Chapter 56

In an instant, Xie Ling felt his heart pounding like fireworks going off.

His head got hot, and he blurted out in a rush, “Uh, something just came up—I gotta go. Happy New Year!”

Without waiting for Qin Han’s response, he hurriedly ended the video call.

It was a frosty February day, the cold wind biting, but it couldn’t cool the flush on Xie Ling’s face.

Even someone as dense as him could sense something unusual now.

His grandfather had given him the red cord while Qin Han was listening on the other end—he couldn’t possibly not understand what that meant.

Was Qin Han serious about that…? Or just joking? After all, even outside of susceptible periods, Qin Han had a habit of saying all sorts of weird things.

…Tsk, he should’ve just asked straight up. But that look in Qin Han’s eyes was way too…

Xie Ling scratched his head, a wave of restlessness washing over him. He plopped down on the steps by the door and started mindlessly scrolling through his phone.

The first thing he saw was from Qin Han—

Universe’s Second Hottest Guy: Happy New Year-0-

Xie Ling: “…”

He’d already said happy New Year to Qin Han earlier anyway. Ignore, ignore.

Xie Ling exited WeChat and logged into QQ. Ever since Zhang Chengrui’s birthday last time, the “No.1 High F4” group had become the “No.1 High F5” group, with Qin Han added in.

Zhang Chengrui kicked things off by sending a red envelope and forwarding a long string of cheesy blessings from who-knows-where.

Messages quickly piled up to 99+, even Qin Han chimed in, but Xie Ling stayed lurking.

Xia Yu and the others were worrying if Xie Ling’s grandfather still wasn’t feeling better.

Han: His grandfather’s already recovered. He just stepped out for something—he should be back soon.

Auspicious Beast: Qin God, how do you know that so clearly? [Cat Doubting.jpg]

Han: He was video calling me a minute ago.

Zhang Chengrui’s fingers flew.

Auspicious Beast: Waaah, not fair! Why does Ling Bro video call Qin God but not play with me! [Cat Crying.jpg]

Han: Maybe ’cause he plays favorites with me-0-

Little Yu’er: …

Blazing Sun: …

Xie Ling: …Damn.

He simply switched out of the group chat, his face burning as he scrolled through Moments instead.

Everyone’s Moments were filled with New Year’s greetings from classmates—recapping the past year, looking to the future.

Xie Ling wanted to like them but didn’t dare, afraid Qin Han would see that this “big busy man” wasn’t actually busy at all.

As he scrolled, he came across Mu Yin’s posts.

The girl had put up several that evening: selfies, New Year’s wishes. The latest one read: Aaaah!! Forgot one thing!! In the new year, may all my ships sail soon!!

Xie Ling noticed Qin Han had liked that one.

…Damn it. Why was Qin Han everywhere? Was he overthinking it? Out of all these posts, why like hers?

He remembered Mu Yin was into…

The cold wind picked up fiercer, but Xie Ling only felt more agitated inside. In for a penny, in for a pound—he just locked his phone screen.

For some reason, he suddenly felt like the world was so vast, yet there was no place for his soul.

~~~

On the afternoon of the fourth day of the New Year, Xie Ling returned home with Madam Fu.

He’d scored big with red envelopes this year—thicker ones from his grandfather than usual, plus plenty from relatives and friends. By rights, he should be thrilled, calling up his buddies for a feast. But Xie Ling was a bit distracted.

Qin Han had been messaging him nonstop these past few days, and he’d been dodging with excuses about New Year’s visits keeping him busy. You could dodge the first day, but not the fifteenth. On New Year’s Eve, he’d promised Qin Han he’d come over as soon as he got back. Now…

Xie Ling scratched his head and glanced at his phone—

Han: Back yet? Want me to pick you up-0-

Xie Ling: “…”

As he pondered how to reply, Zhang Chengrui suddenly called: “Waaah, Ling Bro, save me!”

Despite all his superstitious rituals for finals, Zhang Chengrui had still bombed thanks to the brutal difficulty. Aside from New Year’s Eve through the third, his parents had him glued to homework at home.

“They went visiting for New Year and cut the internet, took my phone too. Said if I don’t finish two math tests this afternoon with at least 70% accuracy, no weekends out after school starts.” Zhang Chengrui wailed desperately on the line. “Waaah, Ling Bro, you gotta save me!”

Xie Ling, fretting over whether to go to Qin Han’s, saw his perfect out and grabbed it, agreeing on the spot.

After hanging up, Little Xie Ling—who’d found his stairs—quickly messaged Qin Han, explaining Zhang Chengrui’s plight.

Free: Little bro in distress, big bro must answer the call. Studying needs a quiet spot, might not reply for a bit… who knows how long it’ll take. We’ll catch up later.

He boldly switched his phone to silent afterward.

