CH 32

February 8th, 2023

Fang Li’s hand was wrapped in Xie Huai’s scorching hot palms and led along by a steady force. He saw Xie Huai hold his hand and drink the wine in the cup, calm and unruffled. He tried to dodge, as if he’d been burned, but he found that Xie Huai’s grip was completely firm, leaving him nowhere to escape. Only when he’d downed all the wine in the cup did Xie Huai release his hand and let him flee……

Fang Li: ……

Where was the promised “tyrant forcing wine”?

Brother, do you look like you’re being coerced?

Fang Li’s expression was a little unsightly.

Not good, under his indulgence, Xie Huai had been spoiled into fearlessness. He’d already learned how to flip the tables!

This was a show of strength that Xie Huai was giving him……

Fu Junling’s expression was just a little sluggish as he looked at the two of them, bewildered and uncertain.

Fang Li saw Fu Junling’s astonished face and thought, this was bad. His expression sank, and he flipped his hand over and grabbed ahold of Xie Huai’s. He even stroked Xie Huai’s hand ambiguously a few times, then let out a low, hoarse laugh. “Wife, if you like it, how about another cup?”

He definitely, absolutely couldn’t look intimidated. He had to win this round back.

Xie Huai glanced at him blandly and said, “Alright.”

The two of them drank one cup after another, back and forth, and two jugs of wine were quickly emptied into their stomachs. They exchanged round after round, neither of them willing to admit defeat.

A good while later, Fang Li was a little dizzy and decided to eat a bite and force down his alarm.

This time, he had really been too careless, thinking everything would go as smoothly as before……

This was no good. If things went on like this, it really wasn’t flippant enough. How could he infuriate Fu Junling? Fang Li was truly a little vexed. After a long time, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Xie Huai’s waist, and pulled—and pulled—and pulled again—

And still didn’t manage to pull him over.

Xie Huai sat there without budging a fraction, his posture straight as a pen.

Fang Li couldn’t help but stare blankly, his heart beating like a drum. Xie Huai couldn’t have recovered his cultivation, could he? No, impossible, if he’d recovered his cultivation, how could he possibly not have made a move yet? So, he was someone who’d refined his body?

Fine, you win.

If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain.

Fang Li simply leaned onto Xie Huai, lazily hanging off of his body, a hand around his waist, the other hand lifting up his chin to say teasingly, “Wife, your alcohol tolerance is pretty good.”

Xie Huai’s expression didn’t change a fraction. He lowered his eyes to glance at the person beside him. On the other hand, your alcohol tolerance is just so-so.

Because he’d drank a bit too much, the sickly pale man’s thin, translucent skin had a faint flush to it. Leaning so freely against him like this, his eyes and face full of the smiles of a drunk person…… He didn’t know just how enticing this kind of posture was…… Yet he insisted on not admitting defeat and doing these flirtatious things……

Xie Huai’s eyes darkened a little.

Fu Junling sat silently to one side, lifting up his wine cup to hide his awkwardness.

To tell the truth.

Before coming here, he had indeed been worried about Xie Huai. He’d heard more than a few of the rumors circulating outside. There were versions where Xie Huai suffered miserable torment, there were versions where Xie Huai submitted himself and sank into depravity with the demon lord…… But regardless of which version, the demon lord was tyrannical and unbridled, and Xie Huai was extremely pitiful……

But the scene today didn’t match a single one of those versions.

The demon lord…… might be a little unbridled in a cute way, but Xie Huai didn’t look a tiny bit pitiful.

The atmosphere between the two was strangely peaceful. No, it wasn’t that peaceful, either. There seemed to be a surging undercurrent? But if one were to say that there was any kind of coercion, then there definitely wasn’t……

Friends, but not like friends. Lovers, but not like lovers.

All in all, it was just an indescribable kind of strangeness.

But there was one thing that Fu Junling had never suspected, which was that Xie Huai couldn’t possibly sink into depravity with the devil. That he could get along with the devil on terms that could be considered, cough, could be considered peaceful could only mean that the devil might be different from the rumors.

