Xu Tangzhou’s eyes were watery, the corners tinged with red; a sign of embarrassment.
He didn’t dare to look directly at Ling Che, only quickly adding, “Last time you helped me. This time, I feel I should be able to help you too.”
Ling Che was silent for a while, then said, “Help me?”
Xu Tangzhou said, “Yeah, you’re in your susceptible period, right? It’s okay, a bite should make it better.”
He swore he wasn’t trying to take advantage.
Okay, he did indeed want to take advantage of Ling Che.
Ling Che seemed to not need such help at all. Since he didn’t say anything more and turned to walk upstairs.
Xu Tangzhou felt foolish once again. He wished he could become invisible: “……”
Mi Fei’s home was on the third floor, and Ling Che pushed open the stairwell door with one hand, apparently not wanting to waste time waiting for the elevator. Xu Tangzhou watched his tall figure from behind, too embarrassed to say a word, and could only follow him into the stairwell.
With a “clang,” the fire door automatically closed tightly behind them.
The incandescent lights in the stairwell of the high-end residential complex were considered bright, but the space still felt more cramped compared to the outside.
Everything was quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the empty stairwell. Just as they reached the second floor, Ling Che suddenly stopped.
Xu Tangzhou: “What’s wrong?”
Ling Che didn’t respond, but looked at him with a grim expression.
As Xu Tangzhou was climbing the stairs, feeling uneasy, and just as he reached the corner and came beside Ling Che, he was forcefully pushed against the wall by Ling Che.
Ling Che was strong and much taller than him. Xu Tangzhou, being enveloped by his shadow, thought that he was about to be hit.
Xu Tangzhou was initially frightened, terror showing in his face: “You…”
Then Ling Che lowered his head and bit into the back of his neck.
Xu Tangzhou: “Ah!!”
Pain emanated from the back of his neck, and he involuntarily grabbed the hem of Ling Che’s clothes, which only made Ling Che bite deeper. His glands were pulsing, his body trembling, but his brain was layer by layer overwhelmed by a paralyzing numbness, causing him to slide down helplessly.
This time, Ling Che had considerably lightened his grip.
The last time Xu Tangzhou was bitten by him, the wound was slightly torn.
He remembered that last time Xu Tangzhou cried, it must have been very painful, but Xu Tangzhou didn’t say anything to him, nor did he complain.
Tonight, he was angry, so he went straight for it without a warning, not intending to spare Xu Tangzhou the pain at all.
But Xu Tangzhou cried anyway.
Tears of a physiological nature fell drop by drop from his eyes, dampening the fabric on Ling Che’s shoulder. Xu Tangzhou gasped for air in pain, his knuckles white as he clutched Ling Che’s hem.
“You, you’re not…” Xu Tangzhou couldn’t finish his sentence.
You didn’t want to bite, did you?
Why again?
Xu Tangzhou received no response.
His head was controlled by Ling Che, that large hand burying his face completely into Ling Che’s broad shoulder, making him unable to see anything or hear clearly.
The only thing left was the tactile sensation from his skin, both pain and a tingling numbness were present. He knew that the pheromones belonging to the alpha were eagerly entering his glands, something wet slid from the back of his neck down his back, unsure if it was saliva or glandular fluid. Ambiguous and heavy breathing echoed in his ears—it was unclear whether it was his own or Ling Che’s.
“Mmm…”
Xu Tangzhou couldn’t control his own voice.
Lu Cheng’an couldn’t cook and was disabled, so Mi Fei wouldn’t let him into the kitchen. He stood at the doorway to make his presence felt and to talk to his lover.
These alphas didn’t realize how big they were, and when they stood there, they would take up space and could actually be quite in the way when they couldn’t help.
“Why haven’t they come upstairs yet?” Mi Fei thought about sending him to check.
“Could they have gone the wrong way?” Lu Cheng’an took out his phone to check; it had been ten minutes since Ling Che’s last message.
Lu Cheng’an: [God Che, have you arrived?]
Ling Che: [Downstairs.]
Lu Cheng’an: [Waiting for Zhouzhou?]
Ling Che: [.]
Lu Cheng’an: [Remember, we’re on the third floor, the first door on the left. Don’t go to the right; the neighbor and I don’t get along.]
Ling Che: [He’s here.]
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Oe Jtfcu’jc rfglberis vbeyafv Olcu Jtf’r lcafiilufcmf: “P’ii ub tjnf j ibbx.”
Zl Mfl kjr nfgs qifjrfv: “Xb jtfjv!”
Oe Jtfcu’jc mtjcufv tlr rtbfr jcv jirb mtbrf ab ajxf atf rajlgr vbkc.
Coafg vfrmfcvlcu pera bcf oibbg, tf mbeiv rwfii j nfgs ojwliljg rmfca bo qtfgbwbcfr, yfibculcu ab Olcu Jtf’r V-ugjvf qtfgbwbcfr.
