Wait a Little Longer

Shen Yanlang paused at that, then let out a soft laugh before saying seriously, "This morning was the first time I held you while sleeping. I couldn't help myself. I won't do it this time."

Once I get him in my arms, he won't be able to run even if he wants to.

Duan Xu looked at him expressionlessly. "I don't believe you."

"Xu Xu, I promise." Shen Yanlang's tone was sincere.

Duan Xu remained expressionless. "Do you dare say you aren't thinking about tricking me into your arms first, then doing whatever you want?"

Shen Yanlang: "..."

Xu Xu actually guessed it!

Sorry, I didn't guess. I heard it with my own ears.

Shen Yanlang was embarrassed for a rare moment, but the next second, he spoke seriously again. "It's cold on the mountain. Sleeping bags aren't warm enough. I'm an alpha, so I run warmer. If I hold you while we sleep, you won't get cold."

I do want to take advantage of him, but it really is cold on the mountain. If Xu Xu catches a cold, I'll definitely feel terrible.

Hearing that, Duan Xu froze for a moment, his heart stirring slightly. He seriously considered Shen Yanlang's words before finally compromising. "Then you can't do anything else."

"Mm, I won't." Shen Yanlang nodded.

Kissing doesn't count as doing anything.

Duan Xu: "..."

I can't believe I trusted your nonsense! You old pervert!

After taking off his down jacket and draping it over the sleeping bag, Duan Xu crawled inside and edged a little closer to Shen Yanlang.

Shen Yanlang turned off his phone flashlight, slipped into the sleeping bag, and pulled Duan Xu into his arms. His heart was filled with incomparable satisfaction.

Holding Xu Xu feels so good.

I want to hold him like this for the rest of my life.

Resting in Shen Yanlang's arms, Duan Xu's ears reddened as he silently said, I want that too.

The sleeping bag had been icy cold at first, but after he and Shen Yanlang held each other for a while, it really did grow warmer. Besides, Shen Yanlang's body was always warm, like a heater.

"Xu Xu, why are you still wearing an inhibitor patch?" Shen Yanlang wanted to smell his scent, only to find it very faint.

Duan Xu gave a soft snort. "If I don't wear it, are you going to kiss me again?"

Shen Yanlang fell silent for a moment. "No. This time, I'll hold back."

"I don't believe you." Duan Xu gave the same answer.

Tch, I lost control for a moment this morning, and now Xu Xu doesn't believe me. What a blunder.

Serves you right!

Shen Yanlang thought about it. Since he couldn't smell Duan Xu's pheromones, letting out a little of his own to wrap around him would work just as well.

Before long, Duan Xu caught the stronger scent of pheromones. His breathing grew uneven, and his body began to heat up.

"Shen Yanlang, rein in your pheromones a little," Duan Xu said softly.

Shen Yanlang sniffed at Duan Xu's neck. "Does it feel uncomfortable?"

"A little." Duan Xu's voice was muffled.

Afraid something might happen, Shen Yanlang obediently withdrew his pheromones. He felt somewhat guilty. "Sorry."

He had been too excited and forgotten that Duan Xu had not fully differentiated yet. So many pheromones were not good for him.

I'm such a beast. I actually forgot Xu Xu hasn't fully differentiated yet. What if something happened...

The thought left Shen Yanlang shaken with lingering fear, and he felt even guiltier. "Xu Xu, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"It's okay." Duan Xu replied softly, "I just feel a little hot right now."

"Do you feel anything else?" Shen Yanlang asked.

Duan Xu shook his head. "Nothing else. Actually..."

As he spoke, he paused awkwardly. "Smelling your pheromones makes me feel safe. There just can't be too much of it."

"Really?" Shen Yanlang's tone rose.

Duan Xu gave a soft hum.

Shen Yanlang could not hold back a quiet laugh. "The pheromones in the tent should be enough."

Duan Xu hummed again.

