Chapter 49
The night sky was clear, a few scattered stars twinkling.
It had been a long time since they had seen a clear night. Shi Nuo sat on the bed, facing the window, gazing at the sky.
He should be able to see the sun tomorrow.
The sound of running water in the bathroom stopped, and a few minutes later, the two-meter-tall man emerged, wrapped in a towel.
Shi Nuo instinctively glanced at him, then quickly looked away, embarrassed. Hugh Elvis’s physique was powerful and attractive, his muscles well-defined, and even though he saw him like this every day, he still couldn’t help but feel shy.
As for the feel of those abs and pecs…he had only dared to touch them when he was struggling, trying to push the Alpha away, his efforts always futile.
The bedroom lights were turned off, and the curtains drawn, leaving only a sliver of light filtering in through the gaps.
Shi Nuo lay on the inside of the bed and was about to turn over when his hand was caught.
Their fingers intertwined beneath the blankets, and he lay still for a long moment.
Hugh Elvis’s breathing was soft, as if afraid of disturbing the quiet intimacy. He lay on his side, facing Shi Nuo, also silent.
The bedroom was warm and comfortable, the sweet scent of their mingled pheromones filling the air.
After a long silence, just as Shi Nuo was drifting off to sleep, he was pulled into a warm embrace.
He instinctively turned over, nuzzling his forehead against the Alpha’s chest, just like during Hugh’s hibernation, when he had sought comfort and security in his arms.
But Hugh was awake now.
Shi Nuo froze, hoping his movement hadn’t been noticed.
Perhaps Hugh was also tired, because the Alpha simply held him closer, without saying anything.
Shi Nuo breathed a sigh of relief.
In the darkness, the silence broken only by the Omega’s soft breaths against his chest, the white-haired man smiled faintly and drifted off to sleep.
Soft, warm sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the vibrant blue flowers.
A gentle breeze rustled their petals.
The “flowerpot” held a layer of clean snow, which was quickly melting in the warmth of the room.
The blue flowers showed no signs of wilting, their blooms still vibrant, and Shi Nuo was relieved. When he woke up, he had been worried that the change in environment, the difference in temperature, might have harmed them.
Remembering yesterday, he still felt a sense of disbelief, the sight of the flowers a tangible reminder of the Alpha’s unexpected gesture.
From the flowers to the formal dinner, Hugh had been meticulous, carefully following each step.
As if he truly wanted to date him.
Shi Nuo paused, his mind alternately blank and filled with a jumble of thoughts.
He couldn’t deny the flicker of hope rising within him.
But he was also afraid, afraid of disappointment. If he wasn’t good enough, would Hugh be disappointed? Would he be…rejected?
What if he wasn’t Hugh’s type?
A wave of sadness washed over him. They were the only two people on this planet. If his Alpha rejected him…
His eyes began to water, and he quickly lowered his head, pretending to study the pattern on the rug, hiding his emotions.
When Hugh returned from the basement after replacing the energy crystal, he tried to suppress his sadness, picking up the wilted blue petal that had fallen from the flowers yesterday.
Hugh Elvis, lost in thought, stood by the makeshift table and looked outside. The weather was good.
In the movie, the Alpha-Omega couple had not only dined together but also gone on outings to strengthen their bond.
“Want to go out?” he asked.
Seeing Shi Nuo look up at him, Hugh considered this. The world outside was covered in snow and ice, not much to do. The snow mushroom season was over, and even if they found some, they wouldn’t be as flavorful.
“We can go hunting,” he said after a moment. “We can get whatever you want. There’s a type of snow chicken in the mountains. Their meat is quite good.”
It had been a while since they had chicken. Shi Nuo stood up, placing the wilted petal back on the table. “Okay. I’ll go change.”
When he returned, wearing his thick winter clothes, a small spacecraft was waiting outside, its hatch open.
He had assumed they would be going with Long Xu.
He entered the spacecraft, thinking that a small hunting trip for snow chickens didn’t require the mecha.
The spacecraft flew swiftly across the plain.
Hugh Elvis, his gaze fixed on the navigation display, piloted the ship over the dense forest, crossing several mountain peaks before reaching a wide valley.
He landed in a clearing, the downdraft swirling the snow around them. Before they even disembarked, Shi Nuo saw the animals through the viewport.
A dozen or so snow chickens, their white plumage blending in with the snow, were pecking at the ground, searching for food.
The spacecraft’s arrival startled them, and they scattered, flapping their wings.
There were also a few small deer-like creatures.
As the engines died down, a flash of movement caught Shi Nuo’s eye, and he turned to see a brown shape disappear behind a pile of snow-covered rocks. He hadn’t seen it clearly, but his instincts told him it was a predator.
It must have been hunting, disturbed by their arrival.
The hatch opened, and as Shi Nuo was unbuckling his seatbelt, the Alpha’s dominant pheromones surged, a powerful wave radiating outwards.
The animals in the valley, sensing the threat, their ears twitching, their noses sniffing the air, froze as the Alpha’s pheromones washed over them, a heavy, oppressive presence.
