Top Dupe CH 098 Trust And Protection

When Gu Xiaowei reminded Luo Yu that this was a hand-warmer and Luo Yu couldn’t find the spot to put his hand in, everyone laughed.

[Senior Brother is so adorably silly but cute!]

[Brother Luo, that confused expression on your face is even cuter than a little bunny!]

[Let me guess, it must have been Teacher Gu who taught you how to open the little bunny!]

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

When Gu Xiaowei pulled open both ends of the little bunny and put his hand inside, the netizens couldn’t contain themselves. A flood of comments came through, all saying, [He held his hand].

When Luo Yu’s hand got squeezed by Gu Xiaowei in the hand-warmer, and Gu Xiaowei softly asked, “It hurts?” with a gentle, smiling tone, it was just too swoon-worthy.

[Senior Brother, don’t doubt it. Brother Gu is intentionally pinching your hand!]

[I’ve never heard Teacher Gu speak so gently!]

[You two are locked together, never separating!]

[Brother Gu only shows this kind of sweetness to Senior Brother~]

When Luo Yu read the comments, he realized that netizens seemed to be more invested in these moments than even himself, already crafting sweet fanfiction scenarios. 

“What are you doing looking at your phone like that? Netizens roasting you or something?” Gu Xiaowei leaned over to ask.

“I just admire the fans’ creativity! You only pinched my finger in the hand-warmer, and they’ve spun all these sweet ideas. They lock us together constantly. Do you think Brother Cheng will be heartbroken seeing this? He’s still waiting for you to make an official announcement about your brotherly bond with him!”

Luo Yu acted casual but in his heart he couldn’t help but wonder. Gu Xiaowei didn’t bother with media attention or fan manipulation, but with their filming together, they had been actively appearing in the same spaces and interacting, fueling the imagination of their fans.

According to the usual trajectory of CP pairings in the entertainment industry, those who show too much affection often split up quickly, sometimes with dramatic fallout. Although Gu Xiaowei seems like the kind of person who would never say a bad word about an ex after breaking up, Luo Yu couldn’t help but worry—once “Counterattack” finished airing and the movie wrapped, would they end up like other CPs that fizzle out quietly?

By then, the audience might still be deeply invested, but the two of them would have already gone their separate ways.

“Just this and you think their imagination is impressive? When they see you wearing my suit and shirt while I button the cufflinks for you later, they probably will visualize a wedding ceremony and ring exchange. Should I dig you a hole to hide in then?” Gu Xiaowei joked, not looking at Luo Yu but focused on his phone.

Luo Yu glanced at him, surprised that Gu Xiaowei was also watching his birthday unboxing video. This was slightly awkward, he felt like he was watching himself and Gu Xiaowei dating.

Before he could adjust himself, Gu Xiaowei’s hand reached out and rested on the back of Luo Yu’s neck. Luo Yu nearly bumped his chin into Gu Xiaowei’s shoulder and had to brace himself against the couch.

“Let’s watch together. If fans can ship us this strongly, we should learn what exactly they’re catching onto,” Gu Xiaowei said.

Luo Yu, a bit helpless, replied, “Your mere presence is a ship in itself. Your cool and aloof demeanor, yet your willingness to patiently record unboxing videos with me is enough to fuel their fantasies.”

Gu Xiaowei frowned, “Xiao Qin and Ah Yan did similar videos with me, and no one shipped us like this.”

Luo Yu, “…Did you even interact with them?”

Gu Xiaowei turned toward him, “Isn’t it because you’re handsome and have a good figure? If you were fat, unattractive, or had a less appealing physique, do you think fans would still be interested?”

“Uh… I’ll make sure I don’t become oily or unappealing for at least a century.”

The video moved to the gingerbread segment. Gu Xiaowei said, “I’ll make gingerbread for you to eat on my birthday,” and the fans went into another frenzy. From the screen, Luo Yu could feel their enthusiasm, which wasn’t just about literal eating but something more suggestive.

“Classmate Gu, you’ve set off a firestorm of fan fantasies with this line. They’ll bombard you with all sorts of gingerbread now,” Luo Yu was amused.

“I’ll pass them all to you. You can have your own live eating broadcast with them. Though…” Gu Xiaowei dragged out the last word.

“What though?” Luo Yu asked knowingly as if he wouldn’t fall for it, but his heart leaped in curiosity.

“They want you to eat more than just gingerbread,” Gu Xiaowei said nonchalantly.

“You’re talking about eating you instead, huh?” Luo Yu laughed.

Gu Xiaowei turned his face, so close that his nose almost brushed against Luo Yu’s cheek. Luo Yu instinctively wanted to pull back, but he suppressed it.

“You’ve actually become more clever, Senior Brother?”

“It’s you who are clever! Fans expect you to nibble on more than just gingerbread, aren’t you worried?”

“Only if you don’t mind pain I can nibble elsewhere,” Gu Xiaowei quipped.

“Wait, you actually made a saucy joke? Did you learn this from someone?” Luo Yu was half amused, half embarrassed.

“You.” Gu Xiaowei replied while going back to watching the video.

His heart began beating madly again. Luckily they were separated by the couch otherwise Gu Xiaowei would notice his increased temperature. 

The video reached a point where Luo Yu pronounced a fan’s name “GXW” from a gift, sending fan comments flying in a frenzy.

[That’s Gu Xiaowei!]

[You’ve got no sense of keenness towards Gu Xiaowei’s name, Senior Brother!]

[Senior Brother, you silly blockhead.]

After changing into a blazer and shirt, Luo Yu appeared onscreen looking sharp. Fans gasped, and even Luo Yu couldn’t resist checking his reflection.

“Are the beauty filters turned on?”

“No. A shirt and blazer always complement a man’s physique,” Gu Xiaowei said, turning his face and smiling again—devastatingly sexy. “Especially when you’re wearing my clothes.”

Sure enough, when the off-screen voice played, with Ye Shengyi saying that Luo Yu wore the wrong clothes, the comments went into a frenzy.

[Wore the wrong clothes? Whose clothes is he wearing? Ahhh, is it what I’m thinking?]

[Awooo, Brother Gu admitted that Senior Brother wore his clothes by mistake, and he seemed to smile while saying it!]

[Teacher Gu’s willingness to admit it like this—so sweet!]

[You both refusing to lock together is fine, but Teacher Gu still needs to watch Brother Lu’s wardrobe choices! Grandpa shirts and flip-flops are too much—don’t make me look!]

[No way! Teacher Gu, are you willing to let Senior Brother wear those grandpa shirts for us to see?]

[Haha, you secretly want to keep that for yourself, don’t you?]

Seeing the comments float by, Luo Yu suddenly realized something wasn’t right. “What’s wrong with grandpa shirts? Why are they saying you don’t want me to wear them for the fans?”

Grandpa shirts weren’t uncomfortable! They were cotton, inexpensive, and these kids just didn’t know how good they were!

“Think about it carefully,” Gu Xiaowei said, turning toward him and placing his hand on Luo Yu’s shoulder, running his hand down. At first glance, it looked like he was outlining the shape of the grandpa shirt. Before his hand could reach a certain point, Luo Yu grabbed his wrist.

“That’s enough, Teacher Gu!”

“I haven’t finished yet,” Gu Xiaowei said lightly. “I have OCD. I can’t leave things half-done.”

“You’ve already achieved your goal. I understand now,” Luo Yu said, showing a sincere expression.

“Heh,” Gu Xiaowei chuckled coldly, finally turning his head.

The entire video became a celebration for fans, as well as for Bai Ying and Yan Ye’s characters. Search rankings shot up one after another. While Sister Cui welcomed the exposure, as the two were actors, she hoped fans would focus on their work instead of their interactions. She intentionally pressed down on some of the trending hashtags to avoid envious people causing unnecessary conflicts.

Meng Yu was initially worried that Luo Yu would exploit this situation to generate shipping, as CPs were common in the entertainment industry. Often, the more intense the ship, the worse the fallout. Sometimes, one party’s crisis would pull the other party into controversy, consuming tremendous effort to resolve, with netizens still unswayed in the end. However, Meng Yu didn’t expect Sister Cui to call him directly to discuss this—expressing the intent to lower the heat surrounding Luo Yu’s birthday and their shared exposure.

Sister Cui sounded more confident and steady compared to before. “Luo Yu is still in his rising period. Being close friends with Gu Xiaowei is a good thing. However, if there are too many hints of anything more than friendship and expectations are raised, the fans’ attention will overshadow their work. Fans today ship this pair; tomorrow they’ll ship another. Only their work and acting can ensure lasting success.

I’m not sure if you have any marketing strategies. If not, I’ll take care of bringing the heat down.”

Meng Yu smiled. “I’ve thought about it too. Teacher Gu celebrating Teacher Lu’s birthday is heartfelt and not just a publicity stunt. He has lacked close friends in the industry. Right now, he seems like someone who has been lonely too long, suddenly returning to his college days after meeting his admired senior brother. I hope their bond remains free of commercial motivations so that they can maintain their friendship for the long term.”

“Of course. We can schedule a meal to better communicate and align our strategies.”

“That’s indeed necessary,” Meng Yu chuckled meaningfully.

After hanging up, Meng Yu let out a breath. Maybe others wouldn’t see it, but Meng Yu felt that Gu Xiaowei’s active involvement and closeness with Luo Yu had surpassed the admiration one might expect from a junior toward their senior. Looking at Gu Xiaowei’s interactions with Cheng Fei—who had also starred with him in the same drama—one could see how formal Gu Xiaowei had been at award events, always stiff and proper. But sitting next to Luo Yu, Meng Yu could imagine Gu Xiaowei gently offering Luo Yu water, even unscrewing the bottle cap or perhaps warming the water before handing it to him.

He shook his head. He could not think anymore, the more he thought the more fishy Gu Xiaowei appeared.

Meng Yu resolved to protect Gu Xiaowei as much as possible, knowing that once things were magnified or overly focused on, they would lose their natural progression.

Monitoring the online sentiment around the birthday video, Meng Yu confirmed there weren’t any major incidents. Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei, along with Ye Shengyi and the others, were simply gathered at the table, blowing out candles and eating cake.

The birthday cake gifted by the resort was a delicately decorated with a crystal crown—not the traditional princess crown, but a king’s crown.

“Alright, time for Luo Yu’s coronation!” Ye Shengyi exclaimed as he held the crown, attempting to place it on Luo Yu’s head.

Unfortunately, Luo Yu was too tall, and the crown couldn’t reach him. He found it cute but childish and kept dodging.

