04

 Song Yu was so frightened that his expression was completely blank.

This was probably the fastest reaction he had ever had. Ignoring the soft flesh on the back of his neck where he had been bitten, he immediately pushed away Zhou Qiao, who was hugging him from behind.

One second 009 was saying that the mission was completed and 8,000 points had been credited to his account, but the next second, Gu Linwei suddenly said this.

Fortunately, the progress bar had not been reversed.

Song Yu met Zhou Qiao's gaze. There was no surprise in the other party's eyes. Instead, he was calm and composed, as if he had just taken Gu Linwei's words as a joke.

After letting out a sigh of relief, he looked at the cold-faced Gu Linwei: "You... don't talk nonsense."

The boy was tense, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his clothes.

Perhaps because he saw Song Yu being bullied like that and still speaking up for other men, Gu Linwei's face was even colder than before. He curled his lips and said in a cold tone: "I'm talking nonsense?"

"Your eyes are so red that you probably can't even see them yourself."

"Didn't you make a crying sound just now?"

Those... were all unconscious.

Zhou Qiao seemed to enjoy sucking, which caused him to produce physiological tears.

It wasn't that he cried every time he was kissed.

He wasn't that prone to crying.

These thoughts were fine to keep to himself, but Song Yu didn't know how to explain them.

Moreover, he could clearly sense that Gu Linwei hadn't been very attentive to Zhou Qiao during their week together, nor had he developed the affection that should have been present in the original storyline.

Fortunately, Zhou Qiao quickly responded. His eyes remained gentle and calm, yet reassuring: "I only just found out myself."

Gu Linwei glanced at him.

"After all—" Zhou Qiao trailed off, chuckling softly, "Ayu and I haven't had such deep emotional contact before."

He seemed unsuspecting.

At least, the progress bar had moved a notch.

Song Yu's nose was sweating with anxiety. Seeing that Gu Linwei wanted to say something more, he immediately grabbed his arm.

He was too anxious to speak, only able to look up at Gu Linwei pitifully.

His misty eyes seemed to be pleading.

Gu Linwei's eyelids twitched, and he looked away before speaking lazily, "Just kidding, don't mind it."

"You're A-Yu's friend, how could I mind?" Zhou Qiao glanced at Song Yu, "It's just that A-Yu doesn't like being seen as a crybaby, he'll get angry if you say that."

Gu Linwei's lips twitched, seemingly too lazy to pay attention to him.

In just a few days, he acted like he was Song Yu's closest friend.

Seeing that Zhou Qiao's expression was no different from usual, Song Yu's racing heart slowly calmed down. He wanted to say something when suddenly something cool and wet brushed against the back of his neck.

He didn't know that in Zhou Qiao's eyes, he looked like a puffed-up kitten wanting to be petted.

Zhou Qiao smiled and took back the wet wipe: "A-Yu's neck is a little red, I've wiped it for you. By the way, I'm going to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients, you two continue chatting."

Song Yu: "Hmm... thank you for your trouble."

He was clearly trying to remain calm, but his voice was still flustered.

Zhou Qiao quickly went into the kitchen and closed the glass door.

The low-rent apartment wasn't soundproof, and Song Yu was worried Zhou Qiao might hear their conversation from the kitchen, so he pulled Gu Linwei towards the bathroom.

Gu Linwei was such a tall man, and Song Yu pulled twice without budging him.

He looked at him with a hint of grievance.

After that, he could pull him.

As soon as Song Yu entered the bathroom, he heard a loud "bang" as the door slammed shut, and then Gu Linwei locked it with one hand.

Every time he saw the door being locked, Song Yu's legs would go weak uncontrollably. He banished all those messy memories from his past and frowned, asking, "Why are you saying all this? What if you make Zhou Qiao sick?"

Gu Linwei scoffed, "Sick? I think he's perfectly fine."

Song Yu: "?"

Gu Linwei leaned down, staring at Song Yu's sullen face. His initial anger vanished, replaced by a gaze drawn to that handsome face.

