I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 24

After his transformation, Qi Ye’s body was twice or thrice its original length. Shen Qingzhuo could not embrace him entirely, so he pulled the dragon’s head into his arms, offering the same gentle strokes and soothing comfort as before.

He did not believe there was anything inherently wrong with being a black dragon. Qi Ye had done nothing heinous; if Shen Qingzhuo were to judge him with the same ignorant eyes as the rest of the world, how would he be any different from those who wished to harm the boy?

Hearing the youth’s piteous pleading, Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing.

Can’t he see I’ve already locked the door? How could I possibly throw him out?

It was a pity the Origin-Returning Pill had not yet been found to help alleviate Qi Ye’s suffering.

Once the transformation was complete, Qi Ye’s body lost its searing heat. Instead, it plummeted from the temperature of a blazing fire to that of an ice cellar, becoming cold to the touch. Shen Qingzhuo covered him with a quilt, not caring whether the being lying on his bed was a human or something else—to him, it was simply Qi Ye.

“Where does it hurt?” Shen Qingzhuo asked eventually, stroking him with heartache.

The black dragon resting against him shook its head. “It doesn’t hurt.”

As his condition stabilized, the black dragon leaned in to catch Shen Qingzhuo’s scent. He wanted to coil his entire body around the man, to kiss the exposed skin of his neck and his lips. But he didn’t dare. He knew Shen Qingzhuo’s good temper had its limits. Shen Qingzhuo had already said he wouldn’t marry him; if he crossed that line, the man would surely loathe him especially in this monstrous form.

Finally, he merely rubbed his head against the man’s neck and face, whispering in a raspy voice, “You smell so good.”

Shen Qingzhuo froze for a moment, catching a faint scent on himself.

Qi Ye spent the entire night sleeping like this. The massive dragon body was curled up on the same bed as Shen Qingzhuo, his head and neck held in the man’s arms, pillowed against Shen Qingzhuo’s heart. He listened to the heartbeat; it was steady and calm, much like the man himself.

Disappointment once again welled up in Qi Ye’s heart. Shen Qingzhuo truly doesn’t like me even a little bit. Because… the books say that when you like someone, your heart beats faster. Every time he saw Shen Qingzhuo, his own heart pounded wildly.

When Shen Qingzhuo woke the next morning, he felt a weight upon him that was both hard and soft. Upon opening his eyes, he found a black dragon resting in front of him. He looked down to see the dragon’s body coiled around him several times.

“Xiao Ye?” Shen Qingzhuo called out, feeling a bit puzzled.

The black dragon’s natural appearance looked somewhat fierce, and his dark red eyes flickered at the sound of the name. However, he did not retreat; instead, he rubbed his cheek affectionately against Shen Qingzhuo’s.

“I can’t change back,” the black dragon whispered against his neck, his hard horns pressing into Shen Qingzhuo’s temple. His voice was raspy and full of grievance. Perhaps due to the transformation, Qi Ye had become much bolder, doing things he would have never dared before.

Shen Qingzhuo remained dazed, moving only his hands the only parts of him still free feeling somewhat at a loss.

Qi Ye asked, “Can you let me hold you a little longer…?”

Shen Qingzhuo let out a sigh of relief. So, the reason he was coiling around him was simply for a hug.

“Mm, hold me then.” Shen Qingzhuo opened his arms generously.

Since there was nothing else he could do, he stroked the dragon’s head and those beautiful horns, smoothing his hand down along the scales. If he could, he wanted to count exactly how many scales the black dragon had and where each one was located. How can such a beautiful creature exist?

“It’s alright if you can’t change back. Until you do, I’ll help you with whatever you want to do. If you want to go out, I’ll take you out,” Shen Qingzhuo said gently.

With such a tender voice and the soothing strokes, Qi Ye truly believed for a moment that Shen Qingzhuo liked him back. But then he remembered: only last night, Shen Qingzhuo had said without hesitation that he wouldn’t marry him.

Qi Ye asked, “Why are you so good to me? Are you not afraid of me like this? I am a monster.”

Shen Qingzhuo was amused by his earnestness. He asked the boy, “With that silly look of yours, what is there to be afraid of?”

Qi Ye fell into silent thought, his massive dragon head looking quite dazed. His dark red eyes drifted aimlessly, making him look even sillier. After a long while, he asked, “Am I very silly?”

Shen Qingzhuo laughed and shook his head, pulling him back into an embrace. “Not silly. You’re incredibly cute.”

The silly dragon watched the laughing Shen Qingzhuo, not quite believing it. “Then why are you so good to me?” he asked persistently.

Shen Qingzhuo thought for a moment about how to answer. “Just consider that everyone comes into this world with a mission, and my mission is you. Think of it as me being here just for you.”

The black dragon shook his head. How could anyone have such a mission? No one would ever like me.

The sun rose, and Qi Ye was exceptionally clingy today. After Shen Qingzhuo finished washing up still with the black dragon coiled around him he offered a reminder: “I need to change my clothes now.”

