I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 222

Chapter 222

In the hot spring pool of the other courtyard, the three of them were drinking and chatting.

“The crown prince of the Western Moon Kingdom, Ba Ya, hmph, initially negotiated terms with our Great Zhou Dynasty to provide border support when Tianheng Country waged war against us. But when the time came, he turned coat. According to the situation back then, during the siege of Qi Ci by Tianheng Country, the Western Moon Country’s troops assisted, trapping Qi Ci’s forces. And Ba Ya was in charge of the whole affair,” Huo Luo said coldly.

Yue Chen nodded and said, “This kid is really bold. He actually dared to come here, probably unaware Chief Steward Ning is waiting here too. I heard that Ba Ya has encountered several assassination attempts from the Great Zhou Dynasty even in his own country. Most likely, it’s the handiwork of Chief Steward Ning. Chief Steward Ning won’t let go of people directly involved in Qi Ci’s death like this.”

Lin Qingyang was completely puzzled. If there really was such a person, who even attended the Longevity Festival, the male lead in the original plot couldn’t have had no reaction at all.

This time, Chu Lishu only looked serious when reading the letter. Unless Ba Ya didn’t appear in the original plot at all.

If Ba Ya is truly opposed to Tagan, the only trace of his existence should be when the male lead helped seize power and got rid of him.

It’s frustrating, indeed. The further the plot progresses, the greater the changes.

“At least he’s an envoy, still the Crown Prince of a neighboring country. Chief Steward Ning shouldn’t be able to act here even if he wants to kill someone,” Lin Qingyang asked.

Yue Chen shrugged, “Who knows, after all, Chief Steward Ning is a lunatic. When the enemy is right in front of him, can he restrain himself?”

Huo Hua said coldly, “Don’t talk about him, I’m already inclined to take action.”

Lin Qingyang suddenly remembered Chu Lishu’s expression when he saw the letter. Could Chu Lishu also be planning to deal with this guy? This Ba Ya really had some influence; he hadn’t even arrived yet, but his fate was already decided.

“But whoever the Western Moon Country sends isn’t the main focus; the main focus is Tianheng Country,” Yue Chen suddenly said mysteriously.

The Longevity Festival, the birthday of the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, is celebrated every year, with envoys from other countries coming to offer congratulations. Each time, the visitors are different, and usually, the list of envoys is submitted half a month in advance.

Especially this year, even the Tianheng Country, which has always been an archenemy of the Great Zhou Dynasty, will come, and they’re sending the extremely important Saintess of the Tianheng Country.

The Tianheng Country has had a tradition of a lineage of saintesses for generations, somewhat similar to the Qintian Observatory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but with a higher status. They engage in astrology, divination, prayers, and blessings, embodying the people’s aspirations for good things.

But as soon as he heard the title “Saintess,” he knew it must be related to the male lead.

“I heard that the Saintess is the most beautiful woman in the Tianheng Country, a true fairy who has descended to earth. She’s beautiful and kind-hearted, always opposing war. It’s a pity that she’s just a symbolic figure without real power. Otherwise, the Tianheng Country and the Great Zhou Dynasty wouldn’t have been in constant turmoil. A few years ago, an envoy who went to the Tianheng Country met the Saintess once, and from then on, he suffered from lovesickness. He eventually died of melancholy. According to him, the Saintess’s beauty transcends the worldly realm. He had seen many beauties from various countries, but he could confidently say that the Saintess’s appearance is absolutely unparalleled. She usually appears with half of her face covered to avoid causing trouble. I didn’t expect the Tianheng Country to let her come this time. It seems they want to establish peace and cooperation. Being able to catch a glimpse of the Saintess’s beauty is truly satisfying enough in this lifetime.”

“Really?”

Yue Chen was still lost in his thoughts when he was interrupted by Huo Huo’s icy voice.

But Yue Chen wasn’t at all flustered. He chuckled, “What? Aren’t you curious? Maybe sending the Saintess is just a beauty trap. What if all the officials and generals in the court fall in love with the Saintess at first sight? Then wouldn’t our Great Zhou Dynasty immediately lose to the Tianheng Country? General Huo, do you have the confidence to resist this beauty trap?”

