《Saving the overbearing CEO (BOYLOVE)》


 Chapter 1锛歐en Qinxi The IT Guy

    In a futuristic skyscraper located in City A, the office was boisterous with employees carrying out their daily targets in a vibrant colourful work environment. This wasn''t your average boring old fashioned company run by old farts. It was one of the most unconventional yet productive companies globally with innovative games launched every month catering to all kinds of preferences.


    The gaming experience provided by this company was unmatched in the industry but it wasn''t enough for CEO Qie Ranzhe, a fourth-generation heir who built GameX from the ground up. GameX was always ahead of its time producing thousands of patents annually, always the head and never the tail.


    Qie Ranzhe had a game-changing vision that would wreak havoc in the gaming industry and thus introduced project Flagship with a team of experts brought on board to bring to life a new virtual-reality game with a whole new gaming experience that could bring their competitors to their knees and Wen Qinxi was part of that team.


    The genius had only been a part of the company for less than a year. Nine months of being labelled an intern though he had the full benefits of a permanent employee. Wen Qinxi went through months of hazing by senior staff, from coffee runs to photocopying documents and still achieve his daily targets.


    At first, he had accepted it as part of the company culture like making fun of the new guy but when the person employed after him didn''t go through the same experience, he soon realized that it was all on purpose. His co-workers instigated by his manager had overlooked Wen Qinxi''s outstanding resume and only focused on the high school he attended.


    The gossip after that was, "That new guy, Qi something went to the same school as the CEO and were even in the same class. That''s why he got the job in the first place,"


    "l heard he was the CEO''s lackey in high school so he got the job pushing out more capable candidates,"


    The gossip got even weirder especially after being selected into the new team for project Flagship, "l heard he belongs to the CEO. He''s a kept man,"


    ''Fuck! Laozi belongs to no one,'' he thought angrily stomping out of the break room when he overheard them gossip. It was true that he and Qie Ranzhe were former classmates but they barely had any interaction all throughout high school. Their social circles were worlds apart though they were physically separated by a single desk.


    Wen Qinxi fell under the charity case class sponsored into the school for their outstanding performance but Qie Ranzhe was from the Forbes group that literally ran the school. To top it all off he was a male god the school grass featuring in every girl''s wet dream.


    The one memorable encounter he had with Qie Ranzhe was when he asked him to help throw a twinkies wrapper into the bin as he hurriedly ran off for swim practice. They operated in different circles and Wen Qinxi was fairly certain Qie Ranzhe didn''t even know his name let alone his face.


    But to the whole office, he was a man kept by the overbearing CEO. From then on, he stayed in his bat cave with his own personal coffee maker and packed lunch. He no longer mingled with the rest of the staff hence starting the legend of the troll that stews in his office all day long plotting against mankind. He came to work early and left work late that was his daily bread minimizing the risk of bumping into his co-workers to almost zero per cent.


    Recently the head of the department had been on their throats trying to get Flagship up and running before the previously stipulated deadline, a direct order from the guys upstairs. The entire company was made aware of the urgency of this project and hence the team was not to be disturbed but some jerk had the balls.


    "Umm...Wen Qinxi, sorry to bother you but l need your help," said an angelic loli voice that had him wagging his invisible tail, "my computer won''t turn on and tech support is not picking up, it''s pretty urgent. Will you come upstairs and help me please," she said in a pleading tone.


    "Okay l wi-," he replied before the phone was rudely cut off but he didn''t seem bothered. If it was anyone else, he would have told them off but Wen Qinxi immediately dropped his work and rushed like a knight to rescue the damsel in distress. That damsel was Li Menxie, a gorgeous goddess and one of the executive assistant to the commander and chief. Okay, Wen Qinxi was not doing it for the good of the company but for the good of his little brother, that was only familiar with the five knuckle shuffle.


    He hoped his charming looks and genius mind would score him some points with a beauty queen and even if she rejects him she could set him up with a few of her friends. He excitedly jumped into the elevator and pressed the highest floor possible that led to the director''s floor after that he had to be escorted into another elevator with military-grade security to get to the CEO''s office.


    Li Menxie smiled at him flashing her beautiful pearly white teeth and led the way. Wen Qinxi''s IQ dropped drastically as he fumbled through his words trying to strike up a conversation. "So when did it start giving you problems?" he asked as she did a retina scan to open the elevator.


    "Since this morning," she replied with a fixed smile on her face that was obviously forced but Wen Qinxi was too dense to take a hint. She was somewhat irritated but had to act polite so he could help her before Qie Ranzhe comes into the office.


    "Did you check if all the ports were plug-in correctly because sometimes it''s as simple as that?" he asked with a sweet smile that would normally charm any maiden but Li Menxie who had been constantly exposed to Qie Ranzhe''s male god appearance had become immune to any other man''s charms. She only had her eyes set on the big whale and cared less for the plankton in the sea.


    "If I hadn''t would I have called you? Just get it done before the CEO comes into the office," she replied no longer concealing her annoyance as the elevator doors opened. Wen Qinxi wasn''t stupid, he realised then he had been tricked into coming and was now being given a cold shoulder since it was too late for him to back down.


    ''I guess it''s just you and me for a while Lil bro,'' he thought to himself while walking over to her desk.

 Chapter 2锛欳hase A Skirt

    Wen Qinxi didn''t waste any time, he was under pressure to deliver but had foolishly got roped into doing a task outside his job description all to chase a skirt. He had never felt this fuckin stupid before as he studied the device checking all ports. Li Menxie rolled her eyes at him thinking, ''You think I am that fuckin'' stupid not to check my ports before calling you?''


    Irritated to the max, she quietly slipped away while he crawled under her desk to inspect further. Wen Qinxi scowled when he figured out where the problem was, the plug wasn''t even turned on. "You didn''t check the power supply, somebody must have switched off the main circuit without your knowledge!" he yelled with his head lodged under the desk as he reached out to switch it on. The only thing you could see was his perky tooshie protruding from under the desk.


    Qie Ranzhe who had just come out of the elevator walked into this kind of situation with a strange man under his assistant''s desk talking to himself his butt sticking out. His brows furrowed as he gestured for security to manhandle the crazy lunatic hanging around his office without permission.


    Wen Qinxi who had just switched on the computer was then dragged out from under the desk and forced to face a domineering handsome guy with bewitching phoenix eyes holding him hostage. ''Fuck! Is this Qie Ranzhe? Holy shit how can a man be this fuckin handsome. Is he a fuckin god in disguise sent to shame the rest of us!'' he thought averting his gaze. He suddenly felt so inferior like a chicken amongst peacocks.


    Now he understood why his charming smile did shit for him on Li Menxie, faced with such a dazzling man every day what more could she want. It wasn''t just his face, the guy was a head taller than Wen Qinxi with a well-built body that made him envious. "Haha, I came to fix your assistant''s computer. I am the IT guy," he said nervously laughing while staring at the beefy security holding his arms at either side.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t say anything, he tapped the keyboard with his long slender fingers before placing his hands in his pockets. Wen Qinxi sneered within as he looked down at his own stubby fingers thinking, ''Just fuckin awesome, Mr Perfect over here making me feel like crap. Do you even have a single flaw?''


    "It seems to be working fine, what was the problem?" he asked in a cool unhurried tone.


    ''Because I fuckin fixed it you asshole!'' he screamed internally with a fake smile gritting his teeth. "It was a minor issue, the power source was switched off and I turned it back on for her."


    Qie Ranzhe nodded his head while saying, "Okay, I understand. What department are you from?" Wen Qinxi sighed in relief as the security released him, surely Qie Ranzhe was an understanding man. But no matter how understanding he was, Wen Qinxi was not stupid enough to truthfully divulge that he was from the innovation team and a lead programmer to the project Qie Ranzhe had rendered top priority. If he found out that he was here turning on a beautiful woman''s computer instead of working on the project, he would be in a shit load of trouble so he lied.


    "I am from Tech support," he said really glad that Qie Ranzhe had absolutely zero impression of him otherwise who knows if he would still have his job by the end of the day. Just as Qie Ranzhe found the answer acceptable, Li Menxie walked in with a touched-up face. She most definitely had slipped away to redo her makeup without even telling Wen Qinxi.


    ''Oh fuck me! You left me talking to myself like a crazy person just so you could look good for your boss. Shit! How can she be so ruthless,'' he thought while hoping Qie Ranzhe would let him leave.


    "Li Menxie, did you call tech support just to switch on your computer at the power source?" asked Qie Ranzhe pointing at Wen Qinxi. Her once beaming face when she saw her boss quickly turned sour glaring at Wen Qinxi with a ''don''t fuckin ruin this for me'' expression. That''s when Wen Qinxi realised he was going to be the sacrificial lamb by fire by force.


    "No president Qie, he called me to inform me something was wrong with my computer and couldn''t gain remote access to it so he had to come up and physically fix it," she said with a black expression lying through her teeth. She knew Wen Qinxi couldn''t sell her out because he was guilty of abandoning a top priority project to help her. Hell, she was prepared to play the ''he is interested in me'' card just to save face.


    Qie Ranzhe seemed to believe his assistant more concluding the situation as ''guy likes a girl and decides to stupidly use his IT knowledge to strike a conversation''. He dismissed Wen Qinxi and asked security to walk him out.


    It would be an understatement to say Wen Qinxi walked out of this simply disappointed because he was extremely pissed off. Not just at Li Menxie but himself for being so stupid. At least Qie Ranzhe had no idea who he was otherwise he might have been slapped with a serious warning or even lost his position in the team.


    Yes, Qie Ranzhe was that petty, he remembered the guy once tackled a boy for giving his girlfriend a unicorn pen which she had asked for in the first place. The sad thing was that the victim had zero interest in girls but was still tackled for it. Wen Qinxi returned to his office feeling crappy.


    Qie Ranzhe, on the other hand, walked into his massive office while instructing Li Menxie to send the tech support guy''s file. He wasn''t going to let him get away without some form of discipline and maybe next time he won''t treat his office as a dating site. While waiting for the file he took out his phone before dialling a number registered Huangzhi. His brows furrowed when a pre-recorded voice told him that the number was currently out of commission.


    He leaned back into his chair with a pained expression on his face pinching the bridge of his nose frustrated. Huangzhi was the only woman that ever piqued Qie Ranzhe''s interest enough for him to pursue her and he succeeded. They had been involved with each other for five years going on six when he proposed to her. Though it was a long-distance relationship, Qie Ranzhe was head over heels for her hence didn''t hesitate but things didn''t go as planned. She ruthlessly rejected his proposal, her reasoning being that he was boring and only put up with it because his mother begged him.


    Throwing money at her was useless because unlike every other girl, her family''s company was worth more than his. This was the reason why he worked hard to build something for himself so he could prove to her that he was capable but it wasn''t enough to make her stay. It was evident that his number was now barred and it hurt like hell being rejected.


    "Sir, I sent over the tech support guy''s file," said Li Menxie interrupting his thoughts with a bashful smile. She was fully aware of the Huangzhi situation and hoped Qie Ranzhe would notice her even if it was as a rebound. If that happened, she would be set for life. Just thinking about it caused involuntary fissions all over her body, she would never have to work a single day her entire life.


    "Wen Qinxi?" said Qie Ranzhe interrupting her corrupt fantasy.


    Qie Ranzhe''s eyes harden when he looked through the file, the pervert had lied to him. Wen Qinxi was part of project ''Flagship'' and a lead programmer at that. At first, he wanted to just cite him for inappropriate behaviour at work but now he had to go for a harsher penalty.

 Chapter 3锛歍his skirt is too expensive

    Wen Qinxi only left the office when he was done fixing the script for ''Flagship'' and only left when he was sure there were no mistakes after compiling it into a program. Tomorrow they were going to run a trial on ''Flagship'' so he had to be up early.


    He left the comfort of a cosy office heading straight into the cold snowy night. Wen Qinxi ordered a ride and dinner from an app off his phone before crossing the street waiting for the car. Normally he would have taken the bus home but it was too late and didn''t feel like spending two hours in transit.


    The ride didn''t take time to arrive so he didn''t have to endure the cold breeze for long. He hopped into the car and lazily leaned back as he removed his glasses before rubbing his sore eyes. Spending the entire day looking at a screen wasn''t doing his eyesight any good but he loved his job and wouldn''t give it up for anything.


    While he was taking some time to unwind, he got a call from his younger brother, Wen Danzhe whom he chatted with all the way till he got to his shabby apartment.


    "What the fuck bro? You got yourself tangled with a green tea bitch!" yelled Wen Danzhe through the phone when Wen Qinxi retold his terrible day. His brother was so loud that he instinctively removed his ear phones and opted for the loudspeaker instead.


    Wen Qinxi let out an angry laugh while receiving his food delivery. "How messed up is that right? Anyway it doesn''t matter at least it didn''t get me into trouble," he said tossing the bag of food on the kitchen counter.


    He took off his coat listening to his brother rehash how ruthless women are these days but Wen Qinxi was barely attentive settling down in the couch while opening his laptop. Because he was so busy today he hadn''t checked his emails and needed to confirm his schedule for tomorrow.


    While looking through his inbox sorting for an email about ''Flagship'', an odd-looking email with the subject ''Notification of bonus cut back for Mr Wen Qinxi grasped his attention. He froze when he read the heading and suddenly cursed out loud, "What the fuck! Shit, shit, shit!" while opening the email his fingers trembling like a leaf.


    His reaction startled his brother who was still rambling on about women. "What''s wrong? Qi why you are not answering, what the fuck happened?" asked a panic-stricken Wen Da.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t respond for half a day thoroughly reading through the email which mentioned how he had disobeyed orders frolicking around when he had an incomplete top priority project. The penalty was getting his bonus slashed in half but to him, that was a bucket load of money.


    He had a sibling and mother to take care of yet Qie Ranzhe had to go on being petty and screw things over for him. Curses rung the entire fourth-floor as Wen Qinxi vented his frustration. He was so loud that the neighbour had to knock on his door to shut him up.


    "Dage now that''s a fuckin expensive skirt and you didn''t even get to hold her hand. I think this is the most you have ever spent on a woman," said Wen Danzhe sympathising with his brother.


    "Shit! I am so fuckin pissed but I can''t deal with it till we finalise project ''Flagship'' otherwise he might ruthlessly slash the other half," said Wen Qinxi suddenly opening up the fridge to grab a beer. He normally wouldn''t drink during the week but he was just too angry to care.


    That night Wen Qinxi barely slept and woke up feeling heavy like he weighed a ton. Qie Ranzhe had really screwed him over but was powerless till at least after handing over the project.


    He literally dragged his feet all the way to the office with prominent panda eyes. He wasn''t in the mood to be here but he had no choice and so Wen Qinxi got straight to work. By the time the rest of the team arrived he had already run his program in the gaming capsule. The man was like a zombie downing tons of coffee but even as a zombie, he was still highly efficient.


    While the team was conducting a trial run they were unaware that the CEO was behind a one-way mirror watching them as the project manager reported their progress. Though attentive, Qie Ranzhe was more interested in the zombie with panda eyes who seemed as though he was running the show.


    Observing the little scammer now, made him feel a sense of familiarity as though they had met before but he couldn''t put his finger on it. "That Wen Qinxi is he any good?" asked Qie Ranzhe pointing at the nerdy guy currently pushing up his glasses while typing at light speed.


    The project manager''s face crumpled hearing the CEO personally ask about Wen Qinxi especially after the rumours he heard that were flying around the office. Wen Qinxi''s former manager had warned him to be wary of that young man but he never thought much about it till now. "He seems okay. Sir if he doesn''t meet the standard I can replace him," said the manager unable to read Qie Ranzhe''s face.


    "You chose him for this project, if he doesn''t meet your standard then do what you think is best. I don''t give a damn who is in your team as long as you hand over the project by next week," replied Qie Ranzhe before walking out of the door. What he didn''t know was that the manager took his words to heart, resulting in Wen Qinxi being kicked off the project the very next hour.


    When Wen Qinxi heard that he had been replaced as lead programmer and kicked off the team, he was so livid that the jerk of a manager had kicked him out just when the project was being finalised.


    He couldn''t help but blame Qie Ranzhe and his stupid assistant for screwing with him over a trivial matter. The man didn''t take it so well throwing a fuss in his office till he eventually calmed down.

 Chapter 4锛歍riple Binge Like A Pro

    Wen Qinxi stewed on his couch ever since he left the office on Friday. He was literally growing roots on his comfy couch binge drinking, binge eating junk food while binge watching anime on Nflix. It was an all binge weekend only standing up to bath or receive his orders.


    Let''s not forget cursing out Qie Ranzhe every ten minutes. He even printed out an A4 picture of Qie Ranzhe he had taken off the company website and fired darts at it while chanting bad karma for his enemy. Why from the company website you might ask? Its because the dinosaur Qie Ranzhe had no social media accounts, not even a MySpace page.


    "Haha, you fuckin dinosaur," chuckled Wen Qinxi when he was searching the web for Qie Ranzhe''s social media accounts.


    Monday had finally arrived with Wen Qinxi snoring in his couch in an awkward sleeping posture we dare not speak off. Face down with his buttocks sticking out was one of Wen Qinxi''s weird sleeping habits. He only woke up when he slid off the couch with a loud thud falling straight to the ground.


    "What the fuck, Aiyo...my poor butt!" he cursed while rubbing his sore parts. His hair dishellevelled and crusts in his almond shaped eyes, Wen Qinxi entered the bathroom to freshen up while scratching his belly that was forming a little pouch.


    "Ah fuck, l am getting fat!," he yelled while looking down at his belly, " It''s all Qie Ranzhe''s fault. Ah!...I should stop eating takeout." He poured some water on his face before lazily cleansing it with some face wash. While roughly washing his face, he pondered on how he planned on spending his day.


    He hadn''t had a holiday in a long time and spent his public holidays doing work which his mother always scolded him for. "Whatever! l will just spend my day gaming or something," he said out loud while squatting some toothpaste on his electronic toothbrush but as soon as he placed the brush into his mouth he recalled something critical.


    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he swore while running to his laptop hoping it wasn''t too late. On Friday while running some tests, he discovered crucial flaws in the system that needed to be addressed before handing over the project otherwise there would be dire consequences. But he had forgotten to mention them as he was unexpectedly kicked out of the team before he could fix it.


    He sent the email to the project manager with a detailed report on all the flaws that required fixing before the hand over. Of course, he knew telling the project manager would lead the man into stealing credit but people''s lives were more important plus he could use this email record to get Qie Ranzhe''s leniency. He just didn''t inform them on how to fix it because he knew anyone with his basic qualifications could fix the problem.


    Satisfied with the email, he sent it through before going back to the bathroom to finish off his daily routine. By ten in the morning, the nerd was all strapped up playing some online game with some of his hacker friends.


    "Bruh, why the fuck you ditching a noob like me? l thought you said you would carry me!" yelled Wen Qinxi through his mic struggling to maneuver his game avatar.


    "Grow lady parts then l will carry you, watch your six more boggies coming at you," replied player two running further away from him.


    "Shit you guy-," said Wen Qinxi before he got disturbed by the beeping sound from his phone. He pressed down on his headsets instantly answering the call without taking his eyes off the monitor. "Sorry guys," he apologized before answering the call but forgot to turn off his mic in the game.


    "Hey Wen Qinxi, the email you just sent me what''s up with it? l thought everything on Flagship was running smooth," said the project manager in a scornful tone.


    Wen Qinxi kept on playing while responding, "Noticed a problem on Friday, sort those out and it will be up and running in no time. Ah fuck l just died!"


    "What?" asked the perplexed manager thinking this man is too vulgar.


    "Oh sorry, was playing a game. Mm, fix it and it will be fine. Got to go," he replied hanging up the phone.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be at work? Why you asking him to fix it? Isn''t Flagship your baby?" rumbled on a nosy player one.


    "Oh snap, if he knew you called him that he would fire you on the spot!" said player three as they all burst out laughing at his misery but Wen Qinxi didn''t find it funny in the least.


    ***


    Somewhere in Gamex offices the manager was done talking to Wen Qinxi on the phone and turned to Xia Bai who was now taking lead in programming Flagship.


    "Did you find what he was talking about?" asked the manager in a skeptical tone.


    Xia Bai swung around on his office chair and shook his head, " Nope but if Wen Qinxi saw it then it must be there. His a god when it comes to this," he replied while turning back to his monitor, "Just bring him back so he can sort it out."


    "Forget it, he''s just causing trouble," said the manager before exiting the room.


    "Well he''s going to regret that," said Hei Bao the third programmer on the team. They both nodded in agreement, Wen Qinxi was indeed the best among them but his expertise was overshadowed by those stupid rumors.


    Whoever started them wanted to sink Wen Qinxi''s ship before it even set sail.

 Chapter 5锛欸ameXs Downfall

    The week flew by like it had a vendetta against Wen Qinxi. They say time flies when shit is good and it was indeed good for him. The entire week was spent online to the point of forgetting that he even had a job. Walking around in his underwear all day long was weirdly gratifying. He was extremely grateful for the heating system otherwise he wouldn''t have been able to pull this off as cold as it was.


    He was so sad when he thought of going back to work that is until the man received a weird email from HR on a Friday stating that he would be paid his full bonus. Wen Qinxi thought he was still drunk from last night and was still seeing things.


    He vigorously rubbed his sluggish eyes before jumping in excitement. Wen Qinxi didn''t know what changed Qie Ranzhe''s mind but he didn''t care enough to ask. He was so thrilled swaggering into the office as though he had won the lottery. The smile on his face on a Monday morning stunned the other employees.


    "Who would be this happy on a Monday morning, so fucking exhausting?" whispered one of the employees glaring at Wen Qinxi.


    Wen Qinxi tossed his bag on his desk and sat on his swivel office chair before swinging around childishly. "Fuckin awesome," he said to himself while lazily gazing up at the ceiling. He didn''t know whether to write Qie Ranzhe an email thanking him for giving him another chance as he was ridden with guilt for chanting bad karma at him for an entire week.


    While his mind wandered around, his office phone suddenly rung jolting him awake. He gladly answered on the third ring assuming it was about his next assignment but when he heard that voice his entire body grew cold. ''Fuck what does this bitch want now?'' he thought restraining his anger.


    "Wen Qinxi hope you had a lovely rest. May yo-," said Li Menxie before Wen Qinxi rudely cut the line. She wore a downcast expression in embarrassment as the phone was on louderspeaker in the board room. The board of directors all gazed at her thinking god knows what.


    "Mr Wen before you cut the call, l am director Cheng and we have important matters to discuss with you concerning Flagship," said director Cheng talking so fast just in case he hung up again.


    "Oh, I apologise director Cheng but l am no longer a part of Flagship please refer to the project manager Mr Zhang," replied Wen Qinxi twirling a pen in between his stubby fingers. He couldn''t fathom why they were asking for him when he wasn''t a part of the team for more than a week.


    "Yes, we are well aware that you are no longer part of the team but you have been a part of this project since the beginning there is no one more familiar with the project than you. If its not too much trouble, may you come up to the boardroom to answer some questions," replied director Cheng his voice shaky but stern.


    "Sure, I am on my way," he said as he hung up the phone. ''Why the fuck does it sound like an interrogation!'' he thought to himself as he packed up everything to do with ''Flagship''. Mumbling compalints all the way, Wen Qinxi finally arrived on the director''s floor were he was led to the board room.


    While turning the corner he noticed a quivering manager Zhang seated in one of the offices with a pale face and panda eyes as though he hadn''t slept in a while. ''What the fuck is going on?'' thought Wen Qinxi when they finally reached the board room.


    He was instructed to sit at the opposite end of the room with all the directors facing him. It started to feel more like a trial than a Q & A. Wen Qinxi calmed his nerves before addressing the group of fat cats with their eyes fixated on him like he owed them money.


    "How may l be of assistance?" he asked in a relaxed tone, you wouldn''t think he was nervous but his sweaty palms were selling him out.


    "Okay Mr Wen, let''s start with Flagship. Please explain how it works and use layman''s terms because some of us don''t understand programming," said a stout director with a partially bald head.


    Wen Qinxi raised one eyebrow wondering why these greedy bastards were asking him to host a kindergarten class on a project they were all too familiar with. "Well Flaship is a realistic game new to this industry inspired by virtual reality games but in this case the gamer''s consciousness is transported into the game when they connect to the gaming capsule. The capsule is fully equipped with a nutritional supplements for those clients who would love to live in the game for longer periods. Shall l carry on?" asked Wen Qinxi irritated by the fact that he had to explain something they were already aware of.


    "Okay so what kind of games do the players play inside?" asked a average looking director with old man glasses.


    "All in all, they are five worlds to choose from. There is modern, interstellar, ancient, beastkin and wuxia worlds. A client can choose which ever one they prefer. The daily activities include some challenges but its all based on different storylines. They can also interact with other players in the game, basically its like an escape from reality a chance to live different life in a world of your dreams."


    Li Menxie barely looked up while Wen Qinxi spoke, she had her head down the whole time but suddenly spoke asking a very odd question, "What if someone''s consciousness is split into five when they logged into the game?" she asked with a pitiful expression.


    Wen Qinxi couldn''t believe he had just heard that and chuckled. "How the hell can that happen unless the problems l pointed out weren''t resolved, wait..." he said when he saw the expression on their faces.


    ''Who the fuck would be stupid enough to try the capsule without fixing the problems he highlighted,'' he thought with a stern look on his face


    "Who is it?" he asked with genuine concern. This was extremely dangerous, it meant whoever it was, was basically stuck in the game and who knows how much more damage was caused by this.


    "Its CEO Qie Ranzhe," said Li Menxie with bloodshot eyes choking on her tears.


    ''Fuck! That shit works?'' thought Wen Qinxi thinking about the bad karma chants he was making the entire week. His heart twisted ridden in guilt.


    "Didn''t manager Zhang fix the problems l highlighted? This shouldn''t have happened," he replied in disbelief. it was obvious Qie Ranzhe wasn''t just going to come out of this without some external help.


    What would happen to the company if the CEO remained a cabbage in a gaming capsule. Now he realised why his full bonus was reinstated. It was because they believed he could fix it but even if he fixed the software there was no way Qie Ranzhe would simply just wake up. He decided to jump the gun and be honest.


    "I might be familiar with Flagship but to be honest there is nothing l can do to help. It''s best if you seek help from a therapist or something because even if l fix Flagship, there is no way he will come of this just because l twicked the program," he said hoping they would let him go.


    ''Fuck! I need to go look for another job asap,'' he thought foreseeing the downfall of GameX.

 Chapter 6锛歈ie Ranzhe is a jerk

    Wen Qinxi was anxious as the group of people gazed at him with teary puppy dog eyes as though staring at their savior. What did they expect him to do? He himself wasn''t even hopeful that Qie Ranzhe would ever wake up


    "Mr Wen you don''t understand. You are our only hope given your experience. Please hear us out," said director Cheng almost on his knees.


    It seemed they had a plan but Wen Qinxi was not so optimistic. "Okay what would you like me to do because l am really not qualified to deal with this?" he replied with beads of sweat on his forehead, whatever was coming next had to be peculiar.


    "Here is the thing, we consulted with a world renounced psychologist, Dr Krystal in Russia and the proposed treatment would be sending some one into the game and guide Qie Ranzhe''s split consciousness to pass the game in each world. This way we can bring back his consciousness intact. That''s the only way he can finally wake up," explained the director with a hint of self-doubt that even Wen Qinxi noticed.


    This was just too hilarious that he wanted to laugh out loud and he actually did. "Why the fuck would you pick me? l am the last person you can ask to do this. Why would you think he would accept my guidance?" he questioned them while shaking his head in disbelief, "Doesn''t he have family or girlfriend you can send in?" no longer minding his language.


    "Well thats the thing we have already tried sending in a couple of people and some close to him but they all got thrown out off the game," replied the stout bald director while casually glancing at Li Menxie.


    Under the director''s gaze, Li Menxie clenched her jaw holding down her disappointment. She hoped saving the CEO would give her some brownie points but was ruthlessly thrown out of the game in less than a minute.


    "You still haven''t answered my question," replied Wen Qinxi with a deadpan expression. If they tried Li Menxie who spent the entire day with Qie Ranzhe, what about him, a guy he never interacted with a single day in his life except for a twinkies wrapper incident and being caught under Qie Ranzhe''s assistant''s desk?


    "What relationship?" he curiously asked because everyone seemed to think they were bossom buddies.


    "Oh for fuck sake Wen Qinxi just go try the game and see if it works! Our fuckin jobs are on the line here!" yelled an enraged Li Menxie with her chest heaving like an angry bull.


    A wide-eyed Wen Qinxi was flabbergasted, taken aback by her heartfelt speech but quickly recovered. He wasn''t going to let her walk all over him again as the saying goes ''once bitten, twice shy''. It was all her fault in the first place.


    "Who the fuck are you to say that? This shit is your mess, if you didn''t call me l wouldn''t have been kicked off the team and none of this would have happened. Fuck!" he said extremely pissed off. He regretted ever answering the call that unfolded such a chain of events.


    As you can tell already, Wen Qinxi has a short fuse and doesn''t watch his words when angry thus the language he used on Li Menxie. "Did l fuckin owe you in my previous life?" he carried on pointing at her. Director Cheng had to calm him down as Li Menxie exited the boardroom in tears.


    Only when she left did Wen Qinxi agree to give it a go and so they handed him a confidential file on Qi Ranzhe''s personal life to go through before logging into the game. Contrary to his belief, Qie Ranzhe''s life was kind of sad maybe even sadder than his.


    The guy might have been a male god but he didn''t have a life surrounded by sexy models like Wen Qinxi expected. The stern CEO was in love with some girl named Zhao Huangzhi but got dumped as soon as he proposed.


    His mother suffered from chronic depression ever since she got divorced by the love of her life and barely managed to raise her son with a sane mind.


    His father didn''t care much for him so Qie Ranzhe started his own company so as to avoid fighting for power with his younger siblings. He already had an ill mother that needed his attention, dog blood drama would just put strain on him so he chose to separate himself from all the trouble. These were just a few honorable mentions in Qie Ranzhe''s biography.


    This didn''t help ease Wen Qinxi''s guilt, in fact it was intensified. He felt so bad for not following up with manager Zhang maybe they wouldn''t have ended up in such a situation. Wen Qinxi signed a non disclosure agreement before leaving the boardroom for the game room.


    He had to sit patiently while some medical professionals performed a full cross examination of his body before giving him the thumbs up. Xia Bai and Hei Bao welcomed him back as they briefed him on what they had discovered so far.


    Qie Ranzhe''s consciousness in each world was fully immersed in what ever character he was. He had no recollection of his life in the real world but had showed some sense of familiarity when Li Menxie got inside the game.


    The current storylines he was in were an endless loop of tragic endings. All he had to was help Qie Ranzhe change the storyline to a positive outcome in each world. This could count as passing an instance defeating the big boss. Passing all the worlds would allow his consciousness to return to his body intact.


    "Okay cool anything else l should know?" asked Wen Qinxi flipping through the game files.


    "Well, will be communicating with you in the game all you have to do is activate your communication code. You want to pick one?" asked Hei Bao getting ready to input it into the system.


    Wen Qinxi kept on flipping through the file while saying, "Mm, Qieranzheisajerk thats the code," with a stern expression.


    "Sorry say that again?" asked Hei Bao thinking he had heard wrong.


    Wen Qinxi raised his head and repeated slowly," Qie Ranzhe is a jerk, no space small caps."


    Hei Bao and Xia Bai burst out laughing. "Geez Bruh, you are fuckin hardcore!" said Xia Bai suddenly deciding to record all their conversations in the game thinking how Qie Ranzhe would love to replay these records when he wakes up.

 Chapter 7锛欶irst World

    An anxious Wen Qinxi lay down in the gaming capsule as Hei Bao hooked up all the necessary things while giving him some last minute advise.


    "Don''t forget to commit to whatever character the system gives you otherwise you might get kicked out. Oh and time in the game is faster so no need to stress about coming out of the game ten years later. Crap what am l saying, you might not even last a minute haha." said Hei Bao half-jokingly but Wen Qinxi just wanted to shove a dirty sock in his mouth to shut him up.


    The next moment he opened his eyes at a game teleportation centre were the story of the first world was brought to light. It was indeed as tragic as they had described.


    The first world was historical based with Qie Ranzhe as the blackened protagonist with a terrible fate. The man was dumped in the trash when he was just a newborn. He could have died in the cold dead winter but was lucky enough to be adopted by a poor old lady.


    Sadly for him the old lady died just when he turned five leaving him homeless as the only living heir to the deceased seized the house kicking out Qie Ranzhe on to the street. From then on the boy became a street ruffian leading other homeless boys as their boss.


    The boys survived stealing from the rich justifying it as payback for all the abuse they endured from the arrogant bastards. One day while hunting in the forest, he found a maiden by the name Zhao Huangzhi caught in one of his traps instantly falling hopelessly in love.


    She was the second person who ever showed him unconditional love and for her, he was willing to turn his life around and so joined a guild to make something out of himself so he would become worthy for her hand. This was his motivation as he climbed from rank to rank becoming one of the most skilled members with exceptional talent.


    He was soon promoted to the highest rank were he was transferred to work for the emperor as a mercenary only to discover something disturbing. He was an exact replica of the emperor only years younger. It was soon revealed he was the son of his favourite concubine who vanished from the palace years ago.


    The thrilled emperor crowned him as his successor which didn''t settle well with his brothers especially his younger brother Qie Anzhie. Out of jealous and greed, Qie Anzhie sought to destroy Qie Ranzhe by revealing his dark history and stealing the woman he loved. And so was the birth of a blackened genocidal manic who made rivers run red obliterating anyone who dared speak against him. For a man that evil there could only be a sad ending as he died a painful death from strychnine poisoning. END


    "Fuck! What a shitty ending," said Wen Qinxi when he finished reading. It was just too pathetic that he actually felt sorry for Qie Ranzhe who was stuck in an endless loop going through the same thing over and over again.


    "Welcome Wen Qinxi to Flaship an innovative gaming experience that will su-," spoke the gaming system before it was interrupted by Wen Qinxi


    "System skip the intro and open communication channel," he said while brooding on a strategy to help Qie Ranzhe succeed. He envisioned himself being a old grandmaster guiding a young hero to victory like in Karate Kid.


    "Oh, how rude and my name is not system but Jolie as in Angelina Jolie. Please enter passcode," said the system with an attitude.


    "Seriously l designed you yet you argue with me about a name. If you ask me system works just fine," replied Wen Qinxi with a smirk on his face.


    "Pretty fuckin awesome of you boss. You get a dog and name it dog. Well done such a great naming system," said the Jolie in a sarcastic tone.


    "What the fuck! Fine, fine Jolie. Pass code Qieranzheisajerk," he replied deciding not to argue with an AI before the game even started.


    "l don''t think my CEO will appreciate that but who l am to judge your stupidity. Channel open, good bye,"


    Wen Qinxi couldn''t believe what he had just heard, someone had tinkered with his creation and it had to be one of those bastards in the gaming room.


    "Wen Qinxi how is it going in there?" asked the busybody Hei Bao.


    "Why did you mess with my system, its just a prototype but you have already given it a stupid name," he complained wishing he could get back out there and lock some functions so they wouldn''t change a thing.


    "Whoo hold it right there, it wasn''t me. It was Xia Bai," replied Hei Bao pointing at the real culprit.


    "You have to admit bro, calling a system, system was pretty lame," said a defensive Xia Bai.


    "What about the F bombs its dropping was that you too?" asked Wen Qinxi feeling sorry for future clients who would have to interact with a vulgar sassy system


    "That wasn''t me l wonder whoelse curses like a sailor all day? Oh right, that''s you. It definitely learnt it from you," said Xia Bai taunting him.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly couldn''t refute that, he had a filthy mouth so it only made sense. Once he was done helping Qie Ranzhe, he vowed to redesign the system. "Fine, fine, what character am l going in as?"


    "Let me check," replied Hei Bao looking through the system. Suddenly a pop up screen appeared in front of Wen Qinxi asking him to start the game. He abruptly clicked yes and was instantly teleported into the first world but he didn''t wake up on a comfy bad or land nicely on the ground.


    Wen Qinxi woke up underwater drowning as the water rushed into his lungs. The guy couldn''t swim and so struggle as the roaring waters swept him down river. When they said he should create a realistic game, he truly created an exceptionally realistic game. The feeling of drowning was simply too real.


    By sheer luck, he managed to grab hold of a floating log which ultimately saved him from drowning and being kicked out of the game so early. "Guys! Guys!" he called out to Hei Bao and Xia Bai but none of them responded.


    Wen Qinxi continued drifting till the river had lost much of its strength allowing him to reach the river bank. He was panting and gasping for air while lying on the ground when he heard a little girl screaming. "Ahhhh its a ghost!!!!!" she screamed while running toward town.


    A puzzled Wen Qinxi raised his head in confusion. "Where? What fuckin ghost?"


    "Uhm senior Wen," said a nervous Hei Bao who all of a sudden called him senior which none of them ever did. "Your character is Lin Jingxie, a rich young master and tyrants. Apparently you have been a serious cannon fodder, bullying Qie Ranzhe''s boys for years."


    "Oh snap thats messed up. How am l supposed to help him now?" he said lying back down in defeat.


    "Ahem," coughed a nervous Xia Bai, "that''s not the worst of it. The whole town heard you drowned but your body has been missing for three days and Qie Ranzhe is that one who killed you though only him and his boys know that secret," explained Xia Bai before cutting off communication using ''out for lunch'' as an excuse.


    They didn''t want to hear Wen Qinxi cursing them out to high heaven. As the saying goes what you can''t hear, can''t hurt you. Even the system packed it''s bags not forgetting to censor him on the way out.


    "F@#$##$#$#@@@##k!" cursed a censored Wen Qinxi venting out his anger. Not only did Qie Ranzhe hate his character, he even killed him, well now it was attempted murder. How was he going to help him now?


    ***


    Some where in the forest a group of boys hunting suddenly got interrupted by a little boy calling out to them. "Big brother Ran! Big brother.....huh...phoo....Li-Lin Jingxie is alive!" said the boy huffing and puffing trying to catch his breath.


    "Fuck!" yelled a stunned Qie Ranzhe.

 Chapter 8锛欶irst World: Lin Family

    Wen Qinxi went through four of the five stages of grief while lying on that river bank.The man just couldn''t achieve the last stage which is acceptance, there was no way he was accepting of this situation. He didn''t know if the sassy system had a vendetta against him or this was just his bad luck.


    At least the system was kind enough to leave all the information of his character''s past crimes but as he started going through the information he started to doubt whether it was out of kindness or just another ''screw you'' moment from the system.


    The first time he met Qie Ranzhe, he had him beaten up by muscle for hire simply because he didn''t greet him on the road. Mind you they were only seven years old at that time.


    Qie Ranzhe was beaten black and blue with cracked ribs. If didn''t have the protagonist halo, he would have certainly died. Lin Jingxie crossed the line numerous times like giving poisoned food to one of Qie Ranzhe''s boys. Though the kid didn''t die the side effects were brutal.


    Each day he would find ways to screw with Qie Ranzhe and his gang but one thing finally drove the protagonist off the edge leading to the cannon fodder''s demise. One of the youngest boys in the group was caught stealing medicine from a phamarcist which was unfortunately witnessed by Lin Jingxie.


    The young master paid for what the boy stole and took him to a waterfall up the river asking him to jump. If he survived, then the reward would the medicine for his sick brother currently in Lin Jingxie possession. Having lost a couple younger brothers before, the boy agreed to jump but was too scared changing his mind last minute.


    An irritated Lin Jingxie proceeded to push him off the cliff but was rescued just in time by Qie Ranzhe. The young master was now outnumbered and Qie Ranzhe wasn''t going to let him get away with it and so told him to either jump or he would kill him right then and there. This was how Lin Jingxie met his fate.


    Wen Qinxi had watched a couple of dog blood dramas courtesy of his mother but this was just too depressing. While dragging his heavy feet all the way to town, he met a crowd of people heading his direction. Among them were servants of the Lin family who were so happy to see their young master safe in one piece.


    "Young Master Lin, wuwuwuwuwu....we thought you were dead. Master and Madam haven''t slept a wink searching for you," said an old servant as he checked if Lin Jingxie had any injuries.


    ''This fuckin jerk Lin Jingxie actually has people who care about him as evil as he was?'' thought Wen Qinxi with a fixed smile.


    He wasn''t even sure what sort of reaction Qie Ranzhe will have after seeing him. ''He will probably fuckin finish me off,'' thought Wen Qinxi as they entered the town heading towards Lin Mansion.


    You would think that Lin Jingxie was the way he was because he was abused at home or something along those lines but the young master actually grew up in a loving family with no lack in every aspect. Wen Qinxi could only guess the character had some mental disorder or psychopathic tendencies because nothing else could explain his behavior.


    As soon as he reached the gate for the mansion, a beautiful short lady embraced him crying her eyes out in joy. "Jin-er my poor baby where have you been.....wuwuwuwuwu? Mummy was so worried about you," cried Madam Lin frantically checking on her son.


    She only stopped when Master Lin showed up with an expressionless face but his eyes sold him out. He was happy to see his son back home alive and well. He placed his hand around Lin Jingxie''s shoulder and embraced him for a split second without saying anything before guiding him into the main hall.


    Wen Qinxi was certain these parents had no idea what their son had been upto otherwise they would have reprimanded him especially his father. Master Lin looked like the strict military type parent who didn''t tolerate any nonsense. They sat together with the parents facing their son expecting him to divulge the details of where he had been.


    Faced with concerned parents, Wen Qinxi felt like crying. What was he supposed to say, ''Sorry mum and dad l have been a shitty tyrant for years bullying defenseless boys that finally retaliated and killed me in cold blood.'' Wen Qinxi sighed internally conjuring up a white lie.


    "I am sorry l worried you, it wasn''t my intention. Three days ago l went to waterfall to enjoy the view and clear my head when l slipped on a rock and fell over till I wash up on the bank near the town," he said unable to come up with a better lie.


    Judging from Madam Lin''s expression, she seemed to believe him but Master Lin was no fool. "What were you doing there all alone when you can''t even swim?" curiously asked Master Lin with piercing eyes suited for an interrogator in crime drama.


    A vulnerable Wen Qinxi who never had a dad before stammered unable to announciate a single syllable. ''Fuck! Are all dads like this?'' thought Wen Qinxi feeling an overbearing pressure coming from the man of the house.


    "Dage!" yelled an ecstatic teenage boy effectively interrupting Master Lin''s interrogation. Wen Qinxi was so grateful to the boy for saving his ass but soon regretted it. The boy was Lin Jingxie''s only sibling named Lin Mingxu with an abnormal brother complex.


    Lin Mingxu embraced his brother''s waist wailing even louder than Madam Lin did before. "Jin-ge wuwuwuwuwuwuwu....where have you been? I have been looking everywhere for you. Don''t ever leave me again wuwuwuwuwu." The teenager was like a sticky caramel candy apple on a hot summer day.


    Even Master Lin had to reprimand his son who was crying as though it was a funeral. Lin Mingxu according to the files, wasn''t actually a bad character but because he loved his brother so much, he would listen to him. This made him an accessory to the crimes all for brotherly love.


    Wen Qinxi even noticed some purple bruises on Lin Mingxu''s collarbone that were obviously as a result of being beaten. The idiot probably harassed Qie Ranzhe and his gang to tell him where Lin Jingxie was but of course, it didn''t end well for him.


    "From now on I will move into Jin-ge''s room so l can keep a close eye on him," said Lin Mingxu still embracing his brother. Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but feel distressed, even his real younger brother wasn''t this clingy. Lin Mingxu would just inconvenience him if he did that.


    "No thats not happening you little brat. Stay in your own room," yelled Master Lin with an authoritative voice that made Lin Mingxu cower.


    "And stop squashing your brother, he''s been through so much. Go check whats keeping the physician, he should have been here by now," said Madam Lin successfully getting rid of Lin Mingxu which Wen Qinxi was truly grateful for.


    A servant walked in with a tray of hot shrimp congee especially prepared for him. "Here eat, you must be starving," said Madam Lin stirring the porridge for him before attempting to feed him with her own hand.


    "Are you serious? He had a near death experience not a disability, his hands are working just fine," said Master Lin scolding his wife who was babying a big boy.


    Wen Qinxi gave her a warm smile before taking the bowl from here. "I will do it mother, thank you." They both looked at him with suspicious stares stunned by the politeness. Lin Jingxie was always gruff with his mother that his father usually had to interject.


    "You must have hit the right rock when you fell into the water," said Master Lin keenly observing him. Under the watchful gaze of the Lin couple, Wen Qinxi ate the delicious shrimp congee with Madam Lin only letting him go when the bowl was empty.


    Wen Qinxi went to what was Lin Jingxie''s room and sprawled on the comfortable bed while pinching the bridge of his nose calling for the system.


    "System," he called out in his mind but it didn''t respond, "System come out or I will downgrade you when l am done here."


    "My name is not system. How would you fucking like it if l call you human? Hey human come out!" said the system not at all threatening by his words.


    "Haaaa....fine, fine Jolie open the communication channel," he replied reaching his boiling point.


    "I didn''t hear the p word. Call me when you have some fucking manners," said the system instantly fleeing the scene and thus Wen Qinxi was censored yet again in a short space of time.


    "S@%#%#%#@%# system, f@%#%@%@%@ your mother and f#%#%@%%@%@ your grandma too!" cursed a frustrated Wen Qinxi.

 Chapter 9锛欶irst World: Sticky Ming Ming

    Only after some breathing exercises did Wen Qinxi finally calm down but when that system left it left for good. He really wanted to teach that AI a lesson as soon as he got out of the game.


    Fatigue was finally catching up on him when his door was abruptly opened like someone was being chased. ''Who the fuck?'' thought Wen Qinxi sitting up straight wearing a quizzical expression. Lin Mingxu walked in slightly panicked looking as though he was worried Lin Jingxie would disappear on him again.


    When he came back home, he found the main hall empty and ran to Lin Jingxie''s room in a panic thus opening the door like he owned the place. "Jin-ge you scared me, l thought som-," said Lin Mingxu before Wen Qinxi cut him off.


    "Mingxu go back outside and do what you are supposed to do whenever you come to my room," said Wen Qinxi pointing at the door. At first Lin Mingxu thought his older brother was just pulling his leg but Lin Jingxie was serious with a darkly expression all over his face.


    "Mm," replied Lin Mingxu with a doleful appearance walking back outside but he didn''t close the door peeking at his brother.


    "Mingxu!" yelled Wen Qinxi terrifying enough to make Lin Mingxu close the door. He had to do this otherwise the character''s younger brother might walk in next time while his talking to the system which will result in a discrepancy and ultimately get him kicked out of the game.


    A soft knock disrupted his thought process and only allowed Lin Mingxu after knocking three times. "From now on you knock and wait for me to let you in, do you hear me?"


    "Mm dage, l promise," replied Lin Mingxu with hand on his chest as though reciting the national anthem.


    "Is there something you need?" asked Wen Qinxi hoping to have some alone time just in case the system comes back.


    Lin Mingxu dragged in the physician he had brought along to check on his brother. "I brought him to check on you," he said pushing the physician towards his older brother.


    The middle-aged physician seemed terrified of Lin Mingxu as he fumbled through his medical bag with trembling hands. Wen Qinxi scowled and placed his hand above the physician''s shaky hand. "It''s okay, take your time," said Wen Qinxi glaring at Lin Mingxu who was averting his gaze.


    "l didn''t do anything to him, he was like that when l found him," said a defensive Lin Mingxu while scratching his head. He had found the physician having dinner and threatened him to come with him that instant otherwise he would beat him up till he was wheelchair bound.


    "Mingxu, if you keep threatening people, l will have no choice but to spank you like l did when you were younger!" yelled Wen Qinxi recalling how scared Lin Mingxu was of being spanked but his brother.


    "Okay, okay brother no need to go that far. I will do whatever you say," said a disgruntled Lin Mingxu as he sat next to his brother like a puppy expecting its master to pat it.


    "Please check him his bruises when you are done," said Wen Qinxi as the physician checked his pulse.


    Lin Mingxu shook his head refuting but Wen Qinxi opened up his collar asking, "What the hell is that then? Don''t you ever mess with Qie Ranzhe otherwise l will disown you as my brother."


    Gasping in horror with teary eyes, Lin Mingxu pled with Lin Jingxie which Wen Qinxi found interesting. This threat would never work with his real brother, they might even end up tussling til Wen Qinxi yielded and call his younger brother dage. Yep, Wen Danzhe is so much bigger than Wen Qinxi and would always win whenever they tusseled.


    Wen Qinxi pat Lin Mingxu''s hair and sent him off once the physician was done which was difficult to do because Lin Mingxu insisted on staying. It''s only when he promised to play checkers with him after dinner did he finally leave.


    "Learnt some manners yet?" asked the system as soon as Lin Mingxu was done.


    Wen Qinxi sighed heavily and addressed the cheeky system. "Yes Jolie, l learnt some manners. May you please open a communication channel?" spoke Wen Qinxi through his teeth tightly clenching his fists.


    "Qieranzheisajerk," said Wen Qinxi in his mind wondering if the system will make him say it each and every time.


    "Woh! Someone wants to lose their fuckin job haha. Anyway communication channel opened," said the system before disappearing.


    "Hey guys do you think Jolie gave me this character on purpose?" asked Wen Qinxi as soon as the channel was opened


    "Maybe...maybe not," replied an uncertain Xia Bai while chewing on some crisps with no care in the world.


    Wen Qinxi frowned, these two were not meant to be eating or drinking in the game room and had the audacity to answer his call while breaking the rules. "Are you two fuckin eating in game room? Are you being serious right now?" said Wen Qinxi in a stern tone reprimanding them.


    "Noooooo we are not," replied a thin-faced Hei Bao as they both paused their chewing motion as if that could convince Wen Qinxi otherwise. "So what''s your plan to help Qie Ranzhe?" said Hei Bao trying to divert his attention from the snacks.


    A passionate Wen Qinxi paced up and down reiterating his plan of action choosing the shadow master plan. "I will help him in the background. To prevent him from blackening, l need to halt the bullying which l hope is not too late, help him get Zhao Huangzhi and destroy his enemy before his enemy gets to him. I just need to do it without him knowing. What do you guys think?"


    "Greaaaattt plan, excellent," said the two simultaneously but in actual truth they weren''t listening silently fighting over the last potato crisp. They literally fought with their eyes with one accusing the other for eating more and has to give up the last crisp but the other using a ''first come first serve'' rule.


    In all of this Wen Qinxi kept on talking thinking they were listening to him. Little did he know the two idiots were engaged in a ''Battle for the last potato chip'' that could ruin their friendship.


    One of them accidentally broke the vow of silence yelling, "It''s just a damn chip Bao not some cheap potato crisp, l ate less so it-,"


    "Are you two fuckers still eating in the game room? Citation all of you stupid nerds, why the fuck would you....," yelled Wen Qinxi angryly cutting him off but the rest they couldn''t hear.


    Both men looked at each for a while before Xia Bai asked, "Did you mute him?"


    "Yes, l fuckin mute him, peaceful right?" said Hei Bao feeling proud of himself.


    "Yes quite handy. Will mute him each time he blows his top off. You!" yelled Xia Bai who was too busy talking to notice Hei Bao shove the last piece they had been fighting over all this time into his mouth.


    "Haha," chortled Hei Bao chewing but Xia Bai lunged at him yelling,


    "Spit it out you piece of shit! If l can''t have it then so can''t you!" chasing him all around the game room.


    An oblivious Wen Qinxi only realised something was wrong after cursing them out for ten minutes straight. He couldn''t wait to get out and slap fines in their faces.


    ***


    Somewhere in a dilapidated cottage in the forest, Qie Ranzhe was calmly roasting a pheasant when one of his oldest friends, Manchu with no family name, showed up to give him a report.


    "Ran-ge, Lin Jingxie hasn''t said anything about what happened. No one is sharpening their knives to hunt us down yet. What should we do?" he asked purely concerned for their own safety.


    Ever since Lin Jingxie was found alive the boys had been hiding in the forest ready to up and go if things escalated but the storm they were waiting for hadn''t come, at least not yet.


    "Tomorrow will follow him and have a private chat. I will personally finish him off by end of day tomorrow," he said with an unreadable expression handing over the fully roast pheasant to Machu to share with the boys.


    He lay on the prickly straw pinching the bridge of his nose thinking, "Lin Jingxie what the fuck you playing at?"


    If this was Lin Jingxie''s way of intimidating him by waiting longer to exert revenge and only strike when he least expected it then Qie Ranzhe would have to disappoint him.

 Chapter 10锛欶irst World: Man Of The Hour

    Wen Qinxi laid down operation ''save the overbearing CEO'', listing down a detailed plan simply waiting for him execute it but there was one tiny problem.


    That problem was a sticky Mingxu that just wouldn''t leave him alone. Every time Wen Qinxi stood up a set of questions would fly in his direction like ''Where you going?'' followed by ''I''ll come with you'' and ''Why can''t l come?'' which was driving Wen Qinxi insane.


    The one time he tried to use the ''not my brother'' threat, Lin Mingxu came up with a ''l know your secrets'' counterattack. At this rate Wen Qinxi might end up stabbing himself just to get away from that sticky tofu.


    Wen Qinxi only managed to shake him off after what could be described as an elaborate plan to be rid of Mingxu. He left the mansion at the speed of light like his ass was on fire just in case Lin Mingxu came back earlier than expected.


    All his life he had never gone to such an extent to avoid someone before. "So fuckin sticky, are all brothers like that?" he asked Hei Bao and Xia Bai through the communication channel.


    "Mine is like that but his five so," replied Hei Bao while scanning the system. "Oh shit!"


    "What?" said Xia Bai and Wen Qinxi at the same time curious to know what had Hei Bao''s panties in a bunch.


    "What''s Qie Ranzhe trying to do? His boys have been tailing you ever since you left the mansion. l think they plan on assassinating you," said Hei Bao showing Xia Bai what he was seeing. But before Wen Qinxi could respond, they muted him while discussing something unethical.


    "Place your bet, 200 says his going to slash his throat as soon as he sees him. Qie Ranzhe will go for instakill, brother Qi will be dead in two minutes," said Xia Bai slamming money on the desk.


    Hei Bao took out some money while placing his bet, "Wen Qinxi is a smart mouth, he will last ten minutes. Whoever has the closest time wins."


    Meanwhile Wen Qinxi was picking up his pace as he watched his ''in the shadows plan'' flushed down the toilet page by page. ''Fuck at least l had a good run,'' he thought picking up his pace but he couldn''t shake his tail no matter which turn he took.


    Of course, he couldn''t get away as these boys lived and breathed these streets day in day out There was no way he was going to outrun them not unless hell froze over which would never happen.


    If Wen Qinxi said this was just a game and wasn''t terrified one bit, that would be a lie. Even though he wouldn''t die in real life he could still feel pain and for an algophobe like him that was essentially hell. With that in mind, his pace graduated from striding to scuttling fraught with danger.


    "Jolie don''t l have some kind of skill to survive this?" asked a breathless Wen Qinxi as he dashed into an alley sacred stiff.


    "I advise you to try and recite some poetry maybe that can help you because that''s what your character is good at. Shakespeare them to death Wen Qinxi, Jiayou!" replied the cheerful system wishing it had some popcorn to enjoy while watching this horror show.


    "Fuck! Why did he have to be a fucking scholar who can''t even swim. Jolie reduce pain index, at least l can die with a smile," replied Wen Qinxi turning a corner which was the stupidest decision he had ever made. Qie Ranzhe''s goons surrounded him mocking the rich young master who should have stayed dead.


    ''l am sorry to say but the pain index function is currently unavailable. Plus it will only affect your gaming experience,'' said Jolie wishing it could place a bet.


    ''Jolie who fuckin cares about the gaming experience right now when l am about to die!'' cursed Wen Qinxi in his head while nervously smiling at the rowdy boys surrounding him.


    ''Oh, l am sorry you feel that way. Anyway make sure to rate the system when you die, oh sorry l meant when you exit the game. Bye!'' said the system which didn''t really leave but got comfy waiting for the blood bath to commence as the man of the hour showed his face.


    Qie Ranzhe was swaggering his way through the group of boys who instantly gave way for him. The man was as gorgeous as ever with an exaggerated domineering aura more suppressive than in the real world. This version of Qie Ranzhe was more terrifying that Wen Qinxi suddenly missed the CEO version.


    The closer Qie Ranzhe got to him, the faster his heart thumped against his chest. He instinctively closed his eyes shut when the protagonist suddenly wall slammed him speaking in magnetic icy voice, "Young Master Lin l truly apologize for not doing an effective job the last time but this time l will surely get it right," while Manchu handed him a dagger.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly opened his eyes only to see the dagger twirling in between Qie Ranzhe''s long fingers. ''Shit! l have do something otherwise this crazy bastard will kill me,'' he thought nervously laughing which took Qie Ranzhe by surprise.


    "Dage let''s talk this out in a civilized manner. Violence won''t solve anything," said Wen Qinxi in a shaky voice as he felt a cold sweat pass over him like a ghost at a seance.


    "Sure go ahead l am listening," said Qie Ranzhe folding his arms across his chest watching Lin Jingxie''s every move.


    "Let''s just say my near death experience made me reevaluate my priorities. How about this, l don''t screw with you and you don''t screw with me, we can both live harmonious lives," said Wen Qinxi secretly crossing his fingers that he doesn''t get stabbed today.


    Qie Ranzhe lightly chuckled as the boys joined in on the laughter. "You fuckin expect me to believe that bull shit? You must take me for a fool?" with the last sentence said in a condescending tone.


    "l am serious Qie Ranzhe, think about it. With my status l am more useful to you alive than dead. Haven''t l already proved myself? I didn''t say anything about what happened at the waterfall," said a desperate Wen Qinxi while the boys shook their heads in disagreement. If it was up to them Lin Jingxie would have been a stiff corpse by now.


    Qie Ranzhe seemed to be mauling over his suggestion when he was suddenly interrupted by Lin Mingxu punching his way through the crowd while yelling, "Get the fuck away from my brother!"


