Jiang Que fumbled to catch what Shen Tazhi tossed to him, blushing as he hesitated for a while before whispering, “I like you…”
How could he not like him? Shen Tazhi was so handsome, so gentle, as if he knew everything and could do anything, always leading the way for him.
Perhaps he could have explained it as dependency before, but when he watched Shen Tazhi disappear completely before his eyes, the heart-wrenching feeling that spread through him made it clear that Shen Tazhi was indeed a special presence to him. He didn’t want Shen Tazhi to die, he wanted to be with him all the time, to do all the things that lovers do with Shen Tazhi – if that counted as liking someone.
So Jiang Que felt that he must really like Shen Tazhi.
Shen Tazhi couldn’t help but reach out and pinch his face, causing Jiang Que’s mouth to pout, forcing him to lean towards Shen Tazhi.
Intentionally repeating his previous question, Shen Tazhi asked, “Then tell me, what do you like about me?”
They were… too close.
Jiang Que looked at Shen Tazhi’s handsome face, finding it difficult to compose his thoughts. He stuttered, “Because you’re good… you’re exceptionally good, and very capable, you…”
Jiang Que felt he could list at least ten good qualities about Shen Tazhi, from appearance to personality to their interactions, but when it came to actually saying it, all he could manage was a feeble “good.”
It’s not that he couldn’t say it, but he just felt those reasons didn’t quite explain why he liked Shen Tazhi. Yet, when it came to why he liked Shen Tazhi, Jiang Que couldn’t come up with any other starting point.
Shen Tazhi smiled, “Why can’t you say it? Are you lying too?”
“I’m not!” Jiang Que became flustered. “I really like you, I…”
His sentence was drowned out by another kiss from Shen Tazhi.
It wasn’t until Jiang Que felt like he was being suffocated by something dangerous that Shen Tazhi finally let him go.
His voice was husky, and as he spoke, Jiang Que could feel the warm breeze tickling his ears, “Que Que, someone once described love this way.”
“He said, ‘Love has no origins, but it goes deep.’ Not all emotions can be measured inch by inch, no one can clearly explain what it is.”
“It’s normal not to be able to say it, I can’t either, understand?”
Jiang Que nodded absentmindedly.
Shen Tazhi chuckled again, looking at the flattened box that Jiang Que had unconsciously clenched tightly, and asked, “Aren’t you going to open it?”
Following his gaze, Jiang Que looked at his hand and was shocked to see what Shen Tazhi had mentioned.
What does this mean?
Shen Tazhi rubbed a certain area through his clothes, raised an eyebrow, and jokingly said, “Are you planning to handle it yourself? I don’t mind…”
“I do mind!” Jiang Que directly interrupted Shen Tazhi, continuing the action with the tentacles.
Amidst the wet sounds and heavy breaths, Shen Tazhi’s attempt at calmness was particularly unremarkable, “Put it on… otherwise, we’ll have to clean up again later.”
…
It turned out that provoking Jiang Que without the body being properly composed was not a wise decision.
Shen Tazhi struggled to turn over on the bed.
In the end, of course, Jiang Que didn’t listen to him. The bedsheet underneath was new, and the pajamas had been changed as well.
The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom, where Jiang Que was showering. As for himself…
Thinking back to the various events that had occurred while cleaning in the bathtub, Shen Tazhi’s ears turned red.
Jiang Que’s tentacles naturally secreted some mucus during… and when they got wet, they became slippery and wet, almost causing a mishap several times.
If he hadn’t managed to escape the bathtub in time, he might have faced not just Jiang Que but all eight of his tentacles.
Fortunately, they were able to clear up the misunderstanding in time. Shen Tazhi thought as he forced himself to get out of bed, intending to search for the phone he had kept in his jacket, only to find it unexpectedly empty.
Huh? Had it been accidentally misplaced during the chaos of the past few days?
Shen Tazhi searched the room with a puzzled expression, but even when Jiang Que emerged from the bathroom, there was still no sign of the phone.
“Gege?” Jiang Que was drying his hair, and upon seeing Shen Tazhi standing by the bed, he asked, “Are you looking for something?”
“I’m looking for my phone.” Shen Tazhi, with his back turned to Jiang Que, didn’t bother to turn around to look at him or hide anything from him. “I need to message the Anomaly Investigation Department. The company must have accumulated a lot of things. Do you know where it is?”
Jiang Que lowered his gaze, dragging his eight tentacles, and quietly walked behind Shen Tazhi, making no sound.
The tentacles silently wrapped around Shen Tazhi.
“Gege, do you really have to contact them?” Jiang Que asked softly.
In the moment when Shen Tazhi felt the tentacles wrapping around him, he realized something was wrong.
No. The phone might not have just been dropped, it could have been… intentionally discarded.
Discarded by Jiang Que.
