Translated by Eve

Edited by Kara

Thank you Miimaas for the kofi!

Xiao Yuanmu's eyes were dark, and his tone was unreadable. “You agree?”

“I agree.” Song Xuanhe seemed to have not noticed the other's dark expression. He said in a casual tone, “I've never been one to do long-distance relations.h.i.+ps. You're also so busy, and it's not like either of us went into this relations.h.i.+p thinking it'd be real. Things will get back on the right track if we break up now.”

“Back on the right track.” Xiao Yuanmu repeated his last few words, lips suddenly rising into an arc. Derision was written all over his face. “If us breaking up is 'getting back on the right track,' then what was I to you when we first got together?”

Xiao Yuanmu got up and walked closer to Song Xuanhe. His eyes were cold like a bottomless abyss. There was also a sinister gloominess constrained within them. His voice was cold as winter's frost. “A subst.i.tute?”

Song Xuanhe didn't panic when he saw Xiao Yuanmu walk over. He returned the other's gaze calmly. But when he heard the word, “subst.i.tute,” he was still inevitably taken aback. He frowned. “What subst.i.tute?”

“The reason you had used the Director to threaten me to date you.” Xiao Yuanmu moved in closer, hands falling onto the back of the sofa behind Song Xuanhe. After trapping him, he continued in a low, frigid voice, “The reason you had wanted to act like a couple with me even though you don't like me. The reason why you have never tried to do anything with me even after we had moved in together.”

Xiao Yuanmu's black pupils were trained on Song Xuanhe, catching every single change in his expression. His lips curled into a ridiculing arc. “Am I right?”

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“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

Song Xuanhe's eyebrows were furrowed tightly. He had already antic.i.p.ated how Xiao Yuanmu would react when he had said that he wanted to break up. That had been why he didn't panic upon sensing Xiao Yuanmu's anger. But when he had heard the other randomly mention a “subst.i.tute” and saw the serious, dark look in his eyes, he knew that things were heading in an unexpected direction.

“What subst.i.tute?” Although he had a faint, bad premonition, Song Xuanhe didn't feel afraid at all for some reason. Instead, he simply met Xiao Yuanmu's eyes with his own pure, innocent ones. “Explain.”

Those pure eyes would make one unwittingly lower their guard and trust his every word. Even if you knew that he was clearly lying, you wouldn't be able to help but try to find an excuse for him. You'd rather lie to yourself than to cause disappointment to appear in his eyes.

How come he hadn't noticed that Song Xuanhe had such good-looking eyes in his previous two lives? They were so good-looking that he was even willing to deceive himself now.

“Heh.”

Xiao Yuanmu laughed coldly. He wasn't laughing at Song Xuanhe but at himself. Even though he knew that nine out of ten things Song Xuanhe said were false, he was still willing to believe that what he said was true.

The words Song Jiani had said to him at Xiao Nan's banquet echoed in his ears. “Do you actually think Xuanhe

gege

likes you? The person he likes isn't you but someone else. You're nothing but a subst.i.tute!”

“Have you never wondered why Xuanhe

gege

wants to be with you or why he would threaten you with the Director but never formally introduce you to everyone else after you had gotten together?”

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Song Jiani had smiled as she raised her gla.s.s of champagne. She had looked pleased with herself like she was looking at some ignorant soul. Quietly, she had continued, “If I'm not mistaken, you two haven't slept with each other yet, have you? You don't have to trust me. Of course, you are free to go investigate this. Find out who Xuanhe

gege

is the happiest with and who he cares for the most.”

“Or, just watch Xuanhe

gege

when he talks to others. I have never seen Xuanhe

gege

smile at you as happily as he does with the person he likes.”

“Someone told me that you're using me as a subst.i.tute for Xiao Shenglin.” Xiao Yuanmu's gaze was fixed onto Song Xuanhe's. He asked, “Was she right?”

“Impossible!”

If Xiao Yuanmu had mentioned anyone else, Song Xuanhe might have hesitated and wondered whether the original host had been capable of doing such a sc.u.mmy thing. However, the person he had mentioned was Xiao Shenglin.

Although Xiao Yuanmu and Xiao Shenglin both had the surname “Xiao,” and Xiao Shenglin was indeed a member of a related branch family, their appearances and personalities were completely different. There was no way either of them could be a subst.i.tute for the other.

“What, you believed her just 'cause she said it?” Song Xuanhe didn't cover up just how ridiculous he found this to be. “Think about it yourself, how are you and Xiao Shenglin similar? You guys aren't alike at all!”

Song Xuanhe had thought that Xiao Yuanmu would have been swayed when he heard this or at least doubt himself. But, Xiao Yuanmu's expression was currently unexpectedly calm. He only quietly made a “mn” sound before asking, “Who do you think I'm like then?”

“No one.” Song Xuanhe pushed Xiao Yuanmu's face further away and looked off to the side. “Don't listen to nonsense. I had just wanted to be with you back then because you are good-looking.”

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Xiao Yuanmu let go and left without a word. A moment later, he came out of the bedroom with two pictures. He handed them over to Song Xuanhe.

Song Xuanhe picked one up. It was Xiao Yuanmu dressed in undergraduate graduation robes at the gates of his university. Although the Xiao Yuanmu in the image had a distant look in his eyes, they also still had the purity and brightness of youth.

