Chapter 163: Will You Hate Me?

Chapter 163: Will You Hate Me?

Pei Huai gazed at Song Yuqing.

Asleep, Song Yuqing shed his usual aloofness and detachment, revealing a defenseless vulnerability.

The coldness of his palm was Song Yuqing’s temperature.

In that moment, Pei Huai’s heart pounded like a drum—did Song Yuqing love him?

If he didn’t, he wouldn’t care so much about this ring even in his sleep, instinctively reacting to protect it when someone tried to take it away.

“Qingqing…”

He couldn’t die. Even living without dignity, he couldn’t leave Song Yuqing.

In Song Yuqing’s mind, System 88 was frantically spamming “respect.” Just pretending to sleep made Pei Huai love him even more, to the point where he no longer wanted to die—this was pure emotional torment in his mind.

“System 88: He’s useless now, Qingqing. Does it matter if he dies now?”

Song Yuqing: “...”

Song Yuqing: “Oh, you’re useless too. Go die right now.”

System 88: “...”

System 88: “I’m not dying. If Pei Huai isn’t dying, I’m not dying either.”

System 88: “How much longer do we have to wait? We didn’t bring anything in with us—we can’t just bludgeon Su Quan to death, can we?”

“Or should we use a beauty trap? Make Su Quan develop feelings for you, then kill him?”

Song Yuqing said softly, “We need to find a chance to get near him. But just getting near him won’t be enough to kill him.”

The hits he'd landed on Su Quan earlier would've been enough to hospitalize an ordinary alpha.

He was the one who struck them—he knew how much force he’d used. That strength had caused multiple facial fractures in Su Quan.

Su Quan seemed to be in pain, but not as much as he should be.

Prosthetics?

But the blood was very real.

A cyborg body?

When had he been modified? After Song Yuqing had kicked him into the sea, Su Quan must have survived against the odds. But due to frostbite, he could only amputate limbs and modify his body to seek a chance at survival.

If that were the case, Su Quan’s hatred toward him seemed explainable.

His desire for revenge also made sense.

Death would have been cleaner. Him surviving only created problems.

At first, Song Yuqing could still think everything through clearly, but gradually, his thoughts grew muddled and unclear.

The icy chill from being soaked in freezing water gradually seeped into his bones. Song Yuqing felt alternating waves of cold and heat—a severe fever was taking hold.

Pei Huai felt the young man in his arms burning up with fever.

“Qingqing.”

“Qingqing.”

Pei Huai desperately tried to wake Song Yuqing, but it was futile.

Pei Huai felt a panic like never before. He yelled at the guards outside, “Get Su Quan here.”

The guards exchanged glances, their eyes falling on the man in Pei Huai’s arms. The same Song Yuqing who had been so fierce in combat during the day was now pale and bloodless.

Like a porcelain doll on the verge of shattering.

The man truly never knew how to submit.

If Song Yuqing had just said a few gentle words, shown even a hint of liking for Su Quan, that lunatic Su Quan would've undoubtedly put him on a pedestal, pampering and doting on him.

Things wouldn't have gotten this bad.

“Just wait,” one of them said, tossing out the words.

Upon hearing that Song Yuqing had a fever, Su Quan hurried over to the place where Pei Huai and Song Yuqing were held. Nearing the door, he deliberately slowed his pace.

Just then, Pei Huai fed Song Yuqing a sip of warm water. Song Yuqing coughed lightly a few times, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he gained a moment of clarity.

Su Quan signaled the guards to release the chains.

The sound drew Song Yuqing’s attention. He glanced up, then looked away again.

The slender young man was completely nestled against the alpha’s broad chest. Pei Huai could even easily encircle Song Yuqing’s waist with one arm.

Like a pure white kitten, injured and nestled against the dog it trusted most, allowing the big dog to tend to its fur and lick its wounds.

Su Quan watched, his eyes fuming. He was convinced Song Yuqing was doing this on purpose—flaunting this closeness with another alpha right in front of him.

