Chapter 11: Living Together
“Stop.”
At the critical moment when the scene had descended into chaos, Ao Chen, who hadn’t spoken until now, said this with a stern expression.
“I want to stop, but I can’t!” Wang Ming blurted out honestly.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Ao Chen said in a low voice, turning to Yue Lao, who was opposite them.
Yue Lao: “…”
“Could Your Highness be asking me to stop?” Yue Lao, with surprisingly good comedic timing, widened his eyes, opened his mouth, pointed at himself, and displayed a stunned expression.
Ao Chen didn’t reply verbally, but he nodded, confirming Yue Lao’s comedic guess.
Yue Lao: “…”
Yue Lao reluctantly switched off the chainsaw in his hand.
“Your Highness, why did you stop us?” Yue Lao asked Ao Chen, puzzled.
“Nothing,” Ao Chen shook his head. “Let this gentleman get used to this method first.”
Yue Lao: “…”
Wang Ming: “…”
Wow, is this the legendary hero saving the beauty?
No, is it beauty saving the hero?
That doesn’t seem quite right either…
Is this the legendary hero and beauty saving an ordinary person?
Yue Lao pondered this several times before finally settling on the right tone for the situation.
——
After they had walked some distance from the Hongxian Si (Red Line Bureau) gate, Wang Ming was still dazed, replaying the events in his mind, feeling as if he’d had a dream.
Just as Wang Ming secretly pinched himself, hoping to wake up, a luxurious car, the kind usually used for weddings and funerals, pulled up outside the Hongxian Si gate.
Wang Ming: “…”
So, am I about to go on a journey, or get married? Wang Ming wondered.
The car, with its distinct wedding/funeral vibe, slowly drove to Wang Ming and Ao Chen.
“Ao Chen, let’s walk a little further back, don’t scratch people’s cars,” Wang Ming said, pulling Ao Chen. Remembering Ao Chen’s previous behavior, this time he politely tugged at his sleeve without touching his arm.
Ao Chen: “…”
“This is my car,” Ao Chen said after a moment of thought.
Wang Ming: “…”
“Didn’t you say you weren’t comfortable traveling by water before?” Ao Chen continued.
“So I had the driver pick us up.”
Wang Ming: “…”
Even a domineering CEO novel wouldn’t dare to write something this domineering, Wang Ming thought, carefully getting into the car under Ao Chen’s guidance.
“This car… won’t it turn into fruits or something while we’re driving?” Wang Ming asked.
Ao Chen: “…”
Finding the awkwardness beyond his capacity for imagination, Ao Chen chose not to answer.
Wang Ming, however, wasn’t discouraged and continued to try chatting with his supernatural fiancé.
“Today… thank you very much,” Wang Ming said.
“I’ll try to get used to that chainsaw feeling soon.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s wait until you overcome your fear of physical attacks,” Ao Chen replied politely, nodding.
“Then… I’ll try to move out in the next few days,” Wang Ming said.
Ao Chen: “…”
“Why do you want to move out?” Ao Chen asked Wang Ming.
“It seems… that’s the international custom, isn’t it?” Wang Ming replied somewhat uncertainly.
“During a divorce, do you have to divorce but not leave the house?” Wang Ming pieced together information from various legal shows, emotional shows, and news programs, coming up with this answer.
Ao Chen: “…”
“You don’t need to do that,” Ao Chen said.
“And our red thread was just revealed on the platform. Being separated for a long time during this period is bad for both of us.” Ao Chen explained.
“Okay, then I won’t move,” Wang Ming said.
Finding another apartment would be troublesome, not to mention the difficulty finding such a cheap one. Wang Ming, following the principle of not missing out on a good deal, thought that since Ao Chen didn’t mind, neither did he. They were both men after all, living together was fine, and he could save some rent.
——
The car continued to drive, but when it reached the entrance to Wang Ming’s apartment complex, it couldn’t go any further.
Wang Ming got out of the car and stood by the roadside, looking at the luxurious car he had just occupied.
After a while, he noticed that Ao Chen didn’t seem to be getting out.
Wang Ming: “…”
“Do I have to say a spell or something?” Wang Ming asked, peering back into the car.
He then discovered that the car was empty except for the driver in the front seat, who looked at Wang Ming with an awkward expression.
“Your Highness the Consort, His Highness has already gone back,” the driver explained, a mixture of amusement and helplessness in his voice.
Wang Ming: “…”
What does “Your Highness the Consort” even mean? Wang Ming thought.
“No, wait a minute…” Wang Ming said.
He still couldn’t handle multitasking efficiently, so he put the title aside and focused on the more important issue.
“You mean… Ao Chen has gone back? Back to my apartment?” Wang Ming asked the driver.
“Yes,” the driver nodded.
Wang Ming: “…”
Of course, this guy doesn’t need to walk, Wang Ming thought.
I guess I’ll have to get used to things in the paranormal world, Wang Ming sighed inwardly. After thanking the driver, he returned alone to his old, dilapidated apartment.
After returning to his tiny apartment, Wang Ming searched the whole place but found no sign of Ao Chen.
Did he already go back to his dimension? Wang Ming wondered, half-understanding. However, he didn’t worry too much. After several days of dramatic transformations, he had learned to remain calm in the face of change.
Wang Ming decided to go to the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his hands.
However, as he unzipped his pants, he suddenly remembered something and cautiously looked around.
“Ao Chen, are you there? Can you see me using the bathroom?” Wang Ming asked.