“Yue Xinghe is way too gentle. He hasn’t moved for at least half an hour, right?”
“Lin Luxi is so disgusting. He can’t help Yue Xinghe with anything, all he does is trouble others.”
“He’s just taking advantage of Yue Xinghe’s good nature and loyalty to friends, so he acts recklessly. Really trash!”
“If it weren’t for Yue Xinghe protecting him, he’d be dead long ago. He has no self-awareness and keeps causing trouble. Tsk tsk, Yue Xinghe must be cursed for eight lifetimes to have a friend like this.”
“But he won’t be smug for long. You know his talent, on the competition floor, Yue Xinghe won’t be there to protect him.”
“That’ll be fun to watch.”
The original owner really was annoying.
Lin Luxi leaned against the male lead’s chest, nodding in agreement.
Yue Xinghe was gentle and loyal to friends, which was why so many girls in the book were drawn to his charm, including heiresses from noble families and princesses from alien races.
But as the story progressed, everyone turned malicious, one by one, they either wanted to kill Yue Xinghe or cripple him…
Tragic, and Yue Xinghe suffered the most.
A few more minutes passed, and Lin Luxi pretended to just wake up, rubbing his eyes.
Yue Xinghe moved his neck, the bones clicking crisply.
“Thanks. Is your neck sore?”
Lin Luxi didn’t expect that. Without waiting for an answer, he reached out to massage Yue Xinghe’s shoulders.
The moment his hands touched, the muscles beneath were as tense as stone.
Lin Luxi gently patted them. “Relax, relax.”
Through the layer of fabric, he could clearly feel the warm, springy muscles beneath his hands.
He understood why Yue Xinghe was so tense.
But outwardly, he pretended ignorance. Lin Luxi blinked, lifted his chin slightly to meet Yue Xinghe’s gaze, and slowly felt the muscles start to soften.
He curved his lips slightly. Unlike ordinary people, his pale gray eyes shimmered with a gentle, soft smile.
Yue Xinghe didn’t let him massage for long. Two minutes later, he took Lin Luxi’s hand and said softly, “That’s enough.”
Among the boys, Yue Xinghe was considered fair-skinned, but Lin Luxi was even paler.
The slightly darker, large hand held Lin Luxi’s cool, pale wrist, and the warmth of contact spread inward.
Lin Luxi looked at him with a twinge of envy, lightly applying some force, then withdrew his hand.
Yue Xinghe rubbed his fingers, gazing thoughtfully at the top of Lin Luxi’s head for a moment before looking into the distance. For an instant, his gaze was extraordinarily deep.
The combination of hand-holding and shoulder-massaging made Lin Leyin and the other fans nearly gnash their teeth.
Their idol was being “tainted,” and the worst part was they couldn’t do anything about it. What kind of human suffering was this!
Following the principle that no one should suffer alone, and holding a faint hope that someone might go teach Lin Luxi a lesson, they secretly fanned the flames online.
That evening, numerous photos related to Yue Xinghe appeared across the Star Network.
Yue Xinghe’s talent was exceptional. Even after finishing the entrance test, many had already heard of him. Later, some classmates shared photos, revealing not only his remarkable aptitude but also his extraordinary appearance. Learning a little about his character, people saw he was impeccable inside and out. His fans extended beyond the campus, drawing attention even from outsiders.
They had already admired many photos of Yue Xinghe.
Some showed him just after training, sweat-soaked combat uniforms clinging to his form; others captured him piloting a mech, forceful and resolute; and still others showed him walking under tree-lined paths, golden hair fluttering in the wind, a soft, gentle smile on his face.
So when people clicked through unguardedly, they unexpectedly saw him behaving intimately with a silver-haired boy amidst a sea of thousands of people.
Those unfamiliar with Lin Luxi scrambled to find information about him, while those who knew him loudly publicized his deeds and character. Yue Xinghe was cast as an innocent, pure, unworldly “[1]“white lotus” refers to someone who appears pure, innocent, and untainted—often morally upright and unworldly—while standing out as virtuous or flawless. It’s a metaphor highlighting an … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2013208_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2013208_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });white lotus,” while Lin Luxi became the scheming, unscrupulous, parasitic villain trying to leech off him.
People who hadn’t known Lin Luxi before began to dislike him, and those who already knew him grew even more disgusted and disdainful.
Many fans were left fuming, and countless viewers allegedly slammed their neuro-computers in frustration.
Lin Luxi had no idea his reputation had already gone sour. At this moment, they had just finished dinner and returned to the dormitory.
To be precise, it was a two-story villa the school had prepared for Yue Xinghe. Besides the original resident, the other two were temporarily staying there for convenience in training and meetings due to the competition.
These villas were reserved for students with dual A-rank talents. Yue Xinghe, being the most gifted, naturally had a villa in a prime location with beautiful scenery: a sizable courtyard, a garden, and a small lake, perfect for meditation and mental exercises.
