For the mummy, Zong Yuan couldn’t determine whether he was smart or foolish.
After a harmonious and friendly exchange, Zong Yuan planned to bid farewell to the mummy. However, the mummy, who had been avoiding him with the wooden basin, was reluctant to see him leave. “Companion, I… have something to tell you.”
Zong Yuan casually took the wooden basin from his hands to help him hold it. “Okay, go ahead.”
The mummy didn’t really have anything to say, but he was clever. After a moment of silence, he looked at the basin held by Zong Yuan. The basin was covered with several thin cloths, and nothing could be seen. He shifted his gaze. “Companion, are we the same?”
Zong Yuan thought seriously for a moment. He had never had a love story around him, whether it was parents or friends, none of them could be called a companion. He said, “Not the same.”
Before the mummy could ask where it was different, Zong Yuan had already continued, “Nowhere is the same.”
The mummy pursed his lips. Really, couldn’t compare to humans? “…”
His face was completely exposed. After all, the mummy had to wash his hands and face before going to sleep in the coffin. He didn’t show a disappointed expression, but the feeling he gave was pitiful and aggrieved.
Walking beside him, Zong Yuan naturally sensed it. Zong Yuan, who had never been interested in or trusted love, didn’t know where his confidence came from. He said, “Little mummy, we are different because we,” he hooked the mummy’s shoulder, “we are too compatible.”
It was the kind of compatibility that seemed to love each other for several lifetimes.
This inexplicable confidence, telling Zong Yuan straightforwardly: admit it, you two will fall in love again sooner or later.
The mummy’s body was soft and elastic, but it instantly stiffened after hearing this. He tugged at his own black hair on the side of his ear, and uncomfortably adjusted his black robe, “We look… compatible?”
He didn’t need to say much; anyone could see his nervousness.
Zong Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks. He placed the wooden basin on the ground, turned towards the mummy, and pressed his hands on his shoulders. The expression on his face was the most serious the mummy had ever seen, “Abel, have we met before?”
In the mummy’s arranged story, they had met and experienced a poignant love story reminiscent of “The Little Mermaid.” However, the reality was that they had never met, not once.
The mummy locked eyes with Zong Yuan, a pair of emerald green eyes meeting a pair of black eyes. The mummy saw the sincerity in Zong Yuan’s gaze, feeling guilty. He wanted to say that they hadn’t met, that they didn’t know each other. However, what came out of his mouth was, “Zong, it’s been a long time.”
As the mummy said this, he also felt the same way. The moment he laid eyes on Zong Yuan, it was like rediscovering a long-lost treasure, something lost and now found.
He wasn’t lying; he could feel it.
Zong Yuan had no memories related to the mummy in his recollection. Yet, he softly replied, “Long time no see.”
In his mind, he communicated with 0046, “Do you have any video records of me and him?”
Not out of suspicion, but in the hope of recalling.
“None,” 0046 regretfully replied, “only photos, and they’re all pictures of you alone.”
Zong Yuan’s possessiveness towards 0046, this artificial intelligence, was terrifying. He didn’t allow 0046 to capture or record anything related to his loved one. In 0046’s vast photo collection, there were only a few pitiful pictures that Zong Yuan wanted to show his wife.
As for pictures of his loved one, didn’t each world have Zong Yuan?
“Wait, I think I have a few shots you asked me to take…” 0046 remembered, flipping through data and explaining to Zong Yuan, “You told me to take them! I didn’t sneakily capture them!”
“…” Zong Yuan, “Give them to me when we get back.”
The mummy calmed down after a while and said, “You can go, I’m fine.”
The hint of red at the corners of his eyes told a different story – he was far from fine.
Zong Yuan pretended not to have seen it. He knew that the mummy wanted to maintain a cool demeanor in front of him. So, he lifted the wooden basin and handed it to him, “Alright, go back soon.”
The mummy’s ears, hidden beneath his hair, twitched, and he nodded silently.
If Zong Yuan weren’t here, he feared he might have dug a hole to bury himself (a real hole) and then settled down to calm his emotions in the soil.
…Why was he so, so adorable…
The mummy took the wooden basin, and in the instant Zong Yuan let go, he suddenly felt a pain in his thumb. “What’s this?”
Lifting his hand and inspecting it in the moonlight, he saw two small red dots on his thumb, now slightly swollen. The mummy’s expression changed, and the wooden basin fell to the ground with a thud. He grabbed Zong Yuan’s hand, holding his injured thumb.
Zong Yuan pondered for a moment and asked 0046 in his mind, “Does the mummy’s saliva have disinfectant properties?”
“It’s good if it’s not poisonous,” 0046 sarcastically remarked.
Zong Yuan raised an eyebrow but still let the mummy continue holding his injured thumb. The white bandage in the basin scattered on the ground, revealing spiders, scorpions, and snakes underneath, crawling around.
“…” Zong Yuan was at a loss for words. “You even bring pets when washing a bandage?”
The mummy just remembered the creatures under the basin. His expression changed as he looked at Zong Yuan, “How do you feel now?”
Zong Yuan checked himself and frowned, pulling at his collar, “It’s a bit hot.”
The poison acted so quickly?!
The mummy glared at the contents of the basin and hesitated before looking at Zong Yuan, “Human, how many days and nights do you like?”
Zong Yuan’s eyelid twitched, sensing something bad. He forced himself, “What days and nights?”
The mummy silently pointed at his lower body, and Zong Yuan, lowering his head to look, realized his body was reacting!… What kind of pets did the mummy bring along?!
