Shocking! The Protagonist of the Mpreg Story Is a Straight Man - Chapter 19

The weather on Saturday was lackluster. As soon as Pei Nan woke up, he discovered the sky was overcast; the gray expanse was saturated with countless droplets of water vapor, merely waiting for the moment it could no longer hold them before letting them fall.

On the balcony, the laundry hung out to dry swayed violently in the wind. Pei Nan suddenly had a realization that autumn was arriving; that sweltering summer had, without a sound, left only its tail end behind. Clutching the clothes he had taken down, he coordinated today’s itinerary with Xue Xingqi.

Ultimately, the two decided to go mountain climbing anyway. There was a farmhouse courtyard at the foot of the mountain; if it rained early, they would go back and play video games, and if it rained late, they would spend a bit more time playing on the mountain and at its base.

After a moment of thought, Pei Nan decided to bring a set of pajamas and fresh clothes. In case they got caught in the rain, he would have something to change into.

After finishing packing his backpack, he carried it toward the canteen to buy breakfast. He was halfway there when a message from Xue Xingqi popped up.

I bought breakfast for you; let’s eat in the car later.

The attached photo showed a savory-looking jianbing (pancake) and soy milk that seemed to radiate aroma even through the screen.

Pei Nan tapped out a quick reply to Xue Xingqi and then found a place to sit and wait for him. Since he was already out, he didn’t want to go back to the dormitory.

“Hey, did you hear? The former captain of the swimming team was expelled. I heard an official notice will be sent to the whole school on Monday. He’s already packed his bags and left.”

Behind the bench where Pei Nan sat was a thicket of shrubs, and on the other side of the shrubs were more seats. Two girls who had come out to practice their oral speaking babbled a bit in Russian before unexpectedly starting to gossip about Yang Fan.

Their voices were neither high nor low; Pei Nan didn’t even have to try to listen.

“Are you talking about Yang Fan? I heard he played around a lot in private. If feelings and sex are consensual, that’s one thing, but he actually coerced people. The last person who played with him dropped out of school. I heard the trauma was too much and their mental state isn’t good anymore.”

“He really brought this on himself. If you walk by the river often enough, your shoes are bound to get wet. This time he kicked a steel plate and someone exposed his dirty secrets it’s truly heartening.”

“Exactly. You can know a person’s face but not their heart. Before this, who didn’t say he was a refined and gentle senior? My roommate used to chase after him, going to every single match. She was a die-hard little fangirl, but now she’s switched to cursing him out and thanking God she wasn’t victimized.”

As the two chatted, they eventually drifted further away, reaching topics beyond Pei Nan’s interest.

He sat on the bench in a daze, asking 419 in his mind, “Was it Xue Xingqi’s doing?”

Actually, he didn’t need 419 to answer; he could guess it himself. Given the other party’s wealthy and influential background, to be able to resolve the Yang Fan situation so fundamentally and with such lightning speed, there must have been a force even more powerful than Yang Fan involved. Besides himself, the only one who would care about this matter was Xue Xingqi.

Pei Nan sat there until Xue Xingqi arrived to pick him up.

Once in the car, a bag of breakfast was stuffed into Pei Nan’s arms. Xue Xingqi said with a smile, “Eat first. It’ll take a while to drive into the mountain area.”

Pei Nan, however, wasn’t in the mood. Holding the warm pancake, he mentally rehearsed his words for a long time before finally asking, “How is Yang Fan doing now?”

“Him? He’s currently being kept at home.” Although Xue Xingqi hadn’t expected Pei Nan to ask, since the other had brought it up, he had nothing to hide. “This is all that can be done for now. Follow-up-wise, he will likely be sent abroad.”

“Was that also because of your request?”

Xue Xingqi arched an eyebrow. “Not entirely. His family still has expectations for him. Before he commits an irredeemable mistake, they will only pressure him to reform and won’t truly give up on him. However, given Yang Fan’s personality and tastes, he won’t last very long.”

“So, you don’t have high hopes for him.”

Xue Xingqi gave a hum of affirmation and shifted the conversation to the scenery of the mountain road.

“I feel like there’s a high chance of rain today. Looking at this misty atmosphere, if we walk for a bit, our clothes will get damp. Do you have extra clothes in your bag? If not, I brought two sets.”

Pei Nan had finished his pancake and was sipping his soy milk mouthful by mouthful.

“I brought some. Although the forecast didn’t say so, I guessed it would rain. Even if it doesn’t, wearing damp clothes after climbing a mountain feels uncomfortable.”

“Since you’re usually in the water, do you also dislike this kind of weather?” Xue Xingqi asked curiously.

Pei Nan said exasperatedly, “Even if I’m a swimmer soaking in a pool every day, it doesn’t mean I actually like water. Don’t you think that if a person soaks too much, they turn pale? It doesn’t look masculine at all.”

As Pei Nan spoke, he lifted a section of his shirt, revealing a corner of his abdominal muscles. “They say these abs of mine look like white chocolate. It sounds sickeningly sweet to me.”

Xue Xingqi’s brain went numb for two seconds. His vision was filled with those snow-white abs and that tight waistline.

How was that ugly? How was that “sickening”? It was clearly beautiful!

“Masculinity isn’t reflected by skin color. Besides, complexion is related to genetics. Your mother must be an extraordinary beauty,” Xue Xingqi praised sincerely and earnestly.

Pei Nan gave Xue Xingqi a look that suggested he had good taste. “My mom is indeed beautiful.”

The two chatted as they drove, and before long, they reached the guesthouse at the foot of the mountain. The place Xue Xingqi had found was excellent antique and elegant. The buildings by the water were shrouded in a thin mist, looking both real and illusory. Stepping onto the trestle bridge, Pei Nan thought to himself that this trip was definitely worth it.

