Everyone Loves the Villainous Scumbag [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Luo Jianghe’s face turned red, the flush spreading all the way to his earlobes. It was hard to tell if he was ashamed because Fu Chen had exposed him or if the ambiguous atmosphere was getting to his head.

“You, why were you eavesdropping on a conversation between siblings?” he asked, feeling uneasy. After all, he had indeed been speaking ill of someone behind their back.

However, he also felt he was not entirely in the wrong. First of all, Fu Chen was indeed gay. Even if he had not been turned yet, or perhaps was born that way, the novel made it clear that he would eventually be interested in men. Luo Jianghe felt he was simply giving his sister a head start.

Secondly, while Fu Chen had not kissed another man in the school hallway yet, his future actions toward Yu Wuyang would be ten thousand times more scandalous. Still, it was embarrassing to face the current Fu Chen. Since Fu Chen was just an adult with a thin skin, slandering him felt somewhat wrong.

“You,” Luo Jianghe started to defend himself, but after a moment, he decided a sincere apology was better. “I am sorry. I only said those things because my sister is in her third year of junior high, and I did not want her to be distracted.”

Fu Chen was not actually angry. Instead, he found Luo Jianghe quite cute under the lights. His pale skin was flushed with embarrassment, and his skin felt hot to the touch. Because Fu Chen was standing so close, his breath brushed against Luo Jianghe’s neck, making his limbs stiffen. Occasionally, Luo Jianghe would tremble slightly from the ticklish sensation. Since he felt guilty and wanted Fu Chen to cool down, he could only accept the teasing.

Once Luo Jianghe apologized, Fu Chen stopped pushing. He lifted his head from where it had been resting near Luo Jianghe’s shoulder. Because they were so close and Fu Chen was so tall, he almost completely overshadowed Luo Jianghe.

Luo Jianghe was forced to look up at him. He had an oval face that was exceptionally handsome even for a man. With his face flushed and wearing thin, light blue pajamas, he looked even smaller as he peered upward. Fu Chen felt a ripple in his heart, and his hands at his sides tightened.

Was Luo Jianghe’s face even as large as his palm? He wanted to reach out and measure it. He touched Luo Jianghe’s face, but his gaze drifted toward his lips. He felt that because Luo Jianghe had said such strange things, he was becoming strange himself.

Feeling the atmosphere had become too intimate, Luo Jianghe looked down and took a half step back. However, Fu Chen tilted his chin up, forcing him to meet his eyes again.

“Have you ever kissed him?” Fu Chen asked.

The question seemed to come out of nowhere, leaving Luo Jianghe confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you sleepwalking?” Luo Jianghe added. Why else would Fu Chen be so suggestive and ask such a bizarre question?

“That Yu Wuyang,” Fu Chen said. He pressed his thumb against Luo Jianghe’s lip, gently rubbing it to feel the softness.

Luo Jianghe finally realized something was very wrong. He wondered if this male lead was jealous. Given their current situation, they could be considered rivals in love. However, Luo Jianghe had assumed that because the second male lead had not yet fallen for Yu Wuyang, there was no need to hide his friendship with the protagonist.

It seemed this world truly revolved around the main characters. Initially, Luo Jianghe had worried his presence might derail the plot, but now it seemed his butterfly effect was simply making events happen earlier, such as Fu Chen liking Yu Wuyang sooner. He doubted his actions would completely change the overall story.

Regardless of Fu Chen’s potential anger, Luo Jianghe did not enjoy being toyed with. He gave Fu Chen a heavy shove. Despite the effort, Fu Chen only moved back one step due to his size and strength. Sensing the resistance, Fu Chen’s attitude softened. He followed the force of the shove and let go of Luo Jianghe’s chin.

“What are you talking about?” Luo Jianghe asked, feigning a natural smile once he was free. “Why would I kiss Yu Wuyang?”

Maintaining his scumbag persona and seeking a bit of revenge for the earlier teasing, he added mockingly, “How can a man kiss another man? I only said those things to protect my sister. Can you even imagine that in real life? Just talking about it feels disgusting.”

