Everyone I Flirted With Says They Won’t Let Me Go (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 17

Gu Chengxi’s injury took over half a month to finally show signs of improvement. After that, Xia Chengxi no longer dared to engage in even slightly risky activities like skiing.

Having been cooped up for so long, Xia Chengxi casually mentioned wanting to see the ocean. Gu Chengxi immediately dropped everything and took him abroad for a seaside vacation. Walking hand in hand along the shoreline, they strolled side by side.

“Do you really like the ocean, Xia Xia?”

Xia Chengxi rolled up his pants and walked barefoot, feeling the cool seawater wash over his feet.

“Yeah, I really do. It’s blue and stretches as far as the eye can see. I’ve always wanted to see the ocean, but I never had the chance before.”

“Then should I bring you here often from now on?”

“No need. Beautiful things are precious because they’re rare. Once is enough.”

Having memories of you and the ocean along this journey is more than enough.

“Alright, you’ve had enough fun. Put your shoes on—cold starts from the feet, and you might get sick again.”

Gu Chengxi knelt in front of him, took out a tissue, and wiped the sand and water from his feet. He warmed them in his hands before helping him into his shoes, then held his hand and continued walking leisurely.

Xia Chengxi pulled out his phone and started scrolling through Weibo with his head down. “Bro, hold my hand. I’m going to browse Weibo for a bit.”

“Be careful not to strain your eyes.”

Xia Chengxi pouted. “Bro, you sound like an old man, always nagging. I’ll just look for a little while.”

Gu Chengxi resignedly held his hand. “Fine, go ahead. I’ll lead the way.”

Xia Chengxi trustingly placed his hand in his brother’s grasp while scrolling with the other. Suddenly, he came across something amusing and looked up with a mischievous grin. “Bro, let me ask you a question.”

Gu Chengxi looked seriously into his eyes as Xia Chengxi continued, “If you were stranded on a deserted island with only a mermaid for company, would you prefer her to have a fish tail for her lower body or a fish head for her upper body?”

It was a joke, a trap waiting to be sprung.

“I don’t need any mermaid. I only need you.”

Xia Chengxi sighed and put his phone back in his pocket. “Bro, you’re really good at avoiding traps when you’re around me. You just know how to make me happy.”

“Isn’t making you happy what I’m supposed to do?”

“Then, Bro, are you happy?”

“Of course. Having you by my side is all the happiness I need.”

Xia Chengxi smiled, gazing at the sunset sinking below the horizon where the sky met the water. The afterglow spread across the sea, reflecting a shimmering golden light. “The sunset is so beautiful.”

“Do you like it? When we’re old, let’s come here every day to watch the sunset, okay?”

“Okay.” As he spoke, Xia Chengxi leaned his head against his brother’s arm. “Bro, I’m so sleepy.”

“I’ll carry you on my back.”

“No, you’re still injured.”

Gu Chengxi chuckled. “I’m all better now. Come on.”

He kissed him lightly, took off his coat, and draped it over Xia Chengxi before kneeling in front of him.

Wrapped in his brother’s coat, Xia Chengxi happily climbed onto his back, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his head securely against his broad shoulders. His breathing softened. “Bro, what will we do when you’re too old to carry me anymore?”

“Then I’ll push you in a wheelchair every day to watch the sunset.”

Xia Chengxi kissed his cheek contentedly. “I know you’re the best to me, Bro. Don’t worry, I’ll always be good to you, too.”

As they walked along the shoreline, the salty sea breeze swept over them. Xia Chengxi took a deep, greedy breath.

It felt so good to be under the same sky as his brother.

It felt so good to spend every day and night like this together.

If only we could walk like this forever, that would be even better.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about the first time we met.”

“Don’t even mention it. You weren’t honest from the very first meeting.”

Xia Chengxi protested, “How was I not honest?”

Gu Chengxi surrendered instantly, “Alright, alright, you’re the most well-behaved.”

“Brother, tell me honestly, how many lovers have you had before?”

“Lovers?”

Xia Chengxi adopted a magnanimous tone, “Yeah, you’re so rich and handsome. It’d be a crime against nature if you didn’t have any lovers. But don’t worry, as long as you confess honestly, I won’t get mad.”

Gu Chengxi chuckled softly, “Won’t get mad? Then why do I smell the vinegar from ’82 on you?”

Xia Chengxi retorted, “How could there be vinegar from ’82?”

“You, my dear, are aged vinegar. Xia Chengxi: “Brother, you’re looking down on me.”

Gu Chengxi laughed helplessly: “Brother wishes you’d be jealous every day.”

The sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed. Xia Chengxi gazed at the dark, silent sea and murmured, “Brother, the tide is rising.”

“Mhm, I’ll bring you to see the sea again tomorrow.”

“No need.”

“Tired of it?”

“No,” Xia Chengxi pressed his face against Gu Chengxi’s neck, feeling the pulse of the veins there. “I’m just tired. Brother, don’t wake me up tomorrow, okay? I want to sleep until I wake up naturally.”

Gu Chengxi humored him, “Alright, I won’t wake you tomorrow. You can sleep as long as you want.”

