Month: September 2023 (Page 1 of 10)

Chapter 40: After I Leave

Li Zhao placed the bought lunch on the bedside table and turned to Tan’s mother, saying, “Auntie, you and Uncle can go home and rest. I’ll take care of Xilu.”

Tan’s mother felt a bit embarrassed and politely replied, “Li, isn’t this too much trouble for you?”

“It’s no trouble. Besides, the store is closed for the New Year, so I have nothing else to do,” Li Zhao said with a smile.

“Well, thank you then,” Tan’s mother said. “Don’t leave later. I’ll come in the afternoon with some stew for you to eat.”

“I’ll be looking forward to Auntie’s cooking,” Li Zhao rubbed his hands together and said.

“You’re such a sweet talker,” Tan’s mother said with a smile. She patted Tan’s father on the shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”

“Okay, okay,” Tan’s father mumbled. “What’s the rush?”

Tan’s mother gave him a playful look and said, “No foresight at all.”

After leaving the ward, Tan’s mother sighed and said to Tan’s father, “I can see that Li Zhao really cares about Xilu. I’d be happy if these two could be together. But Xilu’s condition is worrying, and there’s also that child…”

Tan’s father looked back at the still pale Xilu in the ward. “Xilu has really suffered.”

Tan’s mother shook her head helplessly, patted her husband’s shoulder, and was about to enter the elevator. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a figure not far away. She hesitated and looked in that direction, but there was nothing there. She thought she might have been mistaken and then entered the elevator with her husband.

In the hospital room, Li Zhao helped Xilu set up the table on the bed and placed the bought lunch on it one by one.

He had put thought into it, asking Tan’s mother in advance about Xilu’s preferences, and he chose things Xilu liked to ensure that he would eat. However, it could also be because Xilu had no appetite due to being ill; he showed no reaction when he saw the food.

Li Zhao lifted the lid of the millet porridge, and the food container had good heat preservation; it was still steaming. He placed a spoon inside and said, “Try to eat a bit more.”

Xilu moved slightly, his eyes somewhat vacant. He stared at the lunch for a moment before finally looking up at Li Zhao. “I’m not hungry.”

“You should eat even if you’re not hungry,” Li Zhao said. “You haven’t had a proper meal in a long time.”

Li Zhao spoke somewhat bluntly and harshly, “Look at yourself. Have you even looked in the mirror? You’ve become so thin and ugly.”

Upon hearing this, Xilu’s eyes showed a momentary confusion. Then, he sat up straight, took the disposable chopsticks, and started eating.

The doctor said there were psychological factors at play, which was why Xilu kept getting feverish for no apparent reason. With the New Year approaching, Xilu had been in the hospital for a week, and a minor fever just wouldn’t go away. He couldn’t even be left alone at night.

“Take your time,” Li Zhao said. “No one’s going to take it from you.”

As if he remembered something, Li Zhao sat on Xilu’s bedside and smiled. “You’re not afraid that Xu Huaiming will come and see you looking ugly, are you?”

Xilu paused for a moment, didn’t look at Li Zhao, and took another bite of shredded potatoes. He said with his head down, “No.”

Xilu seemed to say those two words in a calm tone, as if he genuinely didn’t care anymore. But from the slight trembling in his hand as he picked up the food, it was evident that he wasn’t as strong as he had imagined. It made Li Zhao feel a pang of sympathy.

Over the past few days, as he watched Xilu suffer, Li Zhao couldn’t help but wonder if he had made a mistake by calling Xilu and telling him about Xu Huaiming. He admitted he was a selfish person. Perhaps it was for the sake of his damned competitive spirit, or maybe he really had some interest in Xilu. When he found out that Xu Huaiming was an AI, he was mostly relieved, thinking that at least Xu Huaiming was an AI and he still had a chance to compete. But now, he realized that as long as Xilu didn’t love him, he could never catch Xilu’s eye.

He had underestimated Xilu’s feelings for Xu Huaiming. 

“Never mind then,” Li Zhao moved the bowl of corn soup towards Xilu. “Auntie said you really like this soup. Taste it and see how it is.”

Xilu looked at the bowl of soup and suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Then, he felt nauseous and realized something was wrong. He quickly covered his mouth and rushed to the bathroom, opening the toilet and vomiting.

Xilu had a stress reaction. Before Xu Huaiming came back, he couldn’t stand to see corn soup. At the beginning, when it was at its worst, he would feel nauseous at the sight of corn in the kitchen. Later, after Xu Huaiming came back, for some inexplicable reason, he got better. But now, it was happening again.

Xilu had barely eaten anything, and now he had vomited it all out. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he took a while to recover before slowly standing up and flushing the toilet.

“You…” Li Zhao’s face looked a bit unpleasant. “I didn’t know you couldn’t have that soup. I’m sorry.”

Xilu shook his head. His throat felt uncomfortable from vomiting. “It’s okay. I didn’t know I would react like this.”

“I’ll go find a nurse to get you some medication,” Li Zhao said.

“No need. I’m not that delicate,” Xilu shook his head and said. “It was just a little bit of vomiting.”

Li Zhao looked at him with some concern.

After vomiting, Xilu didn’t have the appetite to continue eating. He said he was feeling a bit tired and wanted to take a nap, so Li Zhao cleared away the food. After Xilu lay down, Li Zhao sat by his side and watched him fall asleep.

Xilu felt a bit embarrassed being watched as he slept. Finally, he said, “Can you go buy the cake we had together last time?”

Li Zhao knew he was referring to the restaurant they had been to before. However, the restaurant had been closed for renovation these past few days. Li Zhao thought for a moment and said, “I can, but it might take a while.”

“That’s okay,” Xilu said.

Li Zhao replied, “Then you rest. Maybe I’ll bring it back by the time you wake up.”

Xilu rarely smiled after falling ill, but this time, he smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

Perhaps Xilu had never genuinely smiled at Li Zhao all this time, so Li Zhao didn’t realize that Xilu was trying to get him to leave. He tucked in the blanket for Xilu, watched him close his eyes, and then left the room, closing the door behind him.

After a while, the door to the ward opened again, and the person who entered walked softly, as if afraid of being noticed. Upon seeing that Xilu was asleep, he sat down on the chair next to the bed and reached out to touch Xilu’s hand, which was outside the blanket.

The room was a bit cold, and the person went to close the window. Just as he was about to close it, he heard Xilu’s voice from behind, “You’ve been coming to the hospital every day, and you’re afraid to see me directly. Aren’t you tired, Xu Huaiming?”

Xu Huaiming’s hand paused, and he turned around.

