I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 217

Chapter 217

As Lin Qingyang slowly opened his eyes, the room was already filled with daylight. He felt as if he had shed a layer of exhaustion, leaving him utterly drained. His mind felt foggy, and the sunlight filtering through the curtains seemed to be tinted in golden hues.

It felt like he had just emerged from a long, long dream.

Brain loading…

Images flashed through his mind.

The ambiguous atmosphere, the rising temperature, sweat mingling with… something sticky, making everything messy.

He recalled each of those moments vividly. And then, the last image before losing consciousness: a sensation of his throat being bitten hard, painful yet oddly satisfying.

That final scene lingered in his mind.

Chu Lishu’s white inner garment lay scattered, hanging from his arm and around his waist. His ink-black hair clung to his ivory-colored skin due to sweat, creating a striking visual contrast. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down incessantly, his sensual lips parted slightly as he exhaled. The ear with the black mole had turned crimson. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his proportions were perfect. His slender yet well-defined muscles appeared taut, as if concealing boundless strength. Especially in this face-to-face posture, the overwhelming male hormones exuded a strong sense of aggression, intimidating anyone who beheld them.

Yes, he was intimidated.

Because the last thing he heard was, “Lin Qingyang, come again.” The last sensation he felt was Chu Lishu leaning in once more.

But by then, he was powerless to change anything.

“Ah~”

“Does it feel good?”

“Do you still want more?”

“Darling, stay with me a little longer.”

Damn it! It’s really not a dream! He couldn’t remember what happened next, but there seemed to be familiar words ringing in his ears. Too shameful!

So did they actually do anything in the end?

Was he conscious or unconscious?

Lin Qingyang reached out to cover his face, only to find that the inner garment he was wearing was not his own; it belonged to Chu Lishu.

Changing clothes was normal, right? Besides, he felt dry now, so they must have been cleaned up. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been very decent. Chu Lishu was indeed considerate.

Wait a minute, why were the sheets and bedding at the edge of his vision not the same color? They were a set last night… Were the sheets changed too? But nothing happened after that… so Chu Lishu must have done it!

Lin Qingyang felt like he was short of breath, as if he was lacking oxygen. He closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again.

Something was wrong, something was really wrong… Why did he suddenly feel a bit sore in his buttocks? Could it be… Lin Qingyang reached out and touched it, and oh god, it really hurt!

Last night, last night… What did Chu Lishu really do to him?!

At that moment, the person sleeping next to him finally woke up and saw Lin Qingyang looking as if the sky was falling.

Chu Lishu paused, worried if he had pushed Lin Qingyang too much last night. He spoke softly, “Cousin, what’s wrong?”

This guy still had the nerve to call him Cousin! His innocence!

Lin Qingyang’s face darkened, and he turned to stare straight at Chu Lishu. But facing Chu Lishu’s face, he felt both aggrieved and unable to articulate his thoughts. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke up, “My… my butt hurts.”

Chu Lishu blinked, took a moment to process, then realized what happened. He felt both sorry and amused and quickly explained, “Last night… when I was helping you change clothes, I was distracted and didn’t support you properly, so you slipped and fell, hitting yourself. I’m sorry. Does it still hurt now?”

Lin Qingyang was taken aback, stuttering for a moment, “H-Hit… hit myself? So that’s what happened!”

Chu Lishu suppressed a smile and nodded, “Yeah, what else could it be? Do you think I would hit you while you’re sleeping?”

Carefully observing Lin Qingyang’s face, which alternated between red and pale, Chu Lishu realized that Lin Qingyang might still be a bit resistant to the idea of what had happened. It was fortunate that he hadn’t crossed any lines. This sort of thing should be discussed only when both parties were on the same page. Despite the misunderstanding earlier, Lin Qingyang didn’t seem enraged, indicating he could accept it.

“Last night… thank you for helping me. I feel completely different today. Thank you for making me happy,” Chu Lishu said softly, noticing that Lin Qingyang’s mood had improved slightly. He reached out and gently patted Lin Qingyang’s head in gratitude.

Feeling embarrassed after the misunderstanding earlier, Lin Qingyang didn’t dare to ask Chu Lishu directly about what happened afterwards. He could only awkwardly accept the gratitude, feeling uneasy inside.

“Cousin, did you feel good last night?” Chu Lishu asked with a serious and concerned expression.

Lin Qingyang choked for a moment, feeling overwhelmed by Chu Lishu’s earnest gaze.

“Uh… it was… okay, I guess.”

“Was it just okay? It seems like I didn’t do a good job,” Chu Lishu suddenly adopted a look of sadness and self-blame, making Lin Qingyang feel as if he had done something wrong.

