Chapter 145#
The Date#
Gently stroking Jian Yunchen’s trembling back, Qin Mu cupped his cheeks and tilted his head to leave a kiss on his skin. Salty tears wetted his lips, and a bitter taste spread through his throat.
Qin Mu made an extremely “unreasonable” decision.
“If you were bullied, shouldn’t it be expected to retaliate? Now, I am the one who wants to retaliate, so he just has to take it.”
Jian Yunchen was moved to laughter by this bit of far-fetched logic. He leaned his head against Qin Mu’s shoulder, his eyes sparkling and clear after being washed by tears, a faint smile hooked at the corner of his mouth. He took hold of Qin Mu’s fingers, tightening his grip slightly, and said softly, “Qin Mu, have I ever told you how glad I am to have met you? I’ve also thought about what would have happened to me if the person I met wasn’t you, but someone else…”
He thought for a moment and smiled. “It would probably be a completely different life, wouldn’t it?”
Looking at Jian Yunchen’s smile, Qin Mu’s heart suddenly tightened.
No one knew better than he did what Jian Yunchen’s original ending was supposed to be.
If it weren’t for Qin Mu’s arrival, would Jian Yunchen have lived that kind of life?
Qin Mu suddenly reached out and covered the other’s eyes. His heart felt a wave of sourness, though he couldn’t say exactly why.
Eyelashes blinked against his palm, leaving a gentle itch amidst that sourness. Qin Mu’s voice carried a faint rasp: “But I came.”
“I came, so you won’t live that kind of life. You will get everything you want.”
Jian Yunchen couldn’t see his expression, but the moment he heard those words, he couldn’t help but laugh. He wrapped his arms around Qin Mu, not caring at all that his vision was completely blocked. Surrounded by Qin Mu’s scent, he relaxed completely. “Everything I want?”
Qin Mu held him tightly in his arms and made a promise: “Yes. Everything you want, I will help you get it.”
Muffled laughter came from his chest.
Jian Yunchen poked his head out, his face full of expectation. “Then I want…”
He paused, nervously lowering his eyes. Under the light, fine blood vessels were visible through his fair skin, and his long lashes cast a faint shadow over his eyelids. Only his thin lips moved: “I want… to go on a date with you.”
Even though they had already done far more intimate things, making a request like this still made Jian Yunchen incredibly nervous.
He lowered his head, a thin blush spreading across his cheeks, his fingers surreptitiously clenching in unease.
Qin Mu slowly curled his lips, pinched the other’s chin, and left a loud kiss on his cheek.
A crisp “mwah” echoed clearly in the room.
Jian Yunchen narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart beating fast and strong.
Qin Mu lowered his head, rubbing his nose against the other’s cheek, his voice carrying a lazy smile: “Then… of course I have to take good care of Young Master Jian.”
As the words fell, the nervous tension dissipated, transforming into sweetness.
Jian Yunchen smiled and hooked his arms around Qin Mu’s neck.
Though they called it a date, in reality, neither had much experience.
Jian Yunchen tossed and turned all night before finally settling on the itinerary for the next day’s “date.”
So, when he drove Qin Mu to their destination, Qin Mu turned toward him with a smirk.
“You learned your lesson this time?”
Jian Yunchen gave a soft huff and parked the car.
He leaned in close to Qin Mu, his voice carrying a confident smile as he spoke into his ear.
“I’m going to win. Don’t cry if you lose.”
Qin Mu was never one to wrong himself; he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Jian Yunchen’s lips.
“I’ll have a bit of sweetness first, just in case.”
Jian Yunchen, referred to as the “sweetness,” glared at him with watery eyes. Qin Mu couldn’t resist the temptation and took another deep taste of his “dessert.”
By the time the two got out of the car, Jian Yunchen’s lips had already taken on an unnatural shade of red.
Fortunately, Shaston, who came out to greet them, didn’t notice any clues.
He smiled warmly as the roar of engines thundered in their ears.
Seeing the way the two arrived together—looking much more intimate than the last time they came—Shaston understood immediately.
He raised an eyebrow at Qin Mu and teased, “Hey Qin, long time no see. Have you been busy chasing boys?”
Jian Yunchen raised his brows and secretly pricked up his ears.
Qin Mu looked down and chuckled, their shoulders bumping together. Even without speaking, a natural sense of intimacy flowed between them.
“With my whole heart set on him, how could I have the mind to spare for anything else?”
Jian Yunchen’s heart skipped a heavy beat uncontrollably, then began to race.
He heard it clearly; the meaning of Qin Mu’s words was exactly that.
My heart is entirely focused on him, how could I have the mind for anything else?
Shaston laughed suggestively, his eyes full of playful teasing.
Hearing that laughter, the tips of Jian Yunchen’s ears burned even more fiercely. He tilted his head, instinctively leaning closer to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu pulled him by the shoulder. At his glance, Shaston knew when to stop; he ceased his laughing and turned to get their racing suits.
The smile on Qin Mu’s lips hadn’t faded. He looked down at the red-tipped ears of the person in his arms, the smile in his eyes deepening. He leaned in and whispered into Jian Yunchen’s ear, “Isn’t this what you wanted to hear? Now that I’ve said it, you’re embarrassed?”
Jian Yunchen blinked and looked up at Qin Mu. After a long moment of restraint, he frowned slightly.
“Did you only say it because I wanted to hear it?”
Qin Mu gave a mock-theatrical sigh. “Young Master Jian, you are so hard to please.”
The furrow between Jian Yunchen’s brows deepened.
A brilliant smile flickered in Qin Mu’s eyes, making those beautiful peach-blossom eyes even more captivating. He tilted his head close and whispered, “If I said I’m usually shy and that’s why I’m embarrassed to say it, would you believe me?”
That sentence struck straight into Jian Yunchen’s heart. The corners of his mouth curled upward, his eyes bright as he whispered back, “I don’t believe you. You’re so thick-skinned, you don’t look like someone who gets shy at all.”
Qin Mu took his hand and placed it over his own heart. The heartbeat transmitted through his fingertips was so strong it made Jian Yunchen’s bones feel numb from the vibration.
Qin Mu pressed his palm down firmly. “If you don’t believe me, listen to this. It doesn’t know how to lie.”
Jian Yunchen’s fingertips curled slightly as he looked into Qin Mu’s lowered eyes. Qin Mu had long since tucked away his playful smiles; his face held nothing but total focus.
Jian Yunchen felt as if his own heart was being vibrated into numbness.
Otherwise, why was it that he couldn’t see anything else except for Qin Mu’s eyes?
“Ahem.”
A sudden cough pulled Jian Yunchen back to his senses.
He snapped his hand back. Glancing at Shaston, who had been watching the show for god knows how long, his face couldn’t help but burn.
Shaston walked toward them with a smile, carrying a red and a blue racing suit.
Jian Yunchen, assuming Qin Mu was just teasing him in front of his friend again, grabbed the red suit, gave him a sharp glare, and turned to head into the changing room.
Shaston stood beside Qin Mu, watching the silhouette disappear behind the door.
He smacked his lips. “Hey, brother, your boyfriend is really something.”