Ning Chunchi's heart stirred.
In truth, when he said that, he hadn't meant that he wanted to mark Jiang Yumiao right away.
The Omega was too fragile and passed out every time he bit him, so unless Jiang Yumiao brought it up, he wouldn't do it.
When he picked Jiang Yumiao up, the gesture reminded him of the day they had formed their temporary bond.
Counting the days, Jiang Yumiao's heat had already passed, and their bond had faded too.
That was why Ning Chunchi had made that wistful remark.
He just hadn't expected Jiang Yumiao to be so forward and ask him to mark him again.
An urgent need for an Alpha's mark was a sign that an Omega lacked a sense of security.
It seemed... he still hadn't done enough, leaving Little Grape so worried that he would abandon him.
I really want to mark him permanently...
Jiang Yumiao's memories of last night were a little hazy.
All he remembered was that, just after he finished speaking, the second male lead's gentle expression had suddenly twisted, revealing all his aggression. He stared at him for a moment, then bit into his gland. After that, Jiang Yumiao lost consciousness again, and when he next opened his eyes, it was already the following morning.
He woke up in his own bed. It seemed the second male lead had carried him here.
At that thought, he vaguely recalled Ning Chunchi saying something while he was half-conscious: "I really wish the show would end sooner."
What was he going to do once it ended? Jiang Yumiao's cheeks flushed, and he didn't dare think too hard about it.
His gland didn't have that dull ache it had the previous two times. Was it getting tougher the more often it was bitten?
Would the second male lead eventually be unable to bite through it?
The moment that thought occurred to him, Jiang Yumiao amused himself into laughing.
He hadn't realized it yet, but subconsciously, he had already made Ning Chunchi part of his future.
They would be setting off tomorrow to officially begin their second stop. Jiang Yumiao was wondering whether he should sneak home to pack when Ning Chunchi sent him a message.
[Gege: He Yuan will be coming over shortly to deliver some things.]
[Grapes, Skin and All: [Animated sticker] OK]
Jiang Yumiao replied with a sticker, another from the cat-face set he had saved that day.
Half an hour later, He Yuan struggled out of the elevator pushing a flatbed cart piled high with bags of every size. He pushed it into the living room, then turned back into the elevator and brought out two suitcases.
Jiang Yumiao: "..."
A lock of the impeccably dressed elite assistant's usually immaculate hair had fallen loose. He looked utterly exhausted.
He Yuan took a couple of breaths, straightened up, and adjusted his glasses.
Jiang Yumiao hurried to pour him a glass of water and invited him to sit down and rest.
He Yuan said, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, but there's no need. I still have work to do. These are the things President Ning ordered for you. Please take a look, and contact me if there's anything else you need."
He added Jiang Yumiao on WeChat, then said, "President Ning also asked you to take a look in the walk-in closet." Without giving Jiang Yumiao a chance to ask any questions, he hurried away.
Jiang Yumiao: ...Being a CEO's assistant really isn't easy for anyone. He Yuan looks so busy.
He looked through the things. They were all sorts of everyday necessities, from toothbrushes, cups, slippers, and gland patches to bedding and suitcases. Many had grape prints, while others were a creamy yellow.
Jiang Yumiao had no idea how the second male lead had figured out his taste in colors. But did Ning Chunchi buying him all these things mean he wanted him to stay here long-term?
He raised both hands to rub his face, trying to cool it down, then wandered into the master bedroom.
This was his first time entering Ning Chunchi's bedroom during the day. The second male lead's sheets and duvet cover were solid black, much like the man himself: refined and gentle on the surface, but distant and cold underneath.
Too embarrassed to look around, Jiang Yumiao headed straight into the walk-in closet, then couldn't hold back a gasp.
In the middle were the second male lead's neatly arranged clothes, just as Jiang Yumiao had seen the night before last. The little door on the right, which had been closed before, now stood open, revealing a row of clothes inside.
Jiang Yumiao walked in and found all kinds of modern Chinese-style jackets and shirts, along with ordinary hoodies, T-shirts, jackets in various cuts, and trousers in different fabrics. Even more astonishingly, there was an entire row of pajamas, with sets for every season. Several had grape prints.
For a moment, he almost had the illusion that Ning Chunchi liked grapes even more than he did.
Coming back to his senses, Jiang Yumiao looked at the room full of clothes, and his eyes misted over.
What had he done to deserve such thoughtful care from Ning Chunchi?