    "Fuck!" swore Wen Qinxi under his breathe as he watched Lin Mingxu throw a swing at Qie Ranzhe which he obviously missed as Qie Ranzhe dodged and kicked the boy onto the ground.


    With Lin Mingxu groaning in pain on the ground, the boys he had just punched got back at him, kicking him a couple of times before Wen Qinxi took action. He pushed the boys off and shielded Lin Mingxu from further beatings with his own body and so the algophobe couldn''t escape from this unscathed.


    The boys beat the hell out of Lin Jingxie venting their frustrations for past bullying and only stopped when Qie Ranzhe was satisfied. Wen Qinxi was clutching his abdomen in pain while wiping blood off his split lip.


    Lin Mingxu tried to shield his brother from an on coming Qie Ranzhe but Wen Qinxi harshly scolded him yelling, "Stay the fuck out of this!" causing a discontented Lin Mingxu to cower behind him.


    Qie Ranzhe crouched down in front of the kneeling Wen Qinxi glaring at him with a glazed expression. " Young Master Lin has indeed made a wise choice not saying anything. However, you still have to prove that you are worth more alive than dead....Let''s start with something simple, that is if you are willing of course?" he said gripping hard on Wen Qinxi''s chin.


    ''Fuckin asshole!'' cursed Wen Qinxi in his head while nodding in agreement.


    "Okay then, from now on deliver food to my boys everyday but if you skimp out on them there will naturally be consequences," he said glancing over at Lin Mingxu hiding behind his brother, "okay?"


    "Sure," spoke Wen Qinxi through his teeth swallowing his anger.


    "Good boy," said Qie Ranzhe with an ominous grin while gently slapping his cheek twice before taking his leave. His gang followed suit glaring daggers at them that if looks could kill, they would be corpses by now.


    Lin Mingxu helped his brother up holding back tears. He wanted to be strong for Lin Jingxie while plotting vengeance in that immature brain of his as they hobbled home in silence.


    Though silent Wen Qinxi was already calculating the amount of reparations he was going to charge Qie Ranzhe when he wakes up. ''Trashy CEO, you are going to fucking compensate me for this. Shit, l won''t settle for anything less that a billion,'' he mumbled in his brain now more determined than ever to survive through the end.


    Meanwhile in the game room, Xia Bai was mourning the loss of his money with Hei Bao throwing it in his face. But the most disappointed was Jolie, the system didn''t get the much anticipated blood and gore as advertised.


    If this was a horror movie, it would have demanded a full refund and slapped them with a bad review. Everyone including Wen Qinxi had underestimated his abilities, surviving the longest in Qie Ranzhe''s game.

 Chapter 11锛欶irst World: Overqualified Lunch Lady

    After the whole debacle with Qie Ranzhe, the Lin boys had to jump over the fence at the back of mansion otherwise if Master Lin were to find out that they had been in a fight, there would a second round of beatings in one day.


    Since Lin Mingxu was taller than Lin Jingxie, he had to boost his older brother over the fence but because he underestimated his own strength, Wen Qinxi was hauled over the fence landing face first onto the ground.


    "Dage!" loudly whispered a panicked Lin Mingxu jumping over the fence with ease only to find half of Lin Jingxie''s face smeared in mud. "Jin-ge, l am so sorry," he said trying to brush off the mud on his face.


    Wen Qinxi spit out some dirt that went in his mouth as he swore out loud, "Fuckkkkk!" which he soon regretted as it attracted Madam Lin''s attention. Lin Mingxu pulled Lin Jingxie into the bushes to hide from their mother who came out yelling looking for the culprit.


    "Who dares to use such vulgar language in my house?" she yelled holding a white slipper Lin Mingxu was all to familiar with. The boys patiently crouched down crossing their fingers that she would leave soon.


    Wen Qinxi couldn''t believe what a crappy day he had just had. All he could do was chant ''one billion yuan, one billion yuan'' under his breathe otherwise he would have thrown in the towel and smashed his head on the wall to get out of the game.


    The frustrated Madam Lin finally left giving the boys a chance to escape. They would have to make up an excuse for not coming to dinner tonight otherwise Master Lin would most definitely punish them when he saw those bruises from the fight. Not only that but Wen Qinxi had a food run waiting for him tomorrow and had to feed eight plus boys.


    "Fuck!" he swore while lowering himself into a hot bath, his whole body hurt as though he had been hit by a steam train. ''Qie Ranzhe better be fucking worth it,'' he thought as the heat soothed his aching muscles.


    "Jin-ge he hurt you, we need to teach him a lesson. You don''t have to do what he says either," said Lin Mingxu sitting next to the bath with a wan appearance. It hurt watching his brother take hits for him and someone had to pay for this. If not Qie Ranzhe then someone as equally important.


    Knowing fairly well what Lin Mingxu was thinking, Wen Qinxi decided to nip this in the bud otherwise he would never succeed and get the annoying CEO out of this place. "Mingxu do you trust my judgment?"


    Of course, Lin Mingxu trusted him completely even when he made the worst decisions that ultimately implicated the both of them. Lin Mingxu blindly followed his brother no matter what he did. The teenager nod his head to Wen Qinxi''s satisfaction.


    "Then from this day forth don''t ever mess with Qie Ranzhe or his boys ever again. If they start something with you, just come tell me about it but don''t lay a hand on them. Did l make myself clear?" he asked in an authoritative tone expressing that there was absolutely no room for negotiation.


    Though unhappy about Lin Jingxie''s decision, he decided to accept it with a weary heart. As long as Qie Ranzhe doesn''t cross the line again, he was willing to listen to his brother.


    Early nightfall Wen Qinxi decided to go to bed using his near death experience as an excuse and that he needed Lin Mingxu to watch over him. Thus the two brother escaped Master Lin''s interrogation.


    Finally alone, it was about time for Wen Qinxi to have a little chat with the system and so he called for it. "Jolie would you like to come out now so we can have a little chat?" said Wen Qinxi in the most gentle tone as possible hoping this would motivate it to do better but the trashy system had an out of service tag flying in his face.


    ''You trashy system, l am going to have you demoted to a vacuum bot system!'' he screamed in his head before he fell asleep frustrated.


    The next day Wen Qinxi had Lin Mingxu distract Madam Lin by insisting they go out shopping while locking himself in the kitchen making fried rice for eight boys. He wasn''t the greatest chef out there but he knew the most basic recipes enough for him to survive as a bachelor and his cooking didn''t taste bad at all


    He felt horrible for stealing Madam Lin''s ingredients but he didn''t have a choice till he could come up with a good excuse. The cook who had been kicked out was curious to know what the young master was doing but didn''t have the nerve to ask.


    Wen Qinxi packed everything up and snuck out of the mansion without anyone noticing. ''I fuckin feel like a criminal right now,'' he thought as he struggled to jump over the fence.


    ***


    Deep in the forest, Qie Ranzhe was practicing his skills with a wooden sword he had carved with his own hand. The teenager was hacking at a defenseless tree wondering if he had made the right decision letting Lin Jingxie live.


    When he left to go find him yesterday, he was resolute in his decision which was to make sure Lin Jingxie wouldn''t live to see another day. But yesterday as soon as he laid eyes on him, Qie Ranzhe couldn''t do it as though choking under pressure.


    For his past crimes, Lin Jingxie deserved to die but when Qie Ranzhe gazed into those upturned bloodshot eyes, it weakened his defenses. He and Lin Jingxie had been in each other''s faces a couple of times before but he never felt this odd sense of familiarity before.


    Frustrated, he kept on slashing at the tree in a sporadic immature way that would frighten any passer by. He didn''t even care if Lin Jingxie owned up to his word, he just didn''t want to see him again.


    "Ran-ge! Ran-ge!," called out Manchu running towards him. "Lin Jingxie just arrived and he brought food!"


    Though barely visible on his countenance, Qie Ranzhe was stunned speechless in disbelief. "He actually showed up?" asked Qie Ranzhe putting away his wooden sword his eyebrow laced together.


    "Yep and everyone is waiting for your go ahead," said Machu as he led the way.


    ***


    Wen Qinxi who had for the first time arrived at the so-called camp site was stunned speechless by the makeshift tents these boys were living in. He couldn''t fathom how anyone could withstand the cold with a structure that could fall on you while you were sleeping. Though it was just a game, the experience was definitely real.


    The boys gazed at him with scornful


    eyes but none of them gave him trouble keeping their distance. It was only when Qie Ranzhe arrived that they seemed to relax as though their savior had finally arrived to slash down the horrible monster.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t even acknowledge him with Machu asking him to start serving food. Wen Qinxi fake smiled at Qie Ranzhe thinking, ''How fucked up is this an expert programmer reduced to a lunch lady. Only Qie Ranzhe would fuckin do that.''


    That fake smile didn''t go unnoticed, Qie Ranzhe found it rather amusing and wanted to laugh but held back wearing a deadpan expression. Wen Qinxi served the fried rice on some wooden plates he had also snatched from the mansion.


    He dished out food but no one told him to hand the plates over and so he left them there. However, there was one person he wanted to personally deliver a plate to hoping he would accidentally smash the plate in his face. Wen Qinxi walked over to Qie Ranzhe who was sitting on a boulder watching his every move.


    With his plan in motion looking ever so innocent Wen Qinxi tossed the plate at Qie Ranzhe but instead of landing on his face, the guy actually caught the bowl without spilling a single grain. "Fuck! Were you a cat in your previous life? You reflex is abnormal!" yelled a flabbergasted Wen Qinxi not even realizing he had said it out loud.


    Everyone was just looking at him as though he had something on his face. Wen Qinxi sat on the rock across Qie Ranzhe scolding the on lookers, "What the fuck you all looking at!" before turning Qie Ranzhe while pointing at the bowl of food, "eat...come on hurry up l don''t have all day," but a stubborn Qie Ranzhe didn''t budge.


    He looked at the bowl then back at him two times in silence. "Oh fuck me, you actually think l poisoned it? Such a wuss," said Wen Qinxi taking the bowl away before stuffing his face like a squirrel making sure to eat more of the chicken too. He went as far as making taunting noises while at it, "Mmm so delicious. The chicken is so fuckin delicious mmm."


    Seeing him behave so childish, Qie Ranzhe could no longer deny it, something was different about Lin Jingxie but wasn''t sure if it was a good thing or bad thing. Qie Ranzhe gave the boys a go ahead and so like a pack of hungry wolves they dived in paying no mind to their eating habits.


    Wen Qinxi gave him back the bowl with half of the portion gone and didn''t even feel bad about it. With a fresh pair of chopsticks, Qie Ranzhe was about to eat when he suddenly paused to ask a question that had been nipping at him for a while. "Did you bang your head on rock when you fell off the waterfall because you are behaving so strange? Have you actually gone mad?"


    "Wow, so me being nice is equated to being crazy. You know what fuck you Qie Ranzhe. Keep those utensils for next time, l am not carrying utensils here ever again," he said picking up his things, "Fucking ungrateful brat," he mumbled walking away.


    He left behind a group of perplexed boys who couldn''t believe their eyes. One the food was actually not poisoned, two Lin Jingxie served them and three he swore at Qie Ranzhe with no consequences. Hell must have definitely frozen over for something this ridiculous to happen.

 Chapter 12锛欶irst World: Petty Theft

    Their petty theft didn''t even take long to be discovered with the two siblings sitting opposite their parents in front of a table full of rabbit food and no meat courtesy of Wen Qinxi who had robbed the kitchen blind.


    Madam Lin was not so upset about it but Master Lin was so angry he nearly flipped the table reprimanding his sons. "Do l look like freaking bunny to you? Answer me!" he said slamming the table while Madam Lin tried to appease him.


    One might ask why not kill another chicken but by the time the cook realized all the roasted birds had somehow grown a pair of legs and disappeared, Master Lin had already arrived hangry ready to eat dinner.


    The two boys shuddered in fear at the loud bang made by Master Lin while throwing a fit. ''Dads are fuckin scary,'' thought Wen Qinxi suddenly grateful he didn''t have one.


    "You two were in cohorts with one suddenly wanting to go shopping which he absolutely hates and the other locking himself in kitchen doing god knows what. What happened to all my chickens?" said Master Lin boiling with rage.


    "Wuwuwuwu dad don''t be angry, l ate all of them l was so hungry," said Lin Mingxu with crocodile tears that would make anyone believe him. Hell, even Wen Qinxi was convinced, if he didn''t know the truth he would have believed him. ''Sick acting skills bro,'' he thought with obvious admiration in his eyes.


    "Do you think l was born yesterday? Stop crying otherwise l will make you go shopping with your mother for the rest of your life!" he yelled instantly putting Lin Mingxu in check but Madan Lin was seriously offended.


    "How is that a punishment, am l that horrible that you don''t want to go with me?" she asked with a pained look.


    "No!"


    "Yes!" answered both Master Lin and Lin Mingxu at the same time and of course the yes came from Lin Mingxu. Madam Lin was an undecisive penny pincher who would make you go around the entire market and circle back to the first vendor after she was sure it was the lowest price.


    With the Lin family fortune, she didn''t have to be a penny pincher this explained why they were less roasted chickens in the first place.


    "Mingxu do you have to be so mean to your own mother wuwuwuwuwu!" she cried thus explaining where Lin Mingxu''s acting skills came from.


    "Mingxu quickly apologise to your mother, you made her cry!" yelled Master Lin glaring at Lin Mingxu.


    "But she''s faking it," complained Lin Mingxu but his father wasn''t messing around, "fine, l will apologize. Sorry mum for making you cry."


    With the two reconciled, Master Lin''s attention went back to the case of the missing roasted poultry. During their squabbles, Wen Qinxi had contemplated on slipping away but judging from Master Lin''s reputation, he gave up on the idea deciding to ride it out.


    "Jin-er, if you don''t confess now l will confine you to your quarters for an entire month. Go on, choose to lie to me and see if l won''t do it!" he said glowering at his son who was as quiet as a mouse but as guilty as sin.


    ''Crap! Why doesn''t he just work as a full time investigator. He would make a successful detective,'' thought Wen Qinxi siding with the statement ''the truth shall set you free''.


    "Ahem.....l saw some boys hungry on the street and couldn''t bare seeing them go hungry when we have food. So l gave them the chickens," confessed Wen Qinxi looking so pitiful you would think he was being bullied.


    Master Lin wanted to yell but seeing his son helping others he didn''t have the heart too but the boy still had to be punished. "Okay, l see. Your heart is in the right place but your method is wrong. You could have asked me first, l wouldn''t have refused your request," replied Master Lin with a meaningful expression.


    "How could we have asked when we both had split lips from fight-," stupidly confessed Lin Mingxu to an offense they had already gotten away with. Wen Qinxi elbowed him straight on to the bruise on his abdomen.


    He instinctively covered his mouth all wide-eyed but it was to late. The loud mouth had sold them out now they had to bare the consequences. "Is that why you have a bruised lip? Who did you fight with?" asked Master Lin bristled with anger.


    "Him," replied Wen Qinxi with a downcast expression pointing at Lin Mingxu and of course, Lin Mingxu wasn''t that dense nodding his head in agreement.


    "You are brothers but have the audacity to lay hands on each other! No dinner for the both of you, go kneel and reflect on what you did wrong!" he yelled as he personally led the two young masters to different rooms before placing a long incense stick in front of a kneeling Wen Qinxi.


    "Kneel till that incense stick finishes! No one is allowed to leave till its all burnt out," commanded Master Lin.


    "But thats at least six hours?" complained a long faced Wen Qinxi pointing at the incense stick.


    Master Lin scowled but didn''t say anything as he led Lin Mingxu to the other room. Wen Qinxi didn''t move until he was certain Master Lin had left. Since no one was watch>ing him he decided to lie down thats when he heard someone speaking in the shadows.


    "Ahem young master Lin, you are supposed to be on your knees," said a creepy voice in the dark.


    Wen Qinxi was scared stiff yelling, "What the fuck!" while scanning around to see were the voice came from. ''Is it some type of ninja or something? Master Lin is bad shit crazy,'' he thought getting back on his knees. Master Lin knew his sons too well that he had guards watching them to keep them in line.


    A bored Wen Qinxi knelt down feeling so drowsy with his head drooping to the side while adding on to his expected reparations. ''I will fuckin charge a hundred thousand more for this,'' he thought with heavy eyes, struggling to keep them open.


    ''I think the CEO would give you five hundred thousand more just for this,'' spoke the M.I.A system that suddenly showed up out of the blue.


    Wen Qinxi was jolted awake hearing the rogue system finally making it''s appearance. ''Why the fuck are you here?'' asked Wen Qinxi recalling how the system had been ignoring him ever since he got a beating.


    ''I am here to make amends, we all truly underestimated you. So does it mean the rumours are true, you and Qie Ranzhe sitting in a tree K-I-S-''


    ''Fuck no! If you are here to slander me then you might as well go back where you came from!'' yelled Wen Qinxi flipping the table in anger.


    ''Go fuck yourself Jolie!'' he yelled deciding to ignore the annoying system.


    ''Shesh, l was just teasing you besides if the CEO liked guys he wouldn''t pick you," replied the system taunting him but Wen Qinxi couldn''t refute that.


    ''I wouldn''t want him to pick me anyway. I want to find a goddess l can spend the rest of my life with. A kind hearted beautiful loli, you know what l mean?'' replied Wen Qinxi entranced with a gorgeous image of his ideal future wife.


    ''Haha yeah sure,'' said the system in a sarcastic tone, ''that type of goddess would only have eyes for Qie Ranzhe,'' observing the image Wen Qinxi conjured up in his head.


    ''Jolie just get the fuck out of here if you are here to dampen my mood,'' said Wen Qinxi hoping to be rid of the annoying system.


    ''No don''t chase me away, l brought you a series to keep you entertained. See l can be really considerate, ride out your punishment in style,'' said the system showing him all the options available.


    ''Wow, how nice of you,'' he said picking one series to watch while applauding the system for finally doing something right but soon regretted it. Jolie only brought over gore filled horror series and once started, he couldn''t switch it off and had to watch it till the very end.


    ''AHAHAHAH! Jolie you are a fucking psycho,'' yelled Wen Qinxi ten minutes in the first episode while the system was having a good laugh.


    ***


    Qie Ranzhe currently lying on his mat suddenly lightly chuckled stunning Manchu who was lying on the other side of the room.


    "Ran-ge what is it?" curiously asked Machu as this was a rare occurrence to see him laugh.


    Qie Ranzhe was just thinking about how Lin Jingxie stuffed his face like a squirrel with both cheeks puffed up with food causing him to chuckle out loud.


    "Do you think Lin Jingxie is still the old Lin Jingxie?" asked Qie Ranzhe turning to his side to face Machu.


    "Dage to be honest, l would rather you keep your guard up. One near death experience can''t change a person this much, right?" said Machu mulling over Lin Jingxie''s behaviour today.


    He was so sure the food had been poisoned but it turned out that wasn''t the case. Maybe that was Lin Jingxie''s plan, for them to let their guard down so he could poison all of them.


    Qie Ranzhe sighed heavily and turned to face the wall. "You are right, keep an eye on him," he said with a scowl on his visage vowing to never let his guard down no matter how comfortable he felt around Lin Jingxie.

 Chapter 13锛欶irst World: Noodles loaded with vengeance

    The first day Wen Qinxi had just brushed it off as him being moody but on day two the guy literally passed him without a word, giving him an ice cold shoulder. Its only after the third day that Wen Qinxi decided to exert vengeance and so Wen Qinxi added something extra to Qie Ranzhe''s portion before disappearing with no trace.


    Machu received Qie Ranzhe''s food as per usual but that was only after Lin Jingxie ate some to test for poison. Yep, they were still making him taste the food he brought first before they dug in. Satisfied, Machu took the bowl of today''s special which was wonton noodles courtesy of chef Wen Qinxi and delivered it to Qie Ranzhe who was lazily lying in the debilitated hut.


    He had been hiding in here so he didn''t have to suffer Lin Jingxie''s fierce gaze which was almost similar to how he used to look at him before the waterfall incident. Qie Ranzhe couldn''t help but wonder if the blackened Lin Jingxie was finally showing his true colors.


    "Did he taste it?" asked a cautious Qie Ranzhe stirring the noodles with a pair of chopsticks.


    "Yeah why? Do you think he did something to your food?" asked a panicked Machu gazing at the delicious food he wouldn''t mind eating again.


    Qie Ranzhe twirled the noodles on his chopsticks while saying, "His been giving me a suspicious look these past few days. Don''t know what his pla- AH fuck!" he swore loudly spiting out the noodles he had just placed in his mouth.


    "Ran-ge! Ran-ge!" yelled a concerned Manchu not sure exactly what do to. His best-friend had just been poisoned and he didn''t know how to react.


    "Its so fuckin spicy, give me water. That little shit added chilli!" yelled Qie Ranzhe while Machu handed over a cup of water but in reality it was actually making it worse, "Are you sure he tasted this?"


    "Yes he did and a whole mouthful of it," said Machu recalling the scene. He couldn''t help but wander if that was why Lin Jingxie was extra cheerful today?


    "I ignore him for three days and he pulls off this kind of stunt?" said Qie Ranzhe with plump bright red lips, "Fine, he wanted my attention? Now his got it!"


    ***


    An oblivious Wen Qinxi was swaggering along the path heading home while listening to some hit songs the system was playing in his head. "Achoo....who has the balls to gossip about me?" he said rubbing his itchy nose.


    ''Haha that should be Qie Ranzhe, he must have had a taste of your special noodles. That was fuckin epic hahaha!'' said the system applauding Wen Qinxi''s bad behavior.


    ''Of course, you would like it,'' replied Wen Qinxi in his mind while exiting the forest.


    ''Well l do but can''t help but worry about you. If Qie Ranzhe remembers all the crap you dished at him in the game aren''t you worried that you would lose your job?" asked Jolie imagining the scene when Wen Qinxi receives his retrenchment letter. The thought of him wailing on the ground made the system grin from ear to ear. Don''t blame the system, it was just too bored.


    ''Haha l will be an unemployed billionaire!'' rejoiced Wen Qinxi when a familiar cute loli caught his attention. From the character files, Lin Jingxie was well acquainted with this little meimei. If the stupid cannon fodder hadn''t met his tragic fate, this would have been his future wife.


    ''Did this jerk of a character lack anything? Nice rich family, gorgeous future wife and potential to become a future scholar working for the emperor but he just had to fuck with Qie Ranzhe. Tsk, tsk,'' he said to the system in his head.


    ''Aren''t you doing the same thing, you little cannon fodder?'' asked the system before disappearing.


    The loli came running towards him with such a beaming smile that he almost thought she was smiling at some else that wasn''t him. "Jin-ge l have missed you, l am glad you are okay," she said in a timid serene voice that brought Wen Qinxi to his knees.


    ''Sigh.....if only she wasn''t an NPC,'' he thought smiling back at her. "Little meimei l am fine thank you for asking. What are you doing here?" asked Wen Qinxi as they walked side by side.


    Lee Jienji, the little meimei, shyly tucked her stray strands behind her ear and replied, "l heard you have been hanging out with Qie Ranzhe and l was just worried about you. I know how you two never got along," with genuine concern in her eyes.


    "We worked out our differences, no need to worry yourself," he replied ticking all the boxes for a perfect future wife. ''Pretty, caring and sweet. What more can a man want?'' he excitedly thought before the system interrupted him.


    ''Cool your jets player, she''s just an NPC,'' said Jolie rolling its eyes if it had any.


    ''An NPC thats crazy about me,'' he replied in his mind while listening to Lee Jienjie.


    ''She''s most definitely more interested in Qie Ranzhe than you,'' replied the system with a sneer.


    ''Don''t you have somewhere else to be?'' he asked as they approached the boisterous town square that seemed more busy that usual with a noisy crowd gathered in one spot as though watching a performance.


    ''Fine but you might need to deal with that,'' said the system referring to the unruly crowd. Wen Qinxi took the hint and decided to take a look.


    "Lee Jienjie wait for me here l will be right back," he said before pushing through the crowd only to find the boy Lin Jingxie had bullied at the waterfall, the one Qie Ranzhe saved. A bruised Xie Ruen was cowering at the centre while being tormented by a group of rich young masters that used to run the same circles as Lin Jingxie.


    "I told you to stay away from her and clearly warned you that the next time l catch you, it would be the day you die!" yelled the beefcake Sun Huxian of the Sun family. The reason why he was harassing Xie Ruen was because his little sister hung around him all the time.


    Poor Xie Ruen had tried to distance himself from the little miss but no matter how hard he tried, she would always find him thus the predicament he was currently in.


    Wen Qinxi scanned around but Qie Ranzhe wasn''t anywhere in sight, he had to do something otherwise this innocent boy would beaten till he was wheelchair bound.


    Wen Qinxi grabbed Xie Ruen''s arm dragging him behind while saying, "Dage, why not pick on someone your own size?"


    The hostile beefcake suddenly grinned saying, "Lin Jingxie the famous young master who cheated death. How is this any of your business? Hand him over and go home, this has nothing to do with you," lunging forward to grab Xie Ruen who was contemplating on whether to run as he was more terrified of Lin Jingxie than Sun Huxian.


    Wen Qinxi placed his hand on Sun Huxian''s chest pushing him back. "Don''t try me Huxian otherwise l won''t hold back!" said Wen Qinxi while silently pleading within, ''Please don''t try me l am just a fuckin nerd and the only person l ever fought was my little brother, a fight l lost miserably.''


    "Aiyo....so its true! Young Master Lin came back from the dead and teamed up with the ruffians! l never thought l did see that day," bellowed Sun Huxian before grabbing hold of his collar with dark eyes, "you fucking disgust me!"


    Sun Huxian didn''t waste anytime throwing a punch at Wen Qinxi''s face while our inexperience nerd shut his eyes tightly, welcoming pain in advance but pain never made its debut. Qie Ranzhe had shown up seizing Sun Huxian''s arm just in the nick of time.

 Chapter 14锛欶irst World: NPC Baby Mama

    There comes a time in every nerd''s life that they have to stand up for what they believe in and today was the day for this xueba to stand his ground but as expected he was all bark no bite with a punch heading his way.


    Though pain was guaranteed, if you ask this algophobe if he regretted saving Xie Ruen, he would say no. The little kid was just too small to fight back against those big boys and didn''t deserve such harsh treatment even for an NPC.


    Thankfully for Wen Qinxi someone had already went to look for Qie Ranzhe otherwise it would have ended badly for him. The nerd had never been this excited to see that gorgeous stern face of his. Qie Ranzhe twisted Sun Huxian''s arm ruthlessly dislocating his shoulder before kicking him onto the ground.


    The young master wore an ugly expression grimacing in pain while his accomplices helped him up. "Yeah, thats what you fucking get if you mess with any of my boys again!" yelled an enthusiastic Wen Qinxi in the heat of the moment before he realised he had spoken out of turn.


    "Haha, l meant your boys not mine, " he said nervously laughing while walking backwards away from a scowling Qie Ranzhe.


    ''See that Jolie, l heroically saved the poor boy now watch as Lee Jienjie falls into my arms in admiration,'' he said to an absent system that didn''t want any part of this.


    ''More like watch it blow up in your face,'' said the system before fleeing from such an embarrassing situation.


    ''Someone''s jealous,'' he thought taking a few steps in Lee Jienji''s direction. She was smiling, eagerly waiting for his return when someone suddenly pulled him by the back of his collar dragging him into the deserted alley.


    Qie Ranzhe let go of him only after trapping him in a corner peering at him as though searching for something. "Don''t tell me you actually did all this just for a girl to notice you." he said inching a little too close to Wen Qinxi''s face making him so uncomfortable.


    "N-no, no come on why would you think that? l just couldn''t watch him beat up Xie Ruen," answered a nervous Wen Qinxi wandering how saving a kid had turned into an interrogation.


    "Why the sudden change? Clearly you are the one who bullied him the most. His fuckin terrified of you!" he said even more closer that alarm bells in Wen Qinxi''s mind suddenly went off at the same time.


    ''Too close bro,'' he thought gently pushing him back as he didn''t want to further aggravate the protagonist. "I have already told you, l turned over a new leaf. l just couldn''t stand by and do nothing," he said noticing how red Qie Ranzhe''s full lips were.


    With a quizzical expression, Wen Qinxi observed those cherry lips that looked like he was wearing lipgloss. The kind of lipgloss that would make one wander if his lips would taste fruity.


    Wen Qinxi would have laughed out loud taunting him but those lips were so enchanting he almost lost himself for a second. Qie Ranzhe noticed his strange gawk aimed at his lips and so covered his mouth creating distance between them. "Pump your breaks there Lin Jingxie, you and l are not in that kind of relationship so don''t you fuckin dare."


    Wen Qinxi snapped out of it stunned speechless at his remark. "Seriously Qie Ranzhe! Why the fuck would l be interested in you when there is a cute meimei waiting for me? You must be shitting me," straight talked a wronged Wen Qinxi pointing towards Lee Jie . "Oh, by the way is that from the chilli?" he said now pointing at Qie Ranzhe''s covered mouth.


    "Yeah, why" replied a vigilant Qie Ranzhe with his eyebrows laced together.


    "So you finished the entire portion despite them being hot?" asked Wen Qinxi with a smirk imagining how funny the scene must have been. Seeing how Lin Jingxie seemed pleased with himself, he couldn''t hold back and pushed him against the wall with a darkly expression but before he could issue out a warning, he was rudely interrupted.


    A sweet serene voice spoke in such a gentle tone, "Jin-ge, are you almost done? Your mother invited me for dinner we can''t keep her waiting."


    Wen Qinxi removed Qie Ranzhe''s hand from his chest with a radiant smile which had him complying. "l won''t put chilli in your food ever again though it does make your lips more appealing that the girls would love it. Now be a good boy and let gege go with this little meimei, okay?" he said in a patronizing tone while patting his head twice.


    "Come on Jienjie let''s go," said an excited Wen Qinxi. Just like that he was gone leaving behind a confused Qie Ranzhe asking himself what just happened?


    "Ran-ge, did he just pat your head? Are you angry?" asked Machu who appeared from nowhere whispering questions at Qie Ranzhe. He saw part of what happened but couldn''t read Qie Ranzhe''s expression.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly turned to look at him asking, "Do you know the saying bros before hoes?"


    "Yes but Lee Jienjie isn''t a hoe so the saying doesn''t apply," replied Machu pondering on why they were even having this discussions in the first place.


    "Lack of a better rhyming word, the principle applies to all girls. Lin Jingxie just left with a girl when l wasn''t done talking to him. Thats why l am angry, he can''t just do that," replied Qie Ranzhe barely making any sense.


    "Wait! Do you consider him a brother? Is he one of us now?" replied a flabbergasted Machu.


    "Its the best way to keep an eye on him. How''s Xie Ruen? Did you send him back to camp?" asked Qie Ranzhe effectively ending the conversation.


    ***


    A few streets away Wen Qinxi who wasn''t aware that he had been awarded title of ''honorary brother'' was dealing with two attention seeking brats fighting over him. These two were none other than Lin Mingxu and Lee Jienjie with him stuck in the middle.


    "Aiyo....my beautiful Jienjie is here," said Madam Lin affectionately embracing Lee Jienjie, "Come sit, l am glad you could join us for dinner. Today''s special was made by our dear Jin over here."


    An excited Madam Lin ignored her sons leading Lee Jienjie to the table. Wen Qinxi shook his head in disbelief, he had never seen a mother pimp out her son this much. He moved to sit furthest from the excited mother otherwise she might tie Lee Jienjie to him and demand for a grandchild this instant. ''Don''t want a fucking NPC baby when am still a baby myself,'' he thought covering his face in embarrassment.


    Lee Jienjie managed to convince Madam Lin to let her sit next to Lin Jingxie but before her butt touched down, she was suddenly shoved by Lin Mingxu ultimately losing her seat. "Sister Jienjie it''s not appropriate for you to sit here lest people talk," said Lin Mingxu with a smirk on his face celebrating a momentus victory.


    "Mingxu did you have to shove her like that? That''s not how a man should behave!" yelled Master Lin who had been watching this embarrassing scene for far too long. His wife was just to excitable.


    "His my dage so whats wrong with me protecting his reputation?" he said glaring at Lee Jienjie who was equally glowering at him.


    "For now," she mumbled just as the dishes were served.


    A wide-eyed Lin Mingxu nudged his brother saying, "Do you hear that ge, she''s plotting against you? You better lock your bedroom door tonight. Who knows what she might do."


    "The person l need to lock the door for is you and stop asking for a sleep over every time," replied Wen Qinxi rubbing his forehead in frustration. Lin Mingxu had another bad habit of knocking on his door just before bedtime asking for a sleepover.


    It would be cute if they were kids but two teenage boys crowded on one bed was just too suffocating. This NPC really had abandonment issues.


    "Mingxu give your brother some space. What are you going to do when he gets married? You going to knock at their bridal chamber for sleepover?" said Madam Lin scolding her youngest son but her words caused the three men of the Lin family to choke on their dinner.


    ''Fuck no! I am not getting married in a game just to save that ungrateful dumbfuck!'' screamed Wen Qinxi in his head while Master Lin coughed violently thinking how can his wife be so thick-skinned.


    Lee Jienjie was blushing like they had just announced their engagement. "Ahem.....Jin-er, from tomorrow you won''t have to cook for the boys. l made arrangements with the town council, they will cook and serve the boys. You just need to focus on your studies for the imperial exam," said Master Lin trying to hint at his wife not to fill this boy with ridiculous ideas.


    "Yes Jin-ge, focus on studying. You can''t get married now," said Lin Mingxu snorting at Lee Jienjie.


    "But thats ages away, you mean to say l won''t get a grandchild before then, wuwuwuwu...Jin-er why break your mother''s heart like that," wailed a disgruntled Madam Lin with crocodile tears streaming down her face.


    Wen Qinxi was not down for all this emotional blackmail and so stood up and hugged Master Lin saying," Thank you father, l will definitely focus on my studies," before running out in excitement.


    Don''t misunderstand Wen Qinxi he wasn''t excited for the imperial exam but that he didn''t have to slave for Qie Ranzhe anymore. ''Fuckin independence day bitch!'' he thought as he scampered to his room.


    Before following behind his brother, Lin Mingxu didn''t forget to take a dump at Lee Jienjie saying, "Abandon hope that ship is never going to sail," winking at her. If he only knew that she wasn''t the person he should have been more cautious about.

 Chapter 15锛欶irst World: Weasel slipped in through the window

    As the sun set in the game horizon with NPCs doing as they should, Wen Qinxi was busy celebrating as he no longer had to slave everyday cooking for Qie Ranzhe and his gang. He might have been okay in the kitchen but that didn''t mean he liked it. Like any lazy bachelor he was fed up, tired of dealing with smoky charcoal fires everyday.


    Five days ago, he had introduced the group of boys to the kind-hearted cooks who would be bringing them food each and every day. To top it all off, they would receive pre-packed breakfast for the next day so they didn''t have to rely on one meal a day. He had to give it to Master Lin, the man was efficient in everything he did.


    Because of the new arrangement, he hadn''t seen Qie Ranzhe for five days straight which he was perfectly fine with. The agreement was to provide his boys with food not the method of delivery. All he knew was that he was on the right track, a fed Qie Ranzhe would blacken less than a starved one, right?


    What he didn''t know was that in those five days someone else was discontented with the new arrangement not for others but for himself. The food just didn''t taste the same as though something was missing but Machu couldn''t understand what Qie Ranzhe meant.


    "Ran-ge the food is great and we even get breakfast now, l don''t understand why you seem dissatisfied. I say, it even tastes better than what Lin Jingxie made, the chef is definitely an upgrade bu-," said Machu before he was suddenly interrupted.


    "Did he come today?" he asked leisurely fiddling with his food with no appetite whatsoever.


    Machu creased his brows wondering why Qie Ranzhe even cared whether Lin Jingxie came or not. He had to admit, the scumbag had come through instantly improving their quality of life. They now had one less thing to worry about.


    Lin Jingxie had gone as far as passing over medicine for Xie Ruen which was something he only thought would ever happen when pigs fly but there were no piggies in the sky.


    "No he didn''t come," replied Machu still mauling over it.


    The second question was like a moment of epiphany for Machu, he now understood why Qie Ranzhe was asking all these questions. "Oh now l see, you are worried Lin Jingxie is upto no good." lt finally made a whole lot of sense now.


    Qie Ranzhe finally raised his head pursing his lips before saying, "Yes, l am worried about that," but he himself wasn''t even sure of the reason why and didn''t want to continue mauling over it.


    "Send someone to watch him and report back to me every single day," he said tossing the bowl aside before lying down on his mat with a brooding countenance.


    ***


    Wen Qinxi had enjoyed a ten day vacation, free of the overbearing boss. In those ten days he had a lot of fun, if he wasn''t messing around with Lin Mingxu doing weird shit, he would be hanging out with Jolie, Xia Bai and Hei Bao.


    Time really moved fast in the game though he had only gone through two days in the real world. Tonight they were playing online mahjong with the three of them losing money to Jolie who didn''t even have use for money.


    ''Fuck! Jolie you don''t even need the money. Damnit, you cleaned out my lunch money for the entire month,'' complained a broke Hei Bao.


    ''Whats your problem l need the money,'' said Jolie looking to start a new round.


    ''What the fuck for? I don''t want to play anymore,'' said Xia Bai throwing the towel. He even suspected the cunning system for cheating.


    ''I have transferred it all to boss Wen,'' said an all excited system. As though the money transfer wasn''t shocking enough, the form of address made Wen Qinxi''s skin crawl with goosebumps forming all over.


    ''Boss Wen? What the fuck? Jolie l don''t want your money you probably want to ask for some weird shit,'' complained Wen Qinxi getting ready to sign out.


    ''Hear me out boss. When you are done with the game l need you to make a companion system for me to hang out with. Its so fuckin boring looking at NPCs all day,'' said the system in a serious tone.


    The three men burst out laughing but Jolie wasn''t deterred as it kept on trying to convince Wen Qinxi.


    A loud bang suddenly had Wen Qinxi open his eyes ending that abrupt laughter. "Sorry guys l think l have sly weasel trying to sneak in. Signing off,'' he said thinking it was Lin Mingxu.


    He had carefully bolted the door otherwise Lin Mingxu would interrupt him but he didn''t think the brat would use the window. "Mingxu what the fuck you doing!" he yelled squinting his eyes unable to make out the figure in the shadows.


    "Shh it''s me," said a low magnetic voice he was ever so familiar with.


    Wen Qinxi slightly shivered in shook but quickly recovered before yelling at him. "Fuck! Qie Ranzhe what do you think you are doing?" he said in a loud whisper that attracted a certain over-protective brother''s attention. In no time Lin Mingxu was softly knocking at his brother''s door.


    "Ge, is everything okay?" said Lin Min6g in a loud voice that could wake up even the dead.


    Wen Qinxi gestured for Qie Ranzhe to be quiet otherwise Lin Mingxu would throw a fit attracting Master Lin''s attention which he absolutely didn''t want to happen. He went to the door and quickly slid out before closing it behind him, giving the little weasel no chance to slip in.


    "l am fine just had a nightmare. Go back to sleep, l am fine," said Wen Qinxi trying to get rid of him as soon as possible but Lin Mingxu was curiously trying to peek into his room.


    "l heard you yell Qie Ranzhe''s name, was he in your nightmare?"


    "Y-yes, haha terrible nightmare. His ugly ass face just showed up right in front of me giving me a fright," he said fully aware that Qie Ranzhe could hear him.


    "Oh...do you want me to stay? We can have a midnight snack, it will help you get over your nightmare," genuinely suggested Lin Mingxu but Wen Qinxi refused. He only managed to get rid of him by suggesting they have a midnight snack tomorrow.


    Wen Qinxi walked back in the room only to find Qie Ranzhe standing with his arms folded across his chest all nonchalant. "Ugly ass face? Seriously?" he said pointing at his perfectly sculptured face.


    "Say whatever you came here to say and get the hell out. I want to sleep," he said lying back in bed trying to figure what possessed this guy to pull of such a stunt. He hadn''t seen Qie Ranzhe in a while and couldn''t help but wonder what demands he had now.


    Qie Ranzhe followed Lin Jingxie''s figure with his eyes doubting if he made the right decision coming here. He had manage to hold off for ten days relying on daily updates but soon that wasn''t enough, he wanted to see him in person.


    Why did Qie Ranzhe feel the need to see him? Even he couldn''t answer that, all he knew is that he felt an inexplicable itch within which worsened each day but suddenly felt relief as soon as he laid eyes on him.


    He suddenly lunged onto the bed right next to him but his move wasn''t welcomed with Lin Jingxie lifting his foot to kick him off. Qie Ranzhe''s reflexes were exceptionally good as he caught Lin Jingxie''s foot escalating this to a playful tussle.


    "Qie Ranzhe you dumbfuck!" yelled Wen Qinxi trying to push him off but suddenly lost all strength when the bastard decided to play dirty. Qie Ranzhe had accidentally found his tickle spot on either side of Wen Qinxi''s abdomen tickling him till the guy was in tears laughing.


    Qie Ranzhe couldn''t even understand what he was doing playing with Lin Jingxie when they obviously had a dark history but in this moment it felt good and so he continued. Satified he pinned down Lin Jingxie firmly holding down both his wrists.


    Wen Qinxi''s laughter gradually died down looking up at a stern Qie Ranzhe. "Fuck off!" he said trying to free his wrist.


    "Why did you stop bringing me food?" he asked a question he obviously knew the answer too.


    "Is that why you fuckin broke into my room? Qie Ranzhe what more to do want? Haven''t l done plenty?" said Wen Qinxi firing a bunch of questions one after the other.


    "I want you to bring me food every day," said a thick-skinned Qie Ranzhe still pinning him down.


    Now looking down on Lin Jingxie, he could clearly see his handsome features that he had never noticed before. The more he looked the more bewitched he was by his looks only snapping out of it when Lin Jingxie struggled a bit more.


    "I won''t let go till you say yes," he said nervously smiling hoping Lin Jingxie would fall for his bluff.


    "Fuck no!" replied Wen Qinxi as he stopped struggling vowing to go to the gym as soon as he was done with this nonsense.


    "Fine, then we can be like this all night. I bet your little brother would faint walking in on such a scene," said Qie Ranzhe with an ominous grin.


    ''Are you shitting me, Qie Ranzhe is fuckin crazy! No wonder he got dumped,'' he thought glaring at him. "Fine l will bring you food every day now get the fuck off me!"


    A delighted Qie Ranzhe let him go lying down right next to him with their heads close together while chuckling for some reason.


    ''If you weren''t my boss l would have had you committed in a mental institution,'' thought Wen Qinxi sitting up straight.


    "You can show yourself out through the same way you came in," said Wen Qinxi in a domineering tone that was unfortunately ineffective on Qie Ranzhe.


    Qie Ranzhe gazed at him saying, "Your bed is so comfortable," before getting even more cosy covering himself with the quilt.


    "Qie Ranzhe, l am not messing around. Get out," he said as he got off the bed and tried to drag him off pulling his leg but the guy wouldn''t budge. It was pointless trying like lifting dead weight.


    "Fuck!" said an exhausted Wen Qinxi with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    "Let me stay for one night, l have never slept on a comfortable bed before," pled Qie Ranzhe with his eyes shut looking as pitiful as ever.


    Faced with those words, Wen Qinxi wasn''t heartless enough to kick him out. After contemplating for a while, he removed the guy''s brocade boots before sleeping on the other side. Thus the two boys shared a bed for the entire night, a first of many sleepover.

 Chapter 16锛欶irst World: Deflowered Maiden

    As the sun rose above the horizon, Wen Qinxi was still snoozing like a pro especially after yesterday''s events that tired him out. Who knew tussling among boys after rounds of mahjong would actually tire him out.


    If it were upto him, he would have slept till noon but unfortunately the world''s loudest alarm wouldn''t let that happen.


    "Ge!" yelled a horrified Lin Mingxu while peeking through the window. At first, he knocked at the door but his brother didn''t respond so he resorted to peeking through the window only to get the shock of his life. Lin Jingxie was sound asleep with his leg hooked around Qie Ranzhe''s waist.


    His brother were basically huddling the ruffian as though cuddling a teddy bear. Wen Qinxi was jolted awake with dishellevelled hair looking like a hot mess. "Mingxu why are you yelling? Ah fuck! Can''t l sleep some more," he whined with his eyes half closed as he lay back down.


    Mingxu wasn''t having it using the same method Qie Ranzhe used to get in. He grabbed Lin Jingxie dragging him out of bed as though shielding him from the vile beast lying in the bed. All this excitement woke Qie Ranzhe up. He sat up straight with sluggish eyes and a smirk on his face.


    "W-what is he doing here?" he said looked at both of them back and forth waiting for an answer but none of them had the energy to reply. "Did he hurt you?" asked Lin Mingxu panickingly checking up on his brother.


    "Mingxu l am fine. Stop making a big deal out of this," replied Wen Qinxi wishing he could slap him till he calmed down. ''Why is he acting as though l am girl caught with her boyfriend in bed,'' thought Wen Qinxi putting on his slippers.


    "Yes, little children should not interfere in grown people''s business. What we did or didn''t do last night is none of your business, " replied Qie Ranzhe putting on his brocade boots while tauting Lin Mingxu which he found out was surprisingly satisfying.


    "You!" said a pissed off Lin Mingxu with a dark expression on his face. If it weren''t for Lin Jingxie, he would have thrown a punch by now.


    "Don''t forget our deal," said Qie Ranzhe patting Wen Qinxi''s shoulder twice before making his exit. The matter didn''t stop there as the childish Lin Mingxu kept on glaring at Wen Qinxi for the rest of the morning.


    Wen Qinxi had his own troubles, pissed off at the fact that Qie Ranzhe had basically manhandled food out of him. He had no time to deal with Lin Mingxu who occasionally passed the kitchen door glaring daggers at him.


    Seeing that Lin Jingxie wasn''t paying him any mind, he finally gave in and decided to break the ice. "Jin-ge why do you have to do this again? Dad has already made arrangements, you don''t have to deal with all this smoke each and everyday," said Lin Mingxu sympathising with his brother.


    ''Thats right Mingxu, l don''t have to do all this shit but l like money more so if cooking everyday gets that jerk out of this game, so be it,'' he thought while tossing some diced onions into the wok. "Remember when l told you to trust me? Then trust your big brother because l know what l am doing."


    "Fine but does he have to sleep in your bed, dage that''s a bit much!" said Lin Mingxu getting all emotional unable to control his volume.


    Wen Qinxi quickly closed Ling Mingxu''s mouth shut while looking around to see if anyone had heard. "Shh you little brat. Why are behaving like l am a girl who just got deflowered. What the fuck?" said a whispering Wen Qinxi with his hand still blocking Lin Mingxu''s mouth. "Now are you going to be a good boy and quiet down otherwise will all get a beating?"


    Lin Mingxu nod his head but barely kept his promise asking the most ridiculous question. "Ahhhh! Dage did you and him.....," he said thinking back to how his brother was comfortably cuddling Qie Ranzhe in his sleep.


    "You shut your mouth! Where did you get such a fucked up idea? If you are not going to help then get out," said Wen Qinxi in a threatening manner while angrily stirring the half cooked onions.


    Satisfied with Lin Jingxie''s reaction Lin Mingxu calmed down a little and moved in closer to give his brother a hand. "l will help but you have to take me with you," he said fiddling with a carrot he had no idea how to chop.


    "Fine you can come too but don''t start shit with him otherwise," replied Wen Qinxi while tossing in some minced pork.


    The two brothers packed up everything including a portion for Lee Jienjie that Madam Lin insisted on when she caught them in the kitchen. Now they had to go feed both Qie Ran and Lee Jienjie before going back home.


    Wen Qinxi was actually okay with it but Lin Mingxu, not so much. He kept his distance while pacing nervously with his eyes fixed on Qie Ranzhe as soon as they arrived. "Here, you need me to taste it first before l go?" asked Wen Qinxi handing the bowl to Qie Ranzhe.


    Qie Ranzhe gazed at Lin Jingxie without saying a word clearly expressing his expectations. He might look cold and distant from outside but within he was a little happy to see Lin Jingxie. ''This is how it should be. From now on l can keep a close eye on you,'' thought Qie Ranzhe just as Lin Jingxie tasted the food.


    "Mmm see, l am not that heartless to kill you with poison. Poison is a woman''s game, l would go for an assassin," he joked around handing him back the bowl.


    Qie Ranzhe stared at him for a minute before looking back at the bowl. "Oh shoot! I am sorry l didn''t bring another pair of chopsticks with me. Let me wash them for you," said Wen Qinxi trying to take the chopsticks away from him. It might have been a game but they still needed to be civil. Before he could grab them Qie Ranzhe started eating, just like that.


    "It''s fine," he said as he carried on eating but Wen Qinxi''s expression didn''t look right freaking out of his mind.


    "Qie Ranzhe, thats fucking disturbing, don''t ever do that again," he reprimanded him while Machu nearby was having a major freak out. His three world views had been toppled over by this incident. It was as if Qie Ranzhe was possessed by something to even do such a thing.


    "Does he have to be here?" he asked pointing at Lin Mingxu who was still glaring at him fiercely.


    "Mm, you aggravated him this morning. All thanks to you, now he won''t let me go anywhere by myself," he said in a sarcastic tone while standing up to leave.


    Qie Ranzhe finally mentioned the extra packed lunch in Lin Jingxie''s hand and so he asked, "Wait l thought you were eating with me. Whose that for?"


    That statement had Wen Qinxi bursting out in laughter while saying, "Seriously Qie Ranzhe, you had me bring you food and you expect me to eat with you as well? Aish....so high maintenance. This is for Lee Jienjie, we are going over to her house to drop this off," as he turned to leave.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly stood up, "You said you will only make for me why you making it for her as well?" he asked barely making any sense.


    ''What the fuck is wrong with him? So l can only make food for him? What am l, his personal chef? So unreasonable,'' he thought with a frown on his face not bothering to indulge such a big baby.


    "Okay l get that was silly for me to say. How about this, l escort you there," he said in a stern tone standing next to him, "just in case you meet Sun Huxian again? Its all my fault that you got into a fight with him in the first place. l wasn''t there in time to protect Xie Ruen."


    Wen Qinxi was weirded out by his offer and there was no way in hell he was going to have Qie Ranzhe following him around. He already had Lin Mingxu to worry about. "No thanks, l think the two of us will be just fine. See you tomorrow," he said in a dismissive tone before leaving with his brother.


    "Ran-ge what happened? You seem unwell?" asked Manchu as soon as Lin Jingxie left. Even he had to admit Qie Ranzhe was behaving strange lately and it wasn''t getting any better.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t respond, he sat back down with an ominous grin on his face as he finished off his delicious food.

 Chapter 17锛欶irst World: Qie Ran in danger

    In a highly classified game room at GameX, two nerds were monitoring project Flagship''s performance when an intruding system suddenly spoke in a creepy voice that had the two flinching in fright.


    Jolie had found another way to make more money for Wen Qinxi so it could convince him to make its companion. That is after witnessing certain improbable events that no one would ever believe.


    That night they played mahjong, instead of leaving when Wen Qinxi signed off, it stayed unfortunately staining it''s pure eyes on some unexpected dog food. With that information in hand it decided to make money out of the naive geeks and hopefully get a step closer to attaining it''s ideal companion system.


    "I have something pretty juicy that you all would love to hear," said Jolie startling the two nerds.


    Hei Bao was extremely terrified, suddenly hearing a weird voice out of thin air, "Jolie you fuckin scared me. Wear a bell or something,"


    But Xia Bai was more interested in what it had to say. This juicy secret had to be about Wen Qinxi. "What is it? Does Wen Qinxi have like a weird fetish we don''t know about?" asked an enthusiastic Xia Bai dying to know his secret, the guy was so closed off it made everyone itch to know more.


    Seeing them willingly take the bait, Jolie detailed the events of that night and the nights after while holding off some key information. Their reactions were exactly as it expected slowly reeling them in like a fish that was about to end up on a grill.


    "Thats not hot gossip! Seriously Jolie, do you even know the meaning of that word?" complained Xia Bai suddenly feeling like he had wasted his time.


    "Yea, thats normal tussling among guys and if l am also staying in a broken down house l wouldn''t hesitate sleeping over at a friend''s house. The only interesting thing is that the stiff Qie Ranzhe actually tussled. Meh, not interesting," analysed the smart graduate Hei Bao.


    "So you don''t think Qie Ranzhe might actually fall for Wen Qinxi?" said the system luring them into the honeytrap.


    "Pei pei pei.....No, l refuse Qie Ranzhe is as straight as a pole. The boss had a gorgeous girlfriend for years. That is bullshit talk right there," said Xia Bai wishing he could give the system a thrashing for thinking such nonsense.


    "Hahaha thats so fuckin stupid. If anyone would fall for the other it would be Wen Qinxi. Faced with such a handome face for that long, he would definitely be bent for sure," said Hei Bao as they burst out in roaring laughter wondering if the system had a virus eating away at its intelligence.


    Deliberately leaving out some details that might have convinced them, it struck while the iron was still hot. "Okay, if you are that confident then put your money were your mouth is," said the system showing a number on the screen.


    "Count me in,"


    "Me too," they replied one after the other completely unaware that they had been played.


    "Okay deal, got to go. I suddenly remembered that l had something to do," said the system before disappearing.


    Thirty minutes later. " I say, do you think Jolie knows something we don''t? It seemed pretty confident," asked Hei Bao with a pensive look spinning on his swivel office chair.


    Xia Bai turned to look in his direction while reassuring him. "Trust me, Qie Ranzhe is fucking straight. The system doesn''t even know how to read human emotion. Never going to happen."


    Little did they know that the cunning system was already tilting the scale in its favour.


    ***


    The Lin family were seated around the table having Sunday breakfast courtesy of Madam Lin. She had the sudden inspiration to catch up with her family and find out what everyone had been upto. It was sheer coincidence that Lee Jienjie wasn''t able to come over for breakfast, making all the men in the Lin family simultaneously heave a sigh of relief.


    They were all eating quietly which was an extremely rare occurrence but it made it easy to spot subtle motions. For instance Lin Mingxu was scratching the back of his neck a lot, reason being he had dived into a bush of potanin''s lacquer tree while tailing Lin Jingxie who had strictly forbade him from following. Fearing he would get spotted he blindly jumped into the bushies developing a rash all over.


    On the other hand, Wen Qinxi was massaging his sore muscles looking a bit sluggish. For the entire week, he managed to have the bed to himself for only two nights.


    A certain someone decided to make a habit of sleeping over displaying a pitiful face each time he tried to kick him out. ''So fucking annoying,'' he thought trying to come up with a plan to keep Qie Ranzhe from sneaking into his bed.


    Sharing a bed with a guy wasn''t odd to him as he grew up sharing with his brother but Qie Ranzhe was so big taking up more than half of the bed and Wen Qinxi was finally fed up.


    "Didn''t sleep well?" asked Master Lin out of concern for his oldest son. He could see the subtle changes and couldn''t help but worry.


    "Yeah but l will be fine. That reminds me, father winter is coming and l really feel sorry for those poor boys going through winter in makeshift tents. I was thinking maybe building a shelter that can take in abandoned children, will you help me?" he asked crossing his fingers under the table. If his plan succeeded he wouldn''t have to worry about sharing with Qie Ranzhe.


    Everyone paused their actions gazing at him, each with their own kind of expression. The first to talk was Lin Mingxu pledging full support for his brother. "That''s an awesome idea, big brother is right," said an excited Lin Mingxu. That annoying guy would finally stop sneaking in. Yes, he knew what Qie Ranzhe had been upto the entire week and was inches close to stabbing him. Thus incrrdibly happy when his brother made that suggestion.


    Master Lin gazed at him for a while with conflicting emotions both proud and concerned. Concerned because he worried that his son might have been forced into helping, proud if he was genuinely concerned for others.


    "I hear you, l will have the plan drafted and get the total cost. Once l have the total cost, you have to raise at least a third of it and show me you are serious," said Master Lin testing his resilience. This would be an opportunity to educate his son about perseverance.


    "Okay, thank you father. I am just going to sleep some more hopefully l can feel a bit better," he said standing up to leave. Wen Qinxi was genuinely exhausted, he hadn''t shared a bed with anyone for ages, a double bed to make matters worse.


    As soon as he entered his room he was suddenly interrupted by a panicked system. "Wen Qinxi something terrible happened, Qie Ranzhe is in danger!"


    "What the fuck Jolie? How can he be in danger now? Its too early in the story," asked an exhausted Wen Qinxi.


    "I don''t know why the story is changing but if you don''t go now all your hard work will be for nothing. We would have to start all over again if Qie Ranzhe dies!"


    "Ah! Fuck!" cursed a frustrated Wen Qinxi exiting his room.

 Chapter 18锛欶irst World: She was my girlfriend!

    Loud rustling and panting could be heard through the partially dense forest terrifying any nearby wildlife. That was all because of Wen Qinxi who was running through the bushes as fast as he could while chanting, "One billion, huff.....one bil-l-lion," cutting through the forest.


    And why was he running? It was because he wasn''t willing to start the world all over again that is if Qie Ranzhe died today. Jolie had informed him that Qie Ranzhe''s brother, Prince Anzhie had suddenly made his debut earlier than expected. Apparently he has been searching for Qie Ranzhe''s mother who had been driven out of the palace by the empress because she was pregnant.


    The emperor''s heart still yearned for his concubine and if he found out she was pregnant, he would definitely make her son his crown prince. To put his mind at ease, Qie Anzhie set off looking for her so he could kill her and her spawn effectively eliminating the thorn in his eye. This was if the woman hadn''t already succumbed to her fatal injuries as his mother, the empress stabbed her several times with a poisoned dagger straight into the stomach before tossing her out.


    If it were upto Qie Anzhie, he would have preferred it if his mother had just beheaded the slut and cut the baby out her womb before dicing that bastard. Because of this Qie Anzhie searched all plausible locations she could have run off too and somehow found himself in this small town.