Huo Huo immediately refused to back down, saying, “Alright, then I’ll take a closer look when the time comes.”

Yue Chen immediately narrowed his eyes dangerously.

These two would always exchange a few words of banter. Lin Qingyang had gotten used to it. He fantasized about how beautiful the Saintess might be, then thought about Chu Lishu, who had never been swayed by beauty from start to finish. He wondered if the current Chu Lishu would notice the Saintess, especially since, according to descriptions, these two seemed destined for each other. They even had the typical plot of a woman saving a man’s life. Following any conventional storyline, their relationship should develop into love. If Chu Lishu could return to his normal self this time, aside from the few female characters who had already left the story, this Saintess would be the most likely candidate, despite the tragic ending in the original plot.

As Lin Qingyang thought more and more, he felt a bit ridiculous. He was fantasizing about all sorts of strange things concerning someone he hadn’t even met yet, and it made him uncomfortable.

Forget it, he decided, I’ll go find Chu Lishu.

Standing up, Lin Qingyang said, “You guys continue. The guest rooms are ready for you. I’m heading back.”

Yue Chen stopped bantering with Huo Huo. “Don’t leave. Isn’t Chu Lishu soaking in a medicinal bath at Mu Huichun’s place? He’s still unconscious. Even if you go, he won’t wake up. Stay and have a drink with us.”

Lin Qingyang had already changed behind the screen outside.

“No, thanks. I’m already a bit drunk,” Lin Qingyang said as he finished changing and came out. “Look at the weather, it looks like it’s going to snow soon. You guys should come up soon.”

“I came precisely because I saw it was going to snow. Snow adds to the ambiance of soaking in hot springs. This is the first snowfall of the year,” Yue Chen said with a smile.

Lin Qingyang chuckled, “Well, suit yourselves.”

After saying that, Lin Qingyang left, but as soon as he stepped out, he noticed something had fallen. He turned back to retrieve it, only to hear some strange noises coming from the entrance to the hot spring pool.

Lin Qingyang’s face turned red instantly, and he quickly retreated. So, he had been playing the third wheel all this time! They could have given him some hints!

In the hot spring, Huo Huo had already pinned Yue Chen against the poolside, from behind…

Huo Huo was seething with anger. How could Yue Chen have looked so infatuated with the Saintess just now? It was infuriating to watch.

The water around Yue Chen’s body kept rippling, his head cradled in his arms, stifling the hoarse groans that escaped.

“Hot… General Huo, why… so enthusiastic? Could it be… you’re excited at the thought of seeing the number one… beauty in the world?”

The words, though broken and fragmented by the collision, still carried a deadly force.

“Yeah, excited!”

Yue Chen immediately turned his head and gave Huo Huo a sideways glance, but the lustful look in his eyes was so powerful that it had no effect other than to tantalize, causing Huo Huo to create even larger ripples in the hot spring water.

Yue Chen wasn’t about to back down either; he used his body to teach a lesson. In an instant, he made Huo Huo grunt in response, stopping his movements momentarily from the stimulation.

“General Huo, isn’t it a bit unfair to think about beauties while messing with me?”

“Aren’t you afraid of falling for the beauty trap? Consider this as an early practice. After all…” Suddenly, Huo Huo grabbed Yue Chen and turned him around, lifting him completely out of the water, leaving Yue Chen dangling in the air, only able to cling to Huo Huo to avoid falling into the hot spring pool.

“Don’t…” Yue Chen immediately resisted. This position was the one he feared the most, considering his experience of falling from a tree. So, as long as he couldn’t find a firm point to hold onto, he would tense up instantly. However, Huo Huo found amusement in this, becoming even more fond of using such positions.

Huo Huo continued unabated, ignoring Yue Chen’s resistance. Instantly, Yue Chen’s eyes softened, and his arrogance was extinguished.

The beauty in the water had captured all of Huo Huo’s attention until a snowflake fell onto Yue Chen’s lips, prompting Huo Huo to lower his head and kiss the snowflake away.

