TPPCGEM Chapter 44

Warm breaths brushed against the back of Xia Zhinian’s ear, gentle yet scalding as if the heat had burned him.

The boy’s voice was clear and cool from so close. Xia Zhinian suddenly froze, his entire body tensing up. His heart skipped a beat, and his body hairs stood erect as he stammered nervously.

“W-What do you mean?”

Yan Ci leaned down, gazing at him, his eyes cold. He noticed Xia Zhinian’s hair sticking up, chuckled softly, and reached to smooth it down.

“What’s wrong? Was I not clear enough?”

Xia Zhinian: “!!!”

Yan Ci’s lips curved into a faint smile, so refined and gentle that it bordered on terrifying. His voice was warm, “When you saw me with Chu Qingjian outside the school building, you left right away. When you heard us together in the restroom stall…”

He paused, his tone turning even gentler. He chuckled coldly, “Baby, at that moment, you could barely contain your excitement.”

Xia Zhinian: “!!!”

Oh no, help! That’s not true!

Maybe he was imagining the black sesame dumpling getting smooched?

He was wrong. Black sesame dumplings wouldn’t get smooched.

Nobody could pin him down.

Xia Zhinian swallowed with difficulty, his heart pounding rapidly, thumping heavily against his chest. His mouth was dry, and he trembled slightly. “I…”

“What about you?”

Yan Ci’s eyes were filled with coldness, but he forced it down, staring at him with a faint smile. He patted Xia Zhinian’s head, his hand sliding down to the back of his pale neck.

Xia Zhinian’s neck stiffened under the cool palm, and he dared not move. He vaguely felt fingers brush against the side of his neck, and he shivered, his almond eyes widening.

“Be good.”

Yan Ci sensed his trembling, his smile deepening as he spoke softly, with a chilling tone. “Where did you get the idea that there was even a chance of me and Chu Qingjian being together, hm?”

…Yan Ci was angry.

This was bad. What should he do now?

Xia Zhinian’s fingertips went pale, his lashes fluttered uneasily, and he bit his lip, remaining silent.

“Why aren’t you talking, baby?”

Yan Ci’s lips curled slightly as he stared at Xia Zhinian, his gaze tracing him from head to toe, over and over. There was something elusive, something he couldn’t quite grasp about this boy. His voice was soft, almost coaxing. “I’m very curious. You used to like Chu Qingjian so much. So why did you suddenly… give up and start trying to match me with him instead?”

“Was there a special reason for such a bizarre change?”

Xia Zhinian: “!!!”

Oh no, oh no, oh no!

Xia Zhinian’s heart skipped a beat. He clenched his fingers tightly, his eyes wide as he looked at Yan Ci.

Yan Ci stared at him with a faint smile, indifferent and casual, his voice gentle, almost coaxing, “Come on, tell me the reason. I’d like to hear it.”

He needed to know the reason.

So that he could keep him firmly in his grasp.

Xia Zhinian panicked, his back growing cold as his heart pounded wildly.

This was bad, really bad. The black sesame dumpling was too perceptive.

He hesitated, opening his mouth as if to say something but then closing it again, biting his lip and staying silent.

Yan Ci’s expression grew colder. He squeezed Xia Zhinian’s neck.

“Speak.”

“Ah!”

Xia Zhinian jolted, his body tensing even more. His almond eyes grew round as he bit his lip, his mind racing. Finally, he stammered out, “I-I know that Brother Chu… doesn’t like me.”

His mind buzzed as he desperately tried to come up with something to say, his throat dry.

“I’m… I’m not good enough, not outstanding… I don’t deserve him, so—mmph!”

His lips were suddenly covered, and his body was pulled back so hard that he nearly fell over, his stiff back pressed against the body behind him. Xia Zhinian gasped, muffling a groan.

“Forget it. I don’t want to hear it.”

The boy’s words were starting to grate on Yan Ci’s nerves. His eyes turned icy cold as he clenched his jaw, a chilling laugh escaping his lips.

“Baby, I’m angry.”

Xia Zhinian: “!!”

Help, help!

Xia Zhinian’s eyes widened as he shivered.

Creak.

The front door of the classroom was pushed open.

“Class, how’s the voting going?”

Mr. Qin walked in with a cheerful smile, glancing at the voting results on the board.

Yan Ci glanced up at the front, then looked back at the pale-faced, stiff boy. He chuckled lightly and returned to his seat.

Xia Zhinian breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief, though his heart still pounded. But before he could relax, his chair was suddenly pulled, and he slid over, forced to sit right next to Yan Ci.

