. My Alpha has to be the happiest one in the world.”

The words were pure dominance, yet to Qin Han’s ears, they were softer than silk.

Lines like that were usually reserved for Alphas whispering to their Omegas. But not with his little guy.

A wave of unspoken emotion crashed over Qin Han. He leaned in to kiss him—only for a loud gurgle to interrupt from Xie Ling’s stomach.

Xie Ling’s face flushed crimson. “I…”

Qin Han chuckled. “Hungry, huh? I’ll grab you some porridge.”

He returned with a bowl of Xie Ling’s favorite mung bean porridge. Xie Ling took a few sips, his expression turning complicated. “This from the place downstairs? Their quality’s tanked. No more takeout from them.”

Qin Han just stood there, unmoved.

Xie Ling blinked. “What’s wrong?”

“I made the porridge.”

Xie Ling: “??”

“Followed your mom’s recipe over the phone.”

Madam Fu was out of town on business. The moment Xie Ling fell ill, Qin Han had called her, reassured her, and mentioned wanting to make porridge for him. She’d walked him through the ingredients’ locations and the exact method.

Qin Han had tasted his handiwork afterward—decent, in his opinion, middling at worst. But he wanted Xie Ling to taste his effort, even if he’d already ordered takeout as backup.

“My talent must all go into making milk candy. Give me some practice on porridge. I’ll go grab the takeout… Little Ling?”

Qin Han stared, dumbfounded, as Xie Ling slurped down the bowl in record time.

“I was just messing around.” Xie Ling grinned. “Damn, Qin God, first try and it’s this good? What are these, god-tier hands?”

Then he spotted the two blisters marring those god-tier hands.

Xie Ling slammed the bowl down. “Your hand’s scalded?!”

Qin Han hadn’t given it a second thought before. But now, faced with Xie Ling’s worry—and remembering how he’d downed the porridge without hesitation—warmth flooded his chest. Along with it came a flicker of less-than-pure desire.

He raised his hand and pressed a fingertip to Xie Ling’s lips, nudging them apart with shameless intent. “Yeah, it hurts. Since you liked my porridge so much, doesn’t the chef deserve a little reward?”

His gaze was blatant, his gesture unmistakable. Xie Ling caught on instantly.

His fever-flushed body ignited even hotter. But he played along with a compliant smile. “Sure. Reward time.”

He parted his lips and drew Qin Han’s finger inside, his tongue brushing gently over the blister.

It was a different kind of thrill from kissing. Inexperienced, Xie Ling only managed two tentative licks before he froze.

Qin Han flexed his finger slightly, stirring it back and forth in the wet heat of Xie Ling’s mouth.

Indecent sounds echoed in the air. Qin Han watched Xie Ling’s dazed expression, his eyes rimming red, and felt his throat go bone-dry. His pheromones began leaking without control.

The Summer Sea Breeze lost its usual crisp serenity, turning restless and clingy. It teased the little rose into restless swaying.

The two scents tangled together. Qin Han sensed things veering dangerous and slowly withdrew his finger.

Xie Ling, flushed and panting, steadied his breathing. As Qin Han turned to leave, he grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”

Swayed by the pheromones, Xie Ling instinctively pressed closer. “I’m cold. Can we sleep together?”

…

This was torture.

Qin Han remembered the last time he’d been sick, clinging to Xie Ling for the same thing. A pang of something hit him.

“Alright.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he smiled. “Gotta hit the bathroom first. Then I’ll tuck in with you.”

Xie Ling blinked and glanced downward on instinct—right at the prominent bulge.

Steam practically shot from his ears. Qin Han, seeing it, made no move to hurry off. “What’s this? Not so chatty now?”

He caught Xie Ling’s flickering gaze and leaned in close to his ear with a laugh. “Is it that big—leaving you speechless?”

The teasing in those words was all too obvious. Though Xie Ling felt so embarrassed he thought he might just die on the spot, he instinctively knew he couldn’t back down.

“I was just thinking—next week is my eighteenth birthday.”

Qin Han assumed he was trying to change the subject and went along with it. “Mm. Any special gift you’re hoping for?”

He had already prepared something, of course.

“Yeah.” Xie Ling smiled, his hands slowly climbing up to loop around Qin Han’s neck as he buried his flushed face in the crook of the man’s shoulder. In a soft murmur, he added, “I want you.”

…

Sensing the quickening breath and the chaotic surge of pheromones from the man in front of him, Xie Ling chuckled. “What’s wrong? Weren’t you so eloquent just a moment ago?”

Delighted, he threw the words right back at him. “Is this gift really so overwhelming that it leaves you speechless?”

“…Little one.” Qin Han ground his teeth, delivering a firm pinch to Xie Ling’s waist. “You’re playing with fire.”

Seeing how thoroughly he’d aroused the other man—evidenced by the growing reaction down there—Xie Ling felt a mix of embarrassment and thrill. Emboldened, he pressed further. “Brother.”

Qin Han’s temples throbbed. He felt like he was about to explode, caught in a whirlwind of agony and ecstasy. He patted Xie Ling’s waist. “Be good. Brother’s going to the bathroom first.”

Xie Ling let out a soft hum of acknowledgment. Before releasing him, though, he recalled all those countless times Qin Han had left him blushing and tongue-tied. “Once I’m of age, Brother won’t have to keep suffering by always heading to the bathroom alone.”

As he spoke, he leaned in to puff warm breath against Qin Han’s ear. “By then, you can unleash all that energy on me. I’ll make sure you feel good.”

Qin Han: “…”