Chapter 5: The Impotent Husband

Lin Jianxi kissed Gu Heng. “I don’t want to. I’ll stay with you.”

Song Cheng’an turned on the faucet again, letting the water roar especially loud.

Gu Heng buried his face in Lin Jianxi’s shoulder. He seemed about to say something but held it back. In the end, he simply called out to Song Cheng’an. “Come here. Let’s talk.”

The two of them headed to the study. Bored and still a bit foggy-headed, Lin Jianxi craved something sour to snap out of it, so he went to slice a lemon. His knife skills left the nanny gaping in horror once more. After demolishing a cutting board, he finally managed to quarter the fruit.

Lin Jianxi took a bite. Sour as expected. He opened the fridge and spotted last night’s leftover cake but was too lazy to pull it out. Instead, he stood there with the door wide open, dipping the lemon into the frosting and eating it straight from the tin.

Someone suddenly hugged him from behind. “Want some?” Lin Jianxi asked.

“Lin Jianxi, I just got a tongue piercing. Can’t eat this stuff.”

Lin Jianxi knew Song Cheng’an already sported earlobe studs and cartilage piercings. Now this—a tongue stud. The guy was hooked on poking holes in himself. He shoved Song Cheng’an away and eyed the black stud in his ear. “What’s the appeal? Especially on the tongue. Nobody sees it.”

“I like it.” Song Cheng’an’s eyes curved into crescents. “Wanna see my tongue piercing?”

Lin Jianxi tossed the lemon rind aside. His fingers glistened with frosting and sparkling lemon juice. Offhandedly, he said, “Sure. Then get your nose pierced with a ring and go plow fields in the next village over. That’d be way more entertaining than a tongue stud.”

Song Cheng’an chuckled for a moment before grabbing his hand. Lin Jianxi’s wrist was slim; Song Cheng’an paused briefly upon grasping it, but the moment passed. He leaned down, aiming to lick those sticky fingers.

Lin Jianxi shoved his face away with his free hand. “You hitting puberty on me or what?”

“No.” Song Cheng’an looked downright aggrieved. “I just like you.”

“Quit faking it. You don’t want me.”

The aggrieved look on Song Cheng’an’s face froze for a beat. “Why not?”

Lin Jianxi smeared frosting across his cheek, pinched both sides of his face, and narrowed his eyes. “Because you can’t get hard for me.”

“…”

“…………”

Song Cheng’an knew exactly what Lin Jianxi meant—the drug earlier that day, and his total lack of reaction.

Lin Jianxi strolled upstairs at a leisurely pace. Song Cheng’an wiped the frosting from his face with his thumb, then burst out laughing.

“Fuck…”

“Lin Jianxi, you really… fuck…”

Song Cheng’an gritted his teeth, eyes locked on Lin Jianxi’s legs—long and straight, bending just so on the stairs in a way that carried its own seductive charm.

Savoring the view, he licked every last bit of frosting off his thumb.

~~~

Lin Jianxi dropped his pants in front of Gu Heng.

The twin bruises on his knees stabbed right into Gu Heng’s eyes. His pupils quivered faintly. “He made you—”

Lin Jianxi grinned. “You two take a job behind my back or what?”

“What?”

“The Impotent Husband.”

“…”

Gu Heng burned to murder Song Cheng’an on the spot. But Lin Jianxi quickly added, “If you didn’t, quit overthinking. Nothing happened between us.”

Lin Jianxi clambered onto the bed with a cheerful laugh, burrowing under the covers to watch cartoons. Gu Heng chain-smoked beside him, one cigarette after another. Lin Jianxi tapped the bedside table and fixed his gaze on Gu Heng’s weary eyes. “Husband, don’t tempt me. Coughing too much today—ease up on the smokes.”

Gu Heng crushed out his cigarette, slid into bed, and pulled him close. Lin Jianxi was used to being held like this by Gu Heng; sleep claimed him almost instantly.

“Let it go if you can.” Lin Jianxi lightly pinched Gu Heng’s earlobe and peered up at him. “Yeah? Don’t make yourself regret it, okay?”

“…”

Gu Heng’s mood had been sour lately. He’d often slip out to drink once Lin Jianxi was asleep. Lin Jianxi grew convinced his offhand “Impotent Husband” joke had gone too far. Worried it would drive Gu Heng out to drown his sorrows again, he jolted awake several times through the night. He lost count of how many—it was still pitch black outside, but Gu Heng was nowhere to be seen.

He really went…

Lin Jianxi lit a cigarette. The nicotine jolt sharpened his senses. He coughed a few times and reached for his phone to call Gu Heng. Before he could dial, a message pinged.

124357XXXXX: Sister-in-law, your husband’s boozing it up at the nightclub.

124357XXXXX: 【Location】【Picture】

The photo showed Gu Heng sprawled on a sofa, ringed by handsome men and glamorous women in skimpy outfits.

Lin Jianxi frowned faintly, shrugged on Gu Heng’s jacket, and headed downstairs.

He grabbed a car from the garage. Window down, left arm draped over the sill, cigarette pinched between his fingers—he took the occasional drag, exhaling lazily.

He drove in silence, puffing intermittently. The cigarette burned down just as he pulled up outside the club.

