Chapter 177: Ghost Assistant (IX)

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Chapter 177: Ghost Assistant (IX)

Early the next morning, Shao Feidu arrived at the hospital carrying a nourishing soup for Shang Ke. Naturally, he had not prepared it himself; the thoughtful house steward had.

Shang Ke had only just awakened. He was about to smile when he saw six or seven ghosts trailing behind Shao Feidu—old and young, whole and mutilated, all steeped in gloomy yin energy. At first glance they resembled roiling storm clouds, with Shao Feidu striding in atop them like a god of thunder.

Shang Ke thought, Looks like Dudu hadn’t been lonely at all while I was away…

The moment the ghosts saw Shang Ke, they scattered in all directions. Although he had revived as a human, traces of a vengeful ghost’s aura still clung to him, and ordinary ghosts did not dare provoke him.

Once the ghosts behind him scattered, the tension finally left Shao Feidu’s body. He walked to the bedside, set the insulated food container on the table, and carefully opened it.

Shang Ke smiled. “What kind of soup?”

“Chicken.” Shao Feidu paused, then added solemnly, “Black chicken.”

Shang Ke burst out laughing.

Shao Feidu remained completely serious, clearly unable to see what was so funny.

Once he finished his soup, Shang Ke looked at the sky outside and asked Shao Feidu, “Will you take me out for a walk?”

At Shang Ke’s signal, Shao Feidu lifted him into the wheelchair and pushed him outside.

The caregiver could hardly object when it was Yun Kexu himself asking to go. She could only have the bodyguards follow at a distance in case anything happened.

Shao Feidu pushed Shang Ke slowly through the garden. Greenery filled the grounds, the air was fresh, and the morning breeze carried waves of floral fragrance. The long-missed tranquility refreshed him. Whenever Shang Ke was beside him, the world seemed somehow different—clearer, more beautiful, like a graceful piano piece.

Shao Feidu suddenly felt full of inspiration. Notes echoed through his mind, and his fingers began tapping unconsciously against the wheelchair.

Shang Ke understood what he was thinking the instant he heard the rhythm. The corners of his lips lifted. He plucked a leaf from nearby and began blowing across it in time with the tapping.

Playing a leaf depended mainly on the shape of the mouth, the vibrating surface, and changes in airflow. Different frequencies produced different tones—vibrato, mordents, glissandos… Clear, lively notes drifted through the garden, adding a bright shimmer to the beautiful morning.

Shao Feidu gazed at Shang Ke in the morning light and, for the first time, felt an overwhelming desire to perform again—to perform together with this person.

After Shang Ke was done playing, Shao Feidu squatted beside him and stared at him with fervent eyes. He clearly had something to say, but ultimately only called out, “Keke.”

Shang Ke seemed to know exactly what he wanted. Smiling, he said, “Once I’ve recovered, how about we play a duet?”

Yes. It’s a deal! Shao Feidu nodded hard, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

By the time they returned to the ward, Yun Kexu’s family had arrived.

Shang Ke formally took stock of Yun Kexu’s family: his father, Yun Dongxiao; his mother, Bai Luo; his older brother, Yun Kezhao; and his older sister, Yun Fangqing. He had researched all of them before possessing the body, including each person’s interests and habits.

Mrs. Yun’s impression of Shao Feidu could hardly have been worse. She barely gave him a proper glance the entire time.

This time, with Shang Ke quietly prompting him, Shao Feidu managed the handshakes and greetings properly enough. He wanted very much to stay beside Shang Ke, but the crowded ward made him uncomfortable, so he reluctantly left for the time being.

Shang Ke handled the conversation with the Yun family with ease. For someone who had only just awakened after two years in a vegetative state, retaining even basic cognitive function was already cause for celebration. Who would quibble over anything else?

Over the following days, Shang Ke began a structured rehabilitation program arranged by his doctors, working on cognition, memory, and physical function.

The abilities accumulated over so many worlds gradually manifested in this body. Not only did he recover at astonishing speed, his entire vitality and presence transformed as though he had been reborn.

Shao Feidu came to report in every day. Sometimes he brought food, sometimes sheet music, and sometimes strange little toys.

His feelings were so obvious that the Yun family naturally realized there was something between him and Yun Kexu. What puzzled them was how the two had met. Yun Kexu had been unconscious for so long, and Shao Feidu had never once visited before. Yet on his very first visit, Yun Kexu woke—as though some unseen fate had been waiting for Shao Feidu to come and call him back.

The Yun family found the whole thing almost unbelievable. Aside from Mrs. Yun, however, everyone was happy to see the relationship develop. Their families were well matched, and the two men suited each other in both character and appearance. After two years of grief and despair, the family wanted only for their child to be healthy. Whether he loved a man or a woman no longer mattered.

Half a month later, Shang Ke was discharged. During the week he recuperated at the Yun family residence, Mrs. Yun put Shao Feidu on the visitor blacklist and ruthlessly kept him outside, allowing the two men to communicate only by phone.

“Keke.” I want to see you.

“Mm. I miss you too.”

“Keke.” Mother won’t let me in.

“Mm, I know. Don’t worry. I’ll come see you in a few days.”

“…Listen.” I wrote a new piece.

Click. The recording began, and a graceful piano melody flowed from the phone.

Shang Ke closed his eyes and listened, savoring the pleasure of the music. Judging from the quality of the performance, Shao Feidu’s fingers should be fine now. The elderly doctor Shang Ke had introduced before had offered quite a few treatment suggestions, and the results were obvious. His fingers had physically healed long ago; the reason he had been unable to perform was largely psychological.

