Chapter 23: I Don’t Want to Worship You

Actually, what Yu Wangxiao said was not very clear, but Lin Jiangye had already seen it.

He could even see it just by lowering his head.

The human physiological knowledge buried in his memories broke through the soil in an extremely abrupt way.

He finally understood. Somewhat stiffly, he stood up, stepped back a few paces, then turned his head and busied himself tidying up the medicine box on the table.

Yu Wangxiao did not walk away quickly. Before leaving, he even thoughtfully turned on the television for him and switched it to the science and education channel.

“Spring has arrived. On the South African savanna, the young pride of lions…”

Lin Jiangye silently turned the volume up a little, as if trying to cover something up, attempting to mask the clearly audible sound of clothes rubbing in the bathroom, the pattering of water, the slippery sound of shower gel flowing over skin, and…

Having hearing that was too good had suddenly become a flaw that easily drove one crazy.

And the more he wanted to ignore it, the more he could not control the subconscious attention.

Unable to endure it anymore, Lin Jiangye took all the plates, knives, and forks on the dining table back into the kitchen, placed them one by one into the dishwasher, and learned on the spot how to use it.

“Buzz buzz buzz…”

After washing the cups and plates, he opened the fridge and made himself a drink. Freshly made ice cubes fell one after another into the cup, crackling and giving off mist. He poured in fizzy honeydew soda, and the glass cup soon became freezing to the touch.

Lin Jiangye stood silently in the kitchen, holding the cup and drinking the iced beverage in small sips, focusing entirely on listening to the noisy sound from the dishwasher.

It seemed to have no effect. He could still hear Yu Wangxiao’s every movement.

He lowered his head to check his own condition, his movements slightly stiff. He even could not help suspecting that Yu Wangxiao had done this on purpose.

After all, if Yu Wangxiao had not explained the reason and had casually found an excuse to take a shower, then he, Lin Jiangye, would currently be the most comfortable person in the world.

He would peacefully nestle into the sofa, happily enjoy the wonderful program about the animal world, and even comfortably take a short nap… He absolutely would not be inexplicably pacing around the house, suddenly drinking a large cup of ice water in early winter, and finding that it was not very useful.

But what benefit did deliberately doing such an imagination-provoking thing bring to their current harmonious relationship?

Lin Jiangye had never been good at endurance. Holding back his appetite already took all his strength, so when it came to other matters, he usually was unwilling to endure for too long.

Besides, this body really was very young. Only twenty years old, too young, becoming healthier and healthier, and also becoming more and more… energetic.

Since he could not understand it, he simply strode directly into the master bedroom suite, stood at the bathroom door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

The sound of water abruptly stopped. The hazy figure behind the frosted glass hesitated for a moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“Yu Wangxiao, when did you start having thoughts about me?”

The instant the words fell, the bottles and jars in the bathroom fell to the floor, making a chaotic series of sounds.

“…What?” Yu Wangxiao seemed to be trying to muddle through in a low voice.

Lin Jiangye narrowed his eyes, repeated the question again, and emphasized, “You know what I’m talking about.”

“Tuantuan, wait a moment… I’ll put on clothes.”

Lin Jiangye softly responded, but still stood straight at the door like a resentful ghost, showing no intention of moving away to avoid anything.

Hot mist and steam tore through the slowly opening crack of the door, rushing to escape. Yu Wangxiao came out wearing a bathrobe. In his haste, he had not even properly buttoned the top, so it hung open like that. His face was faintly flushed from the heat.

Perhaps because his skin was too pale, that faint pink looked especially striking. It spread all the way downward, even tinting his collarbones with a subtle, ambiguous color. His damp skin had an especially smooth, full, beautiful sheen. Paired with the firm, defined lines of his muscles, it made one unable to look away.

Lin Jiangye indeed could not look away.

He had really never paid attention to these things before, but now he could not help staring at the few drops of water falling from the ends of Yu Wangxiao’s hair, watching them all the way down.

Mm, the band-aid on the side of Yu Wangxiao’s neck had also been dampened at the edges. It probably needed to be replaced again.

“You’re very good-looking,” Lin Jiangye evaluated seriously.

