Ch 25 (1/2)

Fortunately, Song Yucheng did not say that out loud. Even so, Ludwig could still see his unwillingness. He was not going to back down, though. He had the best bargaining chip to negotiate with Song Yucheng too — he was a Puritan.

Leveraging on that, he turned from guest to host after just a short spell of silence. He got Song Yucheng's permission and entered his kitchen.

Well, well. Ludwig's standards for caring for others were way beyond what Song Yucheng had anticipated. Chu Rong had been very attentive, but compared to Ludwig, he was still a lawless kitty, mewing for attention.

So was this a hint to him that he was perfect husband material?

He watched the man standing in his kitchen. Ludwig warmed the heart and pleased the eye even when simply making tea. He was like a butler from those noble houses in the Middle Ages — elegant, meticulous, and very capable. Song Yucheng did not have many ingredients, but Ludwig was still able to make a sweet snack which suited his taste buds.

Song Yucheng leaned against the doorframe, breathing in the sweet smells from the kitchen as he admired the man. Life like this wouldn't be so bad. It wouldn't be so bad… if he had not gone and teased the kitty first.

He thought of what Chu Rong had said, that 'you have to be fair to me, Songsong', and felt his head begin to hurt again. He looked at Ludwig, already all familiar with using his kitchen utensils, and it seemed like he was one of the owners of this villa. The saying 'run after two hares and you'll be finished sooner or later' popped up in his head right away.

But that unreliable, underaged System was suddenly all alert and started urging Song Yucheng on. "No worries, Lord Body-occupant! I'm the Professional Cheat System; not one cuckolding less. Two isn't too many, and I can also hold three or four. Don't worry and go for it! Stir things up as you like! I can help you take care of the rest. *Standing_tall_and_awesome_with_hand_on_waist.jpg*

Song Yucheng was taken aback by the chat-sticker and abruptly didn't feel like talking.

He simply couldn't understand it. As a System, why did it think that it had a waist? The dang System also got censored at critical times so what was that talk about being able to "hold three or four"? Song Yucheng felt his eyes heat with annoyance the more he looked at the text, and blocked the System out. At that moment, the System suddenly gave a gasp of surprise.

"Huh? Something's not right."

Song Yucheng: What is it?

System: This Ludwig's soul parameters are exactly the same as Chu Rong's. How is this possible?

Song Yucheng stared blankly. According to how the System worked, soul parameters being exactly the same meant that it was the same person. However, Ludwig and Chu Rong were obviously two completely different people.

This was a glitch in the System, surely?

Song Yucheng's gaze went subconsciously to Ludwig, and he grew even warier when he saw how he found the teacup he needed from the depths of his cupboard.

Wasn't he just too familiar with his habits? Song Yucheng frowned. This was Ludwig's first time here, but it seemed he was surprisingly knowledgeable about the placements of all of the things in his house like the back of his hand. He knew some details even better than Song Yucheng himself.

There could be some reasons for this. One, this person was very smart and observant. Two, he was on the same wavelength as him and had similar habits even when they had never interacted before. Or he had come to his home… Song Yucheng abruptly remembered a detail.

The side of the house next to the garden had been a huge mess when Xu Muzhi had set fire to the garden, so Song Yucheng had had his home renovated after he had returned from the filming of the programme. All of the corresponding appliances were in different places from before. And, after the renovation, the only person who had been in his home other than himself, was Chu Rong.

This situation had now taken on a sinister tint. Song Yucheng was not some young man yearning for love after all, so he knew that the second reason was out of the question. The last thought was also too ridiculous. Whether it was Chu Rong or Ludwig, the two of them were obviously different people.

So that left him with one conclusion. Ludwig was an extremely clever and patient man.

People like these were most terrifying, because they laid plans, and were sure to think of ways to reach their goals.

Take today, for example. Ludwig must have some reasoning behind why he chose today to visit him. The thing about him being a Puritan must be a pretense, since the incident at the club had happened some time ago.

"Don't beat around the bush. Tell me what your objective is!" Song Yucheng was sitting on the sofa, and he went straight to the point right after Ludwig was done preparing tea for them. He wanted to talk.

Ludwig stretched out a finger and pointed at Song Yucheng. "My objective is you."

"This isn't a funny joke."

"So you want to start this mess but not finish it?"

Ludwig's tone of voice was calm but Song Yucheng nearly spat out his tea. "Baby, brush up on your Chinese if you can't speak it well. Nothing happened between you and me."

He stressed the words 'nothing happened', and there was an implied warning in his voice.

Ludwig, however, did not speak. He just looked Song Yucheng in the eyes. Those smokey eyes of his, that strange way they stirred up emotions in him… Song Yucheng felt like he was being seduced. Ludwig spoke in an especially serious voice, recounting their interactions in the club. "You approached me and hugged me, and spoke in my ear. You were trying to seduce me."

