Start From Zero (BL) (End)

41. A New Rival

NSFW at the end of chapter.

Zhong Li looks at his lunch with disgust. Childe eats his meal happily. He cooks personally for them.

Prize Catch. It's his favorite meal.

Childe stops eating when he notices his boyfriend hasn't picked up his chopsticks.

Zhong Li looks like he's going to vomit.

Childe rubs his back. He looks to the untouched dish.

He asks worriedly, "Are you okay? You don't look good... Are you... Pregnant?"

A slap to his shoulder makes Childe laughs heartily.

Zhong Li pushes the dish away from him.

He complaints, "I can't eat this."

After Oseal kept touching him, he got traumatized. Tentacles give him goosebumps.

The dish is made from Octopus.

Childe nods his head. He never knows Zhong Li dislikes Octopus.

He comments, "It's okay. Eat the other dish. I'll cook something delicious for you for dinner. You don't eat Octopus. Anything else?"

"Just no tentacle."

"I see..."

Ayaka shakes her head. It's a good thing they're leaving soon. She got bloated from the excessive dog foods. The lovers spare no single dog. They are always showing love in daily basis.

Yoimiya, heir to Nagohara Fireworks takes them out of town. Smuggled them through unknown hidden route. She has many friends from different backgrounds. Some of them are thugs.

They reach riverside.

She announces, "We have to swim to reach the other side of the island."

Zhong Li gulps.

He asks, "Is there another way?"

"It's the only way not to attract the guards. The other routes are heavily guarded."

Childe shakes his head.

He informs, "Zhong Li can't swim."

"Why didn't you tell me? I... It's impossible to find a raft around here. The guards patrol this area every hour."

Zhong Li looks downward. He swears to learn swimming when they got back to Li Yue Harbor.

Childe looks around. He smirks when he sees some reeds.

He comments, "No worries. I got an idea."

Yoimiya swims and waits for the lovers for a while. The guards are going to pass this area. So she hides in the bushes.

Zhong Li and Childe are holding hands while walking in the bottom of river. They are breathing using reeds.

The guards patrol through the area. Not noticing few reeds in the middle of the river.

A bird whistles loudly. A signal for safe passes. The lovers reach the other side safely. They take off their clothes and squeeze them dry. They change to dry ones.

Yoimiya says, "We have to keep walking. My friend got a boat waiting south of here."

Zhong Li swallows hard when he notices the small rickety boat. He swears he will learn swimming.

Childe whispers, "I won't let you drown. Believe in me."

"Okay."

The boat sets sail. Yoimiya waves to them. She wishes them safe travel. She has fulfilled her promise to Lady Ayaka.