Translated by Eve

Song Xuanhe objected. He and Xiao Yuanmu had no future together. There was no need to remember his words.

Fortunately, the Director just so happened to return at this time. Song Xuanhe thus stood up and said, “Director, you're back.”

The Director had hurried over here because she had noticed that the rain seemed to have lightened up. She wanted to take advantage of the lighter rain and head over to their lodging right away. Therefore, she didn't come back into the room. “The rain is lighter now. Let's head over right away.”

Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had no objections. Song Xuanhe supported the Director as she walked in the front and Xiao Yuanmu trailed behind them with the puppy in his arms. The party of three humans and one dog walked along the dark, quiet path. The rain pitter-pattered around them and the puppy occasionally whined. Because of this, it was no longer as terrifying as it had been before.

Although the Director was old, she was still very nimble on her feet. She was even more dexterous and graceful on her feet than the two men. In less than ten minutes, they reached the two-storied building where the orphanage employees and teachers lived.

Xiao Yuanmu's room was the most innermost room on the second floor. It was next to the Director's room. Thus, the three of them climbed up the stairs one after another. When she reached her door, the Director smiled and said, “The bathroom has everything you need. You two were soaked by the rain just now. It would be best if you two showered and warmed up your bodies before going to bed.”

“We know. Granny, you should go to bed early.”

The Director made a sound of acknowledgement and then reminded them of a few more things before entering her room.

Song Xuanhe turned around to look at the door that was on the wall perpendicular to Xiao Yuanmu's room. He pushed the door open and walked in. Inside was a cramped but clean washroom. He was surprised. “Is this communal?”

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Xiao Yuanmu thought that he was disdaining it for being shabby so he didn't answer. He then heard Song Xuanhe say, “The Director also got soaked by the rain just now. How about we let her go first?”

When he didn't hear Xiao Yuanmu's reply, Song Xuanhe shut the door and turned around. “Or does the Director have a bathroom in her room?”

“No.” Xiao Yuanmu said, a trace of warmth permeating through his cool, refres.h.i.+ng voice. “She's used to showering in the main building after dinner. Don't worry. Granny will boil a pot of hot water for herself.”

Xiao Yuanmu's voice was always a bit more gentle than usual when he was at the orphanage. But the fact that he was giving Song Xuanhe an explanation out of his own accord was new. Song Xuanhe glanced at Xiao Yuanmu, a bit astonished. But he didn't say anything else.

Xiao Yuanmu opened the door to his room. After letting Song Xuanhe in, he brought the puppy to a corner of his room and then used some of his clothes to make a little padded area for him. He looked up and said to Song Xuanhe, “There are clothes in the wardrobe you can change into. Grab whatever you want and go take a shower.”

Song Xuanhe didn't do that. Instead, he watched with keen interest as Xiao Yuanmu helped dry the puppy's fur. The rain had been too strong just now. Furthermore, the wind had blown in all directions. Not only had the humans gotten soaked, but the puppy had ended up wet too. But compared to them, the puppy was only a little wet.

The puppy seemed to understand who it was that truly liked him and would treat him well. As Xiao Yuanmu wiped him dry, he barked in his sweet puppy voice and wagged his tail quickly. He would also occasionally lick Xiao Yuanmu's hand.

“I'm the one who picked him up.” Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. “Who would have expected that he would only repay me, his benefactor, by peeing on me? Meanwhile, he wags his tail at you and licks your hand.”

Xiao Yuanmu gently petted the puppy's head. His tone was still gentle, void of its usual frost. His voice sounded even more refres.h.i.+ng and pure against the sound of the torrential rain. “Animals are different from humans. They can tell who's a good person and who's a bad person. They may not necessarily hold a grudge against bad people, but if someone is kind to them, they will remember it for the rest of their lives.”

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Song Xuanhe stared at Xiao Yuanmu's lowered eyes thoughtfully. The corner of his lips rose. “I didn't expect you to like dogs.”

Xiao Yuanmu placed the dried puppy onto the soft clothes and stood up. He looked at Song Xuanhe and said in a flat tone, “Sometimes, dogs are more likeable than humans.”

When Song Xuanhe heard this, he nodded in agreement. With a smile that didn't reach his eyes, he said, “Of course. Otherwise, where would we have gotten the term 'worse than a beast?'”

With this, he decided to stop their chat there. He casually grabbed an outfit from the wardrobe and said, “I'll go wash up.”

It was only under the hot spray of the shower that Song Xuanhe finally felt the chill dissipate from his body.

【I didn't expect that the big shot would have had such a tragic childhood.】

The System's voice suddenly sounded while Song Xuanhe was was.h.i.+ng his hair. Even though it was familiar, it still startled Song Xuanhe to suddenly hear a voice in his head while his body was in such a relaxed state.

But after the surprise pa.s.sed, he felt regret. He could have asked the System what had been behind him during that episode with Xiao Yuanmu on that path. He had been too scared at the time to think straight. The System had known that Xiao Yuanmu was digging a pit for him but it hadn't taken the initiative to tell him that. It frequently called him 'brother' but it looks like its feelings of camaraderie were quite superficial.

