Xi ger thought for a moment and tried to phrase his words in a way Yue ger could accept. “Jin ger might have certain qualities that Brother Heng admires and appreciates. My A-Yue will also find someone who appreciates you. Let’s not dwell on them anymore, okay? Let it go.”
“No!” The moment Xi ger said this, Yue ger felt as though sharp claws were tearing at his heart, the pain so intense it made his scalp tingle.
“Why are you saying this too?! What qualities does he have? He’s just a useless lunatic! I’m the one who’s suited for Brother Heng!”
“A-Yue…”
“Get away from me! If you’re telling me to let go, are you even my friend?!”
“…” Xi ger’s expression turned cold. How could he not be Yue ger’s friend? If he wasn't his friend, why would he have come again and again to comfort him?
Yue ger shouted angrily, “You’re on that lunatic’s side too! You’re just like everyone else! All of you are on his side. You’re supposed to be my friend, but you’re speaking for him, telling me to let go!”
“…” Xi ger took a deep breath to calm his anger and spoke gently, “What I mean is that they’re already deeply in love and married. There’s nothing you can do, A-Yue. You don’t need to trap yourself like this. Yuan Heng isn’t worth it…”
“How is he not worth it? He’s the tribe’s top warrior. He saved me once, and he even injured his face while doing so…” Yue ger’s voice broke as he sobbed, “But… but his face has healed now… completely… There’s not a single scar left, just like his feelings for me… gone without a trace…”
“A-Yue!” Xi ger grew impatient. “Don’t do this to yourself. Don’t keep deceiving yourself. You’re one of the most popular gers in the tribe. Many people are lining up to marry you. Why are you like this… Brother Heng himself has said he never had feelings for you. Don’t trap yourself like this…”
“Shut up!” Yue ger glared at Xi ger. “You’re on that lunatic’s side. You’re not standing with me. You’re not my friend anymore. You’ve changed! You’ve changed!”
Yue ger pushed Xi ger wildly, “Get out! Go to that lunatic’s side. I don’t need you!”
“!” Xi ger who was pushed and bumped several times, also grew angry. He clenched his teeth and said, “How am I on his side? I’ve always been speaking up for you. Because of your conflict with him, I didn’t even ask him about pharmacology to avoid making you overthink. I haven’t had any private exchanges with him. How could I possibly be on his side?”
“Back when all those gers were egging you on to ask Yuan Heng about his feelings, I told you that if there were too many people, you might end up embarrassed. But you didn’t listen! Brother Heng made it clear back then, he loves his ger, Wang Jin. He doesn’t have feelings for you. You refused to listen and caused this scene today. Even now, I know you’re wrong, terribly wrong, but I’m still trying to persuade you. I want you to let go. Do you even understand?!”
“…” Yue ger was stunned by Xi ger’s outburst, and his tears fell even harder. “You still say you’re not on that lunatic’s side? What did I do wrong? The one who’s wrong is that lunatic! He’s the one who took everything from me. I hate him! I wish he was dead!”
“!” The intense hatred was like a ghostly aura emanating from hell, corroding everything bright around it. Xi ger was shocked by the venom and resentment in Yue ger’s words. He looked at Yue ger and suddenly felt that the person standing before him, though bathed in sunlight, was surrounded by darkness. A thick, black haze enveloped him, obscuring his true appearance and making him look like a shadowy figure, sinister and foreboding.
Xi ger was so shaken that he took a step back. The person before him felt like a stranger.
“You… actually think like this…”
“What? I shouldn’t feel this way? He took everything from me, and I’m not even allowed to hate him?”
Xi ger shook his head, feeling as though Yue ger was sinking deeper into quicksand, impossible to pull out.
He might even drag those trying to save him into the darkness, where they would be trapped forever.
“This attitude will drive everyone around you away…”
Just like the tribe leader…
Xi ger didn’t say the last part out loud, hoping Yue ger would come to realize it on his own. But it was futile…
“Everyone around me? Is there anyone left around me? They’ve all been stolen by that lunatic! Even you, with our decade-long friendship, have been easily taken by him.”
“!” These words left Xi ger both heartbroken and exhausted.
He was still standing by Yue ger’s side, but Yue ger could no longer see him.
If one day Xi ger truly sided with Wang Jin, it would be because Yue ger had pushed him away first.
Xi ger felt a lump in his throat. After more than a decade of friendship, Yue ger didn’t trust him at all.
A wave of frustration made him reluctant to continue trying to persuade Yue ger. He sighed softly and turned away. “You should calm down first. I’ll come see you again in a few days.”
With that, Xi ger left without waiting for a response, fleeing as if escaping.
Even though Yue ger’s resentment wasn’t directed at him, it still felt suffocating.
Meanwhile, in Yuan Heng’s house, Yuan Heng narrowed his eyes and questioned the little ger in a dangerous tone, “A few days ago, you promised me you’d only play the flute for me. What happened to that?”
Wang Jin shrank back slightly but then straightened his neck and retorted, “What else could I do? He came to challenge me! Was I supposed to back down?”
As he spoke, Wang Jin seemed to remember something, and in a fit of frustration, he bit Yuan Heng’s cheek lightly. “And what about you, huh? You’re the ‘blue-faced calamity,’ Brother Heng! This is your romantic mess! And you’re blaming me?!”
“…” Feeling guilty, Yuan Heng fell silent.
But Wang Jin, as if opening a floodgate, puffed out his cheeks and continued unhappily, “You’re the one with unresolved romantic entanglements, and you’re coming after me? I had no choice but to step up, and I even helped clean up your mess! You should be thanking me, you know!”
The little ger’s soft voice was like a kitten’s purr, naturally carrying a hint of coquettishness. It sounded as if a soft paw was gently stepping on Yuan Heng’s heart, making it melt completely.
Wang Jin’s eyes were clear, and his cheeks were tinged with pink from speaking so urgently. His puffed-up cheeks made him look like a lively little animal, so adorable that Yuan Heng couldn’t help but want to pull him into his arms.
And that’s exactly what Yuan Heng did. He grabbed the little ger, pulled him tightly into his embrace, and rolled onto the bed with him…
The night passed…
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