YPSSS Chapter 44

Mother Xie’s return to C City wasn’t just for a family visit.

Xie Mingcheng, who already held a high position, became even more distinguished after receiving the Asia Alliance commendation.

As a military family member, Mother Xie wouldn’t be able to move around freely afterward, so she came home before the official documents were issued.

Professor Yang and his wife were almost at retirement age, but as university professors, they were still swamped with work at the end of the semester.

The housekeeper, Gao Qiuyun and Mother Xie prepared dinner together.

At seven-thirty, Wutong Lane was quiet when a black sedan smoothly pulled up and turned on its lights in front of the Yang residence.

Xie Ji got out first, then waited by the car door. Soon after, Xia Shiruan stumbled out after him.

The car belonged to Xie Ji and was usually driven by Uncle Liu, his driver. This was Xia Shiruan’s first time riding in it while sober, and he wasn’t used to the high chassis. As he climbed out, he almost tripped forward.

Xie Ji quickly steadied him by the shoulders and criticized, “Where’s your mind wandering? I watched you step right into thin air.”

“I didn’t see clearly,” Xia Shiruan replied guiltily, not daring to admit he was a bit nervous.

Xie Ji didn’t believe him but didn’t comment. He held his arm and guided him forward a few steps.

Inside the villa, the dishes were already on the table, their fragrant steam rising.

Mother Xie, hearing the gate open, stood by the window and happened to witness the two getting out of the car.

“In just a few months, these two have gotten so close,” she remarked with surprised delight. “Young people make friends so quickly.”

Professor Yang laid place mats on the table and chuckled, “Didn’t Xiao Ji and Xiao Ruan always got along well? I remember them playing together often when they were young.”

Just then, Xie Ji and Xia Shiruan entered.

The adults greeted them warmly, helping with coats and serving hot tea. Soon, bowls and chopsticks were set out, and amid the lively chatter, everyone took their seats.

The Xia family and Professor Yang’s family had maintained a harmonious relationship as neighbors for years. Gao Qiuyun was also a regular guest, so the atmosphere at the table was lively with constant conversation.

The main topic was naturally Xie Mingcheng’s promotion. When discussing this, Mother Xie’s expression showed both joy and worry. Joy needed no explanation, but she’d have fewer chances to return home from now on.

After Professor Yang and his wife consoled her, Mother Xie suddenly remembered something. “Ah!” she exclaimed, turning to Xia Shiruan with a smile. “Lao Xie mentioned Xiao Ruan yesterday. He said that although he won’t be at Institute 741 anymore, if Xiao Ruan is interested after graduation, he should let him know.”

Gao Qiuyun responded with a “Thank you in advance,” and the conversation turned to Xia Shiruan’s academic performance.

“To be honest, when we learned Xiao Ruan presented as an Omega, Lao Xie and I were shocked,” Mother Xie said. “For an Omega, Xiao Ruan’s science grades are rarely good. I remember in high school, just looking at math gave me a headache.”

Mrs. Yang mercilessly exposed her daughter, “I remember you had a classmate in high school, who was also an Omega, who often ranked first in mathematics.”

Mother Xie let out a playful “Ah!” and said, “I’ve been found out.”

Everyone at the table burst into laughter.

Xie Ji couldn’t help but crack a smile. He glanced up at Xia Shiruan to find him pressing his lips together with crescent-moon eyes, looking adorable as he tried to hold back his own laughter.

Xie Ji never hesitated to look at Xia Shiruan, and this time was no different.

Xia Shiruan noticed first, and like someone afraid of being caught, he darted quick looks around. Seeing the adults absorbed in conversation and no one watching them, he bit his lower lip and cast a flustered glance at Xie Ji.

Xie Ji calmly met his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and smiled silently.

Besides confessing their mutual feelings, they hadn’t defined their relationship in any clearer terms. This left Xia Shiruan in a state of high tension since learning about the dinner yesterday.

This nervousness was different from any other kind, almost physiological.

Xia Shiruan was completely unprepared to explain anything to the elders, but he also couldn’t guess if or how Xie Ji might say something.

