Become the Sickly Villain in the Novel - Chapter 64

Although they had said they would leave soon, the two of them ended up strolling along the beach for quite a while before finally heading back.

It didn’t take long after getting into the car for Li Nuo’s eyelids to start drooping.

Looks like he’s tired.

They had taken a car ride from the city center all the way to the outskirts, and spent time out in the chilly sea breeze—it was no surprise he would be exhausted.

Seeing Li Nuo fast asleep with his eyes closed, Mo Chuan quietly adjusted the car’s temperature, making it warmer to prevent him from catching a cold while he slept.

By the time they returned, it was past noon, right in the middle of lunch hour. The streets were packed with cars.

Traffic in the city center had come to a standstill, unsurprisingly. Mo Chuan tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, feeling a bit impatient, but when he glanced at Li Nuo beside him, he quieted down.

I wonder if I appear in your dreams now.

He reached out and gently brushed Li Nuo’s hair. “I hope you dream of me.”

Li Nuo felt a bit nervous, especially when Mo Chuan’s hand reached over. He almost opened his eyes. He had actually woken up earlier, jolted out of sleep by the speed bumps they kept hitting after re-entering the city.

But with too many thoughts weighing on his mind, he had simply kept his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.

Hearing Mo Chuan’s whispered words only made his emotions more complicated.

Qin Xu had never confessed to him directly—his personality probably wouldn’t allow it—but he had unmistakably expressed that he liked him.

And Mo Chuan… had outright said it.

They clearly hadn’t coordinated anything beforehand, yet both of them had chosen to do this around the same time. It only made things more complicated.

If I could stay here forever… Would I end up choosing one of them?

Qin Xu, who had initially been quite fierce toward him, had suddenly become gentle at some point. Even though his face remained expressionless, his attitude had softened. There was no longer that same resistance whenever they interacted. He was also surprisingly considerate, albeit a little domineering.

And Mo Chuan—at first, he had seemed like an arrogant playboy, but over time, his care for him had become more and more obvious.

Both of them were the very definition of “tall, rich, and handsome,” constantly surrounded by people who wanted to climb the social ladder through them.

Qin Xu had zero interest in those kinds of people. Mo Chuan, on the other hand, enjoyed the game, knowing how to play along.

Why am I suddenly in such a bad mood?

Li Nuo furrowed his brows slightly, trying to suppress the feeling.

It wasn’t worth getting upset over something that had nothing to do with him.

Just because someone confessed didn’t mean he had to accept. Thinking too much about it was exactly what certain people probably wanted, which was honestly kind of terrifying.

A sudden phone call startled him, making his body jolt slightly. He had no choice but to “slowly wake up,” pulling out his phone.

It was Li Yan.

Clearing his throat, Li Nuo answered.

“Mm, Li Yan.”

“I don’t have to work overtime today. Let’s have dinner together.”

“Really? Got it. I’ll wait for you to come home.”

“Mm. I’ll pick up some groceries on my way back. If anything changes, I’ll let you know in the afternoon. Brother, make sure you eat properly for lunch.”

“I will. You too.”

After ending the call, Li Nuo set down his phone and yawned.

Traffic was still at a standstill, and boredom was starting to creep in.

“Secretary Li?”

“Mm, he said he won’t be working late today and will be home early.”

“Oh? I’ll make sure to drop you off before then.”

Mo Chuan glanced at Li Nuo, his lips curling into a faint smile. “But why didn’t you tell him you’re having lunch with me?”

“…No need to.”

Mo Chuan’s smile widened.

The old Li Nuo would have reported everything to Li Yan, telling him that he went out with Mo Chuan, that they were having lunch together—every single detail.

But this time, he hadn’t said a word.

That alone was enough to lift Mo Chuan’s mood.

“Now that you’ve done that, I can’t help but overthink things a little.”

“…What are you thinking?”

“Heh.”

Mo Chuan didn’t answer. He only grinned mischievously.

