TMWTGD CH72

They had agreed on starting work today, so why go back on their word? How could they be so completely unprofessional?!

Xie Jianwei pondered this. To be rejected so abruptly, could Lu Li be pulling strings behind the scenes?

He had sensed that Lu Li wasn’t keen on him going to work.

It shouldn’t be to that extent, though. Lu Li was quite petty about certain things (prone to jealousy), but on matters of principle, he respected people greatly, generally refraining from excessively interfering with Xie Jianwei’s choices.

Xie Jianwei clearly genuinely wanted to work, and Lu Li wouldn’t be so selfish as to sabotage the job he had found with such difficulty.

If not Lu Li… then… who could it be?

Xie Jianwei asked, “Could you tell me the reason?”

The other party said in an embarrassed tone, “In short… it is not quite suitable. We are truly sorry.”

Xie Jianwei paused in silence. Just yesterday they said it was very suitable, yet after a night’s sleep it became unsuitable? Could they at least put some effort into fabricating an excuse?

Seeming to realize their contradiction, the caller quickly amended, “Actually, I made a mistake. Someone has already been hired for this position…”

In short, they simply refused to hire Xie Jianwei.

Xie Jianwei knew it would be difficult to extract the real reason, so he stopped pressing. He politely said goodbye and hung up the phone.

He took off his jacket and headed back into his room, looking dejected.

Father Xie and Mother Xie had already departed on the shuttle, leaving him alone in the entire apartment.

Xie Jianwei considered the situation and felt he ought to play pitiful to an appropriate degree.

So he loosened his tie and leaned his head back against the sofa.

With his eyes closed, memories of the past turned in his head. Vaguely guessing what was behind this, after calibrating his mood, he adopted an expression of utter exhaustion.

After sitting like this for a short while, someone lost their patience.

Lu Li asked him, “Why aren’t you going to work?”

It seemed he hadn’t heard that phone call.

Xie Jianwei shook his head. “Not going anymore.”

Lu Li asked, “Did something happen?” Wasn’t he overjoyed to have found a job? And a lousy job as an ordinary clerk at that, rather than becoming his grandmaster of feng shui.

Xie Jianwei said with mild irritation, “If I’m not going, I’m not going. What could possibly happen.”

With that, he returned to the bedroom and pulled the quilt over his head.

Lu Li followed him inside, asking in bewilderment, “That company rejected you again?”

Xie Jianwei ignored him.

Though he said nothing, that was clearly the case.

Lu Li felt conflicted as well. Previously, when Xie Jianwei was about to start working, he felt unhappy; now that there was no job to go to, he felt unhappy all over again.

He was even somewhat furious. What kind of trash company dared turn down Xie Jianwei? Were they looking to go out of business!

With Xie Jianwei staying silent under the quilt for a long time, Lu Li grew anxious: “Isn’t it just a job? If you want one, I will find one for you, guaranteed to be ten times, a hundred times better than this!”

Xie Jianwei said, “No.”

Lu Li asked, “Must it be this one?”

Appearing shrouded in crushing defeat, Xie Jianwei threw off the quilt and snapped, “I don’t need a ghost to help me find a job!”

At his low shout, Lu Li froze.

Immediately after, Xie Jianwei showed a look of remorse, as if feeling he shouldn’t have vented his frustration onto Lu Li. Although the ghost acted willfully, it was out of genuine goodwill; yet getting himself to apologize was difficult to utter.

Lu Li whispered, “Don’t be angry…”

Xie Jianwei instantly deflated. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper at you.”

“It’s fine, it’s nothing at all.” Lu Li didn’t mind in the slightest, even adding, “If you’re in a foul mood, just take it out on me. Do you want to hit me a couple of times? I don’t feel pain.”

Saying this, he actually took Xie Jianwei’s hand and made him slap against his chest several times.

Warmed by his antics, Xie Jianwei could hardly keep up the act. He had never been genuinely frustrated or angry; it was just an ordinary job. How could Military Advisor Xie truly care about such a thing? It was merely to adhere to the character settings.

