TCPUAAV Chapter 131

 

 

Rong Heng kept the same position, propping himself up on his elbows, his body hovering just above Ruan Shiqing. His dark golden eyes widened in shock, staring into Ruan Shiqing’s clear ones—his expression so stunned it looked a little foolish.

 

Ruan Shiqing had been unconscious for so long. At first, Rong Heng would often fantasize that maybe the next moment he would wake up. But now, after eight long months, he had grown used to waiting and no longer dared to hold onto such fragile hopes. He had thrown himself into searching for the cause of Ruan Shiqing’s unending coma.

 

This sudden miracle had come too unexpectedly.

 

Faced with the eyes he had longed for day and night, Rong Heng’s mind went completely blank.

 

For a moment, he thought maybe this was just a beautiful dream born out of longing—if so, he wished he could stay asleep a little longer. And for another moment, he wondered—if it was real, what should he do? Pretend nothing had happened? Act casual and let him kiss back?

 

He stared wide-eyed at the man beneath him, his face full of emotions shifting like waves. Yet his body remained tense and frozen. He neither spoke nor moved, just stayed there stiffly.

 

Their noses almost touched, breaths mingling, and the lingering warmth from their earlier kiss still burned softly between them, creating an awkward yet intimate atmosphere.

 

It really wasn’t the best position for a proper conversation.

 

Ruan Shiqing moved his arm slightly, trying to sit up.

 

But the moment he moved, Rong Heng reacted instinctively.

 

—He pressed down with his whole body, thinking the beautiful dream was about to vanish, trapping Ruan Shiqing beneath him and even burying his face into Ruan Shiqing’s neck hollow, like two perfectly matched pieces locking together seamlessly.

 

“Don’t go. I missed you so much,” Rong Heng’s voice was low, carrying a rare trace of grievance.

 

Ruan Shiqing froze, feeling the warmth of teardrops falling against his neck.

 

“How long have I been unconscious?”

 

Sensing the trembling hidden in that tightly embracing body, Ruan Shiqing finally gave in. He stopped struggling and awkwardly maintained this strange position, raising his hand to gently stroke Rong Heng’s tense back.

 

He had thought he had simply vanished, but now he realized: only his soul had traveled—his body had remained here, on B3024 Star.

 

“Eight months and twenty-one days,” Rong Heng answered.

 

Just nine days short of a full nine months—three-quarters of a year had passed.

 

Rong Heng clung tightly to him, greedily breathing in his scent.

 

Eight months and twenty-one days. Every day he had prayed for Ruan Shiqing to wake up—from hope to disappointment, disappointment back to renewed hope… again and again. He had never given up, but had grown instinctively terrified of the crushing despair that followed broken hopes.

 

So even now, he didn’t dare verify whether this was real or a dream, afraid that even trying to check would shatter this beautiful illusion.

 

He hugged his beloved tightly, whispering to him all the longing and separation of nearly nine months.

 

Ruan Shiqing listened quietly as Rong Heng told him about the cubs growing up, about the changes on B3024 Star, about the expansion of the Eastern Alliance… So many things had happened during his coma, and he had missed it all.

 

He couldn’t help but sigh. “I missed a lot.”

 

At such a critical time, he should have been there for them.

 

“You didn’t miss anything,” Rong Heng finally loosened his vice-like hold slightly. He stretched out a long arm and brought over the glass jar from the bedside.

 

Inside the cylindrical glass jar was a full collection of five-pointed star-shaped medals. The bronze-colored medals were worn smooth at the edges, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.

 

The medals weren’t uniform in size, clearly handmade. Ruan Shiqing could make out the intricate inscriptions on them, as well as the distinctive Ymir clan emblem carved into each one.

 

The person who had crafted them was right in front of him.

 

Running his fingers gently over the jar, Ruan Shiqing imagined the state of mind Rong Heng must have been in while making them. His expression gradually softened.

 

Setting the jar aside, he reached out, cupping Rong Heng’s face with both hands. Before the other could react, he leaned in and kissed him—lightly nibbling on his lips, murmuring against them:

 

“I like them very much. This is my thank you gift.”

 

When he had been trapped in the other world, he had always regretted not having broken through the ambiguity between them sooner.

 

Now that he had finally come back, he wasn’t willing to waste any more time. Since Rong Heng still hesitated to speak his heart, then he would be the one to take the first step.

 

Rong Heng’s already overworked brain instantly short-circuited.

 

All he could think was: This dream is too beautiful—too real.

 

He had only ever stolen shallow kisses three times before, never daring to go deeper. But now, Ruan Shiqing took the initiative, deliberately enticing him to deepen the kiss. After so long apart, the kiss turned passionate and lingering.

 

When Rong Heng finally noticed the changes in his body, he hunched his back awkwardly in embarrassment, but inwardly thought—this dream was more vivid and real than any dream he had ever had.

 

Even in dreams, he had never seen this side of Ruan Shiqing.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s lips were still moist from the kiss, the corners of his eyes tinted red, smiling up at him with slightly hoarse laughter—a sound so enticing it hooked into Rong Heng’s heart, pulling him in for another greedy kiss.

 

He couldn’t get enough. He kissed and kissed until Ruan Shiqing’s lips became sore and chapped. Only then did Ruan Shiqing finally push him away, breathless: “Enough.”

 

But Rong Heng, emboldened by the belief that this was just a dream, acted shamelessly, rubbing his nose affectionately against Ruan Shiqing’s face and muttering in a sticky, spoiled tone, “Not enough.”

