The Beloved Guide Was Forced in a Love-Rival Shura Field - Chapter 16

The door closed behind him, shutting out Gu Qingfeng’s refined and elegant presence completely.

Inside the room, only two people remained—plus the little fluffy creature still snuggling in Ning Ning’s arms.

The atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Xiao Lin said nothing, yet the oppressive aura radiating from him was so strong it seemed to freeze the air itself. His dark gaze was fixed on the cloudfur beast in Ning Ning’s embrace, as though it were a mortal enemy.

Holding the tiny creature, Ning Ning felt like a hapless victim clutching a scalding hot potato.

He carefully raised his eyes to sneak a glance at Xiao Lin. The man’s jawline was tense, and his expression as dark as storm clouds.

“Chiu~” The cloudfur beast, blissfully unaware, rubbed its round little head against Ning Ning’s warm palm, purring in contentment.

Ning Ning’s heart nearly melted, but the cold gaze burning into his back only grew heavier.

Only then did he belatedly realize—the adorable little creature had been a gift from Gu Qingfeng. And Xiao Lin… was sulking over this “love rival’s present.”

For the next two days, a gloomy pressure seemed to shroud the entire dormitory.

Although Xiao Lin still catered to Ning Ning’s every need—food, drink, daily comforts—nothing was lacking, yet that suffocating silence and overwhelming possessiveness bound him like an invisible net, leaving no room to breathe.

He felt stifled, restless.

He could lie around all day, but he couldn’t just do nothing, especially in such a strange atmosphere.

So, that afternoon, holding the clingy cloudfur beast, Ning Ning plucked up the courage to approach Xiao Lin, who was working at his lightbrain.

“Xiao Lin,” his voice was soft, tentative, “I’d like to… go out for a walk, maybe to the academy library to read. Is that okay?”

Xiao Lin lifted his head, eyes leaving the streaming data to settle on the boy’s pale face. Without the slightest hesitation, he said in a deep voice:

“Alright.”

As long as it was Ning Ning’s request, he would never refuse.

Relieved, Ning Ning let out a quiet breath.

On the way to the library, carrying the ever-clingy cloudfur beast, Ning Ning instantly became the absolute center of attention the moment he stepped out of the dormitory area.

He was already far too beautiful. His short, slightly curled silver hair shimmered softly in the sunlight; those unique violet eyes shone with innocent clarity; his skin was as white as fine jade. Altogether, he radiated a fragile allure that made hearts ache.

Walking beside Xiao Lin—tall, imposing, radiating a soldier’s cold, hard aura—Ning Ning looked like a rare, delicate plant that required tender care. Out of place amid the academy’s iron-blooded discipline, he nonetheless stole every glance with breathtaking impact.

Passing students, male and female alike, slowed their steps.

“Oh my god, that’s Ning Ning? He looks a thousand times better in person than on screen!”

“He’s holding a cloudfur beast? That’s a royal-exclusive companion pet! Did Prince Gu give it to him?”

“Holy—look at the Marshal’s face. He’s letting him carry another man’s gift out in public?”

“This love triangle… spicy!”

Whispers spread like wildfire. Xiao Lin walked at Ning Ning’s side, his sheer aura warding off prying stares, though the pressure around him only grew heavier.

Ning Ning, oblivious to the chatter, was simply fascinated by the majestic library before them.

Just then, System 89’s sweet, gentle voice chimed in his head:

【Ding! Host, you’ve triggered a new mission!】

【Mission: Inside the library, deliberately damage a book cherished by Xiao Lin, to anger him and reinforce your “vicious cannon fodder” persona!】

Ning Ning froze mid-step.

Damage a book Xiao Lin treasured?

He instinctively glanced at the man beside him. Xiao Lin treated him so well—peeling ugly apples for him, indulging him even when he held a rival’s pet… How could he possibly bear to do this?

Ning Ning’s face crumpled, violet eyes brimming with distress and reluctance.

【System 89: Don’t worry, Host! 89 has located a special book—an annotated copy of The Empire’s Campaigns, written on by Marshal Xiao himself. It’s on the third floor in the Rare Collection. This book is priceless to him!】

The more the system emphasized its importance, the more Ning Ning wanted to back out.

