Vase cannon fodder is pampered by the group again

Check out our advanced chapters

Please kindly turn off your adblock, we want to pay our translators.

---

Chapter 51.2

Editor: Jodi

As the breathing next to his ear evened out gradually, Shen Ci opened his eyes carefully, his heart racing.

He was really about to go crazy—Lu Xiao was seriously too good at this! He almost hadn’t been able to hold it together earlier and had nearly given himself away.

If he still couldn’t figure out what was going on in Lu Xiao’s mind after all this, then he was really a complete idiot!

But why on earth?

He turned his head to look at the sleeping Lu Xiao, his gaze lingering on those sensual lips. They seemed so soft…… ah, not right!

His face flushed a bright red, and he bit the tip of his tongue hurriedly to bring himself back to his senses.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Lu Xiao had opened his eyes at some point, a gentle as ever smile playing on his lips.

Shen Ci was startled. However it was too late to pretend to be asleep now, so he had no choice but to meet his gaze.

“I can’t sleep….” He murmured softly.

Lu Xiao pulled him closer, patting his shoulder and back gently, just like soothing a child to sleep.

Shen Ci subconsciously tried to snuggle deeper into his arms out of habit. However the moment he moved, he realized something was off.

What used to be a completely normal act of closeness now suddenly felt incredibly awkward after what had just happened.

No, no, he had to clear this up, otherwise it would just be too awkward!

“Little Uncle, on the mountain, why did you suddenly…” Shen Ci’s voice trailed off as it grew softer and softer, until he fell silent, too shy to finish his sentence.

Lu Xiao, suddenly wanting to tease him, leaned in closer. “Suddenly what?”

His right hand was resting on Shen Ci’s lower back, and it wasn’t known whether it was intentional or not, but his fingers began to stroke the area through the fabric of Shen Ci’s pajamas slowly.

“!!!”

A shiver of electricity shot up Shen Ci’s spine, rushing to the top of his head. His breath hitched, and he subconsciously curled up, overwhelmed by the sudden sensation.

“Like this?”

Lu Xiao’s hand lifted his chin firmly then his lips were on his again. His right hand slid under Shen Ci’s pajamas, tracing fiery paths along his smooth back.

This time, the kiss was far more intense than the one on the mountain. Shen Ci quickly found himself breathless, his eyes growing red at the corners as he tried to pull away.

And Lu Xiao, distressed, eased off immediately, pulling back and placing gentle, fleeting kisses at the corners of his lips.

Shen Ci tilted his head back, staring at Lu Xiao in a daze. His lips were parted as he gasped for air, a flush coloring his fair cheeks, and his moist, doe-like eyes, glazed with unshed tears, were irresistibly captivating.

Lu Xiao: “……”

The wave of heat in his body rushed down, and for a moment, he regretted teasing Shen Ci like this. It felt like he was trapping himself.

“Why did you do it again so suddenly!” Shen Ci, still struggling to catch his breath, complained with a slight whimper, his words tinged with grievance.

Lu Xiao murmured lowly, “Because I love baby.”

His voice was deep and hoarse, laced with a smoldering intensity that burned deep into Shen Ci’s ears.

Shen Ci’s pupils contracted in shock as he stared at Lu Xiao in disbelief, as if his brain had short-circuited from the sudden revelation.

Did his Little Uncle just, just say it out loud?

This was all too sudden— he hadn’t even had time to sort through his own feelings…

While Shen Ci was still processing, Lu Xiao was waiting.

However every second felt like an agonizing eternity. Time crawled by in slow, painful increments, yet Shen Ci remained silent, giving no response.

A trace of sorrow gradually appeared in Lu Xiao’s eyes. He let out a bitter laugh.

No matter how hard he tried to foster Shen Ci’s complete reliance on him, he would never be able to cultivate the kind of feelings he wanted.

Shen Ci only saw him as his so-called “Little Uncle”. Perhaps he had been foolish to hope for more from the beginning.

Regret began to seep into his heart. If it meant growing distant from the only light in his life, then maybe it was better to……

He took Shen Ci’s hand, bringing it to his lips with a reverent, passionate kiss as his long lashes quivered, almost as if they were trembling.

“Xiao Ci, I’m sorry. Can we pretend that nothing happened tonight?”