This made Song Xuanhe suddenly recall the first time they had met as well as the other's bright eyes from when Song Xuanhe had saved him at the pool. Although he was still Xiao Yuanmu after his rebirth, very few people would instantly think he was the same just by looking at this photo. Their auras were completely different.

Song Xuanhe subconsciously glanced at the current Xiao Yuanmu. In the past, Song Xuanhe had felt like there wasn't much of a difference between the pre-rebirth and post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu. However, looking at him now, he discovered that there was actually a big difference.

To put it another way, this post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu had gradually changed. This change hadn't taken place overnight. It had happened over a long period of time.

This was why Song Xuanhe had been so slow to pick up on it. It hadn't been until the matter with Sun Jinren that he had realized that Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn in advance. After having seen this photo, he also realized that he hadn't been able to read Xiao Yuanmu the same way he had with his pre-rebirth self in a long time.

The current Xiao Yuanmu was unfathomable.

It was just…. Song Xuanhe's finger twitched on his leg. Regardless of which Xiao Yuanmu it was, he would always make him feel conflicted and afraid.

It was probably because he had understood the pre-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu, who had been distant and cold but also weak. And also, because he had seen how the strong post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu really liked dogs. And also, because he had seen how deathly pale Xiao Yuanmu had gotten after having seen that snake before.

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He knew Xiao Yuanmu's weakness, preferences, and how much pain and darkness were beneath his strong exterior. Unwittingly, he had come to completely understand him.

The last person he had known this well had been his best friend, who had told Song Xuanhe to continue living on happily just before he had died. Xiao Yuanmu was the second person, but their relations.h.i.+p, regardless of what form it took, was not destined to last long.

Speaking of which, it seemed like, regardless of which world he was in, the people he cared about would always leave him.

Everyone else would be incidental. It was only Xiao Yuanmu who was foreordained to leave him. Since that was the case, he had all the more reason to make sure this was settled now. From now on, Xiao Yuanmu would have a promising future ahead of him. There would be many people who loved him. After Song Xuanhe left this world, Xiao Yuanmu would naturally be able to begin anew.

Song Xuanhe stared at the second photo. His pupils constricted slightly. He then smiled. It seemed like things wouldn't have to wait until he left. From today on, it looked like he and Xiao Yuanmu would be completely over.

The person in the second photo was someone Song Xuanhe was very familiar with: Xiao Shenglin during his school days.

If you were to just look at these two people in these photos and not think of what they were like in real life now, Song Xuanhe had to admit that Xiao Shenglin, who had also been wearing a graduation gown and had a cold expression on his face, looked really alike to the distant pre-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu. Just by comparing these two photos, you'd also realize that their features and face shape were quite similar as well.

The current Xiao Shenglin was gentle and refined. His features were soft and elegant. Meanwhile, the current Xiao Yuanmu was cold and indifferent. His features were even frostier and sharper than before. Therefore, no one thought they looked alike. But of course, this was on the premise that no one saw these two particular photos.

After having seen these two photos, Song Xuanhe naturally couldn't lie with his eyes open. Even if he did, Xiao Yuanmu wouldn't believe him.

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Song Xuanhe placed the photos onto the coffee table and turned to meet Xiao Yuanmu's gaze. He smiled and asked, “Are you trying to use these two photos to prove that I've been using you as Xiao Shenglin's subst.i.tute?”

Xiao Yuanmu's legs were crossed as he sat on the armchair. He had been waiting with cold eyes ever since Song Xuanhe had laid eyes on those photos. His fingers had been tapping against the armrest rhythmically. When he had heard Song Xuanhe speak up, the tapping stopped. He looked up. “Were you?”

“If I said no, would you believe me?”

“Yes.”

Xiao Yuanmu's cold but firm tone startled Song Xuanhe. He peered into Xiao Yuanmu's jet-black eyes. There were countless complicated emotions hidden in his bottomless eyes. Song Xuanhe discovered that he suddenly couldn't utter the words that were already in his mouth.

Song Xuanhe regarded him, a heedless smile in those clear eyes of his. It looked like there were no emotions in his eyes. “And, what if I said yes?”

A moment of silence later, Xiao Yuanmu moved his hand to his leg. He pursed his lips slightly, his cool voice tense with some kind of emotion. “I hope that you'll say no.”

Song Xuanhe looked down and asked again, “If I said yes, would you believe me?”

When he saw Song Xuanhe break eye contact, something quickly flickered through Xiao Yuanmu's black eyes. His pursed lips curled up slightly. There was some kind of alluring tone and hidden danger constrained within his voice. “Whatever you say, I will believe it.”

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Eve: Guesses on what He

bao

will say??? Also, again, I cry because SXH clearly cares about XYM (HE EVEN SAID HE'S 1 of the 2 PEOPLE HE'S EVER REALLY CARED ABOUT TO THIS EXTENT). And the part where he muses about how everyone he cares about leaves him (INCLUDING HIS PARENTS) I—-

Kara:

inhales

— (┛◉Д◉)┛彡┻━┻ WHY DO WE HAVE TO PLAY THESE KIND OF MINDGAMES, HUH, MY PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL SONS??? WHY???? YOUR MOM IS TIRED!! I JUST WANT MY SONS TO BE HAPPY AND IN LOVE!! ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ Mom demands sweetness later, otherwise I don't know how more I can take. My heart is hurting… _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):_ …