The guesthouse owner and staff greeted them warmly, asking about their plans and what dishes to prepare for lunch.

Pei Nan only wanted to drop off his things and head up the mountain. He glanced at Xue Xingqi, who fully received the signal, so they negotiated to have dinner together upon their return.

“Let’s go. If we don’t leave now, we won’t even be able to see the mountain path.”

Young people are bold; they weren’t afraid at all of the misty, damp mountain. The owner did leave them with a warning, saying that if it rained, they should return quickly if it got heavy, landslides or mudflows would be bad, and even a falling rock hitting someone would be dangerous.

Watching Pei Nan’s receding back as he led the way, Xue Xingqi gave a hurried response and followed after him.

Both possessed excellent physical stamina. At the start, their climbing speed barely wavered, and they soon overtook the previous group of tourists who had entered the mountain. Later, midway through, it really began to rain. The two took shelter in a small pavilion and looked at each other, laughing.

“Shall we keep climbing in a bit, or head down first?” Xue Xingqi looked as though he were ready to risk his life to accompany the “gentleman.”

After thinking about it, Pei Nan said, “Forget it. The mountain roads get slippery when it rains. If we weren’t wearing professional gear today, we would have slipped several times by now.”

Water droplets were already sliding off the brims of their windbreakers.

Xue Xingqi chuckled. “Alright, then we’ll rest for a bit before heading down.”

Unpredictably, despite being careful, something went wrong on the descent. Pei Nan’s foot landed on a pebble. In that split second between choosing to twist his ankle or tumble down the mountain, Xue Xingqi grabbed him to steady him. Instead, Xue Xingqi himself twisted his ankle due to the force of the momentum.

It might have been an illusion, but Pei Nan felt he heard Xue Xingqi’s bone make a snapping sound a cringing noise that shot straight to his scalp.

Pei Nan looked at the unfazed Xue Xingqi in shock and growled, “Are you f*cking crazy?!”

The drizzling rain fell upon them, and Pei Nan’s voice echoed through the valley behind them.

Xue Xingqi saw that the rims of Pei Nan’s eyes had turned red, which was exceptionally striking against his pale face.

The moss on the slippery ground had been scraped flat by the two of them. Pei Nan’s hand gripped Xue Xingqi’s so tightly that Xue Xingqi’s hand turned white from the pressure. As if he couldn’t feel it, Pei Nan maintained this posture while scolding him.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! If I had fallen by myself, you’d still be here to call an ambulance. If the f*cking both of us tumble down together, there wouldn’t even be someone to call for help! Besides, my balance isn’t that bad. What if I had stayed upright? You’d just be making trouble!”

Pei Nan was so angry he was speaking without thinking. He was clearly worried about Xue Xingqi, but the words coming out weren’t very pleasant.

Xue Xingqi’s emotions remained stable. Seeing how worried Pei Nan was, he didn’t care about acting pitiful. His tone was gentle but carried a strong sense of reassurance. “Don’t worry, I only did it because I was sure of it. Besides, my sprained ankle is a small matter compared to you getting hurt. Don’t forget, the competition is only a few days away. Instead of blaming yourself or worrying, you should focus on preparing for the race. I’d much rather see you on the track.”

Pei Nan suddenly shifted his gaze in a flurry, avoiding Xue Xingqi’s eyes. If they kept staring, he felt as though he would be scorched.

As his eyes moved, he realized he had been holding Xue Xingqi’s hand the whole time. Pei Nan let go abruptly the movement was so large he felt it was awkward. He sniffled and said in a muffled voice, “Let me see your ankle.”

Pei Nan knelt down and rolled up Xue Xingqi’s pant leg, and sure enough, he saw a swollen, red ankle. He looked up, gritting his teeth, as the fine, cold rain blew against his face, making it hard to keep his eyes open.

“You really can endure pain. Hurry, we need to get down the mountain!”

Xue Xingqi hummed in response, then reached out to wipe the corner of Pei Nan’s eye. A colorless liquid stained his hand. “This rain isn’t clean; don’t let it get in your eyes.”

The heat from Xue Xingqi’s palm sent a shiver through Pei Nan’s body. He even felt a tingling sensation down his spine and almost couldn’t stay in his crouched position. He managed to hold himself together without his expression changing on the spot, but his ears, hidden under his hood, turned burning red.

This man, Xue Xingqi how could he be so lacking in “male virtue” (boundaries)!

Xue Xingqi saw Pei Nan’s reaction and his small, hidden movements clear as day. He lowered his eyes and smiled, attempting to take a step forward. However, before his foot could land, he was supported by Pei Nan.

“Do you not want your foot anymore, or do you think I can’t carry you?” Pei Nan shot a quick glance at Xue Xingqi and then turned around to crouch in front of him. “Hurry up and get on. The sooner we’re down the mountain, the sooner I can relax.”

Xue Xingqi looked at the broad back and the lean, powerful waist before him, finding every part of it beautiful. Pei Nan was truly a perfect person this perfection wasn’t just on the surface; it was his personality, his thoughts, and every action that attracted him.

He leaned trustingly against Pei Nan’s back. “Of course I believe in you.”

“Good. Then I’m moving.”

With Pei Nan carrying Xue Xingqi, their pace became even slower. The parts of their clothing that were pressed tightly together gradually became soaked, yet neither felt cold. Their young, vigorous bodies actually grew warmer as they walked. Xue Xingqi held onto Pei Nan’s neck, the rhythmic, heavy breathing of the other sounding in his ear.

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