After much teasing, Ye Shengyi handed the crown to Gu Xiaowei. “Brother Gu, on such an important day, I think a coronation ceremony is essential!”

Gu Xiaowei sighed in resignation as he held the crown.

“I’m not wearing it. It’s ridiculous,” Luo Yu protested, shaking his head.

“Then let’s have a proper coronation ceremony?” Gu Xiaowei tilted his head.

Luo Yu squinted at him. “What are you planning…?”

Ten minutes later, Luo Yu found himself seated, his face entirely painted with celebratory red cheek blushes, wrapped in a bedsheet resembling royal regalia, holding a hanger as a makeshift scepter.

“Brother Lu, act noble!” Xiao Qin, preparing to take photos, gestured toward him.

“This is ridiculous! Look at me! Who can act ‘noble’ dressed like this?” Luo Yu said, shaking his head.

“You look amazing!” 

“Classic European royal vibes—totally unique!”

Luo Yu sighed helplessly, looking up at the sky. How did his birthday turn into their comedy show?

Ye Shengyi even pulled out his phone and started playing the grand opening theme of a certain TV drama. With the villa’s natural echo effect, everyone’s spirits soared high.

Gu Xiaowei stood in front of him, holding the crown. “By my own hand, I crown you as king, acknowledging your rule. From now on—”

Before Luo Yu could protest, Ye Shengyi, along with the others, chimed in unison: “We pledge absolute loyalty and will defend your rights!”

With that, Gu Xiaowei placed the crown on Luo Yu’s head.

As Luo Yu was about to lower his head, Gu Xiaowei’s finger touched his forehead. “Don’t lower your head. The crown will fall off.”

“Alright, alright, you’re taking this way too seriously.”

“—Now, the king departs!”

After Ye Shengyi made the announcement, Gu Xiaowei turned sideways and extended his hand toward Luo Yu.

Luo Yu frowned slightly, eyeing Gu Xiaowei’s hand with suspicion. “Teacher Gu, I don’t get it. Is this supposed to be the king’s grand exit or the queen’s?”

“If you’re sure you won’t trip over the sheet, then you don’t need my help.”

“No, I definitely still need it.”

Sighing in resignation, Luo Yu decided to go along with their playful antics.

With a lofty air, Luo Yu placed his hand on Gu Xiaowei’s wrist. As he stood up, he almost tripped over the sheet for real. He wobbled slightly, and Gu Xiaowei quickly tightened his grip on Luo Yu’s hand while also steadying his crown.

Amid the majestic and imposing music, Luo Yu began his slow, deliberate walk toward the stairs.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Panic set in as Luo Yu’s heart dropped—his crown fell, and he caught it hastily.

“Luo Yu? We heard it’s your birthday. We came to celebrate!” said Yan Jun’s voice from outside.

“Don’t open it! Don’t open it!”

Crap! Why was Yan Jun here!

If his colleagues from the same crew saw this, it would definitely be a social death!

But Ye Shengyi had already cracked the door open, and it was too late to close it.

Yan Jun pushed the door open with a loud noise and called out in a carefree manner, “We only found out about your birthday because we watched the video you uploaded… You guys are really having a big celebration…”

Behind him stood several actors and staff, holding snacks and gifts, all staring in bewilderment at Luo Yu, who was draped in a bedsheet.

Luo Yu froze and said in a small voice, “I don’t think I can live this down.”

Gu Xiaowei whispered beside him: “As long as you act confident, the embarrassment is on them.”

Alright, it’s come to this point, so why not just go all out?

Luo Yu flashed an exaggerated grin. “Oh, look, another new friend has joined our mad journey.”

Yan Jun instinctively took half a step back, and Luo Yu pointed at him with the clothes hanger. “I hereby declare Yan Jun to be elevated to a First-Class Marquis!”

Ye Shengyi and Ah Yan exchanged glances and pulled Yan Jun into the mix.

“What are you… What are you planning to do… ah!…”

The next moment, Yan Jun was hit with a faceful of white foundation, matching His Majesty the King’s makeup look.

When this birthday party was shared online, netizens went absolutely wild.

“Haha! My Brother Luo turned bed sheets into supermodel chic, with legs that are 2.8 meters long!]

[Why didn’t Brother Gu put on makeup? What a missed opportunity!]

[Did no one find it especially sweet when Brother Gu crowned Senior Brother like that?]

[I just shipped this CP, and now it’s turned into a joke. I’m laughing so hard my head might fall off!]

[Hahahaha, Yan Jun is hilarious too—totally dazed from start to finish.]

[Did no one think Brother Gu looked like he was having the time of his life? You only ever get to see this side of him with Senior Brother!]

[Agree +1]

[Agree +2]

[Agree +10086]

Luo Yu’s birthday party ended at 4:30 PM.

He made a single wish while facing the birthday candles, wrapped in a bed sheet: no matter the circumstances or role, he hoped to be with Gu Xiaowei forever.

After the birthday celebrations, the filming of the movie progressed quickly, nearing completion.

In the latest scene, the two remaining heirs, Ding Bing and Zhuang Chao, cautiously approached the hunting lodge.

Night had fallen, and the only light came from the hunting lodge’s windows.

They had prepared for the possibility that Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi weren’t inside. However, as they arrived, the glow of the fireplace illuminated a shadow on the window.

“Playing tricks.” Ding Bing gave a cold chuckle and fired a shot at the window.

“Don’t shoot! It’s me! It’s me in here! Help! Help!”

Li Heng’s desperate cry rang out. He was the first to clash with Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi. Initially, he thought he might be strangled by Lu Pingfeng, but when he woke, he found himself bound in the basement, staring face-to-face with the dead driver—and nearly soiled himself.

Who knew that Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi came back again and dragged him out of the basement to put him in a rocking chair in the hunting cabin—at the time their intentions remained a mystery to him.

“Li Heng? Who else is in there with you?” Zhuang Chao shouted.

“No one! I swear! But hurry and save me! I know where they hid the antidote!” Li Heng shouted. “If you wait, dawn will break, and without the antidote, we’ll all die!”

Remembering the earlier incident with Zhuang He’s body being hung, Zhuang Chao didn’t act recklessly. His voice turned colder. “I think you’re in this with Lu Pingfeng, setting a trap for us.”

“Fuck! What would it serve me to lie to you? They’ve hidden things in here, and yes, they’ve set traps. If you save me, I can tell you where they are—and you can also find the antidote! Hurry, or it’ll be too late!” Li Heng’s voice grew more desperate.

Zhuang Chao glanced at Ding Bing and asked loudly, “Then what are they doing now?”

“That Wen Yuchi is a forensic doctor, right? He said the police would be looking for them! After luring you here, they would escape to the west side of the island and light smoke signals for help!” Li Heng said.

Ding Bing squinted his eyes. “That does fit their usual police logic. Let’s check if Wen Yuchi is close by.”

The two patrolled the area surrounding the lodge but didn’t spot anyone.

Finally, Zhuang Chao couldn’t hold back. “How about I go in and check, bring that fool Li Heng out? You stay outside as backup.”

Zhuang Chao harbored ulterior motives. If Li Heng knew where the antidote was, he wanted to claim it for himself before Ding Bing could. After all, fortunes come from risks.

“You go in if you want to. Good luck,” Ding Bing said calmly.

Ding Bing believed that if Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi’s heads were functioning properly, the antidote would be on them, not left behind in the cabin. This was clearly a trap.

Zhuang Chao eagerly approached the lodge, about to kick down the door, when Li Heng suddenly shouted:

“Wait! The trap… the trap is at the door! If you push it open, it’ll trigger the mechanism, and you’ll be riddled with holes!”

Zhuang Chao hastily pulled his foot back. “As expected! It’s a trap!”

Ding Bing didn’t show much emotion, but inwardly, he laughed. If it were a real trap, how could Li Heng have seen it?

Zhuang Chao used a dagger to pry open the lock, stepping to the side and pulling at a concealed rope.

As the wooden door creaked open, a row of spiked boards came crashing down.

Lu Pingfeng and his group likely used crude hunting traps to set up this kind of improvised mechanism.

Despite how simple the trap was, Zhuang Chao knew that without caution, he could have been dead in seconds.

Holding his gun carefully, he advanced into the lodge, scanning the interior.

He finally approached Li Heng. “Tell me! Where’s the antidote?”

“You untie my rope first! Then I’ll tell you!” Li Heng insisted.

Zhuang Chao drew his knife, cutting through the ropes binding Li Heng while remaining vigilant.

Li Heng, now free, moved his wrists and suddenly drew out a small folding knife from his pocket, plunging it toward Zhuang Chao’s neck.

“Ah—”

Zhuang Chao gasped, blood pouring as he fell to the ground. His eyes widened as his body convulsed before the light in his pupils faded, and his breath stopped.

Li Heng’s expression shifted from a dull, helpless one into a manic, crazed grin. He ran over to a goat’s severed head on the wall and laughed excitedly.

He placed his hand into the sheep’s mouth, unsure of what he was searching for. A few seconds later, he pulled out a small black container.

As he opened the capsule-sized container, a cold voice came from behind him.

“If you want to stay alive, put the antidote cap back on.”

Li Heng hadn’t anticipated that after eliminating Zhuang Chao, there would still be Ding Bing to deal with! He was far too careless!

Ding Bing had a gun, and the hunting cabin door was wide open. He could stand outside and directly aim at Li Heng, saying, “Throw the antidote over to me!”

At first, Li Heng hesitated, unwilling to give it up, until Ding Bing shot his shoulder. The pain was unbearable, making him cry out to his parents. In that moment of agony, Li Heng threw the capsule out. Taking advantage of the moment he tried to flee, but Ding Bing shot him without hesitation.

Wen Yuchi, hiding nearby, noticed that things had completely diverged from their original plan. As he was about to rush out, Lu Pingfeng covered his mouth and nose, forcing him back down.

Wen Yuchi struggled to lift his head, discovering that Lu Pingfeng’s gaze was cold and calm, but there was a faint smile.

According to their plan, Li Heng wasn’t supposed to have a dagger on him. When they had tied him up, Wen Yuchi had even checked his body for weapons. So where did the dagger used to kill Zhuang Chao come from?

Wen Yuchi recalled that before leaving, Lu Pingfeng had whispered something into Li Heng’s ear. Could it be that Lu Pingfeng had incited Li Heng to kill Zhuang Chao? No… It wasn’t Lu Pingfeng. He wasn’t a control freak—if he had intended to kill, he would have done it himself instead of inciting someone.

