Chapter 31
After a drunken night.
The next morning, when the nurse came with a tray of medicine, Jing Yuanqi had just picked up the crumpled clothes scattered on the ground.
The young man kept his movements light because Shi Qing was still sleeping peacefully on the bed.
He put his hand over a sore spot on his back before slowly opening the curtains to let in some fresh air.
He really didn’t expect Shi Qing to be so fierce after drinking.
Although he got what he was after, Jing Yuanqi couldn’t do anything too extreme due to the injury on Shi Qing’s back.
In addition, the power of a drunk Shi Qing was not to be underestimated. Somehow, Shi Qing had taken complete control.
He seemed to become a cattle in the field as he was led this way and that.
After the fifth time, Jing Yuanqi felt the situation was strange.
But he didn’t dare to fight back too much because he was afraid of hurting Shi Qing. Besides, he was enjoying it as well.
After all, the person he has been teasing took the initiative to come to him.
Although it’s fun to watch the film emperor frown and pout, the young man liked this unrestrained Shi Qing a lot more.
But no matter how much he liked it, even someone like him couldn’t go for seven consecutive rounds ah.
No matter how much he ran his mouth before, this was Jing Yuanqi’s first time after all.
The first time he played the game, he was forcefully brought to the peak. He took it with grace and became like Zhao Zilong in the Battle of Changban. It was already impressive that he managed to survive until dawn.
But he was a man so he couldn’t say no.
The youth who went from an active participant to a passive one could only softly coax the drunk film emperor.
Before, he could spew out a bunch of sweet nothings without blinking.
Last night, he had to spit out what honeyed words he could between gasps for air while offering up the tool in between his nose and chin as well.
It was not easy to persuade the drunken film emperor to finally sleep. By that time the sky was already bright.
Jing Yuanqi touched his aching throat and turned to open the door. The nurse-xiaojiejie was already familiar with him. She didn’t think it was strange at all to see him on the ward. She carefully glanced at Shi Qing who was still sleeping.
“Mr. Jing, is Mr. Shi feeling better today?”
“Yeah. Why don’t you go give him some medicine.”
Jing Yuanqi rubbed at his sore waist. He barely managed to avoid showing his discomfort on his face.
His original intention was to help the film emperor to open up while using him at his most vulnerable moment.
The result was what he had expected beforehand.
But why did he feel he was the one who was taken advantage of even though he got to feast on the meat of a river clam?
Jing Yuanqi thought he was overthinking things.
According to Shi Qing’s personality, even if he overwhelmed Jing Yuanqi while his mind was clouded by the wine last night, he wouldn’t be smug about it when he woke up.
He went out to buy breakfast and some pain relief patches.
Shi Qing was awakened by the gentle voice of the nurse-xiaojiejie. Lying down on his stomach, he let the nurse-xiaojiejie change his dressings.
A certain Host was very smug:
[Last night was wonderful. Me and the hospital uniform, the hospital uniform and him...... Although I’ve fantasized about pressing the little vixen down on the bed many times before, actually doing it is......]
After reading its mantras all night, the nostalgic System returned in time to hear what its Host had said. It took a shot in the dark: [It doesn’t feel so good?]
[Not at all. I want to do it a hundred times more.]
System: [......]
[Sigh. Time flies by so fast when you’re having fun. Just think of the way he struggled to get up before being pushed down by me last night. That mouth was so red and moist, tut tut tut.]
Shi Qing recalled Jing Yuanqi’s appearance when he was finally released by him. His peach blossom eyes were slightly narrowed as he wiped at his lips like a fox. He started tutting again.
[You really can’t tell that he’s the type to be strong on the outside but submissive in bed.]
System: [......]
It thought that his ‘submissiveness’ was more due to the fact that the Host shed his human skin after ‘getting drunk’.