Yet right now, he was sweetened by Big Li to the point where flowers bloomed profusely in his heart, entirely unable to put on an angry front.

His eyes couldn’t help curving. “Hit what? I can’t even see you. What if I hit the wrong place?”

Seeing him smile, Lu Li breathed a sigh of relief, followed by a sudden trembling in his heart. Having stayed under the quilt for a while, Xie Jianwei’s cheeks were flushed crimson, his eyes veiled in soft moisture. Smiling with curved eyes, he looked overwhelmingly alluring.

He desperately wanted to kiss him, but feared angering him, so he didn’t dare make a move.

Lu Li had to use words to distract himself: “Go ahead and hit, you won’t hit the wrong spot.”

Xie Jianwei paused, then murmured softly, “Thank you.”

Lu Li’s heart was no longer just trembling; it was pounding wildly.

Taking a deep breath, Xie Jianwei rallied his spirits: “City S doesn’t just have this one company. I’ll go try other places!”

Lu Li didn’t want him running around under the blazing sun, yet couldn’t stop him either, able only to chime in, “Right, there are definitely better jobs out there!” (Such as becoming my feng shui master.)

Xie Jianwei resumed sending out resumes and job hunting. After a busy day, he was sunburned red all over. Lu Li felt unbearable heartache, bringing him iced drinks one moment, buying him parasols the next… but the ultraviolet rays were too intense, and ordinary umbrellas couldn’t ward them off.

Steeling his resolve, the next morning when Xie Jianwei stepped outside, the sky had turned dense with overcast clouds.

Xie Jianwei remarked in bewilderment, “Didn’t the forecast say today would be clear and sunny?” And scorching hot at that, so how had it turned cloudy?

Mother Xie chimed in, “Weather forecasts are wrong nine times out of ten.”

Xie Jianwei felt that wasn’t the real reason. Mother Xie was already stepping out happily: “Overcast skies are wonderful, cool without scorching sun. It would be great if every day were like this.”

Lu Li felt quite pleased, thinking he had won points with his future mother-in-law.

Xie Jianwei suspected Lu Li was behind it, yet wasn’t entirely certain. Did Lu Li possess such immense power that he could alter the weather itself?

Still, an overcast day without rain was delightful, cool breezes blowing through to leave one feeling refreshed.

What brought Xie Jianwei even greater joy was that he finally landed another job.

Although the company wasn’t large, it was a rising star in the industry, boasting excellent prospects.

Xie Jianwei reported for work, finding his first day very satisfying.

The supervisor was young and driven, and the colleagues were friendly and harmonious. Xie Jianwei felt his office worker persona was securely established!

Because he had a job, Xie Jianwei became much busier. Working by day, cramming industry knowledge by night, Lu Li barely had any opportunity to speak with him.

Lu Li grew unhappy again. He truly didn’t want Xie Jianwei to work; staying at home was so much better!

The good times didn’t last. After working for a week, Xie Jianwei ran into an acquaintance at the company.

Their company specialized in advertising design. Whenever a project came in, they worked around the clock in dizzying chaos. This was standard across the industry, similar in every firm.

However, being a newcomer, Xie Jianwei wasn’t assigned directly to projects. Instead, he familiarized himself with the environment, organized documents for colleagues, and ran errands.

Today, a colleague asked him to deliver some documents. Holding a tall stack of files, Xie Jianwei hurried toward the meeting room, only to be called out after taking just a few steps.

“Xie Jianwei?”

It was a woman’s voice.

Turning his head, Xie Jianwei saw an acquaintance who wasn’t particularly familiar.

She wore a tailored designer dress, carried a Birkin bag worth hundreds of thousands, and the stilettos on her feet were sharp like a queen’s daggers.

Her exquisitely made-up features twisted slightly upon spotting Xie Jianwei, her voice shrill and piercing: “You work here?”

Xie Jianwei furrowed his brows. This woman was named Xiang Lili, a walking trouble-magnet.

