Chapter 10 – Both Tragic Pawns in The Hands of Fate

They both quickly arrived at their destination, and when they got off the car, they resumed their cautious and distant attitudes without any prior agreement.

Ahead of them was a famous bar of X City. Wen Muyan gestured at Xiao Han, inviting him to enter first.

Only at night would the bar be busy, there were few customers in the day. Wen Muyan led Xiao Han around for show, then stopped at a door marked “Authorized Entry Only”.

What was happening within the bar itself was the real value of this business. The hall was decorated magnificently, several rooms lined the corridor, and there were all sorts of gambling machines around. The lobby was relatively noisy, and gamblers with bloodshot eyes were everywhere. The service was thoughtful yet low-key, and two doors separated the noisy casino from the quiet bar, only allowing trusted acquaintances and their guests to enter.

Xiao Han did not reveal any surprise, and followed Wen Muyan one round around the casino. A beautiful girl carrying a tray of drinks walked towards them, and offered them each a glass of wine before leaving, and did not say much.

“How is it, is Young Master Xiao satisfied?” Wen Muyan took a sip of wine, and smiled confidently.

“Not too bad. I hope I won’t be disappointed by the other businesses.” Xiao Han nodded.

“Then, can you fulfill what you promised me?”

“You simply want to see him?” Xiao Han looked at him mockingly. “Even if you want to rescue him, he may not want to leave with you.”

Wen Muyan frowned. “Young Master Xiao need not worry about this.”

Xiao Han was amused looking at his serious and proper appearance. The script was nearly at its end, and he immediately shot him a look. “Since the signboard says that this is a bar, you should offer me a drink, right?”

“Of course.” Wen Muyan laughed knowingly.

“I’ll be having a drink with Mr Wen, you guys head back first.” Xiao Han turned and instructed his men, who immediately opposed his decision. They were worried about leaving their young master with such a dangerous fellow as Wen Muyan.

“I’ll call you if there’s anything.” Xiao Han seemed to not be bothered. He had a glass in one hand, and his other hand was in his pockets. Walking towards the bar, he looked just as though he was the owner of the bar.

“But, Young Master—”

“Are you guys afraid that I’ll eat your young master up or something?” Wen Muyan smiled, his hand blocking the doorway, stopping several bodyguards who tried to follow them in. Without the restrictions of the script, his smile was bone-chilling.

When the door of the room slammed close, the few men dressed in suits exchanged looks with each other. They could only listen to their instructions and head back, leaving only a few men guarding the entrance to the bar on standby.

The room had the utmost privacy. Without pressing a bell, there usually would not be anyone interrupting them. A long couch was against the wall, and there were all sorts of drinks, dice and poker cards on the table. Opposite the couch was a rear-projection television and a karaoke system.

“… Have they all gone?” Wen Muyan peeped through the glass of the door, and confirmed that no one was there. He sighed in relief, and turned his head around to see Young Master Xiao Han sitting on the couch stripping. His heart jolted in fright, and even started stammering, “W-What are you doing?”

“Taking off my clothes?” Xiao Han frowned and tossed his coat aside. He also removed his vest, leaving him in a white shirt. Undoing the buttons of the shirt, he revealed a firm chest and abdomens, then rolled his sleeves up to his elbow. Fanning his shirt, he complained, “Such a hot day, why do I have to act cool and wear a windbreaker? The Indian Summer is also hot enough to kill, alright? Where’s the air-conditioning?”

He studied Wen Muyan in amazement for a while. “I realise that not only are your acting skills good, you also have a high level of heat resistance, right? You’re really a decathlete…”

Althoug Xiao Han’s face and figure were exactly Wen Muyan’s type, but they had something more important going on currently than being gay. So, Wen Muyan ignored the temptation with great determination. Just as Xiao Han plopped his ass down onto the couch while muttering and searching for the air-conditioning’s remote control, Wen Muyan turned Xiao Han to face him, asking seriously, “How did you become KFC— oh, no, how did you become the ‘scum top Xiao Han’?”

Xiao Han’s movements stopped. He was silent for a moment, then solemnly shook his head. “I don’t know too. Also, my first script was not being an emperor, but a modern stand-in script. This is my third world already.”

“… So it’s like that.” Wen Muyan looked at him sympathetically, and poured out a glass of liquor each for them. While drinking, he gloomily complained, “When I woke up to find myself dressed in clothes from ancient china, and surrounded by a bunch of young maids respectfully calling me a prince, I nearly peed myself in fright!”

Xiao Han raised his glass and toasted him, patting him on the shoulder and saying sadly, “I feel you!”

Wen Muyan again shed tears of empathy.

“… Other than the script itself, I often have a dream, dreaming that we’re in modern clothes, and I seem to have even hit you.” Wen Muyan frowned as he recalled his dream.

Xiao Han thought about it for a moment. “I think that’s my first life.”

He gave a rough narration of the first script, and finally sighed in dejection. “At that time, I didn’t know about the consequences and went against the script’s arrangement. Who would have thought that I’ll transmigrate into the 2nd script.”