Yue Chen’s eyes fluttered open, tears streaming down his face. It was only then that Huo Huo changed to a position that could reassure Yue Chen, gradually becoming gentler.

“After all, haven’t I already fallen for your beauty trap long ago?”

Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang had been sitting inside the medicinal pavillion for two hours, not feeling bored at all. He flipped through medical books and occasionally glanced at Chu Lishu’s expression. He felt calm and content until Mu Huichun finished administering the acupuncture needles and noticed that Chu Lishu was still unconscious, which worried him.

“It’s normal, excessive exhaustion,” Mu Huichun said.

“Wasn’t it enough to just take medicine when it happened before?” Lin Qingyang asked, puzzled.

Mu Huichun replied, “There’s no other way. Senior Brother wants to recover quickly, so we have to try something.”

Lin Qingyang wondered if the butterfly effect had changed many plot points, leading Chu Lishu to become impatient and want to overthrow the person sitting on the dragon throne. He asked, “Are you sure this won’t put him in danger?”

Mu Huichun said, “If it were dangerous, I wouldn’t let him act recklessly. It’s just that the process might be a bit tough.”

“Will it hurt? If it does, I have some effective painkillers,” Lin Qingyang offered.

Mu Huichun responded, “Of course, I’ve already given him painkillers. But even if the pain sensation is numbed, the physical stress remains. It’ll just feel like being completely drained for several days, as if unable to control the body’s weakness. He’ll be fine.”

Though knowing Chu Lishu wouldn’t feel pain, Lin Qingyang still felt a pang of concern listening to Mu Huichun’s description.

“The water is cooling down. Carry Senior Brother out now, but remember to dry him off and keep him warm. We can’t risk catching a chill at this critical moment. Otherwise, he’ll suffer,” Mu Huichun instructed.

Lin Qingyang was momentarily stunned, watching as Mu Huichun walked away without looking back. He wanted to refuse, but the words never left his mouth.

Forget it, he couldn’t trust anyone else. He wasn’t trying to take advantage of the situation.

Quickly, Lin Qingyang stoked the fire in the room to its highest, then spread out a dry cloth. Without looking away, he removed the soaked inner garment from Chu Lishu’s body in the water and then carried him out.

Alright, with Chu Lishu’s body having soaked in the medicinal bath for so long, it was incredibly smooth and tender to the touch, making Lin Qingyang’s fingers move uncontrollably.

Quickly, he set Chu Lishu down and discarded all distracting thoughts, focusing on drying him off. He covered the lower half first, then dried the upper half. Once everything was dry, he helped Chu Lishu put on his clothes to prevent him from getting chilled.

Then, Lin Qingyang helped Chu Lishu sit up and squatted down himself to dry him, making it easier to put on his undergarments.

Throughout the entire process, Chu Lishu remained unresponsive, allowing Lin Qingyang to manipulate him as he pleased. This kind of Chu Lishu made Lin Qingyang’s blood boil, as if he could do anything he wanted.

Lin Qingyang truly admired his own self-control, being able to withstand it all.

But soon enough, his self-control was tested. As he dried Chu Lishu’s intimate areas, Lin Qingyang felt himself faltering. Especially when he raised his head, that thing was right in front of him. Even though he averted his gaze, his hands became even more careless, and he found himself getting a bit excited. Thankfully, Chu Lishu was truly unconscious. Otherwise, Lin Qingyang would have felt utterly embarrassed by the eye contact.

Quickly, he helped Chu Lishu put on his clothes and wrapped him in a thick blanket, preparing to carry him back.

As soon as Lin Qingyang stepped outside, he ran into Mu Huichun. Mu Huichun looked up and was astonished. “Why are you bleeding from your nose?”

“Huh?” Lin Qingyang froze for a moment, his face instantly turning red with embarrassment. No wonder he had felt lightheaded just now… Damn it! How humiliating.

“Is the room too hot?” Mu Huichun asked, puzzled.

Lin Qingyang could only admit it with a forced smile. “Um, yeah. Maybe you should lower the fire a bit too.”