~~~

Qin Han had been sitting on the bay window all afternoon, endlessly swiping through his chat with Xie Ling.

Xie Ling had been avoiding him these past few days.

On New Year’s Eve, caught up in the moment, he’d let some words slip too far. He knew even someone as oblivious as Xie Ling must have picked up on it. He’d regretted it afterward, but no taking back an arrow once it’s loosed—and while Xie Ling was dodging, he hadn’t gone full nuclear with blocking and blacklisting.

So at least that meant Xie Ling didn’t totally hate him, right?

Qin Han gazed at the overcast sky outside. Looked like rain soon. No idea if the little guy was out yet.

Heading straight to another Alpha’s place…

No, he had to hold back. Especially now—he couldn’t corner the kid.

Qin Han ran his tongue along his molars, picked up his phone, and tentatively called Xie Ling.

The first couple tries went unanswered. With a just-in-case attitude, he dialed once more.

His heart oddly tense, Qin Han softened his voice with a chuckle: “Done with studying?”

“Ah, Qin God.” A clear male voice came through.

Qin Han’s lips visibly thinned. He fiddled with the crystal bunny charm on his phone. “Happy New Year. Where’s Xie Ling? Why’re you answering?”

Zhang Chengrui, oblivious to the tone, sighed: “Ling Bro’s right here next to me. We’re mostly done studying—he fell asleep and won’t wake up no matter what. His phone kept lighting up with your calls, so I figured it was urgent.”

Not urgent before, but now…

Qin Han’s gaze darkened. He hopped off the window seat. “It is urgent. Mind sending me your address?”

~~~

Xie Ling was just stirring awake when he felt someone gently toying with his hair. Instinctively, he grabbed the wrist and mumbled, “Don’t touch the hair—it’s beyond your envy. Figured out the last problem yet, or you still messing around?”

“Can’t figure it out.” A tender low chuckle sounded right by his ear. “Need Teacher Xie to guide me hand-by-hand.”

“Mm, Teacher Xie’s still sleepy—you figure it out yourself firs…” Huh?? This voice didn’t sound right?! Since when was Zhang Chengrui’s voice this good?!

Xie Ling froze, then snapped his eyes open. Qin Han’s handsome face filled his vision, up close and personal.

“You…” Xie Ling’s tongue felt tangled. “How are you here?!”

Qin Han laughed softly. “This is my bed. Where else would I be?”

Xie Ling quickly scanned his surroundings—the layout matched Qin Han’s room from last time.

… Xie Ling went blank, instinctively trying to sit up, only for Qin Han to hold him down.

“Don’t move.” Qin Han nodded at the lock of Xie Ling’s hair twined around his fingers, speaking gently. “It’ll pull and hurt.”

Then let go, won’t it?!

Xie Ling averted his eyes. “So… how’d I end up here?”

“I carried you back from Zhang Chengrui’s.”

Carried!!

Xie Ling’s forehead heated up. Before he could speak, Qin Han’s pitiful voice rang out: “I waited for you all afternoon at home, skipped dinner even, but you never showed. Called and found out you were napping at another Alpha’s place.”

For some reason, he felt inexplicably guilty. Xie Ling whispered, “It was an accident—I drank a soda mixed with sleeping pills by mistake.”

Zhang Chengrui’s grandma had early dementia these days; she wandered the house sleepless at night and loved sweet drinks, so his parents dissolved sleep aids in hers. Today, Zhang Chengrui mixed them up with Xie Ling’s by accident.

He’d already been a bit out of it these days, figured a nap sounded good—and woke up in his hazy crush’s house.

Qin Han: “Be more careful out there. Lucky it was Zhang Chengrui’s today. Otherwise, you know what could’ve happened.”

“Wh-what could’ve happened.” Xie Ling tugged his hair free from Qin Han’s fingers and lightly pushed him away.

Just as he started to sit up, Qin Han pressed him back down the next second: “This kind of thing.”

With that, he leaned in and brushed a feather-light kiss against Xie Ling’s cheek.

Xie Ling’s eyes flew wide, his brain short-circuiting instantly. That soft warmth felt like it was pulling his soul right out of him.

Seeing the dazed look, Qin Han’s voice grew husky: “That night on New Year’s Eve…”

“Uh!” Xie Ling panicked. “I brought you some local specialties—I’ll go get them.”

With no idea where the sudden burst of strength came from, he shoved Qin Han away and scrambled off the bed, half running and half tumbling.

In his haste, he didn’t watch his step and nearly tripped over something under the bed.

“Watch out!”

Qin Han caught Xie Ling in his arms. Xie Ling glanced down and spotted a rectangular box on the floor—or rather, not quite a box, since it was large enough to fit a whole person inside.

What on earth was that?

Though puzzled, Xie Ling didn’t have time to think about it. He brushed Qin Han’s hand off his waist and hurried over to where he’d left his backpack.

Behind him, Qin Han quietly shoved the life-sized rectangular object under the bed.

As Xie Ling rummaged through his backpack, someone suddenly hugged him tightly from behind. This time, the grip was even stronger—so strong that even Xie Ling, an Omega whose physical strength surpassed most Alphas, couldn’t break free.

“The local specialty can wait,” Qin Han murmured into his ear. “Mark me first, okay?”

His voice was husky.

An Alpha’s words might lie, but the surging pheromones could not.

Xie Ling hesitated. “…What’s wrong with you?”

“I suddenly feel unwell.”

Xie Ling paused, suddenly recalling how he’d forcefully shoved Qin Han away earlier.

Qin Han’s susceptible period had only just ended, and though the push had been instinctive, for an Alpha suffering from Krofell Syndrome, it might have been overly aggressive.

He remembered Qin Huai mentioning that Alphas with this condition were hypersensitive to even the smallest acts of resistance from an Omega.

Xie Ling paused again. His initially tense body relaxed, and he tilted his head slightly, fully exposing his gland to Qin Han. “Go ahead.”

Moments ago, he’d been so panicked, but now, at the mere mention of Qin Han’s discomfort, he looked utterly willing, ready for the taking.

Qin Han closed his eyes and bit down on Xie Ling’s neck—restrained yet profoundly moved.

Their pheromones mingled and filled the room. Just as Xie Ling’s expression grew dazed, Qin Huai suddenly knocked on the door from outside. “Little Han!”

Irritation flashed in Qin Han’s eyes at the interruption. He was about to pretend he hadn’t heard when Qin Huai shouted again, “Grandma’s back!”

Qin Han froze. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed the fire burning inside him, released Xie Ling, and scanned his spacious room. Then he said to Xie Ling, “Hide in the closet for now.”

Seeing how tense Qin Han was, Xie Ling’s ears turned red with amusement. “What’s the big deal? Your grandma might be a bit strict or whatever, but she’s not going to eat me. I’m already here; it would be rude not to say hello.”

“Our family rules are strict. She doesn’t allow us to bring Omegas home without permission. And we just did that stuff—the room reeks of it.” Qin Han paused, brushing his lips over the skin of Xie Ling’s gland, and chuckled softly. “She’ll think we’re sneaking around.”

Xie Ling: “…”

