Chapter Six: Love for Bronze
In the early hours.
Luxianbei screamed as he woke up from the bed, his sweat-soaked pajamas clinging tightly to his back, bringing a hint of coolness. He took off his eye mask, fumbled to turn on the light, and saw a disheveled bed.
He had a nightmare.
He dreamed of Mr. Rabbit and saw a poor woman being attacked by him.
At the last moment, he saw Mr. Rabbit’s three-parted lips curling outward like a blossoming flower, and his sharp teeth, like a meat grinder, easily sliced through the artery in her neck, hot bl**d gushing forth.
The woman’s brutal d*ath in the nightmare felt so vivid that even as a mere observer, Luxianbei felt a strange illusion of having experienced it firsthand.
Even after waking up, he could still faintly feel a phantom pain on his neck where he had been bitten.
He touched his neck with lingering fear and felt a damp liquid on his fingers. His heart skipped a beat as he froze for a moment, only to realize it was sweat and not bl**d.
That rabbit definitely has serious problems!
He instinctively wanted to contact the police, but upon reflection, he thought that if he called them rashly, no one would believe what he said.
Reporting a nightmare to the police would surely make people think he was crazy, even if that nightmare felt as real as happening in some corner of the world.
But if he just left it alone…
Would it be my turn next?
This thought popped into Luxianbei’s mind, startling him, and he quickly shook his head.
No, no, no!
How could he scare himself like this?
That’s right; perhaps it was just a nightmare. I was too tense after encountering Mr. Rabbit, which made me have such a nightmare.
He reassured himself, and the surge of fear in his heart seemed to calm down slightly, but no way!
In the dead of night, encountering such things, how could he possibly calm down that easily?
The calmness on his face wasn’t genuine!
He expressionlessly gazed outside the window, where it was pitch black.
The time was 4:50 AM, and there were still nearly four hours until dawn.
Leaving his place at this hour wouldn’t be safer than staying home; it might even be more dangerous!
Looks like there’s no choice but to do it this way?
Thinking of this, Luxianbei got up and went downstairs to the living room.
The living room was quiet, and the usual sounds of sighing, dripping water, and the occasional rustling noise in the dark seemed to have hidden away as if fearing something.
The dim-lit living room was deathly silent, and amidst this silence, the light sound made by the coat hanging outside suddenly seemed particularly harsh as the wind blew.
“Whoosh—whoosh—!”
Hearing the sound, Luxianbei glanced outside. In the hazy moonlight, the coat danced in the wind like a person with only half a body, excitedly waving its arms.
“Glup—!” His throat slowly moved, and Luxianbei swallowed, mustering the courage to step forward and abruptly pulled up the curtains.
Out of sight, out of mind; while this may not help much, at least it provided some comfort.
Turning on the lights, he walked over to the Ming King statue nearby, pressed his palms together, and respectfully bowed to the statue, gathering the courage to speak.
“I’ve taken care of you for thousands of days; it’s just tonight’s occurrence is truly strange. I’m forced to do this and hope you won’t mind!”
After speaking, Luxianbei quietly stared at the statue, which had glaring eyes, a dignified appearance, and muscled arms holding a nuclear warhead, instilling a strange sense of security within him.
“Okay then, since you’re not speaking, I’ll take it as your silent approval!”
With that, Luxianbei stepped forward, lifted the several dozen-pound statue that was half his height, and turned to walk toward his upstairs bedroom.
He carefully placed the statue on the bed, turned on the smart speaker at the bedside, and selected a song sung passionately by “Bai Xiaohua,” the theme song of Chapter Three of “Love and Magical Girls.” Only then did Luxianbei return to the covers.
Holding onto the statue’s solid and sturdy body while listening to Bai Xiaohua’s melodious voice, his emotions gradually calmed down, but he was already completely unable to sleep.
Just lying still in bed waiting for dawn?
Initially, Luxianbei intended to just “hibernate” in bed and tough it out all night, but unexpectedly, he couldn’t hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep just before dawn.
In the last moment of keeping his consciousness awake, he vaguely saw, deep within layers of blurry dreams, a pair of bl**d-red eyes that looked like glass orbs silently staring at him.
Under the gaze of those resentful eyes, Luxianbei felt his body sinking as if falling into water, slowly descending, and a voice echoed in his ears…
It sounded like a strange whisper, as if chanting an ancient and mysterious song.
Then, that voice gradually became clearer…
…
“Auntie, press down a bit~♪”
Luxianbei jolted awake from the hazy dream, sluggishly turned over, and found his phone ringing on the bedside table.
The call was from Water Brother, and he was initiating a video call.
Luxianbei clicked his tongue, lightly touched the phone screen to connect the call, and immediately, a flashy face appeared on the screen, revealing a charming and unruly smile.
“Yo, my dear Little Bei Bei, good morning!”
“Hmm, good morning.” Luxianbei replied expressionlessly.
