Chapter 022 Li Xiao's Independent Side Story - Obsession (Part 7)
"oh."
Upon hearing Li Xiao's question, Yu Qingzhou simply responded indifferently, seemingly unbothered by the fact that her identity had been exposed.
This is precisely the part that Li Xiao finds most puzzling.
"Aren't you all in cahoots?" Li Xiao asked.
"I suppose so," Yu Qingzhou replied in a calm tone, even taking a moment to pick up her wine bowl and sip it.
"Aren't you even a little bit curious about their whereabouts?" Li Xiao couldn't help but ask again.
But all he got in return was a slow, deliberate reply: "Life and death are predestined."
—What a wonderful saying, "Life and death are predestined."
Li Xiao silently recited the words in his heart, watching the man's gaze slowly darken.
Whether I should say it or not...
"That's really quite honest."
The boy murmured to himself, then slowly smiled. There seemed to be something else mixed in with that smile, a mixture of nostalgia and self-mockery.
Then, he slowly stood up, looked down at Yu Qingzhou across the table, and studied the other's face, which was half-lit and half-shadowed in the firelight.
"So, when does the Taoist priest plan to make his move?"
Even knowing the identity was fake, Li Xiao still addressed the other person that way, probably out of habit.
Therefore, habits are truly terrifying things, like lukewarm water used to boil frogs in a pot—mild yet deadly.
"Make a move...what are you going to do?"
Upon hearing this, the Taoist slowly raised his eyes, his voice soft, as if he couldn't bear to wake the sleeping person nearby, even though everyone present was actually still awake.
Now that things have come to this, Li Xiao really doesn't understand what he's still hoping for.
A wave of irritation suddenly washed over him; he felt utterly fed up.
To the man who was pretending to be stupid, and also to myself who was always hesitant.
In the end, Li Xiao did nothing, only saying "Do as you please," before leaving the other person behind.
As he passed by the Taoist priest, he was suddenly tugged at.
At first, he thought it was his imagination, but when he looked down, he realized that Yu Qingzhou had reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
The Taoist's hands were clenched tightly for some reason.
The fabric on Li Xiao's sleeves was already slightly deformed from being gripped.
He tugged at it, but couldn't budge it. He looked at the other person suspiciously, only to find that the Taoist was also looking at him with an innocent expression.
"let go."
"..."
Li Xiao squeezed out a sentence through his teeth.
But the other person wouldn't let go, nor would they explain why; they just stared straight at him.
This situation only exacerbated the boy's already agitated mood.
"Are you fucking deaf or what—"
Just as he was about to burst into curses, he suddenly saw the Taoist extend a finger, and the soft fingertip touched Li Xiao's lips, as warm as the hand that was holding him.
"Shh-"
The Taoist priest gave a solemn shushing sound, then swayed as he stood up and looked intently at the astonished boy.
"Swearing is bad."
Yu Qingzhou spoke slowly, word by word, but his pronunciation was very clear.
Upon hearing this, Li Xiao rolled his eyes and was about to retort when he suddenly realized that he couldn't make a sound.
—That stinky Taoist priest actually cursed himself!
Seemingly sensing the boy's obvious anger, Yu Qingzhou frowned slightly.
“Mingming, it was you who asked me to do it, wasn’t it?” he asked.
At this moment, the two stood face to face. Yu Qingzhou leaned over, holding onto the table, and as soon as she spoke, her breath warmed Li Xiao's neck.
Li Xiao couldn't help but take a half step back.
As he moved, the Taoist priest who was holding him was naturally pulled forward, his center of gravity shifting. He couldn't keep up and stumbled, falling onto Li Xiao and embracing the boy...
Li Xiao lowered his eyes and looked at Yu Qingzhou, who was hanging on him like a bag.
Regardless of whether the other person is a man, drunk people are generally quite sluggish. If it were anyone else, I probably would have already…
However, at this moment, Li Xiao was powerless to do anything.
He couldn't hurt this person...
It's not that I don't want to, but that I can't.
Li Xiao noticed this during their first encounter.
Any harm done to a Taoist will ultimately return to him in double measure.
Previously, Li Xiao thought that this Taoist priest knew some kind of sorcery, and therefore he couldn't figure out the other party's strength for a while.
However, it now appears that the reason for that situation was due to the constraints imposed by the validity of the contract.
It is an unequal contract etched into the soul—meaning unilateral obedience, absolute loyalty, and unreserved sacrifice.
Like the rusty longsword and the scar on his chest, these were all things left to him by [that person].
The guy who almost killed him and dumped him like trash in the ruins... he should have been dead long ago, but why?
But you appeared right beside me, alive and well...
As night deepened, Li Xiao sat on the edge of the bed, staring thoughtfully at Yu Qingzhou, who seemed to be asleep.
Even with his eyes closed, the latter did not loosen his grip at all.
With no other option, Li Xiao had to pinch his wrist and pry it open one finger at a time. He used a bit too much force, and when he lifted his sleeve afterwards, he saw that it was indeed bruised.
Afterwards, the boy turned his gaze back to the Taoist priest who was lying motionless.
It's so quiet, it's like a dead person.
Li Xiao thought.
However, the skin of a dead person would not be this hot, nor would it have such a rosy complexion.
Is it an act...?
Or perhaps it's simply a case of being fearless and complacent...
Knowing that no matter what, he couldn't really bring himself to hurt him, he was just playing around with him in various ways?
I really wanted to teach the Taoist a lesson, to see his usually arrogant face wet with tears, to see him panic and bewilderment because he was powerless to resist.
It's like...
Suddenly, an image flashed through my mind of a man soaked in cold water in a small, cramped woodshed.
At that time, the wet hemp rope cut deep into the flesh.
The other person's long, slender limbs were forced to fold over, presenting their defenseless chest and neck forward. Their pale lips trembled slightly, and droplets of water slid gently down their long, straight eyelashes...
Looking back now, it was a really nice scene.
Even that annoying face suddenly became pleasing to the eye.
While thinking to himself, Li Xiao couldn't help but move closer to Yu Qingzhou for a closer look.
Hmm... it's not my imagination. When he closes his eyes and stays quiet, he does look much more well-behaved than usual.
That's settled then.
Li Xiao suddenly thought to himself with a sense of joy.
I will try my best to find a way to terminate the contract, no matter what the cost.
So, if possible, remember to kill me before that...
Otherwise, I don't know what terrible things I might do in the future.
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