Chapter 74
On the quiet street of a weekend morning, only the workers who had risen early were sweeping the golden leaves that had fallen on the road, one layer after another.
Gu Yang, who hadn’t slept all night, was now lazily walking home, stepping on the leaves.
It had been a year since his university graduation, and his gaming company was already in its third year. Everything seemed to be on the right track, but when things got busy, he still found himself working around the clock.
It had been a month since he last saw his boyfriend.
Lin Xiaoran, who studied medicine, graduated a year later than him and had just started working this year.
The hospital he worked at was far from their current home, and the daily commute was inconvenient. Since he was rotating through different departments as a new employee, he was busy every day and had decided to stay in the hospital dormitory.
When Gu Yang had free time, he would visit him, or Lin Xiaoran would come home on his days off. Typically, they would see each other every couple of weeks.
But this time, both of them had been busy, and it had already been almost a month without seeing each other.
He could ignore the usual busyness, but suddenly thinking about it made Gu Yang long to see him. He couldn’t wait to see him again.
Thinking this, he immediately decided to go see him.
His footsteps quickened, and he prepared to grab his car keys and head out after getting home.
Their house was near his company, just a ten-minute walk away, but since he was in a hurry, he reached home in five minutes.
He opened the door, grabbed the car keys from the entryway cabinet, and was about to leave without even bothering to change his shoes.
But then he heard a faint movement inside. Instinctively, he peeked inside, only to see a blanket on the sofa, a furry head popping out.
The sleepy Omega, still half-awake, had misty eyes as he blinked at Gu Yang. Only after a moment did he recognize who it was, his soft pink lips parting as he called out, “Gu Yang, you’re back?”
Standing in the entryway, Gu Yang, still surprised, dropped the car keys and rushed over, not even bothering to change his shoes. He quickly scooped Lin Xiaoran up along with the blanket, pushing him onto the sofa and kissing him fiercely.
The soft, tender feeling, mixed with Lin Xiaoran’s unique scent, was exactly what Gu Yang had been longing for.
Holding him in his arms, Gu Yang savored the kiss, reluctant to let go.
“Mm…”
Lin Xiaoran was still a bit dazed. When the kiss became more intense, his breath uneven, he could only protest with a soft sound, but his hands instinctively wrapped around Gu Yang’s neck.
In order not to suffocate his beloved boyfriend, Gu Yang reluctantly eased up a bit, but continued kissing him, gently nibbling on his lips.
It wasn’t just Gu Yang who missed Lin Xiaoran after a month without seeing each other. Lin Xiaoran had been thinking of him too, or he wouldn’t have rushed back after finishing his shift the night before.
Unfortunately, Gu Yang had been working overtime and didn’t come home.
Now that he was finally back, Lin Xiaoran had to leave.
He gently pushed Gu Yang, who had already started to work his way down his neck, and his voice, soft and sleepy, lacked its usual clarity, “I have to go. I have something to do soon.”
“Ah?” The Alpha, unable to pull away, instantly became alert. He propped himself up on his arms and looked at Lin Xiaoran, his amber eyes filled with resistance, “What’s so important? Is it really something you have to do?”
“Yeah, it’s a really important medical lecture. I managed to get a ticket.” Lin Xiaoran knew this news was disappointing for Gu Yang, but he couldn’t help it. He leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “I’ll be back next week when I have a break.”
Gu Yang, after all, wasn’t unreasonable. He reluctantly let go of Lin Xiaoran, who wrapped himself in the blanket and sat on the sofa. Gu Yang watched as Lin Xiaoran moved around the house, first going to the bathroom to freshen up, then wearing slippers and rummaging through the fridge for something to eat. Occasionally, Lin Xiaoran would call out to him from the room, “Did you wash my white hoodie? Where is it?”
Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Gu Yang couldn’t help but notice the smooth, pale waist that was exposed when Lin Xiaoran changed clothes. His mind was filled with the thought of his hands caressing that soft skin.
Lin Xiaoran was very sensitive all over, and just a light touch on his waist would make him laugh. If Gu Yang kissed it, Lin Xiaoran would turn into a puddle of softness.
Gu Yang couldn’t hold himself back. He was done for!
