Death Knocks on Hell’s Door Chapter 16

Chapter 16 The Beach

To kiss or not to kiss?

Fan Wujiu was in a dilemma.

If he kissed him, it would be entirely different from the unintentional kiss with Xie Bian. This time it would be his own initiative. Once the golden arrow lost its effect, there would be no way to explain it.

But if he didn’t kiss him, Xie Bian would likely be heartbroken. After all, not only was Xie Bian still under the influence of the golden arrow of love, but he was also unusually sensitive. If rejected now, who knew what irrational conclusions he’d draw.

Fan Wujiu found himself stuck, unable to move, frozen in place.

To Xie Bian, however, this silence was already an answer.

Lao Hei truly didn’t like him. Otherwise, why would he resist even a simple kiss like this?

Xie Bian felt that everything had become pointless. He didn’t even want to continue this act.

Wasn’t the outcome already clear enough? Why deceive themselves any longer? In this relationship, he had already lost his dignity, but he would never degrade himself. He had longed for Fan Wujiu to like him, but if it was truly impossible, he wouldn’t force it. If pretending would only lead to a sad ending, it was better to end it now, before it became more humiliating.

Without saying a word, Xie Bian pulled the blanket over his head. He just wanted to hide under the covers and sleep it off. When morning came, he would directly suggest breaking up. He didn’t want to pretend anymore, nor did he want to see Fan Wujiu continue pretending with him.

Fan Wujiu felt an unexpected surge of panic. Although Xie Bian hadn’t said a word, an idea suddenly struck him — if he let Xie Bian hide under the covers like that, it would be like him retreating back into his shell and never coming out again.

At that moment, emotion triumphed over reason. Fan Wujiu had always been cowardly around Xie Bian, but the character for “cowardly” (怂) can be broken down into “from the heart” (从心) And so, in that moment of panic, he followed the impulse of his heart.

Just as Xie Bian was about to pull the blanket over his head, Fan Wujiu suddenly grabbed his wrist, forcefully pushing him onto the pillow, and leaned down to kiss his lips.

This wasn’t a gentle, fleeting kiss. He pried open Xie Bian’s mouth, their lips and tongues locking, filled with an undeniable dominance that left no room for refusal.

Xie Bian’s eyes widened for a split second before they slowly fluttered shut, and he tilted his chin up slightly, surrendering to the fervent kiss.

Fan Wujiu gripped the back of Xie Bian’s head, deepening the kiss even further.

Xie Bian had been enduring for a thousand years, and so had Fan Wujiu. But when control finally broke, it was like a bolt of lightning striking dry tinder.

By the time Xie Bian’s clothes had come half undone, Fan Wujiu’s fingertips brushed against his cool skin. It was like a bucket of cold water splashed across his face, suddenly dousing him in a wave of calm.

As reason returned, Fan Wujiu took in the sight before him — Xie Bian pressed beneath him, the top few buttons of his shirt undone, his lips a rosy red, his eyes sparkling with a gleam that suggested he was actually moved by the kiss.

Fan Wujiu, too, found himself in a disheveled state.

……What was he doing?

He had somehow lost control and took liberties with his best friend who was struck by the arrow of love.

Fan Wujiu immediately sat up, turning his back to Xie Bian. He silently recited a calming mantra, trying to steady the frantic beating of his heart.

Xie Bian, caught off guard by his sudden actions, found his mood soured. He leaned back lazily against the headboard and slowly adjusted the shirt that had slipped off his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Fan Wujiu turned around, his expression complicated. “Not tonight.”

At least, not while Lao Bai was still under the influence of the arrow.

Such things should only happen when both parties were clear-headed and had already expressed their feelings for one another.

He had already lost control tonight. He couldn’t cross that final line and make a mistake he would regret.

Xie Bian tilted his head, looking confused. “Why not?” They were so close to reaching the natural conclusion.

Fan Wujiu fell silent for a moment, then came up with a perfect excuse. “This place is too small and cramped for you. I wouldn’t want to put you through that.”

