The Spoiled Little Beauty is Always Abusing the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration] 4

Chapter 4: The Spoiled Villain in a Period Novel 4

The bathroom was small, cramped, and narrow.

When the curtain was pulled back, Shu He saw the glaring light of a yellowed lightbulb hanging on the opposite wall. It was so bright it made him squint, and his eyes stung as he blinked.

Fortunately, it was only for a second. The next moment, a tall, slender figure blocked the light, standing before him like a wall. The gaze from his lowered dark eyes felt tangible.

Shu He felt that with Xu Nongqing’s presence, the bathroom had somehow become even smaller. He barely had any room to stand. He frowned slightly, looking down at the ground. His soft, fine black hair stuck obediently to his temples, making him look completely harmless.

When he looked up again, Shu He fumbled to push Xu Nongqing into a corner.

Xu Nongqing stared at him, allowing himself to be pushed into the corner.

The bathroom was dark, with the only light filtering in through the gap under the curtain.

Xu Nongqing wasn’t sure if it was his imagination.

He thought he saw Shu He’s eyes were a little moist, as if he had been crying. The boy’s slightly cool hand rested softly on his firm, strong wrist, the pressure as light as a kitten’s. He could have easily shaken it off.

But he remained still.

The boy’s voice was soft and hoarse, his sweet, rich scent closing in, carrying a hint of coercion. “You just stand right here and keep me company.”

The wall behind him was hard and cold. Xu Nongqing leaned against it, turning his head slightly. In the cramped, narrow space, the boy’s soft scent filled his lungs with every breath.

In the darkness, his detached voice betrayed no emotion. “Keep you company while you bathe?”

Shu He puffed out his cheeks. “Mhm.”

*

Shu He was a child raised by a special race of interstellar monsters.

The monsters had taught him that men and women were different, but they hadn’t taught him that men and men were different. Therefore, in his understanding, since they were both the same gender, there was nothing to be shy about.

So he didn’t understand why the protagonist, who had been so obedient during the day, would give him a deep look and refuse his request after he said that.

“Xu Nongqing!”

Seeing him about to leave, Shu He anxiously grabbed the hem of Xu Nongqing’s shirt. “There’s a spider up there! It’s going to fall down! If you won’t stand guard and protect me, then at least knock it down.”

Xu Nongqing froze.

He turned back, his gaze first falling on the fingertips that were clutching his shirt so tightly they had turned red. Then he slowly lifted his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the black, hairy spider spinning a web in the high corner of the wall.

Shu He pursed his lips pitifully, a small dimple appearing on his cheek. He looked up at Xu Nongqing, his beautiful, round almond eyes reflecting the light from the bulb, shimmering with tears.

A pitiful, yet spoiled young master.

Afraid of spiders, yet daring enough to provoke someone he knew nothing about.

Xu Nongqing looked at him and, after a long moment, said, “I’ll go get a tool.”

Hearing this, Shu He instantly let go of his sleeve. “Go on.”

Xu Nongqing lowered his eyes and walked out.

He went to the woodshed, probably to get the fire tongs. Shu He rubbed his eyes and waited outside the bathroom.

In the silence, the system suddenly spoke: 【You’re not afraid of all those giant monsters, but you’re afraid of a spider?】

Shu He didn’t like hearing that. He pouted and mumbled, “My parents are all very beautiful. Their fur is long and soft, and I can snuggle into it to sleep. But spiders are ugly, and their hair is thin and black. Aren’t you afraid?”

The system said coldly: 【Obviously not.】

Shu He tilted his head, fine bangs falling across his almond eyes. He looked up, a dimple faintly visible, and mimicked the system’s tone, “Obviously not.”

Then he added, with a tone so smug his tail was practically wagging, “Well, aren’t you impressive.”

【…】

Before long, Xu Nongqing returned with fire tongs and a broom.

He walked into the bathroom, with Shu He following closely behind. He watched as Xu Nongqing, with swift and clean movements, swept down the spiderweb without a hint of fear. He didn’t even flinch at the scurrying black spider. One sweep of the broom, one clamp of the tongs.

The palm-sized spider was subdued.

He was completely calm throughout the entire process, a stark contrast to Shu He, who had been scared to tears by the spider.

Shu He’s eyes widened slightly as he stood to the side, watching with a hint of admiration. “You’re so amazing.”

System: 【…】 To me, it’s “well, aren’t you impressive,” but to the protagonist, it’s praise.

“You can bathe now.”

Xu Nongqing turned back to him.

“No, there’s no light inside.”

Shu He was still being difficult. After the spider, there was something else. This time, he wanted Xu Nongqing to stand guard outside the curtain and keep him company. When Xu Nongqing came back after getting rid of the spider, he didn’t refuse this time.

It was autumn now.

The nights were a bit cold, especially when bathing.

So Shu He bathed quickly. The water splashed noisily as he shivered, dressing with wet fingers. However, he hadn’t dried himself properly, and he struggled to put on his pajama pants. Unsteady on one leg and in a hurry, he wobbled and started to fall sideways.

Shu He’s eyes widened in panic. He instinctively reached out and grabbed the curtain in front of him. But perhaps because of Xu Nongqing’s quick reflexes, he ended up grabbing the hand Xu Nongqing extended.

The curtain was crumpled in his grasp. They were separated by the thin layer of fabric, their hands pressed together.