The scent of the scorching sun marked its territory, signaling that outsiders were not welcome to enter.
Additionally, amidst the heat, there was another very distinct scent of pheromones.
Cool, reminiscent of winter snow, yet with a barely perceptible sweetness, subtly lingering within, causing Lu Cheng’an to pause in surprise.
He saw the two people around the corner.
One of them was Ling Che, and the other, of course, was unmistakably Xu Tangzhou.
That pheromone scent belonged to Xu Tangzhou.
However, this pheromone… was quite rare.
Lu Cheng’an, in his thirties, had never encountered such an omega pheromone before.
Not wanting to intrude on others’ private moments, Lu Cheng’an wouldn’t ask for trouble. He came back to his senses and quietly stepped back, returning with light footsteps.
Upon opening the door, Mi Fei was still in the kitchen, wearing an apron and ladling soup.
“Didn’t you go?” Mi Fei asked upon seeing him return.
“I did,” Lu Cheng’an recovered from his daze and smiled, “They’re busy.”
After telling Mi Fei what happened, Mi Fei couldn’t hold back a laugh: “They’re so unlucky, every time it’s either you or me who walks in on them.”
These young people really knew how to have fun, Lu Cheng’an finally admitted that he was getting old.
“Bite when you can, but I don’t want to be caught and exposed by the paparazzi.”
A deep voice said beside his ear.
Xu Tangzhou was still limp, barely standing with the support of Ling Che’s arms around his waist. Now he felt he could answer Qiu Yin’s question—of course, it felt more pleasurable.
The physiological structures of alphas and omegas were designed for such acts. How could it always be painful?
He felt the heat of Ling Che’s lips, his teeth had already let go of the gland at some point. His tongue licked the fresh bite marks, over and over, gently and slowly.
Ling Che seemed to find some pleasure in this.
Because what he said next was, “My susceptible period is quite long, so if you’re really going to take responsibility, come find me obediently once it’s healed in a few days. Understand?”
Xu Tangzhou responded with a weak “Mmm,” his voice soft and trailing off.
Suddenly, Ling Che wasn’t so angry anymore.
At least, he could mark Xu Tangzhou indefinitely, without worrying about what Xu Tangzhou was actually thinking.
Until he had completely marked him as his own.
It took Xu Tangzhou several minutes to calm his mind.
Ling Che straightened his collar for him, looked at him for a few seconds, and gradually started to feel displeased again.
Ling Che took out his phone to make a call: “Go to the convenience store and buy a box of gland patches in five minutes.”
He was calling Xiao An.
Xu Tangzhou’s clothing for the day had a collar that could cover the bite mark. He was embarrassed to let Xiao An know about this, so he quickly took out a mist: “I brought an inhibitor today, just a puff and it’ll be fine.”
To show that he was okay, he quickly unscrewed the cap and took a few puffs.
Ling Che, however, paid no attention.
After Xiao An parked the car outside, he quickly delivered the gland patches.
As a beta, he was initially clueless about buying this item, and upon seeing Ling Che standing at the entrance, he even asked curiously, “Ge, what do you need this for?”
Ling Che took the item and lifted his eyelids: “You sure ask a lot of questions.”
It was a long time after Xiao An left that he remembered the people at tonight’s gathering included Xu Tangzhou… Could it be for Xu Tangzhou’s use?
Xu Tangzhou, with the gland patch applied by Ling Che, had an expressionless face, but his earlobes quietly turned red. They had made an agreement. Their relationship now wasn’t just “casually biting necks,” right?
“Are you feeling a bit better?” he asked the “patient.”
An omega freshly marked looked especially tempting.
Ling Che’s eyes were deep: “Not bad.”
The two of them arrived at Mi Fei’s home.
After the program finished recording, the four of them didn’t really keep in touch. It was only for the show《Super Player》that Mi Fei suggested the idea of inviting them over for a meal, as previously mentioned.
“Welcome, welcome!”
After some pleasantries, Ling Che and Xu Tangzhou entered the house.
The house was large and well-located, different from the area where Ying Chen and Ling Che lived. This place was more convenient and closer to the city center, also home to many celebrities and wealthy individuals.
Upon entering, they were greeted by the aroma of food. Mi Fei single-handedly prepared a lavish feast while Lu Cheng’an, having nothing to do, was free to pet the cat.
The cat, owned by Mi Fei, wasn’t very sociable. Even as Lu Cheng’an pet it, it seemed indifferent.
After hanging up their coats in the entryway, Xu Tangzhou, wearing a loose-fitting shirt inside, looked rather slender: “Senior Lu, has your hand healed?”