The one-hundred-yuan-a-night guesthouse, the small bed, and the uncertain cleanliness of the sheets, if they were to consummate their relationship here, it would be too disrespectful. Xie Bian, who valued cleanliness so much, wouldn’t like it here either.

Of course, Fan Wujiu wasn’t truly concerned about where they should have their first time. This was just an excuse to buy himself some time. He needed to get through tonight first.

Glancing at the messy bedding and the seemingly clean sheets, Xie Bian was somewhat convinced.

The golden arrow hadn’t cured his obsessive-compulsive tendencies. When Fan Wujiu mentioned it, Xie Bian found his reasoning quite sensible.

“Alright,” Xie Bian said, not objecting. “We’ll talk about it another time.”

Fan Wujiu let out a sigh of relief, but recalling his earlier loss of control, he felt a bit awkward. “Let’s just sleep.”

And so, they spent a sleepless night.

The next day, Ouyang Feng parted ways with them, continuing his wandering and pursuing his ghost-catching career. Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu spent two more days sightseeing in Xiamen, before following Ouyang Feng’s suggestion and setting off for Meizhou Island.

Meizhou Island, located in Putian, was a picturesque place, often referred to as the “Penglai of the South.” It also held a sacred title as the site where Mazu became a deity. [T/N: Penglai was a legendary land of Chinese mythology.]

Mazu was a revered sea goddess along the southeastern coast of China. Meizhou Island was her birthplace, and she was worshipped as a protector of sailors. Before setting out to the sea, fishermen would often offer sacrifices to Mazu, praying for smooth and successful voyages. To this day, Mazu has followers around the world, with Mazu temples scattered across various countries. Mazu worship has even been listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, making her one of the most well-known sea deities.

It was worth noting that while Venus was famous for love and beauty, he was also a sea god, revered by the fishermen of Cyprus. Yet, his beauty and promiscuity often overshadowed his role as a sea god. When people thought of sea gods in Greek mythology, they usually first thought of Poseidon.

But returning to the point, with Mazu temples all around the world, Meizhou Island, being her birthplace, was home to the Grand Mazu Temple. Pilgrims came in droves every year to pay their respects, making it a popular tourist destination.

As gods themselves, Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu had no interest in visiting a temple to worship another god. It would be like your neighbor suddenly coming to your house to worship you. You probably wouldn’t think they were devout, you’d just think they were weird. The underworld and the sea had little to do with one another. They were simply acquaintances, and so, they had no interest in joining the crowds for such festivities.

They bypassed the Mazu Temple and headed straight for the Golden Beach.

The Golden Beach, also known as Jiubao Lan Beach, was famous for its fine sand that glistened like flowing gold. The blue sea, the clear sky, the white seagulls, and the green trees made it look like a beautiful oil painting.

Xie Bian held his shoes in one hand, walking barefoot on the soft sand, step by step, into the sea. The salty sea breeze blew toward him, tousling his hair.

Fan Wujiu quietly took out his phone and snapped a picture of the scene, sending it to his Moments.

There were many photos of Xie Bian in his Moments, with even more stored in his album. During this trip, he hadn’t taken many pictures of the scenery. He had mostly been photographing the person beside him.

As soon as he posted the photo, a few likes and comments popped up.

Granny Meng: Hei Wuchang, you’re such a straight man. What a waste of Bai Wuchang’s face with that terrible angle. Good thing his good looks can withstand it.

Lu Zhidao: Miss Meng is right.

Zhong Kui: Lao Hei, you’ve been on this trip for two days and posted eight hundred photos, and all of them are of Bai Wuchang. Are you on vacation, or are you just here to take pictures of him?

Cui Jie: Oh? Where did the couple go this time?

Fan Wujiu scrolled through the comments from his friends, and finally felt a little happier when he reached the last one.

Cui Jue always knew the right thing to say.

Although he and Lao Bai had never officially announced their relationship in the underworld, given how inseparable they were, Cui Jue always jokingly referred to them as a couple. Neither Fan Wujiu nor Xie Bian had objected.

Fan Wujiu replied to Cui Jue’s comment privately: Meizhou Island.