The head of the company stood beside Xiang Lili and asked, “President Xiang knows our Xiao Xie?”

Xiang Lili stared at Xie Jianwei for a moment before declaring loudly, “Of course I know him!”

Xie Jianwei turned to leave, but Xiang Lili snapped maliciously, “Xie Jianwei, why are you running? Afraid I’ll expose that you’re gay?”

You damn well already said it aloud, in the main lobby of the company, in front of countless people, practically broadcasting it to the world!

Xie Jianwei stopped in his tracks. People all around turned their heads, clearly having heard every word.

Xiang Lili sneered, “A grown man, neglecting decent work, actually seducing someone else’s fiancé. Do you have any shame at all!”

Xie Jianwei had little experience dealing with idiots, especially one brain-dead to this extreme.

Xiang Lili saw nothing wrong with spouting this in broad daylight, shrieking, “I warned you to leave City S! Since you refuse to listen, don’t blame me for… Ouch!”

Her pencil-sharp heel snapped out of nowhere. Caught off guard, her ankle twisted and she crashed straight onto the floor.

Coincidentally, the project manager beside her didn’t manage to steady her in time. More coincidentally still, her bespoke dress was skin-tight. With this tumble, a loud ripping sound echoed as the seam down the back tore all the way to her waist.

What a massive embarrassment! Everyone in the company was drawn to the scene, staring dumbfounded.

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Without question, it was definitely Lu Li’s doing.

Xiang Lili had no time for Xie Jianwei now. Shrieking repeatedly, she lost all poise. Unfortunately, her ankle was swollen into a huge lump and her dress was ruined, making it impossible to stand up.

People hurried over to assist her, but more people only bred more chaos. Coupled with an unseen ghost causing trouble, everyone shoved and stumbled into a frantic mess.

Before she could be helped up, the heel on her other shoe snapped as well. Both her feet swelled like oversized radishes. Looking up, she saw her luxury bag had been crushed underfoot, completely breaking down: “My bag!”

Attempting to act high and mighty only to get struck by lightning, that described her perfectly.

Xie Jianwei turned and walked away, the corners of his lips curved upward, feeling thoroughly vindicated.

Naturally, this job was eighty to ninety percent lost. If lost, so be it; if he truly couldn’t find work, following Lu Li to become a mystic charlatan would be completely logical.

In the afternoon, Xie Jianwei submitted his resignation directly. His supervisor didn’t dare retain him, merely offering a well-meaning piece of advice: “You’d better not provoke her…”

“Her” referred to Xiang Lili.

The Xiang family was exceedingly wealthy and powerful in City S. As the only daughter, Xiang Lili had always been accustomed to getting whatever she demanded.

No one dared provoke her, which was why Xie Jianwei had faced such hurdles in finding work earlier.

She had likely notified everyone in her circle, warning advertising firms not to hire Xie Jianwei.

Learning this, Lu Li’s liver ached with fury. Thinking of Xie Jianwei bustling under the scorching sun, of his disappointment after finally landing a job only to lose it, of him working so diligently only to have it ruined by such trash…

Rage consumed him. That very night, he went to the Xiang residence, shattered their protective feng shui ward, and let a swarm of vengeful spirits wronged by the Xiang family swarm inside to settle their debts.

Today’s spectacle spread far and wide in no time. Xiang Lili making a fool of herself, screaming at a gay man and claiming he seduced her fiancé; how wonderful, she had foolishly exposed the scandal that her fiancé might be gay.

Wave after wave of drama unfolded in grand fashion.

The following day, Xie Jianwei received a call.

From Yan Ke.

Yan Ke and Xie Jianwei weren’t actually very close, and their relationship was rather subtle.

Xie Jianwei had fallen for a scumbag, who had a friend that happened to be Yan Ke’s boyfriend.

When the scumbag hung out with his friend, Xie Jianwei and Yan Ke got acquainted as well.

