The Little Crybaby Continues to Court Death as a Cannon Fodder - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Before, Xi Yue had always presented a submissive, weak facade to Yu Qing, as if he were the one in need of protection.

Now, his eyes were strange—an abyssal black, burning with a searing, heavy emotion that pinned Yu Qing in place like a predator locking onto its prey.

Their eyes met. Yu Qing’s cold gaze began to mist over, though it was unclear if it was from anger or shame.

He widened his eyes fiercely: “What are you looking at? Get out!”

Yu Qing had only wanted to take this chance to try on the clothes; he hadn’t expected Xi Yue to return so soon.

Li Wu had planned to give him a new set of makeup and had sent him many reference photos, promising to make him the most beautiful creature in the world.

Yu Qing thought he was being sufficiently overbearing, but he didn’t realize that scolding someone while dressed like this, with a face like his, carried zero deterrent.

In fact, his trembling voice made him sound like he was bluffing—like a lost lamb signaling its distress, practically inviting a hunter’s bullying.

Xi Yue slowly looked up. He hadn’t expected the ill-tempered young master to actually be willing to wear these clothes.

“Little Master, Li Wu ran into some trouble; she might be late.” Seeing the flushed face in his vision dazed for a moment before turning disappointed, Xi Yue continued calmly, “She asked me to help lay down some base colors.”

At the mention of Li Wu, Yu Qing’s anger visibly subsided, though his icy expression showed he was still unhappy.

Originally sitting in the center, he scurried to the farthest corner, staying far away from Xi Yue.

He thought he looked fierce, but the way his face crumpled in a pout was, in Xi Yue’s eyes, exceptionally cute.

He had always known Yu Qing was beautiful, but he hadn’t expected him to have such a compliant side. While his mind raced with desire, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy.

An invisible hand dragged Xi Yue’s emotions downward as he watched Yu Qing avoid him like the plague.

Is he really that unwilling?

Earlier, hadn’t Yu Qing wanted him to paint? Now that he was helping, Yu Qing was unhappy.

Why?

Just because he wasn’t Li Wu?

Xi Yue knew he shouldn’t feel this dark resentment toward his junior. Li Wu was talented and he admired her, and she respected him as her senior.

But he was the one who came first.

He was the one who came to Yu Qing’s side first. Yu Qing was the one who approached him, sponsored him, and chose him.

And—

He was the dog Yu Qing was keeping.

Yet Yu Qing kept trying to retreat into the corner, looking as if he couldn’t wait to be rid of him.

Strictly speaking, Xi Yue was not a reckless person; he was a master of disguise and patience.

But now, beneath his habitual mask of calm, a swelling heat was beginning to boil over.

“Little Master, you’re too far.” He tilted his head slightly, looking over. “I can’t see clearly.”

“Come closer.”

Reluctantly, Yu Qing moved a bit—only a tiny bit.

His disgust was so obvious that Xi Yue put on a hurt expression: “Little Master, am I really that loathsome to you?”

Overcome by shame, Yu Qing didn’t want to speak. He bit his lip and moved a little closer again.

This time, Xi Yue moved his easel and chair directly next to him. They were sitting very close.

Seeing Xi Yue look over, Yu Qing huffed, turned his head away petulantly, and refused to look back.

It was as if he deliberately wanted Xi Yue to know exactly how annoyed he was.

Xi Yue didn’t reach for his usual professional paints. Instead, he used the children’s paints gifted by the organizers of a previous volunteer event.

The brush he used was also a brand-new stiff-bristled brush, rather than his preferred soft ones.

Since the artist wasn’t Li Wu, Yu Qing wasn’t cooperating at all, but Xi Yue accepted it with a good-natured air.

Xi Yue focused his gaze on the canvas, but suddenly turned his head, locking his eyes onto Yu Qing’s chest.

“Little Master, your color is very strange.”

“?”

Before Yu Qing could ask what was strange, a jolt of electricity ran down his spine, leaving his body weak. A soft, sob-like whimper escaped his lips.

He dazed for a moment, looking down blankly. Xi Yue had leaned in at some point and was pressing the tip of the brush against him.

“Right here.”

