Chapter 9

“Then congratulations, sir. Someone as adorable as you must have a very outstanding Alpha,” the clerk said.
The moment someone praised Duan Baisui, all his tension melted away. He nodded lightly. “He’s… very good.”
“In that case, would you like to add a little spice to your marriage?” the clerk asked, smiling.
“Spice?” Zuo Nian echoed blankly.
Great salespeople always knew how to make customers happily open their wallets.
By the time he came back to his senses, Zuo Nian was already walking out of the shop with several large shopping bags in hand.
The clerk who’d waited on him followed him to the door, grinning ear to ear. “Mr. Zuo, we look forward to seeing you again.”
Glancing at the text message on his phone, Zuo Nian winced. He’d just spent thirteen thousand yuan. Painful. So painful.
But the clerk had sworn up and down that if he did exactly as instructed, his Alpha would be unable to resist him, racing home to throw himself into his arms. They’d share a passionate, unforgettable night, and from then on his Alpha would never want to leave him.
Thinking of that, he slipped his phone back into his bag. If it was money spent for Gege, then it was worth it.
That evening, Duan Baisui had a social engagement.
He was having dinner with several business partners.
They’d jointly invested in a film slated for a Spring Festival release. The special effects alone had cost a fortune, and all the investors had high hopes for it.
Around the table, glasses clinked and clattered as everyone traded polite flattery.
“With Chairman Duan and President Xu away, young President Duan is still running the company like a well‑oiled machine. Truly a case of the student surpassing the master,” said Wang Qing, the president of Enyue, raising his glass.
Touching his glass lightly to Wang Qing’s, Duan Baisui said, “You flatter me, President Wang.”
“Someone young and capable like you, and yet so self‑disciplined—almost ascetic. That’s not right,” Bai Mushan drawled from his seat, one hand roaming over the Omega at his side, his expression lewd. “Don’t follow your father’s example. He’s henpecked. What are you afraid of?”
News moved fast in their circle.
Though it hadn’t been made public, everyone at the table knew that Duan Baisui had married a “fool.”
His expression turned dark. “You must be joking, President Bai.”
“Go keep young President Duan company,” Bai Mushan said, giving the Omega at his side a playful smack.
Everyone at the table had come with a partner—actors with name recognition in the industry or minor internet celebrities.
As the young man beside him started to rise, Duan Baisui smiled. “No need. President Bai’s always had a flair for romance. If Mrs. Bai doesn’t mind, that’s her choice. But my spouse would definitely be upset.”
His way of speaking was every bit as blunt as his Omega father’s—enough to give anyone within earshot a headache.
“Come on, Lao Bai,” Wang Qing said in a joking tone, offering them both an out. “Young President Duan’s a newlywed. The honeymoon phase hasn’t even worn off. Why stick your nose in?”
Patting his own head, Bai Mushan hurriedly raised his glass. “My bad, I’ve had too much to drink. Too much! Hahaha, young President Duan, don’t take it to heart.”
Lifting his own glass in Bai Mushan’s direction, Duan Baisui said, “Not at all.”
He drained his drink in one go. Just then, he felt his phone vibrate twice in his pocket.
It was a message from Zuo Nian.
Still awake at this hour. Was he scared?
He opened the conversation.
Two images loaded on the screen.
One was a picture of their bed.
The other was of Zuo Nian’s feet in black socks.
The lighting was so dim that he could barely make anything out, and he had no idea what Zuo Nian was trying to say.
He assumed it meant he was scared and didn’t dare sleep alone.
He replied: Almost done. I’ll be home in half an hour.
…
It was Zuo Nian’s first time wearing clothes like these.
He felt awkward in every possible way.
That afternoon, the clerk had told him: if your husband is out at a function, all you need to do is put on this outfit and send him a photo of the bed. No man can resist that. He’ll fly home at once.
Zuo Nian had no idea whether that was really true, but he wanted to try.
He was willing to learn anything for Duan Baisui’s sake—as long as it made him happy.
It was already midnight. His Alpha must still be at the dinner.
He was sleepy, but he forced himself to stay awake.
