Chu Tao moved all the books forward by five centimeters and tucked the chocolate box behind them. At a glance, no one would notice the hidden space behind the books.

After tidying everything up, he put on a thin white sports shirt and headed out.

Jiang She’s place was a good meeting spot: spacious, private, and most importantly, Chu Tao wanted to leave a part of himself in that lonely space, hoping that Jiang She wouldn’t feel like he was all alone there.

Ever since Chu Tao had started studying at Jiang She’s home, the place had become more lively.

Snacks, yogurt drinks, and fruit in bright packaging filled the shelves. The balcony had basketballs, soccer balls, jump ropes, a treadmill, and a telescope for stargazing and viewing the distant sea.

The sofa had an assortment of cushions to lean against during study breaks, and Jiang She had even bought a sound system for movie nights. With the spring fog, he’d also added an air purifier.

Some items hadn’t been used yet, but they didn’t feel out of place; both of them knew they’d come in handy one day.

Slowly, they filled the empty spaces in the house. Even the cleaning lady thought Jiang She’s parents were moving back in.

Chu Tao entered the complex, parked his bike, and took the elevator up. As soon as the doors opened, he saw Jiang She standing there, waiting.

Chu Tao had mentioned he’d come over, so Jiang She had woken up early and bought a variety of breakfast items, keeping them warm in a thermos.

Chu Tao had cycled quickly, rushing over to avoid his parents getting suspicious if he was gone too long, so he was still catching his breath, cheeks slightly flushed.

“Sorry, I didn’t have time to get you a gift,” he said.

Jiang She had remembered to give him chocolates, but Chu Tao hadn’t even known about this holiday. Maybe Jiang She had hinted at it yesterday or the day before, but Chu Tao hadn’t noticed. He’d been focused on his grades after the recent midterm exams, often overlooking Jiang She.

But Jiang She, the so-called school rebel, had an unusual capacity for tolerance.

Chu Tao often felt down about random things, yet Jiang She had never shown any anger. Not toward him, not toward other classmates, not even toward Pang Cai, who’d once wronged Chu Tao—Jiang She never held grudges.

Chu Tao found himself slowly discovering more and more of Jiang She’s good qualities.

It surprised him that no one else seemed to realize just how wonderful Jiang She was.

Chu Tao took the two chocolates from his pocket and handed one to Jiang She.

“They’re really good—you should try one.”

Jiang She chuckled lightly. This chocolate was a gift from his father’s friend who had brought it back from Italy. Normally, he wasn’t too fond of sweet treats, so his dad, Jiang Qifeng, usually wouldn’t offer them to him. But this time, Jiang She had asked for it, knowing Chu Tao enjoyed sweets.

Jiang She unwrapped a chocolate and looked at Chu Tao. “There’s another one—have it with me.”

Chu Tao had brought both chocolates for Jiang She, planning to let him keep one for later. But eating them together wasn’t a bad idea—the chocolate was delicious. He quickly unwrapped one himself and popped it into his mouth.

As he bit down, the taste of rum blended with the sweetness of the chocolate.

But before Jiang She ate his, he set it down, leaned in, and suddenly pressed Chu Tao against the door, quickly pecking him on the lips.

Chu Tao froze, surprised by the soft touch on his lips, Jiang She’s presence surrounding him.

His eyes flew open wide, and he was so stunned he forgot to chew the chocolate in his mouth.

Did… did Jiang She just kiss him?

Jiang She didn’t push it too far, though. He licked his lips, tasting a hint of sweetness that had transferred from Chu Tao.

His voice was low, with a touch of amusement he couldn’t quite hide. “Who said there’s no gift? This counts as you bringing me a present.”

Chu Tao swallowed the chocolate, then pressed his lips together, whispering, “Jiang She, you…”

Jiang She felt a bit nervous.

Maybe Chu Tao would get angry. In his world, dating wasn’t something they were old enough for yet. Chu Tao’s environment was so simple and innocent that he might not even have thought about kissing.

Maybe this was too fast?

“I just… couldn’t help it,” Jiang She started to explain.

“Then why just a quick kiss?”

Chu Tao let out a soft breath, then suddenly wrapped his arms around Jiang She’s neck, tilting his head up and pressing his lips against Jiang She’s.

It was the first time he’d kissed anyone. His movements were awkward and a little stiff, his arms trembling slightly, but he held Jiang She firmly, unwilling to let go.

There was still a faint trace of moisture on Jiang She’s lips, where he’d just licked them. Chu Tao felt a heat ignite in his chest, as if a fire had started there, warming him up inside. The intense sensation brought a strange yet pleasant release, the tension within him melting like ice left out in the sun.

