I don’t like your scales CHAPTER 46

Chapter 46: “Blocked”

Bai Xuci stopped struggling the moment he heard those words.

He closed his eyes in anguish.

Resigning himself to his fate, he simply buried his face into the other man’s shoulder, deciding to just give up completely.

Fan Yue looked displeased. He glanced at the slender arm in his grasp and pursed his lips.

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

The head resting against his chest had been perfectly still, but at this interrogation, the chin lifted slightly, causing soft white hair to spill over.

Bai Xuci took a deep breath. Thinking this couldn’t go on, he pushed himself up from the shoulder and leaned back, trying to put some distance between them.

“Zun Shang, I think—”

Before he could organize his words, he felt a hand supporting his back, blocking his retreat.

It was practically like the back of a chair.

“…”

He cast his gaze downward. His legs were dangling on either side, the tips of his white boots tilting upward.

“You think what?” The slightly deep voice pulled his attention back.

Hearing that familiar voice caused Bai Xuci fresh agony. He raised a hand to cover his face, only to realize his wrist had been seized at some point. His movement accidentally tugged Fan Yue’s hand along with it.

Bai Xuci stole a glance upward. Sure enough, he was being stared at.

Forget it.

Fan Yue watched the little demon in his arms, who was using his free hand to shield his face, looking rather devastated.

“You are clearly deceiving Ben Zuo,” he stated with absolute solemnity.

Bai Xuci immediately moved his hand away and looked up with a resentful expression.

“This isn’t about lying or not lying…” he tried to explain.

“It is.”

“…”

Fan Yue really didn’t understand this little demon. Clearly, he was the one who had deceived him, so why did he look so aggrieved?

“You won’t let Ben Zuo hold you.”

Hearing this accusation, Bai Xuci instantly filled with rage.

This demon was bullying the rabbit too much!

“Zun Shang!” Bai Xuci turned his head to look straight at him, his gaze burning.

Fan Yue remained expressionless.

“Let us sort this out.”

“Mn.”

Bai Xuci seemed to feel a bit hot. He rolled up his sleeves and began to argue his case earnestly:

“I never verbally said you could hold me, did I?”

Fan Yue’s golden eyes shifted slightly, and he stated firmly, “You threw yourself into my arms.”

Bai Xuci’s eyes went wide, stunned speechless by the accusation. T-This…

Can that phrase be used so loosely? Does he even know what it implies?

“I did not!” Bai Xuci denied with righteous indignation.

“Shall Ben Zuo show you?” Fan Yue frowned slightly, looking at the creature in his arms. He seemed unable to comprehend why this little demon was so difficult to understand.

Clearly, he had come asking for a hug first, so why was he untouchable now?

Bai Xuci was stunned for a moment. He retreated slightly in cowardice, only to be pushed back to the front by the hand behind his back.

“Look… fine, let’s look!” He couldn’t lose his momentum.

Fan Yue waved his hand in mid-air, and a screen of light instantly appeared before Bai Xuci’s eyes, making him feel like he was watching a movie.

The scenes on the screen shifted constantly: him accidentally falling from the table into the other’s arms, him leaning in close at the restaurant to eavesdrop, him obediently being carried on the path to Lin Mountain, and even the very beginning when he crouched on the other’s knees…

Not a single moment was spared.

Bai Xuci opened his mouth but couldn’t speak.

W-Were there really that many?

“That’s different.” Bai Xuci turned his head away, refusing to watch the looping “video” anymore.

Fan Yue didn’t understand at all. “How is it different?”

“Those were all in my true form…” the tone was helpless.

“But your true form is you,” Fan Yue interrupted bluntly.

Bai Xuci fell silent. Following the other’s logic, he realized he couldn’t refute it at all.

“Then…” his tone turned timid.

“Hm?” Fan Yue was still staring.

“Then why don’t you hold Xuan Li?” Bai Xuci hung his head, his voice sounding a bit aggrieved as his fingers curled inward. “He has fur too, obviously.”

He couldn’t just keep targeting him alone.

Xuan Li was a natural-born demon; their worldviews aligned, so there wouldn’t be any conflict.

He couldn’t keep hugging him.

He was human at his core; being held like this would definitely cause…

“Why would Ben Zuo hold him?” A voice filled with extreme confusion asked.

Bai Xuci looked up, puzzled.

“Why can’t you?”

Fan Yue’s brows were originally furrowed, but seeing that small face looking up at him, his irritation subsided.

He reached out and pinched Bai Xuci’s chin, pulling him closer.

Why does he keep retreating?

“Eh? Zun Shang…” Bai Xuci felt they were too close and tried to pull away. However, the demon seemed oblivious to this, holding him tighter the more he struggled.

He closed his eyes and gave up. It wasn’t impossible to talk like this. Just let him be.

“So, why can’t you?”

Fan Yue’s eyes remained lowered, his expression obscured by shadow.

“I have only ever held you.” He avoided the previous question, looking straight at him instead.

Bai Xuci was stunned. Realizing the other was looking at him, he quickly averted his gaze.

His heart was a mess.

What was this? People don’t talk like that!

He had only been a demon for three years; wasn’t his soul still just an unlucky, single guy?

If this kept happening…

How could he not get the wrong idea?

“That’s not fair!” Bai Xuci mumbled an irrelevant remark.

“Why—”

Before he could finish, Fan Yue noticed the creature in his arms suddenly break free from his hand, hanging his head low and refusing to look at him.

Bai Xuci bit his lip, moisture gathering in his eyes.

What was this? Good thing this devil was a demon. If this were modern society, he’d be a scumbag who flirted without commitment!

He looked down at his waist; he was still being held.

