Chapter 65
Note: Early chapter release, thanks to Sakuradahl's support on Ko-Fi ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝⋆˙⟡♡
Mu Cai stayed within the painting for quite a while.
He had visited the bamboo grove behind the house and walked on the path in front of the courtyard. Both these scenes were meticulously crafted and stunning, leaving Mu Cai particularly satisfied. Basking in satisfaction, he remembered he hadn't thanked Qin Zhongjin yet. Therefore, he hurried to the courtyard where the magnolia tree was.
Mu Cai had stood under this tree upon entering, and he should leave from here as well. However, just a few minutes after standing under the magnolia tree, he felt as though his hand was being held.
He couldn't see anything, but a warm skin texture was surrounding his hand. Following this force, Mu Cai stepped out, and the high skies and fluffy grassland within the painting disappeared. What replaced them were a sandalwood table, a carved bed, wall-hangings of calligraphy and painting, all exuding an ancient charm.
Qin Zhongjin was standing in front of Mu Cai, his eyes closed, facing him, holding his hand as if in an invitation to dance.
The other's hand was large, fingers slender, enveloping Mu Cai's fingers entirely. Qin Zhongjin emanated a warm heat, a continuous warmth radiated from where their skins touched.
After stepping out from the painting, Mu Cai naturally pulled back his hand as soon as he had his feet on the ground. He smiled at the other and said, "Thank you. The painting you gave me to reside in is great."
Qin Zhongjin twirled his fingers hanging at his side, savoring the smooth and delicate feel of the skin he had touched earlier. His eyelashes fluttered a bit before he asked, "Are you still angry?"
Mu Cai hadn't expected the other to still worry about this matter. He thought for a moment and said, "I'm not angry anymore. I was just impulsive earlier, but I really can't bring myself to like your friend."
"Also," Mu Cai unintentionally voiced all of his discontent in front of Qin Zhongjin's silent listening. "Even though I'm temporarily staying here and have lost some freedom of movement, I should also have the right to decide whether I want to meet someone I detest, right? Seeing your friend already upset me, and you prevented me from leaving, of course I would get angry. I'm not a saint, unlike your friend who is as gentle as the clear wind and bright moonlight."
Upon saying this, he disdainfully rolled his eyes at Qin Zhongjin. Anyway, he couldn't see it.
Qin Zhongjin paused for a moment, then said, "I'm very sorry, it was my fault before. I unconsciously didn't want you to leave, without considering your feelings. I won't do it again in the future; if I do mistake again, you can punish me."
On hearing this, Mu Cai knew that it was now his time to act. He took a light step and quickly closed the distance between them.
The beautiful man in red outstretched his hand and circled it around the other man's neck. His vibrant sleeves slid down, revealing a pair of frosty-white arms. He leaned into the man's embrace, gently breathing in his ear, then chuckled, "So, how do you expect me to punish you then?"
His voice was ethereal and pleasing. By the end of the sentence, his tone had risen, almost flirtatiously.
Mu Cai was indeed trying to strike a flirtatious note. But he was already in his twenties and had no experience in love. He had always been the passive wooed party, and never actively pursued anyone before. After uttering those words, he wasn't quite sure how he did; he was somewhat nervously observing Qin Zhongjin's reaction.
Qin Zhongjin's throat bobbed.
He reached out a hand, looping it around the waist of the individual practically clinging to him. His breathing hitched ever so slightly, "I will do as you say."
The question had been tossed back to him.
Mu Cai pondered for quite a long time but couldn't think of any disciplinary action that was both interesting and effective. In the end, he had to say, "Then let's just hit the palm of the hand."
Let's just hit the palm of the hand.
When this sentence reached Qin Zhongjin's ears, he was momentarily dazed.
In his head, it seemed like a hallucination appeared. As if in some year when the grass was sprouting and the birds were singing and the sun was shining brightly, a promise like this was made between the youthful him and the handsome, enchanting youth before him: "If you bully me again, let's just hit the palm of the hand."
