After Marrying My Silly Childhood Friend - Chapter 7

It was Zuo Nian’s first time wearing such clothes.

He felt uncomfortable everywhere.

The salesperson had told him earlier, “If your husband is out socializing, just wear this outfit and send him a bed photo. No man can resist. He’ll rush home like he’s flying.”

Zuo Nian didn’t know if what he said was true, but he thought it was worth a try.

He was willing to learn anything for Duan Baisui as long as Duan Baisui liked it.

The clock had already struck twelve, and his Alpha likely had a social engagement tonight and hadn’t come home yet.

Zuo Nian was a little sleepy but forced himself to stay awake.

He remembered the salesperson’s advice, so he followed it. He took a photo of the bed and one of his feet in socks, then mustered up the courage to send them to Duan Baisui.

While waiting for a reply, he thought about many things and figured there was a high chance that Duan Baisui wouldn’t respond.

After all, people out socializing probably didn’t like being rushed.

He suddenly felt a bit regretful, anxiously tugging at the socks on his feet, finding them uncomfortable.

His phone buzzed, and he nervously opened the chat.

Seeing the brief reply on the screen, Zuo Nian jumped up in delight.

The salesperson hadn’t lied, he had successfully “lured” his Alpha back home!

Zuo Nian slipped on his slippers, went downstairs to make hangover soup, timed it perfectly, and even prepared a hot bath for Duan Baisui in the bathroom.

After finishing all this, he sat on the sofa holding Xiao Sui, staring at the clock on the wall as he waited.

Duan Baisui was always punctual. At 12:32, Zuo Nian heard the sound of the passcode lock being pressed.

“Click,” the door opened.

Duan Baisui’s footsteps were unsteady as he leaned against the wall to change his shoes at the entrance.

Hearing the noise, Zuo Nian ran over and called, “Gege.”

Duan Baisui looked up, and the figure before him slowly came into focus. Under the light, that face appeared radiant.

However, the usually well-behaved Zuo Nian was dressed somewhat oddly today.

He was wearing an ill-fitting white shirt on top that reached his thighs, underneath which his cartoonish oversized T-shirt was visible. For bottoms, he had on a pair of cartoon-print pajama pants rolled up halfway, exposing black… were those socks or long underwear?

Duan Baisui couldn’t quite figure it out.

He looked Zuo Nian up and down several times before finally asking, “Are you… cold?”

The heating in the house was strong; there was no need to wear so many layers.

Zuo Nian’s face turned red as he stepped forward to steady him, shyly saying, “Not cold… I wore it especially for you to see.”

Duan Baisui was stunned—what was there to see?

Were these new clothes he had bought? And what was going on with the pajama pants?

“Gege, do you… like it?” Zuo Nian asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Duan Baisui found it hard to comment on his outfit and instead asked, “Isn’t it too cold to wear just a shirt right now?”

He remembered that Zuo Nian was very afraid of the cold.

This sheer fabric shirt wouldn’t keep him warm even when worn close to the body.

“I’m not cold. This is only for wearing at home.” Zuo Nian explained. “The temperature is just right, and Nian Nian added a T-shirt underneath.”

“Mm.” Duan Baisui didn’t understand but chose to respect it.

Zuo Nian helped him to the sofa and brought him the hangover soup.

Seeing how exhausted he looked, Duan Baisui said, “Liu Ma will be back in two days. You don’t need to wait up for me at night. If you’re tired, go to bed early. If you’re scared, just leave the lights on. Liu Ma is next door.”

“But I bought so many clothes. I have to wear them for you to see every night.” Zuo Nian said, rubbing his eyes, his voice soft and sticky. “You can only see them at night.”

Duan Baisui: ?

After finishing the hangover soup, Duan Baisui went upstairs to take a shower.

Seeing the hot water ready in the tub, the toothpaste already squeezed onto the brush, and the neatly folded towels on the shelf, a strange warmth surged in Duan Baisui’s heart.

He could tell that Zuo Nian was doing everything he could to be a good partner, while he himself had neglected Zuo Nian far too much.

Perhaps he should take some time to go out and have fun with Zuo Nian.

During the New Year, he would take him to S City for a winter getaway.

When he came out of the bathroom, Zuo Nian was still awake.

The little Omega was sitting cross-legged on the bed, drowsily staring at him.

“What’s wrong?” Duan Baisui asked, noticing that he seemed to have something to say.

“Gege, are you feeling itchy and restless?” Zuo Nian asked innocently.

Duan Baisui: ?

Seeing Duan Baisui’s confusion, Zuo Nian added, “Like, after seeing the bed photo, do you need me to help you… release?”

Duan Baisui: “What photo?”

Zuo Nian started fidgeting, his voice growing softer. “The bed photo… no Alpha can resist it.”

Wait a minute.

Duan Baisui took out his phone and opened his chat with Zuo Nian.

Alright, so the photo of the bed was meant for that purpose.

A literal “bed photo”!

But given Zuo Nian’s understanding, he couldn’t possibly come up with such things on his own.

Unless someone had taught him.

Worried that someone might have misguided Zuo Nian, Duan Baisui asked with a stern expression, “Who taught you this?”

Zuo Nian’s smile froze, his wide eyes brimming with innocence.

“I… I just bought some things. The salesperson shared some tips.” Zuo Nian stammered.

“What did you buy?”

Zuo Nian thought Duan Baisui was angry.

He felt a little scared.

His words became hesitant as he stammered, “Just… just a shirt, socks, and… and…”

“And what else?”

“And… some kind of stick… that vibrates…”

Duan Baisui stared at him sharply. “What’s that in your hand?”