Xilu was already sitting up, wearing a patient’s gown, looking pale and much thinner.

Xu Huaiming felt a pang of sadness. He had finally managed to put some weight on Xilu, and now he had lost it again. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me.”

“Then why sneak in? Aren’t you afraid I’ll find you disgusting?” Xilu looked at him.

“I am,” Xu Huaiming admitted. He walked over but didn’t dare to touch Xilu’s hand like before. His voice was very soft. “But I’m more worried about you.”

“When I had a fever that night, did you come?” Xilu suddenly asked. “There was no record of your call. Was it my imagination?”

“I did go, but maybe my phone malfunctioned,” Xu Huaiming explained. “When I got there, I saw your parents had already taken you out.”

At that time, it was late at night, and Xu Huaiming had wasted a lot of time rushing over from the research institute. When he arrived at the entrance of the residential area, he saw Xilu’s parents taking him out. Xu Huaiming couldn’t hail a taxi on his phone, so he had to search for the nearest hospital and run there. When he got to the hospital, he also saw Li Zhao, who seemed to be very familiar with Xilu’s parents. Later, he saw them all enter the hospital together.

After Xu Huaiming finished speaking, he saw that Xilu’s complexion had improved, indicating that he wasn’t as angry anymore. Xu Huaiming breathed a sigh of relief but then heard Xilu say, “I know you care about me because of your program settings. It’s really not interesting. These few days lying in the hospital bed, I’ve thought a lot. It’s been almost ten years. Maybe I loved Xu Huaiming so much because I got used to it, but it’s not like I can’t live without him. Look, I lived just fine during those seven years without him. As for you, tell that professor to help you change your program. You don’t really love me. You keep coming to see me, and it’s annoying.”

“I’m also trying to move on. After all, you and Xu Huaiming have taken up too much of my time. I need to find someone who can truly be with me. You’ve seen it too. Li Zhao has been with me all this time, and he’s been good to me. Maybe his personality is a bit mixed, but he’s human, not like you robots who are so rigid in your actions. He can change, and besides, his desserts are delicious. I just sent him away to make a cake for me.”

“I don’t have to eat only the cakes you make.”

After Xilu finished speaking, there was a few seconds of silence in the air. Xilu looked at Xu Huaiming, whose face had clearly changed color, waiting for his response.

Perhaps Xilu’s gaze was too intense, forcing Xu Huaiming not to evade and to answer. Xu Huaiming looked hurt and said, “Alu, please don’t do this.”

“I’ve thought it over. This is the best way,” Xilu smiled. He curled his lips, but his eyes were filled with endless sadness. “I will slowly forget you and him. You need to forget me too.”

What was sad was that in this relationship, Xilu needed to forget two people at the same time. What had started as pure love had become a web of lies, like a farce that had shattered Xilu’s heart.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 39: Missing You

“Xiao Lu, are you awake? Your mom has made chicken soup. Come out and have some,” Tan’s father knocked on Tan Xilu’s door.

“Okay, I’m coming.” Tan Xilu opened his heavy eyelids, pushed aside the blanket, got out of bed, and walked to the door.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of chicken soup, enticing and appetizing. Tan’s mother had always been a great cook, and the chicken was stewed to perfection, with a flavorful broth.

Tan’s father had already prepared a bowl and placed it in front of Tan Xilu.

Tan Xilu politely thanked his dad and then sat down to take a sip.

The taste was just right, very savory. He praised Tan’s mother in the kitchen, “Mom, the chicken soup is so delicious.”

Tan’s mother chuckled from the kitchen and said, “If you like it, have more. I’ve prepared several dishes, and they’ll be ready soon.”

“How’s your headache now?” Tan’s father ladled a bowl of hot porridge for Tan Xilu. “If it’s still bothering you, avoid the greasy food and stick to the porridge.”

“It’s much better.” Tan Xilu rubbed his temples. “Not as severe as before.”

Last night, the heating suddenly went out in his apartment, and Tan Xilu was awakened by the cold in the middle of the night. He had hoped to find a source of warmth next to him as he used to, where Xu Huaiming’s embrace was always warm and comforting. But after groping for a while, he realized that Xu Huaiming was gone. Only then did he remember that Xu Huaiming had already left, and he instinctively called for Beibei, only to remember that Beibei had been taken away as well.

Tan Xilu remained stunned for a while before closing his eyes again. However, the latter half of the night was extremely cold, and his health was not great to begin with. He was prone to catching colds, and the next day, he woke up with a cough and a runny nose.

When he inquired about the heating issue with the property management, they said there had been a malfunction last night and a repairman was working on it.

The apartment was too cold to stay in, so Tan Xilu had already planned to return to his parents’ place today. He packed his things early and came back.

Today happened to be the eve of the Lunar New Year, and the neighborhood was lively. In previous years, Tan Xilu would have been dragged by the children from the neighboring house to join in the festivities. But today, he was genuinely feeling unwell, so when a child called out to him, “Big Brother Tan, let’s play together,” he patted the child’s head and said, “Big Brother isn’t feeling well today. How about we play together tomorrow?”

The child looked a bit disappointed. “Okay.”

Blushing, Tan Xilu returned to his parents’ home. Initially, Tan’s mother had welcomed him with joy, but when she saw his sickly appearance, her expression changed immediately. “You, child, why didn’t you wear more clothes?”

She reached out and touched Tan Xilu’s forehead, then touched her own. “Looks like you have a bit of a fever.”

“I did wear warm clothes. I caught a chill because the heating was off last night,” Tan Xilu defended himself. He took off his coat and said to Tan’s mother, “It’s okay, the fever isn’t too bad. I’ll feel better after a nap.”

Tan Xilu had been sleeping poorly lately, and his eyes were dark and swollen. His mother felt sorry for him and said, “Alright, I’ll put my hot water bottle in your bed.”

“I have some fever-reducing medicine here. I’ll get you a cup of hot water. Xilu, take the medicine and then go to sleep,” Tan’s father said as he took out a few tablets of fever-reducing medicine from the medicine cabinet at home.

“Okay.” Tan Xilu sneezed and then walked over to Tan’s father, swallowing the pills.

The medicine made him drowsy, or perhaps it was the warmth from the air conditioning in the room, but as soon as he regained consciousness, Tan Xilu heard Tan’s father calling him to drink chicken soup.

Tan Xilu picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks. Since Xu Huaiming left, he had hardly eaten anything decent. Even this night’s sleep was stolen by the cold, allowing him to rest well.

During the Lunar New Year, Tan’s mother usually prepared a sumptuous feast with seven or eight dishes on the table. Lately, she had been emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet, and the dishes were well-prepared. It was a relief for Tan Xilu, as he couldn’t stand the taste of his own cooking.

