The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 38

 

TGMNDIAR - 38

Xu Mu had been leading a rather fulfilling life for the past few days. 

Every day, he dashed back and forth in the training room, playing the role of a snake. He successfully desensitized himself to the mirrors that were everywhere around him.

Compared to the initial feeling of nausea, he could now calmly gaze at his reflection, which was truly a cause for celebration.

"Alright!" the club president stood on the fake steps, clapping his hands. "You all did well in training today. You can leave early."

Xu Mu slowly emerged from the fake bushes and went to the partitioned changing area in the training room—

There is a layer of scales blocking the transformation from human to mimic, but the transformation from mimic to human is smooth.

Nian Yueyue was watching from the side of the training room. When she saw Xu Mu come out, she immediately gave him a thumbs up.

"Brother Mu, your performance was vivid, and perfect. You're a natural-born actor!"

Xu Mu: "..."

"Class Monitor, you're being too fake. I still prefer it when you call me 'Classmate Xu,’”

Nian Yueyue coughed lightly. "Okay, okay, I’m just telling the truth."

Xu Mu seemed to be smiling but not smiling.

Nian Yueyue nervously touched her nose. "I'm serious, really."

——Isn’t it because she’s scared that he will run away.

"Xiao Ning, are you tired?" Nian Yueyue found her target and affectionately approached her. "You look super cute today. Let me touch your... oh, no, your hand. Did you get stuck on the bark?"

Zou Ning still looked sluggish as she leaned on her head, her gaze unfocused. "I fell asleep on the tree just now... hung there for too long, I'm feeling dizzy."

Nian Yueyue was shocked. "What! Let me massage you. Shouldn't you go to the infirmary?"

Zou Ning slowly shook her head. "I'll be fine after sitting for a while."

"Okay, okay, just sit here. I'll help you over," Nian Yueyue insisted.

Xu Mu retrieved his storage compartment from the cabinet and took out a thermos, opening the lid to reveal steam rising from within.

"What are you drinking?" Lou Haoyu, with keen eyes, leaned over to sniff. "Why do I smell a sour-sweet scent?"

Xu Mu raised an eyebrow and took a sip. "Mulberry water."

"Using a thermos for mulberry water, such a luxurious lifestyle," Lou Haoyu commented.

Xu Mu corrected him, "Mulberry water is boiled, it's goji berries that are soaked."

"Oh, I see. It's almost the same," Lou Haoyu clicked his tongue in admiration. "I've noticed you've been trying different ways to infuse water these days. You're living quite delicately."

Xu Mu didn't comment, continuing to drink.

He took out a transparent bag tied with a bow, containing various colored cookies, each with a different flavor and adorned with exquisite butterfly patterns, emanating a rich milky aroma.

Xu Mu ate them one by one, accompanied by the sour-sweet mulberry water, savoring a unique taste experience.

The cookies and mulberry water were given by Brother Nian. He originally prepared them for Ye Ye, but Xu Mu got a share thanks to being around Ye Ye. The crispy and soft, sweet taste was so delightful that Xu Mu ate with his eyes narrowed, feeling much more content.

—Maintaining the same snake-like posture for a long time, coiled in the grass, and occasionally twisting, is really tiring.

The bag emptied quickly, and Xu Mu pondered for a moment, preparing to tie it up again with the bow.

It was strange; recently, Brother Nian had been sending desserts much more frequently. From morning, noon, and night, the frequency of their meetings had skyrocketed. Could it be that he was gaining weight?

The thought troubled Xu Mu.

No, he had to step up his exercise routine; he couldn't let the six-pack abs he had worked so hard for disappear!

-

Xu Mu went to pick up Ye Ye from kindergarten as usual, had dinner with Brother Nian, and then returned to his own home. 

His evenings were tightly scheduled; if the day's study workload was light, Xu Mu would take a few gaming orders to relax and earn money.

But recently, with several courses coming to an end, Xu Mu was deeply influenced by the fear of the original body "failing and dropping out." He was on high alert and, even if he felt he had a good grasp of the subjects, he planned to continue reviewing and strengthening his knowledge base.

