Chapter 37: Happy Valley
So it wasn’t a dream??
Duan Ke clung to Qin Huai’s pectoral muscles, dazed. The temporary stimulation from the alcohol had faded, leaving the fresh, familiar taste of orange candy in his mouth, and the clothes on his body had been changed to Qin Huai’s shirt.
…Obviously, Qin Huai had changed his clothes and helped him brush his teeth last night.
As all the hazy memories returned, Duan Ke’s expression became quite indescribable. There were simply too many strange points; he didn’t even know where to begin organizing his words.
Duan Ke looked up, staring at Qin Huai with disbelief, and said, “Brother, you…”
Qin Huai turned his head and kissed him. “Mn.”
“…??”
Duan Ke’s brain, which didn’t have much capacity to begin with, was instantly emptied by Qin Huai’s kiss.
He blinked blankly, feeling the residual warmth on his lips, blushing and stammering, “Brother, yesterday we…”
Before he could finish, Qin Huai couldn’t resist turning his head and kissing him again.
This kiss was a bit heavier.
Duan Ke: “……………………..Brother, don’t interrupt me like this. I’m thinking.”
Qin Huai was quite candid. He lowered his eyes to look at the person curled in his arms and gave a casual hum. His voice still carried unresolved sleepiness, huskier than usual.
“You think first.” Qin Huai lazily rubbed Duan Ke’s messy, fluffy curly hair. “I’ll go wash up. Your turn after.”
“…Okay.”
Duan Ke was still lying down and habitually wanted to grab his phone to take a look.
Seeing him like this, Qin Huai, who was halfway to the bathroom, turned back. Without a word, he propped Duan Ke up and placed a pillow behind him.
“Sit up to read. It’s bad for your eyes otherwise.”
Duan Ke was arranged into a standard sitting posture like a rag doll before Qin Huai was satisfied and went in.
“…”
Duan Ke stared somewhat confusedly at the app page on his phone, unsure of what to look at. He simply emptied his mind and stared blankly.
Why does it feel like their dynamic has become so strange after just one night?
How does he remember that they were neighbors and purely in a feeding relationship?
Do two people in that kind of relationship wake up in the same bed every day??
Something seems wrong. But where exactly is it wrong?
Duan Ke’s reserves of human knowledge were running low again. Humans were truly a difficult species to understand thoroughly. Three years of study had only taught him how to roughly disguise himself as an ordinary boy, but hadn’t enabled Duan Ke to truly become a “person” and think like one.
He propped his chin up and thought for a moment, then punched his left palm with his right fist, deciding to seek help from the omnipotent internet.
He grabbed his phone and lowered his head to search for the question.
“Why would a friend suddenly really like sleeping with you?”
Quite a few web pages popped up, but they all had identical white-background ID photos of doctors in white coats as avatars, leaving Duan Ke unsure which was reliable.
He scanned a few and clicked on one with a longer reply.
[Hello, a friend suddenly liking you might be due to the following reasons.
- Emotional needs. Your friend might be lacking companionship recently and has developed a soul resonance in interacting with you, craving your attention.
- Physiological attraction. Your friend might have sexual fantasies about you to some extent and craves physical contact with you.
- …]
Such a well-reasoned reply, such scientific formatting. Duan Ke believed it completely.
He began to examine Qin Huai’s situation.
First, exclude the second point. He definitely didn’t have any physiological attraction to Qin Huai.
After all, when they first met, Qin Huai absolutely loathed physical contact, dodging even a touch on the hand.
Later, mentioning kissing was even more unacceptable to him. He only reluctantly agreed to kiss once a week to take responsibility.
The later points didn’t seem to match either.
Right, usually he doesn’t have anyone else around him besides me, his friend.
Duan Ke would occasionally go out to play with his former roommates, but Qin Huai did nothing but work and go home to cook for him. He had no entertainment activities, and no one ever visited his home.
And humans are supposed to have families. I’ve known him for so long, yet I’ve never seen Qin Huai’s family, nor even seen him call them.
Is Qin Huai lacking companionship and too lonely, which is why he’s afraid I’ll find someone else and so responsibly wants to feed me more?
Duan Ke felt he had completely figured it out!
A tremendous sense of responsibility welled up in the little succubus. His keeper was so serious and responsible; when he needed him, how could he not show some appreciation?
Duan Ke climbed out of bed with a determined expression. He remembered the two Happy Valley tickets the senior gave him yesterday; the event date happened to be today.