With the room's owner absent, Jiang Yumiao felt awkward lingering in the master bedroom. He quietly stepped out, pulled the door closed, and decided to wait until Ning Chunchi returned from work to pack.
He planned to go to the living room first and put away the things He Yuan had delivered.
Who would have thought he would still be tidying when the second male lead came home?
When Ning Chunchi stepped out of the elevator, he found Jiang Yumiao sprawled on the couch, his eyes vacant and his body motionless.
The second male lead must be a shopaholic!!! Sure, he'd bought it all for me, but this is way too much!!!
He finished one bag, only to find another. Then he finished that bag, and there was yet another. It was like being trapped in a loop. He would probably even dream about putting things away tonight.
After listening to his complaints, Ning Chunchi smiled and said, "I still don't think I bought everything you need. We can get the rest when we come back next week."
Jiang Yumiao: "...". Just work me to death, why don't you.
He lay sprawled on the couch for an hour before recovering a little. By then, it was completely dark outside.
Ning Chunchi suddenly emerged from the bedroom, holding a pack of gland patches in each hand, and asked Jiang Yumiao, "Do you want to use the grape ones this time, or these creamy yellow ones?"
Still lying down, Jiang Yumiao glanced over and drawled, "The grape ones."
Having gotten his answer, Ning Chunchi turned and went back.
Jiang Yumiao had just closed his eyes when something suddenly occurred to him, and he sprang off the couch.
Holy shit, is the second male lead packing for me?!
He was so startled that his aching legs and sore back stopped bothering him. He rushed into Ning Chunchi's bedroom through the open door.
As soon as he entered, he saw a white suitcase on the floor, one of those He Yuan had delivered that morning. Several neatly folded pieces of clothing were already inside.
They were Jiang Yumiao's clothes.
The system spoke in a wistful tone. "So the second male lead is a fatherly boyfriend."
Jiang Yumiao: "..."
Ning Chunchi came out of the walk-in closet carrying another set of Jiang Yumiao's new pajamas. Seeing him standing there, he frowned slightly. "Why did you come running in here instead of lying down and resting?"
Jiang Yumiao looked at him, flustered. "...Gege, you don't have to pack for me. I'm sorry for all the trouble."
Calling him that was becoming more and more natural. Besides, in a situation like this, he couldn't spare a thought for embarrassment. All he felt was warmth filling his heart to the brim.
Ning Chunchi's reasoning was simple. Since he had decided to accept Jiang Yumiao's feelings, he needed to take responsibility, including taking good care of him. So, seeing how tired Jiang Yumiao was, he had naturally started packing for him.
The two remained at an impasse for a while, before finally settling on packing together.
Throughout the process, Jiang Yumiao marveled at how good the second male lead was at organizing. Every piece of clothing he folded was perfectly squared off. Compared with his, Jiang Yumiao's own folding was an embarrassment.
Sure enough, Ning Chunchi frowned at Jiang Yumiao's folded clothes and the chaotic suitcase, with things stuffed here and there, then turned his head away as though he couldn't bear to look. After a moment, he finally couldn't stand it anymore. He gestured for Jiang Yumiao to sit to one side, pulled his suitcase over, and reorganized the whole thing.
Blushing, Jiang Yumiao sat hugging his knees on the couch in Ning Chunchi's room, obediently watching him take care of everything.
After watching for a while, he buried his face in his knees and quietly wiped away his tears of happiness.
They had to leave for the airport at seven the next morning, so after finishing their packing and having a simple bite to eat, they each went to bed.
Before they left, the production team specifically requested that Jiang Yumiao and Ning Chunchi travel separately.
Ning Chunchi would take his own car to the airport, while the production team would send a car to pick up Jiang Yumiao.
Ning Chunchi headed downstairs first.
While waiting for the elevator, he suddenly reached out, drew Jiang Yumiao into his arms, and ruffled his hair.
After releasing him, Ning Chunchi looked at the Omega's drowsy little face, still dazed from too little sleep, and gave a faint smile before turning and stepping into the elevator.
By the time Jiang Yumiao was fully awake, they were already about to get off the plane. After landing, they still had another hour and a half or so to travel by car, and it was afternoon by the time they reached the filming location.
Lanqing, an ancient city with a thousand years of history, steeped in traditional Chinese charm, stood quietly in the country's central region, opening its arms to visitors from all over the world.
Jiang Yumiao looked up at the Chinese-style courtyard before him, its white walls and dark roof tiles framed by scenery as beautiful as a painting, and it finally felt real-
The second stop of "Love Mailbox" had begun.
Before you continue