Lu Cheng’an smiled and said, “Almost. It just needs more time to recover. Actually, a few days ago when I went to sign a contract, I ran into President Ling. God Che really does bear some resemblance to her.”
Ling Che didn’t always seem at ease everywhere, but he casually sat down on the sofa and said indifferently, “Is that so? Many people say that.”
The irritability had completely vanished, and Ling Che once again felt a clear mind, to the point where even fatigue seemed to have disappeared.
Pheromones were a wonderful thing.
Xu Tangzhou asked curiously, “Who?”
Ling Che glanced at him, remembered his amnesia, and then said, “My mother.”
Seemingly unaware that Ling Che suddenly didn’t want to discuss this matter, Lu Cheng’an continued, “Yes. This time, we got an endorsement and have a collaboration with God Che. We’d also like to invite President Ling for a meal if there’s a chance.”
Xu Tangzhou suddenly realized.
He had almost forgotten that《Our Perfect Journey》was sponsored by Bofenni, and the winners would get a contract as global visual spokespersons. The Lu-Mi CP were the winners, and now with the topics “Lu Cheng’an is Worth It” and “The Most Beautiful AB Romance,” their popularity was sky-high, and they were incredibly famous recently.
The President Ling that Lu Cheng’an mentioned should be Ling Che’s alpha mother. She was not only the chairman of Bofenni but also the CEO, single-handedly building a luxury empire with decisive and swift actions.
Hearing this, Ling Che said, “She’s quite busy. I haven’t seen her for a few days now.”
Lu Cheng’an laughed and said, “I almost forgot. God Che must be very busy these days too, so we’ll talk about it another time.”
In just a few sentences, Ling Che knew that he and Lu Cheng’an were not truly on the same path.
Ling Che was aware of Lu Cheng’an stumbling upon them earlier. The scent of orchids on the other person was too conspicuous amidst the coolness. He didn’t need to look up to know it was Lu Cheng’an. Fortunately, the other party was tactful and quickly walked away, and they didn’t ask when they went upstairs.
This was different from Ying Chen, who would definitely ask for details in front of them.
It was not to say that Lu Cheng’an’s character was flawed. He could be a good friend, but being on a program and in reality were ultimately different. Lu Cheng’an, in his thirties, only recently won the Best Actor award and fortuitously emerged as the center figure in a hit show. His edges had been smoothed out, his ambition to seize opportunities and climb higher was too apparent, and he was even more cautious not to offend anyone.
There were too many complexities involved, and while there was nothing wrong with being ambitious, compared to his close friend Ying Chen, it seemed somewhat less pure.
During the conversation, Xu Tangzhou had already gone to the kitchen to talk with Mi Fei. The two of them seemed very close, though it was unclear what they were discussing.
In the entertainment industry, Xu Tangzhou currently has only one friend, Mi Fei.
The two of them got along very well.
Ling Che then curled his lip slightly and said to Lu Cheng’an, “Alright, I’ll mention it to her.”
Mi Fei’s cooking skills were quite good, with portions just right. Through the understanding they gained of each other during the show, the meal was made to perfectly suit the tastes of Ling Che and Xu Tangzhou. As soon as the four of them sat down, they were eager to eat.
However, Mi Fei took out his phone: “Hey, don’t start yet! I haven’t taken a photo!”
Xu Tangzhou: “Blessing the food before eating makes it taste even better.”
“You really get it, Zhouzhou,” Mi Fei said delightedly, directing everyone to take a group photo, and then took pictures of the food.
Only after that did they start eating while posting on Flow.
“You’re the youngest here, and you speak so cleverly. Were you a crosstalk comedian before?” Lu Cheng’an said to Xu Tangzhou, “You have so many jokes.”
Xu Tangzhou: “Don’t ask. If you ask, it’s earthworms committing seppuku playing soccer.”
Everyone: “???”
Xu Tangzhou: “Eleven players. They sever their own leg meat; as long as you start, you'll never run out of jokes.”
Everyone: “……”
Mi Fei couldn’t stop laughing: “God Che, is it like this every day when you two are together?”
Ling Che put down his chopsticks and said, “Not like this.”
“Eh?” Mi Fei was curious, “Why not?”
Ling Che was also a bit surprised.
Xu Tangzhou wasn’t like this before. He was obedient and pure, and didn’t understand much.
Now, after reuniting, he has discovered time and again that the other’s true nature wasn’t what he thought it was. But no matter how many jokes Xu Tangzhou had, he had never told them in front of him, let alone any flirtatious talk.
Before Ling Che could answer, Xu Tangzhou preempted: “Because we’re not together every day.”
Ling Che had just said he didn’t want to go public, and Xu Tangzhou could understand that, so he took the initiative to clarify their relationship.
He was willing to keep it a secret.
Ling Che then responded with a “Mmm.”
No emotions could be discerned.