Stay calm, Shen Tazhi. There are no misunderstandings between you and Jiang Que now. His unusual behavior is normal because he’s not human. Don’t make Jiang Que feel a sense of danger at this moment, or it will backfire.
In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Shen Tazhi’s mind, but he maintained a calm expression on his face. “Yes, it’s been a long time since I contacted them. If we don’t reach out soon, the backlog of tasks will become overwhelming.”
He asked again, “Have you seen my phone anywhere?”
Jiang Que listened silently to Shen Tazhi’s words, only making a move when he was asked again.
The tentacles wrapped around Shen Tazhi slowly loosened as Jiang Que’s main body opened the room’s door and walked out. The distance exceeded the maximum length the tentacles could reach, so they reluctantly let go.
What was he going to do outside?
Shen Tazhi was puzzled, and followed Jiang Que out of the bedroom.
By then, Jiang Que had already reached the downstairs area, standing by the railing on the second floor, observing all of Jiang Que’s movements from above.
Jiang Que walked over to the television set and used his tentacles to retrieve a phone from the jumbled wires behind it.
It was Shen Tazhi’s phone.
Jiang Que took the phone, then quickly ran upstairs to where Shen Tazhi was, handing the phone over to him obediently.
“Here, use it, and give it back when you’re done.”
How did Jiang Que manage to say such frightening words in such an obedient tone?
Jiang Que’s words sounded so matter-of-fact that Shen Tazhi was stunned for a moment before accepting the phone.
Instead of immediately responding to Jiang Que, Shen Tazhi returned to the room, charged the phone, and then patiently asked Jiang Que, who was sitting nearby and watching him closely, “Why did you hide my phone?”
Jiang Que calmly replied, “Because at that time, I didn’t want to give you a chance to escape.”
As the most commonly used communication device among humans, Jiang Que was well aware of this. Having seen many people forbid their partners from having phones, he didn’t think his actions were too extreme.
Shen Tazhi fell silent.
“…What about now?”
Now?
Jiang Que asked in confusion, “Aren’t we together now? Aren’t you staying to accompany me?”
That was why he so readily handed back Shen Tazhi’s phone. In Jiang Que’s understanding, Shen Tazhi had agreed to be with him, meaning he would stay and keep him company. So, even returning the phone to Shen Tazhi didn’t bother him.
Feeling a bit stuck, Shen Tazhi explained, “Que Que, I can’t stay at home all the time. I have to go out to work, and even if I didn’t work, normal humans need to go out frequently to avoid getting sick.”
Jiang Que was taken aback, “You will definitely go out?”
Shen Tazhi nodded, not planning to back down on this matter.
Jiang Que fell silent once again.
The dark-haired youth was still wearing Shen Tazhi’s pajamas, looking a bit malnourished with hardly any flesh on his frame. The oversized and light pajamas made him appear like a small black cat wearing ill-fitting clothes, curling up alone in a corner of the bed.
Even the tentacles paused, touching each other as if communicating something.
However, no matter how pitiful the scene, it couldn’t conceal the fact that Jiang Que was preparing to do something quite dreadful.
Shen Tazhi rarely hardened his heart. Without looking at Jiang Que, he picked up his phone that was charging, quickly sent a brief message to the Anomaly Investigation Department to update them on his situation, and checked his work email.
Just as Shen Tazhi was about to reply to an email from his assistant, he felt a poke on his back.
It was Jiang Que. He raised his tentacles and cautiously poked Shen Tazhi’s back.
“Are you angry?” Jiang Que asked softly.
His perceptiveness in emotions made him realize that Shen Tazhi’s current mood was off, but he couldn’t quite identify the emotion, so he decided to ask Shen Tazhi directly.
Angry?
After a moment of thought, Shen Tazhi realized he wasn’t angry. “I’m not angry, I just feel… helpless.”
“Is it because I hid your phone?” Jiang Que inquired.
“It’s not just about that, Que Que,” Shen Tazhi sighed. “I just feel helpless about not knowing how to guide you.”
It was clear that Jiang Que’s personality had its quirks, and traditional methods of teaching wouldn’t be effective with him. Being too gentle might be ignored, while a more forceful approach could backfire.
Shen Tazhi was capable in many aspects, but he had never learned how to teach children. Dealing with Jiang Que’s current condition was proving to be a challenge for him, hence his decision to ignore the seemingly pitiful Jiang Que earlier. This was not just to give Jiang Que some time to reflect but also to allow himself some space for contemplation.
Jiang Que tilted his head. He didn’t quite understand Shen Tazhi’s words, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to ask, “When you said you like me, was it true?”