To provoke him, punish him, tell him he's unworthy.

“Song Yuqing, is this how you ask me for help—by being all lovey-dovey with another alpha?”

“I’m not asking you for anything,” Song Yuqing said weakly, exhausted.

Psycho.

“Get out.” After saying this, Song Yuqing closed his eyes again. “See? If you die, Su Quan will make me beg him. He’ll kill me.”

The rare glimpse of vulnerability in the young man was inexplicably heart-wrenching.

Pei Huai pulled Song Yuqing closer, not stopping to question whether he was worthy.

“I’ll be fine after some rest.”

Song Yuqing didn’t loudly reassure Pei Huai, but every word was clearly heard by Su Quan.

Furious, Su Quan strode forward, grabbed Song Yuqing’s wrist, and tried to pull him out of Pei Huai’s embrace.

“Song Yuqing, how can you show concern for a useless waste like him? I never knew you were so compassionate before.”

“Do you think you’re some merciful bodhisattva saving the suffering?”

He pinched Song Yuqing’s pale chin. Weak from fever, Song Yuqing barely had the strength to resist as Su Quan yanked him into his arms.

Pei Huai punched Su Quan in the face like a territorial guard dog.

He might have lost his spiritual power, but he wasn’t dead or incapable of fighting.

Who was Su Quan to question Song Yuqing?

Who did Su Quan think he was to Song Yuqing?

The two alphas started fighting without another word, and Song Yuqing observed the fight.

Even without spiritual power, Pei Huai’s fighting prowess remained high.

He could hold his own against Su Quan for a dozen exchanges, landing solid blows, yet Su Quan’s expression remained unchanged.

The fight was primordially violent.

Having confirmed his suspicions, Song Yuqing stopped watching.

Perhaps even Su Quan’s heart—no…

It would be more accurate to say that Su Quan’s flesh and mechanical components had merged, indistinguishable from one another.

Song Yuqing spoke quietly to 88, "Ordinary methods won’t kill him."

Even a dagger across Su Quan’s throat might not finish him off. Given the chance to escape, Su Quan would repair his body and return to cause trouble again.

Even if Su Quan’s body became irreparably damaged, he could transform himself into a monster driven solely by spiritual power.

"Pei Huai," Song Yuqing’s voice was low, slightly hoarse and weak from the high fever, yet carried an undeniable tone of command, "come back."

Though reluctant, Pei Huai obediently returned to Song Yuqing’s side.

In the air, Song Yuqing’s gaze met Su Quan’s, and Su Quan curled his lips into a provoking smile.

It was as if he had seen through Song Yuqing’s earlier provocation, the deliberate attempt to stir his emotions.

"Don’t even think about escaping."

"Song Yuqing, since you’ve come here, I never intended to let you leave."

"Even if I die again, I’ll drag you down with me."

"If you refuse the medicine, then stay here. It’d be best if you burn until you become a fool."

"Burn until you forget Qi Zhengqing, forget Pei Huai, forget everyone."

As Su Quan spoke, he began to relish the idea. Maybe it would be better if Song Yuqing forgot everything.

Then, once he unified the Four Continents, he could make Song Yuqing his wife and share his power with him.

Song Yuqing: "…"

Lunatic.

He wouldn’t burn into foolishness.

Su Quan’s words didn’t affect Song Yuqing much, but they deeply troubled Pei Huai. Burn into a fool?

Pei Huai kept worriedly feeling Song Yuqing’s forehead. "Qingqing, what if I jump into the ice water and come hold you?"

Song Yuqing couldn’t even be bothered to glance at him. "No."

He’d get ice water everywhere, and once the fever broke, he’d freeze to death—only to have the fever return?

Honestly, Song Yuqing didn’t understand Pei Huai’s constitution. Locked up for so long, with two gaping wounds on his shoulders, yet he showed no signs of infection or fever.