The mummy didn’t know which creature had bitten Zong Yuan, but with such potent poison, it was a matter of time. “How many days and nights do you like?”
The mummy’s unit was based on a day and night cycle!
Zong Yuan replied, “… One day and one night?”
More would be… cough… not good for the body. Although he was young, healthy, and full of energy, repeating day and night activities might not be responsible for his future self.
The mummy’s expression cracked. He suspected he had misheard, and his eyes widened into circles. “What did you say?”
Zong Yuan rubbed his chin, wondering if he was weak. Tentatively, he added, “One day and one night, plus half a day?”
The mummy stared at Zong Yuan in a daze, feeling like something had shattered.
Had he… fallen for someone so useless?
…
Observing the mummy’s expression, Zong Yuan remained silent for a while before saying, “0046, check the average duration for men in this world.”
After a quick check, 0046 gave him an answer, “Rest assured, Zong Yuan, you’re definitely impressive.”
Zong Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Damn, he almost looked discouraged by the mummy’s expression. Zong Yuan pointed to himself and helplessly said, “Little mummy, I’m a human.”
Adding a serious note, 0046 interjected, “You can handle it for three days and three nights or even go for three and strive for seven.”
In a serious tone, 0046 continued, “You should know, Zong Yuan, you’re no ordinary man.”
Zong Yuan retorted, “… Do you think I’m a superhero?”
After all, he was the man eyed by a mermaid.
0046 trusted Zong Yuan; in its view, this was just a stamina-consuming interaction, and it would pass with a little effort. Encouraging Zong Yuan with full confidence, 0046 said, “You can do it.”
The mummy still couldn’t recover. Frowning, he looked at Zong Yuan, unable to see any unhealthy aspects. Zong Yuan gritted his teeth and corrected himself, “Just kidding… Three days and three nights should be doable.”
The mummy’s complexion improved slightly. He squatted down, examining a plate of things, and asked, “Who bit Zong?”
A small spider, reddish-purple and trembling, crawled out.
Seeing this color, both Zong Yuan and 0046 felt a chill in their hearts. The color indicated strong toxicity.
The mummy inquired, “How long?”
The spider tilted its head, pretending not to understand and acting cute. However, it didn’t work. The mummy, with a sinister expression, stared at it. “Days?”
The spider gestured randomly a few times. Zong Yuan and 0046 didn’t miss any of its movements. After the spider finished its gestures and looked at the mummy, he asked innocently, “Abel, what does it mean?”
The mummy had a complex expression. He bit his lip and hesitated, “Zong, you…”
Zong Yuan prompted, “…go on.”
The mummy extended one finger, “It requires this much time.”
Zong Yuan frowned, “Ten days? Although challenging, it’s manageable.”
The mummy shook his head, whispering, “It needs, it needs a hundred days…”
Spider: Didn’t I say it only takes an hour???
Zong Yuan cursed. His big brother was fully standing now, radiating a fiery aura. Don’t mention 100 days; even a year wouldn’t make him wilt. Zong Yuan gave the spider a deep look, signaling that he remembered it!
Spider: …Who the hell would listen to my explanation? It really only takes an hour!!!
It came up quickly precisely because it was only an hour!
The mummy squatted on the ground, just in time to see this. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, “Do you… desire it?”
Zong Yuan crouched beside him. Although he outwardly showed a strong reaction, his mind was strangely clear. Seeing the mummy’s current state amused him. He sighed as if distressed, “Forget it. I can handle it myself. You don’t seem eager anyway.”
The mummy played with the damp soil by the lake, his finger tracing patterns. Upon hearing Zong Yuan’s words, his entire body stiffened for a moment. The first time they formally met, he had seduced Zong Yuan in a dream. Did Zong Yuan forget?
The mummy turned half-circle while squatting, facing Zong Yuan directly, and said straightforwardly, “If I didn’t want it, why would I bring them here?”
The moonlight reflected on the lake rippled on the mummy’s face. His exotic features displayed a clear and gentle demeanor. He spoke softly, “Zong, I really want it.”
Damn, he’s being so straightforward.
Zong Yuan asked the mummy to lead the way, “Find a quiet place. Come on, little mummy, it’s time to sleep.”
Zong Yuan sleeps with the mummy, and the mummy sleeps with him.
The mummy needs to find a good place and ensure Zong Yuan’s energy is sufficient.
There are many poisonous things in the desert, but if used well, they can also be highly beneficial to humans.
The mummy planned it well, but the more they walked, the more Zong Yuan felt something was off.
When they arrived at a secluded small wooden house with the mummy, Zong Yuan’s reaction had already subsided, “… Damn.”
He didn’t know whether to be happy or disappointed.
Although it wasn’t 100 days, was this just for an hour?
The mummy looked at the destination in front of him. He had prepared himself, half excited and half reserved, intending to let Zong Yuan go in first. However, when he turned around, he was at a loss for words.
His gaze moved up and down Zong Yuan’s lower body several times, “…”
He didn’t know what to say.
#Emergency, the human partner I found couldn’t last even an hour, claimed he could go for three days and nights, and got poisoned for 100 days. Urgently seeking advice!#
#Already Ended Before Starting Series#
#Heart Aching for the Mummy#
His partner… is he so (not) stimulating?
Author’s note:
Zong Yuan (lights a cigarette with a world-weary expression): Clearly a macho man, but ended up living as a sunshine boy in his wife’s eyes.