“…”

Oh heavens, the black sesame dumpling is terrifying.

Xia Zhinian felt utterly defeated. He was ready to cry but too scared to move, so he tried to shift his body away subtly.

But his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Yan Ci held him firmly, turning to smile faintly, his gaze cold. “Be good. Don’t move. Stay still.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

His wrist was tightly gripped, and all he could do was stay still, bitter and stiff.

Mr. Qin noticed that the top two candidates for Yu Ji’s role had tied. “Oh my, it’s a tie! How about we have the two contenders talk it over, see who can convince us? This could be an interesting activity.”

He looked toward the back of the room. “Class president, you go first.”

Yan Ci suppressed the coldness in his heart, his voice calm and refined, “Teacher, this was just a preliminary vote. We haven’t asked the candidates for their opinions. I won’t participate.”

“Oh, not participating?” Mr. Qin sounded slightly disappointed but seemed to understand that Yan Ci usually didn’t participate in such activities. He turned to the next candidate. “How about you, Xia Zhinian?”

“He won’t either.”

Yan Ci’s voice was faintly indifferent as he cut in before Xia Zhinian could respond. His grip tightened on the boy’s arm.

Xia Zhinian took a deep breath to steady himself. He wasn’t too concerned about whether he should participate—after all, this was a role meant for the protagonist gong and shou, anyway. But now…

He glanced at Yan Ci, whose gaze was cold, and then at Chu Qingjian, who was absorbed in his phone, occasionally glancing back with a strange expression. He sighed heavily.

In the original story, the protagonist gong and shou had sweet moments on stage, playing their roles and sharing intimate scenes. But now…

“You’re still looking?”

A clear voice hissed in his ear, sending chills down his spine.

Yan Ci looked displeased.

Xia Zhinian winced in pain as his wrist was squeezed tightly. He pouted and sighed, whispering in resignation, “I’m not looking, I’m not looking. Let go, it hurts.”

Yan Ci tugged at the corner of his lips.

–

Since the top two candidates for Yu Ji’s role refused to participate, the vote had to be redone. Mr. Qin organized the class, letting those interested in the role speak up before another vote.

The entire last period was spent on this, and the classroom was filled with laughter and chatter. But in the back row, the atmosphere was strange and tense.

Xia Zhinian was worried. The original story was mostly about the relationship between the protagonist gong and shou, with very little actual plot.

So far, the events align somewhat with the original story, but in the original, these parts were practically insignificant.

Meanwhile, like this play, most of the emotional development had completely gone off track.

The next day, the class and art representatives quickly finalized the draft of the play’s script. By the afternoon, it was being passed around the class for feedback.

Xia Zhinian looked at the script in his hands: a tragic farewell between the King of Chu and Yu Ji, a sorrowful embrace, and even a kiss scene.

Xia Zhinian: “…”

If this were the original story, they might actually kiss.

Xia Zhinian glanced at Yan Ci, then at Chu Qingjian, and sighed heavily.

“Hey, deskmate.”

Sitting beside him, Yan Ci had a clear view of the script. He quickly guessed what Xia Zhinian was thinking. Grabbing his arm, he smiled gently, his temper seemingly calm, his voice soft and slow.

“So, are you looking forward to seeing me and Chu Qingjian kiss?”

Chu Qingjian silently glanced back, his expression strange.

Xia Zhinian: “…!”

“…N-no.”

Xia Zhinian shivered, glancing at Yan Ci’s smiling face, feeling his scalp tingle. He quickly shook his head, aware of the situation, and looked ahead at Chu Qingjian.

Originally, he sat behind and to the left of Chu Qingjian, so he had to look slightly to the right to see him. But now, squeezed together with Yan Ci, he only needed to look directly ahead.

Chu Qingjian observed the two sitting so close together, hesitating to speak.

Yesterday, their conversation in the back row had been quiet, heard only by those closest—him and Yuan Lang. Yuan Lang, deeply shocked, had since gone off elsewhere, leaving Chu Qingjian frowning, contemplating for a moment before finally turning around.

It was break time, and the script had been passed to the front row, where a lively group had gathered, chatting and laughing. But in the back row, the atmosphere remained eerie and tense.

Chu Qingjian’s brows furrowed deeply. He cleared his throat and spoke, “Xia Zhinian.”

Xia Zhinian blinked, looking up in response, glancing nervously at Yan Ci’s smiling face beside him. His scalp itched and his heart raced as he felt Yan Ci tighten his grip on his arm.

