Chapter 14: The Villain Senior Brother Is About to Turn Dark, the Psychotic Junior Brother Pretends to Be Blind [14]

Chapter 14: The Villain Senior Brother Is About to Turn Dark, and the Crazy Junior Brother Pretends to Be Blind [14]

Bai Yan felt a faint sense of something coming. He paused mid-step and looked back.

But all he saw was Ye Beiyu standing there looking totally lost, with nothing unusual about him.

"Senior Brother..."

Ye Beiyu tried hard to keep his voice from shaking, his face still pale.

He seemed to want to follow Bai Yan, but was afraid that Bai Yan would grow even angrier, so he stood there frozen, hesitant to move.

Bai Yan was used to seeing Ye Beiyu like this by now. In the past, it only made him feel satisfied.

After all, this wasn't his first time playing the role of a villain, nor his first time dealing with these "protagonists." More than once, he'd died at their hands in all sorts of ways.

He felt a deep, gut-level disgust for these protagonists.

Even though Ye Beiyu gave him a different vibe than the other "protagonists" he'd met before.

Even though Ye Beiyu had been nothing but obedient and well-behaved in front of him for the past year.

He'd never given him a kind look, let alone said anything soft.

After confirming that Ye Beiyu's obedience was all an act, he even felt relieved.

Otherwise...

Bai Yan's eyes flickered with uncertainty. Otherwise, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to go through with being ruthless when the time came.

Just like now—what he should do was push the guy into that dead forest as "punishment."

But all he said, flatly, was: "Come on. Let's go back and put some medicine on your wounds."

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

Ye Beiyu laughed and trotted over, his eyes curving into crescents as he stared at Bai Yan.

"I knew you were the best, Senior Brother!"

Bai Yan lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the murkiness in them, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He looked at Ye Beiyu, meeting those eyes that mirrored his own face, then suddenly leaned in closer, lowering his voice to speak softly and gently:

"Is that right? Little Yuer... you really think that?"

"O-Of course!"

The warm breath hit his ear. Ye Beiyu's earlobes turned red, a flicker of darkness flashing through his eyes, his voice a little hoarse.

Bai Yan reached out, pinched Ye Beiyu's already red earlobe, and let out a soft chuckle.

"Little Junior Brother is really adorable like this."

Adorable, sure—with such flawless acting.

You really couldn't tell this guy was faking it in front of him...

But that was fine. That way, before heading down the mountain, he could still prepare a big gift for him.

The brief softness he'd felt was now completely gone.

"Thanks for the compliment, Senior Brother... Senior Brother is adorable too."

Ye Beiyu said quietly, carefully hiding the madness in his eyes, afraid this man would catch on.

But he had no idea Bai Yan was silently scheming about what kind of big gift to give him.

A moment later, Bai Yan let go, a smile lingering at the corner of his lips.

Ye Beiyu obediently followed beside him. On the way, they ran into some other disciples.

They heard the disciples mention the Holy Maiden of the Divine Sword Sect. When she found out the person she'd been dealing with recently wasn't Bai Yan, she said she felt unwell and went back to rest.

Ye Beiyu's eyes flickered slightly. He turned his head to ask Bai Yan,

"Senior Brother, from what those senior brothers said, the Holy Maiden of the Divine Sword Sect... likes you. And this time, the Divine Sword Sect came partly hoping to set up a marriage between you and the Holy Maiden."

"So what if she does?"

Bai Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. Ye Beiyu hesitated, then asked cautiously,

"Then... Senior Brother, since you didn't go see the Holy Maiden today but came to find me instead, does that mean you don't like her?"

Bai Yan just found Ye Beiyu's words weird. He frowned, but couldn't figure out what was off about them.

Unable to watch any longer, 717 chimed in: [Hey, don't you think the male lead seems jealous?]

Bai Yan: [??]

Bai Yan: [What would he be jealous about? Yu Beiyan likes me... Wait, does he actually like Yu Beiyan?]

