Chapter 95: Never Keep Matters Bottled Up
No sooner had Nanyi's words left his lips than He Yushen walked in from outside.
The displeased crease on the omega's forehead turned to surprise the moment his gaze landed on the alpha.
Approaching from the entrance, the alpha held in one hand a lavish bouquet of vibrant red roses and in the other, an elegantly designed bag that appeared to contain meal boxes.
He first placed the bag on the table, then presented the bouquet to Nanyi, the rich scent of roses immediately filling the air.
"Hoping these roses might appease my lovely omega," the alpha said with a playful chuckle.
"Hmph, I'll forgive you just this once."
As Xiaobao was taken from him, Nanyi clutched the bouquet—larger even than himself—and smiled more radiantly than the vibrant roses.
"He Yushen, what prompted you to buy me flowers?" Nanyi's tone was notably sweeter when pleased, as if he was playfully whining.
He Yushen, holding Xiaobao, seated himself next to him, taking in with satisfaction Nanyi's gleeful expression.
"Last night, a certain lovely omega waited for me far too long; these are to make amends."
"I wasn't really... that upset."
Nanyi spoke in a softer tone, a hint of shyness evident.
"It smells so good!"
Nanyi blissfully held the bouquet for quite some time before noticing the aromatic scent emanating from the bag on the table.
The spicy aroma instantly roused the hunger in him.
Nanyi was curious about what delectable treat He Yushen had bought. Yet, reluctant to put down the flowers, he turned with shimmering expectant eyes, looking at He Yushen.
"He Yushen, I want to eat," he said, drawing out the last word in a genuine act of coquettishness.
The elongated, syrupy end of his plea nearly shattered the alpha's restraint: "Call me 'hubby', and I'll feed you."
Nanyi shot a bashful and slightly indignant glance at He Yushen. The look, imbued with both coyness and frustration, only deepened the desire in the alpha's eyes, making no attempt to hide it.
"Fine! If you won't help..."
With a fleeting gaze, Nanyi placed the bouquet beside him on the couch.
"If you want something done right, do it yourself," he muttered as he began to unpack the bag.
Spreading out the two square boxes inside, he found his favorite spicy diced chicken and another box filled with spicy crayfish.
These spicy dishes, which He Yushen never touched, were specially brought for him.
"He Yushen, you're the best."
"Then call me 'hubby'."
"No."
"Let's pretend you did. I'll peel the crayfish for you."
"Okay."
Nanyi relished the food He Yushen fed him. By the time he had his fill, He Yushen's dinner was just served, ending with the two of them sharing a bowl of black chicken soup.
The twilight deepened, a breeze rustled outside, carrying with it the whispering sound of leaves.
Having slept so much during the day, the two felt no drowsiness as they headed upstairs. Only little Xiaobao lay soundly asleep in his crib.
And Nanyi found himself gently embraced by the Alpha, just as he had wished.
"Heyu Shen, on the day Xiaobao fell ill, I saw Nanzhi in the garden outside."
"In the garden?"
"Yes, and I suspect he might have feelings for... Lin Qiuwu." Nanyi pondered for a few seconds before speaking.
Heyu Shen was taken aback, but he didn't interrupt the Omega's words.
"From what I overheard, they mentioned a cold or flu, but I didn't catch it all. I tried calling him, but he didn't pick up."
Nanyi's tone held a hint of sadness.
To Heyu Shen's ears, it sounded utterly heart-wrenching.
"I'll find him for you tomorrow."
"Alright."
The obedient omega was so endearing that Heyu Shen, who had his hands around Omega's slender waist, struggled to behave.
"Did Lin Qiuwu approach you?" Heyu Shen asked, inhaling the scent from Omega's neck.
Thinking of the day's events, he felt the need to guide the omega properly.
Always keeping things to himself and silently enduring without letting him know.
"I wouldn't say he sought me out, but we did bump into each other in the garden twice." Nanyi replied without much thought, leaning further into the alpha's embrace.
"Did he tell you Yunluo has feelings for me?"
Nanyi looked up in shock, "You knew?"
"Yes."
"How did you find out?"
Instead of answering Nanyi's question, Heyu Shen shifted closer to the center of the bed. In the dim light, he met Nanyi's gaze and asked, "What do you think?"
"I... haven't really thought about it."
"Have you been asking about Yunluo because you're worried I might fall for him, trying to find out if we're staying at the same hotel?"
Nanyi buried his face into Heyu Shen's neck, murmuring an affirmative "mm-hmm."
Heyu Shen had anticipated this response and let out a somewhat exasperated sigh.
"Stop overthinking things. Regardless of whether Yunluo's feelings for me are real or not, I only have eyes for you. You need to tell me everything in the future – all your thoughts and concerns. We are lovers and family. Remember how Papa Ling taught us? Always be open with each other, okay?"
"I got it."
"Knowing isn't enough; you have to practice it."
"You're so naggy, Heyu Shen," Nanyi teased with a contented smile.
"So now you're complaining about my nagging? Are you going to complain about me getting old in the future?"
The alpha, who was only a few years shy of thirty, wore a worried expression as he gazed at his young spouse, barely twenty-one.
Nanyi was somewhat amused by Heyu Shen's train of thought but explained patiently, "I won't."
"Really?"
"Really."
"I'm getting a bit sleepy." As they talked, Nanyi felt his strength wane, and his eyelids grew heavy.
"Goodnight, my love."
Nanyi closed his eyes to the deep resonance of the alpha's voice, feeling a light, cool touch on his lips in his drowsiness.
With early spring ending, the nights were growing warmer. Several times, the omega in his sleep found himself pushing away the alpha, feeling too hot.
In the middle of the night, Heyu Shen got up to add a blanket to the baby's crib, adjusting the air conditioning to a cooler setting. This time, when he returned to bed, the omega was comfortable and didn't push him away.
The late spring breeze carried hints of the upcoming summer. The vast garden was full of blooming buds. The vivid red roses amidst the blossoms looked much more vibrant than the wilted flowers in the living room.
The flowers Heyu Shen had given Nanyi were spread out in vases all over the house. But after a week, many had begun to droop.
Nanyi gathered them all and placed them on the living room table. Using yarn provided by the butler, he tied the bouquet stems tightly together.
"Madam, are you planning to make dried flowers?"
As the butler placed a freshly pressed juice in front of him, his gaze fell upon Nanyi's busy hands, prompting the question.
"Yes, the sun has been out, and the wind is strong these past few days. I'm planning to hang them on the balcony."
Nanyi continued his task as he explained.
"Done!"
With the task accomplished, Nanyi eagerly carried the large bundle of wilting flowers up to the rarely-visited third floor.
The balcony on the third floor was quite bare. After much tinkering, it was the butler who provided two adhesive hooks for Nanyi to hang his long string of roses.