Chapter 39

Chapter 39

In the damp, warm air, the thin fabric, soaked by rain, clung tightly to Lin Xingshu’s pale body, revealing every contour. He huddled to one side, arms wrapped tightly around himself, yet glimpses of his fair skin beneath the wet clothing were still visible.

He stared at Xie Guan in bewilderment, his wide eyes brimming with panic. His rain-drenched hair curled slightly at the ends, and his face, paler than usual under the downpour, looked even more pitiful in the flickering firelight.

"Pfft—"

Xie Guan let out a laugh, leaning over to pat Lin Xingshu’s shoulder. "Just kidding! Come on, take off your clothes and dry them, or you’ll catch a cold."

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Lin Xingshu. "Here, dry your hair."

A faint blush spread across Lin Xingshu’s fair face as he took the handkerchief, a hint of embarrassment in his expression. Only then did he notice that Xie Guan’s hair was also thoroughly drenched.

"Um… maybe you should use it first."

Lin Xingshu made to return the handkerchief, but Xie Guan waved him off. "I’m used to getting caught in the rain. I’m tough—no need to dry off. You take it."

He lifted a hand to run fingers through his damp, tousled hair, his long fingers brushing past the buttons at his collar, accidentally undoing a few. The toned muscles of his chest became strikingly visible in the firelight.

Lin Xingshu found himself staring at the contours of Xie Guan’s chest, momentarily transfixed.

Now that he looked closely, Xie Guan really had an amazing build. Even in coarse fabric, his perfect form was unmistakable. Just loosening a few buttons revealed such defined chest—how much more lay beneath the fabric?

Lost in thought, Lin Xingshu was startled when Xie Guan suddenly stood up and stripped off his shirt, draping it over a makeshift rack. His perfect physique was instantly exposed to the air, his full chest and tapered waist on full display. Lin Xingshu’s eyes widened slightly.

His figure is really… amazing…

"Lin Xingshu? Lin Xingshu?"

Xie Guan’s voice jolted him from his thoughts. Xie Guan’s casual demeanor only made Lin Xingshu feel even more self-conscious about his own wayward thoughts. After a brief hesitation, he also removed his shirt, carefully hanging it beside Xie Guan’s before sitting down awkwardly next to him.

The temperature gradually rose, and the two sat in silence. Lin Xingshu wrapped his arms around himself, but his gaze kept drifting toward Xie Guan.

He couldn’t help it—Xie Guan’s body was just… too perfect! So perfect that Lin Xingshu felt completely outclassed!

"Give me your hand."

Xie Guan’s sudden request made Lin Xingshu jump. Instinctively, he extended his hand.

Xie Guan lowered his head, pulling out a bandage from somewhere, and began carefully wrapping Lin Xingshu’s injured arm. His movements were gentle, causing no pain.

"The conditions here aren’t ideal, so I can’t disinfect it properly. Make sure you do that when you get home, or it might get infected."

He spoke softly, his dark eyes downcast, long lashes casting shadows. His lips, a deep red, parted and closed as he spoke.

Xie Guan is… so beautiful.

Lin Xingshu stared, mesmerized. He was a self-professed beauty enthusiast, and Xie Guan was undeniably breathtakingly handsome—especially when he was tending to Lin Xingshu’s wound just now.

"What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me?"

Xie Guan chuckled, glancing up at him. Their eyes met, and Lin Xingshu quickly looked away, murmuring an apology.

For some reason, Xie Guan’s breathing seemed to become ragged. Unable to resist, Lin Xingshu peeked again—Xie Guan’s broad chest rose and fell visibly, his already impressive pectoral muscles appearing even more pronounced.

Thump—thump—

His heartbeat pounded in his ears, each pulse more frantic than the last. A flush crept up his neck, spreading to the tips of his ears, and Lin Xingshu tensed up in response to the sudden sensation.

He hastily averted his gaze, but the rapid pounding of his heart refused to slow. He could feel his face growing warmer by the second.

Lin Xingshu pressed palms to his flaming cheeks, his dark eyes flickering with confusion.

What’s happening to me…? This is so strange. Why am I so hot? Is it because of the fire? But then again… Xie Guan’s figure is really incredible, his face is gorgeous, and he’s so kind…

"All done."

Xie Guan smiled as he finished bandaging the wound, then turned his gaze toward the cave entrance. The heavy rain had stopped at some point, and the thick fog outside had begun to dissipate. Even the flames of the fire had dwindled appropriately.

"The fog’s cleared, and your clothes are dry. I should take you down the mountain now."

Lin Xingshu came back to himself and nodded. Together, they dressed slowly, though Lin Xingshu’s eyes kept stealing glances at Xie Guan.

He didn’t notice the barely-there smirk that curled Xie Guan’s lips the moment he turned away—nor the satisfied glint in those dark eyes. But by the time Xie Guan faced him again, his expression had returned to its characteristic calm.