~~~

After Xie Ling hid in the closet, Qin Huai quickly grabbed two bottles of deodorizer and dashed into Qin Han’s room, spraying vigorously everywhere. He’d barely finished when Ye Shuanghua walked in.

Qin Huai immediately hid the bottles behind his back. Ye Shuanghua sat down on the sofa and glanced at him. “You go out first. I have some unfinished files with Xiao Chen. Handle them for me.”

Qin Huai secretly winked at Qin Han before retreating outside.

Once the door closed, Ye Shuanghua turned to Qin Han. “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had time to check on you. I heard you didn’t get first place in your finals?”

Qin Han lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Grandma. I’ll do better next time.”

During finals, he’d been in the middle of his susceptible period and an episode, leaving his mental state poor. In the end, he’d fallen just two points short of Xie Ling.

“There won’t be a next time,” Ye Shuanghua said. “I’ve arranged everything for you in the United States. You’ll go abroad after the New Year.”

Qin Han’s pupils contracted slightly. He lowered his gaze. “My condition…”

He figured his second brother had already informed Grandma about it.

Ye Shuanghua pulled a photo from her handbag and slid it across to Qin Han. “This is the Omega you’ll be dating from now on. He’s from the Lin Family—you met when you were kids. Your condition can be treated with physical therapy. There’s no need to mark an Omega you won’t end up with just to cure it.”

The room fell deathly silent in an instant.

A moment later, Qin Han looked up at Ye Shuanghua. “Grandma, I’m not going abroad, and I won’t date this Omega.”

His expression was utterly resolute. Ye Shuanghua blinked in surprise. She remembered that he’d worn the exact same look when he’d insisted on transferring back from the United States. From childhood to now, he’d only defied her twice.

“Then what do you want?”

“I want…” Qin Han paused. “I want to be with Xie Ling.”

As he spoke, a chillingly obsessive smile crept across his face. “I like him.”

“In this lifetime, I only want him.”