Chapter 38 Mosquito

Chapter 38 Mosquito

Nearing dawn, the villa's front door silently opened.

A tall, slender figure passed through the living room and quietly headed upstairs.

Like a ghost, he stood silently at the foot of the bedroom bed.

Qiao Zhimian, exhausted from playing on his own, was sleeping soundly, without a care.

His soft, delicate face was flushed, both innocent and seductive, with lashes lowered and a moist, pink tongue shyly poking out, as if he'd forgotten to pull it back in, waiting for someone to suck on it.

The sleep pants pooled around his slender ankles, revealing two long, beautiful legs slightly bent in a side-lying position.

The pale, rounded pregnant belly was faintly visible, completely defenseless.

It made his mouth go dry and stirred a desire to punish him.

Lian Yi's deep, dark eyes were hidden in the dim light, seeming to glow faintly, profound and bottomless.

His Adam's apple bobbed, his breathing unconsciously grew heavier, and his eyes burned with a predatory gleam.

He took a step forward, his long legs clad in crisp suit pants, and knelt on the bed with one knee, leaning over to envelop the boy in his shadow.

His soft little hand still clutched a used tissue, with several others scattered messily nearby.

He was affectionately clutching Lian Yi's pajamas, dotted with saliva stains.

Lian Yi restrained his urge to invade, gently holding the small hand, and buried his nose in the tissue, taking a deep breath.

The boy, fresh from his bath, carried a faint scent of white roses along with the warm fragrance of shower gel.

When he'd had his fill of the scent, he drew back, then turned his head, and kissed the omega's slightly parted lips, his tongue gently slipping in to suck on the shyly protruding tip.

He drank in the sweetness greedily, lost in the sensation, sucking until his lips were red and swollen.

The thought of the photo he saw in his social media feed today intensified Lian Yi's possessiveness.

He trailed kisses from the corner of his wife's mouth down to the neck, then sank his canine teeth in, as if marking his territory.

"Mmm..." The omega, still dreaming, let out a dissatisfied whimper.

Lian Yi released his bite and licked the prominent mark.

He remembered the alpha in the photo—he was Qiao Zhimian's former classmate.

He had liked Qiao Zhimian and had openly pursued him.

Even when Qiao Zhimian was wholly devoted to Lian Yi, this alpha had persistently chased after Qiao Zhimian for a long time.

Lian Yi's throat tightened as he continued to kiss the omega's neck, his slender fingers slipping under the clothes to roam over his slender waist.

He grasped the boy's ankles, spreading them apart and resting them over his arms, then effortlessly pressed closer.

Qiao Zhimian panted, his breath hot and damp, half-asleep as he opened his dazed, misty eyes.

"Mmm? Ah..." He covered his mouth, biting his lip.

The man above him, veins bulging at his temples, glistening with sweat, his deep, dark gaze utterly irresistible.

Dizzy and disoriented, Qiao Zhimian was surrounded by the crisp, clean scent of bamboo, unable to distinguish dream from reality.

Early in the morning, the alpha carried Qiao Zhimian to the bathroom to freshen up.

Still drowsy, it took him a while to fully wake up.

The omega, with his pregnant belly, sat propped against the headboard, his body sore and weak, with faint marks visible on his neck and other uncovered areas.

He looked languid, with a subtle allure in the corners of his eyes and brows.

Perhaps due to the advanced stage of pregnancy, his skin had a radiant softness and glow, exuding a rich fragrance.

Lian Yi, wearing a bathrobe, came out of the bathroom with a bottle of lotion specially designed for pregnant men.

Meeting his husband's playful gaze, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently applied the lotion bit by bit.

He warmed it between his palms and carefully spread it from the ankles to the calves, then to the arms, ensuring no spot was missed.

With gentle kneading and rubbing, the lotion absorbed evenly.

The doctor had said that during the mid to late stages of pregnancy, omegas are prone to dry, itchy skin, so it was important to prevent it early.

The doctor also mentioned that after the first trimester, omegas would experience monthly pregnancy-induced heat.

Though not as intense as a regular heat, it still required proper comfort and companionship.

The alpha father's role was to meet these needs and provide ample pheromones, which would benefit the omega father during childbirth.

"You're so thoughtful, hubby~" Qiao Zhimian said with a teasing smile, his fair foot playfully rubbing against the man's sturdy thigh.

He distinctly remembered being too exhausted last night and falling asleep alone, yet again...

When he woke up this morning, the alpha acted clueless, pretending nothing had happened.

"Hubby, I think I need some mosquito repellent too," he said with wide, innocent eyes, feigning seriousness. "Look at all these bites—there must be a big mosquito in our house."

And this big mosquito was particularly nasty, not only leaving marks all over him but also making his waist sore and legs weak.

Lian Yi, whose skin was fair, felt his ears turning noticeably red.

He looked at the omega with helpless affection, continuing his task without pause.

"Maybe that big mosquito came to teach you a lesson—staying out so late while pregnant and alone," the man said, his tone a mix of concern and subtle jealousy. "You deliberately posted that photo with an old admirer to provoke me, didn’t you?"

