TGMNDIAR - 72
Xu Mu “dizzily” made his way home, with Bai Nian setting the navigation route self-driving vehicle back.
He also enjoyed the soft-spoken care throughout the entire ride .
Xu Mu felt guilty deep down, but the gentle fingers pressing on his temples were so wonderful that he couldn't refuse and floated away, immersed in the sensation.
Ye Ye, with his big eyes wide open, tried hard to stand on tiptoe, "Daddy... what's wrong with Daddy?"
Xu Mu: "..."
Bai Nian gently said, "Daddy is dizzy, let's be quiet and not disturb him."
Ye Ye immediately covered his mouth and nodded vigorously.
Then he climbed onto the sofa, his chubby little hands mimicking Bai Nian's actions, gently patting Xu Mu's back.
Xu Mu: "..." He felt a bit moved but even more guilty.
He cleared his throat and patted Ye Ye's head, "Alright, Daddy feels much better now."
Ye Ye pouted, leaning forward to ask, "Really?"
Xu Mu nodded.
Ye Ye instantly broke into a smile and clung to Bai Nian , whispering, "Daddy, that!"
He pointed to the insulated bag for ice cream.
Bai Nian said, "There's carrot juice, do you want some?"
Ye Ye's eyes lit up, "Yes—" Realizing something, he covered his mouth and whispered, "Yes."
Bai Nian smiled and took out the warm carrot juice, pouring it into a small cup.
Ye Ye happily took it and prepared to run off to share with Nades. Before leaving, he didn't forget to give Xu Mu a "pain pain go away."
Xu Mu: "..." It felt like a ritual.
"Do you still want ice cream?" Bai Nian's hand rested on Xu Mu's cheek, his brows lightly furrowed. "If you're dizzy, we can save it for tomorrow, okay?"
How could Xu Mu refuse?
"Mm, I'll listen to you."
"Did Qi Xin give you a hard time today?" Bai Nian handed Xu Mu a cup of warm water and applied face cream for him.
"Close your eyes," he instructed.
"Mm." Xu Mu leaned his face forward.
The moisturizing cream softened his dry skin, making it no longer feel like sandpaper.
"A hard time? Not really." Xu Mu was indeed thirsty and drank more than half the cup in one go.
Bai Nian looked down and asked, "What did he say to you?"
Before Xu Mu could answer, Bai Nian added, "Never mind, it's not important. If there's anything you want to know, just ask me."
Xu Mu was taken aback.
Bai Nian smiled and continued, "Qi Xin is the son of one of my mom's former employers. When he was little, I helped him a few times. Actually, it wasn't really helping; to me back then, it was just playing with a kid, nothing more. After my mom left that job, I never went to their house again."
"We had no contact afterward, but one day, he suddenly confessed to me, which startled me. I rejected him several times, but he wouldn't give up. It only stopped when his mom intervened."
He sighed as he spoke, "To be honest, I don't think he truly likes me. It's more like he sees me as an obsession, or rather, he projects his fantasies onto me to satisfy something he's lacking."
Xu Mu responded, "Hmm... so that's how it is."
"You don't seem too surprised," Bai Nian softly smiled.
"He doesn't seem quite normal," Xu Mu remarked. "What kind of friend is that controlling?"
He reached out and pulled Bai Nian into his arms, whispering, "That's why I don't believe what he says. He's just jealous of me."
Bai Nian couldn't help but chuckle and coaxed him, "Alright, you're really smart."
Xu Mu spoke earnestly, "With someone as popular as you, I have to keep a close watch."
"Popular?" Bai Nian pinched his nose. "You're overthinking it. I wasn't popular at all when I was in school."
Xu Mu was skeptical, "How is that possible?"
"Really, I was quite isolated as a child. People around me didn't like to play with me. I often stayed in the corner."
Xu Mu frowned, "Why? Did they dislike good students?"
Bai Nian didn't confirm or deny, simply saying, "We'd have to turn back time to ask them. Of course, my personality had something to do with it as well."
Xu Mu looked at him intently, then lifted him up and gently kissed his earlobe, cherishing and adoring him.
"If I had met you when we were kids, I'd stick to you every day, make you my only best friend, and not let anyone else take you."
