The Protagonist is Always Intimidating Me - Chapter 35

“…I remember we’re here to find someone,” Mo Hankui murmured, looking pointedly at Bai Meng with his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Yes, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little fun along the way, right?” Bai Meng grinned, casually picking up a skewer of candied hawthorn berries and giving Mo Hankui a meaningful look.

“……” Mo Hankui sighed in resignation and paid for it.

“Hehehe,” Bai Meng chuckled as he unwrapped the oil paper and started eating. After struggling to chew down one piece, he quickly stuffed a few more in his mouth, then held them up to Mo Hankui’s mouth. “Hahl Mastur (Hall Master)~”

Mo Hankui glanced at Bai Meng’s face; his cheeks were puffed up by the large candied hawthorn, accentuating his bright black eyes. Mo Hankui paused briefly, then parted his lips slightly and took a bite.

“Ugh!”

His mouth was immediately overwhelmed by an awful taste. The sugar coating on the candied fruit was clearly burnt, leaving a bitter, charred flavor, while the hawthorn inside was overwhelmingly sour. Mo Hankui’s brows furrowed the moment he tasted it, and he didn’t stop frowning until he’d swallowed it.

“Pffft! Hahahahaha!” Bai Meng spat out the hawthorn he had in his mouth and collapsed onto Mo Hankui, nearly crying from laughing so hard.

“How is it? Sweet or not? Hahaha!!” Bai Meng, as if he had turned to jelly, leaned against Mo Hankui and couldn’t stop laughing.

Mo Hankui’s narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes squinted, a glint of understanding flashing in his gray irises—This guy definitely did it on purpose. He pressed down on the laughing youth and leaned in to kiss him.

The cool gentle breeze of the night carried the fragrance of locust flowers, gently brushing against passersby’s cheeks and lifting stray strands of hair. The scattered strands of hair floated in the breeze as streetlights illuminated the streets, no longer bearing the deserted look of daytime but instead brimming with vibrant, colorful lights and endless bustle. Shops lined both sides of the street, packed side by side, with throngs of people bustling through the lively night market.

They embraced. They kissed.

The youth’s eyes slightly widened, his dark pupils reflecting the starlit night and the man’s curved smile.

“Thank you for the treat. It’s very sweet,” Mo Hankui said, his phoenix eyes crinkling, as he let go of Bai Meng.

“…Yeah, it is kind of sweet.”

…Damn it…

…It’s like a dream…

Bai Meng’s face flushed, but he did not release his hold on Mo Hankui’s hand.

“I heard that the day after tomorrow is the beastmen’s Qixi Festival. Shall we go by Soul River to take a look, Hankui?”

“Sure.”

……………

By the time they returned to the inn, it was already late. Bai Meng walked in quietly, only to find the place brightly lit, and everyone was gathered inside.

“What’s going on?” Bai Meng asked as soon as he entered, met with enthusiastic gazes from the crowd. Ignoring them, he scanned the room and noticed two unexpected figures.

Feng Qingxuan and Feng Suiling were seated closely together towards the back, surrounded by a group of guards from Yinchen Hall.

Hearing a noise, Feng Qingxuan looked up in their direction. Just as Bai Meng was about to ask Mo Jiuge about the situation, Mo Hankui suddenly withdrew his hand.

It was because Feng Qingxuan had frowned.

“……”

Bai Meng’s heart twinged sharply, and as he lifted his gaze, he saw Mo Hankui’s gray pupils did not have a trace of consciousness, like a finely crafted puppet, devoid of any will, manipulated by others at whim.

…Damn it… I forgot about the world’s consciousness…

Bai Meng let out a soft laugh, an odd “—heh heh—” escaping his mouth. His expression unchanged, he casually greeted the others, though his hand inside his sleeve clenched tightly.

“Could you stop waving like you’re calling over a puppy…”

Mo Jiuge covered his face in embarrassment, his words fading as he moved closer to the door. The others, observing his movement, exchanged glances and followed.

“It seems the captain of Xingge Hall’s guard team is just a third-rate male pet. I wonder if Hall Master Mo Hankui’s judgment…” Feng Suiling trailed off, seemingly realizing he’d misspoken, and quickly leaned weakly into Feng Qingxuan’s arms. “Did I say something wrong, Your Highness…?”

“No,” Feng Qingxuan hurried to reassure Feng Suiling, “You’re just speaking the truth, no one…”

“Ugh—”

Bai Meng feigned a gag with a deadpan face. “That’s a bit nauseating.”

“…You two were only gone for a moment and already…?” Mo Lengsui’s face broke, his normally cold expression cracking.

“…What the heck!” Bai Meng looked at the people from Yinchen Hall with disdain. “I felt sick just from seeing something disgusting, okay? I wanted to throw up!”

“…Oh.” Mo Lengsui nodded in understanding, slipping back into his deadpan expression.

Everyone: “……”

“What do you mean by that?!” Feng Suiling stood up, “Are you saying I’m wrong?”

“Am I wrong to feel nauseated?!” Bai Meng also raised his voice, exclaiming, “Mo Lei! Mo Lengsui! Reenact that scene just now!”

“…Understood.”

Mo Jiuge and the others quickly cleared a space, while the two scapegoats resignedly took their places, a hint of mischievous anticipation in their eyes. And so…

Mo Lengsui, expressionless, sat with his arms around the burly Mo Lei, who, speaking in a high-pitched voice, coquettishly fluttered his eyelashes, “Did I say something wrong, hmm~?”

Yinchen Hall: “……”

—Clap Clap Clap—

The audience from Xingge Hall erupted in applause.

“You!…Scoundrel!” Feng Suiling’s face flushed red with anger as Feng Qingxuan tried to calm him, his eyes flashing coldly. “A mere low-class male pet, yet even the subordinates you manage don’t listen to orders! The entire Xingge Hall lets people like you do as they please!”

“Oh, stop it!” Bai Meng shrugged helplessly. “Even if I am low-class, didn’t the Master of Yinchen Hall fancy me back then?! What, were you blind?”

Silence fell over Xingge Hall.

They might question Bai Meng’s skills, but they definitely admired his audacity. They had absolute confidence in his way of clapping back at others!

—The members of Xingge Hall’s Guard