After the Stand-in Hugged the White Moonlight's Thigh Tightly - Chapter 50

 Chapter 50: The End

The little hut was hidden behind the bamboo forest. It was quiet here; only the two of them were present, undisturbed by anyone else.

Ruan Mingyu’s face was so peaceful, as if he had just closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

The snow outside the window finally stopped. Sunlight streamed through the gauze window, illuminating Ruan Mingyu’s face. Such good weather was rare in winter. It was a pity he couldn’t see it now.

Song Chenxi touched his face and told him about his day.

“This morning, a little sparrow suddenly flew into the house. It started flitting around, chirping incessantly. I opened the window for it, but it still didn’t know how to fly away. It was very clumsy, just like you.” He paused there. “I was wrong. You’re not like that. You’re actually quite smart. You mastered that complex sword move in just three months after I taught you. If you practiced seriously, we should have become rivals. Then I wouldn’t go easy on you.” He regretted the last part halfway through. “Perhaps I still would go easy on you. I would be sad if you got hurt.” He kept rambling about his daily observations to Ruan Mingyu, who lay silently on the bed, though most of his words were insignificant nonsense.

In the past, Ruan Mingyu was the only one who chattered like this, but now the chattering person had become Song Chenxi.

Perhaps it was the loneliness…

He pressed his forehead against Ruan Mingyu’s forehead. “Why don’t you answer me?”

Although his expression remained flat, an unconcealable sadness was visible in his eyes.

“Just answer me with a single word…”

No one answered him. The room was filled only with his own soliloquy.

Spring passed, autumn arrived, and year after year went by. Song Chenxi had lost count of how many seasons had passed. He only knew that the bamboo forest behind the house had been replaced several times, the color changing from deep to light, and then back from light to deep.

Everything in the world was moving forward, but the person he had been waiting for had yet to wake up…

Unknowingly, another winter arrived.

Song Chenxi dressed Ruan Mingyu in thick snow fox fur. Although he had used spells to block out the cold outside the window, he was still afraid Ruan Mingyu might feel cold. Truthfully, Ruan Mingyu didn’t look like someone who had been unconscious for years. His complexion was still rosy, and even in his sleep, he wore a faint smile.

Song Chenxi usually went out during the day and returned at night. He was deceiving himself; he actually didn’t want to return to that room. He always stood by the door, hoping that the next time he entered, Ruan Mingyu would be awake. However, that wish had failed him many times.

He stood outside the door, enduring the wind and snow. Soon, his head was covered with thick snow. It was unclear whether his dark hair had turned white or if the snow had melted into his strands. If he didn’t have a visible breathing rhythm, anyone would mistake him for a sculpture in the snow.

When the moon came out, he shook the snow off his body and pushed the door open again.

The room was dark, the lamps unlit, but he walked in effortlessly, a familiar path. He would walk around the table, take seven more steps to reach the bed, and then lower his hand to touch Ruan Mingyu’s face.

Just as he was about to repeat this routine he had taken countless times, he heard an almost imperceptible breath.

At that moment, Song Chenxi froze completely. Time seemed to stop flowing.

He raised a trembling hand and reached for the bed.

Then, he heard a familiar voice.

“Senior Brother…”

Ruan Mingyu had no idea what had happened. To him, he had merely taken a nap, but it was a restless sleep, filled with images of blood, often leaving him terrified. Occasionally, a murmur would reach his ears, and only then would he feel a little better in his dream.

Immediately after, he fell into a warm embrace.

He was hugged tightly by Song Chenxi, as if he wanted to knead him into his bones.

“Senior Brother, did I sleep for a long time?” Why was he reacting so intensely, as if he had recovered something lost?

Song Chenxi buried his head in his shoulder, slightly choked up: “A very long time.” So long that he thought Ruan Mingyu would never wake up.

Ruan Mingyu gently patted his back. He held grudges well and, mimicking Song Chenxi’s past actions, teased: “Senior Brother, lift your head so I can see. Are you crying?”

Song Chenxi let go, a smile appearing on his face. He leaned in and gently bit Ruan Mingyu’s lip, whispering: “I’ve cried enough. It’s your turn to cry.”

Ruan Mingyu hurriedly waved his hands: “No, no, no. I just woke up. You can’t treat me like this!”

