ATAVID CH84

When Jiang Qunyu woke up the next morning, Wei Xun was still asleep.

The two of them were in an intimate, ambiguous position. One of Wei Xun’s arms was wrapped tightly around his waist, his chin resting against the crown of Jiang Qunyu’s head. His warm breath brushed against the side of Jiang Qunyu’s neck every now and then, stirring up a faint, tingling itch.

In truth, Jiang Qunyu had realized a long time ago that Wei Xun was incredibly clingy.

Ever since he woke up after his sixth death, Wei Xun had practically attached himself to his hip, never leaving his side. Back then, they hadn’t slept in the same bed for quite a while, but Wei Xun had been stubborn and domineering, insisting on holding him while they slept—as if the moment he let go, Jiang Qunyu would vanish entirely.

Jiang Qunyu had already forgotten why he had been unwilling to share a bed with Wei Xun in the first place. He only remembered that, because he hadn’t felt any aversion to it back then, he had simply let him have his way.

As the scenes of the past overlapped with the present, a wave of dazed emotion washed over Jiang Qunyu’s heart.

The only difference was that back then, his attitude toward Wei Xun was merely an indescribable indulgence. Now, however, he felt inexplicably nervous.

It couldn’t be… that I actually like Wei Xun too, right?

The moment this thought popped up, his heart instantly skipped a beat.

Fuck. He couldn’t help but curse internally, wailing in his own mind: Stop beating, you stupid heart! Just stop beating!

He also found it bizarre. He had merely slept for one night, so how had his feelings toward Wei Xun changed entirely upon waking? When he died for the seventh time, he had been completely intent on settling all scores with Wei Xun, determined never to cross paths with him again in this lifetime.

Jiang Qunyu was a very vengeful person. That was why, after Wei Xun deceived him all those years ago, he decided to draw a clear line between them. He had tried to treat their subsequent interactions as mere tasks, doing only what he was supposed to do without allowing an ounce of extra entanglement.

But he was also someone who remembered kindness well. Thus, every time he woke up and saw Wei Xun’s scar-covered hands, he would feel that Wei Xun wasn’t entirely loathsome after all.

At the very beginning, they truly looked down on one another, frequently getting into physical brawls. Later on, once their relationship thawed a bit, Wei Xun stopped playing those games with him. As a result, most of the time, it was Jiang Qunyu who came up with various ways to tease and play tricks on him.

Jiang Qunyu actually knew very well that Wei Xun no longer wanted him dead. Whether it was how Wei Xun stubbornly refused to let him go to the battlefield after they arrived at Yunque City, or that towering building that rose from the ground within the city. At first, he had assumed the tower was built for Shen Peiqiu. Yet until the very end, from beginning to night, only he and Wei Xun had ever lived in that high tower.

Looking at it this way, had Wei Xun already liked him back then?

But Jiang Qunyu always felt it might have been even earlier. Why hadn’t he noticed it back then? Why had he been so dead-set on the idea that the person Wei Xun liked was Shen Peiqiu?

As he thought up to this point, his memories began to blur and grow chaotic once more.

My soul is probably still unstable in this body, Jiang Qunyu sighed softly in his heart.

In any case, no matter how much he overthought it, the reality remained: he woke up, and Wei Xun liked him. Not only did Wei Xun like him, but he had also forced him into a wedding ceremony to become his spouse.

If he hadn’t known that Wei Xun held him at night to kiss and lick him, then even if his identity were exposed in front of Wei Xun in the future, he would only think this marriage was just Wei Xun deliberately making things difficult to disgust him. But since he did know, he had to admit that Wei Xun harbored other intentions toward him.

As for his own feelings toward Wei Xun…

Jiang Qunyu thought to himself: Better to stall for as long as possible. At least give him some time to properly think it over. After all, just a few days ago, he was still a straight guy.

Jiang Qunyu planned to slip out again to sort out his thoughts—well, to put it bluntly, he just didn’t want to face Wei Xun.

However, the moment he made a move, a cold, clear voice landed in his ears: “Where are you going?”