But even as dessert was about to be served, Xie Ji showed no signs of saying anything. He ate quietly, occasionally passing dishes he thought were good but out of Xia Shiruan’s reach.

In short, it was as peaceful as any ordinary dinner.

Xia Shiruan wondered if he was overthinking things. After all, he’d tactfully consulted Yi Junya and learned that even following normal protocol, telling parents after just one month of dating was too soon.

Understanding this, Xia Shiruan relaxed a bit. He lowered his eyes to take small sips of the homemade green tea latte Xie Ji had passed him from Professor Yang’s kitchen.

Mother Xie looked at Xie Ji, then at Xia Shiruan, her beautiful eyes twinkling with knowing amusement.

After dinner, the adults moved to the living room to chat. Xie Ji finally seemed to find an opportunity to speak to Xia Shiruan. “Xia Shiruan, how was dinner?”

Xia Shiruan had eaten distractedly throughout the meal, only properly enjoying the last cup of milk tea. After thinking, he said, “It was delicious.”

Xie Ji watched his eyelashes and chuckled, saying, “Then later at your house…”

Before he could finish, Mother Xie’s voice came from beside them: “Xiao Ji, come here for a moment.”

Noticing she’d interrupted their conversation, she paused and smiled, “Did I interrupt something? What were you discussing?”

“It’s nothing,” Xie Ji straightened up and said, “Finals are coming up, so I wanted to borrow some reference books from Xia Shiruan.”

Mother Xie, surprised by her son’s sudden academic enthusiasm, hesitated before saying, “Alright, come here first. I need to ask you something, then you can go.”

She turned to Xia Shiruan with a gentle smile, “Xiao Ruan, wait a moment, okay?”

Xia Shiruan nodded and waited in the living room. He took Xie Ji’s excuse seriously and tried to remember which books in his room might be useful for an undergraduate.

He probably already packed everything away. He didn’t keep the basic texts, and what remained wouldn’t be useful to Xie Ji. Although he had digital copies of everything else, he’d already given those to Xie Ji in a package last time.

On the second-floor balcony.

Mother Xie chose her words carefully. “Xiao Ji, I noticed you and Xiao Ruan seem very close today, you two…”

Xie Ji looked up, raising an eyebrow slightly, waiting for her to continue.

Facing her son who stood more than a head taller than her, Mother Xie suddenly found herself unsure how to continue.

She’d raised Xie Ji, keeping him by her side until he was eighteen. Mother Xie could proudly say her son was an excellent Alpha in every way – intelligent, strong, always clear about his goals and determined to achieve them. Such a child would surely make outstanding contributions to national defense in the future.

But like all Alphas who presented early, he matured too soon. He entered puberty at eleven or twelve, developing emotions and secrets that adults couldn’t understand.

Unlike other family friends’ children who busied themselves with puppy love and playing around, Xie Ji’s teenage years were remarkably quiet. Even though he seemed to have many friends and a lively life, Mother Xie could tell few things truly interested him.

This was why she was surprised to see his interactions with Xia Shiruan.

“Mm.” But Xie Ji showed no intention of hiding anything. He spoke directly without beating around the bush. “I confessed to Xia Shiruan, he accepted, and now we’re together.”

“Ah,” Mother Xie didn’t expect such a straightforward answer, but after a moment’s surprise, she quickly recovered. “When did this happen?”

Xie Ji smiled and asked, “You mean the confession? Or when I started liking him?”

Mother Xie realized her question was ambiguous and couldn’t help but laugh, then after a while said, “Never mind, I was just asking if you were together, I didn’t mean to pry so much.”

“Alright,” Xie Ji said.

After chatting casually for a few more minutes, Mother Xie told him to go, not wanting to keep Xiao Ruan waiting. Just as Xie Ji was about to open the door, she called out, “Wait.”

Although she was surprised about Xie Ji having someone he liked and actually confessing, somehow, she wasn’t too shocked that it was Xia Shiruan.

“You have to treat him well,” Mother Xie said. “Xiao Ruan is a good child.”

