Chapter 33: The Spoiled Villain in a Period Novel 33
Shu He breathed, and in the quiet environment, he stared at those deep black eyes. His confusion grew, and suddenly, his whole person felt a little dizzy, his thoughts as if caught between the waves and the clouds, rising and falling.
Yes…
He should have known Xu Nongqing.
The plot had collapsed. This person in front of him had no great ambitions to begin with. If he hadn’t been deceived by him, he would not have left the mountains, would not have racked his brains to climb up.
He had thought that after Xu Nongqing rose, he would get on the right track, but he had forgotten that the reason that supported Xu Nongqing’s advance was himself.
Whether Xu Nongqing still had feelings for him or wanted revenge, it was all because of him.
Because of the little villain.
So making money was indeed of no use to Xu Nongqing. Xu Nongqing had low material desires. This could be seen back in Wang Family Village.
At that time, the peddler would come to the village with his tricycle to sell snacks, all of which were fashionable little things. Xu Nongqing himself didn’t like to eat them, but he would always buy some for Shu He, as if seeing Shu He eat with his cheeks puffed out and satisfied would make him happy too.
So his material desires were really so low that he could live a simple life just by farming. He had never wanted anything. It was only after Shu He appeared that he had a desire. But the only person this man had ever wanted in his life was as different from him as clouds and mud, so he could only rack his brains to climb up.
Now, Xu Nongqing’s biggest bargaining chip was to stand in front of Shu He after he had succeeded in his career and ask him, am I worthy of you?
It was all for one sentence.
—Am I worthy of you?
Silently, Shu He’s breathing gradually became rapid, with a soft, uncertain sound.
He looked at Xu Nongqing with moist and confused almond eyes. Perhaps because he had never seen such a person before, he didn’t know if he was scared by this all-or-nothing mentality or what, but Shu He couldn’t help but shed a couple of tears, sobbing as he looked at him, his voice muffled. “Why are you like this…”
Xu Nongqing hadn’t expected him to cry. His lips moved slightly, and he froze in place, listening to Shu He’s tearful, listless accusations. “Do you really have no pursuits?”
“You’ve lived this long. Do you still remember what you wanted to do as a child? What you wanted to do as a child can also be a pursuit now.”
“You can’t be like this… it’s so hard to live like this. If I don’t want you, what will you do in the future? Will you go back to that remote mountain village?”
He rambled on, sounding both worried and anxious. Does he still worry about him? Xu Nongqing thought in a daze. His throat had become tight and unbearable at some point, and even his heart was churning with a scorching heat, like lava burning his flesh until it was about to melt.
He heard Shu He’s choked breath in his ear.
Xu Nongqing stiffly raised his hand, and just like four years ago, he wiped the crystalline teardrops from Shu He’s soft, pale cheek with his hot thumb. Then his gaze lowered and focused, and he saw Shu He’s lower eyelids were wet with clear tears, his nose red as he looked at him.
Shu He was so afraid that his career would be reset to zero.
He was also afraid of Xu Nongqing’s current state.
He felt that Xu Nongqing seemed to be broken, really not normal. If a person had no pursuits, what would they do? Even if they were working hard to lie flat, that was still a pursuit.
But Xu Nongqing…
It was as if he could die.
Xu Nongqing lowered his eyes and helped Shu He wipe away his tears. He should have pulled his hand away, but he didn’t. Instead, he reached behind Shu He’s pale ear. His constitution had always been strong, and his hands were always hot, whether in winter or summer.
The rough touch that brushed past the back of his ear seemed to send a shiver all the way down, so hot that Shu He subconsciously stopped crying, his teary eyes looking at him in a daze, the spot where his ear had been touched red.
“Then what should I do?”
Xu Nongqing asked softly, his gaze, which was like a physical touch, lowered. His hot thumb had somehow landed on the back of Shu He’s neck. He opened his mouth, and his voice, in the quiet environment, seemed to gather a heavy fire, so soft it was only a breath. “Little He, can you teach me? What should I do?”
The hand on the back of his neck was really hard to ignore. Shu He uncomfortably shivered his shoulders, his wet lashes unconsciously lowered, looking pitiful.
He lightly touched his philtrum, his voice a little empty. “How can I teach you… did you have a dream of being an astronaut when you were little?”
“…”
“No.”
