Although the sofa was quite wide, it wasn’t a bed, and the space felt cramped with two grown men trying to fit. Zhou Yi found himself lying fully on top of Liang Xianzhang.

Zhou Yi looked up at him, concerned. “You won’t sleep well with me pressing on you like this. Let me get down.”

Liang Xianzhang, however, refused to let him go. “Lie like this.” His hand slowly moved up along Zhou Yi’s back, finally resting on the gland at the back of his neck, covered with a suppression patch, just like before.

“It must be very uncomfortable, sticky even, with this patch on,” Liang Xianzhang said, gently touching the suppression patch.

Zhou Yi felt a slight itch at the touch but didn’t pull away. “It’s okay. I don’t know what’s been going on with him lately, but he’s been staying home. It’s safer with the patch on.”

Liang Xianzhang looked at him seriously. “I want to smell your scent. Can you take it off?”

Zhou Yi hesitated. Looking at Liang Xianzhang’s earnest expression, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse. He nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Sure…”

Liang Xianzhang carefully peeled off the suppression patch, glancing down at the faint marks he had left on Zhou Yi’s neck. He pursed his lips. “The mark has faded quite a bit.”

“It’s been many days,” Zhou Yi said softly, trying to reassure him.

Liang Xianzhang’s gaze remained steady on him, and he spoke in a voice that was almost vulnerable. “I don’t like this.”

“What don’t you like?” Zhou Yi asked, a little confused.

Liang Xianzhang’s fingers traced the sensitive skin of Zhou Yi’s neck, his touch deliberate, slow, as if savoring the feeling. “It feels like the traces I left on you are disappearing, little by little…”

Zhou Yi, feeling a twinge of empathy, reached out to smooth the furrow in Liang Xianzhang’s brow. He recalled how the other man had always been there for him, offering comfort without asking for anything in return. He remembered what Liang Xianzhang had said before: “I like you.” Could this be what it meant? He wanted to comfort him, but wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do.

Zhou Yi didn’t want Liang Xianzhang to feel like this, and he didn’t want him to wear that expression anymore. He blinked, then sat up slightly, adjusting his position.

Reaching up, Zhou Yi undid a few buttons of his shirt, exposing part of his chest. He pointed to his collarbone and said, “You can… mark here first, and then… later, you can mark that place…” His voice softened as he said the last part, almost a whisper, embarrassed by his own words.

But how could Liang Xianzhang not hear? His eyes darkened immediately. Staring at Zhou Yi’s slightly reddened ears and slender neck, he felt his heart soften, and without thinking, he pulled Zhou Yi back into his arms.

“Why are you so obedient? Will you just agree to whatever I say?” Liang Xianzhang’s voice was hoarse as he tightened his hold.

Zhou Yi looked into his eyes, his expression serious, and nodded. “If you say it, I won’t refuse…”

For a moment, Liang Xianzhang’s heart skipped a beat, and then it began to pound violently. Zhou Yi’s responses always hit him in a way that made him forget to think, forcing him to simply act on instinct. The need to hold him closer, to never let him go, became overwhelming.

Liang Xianzhang hugged him tightly. Zhou Yi, though feeling some discomfort, relaxed into the embrace, resting his head on Liang Xianzhang’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, and closing his eyes in peaceful contentment.

The sweet floral scent mixed with a subtle jasmine undertone, with hints of citrus and mint, filled the air around them.

In that quiet and warm atmosphere, Liang Xianzhang couldn’t sleep, but Zhou Yi, tucked safely in his arms, soon began to doze off.

After a few minutes, Liang Xianzhang’s voice broke the silence. “It’s the end of this month in two days. Will you spend Christmas with me next month?”

Zhou Yi, barely able to keep his eyes open, mumbled, “If… if he’s not at home, then…”

Liang Xianzhang smiled down at him, his cold eyes briefly flickering with something darker. “He won’t be here. It’s time for him to be gone.”

Zhou Yi drifted off to sleep in Liang Xianzhang’s arms, feeling completely at ease.

Later, Zhou Yi slipped back to the apartment and quickly went through his usual routine—using the pheromone eliminator to cleanse his scent, reapplying the suppression patch, and then heading toward Shang Yichen’s bedroom. He entered quietly, noticing that Shang Yichen was still fast asleep.

Zhou Yi took his temperature, finding it had dropped a little but was still slightly elevated. After changing his fever-reducing patch, he quietly left the room. He wasn’t planning to cook, so he ordered takeaway—first, a double burger, fries, and grilled wings from KFC, and then some porridge and fried dumplings from a pricey shop.

When the food arrived, he quickly ate his meal, then set out the porridge and fried dumplings for Shang Yichen. He glanced at the time and decided it was time to wake him up for dinner. But Shang Yichen was still fast asleep, and Zhou Yi worried that he might worsen if left undisturbed.

He walked into the bedroom, setting the food on the bedside table, but Shang Yichen began to stir. Zhou Yi quickly lay down beside the bed, pretending to sleep. This was his chance to show his considerate side, maybe even gain some favor. Perhaps Shang Yichen would feel guilty and offer a raise.

Zhou Yi quietly hoped that this small act of care would not go unnoticed.