“Yeah.” Xie Ji paused. “I know.”

Back in the living room, Xia Shiruan was still lost in thought.

His daydreaming came in many forms. After a month of close observation, Xie Ji had become quite skilled at guessing his thoughts from the subtle movements of his hands.

For example, although his face was expressionless now, his fingers regularly pinched a small piece of his clothing hem, indicating he wasn’t just spacing out but actually thinking about something.

If someone poked him from behind at times like this, he’d definitely jump, just like a startled rabbit with raised fur.

So Xie Ji, without much conscience, stood behind him and reached out, earning himself a pair of wide, flustered eyes.

“What are you thinking about?” Xie Ji pulled him up from the sofa. “Let’s go to your place?”

“Nothing.”

In fact, he’d been thinking about which books to give Xie Ji and wondering what Xie Ji might have told his aunt.

The Xia family villa was very close, just a five-minute walk away.

Xia Shiruan led him straight to the second floor, to his room.

The last time Xie Ji came to the Xia house was to drop Xia Shiruan off, but he didn’t go inside. The time before that, he left angrily after Xia Shiruan breathed in his face. So entering his room again after so many years felt strange.

The tall bookshelf still stood in the corner, filled with neatly arranged books. To the side was a large bay window, covered with thick white wool padding for winter.

Not much had changed since childhood, except for the faint grass scent in the air, Xia Shiruan’s scent.

Xia Shiruan faced the bookshelf with his back to Xie Ji, speaking seriously while searching, “There might not be many books suitable for you, but I remember one…”

“Xia Shiruan,” Xie Ji leaned against the bay window, eyes lowered in thought before suddenly asking, “What did you promise me the day before yesterday?”

Xia Shiruan paused.

The day before yesterday, Xie Ji had just been teasing him again, trying various ways to get close, and when he couldn’t, Xia Shiruan had promised to give him a kiss next time.

Usually, Xia Shiruan would try to delay such promises for a few days, but now they were in his room, and no place seemed more appropriate for a kiss, since no one would see them.

Xia Shiruan turned around and moved closer to Xie Ji.

Xie Ji was slouched lazily against the window, still taller even in that position. When Xia Shiruan approached, he arched a brow.

Xia Shiruan looked at him, pressed one hand on his shoulder, tilted his face up, and quickly kissed his lips.

Then he tried to slip away to continue searching for books, but an arm immediately caught him. He couldn’t escape, grabbed by the shoulders and turned back into Xie Ji’s tight embrace.

“What are you doing, Xia Shiruan, trying to run after just one kiss?”

“No,” Xia Shiruan denied, “I still need to find your books.”

Xie Ji lifted his chin, eyes twinkling. “Did you know, three hundred years ago, you had to get married after kissing, or you’d be arrested?”

“…”

Xia Shiruan had no chance to question Xie Ji’s blatant historical revisionism. He only felt Xie Ji’s fingers burning against his chin, making his skin heat up.

When Xia Shiruan stayed quiet, Xie Ji pulled him closer by the chin and nipped at his cheek, asking, “Why were you looking at me like that at dinner?”

Xia Shiruan closed his eyes, trying to recover from the tingling sensation of the bite. “Like what?”

“Just now.” Xie Ji said, “Afraid my mom would notice?”

“No.” Xia Shiruan quickly realized what he meant and explained anxiously, “I just didn’t know what to say.”

He looked up. “Are we dating? We never really said.”

After speaking, he felt his words might sound like denying the kiss, but he didn’t know how to explain better, so he closed his mouth in frustration.

Xie Ji watched him for a few seconds, then said, “I like you, you like me, we kiss every day. Isn’t that dating?”

Xia Shiruan’s mind stuck on “every day,” thinking they didn’t really kiss daily, when Xie Ji continued, “Of course, I want more than just dating you.”

He lifted his head, running his fingers through Xia Shiruan’s hair, then sliding down to stroke the smooth skin of his neck. “I want to do many things, but I was afraid you wouldn’t want to, so I never said anything.”