The other person was laughing happily then, their snow-white face shining with a healthy glow, and their eyes as bright as the morning stars. Their every move was full of vitality, nothing like the cold and silent ghost they had become now.
The fragments that suddenly appeared in his mind, disappeared just as quickly like a retreating fog, leaving behind unspeakable feelings of the past.
Causing his heart to twinge in waves of ache.
Qin Zhongjin collected himself, temporarily storing the image in his heart, then turned his attention back to the present.
The implication behind a slap to the palm punishment was quite strong. When children misbehaved, parents usually chose to spank the palm of their hands or their buttocks. After starting school and before the issue of corporal punishment was given importance, teachers would also typically choose hand-slapping as a form of discipline for disobedient children.
However, whenever Qin Zhongjin thought about Mu Cai’s snowy white, delicate hands lightly slapping his own palm, the soft pads of Mu Cai's fingers brushing past his palm with a ticklish force, causing his heart to feel tingling, Qin Zhongjin felt that this could also be considered a form of romance.
Of course, it was also a kind of unique "punishment".
He said, "Alright."
The man’s voice was deep. When he spoke, his voice seemed like it was resonating within his chest. Mu Cai, leaning on him with his chin resting on Qin Zhongjin's shoulder, could feel the slight tremor.
Feeling a little uncomfortable, Mu Cai lifted his head, only to see Qin Zhongjin suddenly stretching out a hand towards him, "I did something wrong this time. You punish me."
Mu Cai: "???"
This was the first time Mu Cai had encountered someone who so readily wanted to receive punishment.
However, as the other person had made such a request, he certainly wasn't going to let the opportunity pass.
Mu Cai extended his hand and gave a quick double-slap to Qin Zhongjin's palm, "That's done. You aren't allowed to bully me again."
Qin Zhongjin tightened his arm around the other's waist, a small curve raising at the corners of his mouth, "Mm, won't bully you."
He also didn't have the heart to bully Mu Cai.
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The next morning, when Mu Cai woke up and emerged from the painting, he saw Qin Zhongjin, who was already dressed neatly, waiting in front of the scroll.
Mu Cai yawned slightly. The painting in which Qin Zhongjin let him reside surprisingly had a day and night cycle that closely matched the outside world. Because of the darkness at night, Mu Cai had gotten a good night's sleep and just got up.
As Mu Cai looked at the high sun outside, then looked at Qin Zhongjin who wore completely different clothes compared to yesterday's home clothes — a thin sweater with a shirt underneath and dress pants — he couldn't help but ask, "Are you going out today? You're dressed so formally."
Qin Zhongjin shook his head, "No, I will recalculate Su Yao's life chart later for his sake in order to better help him overcome his obstacles. I'm wearing these clothes just for convenience."
Mu Cai didn't understand how different clothes were relevant, but nonetheless, he nodded to indicate that he understood.
Qin Zhongjin continued, "Do you want to come and watch?"
After some thought, Mu Cai realized he had nothing else to do, so he might as well watch the master at work up close. Therefore, he readily nodded his head.
The next moment, Mu Cai felt the world in front of him sway. Qin Zhongjin surprisingly lifted him sideways.
In a hurry, Mu Cai wrapped his arms around Qin Zhongjin's neck to keep from falling. He wasn't quite used to this abrupt lift, and couldn't help but say, "Why so suddenly... I can walk with you. You don't have to carry me."
Hearing Mu Cai's slightly complaining mumbles, Qin Zhongjin couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth into a smile, "Previously, you always let me hold you, so I thought you would want me to hold you this time too."
Thinking about it, Mu Cai realized this was indeed the case. Judging by his behavior before, he would definitely want Qin Zhongjin to carry him around this time as well.
It was just that Qin Zhongjin had too much initiative, picking him up even before he asked. Mu Cai also didn't want to contradict his previous persona, so he could only hold onto Qin Zhongjin’s neck and, with a faint blush creeping onto his face, said "As long as you know. Remember to have this much initiative next time."