Upon hearing this, Water Brother beat his chest in despair. “Wow, you’re so cold! I’m heartbroken!”
“Tsk, what do you expect? You can’t expect a deadpan person to smile at you, right?” Luxianbei replied impatiently.
“Oh, sorry, I forgot you had that issue! So pitiful!”
Luxianbei looked indifferent. “Pitiful my a**! You, dead gigolo, are here to pick a fight?”
“I’ve told you how many times that profession is now called male escort; please show some respect!”
“Yes, yes, yes, Mr. Escort, can you just quickly tell me what you want?”
Since his father told him that Water Brother was the top male escort in Huacheng, he had never doubted it.
Ask yourself, what other profession requires dressing so ridiculously and working every night?
Every time he saw Water Brother coming home from work, he always looked mentally exhausted and trembling, as if expressing through body language, “I’m all out!”
Luxianbei didn’t prejudge male escorts; they were just trying to make a living, and there was no distinction between high and low. He merely harbored a personal bias against Water Brother!
An extremely flamboyant man acting clingy, orbiting around you non-stop, whispering like an ancient god in your ear—who could stand that!?
Although Luxianbei knew all of Water Brother’s behavior came from care, his interests and hobbies were different from his deceased old man!
It was unbearable!
“Actually, I encountered something last night and have thought it over for a long time. I’m calling you today to discuss…”
Water Brother had been struck by Jiang Li with an arrow in the heart last night, thought it over for most of the night, made up his mind, and then called Luxianbei to discuss adopting him as a godson.
However, shortly after the video call opened, he saw Luxianbei on the bed, half-covered by blankets, with the statue looking coy, Luxianbei’s hand unintentionally resting on the statue’s chest, drawing small circles flirtatiously.
In an instant, something strange flashed through Water Brother’s mind, and suddenly, he lost control.
“What the hell! What is that on your bed?!”
Water Brother suddenly shouted, startling Luxianbei, who turned sharply and saw the statue beside him, which had been sleeping next to him for most of the night. Just then, Water Brother, with a serious yet slightly pained voice, came through the phone.
“Little Bei, I always thought you were still a child, never considering you have developed physiological needs already. I’m sorry! This is my neglect as your uncle, but you really don’t need to go this far!”
“That’s a statue! Made of brass! It can get hurt! You…”
Water Brother’s words were cut off halfway as Luxianbei expressionlessly ended the call.
What on earth was he thinking?
Soon, the phone vibrated again; it was still Water Brother.
“Little Bei, after thinking about it, I realize my words were indeed a bit excessive. I’m older now and don’t understand you young people very well! This is what’s commonly referred to as ‘love for bronze,’ right? I…”
Luxianbei scowled and hung up the phone.
“d*mn! Don’t hang up! I won’t interfere with your personal interests anymore! I called to tell you I’ve thought hard about adopting you as my…”
No! You don’t want to!
d*mn! What a wonderful day ruined by seeing Water Brother!
First thing in the morning, and he wants to take advantage of me! I regard you as a brother, and you’re trying to be my father!?
Luxianbei hung up the phone again and conveniently blacklisted Water Brother’s phone number, WeChat, and QQ.
However, not long after, his phone vibrated again.
Picking up the phone to take a look, it was a message from an unfamiliar number saying, “Didn’t expect it, huh? It’s still me!” Based on the style of the language, it was undoubtedly Water Brother!
Just as Luxianbei was about to blacklist Water Brother’s new number too, his phone vibrated again, this time another message from Water Brother, but the content was very serious.
“Tomorrow is the last day for you to register for university. Make sure to go register today or tomorrow; your two-year extension for enrollment has already reached its limit. If you don’t register this year, you’ll have to retake the entrance exam!”
Luxianbei held his phone in silence for a few seconds and replied, “Got it, I’ll go later.”
And then…
He blacklisted Water Brother’s new number.
Right after putting down the phone, Luxianbei suddenly recalled that nightmare from last night. After hesitating for a moment, he decided against telling Water Brother about it.
If he told him, he would surely make a big fuss and drag out a bunch of issues. Just thinking about it was annoying.
…
Siye Association Headquarters.
White Kai, who was about to get off work, received Luxianbei’s reply, and a happy expression like spring breeze washed over his face.
A colleague passing by saw this scene and curiously asked, “Old Bai, what’s got you so happy?”
White Kai shook his phone and proudly said, “I just got a godson!”
“Oh! Congratulations! Such good news, you have to treat us to a meal sometime!”
“Of course!” White Kai chuckled as he patted the colleague’s shoulder, “But I need to ask my precious son first; he’s a bit prideful and a little introverted, so he might not like crowded places!”
While speaking, White Kai called Luxianbei. However, what rang in his ears was, “The number you dialed is temporarily unreachable.”
After trying to send several messages that all failed, White Kai finally realized that his new number had once again been blacklisted by Luxianbei, and his smile gradually stiffened…