I’ll invite him to go play when he comes out from washing up, Duan Ke thought.
Lin Jiangli: [You didn’t come to work today??]
Lin Jiangli: [Are you okay? Did that Dream Demon find you?]
Qin Huai leaned against the driver’s seat, in a very good mood. One hand on the steering wheel, the other holding his phone, he was unusually patient enough to reply instantly to Lin Jiangli.
Qin Huai: [Taking time off today.]
Qin Huai: [Accompanying roommate.]
The other side went silent for about five minutes.
Qin Huai had no patience to wait and switched screens to read the news, but Lin Jiangli called directly.
“Qin Huai, say again what you’re doing??” Lin Jiangli’s voice sounded like he’d seen a ghost. “You said you’re not coming to work on Saturday to do what??”
Lin Jiangli’s side was as noisy as firecrackers. Qin Huai moved the phone away with immense distaste. “Can’t understand human language anymore?”
“Accompanying roommate.” The man who usually felt lazy saying one extra word repeated it verbatim. “Today isn’t a workday anyway.”
Lin Jiangli: “…”
I’ve never seen this guy skip work in my life. Has he lost his mind because of the Dream Demon again?
Of course, Lin Jiangli didn’t dare say that aloud. He was hung up on by Qin Huai very cowardly. Duan Ke had already changed his clothes and walked over; naturally, Qin Huai was too lazy to say another word.
Duan Ke wore a bright yellow hoodie paired with denim shorts. It was very fresh and sunny, making him look even more exquisite and refined, like a mixed-race child.
Qin Huai opened the car door for him smoothly. Duan Ke sat in the passenger seat, but Qin Huai’s body didn’t lean back; instead, he leaned extremely close to Duan Ke.
“What’s wrong? Do you need to get something?”
Duan Ke looked at Qin Huai blankly. Qin Huai laughed low, kissed him with a faint expression, and smoothly buckled Duan Ke’s seatbelt in the interval.
Their nose bridges brushed against each other. They kissed quietly for nearly five minutes before separating.
The AC was already on in the car, yet Duan Ke felt very hot, groggy as if he had a fever. He took small breaths in the gaps of responding, his breath carrying heat.
“Didn’t eat anything this morning, so that didn’t count as feeding,” Qin Huai said. “Making up for it now.”
Duan Ke seemed not to hear clearly what Qin Huai said, humming indiscriminately in response.
His entire face was flushed red, his palms sweating slightly, and he looked uncomfortably out the window. Qin Huai hooked the corner of his lips. Seeing through it but not saying it, he started the car with a calm expression and drove toward Happy Valley.
It wasn’t far; they arrived in twenty minutes.
That senior hadn’t recommended the place randomly. Duan Ke exclaimed in amazement as soon as he got out of the car.
The main gate of Happy Valley had been changed to vine and pumpkin decorations. The man and woman welcoming guests on both sides wore exaggerated Halloween costumes, with heavy horror makeup on their faces.
The rides inside had also been completely decked out in Halloween decorations. Although it was daytime, the atmosphere was already strong.
Duan Ke covered his mouth with both hands, his eyes wide.
He tugged at Qin Huai’s sleeve and asked in a whisper, “Does Brother have time to stay with me until tonight?”
“Hmm? Yes,” Qin Huai said.
Qin Huai didn’t even ask for a reason. But Duan Ke explained anyway: “I’m most interested in that huge haunted house! They say it’s only fun after it gets completely dark at night, and there are lots of NPCs dressed up very scarily! I want Brother to accompany me to play.”
Then he added in a tiny voice: “I don’t dare go alone… Brother will accompany me, right?”
Qin Huai naturally wouldn’t refuse. But he asked with some amusement, “Afraid of this? Aren’t you a monster?”
“…………I’m not afraid of monsters, I’m afraid of ghosts!”
People were coming and going around them. Duan Ke seemed a bit shy, tugging Qin Huai’s sleeve to make him bend down so he could whisper his complaint in the other’s ear.
“When I first became human, I was curious and watched a ghost movie alone in the basement… I wasn’t afraid of ghosts originally, but ever since that time, I’ve been scared. For a long time, I didn’t dare walk night roads alone, only sneaking out to eat a little when I was starving.”
“…But I still want to see,” Duan Ke said softly. “Brother, accompany me to see it in the future.”
Qin Huai was nearly twenty centimeters taller than Duan Ke. He bent halfway to listen to Duan Ke’s whispers.