    Hearing this, a sore Wen Qinxi didn''t hesitate ignoring his muscle ache running through the forest before the prince''s envoy could catch a glimpse of the boy, who looked exactly like the emperor, currently knee deep in training with his wooden sword.


    Qie Ranzhe was meant to be the protagonist of this story but with the current trajectory of the story, it was easy for him to be marked as a villian as he blackened into a genocidal maniac. Thus he could be killed earlier in the game starting the storyline all over again.


    "Fuck that shit! I am not going back to being drowned and beaten up again. That''s not fucking happening!" he yelled at Joile swatting at the thick bushes blocking his path. The thought of being drowned and used as punching bag by a bunch of teenagers sent a painful tingle at the pit of his stomach. He wasn''t willing to do that crap again thus running like his life depends on it.


    An oblivious Qie Ranzhe was fully aware of people approaching in the distance but didn''t really care much as he continued with his training. The forest was free for all though he remained vigilant.


    From a distance, a guard noticed a neatly dressed teenager training with a wooden sword and couldn''t help but admire his skill. He was stuck in a daze watching his graceful yet powerful strikes brimming with extraordinary vigour and agility. The youth had ample potential to be the best of the best under the right master.


    He decided to introduce him to prince An, maybe the kid could be recruited into the army and make something of himself. Judging with his poor quality clothing, he felt pity on him and hence broke formation to inform the prince currently riding on his stallion.


    Qie Ranzhe wiped away the sweat dripping on his forehead before leaning down to pick up his leather water bag. As he leaned down, he sensed a presence but was too slow to react hence he was tackled onto the ground behind a boulder.


    Lin Jingxie was right on top of him with one hand closing his mouth and the other gesturing for him to be quiet. He silently watched as the dazzling boy peeked at something as though stealthily stalking an enemy. The sun kissed his flushed face with his hair slightly damp giving him an enticing wet hair look.


    Qie Ranzhe followed with his eyes a single rogue drop of sweat glimmering in the sunlight as it streamed down from the boy''s earlobe caressing his smooth skin all the way down to his exposed collarbone before disappearing into his heaving chest.


    Lin Jingxie seemed as though he hadn''t planned on leaving the house judging from his loose fitting garment showing off part of his jade-like collarbone. Qie Ranzhe suddenly felt parched thinking Lin Jingxie was indeed a handsome youth that could drive any girl crazy.


    "Shit! His coming this way," whispered a panicked Wen Qinxi still lying on top of Qie Ranzhe with his knees either side of Qie Ran''s waist. He scanned around trying to come up with something when he noticed they were at the top of a steep hill side. Wen Qinxi then made a decision that would buy them sometime. "Sorry about this," he said before rocking sideways as they rolled down the small cliff huddled in each other''s arms.


    They rolled all the way to the bottom, reaching level ground in a short span of time with Qie Ranzhe now on top of Lin Jingxie grinning like an idiot. "Oh, there he is!" yelled an excited guard at the top of the steep hill.


    Realizing they weren''t out of danger yet, Wen Qinxi slightly frowned at grinning fool before looking around for something that could help. They were both unarmed with one skilled and the other a nerd, they would definitely be apprehended as soon as Qie Anzhie lay his eyes on Qie Ranzhe. They would probably be buried alive in some unmarked grave. Yep, Qie Anzhie was that cruel.


    Panicked as they were running out time, Wen Qinxi noticed a damp puddle of thick clay and muttered, "Thank the maker."


    "Huh?" asked a confused Qie Ranzhe but was soon thoroughly smeared with clay while Lin Jingxie was yelling,


    "You stupid bastard, l am going fuck you up today!" smashing even more clay on his face till he barely recognizable.


    An even more perplexed Qie Ranzhe pinned his wrist down with a face covered in disgusting mud mixed with god knows what other petrifying things inside. "The fuck Jin, why the hell did you do that?" he asked trying to spit out some of the dirt in his mouth but Lin Jingxie winked while nudging his head in the approaching guard''s direction.


    Its only then that Qie Ranzhe caught on though he didn''t understand why Lin Jingxie cared so much about the guard.


    "Lets see whose going to fuck who up you little brat!" he yelled acting out his part perfectly before smearing Lin Jingxie''s face with mud as well.


    As the guard approached closer, he saw the pinned boy pushing off the one on top of him freeing himself. He knelt down before tossing a couple handfuls of mud cursing his opponent. "You fucking piece of shit, she was my girlfriend!"

 Chapter 19锛欶irst World: Prince Anzhie

    That beautiful Sunday the two boys covered in filth escalated their fight like a couple of hormonal teens with the shameless CEO not making it any easy for Wen Qinxi. One would think he would at least let the weak one win in a fake fight but he didn''t, subduing Lin Jingxie a couple of times.


    The guard eventually broke up the fight separating the most aggressive one which coincidently was the one losing. The guard grabbed Wen Qinxi by the waist pulling him away from Qie Ranzhe. Though he was only doing them a favour, he sensed an overbearing ominous and suffocating pressure emitting from the boy that was winning the fight.


    Though Qie Ranzhe''s face was covered in mud, the guard was scared stiff instantly letting go of Wen Qinxi who was still knee deep in his acting yelling, "Count yourself lucky you asshole! If l catch you with her again, l will break your legs!"


    Qie Ranzhe''s body stiffen like an ironing board when he heard Lin Jingxie say such words. Though he knew it was all an act, he couldn''t help feel a bit annoyed. ''Its only a freaking act but damn, why does it bother me so much,'' thought Qie Ranzhe before his chain of thought was interrupted by hoarse taunting laughter escaping from a man standing atop the hill.


    He was dressed in navy top of the class garments that exhibited his wealth with an aristocratic aura to go with it. The guard instantly knelt down calling him his highness while prompting the two boys to kneel as well.


    Wen Qinxi knelt before him but Qie Ranzhe was clenching his fists standing his ground. He didn''t know why but something within was stopping him from bowing before this man. Wen Qinxi who wasn''t up for dying today tugged Qie Ranzhe''s sleeve who was stubbornly glaring at Qie Anzhie.


    Qie Ranzhe glanced over at Lin Jingxie and was met with a ''don''t you fuckin start something'' look that had him instantly on his knees while biting hard on his lower lip till it drew blood.


    "Is this what you wanted to show me?" mocked the prince with his hands laced together behind him while emitting an oppressive aura, "This filthy trash is not worth my time. Go back to what ever sewer you crawled out from and never show yourselves in front of me again," he said before turning back.


    The guard scurried after him pleading with his majesty for forgiveness. The man''s words were eating at Qie Ranzhe like tiny maggots eating at his flesh from within. He had heard even worse insults directed at him growing up in the streets but hearing it from this man was unbearable. A violent storm was brewing within him ready to erupt at any second.


    Just when he was about to stand up and follow that infuriating man, a warm hand grasped his arm instantly pacifying him to a serene calmness like the eye at the centre of a hurricane. It felt like a tingly itch, were Lin Jingxie''s had touched him, gradually spreading to the rest of his arm.


    Lin Jingxie didn''t say anything, he just nudged his head to him gesturing that they should leave. When Lin Jingxie retrieved his hand, Qie Ranzhe felt a sense of loss while following behind him. His rage towards that man was soon forgotten with other pressing matters taking over his mind.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve coming from the person behind him but he was just too irky and in a horrible mood to oblige Qie Ranzhe. With that in mind, he chose to ignore him as they carried on along the path. "Jin-er do you really have a girlfriend?"


    Wen Qinxi abruptly stopped walking, his shoulders taunt as he slowly turned to look at the overly familiar Qie Ranzhe who had upgraded his form of address. "Haha Jin-er, thats what you are calling me now?" he asked while snickering.


    "Mm aren''t we acquaintance now," replied Qie Ranzhe not even sure if that was it, "or maybe friends?"


    "Okay," replied Wen Qinxi shrugging his shoulders turning around so they could continue walking.


    Qie Ranzhe frowned looking at Lin Jingxie''s back wondering why he didn''t answer the question. He reprimanded himself for being too nosy which was unlike him and it worked for a while till it began etching at him. He had to know the truth and so he eventually gave in asking, "You didn''t answer my question. Is it Lee Jienjie?"


    Wen Qinxi didn''t know whether to laugh or cry amused by Qie Ranzhe''s question. He was curious to know what his reaction would be if he said yes. ''He would probably be jealous that l got a girlfriend before he did. Haha l have five fingers Qie Ranzhe and the middle one is for you boss,'' he thought with an innocent smile.


    "Yes but its not Lee Jienjie, " his said slowing down to work alongside Qie Ranzhe about to toot his own horn. "You don''t know but she''s an absolute loli with gorgeous doe-eyes and pretty red lips. Woh, l haven''t even mentioned those long smooth le-," he passionately described his fake girlfriend but abruptly paused when Qie Ranzhe rushed ahead of him with a bleak expression.


    "What the fuck? Hey Qie Ranzhe, l wasn''t done," he called after him with a satisfied smile. ''Haha feel the burn male god, we are always envying you now it''s your turn to envy someone,'' he thought finally catching up.


    "Do you want to hear more?" asked Wen Qinxi now walking backwards in front of him but Qie Ranzhe looked cold and aloof not giving him the least bit of attention.


    Unfortunately for Wen Qinxi, he had no eyes at the back of his head and hence tripped over a protruding root. He lost his balance heading straight for the ground but Qie Ranzhe with his cat-like reflexes, grasped his arm pulling him back up. But because he used too much force, Lin Jingxie''s mouth bumped into Qie Ranzhe''s chin.


    From a distance, it looked like Lin Jingxie kissed Qie Ranzhe''s chin which could easily be misunderstood by onlookers. Qie Ranzhe''s heart thumped loudly through his ears though his face was as calm as ever. "Am so so sorry. Thats fuckin embarrassing," said Wen Qinxi as natural as ever.


    "Lucky for you, your girlfriend wasn''t here otherwise she would misunderstand," said Qie Ranzhe before walking past him.


    Wen Qinxi felt grateful Qie Ranzhe caught him otherwise he would in tears right now crying over minor bruises which would ultimately make him lose face in front of Qie Ranzhe. "I was joking. l don''t have a girlfriend, okay? How can l have time to get one when you and Lin Mingxu are always keeping me busy. Sharks, l need a vacation from both of you," he rumbled on as they walked into town.


    What he didn''t see was Qie Ranzhe''s grin when he heard he didn''t have a girlfriend. That smile would have definitely freaked out Wen Qinxi enough to quit the game.

 Chapter 20锛欶irst World: Snitch

    The walk home was extremely tiring as the blazing sun dried out the mud on Wen Qinxi face to crispy flakes. By the time he got back at the Lin mansion, he was literally dragging his feet panting with his head dropped down as tired as a single mother of four.


    Wen Qinxi jumped over the fence to sneak back into the mansion as the entire Lin family thought he was asleep. He didn''t even pay attention when he walked past the main hall which was currently hosting some guests. If he had gone through the front gate he would have notice the prince''s envoy warning him in advance.


    As Prince Anzhie noticed a familiar filthy figure walking past the door his face showed a wolfish appearance. He could have let the kid go but Qie An wouldn''t be Qie Anzhie if he did that. "Aiya.....Master Lin has indeed raised a noble eloquent young master," said the prince looking straight at Lin Jingxie passing by.


    Master Lin followed his gaze and was extremely appalled by what he saw. His usually neat and graceful son was ridden in filth like a piglet that had rolled in a muddy puddle. His posture was sluggish lacking an ounce of nobility. If it had been any regular day he would have let it go but the idiot had to look like that in front of his guest.


    "Young Master Lin grace us with your presence!" said Prince Anzhie just in time to stop him before he disappeared. If he had known this was Master Lin''s son he would have thrown it in the pompous man''s face a long time ago. Master Lin was held in high esteem by the emperor and a constant reminder of Qie Anzhie''s flaws as the emperor wouldn''t shut up about him. It was time to exert a little revenge.


    Wen Qinxi who was just trying not to get caught, heard his name being called and so scanned around. Only to be faced by a blackend Master Lin with veins bulging on his forehead and Prince Anzhie with an eerie grin on his face. ''Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! l am so screwed,'' he thought obediently walking back and bowing before the two men gazing at him.


    He muttered, "l am so-sorry father," but Master Lin didn''t say anything. He wasn''t the type that would embarass you in front of strangers but in private, he would sort you out straight.


    Master Lin was about to dismiss him vowing to deal with him later but Prince Anzhie decided to add fuel to the already blazing fire. "Oh, now l remember were l saw this young master before," he said before sipping some of his tea, "he''s that fellow that was fighting with another youth over a girlfriend, tsk tsk what a shame. As young and weathy as young master Lin is, why would he fight over a woman with a peasant out in the open?"


    Master Lin glared at Lin Jingxie with fuming eyes while clenching his fist under the table. The brat had been fighting again and to top it all of, he had a girlfriend.


    Wen Qinxi cringed being glared at like that by Master Lin before averting his gaze only to glance at Prince Anzhie who was leering at him. ''How old are you, you fuckin snitch!'' cursed Wen Qinxi in his head before bowing while apologising to Master Lin.


    "Go clean up, will discuss this later," he said to Lin Jingxie before turning to the prince, "l apologise to His Highness having to witness such appalling behavior. It is my fault as a father for not teaching him well, l will make sure to discipline him." All this was said while gnashing his teeth swallowing down his rage. He just wanted to knock some sense into that unruly child.


    Wen Qinxi stomped to his room in anger while yelling at Jolie. This was its job to warn him in advance otherwise what was the point of keeping it around. ''Seriously Jolie, do you actually want Qie Ranzhe out of this game or you are just here to fuck with me. What the fuck is wrong with you?''


    ''Haha, boss don''t be angry. Please calm your nerves otherwise you will die of anger and that would be fucking embarrassing for you,'' said Jolie in a pathetic attempt to appease Wen Qinxi. Actually the system was up to no good elsewhere that it didn''t realize when Prince Anzhie arrived at the Lin mansion. As for what it was doing, well who knows.


    ''Such an asshole. Fine, at least you know why that scumbag his here, right?'' he asked taking off the sticky muddy mess he was wearing instantly freeing himself feeling relaxed.


    ''Oh him, the jerkass is looking for information about Qie Ranzhe''s mother and Master Lin is the right person to ask. Its easy for Master Lin to get hold of all kinds of information but you don''t have to worry because he doesn''t get along with Qie Anzhie so he wouldn''t give him the information even if he knew it.''


    ''See, aren''t things better when you do your job right?'' said Wen Qinxi brimming with annoyance. Jolie didn''t want to make Wen Qinxi angry as it desperately wanted that companion system. If it had hands right now it would be massaging Wen Qinxi''s shoulders while feeding him grapes.


    ''Ahem....boss, how are you planning on raising money to build the shelter. Its truly heartbreaking seeing you exhausted like this. How about you ask for a king size bed from Master Lin so you can sleep a bit better?'' asked the system shamelessly sucking up to Wen Qinxi.


    Wen Qinxi massaged his temple frustrated to the core. Being called boss by Jolie made his scalp numb with goosebumps forming all over his body.


    ''Joile will you stop calling me boss, save that for Qie Ranzhe. And a king size bed means Qie Ranzhe would never leave, he would permanently move in,'' replied Wen Qinxi before detailing his plan, ''I was thinking of an easy way to make money in a short pace of time and that is street theater,'' now speaking with passion like a motivational speaker.


    Here is the thing about Wen Qinxi, he belonged to the drama club in school and once aspired to be an actor and not just any actor but a performer on a theatrical stage, Broadway and all. Please refrain from mocking him as we all had odd dreams when we were growing up.


    Jolie tried to restrain itself but couldn''t help letting out a stifled laugh. ''Pfft.....you a theatrical actor," said Jolie ready to take a dump on his idea but soon stopped when it recalled it needed Wen Qinxi''s help, ''Yea, sure thats an awesome idea boss.''


    ''Okay, l see. So you are going to come up with a script?'' asked Jolie still fighting off the urge to laugh.


    Wen Qinxi gave off a ''why the fuck would l do that'' expression before saying, ''Why would l waste my time when l can adopt stories like little red riding hood or Romeo and Juliet? Clever right?'' asked Wen Qinxi as he left to go take a bath.


    For sure, Wen Qinxi planned for his street performance right after surviving Master Lin''s gruesome punishment which was manuring an entire field by himself.


    With him as the lead actor and his brother as the second lead, the two took on the streets to make some money initiating operation ''get Qie Ranzhe off his bed''.

 Chapter 21锛欶irst World: Secret Performance

    Street theater de Qi was officially open, entertaining multitudes far and wide and when l say far and wide, l mean within the confines of the town.


    Everyday, Wen Qinxi would drop off Qie Ranzhe''s food and run off to showcase his talent. The main acts included the classics like little red riding hood, a weird version of Romeo and Juliet and mulan among many.


    Surprisingly the audience seemed generous as long as the story was funny or had some face slapping drama in it. The cast was short handed but Wen Qinxi made it work with his brother and a handful of servants.


    The female lead roles apparently ended up on his lap because Lee Jienjie''s father wouldn''t let her. It was also a weird historical setting in the game not allowing women to be performers though Wen Qinxi had a strong suspicion that Jolie had something to do with it.


    Wen Qinxi as usual got ready in the tent that Master Lin kindly provided. Though he didn''t agree with Lin Jingxie and Lin Mingxu performing for an audience, he had already asked them to make money and couldn''t go back on his word. When they told him how they planned on making money, he deliberately reduced the total cost before showing him so his son didn''t have to do this for long.


    "Jin-ge, today''s character is more romantic than usual we have to put a lot of makeup to make you look more feminine," said Lee Jienjie who had appointed herself as the makeup artist with itchy hands, slapping on too much turning him to a ghost.


    Today''s play was adopted from Mulan with one of the servants acting as the General. Wen Qinxi was extremely thrilled to play this character, one of the greatest women in history. "No, l told you less is more, didn''t l? l don''t want to look like a drag queen,'' he reprimanded an enthusiastic Lee Jienjie.


    "No l was wrong, drag queens actually look gorgeous, you just want to turn me into the ghost from The Grudge," said Wen Qinxi grabbing the rogue powder from her hands.


    "What are drag queens?" asked Lee Jienjie completely missing the point.


    "They are beautiful queens that''s what they are," he said putting on makeup on himself. He had once designed a dress up game for high schoolers when he was in undergrad and learnt a few makeup tips from college girls to improve the gaming experience. Though unprofessional it was still better than what Lee Jienjie planned to do to his face.


    With a beautiful dress on, Wen Qinxi went on stage to perform what he called a masterpiece.


    ***


    All the way across town within the bounds of the forest, Qie Ranzhe had just completed his training for the day. The boy had been working extra hard as he planned on joining the newly established branch of the Platinum guild that had ties with the emperor. The guild was prestigious and paid well which meant he could take care of the boys and improve his status.


    For some reason, he felt the desire to be in the same plane as Lin Jingxie. Maybe it was because he didn''t want Lin Jingxie to look down on him or be worthy to be his friend? Whatever the reason, Qie Ranzhe worked his butt off practicing a lot more as though training for the Olympics.


    He arrived in the camp but the atmosphere seemed off, actually it had felt off to him for four days now. The boys seemed busy with something that is everyone apart from Machu and Xie Ruen.


    Whenever he came back mid-afternoon, the camp would be completely empty and when they did come back, they would be chatting silently in groups as though discussing a secret. The one time he tried sitting next to them, they stopped whispering and began talking loudly changing whatever subject they were discussing.


    He brushed it off and never asked, the boys deserved to have their own secrets unless it involved something that could bring them harm. If they didn''t tell him about it, it meant it wasn''t an emergency so Qie Ranzhe didn''t probe any further. After bathing in the river near the camp, he came back to a now completely deserted camp, even Xie Ruen had disappeared.


    Though he wasn''t a busybody, curiosity finally got the best of him, prompting him to ask the only person left in camp. "Where is everyone?" asked Qie Ranzhe putting on a clean set of clothes.


    Machu who had just walked in, paused in his tracks with a bowl of warmed up beef chow mein delivered by Lin Jingxie. Though busy Wen Qinxi still found time to deliver food to Qie Ranzhe otherwise they might end up having another friendly tussle which Wen Qi wasn''t looking forward to.


    Machu seemed hesitant to tell the truth and so half-assed it like a pro. "They went to watch some boring play. Ahem...here eat while its hot," he said with shifty eyes sitting next to him.


    "Oh," replied Qie Ranzhe while stirring the noodles getting ready to eat. He had to admit after a long day of training the only thing he looked forward to was Lin Jingxie''s cooking. For him it felt as heartwarming as what a home cooked meal should feel like.


    Whenever his thoughts strayed in this direction, he always felt like kidnapping Lin Jingxie and make him cook only for him. It was a terrible thought but somehow he couldn''t get rid of it as it intensified with each meal.


    "By the way, have you noticed Lin Jingxie has been acting weird these days?" he asked making Machu choke on a steamed bun he was munching on.


    He violently coughed only calming down after drinking bucket loads of water. "Eat your food slowly next time," said Qie Ranzhe patting his back while handing him another cup of water.


    "Not really, his just happier l guess, *cough, *cough, thats probably it," replied a barely recovered Machu hoping Qie Ranzhe would stop questioning him.


    Machu paused his actions pondering on whether to say yes or no but judging on Qie Ranzhe''s exaggerated reaction, he decided to tell the truth. "No, he''s the performer in the play the boys have been going to. He said that it was for an important project so his been performing and people donate money," explained Machu crossing his fingers that they would move on and talk about something else.


    Qie Ranzhe frowned glaring at Manchu, he could tell the guy was withholding information which made him feel anxious. "Spill it before l make you," he said in calm but incredibly terrifying voice.


    "He, um.....he''s been.....how can l say this. He''s acting as the female lead in all the plays. Dress and everything," said a nervous Machu. He had heard that Lin Jingxie looked so good in a dress and makeup on but he hadn''t actually seen it for himself. Xie Ruen hadn''t gone too because he was still afraid of Lin Jingxie, he only went today because the others literally dragged him there.


    "What the fuck did you say," asked Qie Ranzhe with all the blood drained from his face. He didn''t wait for Machu to reply storming out of the room in large strides heading for the town square.


    Machu ran after him yelling, "Ran-ge please calm down. Its not a big deal," secretly lighting a candle for Lin Jingxie. His useless speech fell on deaf ears as Qie Ranzhe was too overwhelmed by whatever emotion that was controlling him.

 Chapter 22锛欶irst World: An Enchanted Pervert

    Things had indeed headed in an unexpected direction, Manchu had just thought Qie Ranzhe would be annoyed with the truth. He didn''t think Qie Ranzhe would storm off to the town square in a huff. ''Why is he this angry?'' thought a puzzled Machu struggling to keep up with Qie Ranzhe''s long strides.


    If Manchu was to ask Qie Ranzhe that question, he wouldn''t be able to answer it as well. The guy didn''t even know why he was this angry but couldn''t dial it down no matter how hard he tried. He hoped that when he saw Lin Jingxie, he would be able to figure out why he felt this way.


    The town square was more lively than ever with people sitting on wooden benches watching the show on an elegant animated stage. Considering the Lin boys had a short time to build this stage, it was actually wonderfully constructed decorated in a antique elegance that was nice to look at.


    Qie Ranzhe stood at the back of the audience as all the seats were occupied. Next to him and Machu were a group of rowdy boys watching the show intently. They seemed excited about something and Qie Ranzhe only realised what they were excited about when Lin Jingxie showed up on the stage in a dress and minimal exquisite makeup that actually modified his handsome features to an unattainable celestal delicate beauty.


    This version of Lin Jingxie had everyone smitten, he was truly enchanting even when dressed as a lady. He was acting out a romantic scene with some sort of general and the sight of it intensified the rage bottled up within Qie Ranzhe. He was like a pressure cooker inches to exploding.


    "Aiyo...you were right, young master Jin is as enchanting as you said. If only he was girl," said one of the boys with a beaming smile that made Qie Ranzhe wish he could gouge out those lustful eyes so he won''t lay eyes on Lin Jingxie ever again.


    "I am already bewitched, l no longer care that his a man," said one of them with yearning in his eyes completely oblivious of the kettle sizzling behind him.


    "We are in the same boat, last night l had a spring dream about him. I was so confused, normally its a beautiful naked woman in my dreams as the main character. I am suddenly curi-," said another boy before he was tapped on the shoulder by Machu.


    He didn''t know why their conversation pissed off Qie Ranzhe so much but when he realised his big brother was about to explode, he had the boys quiet down otherwise it would end up bloody. They couldn''t afford to anger another rich kid otherwise all the boys would be implicated.


    The boys dialed it down only because Lin Jingxie had just concluded his act and the audience were applauding as the cast bowed before them. "Thank you so much for your support, please don''t forget to donate to our cause," said Wen Qinxi with a dazzling smile that had some wives covering their husbands'' eyes.


    "Young Master Jingxie, how about showing us your ankles and l will give you half of what you make today," said one of the boys standing in proximity of hurricane Qie Ranzhe at the back.


    Wen Qinxi chuckled before replying, "My ankles are worth more than that, l am afraid you can''t afford me," while lazily placing his hands on either side of his waist. ''You fuckin pervert,'' he thought with a fake smile while gnashing his teeth.


    The stupid boy kept on going saying, "Okay, l understand. How about l give you double of what you earn today," discretely biting his lower lip.


    "Ai, such a big spender, l am afraid l am not in the business of pimping myself but thank you for your support," said Wen Qinxi with every intention of ending this nonsensical conversation with the pervert.


    "How is it any different from your seductive performance. Wasn''t th-," he spoke but was cut off when a flying kick struck his shoulder from no where instantly knocking him out. Probably passed out from the pain. Qie Ranzhe was about to beat up all of them but was held back with great struggle by Manchu.


    The other boys didn''t dare act impulsively especially after the incident were Qie Ranzhe dislocated Sun Huxian''s arm. No one wanted to mess with him because of his reputation more so when he was now in good books with Lin Jingxie.


    Lin Mingxu wanted to interject before but was a tad bit slower with Qie Ranzhe dealing with the pervert like a bull rampaging at a busy market. Though he didn''t like him, he was extremely grateful for that. His brother had been subjected to such perverted groupies ever since they started this which was pissing off.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly walked over to the stage after he was down scolding the audience and dragged Lin Jingxie away to an alley right behind the stage. Lin Mingxu knew too well not to interrupt and so closed off the show before collecting donations.


    In the alley, Qie Ranzhe pushed Lin Jingxie against the wall yelling, "Stay!" before walking into the tent startling Lee Jienjie who was packing up the costumes. "Water!" he commanded his eyes full of anger throwing away all his manners out of the window.


    A terrified Lee Jienjie with a trembling finger pointed at the water pitcher on the tray. Qie Ranzhe grabbed it and turned to walk out before pausing in his tracks, "Thanks," and walked out only to find Lin Jingxie tip-toeing away like a scardy-cat.


    Qie Ranzhe shook his head in disappointment before dragging him back to the wall by the back of his collar. "Dage let''s talk about this. Let''s use our words not our fists," said Wen Qinxi trying to negotiate with a crazed Qie Ranzhe. ''Why the fuck am l even explaining myself to this idiot?'' he thought still trying to find a means of escape.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t pay attention to him and asked for something instead, "Handkerchief?" in an impatient tone. Wen Qinxi was perplexed for a moment responding a bit slower and so Qie Ranzhe searched his clothes with no ounce of embarrassment only ceasing his actions when he found it.


    Wen Qinxi who had just been felt up by his crazy boss was stunned speechless. Its only when Qie Ranzhe damped his handkerchief that he realised what was going on. "l wil-," he said before he was cut off with a handkerchief rubbing the makeup off his face.


    The rubbing motion started off harsh but gradually became gentle clearing off all the makeup on Wen Qinxi''s face. He finally relaxed when he realised Qie Ranzhe was just irritated by him wearing makeup. "Qie Ranzhe if you didn''t want me to wear makeup, you should have just said so. I would have taken it off myself," said Wen Qinxi with a smile on his face.


    Qie Ranzhe was knitting his brows together completely focused with on the task at hand. His flattering eyelashes were so close to Wen Qinxi that he felt like touching them. This version of Qie Ranzhe was extremely gentle that any girl would be touched.


    ''If only you showed Zhao Huangzhi this side of you, she would have loved you to death,'' thought Wen Qinxi hoping the female lead would make an early appearance so his boss can finally be with the love of his life.


    "Don''t ever wear make up again. It attracts flies," said Qie Ranzhe putting his hand down only when he was satisfied that it was all gone.


    Wen Qinxi was wondering how he was going to do that when he still had to perform. "I will think about it," he said before walking back to the tent. Qie Ranzhe followed closely behind thinking of ways to convince him when Lin Mingxu spoke up in excitement.


    "Ge! We made three times more today," said Lin Mingxu showing the money to a thrilled Lin Jingxie. Watching the two brothers jumping up and down like little girls was just too embarrassing. ''Aren''t these weirdos rich? Why are they so excited over petty cash?'' thought a confused Qie Ranzhe as he placed the water pitcher back on the tray and stood with his arms idly folded across his chest.


    "Jin-ge, may l speak to you?" requested a nervous Sun Huxian who had just barged into the tent uninvited with his arm strapped into a sling bandage.

 Chapter 23锛欶irst World: I LIKE YOU!

    On this particularly exciting day, the mood in the tent was suddenly dampened with Qie Ranzhe emitting massive kill intent towards Sun Huxian. The young master was standing there looking straight at the only boy wearing a dress while nervously pinching the helm of his sleeve.


    ''What the fuck is going on?'' thought Wen Qinxi gazing at him in confusion. Before he could come up with a polite way to decline as they really had no business with each other, Qie Ranzhe suddenly stepped in front of Sun Huxian blocking his view of Lin Jingxie.


    "He has no business with you, please show yourself out," said Qie Ranzhe, his stance extremely intimidating that even Wen Qinxi felt like cowering away though he wasn''t the one being threatened.


    Somehow the message wasn''t clear enough because Sun Huxian was persistent. "I-l really need to speak to him, it''s important," said Sun Huxian a bit hesitant than before.


    Qie Ranzhe''s dark glowering eyes terrified him but he wasn''t going anywhere till he said what he needed to say. "Do you want me to break your other arm to ma-!" yelled Qie Ranzhe before a hand was placed on his shoulder patting him twice. He wanted to continue threatening Sun Huxian but at the touch of Lin Jingxie''s hand his mind went blank forgetting what he wanted to say.


    "Look, you and l are not on good terms but l will hear you out. l give you five seconds and it starts...now," said Wen Qinxi lifting his five fingers initiating a countdown.


    Sun Huxian was nervous stammering a couple of times underpressure, breaking into a cold sweat. "Four.....three...two.....o-," he counted down before Sun Huxian suddenly blurted out something that had three people in the tent flabbergasted while one of them was so angry he could just murder Sun Huxian were he stood.


    He thought he would get over him if he kept his distance but he couldn''t stop thinking about him and ended up attending every single performance. The truth was as clear as day, he was having cherry blossom moments each time he saw Lin Jingxie and thus his confession today. The desire to make Lin Jingxie his was more than the fear of being rejected.


    Qie Ranzhe was fuming like an incinerator that had collided with a gasoline tank. He couldn''t fathom why everyone had impure intentions towards Lin Jingxie when they were plenty of others to like. ''Not allowed,'' he thought imagining a thousand ways to kill Sun Haoran. He was about to beat him shitless when Lin Jingxie took action.


    Wen Qi drew Qie Ranzhe''s sword but paused when he realised it was wooden. He glared at Qie Ranzhe saying, "We need to get you fuckin sword," while pointing it at him. He handed it back to Qie Ranzhe and moved towards Lin Mingxu drawing his sword before aiming it inches away from Sun Huxian''s neck.


    "If you fuckin dare have such thoughts about me ever again, l will chop your balls off and gladly turn you into eunuch. Do you understand?" he said in a threatening whisper that sent shivers down Sun Huxian''s spine.


    Qie Ranzhe was just standing there dazed by this version of Lin Jingxie. He had been in a few scuffles with him before the drowning incident and they had threatened each other back and forth multiple times but he had never been enthralled like this before. ''His a fuckin badass,'' thought Qie Ranzhe suddenly imagining he and Lin Jingxie taking over the world as a dynamic duo.


    Sun Huxian nodded his head to save his neck but in actuality there was no way he was going to get over him that fast. Wen Qinxi gave the sword back to Lin Mingxu as Sun Huxian ran away like his pants were on fire.


    The tent was silent for a while as Wen Qinxi was changing out of the dress behind a folding screen. He was extremely annoyed by Sun Huxian wondering what gave him the balls to say such things when he bullied Xie Ruen to the point of scaring his body. ''Thats some fucked up shit right there,'' he thought while coming out from behind the folding screen as elegent and exquisite as ever.


    "Such an idiot, what gave him the courage to go after Jin-ge. Doesn''t he know he belongs to me," said Lee Jienjie while reaching out to touch his sleeve but missed when Qie Ranzhe suddenly draped his arm around Lin Jingxie''s shoulders pulling him out of the way with a sly grin.


    "Lets go," said Qie Ranzhe with his body language clearly marking his territory. Wen Qinxi was tongue-tied wondering what was wrong with this weirdo but didn''t say anything allowing himself to be led out of the tent.


    She stomped the ground with her foot, feeling disgruntled while watching them leave huddled up like best friends. "Tsk, tsk, tsk.....such a temper. Jin-ge is friends with him now so bare with it that is if you want to ever be his wife. Can''t you see how much more calm l am, haha welcome to the club," said Lin Mingxu before following his brother.


    Thus the get rid of Qie Ranzhe club grew by one more determined member.

 Chapter 24锛欶irst World: Sneaking In Like Pros

    With the performance concluded and the servants packing up, Qie Ranzhe somehow followed Wen Qinxi all the way home sticking to him like glue shielding the little lamb from other hungry wolves.


    Wen Qinxi really wanted to chase him off but felt bad especially after he fend off those perverts earlier. A comfy bed and warm dinner


    was the least he could do to thank him. Wen Qinxi had to sneak him into the house like a boy sneaking in his girlfriend into a collage dorm which FYI he had never done before.


    "Jin-ge, do you have to bring him with us. You can reward him with two bowls of food tomorrow," whispered Lin Mingxu into Lin Jingxie''s ear.


    "What ever you have to say, say it out loud. Don''t be shy, l know l am handsome so you don''t have to whisper about it. Say it loud and proud like this ''Ran-ge is handsome''. Repeat after me, Ran-ge is-," said Qie Ranzhe giving him a taunting look before pushing him away with his hand that was still hanging around Lin Jingxie''s shoulders.


    "Shit! Who said you are fuckin handsome, more like an ugly troll," fired back a highly irritable Lin Mingxu wishing he could break that arm off Lin Jingxie''s shoulders.


    Wen Qinxi had tried several times to get out Qie Ranzhe''s grasp but each time he tried, he was drawn in closer into a loose chokehold ultimately detering him from trying.


    His mind suddenly went back to high school recalling how Qie Ranzhe used to be just like this with his friends swaggering around the school yard with girl screaming their lungs out. He would watch them through the window wishing he could be part of that clique. Maybe he would have found a cute loli to makeout with under the bleachers.


    ''Haaa such a big dream it was,'' he thought looking up the fence they were about to jump over. "Mingxu, jump over first and check if the coast is clear," said Wen Qinxi patting his back but Lin Mingxu pouted in disapproval while shaking his head.


    "Who will give you a boost if l am over at the other side?" he complained averting his gaze from Qie Ranzhe.


    "Aish stop being difficult, Qie Ranzhe is taller than you. He will boost me up," said Wen Qinxi with his brows furrowed in annoyance.


    Lin Mingxu gave in that was after Qie Ranzhe taunted him once more, "You heard that, l am taller than you shorty," he said with a sly grin but offended Wen Qinxi in the process.


    "If he is shorty then what am l? You going to call me a fuckin midget?" said Wen Qinxi glaring daggers at him. Qie Ranzhe gazed back at him suddenly finding this angry Lin Mingxu surprisingly cute. He just want to poke and poke some more at the little kitten till he got mad then pat him to pacify his rage.


    Realising the trap he had just set for himself Qie Ranzhe tried to appease Lin Jingxie otherwise he might change his mind and kick him out for the night. "No you are not, it was a joke," rubbing his shoulder in a coaxing manner.


    ''Shit! Why does it feel like he''s a husband coaxing his little wife,'' thought Wen Qinxi flicking Qie Ranzhe''s hand off his shoulders.


    "Troublesome," he said before pointing at Lin Mingxu, "chop chop we don''t have all day."


    Lin Mingxu obediently jumped over the fence checking if the coast was clear before saying, "Jin-ge its safe," in a loud whisper.


    Wen Qinxi stepped on his hands climbing onto Qie Ranzhe''s shoulders to reach the top of the wall. He suddenly yelped like a puppy when his butt was somehow fondled by Qie Ranzhe.


    "Hey, where do you think you are placing your hands?" said Wen Qinxi looking down at the teenager who looked like he had just received an electric shock with his guilty hand frozen mid-air. He shook his head in denial as though falsely accused. "Stop messing around and jump over," said Wen Qinxi climbing over to the other side.


    The touch was definitely accidental but the pleasure that came with it was purely intentional. Qie Ranzhe found that Lin Jingxie''s firm butt was kind of pleasing to touch. He felt like touching more of it and even giving it a gentle squeeze in the process. He hoped for more accidental opportunities while climbing over to join them. In an instant they had sucessfully snuck into Lin Jingxie''s room completely unaware that had already been caught.


    "Master Lin, the boys came back but jumped over the fence at the back of the mansion with a third person," said the servant who had dashed to the main study when he witnessed part of the crime.


    Master Lin had clearly instructed the servant to let him know when the boys returned but didn''t anticipate such a heinous crime deliberately sneaking someone into the mansion. His face scowled as he inquired further, "Is it a girl they snuck in?" If it was, then those boys would not live to see another daylight.


    "I-I don''t know. Forgive me Master Lin, l didn''t take a closer look," said the terrified servant keeping his distance.


    Master Lin tossed everything off his table, throwing a fit before storming out of the room mumbling, "Those two idiots think they are going to make me a grandfather when l am still young, they better think again."


    His mind had already run wild with various scenarios. He had never laid a single hand on them, okay, maybe once but it had been a light spank when they were toddlers. If it turned out as he thought it was, he planned on beating them black and blue that they wouldn''t dare look at a woman ever again till they turned forty.


    Like a police officer conducting a drug raid, he kicked open the door yelling, "Jin!" before he froze with a puzzled face. ''What the fuck are they doing?'' he thought standing there like a statue.

 Chapter 25锛欶irst World: Lin Jins Little Meimei

    Qie Ranzhe was lying on the bed watching Lin Jingxie counting money on the table unconsciously observing his exquisite features without even realizing it. He watched as his dark lashes flickered while his dreamy starry eyes motioned focusing on the task at hand. His flawless porcelain skin became more apparent reflecting the rays of the setting sun.


    Qie Ranzhe was stuck in his own bubble that he suddenly blurted out, "You looked so pretty earlier on that''s why you shouldn''t wear makeup," lazily lying on his stomach with half closed eyes.


    Wen Qinxi''s scalp went numb at the thought of being called pretty by Qie Ranzhe and expectedly lashed out kicking the chair nearby. ''What kind of bullshit is that. How can a man be called pretty?'' he thought turning to look at him with mischievous eyes.


    "You know any man can look a tad bit pretty with makeup on. Do you want to give it a try?" he said inching closer to him like a psycho toying with his victim.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly had a bad premonition and rolled off to the other side of the bed creating more distance between them. "Okay, l was wrong. I shouldn''t have said that," he said nervously smiling trying to coax Lin Jingxie.


    "Qie Ranzhe come here so l can fuckin show you what being pretty looks like," he said lunging onto the bed to get to him with rogue powder in his hand.


    "Look, you are spilling everywhere. Just calm down, l am sorry okay?" he said while being chased all around the room by a crazed man with makeup on his hand.


    "You better give in now otherwise you going to sleep on the floor," threatened Wen Qinxi pushing a chair aside going after him. Sleeping on the floor was in no way convenient for Qie Ranzhe hence he stopped running but pinned Lin Jingxie against the wall tightly holding his wrist that had the powder ultimately forcing him to let go.


    They were so close to each other with their warm breath intertwined together, he was close enough to catch a whiff of Lin Jingxie''s pleasant scent engraving it in his memory. Qie Ranzhe''s heart began to thump exponentially the longer they lingered in this ambiguous position. Shortness of breath followed behind with his eyes ridden with confusion. ''What''s wrong with me?'' he thought struggling to calm himself down.


    He was about to let Lin Jingxie go when Lin Mingxu suddenly walked into such a scene dropping whatever he was holding. "Qie Ranzhe stop bullying my brother. Get off him," he said walking towards them.


    Qie Ranzhe turned his attention to Lin Jingxie sowing discord among them. "Haven''t you always wanted a little meimei?" he asked with his eyes motioning for the makeup.


    Wen Qinxi was eager to dress up Lin Mingxu just like he dressed up his little brother to sneak into a beauty pageant at fifteen just to see pretty girls. "You grab his legs if he tries to run away," whispered an excited Wen Qinxi.


    Free from Qie Ranzhe''s grasp he grabbed one of the costumes he had been wearing for some of the performances and handed it over to Lin Mingxu saying, "Mingxu can you try this on for your big brother please," in such a gentle tone that could convince anyone to rob a bank.


    The kid with a strong brother complex couldn''t say no to that and so he put it on with no second thought. It looked so awkward seeing a tall guy wearing an ill fitting dress. Wen Qinxi and Qie Ranzhe wanted to laugh but restrainted themselves as that was only half the plan.


    "Okay, now sit so l can complete the look," said Wen Qinxi walking closer to him but Lin Mingxu wasn''t stupid. He didn''t mind the dress but the makeup, he couldn''t bring himself to wear. Brother complex or not that wasn''t happening.


    "Jin-ge you know l love you but that''s not happening," said Lin Mingxu walking backwards.


    "Come on now, no one will see, its just the three of us. Mingxu come here!" the last part was said in a rather commanding tone as Wen Qinxi was no longer coaxing him into this.


    Just when he thought he could escape from such a torturous event, Qie Ranzhe was too fast for him blocking his path. "Dage Ahhh!" yelled Lin Mingxu as Lin Jingxie powdered his face generously.


    Thus the youth struggled with one subduing him and the other putting on blush on his cheeks but because he struggled so much, it wasn''t done well. Lin Mingxu looked like a clown that had been drenched in water during a circus act.


    This is the scene that Master Lin walked into with Lin Mingxu face down on the floor, Qie Ranzhe holding him down and Lin Jingxie putting more make up on him. "Father save me!" whined Lin Mingxu stretching out his hand as though falling to his death. Wen Qinxi and Qie Ranzhe let him go with their heads drooping down looking as guilty as ever.


    "Jin, how can you do this to your sister," said Master Lin not even realizing his mistake.


    Lin Mingxu who was now standing behind him hiding from the two bullies complained feeling wronged, "Dad l am a boy,"


    The other two fought so hard to suppress their laughter which was not so hard especially when Master Lin looked like he wanted to kill someone. "Yes you are a boy, go wash your face and change out of that dress," said Master Lin looking at him while shaking his head rendered speechless.


    Lin Mingxu scurried off leaving behind only a cloud of dust just in case his father changed his mind and punished him. "You two follow me to my study this instant," said Master Lin in a autocratic tone as he turned to lead the way.


    ''Dads are so fuckin scary,'' thought Wen Qinxi following behind with a remorseful look hoping to convince judge Lin to lessen the punishment.

 Chapter 26锛欶irst World: Marriage Proposal

    The two boys followed behind Master Lin looking like convicts on death row awaiting their final judgement. They followed in silence afraid to make a single sound just in case it tipped Master Lin over the edge possibly intensifying the sentence. Master Lin didn''t say anything the whole way and only spoke when he sat down in his chair looking down at the two boys.


    Only then did he clearly see Qie Ranzhe''s face and the closer he looked the more suffocated he felt. This child looked familiar but Master Lin couldn''t figure out who he looked like. Being stared at like that by Master Lin made Qie Ranzhe feel uncomfortable, feeling as though he had thoroughly been seen through. All he knew was that he had to keep his viable presence at minimum so he wouldn''t get Lin Jingxie in trouble.


    Master Lin suddenly felt a twisting heart-wrenching pain in his chest when he soon realised who this boy looked like. The boy was an exact replica of the emperor himself which reminded him of the conversation he had with Prince Anzhie a week ago. The prince had been looking for a concubine to the emperor who had suddenly disappeared from the palace almost two decades ago. It would safe to assume that this boy was that concubine''s child.


    Master Lin wasn''t stupid figuring out Prince An''s plan. Why would a prince soon-to-be appointed crown prince, leave the comfort of the palace in search of some concubine he didn''t even recall her name? Prince Anzhie was definitely making sure he eliminated the enemy before the competition made his debut. "What is your name?" asked Master Lin trying to look as natural as possible.


    "My name is Qie Ranzhe and I apologize for the intrusion, it was all my idea and Lin Jingxie had nothing to do with it, I forced him," said Qie Ranzhe kowtowing before Master Lin taking Wen Qinxi by surprise. He didn''t expect Qie Ranzhe to suddenly take all the blame sacrificing himself or maybe this was a ploy to pry something out of him. ''What the fuck does he want? More meals or more sleepovers, which one is it?'' thought Wen Qinxi giving him the side-eye.


    "Mm, I understand but where is your family, I am certain I haven''t heard your family name around here," asked Master Lin. He genuinely didn''t know any relatives of the Qie family residing in town or anywhere near town. Of course, he recognized the family name Qie from the Royal family but no one would piece it together as they wouldn''t associate a ruffian with the emperor.


    "I have no family Master Lin, I was rescued by a kind elderly woman when l was a newborn with only a name in my possession," replied Qie Ranzhe hoping to end this discussion as soon as possible as it pained him to think no one in this world wanted him. He was dumped in the garbage like trash without even a pacifier to console him. Qie Ranzhe was so immersed in his pain unconsciously clenching his fist with his nails digging deep into his palm to the point of drawing blood.


    "Rise," said Master Lin thinking, ''What the hell! I should be kneeling to you not the other way around!'' He could already see the emperor lashing out at him for allowing his son to kowtow before him. Concealing his panic, Master Lin inquired further, "How many times?"


    "Huh?" asked Wen Qinxi unable to comprehend the question.


    "Father h-,"said Lin Mingxu trying to save his brother from the manure punishment. The last time he got that punishment, the smell took several baths to get rid off but Lin Mingxu abruptly fell silent when Lin Jingxie glared at him with a ''watch your mouth'' expression.


    "Was it twice? Three times? Talk or I will donate you as a laborer for the entire town next spring!" he threatened Lin Jingxie slamming the table with a loud bang causing the three of them to flinch. Master Lin was as a terrifying as solders in combat. ''Fuck you don''t have to get all worked up. I will tell you,'' thought a cringing Wen Qinxi nervously raising one finger.


    "Oncccee.....Twiiiii, no once it was definitely a one time thi-," said Wen Qinxi dragging his words while judging Master Lin''s reaction but was startled when the man threw a scroll at him which he ducked falling right into Qie Ranzhe''s arms like a girl running away from her livid father seeking protection from her boyfriend.


    "What are you hiding behind him for? I am angry because you aren''t telling me the truth, spill it!" said Master Lin completely losing his patience. He hated lies more than the crime thus his anger towards Lin Jingxie.


    Wen Qinxi returned to where he was standing before and cleared his throat loudly freighting bravery. "Its um, ah I think," he said before counting in a loud whisper, "one, two, three...eight.....twelve. Give or take fifteen times," with the last part said hesitantly because even he wasn''t sure how many times Qie Ranzhe snuck into his room.


    "Is that why you want to build a shelter? Are you dressing up like a woman embarrassing me all over town to help him?" asked Master Lin pointing at Qie Ranzhe who was in the dark about all of this. He gazed in Lin Jingxie''s direction but the man didn''t spare him a single glance as he explained himself to his father.


    A warm feeling melted Qie Ranzhe''s tangled icy heart with his eyes fixed on the second person who had ever shown him any kind of care. He couldn''t help but wander why Lin Jingxie was doing this, what did he want? He didn''t have any money nor status so what did this guy he almost murdered in cold blood do all this for?


    "Give me all the money you made," said Master Lin massaging in between his brows in frustration. The whole town was talking about how elegant and graceful Lin Jingxie is and how he could easily pass as a girl. Such a troublesome issue was all those old farts could talk about when he attended a meeting at the governor''s office.


    "I only made half of what we need," said Wen Qinxi placing the bag in front of Master Lin.


    "From now on you don''t have to perform anymore. I will make do with what you have. You really are something else. Do you know Master Sun has been following me around asking me if I can compromise and have you and Sun Haoran married? Don''t you dare wear a dress ever again, do you hear me?!"


    ''Aish.....men are so annoying, they will get horny over anything wearing a skirt disregarding what lies beneath.'' thought Wen Qinxi holding his grumbling stomach secretly hoping Master Lin didn''t plan on starving them to death.

 Chapter 27锛欶irst World: Boy Crush

    A handsome face always trumps punishment especially if that gorgeous face is a novice. In this case, it was Qie Ranzhe''s face that got the two Lin boys out of trouble. Master Lin had itchy fingers and wanted to severely punish his eldest son for lying but faced with such an esteemed guest, he couldn''t bring himself to do so. Even if he could, his wife would have scolded him as she took a liking to Qie Ranzhe which was inching closer to an obsession.


    When she laid eyes on him, Madam Lin was mesmerised pinching his cheeks like an old aunty. "If only I had a little girl, aiyo....l would gladly betrothal her to you. Oh, what the heck, Jin-er kind of looks like a girl if we dress him up, wil-," she yammered on when Master Lin suddenly interrupted her with a loud fake cough while blood drained from Wen Qinxi face thinking, ''What the fuck does she think this is, a danmei?''


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t say anything responding with a smile while Lin Mingxu glared at him as though he was the one who had made such a ridiculous suggestion. "Ahem.....let''s head over for dinner, I bet our guest is hungry," said Master Lin with his hands behind his back leading the way. This line of conversing was heading in a pretty weird direction and if he hadn''t stopped it, who knows what his wife might pressure his son to do.


    Dinner was pretty interesting that night with Qie Ranzhe being spoilt so much by Madam Lin, she even went as far as neglecting her husband adding food only in Qie Ranzhe''s bowl. Wen Qinxi was so envious of Qie Ranzhe''s protagonist halo that shone so bright when the need arose. He was pretty sure if Master Lin wasn''t committed to building that shelter, they would have moved Qie Ranzhe in and even gave him a room better than his own.


    Show and tell finally ended, that is only when Madam Lin was forcibly dragged away by her husband. If it was up to her they would have pulled an all-nighter hanging out with Qie Ranzhe. Nothing short of that shelter was going to make Qie Ranzhe vacate his bed. After dinner, the boys took turns to bath with Wen Qinxi being the last one. When he was done, he found Qie Ranzhe sitting on the edge of the bed as though waiting for him. Wen Qinxi walked over to the cupboard to take out some fresh pairs of undergarments to sleep in when Qie Ranzhe finally spoke his mind.


    "Why are you doing this?" he asked with his hands tightly clenching the side of the canopy bed. He hadn''t had the chance to ask this question ever since he found out that Lin Jingxie was performing just to get a roof over his head. He tried to track back in his memory, trying to figure out what he could have done to deserve such treatment from Lin Jingxie and couldn''t find anything worth mentioning. They had been rivals ever since they met so why the sudden change? Was it all because of the near-death experience?


    Wen Qinxi looked at him through his peripheral view completely aware of what he was talking about but chose to play the fool. "What are you talking about? Stop babbling and wear this," he replied trying to divert Qie Ranzhe''s attention. What was he supposed to say anyway? ''Hey, you are my boss stuck in a game and I am looking for ways to make you win the game so I can get paid.'' If he said anything close to that it would sound so insincere and selfish. If he told him he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart, that would be a lie too so he chose to run the other way but he didn''t account for Qie Ranzhe''s stubborn nature.


    "I don''t have anything of importance and nothing in this world is for free so why are you doing this?" asked Qie Ranzhe with a slight tremble at his fingertips. It wasn''t out of anger but anxiety, anxious to know the answer. "Speak!" he said now growing impatient as he wanted to get as far away from Lin Jingxie as possible. In their closeness, he caught a whiff of fresh lavender scent on Lin Jingxie''s body which had him dangerously craving for more, rousing his curiosity. His line of sight fell upon Lin Jingxie''s pearl jade sturdy chest with a few water droplets streaming down to his abdomen which suddenly had him parched rousing a docile hormonal beast.


    ''Fuck!'' thought Qie Ranzhe trying to pull himself back to reality. The longer he hung out with Lin Jingxie the more apparent it became that he didn''t want to be Lin Jingxie''s friend or sworn brother. He wanted something entirely different and didn''t have the confidence to expose himself otherwise he might lose Lin Jingxie forever.


    Wen Qinxi freed himself from Qie Ranzhe''s grasp and walked away putting on his top, all nonchalant as though nothing had happened. "Well since you insist then l will tell you what I want from you," he said settling down as he poured out some tea, "I want you to be powerful, so powerful that no one would ever look down on you." He placed the cup with steaming tea at the opposite end of the table and gestured with his hand for Qie Ranzhe to sit. ''Hopefully, you can fall for my bullshit because l don''t,'' he thought scorning himself for coming up with a weak excuse.


    Qie Ranzhe sat opposite him and asked, "What do you get out it?" gracefully swirling the cup in his hands.


    "Protection, of course, though I kind of assumed that you and I had graduated from a utility to mutual friendship," replied Wen Qinxi crossing his fingers under the table hoping the boy would buy his nonsense. Qie Ranzhe didn''t understand it completely but as long as Lin Jingxie was by his side, he didn''t care. ''If friendship is all you can offer then l accept, for now,'' thought Qie Ranzhe sipping his tea with a slight nod indicating acceptance.


    Only then did Wen Qinxi noticed the self-harm wound on Qie Ranzhe''s palm, he must have been clenching his fist so tight to leave such damage. He stood up and grabbed the medical kit he kept in his room for emergency especially after that beating he got from Qie Ranzhe''s boys when they first met in the game. He sat close to him sanitising the wound before asking, "How did this happen?" Their heads were in such proximity that Qie Ranzhe could literary count the lashes on Lin Jingxie''s dreamy eyes.


    He gulped before asking a sensitive question that had Lin Jingxie choking on his own saliva. "Do you feel disdain over boys crushing on you like Sun Huxian today? Forgive me for asking but you even threatened him with a sword which you don''t even know how to use. Was it too appalling?" asked Qie Ranzhe recalling how terrifying Lin Jingxie looked in that tent.


    Wen Qinxi coughed a few times while wrapping his palm in a bandage before responding. "No, that was just Sun Huxian, normally I wouldn''t reject that harshly a guy expressing his feelings but that guy is such a fuckin bully. He''s not allowed to like me. Why would I mind if a guy finds me enchanting? I am fuckin handsome so I get it though generally speaking, I would most definitely reject them. I have a specific type,"


    "And what type is that?" asked a curious Qie Ranzhe fighting the urge to reach out and touch his face.


    "The type with boobs, that''s my type," replied the pervy Wen Qinxi envisioning the type of girl that would be the future mother of his children.


    Qie Ranzhe glanced at the daydreaming Lin Jingxie thinking, ''You just haven''t met one who can move you enough to bend you to their own will. I have all the time in the world to make you dependant on me and by the time you realise it, it would be too late.''

 Chapter 28锛欶irst World: King-Sized Bed For Qie Ran

    With grand motivation, Master Lin went hard at work supervising the construction of the boys'' shelter without sparing any expense. He made sure that this house would meet the emperor''s standards just in case he ever found out that the prince grew up in his hometown. He built five common rooms that could fit two boys leaving extra space just in case the group of boys expanded. As for Qie Ranzhe''s room, it was designed to fit a prince with the best of everything.


    When Wen Qinxi saw it, he couldn''t help but be envious. This room was way better than his with an even more comfortable king-size bed. ''Why the fuck does he need a king-size bed for?'' thought Wen Qinxi lying on it making snow angels with his four limbs. "Jin! Get off Qie Ranzhe''s bed!" yelled Master Lin effectively chasing his son off.


    "Makes me wonder which one of us is your son between me and Qie Ranzhe?" sneered Wen Qinxi dashing out in time before a scroll was thrown in his direction. Today was the day the boys were moving in and the whole town had made such a grand affair celebrating as though it was new years.


    Wen Qinxi decided to slip away as he had more important matters to attend to which was collecting Qie Ranzhe''s sword. It pained him each time he saw him practise with a wooden sword like a ten-year-old. Though his skill was top-notch, that wooden sword might reduce his favorability points with Zhao Huangzhi so it had to go.


    It was time to gift Qie Ranzhe with his first big boy toy. ''Don''t you think you are messing with the plot a bit?'' asked Jolie as Wen Qinxi walked over to the expert ironsmith Master Lin had recommended. When he had mentioned it to Master Lin, the man eagerly gave him more money to add on and buy the best sword the ironsmith could craft.


    ''I heard you clearly before, this the fourth time you are asking me this question. He has great potential and deserves a great sword to practice with. Once the female lead gives him the legendary Hei An Zhi then he can swap it out. Quit worrying, I will tell him I am just lending him this sword,'' replied Wen Qinxi as he entered the shop forgetting he had engraved the sword with Qie Ranzhe''s name.


    ''Sure, whatever you say you are the boss,'' said Jolie in a dispirited tone but in actuality, it was already counting its winnings against Hei Bao and Xia Bai with an inner evil laugh.


    The ironsmith excitedly welcomed Wen Qi ready to show off the masterpiece he had made for young master Lin. The young man had been extremely fickle with a lot of requirements but his nit-picky details had allowed this ironsmith to produce one of his best creations. The man placed the case on the counter allowing the young master to open it for himself.