Finally, the traffic started moving again.

Mo Chuan had already made lunch reservations, and this time, he had Liu Ming book a restaurant with an undeniably romantic atmosphere.

Staring at the candle on the table and listening to the soft background music, Li Nuo couldn’t help but feel exasperated. “Isn’t a candlelight dinner usually at night?”

“Well, yes, but you have dinner plans at home tonight. I can still have one with you at noon.” Mo Chuan pulled him into his seat.

A friendly-looking waiter came over and slowly served their dishes. Once everything was set, he stepped back, maintaining a respectful distance—not too far, not too close.

“These should all be your favorites.”

Li Nuo was slightly taken aback. How does Mo Chuan know what I like to eat?

A quick glance across the table confirmed it. He was right.

Noticing his puzzled expression, Mo Chuan smiled smugly. “We’ve had meals together a few times now. I paid attention.”

Li Nuo bit his lip lightly, trying to compose himself. Don’t waver. Don’t let yourself waver.

He quietly finished his lunch and rested for a while. Only after seeing the exhaustion on Li Nuo’s face fade away did Mo Chuan finally feel a little relieved.

“This afternoon, let’s go somewhere quiet. You didn’t sleep well in the car, did you?”

After eating, people tend to get sleepy. Li Nuo rubbed his eyes and agreed.

Mo Chuan took him to the same private club they had visited before.

“This place has a lot to offer. Many people with sleep issues come here for therapy.”

It was true. The club occupied a vast space. Today, Mo Chuan led him in a different direction than before. After passing through a door, all the outside noise was instantly shut out.

Only soft music filled the air, accompanied by a pleasant fragrance that instantly made one drowsy.

Li Nuo couldn’t help but squint his eyes. A wave of sleepiness washed over him.

Inside a quiet private suite, he was already half-asleep by the time the masseur finished his head massage.

“It’s alright, just sleep. I’ll wake you up later.” A gentle voice whispered beside him.

Li Nuo trusted the owner of that voice completely, so he allowed himself to drift into slumber.

Mo Chuan covered him with a blanket, then sat nearby with some documents, waiting for him to wake up.

He would read a few pages, then glance up at Li Nuo’s sleeping face.

The entire room carried a peaceful, timeless serenity.

By the time Li Nuo woke up, it was already five in the afternoon.

“Crap. What if I can’t fall asleep tonight?” He grabbed his hair in distress.

“Well, it wasn’t that long,” Mo Chuan sighed, feeling a little disappointed. He still hadn’t looked at him enough.

“It’s already five. I’ll take you home.”

By now, Mo Chuan had memorized the route to Li Nuo’s place. Stopping the car at the entrance, he let out a long sigh. “Looks like I’ll be eating dinner alone tonight.”

“Hey, I might just be eating instant noodles, you know.”

As he spoke, he kept sneaking glances at Li Nuo.

“No way. You eating instant noodles? I don’t buy it.” Li Nuo didn’t believe a word of it.

“Eating alone makes food lose its appeal.”

“If I remember correctly, you’re staying at Brother Qin’s place now, right? Li Yan’s not working late tonight, so Brother Qin definitely doesn’t have to either. You won’t be alone.”

Mo Chuan’s expression stiffened before he sighed and admitted the truth. “I just wanted to have dinner with you. You did say candlelit dinners should be at night.”

Li Nuo tugged at the car door handle, but it was locked. Helpless, he sighed. “Next time, then.”

“You have to promise!”

Mo Chuan stretched out his pinky finger expectantly.

Li Nuo shook his head with a smile but still hooked his own pinky around Mo Chuan’s. The two pressed their thumbs together in a silent seal.

Only then did Mo Chuan unlock the door and step out with him.

He walked Li Nuo to his doorstep, then spread his arms wide.

“Give me a goodbye hug.”

“…Let’s not.”

Mo Chuan looked slightly confused. Why the sudden refusal? Did I do something wrong?