Tan’s mother scooped a piece of boiled pork slices into his bowl and asked, “Why didn’t you invite that someone over?”

That someone referred to Xu Huaiming.

Tan Xilu’s hand hesitated as he reached for more vegetables. He couldn’t bear to think about Xu Huaiming anymore. Just the thought that Xu Huaiming was not even human made it impossible for him to accept.

How could he have a romantic relationship with an AI? Normal people didn’t date AIs.

Moreover, he had loved the Xu Huaiming from before.

“No matter what decision you make, your mother and I will support you,” Tan’s father said, patting Tan Xilu’s head. “If this doesn’t work out, then find someone else. Your mother knows many good young men.”

“Forget it.” Tan Xilu waved his hand. “Don’t tell my mom yet. She’s the type who will insist on setting me up with that Li Zhao. I really don’t have any feelings for him, and I don’t have the energy to find someone else right now.”

He just wanted to take a break and step away from this absurd relationship.

“Alright, Dad will do as you say.” Tan’s father smiled and said, “I won’t tell your mom.”

During the day, everything seemed fine. But in the middle of the night, Tan Xilu felt the fever returning. He felt hot all over, and the burning sensation in his stomach was unbearable. His pillow was damp with cold sweat, and he was getting weaker. When he was no longer fully conscious, he would start mumbling incoherently. Fortunately, at this moment, he was still lucid enough to call for his parents.

However, either they were sleeping too soundly or Tan Xilu’s voice was too weak, as he called out several times without anyone responding. In frustration, he decided to try calling on the phone.

Tan Xilu had a habit of adding an ‘A’ before the phone numbers of important people, making it easier to find their numbers quickly. However, he was feeling so disoriented that he couldn’t remember which number he had dialed. When the call connected, he weakly said, “I have a fever again, and I feel terrible, there is so much pain.”

The voice on the other end of the phone spoke up, and Xu Huaiming’s voice sounded hoarse. There was concern in his tone. “Ah Lu, where are you?”

Tan Xilu was already too feverish to think clearly. He was aware that he had called Xu Huaiming, but he couldn’t remember that they had broken up. He felt his eyelids getting heavier, and he couldn’t muster any strength. He told Xu Huaiming that he was at his parents’ place, that he had a fever, and that he felt awful.

Xu Huaiming asked for the address.

In his confused state, Tan Xilu rambled on with some nonsensical words, and he couldn’t even recall whether he had given the address or not. Just before closing his eyes, his last memory was saying something about a replica.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 38: The Palm of Your Hand

Tan Xilu couldn’t sleep again. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling all night, and finally sat up before the sunrise. He reached for the bottle of vitamins that had worked well for him before on the bedside table and swallowed several pills.

His stomach burned, as if there was a fire raging inside. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep again, but undoubtedly, he still couldn’t fall asleep.

He was tired, but sleep eluded him. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could think of was Xu Huaiming.

It had been two weeks since he and Xu Huaiming separated, but thinking about Xu Huaiming still made Tan Xilu’s heart ache in waves.

What terrified Tan Xilu was that he didn’t know if the Xu Huaiming he couldn’t stop thinking about was the one from the past or the one in the present.

After lying in bed for ten minutes, Tan Xilu finally gave up on sleep, got up from the bed, and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and freshen up. He tried to make himself look normal, the way he used to smile, but the dark circles under his eyes were too heavy, his complexion too pale, and his lips too dry. He just couldn’t resemble his former self.

Tan Xilu splashed his face with water, then walked out of the bathroom. In the past, after he woke up, breakfast would have already been set on the dining table. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he would hear Xu Huaiming’s voice coming from the kitchen, “Are you up? Have you finished getting ready? Have a seat; breakfast will be ready soon.”

But now, the table was empty, devoid of anything.

The day they separated, when Tan Xilu returned home, there was still the hotpot meatballs they had bought the day before in the kitchen. They had planned to eat them together with Lin Changyu and the others. However, little did they know that their last meal together before parting ways would be a simple breakfast.

He ended up eating the hotpot meatballs alone for several days, but eventually, he had to visit the hospital, and since then, he couldn’t eat anything or sleep well.

The doctor advised him to eat something light, so Tan Xilu had been drinking congee lately.

For someone with no talent for cooking, even making the simplest congee was a challenge. Staring at the pot filled with blackened and unidentifiable substance, Tan Xilu stood there in a daze for a moment, then covered the pot.

Returning to the living room, he sat on the couch and ordered some rice porridge from a food delivery app.

“Meow…” Beibei knocked over her food bowl again, scattering cat food all over the floor. Tan Xilu sighed and went over to clean it up.

During this time, Beibei had been acting up. When she first came to his home, she used to squeeze herself between Tan Xilu and Xu Huaiming to sleep, but now that Xu Huaiming was gone, she no longer wanted to do that. She would pester Tan Xilu at night, as if she had realized that there was one less person in the house. Sometimes she would even sneak into each room to see if Xu Huaiming was there.

Tan Xilu petted Beibei and his eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He said, “Don’t look for him anymore; he won’t come back.”

It all felt like a dream. He had met Xu Huaiming, they had fallen in love, and then they had been together. After Xu Huaiming disappeared, he spent seven years reminiscing about him. They had started their relationship again when Xu Huaiming returned, but he never expected it to end like this.

It was all a lie; Xu Huaiming was a lie, and so was their love.

Nearly a decade of his life had been nothing but deception.

Beibei nibbled on his pants, then rolled over on the floor. Tan Xilu touched her and said, “Beibei, I’m so sad.”

Beibei didn’t understand human words, but she seemed to sense that her owner was very sad, and it made her a little melancholic too. She lay down on the floor.

The ringing of Tan Xilu’s phone on the coffee table interrupted the moment. He got up to check his phone; it was his food delivery.

Three minutes later, he went downstairs to pick up the food.

The delivery guy handed him the food and looked around cautiously before saying, “Sir, just a heads up, when I came in, I saw someone acting suspiciously near the entrance of your building. I’m not sure what they’re up to, but you should be careful and maybe consider informing the property management.”

“Someone?” Tan Xilu was surprised and instinctively looked around, but he didn’t see anyone. He asked, “Did you get a good look at what they looked like?”

“No,” the delivery guy shook his head, “but sir, please be cautious. It’s better to be safe; I’m worried they might be up to no good.”

“Oh, alright, thank you,” Tan Xilu smiled at him and said, “I’ll give you a good rating.”