Alright, he’d tell the truth. “It was… good.”

Chu Lishu’s face lit up instantly, almost blinding Lin Qingyang with his smile.

Chu Lishu didn’t prolong Lin Qingyang’s discomfort, getting up to change and freshen up, leaving Lin Qingyang alone in bed to collect his thoughts.

Lin Qingyang tried to calm himself down.

Calm… Calm!

Yes, it was Chu Lishu who requested help. It was for his health, for his well-being. Lin Qingyang was just aiding in his recovery.

He was just a tool for physical relief, devoid of emotions.

Men are creatures driven by their lower instincts. Chu Lishu couldn’t do it himself, so it was normal for Lin Qingyang, as the closest person, to lend a hand. Perfectly normal…

Lin Qingyang covered his face with his hands, feeling like crying. What on earth had happened? Was he out of his mind last night? What about his principles? His straightness? How could he have easily agreed to this? He should have stood his ground and not let himself be put in this situation.

What was Chu Lishu up to? Was he just seeking his own pleasure, or… no, it couldn’t be. Definitely not… After all, if Chu Lishu had feelings for him, Lin Qingyang’s butt would really be hurting, right? And they hadn’t even kissed while sober; that’s something only lovers would do.

As Lin Qingyang pondered, he suddenly recalled the times he stole kisses and the recurring dreams, along with the compromise from last night.

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang froze. Countless seeds of doubt finally broke free from their confinement, stubbornly sprouting and refusing to be suppressed again.

It was like a bolt of lightning had pierced through his mind.

Even if last night’s actions were meant as a rescue, perhaps Chu Lishu was incapacitated by side effects, but there was one thing Lin Qingyang couldn’t deny: he didn’t dislike doing those things with Chu Lishu. It wasn’t a result of a momentary lapse in judgment; it was because he didn’t dislike it that he went along with it, and then his judgment was clouded by desire.

Did he become a broken-sleeve man? No! If it were any other man who dared to propose such an idea, he would have surely cooled them down.

So… did he… fall for Chu Lishu?

Was it because Chu Lishu was too beautiful that he momentarily overlooked his gender, or did he truly… fall in love?

What about Chu Lishu’s feelings towards him…..

As Lin Qingyang pondered over this, he suddenly dared not think further, as if something forcefully pressed the pause button on his thoughts.

Just then, Chu Lishu’s voice, tinged with amusement, reached him. “Cousin, awake now? Come over and help me.”

Startled, Lin Qingyang responded quickly, getting out of bed and walking over to find Chu Lishu sitting in front of the mirror, holding a comb.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Qingyang asked in confusion as he approached, but he found it difficult to meet Chu Lishu’s gaze directly.

“Please help me comb my hair, Cousin,” Chu Lishu said with a smile.

Lin Qingyang was somewhat surprised. Why was Chu Lishu suddenly making such a request? It felt a bit like the request a newlywed wife might make to her husband after their intimate moments last night.

Lin Qingyang quickly snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that he was starting to overthink things.

Awkwardly, he took the comb and began to brush Chu Lishu’s long hair. Meanwhile, Chu Lishu rested his chin in his hands, leaning on the vanity table and looking at Lin Qingyang through the mirror. A faint smile played on his lips.

Last night, he had taken a chance, and surprisingly, he had enjoyed it immensely. He hadn’t expected Lin Qingyang’s reaction to be so significant.

Caught off guard as he was absorbed in his thoughts, Chu Lishu found his hands suddenly grabbed by Lin Qingyang. As a result, his hair was tousled and he felt a slight twinge of pain.

At that moment, he had turned to the utterly dazed Lin Qingyang and said, “You’ve messed up my hair. Tomorrow, you’ll be responsible for helping me comb it…”

But Lin Qingyang just stared back at him, eyes glazed over, looking adorable.

Chu Lishu sweetly reminisced about every scene from last night, feeling pleased with himself for following through on his words. With a mischievous smirk playing on his lips, he suddenly glanced at the mirror.

In the reflection, Lin Qingyang’s hand, weaving through his hair to help with the tidying, froze abruptly. His expression momentarily blank, then as if struck by something, his cheeks flushed red, the color intensifying by the second.

Chu Lishu squinted slightly, and both corners of his mouth curved upwards. His eyes twinkled with an unmistakable amusement. Unfortunately, the person in front of him was so embarrassed at that moment that they wished they could disappear into the ground, completely oblivious to Chu Lishu’s satisfied expression.

Chu Lishu remained silent, allowing Lin Qingyang’s imagination to run wild.

As for Lin Qingyang, he couldn’t distinguish whether the sensation of the hair strands winding around his hand was from reality or a dream fragment.

