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Bonus chapter! Thank you to --- for the donation! ^^
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Miao Ciyu froze. He never expected those words—especially not from someone under the influence of a gu worm.
Those afflicted by gu worms were controlled and manipulated by them. Under normal circumstances, they would never betray the one who planted the worm, let alone say something so close to betrayal.
Unless... he genuinely liked him.
That possibility made Miao Ciyu’s heart skip a beat. A surge of uncontrollable excitement rose from the depths of his chest, flooding his entire body and seizing his mind.
He could even hear the frantic pounding of his own heart, so loud it felt almost deafening. The gu worm inside him stirred restlessly.
They liked each other.
As for being the "side piece"?
When he and Miao Linyuan set the fire, they hadn’t noticed Miao Qing entering—but they had made sure that the man was inside.
By now, he was probably already burned to ashes. The question of "side pieces" was irrelevant.
This person was his. Only his.
Ruan Qing had no idea what Miao Ciyu was thinking. He assumed the silence meant his blunt proposal had humiliated him.
Plenty of men were unfaithful—he didn’t see anything wrong with his suggestion. But asking someone outright if they’d be willing to be the "other man" still made him uneasy.
And now, he was starting to regret it.
He hadn’t even married the love of his life yet, and here he was, picking up a side piece the day before the wedding. That seemed… excessively cruel, even for a scumbag.
Ruan Qing cleared his throat awkwardly, about to take back his words—when Miao Ciyu’s low, rough voice cut in.
"Okay."
Now it was Ruan Qing’s turn to freeze. He hesitated. "...Maybe you should… think about it again?"
Miao Ciyu didn’t answer. Instead, he gazed down at Ruan Qing and asked softly, "Are you trying to go back on your word?"
Ruan Qing bit his lip, avoiding Miao Ciyu’s eyes. "I—"
Miao Ciyu didn’t let him finish. His voice was calm, almost detached.
"My back hurts. A beam fell on me while saving you."
No hint of self-pity, no dramatic flair—just a simple statement. And yet, that very lack of emotion made it all the more heartbreaking.
...And it made him feel guilty.
After all, the man was even willing to be the "other man"—and had risked his life to save him. For the rescued one to go back on his word now would be downright despicable.
Ruan Qing couldn’t bring himself to take it back. Even he felt that backing out would make him inhuman.
And so, the arrangement of him being the "side piece" was silently accepted.
Ruan Qing comforted himself inwardly: As long as Miao Li doesn’t find out, he won’t get hurt.
Miao Ciyu watched the silent man, a shadow flickering in his eyes.
He’d realized something—this person seemed responsive to softness, not force.
If pushed harshly, he’d resist. But with gentleness? He couldn’t outright refuse.
At the very least, his rejections wouldn’t be so absolute.
Miao Ciyu lowered his gaze, voice restrained.
"Can you... kiss me?"
"My back hurts. They say a kiss can make it better."
Ruan Qing hesitated, conflict clear on his delicate features. Finally, he wrapped his arms around Miao Ciyu’s neck, tilting his face up to press a kiss to his cheek—
But at the last second, Miao Ciyu turned his head slightly.
Their lips met instead.
Ruan Qing’s eyes widened at the warm contact, instinctively pulling back.
Miao Ciyu didn’t stop him. Didn’t force more. He only tightened his embrace, speaking low and heavy:
"Tomorrow… you’ll marry him."
Pressed this close, Ruan Qing could feel it—the stark contrast between Miao Ciyu’s wounded expression and the tension in his body. A silent, predatory intensity.
He tried to struggle free, but those words froze him.
Miao Ciyu’s eyes were bleak, his handsome face etched with loneliness.
"I envy him. He gets to stand openly by your side… while I beg for a kiss you don’t even want to give."
Watching the person you love wed another—it was enough to drive anyone mad.
Ruan Qing knew he could never endure it. Yet he had no comfort to offer.
The wedding would happen tomorrow. He couldn’t cancel it for Miao Ciyu’s sake.
Letting him be the "side piece" was already the furthest concession.
Miao Ciyu looked at the person frozen in place and, without the slightest hesitation, lowered his head and kissed him again.
This time, Ruan Qing didn’t resist. He closed his eyes and obediently allowed Miao Ciyu to kiss him.
Even when Miao Ciyu licked and sucked at his lips, even when he forcefully pried his mouth open, Ruan Qing only held him stiffly, letting him do as he pleased.
Sometimes, obedience doesn’t bring gentleness—it only invites further excess.
And Miao Ciyu was never one to know restraint. He ravaged Ruan Qing’s mouth without mercy, completely stealing his breath.
His hand even began to wander downward, landing somewhere it clearly shouldn’t have.
Ruan Qing’s breathing grew heavier. His exquisitely shaped brows furrowed slightly, and he instinctively wanted to stop Miao Ciyu. But when he saw the pained look on Miao’s face, he ultimately gave in, allowing the reckless indulgence.
“Don’t… don’t leave any marks…”
“Mmm…” Miao Ciyu didn’t respond—instead, he kissed Ruan Qing again, robbing him of his breath once more.
The sun had completely disappeared from the sky, leaving only the last remnants of its glow rippling across the surface of the lake, dispersing in gentle waves.
The lake water was crystal clear, but the disturbance of the waves made it hard to see beneath the surface.
The two people in the water were completely wrapped up in each other, oblivious to everything else around them, as if time itself had frozen in that moment.
Just as Miao Ciyu was about to take things further, a sudden snap echoed from the shore—like a twig being stepped on.
“Who’s there!?”
Miao Ciyu quickly pulled Ruan Qing into his arms, his gaze turning icy as he looked toward the source of the sound, eyes filled with murderous intent.
By the large tree on the lakeshore stood an unfamiliar man, frozen in place with an expression that made it seem like he had just done something terribly wrong.
His handsome face flushed bright red as he looked at the two in the water, embarrassment flickering in his eyes. He stammered awkwardly:
“Uh… sorry.”
“I was just passing by. Just passing by.”
And it wasn’t just him—on the far side of the lake, in one of the corners, stood a group of people. They were the players who had finally entered Miao Village.
They too had clearly seen everything happening in the lake.
None of the players had expected that the moment they entered the village, they would walk in on such an explosive scene.
The sky hadn't completely darkened yet, and the faint remaining light was enough to clearly see the scene in the lake. Although both figures were still fully clothed and nothing outright indecent was happening, the mere sight of their kiss was strangely enough to make one's heartbeat race uncontrollably.
Because the boy being kissed was simply too alluring.
Just watching him obediently allow himself to be held and kissed was enough to stir the darkest desires in one's heart - the overwhelming urge to claim him for oneself.
The players didn't believe for a second that the man had accidentally stepped on that branch. He'd undoubtedly done it on purpose, intentionally making noise to interrupt the kiss.
