Translated by Eve
Edited by Kara
Thank you Ciel for the kofi
Note: To clarify, prior to last chapter, XYM had not been reborn yet. XYM’s timeline is Ch 1-23 (never reborn, knows nothing of what’s to happen) -> end of 23 (XYM from a future timeline that had lived through the original plot, including the rebirth after the original SXH’s betrayal). Hence why he said he had been reborn “again.”
Loooong chapter today guys. It’s like two chapters worthy
Song Xuanhe found a nearby hotel to shower in. He changed into a set of clothes that his assistant brought over and then returned to the hospital. Xiao Yuanmu had slept all night and had yet to wake. Thus, Song Xuanhe slept at his bedside the whole night.
Six o’clock the next morning, Song Xuanhe, who hadn’t slept well all night, woke up muddleheaded. When he sat up straight, his mind blanked when he saw the unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn’t until his eyes fell on the nearby Xiao Yuanmu that he slowly recalled what had happened.
He casually washed up and left the hospital room. He drove straight home and headed straight into the kitchen, an ambitious expression on his face.
The System, who had been silent this whole time, couldn’t help but ask when he saw Song Xuanhe pour rice, oil, salt, and vinegar into a pot：【Brother, what are you doing?】
Song Xuanhe stared at the boiling water and rice, answering with another question：【Can’t you see that I’m making congee?】
A few seconds later, the System honestly said：【I really couldn’t tell.】
Song Xuanhe lowered the heat and looked at the pot carefully. He didn’t pay the System any more attention.
After a few minutes, Song Xuanhe frowned. He had searched how long congee had to cook for on his phone. However, as soon as the webpage opened, his phone went off. The webpage turned into the call interface.
When he saw the unfamiliar number, Song Xuanhe directly declined the call.
The webpage listed many ways of cooking congee. Most of them were for plain congee. Song Xuanhe didn’t like plain congee, and it was too simple. It would not work in subtly expressing his apology nor could he make a show of his cooking abilities. Therefore, he searched through several pages before finding one that looked quite good from the photos. The ingredients required were not too complex. It was a recipe for century egg congee with pork.
Song Xuanhe looked through the refrigerator. There was quite a lot of meat inside from chicken to seafood. They had everything. It was just that in terms of eggs, they only had regular chicken eggs.
If they only had chicken eggs, then chicken eggs it would be. They were both eggs after all.
Song Xuanhe directly poured out the congee he had just made. This time, he followed the recipe and once again added water and rice. Step by step, he followed the recipe strictly. It looked quite similar—that was until he put the chicken eggs in.
Song Xuanhe turned off the fire and once again poured the congee out, face expressionless. He was about to attempt another pot when his phone once again rang. It was that unknown number again.
“Who’s this?”
It was obvious that the other side hadn’t been expecting to hear Song Xuanhe’s voice. For a few seconds, they didn’t say a thing.
Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and shut the refrigerator door. He vented his anger and feelings of failure from having made bad congee onto the other person. “Spit it out.”
It seemed that the other person had come back to themself as a voice chimed, “It’s me, Song shaoye. I’m Liu Xu.”
Song Xuanhe paused. He cocked a brow, “What do you want?”
“Do you have some time? I want to meet with you. There’s something I want to tell you.”
Song Xuanhe’s mind whirled. Half a second later, he discerned Liu Xu’s plan. The corner of his lips pulled into a smile, and he spoke with a terribly nasty tone, “Am I someone you can meet with just because you want to?”
Liu Xu hadn’t thought that Song Xuanhe would adopt such an attitude. However, she still spoke in a soft tone, “I have something of great importance to tell you. It’s regarding your family and your father. I think that you must hear this.”
“Oh?” Song Xuanhe found a chair in the dining room to sit on, his tone indifferent, “Something really important?”
“Yes.”
Song Xuanhe played with a trivet on the table, picking it up and putting it back down. His tone was inquisitive, “But, I just don’t understand why Film Empress Liu would have information pertaining to my Song Family.”