Following Xie Guan down the mountain, Lin Xingshu heard the sound of running water after about fifteen minutes and soon recognized the path he had taken earlier. He couldn’t shake how strange the earlier fog had been.

He had wandered through these woods for hours without hearing a thing—so why was it that Xie Guan could lead him out so effortlessly?

"Alright, we’re here. My job’s done, so I’ll take my leave now."

Xie Guan stopped at the mountain path, turning to head back into the forest. Lin Xingshu quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Aren’t you coming with me?"

"With you?"

Xie Guan blinked, then shook his head with a laugh. "No, I still need to forage for more mushrooms in the mountains. You go on ahead."

"O-Oh… okay…"

Lin Xingshu released his sleeve reluctantly, an inexplicable sense of loss weighing on him. Xie Guan gave his hair a playful tousle before turning away. Watching his retreating figure, Lin Xingshu’s mouth worked soundlessly before he suddenly called out again—

"Can I at least get your contact info—?!"

Xie Guan froze mid-step. After a brief pause, he glanced back with a soft smile, shook his head, and continued walking.

Lin Xingshu gritted his teeth and took off after him, but Xie Guan’s silhouette grew increasingly distant. His legs might as well have been made of lead, and no matter how hard he pushed forward, Xie Guan soon vanished without a trace.

Staring at the silent forest, Lin Xingshu lowered his head dejectedly and trudged downhill, his spirits utterly crushed.

"Why wouldn’t he give me his contact…? Does he not want anything to do with me? Or… does he dislike me?"

He mumbled to himself, Lin Xingshu descended the mountain alone, his chest tight with unnamed emotion.

He didn’t know that behind a thick tree trunk nearby, a young man with a ghostly pallor was hiding, gazing longingly at his retreating figure.

The man was nearly naked, his skin corpse-pale, his body marred with crisscrossed scars, some still oozing dark blood. Aside from his face, there wasn’t a single unblemished patch of skin on him.

His bottomless dark eyes brimmed with a thick, almost cloying devotion as he stared at Lin Xingshu’s back. Unconsciously, he raised a hand to his mouth, biting down on his knuckles until blood bloomed, revealing bone—yet he felt no pain.

He ached to follow Lin Xingshu, but something held him back. At the last moment, he recoiled, shrinking behind the tree again, his eyes flickering with reluctance and agony.

The young man suddenly covered his chalk-white face and let out a choked sob.

He wanted nothing more than to chase after Lin Xingshu right now, to tell him he’d go with him—but he couldn’t.

His darling must think he’s been rejected… What should he do…? What could he possibly do…?

Misery swallowed him whole. His lifeless heart throbbed with a familiar, searing pain—no different from the agony of being hacked apart with blades all those years ago.

Peering through his fingers, he watched Lin Xingshu's figure gradually disappear, the obsession and madness in his eyes threatening to spill over.

It’s fine... it’s fine...

The seal that bastard left on him had already been undone. Soon, he would be able to leave these mountains—no longer bound to a scarecrow’s form or remaining trapped within the statue.

He would be with his wife forever and ever...

Lost in the fantasy, his tear-streaked face cracked into a smile, his pallid skin smeared with bloody tears, rendering him grotesque, terrifying. Yet he remained oblivious, staggering to his feet before retreating behind the tree once more. When he emerged again, his once-naked body had transformed into the form of a scarecrow.

Clad in coarse cloth, his pitch-black eyes gazed into the distance. With a steady *tap-tap-tap*, he cheerfully hopped down the mountain, continuing to follow Lin Xingshu from afar.

*

By the time Lin Xingshu stumbled home in a daze, it was nearly evening. The sky darkened as exhaustion weighed heavily on him. He barely made it inside before collapsing onto the sofa.

He closed his eyes wearily, yet Xie Guan's image lingered stubbornly in his mind. Rolling over, he slowly opened his eyes—only to lock gazes with the scarecrow in the painting on the wall.

Instantly, that sensation of being watched surged through him again. Unsettled, he sat up and turned toward the bathroom for a shower. Just as he removed his shirt, a faint *shuffling* came from outside the window—like something being knocked over.

Startled, Lin Xingshu hurried to the door.

Darkness had settled. The wheat fields rustled in the wind, but the surroundings were silent and empty, as if what he had heard was merely his imagination.

He scratched his head, muttering softly, "Was I hearing things...? Weird."

He turned back inside, shucked off his damp pants, and stepped into the shower, turning on the faucet.

Amid the rising steam, his silhouette flickered in the steam.

Tilting his head back, he let the water cascade down his face, completely unaware of the figure standing just outside the window.

That person pressed against the transparent glass, greedily drinking in every detail inside the bathroom. His straw-stuffed nose even touched the windowpane. As his gaze traced Lin Xingshu's pale skin, his black eyes brimmed with an obsessive, almost pathological devotion.

"Adorable... so adorable... my wife..."

He rasped, voice rough with hunger, his eyes darkening with desire.

"Tonight... let me help you relax properly too."