Clutching the cloudfur beast, he reluctantly trailed Xiao Lin up to the third floor.

Sure enough, the book rested quietly on a climate-controlled shelf. Its yellowed pages and aged binding marked its rarity. Along the edges, firm strokes of black ink revealed handwritten annotations.

Ning Ning’s fingers trembled as he reached out.

He really couldn’t do it.

The thought of intentionally destroying something so precious made his chest ache.

His delicate face scrunched into a knot of conflict.

【System 89: Host, don’t make it so hard on yourself! What if… you just “accidentally” did it? Like, bring a cup of water, pretend to trip, spill it onto the book. That way it’s not deliberate destruction, just a little “mishap.”】

Ning Ning’s eyes lit up.

Yes! Just an accident! He’d only be responsible for staging the “accident.”

The guilt eased a little.

He quickly handed the cloudfur beast to a nearby caretaker robot, then tiptoed to the lounge area and carefully fetched a glass of water.

Xiao Lin stood before the shelf, gazing at the rare book with a soldier’s reverence for history. His tall frame cast a shadow, his profile sharp and resolute.

Taking a deep breath, Ning Ning crept toward him like a kitten plotting mischief, water glass trembling in his hands.

He had it planned: pretend to trip, spill the water, mission complete—then apologize right away!

One step, two steps…

As he drew close, ready to act—

He squeezed his eyes shut, feigned a stumble, and pitched forward.

But he had gravely underestimated an SSS-level sentinel’s reflexes.

The instant his balance shifted, Xiao Lin spun around. Lightning-fast, he ignored the priceless book within arm’s reach, instead stretching out a powerful arm to seize Ning Ning’s slender waist, pulling him firmly into his embrace.

Thud—

Ning Ning collided headlong with the man’s solid, heated chest, nose filled with the crisp scent of cedar and the stiff texture of his uniform.

He was completely engulfed.

Safe and sound.

The glass in his hand miraculously survived intact.

But the water inside hadn’t. Propelled by inertia, it splashed entirely across Xiao Lin’s immaculate black uniform, soaking his chest in a wide, dark blotch.

Meanwhile, the rare book Xiao Lin had been holding slipped from his grasp in the motion, dropping harmlessly onto the carpeted floor.

The world fell silent.

Ning Ning’s mind went blank, heart racing wildly.

It was over! Over! The man wasn’t hurt, but the book fell, and worst of all—he’d drenched the Marshal’s uniform! Surely he’d be furious!

Yet Xiao Lin merely lowered his gaze to the trembling, wide-eyed boy in his arms. His eyes flicked briefly over his soaked uniform and the book lying safe on the carpet—then, instead of anger, a faint, molten smile surfaced.

This little tumble into his arms was just… unbearably adorable.

“You alright?” His voice, roughened by suppressed amusement, carried a warmth of indulgence. “Did I scare you?”

His gaze devoured Ning Ning’s flustered expression. Those violet eyes, glazed with panic, shimmered with tears; the reddened corners looked heartbreakingly lovely.

His hand remained firmly around Ning Ning’s waist, thumb even stroking lightly over the soft hollow, savoring the yielding warmth.

This little guide always managed to surprise him in the most unexpected ways.

Bending closer, his breath deliberately ghosted over Ning Ning’s burning-red ear. His deep voice, laced with laughter he could no longer conceal, murmured like an intimate lover’s whisper:

“If you want to hold me, you can just say so next time.”

Boom—Ning Ning’s face flamed scarlet.

Shame, embarrassment, guilt—all emotions surged at once.

He was supposed to sabotage! How had it turned into this?

Shoving Xiao Lin away, he stammered, “I—I wasn’t… I didn’t!”

Then, without daring to meet his eyes, he bolted—like a cat whose tail had been stepped on—forgetting even his beloved cloudfur beast behind.

Xiao Lin remained where he stood, watching the boy flee in panic, lips curving deeper into a smile.

He bent down, retrieved the unscathed book from the carpet, gently brushed the cover, and replaced it on the shelf.

Only then did he glance at the spreading water stain across his chest, eyes glinting with pleasure.

It seemed his little guide was far more proactive than he’d imagined.

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