“It’s not about the Song Family per se,” Liu Xu said softly, “But, it has to do with your mother.”
Song Xuanhe laughed silently. His lips curled up. “Since it’s like this, then why don’t you set a time?”
Liu Xu was overjoyed. She promptly said, “How’s next Tuesday? We’ll meet at Liuquxi.
Liuquxi was a teahouse that was extremely private. Many celebrities as well as big shots from the political and business sectors would go there to have tea. Reportedly, the owner’s background was very mysterious. Liu Xu was playing it very safe in choosing that place.
Song Xuanhe’s tone was calm, but there was an evil glint on his face that was present every time he was scheming. He spoke unhurried, “Alright. I’ll see you Tuesday.”
After hanging up, Song Xuanhe glanced at the time. When he saw that it was 9:10, he couldn’t help but swear. He then pursed his lips and gave Jinji a call, giving them the address to Xiao Yuanmu’s hospital room.
By the time Song Xuanhe had reached the hospital, Xiao Yuanmu was already eating congee. When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe enter, the hand holding the spoon paused nearly imperceptibly. He gave the other a cool glance and then smiled. “You’ve come. The congee tastes great.”
Hearing the other’s voice, Song Xuanhe’s steps halted. He quickly swept his eyes over the other’s now normal-looking complexion as well as the other’s body that still looked vigorous rather than weak. In the end, his eyes fell on the wooden spoon in Xiao Yuanmu’s hand and his thin, slender fingers. He pressed his lips together and said, “You even get into an accident while buying a late-night snack. Is there anything that you can do?”
When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu narrowed his eyes. His gaze unobtrusively sized Song Xuanhe up. His eyes stayed on the other’s slightly pursed lips for a few extra seconds before he looked away. He had another mouthful of congee, calm and unruffled. He said coolly, “You’re still angry?”
Song Xuanhe stood in place, confusion in his eyes for a moment. There was an innocent look in his eyes that darted slightly back and forth. A few seconds later, he got what the other was talking about. His expression changed slightly, and he folded his arms. His clear, rich voice had gone up a pitch. “What would I be angry about? Why would I be angry? Because, you kissed me? Are you joking?”
“It’s good that you’re not angry.”
Xiao Yuanmu didn’t look up while listening to Song Xuanhe fire off his questions. He put his spoon down, tone serene as if he had just been asking and didn’t really care about the answer. This caused the rebuttals Song Xuanhe had just prepared to get stuck in his throat.
It was like punching cotton. It was too soft and made one sullen.
Song Xuanhe looked up and met with Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes. His eyes were tranquil but profound like a boundless sea. They were also deep like a bottomless abyss. Song Xuanhe blinked, hesitatingly. Some kind of strange, murky emotion flickered in his heart.
Before he could grasp onto what it was, a nurse entered. She helped Xiao Yuanmu clean the things off his table and then spoke to him in a soft voice. “Mr. Xiao, I’ll take your temperature again now. If all is well, you will be able to be discharged from the hospital.”
The nurse carefully helped Xiao Yuanmu take his temperature and then continued softly, “The doctor told me to tell you that you should only eat bland foods for awhile, because you have just recovered from a high fever. Furthermore, although you only suffered a scrape on your legs, it’d be best if you don’t do any heavy exercise. Every day, you need to change your dressing. If you don’t have anyone to help you, I can come to your home and help you apply it after work.”
After saying this, the pretty nurse flushed. Each of her words and actions were effused with thick affection.
However, Xiao Yuanmu didn’t seem to sense the other’s infatuation. His tone was polite and distant, “No need. I have someone at home who can help me.”
Song Xuanhe sat on the nearby sofa, a change of clothes in hand. He watched this show of unrequited love with keen interest.
The nurse looked disappointed upon hearing this. However, she still smiled and stammered, “Then, if you have any questions, you can contact me. I will definitely come over to help you.”
“Thank you.”