Song Chenxi closed the door with a flick of his hand.

In the snowy landscape, only the sounds of someone crying out could be heard from within the bamboo hut:

“Senior Brother, I was wrong!”

“I won’t tease you next time!”

“Mmm—”

…

Ruan Mingyu had just recovered, and his body felt like it had just been put together. He could barely walk smoothly. He had intended to walk toward Song Chenxi by the door, but after two steps, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

He had bad luck and knocked the cup on the table to the floor. The shards cut his foot in several places.

Ruan Mingyu cried out in pain, clutching his knee, tears welling up in his eyes.

Song Chenxi quickly went over to help him up, placing his hand on Ruan Mingyu’s leg, using spiritual power to heal him. Such a small wound would have vanished in the blink of an eye before, but now it took a long time for the wound to heal.

“Why has your cultivation become like this?” Ruan Mingyu was full of shock. Song Chenxi didn’t answer. His fingers stroked Ruan Mingyu’s hair, his face filled with tenderness.

Ruan Mingyu pulled his hand away from his head: “I asked you a question.”

Song Chenxi smiled nonchalantly: “My spiritual power has dissipated greatly. I’ll have to rely on my Junior Brother to protect me from now on.”

Ruan Mingyu was stunned. His nose stung. Song Chenxi was such a proud person, and now he was…

He leaned against Song Chenxi, his voice muffled:

“Then you’ll have to treat me better. No more talking mockingly.”

“Oh, then we’ll have to rely on our Junior Brother entirely.”

“Alright, but I don’t work for free. All your spirit stones will be managed by me from now on. And I’ll have to take over the role of Senior Brother. When you need my protection, you have to shout out loud, ‘Brother Mingyu, come save me!’ and I’ll descend from the sky and beat the bad guys to a pulp.” Ruan Mingyu wiped his tears while trying to joke lightly.

Song Chenxi only stared at his mouth, watching his lips open and close. Ignoring what he said, Song Chenxi leaned down and kissed him.

Realizing what he was doing, Ruan Mingyu’s face instantly turned bright red.

“One more condition: if you want me to protect you, you’re not allowed to just kiss me casually.”

Song Chenxi chuckled softly: “Alright.” But his actions did not stop.

Ruan Mingyu silently cursed him as a bad guy, forgetting to cry instead.

…

Outside the window, heavy snow had arrived. The world was a vast expanse of white.

“I want to go out for a walk,” Ruan Mingyu said, looking out the window.

“It’s very cold outside,” Song Chenxi said.

“But we can’t just stay in, right?”

Song Chenxi couldn’t argue with him. He bundled Ruan Mingyu up in fox fur, wrapping him like a zongzi.

Having been confined for so long, Ruan Mingyu, upon gaining freedom, was like a bird returning to the sky. He frolicked in the snow, kneading a snowball and throwing it at Song Chenxi.

Song Chenxi was equally ruthless, rolling a huge snow clump and hurling it at him. Ruan Mingyu laughed heartily and ran away. Song Chenxi pretended not to be able to catch him, but just when Ruan Mingyu was most complacent, he threw snow at him.

Ruan Mingyu lay on the ground begging for mercy: “Senior Brother, I give up.”

Song Chenxi asked him: “Who won?”

Ruan Mingyu was easily forgetful, pointing to himself with smiling eyes: “Me.”

Song Chenxi went over and shoveled snow down his collar. Ruan Mingyu shivered from the cold and immediately changed his tune: “You won, you won, alright!”

With that, Song Chenxi started tickling him. Ruan Mingyu repeatedly begged: “I was wrong, I was wrong, stop playing with me!”

When Song Chenxi released him, Ruan Mingyu started being mischievous again: “Hmph, bad Senior Brother.”

Song Chenxi stared at him and smiled: “Oh, then I’ll be even naughtier.” Saying this, he picked him up over his shoulder, kicked the door open, threw him onto the bed, and then climbed on top of him.

Ruan Mingyu was alarmed: “What are you doing?”

Song Chenxi: “Guess.”

Ruan Mingyu: “I can’t guess.”

Song Chenxi buried him under the covers, then reached out to take off his clothes.

Ruan Mingyu shrank back: “Seriously? It’s daytime, and do you really need such a fiery temper? Senior Brother, you’re so petty!”

