Chapter 44: That Moment, I Wanted to Kiss You

Chapter 44: That Moment, I Wanted to Kiss You

"Xiao Yezi, after all these years, I’ve grown used to it. It’s alright."

He had grown accustomed to it, not truly moved on or accepted it with equanimity.

Huo Yanchi had endured immense suffering. Outsiders only ever saw his dazzling facade, while the scars hidden beneath his wristband became nightmares that jolted him awake in the dead of night.

"Master, you’re already incredible. I despise how they spread rumors about you—the Huo Yanchi I know is nothing like that."

Huo Yanchi chuckled softly, lifting Xiao Yezi by his bottom and giving him a gentle bounce, his steps so light it was as if Xiao Yezi weighed nothing.

On his back was the precious weight of Xiao Yezi—held close to his heart, cherished above all else.

"The Huo Yanchi you know is probably no different from a scoundrel."

*Hiss.*

Feeling Huo Yanchi’s hand gently knead his buttocks, Shen Junlan squirmed awkwardly and playfully swatted Huo Yanchi’s shoulder.

With a soft yelp, Shen Junlan playfully nipped Huo Yanchi’s earlobe, licking and nibbling the red mole there—not out of anger, but more like a flirtatious tease.

"My dear Yezi, do you want to go to my company or back to the bookstore? I’ll have Zhao Qi pick us up."

"I want to go shopping. You promised last time we’d hang out, but you stood me up."

His Xiao Yezi held quite a grudge, bringing up old grievances even after so many days.

"Alright."

Huo Yanchi set Xiao Yezi down, and the two stood on the bustling street, scrolling through their phones, searching for highly-rated spots across various platforms—food, drinks, and entertainment, all in one go.

"Brother, have you been to this one?"

It was billed as the world’s most terrifying horror-themed amusement park, where many visitors entered standing tall but left lying down, too scared to walk and carried out on stretchers.

"Xiao Yezi, honestly, I’ve never been to any of these places. I didn’t have time during school, and I don’t have time now. Leisure and fun were never part of my plans."

"But my Xiao Yezi is special. If he likes it, then I like it too. You choose—I’ll be your driver and bodyguard."

Shen Junlan’s eyes curved into smiles as he grabbed Huo Yanchi’s wrist and pulled him forward.

Just walking side by side under the shade of trees, listening to each other’s breathing, made Shen Junlan feel so happy he thought he might faint.

"Huo Yanchi, it’s a seven-minute walk. Cross the street ahead and turn the corner. But I read online that we need to buy tickets in advance. We didn’t prepare—what should we do?"

"Don’t worry, I’ve already told Zhao Qi."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Qi called.

"President Huo, I’ve contacted them. President Song sends his regards and asked if you’d like us to reserve the park this afternoon. If needed, he can clear it out for you."

"No need. Please thank President Song for me, and let’s have a meal together another day."

The horror park was opened by a former business partner, and their companies had close ties, which was why Huo Yanchi reached out to President Song.

"Understood, President Huo. I’ve sorted the documents that need processing. You can review them when you come in tomorrow."

"Mm." Huo Yanchi hung up and deleted the spam-like message along with it.

Shen Junlan glanced over and caught a glimpse of a blurry, blood-soaked image.

He got goosebumps all over. Rubbing his arms, Shen Junlan watched Huo Yanchi’s calm expression and wondered how many similar messages he had received to block and delete them without a second thought.

Huo Yaoyang was even more persistent than he had imagined. It seemed the previous warning hadn’t been enough, allowing Huo Yaoyang to haunt and harass Huo Yanchi relentlessly.

"Xiao Yezi, it’s settled. We can go straight in."

Huo Yanchi didn’t mention the photo, and Shen Junlan averted his gaze, tacitly letting it slide as he tightened his grip on Huo Yanchi’s wrist.

At the entrance, the park manager personally greeted them.

"President Huo, long time no see. Do you remember me? I was with President Song when we signed the contract last time."

"I remember. You’re Wang Wang."

Wang Wang was thrilled. Huo Yanchi had remembered his name after just one meeting, boosting his admiration for him even further.

"This must be your boyfriend. He’s even more handsome than any celebrity I’ve seen."

In just a short while, two people had assumed he and Huo Yanchi were a couple.

