Save That Miserable Protagonist - Chapter 23

The car drove steadily on the road back to the city. The scenery outside the window flashed by, forming a series of magnificent urban portraits.

Perhaps it was because Lu Xun’s driving was exceptionally smooth, or because the scenery outside was hypnotic. More likely, it was the exhaustion finally hitting Pei Tingsong after his nerves had been strung tight for days. In any case, not long after getting into the car, Pei Tingsong’s head tilted uncontrollably to one side, and he fell asleep against the window.

The sound of long, shallow breaths reached Lu Xun’s ears, brushing against his earlobe like a feather. Lu Xun glanced at Pei Tingsong. While stopped at a red light, his gaze lingered for a moment on the faint dark circles under the other man’s eyes.

He thought to himself that Pei Tingsong could finally let down his guard and get a good night’s sleep.

Subtly turning off the music, Lu Xun reached into the back seat for a cashmere coat he had tossed there earlier. Using the last few seconds of the red light, Lu Xun carefully draped the coat over Pei Tingsong. His movements were so light that it seemed as if he feared disturbing a fragile dream.

The coat still carried Lu Xun’s scent. The familiar fragrance drifted to Pei Tingsong’s nose through the thin fabric, smoothing the brow that had subconsciously furrowed in his sleep. Pei Tingsong seemed to find a sense of security in this warmth and familiar aroma. He instinctively huddled further into the coat, his cheek nearly brushing against Lu Xun’s fingers before Lu Xun had a chance to pull them back.

For reasons he could not quite grasp, Lu Xun simply watched Pei Tingsong’s movements, forgetting to withdraw his hand. There was a cool touch accompanied by the unique softness of the cheek. The moment their skin met, Pei Tingsong gave a small, instinctive nuzzle, much like a cat.

Seeing this, the corners of Lu Xun’s mouth curled up. He gently poked Pei Tingsong’s cheek with his fingertip, wanting to savor this rare moment of softness, when a sudden honk erupted from behind him.

The light had turned green.

The horn was abrupt and piercing. Lu Xun flinched, snapping his hand back as if he had been burned. He looked at Pei Tingsong warily. Seeing that the other man showed no signs of waking, Lu Xun breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like a guilty thief.

Starting the car, Lu Xun stared straight ahead with a serious expression. He felt as though a strange numbness lingered on his fingertip, a sensation that traveled all the way to his heart. He subconsciously squeezed his own fingertip, and his Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

Pei Tingsong was unaware of Lu Xun’s internal turmoil as he was immersed in his own dream. The fragrance lingering at his nose and the warmth of the coat intertwined, giving Pei Tingsong a familiar sense of security. In his daze, he dreamed again of his grandmother’s final words.

“Ting-ting is so good. You are good-looking and kind-hearted. You are a match for anyone. You must live a happy life.”

At this thought, Pei Tingsong’s clouded mind reflected that since he was so good and a match for anyone, then what about Lu Xun? He felt he was perfectly worthy of him. If he were to spend his life with Lu Xun, he would likely be happy.

The thought came abruptly in his half-awake state, yet it carried a sudden, clear sense of composure. The next second, his thoughts shifted, and another image forced its way into his mind. It was not the classroom or the hospital, but that extravagant, neon-lit bar.

At Gou Ou, he recalled his less than pleasant first encounter with Lu Xun. There was deafening music and lights bright enough to dazzle the eyes. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, perfume, and the pungent scent of cigarettes. In the dream, he was being harassed by a bloated, greasy man. Just as he was about to lose his temper and strike, everything hit the pause button.

Pei Tingsong’s gaze followed the crowd toward the upper floor. A dignified young man stood there, parting the crowd, leaning lazily against the railing and smiling at him with a wave. In that moment, the world went quiet. Pei Tingsong could see no one but Lu Xun.