Inexplicably, Jiang Qunyu managed to detect a hint of resentment and grievance from this flat tone.

Jiang Qunyu: “…”

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt something press against his waist.

He wasn’t an idiot. Reacting instantly, he felt a chill run up his tailbone. Scared out of his wits, he kicked Wei Xun hard in the shin.

“Hiss—”

A low gasp of pain escaped Wei Xun’s throat, and his grip around Jiang Qunyu loosened slightly.

Taking advantage of the opening, Jiang Qunyu rolled toward the inner side of the bed. Just like how they used to sleep when they first shared a bed, he forced a distance between them wide enough to fit two more people.

Griting his teeth, a faint flush crept up his neck and all the way to the tips of his ears: “Wei Xun! Can’t you control yourself?!”

Wei Xun clearly had no intention of controlling himself. Instead, he sat up, looking at Jiang Qunyu who wished he could stay three feet away. Tweaking his lips into a smirk, he spoke in a dangerous, chilling tone: “What? You don’t have a reaction?”

Jiang Qunyu choked.

Wei Xun was obviously not doing any better; the tips of his ears were also red, yet he still maintained a calm and unbothered facade.

Jiang Qunyu was about to die of anger. Flaring up, he snapped, “I don’t!”

“Heh.” Wei Xun let out a light scoff, his gaze slowly drifting downward.

Jiang Qunyu genuinely hadn’t felt anything unusual at first, but under that direct stare, his body seemed to deliberately work against him. In an instant, his blood rushed, and his entire body felt out of whack.

“Fuck you!” Jiang Qunyu’s mind went blank. Snapping his teeth, he reached out to snatch the blanket.

Wei Xun was in an excellent mood. Having long grown accustomed to Jiang Qunyu’s empty threats, he simply let him have his verbal victory.

Jiang Qunyu yanked the blanket over, covering himself as a guilty cover-up. Wrapping himself tightly like a silkworm cocoon, he lay flat on the bed and played dead.

Wei Xun reached out, wanting to pull him into his arms, but Jiang Qunyu refused, rolling two more times toward the inside of the bed.

Finding it amusing, Wei Xun let out a low chuckle. He reached over to haul the person back, tugging at his blanket. “Aren’t you suffocating?”

Jiang Qunyu stubbornly refused to come out, but in the end, he still lost the tug-of-war against Wei Xun. His entire body flushed a bright shrimp-pink, and he could only repeat the same curses over and over: “Shameless… Shameless… Shameless…”

He tossed and turned, his vocabulary limited to variations of “shameless” and “bastard.”

Wei Xun’s fingers curled slightly at his side, his long, butterfly-wing eyelashes concealing the faint smile in his eyes. His voice remained placid, as though the words weren’t coming from his own mouth: “Stop cursing. The more you curse me, the more I want to fuck you to death.”

Jiang Qunyu fell instantly silent, unable to utter a single word.

After holding it in for a long time, he finally squeezed out a resentful sentence: “Psychopath!”

Without waiting for Wei Xun to reply, he abandoned all dignity, jumped off the bed, and rushed toward the inner washroom.

Out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently caught sight of the thing that had pressed against his waist earlier. The innate “straight guy” urge to compare suddenly flared up, leaving his heart feeling a bit sour.

If I knew this would happen, I should have snatched Wei Xun’s body back then.

As his mind whirled with chaotic thoughts, a sudden realization struck him.

Between him and Wei Xun, who was supposed to be on top and who was on the bottom?

If he ended up on the bottom…

Jiang Qunyu’s footsteps froze mid-stride. With an expressionless face, he firmly made up his mind: I must be the one on top. Otherwise, he felt he would be tossed around until he died.

By the time Jiang Qunyu emerged from the washroom covered in a layer of light mist, Wei Xun had already reverted to his usual cold and detached demeanor. He sat on the edge of the bed, his tall and upright figure outlined by a jet-black robe. Jiang Qunyu stole a few more glances before shifting his eyes away guiltily.

But then he thought, Why should I feel guilty? Stiffening his neck, he forced his gaze back onto Wei Xun.

