I believe I believe I believe!
Wen Nuan almost blurted out.
“Ahem—” Wen Nuan coughed, saying tactfully, “Guest, you’re so amazing; you’re even an Underworld office-bearer. There’s no way you’d do something that strange. It was me who jumped to conclusions and raised my voice. I’m sorry.”
“Hmm—” Baili Wuchang hummed in response.
This sound was full of magnetism. Wen Nuan felt goosebumps form all over his back; this one sound was so attractive, Wen Nuan’s ears were going to get pregnant.
So as to not look like a pervert, Wen Nuan tore his gaze away, boldly changing the subject. “Ah, right; guest, about the box you wanted to look for, I already asked others to help. We’ll probably find it in no time.”
“No need to look anymore,” said Baili Wuchang.
Wen Nuan repeated, “No need to look anymore?”
Baili Wuchang nodded. “To be precise, it’s already been found.”
“It’s been found?” Wen Nuan felt like he had turned into a broken record.
Baili Wuchang nodded again. “Yes, it’s been found. But for the time being, we haven’t retrieved it.”
On the other side of things, Tang Qizhuan unenthusiastically ate steak by himself. He felt like there was no flavor in his mouth, and he had no appetite to begin with.
He ate two bites before putting his utensils down, boredly taking his cell phone out to play some games.
“Buzz—”
His phone vibrated. A short text message interrupted Tang Qizhuan’s game.
Tang Qizhuan tapped on the message…
—You’ve been lied to. Zhao Mingchong wasn’t the childhood sweetheart you knew when you were little.
It was a stranger’s text message from an unknown number.
Seeing this kind of unknown number, Tang Qizhuan was already no stranger to it. It was obviously the same person who kept making threatening phone calls to Tang Qizhuan.
Tang Qizhuan didn’t believe that text at first, but after giving it a second glance, he felt stumped.
He had given Wen Nuan a detailed narration of the story between him and Zhao Mingchong. After the two had a “one-night stand”, Tang Qizhuan had wanted to clearly draw a line between them, not wanting to have any contact with him. But who would have thought, Tang Qizhuan unintentionally found out that Zhao Mingchong was actually his childhood sweetheart.
Tang Qizhuan had a playmate when he was little, a gege older by a few years that got along well with him.
After Tang Qizhuan found this out, he paid more attention to Zhao Mingchong, and eventually developed feelings.
Little by little in this way, the two started dating, and it was Tang Qizhuan who confessed first.
“How could this be…” Tang Qizhuan looked at the text message again, his head full of a messy buzzing noise.
Zhao Mingchong had confirmed so with his own mouth. Could it be that it was false?
If it was false, why did Zhao Mingchong lie and say he knew me before?
“Buzz—”
A new text message came from the stranger.
—He lied to you.
“Buzz—”
—He lied to you from the very beginning!
“Buzz—”
—He only wanted you to be a kept man.
“Buzz—”
Vibrations came in an unbroken succession. The stranger sent a steady flow of texts, and finally, they sent Zhao Mingchong’s detailed CV.
Tang Qizhuan only knew that Zhao Mingchong was from an aristocratic family. He was very rich, and had countless companies. He did not interfere with Zhao Mingchong’s business affairs, nor did he investigate Zhao Mingchong’s detailed background. This CV was the first time Tang Qizhuan saw it.
It recorded Zhao Mingchong’s childhood experience in detail. It was true that he was born in an aristocratic family. He had no worries about food or clothing ever since he was a child.
However…
Skimming quickly, Tang Qizhuan found an inconsistency in the timing.
Zhao Mingchong wasn’t Tang Qizhuan’s childhood sweetheart at all. At that time, Zhao Mingchong was abroad. There was no way he was anywhere near Tang Qizhuan.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Itjb Zlcumtbcu jcv Kjcu Hlhtejc kfgf kbgivr jqjga. Ktfs tjv cb mbwwbc ugbecv ogbw atflg ylgat. Ktflg rajgalcu qblca kjr atja qgfqbrafgber “bcf-cluta rajcv”.
“Qts…” Kjcu Hlhtejc kjr ja j ibrr. Lf weaafgfv, “Qts vlv tf ilf ab wf…”
“Buzz—”
Llr qtbcf nlygjafv jujlc. Pa kjrc’a j afza atlr alwf, yea j mjii ogbw atf rjwf ecxcbkc cewyfg.
Tang Qizhuan’s hands trembled. He wasn’t sure what to do. In the end, he couldn’t help but answer the call.
