The Protagonist and the Villain Both Kissed Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 27

After the identity recognition passed and Duan Cheng entered the door, he noticed an eerie silence within the villa. Not a single light was on; as far as the eye could see, everything was shrouded in darkness. His heart grew anxious as he quickened his pace toward the bedroom. Inside the half-open door, only a warm yellow desk lamp was lit.

An ambiguous and hazy atmosphere arose spontaneously. He pushed the door open to see the youth sleeping peacefully on the bed. A few strands of dark hair fell across his forehead, his long, curled eyelashes trembled slightly, and his crimson lips were parted. The soft quilt had been haphazardly kicked to one side.

His shirt was pulled up, revealing a supple waist where a single red mole on the snow-white skin was exceptionally eye-catching. It looked like a touch of warm vermillion on the finest mutton-fat jade, adding a layer of blurred, intoxicating color to the scene.

“A-Cheng… you’re back.” Su Xi’s voice, fresh from sleep, carried a hint of sticky sweetness. He reached out to rub his reddened eyes and stumbled as he tried to climb out of bed.

Failing to pay attention, he tripped and pitched forward. Fortunately, Duan Cheng reacted in time to catch him in his arms. Though his words were a scolding, they carried a trace of helplessness: “How can you be so careless?”

“I prepared a gift for you.” Su Xi grabbed Duan Cheng’s arm and tried to pull him outside. Suddenly, he felt his weight shift as he was swept up into a bridal carry. Placed back on the soft bed, he looked down at the man whose expression was full of tenderness as he gently put on his shoes for him.

The tips of Su Xi’s ears turned red, and he bit his lower lip. “I’m not that delicate.”

“The floor is cold; you’ll catch a chill.” Duan Cheng finished putting on the shoes, his hand momentarily holding the slender ankle the skin felt silky to the touch. He stood up, took the boy’s hand, and asked patiently, “What gift did you prepare for me?”

Su Xi didn’t answer immediately but led the man outside. He mysteriously half-knelt by the coffee table, pulled out a package, and held it out to Duan Cheng. “Here. You said before that these flowers were pretty, so I folded them all for you.”

Duan Cheng hadn’t expected the pampered young master to be so skilled. First it was paper cranes, and now it was a variety of handcrafted flowers. He stared silently at the origami spread across the table.

Su Xi thought the man didn’t like them. He frowned and made a move to throw the items into the trash. “If you don’t like them, I’ll throw them away. I’ll give you something else next time.”

“It’s not that I don’t like them.” Duan Cheng caught the boy’s hand, his gaze landing on Su Xi’s flushed face. “As long as it’s from you, I’ll like it.”

Su Xi looked away, reached for the pitcher on the table, and poured a glass of water. “Then have some water first. You must be thirsty after coming in from outside.”

Clear liquid shimmered in the transparent glass. Duan Cheng took the water and, without a hint of hesitation, tilted his head back and downed the whole glass. Su Xi watched until the man had finished nearly every drop before nodding in satisfaction, using the excuse of going to the restroom to leave the room.

When he returned, he saw that Duan Cheng had already fallen asleep against the sofa. He casually picked up the man’s discarded overcoat, draped it over himself, and changed his shoes at the entrance. He pulled open the door and walked out.

To prevent any accidents, he threw his communicator into a thicket of grass by the roadside. In the pitch-black night, the blowing wind was chilly. He pursed his lips and quickened his pace, running into the distance. Finally seeing a source of light, he rushed forward as if seeing the dawn of victory.

Regardless of whether he might encounter danger, he grabbed the person’s clothes. Taking two deep breaths, he spoke in a panicked rush: “Um, excuse me, could you please help me?”

The man whose sleeve he had grabbed turned around, only to see the face he had been longing for. A flash of shock appeared in his eyes, and even his voice trembled: “Xi?”

“Li Huai?” Su Xi was also surprised. His pupils shrank, and before he could even exchange greetings, he gripped the man’s sleeve tightly, his whole body shivering uncontrollably. “He’ll be out any second. We have to leave right now.”

Li Huai had only heard rumors that a test subject carrying experimental reagents had escaped from the Imperial Research Institute nearby and had come to try his luck finding a trace. He hadn’t expected to encounter the Su Xi he had been searching for even longer. The boy’s face was deathly pale, and the scent of another Alpha’s pheromones on him was incredibly thick.

Sitting in the car, Su Xi was still haunted by fear. This escape seemed much easier and smoother than he had anticipated, almost as if he had been allowed to leave on purpose…

Wait… several phrases flashed through his mind, things Duan Cheng had whispered to him while he was asleep.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Li Huai took the boy’s hand with a tone that brooked no argument. Despite it being midsummer, the boy’s hand was impossibly cold. Wrapping his large hand around the smaller one, he tried to warm that icy chill.

Su Xi’s nerves had been highly strung for the past few days. With the sudden relaxation, he felt utterly exhausted. He leaned against the seat and drifted into a heavy sleep.

By the time he woke up again, his surroundings were exceptionally familiar. This was one of the apartments under Li Huai’s name. Su Xi rubbed his aching arms, propped himself up, and looked at the tightly drawn curtains. Even through the window, he could clearly hear the roaring sound of rain.

Presumably, Duan Cheng must be searching for him frantically right now.

“Xiao Ba, can we really not go back early?” Su Xi asked the system in his mind.