Xie Ji’s gaze was too direct, and even though his hand on Xia Shiruan’s neck wasn’t forceful, it carried an indescribable sense of invasion.

Like having someone suddenly enter your private territory before you could refuse, one step away from complete conquest, only to stop and ask the owner’s permission.

Did he want it? It seemed he did.

But Xia Shiruan’s breath hitched, and he dared not meet those heated eyes anymore. Taking advantage of the loosened grip, he broke free, stammering an excuse, “Don’t you need books for the exams? I’ll find them…”

He didn’t even make it a meter before being caught again.

“I’ve finished reviewing, what books do I need?” Xie Ji held him and leaned down to kiss him. “Let’s do something more serious.”

Since when was kissing something more serious?

Xia Shiruan tried to speak, but his mouth was sealed, unable to make a sound.

Xie Ji kissed him forcefully, more fierce than usual, moving from his lips to his chin, then to his delicate Adam’s apple, his hot breath on Xia Shiruan’s skin making him feel sweet and tingly.

Xia Shiruan quickly noticed something different about Xie Ji when he paused for several seconds at one spot, then lowered his head to gently brush his lips against the side with reverence.

This was going too far. Xia Shiruan closed his eyes, goosebumps rising on his nape, his breathing becoming rapid.

This was a common minor stress response when an Omega was stimulated by an Alpha’s pheromones.

Not a big problem, one suppressant shot would fix it.

The suppressants weren’t far from Xia Shiruan’s room, almost within reach, but he didn’t want to take them.

Xia Shiruan wrapped his arms around Xie Ji’s waist. He tilted his head slightly to reveal the spot hidden by his nape hair, saying softly, “Actually, I want to.”

Xie Ji forced his gaze away from that spot. “What?”

The hair at Xia Shiruan’s nape was just long enough to cover his gland.

Apart from doctors, no one had ever touched this spot. Even during their kisses, Xie Ji always forced himself to look away from it.

This time was no exception, but he looked for a few seconds longer.

“You just said you were afraid I wouldn’t want to, so you didn’t…” Xia Shiruan said slowly, “Xie Ji, I want to tell you, I do want to.”

Xie Ji’s breathing grew heavier.

An Omega exposing their neck before an Alpha they liked carried a fatal implication.

Not to mention an Omega saying such things.

“But I remember when you presented, the doctor said,” Xie Ji’s restrained voice was hoarse, “said your gland wasn’t stable yet.”

“It’s fine, I’m better now,” Xia Shiruan said. The sweet scent was overwhelming him, making his tone almost urgent. “I’ve been seeing the doctor, the doctor said so.”

With no reason left to refuse, Xie Ji closed his eyes and pulled him close, first touching his tongue to that soft, delicate skin, causing the person in his arms to shiver uncontrollably.

“Xia Shiruan, I’m going to bite you,” Xie Ji said.

Xie Ji remembered saying something similar when he was very young, asking Xia Shiruan “Can I bite you?” but was rejected.

Later, Xie Ji had wondered for a long time why, when Xia Shiruan was still a Beta, he had been so certain that he would become an Omega highly compatible with himself, and had been so domineering about wanting to bite him.

Later he realized it actually had little to do with gender.

When Xie Ji returned to C City, his first thought was to find Xia Shiruan. Even if he had still been a Beta then, he would have liked him just the same.

Still would have wanted to bite him.

“Mm.” Xia Shiruan closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, waiting for sharp teeth to pierce his most delicate skin.

But because it was Xie Ji, he wasn’t very afraid.

He knew this wasn’t just marking. It was also love, possession, making him Xie Ji’s one and only.

Author’s Note:
The main story ends here.

After thinking about it, I didn’t write the meeting with parents very formally, because Xiao Xia and Xiao Xie are still a newly in-love couple.

Then there might be a short extra chapter, with some short daily life scenes.

The next story will be a bittersweet unrequited love story, about a cool gege secretly loving a beautiful shou! Never written that before, want to try!

If you’re interested, you can click to bookmark. *bows*