The bathroom was small, and the two of them squeezed near the doorway. The faint scent emanating from the boy quickly dissipated into the air.

Gu Linwei's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his mind went blank: "Let me kiss you."

W-what?

Song Yu looked up in disbelief, only to realize that Gu Linwei was already so close to him without him noticing. Gu Linwei

completely blocked his view, his aura enveloping him.

It felt like he could touch Song Yu's face with just a slight bend.

Song Yu instinctively took a step back.

Gu Linwei paused, perhaps regretting his impulsiveness, or perhaps feeling embarrassed by Song Yu's rejection. He tried to justify himself: "I was just joking."

"Why would I kiss you? You're not like Zhou Qiao, who's sick."

He said this, but his eyes remained fixed on Song Yu's lips.

Song Yu's tension wasn't eased by this explanation; he pursed his lips, still wary.

Gu Linwei looked at him, his mind a jumble of jealousy. He appeared

indifferent and relaxed, but his back was already soaked with sweat, his breath hot.

Both remained silent, but soon, Gu Linwei's gaze was drawn to something.

For example, Song Yu's earlobes, flushed red from his hot breath, and his slightly trembling shoulders.

Gu Linwei then made a new discovery

—Song Yu's body was very sensitive.

So, a kiss would bring tears to his eyes, and his skin would redden easily if he touched anything hot.

In the past, Gu Linwei would have simply thought he was being delicate, but now, the usually self-righteous Gu Linwei suddenly had a mischievous thought.

Song Yu was still trying to figure out how to stop him from mentioning the mistaken identity to Zhou Qiao. When he was focused, he couldn't notice the changes around him. He

only felt a burning sensation on his earlobe, both numb and itchy.

Soon, his cheek was also burned.

Song Yu was completely unaware that he was being secretly taken advantage of by the man. He endured the feeling, struggling to think of how to persuade Gu Linwei.

"Until we find Lu Baiyu, let's both help Zhou Qiao."

"Don't talk about this in front of him,"

Gu Linwei absentmindedly hummed in agreement.

The two finally came out of the bathroom, and Gu Linwei even went to the kitchen to help. The other person seemed to have really taken his words to heart, and began to change his opinion of Zhou Qiao, even telling Zhou Qiao to rest in the living room while he washed the vegetables.

009: ...

Is it possible that Gu Linwei simply doesn't want to see him?

However, Gu Linwei himself didn't realize that he had unintentionally compromised for Song Yu to the point of washing vegetables by hand.

After the three of them had lunch together, Gu Linwei, seeing that it was getting late, wanted to leave with Song Yu: "There have been some murders around here recently, let's go back early."

Zhou Qiao: "It's okay, I—"

Gu Linwei interrupted: "Don't see me off either, we can't afford to take responsibility if something happens to you."

Zhou Qiao sneered inwardly.

The phrase "we two" sounded particularly grating.

Song Yu was oblivious and didn't understand Gu Linwei's thoughts, assuming that their relationship had improved.

This was a suspenseful world, and Zhou Qiao, as the protagonist, was already connected to these murders. Song Yu looked up at the gate; there wasn't even a security camera.

It was even easier for someone to commit a crime.

Song Yu didn't know what his fate would be in this world, and he didn't dare to let Zhou Qiao install a security camera easily, only casually telling him to lock the door and be careful.

On the way back, the weather turned cool, and Song Yu was staring down at a small puddle on the ground when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder.

Coming back to his senses, he saw that Gu Linwei had draped his coat over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Brother Lin." Song Yu simply put it on. Gu Linwei's coat was too big, the sleeves were way too long, and when his arms hung naturally, his entire hands were hidden in the sleeves.

Wearing his clothes, Song Yu looked tiny and incredibly cute. Gu Linwei's expression softened considerably: "Don't come these next few days. Why are you coming every day? The Lu family is still looking for him. If they find out you're entangled with him, there will be a lot of trouble."

Song Yu didn't speak.

Seeing that he was wavering, Gu Linwei continued, "If he looks for you, just say you're on a business trip, understand?"

Song Yu's profile was facing him, his soft, fair cheeks pale.

