Slight dubcon (read the chapter title). ML isnât in his right mind and MC, being a straight man, objects greatly.
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Hell knows how much courage it took Xie Zhiwei to say this sentence. But after finishing it, he feltâŠpretty relieved and relaxed. He turned away, putting on a cold and aloof air as he waited for the other to get angry and eliminate him with an even more brutal method than Bai Jianzhu.
As the seconds ticked by, the air behind him remained calm. Xie Zhiwei was clear that with the heroâs current personality, it was impossible to explode all at once, so he continued to wait.
Minutes passed, but Mu He still didnât move. Sensing something wrong, Xie Zhiwei couldnât resist looking back and saw vague waves of qi around Mu Heâs body mixed with the fury of Red Lotus. Logically speaking, the three lotuses should have assimilated very well into the protagonistâs body, so the Red Lotus wouldnât be the only flower showing its murderous qi. What was going on?
In an instant, Mu Heâs eyes flew open before he gripped Xie Zhiweiâs hand. His clear eyes grew dazed as soon as he saw his master, examining him quickly and carefully as if he was a fleeting dream that would quickly vanish. Although his expression was very affectionate, it seemed slightly psychotic under the circumstances. Mu Heâs other hand suddenly plastered itself next to Xie Zhiweiâs wide eyes before gently stroking down his cheek. Xie Zhiwei couldnât help but gulp. He couldnât guess what the other was doingâhis imagination wasnât enough for that.
Mu He let out a few inaudible sighs. âItâs getting more and more seriousâŠbut, this doesnât seem so bad. IâŠlike it very much.â
Xie Zhiweiâs expression turned from surprise to horror. If he remembered correctly, he had just cut off relations with the hero, right? Why did the plot make a sharp turn so the hero was saying he âliked it very much?â
He couldnât tell whether the protagonist was having a stroke or on the wrong medication to suddenly hallucinate. But who did the hero take him for? Tantai Meng? Qiu Chongyun? Or that irascible Yin Wushuang, ah!
Xie Zhiwei backed away and wanted to explain himself, but heâd hardly moved when Mu He quickly followed as if losing a precious treasure to pull him into his arms.
âThis is all wrong?!â Xie Zhiwei exclaimed as he tried to struggle free. Though he liked to hug and pet the protagonist four years ago, it was just an opportunity to show off his status. There was nothing wrong about an adult treating a child that way. Now the protagonist was even taller than himself, so the two of them hugging like thisâŠwas losing his momentum, okay?!
Xie Zhiwei finally turned aside and saw Mu Heâs look of panic as if heâd fly away. The heroâs indifferent to the three main girls, so could he really look so reluctant? Does he like someone else instead?
Which girl from which family? Iâll use this old life to fetch her back for the hero.
Xie Zhiweiâs eyes brightened as he saw a spark of hope for the love line, but Mu He suddenly buried into the crook of his shoulder and murmured, âWrong? YesâŠshizun, disciple knows my wrongs.â
Xie Zhiwei privately scoffed. Not just wrong, but guilty of heinous crimes. First you chase and beat me, then tortured me with Black Lotus, and finally choked me. Now youâre even treating me as a girl to hug. Where am I supposed to get justice for this!
The accumulated grievances over the past few days lit up a nameless fire in Xie Zhiweiâs heart. He was in no mood to worry about the protagonistâs love life, but simply looked at him and said, âYouâre the one who said you didnât want to pay respects anymore in front of my grave. Why admit your wrongs now?â
A master for a day is a master for a lifetime. These words werenât meant to bind the master alone!
Mu He mumbled, âThatâs becauseâŠâ he paused before gazing at Xie Zhiwei again, blank yet affectionate.
âBecause of what?â Xie Zhiwei asked.
Mu He tilted up Xie Zhiweiâs chin again and said deprecatingly, âWhy am I saying so much to an illusion.â
Xie Zhiwei froze before he flared up and grabbed the offending wrist. âYou said Iâm an illusion?â
âSince itâs an illusion but so real, thenâŠâ Mu Heâs wandering fingertips finally stopped at Xie Zhiweiâs lips as he smiled foolishly. âIt should be fine if I do something, right?â As he spoke, he didnât even wait for Xie Zhiweiâs reaction before pulling apart his masterâs robes.
Because it had been unusually warm weather despite the autumn in the past few days, Xie Zhiwei had only worn this single layer under Chi Yanâs outfit since he feared the heat. When his collar was tugged open, it exposed a large area of skin beneath the collarbone.
The heroâs actions were no longer strange, but simply that of a pervert!
Xie Zhiwei did his best to push him away while shouting, âSpeak properly if you have something to say! Why are you tearing at clothes?!â As he took several steps backward, he looked down and saw that the robes in front of his chest were already ripped. His heart dripped blood at the sight. This is high-quality silk, ahâŠ
Anger shone on his features as he looked up. âOpen your eyes and look properly, Iâm not some illusion! I! Am! Your! Shi! Zun! Xie! Zhi! Wei!â
Mu He was approaching him step by step when his pupils shrank and his gaze drifted for a moment. âRealâŠreally? Youâre real?â
The furious qi of Red Lotus surged around him dramatically, a sign of his internal struggle.
âUnfilial disciple!â Xie Zhiwei was enraged. âBack then I taught you so carefully, spent all my money on you, and didnât hesitate to lie to the world for your sake. Now that I have nothing left, you act with no manners. Are you deceiving your master and destroying your elders?â
Mu He was filled with dread. âNo shizun, disciple doesnât dare.â He rested a hand against his forehead, looking a bit pained. Somehow he managed to suppress himself before looking at Xie Zhiwei again. Though his expression had eased, his brows were still creased. It looked like itâd take some time for him to recover, so Xie Zhiwei thought he better flee while the other still held him in awe.
