The Beta From the Countryside (17)

The temperature inside the car was comfortable, but a chill ran down Xue Ci's back.

He stared blankly at his phone for a long while before looking away.

He convinced himself that the sender had texted the wrong number and wanted to delete the messages, but it was as if the sender had anticipated it-

[Don't delete the messages.]

[Xiao Ci, I'll check.]

It wasn't a wrong number. The sender knew who he was.

They even knew about the bad thing he had secretly done to Xin Yue.

Xue Ci thought this might be retribution for doing something bad.

His eyelashes trembled violently. He turned off his phone screen and curled up in the back seat, his fingers clenched tightly.

His fingertips really were just as the message had said.

Pink.

There had been no plotline in the original story about the host being harassed. 11 was dumbfounded too and comforted him: [Don't be afraid, host. I'll check the number for you.]

But it was as if some uncontrollable force was blocking it. The panel's information search field went completely blank.

11 was so anxious that it manifested a physical form, then stuffed the amulet hanging from its little wing into Xue Ci's arms. [Don't be afraid, host. It'll protect you! I need to go to headquarters to report the situation. Once you get to the Gu family's place, stay inside the villa and don't go out. Don't reply if they send more messages, either.]

With that, it vanished.

Xue Ci picked up the amulet in his arms. It was a red string bracelet with a tiny puppy charm on it.

When Gu Ling returned to the villa, the living room was quiet.

The villa was close to the school. The Gu family had bought it for Gu Xu's convenience, so it wasn't particularly close to Gu Ling's company. Gu Ling was a workaholic and had an apartment near the company, so he only came back here occasionally. Recently, though, he had been coming back often and staying through the weekends.

The butler knew perfectly well why. "President Gu, young master Gu Xu was summoned to the old residence, and so was young master Duan."

He saw the bag of pastries in Gu Ling's hand. "Young master Xue Ci said he wanted to rest, so he went straight to his room as soon as he got home."

Gu Ling nodded.

He set the bag on the dining table, and the aroma of chestnut cakes immediately filled the air.

He didn't like eating these things himself, but he had seen a subordinate buy some to cheer up his partner, so he had picked up a bag on his way back to the villa.

Xue Ci seemed like he would like them.

Gu Ling loosened his tie slightly and went to the bathroom. When he came out, the slender figure was still nowhere to be seen. He checked the time. It was almost mealtime, so he carried the chestnut cakes upstairs.

There was no answer when he knocked, so Gu Ling called softly, "Xiao Ci."

After a long while, a faint sound came from inside, as if someone were getting out of bed.

Gu Ling touched the chestnut cakes through the bag. They hadn't gone completely cold yet. He had no idea that he now resembled a suitor carefully trying to win the young man's favor.

Creak-

The door opened from inside. Before Gu Ling could offer the pastries, something bumped lightly into his arms.

A faint, sweet fragrance swept over him, catching the Alpha off guard and making him take a step back.

"...Xiao Ci?"

Gu Ling's breathing was somewhat unsteady.

Only then did Xue Ci lift his face fully.

Perhaps because he had just bumped into the Alpha's chest, his cheeks and nose were red. His little face was pink and dewy, and his eyelashes were damp.

He only glanced at Gu Ling before looking away and continuing to cling to him.

"Big brother..."

His voice was a little aggrieved and thick with tears.

"I don't feel very well."

Gu Ling froze for a moment.

He held Xue Ci still and placed his broad palm over his forehead.

It wasn't hot. Gu Ling's own body temperature was higher.

Where did he feel unwell? But Gu Ling could no longer think. He felt Xue Ci nuzzle against his palm, and soon the young man's arms climbed around his neck. His arms and legs tangled around him, and nearly all his weight hung from Gu Ling.

Gu Ling's breathing nearly stopped, and his heart pounded hard.

His sharp Adam's apple bobbed. With quick reflexes, he caught Xue Ci, who was about to slip down.

One arm held him, while the other hand still carried the chestnut cakes.

"Xiao Ci?" Gu Ling called again.

Xue Ci let out an unconscious, soft whimper and rested his head against the man's neck, pressing his face tightly against the exposed skin.

He had been tormented by skin hunger for quite a while, and merely pressing his skin lightly against someone else's no longer worked.

So he held on a little tighter.

Gu Ling didn't dare move. He glanced down and, seeing that Xue Ci was barefoot, simply scooped him into his arms with one hand and carried him into the room like that.

The pastries were tossed carelessly onto the table. By the time Gu Ling came to his senses, he was sitting on the edge of the bed with Xue Ci on his lap.

So soft.

Like a marshmallow.

Gu Ling took a deep breath. When he looked at Xue Ci's face, he discovered that the young man was biting his lower lip hard. His little face was damp with sweat, and his expression was pained.

"Don't bite."

His voice was unbelievably hoarse.

Of course, Xue Ci didn't listen. Gu Ling had no choice but to reach out, part Xue Ci's lips, and press his thumb against the lower one.

They were face-to-face, close enough for Gu Ling to get a good look.

The earlier struggle had left several red patches on Xue Ci's cheeks. His lips were moist and plump, and the little bow of his upper lip glistened with moisture.

It looked as though a casual rub of a finger would make sweet juice come out.

Gu Ling's finger pressed down harder without his control.

