Chapter 129: Glass Bead

Chapter 129: Glass Bead

Meng Shu plopped down onto his bed.

He looked up at his attribute panel, where the defense stat was clearly marked as a big fat zero, proving that his physical body in reality was beyond saving.

He was only one step away from death.

His energy in the real world was terrible, and he was inevitably affected here as well.

His vision was blurry. Meng Shu rubbed his eyes, but it didn't help.

He sighed softly. Oh well, as long as he could just make out the road, it was fine.

Luckily, his agility hadn't been affected. Meng Shu looked down at the gem and glass bead in his palm, figuring out how to give them back to Ling Qingjue.

This gem was left to Ling Qingjue by his mother; it held great significance, so he had to give it back.

As for this glass bead... someone as proud as Ling Qingjue would never care for it. Meng Shu felt embarrassed to give it as a gift, so he decided to find an opportunity to casually stuff it into some drawer and pretend he had given it to Ling Qingjue.

Meng Shu first hid the gem under his pillow, then put the glass bead in his pocket.

His body was in such bad shape that he could only stay in this world for two days.

This would also be his last trip over.

He needed to hurry and take care of things.

Meng Shu turned and went downstairs, catching a whiff of a terrible burning smell from afar. He sensed trouble and flashed into the kitchen.

Sure enough, the kitchen was filled with thick smoke. Ling Qingjue was coughing violently, his body slightly hunched in the haze—looking completely miserable.

Meng Shu rushed in to turn off the stove, quickly opening the window for ventilation. "Oh my god! What are you trying to do!"

He started coughing too, tears streaming from his eyes. "You... *cough*! Are you trying to burn the house down!"

Ling Qingjue stood still, silent and motionless.

Meng Shu looked down at the pot. There was a large, dark, unrecognizable lump. He tried hard to identify it, barely making out pieces of eggshell. "Is this... egg fried rice?"

Ling Qingjue nodded.

"...You didn't just crack the eggs directly into the pan, did you?"

Ling Qingjue nodded again.

"You're impossible!" Meng Shu didn't know if he should laugh or cry, immediately rolling up his sleeves to deal with the mess. "What made you suddenly want to make egg fried rice? If I hadn't come back, you'd have burned the whole house down."

Ling Qingjue, his face covered in soot, pressed his lips together. "Making you breakfast."

"For me?" Meng Shu was touched. He asked very sincerely, "What did I do to deserve you trying to poison me?"

Ling Qingjue glared at him. "Didn't you say you'd give me the Moonstone if I cooked for you? If it weren't for that stupid stone, I wouldn't be cooking for you."

He'd gotten up early to cook, spent two hours preparing, and wound up blowing up his own kitchen.

Meng Shu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes crinkled in a smile. "I see. You worked hard."

He then looked away, his voice low and hoarse, almost like a murmur. "Little cat, after all this time, why haven't you learned? Who's gonna cook for you in the future..."

Ling Qingjue looked at him and asked in a dark tone, "You won't cook for me?"

Meng Shu's back went cold, and he quickly nodded. "I will! Of course I will!"

He quickly cleaned the kitchen, then guided Ling Qingjue out with a hand on his lower back. "I'll buy you some cookbooks. Read them when you have time."

Ling Qingjue was in a bad mood after messing up, and the idea of reading cookbooks annoyed him even more. "I won't read them."

He only liked gourmet reviews, not the process of making food.

"Just take a look."

Meng Shu took his hand again, lifted his head, and kissed him clingily. "You have to learn for yourself. If you don't know anything, people will call you a silly little cat."

Ling Qingjue found it even more amusing. His lips brushed against Meng Shu's as he asked ambiguously, "Who dares to call me a silly little cat? Are they asking for death?"

He cast his eyes down with a smile, bright and unbridled.

His breath fell on Meng Shu's cheek, ticklish and hot.

Meng Shu grew even more desperate for the warmth of his arms. Chest to chest, he couldn't help but cup Ling Qingjue's face and plant two firm kisses on him.

I really like you.

Ling Qingjue didn't pull away, but he didn't respond either. He just looked at him, looking down on him from on high.

Meng Shu frowned, his dark eyes fixed on Ling Qingjue. "You... aren't going to kiss me?"

Ling Qingjue said, "You mocked me earlier. I don't want to kiss you."

"I didn't mock you!" Meng Shu was so offended. "Is it a crime to tell the truth?"

"Don't you know how to butter me up? Even if I made poison, you'd have to eat it."

Ling Qingjue's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his face full of impatience. "You're hopeless at coaxing a cat."

"I was wrong. I'll change," Meng Shu nodded hastily. "First, kiss me twice."

Ling Qingjue grabbed his cheek with one hand, forcing him to look up, then thrust his tongue into Meng Shu's mouth, roughly overwhelming all his senses.

Meng Shu couldn't help but wrap his arms around Ling Qingjue's waist. Their two young, hot bodies clung tightly, like flames landing on dry wood, ready to ignite.

Ling Qingjue's hand slid slowly down the back of Meng Shu's neck, then along his spine to his lower back.

Meng Shu thought he was about to get handsy again—this cat always liked to wander during kisses. But since their affection level hadn't reached one hundred, nothing could happen, and he'd always get all worked up.

He was about to tell Ling Qingjue not to get ideas, but Ling Qingjue reached into his pants pocket instead.

Meng Shu didn't see that coming. "You trying to pick my pocket?"

Ling Qingjue completely ignored him. Finding nothing in one pocket, he tried the other and successfully pulled out a small bead.

His slender fingers pinched the glass bead. Ling Qingjue frowned slightly. The material looked like just glass... though there were patterns inside that looked pretty, it had no shine.

Ling Qingjue, not giving up, reached back into Meng Shu's pants. "Nothing else?"

It finally clicked for Meng Shu that Ling Qingjue was after the Moonstone.

He was so eager to raise that affection level.

Ling Qingjue's brows were tightly furrowed, clearly dissatisfied with what he saw.

He let out a bitter smile, as expected—he didn't like it. Such a cheap trinket could only fool a child.

Ling Qingjue didn't feel any other gems; he looked down at the glass bead again. When he looked closer, it was barely acceptable.

Ling Qingjue had heard that Meng Shu wasn't rich in his original world; maybe he couldn't afford expensive gems?

But Meng Shu had promised to give him the most beautiful and precious gem.

Ling Qingjue's disappointment was visible, though he didn't voice it. "This..."

Meng Shu spoke first, smiling. "Oh hey, I picked this up on the road. If you hadn't mentioned it, I'd have forgotten. It's just a lousy little bead, useless. If you don't like it, just throw it away."

"...Picked up?"

"Yeah, picked up. Who knew you'd be so impatient, feeling my pants right away."

He almost fled as he said, "Oh, and Cat, I have some things to deal with today... that Moonstone, I'll give it to you later. The best things are always saved for last, right?"

Ling Qingjue showed little reaction, clutching the glass bead in his palm. "Oh."

Meng Shu didn't dare look at him again.

Without turning back, he left the house.

That bead wasn't worthy of Ling Qingjue, and neither was his fake affection a match for Ling Qingjue's true feelings.