“Can I still be the person you trust the most? Please?”

“Consider it as me begging you…”

Shen Ci was frozen in place, his nose stinging as a wave of tiny pricks of pain spread through his heart.

He had never seen Lu Xiao humble himself so deeply, pleading like this.

This was Lu Xiao, the man who ruled Yunxiao, a formidable presence in the business world, a figure who made others tremble at his name—a man who, in his eyes, was a god, someone he admired and revered above all others.

How could this mighty figure, someone so grand and powerful, lower himself to such a humble state just for someone as insignificant and incapable as him?

A sharp ache spread through his chest, and he reached out to hug him tightly. “Little Uncle…”

Xiao Ci, had already made his choice.

However this familiar term of endearment, spoken with such tenderness, felt like a blade slicing through Lu Xiao’s heart, forcing him to sever something deep within.

He had allowed himself to kiss Shen Ci freely tonight, however from now on, he could never cross that line again…… the yearning that had once been kept hidden now seemed more torturous than before, as he knew that what he wanted was forever out of reach.

“Sleep.” He pulled Shen Ci into his arms, then breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t feel any resistance.

Shen Ci wanted to say something, however no words came out when he opens his mouth, so he could only bury himself deeper into Lu Xiao’s arms.

Where the warmth made him feel so safe, so secure every time that his whole heart melted into contentment.

He quickly fell asleep.

---

The next morning, Shen Ci was awakened by his big brother.

And the moment he opened his eyes, a wave of cold hit him, causing him to be unable to help but wrap the blanket around himself more tightly.

He reached out somewhat absentmindedly, feeling around the bed. Something felt off, like something was missing…

Ah! Where was his Little Uncle?!

He shot up in bed, startling Shen Bie.

“Where’s Little Uncle?” He asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.

Shen Bie glanced at him, “Uncle Lu left early this morning. He said something came up at the company and that he had to go back.”

Shen Ci was dumbfounded: “He’s, he’s gone?!”

They had clearly agreed that someone else would handle the company’s affairs so that he could relax and enjoy a few days off.

But now, out of the blue, he had just left, and—after saying those things yesterday!

This was nothing short of desertion! His Little Uncle had chickened out and fled!

Shen Ci was beyond upset, pouting and sulking the entire day, his usual smile nowhere to be seen.

As Shen Bie observed his baby little brother, he could immediately tell that there had been some conflict between him and Lu Xiao. He comforted him on the surface, but was extremely happy in his heart.

Lu Xiao, who was so formidable in the business world, had completely botched this hand. Where was that fearless strategist now?

Whatever had happened between them, he was just glad that his biggest rival for Xiao Ci’s attention had suddenly bowed out of the competition. No matter what, his little brother would always be his family’s treasure!

Shen Bie enjoyed the rest of the three-day vacation happily, then when it was time to leave, felt a little reluctant.

The same day Shen Bie left, “Neighborhood Sunshine and You” started streaming on the Bai Guo Video Platform.

And thanks to the earlier well-executed promotional campaigns, the support of several industry heavyweights who willingly helped spread the word, and the recent buzz from a hot search topic, the web series immediately garnered a high number of views the moment it aired.

Many tuned in with the intent of mocking Shen Ci’s acting, however the result….

“Xiao Ci! Hurry up and check Weibo! Those who were dissing your acting are getting totally roasted, it’s so satisfying!”

Wei Shuo came running over, patting Shen Ci on the shoulder. Shen Ci was sitting with his back to him, perched on a large rock in the corner of the village.

The screen of Shen Ci’s phone locked immediately, then he turned his head, his voice muffled as he asked, “What did you say? I didn’t catch that.”

Wei Shuo, hands on his hips, couldn’t help but frown.

Ever since Lu Xiao left without a word that day, Shen Ci had been unusually quiet, his mood somber.

Before, whenever he mentioned Lu Xiao, Shen Ci would light up, his eyes sparkling as he sung his praises.

But now, the moment Lu Xiao’s name was brought up, he would quickly change the subject, seemingly unwilling to talk about him at all.

What on earth had Uncle Lu, who practically worshiped the ground Shen Ci walked on, done to upset him this much?

However…… Shen Ci had been staring intently at his WeChat conversation with Lu Xiao just now.

And he had caught him doing this several times already.