The Beta from the Countryside (26)

The air in the tiny changing room gradually grew thin.

The court-style dress was elaborate to begin with. With the petticoat in place, its folds piled over one another, and the skirt spread out wide. Xue Ci didn't dare lean against the wall, so he moved a little toward the middle, only to brush against Gu Xu, who stood to his left.

The dress was thick, and with so many people in the room, a fine layer of sweat formed on him. A warm fragrance rose from his body, mingling with the pheromones the three Alphas had accidentally let slip.

Xue Ci drew a faint breath, like the sound a kitten made when its paw pad was gently pressed. He sounded a little pitiful. "The dress is going to get damaged..."

The two Alphas who had proper work to do obediently stopped what they were doing and glanced at Gu Xu in unison.

Gu Xu looked reluctant. There was nothing he could do; he had come in last, and the other two had already found all the work to do. As the only one with nothing to occupy him, he had no choice but to look away. "Fine, I'll go out first."

He strode back to the door and turned the lock with a click, then suddenly looked back and asked, "Are you still going to wear those later?"

Xue Ci's voice had a soft, warm nasal quality to it. "Hm?"

Gu Xu reached out and pointed at the stool. "Those... white stockings."

Xue Ci was already embarrassed. At the mention of them, he lowered his lashes and gave an almost inaudible "Mm."

The sight made Gu Xu's breath catch. Then he left the room as though nothing had happened.

The door closed softly, shutting everything away.

Gu Xu could feel Xue Ci's fragrance clinging to him gradually fading, and he couldn't hear a thing from inside. A sense of frustration rose in him.

"Where did you go?" Hu Shenglan asked Gu Xu, finally spotting another living person. She had only gone to help Li Man set up a backdrop, but when she returned from the living room to the dressing room, everyone had disappeared.

Gu Xu glanced at the changing room. "I heard Xue Ci say he needed help, so I went over."

Hu Shenglan understood at once. "What about the other two? Did they go in too?"

Gu Xu gave a disgruntled "Mm."

"What did the three of you go in together for? The changing room's so small. Were you trying to crush him?" Hu Shenglan gave Gu Xu a slap on the back.

Perhaps because he was the only one who had been sent out, Gu Xu was in a foul mood, and the slap felt especially hard. His face fell. "Well, I came out, didn't I?"

No sooner had he spoken than something suddenly thumped against the changing room door. It made quite a noise, and there was no telling what the people inside were doing.

Gu Xu thought of how the other two could still help Xue Ci put on the dress, while he, the most obedient one, couldn't even see him. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Xue Ci said it was crowded, and neither of them came out. Later, you have to hit both of them the way you hit me."

Hu Shenglan: "?"

He couldn't win against them, so he was using her to get back at his rivals?

She could naturally see how jealous he was. At first, she had thought Gu Xu had the best chance too, but now... all she could say was that Xue Ci was too popular.

As their elder, she wouldn't interfere in such matters and would let everyone take their own course. As for which son it ended up being, it was fine even if it wasn't one of her sons.

But Xue Ci still hadn't shown any sign of liking anyone, which worried Hu Shenglan a little. If he was going to make a choice, it would be better to settle it early, so the other two could give up and stop holding out hope.

She would ask Xue Ci after a while whom he was more interested in spending time with.

Gu Xu was a tall, broad-shouldered Alpha who looked as though he had a bull's strength with nowhere to use it, so Hu Shenglan quickly sent him off to help Li Man.

Li Man didn't dare give him anything too delicate to do either. "Just help me lift those boxes onto the shelves. Thanks."

Gu Xu liked to put on an act in front of outsiders, looking like a cool guy who didn't talk much. But after seeing the stack of things in the upper right corner of a box, he actually took the initiative to ask Li Man what they were.

Li Man was surprised he would be interested in them, but she explained anyway. "Those are thigh garters. You strap them around your legs when you wear a dress."

Gu Xu's eyelid twitched sharply.

On the stool in the changing room earlier, he had seen something like that lying on top of the stockings.

A dress with some weight to it had a more intricate design.

No wonder the zipper on Xue Ci's back kept getting stuck halfway and wouldn't go up.

Gu Ling walked to the far end of the changing room and glanced over, catching sight of a broad expanse of smooth, milky-white skin. Thin straps lay scattered around it, like colorful accents on a field of snow.