Over the phone, the stranger’s familiar voice came through…
“He lied to you…”
“You have to leave him…”
Tang Qizhuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed drily. It took him a long time before he found his voice. “I don’t believe you. I dated Zhao Mingchong for five years, and I’ve never met you. Did you think as long as you said a few things and sent me news, I would believe you?”
Tang Qizhuan’s voice was steady, but even he knew it was just a facade.
He said he didn’t believe, but it wasn’t for the person on the other side of the phone to hear; it was for himself. Maybe if he said it a few times, Tang Qizhuan’s heart really wouldn’t believe it.
The person over the phone wasn’t in a hurry. “This is the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can call your manager.”
“My manager?” Tang Qizhuan was confused. What did this have to do with his manager?
The person over the phone said, “It was your manager who helped Zhao Mingchong. That day, it was Zhao Mingchong whose attention was on you. He wanted to keep you. The director who wanted to do unspoken rules with you was just a tool in the plan.”
“What do you mean?” Tang Qizhuan could hardly breathe. He felt that if he continued asking, he would fall deeper into despair.
The person over the phone said, “It would be better to personally call your manager and ask for yourself.”
Tang Qizhuan held his phone in a daze. It felt like demons and gods were at work as he dialed his manager’s phone number.
Tang Qizhuan was a hot celebrity. He had Zhao Mingchong as his backer, so his manager worshiped him as if he was one of his own ancestors. When Tang Qizhuan called, his manager immediately picked up.
“Xiao Zhuan ah, are you prepared for your solo concert this weekend?” his manager laughed. “Don’t be nervous; even if you don’t sing well, your fans will still love you. Making a mistake every now and then will make them feel like you’re more down to earth.”
“I need to ask you something.” Tang Qizhuan interrupted him straightforwardly. “Five years ago, when I met Zhao Mingchong, was it really a coincidence?”
“What?” His manager panicked for a moment. He said, “Xiao Zhuan, what are you saying? I don’t understand. How should I know about what happened between you and Zhao Mingchong? Are you having a couple’s fight with Mr. Zhao?”
“Answer me,” said Tang Qizhuan. “If you don’t tell me, I won’t show up to the concert.”
“Xiao Zhuan!” His agent started to get anxious. “Xiao Zhuan, listen; don’t be stubborn, okay? Mr. Zhao treats you so well. Did you two have a misunderstanding? How come you’re bringing up all these insignificant things?”
His manager didn’t disclose anything, but just by listening to him, Tang Qizhuan knew he was hiding something.
Even when Tang Qizhuan threatened him, his manager said nothing.
It turns out that what happened five years ago was indeed a trap.
Tang Qizhuan just debuted five years ago. Because of his outstanding appearance, he unintentionally caught the attention of Zhao Mingchong. Zhao Mingchong told Tang Qizhuan’s manager that he liked Tang Qizhuan’s looks.
His manager felt a bit awkward. Although Tang Qizhuan was a newcomer, Tang Qizhuan had a very stubborn personality and was not someone who could accept unspoken rules. If they forcibly gave Tang Qizhuan to Zhao Mingchong, it wouldn’t be pleasant.
The manager didn’t want to lose Zhao Mingchong as a backer, so he thought hard and racked his brains, finally coming up with a solution.
The manager pretended to ask Tang Qizhuan to attend a dinner and eat with the director, but the director was simply a cover.
The director had an unruly heart towards Tang Qizhuan, so when Zhao Mingchong showed up in time to save the beauty, Tang Qizhuan would definitely have a good impression of him.
Tang Qizhuan went to keep his appointment that day, and the situation progressed according to the manager’s idea. However, there was a small hiccup; Tang Qizhuan was a smart man, so when he realized something was wrong, he immediately ran away without a trace, which left the manager a little unprepared, thinking that the plan was about to fail.
But just as fate would have it, when Tang Qizhuan was running away, he happened to bump into Zhao Mingchong, playing out the cliche scene of throwing oneself into somebody’s arms.
In his drugged state, Tang Qizhuan was taken away by Zhao Mingchong, and the two had a situation in a hotel.
The next day, Tang Qizhuan woke up. He felt like the sky had fallen. In a panic, he fled the hotel, not wanting to see his “one-night stand” again.
But Zhao Mingchong kept reappearing here and there, and the two kept running into each other.
Tang Qizhuan had some mixed feelings towards Zhao Mingchong. It was rare for him to have foolishly thrown himself into that kind of situation. He felt like he couldn’t blame Zhao Mingchong; that day, Tang Qizhuan was obviously drugged, but it wasn’t Zhao Mingchong who came onto him first, so he felt like it was “mutual consent”.
Even though Tang Qizhuan now had a connection with Zhao Mingchong, future headway didn’t look optimistic. Zhao Mingchong mentioned to Tang Qizhuan’s manager that he wanted to keep him for the long-term.
