The Beautiful Pariah Thought He Could Be Loved - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: “As Punishment for Staying Out All Night…”

A rooster crowed, and the faint morning light illuminated the room. The furnishings were as they always were, and a man sat upon a wooden chair. His eyes were closed, his arms resting naturally at his sides.

Suddenly, his fingertips twitched. He slowly opened his eyes, his pale green gaze sweeping the room; he was still alone.

The wooden chair creaked slightly as He Huaqing stood up, his lips pressed thin. Cloaked in a layer of chill, he strode toward the door.

His eyelids flickered, his gaze dark and predatory, as if a fierce beast were hidden within his pupils, fangs bared and ready to strike.

He was going to bring Xin Qishu back.

His long, powerful hand gripped the door handle, but before he could exert force, the door pushed inward.

Through the gap of the opening wooden door, Xin Qishu’s fair little face peeked in. He was actually smiling quite happily. “Oh? You’re not cultivating?”

Huaqing’s face twitched, the pale pink scar writhing like a small snake. He felt now that keeping this scar was utterly pointless! Xin Qishu didn’t care at all!

His voice was as cold as an ice cellar. “Where were you?”

Xin Qishu slipped inside, his shoes and pant legs stained with yellowish-gray dust. “I went with that youth to find the vengeful ghost’s corpse.”

Huaqing stood before him like a wall. Xin Qishu tilted his head back and gave him a little nudge. “I’m so sleepy. I want to nap for a bit.”

Huaqing did not move. “Is it necessary to investigate so diligently? We only need to capture the ghost.”

“Mm… since we asked him for help, don’t we need to find out the reason it refuses to reincarnate?” Xin Qishu yawned, his gaze suddenly drifting to the stump of He Huaqing’s severed limb. He let out a small gasp.

He had almost forgotten; the youth said… Xin Qishu’s expression became unnatural.

“Direct force and threats would also work.”

Ever since he entered the room, He Huaqing had been observing his expressions closely. Seeing this, he thought Xin Qishu had changed his mind. He felt a pang of sadness, but even more so, a frantic anxiety about failing the mission. In his desperation, he blurted out: “I was injured to protect you.”

He had thought Xin Qishu’s “conquest progress” was nearly full, until Ye Yi appeared, tore off the paper behind the progress bar, and told him he had only just begun—there was still a long road ahead.

A rosy flush climbed up Xin Qishu’s cheeks. He gently wrapped his arms around He Huaqing, his soft hands stroking the man’s broad back. “I know.”

One hand lightly touched the surface of the right arm’s stump. The subtle sensation made He Huaqing frown slightly.

“Does it hurt? Does it itch?”

“Mm.” Huaqing caught something from his expression, and his heart suddenly calmed. He took a small step back. “What are you doing?”

His tone was somewhat cold, but Xin Qishu didn’t notice. He was struggling to organize his words to explain to He Huaqing.

“Um… it’s like this. That youth is a medical cultivator. He saw through the fact that I’m not a servant. To keep him from being suspicious so I could stay by his side to learn more, I told him I was looking for him to treat your arm.”

“He said your condition might be due to a poison called ‘Frost Venom,'” Xin Qishu said, feeling a bit embarrassed under He Huaqing’s unromantic gaze, his voice growing smaller. “Consummating… might be able to cure it…”

Huaqing remained still, his eyes staring straight at the person before him.

Xin Qishu gathered his courage and proactively circled his hands around the back of He Huaqing’s neck. “Shall we give it a try…?”

Huaqing looked down at him expressionlessly as a soft hand brushed past his Adam’s apple.

Xin Qishu shyly lowered his eyes, his eyelids a beautiful shade of tender pink. Watching this, He Huaqing’s Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed. The person before him immediately lifted his eyelids, meeting his gaze with those large eyes.

In those red eyes, there was no awkwardness or shame—only a sense of eagerness and curiosity.

The delicious prey had delivered itself to the door.

Xin Qishu blinked. Suddenly, He Huaqing leaned down and fiercely captured his lips.

The lips felt as if they were being swallowed whole. “Mm…” Xin Qishu let out a muffled moan, and a tongue immediately took advantage of the opening.

The hands that had been loosely resting on his back tightened their grip.

After a moment of entanglement, the lips parted, leaving a silver thread of moisture. Huaqing’s breathing was heavy, his eyes filled with desire. Xin Qishu’s gaze was dazed, his voice sounding unlike its usual self, asking softly, “What is it?”

His eyes were curved, shimmering with an alluring expression. After speaking, he pressed his soft lips forward again for a light kiss.

Huaqing gave his waist a powerful squeeze, scooped him up, and placed him on the bed. He roughly tore his own clothes open and then braced his hands on either side of Xin Qishu’s head.

Trapped beneath him like a possession, Xin Qishu felt a sense of satisfaction somewhere deep in his heart. Panting heavily, He Huaqing stared deeply at the person beneath him, his voice raspy. “Qishu, today will count as our wedding night.”

Xin Qishu gave a small “mm” and unfastened his own clothes, looking at He Huaqing with bright eyes.

Huaqing pressed down.

The pillows were tossed off the bed. Amidst the chaos, a hand pulled down the bed curtains, and soon, heart-trembling moans could be heard.

Xin Qishu couldn’t take it and crawled forward a few steps, weeping. A hand grabbed his ankle, and he was pulled back again.

His body slid across the bedsheets.

A finger was suddenly placed against Xin Qishu’s lips, rubbing them forcefully. “Mm…” With tears welling in the corners of his eyes, Xin Qishu tilted his head back. His mouth was rubbed open, and his already red lips became even more vivid in color.

