I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 20

This location seemed to be a secluded island on the edge of the continent, isolated from the rest of the world. However, the spiritual energy here was abundant, and the flowering seasons lasted longer than in most places. Even in winter, flowers bloomed everywhere in vibrant health.

Back at the Shen residence, many pear trees had been planted, yet when Shen Qingzhuo last returned, they hadn’t even grown leaves, let alone blossoms.

They spent several days cleaning the area, pruning the fruit trees and the wildly growing blue Hidden Spirit flowers. Shen Qingzhuo gathered the discarded blossoms to use as decorations. Then, there was the Bodhi tree. It grew tall and straight, its branches curving with a natural rhythm that required no trimming at all.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

When the youth was first brought here, he was extremely reserved. It seemed the events in Yun City had deeply affected him; he had been distracted and listless for a long time. However, after just a few days, Qi Ye’s state improved significantly. Eventually, he acted as if nothing had happened, even beginning to learn how to cook for Shen Qingzhuo every day.

Remembering their previous barbecue, Shen Qingzhuo once again marveled at the boy’s culinary talent.

Over these days, they had roughly tidied the entire island and repaired the dilapidated houses. Although they were a far cry from being “new,” they were sturdy enough to provide shelter from the wind and rain.

On their first night there, Shen Qingzhuo had asked Qi Ye if he knew how to cook. Shen Qingzhuo certainly didn’t, and at the time, he worried about their future meals. He feared that if he were the one at the stove, they would both end up with food poisoning.

Shen Qingzhuo had felt a twinge of guilt. Qi Ye admitted he had never cooked before but was willing to try. Relieved, Shen Qingzhuo handed over the repaired kitchen.

Although the island was large, its isolation meant ingredients were scarce; they had to hunt game or gather wild vegetables. Fortunately, the previous owner had left behind some grains, enough to last them a few days. Shen Qingzhuo’s standards were low as long as the food didn’t cause an upset stomach, he was content.

However, Qi Ye’s performance exceeded all expectations. Despite the limited ingredients, Qi Ye learning for the first time consistently created imaginative dishes with delicious flavors.

Aside from their daily needs, they left the previous owner’s belongings untouched after the repairs, preserving the traces of the original courtyards and choosing the two most spacious rooms to live in.

Qi Ye did the majority of the work. When they first arrived, there were so many chores that Shen Qingzhuo didn’t know where to start; he could help clean the dust, but he was useless when it came to repairing broken windows or crumbling walls.

Shen Qingzhuo had suggested pitching a tent for the first night and taking their time with the repairs. To his surprise, when he woke up the next morning, the area he had designated as their living quarters had been completely refurbished and was nearly finished.

From then on, Qi Ye wouldn’t let him lift a finger, insisting that he simply watch and offer opinions.

It took about ten days to finish the repairs on the island. Every day, Shen Qingzhuo discovered a new skill in Qi Ye. The youth seemed capable of doing anything, and if he didn’t know how, he learned with surprising speed. He was a constant source of delight.

Shen Qingzhuo increasingly felt he had found a treasure. This didn’t feel like a mission to help the protagonist become a god; it felt like the protagonist’s path was too easy, so the world had added the “difficulty” of bringing Shen Qingzhuo along.

The only thing Shen Qingzhuo could offer was constant, effortless praise. So young, yet such a promising future!

Shen Qingzhuo grew more relaxed. Since the youth didn’t mind his presence, Shen Qingzhuo had no reason to be guarded. He wasn’t one to restrict himself by nature; he acted based on his own preferences and circumstances. To him, Qi Ye was no longer just a mission objective, but a friend who moved his heart a companion in this strange world.

One evening, as Shen Qingzhuo ate the food and drank the soup the youth had prepared, he realized how much he enjoyed this feeling. For the first time, he used his own chopsticks to feed a morsel to Qi Ye. “You eat too.”

The youth froze. In his surprise, his mouth parted slightly, and the food was pressed inside. His face instantly flushed a deep red; he turned away and ignored Shen Qingzhuo entirely.

Shen Qingzhuo was baffled, wondering if he had done something wrong. “Xiao Ye?” He had been calling him that for days. He tried calling the name several more times but received no response.

Is he truly angry? Shen Qingzhuo’s heart sank; he felt a bit panicked.

“I’m sorry. If you don’t like it, I won’t do it again.” Shen Qingzhuo walked over and touched the boy’s shoulder from behind.

The youth still didn’t turn around or say a word. From behind, Shen Qingzhuo could see Qi Ye’s hands covering his face, his shoulders trembling slightly. It looked exactly as if… he were crying.

Shen Qingzhuo grew even more flustered. He reflected: Was feeding him really that serious? Sometimes Qi Ye feeds me quite naturally, and I just eat it.

He moved around to face Qi Ye, wondering what kind of apology would win his forgiveness. Suddenly, Shen Qingzhuo froze.

