Chapter 86: First World: Lin Ming Beats Qie Ran

Wen Qinxi raised his head only to before met by an exact replica of Qie Ranzhe. 'Damn it, even an older version of Qie Ranzhe looks ridiculously good,' he thought peering at the man looking down at him. The emperor's lips twitched and his cunning eyes brightened when he saw Lin Jingxie's face.

"Lin Mo's son, right?" he asked but Wen Qinxi suddenly lost his voice feeling like a helpless cub reined into grown wolves' business. He could only nod in response and the emperor followed up with a simple command, "Follow me."

A nervous Wen Qinxi followed behind entering the main hall not knowing what to expect. The emperor sat on his throne looking down at him without speaking for a long time. After what seemed like a year, a eunuch finally scurried in with a scroll and handed it to the emperor. His stern face suddenly turned roguish as soon as he read the contents. "You really didn't save me any face, didn't you?" said the emperor handing the scroll over to the eunuch to give it to Lin Jingxie.

A puzzled Wen Qinxi opened the scroll only to see his name was ranked first. "How am l supposed to face Lin Mo now after losing the bet so miserably," said the emperor before letting out a hearty laughter. Wen Qinxi didn't know what to say. Was he supposed to say sorry it's my gaming skill and l can't fuckin control it? 

"My humble apologies your majesty," said Wen Qinxi trying to be as natural as possible.

"No need for that, l picked a losing battle. I ha-," said the emperor before he was cut off by a loud crashing sound just outside the side door. They both turned to look in that direction only to have the door pushed open as a man's body landed on the ground with a bleeding nose and another yelling, "You fuckin asshole," while being held back by a third person.

Who had the audacity to fight in the presence of the emperor? It was none other than Lin Mingxu and Qie Ranzhe. To fully understand what caused this explosive chain reaction we need to go back twenty minutes ago. Qie Ranzhe heard that Lin Jingxie would be coming to the palace to get his final results and decided to at least take a look at him from afar to satisfy his yearning for him.

He had been impatiently pacing about waiting to see him when Machu who had secretly followed him decided to talk some sense into him. "Why can't you just swallow your pride and have a heart to heart conversation with him? This is too fuckin abnormal stalking him everywhere he goes," said Machu wishing he could just lock them both up in a room till they resolved their problems.

Qie Ranzhe didn't say anything as he continued pacing like a confused puppy. He was afraid of what he might do to him when he sees him. Hug him, kiss him, fondle him, you name it, he wanted to do it all. But what if Lin Jingxie was happy with Lee Jienjie wouldn't he ruin a good thing for him and be hated by him. A confused man continued to pace when a punch successfully landed on his face. 

"You bastard! Didn't l told you to stay away from him?" yelled a livid Lin Mingxu attempting to deliver another blow.

Qie Ranzhe was confused for a short while but soon regained his senses as he stood up with a sly grin on his face. "Kid you sure are brave coming at me with such an underhanded method," he said swiftly grabbing hold of Lin Mingxu who had been swinging his fist and placed the naive boy in a chokehold.

Lin Mingxu didn't make it easy for him struggling with all his might but it was simply hopeless. Annoyed by this wiggly worm, Qie Ranzhe tightened his grip till Lin Mingxu's face flushed till he was unable to breathe properly. "Stay still otherwise you'll get hurt," he said in a menacing tone that sent chills down Lin Mingxu's spine.

Seeing he couldn't win, Lin Mingxu resorted to psychological warfare saying, "He considered you his friend but you abandoned him and threw him away when you were done using him."

"Shut the fuck up. This has nothing to do with you," said Qie Ranzhe suppressing his anger. This kid actually dared to speak ill of him when he was the one who got betrayed. 

"Just because he didn't reciprocate your feelings you deserted him as though everything that happened between you meant nothing? You knew this outcome was possible the day you decided to befriend him fully aware of your own lewd thoughts only to ditch him when things didn't go your fuckin way. Ho-," said Lin Mingxu but the hold around his neck tighten even more making him feel light-headed. Machu saw things were getting out of hand and tried to reason with Qie Ranzhe.

"So what? I should silently watch him cosy up with Lee Jienjie and pretend that everything is fine?" he spoke in an almost brittle voice unconsciously restricting Lin Mingxu further. Just a glimpse at his face one could clearly see the mounting kill intent. Lin Jingxie was that special person that took care of him giving him that warmth he never had now all of it was being given to someone else. How did Lin Mingxu expect him to stand by and watch Lin Jingxie give his love to someone else?

"Le...Lee Ji-Jienjie is.....not with Lin Ji-Jin," said Lin Mingxu in a hoarse voice with his vision almost blurry. Hearing this Qie Ranzhe's body went numb, his brain malfunctioning as his anger turned to shock. Machu took advantage of his trance successfully releasing Lin Mingxu.

The boy staggered and fell straight into Machu's arms. He coughed violently while holding his sore neck struggling to regulate his breathing. Three minutes in Qie Ranzhe was still rooted in one spot stuck in a daze. With trembling hands, he turned to look at Lin Mingxu with a disbelieving expression.

"You are lying, how dare you lie to me," he said with bloodshot eyes gazing at Lin Mingxu.

"What do l have to cough* cough*....gain by lying to you," he said now standing upright with his hand still rubbing his pulsing throat.

"But.....but.....l saw it. I saw," he said with his whole body weakening to the point where he could barely stand, "l saw."

"You fuckin saw what you wanted to see, you bastard," he yelled and rushed to punch Qie Ranzhe once more. This time Qie Ranzhe was completely off the rails crushing into the door with a loud thud before falling onto the ground. He could hear Lin Mingxu yelling but his ears were ringing as his unfocused eyes looked around for Lin Jingxie.

"Jin-ge....Jin-ge," he mumbled calling for him even though he knew he would never answer his call. He had wronged Lin Jingxie ruining everything all because he didn't trust him. After all that, how could Lin Jingxie come and answer his call?

Like a lovely dream, Lin Jingxie appeared just like he did every night as soon as he closed his eyes. Though this time it was different, he wasn't kissing him or holding his hand, no Lin Jingxie was gently slapping his face as the ceiling spun around.

The slaps got harder but he couldn't feel it, he was numb all over. Just when he was about to shut his eyes and sink further into his beautiful dream a jade pendant escaped from under Lin Jingxie's clothes. The beautiful pendant dangled in his face causing a wave of warmth to spread all over his chest.

"He kept it," he whispered with a foolish grin on his face before finally closing his eyes.

"Huh, he fainted," said Wen Qinxi slapping him hard not to wake him up but punish him for putting him through a lot of misery.