A slight touch could leave a mark.

Gu Linwei had thought "flawless" was an exaggeration, but he had indeed seen it these past few days.

—Song Yu's cheeks were deeply sunken by Zhou Qiao's straight nose, and his skin quickly turned red.

Was he really that delicate? Or was Zhou Qiao using too much force?

Several images played back and forth in Gu Linwei's mind, making him itchy. Without thinking, he reached out and touched him.

Song Yu felt his face being pinched.

Luckily, it wasn't too hard.

He looked at Gu Linwei strangely. The other man paused for two seconds, then seemed to suddenly realize something, coughed, and rubbed Song Yu's face hard with his fingertips.

Song Yu: "?"

"There's something on your face." Gu Linwei withdrew his hand, the slippery touch on his fingers making him linger, which made him even more disgusted with Zhou Qiao's frivolous behavior. "Did you hear that?"

Song Yu had been calculating points with 009 and hadn't heard Gu Linwei's words at all: "...What?"

Gu Linwei narrowed his eyes, his expression a little dangerous: "I told you not to talk to Zhou Qiao for the next few days. If he calls you, call me too."

Song Yu nodded obediently.

He had just completed an important mission and planned to rest for a few days.

Besides, Zhou Qiao's kisses were getting harder and harder; if this continued, he was afraid his lips would be kissed raw.

Seeing that Song Yu had listened to him, Gu Linwei's expression improved, and he drove the silly rabbit to the mall.

Since he couldn't abandon his rebellious, chuunibyou persona, Song Yu couldn't buy a thick coat himself. He was worried about not having enough clothes in the cold weather, so he took this opportunity to have Gu Linwei swipe his card for him, then transfer the money to Gu Linwei.

However, Gu Linwei seemed to look down on his small amount of money, refusing to take it and telling him to call him "Brother Lin" a few more times.

Song Yu got out of the car with his coat, in a good mood, even humming a song to 009.

009: ...It feels like the host's tune is a little different from the ones in its music library.

Only after the boy's slender figure disappeared did Gu Linwei reluctantly turn around. When he saw the silly dog ​​with the upturned corners of his mouth in the rearview mirror, he realized—

he had just smiled in front of Song Yu? And smiled like that?

Gu Linwei suppressed his smile, reverting to his previous cold, aloof expression.

However, some things couldn't be changed.

*

It rained lightly for the next few days, and Song Yu was too lazy to go see Zhou Qiao. He discovered he had a lot of comics at home, so he simply stayed home playing games and reading comics.

He replied to WeChat messages in his spare time.

Zhou Qiao and Gu Linwei didn't message him frequently, and it wasn't anything important. As for the other names that seemed like casual acquaintances, Song Yu didn't reply.

He spent three days happily as a homebody.

On the morning of the fourth day, as Song Yu was curled up on the sofa reading comics as usual, Zhou Qiao suddenly sent a photo.

Zhou Qiao: [Photo.jpg.]

Zhou Qiao: [I accidentally hurt my hand while chopping vegetables.]

Zhou Qiao: [Ayu, it hurts a little.]

Before Song Yu could even open the photo, he heard 009 read the last message: [Ayu~~~it hurts a little~~]

Song Yu: "?"

009: [If you don't take a picture soon, it will heal.]

Song Yu: "..."

To be honest, this standard AI voice was flat, but the more he listened, the more it sounded like sarcasm.

[You're getting more and more mischievous, Jiu Jiu.] Of

course, Song Yu didn't think there was anything wrong with it. The thought of possibly never seeing 009 again after completing all the missions and returning to reality made him feel a little lost.

009 sensed its host's low mood and curled its fluffy ball into the boy's arms.

It wouldn't separate from its host.

Before the main god woke up, it would destroy the contract of servitude.

Clicking on the photo, it was indeed as 009 had said; the wound on Zhou Qiao's finger wasn't large, like a scrape.

But that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

Song Yu could empathize with those who were afraid of pain. He was about to call and ask when Zhou Qiao sent a message: "[Can you come keep me company, A-Yu? Something happened in the neighborhood these past few days, I'm scared.]

