I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 22

Shen Qingzhuo remembered that the martial uncles at the academy had given him several pills, so he searched through his belongings and fed all the ones with healing effects to the youth.

Having done so, he gently cupped the boy’s face.

“Can you still walk? If not, I will carry you.”

For a moment, Qi Ye forgot his pain. He simply widened his eyes and shook his head.

That won’t do…

“Why not? It’s not like I haven’t carried you before.”

Ignoring his resistance, Shen Qingzhuo lifted the youth. Qi Ye had run quite far to hide; walking back step by step would take forever. Shen Qingzhuo used his spiritual power to traverse the distance in a few swift strides.

Inside Shen Qingzhuo’s spatial domain, there was a hot spring suitable for both healing and cleansing. Previously, he was the only one who had ever entered, but Shen Qingzhuo tried to see if he could bring the youth inside, and he succeeded.

He only removed the boy’s outer garments before placing him in the water. “This spring should make you feel better. I won’t leave the domain; call me if you need anything.”

Qi Ye wanted to call out to him, but for some reason, his stinging throat couldn’t produce a sound. He reached out to grab Shen Qingzhuo, but the man had already turned and walked away.

After more than an hour, Qi Ye finally felt like his body belonged to him again. He moved his limbs. The headache was gone. He reached up to touch the demon horns on his head they were still there.

Seeing a snow-white silhouette sitting not far away, a thousand thoughts flooded his mind. He parted his lips, but in the end, he said nothing.

Noticing he was awake, Shen Qingzhuo walked over.

In his worry for the youth, Shen Qingzhuo had also been caught in the rain and hadn’t had the chance to wash or change. He had simply used his Profound energy to evaporate the water from his clothes, making them look clean. Seeing the boy’s complexion had improved significantly, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Does it happen every time?” he asked.

When he had found Qi Ye in the old temple, the boy’s state was similar to today, but back then, the youth had already returned to his normal appearance, so Shen Qingzhuo hadn’t thought much of it. Calculating the time, less than a month had passed since the incident at the inn.

To endure this once a month how much pain must that be?

It took a long time for Qi Ye to react to the question; he remained dazed and silent.

Shen Qingzhuo knelt by the edge of the hot spring. “You can’t hurt yourself anymore. If it hurts, tell me. We will face it together.”

Qi Ye remained stunned, but a sudden anxiety gripped his heart. “Aren’t you going to ask… what kind of thing I am?”

Shen Qingzhuo smiled gently. “Then, what are you?”

The boy opened his mouth and closed it again. Several times the words reached his lips but he didn’t know how to say them. He clenched his hands tight. “I…”

Qi Ye racked his brain, a trace of agony returning to his brow. How could he tell Shen Qingzhuo? He didn’t know why himself, but he was simply a Demon Seed. Had Shen Qingzhuo really not realized anything? Why was he still so good to him?

Shen Qingzhuo stopped him. “Everyone has something a bit different about them. Why be so hard on yourself just for being different? Besides, I think they are quite cute.”

With that, Shen Qingzhuo leaned toward him until he was close enough to place his hand on the pair of horns again. Earlier, fearing the boy was in pain, he hadn’t dared to touch them much.

Qi Ye allowed the caress, not daring to move. His heart felt as if it were being struck by lightning—a tingling, numbing sensation.

“I’ve soaked enough. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Qi Ye truly believed now that Shen Qingzhuo didn’t hate this side of him, as the man continued to stroke the demon horns gently for a long time. Qi Ye began to feel that he wasn’t so terrible after all, and he quietly shuffled closer to the edge of the spring to make it easier for Shen Qingzhuo to reach him.

After quite a while, Shen Qingzhuo still hadn’t let go. Qi Ye, feeling completely tingly and weak, spoke up to remind him.

Shen Qingzhuo gave the head one last stroke before reluctantly letting go. “Mm. I’ll wait for you outside. Come out once you’ve changed.”

After a night of turmoil, when Shen Qingzhuo exited the space, the sun had been up for a while. Compared to the gale and torrential rain of the previous night, the weather was now brilliant and clear. Beneath the flowers battered by the storm, butterflies were beginning to flutter.

For some reason, an absurd thought crossed Shen Qingzhuo’s mind: Could the weather be influenced by Qi Ye? Every time his condition worsens, it rains heavily. Then, he shook his head. That thought was far too childish.

Shortly after, the youth emerged in fresh clothes. Today he wore a light blue-grey set. Shen Qingzhuo was used to seeing him in black, but the change in style didn’t feel out of place at all. The youth was quite tall about the same height as him now but given Qi Ye’s young age, Shen Qingzhuo felt he would certainly grow taller.

Shen Qingzhuo led him to his own bedroom and pointed to the smooth, soft bed. “You were in pain all night. Get some proper sleep today. Sleep here; I’ll come back to accompany you in a moment.”

Qi Ye looked incredibly fragile. Fearing another accident if the boy were left alone, Shen Qingzhuo made his intentions clear.

The water in the hot spring replaced itself automatically after each use. Previously, he was the only user. Shen Qingzhuo thought he might feel awkward using it after the youth, but he didn’t.

He washed himself quickly. Realizing the boy hadn’t slept yet, he wanted to cook something for him. However, he was useless in the kitchen, so he ended up going outside to pick some pear blossoms. After the heavy rain, many blossoms lay scattered on the ground, while those still on the trees stood proud, petals glistening with dew.

About half an hour later, Shen Qingzhuo pushed open the door carrying a bowl of Pear Blossom Porridge.

Pear blossoms have a bittersweet taste, so Shen Qingzhuo added sugar and honey while cooking. He tasted it himself and found it decent a subtle, clear sweetness.

When he entered, the youth was sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs pressed tight, fists clenched at his sides. He hadn’t moved an inch.

