(7 Fresh Coins) Chapter 16 (Part 2) Say You Like Me

Xu Qi gazed intently at him. Their eyes met, their gazes shifting, and a crack seemed to appear in their hearts, concealing their love. After what felt like an eternity, Xu Qi finally spoke slowly: "How do you want my answer?"

Si Qiang's slender body trembled violently. He lowered his eyes, slowly raised his hand, and softly tugged at the hem of his clothes: "Say you...like me..."

The last syllable faded from his lips, and a wave of dizziness washed over him. He must be going mad. But… he was about to give up. He had struggled for so long, suffered for so long, and he wanted to be free. Even if it meant deeper despair, he longed to escape this predicament.

He finally broke through his hard shell, revealing his most vulnerable side. This was a high-stakes gamble. This man could easily decide his life or death in a single breath.

Xu Qi suddenly pursed his lips and stared intently at him. He noticed an unnatural flush rising on the other man's porcelain-like skin—he was afraid.

How could he possibly refuse? He could refuse the strong-willed Si Qiang, but he couldn't handle such a fragile... Rose. He had no way out.

"If you really want to hear it, then consider it a special treat." Taking a deep breath and forcibly smiling, Xu Qi said, word by word, "I like you."

Si Qiang suddenly raised her head and stared at him blankly. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a single syllable.

"Hmph, don't you have anything to say?" The words that came out were so unfamiliar. Xu Qi tried his best to control the trembling in his voice, but the sudden flush on his face completely exposed his inner thoughts—he had nowhere to hide.

"I..." Si Qiang finally opened his mouth slightly, and a weak voice escaped from his throat.

Xu Qi stared intently at his lips, waiting for him to utter the words he longed for—though he knew such anticipation was utterly foolish. The next second, the man in front of him swayed and collapsed limply onto the bed.

"Damn it!" he cursed in frustration. What was he doing at a time like this? What was he expecting? This behavior, this way of thinking... none of it was something Xu Qi should have!

He lowered his head, drawing closer to the man on the bed, his gaze unconsciously tracing the man's beautiful, delicate eyebrows, his long, beautiful eyelashes like fluttering butterflies, his alluring, pink lips glistening with moisture, his perfectly sculpted jawline, his swan-like, long, graceful neck, and… the collarbone half-hidden by the shirt collar. His breath caught in his throat. How exquisite and beautiful! Like a work of art carved from the finest white ivory, its warm luster melting one's heart…

Come on. So what if you admit it? You like him, you love him! You even use your pitifully poor artistic sensibilities like an idiot to rack your brains trying to describe his beauty, and that's far from enough.

A voice inside him whispered disdainfully, mocking his overestimation of his abilities without any politeness. Xu Qi sighed in frustration.

He should go to rest; he had a mountain of trouble to deal with tomorrow. But he couldn't move. His eyes and heart were glued to the person in bed, unwilling to look away even for a moment. He knew that nagging would only make things worse, but he couldn't control himself.

Look, what a fatal weakness he has left for himself. What's even more terrifying is that he enjoys it.

Well, there's nothing wrong with surrendering to your deepest desires. He slowly took off his clothes, quietly climbed into bed, lay down next to the man, carefully pulled the blanket up, tucked the corners in, and tried his best to restrain himself from reaching out to hug the other man.

I like you. And you?

Antonio sat quietly by the window, thinking that perhaps he should confess to God. He must have unintentionally committed a very serious sin, otherwise why would God punish him like this? He had finally met someone he truly liked, but that person already had someone else in their heart. The most painful thing was that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't win even a shred of attention from her. His upbringing drove him to decide to use force—to get her first. However, despite using every means possible, he ultimately failed.

Where is that person now? She should be sleeping peacefully in the arms of her beloved man. He learned from Yao Jinghan that Yan Jun's appearance had completely disrupted their carefully laid plans. As for why Wei He would appear in this situation, it was obvious to anyone with common sense that it was related to that man. He should have known; that man was never someone to be trifled with.

What isn't yours will never truly belong to you. He only learned this after nearly 30 years of life. But the price… was far too heavy.

My gaze slowly turned to the window, where a pair of unidentified birds chased and played in the vast sky, their melodious chirping seemingly audible.

Author's Note:

Hooray! *★,°*:.☆\(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★* . ! Finally, there's progress!

So... I've caught another cold, you idiot... but I'll still try my best to update! *fist pump*