Outside the door, Yun Dongxiao and his wife—who were secretly eavesdropping—found the exchange almost magical. One man spoke in fragments; the other understood everything. A few words somehow contained a thousand more.

Yun Dongxiao said to his wife, “Has your anger subsided?”

Mrs. Yun gave a cold snort, lifted her chin, and walked away with elegant dignity.

Yet the very next day, Mrs. Yun agreed to Shang Ke’s request to “temporarily stay” at Shao Feidu’s home. She placed particular emphasis on the word temporarily.

That same day, under Mrs. Yun’s hawk-like glare, Shao Feidu happily took Shang Ke home.

The instant Shang Ke returned to the villa, the ghosts that had gathered there fled in every direction. The house, previously smothered in yin energy, seemed to brighten at once as though purified by sunlight. (The villa wept tears of joy: Thank heaven, thank earth, thank almighty Keke!)

Shang Ke’s body had almost fully recovered. Over the next few days, he planned to scout for evil ghosts. He was in no hurry to lay any of them to rest; first he would investigate their haunts, prepare thoroughly, and act only when he was confident nothing could go wrong.

Water hissed in the bathroom. Through the steam, a dark silhouette appeared against the glass door.

Shang Ke shut off the water, walked over, and pushed the door open. Unsurprisingly, a man was standing right outside.

Warm steam rolled over Shao Feidu’s face. Shang Ke stood before him completely naked, his pale, smooth skin jeweled with water droplets that slid slowly downward in glistening trails.

Shao Feidu’s gaze followed the trails of water downward, slowly lowering until it stopped at a forty-five-degree angle and never came back up.

Shang Ke struck an alluring pose against the doorway and raised a brow. “Any thoughts?”

His thoughts were obvious. Shao Feidu stepped forward and wrapped Shang Ke in his arms, then bent to sniff at the hollow of his neck. The faint scent of body wash clung to warm, living skin—completely different from when Shang Ke had been a ghost.

Unfortunately, his limited ability to express himself left him unable to put his feelings into words. The heat in his gaze—and the unmistakable reaction of his body—gave Shang Ke the most direct answer possible.

Shang Ke felt Shao Feidu’s body temperature climbing. Without wasting words, he dragged him into the bathroom, stripped off his clothes, turned on the shower, and began giving him extremely attentive washing service.

Shao Feidu stood obediently still and let Shang Ke scrub him all over, occasionally cooperating when needed. The fire in his lower abdomen, however, burned hotter and hotter until his whole body was drawn taut like a bowstring.

“Keke.”

“What is it?”

Shao Feidu pressed himself against Shang Ke from behind, resting his chin on Shang Ke’s shoulder and wrapping both arms around his waist. Because of their height difference, the tall man had to hunch slightly, making him look rather like an oversized prawn.

He said nothing, simply hanging off Shang Ke while his hardening erection nudged against him, whether deliberately or not.

The sight of that outwardly restrained but inwardly shameless expression almost made Shang Ke laugh. This was the first time he had discovered his man could be so “innocent.” In the past, when had he ever bothered with anything except getting straight to the point?

Shang Ke turned, pushed him back against the wall, and took the initiative, hooking himself around Shao Feidu’s waist…

Under Shang Ke’s guidance, Shao Feidu quickly discovered how good sex could feel. Unfortunately, his complete lack of experience showed: after far too little foreplay, he pushed straight inside, leaving Shang Ke hurting badly enough that he could only force himself to relax and adjust to Shao Feidu’s movements.

Shao Feidu soon became absorbed in producing one suggestive sound after another. His movements went from clumsy to practiced, slow to increasingly intense, as though he were performing a very rhythmic “intercourse” symphony.

While Shang Ke’s attention wandered, Shao Feidu gave one final thrust and came, bringing his first sexual experience to an abrupt end.

Shang Ke: …Huh? It hadn’t even been ten minutes and he was already done? That was scientifically unacceptable!

On second thought, it was understandable. Shao Feidu had never done anything like this before and probably had not even read or watched anything about sex. His first hands-on attempt ending quickly was hardly surprising.

Shang Ke turned around and hugged him consolingly. It’s fine. Even if you’re a quick shot, I still love you.

Shao Feidu lowered his head and inexplicably felt that something was wrong.

After washing themselves clean and drying off, the two climbed into bed and settled comfortably beneath the covers.

Shang Ke had always slept well. After the exercise they had just gone through, he fell asleep almost immediately.

Half asleep, Shang Ke suddenly felt lips press against his own and hot breath fill his mouth. A moment later came a tingling stretch lower down as Shao Feidu slowly began pushing inside him…

Shang Ke opened his eyes to find Shao Feidu above him, moving with extreme caution. The instant Shao Feidu realized he was awake, he froze and stared at him anxiously like a child caught doing something wrong.

Shang Ke was silent. Shao Feidu was silent too.

A few seconds passed. When Shang Ke did not object, Shao Feidu quietly eased himself a little deeper.

Shang Ke remained silent, and Shao Feidu slowly pushed in another few inches.

Shang Ke still did not stop him. After hesitating for a moment, Shao Feidu thrust firmly the rest of the way in.

“Mm—” Shang Ke’s breath hitched. Before he had fully adjusted, Shao Feidu was already moving inside him.

Thirty minutes later, a certain someone still showed no sign of coming.

And he had actually thought this man was “innocent”? No matter how adorably clueless a wolf looked, it was still a wolf…

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