Yan Ci remained silent, and Chu Qingjian frowned, continuing, “I need to talk to you.”

For some inexplicable reason, Xia Zhinian felt a sense of foreboding. His amber eyes widened, and he nervously nodded, “Okay, Brother Chu, let’s go—”

“Say it here.”

Yan Ci still held Xia Zhinian’s arm firmly, cutting off his words with a cold tone.

Chu Qingjian and Yan Ci locked eyes briefly before Chu Qingjian clicked his tongue and shrugged, “Fine, it doesn’t matter.”

“Xia Zhinian,” he said, his brows still tightly knit, his expression filled with disbelief. “Did you really want to set me up with Yan Ci?”

Xia Zhinian froze.

For some reason, a bad feeling crept up on him. His lips tightened, and his amber eyes, shadowed by long lashes, dropped down.

Now that it had been found out, there was no need to hide anymore. Avoiding Yan Ci’s gaze, he lowered his head and nodded, replying quietly.

“…Yes.”

Yan Ci let out a soft chuckle, his tone icy.

Chu Qingjian’s face twisted with an indescribable expression. He frowned, “You used to say you liked me. You followed me around all the time, looking gloomy, and because of Auntie Jiang, I didn’t say much. I didn’t want to upset you, so I never told you the truth.”

Xia Zhinian blinked in confusion. “What truth?”

Chu Qingjian glanced at him, then at Yan Ci, clicking his tongue again. “You shouldn’t be liking me, and you shouldn’t be trying to set me up with anyone.”

His voice became sharp and clear as he enunciated each word carefully, frowning, “I’m straight. I don’t like guys.”

Xia Zhinian: “…?”

Xia Zhinian’s amber eyes widened, round and bright, and he looked dazed, not fully understanding.

“…What?”

Straight?

Chu Qingjian, seeing his confusion, sighed and repeated, “I said I don’t like men.”

The clear statement echoed in Xia Zhinian’s ears. His eyes grew even wider, his amber irises flickering with a hint of bewilderment. After a moment of processing, he tried to smile but looked rather blank.

“Brother Chu, don’t joke around. How could you…”

The protagonist gong, who had known his own orientation since childhood, how could he be straight?

If the protagonist gong is straight… then he isn’t the protagonist anymore, and the whole world has fallen apart, deviating completely from the original plot.

Xia Zhinian’s fingers trembled, and his face turned pale.

“All the relationships I’ve had were with girls, never with guys.”

Chu Qingjian broke through his self-deception without hesitation. “I’ve always been straight. The past few days, Yan Ci and I have been spending time together because Lao Qin asked us to.”

Xia Zhinian froze. “…Always… been?”

His face grew frighteningly pale, his breathing shallow, and a layer of confusion spread across his amber eyes. Stunned, he looked at Chu Qingjian, then turned his head to look at Yan Ci. After a moment of disorientation, fear began to surface in his eyes.

Always straight.

Chu Qingjian’s relationships, Yan Ci’s skin hunger.

The emotional plot had severely deviated from the original, though the occasional plot point still aligned.

…He had been mistaken.

He had made a mistake.

Xia Zhinian’s eyes were wide open, his breathing growing faster.

This wasn’t the world from the book he had read. It might have been fanfiction, not the original story.

So, there was no protagonist couple, and Chu Qingjian and Yan Ci would never end up together.

…Then what about the original owner?

What was he like?

Xia Zhinian’s expression grew vacant, his lips turning completely colorless as his fingers trembled.

Clatter!

A sharp sound echoed.

A water cup was knocked over, crashing heavily to the ground.

Xia Zhinian flinched, startled. He raised his head and saw that many people had turned around to look at the noise.

“Xia Zhinian?”

Yan Ci softly called his name.

Xia Zhinian, breathing heavily, didn’t hear clearly. Slowly, he bent down to pick up the fallen cup.

Water had spilled out, pooling around his feet. In the reflection, he vaguely saw his face—pale, frightened, uneasy.

It was his face, but also the face of the original owner.

He didn’t know when the original owner’s role would end or the original owner’s ultimate fate.

He didn’t even know if “Xia Zhinian” truly existed in the original story.

…So how could he return?

How could he return everything that belonged to the original host?

Xia Zhinian, lost in thought, shivering uncontrollably, bent down and stared at the water stains on the floor. His breathing became labored, and he rested his arm on his knee, biting his index finger, leaving deep teeth marks on it.

“Xia Zhinian.”

His wrist was suddenly grabbed, forcefully pulling his hand away.