After finally getting Chu Lishu back to the courtyard and onto the bed, Lin Qingyang immediately had Shuncai prepare a bunch of heating items.

He made sure to have both the fireplace and hot water bottles ready. He remembered that Chu Lishu always felt uncomfortable in his abdomen during his episodes, especially in the cold. Even though he had taken painkillers, it was still better to keep warm.

As Lin Qingyang was tucking the hot water bottle into the blanket, a hand suddenly reached out from under the covers and grabbed his.

Chu Lishu, in a daze, opened his eyes and saw Lin Qingyang. His habitual guard and attack instantly turned into a show of weakness.

“Cousin…”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“So sleepy.” Chu Lishu blinked his heavy eyelids, still reluctant to close his eyes as he stared straight at Lin Qingyang.

“Mu Huichun said it’s normal to feel sleepy. Go ahead and continue sleeping,” Lin Qingyang said, feeling a great deal of compassion for Chu Lishu in this state.

“Stay with me,” he said, his tone slightly pleading.

“Ah?”

“Don’t leave. Stay by my side. I’ll feel cold.”

Before Lin Qingyang could respond, he saw Chu Lishu unable to resist falling asleep again, but his hand still held onto Lin Qingyang’s tightly.

There was no way he would feel cold; it was already quite warm. However, looking at Chu Lishu like this, seeing his frail and weak hand still clinging to him, Lin Qingyang couldn’t bring himself to move away.

With a hundred reassurances to himself that he wasn’t trying to take advantage, Lin Qingyang removed his outer robe and climbed into bed, lying beside Chu Lishu.

Chu Lishu seemed to sense the familiar presence. Even though Lin Qingyang slept behind him, Chu Lishu couldn’t help but turn around and embrace him, nestling into Lin Qingyang’s arms. With this comfort, even his weak appearance changed, his face showing no defenses, innocent and pure, with a natural smile on his lips.

The warmth in the room made Chu Lishu’s face blush slightly, his lips even rosier.

All of this was a fatal temptation for Lin Qingyang. As he gazed, his mind went blank, and when he finally came to his senses, he found himself kissing those soft, tender lips.

At first, Lin Qingyang was startled. He wanted to pull away quickly, but he couldn’t control his body. His heart raced, and with nervousness, he glanced at Chu Lishu, only to find no reaction from him at all.

Evil thoughts arose in Lin Qingyang’s mind. Unable to resist, he adjusted his position slightly and gently kissed Chu Lishu, savoring the taste that seemed to empty his mind, as if he had entered a realm of bliss. He had accidentally kissed Chu Lishu many times before, and they had been intense, but this time, initiating the kiss himself, he felt…

It felt like he had lost half of his life.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but ponder, how could there be such wonderful things in this world?

Wasn’t this enough to easily shatter one’s consciousness, to drive them to commit crimes?

His breath quickened, and he slowly parted his lips. He could feel Chu Lishu’s mouth lacking strength, vulnerable and inviting. He could deepen this kiss without any pressure.

But ultimately, Lin Qingyang couldn’t get past that barrier in his heart. He felt like he was taking advantage of Chu Lishu’s vulnerability, bullying him. What if Chu Lishu found out? Chu Lishu would surely be angry.

Lin Qingyang’s body was filled with excitement, but his spirit felt defeated.

He looked at Chu Lishu, peacefully asleep, and thought about the incident with the Saintess. His brow furrowed slightly.

Perhaps it was the thoughts during the day that led to dreams at night. In his dream, he saw Chu Lishu embracing the Saintess intimately. He was so enraged that he rushed over, hugged Chu Lishu, and vented his frustration, acting completely out of line.

Suddenly, a muffled groan was heard.

Lin Qingyang was also awakened by the sensation in his body. When he turned to see Chu Lishu slowly waking up…

Lin Qingyang was shocked.

The sky outside hadn’t yet brightened, with only the light from the corridor and the ambient white glow from outside shining through the windows, providing a dim illumination to the room.

At this moment, Lin Qingyang was tightly embracing Chu Lishu from behind.

