Chaptet 89

Mu Nan noticed that Qin Huai enjoyed being physically close to him, but it was limited to kisses and hugs. Whether they were watching movies on the couch or lying in bed, Qin Huai loved to hold him. At first, Mu Nan felt a bit awkward. Although he was used to being close to Qin Huai, this new level of intimacy, with their roles having shifted, made him uncomfortable initially.

However, Mu Nan quickly adapted. He and Qin Huai had always been close some of their earlier, unusually intimate interactions felt normal to him. Now, with their relationship having taken a step further, aside from the initial awkwardness of their role reversal, Mu Nan found himself naturally seeking Qin Huai to lean against.

But aside from that, it seemed that Qin Huai had no intention of taking things further. At night, he would simply hold Mu Nan, just hold him! With all the experience Mu Nan had drawn from years of creating romantic comics, the first thing that came to mind when one liked someone was the idea of intimacy. How could Qin Huai be so indifferent? He washed up nicely every day and lay right next to him, yet Qin Huai showed no reaction at all.

This led Mu Nan to question whether Qin Huai truly liked him or if he was just accustomed to him. If he were straight, it seemed unlikely that he could engage in such behaviors, but if it wasn't genuine affection, why did he always want to kiss him?

If there were still access to the internet, Mu Nan would definitely seek advice from the vast community of online users. However, the only network available now was a local one, and Qin Huai was in charge of it, making Mu Nan feel trapped. He even considered the idea of perhaps having a drink to loosen up maybe a little liquid courage would help him make a move. It was infuriating that it was Qin Huai who had broken the ice in the first place, yet now he found himself a bit anxious about the situation.

Mu Nan sighed internally, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration. The dynamic between them was shifting, and he was unsure how to navigate this new territory. The tender moments they shared made him hopeful, yet the lack of further progress left him yearning for more clarity. He wanted to know where they stood, but the thought of bringing it up made him nervous. What if he misread the situation? What if Qin Huai didn't feel the same way?

As these thoughts spun around in his mind, Mu Nan resolved to take a step back and observe Qin Huai's actions more closely. Maybe he could find the answers he was looking for just by watching how Qin Huai interacted with him in the days to come.

Feeling stuck, Mu Nan picked up his phone and hesitantly opened the chat with Jian Chu. He realized that Jian Chu was the only person he could reach out to now, but he was unsure how to ask about his situation with Qin Huai.

After staring at the screen for a while without being able to type anything, he finally gave up and glanced over at Qin Huai, who was watering some seedlings. With a determined huff, he called out, "Brother!"

Qin Huai turned to look at him. "What's up?"

Mu Nan asked, "Do you want to drink some alcohol? Let's have a little drink today!"

Qin Huai shot him a cold look. "Not a chance."

Mu Nan immediately felt dissatisfied. "Why not? We're together now; shouldn't we celebrate?"

Qin Huai chuckled at that. "What do you want to eat? Let's talk about that first. No alcohol it's too cold for beer."

Mu Nan protested, "How can we celebrate without drinking?"

Qin Huai gave him a warning glance. "You want to drink with a stomach ulcer? Just because you haven't felt pain in a while doesn't mean it's gone."

Mu Nan dramatically flopped onto the bed, feeling hopeless. Here he was, being lectured while trying to celebrate his relationship. Was he dating a monk?

After a lackluster dinner and a quick shower, Mu Nan lazily lay on the bed. The excitement and nervousness from the previous days had faded. Sleeping meant just changing positions while hugging each other, so he calmly picked up his phone to play a game. He had only cleared over a thousand levels in his casual match-three game, and there were still many challenging levels ahead. He decided to become a gaming addict and forget about his romantic worries.

However, when Qin Huai lay down beside him, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Mu Nan. Used to this by now, Mu Nan merely shifted slightly, saying, "I'll play a couple more levels before sleeping."

While he spoke, Qin Huai embraced him tighter, gently caressing his waist.