He bolstered his courage again and said in a cold voice, âYouâve utterly disappointed meâŠitâs better for us to part ways from now on.â
Mu He stood there woodenly and didnât move. Feeling better, Xie Zhiwei turned to go, but heâd hardly taken a step when the light of White Lotus surrounded him, mixed with tendrils of Black Lotus to trap him in place. He suddenly recall the fear heâd felt when Mu He hurt him with Black Lotus.
But if he dropped his act now, then heâd feel too sorry about the performance he just put on a second ago.
âYou still say you donât dare?â he asked frostily. Yet he ended up in a familiar embrace as soon as he finished speaking.
Xie Zhiwei was expressionless. This is the third time in a row that heâs hugged me, so I guess it counts as familiar by nowâŠ
Mu He stood opposite him, his brows gradually relaxing as he drew closer with a dreamy voice. âShizun would never be so cold and heartless. So this is all an illusion and I donât have to care.â
Xie Zhiwei only gaped. You sure are something, hero. So Iâm shizun only when I treat you well and an illusion otherwise? You can kill and slaughter as you want then, right?
ButâŠit doesnât look like heâs about to kill me or yell bloody murder.
Afraid to move, he watched Mu He get closer until he could feel the slightly damp breath from his nostrils. Xie Zhiweiâs eyes grew wider and wider until a pair of cool lips pressed against his own. Their surroundings were surprisingly still, as if the sound of flowing water and wind in the courtyard had all been blocked by a shield. Mu Heâs eyelashes fluttered closed gently while a suspicious blush appeared on his cheeks.
Xie Zhiwei made a soft noise before using all his strength to push him aside. But the other didnât budge. Instead, it was Black and White Lotus who further restricted his movements until his hands were forced behind his back and tightly clenched in Mu Heâs own.
Mu He enjoyed the kiss immensely, even trembling as if electrocuted the moment their lips touched. Soon enough, he was experimentally exploring like every boy with his first kiss, trying to go even further. He held the man tightly in his arms and gave him no room to escape. In the end, he opened his mouth and took the otherâs lips, sucking them lightly in relish before extending the tip of his tongue to explore inside.
This was a kiss, but a youthful and tender one. When Xie Zhiwei realized this, he seemed to hear something shatter. A long time later, he would think back on this moment when bored and determined it was his morality falling to pieces at that moment.
But now he only felt his scalp tingling and sweat soaking his back. His heart almost stopped beating as a thousand feelings converged into a few words: chills down his spine, hair standing up, thoroughly terrified.
He squeezed his lips shut, determined to keep Mu He from going any further!
This was probably his last shred of dignity!
Sure enough, his unremitting efforts prevented Mu He from prodding past his teeth. In the end the youth gave up and pressed him into his arms, rubbing fiercely before biting a corner of his lips in grievance and then releasing him. Xie Zhiwei panted for air while looking in revulsion at the thin strand of saliva connecting their lips. He felt he had almost screwed a dogâŠah no, was almost screwed by a dog.
He had no idea which girl Mu He was fantasizing about to act so aggressively with her illusion. He was pretending to make amends one minute and trying to top him the next. Anyone Mu He spoiled exclusively would feel like dying and being reborn afterwards. He didnât want that.
Wait, why am I thinking about that at a time like this? I should figure out how to escape with my life instead!
Xie Zhiwei restrained his thoughts and demanded righteously, âLet go!â
âImpossible.â
âYouâŠâ
Mu He used the tip of his tongue to lick the strand of saliva into his mouth before pursing his lips as if to savor the taste. Then he laughed, a sound that was mixed with happiness and pain. His fingers touched the wet stains around Xie Zhiweiâs lips before he murmured, âAs expected of shizun, even your illusion is so beautifulâŠâ
Xie Zhiwei abruptly stopped in the middle of desperately breaking free. âWhat did you say?â
Mu He only sighed. âShizun, do you knowâŠhow long this disciple has liked you forâŠ?â
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Ruyi: đ„ł đ  Congratulations on the confession, Teacher Xie!
Xie Zhiwei: Canât you just get the System to record our conversation instead?
Gallant Outlaw (cough):Â This is much more organized.
Xie Zhiwei:Â Then give me a copy when youâre done, I might need them myself later.
Gallant Outlaw: Hahahaha, sure thing Idol! Well timeâs almost up now so letâs talk again tomorrow! *hastily deletes notes for his Mu He x Xie Zhiwei fanfic*
Xie Zhiwei: Hey wait, butâ
Gallant Outlaw: *DISCONNECTS*
Mu He: ShizunâŠwhy are you spending time with all these other men?
Xie Zhiwei: What nonsense are you spewing, they were all colleagues. Colleagues, I tell you ah pooh!
Mu He: Disciple doesnât believe it. Disciple wants shizun to make up for it by staying at discipleâs side.
Xie Zhiwei: Fine, fineâah, wait!
Mu He: Yes, shizun?
Xie Zhiwei: This is wrong, I should be running away from you right now!
Mu He: Does shizun really think he can?
Xie Zhiwei: HâŠhelpâŠ
Mu He: Itâs all right. Disciple will help shizunâŠstay right here.
Fun fact: one of the Chinese commenters for this novel on jjwxc has the usernameâŠPeerless Cucumber. If you know, you know. (They havenât said anything particularly amazing, but Iâll translate if they do lolol)