Later, the scumbag and Xie Jianwei broke up. Although Yan Ke maintained contact with Xie Jianwei, there were reservations, so they gradually drifted apart.

Yet hearing about Xiang Lili’s misfortune today, Yan Ke was thrilled to pieces, unable to resist making this call.

“Retribution, this is absolute retribution! To think Xiang Lili would have such a day! I watched a video someone secretly recorded, it nearly killed me laughing!”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Yan Ke said, “Scumbag Xu is truly blind, taking up with a woman like that. It’s a good thing you broke up with him; brain rot is an infectious disease.”

Xie Jianwei could only say, “It’s all in the past.”

Yan Ke fell silent on the other end, speaking after a pause: “Right, it’s all in the past. Every single one of them is a goddamn scumbag!”

Xie Jianwei caught the hidden meaning in his words.

Yan Ke added, “Care to come out for drinks? I dumped Loren. Dammit, they’re all cut from the same scumbag cloth! If I ever look back, I’m a dog!”

Hearing the name Loren, both Xie Jianwei and Yan Ke in his mind: “…”

Yan Ke wailed in his head, “What on earth does the Lord Marshal mean by this, ahhhh!”

Xie Jianwei offered a strained defense on Lu Li’s behalf: “Well, as you know, this personality of Lu Li’s is in high spirits. Being happy himself, he probably wants everyone around him to find happiness too.”

Yan Ke whimpered, “But this doesn’t make me happy in the slightest!”

Xie Jianwei cleared his throat. “It’s a dream, all just a dream. That is Yan Ke the human, not you.”

Yan Ke: “…” He could only comfort himself this way, but it was so bizarre, far too weird. How was he supposed to look Admiral Loren in the eye from now on…

Xie Jianwei didn’t mind meeting Yan Ke. These were key figures, and meeting them triggered plot points. A couple of drinks was no problem.

The moment Yan Ke met him, he apologized: “I was in the wrong before, putting romance before friendship!”

Xie Jianwei knew what he meant. Because Loren was close with the scumbag, after Xie Jianwei broke up with him, Yan Ke cut contact with Xie Jianwei out of consideration for Loren and the scumbag.

Xie Jianwei shook his head. “Don’t say that.” In truth, Yan Ke’s behavior was completely understandable. They had gotten to know each other through the scumbag in the first place, putting Yan Ke on that side of the social circle. Once Xie Jianwei broke up with the man, maintaining close ties with Xie Jianwei was socially awkward.

“Let’s not dwell on that, they’re all scumbags!”

Xie Jianwei was actually curious, asking, “What happened between you and Loren?”

Yan Ke sneered, “What else could happen? For rich playboys like them, once they’ve had their fun, it’s time to marry. Did you think they could truly spend a lifetime with people like us?”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Yan Ke poured a glass of liquor for Xie Jianwei and another for himself, declaring with determination, “Come, bottoms up!”

Xie Jianwei downed it with him.

Gulping down fifty-plus-degree liquor in one shot, both their cheeks flushed crimson, their heads growing light.

Once the alcohol kicked in, Yan Ke was like a broken floodgate, rambling nonstop: “Xu Qi is a scumbag, an absolute scumbag! Back then, he chased after you making life-or-death scenes, and the result? The moment you agreed, he turned around and got engaged to Xiang Lili!”

“The Xiang family is powerful, marrying Xiang Lili means inheriting their entire empire! But did he ever think of you? Could his so-called true love for you not even measure up to some filthy cash!”

Prompted by Yan Ke’s words, the memories in Xie Jianwei’s head crystallized into sharp focus. He had previously known of Xu Qi’s existence and Xiang Lili’s role, but only as a vague skeleton lacking detail.

With Yan Ke’s ramblings, his memories were now complete.

This whole business… was truly nauseating.

Lu Li likely couldn’t have concocted such garbage; it was almost certainly the dramatic melodrama conjured up by “it.”

Xie Jianwei had always kept a low profile, but he possessed striking looks. While working overtime at the office once, an accidental collision brought him into contact with the company heir, Xu Qi. Xie Jianwei had stumbled, his glasses falling off, looking slightly disoriented.

