Ch4- Can you rub it for me?
Seemingly aware of Xia Wan's gaze, Huo Yu briefly glanced at him and said quietly, "Pay attention to the phone."
"Oh," Xia Wan responded obediently.
Sensing the villain's sharp gaze, he instinctively straightened up even more than before.
At the same time, the voice on the phone, which had been growing louder by each second, suddenly stopped.
After a moment, Xia Yang's voice which was intentionally quieter this time, came through, "Are you with Huo Yu?"
"Yes," Xia Wan responded in a soft, innocent tone, though there was a clear hint of complaint in his voice. "We were in the middle of something important, and your call came right in the middle of it, interrupting us."
As for what they could possibly be busy with at this time? Even someone could figure that out with their toes.
It was the middle of the night -two men, both single, finally meeting again after being apart for so long, and the mood between them was full of tension, emotions and unspoken feelings.....
Xia Yang's thoughts quickly filled in the blanks.
And listening to complaining voice..
Was Xia Wan actually blaming him for ruining his good moment??
No wonder Huo Lin had been so furious on the phone earlier, cursing him like grandson.
Xia Yang gritted his teeth in anger. He had many things to say to his idiotic cousin but, in the end, he swallowed them all, because he was afraid of being overheard by Huo Yu.
In the end, he could only lower his voice and warn, "I don't want to say this again. You'd better remember what I told you and do as I said."
With a sharp click, the phone call was cut off, and the sound of a few quick beeps echoed briefly before fading into the quiet of the car.
Once the phone call was abruptly ended, Xia Wan let out a soft smile, his lips curling slightly as he relaxed. He rubbed his arms to warm himself a bit before beginning to think about the original story plot.
In the book, the original owner didn't appear often, but every time he did, he was shown as a very unpleasant character. His presence always brought trouble or made things worse.
For instance, crashing engagement party of the protagonists, constantly stalk the male protagonist Gong, and eventually losing his mind after not getting person he liked.
Throughout the entire story, the original owner was like a leech, clinging to the Gong protagonist and refusing to let go, no matter how much he was unwanted.
But with Xia Yang's call and the gradually clearer memories, Xia Wan realized that the original owner's obsession with Huo Lin wasn't really about love in the first place.
After all, before Huo Lin got engaged, they had only known each other for a little over a month, and nothing significant had happened between them. It didn't seem enough to make the original owner so obsessed with him.
If it wasn't something the original owner had chosen for himself, then there was only one possible explanation left: the odd, obsessive behavior the original owner had displayed towards Huo Lin had likely been a consequence of pressure from the Xia family.
For example, if it were still the original owner sitting here, he would probably have been thrown off by Xia Yang's sudden outburst during the phone call.
And high probability, the original owner would have quickly agreed to Xia Yang's threat, not questioning anything and simply accepting whatever was demanded of him.
After all, Xia Wan and his father, Xia Chengzhang, were powerless in Beijing and had always relied on the support of Xia Yang and his father, Xia Chenglin.
Without their backing, even getting by and making a living in this city would have been difficult for them. Let alone a night.
It was exactly because Xia Yang and his father took advantage of these weaknesses that they were able to completely control the original owner.
If Xia Wan had felt the sense of being caught between 'wolves in front and tigers behind' when Huo Yu grabbed his wrist and forced Huo Lin to call him sister-in-law at the engagement banquet, then, as more memories returned to him, Xia Wan realized that, in reality, ever since the original owner had moved to Beijing, he had been stuck in an impossible situation from the very beginning.
Since he couldn't escape the fate of facing both tigers and wolves, the only choice left was to decide which one to confront in the end.
Xia Wan's gaze shifted and settled on Huo Yu, who was driving.
Because the windbreaker had been given to him, Huo Yu was now left with wearing only a thin black shirt. As his hand moved. slightly on the steering wheel, the fabric of the shirt clung to his smooth shoulders, neck, and arm, highlighting his toned figure.
Xia Wan's gaze lingered for a moment, and then, almost instinctively, he made a choice.
Firstly, he and Xia Chengzhang had to break free from the Xia family and stop living a life where they were nothing more than pawns under their control.
Secondly, he had already offended Huo Lin and Qiu Qi.
It wasn't just about what happened today even if he hadn't shown up at the engagement banquet, Qiu Qi would still see him as a nuisance and try to get rid of him.
In the original book, the original owner eventually lost his mind, and no one could say for sure who had truly pushed him to that point.
If that outcome was already set in motion, then he needed to find strong support that could stand on equal footing with his enemies.
So, looking around carefully, who could possibly be a better choice than Huo Yu? In the original book, even though there was a clear and overwhelming difference in power between him and the protagonist, he was still able to push the protagonist to the brink of collapse.
Moreover, unlike those who had used and manipulated the original owner for their own gain, he and Huo Yu had no conflict of interest. In fact, they also share a common enemy, which could make their goals even more aligned.
To put it another way, even if Huo Yu despised his status and position, it didn't matter-after all, he still had other trump cards up his sleeve.
For example, there are some hidden details and clues in the book. If used wisely, he could completely change the direction of the story.