“Mm, so are you.”

“And your heartbeat is very fast.”

“…Ah, so I was exposed long ago.”

“So, can you answer my question now?”

Yu Wangxiao was quiet for a while. He smiled with a hint of apology, but still did not respond directly.

He took Lin Jiangye’s wrist and wordlessly led him away, bringing him straight into the spacious walk-in closet.

It really was very spacious, making Lin Jiangye slightly shocked. One entire wall was designed as floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing one to clearly see the terrace extending from the master bedroom from the side.

The terrace was completely different from the cold decoration of the other rooms. It was like a carefully maintained miniature greenhouse. Beautiful flowerpots were arranged vertically, filled with unfamiliar dark red flowers. Their velvety, richly gorgeous petals were extremely eye-catching, blooming flamboyantly with claws bared.

“Double-petaled Black Swan. It’s a variety of amaryllis I like very much,” Yu Wangxiao explained gently.

“Very beautiful. Planted beside the bedroom, you can see it every day before sleeping, right?” Lin Jiangye looked at him thoughtfully. “I thought you decorated Longjing Bay so coldly because you didn’t like that kind of extravagant visual effect.”

As for Moros Manor’s extreme magnificence, Lin Jiangye simply attributed it to an act of worship by a believer. It was very common, but did not necessarily represent personal taste.

“I do like it. I’m just rather picky. If it isn’t beautiful enough, then it’s better not to have it.” Yu Wangxiao patiently explained while pushing open the glass cabinet door beside him and taking out a carefully ironed handmade suit.

The pure cashmere light gray vest matched the trousers. The fabric weight was not light, just suitable for A City, where the first snow was about to fall. The jacket was a deeper shade of gray. Lin Jiangye took it and rubbed it between his fingers, discovering that it felt especially good.

Under the temperature of the central air conditioning, as he rubbed it, a faint warmth soon rose in his palm.

He tried it on with great interest, and the experience was good. The vest fabric looked crisp and proper, but the sizing wrapped around his waist perfectly, almost silky. After fastening all four somewhat old-fashioned and conservative buttons, it remained very comfortable when he moved, and for some reason made his waist look even slimmer.

Yu Wangxiao did not hide the appreciation in his eyes. He took down two ties and lightly held them against Lin Jiangye’s shirt collar. After comparing them briefly, he quickly chose the light brown style.

After hanging the tie back on the rack, Yu Wangxiao curved his lips. “No need to try the black set. Wear this on Saturday. You’re still young. Light colors look very good on you.”

Lin Jiangye nodded, then thought again. “Speaking of which, you just said you’re very picky, right? Then can I understand it as, in your eyes, I’m also beautiful enough, so that’s why you…”

“Tuantuan.”

The next instant, Yu Wangxiao abruptly interrupted him, yet lowered his eyes and avoided Lin Jiangye’s gaze. He was silent for a long time, seemingly considering how he should phrase it.

Lin Jiangye rarely saw this side of Yu Wangxiao, and an inexplicable interest rose in his heart. He stepped closer, almost pressing his face against Yu Wangxiao’s, staring straight at him and softly urging, “Say it.”

He heard the sound of the bath towel rubbing against the glass cabinet. It was one of Yu Wangxiao’s small movements. He had imperceptibly retreated a little, but unfortunately, the cabinet was behind him, and he had unconsciously been forced into a dead end.

Of course, at this point, Yu Wangxiao would no longer choose to avoid it. After all, he believed the attitude he had revealed had always been very clear.

But out of his usual caution, he needed to confirm first. “Tuantuan, no matter what answer I give… will it change how you’ve always viewed me?”

“Absolutely not.” Lin Jiangye answered without thinking.

The reason was very simple. He had actually known long ago.

The favorability progress bar was floating above Yu Wangxiao’s head. Every time there was progress, it even sparkled, emitting a gorgeous, delicious color on its own… Even an idiot could tell that Yu Wangxiao liked him.

But Lin Jiangye was also very cautious. Before the favorability reached 100%, he absolutely would not tell Yu Wangxiao what he could see, in case it affected both of their mental states and caused some unpredictable change.

