I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 34

Shen Qingzhuo had never experienced anything like this. He stared blankly at Qi Ye’s enlarged face, so stunned by the kiss that he nearly forgot to breathe.

When he felt as though he might suffocate, Qi Ye finally pulled away from his lips. However, his hands remained firmly pinned over Shen Qingzhuo’s, keeping him immobilized. Shen Qingzhuo gasped for air, dazed, wondering if Qi Ye intended to make him take responsibility just because he had seen the boy’s body earlier.

In truth, Qi Ye’s physique was quite impressive; he wasn’t nearly as frail as Shen Qingzhuo had imagined…

“Master.” The ferocious aura from a moment ago had vanished, and Qi Ye returned to his obedient, docile self. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Shen Qingzhuo would never have associated the person who just pinned him down and kissed him with this boy.

Shen Qingzhuo forgot that he was still lying flat on his back, pinned beneath Qi Ye. Hearing that address again, his thoughts returned, and he looked into the boy’s eyes with a mixture of confusion and helplessness. His face felt hot.

Last time, he had forbidden Qi Ye from calling him “Master,” and the boy had promptly vomited blood and fallen into a three-day coma. Although the title felt strange, Shen Qingzhuo didn’t dare forbid it again. He tried to speak, but found he didn’t know what to say, so he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. His lips still felt scorched; he wondered if Qi Ye had bitten them swollen.

He watched Qi Ye silently, waiting for him to explain why he had kissed him.

Qi Ye was enduring his own kind of agony. Meeting Shen Qingzhuo’s gaze where the panic was fading into scrutiny he whispered, “I’m sorry. I like you too much. I dreamed that you left me again. I’m so afraid of losing you… afraid even you won’t want me anymore.”

The moment he had seen Shen Qingzhuo burn to ash in the nightmare was the moment he had snapped awake in terror. As he spoke, a hot tear fell onto Shen Qingzhuo’s cheek.

Shen Qingzhuo, however, was thinking back to three days ago. He suddenly felt a surge of relief that Qi Ye was willing to trust him and even… the “like” he spoke of.

He didn’t know if Qi Ye’s “like” was the romantic kind or not, and he didn’t know how to respond whether to reject him or accept him. He realized he didn’t dislike physical contact with Qi Ye. Even after that kiss, he didn’t feel disgusted. If he had, he would have pushed Qi Ye away at all costs, rather than giving up after realizing he couldn’t overpower him.

But Shen Qingzhuo still felt he viewed Qi Ye as a dear friend, a companion, or even a younger child. He looked at the white gauze over the boy’s heart. At that moment, the youth had been deathly pale and cold, yet the blood had flowed endlessly. Shen Qingzhuo had gone through several basins of water and many rolls of bandages just to clean the wound.

“Does it hurt much?” Shen Qingzhuo asked suddenly.

Qi Ye looked at him in disbelief. He had prepared himself for a scolding, but the first thing out of Shen Qingzhuo’s mouth was concern. Qi Ye wanted to shake his head—he didn’t want the man to worry—but the moment the words reached his lips, his expression shifted. His eyes welled up with piteous tears, and he nodded. “Mm.”

Shen Qingzhuo panicked. His eyes were full of heartache and self-blame. Without that sword strike, Qi Ye’s condition wouldn’t be this dire. But that strike… it really wasn’t his doing; Qi Ye had grabbed his hand and forced the blade in.

Shen Qingzhuo failed to notice that a certain scheming person was still pinning his hands and body down, fearing he would run away.

“I never thought of hurting you, and I never will. Even if you truly killed many innocent people, I wouldn’t kill you. Pointing the sword at you was my grandfather’s doing, not my own.”

The boy didn’t need to be so foolish as to stab himself so mercilessly.

The hot tear on his face slid downward. Qi Ye suddenly smiled happily. “If I kill people and Master won’t kill me, how will you punish me?”

He was asking the question with total sincerity. Shen Qingzhuo barely hesitated. “I would still take you away. As long as I am alive, I won’t let you die. But after taking you away, I might never let you out again.”

This was the worst-case scenario he had envisioned three days ago.

Hearing this, Qi Ye wasn’t angry; on the contrary, he looked expectant. “Will Master stay to accompany me?”

“I will.”

Qi Ye’s smile grew wider. He almost wished he would commit a crime just so he could kill everyone he wanted to. But he held back because if he did, Shen Qingzhuo would be disappointed and sad.

Qi Ye had always felt his own nature was rotten to the core. Whenever he saw people he disliked or who annoyed him, he wanted to kill them sometimes he even wanted to kill himself. But he held back; he didn’t know why, only that he shouldn’t let himself be ruled by such evil impulses.

Shen Qingzhuo looked at him with a lack of understanding. What could be so funny to make him smile like that?

Qi Ye: “I want to be locked up by Master.”

Shen Qingzhuo: “…”

Clearly unable to comprehend the boy’s logic, Shen Qingzhuo looked at him with an exhausted expression. “Can you get off me now?”

Qi Ye was reluctant and didn’t move. Shen Qingzhuo didn’t press him for an apology, so Qi Ye took the initiative. “Are you not mad that I kissed you? Does Master not dislike me doing this to you?”

Shen Qingzhuo took a breath and turned his face away, refusing to look at him. To his surprise, Qi Ye let go of his wrists only to cup his face, forcing his head back so he had to look the boy in the eye.