The manager helped Zhao Mingchong come up with a plan. He had Zhao Mingchong pretend to be Tang Qizhuan’s childhood sweetheart, so that way, they could get a little closer.
Tang Qizhuan was now clear about all these things.
Zhao Mingchong never brought up anything from their childhood, but Tang Qizhuan had been pleasantly surprised to see that he remembered him, and that they used to be playmates.
Because of their linked fate, feelings bloomed, and they started dating without a hitch.
Tang Qizhuan’s grip on his phone weakened. He dropped it at some point unbeknownst to himself.
“Guest, you dropped your phone.”
A waitress in the restaurant walked over, stooping down to pick up Tang Qizhuan’s phone to give back to him.
“Oh, thank you.”
Tang Qizhuan responded lifelessly.
“Ah, it’s you!” The waitress glanced at him again and was pleasantly shocked. “I’m your fan! Do you remember me? We’ve met before.”
Tang Qizhuan was a celebrity, and his fans weren’t few. He raised his head and forced a smile, saying half-heartedly, “Really? I don’t recall.”
“Um…” The waitress hesitated before asking, “Is it okay if I ask for your autograph right now?”
Tang Qizhuan absentmindedly nodded, signing his name for the waitress on a piece of paper.
The waitress was over the moon. She said, “Thank you so much. I finally got your autograph; now I can show off to my friends, this is great!”
“Ah, sorry. I shouldn’t disturb your mealtime. Please continue enjoying your meal,” the waitress said apologetically as she collected herself.
Tang Qizhuan shook his head and said, “No worries.”
The waitress left, and Zhao Mingchong came back.
Zhao Mingchong smiled as he sat down. “Xiao Zhuan, your complexion doesn’t look too good. Are the dishes not to your tastes?”
Tang Qizhuan’s gaze was emotionless as he looked at the other. He paused, and thereafter made a firm resolution in his heart before he spoke again. “I’m just thinking about the past.”
“The past?” asked Zhao Mingchong. Tang Qizhuan wasn’t willing to speak to him lately, so Zhao Mingchong naturally latched onto the opportunity to further the conversation.
Tang Qizhuan nodded. “Things about my childhood. I remember the year you left, I gave you a birthday present. It was a keychain. Do you remember?”
The hand Zhao Mingchong was using to pour wine paused. He showed a warm smile and said, “Of course I remember. I’ve saved it well. If Xiao Zhuan goes home with me, I can show you, okay?”
“Is that so…”
Tang Qizhuan’s heart sank as he listened to Zhao Mingchong’s response. A cutting, ice-cold chill permeated his bones, the last of his willpower destroyed just like this.
That year, Tang Qizhuan indeed prepared a birthday gift from his playmate, but it was a pity he never got to give it to him…
The day of his playmate’s birthday was when Tang Qizhuan heard that the gege next door had moved away. He didn’t know where he’d moved to, but one thing was for sure, and that was he would never come back.
He never got to give his gift, but Zhao Mingchong smiled and said he had kept it well.
Sure enough, it was all a lie.
Tang Qizhuan’s face was as pale as a sheet. He dazedly stood up.
“Xiao Zhuan? Where are you going?” Zhao Mingchong frowned, reaching out a hand to him.
Tang Qizhuan pushed his hand away. He said, “Don’t worry, I’m not running away. I promised you I would stay for three days, so three days it is. I’m just full, and my body is tired, so I’m going back to rest. If you want to do it, come to my room to do it. I won’t turn you away.”
“Xiao Zhuan…” Zhao Mingchong called after him, but Tang Qizhuan ignored him, leaving the restaurant.
Zhao Mingchong wanted to chase after him, but he suddenly broke into a coughing fit, almost knocking over the wine glass next to him.
Zhao Mingchong took the painkillers out of his pocket. Without even looking at the directions, he popped two in his mouth, washing them down with wine.
After he finished taking his medicine, Tang Qizhuan was already gone, not a trace of him to be seen.
Wen Nuan rarely had such a leisurely day. Mr. Tang from Room 0728 hadn’t called on him for personal assistance.
Just as Wen Nuan was goofing off at the front desk, he noticed it was almost midnight.
“Strange. Where did the nice-waist guest go?”
Turning around, he noticed the nice-waist guest who had been following him around like a bum beetle was nowhere to be found.
Heibai Wuchang and Ying Zi were all in the first floor lobby. It seemed they were pretty busy.
“Little cutie, have you seen our boss?” Hei Wuchang came over to ask.
Wen Nuan shook his head. “Haven’t seen him.”