To make sure the little master understood, the hand holding the brush rotated slightly. The stiff bristles scraped against his skin through the thin fabric.

Xi Yue said, “The color here is so strange. I can’t seem to mix it correctly.”

The new brush was soaked in water. Whether Xi Yue had forgotten or did it on purpose, he hadn’t wiped it dry.

Instead, he poked the wet brush against Yu Qing, pointing out the area that “troubled” him.

Yu Qing shuddered from the cold sensation, his knees pressing together more tightly. His upturned face was filled with shock—he looked like a poor, startled creature.

He was naturally wary, but his character was incredibly sheltered. No one had ever done anything like this to him, so his first instinct wasn’t fury, but confusion.

“You can’t mix it? What do you mean?”

“Little Master, yours is different from mine. It’s slightly indented here, and the color is quite pale. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Xi Yue added, “Besides, I can’t see it clearly.”

“Can I mix the colors on your body?”

Was Xi Yue crazy? Did he want to use him as a palette?

The ill-tempered young master naturally refused. Just as a spark of anger flared in his eyes, the young man spoke calmly again: “If I have to mix it slowly on my own, it might take a long time. The night market will be closed by then.”

“It’s my lack of skill. My color sense is poor. I’m sorry, Little Master, you might have to sit here for a while tonight.”

“What about the night market?!”

Xi Yue wore a look of deep guilt: “It might be very late. Little Master, perhaps we could go tomorrow…”

“No!” Yu Qing moved toward Xi Yue, leaning forward to grab his arm. He looked up and said, “I don’t want to go tomorrow. I want to go today.”

But if he wanted a quick solution, it meant he had to be Xi Yue’s palette.

His anger was stuck halfway, and his small face crumpled again.

His cold, elegant face was torn between struggle and hesitation. From his furrowed brow, it was clear he was thinking very seriously, as if contemplating a deep academic problem.

Finally, he bit his lip, his brow furrowing even deeper as he surrendered: “Then hurry up. Don’t delay my late-night snack.”

“No, how could I trouble the Little Master?”

Yu Qing took the initiative to pull Xi Yue’s hand toward himself.

Xi Yue’s expression shifted from intense resistance to reluctant acceptance, as if he were being forced into it. He pressed the brush against Yu Qing.

His expression was full of helplessness, as if Yu Qing had left him with no choice: “Fine, then I’ll have to trouble you, Little Master.”

The already short clothes on Yu Qing’s body were gradually soaked by the water. Once wet, the fabric turned from translucent to completely transparent, clinging to his skin in gauzy folds.

His eyelashes fluttered. Feeling ashamed, he turned his head away in avoidance.

This movement cast half of his face into shadow, giving him a hazy, seductive beauty.

His slightly flushed cheeks, his bright, succulent lips, and the shadowed effect of the wet gauze all drew the eye irresistibly.

The soaked fabric quickly darkened, creating a sharp contrast as it clung to his chest.

Due to the cold, that small patch of pink skin pushed against the fabric, creating a translucent, highlighted effect.

Yu Qing’s shoulders were trembling.

Xi Yue was using a flat-headed stiff brush. The bristles were quite firm.

Because it was new, the stiffness was even more pronounced. As the brush swiped across, one could see the marks left by the bristles.

As it flicked across his skin through the clothes, Yu Qing felt a slight stinging sensation. But fearing he would slow down Xi Yue’s progress, he bit his lip and didn’t make a sound.

He looked very obedient.

In truth, Xi Yue didn’t like dim-witted people; communication was a chore, and he hated trouble. He liked smart people.

He had originally thought Yu Qing was just arrogant and spoiled, but he hadn’t realized he was raised to be so naive. He would believe any seemingly logical lie used to coax him.

He was so stupidly cute it was mesmerizing.

Now, Yu Qing’s brow was full of unease, and he rubbed his knees together to distract himself.

While looking down at his fingers, he saw the brush at his chest mixing into a very pale pink.

Yu Qing froze. Realizing exactly what color Xi Yue was trying to “match,” he was about to lose his temper when he let out a startled cry.

As the paint was slowly applied to his body, Xi Yue switched to mixing skin tones. Yu Qing felt a strange panic—a hollow, groundless anxiety.

