BPDSB Chapter 8: Take a walk after dinner and live to be ninety-nine

After leaving Mama Zhao’s room, Steward Xue pulled himself together and returned to his usual slick demeanor. He handled the formalities of Mama Zhao’s resignation just as he had been instructed, his smile calm and his actions efficient. To those who didn’t know better, it looked as if he had just received a promotion and a raise. There was no trace of resentment or frustration over having his inside connection thrown out.

But when no one was around, the fake smile on Steward Xue’s face disappeared.

His hand, resting in his pocket, inevitably touched the small bottle hidden there.

His fingers played with it, and the faint sound of pills tapping against the bottle echoed softly. As that sound filled the silence, Steward Xue’s thoughts grew more resolute.

During his time working at the estate, he had actually come with a mission.

At first, he had been uneasy and unwilling. He thought this would be a miserable job, having to serve a half-crazed young master. But not long after arriving, someone from the old residence contacted him. A certain person from the Qin family reached out and asked him to help with something. They gave him a bottle of pills and instructed him to discreetly add them to Qin Li’s daily food or drink. The reward was extremely generous.

Initially, Steward Xue was afraid. This might have crossed into illegal territory.

But that person from the Qin family assured him the pills were not poisonous. They were just mild stimulants, supposedly harmless. He wouldn’t have to do anything else, just add a small amount to Qin Li’s meals or water. The dosage was so tiny that it would be difficult to detect even if someone tried to test for it. That person also promised that once the task was completed, his whole family would be granted immigration and enough money to last a lifetime.

Everyone knew what “completion” meant.

That person had wild ambitions. The power struggle within the Qin family was no secret and had been ongoing for years.

Steward Xue struggled with the decision for a long time, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and accepted.

So he found a way to get his wife into the estate as the cook. With such close access, she was able to quietly add a small amount of the drug to Qin Li’s meals every day without anyone noticing. Afraid of being found out, he never added much and was extremely cautious. However, ever since the young master went mad, he had lost his appetite and barely ate each day. Even so, the drug continued to take effect little by little over time.

Now that the other party suddenly wanted to replace the cook, it was hard to say whether he had noticed something during one of his clearer moments.

If earlier his anger came from being publicly humiliated, then now, as he thought it over more calmly, Steward Xue began to feel increasingly fearful. A flash of savagery passed through his eyes.

He could not risk letting the other person discover anything. Even if that member of the Qin family had already arranged an escape route for him, he could not afford to be careless.

“Steward Xue,” a gentle and clear voice sounded not far ahead, “why are you in such a hurry?”

Startled, Steward Xue quickly composed himself and looked forward.

What met his eyes was a handsome and refined young man. His long, narrow peach blossom eyes were hidden behind gentle gold-rimmed glasses, smiling in a way that seemed to lower others’ defenses. His lips were naturally curved into a soft smile, giving off a friendly air even before he spoke. Just seeing that face felt like a fresh breeze had passed by.

Soft sunlight filtered through the window, falling on his fair skin. His black hair was rimmed with a golden glow, and the sunlight made his whole presence seem even more gentle and warm.

Steward Xue’s tense mood loosened slightly, but then he became alert again.

He looked at the young man in front of him, forced a smile, and said, “Just something Mr. Qin asked me to take care of.”

Xu Xiliu had just come out from the gaming room. From a distance, he had seen Steward Xue walking briskly with his head slightly lowered and a serious expression on his face, as if something was weighing on his mind.

Normally, Xu Xiliu did not like getting involved in other people’s business. If someone passed by, he would at most nod and move on. But for some reason, this time was different. When Steward Xue was almost in front of him, Xu Xiliu had spoken first.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he was a little surprised at himself.

He continued smiling gently while thinking that this really was not like him.

It had to be a professional habit, Xu Xiliu thought.

It must have been because ever since he transmigrated into the book, he had been dealing with the protagonist gong every day, nagging him to take his medicine, get checkups, and take care of his health. Repeating the same things over and over, he was practically turning into a nagging old auntie.

“Dr. Xu, do you still need something? If not, I’ll be going now.”

Steward Xue forced a smile. Xu Xiliu looked at him twice and shook his head. “No, I was just asking casually. Go ahead with your work, Steward Xue.”

Hearing this, Steward Xue felt a stab of irritation and cursed silently. Meddling busybody.

He recalled the incident in the dining room not long ago, which had also been stirred up by this private doctor, and the anger in his chest grew heavier. The young man’s gentle and harmless smile only made him more annoyed. The two parted quickly, and as footsteps faded behind him, Steward Xue could not help turning back to glare at the other’s retreating figure for a few seconds, his expression dark.

The longer he stared, the more his thoughts shifted. His eyes lit up slightly, and then he gave a cold and sinister smile.

