I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country Chapter 174

“Wait for me.”

Gu Yuanbai put down his phone, raising his hand to cover his face.

What he had just said sounded like an invitation for intimacy… Would Xue Yuan really come?

In the quiet night, only the sound of his heartbeat was clear. Feeling thirsty, Gu Yuanbai slowly climbed out of bed to get some water. As he drank, he couldn’t help but think he should probably take a shower before going out on Saturday.

He drank the water slowly, his mouth feeling like it was on fire. As he swallowed the cold water, his muted phone suddenly lit up.

—-I climbed over the wall to get in.

—-Get down.

Gu Yuanbai had a mouthful of water stuck in his throat, unable to advance or retreat. He groggily left the dormitory, where only a few night owls were using the bathroom. As he descended the stairs floor by floor, the elderly guard watching over the dorm entrance was already asleep.

The dorm door was locked, and Gu Yuanbai couldn’t get out, so he stood behind the glass door, glaring outside.

A cold wind blew in the night, but he only felt hot. Freshly showered, his back and body were sweating, and the thought of a hotel bed stirred a restless anticipation in his young body.

In the darkness, a figure sprinted towards him, swift and agile, arriving at the dorm entrance in no time, panting heavily. Xue Yuan, bracing his knees, stared unblinkingly at Gu Yuanbai through the curtain of sweat. “Fifteen minutes.”

A journey that would normally take at least half an hour, Xue Yuan had run in just fifteen minutes. He had handed the taxi driver his hard-earned money, with the driver thinking it was a life-or-death situation at home.

Running desperately, all just to be with Gu Yuanbai.

Xue Yuan looked anxious. Gu Yuanbai’s eyes swept over him and finally rested on his feet. He didn’t know what to say. “You even wore mismatched shoes.”

The shoes on his feet didn’t match at all—he was really in a hurry.

“Shoes don’t matter,” Xue Yuan said, still catching his breath, his eyes shining brightly as he stared straight at Gu Yuanbai, eager for an answer. “I’m here. Does your word still count?”

“…” Gu Yuanbai opened his mouth, catching his reflection in the glass door. His face bore a teasing, secretive expression, filled with an indescribable restlessness. Gu Yuanbai had never seen himself look like this before. He turned his head slightly. “It counts.”

Who was this person in the reflection, looking so desperate and unsatisfied?

It was all Xue Yuan’s fault.

In his past life, his poor health had almost entirely prevented intimacy, and he hadn’t dared to indulge himself afterward. Over the years, Gu Yuanbai had almost forgotten what it felt like.

But his soul remembered the intoxicating feeling, and his young body now secretly yearned for it.

Xue Yuan wiped the sweat from his face, and in the next moment, he was captivated by Gu Yuanbai’s expression, frozen in place and staring at him.

From behind, the dorm manager yelled, “Who’s outside?”

The sound of slippers shuffling closer grew louder. Gu Yuanbai took a step back, glanced at Xue Yuan one last time, and then turned and ran into the darkness.

Xue Yuan stood still, listening to the sound of Gu Yuanbai’s footsteps fade into the quiet night, each step seeming to press on Xue Yuan’s heart. The dorm manager came out, saw Xue Yuan standing outside, and scolded, “Which dorm do you belong to? What are you doing here?”

Xue Yuan snapped out of it and ran off.

The dorm manager checked the locks on the dorm door and muttered, “This isn’t even a girls’ dorm.”

Gu Yuanbai ran back to his dorm, slammed the door shut, and leaned against it, slightly out of breath.

His heart pounded, and sweat dotted his forehead.

He checked his phone—it was 1:20 a.m., already Saturday.

Gu Yuanbai leaned against the door, his mind blank for half an hour before finally crawling into bed. As soon as he closed his eyes, he cursed under his breath two or three minutes later, resignedly opened his eyes, and set an alarm for 7 a.m.

—“See you at the cinema at 10.”

***

Xue Yuan was too excited to sleep, but he forced himself to catch a few hours for the date. As soon as the alarm went off, he jumped up, boiled water, and carefully showered.

He put on the new clothes he had bought the day before, grabbed his money and ID, and walked out with bright eyes.

Still early for the date, Xue Yuan passed by an adult store near the mall and, after thinking for less than three seconds, stiffened his expression and walked in.

Gotta buy protection for the night.

The shopkeeper grinned. “We’re having a promotion—buy three boxes and get a free toy. It vibrates. Want to add one?”

One box had ten, three boxes had thirty—they wouldn’t last long. Xue Yuan didn’t hesitate and paid up. Though he was poor, he wouldn’t skimp on this. He’d rather eat plain buns and pickled vegetables for ten days than buy cheap stuff.

The shopkeeper, delighted with such a willing customer first thing in the morning, handed Xue Yuan a pink toy and, seeing he didn’t know how to use it, kindly explained the process.

When the toy’s vibration started, Xue Yuan suddenly recalled his wife’s call from yesterday morning. He’d said he was washing his face, but before that, there’d been a similar buzzing sound.

Was he… enjoying himself alone?

Xue Yuan’s mind buzzed, overwhelmed by the thought, leaving him dazed and with a nosebleed.

“…D*mn.” He blocked his nose, glanced at the little toy on the counter, gulped involuntarily, and grabbed it.

***

At 10 a.m., the cinema was nearly empty. By the time Gu Yuanbai arrived, Xue Yuan had already bought the tickets. Glancing at the seat location—last row, corner, for a suspense movie—it was obvious what Xue Yuan was thinking.