The scales in Shen Junlan’s heart tipped slightly. He stole a glance at Huo Yanchi—aside from that one pretend moment, Huo Yanchi had never treated him as a boyfriend.

Boyfriend...

In the human world, it seemed the only way to stay together forever was as partners.

Shen Junlan fidgeted with his fingers, lost in thought, staring into space.

If Huo Yanchi were his boyfriend, how would things be different? How would they interact? Shen Junlan pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure it out.

Shen Junlan’s expressions were so vivid that Huo Yanchi couldn’t help but smile, giving Xiao Yezi a playful poke in the small of his back from behind like he was poking a roly-poly toy.

Startled, Shen Junlan snapped out of his daze and turned to find both Huo Yanchi and the manager staring intently at him.

"Huo Yanchi, what’s wrong?" Shen Junlan’s voice was barely a whisper as he leaned close to Huo Yanchi’s ear, looking to anyone else like a brief, intimate moment.

An ambiguous atmosphere lingered as Shen Junlan stood obediently, waiting for Huo Yanchi’s explanation.

"Manager Wang, aside from the high-altitude rides, everything else is fine."

Generally, those prone to motion sickness were also more likely to fear heights. He worried his Xiao Yezi might end up beating up NPCs on the horror swing while groaning dizzily.

"Understood, President Huo. Here are the all-access passes. Enjoy your time—I won’t disturb you further."

"Xiao Yezi, should we start with the escape room or the haunted house?"

"The haunted house." Since supernatural beings exist, Shen Junlan wondered if ghosts were real too—he was incredibly curious.

Entering through the eerie side door, a clammy feeling clung to them. Shen Junlan fiddled with the sticky decorations, tilting his head slightly.

"Ah—"

Shen Junlan’s heart raced as he buried his face in Huo Yanchi’s chest, eyes shut tight. A massive ghostly face loomed closer, scaring him half to death.

"Huo Yanchi, is it gone? It’s so scary."

A long tongue hung just above the ground, eyes like bloody hollows, eyeballs dangling precariously. One sudden lunge, and Shen Junlan felt his soul nearly leave his body.

"Hah."

A sharp breath whispered past Shen Junlan's forehead. He buried himself even deeper into Huo Yanchi's neck, refusing to move even half a step.

"My dear Yezi, perhaps we should just leave. You’ve only taken a couple of steps, and this room is ninety-nine meters long."

Shen Junlan shifted awkwardly, clutching Huo Yanchi’s clothes, his eyes fixed intently on the ghostly face.

"I-I’m not scared of you. So what if it’s ninety-nine meters? I wouldn’t be afraid even if it were another nine hundred ninety-nine meters."

"Heeheehee."

The ghostly face seemed even more excited. NPCs loved guests like Shen Junlan; they were the most fun to scare.

"Huo Yanchi, stand behind me. I’ll protect you."

Huo Yanchi’s palm was ice-cold. Shen Junlan, thinking Huo Yanchi was forcing himself to appear calm, mustered his courage and stepped in front of Huo Yanchi, determined to clear the way for him.

In the eerie blue glow, his Little Leaf was trembling with fear, his lips turned pale, yet he stood firmly in front of him.

Huo Yanchi’s palms, hidden behind his back, were damp with a faint sweat. He discreetly wiped them on a tissue, then placed his hands on Little Leaf’s shoulders, following his lead as they moved forward.

The dark passage grew narrower and narrower. Huo Yanchi could faintly hear Little Leaf muttering to himself beside him.

He complained that the fake blood was just sour-tasting ketchup, grumbled about the bones buried in pits on the ground, and even punched the wall, nearly sending an NPC flying.

Huo Yanchi’s steps grew unsteady, his vision blurring.

Sharp screams and curses mingled with the wails of countless ghosts.

The piercing noise nearly shattered Huo Yanchi’s eardrums. He tutted in irritation, and for a moment, the surroundings fell silent, only to erupt again even louder.

In the vast, pitch-black enclosed space, Huo Yanchi could no longer feel Little Leaf nearby. Panicked, he reached out, only to clutch a frigid, bony hand.

"You’re hurting me, hehehe. Stay here with me."

