He held the chopsticks, his lowered gaze falling on the pink-and-blue floral print of the women’s clothes he was wearing.
He didn’t know why he felt the need to emphasize it, but he still said, “…I never even made it to the wedding. I’m not your sister-in-law.”
Just then, the system kindly reminded him: [Big guy, Lu Youling’s affection meter is fluctuating a lot. He doesn’t seem happy that you called him little sister-in-law.]
“I know.”
[You know and you still said it?]
Gong Ze curled his lips. “Just leave it. It’s my thing.”
The system: …
The system: Oh.
The system: I’m going to throw hands with you devious gays!
God, you freak— The system grumbled and cursed all the way back to its space, not wanting to deal with him anymore.
After teasing the young man with a smile, Gong Ze put on a flustered look. “Sorry, I was just trying to cheer you up. Don’t be mad.”
Lu Youling said, “I’m not…”
But Gong Ze furrowed his brow, looking genuinely guilty. “I’m sorry. It’s not easy for a young woman like you, adrift out here. I shouldn’t have made that kind of joke. Taking care of you a little is the least I should do. Anyone else would do the same.”
Listening to Gong Ze’s words, Lu Youling thought to himself: No, they wouldn’t. Only you would do this.
Since crossing over, he had seen all sides of human nature. There were kind people who gave him alms, sure, but their pity always came with contempt and disdain. No one had ever treated him as equally and gently as Gong Ze—not even with the assumption that he was a woman.
But wasn’t a man who treated women with such respect and care in this feudal era proof that he was a genuinely good man?
Lu Youling sighed to himself.
If only I were a woman. Then I could marry someone as outstanding as him.
The more he thought about it, the more his spirits sank.
Lu Youling was gay. In his past life, the pressure of medical school had been so intense that he never even had time to find a partner.
After crossing over, he met such a handsome man with that unique vintage charm, amplified by the spirit and dignity of the era. And on top of that, the man was so good to him. Who wouldn’t fall for that?
But Gong Ze only treated him this well because he thought he was a woman. If his male identity were ever exposed—in an era that feared homosexuality like a tiger—Gong Ze would probably turn pale and never be kind to him again.
Sigh…
·
Lu Youling savored every bite of the first meat he’d eaten since arriving in this world.
Shui Sheng stood watch outside.
Gong Ze sat at the table with a book, quietly reading, building up his new persona.
As Lu Youling slowly finished the chicken leg, he couldn’t help sneaking glances at him.
The man seemed to sense his gaze and looked over curiously. When their eyes met, a smile flickered across his gaze.
“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?”
“No, nothing.”
Caught red-handed, Lu Youling’s face burned. Under the man’s warm, smiling eyes, he quickly changed the subject.
“What book are you reading?”
He leaned over to take a look as he asked.
Gong Ze smiled and handed the book to him. “Nothing serious, just some essays and fiction. By the way, do you know how to read?”
“Of course!”
At this, Lu Youling’s confidence suddenly swelled. He puffed out his chest, wanting to say, I’m a university student. I studied medicine.
What a joke—how could I not know how to read?
I even know English!
Wait…
Lu Youling looked at the characters in Gong Ze’s book. The pride froze on his face.
Oh no!
Lu Youling thought: They’re traditional characters!!
Staring at these unfamiliar characters, Lu Youling was dumbfounded. It’s over. I’ve become illiterate??
Gong Ze was amused by his shocked expression, though outwardly he pretended to be confused. “What’s wrong?”
Lu Youling, on the verge of tears, said, “Nothing. I’ve seen the light.”
So for a time-traveler, the cruelest thing of all is watching nine years of compulsory education go down the drain?
Boo hoo…
Lu Youling was inwardly weeping.
Then he heard the man say, “Learning to read and write is a great help. When I was studying out there, many daughters of wealthy families were also sent to school. In the old days, society always said women shouldn’t get an education—that a lack of talent was a virtue—but that’s actually wrong.”
Lu Youling met Gong Ze’s serious gaze.
He saw the firm conviction in the depths of his eyes.
“Women are no worse than men. Among my classmates, it was often the women who excelled even more in their studies.”
He seemed to have suddenly taken an interest.
“How about I teach you to read?”
Lu Youling was taken aback.
But the man enthusiastically continued, “Once you learn to read, you’ll have access to more jobs in the future. You can even go to the big cities and see the outside world.”
As a modern person, Lu Youling certainly understood the value of education. He wasn’t like the villagers of Fenshan Village, who grumbled that spending so much money on schooling was useless and that you might as well farm more land.
But still…
“Wouldn’t that take up too much of your time? I’ve already troubled you enough…”
“It’s no problem.”
The man’s brow and eyes were filled with a rippling luster.
Like the tenderness of time itself, piercing through the ages.
“As long as you’re willing,” he said.
Lu Youling gazed blankly at Gong Ze’s smile, his pupils losing focus for a moment.
His heart beat lively and fiercely beneath his ribs. He heard himself say, in a very, very small voice…
“I’m willing…”
That single utterance made the man across from him—who harbored no improper thoughts whatsoever—suddenly become aware of the tender, youthful atmosphere between them.
So Lu Youling saw that Gong Ze was also stunned.
The two of them looked at each other, sinking into a quiet world full of unspoken possibilities.
After a long moment, Lu Youling watched as the man’s eyes slowly widened. Then Gong Ze abruptly turned his face away. His fair complexion, under the sunlight, seemed to glow—even the fine downy hairs on his face catching the golden light.
In his turned profile, his dark lashes lowered, covering his eyes. But his lashes kept fluttering, betraying his turbulent heart.