Gu Yang felt like his patience had reached its limit, especially with the image of Lin Xiaoran’s soft, seductive form from their lovemaking still occupying his mind.
If Lin Xiaoran wasn’t right in front of him, it might have been easier, but he was there, and Gu Yang just couldn’t manage to be understanding.
As Lin Xiaoran finished washing up, changed his clothes, and greeted him before heading out, Gu Yang suddenly sprang up and rushed over. He hugged him from behind, burying his face in his shoulder, nuzzling it again and again. “Why didn’t you tell me last night when you got back?”
Lin Xiaoran had already reached for the door handle but paused, then reached up to gently pat his hair, speaking softly, “Would it have made a difference if I told you?”
Gu Yang sighed. It wouldn’t have made a difference; he wouldn’t have been able to come back anyway.
Lin Xiaoran had probably hoped he’d come home last night too, or he wouldn’t have fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for him.
At that thought, Gu Yang couldn’t let go of him. Not only did he hold on tightly, but his hands also seemed to have a mind of their own, slipping under the hem of Xiaoran’s sweatshirt. He gently nibbled on his pale neck, his voice soft and pleading. “Xiaoran, how can you leave like this? I’ve been living a monk’s life for a month—look for yourself…”
As he spoke, he pulled Lin Xiaoran’s hand down, making lewd gestures, his voice tinged with grievance. “What am I supposed to do if you leave now?”
Lin Xiaoran’s clear eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look at him. “You still have the energy after a whole night with no sleep?”
Gu Yang leaned in and bit his lips mischievously, a wicked smile on his face. “Want to find out if I have the energy, Xiaoran?” He then picked him up by the waist and rushed toward the bedroom, both of them falling onto the bed.
When they decorated the house, Gu Yang had been busy with his startup, leaving the choices to Lin Xiaoran. The bed, the couch, and the hammock on the terrace, the places Gu Yang believed were key to their happiness, were all chosen with great care by Lin Xiaoran.
The bed, in particular, had to be big enough, comfortable, and of high quality, so they could try all kinds of positions.
After a month apart, there was no time for positions anymore. Gu Yang, in a rush, nibbled on Lin Xiaoran’s gland, their pheromones mixing uncontrollably as they embraced and made up for the lost time.
The early morning sunlight slanted through the bedroom, casting shifting shadows on the floor as time passed. After a long while, the room grew quiet, the two of them finally exhausted and asleep.
Lin Xiaoran woke up in the afternoon. When he opened his eyes, he saw Gu Yang’s bare chest, and instinctively snuggled closer. Looking up, he saw Gu Yang still deeply asleep, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes.
He gently touched his face, feeling a pang of tenderness.
Gu Yang had started his business in his third year of college, building it from the ground up, refusing to accept any help from his family and starting from zero.
Since then, Gu Yang had always been busy.
Although Lin Xiaoran believed in his success, many things aren’t made easy just because you believe in them. Gu Yang still had to figure things out step by step.
Lin Xiaoran vividly remembered the early days when they couldn’t secure investments, and promotion was tough. Finally, they overcame all obstacles. When the game launched, it had millions of players on the first day, becoming one of the hottest domestic games in recent years. At that moment, Lin Xiaoran was ecstatic, but Gu Yang, upon seeing the data, only flashed a tired yet confident smile and weakly embraced Lin Xiaoran. “Xiaoran, I’m exhausted, I just want to sleep.”
That was probably the only time Gu Yang ever mentioned just sleeping, without any ulterior motives.
Lin Xiaoran drove him home, and once they entered, Gu Yang collapsed onto the bed, sleeping for a full day and night before waking up.
But that was just the beginning. Gu Yang had bigger goals, and the busy work continued. He still worked closely with his team, personally handling important tasks. Like last night, when something urgent came up, he stayed up all night with them.
It was hard to tell from Gu Yang’s relaxed appearance that he was such a serious person, but Lin Xiaoran knew, and knowing that only made him more worried.
He couldn’t help but lean in and kiss the eyes of the sleeping Alpha, but seeing that he wasn’t waking up, he carefully moved his arm from around his waist, pulled off the covers, and quietly got out of bed.
It had been a while since he’d woken up, and he was starting to feel hungry.
Gu Yang would probably wake up soon and be hungry too.
