Slight dubcon (read the chapter title). ML isnāt in his right mind and MC, being a straight man, objects greatly.
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Hell knows how much courage it took Xie Zhiwei to say this sentence. But after finishing it, he feltā¦pretty relieved and relaxed. He turned away, putting on a cold and aloof air as he waited for the other to get angry and eliminate him with an even more brutal method than Bai Jianzhu.
As the seconds ticked by, the air behind him remained calm. Xie Zhiwei was clear that with the heroās current personality, it was impossible to explode all at once, so he continued to wait.
Minutes passed, but Mu He still didnāt move. Sensing something wrong, Xie Zhiwei couldnāt resist looking back and saw vague waves of qi around Mu Heās body mixed with the fury of Red Lotus. Logically speaking, the three lotuses should have assimilated very well into the protagonistās body, so the Red Lotus wouldnāt be the only flower showing its murderous qi. What was going on?
In an instant, Mu Heās eyes flew open before he gripped Xie Zhiweiās hand. His clear eyes grew dazed as soon as he saw his master, examining him quickly and carefully as if he was a fleeting dream that would quickly vanish. Although his expression was very affectionate, it seemed slightly psychotic under the circumstances. Mu Heās other hand suddenly plastered itself next to Xie Zhiweiās wide eyes before gently stroking down his cheek. Xie Zhiwei couldnāt help but gulp. He couldnāt guess what the other was doingāhis imagination wasnāt enough for that.
Mu He let out a few inaudible sighs. āItās getting more and more seriousā¦but, this doesnāt seem so bad. Iā¦like it very much.ā
Xie Zhiweiās expression turned from surprise to horror. If he remembered correctly, he had just cut off relations with the hero, right? Why did the plot make a sharp turn so the hero was saying he āliked it very much?ā
He couldnāt tell whether the protagonist was having a stroke or on the wrong medication to suddenly hallucinate. But who did the hero take him for? Tantai Meng? Qiu Chongyun? Or that irascible Yin Wushuang, ah!
Xie Zhiwei backed away and wanted to explain himself, but heād hardly moved when Mu He quickly followed as if losing a precious treasure to pull him into his arms.
āThis is all wrong?!ā Xie Zhiwei exclaimed as he tried to struggle free. Though he liked to hug and pet the protagonist four years ago, it was just an opportunity to show off his status. There was nothing wrong about an adult treating a child that way. Now the protagonist was even taller than himself, so the two of them hugging like thisā¦was losing his momentum, okay?!
Xie Zhiwei finally turned aside and saw Mu Heās look of panic as if heād fly away. The heroās indifferent to the three main girls, so could he really look so reluctant? Does he like someone else instead?
Which girl from which family? Iāll use this old life to fetch her back for the hero.
Xie Zhiweiās eyes brightened as he saw a spark of hope for the love line, but Mu He suddenly buried into the crook of his shoulder and murmured, āWrong? Yesā¦shizun, disciple knows my wrongs.ā
Xie Zhiwei privately scoffed. Not just wrong, but guilty of heinous crimes. First you chase and beat me, then tortured me with Black Lotus, and finally choked me. Now youāre even treating me as a girl to hug. Where am I supposed to get justice for this!
The accumulated grievances over the past few days lit up a nameless fire in Xie Zhiweiās heart. He was in no mood to worry about the protagonistās love life, but simply looked at him and said, āYouāre the one who said you didnāt want to pay respects anymore in front of my grave. Why admit your wrongs now?ā
A master for a day is a master for a lifetime. These words werenāt meant to bind the master alone!
Mu He mumbled, āThatās becauseā¦ā he paused before gazing at Xie Zhiwei again, blank yet affectionate.
āBecause of what?ā Xie Zhiwei asked.
Mu He tilted up Xie Zhiweiās chin again and said deprecatingly, āWhy am I saying so much to an illusion.ā
Xie Zhiwei froze before he flared up and grabbed the offending wrist. āYou said Iām an illusion?ā
āSince itās an illusion but so real, thenā¦ā Mu Heās wandering fingertips finally stopped at Xie Zhiweiās lips as he smiled foolishly. āIt should be fine if I do something, right?ā As he spoke,Ā he didnāt even wait for Xie Zhiweiās reaction before pulling apart his masterās robes.
Because it had been unusually warm weather despite the autumn in the past few days, Xie Zhiwei had only worn this single layer under Chi Yanās outfit since he feared the heat. When his collar was tugged open, it exposed a large area of skin beneath the collarbone.
The heroās actions were no longer strange, but simply that of a pervert!
Xie Zhiwei did his best to push him away while shouting, āSpeak properly if you have something to say! Why are you tearing at clothes?!ā As he took several steps backward, he looked down and saw that the robes in front of his chest were already ripped. His heart dripped blood at the sight. This is high-quality silk, ahā¦
Anger shone on his features as he looked up. āOpen your eyes and look properly, Iām not some illusion! I! Am! Your! Shi! Zun! Xie! Zhi! Wei!ā
Mu He was approaching him step by step when his pupils shrank and his gaze drifted for a moment. āRealā¦really? Youāre real?ā
The furious qi of Red Lotus surged around him dramatically, a sign of his internal struggle.
āUnfilial disciple!ā Xie Zhiwei was enraged. āBack then I taught you so carefully, spent all my money on you, and didnāt hesitate to lie to the world for your sake. Now that I have nothing left, you act with no manners. Are you deceiving your master and destroying your elders?ā
Mu He was filled with dread. āNo shizun, disciple doesnāt dare.ā He rested a hand against his forehead, looking a bit pained. SomehowĀ he managed to suppress himself before looking at Xie Zhiwei again. Though his expression had eased, his brows were still creased. It looked like itād take some time for him to recover, so Xie Zhiwei thought he better flee while the other still held him in awe.