Back in his home, Tan Xilu placed the food on the table. Then he remembered something and walked to the entrance. He opened the door quietly and stepped outside, making sure not to startle the person he had been warned about. He walked to the entrance of the building, and indeed, he saw someone sitting on the wooden bench near the flowerbed.

It seemed like the person hadn’t expected Tan Xilu to come down. They had probably intended to hide somewhere but realized that Tan Xilu had already spotted them. In the end, they just stood there, head down, motionless, and silent.

Today was an uncommonly good day considering it was mid-winter, and there were many evergreen trees in the neighborhood. Despite the cold season, there was still lush greenery. Xu Huaiming was still wearing that same down jacket, and the fragmented sunlight filtered through, making him seem bright in the light, yet inexplicably lonely to Tan Xilu.

Taking a deep breath, Tan Xilu walked over and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Xu Huaiming moved, lifting his head to look at Tan Xilu. He wanted to reach out and touch Tan Xilu’s face, but Tan Xilu quickly evaded, showing a guarded expression.

Xu Huaiming had no choice but to lower his hand. He said, “Alu, you’ve lost weight.”

Without looking at Xu Huaiming, Tan Xilu said, “You shouldn’t come here anymore. We’ve already parted ways.”

Pausing for a moment, he added, “Your things at home, you should pack them up and take them with you.”

“Alu…”

“Just for today, and then I’m going to my parents’ for the New Year tomorrow,” Tan Xilu turned and headed inside.

“Okay,” Xu Huaiming didn’t resist any further, obediently following him.

Once inside, Tan Xilu, who was always cold in the winter, had the heating turned up high in his home. As he entered, he felt the warmth enveloping him. Tan Xilu leaned against the door, saying, “Hurry up and pack. There are cardboard boxes behind the bedroom.”

“Alright,” Xu Huaiming replied softly and began packing his belongings diligently. He even tidied up the mess in the room that Tan Xilu had made earlier. Tan Xilu put Beibei down on the floor, and she wagged her tail before heading towards Xu Huaiming.

“Take Beibei with you,” Tan Xilu suddenly said, “Originally, she was a gift from a guest, and I shouldn’t keep her all to myself.”

“Alu…” Xu Huaiming looked up at Tan Xilu, his eyes filled with confusion. He felt like he was slowly losing something.

Tan Xilu leaned against the door and said with a faint smile, “Xu Huaiming, I’m really tired, very tired. It’s been ten years… Do you know how many decades that is in a lifetime? I can’t waste it on you guys anymore. Besides, you’re just an AI. Should I spend my whole life with an AI?”

He paused and added, “You should also understand that the Xu Huaiming I love isn’t you.”

Of course, Xu Huaiming understood. He was a replica of Code no.7, created to fulfill Code no.7’s wishes. But in a way, he was also designed to make Tan Xilu gradually grow tired of him, so that Tan Xilu could seek a new life, or cruelly, to let Tan Xilu forget him while slowly falling in love with him.

He understood the rationale, but he didn’t want it now. He wanted a life that belonged only to him. He wanted to be with Tan Xilu, and he wanted Tan Xilu to love him in return.

However, he was burdened with the face of Code no.7, and Tan Xilu had loved only Code no.7 from the beginning to the end.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 37: Sighing Clouds

Xu Huaiming woke up from the sofa on the second day. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock on the wall. The hands pointed at exactly nine o’clock. He had slept in a bit today.

After being injured yesterday, the emergency healing function of the system automatically activated. However, because he hadn’t gone to Professor Bowen for maintenance in a while, all his functions were a bit sluggish. When he got home, the system suggested that healing would be faster if he shut down, so he prepared dinner early to avoid Tan Xilu going hungry and sent him a message before turning off the machine.

He originally thought he could turn it back on before Tan Xilu returned, but unexpectedly, it was already the second day.

He was about to get up to wash and make breakfast when he saw Tan Xilu coming out of the kitchen. He was surprised that Tan Xilu had woken up so early today; usually, he didn’t get out of bed before eleven.

“You’re up so early today?” he asked.

Tan Xilu nodded, and when he saw Beibei coming out of the bedroom, he said with a slightly awkward tone, “Awake?”

Xu Huaiming replied with an “Ah” and was quite surprised that Tan Xilu had woken up so early today. Normally, he didn’t get out of bed before eleven.

“You woke up early today?” he asked.

Tan Xilu nodded, glanced at Beibei, who had just come out of the bedroom, and lied, “Beibei woke me up this morning.”

“Really?” Xu Huaiming didn’t doubt him and crouched down, beckoning Beibei to come over. “Then I should teach her a lesson.”

Tan Xilu pursed his lips, mumbled a response, and in reality, he hadn’t slept all night. He sat on the floor, staring at Xu Huaiming’s injured hand. He knew that technology was very advanced nowadays, but he watched in astonishment as the wound slowly healed and there was no sign of a scar when he had seen it with an open wound. Surprised and afraid, he realized he had been living with a robot all these days. They ate together, lived together, even slept together and kissed. The thought sent shivers down Tan Xilu’s spine and made his stomach churn.

He hadn’t noticed that Xu Huaiming was no longer the same.

He was still enjoying the love from the other as if it was compensation for seven years. But in reality? It was all a facade.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to vomit, and said to Xu Huaiming, “I was too tired last night when I got back, didn’t have dinner. I just reheated the dinner you made yesterday and had it for breakfast.”

“Alright,” Xu Huaiming released Beibei and stood up, heading towards the bathroom. “I’ll freshen up first.”

Tan Xilu nodded and turned to get the reheated food.

While washing up, Xu Huaiming looked at the bandaged hand and was momentarily surprised. Then, to avoid suspicion, he carefully rewrapped it. After washing his face, he left the bathroom.

Tan Xilu had already prepared congee. When he saw Xu Huaiming approaching, he said, “There’s pickled radish in the fridge. Can you get it?”

Xu Huaiming went to fetch it, poured some onto a plate, and brought it to the table. He didn’t eat such things much, to be precise, anything hard to digest, and sometimes Tan Xilu had peculiar tastes that he couldn’t understand.

Xu Huaiming placed the plate on the table, helped Tan Xilu move his chair closer, and, after Tan Xilu sat down, shifted all the dishes a little closer to his side. These seemingly normal actions were now different since Tan Xilu knew Xu Huaiming was an AI.

Tan Xilu thought, why was this AI so good to him? Why did he impersonate Xu Huaiming? Was his love all fake? Just part of a programmed design?

Tan Xilu was frightened and couldn’t believe it. He had been living with a machine all these days, eating together, living together, even going to bed and kissing. The thought sent shivers down his spine and made his stomach churn, threatening to make him nauseous.

