The Aloof Master Is Secretly Kissed Every Night by the Paranoid Villain - Chapter 21

After the New Year, Wen Shiqing adopted Little Snow. At first, he was embarrassed to raise the creature openly as it contradicted his established persona. Whenever Xie Yuan came to Qinglan Garden to deliver tea and snacks, he would deliberately point at Little Snow and act, saying, “Since you ran up here on your own, it means you have a destined connection with this Lord. Staying here is fine.”

However, whenever he said this, the way Xie Yuan looked at him would become exceptionally gentle, making him feel inexplicably uneasy.

Xiao Heng also quite liked Little Snow and enjoyed teasing him whenever he had the chance. He even told him to get along well with Little Blue.

Little Snow pretended to be well-behaved on the surface, but in secret, he strictly followed Xie Yuan’s instructions. Every night, he would frighten the little blue bird, Little Blue. But after Little Blue was scared into pooping several times and shedding tears, Little Snow’s heart would soften.

Consequently, he would only occasionally bare his teeth at Little Blue to fulfill the task his big brother had assigned him. For the rest of the time, he would sneak the delicious food Xie Yuan made for him and toss some to Little Blue. As time passed, not only did he fail to scare Little Blue thin, but he actually fed the bird until it became two rounds fatter, turning it into a little chubby bird.

When Xie Yuan asked about it, he gritted his teeth and bluffed, “Big Brother, let me tell you, feeding him until he is fat is a great way to make him lose favor! Look, there is no bird as fat as him! Once Daoist Wen sees how fat he is, he will not want him to sing anymore. Sooner or later, he will dislike him and throw him away!”

Xie Yuan was noncommittal about this.

Time flowed by slowly. The leaves in Qinglan Garden turned green and then yellow, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed.

During these three years, Wen Shiqing nurtured Xiao Heng openly and Xie Yuan in secret. He stayed in Qinglan Garden during the day, and at night, he would occasionally run to Xie Yuan’s room to drink tea.

However, he did not know when it started, but Xie Yuan began to do more than just brew tea and make snacks; he also started preparing delicious dishes, which gradually permeated their interactions.

Although Wen Shiqing had already achieved Inedia, he still possessed the mindset from his own world, so he could not completely abandon his love for gourmet food. Therefore, even though he would complain on the surface, he would clear the plates of everything Xie Yuan made for him every time.

Over time, what began as a task-driven need to drink tea in Xie Yuan’s room turned into a feeling of anticipation whenever he came to visit.

What made him feel even more at ease was that for the past three years, Xie Yuan had not mentioned a single word about Xuan Qing. He only maintained this master-disciple relationship with him, appearing obedient and well-behaved on the surface, as if he truly remembered nothing.

For Wen Shiqing, this was the best possible state of affairs.

“Master, the day before yesterday, when I went out on a sect mission, I saw Senior Brother Xiao with a female cultivator from the Lanyin Sect.”

Xie Yuan’s voice entered his ears, pulling Wen Shiqing back to reality.

The night was heavy outside the window.

The handsome youth had already grown taller than Wen Shiqing. When he leaned over to pour tea, his sideburns fell softly, making his skin appear fairer and his lips redder. When his long, narrow phoenix eyes focused intently on the man, there was a unique kind of deep affection in them.

He continued to recount, pretending to be nonchalant: “I saw that female cultivator hook her arm around Senior Brother’s neck and touch his face. Senior Brother just smiled and did not push her away. I suppose that female cultivator must be a very important person to him.”

“…” Wen Shiqing’s mouth twitched slightly.

He really wanted to interrogate Xie Yuan as to why he had to bring up Xiao Heng and the female cultivator at this moment. After all, once Xie Yuan brought it up, he had to pretend to be angry. Then, he would be unable to eat this table full of delicious food.

Reluctantly withdrawing his gaze from the walnut crisp, Wen Shiqing said coldly, “Enough! You do not need to worry about Xiao Heng’s affairs. Mind your own business.”

