The Whole Family Are Villains, I’m the Group Pet 169

Chapter 169

Having accidentally eaten poisonous mushrooms, the entire class, including the teacher, ended up in the hospital, hooked up to IV drips.

Qi Yao and his team, also affected by the mushrooms, lay unconscious in the next ward.

Xing Nuo, scratching his cheek, felt like something wasn’t right.

But he couldn’t remember what had happened and just stared at the IV needle in his hand, his mind blank.

Shen Wen, the first parent to arrive, his face etched with worry, rushed to Xing Nuo’s bedside.

“Xing Nuo, are you okay?”

Xing Nuo, seeing his dad, his already pale face looking even more fragile, coughed weakly and shook his head.

“I okay, Daddy.”

Shen Wen ruffled his hair, pulled him into a hug, and kissed the top of his head.

Xing Nuo snuggled against his dad’s neck, his eyes sparkling, and, in his sweet, childish voice, recounted the mushroom-picking adventure.

“I picked a big, big mushroom! Then…I don’t know why…it gone from my basket…”

The other parents also arrived and, after checking with the doctor, relieved that their children were okay, relaxed slightly.

The ward, with seven or eight beds, was filled with Xing Nuo’s classmates, all recovering from mushroom poisoning.

The parents, usually busy, rarely had a chance to interact in the real world.

As they chatted, their gazes kept drifting towards Shen Wen, his fair skin almost translucent in the lamplight, his golden hair tied back neatly, a different kind of beauty, elegant and refined.

He held a small fruit knife, his slender fingers peeling an apple meticulously.

His beauty, captivating in the soft light, mesmerized not only the other parents, but even Wen Xingxue, who had just arrived from the horror world, his heart pounding as he stood at the doorway, watching Shen Wen, his light-colored eyes half-closed.

He didn’t move until Shen Wen spoke.

“Apples too cold. Xing Nuo, just a small piece.”

Xing Nuo took the apple and bit into it.

“Okay.”

He started eating, and Shen Wen, ruffling his hair, stood up and, ignoring Wen Xingxue, who was still hovering by the door, went to the next ward.

In the next ward.

Qi Yao and his team, looking pale and weak, were discussing the incident.

But their memories, affected by the golden mushroom’s poison, were hazy.

Fortunately, they had used a prop to record a rough account of what had happened.

“The monster wasn’t that strong. It was relying on that energy stone.”

“Yes, that kind of energy stone must be rare. We should bring it back next time. It might be useful for enhancing our abilities.”

“But what was the deal with that golden mushroom? That dungeon was strange.”

As they were discussing this, a knock on the door startled them, and a beautiful man with golden hair and light-colored eyes appeared.

Qi Yao, recognizing Shen Wen, said:

“Shen Wen? That’s right! Xing Nuo was also there! Is he okay?”

Shen Wen’s expression was cold and unreadable.

“He’s fine. Thank you for rescuing the children.”

Qi Yao and his team, unable to reveal the truth, just chuckled awkwardly.

“It was nothing. We didn’t do much.”

“Yeah, it was that golden mushroom, I mean, there was no golden mushroom! Hahaha!”

Almost slipping up, a teammate quickly changed the subject.

Shen Wen, having tested the waters, seeing they didn’t suspect anything, hummed and turned to leave.

Wen Xingxue, however, didn’t follow.

He walked over to Qi Yao’s bed and stared at him intently.

Qi Yao felt a cold, menacing presence, a chilling gaze, as if a knife was about to be pressed against his throat.

He tensed, and just then, Wen Xingxue’s hoarse voice rasped in his ear:

“Stay away from Shen Wen.”

Qi Yao, recognizing the unique voice, his heart sinking, then a sudden realization dawning on him,

said:

“Shen Wen is your partner? Don’t worry, I’m not interested in men.”

Wen Xingxue, his pale face flushing crimson, his ears burning, stammered:

“What are you talking about?! We’re not together!”

He then vanished.

Qi Yao, who had been hoping to ask Wen Xingxue about the monster world, was now even more confused.

So shy about his feelings. What’s the big deal?

He thought about the Shen family, a sudden realization almost within his grasp, but then his teammate’s loud wailing interrupted him.