Xu Nongqing seemed to be lost in childhood memories at his words, but his childhood experience was really poor—his mother was busy with work and rarely came home, and his father, as a stay-at-home husband, was not competent either, spending his days somewhere, rarely coming home.
Later, when he was old enough to understand, his parents divorced, and he was sent to the countryside, where he lived a three-point-one-line farming life through spring, summer, autumn, and winter. There were no special experiences worth mentioning, and naturally no opportunity to develop the so-called ideals of youth.
He really had never been integrated into this world, let alone had a dream of being an astronaut like other children. Even—
“Little He.” Xu Nongqing’s gaze lowered, looking at Shu He’s fresh lips, as if he were talking to himself. “Don’t you think this world is like a fake?”
The back of Shu He’s neck moved.
He pouted, not knowing how to answer. Xu Nongqing was just thinking out loud and quickly changed the subject. He gently pressed the soft skin on the back of Shu He’s neck with his thumb, then slowly let go and said, “I’m very happy that you could call me and come see me today.”
Shu He lifted his slightly pink eyelids, the moisture making his almond eyes sparkle. “Then when are you going to the company?”
Xu Nongqing paused, his handsome expression moving slightly, and a hint of a curve appeared on his lips again. He had indeed become crazier. Shu He even felt that his smile was not as simple as before, as if he were hiding a bad intention.
Who is the real great villain?
Shu He’s eyes flashed. He raised his hand and touched his head.
TT He had almost forgotten.
Four years ago, Xu Nongqing’s protagonist’s halo had been taken away by him. Now it was on his little head.
Sinful.
Xu Nongqing suddenly said, “Little He, you seem to be very concerned about whether I go to the company.”
Shu He lowered his hand. “No.”
“Mm.” Xu Nongqing gave a noncommittal nod. “It’s better for Little He if my career fails. That way, it’s just like what you said to me four years ago.”
“I won’t succeed in my career.”
“…”
Shu He was so embarrassed he kept pulling at the fluff on the sofa.
Bad protagonist!
Four years ago, the protagonist was taciturn, saying little and doing much. He would never have spoken like this. Now he had changed, and he even knew how to use his words to block him.
Bad!
Xu Nongqing seemed to have just mentioned it casually, with no other meaning. He quickly stood up and said he would get him some fruit. Shu He was still waiting for an answer, his pale cheeks puffed out as he ate the fruit, and he asked vaguely, “Then when are you going to the company?”
Xu Nongqing shook his head. “No hurry.”
He’s in a hurry!!
Very hurry!!
Shu He puffed out his cheeks and finished the fruit in his hand in a few bites. He was a little choked, but he still wanted to speak. But just as his wet, red mouth moved, he saw Xu Nongqing lower his eyes, take a clean tissue from the table, and naturally hold his hand, helping him wipe the fruit juice from it.
Shu He’s hands were very beautiful.
Long and pale, his fingers always a pale pink. They were soft and very cold to the touch.
His constitution was weak, and his exposed skin was always like this, cool in the summer and cool in the winter. Back in the village, it would take Xu Nongqing half an hour to warm them up.
Xu Nongqing just held this beautiful, slender hand, his eyes lowered as he focused on wiping it with the tissue, from his fingertips down, from the knuckles, the base of his fingers, to his soft palm.
He was so serious it was as if he were wiping a priceless piece of jade. And Shu He, with his hand held, was in a daze, only feeling a tickling sensation where Xu Nongqing had wiped, and also a little hot, so hot that his fingertips were also pink, and he kept pulling back.
“I’m not done wiping.” Xu Nongqing held his hand and looked up at him.
At this moment, he looked a little like his taciturn self from back then.
Hearing this, Shu He didn’t move anymore. He seemed to be thinking about something, his delicate brow sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed, looking both serious and cute. After a while, he looked away and stared at a spot for a long time, not even noticing that Xu Nongqing was still holding his hand.
Only when he had figured it out did Shu He turn back, his almond eyes focused, looking at their intertwined hands for a few seconds. He curled his fingers and looked at the wound on Xu Nongqing’s hand.
“What’s this?” he asked.
Xu Nongqing glanced at it faintly. “I got it from cleaning up the glass. It’s nothing… are you concerned about me?”
Shu He shook his head. Xu Nongqing’s lips had just fallen when he saw the boy seem to think of something and nod. Not only did he not struggle out of Xu Nongqing’s grip, but he also lowered his head slightly, puffed out his cheeks, and blew on the wound on his hand. “It doesn’t hurt anymore, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“…”
Xu Nongqing’s breathing had slowed at some point.
