Chapter 134
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Conscience questioned Xue Yao about why this kiss lasted so long.
Confusion, fear, and disbelief – these were the reasons.
Absolutely not because tendrils from the depths of Xue Yao’s heart uncontrollably tightened around Lu Qian, trapping Xue Yao in the enchanting, soft pleasure of the kiss.
Definitely not.
Only when this rascal in front extended his tongue, attempting to pry open his lips, did Xue Yao’s soul return to his body, forcefully pushing away Lu Qian.
It felt like a dream.
Bathed in moonlight, Lu Qian’s mischievous grin managed to turn such a horrifying incident into a fairy tale under the night sky.
“Are you out of your mind?” Xue Yao’s response was less hysterical than he had anticipated.
Just a moment ago, a tremor from body to soul left him feeling uneasy. Otherwise, he would have given Lu Qian a resounding slap right now.
Lu Qian, not quite satisfied, ran his tongue over his thin lips, stopped, leaned back against the worn-out, gray wall, appraising the little reader-in-waiting with a reminiscent gaze.
He wasn’t angry at Xue Yao’s rejection because, first: according to stories, when unmarried scholars and beauties find themselves in such situations, fiancees typically react this way—pushing away their fiances, blushing, and such. The little reader-in-waiting’s current behavior perfectly matched the stories. It was a good sign.
Second: The fact that the little reader-in-waiting didn’t let him stick out his tongue indicated that he was a self-respecting fiancee. Eldest Brother said such things could happen only after they became a married couple. Lu Qian, considering himself a gentleman, believed he needed this patience with his fiancee.
Having this patience excited Lu Qian. He was actually eager to stick out his tongue, but for the sake of the little reader-in-waiting, enduring this eagerness made him feel like he was fulfilling the responsibilities expected of an engaged man.
This emotional logic was hard to explain. Simply put, because Lu Qian was eager to step into the role of an engaged man, enduring the pain of prematurely taking on that role was a sort of “tangentially related” enjoyment. It signaled that everything was about to fall into place, only missing the final touch.
Whether there was a standardized procedure for the final touch, he would need to seek advice from his eldest brother in the future.
Xue Yao, shattered by the recent kiss, split into two Xue Yaos.
The first Xue Yao, amidst pain and fear, pondered: How did he accidentally let Long Aotian deviate to such an extent?
The second Xue Yao foolishly gazed at the handsome man leaning against the wall before him, his heart still lingering in the recent kiss.
The second Xue Yao was a secret automatically shielded by the complete Xue Yao. Not even his conscience detected the presence of the second Xue Yao.
“How could you do this to me!” The first Xue Yao bared his little fangs at Lu Qian.
In response to this roaring accusation, Lu Qian just lowered his head indulgently, curled his lips into a smirk, then bent down to pick up the lantern tossed aside by Xue Yao. He cleaned off the dust, stood up, and extended his hand to the little reader-in-waiting, intending to pull him up and escort him back to the residence.
Xue Yao was being melted by Lu Qian’s tenderness.
The system’s quest progress indicated that Lu Qian’s feelings for him were genuine. Questioning Lu Qian like this was actually hurtful.
A person like Lu Qian, lacking emotional logic, should be bewildered by such a rejection. Still, Lu Qian, being so forgiving of his refusal and questioning, left Xue Yao touched.
After being sneak attacked and forcefully kissed by this spoiled Long Aotian, a mild resistance ensued. Surprisingly, the other party didn’t get angry, unexpectedly stirring feelings of gratitude in him.
Why was it so damn easy for Lu Qian to move him? Was that even reasonable?
Conscience probed, causing Xue Yao to reject the hand Lu Qian extended.
“No one is allowed to leave without explaining!” Xue Yao stubbornly stayed on the ground.
“Explain what?” Lu Qian’s mind was now filled with Xue Yao’s recent breaths. These breaths made any action of the little reader-in-waiting seem like a playful gesture rather than anger.
“How could you!” Xue Yao looked up at Lu Qian, so infuriated that he could hardly speak. Suddenly, he lowered his voice and questioned in a low voice, “Kiss me here?”
His provocation was like a freshly bathed man running up to a tiger and taunting, “Eat me, eat me.”
The sudden intimate words ignited Lu Qian’s blood.
Before he could even sit down, Lu Qian bent down, lifting the little reader-in-waiting from the ground and pressing him against the wall.
This time, Xue Yao didn’t let the rascal succeed. He used both hands to block Lu Qian’s descending head.
“Don’t kiss me!”
“Why?”
“I am your attendant, your friend. Only mutually fond lovers can kiss each other.”
“Your grandpa likes Yaoyao.”
“It has to be mutual!”
“Yes.”
“Yes to what! I don’t like you!”
Lu Qian revealed a disdainful smile, as if Xue Yao’s words were merely a shy attempt at being forceful.
“Why are you smiling? I really don’t like you! Not that kind of like. I don’t like men! Do you understand?”
Lu Qian suddenly suppressed his smile, his gaze fierce on Xue Yao. “Yaoyao likes your grandpa.”
“I don’t like!” Xue Yao refused to compromise!
“Like,” Lu Qian illustrated, raising his hand and pointing to his own cheek, “Always kiss, always kiss, and pinching when happy.”
“I kissed your cheek before because I dote on you!”
“Yes,” Lu Qian approved of the little reader-in-waiting’s cooperative acknowledgment, “After Fifth Brother gets married, your grandpa will propose to your family.”
“No! Do you understand doting?” Xue Yao explained, “Your Highness, think carefully. Don’t you have a four-year-old sister? Princess Qiuyun, chubby, cute, and sensible. Do you like her?”
Lu Qian lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and honestly shook his head.
Xue Yao: “……Why don’t you like her?”