Once everything settled, he could find a way to step out of this chaotic battle that had never had anything to do with him.
As for who bit whom-he couldn't care less about it.....
The main issue now was figuring out how he and Xia Chengzhang would survive after leaving the Xia family.
But Xia Wan didn't panic. He believed that every problem had a solution.
He quickly thought through his options and came up with the worst-case plan: he had perfectly working hands and feet, and at worst, he could take on a few jobs to support himself and Xia Chengzhang until he figured out the rest.
It was simply perfect!!!!
A sudden sense of hope filled his mind, and Xia Wa couldn't help but praise himself for his cleverness.
He was a little proud of himself for coming up with such a practical solution.
"Why do you keep looking at me?" Huo Yu seemed to sense his gaze and asked without looking away.
"It's nothing," Xia Wan calmly looked away from his face. "I was on the phone with my brother just now, and had to call your name. I hope you don't mind."
"What's wrong with using a name? Aren't you supposed to call people by their names?" Huo Yu responded indifferently as he turned the car into a traditional villa area.
Xia Wan was very familiar with this place.
It wasn't far from his real home in his world and was on the route he often took to get to the hospital, though he had never stopped to look around.
He kept looking out the window with curiosity until the car finally pulled into Huo Yu's garage.
Huo Yu lived in a three-story villa, located in the center of the community near the lake.
Before stepping inside, Xia Wan assumed the place would be covered in dust since Huo Yu had been away from China for a long time.
However, when he entered, he was surprised to find the house spotless and neatly arranged. There was even a faint, comforting smell of food in the
air, making it feel as if the house
had never been empty at all.
As soon as the delicious smell reached Xia Wan's nose, his stomach let out a loud growl, echoing through the silence of the room.
Xia Wan pursed his lips and quietly raised his hand to cover his stomach, trying to hide his embarrassment. His cheeks were slightly flushed, but he ignored the heat on his face and asked softly, with curiosity, "Is there a hidden fairy in your family?"
If anyone else had said this, Huo Yu would have simply taken it as a casual joke.
But the way Xia Wan said it, with such natural innocence in his voice, made it seem as if he truly believed in fairy tales.
Huo Yu glanced at him lightly, and the corners of his mouth curled up again.
Over the years, Huo Yu rarely laughed, and even when he did, it was mostly out of necessity. Yet, in the brief one or two hours he spent with Xia Wan today, he had lost count of how many times he had genuinely laughed.
He couldn't quite understand why, but Xia Wan had a strangely contradictory nature. When on guard, he was sharp, clever, and even scheming. Yet, when he relaxed, he became almost childlike, pure and innocent, as if completely unaware of the complexities of the world.
But strangely, Huo Yu felt that these two contrasting sides of Xia Wan blended perfectly together. It was as if he was naturally meant to be this way-bright, transparent, and free of the timidity, submissiveness, meekness, and gloominess he had seen in the video Shen Yan had sent him before.
"No. I don't," Huo Yu finally answered.
Xia Wan simply responded with a soft "oh." A small smile tugged at his lips as he realized how silly their conversation had been.
After entering someone else's territory, Xia Wan became more cautious and reserved. He followed Huo Yu step by step, not daring to make a move without permission.
"Do you want to shower or eat first?" Huo Yu suddenly stopped, causing Xia Wan, who wasn't paying attention, to bump into his back.
The force of the collision caused Xia Wan's nose to hit Huo Yu's back, which felt as hard as steel. The impact made his nose sting and making him to instinctively wince.
His eyes reddened from the pain, but he was still worried about making a mistake or being Inappropriate. So, he cautiously raised his face and asked, "Can I take a shower before eating?"
"Sure." Huo Yu glanced down at him, pausing for a moment before he answering.
When Xia Wan heard Huo Yu's response, he couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement, his eyes lighting up with a big, genuine smile that he didn't try to hide.
The bathroom was very spacious, with a layout that separated the dry and wet areas. A large mirror stood by the door, giving the room a modern, polished look.
Since arriving in this world, Xia Wan had been focused on dealing with one emergency after another. He never got the time or space to wonder about his current apperance.
But now, as he stood in front of the large dressing mirror, he was completely frozen, staring at his
The person in the mirror was still wearing a stained and messy white shirt, that looked a little disheveled, but everything else about him was strikingly familiar. His black hair, almond-shaped eyes, well-defined lips, and the delicate curve of his nose-all of these features were exactly the same as his real self.
The only difference was his skin, which, due to long-term illness, had always been pale and unhealthy, with even paler lips.
However, the young man in the mirror had healthy, milky-white skin that looked warm and vibrant. His eyes, gleaming with a hint of amber under the light, radiated a soft warmth, while his lips were pink and natural.
Even though the young man was in his twenties, his eyes had a youthful sparkle that made him incredibly charming and approachable.
Xia Wan was silent for a moment until he remembered something and immediately raised a hand to roll up the sleeve of his left arm.
There it was.
Just like the one on his old body, there was a tiny mole on his wrist bone, light brown in color, and shaped like a butterfly with its wings spread slightly..