When he left, Qiao Zhimian seemed eager for him to go, without a hint of reluctance.

Turns out, he had something more interesting planned—a more exciting rendezvous.

Qiao Zhimian smiled, revealing two sweet dimples, and tilted his head, gazing at the alpha with feigned innocence. "So sour, senior~"

He caught a faint, resentful look from Lian Yi, which only made his smug expression grow more pronounced.

"Who told you you’d be gone for a day and a half, but stayed away for two whole days?" the omega grumbled, his brief joy replaced with grievance. "Did you even stop to think how lonely I’d be... When I tried to sleep alone at night, I called for you several times before remembering you weren’t here. It was so hard... And the baby kept kicking me..."

Lian Yi's heart instantly softened, warmed by the omega's words, and he even began to blame himself.

His heart aching, he looked into those glistening eyes and quickly reached out to pull Qiao Zhimian onto his lap.

"Do you miss me?" The alpha cupped the little face in his arms, kissing it gently, then planted a loving kiss on those lips that always knew how to make people want to pamper him. "Do you miss me, baby? Hmm?"

Qiao Zhimian nuzzled his cheek against the man’s chest, his pregnant belly rubbing along too, admitting openly, "Mm..."

Just that soft, tiny "Mm" made Lian Yi’s heart swell with joy—he was over the moon.

He held tightly to this little one in his arms, whom he wanted to press close against himself yet couldn’t bear to use too much force.

"I thought you didn’t miss me, that you’d forgotten me already," his magnetic voice full of happiness. "You looked so happy in that photo."

"How could I? You’re my husband. How could I not miss you? Our little one misses you too." The omega’s neck and face flushed with shyness as he hid half his face, mumbled, his voice muffled, "That photo was actually photoshopped from a group picture—I sent it just to you on purpose."

"?" Lian Yi was stunned for half a second, both amused and exasperated. "You’ve become naughty, huh?" He playfully pinched the soft flesh of his butt. "Where did you learn these tricks? You had me worried sick."

"Mmm..." The omega, who had just cooled down from his heat cycle, was still sensitive. He let out a soft moan, licking his lips. "Why do you care where I learned it? It worked, didn’t it?"

.

"Alright, Mian Mian, rest for a bit," Lian Yi said as he came downstairs and saw the omega holding onto the wall, pacing back and forth with his belly. "Don’t walk for too long," he worried. "You might feel uncomfortable later."

Qiao Zhimian was fully absorbed, ignoring the alpha’s selective worrying.

His legs felt stronger now, and he could walk a bit faster, feeling like he didn’t need assistance anymore.

The excitement of being almost fully recovered and returning to normal made him especially energetic and lively.

Unlike before, when he’d feel lazy after just a little movement.

"Don’t walk so fast, Mian Mian!" Lian Yi held his breath, took two quick steps, and scooped him up bridal-style into his arms. "Alright, alright, no more walking."

Qiao Zhimian felt his body lift, his feet leaving the ground. He turned his head annoyedly and glared up at the alpha. "I’m not tired! Stop treating me like a child!"

As he spoke, he pinched the man’s cheek.

Lately, whenever he walked a little longer, Lian Yi would stop him, as if he were a toddler just learning to walk, keeping constant watch over him.

Lian Yi caught the mischievous hand on his face, sat down on the sofa, and gently restrained the playfully kicking legs in his lap.

He’s becoming more and more lively as his recovery progresses.

"You might not feel tired now, but you’ll ache later," he coaxed gently. "You’re carrying a baby in your belly—take it easy and be good."

After saying this, Lian Yi gave his legs a light squeeze, checking the muscle tension, and decided to go upstairs to fetch some soothing balm.

Qiao Zhimian leaned back on the sofa, watching the alpha head upstairs.

Mentioning the baby, he lifted his shirt and looked down at his stomach.

It had grown a bit larger recently.

Male omegas generally have shorter pregnancy cycles compared to females.

Which meant their little one would be born in less than two or three months.

He couldn’t wait to welcome his arrival, but he also felt anxious, unsure if he could be a good father.

The omega’s pale, soft stomach visibly moved—the child seemed to have heard his thoughts, giving a couple of kicks.

There wasn’t any strong sensation.

Qiao Zhimian smiled slightly, gently poked his stomach with a finger, as if saying hello to the baby.

"Mian Mian, don’t poke the baby," Lian Yi said, startled again as he came back downstairs. His heart never seemed to settle these days. "What if you hurt yourself?"

He strode over quickly, sat down beside him, and began carefully applying the balm.

Qiao Zhimian found the alpha’s overly cautious reactions somewhat amusing.

But he also quite liked how he always worried about him constantly.

He noticed that as the pregnancy progressed, the alpha became more anxious.

It was as if Lian Yi were the one about to enter the delivery room, afraid of any small complication or mishap.

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Author’s Note: The side CP involves a sick father, a runaway dad, a young brother, overwhelming debts, and a hard-luck young man who meets a kind lawyer, Yan Zhi.

A trope-filled sweet romance character dynamic.

Not sure if I’ll write it—depends on everyone’s interest. If I do, it’ll be a separate side story.

After all, they don’t appear much in the main story.