He thought I wasn’t coming back.

Shen Qingzhuo placed the steaming bowl in his hands. The snow-white petals had turned transparent during the cooking process. “I wanted to make you something to eat. Want to try?”

Qi Ye was stunned. He never expected Shen Qingzhuo to cook for him. Am I the first?

Seeing him take a bite, Shen Qingzhuo’s slender brows arched upward. Compared to the dishes Qi Ye could make, this was indeed too plain hardly even “food” but after a night in the rain, it was good for warming the stomach.

Once the boy finished, Shen Qingzhuo took the bowl back. Under the youth’s dazed gaze, he considerately wiped the boy’s hands and mouth. When his finger brushed against the boy’s lip, a cool, soft sensation traveled from his fingertip. Shen Qingzhuo’s hand paused, lingering over those moist, full lips with an urge to stroke them more carefully.

Suddenly, Shen Qingzhuo realized what he was thinking and pulled his hand away. How could I have such thoughts? It was lucky Qi Ye had a good temperament; anyone else wouldn’t let him touch them so brazenly. He scolded himself, feeling he had crossed a line.

“Do you want to leave this place? Once you feel better in a few days, I’ll take you out,” Shen Qingzhuo said.

Qi Ye had watched Shen Qingzhuo approach just now, thinking the man might do something else, his heart full of expectation. Suddenly, Shen Qingzhuo had straightened up and distanced himself. Qi Ye felt a wave of disappointment.

Hearing the question, he shook his head. “As long as you are here, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Wherever Shen Qingzhuo was, he loved it. During the time Shen Qingzhuo was away just now, he had even thought that even if Shen Qingzhuo felt he was evil and wanted to lock him up here forever, he would be willing as long as Shen Qingzhuo didn’t leave.

“But I want to take you out,” Shen Qingzhuo said.

Qi Ye met his gaze.

“The home we built here is finished, and no one can get in. You can come back whenever you want. But a person shouldn’t have only one home; you should have more. A home is a place to rest when you are tired of the outside world, not a place to hide from it. Besides, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Shen Qingzhuo continued, “Your birthday is in a few days. I want to take you back to Yun City and hold a birthday banquet for you. I want everyone to know that you are mine.”

Some matters needed to be handled. They wanted an explanation? Then he would give them one.

Shen Qingzhuo spoke with a gravity that, for a moment, made Qi Ye feel this wasn’t the easy-going man he knew. He didn’t care for a birthday banquet or proving anything. Many people outside wanted him dead; he didn’t want to drag Shen Qingzhuo into danger.

But… that one phrase “you are mine” was far too tempting. Qi Ye found himself unable to resist and succumbed.

Shen Qingzhuo lit some incense early on the kind that calms the nerves fearing Qi Ye wouldn’t sleep well. As the day grew brighter, Shen Qingzhuo covered the boy’s eyes. A pair of demon horns pressed against the side of Shen Qingzhuo’s face. He said softly, “Sleep. I am here for everything.”

He didn’t know if he was saying this to Qi Ye or to himself. The youth leaned against him and fell asleep, his cheeks tinged with a slight red in the morning light.

Three days later.

Since their arrival, their Pear Blossom Island looked more and more like a real home. Shen Qingzhuo summoned the Vermilion Bird. Rumored to be the most noble and arrogant of the four divine beasts, it flew down in a blur of gold and red, looking like a phoenix rising from flames. It landed submissively at Shen Qingzhuo’s feet, bowing its head.

However, its attitude toward Qi Ye was somewhat arrogant. Because Shen Qingzhuo was present, it didn’t dare show it too clearly and ended up obeying.

When they reached the borders of the Cloud Kingdom, they encountered a group of oddly dressed people. They all wore white clothes with swords at their waists, and both men and women wore veiled bamboo hats with silver butterfly chain accessories. They then entered the teleportation array, clearly heading for Yun City.

An elder among them caught sight of Shen Qingzhuo, his eyes flickering with confusion as he muttered, “The Founder?”

By the time the others looked over, Shen Qingzhuo was gone, leaving only a glimpse of white robes. They said, “What Founder? You must have seen wrong.”

Shen Qingzhuo waited for them to pass before heading to the next array.

The Shen estate was massive. The subordinate who communicated with him was named Xuan Yi. This subordinate was remarkably loyal; simply because he was the first person Shen Qingzhuo had contacted upon returning a month ago, Xuan Yi had handled everything perfectly. He even went above and beyond for things Shen Qingzhuo hadn’t asked about.

Of course, Shen Qingzhuo had only ever sought out Xuan Yi. He hadn’t spent much time at the Shen residence, and back then, the only thing he wanted to inquire about was Qi Ye.

After their appearance at the Underground Market, the news that Qi Ye was a descendant of the Demon Race had spread across the kingdom. Now, people everywhere were searching for him. Speculation suggested that the “Demon Lord” Qi Ye was hiding his true nature, and that Master Shen, having vanished for so many days, had likely been kidnapped by him.

Xuan Yi had worried about this possibility, which was why he had risked offending his superior to ask what happened. In any organization, it was taboo for a subordinate to question a master’s business. Fortunately, Shen Qingzhuo had a good temper; he hadn’t punished him and had even answered his questions.

However, seeing Shen Qingzhuo actually bring Qi Ye back, Xuan Yi was deeply shocked, and something in his heart dimmed. Shen Qingzhuo was too wonderful; even though he had only seen him a few times mostly instances he had engineered himself Xuan Yi had to admit he had fallen for this elegant, moon-like young master.

Qi Ye followed closely behind Shen Qingzhuo, his eyes fixed on nothing but the man. Using both hands, he gripped Shen Qingzhuo’s hand tightly.