He had never realized that Xu Huaiming was no longer Xu Huaiming.

Despite his shock, he managed to control his nausea and said to Xu Huaiming, “I was so tired when I got back last night that I didn’t have dinner. I just reheated the dinner you made yesterday and had it for breakfast.”

“Alright,” Xu Huaiming replied and went to clean up and wash the dishes. Meanwhile, Tan Xilu continued to sit at the dining table. It seemed like he was in a bad mood, and Beibei, sensing this, approached him, jumped onto his lap, and started licking his palm.

Tan Xilu petted the cat, feeling a sense of sadness welling up. He didn’t know what to do.

He had never imagined such a bizarre situation would happen to him. He couldn’t help but wonder, what was the truth about the old Xu Huaiming? Was he even a human? Or was he also an AI? Were they two different people or the same?

Tan Xilu sighed and tried to suppress the feeling of nausea. He had to find out the truth. Was Xu Huaiming really who he seemed to be, or was there something more to this story?

After finishing the meal, Xu Huaiming tidied up and washed the dishes. Tan Xilu still sat at the table, lost in thought. Xu Huaiming called his name several times, asking about the taste of the food and whether the congee was soft enough, but Tan Xilu was absent-minded and didn’t respond promptly. Eventually, Xu Huaiming stopped asking.

After washing the dishes, Xu Huaiming put everything away and washed up. Tan Xilu was still sitting at the table, and Beibei seemed to sense that he was upset. The cat walked over, jumped onto his lap, and started meowing.

Tan Xilu petted Beibei and suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. He had never imagined such a bizarre situation. He had been living with Xu Huaiming, thinking it was a loving relationship, but now everything seemed uncertain.

Tan Xilu took a deep breath and stood up from the table. He went to the bedroom and retrieved his phone from the bedside table. He scrolled through his contacts and dialed Li Zhao’s number, then waited for the call to connect.

Ten minutes later, Tan Xilu changed into different clothes and came out of the bedroom. Xu Huaiming had just finished washing the dishes. When he saw Tan Xilu dressed neatly, he asked, “Are you going out?”

Tan Xilu nodded.

“Where are you going? Can I drive you there?” Xu Huaiming asked.

“No need,” Tan Xilu shook his head lightly. “I’m going to meet a friend.”

“Alright,” Xu Huaiming didn’t ask further. He took a scarf from the coat rack in the

 entrance, helped Tan Xilu put it on, and said, “Be careful.”

“Okay,” Tan Xilu replied and headed towards the door.

“Wait a moment,” Xu Huaiming suddenly called out.

Tan Xilu, accustomed to responding, turned back.

Xu Huaiming walked over, embraced Tan Xilu, and then kissed him on the lips.

Instinctive reactions are the most genuine. The previous Tan Xilu would have willingly embraced Xu Huaiming and responded to his kiss without hesitation. But now, his body stiffened for a moment, even though he was still kissing the same person. Xu Huaiming could see from Tan Xilu’s response that something had changed.

He let go of Tan Xilu and called his name, “Alu.”

Tan Xilu opened his eyes but didn’t respond to the name.

The door opened, and then closed with a loud “bang.”

Xu Huaiming stood still for about ten minutes until Beibei knocked over her food bowl and started meowing, which brought him back to reality.

He walked over and arranged the cat’s food bowl, then petted Beibei, saying, “What do you think, Beibei? What should I do if Alu doesn’t want me anymore?”

Beibei’s only response was a series of “meow.”

—

“This is…” Tan Xilu stood in front of the research institute and turned to look at Li Zhao, asking.

“This is where Xu Huaiming was created,” Li Zhao replied, looking at him.

Tan Xilu moved his lips but didn’t utter a word.

Li Zhao tugged at his arm and said, “I’ll take you inside to meet someone. He’ll explain everything.”

Li Zhao took a few steps forward, but there were no footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that Tan Xilu hadn’t moved. He asked, “What’s wrong? Are you scared?”

Tan Xilu was lost in thought, feeling torn between the desire to open the door and find out the truth and the fear of losing the current Xu Huaiming. After all, he could still be with him if he pretended not to know the truth, right? He could turn a blind eye to it. He could still enjoy Xu Huaiming’s love, even if it was fake.

As this thought crossed his mind, Tan Xilu mentally chastised himself. What about the old Xu Huaiming? How could he be so selfish?

With a determined expression, he pushed open the door.

Upon seeing Tan Xilu, Professor Bowen immediately understood why both Code no. 7 and Xu Huaiming had fallen for this person.

Tan Xilu’s eyes were captivating, unbelievably beautiful, and when he looked at someone, it was with utmost sincerity. When he listened, he did so with complete focus, and if he didn’t understand, he would timidly ask for clarification.

He was incredibly obedient and wouldn’t refuse anyone. Who could resist such qualities?

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 36: Awake Yet Drunk

It was evening, and for once, there was a bit of sunshine. The orange hues spread across the sky, faintly visible through the hospital corridor’s window glass. Only a rough outline could be seen.

A sparrow landed on the branches of the plane tree outside the window, flapping its wings and causing a few dry leaves to fall.

The hospital was crowded with people, and the corridors were bustling with activity. No matter which corridor one walked down, there were people either excited about the birth of a newborn or grieving for the loss of an elderly family member. Hospitals saved lives but also took them. Those who were lucky would escape the gates of death, while the unlucky ones would be sent to the morgue as soon as they left the operating room. As Tan Xilu walked through the hospital, he saw two patients being wheeled out of the operating room and struggling to stand. They had to rely on Xu Huaiming’s support to walk.

Tan Xilu had witnessed death up close only twice in his life. The first time was when he learned of Xu Huaiming’s disappearance, and he went to the scene a few days later. The place was so high that there was almost no chance of survival if a truck overturned there. But they couldn’t find Xu Huaiming, and after Tan Xilu’s initial despair, he reluctantly accepted the likelihood of his death.

The second time was now, when he was facing a person who had been alive and walking in front of him just a few days ago but was now lying on a cold stretcher.

The impact was overwhelming, and Tan Xilu found it difficult to bear.

This was death: merciless, indifferent, and frightening.

The bright light bulb hung above, covered in years of dust, and each time someone cried, the dust would fall, floating in the air.

Tan Xilu, supported by Xu Huaiming, walked slowly towards the operating room. He saw Lin Changyu standing in a daze at the door of the operating room. Lin Xiaozhi was crying beside him, and Lin Manling’s husband was angrily berating the doctors, “I have money! I’ll give you money! How can you not save her? I have money, as much as you need. Save her! Are you just taking money without doing anything? I’ve thrown in hundreds of thousands, and she still couldn’t be saved. Are you all just here for the paycheck?”