The atmosphere between them had been so good all afternoon.

He silently observed Li Nuo, who had his head lowered.

“I haven’t accepted your feelings. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

Mo Chuan let out a bitter chuckle. “You held my hand so easily earlier. Was that just because you were too sleepy to think?”

“No, I thought a lot about it this afternoon. If I keep things ambiguous, wouldn’t that make me seem insincere? Until I’ve made a real decision, I should maintain some distance.”

Not just with Mo Chuan. He should do the same with Qin Xu. Wavering between the two wasn’t his style. Otherwise, how would he be any different from the original Li Nuo, who played around with multiple people at once?

If he kept things unclear, it would only give them false hope. And in the end, if he had to turn them down, someone would inevitably get hurt.

For now, staying friends is the best choice.

“Ha, you really overthink things.”

Mo Chuan smiled. Keep your distance? Not a chance.

Without warning, he cupped Li Nuo’s face in his hands.

Startled, Li Nuo instinctively grabbed Mo Chuan’s wrists, trying to pull them away, but he couldn’t. Their strength wasn’t even on the same level, and with him in a passive position, there was no way he could break free.

“No hug? That’s fine. We can try something else.”

“?”

“The forehead, maybe?”

“??”

“Are you pretending not to know… or did you forget so soon?”

Mo Chuan leaned in, his breath warm against Li Nuo’s cheek.

“!”

In an instant, memories of the kiss in the hospital flashed through Li Nuo’s mind. His face turned bright red.

“You—! You’re being a scoundrel!”

“I only act like this with you. I’ve always been the one making the first move. Can’t you take pity on me and take a step forward for once?”

Watching Mo Chuan put on a pitiful act, Li Nuo lowered his gaze and remained silent.

It was true. Mo Chuan had always been the one taking the initiative between them. In the past, Li Nuo had only ever passively accepted other people’s advances.

But deep down, there were still things holding him back. He couldn’t give a clear answer.

If he rejected him, would he lose this rare friend?

If he accepted… what if the original Li Nuo came back?

Trapped between these two conflicting thoughts, he found himself at a loss.

“…Still a no?”

Mo Chuan’s murmured words pulled Li Nuo back to reality. He gently pushed against Mo Chuan’s chest.

Following his movement, Mo Chuan stepped back without resistance. Seeing Li Nuo’s flushed face under the soft glow of the corridor lights—and a quick glance at his watch that confirmed his heart rate had climbed past 100—Mo Chuan managed to steady himself, flashing a confident smile.

It was precisely because of this reaction that he was confident.

After all, if someone truly disliked a confession, their subconscious would immediately urge them to refuse.

It was fine. He had already taken 90 steps forward. He didn’t mind going a few more.

Mo Chuan’s sharp hearing caught the sound of approaching footsteps. Given the building’s layout, there was only one possible person coming up the stairs—Li Yan.

Sure enough, he could already feel the burning glare directed at him, filled with an almost murderous intent.

He must have heard that, right?

But that didn’t matter. No matter how close the two brothers were, Li Yan wouldn’t be able to stop him.

Li Nuo would come to his side.

Mo Chuan reached out and ruffled Li Nuo’s hair, feeling the intensity of the glare behind him increase.

“All right, go inside. Can I contact you tonight?”

With Mo Chuan’s tall frame blocking his view, Li Nuo hadn’t noticed his brother standing behind him.

“…I guess?”

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed on the floor, making Li Nuo tilt his head to look over.

“Oh, you’re back. Must’ve been a long day for you.”

At the sight of his brother, Li Yan immediately dropped his scowl, replacing it with a neutral expression. Moving with impressive speed, he unlocked the door.

“Brother, come in.” Then, turning to Mo Chuan, he added, “Director Mo, I only bought enough groceries for two, so we won’t be entertaining any guests. Goodbye. Also, you should hurry back to the company to report in.”

After saying that, he pulled Li Nuo inside, not even giving them a chance to say goodbye.