episode 68

The moment the person jumped out, He Xun and Mo Shilin's expressions both darkened. At the same time, they grabbed each other's arms, trying to protect each other behind their backs!

The result, of course, was that neither of them managed to move the other.

Their eyes met, and just as He Xun hesitated about whether to reveal his impressive skills, Mo Shilin pulled him behind him forcefully, leaving no room for argument.

The man's tall figure immediately shielded him completely, like a tree.

He Xun staggered, barely managing to stand firm behind Mo Shilin. Gazing at the other's back, his dark eyes darted around. He couldn't help but move closer to Mo Shilin, gripping his forearm tightly, but inadvertently caught a glimpse of the bruises on Mo Shilin's arm.

Mo Shilin was wearing casual clothes tonight, and with a tug, most of his arm was easily exposed to the humid air.

His skin wasn't dark, but rather a pale wheat color. Several clear, long lines, like those left by a truck, crisscrossed his veined arms, which gleamed a terrifying purple in the deep night.

He Xun's heart tightened.

What happened? How did you get injured again?

Before his thoughts could even wander, the uninvited guest who jumped out broke the tense atmosphere.

"Two handsome guys? Want to try our brand? It's all brand new!"

A broken, yet strangely comical, Guangxi-style Chinese voice rang out, causing He Xun to pause and raise his almond-shaped eyes to look over.

Suddenly, the man with dark skin and a mustache, wearing an orange-yellow floral shirt, wildly ripped open the buttons on his shirt!

He Xun suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Of course—what surprised him wasn't the other person's physique, but rather the fact that the other person had no fewer than twenty Buddhist amulets hanging around their neck! The layers of rope had left a distinct red mark around their neck.

No? Aren't you heavy, bro?!

Doesn't your delicate, slender neck feel even the slightest bit of drooping?!

Square, round, oval, heart-shaped, all kinds of shapes and colors, were densely piled up on his withered chest.

The night was dark and windy, the place remote and desolate. A damp wind blew by, and a tinkling sound made the scene seem even more eerie.

It turns out he was a gambling scalper.

The alarm was lifted, and Mo Shilin and He Xun exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief.

These shady dealers usually sell unlicensed cards, so it's not surprising that they emerge from the shadows to solicit customers.

He Xun hadn't forgotten the important business he was here for, and now that he'd stumbled upon one, how could he let it go so easily?

He composed himself, released Mo Shilin's arm, and naturally stepped forward to chat with the card dealer.

Mo Shilin raised his hand and touched the spot where He Xun had just gripped his hand tightly. He then gave He Xun a deep look, pulled his sleeve up to his wrist, and silently walked to stand beside He Xun.

"Brother, how did you tell we were both Chinese?"

As He Xun asked, he skillfully took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, and handed it to him.

You can't hit a smiling face, so the card dealer hesitated for only a second before grinning and taking the cigarette.

Click—

He Xun lit it for him with a lighter, a scarlet glow flickering. The card dealer took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled the smoke. He pointed at He Xun and Mo Shilin's faces and said, "I can tell at a glance that only Chinese people are this handsome. Besides, I have Chinese ancestry, so I feel a sense of kinship when I see you two."

Tsk.

He answered the question while also flattering the man.

sharp.

No wonder he's a tough guy with a neck full of Buddhist amulets.

Seeing He Xun's bewildered yet impressive gaze, the card seller continued smugly, "There are a lot of Chinese tourists in Bangkok, and we business people need to know a few things."

That's true.

As a major tourist destination, business people need to be aware of this.

He Xun nodded, his gaze fixed on the pile of Buddhist amulets, feigning curiosity: "Are there many Chinese people buying your amulets?"

"Lots! Of course lots!" The card dealer patted his chest, looking confident. "The largest group is Chinese!"

He Xun: "......"

I really don't know whether I should be proud or ashamed.

He coughed twice, feigning ignorance, and asked, "I've heard that celebrities like to buy this stuff, is that true?"

The card dealer snorted, his face showing an expression that said, "You don't even know such a trivial question?" "Of course, these kinds of cards are made for people who want to become famous and make a fortune. They're very effective."