Could it have been someone else?

The thought made Wen Yuchi break into a cold sweat. Subconsciously, he reached for the dagger on his waist, only to find it was missing!

Li Heng, shot, lay in a pool of his own blood, trembling violently. From a distance, Lu Pingfeng pressed Wen Yuchi down, whispering into his ear: “There’s no saving him.”

Ding Bing chuckled and said aloud, “Still not coming out?”

Ding Bing was incredibly arrogant—but his confidence was misplaced. Anyone with common sense would know that a three-on-one situation didn’t inspire courage to taunt opponents.

Wen Yuchi heard the faint sound of a gun being loaded. His adrenaline spiked as he forcefully pushed Lu Pingfeng off him.

The pain of a bullet piercing his chest reached his brain as he fell, and his body was overcome by a suffocating, sharp pain. Blood flowed freely from his body.

“Aha… hit the forensic doctor, huh? I was hoping for two birds with one stone,” Qin Lin said, standing up slowly with a gun pointed at Lu Pingfeng.

Lu Pingfeng raised his own gun, aiming directly at Qin Lin.

“Try shooting, and you’ll never get the antidote,” Lu Pingfeng said coldly. His voice was sharp and unwavering.

This wasn’t directed at Qin Lin but at Ding Bing. At this moment, it became clear to all that Qin Lin and Ding Bing were on the same side, hidden deep within their schemes.

Qin Lin turned his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. “Mr. Lu, the forensic doctor, is about to die. I thought you would try to save him. Surprisingly, you remain so composed. I guess old Mr. Zhuang underestimated you, believing that this little forensic doctor meant something special to you.”

The entire mountain seemed utterly silent.

Wen Yuchi turned his head weakly, his lips bloodless, eyes fixed on Lu Pingfeng, his body trembling violently. He forced himself to stay conscious and focused on Lu Pingfeng’s figure.

It was strange. Though the entire mountain lacked light, Wen Yuchi felt as if Lu Pingfeng were cloaked in all the light of the universe—so bright, so radiant, that it felt like it was leading him to another world.

Lu Pingfeng raised his gun, his shoulders not trembling even once. His posture, standing firm, appeared resolute and unyielding.

The stillness was deafening, and in the calm before destruction, the tension was unbearable.

Ding Bing appeared shaken. Lu Pingfeng seemed like he existed in his own isolated realm, making Ding Bing cautious, unwilling to cross that invisible boundary.

All calculated plans and manipulations by Qin Lin felt futile under Lu Pingfeng’s unwavering gaze.

Qin Lin couldn’t guarantee a perfect shot on Lu Pingfeng, and Lu Pingfeng wouldn’t stop firing until his very last breath.

Lu Pingfeng stood there, refusing even to check Wen Yuchi’s wounds, his protective instinct seemingly trying to contain the entire space, anchoring Wen Yuchi’s breathing, heartbeats, and blood flow, as if trying to lock him into his own world.

The scene concluded here.

Time passed quietly until Gu Xiaowei put down his gun. The other actors, including Nie Yangchen, didn’t dare to move until a lighting technician accidentally stepped on a branch, making a cracking sound that broke the tension.

“Good—” Sheng Yunlan shouted into a megaphone, breaking the tension and restoring the bustling film set as lighting technicians adjusted their lights, prop masters went about their business, and everyone took their cues.

Nie Yangchen took a sharp breath and retreated a step. When Gu Xiaowei’s gun raised and pointed at him, his expression was not of cold-blooded malice but one of unyielding rejection—casting Nie Yangchen out of this world.

The actor playing Ding Bing was also immersed in the atmosphere. The intensity of the scene earlier had gripped him so much he was about to check on Luo Yu, but Nie Yangchen blocked his path, leading him away instead.

Nie Yangchen understood that at this moment, Gu Xiaowei wouldn’t allow anyone near Luo Yu, even out of compassion.

Having been “shot”, Luo Yu sat up slowly, his chest stained with blood. Gu Xiaowei was already beside him, crouched, helping him to his feet.

“Be careful! I’m covered in tomato sauce!” Luo Yu exclaimed, pushing Gu Xiaowei back to maintain distance.

The outfit the other was wearing would be used in the next scene as well. He was not sure if the director would suddenly ask to shoot any additional shots, and if it gets stained with his “blood,” it would be troublesome.

But who knew that Gu Xiaowei ignored the concern and held him tightly, pressing him into his embrace. The hug felt suffocating, as if their bodies might fuse together.

He originally thought Gu Xiaowei would say something but instead he silently released Luo Yu and got up.

Looking at the time, it was nearly 4:30. A few additional shots needed to be filmed before they descended the mountain.

Ah Yan almost exclaimed while helping Gu Xiaowei touch up his makeup.

“Brother Gu, you have blood on you! We haven’t filmed your scene saving Wen Yuchi yet! The director is going to freak out. What do we do? How do we clean this off?”

But Gu Xiaowei was unusually quiet. He didn’t comfort Ah Yan or apologize, his eyes lowered, and he remained silent.

If he was trying to maintain Lu Pingfeng’s emotional state, his demeanor didn’t show an unapproachable vibe. Instead, the noisier the set, the more he seemed isolated.

The contrast was unsettling, causing a deep tremor in the heart.

No one knew what he was thinking.

They first filmed additional scenes with Ding Bing, Zhuang Chao, and Li Heng. Once his makeup was touched up, Gu Xiaowei held a small box and wandered to the back of the set.

It was the crew’s temporary trash bin area, without lighting. Gu Xiaowei stood in front of the bin, pulling out a cigarette from the box. The sound of a lighter sparked, and the tiny flame illuminated his face slightly.

By day, this man was dignified, but in dim light, he appeared alluringly seductive.

Especially now—without expression, he was still captivating.

Luo Yu walked step by step toward him while Gu Xiaowei remained unaware. He took a drag from the cigarette, exhaling the smoke lightly. The smoke drifted lazily in front of him, obscuring his features and making it appear faintly hypnotic, hard to interpret.

But Luo Yu reached out and grabbed a handful of the smoke in front of him.

Gu Xiaowei took half a step back, glancing at Luo Yu with what seemed like unwillingness to see him. He murmured, “I’ll only have a few puffs and then join you. Don’t let the director lose track of you—he’ll be angry.”

Though it was a rejection, his voice was low, gentle, and intoxicating, as though the very sound could make one lose themselves.

Luo Yu grabbed Gu Xiaowei’s wrist and looked into his eyes. Every time Gu Xiaowei tried to avoid his gaze, Luo Yu would pull harder, chasing his gaze.

Escaping Luo Yu was simple for Gu Xiaowei, but he never did.

He both wanted Luo Yu to grab him like this and yet avoid his gaze because the longer their eyes met, the harder it was to suppress his own buried desires.

“What are you thinking about?” Luo Yu asked quietly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Why can Lu Pingfeng hold the gun so calmly? Maybe in the next second, he’ll never feel Wen Yuchi’s presence again.” Gu Xiaowei looked at his hand, his fingers trembling faintly as he held the cigarette. “He is so attached to Wen Yuchi’s breathing and heartbeat. Everything else is lifeless, but Wen Yuchi is alive. He should go crazy, trying to grab him, stop the blood, stop it from flowing. But Lu Pingfeng can still keep holding the gun?”

His fingers trembled even more subtly.

“Putting the gun down means Qin Lin would kill Wen Yuchi. Maybe this is extreme protection. To protect someone, you can suppress all emotions, even fear. Holding the gun, he can’t stop Wen Yuchi from bleeding. Putting it down means he can’t protect him. Lu Pingfeng chose to trust Wen Yuchi’s vitality. He chose to pick up the gun to protect him,” Luo Yu said.

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The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 098 Family Relations

Although Su Wenyun had never intentionally showcased it, his noble family background naturally imbued him with an inherent elegance, just like Wang Zhen. Every gesture carried a distinct refinement. Even earlier, as he watered the plants with his face concealed by burlap, Tang Shen could still sense an unusual air about him when passing by.

Why would Su Wenyun, accustomed to wearing gold and jade, suddenly don such attire and water plants in front of Tang Shen’s room?

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Tang Shen understood clearly but maintained an indifferent expression. He said calmly, “It was just a casual question.”

Su Wenyun looked Tang Shen up and down, a smirk playing on his lips. “I was also casually passing by.”

Tang Shen: “…”

Su Wenyun asked, “Does Tang daren have any other questions?”

“None,” Tang Shen replied.

With a light laugh, Su Wenyun turned and left.

Tang Shen watched his retreating figure disappear through a small courtyard gate. After a long moment, he shook his head, finding the situation both amusing and exasperating. Su Wenyun truly had too much time on his hands. He had deliberately waited here just to observe who Tang Shen would meet upon arriving in Youzhou.

Currently, Youzhou City was under the influence of two forces: the Youzhou Military Camp and the Silver Pull Division.

The Youzhou Military Camp belonged to the Grand Marshal of the Empire, essentially making it half under Li Jingde’s jurisdiction. Based on the tension between Li Jingde and Su Wenyun back in Shengjing, the two were clearly not on good terms. Meanwhile, the Silver Pull Division was Wang Zhen’s domain, and Su Wenyun’s relationship with Wang Zhen wasn’t much better.

Thus, while Su Wenyun had arrived in Youzhou as early as February, he had accomplished little since then.

Su Wenyun’s competence was unquestionable, but his lack of manpower left him isolated and ineffective—a major hurdle in Youzhou.

Back in his room, Tang Shen lit an oil lamp, the flickering flame casting shadows on the walls. He let out a long sigh.

Only now did Tang Shen fully grasp Zhao Fu’s intentions in sending him to Youzhou. It wasn’t just to carry out his mission but also to assist Su Wenyun!

The proposal to use the Silver Pull Division as a means to plant spies in Liao territory had been Tang Shen’s idea. However, he was also aware that Su Wenyun’s experience likely surpassed his own when it came to executing such plans. Yet, Su Wenyun lacked sufficient support in Youzhou. Therefore, Zhao Fu had sent Tang Shen to collaborate with him.

Tang Shen, a member of Wang Zhen’s faction, could monitor Su Wenyun. Conversely, Su Wenyun was tasked with monitoring Tang Shen.

This created a delicate balance between the two.

Zhao Fu’s mind was like a deep, dark abyss, within which lay a seemingly dormant dragon. Coiled within the depths, it watched the world above with cold, unyielding eyes.