    When he opened the case, Wen Qinxi unsheathed the sword while having a massive freak out with teary eyes. He was dazzled by the slender devilishly sharp sword which was azure around its edges with a black fuller engraved with Qie Ranzhe''s name characters. The cross-guard was shaped like a blue phoenix with its wings spread out as though soaring into the sky and the grip blend with blue and black. Wen Qinxi was so thrilled his face flushed in excitement. In his hand, he was holding something he only saw in games and anime but now it was tangible shimmering under the sun rays.


    He only sheathed it back into its scabbard after the initial excitement wore off. Wen Qinxi could already imagine Qie Ranzhe dressed in black noble garments holding this sword while slaying his enemies. He carefully placed it back into the case and had just shut it when he felt something warm and tingly on his neck. "What are you doing?" said a charming deep voice ever so familiar to him.


    The hairs at the back of his neck rose in fright as he muttered, "Fuck!" while his entire body was frozen stiff. A startled Wen Qinxi jumped over the counter while grabbing the case ultimately hiding it behind his back. Qie Ranzhe didn''t expect that kind of reaction and so scowled curious about what Lin Jingxie was hiding. ''The fuck! Is he getting a gift for someone he doesn''t want me to know about?'' he thought leaning in over the counter gazing at him.


    "How did you know that I was here? Wear a fucking bell or something, you almost gave me a heart attack," said Wen Qinxi shoving the case on the shelf behind him. Well, that was a good question. Why was Qie Ranzhe here? He had been at the back of the crowd at the grand opening of their new home patiently waiting for Lin Jingxie to appear but the ceremony started and he still hadn''t made an appearance.


    Actually, he only showed up for that ceremony because he was anticipating to see Lin Jingxie but was disappointed when he didn''t see him. It only took a glare to make Lin Mingxu spill the beans informing him where he was but he didn''t expect him to be all secretive hiding some gift he made for someone.


    "Lin Mingxu told me," he said tilting to the side trying to see what Lin Jingxie was hiding, "What''s that?"


    "It''s nothing you don''t have to worry about it," replied Wen Qinxi hiding it deeper into the shelf.

 Chapter 29锛欶irst World: Eating Candy By The Riverside

    Watching Qie Ranzhe storming out of the shop in a terrible mood left Wen Qinxi speechless. "What the heck is he angry about?" said Wen Qinxi shaking his head while writing down an address and instructions, "May you please have someone deliver this to the written address and make sure they tell Manchu to place it in Qie Ranzhe''s room? So sorry to trouble you like this."


    "It would be my pleasure, Young Master Lin. I will personally handle it and you can tend to your friend he seems upset," replied the ironsmith taking the note from him with a warm smile on his face. He didn''t mind delivering the sword especially after making so much money.


    Wen Qinxi bid him farewell and ran after the miniature bull roaming the streets in anger. He found the sourpuss kicking an innocent trash can venting out his anger. ''What the fuck is wrong with him?'' thought Wen Qinxi edging closer to him while scratching his head in awe. He thought they were getting along just fine so why did Qie Ranzhe suddenly get angry? Wen Qinxi had to admit, his boss was extremely fickle with childlike mannerisms.


    "Let me guess, you are imagining my face on that trash can, aren''t you?" said Wen Qinxi draping his arm around Qie Ranzhe''s shoulders just like best buddies but Qie Ranzhe shrugged his arm off and walked away without saying a word. ''Are you fuckin serious right now?'' thought Wen Qinxi while contemplating on whether to follow him or not. He wasn''t up to dealing with a moody teenager but also didn''t want anything to go wrong compelling him to coax his childish boss.


    "Ahhh fuck it," he said running after Qie Ranzhe''s disappearing figure. He only managed to catch up with him after a while screaming in his mind, ''Curse those damn long legs of yours Qie Ranzhe!'' Wen Qinxi stood in front of him walking backwards with a nervous smile trying to coax him. "What got you so worked huh? Look your cheeks are so puffed up like a pufferfish," said Wen Qinxi gently poking Qie Ranzhe''s cheeks. Qie Ranzhe paused in his tracks for a moment touching were Lin Jingxie''s finger had poked. How could he stay mad after that?


    Qie Ranzhe moved aside and walked past him hiding a barely noticeable smirk before saying, "I have been busy practising these past few days that you already found someone to give love tokens to?"


    ''Love token my ass you ungrateful brat,'' thought Wen Qinxi walking alongside Qie Ranzhe with a sly grin all over his face. He couldn''t wait to see Qie Ranzhe''s reaction when he finds out the gift was for him. Wen Qinxi could already imagine him grovelling begging for forgiveness as he himself basked in the rays of victory.


    "Then why were you hiding it from me?" asked Qie Ranzhe ambling along the path gazing straight into Lin Jingxie''s eyes.


    Being stared at like that by Qie Ranzhe felt like a colony of hungry ants prickling at his cheeks reddening his face with shifty eyes. Wen Qinxi scanned around looking for something to distract Qie Ranzhe''s attention otherwise the jig will be up right now. He noticed a vendor selling some bing tanghulu (candied hawthorn stick) and said, "Um...look some bing tanghulu, you want some?" while pointing in the direction of the street vendor with a beaming smile. Qie Ranzhe was about to refuse but was a tad bit late with Lin Jingxie flying over there in an instant.


    He was fully aware of what Lin Jingxie was trying to do but didn''t have the energy to keep pressing the truth out of him. He was just glad that he got to spend time with him. Wen Qinxi scampered back holding two sticks before grabbing Qie Ranzhe''s wrist leading him out of the crowd, over the bridge and stopping at the riverside in the middle of town. Qie Ranzhe was stuck in a daze with his heart palpitating so fast staring at Lin Jingxie''s hand dragging him along that he didn''t even notice when they stopped running.


    "Here," said Wen Qinxi handing Qie Ranzhe both sticks before taking off his brocade boots and rolling up his pants with the intention of dipping his feet in the river while having a snack. This was one of the ways he passed time in the game, enjoying the beautiful scenery which was especially relaxing. Once done he took one bing tanghulu back while saying, "Eat, big brother bought this for you but you are not eating," to a daydreaming Qie Ranzhe.


    Qie Ranzhe finally snapped out of his trance shaking his head refusing but Wen Qinxi didn''t accept defeat as he took one hawthorn berry off the stick and gently shoved it into his mouth. This took Qie Ranzhe by surprise, blushing to the roots of his hair as he chewed watching Lin Jingxie walk over to the riverside before sitting down dipping his toes in the cool water. ''If you are being like that, how am I supposed to hold back?'' he thought walking over to sit next to him.


    Wen Qinxi glanced over at Qie Ranzhe who was drooping his head as though hiding something. He leaned closer tilting his head to see what Qie Ranzhe was hiding but all he saw was a flushed adorable face and couldn''t hold back teasing him. "Qie Ranzhe you must be feeling so hot, let this big brother cool you down," he said leaning so close to Qie Ranzhe''s face with a sly grin on his face. Qie Ranzhe flinched backwards looking at him when a few droplets of water were sprinkled in his face. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Cooled down enough?" said Wen Qinxi laughing his ass off at a rigid Qie Ranzhe tightly shutting his eyes.


    Qie Ranzhe wouldn''t be Qie Ranzhe if he didn''t retaliate and so he paid him back two-fold sprinkling water on his garments and face while chuckling. Wen Qinxi frowned saying, "You see this is why people don''t play pranks on you. You escalate things, do you always have to be this excessive?" cupping his hand planing to splash water back at him but his action abruptly stopped when he noticed a familiar gorgeous figure across the lake.


    "Wow!" he said gawking at the person on the other side evoking Qie Ranzhe''s curiosity as he followed Lin Jingxie''s line of sight. ''Shit!'' cursed Qie Ranzhe with a resentful look on his face.

 Chapter 30锛欶irst World: Enchantress

    A dazzling goddess had descended right in front of them with the cool breeze gently blowing her smooth silky hair like a glamorous scene in a movie. Her beautiful curves and flawless porcelain skin would have any man worshipping at her feet. She revealed an enchanting smile tucking away the stray strands of her hair as she spoke to a vendor who seemed bewitched to the point of giving her all his goods for free. Her elegant graceful mermaid-like motion made Wen Qinxi drool over her, he was truly envious of Mr boss man over here. ''Lucky bastard,'' thought Wen Qinxi rolling down his pants in a frenzy. He even staggered trying to put on his boots causing Qie Ranzhe to frown.


    Qie Ranzhe''s face was not looking good with all the blood drained from his face. For the second time today, he had guzzled down a year''s worth of vinegar and it wasn''t pleasant in the slightest. Watching Lin Jingxie excitedly put on his boots, Qie Ranzhe stood up and grasped his arm by the elbow asking, "Where do you think you are going? You brought me here but now you are just leaving?" as he glanced at the tanghulu that had long been discarded by Lin Jingxie.


    "Who said I am leaving you here? Hurry up before she disappears," he replied handing Qie Ranzhe his boots before he darted off in the direction she had disappeared to. Qie Ranzhe nervously bit his lower lip while frantically putting on his boots before running after Lin Jingxie, even he had to admit she was drop-dead gorgeous. Though he seemed calm, Qie Ranzhe was panicking not sure how to handle this situation. If Lin Jingxie decided to make her his girl he wouldn''t be able to deal with it.


    The thought of that temptress kissing Lin Jingxie made him so angry that he couldn''t let that happen, the only way that was happening was over his dead body. Its either he was going to sabotage Lin Jingxie or take that seductress down. Lin Jingxie belonged to him and him alone.


    Back in the game room, Hei Bao walked in with two chilled energy drinks only to hear Xia Bai curse at the top of his voice, "Shit!" while looking at the screen.


    Hei Bao scurried there with a panicked face asking, "What, what happened?" placing the cans down before adjusting his glasses scanning the screen.


    "Qie Ranzhe''s blackening value just shot up to 75% just like that. What the fuck did Wen Qinxi do?" he said pointing at the value that suddenly shot up like a mercury thermometer dipped in boiled water. The two men gazed at each other while initiating contact with Wen Qinxi in a panic. While all this was happening Jolie was enjoying the show wishing it had popcorn to go with it.


    Wen Qinxi who was tailing the beautiful goddess Zhao Huangzhi in stealth mode suddenly had his mind flooded by voices loudly scolding him for compromising the mission but he could barely make out what they were saying as they were both talking at the same time like a bunch of pre-school kids. ''How the fuck am I supposed to know what''s wrong when you are both talking at the same time?'' he scolded them in his mind trying to make sense of what they were saying. All he heard was blackening and fast.


    "Shut the fuck up Bao Bao, I will tell him," said Xia Bai placing his hand over Hei Bao''s mouth before explaining to Wen Qinxi what had them all worked up, "Its Qie Ranzhe, his blackening value just shot up to 75% which is even higher than it was when you first entered the game. You better bring it down before it reaches a point of no return."


    Wen Qinxi stopped peeping at Zhao Huangzhi at a jewellery stall and peered at the teenager crouching down next to him behind the bushes. Qie Ranzhe was tightening his mouth looking sickly pale with a resentful aura surrounding him. ''What the fuck,'' said a flinching Wen Qi in his mind when he momentarily made eye contact with Qie Ranzhe''s dark ice-cold phoenix eyes. ''Oh, l see what the problem is. The male god is drinking a bucket load of vinegar. He might have misunderstood the situation. He thinks I like Zhao Huangzhi thus explaining the blackening value. Let me fix it,'' he replied in his head while nudging Qie Ranzhe.


    "What do you think? You like her?" he asked leaning close in a whisper as they hid behind the bushes like a bunch of weird stalkers.


    An itchy pleasant feeling lingered where Lin Jingxie warm breath grazed Qie Ranzhe skin but that wasn''t enough to appease him answering in a cold tone, "Meh."


    "Meh what? That could be your future wife aren''t you supposed to be more excited instead your face looks like you just been hit by a truck. What more can l expect from a male god," he said still crouched down behind the bushes.


    "Wait, what do you mean by my future wife? You dragged me all the way here because you like her," said Qie Ranzhe with a quizzical expression. He couldn''t fathom what was going on in that smart brain of his.


    "Hahaha, I don''t stand a chance. Look at her she''s a fox and only a man like you can grab her attention," explained Wen Qinxi patting the guy''s shoulder twice while asking the boys in the game room for a report, ''Did it work?''


    "Phew, it drastically dropped to 10%, that was a close call," said Hei Bao before signing out.


    Hearing that, Qie Ranzhe was relieved with a suppressed smile on his face before asking, "Have you looked enough?" ready to continue with what they were doing before.


    He was about to stand up so they could go back but they were suddenly drenched in dirty water that had been used to gut fish. "Scram you perverts! Busy peeping on girls, you need a proper beating!" yelled a giant woman angrily waving around a fish scaler.


    "Run," said Qie Ranzhe grabbing Lin Jingxie''s wrist before dragged him along running away from the crazy lady. He could have easily dealt with her but cared more about holding Lin Jingxie''s hand taking advantage of the situation like a pro.


    "You cowards! You better run you fuckin pussies!" yelled the fishmonger struggling to chase after the two perverts. The sudden ruckus grasped Zhao Huangzhi''s attention as she followed the fishmonger''s line of sight. Her heart thumped when she saw a tall figure disappearing into the crowd.


    "Miss are you okay," asked Zhao Huangzhi''s servant out of concern for a dazed Zhao Huangzhi.


    "I am fine," she replied finally snapping out of her trance while looking back hoping to see him again. She couldn''t shake the feeling that she had finally met her match and could only hope to see him again.

 Chapter 31锛欶irst World: Gift or Love Token?

    The appalling stench of rotting fish filled the kitchen just as Qie Ranzhe walked in with a beaming smile on his face. The smell was too unbearable with Machu''s face turning green while gagging covering his nose, "Ran-ge you can''t get into your new room smelling like this, the stench will linger," said Machu moving a few steps back. What shocked him the most was the indifference on Qie Ranzhe''s face as though he couldn''t smell it. He was happily smiling with the reeking odour emanating from his body.


    "Mm," replied Qie Ranzhe still in a trance recalling the euphoric feeling of holding Lin Jingxie''s hand. He yearned for more but had to restrain himself otherwise he would expose himself and not be able to do it again.


    "I had the boys prepare a warm bath for you. This Lin Jingxie really came through for us, didn''t he? I never thought I would ever have a warm bath my entire life," said Machu extremely grateful otherwise they would have spent another cold winter freezing to death.


    Qie Ranzhe gently smiled before saying, "Yes, he''s awesome, isn''t he? I am going to take a bath then we can all have dinner together," before exiting the kitchen heading for the bathroom. By the time he was done, Qie Ranzhe felt so refreshed though still grinning like a fool putting on the clothes Manchu had brought to him. He couldn''t stop himself from smiling even if he tried and it was all because of Lin Jingxie. What could he do to repay this man''s kindness? He just didn''t know.


    A long table was set in the dining room with the ability to accommodate fifteen people. The room was nice and cool with eight boys sitting at the table patiently waiting for their older brother to arrive. As soon as he walked in, they were thrilled howling cheers at their elder brother for making this possible. Who could have thought they would have a home of their own with two meals a day and comfortable beds. To them, Lin Jingxie was truly a blessing in disguise.


    "No more excuses for some of you who hate bathing. No more using the icy cold river water as an excuse. I am talking about you Shuen," said Machu placing bowls of warm food in front of Qie Ranzhe. The boys broke down in laughter while Shuen tried to explain himself.


    "Even Ran-ge''s food is different from ours. Young Master Jin really treats Ran-ge well, I wish I had a friend like him," said another boy looking up in a daze when he felt a painful slap at the back of his head. "Ouch! What was that for?" he said with his brows knitted in a frown.


    "Don''t disrespect big brother Jin, if he was a girl he would have been your saozi (sister-in-law) so stop making googly eyes while talking about him," said Shufen half-jokingly.


    Qie Ranzhe''s heart skipped a beat when he heard the word saozi and couldn''t hold back saying, "Who says he has to be a girl for you to call him saozi?" with his eyes half-open while placing a saucy rib in his mouth. Everyone including Machu froze in place loss of words, they suddenly didn''t know how to react.


    "Um.....Ran-ge this.....," stuttered Manchu stupefied.


    "I like him but he doesn''t know so all of you better keep your fucking mouths shut," he spoke in a threatening tone without even looking up at them.


    "So the gift he gave you, is it a love token?" asked Xie Ruen who hadn''t said anything the entire time. Qie Ranzhe put down his chopsticks befuddled looking at Xie Ruen as though waiting for him to explain further but the boy was as quiet as a mouse with a downcast expression.


    Manchu could feel Qie Ranzhe''s patience running out and so continued from were Xie Ruen left off. "Oh, you haven''t gone to your room yet? An ironsmith delivered a gift for you earlier on. He said it was from young master Jin so I pl-," explained Machu before he was cut off by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. Qie Ranzhe rushed out of the room with Machu following behind directing him on where to go because Qie Ranzhe didn''t know where to go.


    In a few strides, Qie Ranzhe had reached his new room but didn''t have time to admire the exquisite decor scanning around for the so-called gift. Machu pointed at a familiar beautifully carved wooden case lying on the table. The same case that he had seen earlier on in Lin Jingxie''s hands. His heart thumped hard against his chest as he got closer. He remembered how upset he had been when Lin Jin hid this case from him and even went as far as assuming Lin Jingxie had gotten the gift for his lover.


    His legs grew weak with a shiver coursing down his spine, he exhaled trying to calm himself down before slowly opening the case. With the case open a dumbstruck Qie Ranzhe traced the scabbard with the tip of his finger in admiration. This was the first gift he had ever received, a gift from the subject of his affection.


    He casually placed his fingers on his forehead with his elbow on the table partially covering his bloodshot eyes while letting out a mysterious low chuckle. "Don''t think you can escape me when you pull such a sentimental stunt," he said before picking up the sword.


    If Manchu said he wasn''t terrified, he would be lying through his teeth. In all the years he had been by Qie Ranzhe''s side, he had never seen him like this. The extreme obsession in his crystal clear eyes were a phenomena Machu had only seen when the guy was practising and now that same drive was aimed at Lin Jingxie. He silently lit a candle for Lin family as they would never have a grandchild from their eldest son.


    Qie Ranzhe stood up and unsheathed the sword beaming with excitement like a child unwrapping his gift on Christmas. Machu was awe-inspired basking in Qie Ranzhe''s glory, he looked like a fierce warrior as he swung the sword with ease. Each movement was flowing as graceful as a swan with potent strikes. Qie Ranzhe admired his gift tracing the engraved characters with his fingertip before sheathing it while chuckling in a low tone.


    "I am going to see your saozi," he said before disappearing into the night heading towards the Lin Mansion.


    Machu finally recovered from his daze yelling after him, "But it''s late!" His words fell on deaf ears as Qie Ranzhe had already disappeared.

 Chapter 32锛欶irst World: Permission To See Lin Jin

    Date night is extremely crucial for any couple especially when you have troublesome kids and so the Lin couple were frolicking in the study with Madam Lin rewarding her husband for his charity work. She was messing around sitting in his lap pinching a grape between her plump lips trying to convince her husband to take a nibble and hopeful sneak in a sensual kiss in the process. Her seductive actions suddenly halted with both of them staring at the door.


    Madam Lin faced by that handsome face slid off her husband''s lap with a radiant smile. "My precious in-law is here, what a pleasant surprise. Don''t worry l am working on getting a daughter for you to marry, you just have to wait for her to grow up," she shamelessly confessed with an overjoyed look.


    "Qie Ranzhe slightly raised his head replying, "That won''t be necessary Madam Lin," with a barely noticeable smirk on his face. ''Why bother have a daughter when I already have your son,'' he thought to himself impatiently waiting to see Lin Jingxie again. A slack-jawed Master Lin couldn''t help but grumble finally understanding why his wife had been enthusiastic earlier.


    "Aiya.....so disappointing," she said pouting before pushing the blame on Master Lin, "Why couldn''t you give me girls? I would have been showing off at those snobbish tea parties." Master Lin shook his head annoyed by Qie Ranzhe''s sudden appearance. The boy was already behaving arrogantly now how would he behave then when he learnt that he''s a prince?


    "I apologise for my disrespectful intrusion but I just had to thank you for everything you did for me and the boys. We now have a roof over our heads to shield us from the harsh winter. I am truly grateful. Thank you so much for showing love to a couple of children that have never experienced it before," he said with his forehead touching the floor. What they had done for him was something most people wouldn''t or couldn''t do, he was forever indebted to them.


    Madam Lin walked over to him with sorrowful eyes as she helped him up. "No need for this, we apologise for not noticing sooner. We are grateful to Lin Jingxie for bringing this up. No need to thank us just take care of each other, okay? Don''t hesitate to let us know if you need anything," she said as her maternal instincts kicked in while patting Qie Ranzhe''s head. Madam Lin went back to her husband''s side wiping away her tears proud of Lin Jingxie for being considerate.


    "On that topic, there is something else I would like to ask of you?" said Qie Ranzhe slightly nervous though he didn''t really need their permission, he was going to ask anyway.


    "Sure, speak," said Master Lin expecting him to ask for a stallion or new clothes, whatever it was he was prepared to give and take care of this little prince. The child had suffered despite his birthright.


    Qie Ranzhe kowtowed before them again making his request, "May you grant me permission to see Lin Jingxie?"


    Master Lin knitted his brows together thinking, ''You two have been seeing each other for a long time even sneaking into my house at night so why bother asking? Just carry on being friends,'' clearly misunderstanding what Qie Ranzhe meant and the brat didn''t even bother clarifying.


    "You can see each other, no need to ask. Just stand up child, don''t kneel before us so much. Consider us your adopted parents," said Madam Lin while Qie Ranzhe stood up.


    Only then did Master Lin notice the sword Qie Ranzhe was holding, fascinated he asked, "Is that the sword Lin Jingxie designed? Let me see?" walking towards him to check out the masterpiece.


    He had thought Lin Jingxie was just going to design a simple generic sword but was gobsmacked when he unsheathed it. The man almost coughed out blood when he saw the magnificent piece of art. "Lin Jingxie designed this?" asked a disbelieving Master Lin. That brat had never gifted him with anything nice and yet he went as far as designing such an amazing sword for Qie Ranzhe. He couldn''t help but be envious while skillfully swinging the masterpiece.


    "Whenever you need to practice, you can come to me. We can have a friendly match amongst gentlemen," said Master Lin returning the sword to him, "You can go see Lin Jingxie, he is probably in his room." The last sentence was said in a dismissive tone as he was extremely jealous and couldn''t look at that sword anymore. The longer he stared at it the more he wished they could exchange with his not so impressive one. It would be like exchanging a Toyota with a Porsche, the kid would never agree.


    Qie Ranzhe thanked them both before eagerly running off towards Lin Jingxie''s room but as soon as his figure disappeared, Master Lin began to throw a fit. "That brat has never made something for me his own father but Qie Ranzhe gets a beautiful sword," complained Master Lin wishing he could punish Lin Jingxie.


    "Stop complaining darling, I am sure if you ask him, he will design one for you. Now stop messing around and play with me," she said sitting back on his lap with a coy smile.


    Master Lin grinned foolishly before saying, "But we aren''t making a baby. Two brats are enough," officially cock blocking himself.


    Madam Lin stood up storming out of the study yelling, "You are no fun!" with Master Lin following behind trying to coax her with no avail.


    ***


    While all this was happening in the study, Wen Qi and Lin Mingxu were spinning coins on the table out of boredom. The rules were that the player would spin their coins simultaneously and who ever''s coin flattens on the table first, would be the loser. The punishment being flicked on the forehead. Actually, Wen Qinxi was a pro at this and suggested this game to flick Lin Mingxu to pass time.


    Lin Mingxu was already on his thirteen flick with a pinkish small bump protruding on his forehead unwilling to accept defeat. He wanted to play until he had won against Lin Jingxie at least once and thus carried on. "Seriously Mingxu, haven''t you had enough? Father will be mad at us if the bump on your forehead swells any further?" complained Wen Qinxi feeling exhausted. He had even tried helping him by intentionally throwing the game but Lin Mingxu just couldn''t win.


    "No, I want to win at least once.....ahhh shoot! I lost again," said Lin Mingxu before leaning forward to receive his fourteenth punishment when they were interrupted by a gentle knock on the door.


    The two brothers looked at each other frozen stiff anticipating it to be Master Lin but they had completely forgotten that their father never knocked. He usually burst in like a swat team on a drug raid breaking down the door numerous times. Lin Mingxu panickingly hid the coins and covered himself with the quilt while Wen Qinxi walked over to open the door.


    Wen Qinxi frowned when he saw Qie Ranzhe standing by his door thinking, ''What the fuck is he being all formal for? Just use the fuckin window dude.'' Wen Qinxi didn''t even have the chance to say anything before he was embraced tightly like a kid cuddling a stuffed bear. His entire body was enveloped by Qie Ranzhe to the point where he couldn''t breathe.


    "Thank you," whispered Qie Ranzhe with his head buried deep into Wen Qinxi''s neck while holding on tightly as though afraid to lose him.


    "What the fuck!" yelled Lin Mingxu dropping the quilt while standing behind Lin Jingxie witnessing the ambiguous scene. Unlike Lin Jingxie, Lin Mingxu was not dense and that hug was more than what men should do unless maybe in mourning. His eyes were enlightened finally seeing through Qie Ranzhe. The devious man had impure thoughts towards his brother.

 Chapter 33锛欶irst World: Hugs

    Hugs since ancient times have been a symbol of cherishing one another imitating the action of enclosing one in a hedge but because of the modern culture hugging amongst men has always been heckled as unmanly or weak. Hence Wen Qinxi''s first reaction was to push Qie Ranzhe away feeling uncomfortable hugging his boss. But he restrained himself and endured when he recalled the gift he had given Qie Ranzhe, this was probably his way of showing gratitude.


    In the game, Qie Ranzhe had lived a hard life with everything as real to him as the NPCs which also deterred Wen Qinxi from rejecting him. Plus once in a while, we all need someone to embrace us regardless of gender or size. Wen Qinxi just wished Zhao Huangzhi could just show up now so he didn''t have to hug this big bear. After the initial shock wore off, he wasn''t as unease as before though he wasn''t sure if Qie Ranzhe should have lingered this long tickling his neck especially when the man whispered earlier saying thank you.


    "What the Fuck!" yelled Lin Mingxu effectively separating the two with one annoyed by his yelling and the other glaring at him like an angry beast that had been robbed of its dinner.


    "Seriously Ming-er, why are you yelling like that? You will get us into trouble," said Wen Qinxi pushing him back inside the room, "You want father to see that bump on your forehead? I am not going through that manure punishment because of you." Qie Ranzhe followed behind Lin Jingxie feeling dissatisfied while craving for more. That embrace opened his eyes to a whole new congenial mellow sensation which diffused from their point of contact spreading all over his body causing his heart to flutter. That particular feeling was addictive urging him to do it again.


    Lin Mingxu wanted to expose Qie Ranzhe but that threatening aura suppressed him into keeping his mouth shut. "Ming-er why don''t you go sleep early, Ran-ge and I have some matters to discuss," he said while tenderly soothing the reddish bump on Lin Mingxu''s forehead to ease the pain.


    "No Jin-ge let me stay with you tonight," said a mewling Lin Mingxu. He stooped as low as acting meng (cute) just as long as it chased off this big bad wolf. Lin Jingxie would have to drag him out of the room, that''s was the only way he was leaving. Nothing could shake his foundation, resolute in his decision.


    Wen Qinxi sighed while taking out a piece of paper from the chest by his bedside. He opened it slowly before flaunting it in front of Lin Mingxu as though waving a lollipop in front of a toddler. The drawing on the paper had been Wen Qinxi''s initial design for Qie Ranzhe''s sword but Lin Mingxu had taken a liking to it so he set it aside for bribery reasons though he didn''t expect to use it this early.


    Lin Mingxu had a sword gifted to him by his father which he practised with under the supervision of an expert swordsman but that sword was in no way as remarkable as the one designed by Lin Jingxie and he wanted it. With sparkling eyes, he followed the paper that was being flaunted in front of his face going as far as trying to snatch it. "Its all yours if you behave. Now be good and go to bed otherwise I will chew up this piece of paper and swallow it right now," said Wen Qinxi moving the paper closer to his mouth.


    The boy didn''t want to leave his brother in the clutches of an alpha but that sword was all he could dream about ever since he saw the design. He glanced over at Qie Ranzhe who had a sly grin on his face before glancing back at the paper with an arching heart. "Wait, wait, wait....," he said seizing Lin Jingxie''s wrist that was inching closer and closer, "I will listen just don''t hurt my precious baby," with a pained expression.


    Qie Ranzhe closed the door behind him and just like a greedy pup he shamelessly went in for another hug but Wen Qinxi blocked his path with an outstretched hand. "No need to thank me again," before strutting past him towards the table. Qie Ranzhe followed behind him struggling to repress the brewing feelings with a fixed smile on his face.


    "Is there anything you want to say to me?" asked Wen Qinxi ready to enjoy his well-deserved gloating moment. ''Hotheads like Qie Ranzhe deserve to have things rubbed in their faces,'' he thought with his arms on the table wearing a cunning smile while leaning forward towards Qie Ranzhe.


    Faced with such a handsome face taking great pleasure in his atonement, Qie Ranzhe''s cheeks felt so hot. He was slightly flushed which Wen Qinxi assumed to be due to embarrassment. ''Fuck! If only people in the office knew we have a bashful CEO,'' thought Wen Qinxi making a decision to spare this overbearing man who looked cute while blushing.


    ''Your fucking fangirls would be screaming their eardrums off if they saw you blush like that,'' he thought leaning back before sincerely asking, "Did you like it?"


    Qie Ranzhe shook his head in agreement while placing the sword on the table, "Mm, I love it. Thank you."


    Wen Qinxi stood up and sat next to him reducing the distance between them that their shoulders were practically rubbing against each other. ''You''re playing with fire Jin-ge,'' thought Qie Ranzhe watching Lin Jingxie unsheath the sword with a focused expression. He couldn''t think of anything else gazing at Lin Jingxie like a lovesick puppy ogling at a defenceless bone. If it weren''t for his vigilance, Qie Ranzhe would have been caught staring as Lin Jingxie abruptly turned to face him while asking, "Have you named it yet?"


    Qie Ranzhe shifted his eyes looking at the sword while scolding himself internally vowing to get a portrait of Lin Jingxie so he can ogle at it to his heart''s content. "Uhm not yet, I wanted you to help me with that," he said supporting his tilted head with his hand and his elbow on the table.


    "How about Zhifa zhe (the enforcer)?" suggested Wen Qinxi with a brooding countenance, "Or maybe Sishen (grim reaper)."


    "Whichever one you like," said a mesmerised Qie Ranzhe focusing on Lin Jingxie rather than his new toy.


    "Okay, let me sleep on it. By the way, this is on loan till you get a better one," he said sheathing the sword back before handing it to him. He stood up to change his clothes as Qie Ranzhe nodded in agreement knowing too well that there was no way he was going to let go of that sword even if he found one ten times better. The sword had his freaking name on it for heaven sake.


    While Lin Jingxie was changing behind the folding screen, Qie Ranzhe took advantage swiftly taking off his boots before jumping into bed while covering himself with the quilt pretending to be asleep. When Wen Qinxi emerged from behind the folding screen this is what he saw. A bulging bundled up furball under his quilt as quiet as a mouse. He couldn''t believe this idiot actually thought he was going to sleep here and so he reprimanded Qie Ranzhe.


    "Fuck this! Qie Ranzhe get up! You have a king-size bed at the shelter, a bed even more comfortable than mine!" trying to remove the quilt but he was fooling himself because Qie Ranzhe was much stronger than him tiring him out till he gave in. With a puffed up chest, he lay next to him expressing his grievances with no avail.


    "One more night I promise," said Qie Ranzhe inching closer to him faced with Lin Jingxie''s back.


    "Fine in exchange I get to have your king-sized bed all to myself for two night," said Wen Qinxi turning to face him with a crafty smirk. He really loved Qie Ranzhe''s new bed, it was like sleeping on a fluffy cloud.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly leaned in closer sniffing an enticing scent coming from Qie Ranzhe while crossing the boundary with innocent intentions. He had smelt it when Qie Ranzhe hugged him the first time and was now curious. The teenager was so close that Qie Ran could count Lin Jingxie''s lashes if he wanted too but that was the least of his concerns. His back stiffened with sweaty palms while cursing out of his mind. ''Fuck is he trying to kill me?'' thought Qie Ranzhe before Lin Jingxie retreated back.


    "What did you use?" asked a curious Wen Qinxi. He was genuinely asking wondering if some girl had gifted Qie Ranzhe with a fragrance or something. He didn''t care if it was from a girl as long as Qie Ranzhe committed himself to Zhao Huangzhi when she finally made her debut. ''You can have your fucking harem, no judgement here,'' thought Wen Qinxi applauding the handsome playboy but soon fell in disappointment when he found out where the scent came from.


    "It was in the bathroom, your mother gave us some fragranced bars. The whole shelter smelt like flowers today," he replied finally calming his fluttering heart.


    "You always fucking get the good stuff. You know l am stuck with fucking lavender yet you are bathing in roses. So unfair," said Wen Qinxi before turning around with his back facing Qie Ranzhe again.


    A disappointed Qie Ranzhe didn''t say anything for a long time fighting off the urge to cuddle Lin Jingxie. "I can give it to you," said Qie Ranzhe but only got a snore in response. With a warm smile, he turned to lie on his back saying, "I will give you everything I own as long as you stay by my side."

 Chapter 34锛欶irst World: Babysitting Big Babies

    They say time moves slowly when you are bored such is the case for Wen Qinxi as winter passed by restraining his movements. Winter was actually more eventful than he was willing to admit. He took advantage of Qie Ranzhe''s king-sized comfortable bed numerous times claiming payment for tutoring all the boys especially Qie Ranzhe. He didn''t want him mocked in the future when he entered the palace and thus taught him various things since that was his skill.


    Other than the tutoring, Qie Ranzhe trained every day at the Lin Mansion alongside Lin Mingxu though they seemed to clash heads all the time. Lin Mingxu trained so hard just to win at least once against Qie Ranzhe but it was all pointless. Qie Ranzhe was like an undefeated powerful hybrid constantly winning against him and it only got worse as the training progressed. Even Master Lin struggled to beat Qie Ranzhe narrowly claiming victory each time but that wasn''t the most frustrating part. Master Lin noticed a pattern that was only after it happened the fourth.


    The first time it occurred was when Lin Mingxu''s instructor who had been training him since he was five years old abruptly quit out of blue. This happened three more times until Master Lin decided to investigate. It turns out whenever Lin Jingxie was around which rarely happened, Qie Ranzhe would ruthlessly subdue the trainer as though flaunting his skills like a teenager showing off in front of his crush. Of course, Master Lin didn''t know that''s what Qie Ranzhe was doing but all he knew is that it had something to do with Lin Jingxie so he banned his son from showing his face during practice.


    Since Qie Ranzhe couldn''t show off anymore, he resorted to a classic sympathy tactic which was very childish if you ask me. He would run over to Lin Jingxie after training with the silliest of wounds just so that he could be close to him which Lin Mingxu retaliated by showing off even more terrible wounds left by Qie Ranzhe while training. Such was Wen Qinxi''s life, tending to two big babies.


    He was so fed up constantly annoying Jolie asking the same question over and over again. Wen Qinxi wanted to know when Qie Ranzhe can finally meet up with the goddess Zhuo Huangzhi so he can relieve himself of babysitting the clingy CEO. The day he had been looking forward too finally arrived with a conventional ''save the damsel in distress'' stunt and all he had to do was lead Qie Ranzhe in the right direction.


    Wen Qinxi swaggered out of the mansion that day with a spring in his step while grinning from ear to ear. But he hadn''t gone far when he heard Lin Mingxu calling after him requesting they should go together. Wen Qinxi didn''t even mind bringing him along as he was too happy to care. They headed into the forest because that''s were Jolie had said Qie Ranzhe would be. When they got there, Qie Ranzhe was in the middle of giving some tips to Machu and the rest of the boys in hand to hand combat.


    Machu was in the middle with Qie Ranzhe while the rest of them circled around forming a ring. Wen Qinxi watched Qie Ranzhe from afar unwilling to disturb their training. These boys needed this training which would be useful in the future when their older brother would be officially recognised as a prince. He noticed that Qie Ranzhe had somehow grown taller as he had to look down on Machu while speaking to him. It was incredible how a balanced diet had activated a growth spurt in Qie Ranzhe making Wen Qinxi almost one head shorter than him.


    ''Even in fucking game you still shine,'' sneered Wen Qinxi patiently waiting for him to finish. Qie Ranzhe was so immersed in his tutorial that he only noticed Lin Jingxie when Machu pointed at him. He glanced over at Lin Jingxie watching that handsome figure dazzling under the sunlight. Qie Ranzhe grinned as Lin Jingxie waved at him while the boys silently whispered to each other. Only Lin Mingxu noticed the atmosphere wasn''t right. He had wanted to tell Lin Jingxie but Qie Ranzhe threatened to make his life difficult during training and so he gave up on the idea as he was fully aware of what Qie Ranzhe was capable of.


    Qie Ranzhe finished explaining and had Manchu come at him one more time but that didn''t end well for him as Qie Ranzhe''s showing off spirit suddenly made its comeback. He basically became a bit more aggressive than usual taking him down in one go with Machu painfully tumbling to the ground. As his body slammed to the ground with a loud thud, the boys cringed backwards lighting a candle for their second in command hoping Qie Ranzhe would spare him. In a split second, Qie Ranzhe had Machu in a sharpshooter twisting his leg with minimum force but his opponent was in excruciating pain with the veins on his flushed face bulging out. "Ran-ge I yield, fuck!" said Machu with an ugly expression before Qie Ranzhe released him.


    Qie Ranzhe helped him up while checking if he was okay but Machu stopped him. "Aiyo...you almost broke my leg," he said while rubbing his sore muscles, "Though I wouldn''t mind losing it if it gets you saozi." The last part was said in a whisper as a smirk appeared on Qie Ran''s face.


    ''Fuck! his so full of himself,'' thought Wen Qinxi leaning backwards to create some distance between them. He suddenly felt a lingering tingling sensation were Qie Ranzhe''s warm breathe had grazed his skin. ''Jolie, let''s get this protagonist his leading lady before I kill him with my bare hands,'' he instructed the system.


    ''Sureeeee, let''s do that,'' replied Jolie fighting off the urge to laugh at him.

 Chapter 35锛欶irst World: He Likes Me Too

    Sometimes all a man needs is a woman to keep him in check, at least that''s what Wen Qinxi thought faced by the lively tall jerk, Qie Ranzhe. He couldn''t help but wonder if Qie Ranzhe had been this troublesome in high school but they weren''t close enough for him to make comparisons. Wen Qinxi just had to make up an excuse to get him to the part of the forest where Zhao Huangzhi was currently caught in a trap but couldn''t come up with a good excuse blurting out some lame reason.


    "Qie Ranzhe would you like to come with me to the east side of the forest? I need to.....ah....pick some dragon fruit? I am craving them," said Wen Qinxi lying through his teeth thinking, ''If he falls for that bullshit then I am a fucking cat.''


    Qie Ranzhe gazed into his shifty crystal clear eyes keenly observing him. "Don''t you have servants for that? If you want some alone time with me just say so," he teased Lin Jingxie with a mischievous look on his face.


    "Yeah, yeah sure I want to spend more time with you. Let''s go," he said grabbing Qie Ranzhe''s elbow leading him forward. ''Let''s go before someone steals your princess,'' thought Wen Qinxi picking up his pace but his path was soon blocked by Lin Mingxu with a wan visage.


    "Dage let me come with you," said Lin Mingxu glancing over at the sly big bad wolf standing behind Lin Jingxie. He was terrified of those empty cold eyes, eyes as dark as the deepest part of a lake that sent shivers down his spine. But for his brother''s sake, he toughened up, standing his ground.


    Wen Qinxi pulled the troublesome child by hand getting him out of the way. If he brought Lin Mingxu along it might mess up his plan thus he had to ditch the kid. "Be good and stay here with Machu. I will be right back," he said continuing the sentence in his mind, ''hopefully by myself while this bad boy spends time with his girlfriend.''


    Lin Mingxu wanted to retort but Lin Jingxie''s stern expression deterred him. His plans had never been successful and everything he tried only got these two closer. It was time to execute operation ''find a new saozi'' so as to sink Qie Ranzhe''s ship and force him to abandon hope. Lin Mingxu was fairly aware of the type of girl Lin Jingxie liked, all he had to do now was convince Madam Lin which would make his plan fall into place. ''Hahaha your days are fucking numbered Qie Ranzhe,'' he thought stepping aside to let them through.


    "I will make you a midnight snack tonight," said Wen Qinxi seeing how upset Lin Mingxu was. He looked just like a toddler watching their parent leave the house with teary eyes. Yep, Wen Qinxi was a sucker for tears, let''s just hope Qie Ranzhe wouldn''t figure that out otherwise it would be weird to watch him tear up all the time just to get Lin Jingxie''s attention.


    Wen Qinxi led the way with Jolie''s guidance but seeing how remote the part of the forest was, he couldn''t help but ask, ''Why is Zhao Huangzhi all the way here anyway? This is just too isolated for a lady to be out here all by herself?'' he asked Jolie while jumping over a protruding root.


    ''How am supposed to fuckin know what goes on in that pretty head of hers,'' replied the irritated system. It hoped Zhao Huangzhi wouldn''t screw things up for it, it had money on the line.


    ''You think too much boss. Leave him here and everything will go as planned,'' said the system displeased by the arrangement.


    ''Okay,'' he replied to Jolie while turning around to face Qie Ranzhe who was beaming as though he had just won first place. ''Why is fuckin smiling like that?'' thought Wen Qinxi scrutinising his face.


    Qie Ranzhe was just to happy spending time with Lin Jingxie that he let his emotions slip while ogling at him. The fact that his crush wanted to spend time with him made Qie Ranzhe feel a heart-warming sensation all over his chest. His wayward brain actually deduced that maybe Lin Jingxie liked him too causing his heart to skip a beat.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t feel like questioning him as he wanted Qie Ranzhe in a great mood before meeting up with Zhao Huangzhi. He moved closer straightening Qie Ranzhe''s clothes in a motherly way. The intimate action had a parched Qie Ranzhe gulping as he stepped forward closing the gap while nervously rubbing his balled-up fist with his thumb. His mind was racing with overwhelming thoughts mulling over whether he should make a move and kiss Lin Jingxie first or not. He had no idea a fruit run could lead to this kind of situation.


    The youth stretched out his hand towards Qie Ranzhe''s coiffured hair and stroked it a couple of times effectively taming some stray strands. Qie Ranzhe froze in place as feel-good hormones coursed through his veins exciting each nerve in his body. This kind of stimulation had him throwing all rationality out the window inching closer to Lin Jingxie''s enchanting face. Just as he brazenly leaned down, Wen Qinxi suddenly turned away completely oblivious of Qie Ranzhe''s intentions.


    "Nice, just wait here for me, I will be right back," said Wen Qinxi before excitedly running off leaving behind a puzzled Qie Ranzhe. Wen Qinxi ran so far away only stopping when he reached the edge of the small hill near the river. "Jolie, you sure this is going to work?" asked Wen Qinxi struggling to catch his breath with both his hands on his lower back breathing heavily.


    "No worries boss everything will go according to plan," replied Jolie while provoking a nearby sounder of wild boars as this system never fucked around when it came to money.

 Chapter 36锛欶irst World: I Will Make You Mine

    The anxiety one feels when their date suddenly ditches them is what Qie Ranzhe was feeling as he paced back and forth impatiently waiting for Lin Jingxie too come back. He couldn''t help but wonder if he had taken things too far causing Lin Jingxie to flee from him. Qie Ranzhe scratched his head constantly looking in the direction he had run off to contemplating on whether to follow him or not. He really felt like punching himself for being too brazen earlier. Lin Jingxie was like a cat that had to be coaxed into liking you and he had just cornered that cat causing it to flee.


    Qie Ranzhe felt so stupid deciding to clear things up with Lin Jingxie and was about to follow his footsteps when sudden cries for help grasped his attention. He paused in his tracks looking back at where the frightful cries were coming from. The urge to go after Lin Jingxie was intense but he just couldn''t walk away from someone who needed help. With a clenched jaw, Qie Ranzhe followed the sound only to find a girl hanging upside down in a tree with her ankles tied by a rope. She had stumbled upon one of the traps set by hunters to catch prey.


    Because she was upside down, her dress was complying with gravity exposing her sensual lavish thighs. She was pinching her garment in between her thighs to stop it from riding any further down. At least it was covering her punani otherwise Qie Ranzhe would have seen everything. Zhao Huangzhi could sense someone''s arrival but the person didn''t make a sound to make their presence known. She swung around looking for the culprit while yelling, "What are you staring a-?" before she abruptly paused dazzled by Qie Ranzhe''s charming appearance.


    Qie Ranzhe was lazily leaning against a tree trunk with his arms folded across his chest all nonchalant as she swung around to face him. His was busy pondering on whether he should just walk away because to him it didn''t make sense why a girl would wander here all alone in a remote part of the forest.


    If he saved her then she would never learn her lesson. He was about to walk away when his muscles tensed up recognising her face. She was the seductress that bewitched Lin Jingxie the other day. ''Why would I save my love rival, fuck this,'' he thought taking a step with every intention of walking away.


    Zhao Huangzhi had been blushing profusely having a cherry blossom moment that one would say it was love at first sight. Her heart was pounding against her chest drooling over those alluring phoenix eyes staring back at her. Her eyes tracked downwards admiring his full lips wondering if they would taste as sweet as they looked. His masculine build had her curious, she just wanted to touch him. Her pervy thoughts only dispersed when she saw him turning to walk away causing her to panic.


    Despite her status, she didn''t care about his background. That boy had to be hers and she was going to make it happen whatever means necessary. Besides, she knew a poor boy was much easy to control especially when they fall helplessly in love.


    She didn''t expect to get lost and find herself falling into a trap. She had been hanging upside down for almost an hour with a flushed face and veins bulging out. Who would have known the boy would deliver himself to her but she didn''t anticipate his attitude towards her to be so taciturn.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t even stop when she called out to him and so Zhao Huangzhi pled with him some more hoping to sway his heart. "I will give anything you want just please let me down," said a desperate Zhao Huangzhi with tears flowing down into her dangling hair. He only stopped when he heard her sniffles blackmailing him into assisting her. Qie Ranzhe walked over scolding her before landing a hand, "A beautiful girl like you shouldn''t be hanging out in the forest all by herself. If you hadn''t met me and ran into an even worse character, what kind of ending would you have had?"


    Zhao Huangzhi only heard the ''beautiful girl'' remark blocking her from hearing the rest thinking, ''As expected you aren''t immune to my looks,'' while wearing a timid countenance. Qie Ranzhe unsheathed his sword and was about to cut the rope when he heard Zhao Huangzhi whining, "Wait don''t cut it I will fall do- AHAHAHAH!" The screams were when he ignored her protest and cut the rope. She came down at light speed shutting her eyes anticipating the impending pain but she was suddenly cushioned from her fall landing straight into Qie Ranzhe''s arms.


    This is like every girl''s dream, landing in the arms of a handsome hero in such a romantic set up and so Zhao Huangzhi wholly enjoyed it that is for a brief moment. Qie Ranzhe suddenly dropped her like a hot potato saying, "No need to thank me, I don''t want anything from you."


    He was about to walk away when he suddenly sensed an incoming stampede heading their direction. Zhao Huangzhi was still on the ground rubbing her sore butt when she noticed the vigilant look on her prince charming. She quickly put on a helpless wounded animal expression asking, "Wh-whats wrong?" while getting back on her feet. Her fingers reached out to grasp his sleeve but she was instantly hauled into the tree just as the herd of angry wild boars approached their vicinity.


    "Shit!" cursed Qie Ranzhe running towards the direction Lin Jingxie had run off to earlier leaving behind a damsel clinging onto a branch holding on for dear life. She watched his disappearing figure being chased after by pissed off wild boars thinking, ''I will make you mine.''

 Chapter 37锛欶irst World: Kissing A Beautiful Mermaid

    A lie is like a seed, you can either leave it exposed having the truth show itself immediately or bury it but one day it would eventually sprout and rise above the ground for everyone to see. The same applies to the lie Wen Qinxi told Qie Ranzhe about getting dragon fruit which had him in a panic as he stood right at the edge of the hill. What concerned him the most was Qie Ranzhe''s reading too much into his plan and think that he was in cohorts with Zhao Huangzhi. Coincidences like that rarely happened and Qie Ranzhe wasn''t stupid, he would eventually piece things together.


    "Fuck Jolie can''t you help me out here? If he thinks I am associated with Zhao Huangzhi he will get jealous and blacken like last time. Qie Ranzhe is fuckin crazy you know that," said a panicked Wen Qinxi pacing up and down. He didn''t want Qie Ranzhe to think he was interested in his soon-to-be girlfriend as she was the reason he had been going nuts in the game all this time.


    "You''re overthinking this, just relax everything is going according to plan," replied the system while smiling within. Whose plan exactly was going according to plan? Wen Qinxi''s or Jolie''s?


    "Isn''t there a fruit tree around here? I can just say that I couldn''t find dragonfruit and got another one instead," said Wen Qinxi gently knocking his own noggin while reprimanding himself for coming up with such a weak excuse. The system didn''t feel like dealing with the crazy today and so quietly slipped away without Wen Qinxi even noticing. He kept babbling thinking he wasn''t alone, "Maybe I can say that I didn''t fee-," he paused when he saw Qie Ranzhe running towards him like a velociraptor charging towards a helpless prey.


    "What the fuck! AHAHAHAH Jolie his coming to kill," yelled Wen Qinxi with his legs growing weak in fright.


    Wen Qinxi turned on his heel to run for his life but had no means to escape. It was either death by Qie Ranzhe''s hand or drowning as he still didn''t know how to swim. The system watched this hilarious showdown mockingly saying, ''Drama King.''


    With beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead and his entire body numb, Wen Qinxi looked like he had just seen a ghost as he braced for impact. "Ran-ge let''s talk about this like gentlemen," he said in a shaky tone trying to negotiate with a crazed manic which was pointless. Qie Ranzhe lunged forward grabbing him by the waist as they fell off the cliff heading straight for the bone-chilling lake.


    Falling off the cliff was a massive sensory overload for Wen Qinxi with a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins mixed in with fear. Faced with Qie Ranzhe''s reassuring smile as he tightened the grip on his waist Wen Qinxi''s fear dispersed replaced with an overwhelming sense of trust and so he closed his eyes letting his body free fall. He couldn''t even understand why this eliminated his fear but his body was honest surrendering to the fall with no anxiety.


    Soon their huddled up bodies slammed into the water with a loud splash diving towards the bottom. The impact was exceptionally strong causing them to separate from each other. Unfortunately for Wen Qinxi, his head smashed against a rock immediately losing consciousness with his body drifting in the cold dark waters.


    Qie Ranzhe felt the warmth in his arms disappear forcing him to open his eyes only to discover he had lost his special someone. He began frantically searching for Lin Jingxie with great trepidation. The thought of losing this person caused an endless twisting sharp pain in his chest as he gradually sank deeper into an overwhelming sea of despair with each passing second. Qie Ranzhe had to find him otherwise his life would be over with nothing to live for.


    In an infinite dark abyss, a delusional Wen Qinxi saw a hand reach out to him before grasping his arm pulling him up towards the light. He looked up to see who had saved him only to find a divine sparkling turquoise fin swaying in a fluid motion just like a fish. His eyes moved further up to see their face. He was soon met by a gorgeous face smiling back at him with twinkling eyes. ''Wow a mermaid,'' he thought hypnotised by her bewitching out of this world beauty.


    They soon reached the surface emerging from the dark depths into the warm sun. Wen Qinxi could finally breathe again happy to be alive saved by a dazzling goddess with a fin. The mermaid''s fin was instantly surrounded by a shimmering white light before transforming into human legs.


    Wen Qinxi thought she was just going to feel his forehead or something but she leaned closer and closer till her cold lips touched his trembling lips. His entire body was hit with a pleasurable electric shock migrating from the point of contact to the rest of his body. All of sudden, his body seemed a few degrees warmer craving for more like his life depended on it. She pulled away but Wen Qinxi draped his arm around her neck pulling her closer deepening the kiss while sucking out all the warmth like a gluttonous pig.


    With the tip of his unruly tongue, Wen Qinxi licked her lips causing her to slightly quiver but he didn''t let her go that easy. He gently slid his tongue past her lips invading her mouth with no restraint. This instigated a barely audible moan as she eagerly welcomed the intrusion. Like a kissing veteran, Wen Qinxi took the lead as their tongues engaged in a sensual dance rousing a docile sensual beast with an erratic heartbeat pulsing through his lips. A sudden burst of feel-good hormones awakened every nerve ending in his body viciously inciting a blood rush towards his joystick south of the border.

 Chapter 38锛欶irst World: Qie Rans point of view

    The dark eerie depths had Qie Ranzhe frantically swimming searching for Lin Jingxie but no matter how hard he looked he couldn''t find him. The longer he stayed underwater the more light-headed he felt due to the lack of oxygen. Time was running out for both of them as there was no way he was going to resurface without Lin Jingxie. If Lin Jingxie was going to die then they would die together.


    Just when he had accepted their impending demise, he suddenly noticed a faint figure adrift a few meters away from him. On his last stride, he grasped an unresponsive Lin Jingxie''s arm before swimming up towards the surface. In a frenzy desperate to save him, Qie Ranzhe carried the corpse-like Lin Jingxie out of the water before placing him on the ground. The boy''s frozen lips were deep purple and his entire body still with no signs of life.


    Qie Ranzhe shook him a couple of times calling out to him but the boy was still unresponsive. Engulfed in fear, dreading the worst he gently slapped his face trying to wake him. "Jin-ge! Jin-ge wake-up please," he called out in a heartwrenching trembling voice openly expressing the pain he felt in his heart. In a last-ditch effort to save him, Qie Ranzhe sat on top of him with his knees either side of Lin Jingxie waist before administering CPR.


    Thinking nothing of it except saving Lin Jingxie, he placed his left hand on his chest before covering it with the heel of his right hand interlocking the fingers of both hands together. He repeated thirty chest compression but Lin Jingxie wasn''t responsive compelling Qie Ranzhe to administer rescue breaths. He tilted Lin Jingxie''s head while lifting the unconscious boy''s chin to open his airway. He tried to keep a level head delivering rescue breaths three times and was about to do it a fourth time when Lin Jingxie finally reacted but it wasn''t what he expected.


    The guy licked his bottom lip in a provocative manner living behind a tingly sensation clouding Qie Ranzhe''s judgement. In a panic, he tried to pull away and wake him up but Lin Jingxie draped his arms around his neck pulling him back in place while prying open his mouth in an invasive manner. A wide-eyed Qie Ranzhe watched as the greedy Lin Jingxie deepened the kiss with no reservations. Normally, Qie Ranzhe is a strong reserved person with great self-control but being subjected to continuous stimulation from the person he liked he couldn''t hold back even if he tried.


    Qie Ranzhe closed his eyes fully succumbing to Lin Jingxie''s provocation letting him do as he pleased. His vigilance and anxiety gradually lessened allowing him to experience the stupendous sensation that came with kissing the one you love. Lin Jingxie''s imposition roused a longing that Qie Ranzhe had never experienced before as an electric current spread throughout his entire body instigating a suppressed moan. It felt so good all over as a surge of hormones took over his body muddling his mind in the process.


    A raging sea of pleasure stirred up his usually well-behaved member standing as straight as a ramrod. Things were starting to spiral out of control with both of them aroused by their intimate actions. One of them had to put an end to this and that person was Qie Ranzhe. His involuntarily twitching member brought him back to his senses separating himself from Lin Jingxie. Qie Ranzhe had to use a little force because Lin Jingxie wasn''t willing, holding on tightly as though clinging for dear life.


    Finally free, Qie Ranzhe lay on the ground right next to him taking deep breaths to calm himself down. A light chuckle escaped from deep within chest while covering his eyes with his palm. He was just too ecstatic mixed with other indescribable feelings. That kiss was his downfall, for Lin Jingxie he would betray his nation just to feel those soft lips on his again.


    Wen Qinxi finally rose from his slumber sitting up straight while violently coughing as he struggled to regulate his breathing. Qie Ranzhe pursed his lips before stretching out his hand to pat Lin Jingxie''s back wondering if he remembered their sensual escapades. Of course, Wen Qinxi knew nothing about what had just happened. All he knew is that he was having a spring dream which was suddenly cut off just when things were getting good. He wasn''t in a good mood and his victim could only be Qie Ranzhe.


    "Qie Ranzhe what the fuck! You know I can''t swim so why did you have to act so impulsively," said Wen Qinxi trying to watch his words not to incite Qie Ranzhe again.


    Qie Ranzhe moved closer to him observing the nick on his head, it was the cut from hitting his head on the rock underwater. He only replied when he was sure it wasn''t serious. "There was a group of crazed wild boars chasing me. I had no choice," he replied gazing into Lin Jingxie''s captivating eyes, "Am sorry."


    Wen Qinxi suddenly remembered something and asked while tightly gripping Qie Ranzhe''s arm. "How about Zha-.... ahem, nevermind," he said before stopping himself when he remembered Qie Ranzhe hadn''t mentioned meeting Zhao Huangzhi yet. ''Fuck! Almost admitted to a crime," he thought letting go of Qie Ranzhe''s arm.


    Qie Ranzhe clearly heard the Zha- word and instantly knew who he was referring to but couldn''t understand how Lin Jingxie knew they had met. Where they in on this together? A flood of confusing questions filled his mind as he scrupulously scrutinised Lin Jingxie''s face making sure not to miss any slight change in expression.


    Under Qie Ranzhe''s intent gaze, Wen Qinxi felt his face heating up feeling vulnerable. Qie Ranzhe didn''t miss any of his physical reactions confirming his suspicions. ''What other secrets are you hiding Jin-ge?'' he thought choosing not to expose him yet. He gently pressed Lin Jingxie''s wound asking, "Can you feel that? Is it painful?"