Zuo Nian obediently opened his palm, revealing a condom lying in it.

“Zuo Nian,” Duan Baisui called his name sternly.

“Ah?”

“Who told you to buy these things? Do you even know what they’re for?”

“Yes…” Zuo Nian’s voice weakened, tinged with a sob. “The clothes are for seducing you… this is for contraception… and the vibrating stick… is for me… to add fun…”

“Don’t buy these things again.” Duan Baisui said. “There are many things you don’t understand, and they might not even be needed.”

Zuo Nian’s eyes turned red instantly. “I don’t understand, but I’m learning.”

He had hoped to receive praise from Duan Baisui, but none came.

“Or… does Gege actually see me the same way others do?”

Duan Baisui didn’t answer.

How did he see Zuo Nian?

Although he didn’t see Zuo Nian as a fool, he also hadn’t treated him as an equal.

He had always thought of Zuo Nian as childlike in nature. From beginning to end, he never truly saw him as a partner, just as a child he needed to placate.

But he had forgotten that Zuo Nian was already a twenty-five-year-old man with his own thoughts.

Just like today’s situation.

For an ordinary couple, this would simply be a matter of intimacy. But for them, he treated it as if he were interrogating a child.

What had Zuo Nian done wrong? He only wanted to fulfill his duties as a partner.

The two stared at each other for a long time before Zuo Nian looked away first, burrowing into the blanket. “I’m sorry. Nian Nian understands now.”

“Goodnight, Gege.”

Zuo Nian didn’t know how to argue or act unreasonably.

He had always been like this. Even when deeply wronged, he wouldn’t voice it. He would just process it on his own.

Duan Baisui sat on the bed, looking at Zuo Nian’s back, unsure if he was crying.

He raised his hand and hesitated for a long time before gently patting the top of Zuo Nian’s head. “The one who should apologize is me. Sorry. I wasn’t mentally ready yet.”

Zuo Nian turned his head to look at him, his eyelashes damp and his teary, pitiful expression tugging at the heart.

He turned over, reaching out to hug Duan Baisui’s waist, his sobs thick. “It’s Nian Nian’s fault. I shouldn’t have said those things. Gege is different from others. Gege has never despised Nian Nian… Wuwuwu… I was so bad. How could I think of you like that?”

He buried his face in Duan Baisui’s waist and cried muffled sobs, shattering Duan Baisui’s heart.

Perhaps Alphas were always this self-righteous.

They thought providing a comfortable life was enough to be considered kind, but marriage wasn’t supposed to be like that.

He suddenly remembered what Xu Yi had once said: “Sometimes, I just want a hug from your father, but he always sees through me and gives me a kiss as well. That’s why, no matter how the media has criticized him over the years, I’ve always trusted him. Because I know he loves me.”

For the first time, Duan Baisui realized he had been treating his Omega in the wrong way.

He stroked Zuo Nian’s head and leaned down to hold him in his arms.

This was the first time they had embraced each other since getting married.

Duan Baisui could smell the fragrance of his hair and faintly catch a trace of pheromones leaking from the suppressant patch.

It was the scent of green grape candy.

Sweet and slightly tart.

When they got married, the two had undergone a pheromone compatibility test.

The match was 80%.

It wasn’t particularly high, but it was sufficient to maintain their relationship without growing weary of each other over time.

But all this time, neither of them had ever released their pheromones to attract the other.

They were more like siblings of the opposite s3x living under the same roof.

They cared for and looked after each other, but it was difficult to take their relationship to a deeper level of intimacy.

Zuo Nian cried himself to exhaustion and fell asleep.

Duan Baisui gently placed him under the blanket and tucked his beloved Abeibei plush toy into his arms.

He wondered, why had he ended up making him cry?

The next day, Zuo Nian woke up early.

Recently, he had developed a punctual biological clock, waking up to make breakfast for Duan Baisui.

After crying for so long last night, his eyes felt swollen and uncomfortable.

He rubbed his eyes, completely forgetting why he had cried last night. He only remembered that Duan Baisui had hugged him afterward.

The Alpha’s embrace was warm and made him feel safe.

Zuo Nian covered his mouth and chuckled quietly. The person next to him was still asleep.

His sharp and handsome features were captivating.

Zuo Nian’s fingers hovered lightly over his eyelashes, the bridge of his nose, and finally his lips, whispering softly with affection, “Good morning, Gege.”

Without waking Duan Baisui, Zuo Nian carefully got out of bed.

The uncomfortable socks he had worn all night had made sleeping uneasy.

Never again! He decided to throw them away!

But then he reconsidered—at 380 yuan a pair, they were expensive. He’d keep them… maybe repurpose them as cleaning rags someday.

As Zuo Nian thought this, he began taking off his pajama pants.

Underneath was a pair of garter stockings, with black straps running up his thighs, connecting to lacy T-shaped underwear.

When Zuo Nian had put them on yesterday, he thought they were too strange. His bottom was exposed, like a child’s open-crotch pants, so he had covered them with his pajama pants.

After all, the salesperson had said that Alphas only needed to see the socks.

So, by rolling up his pajama pants, Gege would definitely see the socks, right?

Who would have thought—yes, Gege saw them, but he didn’t like them.

Sigh, Gege’s

thoughts were too hard to guess. He really was different from other Alphas, and Zuo Nian still needed to keep trying.

Thinking this, Zuo Nian decided to look for his plain cotton underwear.

As he turned around, he realized he didn’t know when Duan Baisui had woken up.

He was lying on his side, staring at him with a complicated expression.