The kid was shy even telling the truth. His small face was as red as if he had just been thoroughly kissed. He looked left and right, afraid of being overheard, acting as if he couldn’t live without him.
Raised so obediently.
Qin Huai was silent for a few seconds, seemingly smiling. He secretly licked his canine tooth, kissed him again, and agreed contentedly.
“Won’t let you be alone in the future.”
The two walked to the entrance and handed the tickets to the girl checking them.
The girl pointed to a changing room nearby and said friendly, “There’s an event today. We provide costumes for free. Of course, if you want new ones, you can also buy them on-site. There are more styles for purchase. If you need, you can go over there to change.”
Duan Ke was obviously eager to try. Before he could turn back to signal Qin Huai with his eyes, his hand was taken, leading him in that direction.
The evil mechanism of induced consumption was everywhere. Duan Ke had been amazed when he saw the clothes in the free area upon entering, but he couldn’t move his legs at all when he reached the sales area. Especially after comparing the two, he wanted the paid ones even more.
“Buy it if you like it,” Qin Huai said indifferently, standing behind him.
If it were any other pair travelling together, one person saying this would usually lead to the other politely declining.
But Duan Ke wasn’t human, and he liked pretty, exquisite, but useless little things. He wouldn’t refuse feeding from his keeper.
Duan Ke hadn’t forgotten to care more for Qin Huai, proposing, “Then Brother, accompany me to change too, okay? We’ll choose similar styles so people know we came together and we won’t get separated.”
Qin Huai accepted the proposal smoothly. Duan Ke picked out clothes happily. As he picked up the third item, his ear twitched slightly, and he turned his head to look at the changing rooms.
“…Seems like the sound of something falling,” Duan Ke tilted his head. “Did Brother hear it?”
“Mn.”
Qin Huai didn’t have any particular reaction, following Duan Ke’s rhythm to take down a third similarly styled outfit. “Probably someone bumped into something while changing. It’s nothing.”
Duan Ke didn’t pay much attention either. Once he started picking these shiny things, he couldn’t stop. The accessories area was also about to be conquered by Lord Duan Ke.
Qin Huai watched silently and asked, “I’ll go buy you a drink? What do you want?”
“Okay, I want milk tea.” Duan Ke replied without looking back. “Mango Pomelo Sago, large cup.”
Qin Huai acknowledged and went.
Duan Ke picked out his clothes and rushed excitedly into the changing room holding them. It was crowded; he queued for a few minutes before getting an empty stall. The space inside wasn’t large either; Duan Ke looked like a squirrel moving house with a giant pinecone.
“Your ears look so real! So pretty, let me touch…”
“How is this pinned on? It looks heavy… but really beautiful! It’ll definitely look great in photos later…”
Two girls walked out of the women’s changing room opposite, whispering excitedly. Duan Ke’s hearing was excellent and keenly captured the keywords.
…Right, it’s Halloween now. It seems I can let my ears and tail out?
Although he couldn’t use his original form because Qin Huai was there, he couldn’t pass up the chance to let them out for some air.
Duan Ke went back to search and sure enough, found pants with a hidden hole in the back for installing a fake tail. He took the leather shorts back to his changing stall and started changing.
Duan Ke put on the top first. The outfit he chose revealed quite a bit of skin, similar to a Halloween-colored version of a bunny suit—sleeveless with his waist and abdomen faintly visible—paired with a huge wizard hat that could cover a third of his body.
Duan Ke put the clothes on first, then tried to change into the pants.
His tail was fluffy, cat hair flying everywhere, making it difficult to pull the pants up.
“Hiss… hurts. Why is it stuck!”
Duan Ke scowled in pain, brows furrowed, trying to pull his tail out.
At this moment, the curtain was lifted a slit, and a figure flashed in quickly. The instant the curtain was pulled shut, Duan Ke slapped him with his tail.
Qin Huai, who got a mouthful of cat hair: “………………”
He was somewhat helpless, holding milk tea in one hand and brushing away the hair with the other. But when he saw Duan Ke’s movements clearly, his gaze suddenly deepened.
…Two large cat ears were twitching, and the tail was swaying incessantly. It looked like it was stuck in the pants, unable to be pulled up, with half of his white underwear exposed.
“Is it hard to put on? Let me help you.”
Qin Huai placed the milk tea on the rack to the side and walked over boldly.
Braving Duan Ke’s frightened gaze, he reached out and touched the base of Duan Ke’s sensitive tail, giving it a squeeze.
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