Lin Luxi had intended to go upstairs with Chris and Qin Hao, but Yue Xinghe called him over and pulled him into the training room.
Yue Xinghe stood with his hands behind his back. The combat uniform outlined his perfect physique, exuding both coolness and command. “Tomorrow you’ll participate in the competition. Do you still remember the moves I taught you before?”
It was clear that Yue Xinghe genuinely cared for Lin Luxi, worrying that he might be eliminated and expelled from the school, so he was patiently teaching him some techniques.
He was practically more attentive than the original owner’s parents.
For three years in the apocalypse, Lin Luxi had lived in a constant state of extreme tension. Not just mentally, even his muscles were perpetually tight, ready to react instantly to danger.
It could be said he had never truly relaxed for a single moment.
Now that he had finally left that world and come to this relatively peaceful one, even if it was just a novel, he knew the characters and plot well. Lin Luxi was confident he could live well here.
More importantly, he didn’t want to move at all right now. He just wanted to lie in bed and enjoy being a carefree slacker.
Lin Luxi blinked and gave a soft “mm.” “I remember everything. Don’t worry, there won’t be any problem in tomorrow’s match.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Yue Xinghe grabbed his arm, lowered his head to look at him, and said slowly, word by word, “Xiao Xi is really impressive. There are a few moves I’m not very familiar with, could Xiao Xi practice with me?”
His tone was so gentle it sounded like he was coaxing a child.
Lin Luxi suddenly recalled a mother who had once tried to soothe a crying child in the same tone. Back then, they were being chased by mutated cockroaches, hiding in a concealed corner. No matter how she tried to comfort the child, the crying wouldn’t stop, until someone covered the child’s mouth and twisted hard.
But it had already been too late. The mutated cockroaches had still found them. There was a reason those creatures were so hard to kill.
Out of dozens of people, only a little over ten survived, gasping for breath, with broken limbs scattered everywhere.
The memory darkened Lin Luxi’s gaze.
Yue Xinghe sensed that, for a brief moment, the aura around him had undergone a drastic change, as if a harmless little white rabbit had suddenly turned into a dangerous, deep-buried leopard.
Lin Luxi lifted the corners of his lips again, eyes narrowing slightly, long lashes veiling his emotions. “Sure. I could use the practice too, wouldn’t want to forget everything during tomorrow’s match.”
Before starting, the two warmed up briefly.
Lin Luxi made the first move. With a surge of pent-up emotion, every strike carried force. He used the very techniques Yue Xinghe had taught the original owner. In the original owner’s hands, these moves wouldn’t even beat a middle schooler, but Lin Luxi’s body was agile, and by combining the moves freely, his experience alone was enough to keep up with Yue Xinghe.
The two fought intensely in the training room, the sounds of blows landing, thud, thud, thud, echoing nonstop. Their speed gradually increased, as if fast-forward had been pressed.
At first, Lin Luxi was just venting his frustration, but as the fight continued, adrenaline surged. He became more and more absorbed, his blood boiling, emotions surging, even his breathing felt like it was on fire.
Yue Xinghe saw the boy’s flushed cheeks and shining eyes. A flicker passed through his gaze as he rotated his wrist and casually switched techniques.
Already caught up in the fight, Lin Luxi pressed forward without hesitation. He stepped back with one leg, lowered his body smoothly, and blocked the move perfectly with his left hand, immediately counterattacking with a whip kick aimed at Yue Xinghe’s ear, only for his ankle to be caught in an instant.
Sweat poured down Lin Luxi’s body. His face was flushed, his entire body burning hot. After that burst of intense movement, he was drenched, sweat streaming nonstop.
Yet he didn’t feel tired, in fact, he felt invigorated. The toes of his supporting foot curled slightly, eager to try again. He could break this move too; all he needed to do next was jump, rotate his body, and use the momentum to swing his left leg toward the opponent’s head.
He could get out of it easily.
But it felt like he had forgotten something. A vague sense of unease made him hesitate instead of following through.
After that intense back-and-forth exchange, Yue Xinghe’s breathing was only slightly uneven as he looked the boy over.
The heavy, oppressive gloom from before had vanished. Now Lin Luxi’s eyes were bright, full of excitement, his presence clean and clear.
The ankle in Yue Xinghe’s grasp, its small, protruding bone pale and delicate, pressed against his slightly rough palm, the soft skin still warm from exertion.
Yue Xinghe’s fingers tightened slightly, as if scalded, then relaxed. “Xiao Xi is really impressive. Looks like you’ve been practicing well these past few days. I knew that as long as you put in the effort, you could do it.”
Lin Luxi: “…”
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
What was he doing? How had he gotten so carried away that he forgot to hold back?
Had the male lead noticed?
Lin Luxi carefully studied his expression. The man’s handsome, sharply defined features were close at hand, high nose, deep-set eyes, golden irises carrying a warmth like sunlight.
Probably not. If he had realized Lin Luxi wasn’t the original owner, then given their relationship, he would’ve already subdued him and demanded to know where the real one was.