Shi Qing: [When I saw that his eyes were red from his reflection in the windowsill, I thought he was crying. Like what’s he crying for? I’m the one bottoming. Then I realized after he started coughing that he was choking.]
System: [......]
[Host. You really don’t need to tell me the nitty-gritty details. Um, someone my age is still considered a baby amongst the systems.]
Shi Qing: [You still think of yourself as a baby after following me for more than 200 years? Fine then, I’ll share this kind of happiness with you when you’re not a baby anymore. Hey, how’s the animosity value of that little vixen?]
The System immediately cheered up after this change in topic.
[Jing Yuanqi’s animosity value: 22/100]
That sparked another round of tutting from Shi Qing: [If only every night could be like the last one. Then we could reduce the animosity value dramatically.]
The System said in a dreamy voice: [There’s no harm in trying.]
[There’s no need. It won’t drop anymore no matter how many more nights like this there are in the future. That’s just how he is. He forgets how to cherish things after he gets a taste.]
System: [But his animosity value is already 22. It’s very low already.]
[Without constant stimulation, it will rise with time.]
The nurse-xiaojiejie carefully changed his dressings. Shi Qing couldn’t feel the pain, so he turned his head and asked: “Did the wound reopen?”
Nurse: “You don’t have to worry, Mr. Shi. Your injury is really not anything too serious. It should be fine as long as you don’t do strenuous exercises.”
Shi Qing agreed.
After all, Jing Yuanqi never let him turn onto his back last night, so there was no movement that could affect the wound.
[Tong, it’s about time for the little vixen to get up to some mischief.]
System: [Mischief? But his animosity value......]
[It has nothing to do with the animosity value. That’s just how he is. He starts to act unscrupulously after he’s gotten what he wants. If he sees that my attitude is cold, he might go find a third person to provoke me.]
System: [???]
[Is something wrong with his brain?? Why would he look for another person?]
[Of course you don’t understand how his brain works. It’s not looking for another person, it’s looking for a third person. Even if you like someone, you still want them to come and please you of their own volition. Don’t be fooled by his enthusiasm from before. That’s just him investing effort in advance. He’s waiting for the payout now.]
System: [......]
Shi Qing was lying down quietly: [Normal people wouldn’t do this kind of thing, but he’s defective that way. You know what I mean right?]
The System that was just immersed in thoughts like &#k2018;my Host really is a big BOSS’, startled.
It stuttered: [This System, System doesn’t understand.]
[What defect? I haven’t heard of it. I haven’t seen it. I’ve never heard of it before!!]
[Are you serious? His defining characteristic is frivolousness.]
System: [!!!]
Shi Qing: [Yin Mingzheng’s was righteousness.]
System: [......]
System: [Host, we’ve come to a new world already. Let’s not talk about the last one, alright?]
Shi Qing: [Aren’t you curious how I found out?]
System: [Face of impending death.jpg]
System: [Wronged and pouting.jpg]
The System couldn’t resist in the end: [Wuwuwu Host how did you know they were the same person?]
Shi Qing’s tone was purposely exaggerated: [OMG are they the same person? I never knew that. System, thanks for telling me. I would’ve never guessed it if it wasn’t for you.]
[Oh, by the way, are you not allowed to tell me or something? Don’t worry, I’ll just pretend I don’t know. You didn’t know that I was pretending I didn’t know before because I knew you didn’t know that I know you didn’t know, right?”
The System whose head was filled with the words ‘didn’t know’: [???]
System: [......]
It couldn’t take it anymore and burst into tears.
[It’s okay, don’t cry don’t cry. I’ll get back to the main point.]
[Jing Yuanqi’s personality can be boiled down to one thing. The more out of his reach something is, the more he would treasure it in his heart. Therefore, there’s a very simple method to reduce the animosity value. Not letting him get what he wants.]
Shi Qing closed his eyes comfortably:
[I’ve let him run wild the past couple of days. Now it’s my time to shine.]
