Chapter 51

Chapter 51

One on the left, one on the right—two pairs of eyes, one big and one small, sparkled with pleading looks. The scorching gaze was really too much to handle.

Leaving aside the little creature at the door, it was mainly the sparkling eyes of the person beside him that were hard to ignore.

Li Yanchuan didn't consider himself a compassionate person. If not for Song Nian's request, he would probably never have considered keeping a pet for the rest of his life.

For Song Nian's sake, putting up with a defenseless little dog was not out of the question.

And again, for Song Nian's sake, allowing the dog to come upstairs and even come into the bedroom to sleep was barely acceptable.

The moment permission was given, Song Nian immediately pressed against him excitedly.

"Thank you, husband!"

Instead of just shaking his arm, he grabbed the whole arm and hugged it to his chest, sticking to him like glue.

Li Yanchuan's sturdy arm was held tightly, pressed against Song Nian's chest—soft and warm.

Even the back of his hand was directly against the other's lower abdomen, even softer, like a warm cotton ball.

The touch was wonderful, making one want to squeeze and knead it.

But when he met those bright, sparkling eyes, the thought quickly stopped short. Li Yanchuan averted his gaze awkwardly and emphasized, "Ahem, but let's get one thing straight: no getting on the bed."

The little dog at the door, Rookie, seemed to understand too. Without Song Nian even beckoning, it wagged its tail and trotted into the bedroom with a pitter-patter.

Suddenly arriving in a new space, it excitedly wandered about, sniffing around like a diligent watchman, patrolling the room several times.

Finally, it chose its favorite spot—right by the bed—and with a *plop*, tucked its paws under itself and lay down.

"Such a good dog."

Seeing this, Song Nian, like a proud father, let go and leaned over the edge of the bed to rub Rookie's head.

Enjoying the rub, Rookie let out a contented little whimper, then rolled onto its side, and with another *plop*, flipped over to reveal its snow-white belly.

A gesture of complete trust.

"Husband, it's already lying down. How about letting Rookie sleep with you tonight?"

Song Nian, absorbed in petting the dog, asked without turning his head, still leaning by the bed.

From Li Yanchuan's perspective, Song Nian's slender back curved inward, soft yet firm, the narrow waist tracing a smooth curve.

The hem of his shirt lifted slightly, revealing the subtle dimples at the small of his back just beneath.

If liquid were to trickle down, it would follow the smooth skin in a winding path, gathering in a small hollow there.

Curving, and in contrast, there was the round, firm... buttocks.

As if a gentle tap would make it jiggle and sway, begging one to follow the curve of the waist downwards to this point.

This posture was far too dangerous, yet the person in question was completely unaware, exposing himself openly, making the observer's thoughts run wild.

As if scalded, Li Yanchuan quickly withdrew his gaze, suppressing the wicked desires that were about to take flight in his heart. The shadow of his eyelashes fell over his eyes, dark and unreadable.

"Husband? Are you listening to me?"

After receiving no response for a while, a curious Song Nian rolled over, sat back up beside him, tilted his head, and gently poked him.

Li Yanchuan glanced sideways, catching sight of that adorable expression.

"Mm."

Whether to brush it off or cover it up, he answered distractedly and raised a hand to rub the top of the other's head.

Why did that motion feel so familiar?

Song Nian blinked slowly, confused.

After this brief interlude, he continued to crawl back to the foot of the bed and continued his massage.

A small dog dozed lightly under the bed, while two people lay close together on the bed. Soft, even breaths echoed through the room. Even in silence, the room was filled with warmth.

Perhaps infected by Rookie, Song Nian gradually felt drowsy, nodding off like a pecking chicken, his movements slowing down.

"Go to bed."

Seeing those half-closed eyes, Li Yanchuan felt his heart melt. He gently touched the other's shoulder and urged.

"Hm...?"

Still in a daze, Song Nian replied in a low, sticky voice, slurred and indistinct, clearly not understanding the words and just responding instinctively.

"Song Nian? Go to your room and sleep."

"Mmm... sleeping now..."

This time, his reply was drawn out long, like a rabbit's fluffy tail lightly tickling someone's heart.

He must have been too sleepy to think clearly. As soon as he finished speaking, he flopped limply onto his back and fell asleep.

Lying on his back, not even covered by the blanket, the hem of his shirt lifted to reveal his lower abdomen.

He really did look a bit like Rookie.

Amused by his own association, Li Yanchuan couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth.

He didn't shake him awake but carefully guided him onto the pillow and gently covered him with the blanket.

As soon as his head touched the soft pillow, Song Nian shifted in his sleep, found a comfortable position, and continued to drift off to sleep.

After all, it wasn't the first time he had slept on this bed.

That serene, peaceful sleeping face always softened his heart. Li Yanchuan stared at his cheeks in a daze, unable to look away for a long time.

It had been a while since they had last slept together. The sleeping face that he could only see through a screen was finally beside him again.

So close, within reach.

He couldn't help but reach out, with the lightest, softest touch, to stroke that soft cheek.

As if before him was a fragile bubble that would shatter at the slightest touch.

His broad palm pressed against the other's cheek, the body heat passing through the point of contact, warming the cold skin.

And Song Nian, fast asleep, didn't even stir. Like a tame little critter, he even instinctively leaned closer and rubbed against the palm of Li Yanchuan's hand.