Bai Nian's neck felt ticklish, and he laughed, trying to dodge. "When I was in middle school, you were just born. That might be a bit hard to achieve."
Xu Mu was dissatisfied, "We're talking hypothetically. Why couldn't we be the same age?"
"Alright, alright, the same age."
"My only best friend?" Xu Mu squeezed his waist and gently bit his Adam's apple.
Bai Nian's waist softened under Xu Mu's kisses, his eyes flushed, and he trembled as he spoke, "Only you, absolutely only you..."
Xu Mu grazed his teeth against Bai Nian's neck, leaving a faint mark.
"Why do you love biting my neck so much..." Bai Nian sighed.
He grabbed Xu Mu's wrist, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"Stop it, it tickles."
Xu Mu knew Bai Nian was ticklish, especially at a certain spot on his waist. A slight touch there would make him tremble, turning him soft as cotton candy in Xu Mu's arms.
"Besides being my only best friend, I'm still the one you like the most, right?" Xu Mu asked again.
Bai Nian chuckled, "Yes, yes, absolutely."
"Not sincere," Xu Mu clicked his tongue. "I'm serious."
"I am serious."
"Have you ever heard a saying, 'Fate is always listening, and those willing to speak their hearts will be blessed'?" Xu Mu asked.
Bai Nian's eyes sparkled like water, and he smiled gently, "Does that mean if you say it, it might come true?"
"Yes, maybe in the next life."
Bai Nian propped himself up on his arm, his nose lightly brushing against Xu Mu's, "Alright, I understand."
He held Xu Mu's face and planted a kiss on his forehead.
"I love you the most."
Each word was imbued with the deepest emotion.
Xu Mu stared unblinkingly, his heart racing.
He lifted his head and gently pressed his lips against Bai Nian's.
"I love you the most, too."
This relationship, transcending space and time, was nothing short of a heaven-sent fate.
Yes, he was grateful to destiny—
For letting him meet Bai Nian.
---
"Ah Mu, do you remember what you said a few days ago?" A gentle voice resonated in the quiet room.
The green bamboo viper lay listlessly on the blanket, looking dispirited.
His gray eyes had regained a bit of color, but the scales on his body were still extremely dull.
"..." Xu Mu remained silent, not even moving his tail.
Bai Nian lowered his head, his nose touching the bamboo viper's head. "Didn't you say you love me the most?"
Xu Mu twisted his neck and gave Bai Nian a kiss on the cheek, meaning ‘That's right.’
Bai Nian's smile deepened. "Then you won't mind if I help you shed your skin a bit, right?"
He brushed a branch lightly over the bamboo viper's head, saying softly, "It looks like it's almost time to shed. The scales and skin appear to be separating."
Xu Mu used his tail to tap the screen and typed.
[I will try again]
"Alright." Bai Nian put down the prepared branch.
Xu Mu sighed deeply, resigned to his fate, and began circling the branch.
Shedding skin... is so troublesome!
But if he couldn't manage to shed, Brother Nian would have to peel it off for him.
Hiss hiss hiss, no, that would be too weird.
The green bamboo viper huffed and puffed as he continued to circle, getting dizzy.
"Ah Mu, you're shedding your skin." Bai Nian said joyfully, "Your head is starting to..."
He didn't finish speaking and quickly took out his optical brain to record.
Xu Mu: !!!
Why does he need to record a video?!
[Brother Nian, there's no need to record this...]
"But it's my first time seeing you shed your skin. It's worth commemorating." Bai Nian propped his chin and said softly, "Okay? I'll just record for a bit, for ourselves to watch."
[Are you planning to share it...?]
Bai Nian chuckled, "Of course not, don't worry."
Alright then. Xu Mu continued to circle the branch. The shedding started from his head, with the skin forming a fine mesh, neatly arranged. The color wasn't purely white but had a slight yellowish tint.
The snake's body, half-shed, contrasted sharply with the part that hadn't shed yet.
The upper part was bright green, while the lower part remained dull gray.
Bai Nian stared intently, unwilling to look away even for a moment.
The green bamboo viper moved slowly, the layer of shed skin growing longer and longer.
Bai Nian watched in fascination, leaning in closer and closer.
What a beautiful green, he thought, like a pearlescent texture, reflecting strange colors at certain angles.
