Chapter 39 Part 2

Wen Yan stealthily poked his head out from the balls. Where was Liang Wangyou dumb? The kid was sharp as a tack. Good thing Wen Yan had only peeked with his eyes. Liang Wangyou hadn’t left at all. He stood on the trampoline at the highest point, hands on his hips, scanning everywhere. Wen Yan ducked back into the balls.

A little while later, the balls shifted ever so slightly.

Wen Yan inched toward the edge and peeked out again. There was Liang Wangyou, sunk into the pit not far away, groping through the dense sea of balls. It was only his short stature that saved Wen Yan; otherwise, he would’ve spotted him slipping out and running. This time, Wen Yan bolted to Liang Wangyou’s cloakroom and crouched in the corner, pulling out his phone.

Four unread messages.

Liang Shijing: Forgot to mention—I shut off the surveillance for ten minutes.

What a scheming alpha. Wen Yan tsked in admiration.

Liang Shijing: First place he checked: the amusement park. Want to switch hiding spots?

Such a smart alpha. Wen Yan tsked even more.

Liang Shijing: Asleep?

Liang Shijing: You a pig or what?

Wen Yan hammered at the screen: I’m not a pig! Haven’t been found. Switched spots already…

Liang Shijing replied instantly, bored out of his mind: Cloakroom?

Wen Yan couldn’t believe it: How’d you know?

Liang Shijing: Normal IQ.

Alphas had to show off or their skin would itch, huh? Wen Yan was scrolling for a scathing emoji when the door creaked open. Liang Wangyou slipped in, dead silent this time, tiptoeing around. Through gaps in the clothes, Wen Yan watched him head straight for the safe room in the bedroom first. He darted behind some garments to switch spots again—but luck wasn’t on his side this time. As he slipped out, his foot landed on something unusually soft. He let out an involuntary yelp.

Footsteps rang out right behind him. Liang Wangyou gave chase.

That smart little guy had even poured water on the carpet by the door.

“Wen Yan, I see you!” Liang Wangyou shouted, striking first.

Wen Yan snickered to himself mid-sprint. It’d take the kid a few seconds to catch up—how could he possibly see…? But to the left, only his own room and Liang Shijing’s remained. Wen Yan ducked into his own room. Liang Shijing’s was the final line of defense in the game, but the kid knew it like the back of his hand. Not a great sign…

Once inside, Wen Yan buzzed around like a headless fly. Where was a good hiding spot?

His eyes lit up. The study! It had that huge plush toy Liang Wangyou had given him before. He’d checked it out once—the zipper in the back opened wide enough to fit a person inside, no problem. He made a beeline for the study, yanked open the zipper, and dove in without a glance. His foot instantly hit something hard yet soft, warm to the touch. He lost his balance and pitched forward. A pair of lean, strong hands caught his face.

“You’re here so fast,” Liang Shijing said in a low, eerie voice.

Wen Yan had guessed it the second his foot made contact. No panic—he stayed perfectly calm. “You might need to make some room for me.”

“Can’t. My legs are too long,” Liang Shijing replied flatly.

“…” Wen Yan was speechless for half a second. “Fine, I’ll find somewhere else.” He started backing out, but Liang Shijing clamped down on his shoulders and yanked him inward, pulling him steadily into an embrace and pressing him close. All the while, he used his thumb to nudge the zipper pull upward along the inside of the plush toy. The rasping sound of the zipper filled the air, and the light gradually dimmed.

This doll could indeed only hide one person, so Wen Yan’s current position was rather undignified. His rear nestled between Liang Shijing’s legs, the area just below his right ribs pressed against Liang Shijing’s firm abdominal muscles, and his forehead rested against Liang Shijing’s Adam’s apple. Since they had no need to venture outside, neither of them had bothered changing out of their pajamas. The soft, smooth silk fabric felt incredibly intimate against the skin, every sensation vividly clear.

“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” Wen Yan broke the silence awkwardly.

“I never said it had to be in bed.” Liang Shijing’s throat bobbed slightly.

“How did you think to look here?”

“First come, first served.”

“Good heavens… you really don’t have clairvoyance?” Wen Yan blurted out in astonishment.

“What kind of fairy-tale nonsense is that?” Liang Shijing scoffed coldly.

The Alpha had clearly anticipated that his first choice would be the amusement park and that, once discovered there, he would switch hiding spots to the cloakroom. So the Alpha had simply lain in wait inside the doll in his own room. His foresight was so meticulous it sent a chill down the spine. The light was dim, making it hard to see clearly, but Wen Yan still tilted his head up. Liang Shijing’s perfectly sculpted jawline slipped into his field of vision. Even in the murkiness, it retained its striking allure.

“What are you looking at?”

Wen Yan startled…

“You don’t have clairvoyance—your whole body must be covered in eyes, huh?”

Right now, the Omega carried a touch of endearing cluelessness. He had no idea that even a slight lift of his head would brush the top of it against the Alpha’s nose, sending the faint, pleasant post-bath fragrance wafting straight into the Alpha’s nostrils. The scent was subtle, utterly captivating.