Xu Qi had never spared him a second glance before, but looking up at those exquisitely delicate features, his heart skipped a beat, falling in love at first sight!

From then on, he launched an obsessive pursuit of Xie Jianwei.

At the time, Xie Jianwei still had a girlfriend from college. Having dated for two years, they planned to marry after graduation, only for Xu Qi to barge in, using every underhanded trick to pursue Xie Jianwei.

He even offered Xie Jianwei’s girlfriend a massive sum of money and promising career prospects in exchange for dumping Xie Jianwei.

The girlfriend hadn’t loved Xie Jianwei all that deeply either; upon hearing Xu Qi could launch her into the entertainment industry, she promptly broke things off with Xie Jianwei.

Xie Jianwei suffered for a period, during which Xu Qi seized the opening, showering him with solicitous care and attention, behaving wonderfully.

Realizing his intentions, Xie Jianwei deliberately distanced himself.

Refusing to give up, Xu Qi stood guard beneath his apartment late into the night, refusing to leave unless he came down.

As the saying went, a persistent suitor wears down all defenses; Xie Jianwei didn’t have a heart of stone, so he was gradually moved.

Yet he was straight at the time and truly couldn’t accept Xu Qi. After trying to date for a while, he still proposed breaking up.

Xu Qi acted as though the heavens had collapsed, throwing tantrums of suicide and staging hunger strikes at home.

Forced to visit him, seeing the half-dead Xu Qi made Xie Jianwei soften completely, agreeing to date him.

Overjoyed to the point of madness, Xu Qi agreed to every demand, even consenting to a purely Platonic relationship.

It wasn’t that Xie Jianwei loved him passionately, but he was a responsible person. Having decided to be with him, he thought through every consequence, even preparing to come out to his parents.

Yet before he could even finalize his identity as gay, Xu Qi went and got engaged.

The matter was utterly vile.

Initially hearing that Xu Qi and Xiang Lili were engaged, Xie Jianwei was shaken, wanting to break up on the spot.

Yet Xu Qi tracked him down overnight, weeping bitterly: “This isn’t what I wanted! My parents acted on their own! I will definitely call off the engagement, I will explain everything to the Xiang family, A-Wei, just give me a little time!”

Xie Jianwei believed him and gave him time, though specifying he wouldn’t meet him until matters with the Xiang family were resolved.

Xu Qi promised readily, yet still snuck around trying to see Xie Jianwei.

When Xie Jianwei refused, he threw dramatic fits, forcing Xie Jianwei to meet him after all.

Dragging on for a month like this, Xie Jianwei asked, “You and the Xiang family…”

Whenever he brought it up, Xu Qi vaguely changed the subject.

Xie Jianwei held his tongue until seeing reports in the newspapers detailing Xu Qi and Xiang Lili appearing together as a couple, set to marry shortly.

Confronting Xu Qi, the man finally laid his cards on the table, pleading, “A-Wei, I cannot reject Xiang Lili, I don’t dare reject her, but I love you! I truly love only you!”

Xie Jianwei watched him with a cold face: “And so?”

Xu Qi finally voiced his true intentions: “I will marry her, but I don’t love her! My heart belongs to you! We… we…” The implication was crystal clear: he wanted to marry Xiang Lili for wealth while keeping Xie Jianwei as a secret lover on the side, having his cake and eating it too.

Xie Jianwei blew his top: “Get out!”

Xu Qi tried to throw tantrums again, but Xie Jianwei had hardened his heart, refusing to entertain such an absurd demand.

What did he take Xiang Lili for? And what did he take him for?

The mere thought of having dated such a vile creature made Xie Jianwei want to vomit.

Xu Qi refused to quit, stalking Xie Jianwei until Xiang Lili discovered it.

Xiang Lili was a bizarre character in her own right. Xie Jianwei explicitly stated he had broken things off, yet she didn’t blame her shamelessly clinging fiancé in the slightest, stubbornly insisting that Xie Jianwei had seduced him.

