Chapter 130.1
Editor: Casey
Shi Qing didn’t bother to conceal his liking of Jiang Bieyu’s body and face at all.
And Jiang Bieyu didn’t shift even the slightest from the start. He allowed the other to poke and prod him as he wished. Only his light-coloured eyes continued to fixate on the little master’s fair and pretty face.
This person was raised to be so pure and delicate even in these troubled times. There was not a flaw in sight on his body, which was so soft it appeared to belong in the palm of someone’s hand or in their mouth to be cherished and savoured.
Jiang Bieyu wondered if Shi Qing was a sugar person.
That would explain why every part of him was so pretty, and why a single touch was enough for him to stick to Jiang Bieyu’s heart. With every taste, the sweetness touched even the deepest parts of his being.
This kind of sugar person would make anyone unable to resist holding it in their hands to savour and touch with just a single glance.
Not to mention this sugar person was currently taking the initiative to touch Jiang Bieyu.
His hands were soft and tender. Even more delicate than all of the maidservants in his courtyard.
The palanquin was inevitably jostled a bit on its journey.
It was during these bumpy periods that Shi Qing fell into Jiang Bieyu’s arms, with pure adoration in his eyes. As if he was touching something precious, he leaned into the warmth of the man holding him.
No one can resist this kind of utmost affection.
Not even Jiang Bieyu.
[Ding! Jiang Bieyu’s animosity value: 78/100]
[Ding! Jiang Bieyu’s animosity value: 75/100]
[Ding! Jiang Bieyu’s animosity value: 69/100]
As the notifications were going off, the previously still Jiang Bieyu suddenly moved slightly. With dark eyes, he brought his long, slender hand down.
For the first time, he took the initiative to grab the little master’s hand while the two of them were so close.
That soft hand didn’t resist his grip at all.
Jiang Bieyu wanted to grab Shi Qing’s other hand as well, but he didn’t after a moment of consideration.
The atmosphere between the two immediately became very, very ambiguous.
With the swaying motion of the palanquin and their expressions as they looked into each other’s eyes, it almost looked like they were doing that.
This time, the System didn’t pop up.
Well actually it did, but it scampered back to where it came from after sensing the ambiguous atmosphere between the two for fear of impending mosaics.
But the mosaics were still yet to come.
Shi Qing heard the System’s notifications. He was still the sweet and spoiled little master on the surface, but he was actually a bit surprised.
[I really didn’t expect it to drop again.]
The System only dared to emerge when it heard him speak. It asked, a bit bewildered: [What’s wrong Host? Isn’t lowering the animosity value a good thing?]
Why does the Host not sound too happy about that?
Shi Qing reached out and skimmed a fair fingertip across the man’s lapels before returning to that long, slender palm again. He seemed to be playing with the calluses Jiang Bieyu had there.
He toyed with them as he continued to lazily lean against the man’s chest. [The fast decline in animosity right now isn’t really ideal.]
The System: [?]
It didn’t understand how lowering the animosity value wasn’t good.
Luckily, Shi Qing didn’t mind explaining: [No men, no. No possessive and aggressive men would act aggressively when they’re still the weaker party. Do you get it now?]
The System that still didn’t get it: [...]
Shi Qing: [So if he really did have feelings for me, he would act even more carefully right now. He would never so blatantly grab my hand.]
[Jiang Bieyu is only a servant right now, and I his master. I hold the initiative between us. He’s only acting like this because he doesn’t have feelings for me. If he really liked me even a little bit, he wouldn’t do anything while I’m in this vulnerable position.]
In other words, Jiang Bieyu and Shi Qing pretty much felt the same way about each other.
This guy only liked Shi Qing’s looks and body. And a bit of his pampered temperament at most.
There was definitely nothing close to true love here.
The System understood this time.
But new questions arose in its mind: [In that case, is his animosity value not going to go down anymore?]
Shi Qing: [Something like that.]
The System, who’s always felt that this world wasn’t too bad, was even more confused.
[But hasn’t everything gone smoothly so far?]
Jiang Bieyu’s animosity value has consistently gone down and everything...
Shi Qing was as casual as ever: [Relax, this isn’t a big problem.]
The System: [...]
Host, aren’t you the one that said there was a problem in the first place??
Shi Qing: [He’s just not going down the right path, that’s all. It’ll work out once I provide a bit more guidance.]
The System was curious: [What kind of guidance?]
Shi Qing gently raised an eyebrow from where he was leaning on the man’s chest.
[I’ll block off the wrong path he’s going down, or scatter nails all over it and take away his shoes. Naturally, he’ll stop when it starts hurting or he finds that it’s a dead end.]
The System: [...]
The Host seems to be becoming more powerful (perverted).
The palanquin kept swaying and swaying.
The two people inside remained silent.
Although Jiang Bieyu wasn’t speaking, his hands were restless.
The first thing he did was gently knead the little master’s soft palm a few times. Then he followed that arm up and encircled the little master’s waist.
The man’s actions were so obvious that even a blind man could see how insubordinate he was being towards his master, Shi Qing.
But the little master of the Shi family only raised his eyes lazily, as if casually glancing at Jiang Bieyu. He didn’t stop him or twist his way out of the man’s grasp.
He was almost indulgently allowing such a lowly servant to do whatever he wanted to him.
Jiang Bieyu felt like his palms were on fire. Little by little, ever so gently, he ran his hands tentatively over the little master’s body.
Shi Qing never stopped him.
He even leaned further into Jiang Bieyu’s arms.