Xiao Yuanmu nodded indifferently as if he couldn’t hear the underlying hint that the nurse wanted his contact information. His expression was insipid, looking like he had no desire to continue talking with her.
The nurse then realized that she had no chance. She lowered her head, voice quiet. She said, “Then Mr. Xiao, I’ll be leaving. Goodbye.”
Song Xuanhe watched as the nurse, who hadn’t even cast him a single glance from the moment she walked in, left with her head hung low, appearing terribly disappointed. After this, another few nurses also came in with all sorts of excuses. They were eagerly attentive, bashful, and tender. They nearly peeled off Xiao Yuanmu’s clothes under the guise of helping him change into his outside clothes.
“I need to change. Will you please leave the room?”
In the end, Xiao Yuanmu’s melodious voice reverberated, sounding deep and magnetic. The two nurses around him flushed even redder and nodded shyly. They dawdled but did end up leaving reluctantly.
Song Xuanhe couldn’t help but laugh. He was about to make some teasing remarks when he noticed that Xiao Yuanmu had already taken off his top and was facing him.
The smile on Song Xuanhe’s face froze, and he promptly turned his head away. “What are you doing?!”
Hearing his voice, Xiao Yuanmu paused his action of undressing. A sliver of a smile appeared on his cold face, but there were no ripples in his eyes. A difficult-to-detect look of probing was hidden in his eyes.
“Undressing.”
Xiao Yuanmu replied, voice cool, calm, and innocent, as if he didn’t get why the other was asking when it was obvious.
“Of course I know that you’re undressing!” Song Xuanhe couldn’t help but turn back to glare at the other when he heard this. His eyes paused over the other’s sturdy, neat abs before he once again looked away. He sounded even more flustered and discomfited, “I’m asking you why you’re not going to the washroom if you’re planning on taking your clothes off!?”
Xiao Yuanmu placed the hospital gown onto the bed and picked up the shirt beside it. He didn’t put it on. Instead, he walked over to Song Xuanhe and said in a low voice, “Why would I have to go to the washroom?”
A voice came from above his head. When he turned to look, he saw Xiao Yuanmu’s mermaid line that was slightly covered by Xiao Yuanmu’s pants. Song Xuanhe averted his gaze at once. He didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but his heart was racing involuntarily. He had seen countless bodies, and he hadn’t felt anything when he had seen Xiao Yuanmu’s body in the past—he had only thought it was perfect. He didn’t know why, but right now, he felt hot like there was a fire around him.
Because of one kiss? Song Xuanhe’s thoughts drifted. It shouldn’t be…He had never felt like this after kissing other people.
It was probably…guilt, ba. He had known that the other would get into an accident, but he hadn’t stopped it. This heavy weight on his conscience must be making him confused. So, he must have been feeling remorseful towards Xiao Yuanmu when he saw him. That was why he felt strange.
Song Xuanhe suddenly understood. Once he thought this through, his taut body relaxed.
“You’re the one who ushered those nurses away. Wasn’t it because you didn’t want others to see you?” Now that he no longer felt conflicted, Song Xuanhe’s tone was much more relaxed. “Since you don’t want to be seen by others, you should go to the washroom.”
Xiao Yuanmu peered down at the other, taking in each and every one of Song Xuanhe’s expressions. The suspicion in his heart rose, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes. However, there was no emotion on his face. He bent down slightly and whispered into the other’s ear, “Because, you’re different from other people.”
The hot breath prickled his ear, causing Song Xuanhe’s relaxed body to stiffen again. His gaze, which had just gotten the courage to look around freely, once again focused on the vase in front of him. He licked his lips subconsciously, breathing in a secret deep breath to steady himself. He pushed Xiao Yuanmu aside and pretended to have lost his patience. “Of course I’m different. They’re girls, and I’m a man. Why do you have so much to say while changing clothes?”
Caught off guard, Xiao Yuanmu was pushed back half a step by Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes that were peaceful just now seemed to swiftly darken. His gaze flitted between Song Xuanhe’s slightly wet lips and flushed ears. The ripples in his eyes gradually calmed down as he hid the baffling emotion. He put the shirt on.
Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu was quietly changing clothes and would not speak to him again, Song Xuanhe relaxed. When the other was done, Song Xuanhe stood up and said, “Let’s go. It’s getting late. Let’s randomly buy something to eat and go home.”
Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly, tone frigid. “Mn.”
The two of them had just reached the door when someone knocked. That someone asked, “Can I come in?”
The voice on the other side of the door was rather familiar. Song Xuanhe reacted in two seconds and subconsciously turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu.
Xiao Yuanmu was also looking at him. The inner corners of his eyes seemed to dip downwards, and the outer corners were slightly upturned. His double eyelids were not particularly deep but did stretch to the ends of his eyes, creating a fold on the outer corner. Right now, Xiao Yuanmu was staring at him with slightly lowered eyes. His long, fine eyelashes hung down slightly. Eyes that would usually look seductive on an ordinary person looked clean and aloof on him. He was like pure white snow on mountain tops–difficult to approach.
He asked, “Who is it?”
“The person who hit you yesterday.” Song Xuanhe looked away, opening the door a bit hastily. “What do you want?”
Wei Chen looked at Song Xuanhe, who was regarding him with a chilly face. He couldn’t help but smile, raising an eyebrow, “What? Am I not welcomed?”
Song Xuanhe just looked at him coldly, the answer obvious.
Seeing this, Wei Chen burst out laughing despite himself. “I’ve only ever seen family members of a victim yell and fuss, demanding that the culprit compensate them. I never thought that I’d see someone like you who simply doesn’t want the culprit to show up without even taking even a cent.”
“Now you have.” Song Xuanhe quirked up the corner of his lips into a smile that wasn’t a smile.
“Yes, I have.” Wei Chen furrowed his brows, sighed, and then shook his head in a helpless and proud manner. “But, I’m so kindhearted, simple, honest, and generous. I also have a deep sense of responsibility. I’m afraid that the victim and the victim’s family will disappear after a moment of carelessness, so I rushed over here at once to compensate you.”
Song Xuanhe’s lips twitched. He had really never seen someone as shameless as Wei Chen before.
Xiao Yuanmu recognized the familiar face on the other side of the door with one glance. The corner of his lips raised in an unnoticeable angle, but coldness swept through his eyes. He walked over to stand behind Song Xuanhe, meeting eyes with the man outside the door. He said in a cool voice, “Who are you?”
Wei Chen met with Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes, and his smile gradually pulled straight. His gaze went from relaxed to alert. His instincts told him that this man was very dangerous.
“This is Wei Chen,” Song Xuanhe introduced, “He’s the person who hit you.”
Wei Chen didn’t speak, eyes fixed on Xiao Yuanmu. He had grown up in a compound. It was normal for him to eat with elders in high positions. He could skillfully and easily maneuver through all sorts of situations. However, this sense of danger that made him shudder and the oppressive feeling of being before a superior being was unprecedented.
Although the man looked indifferent, his eyes were tranquil, and his aura just seemed chilly—a normal person would probably think that he was aloof but harmless—Wei Chen had grown up within the highest social stratum. He had begun to hone his ability to read people since he had been young. He trusted his instincts.
He had done research upon returning home last night. Song Xuanhe was the Song Family’s second young master. This was absolutely true. However, the other person before him was absolutely not just an ordinary orphan who had grown up at an orphanage. Furthermore, if all orphans who grew up in an orphanage would gain his calm, indifferent aura, then regular parents would have no need to raise children. They could just throw their kids into orphanages.
Xiao Yuanmu had quite the number of interactions with Wei Chen in his last life. He could tell what the other was thinking just from the other’s expression. Right now, Wei Chen was nothing more than a twenty-something year old. His ability to control his expression now was nowhere near as good as it would be in the future. The apprehension in the other’s eyes looked like it was about to spill out. It spiked Xiao Yuanmu’s interest.