"Big brother?" Xue Ci felt the dress slipping down and called out softly.

"Mm, I'm working on it."

The man's voice was low and husky. Afraid Xue Ci would move around, he instinctively placed his broad hand on his shoulder.

But the moment he touched him, his fingers curled.

Xue Ci's body looked frail, but only when Gu Ling actually gripped his shoulder could he feel how delicate and breakable he was. It seemed that with the slightest force, the flesh and bone beneath his palm would be damaged.

He was so soft that Gu Ling couldn't help but cherish him.

It wasn't just his shoulders; his waist was slender too. The straps had to be pulled tight to keep the dress from falling.

Gu Ling pinched the zipper and pulled it up bit by bit. The prominent shoulder blades on Xue Ci's back slowly disappeared into the dress.

His fingers inevitably brushed the young man's skin in the process. As if shocked, his fingers tingled, and his heart pounded along with them.

The sweat and bulging veins hidden beneath his shirt sleeves exposed his intense possessiveness.

Gu Ling held his breath and swiftly tied the thin straps.

Soon, Xue Ci's waist was fully revealed to the man's eyes. It was narrow, slender enough to encircle with one hand, and he could be lifted with a casual scoop.

"All done." Gu Ling lowered his shoulders, relaxing his taut muscles a little, then looked at Xue Ci from the side.

He met the young man's eyes as Xue Ci looked over at him.

"Thank you, big brother." His beautiful eyes curved.

Gu Ling reached out and ruffled his hair. "Is it uncomfortable?"

Xue Ci shook his head. "No, it's just a little heavy."

Li Man had commissioned craftspeople to make the dress. Its materials were expensive, the stitches were hidden in the seams, and the lining was soft, so it wouldn't chafe his skin.

Its weight came from the small gemstones on the fabric.

Gu Ling nodded, withdrew his gaze, and glanced toward Duan Xingyan.

The other man had been crouching ever since he came in, and now his entire upper body was almost under Xue Ci's skirt.

Gu Ling frowned slightly. "Are you done?"

"Done." Duan Xingyan's voice was a little muffled, and on closer listening, a little hoarse too.

Through the petticoat, he had been helping Xue Ci put on the white stockings. They were on now, but their position still needed adjusting.

It was easy to touch his thighs while doing so, so his movements were especially restrained and careful.

Duan Xingyan hadn't expected that, thin as Xue Ci looked, his upper thighs would be fleshy.

The stockings seemed a size too small. The elastic contracted, squeezing Xue Ci's full, snowy-white flesh into a soft mound that seemed to spill over the edge.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself.

The dress was finally on. After Duan Xingyan stood up, he picked up the hat and placed it on Xue Ci's head, then froze for a few seconds, a rare occurrence for him.

"So this is what little Xue Ci looks like in a dress."

There was no mirror inside, so Xue Ci didn't know what he looked like. A little worried the shoot wouldn't turn out well, he asked, "Is it strange?"

Duan Xingyan took a step back and drew out his words. "Let me see-"

Xue Ci looked up at him and heard him finish, "What am I going to do? You're so beautiful I want to marry you and take you home."

Before Xue Ci could react, a weight settled on his shoulder.

Gu Ling guided him forward. "Let's go out. It's hot in here."

Before leaving, Xue Ci glanced at the stool. What was that short strap for? He didn't seem to have used it.

The set was ready. Gu Xu leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the changing room door.

As soon as he heard it open, he shifted his gaze elsewhere, then slowly brought it back as though by chance.

But once he looked back, he couldn't take his eyes away.

The dress's complex colors set off Xue Ci's fair skin. The young man's waist was slender, his neck tilted slightly upward, and his gaze rested in midair, as though about to fall somewhere but not quite landing. He had a dreamlike, unreal quality.

He really did look like... a princess.

Gu Xu stared fixedly at Xue Ci for a long time.

But the skirt was long, and he could see only a section of stocking on his lower leg. He couldn't tell whether he was wearing a thigh garter.

"This is just too... I, I really can't find the words!" Li Man covered her face in delight, while Hu Shenglan's eyes lit up beside her.

Afraid their staring would embarrass him, the two elders looked away and hurried to do Xue Ci's hair and makeup.