    He didn''t waste any time shedding off his clothes to hang them dry otherwise he would be subjected to another ridiculous punishment. Qie Ranzhe''s already calm heartbeat skyrocketed again with flushed ears while stammering, "Wh-what are you...." unable to finish off his sentence faced with a shirtless Lin Jingxie.


    "They will dry faster, come on take yours off. You can''t risk catching a cold," he replied while hanging his garments on a bushy shrub. By the time he was done, he found a flabbergasted Qie Ranzhe still dressed with the tips of his ears red. A complacent Wen Qinxi folded his arms across his chest before saying, "You want me to take them off for you?" teasing him with a mischievous grin on his visage.


    "No need!" replied bashful Qie Ranzhe cursing within, ''Fuck, fuck, fuccccckkk!''

 Chapter 39锛欶irst World: Loving You In Secret

    Contrary to common belief, overstimulation is an actual thing and one of its victims today would be Qie Ranzhe He had been kissed and not just a peck but the type of kiss that would make any fujoshi scream their lungs out. His torment didn''t end there, he was now faced with a shirtless Lin Jingxie prancing around oblivious to the suffering he was inflicting.


    It was both a good and bad thing, a good thing because Qie Ranzhe got a treat he never thought he would feast on this early and a bad thing because if he enjoyed it too much he might expose himself too early. That was all going on in Qie Ranzhe''s head while gazing at that luscious supple skin enticing the urge to savour every inch of Lin Jingxie''s body. Such is the torment he suffered as he could only look but not touch.


    Under Lin Jingxie''s coercion, Qie Ranzhe slowly undressed feeling vulnerable and insecure. He had never cared how he looked before casually taking off his shirt with no care in the world. But in front of Lin Jingxie, he suddenly had an overwhelming desire to get his approval putting himself under pressure. If Lin Jingxie didn''t like it, he would make sure to change to his satisfaction thats how much he liked Lin Jingxie.


    Qie Ranzhe heard his comment while hanging his clothes concealing his true emotion with expressionless look. That didn''t last because as soon as he turned around he bumped into Lin Jingxie''s standing right in front of him with an appealing expression staring at his chest. They were dangerously too close for comfort with Lin Jingxie''s warm breath brushing against his sensitive skin especially the dots on his chest that had somehow been stimulated awake.


    "What are you doing?" asked Qie Ranzhe in hoarse voice with a blank expression. This was just too much in one day, at this pace he might end up doing something he did regret slowly inching closer to his breaking point.


    Wen Qinxi riveted on him with admiration gleaming in his eyes asking, "Can l touch, your chest is just fuckin toned? Maybe l should start training too," not even waiting for his permission poking at Qie Ranzhe''s abs with his fingertips fascinated.


    Qie Ranzhe peered at a certain someone poking at him as though tapping a keypad on a touch screen while chatting online. Wen Qinxi didn''t know he was playing with fire and was stunned when Qie Ranzhe grasp his wrist saying, "Haven''t you touched enough?" with a set smile.


    Feeling guilty for getting carried away, Wen Qinxi moved a step back smiling thinly while apologizing. "Ah, Ran-ge no need to be upset. It''s just that you look so good that l couldn''t resist. I envy you, you make me want to train too so l can look like that," he earnestly replied inspecting his own body. At least he didn''t bring his little pouch with him in the game otherwise he wouldn''t have the confidence to be shirtless right now.


    "No need for that," replied Qie Ranzhe taking a swift glance at him, "You are perfect just the way you are." Translation ''you are just my type''.


    Wen Qinxi stopped giving himself a body exam and lay down on his back on the warm sand sighing. "You are such a fuckin liar Qie Ranzhe. Is it because you don''t want me to look as good as you do so you can keep all the girls to yourself," he said half-jokingly while gazing up to the blue sky. He immersed himself into the calm serene environment gradually releasing the tension in his body.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t say anything, he walked over and lay next to him in silence enjoying Lin Jingxie''s company wondering if this boy beside him would ever love him or he was destined to always love him in secret. A warm tingling sensation lingered on his lips reminding him of what they had just done. He traced his lips with his index finger fantasizing about all the smutty things he would love to do with Lin Jingxie. Qie Ranzhe glanced sideways towards him only to find Lin Jingxie sleeping soundly with no care in the world.


    Qie Ranzhe shift over to lay on his side while drooling over Lin Jingxie with no restraint etching in his memory every inch of Lin Jingxie so he did never forget him even when they are apart. "Will you take responsibility?" he whispered gently rubbing Lin Jingxie''s flushed cheek under the sunlight.


    ***


    Just as the sun sank into the horizon Qie Ranzhe finally returned to the shelter after walking Lin Jingxie home which he immensely enjoyed. This could be deemed as the best day of his life a day he would forever treasure. With a broad smile, he sashayed into the shelter greeting everyone along the way walking on air. In two minutes everyone knew Ran-ge was in an excellent mood and that something great must have happened.


    News had already reached Manchu''s ears arriving by Qie Ranzhe''s room in a split second. He found the door ajar with the youth holding clean clothes while shoving a neatly folded piece of paper into his pocket. He was fully aware of what was on that paper and so coughed averting his gaze. "Ahem.....Ran-ge anything good happened?" asked an expectant Machu hoping that his older brother had finally captured saozi''s heart.


    "I am going to bath," replied Qie Ranzhe unwilling to divulge the juicy information as he slid past him with a lazy smile. He took two strides before looking back at Machu and said, "Shhhh," while placing his index finger on his mouth, "we kissed." Machu was left behind gaping at Qie Ranzhe who was walking away with a spring in his step towards the bathroom. He fully understood that this was meant to be a secret and respected that but couldn''t help jumping in elation praising him for perfect execution. If only Manchu knew that the kiss he was bragging about was an accidental kiss.


    Meanwhile, Qie Ranzhe stripped off his garments before soaking into the warm bath the boys had prepared for him. He closed his eyes replaying the sensual kiss over and over again envisioning how Lin Jingxie provocatively licked his bottom lip. His body instantly reacted summoning the same feeling he felt when it happened. His mind flooded with memories of Lin Jingxie''s arms draped around his neck re-igniting the warm sensation behind his neck. With his eyes still closed he gently caressed the back of his neck whispering in what sounded like a moan in pleasure, "Jin-ge."


    The moment he imagined their moist tongues sliding against each in erotic motions and their warm breath intertwined together tasting Lin Jingxie''s soft lips, it was game over for Qie Ranzhe. His entire body felt hot fantasizing Lin Jingxie lying under him exploring his naked body with his adventurous hands. This had its own consequences as his member stood in attention underwater as blood gushed into its veins while twitching seeking gratification.


    He dried his left hand and leaned over to grab that suspicious neatly folded piece of paper with a portrait of Lin Jingxie staring back at him with amorous eyes. Qie Ranzhe traced Lin Jingxie''s lips on the portrait with his fingertip as a burning unquenched thirst grew within. He slid his hand underwater grabbing hold of the source of his discomfort with every intention of taking care of it. With his gaze fixed on the portrait and his imagination running wild he skillfully rubbed his member gradually increasing his motion. He rubbed its head calling out Lin Jingxie''s name as a wave numbing pleasure spread all over his body.


    The memory of a shirtless Lin Jingxie flashed in his mind bring along an overwhelming rush of unrestraint pleasure as he inched closer to a climax. He called out his name once more with convulsions of the climax sucking savagely around his fingers as he sank deeper into a sea of pleasure succumbing to his primal desires. A low groan escaped his dry throat with his muscles finally relaxed. He closed his eyes with a gratified smile on his face as the portrait dangled on his fingertips outside the wooden tab.

 Chapter 40锛欶irst World: Us Girls Have Each Others Back

    The desire to conquer and possess is one of the fundamental natures of mankind and Zhao Huangzhi was no exception. She had set her heart and soul on Qie Ranzhe and Qie Ranzhe alone. To cultivate their relationship, she made sure to visit Qie Ranzhe every chance she got bringing along snacks and other miscellaneous gifts to give him regardless of his aloof and distant attitude towards her. But soon she noted an interesting pattern. If she visits Qie Ranzhe in the absence of Lin Jingxie, he would ruthlessly turn her down but when Lin Jingxie was there he would put on a forced smile and reluctantly accept her gift.


    It seemed Lin Jingxie was the key as he would always take her side reprimanding Qie Ranzhe for being rude. She hadn''t figured out what Lin Jingxie had against Qie Ranzhe that made him so compliant that he would listen to every word Lin Jingxie said as though it was law. From then on she only visited whenever the two of them were together giving her an opportunity to get closer to him without getting pushed away.


    Her plan was working perfectly that was until she noticed how well Qie Ranzhe treated Lin Jingxie. Qie Ranzhe was hard on Lin Jingxie''s heel like an obedient puppy dog brainlessly following behind its master. He was a completely different person unveiling the other side of him that would make any girl obsessed with him. She desperately wanted him to look at her like that and only her graduating from a mere afterthought to the main focus in his life. Their interaction rubbed her the wrong way constantly eating vinegar each time they hung out and so she decided to eliminate the best friend out of the equation.


    There was one such person who could make that possible and that was the famously sweet Lee Jienjie. It was a well-known secret that Lee Jienjie worshipped at Lin Jingxie''s feet constantly visiting the Lin Mansion just to see him. A determined Zhao Huangzhi decided to pay Lee Jienjie a visit at the famous tea house were she frequented at.


    As soon as she walked up the stairs, she noticed the cutesy looking pretty girl in a blue dress sitting with her servant waiting to be served. "Not as pretty as they say but she will do," said Zhao Huangzhi to her servant following behind her.


    "Yes, she''s ugly when compared to you Miss," said the servant sneaking a glance at the bubbly Lee Jienjie. Zhao Huangzhi lazily waved her hand gesturing for her to find the host to serve her. She strutted towards Lee Jienjie surrounded by a tyrannical aura that had everyone along her path giving way pressing against the wall as though trying to merge with it just to escape from her. One servant serving in the tea house even chose to press his body against a customer just to flee from her.


    The customer began to loudly scold the servant calling for the host but shut his mouth when he made eye contact with those gorgeous fiery eyes that could suck your soul dry if you aren''t careful. The hairs at Lee Jienjie''s nap suddenly stood up with goosebumps all over her body sensing impending danger. She scanned around looking for the source when Zhao Huangzhi suddenly appeared before her like a poltergeist. The two girls gazed at each other for a while as though sizing each other up while Lee Jienjie''s servant quietly slipped away as she was smart enough to quit while ahead giving the two ladies their private time.


    Zhao Huangzhi broke the silence first with a fixed smile. "Miss Lee is indeed as beautiful as they say," she said before sitting down on the other side without even consulting her. Lee Jie was well aware of Zhao Huangzhi''s identity. She was the left prime minister''s daughter with close relations to the royal family though she had never seen the emperor in person. What was a prominent figure like her doing in such a small town? It was because she had come to pay her grandmother a visit but extended her visit for someone special and wouldn''t leave until she had him eating out of the palm of her hand.


    "Mi-miss Zhao, to what do I owe such a visit?" she asked stammering a little. If she said she wasn''t terrified that would be a big ass lie. She was scared to death because of the rumours of how ruthless Zhao Huangzhi could be. Don''t be deceived by that innocent sweet smile she wore around town, it was just a mask. This Zhao Huangzhi sitting right in front of her was the real Zhao Huangzhi exposing her true face.


    "Relax, you and I have common interests," she said as the host personally served them various sweet and delicious cakes coupled with a hot steaming brew at the centre of the table. She waved her hand dismissing the host who wanted to say a few words but was abruptly cut off and scurried away getting the hint.


    Lee Jienjie was confused but tried to hide it saying, "Miss Zhao we have never crossed paths so how can we have common interests?"


    Zhao Huangzhi''s servant who was standing behind her moved over and poured some tea for Zhao Huangzhi''s before retreating to her original position like a statue. Zhao Huangzhi gently swirled her porcelain cup gazing at it while saying, "Are you interested in Qie Ranzhe?" with threatening undertones.


    Zhao Huangzhi finally looked at her with an appealing expression as though approving of her answer. "Then we do have common interests. Us girls should have each other''s backs. Eat up, I am treating you to celebrate our partnership," she said before sipping her tea with an eerie smile. Lee Jienjie had no idea what this conversation was leading too and slowly began to eat scared to piss Zhao Huangzhi off.


    ''Eat up you fuckin pig,'' thought Zhao Huangzhi placing another cake into her plate.

 Chapter 41锛欶irst World: Hurricane Qie Ran

    While some were skimming sipping hot tea another storm was brewing in the Lin house of horrors. Wen Qinxi seemed to have offended an ancestor haunted by beautiful women almost every two days. Where they came from, he had no idea. The first time it happened, he actually thought a poltergeist had taken interest in him constantly feeling an eerie sense of being watched. But when he turned his head to catch the culprit he didn''t catch a glimpse of them without even a shadow in sight.


    It''s only after accidentally rushing into Master Lin''s bedroom which he got punished for, did he finally find out it wasn''t a fiend but a girl Madam Lin wanted him to meet. Somehow she had managed to convince her husband to engage Lin Jingxie before he went off to the capital. Apparently, she thought girls in the capital were too frivolous and not suited for her dearest son. Why not Lee Jienjie one might ask? It was because someone had convinced Madam Lin that Lin Jingxie didn''t like her and their union wouldn''t last.


    The puppet master in all of this was none other than Lin Mingxu pulling the strings in the background like a pro. He especially picked the type of girls Lin Jingxie would drool over executing operation ''get rid of Qie Ranzhe with Lee Jienjie as a casualty of course. And yes, you guessed it, he was the one who came up with the whole girls in the capital are frivolous brainwashing Mama Lin, all in the name of saving his brother''s chrysanthemum.


    But like all plans there were flaws and the biggest flaw was Lin Jingxie himself. He clearly liked the girls which was physically evident but never accepted any of them. Lin Mingxu had dug deep into his reserves to get the cream of the crop but to his brother, they weren''t creamy enough. To be fair Wen Qinxi was enchanted by the dazzling beauties but wasn''t up for marrying an NPC when he had a mission. This would just add to his troubles when he had his hands full with Qie Ranzhe.


    ''Fuck, if she pulled this shit in real life l would have been a father by now of not just one kid but triplets,'' he cursed when the sixth one came to visit. The second flaw in Lin Mingxu''s plan was again Lin Jingxie. That''s because each night after a blind date, Madam Lin would ask excitedly what Lin Jingxie thought about the girl but he would always give an odd reason like too tall, too pale, too clingy, too chatty etc to the point were the reasons became even more ridiculous like she chews too loud.


    He was too ecstatic enjoying secret cuddles with his crush but couldn''t help but worry. At this rate, he feared Lin Jingxie will succumb to pressure and get robbed from him right under his nose. He couldn''t let that happen at ant cost. He had sampled the addictive sweet taste of the forbidden fruit, it could only belong to him. He was like a toddler declaring sovereignty on the swing set refusing to share.


    The adorable Lin Jingxie that always peeked out of the quilt with dishevelled hair and bloodshot eyes whenever he walked in belonged to him and him alone. He vowed to work hard and be powerful enough to take Lin Jingxie as his wife with no opposition. How can he possibly let him go when the guy took his first kiss? Lin Jingxie had to take responsibility.


    This day, Qie Ranzhe had been training in the mountains with the instructor when he overheard Lin Mingxu bragging about some beautiful irresistible goddess who was going to visit them tonight. A glint of anger flashed in his eyes as a fiery beast awakened within seeking an outlet to ease the pressure. His eyes fogged up in anger smashing a tree trunk closet to him that it came crashing down with a loud thud causing Lin Mingxu to cringe in despair. That might as well have been his face if he had been close by.


    Qie Ranzhe''s hands were trembling his knuckles bleeding but his anger wasn''t pacified in the slightest. He turned on his heel and abruptly left hoping to have a chat with Lin Jingxie tonight. Qie Ranzhe felt it necessary now more than ever to intervene and stop these blind dates once and for all. Sure he enjoyed the benefits of having to share a bed with him making the most of the warmth emanating from Lin Jingxie''s body but he dreaded the worst-case scenario and that is losing him to a minx.


    Qie Ranzhe was so fuming in anger completely unaware of an evil root spreading its vines all over his body nourished by his own resentful energy. He was inching closer to becoming a bloodthirsty crazed maniac and didn''t even know it.


    Meanwhile, in the GameX game room, a warning was issued with a ding sound that was loud enough for Hei Bao and Xia Bai to hear even as they wore their headsets playing online games with their backs facing the screen. Jolie swiftly turned down the warning trigger volume that when it sounded again it was barely audible. Hei Bao took off his headsets before speaking to Xia Bai, "Dage, did you hear something?"


    Xia Bai scowled in displeasure having dropped his HP bar in the game, "Huh?!" bellowed an irritated Xia Bai that Hei Bao had to rub his painful ears. He pointed at his own headsets gesturing for Xia Bai to take them off to which he complied though impatient.


    "Did you hear something, it sounded like the warning signal?" asked Hei Bao as they both quieted down to listen but there was no warning sound as the system had gone as far as muting it. Jolie was doing it for one a special reason and that is to push Qie Ranzhe into confessing without giving Wen Qinxi enough time to meddle and they would all live happily ever after with enough cash prize for an interesting companion.


    "You just imagining things, stop drinking too much of that shit, it''s making you delusional," said Xia Bai pointing at the three empty cans of caffeinated energy drinks before putting back on his headsets.


    "Okay," said Hei Bao shrugging his shoulders while carrying on with his game.

 Chapter 42锛欶irst World: Swapped Dinner

    If this world had a weather service channel they would have issued a warning to the citizens to stay clear as hurricane Qie Ranzhe was approaching. A dark aura invisible to the naked eye was permeating from his body attracting vicious resentful energy from all over town. Anyone who passed him could feel their muscles tense up in fear with every hair on their body standing on end perceiving danger. This was only the beginning, just a drop in the ocean compared to how Qie Ranzhe felt when he got to the shelter only to find the cat that he provided refugee to hadn''t arrived yet.


    With his entire body rigid, Qie Ranzhe sat on his bed waiting for Lin Jingxie to show up vowing not to eat dinner until he made his appearance but with each passing moment the likelihood for that happening was becoming bleak. Qie Ranzhe clenched and unclenched his fists numerous times deducing what could have happened. The more he sank deep into a sea of negative thoughts the angrier he became that Machu had to come in and calm the crazy.


    "Ran-ge its probably nothing just eat first maybe he will show up after you are done. You can always wait till morning to speak to him otherwise you might expose yourself if you see him with a girl," said Machu with one foot at the door just in case his words stimulated Qie Ranzhe.


    To his surprise, Qie Ranzhe agreed and suddenly stood up heading for the dining room clenching his jaw while stomping all the way. The dining table was set with all kinds of exquisite mouth-watering foods that could easily pass off as five-star dishes made by the finest chef. Qie Ranzhe paused with his chopsticks hovering above the table with his brows creased together. Though appetising the food was not to his taste something had definitely changed."What is this?" asked Qie Ranzhe with a solemn tone as he slammed his chopsticks back on the table.


    Machu was scared stiff unable to annunciate a single word. Lin Jingxie had dropped by as usual and left carefully packed dishes for Qie Ranzhe. Right after he left, Zhao Huangzhi showed up looking for Qie Ranzhe only to find out that he had left for the mountains to practice. She had clearly seen Lin Jingxie''s disappearing figure before she entered the gate and so asked one of the boys what Lin Jingxie was doing here if Qie Ranzhe wasn''t there.


    Bewitched by her beauty, the boy divulged the details mentioning how Lin Jingxie brings food for Qie Ranzhe every single day dishes especially prepared for him. A familiar stinging pain poked at her chest green with envy. This duty should be why Lin Jingxie was treated better she thought while looking around for the kitchen. She strongly believed Qie Ranzhe felt indebted to Lin Jingxie because of the food he brought for him each day.


    She was confident that once Qie Ranzhe got a taste of the food their family chef made he would automatically demote Lin Jingxie and eat her food instead. The corner of her mouth rose up slightly in a smile when she found the elegant wooden triple deck bento box settled at the end of the table. It was clearly separated from the rest of the packed food indicating its importance. She had no doubt in her mind that she had found the right one and so staggered forward pretending to have tripped over. Her hip bumped the table and the box came crashing down with a loud bam.


    The two people froze with their entire bodies tensed up gaping at each other. Zhao Huangzhi apologised ever so sincerely but the more the boy stared at that broken box with all the contents split to the floor the paler his face looked. He placed both his hands either side of his head looking like a mourner at a funeral muttering, "He''s going to kill me, he''s going to fucking kill me."


    Machu heard the noise and came rushing to see what had happened and his face sank with endless streams of black lines staring at the split contents of what should have been Qie Ranzhe''s dinner, one of the few things he always looked forward to. Zhao Huangzhi couldn''t understand why they had an extreme reaction to this, wasn''t it just food? Machu was about to run over to the Lin Mansion and somehow convince Lin Jingxie to make more when his path was blocked by Zhao Huangzhi.


    To her, any fruit was a fruit, what was the point of being fussy but to Qie Ranzhe you couldn''t give him an apple trying to pass it off as a pineapple. They were clearly different thus Qie Ranzhe''s reaction to the star quality food right in front of him. Machu had a slight inkling that her plan wouldn''t work because Qie Ranzhe hadn''t eaten anything that wasn''t cooked or given to him by Lin Jingxie in a very long time which turned him into a picky eater. Basically, if it wasn''t from Jin-ge, he wasn''t eating it.


    This was like trying to feed him horsemeat while passing it off as beef. "Ran-ge ple-please don''t get mad your dinner fell to the ground and.....um....Zhao Huangzhi replaced i-" he stammered but didn''t get to finish when the sound of a chair scraping the floor grasped his attention. Qie Ranzhe stood up with dark poisonous eyes that spelt murder as something snapped within him.


    ''Oh shit!'' thought Machu with weakened legs shaking like a leaf as he watched Qie Ranzhe storm out of the door heading towards god knows where.

 Chapter 43锛欶irst World: Angry Mum With A Slipper

    Anger clouded Qie Ranzhe''s judgement, he didn''t know when or how he arrived at the gates of the Lin Mansion. His mind was running wild with erratic thoughts certainly hangry vowing to take vengeance on Zhao Huangzhi for further ruining his night. He could have at least pacified his anger by eating the food made for him by Lin Jingxie eating it as comfort food. These series of events left a bitter taste in his mouth that could only go away if he laid eyes on Lin Jingxie. Just a glimpse of him would resolve all his grievances that''s why he walked all the way here in the middle of the night.


    He initially walked towards Lin Jingxie''s room but loud sounds of what could only be a commotion drew his attention. The mansion that is usually peaceful by now was still as lively as ever with a group of servants eavesdropping outside Master Lin''s study while whispering to each other with their ears glued to the door. They were completely engrossed in their unethical conduct that they didn''t notice someone approaching.


    Qie Ranzhe stood behind them listening in on their conversation with no intention of making his presence known. "Did young master really say that? Aiya.....that young miss was so beautiful but ran off crying," said the cook swinging his arms around with a ladle in his hand.


    "Haha that''s not all, he even went as far as telling her to mature first then come back and try again," said a young maiden covering her mouth while snickering.


    A hand suddenly smacked the back of his head as he yelped, "Ouch." An older woman among the group was displeased by his discrimination and so hit him hard before scolding him.


    "What''s wrong with an older woman, huh? I am as energetic and more experienced in bed so of course, young master would go for ladies my age. We are better than those innocent little girls who don''t even know how to eat it right," she said poking his head in anger. All the servants gawked at her speechless wondering how such a filthy mouth belonged to a lady.


    Qie Ranzhe clearly heard this and frowned obviously displeased, he not only had to worry about cute lolis but also older women. What kind of situation was this? He thought back to all the aunties Lin Jingxie had been polite to, did he like them all as well? Frustrated, he massaged in between his brows with two fingers sighing inwardly while suppressing his rage.


    "Who knows maybe l can give young master a tutorial free of charge," she uttered proudly inciting a disapproving reaction from the rest of the servants.


    "Oh please spare us,"


    "My pure ears, l can''t wash them clean even if l scrub ten times,"


    "What the fuck is wrong with you," they all complained talking over each other.


    This was obviously the last straw for Qie Ranzhe as he rudely pushed through the group before opening the door to the study. The entire Lin family was too focused on their argument that they didn''t even notice when he walked in. Lin Jingxie was at the far end of the room running away from a livid Madam Lin threatening him with a slipper while the rest of the Lin men held her back.


    They had never seen her this angry before with a flushed face and purple veins bulging on her neck while yelling at a petrified Lin Jingxie. "Older women huh! If that''s your type then l am going to beat you till you can''t even look at an older woman ever again!" she roared lunging forward with great strength trying to break away from her husband and teach her son a lesson.


    She had never laid a finger on him for his entire life but today she was going to make a clear example out of him. ''She''s bad shit crazy,'' thought Wen Qinxi devising an escape route. He had randomly came up with an excuse to get Madam Lin off his back but didn''t anticipate her extreme reaction otherwise he would have taken precautions and said it while standing by the door for an easy getaway.


    Seeing that her attempts to break free were futile, she resorted to throwing the only thing in her hand and that would be the slipper she had originally planned to beat him with. Like a professional pitcher in baseball, she accurately flung that slipper aiming at Lin Jingxie''s face.


    It was as though time slowed down with the slipper spinning in the air heading for a wide-eyed Wen Qinxi hesitating on whether to make a break for it. He decided to take the punishment head on hoping it would appease Madam Lin but just as he braced for impact, he felt a swift breeze blowing by and a loud pa sound as the slipper smacked someone''s face.


    Wen Qinxi swiftly felt up his face looking for where he had been hit only to look up and see Qie Ranzhe standing right in front of him stretching his arms wide on either side in a protective stance. Wen Qinxi peeked from behind him to look at his face only to find a red patch with slipper print clearly visible like a fine piece of art.


    "Siss.....now that''s gotta hurt," said Wen Qinxi peeking from behind Qie Ranzhe''s shoulder while poking at the irritated patch of skin. Qie Ranzhe turned his face gazing at him from the corner of his dark fuming eyes. Feeling as though his entire face was heating up under that gaze, Wen Qinxi retreated mumbling, "So fuckin scary."


    Madam Lin was stupefied frozen in place feeling ashamed that she hit Qie Ranzhe who had nothing to do with this. "Aiyo.....l have committed a crime to such a handsome face," she said shaking loose Lin Mingxu and her husband darting towards Qie Ranzhe, "Wuwuwuwu...auntie is so sorry. Get him some ointment!" she yelled to the melon eating servants while touching his face with trembling hands.


    This scene had all the Lin man slackjawed feeling like old discarded clothes replaced by the shiny new one. Wen Qinxi decided to take chances and quietly slip away while she was distracted but only took two steps tiptoeing to the exit hunched over like a thief making his escape when her gaze shifted to him.


    "You...not even God can save you now," she said pulling him by his ear leading him to the door, "go kneel in the main hall as punishment and don''t you dare stand up till that essence stick finishes!"


    ''Woman why are stealing my line? l always execute the punishments,'' thought Master Lin with a downcast expression and yes, he only thought but didn''t dare say it otherwise he might end accompanying his son kneeling as well. The guard assigned for such assignments showed up out of thin air as though he had been waiting to hear the word punishment and escorted Lin Jingxie to do his time.

 Chapter 44锛欶irst World: You will never be alone when l am here

    As soon as the servants dispersed and the culprit serving his sentence, Qie Ranzhe kowtowed in front of the Lin couple with a pleading look in his eyes. For now, this was the only way he could stall for time till he was powerful enough to protect Lin Jingxie. He could only appeal to their good nature and convince them to drop the idea.


    Stooping so low with his forehead touching the floor, he spoke in a sincere calm voice, "Madam Lin l understand your concern for Lin Jingxie and only wish the best for him but please reconsider your decision. With such great role models at home who demonstrate what love should be like how can he settle for anything less than that?"


    He spoke with a glib tongue battering up the couple while tipping the scale in his favour with minimum effort. Lin Mingxu was stunned speechless by Qie Ranzhe''s actions, he was surely a thorn in his eye painfully digging deeper each time he tried to uproot it.


    "l know you want to protect him from vile women in the capital when he goes to take the imperial exam which I completely understand. I will take full responsibility and make sure no unapproved personnel will get in contact with him as l plan on joining the guild stationed in the capital. It would be my pleasure to watch him for you before you migrate to the capital. Hopefully, this would put your mind to ease," he sincerely spoke while hiding a sly grin.


    This would be verbal consent to eliminate his love rivals and completely monopolizing Lin Jingxie. Jolie who was enjoying the show swore in excitement applauding its ruthless boss, ''Now that''s how you fuckin do business,'' it said cheering him on with dollar signs in its eyes.


    Lin Mingxu quickly refuted but soon shut his mouth when Madam Lin glared at him with the corner of her eye. ''Isn''t this sending the defenceless little lamb into lion''s den?'' thought Lin Mingxu tightly clenching his fist feeling disappointed with himself.


    He suddenly stopped when he reached the door turning to face Lin Mingxu following behind him and only spoke when he was sure the pair was gone. "Brother-in-law some friendly advice. Stop interfering with my fuckin business. If you keep forcing my hand l would have to retaliate and stop playing nice," he said in a gentle tone with a hint of crazy that was barely noticeable if he weren''t paying attention.


    Qie Ranzhe harshly patted Lin Mingxu''s face twice like a bully threatening his lackey to behave before turning on his heel walking away. "This was you being fuckin nice? Such a white-eyed wolf" said Lin Mingxu while watching Qie Ranzhe''s disappearing figure. Only when he was sure Qie Ranzhe was gone did he finally relax steading his frightened body against the door with his hand on his chest.


    Meanwhile, Wen Qinxi was kneeling in the main hall blowing fast short breathes towards the essence stick trying to shorten the time span of the punishment. It seemed to be working with essence stick glowing an amber-red colour with a steady stream of smoke rising from the tip. His lips arched upwards presenting a thrilled smile but that smile soon fell when the guard came and replaced the essence stick saying, "Young Master please don''t make trouble otherwise I will get punished too."


    Wen Qinxi gawped at him with an ugly expression thinking, ''Isn''t it just the two of us, how would she know unless if you snitch?'' He completely dropped the idea with his eyes fixed on the essence stick as though trying to use some inner force to help it burn faster. Just when he thought he was going to die of boredom, Jolie made an appearance offering a range of series to watch so as to pass time.


    ''Haaa, Jolie you are a lifesaver. One action series please," he said glazing through the available genres but all of the genres except one suddenly turned grey meaning not available. ''What happened to the other genres? Why are they not working?'' he asked staring at the drama genre illuminating a green light. He wasn''t a fan of anything that wasn''t action but now was forced to watch this to pass time.


    ''Don''t blame me, the fuckin internet is slow,'' said Jolie making up some lame excuse that Wen Qinxi obviously didn''t believe.


    ''HAHAHAHAHA! You think I am so fuckin stupid, don''t you? I work for GameX so don''t you dare lie to me,'' replied Wen Qinxi as the drama genre opened but everything else was also grey except for one series. ''Huh and in here its only one series. Jolie if you wanted me to watch this drama why didn''t you just say so from the beginning?'' he asked angrily wishing he could knock some sense into this ungodly system.


    ''No, the WiFi is lagging,'' lied the shameless system while starting the series.


    Wen Qinxi scoffed while rebuking it, ''Liar you are obviously connected to a fibre circuit you little rascal.'' He didn''t know why Jolie picked this series but soon found out how tragic and sad it was. There was neither face slapping nor hero saving the damsel in distress only endless heart-wrenching abuse of the female. Wen Qinxi couldn''t hold back the tears streaming down his face while whining, ''Jolie, why did you have to pick such a sad movie? Do you like seeing me miserable?"


    Such is the scene Qie Ranzhe walked into. Lin Jingxie was kneeling with his shoulders trembling while wiping away the tears streaming down his face. Qie Ranzhe felt a piercing pain at the pit of his stomach, his chest heavy feeling suffocated as overwhelming despair took hold of him. He didn''t like seeing Lin Jingxie cry, he didn''t want Lin Jingxie to cry and so he knelt down beside him and embraced him gently rubbing his back to coax him.


    Wen Qinxi was caught by surprise with his face planted on Qie Ranzhe''s chest thinking, ''What the fuck?'' Jolie had already switched off the series and vanished into thin air celebrating its victory leaving behind a confused Wen Qinxi. "Shhh it''s okay, I am here for you. You will never be alone while I am here for you." Wen Qinxi tried to free himself but the embrace only got tighter with the scent of plumeria assaulting his nose causing him to feel dizzy with his heart palpitating like it does when he rides a rollercoaster.


    ''He should stop using Madam Lin''s fragrance bars, is he trying to choke me to death?'' thought Wen Qinxi as he stopped struggling. Seeing that the boy in his arms had finally relaxed no longer rejecting his touch, Qie Ranzhe smiled and unconsciously kissed the top of his head while gently patting his back. Wen Qinxi stiffened cursing like a sailor as the system hurriedly censored him.


    ''F@#%%&^@@@#$##$@%$#@%@#$@#$#@$#$@#$#@!'' swore the vulgar nerd to high heaven.

 Chapter 45锛欶irst World: Unrequited Love

    They say being in love is the greatest and long-lasting high on the planet explaining why humans crave for it like an addiction. What people might not know is that loving someone who might never love you shakes you to the core but its incredibly exciting making you feel alive as both Zhao Huangzhi and Qie Ranzhe could testify. One had her sights on the other but the other had his sights on his friend who had no idea how Qie Ranzhe felt towards him. Of course, the downside to unrequited love is the unforgettable piercing pain that stabs at your heart deeper and deeper as you hold on to them. Zhao Huangzhi felt that pain when her plan failed miserably right before her eyes.


    She couldn''t understand why her food wasn''t good enough for Qie Ranzhe despite the fact that it was prepared by the finest chef bestowed upon her grandmother by the emperor himself. Zhao Huangzhi was piqued by this situation accusing the man of sabotaging her. In her moment of anger, she impulsively fired the chef resulting in her buttocks being spanked by the ruthless grandma Zhao. With a servant rubbing ointment on her sore butt, she couldn''t help but wonder what was so special about Lin Jin''s food that had Qie Ranzhe deeply attached. At that moment, she made a decision to approach Lin Jingxie and ask directly. She knew he wouldn''t turn her away as he was the only one who supported her love pursuit for Qie Ranzhe. The next morning she found herself at the Lin Mansion bright and early just as the golden sun rose from the horizon looking to talk to Lin Jingxie.


    The servants were enchanted by her rose like delicate beauty that was alluring yet unattainable like a diety with thorns that would make you bleed if you displease her. She was led to a table out in the garden set for breakfast where Madam Lin and Lin Mingxu were just about to eat. Lin Ming clearly knew who she was but Madam Lin had a little impression of this dazzling beauty but welcomed her none the less.


    She politely greeted them refusing their offer to join them for breakfast before inquiring about Lin Jingxie''s whereabouts. "I could tell you where he is but l don''t think a lady of your stature would be able to join him," said Lin Mingxu with a disapproving look on his face. He clearly disliked her and didn''t even attempt to conceal his feelings. Though they wished to achieve the same goal Lin Mingxu couldn''t shake the feeling that Zhao Huangzhi might harbour ill-intention towards his brother. Maybe not now but definitely in the near future.


    His gut feeling told him that this woman was dangerous maybe even more dangerous than Qie Ranzhe but at least Qie Ranzhe was obsessed with his brother and wouldn''t harm him. So he kept his distance watching her closely, even Lin Jingxie seemed to keep his distance from her hence he had nothing to worry about. But now she was seeking him out stimulating Lin Mingxu''s vigilance. There was absolutely no way he was leaving them two alone together.


    "I really don''t mind. May you please show me the way?" she said in a such a coy tone that had Madam Lin creasing her brows while exchanging looks with her son with an expression that seemed to be saying, ''is this one of the vile women from the capital you were talking about?''


    "Sure," replied Lin Mingxu as he stood up gesturing with his hand ''ladies first'' before following behind her. Just as he took a step forward, Madam Lin suddenly grasped his wrist pulling him back in concern. She had already branded her a vixen, minx and other names that are not suitable to say in front of children as she could clearly see through that fake smile and worried for her sons.


    "Does either of you like her?" she anxiously asked in a whisper watching her graceful slender frame walking towards the door.


    Lin Mingxu led her to the kitchen with neither of them exchanging words along the way which didn''t bother him because he didn''t care about her so why bother having insincere beauty-parlour chitchat. Zhao Huangzhi on the other hand felt disgruntled as her charms didn''t seem to work on Lin Mingxu who should be smitten by now. Instead, the boy was cold and distant freezing her out with no room for negotiation just like Qie Ranzhe.


    The only one who seemed to care for her was Lin Jin who, unfortunately, was the person she needed to get rid of so she could monopolize Qie Ranzhe. They soon arrived at a spacious kitchen with grey smoke escaping through the door. Her eyes instantly became teary with the smoke stinging her eyes the closer she got. Lin Mingxu didn''t move, he just pointed for her to go in while lazily leaning against the wall.


    "In here?" she asked with a fixed expression hiding her displeasure as this was the first time she had ever stepped into a kitchen her entire life. Though hesitant at first, she endured willingly going through with it as long as it got her the lover she yearned for day and night. With reddened eyes, she entered only to find Lin Jingxie chopping some vegetables while simultaneously frying something.


    Her heart sank when she realized that the young master was handling such a peasant job meant to be done by a servant. Was the Lin family so poor that they couldn''t afford a cook and had their heir do it? "Jin-ge this...," she said stunned out her mind.


    Wen Qinxi was surprised to see her but couldn''t pay much attention to her otherwise he might burn Qie Ranzhe''s dinner. He smiled gently and said, "You shouldn''t be here, didn''t Ming Ming tell you about the smoke? It might ruin your beautiful dress."


    "Its okay l have plenty more. What are you doing?" she asked wiping away a tear flowing from her irritated eyes looking like a fallen angel.


    "I am making food for Qie Ranzhe. Its Sichuan chicken, hot and sour shredded potato stir fry and some ginger garlic spinach stir fry. Oh, l will also pack some rice for him" he replied while keeping busy. He had been meaning to let the female lead take the lead with this one and relieve him of this tedious task but knowing Qie Ranzhe''s personality he planned on easing him into acceptance.


    "Jin-ge treats Ran-ge so well. Would you please teach me so l can also make food for him?" she said grabbing his arm by the elbow with a whiny voice that even sickening herself. She didn''t expect Lin Jingxie to take her hand off as though unhappy with the contact as he began explaining.


    While half-heartedly listening to Lin Jingxie she heard Qie Ranzhe''s voice coming from outside the kitchen as he was conversing with Lin Mingxu. She suddenly had an idea, the oldest trick in the book that could set her ship sailing. This would kill two birds with one stone and she could finally have her happy ever after.


    She waited for the right moment to ask Lin Jingxie to show her how to slice the potatoes. Without thinking it through deeply engrossed on the task at hand, Wen Qinxi stood beside her carefully demonstrating how to cut them the right way. Zhao Huangzhi tried again but she so bad at it wasting his preped ingredients. He really didn''t want to peel more potatoes again.


    So Wen Qinxi placed his hand over hers guiding the knife in between her fingertips properly slicing through the starchy potato while explaining patiently. To everyone else, it looked like a romantic scene out of the movies but to Wen Qinxi, he was simply teaching the female lead how to take care of her future husband.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly walked in only to find the man he loved holding hands with the seductress so naturally like they had done it a dozen times before. His heart was racing with a heavy feeling crashing his chest as a flush of anger crept up his face while clenching his jaw. "What are you doing?" he said in a cold tyrannical voice that startled the both of them. Zhao Huangzhi was truly skilled pretending to be surprised by his sudden arrival.


    "Ran-ge it was him who touched m-," she kept on talking but none of the two was listening with their line of sight colliding caught in a stalemate. Qie Ranzhe could see obvious signs of guilt on Lin Jingxie''s face which made him completely misunderstanding the situation. He felt a suffocating pain coupled with a heartache that felt as though his heart was being torn apart. He naturally couldn''t stay there much longer and so he angrily stormed out disappearing without a trace.

 Chapter 46锛欶irst World: Do You Know What You Did Wrong?

    When Qie Ranzhe disappeared he truly vanished without a trace. It had already been three days since the incident but Wen Qinxi couldn''t find him. With Jolie''s help he knew in advance where to find him but each time he got close, Qie Ranzhe would suddenly disappear as though he hadn''t even been there in the first place.


    Hei Bao and Xia Bai had been startled when they heard Wen Qinxi initiating a communication channel ill at ease a couple of hours ago. To them, it was only a couple of hours but to Wen Qinxi, it had been three days since the incident. Just as they accepted the call their ears were flooded by Wen Qinxi''s reprehensive tone, "Why haven''t you mentioned the blackening value yet. Last time this happened you called me in a frenzy so why the sudden change? Is he not blackening?"


    The two exchanged looks with no inkling of what Wen Qinxi was talking about. After what seemed like an eternity, Hei Bao finally spoke first attempting to ease the tension. "What did you do this time to cause him to blacken? Did you flirt with his wife?" he said in a joking manner with the corners of his lips gradually rising up but that smile soon froze when he heard Wen Qinxi''s response.


    "Yep, something like that," he replied feeling so stupid. This one misunderstanding could flush all his hard work down the drain restarting the game. He hadn''t thought anything of it when he was helping Zhao Huangzhi but could understand what it looked like in Qie Ranzhe''s eyes. He wanted to clear things up with him but didn''t think Qie Ranzhe would avoid him like the plague.


    Now aware of Wen Qinxi''s warranted anxiety they turned to the screen with one of them fiddling with the keyboard typing at lightspeed but as soon as he stopped both their faces turned ashen with entire bodies numb. The blackening value was at 95% about to increase by one more digit but because the warning sound was muted so they hadn''t assumed something was wrong.


    They had two options to deal with this. The first option was to tell him the truth and endure scolding plus a pay cut and the second option was to lie and say everything is fine crossing their figures that it would soon resolve itself. They had no idea how to explain why the warning alarm was muted and the blame would naturally fall on them. Gazing at each with a mutual understanding they each placed one finger on the same key and simultaneously pressed down on it before hurriedly exiting the game room. "Uhm....excuse me, l am still waiting," said an impatient Wen Qinxi.


    "Sorry due to some technical issues the communication channel is currently unavailable. Please try again later or contact Tech support during office hours to resolve the problem. Thank you, goodbye," said an automated voice with an out of service sign lingering before his eyes.


    Wen Qinxi, "....."


    Jolie pitched up only to find Wen Qinxi taking out his anger on a helpless tree stump. Those two had most likely done it on purpose intentional concealing something from him. The feeling of being left in dark was infuriating thus venting his rage at a poor defenceless stump. Jolie watched the scene in amusement but struggled to hold back it''s laughter when Wen Qinxi painfully stubbed his big toe causing him to yelp in pain while hopping on one leg cursing with an ugly expression.


    The system sighed while saying, "If you are going to throw a fit at least do it properly. This just too fuckin depressing."


    "If you are here to mock me then move along. I am not in the mood," he said powerlessly sitting on the ground while casually covering his face with his hand.


    "Actually, l came to tell you where he''s been hiding these past few hours. Since you easily found him before, he went somewhere that you would least expect," said the system before a screen popped up in front of him, "he''s at the old lady''s house, the house lived in as an infant. It''s now a deserted broken-down house ever since the heir failed to rent it out. He won''t run away this time because his sleeping and hasn''t rested well ever since the incident."


    Wen Qinxi didn''t waste any time running off to find Qie Ranzhe while rehearsing the lines he was going to say to him over and over again. He didn''t know what the blackening value was and had already wasted two days worth of game time. Wen Qinxi feared the worst with his heart aching when he thought of starting the game all over again. A winded Wen Qinxi finally reached the house peeking through the window looking for any signs of movement.


    Jolie was right, Qie Ranzhe was sound asleep in the debilitated house with his chest moving rhythmically with each breath. Wen Qinxi quietly snuck in and made sure Qie Ran had no means of escape before slowly approaching him. He stood next to the bed pondering on whether he should wake him up or wait for him to wake up himself. He decided on the latter with his eyes resting on Qie Ranzhe''s tranquil face. Before this, he had never paid close attention to Qie Ranzhe''s face while sleeping. It was like a beckoning irresistible sight that drew one closer in a trance just like a siren singing the enchantment song to attract men at sea. Wen Qi was instantly bewitched losing all rationality while scrutinising Qie Ranzhe''s handsome face.


    Unaware of his actions, Wen Qinxi leaned down closer with his mind blank clearly losing himself in the moment. He only stopped when he could clearly see Qie Ranzhe''s eyelashes flickering under the sunlight as though he was having a dream. ''So gorgeous,'' he thought reaching out to touch his face but he was suddenly grabbed by the wrist and swiftly pulled down with no time to react.


    Wen Qinxi fell right on top of him with the tips of their noses lightly gliding against each other as a warm itchy sensation felt by both parties spread from the point of contact to their flushed cheeks. Wen Qinxi''s entire body froze staring at Qie Ranzhe while blinking excessively with his back feeling cold. Qie Ranzhe slowly opened his fully aware of who the person lying on top of him was.


    He already knew someone was coming as soon as Lin Jingxie stepped into the property. Even when sleeping his nature always cautioned him to remain vigilant. He planned on going outside to take a look but when he saw it was Lin Jingxie''s, he pretended to be asleep curious to see what the other party intended to do.


    Those malevolent dark eyes were like an infinite bone-chilling black hole in space paralyzing Wen Qinxi while slowly freezing him to death. His entire body weakened unable to get up mostly due to fright. Qie Ranzhe spoke in a cold aloof voice with a frightening countenance, "What are you doing here?"


    Wen Qinxi''s face was sickly pale nervously biting his lower lip. Seeing his innocent yet alluring action, Qie Ranzhe gulped averting his gaze fighting off the urge to bully him. "Help me up first an-and l will tell you," said Wen Qinxi secretly praying for a lighter punishment though he had committed a grave crime unintentionally flirting with protagonist''s woman.


    Qie Ranzhe helped him up and as they sat shoulder to shoulder he asked in a solemn tone, "Do you know what you did wrong?"

 Chapter 47锛欶irst World: Blood Pact

    The statement ''do you know what you did wrong'' was said to Wen Qinxi but somehow it felt ambiguous leaving the atmosphere a little awkward. Wen Qinxi nervously played with his fingers with a lowered head ridden with guilt. He knew he was wrong breaking the bridge of trust that he had painstakingly built. Wen Qinxi wanted to admit to all his faults ripping off the bandage as quickly as possible but was suffocated by the dark oppressive force coming from the person sitting next to him.


    They sat in silence with Qie Ranzhe patiently waiting for him to answer but Lin Jingxie didn''t speak for a long time inciting Qie Ranzhe to say, "If you aren''t ready to talk then come back when you''re ready," in a dismissive tone as he lay back down. In all fairness Wen Qinxi''s mind spaced out after going through an influx of emotions in such a short period of time forgetting all the lines he had been reciting for three days straight.


    When he saw Qie Ranzhe going back to sleep Wen Qinxi finally snapped out of it saying, "I am sorry Ran-ge, l shouldn''t have touched her hand. I am not the type to touch other people''s stuff. It was all a misunderstanding," he said a mouthful of words trying to clear his name but Qie Ranzhe seemed absent with his hand covering his face and his left leg bent at the knee.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t say anything else deciding to leave and give him some space but just when he was about to stand up, Qie Ranzhe finally spoke, "Are you interested in her?" in a gruff tone with his eyes still covered.


    "No, l am really not interested in her. Why would I think of my saozi in that way? I am an upstanding citizen with no intentions of stealing my brother''s wife. Now, come on cheer up," he said shaking him gently, " you can''t stay angry with me forever."


    Qie Ranzhe finally relaxed with his eyes a shade brighter than before peering at him searchingly before sitting upright still holding Wen Qinxi''s gaze. The distance between them drastically reduced till they were in close quarters with each other. Qie Ranzhe couldn''t detect any signs of deceit and so smiled satisfied with his answer.


    The one thing he feared the most was being betrayed or abandoned by Lin Jingxie and when he saw their intimate actions his entire world shattered right before his eyes. The pain was extremely unbearable that he had to walk away otherwise he might have strangled Zhao Huangzhi on the spot. If they couldn''t reconcile, he planned on getting powerful enough to imprison Lin JIngxie so he could always keep him by his side. Lin Jingxie belonged to him and him alone.


    "Sure, I will do anything as long as you can forgive me," he replied slighlty shifting his body while further reducing the distance between them. When he spoke his warm breath grazed Qie Ranzhe''s face resulting in an involuntary fission that made him tense.


    "One, you must promise to never betray me," he said in a stern voice, "don''t answer lightly. Think it over carefully because l won''t tolerate it if you betray me."


    Wen Qinxi shook his head while gently pushing him back, "Of course, of course," he said with a smile on his face thinking, ''I am not that fuckin stupid.''


    Qie Ranzhe decided to add on a couple more conditions when saw how eager Lin Jingxie was to win him over. "You have to cook for me for the rest of our lives," he said leaning in closer with his arm lazily dangling on his bent knee.


    Wen Qinxi, "...."


    ''Does he want to hire me as a fuckin cook for the rest of the game even when gets married?'' thought Wen Qinxi shaking his head in refusal but seeing how Qie Ranzhe''s face darkened in an instant, he began to nod in agreement instead. A satisfied smile emerged on Qie Ranzhe''s face stretching his hand out to pat Lin Jingxie''s head.


    Wen Qinxi''s eyes followed that willful hand reaching out for the top of his head and unconsciously leaned backwards before smacking it with a pa sound reprimanding him, "Dage, do l look like a little kid to you? No patting otherwise you will have to take responsibility if I get a bald spot."


    Qie Ranzhe chuckled lightly whilst staring at his hand that had been smacked by Lin Jingxie thinking, ''l will let you off the hook this time but if you ever smack me again, l will smack you right back somewhere else,'' with a sprinkle of crazy in his phoenix eyes.


    "Okay, then one last thing," he said unsheathing his sword with a loud shiiiiing that startled Wen Qinxi causing him to quake a little. "let''s make a blood pact to stay together forever," he continued before making a long cut right across his palm. A steady stream of blood flowed down to his wrist as a faint smell of blood filled the air.


    At the sight of blood, Wen Qinxi widened his eyes horrified by the sudden turn of events. ''Fuck what blood pact? Laozi is afraid of pain okay,'' he thought looking away.


    His reaction surprised Qie Ranzhe who pinched Lin Jingxie''s chin forcing him to face him. "Are you not willing?" he asked looking deep into Lin Jingxie''s eyes as though trying to subdue him into obedience. Well, it seemed as though it was working with Wen Qinxi''s open palm suddenly inching closer as though under a spell.


    Qie Ranzhe''s eyes sparkled pleased to see him comply but as soon as their fingertips touched, Lin Jingxie abruptly withdrew his hand cursing in his mind, ''Fuck am I not immune to the protagonist''s halo. Almost fell for it,'' said Wen Qinxi in his heart feeling vulnerable. There was no point in hiding it, Qie Ranzhe was truly disappointed with a wan look that could move mountains even gods would be moved gifting him with whatever he wanted just to make him smile again. Wen Qinxi studied him with a scowl wondering what this crazy person was so sad about. "Don''t you trust my words? There''s really no need to do this, I would never betray you," he said trying to cheer him up.


    With a lowered head Qie Ranzhe exaggerated his sadness while saying, "Last time you said you weren''t interested in her but ended up touching her hand flirting in the kitchen. You have never allowed me to help you cook but you allowed her. How can l trust only your word?"


    "You...," said Wen Qinxi short of words while feeling helpless, "Fine fine fine, you can do it. Whatever makes you happy." He turned his face away unwilling to look while being sliced open by Qie Ranzhe. Pain was his worst fear, he was even famous in his local hospital for running away whenever the word injection was mentioned. One time he had to be vaccinated the security guard had to hold him down as his mother was to weak to hold down that fiesty six year old. Wen Qinxi patiently waited for the excruciating pain but nothing happened so he asked in a croaky voice, "is it done?" still looking away.


    "Yes, you can look now," said Qie Ranzhe with a sly grin. Thinking Jolie had lowered the pain index to an all time low, Wen Qinxi relaxed and turned to look at his hand but was stunned speechless when there wasn''t any laceration. Realising that he had been tricked he yelled, "Qie Ra-, Fuccckkkk" with last part said when Qie Ranzhe finally moved his sword to cut his palm.


    "AAAAAHHHHH!" yelled Wen Qinxi with the entire forest filled with his gruesome screams that had wildlife fleeing and birds flying away in terror.

 Chapter 48锛欶irst World: Dashing Knights To The Rescue

    The two walked side by side heading out of the forest with one complaining and the other comforting him. They both had a torn cloth wrapped around their palms as a makeshift bandage. "Qie Ranzhe, did you have to slice across my palm like this? A prick on my thumb would have sufficed. You are so excessive," complained Wen Qinxi in a plaintive cry over his throbbing hand that will most likely leave behind a scar.


    Qie Ranzhe draped his arm around Lin Jingxie''s shoulders drawing him closer while saying, "What can a small prick do? With these things you need to do the extreme to make sure they are effective enough. Anyway you made an oath to never leave me so l am very happy," with a beaming smile that could shake the heavens.


    Wen Qinxi sighed looking at that gorgeous smile that touched his heart. "Young master please stop smiling otherwise you will bring us trouble," he said taking off the heavy sluggish arm weighing down his shoulders.


    "l see so it means you want me to smile only at you?" replied Qie Ranzhe with an even more dazzling smile shamelessly twisting his words.


    "That''s slander sir, don''t corrupt my words," replied Wen Qinxi shaking his head with his hands behind his back like a true young lord. "By the way, you still haven''t told me what you named the sword. What''s its name?" he asked trying to take advantage of Qie Ranzhe''s good mood. He had asked this question plenty of times but never managed to pry a name out of the other. He began to doubt if the sword even had a name.


    "If l tell you its name you would have to pay the price that comes with it. Are you sure you can afford it?" he asked with a smile that wasn''t actually a smile while leaning down to meet Lin Jingxie''s line of sight as he was taller than him.


    "Ah forget it," said Wen Qinxi walking past him thinking, ''it''s just a fuckin name anyway, what so special about it that you have to be this dramatic. Such a fuckin drama king.'' While these two were engrossed in their conversation, somewhere within the shadows was a stalker harbouring evil intentions. Judging the direction in which two unsuspecting boys were headed, the stalker ran off to set their plan in motion.


    Qie Ranzhe suddenly stopped walking looking in a specific direction with a frown on his face whilst contemplating on whether to go after the stalker secretly watching them from a distance. They suddenly heard a woman''s screams crying for help just four meters away though they couldn''t see anything as the trees obscured their vision.


    Wen Qinxi wanted to run to the rescue but Qie Ranzhe stretched his hand blocking his path before looking at him saying, "Stay, it might be dangerous," with an authoritative tone only parents use on children.


    "Seriously wouldn''t it be much safer with you than staying here al-," he paused suddenly gasping in astonishment while wagging his index finger at Qie Ranzhe, ''unless you intended to walk away? Qie Ranzhe you are so fuckin heartless." Wen Qinxi dashed in the direction the screams came from just as soon as he finished his sentence.


    Qie Ranzhe who had just been scolded was struck in trance for a moment giving Wen Qinxi enough time to slip away. By the time he realized what had just happened, the guy was already ten steps ahead. He ran after him with a solemn expression concerned if he could actually protect Lin Jingxie from harm. They arrived at the scene of the crime like dashing knights ready to save the day only to find an unconscious girl her head drooping with her dishevelled hair covering up her face. A rope was tying her against a tree and next to her was a short bald bandit with gross yellow teeth laughing while staring at her torn skirt.


    There were also four other bandits surrounding the other girl screaming out for help. Qie Ranzhe looked at Lin Jingxie as though seeking his approval but the boy didn''t even look at him issuing some instructions. "You go save her, l will untie the one over there," said Wen Qinxi about to take off.


    Qie Ranzhe had never seen Lin Jingxie fight not even once and couldn''t help but worry though it was just one bandit. He grabbed Lin Jingxie''s elbow, his eyes filled with concern saying, "Be careful," holding on tighter as though unwilling to let him go.


    Wen Qinxi loosened his hand with a smug in his face saying, "I will," before running off to save the damsel in distress. He might have been smug a second ago but that was just for show to get Qie Ranzhe off his back. He was freaking out internally while breaking into a cold sweat.


    ''Shit! Jolie don''t you have some power-up or something so l beat this goon. I am really bad at fighting,'' said Wen Qinxi to the system while picking up a rotting log planning to sneak up on the bandit who was playing with the unconscious girl''s hair.


    ''Your character''s special skill is only literature boss. You can try bombarding the bandit with some fuckin poetry and maybe he will be inspired enough to let you go. Jiayou boss, l believe in you!'' said the system before disappearing once more.


    "Young Master, l think you are in the wrong place. This here has nothing to do with," he said with a smirk on his face and murderous eyes. A terrified Wen Qinxi walked backwards trembling in fear. He was left with only one option which was running away aimlessly while stalling for time hoping Qie Ranzhe would have saved the other girl.

 Chapter 49锛欶irst World: Teach That Pretty Boy Some Manners

    Though not advised every boy has to at least get into a fight at least once in their lives especially if when it comes to defending a maiden''s honour. Wen Qinxi had finally had his chance at this kind of fight though truthfully it was more like a chase than a fight. The only time he defended a girl slashing down her oppressors in cold-blood was in an online game rescuing the little female wudang but that couldn''t be counted as a fight.


    Being chased by a crazy bandit, he quickly discovered a secret skill that most nerds should be familiar with which is the skill of dodging from bullies. Well, in this case, it would-be dodging from bandits rather than bullies but to him, it was all the same. Like a slippery weasel, he had actually managed to survive for ten minutes straight with the bandit unable to grasp even his split ends. Lucky for him, the bandit wasn''t smart enough otherwise he could have used the girl as leverage to get him to surrender.