He’d also heard of the matter with Night Sky Palace. Looking at things now, the version that Cloudbank Keep had circulated was the real one, to the point that it might even have been influenced by Xie Huai…… He hadn’t thought that this devil would also have a side like this to him. Although his actions were reckless and unreasonable, he would still do things like saving lives……

As for the devil today……

His words and actions truly were frivolous, but they were somehow impossible to feel repulsed by. It actually seemed like they might not be his true intentions…… Xie Huai had probably also recognized this, so he’d intentionally followed along. This round of drinking…… It really was hard to say who was taking liberties with who.

It couldn’t be that it really was like the rumors said, that the devil was deeply in love with Yuyi-jun and unable to turn away from him? But that was really too absurd!

Forget it, forget it.

Seeing as Xie Huai was living perfectly well with that devil, there was no need for him to worry.

It was just that, things really couldn’t keep going on like this indefinitely. The longer that Xie Huai stayed over at that devil’s, the more unfavorable it was for him. He couldn’t stay like this forever, could he?

Fu Junling took advantage while Fang Li was off guard to secretly give Xie Huai a meaningful look, wanting to meet him alone and hear his intentions.

There were some things that definitely couldn’t be said to Fang Li’s face.

Fang Li’s entire body was practically hanging off of Xie Huai, appearing careless, but in truth, he was two hundred percent alert, all for the sake of finding an opportunity to act out and show off the domineering and unbridled devil that he was. Only, unfortunately, Xie Huai was extremely steady the whole time, and Fu Junling was also easygoing and tactful……

Exactly what had going wrong? As Xie Huai’s good friend who would bleed for their friendship, seeing Fang Li disgrace Xie Huai like this, Fu Junling shouldn’t be this calm and unruffled, should he?

Just when Fang Li was a little vexed, he saw…… Fu Junling secretly signaling at Xie Huai with his eyes……

Very good.

Making eyes at each other right to my face.

Just when I was worrying about not having a chance to act up, you brought one to my door! I just knew that you couldn’t possibly be that simple!

Fang Li abruptly raised his eyes and looked darkly at Fu Junling, saying coolly, “What is Tower Master Fu looking at? You wouldn’t be taking a fancy to my wife, would you?”

Fu Junling: “……”

Fang Li lazily supported himself against Xie Huai to sit upright and said sinisterly, “If you look one more time, I’ll dig out your eyeballs.”

Seeing that the atmosphere was a little stagnant, Fang Li finally lifted his eyebrows and let out a breath. How’s that, are you scared? ……

Just then, he heard a very soft sigh.

Xie Huai pressed down Fang Li’s hand and pulled him back, his tone clear and bland as he said, “No need to worry, Your Excellency, Brother Fu wouldn’t take a fancy to me.”

Seeing Xie Huai speak first to clear the air, Fu Junling snapped out of his shock and also waved his hands repeatedly, for fear that his explanation would be late. “Your Excellency, don’t misunderstand, Brother Xie and I are just friends, nothing more. I definitely don’t have the tiniest, slightest bit of improper thoughts about him.”

Fang Li: “……”

Who wants to hear the two of you explain???

Is whether you like him or not important?

The important thing is that I’m provoking you, okay?! As Xie Huai’s closest friend, after seeing him be coerced like this by a devil like me, and after being threatened by me like this, as a man, you should take a stand, right?

And Xie Huai, you, what are you explaining for?

He couldn’t swallow any more of this wine today.

Fang Li flung his sleeves and stood up, saying coldly, “This lord is tired.”

Fu Junling was very familiar with the art of taking care of guests and stood up, smiling, “This one has already prepared a room for Your Excellency to rest in.”

Fang Li followed Fu Junling to the room and grabbed Xie Huai’s hand, grinding his teeth as he squeezed out word by word, “Wife, naturally, you’ll be staying in a room with this lord.”

Fu Junling looked at the two entering hand in hand. The door closed shut right before his face, and he finally showed an expression of unease.

The devil was indeed somewhat different from the rumors. No wonder Xie Huai would…… But since ancient times, good and evil stood in opposition to each other. No matter what kind of person the devil was, or how he’d changed right now, all of the things he’d done before were destined to never be forgiven by the righteous sects.