In Shengjing, within a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of the city, a bamboo grove concealed a seemingly ordinary estate. Yet upon entering, one would find an exquisite scene: jagged rock formations, flowing water, and a distinctly Jiangnan-style garden. Winding corridors led to a small pavilion standing serenely in the center of a pond.

Wang Zhen, dressed in a white brocade robe, rolled up his sleeves slightly. With practiced elegance, he picked up a teapot and poured tea in a manner so fluid and graceful it was a delight to watch. He pushed a cup of tea across the table toward the man sitting opposite him. The man picked up the cup with both hands and took a sip.

“Exquisite,” said the man, who was none other than the Right Prime Minister, Wang Quan.

Wang Zhen smiled. “You flatter me, Uncle.”

Wang Quan remarked, “It’s been half a year since I last visited your ‘Liuqi Courtyard.’ What brings you here today?”

Wang Zhen replied, “I recently had a Taihu rock transported from Gusu.”

“Oh? Where is it?”

Wang Zhen pointed to a large, slanted rock in the middle of the pond.

Standing by the pavilion’s edge, Wang Quan examined it. “Its shape is peculiar, its color unique, and its texture excellent—a truly fine specimen of pierced rock. Has it been named?”

“Not yet,” Wang Zhen said.

“Shall I name it for you?” Wang Quan asked with a smile.

Wang Quan was only making a  casual offer. Twelve years ago, Wang Zhen achieved first place in the imperial examinations and officially began his career as an official. He didn’t stay long in the Zhuangyuan Residence granted by the emperor for the top scholar before moving into a private residence prepared by the prestigious Wang clan of Langya in Shengjing—later known as the Minister Residence.

The Wang family of Langya, with its deep roots and resources, provided Wang Zhen with endless support. However, once Wang Zhen was promoted to a third-rank official, the family’s assistance became less crucial. Eight years ago, Wang Zhen purchased this Liuqi Courtyard entirely on his own.

Descendants of the Wang family from Langya possess a unique attachment and sense of ownership toward their personal belongings.

Though small, Liuqi Courtyard was designed with meticulous care. Creating a stunning Jiangnan-style garden in a prime location like Shengjing required significant expense and effort from Wang Zhen. However, it remained his private domain. Wang Quan rarely set foot there, and without an invitation, he would never visit.

Yet even Wang Quan was surprised when Wang Zhen declined without hesitation. “Thank you, Uncle, but someone else will be naming it.”

“Who might that be?” Wang Quan asked, intrigued.

“They have yet to return to Shengjing,” Wang Zhen replied.

For a moment, Wang Quan was taken aback before a look of understanding crossed his face. He shook his head, feeling regret for his remarkable nephew but he would not say anything.

Wang Quan changed the subject. “Tang Shen, Tang Jingze seems to have arrived in Youzhou.”

“Yes,” Wang Zhen confirmed.

After a pause, Wang Quan sighed. “Zi Feng, extending your reach too far may not always be wise. A lifetime of mutual understanding and support does not mean absolute control. You navigate politics and relationships with such finesse—how could you not understand this?”

For a rare moment, a hint of surprise flickered across Wang Zhen’s otherwise elegant and composed features. Then, he smiled and said, “You’re right, Uncle.”

After Wang Quan left, Wang Zhen sat alone in the courtyard, his eyes fixed on a Taihu rock in the pond.

After a long while, he chuckled mockingly, “You speak as if it’s so simple. Second Uncle, oh Second Uncle, you haven’t even managed your own relationship woes properly!”

Meanwhile, just as Wang Quan returned to the Right Prime Minister’s residence, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Frowning, the influential court minister thought to himself, Could it be that my little nephew Wang Zifeng is badmouthing me behind my back?

It must be said that high-ranking officials like him possessed an intuition far sharper than ordinary people.

Naturally, Tang Shen had no knowledge of what was happening in Shengjing. Nor did he know that without doing anything, he had inadvertently caused Wang Zifeng to be reprimanded by Wang Quan and lectured on how to manage family relations. Although it was widely known in Shengjing that Wang Quan’s own marriage was far from harmonious, that never stopped him from acting as a self-proclaimed expert on family matters.

Of course, if Tang Shen had known, he probably wouldn’t have cared. After all, when had he and his senior brother ever been in a family-like relationship? They were clearly just fellow senior and junior brothers.

The next morning, Lin Xu, the overseer of the Silver Pull Division, came to meet Tang Shen again. This time, he was joined by Lu Shen and his men, and the two groups clashed at the posthouse. Tang Shen stepped out of his room to witness the tense standoff and immediately felt a headache coming on.

“Let’s go. We’re visiting the Silver Pull Division today,” Tang Shen said.

“Yes, daren. Please allow me to lead the way,” Lin Xu replied.

As they walked, Tang Shen casually remarked, “Right Vice Minister Su Wenyun of the Ministry of Works has been in Youzhou for a month now. I’ve known him since our time in Shengjing. Coincidentally, we were sent here together, though our assignments differ. I can’t help but wonder—what has Su daren been doing in Youzhou?”

Wang Zhen and Su Wenyun were by no means allies. Lin Xu didn’t take Su Wenyun seriously either and directly revealed what Su Wenyun had been doing these past few days.

Like Tang Shen, Su Wenyun had come to Youzhou on business, and Zhao Fu had also assigned him a team. However, unlike Tang Shen, he didn’t have the support of the Silver Pull Divison and didn’t get along well with Li Jingde. As a result, despite working for a month, his progress had been slow, and he had achieved little.

Tang Shen listened thoughtfully, nodding occasionally.

Upon arriving at the Silver Pull Division, Tang Shen, as the emperor’s envoy, was normally expected to face resistance. However, under Lin Xu’s guidance, he easily obtained the past year’s account books and began reviewing them.

The accounts were impeccably detailed, with every expense and income meticulously recorded. It was either a sign of genuine transparency or the work of a master accountant.

As the Silver Pull Division was under Wang Zhen’s jurisdiction, Tang Shen trusted that his senior brother’s character ensured the records were genuine.

Wang Zifeng was not entirely an incorruptible official. In fact, Tang Shen suspected that his senior brother might have engaged in bribery or falsified documents in the past. However, as the Minister of Revenue, Wang Zifeng had ample opportunities to amass wealth elsewhere. It was unlikely he would tamper with matters concerning the Silver Pull Division, a crucial institution tied to the prosperity of the Song Dynasty for decades, even centuries, to come.

After reviewing the account books, Lin Xu accompanied Tang Shen to meet with several officials of the Silver Pull Division.

That evening, the Silver Pull Division hosted a banquet in honor of Tang Shen’s arrival. Amid the clinking of cups and flowing wine, Tang Shen returned to the posthouse, slightly inebriated. Since his arrival in Youzhou, Lu Shen’s assignment had shifted from monitoring the Silver Pull Division to ensuring Tang Shen’s safety and awaiting his orders.

So naturally, when Tang Shen became drunk, General Lu dispatched men to escort him back to the posthouse. 

Tang Shen, his cheeks flushed, lay on the bed in a drunken stupor. Despite his intoxication, his refined features and demeanor remained intact, far from resembling a disheveled drunkard.

Yet Lu Shen, after throwing him onto the bed, grumbled lightly under his breath and sneered, “inept official!” before leaving with his men.

Soon, the posthouse fell silent once more.

The night deepened, and a startled finch fluttered outside the window.

In the pitch-dark bedroom, Tang Shen suddenly opened his eyes. He coughed softly, his throat parched. Rising, he poured himself a cup of tea. Although his ears were still red and his movements a bit unsteady, his gaze was sharp and sober—nothing like the drunken man from earlier.

After sipping tea to clear his head, Tang Shen changed into dark clothing and quickly slipped out of his room.

Moving quietly, he navigated through several small courtyards, avoiding patrolling guards, until he reached a particular room. The room was unlit, seemingly unoccupied, or its occupant might have already gone to bed. Yet Tang Shen gently knocked on the door. Before long, the door opened.

In the moonlight, Su Wenyun stood there, looking Tang Shen up and down. He sniffed lightly and smirked. “Tang daren has been drinking?”

Tang Shen replied coldly, “This lower official, Tang Shen, greets Su daren. Last night, you went out of your way to seek me and subtly hinted at your residence. Thus, I avoided prying eyes today and came to find you.”

Su Wenyun ceased his mocking tone and stepped aside. “I’ve had the nearby area cleared of people. Come in, and we’ll talk.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Tang Shen entered without hesitation.

Once the door was shut, their expressions turned grave.

By day, Su Wenyun had been derided by Lin Xu as someone who “idles away his time.” But now, he spoke with unwavering resolve:

“Using the Silver Pull Division as a gateway—enter Liao territory as merchants!”

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These Werebeast Gongs Are Rogues CH 059 Dealing Out A Deserved Beating

Lei Jin had already noticed the movement before the person approached. On the surface, he kept his original posture calmly and secretly pulled the stone knife over with his feet. He also guessed that it was Rong Chuan.

After observing for the past few days, he figured out the pattern. Rong Chuan always went home early for lunch at noon, and came back not very early in the afternoon. Often he had already cut a big bundle before he slowly wandered over and cut some more perfunctorily. Jing Ping’s papa had secretly warned him and Jing Ping twice, telling them to stay away from Rong Chuan, saying that Rong Chuan was a notorious idler in the Tiger Tribe, and his papa was the only one working hard in the family. But his papa was willing to pamper him, and it’s hard for others to say anything. However, if he liked to touch the females in the tribe, they wouldn’t let him off easily. For this reason, the werebeasts in the tribe often dealt with him secretly, but his bad habits were hard to change. His papa also liked to come to everyone’s house and cry, and he can’t be beaten and can’t be taught. Over time, everyone turned a blind eye. As long as he behaved honestly, the people in the tribe would pretend that they haven’t seen him. But it was extremely difficult for him to find a female.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Lei Jin felt a little annoyed. If he had known that he would meet this person, he would not have offered to stay behind. It was not because he was afraid, but with his current state, it was unrealistic to defeat a werebeast.

But of course there was no time to think about this now. The arrow was on the string and must be fired. He could not use force so all that was left was to use smarts.

Lei Jin concentrated his energy, heard the sound of wind behind his ears, kicked the stone knife beside him back, and rolled to the left decisively. He originally wanted to turn over sideways, but without the help of his arms, he could only roll sideways.

Rong Chuan didn’t expect that he would miss. The stone knife hit his eye socket and his vision turned black. He staggered a little and managed to steady himself. He smiled ingratiatingly at Lei Jin who had already stood up, revealing sharp yellowed teeth he said: “I didn’t expect to be discovered by you. Aren’t you unable to move your arms now?”