He reached out to grab Xi Yue’s clothes, his face bright red and his lips pressed tight, but his eyes were brimming with alarm.

“Little Master.”

Suddenly, Xi Yue leaned in close, his tone heavy: “Why were you so willing to wear these clothes just because she asked? Would you be willing to do this for anyone who asked?”

Yu Qing looked up in confusion, but Xi Yue lowered his gaze just in time to hide the surging emotions in his eyes.

He pressed his hand against Yu Qing’s narrow waist, moved across to his lower back, and then slowly slid downward, grabbing hold of him.

Yu Qing straightened his spine in shock, his eyelashes trembling.

With that expression, it was obvious he was about to throw a tantrum.

“What are you grabbing me for!” His face flushed. “Stop it!”

Xi Yue turned a deaf ear, whispering into his ear in a worried tone: “Little Master, you are just too naive. A beautiful boy like you shouldn’t go wandering around in clothes like this; you’ll run into bad people.”

To make sure Yu Qing remembered the lesson, he tightened his grip. His throat moved slightly at the strangely pleasant feedback, but his voice remained soft, as if suppressing something: “Like this.”

“Little Master, you must protect yourself.”

Yu Qing frowned. He felt that today’s Xi Yue was very strange.

He didn’t understand what Xi Yue was trying to do.

But Xi Yue looked so righteous and concerned, as if these actions were purely a demonstration out of fear for Yu Qing’s safety.

Xi Yue was still panting in his ear. His breath was ragged and heavy, and the scorching heat of it scattered against his ear. Yu Qing felt uncomfortable and wanted to flee.

His attempt to escape seemed to hurt Xi Yue, but in the next second, both of them froze.

Initially, there had been two layers of fabric between Xi Yue’s palm and Yu Qing, but as Yu Qing struggled, only one layer remained.

Xi Yue was dazed by the unexpected sensation. The feel of it was too good—the elasticity was perfect—and he stood there stunned.

Yu Qing’s anger had also reached its limit. His patience for the night market had run out, and without thinking, he gave Xi Yue a hard slap.

His pale face was knocked to the side. Xi Yue lowered his eyes blankly, his throat working as if he were trying to suppress a boiling emotion.

About three to five seconds passed before he regained his composure. He knelt on one knee before Yu Qing’s calves and took hold of his right hand.

As he expected, the palm was very red.

Yu Qing had been pampered since childhood and had very delicate skin. That slap had been so forceful he must have hurt himself.

Xi Yue lowered his head and kissed the palm, bowing his back and slowly burying his face into it, his cheek resting against the soft flesh. “Little Master, don’t be angry.”

“If you want to hit me, you can just tell me. There’s no need to do it yourself.” His voice was filled with heartache. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Yu Qing looked down coldly.

His hand did hurt, but he felt more anger at being provoked.

The Xi Yue who had been so bold and reckless just moments ago had returned to his humble, weak state.

Yu Qing shoved him away and stood up, moving in front of Xi Yue, who had fallen back onto his knees on the floor.

He stepped firmly on Xi Yue, his gaze cold.

Xi Yue was almost lying flat on the ground, his legs bent in a pathetic posture, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel ashamed.

Propping himself up slightly with his hands, he stared almost blankly at that exquisite foot.

The skin was so white, creating a stark contrast with the black trousers he was treading on.

Xi Yue’s throat bobbed several times. His calm black eyes gradually regained focus as he struggled to sit up, wanting to see more clearly.

Yu Qing, however, mistook this for resistance. Having been offended, his mood was abysmal.

The ill-tempered young master was determined to make Xi Yue learn the consequences of upsetting him.

He moved his leg, which was still stained with irregular smudges of lip glaze. The red made his skin look even whiter and more vibrant.

Xi Yue watched him pull back his leg and slowly walk toward him.

The blue wig partially shielded his shoulder, but his elegant collarbones peeked through the blue hair, making his skin look even more delicate.

Beneath the bangs were a pair of cold, beautiful eyes. His outfit, however, was in a completely different style from his chilly, glamorous appearance, which incited a spark of destructive desire.

Xi Yue’s eyes were almost obsessive, following his every movement.