Xue Ci's skin had very little pigmentation and hardly any blemishes, so the hair and makeup didn't take long.

Once everything was ready, Li Man led him to the living room. The photo corner had been arranged with a forest backdrop, and Xue Ci walked over and posed as directed.

He was as exquisite as a doll, but with an added bright, lively quality.

Li Man was an amateur photographer, but she had chosen such a good model. She was especially pleased with the initial shots and wanted Xue Ci to do several more sets, but afraid of tiring him out, she stopped after this one.

Still, Xue Ci's princess look made her want to take some photos with a second person.

After she mentioned it to Hu Shenglan, the latter pointed to the three men standing nearby. "Why don't you pick one?"

Li Man's gaze moved back and forth before finally settling on Duan Xingyan.

His features resembled Hu Shenglan's, and his bearing was the best fit.

Rather than princes, the other two looked more like a king and... an evil dragon?

Hearing that he could take photos with Xue Ci, Duan Xingyan was eager. The prince's outfit was simple, and he changed into it quickly. The Alpha had gentle features, but his striking looks were also highly photogenic.

The moment the two stood together, the camera captured a sense of destiny.

Li Man had them pose for several close-up shots, their faces so close they almost touched.

Xue Ci's lashes fluttered, and his lips were richly colored. He was impossibly beautiful.

With his head resting on Duan Xingyan's shoulder, he relaxed and grew a little sleepy. In his drowsiness, he suddenly heard Duan Xingyan whisper in his ear.

"Is Xue Ci really Snow White?"

Xue Ci gave a vague "Mm?" with a rising inflection.

Duan Xingyan's tone was unlike usual, utterly serious. "Why do you look so soft, so kissable?"

Unfortunately, Xue Ci was too sleepy to hear him clearly. Once his head cleared, he asked in puzzlement, "What did you say?"

Duan Xingyan didn't have the courage to say it again.

He looked easygoing, but deep down he had always been proud. Only in front of Xue Ci was his pride shattered, turning into a sense of inferiority.

Simply laying bare the desire in his heart had used up all his courage.

Xue Ci deserved better.

He was nowhere near good enough for him.

The complicated emotions in Duan Xingyan's eyes were well concealed, gradually giving way to gentleness.

"I said, our little Xue Ci-"

"Will be as happy as a princess."

Xue Ci raised his face, only half understanding the sudden words. But in the end, his eyes curved into a smile. "You'll be happy too."

Duan Xingyan suddenly felt that this was enough.

Enough for him to spend all his time thinking of it.

Nearby, Gu Xu watched the two of them pose so intimately, his face dark as a thundercloud.

They were so close.

Their mouths were almost close enough to kiss.

He knew many people liked Xue Ci, but so far, Gu Ling was probably the only one who had kissed him.

At the thought, Gu Xu glanced at Gu Ling. His brother stood in an inconspicuous corner with his arms folded, his face betraying little expression.

He was good at putting on an act.

The shoot soon ended. Li Man had her family's chef prepare a meal and specifically asked about Xue Ci's tastes. After everyone had eaten, the elders planned to stay and select photos, while the others prepared to leave. Gu Ling called another driver to pick them up.

Li Man was in a good mood. Seeing that Xue Ci had come to help by modeling for her, and that, delicate as he seemed, he hadn't once complained of being tired, she grew even fonder of him.

So she gave him the dress from the shoot as well.

"No one looks better in it than you. It'll just gather dust if I keep it."

There were at least a hundred small gemstones on the dress. It was too valuable, so Xue Ci glanced hesitantly at Hu Shenglan.

Hu Shenglan said, "Take it as your modeling fee. We'll be asking you to model for more shoots in the future."

Since Hu Shenglan had said so, Xue Ci said nothing more and quietly thanked Li Man.

Xue Ci had an endearing face, and he was polite too, which made it easy for elders to feel fond of him.

Li Man helped pack the dress's other accessories into a bag as well.

Before leaving, Xue Ci carried the bag to the car. The car the driver had brought today was spacious, so he wasn't squeezed in this time. He sat quietly by the window in the back seat, curled into a small bundle with the clothes in his arms, his thick lashes lowered naturally as he breathed evenly.

Xin Yue was preparing an itinerary for the weekend hot spring trip. The sudden addition of another person had indeed disrupted his original plans, but since Xue Ci had said to bring him along, he couldn't very well refuse.