~~~

“Long time no see, Gu Heng. Hit rock bottom already?”

The fair-skinned young man sipped his drink through a straw, nibbling it as he spoke.

Gu Heng shot him a glance, clocking the multimillion-yuan watch on his wrist. “What are you doing here?”

The young man shrugged. “Don’t ice me out the second we meet. Half-brothers catching up—can’t we reminisce? You’ve been through the same hell I have. Now look at you, all washed up. That punk Song Cheng’an behind it?”

Gu Heng said nothing.

The young man tsked. “I bailed on that shitshow early, but I still dream about that freak from our kid days. Ah… gets my blood boiling. Told you—kid says crap like that at eleven? Not right in the head. And you bet against him. Masochist much?”

“…” Gu Heng kept his eyes downcast. “No bet, and it’d eat at my conscience.”

The young man hooted. “Oh yeah? Calling me heartless?”

“What else? His parents offed ours. Then theirs croaked too. Kid was all alone—I let it slide. But later…”

The young man trailed off.

“Then the little shit points at the exploded diner next door, grinning like an idiot: ‘Pretty fireworks, huh?’ Our parents died in that blast. Lit a fire in you. Burned for seven years. Big whoop—now it’s out cold.”

“Those two lunatics for parents? You think they’d raise a normal kid? Remember the Song Family basement? Locked up with psychos and rotting corpses. Scared the piss out of me. Nightmares to this day.”

“…You’re right. I picked wrong. Shouldn’t have bet we’d be equals once he grew up—or that I’d come out on top.”

“Oh, even worse—you footed his tuition. Whatever. But back when he was powerless, you dumped plenty of rage on him, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Just treat him like a foul-mouthed kid. Can’t you do that? Now look at the mess we’re in—no way out.”

Gu Heng swallowed a huge gulp of alcohol. “I don’t care. I’m afraid Song Cheng’an will retaliate against Lin Jianxi… my love. It’s all my fault that Jianxi’s in this position…”

Gu Heng clutched his head. “Damn… my head hurts.”

The young man chuckled. “Then divorce him.”

Gu Heng: “He doesn’t want to.”

The young man: “So you want Song Cheng’an to mess with him?”

“…”

The young man propped his chin on his hand. “Bro, you know what? Truth is, I want your househusband too.”

Gu Heng: “…”

The young man kept going.

“Do you know how I first saw him? Your first year of marriage, you said you didn’t like him, and he looked heartbroken. He was drinking alone by the roadside. I thought it was weird—a guy famous for being spoiled and high-maintenance, smoking and chugging beer at a dingy seafood stall?”

“So I took a second look and went over!” The young man slapped his thigh. “He was like a celestial being.”

It was Lin Jianxi’s first day in this world. The System had told him to play the role of househusband, but his husband was lukewarm toward him—not even accepting a kiss. He figured a rough guy like himself just wasn’t lovable, so he decided to drown his sorrows at a roadside barbecue joint. No kiss? Fine.

He lounged on a rickety plastic chair, legs stretched out casually. Slender, pale fingers held a half-smoked cigarette. His posture was lazy yet distant, as he knocked back a dozen beers all by himself.

When Lin Jianxi was alone, he couldn’t be bothered with anything. Without something to make him smile, his face stayed cold—like he had troubles weighing on him. In reality, he was just debating whether to take his next sip of beer or grab a lamb skewer.

After the young man’s long description, Gu Heng smashed his phone into the guy’s face. “Had enough of your fantasies?”

“Nope. So divorce him already. Don’t let that punk Song Cheng’an get him—let me have a shot instead.”

Gu Heng laughed in frustration. “Right now, I’m pulling off a desperate comeback. Don’t mind dragging you down with me.”