Lost in his thoughts, Lin Luxi didn’t notice Yue Xinghe lowering his gaze. His long, narrow eyes looked somewhat cold in that moment. Neither of them realized Yue Xinghe was still holding Lin Luxi’s ankle.
So when Chris knocked and entered, she saw Yue Xinghe gripping Lin Luxi’s ankle, the two of them extremely close, their perfect profiles less than a finger’s width apart.
Chris glanced at Yue Xinghe’s focused gaze, then at Lin Luxi’s flushed face.
She hesitated, wondering if she should come back in half an hour instead.
Since when were they this close? Why did it feel… a little off?
She stood there in stunned silence for a few seconds before both Yue Xinghe and Lin Luxi snapped back to themselves.
Yue Xinghe released his grip, rubbing his fingertips lightly.
Lin Luxi stretched lazily. Since the male lead hadn’t said anything, he probably hadn’t noticed. After all, who would think transmigration was actually possible?
Lin Luxi patted Yue Xinghe on the arm in a friendly manner. “I’ll head upstairs first. See you tomorrow.”
Yue Xinghe gave a soft “mm,” reminding him to rest early. Only after Lin Luxi went upstairs did he begin discussing matters with Chris.
Night fell, the moon climbed onto the treetops, and all was silent.
In the master bedroom of the villa, in the small sitting area, Qin Hao stood with his back to the window, kneeling on one knee. Not far in front of him, on a single sofa, Yue Xinghe sat with his long legs crossed, golden hair cascading behind him. His left hand propped up his chin, his right rested on his knee, fingertips tapping lightly.
Only a wall lamp was on in the room. Half of Yue Xinghe’s body was hidden in darkness. Gone was the sun-like warmth and brilliance he had shown during the day, now he resembled a demon god crawling out of a deep, absolute abyss.
Just sitting there, he exuded an extreme chill and severity.
Qin Hao’s gaze flickered over those long, well-defined fingers before lowering his head even further.
He remembered those very same clean, slender fingers, calm and composed, poking into an opponent’s leg bones again and again, leaving bloody holes one after another. Even if that opponent had been a heinous interstellar pirate who deserved it…
Despite being a two-meter-tall, iron-tower-like man, Qin Hao couldn’t stop cold sweat from pouring down his back, his scalp tingling.
After what felt like days, Yue Xinghe finally spoke, his voice indifferent. “Describe the situation carefully. Don’t leave out a single detail.”
Qin Hao didn’t dare delay. In a low voice, he recounted the events again, racking his brain to recall everything, replaying the scene in slow motion in his mind, not daring to miss any detail.
What had taken only a few minutes originally now took over ten minutes to recount. Sweat beaded on his forehead, dripping nonstop.
The room fell silent again.
The pale golden eyes that usually radiated warmth now seemed stripped of their color, cold and emotionless like a deep, shadowy pool, intimidating to behold.
Unhurried, Yue Xinghe said calmly, “Are you certain his breathing and heartbeat had completely stopped?”
Cold sweat traced down Qin Hao’s firm features to his jaw, dripping onto the carpet and leaving a faint mark. He swallowed, steadying himself. “I’m sure I pierced his heart. I only left after his breathing stopped.”
“Then why is he still alive?”
The flat tone carried a trace of pure puzzlement.
A robot? A clone? Plastic surgery? A spy sent by the enemy?
Countless possibilities churned in Qin Hao’s mind. Whatever he could think of, Yue Xinghe had surely already considered. He knew the question wasn’t truly directed at him.
Yue Xinghe stared vaguely at a corner, his eyes seemingly unfocused. His slender fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, making Qin Hao’s heartbeat pound like a drum.
Qin Hao suddenly thought of something. The muscles in his arms tensed from anxiety; sweat dripped into his eyes, and he blinked hard. “Then… should we hold off on my brother’s side for now? Wait until we figure out his intentions before making a move?”
Yue Xinghe’s fingers stilled. After a few seconds of silence, he stood up. His golden hair traced a perfect arc in the air as he walked slowly into the bedroom. “No need. Proceed according to the original plan.”
The door clicked shut.
Qin Hao suddenly let out a long breath of relief, only then realizing his clothes were already soaked with sweat. As he stood up, he noticed a dark patch on the carpet where his sweat had dripped.
He scratched his head and let out a heavy sigh.
Looks like the carpet would need replacing again tomorrow. If only he could be as calm as his brother when talking to the boss.
Qin Hao quietly left the room and glanced at Lin Luxi’s door.
Thinking of the audacious things Lin Luxi had done to the boss during the day, he silently offered him a few sticks of imaginary incense.
Right now, the boss wasn’t sure of his intentions. But once everything was investigated and Lin Luxi was no longer of use, he would definitely die a miserable death.
Thinking of that delicate, pale face, Qin Hao shook his head again. What a pity, such a good-looking face, yet what lay beneath was so far from human.
References[+]