Chapter 49: The Incompetent and Malicious Ex-Boyfriend (49)
Shen Ci fell silent.
He wasn’t from this small world. Once the mission was complete, he would have to return to his original world.
How could he possibly agree to Elder Qi’s proposal?
Seeing Shen Ci’s silence,
Elder Qi’s expression turned somewhat grim.
If even money couldn’t move Shen Ci, what on earth was he supposed to do?
A moment later, he spoke again.
“Shen Ci, you’ve been with Ye Qi for so long. Do you really have no feelings for him at all?”
Shen Ci’s fingers resting on his knees twitched.
No feelings at all?
Of course not…
At the moment he saw Ye Qi lying on the floor, his life or death unknown, Shen Ci had been scared to death.
He didn’t deny it; he did have feelings for Ye Qi—the kind of brotherly bond where they helped each other out.
Elder Qi saw that Shen Ci was still silent, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
“I won’t force you. Ye Qi is in the hospital because of you. I’m too old to stay and watch over him. You stay here and take care of him. Once he’s better, you can give me your answer.”
With that, he stood up. “I’m heading back for now. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Shen Ci: …
———
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Qi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
“Ye Qi, you’re awake?” Shen Ci felt his spirits lift when he saw Ye Qi wake up.
Ye Qi’s vision was still a bit blurry. He dazed for a few seconds before his focus settled on Shen Ci’s face. His voice was weak and cold.
“Why are you here?”
Shen Ci felt as if his throat were blocked.
After a few seconds, he finally managed to whisper, “I’m sorry.”
Ye Qi’s lips curled into a smirk that held no mirth. He turned his head away, no longer looking at Shen Ci.
“Why say sorry? You just don’t like me. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Shen Ci was silent for a moment.
“Ye Qi, we just broke up. How could you be so short-sighted?”
Ye Qi’s eyes turned red instantly, and even the tip of his nose began to flush.
“Just?”
He let out a self-deprecating laugh, his voice very soft.
“Shen Ci, I love you. I can’t live without you. But since you’re determined to break up, I can’t win you back and I can’t stop you. All I can do is die. If I have to break up with you… I can’t do it.”
After saying that, tears began to fall from Ye Qi’s eyes.
He suddenly raised his hand, intending to rip out the IV needle. Shen Ci was quick and held his hand down.
“Ye Qi, what do you think you’re doing?”
“What are you saving me for? Just let me die. You have no feelings for me anyway; even if I die, you won’t be sad, will you? It would perfectly fulfill your desire to fly off and be with Wu Mu.”
Ye Qi was highly emotional, his expression bordering on a breakdown.
“I do.” Shen Ci gritted his teeth as he spoke. “I have feelings. Stop acting crazy, alright?”
Ye Qi froze in place, tears still clinging to his lashes. “Are you serious?”
He seemed unable to believe what he was hearing. His expression was full of disbelief, and even his voice carried a hint of pleading and caution.
Shen Ci let out a silent curse.
Resigned, he spoke. “I’m serious. I’m not lying to you.”
Brotherly love is still a kind of love.
Ye Qi suddenly threw himself into Shen Ci’s arms.
“Husband, I knew you still loved me. Was it Wu Mu who threatened you?”
Shen Ci: …
What a disaster!
How did I end up in this mess?
“Wu Mu didn’t threaten me. It was me… I was fickle. I’m the one who failed you.”
“No. You didn’t fail me. You just made the mistake that any man would make. I don’t blame you.”
Shen Ci: …
“Hurry and lie back down. The doctor said you lost a lot of blood and need to rest properly.”
After that outburst, Ye Qi was indeed physically exhausted.
“Husband, you won’t leave me while I’m asleep, will you?”
Shen Ci looked at the dependency in Ye Qi’s eyes and let out a sigh. “I won’t. Go to sleep.”
Ye Qi scooted to the side. “Will you come up and sleep with me?”
“This is a hospital bed.”
“I know, but it’s big. I want you to hold me while I sleep.”
Shen Ci: …
Looking at Ye Qi’s expectant gaze, Shen Ci eventually succumbed and agreed.
Ye Qi lowered his eyes, and for a fleeting second, a sinister arc curled the corner of his mouth before vanishing.
He had thought of many ways to keep Shen Ci by his side.
But he knew deep down that Shen Ci was the type who responded to soft approaches but was defiant against force.
Using force would only push him further away.
He could only take a risky path and play the “bitter meat” scheme.
Granted, he really did slit his wrists, and he really did almost die.
He admitted that it was a gamble.
But the results…
He rubbed against Shen Ci’s arm.
The results were excellent.
Just as he had predicted, Shen Ci’s heart had softened.
———
Shen Ci lay on the hospital bed.
He glanced at the soundly sleeping Ye Qi and couldn’t help but let out another sigh in his heart.
By the time he reached his ninety-ninth sigh,
The System suddenly spoke.
“Host, have you fallen in love with the male lead?”
Shen Ci froze for an instant.
Love?
How could he love a man? But he didn’t hate Ye Qi; he even found him quite piteous.
Seeing that Shen Ci didn’t answer, the System spoke again. “Host, you actually don’t need to be so torn. If you want to stay in this small world, it is possible.”
Shen Ci’s pupils dilated.
“I can stay?”
“Yes.” After all, its previous host had stayed in a small world too.
“Then what about my one hundred billion?”
“Once the mission is complete, it will be deposited into your bank card.” 0032 hesitated for a second before continuing.
“Actually, there’s only one final plot line left in the mission. Host, if you use your brain, you can just have the male lead drive your company into bankruptcy or… change the legal representative… that would technically work.”
Holy crap, you can do that?
Shen Ci was ready to hail 0032 as his second father.
He was an orphan in his original world anyway, with no friends. It didn’t matter if he went back or not.
Here, while Ye Qi was a bit of a clingy person, Shen Ci occasionally enjoyed being doted on. Helping each other out wasn’t out of the question either; he actually quite enjoyed the man’s “service.”
He had friends here, and his relationship with the people at the company was very good.
Occasionally going out for skewers and drinks was wonderful.
Shen Ci actually quite liked it here.
“System, why are you being so good to me?” Shen Ci felt a bit moved.
0032 fell silent for a moment.
“You are my host. I want you to be happy.”
That single sentence left Shen Ci with a whirlwind of emotions.
No one had ever said that to him before.
After a moment of silence, Shen Ci whispered, “Thank you, Dad!”
0032: …
That’s really not necessary!
———
Elder Qi arrived at the hospital early the next morning.
He had specifically brought a soup intended to supplement blood and vital energy that an auntie had simmered all night.
As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw the two of them nestled together in the same bed, and his brows furrowed so tightly they could have crushed a mosquito.
This is simply unseemly!!!
But on second thought,
The fact that they were already sharing a bed meant they must have reconciled. The weight in his heart secretly lifted.
He had originally planned that if Ye Qi couldn’t win back Shen Ci’s heart within these few days, he would have to resort to secretly locking the man up.
Even if it was illegal, for the sake of his grandson’s happiness,
He, who had never done a guilty thing in his life, was prepared to go all out.
Ye Qi was his only grandson; he couldn’t just stand by and watch him die.
As for Shen Ci, he would give him a large sum of money and two houses. Whether or not he stayed with Ye Qi in the future, he wouldn’t let him be mistreated.
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