***
When Jing Yuanqi walked along the hospital corridor with breakfast in his hands, his expression had returned to normal.
Cui Yunqing came over early in the morning. He happened to bump into Jing Yuanqi just as he came out. The little fool smiled at him happily: “Jing-ge, you also came to see Shi-laoshi ah.”
“Yep, I bought some porridge too. Laoshi and I are the closest after all. It’s a given that I have to take good care of him.”
As Jing Yuanqi was talking, Cui Yunqing sniffed the air with a puzzled expression: “Jing-ge, have you put on a pain relief patch? I smell something medicinal?”
Jing Yuanqi: “......”
The young man quietly kneaded the part of his back that was sore because his output was too high last night. There was a smile on his face: “It’s nothing. I just twisted my back.”
“Did Shi-laoshi wake up?”
“Yeah, he’s on the phone right now. It sounded like he was talking to a family member, so I came out to wait until he’s finished.”
Jing Yuanqi’s eyes flashed when he heard the words ‘family member’.
His face was still smiling as usual: “Oh right. Little Cui, I bought too much breakfast to bring up at once, so I left some on the first floor table. Can you help get the rest for me?”
“Oh okay. No problem.” Cui Yunqing really was dumb enough to believe it. He put his mask back on and went to the elevator.
Because of what happened to Shi Qing, a previously unknown person like him became somewhat famous. It was better to be cautious.
As soon as Cui Yunqing left, Jing Yuanqi immediately put down whatever was in his hands and leaned against the door to listen in.
The voice of the film emperor was still cold, but his tone revealed traces of repulsion and disgust. He rarely said such a long string of words: “It’s normal for me to not tell you if I was sick. When did you ever care about me? How many times have you called me since I left home?”
“That’s enough. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Goodbye.”
Jing Yuanqi listened as the phone call seemed to end. He memorized what Shi Qing had said before pushing the door open and walking straight in: “Shi-laoshi.”
The film emperor already hung up. When he saw Jing Yuanqi, he looked stunned and tossed his phone on the table like he had something to hide.
Jing Yuanqi: “I think I heard you talking just now. Who was it?”
Shi Qing pressed his lips into a thin line: “My father.”
The word father indicated a sense of indifference compared to dad.
That, along with the tone during the call from before allowed Jing Yuanqi to speculate that the relationship between Shi Qing and his family wasn’t good.
He raised his eyebrows as an idea suddenly came to mind.
Cui Yunqing, who was fooled into going downstairs, returned: “Jing-ge, I didn’t see anything on the table ah.”
“Maybe the janitor thought it was rubbish and threw it away.”
Jing Yuanqi lied with a straight face, “By the way little Cui. I heard that the director said you had to redo a scene this morning. How did you find the time to come to the hospital?”
Cui Yunqing looks confused: “We were? No one told me ah.”
“Maybe they forgot because they were too busy. Why don’t you go take a look first? Don’t worry, Shi-laoshi has me here so he’s good.”
Cui Yunqing: “U-um is there enough breakfast? How about I order some takeout?”
“No need.”
Jing Yuanqi gave the silent film emperor a meaningful glance. He lightly licked his lips: “This is all for Shi-laoshi.”
“I had porridge already. It was very white.”
Shi Qing added on: [And thick.]
System: ......
It actually understood. It was no longer pure.
Among the people and systems present, only Cui Yunqing really believed that Jing Yuanqi was talking about rice porridge.
He nodded his head and left peacefully after saying goodbye to Shi Qing.
Once again, only Shi Qing and Jing Yuanqi were left in the ward.
“Shi-laoshi, let me feed you.”
Jing Yuanqi’s natural smile was on full blast.
Shi Qing pushed away the first spoonful of porridge: “You can leave now.”
The smile fell from the young man’s face.
He asked: “We’ve already cooked rice together, but Shi-laoshi still won’t accept me?”