Song Xuanhe, Wei Chen—although he had just woken up, he had already met with two familiar faces. However, the two of them were different from the versions he’d met in his life before the last. If that was the case, then what was the reason for this discrepancy?
Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes swept over Song Xuanhe’s hair whorl and landed on Wei Chen. He quirked his lips up coolly and said, “How can we help you?”
Wei Chen’s eyes were fixed on Xiao Yuanmu the whole time. He noticed from the moment Xiao Yuanmu had spoken, the aura around him had changed. The change was minute but easily perceivable. Xiao Yuanmu had rescinded the aura around him, transforming it to match his appearance: cold and aloof but would not make others feel oppressed.
Upon seeing this, Wei Chen not only didn’t relax his guard, but also his misgivings about Xiao Yuanmu only grew.
A person who could alter his aura at will, a dangerous person who could easily pretend to be innocent, was much more terrifying compared to a person who typically exuded a powerful aura. A person like this was ambitious and capable.
Weighing the pros and cons only took a few seconds. From Song Xuanhe’s perspective, it seemed like Wei Chen had responded to Xiao Yuanmu instantly. The other retracted his amused smile and politely introduced himself. “Hello, my name is Wei Chen. The rain was too heavy yesterday, and I turned on my high beams when I saw that there were nearly no cars or pedestrians on the road. I didn’t think that I would hit you because of it. I’m extremely sorry for that. I’ve come to compensate you by paying for your medical expenses as well as any other expenses you may have incurred.”
Song Xuanhe personally got a look at Wei Chen’s remarkable ability to switch attitudes. No wonder he had been able to become one of Xiao Yuanmu’s pursuers in the last world. With this ability to change attitudes so quickly as well as his skin that was as thick as a wall, he could rise above the other pursuers.
Xiao Yuanmu said indifferently, “I heard that you have already paid for the medical bill. That’s enough.”
Wei Chen wasn’t surprised to hear this. Someone with a grandeur like Xiao Yuanmu’s was not someone who lacked money. After thinking of this, he confirmed his guess. Xiao Yuanmu was not an orphan.
It was just that he didn’t know what the other’s true identity was. Families that could produce a temperament like Xiao Yuanmu’s were sparse. He knew all the scions of the top families in China, but he had never seen Xiao Yuanmu before.
With suspicion in his heart and a desire to probe, Wei Chen said with a smile, “Since it’s like this, the two of you must allow me to treat you to a meal. Otherwise, my conscience won’t be able to take it.”
Hearing this, Song Xuanhe couldn’t hold in his snort. He didn’t believe that Wei Chen could have a conscience.
Looking at Song Xuanhe’s obvious, mocking smile, Wei Chen didn’t get annoyed. His expression remained sincere. “I mean it. No time like the present. If the two of you are free today, we can have lunch together.”
In any case, they had to eat. Adding another person just meant adding another pair of chopsticks. Moreover, this person was treating them. Therefore, Song Xuanhe decided to just follow along with the strong attractive forces between main characters when he heard Wei Chen’s eager invitation.
He said, “We were just about to eat. Let’s go together.”
Wei Chen subconsciously glanced at Xiao Yuanmu when he heard this. He only saw the other cast his gaze down, likely watching Song Xuanhe. His gaze was calm, but other than that, he couldn’t read it. When Song Xuanhe looked up as if sensing his gaze, Xiao Yuanmu looked away and made an indifferent sound of agreement.
The three of them thus left the hospital together and drove towards a restaurant. Song Xuanhe was still feeling a bit of incredulity. He didn’t think that there would be a day where he would be having a peaceful meal with one of the men from Xiao Yuanmu’s harem.
Wei Chen brought them to a private restaurant. It was a little house with a fully-enclosed courtyard on an old lane. It was hidden but not secluded. There was a bit of a smoky aroma. The dishes had yet to be served, but they looked forward to it.
“They offer very traditional home-cooked meals here. I often come here with a few childhood friends. After you get a taste, if you like it, we can come here again.”