Xia Chengxi: “What if I don’t wake up?”

“Turning into Sleeping Beauty?” Gu Chengxi teased, “Don’t worry, I’ll be the prince and kiss you awake.”

Xia Chengxi’s nose tingled with emotion, his eyes growing moist. “What if the kiss doesn’t wake me?”

“I’ll wait for you. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you.”

“Okay, you said it. Wait for me, wait for me for a lifetime.”

“Deal. I’ll wait for you for a lifetime.”

[Host, ten minutes remaining.]

Xia Chengxi lifted his head to look at the vast expanse of sea ahead. “Brother, do you love me?”

“Why are you asking this again?”

“I want to hear you say you love me. I want to hear you say it every day.”

“You want to hear it every day?”

Xia Chengxi insisted stubbornly, “Mhm, I want to hear it every day, so you have to say it every day.”

Gu Chengxi: “Alright, I’ll remember.”

“Brother, I love you.”

“Mhm, I know.”

“I really love you.”

“Mhm.”

“I really, really love you.”

“Okay, okay, I know. I’ll serve you faithfully for a lifetime.”

“I don’t want you to serve me. I just want you to love me forever.”

“I promise.”

Silence fell.

Gu Chengxi’s shoulder was damp.

“What’s wrong, little crybaby? Did I make you cry again?”

[One-minute remaining.]

Xia Chengxi sniffled, “No, I just feel like crying.”

“Such a crybaby. But don’t worry, from now on, I’ll only make you cry in bed.”

Xia Chengxi lay weakly on his shoulder. “Brother, I confessed to you, but you haven’t confessed to me yet.”

“Do I still need to confess?”

“I want to hear it.”

[Twenty seconds remaining.]

“What do you want to hear?”

“You know what I want to hear.”

“Xia Xia is a delicate little thing.”

“I’m not delicate.”

“Then, a little crybaby?”

Xia Chengxi wiped his tears, “When am I ever crying?”

“Xia Xia.”

“Mhm?”

“I love you.”

[Gu Chengxi’s Sincerity Value at 100%. Congratulations on obtaining Gu Chengxi’s Sincerity Token. Final ten seconds—Host, prepare to traverse to the next world.]

“From the very first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you.”

“I’m afraid of missing you, of losing you. The thought of that possibility makes me feel like there’s no reason to go on living. So, Xia Xia, can you promise me? Give me a reason to keep living, okay?”

Xia Chengxi smiled faintly and slowly closed his eyes. He felt so tired, as if all his strength had been devoured and drained away by the darkness in an instant.

“Alright, I will stay with you forever. You have to wait for me.”

“I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait for you my whole life.”

“You said it a whole lifetime. Don’t lie to me, or else…”

The arm wrapped around Gu Chengxi’s neck gradually fell, and the final promise was torn apart by the sea breeze.

Gu Chengxi froze for a moment, then tightened his embrace around the person behind him and walked forward step by step with unwavering determination.

“Xia Xia, let me tell you the story of the Snail Maiden.”

Gu Chengxi spoke with a smile, “Once upon a time, a man accidentally picked up a snail and brought it home. Later, he always found someone cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning for him. He found it strange, so he hid in the shadows to see who it was. In the end, he discovered a beautiful girl.”

“The beautiful girl told him that she was a snail spirit. Because he had saved her life, she came to repay his kindness.”

“The man was deeply moved and married the Snail Maiden. They had a son and a daughter and lived happily ever after.”

His voice choked with emotion, and no matter how the sea breeze blew, it couldn’t dry the tears on Gu Chengxi’s face. He carefully knelt down, laid Xia Chengxi on the ground, and held him in his arms. He walked along the shoreline, step after step, as if he would never grow tired, as if there was no end in sight.

At the horizon where the sea met the sky, a sliver of pale light emerged. The first ray of dawn, sharp as a blade, dared to pierce the endless darkness.

“Xia Xia, look, the sky is bright.” Gu Chengxi stood up. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll bring you to watch the sunrise again. Be good for me, okay?”

Through tear-blurred eyes, he seemed to hear Xia Chengxi’s clear, gentle voice, softly replying, “Okay, I’ll be good.”

The tide ebbed and flowed, the sea breeze brushed against his face, and a pure white seagull soared over the ocean, letting out a piercing cry before flapping its wings and flying toward the blue sky.

Never to be seen again.

—

[Congratulations, Master. Task progress at 100%.]

[I don’t understand. Why is it always destined to be loss, separation, and death? Why can we never obtain what we seek?]

[Loss, separation, and death are the natural states of human existence. As we traverse worlds, there’s no need to trouble ourselves with these emotions. If we care too much, it will always feel like we’re losing something.]

[Never obtaining it? I don’t believe that.]

[Master, just now I seemed to sense an energy fluctuation, one similar to my own.]

[What does that mean?]

[He might be like us—a traverser.]

[A traverser?] A low chuckle echoed softly. [Interesting. In that case, track him down and follow him.]

[Follow him to his world? What does Master intend to do?]

[Fuck him until he cries.]