He had heard a long time ago that Jing Yue rescued a female who was very charming, but his arms were injured. He often went to Mu Yue to change dressings and other things. When he saw him in the mountains these days, it was true. Jing Ping and his papa were there harvesting, while this female was just helping with some small tasks, and his arms basically didn’t move. It seemed that the rumors were true. He originally went home early for lunch today, but while he was sitting at the door of the yard with a big bowl, he saw Jing Ping and his papa come back, but he didn’t see the new female. Then he thought about it and sneaked back quietly. Sure enough, he saw the female staying here alone. What’s even better was that there was tall grass all around, and the people farther away won’t be able to see anything.

He just didn’t expect that although this female had no arms, his skills were pretty good. He actually escaped his grasp the first time, but it only aroused his desire to conquer even more.

Rong Chuan’s eyes roved over Lei Jin’s body, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and said: “Jing Yue has such good taste, no wonder that even though you are a cripple, he is willing to want you. A female like you, even if you are crippled, no one will dislike you.”

Lei Jin was originally very disgusted, but now the most important thing was to delay time until Jing Ping and his papa come back. But this Rong Chuan kept calling him a cripple every other word, Lei Jin was very angry after hearing this. He promised to himself that if he could get past today’s ordeal, no matter what, he must teach this scumbag a lesson. This bustard actually dared to think of using force.

When Rong Chuan saw that Lei Jin was silent, he thought he was frightened. After all, a female had almost no chance of winning against a werebeast alone. After all, there was an innate difference, so he walked towards Lei Jin with confidence and said, “You won’t be able to run away, you’d better agree obediently.”

He took a step forward, and Lei Jin took a step back, but slowly the distance between the two people became closer. Seeing that Rong Chuan’s hand was about to touch him, Lei Jin still didn’t move. He only looked up and smiled slightly at Rong Chuan, “Aren’t you afraid that Jing Yue will come back and cause trouble for you?” Since the other had already identified himself as Jing Yue’s female, he decided to make use of it.

“I can’t care that much.” Rong Chuan saw Lei Jin’s smiling face and couldn’t help but take another step forward, but the change happened the next moment. Under the cover of weeds, there was a knee-deep hole. Rong Chuan stepped right on it, his body tilted and he fell to the ground.

This hole was discovered by Jing Ping accidentally falling in. When Lei Jin had rolled to the left earlier he had calculated correctly. This hole could delay Rong Chuan for a while, and he would have time to escape.

When Lei Jin saw Rong Chuan down, he didn’t care about anything else and ran away. But before he ran very far, he knew that he had underestimated the werbeast’s reaction speed. Rong Chuan caught up with Lei Jin and pounced on him.

Lei Jin couldn’t avoid it, and he was pressed into the grass by the river.

The small stones pressing against Lei Jin’s chest hurt, but this was not the most important thing, because as soon as he landed on the ground, Rong Chuan could barely wait to tear Lei Jin’s pants off, and even the belt of his pants had been ripped off by him.

Lei Jin probably never dreamed that he would have this day. He only felt a stinging in his eyes. Rong Chuan’s hand had touched the skin on his waist. Lei Jin felt sick and wanted to vomit, but he knew that what he needed most now was to calm down. Only he could save himself now.

“Wait a moment.” Lei Jin suddenly shouted.

“What tricks do you want to play again?” Rong Chuan pressed him and refused to let go, and his hands were not idle either.

“Don’t you think it’s better to do it face to face?” Lei Jin turned his head and smiled.

Rong Chuan thought for a while, but he was really wary of this female. He had too many tricks. He had avoided it once or twice, but he might not be able to avoid it next time, so he refused: “It’s more convenient from behind.”

Get the hell out of here, Lei Jin cursed in his heart, convenient? Convenient for you to die. Even if he really fell into the hands of this scum today, as long as he was still alive, he would definitely kill him.

“But I prefer to watch you come in.” Lei Jin made himself sick eight times before saying this.

Rong Chuan couldn’t stand such teasing, so he immediately flipped Lei Jin over, continued to press on him, and said, “Are you really willing to be with me…” Saying that Rong Chuan saw Lei Jin’s face, and suddenly he felt a bit embarrassed. After all, this female was really good-looking, especially when he smiled, his eyes were so charming that one’s soul could get lost within.

“Yes.” Go to hell, Lei Jin squeezed out the word through his teeth, not forgetting to put a smile on his face.

“Then I’ll start.” Rong Chuan licked the corner of his mouth and began to untie the knot of Lei Jin’s clothes with both hands. However, he was too impatient, and his hands kept shaking with excitement and only made the knot even tighter.

Rong Chuan looked at the sky, fearing that Jing Ping and his papa were about to come back soon, so he simply pulled Lei Jin’s collar apart to both sides, pulling it directly under his shoulders.

Lei Jin’s bare shoulders were exposed. Rong Chuan’s eyes became dazed with lust and he reached out to touch them.

“This is the opportunity. If I don’t make it so you lose the use of your prick for the rest of your life, my surname will not be Lei.” The unfulfilled grievance from what he had always wanted to do to Moya and Xiya was magnified several times with resentment. He bent his knee and pushed it sharply against Rong Chuan’s crotch.

If Lei Jin had some considerations when he attacked Xiya and Moya, then he had none at all against Rong Chuan, and his goal was to directly cripple him.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Now that was a ruthless and direct hit, Rong Chuan didn’t even scream, his face was instantly dripping with cold sweat, and he lay on Lei Jin’s body for a long time, unable to move.

When Xiya came back from hunting, he went to Jing Yue’s house to see Lei Jin. He heard that Lei Jin had stayed behind in the mountain and was worried about what would happen to him, so he rushed over non-stop. When he found Lei Jin and saw the situation clearly, Xiya was heartbroken.

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The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 097 Youzhou City

Li Jingde was not one to idle. His visit to the posthouse was a deliberate gesture to meet Tang Shen, who had just arrived in Youzhou. After exchanging a few casual words, Li Jingde didn’t press Tang Shen about his duties. Instead, he said, “Last month, I received His Majesty’s decree. Whatever you need to do, just do it. Even if the Grand Marshal holds you accountable for any mistakes, it won’t be a big deal.”

Hearing this, Tang Shen was genuinely surprised. After a brief pause, he responded, “Thank you, General Li.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Li Jingde didn’t linger and soon took his leave.

Though Li Jingde often claimed to be a rough, unrefined soldier, it was clear that someone who could rise to the rank of a second-rank general was far from foolish. While he didn’t know the exact purpose of Tang Shen and Su Wenyun’s visit to Youzhou, he understood that it was no trivial matter. Thus, he decided to give Tang Shen the freedom to act.

The saying “great wisdom appears as folly” seemed apt in this case.

Shortly after noon, another visitor arrived at the posthouse. Tang Shen met the newcomer in the main hall.

Standing in the room was a middle-aged man clad in armor, his posture straight and imposing. Outside, eight guards stood rigidly in the courtyard, their silver spears gleaming faintly with a bloody sheen. The eight stood like statues, unmoving. When Tang Shen stepped into the courtyard, their hands instinctively gripped their spears, but upon recognizing him, they discreetly relaxed.

As Tang Shen entered the hall, the middle-aged man lifted his sharp gaze and greeted him in a booming voice: “This subordinate, Lu Shen, greets the imperial envoy.”

Tang Shen had arrived in Youzhou under the guise of an imperial envoy, officially tasked with overseeing the establishment of the Silver Pull Division.

“So, it’s General Lu. Please, have a seat,” Tang Shen said.

Lu Shen cast a glance at Tang Shen, silently moved to a chair, and sat down.

Tang Shen said, “I was supposed to arrive in Youzhou last month, which must have kept General Lu waiting for an entire month.”

“You’re too kind, Imperial Envoy,” Lu Shen replied.

Tang Shen continued, “What has General Lu been up to over the past month?”

Lu Shen replied, “After receiving the imperial decree, I led troops to the Silver Pull Division to secure its safety and assist the envoy in inspecting the office.”

Tang Shen was surprised. “You’ve already been to the Silver Pull Divison?”

“Yes,” Lu Shen replied curtly.

Tang Shen furrowed his brows slightly, studying Lu Shen.

Lu Shen explained, “I brought eight soldiers to meet the envoy today and left ten stationed at the Silver Pull Division. To be honest, I wasn’t given much detail about my task when I received the decree a month ago. I await the envoy’s instructions.”

Tang Shen replied, “I must first meet with Su daren to discuss matters before making any decisions. General Lu, you may return for now.”

Lu Shen stood, cupped his hands in a slight bow at Tang Shen, and left without a word.

Once Lu Shen was gone, Tang Shen sighed heavily.

This Youzhou City was no less treacherous than the perilous Cizhou of years past—a veritable dragon’s den and tiger’s lair!

Tang Shen, now a fourth-rank Palace Secretariat official, was no longer the lowly chamberlain of years past. Not only had his rank risen, but he had also become one of the emperor’s trusted aides in Qinzheng Hall. His mission in Youzhou was not like his earlier one in Cizhou, where he was merely a pawn to spy and deflect trouble. This time, he had been sent to accomplish something significant.

Emperor Zhao Fu wouldn’t send him into such a dangerous mission alone. He issued a decree assigning Tang Shen an assistant from the Youzhou military camp: Lu Shen, a sixth-rank deputy general.

Upon meeting Lu Shen, Tang Shen could tell the man held some resentment toward him. This puzzled Tang Shen. They had never met before and had no prior grievances, so why the hostility? After much deliberation, Tang Shen concluded, Perhaps he doesn’t want this assignment? He shook his head with a wry smile.

Whatever the reason, his first day in Youzhou had already led to friction with his subordinates!

Fortunately, Tang Shen didn’t have to wait long. By evening, another visitor arrived at the posthouse. This time, it wasn’t one of Youzhou’s many military officials but an actual civil official.

Upon meeting Tang Shen, the visitor first bowed and introduced himself with a smile: “This lower official, Lin Xu, Director of the Silver Pull Division, greets Tang daren. I heard you had arrived earlier, but the busy affairs at the office kept me occupied. I’ve only now found time to pay my respects.”

Tang Shen was surprised. “So, it’s Lin daren. What brings you here?”

If Li Jingde had come out of familiarity and Lu Shen out of obligation, Tang Shen couldn’t fathom Lin Xu’s intentions.