Song Xuanhe’s lips quirked upwards upon hearing this. He hadn’t thought that Wei Chen, this great young master, was so scheming. He would beat around the bush while courting someone. Only, his actions were quite aggressive to have already set up a second meeting at this time.
“Song shao, what do you think?”
Song Xuanhe had just finished roasting Wei Chen in his mind when he heard Wei Chen’s voice. Luckily, his reaction was quick, and he replied in the next second, “If it tastes good, I’ll naturally come again.”
Wei Chen smiled, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yuanmu’s peaceful face before saying to Song Xuanhe, “In any case, we’re already close enough to share a meal. Mr. Wei and Song shao sound so distant. How about we just call each other by name? You can just call me Wei Chen.”
“Doesn’t matter to me.”
Since he knew that Wei Chen had an ulterior motive, Song Xuanhe felt indifferent.
Xiao Yuanmu cast his gaze down and spoke in a dull tone, “We’re only meeting Mr. Wei for the first time. Perhaps we are not as close as Mr. Wei believes.”
Wei Chen wasn’t surprised at Xiao Yuanmu’s words, but Song Xuanhe was.
Before, Xiao Yuanmu guarded his words as if they were gold, ah. Even when he had smacked the food onto the ground or had nearly forced the other to sleep with him, he had not been able to make Xiao Yuanmu utter many words. This was his first meeting with Wei Chen, but the other was already able to make Xiao Yuanmu say such long sentences. The difference in treatment between cannon fodder and main characters was too striking.
Song Xuanhe had just thought this when he heard the System say：【I think that there’s something off about the big boss.】
【Of course there’s something off.】Song Xuanhe waited for Wei Chen’s reply with keen interest while also speaking to the System,【Wei Chen is one of his future men. They can get along.】
【No.】The System sounded anxious but could not make sense of what exactly was off：【I’m saying that there’s something off about him as a person.】
【What about him?】
Song Xuanhe asked the System, but the System had yet to reply when Song Xuanhe heard Wei Chen say, “It’s my first meeting with you, but that’s not the case with Xuanhe. I’ve seen him several times at banquets. Although we hadn’t spoken, we’ve seen each other around. Even if we don’t count those times, this is our second meeting if we count yesterday. It’s normal to call each other by name.”
Song Xuanhe didn’t think that he would be pulled into this scene between main characters. Furthermore, Wei Chen asked for his opinion after saying this, “What do you think, Xuanhe?”
At that moment, both their gazes fell onto him.
Although Song Xuanhe was internally swearing at Wei Chen, who had dragged him into this, he didn’t really want to get involved. Therefore, he gave a dry laugh and said, “I don’t care.”
“Since it’s like that, I’ll continue to call you by name.”
After saying this, Wei Chen glanced at Xiao Yuanmu’s ripple-less eyes and chuckled. He didn’t continue to speak.
He did indeed have misgivings of the baffling sense of danger that he got from Xiao Yuanmu, but that didn’t mean he would cower in fear. At least, his family background and upbringing wouldn’t allow him to flee in fear. In contrast, he was an expert in facing difficulties head-on. The more challenging something was, the more he liked it.
When they returned home, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu retired to their respective rooms.
Song Xuanhe continued working on the design he had yet to finish after returning to his room：【Gou zi, what were you saying about there being something off about Xiao Yuanmu?】
The System’s response was very swift：【I’m sure as of now that there is. I haven’t been able to detect it though. When I’ve detected it, I’ll let you know.】
Song Xuanhe nodded, not really caring. His attention was all on his drawing.
Time passed. By the time Song Xuanhe looked up, it was completely dark outside. The moon was high in the sky.
He glanced at the time. It was already eight at night. It had long passed dinner time. He hadn’t felt hungry, but when he thought about it, his stomach began to growl.
Song Xuanhe suddenly recalled that Xiao Yuanmu was still injured. That meant he couldn’t make dinner. However, he was starving. It would take too long to call for delivery. He might as well cook.
【Are you serious, brother?】
Song Xuanhe walked into the kitchen, and the System’s voice rang in his head.