“Of course it was true,” Shen Tazhi was both amused and exasperated by the question. He leaned slightly towards Jiang Que, wincing from the ache in his waist but maintaining eye contact, “Que Que, I’ve confessed, cleared up misunderstandings, and you’ve even dragged me to bed multiple times. Now you’re doubting whether I really like you–“
He pinched Jiang Que’s cheek lightly, “You’re being too much, you little rascal.”
Jiang Que raised his hand, gently rubbing the side of his face that Shen Tazhi had pinched, feeling a bit embarrassed. He lowered his head, falling silent once more.
He was lost in his own thoughts.
Initially, Jiang Que recalled the ultimate fates of those human lovers he had seen while in the abyss. They either ended up turning against their original partners with knives drawn or regretted their actions after completely breaking their loved ones, with most ending up in prison.
According to Jiang Que’s original plan, he intended to crush Shen Tazhi completely and then piece him back together into the form he desired.
Human spirits were always fragile, easily shattered once their emotional weaknesses were targeted.
However, now that Shen Tazhi had regained his memories, there was no need to stick to the original plan. Jiang Que had no trouble understanding this aspect. He was wrestling with another question.
“If you go out… will you come back quickly?” He couldn’t help but voice his thoughts.
Shen Tazhi paused at his question, and Jiang Que observed every nuance of his expression. Thinking Shen Tazhi was hesitating, Jiang Que pursed his lips and took a step back, “It’s okay if you don’t come back so soon. But will you come back at all?”
“When you say you like me, is it the kind of liking where you’ll be with me, and you’ll come back after leaving?” Jiang Que inquired.
His tentacles didn’t touch Shen Tazhi, quietly curled up next to his main body, just as obediently watching Shen Tazhi as Jiang Que was.
In Jiang Que’s eyes, did going out mean that he was unlikely to return?
Struggling to understand Jiang Que’s thought process, Shen Tazhi suddenly grasped the significance. From the initial arrogance and hostility to the current tentative retreats, the only difference seemed to be a response regarding love. Even a creature who grew up in the abyss, ignorant of emotions, would soften its edges for the one it cared about.
Shen Tazhi couldn’t contain himself any longer. He reached out and embraced the nervous Jiang Que.
“It’s not certain, sometimes I have to be out for a long time,” Shen Tazhi explained.
Feeling Jiang Que’s tensed body due to nervousness, Shen Tazhi reached out and gently touched the corner of Jiang Que’s eye, unsurprised to find it damp.
“Why are you crying again…” Shen Tazhi handed him a tissue to wipe his tears. “Weren’t you tough just now? Why cry now?”
Jiang Que held onto his tentacles, preventing them from curling around Shen Tazhi, and softly said, “Because I’m upset.”
“Even if you like me, I’ll still feel upset if we won’t seen each other for a long time.”
He didn’t want to be alone. He wanted to be with Shen Tazhi all the time.
Shen Tazhi sighed, “You…”
“Que Que, when did I ever say we would be apart?”
Jiang Que looked up at Shen Tazhi in disbelief.
Shen Tazhi smiled, “Why don’t you come out with me? What are you doing staying at home all the time?”
…Go out?
Jiang Que repeated the somewhat unfamiliar term in his mind.
Him, going out with Shen Tazhi, into human society?
It seemed like a fairy tale to Jiang Que, but Shen Tazhi seemed to think it was perfectly normal.
“Actually, you mentioned you’ve never touched real snow or heard the sound of real rain. I can take you out for a trip, wherever you want to go,” Shen Tazhi said casually. “By the way, I should buy you a phone. Once you learn how to use it, you can contact me directly.”
As Shen Tazhi spoke softly, Jiang Que felt like he was listening to a fairy tale.
“Is this how humans… fall in love?” Jiang Que asked aloud. It was completely different from what he had witnessed.
Shen Tazhi replied, “Of course. When humans fall in love, they don’t confiscate their partner’s phone. They go out together and come back together, not leaving the other person waiting behind.”
“Even if I’m a monster?”
“You can.”
Shen Tazhi kissed him again.
“Que Que is not a monster, Que Que is a good boy, right?”
Dazed from the kiss, Jiang Que’s mind was filled with the phrase “good boy1looks like someone has a praise kink.”
…Was he really dreaming?
As he was tucked into bed by Shen Tazhi, preparing to sleep and dream with him, Jiang Que couldn’t help but wonder.
Why hadn’t any of the worst-case scenarios he imagined come true? Why did Shen Tazhi’s every step surprise him?
If it was truly a dream, then he hoped this dream would last a lifetime. Oh… and he needed to learn how to kiss.
Jiang Que thought to himself and then hugged Shen Tazhi, falling into a deep sleep.
The next day, at the Anomaly Investigation Department:
“So, this is the reason you’ve been missing for a whole three days?!?”
Du Lulu looked at Shen Tazhi sitting opposite her, and at Jiang Que sitting next to him, who was focused on Shen Tazhi and seemed to ignore her. Du Lulu couldn’t take it anymore and stood up, exasperated.