His ears had turned red!
He was such a refined, gentle, and dignified man—was he really this easily embarrassed?
Lu Youling stared in shock at the tips of Gong Ze’s ears as he looked away.
For some reason,
Lu Youling felt that the flicker of Gong Ze’s lashes as he dodged his gaze was like a soft sweep right across his own heart.
Only then did he belatedly feel the shyness creep in. His heart pounded wildly.
“I, I, I-I-I…” Lu Youling stood up awkwardly, clutching the enamel mug in his hand, stammering, “The water’s gone. I’ll go get some more…”
Meanwhile, the man who had turned his head away—feeling Lu Youling’s unwavering stare on him—seemed to want to remind him not to look at him like that, but couldn’t bring himself to say it. So he just gave a soft “Mm,” the tips of his ears still red.
That trailing, sticky “mm” made Lu Youling’s face burn.
What was happening?
The man was tall and masculine, not the least bit effeminate.
Yet seeing Gong Ze flustered and shy made Lu Youling’s heart race even more than if he had been looking at a beautiful woman.
He almost wanted to tease this old-fashioned, conservative man a little more.
To make him flustered and dodge away.
To make his fair, slender neck flush red too.
To watch him push back with helpless, resigned eyes, silently begging him to stop.
Lu Youling quietly covered his nose.
Damn.
Stop thinking about it. What are you doing, Lu Youling!
Have you lost your mind?
You’re flirting with him! Gong Ze is so conservative, so restrained and proper—so wonderfully good that it makes you want to tease him.
Do you have no conscience?!
Lu Youling clutched the enamel mug and ran straight outside.
Little did he know that after he left, the tall, handsome man he thought was soft and easily bullied suddenly shifted his entire aura.
Gong Ze turned his face forward and raised an eyebrow. That gentle, restrained, almost vulnerable quality vanished in an instant, transforming into something far more assertive—an air of luxurious, lazy confidence. He tossed aside the book he’d been holding, abandoning his proper posture. Leaning back in the chair with his legs crossed like a lord, the corners of his lips curved upward just slightly.
The system was speechless: [Dude, your performance just now made me want to throw up.]
God knows how much its fragile little heart had suffered watching a scumbag with eight hundred schemes act all shy like a virtuous housewife.
At least ten thousand points of psychic damage, minimum!
Gong Ze’s eyes curved with amusement. “So, how do you like my new persona?”
[You’re way too good at pretending.]
The system rubbed its arms, cringing.
[Are you sure Lu Youling isn’t going to be disgusted to death by you?]
“You think it’s disgusting because you know my true nature. I guarantee he’ll love it.” Gong Ze propped his chin on his hand, his expression meaningful. “I know exactly what college boys are into~”
It’s not about being the dominant, overbearing type.
A man who looks at you gently with a touch of youthful shyness, who’s easy to fluster, but who occasionally lets a hint of dominance slip through—that’s what really gets people.
It makes the restrained go wild, and the wild want to be restrained.
GongZe teased: That’s the ultimate form of D/s—everyone has a little bit of a dominant side.
[I don’t believe it. You’re the only evil freak like that in this world.]
Gong Ze: “Wanna bet?”
[Bet? Fine by me!]
The system was determined. There was no way Lu Youling actually liked this disgusting persona of Gong Ze’s, right?
Before long, Lu Youling returned with the water.
“This water… it’s pretty good. You should drink some,” Lu Youling said quietly, placing the enamel mug in front of Gong Ze without looking up, his expression unnatural.
Gong Ze looked at the water and narrowed his eyes.
“System, scan it.”
[Scanning… scan complete. Detected significant energy fluctuations in the water.]
The system was incredulous. [This must be the spiritual spring water from Lu Youling, the protagonist!]
Gong Ze nodded slightly. “Probably.”
In the novel, this spiritual spring water was practically like the immortal elixir from Laozi’s own furnace.
And since Lu Youling knew how important this golden finger of his was, he rarely used it in the story. In the early stages, only the male lead ever got this special treatment.
Who would’ve thought that Gong Ze had not only hijacked the halo effect of the male lead’s first meeting with Lu Youling, but also stolen the male lead’s spiritual spring water?
Who wouldn’t want something that good?
Pretending not to notice anything unusual about the water, Gong Ze seemed to want to cover up his earlier awkwardness. He avoided looking at Lu Youling, picked up the cup as a distraction, blew on the steam, and took a sip.
Instantly, a wave of sweetness flooded his mouth.
As he swallowed, he felt a wave of warmth spread from his throat down to his stomach, and along his meridians and internal organs.
Gong Ze was inwardly surprised by the effect of the spiritual spring water, but outwardly he remained calm. He glanced at the cup as if he didn’t understand.
“Funny—why does today’s hot water taste so sweet and refreshing?”
Lu Youling looked away guiltily. “Maybe the well water is just sweeter…”
“Is that so?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Seems like the plot that bastard Main God had given him was accurate—Lu Youling really was the grateful type. Gong Ze didn’t press further and raised the cup for another sip.
Just as he was drinking, Lu Youling across from him suddenly spoke in a soft, hesitant voice.
“Actually… it’s not impossible…”
Gong Ze looked up. “What?”
“I mean…” Lu Youling lowered his head, twisting shyly, “I could call you Gong Er, and you could still call me little sister-in-law…”
Gong Ze: …
[Pfffft—!]
The system spat out a mouthful of metaphorical blood, spraying it three feet across the void.
It stared in shock at Lu Youling, his face bright red, looking shy and—dare it say—a little eager.
Holy crap!
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