Song Xuanhe didn't hide his thoughts from the System. When the System heard this, it felt wronged and explained ：【I had gone to look up what had happened to the big shot during his childhood so I hadn't been paying attention to what was happening on your side. I had been shocked at the time. I didn't expect that this world's protagonist would have gone through so much in his childhood. Do you know why he's afraid of snakes?】

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Song Xuanhe paused while was.h.i.+ng his hair. The shampoo fell into his eyes so he wiped it away. In a flat tone, he said：【No. And I don't want to know.】

The System was taken aback. It had thought that Song Xuanhe would definitely want to know why. It couldn't help but ask：【Why not?】

【No reason.】Song Xuanhe tilted his head up and let the water hit his forehead. Some of it then flowed down the back of his head while the rest of it trickled down his eyelashes. When his hair was fully rinsed of all suds, he said ：【I don't need to get any more involved with Xiao Yuanmu. We humans have a saying: 'curiosity killed the cat.' It's the same with me and Xiao Yuanmu. Nothing good will come out of me finding out more about him.】

The System fell silent when it heard this. After some time, it asked：【Because he threatened you after you found out about his fear of snakes?】

【No.】

Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He wasn't blind. He naturally didn't think that Xiao Yuanmu had really been threatening him back then. At least, the threat hadn't held any negative emotions. But it wasn't necessarily friendly either. Xiao Yuanmu's pitch-black eyes back then had seemed to emit light. It had been both scorching and stunning.

If he were to describe them, he would say that the other had looked like he was a wanderer in the desert who had finally caught sight of an oasis—it was frenzied, scorching, and full of a desire to possess.

Song Xuanhe could understand how Xiao Yuanmu must have felt. Some people would choose to silence people who came across the secret they wanted to keep hidden, because they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to control that person. But there were others that would react differently in the same situation. These people would feel excited.

Bearing a secret on your own is lonesome and hard to bear. Even if it's a difficult-to-overcome psychological shadow, control freaks won't allow it to become their weak point. Instead of trying to hide it, they would much rather thoroughly rid themselves of this fear and overcome it.

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Therefore, if someone were to find out about their secret, then they would definitely try to think of a way to get full control over this person. They would then make them into their most special person.

There were many kinds of special people. For example, friends, family members, or even lovers. But regardless of the relations.h.i.+p status, one thing they all have in common was that these control freaks were extremely controlling of their special people. Furthermore, they demanded to be the closest person to them.

He and Xiao Yuanmu were not at that stage yet. That was why he didn't want to find out anything more about Xiao Yuanmu's past. People will subconsciously open their hearts to people they share a secret with, or to people who know of their secrets.

And he didn't need Xiao Yuanmu to open his heart to him. This was because he knew that Xiao Yuanmu's past would cause him to waver.

The System didn't understand. When it saw that Song Xuanhe was done bathing, it asked：【So what's the reason?】

Song Xuanhe put on the change of clothes. His expression was frightfully cold：【I already told you, it's because I don't want to know too much about his past. Nothing good will come out of it. In contrast, knowing too much will only bring misfortune.】

The System didn't speak again. Song Xuanhe pushed the door open and stood in the cold air for a while. After he started to s.h.i.+ver, he knocked on Xiao Yuanmu's door and walked in.

Xiao Yuanmu was currently on the phone. When he saw Song Xuanhe walk in, he hung up. He took pause when he noticed the other's pale lips and asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“No.” Song Xuanhe dried his hair with the towel and avoided Xiao Yuanmu's gaze. “Go wash up. It's getting late.”

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When Xiao Yuanmu heard this, he stared at Song Xuanhe for a bit. But all he could see was the s.h.i.+fting white towel. His eyes darkened slightly and his voice regained its usual chill. “That's my towel. I only have one.”

Song Xuanhe stopped wiping his hair and threw it at the other. He then lifted the covers off the bed and sat down. “I didn't know. It's a bit wet now. Sorry.”

Xiao Yuanmu's eyes darkened even more. His gaze flitted around Song Xuanhe's cold and obviously distant expression. His tone was unreadable. “This is the first time you've apologized to me.”

“I should apologize to you.” Song Xuanhe didn't bother with his still damp hair and curled up under the sheets. He said, “You were nice enough to shelter me at your expense. So I should obviously apologize to you.”

His tone was really matter-of-fact and polite. There was none of the usual bossy, spoiled rich kid undertones.

Xiao Yuanmu didn't know why, but a strange fire lit up in his chest. He threw the towel onto the bed and bent over to pinch Song Xuanhe's chin. He said, “We're dating so you don't owe me anything for letting you stay. But as for my expense, I really have been losing out.”

After he said this, Xiao Yuanmu pressed his lips against Song Xuanhe's. The moment he stuck his tongue into the other's mouth, he also reached into Song Xuanhe's clothes. Unlike his overbearing kiss, his hands moved very gently across Song Xuanhe's smooth skin in a heedless manner.

Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He then immediately began to struggle. Although he wasn't as strong as Xiao Yuanmu, they were both men. In a short amount of time, he was able to break free of the other's hold.

Xiao Yuanmu stood up straight and peered down onto him. He said in a cool tone, “Isn't this normal between lovers? Haven't I been losing out on our arrangement because we haven't been doing this?”

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Song Xuanhe had been caught unprepared by that kiss. He was left even more stunned upon hearing these illogical words uttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Xiao Yuanmu leaned over again under Song Xuanhe's guarded gaze. When their eyes met, he smiled. “Since I've incurred a loss because of you, shouldn't you apologize and…make it up to me?”

Xiao Yuanmu put his emphasis on the last five words, his voice sounding deep and hoa.r.s.e, like he was enticing Song Xuanhe to give him a satisfactory response.

Eve: Excuse me, I'll be over here blus.h.i.+ng while rolling around in my bed squealing.