Moreover, at the beginning, that devil had besieged Cloudbank Keep and taken him prisoner. The animosity that had been laid down was truly a bit high. If Xie Huai had truly fallen for him, he might be the one put in a dilemma……

Fu Jinling paced back and forth and let out a gloomy sigh.

Perhaps he was thinking too much.

Just how cool-headed and self-restrained a person was Xie Huai? How could he like that devil just because of a few sweet words? Fu Junling was nothing more than a bystander. He wasn’t clear of the details, so it would be better if he didn’t make wild conjectures.

………………………

Fang Li closed the door.

He thought, this was his only chance to redeem things.

“Disgracing Xie Huai to your face” was a dead end, but Xie Huai and I are staying in the same room and spending the night together. Tower Master Fu, think of what will happen? I’m leaving the heavy responsibility of rescuing Xie Huai to you. Can you bear to see your good friend humiliated like this?!

As for sleeping together with Xie Huai, Fang Li was long used to it. It was about the same as sleeping in a bed with a good pal. He’d already gotten through it so many times, so there couldn’t be any problem there, could there?

The guest rooms aboard the sky-touring ship were extremely luxurious, and the bed was quite spacious. Sleeping two wasn’t a problem at all.

Fang Li was a little bit drunk, and he wasn’t in too good of a mood, so he didn’t even say a word and went straight to lie down on the bed and immediately closed his eyes to sleep.

Xie Huai watched Fang Li’s figure turned away from him, and after a long time, let out a very, very low laugh.

You wanted to put on a show for Fu Junling, and I cooperated with you this well, and yet you’re unhappy……

What? Only you’re allowed to put on an act and stage a show, but you won’t let me act a little?

Besides, just what are you thinking?

Why did you make a ruckus this time?

Xie Huai sighed helplessly.

This person looked as if everything was written on his face, but his true thoughts were impossible to grasp.

Fang Li had already been a little tired from the bumpy trip, and he’d also drank some wine today. Right now, lying on the soft bed, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

It was rare for him to sleep so deeply.

In his dream, he was floating and sinking in an endless sea, and he soaked in the slightly cool seawater, extremely comfortable.

Suddenly, in the darkness, a vine seemed to wrap around his wrist, fiercely yanking him out from the bottom of the sea. That vine was scorching like a red-hot iron, and the icy cold and blazing heat wove together. He put all his strength into escaping from here, but he couldn’t free himself no matter what……

Fang Li floundered a few times, opening his eyes in shock, then met a pair of…… dark, gloomy pupils.

His wrist was being tightly grasped by Xie Huai, who was looking down on him from above, like a wild beast about to snatch someone up and devour them.

Fang Li’s sleepiness was gone in a split second. He quivered. The Xie Huai right now was just like that time……

No way, right?

It was all because there were no cell phones in this world, or else he’d absolutely have set ten alarms to remind himself, the once-a-month flare-up period was here! Yet he’d actually forgotten such an important thing!

Luckily, this time, Xie Huai was right by his side. He’d learned from his mistakes. He definitely wouldn’t be so bad as to make last time’s mistake!

But what Fang Li didn’t really understand was……

Last time, he’d delayed for seven days, after all. That Xie Huai had been like that was understandable. According to reason, this time, the flare-up had just begun, so Xie Huai shouldn’t be in such a bad state, right? Where was the unrivaled willpower he was so proud of?

Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the person before him.

Just a while earlier……

That familiar abnormality from a long time ago appeared again……

Since the last flare-up, it’d been an entire month.

Why would it suddenly happen again?

Is it you……

You said you were going to let me go, so why did you suddenly once again……

Do you want that badly, with me, to……

Xie Huai stared at the pale white face that was just within reach. Because he’d just woken from a dream, those exquisite, sickly features still had a trace of perplexion and haziness, as well as a seldom-seen well-behaved docileness…… His breathing suddenly became a bit heavier……

That urge that shouldn’t exist crashed against the pit of his stomach over and over again, like ocean waves dashing against the sky,

As if about to overflow.

Right now, Fang Li didn’t dare to make any rash moves. He carefully observed Xie Huai, only feeling that his breath was scorching hot, and his eyes looked like they wanted to eat him…… Ferocious, and unfamiliar……

He couldn’t help but be a bit nervous.