The beast king’s aura filled the valley, and the predators lowered their heads submissively.
By the time Shi Nuo emerged from the spacecraft, Hugh Elvis, standing beside it, had already driven away the dangerous animals, leaving only the snow chickens and a small herd of deer.
Shi Nuo followed him into the valley, passing a few thick trees, and the view opened up before him.
The ground was covered with snow chickens, clucking and pecking at the snow.
Perhaps due to the valley’s unique environment, the snow here was thinner, revealing patches of dried grass and even a few green shoots, their tips still visible beneath the withered vegetation. The snow chickens were eagerly pecking at the seeds clinging to the grass stems.
Shi Nuo stared, his mouth slightly open, amazed by the sight.
Having driven away the predators, Hugh no longer actively released his pheromones. His expression was casual, the abundance of snow chickens a familiar sight.
This planet, undeveloped and untouched, was teeming with native flora and fauna.
Of course, not all areas were this rich in resources, but having lived in various locations with abundant prey, he had grown accustomed to it.
He picked up a few small stones from the ground, testing their weight. They felt good in his hand.
Turning to see Shi Nuo’s stunned expression, Hugh Elvis smiled.
“Which one do you want?” he asked.
Shi Nuo, coming back to his senses, his eyes shining with excitement, pointed at a large, plump chicken. “That one. It looks meaty.”
Whoosh—!
Before he could finish the word, the fat snow chicken he had pointed at was struck in the head by a stone, falling to the ground, its eyes rolling back.
The white-haired man beside him strode forward, and the other snow chickens scattered, clucking and flapping their wings.
Perhaps this was their only habitat, or perhaps they were simply…not very bright.
Shi Nuo watched as the snow chickens, after running for less than two minutes, returned, seemingly unafraid, and resumed their pecking and scratching.
Apart from the small clearing where he and Hugh stood, the valley was still filled with them.
Hugh returned, carrying the dead snow chicken, and placed it on the ground. “It’s dead. No need to tie it up.”
“Mm,” Shi Nuo squatted down, poked the chicken’s plump belly, its feathers thick and soft, and plucked one, examining it curiously.
“Is one enough?” Hugh asked, his gaze returning to the flock of snow chickens. He still had two stones left.
Shi Nuo, holding the feather, looked at the abundance of seemingly oblivious snow chickens, and remembering how easily Hugh had caught one, his own hands itched to try.
“I want to try,” he whispered.
Hugh Elvis raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, then smiled. “Alright, go ahead.”
Shi Nuo dropped the feather, rolled up his sleeves, and approached the flock, his excitement evident.
He realized the snow chickens only looked at him curiously, not scattering in fear, and his confidence grew. He suddenly lunged at a plump chicken.
“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”
Several snow chickens flapped and squawked, jumping and flying over his head in a panicked frenzy.
The plump chicken he had been targeting, having evaded the “predator,” found a seemingly safe spot and began scratching at the ground, clucking nervously.
Shi Nuo was both excited and slightly scared. He had almost caught it, but at the last moment, his courage had failed him.
He had never hunted before. The chickens he had seen were either in pots or on plates, ready to be eaten. Catching a live, flapping chicken was a new experience, and he hesitated, afraid of being pecked.
After watching Shi Nuo chase the snow chickens for a while, his attempts enthusiastic but ultimately unsuccessful, Hugh Elvis sighed and threw the two remaining stones, hitting two chickens.
Shi Nuo, his eyes sharp, quickly ran over and, after a moment of hesitation, grabbed one of the smaller chickens by the neck and lifted it.
“It’s quite heavy,” he said excitedly, his eyes shining, his cheeks flushed.
“Yes, it’s small but plump. The meat should be good,” Hugh picked up the other chicken. “Enough?”
“Yes,” Shi Nuo nodded, holding the still-warm carcass, no longer afraid.
Seeing his excitement, his obvious enjoyment, Hugh Elvis smiled. “Alright, let’s go home,” he said, picking up the first chicken he had caught.
“We still have a lot of honey. We can roast it again today.”
Hearing no reply, he stopped and turned around.
Shi Nuo stood there, holding the chicken, his expression hesitant, his eyes filled with an emotion Hugh Elvis couldn’t quite decipher.
“Home?” Shi Nuo asked softly, as if unsure he had heard correctly.
Hugh frowned, confused. “Where else would we go?”
He looked around. “Do you want to stay and play some more?”
Shi Nuo shook his head but didn’t move. He took a deep breath and asked the question that had been on his mind, “Is this…home?”
Hugh Elvis tilted his head, puzzled. “This planet was initially in my name. After we married, it became ours. Why wouldn’t it be home?”
He considered the usual meaning of the word “home” and added, “It’s just a larger territory. The house is home, and the planet is also home.”
The man’s deep, melodious voice, like a warm, comforting reassurance, calmed the lingering anxiety in Shi Nuo’s heart.
His eyes glistened with tears, and he smiled. “Okay,” he nodded. “I understand.”
