# 20
In the afternoon, when Duan Baisui returned home, Zuo Jun and Duan Yan were playing chess.
Xu Yi and Ason had taken some elderly people shopping at the mall.
The situation on the chessboard was intense, with both men placing their pieces very carefully.
Zuo Nian and Duan Baisui sat down nearby to watch and see who had superior skills.
Zuo Nian knew how to play Five-in-a-Row and Flight Chess, but he truly knew nothing about Chinese chess.
He watched for a while with his chin in his hands, but his eyelids began to droop.
Having slept late last night and woken up early today, Zuo Nian was too tired.
Soon, he fell asleep leaning against the chair back.
Duan Baisui poked his cheek with his finger. It was soft, making him want to pinch it more.
Zuo Nian didn’t wake up. Curled up, he looked uncomfortable.
Duan Baisui got up and carried him to the sofa, instructing the housekeeper to bring a fleece blanket to cover him.
By the time he returned to the chess table, the game had ended.
Duan Yan had won.
He was quite proud, showing off his chess skills.
Zuo Jun wasn’t convinced, and they prepared to take a short break before playing another round.
At this point, Duan Baisui spoke up: “Dad, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“What is it?” Duan Yan looked at him.
“I want to renovate Qingshan Orphanage.”
Zuo Jun’s hand, which was arranging chess pieces, paused as he also looked toward Duan Baisui.
Duan Yan sipped his tea, relaxed: “Qingshan Orphanage? The place you visited today?”
“Yes.”
“For charity work like this, you don’t need to report to me. If you want to do it, just do it,” Duan Yan said.
“Good. After the New Year, I’ll send someone to check it out and discuss the details with Director Xia.”
“How is Director Xia’s health lately?” Zuo Jun asked.
Duan Baisui nodded: “She looks quite well.”
Zuo Jun: “She’s truly a remarkable woman who has protected many children.”
Qingshan Orphanage was founded by Director Xia and her husband.
Her husband was highly respected and often involved in charity work, but good people don’t always get good returns—he passed away early in a car accident.
Afterward, Director Xia took care of these children.
She did her best to give them the very best.
When the children reached school age, she ran around everywhere to apply for their school enrollment qualifications.
Actually, at the beginning, it wasn’t that no one wanted to adopt Zuo Nian.
Ordinary families would have concerns about Zuo Nian’s condition, but… at that time, several prominent wealthy businessmen and officials repeatedly approached Director Xia, wanting to adopt Zuo Nian, and even promised huge donations.
When Director Xia’s husband was alive, they had met these men a few times.
Director Xia had heard about these individuals’ perverse preferences.
An exceptionally good-looking, slow-reacting underage Omega—it was unimaginable what he would face if taken away by these people.
Therefore, Director Xia firmly rejected their adoption applications.
Speaking of this, Zuo Jun lit a cigarette before continuing: “The day Ason and I went to the orphanage, Nian Nian was being chased by a group of older children who were hitting him with sandbags. The poor child had blood all over his face. When he bumped into my arms, he didn’t shed a single tear. He just looked up with a smile and apologized, using his sleeve to wipe the blood that had stained my clothes.”
“I could tell that Nian Nian was different from the other children. I hesitated at the time.”
“Later, Director Xia begged me to give the child a way out. She said Nian Nian was often bullied at the orphanage and now was being targeted by a pack of wolves. She was getting old and couldn’t watch over him all the time. She felt heartbroken for this child and couldn’t bear to see him mistreated. She hoped I could take him away, give him food to eat, and let him live well.”
“Ason liked him, I liked him too. So what if he was different? He was a gift from heaven to Ason and me.”
Hearing this, Duan Baisui’s gaze unconsciously shifted toward the sofa.
From Director Xia’s account and Zuo Jun’s words, he pieced together Zuo Nian’s tragic childhood.
But Zuo Nian seemed to have a poor memory for bad things; he only remembered the good, not the bad.
Like how he only remembered that the orphanage director made him a cloth doll to sleep with, but forgot that he had been locked in a storage room by a group of children until night fell, when the caretakers arranged for them to sleep and discovered someone was missing. After searching everywhere, they rescued him.
Because of this, he developed psychological trauma—fear of darkness and ghosts. At night, he was afraid to close his eyes and would cry secretly. Director Xia, to comfort him, told a kind lie, saying the doll was his friend and would protect him at night.
And Zuo Nian had believed this for many years.
He treasured that ugly doll.
Perhaps, for him, it wasn’t just a cloth doll, but his first friend.
“I don’t know if it was retaliation for Director Xia’s refusal to give in, but over the years, reports about Qingshan Orphanage have become fewer and fewer. There were also policies from above to allocate funds for assistance, but I don’t know if they were implemented,” Zuo Jun sighed. “Ason and I have sent money to Director Xia every year, but it’s really just a drop in the bucket.”
Duan Yan took out his phone: “Why wait until after the New Year? Tomorrow I’ll have people send a batch of supplies over. Food, clothes, stationery, and so on, so they can have a good New Year first.”