He knew that Shi Qing was the type of person to remain silent even if someone beat him with a stick, but Jing Yuanqi insisted on asking: “Does Shi-laoshi dislike me? Why won’t you accept me when you clearly like me a lot?”
He was like a leopard that wagged its tail as it patiently hunted. He pretended to be angry and gave his prey an ultimatum.
“Shi-laoshi, I have a bottom line as well.”
Shi Qing didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to answer either.
Even though he knew that Jing Yuanqi has no bottom line.
This person was confident that Shi Qing wasn’t willing to accept his temperament without some extra stimulation.
Jing Yuanqi left.
He didn’t appear in front of Shi Qing again for several days.
Of course, he didn’t spend that time doing nothing.
At least in the past few days, he’s been hard at work investigating everything about the film emperor.
He wanted to force Shi Qing to accept him. All of him.
The best place to start would be Shi Qing’s enemies.
***
On the day of Shi Qing’s discharge from the hospital, Jing Yuanqi came.
Not only did he visit, he brought a handsome boy as his companion.
Chen Rong, Shi Qing’s stepbrother.
According to the information he found, Shi Qing didn’t get along with his stepbrother. Because of him, he left his home, gave up a career in finance and came to join the entertainment circle.
A bone-deep hatred was too light a phrase to describe their relationship.
Chen Rong was definitely the best candidate he could find to provoke Shi Qing.
Jing Yuanqi was beyond disgusted by this Chen Rong.
Not only due to his sky-high ambition and the way he cozied over like a groupie when he learned of Jing Yuanqi’s identity, but also because of the disdain and superiority in Chen Rong’s voice when he mentioned Shi Qing.
“My big brother is very strange. He’s never liked me and even bullied me since we were kids. I’ve been targeted by him my whole life.”
Jing Yuanqi: Hehe.
With Shi Qing’s personality, it was good enough already that other people didn’t bully him. There was no way he could bully others.
Chen Rong: “Jing-ge, you and my brother are friends. It must’ve been very difficult to get along with him. It’s very kind of you to come and pick him up from the hospital.”
His face suddenly lit up with a cheerful smile: “Although I’m a little afraid of my brother, nothing will happen with Jing-ge around.”
The corners of Jing Yuanqi’s mouth pulled up. He gave him a paper-thin smile.
Jing Yuanqi could see right through Chen Rong’s level of fakeness.
Now he knew why Shi Qing gave up life as a rich young master to go suffer in the entertainment circle.
Isn’t this stepbrother of his a textbook example of a white lotus?
He must’ve troubled Shi Qing so much at home.
As Chen Rong spoke, he moved to hold onto his arm. Jing Yuanqi quickly sidestepped his grasp.
“Save your act for when Shi Qing gets here.”
Chen Rong frowned with dissatisfaction. He wanted to say something more, but the impatience on Jing Yuanqi’s face robbed him of his courage.
Everything he said was true. Shi Qing took every chance he could to bully him as a child. In the end, he paid all his debts back and even drove that person out of the house.
But none of it mattered because he was just the stepchild. Even if Shi Qing cut off all contact with his family and his mom helped him to please dad, his dad still intended to leave everything to Shi Qing.
Chen Rong couldn’t take this lying down.
How was any of this fair? Shi Qing ran away to become an actor early on, so it was always him and mom who took care of dad. Did the fact that they were not related by blood matter this much?!
Then the Jing family’s young master came to him. He had to seize this opportunity to completely bring Shi Qing to heel.
While the two were both scheming, Shi Qing came out.
The film emperor’s face was ruddy. He seemed spirited as well.
Gao Zhi was beside him: “Shi-ge, be careful as you walk. This way......”
Shi Qing just walked no more than two steps before he raised his head and saw them. His footsteps quickly came to a halt. Disbelief was clearly visible in his eyes.
“Big brother!”
Chen Rong immediately reacted warmly and ran forward with a shout. He intimately circled Shi Qing’s elbow with his arms. His face was very smug.