He looked at the recipe on his phone and asked：【Does it look like I’m joking?】
The System stopped talking, and Song Xuanhe quietly looked up recipes. He wanted to find a simple and nutritious dish that would show off his culinary abilities.
Fifteen minutes passed, but Song Xuanhe hadn’t found a suitable recipe.
He resigned himself to his fate and searched the cabinets. He dug out a pack of instant noodles that he had casually added to the cart the last time he had gone grocery shopping with Xiao Yuanmu. He stood up and turned on the stove to boil water. He was about to tear open the instant noodles when he suddenly thought of something. He asked, “Can patients eat instant noodles?”
The System did a search and replied：【It would be best to avoid eating it.】
Song Xuanhe looked at the pack of instant noodles. His stomach was still rumbling. He could only pull out his phone and dial a restaurant’s number before continuing to cook the noodles.
He typically didn’t eat much. However, a single pack of ramen would not be enough to fill him up. Therefore, he cooked two packs together. When the noodles were done, he carried them into the dining room, just itching to dig in.
However, as soon as he turned around, Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing in the dining room, looking into the kitchen. The other’s gaze was on the instant noodles in his hands.
Although he knew that it wasn’t good for a recovering person to eat instant noodles, he thought it over and still asked politely, “Do you want some?”
“Yes.”
The two of them sat on either side of the table with the pot of instant noodles in the middle. There was a bowl in front of each person. They picked up some noodles from the pot and transferred it into their bowls before eating.
Two men eating two packs of instant noodles, and yet, they still managed to look refined. But, this amount could be eaten in a few bites, so everything was cleaned off in just a few minutes.
Xiao Yuanmu had just placed down his chopsticks when he noticed the other’s gaze. He looked up and met with Song Xuanhe’s crystal clear eyes. He saw that the other didn’t look away and was pursing his lips slightly as if wanting to say something.
Xiao Yuanmu regarded him coolly, waiting for him to speak.
However, after half a minute, Song Xuanhe still looked like he had no intention of speaking. It was just that his eyes didn’t look as bright as before as if he was a bit disappointed.
Xiao Yuanmu didn’t understand why, but he had no interest in probing. Although he really wanted to know why Song Xuanhe was different from his memories, he didn’t want to waste his thoughts on the other’s emotions. What he wanted to know was what had caused the discrepancy between his memories and reality, that’s all.
Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu didn’t hesitate in the least as he looked away. He was about to get up and leave when a scene appeared in his mind—Song Xuanhe’s face as he looked up from the tomato egg stir-fry and said with glittering eyes and a smile: “Delicious.”
This was completely inconsistent with the Song Xuanhe in his memories of the previous worlds, but it fit in with his memories of Song Xuanhe from this world. Xiao Yuanmu didn’t know which one was the real Song Xuanhe, but he couldn’t deny that before he had been reborn, the twenty-two-year-old Xiao Yuanmu, who had not experienced all that the current him had, had really fallen for Song Xuanhe.
“Delicious.”
His voice emitted from his throat. Even Xiao Yuanmu was surprised. However, when he saw Song Xuanhe’s eyes suddenly light up, the uncontrollable ire from just now subsided.
Song Xuanhe’s eyes curved up. Although the other was pressing down his smile, Xiao Yuanmu could sense the other’s pride. Song Xuanhe pretended to be indifferent and said, “Actually, it was just OK. After all, it was my first time cooking.”
Xiao Yuanmu’s gaze swept over the upwards lilt that the other was trying to force down. The words he had heard earlier echoed in his mind: Can patients eat instant noodles?
He didn’t know if it was because his memories had fused together, but the corner of his lips involuntarily raised.
Song Xuanhe had just taken the dishes to the kitchen when he heard the doorbell. He opened the door, accepted the takeout, and asked Xiao Yuanmu, who was in the living room, “I called for takeout. Do you want to eat?”