Upon reflection, it must have been a dream. Chu Lishu couldn’t possibly have done such a thing; it was too outlandish. Touching Chu Lishu’s hair only heightened the realism of the dream.

Lin Qingyang admonished himself, telling himself not to let his thoughts wander anymore. They agreed to pause, so he shouldn’t be caching anything!

The morning after such a ridiculous night was truly the most difficult to endure.

After tidying up his hair, Chu Lishu thanked Lin Qingyang and asked him to sit down so he could return the favor and comb Lin Qingyang’s hair. Lin Qingyang quickly declined.

Just then, Shuncai approached and informed them through the door that Pei Jin was looking for them.

Having a rough idea of why the other party had come, Lin Qingyang quickly said he wanted to go and meet her, eager to break free from this enchanting illusion. If he stayed any longer, he might really go insane.

However, Chu Lishu held Lin Qingyang back and said, “I’ll go meet her. You go back to your courtyard and change your clothes. Oh, by the way, Chi Teng will be arranged to enter the courtyard later. You oversee that.”

Lin Qingyang didn’t care much about what he was supposed to do; as long as he didn’t continue staying here, it was fine. He nodded hastily.

With a smile intending to see Chu Lishu off, Lin Qingyang suddenly froze as Chu Lishu stopped at the doorway, turned back, and tilted his head, looking earnestly sincere. “Cousin, until the treatment with Mu Huichun is over, I’ll probably be like this. Will you continue to help me?”

Lin Qingyang’s smile stiffened, shocked. “Aren’t you afraid… of being exposed?”

Chu Lishu looked somewhat innocent, leaning against the doorframe like a child, saying with a hint of grievance, “I don’t want to be like this either. If the symptoms disappear, I definitely won’t need it. I’m quite embarrassed too, bothering you every time. So, I’m just saying, can I come to you when I really can’t bear it?”

Lin Qingyang cursed inwardly, marveling at the effectiveness of Chu Lishu’s charming appearance and soft voice. He really had no resistance.

“Uh, we’ll see how it goes when the time comes.”

As Chu Lishu turned to leave, Lin Qingyang felt like banging his head against the wall. What kind of karma had he created to endure this seemingly heavenly but actually hellish test? How long could his pause button hold out?

Once outside, Chu Lishu stretched lazily and then made a detour to the medicine pavillion, where he instructed Mu Huichun.

Mu Huichun was dumbfounded. Wasn’t Senior Brother supposed to be with Lin Qingyang? Why was he still doing this… What kind of adult game was this?

So when Lin Qingyang approached him, suppressing his embarrassment, and asked if there were any other ways to help Chu Lishu, Mu Huichun shook his head, indulging in self-destructive behavior. “No, you just have to tough it out.”

Lin Qingyang: Heaven is forcing me!!!!

……

Chu Lishu encountered Pei Jin, who had assumed that Lin Qingyang would come along to meet them, but there was not a single shadow of him in sight.

Pei Jin furrowed his brow. “Where’s Lin Qingyang?”

Chu Lishu chuckled lightly and sat down. “It was originally a deal between us, so isn’t it enough for me to come alone? Besides, my cousin… He’s still tired from last night and hasn’t woken up yet. Young Master Pei, please don’t disturb my cousin. It’s inappropriate.”

Pei Jin initially felt irritated by Chu Lishu’s instinctive retort, but suddenly realized the meaning behind Chu Lishu’s words. She blushed instantly, unable to listen to such words so calmly even though she was disguised as a man.

“Shameless!” Pei Jin muttered quietly, her last straw. She directly dropped what Chu Lishu needed and wasted no time, not even a sip of tea, before leaving.

Chu Lishu chuckled coldly a few times, then went to find Lin Qingyang with his food in hand.

Sure enough, Lin Qingyang was with Mu Huichun. However, his given reason was quite reasonable; it was to disguise the imminent arrival of Chi Teng for dyeing, so he came to Mu Huichun to find a solution.

Chu Lishu had breakfast with Lin Qingyang and then went to handle the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.

Lin Qingyang, on the other hand, welcomed Chi Teng with Mu Huichun. Fortunately, accompanying Chi Teng was Lu Yi, so Chi Teng showed a bit of respect to Lu Yi.

So, Chu Lishu’s courtyard gained an exclusive stable, placed in a separate backyard.

Before long, as soon as Chu Lishu entered, he spotted a jet-black horse…

And upon seeing Chu Lishu, Chi Teng began to neigh and wildly kick the barrier, as it had caught sight of its new attire from the trough. It was furious, as if loudly questioning where its fiery, passionate spirit had gone.