Startled, Mu Nan accidentally hit the exit button on his phone. Qin Huai took the phone and tossed it aside, leaning in to nibble on Mu Nan's earlobe, his warm breath sending shivers down Mu Nan's spine. "I intended to give you time to adjust to this change from brother to boyfriend. I was afraid you might be accepting this relationship just because it's me, but clearly, you've done quite well."

He pressed a gentle kiss to Mu Nan's lips, saying, "Heaven knows how hard it's been for me to hold back these past few days. Since I can't hold back anymore, are you ready? I'll be gentle and won't hurt you."

Mu Nan felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. His toes curled in anxiety, but he realized that he couldn't back down now. With a determined moment, he closed his eyes and nodded, thinking that it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Qin Huai kissed his eyelids softly. "Get the little white medicine box I stored in your space."

Nervously, Mu Nan's mind went blank, but he instinctively followed Qin Huai's instructions.

As the command fell, a small medicine box appeared on their bed. Qin Huai inspected Mu Nan's flushed face and kissed him again. "Good boy."

The medicine box had been prepared by Qin Huai, containing everything they might need. He opened it to confirm it was the right one and retrieved a fragrant oil bottle, lifting the blanket covering them. "Nan Nan, look at me."

Mu Nan instinctively turned his head away. "No! If you're going to do it, just hurry!"

Seeing his shyness, Qin Huai chuckled and playfully nibbled on Mu Nan's sweet treat.

After being patient for so long, the sweet treat had become tempting and addictive, and Qin Huai savored bite after bite until he finally stopped, sensing that Mu Nan had reached his limit.

Mu Nan lay exhausted, unable to lift even a finger, and shot Qin Huai a reproachful look. "I shouldn't have trusted you! You said it would be just once! How is this just once? Ugh, it hurts and it's tiring!"

Qin Huai laughed, placing Mu Nan on the couch. He pointed at the scratches on his own body. "Look, these are all your marks of honor."

Mu Nan glanced at him, immediately covering his face with a small blanket in embarrassment. The pain was too much, and after having endured it, Qin Huai still insisted he call him "brother" instead of just "bro." It felt like he was being teased relentlessly! Looking at Qin Huai, Mu Nan felt no sympathy for him and muttered two words, "Serves you right!"

Qin Huai couldn't help but laugh. "I'll apply some medicine for you. Just lie there and don't move. I'll go change the bed sheets."

Mu Nan relaxed, enjoying Qin Huai's attentive care, but exhaustion soon took over, and he fell asleep.

After tidying up the bed, Qin Huai returned to find Mu Nan already fast asleep. Looking outside, he saw the faint light of dawn breaking. With a smile, he lifted Mu Nan gently and placed him on the bed, then wrapped his arms around him, contentedly falling asleep himself.

When Mu Nan woke up, he felt an indescribable soreness in a sensitive area, making him question his life choices. Qin Huai, noticing his discomfort, gently rubbed his waist. "Are you okay? I read some posts online that said many people experience stomach issues afterward. Is your stomach bothering you?"

Mu Nan struggled to turn over and complained, "They said to avoid it! Just once was already overwhelming; I can't handle a second time! This is probably my punishment for all those steamy scenarios I've drawn!"

Qin Huai chuckled. "But I held back for so long. I really couldn't anymore. Are you mad? Do you need more medicine?"

Buried under the blanket, Mu Nan mumbled, "I can handle it myself."

Understanding that Mu Nan was embarrassed, Qin Huai handed him the ointment. "I'll go outside to water the plants. Just take your time getting up. If you're really uncomfortable, call for me. There's no need to be shy I've seen everything of you already."

Mu Nan turned his head and shot Qin Huai a fierce look. "Don't say that! I don't want to hear your post-game comments!"

His fierce expression, coupled with the remnants of sleepiness in his eyes, made him look adorably pitiful. Qin Huai couldn't help but laugh as he left. With such a cute Nan Nan by his side, he wished for nothing more than to savor this moment again, given the chance.

Walking wasn't too difficult, but certain areas of his body suddenly felt very sensitive. After applying the medicine, Mu Nan flopped back onto the bed.

Just then, Qin Huai entered, pulling the covers over him and gently patting his head. "Eat light for the next few days."