Shen Qingzhuo’s brow twitched. “Stop playing. What is it you want? Just say it.”

Qi Ye was rarely like this leading Shen Qingzhuo into asking for his intent. But when it came time to speak, he hesitated. He was afraid of rejection. Even though he had dropped hints earlier, Shen Qingzhuo hadn’t reacted at all.

“I’m in so much pain. Not just my heart, other places hurt too…” Qi Ye’s words were half-true, but the pained expression on his face was purely for show.

Shen Qingzhuo responded, “Mm. Get up, let me see. I haven’t finished today’s medicine.”

Qi Ye shook his head like a spoiled child. “I’m not getting up.”

Shen Qingzhuo exhaled, the heat on his lips finally fading. He could tell Qi Ye had more to say. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

In truth, Shen Qingzhuo had guessed a few possibilities, but he deemed them unrealistic.

Qi Ye leaned in again, his breath hitting the man’s face. “Master, I really like you so much. No one but you has ever been good to me. Without you, I can’t live.” His face was full of caution now, the playfulness gone. “And without you watching me, I really will do bad things. I’m a demon, and it’s a demon’s nature to enjoy killing.”

Shen Qingzhuo whispered, “I won’t leave.”

Qi Ye’s face lit up. “Then does Master agree?”

“Agree to what?”

Qi Ye beamed with a happy smile. “Agree to be my lover.”

Shen Qingzhuo: “…”

How did this fool suddenly get so sharp? I’ve been talked into a corner.

But looking into those pure, sincere eyes, Shen Qingzhuo found he couldn’t bring himself to say no. Qi Ye watched him intently, this time without any artifice. “I… Can I kiss you again?”

The composure Shen Qingzhuo was trying to maintain shattered; his heart skipped a beat. Qi Ye was just as nervous, adding, “If you don’t refuse, I’ll… take it as a ‘yes’?”

Qi Ye waited for a long moment, expecting a rejection. He could have just forced the kiss as he had before—part of him wanted to; an evil desire made him want to possess Shen Qingzhuo at any cost. If he couldn’t have his heart, he would have his body. He had no interest in being Shen Qingzhuo’s “friend.”

But Qi Ye suppressed it. Reason won out. He remembered the first dream he had of Shen Qingzhuo. He had forced himself on the man, got what he wanted, and then Shen Qingzhuo had died before his eyes.

Qi Ye fully expected a rejection. To his surprise, Shen Qingzhuo remained silent. It was as if he had given up the struggle and surrendered to fate he simply closed his eyes.

Qi Ye’s face was a picture of pure joy. While Shen Qingzhuo’s eyes were closed, the boy was ecstatic. This is… a silent agreement?

Qi Ye leaned down and captured those cool, soft lips once more. Unlike the first time where he was too desperate and unskilled, simply crashing his mouth against the other’s this time he slowed down. He gently cradled the back of Shen Qingzhuo’s head, tasting the person he had missed every waking moment, his tongue tracing and lingering with slow, meticulous care.

During this second kiss, Shen Qingzhuo remembered to breathe and tried to stay calm. By the end, he still found it difficult to catch his breath; the sensation was even more intense than before. Dazed and blurred, he opened his eyes and grabbed Qi Ye’s collar to push him away, his eyes misting over.

Then, remembering the sword wound on the boy’s chest, he pulled his hands back and looked at him with flickering eyes.

Qi Ye saw it all. He was observing every micro-expression on Shen Qingzhuo’s face. Although the man hadn’t “responded,” the fact that he allowed the kiss made Qi Ye’s heart pound so hard it felt like it would burst.

After a long time, Qi Ye pulled away, licking his lips with lingering satisfaction. Shen Qingzhuo gasped for breath, lying within the small space of the bed bounded by Qi Ye’s arms, trying to calm himself for a long, long time.

Seeing that large face still there, he asked, “Can you get off me now?”

“Mm!” Qi Ye nodded twice, climbed off the jade bed, and personally helped Shen Qingzhuo sit up.

Shen Qingzhuo, having been pinned for so long, felt his breath steady. He wanted to move, but then felt two arms wrap around his waist, pulling him into another hug.

Shen Qingzhuo: “…”

Is this what they call the honeymoon phase?

He curled his lip slightly. “You really are afraid I’ll run away.”

Qi Ye didn’t deny it, giving a serious “Mm.”

Shen Qingzhuo was helpless. His face was still burning, and his heart was racing. “Didn’t you say the wound hurt? Let me see it.”

Qi Ye squeezed his hand. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Shen Qingzhuo looked at him. That’s not what ‘not hurting’ looks like.

“I said I won’t run, so I won’t. You don’t need to watch me so closely. Let me see.”

Qi Ye lowered his voice and asked, “Are we… lovers now?”

Shen Qingzhuo paused. Then he gave a soft laugh and nodded. “We are.”

Satisfied with the answer, Qi Ye lifted his head to look at him. He let go of the man’s hand and, with some awkwardness, removed his upper clothing. Shen Qingzhuo thought the boy had suddenly become bold until he saw the blushing, bashful expression. He realized then that the boy hadn’t changed at all.

He really is too cute.

He was like a completely different person compared to the daring Qi Ye who had just kissed him.

Shen Qingzhuo had a thought. “Can’t you transform now? If you’re embarrassed to let me see you, you can change back to a dragon. I can apply the medicine just the same.”