Xue Zi Xuan (FOD side story)

Chapter 5.2

T/N: Sorry for the long wait!! I've been really really really busy these two months and still will be until like next week where my schedule will completely clear up(hopefully) then I'll be able to work on 5.3 then... ... thank you to vanilla muse for helping me with this chapter! 

Chapter 5.2 – A Turn for the Better

At this time, a car was heading directly towards them. The extremely rare license plate number made Xue Zi Xuan tremble all over. His originally pale complexion turned ashen in a flash. The youth was leaning against the window and watching the nighttime scenery outside. Xue Xi Xuan forcefully grabbed him and pressed him against his chest, using one hand to lightly cover his fair white cheek.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yun Sheng's head was pressed against the young man's hard chest, making it hard to breathe. He couldn't help but struggle a bit.

"Don't move." Xue Zi Xuan muttered, and there was hidden fear in his voice. It was Xue Yan's car. He was here too. No, he must not let him see the boy. In this life, he must hide the boy and not let anyone take him away.

As the car gradually approached, Xiao Wang also recognised the license plate number. From afar he beeped the car horn once, and the other part returned the honk once. Just this one beep caused Xue Zi Xuan to stop breathing. His heart was beating like mad. The thump, thump, thump sound was very clear in Zhou Yun Sheng's ear.

"What happened to you?" He asked again, but the young man pressed his finger lightly against his lips.

"Don't move, and don't talk. Xiao Yi, don't leave me, okay?" Xue Zi Xuan held the boy tightly, his thumb against those soft lips, and his palm cupping the youth's delicate face. His hoarse voice sounded like it was choked with sobs. At this moment, he was so fearful, even more fearful than before. After becoming aware of this, the youth became even more frightened.

What was the most painful thing in the world? It wasn't losing something before you've gotten it, but to suddenly lose it when you've just gotten a hold of it. That heart wrenching pain, he experienced it once before. In this life, he didn't want to experience it again for the second time.

He knew that there was a film pasted on the car window, and that people couldn't see in from outside, but he was still worried about it. As the other car got closer, his muscles tensed up even more. Fortunately, the other party only beeped their horn once and drove on. They did not stop to exchange greetings.

The taillights disappeared around the corner of the freeway ramp. Xue Zi Xuan looked back for a long time. Then he released the boy in his arms and helped him fix up the hair on his forehead.

Zhou Yun Sheng was distinctly aware that just then the young man's nerves had reached the limit. His heartbeat was so rapid, his breathing was so shallow, and his voice was broken because of fear. What was he afraid of? He blocked his face with his hand. Was he worried that someone would see him?

Before he was acting so gentle and considerate, ultimately he still revealed his inner core? Why give others hope and then forcibly break that hope? For a moment, he had really wanted to believe in the goodwill of the young man, believe that he could extricate him from this trouble, but in the end he still let him down.

Since he was afraid of others recognising him, then why bother to help him revamp his appearance? The brains of these artist types sure were different from ordinary people. Zhou Yun Sheng sneered sarcastically, and his precautions against the young man rose instead of decreasing.

Xue Zi Xuan did not know what the teenager was thinking. He half hugged the youth with relief after going through that nerve-racking moment*. Slowly, he released a long sigh of relief and ordered Xiao Wang to hurry.

[*T/N: 劫后余生 - "after the calamity, renewed life (idiom); new lease of life." I think 'calamity' is an apt way to describe Xue Yan's existence to Xue Zi Xuan. Haha.]

The car stopped at the fountain pool. He quickly led the youth out of the car, ignored Xiao Zhou who came out to greet him, and went straight upstairs.

"What happened to Young Master Xue*? His expression was very ugly. Was the examination results not good?" Xiao Zhou was full of doubts.

[*T/N: He calls XZX 薛少, which is less formal than 薛小爷. In Japanese it would be like calling him "bocchan" instead of "bocchama." It could be that he feels their psychological distance is closer than normal master and servant, or his personality is just more casual.]

"There was no problem with the examination results. I don't know why he became like this. Maybe he was over stimulated. The young miss is still lying in the hospital. He just took a look and left. He also took the little country bumpkin* to cut his hair and buy clothes. It's really abnormal." Xiao Wang scratched his head, suggesting that there may be something mentally wrong with their employer.

[*T/N: 小土包 - literally "small earth bun"]

"I didn't even notice until you mentioned it. Young Master Xue dressing the little country bumpkin up like this, did he ask Mister Xue first? If some people nearby sees and rises suspicions, it will cause Mister Xue big trouble." After all, this was murder. How could Xiao Zhou not be nervous? It should be known that of the nearby residents, there were several people who had a competitive relationship with Xue Rui. They would spy on every movement within the Xue manor. Suddenly a teenager who looked like Xue Jing Yi appeared, how could there not be suspicions?

"Mister Xue still doesn't know. There will be trouble at night." Xiao Wang shook his head and sighed.

Xue Zi Xuan took the boy to his room. He locked the door and closed the curtains shut tight. Then he opened the wall lamp and pulled out a huge suitcase from under the bed.

"What are you doing?" Zhou Yun Sheng cocked his head and watched the young man.

Xue Zi Xuan opened the closet and picked out clothes, putting them one by one into the suitcase. He said, "Packing up and moving out. You're coming with me." After bumping into Xue Yan's car, he realised that living here was extremely dangerous.

"Why do you suddenly want to move away?" Zhou Yun Sheng acted ignorant, but in fact he was very clear on the matter. He knew that this appearance of his definitely could not be seen by others. It was better to keep him under house arrest outside of the manor, wait until it was time for Xue Jing Yi to have her operation, and then directly bring him to the hospital. No wonder this person was so gentle and considerate to him. It was so that he wouldn't sink into an emotionally negative state after leaving Xue Jing Yi's side.

Because I want to hide you away, and prevent certain people from seeing you. There was no way Xue Zi Xuan could say this line to the teenager, so he just walked over and cupped his face with both hands. Cautiously, he said, "Xiao Yi, I want to protect you, so I want to take you away. Believe me, this is not a good place." No one in the Xue family is a good person, including me. He did not finish saying this thought out loud, and continued to organise clothes and daily necessities.