Logically speaking, piercing the window paper ahead of time was not wise, but Lin Jiangye was really too curious. He very much needed to distinguish the nature of this “like.”

Whether Yu Wangxiao’s favorability toward him was “I think you’re a pretty good person,” or “I really crave your body,” or perhaps “I want to date you.”

Distinguishing the nature was very important. It could even determine his attitude toward Yu Wangxiao going forward. He did not reject a deeper relationship. As long as the person was Yu Wangxiao, no matter what kind of relationship it was, it would make him want to explore.

Too fragrant. Impossible to resist.

But Lin Jiangye had not the slightest confidence in his own emotional intelligence.

Some things really needed to be led by humans. Otherwise, he was afraid he would do many inexplicable things and push Yu Wangxiao farther and farther away.

However, Yu Wangxiao’s next words were completely beyond his expectations.

“Ever since confirming your identity, my thoughts have never changed.” Yu Wangxiao gently held his wrist, his warm fingertips covering the lively pulse at the side of his wrist, slowly stroking it. “Many times, even I myself cannot distinguish the boundary between utility and selfishness.”

Lin Jiangye’s heart tightened. He tentatively asked, “My identity, meaning…”

He knew that he was not the original owner, and Yu Wangxiao had long known that he was not the original person. After spending enough time together daily, as long as one paid a little attention, it was definitely impossible to hide. And after Old Madam Gu’s birthday banquet, the two of them had already reached a kind of tacit understanding.

But… aside from this, he should not have revealed any information about his previous life, because saying it out loud would make him seem like an absolute lunatic, with no benefit at all.

Yet Yu Wangxiao’s words clearly had another meaning.

“Tuantuan, I told you long ago. I am a believer of the god of death.” Yu Wangxiao pulled his wrist upward, pressed it against the side of his face, and openly kissed it. “But I gradually discovered… I actually don’t want to worship you.”

Human lips were an extremely soft thing. Like touching warm jelly, with enough moist and soft fleshiness, yet carrying an innate fragility, easily bitten open with just a light bite.

Lin Jiangye thought wildly, his gaze falling directly on the corner of Yu Wangxiao’s lips. His fingertips also moved over uncontrollably, rubbing and kneading. “But I’m not a god of death in the first place. Of course you shouldn’t worship me.”

“You’re not…” Yu Wangxiao’s eyes darkened slightly, but he did not turn his head away from his touch. Instead, he deliberately pressed his lips against Lin Jiangye’s hand and rubbed lightly, his voice low and vague. “Lin Jiangye, then who exactly are you?”

“An ordinary trainee employee.”

“Is that so?” Yu Wangxiao seemed thoughtful, but there was no trace of disappointment. His slightly raised lip bead unintentionally pressed against Lin Jiangye’s palm, urging him to continue.

“Mm. I failed to become a god of death, so you…” Halfway through touching him dazedly, Lin Jiangye’s movements suddenly stopped, and his eyes instantly widened. “Yu Wangxiao, Moros Manor was built for me?”

“Of course. It was for you. I thought my hint was very obvious. I didn’t expect…”

“This—how could I possibly guess that! Did you think I’d like eating living dead?”

“…Tuantuan, don’t ruin the atmosphere.” Yu Wangxiao suddenly glanced at him, his dark eyes full of pressure.

Lin Jiangye immediately became obedient. “Oh. Then what should I do now?”

“Whatever you want to do is fine.”

“You just told me not to ruin the atmosphere…”

“Mm?”

“Nothing. I understand.”

Lin Jiangye cleared his throat and, in a very proper manner, pulled off Yu Wangxiao’s bathrobe belt, unbuttoned the soft homewear, then without explaining anything, directly buried his face inside and took a deep breath.

“…”

Yu Wangxiao trembled all over, his eyes widening in astonishment.

“Can I bite once?”

“Wait…”

Lin Jiangye completely failed to notice what he had missed. His arms tightly wrapped around Yu Wangxiao’s silently tensed waist, and he was enjoying it very much. “Forget it. You’re human. That wouldn’t be healthy. It would be bad for you.”