“Who should stay for the night watch?”
Fu Chenyuan’s words were like a small pebble tossed into the middle of Lin Min’s heart, sending ripples through his consciousness. He stood there helplessly, his sightless eyes widening slightly as his long, slender lashes fluttered with unease. He could not see that, at this moment, he was being subtly hemmed in by three tall, imposing men.
The players stared at the young widower’s flushed cheeks and his pale lips, which he habitually pressed together in a tight line whenever he was nervous. What was originally a practical question had, in this instant, taken on an indescribable layer of ambiguity. It did not feel like they were choosing someone for a night watch; instead, it felt as though they were choosing a husband for the little widower.
Lin Min was entirely unaware of their thoughts, yet his heart raced due to the unspoken atmosphere. Whether it was the ill-tempered Zhou Jin, the silent and reliable yet equally aggressive Wei Chi, or the man before him—Fu Chenyuan, who always wore a gentle smile but felt unfathomably deep—the prospect of being alone in a room at night with any of them filled Lin Min with a sense of panic, leaving his fingertips cold.
He opened his mouth, searching for a reason to refuse. Just then, the cold, mechanical electronic voice of 0766 rang out in his mind:
[Plot Generating]
[Because you were startled at the hospital during the day, the players want to use this opportunity to investigate the master bedroom you shared with Xie Mingyuan. Thus, they have made an unreasonable request for a night watch.]
[Although you dislike sharing a room with others, you believe this is a gesture of goodwill from the players to ensure your safety.]
[Ultimately, in your kindness, you agree.]
[Late at night, you accidentally discover the players’ abnormal behavior in your room and are terrified into a panic attack. You try to call for help, but the players turn the tables on you, accusing you of faking pity to seduce them. After humiliating you harshly, they indifferently leave you to collapse from your panic attack in the cold room.]
[Saint Value +20%]
Lin Min thought to himself that he really ended up miserable every single time. However, there was one thing he was concerned about: “I do not remember having a panic disorder.” He wondered if he had not been paying enough attention to his health and had ignored the warning signs.
“You did not originally,” 0766 explained calmly. “However, due to your husband’s sudden passing, your mental state is currently fragile and under immense pressure. Combined with the fact that the plot occurs late at night, the shock of the players’ abnormal actions while you are in a trance will induce temporary acute symptoms.”
0766 intended to help him simulate the corresponding physiological indicators shortly to ensure the symptoms appeared authentic. This was a basic level of assistance that 0766 could provide.
Lin Min nodded, half-understanding, but his heart still felt heavy. The thought of choosing a strange man to sleep alongside him brought a strong sense of shame. For a moment, he became even more uncertain about which choice was the lesser evil.
Zhou Jin stood with his arms crossed, coldly observing the little widower’s pitiful, frightened expression. That inexplicable, sinister spark in his heart flared up again. He deliberately turned his head away, presenting only his profile to Lin Min as he spoke in a blunt, harsh tone: “Pick whoever you want. Just do not pick me. It is a hassle.”
Yet, despite calling it a hassle, his knuckles whitened as he gripped his own arms. His ears even perked up involuntarily, straining to catch every sound behind him, while his heart felt strangely sour. He assumed this little widower surely could not wait for him to get lost.
Wei Chi remained silent. He did not look at Lin Min; instead, his cold gaze was fixed on a point in the void as if everything happening had nothing to do with him. However, his jawline was slightly tense, and he had subconsciously shifted his weight into a stance that suggested he could step forward at any moment.
Fu Chenyuan took in everyone’s reactions. He did not intend to get involved personally. He had suggested the night watch for two reasons: first, to ensure the NPC’s safety, and second, to act as an “inside man” to learn the widower’s routine so they could search for items without worrying about a sudden interruption. Furthermore, Fu Chenyuan assumed the widower would not choose him. Currently, Wei Chi seemed like the more favorable option. Despite thinking this, Fu Chenyuan felt a faint, inexplicable sense of irritation.
Lin Min did not know what the players were thinking. He tilted his porcelain-white face up, appearing to be in a daze, but he was actually secretly comparing which person would be best to have in the room. Zhou Jin was definitely out because his temper was too bad. While Wei Chi was steady, he had accompanied Lin Min all day and must be exhausted.
After a moment of thought, Lin Min suddenly lifted his head. Suppressing his embarrassment, he blinked his eyes and whispered, “Then, let it be Mr. Fu. I will have to trouble you today.” He tilted his face up obediently to “look” at the man.
Even Fu Chenyuan felt his breath hitch for a moment. He had the sudden, fleeting illusion that the person before him was his own little wife, acting spoiled and asking to be carried back to bed. Perhaps it was not an illusion, because he really was going to stay with the young widower tonight.
Fu Chenyuan should have refused, but an inexplicable impulse kept him silent. Finally, as the beautiful husband looked over in confusion, he responded with a slightly hoarse, “Mm.”
Fu Chenyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed silently. He had not expected Lin Min to choose him. Zhou Jin spun around abruptly, his brow furrowed deeply as he glared at Lin Min’s innocent face. He let out a scoff: “Stupid. You believe whatever he says? If you woke up one day being bounced on his lap, would you still think he is doing it for your own good?”
He had not objected a moment ago, but now that the widower had chosen someone else, he was spiraling. Beside him, Wei Chi glanced at him. Although Wei Chi also felt a dull heaviness in his chest, he said nothing and simply looked away.