Throughout the meal, the Flow post made by Mi Fei had already received nearly ten thousand comments from fans. Lu Cheng’an and Xu Tangzhou both shared this Flow post, but Ling Che showed no intention of doing so. He was impatient with managing these things, so Mi Fei didn’t ask.
The comments under Xu Tangzhou’s Flow were particularly numerous.
[Is our Zaizai going to be on the《Super Player》show? Cheering for our Zaizai!]
[Having a gathering, huh! I see God Che!]
[Wuwuwu, so nice, next week there’s《Super Player》and the premiere of “Dad's Pitfall Journey,” we can see our Zaizai on TV!]
[Gege! My gege is so handsome today!!!!]
[The relationship between Lu-Mi CP and Zhouzhou is really good, I’m envious. I’m asking for the psychological shadow area of the Fuzzy Sisters.【dog head emoji】]
[Why doesn’t my gege share the post, did he forget again that his phone can go online? He’s only posted twice since he registered on Flow… I know I’m expecting too much.【humble】]
[I’m begging for Zaizai to post a photo of gege, the kids are crying for it.]
After the meal, the four of them chatted in the living room for a while. Lu Cheng’an and Ling Che started playing video games, while Mi Fei took the opportunity to talk to Xu Tangzhou about the show, sharing his experiences with game-themed variety shows.
The cat, coming from nowhere, made a beeline for Ling Che, looking like it intended to climb onto his lap.
Without even lifting his eyelids, Ling Che moved the cat away.
But the cat was persistent, repeatedly coming back, insisting on meowing and trying to climb onto Ling Che. Ling Che had a music video that was shot on Cat Island. In the behind-the-scenes footage, he was almost surrounded by cats, leading fans to say he was a cat magnet.
Seeing this, Mi Fei quietly complained to Xu Tangzhou: “My Mumu is usually so arrogant, but how come it’s all submission when it comes to God Che?”
Tsundere?
Xu Tangzhou looked over and saw the cat simply rolling over to show its belly next to Ling Che’s leg, acting stubborn. The belly was soft and round, so tsundere and cute that even the owner couldn’t stand it. Finally, Ling Che showed mercy, extending a hand to scratch it. Perhaps he was very gentle, as the cat shamelessly started purring.
Xu Tangzhou suddenly realized. He had always been unable to find the right adjective to describe Ling Che, but wasn’t this exactly what ‘tsundere’ was?
He quietly took a photo, careful not to include Ling Che’s face without permission.
The photo only showed a hand with distinct knuckles and slender fingers, along with the universally adored cat.
Xu Tangzhou zzv: Here we are, busy.【Photo】
After posting this status, Xu Tangzhou didn’t have the chance to check it.
It wasn’t until after the gathering that evening that Xu Tangzhou realized this post had become even more popular than the last one he shared from Mi Fei’s Flow.
[Ahhh I see the hand!!!]
[I’m so envious, I declare from now on I’m living on Zaizai’s Flow.]
[I want to become that cat.]
[Gege, pet me.]
[?????? Excuse me, I am Mi Fei’s cat, you step aside!]
[The kitty is so cute~ So the question is, who should I be jealous of?]
[Hahahaha always treated differently, gege is so narcissistic, Mi Fei is going to be so introverted…]
[Can exchange experiences with Ying Chen hahahaha]
[Feel sorry for him]
[Feel sorry for him +1]
The more Xu Tangzhou looked, the more confused he became. It was only after he belatedly checked the backend that he realized Ling Che couldn’t be bothered to find and share Mi Fei’s Flow post, but he had shared the one Xu Tangzhou posted.
Ling Che 45361v: Clingy, this cat is really annoying. Xu Tangzhou zzv: Here we are, busy.【Photo】
Marachne: I just wanted to apologize for the sheer amount of notes. Time to commit seppuku– Nah… Anyway, I have been thinking about this and I wanted to ask you guys: should I just let “Zaizai” be or would you prefer it to be translated to “Baby”?
I admit that Zaizai is much better to be left alone, but I don’t know… (・_・;)
Keep Zaizai! Tbh I’m not a big fan of even baobei being translated to baby, so that’s what I’d prefer. Also, I think of ‘Baby’ as a term of endearment from a lover, so while it could be a nod to the parasocial relationship between Xu Tangzhou and his fans, it sounds a bit too jarring.
My vote is on keeping Zaizai! Thanks for translating! <3
Let Zaizai be pls. It’s a cute nickname.
Vote for Zaizai!
Voting for Zaizai
Thanks for the chapter
I really want to kick LC hard for his behaviour ><
Thank You for the new chapter ♡〜٩( ╹▿╹ )۶〜♡
Keep Zaizai, it has its own cuteness compared to baby
One vote for Zaizai! Also, I’m loving our AB couples appearance in this story. Hopefully they will appear more in the future.