Something happened?" Song Yu suddenly thought of the murder case from a while ago and immediately called Zhou Qiao.

Her tone was as gentle as ever, but also tinged with sadness.

Song Yu thought about how many meals he'd gotten for free and felt bad leaving her alone. After agreeing, he called Gu Linwei.

Gu didn't answer; he was probably busy.

Song Yu texted him, saying he was going to Zhou Qiao's place. Then he put on his coat and set off. His coat was waterproof, so he could get to his car right away, and he didn't bother with an umbrella.

The driver dropped him off at the entrance of Xin'an Apartment and warned him to be careful, as the area wasn't safe lately.

Song Yu nodded, indicating the driver could go back first; he could take a taxi later.

Although the low-rent apartment complex was dirty and messy, it had all the necessary amenities. Song Yu bought bandages and ointment at a nearby pharmacy before entering the complex.

As he passed the gate, he realized he hadn't seen the unemployed youths who used to gather and stare at him lately.

A light rain was falling. Song Yu pulled up the hood of his coat. As he passed a building, he saw a group of people gathered outside a yellow police cordon. A police car was parked nearby.

Song Yu stopped and looked at the crowd, but accidentally caught a glimpse of a pool of blood on the ground through a gap in the crowd.

His beautiful face instantly drained of color.

He was about to leave when 009 said, "[Mission has arrived.]

[You need to find clues at the crime scene that might trigger a hidden plot.]"

Song Yu's spine stiffened. He actually quite enjoyed watching horror movies, but encountering real-life situations terrified him. After hesitating for a while, he finally gripped the bag of medicine in his hand and went over.

The closer he got, the stronger the smell of blood became.

Song Yu glanced around; there was not only blood on the ground, but also a pool of unidentified, murky liquid.

He bit his lower lip and immediately looked away.

The body had already been removed, and a few officers were collecting clues. Among the onlookers were reporters asking the police questions, but the officers waved them off without saying a word.

Song Yu stood in the crowd, wearing a hat that obscured most of his face.

Amidst the noisy chatter, a few sentences reached his ears clearly.

"I heard the dead man wasn't from our area..."

"Nonsense, he was a rich businessman, I saw it! That watch on his wrist could buy our whole building."

"No wonder the police came so quickly, looks like a big shot."

"But he didn't even take the watch, so it wasn't a robbery?"

"A crime of passion?"

"A woman would kill such a heavy man?"

"Maybe the woman hired an accomplice."

...

Song Yu stood there for a long time, only hearing the wild speculations of those around him, but not a single useful piece of information. There was probably no hidden plot.

Squeezed in the crowd, Song Yu's jacket was not breathable, and his short-sleeved shirt was sticking to his back, very uncomfortable.

He left dejectedly.

The sky was overcast, dark clouds filled the sky, as if a downpour was imminent.

There were few people on the small path after the turn, and Song Yu quickened his pace, but the next second, without warning, his mouth was covered.

Upon seeing the crime scene, Song Yu was dragged to a corner by a stranger. He trembled with fear, thinking he was about to be killed.

He struggled desperately, flailing his arms and legs wildly. He didn't know where he touched the other person, but he heard a muffled groan.

Soon, he felt his waist being completely encircled, and all his strength vanished instantly.

"Ugh..."

His mouth was covered, and Song Yu instinctively tried to push it away with his tongue.

The other person finally released him.

"Your tongue is so soft," the man behind him whispered in a low, husky voice, sounding suggestive and flirtatious.

"Help...help...my life—" Song Yu's voice was already trembling with tears, weak and empty.

Just when he thought his life was about to end, the other person suddenly chuckled softly: "Ayu, it's me."

Song Yu froze.

That voice...was it Zhou Qiao?

He was quickly released, his hat, which had been obscuring his vision, was removed, and when he turned around, sure enough, it was Zhou Qiao's usual smiling face.

Remembering how timid he had been, Song Yu immediately lowered his head.