“I heard that you were injured and needed to be hospitalized, so I came with my boyfriend to see you.”
Gao Zhi almost slipped and fell. He stared at Jing Yuanqi with bemusement: “Jing-ge???”
Wasn’t he just flirting with their Shi-ge two days ago?
Jing Yuanqi looked on with satisfaction as Shi Qing’s face suddenly drained of blood. He stepped forward as well: “Yes. I’m his boyfriend.”
Are you regretting it yet?
A person might be able to tolerate his crush that rejected him being in a relationship with someone else.
But not with his nemesis.
The young man gleefully raised the corners of his mouth. He waited for Shi Qing to shake off Chen Rong’s hands.
His mood must have peaked in intensity at this moment.
One move was sure to be enough to take him down.
Thinking about the clam that would soon land in his lap, Jing Yuanqi’s fox eyes crinkled.
However, Shi Qing did not shake off Chen Rong’s hands.
He just stared at Chen Rong and then Jing Yuanqi with a pale face.
“You two......are together?”
Even his voice was shaking.
The film emperor’s level of response was far beyond what the young man had expected.
His eyes were satisfied: “That’s right.”
Then, the pain he desired appeared in Shi Qing’s eyes.
It’s the feeling when someone you loved drifted forever out of your reach.
The sheen of tears could be seen in that pair of black eyes.
–But Shi Qing directed this gaze at Chen Rong alone.
Jing Yuanqi: “......”
He watched unblinkingly as Shi Qing’s lashes began to flutter. His always indifferent face was now splintered by fragility. He gently brought Chen Rong into an embrace.
The distant voice was now sorrowful and filled with repressed emotions: “Big brother hopes that you will find happiness.”
Chen Rong: “???”
WTF was this situation? Did Shi Qing take the wrong pills or something??
Jing Yuanqi, who wanted to provoke Shi Qing, was he himself provoked. His face was stiff.
His brain rapidly flashed through his interactions with Shi Qing in the past few days.
He liked Cui Yunqing’s eyebrows.
He liked his smile.
The two characteristics pieced together became Chen Rong.
This white lotus with a pair of beautiful eyebrows and a 110% artificially bright smile.
He wanted to stimulate others.
But he was stimulated instead.
The small embers that used to be repressed at the bottom of Jing Yuanqi’s heart suddenly burst into an unstoppable pillar of fire.
The string of reason in the young man’s head snapped.
He tore Chen Rong away in a rage and glared at Shi Qing with heated eyes:
“What are you implying?? What relationship do you have with him?? What have you two done?! He’s your stepbrother!! This is incest!!!”
The film emperor yanked his hand away: “Watch your mouth. We haven’t done anything. I only thought about......”
“Don’t even think about it! It’s taboo even if you just think about it!”
The completely blindsided Chen Rong went to pull at Jing Yuanqi’s arm: “Jing-ge, what’s wrong......”
Jing Yuanqi ripped his arm away like an alligator was biting him.
“Let me tell you Chen Rong, you better not appear in front of me again. Especially Shi Qing. Leave him alone.”
Chen Rong: “???”
“But Jing-ge, you were the one who told me to......”
“What the hell did I just say to you?! Fuck off!!!”
Jing Yuanqi just picked up the film emperor and quickly carried him inside horizontally like that.
It was like the person in his arms would be stolen if he wasted even a moment.
Chen Rong watched with a blank face as Shi Qing poked his head over Jing Yuanqi’s shoulders as the young man ran off with him.
He picked his eyebrows at him.
Although he didn’t speak, he could make out the hints of an evil mastermind from that expressionless face.
Chen Rong: “......”
He didn’t know what just happened, but he felt like he was set up.
There’s also the matter of Jing Yuanqi. They had already agreed on a plan beforehand, but this guy must’ve gone off his meds or something.
What was wrong with these people?!
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