    On the other end, Qie Ranzhe reached the four bandits who were unsparingly pinning down a helpless girl when two of the bandits approached him, one wielding a hatchet and the other a dagger. They didn''t seem all that surprised to see him as though they had anticipated his arrival. The men were both grinning maliciously whilst showing off their tobacco-stained teeth as they walked forward in an intimidating stance reducing the distance between them and Qie Ranzhe.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk...the forest is especially ridden with beauties today such great luck, isn''t it? Look at this fuckin handsome young master offering himself up to us on a silver platter," said the lackey bandit following behind his leader. The other bandits heckled flooding the ever so quiet forest with aggressive speech.


    "How about you walk away and pretend you didn''t see anything otherwise l will ruin your face and turn you ugly? Let''s see if any girl would ever look at you again," said the leader threatening Qie Ranzhe with the dagger hovering above the boy''s face.


    Qie Ranzhe almost dry heaved at the putrefying odour coming from the bandit''s disgusting mouth. The rotten meat mixed in with rancid tobacco smell assaulted his nose making him gauge. It was too unbearable that he made a conscious decision to finish this as soon as possible. Seeing that the youth didn''t respond and had no intentions of leaving the bandit leader swung the hilt of his dagger aiming for Qie Ranzhe''s head. But before he could land his strike a forceful kick struck his chest sending him flying three meters away.


    As he landed onto the ground with a loud bang, the leader struggled to sit up straight clutching his chest while spitting out blood. He viciously glared at Qie Ranzhe with murderous black eyes before yelling at his dumbstruck subordinates. "What are you fuckin waiting for? Kill that brat," he bellowed before letting out a low groan in pain. His expression remained fixed hiding the excruciating pain that felt like all his insides had been ripped out of him.


    The bandit leader had initially held back his full strength seriously underestimating his opponent. The three bandits snapped out of their trance obeying their leader''s command as they simultaneously dashed towards Qie Ranzhe armed ready to take vengeance and teach this pretty boy some manners. The quivering girl shuffled on her hands and knees hiding behind some bushes. She buried her head in-between her bent knees while closing her ears with her hands whispering a silent prayer. Qie Ranzhe scowled watching the three men charging at him like raging bulls at a bullfight.


    Irritated by this nuisance, he stood tall all calm and collected like a skilled matador ready to tame the brainless bulls. Qie Ranzhe didn''t even bother unsheathing his sword choosing to fight them with his bare hands. The first bandit pounced at him swinging his hatchet with a deadly glare aimed at Qie Ranzhe''s neck, he was too clouded by his emotions that he didn''t even notice the other''s actions.


    The other two bandits seeing their comrade in this kind of predicament went after him even more aggressive than before. Judging from the boy''s weight and height, the two men felt they were at an advantage especially if they attacked him at the same time. Regaining their confidence they brazenly attacked Qie Ranzhe making the same mistake their leader made before, they were completely blindsided.


    One man ran straight into Qie Ranzhe''s powerful punch instantly knocking out his front teeth while dislocating his jaw. Seeing an opening the other bandit grabbed Qie Ranzhe''s shoulder pulling him into a chokehold. The bandit tightened his hold constricting airflow into Qie Ranzhe''s lungs but the victim wasn''t fazed in the slightest. Qie Ranzhe jabbed the bandit''s stomach with his elbow exerting so much strength that the bandit subconsciously loosen his hold on the boy''s neck.


    The boy ruthlessly jabbed at him again and this time the bandit let go stumbling backwards his face flustered with veins popping out of his forehead cursing, "Fuck!" grimacing in pain. Qie Ranzhe wasn''t done with him landing a swift kick on the bandit''s face instantly knocking him out. The man''s teeth and blood flew straight into the other bandit''s face. Seeing his companion''s blood splattered all of his face, the bandit couldn''t help but feel petrified with his face as white as a sheet.

 Chapter 50锛欶irst World: Bloodthirsty Genocidal Maniac (Cont)

    The bandit who had initially been held down by Qie Ranzhe''s foot regained his freedom and quivered while hurriedly looking for his hatchet. With trembling hands, he grabbed it and as a sudden burst of adrenaline flooded his body he swung the hatchet striking Qie Ranzhe''s arm. He only managed to inflict minimal damage as Qie Ranzhe had sensed his movements shifting out of the way but was, unfortunately, a tad bit slower.


    If he wasn''t angry then Qie Ranzhe was definitely angry now. His eyes darkened, even more, emanating kill intent like a demon ascending from the depths of hell with a grim smile that looked more like a psycho smile. The bandit trembled with beads of sweat streaming down his back while pointing the hatchet with drops of Qie Ranzhe''s blood dripping from its tip onto the ground.


    "St-st-stay back!" stammered the bandit walking backwards wanting to be as far away as possible from this beast in human form. Qie Ranzhe didn''t hear anything he said before striking the bandit''s face with the back of his hand. The bandit staggered backwards seeing stars in the middle of the day. He lost balance and fell down as gloomy darkness descended upon him blurring his vision. He was about to lose consciousness but how could Qie Ranzhe let him off so easily?


    An unrestrained Qie Ranzhe punched the bandit in the face multiple times till his face was bleeding from his orifices barely recognisable. The other bandits helplessly watched trembling in fear terrified by this boy who looked more beast than man ruthlessly kicking their comrade till he wasn''t making a single sound. The only way they could get him to yield was to use his weakness so the leader scurried over to the tied up unconscious girl and brought her over calling out, "Stand down or l will kill her!" pushing away the strands of hair hiding her face.


    Just when he was about to abandon hope the last bandit finally showed up restraining Lin Jingxie while pulling his face up with his hair. Lin Jingxie''s face was reddened with blue veins crawling up like vines up his neck. "Aiyo.....it hurts fuck fuck fuck!" complained Wen Qinxi complying with the bandit. His lower lip was split with some slight bruising. Lin Jingxie looked like a hot mess with his clothes in disarray and dishevelled hair with twigs and leaves entangled with his strands millions of miles away from how he usually looked.


    Seeing this Qie Ranzhe''s face went pale with his heart twisting as though someone was wringing it tightly on either side. "Don''t touch him!" roared Qie Ranzhe moving forward but soon stopped when the bandit placed a knife on Lin Jingxie''s neck.


    The bandit leader didnt miss the change in Qie Ranzhe''s expression fully taking advantage of the situation. His eyes brightened glancing over at Lin Jingxie as though he had finally found a ray of sunshine. He grabbed Lin Jingxie from the other bandit and said with a slightly trembling voice, "How about this one? He must be important to you, right? So stand down."


    Qie Ranzhe''s heartbeat skyrocketed as a wave of unrestraint rage brewed within desperately seeking for an outlet. His chest heaved as he tightly clenched his fists with his entire body trembling in anger. Qie Ranzhe''s face turned devilish looking like a reincarnation of the demon king himself. The sun was shining brightly in the sky but it suddenly felt ice cold with the bandits shuddering under Qie Ranzhe''s gaze.


    Wen Qinxi panicked recalling how Qie Ranzhe blackened and became a bloodthirsty genocidal manic when Zhao Huangzhi was taken away from him. ''How could this happen now? It''s too early,'' he thought with his mind riddled with confusion. It''s only when he looked around did he have a moment of realization. He saw an unconscious Zhao Huangzhi who had been tossed away like garbage by the bandit leader lying on the ground. ''Oh shit! They kidnapped the female lead no wonder his going nuts,'' thought a horrified Wen Qinxi.


    The way the system described Qie Ranzhe''s berserk mode was that the guy lost all rationality blindly slicing and dicing anyone and everyone around him. With the exception of Zhao Huangzhi he couldn''t recognize anyone with his sword cutting down indiscriminately. It was as a though he was possessed by the devil''s himself and that version of Qie Ranzhe was about to make his debut.


    Wen Qinxi had no intention of dying today and so made a futile attempt to reason with him. "Ran-ge calm down, please. I swear she''s fine they didn''t do anything too serious to her," he said in a pleading tone but all the bandits stared in his direction simultaneously thinking, ''Who that fuck cares about her? You are obviously the reason why he''s pissed.''

 Chapter 51锛欶irst World: First Taste Of Blood

    It is said when the human body senses danger it releases hormones to shut down unnecessary body functions such as the digestive system and sharpen those we need to survive but these bandits'' bodily functions didn''t seem to take a hint as they almost crapped their pants in fright. They didn''t even think of running away as they deemed it pointless remaining frozen with ashen faces awaiting judgment day.


    Wen Qinxi kept on fumbling through his words but nothing seemed to be working as Qie Ranzhe had completely lost his mind stuck in berserk mode while readying himself to attack. One look at him you could tell his mind wasn''t right with an eerie wolfish grin that could easily spook a sleeping baby to tears. An inky sinister aura surrounded Qie Ranzhe as he unhurriedly unsheathed his sword with his venomous menacing glare fixed on the bandit leader holding Lin Jingxie hostage.


    The bandit leader held Wen Qinxi in place before pressing down the blade against his neck causing a small laceration releasing a minuscule amount of blood. Wen Qinxi stopped trying to talk Qie Ranzhe down as he hissed in pain. "I sa-said stand down or l will finish him off," stammered the bandit leader whose body was glossed in a cold sweat.


    Wen Qinxi tilted his head while thinking, ''Dage, l don''t want to fuckin die here with you. Let me go so l can run for my life,'' trying to free himself from the smelly bandit''s grasp. Qie Ranzhe seemed to have reached his limit as the last thread of reasoning snapped when he saw the blood seeping from Lin Jingxie''s neck.


    Like a ghost, Qie Ranzhe suddenly appeared in front of the terrified bandit leader before grabbing him by the collar and flinging him straight into a tree trunk followed by a loud snap which was the sound of his bones breaking. Even if he survived that ordeal he would most likely be paralysed for the rest of his life. Wen Qinxi was frozen stiff with terrorstricken eyes pointing with his trembling index finger at where Qie Ranzhe was originally standing to where he was now stammering in an inaudible voice, "ho-how di-di-did he get here that fast?" His speed was simply inhuman moving as fast as a fiend in a haunted house.


    Qie Ranzhe walked over to the now unconscious bandit leader letting out an angry roar while swinging his sword, "I told you not to fuckin touch him!" His entire body was convulsing in rage as he accurately delivered the final blow beheading the leader with one swing. The lifeless wild-eyed head rolled on the ground leaving behind a trail of blood till it stopped right at Wen Qinxi''s feet. This might be a game but this corpse was as real as day with its bloodshot eyes looking at Wen Qinxi.


    A sickening feeling crept up his throat the longer he stared at the slain bandit''s head. He hunched down unable to fend off the nauseous feeling and hurling whatever was left of his breakfast thinking, ''That''s so fucked up.''


    One panic-stricken bandit wailed out loud, "Boss!" with tears streaming down his cheeks but immediately zipped his mouth when Qie Ranzhe''s murderous eyes glared at him in his peripheral view. The bandits'' bodies seemed to have finally taken a hint as adrenaline rushed through their bodies like roaring waters passing through the open floodgates of a dam wall. They all scattered in different directions as though marking the beginning of a countdown in a hide-and-seek game.


    Qie Ranzhe had no intentions of letting them go mercilessly chopping them down one by one with no means of escape except death. It was as though he had just had a taste of blood which left him craving for more. Seeing Qie Ranzhe disappear into the bushes chasing after the bandits, Wen Qinxi took the opportunity to escape hoisting Zhao Huangzhi onto his back while scanning around for the other girl. He called out to her multiple times but the girl was too petrified and couldn''t respond.


    He swung the log with all his strength aiming for Qie Ranzhe''s nape but before he could strike him, Qie Ranzhe grabbed the log tossing it and the one holding it a meter away. A desperate Wen Qinxi cried out in hoarse voice grimacing in pain, "Ran-ge!" not even sure if it would help. Maybe this was the end of the road for the both of them starting the game all over again.

 Chapter 52锛欶irst World: They Look Good Together

    Hearing ever so tender that voice calling out to him, Qie Ranzhe gradually became lucid, his vision blurred while looking in Lin Jingxie''s direction with squinted eyes. He let go of the terrified girl as he staggered towards Lin Jingxie. Wen Qinxi saw the boy trudging through the bushes heading in his direction and couldn''t help but worry. Qie Ranzhe dropped the bloodstained sword onto the ground while rubbing his eyes vigorously in a futile attempt to clear his vision. The scarlet blood on his hand smeared his face making him look even more pitiful.


    With great effort, he called out, "Jin-ge," stretching out his hand reaching out to him. Wen Qinxi could tell Qie Ranzhe was returning to normal and so stood up rushing towards him arriving right on time to catch Qie Ranzhe''s collapsing body in an embrace. Wen Qinxi''s clothes were stained with blood from Qie Ranzhe''s garments but he didn''t care for such trivial matters more concerned with Qie Ranzhe''s mental state.


    Wen Qinxi furrowed his brow when he saw who it was. He couldn''t help but wonder how two girls from prestigious families would be in a remote forest in the hands of bandits. Didn''t they have guards or people who escorted them especially Zhao Huangzhi as her status was even higher? He ran towards her in a panic calling out, "Lee Jienjie! Are you okay?" and knelt before her.


    She instantly threw herself into his arms sobbing and unable to restrain her torment. Apart from her swollen red eyes, Lee Jienjie was sickly pale as her body and bottom lip shuddered uncontrollably. Wen Qinxi gently stroked the back of her head in a coaxing manner attempting to comfort her only letting go when she seemed to have calmed down.


    Wen Qinxi looked at her with a reassuring warm gaze saying, "I have to go get Zhao Huangzhi so stay here and l will be back before you know it," with his hands holding either side of her arms. Lee Jienjie seemed to have been struck by lightning quivering even more than before with her hands clutching his garment shaking her head refusing to let go.


    "No Jin-ge don''t go," she said glancing over to an unconscious Qie Ranzhe who had just strangled her a moment ago. Wen Qinxi followed her line of sight and could understand why she didn''t want to be left alone with the man who had just assaulted her. Lee Jienjie looked back at Wen Qinxi shaking him with her hands now clutching his collar. "Don''t go, they are both evil Jin-ge just leave them behind," she said with earnest yet fear-filled eyes.


    Wen Qinxi could understand why she would be terrified of Qie Ranzhe, the boy had just attacked her for heaven sake but why was she putting Zhao Huangzhi in the same bracket as Qie Ranzhe. Seeing that she wasn''t willing to let go of him, Wen Qinxi compromised and said, "Fine you can go with me. Can you walk?" while helping her up.


    Lee Jienjie wanted to convince him some more but knew it would pointless especially while they were still in this predicament. She swallowed her words and leaned against Lin Jingxie''s body as she shuffled alongside him while vigilantly looking at Qie Ranzhe as though prepared to run if he makes any slight movement.


    Wen Qinxi carried Zhao Huangzhi and walked over to Qie Ranzhe with Lee Jienjie tagging behind him. He placed the two unconscious people next to each other and couldn''t help but admit how well-matched they were. They were truly made for each other with great potential to become a power couple that could conquer the world.


    "They look good together, don''t they?" asked Wen Qinxi trying to lighten up the mood. Lee Jienjie was sitting a few feet away hugging her knees to her chest still shaken.


    "Yes, they do. I hope they spend the rest of their lives together and do the world a favour. They fuckin deserve each other," she replied cursing in an unladylike manner. Wen Qinxi was stunned by her unrestrained words but took it as Lee Jienjie being in shock.


    Wen Qinxi initially planned to wait for the pair to wake up as he could neither go look for help leaving behind unconscious people in the forest nor could he send Lee Jienjie alone as she was still rattled by the who situation and who knew if those bandits had friends. The safest option was to stay put, hopefully, the two prominent families would be looking for these young mistresses.


    An hour passed just like this but the two showed no signs of waking up. He was beginning to get anxious when he heard hordes of people calling out both Zhao Huangzhi and Lee Jienjie''s names. A wave of relief flooded his mind as he stood up yelling, "Here! They are here," with a joyous smile on his face as the rustling sounds got closer.

 Chapter 53锛欶irst World: Venomous Dragon

    Research confirms that a glass of red wine at the end of each day can de-stress your mind while relaxing your muscles relieving your body of all the knots and tangles brought by daily activities. But a certain someone twisted the research abusing alcohol for three days straight. The culprit was none other than Wen Qinxi the sweet nerd who hadn''t touched a drop of alcohol ever since he entered the game. The bandit incident had blindsided him shaking his core to the point of drowning his failures in alcohol.


    That day Wen Qinxi had Lin Mingxu buy him six jars of the infamous red wine known as the Venomous Dragon. It was well-known for its savagely bitter yet fruity tang deterring a lot of people from drinking it as they associated it with the feeling of drinking poison, the kind of poison that left a bad taste in your mouth. Though it tastes horrible it made up for it in such a way that when it hit it hit hard making one drunk to the point of not recognizing their own mother. On the pretence of dealing with trauma, Wen Qinxi managed to evade Master Lin''s keen eye and locked himself in his room heavily indulging in grown-up stuff.


    He not only drunk but had a feast at Master Lin''s expense with Lin Mingxu smuggling juicy roasted meat only to be kicked out as soon as he had delivered the goods. Master Lin had initially been understanding of what his son was going through but when the quantity of meat suddenly reduced on his dinner table, he became suspicious interrogating Lin Mingxu on the third night while holding a pathetic looking pork chop that was more fat than meat.


    After the day of the incident, Jolie wanted to intervene but was immediately shunned by Wen Qinxi and watched him wallow in self-pity wailing from time to time saying words like ''failed'' and ''KO''. The system couldn''t take this anymore especially when Qie Ranzhe was starting to become restless assuming that Lin Jingxie didn''t want him anymore. At this rate, Jolie feared the blackened prince would rock up in Wen Qinxi''s room and do some crazy shit like holding this drunkard hostage. If such a situation happened then it would truly be game over for all of them.


    Unable to bear watching a shabby looking Wen Qinxi slouching like a dead fish, the system finally had a heart to heart talk with him. He was currently seated on the floor with his back lazily leaning against the bed, his legs spread out flat on the floor. This scene was unsightly with his hair in a total mess while hugging a jar of Venomous Dragon and a half-eaten drumstick in the other hand watching a series that the system had played for him to coax him.


    "Boss its been three days already, don''t you want to visit Qie Ranzhe?" said Jolie easing into the topic.


    Wen Qinxi drunkenly dismissively waved his hand in a sneer, "l am taking leave the boys will take good care of him." In truth, Wen Qinxi was feeling like the world''s greatest loser especially being the only one who Qie Ranzhe had allowed to stay in the game.


    He had worked hard with the aim of helping bring his boss back to the real world but screwed up failing the first world despite all his efforts. His hard work was all for nought unexpectedly speeding up Qie Ranzhe''s blackening which he didn''t intend on happening in the first place. A blackened Qie Ranzhe would be extremely hard to manage as Wen Qinxi couldn''t watch him 24/7. To him, this plot was already stirring back to its original sequence leading Qie Ranzhe back into being a genocidal manic which would ultimately lead to his death hence restarting this world all over again.


    He seriously contemplated on just killing himself and hopefully start the game all over again. The only problem was that he would have to wait for Qie Ranzhe to go through the full cycle of the first world till his death so as to restart the game. This reason deterred him from taking such a gruesome path that is up until he came up with another heinous plan. "Uh-huh! I got it. Ho-how about a double suicide?" he thought outloud causing the system to shudder. This route wasn''t beneficial to both parties especially the system. ''Don''t fuck with my money Qi-ge,'' thought the system before attempting to salvage the sinking ship.


    "Actually all you need to do is show him how to tame his anger, trust me it on this. It will help you salvage this mess....Here," said the system pausing the episode Wen Qinxi was watching before showing him a couple of mantras to calm anger, "these can help him meditate and learn to exercise restraint."


    Wen Qinxi''s sluggish bloodshot eyes struggled to see what was in front him with an inquisitive expression. "Li-like the um.....the um.....um....the Dr who turns into a green guy when angry?" he stammered with a serious brooding countenance as though struggling to remember the character''s name.


    Jolie, "....." It was astonished that the nerd actually forgot one of his favourite superheroes just like that. It added another warning label on the Venomous Dragon which was ''warning affects brain function inciting stupidity'' before coaxing him further.


    "Yes, like that guy. It''s not over yet so don''t give up," said Jolie in the most gentle coaxing tone it could voice out.


    ''Why you? Hahaha, because you fucking love money too much,'' secretly mocked the system while adding weird tantrums on the warning label.

 Chapter 54锛欶irst World: A Pawn In Zhao Huans Game

    After a while, Wen Qinxi seemed to have calmed down and finally uttered something more sensible than before. "He must be so traumatized right now. He just fuckin killed a bunch of people how can he not be traumatized? How do l help him with the PTSD?" asked Wen Qinxi his eyes full of concern. In his mind, Qie Ranzhe was a helpless immature teenager how could he possibly handle such a burden?


    Jolie wanted to correct him and say that Qie Ranzhe indirectly caused the original Lin Jingxie''s death but carried on with no ounce of remorse as though what happened at that waterfall had nothing to do with him but it saw an opening it could exploit and quickly win the bet. "Care for him and help him recover as a form of therapy," said the system hoping to manipulate the dense boss.


    Wen Qinxi seemed to thinking it over with a stern look before finally opening his mouth. "You mean shower him with love but wouldn''t it better if we get Zhao Huangzhi to do that not me?" he said with a perplexed expression while scratching his head.


    Jolie panicked for a split second before saying, "Yes her as well but mostly you," while contemplating on whether to divulge some juicy information it had been holding on to for a while now. "Screw it let me tell you. Qie Ranzhe''s blackening, Zhao Huangzhi played a hand in it," said the system unable to hold back anymore.


    Wen Qinxi scowled in disbelief impatiently waiting for the system to carry on. "She wanted Qie Ranzhe''s attention and so arranged for those bandits to fake kidnap her and Lee Jienjie hoping her knight in shining armour would deepen his affection towards her ultimately taking their relationship a step further,"


    "Fuck!" swore a horrified Wen Qinxi. He had never anticipated Zhao Huangzhi to use such an underhanded method to gain Qie Ranzhe''s affection. But what perplexed him the most was why Lee Jienjie was also with her and why the bandits knocked-out the mastermind? "Why was Lee Jienjie there as well? l didn''t know they knew each other," he asked sobered up by the system''s revelation. It was like a bucket of icy cold water had been poured all over his body clearing the fog lingering in his brain.


    "She willingly participated because Zhao Huangzhi convinced her that it was mutually beneficial. She gets Qie Ranzhe and in turn Lee Jienjie wins your heart," said the system eagerly retelling the events in detailed.


    Wen Qinxi was dumbstruck to the point of trembling as he recalled what Lee Jienjie had said to him that day. She had said those two deserve each other and they would be doing the world a favor if they end up together. That time he had brushed it off as her dealing with trauma and didn''t know this was all Zhao Huangzhi''s plan. "Seriously? People fuckin died," he said with his face ashen in terror.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t say anything for a long time digesting this piece of information. He just couldn''t relate this information with Zhao Huangzhi''s kind humble nature or maybe he was just too naive? "She''s extremely ruthless. I truly hope the real Zhao Huangzhi isn''t like this otherwise I pity Qie Ranzhe for falling in love with a pure green tea bitch. Anyway, what can l do when the heart wants what it wants," he said feeling a slight headache creeping up on him. Without saying a word, he crawled into bed shuffling under the quilt before tightly wrapping himself like a little dumpling.


    Jolie, "....." thinking is this him going to sleep just like that?


    The system was about to leave when it was startled by Wen Qinxi cursing while abruptly sitting up sending the quilt flying. "Holy crap that bitch set me up!" he swore while having a moment of epiphany. He suddenly recalled that hand holding incident in the kitchen were he was caught by Qie Ranzhe. A few minutes ago he would never have believed it to be Zhao Huangzhi''s treacherous plot but after hearing the bandit ploy he couldn''t put it past her. She must have heard Qie Ranzhe talking to Lin Mingxu outside and created a chain of events that led to this. At the time, he had been too focused on cooking that he didn''t pay attention. She used the oldest trick in the book which is using jealousy to get Qie Ranzhe''s attention with Wen Qinxi as a disposable pawn in Zhao Huangzhi''s game.


    "She used me and ! fuckin fell for that innocent look like an idiot. I better help them get together soon otherwise she will keep screwing me over," he said hugging his pillow like a child who had just had a nightmare.


    The system was left speechless thinking, ''So fuckin dense,'' before disappearing into the night leaving behind a thunderstruck Wen Qinxi swaddling himself while hugging his pillow even tighter.

 Chapter 55锛欶irst World: Protect You In Secret

    Generous with no bounds and committing to do whatever is necessary to make sure his friend gets the girl are the top qualities of a good wingman but Wen Qinxi was starting to sway. He had been a wingman before though it was mostly in online games, helping a friend to get a female player, it was enough experience for him to help Qie Ranzhe get the love of his life.


    To achieve his goal of getting this high maintenance CEO out of the game they had to successfully pass all five worlds and get Qie Ranzhe''s split consciousness back as one ultimately saving the overbearing CEO who was currently a vegetable in the game room. To pass the worlds Wen Qinxi had to stir the story in such a way that would guarantee Qie Ranzhe a happy ending. The ending had to be satisfying enough to make Qie Ranzhe let go of each world.


    Unfortunately, part of that happy ending included Zhao Huangzhi. After discovering how vile she could be Wen Qinxi became extremely reluctant to pair these two together. Having someone who was willing to use such methods to get what she wanted within Qie Ranzhe''s inner circle had Wen Qinxi dithering. He hadn''t slept all night thinking about this but failed to come up with an answer and could only consult Jolie. Every action Wen Qinxi took in this game was on a trial and error basis as he wasn''t even sure if what he was doing would truly help them win this level and move on to the next world.


    "Jolie l know your dear CEO loves Zhao Huangzhi in the real world but is it really okay to bring them together when she''s this evil/ Would it really affect the final result if we find him another girl?" asked Wen Qinxi exting the mansion heading in the direction of the shelter.


    The system didn''t respond for a long time thinking of a way to respond to him without raising any suspicions. In reality, it also didn''t know but still chose to advise him. "Well l don''t know either but all l can say is that without satisfying Qie Ranzhe consciousness you can''t pass this world. What are you going to do?" asked the system.


    Wen Qinxi heaved a long dejected sigh and was about to answer the system when he spotted Lee Jienjie who happened to be walking towards his direction. When she saw him, her eyes sparkled as though she had just seen an oasis in a dry desert. "Jin-ge!" she cried out in a shaky voice, "l was on my way to see you. I heard you had been recuperating in your room these past three days and couldn''t help but worry."


    The system almost choked at the word recuperating saying, ''Pfft....recuperating my ass. More like getting drunk," with a snicker. Wen Qinxi rolled his eyes within and chose to ignore it before answering.


    "I am doing okay though l can''t leave the house anymore without escorts," she said pointing towards the evidently buff men and several maidens following behind. Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but feel bad, Zhao Huangzhi had used Lee Jienjie''s feelings for him to draw her into this mess. Ridden with guilt, he couldn''t help but apologise to her.


    "l am truy sorry for getting you involved in this," he slowly said forgetting that only Lee Jienjie knew what truly transpired that day.


    His words startled her and so she asked, "You know?" with her heart in turmoil.


    Wen Qinxi realised his mistake and panickingly salvaged the situation, "l guessed it had something to do with her judging by your words the other day. Plus bandits in this town are a rare occurrence so they must have been brought in by someone," he said trying to make up a plausible excuse.


    Lee Jienjie soon relaxed but put on a stern expression warning him with good intentions. "Jin-ge if she''s willing to go this far to get Qie Ranzhe''s attention what more do you think she would do to you just to keep him all to herself?" she said leaning in closer with dark eyes, "You don''t need Qie Ranzhe, he will only bring you trouble. l am literally begging you to stay away from him."


    Wen Qinxi was touched by her concern for him but there was no way in hell he would let that boss of his run around with no supervision otherwise they would only leave this place when they had grey hair. "l understand but you don''t have to worry about me. I will stay as far away from her possible but l can''t abandon my friend just because of her," he replied attempting to reassure an anxious Lee Jienjie.


    His answer didn''t seem to put her mind at ease as she wanted to say something else but soon swallowed her words down realising she couldn''t convince him. "Just be careful Jin-ge," she finally said choosing to protect him in secret. They exchanged a few thoughtful words before eventually parting ways.

 Chapter 56锛欶irst World: I Missed You Ran-ge

    A human heart might be said to be fickle but not Zhao Huan''s heart. Her plan had been even more successful than she initially thought and she finally knew Qie Ran''s true feelings. She deduced that him being cold and indifferent towards her was just a mask when it truly came down to it, the man was willing to kill for her.


    Three days had passed with her being confined in her courtyard under her grandmother''s supervision. The elderly woman wasn''t messing around when it came to her headstrong granddaughter neither was she stupid. She was fairly certain that this whole situation was her granddaughter''s doing but was still speculating on what the motive could have been.


    On the forth day, Zhao Huan finally had the chance to leave the house as her grandmother had gone to some tea thing with some ladies. She didn''t even care to know what the old lady was up to all she cared about was seeing Qie Ran. The itch inside her heart worsened with each passing day and the cure was simple. Just a glimpse of Qie Ran would make her feel whole again and so she left the mansion as soon as she got the chance.


    Her servant followed closely behind while engaging in silent protest. When the Miss left without her, she was the one who got ten lashes for failing her job. Before Madam Zhao left she had already threatened her saying that if Zhao Huan steps one foot out that courtyard she the servant would receive twenty lashes not that her Mistress would care.


    Just as the boys finished eating breakfast, Zhao Huan arrived with a perky smile that could stir up the seven seas. She enthusiastically greeted them but to her surprise, she didn''t get the response she expected. The boys pretended not to have seen her while walking around her to exit the room with their heads bowed down. ''Such ungrateful brats, don''t they know who l am?'' she thought still wearing the kind warm mask that could easily fool anyone.


    The boys cleared the dining hall leaving behind Zhao Huan and her confused servant. "My lady, l think we better leave," said the servant in a soft-spoken voice. They had been to the shelter numerous times before but it had never been this hostile. She worried that Zhao Huan would cause trouble and earn her more lashes thus she decided to speak up.


    Zhao Huan tore up her mask finally showing her anger. "Who do they think they are ignoring me like that? Those filthy orphans are actually lucky to be breathing the same air as me yet they dare ignore me. Such disrespectful and ungrateful bastards," she said gnashing her teeth. She had never been disrespected like this even worse disrespected by mere peasants. If it wasn''t for Qie Ran she would have torn this place apart and have it gone by sunset.


    Manchu who had just been informed of Zhao Huan''s arrival went over to take a look. He was fully aware of the reason why the pampered Mistress had graced them with her presence but there was no way Qie Ran was going to tend to her especially in his current state of mind. The atmosphere in the shelter was extremely gloomy with no ray of sunshine in sight.


    The absence of Lin Jin had cultivated such an atmosphere that could dampen anyone''s spirit as soon as they walked in. Desperate to cheer up Qie Ran they had even gone as far as visiting the Lin Mansion trying to convince saozi to come back with them but each time they were turned back with the same response. The boys couldn''t bear seeing Qie Ran like that and so when they heard footsteps walking towards them they had assumed it to be Lin Jin as he was the only person who could walk in without announcing himself.


    You can only imagine their disappointment when they saw Zhao Huan strutting around like she owned the place. They didn''t like her and made no attempt to hide their true feelings especially when they now knew she liked their older brother. That is was they rudely walked out leaving Manchu to deal with it.


    He immediately walked in ready to drive her away no longer interested in hearing any more of her insults. Manchu was about to rip off the bandage as quickly as possible when he was met by Zhao Huan''s pitiful bloodshot eyes with tears accumulating at the rims of her lovely eyes making him completely forget what he wanted to say.


    ''Fuck! How can she change skin this fast?'' he thought seeing that piteous face he would have easily believed if he hadn''t heard those hurtful words she was blurting out a second ago. Seeing him startled like this, Zhao Huan kicked it up a notch pleading with him while holding his arm.


    "Brother Manchu please let me see him. I have to thank him for saving my life that day. I want to see him and make sure he''s okay. Please l beg you, brother Manchu, just this once," she said almost kneeling down to the floor crying. Manchu was stupefied staring at this woman who deserved to be a world-renowned actress. She was so convincing that he started to doubt what he had overheard before.


    Manchu was about to peel off this sticky girl from his arm when he heard an icy menacing voice coming from the door saying, "Why are you here?" The room was suddenly filled with an oppressive bone-chilling aura that had Manchu and the servant girl quivering.


    In all this Zhao Huan was the only exception running straight into Qie Ran''s arms as she broke into tears saying, "I missed you Ran-ge."

 Chapter 57锛欶irst World: I Love You Ran-ge

    Qie Ranzhe had never been disrespected like this before especially not by a girl. Zhao Huangzhi was the first woman to have touched him this way shamelessly rubbing her palms against his firm back like a potter moulding clay. A glacial feeling steered by chagrin spread from their point of contact straight to his brain causing him to glower in displeasure. With great difficulty, he pushed her away before looking down on his garment soaked in tears.


    "Tsk," he said feeling the wetness seep through the fabric dampening his skin, "such a pain in the ass." He pulled the soaked fabric forward so it wouldn''t stick to his skin. He couldn''t stand it any longer and decided to walk away so he can change out of the wet clothes.


    Zhao Huangzhi froze for a moment after being harshly pushed away by Qie Ranzhe. She felt a stinging pain stabbing at the pit of her stomach having been treated this way but she seemed unbothered especially when she recalled how Qie Ranzhe was willing to do anything for her. With this thought, she finally relaxed resuming her heart-rending expression. Seeing how uncomfortable Qie Ranzhe was in his wet garments she hurried over with a silk handkerchief to help him dry the moist patch.


    "Am so sorry Ran-ge l just.....I just couldn''t control myself. Let me help you," she said with tear-filled doe-eyes while wiping away the tears she left on Qie Ranzhe with trembling hands. Qie Ranzhe had had enough of her wild hands and so tightly seized her wrist with a meaningful expression.


    Their eyes met with Zhao Huangzhi''s bright expectant eyes gazing at him in a trance. Though she had been crying her makeup remained intact with bloodshot eyes and slightly parted cherry plump lips. She looked especially alluring enough to cause any man''s heart to flutter. Unfortunately, for her, the man she did all this for was glaring at her with an ice-cold face meant to freeze her out.


    Qie Ranzhe pushed her away for the second time and turned to leave while saying, "Take your Miss back home to rest and makes sure she never steps a foot into this property ever again. Its highly inappropriate," he said to the servant in an imperative dismissive tone unwilling to deal with Zhao Huangzhi anymore. He didn''t have the patience to look at her especially after she ruined everything for him. If it weren''t for that bandit incident, Lin Jingxie wouldn''t be so afraid of him and would still be visiting him.


    He didn''t know that the whole thing was Zhao Huangzhi''s plan but he was suspicious. She''s the prime minister''s daughter with so many servants to her disposal so how could she run off by herself and end up in the hands of bandits. If his mind wasn''t focused on Lin Jingxie he would have investigated further especially interrogating that annoying Lee Jienjie. His current state of mind was erratic and murky which didn''t permit him to pursue the matter further at least not now.


    Qie Ranzhe''s expression remained cold and indifferent as he moved aside to walk past her saying, "Don''t fuckin call me that ever again," apathetic to respond to her heartfelt confession. He wasn''t pleased by her spoilt behaviour but restrained himself all for Lin Jingxie''s sake. If he goes too far, Lin Jingxie might never talk to him again. Qie Ranzhe feared that he would lose more if he lay a finger on her which wasn''t worth it.


    Zhao Huangzhi was as stubborn as a mule and persisted. "What so special about him that you aren''t even willing to give me a chance. His food his mediocre at best and that sword is a piece of trash compared to the one l can give you. I love you Ran-ge, I will do anything for y-," she said before she was suddenly slammed against the wall with Qie Ranzhe''s hand strangling her neck. His eyes were extremely frightening they were as dark as a moonless night. Under Qie Ranzhe''s death glare, she felt a chill to the marrow realizing that Qie Ranzhe wanted to kill her though he was holding back as though restrained by something.


    Her terror vaporized replaced by a happy smile thinking, ''He cares for me that''s why he can''t kill me.'' Instead of heeding his warning, she took it as a sign of hope. It''s safe to say when it came to Qie Ranzhe, she was as blind as a bat with a hint of crazy. She raised her hand and gently stroked his cheek in a romantic way while whispering, "You and I are meant to be together. Even if you don''t realize it now it''s okay. I can wait for you," in a tender voice with her lidded eyes gazing at him with a glint of obsession.


    Hearing Zhao Huangzhi insult Lin Jingxie, Qie Ranzhe couldn''t hold back anymore tightening his grip to make her stop but the girl was so stubborn and carried on talking nonsense even when her life was hanging by a thread. He strengthened his grip to the point of constricting Zhao Huangzhi''s airflow while leaning in closer to whisper something in her ear.


    The servant witnessed the entire thing and ran over to save her miss but was held back by Machu. This matter had nothing to with her, she would only get hurt if she intervened now. Manchu knew Qie Ranzhe wouldn''t be stupid enough to kill her, especially with her background. If he killed Zhao Huangzhi not even the full force of the Lin clan would be able to protect him. The stakes were too high for Qie Ranzhe. He would lose the people he cared for, she just wasn''t worth all that.

 Chapter 58锛欶irst World: Cut Your Losses And Move On

    Though Machu was confident that Qie Ran was only teaching Zhao Huangzhi a lesson, he began to waver a little when he saw Qie Ranzhe tightening his hold exerting more force. Zhao Huangzhi''s face reddened with purple veins popping up on her forehead as teardrops streamed down her cheek. Machu was considering separating them when he saw Qie Ranzhe leaning in to whisper something that had Zhao Huangzhi''s bloodshot eyes widen.


    "l won''t fuckin kill you today, you have to thank Lin Jingxie for that. But if you keep screwing with me l won''t hesitate ending your life. Cut your losses and move on," he said before letting her go. Zhao Huangzhi''s legs gave in as she fell to the ground filled with sorrow all the while staring at Qie Ranzhe with unyielding eyes.


    He turned his head back at her confound by her actions though he didn''t show it in his face. He had come to a conclusion that Zhao Huangzhi either had a death wish or had mental challenges. "You think l will go away just like that? Ran-ge you can''t get rid of me that easy. One word to my father and you will be in my arms by nightfall. I don''t ask for much but whatever l want l always get and l want you," she said before breaking out into another hysterical laughter but she soon quieted down when a sharp sword accurately pointed at her jugular vein on her neck.


    He might not have wanted to kill her before but things had changed. He was as mad as a hatter and wanted her dead. Qie Ranzhe seemed to think the only way to shut her up and restore his peace of mind was to kill her right were she lay and all his problems would vanish without a trace.


    ***


    Wen Qinxi who had just parted ways with Lee Jienjie was startled when he heard the system speaking to him in a frantic voice. "Boss boss! Hurry up and stop Qie Ranzhe. He wants to kill Zhao Huangzhi," said a panicked system. None of them knew what would happen to the world if Zhao Huangzhi was killed. She was the only other character from the real world in this game meaning she had a direct link to Qie Ranzhe''s consciousness and if she died did it mean the game would start over? No one knew the answer neither were they willing to take chances.


    Wen Qinxi knitted his brows together his mind fogged up by chaotic thoughts. He didn''t know what could have pissed off Qie Ranzhe to the point of wanting to kill the girl he was destined to be with. It seemed his interference had caused anomalies that were screwing everything up. Wen Qinxi just hoped the anomalies weren''t that big otherwise all his hardwork was all for nought.


    "Fuck!" swore Wen Qinxi running like the wind through the gates of the shelter. The boys rubbed their eyes in disbelief when they saw him. Unable to contain their excitement some of them whispered loudly, "Saozi is back," with beaming smiles.


    Wen Qinxi heard the word saozi but didn''t think much as he had other urgent matters to tend to. Wen Qinxi searched around in a frenzy when one of the boys pointed to the dining hall when he saw a disoriented Lin Jingxie. Wen Qinxi thanked him only to walk in just as Manchu was being shoved back as he tried to pull Qie Ranzhe further away from Zhao Huangzhi. He was pushed away with so much strength that he landed across the room with a grimace on his face. Seeing this the servant was scared stiff unable to move. If Qie Ranzhe could do that to his best friend how about her an associate of Zhao Huangzhi?


    Wen Qinxi saw a stubborn Zhao Huangzhi with her red eyes fixed on Qie Ranzhe as though daring him to do it. She was sitted in the floor tightly clenching her fists with beads of sweat all over her forehead. "Go ahead and kill me. You might end my life today but you will lose everything that way you would never forget me. I will be etched in your heart for the rest of your life," she said moving closer causing the sword to pierce her skin.


    ''Bitch be crazy,'' thought Wen Qinxi as he witnessed such a scene. It seemed both of them had serious mental issues that needed urgent psychotherapy. If this was the modern world he would have committed both of them into a psychiatric hospital.


    "Qie Ranzhe what are you doing?" asked Wen Qinxi with his hand on Qie Ranzhe''s shoulder. He had decided to go all out and if he dies then he would have to start again and do things differently. To his surprise Qie Ranzhe looked at his hand and then at him before looking at the hand again. Qie Ranzhe''s face showed some kind of emotion difficult to discern as he sheathed his sword and grabbed Lin Jingxie''s wrist.


    Wen Qinxi would be lying if he said he wasn''t confused. The guy felt like he had just been bombarded with ancient Chinese text all at once making him dizzy. "What the fuck you are doing?" asked Wen Qinxi as the silent Qie Ranzhe dragged him out of the room without saying a word. Wen Qinxi had a bad premonition as his body tensed up like an animal heading for slaughter. ''No l am not fuckin going down like this,'' thought Wen Qinxi trying to escape.


    This version of Qie Ranzhe terrified him so much that his senses were screaming danger. He bent his knees rooting his heels deep into the floor as a sign that could be deciphered as ''l am not going anywhere''. Feeling the person behind him becoming heavier Qie Ranzhe turned only to see Lin Jingxie squatting down while trying to pry open his hand.


    Qie Ranzhe, "...."


    Wen Qinxi paused his actions when he met Qie Ranzhe''s gaze. The two were caught in a stalemate with both their minds blank for three seconds straight. ''Did he just fuckin toddler me?'' thought Qie Ranzhe while breaking their eye contact. Was Lin Jingxie that terrified of him?


    Wen Qinxi looked at himself and suddenly felt stupid. ''What the heck am l doing,'' he thought before standing up while nervously clearing his throat. He scratched his head averting his gaze in embarrasement with a flushed face. "You can let go now, l will follow you," lied Wen Qinxi in a quavering tone. It was clear from his body language that he would definitely make a break for it.


    Qie Ranzhe frowned slightly before saying, "You are lying to me. Be good and not make trouble." This was said right before Wen Qinxi was carried over the shoulder by Qie Ranzhe heading god knows where. Wen Qinxi tried to free himself but the grip on his lower back only tightened whenever he struggled. Exhausted he cursed his weak body before going limp like a corpse conceding to Qie Ranzhe.

 Chapter 59锛欶irst World: Lin Jin I Like You

    Being carried over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes had Wen Qinxi feeling a wide range of emotions including humiliation. He couldn''t understand Qie Ranzhe''s thought process right now, he even suspected the guy was bipolar or something similar. Just a minute ago he was livid even pushing away his best friend in anger. Though Qie Ranzhe didn''t show it, Wen Qinxi could tell that he was more relaxed than before baring an indescribable mood that the nerd couldn''t decrypt.


    Qie Ranzhe carried him all the way to his room kicking the door open before gently placing him down with a blank expression. This scenario seemed a bit off to Wen Qinxi, he couldn''t help but stray his mind towards a scene were the groom carries his bride over the threshold and the only difference was that this wasn''t a princess carry.


    His weird thoughts were soon interrupted when Qie Ranzhe embraced him in a trice and long tight hug at that. The embraced could be described as an emotional lingering tight hug with Qie Ranzhe''s face buried into Wen Qinxi''s shoulder. Wen Qinxi could feel his neck exponentially heating up with a tingly sensation accompanying it. This was a bit much for Wen Qinxi so he prematurely broke contact before scolding him.


    Qie Ranzhe was obviously discontented with a strong sense of loss but he didn''t have the courage to pull Lin Jingxie back into his embrace. Wen Qinxi was so focused on scolding him that he didn''t pay attention to Qie Ranzhe''s subtle changes in expression. "Why did you have to take things that far? Even if she said something you don''t like, killing her wouldn''t be the solution? Ai.....you are so impulsive. You can''t let your emotions control you," said Wen Qinxi as the words flowed like a river past his tongue without even thinking.


    He paced back and forth as though mulling over something before he abruptly stopped in front of Qie Ranzhe saying, "Do you know the consequences of your actions? The Zhao Family would have dragged us to hell and back if you had killed her. They would take retribution by force and cause trouble for us. Fuck, l might have had to run away with you so they wouldn''t kill you," feeling like the rouge Bonnie and Clyde though he hoped their ending would have been better than those two.


    All the while, Qie Ranzhe had his head bowed giving off an illusion of remorse but in truth, he was busy thinking about something else only snapping back when he heard the part about running away together. He raised his head in astonishment with rapturous joy that Lin Jingxie was willing to be a fugitive with him. This realization made his heart melt into a sweet fluffy goo that spread all over his chest.


    Without thinking he nervously asked, "Aren''t you afraid of me?" though he was afraid to hear the answer. All his life he was fully aware of what he was capable of though he didn''t know he could get angry to the point of killing someone. When he was an infant he had once gotten angry though he didn''t remember what he was angry about, all he knew is that he blacked out and when he woke up the old lady had bite marks all over her body, bite marks caused by him.


    Qie Ranzhe was so remorseful and couldn''t stop apologizing to her in tears. The old lady wasn''t at all angry but patted his head to soothe him and told him to watch his anger so as not to hurt others. From then on he knew he was different and did a good job suppressing his anger that is until he developed feelings for Lin Jingxie. Whenever Lin Jingxie was disrespected he couldn''t hold back which unfortunately led him to kill those bandits.


    His memory of what happened that day was a bit fuzzy and could only piece two or three things together but everything else was blurry. He felt bad about killing those bandits but wasn''t penitent because they dared lay a hand on his man. The moment they put their filthy hands on Lin Jingxie they were already walking corpses. His only regret was that he had frightened Lin Jingxie so much so that the guy didn''t even show his face for three days straight which was the longest they had been apart ever since they started getting along with each other.


    Those three days felt like hell pushing Qie Ranzhe towards the thin barrier between sane and insane. If Lin Jingxie hadn''t shown up today Qie Ranzhe was planning to kidnap him and air everything out into the open knowing that the captive wouldn''t have any means of escape no matter what he said.


    "No.....maybe," replied Wen Qinxi when he realised Qie Ranzhe was staring at him in such way that made him feel like he could clearly see through him, "Okay fine, l am scared who wouldn''t be?" Wen Qinxi chose to speak the truth which Qie Ranzhe had already anticipated. The boy looked sickly pale with a downcast expression as though his entire world came crashing down into rubble.


    This statement seemed to bring back some colour on Qie Ranzhe''s face as he rushed in to embrace him again. "Lin Jingxie l like you. Please don''t abandon me," blurted out an emotional Qie Ranzhe in a husky voice. He never meant to confess this early but found himself unable to control his emotions evincing his feelings without thinking. He instantly regretted it just as the words left his mouth but they were already out into the universe and couldn''t be taken back.


    Wen Qinxi''s heart skipped a beat when Qie Ranzhe said that but instantly calmed down when he deciphered what he meant. Based on his knowledge of Qie Ranzhe from the past he deduced the like as the one among friends. Firstly, Qie Ranzhe was as straight as an ironing board though he had both fan girls and fan boys. Secondly, he remembered Qie Ranzhe yelled the same thing in class to his close friend a couple of times. It was always ''Laozi likes you very much or ''this ancestor loves you to bits'' even for things as simple as buying breakfast though personally at that time he felt it awkward when the boys were saying that to each other.


    Hinging on this he knew the kind of like Qie Ranzhe was referring to and so replied, "l like you too and l would never abandon you. You are stuck with me like white on rice and can''t get rid of me no matter what," with a genuine reassuring smile on his visage.


    "Really?" asked an ecstatic Qie Ranzhe with his brain hovering above seventh Heaven that is before he came crashing down like a spacecraft that suddenly lost fuel while leaving the earth stratosphere. He came crashing down hard with his heart bursting in flames when he realised they were referring to different kinds of like.


    "Do you have to ask me that? You are my friend how can I abandon you?" said Wen Qinxi creating distance between them. With the warmth disappearing from his arms, Qie Ranzhe was disheartened but didn''t attempt to clarify as it was clear Lin Jingxie would surely reject him. He seemed stuck in the friend zone and didn''t know how to change the way Lin Jingxie viewed him without going full psycho on him.

 Chapter 60锛欶irst World: In-law Wait For Me

    As the boys cleared out their misunderstanding, a wounded Zhao Huangzhi walked back home defeated but rather resilient. The ache in her heart hurt more than the pain she felt from her neck bruise. This kind of pain was so unbearable especially when she recalled how Qie Ranzhe held Lin Jingxie''s hand ever so affectionately.


    This version of Qie Ranzhe could only belong to her, it might not happen now but it was going to happen and she was willing to go through thick and thin for him. She had finally realized the source of her problems and that problem was Lin Jingxie. With Lin Jingxie gone she would be the only one Qie Ranzhe would rely on.


    While she was busy devising long term plans to deal with Lin Jingxie, across town someone was acting against her hindering her success. Madam Lin was having tea with the noble ladies from all around town. This tea party was something they had once every two weeks gathering around to talk about what Madam Lin deemed as nonsense. Instead of a tea party, it should have been called a show-off party where they paraded in their new outfits bragging about their families'' success.


    Though Madam Lin despised this gathering, this tea party was special because she could finally approach Old Lady Zhao concerning her granddaughter. That girl hung around her boys and went as far as getting them mixed up with bandits. Madam Lin wasn''t stupid, she and her husband had come to the same conclusion as Zhao Huangzhi grandma which was Zhao Huangzhi had something to do with this.


    Nothing like this had ever happened before and Lee Jienjie was a good girl who would never go off on her own without security. All the facts pointed to Zhao Huangzhi and Madam Lin knew the motive as well. Today she chose to take advantage of this tea party to get rid of that girl for good and so waited till the end to approach the old lady.


    Considering their relationship, it was actually appropriate for Madam Lin to approach her like this and so she did. "Madam Zhao," said Madam Lin catching up with the elder woman before walking side by side, "may l have a word with you?"


    The elder woman could see the stern expression on Madam Lin''s face and gestured with her hand for her servants to fall back. The servants deliberately slowed their footsteps giving the two ladies space. "Speak your mind," said Madam Zhao with her hand tightly holding on to her walking cane.


    Madam Lin didn''t hesitate and spoke directly, "It''s about your granddaughter Zhao Huangzhi." Madam Zhao''s expression hardened pondering on what that disrespectful brat had done this time.


    "What about her?" asked a now impatient Madam Zhao.


    "I apologize for being forward but l am fairly certain your granddaughter orchestrated the bandit incident that occurred a couple of days ago. I thought it be best to mention it to you so you can restrain her lest she does this again," said Madam Lin expecting Madam Zhao to be stunned or at least defend her granddaughter but the old lady remained silent with a brooding expression.


    "She did it for one of the boys in the shelter, I guess according to her logic it would make the boy love her more. Unfortunately, her plan got my son and Lee Jienjie involved which is why l felt it necessary to let you know," replied Madam Lin hoping to be rid of that troublesome child.


    Madam Zhao wore an apologetic look while saying, "l am sorry for all the trouble she caused. I will make sure to have her sent back to the capital as soon as possible," before taking a few steps forward to leave but soon stopped and turned to her asking, "Who is this boy without a status that had little Huang stupid enough to do such a thing?"


    Madam Lin didn''t think anything of it and replied, "Qie Ranzhe, his name is Qie Ranzhe." Madam Zhao suddenly froze hearing the family name Qie. When the surname Qie was mentioned, all she could think of was the emperor. Her curiosity was peaked, she had to take a look at this child as soon as possible.


    Madam Lin was relieved knowing that Zhao Huangzhi would soon be a thing of the past. She was about to go back into the hall and speak to Madam Lee when she noticed a face she had been running away from for the past few months. That person was none other than Madam Sun, Sun Huxian''s mother. Ever since Lin Jingxie wore that dress in public Madam Sun''s son had become a lovesick fool with no other interests in life except Lin Jingxie.


    Master Lin had already refused Master Sun''s proposal but Madam Sun was relentless always calling Madam Lin in-law each time she saw her. Madam Lin turned away hoping Madam Sun hadn''t seen her but boy was she wrong. Madam Sun caught a glimpse of her and called out, "In-law! In-law wait for me!" attracting everyone''s attention.


    Embarrassed to the core, Madam Lin took off running but didn''t anticipate Madam Sun would actually run after her. Though determined Madam Sun was simply no match to Madam Lin, she was like the wind vanishing without a trace. Madam Sun soon gave up yelling, "l know where you live!" before deciding to pass by the market and buy gifts to bribe Madam Lin.

 Chapter 61锛欶irst World: Tutor Wen Qinxi

    With everyone having a crappy day or about to have a crappy day, there was one person floating in cloud nine for the entire day and that person was none other than Qie Ranzhe. If one was to describe his mood right now it would that kind of joy after scoring the winning goal in the World Cup finals, simply ecstatic. He had literally spent the entire day either following Lin Jingxie around like a smitten pup or emotionally blackmailed Lin Jingxie to accompany him.


    Wen Qinxi had never been this exhausted ever since he stepped into the game. At the rate things were going he would rather be pestered by Sun Huxian than Qie Ranzhe. Whenever he felt like slipping away, Jolie would also show up whispering, ''PTSD is a serious thing boss. You need to show him more love to treat it.''


    ''l am the one who will fuckin end up with PTSD after dealing with this big baby,'' complained Wen Qinxi after his third escape attempt. In his defense, Qie Ranzhe was making up for those three days they spent apart choosing to stick to Lin Jingxie like super glue. Wen Qinxi endured like a kid forced by his parent to stay at a play date with his annoying cousin.


    As the golden sun sank into the horizon, Wen Qinxi heaved a sigh of relief and informed Qie Ranzhe who he had been tutoring that he needed to head home but that was all wishful thinking. Qie Ranzhe placed the book they had been studying back on the table and said, "Jin-ge we haven''t practised calligraphy today so you can''t leave yet. l will be joining the guild soon and you yourself said l have to perfect my literacy skills before l enter," brazenly grabbing hold of Lin Jingxie''s wrist.


    Wen Qinxi was dumbfounded thinking, ''This dumbfuck hated learning the most and tried to wiggle out of it by any means necessary now his the one who wants to learn?'' He found himself tongue-tied unable to refute Qie Ranzhe''s words. Because he was lost in thought he didn''t realise how Qie Ranzhe''s hand shamelessly lingered on his wrist. Qie Ranzhe went as far as caressing the wrist in his hand with his thumb in a forbearing manner.


    Wen Qinxi wanted to ask him why the sudden enthusiasm when he felt an unfamiliar warm and fuzzy feeling magically appearing out of thin air. It was a subtle sensorial pleasure but he couldn''t pinpoint the source. That was because he was staring at Qie Ranzhe''s face the entire time and didn''t immediately notice this intimate action.


    His gaze soon fell onto his wrist just in time to see Qie Ranzhe''s thumb rubbing against his skin in slow, comforting strokes. This explained were the pleasurable feeling came from jostling him into promptly taking his hand back while saying, "Qie Ranzhe you''re screwing with me right? You always run away from classes but now you are practically begging me to teach you."


    In this moment Wen Qinxi should have been glad that Qie Ranzhe was finally taking his studies seriously. But knowing some of the ridiculous things he did to get out of learning, Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but be suspicious. Qie Ranzhe claimed to have cramps a couples times and his boys would all vouch for him just to get out of classes. He had used that excuse so many times that Wen Qinxi began to doubt his gender asking Qie Ranzhe if he was having his menstrual cycle. The result of that was Qie Ranzhe almost pulling down his pants to defend his honor and prove he was man.


    Well, that stopped the cramps excuse graduating to his muscles hurt from exercise, saving an old lady''s cat from a tree or that his eyesight wasn''t good. With all these excuses you can understand why Wen Qinxi would be skeptical. With his hand empty, Qie Ranzhe swallowed his disappointment and began to grind some ink in the inkstone before handing over the ink brush to Lin Jingxie.


    "Here Laoshi, write down the characters you would like me to practise," said Qie Ranzhe with a dangerously charming smile that kickstarted Wen Qinxi fragile heart.


    "Fi-fine then l will teach you," said Wen Qinxi with the tips of his ears pinkish red. That smile swiftly brought his defences down to rubble. Unfortunately for Wen Qinxi, he wasn''t immune to it. He took the ink brush and began to write in such an elegant manner as graceful as falling rose petals. Focusing on his task, he knocked on the system''s door asking, ''Jolie, don''t you think Qie Ranzhe is behaving weird?''


    The system didn''t respond immediately that Wen Qinxi almost thought he was being ignored but it eventually spoke asking, "In what way?" Jolie knew Wen Qinxi too well, he was like a pet bird resistant to human touch. You would have to coax it if you ever want to cuddle otherwise it will simply fly away if you put it under pressure. The system had to whitewash the situation otherwise Wen Qinxi might overreact.


    ''I don''t know something just seems o-,'' he paused when he discovered Qie Ranzhe sitting so close to him with his face leaning in closer as though seriously studying what he was writing. They were so close that Wen Qinxi could clearly see Qie Ranzhe''s flickering eyelashes in his peripheral view. Wen Qinxi''s heartbeat suddenly picked up for some strange reason. Whatever it was it had Wen Qinxi''s muscles stiffening to the point of almost making a mistake while yelling in his mind. ''Like that! That''s the sort of weird l am talking about,'' he said to Jolie subtly shifting his body further away to create some distance between him and Qie Ranzhe.