Lin Xu smiled faintly, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, “When I was stationed in Shengjing, I had the honor of meeting Minister Wang.”

“Minister Wang Quan, the Right Prime Minister?”

“No, Minister Wang Zhen of the Ministry of Revenue.”

Tang Shen’s lips parted slightly in surprise. He looked at Lin Xu, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Lin Xu continued with a smile, “I heard news of Tang daren‘s arrival before you came. Initially, I thought you’d arrive yesterday, so I hosted a banquet in your honor. However, a new shipment of military funds arrived today, keeping me too busy to greet daren at the city gate. It’s my fault entirely. If you’re unfamiliar with Youzhou, I’d be happy to show you around and provide any necessary explanations.”

Lin Xu’s claim to be associated with Wang Zhen convinced Tang Shen almost entirely. After all, someone who dared to make such a claim in Youzhou had to have a legitimate connection; otherwise, Wang Zhen would never allow him to hold such a position.

Tang Shen thought for a moment and asked, “Do you know anything about Lu Shen?”

Lin Xu’s expression turned slightly strange. “Of course I do.”

“What’s the matter? Is something amiss?”

Lin Xu replied with a wry smile, “That General Lu has been stationed at the Silver Pull Division for a month already with about twenty soldiers!”

Tang Shen coughed awkwardly, recounting Lu Shen’s earlier visit and adding, “…What exactly can you tell me about this Lu Shen?”

Lin Xu, sharp and perceptive as a subordinate of Wang Zhen, immediately understood Tang Shen’s concern: Lu Shen’s apparent hostility. He explained, “Tang daren, you may not know this, but General Lu’s behavior is to be expected. Do you know why? He isn’t a native Song citizen—he’s a gui zheng ren.” (TN: refer to chapter 79, a Han person returned to Song rule.)

Tang Shen’s brow furrowed slightly. “He is actually a gui zheng ren?”

“Precisely. Youzhou is unlike Shengjing or any other region in the Song Dynasty. The city has far more military officials than civil officials, and among those officials, gui zheng ren are particularly numerous. Lu Shen is one of the most famous among them—a troublemaker, to be precise.”

Lin Xu continued, “Before the Silver Pull Division was established, I had already been serving in Youzhou and am quite familiar with these military officials. Lu Shen, now forty-two years old, rose to his position as a sixth-rank deputy general due to his strength and bravery. However, his strategic acumen is lacking, so he hasn’t been entrusted with significant responsibilities. Despite this, he’s well-known, partly because he’s one of the few gui zheng ren who openly dislikes civil officials.”

Tang Shen asked, “He dislikes civil officials?”

“This is a long story, and I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, Lu Shen has clashed with Youzhou’s civil officials for years. I’ve had my own run-ins with him because he used to oversee the city gates. You can imagine the opportunities for personal gain that position offers. His dislike for you likely stems from two reasons: first, his general disdain for civil officials, particularly Song ones; and second, the fact that overseeing the gates was quite lucrative. Need I say more?”

Lin Xu left his explanation at that, leaving the unspoken meaning to be understood.

Tang Shen did not pursue the matter further. He sighed and said, “Lin daren, could you take me for a tour of Youzhou City?”

“Of course, daren. Please, this way.”

The two left the posthouse together.

Youzhou City, located in the northwest of the Song Dynasty, was a place where yellow sand filled the skies, leaving no trace of blue above.

As Tang Shen walked through the city, he noticed that most passersby had their hair wrapped in burlap cloth, regardless of gender. The sandstorms in Youzhou were so relentless that without such coverings, one’s hair would be caked in sand within a day. Having arrived unprepared, Tang Shen was reminded by Lin Xu to check his own hair. He ran a hand over it and found his palm covered with coarse grains of sand.

Lin Xu accompanied Tang Shen as they wandered around Youzhou City for half a day. As dusk fell, they returned to the posthouse.

“Tang daren, might you visit the Silver Pull Divison tomorrow?” Lin Xu asked.

“I was planning to.”

“Then I shall await you there.”

The two exchanged polite farewells.

When Tang Shen returned to the posthouse, the lanterns were already lit, and the full moon hung high in the sky. The spacious posthouse housed only a few workers: two attendants hunched over, sweeping the ground, and another government officer wearing a burlap head wrap, carefully watering the short trees in the courtyard. In a place like Youzhou, neglecting such chores would quickly result in a layer of fine sand covering everything.

As Tang Shen passed through the courtyard, he was about to enter his room when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Turning, he gazed at the worker watering the trees.

The man stood nearly six feet tall, lean and wiry, with his head and face wrapped in thick burlap, leaving only a pair of eyes visible. He was focused on his task, never glancing in Tang Shen’s direction. Yet upon closer observation, Tang Shen noticed the man’s striking almond-shaped eyes, sharp at the corners, and neatly defined brows visible beneath the wrappings. Despite the dim light and his bowed posture, the man exuded an unmistakable air of composure. His back was straight, unlike the stockier figures of the other workers sweeping the ground.

Tang Shen stood motionless at his doorway, staring at the man’s back for a long time.

Finally, he spoke. “Su daren, when did you arrive?”

The watering attendant paused. He turned his head slightly and chuckled. “And when did Tang daren realize it was me?”

Tang Shen maintained a neutral expression as he bowed. “This lower official, Tang Shen, greets Su daren.”

Su Wenyun casually tossed the watering can aside, letting it roll across the ground. Without removing the burlap covering his face, he walked up to Tang Shen’s door, meeting his gaze directly.

“I naturally arrived last month,” Su Wenyun said lightly. “Unlike you, Tang daren, who tarried in Shengjing for an extra month. Truly, you enjoy His Majesty’s favor, always managing to surprise with your actions.”

Ignoring the veiled sarcasm, Tang Shen asked, “Why is Su daren dressed like this?”

Su Wenyun did not answer. Instead, he clapped his hands and turned to leave for his room.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

After a brief silence, Tang Shen raised his voice. “Is Su daren here to spy on me?”

Su Wenyun stopped in his tracks, turned back, and looked at him with a puzzled expression. “What makes you think so?”

Tang Shen thought to himself, Who doesn’t know what kind of person Su Wenyun is? A high-ranking official of the third rank, the emperor’s confidant, and closer to the emperor than I could ever hope to be. Would someone like you stoop to wearing such shabby clothes and watering trees in a courtyard unless it was to monitor me?

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Top Dupe CH 097 Thank You To Fan GXW

“Ah, I knew it was just my illusion…” Luo Yu gave an awkward laugh. Receiving over a hundred birthday packages from fans made him feel famous, but that was nothing compared to Gu Xiaowei, who was standing beside him.

“You’re definitely famous. And you’ve been famous for a long time now,” Gu Xiaowei said.

The sense of unreality grew stronger.

“Haha… hahaha… Teacher Gu, you’re really good at this…”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Brother Gu isn’t joking. Brother Luo, you’re really very famous now!” Xiao Qin immediately chimed in. “Look at this Weibo post. Your fans rented a space on the LED screen at S City’s central square to wish you a happy birthday! They even edited a clip from your previous dramas to include! And when they play this clip, so many people stop to watch. The whole thing was captured by fans and posted online!”

Xiao Yezi also got excited, “And there’s more! There’s an advertisement in B City’s subway station too! Wow, your fans really go all out for you!”

“I’ll add one more—K Station’s homepage was completely taken over by your video clip today. K Station even made a birthday feature for you. Definitely famous,” Ah Yan said with a smile.

At first, Luo Yu was flattered, but as he calmed down, his heart ached. “I’m just celebrating my birthday. Everyone wishing me happy birthday on Weibo is enough of a gesture. These ad spaces must have cost a lot. I need to contact Sister Cui and thank the fans, and return the money for the ad spaces.”

Sister Cui had already anticipated this and took care of everything, including telling him: [Do you know who paid for your birthday LED space in the central square?]

Luo Yu asked with a chuckle: [Who?]

Sister Cui: [Xie Chang, Ai Cheng, and the Free idol group.]

Luo Yu: [Aren’t they artists themselves? Why would they fan me?]

Sister Cui: [Female artists also fangirl. Didn’t you send Ai Cheng and her friends signed photos last time? This LED birthday feature was their return gift to you.]

Luo Yu laughed: [This return gift is too extravagant! After I finish filming, I’ll invite them to a meal!]

Sister Cui: [That might make another hot search: #LuoYuAndNGirlsDate.]

Luo Yu glanced at Gu Xiaowei’s direction, [Then I’ll invite Teacher Gu too and see what kind of story they’ll come up with!]

Sister Cui: [Then it’s just the female stars of the entertainment industry having their own shipping moments.]

“I’m dying of curiosity! Let’s open the gifts first. Remember, we need to record a video for Sister Cui to thank the fans properly!”

Ye Shengyi set up Luo Yu’s phone on the coffee table in the living room. Ah Yan went to grab a fill light, and Xiao Qin picked out a few less controversial gifts based on her experience.

This gave Luo Yu the illusion that he and Gu Xiaowei were part of the same team, working seamlessly together.

“Let’s begin.” Gu Xiaowei sat down beside the coffee table and tapped on the phone.

“Right away!” Luo Yu changed into a loose hoodie, sat cross-legged on a cushion, his back resting on the couch.

Gu Xiaowei handed him the first package. Luo Yu took it and hesitated, leaning closer to whisper, “What if it accidentally captured you?”

“What?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Your hand,” Luo Yu muttered.

Gu Xiaowei raised his hand and looked at it. “There’s nothing identifiable on my hand. It should be fine.”

Luo Yu shook his head. This guy didn’t know how many luxury brands tried designing rings for Gu Xiaowei’s fingers.

Xiao Qin couldn’t help but interject, “It doesn’t matter if Brother Gu’s face is captured. You’re already in the same crew—showing up together indicates the lead actors’ amicable relationship. You could even mention ‘Beast and Rose’ with your fans!”

“Yeah! Fans would love that!”

“Senior Brother, just be generous and let your junior brother join the frame!” Ah Yan added in support.

Luo Yu thought the same, glancing at Gu Xiaowei. Gu Xiaowei raised his chin, “Let’s start.”

“Actually, you’re secretly comparing, aren’t you, wondering how my birthday gifts differ from yours?” Luo Yu teased with a smile.

Gu Xiaowei tugged at Luo Yu’s hood, causing him to lean back and fall onto Gu Xiaowei’s arm unexpectedly.

Gu Xiaowei leaned toward the camera and said, “Dear fans, considering this is Teacher Luo Yu’s first time unboxing fan gifts, I’ll supervise.”