Only then did Pei Tingsong realize that what he had seen in his first glimpse of Lu Xun was not the repulsive, condescending arrogance that came later. It was Lu Xun himself. That day, Lu Xun wore a well-tailored shirt and jeans. He looked clean from head to toe. Even under the hallucinogenic lights, his face was so beautiful it was almost aggressive, and his eyes were filled with an uninhibited, youthful spirit. But what caught the eye most was the noble aura he carried, which seemed entirely out of place in such a setting.

He was like a beam of light that was far too bright, possessing a cleanliness that did not seem to belong there at all. It was only now that Pei Tingsong belatedly realized that in that instant, the moment he saw Lu Xun clearly, his heart had skipped a beat. His first reaction had nothing to do with family background, who the person was, or what he intended to do. It was simply the most primitive, direct visual impact. At the time, Pei Tingsong had thought that this person was truly handsome.

Lu Xun, naturally, had no idea what Pei Tingsong was dreaming about. He only saw the slight upward curve of the other man’s lips, a tiny movement that would be impossible to notice without looking closely. But Lu Xun happened to see it. The moment he saw that smile, his own mood brightened.

The rainy season that had lasted for days finally cleared up. Lu Xun felt as if he could see a rainbow because of that smile, a small rainbow dancing in the air due to the refraction of light. A few playful colors even danced on Pei Tingsong’s face. The multicolored patches of light looked like colorful butterflies fluttering over him. He looked as beautiful and ethereal as an angel.

Watching Pei Tingsong like this, Lu Xun smiled softly. He thought to himself that Pei Tingsong was truly handsome.

Leaning down slightly, Lu Xun moved closer. As their breaths began to intermingle, Lu Xun traced every inch of Pei Tingsong’s face with his eyes. He saw the long, straight eyelashes that fluttered like butterflies and the pitch-black pupils like dark obsidian, which were beautiful and captivating. His nose was high and straight, yet the tip was rounded, softening the sharp edges of his features and adding a touch of refinement.

Pei Tingsong’s lips were naturally pale, carrying a hint of fragility. But Lu Xun knew that just below the corner of his mouth, there was a tiny, inconspicuous mole. That mole added a sense of charm to his face, carrying a hint of allure.

Staring at that tiny mole, Lu Xun swallowed hard, and his Adam’s apple rolled up and down. He blinked softly. Driven by instinct and focused on that tiny spot, Lu Xun uncontrollably lowered his head, moving an inch closer to the corner of Pei Tingsong’s mouth. His nose almost touched Pei Tingsong’s cheek, and he could even feel the warmth radiating from the other’s skin.

Just a little more and just a tiny bit lower. While this person was still deep in sleep, Lu Xun only had to lower his head to secretly steal a soft kiss.

However, just as Lu Xun’s lips were about to touch that tiny mole, Pei Tingsong suddenly murmured something in his sleep. It was a very small sound, but it made Lu Xun freeze instantly. Watching the other man’s eyelashes tremble slightly, Lu Xun stayed suspended in mid-air, his whole body stiff. Reason returned in an instant, and the surging impulse receded, leaving only his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Quickly pulling back to the driver’s seat, Lu Xun broke into a cold sweat. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, waiting for his heartbeat to level out. He didn’t dare look at Pei Tingsong again. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

Lu Xun was keenly aware that something was wrong. He felt that from this moment, from the act of pulling away, something had shifted. It was a change he was not quite willing, nor brave enough, to think about in detail.

He tilted his head to look at Pei Tingsong once more. Perhaps because the space in the car was too cramped, Pei Tingsong unconsciously adjusted his sleeping position. The coat slid down his shoulder with the movement, revealing a section of his shoulder blade clearly visible beneath the thin fabric. The protruding bone rose and fell with his breathing, looking like two beautiful butterfly wings. It was fragile yet sharp, as if it might break at any moment or fly away just as easily.

Lu Xun glanced at him, then looked again, before looking down and sighing. In the end, he did nothing more than reach out and pull the coat back up to cover Pei Tingsong properly.