Chapter 83: How Can Someone Be This Shameless?

Chapter 83: How Can Someone Be This Shameless?

The banquet went completely haywire, turning into a total mess. Chen Wang took Gu Sai and left, leaving the Li family to clean up their own mess.

He walked Gu Sai home, closed the door, and shut out all the noise from the outside world.

Chen Wang could tell Gu Sai was emotionally drained, looking pretty depleted, not in the mood to talk. He didn't pry, just walked into the kitchen like he owned the place to fix him a cup of honey water.

"Here, drink this. It'll warm you up." Chen Wang's voice was much gentler than usual.

Gu Sai held the cup, taking small sips, the steam fogging up his face. He was quiet for a long time, until the honey water was gone, before he finally found the strength to speak.

"Actually, Uncle and Auntie Li were pretty decent to me at first." Gu Sai's gaze drifted unfocused into the distance. "They sent me to a good private school, hoping I'd make something of myself. But... the exams there had super strict time limits, and I could never finish the papers, so my report card looked awful. Over time, the way they looked at me just... soured."

He paused, pressing his lips together out of habit.

"But my brother was always really good to me. Super patient. Whenever I couldn't figure out a problem, no matter how busy he was, he'd make time to help me."

When he mentioned Li Wencheng, his voice actually warmed up a little. This time, Chen Wang didn't express any displeasure, just listened quietly.

"Auntie Zhou would always sigh and say I was born lucky. I was young then and didn't understand. Later, a few times I told her what dishes I wanted to eat. She'd get all stern-faced and tell me, 'You're not a Li. You don't get to ask for things, and you don't get to be picky. You eat what you're given.'"

"I... I didn't dare ask after that. I didn't know how to talk back back then. I just figured I was the one in the wrong for even asking."

He said it all so calmly, like he was talking about someone else.

But Chen Wang's heart felt like it was being wrung out, aching something fierce.

He could almost picture little Li Wenbing tiptoeing around that house—what he'd missed out on wasn't just having parents who loved him, but also the simple confidence to want things out loud and be accepted no matter what.

He squeezed Gu Sai's cold hand tight. "That's all in the past now, Gu Sai. From now on, tell me whatever you want to eat. I'll make it for you. If I can't cook it, I'll learn. If I can't learn, I'll buy it for you. In short, anything you want—even if it means going through hell and high water, even if it means burning an alien's ass with a cigarette, I'll do it."

Gu Sai was genuinely touched by the first half, but the alien butt-burning part made him crack up. "Why would I want you to torture an alien?"

Chen Wang said, "It's just a figure of speech. I'm trying to say that with me, you can ask for anything, be as picky as you want, do whatever you feel like, because..."

He paused, the corner of his mouth quirking up, but not in his usual smart-ass way. "You are, and always will be, the most important person in my life."

Gu Sai was momentarily stunned, looking up to meet his eyes. Nobody had ever said that to him. Except his mom.

The certainty and warmth in Chen Wang's words cut right through years of gloom in his heart, like sunlight busting through clouds.

He didn't know what to say, so he looked away and scratched the back of his head. Chen Wang tilted his head, making Gu Sai look at him, and asked, "Gu Sai, do you think I did well today?"

Gu Sai gave a small "mm" in agreement. He'd thought of everything, set up cameras in advance, gathered solid evidence, and helped him out big time—of course he'd done well.

Chen Wang asked, "Then... shouldn't you give me a reward?"

Gu Sai was taken aback. "What reward?"

Chen Wang leaned in and tapped his own lips.

Gu Sai's ears went red, and he scooted away. "N-no... I don't want to kiss you."

"Why not?"

"We're not... together like that yet. We can't kiss." Gu Sai said seriously.

Chen Wang raised an eyebrow, going for the next best thing. "Then how about a kiss on the cheek?"

Gu Sai thought he was being ridiculous. "Isn't that the same thing?"

Chen Wang flashed a sly grin. "Are you sure it's the same?"

"Huh?"

While Gu Sai was still dazed, Chen Wang lunged at him, pinned him to the sofa, and kissed him square on the mouth. Since kissing on the lips and cheek were the same to him, he'd obviously choose the lips. He wasn't stupid.

Gu Sai was trapped under Chen Wang, no chance of rolling away. He couldn't shove him off either, and his hand even took the chance to cop a feel.

Hand: "Boo-hoo, babe, it's been forever since we got to touch. C'mere, gimme a kiss."

Chen Wang paused, glanced at it, then kissed him even harder.

His leg tried to make a move too, but Gu Sai desperately held it back.

"Don't... don't do this."

Butt: "Boss, my boyfriend's calling me over!"

Gu Sai: "I don't need you to tell me, I... I know."

Gu Sai couldn't breathe, twisting his head away to gasp for air.

Chen Wang was breathing hard, face buried in Gu Sai's neck, hot breath spilling over his flushed skin.

After a beat, he muttered a curse under his breath. "That Zhou woman is such a damn waste!"

Gu Sai was confused. "Huh?"

"Useless!"

"What's wrong?"

Chen Wang didn't get up, just looked down at Gu Sai. "I figured once she got exposed, she'd lose it, grab a knife, and come at you. Then I'd play the hero, step in front of you, and she'd accidentally slash my arm, blood everywhere."

Gu Sai: ???

Chen Wang continued, "Then you'd feel so guilty you'd wait on me hand and foot. If I said I wanted something, you wouldn't have the heart to refuse. Scared I'd tear my wound open, you'd say, 'Don't move, I've got it.'"

"You... you..." Gu Sai was pissed, shoving him off hard. "What the hell goes on in that head of yours?"

Chen Wang didn't see the problem. "That's how it works in novels! Once the villain gets exposed, they usually go scorched earth. I wasted so much time being on alert."

Once it slowly clicked for Gu Sai, he couldn't stay mad. So at the banquet, Chen Wang had been watching Auntie Zhou the whole time, ready for her to snap and hurt him.

No wonder he'd been so eager to get him out of there once it was over.

So he'd thought through even the worst-case scenario—and not just thought it through, but was ready to take a knife for him.

What had sounded like pure nonsense now made Gu Sai's heart ache.

But that warmth lasted about two seconds, until Chen Wang opened his mouth again.

"Well, there goes my round-the-clock nurse and my 'seventy percent' chance. Gone. Now I'm just like Concubine Xin who got her turn in the emperor's bed stolen by the Guaerjia clan—totally, utterly, helpless..."

Gu Sai was done talking to him, getting up to leave, but Chen Wang caught his hand.

"Gu Xiaosai, can I crash here tonight?"

Gu Sai didn't even think twice, firmly saying, "No."

To achieve his goal, Chen Wang even resorted to acting like a big baby: "Just let me stay, I promise I won't do anything to you."

Gu Sai remained unmoved: "No."

Chen Wang looked hurt: "You don't trust me?"

Gu Sai glanced at him, the implication clear.

To prove himself, Chen Wang grabbed Gu Sai's hand and pressed it against his own body: "I'm already this worked up, and I still managed to stop just now. That's enough to prove I'm a man of self-control and decency. What are you scared of?"

Gu Sai: ??? How can someone be this shameless?

Hand: "Oh no! My butt buddy, I'm sorry, I was forced into this!"

"Forget it, I'll just pretend I'm shaking hands with your boyfriend."