An icy aura pressed down on him. Huo Yanchi’s heart clenched. Almost instantly, he knew this wasn’t an NPC from the haunted house.

That feeling of being watched, that spine-chilling dread—it wasn’t something an NPC could evoke.

A burst of ghostly blue flame shot down but was blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to budge an inch.

The apparition seemed to see something terrifying. It tried to flee but was trapped, screaming wildly before vanishing into thin air a few seconds later, as if self-destructing.

The next moment, Shen Junlan’s warm hand closed around his.

"Huo Yanchi, are you feeling unwell?"

Huo Yanchi’s ears were filled with a ringing noise. He didn’t speak, only tasting a metallic tang in his throat before swallowing it down, his face blank.

Shen Junlan anxiously listened to Huo Yanchi’s heartbeat—erratic and chaotic. His eyes were unfocused, tinged with red, staring into the distance. It was a sign of another episode.

What was Huo Yanchi afraid of? The darkness? Or the terrifying haunted house?

After a lengthy pause, Huo Yanchi spoke.

"Little Leaf, the first time I was locked in solitary confinement, it was in a room like this. Not a single ray of light, thin air. I was like a chained dog, kneeling on the ground, too weak to even scream."

At sixteen, during the worst of Huo Yaoyang’s illness, Huo Yanchi had rebelled, determined to see Huo Yaoyang’s medical report. In the struggle, he accidentally knocked Huo Yaoyang’s head.

Did it bleed? Probably not.

That day, he bled a lot himself, disciplined according to family law, thrown into a dark room by Huo Qu to reflect.

Reflect on what? Huo Yanchi couldn’t find a single fault in himself.

The cold, damp room—the only sound was the drip-drip of water hitting the ground.

Huo Yanchi pursed his lips. The wounds on his back were inflamed, and he was burning with fever, delirious.

He heard the wails of countless ghosts, as if emanating from his very soul, pounding in his head.

Huo Qu said he’d be released if he admitted his mistake. But he hadn’t done anything wrong—why should he admit fault?

The standoff lasted for days—Huo Yanchi wasn’t sure how long. He only knew that when he crawled out of the dark room, the blinding light almost seared his eyes.

Later, Huo Qu said it was Huo Yaoyang who pleaded for him, which was why he was released.

Huo Yanchi responded with an expressionless "Mm." For many nights after, he could still hear the ghostly wails—muffled, lingering.

Ghosts weren’t scary. The hearts of the Huo family were far more terrifying.

"Little Leaf, do you think ghosts really exist in this world?"

Huo Yanchi’s answer was Shen Junlan’s tight embrace.

Shen Junlan’s spiritual energy poured out, enveloping Huo Yanchi. He stood on his tiptoes, leaning close to Huo Yanchi’s ear, whispering, "Huo Yanchi, have you ever seen fireflies?"

Tiny sparks of spiritual energy gathered into clusters of fireflies, dancing around Huo Yanchi. They were like living energy, wrapping around his waist, guiding him toward Shen Junlan’s heart.

"Don’t be afraid of ghosts. I can protect you."

Even if Huo Yanchi didn’t say it, Shen Junlan could tell—Huo Yanchi’s condition back then had left a mark. Even years later, in a dark, enclosed space, he would still react, still have an episode.

"Huo Yanchi, are the fireflies bright?"

The dark space gradually brightened. Huo Yanchi’s crimson eyes fixed on the dancing fireflies. He raised his hand, and the firefly that landed on his palm seemed to melt into his skin.

A surge of warmth spread through him.

"Huo Yanchi, you won’t be afraid of the dark anymore. With my fireflies, no matter where you are, I’ll protect you."

Shen Junlan drew a circle in the air with his finger, and the fireflies rearranged themselves into the shape of a heart. They lit the way as Shen Junlan took Huo Yanchi’s hand, leading him out of the darkness.

Shen Junlan placed his hand over Huo Yanchi’s eyes, whispering, "Huo Yanchi, we’re out."

In that moment, he wasn't just leaving the haunted house; he was breaking out of that dark room from years ago, finally rescuing the boy who had been trapped there.

Huo Yanchi raised his hand, grasping the only light he had.

Leaning down, Huo Yanchi’s lips met Shen Junlan’s.

"Little Leaf, I wanted to do this the whole time we were in the haunted house."