Xiao Yuanmu looked at the brand printed on the paper bag. He then glanced up at Song Xuanhe’s indifferent expression, looking like he was just asking him while he was at it. Xiao Yuanmu thus got up and followed the other back into the dining room.
Just as expected, it was all bland foods. There was also an order of bone soup. One glance and you could tell who this had been specially prepared for.
Faced with Xiao Yuanmu’s gaze that seemed to hold a deeper meaning, Song Xuanhe ate a few bites, then got up, and said, “After eating it, just toss it in the kitchen. I’m going up first.”
After saying this, he left the dining room and went upstairs without waiting for Xiao Yuanmu’s response.
Xiao Yuanmu continued to eat dinner calmly. After finishing, he brought the takeout waste to the kitchen. When he opened the trash can, he paused. He found some sticky, black substance inside. After a careful look, he realized that it was watery rice.
He examined the kitchen and saw that there were egg shells and half-cut meat on a cutting board on top of the counter. Looking at the meat, it didn’t seem like it had been cut just now. His gaze shifted and landed on a pot in the sink. There was white rice and yellow eggs stuck to the pot. It was equally as charred as the brown stuff in the trash can.
If he wasn’t wrong, this must be…congee?
*
After washing up, Song Xuanhe answered a call. His university classmate had invited him to the opening reception of his studio. This classmate hadn’t been really close to the original host, but this reception was a part of the plot.
Therefore, he did not hesitate and agreed when he received this invitation.
After hanging up, Song Xuanhe casually dried his hair with a towel and was about to go to bed. He had yet to reach his bed when he heard a knock.
Song Xuanhe stood there in place. He looked stupefied as he stared at the door. There were only two people living in this apartment. It was obvious as to who was knocking.
However, Xiao Yuanmu had never knocked on his door before. With regards to privacy, they had a mutual, tacit agreement to mind their own business.
What was Xiao Yuanmu planning on doing now, suddenly knocking on his door?
Probably because he didn’t hear any signs of movement on Song Xuanhe’s side, Xiao Yuanmu stopped knocking. His clear voice reverberated from the other side of the door. Although they were separated by the door, his voice was still magnetic and deep like an instrument. “Can you help me change my dressing?”
Song Xuanhe’s expression changed slightly. He looked at the wooden door for a while, brows furrowed. In the end, he walked over.
When the door opened, Xiao Yuanmu handed the bandages over to Song Xuanhe and said, “It’s difficult for me to apply the medicine on my left hand. Going to have to trouble you.”
Song Xuanhe took the bandage and walked back into his room. He stopped at the sofa and said, “Sit down. Wait a bit for me.”
Xiao Yuanmu nodded. He watched Song Xuanhe leave the room and then slowly got up. He surveyed the room, gaze falling on the desk in the adjourned study. It looked like there was something on it.
He headed over. When there were only a few steps left between himself and the desk, he paused. He looked at the open sketchbook on the desk, surprise emerging in his eyes.
In the open sketchbook was a sketch of a man’s profile. Although the sketch was simple, it captured the essence very well. Anyone who had seen Xiao Yuanmu before would have been able to tell with just a glance that the person drawn was him.
The author has something to say:
Song Xuanhe: Is it due to a loss of morality or humanity? A young man barging into another man’s room in the middle of the night and actually doing such a thing….
Xiao Yuanmu: I can do anything as long as you like it.
My son Xuan has finally started to support his family! Thank you for all your support! (づ￣ 3￣)づ
Eve: Xuanhe is so, so cute. And here’s reborn x2 XYM’s descent. He’s trying to fight against his feelings but something tells me it’s a losing battle. *wink wink*
Kara: Ahhh, the romantic misunderstandings continue!! Hehehehe (*´艸`*) Yes, Xuanhe’s power is too strong, even against a reborn Mumu!! But, when is Xuanhe going to destroy his scum dad? ∑（｡･Д･｡）??? Although, I’m totally ok with us just getting these fluffy misunderstandings instead. LOL (Also, also, I’m very tired. This chapter killed me (;´Д`)ﾉ)
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