Yan Ci held his arm, his dark eyes pitch black, his voice gentle. “Don’t bite.”

Is it really so upsetting?

Xia Zhinian, dazed, stared with empty eyes at Yan Ci, then at Chu Qingjian. His lips moved, but no words came out. Slowly, he pulled his hand away, his face still pale, mumbling softly, “It’s fine, it’s fine.”

Xia Zhinian stopped speaking, no longer looking at either of them. He turned his back, lying down on the desk, staring at the messy, scrawled characters in his workbook. He tore off a piece of dead skin from his lips, feeling anxious and uneasy.

This was the original owner’s identity, the original owner’s body, and the original owner’s life.

How… could he return it?

“…Xia Zhinian.”

Yan Ci lowered his gaze, watching the boy beside him tremble uncontrollably, clearly lost and frightened. His chest tightened, a mix of tenderness and jealousy welling up inside him.

A scorching fire burned in his heart, making him want to hide this boy away somewhere safe, where no one else could see him.

He reached out, gently patting Xia Zhinian’s head. Yan Ci stared at him, his voice soft. “If you really want to pair me up with Chu Qingjian, then you must not like him anymore. So why are you so upset?”

So anxious and distressed.

Xia Zhinian didn’t respond, curling up on the desk and trembling slightly.

Yan Ci’s dark eyes deepened, and he smiled faintly. His tone was soothing, “It’s alright if you don’t want to talk. You’ll feel better in a couple of days.”

After all, he wouldn’t let go.

–

The entire afternoon, Xia Zhinian’s mind was in chaos. He lay on his desk, thinking messily about what had happened since he transmigrated, then about the events before. His thoughts were jumbled, and his ears rang constantly.

He vaguely heard people calling his name and talking to him, but he couldn’t hear clearly and didn’t respond.

When school finally ended, he barely managed to push himself up, leaning on the desk to stand. With his head lowered, he staggered out. Only after leaving the teaching building did he realize someone was following him.

Xia Zhinian turned around and saw a familiar, handsome face, though now it was devoid of its usual warmth, the expression slightly cooler. The person was staring at him intently, not looking away.

Xia Zhinian stopped in his tracks, his voice hoarse as he finally spoke, “Why are you following me?”

Yan Ci glanced down at him, sensing that the boy’s condition was off. He had followed along, keeping his voice calm and steady. “Just heading the same way.”

The boy stood in the slanted rays of the setting sun, his shadow cast over Xia Zhinian. Xia Xia Zhinian raised his head slowly, his mind sluggish. After a moment, a thought seemed to cross his mind, and he asked quietly, “Are you feeling unwell?”

Yan Ci looked at him, pausing for a moment. “No—”

Before he could finish, a cool body suddenly nestled into his embrace. Yan Ci froze for a second.

Xia Zhinian leaned against him, grabbing onto Yan Ci’s clothes. Slowly, he rested his head on Yan Ci’s shoulder, his forehead brushing against Yan Ci’s neck. The faint scent of soap filled his nose as his eyelashes trembled. “You can touch me… anywhere you want.”

“…Xia Zhinian.”

Yan Ci was momentarily speechless, furrowing his brow as he gazed down at the boy in his arms.

That inexplicable sense of emptiness crept up again. Even though he had Xia Zhinian in his embrace, there was a hollow feeling as though he was slipping away.

So, Chu Qingjian is straight. He couldn’t set him up with Chu Qingjian. That’s all this was about? Just this rejection? Yan Ci found it hard to believe.

He pressed his tongue against his teeth, suppressing the surge of jealousy and confusion. Gently patting Xia Zhinian’s head, he pulled the boy away.

Xia Zhinian’s amber eyes seemed clouded, his reactions slow. “You’re not going to touch me?”

Yan Ci stared at him, his gaze dark. “I’m not unwell.”

Xia Zhinian lowered his eyes. “Okay.”

He continued walking toward the school gate, with Yan Ci following behind him. He watched as Xia Zhinian got into the Xia family’s car.

The car door closed, the tinted windows obscuring the boy’s figure. The vehicle pulled away and soon disappeared down the road.

Even as the car vanished, Yan Ci couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He called Jiang Yuan, Xia Zhinian’s mother, asking her to keep an eye on him.

A little surprised, Jiang Yuan asked, “Did something happen at school?”

Qin Xu’s car had already arrived to pick him up. Yan Ci tapped his fingers lightly, his brows furrowed, and explained what had happened.

Jiang Yuan sighed. “Alright, I understand. Thank you, Xiao Ci.”