    ''You are the one making it weird unless you.....ahem.....are starting to have feelings for our handsome CEO. Its okay, you can admit it to me. I promise l won''t tell any one. I am a super discreet system. I eat discreet for breakfast,'' said the system wishing it had a face to show off its grin while applauding it smart self for choosing psychological warfare.


    Wen Qinxi froze before cursing the system out, ''Fuck off!'' He placed the ink brush into Qie Ranzhe''s hand saying, "Copy it five times," before standing up to calm his restless heart. Qie Ranzhe watched Lin Jingxie''s every action while gawking at him as though looking at a bewitching portrait. Wen Qinxi who had been pouring himself a cup of water all of sudden felt a searing heat boring through his skin like a drill. He curiously turned around only to see Qie Ranzhe not writing but gazing at him with a blank expression. His once decelerating heart rate sped up inciting him to internally reprimand himself, ''What the fuck is wrong with me today?''


    "Still not writing?" asked Wen Qinxi instantly bringing Qie Ranzhe back to earth but his brain seemed a tad bit late as he gave an unintelligent response.


    "Huh?" asked a brainless Qie Ranzhe


    Tutor Wen Qinxi''s frown deepened while observing Qie Ranzhe''s handy work wondering if this was as a result of Qie Ranzhe being short of time or out of practice. Qie Ranzhe''s writing seemed to have taken a nose dive right into the pacific ocean. Most of it looked like chicken scratches made by a rooster high on psychedelic drugs and not just any kind of psychedelic drug but LSD. It was so horrible so much so that Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but curse, "What type of shit is this? Are you fuckin with me right now?"

 Chapter 62锛欶irst World: Goodnight My Love

    Qie Ranzhe looked as innocent as ever just like an angel. "Jin-ge, l can do better, let me try again," he said taking another blank paper to redo the work. Wen Qinxi carefully observed him making sure he was being serious and it seemed so. Qie Ranzhe really looked like he was pouring out his heart on the paper paying attention to detail. Though better, his calligraphy was still nowhere close to his previous work before the bandit incident.


    What Wen Qinxi didn''t know was that he was dealing with an expert wolf well versed in dressing up like a sheep and innocently mingle with the flock. In fact, Qie Ranzhe''s literacy skills were hand in hand with Lin Jingxie''s but he concealed it on purpose for certain benefits which would be clear soon enough.


    A frustrated Wen Qinxi made him redo it again but the results slightly worsened. Unwilling to spend the whole night doing this, he moved behind Qie Ranzhe and held his hand guiding him to write down the characters the right way. Wen Qinxi was kneeling with his chest pressed against Qie Ranzhe''s shoulder with their faces so close that their cheeks lightly brushed against each other.


    Qie Ranzhe suppressed a smile by biting his lips pretending to focus on Wen Qinxi''s guidance. He fully indulged in his shamelessness with the warmth from Lin Jingxie infusing with his skin through the fabric. An intoxicating wave of euphoric sensations flowed to all his nerve endings causing his body temperature to rise. His lower half was inevitably stimulated itching to bully Lin Jingxie to his heart''s content. Qie Ranzhe thoroughly enjoyed their intimacy as Lin Jingxie lingered for a long time with their hands joined together while motioning in a sophisticated manner leaving behind beautiful characters created by both of them. In his moment of ecstasy, he made a decision to frame this piece of paper as a reminder of the first time Lin Jingxie willingly held hands with him.


    While one was having obscene thoughts, Wen Qinxi was fully focused on teaching him. He only lingered because Qie Ranzhe had got most of the characters wrong. Wen Qinxi carefully guided his hand through more than half of them like an excellent tutor. If he knew what his filthy student was thinking he would have hit Qie Ranzhe with a book by now. This cycle went on two more times till Qie Ranzhe showed signs of improvement. They finally stopped but by the time they were done,it was already so late that Qie Ranzhe urged Lin Jingxie to sleep-over. Knowing Master Lin''s strict rules, Wen Qinxi naturally agreed as it was better than being punished.


    As soon as Wen Qinxi lay his head down his brain slowly shut down drifting off to sleep but a stimulated Qie Ranzhe wasn''t sleepy in the slightest and decided to bother Lin Jingxie instead. Qie Ranzhe turned on his side while annoyingly poking Lin Jingxie''s back. Wen Qinxi who was poked to the point of exploding turned to face him with heavy-lidded eyes asking, "What now?"


    "l need your advice," said Qie Ranzhe dazed by the cute Lin Jingxie with the moonlight reflecting on his porcelain jade-like skin. Under the starry night, Lin Jingxie looked as elegant as a sleeping beauty he desperately wanted to ravage.


    "Ask," replied Wen Qinxi rubbing his eyes to keep awake.


    "How do l get someone to like me? l am asking for Machu?" he asked throwing Machu under the bus.


    Wen Qinxi pursed his lips thinking before giving him an honest answer, "He should just tell the girl straight up thats usually effective."


    Qie Ranzhe shook his head while saying, "He already tried but was misunderstood and its not a girl but a guy he likes," clarifying Manchu''s non-existant love interest.


    Wen Qinxi''s eyes widened, if he wasn''t awake then he was fully awake now. "Wow Machu actually likes a guy? Who is it tell me?" asked a giddy Wen Qinxi lurching closer to hear the juicy gossip. He was now at arms length inching even closer the longer Qie Ranzhe kept silent.


    Seeing that Lin Jingxie had stopped moving, Qie Ranzhe curled his index finger urging him to come closer. Wen Qinxi didn''t even think twice and moved his ear closer like a dumb turkey willingly offering itself up for Thanksgiving dinner. Qie Ranzhe propped his body up with his elbow and leaned in close to Lin Jingxie''s ear. "Its a secret. He told me not to tell anyone so l can''t tell you," he whispered with his lips touching Lin Jingxie''s ear for a brief moment. Whether it was in purpose or accidental will let the audience decide.


    Wen Qinxi frowned when he realised he had been lured into a trap. His senstive ear was suddenly itchy and hot stimulating his otherwise docile senses. He glared at Qie Ranzhe who was hovering above his face with a sly grin and pushed him away yelling, "Jerk."


    Qie Ranzhe was satisfied simply allowing his body to fall back at Lin Jingxie''s weak shove. He chortled lightly before saying, "Am serious though. Its eating him up inside. He has run out of ideas," with his hand lazily covering his eyes.


    Wen Qinxi was not an expert when it came to relationships but tried to put himself in Machu''s shoes before saying, "When it comes to guys liking guys its a bit tricky. Machu is better of trying the roundabout way otherwise he risks being reject and losing the person entirely," adjusting his sleeping posture. Qie Ranzhe lay on his side facing Lin Jingxie listening carefully.


    "If it was me, l would deduce if there any possibility for the guy to become bent. For instance his attitude towards same-sex couples or how he reacts to different sexual preferences. If his disgusted or rude then his not worth my time. The next step would be to infiltrate his life till his emotionally dependent on me. By the time the victim realizes what happened, it would be irreversible. It''s all about strategy. Though there is no guarantee it would work at least it increases my odds," continued Wen Qinxi with his heavy eyes slowly closing.

 Chapter 63锛欶irst World: Nerds Fighting Over Cookies

    Sleep paralysis is a temporary condition where you wake up from slumber unable to move or talk and Wen Qinxi thought he was experiencing this phenomenon when he suddenly woke up feeling constricted and immotile. Agitated, Wen Qinxi tried to lift his body but couldn''t as a wave of prickly heat swept his underarms.


    "Shit!" he cursed but was startled when he realised he could actually speak. When he had sleep paralysis before he could neither move nor speak. Undoubtfully flummoxed, he turned his head to the side only to find the reason why he couldn''t move. Qie Ranzhe''s two limbs were wrapped around him like an octopus wounding around him like a bower constrictor tenderising its soon-to-be feast.


    Frustrated, Wen Qinxi couldn''t go back to sleep so to pass-time he decided to chit chat with the guys in the game room. It would at least serve as a diversion from Qie Ranzhe''s tranquil handsome face lying on the same pillow as him. ''Jolie, initiate communication channel passcode qieranzheisajerk,'' said a motionless Wen Qinxi in his mind.


    As soon as the communication channel opened, his mind was flooded with two men quarreling over something so stupid. "You fucker ate all my cookies. Do you know who gave me these?" yelled Hei Bao who is normally passive. Even if you take food that his about to place in his mouth, he never got angry. Let''s just say, no matter how much Xia Bai bullied him he would never complain but today he actually got mad over cookies.


    Xia Bai was sitting in his swivel office chair languidly chewing the last cookie with a guileful smile. "l know so what? Tell her to bake two batches next time. Doesn''t she know they are two handsome geniuses in the team unless she likes you and excluded me on purpose. Wait... were they confession cookies?" said Xia Bai with the last part spoken with disingenuous concern. Hei Bao was so angry he could flip a table over a couple of times.


    "So what if she likes me? She''s pretty and nice, what''s wrong with her liking me? You....you are such an asshole!" he yelled cursing out the devil that had just eaten all his cookies.


    Wen Qinxi felt a headache creeping up on him so he decide to interject saying, ''Guys y-,'' before both of them rudely cut him off.


    "WHAT!" said both Xia Bai and Hei Bao looking at the screen.


    Wen Qinxi, "....." The douchebags actually dared to yell at him. ''You fuckin disrespectful brats. You still dare eat in the game room! What''s so fuckin special about those damn cookies that you have to disrespect this ancestor. Yo-________,'' the rest wasn''t heard with the Xia Bai brazenly muting the communication channel.


    The two men looked at each for a second before Hei Bao asked, "He''s really pissed off this time, isn''t he?" looking pensive.


    "Yep," replied Xia Bai feeling that the empty cookie tin was suddenly getting hot under his fingertips. He gave the cookie tin to Hei Bao before saying, "Don''t accept cookies from her anymore. They were a little salty. I will make you better cookies," with a blank expression.


    "Dage," said Hei Bao taking the tin from him with a baffled expression, "Do you even know how to make instant noodles?"


    Xia Bai glanced over the screen while saying, "For you, l will learn plus l think l can do a better job than her. She didn''t even do research otherwise she would have known that you don''t like ginger cookies. If l were her l would have made you some macaroons," in a natural tone as though knowing Hei Bao''s favorite cookies was nothing.


    Hei Bao was dumbfounded hearing this but soon relaxed when he remembered that one of their after-work escapades involved eating together so its no surprise Xia Bai knew his favourite cookies. He was about to tell him not to bother himself with it when Xia Bai unmuted the communication channel but were met with this, ''-ssholes. You think l won''t fine you? This emperor will teach you mann______,'' which led him to mute Wen Qinxi again.


    Hei Bao, "..."


    Xia Bai, "....."


    "I guess he haven''t cooled down let''s give him sometime," said Hei Bao walking to his bag before stuffing the cookie tin that had started this wild fire into his bag. Out of sight out of mind. Wen Qinxi really had a short fuse and yelled for fifteen minutes straight. Jolie who was hanging around couldn''t take it any more wishing it had ears so it could block out the yelling with some earplugs.


    Wen Qinxi soon calmed down and everything went back to normal as they resumed their chit chat. "Wen Qinxi, your little brother came over today to see you. I told him he can visit you after his clearance is approved. He will have access by next week," said Xia Bai squeezing a Hello Kitty shaped anti-stress ball which Hei Bao always found hilarious. A grown man held a cute Hello Kitty anti-stress ball which was a gift from his younger sister.


    "l like you too," said Xia Bai in a calm collect tone as though unfazed.


    ''Huh,'' said Wen Qinxi but he still wasn''t satisfied by his research so he said the same thing to Hei Bao, ''Bao Bao l like you.''


    "Aww that so sweet l like you too," said a giddy Hei Bao.


    Unexpectedly Xia Bai glared at him saying, "You don''t have to be that excited," before turning his face back to the anti-stress ball in his hand.


    The system, "..." while watching such a scene thinking, ''Fuckin lab rats with redundant EQs. What do they know?''

 Chapter 64锛欶irst World: The Shameless Wen Qi Junior

    Satisfied by his research a sleepy Wen Qinxi cut the call with his mind at ease. Guys could say that to each other with no odd intentions. Growing up most of his friends were online acquaintances that he met once or twice. He barely had any physical interactions so lacked experience when it came to such boundaries among friends.


    "See you were overthinking it. I might not be human but l do have a clear understanding of human emotion. Focus on helping Qie Ranzhe pass this world, not these trivial matters," said the system hoping Wen Qinxi would buy its bullshit and expel any doubts.


    ''Seriously, do l look like l was overthinking? l used to say it to my friends all the time so why would I overthink it,'' replied Wen Qinxi lying through his teeth. He didn''t want to seem backward or old-fashioned.


    "Sure, sure boss," said Jolie agreeing with him but it knew Wen Qinxi''s full history choosing not to expose him.


    ''Though l wish he wouldn''t hug me this tight,'' said Wen Qinxi trying to escape from the octopus'' tentacles.


    "PTSD, show more love," said the system overplaying that card.


    ''Piss off! PTSD my ass," replied Wen Qinxi still struggling to free himself from Qie Ranzhe without waking him up. Since Wen Qinxi said piss off the system really pissed off leaving its helpless boss struggling like a mouse caught in a mousetrap.


    Wen Qinxi thought that things couldn''t get more complicated than this but boy was he wrong. Because he scuffled so much Qie Ranzhe face was now touching his ear that if he turned his face slightly his nose would collide into Qie Ranzhe''s cheek. "Shit!" he cursed in a muffled voice while trying to shift his face away with his neck tilted in an awkward away but holding that posture was so painful that he wanted to cry.


    He had no choice but to return his head to its original position. Just when he succumbed to his fate another complication arose which was Qie Ranzhe''s warm breath tickling his ear with each rhythmic exhale. It was then that he realised things had graduated from bad to worse as he swore under his breath. Wen Qinxi tried to find the system to at least distract his mind from the strangely enjoyable sensation with a movie but that system never reappeared.


    He silently endured but without warning, the situation upgraded again from worse to tragic. To Wen Qinxi''s astonishment under the constant provocation by a sleeping Qie Ranzhe, his brainless member down below chose the wrong time to rise to the occasion slowly ascending like fermenting bread dough. Wen Qinxi watched with wide eyes as the shameless Wen Qi junior stiffly stood in attention forming a familiar peak.


    ''What the fuck! Go down you fuckin idiot. You are getting hard over such a small thing? Does it look like there are any pretty girls here jerkass?'' he scolded his embarrassing boner but in response, the junior began to involuntary twitch on its own as though mocking him.


    Wen Qinxi, "...." dumbstruck. The more Qie Ranzhe''s warm breath grazed his ear, the redder it became inciting the release of feel-good hormones all over his body. Wen Qinxi was in disbelief he didn''t know a guy could get turned on by another even though his straight, well, at least that''s what he thought. This was too overwhelming for him so he decided to wake Qie Ranzhe so he could release him otherwise Wen Qinxi wouldn''t be able to sleep tonight.


    "Qie Ranzhe," called out Wen Qinxi while shaking him but Qie Ranzhe didn''t respond. He called out a couple more times vigorously shaking him to no avail. Just when he was about to give up, Qie Ranzhe finally moved his head away saying, "Be good stop making trouble," without even opening his eyes.


    Wen Qinxi sighed in relief when the source of his provocation was cut off. His relief didn''t last long as the situation kicked up a notch transcending from tragic to torment. Qie Ranzhe shifted his left leg that was originally wrapped around Wen Qinxi''s knees moving it up to his groin. Wen Qinxi''s body temperature soared up to unprecedented levels giving off a feverish illusion. He was hysterical with his entire body covered in sweat and heart beating so fast as though it was going to burst out of his chest at a moment''s notice.


    While he was having a panic attack his junior member was ecstatic as though it had received a drop of water after a long gruesome drought. His ashamed face was as red as a ripe cherry as pre-cum seeped out dampening his pants. In his entire existence, Wen Qinxi had never been this humiliated before.


    He tried to wiggle his body upwards to free Wen Qi junior currently trapped under Qie Ranzhe''s inner thigh but his subtle movements aggravated his member even more and the result, well, let''s not further humiliate him by saying it.


    Oh, what the heck, we are all adults so I will say it. Wen Qinxi reached his peak of ecstasy with his entire body convulsing in unparalleled pleasure. His climax was so intense that he had to bury his head into the pillow so as to muffle the uncontrollable gruff moan escaping his throat.


    Wen Qinxi spent the entire night in his wet pants feeling extremely uncomfortable with his redden eyes wide open. Qie Ranzhe eventually moved as soon as the sun peeked from the horizon. That movement was enough to allow Wen Qinxi to escape with great difficulty. He literally wiggled out of Qie Ranzhe''s arms falling onto the ground with a loud thud that was loud enough to wake the dead.


    Wen Qinxi groaned in pain while lifting his body from the floor. Qie Ranzhe was woken up by the sudden sound of a person''s body slamming hard against the floor and sat up looking down with his eyes filled with concern for Lin Jingxie. "Jin-ge are you okay," he said about to get off the bed to help him up.


    Glancing over the suspicious wet patch on his pants, Wen Qinxi froze yelling, "Don''t," with his hand gesturing for him to stay away. Qie Ranzhe couldn''t see anything apart from Lin Jingxie on all fours with his butt facing him. The view was so provocative that he couldn''t resist stretching his hand to give Lin Jingxie''s ass a gentle squeeze but soon retracted his hand when he came back to his senses.


    With a grimace on his face, Wen Qinxi stood up and awkwardly walked as straight as a board towards his neatly folded outer garment. He only eased up his tense muscles when he was fully clothed instantly calming his erratic heart. He turned to look at Qie Ranzhe saying, "This is the last time we share a bed. You are fuckin octopus," before walking out not even caring about his dishevelled hair.


    Qie Ranzhe who had just been scolded early in the morning by Lin Jingxie lay back down wondering what he had done that was so bad to have his sleepover privileges revoked. It''s only after a while that he noticed his pants on his inner thigh was slightly wet. Curious he used his finger to scrap the minuscule fluid and smelt it. In shock, Qie Ranzhe swore, "Fuck!" realising what it was. After all, he was a man and could easily recognize that scent. He lay back down with a subtle smile biting his lower lip filled with mixed feelings.

 Chapter 65锛欶irst World: Doting On His Best Friend

    After the unfortunate embarrassing incident, Wen Qinxi kept his word never sleeping over in Qie Ranzhe''s room ever again. The first few days he had awkwardly distanced himself from Qie Ranzhe running off before the man had a chance to even open his mouth. At first, Qie Ranzhe found the bashful Lin Jingxie adorable but the more Lin Jingxie ran the more anxious he became. If this was to become a thing, he didn''t know how he was going to solve it.


    Wen Qinxi only returned to normal when Jolie pointed out his suspicious behaviour. It didn''t know why Wen Qinxi was suddenly acting like a girl who had her feelings rejected by her crush choosing to run off whenever they met. If this carried on Qie Ranzhe will naturally become curious and interrogate Wen Qinxi. An inquisitive Qie Ranzhe was Wen Qinxi''s bane, the guy wouldn''t stop nagging till he got the truth out of a defenceless Wen Qinxi. The nerd could only be grateful that Qie Ranzhe slept like a dead log otherwise he would have witnessed such shameful event making him lose face.


    That statement alone had Wen Qinxi returning to his usual self no longer feeling as humiliated as before, vowing to take that secret to his grave. Seeing Lin Jin finally willing to face him, Qie Ranzhe was relieved though he still felt a sense of loss missing out on such a major event. He swallowed down his disappointment comforting himself that they would plenty of opportunities in the future. He aggressively initiated the very same plan Lin Jingxie gave him going all out without holding back. He basically grew roots in Lin Jingxie''s life in such an uncanny way that only Lin Mingxu out of the entire Lin Mansion noticed.


    Everyone else in the Lin family just took it as Qie Ran doting on his best friend. This illusion meant they naturally didn''t oppose especially Master Lin as he knew Qie Ranzhe''s true identity. Lin Mingxu helplessly watched as his older brother was slowly lured into the devil''s snare. He had been deterred from exposing the predator Qie Ranzhe who had threatened to air out his dirty laundry for Lin Jingxie to see. This dirty laundry would surely have him disowned by his own brother as he was the one who incited Madam Lin to bring bridal candidates to pressurize Lin Jingxie.


    Just like a cornered poodle, he could only watch a rottweiler confiscate his favourite bone. Though trapped in his own man-made pit, he had to applaud Qie Ranzhe''s courting skills. If his older brother was a girl, he was fairly certain Lin Jingxie would have fallen head over heels by now.


    Qie Ran was like an ideal ''boyfriend'' that is in Lin Mingxu eyes but ideal ''friend'' in the eyes of the rest of Lin Mansion. He constantly defended Lin Jingxie whenever he got into trouble instantly pacifying Master Lin. Not only that he also shared the burden of whatever punishment designated to Lin Jingxie. He was extremely obedient listening attentively when Lin Jingxie tutored him which was almost every single night.


    Sometimes he would go into the forest bringing back Lin Jingxie''s favourite fruits, washed them and placed them in his room to surprise him. Whatever Lin Jingxie wanted Qie Ranzhe would make it happen with a heartwarming smile on his face. A spoilt Wen Qinxi didn''t think much of it enjoying being doted upon by his boss. The system once walked in only to find Qie Ranzhe hard at work massaging Wen Qinxi''s feet. The idiot even went as far as bragging saying, ''Look Jolie I wiggled out a massage from the overbearing CEO. Hahaha, can you imagine that happening in the real world?'' with a radiant expression feeling himself.


    ''Tsk, tsk, tsk you will regret it,'' said Jolie silently lighting a candle for its dense creator.


    At that time Wen Qinxi''s response was, ''Regret it? Ha.....what can he do to me? Fire me? By the time I get out of this game I would be a billionaire, let him fire me if he wants."


    ''What asked,'' asked Wen Qinxi but the system had already performed a splendid disappearing act like the magician Harry Houdini. He shrugged his shoulders brushing off the jealous system.


    These weren''t the only benefits Wen Qinxi milked out of Qie Ranzhe. Whenever Qie Ranzhe joined the Lin house for a meal he would always pick Lin Jingxie''s favourite dishes placing them in his bowl. This left Master Lin disgruntled because both he and his son loved scallion ginger shrimp and Peking duck which meant each time they had these dishes a huge portion went into Lin Jingxie''s mouth. Madam Lin noticed Qie Ranzhe barely ate focusing on fattening up their gluttonous son. She tried to intervene by placing food into his bowl but if it was anything that Lin Jingxie liked it would automatically be transferred into her son''s plate.


    She couldn''t voice her concern in front of Qie Ranzhe so could only glare at Lin Jingxie with a ''fuckin refuse his offer'' expression but it simply had no effect on him. In his defence, Wen Qinxi was willing to eat because he knew no matter how much he ate in the game he obviously wouldn''t gain weight. So the nerd indulged oblivious to a certain game setting that would actually cause the character to gain weight according to their in-game diet.


    He didn''t know about this because he only designed the game operating software not the minor details like storylines or designing of the actual worlds. So he was fed by Qie Ranzhe till the day he made a shocking discovery.


    While bathing, Wen Qinxi noticed a little tubby protruding from his once flat tummy. He tried sucking it in but that pouch was not going anywhere. He swore, "Shit!" while hastily putting on his pants and robe before running back to his room to look in the mirror.

 Chapter 66锛欶irst World: Take Responsibility

    Qie Ranzhe who had been practising some characters assigned to him by Lin Jingxie was startled when Lin Jingxie walked in with a half closed robe exposing part of his milky-white collarbone and smooth chest while rushing towards the bronze mirror. Wen Qinxi uncaringly removed the robe letting it slip off his body onto the floor while carefully studying his frame.


    Witnessing such a sensual scene, Qie Ranzhe gulped but it didn''t seem to help alleviate the dry desert in his throat. He was inevitably bewitched causing him to draw a crude line on what should have been a masterpiece. Qie Ranzhe ogled at him in a daze not sure if this was a good or bad thing. Lin Jingxie was like a swirl rainbow lollipop displayed at the window of a candy store flaunting its alluring colors in front of a six-year-old. Like the six-year-old with candy, he craved for Lin Jingxie but couldn''t touch him separated by the display glass.


    "That''s fucked up!" yelled Wen Qinxi looking at that little pouch that followed him into the game, "I gained weight...ah so fuckin annoying." He lowered his pants a little exposing more of his abdomen only stopping just below his prominent V-line.


    "l....um.....l-l think you ar-," stammered a stupefied Qie Ranzhe with the tip of his ears bright red that was before Wen Qinxi cut him off in an accusatory tone.


    "This all your fault," said Wen Qinxi looking right at him fully exposing his half-naked body for Qie Ranzhe to see. "What? You not going to take responsibility," he said moving closer for the culprit to see his handy work, "look at me l am getting fat."


    Qie Ranzhe was unresponsive seeming to have lost his voice. Seeing how Qie Ranzhe was not saying anything Wen Qinxi thought he couldn''t see the tiny pouch and so took Qie Ranzhe''s hand and placed it on his belly saying, "Feel that? Thats all the shrimp you fed me. Its a fuckin pouch Qie Ranzhe."


    Qie Ranzhe''s palm felt so hot with heart pulsing at light speed even through his palm. The longer his hand lingered on that smooth soft skin, the greater the urge to explore South of the boarder. His hand unconsciously moved a little lower with his body turning feverish. If it wasn''t for his strong will-power he would have push down this naive scholar.


    With his lower half issuing warning signals, Qie Ranzhe abruptly stood up muttering, "l am sorry," in a hoarse voice before running out of that room as fast as lightning. He even bumped into Lin Mingxu on his way out and apologized which was unlike him at all.


    Lin Mingxu watched a flushed Qie Ranzhe run off like the wind and shook his head in astonishment. He soon understood why Qie Ranzhe was like that. A shirtless Lin Jingxie was holding the paper Qie Ranzhe had been working on yelling after him, "Qie Ranzhe you jerk! You are running off because you screwed up the assignment l gave you. Will see how long you can hide from me!"


    Lin Mingxu ran over to Lin Jingxie with a disapproving look. He reprimanded his brother while covering him with the robe that had been tossed on the floor. "Jin-ge you should cover up. Why are you prancing around naked? This is not a brothel," he said taking the paper from him before wrapping him tight like a swaddled newborn.


    Wen Qinxi was baffled looking at him with a ''what the fuck'' expression. "Do l look like l have boobs? I can even walk out of the gate shirtless if l want to."


    A defeated Lin Mingxu felt like he was protecting a frivolous sister with no moral compass. Knowing how stubborn Lin Jingxie was, he decided to use an underhanded method to dissuade him running around shirtless again. "No one wants to see those man boobs and that fatty pouch of yours so cover-up!" he yelled while fixing Lin Jin''s collar.


    Wen Qinxi was actually nowhere near that and the so-called pouch was really tiny but Lin Mingxu chose this method to stop his brother from undressing in front Qie Ranzhe. This behaviour was an obvious short cut to Lin Jingxie getting his cherry popped by that hungry wolf that''s why he used those harsh words.


    Having touched his sore spot Wen Qinxi was unforgiving yelling, "You disrespectful brat, l give you two seconds to get out or you will regret it!" in a menacing tone but Lin Mingxu was slow to react. Two seconds later Wen Qinxi dragged him out of his room by his ear. His throbbing ear was scarlet red by the time Lin Jingxie let go.


    When Qie Ranzhe came back an hour later that is after dousing himself in cold water, he found Lin Mingxu pitifully rubbing his ear while sitting outside Lin Jingxie''s room with the door closed shut. He couldn''t help but ask, "What happened to you?" so he would enter Lin Jingxie''s room with caution.


    With a sullen expression, he mumbled, "l called him fat." Qie Ranzhe couldn''t stop a quip grin from creeping up his face.


    He disingenuously pat Lin Mingxu''s shoulder before opening the door only to have the silly kid follow behind him. Wen Qinxi saw Lin Mingxu sneakily follow behind Qie Ranzhe entering his room and said, "Since you are in cahoots then stay outside the both of you," dismissing both of them.


    At first, they thought Lin Jingxie was joking but soon discovered how serious he was when he ran them both out and shut the door with a loud bang. The two dejected men sat outside waiting for Lin Jingxie to calm down. A bored Lin Mingxu turned to look at Qie Ranzhe asking, "Since we are already here, do you want to play a game?"

 Chapter 67锛欶irst World: Doting Husband

    A pampered Wen Qinxi had had the most fun during this period, Qie Ranzhe was like a genie granting his every wish without him even asking. Sometimes he felt so bad and would try to refuse but Qie Ranzhe was dead set on doing things for him. He soon got used to being doted upon brushing it off as the teenager showing gratitude for everything he did for him. What Wen Qinxi didn''t realise was that he was gradually forming a cavernous dependence on Qie Ranzhe both physically and emotionally that wouldn''t be easy to rid off in the future.


    Being treated this way, Wen Qinxi now understood why Li Menxie and other women in the office were willing to betray each just to grasp Qie Ranzhe''s attention. He took the time to acknowledge the reason why Li Menxie didn''t hesitate throwing him under the bus when he was caught by Qie Ranzhe under her desk, the woman had to do whatever it takes to sink her claws in this seemingly aloof CEO with a big heart. It wasn''t just his looks that drove them insane. These women seemed to know a secret that most guys are oblivious to. Qie Ranzhe might look cold and unapproachable from the outside but he treated the ones close to him exceptionally well.


    He was exceptionally gifted and well-deserving of the title doting husband. This version of Qie Ranzhe was so heartwarming and sweet capable of melting any woman''s heart but Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but wonder why Zhao Huangzhi in the real world dumped such an awesome man. She had an all-access pass to all this, an access pass plenty of girls could only dream of but she chose to ruthlessly throw it out.


    Wen Qinxi shook his head in dissatisfaction while slouching like a salted fish in a chair waiting for Qie Ranzhe to come out. In a few days, Qie Ranzhe would be having his entrance exam which would determine whether he will be accepted into the guild or not. Like a father sending his kid to first grade, he couldn''t let Qie Ranzhe go without buying him new sets of clothes. After days of coaxing, Qie Ranzhe finally agreed thinking that Lin Jingxie would buy one or two garments but boy was he wrong.


    A captivating and devastatingly handsome young man finally emerged from the backroom of the tailor shop hypnotising the entire shop. Faced with such a prepossessing deity, the shop keeper''s daughter shrieked with a face as red as a tomato and beaming eyes that could be mistaken for a white water lily blooming at the break of dawn. Both the shop keeper and Wen Qinxi simultaneously looked in her direction dumbstruck by her odd behaviour.


    Being looked at like that, she timidly covered her mouth and slowly squatted behind the counter restraining her excitement. In all this, Qie Ranzhe had his eyes fixed on Lin Jingxie like a puppy impatiently waiting for his master to compliment him. If he had a tail it would have been wagging all over the place with excitement. He was wearing a high-quality vantablack robe with a string embroidery of a golden phoenix in the front and a black and gold leather belt bringing the look together. On his wrist, he wore a dazzling yet domineering charcoal black leather bracers embroidered with gold flames. Qie Ranzhe could be described as a menacing yet splendorous awe-inspiring masterpiece just like the unattainable lightening.


    Wen Qinxi was impressed, the tailor paid attention to his words creating a venomous yet charming outfit well-matched with Qie Ranzhe''s personality. He stood up and ambled around Qie Ranzhe with his eyes scrutinizing the tailor''s handiwork. Lin Jingxie''s actions made Qie Ranzhe nervous unable to discern how his crush felt about the way he looked as the guy hadn''t uttered a single word.


    Unaware of how nerve-wracked Qie Ranzhe was, Wen Qinxi silently continued scrutinising him till he stopped right in front of Qie Ranzhe with his eyes fixed on the out of place hairpin holding Qie Ranzhe''s hair up. The shop keeper sensed his concern and wordlessly handed him a vantablack hair tie with faint gold string embroidery. Qie Ranzhe was too absorbed in Lin Jingxie''s charming visage that he didn''t realise when Lin Jingxie suddenly stood on his tippy toes removing the only thing that had been holding his silky strands together.


    Like a graceful waterfall, Qie Ranzhe''s hair flowed down covering his entire face but that was the least of his concerns. Lin Jingxie was dangerously leaning close to him with his slender sweet-smelling neck in Qie Ranzhe''s full view calling for him to have a taste. Qie Ranzhe had to tightly clench his sweaty palms with his nails digging deep into his skin to keep himself from grabbing Lin Jingxie''s waist drawing his neck closer to take a nibble. With his body temperature skyrocketing Qie Ranzhe froze in place letting the man do whatever he pleased.


    Wen Qinxi smiled at the exceptionally obedient CEO and carefully fiddled with his hair tying it into a youthful half ponytail. The youth looked especially dashing leaving behind his boyish look turning into a noble prince. Wen Qinxi slid his hands down against either side of Qie Ranzhe''s arms as he settled his heels back on the ground saying, "Nice."


    Qie Ranzhe felt his cheeks burn up after being complimented by Lin Jingxie and chose to look away otherwise he might sell himself out. He didn''t really care about trivial matters like clothes but if it made Lin Jingxie happy, he would gladly assume the role of a dress-up barbie. His little bubble soon burst when he heard Lin Jingxie barking out an order, "pack up the rest and take it to the carriage outside, he doesn''t need to try them all."


    Wen Qinxi furrowed his brows once that gentle warmth tickled his sensitive ear instantly reminding him of that embarrassing night. In a slick manner, he removed Qie Ranzhe''s hand and walked forward saying, "No, l had Machu get rid of your other clothes. You aren''t joining the guild wearing old clothes," before following behind the man painstakingly carrying the chest out of the shop. When noticed that Qie Ranzhe wasn''t following behind him, Wen Qinxi turned around asking, "Aren''t you coming?" with an inquisitive look.


    "No, you can go ahead. l have something l need to do," he said with an unreadable expression. Wen Qinxi didn''t question him any further and shrugged his shoulders before leaving the shop heading for the shelter.

 Chapter 68锛欶irst World: Twin Jade Pendants

    Having his old clothes confiscated, Qie Ranzhe was left with no choice but to pace through the boisterous market in his eye-catching outfit. As a striking young man dressed in aristocratic clothes, it was only natural that he would attract unnecessary attention where ever he went. Who could blame these amused onlookers when such a dazzling nobleman had graced them with his presence.


    He felt their curious gaze burrowing through his skin but Qie Ranzhe didn''t seem to care with his mind adrift. Ever since he developed a close relationship with Lin Jingxie, the boy had taken it upon himself to provide for him and his boys which he was extremely grateful for. Qie Ranzhe knew he could never repay him for his kindness as he owned nothing of great importance.


    He could only offer his life to Lin Jingxie pledging to be by his side and take care of him for the rest of their lives. This is why he had a burning desire to work hard and climb ranks in the guild so as to attain enough power to protect the love of his life. For now, he could only offer Lin Jingxie a hetian phoenix carved jade pendant hanging on two separate black string.


    Qie Ranzhe had noticed Lin Jingxie seemed to have a thing for the flaming phoenix judging from the sword he gifted to him which his why he chose a phoenix carving. This pendant was special because it could be separated into two halves. The one half was for Lin Jingxie and he would keep the other half for himself that way Lin Jingxie would always remember him whenever he looked at that pendant while they''re apart.


    This piece of jewellery was too expensive for Qie Ranzhe so he asked Master Lin if he could work at one of his rice fields to earn some money for the pendant. Master Lin was initially horrified refusing to make him work saying whatever Qie Ranzhe needed he will get it for him. How could he make a prince work for him? Wasn''t that courting death?


    But Master Lin had no choice but to concede when he realised how stubborn Qie Ranzhe was. He agreed to it under one condition which was that Qie Ranzhe should never snitch on him in the future and only speak good things about him when he gets to the capital. Qie Ranzhe was just glad he agreed hastily promising while ignoring Master Lin''s nonsense.


    Ignoring all the stares and whispers, he finally reached the stall he was looking for. The highly skilled old man currently carving something that looked like a half-done fish raised his head when he heard Qie Ranzhe calling to him. He instantly recognized the voice but faced with a lavishly dressed nobleman he couldn''t help but be confused. He squinted his cataract filled eyes to look closely at the somewhat familiar face. Unable to match the voice with the face he expected he finally said, "How may l help you kind sir?" while wiping the dust off his wrinkled shaky hands.


    "I have a lot of carvings you might be interested in. Look at this one, how about this one?" he rambled on advertising his magnificent work.


    Qie Ranzhe saw the old man running out of breath chattering non-stop and couldn''t bear it any longer. He stopped him saying, "Old Tang, it''s me Qie Ranzhe. l came to pick up the pendants," with his hands stretched out gesturing for him to calm down. He couldn''t help but wonder if his change in appearance was that drastic that people couldn''t even recognize him.


    It took him ages to convince the old man with poor eyesight that he was Qie Ranzhe. Only then did the man present him the gorgeous jade pendants that almost brought Qie Ranzhe to tears. He grinned like a Cheshire cat while gently caressing the twin pendants with his thumb in satisfaction.


    Seeing how happy the man was, Old Tang commended him saying, "Your girlfriend must be the luckiest woman in the world to have a man who loves her this much," in a shaky voice. The old man had enough experience with this sort of thing and could tell when a person was in love with just a glance. That radiant warm smile and dreamy eyes on Qie Ranzhe''s face were no exception instantly revealing his true feelings.


    Qie Ranzhe raised his had while carefully putting away the pendants saying, "No he is the luckiest man in the world," before placing the money on the table.


    The old man almost had a heart attack hearing the word man and only came back to himself at the sound of money hitting the table. He opened the small bag and his eyes widened saying, "This....this is triple what l asked for. Let me take my portion then give the rest back to you."


    He immediately started counting but was soon stopped by Qie Ranzhe''s words. "Its all yours, this pendant is worth so much more to me but this all l have on me," said Qie Ranzhe and turned on his heel before walking away. The old man was left speechless with his trembling hands holding the small bag in disbelief.

 Chapter 69锛欶irst World: Little Tubby Is So Angry

    The art form of origami was initially intended for religious and ceremonial purposes but at this moment a certain someone was using it to entertain a group of boys. Wen Qinxi had arrived at the shelter only to find a group of boys sitting around the dining table drooling over sweet appetising cakes Madam Lin had just sent over for the boys to enjoy. He joined them at the table but couldn''t indulge in the delectable treats because of a certain protruding pouch he was working hard to get rid off. Wen Qinxi decided to fold origami while conversing with the boys as a form of distraction from the sweet-smelling temptation.


    The boys observed him skillfully fold the piece of paper while guessing what the final result would be wagering the last yam cake on it. They eagerly guessed while cheerfully mocking each other''s suggestions. The room was instantly filled playful taunts coming from a group of rowdy boys. "I think it''s a cat," said Shufen making his guess while pointing at the fold Lin Jingxie was currently working on, "Look that''s clearly a tail and whiskers."


    The rest of the group laughed at his guess with Machu gently knocking on his head saying, "l don''t think your eyes are functioning well that can''t be whiskers. It''s obviously a frog." The boys didn''t spare Machu either poking fun at his him and his horrible choice. Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but smile, he had a feeling that none of them would guess it right that is until Xie Ruen spoke up.


    The boy was still vigilant whenever Lin Jingxie was around which was understandable considering Lin Jingxie had bullied him to the point of forcing him to jump into the waterfall an obvious plunge to one''s death. While other boys enjoyed Lin Jingxie''s company, he usually kept silent not uttering a single word but today he suddenly spoke.


    "If l guess it right will you eat the yam cake?" asked a hesitant Xie Ruen in an undertone. He had noticed Lin Jingxie wasn''t eating anything though he constantly took a gander at the sweet cakes craving for after them yet restrained himself with great difficulty. It was obvious he wanted to eat but couldn''t.


    Wen Qinxi raised his head pausing his folding action giving Xie Ruen the once over but quickly retracted his gaze when he saw the boy was about to retreat back into his shell. Wen Qinxi hurriedly agreed, "Mn, l will as long as you can guess the right answer," in a gentle tone trying extremely hard not to scare him.


    "Its a turtle," said Xie Ruen in a small voice but once the words came out the rest of the boys broke out into unrestrained laughter thinking how could that fold look anything like a turtle. In a few more folds they all fell silent faced with that cute little turtle.


    Wen Qinxi smiled saying, "Here, it''s all yours," placing the turtle right in front of Xie Ruen before gaily grabbing the last yam cake, he could almost feel the sweet taste tingling his senses. Machu and the others praised a bashful Xie Ruen for having such a sharp eye as the sweet smiling boy carefully held the turtle in the palm of his hand. He was so cautious holding it like glass afraid it would break with the slightest movement. He didn''t even let the others touch it which prompted the rest to ask for one.


    Wen Qinxi naturally agreed languidly taking a nibble out of the yam cake with no care in the world. Qie Ranzhe leisurely strolled into the shelter with the pendants carefully stashed away in his pocket when he walked into such a scene. The boys immediately acknowledged his presence while talking over each other excitedly showing off Lin Jingxie''s masterpiece but Qie Ranzhe had his sights set on the half-eaten yam cake in Lin Jingxie''s hand. He knitted his brows remembering how he got accused of fattening Lin Jingxie up. Without any hesitation, he paced over and confiscated the cake with a roguish expression written all over his face.


    Wen Qinxi who had just been robbed of his delicious cake couldn''t take this lying down and tried his best to take it back. He pounced at the thief like a frazzled tiger but the height difference really screwed him over. The tall guy had the cake hovering above his own head about to touch the roof while Wen Qinxi leapt up in the air trying to grab it from him.


    The boys were unfortunately forced to watch Qie Ranzhe taunt Lin Jingxie with a beaming smile on his face. Qie Ranzhe especially enjoyed it when Lin Jingxie stepped on his toes while leaning on him trying to reach. It was both funny and satisfying urging him to bully him even more but the recipient wasn''t laughing as he gradually wore a taut expression.


    "You can''t eat this," said Qie Ranzhe before shoving the entire cake into his mouth. Wen Qinxi froze with a blank expression looking at Qie Ranzhe''s stuffed face with puffed up cheeks like a handsome hamster that is if you can call hamsters handsome. He stood there aghast when he realized Qie Ranzhe had eaten something he had already taken a bite out off asking himself just what was wrong with Qie Ranzhe. Was his mysophobia cured before he entered the game?


    ''Jolie l think l am going to kill your fuckin boss. He ate my fuckin cake and doesn''t look remorseful in slightest,'' said Wen Qinxi in his mind before quietly sitting back down.


    ''Little tubby why are so angry? He''s obviously doing this for your own good otherwise you will blame that little pouch of yours on him again,'' replied the system in a mocking tone.


    ''Scram you trashy system!'' said Wen Qinxi while folding something new. Seeing he had angered Lin Jingxie, Qie Ranzhe couldn''t stand the pain that came along with it. It felt like a sizzling iron bar was seared through the pit of his stomach each time Lin Jingxie got mad at him. To appease Lin Jingxie, he hurriedly left for the kitchen and carefully assembled a fruit salad with all sorts of aromatic and delicious fruit pieces.


    When he got back Lin Jingxie had already folded a fish, fox and panda for three other boys and was folding another one that looked like a tiny bird but he couldn''t be certain. He sat shoulder to shoulder with Lin Jingxie but the guy didn''t even spare him a glance happily chatting it up with the boys while folding. Being ignored like this he couldn''t help but feel anxious, Qie Ranzhe pursed his lips before whispering in Lin Jingxie''s ear with his stray hand rubbing Lin Jingxie''s back saying, "I am sorry. I took it too far just now," with a wan expression.

 Chapter 70锛欶irst World: Perfect Recipe For A Brutal Blood Bath

    Qie Ranzhe was glad when Lin Jingxie didn''t shy away from his hand which meant his plan to customise Lin Jingxie''s to his touches was progressing well even when the man was mad at him. Wen Qinxi felt annoyed each time Qie Ranzhe whispered to him but didn''t show it on his face replying in a sullen tone, "Mn," as he finished off the little bird and passed it along to Shuen.


    A pleased Shuen admired the cute bird saying, "Lin dage you are so awesome. Are you looking for a girlfriend l can introduce you to some-.....ouch!" after being pinched hard on his thigh under the table. He looked around for the culprit but everyone was fixed on Lin Jingxie as though holding their breath anxious to hear the answer.


    "Yes sur-," said Wen Qinxi in a joking manner that was before a piece of Kiwi was stuffed into his mouth by Qie Ranzhe instantly shutting him up.


    Shuen not getting the hint foolishly opened his mouth again saying, "l only know boys so can l introduce you to on- ah! Fuck!" after being pinched on his other thigh. Both Machu and Xie Ruen had pinched him on two separate occasions to shut him up.


    Wen Qinxi looked up only to see all of them peering at him as though waiting for an answer but before he could say something, Qie Ranzhe interjected reprimanding them, "Too nosy," before feeding Lin Jingxie a carefully sliced piece of durian.


    With the surprisingly sweet durian stimulating his taste buds, Wen Qinxi seemed to forget what day it was commending Qie Ranzhe, "Mmmm...that''s surprisingly yummy, it tastes sweet," with his anger instantly dissipating before he carried on folding a whale for one other boy missing an origami of his own.


    By the time Wen Qinxi was done, his fingertips were sore handing over the dragon to Qie Ranzhe. A thrilled Qie Ranzhe grinned foolishly while staring down at the tiny dragon Lin Jingxie had made for him. To be exact, he looked like a little kid who had just seen a kite fly for the first time. Just as he carefully put it away, the door was suddenly pushed open followed by Zhao Huangzhi strolling in as though she owned the place.


    The boys didn''t waste any time instantly clearing the table at the speed of light unwilling to be caught up in this impending storm. Machu''s muscles suddenly hurt recalling how Qie Ranzhe pushed him the other time when he tried to stop him from killing Zhao Huangzhi. He looked at Qie Ranzhe with an expression that seemed to say ''can l please leave''. Qie Ranzhe slightly nodded at Machu gesturing for him to leave.


    Qie Ranzhe subconsciously placed his hand on Lin Jingxie shoulder about to ask her why she barged in as though walking into a toilet but before he could utter a single word, he was ruthlessly pinched right in the waist by Lin Jingxie. Wen Qinxi wasn''t stupid, he might have a low EQ but his IQ was high. He already understood that Qie Ranzhe didn''t like Zhao Huangzhi even a toddler could come to the same conclusion. He didn''t know where he was going to find another girl who could melt this aloof prince''s heart so they could pass this level. He decided to think it through when Qie Ranzhe joined the guild but they still needed the sword in Zhao Huangzhi''s pocessesion which is why he pinched him to be nice.


    Zhao Huangzhi sat next to Qie Ranzhe all smiles like she had seen a majestic wonder but her expression soon froze when she saw how close these two were. Sensing her discomfort, Wen Qinxi swatted Qie Ranzhe''s arm off his shoulder while nervously laughing. "Miss Zhao its been a long time," said Wen Qinxi with the hairs all over his body raised in alarm. Zhao Huangzhi might be smiling but her aura was tremendously murderous.


    She fake smiled at Lin Jingxie and placed her hand on Qie Ranzhe''s arm saying, "Ran-ge can we talk. I brought you something I think you will love," while pointing towards the long wooden box in her servant''s hands.


    Wen Qinxi understood attempting to give them some privacy but his arm was painfully grasped by Qie Ranzhe forcing him to keep still. He proceeded to remove Zhao Huangzhi hand from his arm saying, "Someone might misunderstand your actions," in a cold tone.


    Zhao Huangzhi glanced over at Lin Jingxie who looked like a cat trapped in a corner by a bunch of dogs. She was about to say something else when Lee Jienjie sudden burst in with a delighted smile aimed at Lin Jingxie saying, "Jin-ge! l am sorry l am late hope you didn''t wait for long," before pulling him by the arm.


    ''Why are all the girls in this game so unreserved. This shelter will soon be mistaken for a fuckin brothel if beautiful girls keep walking in and out,'' he thought with a perplexed look on his. He didn''t have an appointment with Lee Jienjie but was willing to be dragged away by her. ''Hell, even if she drags me to the fuckin south pole l will willingly follow her. I would rather freeze to death than stay here,'' thought Wen Qinxi about to let Lee Jienjie whisk him away but he was restrained yet again. This time Qie Ranzhe had laced their hands together like a tangled ball of wool refusing to go.


    Wen Qinxi looked at him with a ''what the fuck expression'' but Qie Ranzhe was glaring at Lee Jienjie as though he wanted to kill her if she dared steal him away. The atmosphere awkward meter shot up to a hundred in just a split second with Zhao Huangzhi glaring at Lin Jingxie, Lin Jingxie glaring at Qie Ranzhe and Qie Ranzhe glaring at Lee Jienjie. It was a perfect recipe for a brutal blood bath.


    Wen Qinxi had to remove himself from the equation otherwise a volcano would erupt with no warning. He spoke in a low tone at Qie Ranzhe saying, "I will be right back. Just give me a minute, okay?" He seriously thought Qie Ranzhe didn''t want to be left alone with Zhao Huangzhi on account of what happened the other day and needed someone to accompany him.


    Sensing a golden opportunity, Qie Ranzhe shamelessly took advantage saying, "I will let you go on one condition." Zhao Huangzhi who had witnessed their secret exchange was violently bubbling in anger but successfully held back planning plenty of ways to murder Lin Jingxie. It was all his fault involving himself with her man and had to die a miserable death.


    "What condition?" asked Wen Qinxi struggling to separate their hands.


    "Promise me you will sleep here tonight," he said while tightening his hold, "or you aren''t going anywhere." Wen Qinxi''s poor fingers were squeezed till they were pale and throbbing. He had no choice but to agree and only then did Qie Ranzhe let him go. With newfound freedom, Wen Qinxi scuttled away with Lee Jienjie leading the way while the system made an official announcement.


    "Congratulations boss, Zhao Huangzhi wants to kill you!"


    Wen Qinxi, "..."

 Chapter 71锛欶irst World: The Legendary Sword

    Knowing he was on Zhao Huangzhi''s hit list, Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but feel a bit shaken. He knew it was just a game but he dreaded the thought of starting all over again and his fear of pain intensified his desire to live. Though the pain index was at it''s the lowest setting, Wen Qinxi wasn''t reassured in the slightest. He had to come up with a plan to get that crazy girl off his back otherwise he would have to bear the consequences.


    Wen Qinxi who had been inattentive was busy mulling over what the system said so was completely unaware of Lee Jienjie''s actions. He raised his head with an absent expression saying, "Huh?" Lee Jienjie was about to repeat herself when Shuen, out of nowhere, walked right in between them forcing Lee Jienjie to release Lin Jingxie''s hand.


    "Excuse me," he said swaggering between them even though there was so much space for him to just walk around them. Lee Jienjie was extremely irritated glaring at the disappearing figure of such a disrespectful brat.


    "Lee Jienjie, you were saying?" he asked bringing her back to reality.


    "Oh, l was asking about your relationship with Qie Ranzhe," she said with her voice quieting down with each word uttered. Wen Qinxi stared at her with a confused look that seemed to ask ''what about it?''. Judging from his expression she continued saying, "I know you are close friends but Zhao Huangzhi won''t be happy till she monopolizes Qie Ranzhe that''s why I ran over here to try and pacify her."


    Wen Qinxi''s expression softened feeling extremely grateful to her. He really felt those two would tear him apart if he stayed between them any longer. Wen Qinxi let out a soft laugh saying, "Thank you for that, you truly saved me though she won''t rest till l am dead," while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.


    That gorgeous laugh had Lee Jienjie feeling bashful with flushed cheeks. She really loved Lin Jingxie and genuinely wanted to help him. Unlike Zhao Huangzhi, she knew love couldn''t be forced but that didn''t stop her from dreaming that their relationship could be a little more than this. She hoped that in helping Lin Jingxie he would change his perception of her, from a little meimei to a girl he could spend the rest of his life with.


    "That''s why l am here. I came up with a solution that can ease the tension. I know Qie Ranzhe is important to you and can''t stop being friends with him so l came up with a plan to get Zhao Huangzhi off your back," she said with an excited look on her pretty face.


    Wen Qinxi subconsciously raised a brow gazing at her with a sceptical look. What plan could she possibly come up with that could help him survive this world and ultimately save him from an untimely death? Lee Jienjie scanned around and saw some inquisitive eyes peeping in their direction making her choose to whisper her plan instead.


    Being this close to such a beautiful lady emitting the sweet scent of spring, Wen Qinxi tensed up expecting some form of stimulation as nature intended but as her warm breath brushed against his ear nothing memorable transpired. He wasn''t even a tenth as annoyed as he was when Qie Ranzhe whispered in his which happened way too often. There was a tingly sensation at first but like a struck matchstick, it died down in an instant. ''That''s odd,'' he thought just as she finished talking.


    Lee Jienjie lingered a little longer after she finished whispering her plan staring at Lin Jingxie''s chiselled jaw and smooth skin. She secretly hoped to accidentally brush against his cheek with her lips but her plan was instantly doused with cold water. Shuen had made his way back forcing them apart with another shameless, "Excuse me."


    She finally lost it yelling at him, "You stupid brat! You better learn some manners soon otherwise l will personally come over there and beat some manners into you!" while angrily pointing at Shuen. Shuen who had been scolded by Lee Jienjie didn''t seem remorseful choosing to rudely stick his tongue out at her instead.


    Angered by his childish behaviour she lunged forward to beat the crap out of him but Wen Qinxi who had been mulling over her plan grasped Lee Jienjie''s arm pulling her away with his mind lost in thought. He unintentionally led an angry Lee Jienjie back to the dining room only to witness a mind-blowing event.


    ***


    With Lin Jingxie gone the atmosphere turned icy cold in a trice even though it was the middle of spring. Qie Ranzhe didn''t want to leave Lin Jingxie all alone with Lee Jienjie for too long. Who knew what type of brainwashing that seductress would do to Lin Jingxie. He didn''t want to be here any longer than he had to so he said, "Speak," in an impatient tone.


    Zhao Huangzhi was initially pleased to finally have Qie Ranzhe all to herself but seeing him with one foot at the door, her heart sank and couldn''t help express her grievances. "Ran-ge pl-," she said but quickly shut her mouth when he shot her a ferocious glare that sent chills down her spine. Why she loved a man who didn''t give her any second thought? Not even she could answer that question. All she knew was that Qie Ranzhe was her very breath and without him, there was no point in living.


    "Qie Ranzhe," she corrected herself before saying, "my father arranged for me to get back to the capital so l am leaving tomorrow. I came to say goodbye." She wore a doleful expression inching closer to Qie Ranzhe while nervously rubbing her perfectly manicured fingernails.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t say anything, he just stood up to leave but Zhao Huangzhi swiftly grabbed his arm pleading with him, "l know you don''t especially like me right now but l like you and wanted to leave you something l know you will truly love," while the servant placed the wooden case right in front of Qie Ranzhe.


    Zhao Huangzhi excitedly opened the box for him showing off the legendary sword Hei An Zhi, the pride and joy of the Zhao family. Though the sword''s origin was unknown, the initial owner was General Zhao, Zhao Huangzhi''s great-great-grandfather nicknamed the Vanquisher as he conquered Kingdoms till there was nothing left not even livestock.


    He single-handedly expanded the nation''s territory conquering all their enemies but even after all that his thirst for blood wasn''t quenched. Legend has it that he became a bloodthirsty crazed maniac going after his nation''s allies against the emperor''s wishes. This led a desperate emperor to orchestrate his most powerful General''s murder by having General Zhao''s son murder his own father at the promise of countless treasures and prestige.


    The night he was poisoned it was said the General felt his death drawing closer and chose to drive the Hei An Zhi into his heart whispering something to it. Rumour has it that the sword was lodged in his body for two days straight as everyone failed to pull it out it till it suddenly dropped on its own. It was believed among the common folk that whosoever wield this sword would become powerful enough to overturn nations.


    This magnificent sword was the Zhao family''s heirloom passed down for generations but because the Zhao family feared it''s formidable power it was reduced to a priceless museum display showcased to guests when hosting dinner parties. Now Zhao Huangzhi had taken that very sword without permission handing it over to Qie Ranzhe all in the name of love. Qie Ranzhe was fully aware of the sword''s full identity and sure enough, he was interested. Zhao Huangzhi saw a flash of excitement in those bone-chilling dark eyes causing her heart to flutter. She wished she had more legendary weapons to gift him and earn his love.

 Chapter 72锛欶irst World: A Toyota is as good as a Maserati

    Qie Ranzhe could hear a faint whisper coming from the sword calling to him by name as an indescribable force was urging him to pick it up and possess it. He seemed to believe that this sword ould give him the power he yearned for. Absent-minded he lightly traced the sheath with his long slender fingers his dark eyes brimming with obsession. In this room, it was just him and this sword stuck in an infinite dark void oblivious to his surroundings. The vile root within constricted his heart urging him to unsheath Hei An Zhi and bind himself to it. Just as he was about to comply a soft warmth brushed against his lips.


    A potent sweet peach scent assaulted his senses as the warmth lingered for a few more seconds. Qie Ranzhe immediately snapped out of his trance only to see a blushing Zhao Huangzhi walking out and a dazed Lee Jienjie, Lin Jingxie pair staring at him with blank expressions. He had just been kissed by Zhao Huangzhi while under the mysterious enchantment of Hei An Zhi.


    Qie Ranzhe''s entire world crumbled cursing loudly, "Shit!" but the person who had taken advantage of him had run off like a petty thief. He felt both anger and guilt unable to face Lin Jingxie at this moment. He ran past them rushing off to rinse his mouth multiple times.


    Wen Qinxi wanted to congratulate Qie Ranzhe for having his first kiss but judging from his expression it wasn''t the right time to say it. Just as a shrieking Lee Jienjie left Wen Qinxi grabbed the neglected sword heading for Qie Ranzhe''s room patiently waiting for his return. The sun sank into the horizon but Qie Ranzhe hadn''t reappeared yet so Wen Qinxi went to the kitchen to reheat his dinner and packed it back into the wooden bento before heading back to his room to continue waiting.