Mu Nan buried his face in the bed and whimpered, "It's so unfair." Qin Huai seemed to be enjoying himself while he was the one suffering. Qin Huai didn't have to restrict his diet, but Mu Nan did—how was that fair?

Qin Huai found his complaint both endearing and amusing.

After finishing a bowl of plain noodles, which were far from completely bland but at least not spicy, Qin Huai couldn't indulge in rich foods in front of Mu Nan. He followed Mu Nan's lead, eating what Mu Nan had, knowing that otherwise, Mu Nan would only resent him more.

After dinner, Qin Huai took it upon himself to tidy up the house. When he noticed Mu Nan wasn't going to sleep, he set up the sofa with a cozy blanket and arranged a small pillow at a comfortable angle. The projector was ready, and warm grapefruit tea was placed conveniently within reach. He didn't put out too many snacks, just a few dried plums and fruit, knowing that Mu Nan loved crunchy snacks but needed to eat less for a while. Satisfied that everything was in order, Qin Huai went to hang up the freshly washed sheets and duvet covers.

Leaning back on the sofa, Mu Nan popped a dried plum into his mouth. He suddenly felt an urge to share his joy with someone. The excitement of being in a relationship made him want to shout it from the rooftops, but he couldn't be too direct. After all, he had called Qin Huai "brother" for so long suddenly shifting their relationship felt awkward. What if Qin Huai found it hard to accept?

After some thought, he decided to message Jian Chu: "What are you doing?"

Jian Chu and the others hadn't gone to work that day, as they weren't desperate for points. With the wind howling and snow falling heavily outside, it was unnecessary to go out in such conditions. Xu Ming was out of necessity, but once the temperature dropped below minus thirty degrees, they all chose to stay home and hibernate.

When Jian Chu received Mu Nan's message, he was grinding soybeans for soy milk. He sent a photo back and replied, "I'll bring you guys some soy milk once I'm done."

Mu Nan typed, "Let's see when Xu Ming gets a break we should all go out for a meal. My treat."

Jian Chu laughed in response: "Is this an official announcement dinner?"

Mu Nan was taken aback and sent a shocked emoji: "How did you know!"

Jian Chu laughed heartily at home: "What is there that I don't know? You think you can hide it from me? You must have already slept together!"

Mu Nan's eyes widened in disbelief. How did Jian Chu know? They hadn't even met in person yet! Shocked, Mu Nan couldn't help but call for Qin Huai.

Just as Qin Huai came in after hanging the sheets, he saw Mu Nan holding up his phone. "Look! How does he know? This is scary! No, it can't be that I was too loud yesterday, right?" The thought made Mu Nan's face flush red with embarrassment.

Qin Huai reassured him, "Don't worry. The soundproofing is good he probably just guessed. He may think you're treating them to a meal because our relationship is now settled. There's no need to be too surprised he just happened to guess right." Besides, last night was Mu Nan's first time he hadn't made much noise at all.

Hearing this, Mu Nan let out a sigh of relief and sent Jian Chu an "I concede" emoji. Jian Chu's guess was shockingly accurate.

Jian Chu was laughing uncontrollably at home, amused at how shocked Mu Nan must have looked when he realized Jian Chu knew.

As Jian Chu was about to delve deeper into how it felt for a brother to become a boyfriend, there was a sudden knock on the large metal gate of their yard. The two of them instinctively put their phones down. Qin Huai walked to the window and peeked outside. He could see someone standing outside, bundled up tightly, with their face obscured, making it hard to identify them amidst the falling snow.

Mu Nan leaned over to look out as well. "Who is that? A soldier?"

Qin Huai replied, "No." Although anyone outside would be bundled up due to the cold, the person's posture seemed to suggest they weren't a soldier they appeared somewhat hunched over.

Qin Huai speculated, "It might be Wu Zheng's father." Although he hadn't seen him, he could easily picture him from what Jian Chu and the others had mentioned before. After all, no strangers would be looking for them in this weather.

Mu Nan exclaimed, "Didn't they say Wu Zheng's clothes were taken by his dad? How could he dare come here now?"