–

During dinner, Jiang Yuan immediately noticed that her younger son seemed off. He was unusually quiet, keeping his head down and staying unnervingly silent.

“Nian Nian.”

Concerned, Jiang Yuan called his name gently.

Xia Wenhan and Xia Hongyu, who had been informed by Jiang Yuan earlier, also turned their attention toward him.

Jiang Yuan didn’t want to directly bring up what she already knew about the situation at school, afraid of overwhelming him. She moved a bit closer, her voice soft and concerned. “Why are you so down? Did something happen at school?”

She hoped he would talk to her, thinking that expressing himself might make him feel better.

Xia Zhinian looked up at her familiar eyes and bit his lip, speaking softly, “No.”

Jiang Yuan’s voice remained tender, full of worry. “Then why are you so unhappy? You can tell me, alright?”

…Mom?

This was the original Xia Zhinian’s mother, not his.

Xia Zhinian’s fingers curled up, and he lowered his head even more, biting his lip to suppress the bitterness in his heart.

“Nian Nian,” Jiang Yuan continued, clearly worried. “I know we lost you for over ten years, and you’re still not close to us. I know you’re mad at us. But no matter what, we’re family. If something is bothering you, you can talk to us, okay?”

“Your brother may seem distant, but he cares about you too.”

“You’ve been more lively recently, and we’ve been so happy to see that. Don’t bottle things up. You can tell us anything, alright?”

Her gentle voice was full of love, trying to reassure him that his family was there for him, that they would help him and comfort him. But the more Xia Zhinian heard, the more he shivered. His heart felt like it was being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.

He wasn’t…

He wasn’t the child they had lost for over ten years and then found again. He wasn’t the real Xia Zhinian.

With a panicked shake of his head, his eyes turned red, and he clutched his fingers tightly, burying his nails into his palms.

“I—I’m going to go upstairs.”

Xia Zhinian stood up and quickly went upstairs to his room, closing the door behind him. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

The story he had read was likely fanfiction. He wasn’t sure whether “Xia Zhinian” was dead in the original plot or if this character existed.

He didn’t want to steal someone else’s life, to occupy the original Xia Zhinian’s place, and to take over everything that was his.

Maybe the real Xia Zhinian wasn’t dead, and by some twist of fate, he was living in his world, just as anxious to come back.

People eventually noticed differences even though they shared the same name and appearance.

Rather than waiting to be found out and accused of stealing the real Xia Zhinian’s life, wouldn’t it be better to fix things sooner?

Sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes red and damp, his lips pale, Xia Zhinian’s hand brushed against something hard in his sleeve. He pushed it forward slightly.

A cold glint of metal peeked out.

It was the fruit knife he had secretly taken earlier.

The original Xia Zhinian had been critically injured in a car accident, and that’s when he entered this world. If he couldn’t figure out how to return, maybe recreating the original circumstances would help.

If it worked, great. If it didn’t…

Xia Zhinian’s gaze turned vacant as he slowly pulled the knife out, the sharp blade grazing his skin, leaving a few vertical scratches.

“Nian Nian?”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Jiang Yuan’s voice startled him like a thunderclap.

Xia Zhinian snapped out of his daze, quickly hiding the fruit knife under his pillow. He turned around in panic to see Jiang Yuan standing in the doorway.

Jiang Yuan froze. She had knocked several times, but no one answered, so she had come in, only to see…

Her youngest son was hiding… the missing fruit knife from downstairs?

There were a few clear red marks on his wrist.

Jiang Yuan’s expression changed. Her hand on the door tightened until the veins stood out, but she forced herself to stay calm, trying to keep her voice steady. “Nian Nian, Mom cut up some fruit. Do you want to come down and eat?”

Xia Zhinian’s eyes were wide with panic, his face flushed as he hid the pillow behind him. His whole body was tense and trembling slightly as he shook his head. “I—I don’t want any.”

She saw it.

Jiang Yuan tried to step inside, but Xia Zhinian, eyes red with fear, hurriedly backed away. “I—I need to go to sleep.”

Overwhelmed by panic, Xia Zhinian pushed her out, quickly shutting the door behind her.

“Nian Nian!”

Jiang Yuan, not as strong as him, was abruptly shut out. She heard the sound of the lock clicking, accompanied by the jingle of keys. She called out again, her voice shaking as she gently knocked on the door, her movements becoming more frantic. “Nian Nian, please, if something’s wrong, come out and talk. Please.”

“Mom just wants to see you, Nian Nian.”

