Shocking! The Protagonist of the Mpreg Story Is a Straight Man - Chapter 21

Xue Xingqi’s smile gradually stiffened. However, facing Pei Nan’s radiant expression, he found himself unable to say anything to refuse.

“But I told them your foot was injured and it wasn’t convenient, and besides, we already pre-ordered our food, so there was no need for them to treat us,” Pei Nan said as he tied a particularly beautiful butterfly knot on Xue Xingqi’s foot. He stood up and added, “Put on your shoes; I’ll carry you on my back to the restaurant.”

He didn’t notice that Xue Xingqi was currently looking at him with an inquiring gaze, feeling somewhat caught between laughter and tears.

Just as he was constantly trying to convince himself that the other man was straight and that liking pretty girls was normal, Pei Nan had somehow intuitively made a decision that perfectly suited his own desires. Should he categorize this as a “straight man’s tenderness,” or was it the other man’s subconscious at work?

Did this mean he already held a certain amount of weight in Pei Nan’s heart? Otherwise, Pei Nan could have simply invited the two girls to join their table.

His mood having gone through a roller coaster ride, Xue Xingqi couldn’t be bothered to overthink it anymore. When facing Pei Nan, he was destined to experience many wonderful surprises.

Watching Pei Nan habitually prepare to squat down, Xue Xingqi quickly grabbed him. “No need. I can head over slowly; it feels much better now that the medicine is on.”

“That won’t do. As long as I’m here, I definitely won’t let you struggle. If you’re worried about losing face in front of the girls later, I can just shoulder you over; just lean your weight on me.” Pei Nan patted his shoulder, indicating he was extremely reliable.

Xue Xingqi could not resist the temptation of close physical contact with Pei Nan, even if he truly didn’t need external help to walk on level ground.

“Then, thanks.”

“No need to be polite, come on.” Pei Nan spread his arms, already in a ready stance.

However, Xue Xingqi didn’t place his arm where Pei Nan expected; instead, his hand landed on Pei Nan’s waist.

The soft, elastic sensation beneath his palm left him momentarily dazed. There was almost no excess fat on that lean waist. Although Xue Xingqi had seen Pei Nan swimming in the pool and knew exactly how much explosive power his core and muscles possessed, he was still surprised by the actual feel of it in the moment.

“Are you going to do it like this? You won’t be able to exert any strength. You should still lean on my shoulder; it’s better if I hold your waist.” Pei Nan lifted his hand and draped Xue Xingqi’s arm over his own neck, while his other hand just as he said firmly circled Xue Xingqi’s waist.

Since they had already seen each other “candidly” while bathing, Pei Nan felt much less awkward during physical contact with Xue Xingqi. At this moment, he had no carnal thoughts regarding Xue Xingqi’s physique; he felt only the simple admiration of a straight man. “You aren’t even an athlete, so how do you keep your body in such good shape? Even I have to hit the gym occasionally.”

Xue Xingqi felt there was nothing he couldn’t tell Pei Nan. Since the other man wanted to know, he told him, “I started practicing self-defense when I was a kid, and I haven’t let it slide all these years. What you see is the result of over a decade of daily training.”

“Then you’ve been practicing longer than I’ve been swimming.”

“When did you start training?”

“Fifth grade. My mom took me to a hotel; she was working while I played nearby. I almost drowned in the pool. After she fished me out, she signed me up for swimming lessons.”

Pei Nan sighed slightly as he spoke of that experience. “My mom apologized to me later, saying it was her first time being a parent and she wasn’t very experienced in many things, so she asked me to bear with her. I’ve lived alone with her for so many years that I’ve long since gotten used to her personality. That time I fell into the water, most of the responsibility was actually mine.”

He rarely spoke to others about his family not because he was insecure about being from a single-parent home, but because he felt it wasn’t necessary. He lived a very happy and fulfilling life with his mother. Bringing it up today and seeing how seriously Xue Xingqi listened made him feel a bit bashful.

“Then when we have our first drink later, we should celebrate you growing up safe and sound,” Xue Xingqi said tenderly.

Pei Nan gave a sheepish grin. “We can’t drink alcohol; sparkling soda will have to do.”

The restaurant was already in sight. The view outside their private room was the most beautiful, but unfortunately, on a rainy evening, even the most beautiful scenery was greatly diminished. The floor-to-ceiling windows were even covered in a hazy white mist due to the temperature difference between inside and out.

“It’s just as well we can’t see it. Looking at a body of water late at night is creepy,” Pei Nan remarked, evaluating the Jiangnan water-town-style night view.

Xue Xingqi couldn’t help but chuckle. The sound was soft, carrying a hint of an itch that made one’s ears turn hot.

It sounded a bit familiar.

Pei Nan rubbed his ear and asked Xue Xingqi back, “What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?”

“You’re right,” Xue Xingqi replied with a smile.

This answer satisfied Pei Nan greatly if only the other man’s smiling eyes weren’t staring at him, and if his voice didn’t contain such obvious indulgence. Xue Xingqi’s attitude made him feel like a capriciously behaving child; after all, it had been a long time since he’d heard such coaxing words from his mother!

If Xue Xingqi knew how Pei Nan was interpreting him, he would surely be unable to stop himself from laughing. What a terrifying ability to misinterpret what “coaxing a child”? He was clearly coaxing his boyfriend.

Even though the two of them were communicating on completely different wavelengths, it didn’t stop them from enjoying the meal.

On the way back after dinner, they ran into the two girls.

The two girls were indeed very pretty. They already had a very favorable impression of them due to their generous act of switching rooms. Upon seeing that Pei Nan’s friend was also a top-tier handsome guy, they could hardly suppress their internal screams. If one could find a boyfriend with a perfect score in looks, personality, and character while on vacation, it would be an absolute steal!

At a single glance, Xue Xingqi read their intentions.

He looked at Pei Nan, only to see him expertly chatting with the girls. When they suggested exchanging contact information, Pei Nan added them. When they suggested adding Xue Xingqi, Pei Nan cut them off. “My friend is very busy; if you want to chat, just look for me.”

In reality, Pei Nan was quite busy himself and didn’t have much time for online flirting, but the profile had clearly stated that Xue Xingqi was gay. For the sake of both parties, it was better not to add them. Especially for Xue Xingqi he mustn’t let him become a scumbag.

After all, since they met, Xue Xingqi had genuinely helped him a lot, and many times he helped without saying a word or claiming credit; his character was excellent. If Pei Nan kept a close eye and didn’t give Xue Xingqi a chance to make a mistake, perhaps he could be best friends with Xue Xingqi for a lifetime.

He shot Xue Xingqi a look that said: See how much of a bro I am? Blocking the “rotten peach blossoms” for you.

In Xue Xingqi’s eyes, this behavior of Pei Nan’s was no different from marking his territory.

He nodded readily, agreeing with Pei Nan’s statement. “I’m sorry, and besides, I already have someone I like.”

As soon as these words came out, the opposition instantly lost their momentum. They took Pei Nan’s contact info and left.

Only Pei Nan remained standing in the clear courtyard, staring at Xue Xingqi with a gaze filled with blatant shock and a hint of unconscious grievance.

“You have someone you like? How come I didn’t know?”

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