“I was about to break in to save someone, and then you sent a text saying you were fine. I thought you were being coerced!!”
Shen Tazhi smiled helplessly, “I’m sorry, it was a special situation at the time. That’s why when I received your email asking again, I brought Jiang Que here, thinking maybe this would prove my words.”
Du Lulu was speechless, and finally, Jiang Que turned to look at her.
Jiang Que stared at her seriously for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke up, “Where’s Xi Jing? Why isn’t he here?”
Upon hearing the name “Xi Jing,” Du Lulu straightened up, and replied, “The team leader is out on a mission and won’t be back for a while. That’s why I was asked to temporarily observe you two.”
“What mission?” Jiang Que inquired.
“I don’t know,” Du Lulu scratched her head and admitted, “It’s a secret mission, only those involved know about it. Why do you suddenly ask about this?”
“No reason,” Jiang Que replied casually. “I was just curious about your relationship with him, judging by your expression and how much you care for him.”
“What?!” Du Lulu nearly fell back in shock, barely managing to stay seated. “We have a superior-subordinate relationship, and the team leader is my idol!! What kind of tone is that? I have a completely professional relationship with the team leader!”
“I was just teasing,” Jiang Que said nonchalantly, lowering his gaze. “Stop yelling at my gege. I didn’t dislike you before, but a few more words and I might start to.”
Du Lulu: …
Hmph! I’m starting to dislike you! You nasty bastard!!
She wouldn’t dare say these words to Jiang Que, especially with his current cold and brooding demeanor, and the eight tentacles behind him. Even the image Xi Jing described to her during their handover – of a “little monster covered in blood without any expression” – was enough to send shivers down her spine.
Du Lulu had to swallow her anger and forced a smile to Jiang Que, “Alright, I’ll stop. Please step up to the equipment, young master. I’ll conduct a check-up for you.”
Shen Tazhi appeared here with Jiang Que not only to report in but also to have Jiang Que undergo a comprehensive check-up.
The medical equipment at the Anomaly Investigation Department was invaluable and not meant to be used so easily by outsiders. However, the information Jiang Que brought about the apocalypse was significant. Moreover, since Jiang Que had only “attacked” Shen Tazhi and Shen Tazhi himself showed no intention of pursuing the matter, the Department had no choice but to acknowledge Jiang Que’s contribution and arrange for his examination.
Ignoring Du Lulu’s sarcastic remarks, Jiang Que reluctantly left Shen Tazhi and walked towards the equipment.
Almost the moment Du Lulu said, “You’re good to go,” Jiang Que darted back to Shen Tazhi’s side, resembling a homesick kitten.
Although Jiang Que hadn’t said a word throughout, Du Lulu was inexplicably annoyed. She glared at his back as he returned to Shen Tazhi.
Shen Tazhi caught Jiang Que and helplessly remarked, “I thought you two might get along personality-wise.”
He had met Du Lulu earlier. Before Jiang Que brought him back when he lost his memory, the Department had sent Du Lulu to deliver various weapons to handle containment objects. They had also informed him that Du Lulu would be lurking outside his house. At that time, he had a good impression of this straightforward girl, but he didn’t expect her and Jiang Que’s energies to clash so strongly.
“Who wants to get along with her?” Jiang Que turned his head unhappily, clinging to Shen Tazhi’s arm without speaking. “She’s mean to you, I don’t like her.”
Du Lulu clenched her fist.
If she could overpower Jiang Que, she would likely have punched him by now. She didn’t stop to think about why she was so frustrated. Anyone who was ambushed for three days and then found out that the person they were protecting had been dragged into a room by a containment object would feel the same level of despair, right?
And on top of that, the containment object had taunted her. It was just too much!
As Jiang Que’s medical report printed, Du Lulu felt a mix of sadness and anger, but she had to work diligently. Following Xi Jing’s instructions, she added, “Oh, Mr. Shen, the team leader asked me to give you a check-up as well.”
“A check-up for me?” Shen Tazhi was puzzled.
Du Lulu found it hard to speak, blushing and stammering, “It’s, um… your stomach…”
Shen Tazhi: ?
Du Lulu, with a red face, continued hesitantly, “It’s… because you’re the first person to carry the egg of a tentacle containment object. We’re concerned about your safety, so we want to give you a check-up to ensure the health of you and your… child.”
Shen Tazhi: …
Oh, he seemed to have left out an important detail from his explanation.
He glanced at Jiang Que, who seemed to remember his previous actions and gave him a pleading look, his tentacles clinging to Shen Tazhi.
He didn’t mean to say it like that.
Well, worst-case scenario, he could end up with a stomach full of eggs, making the story about carrying the ball a reality…