Song Chenxi stopped his hands: “What are you thinking? I just wanted to change your clothes.” He smiled mischievously: “If you want me to do something else, it’s not impossible. After all, you’re my Junior Brother.”

Ruan Mingyu touched his neck, realizing the snow that had been thrown into his collar had melted, leaving him damp. He coughed: “I’ll do it myself.”

Song Chenxi threw his own clothes to him and turned his head away. Song Chenxi’s clothes were a bit large on Ruan Mingyu, but they were better than being naked.

He changed his clothes and leaned on the bed, looking at the snow outside bending the trees. Suddenly, he said: “Senior Brother, no matter how heavy the wind and snow are, we have to go out.”

Song Chenxi was already used to this life here. The ambition he had back then seemed to have been smoothed over by time. He remained silent at Ruan Mingyu’s suggestion.

Ruan Mingyu sat on the bed, raising his arm to pull Song Chenxi’s hand. He seemed to be the same as he was back then, forever refusing to grow up, swinging his hand back and forth, his face serious: “Song Chenxi, it’s not good for us to stay here all the time. Let’s leave when spring arrives.”

Song Chenxi paused, looking out the window.

Ruan Mingyu shook his hand constantly, asking him: “How about it? Hurry up and answer me!”

Song Chenxi looked down at him, a gentle smile flashing in the eyes that were usually full of mockery.

“You’re taking liberties. You don’t even call me Senior Brother anymore.”

Ruan Mingyu started chanting “Senior Brother, Senior Brother” non-stop like a fast-paced storyteller.

“I was just anxious for a moment. If you want to hear ‘Senior Brother,’ I can call it a thousand, ten thousand times.”

“What do you want to do outside?” Song Chenxi asked him. Did he want to return to their old life?

Ruan Mingyu thought for a moment and said: “No more cultivating. I want to be a carefree spirit, wandering everywhere.”

He looked at Song Chenxi, his eyes full of longing, so focused that only Song Chenxi was in his sight.

Song Chenxi touched his face and finally agreed: “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

…

The two accompanied each other through the cold winter. Spring was visibly approaching. The leaves had turned green without them noticing. After days of planning, the two were finally ready to depart.

Before leaving, Ruan Mingyu stuffed everything in the house into his storage ring indiscriminately.

“When we’re traveling, we can buy less wine and save a little.”

Song Chenxi said sarcastically: “You’re quite the homemaker.”

Ruan Mingyu had become increasingly audacious, showing the arrogance of being favored: “You’d die if you didn’t nitpick me.”

Song Chenxi glanced at him. Ruan Mingyu shut up, afraid Song Chenxi might “teach him a lesson” again.

After a long delay, the two finally set off.

Song Chenxi managed to procure an automatic carriage from somewhere. He didn’t enjoy the scenery and sat inside the carriage, while Ruan Mingyu, who loved flora and fauna, sat outside the carriage.

The two could talk across the curtain. Ruan Mingyu described everything he saw and heard along the way, sighing with emotion: “Spring is wonderful. The flowers and trees have come alive. The grass in front is growing so tall and wild.”

Song Chenxi said “Mm” to indicate he was listening. Often, when Ruan Mingyu was rambling, he would also say “Mm” to show he was paying attention.

Unknowingly, dusk fell. The lingering sunset glow spread across the horizon.

Ruan Mingyu lifted the curtain, went inside, grabbed Song Chenxi’s arm, and dragged him out.

Song Chenxi asked him: “What do you want now?”

Ruan Mingyu pointed to the sky filled with the glow of sunset and said: “Look quickly! It’s so beautiful.”

Song Chenxi stared at Ruan Mingyu, the corners of his mouth curving up uncontrollably.

Ruan Mingyu: “I told you to look at the scenery, not me!”

Song Chenxi’s gaze never left him. He said lazily: “Mm, it is very beautiful.”

Ruan Mingyu: “You can’t be so dismissive!”

Song Chenxi snapped his fingers. The carriage beneath them suddenly sped up, plunging into the sea of grass that Ruan Mingyu had described as “tall and wild.”

Under the orange sunset, the figures of the two quickly disappeared into the boundless grassland.

As for what they would encounter after crossing this sea of grass?

That remains unknown.

…

[The End]