Xia Zhinian trembled, hurriedly pushing the key into the lock and turning it. He locked the door again, his breath coming in short gasps.

He couldn’t let the Xia family see him like this.

They would worry.

He couldn’t let them see.

Outside, Jiang Yuan was pounding on the door, her voice filled with urgency. Xia Zhinian’s mind was in turmoil, throbbing with pain and confusion. Panicked, he lifted his pillow and grabbed the fruit knife, frantically searching the room for a place to hide it.

Jiang Yuan, meanwhile, was sweating profusely. She called out to Xia Wenhan and Xia Hongyu for help. They rushed over immediately, bringing another tall, slender young man.

Yan Ci frowned. “Aunt Jiang, where’s Xia Zhinian?”

After returning home, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, especially after remembering how Xia Zhinian had clung to him after school. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

Xia Zhinian didn’t like to be touched, yet earlier, he had said… Yan Ci could touch him anywhere?

His unease had driven him here, and now he found Jiang Yuan calling for help.

Jiang Yuan, her voice trembling, urgently said, “Xia Wenhan, get the spare key! Nian Nian… Nian Nian… He’s hiding a fruit knife.”

Fruit Knife?

Yan Ci’s expression suddenly turned cold.

Xia Wenhan frowned and quickly brought the key upstairs, but it wouldn’t go in—another key from the inside had blocked the lock.

Xia Wenhan’s expression darkened. He immediately thought of kicking the door down, but Jiang Yuan stopped him. “Won’t that make things worse for him?”

Yan Ci’s eyes were dark and brooding, his previous gentleness vanished, replaced with an icy voice. “Kick it down. Now’s not the time to worry about making things worse.”

He stepped forward and kicked the door hard.

The door made a loud, heavy thud.

The locks in the Xia family villa were all expensive, naturally. After two kicks, the metal lock was somewhat deformed, but the door still wouldn’t open. However, the wooden part around the lock snapped.

The door was forcefully pushed open. Yan Ci stepped inside and immediately saw the boy standing on a chair, holding a rope dangled out the window, one foot on the window ledge, ready to jump.

“Xia Zhinian!”

“Niannian!”

Xia Zhinian was startled by the loud noise and turned around, only to meet a pair of eyes filled with seething anger.

Yan Ci?!

His palms were sweaty, and his heart raced. Without thinking, he put his other foot on the window ledge.

Yan Ci’s expression was terrifying. His jaw clenched with a sharp grinding sound as he quickly moved forward, grabbing Xia Zhinian’s waist with a force that could almost crush him into his bones.

“Ugh, let go!” Xia Zhinian groaned, his eyes wet and slightly red.

“Xia Zhinian!”

Yan Ci held him tightly, pulling him down from the window ledge and into his arms. With one hand, he secured the boy in his embrace, and with the other, he grabbed the rope by the window, quickly tying Xia Zhinian’s wrists in front of him, not allowing him to move.

Xia Zhinian panicked, stiffening as he struggled. “Yan Ci, what are you doing?”

“His wrists! Look at his wrists!” Jiang Yuan exclaimed in shock.

The boy’s wrists were tied tightly, with a strange bulge on his right hand, blood seeping through. Yan Ci frowned, loosening the rope slightly and pulling out the hidden fruit knife. His expression was terrifying as he threw the knife far away and then checked the wound, retying the bandage.

“Ugh.”

Xia Zhinian’s eyes widened, still teary-eyed, as he was lifted into Yan Ci’s arms. Yan Ci held him tightly, not allowing him to move. “Yan… Yan Ci.”

Yan Ci gritted his teeth, his entire demeanor fierce, his dark eyes glancing at him briefly. With one hand supporting Xia Zhinian, he pressed the boy’s head against his shoulder with the other, not allowing him to speak.

“…Ugh.”

Yan Ci’s lips twitched slightly, pressing them into a thin line. His voice remained cold, tinged with an effort to stay calm. “Aunt Jiang, Uncle Xia, I’ll take him away for now.”

Xia Zhinian bumped his teeth against Yan Ci’s shoulder, his eyes wide open, trying to lift his head. Yan Ci pressed it back down with one hand.

Xia Wenhan frowned deeply. “Take him away? This is his home; where are you taking him?”

“You can’t keep an eye on him.”

Yan Ci’s grip tightened as his gaze swept over the Xia family members.

Jiang Yuan felt uneasy. She glanced at her younger son, who was restrained and unable to move, and then at the fruit knife lying on the floor, unsure whether to ask Yan Ci to let him go.