Reluctantly, the black dragon uncoiled from his body. Yet, Qi Ye was content; Shen Qingzhuo had let him stay close for so long, and even after waking, the man was willing to be held like that.

As Shen Qingzhuo fixed his hair, Qi Ye thought that next time, it had to be his turn. Once he rid himself of this hideous form, as long as Shen Qingzhuo didn’t drive him away, he would tie the man’s hair and wash his hands every single day.

While the dragon was lost in thought, Shen Qingzhuo emerged in simple, plain robes. He offered a faint smile and opened his arms. “Xiao Ye, you can come over now.”

The black dragon was momentarily confused. Then, he realized Shen Qingzhuo was inviting him back. It seemed earlier wasn’t his last chance to be near the man after all. Without further hesitation, the dragon lunged for his “prey,” slowly coiling himself around Shen Qingzhuo once more and climbing onto his shoulders.

Shen Qingzhuo stroked the dragon’s scales, sighing with wonder. “If only you could become smaller. Then I could hold you in my palms.”

Qi Ye imagined a tiny version of himself being cradled by Shen Qingzhuo, and his heart skipped a beat. That… might not be impossible.

At that moment, Xuan Yi appeared at the door and knocked. The door hadn’t been fully latched and swung open. The black dragon reacted instantly; his head darted out from beside Shen Qingzhuo’s neck, baring his fangs fiercely at the intruder.

Xuan Yi turned pale with fright and drew his sword, rushing forward. “Young Master, I’m here to save you!”

Before the sword could strike, Shen Qingzhuo blocked the view with his sleeve, turning to lead the black dragon out of harm’s way.

“I brought him back myself. What is the matter?” Shen Qingzhuo asked calmly, holding the black dragon steady as if nothing had happened.

Xuan Yi was utterly shocked, and his long sword clattered to the floor. The silver-armored guard dropped to his knees, head bowed. “Forgive me, Young Master! I did not know he was your friend. I have offended you!”

Shen Qingzhuo gestured for him to rise. “Stand up. Why have you come to my courtyard?” He had ordered everyone to stay away to avoid overwhelming Qi Ye.

Xuan Yi rose and replied, “Young Master, people from the Cold Moon Palace have arrived in the city. They say they can refine the Origin-Returning Pill.”

Cold Moon Palace. This was a famous establishment on the Nine Provinces continent. Aside from the four major kingdoms, there were many independent powers, and the Cold Moon Palace was respected enough to be treated as an honored guest in any nation.

Shen Qingzhuo was slightly surprised. If the Cold Moon Palace could help him, that would be ideal. “Let them in. I will be over shortly,” he said.

Xuan Yi watched the interaction with trepidation. Although his young master was as gentle and elegant as ever, Xuan Yi’s legs were shaking. He didn’t even dare look at Shen Qingzhuo anymore. He had specifically requested to work close to the Young Master upon his return.

Xuan Yi was deeply confused. What else did the Young Master bring back? Where is the Demon Seed the whole world is hunting? Is this black dragon… the Young Master’s new pet?

Shen Qingzhuo knew Xuan Yi was confused, but he had no intention of explaining. Xuan Yi’s arrival was too sudden, and since Qi Ye refused to let go, Shen Qingzhuo simply dismissed the guard after the report.

Xuan Yi bowed again. “I have one more report regarding the Qi family.”

Shen Qingzhuo replied, “No need. I already know.”

“This subordinate takes his leave!”

Shen Qingzhuo’s return involved more than just Qi Ye; there was also the matter of Qi Anning. Qi Anning had been making a scene after being exposed. Truthfully, Shen Qingzhuo didn’t care what he did. His only goal was Qi Ye, and he didn’t want to waste time on others. At most, there would be a need for compensation later; he couldn’t let his own actions tarnish the Shen family’s reputation.

Shen Qingzhuo had heard of the Cold Moon Palace but didn’t know much about it. He arrived at the main hall with high hopes. After nearly a day of waiting, they finally produced a single, sixth-grade Origin-Returning Pill.

The pill was far from perfect it looked shriveled and lacked luster. Shen Qingzhuo wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or happy. While it wasn’t excellent, the pill had finally been successfully refined.

Pills were ranked up to ten grades. In this world, alchemists were rare, and a sixth-grade pill was already considered high quality for many types of medicine.

The cultivator from the Cold Moon Palace dressed in white with a butterfly chain at his waist looked at Shen Qingzhuo and was visibly shocked. The hand holding the pill trembled in mid-air, and the veil over his mouth dipped as his jaw dropped.

“The Founder?” he whispered in terror.

Shen Qingzhuo didn’t understand the question, assuming he merely resembled someone. He handed over the promised reward of 100,000 taels of gold. This was his own money, separate from the Shen family’s, so he used it without hesitation. He accepted the boxed pill and said, “Thank you for the help. I am the Young Master of the Shen family, Shen Qingzhuo.”

Upon hearing the name, the elder straightened up and bowed in return. “My apologies. This old man mistook you for someone else.”