After taking a shower, Xu Mu was preparing to go back to his room to draw.

His doorbell suddenly rang.

"Brother Nian?" Xu Mu was a bit surprised when he opened the door.

Bai Nian apologized, "I'm sorry, Ah Mu, for disturbing you so late. My home's water heater broke down, so I wanted to borrow your bathroom to take a shower. Is that okay?"

"Ah, no problem," Xu Mu didn't think it was too late. He stepped aside, "Has Ye Ye taken a bath?"

"Ye Ye just finished bathing when it broke down," Bai Nian spoke softly, "It's just bad timing."

Unconsciously, Xu Mu nodded, "Indeed."

"Mr. Bai," Nades was very attentive, handing over a pair of indoor slippers.

Bai Nian smiled, "Thank you, Nades."

Nades gentlemanly bowed, "It's my duty, serving you is my honor."

Xu Mu's mouth twitched, feeling amused by his robot play. He led Bai Nian to the bathroom, where there was still lingering warmth and humidity at the door.

"Brother Nian, if you need anything, just call me," Xu Mu said.

Bai Nian smiled back, "Okay, thank you, Ah Mu."

"Um, no problem."

Xu Mu didn't linger, leaving as soon as Bai Nian entered.

Soon, the sound of trickling water filled the air, sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

The bathroom was an integrated structure within Xu Mu's room for the convenience of the homeowner. While he usually didn't perceive it as particularly close, today he found that almost every sound could be clearly heard. Swish, swish—his pen inadvertently slid across the blank paper, leaving a few fine lines. 

Xu Mu circled the two sudden strokes on the lightboard, clicked to delete them, and continued drawing.

"Ah Mu."

Xu Mu paused, his wrist halting, uncertain if he had misheard.

"Ah Mu."

This time, the sound of water ceased, leaving only the call.

"I'm here, what's wrong?" Xu Mu approached the bathroom. He saw the shadow on the fogged glass gradually deepening.

"Ah Mu, I forgot to bring my clothes. Can I borrow one of your pajamas?" 

Xu Mu was taken aback for a moment, then without hesitation said, "Sure—"

"But I usually don't wear pajamas to sleep; I just wear regular long sleeve shirts. The fabric might not be as soft and skin-friendly."

"Um, it's okay."

Without wasting any time, Xu Mu went to his room and fetched a white long-sleeved shirt.

He knocked on the door, "At the bottom of the screen, there's a manual option. Press it, and it will open a crack in the door."

"Okay, let me see..." His voice gradually lowered, and the next moment, a rush of heat hit Xu Mu's face. A dripping wet hand reached out, a few droplets falling, reflecting the bathroom's orange light, which was slightly dazzling.

Xu Mu averted his gaze and handed the clothes to Bai Nian. 

"Thank you, Ah Mu..." Unlike the ethereal tone from behind the glass door, the end of his words became clear.

Xu Mu took a few steps back, speaking softly, "No need to thank me."

...

For some reason, after returning, the sound of water in his ears became more disturbing. Xu Mu twirled his pen, feeling slightly distracted. The pen tip tapped against the lightboard, leaving a mess of marks on the blank surface.

The water stopped, and there was silence for a few minutes. Then, the sound of the faucet in the sink and the automatic door opening broke the silence.

Click, the beam of light extending from the floor disappeared, and the lights went out.

"Ah Mu..." a soft voice slowly drifted in.

It was like a feather brushing past his eardrums, causing Xu Mu to startle and quickly get up. "Brother Nian, have you finished... washing?" He blinked his eyes and stuttered slightly.

Bai Nian's face was moistened with a faint mist, a blush tinting his usually pale lips, now shimmering with a watery luster, his neck gleaming white under the white light, exuding a delicate sheen.

His hair tips were still dripping water, and a small patch on his shoulder was wet.

The long-sleeved shirt Xu Mu lent him clearly didn't fit well, it hung loosely on him. The hem fell to his thighs, ruffling as he moved.

"I'll get you a pair of pants," Xu Mu said, averting his head and hastily getting up.

But Bai Nian blocked his way, quietly looking at Xu Mu and softly saying, "I'm feeling a bit hot."