After sitting back properly, Luo Yu laughed, pretending his fast-paced heartbeat was fine through his acting.

“Thanks to the fan ‘Yi Xiao Xingxing’ for the birthday gift. Let’s see what it is.”

Opening the box, it was a hand-knitted brown wool hat, accompanied by a letter. Luo Yu read it carefully and expressed his gratitude before putting the hat on. It had some elasticity, looking slightly out of shape but cozy.

Gu Xiaowei chuckled, “This hat’s very stylish. Thank you ‘Yi Xiao Xingxing.’ Since there’s no mirror, Luo Yu doesn’t know how to wear it properly. Everyone, please wait.”

Gu Xiaowei adjusted the hat, pulling on both sides, making it look fashionable and much better.

“Perfect,” Gu Xiaowei concluded.

Next, Luo Yu unboxed a small plush rabbit, thanking ‘Xiao Hong Hua’ for the adorable gift. “Thank you to the fan ‘Xiao Hong Hua’ for the plush bunny,” Luo Yu said as he lowered his gaze, his fingers tracing from the base of the bunny’s ear to the tip. “So cute.”

“This is a hand warmer,” Gu Xiaowei said, propping his chin in his hand as he gazed at Luo Yu. Neither of them noticed that the camera was perfectly capturing Gu Xiaowei’s nose and chin in the frame.

When Luo Yu lowered his head and smiled at him, their noses were almost touching, the moment framed delicately within the shot.

“Huh? A hand warmer… Oh, there’s a little box inside. It must hold the charging cable. Where do I put my hands in…?”

Gu Xiaowei’s hand reappeared in the frame. He grabbed the bunny plush’s front paws and pulled them apart. The stuffed toy suddenly unfolded like a sleeve. Gu Xiaowei then guided Luo Yu’s hands into the warm, plush compartment.

“There, like that.”

Luo Yu moved his hands slightly inside the hand warmer, but Gu Xiaowei suddenly tightened his grip, his fingers threading firmly between Luo Yu’s and giving a sudden squeeze.

“Ah, ouch!” Luo Yu flinched slightly.

Gu Xiaowei chuckled quietly, his voice low and rich, like a faint vibration brushing against the ears, sending a warm, ticklish sensation to the heart.

“Does it hurt?”

“Of course it does. Don’t you know how strong your grip is?” Luo Yu raised an eyebrow, his tone full of mock reproach.

Gu Xiaowei passed him another box. “Next gift. The fans are waiting.”

“Alright, alright. Thank you, Xiao Hong Hua, for this adorable bunny hand warmer! It’s getting cold, so I’ll definitely keep it with me.”

Still smiling, Luo Yu opened the third gift box, revealing a handmade gingerbread cookie shaped like a chibi version of his own face.

“Hahaha, this is too cute! What should I do? I just can’t bear to eat it!” Luo Yu showed the gingerbread to all the fans at close range.

“I’ll check the expiration date, hmm… it needs to be eaten by the night after tomorrow,” Gu Xiaowei said calmly.

“Am I supposed to eat myself? That’s… too weird, isn’t it?”

“No problem, I’ll eat it.”

“…” Luo Yu immediately hid the gingerbread behind his back. “Nope. I’ll prepare a frame and put it in there as a keepsake!”

“I’ll make you a gingerbread on my birthday too, so it’ll be even, alright?”

Luo Yu gave him a skeptical look.

“You’ll make me a gingerbread to eat? Oh no, so many fans heard that… On your birthday, I might end up with too many gingerbreads to eat now.”

Gu Xiaowei smiled lightly and whispered, shaping his words with his lips: You can just lick each one.

“What? I didn’t catch that,” Luo Yu leaned in closer. “What can I do?”

“Take some stomach medicine, and you can eat a few more.”

“No no no, you definitely didn’t mean that.”

“I did mean that.” Gu Xiaowei’s face showed no emotion. Luo Yu couldn’t get anything out of him and had to give up.

Gu Xiaowei handed him another gift box as if he were a robotic tool without emotion. Luo Yu opened it, searched inside, and finally pulled out a small box. Inside were a pair of sterling silver cufflinks.

The design was very simple, the engraved pattern on the face resembling roses, intricately carved.

Luo Yu compared them to his own sleeves and said, “I feel like these cufflinks are very expensive.”

“They’re not that expensive.”

“Do you recognize this brand?” Luo Yu asked.

“I know the person who gave them to you,” Gu Xiaowei answered.

“Wait, you know this person?” Luo Yu’s curiosity made him flip the box to check the gift sender. His mind wandered. Could it be Cheng Fei? But Cheng Fei was a straightforward guy and never gave gifts. Treating someone to a meal would be more in line with his personality.

“The box doesn’t have any cards or notes. This fan is a bit reserved,” Luo Yu noted. He looked at the sender’s name—three letters: GXW. “Thank you, uh, from fan GXW for these cufflinks!”

From the other side, laughter could be heard. Xiao Qin covered her mouth as her shoulders shook, while Ye Shengyi looked at Luo Yu with an expression as if he were watching his own silly son.

Ah Yan silently mouthed to Luo Yu: “That’s Brother Gu!”

Of course! Gu Xiaowei’s initials were GXW.

Luo Yu’s heart leapt as he cautiously asked, “Is this you?”

“En.”

Luo Yu clutched the cufflinks in his hand, unwilling to let them go. “Since they’re from Classmate Gu, should I change into a proper shirt to show them off?”

“What do you think?” Gu Xiaowei lowered his head with a small smile.

It felt like he was radiating gentleness, and Luo Yu thought it would be sinful not to show these cufflinks properly.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back!”

He stood up and ran upstairs.

In the dressing room, he rummaged for his shirts and found that his and Gu Xiaowei’s shirts and suits were hanging in the same section. A feeling tugged at his heartstrings as he pulled the one closest to him. He changed into it.

The shirt fit slightly loosely at the shoulders and sleeves, but it didn’t look out of place when worn.

He wasn’t very confident about his sense of style, so he casually grabbed a suit jacket to wear over it and dashed back downstairs.

“I’m back!”

He didn’t change his pants, pairing the suit jacket and shirt with casual trousers. The mix created a fashionable contrast that looked intentional, especially with his long legs. Gu Xiaowei watched him as he came down the stairs.

“Slow down,” Gu Xiaowei advised.

“My ankle’s fine now,” Luo Yu said, sitting beside Gu Xiaowei and waving at the camera. “Hello, I’ve changed into a blazer and shirt to show you guys!”

As he lowered his head to adjust the cufflinks, Gu Xiaowei said, “I’ll do it for you.”

“Alright!” Luo Yu didn’t refuse, extending his hand toward Gu Xiaowei.

Even though Gu Xiaowei might not recognize the shirt at first glance, Luo Yu’s sleeve was noticeably longer, which likely gave it away. But Gu Xiaowei appeared to focus on every detail as he elegantly adjusted the cufflinks, carefully locking the buttons into place.

Ye Shengyi suddenly broke the silence with a casual comment: “Brother Luo, I don’t remember you having this shirt or suit.”

Luo Yu’s heart skipped a beat. Ye Shengyi, you silly boy, you’ve almost ruined this! Don’t think I won’t deduct your pay! 

Ah Yan nudged Ye Shengyi with his elbow and Ye Shengyi instantly shut up.

Xiao Qin’s eyes widened with excitement at her ship.

But Luo Yu maintained his composure and utilized his acting skills. He tilted his head and said, “Ah? This isn’t mine?”

“It’s okay. It’s probably mine,” Gu Xiaowei said, calmly taking his other hand. “In your mind, all shirts and suits probably look the same, just a different color, right?”

“This… don’t expose my flaws in front of the fans.”

With the cufflinks adjusted, Gu Xiaowei let go of Luo Yu’s hand. Luo Yu proudly displayed the cufflinks for the camera.

“This is a birthday gift from Teacher Gu! A pair of sterling silver cufflinks! Recently, Teacher Gu has been focusing on improving my sense of style and artistic sensibilities. He’s shown me there are other ways to dress besides hoodies, sweatpants, and sneakers.”

“Like what?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“I can also wear a baseball cap and sunglasses,” Luo Yu said with a hopeful, good-student look toward Gu Xiaowei.

“…Don’t let people think I trained your fashion sense when you leave the house.”

Everyone watching burst into laughter.

After recording a few more takes, Luo Yu sent the video to Sister Cui. Soon afterward, Gu Xiaowei received a call from Meng Yu.

“So, are you now his assistant?” Meng Yu teased.

“Oh, today’s his birthday.”

“Sister Cui asked if your original voice and appearance could be retained for this video?”

“Isn’t it okay?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“You’re so straightforward, not even taking appearance fees?” Meng Yu joked.

“We don’t have a script.”

Meng Yu laughed, “You’re going all out with this! You’re making your fans swoon. If you keep this up, they’ll turn into full-blown sugar addicts!”

“En.” Gu Xiaowei responded lightly.

“You’re being way too upfront. I’m worried that if you keep feeding this ‘brotherly bond’ narrative, one day, when you make an official announcement, your fans will still be shipping the bromance,” Meng Yu tested the waters with a comment.

“What they choose to ship is their business.”

Meng Yu gave a helpless laugh. “As long as you’re happy.”

A few hours later, after both teams confirmed there were no issues with the video content, Cui Zhuxin uploaded the birthday gift unboxing video online.

It went viral within minutes. Fans were so excited that they celebrated online like they had won a lottery.

The video had initial introductions followed by the gift opening with Gu Xiaowei briefly appearing. The scene of him pulling Luo Yu’s hoodie attracted instant comments.

[Brother Gu is so sweet to spend Luo Yu’s birthday with him! Sweetest unboxing duo ever!]

[Seeing Brother Gu pull Luo Yu’s hoodie, I just—ahhh!]

[Was he intentionally pulling Luo Yu closer?]

[They better not breakup! Even if it’s not love, their friendship better last forever!]

For their fans, even the brotherly bond was sweet, as it was rare in the entertainment industry to find friendships that could withstand admiration without being tainted by interests. Some fans even worried that if they started shipping romantic feelings, the two might avoid public interactions in the future, leading to fewer opportunities for shippy moments. Thus, they were all very restrained.

Many fans even deliberately expressed blessings such as “may your friendship last forever” or “the bond of loyalty never fades”—terrified that the shipper fan base’s enthusiasm would frighten the two into never sharing the screen again.

When Luo Yu put on his knitted hat, a flood of comments appeared, including:

[Only top-tier looks could pull off an ’80s hat style like this.]