Gu Yuanbai couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but Xue Yuan’s gaze felt different, like a mix of burning desire and the thrill of a new discovery.

When the movie started, Xue Yuan wasn’t watching the screen—he was still staring at Gu Yuanbai.

“Stop staring,” Gu Yuanbai finally said, rolling up his shirt sleeves. “Look at the screen.”

“Yuanbai…” Xue Yuan whispered hoarsely, “Let’s compare hand sizes.”

If you want to hold hands, just say so. No need for excuses.

It was a lame tactic, but Gu Yuanbai fell for it. He raised his hand and casually placed it in Xue Yuan’s palm. As their skin touched, every nerve in his hand seemed to come alive.

The way Xue Yuan stroked his fingers, gliding from knuckles to the gaps between them, occasionally leaving a deliberate tickle in his palm, sent shivers all the way to his core.

Holding hands normally doesn’t feel this way. Only by using an excuse to act roguishly and hold hands like this does it seem to cause such an exhilarating rush and heart-pounding sensation.

Gu Yuanbai’s fingers had already reflexively twitched several times, only to be firmly held by Xue Yuan again. “Stop playing around.”

Have I spoiled you too much?

Though he thought this, his actions were gentle as he lightly kicked Xue Yuan, “The movie has started.”

Xue Yuan played with his little finger. “Mm.”

Throughout the movie, Gu Yuanbai appeared fully engrossed, but in reality, he hadn’t remembered anything. As they followed the crowd out, his hand no longer felt like his own. Forcing himself to pull it away, he said, “Let go.”

Xue Yuan’s fingertips traced a pattern in his palm before releasing him. “My hand is bigger.”

Gu Yuanbai gave in.

It was mealtime when they left the cinema, so Gu Yuanbai took Xue Yuan to a private restaurant, intending to give him a good meal.

Following Gu Yuanbai, Xue Yuan was respectfully led to a private room in a restaurant with a rich ambiance, accompanied by live music. From Xue Yuan’s limited modern knowledge, he deduced that a meal here would not be cheap.

Unfortunately, Xue Yuan only had 500 yuan left, most of which was earmarked for their hotel stay.

Xue Yuan frowned and whispered after the waiter left, “Yuanbai, I don’t have enough money.”

Once a nobleman accustomed to wealth and taking what he needed, Boyuan Marquis felt defeated in this modern world yet again.

Gu Yuanbai chuckled, “Do you think I’d let you go hungry here? Order whatever you want and eat as much as you can.”

Xue Yuan was taken aback. The tough man was suddenly overwhelmed, eyes reddening uncontrollably as he pressed his lips together and nodded.

Having the wife is truly wonderful.

Gu Yuanbai, somewhat flustered, got up and approached him. “Xue Yuan?”

When he called this name, Xue Yuan didn’t react at first, grasping his hand to hide his emotions. “It’s nothing.”

Gu Yuanbai looked at him worriedly, poured him a cup of warm water, and called for a hot towel from the waiter outside, wiping his face with it. Xue Yuan’s heart swelled with warmth and pain, murmuring under the towel, “Yuanbai, having you is truly wonderful.”

Gu Yuanbai continued without pause, a faint smile on his lips.

After dinner, the mall outside was bustling, but the two standing by the roadside felt a bit awkward.

Xue Yuan wanted to go to the hotel immediately—he was eager—but he wanted to appear more gentlemanly. “Shall we stroll around?”

“No,” Gu Yuanbai cleared his throat, not wanting to suggest the hotel directly, and pointed casually at a nearby beverage shop. “I’d like a cold drink.”

Xue Yuan ran to buy the drinks while Gu Yuanbai followed, his eyes tracing from Xue Yuan’s broad shoulders to his waist. But when Xue Yuan paid, his focus shifted to the wrinkled, scattered bills he handed over. The sight, coupled with the previous mention of insufficient funds, filled Gu Yuanbai with a mix of discomfort and sympathy, making his stomach churn.

How pitiful—what kind of life did he lead before finding him?

The more Gu Yuanbai thought about it, the more heartbroken he felt. When Xue Yuan returned with the drinks, he said directly, “Come with me.”

There was a hotel not far from the mall. Upon entering, the receptionist smiled, “A standard room?”

Gu Yuanbai handed over their IDs while saying, “A king-size bed, please.”

The receptionist glanced at them. “Certainly.”

This hotel was decent, with fully equipped king-size rooms, soft and spacious enough for four Xue Yuans. Gu Yuanbai sat on the bed, looking up at Xue Yuan, “What have you been eating these past few days?”

Standing in the now hot room, Xue Yuan answered honestly, “Instant noodles.”

Gu Yuanbai’s face showed an expected look of exasperation. He covered his forehead, silent for a moment, then composed himself. “Didn’t you think of buying something better with your earnings?”

Xue Yuan pursed his lips, saying nothing.

Desperate—how could he explain his plan to dig up his past life’s grave?

“Forget it,” Gu Yuanbai sighed, giving up on the questioning. He let out a breath, unbuttoning his shirt as he stood. “I’ll take a shower first.”

Xue Yuan’s eyes widened, staring blankly as Gu Yuanbai walked into the bathroom. As soon as the shower started, he felt a bloody taste in his nose.

Touching his nose, he realized he was bleeding again.

Author’s Note: There are only six chapters left in the extra content!