Having said this, he stood up abruptly, grumbling about how Xie Yuan only ever said things that ruined his appetite, and walked toward the door.

But just as he took a step, his wrist was suddenly gripped by the youth.

After Xie Yuan practiced the Ghost Path, his body temperature was on the cooler side. The sensation of his touch on Wen Shiqing’s wrist was like a cold, wandering snake, slowly creeping, entwining, and tightening.

“Master, do not be angry.”

The tall youth leaned in close to Wen Shiqing, his low, hoarse voice carrying a heavy sense of enchantment.

“Even if Senior Brother Xiao has someone in his heart, do you not still have me?”

“I will always stay by your side and keep you company.”

“??!!!”

The two locked eyes.

Wen Shiqing’s hair stood on end.

Almost without hesitation, he shook off Xie Yuan’s hand and took a massive step back!

It was because Xie Yuan’s attitude and words looked exactly like the scene he had seen in the prophecy mirror at Yan Mountain three years ago!

He had been perfectly normal just a moment ago; why had he suddenly changed today?

“Who do you think you are?! How can you be mentioned in the same breath as Xiao Heng?!”

Wen Shiqing tried his best to appear as though he were not afraid of Xie Yuan, turning to say words that fit his persona.

“Do not ever say such things again! Recognize your own status!”

After finishing, he pushed the door open with a loud bang, practically fleeing for his life.

Xie Yuan watched Wen Shiqing’s departing back. He rubbed his fingers, which were still stained with the man’s temperature, touched his own face, and laughed with infatuation.

“Master’s temperature is so warm.”

“Ah, ah, ah, you are truly becoming more and more perverted!” Xuan Qing could no longer hold back his voice.

“It has been too long since I touched Master, and I cannot control myself.” Xie Yuan sat down at the table and naturally picked up the tea cup that Wen Shiqing had used. His lips pressed against the edge of the cup, staining it with water, making the color appear even redder—resembling that of a ghost.

After putting down the cup, his long fingers seemed unsatisfied, and he proceeded to stroke the side of the cup with delicate force, as if he were caressing Wen Shiqing’s face.

In truth, Xie Yuan did not need Xuan Qing to remind him; he knew that his craving for Wen Shiqing was not normal.

Perhaps it was because he had never been cherished by anyone, so even though Wen Shiqing’s kindness toward him stemmed from Xiao Heng and was always performed in secret, he had still fallen completely and utterly at that New Year’s Eve.

He hungered for Wen Shiqing to speak to him gently like that night again, to gently stroke his hair.

He craved it every single day.

He even relied on the memory of that night to endure the agony of the Ghost Cultivator’s Golden Core stage. When his body and soul were on the verge of tearing apart, it was only by thinking of Wen Shiqing that he was able to remain conscious.

During these three years, he sent his snake shadows to spy on Wen Shiqing. Seeing the man naturally perform intimate actions toward Xiao Heng, he would wonder:

Why can’t Master be this openly affectionate toward me?

Clearly, I cherish this kindness from Master far more than Xiao Heng does…

So today, he could not hold back anymore. He reached out to grab Wen Shiqing’s wrist and spoke the words from his heart.

The moment their skin touched, all his senses were cheering.

He was no longer as frail as he had been three years ago. He had the same height as the man; he could easily hold Master’s wrist, and by taking one more step forward, he could even open his arms and trap Wen Shiqing in his embrace.

He could feel that warmth closer and tighter.

But just as he attempted to carry out his plan, Wen Shiqing shook off his hand.

Without mercy, he pushed him away and left.

Consequently, this desire abruptly ended once more, accumulating in his heart to form even more secretive and damp thoughts.

They drove him to kiss the fingers that had touched the other man, to stroke the tea cup he had used, and to collect the traces he had left behind.

Xie Yuan did not understand what kind of emotion this was.

But he could not control it.

He could not control the greed he felt toward Wen Shiqing.