He listened to this soft voice, which was almost like coaxing a child, and his gaze focused, lowered, and his thoughts also swayed. He only knew to look in front of him.
In front of him was the boy’s forehead as he bent down slightly, his dark hair falling in front of his eyes, almost covering his beautiful brow. Below was his pale, reddish nose, and then his slightly parted lips.
The breath exhaled from the boy’s mouth was a little soft and cool, like a handful of autumn river water. The wound no longer hurt, but it also seemed to hurt terribly, so much that he felt he was in a sea of fire, his heart and brain burning with an unbearable itch from this raging fire, and his rationality was almost burned away.
The grip on Shu He’s hand almost instantly tightened.
Then a dizzying spin, and Shu He’s vision went dark. The next second, he was pressed against the sofa behind him by Xu Nongqing. This suddenness was completely unexpected. Shu He’s eyes widened, and he soon found that his waist was also encircled by Xu Nongqing, almost like a confinement.
Xu Nongqing bent down and lowered his head, his scorching breath traveling from the crook of Shu He’s neck to his lips. He was so startled his small chest heaved slightly, and his ear turned slightly. He didn’t know whose heartbeat was so loud.
Xu Nongqing seemed to have lost his mind. After all, he had pressed him down, but he also seemed to still have his reason. He lowered his eyes and hovered over Shu He’s lips, his breath lingering, but he always kept a teasing distance, never really kissing him.
His eyes were dark and obsessive, and he strangely asked for his opinion. “—Can I kiss you?”
With a snap, the string in Shu He’s mind broke.
His eyelids were still a little red from crying, but his eyes were clear and clean. At this moment, as if drunk, his mind was in a daze. He looked at those dark eyes, which only had a small reflection of him, and couldn’t say a word.
How can someone ask so openly to kiss…
Shu He thought in a daze, feeling Xu Nongqing’s hand reach out and touch his hair. His hot thumb landed between his fair brow, and as if he couldn’t help it, Xu Nongqing placed a light, offensive kiss on it.
“I want to kiss you.”
His voice was low, his chest vibrating with the sound, with a hint of a clinging emotion. “I miss you so much.”
The scorching breath completely intertwined in their breaths. And so, for some reason, Shu He nodded, and dazedly agreed to Xu Nongqing’s question.
A moist sensation instantly came from his lips.
Without a moment’s pause, Xu Nongqing took his hand, lowered his head, and sucked on his sweet lips. Shu He’s lashes trembled violently. A hot tongue pried open his lips. He let out a soft whimper, only able to let his mouth be invaded, his tongue shrinking back.
They hadn’t seen each other in four years, and Xu Nongqing’s kissing skills were a little rusty, but he quickly became familiar with it again. At some point, Shu He was completely pulled into his arms, his whole person as soft as a marshmallow, letting out a muffled sound.
His soft lips were constantly kissed and teased. Shu He was a little hot, his cheeks flushed with a moist red. He was dazed and timid, his red eyes wet, his lips unable to close, only able to let Xu Nongqing bully him.
After all, he was the one who had started it.
After a long kiss, Shu He’s tongue was a little numb. He was held in Xu Nongqing’s arms, his face flushed. Through his pants, he could even feel how much the other person was…
He showed no sign of stopping. He couldn’t go on like this. Shu He hurriedly lifted his face, his dark bangs a little damp with heat. He pushed Xu Nongqing away with his soft fingers and said, biting the tip of his tongue, which was about to lose all feeling, “N-No more kissing.”
Xu Nongqing was actually obedient.
He breathed heavily, his face clinging to Shu He’s soft cheek, as if their relationship was as it had been before, never broken.
Xu Nongqing lowered his eyes, looked at the pale, pink ear in front of him, leaned in, and couldn’t help but bite it.
He seemed to be murmuring, “Why did you do that just now?”
Shu He knew he was talking about blowing on his hand.
After a long time, Shu He finally moved his slightly numb tongue and slowly buried his face in the crook of Xu Nongqing’s neck. This somewhat dependent action made Xu Nongqing pause for a moment, and then he hugged him tightly without hesitation, their chests pressed together, his hand on his waist extremely tight.
“Without me, what would you do?”
Shu He closed his wet eyes, his voice a little soft, a little small, but his breath was hot as it spread in the man’s neck. “You’re already like this, so I can only…”