It was now Wen Muyan’s turn to comfort him. “Actually, I have a gist of what the consequences of breaking the rules…”

“How do you know?” Xiao Han lifted his head in surprise.

The other person looked at him in sympathy. “The script showed me the scene of you being killed in a car accident.”

“…” Xiao Han was expressionless. “What sort of comfort is this?”

Although this was clearly supposed to be a scene where the listener would cry as he listened to the sad and tragic past of the person, but Wen Muyan could not help but burst into heartless laughter.

Xiao Han emptied his glass, a heat burning down his throat. He poured himself another glass and asked, uncomprehending, “Since you know that you’ll die if you break the rules, why was it when we were nearly at the end of the script, you decided to just tear the whole thing apart?”

Wen Muyan sighed. “You have no idea.”

He clinked his glass against Xiao Han’s, and spoke bitterly, “You’re probably in the same state as me, only able to see the upcoming scenes, but you can’t go straight into the ending.”

Seeing Xiao Han nod his head in agreement, he took another sip from his glass. “So, when we finally reached that point in the script, I finally learnt that it was going to make me agree to Zhuo Fan’s request, and go to the battlefield to help you. Eventually, I’ll help you take a deadly arrow, complete my mission as a cannon fodder then die!”

“…” Xiao Han was speechless.

Wen Muyan slapped the table, furious. “Either way, I’ll die! Why do I have to be a sidedude forever?! Rather than being thoroughly used by the script, I might as well enjoy myself!”

“Well said!” His words really described exactly what Xiao Han felt. He laughed, and clasped his hand around Wen Muyan’s neck. “By the way, when I saw how you scolded Zhuo Fan so badly, it was really satisfying.”

In a short period of time, there were already many empty liquor bottles on the table. Wen Muyan’s cheeks were burning slightly, he did not know if it was out of passion or because he was drunk. His forehead against Xiao Han’s cheek, his hand on his back, he chuckled, as though he was recalling something happy. “Don’t even mention it. Seeing you going through the motions and making a show of everything in the last world, I had to hold my laughter back until my stomach ached, ok? I really couldn’t tell that under your cold and dark exterior, you’re actually so childish…”

Although Xiao Han was also drunk, but his ears were still sharp. Kicking him, he said angrily, “Who are you scolding? You’re the childish one!”

“Was I the one who did the childish revenge of pulling underwear onto people’s heads?” Wen Muyan jabbed him in the cheek.

Xiao Han caught his hand, scorning, “You’re not much better. Looking like a good devoted man, but you’re actually just full of wickedness, putting on sanctimonious airs!”

Wen Muyan scolded, “You really can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!”

Xiao Han retorted, “Show me your silk purse then!”

“…”

The two of them stared at each other in dislike. Wen Muyan took the first step back, refusing to lower his IQ to this fellow’s standards. “Come on, let’s drink some more.”

Although the script had gave Xiao Han a good alcohol tolerance, but it was unable to withstand against such a manner of drinking, and his head was already a little dizzy. Wen Muyan was no better, but he spoke more than he drank, and other than removing his coat due to sweating, he could still somewhat remain sober.

“Right, you haven’t told me. How did you die the last time?” Xiao Han was so drunk he was tilting all over the couch.

Wen Muyan supported him by the shoulder, a little embarrassed. “I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t laugh at me.”

“I would definitely not laugh.”

Wen Muyan paused, and spoke in a small voice, “… After leaving, I was lost in my thoughts. Then, walking and walking, I walked into a tree… and knocked myself out in death…”

“…”

“Hey, we’ve agreed that you won’t laugh at me. If you dare to laugh, I’ll fall out with you!”

Xiao Han had a poker face on. “I have something to settle, I’ll be back soon.”

“What’s the thing?” Wen Muyan looked at him, baffled.

Xiao Han could not hold back anymore and turned his head. “I have to go laugh for two minutes hahahahahahaha…”

“XIAO! HAN! Go and die!” Wen Muyan was first stunned, then lunged at him in rage and started hitting him

The two for them wrestled, before stopping breathlessly. They became even more dizzy, and Wen Muyan who was always designed to be weak by the script sprawled across Xiao Han’s chest. Thinking that he might as well just take advantage of what was currently available, he could not resist touching his chest muscles. Seeing that Xiao Han did not have any reaction to that, he went further and slid his hand to his abdomen, pleased with the feel and play of the muscles.

With his caresses, Xiao Han’s body bowed. He gasped as he laughed, “Take your hands away, it’s itchy.”

The alcohol finally hit him. Wen Muyan felt that it was pretty comfortable lying on him, and so was too lazy to move. He only lifted his head, “Say, to be fair, shouldn’t you tell me how you died in your previous life?”

Xiao Han immediately stopped talking. He turned his head to one side silently, thinking without revealing anything on his face, this is the one thing that I’ll never say even if I’m beaten to death! Absolutely!

So, Xiao Han decided to change the subject. “Uh, I think I drank too much. Where’s the toilet? Don’t you have the need to pee?”

The astute Wen Muyan perceived what he was trying to do. He sneered, and pressed on him wickedly, giving a long hiss, “Shh—” ¹

“…” Caught in his own trap, Xiao Han raged. “Fuck you!”