He grabbed Xu Mu's wrist, his grip light but oddly immobilizing.

Xu Mu's mind blanked out for a moment, repeating meaningless words.

"Hot...?" he blinked slowly.

Bai Nian nodded.

Xu Mu blinked slowly again, "I'll lower the heater."

"No need, I’ll just sit down," Bai Nian replied.

"...Alright." Xu Mu's voice trailed off.

Bai Nian smiled and slowly released his hand. He walked to the desk, casually scanning it and complimenting, "Ah Mu, you're really diligent."

Xu Mu said, "Not... really just because exams are coming up."

Bai Nian chuckled at the young man's excessive honesty and waved for Xu Mu to come over.

Xu Mu walked over stiffly, his own awkwardness manifesting into someone he couldn’t recognize.

"You can make a change here," Bai Nian pointed to a spot, gently reminding him, "The data calculation is fine, but it's difficult to implement."

Xu Mu glanced hastily, "Okay, got it."

Bai Nian then moved to the right side of the desk and picked up the model Xu Mu had made, examining it.

Xu Mu's gaze uncontrollably drifted downwards, landing on Bai Nian's two straight, long legs.

They were very white, shining brightly, well-proportioned with smooth and beautiful lines. As he moved, his legs flowed gracefully, and his knees, reddened by the hot water, stood out conspicuously.

"Ah Mu."

Xu Mu snapped out of his daze after a few seconds, realizing what he was doing, he felt extremely embarrassed.

"Did you make this?" Bai Nian lifted the model in his hand.

Xu Mu's throat felt dry, "Um."

Bai Nian smiled, "It's pretty good."

He found a chair to sit on, tilted his head, and asked with a playful smile, "Are you not going to continue your studying? I have time tonight, I can see how you've been studying recently."

"Studying... well." Xu Mu mechanically returned to his original position, picked up his pen, stared at the lightboard, not sure what to do.

The black lines twisted and gradually filled in, his vision becoming blurred as his soul drifted away into the sky.

Knock, knock, Bai Nian tapped his knuckles on the desk.

"Ah Mu, is there something you don't understand?" he asked softly.

"Ah, no, I—" Xu Mu looked into the gray-blue eyes, his voice trailing off as he spoke softly, "I was just thinking, Brother Nian, why didn't you bring your glasses...?"

Bai Nian blinked slightly, then smiled, "My eyesight isn't that bad. I don't wear them at home for the sake of convenience."

"Oh, I see."

After a moment of silence, Xu Mu tightened his grip on the pen and started to focus on his drawing.

Bai Nian propped his chin on his hand, tilting his head slightly as he watched Xu Mu's strokes.

Xu Mu could feel the intense gaze beside him, even the flow of breath gently brushing against his neck. His knuckles turned white as he continued to draw, and gritted his teeth.

At first, Bai Nian paid attention to Xu Mu's movements with the pen. Slowly, he remembered what Shi Lun had said, and he started to feel nervous.

—You have to use your legs to hook him under the table. Understand? It's about subtle movements, gently hooking your legs...

Bai Nian lowered his gaze, and his crossed legs gradually shifted, lightly brushing against Xu Mu's leg. His knee occasionally touched the fabric of Xu Mu's pants, his ankle tapping against Xu Mu's shin before retracting, repeating the motion.

He stole a glance at Xu Mu's profile, but the latter remained impassive, showing no sign of reaction.

Bai Nian pursed his lips, he felt like... it wasn't working.

He was lost in thought, he recited a mantra in his mind: Hook with your legs, gently hook, two light touches, one firm touch, then pretend to circle once, and continue, two light touches, one firm touch...

Xu Mu kept his back tense, not daring to relax even a bit.

Putting the heater next to the desk was the worst decision he had ever made.

—It's too hot, too hot.

Xu Mu's forehead was dotted with fine sweat, and the muscles around his lips twitched slightly. His Adam's apple rolled multiple times, and the muscles in his neck felt swollen and sore.

He needed to change desks.

The space below was too small, barely enough for two people's legs. It was cramped and couldn't be stretched out.