Yu Qing walked over slowly and stopped, his delicate, tender foot landing beside Xi Yue’s arm.

His toes brushed against him intermittently. Xi Yue felt flushed; Yu Qing was too close—so close that if he just reached out, he could seize that slender ankle.

Perhaps Yu Qing sensed Xi Yue’s restlessness, sparking his dissatisfaction.

Thinking Xi Yue was being defiant, he slowly raised his right leg, completely unaware that from Xi Yue’s perspective, everything was visible.

He stepped on Xi Yue’s protruding Adam’s apple and said coldly: “Xi Yue.”

“You’ve been getting less and less obedient lately.”

Yu Qing didn’t like to overly restrict people’s freedom. Even when he demanded Xi Yue be obedient, he gave him some space.

He could overlook the occasional small temper, but that didn’t mean Xi Yue could act out constantly.

The very short skirt rose slightly due to the movement of his right leg. Xi Yue could see that flash of pure white clearly.

Because his throat was restricted, he was forced to tilt his chin up. The light forced tears into his eyes, and his dark hair veiled his pupils, perfectly masking the surging excitement beneath.

How could someone like this exist?

He was performing an act of humiliation, yet it was impossible to feel resentment.

Xi Yue’s expression grew more painful, and a shimmer of moisture gathered in his dark eyes.

Was he crying?

Even when warning someone, Yu Qing hadn’t intended to go this far.

Thinking he had been too harsh, Yu Qing withdrew his leg.

To his surprise, Xi Yue didn’t think the warning was enough. He pressed Yu Qing’s foot back to its original position and said in a low, husky voice: “Little Master, are you going to let me off just like that? That would be too easy on me.”

“I offended you. I made you unhappy. You shouldn’t let me off so easily.”

Yu Qing’s eyebrows twitched. He didn’t understand what kind of madness had taken hold of Xi Yue. He tried to pull his foot back, but because his ankle was held tight, he nearly fell.

Forced to lean against the nearby wall for support, his eyes gradually widened.

He could only see part of Xi Yue’s face; the vast majority of his field of vision was his own foot.

Yu Qing’s mind began to go blank again. Then, his face flushed with anger. He was about to open his mouth to question him, but instead, he bit his lower lip.

His shoulders trembled slightly with rage.

The studio was already stifling. Even with the window open, Yu Qing’s face was flushed red by the summer heat.

His dense eyelashes fluttered incessantly, and his oddly red lips were pressed tight.

His upturned, alluring eyes were filled with confusion and alarm, giving his naturally gorgeous face a touch of innocent, pure charm.

Xi Yue, who had been sprawled on the ground, slowly sat up. In an extremely humble posture, he cradled Yu Qing’s calf and pressed his cheek against it, saying devoutly: “Little Master, you are just too good to me.”

Xi Yue was always saying such strange things.

Yu Qing bit his lip, ignoring the strange, tingling sensation, and looked down at his foot with some frustration.

Although it was strange, it felt good.

…He couldn’t quite describe it.

When Xi Yue stood up, Yu Qing lost his support and almost fell, but a strong arm swept across his lower back, catching him in a warm, broad embrace.

He frowned, looking up at the strong man who was significantly taller than him, feeling a bit annoyed.

“Little Master? Don’t you like it?”

He added, “But your expression is clearly telling me that you like it very much.”

“Shut up!” Exposed, Yu Qing’s eyelashes quivered in embarrassment and anger. “Who likes it? It’s filthy!”

“Truly filthy!”

The more he cursed and the fiercer he became, the wider the curve of Xi Yue’s lips grew.

By now, even Yu Qing didn’t understand if his constant scolding was a punishment or a reward.

He simply turned his head away, his small face full of frustration and grievance.

Xi Yue wasn’t wrong; he really didn’t hate it. He even somewhat enjoyed this novel sensation.

But another voice told Yu Qing that this was wrong—that it was bad.

He shouldn’t be like this with Xi Yue.

The more he thought, the heavier his head felt. Yu Qing’s hands unconsciously grabbed Xi Yue’s waist, and his eyelashes fluttered.

Then, he closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

Xi Yue let Yu Qing lean against his shoulder. The weather was muggy, but fearing he would catch a cold, he took a new thin blanket from the cabinet.