Liang Shijing fell abruptly silent.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Come on, talk to me… don’t scare me like this.” Wen Yan assumed the proximity had irritated him, but he knew full well Liang Shijing wasn’t angry. Between the two of them, Liang Shijing was usually the one to initiate conversation. His sudden silence unnerved Wen Yan; in that moment, he resembled nothing so much as a lifeless statue.

“Maybe I should just get out…”

“Let go of me.”

“Liang Shijing?”

Wen Yan voiced one intention after another, but Liang Shijing remained utterly mute. Picture it: a living person suddenly going rigid in a confined space. It was downright terrifying. Truly frightened now, Wen Yan shifted his hips, groping in the darkness for the zipper. Something seized his fingers. His entire body went rigid as Liang Shijing’s fingers threaded through his, interlocking with seamless precision. In that instant, Wen Yan couldn’t tell whose legs the hands rested upon—his own or Liang Shijing’s.

His senses reeled, nerves frayed to the breaking point.

The Alpha’s hot, damp breath trailed along his neck to tease his earlobe, as though coalescing into tiny beads of moisture.

“What’s the matter?” Liang Shijing’s lips parted briefly, the soft pad of them grazing the sensitive flesh. Wen Yan was scared out of his wits, desperate yet mortified to escape the cramped confines.

Because Liang Shijing was having one of his episodes again…

What made it even more humiliating for Wen Yan was the realization that he seemed to be afflicted by the same “condition”…

But then Liang Wangyou entered the room.

Footsteps—sometimes light, sometimes heavy—echoed gradually through the space as Liang Wangyou rummaged through drawers and cabinets in his search. Meanwhile, Wen Yan lay sinfully concealed with Liang Shijing inside the doll, his breaths coming quick and shallow, cheeks burning, ears aflame. Prolonged curling up in such a position was profoundly uncomfortable, and to top it off, this infuriating Alpha had slowly eased him down onto his chest, wrapping him in an embrace.

Wen Yan squeezed his eyes shut tight.

Sweat beaded at his temple and trickled slowly down his cheek.

He was utterly convinced Liang Shijing was toying with him deliberately.

Liang Shijing seemed utterly at leisure, his breaths lazy and even, chest rising and falling in languid rhythm. One hand rested lightly on Wen Yan’s shoulder, the other idly twirled strands of his hair. Wen Yan clamped his lower lip between his teeth, not daring to utter a sound. Then came the sudden thumps—bang, bang, bang—as Liang Wangyou pounded vigorously on the doll. Its hollow interior should have allowed it to sway under the force, but it merely jolted faintly.

“Wen Yan, come out!” Liang Wangyou cried in delight.

In his current state, Wen Yan could hardly emerge, so he stayed quiet. Undeterred, Liang Wangyou shook the doll vigorously, turning the shelter into a misery for its occupants…

The Omega experienced a momentary weightlessness before crashing heavily back into the Alpha’s chest—again and again. From outside, Liang Wangyou kept shouting, relentlessly rocking the doll to and fro.

“Wen Yan! Wen Yan, come out already!”

Amid the clamor, Wen Yan thought he detected Liang Shijing’s breathing growing heavier.

“Why won’t it open?” Liang Wangyou yanked futilely at the zipper. “Wen Yan, no cheating!” After a few seconds of stillness, he resorted to trickery, yelling, “Wen Yan, I’ve got you! Don’t block the zipper from inside.”

It was plainly the Alpha doing the blocking, yet the blame fell on the Omega…

“Come on out, Wen Yan! Hurry up and come out!” Liang Wangyou persisted in shaking the doll.

As heaven could attest, Wen Yan deeply regretted choosing rock earlier. He never should have tried to cheat. What was he to do now? Opening the zipper would expose their predicament to Liang Wangyou for certain, and the humiliation in front of the child would be unbearable… The more he dwelled on it, the angrier he grew. He jabbed an elbow into Liang Shijing behind him.

“Wait just one more minute.” Liang Shijing’s lips brushed his ear once more, the words a soft murmur.

Wen Yan pounded furiously at his leg but caught the sound of Liang Shijing’s quiet chuckle. If memory served, it had been ages—truly ages—since he’d heard the Alpha laugh. He fell still…

Indeed, after a minute, Liang Wangyou’s smugness turned to anxiety. “Wen Yan, are you stuck in there? Wen Yan?!” With thudding footsteps, he dashed out, hollering, “Father! Where are you? Wen Yan’s suffocating!”

The pair had thoroughly duped the hapless child, but at last, their chance had come. Wen Yan promptly swatted away Liang Shijing’s hand from the zipper, adopting a tone of feigned irritation. “You wait a moment before coming out.”

The zipper slid open, admitting a rush of light and fresh air. The sweat on his cheeks felt refreshingly cool. Clenching his legs together, Wen Yan wriggled free. As one leg emerged, Liang Shijing caught his hand. Wen Yan dared not glance back while wrenching loose; from the corner of his eye, he saw Liang Shijing reclined against the interior, watching his departure in utter stillness.

That single glance lingered, profound and unending.