MWMM Chapter 47: I’ll Just Rub Against You Without Going In

Yan Yuzhou sat silently in the car, his face so red it looked like it might catch fire.

Dr. Fan’s final words still echoed in his mind, buzzing over and over again in an endless loop.

“This kind of change in pheromones is rare, so to continue observation, I recommend that you two engage in intimate behaviors more frequently. Otherwise, it’s very likely to cause pheromone disruption, leading to irregular heat cycles.”

“As for what constitutes intimate behaviors, it includes but is not limited to—holding hands, hugging, kissing, cohabitation, and marking.”

When Fan Qidao delivered this explanation with a straight face, Yan Yuzhou felt his neck flush red all the way to the roots of his ears. In contrast, Shen Ci appeared completely unaffected, his face blank as usual. After a long pause, he only let out a nonchalant “hmm” from his throat.

This stark contrast made Yan Yuzhou feel like he was the one being overly self-conscious.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Yan Yuzhou glanced at Shen Ci, who was seated on his right. The other man looked completely indifferent, his fingers idly tapping his knee as his gaze drifted out the window.

As if sensing someone’s eyes on him, Shen Ci suddenly turned his head. His deep, unfathomable eyes locked onto Yan Yuzhou’s, catching him off guard.

“Is something wrong?” Shen Ci asked, his tone still cool but with a with more warmth than usual. Yan Yuzhou guessed it might be due to the temporary marking earlier, triggering some instinctive possessiveness and protectiveness.

“No,” Yan Yuzhou shook his head, forcing himself to calm down before turning away awkwardly to look out the window instead.

Shen Ci stared at the curve of his ear for a long moment, then let out a soft laugh. To Yan Yuzhou’s ears, it sounded like he was mocking him.

Tch, useless. What are you doing staring at someone like that for no reason? Now look, they’re laughing at you.

Silently fuming in his heart, Yan Yuzhou didn’t look in Shen Ci’s direction even once until they got out of the car. Once inside the villa, he went straight to his room and holed himself up.

It wasn’t until sunset that a sudden knock sounded at his door. When Yan Yuzhou opened it, Shen Ci’s tall figure loomed over him.

“…What do you want?” For some reason, Yan Yuzhou felt that Shen Ci was acting strangely.

Shen Ci’s eyes narrowed slightly with an assessing look. Then, his lips parted casually as he asked,

“So, should I move in with you, or are you moving into my room?”

Yan Yuzhou: …???

“What do you mean ‘move in’… or ‘move over’?” Yan Yuzhou couldn’t immediately grasp Shen Ci’s meaning.

Shen Ci’s expression stiffened, clearly displeased with his reaction. Still, in an uncharacteristic move, he deigned to explain,

“For the sake of medical progress, I believe it’s necessary for us to strictly follow the doctor’s advice and make some attempts and sacrifices. For instance: holding hands, hugging, kissing, and—cohabiting.”

After speaking, his gaze locked tightly onto Yan Yuzhou’s face, as if determined to capture every flicker of reaction, unwilling to miss even the slightest detail.

Yan Yuzhou’s face turned red once more in an instant.

Good heavens, what kind of shameless behavior is this…

“So, which is it? Am I moving in with you, or are you moving into my room?” Shen Ci pressed when Yan Yuzhou remained silent, and then, as if doubling down, added,

“If you’re picky about beds, I don’t mind moving in.”

Yan Yuzhou: !!!

“Alright, alright! I’ll move into your room tonight!” Yan Yuzhou conceded, lowering his head in a fluster as he hurriedly spat out the words.

Shen Ci was clearly satisfied with the response, a barely noticeable curve forming at the corner of his lips. It seemed that tonight, he’d finally have the chance to hold this sweet-smelling omega in his arms while sleeping.

It wasn’t until bedtime, after much hesitation, that Yan Yuzhou finally appeared in Shen Ci’s room. Shen Ci was lounging against the headboard, fiddling with his phone. Hearing the sound of someone entering, he looked up.

Despite it being the height of summer and unbearably hot, Yan Yuzhou was dressed in an incredibly thick set of pajamas, completely covering himself from head to toe.

Oh, guarding against him, huh?

Shen Ci smiled faintly, his expression calm and unreadable. Acting as if nothing were out of the ordinary, he turned off his phone, casually tossing it onto the pillow. With a deliberate measured gesture,he stretched out a hand and patted the empty half of the bed, signaling the visibly uneasy omega to come over.

Yan Yuzhou steeled his nerves and threw caution to the wind. It wasn’t like this was their first time sharing a bed. Both of them were men; there was nothing to fear.

With a determined motion, he climbed into the bed, wrapping himself tightly in the blanket until only his deer-like eyes peeked out above the covers. The sight made Shen Ci want to lean in and kiss him.

He looked so adorable it felt like a violation. It made him even more tempting to tease.

Shen Ci reached out and switched off the light. The darkness amplified the quiet of the night. Yan Yuzhou curled up into a small ball causing his blanket to form a little mound under the moonlight. Then, suddenly, the moonlight was eclipsed by a shadow.

“What are you doing…?” Yan Yuzhou felt Shen Ci lean down toward him—and then embrace him.

After a long pause, Shen Ci’s lazy voice sounded,

“Following doctor’s orders. Did you forget? Hugging is an effective form of treatment.”

Yan Yuzhou: …Well, you sure remembered that part clearly…

He tried his best to relax, but the rapid pounding of his heart was impossible to ignore. The sound of their mingled breathing filled the silent autumn night, adding a layer of quiet intimacy.

Fine. Letting him hug for a while wasn’t a big deal.

After all, whenever he accompanied Lin Xiaoguo on shopping trips in the past, she would jump with excitement and cling to him whenever they spotted new jewelry or handbags.

This time, he’d just think of it as doing his part to help a socially-awkward adult.

Moreover, Shen Ci was only hugging him through the blanket, and beneath that, he was still wrapped in his thick, fleece-lined pajamas.

Thinking this, Yan Yuzhou suddenly felt Shen Ci shift against him, as if his waist was moving slightly.

Instantly, Yan Yuzhou’s thoughts veered off course, and he stammered in panic, “Y-you, what are you doing? Can you not move around?”

Shen Ci paused, seemingly identifying his reddened face even in the dark, and then chuckled softly. In a serious tone, he said,

“I’m just rubbing, not going in.”

Yan Yuzhou: !!!

What kind of audacious words were these?!

Was this even an appropriate thing to say in such a situation???

“Y-you, stop spouting nonsense,” Yan Yuzhou blurted, instinctively wrapping his arms around himself in defense.

For a long moment, Shen Ci stayed perfectly still but kept holding him. The silence was broken by the sound of Shen Ci’s amused laughter.

“What are you thinking? I said I’m just rubbing against your blanket, not going in.”

Yan Yuzhou: …

Fine, whatever. But somehow, it still felt like he’d suffered a silent loss.

As Shen Ci continued to hold him, combined with the earlier very misleading remark, Yan Yuzhou suddenly felt like this thick pajama set might have been a bit much for tonight.

And then, as if Shen Ci could read his mind, he lazily asked,

“Hey, aren’t you hot?”

Yan Yuzhou rolled his eyes, choosing silence.

Seeing no response, Shen Ci shamelessly pressed on,

“If you’re hot, you can take it off. Or, if that’s too much, at least lift the blanket.”

Yan Yuzhou: …You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?

With no patience left, he snapped, “I’m not hot!”

Shen Ci chuckled softly next to his ear, then sighed regretfully,

“All right then.”

___________

T/N: Some sweetness after the sour pill hehe