"Then, brother—" He Xun paused subtly, then lowered his voice and asked, "Where do celebrities usually buy their Buddhist amulets?"

"hiss......"

Perhaps thanks to the cigarette he'd just smoked, the amulet seller clicked his tongue, looked the young man up and down, and figured he didn't have any bad intentions. In the end, he simply told him that there was a street in Thailand that specialized in selling amulets, and naturally, there were many black-clad Ajarns' studios hidden among them. Celebrities usually commissioned them to make custom amulets at high prices.

Upon hearing the location, He Xun realized it was the address he had obtained from An Simiao's phone. He quickly offered her another cigarette and pressed her for more details about the street.

He Xun and the vendor chatted amiably, while Mo Shilin stood to the side with one hand in his pocket, staring at He Xun.

He Xun's eyelashes were very long, and from the side they looked like a small fan fluttering back and forth. His pink lips were also plump, and his two small tiger teeth were faintly visible when he opened his mouth. His black hair, which was almost blue, was blown about by the wind.

His face was undeniably alluring, making one want to imprison him forever, yet his demeanor and speech were earnest and composed.

The contrast is huge.

Mo Shilin suddenly thought of He Xun's online account.

Was this trip to Thailand with him also for video topic selection?

He watched every single one of He Xun's videos over and over again. To be honest, he didn't understand why He Xun would do such a thing.

How should I put it? He thought He Xun was far too idealistic.

In his view, this act of burning oneself out for a vague sense of justice, disregarding one's own safety, is no different from slow suicide.

It could even be said that it is beyond redemption.

If it were him, he would rationally assess the world and the opponents he would face in doing this, and then make the judgment that "this is a foolish thing like Jingwei filling the sea and Yugong moving mountains," and then decisively and quickly give up, and then look for a new feasible goal.

He didn't really understand, but he admired people like that.

I admire He Xun's actions.

Perhaps it was precisely because he himself was not such a fearless person that He Xun fascinated him even more.

Perhaps not everything a person does needs to have a result; the act of doing it itself is meaningful.

Like moths drawn to a flame, they live towards death.

Perhaps for someone like He Xun, death is not the end, but a new life, an eternity, an eternal existence in this world, never to disappear.

To say he is beyond redemption is a compliment, the highest honor.

He Xun, who was having a pleasant conversation with the card dealer, had no idea of ​​the raging storm that had been brewing in Mo Shilin's mind in such a short time. After chatting with the card dealer for a while, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Mo Shilin's eyes.

hiss......

Why do I feel like there's a hint of resentment in that look?

He paused for a moment, then turned to Mo Shilin and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Mo Shilin just looked at him quietly: "It's nothing."

He Xun relaxed and was about to say that it was good that everything was alright, but then he heard Mo Shilin utter a seemingly casual but undeniably aggrieved remark—

"It's okay. It's normal to be forgotten when you're out and about. It's fine for me to stand empty-handed in the cold wind."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to a young couple sitting under a tree not far away, holding hands and cuddling affectionately.

He Xun: "......"

Dare you say it again: what kind of wind is this?! Even with gale-force winds in Southeast Asia, it's not cold!

Mo Shilin turned his head back, but this time he didn't look at He Xun. Instead, he looked down at his lonely hand with a meaningful expression.

Its movements resembled those of a large, aggrieved wolfhound that didn't know how to express itself.

He Xun found it amusing. Even though he knew the other person was faking it, his heart felt as soft as if he had a marshmallow in his mouth. He reached out and grabbed Mo Shilin's hand, leaned close to his ear, and whispered with a smile, "How about this? Are you still cold?"

The unique fragrance emanating from He Xun wafted over. Mo Shilin didn't say anything, but casually scratched He Xun's palm, a triumphant smile appearing on his cold, thin face.

He Xun's face flushed, and she turned her head away.

The card dealer: "..." I should be under the car.

He Xun coughed twice, asked a few more questions, thanked them, and ended the conversation with the card dealer who had a mocking expression.