Qi Ye was indeed covering his face with both hands, but he wasn’t crying. His face was flushed crimson, his eyes were crinkled he was clearly… laughing.

When Qi Ye looked up and saw Shen Qingzhuo in front of him, he quickly lowered his hands. Without their cover, the blush on his cheeks became even more apparent. He stopped laughing, but seeing the serious expression on Shen Qingzhuo’s face, he became flustered. Realizing Shen Qingzhuo had been talking to him, he shook his head frantically. “No… I… I like it!”

Shen Qingzhuo remained skeptical. Had he not seen the boy laughing just now, he truly would have thought he had crossed a boundary. He asked, “If you like it, why did you hide?”

Qi Ye’s face remained bright red. He stammered, telling the truth: “Because… it’s the first time you fed me. I wasn’t used to it…”

“Really?” Hearing the reason, the worry on Shen Qingzhuo’s face vanished, replaced by a grin. “Then should I feed you like that often from now on?”

Qi Ye’s eyes widened, and he shook his head repeatedly. That was definitely not what he meant! He was already satisfied being fed once; how could he dare hope for more? Yet, if he refused, would Shen Qingzhuo think he didn’t like it?

Qi Ye caught himself in a dilemma, eventually thinking greedily: If Shen Qingzhuo really did feed me again… that would be… so wonderful.

After lunch, the two went out to find ingredients for dinner. This was their daily routine: Qi Ye did the cooking, Shen Qingzhuo helped with the prep, and they searched for food together. At first, Qi Ye didn’t want Shen Qingzhuo to touch anything, but he couldn’t win against the man’s persistence.

Looking at the vast, fertile land, Shen Qingzhuo thought that if they stayed here long-term, they might be able to grow their own grain.

Seeing some green wild vegetables, Shen Qingzhuo knelt to dig them up. It had rained lightly that morning, and the damp soil stained his fingers. Qi Ye immediately grabbed his hand, took the vegetables, and wiped Shen Qingzhuo’s fingers clean with his own clothes.

Shen Qingzhuo sighed at the overreaction. He teased Qi Ye, saying that if his hands were dirty, he could just wash them later, but by using his clothes, the boy made things harder to clean.

Qi Ye shook his head firmly, his expression devout and serious. “It’s fine if I am dirty, but you cannot be.”

Shen Qingzhuo had no choice but to listen. Looking at the boy’s serious face, the dirt on his clothes seemed out of place. He didn’t expect that from then on, the youth wouldn’t let him do anything at all. Whenever he asked why, the answer was always the same: It will get you dirty.

Shen Qingzhuo liked being clean, but not to the point where he couldn’t touch a bit of dust. He smiled helplessly. If this continued, he would be pampered into a useless person.

However, on this excursion, they traveled further than before and found fresh mushrooms. Shen Qingzhuo mentioned he wanted mushroom soup. Fearing it wouldn’t be enough, the youth picked a great many of them.

Shen Qingzhuo looked at the basket full of fresh mushrooms with great satisfaction. These were the best kind. If they had some meat to make buns, it would be perfect. He didn’t say it out loud, though; he knew that with Qi Ye’s earnest personality, the boy would go to any lengths to make it happen, and Shen Qingzhuo didn’t want to feel the guilt of “bullying” such an honest person. I’ll save the buns for another time, he thought.

Shen Qingzhuo was in a good mood. Qi Ye glanced back at him, and seeing his happiness, the boy felt happy as well. Qi Ye clenched his hands; he loved this life so much, and he desperately wished it were all real.

Their basket was full, and they had even caught a plump wild pheasant. Qi Ye wouldn’t let Shen Qingzhuo touch that either. Despite finding so many ingredients, Qi Ye carried them all, leaving Shen Qingzhuo’s hands empty.

On the way back, seeing the snow-white pear blossoms everywhere, Shen Qingzhuo had an idea. He had read about making Pear Blossom Wine in books but had never tried it. Before transmigrating, he had very little free time; during his first year in this world, though he was idle, there were no pear trees at the academy.

Shen Qingzhuo began picking the blossoms. He wondered if this was impolite to the original owner of the garden, but he decided that anyone who would share such a paradise with future generations must be open-minded. As a fellow flower-lover, surely the owner wouldn’t mind.

Meeting the youth’s confused gaze, Shen Qingzhuo said, “We’re brewing wine.”

He added, “But I’ve never tried it; I only know the method from books. I don’t know if it will be a success.” If it fails, we’ll just consider it a fun project, he thought. It would just be a pity to waste such fine blossoms.

Qi Ye waited for him. When Shen Qingzhuo finished picking the flowers, he didn’t have a basket, so he stored the rest in his Spatial Ring. He picked out one blossom he thought was the most beautiful and, with a mischievous smile, tucked it into the youth’s hair.

Qi Ye instinctively reached up to touch it. Shen Qingzhuo pressed his hand down, his eyes full of playful joy. “Don’t take it off. It looks good.”