“Xiao Ci, what happened at school?”

Yan Ci pursed his lips. “Just what I told you over the phone. He found out Chu Qingjian is straight, and then something seemed off.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian stopped moving, slowly giving up resisting, lowering his gaze.

Yan Ci asked what they had said to Xia Zhinian after he got home, but they hadn’t said much—just a few words of concern as family members. Still, their younger son’s eyes had reddened, and he had secretly taken a fruit knife and run upstairs.

After discussing the situation, they all agreed something was wrong. They couldn’t understand how things had escalated to the point of Xia Zhinian grabbing a knife and trying to climb out the window. But when they asked him, he remained silent, curling up and burying his head in Yan Ci’s neck, refusing to speak.

Yan Ci felt dampness against his neck, pursed his lips, still angry, and wrapped the rope around Xia Zhinian’s wrists a few more times.

Jiang Yuan saw her youngest son being unusually obedient in Yan Ci’s arms and, still frightened, said, “Xiao Ci, why don’t you stay here with Niannian for the night? Don’t go anywhere.”

Yan Ci furrowed his brow, hesitated momentarily, and then refused. “No, there are triggers at school, and there might be some at home too. I’ll take him away and bring him back in a couple of days.”

Jiang Yuan thought it over, glancing again at the fruit knife, still feeling shaken. She bit her lip. “…Alright, then… I’ll go with you. I just can’t rest easy.”

“I’ll go.”

Xia Wenhan interrupted, patting Jiang Yuan on the shoulder. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Yan Ci didn’t refuse. Xia Wenhan grabbed the family’s first aid kit and went downstairs to drive.

Yan Ci put the boy in the back seat, following right after, while Xia Wenhan locked the car doors and handed the first aid kit to the back.

Xia Zhinian sat on the side, glancing at the closed car doors and windows, then at Yan Ci, who was untying the rope with one hand while still holding his hand with the other. He couldn’t quite describe the feeling—his nose tingled.

He lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes and the slight redness around them.

Yan Ci glanced down at him, his gaze cool as he lifted both of Xia Zhinian’s wrists for a closer look. Fortunately, there were no deep wounds, only a few shallow vertical scratches, likely from the fruit knife hidden in his sleeve, caused by movement.

His expression remained cold as he treated the wound and wrapped it in bandages.

Yan Ci’s fingers brushed Xia Zhinian’s hair, gripping tightly and forcing him to lift his head. Upon seeing his red, tear-stained eyes, Yan Ci bit the inside of his cheek, his voice low and cold as he looked at him. “Why are you crying? I haven’t even cried yet.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian wiped his eyes, not saying anything, and turned his head to the side, unsure what to say.

Now that they had left the place where his emotions had surged, he had calmed down quite a bit, but he still felt like his soul had been drained. He stared blankly, head hanging down.

Yan Ci let out a cold chuckle, grabbed Xia Zhinian by the waist, and easily lifted him onto his lap. When Xia Zhinian looked down, he stared directly into those deep, dark eyes.

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Xia Zhinian tried to turn his head again, but Yan Ci grabbed his chin, turning it back with a calm voice. “If you’re going to zone out and not talk, then be a good boy and zone out while looking at me.”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Who’s your good boy?

Xia Wenhan, driving in the front, glanced back through the rearview mirror, frowning as he gave a cold cough. “Fasten your seatbelt.”

Yan Ci: “…”

Xia Zhinian: “…”

Yan Ci finally set Xia Zhinian back down and fastened his seatbelt. Xia Zhinian, dazed, thought to himself that he seemed like a cripple, but with his emotions spent, his mind was blank. He didn’t have the strength to resist and allowed himself to be held.

They arrived at Yan Ci’s villa in the suburbs. Once the car stopped, Yan Ci carried Xia Zhinian upstairs, briefly explaining the villa’s layout to Xia Wenhan.

“Brother Xia, just choose any guest room you like.”

Then Xia Wenhan watched as Yan Ci carried his younger brother into the master bedroom, and his younger brother offered no resistance.

Xia Wenhan: “…”

Xia Wenhan’s narrowed eyes turned chilly as he chose the room closest to the master bedroom.

By now, it was completely dark. The night enveloped everything, and with fewer people in the suburbs, the night seemed especially quiet, with only the occasional sound of insects and birds.

Emotional outbursts are exhausting. After setting Xia Zhinian down on the bed, Yan Ci went to the first aid kit to grab fresh bandages. When he turned around, the boy had already fallen asleep, his breathing shallow.