On the bright side, with more people, they could gather and play games.

Xin Yue was patiently choosing board games when his phone buzzed several times in succession.

Seeing that the messages weren't from Xue Ci, he lost interest.

A teammate he had barely been in touch with since summer vacation began had suddenly messaged him: [Want to see a gorgeous girl?]

Xin Yue: [What's wrong with you? Don't you know who I like? One more word and I'm blocking you.]

Teammate: [Come on, I'm joking.]

Teammate: [It's a photo of Song Xueci.]

Teammate: [Still want to see?]

Xin Yue: [You secretly took a photo of him?]

Teammate: [?]

Teammate: [How would I dare?]

Teammate: [He's wearing a dress. So, do you want to see it or not?]

Xin Yue's fingers stopped.

A moment later.

[Meet at the usual place.]

They didn't live far apart, and back in high school they had often gone out to play basketball in the middle of the night. This time, though, Xin Yue left in such a hurry that he didn't even bring a basketball. As soon as he arrived and saw his teammate, he eagerly told him to take out the photo.

He could have sent it directly over WeChat. Xin Yue had arranged to meet him in person so that after getting it, he could watch him delete the photo.

"What's the rush?" He was acting like some green kid.

Of course, the teammate had no intention of keeping him in suspense. He opened his photo album. "Look, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

The moment Xin Yue saw the photos, his eyes glued themselves to them. He flipped back and forth through them until his teammate thought he was about to rub sparks off the screen and snatched the phone back.

Only then did Xin Yue come to his senses. "You... where, where..."

He could barely get the words out. His teammate gave him a look of disdain. "My aunt is close with an elder of the Gu Family. She's been getting into photography lately, so she asked Song Xueci to model for her. She's not very good with computers, so she had me come help. That's how I saw them."

"I thought of you right away, bro, and secretly copied a set onto my phone. But don't share them with anyone."

Of course Xin Yue wouldn't share them. He would keep them to himself and secretly look through them every day.

"Hurry up and send them to me now," he urged, as if he couldn't bear to wait another second.

His teammate shook his head. After sending the photos, he heard Xin Yue start to ramble. "Look, Xue Ci's skin is so fair. This wig isn't nearly as good as his real hair. This dress and hat are so, so pretty. He's even... wearing white stockings. His legs are so slender, and his face is so small. How can anyone look so much like a princess?"

"..."

His teammate had always thought Xin Yue had been bewitched by Song Xueci. He was so infatuated that he'd lost himself, so his teammate didn't have a good impression of Song Xueci. "Don't let him fool you. I forgot to tell you, he took these photos with Duan Xingyan. I was afraid you'd be upset if you saw them, so I didn't copy those."

He'd seen those photos himself, and the look on Duan Xingyan's face showed he was completely bewitched too.

"He hasn't even been at school that long, and he's already gotten so close to those famous Alphas in your department."

Xin Yue's face immediately darkened. "What are you trying to say? They're the ones pestering him, trying to seduce him. They're all throwing themselves at him."

His teammate said, "My point is, stop throwing yourself at him too. Bro, how are you any different from a simp?"

Xin Yue curled his lips, a clear note of mockery in his voice. "When have I ever simped? You don't understand love at all."

His teammate said, "..."

A true simp never thought he was a simp.

Xin Yue hated hearing people speak ill of Xue Ci. "I think you're prejudiced against him. Look for yourself. He's so pretty, and his expression is so innocent. How can you say that about him? Hurry up and apologize to his photo."

His teammate really hadn't liked Song Xueci before, but after hearing Xin Yue praise him like that, he began to study the photos closely. Before long, he realized he'd become absorbed in them too.

That face really was... very attractive.

He didn't look like the type to deceive men.

And those strange clothes all fit Xue Ci so well.

He really was so pretty... Whatever came to mind, his whole face suddenly turned red.

Xin Yue had a keen sixth sense for love rivals. Seeing the way his teammate looked at Xue Ci's photos gradually change, he immediately urged him to delete them from his phone.

He was already making a move on his bro's love interest. He couldn't let someone else come along and do the same to him.

Xue Ci was too tired on the day of the shoot. After he got back, he washed up and went to bed. It wasn't until he woke up the next day that he had the energy to take the dress Li Man had given him out of the bag.