As if sensing his stare, Wei Xun looked up to lock eyes with him.

Jiang Qunyu didn’t last two seconds before silently looking away again.

Forget it, he wasn’t that thick-skinned yet.

He glanced at the window. Excellent, it was open.

Snatching his outer robe, he prepared to leap out the window and bolt.

However, Wei Xun suddenly spoke up to stop him: “Come here.”

Jiang Qunyu: “…”

He didn’t want to go over there at all.

Wei Xun said indifferently, “Then don’t even think about stepping outside.”

Recalling the astronomical difference in their cultivation levels—with Wei Xun already having reached the formidable Integration Stage—Jiang Qunyu could only swallow his pride for the time being. Pulling back the leg he had already extended out the window, he begrudgingly shuffled over to stand before Wei Xun.

“Kiss me,” Wei Xun commanded further.

Jiang Qunyu’s face distorted slightly. “In your dreams!”

Wei Xun: “Jiang…”

Without a second thought, Jiang Qunyu leaned in and planted a heavy, aggressive kiss right on his lips. Annoyed, he snapped, “Satisfied?!”

All he knows how to do is threaten me!

Dog-brained bastard, what a rotten temper!

He wanted to curse out loud, but remembering Wei Xun’s terrifying remark from earlier this morning, he silently swallowed his words.

Wei Xun didn’t say whether it was enough or not. He lifted his gaze, delivering a final ultimatum to Jiang Qunyu: “One day. Either I say it, or you confess voluntarily.”

Jiang Qunyu looked utterly bewildered. “…?”

How was one day supposed to be enough for him to think things through? Was he being forced to turn from a straight guy into a gay man in a single day?!

After a moment of silence, he asked, “Is there any difference?”

The corners of Wei Xun’s lips hooked up into a faint, sinister smile. He said ominously, “If I am the one to say it, you won’t want to know what your ending will be.”

Jiang Qunyu cursed, “Screw your ancestors.”

He struggled internally for a moment, then leaned in to kiss Wei Xun again.

One kiss was a kiss, two kisses were still a kiss. Besides, Wei Xun had practically licked him all over last night; he was merely kissing him twice in return.

Jiang Qunyu held up two fingers. “Two days.”

Wei Xun: “Deal.”

He agreed that quickly?

Jiang Qunyu bit his lip, leaned in for another quick peck, and bartered, “Three days.”

“Deal.”

Jiang Qunyu fell silent, instantly filled with immense regret. If he had known, he would have demanded more days right from the start.

He lunged forward to plant yet another kiss, making a wildly greedy demand: “A month.”

Wei Xun let out a low laugh. Jiang Qunyu thought he had agreed, but before he could rejoice, Wei Xun’s expression suddenly darkened. Expressionless, he coldly stated, “Keep dreaming. One day.”

Having failed his attempt to gain more, Jiang Qunyu took a step back. Without caring whether Wei Xun agreed or not, he threw down a final, “Three days!”

With that, he flipped over, leaped straight out the window, and fled.

Consequently, Jiang Qunyu picked a random, secluded side palace, suppressed his aura, and spent the entire afternoon lying idly on a tree branch.

As twilight deepened and the sky gradually darkened, the hushed voices of two ghost attendants conversing beneath the tree drifted into his ears.

“Didn’t the Lord just hold a grand wedding with that Demon youth a few days ago? Why did the Great Elder and his subordinates bring a newcomer over again?”

“Who knows,” the other person whispered, glancing around to ensure no one was near before lowering their voice further. “Could it be that the Lord’s life is hanging by a thread, so he needs to welcome two grooms into the palace at the same time to ward off the bad luck?”

“Shh—” The first attendant hurriedly cut him off. “Don’t talk nonsense! But it really is strange. The Demon youth from last time wasn’t sent to the Soul-Locking Palace, yet this new one was taken straight inside…”

Their voices grew fainter and fainter as they walked away.

Up in the tree, Jiang Qunyu removed the two leaves covering his eyes and leaped down from the branch.

The Soul-Locking Palace?

What kind of place is that?