Fu Chen’s expression stiffened for a moment. Seeing this, Luo Jianghe felt a surge of joy. His revenge was a success.

“Do you find it disgusting?” Fu Chen asked, his face returning to its usual indifference.

Luo Jianghe nodded. “Of course, it is disgusting. The idea of two men being together is just awkward to even hear about.”

While he did not actually feel this way, as he believed sexual orientation was a personal freedom, he decided to use this rhetoric to strike back at the man who had just teased him. He also wanted to stabilize Fu Chen. As the second male lead, Fu Chen was physically formidable. If Fu Chen already liked Yu Wuyang, knowing that Luo Jianghe planned to be with Yu Wuyang only to dump him might result in Luo Jianghe getting beaten up.

Even if this world was fictional, he could still feel pain.

“Why? Do you actually like men?” Luo Jianghe asked. He decided not to push his luck too far and patted Fu Chen’s shoulder. “It is fine. People are free to choose these days. If you really like men, I will not discriminate against you, but I will not be participating.”

He knew his words sounded contradictory and likely to provoke a reaction. He began to wonder if Fu Chen would leave a bruise on his handsome face.

“Ding! Scumbag attribute detected. Scumbag points +1.”

Luo Jianghe was startled by the voice of 017 in his head. “What are scumbag points? What are they for?”

“In this world, they serve as a bonus to adjust your sensory intensity. You can use these points to reduce pain or enhance your vision and smell,” 017 explained.

Luo Jianghe nodded inwardly. This was actually a useful feature. Since he would eventually have to leave each world once the mission was complete, he might need to die to exit. Being able to reduce pain would be very helpful.

“Why did you not tell me about this sooner?” he asked.

“This is a new feature added to enhance the experience. It may not always be available, so please use it wisely,” the system replied.

“Fine,” Luo Jianghe thought. It seemed that in addition to his main tasks, he would have to say scumbag things occasionally, provided he could avoid getting hit. He had been a corporate worker in his previous life, and while he had never been a scumbag, he had plenty of frustration toward society. He felt he could handle being a bit of a jerk to this world.

To avoid a confrontation with Fu Chen, Luo Jianghe quickly turned around and went back to his room while continuing to chat with the system. It was not even 2:00 AM yet, so he had plenty of time to sleep. He lay down and slept soundly until morning.

Meanwhile, Fu Chen’s cigarette had nearly burned out. He tapped it against the pack, extinguished it, and placed the butt inside the empty box. He looked out at the dark night and the few streetlights, losing interest in smoking. He went to the bathroom to rinse his mouth and returned to his room.

However, his night was not as peaceful as Luo Jianghe’s. He dreamed of Luo Jianghe. In the dream, the youth’s face was flushed, his skin was smooth, and his fiery lips seemed ready to consume him. The intense passion felt like it would melt him. When he woke up to a mess, he could no longer sleep.

Watching the sky turn pale, he rested his forehead on his wrist and whispered, “Do I really not like men?”

A few days passed quietly. The bustling city became unusually calm as the New Year approached. The streets were nearly empty as most people stayed indoors. Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. According to tradition and superstition, the first day of the lunar year was a time to avoid most activities, from opening a business to taking out the trash.

Early in the morning before New Year’s Eve, Luo’s mother woke up to buy fresh ingredients at the market. Luo Xi, wanting to join the fun, forced herself out of bed at 8:00 AM.

It was still snowing in the city, and Fu Chen was scheduled to leave the next day. His grandmother missed him dearly, so his elders had arranged for his return. They had purchased a high-speed train ticket to the capital, where a driver would pick him up.

Luo Jianghe calculated the timing, knowing it was his turn to make an appearance. The southern winter was damp and cold, the chill seeming to seep into one’s bones. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, reaching up to people’s ankles.

As Luo Jianghe dressed to go out, Fu Chen finished packing his bags and came downstairs to the living room. Seeing Luo Jianghe ready to leave, he called out from the stairs, “Where are you going?”

Support Everyone Loves the Villainous Scumbag [Quick Transmigration]