 

Ruan Shiqing was about to say something when, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a small figure standing at the door—Ruan Jiao, who had just been brought back from the lab by 09, was standing there, staring wide-eyed at them in stunned silence.

 

It was hard to tell whether he was more shocked that his papa had woken up, or that Snowball was apparently trying to become his new father—or perhaps both.

 

The little cub stood frozen in the doorway, his round eyes not even blinking.

 

Ruan Shiqing immediately flushed red from ear to neck, hastily shoving Rong Heng away. He straightened his disheveled sleepwear and tried his best to act natural, smiling as he beckoned, “Jiao Jiao, come here.”

 

He carefully looked the little cub over—and realized with some amazement that Ruan Jiao had grown taller.

 

Finally snapping out of his stupor, Ruan Jiao dashed into his papa’s arms. Hugging Ruan Shiqing tightly around the waist, he rubbed against him and choked out a teary, “Papa.”

 

Ruan Shiqing answered softly, smiling as he said, “Jiao Jiao, you’ve grown taller.”

 

The little cub let out a soft, shy “Mhm,” his forehead tentacles waving happily. In the past half year, he had indeed grown—studying daily in the lab with Garland, striving hard to grow up quickly so he could help, just like Ruan Yuebai and the others.

 

But now that Papa was finally awake, he suddenly didn’t want to grow up anymore. He just wanted to stay his papa’s little cub forever.

 

Now he finally understood why his older siblings, even after growing up, still liked to revert to their cub forms around Papa.

 

Being Papa’s little cub—was just too blissful!

 

The little one nestled tightly in his papa’s arms, unwilling to let go.

 

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, squeezed aside by the cub, fell into a long and terrible silence. He glanced at Ruan Jiao, then at Ruan Shiqing, then back at Ruan Jiao… and finally, trembling slightly, realized—

 

This wasn’t a dream!

 

It wasn’t a dream. He had kissed Ruan Shiqing—and Ruan Shiqing had kissed him back.

 

Rong Heng swallowed nervously, trying to stay calm. He unceremoniously pulled the cuddly cub away and said, “I’ll call Garland over to do a check-up.”

 

After all, Ruan Shiqing had been unconscious for so long. Now that he was finally awake, they had to do a full examination to be safe.

 

Ruan Shiqing noticed his guilty, evasive gaze—such a stark contrast to the brazen way he had just said “Not enough.” He raised an eyebrow, quickly piecing together the reason for the change in attitude.

 

He hummed in acknowledgment and said casually, “There’s a medical kit in the living room. Could you fetch it for me?”

 

Hearing “medical kit,” Rong Heng immediately panicked, clutching Ruan Shiqing’s shoulders anxiously. “Are you feeling unwell?”

 

Ruan Shiqing licked his chapped lips and tipped his chin up: “My lips are injured. I need some ointment—otherwise, how am I supposed to face anyone later?”

 

“……”

 

It was as if Rong Heng had been scalded. He instantly withdrew his hands and, without daring to meet Ruan Shiqing’s eyes, hurriedly scurried off to get the kit.

 

Ruan Shiqing had only asked for it to tease him. He casually found a tube of ointment and dabbed a bit on his lips. Glancing sideways at the man furtively loitering nearby but too afraid to look at him, he chuckled silently. With Ruan Jiao present, he restrained himself from going too far, only smiling as he handed the used kit back.

 

The Crown Prince accepted it and fled in a flustered panic.

 

He hunched slightly, trying to conceal the awkwardness in his body, lingering pointlessly in the living room, struggling to extinguish the fire that had been lit inside him. Every little glance at Ruan Shiqing seemed enough to unravel his self-control.

 

A twenty-six-year-old, on his way to be a vigorous grand mage[mfn]It’s that telling that when you reach thirty without losing your virginity, you turn into a powerful wizard lmao[/mfn]… facing the person he loved most… it was far too easy to let things spiral out of control.

 

The Crown Prince sighed deeply, filled with conflicting emotions.

 

Thinking back on that sweet kiss, he couldn’t help but touch his lips again—still floating in a dreamy daze.

 

Ruan Shiqing had kissed him. That probably meant… he liked him too?

 

But he hadn’t even gotten the chance to confess yet!

 

Still… since the kiss had already happened, maybe confessing didn’t matter so much anymore? Maybe he should strike while the iron was hot… and just make everything official?

 

While Rong Heng’s mind was running wild with such dangerous thoughts, Garland, who had rushed over after getting the news, arrived.

 

Carrying his diagnostic equipment, Garland went up to the second floor—only to find Rong Heng crouched by a small cabinet, grinning like an idiot.

 

“……????”

 

Garland paused mid-step, frowning slightly in confusion. Then he continued into the bedroom, setting up his equipment while casually asking Ruan Shiqing, “What’s wrong with him?”

 

Ruan Shiqing craned his neck to peek outside. He could just see half of Rong Heng’s profile—the man crouched by the cabinet, his head lowered slightly. His long hair, usually neatly tied back, had come loose during their earlier intimacy, a few strands falling messily across his face. Only the faint curve of a smile could be seen peeking through.

 

“He’s just… very happy,” Ruan Shiqing said, keeping a perfectly straight face as he told a blatant lie.

 

Given how well he knew Rong Heng, that idiot must still be replaying the kiss in his mind.

 

He couldn’t help but reach up to touch his slightly swollen lips, the corners of his mouth curling up uncontrollably into a smile.

 

 

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I’m gonna cry this is so sweet

 

(Jiao Jiao nearly got traumatized poor baby lmao)

 

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