Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Chapter 24

With no one else around, Xiao Bao felt a bit nervous upon seeing him.

Though he still harbored affection, he couldn't bring himself to fawn over someone who was essentially his equal as shamelessly as he had done in the past. Despite Xiao Bao's shamelessness, he found it difficult to stoop so low.

Now that the object of his admiration was right in front of him, he felt the need to say or do something, yet his mind went blank. As the two drew closer, he grew increasingly anxious, sweat beading on his forehead.

Moreover, he couldn't decide on the appropriate attitude to adopt in Huai En's presence. Logically, he should act a bit awkward or reluctant, but that would require the other party to care. Yet, to suddenly greet Huai En with a smile felt like betraying his own principles.

As he pondered, Xiao Bao hurriedly took a deep breath, sucked in his stomach, lifted his head, and straightened his posture, his gaze avoiding Huai En as he approached.

A barely perceptible crack appeared in Huai En's cold demeanor as he laid eyes on Xiao Bao.

As the distance between them closed, Xiao Bao stood a bit taller than Huai En, stirring subtle reactions in both of them. Xiao Bao felt a twisted sense of pride, believing he finally had something over him. However, he didn't realize Huai En was four years his junior, a fact that Huai En found distasteful, despite usually not caring about superficial matters.

With a newfound confidence, Xiao Bao finally dared to meet Huai En's eyes. "You... settling in alright?"

Huai En gave him a cold glance. "That matter, have you told anyone else about it?"

He avoided mentioning it, and Xiao Bao's face flushed crimson instantly, the warmth that had been brewing inside him now entirely replaced by anger. "Bullshit! Who would go around spreading such things?"

The expression on Huai En's face turned extremely awkward, his cheeks also flushing red.

Ever since encountering this fool, his plans always seemed to be one step behind the changes.

That day, towards the end, he could hardly recall anything. Upon waking up, he found himself bundled up like a zongzi, unable to remember how he was brought back. The only thing he could recall was the soul-devouring sensation of being inside that person's body. It was his first encounter with such an experience; he always found physical contact repulsive, regardless of gender. Yet, he had never realized before just how soul-devouring such an experience could be, no wonder it left so many people unable to resist.

Making him admit to being consumed by carnal desires was simply an insult to him, especially waking up and being subtly hinted by Yao Ying that they were discovered while he was still inside that person's body... He immediately kicked Yao Ying out on the spot. If it weren't for his serious injuries, Yao Ying would never have been able to stand up.

With such an event happening, expecting him to carry on with the original plan as if nothing had occurred was simply impossible. It would be best to never see that idiot again for the rest of his life. However, Su Yin was relentless in his pursuit, forcing him to come knocking at his door.

But in the moment he saw him, he suddenly changed his mind. What he wanted was one thing, but he couldn't stand seeing Su Yin being intimate with that person.

Regardless of whether Xiao Bao believed it or not, Huai En, cold, arrogant, and ruthless to the point of being devoid of humanity, could be classified in terms of emotions as pure and traditional.

Although he found his father's unwavering devotion to his mother until death foolish, it instilled in him the notion that this was how things should be between a man and a woman. Despite both he and Xiao Bao being men, they had crossed that intimate boundary. In his eyes, Xiao Bao had taken advantage of him first while he was vulnerable, leaving him deeply humiliated.

However, now that they were legally bound as husband and wife, even if he felt nothing but disgust inside, Xiao Bao still owed him an explanation.

Otherwise, where would he place himself? Was Huai En someone who could be touched and then let go unharmed, especially by such a despicable and incompetent person?

He had witnessed his most disgraceful behavior and had endured such sordid contact with him. For him, it wasn't just revolting but also deeply shameful. After defiling him, he had the audacity to act as if nothing had happened, which made him wish he could just obliterate him. So, when he saw him whispering intimately with Su Yin, he made his decision. He would obtain what he desired, and then he would provoke Jin Xiao Bao, erasing his own humiliating experience from existence.

Seeing him remain silent, Xiao Bao, recalling the suffering he had endured, couldn't contain his fury. Pointing accusatory finger at him, he spat, "You wretched scoundrel! I tried to help you, and yet you treated me so... dressing as a woman to deceive me, you... you..." Xiao Bao was so incensed that his words failed him.

Huai En moved with lightning speed, and Xiao Bao barely had time to react before he felt a sharp pain in his wrist, which was swiftly twisted behind his back. Next thing he knew, he was forcefully propelled and crashed onto the cobblestone ground, the pain making him cry out in agony.

Huai En raised an eyebrow, his disgust evident. "Why cry out? Are you even a man?" He had shown mercy by not breaking his arm, yet Xiao Bao's exaggerated reaction to a minor injury irritated him. He failed to realize that this was a common trait among pampered children like Xiao Bao, who cried out for the slightest discomfort, hoping for sympathy and attention. But if, like Huai En, they had no one to care for or cherish them, they wouldn't cry out because nobody would care. It was a lesson Xiao Bao would only understand much later, after many, many years had passed, and he no longer cried out in pain, realizing that nobody cared.

Xiao Bao was startled into silence by his harsh words, immediately ceasing his cries. He feared another outburst from Huai En, realizing that he would be the one to suffer. He had never encountered someone with such a bad temper before, unsure where his breaking point lay. Huai En's tendency towards violence made Xiao Bao wonder why he was so pathetic and foolish as to be attracted to him.

But the more difficult Huai En became, the stronger Xiao Bao's desire to conquer him grew. He was determined to prove himself, not just for his own sake, but also to protect his innocent backside from harm. He was driven by the thought that one day, Huai En would surrender completely in his arms, and this determination compelled him to move forward even when faced with danger. He knew he had to be both tough and flexible, unable to confront Huai En head-on, but unwilling to give up. To achieve this grand goal, a real man must adapt to the circumstances. If he couldn't face the challenge head-on, then he'd have to find another way.

If anyone knew of Xiao Bao's bold and daring spirit, they would surely hail him as having "the courage of a lion!"

Huai En could never have imagined that the person before him possessed such thick skin, comparable to that of an armadillo, and displayed such "shamelessness before courage." He threw Xiao Bao out, only to have him return with a demeanor of flattery and nauseating affection, changing faces so quickly that it left him stunned.

"I don't blame you, really. How could I blame you? I was just so shocked at first, I didn't expect you to be a man. But then I thought about it a lot, and I realized that true feelings shouldn't be bound by gender. My love for you is deep and unwavering, and I won't let your gender make any difference." Xiao Bao gazed at Huai En with affectionate eyes, but Huai En's brows furrowed deeply in response.

"I risked my life to rush to save you that very night, but you treated me like that. At first, I was furious, but then I thought about it. You were also trapped, and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have fallen into that filthy situation. We both made sacrifices for each other, even though the process wasn't pleasant. But our intentions were sincere, right?" Xiao Bao continued softly.

Huai En clenched his fists tightly.

"Moreover, if we want to reconcile in the future, this is necessary. But I don't want you to suffer. Last time, you lost so much blood, it tore my heart apart. Next time, let me be on top. I'll make you feel... ah!!! Ahh!!!" Suddenly, Xiao Bao screamed, "Fortune and wealth! Help!!!"

kipzi - *facepalm*