The scare made Shu He’s heart beat a little faster.

He puffed out his cheeks and held onto Xu Nongqing’s large hand, his head lowered as he mumbled, “Wait for me, okay? I’m almost dressed. Can you hold on a little steadier? Hold my hand, I can’t hold on by myself.”

“…”

After a chaotic bath, Shu He emerged with water still dripping from his face. He shook his wet hair, looking like a night-blooming cereus that had blossomed for a fleeting moment. His refined, snow-white face came into Xu Nongqing’s view.

Xu Nongqing caught the light scent of his body wash.

For some reason, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and he stared silently at the boy before him.

Shu He smiled at Xu Nongqing, his eyes curving into crescents, the dimples on his cheeks like bowls of honey. “Xu Nongqing, thank you.”

Given that Xu Nongqing had helped him twice tonight, he decided not to bully him for now.

Shu He raised a hand to wipe the water droplets from his cheek, not noticing Xu Nongqing’s suddenly averted gaze.

The hand Shu He had released hung at his side, still retaining the warmth of the hot water, a lingering heat on his fingertips.

Xu Nongqing didn’t speak, as if something had stolen his voice. Shu He paid it no mind, planning to go to sleep.

But first, his hair had to be dried.

Butler Fang brought over a hairdryer. In this era, hairdryers were not common in remote villages. He hadn’t expected that Wang Family Village would have no place to plug it in; the electricity supplied was only enough for the not-so-bright lightbulbs.

Didn’t that make the hairdryer useless?

Butler Fang was dumbfounded, looking at the young master’s dripping hair in a predicament. Shu He, too, clutched his head, his round almond eyes looking a bit dazed.

He had just said he wouldn’t bully the protagonist…

And now, an opportunity to bully the protagonist had presented itself.

Shu He hesitated for two seconds, then asked Butler Fang for a clean towel and stuffed it into Xu Nongqing’s hands.

He looked at Xu Nongqing, the end of his sentence lilting upwards, sounding like he was whining. “Will you dry it for me?”

Xu Nongqing seemed strange.

He was expressionless and silent, but he walked behind Shu He on his own. The soft towel gently rubbed Shu He’s short, dark hair.

Shu He couldn’t quite figure out what he was thinking. He sat down on the edge of the bed, took out the button phone his family had prepared for him, and called home.

The signal here was bad.

After the call connected, the voices on both ends couldn’t be transmitted clearly, constantly cutting out. But Shu He found it novel; this was his first time using such an antique.

“Mom?”

Shu He held the button phone to his mouth, calling out a bit awkwardly, “Dad?”

“Son… you… your health…”

His family’s concerned voices came through in fits and starts, but Shu He could still feel their love for him, just like the love from his own monster parents.

Shu He, sitting on the bed, quietly shifted backwards, pressing his back against Xu Nongqing. He felt Xu Nongqing’s hand pause in his hair and looked up at him innocently.

It hurts to keep my neck tilted up.

This is much more comfortable.

Xu Nongqing felt him leaning against him, his abdomen tensing. After a moment, he resumed drying his hair.

His well-defined fingers ran through the dark strands. He kept his eyes lowered, listening to Shu He’s nonsensical conversation with the person on the other end of the phone.

But Shu He was still very enthusiastic.

He talked about his experience in the village, saying the scenery was beautiful and there were so many things he had never seen before, just that the weather was a bit cold.

As he spoke, the signal completely died.

Shu He fiddled with the button phone for a bit before successfully hanging up. Then he reached up to touch his hair.

Xu Nongqing’s hand unintentionally brushed against his slightly cold fingertips, a complete contrast to the warmth from just after his bath.

For some reason, he thought of the bottles and jars those people had taken out when they were unpacking for Shu He that afternoon.

They were all medicine.

…

After his hair was dry, Shu He climbed into bed.

There was only one bed in the room.

Butler Fang and the others had paid to stay at another villager’s house, leaving one bodyguard to stand guard at the door in shifts.

Xu Nongqing had set up a new, incredibly simple bed for himself in another storage room that was rarely used. At night, he turned off the light.

The room was plunged into darkness.

Shu He wasn’t very sleepy. He tossed and turned, his beautiful almond eyes wide open in the night. He tried for a long time but couldn’t summon any sleepiness.

Not only that, but he also heard some rustling sounds…

Shu He’s hands tensed.

He hid himself under the covers, cautiously peeking out with just his eyes. He could faintly hear the strange noise coming from the corner of the bed.

A cockroach?

A mouse?

A flying insect?

He didn’t know what it was.

He was a little scared.

Brother 1…

Tears instantly welled up in Shu He’s eyes again.

His voice was a little weak, thick with a nasal tone, and a bit whiny. He was clearly scared and seeking help, but it sounded more like he was pouting.

The system’s program experienced a bizarre three-second short circuit: 【…I can’t see what it is.】

Shu He’s world instantly crumbled even more.

It can’t be another spider, can it?

Did the spider Xu Nongqing threw out come back for revenge?

All sorts of chaotic thoughts ran through his mind until the sound grew closer and more distinct. The tightly wound string in Shu He’s mind finally snapped.

He silently cried as he scrambled out of bed, rushed to the storage room, and grabbed Xu Nongqing’s hand, his lips pressed tightly together, not saying a word.