What kind of lovers’ embrace was this?

He sniffled, trying to pull his wrist back. He didn’t want to be held by this demon at all.

The guy simply didn’t understand that the intimacy level of these actions was off the charts.

Relying on his strength to bully him, right?

And accusing him of lying.

“…”

The more he thought about it, the more stifled he felt.

Fan Yue’s confusion reached its peak, his frown deepening.

Weren’t they having a normal conversation just now?

What did he say?

He blinked rapidly in bewilderment, his golden eyes actually showing a hint of helplessness.

Bai Xuci was originally just feeling aggrieved, but after tugging at his wrist, he got angry.

Because he couldn’t move it at all.

It was too provocative!

He took a deep breath and pulled with all his might, causing the white hair draped over Fan Yue’s sleeve to slip down slightly.

“Is this what you want?” His voice softened, laced with a tentative tone.

But the creature in his arms still wouldn’t look up. It inexplicably reminded Fan Yue of the “rabbit’s back” on the table from last time.

Tsk, quite a temper.

Bai Xuci’s eyes were fixed solely on his wrist. Suddenly, he became incredibly focused, even forgetting the moisture in the corners of his eyes.

Perhaps driven by animal instinct, his white boots swung a bit, seeming to search for a leverage point.

To pull better.

Fan Yue: “…”

The large hand suddenly let go. The expression of the creature in his arms changed instantly, though not into one of happiness.

Bai Xuci hadn’t expected the sudden release. He immediately tipped backward, feeling the hand behind his back vanish as well.

H-He was going to fall!

Fan Yue had never seen such a difficult-to-coax little demon. Before the person could panic, he scooped him back up, his large hand sliding slowly down the other’s spine.

“Happy now?”

Bai Xuci first crashed into the other’s chest, then slowly lifted his head. He looked down at his now-free wrist, a bit dazed.

“Why aren’t you speaking again?” Fan Yue’s tone was thick with puzzlement.

“Say what…”

Bai Xuci covered his face with both hands. His mind was in chaos, his voice muffled.

“Zun Shang, tell me. Why don’t you choose to hold Xuan Li?”

“And why do you hold me?”

Bai Xuci dropped his hands, his demeanor becoming obstinate, as if he absolutely had to resolve this matter.

Fan Yue heard that name again and felt irritated.

Why mention him?

“Is this a very important question?” Fan Yue glanced at the ghost fire lamp, noting the late hour, and spoke casually.

His business wasn’t finished yet.

“Important!”

Fan Yue watched as the creature in his arms leaned closer again, his gaze darkening.

Why?

His memory traced back three years, recalling the rabbit that repeatedly tried to take human form, and the white-clad youth looking stunned because he couldn’t change back.

His fingers rubbed together.

Fan Yue suddenly smiled. He gripped Bai Xuci’s arm and pulled him even closer.

“Very well. Ben Zuo asks you: Who told you to deliver things to the Great Hall that day?”

Confusion colored Bai Xuci’s eyes. He didn’t process which event was being referred to and was just about to speak.

“You wanted to come; Ben Zuo did not force you.”

I thought I would never see such a clumsy little demon again…

Bai Xuci tilted his head. Feeling his question hadn’t been answered, he grew anxious.

He tugged at the other’s clothes, even pulling wrinkles into the fabric.

“When did this happen?”

“Open your mouth.” A cold command.

Fan Yue clicked his tongue softly, thinking that by the time the other figured it out, it would be too late. Besides, this thing had a time limit.

He directly pinched the little demon’s chin, bent his index finger, and pushed upward.

“Cough… cough…” Bai Xuci felt uncomfortable and opened his mouth.

In that instant, something like a small pill was pushed in.

Bai Xuci’s pupils dilated. Bitterness bloomed on his tongue, and his coughing intensified.

Reflexively, he tried to push Fan Yue away.

But before he could move, he was pressed firmly against the other’s chest, his arms hanging limply from the other’s shoulders.

“Cough cough…”

Fan Yue held the creature in his arms, stroking him soothingly.

“It will hurt a little.”

“Bear with it.”

Hearing this, panic surged in Bai Xuci’s heart. He asked anxiously:

“You… what did you feed me… cough cough…?”

Fan Yue’s expression didn’t change much. While patting him comfortingly, he asked indifferently:

“Ben Zuo would not harm you. Do you not believe me?”

Bai Xuci coughed until not only his eyes but the skin around them turned red. Hearing this, he felt helpless.

“B-But I… want to know, I didn’t say I don’t believe, cough cough cough…”

It seemed this answer was acceptable. A faint light shimmered in the dark eyes.

“Very good.”

Bai Xuci was about to die of anger. What kind of answer was that?

Very good? Good my foot, he couldn’t stop coughing!

Angrily, he tried to lift his arms to get down, but in that instant, his hands felt as heavy as lead.

A piercing pain spread through his limbs and bones.

“It hurts…” A layer of mist immediately clouded his eyes, and his voice became difficult to produce.

His fingertips twitched barely.

The pain felt like his tendons were being torn apart, followed by the incessant hammering of his bones. Chaotic spiritual energy rampaged through his body.

And he couldn’t move at all.

“Zun Shang… it hurts…” His consciousness slowly blurred, and his body felt like it was burning up with a high fever.

Hazy and confused, he felt his hand being grasped, and a familiar warm current flowed in.

Like rain falling on parched earth, driven by instinct, Bai Xuci sought it out unconsciously.

Spiritual energy, spiritual energy, where is it?

His originally weak arms suddenly lifted, groping blindly.

It can stop hurting…

It can stop hurting.

“What is it? Didn’t I already give you—”

The rest of the words were “blocked.”

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