It made Song Yuqing seem incompetent for getting a fever just from soaking in ice water.

88: "…"

Well, he’s still worried about seeming weak even now.

Very typical of Song Yuqing. The situation was critical, but not overwhelmingly so in his eyes.

"I’ll recover after some rest. Don’t get any bright ideas."

Pei Huai’s eyes kept drifting toward the pool of ice water.

"I won’t."

88: "He looks very tempted."

Song Yuqing said coldly, "If you dare go, don’t come back to hold me. I’ll be cold."

Pei Huai: "…"

Pei Huai wondered if Song Yuqing’s fever made him silly. Wasn’t Song Yuqing cold? His whole body was burning up.

Hesitating for a moment, Pei Huai leaned closer. "Qingqing, how about saying 'Hubby, give me a kiss'?"

*Smack!*

Pei Huai was met with a swift, firm slap from Song Yuqing.

Pei Huai breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, not silly."

Song Yuqing: "…"

Not good. Big fool.

Song Yuqing drifted back into a hazy sleep. Pei Huai held him the entire time, unsure how much time had passed until Song Yuqing’s fever finally broke. Only then did the tension in Pei Huai’s head relax.

He nuzzled and clung to Song Yuqing, like a dragon doting on its treasure.

The alpha reeked of blood, a scent Song Yuqing recognized as Pei Huai’s current smell.

"Pei Huai, stop rubbing." As Pei Huai pressed closer, Song Yuqing’s delicate brows furrowed uncomfortably. He tried to push the alpha away, but Pei Huai grabbed his wrist.

Pei Huai: "Oh."

He agreed but continued nuzzling anyway.

Song Yuqing: "…"

Pei Huai gently squeezed Song Yuqing’s wrist, then wrapped his hands around Song Yuqing’s waist.

He wondered how Qi Zhengqing had been taking care of Song Yuqing—he’d gotten thinner.

Song Yuqing had had enough. "What are you doing?"

Pei Huai said pleadingly, "Qingqing, you've lost weight."

Song Yuqing: "..."

[Comment 88:] "They really embody that relaxed vibe."

Song Yuqing and Pei Huai are truly formidable—one calculating slowly without a hint of panic, the other forgetting all about his injuries and pain as long as his partner is by his side, completely preoccupied with how thin he's gotten.

Song Yuqing was both exasperated and amused by Pei Huai. "You've been thinking about this the whole time?"

Pei Huai lifted the corner of his mouth. "Not entirely. I was also thinking that even if my scent gland is ruined, I can still take care of you. After all, Qi Zhengqing can’t take care of you properly."

"Of course, that’s only if you don’t mind me."

"If you do mind me..." Pei Huai cautiously peeked at Song Yuqing’s expression. "If you mind, just pretend I never said it."

After speaking, Pei Huai lowered his head again.

Song Yuqing: "..."

Song Yuqing: "If I minded you, I’d just choke you."

Pei Huai raised his eyebrows, a playful glint in his eyes. "Fair enough."

Pei Huai: "So that means you really like me. Not choking me is proof you like me. Qingqing, I like you too."

Song Yuqing: "…"

Song Yuqing averted his gaze. "You’re so annoying."

If Pei Huai were a dog, he’d probably be a Golden Retriever—full of energy and excitement all day long. Give Pei Huai an inch, and he’ll take a mile.

But...

Song Yuqing’s gaze fell on the back of Pei Huai’s neck, where blood had seeped through the bandage, staining it a stark, vivid red.

Even if Pei Huai were to become a powerless cripple without psychic abilities because of him, he wouldn’t hold it against him.

Pei Huai didn’t feel like Song Yuqing owed him anything.

"Pei Huai, what if I could’ve prevented you from being captured? What if you didn’t have to get your gland injured? Would you hate me then?"

Author's Note:

The kitten lowers its eyes, feeling a little guilty, but the kitten is stubborn and won’t say it.