Chapter 55
The lights were off in the apartment, but a faint, calming incense scent, which Bai He had bought for sleep, lingered in the air. The bouquet of roses, now slightly ruffled from their earlier intimacy, rested in Qin Yao’s hand, the petals as soft as Bai He’s body felt right now.
Bai He was draped over Qin Yao, his entire body clinging to the alpha. From the moment the door closed, the ambient incense was utterly displaced by the rich, intertwining scents of brandy and catnip.
It was late, and the sheer curtain only halfway drawn. The balcony window remained open, letting the gentle breeze stir the fabric. Bai He was slowly laid down on the sofa, pressing against Qin Yao’s scorching skin, feeling hot all over. In the darkness, the only light was the faint moonlight from the window, barely illuminating their faces.
…
It was nearly dawn before Bai He finally got some rest.
He didn’t sleep in the sticky residue of their passion. When he woke, his body felt clean. Qin Yao had changed the sheets, and Bai He had been thoroughly cleaned.
Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was Qin Yao’s face.
Qin Yao was already awake, meticulously tracing the lines of Bai He’s face. The moment Bai He stirred, the alpha didn’t wait for a word. He immediately confessed his misdeeds, offering his tail to Bai He like a peace offering.
“I was wrong, Little Bai He.”
Bai He hugged the tail, instantly feeling much more awake. “What were you wrong about?” His voice was raspy.
“I shouldn’t have worn you out so much,” Qin Yao said, listing his faults as if they were treasures. “I shouldn’t have pinned you down from behind, shouldn’t have used my tail to tease you, shouldn’t have kept thrusting that specific spot, shouldn’t have tied the bell where I did—”
“Enough, stop talking.” Bai He’s face flushed. He rolled over, closing his eyes. “I’m going back to sleep for a bit.”
Qin Yao embraced Bai He from behind, his voice cheerful. “Sleep, I’ll stay with you.”
Bai He closed his eyes, but sleep didn’t come immediately. He basked in the warmth of Qin Yao’s embrace, his mind involuntarily replaying the night.
Qin Yao had been exceptionally gentle, but he was also playfully relentless. The two small boxes of essential items were nearly depleted. Bai He had barely slept, and then there was the matter of that bell…
Bai He recalled the bell. From the moment Qin Yao carried him into the living room for a drink and spotted the roses on the sofa, everything had spiraled out of control.
…
After a night of relentless intimacy, looking back on it felt almost absurd.
Finally, wrapped in the brandy pheromones, Bai He slowly drifted back to sleep.
When he woke again, the world outside was dark. He shifted slightly, still feeling weary and not fully recovered. Qin Yao wasn’t in bed, but Bai He felt the lingering warmth of the sheets—he couldn’t have been gone long.
Sure enough, Qin Yao soon appeared in the bedroom. He gently helped Bai He sit up and fed him some warm water.
“Feeling better?” Qin Yao observed Bai He’s face with deep concern.
Beneath the pretty face, the skin on his neck and body showed marks everywhere—all clear signs of the previous night.
Bai He nodded. “I’m fine.” His voice was still hoarse.
Suddenly, Qin Yao rested his forehead against Bai He’s. “So, did it feel good?”
Bai He’s mind momentarily lagged, but he quickly recovered, pushing Qin Yao away. He refused to answer the question, diverting instead. “I’m hungry.”
“I made some porridge.” Qin Yao gently lifted Bai He and carried him toward the living room.
Bai He was settled onto a cushioned chair. He still felt a little sore and adjusted carefully, then looked up at Qin Yao, his eyes conveying unspoken words.
The porridge was simple and light. Bai He ate most of the bowl, placing his chopsticks down when he was done. He noticed Qin Yao still sitting across from him, staring intently.
After a quiet moment, Bai He finally spoke. “I have a livestream tonight.”
Qin Yao paused. “Can we postpone it?”
It was possible, but not ideal. Bai He thought about it, then looked at Qin Yao. “You can stream for me.”
Qin Yao nodded immediately. “What should I do?”
“I bought four different mechanical keyboards a few days ago—blue, red, and brown switches, plus one that sounds like Mahjong tiles. The clicking sounds are very soothing,” Bai He explained, clearing his throat, which remained raspy. He gave up. “Just use the opening lines I wrote. Tell them I can’t stream tonight. I’ll be watching beside you during the stream.”
“No problem.” Qin Yao stood up, picked up Bai He, and kissed him. “Back to the bedroom.”
