The Aloof Master Is Secretly Kissed Every Night by the Paranoid Villain - Chapter 20

In Qinglan Garden, Wen Shiqing appeared to be laughing and chatting with Xiao Heng, but in his heart, he was thinking of Xie Yuan.

The system, 00, told him that although he had helped Xie Yuan handle Xuan Qing last time, the ghost energy should still have a significant impact on Xie Yuan, whose mind was not yet fully mature. He needed to keep a closer eye on Xie Yuan’s condition.

Moreover, he had been avoiding Xie Yuan for so long. If he did not fulfill the persona of “sharing a room with Xie Yuan,” the main system would surely notice.

On top of that, today was New Year’s Eve, and Wen Shiqing was a man who deeply valued traditional festivals.

Although he had rejected Xiao Heng’s suggestion to invite Xie Yuan in order to maintain his persona, he secretly hoped to bring some warmth to Xie Yuan during this holiday.

Driven by these multiple factors, Wen Shiqing appeared somewhat absent-minded, staring blankly at the crackling firecrackers.

“Huh? Where did this spirit cat come from?”

Xiao Heng’s voice broke through his thoughts. Wen Shiqing snapped back to reality and looked up to see Xiao Heng holding a snowy-white, fluffy ball by the scruff of its neck. Xiao Heng smiled and said, “Master, look, a spirit cat actually ran into Qinglan Garden. Could it have lost its way from one of the other elders’ or disciples’ spirit pets?”

“I am not!” Xiao Xue lifted his chin, struck what he considered his cutest pose for Wen Shiqing, and said in a high-pitched, affected voice, “I am a New Year’s gift brought by Brother Xie Yuan for Daoist Wen!”

After saying this, he raised his two little front paws to bow to Wen Shiqing: “Xiao Xue wishes Daoist Wen eternal joy and success in all things.”

Xiao Xue did not want to lose Xie Yuan, his long-term meal ticket, so even though Xie Yuan had told him to leave, he still wanted to follow their plan and give it a try!

“Brother Xie Yuan?” Xiao Heng’s eyes lit up. “Master, he actually sent this spirit pet as a gift for you!”

Wen Shiqing was stunned.

The guilt toward Xie Yuan that had been accumulating since earlier surged into his heart, causing his fingers at his sides to tighten involuntarily.

“But if you are here, where is Junior Brother?” Xiao Heng looked around curiously.

“My big brother he…”

“Enough, say no more.” Wen Shiqing raised his hand and took Xiao Xue from Xiao Heng’s grasp into his own arms.

He gently stroked the spirit cat’s snowy fur and replied to Xiao Heng, “Since he only sent a gift and did not enter, it means he is uncomfortable in such settings. There is no need for you to go looking for him.”

On the surface, Wen Shiqing forced himself to say this to maintain his persona, but when scooping dumplings, he secretly set aside a plate, applied a warming spell, and placed it into his storage ring.

When night fell and it was time to stay up for the New Year, he cast a spell to make Xiao Heng and Xiao Xue fall into a deep sleep, and then he snuck down the mountain himself.

He arrived at the Chunjing Courtyard.

In the courtyard and inside the house, no lights were lit. It was cold and silent.

Wen Shiqing stood in the yard, looking at the twelve peach trees that Xie Yuan had taken such good care of. He recalled how, over this period, Xie Yuan had broken into Qinglan Garden more than once to bring him tea and snacks. Even when scolded, Xie Yuan never got angry; he was persistent in his desire to see him.

He had clearly prepared a New Year’s gift, but out of consideration for Xiao Heng’s presence, he did not even have the courage to offer it.

Wen Shiqing admitted that after guessing Xie Yuan’s true personality, he had developed a degree of wariness toward him.

But seeing him now, the other was, in the end, only a child. No one could bear to let down a child who constantly showed them goodwill.

[00, he’s asleep, right?]

[Yes, he is lying on the bed with his eyes closed,] the system reported the situation honestly.

[That’s good.] Wen Shiqing let out a sigh of relief.

He cast an invisibility spell on himself and, with light footsteps, prepared to climb through the window into Xie Yuan’s room.

He had decided that as long as he came and went quietly, he could avoid interacting with Xie Yuan and keep from violating the taboos of his persona.

When he helped Xie Yuan handle Xuan Qing, he had done it while the other was asleep, and naturally, it had not been flagged by the main system as a character break. Thus, he figured that as long as Xie Yuan was sleeping, any small actions he took would be harmless.

However, he had not expected that the moment he entered the room, the teenager curled up on the bed would open his eyes.