The deep timbre of Ludwig's voice held a natural graceful gorgeousness. Him speaking in that voice and saying such things with a straight face made Song Yucheng feel like it was a covert form of seduction.

He seemed to be hinting to Song Yucheng that nothing happened before, but they could have something happen now.

Puritan? Screw that. There was no way he could have him even if they were just playing. Ludwig's looks, and that seductive gaze… What else could happen to him other than him getting f*cked?

Song Yucheng's gaze slowly turned dangerous. His gentle, handsome exterior was just a cover for the strength in him.

He stood and drew close to Ludwig. Up close, they could distinctly feel each other's breaths.

Damn. This face in front of him really ticked all his boxes in terms of aesthetics. Song Yucheng knew that this was poisoned fruit, but he was still not very willing to let it go.

Song Yucheng grasped him aggressively by the back of his head with a strength which seemed like it could mix their souls together. A flash of appreciation appeared in Ludwig's eyes at his aggressiveness. That thrill of being evenly matched whether in spirit or in physical senses, was extremely invigorating.

Unfortunately for him, Song Yucheng pulled away the instant their lips touched, and he pinched his chin.

"Puritan, eh?" Song Yucheng gave him a condescending look. He was obviously much less imposing than Ludwig, but this control of his outburst of lust was heart-thumpingly manly.

The Puritans of this world saw intimate relations before marriage as taboo, and that included future partners too. The way Ludwig had moved in response to the kiss proved that he was no Puritan. He had only used that label as a guise to get close to him.

But Ludwig was not panicked at all about being exposed. He was in a disadvantageous position but his natural calm and composed manner made one feel that he was actually the person in charge of the situation, and was just letting Song Yucheng act all haughty in his arms.

This competitive clashing of opposites was refreshing to Song Yucheng. At that moment, however, Ludwig suddenly murmured a line in Song Yucheng's ear which stupefied him.

"How about I be a Puritan, just for you?"

"What?" The cheesy pick-up line perplexed Song Yucheng, and he stared at Ludwig for quite a while. Just what had he heard? His imposing aura from before went up in thin smoke.

Song Yucheng had been shaken by that line, hard. He could not figure it out. Ludwig was clearly normal, so why had he suddenly spoken like he'd been possessed by some overbearing CEO main character from a novel?

Annoyance flashed in Ludwig's eyes. He'd just learnt this line from somewhere and it was supposedly sure to win you advantages when used to tease your partner. For some reason, though, this line had become a joke after he'd said it to Song Yucheng.

Song Yucheng seemed to be able to tell what he was thinking, and he couldn't help teasing him. "Well, read less of those romance novels in future and use your looks more. That would be more effective than sweet nothings."

"Okay." Ludwig nodded and did as Song Yucheng had said, using his looks to his advantage in a smile. His ash-grey eyes held deep meaning, dense with mystery and depth.

Argh, one attack after another. Song Yucheng was dazzled by Ludwig's smile but he quickly covered up his reaction as he solemnly warned him for the last time. "You're not a Puritan. Don't come looking for me anymore."

"Because of Chu Rong?"

"No. Unless you want a marriage where we live separate lives." Song Yucheng gave him his final choice.

Song Yucheng had pondered over the System's words from the last time, and he felt that what the System had meant by 'afterwards' was that he would probably leave a substitute that was exactly the same as him to be with Chu Rong. If that was the case, then Chu Rong would have his wish come true. If Ludwig got added to the equation, however, this would not be so easy anymore.

Could the System make two of him in the same world? But didn't the System just say earlier that Ludwig and Chu Rong had the same soul? Song Yucheng thought about his unreliable System and decided to tell Ludwig the worst-case scenario.

But Ludwig smiled meaningfully. "Separate lives or not, it's not up to you to decide."

Song Yucheng did not catch the meaning in his words at all, and mistook it for a declaration of war instead. He pointed at the door right away to tell Ludwig that he could leave now.

However, Ludwig seemed to suddenly recall another thing. "Yucheng, how do you plan to handle the matter about your parents' company?"

"There's already an article of incorporation. The details have not been confirmed yet, so I can only talk about it when it's straightened out."

"You can contact me when you've thought it through. I think I can be of help."

"Not afraid of being on the losing end?" Song Yucheng raised an eyebrow.

"Would you let yourself be on the losing end?" Ludwig smiled.

Song Yucheng was at a loss for words. "You win. I won't. Hurry up and leave, don't waste my time."

Song Yucheng waved his hand at Ludwig like he was chasing away a little dog. He was secretly depressed; he took pleasure in pampering beautiful people but this world was just too unfriendly to his habits. The thought of Chu Rong finding out about the existence of Ludwig made his head hurt. He decided to hurry up and work and calm down. Only work could make him happy.

As for Ludwig, he was surprisingly cheerful despite being sent away by Song Yucheng. He felt that he had gained something good today. The sober Song Yucheng was just as he had imagined. No. No, he was much sweeter than he'd imagined.