“Mhm.” As Bai He was being placed back on the bed, he caught sight of the bell lying at the foot of the bed. His eyes darted away, and his grip tightened on Qin Yao’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Qin Yao noticed the shift in his mood.
“…”
Bai He closed his eyes, burying his face in Qin Yao’s shoulder, his voice muffled. “Don’t even think about me buying you a gift ever again.”
Qin Yao finally understood, noticing the bell as well. He laughed, gently patting Bai He’s back in apology. “I was wrong, I was wrong. The bell should be on me. Next time, I’ll wear it. You can put it anywhere you want.”
Bai He turned his head away. “There won’t be a next time.”
Qin Yao indulged him completely. “Okay, no next time.”
Bai He settled against the pillows on the bed. With headphones on and a tablet in hand, he watched as Qin Yao, following his instructions, adjusted the microphone and started the livestream right on schedule.
In an instant, the viewer count soared from single digits to tens of thousands.
Qin Yao set up the first keyboard, theatrically caressing the surface with his hands. Then, facing the camera (which only showed his face from the nose down), he smiled and began his opening monologue.
“Good evening, everyone. Your regular streamer is unable to host tonight, so I’ll be filling in. My skills are a bit rough, so please bear with me.”
“Tonight, we’re doing keyboard tapping sounds. Are you ready, friends? The train is leaving the station.”
That was definitely not the agreed-upon script. Bai He looked up at Qin Yao’s delighted expression, but decided it was fine. He went back to watching the stream on his tablet. The viewer count was already over twenty thousand.
Qin Yao diligently began tapping the keyboard. To prevent him from running out of things to do, Bai He had told him to download Xingchen—Qin Yao had an account—and play a few rounds. The blue axis keyboard had a crisp sound, and though the microphone was placed far away, Qin Yao’s swift movements created a rapid clatter, like distant thunder, which was incredibly soporific.
Even Bai He, despite sleeping all day, felt the urge to doze off. He rallied his spirits and checked the comments to pass the time. What he saw was shocking.
[You brat! Stop playing games and answer us! Who are you to Little Bai?!]
[Just give up, fam. Look how happy he is! Can’t you tell?]
[No, no, no! Little Bai belongs to everyone! He’s public property! I forbid it!!]
[Tell us! Who are you to Little Bai?!!]
[Mama doesn’t allow it! Where are you, Little Bai baby!]
[‘Unable to stream’! Does that mean this brat ate our Little Bai?! It’s over! The pig got the cabbage! This is a family tragedy!]
[Doesn’t anyone think this guy’s voice sounds familiar?]
[…]
[…]
[Damn it! Isn’t this the guy from that time in Little Bai’s room who let him touch his tail??]
[It’s more than that! I strongly suspect the guy who was “afraid of mice” a while back is this same dude!!]
[I’m an old fan. I’ve followed Little Bai since he started streaming, almost every session. I guarantee this guy has been stalking Little Bai and only recently succeeded in his pursuit!]
[Look, look! He’s smiling again, isn’t he? Damn it, he’s reading the comments!]
[You stinky alpha! Give us back our Little Bai!]
[How can you tell he’s an alpha?]
[Just guessing…]
[I feel like a parent whose quiet electronic child has run off with a sketchy little alpha, and there’s nothing I can do.]
[That’s a perfect description! But I bet this guy is hot.]
[Someone finally noticed! Look at his hands on the keyboard—they’re so long!]
[Even if I don’t want to, I have to trust Little Bai’s taste! Little Bai baby is the best in the world!]
[You got a bargain, you little punk!]
[Wait, look closely! Does this guy have a hickey on his neck?]
[Holy crap!]
[Holy crap!]
[Ahhhhhhh—]
[So, Little Bai baby couldn’t stream because you two were busy yesterday…]
[My child was defiled by a pig—]
At this point, Bai He’s head shot up. His eyes locked onto Qin Yao’s collar. The alpha had unbuttoned his shirt, and there it was—a faint mark on his neck. It wasn’t a hickey, but a bite mark. Bai He couldn’t even recall when he’d done that.
Qin Yao, still pretending to play the game, was actually glued to the comments. He’d been one of those fans, and now, being the one on stream, felt incredibly satisfying. Watching the fans’ jealous comments was pure bliss—he was streaming for his favorite host, after all.
Bai He didn’t want to interrupt, but the bite mark was too conspicuous. He reached out and gently pulled up Qin Yao’s collar, fastening the button. The mark was hidden.
His job done, Bai He retreated, but not before seeing the comments go even wilder.
[Ahhhhhh! I recognize those hands! I’d know Little Bai’s hands anywhere!!!]