Naturally, Qin Zhongjin nodded, "Alright, I'll listen to you."
The two of them exited the bedroom and headed towards the corridor on the left.
This side of the Qin residence was separated from the main household, forming an independent courtyard, with more than one building. The two-story villa where Qin Zhongjin lived was spacious, yet didn't have too many rooms.
They stopped in front of a room with an unlocked door. Mu Cai, acting on behalf of Qin Zhongjin who couldn't free his hands, pushed open the door. Inside the room, Su Yao was already present, examining various devices.
Upon seeing Qin Zhongjin carrying Mu Cai into the room, Su Yao’s expression changed slightly, but in the end he just greeted them, "Mr. Qin, Mu Cai."
Mu Cai lazily waved his hand in response.
In his red garment with wide sleeves, a simple lift of his hand caused the sleeve to slide down, revealing his slender and pale arm, deeply imprinting the image into Su Yao's eyes.
Qin Zhongjin nodded, placed Mu Cai onto a chaise lounge and adjusted his sleeves, suggesting, "You might want to change your clothes. This dress doesn’t seem very warm."
Mu Cai could hardly comprehend Qin Zhongjin’s line of thinking, "I'm already dead, what do I need warmth for? I died in this dress, I won't change!”
However, Qin Zhongjin asked, "Cai Cai, what was your previous life like?"
Here it was, the protagonist's urge to ask about his past life finally surfacing.
According to the original plot, when faced with this question, Mu Cai do not reveal the truth to Qin Zhongjin. On one hand, the original character didn't want to re-live the painful past. On the other hand, the original character felt that telling Qin Zhongjin would be meaningless.
Telling someone who didn't love him about his tragic past would only add to his mockery.
Therefore, Mu Cai also chose not to answer but casually stated, "There's nothing interesting to talk about. I was just a prodigal young master."
Qin Zhongjin did not give up and continued asking, "But you know me and Su Yao. It seems like you also didn't quite like us."
Hearing this, Su Yao who stood to the side involuntarily tightened his grip.
Without even turning his head, Mu Cai responded directly, "Have some confidence and drop the ‘seems like’ part."
Qin Zhongjin paused.. But he did not retreat, instead, his voice lowered, displaying a gentle sentiment, "Cai Cai, can you tell me why you dislike me?"
As soon as the question was asked, Qin Zhongjin was aware that he had acted impulsively.
In fact, his impulsivity started much earlier. Perhaps when he kept hearing Mu Cai indifferently talking about his own death, or when he saw the painting for the first time, he had already set foot on a road of no return.
But Qin Zhongjin had no intention of restraining himself. All his feelings and actions towards Mu Cai were genuine. He wanted to hold onto Mu Cai and spend a long time with him. Thus, he was quite desperate to understand what was hindering their relationship.
In his mind, the memories of their interactions were so beautiful. The young man held hands with him, his face as radiant as the blossoms in spring's dawn. However, something must have happened to make Mu Cai so indifferent to him now.
A scoff could be heard.
The man in red gently lifted his foot and set it upon Qin Zhongjin's chest, speaking with an ethereal voice, as though echoing from the clouds, each word carefully pronounced, "I dislike you because I dislike you, no reason needed."
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Author's Note:
Su Yao: I shouldn't be under the car, I want to go inside it! I want to participate in the conversation between you two as well!
Qin Zhongjin knocked him unconscious with a single blow.
--- Little angels, don't panic. This is a sweet and silly bloody love story=w=
Some little angels have asked before if Cai Cai was from a previous life. In fact, both Cai Cai and the protagonist have just come from a previous life. Both of them are scapegoats for the original story, so in a sense, they could be considered as characters from their previous lives. After all, only they could play these roles (:зゝ∠) However, as the old saying goes, I refuse to be the scapegoat and will use my willpower to overturn the original storyline. So what Cai Cai knows now may not necessarily be accurate.
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