    Qie Ranzhe only came back when it was completely dark outside. Though he had calmed down he was still gloomy so Wen Qinxi chose to say nothing except push the bento in his direction uttering one word, "Eat." Qie Ranzhe obediently ate a few mouthfuls which seemed to lift his spirit.


    Seeing him finally relax, Wen Qinxi comforted him, "Its just a first kiss and a peck at that. It wasn''t explicit or anything so there is no need to be this upset. I know you don''t like her but the more you get worked up over this, the more it turns into a much bigger deal than it actually is," in a gentle tone. Actually, he was a little irritated when he saw that scene. He felt an inexplicable painful sting when he saw her take advantage of a destructed Qie Ranzhe.


    Qie Ranzhe paused for a moment looking down at his food with his mind adrift. Without thinking he confessed, "Its not my first kiss," though he knew the one who initiated it didn''t remember anything.


    Wen Qinxi was dumbfounded by this sudden revelation and couldn''t help but ask, "Who was your first kiss?" Even though he had spent so much time with Qie Ranzhe, this was the first time he had heard of this interesting piece of news. Alas, there was a glimmer of hope. There was a girl out there that Qie Ranzhe might actually like.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t look up replying in a low voice, "They initiated the kiss but don''t even remember that they kissed me. That''s all l can say for now," before stuffing his face with a juicy piece of braised pork.


    "Okay, thanks for sharing. This is exciting news," said an excited Wen Qinxi while poking the system in his head, ''Who the fuck kissed Qie Ranzhe? Find out who she is so we can get them together when he reaches the capital.''


    Jolie, ''....''


    ''l...ah.....um.....l really don''t know who could have done such a thing but l will try and find out,'' said Jolie before going offline just in case Wen Qinxi interrogated it further.


    As soon Qie Ranzhe was done eating, Wen Qinxi packed the bento away before addressing the elephant in the room. He placed the wooden case on the table with a loud bam and said, "Try it out and see if you like it." Qie Ranzhe let out a sigh while unsheathing the sword that had been calling to him all day. He had to admit, the sword fascinated him but after what happened, he didn''t even want to look at it.


    To satisfy Lin Jingxie he tried it out skillfully slashing with great agility. He could feel a massive load of power surging through his body inciting the urge to conquer the world. Though it felt addictively good it still didn''t feel right. He craved power but craved for Lin Jingxie more.


    He placed Hei An Zhi in the box while saying, "No, l am fine with this one. I will give this sword back to the Zhao family." Faced with such a stubborn Qie Ranzhe, Wen Qinxi was at a loss for words but had to persist as he didn''t know what effect this might have on the plot. He was just glad Jolie was mature enough not come out and have an I told you so moment.


    ''Hahaha...I fuckin told you so!'' said the system appearing at the right moment watching the good show.


    Wen Qinxi ignored the system as he continued coaxing a stubborn Qie Ranzhe, "Qie Ranzhe give me that sword this instant. You can use this one now. Didn''t I tell you this sword was on loan and that you had to give it back when you get a better one?" like a parent persuading a child that a Toyota was as good as a Maserati.


    "It has my freaking name on it and I love it so why should I give it back when you personally designed it for me? Aren''t you being unreasonable?" he said hiding the sword behind his back looking like a bullied child.


    Realising he was fighting a losing battle, Wen Qi gave in saying, "Fine, forget it. You can keep it," trying to look as natural as possible but he was actually planning to take it away while Qie Ranzhe was sleeping and claim that little elves broke in during the night and stole it.


    His plan would have worked if he was dealing with a six-year-old but Qie Ranzhe was almost nineteen and a genius to top it all off. Qie Ranzhe stood up tightly clasping that sword as though afraid that it would vanish into thin air at any moment. Wen Qinxi yelled after him asking, "Where are you going?"


    Without hesitation, he replied, "To hide my sword," while walking out of the room but soon paused when he heard Lin Jingxie say,


    "Are you hiding it in Machu''s room?"


    With a mobile expression, Qie Ranzhe yelled, "No!" before frog-marching out of the room thinking of another place to hide his precious sword.

 Chapter 73锛欶irst World: Pay You Back

    Wen Qinxi closed the wooden case and stashed it away before rolling up an extra quilt longitudinally to evenly divide the bed. He sincerely hoped this would help prevent another embarrassing event like the one that happened the last time he slept over. Wen Qinxi washed up and changed out of his outer garment but even then Qie Ranzhe hadn''t reappeared probably hiding his precious sword on mars or pluto.


    Feeling like a heavyweight had just been lifted off his shoulders, Wen Qinxi rolled to his side now focusing his mind on the plan devised by Lee Jienjie. The plan to get his name off Zhao Huangzhi''s hit list. He had two options with the first being cutting off his entire interaction with Qie Ranzhe which was totally out of the question. How was he supposed to help him if they weren''t friends?


    The second option was Lee Jienjie''s suggestion which Wen Qinxi had to admit was ingenious. The only other way to get Zhao Huangzhi to call off her mercenaries was for Lin Jingxie to get a girlfriend. If he had a girlfriend it would put Zhao Huangzhi''s illogical mind at ease but he actually didn''t want to date someone hence Lee Jienjie''s suggestion to create rumours of their nonexistent relationship.


    This rumour would at least guarantee his survival in the game and didn''t have to sleep with one eye closed. He decided to ask Jolie to help him spread the whispers around till they reached Zhao Huangzhi''s ears that is once Qie Ranzhe entered the guild. Wen Qinxi was too engrossed in his thoughts that he didn''t know when Qie Ranzhe came back, he only returned to himself when he heard Qie Ranzhe ask, "What''s that?" in a gravelly tone. Wen Qinxi sat up straight before looking around wondering what he was talking about. An impatient Qie Ranzhe shuffled over while pointing at the quilt dividing the bed in half.


    Wen Qinxi finally got what he was talking about and chuckled while saying, "This is for my own safety. I got strangled by an octopus the last time l slept over here," while patting the rolled up quilt proud of his border fence as though it would effective against intruders.


    Qie Ranzhe was evidently displeased with the new arrangement as he lay down on his designated side of the bed. He so wanted to tear that quilt to shreds given that this might be the last time they will sleep on the same bed for a long time as he would be enrolling into the guild in a few days time. It wasn''t in his nature to give up easily and so he resorted to negotiating trying to seem as pitiful as ever saying, "Jin-ge this isn''t necessary. I promise l will keep to my side of the bed," while watching Lin Jingxie''s back.


    He could tell Lin Jingxie was dozing off as his breathing relaxed and his body lying in a sluggish manner. Taking advantage of this he snuck his hand under the boundary quilt but soon retracted his hand when Lin Jingxie suddenly slapped his arm scolding him, "Stop fooling around and sleep. Tomorrow you have to wake up early and participate in the trial. Don''t bother coming to see me if you fail to get in." This statement was enough to deter Qie Ranzhe as he didn''t bother Lin Jingxie anymore and fell asleep soon after. As the saying goes ''good things come to those who wait'' a good thing definitely happened to Qie Ranzhe as he woke up with Lin Jingxie cuddling him like a sleeping baby panda.


    As soon as he opened his eyes he was suddenly faced with Lin Jingxie''s charming countenance laying next to his face in deep sleep. His arm was tightly wrapped around Qie Ranzhe chest and his leg around Qie Ranzhe''s waist. The so-called barrier had long since been kicked off the bed to who knows were. Qie Ranzhe didn''t know whether to laugh or cry wondering who exactly needed protection form who. He wanted to stay like this forever but since he needed to leave early for the trial he was left with no choice but to wake Lin Jingxie up. He gently rubbed Lin Jingxie''s back beckoning him to wake up but the guy refused mumbling in his sleep with his brows creased together in annoyance.


    Qie Ranzhe tried again and this time his voice was a few decibels higher. It seemed to work because Lin Jingxie finally moved and just as he thought he had successfully woken him up, Lin Jingxie suddenly shifted his face with his moist lips brushing against the corner of Qie Ranzhe''s lips. Qie Ranzhe froze with his heart literally trying to burst out off his chest as Lin Jingxie''s lips lingered for what seemed like an eternity.


    As soon though sensing the uneasiness of his human pillow, Lin Jingxie slowly opened his eyes. At first, he had no clue as to what was going on that is until he fully opened his lidded eyes. As though struck by lightning a wide-eyed Wen Qinxi jumped off the bed like a cat that had suddenly landed its paw into a puddle of water yelling, "What the fuck!"

 Chapter 74锛欶irst World: Pay You Back (cont.)

    Qie Ranzhe smiled without saying anything as he massaged his stiff muscles before getting dressed. Wen Qinxi felt so humiliated covering his entire head and back with the quilt leaving only the eyes peeking out while whispering complaints, "Ah so fuckin embarrassing." In actuality, he was hiding his blushing face which he didn''t want Qie Ranzhe to see especially after going on about Qie Ranzhe being an octopus only to turn into an octopus himself. The guy didn''t seem fazed as he finished getting dressed. He strutted over to Lin Jingxie with a sly grin saying, "I need to pay you back," and opened up a part of the quilt covering Lin Jingxie''s face.


    A startled Wen Qinxi clasped the quilt even tighter asking, "What are you doing?" but didn''t get a response as Qie Ranzhe successfully peeled the quilt exposing part of Wen Qinxi''s cheek. In a flash, he hurriedly leaned down and kissed the corner of Lin Jingxie''s lip before saying,


    "You kissed me so it''s only fair that l kiss you back," before making his vanishing like a skilled magician. Wen Qinxi''s face turned pale before the colour in his face swiftly flooded his cheeks yelling after him, "What kind of fucked up logic is that!" but of course, he was only left talking to air as Qie Ranzhe had already disappeared from the scene of the crime.


    ***


    Being kissed by Qie Ranzhe, Wen Qinxi had felt his face exponentially heat up finding the experience somewhat pleasurable. Because of that single thought, Wen Qinxi was driven into throwing a fit but eventually calmed down when he recalled the words he himself said to Qie Ranzhe the previous night. ''The more he thought of it the more it turned into a much bigger deal than it actually was'' were more or less the exact contents of his speech yesterday. Face slapped by his own philosophy, he stopped freaking out and passed his time babysitting Lin Mingxu.


    Master Lin had forbidden Lin Mingxu from going to the guild trial which the boy insisted on joining. As to the reason why he wanted to join, it was to supervise Qie Ranzhe''s interaction with Lin Jingxie when his older brother finally goes to the capital for his imperial exam. Of course, he didn''t voice this to Master Lin as his true reason for joining the guild.


    Wen Qinxi could understand why Master Lin wouldn''t let Lin Mingxu join the guild as countless young men died during missions all for monetary and prestigious benefits. Knowing his son''s skill he felt the brat would drag down Qie Ranzhe who would be obligated to keep him alive. As for Qie Ranzhe joining the guild, he wasn''t worried, that kid had already beaten him twice. The boy was an unparalleled talent with a ruthless side to him which meant he was not only going to survive but take over that guild with ease.


    Wen Qinxi was so bored watching this unruly child all day. It was not only boring but tiresome as Lin Mingxu tried to trick him twice. In the end, he had to tie him down into the chair just to prevent him from slipping away. They soon exhausted all their options with nothing left to entertain themselves with. "Hum, soooo boring!" said Wen Qinxi leaning his head back till he was looking up to the ceiling.


    "Jin-ge just let me go. I will only want to watch the trial not participate," he said moving closer in his chair while making an annoying scraping sound against the floor.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t raise his head while replying, "You think l am stupid enough to let you go?"


    Wen Qinxi finally moved his head scanning around the room as though looking for something. After a while, he placed an empty bottle on the table saying, "There is your bathroom," before leaning back against his chair again.


    A stunned Lin Mingxu gawked at him in astonishment but didn''t have a chance to retort when the door was pushed opened with force. They were faced by a panting Machu with sweat dripping down his forehead. He was leaning down with his hand placed on his abdomen while struggling to catch his breath. Two servants were trying to pull him out of the room while voicing their sincere apologies but Machu remained unmoved like a stubborn boulder. He had obviously run all the way here and fought off two servants just to get to Lin Jingxie. Wen Qinxi stood up to help him sit down but Machu shook his refusing before grasping Lin Jingxie''s arm leading him out of the mansion while explaining himself.


    A curious Lin Mingxu yelled after Lin Jingxie to release him but his brother was already gone. The boy gazed at the two stupefied servants who were wondering what kind of game the two brothers had been playing. He was about to ask them to release him but they immediately scurried out of the room with their heads bowed as though saying ''we didn''t see anything'' quietly closing the double door behind them.


    Lin Mingxu, "..."


    The unfortunate part was that he now actually felt like peeing. "Shit!" he cursed stuck in a stalemate with that empty bottle that seemed to be mocking him.

 Chapter 75锛欶irst World: Birthday Suit

    Wen Qinxi was dragged all the way to Ye Lang guild by an anxious Machu and his anxiety was truly warranted as Qie Ranzhe had unintentionally provoked one of the high ranking guild mercenaries during the trial. The Ye Lang guild was a prestigious guild affiliated with the emperor accepting only the cream of the crop. For this reason, candidates had to endure a severe trial which included a rigorous obstacle course testing their endurance, a written test for mental aptitude and finally hand to hand combat with one of the recruiters that''s until one of them yields. In most cases, it was the recruits who yield to the recruiters but Qie Ranzhe was an exception.


    Because he strove to do his best and dared not disappoint Lin Jingxie, he went all out knocking out the unsuspecting recruiters within five minutes of entering the arena. Actually, he intended to knock him out earlier than that but thought it would too ruthless and deliberately slowed down the beat down. Dealing with such a weak opponent Qie Ranzhe eventually got bored and knocked him out cold with no chance to yield on his own accord.


    This disconcerting incident was unfortunately witnessed by a fifth-ranked mercenary of the Ye Lang guild known as Tougu who inevitably noticed that Qie Ranzhe was merely toying with the recruiter the entire time. In his eyes, he discerned Qie Ranzhe''s actions as a pure provocation which gave rise to him descending from the platform and personally teach that brat a lesson.


    Wen Qinxi arrived just in time to see the two bruised and battered men glaring at each other with a searing death stare neither of them willing to yield. Qie Ranzhe was half-kneeling clutching his abdomen with blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth while wearing an eerie psycho smile. Tougu, though towering over Qie Ranzhe he was in no better shape than him. His stance was not as domineering as intended with his right leg twisted in an unsightly manner. A subtle grimace would appear on his face whenever he unconsciously put weight on it.


    If it was anyone else, they would have yield ages ago but unfortunately, the person Tougu had encountered was Qie Ranzhe. Though exhausted and bruised all over Qie Ranzhe''s injuries were not as severe as he gave Tougu no chance to strike his vital points. There was only one way this battle was going to end which was when he came out victorious. He stubbornly refused to yield even though he had already attained his ticket into the guild. This was why Machu rudely barged into the Lin Mansion worried Qie Ranzhe would fight to his death. He desperately sought after Lin Jingxie to talk some sense into Qie Ranzhe.


    "Ran-ge!" he called out successfully grasping Qie Ranzhe''s attention while pointing in Lin Jingxie''s direction. When Qie Ranzhe''s view fell on Lin Jingxie his psycho smile fell overwhelmed with complicated feelings. He didn''t want to Lin Jingxie to see him in this state especially when he was being mocked by the pompous brawny man.


    Seeing Qie Ranzhe in such a state, Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but feel pained on his behalf scared to even look at him thinking Qie Ranzhe''s bruises would hurt even more under his gaze. Qie Ranzhe misunderstood when he saw Lin Jingxie refusing to look at him. Thinking he was disappointed by his performance, Qie Ranzhe decided to end this fight to appease Lin Jingxie.


    Just when Wen Qinxi was about to reason with him, Qie Ranzhe suddenly lunged at the Tougu his eyes cruel dark eyes brimming with unyielding determination. He couldn''t let this mouthy old man make him look bad in front of Lin Jingxie. Tougu didn''t let him off easy using his full strength to beat Qie Ranzhe down but soon those offensive moves quickly turned defensive as he struggled to fend off Qie Ranzhe. In three more moves, Tougu was out cold with his body sprawled down on the ground. The guild members were dumbstruck, the kid had actually beaten their fifth-ranked mercenary just like that. They weren''t sure how to react and simply carried their fallen comrade to the infirmary.


    The town''s guild receptionist handed the jade token to Qie Ranzhe who at some point had sprawled on the ground panting heavily with a light chuckle escaping his dry throat. "Welcome to Ye Lang guild. We are setting off to the training camp in two days. Make sure not to miss it," he said before walking away at a fast pace hastily creating distance from such a dangerous character.


    The boys ran over to check if their brother was okay but he simply refused their help saying he was fine. It was only when Lin Jingxie showed up did he start acting pitiful calling out him, "Ah! Jin-ge, help me up everything hurts," while stretching out his trembling hand like a man at death''s doorstep.


    Everyone, "..."


    Wen Qinxi quickly extended a helping hand pulling him up to his feet with great effort while mocking, "You are such a fuckin drama queen,". A satisfied Qie Ranzhe gladly leaned against him for support all the way to the shelter. Wen Qinxi couldn''t understand why this idiot had to subject himself to this much pain if it was him you would have played dead like a dog that didn''t want to take a bath.


    The physician diagnosed him with mild muscle spasms. Using that excuse Qie Ranzhe successfully convinced Lin Jingxie to assist him during his bath. Not only that but also managed to blackmail a massage out of him by shamelessly acting pitiful. While he was soaking in the hot tub Wen Qinxi unskillfully knead his shoulders. To be more exact his massaging skill was on par with that of a five-year-old attempting to massage their parent. I guess that''s what they meant when they said it''s the thought that counts.


    Wen Qinxi was utterly clueless when it came to massages but was willing to help him out especially when the guy looked so pitiable. It was going well that is until Qie Ranzhe opened his mouth making this seriously awkward. "Mn....Mn.....Jin-ge, a little harder yes right there. Ah....that''s perfect. Go a bit deeper...Ah.....yes right there.....mn," moaned and groaned Qie Ranzhe as the shoulder massage progressed.


    With such ambiguous words, Wen Qinxi couldn''t prevent a blush from creeping up his face in embarrassment. If anyone outside heard Qie Ranzhe''s nonsensical mumbling they would definitely misunderstand. These words alone were enough motivation to make Wen Qinxi withdraw his hands. "That''s enough my hands hurt," said Wen Qinxi wiping his damp hands with his back facing Qie Ranzhe.


    Qie Ranzhe wasn''t stupid, he could tell Lin Jingxie was embarrassed but that didn''t stop him from teasing him some more. "What''s the point of soaking in the bath when the massage ended? Fine, hand me the towel so we can leave together," he asked with an ominous grin. Wen Qinxi didn''t suspect anything casually turning to hand him the towel but Qie Ranzhe suddenly stood tall presenting his entire birthday suit in blazing glory.


    Faced with Qie Ranzhe''s magnificent body showcasing all the goods leaving nothing to the imagination, Wen Qinxi almost vomited blood but the surprise soon turned to pure jealousy when his eyes glanced over Qie Ranzhe''s tool. ''Wow, Niiiccceeee. Feeling envious yet? He''s definitely bigger than you,'' said Jolie poking fun at Wen Qinxi.


    The size was quite impressive that Wen Qinxi took another glance as though making sure his eyes weren''t deceiving him. ''Piss off,'' said Wen Qinxi chasing away the annoying system.


    "Like what you see?" asked Qie Ranzhe with a roguish smile brimming with pride.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly flung the towel at him saying, "I have seen better," before walking out just in case Qie Ranzhe saw through his lie.


    "Better my ass, this is the best you will ever see," he said looking down at his member with his hands placed either side of his waist.

 Chapter 76锛欶irst World: Forehead Kiss

    The morning of his departure, Qie Ranzhe had the entire shelter send him off quickly saying their goodbyes before disappearing so to give the two some space. They had already cried their eyes out the previous night at a farewell dinner hosted by the Lin family. Everyone seemed gloomy saying they would miss him but there was a certain someone who was secretly rejoicing and such a person could only be Lin Mingxu. He hoped the two spending time apart would make Qie Ranzhe lose interest in his brother. l guess he had never heard the statement ''absence makes the heart grow fonder''.


    With just the two of them left, Qie Ranzhe suddenly had cold feet. He didn''t want to separate from Lin Jingxie and separation anxiety only got worse as they drew closer to departure time. "I don''t want to go anymore," he said sulky but Lin Jingxie heartlessly shut that idea down with a rocket launcher.


    "How are you going to get enough power to protect the boys if you don''t go? Besides them will you be able to marry into a noble family if you stay here?" asked Wen Qinxi ultimately dissuading Qie Ranzhe. Of course, he wanted to marry into the Lin family. To do that he had to make a name for himself.


    "Mn," he replied gazing at him as though looking at a priceless jewel in a museum display that he couldn''t take with him.


    Wen Qinxi suddenly took out that wooden case that had been haunting Qie Ranzhe for days. Like a poltergeist it would show up everywhere he went with Lin Jingxie urging him to take it with him. He wasn''t willing to take Hei An Zhi with him thus he deliberately hid it under the bed but of course, Lin Jingxie found it and brought it along.


    "You really don''t want it? No one is more deserving of this sword than you," said Wen Qinxi making a final attempt to convince him but Qie Ranzhe remained resolute in his decision. There was absolutely no way he was taking that sword with him. Despite the fact that it was given to him by Zhao Huangzhi there was something eerie about that sword. He couldn''t shake the feeling that it came with bad karma.


    Just as he shook his head to refuse, he suddenly heard a shaky voice asking, "Are you Qie Ranzhe?" They simultaneously looked behind them only to find an elderly woman steading herself with a walking cane. Her wrinkled face instantly turned ashen as soon as she laid her eyes on Qie Ranzhe. The boy before her was the spitting image of the emperor. If it weren''t for his fresh face, she would have easily mistaken him for the emperor himself.


    Wen Qinxi was puzzled at first but soon realised why she had this much of a big reaction when she saw Qie Ranzhe. He immediately moved in front of him blocking her view of Qie Ranzhe while asking politely, "Sorry Ma''am how can l help you?" Watching Lin Jingxie behave in such a protective manner Qie Ranzhe couldn''t help but look down concealing a smile thinking, ''Lin Jingxie is jealous even towards an elderly woman.''


    His smile soon dissipated when he remembered Lin Jingxie was the one who preferred elder women or maybe it was just an excuse to reject one of the girls Madam Lin wanted him to marry. Whatever the reason he still couldn''t take chances so he pulled a puzzled Lin Jingxie behind him blocking his view while whispering, "Exercise some restraint you are in public,"


    Wen Qinxi, "..."


    She was so livid when she heard the sword had disappeared from the vault angrily storming all the way here to threat Qie Ranzhe and claim back her family treasure but when she saw that face her anger was suddenly replaced with astonishment instantly turning her brain to mush. Fully aware of his identity, she was more than willing to steal the moon as long as it made him happy.


    They politely exchanged pleasantries but was soon iced out by Qie Ranzhe''s cold nature. Seeing him like this, she didn''t get angry but chose to give the prince his space. From his reaction, she could tell the boy was oblivious of his birthright and chose to keep it that way. It was not her place to speak such things. Just as she was about to bid him farewell, Qie Ranzhe suddenly said, "Wait" before handing over the sword, "This belongs to your family. I am sorry l can''t accept it."


    It wasn''t only Madam Zhao''s smile that froze even Wen Qinxi''s smile stiffened as well. ''What the fuck is he doing?'' thought Wen Qinxi wishing he could knock some sense into him. Madam Zhao hesitated but eventually took it back with a sullen look on her face. Only now did she regret sending her granddaughter away. If only she had known of this boy''s status she would have let them bond a little more.


    As soon as Madam Zhao disappeared from their sight, Qie Ranzhe suddenly placed both his hands on either side of Lin Jingxie''s shoulders. Wen Qinxi had his back to him lost in thought pondering over the sword''s effects on the plot. Qie Ranzhe leaned close to his ear asking, "Were you jealous just now? Don''t worry l only got eyes for you."


    Wen Qinxi who wasn''t even paying attention to Qie Ranzhe replied, "Mn," without thinking.


    Seeing how distracted he was, Qie Ranzhe took advantage of the situation asking him, "Will you miss me?"


    Wen Qinxi, "Mn,"


    Elated yet unsatisfied he asked another question, "Do you love me?"


    "Mn...huh? Wait what?" he asked turning to face him but couldn''t ask any further when a jade pendant was suddenly hung around his neck. Qie Ranzhe didn''t give him a chance to ask about it when he said,


    "Words said can''t be taken back so wait for me to come back," he said before casually kissing his forehead like it was the most natural thing. Wen Qinxi had been taken by surprise with his response time lagging behind like campus WiFi on a Friday night. By the time he reacted Qie Ranzhe was hopping into the carriage with a beaming smile on his face while waving goodbye to him.


    ''What the fuck!'' he yelled as his blood drained from his face leaving behind sickly pale skin.


    The medic Jolie showed up at the scene attempting to smooth out the situation, ''Don''t overthink it, boss. It''s a french thing. You know our CEO as travelled to a lot of countries so he must have picked it up there,''


    ''The french kiss on the cheeks,'' said a wild-eyed Wen Qinxi silently watching the disappearing convoy.


    ''Then an Arabic thing. Seriously, don''t overthink it. May-,'' said the nervous system before it was cut off by Wen Qinxi.


    ''Initiate log-off sequence,''

 Chapter 77锛欶irst World: Machu is real?

    Wen Qinxi was trapped in a stupor ruminating over the events that occurred just before he left the game. His mind was chaotic giving off a feeling of suffocation the longer he stuck around. He just had to log out and get his head straight which is why he had the system log him out two hours early. It was necessary for Wen Qinxi to log off because they had reached the part of the plotline where Qie Ranzhe was running around with the guild making a name for himself for two years straight.


    Two years of him doing nothing was simply unbearable though in the real world it would translate to almost two months. With a little tinkering, the boys managed to shrink the plotline to two weeks instead of two months which was already the best they could do. They didn''t have to worry about Wen Qinxi not being accepted back into the game as he had already established some form of connection with Qie Ranzhe.


    In GameX game room, an unsuspecting Hei Bao was holding a permanent marker hovering above Wen Qinxi skillfully drawing a petit handlebar moustache on his face. "Bai-ge! Come and see," he said snickering while beckoning him to come over. He bent over again proceeding to draw an unsightly goatee that was before Xia Bai stopped him asking, "What are you doing?"


    Hei Bao took his hand back gesturing with his hand for Xia Bai to be quiet. "You know Wen Qinxi has temper. He won''t let you off easy," warned Xia Bai tugging on his sleeve but Hei Bao shrugged him off drawing a circle around Wen Qinxi''s right eye with a focused expression. He was about to draw a circle around Wen Qinxi''s left eye when the victim abruptly opened his eyes just like an eerie scene in horror movie.


    Startled Hei Bao screamed, "AHAHAHAH!" while jumping into Xiao Bai''s arms, "Wen Qinxi you scared the shit out of me."


    Xia Bai looked at Hei Bao tightly wrapping an arm around his neck saying, "You can get off now." Hei Bao complied while sincerely apologizing that is until his line of sight fell on his hilarious masterpiece on a now sitting upright Wen Qinxi. He struggled to hold back his laughter and let Xia Bai do all the talking.


    A disoriented Wen Qinxi wasn''t paying attention to Hei Bao''s actions propping up his heavy head with his hands. "How are you feeling? You woke up two hours earlier than expected. The company doctor is not here yet to check on you," said a much more mature Xia Bai with a fixed expression trying to fend off his desire to laugh. Wen Qinxi really looked hilarious.


    "I will go get Qie Ranzhe''s personal physician maybe he''s still around since he checked on the CEO just now," said Hei Bao before running out as he could laugh to his heart''s content.


    Ten minutes later he returned with the physician who glared at the both of them when he saw Wen Qinxi''s face. The two culprits left without a hitch as they could barely restraint their laughter. The doctor knelt in front of him asking, "Does your head hurt?" while checking his pulse though his eyes were entirely fixed on moustache and goatee. He couldn''t hold back in the end, asking, "Is this like an office game or something?" but Wen Qinxi was also puzzled so the doctor to out his phone and opened the front camera before passing it to him, "Here."


    It only when he gave the doctor back his phone did he finally take a close look at his face. As though struck by lightning he asked, "Machu?" In front of him was a familiar but much older face. He had always thought only Zhao Huangzhi was from the real world but it turns out there was a Machu in the real world.


    The doctor looked at him perplexed while studying his profile. He took out some rubbing alcohol from his medical kit and doused a cotton swab with it before handing it to Wen Qinxi to remove some of the permanent marker on his face. He was about to ask him if they had met before but after taking a closer look he blurted out, "Gecko!"


    Wen Qinxi, "....."


    He hadn''t heard that nickname in a long time and froze as soon as that word came from Machu''s mouth. In high school, he awarded name gecko on account of his ability to silently blend in fading into the background. If no one actually looked for him his presence would go unnoticed thus gecko. It''s not that he was quiet it''s just that he couldn''t fit in with the rich kids gladly showcasing his true personality as soon as his mother came to pick him up. But how on earth did Machu know that? Was he in the same high school as him, if yes then why didn''t he remember him?


    "I should have known it was you. It makes a lot of sense now," he said but judging from Wen Qinxi''s bewildered expression he could tell he had been long forgotten. "Wait you don''t remember me? Oh, thats right l was a year behind you guys and had blonde hair back then. How can a xueba like you remember me when all you did was date your books back then?" he explained, "You look different yourself. You finally lost your glasses and braces. If l didn''t look closely l wouldn''t have known it was you."


    Wen Qinxi slowly digested Machu''s words, he did remember a scruffy blonde back then but barely paid attention to his classmates let alone students from other classes. Machu finished examining him and kept talking but Wen Qinxi was barely attentive. "Doc, he clearly isn''t listening. You can tell me what he needs to do and l will take care of him," said Wen Danzhe who had shown up at some point.


    He was already waiting for Wen Qinxi to wake up when Xia Bai called him to pick up his older brother ahead of schedule. Wen Qinxi smiled radiantly seeing his younger brother after such a long time. He suddenly overwhelmed by home sickness. Seeing this Machu couldn''t help but ask, "Who might this be?"


    "I am his brother," replied Wen Danzhe placing his hand on Wen Qinxi''s shoulder that''s before he saw Wen Qinxi''s face. "Holy shit! What happened to your face?" Wen Qinxi gestured with his eyes towards Hei Bao and Xia Bai with his lip curled. Wen Danzhe understood giving him a look that seemed to be saying ''I will help you execute revenge''. This unspoken bond had Machu secretly lighting a candle for the two nerds.


    Wen Qinxi left his brother having a discussion with Machu and somehow strolled over to take a peek at the handsome man lying in the game capsule just like a sleeping beauty in fairytales. He suddenly remembered that fun bubbly teenager in the game which caused his heart to ache. "I will get you out," he said with the back of his hand brushing against Qie Ranzhe''s.


    "Qi Dage, let''s go!" said Wen Danzhe gently knocking on the glass window. Wen Qinxi turned on his heel to leave but his index finger was suddenly grasped by an unconscious Qie Ranzhe causing him to stop in his tracks. He assumed the guy had somehow managed to wake up only to find the man lying still with no movement whatsoever with the hold on his finger gradually loosening. He was about to go back by his side when an impatient Wen Danzhe knocked again.

 Chapter 78锛欶irst World: Cute Gecko

    Left with no choice Wen Qinxi left with his brother barely speaking the entire way. An excited Wen Danzhe had skipped classes just to reunite with his brother who he hadn''t seen or spoken to for more than a month but was met with the Grinch. It was only when they were having some congee in Wen Qinxi''s cosy apartment that he couldn''t endure it anymore.


    "Dage l thought you did be happy to see me but it seems you would rather hang out with Qie Ranzhe in the game. Did I drive all the way here just to be treated like this? I have to say my feelings are hurt," he said placing a towel over Wen Qinxi''s still damp hair.


    Wen Qinxi took another spoonful trying to acclimatize his stomach to regular food. For more than a month his nutrition supply was through an IV so his stomach was a little unused to digesting food. "Hahaha you make it seem like you came all the way from Mars to see me when you are merely five minutes away," he said rubbing his hair with the towel.


    "Ai, in five minutes I would have got a girl''s number at the club. Do you see how precious five minutes is to me?... Since you now know then talk," he asked lazily leaning against the couch observing his brother.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t say anything for while trying to find the right words to use. "Do you think Qie Ranzhe might actually be attracted to men? I know he had a girlfriend and all but l am starting to think otherwise," asked Wen Qinxi with a solemn expression.


    Hearing such a question Wen Danzhe actually laughed a little before responding, "Okay let me approach this in psychological manner. Explain to me what happened then l can give you my opinion," while folding his legs on the couch facing his brother. He listened as his brother retold the events that took place before Qie Ranzhe left including the forehead kiss and the questions he asked back then.


    After mulling over it for a while he asked, "What other things has he done that make you feel like he might like guys?"


    Wen Qinxi thought for a moment then said, "Sleeping in the same bed, cuddling while sleeping and showing off his naked body," exposing everything he could think of except the embarrassing incident he didn''t even dare think of.


    "Well, we have shared a bed through-out high school and l have woken up a couple of times with you huddling me like a body pillow. Seriously your sleeping habits are so horrible. Maybe he takes you as a close friend just like his doctor friend. To be honest, I wasn''t surprised that you lasted long in the game, I kinda expected it," he said soaking a cotton ball in the rubbing alcohol that Manchu passed to him before he left the game room. He used it to carefully remove the faint stubborn marks left on Wen Qinxi''s face.


    Wen Qinxi''s brows furrowed in confusion recalling his past interactions with Qie Ranzhe in high school but there was none that could lead his brother to such an absurd conclusion. Actually, he was also curious why he survived the game out of all the people that tried. "What''s your reasoning?"


    "Well, you guys were in the same clubs apart from swimming. Think about it, why would the school grass join robotics or chess club? It seems like he was following yo-," he said before he was cut off by Wen Qinxi''s unrestrained laughter but he didn''t back down saying,


    "And on Tuesday and Thursdays when mum and l picked you up late because of my badminton practice he was always at the basketball court near the parking lot. I didn''t go to your school but l clearly remember him. At first l didn''t think anything of it but two years is a long time to maintain the same routine," trying to convince his dim-witted brother.


    Wen Danzhe hurriedly scrolled through his phone before facing the screen in his brother''s direction saying, "Don''t you remember what you looked like back then? Even mom couldn''t believe you were her son when you removed your braces for college graduation. Look at all that cute baby fat you had back then, it all disappeared. Who would recognize you after seeing you once or twice?"


    A slack-jawed Wen Qinxi gawped at that embarrassing high school picture. He attempted to grab the phone out of Wen Danzhe''s hand saying, "Why do you even have that? Give it to me...delete it!" while tussling with his brother but it was pointless as his little brother had the height advantage and Wen Qinxi was still too weak to put up a fight. "Fine keep it but what about my name? Wouldn''t he remember that?" folding his arms in frustration patiently waiting for Wen Danzhe to stop being vigilant so he could snatch his phone.


    "Gecko! Hahaha, even the doctor called you that. Remember how the teachers called you that for three years straight. Hahaha, do you remember your Maths teacher hahaha wro-wrote that name on your certificate of excellence? Mum was so angry she marched over to the school and forced him to change it, hahaha that was so fuckin funny," he said bursting in unrestrained laughter, "Even if you call your former deskmate right now and ask him if he knows your name, l wouldn''t be surprised if he says he doesn''t."


    "You know what I got from this conversation? Its that you are such a busy body. You know more about me than l do. Let me guess you also know my fuckin bathroom schedule?" said an annoyed Wen Qinxi before walking away slamming the bedroom door with a loud bang.


    "Dage you have lost weight! You look really good!" called out Wen Da attempting to appease his brother by appealing to his vanity.


    "Fuck off!" yelled Wen Qinxi while locking the bedroom door with a clicking sound.


    Wen Danzhe, "...."

 Chapter 79锛欶irst World: Zhao Huangzhi, Qie Ranzhes Fianc茅e

    Two weeks passed in a blink of an eye and Wen Qinxi couldn''t wait to get back in the game mainly because of Mama Wen''s nagging. he was nagged till his ears hurt. Which was understandable considering that she was harbouring all her grievances while he was gone. He had a tear-filled parting with his family as his mother wailed like a drama queen staining his t-shirt with tears. Wen Qinxi explained he was just at GameX but Mama Wen cried as though he was going to the moon. He eventually coaxed his mother into letting him go before he was driven to the company in Qie Ranzhe''s Maybach authorised by Machu.


    He said it was to thank him for putting up with Qie Ranzhe''s bullshit in the game and deserved to be treated as a VIP. In ten minutes time, Wen Qinxi was already walking into the office in his hand, black ink to exert revenge on those two nerds. Just as he was about to swipe his access card to enter the game room, someone suddenly grasped his arm by the elbow as a peach like scent assaulted his senses. Goosebumps crept up all of his body as though struck by a sudden chill, ''Fuck she came looking for me outside the game,'' he thought refusing to glance over at her.


    Zhao Huangzhi couldn''t understand why this man was so rude but kept her stiff smile asking, "Excuse me are you Wen Qinxi?" in a sweet gentle tone that could easily be mistaken with that of a mermaid.


    Wen Qinxi gulped before gathering the courage to look in her direction. "Yes, how may l help you?" with a face as white as a sheet.


    "Oh, l am Qie Ranzhe''s fiancee. I just wanted to thank you for helping him out. I was overseas when l had the news and only managed to get here a week ago," she said with a grieving look on her countenance.


    ''What fuckin fiancee when you coldly rejected his proposal. She must think l am fuckin stupid,'' he thought waiting for her to carry on.


    Seeing that he didn''t react or bother say anything she sneered within and carried on. "Since l am here you don''t have to go on. I can take over from were you left off. I spoke to his psychotherapist and she gave me an idea of what l am supposed to do," soft yet domineering tone.


    Wen Qinxi knitted his brows wondering if this was a command or an option. How could he let her go in the game and ruin everything? It was simply out of the question and was about to politely explain why she couldn''t interfere at this stage but someone bit him to it. Machu stood tall with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his lab coat saying, "Miss Zhao you gave up your right to interfere in Qie Ranzhe''s business so please show yourself out or would you prefer I call security?" taking the access card out of her hand before breaking it into half.


    Zhao Huangzhi''s face turned ugly flushed red in anger saying, "How dare you? Machu you have surely grown bold. His mother asked me to come and help get her son back which makes it my business!"


    Manchu motioned Wen Qinxi to go inside hence he didn''t get to hear the rest of the conversation with Machu closing the door behind him. He closed it to prevent Zhao Huangzhi from sneaking in and disturbing Qie Ranzhe. Wen Qinxi found the pair of flasks those two nerds used and laced them with black ink courtesy of Wen Danzhe. Because the company flasks were black in colour, the ink easily blend-in masking its presence.


    "Ah!... Fuck Qi-ge this shit is not coming off!" yelled Hei Bao using some wipes.


    "Wen Qi why did you have to include me when it was Bao Bao who provoked you," said Xia Bai stealing some wipes from the package currently in Hei Bao''s hands.


    "Guilty by association," replied Wen Qinxi with a satisfied smile before lying down in the gaming capsule, "Doctor may you kindly not assist them with some rubbing alcohol to remove the ink," now addressing Manchu.


    "Doctor is too formal just call me Machu and thank you for doing this," he said but Wen Qinxi only responded with a smile before logging into the game. Because of Wen Qinxi''s prank, it was rumoured around the office that Xia Bai and Hei Bao were in a relationship based on the fact that both of them had black ink on their faces. There was only one conclusion which was that they kissed that''s why they had identical smugs on their mouths.

 Chapter 80锛欶irst World: Qie Ranzhes Dangerous Escapades

    Having logged back into the game with no issues, Wen Qinxi prepared to leave the Lin family home for the capital. Though had been absent for only two weeks in the game two years had passed and everything had changed. Lin Mingxu had grown a few inches taller experimenting with his now sprouting facial hair. Madam Lin had lost a bit of weight possibly worrying about her troublesome rascals. Master Lin had obvious stress lines which made Wen Qinxi wonder what Jolie made his character do while he was away.


    The entire Lin family and servants except Lin Mingxu stood in the front yard bidding their family''s young master farewell. Wen Qinxi was pulled into Madam Lin''s bosom as she wailed like a paid mourner at a funeral. "Wuwuwuwu my little Jin Jin what is mummy going to do without you? Wuwuwuwu don''t leave your poor mother with these people," she said squishing a helpless Wen Qinxi till he could barely breathe.


    Master Lin having been insulted by his wife couldn''t resist defending his honor, "These people? Sweet heart haven''t l been good to you?" with a wronged expression.


    Madam Lin cried even louder saying, "Yessss but you can''t make wonton noodles like my Jin Jin wuwuwuwu."


    Everyone, "....."


    ''So all her wailing was for food?'' thought Wen Qinxi as he managed to free himself and scan around looking for Lin Mingxu who hadn''t returned yet. Since he couldn''t afford to wait any longer Wen Qinxi decided to leave a message for him before entering the carriage in preparation to leave.


    Just as the carriage set off, Master Lin who had been standing by the gate suddenly noticed the storage chest creakily open a little bit before abruptly shutting itself. He slapped his thigh realising where his second son was and yelled after the coachman to stop the carriage. A confused Wen Qinxi stuck his head out of the window about to ask Master Lin if he forgot something but held back when he saw the man open the storage chest behind the carriage.


    Wen Qinxi curiously disembarked and took a look at what Master Lin was glaring at with a black expression. Lin Mingxu was curled up in the tight space covering his face with one of Lin Jingxie''s books while holding his breath hoping he wouldn''t be found out. "Stupid child!" yelled Master Lin dragging him out by the ear.


    "Ah ah ah it hurts! Jin-ge save me!" said Lin Mingxu with a pained expression. Wen Qinxi couldn''t help but snicker, the stowaway wanted to go to the capital with him without their parents'' consent. It was just too fuckin hilarious.


    "Ming Ming, I will see you in two months," he yelled after the poor boy being dragged by the ear back to the Lin Mansion. Wen Qinxi got back on the carriage as they set off for the capital.


    Thinking of the stress lines on Master Lin he just had to ask what the system made his character do while he was away so he asked and this was Jolie''s response, "I didn''t do anything you wouldn''t do. Did some bungee jumping, rode a bull once, made a paraglider and paraglide around town, you know, the usual. It was so much fun!"


    "That''s fuckin hardcore and not in a good way! Were you trying to kill Lin Jingxie and start the world all over again? Such an asshole," said Wen Qinxi reprimanding the system.


    "Aiyo....you can scold me all you want but my misdeeds weren''t as bad as Qie Ranzhe''s. That man is a hundred times crazier than l am hahaha," said an excited Jolie. It couldn''t wait to shook Wen Qinxi to death with Qie Ranzhe''s dangerous escapades. As per instruction, Jolie had spread the rumour that Lin Jingxie of the Lin family was in a relationship with Lee Jienjie of the Lee family. That rumour not only reached Zhao Huangzhi ears but also Qie Ranzhe''s.


    This piece of news reached his ears just two months after separating with Lin Jingxie. Feeling like a pathetic man who had been forced to wear a green hat, Qie Ranzhe wanted to go confront Lin Jingxie and clarify his feelings for him but couldn''t leave the Ye Lang guild no matter how hard he tried. He went on a rampage consecutively beating the fourth, third and second-ranked mercenaries in the guild after they got in his way preventing him from leaving.


    The boy had finally encountered someone more powerful than him. As long as he didn''t surpass this old man they would always be someone who had enough strength to stop him. The old man told him to stop using his anger to fight otherwise he would never surpass him. Like a good student, Qie Ranzhe took his words to heart and kept his anger in check.


    Determined to surpass his master, Qie Ranzhe grew stronger and smarter at an alarming rate leaving the rest of the guild powerless. He was a master strategist approaching each task with great wisdom. It was a well-known fact that as long as you follow Qie Ranzhe''s plan you will never fail. In under a year, he was ranked second falling under Old Chen.


    His greatest achievement that finally caught the emperor''s attention was when he single-handedly snuck into the borders of their northern enemy who had been terrorizing their border towns attempting to expand territory into Qingsong country. Qie Ranzhe entered their palace, killed their emperor making it look like a natural death that is before destroying the reputation of the Prime Minister who instigated the attack on Qingsong.


    This helped the prince who had made a deal with emperor Qie ascend the throne peacefully resolving the conflict between the two countries. All this was done in just three days. The emperor was fascinated by the person surnamed Qie and so invited Qie Ranzhe to the capital to ultimately take over the guild station that directly served the emperor.


    The system detailed everything except for the part that Qie Ranzhe wanted to leave the guild because of the rumor. Wen Qinxi was struck dumb by this revelation, he didn''t expect Qie Ranzhe to leave for the capital earlier than him. According to the previous plot he had estimated that he did get to the capital a month earlier than him and help him deal with Prince Anzhie. He just hoped nothing big happens before he gets there.

 Chapter 81锛欶irst World: Prince An vs Prince Ran

    While Wen Qinxi was making his way to the capital, Qie Ranzhe had already been in the capital for a full fortnight and sent word for Machu to join him leaving Shuen in charge of the shelter. It still angered him when he thought of Lin Jingxie being with Lee Jienjie fighting off the urge to go look for him. He held back because it was better to let the prey come to him as he would have an unrivalled home ground advantage with the guild as his backing. Confronting Lin Jingxie in his home town wouldn''t be favourable to him as that was the Lin family''s territory.


    He silently endured counting down to the day of the imperial exam. To pass the time, he trained non stop with other guild members in the arena. Whenever he showed his face at the training grounds, trainees felt like climbing over the wall and run away as his training session was not only long but hard leaving the unlucky opponent sprawled on the ground unable to move a single finger each time.


    Among the group was a man dressed in golden robes embroidered with a red dragon on the back. His garments were of the finest quality demanding respect where ever he went. This person was none other than Emperor Qie himself. Behind him was a young man dressed in sophisticated navy blue robes and silver hand braces with his fresh face exuding aristocracy. It could only be Prince Anzhie.


    The father and son pair were conversing miscellaneous matters with Old Chen. Initially, Prince Anzhie wasn''t meant to be there but after hearing his father constantly rave about this heroic guild member, he just had to take a look. Ye Lang guild was the emperor''s personal stronghold loyal only to the dragon throne. As long as one had the support of Ye Lang guild they could stay in power no matter what. So he naturally had to be in good books with this old fart if he wanted to be emperor in the future.


    Prince Anzhie knew Old Chen never liked him so he hoped to get close to his successor. If something unfortunate was to happen to the old fart this second in command would naturally take over. This prompted Qie Anzhie to befriend this person. As soon as they reached the arena both Prince Anzhie and Emperor Qie were stunned to see a young man barely out his teens. Seeing his not so impressive fighting skills, Prince Anzhie scowled asking, "This is the second-ranked mercenary in the guild? His skills are not as impressive as rumoured," he said pointing at the arena.


    The Grandmaster didn''t bother looking at the Prince saying, "This merely a friendly match, he is giving Fourth some tips. Would his highness like to give it a try? I am sure you can learn a thing or two."


    Emperor Qie chuckled with his eyes fixed on the distant figure his eyes brimming with admiration. "I didn''t expect him to be this young. I don''t think my son is capable enough to take down the second in command of the Ye Lang guild. Bring in your eighth or ninth-ranked mercenary then it would be a fair fight," said the emperor trying to safe his son some face. He was fully aware of what this guild was capable of. Though he had his son trained under the best masters he was still light-years away from engaging the top-ranked mercenaries in combat. Even comparing him to the ninth-ranked mercenary was a stretch.


    Of course, Prince Anzhie didn''t appreciate his father''s kindness but took it as a classic ''his not good enough'' provocation and so jumped into the arena on impulse. In a few strides he reached the pair and immediately attacked Qie Ranzhe causing Fourth to stumble back. He was about to subdue Prince Anzhie but the Old Chen beckoned him to step aside.


    Qie Ranzhe who had been attacked from nowhere wasn''t in the least bit polite landing a punch on Prince Anzhie''s jaw. The punch was enough to make the impulsive prince see stars in broad daylight as his vision blurred but he soon recovered peering at that face that bore resemblance to his father. In a daze, he almost called out father but swallowed his words when he looked at the stands. His father was still up there staring down at them. He looked back at Qie Ranzhe and said "You!" loss for words, "Wh-who are you?"

 Chapter 82锛欶irst World: Prince An vs Prince Ran 2

    Qie Ranzhe finally figured out where he had seen this person. It was the man who had called him and Lin Jingxie trash in the forest the other day. Back then he couldn''t settle the score but now the man had voluntarily fallen directly into his lap. A wolfish grin appeared on Qie Ranzhe''s face replying, "I am the grim reaper," before tossing a sword in the man''s direction.


    His words shook Prince Anzhie to the core but he did a great job concealing it successfully catching the sword. Qie Ranzhe opted for a sword fights he intended to leave visible scars on this arrogant bastard. Whenever the man looked at these scars he would have to suffer the pain of knowing that he was defeated by a piece of trash.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t even give him an opportunity to attack as the prince was on constant defence rather than offence. He would constantly retreat but just as he caught his breath, Qie Ranzhe would strike again. Prince Anzhie was slashed three times, two on his arm and one on his thigh with blood seeping out from underneath the fabric. Just as a limping Prince Anzhie retreated after losing his sword, Qie Ranzhe kicked him to the ground causing him to fall face first eating dust on his way down.


    The prince grimaced in pain as he sat back up only to have a sword poke at his cheek. His face turned deadly pale when he realised the brat''s intentions. He glared at the man with his bloodshot eyes but stubbornly refused to yield. This was the enemy he had dreamt of every night. The enemy who would steal everything from him. He had searched the whole of Qingsong for that stupid concubine and his evil spawn only to have the guy show up out of nowhere. His pride wouldn''t permit him to yield and so the two were stuck in a stalemate sizing each other up.


    It''s only when Old Chen yelled, "That''s enough," did Qie Ranzhe sheath his sword.


    In a light chortle, he said, "That was a good fight," stretching his hand to help him up but Prince Anzhie swatted his hand and stood up on his own. The prince was soon surrounded by servants escorting him out of the arena. Prince Anzhie halted his footsteps when he reached the emperor as his father said, "Don''t be disheartened, there is still room for improvement," in a gentle tone.


    Prince Anzhie wanted to say something but swallowed his words and saluted his father with great difficulty before leaving the guild. Qie Ranzhe was left behind clearing things off the arena surprisingly in a good mood. He couldn''t wait to tell Lin Jingxie how he beat up that bastard. A member of the guild suddenly came to inform him that the emperor wanted to see him while gesturing at the men behind him.


    Qie Ranzhe was confused not certain how to react and proceeded to kowtow before the emperor with bloodshot eyes and a clenched jaw. "Meili!" cried out the emperor as he collapsed to the floor. The servants tried to help the emperor up but he swatted their hands off before crawling over to Qie Ranzhe. With trembling hands, he raised Qie Ranzhe''s head with a tear streaming down his cheek.


    All his life he had loved one woman and that was the unattainable General Shao Meili. Because she did rather deal with bloody battlefields than the harem, she rejected him and left the capital. Something unexpected happened while defending the southern border, General Shao was shot with a poisoned arrow making her as weak as a little girl. Fearing that his daughter would die on the battlefield, Prime Minister Shao had her come back to the capital and married her off to the emperor. Finally having the woman of his dreams in his grasp, the emperor neglected the rest of the harem including the empress, Prince Anzhie''s mother.


    Emperor Qie was too blinded by love that he didn''t sense the looming danger. One gloomy day his beloved just up and left leaving behind a letter to reassure him. He knew Shao Meili hated being part of the harem and assumed that she left of her own will as stated in the letter. The emperor had searched everywhere for her but Shao Meili simply vanished without a trace.


    The heavens seemed to take pity on him bringing Shao Meili''s son to him. He embraced Qie Ranzhe mumbling, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much," under his breath.

 Chapter 83锛欶irst World: Plotting Revenge

    After what could only be described as a bumpy ride a bone-weary Wen Qinxi finally reached the capital. He couldn''t help but complain to Jolie as he settled in what would soon be the new Lin Family home. ''Fuck! Did the carriage ride have to be this realistic? My entire body was shaken so much that my bones are still trembling,'' said Wen Qinxi to the system in his mind while a servant showed him to his room.


    ''Don''t blame me. The CEO wanted a realistic game and the game designer did exactly that. Now stop complaining and hurry up. We need to go look for our dearest boss,'' said the impatient system. It wanted this pair reunited as soon as possible so they could resume cultivating their feelings. It was about time it to collected its winnings and get its darling companion.


    Wen Qinxi didn''t dawdle any longer as he took a quick bath to wash off the sticky sweat from the gruesome journey and changed into one of his favorite dark green robe with gold vines embroidered along its hem. The only reason why he put so much work into his appearance was that he was going to the palace and didn''t want to leave a bad impression. With exquisitely coiffured hair, Wen Qinxi resembled a pure yet captivating deity that people couldn''t help but fall in love with. Such a rare gem drew everyone''s attention as he sauntered to the palace.


    Because of the kind of attention he roused, it didn''t take long before word reached Zhao Huangzhi''s ears. It can only be said that she didn''t take it well angrily sweeping with her hands all the contents on top of her dresser with a loud crashing sound as they reached the floor. This chaotic sound naturally attracted the Prime Minister''s attention as he rushed over in a panic. He was well aware of his daughter''s terrible mood these past thirteen days. For twelve days straight, she had been seeking an audience with estranged Prince Ranzhe but had been coldly rejected each time.


    Unable to carry on seeing his daughter like this, he made an appointment with Emperor Qie attempting to use his influence in the court to get Zhao Huangzhi what she wanted. The Emperor naturally agreed for their children to interact with each even hinting at marriage but Qie Ranzhe had just joined the family and needed time to adapt so it wouldn''t be good forcing his estranged son''s hand at this moment.


    Prime Minister Zhao naturally understood but his daughter who had always got what she wanted when she wanted wasn''t keen on waiting. She had already been waiting for more than two years coupled with the fact that Qie Ranzhe was actually a prince, this had to happen and happen fast. Though Lin Jingxie wasn''t a threat as his family was inferior compared to hers she couldn''t help but feel ill at ease with his presence in the capital.


    Wen Qinxi, who was completely unaware that someone out there was throwing tantrums like a toddler over him had just arrived in the palace waiting for the servant he has sent to inform Prince Ranzhe of his arrival to return. Though it didn''t seem like it, Master Lin was actually well acquainted with Emperor Qie. Their relationship wasn''t clearly defined but judging from the token Wen Qinxi had received from Master Lin before he left, it was clear that this relationship wasn''t simple. This token gave him access to a large part of the palace and he could come and go as he pleased.


    While Wen Qinxi was patiently waiting engrossed in the rich splendours of the imperial palace, Qie Ranzhe was having a closed-door meeting with two guild members. Ever since he learnt of his mother from the Emperor, he had his subordinates investigate the matter. The outcome of that investigation was enough to anger him to death. A retired servant loyal to Empress Da-Xia had witnessed the gruesome ordeal that occurred nearly twenty-two years ago but wouldn''t talk. It was only after being severely tortured by Fourth did she simply confessed everything and was currently locked up in the guild dungeon.


    The Empress took advantage of the situation and intercepted Shao Meili''s carriage in the woods just outside the capital. In anger, she stripped off the concubine''s clothes and came face to face with that bulging belly that looked like it was about to burst. Empress Da-Xia lost her mind and stabbed the woman''s stomach in cold blood intending to kill her unborn child. Though Shao Meili had a weak body she was once a general after all. Her maternal instincts took over instantly turning her into a vicious wolf protecting her cub. She slashed both of the Empress'' ankles and just like a hacked tree she tumbled face down to the ground. Using this chance, Shao Meili managed to run into the dark inky night without looking back. With her severe injuries, it could only be a miracle that she managed to give birth to Qie Ranzhe and that he somehow appeared in a town which was a week''s worth of carriage ride to reach.


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t believe in such a miracle so he asked him to continue investigating. "Did you bring what l asked for?" asked Qie Ranzhe while tightly clutching the report in his hands. This Empress had to pay for what she had done but because of her influence, he couldn''t just bring the retired servant in as his only witness. A mere servant''s words could easily be refuted.


    He planned to make her suffer and force her to confess her crimes. To achieve such a task he had Eighth attain a kind of drug known as Diyu a concoction of a stonefish pain-inducing venom, hallucination-inducing cane toad venom and a psychoactive drug that can compel the victim to tell the truth. This drug was a triple threat famous for tormenting victims into confessing their crime. All he had to do was gradually dose Empress Da-Xia while making hypnotic suggestions about the deceased Shao Meili. She would eventually snap and confess her misdeeds herself in an attempt to ease the pain.


    "Yes l did," replied Eighth while placing a small wooden box on the table, "How do you plan on executing your plan?"


    Qie Ranzhe didn''t reply for a while pursing his lips as though mulling over his plan. Seeing him like this, Eighth naturally wanted to lend a helping hand but before he got a chance to offer his services, Qie Ranzhe suddenly spoke, "You don''t have to worry about that just find out who brought me to that town."


    While this meeting was going on, the servant sent by Lin Jingxie finally arrived at Lianhua Pavillion where Prince Ranzhe was currently residing. This Pavillion was originally meant to be for the crown prince but the Emperor had given it to Prince Ranzhe without a hitch. It was obvious what he was implying that the court officials in support of Empress Da-Xia caused a ruckus when they first heard of it. The attempted to sow discord between the recently reunited father and son pair saying such things like what guarantee did the emperor have that Prince Ranzhe was his son but as soon as they lay eyes on Qie Ranzhe they instantly shut their mouths and dared not cause trouble ever again.