Vexed, Hei Wuchang said, “I don’t know where the boss went. He’s as elusive as a dragon’s tail. Even the little cutie doesn’t know where the boss is now…”
Baili Wuchang really had been around Wen Nuan all this time for no reason.
“Did he go back to Room 404 to rest?” asked Wen Nuan.
Hei Wuchang shook his head. “He’s not there; I just went to check.”
“Wen Nuan!” A coworker called out to him from afar. “Wen Nuan, the guest from Room 0728 wants you to send something over to him.”
“Got it,” Wen Nuan responded. He had just thought about how Tang Qizhuan had been so quiet, and now he’d called for him.
Hei Wuchang clapped his hands and said, “You go first, little cutie. We’ll keep looking for our boss.”
Wen Nuan took the things Tang Qizhuan wanted and quickly went up to the seventh floor.
It was close to midnight. The elevator was empty, since this was the time the Hell Chain Hotel was the least busy. All the living people were resting, and the ghosts hadn’t started to roam yet. The hotel hallways were completely silent.
After exiting the elevator, Room 0728 wasn’t far away. It could be seen right from the exit.
The room next to it was Room 0729. It was Zhao Mingchong’s room, but it was half open.
“Why’s the door open?” Wen Nuan passed by, glancing inside.
Tang Qizhuan had called the front desk to ask for Wen Nuan to send things over. At this time, Zhao Mingchong should probably be inside Room 0728. Room 0729 should have been empty, but the door was left ajar.
Wen Nuan walked over, knocking on Room 0729’s half-open door and saying, “Hello, excuse me…”
“Come in.”
Wen Nuan hadn’t finished speaking when someone responded to him.
Wen Nuan stiffened. His eyes widened, and he barged into Room 0729.
In the dim and dark of the room, there was something giving off a faint light, enough to generally see the surroundings.
In the middle of Room 0729, there stood a tall and broad man. It wasn’t the guest Zhao Mingchong, but it was the long-haired Baili Wuchang.
“Guest?!”
Wen Nuan was astonished. He hissed in a voice like a thief’s, “Guest! What are you doing in other people’s rooms?!”
Contrary to Wen Nuan, Baili Wuchang acted openly, pointing to the gleaming thing in his hands.
Wen Nuan gasped. “You aren’t here to steal things, are you?”
Baili Wuchang’s face was full of righteousness. He corrected, “Retrieving things.”
Saying so, he pointed at something next to the gleaming object, saying concisely, “Box.”
Wen Nuan recovered from his shock. He hadn’t had time to process what the gleaming object was before he looked over. He whispered, “Is this the box you were looking for before?”
The gleaming object was kept in the little box. The box’s appearance was ordinary, but it was the exact same as the box in the picture Baili Wuchang had shown Wen Nuan.
Inside the box was a dark object, kind of like a rock. But this rock gave off light, gently radiating. It also had an oily green sheen to it, and it was a little cold.
Wen Nuan was confused. He asked, “Guest, why is the thing you wanted to look for in Room 0729?” Isn’t this Zhao Mingchong’s room?
It was unknown what this oily green rock was used for. It looked strange.
Baili Wuchang understood him well, and he knew he was curious.
If it was a few days ago, Baili Wuchang would’ve told him to not pry. But now, things were different. Baili Wuchang’s heart had done a one-eighty.
Baili Wuchang said, “Have you seen rhinoceros horn incense before? This is similar to that. If you burn it, you can communicate with ghosts. If you burn it for a long time, you can even attain rebirth.”
“It’s that magical?” Wen Nuan’s eyes widened.
Baili Wuchang continued, “I said before, Tang Qizhuan is already dead. The reason behind his liveliness and vigor is all due to this thing.”
The author has something to say: We’ve reached the 10k words upgrade today~
[Mini Theater]
Wen·Doubtful·Little-Nuan: Lately, the nice-waist guest has been looking at me with a strange gaze.
Hei·Emperor of Facts·Wuchang: The Lord Baili of the past didn’t know the little cutie was his Master, so he was always men-sao and secretive about his sexual fantasies. The Lord Baili of the present knows that the little cutie is his Master, so his men-sao became ming-sao!
Bai Wuchang: …
[Ding! System notice: Lord Baili is wielding a forty-meter long double-edged sword. Only three seconds until he reaches the scene!]
While this side cp is interesting, I need more Wen Nuan and Lord Baili!
Ayyyeee Baili Wuchang 🤭
Ahhh knew it.. Tang qizhuan really had it rough. I’m still so iffy about zhao mingcong. Are his feelings really genuine or just an obsession at this point -_-“
Things with this side CP got really interesting.
Thank you for the chapter!