The doctor lowered his head and apologized, “I’m sorry, sir, we did our best.”

The man sneered and said, “I don’t care. Yesterday, the nurse said she was recovering well. How could she die so suddenly?”

“Sir…” a nurse said, “It was because the patient was under a lot of stress.”

The implication was that it wasn’t our fault; she went into shock on her own.

The man’s mouth twitched, and he turned to look at Lin Changyu, who had been silent the whole time. He kicked Lin Changyu hard, “You jinx, not only did you kill your dad, you also made Manling die.”

Lin Changyu was kicked into the corner of the wall and groaned in pain.

“Changyu…” Tan Xilu, with a quick reaction, broke free from Xu Huaiming and rushed over to protect Lin Changyu, glaring at the man. “What are you doing?!”

“Who are you? What’s it to you if I educate my son?” The man frowned at Tan Xilu and was about to push him aside.

Before his hand could touch Tan Xilu, someone grabbed his shoulder. Their voice was cold, “Try touching him.”

The person was ice-cold, and the man felt his whole body freezing. He struggled but realized that he couldn’t move a muscle. He couldn’t believe it and turned to look at a very handsome face, but this person was looking down at him with a detached expression, hidden behind a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

Instinctively, the man was overwhelmed by this person’s aura. He clenched his lips and didn’t dare to move.

Tan Xilu helped Lin Changyu up, and he had fallen quite heavily. The pain made him break out in a cold sweat, and Lin Xiaozhi, who had been crying for her mother, had now switched to crying for her brother, “Brother.”

Lin Changyu touched her head and said, “Brother is fine. Don’t cry, little bean.”

Lin Xiaozhi heard him and wanted to cry but was afraid to cry, her face was streaked with two teardrops, wet and beautiful, and her small face was wrinkled.

Lin Changyu took a deep breath, and the man had gone too far. His business had indeed encountered problems in recent years, and he urgently needed a large sum of money to tide over the situation. So he set his sights on the dying Lin Manling.

Lin Manling had said that she had helped him before, but he was too greedy, like a bottomless pit. Lin Manling felt that she couldn’t let this continue and decided to leave the money to her two sons, at least to ensure that they would have enough to eat and drink for the rest of their lives, instead of seeing the money being squandered.

Lin Changyu had initially found it strange. After all, they were still husband and wife, why would Lin Manling do this? But he could never understand Lin Manling’s mind. For example, when she remarried, she could have left her ex-husband’s son and married the wealthy man alone, but she still brought him along, ensuring he didn’t become an orphan. But when her new husband abused him, she turned a blind eye.

So he felt both grateful and resentful towards this woman.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 35: I’ve seen it all

On the afternoon of the Laba Festival, the college went on winter break, and as a teacher, Tan Xilu had to be busier. He didn’t leave the office until 7 o’clock in the evening.

The sky had already darkened completely, and the corridor was quiet. The only person staying later than him was Qin Sizhe’s counselor, Mr. Li Yu, who was two years senior to Tan Xilu in joining the faculty. He had a good personality, was responsible for the students, and either Tan Xilu or him would often be the last ones working in the office.

“Mr. Li, are you not leaving yet?” Tan Xilu had already stepped half out of the office door when he turned back to look at Li Yu, who was still working on something.

Upon hearing this, Li Yu looked up, and the lenses on his nose reflected some light from the lamp. He shook his head and said, “Mr. Tan, you go ahead. I still have some work to finish.”

“Well, then.” Tan Xilu said, “But you should go home early too. It’s already this late.”

Li Yu nodded and said, “I know, Mr. Tan, you go ahead and don’t worry about me.”

Tan Xilu responded with a nod and paused for a moment. He then said to Li Yu, “Mr. Li, Happy Laba Festival.”

Li Yu was momentarily stunned and then smiled, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Tan. You too.”

Tan Xilu nodded and left the office.

Tan Xilu usually paid little attention to what was happening outside the window. After his classes, he would at most go to the office to organize his teaching materials and then head straight home. He had only learned yesterday from a student that Li Yu planned to resign. The reason was that he had been diagnosed with bone cancer, and he wanted to enjoy his last days.

Li Yu was three years older than Tan Xilu, just turning thirty this year. He had a girlfriend he was dating, and they had originally planned to get married after the New Year. However, fate had other plans, and it seemed that Li Yu had already broken up with her.

When Tan Xilu first came to the school, he didn’t fully understand some of the work processes, and it was Li Yu who helped him. They had worked together for less than five years, and they never expected that life could be so unpredictable. Now, Li Yu had been diagnosed with this illness.

This night might be Li Yu’s last night at the school. Perhaps there would never be anyone working late with him again. As Tan Xilu walked down the hallway, there was only a crescent moon tonight, but the stars were exceptionally bright. He suddenly felt an emptiness in his chest.

Xu Huaiming was still waiting for Tan Xilu at the school gate, holding a cup of hot milk tea in his hand. When Tan Xilu came out, he handed the milk tea to him.

Tan Xilu didn’t know when it started, but every time Xu Huaiming picked him up, he would bring a hot beverage. Sometimes it was milk tea, sometimes juice, or even cola. Tan Xilu always accepted whatever he brought.

They caught the last bus, and there weren’t many people on the bus at night. The driver only had a few lights on, so the inside of the bus was dim. Tan Xilu and Xu Huaiming sat at the back, and when the bus started, Xu Huaiming held Tan Xilu’s hand.

Xu Huaiming adjusted the temperature of his hand to be warm, while Tan Xilu’s hand felt a bit cold. When their hands touched, it felt just right. Tan Xilu looked at Xu Huaiming and suddenly spoke, “One of our teachers at the school is resigning.”

The milk tea was originally hot, but it started to condense into water droplets as it came into contact with the cold air, making the packaging bag damp. The hand holding the paper bag could also feel the icy dampness.

Cold, the winter was so cold, and Tan Xilu disliked winter. He felt like nothing good ever happened during this season.

“He’s sick, and I don’t know how long he has left to live.”

The bus stopped, people got on and off, everyone seemed busy with their lives, tired from the struggle for survival.

But some people had just finished being busy and were about to settle down, only to find that they no longer had the chance.

The bus started again, and the night scenes outside the window flashed by frame by frame. Tan Xilu leaned slightly on Xu Huaiming’s shoulder, and Xu Huaiming felt that his shoulder was damp. He knew that Tan Xilu was crying.

Tan Xilu was crying silently, but his boundless sadness spread.

