An Unexpected Embrace and a Jealous Outburst

“By the way, you rushed out just now, even using your internal energy. I assume something major must have happened, right?”

“Uh, ah…” Bai Qiao paused, then stammered, “N-nothing much… just… ah!”

Black Sha’s sudden embrace was entirely unexpected. Bai Qiao didn’t react immediately, instead vaguely looking up at Black Sha. The ‘sorrow’ overflowing in Black Sha’s eyes left Bai Qiao momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

“Heh…”

Bai Qiao’s body suddenly trembled. That voice, though distant and ethereal, had certainly reached his ears. Yet, it vanished just as swiftly, as if it had never existed. Bai Qiao couldn’t help but wonder if he was hallucinating, but Bai Chen’s voice… it was so incredibly familiar. Why would he think of his voice now?

“Qiao, what’s wrong?”

“Uh… n-nothing at all…” Black Sha hadn’t heard it? Was it truly just a hallucination? Why would he imagine *his* voice? Then, a sudden thought struck Bai Qiao: what had Black Sha just called him? ‘Qiao’? And now… Bai Qiao abruptly became aware of his current awkward posture and hastily tried to push Black Sha away.

“I truly thought you were so aloof, and foolishly believed you were here to pursue me. It was indeed my wishful thinking, but you…” Bai Chen’s sudden appearance caught Bai Qiao completely off guard. At that moment, Bai Chen took another step forward. “You repeatedly told me you were a man, that you couldn’t accept other men. So what about now? Can you explain this to me? Are you going to tell me he forced you to look so… *enjoying* it?” Never before had Bai Chen’s emotions spiraled out of control like they did this evening. Not even when Mo Xiao threw him underground, intent on killing him, nor when he was almost coerced into becoming Mo Xiao’s servant beast, nor even when betrayed by someone close—none of those moments had provoked such intense emotional agitation in Bai Chen.

“You…” Hearing Bai Chen utter the word ‘enjoying’ at the end, Bai Qiao’s previously guilt-ridden mood instantly shifted. For a man, especially a straight man, to seemingly enjoy another man’s embrace was an absolute taboo, a complete violation of Bai Qiao’s bottom line. Yet, at this very moment, Bai Qiao was overtaken by a sense of self-abandonment. ‘You don’t believe me, do you? You think this of me, don’t you? In your heart, I’m just someone who casually leans into anyone’s arms, right?’ With a hint of vengeful defiance, Bai Qiao wrapped his arms around Black Sha. “Yes, I am enjoying it very much…”

Black Sha visibly stiffened for a moment, but then quickly recovered, pulling Bai Qiao even closer.

Bai Chen’s face instantly turned ashen. His already foul mood now made him feel like he could destroy the entire city. Surprisingly, Bai Qiao, observing Bai Chen’s expression, also felt a pang of fear. After all, he knew his own temperament. While it was impossible to claim no changes had occurred since becoming a girl, he still remembered how, after the girl he had once pursued betrayed him, he had utterly annihilated the culprits—at least five people ended up hospitalized that time. Considering Bai Chen’s power, Bai Qiao couldn’t help but shiver at the thought.

However, Bai Chen did not erupt. His face merely grew even more somber. He let out a muffled snort, then simply turned and went home.

Only then did Bai Qiao push Black Sha away, casting an awkward glance at him before heading home himself. Yet, the scene that greeted Bai Qiao utterly astonished him. So… harmonious? Bai Chen… was actually washing dishes?! What in the world was this?!

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