Treating him like a fragile object, he wrapped Yu Qing up bit by bit, then pulled him into his arms and pressed his lips against the soft, white side of his neck.

So fragrant.

Yu Qing always had a scent about him that one could only smell when very close.

Xi Yue sat on the high platform, holding him like that, his gaze focused and his expression tender.

Soon, he wasn’t satisfied with just looking; he began to stroke the soft face.

The sleeping Yu Qing felt his cheek being touched. His brow furrowed in anger, his face full of impatience—fierce as could be.

So cute.

Xi Yue couldn’t help but lean down and kiss the corner of Yu Qing’s mouth.

It was this soft kiss that caused him to lose control completely. His handsome face shifted instantly, and his palms trembled with excitement.

All those inexplicable reactions seemed to be explained at this moment.

Xi Yue had always known he was interested in this young master of the Yu family, but at first, it was just interest.

He found him amusing, interesting.

Later, he found him cute and couldn’t help but want to be near him.

Finally, he wanted him all to himself.

This sudden kiss was like a needle popping a balloon, exposing all the hidden emotions beneath.

And Yu Qing was still fast asleep, completely unaware of the struggle for restraint happening beside him.

After a moment, Xi Yue reached out and pinched his chin. His thumb pressed down on the lower lip, applying enough pressure to reveal a bit of his white lower teeth and the bright, tender mucous membrane of his mouth.

Xi Yue watched calmly for a moment, then squeezed Yu Qing’s cheeks. The plump lips naturally parted a little, and his lip pearl was squeezed out.

“Mm—”

Perhaps feeling uncomfortable, the sleeping Yu Qing let out a murmur of protest, but it was immediately smothered.

All his protests were crudely blocked back into his mouth, turning into the wet sound of teeth and tongues entangling and saliva being exchanged.

This was Xi Yue’s first kiss. He didn’t know the right way to do it; everything was driven by pure instinct.

He repeatedly rubbed against Yu Qing’s lips, making that patch of flesh very red. His breath was entirely stolen. Yu Qing’s eyelids crinkled, showing an expression of great discomfort.

The soft flesh rose and fell, being repeatedly ground and sucked, and soon it was thoroughly flushed.

Xi Yue’s forehead was covered in fine sweat, and a sickly, feverish flush appeared on his pale face. This vivid color seemed contagious, dyeing Yu Qing’s cheeks crimson, and several wet trails ran from the corners of his eyes.

Was he crying?

Why would he cry?

Clearly, it was comfortable.

Xi Yue couldn’t understand it, but he didn’t want to see Yu Qing cry, so he clumsily used his lips to kiss away the tears.

Then, he ground against the slightly swollen lips again, trying to squeeze out more moisture.

Several times, Xi Yue thought Yu Qing was going to wake up.

But he didn’t. Yu Qing only trembled, his eyelashes fluttering as he sensed danger, but there was no sign of him waking.

Yu Qing turned his head slightly to avoid him, but his cheek was held in one hand. His hands and feet were wrapped in the blanket, and with all his senses concentrated on his lips, he was so pitiable he couldn’t even struggle.

Soft whimpers escaped uncontrollably. He tilted his head back slightly, and saliva spilled from the corner of his mouth where they were deep in a kiss, sliding down his cheek and into his hair.

His snow-white skin was flushed pink. The heat of their breath and the moisture of the kiss merged together, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

It wasn’t until Yu Qing let out a stifled, suffocating whimper for mercy that Xi Yue finally let go, slowly stroking his face for fear of smothering him.

His eyes were wet, his face flushed with passion. The wig had fallen off, and his soft chestnut hair was stuck to his cheeks with sweat.

He was trembling, looking like a beautiful kitten that had been bullied into a corner.

Xi Yue was moved again. He couldn’t resist unwrapping part of the blanket and pulling out a small, trembling hand.

Just as he was about to raise the hand to kiss the back of it, he felt resistance.

Beneath the wrist Xi Yue was holding, a large, well-defined hand appeared.

He looked up and met a face that was usually composed and upright, but was now filled with extreme fury.

It was Shang Ling.