“Xie Mingyuan was my older brother; I have a duty to ensure your safety in his place.” Zhou Jin had not been that angry initially, but the thought that Fu Chenyuan had treated Lin Min that way, only for the widower to still trust him most, made his blood boil. He wondered why he should be the only one who ended up being hated.
As Zhou Jin spoke, his true intentions surfaced: “If Fu Chenyuan can sleep with you, so can I. One more person will not hurt.” It was not that he was jealous. It was just that Fu Chenyuan was too calculating; if the widower were tricked into giving all the clues to Fu Chenyuan tonight, his own progress would be ruined.
Zhou Jin let out a clear, mocking, and angry laugh. He turned sharply, his fiery red hair cutting a sharp arc through the air. He stepped forward and grabbed the widower’s hand. At that moment, he looked exactly like an enraged husband discovering his wife was being led away by a home-wrecker.
Lin Min was startled by the heat of the man’s touch. He did not understand why they were arguing over this. His elegant, beautiful face showed a hint of confusion as he whispered, “The bed cannot fit that many people. It will be very crowded if you come along.”
Xie Mingyuan liked to keep him pinned in his arms, so the bed in the master bedroom was not exceptionally large. That way, as Lin Min slept, he would naturally curl into the man’s embrace.
Lin Min thought he was being considerate of the players, but as soon as he spoke, the grip on his wrist tightened. Then came Zhou Jin’s voice, sharp and filled with disbelief. “You are going to sleep in the same bed as him?”
Zhou Jin could not believe the widower had actually said that. It was bad enough letting a man into the room, but he actually intended to share a bed. With a body so fragrant and soft, he wondered if the widower was afraid the man would pretend to sleepwalk just to hold him and make him cry out like a kitten. Even if he cried, the man would not stop. Zhou Jin felt his staying was more necessary than ever.
Lin Min was stunned by the question. He blinked his hollow eyes in confusion and asked softly, “What else would we do?” He added with a touch of matter-of-fact helplessness, “Is a night watch not staying in the same room?”
That was how it had been when Lin Min first met Xie Mingyuan. He used to have nightmares at night, and Xie Mingyuan would kindly come to stay with him, though the next morning, he would always wake up in the tall man’s arms.
Zhou Jin was speechless. The grip on Lin Min’s wrist tightened further, and his searing body heat transferred through the thin skin. He glared at Lin Min. He wondered if this little widower was truly ignorant or just pretending. Being in the same room as a man like Fu Chenyuan was dangerous enough, but in the same bed was unthinkable.
“Who told you a night watch means sleeping in the same bed?” Zhou Jin squeezed the words out through gritted teeth. His handsome, rakish features looked fierce enough to swallow him whole. “Do you not know that men and men should not be so intimate? Let him sleep on the rug.”
Lin Min blinked as he listened. If they stayed on the rug, he would not have to worry about the bed being too small. He was starting to understand the players’ logic. Perhaps Zhou Jin was afraid Fu Chenyuan would get some important information behind his back, which was why he wanted to come along. No wonder Zhou Jin followed as soon as Fu Chenyuan spoke.
Lin Min did not want to hinder the players’ progress. Although he was a bit embarrassed, he recalled Zhou Jin’s urgent words and said, “Then you all come together. I will set up some bedding on the floor for you.”
Regardless, if one player stayed, it was sleep; if three stayed, it was still sleep.
As soon as Lin Min spoke, the entire living room fell into silence. No one expected the little widower to be so accommodating. But rarely, the high-level players—who usually acted like rival kings and clashed on sight—did not refuse. Instead, they followed the widower into the master bedroom to set up their sleeping area for the night.
In the dead of night, the master bedroom was large and featured an en-suite bathroom. After finishing his nightly routine, Lin Min, dressed in conservative cotton pajamas, groped his way onto the inner side of the large double bed. He wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, leaving only his pale little face and a few strands of soft black hair exposed.
He lay on the bed, his back to the sofa, his body held rigid. The presence of several other people’s breathing in the room made it impossible for him to fall asleep quickly. He could clearly hear the sound of Fu Chenyuan turning pages as he read, and Zhou Jin’s heavy breathing. The only one who could be considered quiet was Wei Chi.
Fragments of memories, though he was not sure if they were real or fake, flashed through his mind. There was Fu Chenyuan coaxing him for a kiss. There was Zhou Jin chasing after him like a dog. And there was Wei Chi, lingering over the things he had left behind.
Lin Min did not know why he was dreaming of these things. He tried to shake the memories away but could not. It was not until he could barely hold out any longer that he finally sank into a deep sleep.
Silence fully reclaimed the room. Once Lin Min’s breathing became even and rhythmic, the three men on the floor opened their eyes simultaneously. Without a word, they exchanged a glance and rose silently.
Zhou Jin stretched irritably, feeling that this dungeon was truly troublesome. With such a delicate NPC, his gaze instinctively drifted toward the widower. The room temperature was a bit high, and the widower’s snow-white arm was exposed outside the quilt, tinged with a faint pink. His brow was furrowed as if he were uncomfortable.
Zhou Jin, who had intended to leave the room to investigate, paused. Seeing the damp strands of hair stuck to the widower’s sweaty face, he eventually walked over. He reached out to pinch that small chin, intending to brush the hair away.
But in the next second, his hand was caught. Zhou Jin thought the widower had woken up, but a closer look showed his eyes were still closed. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, he heard the widower let out a faint, broken whimper: “Fu Chenyuan, do not kiss me anymore.”
The voice was not loud, but it was just enough for everyone in the room to hear.