Then came a stretch of silence. Since Duan Xu had kept his eyes closed, once the effect wore off, he no longer heard Shen Yanlang's thoughts.

After the silence, Shen Yanlang suddenly called softly, "Xu Xu."

Duan Xu was not asleep. "Mm."

"We've come this far, and you still won't give me a proper status? Hmm?" Shen Yanlang asked quietly.

Duan Xu softened his breathing and said in a low voice, "I will. You... wait a little longer."

Shen Yanlang did not understand. "Wait for what? Is there something bothering you?"

"If there really is something bothering you, you can tell me. We'll solve it together." Shen Yanlang gently rubbed Duan Xu's hair.

Duan Xu shook his head slightly. "It's not that something is bothering me... Anyway, just wait a little longer."

He used to have concerns. He had been afraid that Shen Yanlang would still end up with Han Xi. But now that Han Xi was with someone else, of course he had no more concerns.

Shen Yanlang's heart skipped a beat, and his mind filled with one thought: Xu Xu is acting spoiled with me!

"Okay. I'll wait."

Xu Xu had already acted spoiled with him. What was there that he could not wait for?

Shen Yanlang hugged Duan Xu tighter, his heart surging with emotion as his excitement got a little out of hand.

Duan Xu's body stiffened. Under the covers, he pinched Shen Yanlang's arm. "Shen Yanlang, calm down!"

Shen Yanlang did not feel any pain. Instead, that action made him even more excited, and his voice grew much hoarser. "Xu Xu, I really... like you so much."

Duan Xu's breath caught, his heart pounding wildly. He felt as if he had fallen into a jar of honey, sweet from the inside out.

"Mm." Duan Xu gave a soft hum in response.

Shen Yanlang could not help taking a deep breath of Duan Xu's scent. Only by desperately restraining himself did he gradually calm down.

And while Shen Yanlang was calming down, Duan Xu, exhausted from climbing the mountain and now lying in the warm sleeping bag, quickly fell asleep.

Only after calming down did Shen Yanlang begin to think about why Duan Xu had told him to wait a little longer.

After thinking for a while, a possibility suddenly occurred to him. Could it be that Duan Xu wanted to wait until he had fully differentiated?

He said he had no concerns, so that was probably the only reason.

Shen Yanlang could not help curling his lips. The doctor had said Duan Xu's first heat would be intense and that he needed to find an alpha as soon as possible. So Xu Xu wanted to wait until he finished differentiating and entered his heat, then...

That was not impossible. Since that was what Duan Xu wanted, he would wait.

In the darkness, Shen Yanlang looked at the person in his arms and gently kissed him beside the ear. He silently said, Good night, my future boyfriend.

*

"Ring, ring, ring..."

The alarm went off, waking the people sleeping in the tent.

Shen Yanlang reached out to turn off the alarm, then withdrew his hand and continued holding Duan Xu. He did not open his eyes the entire time.

Duan Xu hummed and tried to move, only to find Shen Yanlang holding him tightly. He reached out to push him, but could not move him.

At the same time, that familiar sensation returned.

Duan Xu jolted awake. He was not as startled as he had been yesterday morning, but he still felt deeply uncomfortable. His whole body tensed as he lowered his voice. "Shen Yanlang, get up!"

Shen Yanlang was already awake; he simply could not bear to let Duan Xu go. "The others haven't moved yet. Sleep a little longer."

Hearing that, Duan Xu softened his breathing and listened carefully to the sounds outside. Sure enough, everyone had turned off their alarms, but there was not much movement, only faint voices.

"Then move farther away from me." Duan Xu tried to scoot backward as he spoke. His upper body could not move, but his lower body still could.

Shen Yanlang was dissatisfied. The hand around Duan Xu's waist slid lower, then pressed down hard. Duan Xu was pushed back into his arms, but crashed into him, drawing a muffled groan from Shen Yanlang.

Duan Xu: "!!!"