Jiang Bieyu’s movements were slow but not lecherous. He did not do anything too risque.
He just admired the beautiful plumage of the canary in front of him, stroking those brilliantly coloured feathers as he thought in passing about how careful and meticulous he had to be to raise such a beautiful bird.
The little master kept indulging him.
When the palanquin stopped and was lowered again, the young manservant outside said respectfully, “Qing-er, here we are.”
Only then did Shi Qing give Jiang Bieyu a soft slap on the hand. His pretty face was full of laziness, and there was a slight smile in his eyes.
His voice was still as soft and sticky as ever. It made him sound like he was acting coquettish even when he wasn’t.
“Haven’t you touched enough? Why don’t you hurry up and carry me down now.”
His tone was not that of a young master addressing an unruly servant.
Rather, it was more like he was speaking to a longtime lover.
Jiang Bieyu’s hand paused slightly as he swallowed dryly. His voice was hoarse as he answered, “Yes.”
The little master, who had been lazily leaning in his arms, moved his body slightly and lightly tapped the man’s cold, hard cheek with his pale fingertips.
With a bit of command, he said, “That voice of yours is very irritating. Speak less from now on.”
Jiang Bieyu nodded without speaking this time.
He just held the little master in his arms as he lifted the curtain to exit the palanquin.
Outside, Shi-furen was also getting out of her palanquin. As soon as she got down, she hurried to her son’s side. However, she immediately lowered her voice again when she saw Shi Qing.
“Is Qing-er asleep?”
She tried her best to speak quietly to Jiang Bieyu, who was holding Shi Qing.
“When did he fall asleep? You didn’t disturb him when you picked him up, did you?”
When Jiang Bieyu heard her words, he froze slightly. He looked down to find the little master nestled in his arms, whose eyes were still open a moment ago, had closed them at some point. His long eyelashes cast shadows under his eyelids.
Jiang Bieyu couldn’t tell if he was actually asleep or only pretending.
He followed suit, lowering his voice to a muffled whisper, “He just fell asleep.”
“Aiyo, poor thing. My Qing-er must have suffered at that magistrate’s. How could he have fallen so deeply asleep so quickly otherwise?”
Shi-furen’s heart ached again. Jiang Bieyu suspected that she would’ve snatched her precious baby Shi Qing away for safekeeping if she had the strength.
She was so distressed that she instructed, “Then carry Qing-er back quickly and carefully. Go slower if you have to to not disturb him.”
Telling him to go quickly and then slowly... Perhaps even she didn’t realize the inconsistency in her instructions.
Jiang Bieyu didn’t say anything. He just listened to Shi-furen giving him orders before quietly setting off with small steps as she turned to the other servants.
“All of you be quiet. Don’t disturb Qing-er. Cui Hong, run ahead and clear the way. Tell the sweepers, kitchen staff, and housekeepers to be quiet so they don’t disturb Qing-er.”
“Understood.”
The maidservant quietly answered before nimbly tiptoeing into the manor.
Thus, Jiang Bieyu’s trip back to the courtyard with Shi Qing in his arms was a quiet one.
They passed many servants on the way, but each one of them seemed to be muted. They worked and worked, but they didn’t make a sound to disturb their little master.
When they arrived at Shi Qing’s courtyard, they could see several maidservants anxiously clutching their handkerchiefs at the entrance.
When they saw Jiang Bieyu walking over with Shi Qing in his arms, their faces immediately showed their joy. They hurriedly took small steps forward, silently tucking the little master in with the soft blanket they had brought. Every part of his body except his pretty little face that was only obedient in sleep had to be covered before they sighed in relief.
Perhaps because they were afraid that even a whisper would disturb Shi Qing, they did not say another word and just followed Jiang Bieyu as he carried the little master inside.
Along the way, someone lifted the curtain for them, someone handed them a hand stove, and someone else carefully looked at the sleeping Shi Qing.
But no matter what they did, from the beginning to the end, no one made a sound.
One of the maidservants waited until Jiang Bieyu had gently placed Shi Qing on the bed before hastily covering him with another blanket, stuffing a foot warmer inside and adjusting his pillow as well.
Only now was the little master considered to be sleeping well.
Jiang Bieyu felt a little empty without the soft body in his arms.
But right now as a servant of the Shi family, since the little master had been sent to bed, he naturally had to play his part and retreat outside the curtain to wait on him.
Looking towards Shi Qing who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, the man slowly put down his hand. He went outside with his usual expression.
Shi Qing did not open his eyes even when he left. He only lifted his blanket when the kitty who heard the commotion of his return jumped on his bed so that they could cuddle.
It was cold outside. Although the cat could stay inside where it was relatively warm, it was still no match for the warmth of the blanket.
When it got into the bedding, it laid down next to Shi Qing’s body and refused to leave.
Shi Qing grew drowsy for real as he hugged the cat. He fell asleep like that with the cat in his arms.
Outside, Jiang Bieyu acted like a truly loyal servant and never looked away from the direction of the bed.
He had personally witnessed that the cat had gone in but never came out.
It had obviously remained inside.
The man lowered his eyes slightly and looked at his hands.
Not long ago, these hands had been in contact with the softness of Shi Qing’s body, hugging him close.
As he slowly looked up, his cold, hard, fierce face seemed to gradually show some softness.
It would’ve been fine if he never had a chance to eat the sugar person.
But now that he’s held it in his hands once and sampled that sweet, rich taste...
How could he bear to put it down?
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