The Protagonist and the Villain Both Kissed Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 19

The night was quiet. A cool breeze lifted the emerald leaves, making them rustle and sway. Once the long night passed, daylight broke across the horizon.

For two consecutive days, Su Xi remained glued to Duan Cheng. Whenever he ran into someone he knew, he would openly and graciously introduce Duan Cheng as his fiancé. However, in front of Fu Heng and Li Huai, he would only say that he was just playing around with Duan Cheng, claiming he could never truly fall for an ordinary Beta.

On a leisurely afternoon, Su Xi leaned back in a rattan chair, eating freshly sliced chilled fruit. As a wave of cool fragrance washed over him, he narrowed his eyes in enjoyment and chatted with the system. “Xiao Ba, why did the original owner hate Betas so much? I think they’re great. Duan Cheng won’t be affected by pheromones, so he won’t lose control.”

His head felt muddled whenever he thought about experiencing a “heat.” Not only would his rationality be gradually seized by desire, but the idea that failing to find relief could be life-threatening was simply too much.

Xiao Ba was the name Su Xi had given System 1368; it sounded auspicious and lucky. “It’s likely because a Beta’s status is simply that low in this society,” Xiao Ba replied. “And… what Duan Cheng did before was indeed excessive.”

Su Xi prodded the variety of fruit in his bowl with a fork, moving his least favorite—mango—to the side. He looked down at a message from the butler on his communicator, clicked it, and tapped out a simple “Understood” in reply.

Today was his birthday, and the banquet was exceptionally grand. The Su family had been preparing for it three months in advance; Qingling Academy had even organized several recreational activities specifically to celebrate his birth.

Su Xi felt it was a bit over the top, but since these worlds were artificial and he would only be here for a few months before returning after completing the mission, he didn’t mind much.

The birthday banquet was held in a luxurious courtyard. Costly plants were draped with colorful ribbons, and vibrant balloons hung from the branches. Inside the massive hall, exquisite dessert tables were everywhere. The cake in the center was a staggering two or three meters high, adorned with pearls and candies scattered across the frosting it was remarkably beautiful.

People dressed in all sorts of finery gathered here, but as the protagonist, Su Xi didn’t want to come out so early. He stayed in the lounge playing games. He looked up as a middle-aged woman walked in. She was the picture of elegance and wealth, adorned in high-end luxury jewelry. She approached him with a beaming smile.

“Mother.” Su Xi knew her identity and greeted her obediently.

“Xiao Xi, I haven’t seen you in a few days, and you’ve grown thin. Haven’t you been eating well?” Mother Su hugged Su Xi with a distressed expression. After looking him over carefully from head to toe, she stroked his hair.

The original owner’s parents didn’t stay in the Imperial Capital often, spending most of their time doing business elsewhere. This was Su Xi’s first time meeting Mother Su. Having had no mother in the real world, he didn’t know how to interact with her. He pursed his lips and spoke vaguely, “I’ve been eating. I eat three or four meals a day.”

He simply had a constitution that didn’t gain weight; even after eating so many sweets, he hadn’t gained an ounce.

Mother Su smiled and mysteriously produced a letter-like document from behind her back, handing it to her son with a touch of pride. “Previously, you mentioned wanting to break the engagement with that boy from the Duan family. Your father and I put in quite a bit of effort to get this done. Consider it your birthday gift.”

Su Xi’s eyelashes trembled. He only then remembered that the original owner had indeed told his parents he disliked Duan Cheng and wanted to end the engagement. But according to the original plot, it shouldn’t have been accomplished this quickly.

This sudden turn of events disrupted Su Xi’s carefully arranged plans. His heart raced, but he maintained a calm facade as he thanked her: “Thank you, Mother.”

“Why are you suddenly being so polite with me? It’s all your father’s fault for insisting on going away. Now that I’m back, I’ll definitely stay and keep you company.” Mother Su didn’t seem to notice Su Xi’s anomaly. With a smile, she placed the letter in Su Xi’s arms, completely forgetting why she had come in the first place.

Su Xi listened to Mother Su’s words absentmindedly, his mind racing with how he should interact with Duan Cheng later. As soon as Mother Su left to get his formal attire, he quickly took out his communicator and sent a message to Duan Cheng.

Su Xi: A-Cheng, are you here?

Duan Cheng: Mm. In the backyard. The front hall is too noisy.

Learning Duan Cheng’s location, Su Xi didn’t even have time to put on a coat as he rushed toward the backyard. He encountered many people greeting him along the way, but with his mind preoccupied, he ignored them all.

The backyard was quiet and secluded, as if the cacophony of the front hall were completely sealed off. A cool breeze blew through the treetops, and a few green leaves drifted onto the manicured lawn.

Duan Cheng stood beneath the corridor, his shadow stretched long by the cold white lights. His cold features were lowered, betraying no emotion.

Su Xi stood nervously at the corner, only daring to step forward after steeling his resolve. Before he could reach out to pat the man’s shoulder, his wrist was caught. Duan Cheng’s grip wasn’t heavy; he surely knew it was Su Xi.

“It hurts…” Su Xi hissed in pain.

Duan Cheng instinctively let go, only to meet Su Xi’s eyes, which were filled with amusement and the look of a successful prank. How could he not know the boy was just faking being pitiful? Yet, he still succumbed to the boy’s show of weakness.

“A-Cheng, I have something to tell you.” Su Xi pursed his lips and hesitated for a moment before continuing, “The matter of the engagement was something from before…”

“I know,” Duan Cheng interrupted calmly.

Faced with Duan Cheng’s current tranquility, Su Xi felt it was merely the calm before the storm. He reached out and grabbed the man’s sleeve, biting his lip. “The person I like most now is you. I’ll tell Mother. Don’t be angry.”

Watching the usually arrogant and domineering boy turn red-eyed in front of him, Duan Cheng found it a bit amusing. He looked into those eyes that seemed ready to overflow with tears at any second and spoke softly to comfort him: “Today is your birthday, a happy day. Don’t cry.”

“…” Su Xi hadn’t actually wanted to cry, but his body’s instinctive reaction caused the tears to fall. As scorching, crystalline droplets slid down his cheeks, he quickly lowered his head, not wanting Duan Cheng to see his pathetic state.

However, Duan Cheng, who had been watching Su Xi closely, had already seen everything. He tilted the boy’s chin up and let out a helpless sigh. “I’m really not angry. I can’t bear to be.”

Had Duan Cheng, whose salvation value was at 80, become this good at sweet talk?

Su Xi blinked, his butterfly-wing-like eyelashes trembling. Duan Cheng carefully wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. “It’s time. You should head out soon.”