God only knew how the Xiang family raised their daughter; an heiress who cursed like a sailor, putting seasoned shrews to shame.

Encountering such a toxic pair annoyed Xie Jianwei to death.

Later, when Xiang Lili pressured him to resign, he was more than happy to wash his hands of the muddy mess, packing his bags and heading home.

Fortunately, once Xiang Lili discovered everything, she kept a tight leash on Xu Qi, leaving him no opportunity to bother Xie Jianwei, granting him peace and quiet.

Yan Ke fumed, “I was truly blind, actually thinking Xu Qi held deep devotion for you! Hell, he completely disgraced the word devotion!”

Xie Jianwei said, “It’s all in the past.”

Yan Ke sighed, unwilling to dwell on his painful memories.

Setting aside whether Xie Jianwei was angry, a certain person… or rather, a certain ghost was ready to explode.

Lu Li nearly manifested from sheer rage!

What kind of filth! To dare bully Xie Jianwei like this!

If not for his inability to meddle directly in mortal affairs, he would have slain him on the spot, dragging him to the netherworld after death to torture him a hundred times over!

Even without direct intervention, it was enough to make his life a living hell.

Lu Li summoned a lesser imp, giving a few instructions, and the imps scurried off with glee to torment the Xu family.

Lu Li still felt it wasn’t enough to vent his wrath, but for now this had to suffice, ordering the imps to be extra ruthless.

These imps were minor creatures to Lu Li, but in mortal eyes, they were terrifying evil spirits; the Xu family was in for quite a ride.

Xie Jianwei and Yan Ke drank until they were thoroughly wasted. Yan Ke was heartbroken, cursing Loren up and down the entire way.

Yan Ke in his mind trembled in fright. Thank goodness no one was recording; if Admiral Loren heard this, he would surely beat him to a pulp!

Xie Jianwei kept quiet. Assuming he was simply reserved, Yan Ke joined in cursing Xu Qi on his behalf, which Xie Jianwei found rather therapeutic.

Still, making a scene on the open street wasn’t ideal, as Xu Qi was a minor public figure.

So he said, “Stop cursing him.”

Yan Ke widened his eyes: “Don’t tell me you still harbor feelings for that scumbag!”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Before he could clarify, the thoroughly plastered Yan Ke wrapped his arms around him, wailing, “Why are we so miserable, why are we so cursed! Loving a scumbag is pure agony! Knowing he’s trash yet unable to forget him, why am I so pathetic!”

Evidently, he couldn’t let go of Loren, so he projected that Xie Jianwei couldn’t let go of Scumbag Xu.

Seeing his pitiful state, Xie Jianwei couldn’t bring himself to say he never loved Xu Qi to begin with, forced to endure his loud sobs.

He wailed with heart-wrenching anguish, while Lu Li listened with agonizing despair.

Finished… A-Wei still loves that scumbag. Even after that bastard did such vile things, A-Wei still can’t forget him. He must be hopelessly in love.

Lu Li’s heart was packed with bubbling jealousy, bitter and sour, yet aching with profound pity.

With his wild imagination, putting himself in his shoes, he even wondered: If Xu Qi dies, will A-Wei lose the will to live too?

Just then, Yan Ke sobbed out, “If Loren begged me like Xu Qi did, making life-and-death scenes, I might actually forgive him! What should I do, Jianwei, why am I so useless!”

Xie Jianwei comforted him, “That is human nature, don’t be too…”

Human nature! Lu Li felt both crushed and alarmed: Damn it, I can’t let that scumbag suffer too terribly, what if Xie Jianwei’s heart softens and he runs right back to him!

Thank goodness Xie Jianwei had no idea what Lu Li was contemplating, or he would have smacked him upside the head.

Escorted by a genuine ghost, the two drunks arrived home safely.

Having cursed the entire way, Yan Ke was finally spent, collapsing onto his bed and falling asleep instantly.