But as he was putting things away, he discovered that one of his stockings was missing.

Although he wouldn't wear it again, Xue Ci didn't want to lose something someone had given him. He searched his room without success, then searched the living room, but it still wasn't there.

In the end, he guessed he might have dropped it in Gu Ling's car.

Ever since Xue Ci had been spending summer vacation at home, Gu Ling hadn't worked overtime at the office. The man who was usually so busy left at five every day without fail. Of course, as far as the employees were concerned, it was a good thing when the boss left work early.

Gu Ling arrived at the villa a little after five that day as usual, but he'd barely entered and changed his shoes when Xue Ci came rushing over to greet him.

Usually, the young man would simply call out to him from the sofa as a greeting. Why was he... Gu Ling had no time to think, because Xue Ci was standing on tiptoe and leaning close to his ear. "Big brother, can I tell you something?"

Gu Ling gave an "Mm" without any change in expression, and Xue Ci took hold of the hem of his shirt.

The young man didn't use much strength, but the man let him pull him along.

After pulling Gu Ling into a corner of the living room, Xue Ci looked around. Only when he saw that neither the butler nor the auntie was looking their way did he relax. His expression was secretive and a little embarrassed. "Big brother, I think I left something in your car."

Gu Ling gazed at the young man's pink-tinged earlobes. "Did you leave it there yesterday?"

Xue Ci didn't say what it was. He only asked if Gu Ling could take him to the car to look for it.

Gu Ling agreed and took Xue Ci into the garage.

The car from yesterday hadn't been moved since it was driven back to the villa, so if anything had been left behind, it would still be inside. Xue Ci searched the back seat first, but even after carefully checking the gaps between the seats, he found no sign of the stocking.

He looked disappointed, not even noticing that he had one leg propped on the leather seat, making his body look flexible.

It seemed that even in the cramped space, his leg could be raised to his shoulder.

Gu Ling looked away. "What did you lose?"

Xue Ci's shoulders paused, and his brows knitted slightly. He seemed to hesitate before finally admitting, "I lost one of the stockings from the outfit Auntie Li gave me yesterday."

Gu Ling froze for a moment. He first lifted Xue Ci out of the car, then took him back to his room to search again. After making sure there was no sign of the stocking, he slowly asked, "Have you asked Duan Xingyan and Gu Xu?"

Xue Ci pursed his lips.

It was a stocking he'd lost, and he was a little embarrassed to ask.

"I haven't... but if they saw it, they'd definitely give it back to me."

Gu Ling's face betrayed none of his thoughts. He opened the wardrobe and helped Xue Ci hang up the dress. "Maybe you lost it somewhere on the way. I'll have someone buy another one."

Xue Ci had no other solution. "Thank you, big brother."

Gu Ling was still holding the remaining white stocking. "Was this too small?"

Xue Ci blinked. "Huh?"

Gu Ling said, "It looked a little tight around your thigh."

Xue Ci lowered his eyes to his thigh.

No wonder it had felt uncomfortably tight yesterday. The stocking probably didn't fit.

"Then we'll have to have them custom-made." The incandescent light in the room cast shadows over Gu Ling's face, his brow deep-set and his nose high-bridged. He walked over to Xue Ci. "Do you have a measuring tape here?"

"Yes." Xue Ci opened a drawer. He remembered Duan Xingyan giving him one, though he'd forgotten what it was for.

His slender fingers rummaged through the drawer. Xue Ci soon found it and handed it to Gu Ling.

Gu Ling's voice was low and husky. "If they're custom-made, I'll need to take your measurements."

Xue Ci wasn't guarded around Gu Ling, but he hadn't expected taking his measurements to mean being lifted onto the table by the man, with a measuring tape wrapped around his thigh.

The door to the room wasn't completely shut.

Outside, Gu Xu stood rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on Gu Ling's hand against Xue Ci's leg.

The man's hand was broad and long-fingered, with well-defined knuckles and veins standing out starkly over the joints.

Xue Ci's soft flesh, meanwhile, was snowy white and smooth.

The contrast between them was striking. Even one extra glance made the blood surge.

Gu Xu's temples throbbed.

The next second.

He turned around expressionlessly and stuffed the white stocking he'd been about to return to Xue Ci back into his pocket.

The author had something to say:

Gu Xu, you little...