The situation regarding Wu Zheng hadn't been discussed openly. Although he had started to recover a bit over the past couple of days, he remained mostly unconscious. When Song Jia asked if he had been robbed on his way back, Wu Zheng didn't respond. It was clear that his father was somehow involved in the incident.

Mu Nan and Jian Chu had privately discussed Wu Zheng's troublesome father, even criticizing him. How could he disregard his own child's well-being? A grown man like Wu Zheng should be able to stand up to an old man and not let himself be bullied. Whether it was clothes or points, Wu Zheng had likely given them up himself.

At a time like this, if they were still talking about blood ties and filial piety, it would be foolish. No one would shed a tear for him if he put his life on the line. Meanwhile, his younger brother, who truly cared for him, would have to face everything alone.

While every family has its struggles, things aren't always black and white, but one must discern kinship and distance.

Jian Chu had previously said that if Wu Zheng couldn't differentiate these relationships and wanted to bring his father to live with them, they should tear down the wall and keep to themselves, living their own lives without the burden of troublesome relatives. Even though he had a fondness for Niu Niu and liked Wu Zheng and Song Jia, that didn't mean he had to accept their problematic family members. However, it was still too early to discuss these matters. No one knew what Wu Zheng's attitude was or what had happened that day. They decided to wait until Wu Zheng recovered more before discussing things with him.

Mu Nan hadn't expected that before they could even go into a deeper conversation with their neighbors, the troublesome family member had already come knocking.

He looked at Qin Huai. "Should we go down?"

Qin Huai shook his head. "No need. Just stay up here and watch. I'll change into something more appropriate."

Mu Nan was puzzled as to why he needed to change if they weren't going down, but when he saw Qin Huai take a thick outer coat from the wardrobe and grab a crossbow—an actual weapon capable of inflicting serious harm—he quickly put on his own coat.

Qin Huai glanced at him. "I'm not going downstairs. You should go lie back on the sofa."

Mu Nan insisted, "No, I want to come with you." With the situation escalating, he couldn't just sit back and let Qin Huai handle it alone.

Qin Huai chuckled in resignation and opened the curtains of the third-floor balcony, staying inside to observe.

The first person to head downstairs was Song Jia. Seeing that there was only one person outside, he confidently approached and opened the metal gate.

The man didn't recognize Song Jia, who had grown from a middle school student into a young adult, and he was bundled up so much that he didn't initially make the connection. Instead, he politely said, "Hello, I'm here looking for Wu Zheng."

Recognizing the man, Song Jia sneered and replied, "Wu Zheng used to live here, but he's not around anymore."

The man glanced inside the house, squinting at the building. "I asked at the construction site, and they said he lived here."

Song Jia replied, "I told you, he used to live here, but he's not around. A few days ago, someone stripped him of his clothes in this freezing weather. He froze to death it was horrible. He turned into a popsicle."

The man's face paled instantly.

Just then, Jian Chu ran over, braving the wind and snow while wrapping his coat tightly around himself. "Who's making all that noise?"

Song Jia remained silent, aware that if Jian Chu said too much, they might inadvertently reveal too much about the situation. He felt anger boiling over how could someone who had ignored their own child's suffering act this way? Wu Zheng had been through so much, with his limbs turning black and unable to walk, and yet this man, who had called himself a father for so long, could come searching now?

The man turned to Jian Chu and repeated, "I'm looking for Wu Zheng."

Jian Chu responded, "Oh, you're looking for Wu Zheng? You're too late. If you had come a few days earlier, you might have seen him. Now? Tsk, it's a pity the road didn't have surveillance cameras installed otherwise, the person who stripped him would have been caught. This is practically murder, yet it seems like the world hasn't reached that point. A person with hands and feet could earn some points and buy themselves a decent coat. Instead, they resort to stealing, costing someone their life. Such people will surely face retribution. Murdering someone at night, they might find themselves facing consequences. They've created a cycle of violence, and after death, they're likely to end up in hell. Let's not even talk about the afterlife they'll face plenty of consequences while still alive—broken families, losing their children, and suffering from illness. Sooner or later, it will come back to them."