“Actually, it’s not impossible, but the method is quite…” System 1368 stammered. “Host, after completing the mission in this world, if the ‘vessel’ dies, you can return directly to the Transfer Station.”

“Vessel death?” Su Xi murmured the system’s words. He arched an eyebrow and looked around, seemingly searching for a useful tool.

“Wait, wait, wait! Host, don’t be impulsive! You can’t just die however you want. There has to be a successful ‘judgment’ reason. Because your mission target is the villain, it has to be caused by him, directly or indirectly.” Seeing Su Xi’s gaze land on an exacto knife on the desk, System 1368 hurriedly added the correction, fearing the boy would take matters into his own hands if it were a second later.

“I see…” Su Xi lowered his eyelashes with a hint of regret, hiding his emotions. This world was too boring; if he really had to stay for three full months, it would be far too difficult. It had only been twenty-some days barely a third of the way through.

When Li Huai pushed the door open with food, he saw Su Xi sitting with his head down, looking disappointed. His former arrogance had turned into a helpless vulnerability; those clear eyes looked like a stagnant lake that had lost all vitality.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

Su Xi acted as if he had just noticed Li Huai’s entrance. He adjusted his emotions, and when he looked up at the man, he appeared no different from the old Su Xi. “Nothing. Li Huai, is the news true? Mom and Dad…”

Even though he had known the answer and the culprit for a long time, he still wanted to hear a definitive confirmation from someone else’s mouth. Hearing his question, a trace of complexity flashed in Li Huai’s amber eyes, which Su Xi caught instantly.

He pursed his lips. “I understand.”

He was the only one left in the Su family now.

“Many people are looking for you outside right now. Xi, stay at my place and rest well for now. Once the storm passes, I’ll take you out.” Li Huai walked to the bedside and looked down at Su Xi’s face, his tone gentle. “Fu Heng is searching for you too, but I imagine you don’t want him to know.”

You’ve already made the decision for me, so why even ask?

Su Xi thought to himself, but maintained a facade of indifference. He reached out to grab the man’s arm and said coquettishly, “Will you sleep with me tonight? I’m scared…”

Li Huai had never been able to refuse his requests. He held the boy’s shoulders, his jade-like, gentle face filled with concern. His tone carried a hint of self-reproach: “It’s my fault for not protecting you well.”

Su Xi let out a light laugh, teasing playfully, “It’s okay. Haven’t I already come back?”

He remained silent about what had happened during the time he was missing. Seeing how much it pained Li Huai, Su Xi naturally didn’t pry further. Li Huai even wanted to take a half-month leave to stay home with Su Xi, but Su Xi righteously refused, claiming that taking leave now would interfere with his military enlistment later. Even if Li Huai didn’t care, Su Xi would worry.

He didn’t want to affect others because of himself. Li Huai knew Su Xi’s temper, if they truly fought, the consequences would be irreconcilable so he could only compromise.

After the continuous rainy season of midsummer passed, the cool of early autumn arrived. A breeze lifted the white gauze curtains. Su Xi was leaning lazily on the sofa when he suddenly heard the doorbell. He stood up in surprise, only to find the long-unseen Fu Heng standing behind the door.

The man’s cold face held no emotion, his thin lips were pressed tight, and the low pressure radiating from him was chilling. Seeing the person behind the door, he seemed to have expected it. He spoke the boy’s name softly: “Su Xi.”

Su Xi took a few steps back, shifting his gaze guiltily. “Um, do you need something?”

“So you really were hidden by Li Huai…” Fu Heng stared at the boy for a long time before taking his hand. “Do you think he’s helping you out of the goodness of his heart? Come with me.”

“What do you mean?” Su Xi frowned in confusion, looking into the man’s eyes for an explanation.

“Li Huai said he’s going to get engaged to you. Did you know?” Fu Heng was succinct.

“That’s impossible.” Su Xi was clearly skeptical of Fu Heng’s words. He stared dazed at the half-open door to the hallway, appearing to hear faint footsteps, but his attention was quickly snatched back by Fu Heng’s words.

Fu Heng silently pulled up the information for Su Xi to see. On the glowing screen, a stinging headline was emblazoned: Li Huai Announces Discovery of the Su Family’s Only Son and Intention to Get Engaged. Su Xi blinked in shock, but instinctively tried to make excuses for the man: “A-Huai must have a reason for doing this. Besides, I have nothing left to give…”

Moreover, he and Li Huai had been friends since childhood. This news was surely for a reason; unless the words came from Li Huai’s own mouth, he wouldn’t believe it.

“Xi, you are exactly what he wants most.” Fu Heng interrupted Su Xi with a cold voice. He stated bluntly without a shred of disguise: “Since we were children, have you ever lacked people coveting and liking you? Xi, your pheromones are fatal to us Alphas.”

“Stop talking…” A look of disgust appeared in Su Xi’s eyes, yet he couldn’t break free from the restraint before him. The gender divide he once thought irrelevant had finally become a barrier. He couldn’t tell why countless people approached or flattered him was it true affection, or was it driven by desire?

After a long silence, Su Xi lifted his eyes to Fu Heng. The curve of his lips held a touch of mockery: “Then what about you? Without pheromones, would you still love me this much?”

He didn’t even wait for Fu Heng’s answer, saying syllable by syllable: “Let go of me.”