Their undergarment had become loose and out of place. And he was… just like in the dream, incessantly… except the sensation here was delicate between their thighs, still causing Lin Qingyang’s scalp to tingle.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t believe he had done such a thing. He was internally praying that Chu Lishu wouldn’t wake up, but then he saw Chu Lishu, tightly held by his arms, gasping for breath, slowly turning his head with eyes misted over, his face flushed and looking pitifully helpless due to his lack of strength.

“Cousin, you…”

Lin Qingyang’s brain buzzed, feeling like he wanted to explode on the spot. He quickly retreated, but the sensation from that encounter… clearly, that area was in a state of disarray, almost causing Lin Qingyang to lose all his rationality.

He felt like an absolute beast!!!

“I… I was sleepwalking, I… I was half asleep…”

Lin Qingyang, in a disheveled state, tried to pull up his pants, but Chu Lishu grabbed his hand.

Chu Lishu’s grip was weak, almost nonexistent.

Chu Lishu attempted to turn over but lacked the strength, only able to say, “I know… but I’ve already… Cousin, this is your fault, you have to take responsibility for your mistakes.”

Chu Lishu grabbed Lin Qingyang’s hand and pulled him to the front. Clearly, Chu Lishu was also greatly affected by the situation. Lin Qingyang wished he could just die, realizing that this time, he had caused the trouble. He could only help out with a mixture of guilt and embarrassment. But for himself, it was too shameful.

However, Chu Lishu was considerate. “Cousin, I don’t have the strength to help you, you… do as you please, it’s okay for me.”

At this moment, Chu Lishu’s pants were still down. He thought Lin Qingyang would really do as he pleased. Although he didn’t quite like it, facing his beloved, he thought he could just go along with it for now, just a compromise.

Soon, however, Chu Lishu could only hear Lin Qingyang’s faint panting. Even though he obediently complied, he didn’t bully him again.

Chu Lishu found it somewhat amusing, not knowing who was the one who forcibly hugged him, clumsily pulled up his pants to wake him up, and then acted so rough and rude.

The feeling was so subtle for the first time, leaving Chu Lishu feeling embarrassed. He couldn’t understand why he didn’t feel so awkward when he was the one doing it to Lin Qingyang.

Due to physical reasons, Chu Lishu had no strength at all. He couldn’t even turn the tables even if he wanted to. If he had the strength, the roles would have been reversed, but at that moment, he couldn’t even push Lin Qingyang away, so he could only let Lin Qingyang bully him. However, he made a mental note of it.

In the future, he also wanted to take advantage of Lin Qingyang’s inability to resist…

Chu Lishu’s expression became blurry again as he thought about it, and he couldn’t help but lean back.

Lin Qingyang’s head rested against Chu Lishu’s hair, and he couldn’t help but indulge in its scent. This time, he finally didn’t stop halfway. After enduring this period together, Chu Lishu really had no strength left. Already weak, being tossed around made him even weaker.

Allowing Lin Qingyang to awkwardly clean up, Chu Lishu felt exhausted and drifted off to sleep again.

After Lin Qingyang was pulled back onto the bed, Chu Lishu looked at the window and said, “Cousin, it’s snowing.”

“Yeah… it has been snowing steadily.”

“The snow scenery tomorrow should be nice. Let’s watch it together.”

“Yeah, okay.” Lin Qingyang remained embarrassed, feeling like a child who had done something wrong. He dared to breathe only after Chu Lishu fell asleep again, feeling remorseful and frustrated. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to sleep and could only stare blankly at Chu Lishu’s sleeping face.

Chu Lishu is so kind, not even getting angry over this.

“Lishu? Are you asleep?” Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but ask, testing the waters.

Chu Lishu was truly fast asleep, utterly exhausted.

Lin Qingyang’s eyes flickered, suppressing his inner turmoil, murmuring softly.

“If… if you could like me, it would be great. Then I would dare… I want to stay by your side, and every year, I’d accompany you to see the snow. If… if only it could be like this.” Lin Qingyang’s voice gradually trailed off.

Chu Lishu didn’t hear, unaware that these were the words Lin Qingyang spoke with his utmost courage.

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