“My masterpiece with Mu Huichun, now no one will recognize it. What do you think?” Lin Qingyang had played all morning, and his mood had changed. He said happily.

“Not bad. Come, I promised to let you ride it,” Chu Lishu said, stepping forward to lead out Chi Teng.

Chu Lishu didn’t explain why he could make Chi Teng obedient. He just smoothly mounted the horse. Initially, Chi Teng was still being stubborn, but once its master was on its back, it forgot everything and was overjoyed. It had just wanted to take its master for a free walk, but now it saw its master reaching out to someone else.

Chi Teng immediately resisted, turning its head to leave, but Chu Lishu grabbed the reins, patting Chi Teng’s neck to make it turn back and face Lin Qingyang.

“Don’t move, meet your new master.”

Chiteng: New master!!!! The noble me is not a two-timing horse!

Lin Qingyang: I always feel like my bones are at risk.

Chi Teng resisted fiercely, exerting too much force and actually throwing Chu Lishu off.

The people around were startled, and Lin Qingyang, being the closest, broke into a cold sweat and quickly rushed forward to help, worried that Chu Lishu might be injured. But then he saw Chu Lishu wink and smile at him.

Chi Teng then realized it seemed like it had done something wrong. The entire horse seemed crestfallen as it slowly moved towards the two, kicking the ground lightly, but it became docile.

Chu Lishu leaned against Lin Qingyang, reaching out to pat Chi Teng’s nose, then placed Lin Qingyang’s hand on Chi Teng’s nose.

“Chi Teng, be obedient and treat him well,” Chu Lishu said earnestly.

Lin Qingyang chuckled awkwardly. Chu Lishu was even using tactics on Chi Teng now. He quickly smiled and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll have the best hay, the cleanest water source, and the fiancée I’ve promised.”

Chi Teng snorted loudly, seeming still a bit unhappy with Lin Qingyang. However, this time when Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang rode together, Chi Teng didn’t resist anymore. In fact, when Chu Lishu got down to lead the reins and Lin Qingyang sat alone on Chi Teng, the horse didn’t shake him off.

Lu Yi and Lu Shi were both surprised when they saw this. Mu Huichun was even more jealous, his eyes turning green with envy.

Lin Qingyang sat on the horse, watching Chu Lishu below, smiling as he stroked Chi Teng’s neck. The autumn sunlight seemed to favor him, casting a soft glow that easily captured people’s attention. When he looked up, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but feel a greedy hope for a moment, wishing that such a dazzling person would only look at him, which would be such a proud thing.

His heart certainly couldn’t control its acceleration.

A few days later, in late autumn, they returned to the palace. With the evidence Pei Jin had sent to deal with the Ministry of Revenue combined with what Chu Lishu originally had, the entire ministry underwent a major clean-up. Upon Chu Lishu’s suggestion, Prime Minister Li directly arranged for Duke Wei Guo to temporarily assume the duties of the ministry. As for Lin Qingyang, his points fluctuated, ultimately reaching 1350.

As a result, the Pei family suffered a heavy blow. Concubine Pei, along with her Third Prince, went to plead with the emperor, but the emperor turned a blind eye and directly sentenced the mother and son to confinement. Their previous glory vanished in an instant, and both inside and outside the palace, people were laughing at them. After all, their previous arrogance was too much.

They had to quickly figure out a solution because they suspected the Cheng family’s involvement behind the scenes, but they couldn’t find any evidence. The Pei family was in constant turmoil, with heated debates erupting within their clan.

At this point, the Pei family had only been stripped of their political influence; they hadn’t been wiped out entirely, nor had they completely lost to the Cheng family. After all, Yuan Ye’s marriage to Jing Rouyin still held sway.

Seeing the weakened state of the Pei family, Pei Jin naturally became furious and wanted to hold Chu Lishu accountable. She knew she had been deceived by him; she shouldn’t have trusted him in the first place. Back then, it was because Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu had saved her that she had let her guard down. Now, she had harmed the Pei family, and she needed to make amends. But before she could confront Chu Lishu, she was summoned by her father to discuss matters, diverting all her attention.

In the Pei family courtyard, Pei Jin’s mother sighed heavily as she faced the shocked Pei Qianyu.

“Jin’er’s suffering is inevitable. If she were a man, she would inherit the family business and wouldn’t be used as a bargaining chip. But as a woman, even though she holds power now, in the subconscious of everyone in the Pei family, her identity as a woman still surpasses her talent and ability. It means she can be used at any time to exchange for greater benefits. This is the tragedy of women in large families, and as the eldest sister, she can’t escape it. I just hope she can be sensible.”

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