As soon as the card dealer left, He Xun's face suddenly turned cold. He abruptly pulled his hand away and then, very seriously, grabbed Mo Shilin's clothes and headed towards a nearby pharmacy.

"You stay right here and don't move!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Shilin raised an eyebrow and indeed stopped moving, remaining where he was to wait for him.

When He Xun came out again, he had a bag of medicine in his hand.

The outer packaging features a mix of Thai and English text, with the words "for sprains and bruises, reduce swelling and relieve pain" faintly visible inside the transparent plastic bag.

Mo Shilin casually glanced at the names of the medicines and curled his lips into a smile: "What's wrong? Are you angry?"

He Xun turned his head away coldly: "You still have the nerve to ask?"

As she spoke, she reached out and pulled Mo Shilin's arm, her tone softening unconsciously: "Why do you always get injured for no reason?"

Mo Shilin's eyes darkened as he stared directly into his, his expression nonchalant: "So worried about me?"

He Xun pursed his lips and didn't say anything. He just pulled him to sit on a bench by the roadside, then gently rolled up his sleeve, took out a cotton swab, and silently applied the medicine to him.

Seeing that the person didn't speak, Mo Shilin leaned closer in an ambiguous manner until he smelled the fragrance on He Xun's body, at which point he stopped.

Why are you so worried about me?

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stopped, grabbed He Xun's chin, and forced He Xun to raise his head.

The night was dark, with only the streetlights casting a dim yellow glow.

He Xun's lips were pressed tightly together, her face expressionless, but her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were reddened, and her forced tilt of her head made her look broken and pitiful. Her hands gripped his sleeve tightly, her eyelashes trembling, as if she was enduring something.

Mo Shilin's heart was suddenly pierced. He dared not tease him anymore. He pulled He Xun into his arms and gently stroked He Xun's thin back through the fabric of his clothes. He took a deep breath and said, "I promise you, I won't do it again."

He Xun didn't struggle. He raised his hand to hug his waist, buried his head in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "You're lying. I don't believe you."

Feeling the soft, affectionate touch on his waist, Mo Shilin's Adam's apple bobbed, and he ran a hand through He Xun's dark hair: "Really, if you don't believe me, how about we stay together every day? You can keep an eye on me."

"Trying to trick me into going to work with you?" He Xun chuckled and wriggled out of his arms. "Dream on."

Mo Shilin didn't speak, but stared at him intently, his hand slowly sliding down to his waist, his dark eyes gradually welling up with emotion.

He Xun stared at him for a few seconds, then almost helplessly wrapped his arms around his shoulders and slowly leaned in to kiss the corner of his lips.

Mo Shilin's eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip on He Xun's waist. He Xun couldn't help but let out two soft moans, then frowned, and kissed Mo Shilin's chin, finally moving his kiss to Mo Shilin's prominent Adam's apple with a devout and lingering touch.

Sensing the soft moisture, Mo Shilin's temple throbbed, then he gripped He Xun's chin tightly, clicked his tongue lightly, and his cold, deep voice carried a warning: "Don't mess around."

He Xun's eyes were wet, and he seemed to be soaking in water filled with beautiful flowers. He stared at the man with a displeased expression and suddenly sighed: "Fine... I can help you too."

"How can I help?" Mo Shilin asked, lifting his eyelids.

How do you want me to help?

Mo Shilin paused, his gaze slowly tracing over the man's lips, chest, hands, and legs, then raised an eyebrow and said, "I can have whatever I want?"

"Hmm." Meeting the man's probing gaze, He Xun bit his lower lip lightly.

I'll do it because you're injured.

Mo Shilin chuckled softly: "Baby, has anyone ever told you this?"

He pressed his right thumb against He Xun's lips with an ambiguous gesture, watching the pinkish flesh turn pale, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, "You really are..."

He Xun was clearly overwhelmed by these vulgar words, and blushed as she pushed the man's shoulder away.

Seeing that he was shy but still wouldn't let him go, Mo Shilin leaned close to his ear seductively, his voice light and affectionate: "Shy? Then baby, from now on you'll only be mine... okay?"