Qi Ye withdrew his hand, looking dazed for a moment before a blush crept up to his ears. Even though a long time had passed since their first meeting, he still grew nervous around Shen Qingzhuo. Every time Shen Qingzhuo smiled at him or touched him, Qi Ye felt as though reality were slipping away, leaving him dizzy.

“It will be a success,” the youth said after a long silence.

After returning, Shen Qingzhuo prepared to help with dinner, but Qi Ye did everything. When Shen Qingzhuo tried to wash the vegetables, the boy refused, saying the water was too cold.

Shen Qingzhuo leaned against the window frame, watching him work. Soon, the aroma of food filled the air. Shen Qingzhuo happily went to help serve the dishes, but the boy stopped him again, saying they were too hot.

The youth spoke with such deadpan earnestness, even with the white pear blossom still in his hair. As he moved, the petals quivered it was incredibly cute.

Shen Qingzhuo laughed. “You really are going to pamper me into uselessness. Will you eventually have to help me walk because you’re afraid I’ll get tired? Once my limbs have withered and I can’t do anything, you’ll have to take care of me forever.”

The youth, who was busy with the cooking utensils, paused. Then, out of Shen Qingzhuo’s sight, he nodded solemnly. His voice, still sounding a bit young, said, “Mm. Okay!”

“What ‘okay’?” Shen Qingzhuo walked in and took the freshly served food from him. “Who would like a useless person? You’ll surely be tired of me by then.”

Qi Ye shook his head frantically, his inner thoughts slipping out: “No! I like you no matter what you are!”

Shen Qingzhuo just smiled and said nothing, assuming the boy was just being sweet to make him happy.

Having promised to feed Qi Ye again, Shen Qingzhuo filled a bowl with rice, soup, and plenty of side dishes. He held Qi Ye’s bowl while his own remained almost empty.

Deciding the table was too large, Shen Qingzhuo sat right next to the youth. Under the boy’s stunned and bewildered gaze, he held a spoonful of food to his mouth.

Qi Ye looked utterly shocked, his lips pressed tight. Shen Qingzhuo tilted his chin up, teasing him with a smile. “Hmm? Eat. Didn’t you say you liked this?”

Qi Ye stared at him for a moment, then suddenly snatched the bowl from Shen Qingzhuo’s hands and lowered his head, shoveling the food in within a few bites.

It was Shen Qingzhuo’s turn to be stunned. He looked at his empty hands and then at the youth, who was eating as if he had been spooked. He was genuinely trying to feed Qi Ye; why had it turned out like this?

Shen Qingzhuo reached for the bowl of mushroom soup. “Eat slower, don’t choke. This soup—”

Qi Ye snatched the soup from his hands as well and drank it all in one go. Shen Qingzhuo was truly baffled. It seemed the boy didn’t like being fed after all.

Shen Qingzhuo shook his head. “Fine, I won’t feed you anymore.”

He began to eat his own meal, unaware that after finishing that soup, the youth was gasping for air, taking a long time to recover. Qi Ye’s heart was pounding as if it were about to leap out of his chest; no matter how much courage he had, he didn’t dare let Shen Qingzhuo feed him like that…

Once they finished eating, Shen Qingzhuo began the process for the Pear Blossom Wine. Finally, they were in a domain that Qi Ye didn’t know, so the boy couldn’t tell him not to move. Shen Qingzhuo felt a small sense of accomplishment.

The brewing process was long. Once they finished, they buried the sealed jars of wine beneath the Bodhi tree. Shen Qingzhuo felt the tree was spiritual; having lived for hundreds of years and absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, it was a symbol of good fortune.

Having finished, Shen Qingzhuo brushed off his clothes, his face beaming with delight.

“Bodhi signifies wisdom and enlightenment. Since this wine is buried beneath it, let’s call it ‘Bodhi Seed’.”

“We can dig it up this time next year. We’ll know then if it was a success. If I’m not here then, remember to taste it for me.”

As Shen Qingzhuo spoke, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, looking as though he were already savoring the taste. However, Qi Ye felt a chill in his heart, a sense of impending dread.

“Are you… going to leave me?” the youth asked in terror.

Shen Qingzhuo would leave eventually; it was only a matter of time. He didn’t know what Qi Ye truly wanted, but he knew the boy was already very strong. The completion of his original mission—for the protagonist to become the strongest on the continent was not far off. What remained was to ensure everyone accepted Qi Ye.

This was something that should have been stated plainly. Yet, for some reason, he saw a look of desperate resistance in the boy’s eyes a plea for him not to go. Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t bear it and changed his phrasing.

“Of course not. But I might have urgent business I have to attend to. If I’m not here, you should taste it for me.”

Qi Ye clenched his fists and then released them. “Then I will wait for you. I’ll wait until you return.”

Shen Qingzhuo was slightly startled by his persistence. “What if I am blocked by something and cannot return?” he asked.

Qi Ye replied, “Then I will go find you. No matter where you are, I will bring you back!”