Before he could even get angry, Zhou Qiao quickly apologized, "Sorry, Yu, I originally wanted to come down and pick you up, but when I saw you walking ahead wearing a hat, you were just too cute, and I couldn't resist trying out this kind of scene from a TV drama."

Song Yu: "?"

The other person's tone was very apologetic, as if saying something made him seem petty.

"However—" Zhou Qiao leaned down, his bright, dark eyes staring at Song Yu's face, which bore finger marks, for a few seconds, "Yu looks like a beautiful woman who was kidnapped by bandits and made their wife."

Being treated as a "bandit's wife" made Song Yu truly unhappy this time: "I'm a boy, I won't be a wife."

Zhou Qiao seemed thoughtful, touching his chin: "Is that so? Some perverts like to play with young boys."

His tone was still gentle, but Song Yu's shoulders trembled with fear.

"After all, I saw how Yu looked just now." Zhou Qiao curled his lips, "I even wanted to tie you to the bed and bully you."

"..."

Song Yu pursed his lips, and after a long while, he finally replied with a completely harmless statement: "I'm not that easy to bully."

Is that so?

Even a kitten doesn't think it's easy to bully, but if you really pin its limbs down, it can easily have its belly rubbed.

Zhou Qiao skillfully concealed the excitement in his eyes before glancing down at the bag Song Yu was clutching tightly.

He paused, "Did you buy me medicine?"

Song Yu hummed in agreement, frowning as he held up the bag, complaining, "You almost scared me so much I dropped it."

"...What did you buy?"

"Band-aids...ointment, and some hemostatic medicine." Song Yu looked up, "How's your wound?" Zhou

Qiao didn't reach out, "It's fine."

It seemed he was right with 009; it would have healed if he hadn't been filmed soon.

But it must have hurt a lot back then.

Song Yu said, "Then keep it for you to use later."

A moment later, Zhou Qiao suddenly bent down and rubbed his cheek against Song Yu's face.

Song Yu was stunned for a moment, and by the time he reacted, the other person had already stood up straight, even taking the bag from his hand and putting the hat back on him.

"Do you want me to carry you?"

"I've never carried anyone before."

Song Yu was already a little weak in the knees from fright and didn't want to walk. Seeing that there was no one around, he had no more worries and urged Zhou Qiao, "Hurry up and squat down."

Like a spoiled little master.

Zhou Qiao smiled, turned around and squatted down, quickly hooking his arms around Song Yu's legs.

The young master was really light, and when he pressed against Zhou Qiao's back, he smelled sweet.

It was as if it temporarily covered up the nauseating smell on him that he couldn't wash off no matter how much he washed.

Although

he was a canary, Zhou Qiao had great stamina and carried him to the door without panting.

This made Song Yu very envious, and he secretly vowed to make an exercise plan when he returned to reality.

Today, Zhou Qiao made a sweet soup and also made blueberry yam for Song Yu, specially using a mold to make it into the shape of a puppy.

Song Yu was reluctant to eat it.

But in the end, half of it still ended up in his stomach.

After lunch, the rain that had been brewing for several days finally hit the ground, and the sky became exceptionally dark. Song Yu checked his phone, but there were no cars nearby available to pick him up.

He had no choice but to sit on the sofa and watch a movie with Zhou Qiao.

The movie was chosen by her; it was a horror film with both gore and intimate scenes.

During the intimate scene, Song Yu awkwardly lowered his head, casually opening a webpage to pretend he was busy, but the living room was filled with the sounds of kissing.

Song Yu's cheeks burned uncontrollably, and he lowered his head even further, even his breathing becoming cautious.

Just as the sound of kissing disappeared and Song Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief, a voice suddenly came from beside him: "Can you really bend over like that?"

Song Yu was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the TV.

The intimate scene was long over, and the movie's protagonist was now hiding in the closet, thinking he had encountered a ghost.

The closet was small, and the protagonist had his legs propped up on the counter; if he lowered his head slightly, his face would touch his thigh.

"It should be okay..."

he casually replied to Zhou Qiao, his attention returning to the movie.

"Try it?"