Xie Bian stood at the edge of the beach, the tide lapping at his ankles. He walked deeper into the water until it reached his knees, then turned to look at Fan Wujiu, still standing on the shore. “Aren’t you coming?”

Fan Wujiu captured this moment of Xie Bian turning around in a photo before putting down his phone and saying, “I’ll be right there!”

In his past life, Fan Wujiu had drowned in a river. As the saying goes, pick yourself up from where you fell. After his death, he had quickly learned how to swim in the River of Forgetfulness, unlocking his swimming skills with ease.

Fan Wujiu stowed his phone and other valuables in his bag, leaving it on the beach, using a quick spell to deter any potential thieves. Then he kicked off his shoes and plunged into the water after Xie Bian.

The beach was crowded, the people clustered together in a dense mass. Xie Bian, not a fan of large crowds, swam toward a quieter spot. Fan Wujiu quickly followed him.

They swam swiftly, and in no time, they had reached a secluded area where no one else was around. Fan Wujiu paused. “Xiao Bai, let’s head back. If we go any further, we’ll reach the deep sea.”

Xie Bian swam to a nearby rock and stopped. “Let me take a break.”

Fan Wujiu swam over, but found that Xie Bian was no longer behind the rock. “Xiao Bai, where are you?”

There was no response.

“Xiao Bai?” Fan Wujiu looked around, and as he did, the surface of the water behind him began to ripple. Suddenly, there was a splash as something broke through the water.

His ears twitched, and he spun around just in time to catch Xie Bian, who had leaped up from below the surface. Laughing, he teased, “Were you trying to scare me by hiding in the water?”

It was cute to see this playful side of Xiao Bai. He was becoming more endearing by the minute.

Xie Bian had intended to sneak up behind Fan Wujiu to catch him off guard, but Fan Wujiu had anticipated his move, turning around just in time. Instead, Xie Bian ended up falling into Fan Wujiu’s arms.

Water splashed everywhere as Fan Wujiu wrapped his arms around Xie Bian’s waist, nearly lifting him off his feet. Their bodies were pressed so close that the warmth of their skin was unmistakable.

Water droplets slid down the refined contours of Xie Bian’s face. He pursed his lips, his expression a mix of annoyance and regret for the failed prank. He had rarely tried to joke around with Fan Wujiu, but this time, he had failed miserably. It was a blow to his pride.

At the heart of it, though, was the confidence Fan Wujiu’s earlier response had given him. Having that reassurance allowed him to be confident, to indulge in the playful teasing that came naturally between couples. After all, those who are favored have the courage to be bold.

Amused, Fan Wujiu’s gaze unknowingly drifted lower. His thoughts drifted for a moment.

Ahem. Xiao Bai’s waist was really quite slender. With just one hand, he could almost encircle it completely.

His physique was perfect, his skin as white as snow, so tender that it almost seemed like it could drip with water if squeezed lightly. His long, slender legs were the perfect fit for wrapping around a waist……

Stop! Why was his thoughts turning into rated R again…… Was he not just a hypocrite but also a pervert?

Fan Wujiu admitted that he wasn’t some pure, innocent little bunny. After living for a thousand years, he’d learned quite a bit. Aside from lacking hands-on experience, he was essentially a seasoned veteran. But he couldn’t—at least, he shouldn’t—harbor such thoughts toward Xie Bian.

There were so many shirtless men and bikini-clad women on the beach, yet Fan Wujiu hadn’t been moved in the slightest. Only this one, still wearing thin garments, exuding an air of cold abstinence, made Fan Wujiu blush and his mind race.

The two voices in his mind started arguing again.

One voice said, You can’t have such thoughts about your brother. That’s not right.

The other voice said, If you don’t have fantasies about the person you love, then something’s wrong with you.

Fan Wujiu shook his head forcefully.

Fan Wujiu, oh Fan Wujiu, although you were submerged in seawater, you cannot let the water get to your brain.

He averted his gaze, unable to meet Xie Bian’s eyes. With some awkwardness, he said, “Let’s head back to shore.”

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