Bai Yan stopped in his tracks, lowering his eyes in thought, but he was actually asking 717.

[I remember you said Ye Beiyu has no official love interest, and the Divine Sword Sect didn't show up in the original plot either. Could it be that Heaven's Will set up a love interest for him?]

[But when would they have met?]

717 stared at Bai Yan, who was seriously pondering this, with a look of utter disappointment. Finally, with a sigh, he made one last attempt.

[Host, what if the male lead's jealousy is because he knows you're going to be with Yu Beiyan? What if... he's into you?]

[717, did your system short-circuit?]

Bai Yan's eyelid twitched, like he'd just heard a joke. With no one around and only a blind Ye Beiyu beside him, he let his lips curl up without holding back, not hiding his emotions at all. His brows arched slightly, and his eyes sparkled with amusement.

[The male lead liking the villain—how can you even say that?]

717: [...]

Yeah, he should just give up on the matchmaking mission.

The higher-ups must be crazy to issue a mission pairing the villain and the male lead as a couple!

Forget it. This was also a big shot he couldn't afford to offend, so he'd just stick to the script and play the villain.

Bai Yan got no reply from 717 and just assumed he had nothing to say back.

The amusement in his eyes deepened, yet he remained unaware that his expression had completely caught Ye Beiyu's eye.

This was a rare look for Bai Yan; except when he was teasing him, he seldom smiled like this.

Ye Beiyu felt an itch to reach out and touch...

Bai Yan only looked at Ye Beiyu and chuckled softly, "Little junior brother, comparing yourself to the Saintess—aren't you overestimating yourself a bit?"

His voice was dripping with mockery, but Ye Beiyu blinked and just nodded obediently.

"Whatever senior brother says."

Bai Yan let out a soft "tsk," suddenly finding this Ye Beiyu rather boring.

Back at their quarters, he took out a box of medicinal ointment and walked over to Ye Beiyu.

"Sit tight, I'll apply the medicine for you."

Bai Yan's casual words reached his ears, and Ye Beiyu looked flustered, as if overwhelmed by the favor, quickly saying:

"No need to bother, senior brother. I can do it myself."

"Sit down and take off your clothes."

Bai Yan spoke flatly, but his tone brooked no refusal.

Ye Beiyu could only sit down obediently, though his movements were hesitant.

Bai Yan couldn't bear to watch him dawdle, furrowing his brows slightly. He set the ointment aside and reached out to remove his robes himself.

He glanced at the last undergarment, then at Ye Beiyu's nervous expression.

Bai Yan raised an eyebrow, and with a deft flick, he untied the sash of the undergarment.

Ye Beiyu's Adam's apple bobbed, his mind wandering for a moment.

Is this... a dream?

Senior brother's movements are so gentle, actually undoing his clothes for him—these were things he only dared to dream about.

Bai Yan's fingertips were slightly cool, yet where he touched, a strange heat and faint sting bloomed...

Ye Beiyu couldn't help but shift his body, trying to use the robe draped over his legs to cover his awkwardness.

Bai Yan noticed his movement, and his soft, slow voice drifted to Ye Beiyu's ear.

"Little Yuer, stay still."

"Senior brother, it hurts..."

A sheen of tears welled up in Ye Beiyu's eyes, making him look as if he truly couldn't bear the pain. His voice was low and hoarse, as if he were holding back a sob.

Bai Yan didn't pause his movements, dabbing the ointment onto Ye Beiyu's wound and then spreading it out.

Feeling Ye Beiyu's trembling, barely held in check, he made no move to comfort him, only speaking lazily.

"It won't hurt in a moment. Bear with it; it'll pass soon."

But Ye Beiyu suddenly fumbled and wrapped his arms around Bai Yan's waist, his low, hoarse voice thick with hurt, murmuring softly over and over.

"Senior brother... senior brother... I want to hold you..."

"Senior brother, it hurts..."

"Senior brother... please, comfort me..."

"Senior brother..."