Chapter 44: Kiss Me Part 1

In ancient Greek mythology, there was a sea demon called a Siren whose sweet songs could easily bewitch passing sailors.

He Siheng gazed at the boy in front of him. He kept his eyes lowered, a smile playing on his lips, and the usual aloof aura he exuded was exceptionally gentle at that moment, as if he had always been this way—soft and harmless.

The softly voiced request was like the Siren’s song, impossible to refuse.

He Siheng opened his mouth, nearly nodding under the spell, but the memory of their bet flashed through his mind, instantly pulling his reason back.

The answer that was about to slip out turned awkwardly into a cough. He Siheng averted his gaze, avoiding the other’s eyes. “Caring about your reputation now? Who was it last time who watched a horror movie and begged shamelessly to sleep in my room?”

He was even bringing up old accounts.

Tan Jing raised an eyebrow. “Fine, reputation aside, it’s not too much to ask for some compensation, right?”

He Siheng had nothing to say to that. Tan Jing had indeed helped him out a lot tonight.

He Siheng lifted his chin. “What compensation do you want?”

Tan Jing’s lips curved up as he raised his index finger and pointed to his cheek. “A kiss right here.”

“…”

He Siheng’s face went wooden as he raised his fist. “With my fist?”

Tan Jing paused, then burst out laughing at his deadpan expression, lowering his head as his shoulders shook.

He Siheng had thought he’d back off, but instead, he’d amused him. He felt inexplicably embarrassed, his ears burning.

“Stop laughing, or I’ll really use my fist.” He warned, annoyed and flustered.

Tan Jing laughed twice more before reaching out to envelop his fist. “Alright, I’m done teasing. Let’s go—I’ll take you to the bedroom.”

He Siheng’s frame was a bit more delicate than Tan Jing’s, and his hands were smaller too. The fist he had clenched was easily wrapped in the other’s palm, the warmth of that hand pressing against his perpetually cool skin— an irresistible comfort.

But He Siheng felt uncomfortable and tried to pull back. The other’s fingers tightened in response, holding him even more firmly.

“I-I can walk by myself. No need to hold hands,” He Siheng said, trying to sound confident.

Tan Jing tilted his head slightly, perfectly serious. “This is self-defense. I’m afraid you’ll sneak attack me with a fist-kiss.”

He Siheng: “…”

Tan Jing led He Siheng to the bedroom before finally letting go. He opened the built-in wardrobe, pulled out a down comforter and a full set of bedding, and spread them on the bed.

The last time He Siheng had visited was summer, and the bedding had been washed and stored away by the regular cleaning service. Tonight’s visit was sudden, so he hadn’t arranged for them in advance and had to do it himself.

He Siheng had never been good at housework—helping would just make a mess—so he stood off to the side, quietly observing the room. Whether it was because there were no decorations making it feel empty or because he knew in advance that few people stayed here, it inexplicably felt a bit oppressive.

His wandering gaze stopped on the picture frame on the bedside table.

It was that Polaroid photo of them together.

Tan Jing had kept it… and even placed it here.

He Siheng couldn’t help but look at Tan Jing, who was deftly making the bed. Noticing the gaze, Tan Jing paused and looked up.

“Hm?”

He Siheng quickly looked away and asked something to fill the silence. “This the master bedroom?”

Tan Jing hummed in affirmation. “My room.”

After making the bed, he grabbed a set of pajamas and unused toiletries from the wardrobe. “Do you want to shower first, or should I?”

“I’ll go first.” He Siheng took the items and headed toward the bathroom, but then he realized a major issue. “You’re staying here tonight too?”

Tan Jing chuckled. “What else?”

He Siheng instinctively assumed they’d share the bed again. Before, he hadn’t known about the other’s feelings and could sleep platonically without issue. But now that he knew, how could they possibly share a bed?

“Then… I’ll take the guest room.” He Siheng turned to leave with his things.

But Tan Jing said, “There’s only one guest room. You sure you want to bunk with your cousin, who’s in Susceptibility Period at any moment?”

He Siheng choked and halted in his tracks.

True, for an Omega, a newly Differentiated Alpha whose Susceptibility Period was unpredictable was like a ticking time bomb.

But compared to Shu Yichen, Tan Jing—whose intentions toward him were no longer pure—seemed even less safe…

He Siheng had never been great at hiding his thoughts. Tan Jing saw his hesitation and smiled, no longer teasing. “You sleep here. I’ll take the living room.”

He Siheng felt bad making the host sleep in the living room. “No, I’ll take the living room.”

“Don’t make things difficult for me,” Tan Jing said with feigned helplessness. “Letting the person I like sleep in the living room while I take the bed—how would I ever win over my boyfriend like that?”

He Siheng: “…”

They were talking seriously, yet he’d circled back to this.

That night, after showering, He Siheng tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

He’d only learned today that high-rank Alphas also had resistance to Suppressants. Shu Yichen was A-Rank and still felt awful after injecting them—Tan Jing, an S-Rank, must have it even worse.

As he pondered this, his phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.

He Siheng picked it up. It was a message from Shu Yichen.

Shu Yichen: Bro, bro, you asleep yet?!

He Siheng: Something up?

Shu Yichen: What’s the deal with you and your “cousin-in-law”? Didn’t you hate him the most? When did you two get together?

…What did he mean “get together”? The kid’s wording was awful.

He Siheng replied: Call him that again, and I’ll drag you over right now for a taste of bamboo shoots fried with pork.

Shu Yichen went quiet for a few seconds.

Then: Okay, door’s double-locked!

He Siheng: “…”

Shu Yichen: I’m not gossiping. I’m just worried about you guys.

Shu Yichen: AA relationships are painful enough, let alone you two both being S-Rank. During Susceptibility Periods, won’t you beat each other bloody?

He Siheng couldn’t help but type: Are Alpha Susceptibility Periods really that aggressive… He deleted the subject midway.

He Siheng: Are Alpha Susceptibility Periods really that aggressive?

Shu Yichen: Only when Suppressants can’t hold it down and the pain’s too much. Unless a highly compatible Omega uses Pheromones to soothe it, but…

He trailed off now.

He Siheng: But what?

Shu Yichen: For Omegas, it’s pretty dangerous.

He Siheng: They’ll get beat up just for getting close?

In the guest room, Shu Yichen scratched his head with one hand.

How was his cousin’s mind even purer than a middle schooler’s? How to explain that for an Omega approaching an Alpha in Susceptibility Period, it wasn’t about getting beaten—it was about definitely getting mounted.

He Siheng waited a few minutes with no reply.

Had the kid fallen asleep mid-chat?

He Siheng was getting sleepy too. He turned off his phone, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

In his hazy sleep, he suddenly heard a discordant series of piano notes that made him frown.

Thinking it was a dream, he woke up, but the piano sounds continued, seeming to come from the living room.

Woken in the middle of the night, He Siheng stormed out of the bedroom in a bad mood, ready to berate Tan Jing for playing piano instead of sleeping. But as he approached, he saw Tan Jing slumped on the sofa, looking equally groggy and woken up.

The piano kept going.

He Siheng turned toward it. The midnight maniac was Shu Yichen. The middle school boy hunched over the piano, lost in it, his posture awkward. In the moonlight from the window, He Siheng saw his eyes were closed—he was still asleep.

“He’s… sleepwalking?” He Siheng asked Tan Jing uncertainly.

Tan Jing tugged at his lips. “You two really are close cousins—one plays piano in his dreams, the other undresses people in his.”