The skin of the Alpha's fingertip wasn't smooth. The rubbing made Xue Ci uncomfortable, and a pitiful whimper rose from his throat as he instinctively pushed against it with his tongue.

Gu Ling jerked his finger away as if shocked.

But a few seconds later, Xue Ci started biting something again. This time, it was his own tongue.

The man reached out again.

The flesh of Xue Ci's cheeks was very soft, yielding at the lightest touch. The moment the web between Gu Ling's thumb and forefinger pressed against them, Xue Ci's pearly white teeth bit down hard on it.

Xue Ci used force while he was unconscious, but Gu Ling didn't even move a brow.

He stared intently at the pink between the Beta's lips and teeth, and at his soaking-wet chin.

Rime pheromones filled the entire room like a storm.

Xue Ci's eyelashes finally fluttered.

He opened his eyes and stared blankly for a long while before realizing that he was sitting on Gu Ling's lap.

"...Big brother?"

Was Gu Ling actually the person he had found to help him deal with his skin hunger?

Xue Ci endured his embarrassment. His arms and legs were weak, and he stumbled and kicked Gu Ling's leg before managing to get down.

"I'm sorry." Xue Ci hung his head like a child who had done something wrong.

He couldn't smell the Alpha's crisp rime scent in the room, nor did he see the intense possessiveness in Gu Ling's eyes.

The man was much taller than Xue Ci and could see the young man's ears, hidden beneath his obediently lying black hair and red enough to bleed.

Only after a moment did he look away.

"How do you feel now?"

Gu Ling didn't reproach him.

A fine sheen of sweat covered Xue Ci. His temperature was higher than usual, his whole face was pink and dewy, and his breath carried a warm fragrance.

"I feel a little unwell."

He instinctively licked his swollen lips.

Gu Ling said nothing.

So silly.

He could easily be tricked into leaving.

He still had to stay with the Gu family, under Gu Ling's watch.

"The doctor is already downstairs. I'll have him check what's going on with you in a little while." The situation just now had worried Gu Ling greatly. It wasn't uncommon these days for Betas to undergo a second differentiation. If Xue Ci differentiated into an Omega... he didn't dare think about the consequences.

"I'm fine. I don't want to-" An OOC warning suddenly sounded in his head. Xue Ci froze, then quickly let out a dejected "Oh."

Gu Ling reached out and ruffled the Beta's tousled hair. "Don't be afraid. I'll be right beside you."

The doctor had worked for the Gu family for many years and was experienced. After talking with Xue Ci for a while, he recognized the typical symptoms of skin hunger.

Seeing that Xue Ci was in low spirits, he gestured for Gu Ling to come out and speak with him alone.

Gu Ling recalled Xue Ci's little face scrunched up in discomfort and frowned. "Is this illness very uncomfortable?"

"It depends on the severity. Xue Ci's case is moderate. He feels uncomfortable all over and has a strong urge to press against and hold someone." The doctor could tell what Gu Ling wanted to ask and spoke as he wrote up the medical record. "This is a psychological condition. Medication can only be used in severe cases. For now, the best approach is to find someone he trusts to help him with treatment."

Gu Ling took the medical record. Under the doctor's recommendations, it said: desensitization therapy, with more skin contact on a daily basis.

He leaned forward and pondered. "What kind of contact, exactly?"

Xue Ci waited anxiously in the room. The progress bar hadn't gone backward yet. In the original plot, Mr. and Mrs. Gu and Gu Xu hadn't known about his skin hunger, but now that Gu Ling knew about his symptoms, he would surely tell the others.

The best thing to do was to ask Gu Ling to keep it a secret for him later.

[11?]

When he didn't hear the familiar voice, Xue Ci lowered his head in disappointment.

He glanced at his phone and saw that the number hadn't sent any more strange messages, and only then did he relax a little.

Ten minutes later, Gu Ling knocked on the door. Xue Ci immediately got out of bed and, as soon as he opened the door, spoke the words he had prepared. "Big brother, I didn't mean to hide it. I was wrong."

Gu Ling's gaze fell on his snow-white feet.

"Put your shoes on first."

Xue Ci obediently stepped into his slippers.

"Big brother, could you not tell anyone else?" His voice was pitiful, and with his eyelashes lowered, he looked like a kitten who had done something wrong.

"Could you be the only one who knows, big brother...?"

Gu Ling's heart was pounding so hard it nearly burst from his chest.

He hadn't intended to tell anyone else in the first place, but hearing Xue Ci say that made it seem as though he had become the only person Xue Ci could rely on.

Xue Ci really depended on him.

Whenever Xue Ci looked at him, his eyes were round and bright.

Gu Ling steadied his breathing. "I won't tell anyone else."

Seeing the young man's expression visibly relax, he handed him the medical record. "But it isn't good to leave the illness untreated. You still need treatment."

Xue Ci hesitated. "...Can my condition be treated?"

"You need someone you trust to help." Gu Ling handed over the medical record. "Don't worry. I'll be with you through the treatment."

Xue Ci read down the sheet until he reached the doctor's recommendations: desensitization therapy, with more skin contact on a daily basis, including hugs, prolonged deep kisses, or more intimate acts.

Xue Ci looked a little bewildered.

Big brother had said he would help him treat his skin hunger.

So.

He needed to...

Hug big brother and kiss him deeply for a long time?

The author had something to say:

Tsk, if you want to kiss him, just say so.