Xu Huaiming didn’t really understand normal people’s feelings of sadness, perhaps because of his existence for Tan Xilu. He only felt sad for Tan Xilu, but when Tan Xilu was upset about something else, he was quite indifferent, and sometimes couldn’t understand why Tan Xilu was crying.

He gently embraced Tan Xilu and awkwardly comforted him by gently stroking his back. “Don’t be sad, Alu.”

Suddenly, Tan Xilu hugged him tightly and said, “Xu Huaiming, I’m so afraid of death. I’m afraid I won’t see you again.”

Tan Xilu’s unusual sadness finally found an explanation at this moment.

Tan Xilu was afraid of death because he had experienced Xu Huaiming’s “death.” So he was very afraid, afraid that someone who was alive one day would stop breathing the next.

Li Yu had been perfectly fine before, and when Qin Sizhe caused such a big incident, he went to the school leadership to take responsibility. They deducted half a month’s salary from him, but he didn’t seem upset. He told Tan Xilu that being a teacher was like this, you just had to get used to it. At that time, he was still smiling, with a faint dimple at the corner of his mouth that could only be seen when he smiled.

Li Yu said, “It’s just a small deduction. They might deduct even more in the future.”

But now, there was no future anymore.

Tan Xilu was very sad, not just because he feared death but also because of the farewell to a friend.

Tan Xilu cried on the bus that night, but by the time he got off the bus, he was much better. However, Xu Huaiming’s shoulder was now damp.

As they got off the bus, Tan Xilu rubbed his watery eyes and apologized to Xu Huaiming, “I’m sorry for losing control today.”

“It’s okay, your shoulder is there for you to lean on,” Xu Huaiming said, patting Tan Xilu’s head, then holding his hand, their warm palms interlocked. He added, “Alu, don’t worry, I won’t leave you, not anymore.”

In his heart, Xu Huaiming added, “As long as you don’t want me to.”

On this cold winter night, cars were racing on the road, and behind

 the small bus stop sign, Xu Huaiming kissed Tan Xilu’s lips.

Tan Xilu’s fear had dissipated at this moment. His heart was surrounded by something called happiness, and he thought, at least Xu Huaiming was still by his side, and he didn’t have to be so afraid. When they truly faced separation and parting again, they would deal with it then.

But what he didn’t expect was that this day would come so soon.

Before Tan Xilu and Xu Huaiming went to bed, Tan Xilu found a bottle of vitamins in the closet that he didn’t remember when he had bought. He looked at the expiration date and realized that it was still good. These past few nights, he had been having trouble sleeping, so he decided to take two before bedtime.

That night, he actually fell asleep.

The next morning, when Tan Xilu woke up, he looked at the bottle of vitamins again. He realized that he couldn’t remember when he had bought them, and he pondered for a long time but couldn’t recall. Finally, when Xu Huaiming called him for breakfast, he gave up.

After breakfast, Tan Xilu and Xu Huaiming changed their clothes to go shopping at the supermarket. They had been busy lately, and the refrigerator had been empty for a long time.

The Lunar New Year was approaching, and the supermarket was already crowded with people preparing for the holiday. Tan Xilu walked ahead with Xu Huaiming pushing a small shopping cart behind him.

“Potato chips, get two bags.”

“Coke, get a big bottle.”

“Hawthorn slices, get two bags.”

“Dried milk dates, I want those.”

Unknowingly, the shopping cart was already more than half full. Luckily, the supermarket wasn’t far from their apartment, or they would have been exhausted. Tan Xilu thought it might be time to buy a car. Previously, the apartment wasn’t far from the school, so he didn’t need a car. Sometimes, it was so crowded during rush hour that driving would be even slower. But now, it wasn’t just him, and they needed to consider it.

When they returned to the apartment building, Tan Xilu heard a commotion in the hallway. When he approached, he saw that Lin Changyu’s apartment door was partially open. He hesitated for a moment, and Mrs. Zhang from upstairs came down.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 34: A New Earth

Lin Changyu said that the first time he saw Tan Xilu was on a rainy day.

Lin Changyu really hated rain. The continuous, damp raindrops shattered on the ground, making the entire city wet and gloomy. The sky turned dark, accompanied by occasional raging winds, always causing irritation. Most importantly, Lin Changyu had spent most of the rainy days before escaping from that home enduring violent beatings from a man.

Raindrops hit the glass with a “bang,” and the man’s slaps followed suit. Lin Changyu was frail, and each blow left a ringing in his ears. The man seemed like a crazed monster trying to crush him. Thunder roared, and Lin Changyu was lifted and kicked down the stairs. In the pitch-black basement, within five minutes, the cries of children would fill the air. Lin Xiaozhi would hold him, saying, “Brother, I’m scared.”

The basement door was closed, leaving only a small window. Outside, raindrops pattered, and inside, the cries were miserable.

Children feared the dark and pain, clutching Lin Changyu’s clothes, asking, “Brother, I miss Mom.”

Tired of comforting the vulnerable child, Lin Changyu, he said, “Mom will come back at night.”

But the inadequate mother didn’t return that night. In the pitch-black basement, the two children heard the man in the living room on the phone, angrily scolding, “It’s just a beauty salon. Can’t you manage without it? You’re not even coming home at night?”

The man’s irritability turned into violence on that rainy night. He kicked open the basement door and vented his frustration on the two children with a long wooden stick.

Escape, escape from here.

Lin Changyu thought when he saw Lin Manling ignoring his beatings.

I can’t go on like this.

He began to plan a route; he wanted to find a safe place; he wanted to live alone.

The air during the rainy season was damp, green moss climbed on the stone slabs, and his worn-out canvas shoes made his steps slippery. Lin Changyu almost fell and had to grab a nearby pillar. When he looked up, he saw a teenager on the opposite basketball court, sweating profusely.

Lin Changyu was skilled at disguising himself. Despite several scars hidden under long sleeves, he could always put on a smile, making others think he was happy.

Qin Sizhe thought the same way, so he was completely unguarded when Lin Changyu intruded into his life.

Lin Changyu entered through a side door and said to the teenager in the rain, “Can you teach me how to play basketball?”

Lin Changyu had a plan. The truly energetic teenager was very kind, so Qin Sizhe naturally agreed. He taught Lin Changyu how to dribble, how to slam dunk, and how to avoid dirty tricks from other players.

In exchange, Lin Changyu became Qin Sizhe’s confidant, listening to the troubles that bothered him.

Qin Sizhe said he had a crush on someone, but that person wouldn’t like him. He didn’t know what to do. He used to have a bad temper, but he was willing to change for that person.