[It’s Little Bai baby!!]
[Little Bai, you buttoned his shirt! Tell mama! Did you put that mark on his neck? Baby, you’re too young! Mama forbids it!!]
[I mean, they’re in the same room. It’s pretty obvious they’re living together now.]
[So, we were just part of your ‘play,’ Little Bai baby?]
[As long as Little Bai is happy!]
[Little Bai and this guy, may you be together forever!]
[Hey, you! If you dare treat Little Bai badly, we’ll come for you!!]
[Hey, you! Why don’t you show your face? Our internet son found a boyfriend, shouldn’t we, the parents, see what he looks like?]
[Show us your face! We need to approve of Little Bai’s choice!]
The demand for a face reveal made Bai He pause. He heard the keyboard clicking stop and looked up to see Qin Yao switching keyboards.
Noticing Bai He’s gaze, Qin Yao looked back and smiled, keeping his voice lowered. “What should I do, baby? They want to see my face. Are you going to give me a title now?”
Bai He turned his head away. “Do whatever you want.”
[Audacity! What did you call him? Baby is for him to use, not you!]
[Damn, this is too sweet. Who poured sugar into this stream?!]
[Hehe… baby… a title… hehe… the internet is amazing… ]
[Mama, I see a pervert.]
[Little Bai! Your voice! Why is it so hoarse?!]
[Cough, cough. It is pretty hoarse. No wonder he couldn’t stream. He must be unable to get out of bed.]
Bai He, who was, in fact, not in bed: “…”
[Gotta admit, this guy has a nice voice.]
[Confirmed. He could be a voice streamer too.]
[We like the voice. Now show us your face.]
[Mama forbids it…]
[The mama upstairs is going to lose it.]
When Bai He said “do whatever you want,” a mischievous impulse seized Qin Yao. He stood up, walked over, and kissed Bai He’s lips. Bai He tried to pull away, but he was pinned, unable to escape.
The microphone picked up everything. The comments exploded.
[Holy crap! How dare you do that in broad daylight?!]
[It’s night, bro.]
[Omg, this is so sweet, sweet, sweet!!]
[Mama forbids it…]
[Mama upstairs, stay strong—]
[Are you trying to challenge us?! You have some nerve! Unless you have a face that’s utterly breathtaking, we won’t forgive you!!!]
[If you’re not hot, we’re out—holy crap, he’s hot!]
Qin Yao adjusted the camera higher, showing his full face. He looked directly into the screen and raised an eyebrow, still mindful of the soft voice expected of a sleep streamer. “Here you go. Look all you want. Once you’re done, Little Bai is officially mine.”
He paused and then smirked. “Wait, Little Bai has always been mine.”
Bai He was stunned that Qin Yao actually showed his face. He watched the stream for a few seconds before his phone exploded with messages.
[Administrative Family]
Xia You: [Ahhhhhhh, it’s Qin Yao?! Little Bai He, are you two… are you two officially together?!]
Yi Chen: [Haha! My ship has sailed! Congratulations!]
Kong Yizhou: [So that’s what was going on.]
Zhao Linyue: [Congrats.]
Li Yuzi: [Congrats.] +1
Team Leader: [Congrats.] +1
Xia You: [Why are you all so calm?! Oh my god, this world is wild!]
Xia You: [May you two be together forever.]
Xia You: [@DEATH, Little Bai He, tell us! How did this happen?! I watched you grow up, and now Qin Yao got you?!]
Bai He replied to all the well-wishes. Then, he looked up and saw Qin Yao still happily tapping away at the keyboard, occasionally shooting him a flirty glance.
Bai He’s irritation softened. He only called out Qin Yao’s name.
“What is it, baby?”
Bai He felt a strange warmth spread through him. He saw the game screen being shared on the tablet—it was the Xingchen interface. Looking at the rapidly rising viewer count, he noticed his streaming channel had suddenly jumped into the top ranks of game streamers.
Bai He was alarmed. He looked up. “You turned on screen sharing!”
Qin Yao’s face froze. He looked over and saw the Xingchen game interface clearly displayed.
He slowly blinked, putting on a pitiful face for Bai He. “I’m sorry, baby. My bad.”
Bai He wasn’t upset about the screen share, but he was worried his regular audience, who were used to ASMR, would mind. He checked the comments again. There were no negative remarks, only people saying they enjoyed it.
He decided to let the stream continue with the game screen shared. He watched Qin Yao, but his phone buzzed again.
He opened the message. It was from Zhang Yao.
Zhang Yao: [Bai He, is Qin Yao your boyfriend?]
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