After becoming the master of Xuan Qing, Xie Yuan’s senses were enhanced dozens of times over. He was always cautious and kept his ghost energy snake-shadows spread throughout the room. Ordinary invisibility spells could not deceive his five senses.

So, Wen Shiqing was essentially completely exposed to him, his every word and action reflected in Xie Yuan’s half-open eyes.

The teenager watched in astonishment as his usually aloof Master did things completely out of character. Under the moonlight, Wen Shiqing’s expression was tinged with guilt and nervousness, yet it was incredibly vivid and real.

His gaze followed Wen Shiqing as the man walked to the table and took out a plate of dumplings from his storage ring.

They were still steaming, clearly kept warm on purpose.

Then, Wen Shiqing took out a red pouch, weighed it in his hand, and as if deciding it was not enough, opened the drawstring to add two spirit stones.

It was exactly like the “lucky money” he had heard of when the palace servants spoke of how mortals gave gifts to their juniors during the New Year.

Wen Shiqing solemnly placed the pouch next to the dumplings.

Only then did he turn and look toward Xie Yuan’s direction.

Xie Yuan quickly closed his eyes, struggling to keep his breathing steady.

Footsteps gradually approached, and Xie Yuan felt Wen Shiqing stop by his bedside.

Warm fingers brushed against his forehead, as if checking something. After a moment, finding nothing unusual, Wen Shiqing stayed for a while before brushing a hand through his hair.

He spoke in a voice that was very soft, yet gentle.

“I really like the New Year’s gift you sent.”

“Happy New Year, Xie Yuan.”

The world became exceptionally quiet in that instant.

It was so quiet that Xie Yuan could almost hear the violent pounding of his own heart.

So fast, so eager.

So, Master had not forgotten him.

Although he did not know why Wen Shiqing had come in secret, in this moment, the sadness and anger he had felt outside Qinglan Garden vanished instantly. All that remained in Xie Yuan’s heart was wild joy.

Even knowing this was only a moment the other had squeezed out of a day spent with Xiao Heng, it was still precious to Xie Yuan.

Furthermore, the Wen Shiqing of tonight was so gentle.

He was so gentle that it felt like a false dream. It made Xie Yuan feel apprehensive yet desperate to drown in it. Therefore, when the hand stroking his hair began to withdraw, he subconsciously reached out and grabbed Wen Shiqing’s hand!

Wen Shiqing’s body went rigid.

He instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but looking down, he saw the teenager on the bed did not open his eyes. Instead, he was furrowing his brows, as if caught in a terrifying nightmare, his fingers trembling as they gripped Wen Shiqing’s.

“Don’t go… don’t leave me…”

Wen Shiqing felt a sharp pang of pain in his heart.

He inexplicably thought of the memories he had seen in Xie Yuan’s consciousness that day.

With a sigh, Wen Shiqing thought that as long as Xie Yuan did not wake up, it would not matter if he stayed a while longer.

He moved a chair over and kept watch by Xie Yuan’s side.

He stayed until the horizon began to turn white, and seeing the teenager’s brows relax, he finally reclaimed his hand and left without a sound.

But the moment he stepped out of the Chunjing Courtyard, Xie Yuan, who was supposed to be in a deep sleep, opened his eyes.

There was no trace of sleepiness in those pitch-black eyes.

Xie Yuan did not speak; instead, he quickly walked to the table where the dumplings were laid out.

He ate the dumplings in large mouthfuls, and with the act of swallowing, the smile at the corners of his eyes and lips gradually spread.

Until he eventually laughed out loud.

Xuan Qing, who had been silently observing him, felt a chill. “It is early in the morning; could you not laugh so eerily!”

“You are a ghost now; are you still afraid of me being eerie?”

“…” Xuan Qing rolled his eyes but could still hear that he was in a good mood.

Presumably, Wen Shiqing’s strange behavior had bolstered Xie Yuan’s spirits again. He truly was a freak that was easy to coax.

“Fine, as long as you are happy.”

Xie Yuan toyed with the pouch on the table, a look of satisfaction and a genuine smile long absent from his face finally appearing.

“Xuan Qing, I can feel that Master cares about me.”

“Last night, he could have stayed with Xiao Heng the whole time, yet he chose to come and see me.”

“He even said he liked the gift I sent, and because of the pathetic act I put on, he watched over me for half the night.”

“So, I no longer wish to believe in the idea of first impressions.”

The teenager gripped the heavy pouch tightly, his eyes filled with the ruthless determination of someone who was certain of victory.

“I only believe that those who come later can surpass those who came before.”