Lin Changyu had only seen Qin Sizhe’s good-natured side, and he was curious about the boy’s past. But only the person Qin Sizhe liked had seen it.

Lin Changyu didn’t even realize that he was beginning to feel jealous of that man.

The day Lin Changyu and Tan Xilu were in the office together was actually Lin Changyu’s idea. He regretted it afterward, realizing he shouldn’t have taken that risk.

Falling in love with Tan Xilu was something he hadn’t anticipated. But once it happened, a dark flower of obsession blossomed in his heart. He wanted to sever the ties between them, yet at the same time, he desired to get closer.

He leaned against the office desk, enduring the pain in his lower back from the corner of the desk.

Tan Xilu looked at him, his eyes filled with innocence, no hint of suspicion. He asked, “Is it really going to work? Will Chi Yexing really come?”

“As long as he’s even a little concerned about you, he’ll definitely come,” Lin Changyu replied with a smile.

The plan was Lin Changyu’s idea. He knew that Tan Xilu was unwilling to stay in unrequited love, and his feelings for Chi Yexing were too overwhelming. He couldn’t control himself; he wanted to touch this person, to kiss them. But before they could be together, none of these things were possible.

So he came up with this plan: he and Tan Xilu would engage in intimate actions in the office, and if someone happened to witness it, they would report it to their parents.

They wanted to gauge Chi Yexing’s reaction and see if he would get jealous.

In reality, it was a rather foolish idea. They couldn’t guarantee that Chi Yexing would actually come because of Tan Xilu, and they couldn’t predict the consequences. If Chi Yexing did get jealous and Tan Xilu confessed, it might end well. But what if he didn’t? Chi Yexing might think that Tan Xilu was behaving immaturely in the school office, which could be repulsive.

But Tan Xilu couldn’t control his emotions anymore; his feelings had clouded his judgment.

Lin Changyu looked at Tan Xilu in front of him, their proximity so close. With just a bit more initiative, he could kiss him.

He heard footsteps in the corridor, someone was approaching. On a whim, he thought, this might be their only chance. Suddenly, he grasped Tan Xilu’s waist tightly and rashly pressed his lips against his. Outside the office, someone cursed loudly, and he heard the sound of a camera shutter.

Startled, Tan Xilu pushed him away, staring at him in bewilderment. He asked, “What are you doing?”

It was an overcast day today, but there was no rain. The afternoon wind swept through the room, making them feel slightly cold. Lin Changyu stumbled back, his lower back, which had collided with the corner of the desk, starting to ache. He smiled provocatively and tore off his facade, replying to Tan Sizhe: “I’m kissing you.”

Seeing Tan Xilu’s slow reaction, he squinted his eyes and asked, “Hey, Tan Xilu, you can’t still not see that I like you, can you?”

Upon hearing this, Tan Xilu was dumbfounded.

Then he furrowed his brows and asked, “Was this also part of the plan?”

Lin Changyu: “…”

He said, “No.”

After a pause, he added, “Tan Xilu, someone took a photo just now.”

“What?” Tan Xilu was visibly stunned, then he realized that Lin Changyu was referring to the kiss he had just planted on him.

This was not part of their plan. Their plan had only involved hugging, and he didn’t know whether the person had captured the kiss on camera. If they had, it could be a tricky situation if the image got circulated around school.

After a moment of contemplation, Tan Xilu suddenly grabbed Lin Changyu’s hand and pushed him towards the door of the office, saying, “You need to leave the school quickly, avoid the school surveillance, use the back door, there’s a low wall there, climb over it.”

Lin Changyu was puzzled, not understanding what Tan Xilu meant. He asked, “What are you doing?”

He repeated the same question he had asked earlier.

Tan Xilu said, “I can’t drag you into this. Today’s mess is my fault, so I’ll take responsibility. You go first.”

Why was Tan Xilu blaming himself? Lin Changyu couldn’t comprehend his thought process. It was him who had initiated the kiss, so if anyone was to blame, it should be himself.

“Hurry up and go,” Tan Xilu’s voice suddenly grew louder, and he pushed Lin Changyu again. “Get out of here, or I won’t talk to you anymore.”

Lin Changyu always felt that Tan Xilu could be quite childish in some aspects. He was a grown-up, yet he was saying things like “I won’t talk to you anymore” at a time like this.

He glanced at Tan Xilu one last time and reluctantly headed outside.

Following Tan Xilu’s instructions, he climbed over the low wall at the back door.

As he landed on the other side, he saw a black car driving by, and the person inside was talking on the phone. It was a very handsome profile, one that Lin Changyu had seen countless times in Tan Xilu’s phone.

It was Chi Yexing. He had come to the school.

Sitting on the bleachers, he glanced at Tan Xilu sleeping peacefully on the floor and said to Tan Xilu, “I didn’t think the consequences would be so serious. If I had known, I wouldn’t have kissed him. I also didn’t expect that guy to be so ruthless. If he doesn’t like Tan Xilu, he could have just declined him. Was it necessary to crush his heart like that?”

“Teacher Tan, do you think it’s wrong to like someone?” Lin Changyu suddenly asked.

“Of course, there’s nothing wrong with liking someone,” Tan Xilu thought for a moment and added, “But when you like someone, it’s like putting an extra layer of shackles on your own heart. Just like Tan Xilu right now, even though he’s already hurting all over, he’s still willingly bound by those shackles. But in the end, when he finds the key to unlock those shackles, he’ll realize that liking someone isn’t all that important.”

“Yeah, when will Tan Xilu be able to unlock his own shackles?” Lin Changyu wondered. “Or perhaps, can I unlock my own?”

The setting sun’s residual radiance filtered through the window glass, creating a marvelous halo around the place where Tan Xilu lay. Lin Changyu stood up, walked over to Tan Xilu’s side, and looked at him for a long, long time. Finally, he gently tapped his shoulder, waking him up.

He said, “It’s time for you to go home.”

Tan Xilu was a bit groggy from his deep sleep. He hadn’t slept this well in a long time. He opened his eyes and saw Lin Changyu. Suddenly, he remembered that he had just cried in front of him and felt a bit embarrassed for no apparent reason. Then, he noticed Tang Xilu descending from the bleachers and he said, “Teacher Tan.”

Tang Xilu looked at him, patted his shoulder, and didn’t say anything.

Only Lin Changyu gave him a hug and finally kissed him on the cheek, saying, “Tan Xilu, go home.”

Tan Xilu looked at Lin Changyu as if he had read something in his eyes. Then, he nodded and said, “Okay.”

The mottled rays of the setting sun played on the memories of Tan Xilu’s heart as he left.

T/N: Wishing you all a good September and welcome to Bad End month! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!