The young man arched a brow slightly, a flash of admiration in his eyes.

Gu Heng: “What the hell’s wrong with you now?”

The young man: “He was straight-up the flower of that stall—the hottest thing in any nightclub.”

A bad feeling stirred in Gu Heng’s gut. He turned his head—

Lin Jianxi was dressed all in white, draped in Gu Heng’s black suit jacket. He strode toward them, his delicate face framed by black hair, drawing sidelong glances from everyone around.

The young man grinned like he was watching a show and chimed in. “Sister-in-law, you’re finally here. I’ve been trying to talk some sense into him…”

Before he could finish, Lin Jianxi stepped up beside Gu Heng, pulled his head into his embrace, and murmured softly, “Don’t take it to heart. I was just joking, okay?”

His gentle tone and intimate gesture sparked instant envy. The young man’s face fell.

Gu Heng froze too. Lin Jianxi’s scent wafted into his nose. In that moment, Gu Heng’s heart melted completely. Words couldn’t capture how much he adored him. Gu Heng stood, kissed his cheek. “Why get worked up? I’m not mad.”

Lin Jianxi: “Good.”

Gu Heng knew Lin Jianxi liked to drink, so he asked, “What do you want? I’ll order it.”

Lin Jianxi hopped onto the edge of the booth Gu Heng had reserved. “I’ll drink yours. Finish up and let’s head home.”

Gu Heng: “Sure.”

The two chatted like they always did at home—endless topics, even small things stretched into long conversations. Lin Jianxi sat with Gu Heng for a bit, then needed the bathroom. He asked a server for directions.

On the way to the bathroom, there was a staircase. As Lin Jianxi passed, someone suddenly tumbled down from above. Gu Heng stepped in front, kicking the screaming guy aside just in time to keep Lin Jianxi from being knocked over.

Lin Jianxi looked up slowly. A teenager leaned against the second-floor railing, eyes half-lidded, watching listlessly.

Just then, a hand extended from nearby, offering him a drink. The teen seemed to perk up a little, gaining some clarity.

When he spotted Lin Jianxi, he snapped fully awake.

Gu Heng: “Song Cheng’an?”

Lin Jianxi narrowed his eyes slightly.

~~~

Gu Heng was sent off reluctantly by Lin Jianxi to take the guy to the hospital. Song Cheng’an had drunk a lot—even sober, he was still a bit dazed. He usually wore long sleeves, but now he’d rolled them up.

Lin Jianxi spotted nearly ten deep scars on his arm, plus a few fresh ones. He frowned. Song Cheng’an paused, then quietly pulled his sleeve back down.

Song Cheng’an clung to him, acting spoiled. “Lin Jianxi, I’m wasted. That guy just fell somehow. Is he okay?”

“No idea. Hope so.” Lin Jianxi sighed, glancing at the scars on Song Cheng’an’s arm. “What happened?”

Song Cheng’an tightened his hold a bit. “Lin Jianxi, you’re so nice.”

Lin Jianxi broke free and asked again, “Who did this?”

Song Cheng’an took a slow sip of his drink. “Me.”

Lin Jianxi’s words carried a deeper meaning. “When are you planning to stop?”

Song Cheng’an let out a light chuckle. “When I stop looking up to you two. Then I’ll stop.”

“…”

Lin Jianxi eyed him for a moment, then snatched the beer from his hand and downed it in one go.

“No drinking when you’re injured.”

Song Cheng’an fell silent for a beat, his voice lifting lightly, though a flicker of undetectable tension hid in his eyes. “Not afraid I’ll drug you?”

Lin Jianxi: “This is the second time I’m telling you—if you really want revenge, don’t do it this way. It’s fine against me; I trust your character. But others might not. Going solo in this cutthroat world, making too many enemies is bad.”

“…”

“Come on, let’s get you to the doctor.”

Song Cheng’an let Lin Jianxi pull him out of the club. He stayed quiet the whole way.

After a long pause, Song Cheng’an spoke. “Lin Jianxi, you know I’m just using you to get back at him. So why be nice to me? Why trust me?”

His young voice sounded parched. “Are you pitying me?”

Lin Jianxi was about to open the car door. He paused, then chuckled softly.

He leaned against the car, meeting Song Cheng’an’s eyes. “If I didn’t pity you, I wouldn’t have let you move in. You’re barely an adult…”

Lin Jianxi’s gaze drifted to the scars on Song Cheng’an’s arm, letting out a faint sigh.

“How could I not pity someone your age going through all this?”