Looking at the familiar mole on his wrist, Xia Wan's heart began to beat loudly.
If everything hadn't felt so incredibly real, if he wasn't standing in an unfamiliar room, he might have almost believed that everything he had just experienced was nothing more than an absurd dream.
If only it was just a dream...
After soaking in the warm water for a while, Xia Wan felt his body completely relax. The tension he had been carrying melted away, and he let out a lazy yawn, feeling completely at ease.
Without thinking, he reached out for a bathrobe, expecting someone to hand it to him. But then it hit him, he wasn't at his own world and his situation was definitely not same as before.
He sighed and reluctantly got out from the cozy bathtub and went to get it himself.
The bathrobe was so big that it almost reached his ankles.
Xia Wan tied the belt around his waist before slowly walking out.
The young man's black hair was still damp, and small drops of water slowly slid down his face.
His eyes looked soft and clear, with a bit of mist from the warm bath, and the corners were slightly red. It was completely different from how he looked the last time he had been soaked when wine had been splashed on him, leaving him drenched and humiliated.
Back then, he looked tense and
sharp, his expression full of discomfort and defensiveness. But now, after the warm bath, all that tension was gone. His face looked calm and peaceful, and give him soft, warm, and gentle apperance.
"I couldn't find the hair dryer," Xia Wan said, looking up. The steam had made his eyelashes thicker and darker, giving his eyes an almost innocent, wide-eyed look.
Huo Yu gave him a quick glance without saying anything, then turned and walked into the bathroom.
Huo Yu couldn't figure out how Xia Wan had taken his bath. From the bathtub to the doorway, there were splashes of water everywhere, as if he'd been running back and forth in the whole bathroom naked.
Huo Yu paused for a moment, then bent down to rummage through the cabinet where the bathrobes and towels were kept. After a brief search, he finally pulled out the hair dryer.
When he came out again, Xia Wan had already changed into the shirt and pajamas he had set out for him. He was now sitting cross-legged on the sofa, quietly and obediently waiting for him to return.
"Did you change your clothes in the room?" Huo Yu asked, his voice was a little tense. He subconsciously gripped the hair dryer tighter, his fingers pressing it harder than usual.
"Yeah," Xia Wan nodded obediently, a few water droplets still on his nose, shined under the light. "Didn't you just go into the bathroom? So, I changed my clothes here."
Huo Yu pursed his lips and silently handed over the hair dryer.
Xia Wan took it but didn't move. His lower back ached a bit from the incident at the banquet when Qiu Qi had pushed him, causing him to bump into the corner of a table.
At first, he didn't really notice the pain because he had been so tense the whole time. His mind had been on high alert, and that had made it easy to ignore. But now that he was finally relaxed, and after soaking in the hot water, the area where he had banged into the table suddenly started to sting and ache more clearly.
The sharp pain spread from his lower back, making it hard to ignore anymore.
He attempted to inspect himself in the bathroom mirror, but due to the angle, all he could see was a vaguely bluish-purple bruise.
"Do you have any medicinal alcohol?" Xia Wan asked while sitting up a little straight, holding the hair dryer in his hands.
As he shifted, the hem of his pants lifted slightly, revealing a slim, pale ankle. His skin was so fair it almost seemed to glow under the light. His feet were smooth and white like fresh snow, and his toes that looked soft and pink, curled slightly.
It was hard to tell whether they curled because of a chill in the air or simply out of habit, but the small movement made him look even more delicate.
"What do you need medicinal alcohol for?" Huo Yu asked in a low voice as he looked away from the pink toes.
"My back is injured," Xia Wan whispered, his voice was soft and full of pain. It was almost as if he was on the verge of tears.
"It hurts." He said again. As he spoke, he instinctively turned his body, lifting his hand to pull up the hem of his shirt to reveal the area on his lower back.
Before coming to this world, his family had never dared to let him get hurt. They had always been very cautious about him getting hurt.
Due to his poor blood circulation and fragile health, even a simple insect bite was matter of concern for his family.
Almost everyone in the family, including the house helper was trained to take care of him and help him right away if he got hurt.
So he instinctively turned to Huo Yu for help.
"No." Before his hand touched the hem of his clothes, he heard Huo Yu's voice behind him, cold and hard.
Xia Wan, who had been inadvertently relaxed and familiar around Huo Yu, suddenly woke up.
This man was a villain; how could he have forgotten that?
After suffering such a setback, Xia Wan remained motionless, like a monk chanting scriptures, and focused on etching this crucial piece of information deep into his mind.
However, before he could fully internalize it, he was derailed by Huo Yu's next words.
"I've only asked my housekeeper to prepare daily necessities, not things like medicine. Even if I have them at home, they would have expired," Huo Yu's voice softened. "You'll have to bear with it today. I'll buy some tomorrow."
For a moment, Xia Wan felt a bit disheartened.
But when he realized that Huo Yu wasn't refusing, he looked up with hope in his eyes and gazed at him.
After a brief pause, he asked cautiously, "Then, could you rub it for me?"