…He looks pretty well-behaved when he’s asleep.

Yan Ci stood by the bed, looking down at him, his gaze lingering on the bandaged wrists as his expression darkened.

The last time he brought this little rice cake back, the boy hadn’t bathed, and Yan Ci had thought that next time, he would clean him up properly and change his clothes. But that plan was now futile.

His wrists were injured—he couldn’t get them wet.

He would deal with it tomorrow.

Yan Ci watched the boy for a while, making sure he was genuinely asleep and wouldn’t wake up suddenly. He went to the bathroom for a quick shower and then returned to the master bedroom.

The boy was curled up on the bed, his brow slightly furrowed. It was unclear what he was dreaming about, and his breathing was a bit rapid.

Yan Ci looked down at Xia Zhinian for a while, still puzzled about what had triggered him.

If it was the fact that Chu Qingjian was straight and unable to be with him, then the prolonged pursuit and heartbreak would make sense. Yet, Xia Zhinian had already attempted to match him with Chu Qingjian, making Chu Qingjian’s feelings irrelevant.

The issue seemed to lie in Chu Qingjian’s being straight, and it was compounded by some comforting words from Aunt Jiang after they returned home.

But why? What was the real problem?

Xia Zhinian was sleeping restlessly, his body curled up tightly. Yan Ci furrowed his brow and gently pulled him into his arms, patting his back to soothe him.

Xia Zhinian was surrounded by a haze of confusion as if a series of loud noises and blurry figures were disturbing him. Among the figures were a young man, a woman, and a child, their faces indistinct, and their voices filled with anger.

“Why wasn’t it you who died?”

“Xiao Nian, you’re sick; how did you survive?”

“Why do you take what isn’t yours?”

“Taking someone else’s life.”

The haze shifted, revealing a familiar face glaring at him with intense rage.

“That’s my parents, my elder brother. Return them to me.”

Confused voices overlapped.

“Things taken from others must be returned.”

“Nian Nian, Mom is here.”

“My mom, my mom!”

“Return it!”

…Belonging to someone else.

“Ugh.”

Xia Zhinian suddenly woke up, his head pounding and breathing labored, his finger biting into his flesh, cold sweat covering him.

The air felt thick and stagnant as he sat up, struggling to breathe, his eyes glazed and red. He clutched his chest, got out of bed, and staggered to the window, pushing it open to gulp in the fresh air.

“Xia Zhinian!”

“What are you doing now?”

A hoarse voice came from behind, and his wrist was suddenly grabbed and forcefully pulled back.

Aled by the noise, Yan Ci woke up to see Xia Zhinian half hanging out of the window. His heart dropped, and he immediately felt a chill of fear.

Xia Zhinian staggered, clutching his chest, his breathing shallow. He slowly bent over, sinking to the floor with no strength.

Yan Ci paused, frowning, and helped him up. “Where’s your medication?”

Xia Zhinian shook his head slowly, the deep bite marks on his finger still visible. He caught his breath and murmured, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Yan Ci squatted down, looking at the pale-faced boy. He felt a pang of frustration, unable to hold on to him, feeling an inexplicable sense of helplessness despite Xia Zhinian being right before him.

“Xia Zhinian.”

Yan Ci sighed softly, his voice gentle as he stroked Xia Zhinian’s head. “What’s wrong?”

What secret was he hiding that caused him so much distress?

The warmth of Yan Ci’s hand on Xia Zhinian’s head made his nose tingle, and his eyes filled with tears. His voice, now tinged with a sob, spoke slowly.

“…Yan Ci.”

“Hmm?”

“When did you… realize that I was useful for your illness?” Xia Zhinian looked at him with red eyes, asking this sudden question.

Yan Ci raised his gaze. “After the car accident, when the hospital covered your eyes.”

“What about before?”

Xia Zhinian’s eyes were moist, his voice faint, almost timid.

Yan Ci fixed his gaze on him and spoke slowly, “It was different before.”

“Before, it happened, but it was no different from anyone else.” He said, “It started being different after the car accident.”

Xia Zhinian recalled the memories of the original owner. Before the truck arrived, the original owner had pulled Yan Ci’s hand, but Yan Ci had brushed him off, giving him a cold, weary look filled with displeasure.

So, this special medicine identity wasn’t the original owner’s.

It wasn’t something he had taken.

Xia Zhinian lowered his eyes, tears streaming down his face, feeling a heavy blockage in his heart. His voice, now tinged with crying, spoke softly, “Then… hug me, please.”

He was feeling overwhelmed.