Normally, he’d order takeout, since he wasn’t good at cooking and even when making noodles, he would instinctively add sugar.
But today, for some reason, he felt like cooking for Gu Yang. So, in his slippers, he headed to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and saw the limited ingredients inside—after all, Gu Yang didn’t cook much when he was living alone.
But there were enough ingredients to make a meal.
Lin Xiaoran washed everything and pulled out his phone to follow a recipe, starting to cook.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t as talented as Gu Yang in the kitchen. Even with a recipe, he often made mistakes, especially when it came to slicing potatoes. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t get them into thin strips, which made him a bit frustrated.
Just then, Gu Yang came out of the bedroom and saw Lin Xiaoran, dressed only in his white shirt, standing at the counter, struggling with a peeled potato.
The sight made Gu Yang’s heart race. He walked over, hugging him from behind and whispering in his ear with a teasing laugh, “Baby, are you trying to seduce me?” He rubbed against Lin Xiaoran in a playful way.
After being together for so long, Lin Xiaoran was immune to Gu Yang calling him “baby.” Though when they first started dating, he found it cheesy and didn’t let Gu Yang say it, but he’d gotten used to it and no longer stopped him.
However, this time, Gu Yang was clearly pushing his luck. Lin Xiaoran turned his head with a cold glare. “Are you asking for a beating?”
Gu Yang, startled by the glare, collapsed against his shoulder, laughing. “Xiaoran, have I ever told you that your vocabulary for insults is very limited? After all these years, you only ever use the same few words.”
Lin Xiaoran glanced at him with a smirk, “I guess I shouldn’t insult you… I should just beat you up!” He put the knife down and prepared to act.
Gu Yang, quick on his feet, wrapped his arms around him and coaxed, “I’m sorry, okay? Xiaoran, weren’t you cutting potatoes? Let me teach you.”
Lin Xiaoran wasn’t serious about hitting him, so he didn’t struggle too much. Gu Yang held him close, guiding his hands, one holding the knife and the other the potato. Like teaching a child how to hold a pencil, he slowly helped Lin Xiaoran slice the potato.
“Xiaoran, your hands are so beautiful. You could use a scalpel, so cutting potatoes will be a breeze.”
Gu Yang’s warm breath brushed against Lin Xiaoran’s ear as he spoke, sending a shiver down his spine. Lin Xiaoran’s heart raced, and his ear tips flushed, feeling both sweet and a little shy.
The smile on Gu Yang’s face grew brighter, and he tossed the half-cut potato aside. Gently pulling Lin Xiaoran into his arms, he called his name softly, “Xiaoran.”
What should he do? After all these years, why does he find himself falling more and more in love with his boyfriend?
“What’s up?” Lin Xiaoran felt his cheek tickled by Gu Yang’s hair and couldn’t help but push it aside.
“Are you leaving tonight?” Gu Yang knew he had work the next day, and leaving in the morning would be rushed. But the thought of them being apart again after a month made it hard for him to let go.
Ever since they got together in their senior year of high school, even though they attended the same university, it felt like they were always living apart.
They weren’t in the same major, so their schedules never matched. Lin Xiaoran studied medicine, with a demanding course load that was no easier than their final year of high school. Meanwhile, Gu Yang was busy preparing for his future business while also attending classes, leaving him with little free time.
Then, when Gu Yang started his business and Lin Xiaoran began his internship, things only became more hectic.
Lin Xiaoran understood Gu Yang’s feelings, having experienced the same exhaustion himself.
“I just called in and asked for the day off, so I’m free tomorrow,” Lin Xiaoran said.
Gu Yang was stunned for a moment before realizing, his amber eyes lighting up with uncontainable happiness. “Really? Baby, you’re the best!” He couldn’t help but kiss Lin Xiaoran’s face, grinning like it was the New Year.
Lin Xiaoran, amused by his silly expression, smiled but then quickly pushed him away, sending him straight to the messy kitchen. “Since you’re awake, you can cook dinner,” he said.
There were some things he had to admit he wasn’t good at, like cooking. He was much better at just waiting to eat.
Lin Xiaoran moved out of the kitchen, but then he suddenly remembered something and quickly turned back to look at Gu Yang. “Gu Yang, you old man, didn’t you forget to wear a condom just now?”