Reeking of alcohol, Xie Jianwei feared alarming his parents, so he sent a text saying he was staying over at a friend’s place.

He had always been an obedient child, so Father Xie and Mother Xie trusted him completely, suspecting nothing and merely reminding him not to stay out too late lest it interfere with work.

Yan Ke lived in great comfort. A three-story Western-style townhouse with plenty of guest rooms.

Xie Jianwei could easily have stayed, but on second thought felt it inappropriate, intending to step out and check into a hotel.

Yet the moment he exited the front door, he ran right into an old acquaintance.

Loren looked utterly shocked: “Xie Jianwei?”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Loren said in anguish, “You… you and A-Ke…”

Realizing he had likely misunderstood, Xie Jianwei explained, “He had too much to drink and is already asleep. I merely brought him home.”

Loren visibly exhaled in relief, then said apologetically, “Sorry for troubling you.”

He hurried inside, while Xie Jianwei paused and asked, “Um… are you getting married?”

Loren paused, blurting out, “Doesn’t Country Z forbid same-sex marriage?”

Hearing that, Xie Jianwei sensed a misunderstanding: “Yan Ke said you were getting married.” He emphasized, “Marrying a woman.”

Loren shot back immediately, “Me? Whom would I marry!”

Xie Jianwei briefly summarized Yan Ke’s words.

Loren blinked in shock, then lit up with joy: “He thought I was getting married, so he dragged you out to drink away his sorrow?”

Xie Jianwei: “…” Having an ominous premonition, he didn’t want to open his mouth.

Loren was already spewing couple’s PDA: “Why would I ever get married? That brat is always staring at women, unable to look away whenever he sees a large bust! I was so pissed off I threw those words at him to spite him, and he took it seriously! Whom would I marry? Aside from him, who else could I ever marry!”

Xie Jianwei couldn’t dodge in time, catching a mouthful of couple’s sweetness.

The tables had turned; Military Advisor Xie had his day of being force-fed romance, completely caught off guard.

Loren entered the house, and not wanting to disturb them, Xie Jianwei turned and left.

Yan Ke in his mind had already disconnected in embarrassment.

Xie Jianwei couldn’t say much either. After all, Big Li was at fault here, pairing them up and making it so sweet; no wonder Yan Ke felt thoroughly flustered.

With Xie Jianwei keeping quiet, Lu Li’s imagination ran wild again, assuming he must be heartbroken.

Two people had set out to drink away their heartbreak, yet the other’s proved to be a misunderstanding, returning to sweet romance in a flash; whereas Xie Jianwei’s situation was no misunderstanding, which was agonizing to contemplate.

Lu Li whispered, “Are you alright?”

Xie Jianwei thought: Manifest your form, give me some kisses and hugs, and I’ll be fine.

Yet he couldn’t say it.

He murmured, “I’m fine.”

Lu Li didn’t dare say too much, fearing that speaking more would invite mistakes and make him sadder.

Arriving at the hotel, Xie Jianwei flopped onto the bed the moment he entered, unwilling to move.

His head throbbed, his legs ached, and a certain idiot didn’t even know to offer a hug.

Lu Li still possessed some nerve, asking, “How about a bath? I’ve drawn the water for you.”

Xie Jianwei pretended not to hear.

Lu Li called again, “A-Wei?”

Xie Jianwei offered a drowsy mumble.

Lu Li’s thoughts stirred, asking, “Shall I help you bathe?”

Xie Jianwei murmured as if half-asleep, “Mm.”

Lu Li’s heart leaped: “You truly want me to help you bathe?”

Xie Jianwei continued in a daze, “Mm.”

Beaming with joy, Lu Li scooped him up, stealing a gentle kiss against that soft cheek.

He had received permission, so it didn’t count as being a rogue!

Xie Jianwei feigned sleep while Lu Li undressed him with delicate care. Merely removing his shirt had Big Li standing stiff as a gun barrel.