No one could resist that sight.

The urge deep inside him grew even stronger.

He wanted to kiss him, to possess him.

He wanted to leave his marks on him, to make his whole body carry his scent.

He wanted him to be his and his alone...

The burning thoughts clamored and surged. If Song Nian had woken up at that moment, he would've freaked out at that scorching stare.

His eyes darkened and his Adam's apple bobbed, Li Yanchuan leaned in closer, unable to control himself, wanting to be nearer to him.

Closer, even closer...

The distance between them gradually shrank to less than a finger's width.

The other man's face grew bigger and bigger, filling his entire field of vision, leaving no room for anything else.

Just as their lips were about to touch, a tiny whimper suddenly came from the edge of the bed.

The interruption made Li Yanchuan freeze and snap out of his intense thoughts.

Seeing Song Nian's face so close, he only then realized what he had just been about to do, and clapped a hand over his mouth and backed away.

The warmth in his face came and went; he figured he must have been out of his mind to almost do such a thing while the other was asleep.

Turning his head, he saw that the sound had come from Rookie.

Rookie sat on the floor, wagging its tail wildly, staring fixedly at the bed, its intention painfully clear.

—It wanted up on the bed.

"No."

And Li Yanchuan naturally flatly refused.

Upon hearing this, Rookie whimpered even louder, stomping its feet in place, trying to cute its way onto the bed.

Unfortunately, he was stone cold.

Probably realizing this trick wouldn't work, and seeing that the only one who fell for its act was asleep, Rookie decided to do it itself.

It tucked its neck and suddenly jumped upward.

But its legs were just too short.

Not giving up, it kept jumping, and after several attempts, its front paws finally reached the edge of the bed.

But its hind paws didn't make it, dangling and kicking wildly in the air as it tried to climb up.

This sight amused Li Yanchuan; he laughed and picked Rookie up by the scruff and dangled it in front of him.

"Wanna get on the bed?"

He raised an eyebrow, glanced at the little thing before him, then looked down at Song Nian.

—If he were awake, he would definitely act cute and beg me to let it up.

After a moment's thought, he seemed to relent, pulled a tissue from the bedside, wiped the puppy's paws, and then placed it into Song Nian's arms.

Before he set them down, he made sure to tap Rookie's head with his index finger and whisper to it not to wake him.

Rookie, a smart dog, naturally understood, wagged its tail in acknowledgment, then turned in a few circles to find a comfortable spot, and settled down contentedly in the crook of Song Nian's arm.

No fuss, perfectly behaved.

The sight of the man and the dog sleeping embraced was especially harmonious. Li Yanchuan gazed down, and a soft look washed over his face.

He quietly lay down too, wrapped his strong arms around Song Nian, and pulled him into his embrace.

Deep into the night, their breaths rose and fell together.

The next morning, Song Nian woke up first.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Li Yanchuan's handsome, chiseled features.

Unlike last time's shock, Song Nian, now experienced, simply opened his eyes and calmly thought to himself:

Ah, sleeping together again, déjà vu all over again.

He yawned, but the second he moved, he felt a small warm lump nestled in his arms.

Puzzled, he lifted the blanket and saw Rookie, just waking up, stretching.

Wait, how is Rookie here?

Wasn't it sleeping at the foot of the bed last night?

It couldn't have jumped onto the bed by itself, so could it be that...

"You're a softie too, huh?"

Thinking of Li Yanchuan's poker face last night as he put Rookie on the bed, Song Nian couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He gently smoothed the frown lines between Li Yanchuan's brows with his hand, then silently picked up Rookie and got out of bed.

—He had to go to the set for the final scene today; he couldn't be late.

When he got to the first floor, Li Yanchuan, just waking up, slowly opened his eyes.

The space beside him was empty, but the warmth of body heat still remained.

Obviously, he had just left not long ago.

With Song Nian by his side, he had definitely slept more soundly than usual last night.

Li Yanchuan reached out his hand to feel the lingering warmth on the bedsheet.

The next moment, he couldn't help but grab it and hug it to his chest, greedily soaking in the scent and warmth.

————

The final scene went without a hitch. The moment Song Nian wrapped, he was met with the director's big, cheerful grin.

The director was very satisfied with this young man. He didn't seem too experienced, but he was humble and eager to learn, a quick learner, and picked things up fast.

What Song Nian didn't expect was that, just as he was saying goodbye to everyone and preparing to leave, Li Yanchuan had thoughtfully arranged a thank-you gift for him.

— Li Yanchuan had his assistant contact a restaurant and, under Song Nian's name, sent a cartload of tea and snacks as a way of thanking the seniors and colleagues for looking after him during this time.

He couldn't help but admire how thoughtful mature people are, quietly arranging so much for him. As Song Nian ate the cake, a sweet feeling welled up in his heart.

Just as he was leaving, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the phone—it was Old Zhang calling.

On the other end, Old Zhang's tone was casual, as if congratulating an ordinary friend on Song Nian's wrap today.

After a bit of small talk, he gently shifted the topic:

"If you don't mind, could Xiao Chen and I come to your place today?"

He paused, then added another sentence, which somehow felt like he was overcompensating:

"Just to see Rookie. Xiao Chen really misses him."