“Noisy, clingy, and steals food.” Eldest Brother even expected Lu Qian to indulge his sister. How annoying.
Damn it.
Xue Yao thought, there was no way to explain to this guy the difference between liking a junior and romantic love.
This guy simply didn’t like kids!
“I don’t have that kind of liking for Your Highness.” Xue Yao had to switch to another example. “Just like how Your Highness’ Eldest Brother likes you, I like Your Highness in the same way. Eldest Brother can’t marry Your Highness, right?”
This statement left Lu Qian momentarily blank, then he furrowed his brow, evidently very uncomfortable with it. “Yaoyao likes Your Highness, wants to marry!”
Xue Yao shook his head. “Not that kind of liking, not interested in marrying.”
Lu Qian’s tea-colored eyes, initially amused, gradually turned puzzled.
Looking up at him, Xue Yao calmly said, “I won’t marry you.”
Lu Qian pouted, his voice muffled, “Your grandpa is pursuing you now.”
His anger stemmed from misjudging the progress of engagement with the little reader-in-waiting, having to start with pursuit.
The previous intimacy and cheek-kissing from the little reader-in-waiting couldn’t automatically be interpreted as “wanting to marry.”
“Pursuing is not acceptable! Your Highness, think about it. Which of your brothers would marry a man?”
“Who they marry doesn’t concern your grandpa,” Lu Qian, always aware of being an anomaly in this world, never cared about what others did.
He intended to marry the little reader-in-waiting step by step, solely to accommodate the little reader-in-waiting belonging to this world. “As long as Yaoyao is willing.”
“Your Highness is destined to be the Emperor. Doing such unconventional things will bring shame from all corners!”
“Let them say what they want.” Lu Qian’s expression turned cold.
“I wouldn’t want it either!” Xue Yao gritted his teeth. “I don’t like you, understand?”
Suddenly, Lu Qian’s hand pressed down on his shoulder.
Xue Yao was instantly pinned to the wall, unable to move. His chin was gripped and lifted by Lu Qian.
“What are you going to do…” Xue Yao’s voice suddenly softened. Fearfully, he wondered if Lu Qian’s previous unique protection and tolerance towards him stemmed from the treatment males give their mates.
If he refused to become this Long Aotian’s mate now, could he still guarantee his safety?
Was the reason Lu Qian seemed different from the book Prince Ning in his eyes because he received the treatment of a mate?
How did the book Prince Ning treat things he couldn’t obtain?
Destruction!
When Xue Yao realized the situation was turning dangerous, Lu Qian had already leaned down. As he turned his face, with a half-inch gap, Lu Qian’s nose slowly traced over Xue Yao’s cheek, ear, and neck, as if sensing the pulsation of his neck arteries.
Xue Yao held his breath.
This proximity allowed him to feel Lu Qian’s warmth and breath. In the past, he wouldn’t have even noticed these details. Perhaps when people sense certain emotions, those primitive reactions make them feel embarrassed.
Before Xue Yao had enough time to figure out where that embarrassment came from, he had already instinctively used an angry expression to conceal the reason for his blush.
He didn’t know that Lu Qian, at this moment, was using his primal sense, judging if the little reader-in-waiting had a similar emotional response — the kind that belonged to mates.
Lu Qian was so confident that the little reader-in-waiting wanted to marry him because he had faintly sensed this frequency of response during their past interactions.
However, now that the little reader-in-waiting claimed he had judged wrongly, Lu Qian erected his own masculine antennae, earnestly probing.
He didn’t need to hear the answer from Xue Yao’s mouth. A different form of perception was granted to those lacking in emotional senses.
It was a primitive perception preceding the evolution of language.
After a moment, he released his grip on Xue Yao’s hand.
Lu Qian straightened up, flashing a confident and determined smile at the little reader-in-waiting.
Xue Yao was utterly confused. Did Lu Qian just effortlessly accept the fact of his courtship failure?
“I’ll pretend Your Highness never mentioned this. Let’s end it here. I’m going back to the residence,” Xue Yao coldly said.
Lu Qian nodded, displaying extreme grace, leaving Xue Yao somewhat bewildered.
Was this guy’s mental composure so high?
Confession failed, and no emotional response at all?
This left Xue Yao a bit lost. He lowered his head, circumventing Lu Qian, and left, moving with matching steps.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Xue Yao immediately turned around with a glare, “Don’t follow me!”
Lu Qian said, “Take you home.”
“I can go back by myself. A grown man doesn’t need someone to accompany him.”
Lu Qian fell silent.
Xue Yao suddenly realized he and the rebellious brat shared a skill: being stubborn.
Right now, he couldn’t figure out what this guy was thinking.
Lu Qian nodded again, agreeing not to accompany him.
Before the thought “This guy is so cool” could take root, Xue Yao turned and left but heard a voice behind him—
“Yaoyao.”
Xue Yao turned around. “Is there anything else?”
Lu Qian took a long stride, stooped to pick up the red lantern from the ground. Like a soldier, he walked confidently to Xue Yao and handed him the lantern.
“I don’t want it.” Xue Yao didn’t dare to say “no” directly, fearing to suddenly anger the Long Aotian exhibiting unusual behavior.
Lu Qian raised an eyebrow and asked, “Don’t want it?”
“Hmm.” Xue Yao lowered his head, stealing a glance at the lantern. In his mind, the image of Lu Qian dancing with a sword under the moonlight resurfaced.
Lu Qian nodded. “See you tomorrow.”
Xue Yao was utterly confused. He sneakily lifted his eyes to look at Lu Qian.
Something was really off. The fluttering heart quest didn’t even decrease in progress. Why did he give up so easily?
Nevertheless, it was a relief that he gave up. Xue Yao breathed a sigh of relief for smoothly sailing through the aftermath.
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