He wondered if the texture would feel any different to the touch...
Maybe smoother?
Xu Mu shed his skin relatively quickly, and within a few minutes, only the tail remained.
He stopped moving and instead fixed his vertical pupils on Bai Nian.
"What’s wrong?" Bai Nian was startled. "Are you out of energy?"
Xu Mu used his head to type.
[Didn't you want to help me shed my skin? There's a bit left, give it a try.]
This was the part Xu Mu had deliberately left, the red section of his tail.
Bai Nian was delighted, "Really?"
Xu Mu nodded.
Bai Nian, smiling broadly, gave the bamboo viper’s flat head a kiss.
"Ah Mu, you’re so good."
Xu Mu turned his face away, his body involuntarily squirming.
Is the new skin more sensitive?
It felt strangely itchy.
Bai Nian began to carefully peel away the snake's skin. The shed skin was soft, but not too soft; its texture was indescribable when held in his hands.
He was very careful, trying to keep the skin intact.
"Does it hurt?"
Xu Mu shook his head.
[The old skin has already separated from the scales, it doesn’t hurt.]
"I know, but still, we need to be careful..." Bai Nian whispered, "Just in case, right?"
Xu Mu wanted to say there was no "just in case," but seeing Bai Nian's serious expression—
Alright, let's go with "just in case."
"Actually, peeling it off feels quite satisfying, it’s kind of stress-relieving..." Bai Nian murmured.
Xu Mu: "..."
"It's done." Bai Nian gently placed the shed skin in his palm, his lips curving into a slight smile. "I'll keep this safe until the custom frame I ordered arrives..."
Xu Mu was shocked.
[Wait, Brother Nian, are you really going to frame it? I thought you were joking!]
Bai Nian said, "It's not just framing it, it's an art project. I’m going to paint a green bamboo viper shedding its skin on a branch, and this—"
He lifted the snake skin in his hand, "I'll place it in the appropriate spot. It’ll be perfect, don’t you think?"
"..." I think it’s kind of embarrassing.
[Where will you hang the painting?]
"I was thinking of the living room or our room, but since you’re so shy, I’ll put it in my study and admire it in private."
Bai Nian’s tone was somewhat regretful.
Xu Mu breathed a sigh of relief. Alright, that’s more acceptable.
Bai Nian carefully put the snake skin away, his hands itching with curiosity.
"Ah Mu, can I touch your new skin?"
Xu Mu didn’t resist, obediently coiling around Bai Nian’s wrist.
"So smooth, even smoother than before," Bai Nian remarked, his fingers gently pressing against the scales, a smile spreading across his face. "But it feels a bit damp since you just shed your skin, it has a very unique texture."
Xu Mu yawned, lazily coiling his snake body.
"You’re so adorable..." Bai Nian sighed again, holding the beautiful red tail and giving it a slight squeeze.
Xu Mu stiffened, his scales nearly bristling.
—Brother Nian, what are you doing?
Bai Nian blinked, apologetically saying, "Oops, my hand slipped..."
Before letting go, he quickly glanced at the tail.
Xu Mu opened his mouth and bit Bai Nian's wrist, leaving two small red marks without breaking the skin.
Bai Nian soothed him, gently kissing his cheek.
"Alright, I’m sorry."
Xu Mu retracted his tail.
Bai Nian coaxed him again, "Look, these little marks are so cute."
He then released his fluffy ears, using them to tickle the snake’s tail.
Xu Mu instinctively rubbed against the fur.
No, he needed to stay strong.
The green bamboo viper left two more symmetrical teeth marks on Bai Nian’s other wrist.
Bai Nian was troubled. Oh no, is he really mad?
After thinking for a moment, he decided to transform into his mimicry form.
The lop-eared rabbit tilted its head, its gray-blue eyes large and bright, glistening with moisture. It hopped forward, its fluffy fur were like tufts of cotton, with its tail swaying back and forth.
The rabbit lay on its back, exposing its belly, and looked innocently at Xu Mu, as if saying—
Here, want to rua my belly?
Xu Mu: "..." Another "beautiful rabbit" trick!
Three seconds later, the green bamboo viper was hissing as it coiled around the lop-eared rabbit.
Ah, so fluffy!
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