His smooth black hair was pulled to the other’s chest, the contrast between black and white striking.

Another finger entered his mouth, stirring against his soft tongue.

Huaqing’s aura enveloped him from behind, his warm breath hitting the side of his ear as he said quite wickedly, “As punishment for staying out all night, Little Qi cannot make a sound today.”

Xin Qishu made several muffled noises, able to emit only indistinct moans.

…

The sun climbed high. The wind blew a small gap in the bed curtains, showing the two on the bed embracing.

Xin Qishu buried his head against He Huaqing’s chest, panting with a vacant stare. Just now, he truly thought he might die.

Huaqing’s hand continued to stroke his body incessantly. Xin Qishu hurried to close his eyes and pretend to sleep.

Suddenly, he felt a coolness in his hand.

Xin Qishu’s eyelashes trembled. He opened his eyes and looked down. A ring had been slipped onto his middle finger, set with a gemstone that shimmered with a color close to his own eyes.

Huaqing’s voice was hoarse and very tender. “Tonight, according to custom, we should have exchanged tokens of love. This night came very late, but fortunately, it arrived eventually.”

“Thank you, wife, for not giving up on me. For giving me the chance to hold you.”

“You gave me a bracelet, so I should give you something too. But I left in such a hurry that I have no other precious objects on me except for my sword.”

“This thing is too cheap; it doesn’t suit you. Just take it as a promise from me. I will definitely make it up to you with a formal token in the future. You can dislike it, but you can’t dislike me.”

Xin Qishu’s voice was as quiet as a mosquito. “I don’t dislike you, so naturally, I will cherish it.” The heartbeat in his chest was like thunder.

Huaqing’s eyes crinkled into a smile. “Do you like it?” At this moment, he actually seemed a bit more youthful.

Xin Qishu’s eyes sparkled. He took a playful little bite of the man’s chest muscle and said indistinctly, “I like it.”

Huaqing’s hand slowly moved downward.

Xin Qishu suddenly felt something was different. He let go and looked around in surprise. “Your arm—it really grew back!” Fortunately, it was the kind that could be cured.

“Mm.” Huaqing flipped him over.

…

When he opened his eyes again, it was another morning. Xin Qishu woke up in He Huaqing’s arms, his body feeling clean and dry. The quilt was warm and comfortable. Xin Qishu laughed silently for a while.

The thing he had been looking forward to for so long had finally come true.

“What are you so happy about?” Huaqing woke up too, his gaze not quite clear as he buried his head in the crook of Xin Qishu’s neck.

“Do you remember before, when I wanted to wake up in your arms, and you rejected me so coldly: ‘No, I don’t want to’?”

“Mm…” Huaqing kissed him, leaving a mark on his neck. “Why are you bringing up old accounts?”

“What? I’m not allowed to?” Xin Qishu ducked away, giggling.

“You are… you can bring up whatever you want. Let me kiss you again.”

Xin Qishu laughed and dodged left and right, but the now-awake He Huaqing grabbed him by the waist and kissed him until he had his fill.

Huaqing got up to dress, his voice tinged with joy. “What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.”

“No, I want to go out and eat with you,” Xin Qishu said, sitting up slowly.

“You were crying about the pain yesterday; are you better now?” Huaqing turned his face, a smile hooking his lips as he looked at his askance.

“I just want to be with you.” Xin Qishu took out two sets of clothes. “Which one do you think looks better?”

“This one.” Huaqing picked out a sky-blue robe.

The two walked onto the street, and Xin Qishu chose a restaurant for their meal.

After they ordered, the waiter closed the door.

Xin Qishu propped up his chin, focusing on the scenery outside the window.

Huaqing’s fingers curved slightly, tapping the table a few times.

A light breeze stirred Xin Qishu’s bangs. In the depths of his light brown eyes was the reflection of the people passing by outside.

He cleared his throat and asked, “What did you find the night before last?”

The food arrived.

Xin Qishu finally turned back and replied, “We found that a corpse was hidden privately within the mansion, and a Taoist had once cast a spell on the body to ensure it wouldn’t rot.”

The waiter looked between the two of them and let out an exclamation. “Oh! You two must be talking about the business at the Li Mansion?”

“Yes,” He Huaqing replied.

“Are you here to exorcise the ghost? Then you can go back. The ghost won’t appear anymore.”

“Why? Will he not kill the master of the Li Mansion?” This was the second time Xin Qishu had heard this; he was curious about the waiter’s reasoning. It wasn’t as if the ghost had also met the waiter when he was gravely ill.

“I don’t think he will. Li Mu doesn’t hate Li Guan that much. He mostly hates those young masters of the Li family.”

Li Mu was the ghost; Li Guan was the master of the Li Mansion.

“Your reasoning?”

The waiter smiled slightly but didn’t answer.

Huaqing handed him a few spirit stones.

Only then did the waiter continue. “Li Guan never comes home. The Li Mansion used to be managed by the Eldest Young Master.”

“Li Guan should have acknowledged Li Mu as part of the family sooner. If he had, so many things wouldn’t have happened later.”

“On the surface, the Li family has three sons. All three sons are exceptionally handsome and talented in their own ways.”

“The Eldest Young Master is socially graceful and skilled at business; the Second Young Master is physically strong and very good at martial arts; the Third Young Master is clever and flexible in his actions, but he is also the most unruly one. The Third Young Master… likes boys.”

“If the other party doesn’t agree, he takes them by force.”

“There was a time when the Eldest Young Master went away on business. Once he left, trouble started at home.”