Tong Sui felt a layer of glistening moisture covering his lips, hot and tingly. The sweet, intoxicating scent of wine dulled his senses.
The person before him gently nudged the gland on the back of his neck with his nose. The strong aroma of alcohol and fruit tangled together like a carefully crafted fruit wine—sweet and heady.
Ye Lin Yuan parted his lips, his teeth grazing the smooth skin. Tong Sui shivered all over. The corner of his shirt that he gripped was now wrinkled beyond recognition.
Alphas cannot be marked; forcing a mark would lead to considerable pain. Ye Lin Yuan didn’t want Tong Sui to suffer. He released his hold and moved away from the back of Tong Sui’s neck, raising his head to gaze into Tong Sui’s tear-stained, flushed eyes, gently kissing away the tears.
“This scent, most Alphas wouldn’t accept,” he commented.
Tong Sui was slightly intoxicated, sitting on the table and swinging his legs. He accidentally bumped into Ye Lin Yuan’s thigh. His entire body was rigid, and the collision made Tong Sui’s foot hurt, causing him to frown. Ye Lin Yuan held his foot, gently massaging it.
“Tong Sui, answer my question,” Ye Lin Yuan said. “What kind of pheromone do you like?”
“I like…” Tong Sui’s other foot stopped swinging in mid-air and landed on Ye Lin Yuan’s thigh, leaning forward. Ye Lin Yuan reached out to catch him. Tong Sui nestled into his arms, rubbing against him like a kitten seeking affection, mumbling groggily, “I like you.”
“Who am I?”
Tong Sui whispered, “Luo… Luo Luo.”
What fell into Ye Lin Yuan’s ears sounded magnified a thousand times. His fingers, which were holding Tong Sui, froze for a moment, as if something had been thrown high and then crashed to the ground. All the blood in his body seemed to rush back to his heart, and his breath felt mixed with gritty dryness, each inhalation sharp and painful.
Feeling the sudden drop in his body temperature, Tong Sui paused, shrinking his shoulders as if frozen.
“Who is Luo Luo?” Ye Lin Yuan’s voice was extremely hoarse, as if he were trying to stifle the chaos inside.
“You.”
Tong Sui was dazed by the overwhelming scent of alcohol, not realizing he had spoken incorrectly.
Ye Lin Yuan bit on the inside of his cheek; if Tong Sui were sober at that moment, he surely would have been terrified by Ye Lin Yuan’s dark expression.
“So you mean, I am Luo Luo?”
Tong Sui hesitated for a few seconds before slowly nodding. Ye Lin Yuan let out a short cold laugh but felt overly self-conscious. He had known from the start that Tong Sui had someone in his heart, yet hearing it admitted verbally felt like having his heart ripped apart.
What about all this time? Did he think he was kissing himself or that other person?
“Do you really like him that much?”
Tong Sui nodded.
“What step have you taken with him?”
Tong Sui was taken aback, his already flushed cheeks turning even redder. He bowed his head, exposing a portion of his exquisite white neck and quietly answered his question.
The sound of Ye Lin Yuan’s knuckles cracking broke the stillness, echoing sharply in the silence.
Tong Sui stared blankly at the prominent veins on the back of Ye Lin Yuan’s hand, then looked up, finally noticing the tense expression on Ye Lin Yuan’s face, his jawline tight, eyes brewing a storm of unknown emotions.
Tong Sui wanted to take his hand. “What’s wrong with you?”
“What do you think?”
Ye Lin Yuan lifted him effortlessly, one arm underneath his armpit and the other supporting him. Tong Sui quickly wrapped his arms around Ye Lin Yuan’s neck.
Ye Lin Yuan held him like a rabbit, able to free a hand to open the door. When Tong Sui was placed on the bed, he still felt a bit confused by the situation.
“We haven’t discussed the topic yet.”
Ye Lin Yuan’s voice was hoarse. “That isn’t important.”
Every step he took closer bore a dangerous aura, making Tong Sui swallow hard. “It’s getting late, I want to go back.”
“It’s too late.”
Ye Lin Yuan pressed him down, sweeping back all the hair that was falling over his forehead, revealing his beautiful, delicate face.
Tong Sui felt a moment of panic. The overhead light was harsh against his eyes, making him blink uncomfortably, his eyelashes fluttering.
Ye Lin Yuan, backlit, rendered the depths of his eyes even more inscrutable.
“Tong Sui.”
His arms rested beside Tong Sui’s cheeks; his gaze was heavy. “I’ll give you one more chance. Who am I?”
With every breath, Tong Sui could taste the sharp, sweet scent of alcohol. He concentrated hard, his eyes tracing the features of Ye Lin Yuan’s face.
He raised a hand, brushing his fingers through Ye Lin Yuan’s damp black hair.
Ye Lin Yuan did not shy away.
Soft fingers lingered at the corner of his eye, time ticking by. Eventually, Tong Sui spoke up.
“Ye Lin Yuan.”
“Mm.”
Ye Lin Yuan leaned down, planting soft kisses on him, almost tenderly whispering, “Say it again. Who is kissing you now?”
Tong Sui’s voice quivered slightly, “Ye Lin Yuan.”
“Good.”
Ye Lin Yuan kissed him, hardly missing any spot. If before it had been a fierce storm, now it felt more like a gentle spring rain, leisurely and lasting, soaking into the soil.
Tong Sui’s back began to melt against the bed.
This softer Ye Lin Yuan felt unfamiliar; if possible, he would prefer the assertive one from earlier.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. “I really have to go. It’s time to turn off the lights.”
“I’ve already talked to them,” Ye Lin Yuan said while kissing him. “I told the dorm manager you were so studious that you had to catch up on studies at night.”
Ye Lin Yuan then remarked, “Your hand is injured; is it inconvenient for this period?”
Tong Sui: “What?”
Ye Lin Yuan’s heavy gaze fell on his left hand. “Do you want me to help?”