What's Wrong With Rear-Ending Your Arranged Marriage Partner? He Totally Loves It - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: By Your Side

When Song Cun woke up, his head was still a bit groggy.

After sitting on the bed for a while, he suddenly jolted upright.

Fragments of last night flooded back into his mind—clinging to Qi Yan for cuddles, biting his fingers, tugging at Qi Yan’s clothes to sniff his pheromones, and even… biting Qi Yan’s neck…

Every single scene was enough to make him want to die from embarrassment.

He had just told Qi Yan not long ago that he didn’t want to smell his pheromones, and now this? The irony!

Still, he quickly found a somewhat acceptable explanation for his behavior. There was a term in psychology called “imprinting”. Maybe because Qi Yan’s pheromones were the first ones he’d smelled after his secondary gender differentiation, his subconscious latched onto them during his heat.

After consoling himself with that theory, Song Cun flopped back onto the bed—only for his brain to throw up the memory of him sucking on his thumb… and then Qi Yan gently replacing it with his own finger…

Song Cun rolled around under the covers—Aaaahhh!!

That thumb-sucking habit was supposed to be a secret taken to the grave, and now Qi Yan had seen it! Worse, he’d treated him like a little kid and tried to soothe him!

Qi Yan’s comforting gesture was completely misinterpreted by Song Cun as mockery.

Song Cun felt like he’d never been this humiliated in his life.

If every heat ended with him acting like that, he might as well just have his gland removed!

His mind a chaotic mess, Song Cun got up and went to the bathroom to shower, hoping to wash away all the embarrassing memories.

He only realized after stepping under the water that he was still wearing his clothes.

He cursed under his breath, stripped off the soaking wet clothes, and turned the shower back on.

When washing his hair, something felt wrong—turns out he’d accidentally used body wash instead of shampoo. So he had to wash it all over again.

After his messy, half-conscious shower, he got dressed—only to realize his clothes were sticking to his wet skin. He’d forgotten to towel off.

Fuming, he changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Though it had been chaotic, he finally managed to clean himself up.

When he came downstairs, Qi Yan was in the kitchen cooking.

As if sensing his presence, Qi Yan turned around. Their eyes met across the staircase.

Song Cun froze for a second, unsure how to face Qi Yan.

But Qi Yan acted as usual and gave him a smile.

“Breakfast is almost ready.”

Song Cun rubbed his nose, about to head to the living room, when his eyes caught a glaring red mark on Qi Yan’s pale neck.

His face immediately flushed—he hadn’t lost his memory. Of course he knew how that got there.

“Why’s your face so red? Still got a fever?”

Qi Yan stepped toward him to check his forehead, but Song Cun suddenly turned around and bolted upstairs.

A slipper fell off mid-run and tumbled down the stairs, landing right in front of Qi Yan.

Lost a slipper again.

Qi Yan let out a helpless chuckle and bent down to pick it up. He seriously considered whether to carpet the entire house in cashmere, so Song Cun wouldn’t catch a chill even if he lost a slipper.

When he came back down again, Song Cun had already composed himself, wearing a perfectly calm expression.

Qi Yan served him soup and encouraged him to eat more, without saying anything else.

It was Song Cun who finally broke the silence.

“About last night…”

Qi Yan looked up at him, clearly waiting for him to continue.

Song Cun also looked at him—but his gaze involuntarily drifted downward. The collar of Qi Yan’s light-colored shirt was slightly open, revealing a pale, slender neck with a very visible hickey. He had already seen it earlier, so he’d mentally braced himself for it.

But then his gaze fell a little lower—and all that mental preparation nearly shattered.

Qi Yan’s collarbone, clean and pronounced, bore a deep bite mark. It looked red and swollen.

God! What else had he done last night?!

Song Cun quickly looked away, flustered. His words came out in a stammer.

“Don’t… don’t get the wrong idea about last night. Whatever I did to you, it was… it was because of the pheromones, you know?”

“I know,” Qi Yan replied calmly.

The simple and direct response only made Song Cun feel more guilty. He felt the need to be even more clear.

“I didn’t actually want to smell your pheromones.”

“Mm.”

“Also, I don’t usually bite my fingers. Or people. Last night I was just feeling unwell… and you’re the one who insisted on coming in.”

His tone was forced and stiff—but the tips of his red ears betrayed his embarrassment.

Qi Yan considerately picked up the thread of the conversation.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come into your room without permission. I hope you’re not upset.”

Song Cun was stunned. He hadn’t expected Qi Yan to apologize instead of teasing him.

Poking at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, Song Cun’s tone softened without him realizing it.

“…Are you laughing at me in your head?”

The second he said it, he regretted it. He felt like he’d just asked the dumbest question. But there was no taking it back now.

“No.”

Qi Yan looked at him earnestly.

“I’m not laughing at you. It’s just…”

“Just what?” Song Cun glared at him, looking like he’d kill him if he said the wrong thing.

“Just—” Qi Yan’s gaze softened, “—I wish I could always be there for you whenever you’re feeling unwell.”

Song Cun’s fingers curled slightly around his chopsticks, and he didn’t reply. He just lowered his head and continued eating.

His long eyelashes hid the slight redness in his eyes. He never looked up, just quietly ate his meal.

In the living room, the television was on, its background noise making the dining room feel less silent.

At one point, Qi Yan heard Song Cun murmur something under his breath.

“No one can stay by someone’s side forever.”