Continuing with his trousers, the moment those fair, slender legs were freed, Lu Li couldn’t resist pressing kisses along them, even kissing the base of his thighs.

Fortunately, Xie Jianwei was genuinely tipsy, otherwise that kiss would surely have provoked a reaction.

Lu Li didn’t dare push too far. After restraining himself to half a dozen kisses, he placed him into the bathtub.

Being enveloped by warm water was wonderfully comfortable. Xie Jianwei let out a soft moan, nearly making Lu Li lose his head and take him right there.

The bath was both sweet and excruciating. Lu Li felt Xie Jianwei was perfect in every way, a treasure from head to toe. Thinking that such a wonderful person had fallen for a piece of trash, fury flared anew, making him want to kill someone.

Having seduced him for so long, the man still refused to make a move, which made Xie Jianwei thoroughly impatient.

What are you acting so upright for!

Xie Jianwei decided to take matters into his own hands, wrapping his fingers around himself and stroking up and down.

Blood rushed to Lu Li’s head in an instant: “Do you need help?”

Xie Jianwei mumbled drowsily, “Mm…”

Lu Li kissed him thoroughly from top to bottom.

Toward the end, things became unstoppable. With breathy sighs, feigning resistance while actively tempting him, Xie Jianwei engaged in intimacy with him.

The experience was rather novel.

Unable to see the person, he relied even more on touch and sound. Scorching heat saturated his nerves, delivering wave after wave of pleasure and sweetness.

Tossing and turning until late into the night, both were thoroughly contented.

Xie Jianwei slept with deep tranquility. Lu Li had no need for sleep, holding him while gazing at him endlessly. Loving everything he saw, delighted beyond words, the smile on his lips never fading.

The following morning, Xie Jianwei woke with an aching waist and sore back.

Lu Li was still embracing him.

Their eyes met; or rather, Xie Jianwei stared at empty air.

He paused in a daze, then gasped aloud, “You, I…”

Lu Li didn’t dare make a sound.

After a long moment, Xie Jianwei murmured, “I drank too much.”

Somewhat crestfallen, Lu Li finally spoke: “I took advantage of you.”

Xie Jianwei hesitated.

Lu Li actually blurted out, “Did I make you uncomfortable last night? It was my first time, but…”

Amused inside while sounding indignant on the surface, Xie Jianwei snapped, “It was my first time too!”

Lu Li paused, wide-eyed with shock: “First time? You… you and Xu Qi…”

Xie Jianwei frowned. “Why bring him up?”

“Didn’t you two date?” Lu Li’s voice fell much lower.

Xie Jianwei said, “Does dating automatically mean doing this kind of thing? Besides, I couldn’t accept…” Before he finished, Lu Li wasn’t even listening to his words anymore; his mind was overwhelmed by pure joy, excitement, and boundless bliss.

After a moment, he declared with immense solemnity, “A-Wei, rest assured, I will take full responsibility for you!”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Lu Li added cautiously, “I know you cannot forget Xu Qi, but that’s alright, we can take things slowly. Could you give me a chance… a…”

Xie Jianwei felt almost overwhelmed by favor; he was practically unaccustomed to Big Li not tormenting himself!

Lu Li finished softly, “…a chance to pursue you.”

Pursue my foot, can’t you just propose marriage directly! Xie Jianwei thought.

Unfortunately, he still had to play along. Furrowing his brows, he said earnestly, “I know nothing about you… I haven’t even seen what you look like.”

Lu Li was thrilled: “That is simple. I will open your spiritual sight.”

In the very next instant, Xie Jianwei laid eyes on the naked, handsome man. He possessed a unique pair of crimson eyes, while everything else remained the same. Breathtakingly handsome.

Seeing his husband ought to have put Xie Jianwei in high spirits, yet his face suddenly drained of all color, looking genuinely horrified.

“Th-This…”

Not only did he see his handsome husband, but in the distance, he also saw mutilated corpses of ghosts with eyes dangling out, heads sheared in half, gaping holes in their bellies, and intestines pooling across the floor!