Remembering the clerk’s instructions, he did exactly as he’d been told: he took a photo of their bed and one of his sock‑clad feet and sent them to Duan Baisui.
While waiting for a reply, his thoughts spiraled. It suddenly seemed likely that Duan Baisui wouldn’t reply at all.
After all, people at social dinners probably didn’t like being pestered.
Regret prickled under his skin. Tugging at his socks, he felt more and more uncomfortable.
Then his phone buzzed.
Heart in his throat, he opened the chat.
When he saw that simple line of text, he jumped up with joy.
The clerk hadn’t lied. He really had “seduced” his Alpha into coming home!
He trotted downstairs to make hangover soup, timed it carefully, and even ran a hot bath for Duan Baisui.
When everything was ready, he sat on the sofa with Xiao Sui in his arms, staring at the clock.
Punctual as always, Duan Baisui opened the front door at exactly twelve‑thirty‑two.
His steps were a little unsteady as he braced himself against the wall to change his shoes.
Hearing the door, Zuo Nian ran over. “Gege!”
Looking up, Duan Baisui watched the figure in front of him sharpen from blur to clarity. Under the lights, that face was dazzlingly bright.
Only, the obedient Omega in front of him was dressed very… strangely today.
On top, he wore an ill‑fitting white shirt that barely reached mid‑thigh. Underneath, his usual large‑print cartoon T‑shirt was visible, and below that, his regular pajama pants—rolled halfway up to reveal the black… were those socks or long johns?
He honestly couldn’t tell.
Letting his gaze travel up and down several times, he finally couldn’t help asking, “Are you… cold?”
The heating was on full blast. He really didn’t need that many layers.
Zuo Nian’s face turned bright red. Supporting him carefully, he stammered, “Not cold… I put this on just for you.”
He blinked. “To see what?”
This was his new outfit? And what on earth was going on under those pajama pants?
“Gege, do you… like it?” Zuo Nian asked in a voice as soft as a mosquito.
It was hard to even begin sorting through the mess of his outfit, so Duan Baisui settled for asking, “Isn’t it too cold for just a shirt?”
He remembered how easily Zuo Nian got chilled.
Sheer “glass gauze” like this didn’t keep out the cold even when worn properly.
“It’s not cold. I’m only wearing it at home,” Zuo Nian said. “The temperature’s perfect. I even added a T‑shirt.”
“…Mm.” He didn’t understand, but he respected it.
Helping him back to the sofa, Zuo Nian brought over the hangover soup.
Taking in his exhausted expression, Duan Baisui said, “Aunt Liu will be back in a couple of days. You don’t need to wait up for me anymore. Go to bed when you’re tired. If you’re scared, just leave the lights on. Aunt Liu will be right next door.”
“But I bought lots of clothes. I have to wear them every night and show you,” Zuo Nian mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. “You can only see them at night.”
“…?”
After finishing the soup, Duan Baisui went upstairs to shower.
Seeing the bath already run and the toothbrush laid out with toothpaste, along with a clean towel folded neatly on the rack, he felt a sudden warmth bloom in his chest.
He could tell just how hard Zuo Nian was trying to be a good partner.
And all this time, he’d barely spared him a thought.
Maybe he really should make time to take Zuo Nian out.
He’d take him to S City for the New Year—to escape the cold.
When he came out of the bathroom, Zuo Nian was still awake.
The little Omega sat cross‑legged on the bed, blinking sleepily at him.
“What is it?” Duan Baisui asked. “You look like you’ve got something to say.”
“Gege, are you… feeling all worked up?” Zuo Nian asked innocently.
“…?”
Seeing his confusion, Zuo Nian added, “I mean, after seeing the bed photos, do you need me to… help you?”
“What photos?” Duan Baisui asked.
Face flushing, Zuo Nian’s voice shrank to a whisper. “Bed photos. No Alpha can resist them.”
Hold on.
Pulling out his phone, Duan Baisui opened their chat history.
So that’s what the bed shot had been about.
It really was a “bed photo”.
But knowing Zuo Nian, he never could have come up with this on his own.
Someone must have taught him.
Worried he’d been led astray, Duan Baisui frowned. “Who taught you that?”