Xu Mu's knees were already pressed against the side of the desk, with no room to retreat, yet the other side was still pressing forward step by step.

It was strange, even though there was a layer of fabric between them, he could still clearly feel the touch.

And even transmit warmth.

He took a deep breath and abruptly set down his pen.

"Brother Nian, your—" Xu Mu frowned and pulled his hand over.

Bai Nian looked up in confusion.

"What happened to your hand?" Xu Mu furrowed his brows, examining his hand.

Bai Nian's eyelids fluttered. "It must have been a mosquito bite," he scratched the back of his hand, the delayed itchiness setting in.

"I'll go get some medicine," Xu Mu said quickly, rushing out.

In just a few minutes, he returned with an electric mosquito device.

Turning on the switch, the mosquito device buzzed twice before flying to the side of the desk, crackling and emitting a faint burnt smell in the air.

Xu Mu closed the window tightly. "Brother Nian, you should tell me if you were bitten by a mosquito. Don’t treat it as no big deal..."

The bitten hand was covered in a dense cluster of red marks, particularly striking against Bai Nian's fair skin.

Bai Nian spoke softly, "It just looks scary. My skin is just sensitive from mosquito bites."

Xu Mu dug out a chunk of the green ointment, which felt ice-cold and refreshing to smell.

Xu Mu evenly applied the ointment with his fingertips, with just the right amount of pressure.

Bai Nian watched quietly, finding the bottle in Xu Mu's hand quite familiar.

"This is also something you got from the traditional Chinese medicine store based on your own recipe?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's very effective for insect bites, especially for relieving itching," Xu Mu replied.

Bai Nian thought of those throat lozenges and cold prevention pills, and asked softly, "How did you learn about traditional Chinese medicine?"

In this world, traditional Chinese medicine was considered somewhat obscure and esoteric, with many people not believing in it, but still, there were quite a few believers.

"I didn't learn it, it's..." Xu Mu paused for a moment, "The old man next door used to practice traditional Chinese medicine, and he was very skilled. He gave me a few prescriptions on a whim, and I remembered them."

It wasn't a lie, just a memory from his previous life, back when he had just turned eighteen and left the orphanage to live on his own for the first time.

"Did your legs get bitten too?" Xu Mu remembered Bai Nian's pale legs, which were like perfect targets.

He squatted down to check, the lights were dim but it was still visible enough to see the red marks.

–- He really got bitten.

Xu Mu sighed, "Does it itch?"

He counted, there were at least seven or eight bites.

Bai Nian lowered his head, subconsciously scratching his knees, "A little."

He thought for a moment, then added, "But I really didn't feel anything just now."

Xu Mu said, "Stretch your leg out, I'll apply it for you."

"Okay..."

Xu Mu lowered his eyebrows, "Aren't you cold? Let me get a blanket for you later."

"I'm not cold." Bai Nian's mind was elsewhere, still preoccupied with what Shi Lun had said.

—-- Hook him with the legs, then use your feet to step on, step anywhere, starting from the knees, then to the thighs, and then...

"Is there anywhere else that I missed that needs to be covered?" Xu Mu asked.

Bai Nian hesitated, his gaze falling on Xu Mu's knee. Should he step on it with his foot? Wouldn't that be strange?

"Brother Nian?" Xu Mu looked puzzled.

Bai Nian blinked rapidly, lifted his foot, hesitated in midair for a few seconds, as if considering the position.

His slender, pale leg lightly touched Xu Mu's knee, with blue veins visible on his legs, and the bones of his foot arching up.

"Yes, can you help me apply it on my instep?" he said softly.

Xu Mu froze.

Bai Nian: "..." Indeed, what he was doing was quite strange.

He wanted to retract his foot, and pretend that nothing had happened.

—- But he couldn’t retract it.

His ankle was held.

Bai Nian was stunned and looked over, their eyes meeting.

Xu Mu's palm was placed on his ankle, holding onto the bone of his ankle, and rubbed it gently with his fingertips.

It felt warm and delicate to the touch.

He squeezed it again unconsciously.

"Well, let me help you apply it."

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