Before Song Yu could react, his ankle was grabbed.

Zhou Qiao pulled hard, turning the boy who had been sitting obediently on the sofa around so that he was now facing him instead of the TV.

Song Yu roughly understood what he wanted to do and subconsciously tried to pull his leg back, but the other man was very strong: "I can't..."

His voice was a little pitiful, clearly a plea, but to Zhou Qiao's ears it sounded like seduction.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

Zhou Qiao's tone was gentle, but it carried an irresistible sense of pressure. Song Yu's leg followed the man's taut, veiny arm, slowly being lifted up.

He hadn't studied dance and didn't know if he could bend like in the movies.

Finally, when he felt his thigh was as close to his face as possible, he finally stopped: "C-that's enough..."

"It's so sore."

Zhou Qiao said apologetically in a low voice, slowly lowered his leg and let go, then suddenly laughed: "Ah Yu is so soft."

Song Yu immediately turned around and sat up straight.

He awkwardly shrank into the sofa.

Fortunately, Zhou Qiao didn't make him try any other strange movements like the protagonist.

After watching a movie that lasted more than two hours, the rain finally stopped, and it was completely dark.

The streetlights in the neighborhood were useless, and all that could be seen from the balcony were black shadows of trees.

Song Yu pursed his lips nervously, a little scared.

Zhou Qiao came over: "Are you going back? I'll take you."

Zhou Qiao was the main character, so things were bound to get dangerous in this situation. Song Yu shook his head, but facing the dark night below, he hesitated.

"Stay here tonight, go back tomorrow." After reminding him, Zhou Qiao suddenly added, "There was another incident in the neighborhood yesterday, someone died."

Song Yu's shoulders trembled slightly: "Um... I saw the police."

Zhou Qiao: "I heard the criminal is very tall, probably about my height."

Song Yu pursed his lips, suddenly feeling his vision begin to sway upwards.

Zhou Qiao grabbed his waist and lifted him up.

The unease of not being able to touch the ground made Song Yu immediately reach out and hug the man's neck.

"There are a lot of thugs around here, they often come out at night. Someone who looks like A Yu will definitely be targeted by them." Zhou Qiao easily bounced him up a bit, "They often go in groups, if they're about my height, you'll be lifted up like this."

Song Yu was completely terrified, his eyes were red, and he looked like he was about to cry.

He dared not listen any longer: "I...I'll stay here..."

*

Zhou Qiao's apartment had two rooms, but one was filled with the landlord's belongings. Song Yu was only staying for one night and was too embarrassed to ask anyone to clean it.

The water heater in the old apartment often malfunctioned, so Zhou Qiao told him to take a shower first and gave him a clean set of clothes, including new underwear and a towel.

Still shaken, Song Yu rushed into the bathroom alone and showered quickly, his movements a little flustered. As a result, he accidentally dropped his shirt on the floor after he finished.

It was half wet and definitely unwearable.

Song Yu put on something else and came out.

Zhou Qiao was watching TV on the sofa in the living room, showing recent news.

Song Yu, shirtless, felt a little embarrassed and called out softly, "Qiao."

The man was engrossed in watching and didn't hear him.

Song Yu raised his voice again, "Qiao?"

Only then did Zhou Qiao turn his gaze to him.

"I dropped my clothes on the floor, could I have another one?" He wondered if it was because only half the lights in the living room were on, but Zhou Qiao's eyes seemed a little dark.

His expression was also a little somber.

But perhaps he wasn't smiling.

Some people give off two different vibes depending on whether they smile or not.

Song Yu had seen many people like that and didn't pay any attention.

Soon, Zhou Qiao looked away, got up, and went into the bedroom.

Song Yu followed him in.

The bathroom door faced the bedroom, and the window was half-open, letting in steam. A gust of cool air made Song Yu feel a little cold, and she couldn't help but touch her arm. He opened

the wardrobe and pulled down the black long-sleeved shirt on the far right.

Just as Song Yu was about to reach out to take it, she heard him say in a calm voice, "Shall we share a blanket or two?"

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