He then looked at Song Jia. "Right?"

Song Jia nodded. "Of course. Those who do bad things will eventually face retribution."

With every word they spoke, the man's face grew more terrified, visibly shaking from fear or the cold—perhaps both.

Jian Chu wasn't satisfied yet and asked the man, "What's your relationship with Wu Zheng? Are you a relative or a friend?"

The man instinctively shook his head, feeling increasingly uneasy under their scrutiny. He subconsciously wanted to flee.

Before he could make a move, Jian Chu grabbed the man. "What are you looking for him for? I know Wu Zheng usually keeps to himself, and considering what happened to him, it's best to let it go. But if you're here looking for him, you must know him. I don't care he owes me twenty points, and if you know him, you'll have to pay!"

Upon hearing about the debt, the man reacted strongly, trying multiple times to pull away from Jian Chu's grip, but he was no match for a young man who was well-fed.

The more he struggled, the tighter Jian Chu held on, as if afraid the man would escape. "Don't even think about running! It's not every day I get to see someone who knows him. I don't care he owes me money, and you have to pay it back!"

He then turned to Song Jia. "Check if he has any points on him we'll split whatever we find!"

Song Jia immediately stepped forward, pretending to search the man's pockets.

Hearing that they intended to take his points, the man struggled even more. "I don't know him! I have no connection to him! Let go of me this is robbery!"

Jian Chu growled, "Paying back debts is only right. What do you mean robbery? You're here looking for him, so you must have some connection. You can't just say there's no connection. You're his friend, and I don't care you have to pay me back!"

The man was genuinely terrified and struggled even harder. Jian Chu had meant to scare him into never returning, but when the man began to fight back, he loosened his grip. The man fell to the ground and scrambled to his feet, bolting away like he was being chased by a ghost, not daring to look back.

Jian Chu stood at the door, not pursuing, but shouted, "Don't run! Stop! Give me my points back!"

Once the man was out of sight, Jian Chu clapped his hands together. "Done! I don't think he'll dare come back again."

Song Jia gave Jian Chu a thumbs up. "Impressive! Thanks for that!"

Jian Chu shrugged, "It's nothing just a small matter. Let's get back inside it's freezing out here!"

Meanwhile, Qin Huai and Mu Nan had watched the entire scene unfold from upstairs. The weapon in Mu Nan's hands remained unused, as Jian Chu's words had effectively driven the man away, which was a relief.

Mu Nan sent a thumbs-up emoji to Jian Chu in their group chat "Nice job! I thought there would be a huge commotion."

Back inside, Jian Chu, having just removed his heavy coat, checked his phone and laughed, replying, "Of course! You underestimate me. I have plenty of experience handling these kinds of people!"

Mu Nan shared a photo of the small crossbow in their group chat, reminding them that they had seen it in their vehicle earlier "My brother was ready to shoot if things went south."

Jian Chu immediately responded with a thumbs-up emoji "When it comes to toughness, your brother takes the cake! I can't compete with that."

Mu Nan chuckled, feeling a sense of pride swell within him. "Yeah, he's definitely on a different level. I just hope we won't have to deal with that kind of situation again."

Jian Chu replied, "As long as we stick together, we can handle anything. Just let me know if that guy ever shows up again I'll be ready!"

Mu Nan nodded, grateful for the support. "Thanks! It's good to know we have each other's backs."

After their brief conversation, Mu Nan turned to Qin Huai, who had returned from hanging the laundry. "Did you see all that? Jian Chu really knows how to handle things."

Qin Huai smiled, "He's got a way with words. But it's good that we didn't need to escalate it further. I prefer to keep things peaceful if we can."

Mu Nan agreed, feeling relieved that things had settled without conflict. "Yeah, I just hope Wu Zheng is okay. We should check on him later."

Qin Huai nodded. "Absolutely. Let's give him some time to recover first, and then we can see what he needs."

As they settled back into their routine, Mu Nan felt a sense of camaraderie with his friends. It was comforting to know they were all looking out for one another, especially in such uncertain times.