Xie Huai wouldn’t…… be thinking that he had activated it, would he……

Anything else was fine, but this misunderstanding definitely couldn’t be allowed!

Straight Man Fang rushed to speak. “It wasn’t me.”

He furiously used innocent and sincere eyes to look at Xie Huai and took in a deep breath, cautiously explaining, “Once a month…… it will flare up…… Really, it wasn’t me……”

Brother, forgive me, I definitely don’t have those kinds of thoughts toward you. You’re the bigger man, don’t hold it against me!

I’m only doing it to follow the script……

I wish the flare-up wouldn’t happen even more than you!

Xie Huai fixed his eyes on the person in front of him. The first thing Fang Li had done after fully awakening was to explain that he wasn’t the one who had activated the love parasite, as if only fearing that he would misunderstand…… He paused. Then, his expression became even more dangerous, with a trace of indiscernible shadow.

Since you’re so afraid of something happening, why did you give me the love parasite?

Weren’t you the one who said that you were going to make me like you……

Now, you’re in such a rush to cast everything clean away……

Xie Huai’s hand slowly tightened, and he lowered his head, approaching the other’s face, as if he wanted to thoroughly see through this person.

Every time, after doing something hateful, this person would put on this innocent expression…… to confuse him, to make him waver……

But, you’re clearly the one who caused all of this, aren’t you?

How are you innocent?

Fang Li discovered that not only had his explanation not alleviated Xie Huai’s anger, but had actually made him even more angry…… In his urgency, he didn’t have much room to think and  hurriedly brought his finger toward Xie Huai, saying hastily, “My blood can relieve it.”

Xie Huai’s expression suddenly chilled.

The person before him was anxious and uneasy, as if fearing his approach, hurriedly giving him his finger, watching him with urgency……

This was the antidote.

Last time, he’d unconsciously swallowed his blood while biting in order to make it through the flare-up period.

This time, on the other hand, you were well-prepared.

Do you plan to muddle through like this once a month, every month?

Hah, besides…… Once a month, is this your so-called giving me freedom? Letting me leave?

This erratic, vile liar.

Lovable…… yet hateful.

Xie Huai suddenly opened his mouth and bit the tip of that long, slender finger, then laughed coldly.

Fang Li’s eyes immediately erupted with tears. Shit, shit, shit, shit, what are you biting so hard for?! You didn’t bite off my entire fingertip, did you?! Just a little drop is enough! You don’t need to do it so hard, big brother!

But he turned his eyes and met Xie Huai’s eyes that were cold enough to freeze someone to death and immediately lost the courage to complain. He didn’t even dare to withdraw his finger, his face paling from guilt.

Forget it, if you want to bite, go ahead. I’m the one who should be sorry to you first……

Luckily, there wouldn’t be a next time. It should be less than a month until the end of the script, right?

Fang Li pressed his lips tightly together and didn’t make a sound.

Time trickled by……

Just when he suspected Xie Huai wanted to suck his blood dry like this, the man looking down at him finally raised his head and spared his poor little finger.

Fang Li rushed to withdraw his hand and laughed awkwardly. Right now, he didn’t have a trace of arrogance or unbridledness.

There was no way to go to sleep anymore.

At a time like this, it would be better to stay farther away from Xie Huai……

Just as he was getting ready to flee, suddenly, a slightly cool, low voice spoke by his ear. “Your Excellency plans to leave just like this?”

What else?

Fang Li turned his head back, bewildered. Before he’d snapped out of his daze, he was yanked back and firmly immediately pressed down on the bed.

The man’s fingertips softly caressed his neck, his expression dark and dangerous…… I really don’t want to just let you off like this……

Fang Li’s eyes widened all the way.

Was Xie Huai about to kill him?

True, that was the way to solve things once and for all……

Alarm bells rang in Fang Li’s head, and just when he was pondering whether to strike back……

He saw the cool and tranquil man lower his head and emit a nearly indiscernible laugh. “Didn’t Your Excellency want to fake a scene?”

I’ll fulfill your wish.