In the apartment, Zhou Yi slept deeply and peacefully. When he finally woke up, he realized that he was nestled in Liang Xianzhang’s arms, his feet tucked under the quilt, resting on his instep.

Zhou Yi had always been sensitive to cold. As soon as he felt warmth while falling asleep, he naturally gravitated toward it. Liang Xianzhang, with his high body temperature, was an ideal source of comfort. Without even realizing it, Zhou Yi had curled up in his arms.

Although he had been unaware of the closeness while asleep, now that he was awake, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but feel a wave of shyness.

Even though they had shared more intimate moments before, lying in Liang Xianzhang’s arms made Zhou Yi feel embarrassed. However, despite the shyness, he didn’t pull away. The warmth surrounding him, mixed with the soft scent of flowers lingering in the air, made it hard for him to separate from Liang Xianzhang. He raised his head slightly, finding him still asleep with his eyes closed.

Even while asleep, Liang Xianzhang’s expression remained serious, his handsome features unyielding. His face didn’t soften much, and to an outsider, his calm demeanor might seem fierce. But Zhou Yi knew the truth—this Alpha was softer and more sincere with him than anyone else.

Zhou Yi stared at his face for a moment, then gently slid his fingers over it, tracing the curve of his nose and eyes before resting them on his cheek.

This simple gesture, though small, filled Zhou Yi with warmth and peace, his heart swelling with joy and excitement.

Immersed in his thoughts, Zhou Yi didn’t notice that Liang Xianzhang, pretending to sleep, was fully aware of his touch. When Zhou Yi tried to pull his hand away, Liang Xianzhang grabbed it gently.

Looking up at him with a playful smirk, Liang Xianzhang spoke in a low voice, tinged with regret, “I’ve been waiting a long time. I thought you’d kiss me, but instead, you just touched me and pulled away. So now I have no choice but to kiss you.”

Before Zhou Yi could respond, Liang Xianzhang leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Zhou Yi, startled and a bit flustered, stared at him wide-eyed. “Were you pretending to sleep?”

Liang Xianzhang, watching Zhou Yi blink with flushed cheeks, felt a surge of tenderness and kissed him again—this time, more than just a brief kiss.

Zhou Yi, dizzy from the kiss, found himself losing track of his earlier thoughts.

Liang Xianzhang wasn’t done. His gaze lingered on Zhou Yi’s face, and before Zhou Yi could pull away, he kissed his cheek.

The kiss was soft, like he had imagined, and Zhou Yi’s heart skipped a beat.

Coming to his senses, Zhou Yi touched his cheek and noticed the faint mark left by Liang Xianzhang’s gentle lick. With a soft, accusing gaze, he looked at him.

Liang Xianzhang understood immediately and, with a grin, confessed, “It’s all my fault.”

But Zhou Yi saw no regret on his face. Instead, he looked satisfied. Embarrassed but amused, Zhou Yi pouted and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Liang Xianzhang didn’t resist, letting him do as he pleased, a silent display of indulgence.

Zhou Yi thought that they might feel embarrassed together, but Liang Xianzhang’s reaction surprised him. Instead of being flustered or apologetic, he looked even happier. After kissing his left cheek, Liang Xianzhang moved his right cheek closer.

Zhou Yi, feeling defeated, pushed his face away. “Go away.”

Liang Xianzhang chuckled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into his embrace. “Want to get up? Let’s go to work together.”

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow. “I’m going with you? Won’t I disturb you at work?”

Liang Xianzhang gently tugged a strand of hair from Zhou Yi’s forehead and smiled softly. “What disturbance? Just having you by my side makes me feel at ease. I’ve thought about taking you somewhere far away, just the two of us, or even tying you to me. That way, no one could steal you from me, and no one would see you but me…”

Zhou Yi, staring at him in silence, found himself at a loss for words. Liang Xianzhang, seeing his wide eyes, reached up and softly stroked the corner of his eyes. “Are you scared?”

Zhou Yi shook his head, lips pressed together, then hesitated before replying, “I don’t hate anything you do to me.”

Perhaps Zhou Yi felt secure in Liang Xianzhang’s presence, and so he could speak those words with conviction, knowing he would never be hurt by him.

Liang Xianzhang’s heart skipped a beat as he studied him, his eyes darkening with something unreadable. “Do you know how much I want to do to you? Your obedience is making me want more.”

Zhou Yi swallowed, his curiosity piqued. “What… are you going to do to me?”

With a sudden shift, Liang Xianzhang pulled him closer, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yi’s face, intense. “I want you to act coquettishly with me, to sit on my lap while I feed you during meals, to coax you to sleep when you can’t rest at night, and if you’re feeling lonely, I want to be the only one you can turn to…”

Zhou Yi, taken aback by the raw intensity of his words, finally murmured, “Alpha’s jealousy and possessiveness are stronger than I thought…”

Liang Xianzhang held his face gently, leaning forward until their foreheads touched. “So, you can never leave me. If you do, I’ll truly go mad.”

Zhou Yi didn’t feel any rejection. In fact, after everything he had been through in life, the possessiveness and strength Liang Xianzhang showed felt like a security he had never known. Instead of pushing him away, Zhou Yi felt an unexpected warmth.

Without a word, Zhou Yi leaned in and kissed him softly, a promise in his gesture. “I won’t leave you. Never.”

The two remained entwined for a long while, basking in the quiet joy of their closeness. After breakfast, they prepared to leave the apartment together.

Zhou Yi slipped on his shoes by the door, calling toward the bedroom. Liang Xianzhang had just mentioned he needed to grab something, but when Zhou Yi didn’t see him come out, he opened the door to wait.

Just as he opened the door, the door across the hall also swung open.

Zhou Yi tensed, worried that it was Shang Yichen. That would be awkward.

But his worries were for nothing. Instead, it was Gu Shuning who stepped out.