He bolstered his courage again and said in a cold voice, āYouāve utterly disappointed meā¦itās better for us to part ways from now on.ā
Mu He stood there woodenly and didnāt move. Feeling better, Xie Zhiwei turned to go, but heād hardly taken a step when the light of White Lotus surrounded him, mixed with tendrils of Black Lotus to trap him in place. He suddenly recall the fear heād felt when Mu He hurt him with Black Lotus.
But if he dropped his act now, then heād feel too sorry about the performance he just put on a second ago.
āYou still say you donāt dare?ā he asked frostily. Yet he ended up in a familiar embrace as soon as he finished speaking.
Xie Zhiwei was expressionless. This is the third time in a row that heās hugged me, so I guess it counts as familiar by nowā¦
Mu He stood opposite him, his brows gradually relaxing as he drew closer with a dreamy voice. āShizun would never be so cold and heartless. So this is all an illusion and I donāt have to care.ā
Xie Zhiwei only gaped. You sure are something, hero. So Iām shizun only when I treat you well and an illusion otherwise? You can kill and slaughter as you want then, right?
Butā¦it doesnāt look like heās about to kill me or yell bloody murder.
Afraid to move, he watched Mu He get closer until he could feel the slightly damp breath from his nostrils. Xie Zhiweiās eyes grew wider and wider until a pair of cool lips pressed against his own. Their surroundings were surprisingly still, as if the sound of flowing water and wind in the courtyard had all been blocked by a shield. Mu Heās eyelashes fluttered closed gently while a suspicious blush appeared on his cheeks.
Xie Zhiwei made a soft noise before using all his strength to push him aside. But the other didnāt budge. Instead, it was Black and White Lotus who further restricted his movements until his hands were forced behind his back and tightly clenched in Mu Heās own.
Mu He enjoyed the kiss immensely, even trembling as if electrocuted the moment their lips touched.Ā Soon enough, he was experimentally exploring like every boy with his first kiss, trying to go even further. He held the man tightly in his arms and gave him no room to escape. In the end, he opened his mouth and took the otherās lips, sucking them lightly in relish before extending the tip of his tongue to explore inside.
This was a kiss, but a youthful and tender one. When Xie Zhiwei realized this, he seemed to hear something shatter. A long time later, he would think back on this moment when bored and determined it was his morality falling to pieces at that moment.
But now he only felt his scalp tingling and sweat soaking his back. His heart almost stopped beating as a thousand feelings converged into a few words: chills down his spine, hair standing up, thoroughly terrified.
He squeezed his lips shut, determined to keep Mu He from going any further!
This was probably his last shred of dignity!
Sure enough, his unremitting efforts prevented Mu He from prodding past his teeth. In the end the youth gave up and pressed him into his arms, rubbing fiercely before biting a corner of his lips in grievance and then releasing him. Xie Zhiwei panted for air while looking in revulsion at the thin strand of saliva connecting their lips. He felt he had almost screwed a dogā¦ah no, was almost screwed by a dog.
He had no idea which girl Mu He was fantasizing about to act so aggressively with her illusion. He was pretending to make amends one minute and trying to top him the next. Anyone Mu He spoiled exclusively would feel like dying and being reborn afterwards. He didnāt want that.
Wait, why am I thinking about that at a time like this? I should figure out how to escape with my life instead!
Xie Zhiwei restrained his thoughts and demanded righteously, āLet go!ā
āImpossible.ā
āYouā¦ā
Mu He used the tip of his tongue to lick the strand of saliva into his mouth before pursing his lips as if to savor the taste. Then he laughed, a sound that was mixed with happiness and pain. His fingers touched the wet stains around Xie Zhiweiās lips before he murmured, āAs expected of shizun, even your illusion is so beautifulā¦ā
Xie Zhiwei abruptly stopped in the middle of desperately breaking free. āWhat did you say?ā
Mu He only sighed. āShizun, do you knowā¦how long this disciple has liked you forā¦?ā
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Ruyi: š„³ šĀ Ā Congratulations on the confession, Teacher Xie!
Xie Zhiwei: Canāt you just get the System to record our conversation instead?
Gallant Outlaw (cough):Ā This is much more organized.
Xie Zhiwei:Ā Then give me a copy when youāre done, I might need them myself later.
Gallant Outlaw: Hahahaha, sure thing Idol! Well timeās almost up now so letās talk again tomorrow! *hastily deletes notes for his Mu He x Xie Zhiwei fanfic*
Xie Zhiwei: Hey wait, butā
Gallant Outlaw: *DISCONNECTS*
Mu He:Ā Shizunā¦why are you spending time with all these other men?
Xie Zhiwei: What nonsense are you spewing, they were all colleagues. Colleagues, I tell you ah pooh!
Mu He: Disciple doesnāt believe it. Disciple wantsĀ shizunĀ to make up for it by staying at discipleās side.
Xie Zhiwei: Fine, fineāah, wait!
Mu He: Yes,Ā shizun?
Xie Zhiwei: This is wrong, I should be running away from you right now!
Mu He: DoesĀ shizunĀ really think he can?
Xie Zhiwei: Hā¦helpā¦
Mu He:Ā Itās all right. Disciple will helpĀ shizunā¦stay right here.
Fun fact: one of the Chinese commenters for this novel on jjwxc has the usernameā¦Peerless Cucumber.Ā If you know, you know. (They havenāt said anything particularly amazing, but Iāll translate if they do lolol)