Duan Baisui: “I’ll handle it.”
“What will you handle? Tomorrow you’re taking Nian Nian on vacation. Do you think I don’t have enough people to handle things here?” Duan Yan said.
Duan Baisui: “Fine.”
—
Compared to A City’s wet, bone-chilling cold, S City was sunny and warm year-round.
Due to a flight delay, the two only arrived at the villa after 6 PM.
The butler had already prepared the room, and the servants had dinner ready.
The villa was by the sea, with rolling waves. Looking into the distance, the sea and the azure sky merged into one line.
Zuo Nian changed his clothes and lay on the sea-viewing terrace, cheering: “So beautiful!”
“Even the breath tastes like the sea.”
Duan Baisui came out wearing shorts and a T-shirt, standing shoulder to shoulder with him: “Let’s rest today, and tomorrow I’ll take you out for a tour.”
“Okay~”
The sea breeze caressed their faces as Zuo Nian turned to smile at Duan Baisui: “Brother, Nian Nian is so lucky. Today is the first time our family of five has gone out to play together.”
Duan Baisui: ?
“Where did you get five?”
Zuo Nian counted on his fingers: “You, me, Little Nian, Little Sui, Little Pig…”
He had included those three dolls.
“A neat family of five.”
Duan Baisui was always infected by his innocence and joked: “You’d better be able to have three children to make a family of five.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, both of them froze.
Zuo Nian seemed to be processing the information in his words, while Duan Baisui secretly reproached himself. How could he bring up having children?
Before, he never had such thoughts.
He only wanted to live respectfully with Zuo Nian, to take care of him, protect him, follow his own promises, and be responsible for him… but when had his thoughts begun to change?
The room door was knocked on at an opportune moment.
A man’s respectful voice sounded: “Mr. Duan, Mr. Zuo, dinner is ready.”
The awkward atmosphere was broken.
Duan Baisui feigned calmness and said: “Let’s go.”
Zuo Nian responded in a daze: “Huh? Oh.”
S City was known for its seafood.
Zuo Nian loved these dishes the most.
The housekeeper had prepared a seafood feast today.
Duan Baisui was methodically extracting crab meat when Zuo Nian suddenly spoke from across the table: “But brother, if I have three babies, wouldn’t we be a family of eight…?”
Duan Baisui: !
The butler standing nearby raised an eyebrow, understanding inwardly: So they came to prepare for pregnancy.
Later that evening, Duan Baisui and Zuo Nian were enjoying the breeze in the small pavilion on the sea-viewing terrace.
The butler came to inform them that the pool water had been changed.
Duan Baisui nodded and asked Zuo Nian: “Would you like to take a dip?”
Zuo Nian replied enthusiastically: “Yes!”
There was an infinity pool on the first floor, with floating rattan trays on the surface.
The trays held wine and fruit.
Zuo Nian clung to the edge of the pool, sighing: “I love this.”
“What do you love?” Duan Baisui asked.
Zuo Nian had drunk some wine.
But clearly, his alcohol tolerance wasn’t very good.
After less than half a glass, all his exposed skin had turned red. In the night, he looked like a tempting apple waiting to be picked.
“I love…” Zuo Nian pointed upward, “I love the stars.”
Then, pointing to the surging sea: “I love the ocean.”
Duan Baisui stared at him intently, trying to determine if he was drunk.
At that moment, Zuo Nian suddenly turned around, their eyes meeting. His clear voice softened a bit as he said: “But… I love brother the most.”
This unexpected declaration of affection made Duan Baisui’s emotions surge like the sea—turbulent, clamoring, unable to calm down for a long time.
Neither of them looked away. Zuo Nian slowly moved closer, their breaths intertwining.
Finally, he boldly leaned forward and kissed the corner of Duan Baisui’s lips.
A gentle touch, like a feather brushing against him, ticklish.
The successful Omega, like a kitten that had stolen a fish, lay on the edge of the pool, giggling softly.
His unguarded appearance was intensely alluring.
Duan Baisui’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He ultimately lost his rationality, reached out to grip Zuo Nian’s jaw, and leaned in.
This was Duan Baisui’s first kiss. When his lips touched Zuo Nian’s, it was like fireworks exploding in his mind.
Surprised, Zuo Nian instinctively clung to the back of Duan Baisui’s neck for security. Their legs tangled underwater as Zuo Nian let out a soft, muffled groan.
The gentle caress turned into sucking and light biting.
The Alpha instinctively pried open the other’s tightly closed lips and captured his tongue.
The hand on his neck tightened. Already somewhat dazed, Zuo Nian couldn’t withstand the stimulation and began to tremble.
Sweet pheromones gushed forth, and the person hanging onto him began to slide down uncontrollably.
Duan Baisui regained his senses and finally released him when the other was almost unable to breathe.
Zuo Nian gasped for air, his limbs weak as he leaned against Duan Baisui’s shoulder.
He complained in a small voice: “Brother, you can’t bite people.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