The initial discomfort faded, replaced by an overwhelming sense of comfort, as if a powerful current was unblocking his senses, urging him to go further.

After a brief pause, Jiang She regained the upper hand.

An alpha’s possessiveness and need for control could be hard to restrain, especially for a young, energetic alpha like Jiang She.

Chu Tao had only held the lead for a moment before Jiang She pressed him back against the door, his hand protectively cushioning the back of Chu Tao’s shoulder blade, so he felt no pain from the impact.

Jiang She, relaxed at home, hadn’t applied much suppressant. Now, with his temperature rising, his pheromones quickly intensified.

Chu Tao couldn’t quite describe the scent, an aroma with a hint of smooth desire that seemed to lure him deeper.

He trembled involuntarily, trying hard to control himself; after all, shaking with excitement during a kiss felt a bit embarrassing, like he had no composure. But he couldn’t stop—his own pheromones were urging him to press Jiang She back against the wall. However, his trembling left him weak, and he ended up almost hanging onto Jiang She.

Jiang She finally parted his lips and gently bit Chu Tao’s.

Feeling the touch of teeth, Chu Tao tensed up for a moment.

But Jiang She only applied a light pressure, just enough to make his lips flush. It was an alpha’s playful instinct, a desire to leave a mark on someone.

Tears gathered at the corners of Chu Tao’s eyes as his lashes trembled with the rhythm of the kiss, and the sounds of him and Jiang She kissing filled his ears, making him blush from head to toe.

Chu Tao rarely acted on impulse—he was usually more rational than emotional. But when Jiang She had kissed him, he felt a strong urge to return it.

And so he had, without a moment’s hesitation. Perhaps the private space gave him a sense of security, or maybe the rum in the chocolate had softened his restraint, or it was the sense of occasion on this special day.

For the first time, he felt completely uninhibited, just lost in his happiness.

The morning light in the living room stretched over the coffee table, dividing it into clear sections of light and shadow. A cool breeze drifted in through the sheer curtains, carrying the rich scent of gardenias.

The sunlight was calm, the breeze gentle, even the dust particles floating in the air moved carefully.

Chu Tao and Jiang She kissed freely, moving from the entryway to the couch, entwined.

Jiang She suddenly pushed Chu Tao back onto the soft cushions of the couch. Chu Tao’s head rested on his favorite dolphin pillow, but his fingers accidentally knocked against the glass coffee table, the brief dull pain bringing him back to his senses.

“That’s enough, Jiang She.”

He fought against his instincts, rolling off the couch and taking several deep breaths.

They couldn’t continue; otherwise, they’d both lose control.

He still didn’t fully understand the effects of their glandular bonding or any precautions they should take. Besides, carrying another’s scent could easily be noticed by others, and he still had to go home.

Jiang She looked a bit dazed for a moment, instinctively reaching for Chu Tao’s hand.

At that moment, Chu Tao lay on the floor, slightly propped up, with sunlight spilling over half his body. His hair, eyes, nose, neck, and chest were all bathed in the light, turning soft and radiant.

The sunlight and the cool breeze gave him a pure, sacred glow, but a person who was breathless, with eyes full of moisture and lips swollen and red, didn’t exactly evoke the word “sacred.”

Jiang She’s Adam’s apple moved slowly, and a thought flashed through his mind.

One day, under the sunlight, he would strip Chu Tao bare and claim him openly.

Jiang She locked himself on the balcony, enjoying the cool breeze.

Meanwhile, Chu Tao ran to the kitchen, drinking glass after glass of cold water.

The two of them took a long time to recover, until the atmosphere finally settled, and the pheromones in the air gradually dissipated.

Chu Tao sprayed his neck with inhibators several times, feeling them slide down into his clothes. Then, he confidently opened the door and stepped outside.

Jiang She had a fruit-flavored cigarette on the balcony before finally coming back inside.

After the kiss, Chu Tao felt much better, as if the skin’s hunger had been somewhat satisfied.

For a short time, he no longer felt the urge to touch Jiang She.

But he also realized that this was just quenching thirst with poison—once he became dependent, he would never escape.

Jiang She cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “Let’s go out to eat.”

As soon as the idea of eating out was proposed, both of them looked at each other’s clothes, falling into silence.

When an alpha gets emotionally stirred, it’s hard to control themselves. Although their pheromones were gradually adapting, they were still repelling each other due to their same-sex nature.

Chu Tao’s collar was loosened by Jiang She, and the hem of his sportswear was rolled up, wrinkled, and the zipper had somehow fallen off.

Jiang She wasn’t much better. The seams on the shoulders of his long-sleeve shirt had split, revealing a thumb-sized hole. His clothes were equally wrinkled, as if they had been pulled out of a blender.