[Haha, senior brother is too cute—he’s got the head concussion effect.]

[Senior brother’s head is really round.]

[My grandfather used to wear knitted hats like this too.]

When Gu Xiaowei adjusted Luo Yu’s hat for him, the comments went into an absolute frenzy once again:

[Teacher Gu is the fashion wizard for Senior Brother!]

[Teacher Gu’s hands turn ordinary into magic!]

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

[Ahhh, at first, the hat looked handsome, but Brother Gu made it extremely handsome!]

[Brother Luo, from now on, whenever you put on clothes or a hat, let Brother Gu check it over first!]

[This vibe is absolutely insane! Lock it, lock it, lock it! I swallowed the key~]

When Luo Yu opened his second gift and touched the plush rabbit’s ear, fans collectively swooned. They expressed that his tenderness was so overwhelming that it tugged at their hearts, as if Luo Yu were patting their own heads.

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These Werebeast Gongs Are Rogues CH 058 Going Up The Mountain

The throbbing pain coming from that place made Lei Jin stop in his tracks. The size of Xiya’s thing was really amazing. Now that he thinks about it, he doesn’t know how he could fit it in. During those two nights, the two of them had sex so intensely injuries were really inevitable. But Lei Jin had always been stubborn, holding back and pretending to be as if nothing had happened. Xiya once wanted to apply medicine for him, but Lei Jin insisted on refusing, thinking about the first time with Moya and how it hurt at the time, but didn’t it feel like nothing the next day?

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

In the past two days, Lei Jin secretly began to regret it. Not to mention the pain, he didn’t dare to take big steps when walking. Even Jing Yue’s papa looked a little confused.

After breakfast, they packed up and took the stone knife and rope. Hao Chen, Lei Jin and Jing Ping went up the mountain. Although the sun had risen, the fog in the forest had not dissipated, and the grass blades were covered with dew. But fortunately the birds were singing gracefully and the air was cool and moist, which gave one an open-minded and refreshed feeling. This was indeed a good place.

Jing Ping was carrying a stone knife and a rope, humming a tune that only he could understand, and walking briskly in front. Two petite blue and yellow birds were hovering above his head and chirping. Jing Ping raised his hand to scare them. The two little birds flapped their wings and flew out not far away, then turned back again, deliberately going against Jing Ping.

Jing Ping turned around, his delicate little face filled with pure happiness, and he complained not very seriously: “Papa, Lei Jin, I wonder what these two little birds are chattering about, I don’t understand them, and they can’t be driven away either. ”

Hao Chen smiled reassuringly and said, “If you can even understand the sound of birds, that would be unrealistic.”

Jing Ping took a deep breath, stretched his arms widely, and said, “That’s right, how can anyone understand the words of a bird? Go find your own kind, little blue bird.”

Lei Jin thought of the little guy at home and smiled knowingly. Although he didn’t ask in detail, it seemed that the little guy could understand not only birds, but also other animals. When he was at home, he often saw the little guy with a crow and a little fox getting together, and the “quarrel” was quite fierce.

“Lei Jin, what good thing did you remember? Why are you so happy?” Jing Ping saw that Lei Jin’s usually indifferent and calm demeanor showed a rare gentleness and softness.

“Just thinking of a little guy.” When he first met him, he actually thought he was a rather large cat? He was clingy and loved to act coquettishly. Thinking about those days of chaos, it felt like a world away. He wondered what the little guy was doing at home right now. He really missed him a little.

In fact, what Lei Jin didn’t know was that the little guy was no longer at home. When An Sen and An Luo returned home, they relayed the news about Lei Jin’s disappearance. The next night, Mingya sneaked out under the cover of night, and also missing were the little fox and crow that had practically built a nest in his house.

“Oh.” Jing Ping saw that Lei Jin had no intention of continuing, so he stopped asking.

“There is a river in the front, and the large area on the bank is filled with the thing you mentioned…” Jing Ping scratched his head and thought for a moment before saying, “The thing called rice.”

There were only narrow paths in the forest and the ground was slippery. Hao Chen carefully supported Lei Jin and told Jing Ping to watch his steps.

“Papa, snake.” Jing Ping suddenly screamed loudly. Lei Jin looked over worriedly, and suddenly rolled his eyes quietly in his heart. What was equally as shocking as Jing Ping’s scream was his series of unusually fierce movements. Before the snake lying on the road could react, Jing Ping slashed it with a knife several times, and the snake’s head was already in pieces.

Jing Ping patted his chest and trotted back. His face was unusually rosy after exercising, and he said, “I was scared to death just now.”

Lei Jin thought to himself, I haven’t noticed that you’re scared at all. Just looking at the ferocious energy just now, he suspected that Jing Ping’s usual confused little white rabbit look was just an act.

“A very fat snake.” Hao Chen picked it up casually and looked it up and down.

It was indeed very fat, as thick as Lei Jin’s wrist, and visually estimated to be three or four meters long. It was not small, but it was a little slow, and it died in Jing Ping’s hands before it could do anything. It probably won’t be able to rest in peace.

Hao Chen seemed to be very experienced. After checking it up and down, he said: “It’s not poisonous. Let’s add an extra dish tonight.” He raised his hand and threw it into the bamboo basket on his back.

The path was winding and meandering, but Jing Ping was familiar with the road. The three of them chatted and laughed the whole time making their way towards their destination. This was a relatively flat open space in the forest, with rivers flowing through it, few trees and grass everywhere.

Although Lei Jin knew rice, he only knew vaguely what rice looked like growing in the ground. However, there was more than one kind of grass that looked similar here, and they all grew chaotically and clustered together.

Hao Chen and the others were not very clear about it either, as they usually did some cutting randomly.

It took a lot of effort for Lei Jin to distinguish the rice from the weeds. After looking at the appearance, Hao Chen and Jing Ping started harvesting. By coincidence, this was the season when the wild rice was ripe. Look at the bright yellow ears they were all happy. After hearing Lei Jin say that this thing was edible, they worked hard and harvested a lot.

But Lei Jin saw that the ears were a little light and not full, and the rice grains were shriveled, so they probably wouldn’t be able to harvest much. The three of them didn’t go back at noon. Hao Chen brought some cooked meat, and the clear water in the river was also convenient. The three of them had lunch right there in the field and continued in the afternoon. During this period, someone passed by and saw them busy mowing the grass and greeted them, but no one cared what they were actually doing.

In the middle of the afternoon, the cut rice was gathered together with ropes. Hao Chen and Jing Ping each carried a large bundle higher than their heads, but there was still a lot left. Just when they were worried about how to get it all back, Kun Ge happened to see that they had not come back yet, so he came up the mountain to find them. With a werebeast around, there was no need to worry. He took most of it by himself, and Hao Chen and Jing Ping carried the remaining bit.

The rice was brought back and spread out in the backyard to dry.

Until now, Lei Jin could still bear it, but Jing Ping couldn’t help it anymore and kept asking how one ate the rice. Lei Jin had to talk about the two most common methods, making porridge and steaming rice.

There were no tools, so they had to rub the grains with their hands. By dinner time, Jing Ping had made a big bowl of rice grains.

“Lei Jin, how much water should I add to this?” Jing Ping shouted in the kitchen.

“Add five bowls of water.” From the looks of the rice grains, Lei Jin guessed it won’t be cooked easily. It was always a good idea to add more water and firewood to cook them longer.

Jing Ping obeyed and added more firewood to the stove. After boiling the pot, he simmered it over low heat. The fragrance of the rice soon wafted out.

“Jing Ping, what are you doing at home? Why does it smell so good?” The kitchen of Jing Ping’s home was next to the outer wall. A middle-aged female passed by the door and poked his head in to ask.

“It’s the rice Lei Jin found.” Jing Ping came out and answered with a smile.

“Oh, it’s the female who Jing Yue brought back.” The visitor only asked casually, and soon left.

“They don’t even know what rice is. It smells really delicious. Let’s collect some more tomorrow?” Jing Ping lay on the armrest of the chair where Lei Jin was sitting, his eyes bright.

Lei Jin also thought the same, the more the better, so he nodded in agreement.

When Hao Chen came back from going out to do errands, he cleaned up the snake, put it into the pot, and added a whole pheasant to cook together.

At dinner, Lei Jin drank the rice porridge that he had not seen for a long time. It was warm and thick, and he felt that his stomach, which had been tortured for a long time, was finally completely comforted. There were also delicious snake meat and pheasant. The four of them had a delicious meal. Kun Ge, a werebeast and thus always been a meat obsessed person, also drank a bowl of rice porridge and praised it as really good.

In the next few days, the main thing for the three of them was to go up the mountain to harvest rice. Kun Ge also came to help when he was free. Neighbors saw that the family was busy coming in and out all day long. Upon closer inspection, they actually wanted to eat chicken feed? Everyone found it incomprehensible, but the person who passed by Jing Ping’s house that time was more thoughtful. In the past few days, he often followed Lei Jin and the others into the mountains to harvest rice. The rice was wild, so naturally everyone could harvest it. Besides, there were a lot, and no one stopped him.

But there was something off with his werebeast son. He was obviously absent-minded. Although he was harvesting rice, his eyes kept glancing at Jing Ping and Lei Jin.

Jing Ping had always been slow, and since he was still young, he was naturally insensitive to these things, but Lei Jin was different. From the first sight, he knew that this guy named Rong Chuan had evil intentions.

Just like right now, Jing Ping was bending down to harvest rice. His shirt slid open, revealing a slim waist. Rong Chuan couldn’t take his eyes off him from the other side of the river.

Lei Jin walked over, blocked Jing Ping’s body, raised his eyebrows, and gave him a warning look. That Rong Chuan immediately lowered his head and pretended to continue harvesting rice.

There was practically no more room at home to dry the rice, so they decided to finish harvesting this morning and not harvest again until the yard was free.

“Lei Jin, just wait here. Papa and I have to make another round. Maybe my brother and Xiya will come back today.” Jing Ping and Hao Chen picked up the bundled rice.

“Okay, I can also look after our things.” Lei Jin replied.

Haoc Chen saw people walking around in the forest from time to time. Besides, there were no large wild beasts here, so it was estimated that nothing would happen, so he agreed.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Watching them walk away, Lei Jin used his feet to gather the rope and stone knife together, and sat on the straw to rest for a while. They had harvested a large area here, and the ground was empty except for some tall grass around.

Behind Lei Jin, a figure looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he tiptoed and moved over lightly…

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