“I can’t even look at mushrooms anymore! I’m never eating mushrooms again!”

Qi Yao chuckled and, his train of thought broken, dismissed the strange feeling.

After two days in the hospital, hooked up to IV drips, Xing Nuo’s already low energy levels were completely depleted.

The doctor finally discharged them, and in the late afternoon, the sky ablaze with sunset colors, Shen Yan arrived with the driver to pick up Xing Nuo.

Xing Nuo, his small backpack on, carrying a basket almost as tall as himself, was lifted into the car by his brother.

“Big Brother, teacher gave us baskets…see? Big mushrooms!”

Xing Nuo had been a diligent mushroom picker, unlike An Zimuo, who had given up after picking two, and his basket was almost half full.

The mushroom farm owner, feeling guilty about the incident, had given each child a basket and some mushrooms.

Shen Yan glanced at the mushrooms, ordinary edible ones, and hummed.

“They are big. Want chicken and mushroom stew for dinner?”

Xing Nuo, although not fond of meat, liked vegetables cooked with meat and nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling.

“Yes! Yes!”

Back home, Shen Wen took Xing Nuo to the bathroom to wash off the hospital smell.

Xing Nuo, covered in bubbles, sat in the bathtub, playing with a rubber ducky.

One eye closed, the other peeking out from under the foam, he imitated the duck’s quacking sounds.

He squeezed the ducky and quacked, amusing himself.

“Little ducky, tomowwow we go play with fwiends!”

As Shen Wen went to get a clean towel, Xing Nuo, tilting his head, thought of Lu Qi.

“I saw Lu Qi on mountain…I wonder if he ate mushrooms…”

Shen Wen returned with a large towel, dried Xing Nuo’s face, and carried him out of the bathroom.

Xing Nuo, wrapped in the towel, stood on the sofa, waiting for his dad to bring him his pajamas.

The delicious aroma of chicken and mushroom stew wafted from the kitchen, making his tummy rumble.

He padded to the kitchen in his slippers, still wrapped in the towel, and looked up at Shen Yan, who was lifting the lid of the pot and tasting the soup.

“Big Brother, weady yet?”

Shen Yan, pretending to be unsure, frowned and shook his head.

Xing Nuo’s face fell.

“Not weady yet?” he asked, his eyes wide with hopeful anticipation.

Shen Yan, unable to maintain his serious expression any longer, chuckled.

“It’s ready. Xing Nuo, want to try some?”

Xing Nuo, unable to resist the mushrooms he had picked himself, opened his mouth eagerly.

A spoonful of warm, tender mushroom and broth filled his mouth, and he closed his eyes, his curls bobbing happily.

“So yummy!”

Mushrooms he picked himself were the best!

He even ate most of the chicken soup, despite its slight greasiness, his tummy now full and round.

He lay contentedly on his bed, thinking about the mushrooms in his basket, planning to give some to Lu Qi tomorrow.

Lu Qi lived alone and probably hadn’t had any mushrooms.

The night was quiet.

The early autumn air was cool, but Wen Xingxue, a disembodied presence, couldn’t feel the temperature change.

He checked on Xing Nuo, then, seeing Shen Wen cleaning Xing Nuo’s wooden sword, walked over.

“Let me.”

He took the sword from Shen Wen’s hand, and they both froze, their hands touching.

Shen Wen frowned, looking at their intertwined hands.

“Let go,” he said coldly.

Wen Xingxue, looking at Shen Wen, his face soft and beautiful in the lamplight, his heart pounding, suddenly felt a surge of boldness.

“No.”

He looked at Shen Wen, his eyes unwavering, and, as Shen Wen’s face flushed with anger, his chest rising and falling, his whole being radiating a vibrant energy, he closed his hand around Shen Wen’s, their fingers interlaced.

Wen Xingxue’s heart pounded, expecting Shen Wen to stab him.

Shen Wen had stabbed him several times before.

But he didn’t regret it, his chest filled with a strange warmth and courage.

He leaned closer, his grip tightening on Shen Wen’s hand, and, under Shen Wen’s shocked gaze, kissed his cheek.