Chu Tao sighed. “Should’ve worn a tear-resistant one.”

He hadn’t expected himself to be so rough, and he certainly didn’t expect Jiang She to lose control as well.

Jiang She didn’t care much about his clothes and chuckled. “Should’ve just taken off our clothes and kissed.”

Chu Tao ignored his cheeky remark and adjusted his sportswear, crouching down to find the broken zipper.

Once he found it, he lowered his head to fix it back in place.

Luckily, the clothes were of good quality, and didn’t fall apart completely. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to explain it to his mom.

Jiang She said, “Let’s eat first, we can iron them when we get back. You can just wear my jacket.”

The breakfast in the thermos wouldn’t taste as good now. The steamed food had become soggy and soft from the steam.

Jiang She didn’t want Chu Tao eating that; he could leave it in the fridge and heat it up whenever.

By now, it was already ten o’clock, so instead of making things awkward, they decided to go out for lunch.

Jiang She grabbed a lightweight jacket from the bedroom and a new long-sleeve shirt for himself, tossing the jacket to Chu Tao before getting ready to change.

As soon as he lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing faint abdominal muscles, Chu Tao quickly looked away and urged him, “Go change in your room.”

He wasn’t confident in his own willpower at the moment, afraid that before they ate, he’d end up being eaten instead.

Jiang She teased, “Tch, I was just about to show off my abs.”

But he obediently returned to the bedroom to change into another outfit.

Chu Tao put on Jiang She’s jacket, his fingers lightly brushing over his lips.

It was a bit hot, but the blood flow had probably calmed down a little.

The two of them packed up and went out to find a place to eat.

There was a decent Yunnan restaurant near the school, but it had always been packed with students before, and they could never get a table. Today, since it was the weekend and no one was around, they could easily get a seat.

At 10 o’clock, the restaurant had only been open for an hour, and there were hardly any people there.

There was even a faint smell of dish soap still lingering on the tables.

Chu Tao liked clean, bright places, so he chose a seat by the window.

Jiang She ordered a bowl of rice noodles, while Chu Tao got a black triple-spiced fried rice and some cold dishes, including mint-wrapped beef.

The owner was quite friendly and asked as they were served, “Are you students from Huianan No.1 High?”

Chu Tao nodded.

The owner asked curiously, “Are you here to study on the weekend? No wonder it’s a top school; even on weekends, you spend your time studying.”

Actually, Huainan No. 1 High School only allowed senior students to come on weekends. They could come anytime for self-study, but first- and second-year students couldn’t.

Of course, there were always some extremely studious ones who would sneak in with the senior students. The gatekeepers would turn a blind eye to these enthusiastic students.

But Chu Tao never considered coming to school on weekends to study. The commute would waste time, and he’d have to spend twice as much on lunch by ordering out.

Also, with two kids at home, comparing each other, they didn’t really need the school environment.

Chu Tao replied, “No, my friend here lives nearby.”

The owner nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, oh, I see. Well, enjoy your meal. I still have a few more orders to handle.”

The owner didn’t delay them and turned to leave.

Chu Tao, already hungry, didn’t hold back. He took a large scoop of rice and stuffed it in his mouth, puffing out his cheeks, looking unusually plump.

Jiang She’s rice noodles were too hot, so he couldn’t eat them right away. His gaze shifted to Chu Tao’s black triple-spiced fried rice.

“Feed me a bite.”

Chu Tao obediently pushed the plate toward him.

Jiang She pushed further: “Feed me.”

Chu Tao: “…”

Jiang She leaned forward slightly, looking like a little puppy hoping for a gift, eagerly watching Chu Tao.

Chu Tao had no choice but to glance around nervously, seeing that no staff paying attention to them. He quickly scooped a bite and fed it to Jiang She.

Afterward, he hurriedly drank a few gulps of water, nervously listening to the surroundings.

Even when the staffs chatted casually, he suspected they were gossiping about him and Jiang She having a secret relationship.

Someone like Jiang She, with his thick skin, had no sense of shame at all.

Jiang She picked up a rice noodle, placed it in the spoon, and added a piece of beef on top, gently blowing on it.

The rice noodles were steaming hot, and Jiang She blew on them for several seconds to cool them down before bringing the spoon to Chu Tao’s lips.

“Here, baby.”

Chu Tao’s ears instantly turned red, and his cheeks flushed with heat.

Jiang She said “baby” so naturally, so casually, without any embarrassment at all.

It sounded like one of those cheesy post-love confessions.

And, in fact, something had definitely happened between them.

“Don’t call me baby.”