Since this guy liked to meddle so much, let him keep meddling.

It would work in his favor anyway.

He turned and left.

Xu Xiliu also had dinner in the villa that evening.

After lunch, the villa’s cook had been replaced at lightning speed. Within moments, a new chef and nutritionist were in place. It all happened so fast that Xu Xiliu barely had time to react. Clearly, the man had made preparations long ago. That talk about a chef recommended by Dr. Xu had obviously just been a cover.

At the dinner table, Xu Xiliu pursed his lips.

Sitting next to him was Qin Li. Xu Xiliu had originally assumed that someone would just bring his portion over so he would not have to sit at the same table as the protagonist gong. But as soon as it was mealtime, the man called him over. Wasn’t the protagonist gong supposed to be annoyed by him and not want to see him?

Xu Xiliu let out a silent sigh.

Looked like this meal was going to be hard to swallow again.

Just a short distance away, the man was eating with his brows lowered and his expression listless. Although his movements were elegant and pleasing to the eye, he was eating slowly, as if the meal still did not quite suit his taste. However, it did seem like he was eating a little more than before.

Xu Xiliu thought, it must be because the chef he brought in had taken over, so the man could relax a bit and eat more.

Xu Xiliu had no expectations for the taste of this meal. He just wanted to finish quickly, fill his stomach, and leave. Eating with the protagonist gong’s gloomy face across from him gave him indigestion.

But as soon as he took a bite, Xu Xiliu paused, his eyes widening slightly.

Wow, this was actually delicious.

Clearly not the same level as the lunch earlier.

He picked up another bite, confirmed it, and was sure — it really tasted great.

Truly, food is a basic need. If he were rich and his housekeeper’s cooking was terrible, he would have lost his temper too. Xu Xiliu instantly understood why the protagonist gong had blown up at lunch.

Faced with such good food, Xu Xiliu stopped worrying about whether it was good for digestion or not. He just kept shoveling it into his mouth.

This was the level of cuisine one would expect from a wealthy household. It was a rare experience, so he figured he might as well eat more.

The atmosphere at the table was quiet. No one spoke. Qin Li, picking at his food slowly, found the silence a little unsettling. It felt odd that his usually talkative private doctor had not said a word. When he lifted his eyelids, he saw the other man happily eating as if no one else was there, enjoying the meal like it was a buffet. Qin Li could not help pausing his chopsticks.

Qin Li actually had no intention of being polite or acting like a proper host. The reason he called the other over to eat was simply because he wanted to keep him within sight.

But when he saw the other man cheerfully eating one bite after another, eyes slightly narrowed with pleasure, he could not help but sneer inwardly, thinking how ridiculous he looked.

Yet after silently watching for a while, for some reason, Qin Li ended up serving himself another half bowl of rice.

Only afterward did Qin Li realize what he had done. He slowly put down his chopsticks, feeling an unusual sense of fullness in his stomach.

He pressed his lips together, and for the first time, there was a trace of complexity in his gaze as he looked at the young man.

After the meal, Xu Xiliu felt stuffed and decided to go out for a walk to help with digestion.

It was only when he stood up that he noticed the silent man beside him. He realized he had enjoyed the meal so much that he completely forgot there was someone else sharing the table.

That was not very polite.

He was still a guest, after all.

Feeling a little guilty, Xu Xiliu called out, “Mr. Qin, would you like to go for a walk?”

Qin Li glanced at him.

“A walk after a meal helps you live a long life,” Xu Xiliu met his gaze and smiled harmlessly, “good for your health.”

“Do I look like someone who can walk right now?” Qin Li stared at him coldly.

There was a faint threat in his tone.

The man’s eyes were sharply defined, the pupils deep and dark. The whites of his eyes were tinged with red, whether from lack of sleep or something else, and it made the gloomy intensity in his gaze even more oppressive. If someone with a weak heart stared back at him, they would probably break into a cold sweat.

Hearing this, Xu Xiliu glanced at the wheelchair under the man’s dangerous gaze and froze.

Oh no, he had forgotten that the protagonist gong was still weak after a recent episode. The scene of supporting him at the bedroom door was still fresh in his mind.

This man held grudges. Had he just accidentally poked at a sore spot again? Was he going to be remembered for it?

Xu Xiliu blinked innocently.

But since the words had already been spoken, there was no way to take them back. Xu Xiliu had no choice but to press on and said, “Getting outside for some fresh air and a change of scenery is also good. It helps with Mr. Qin’s recovery.”

Qin Li let out a cold laugh and mocked, “Dr. Xu sure knows a lot.”

Xu Xiliu kept his polite smile.

After that, a brief silence fell between the two of them, and the air became a little awkward.

Qin Li grew somewhat impatient. He opened his mouth to refuse, but then seemed to think of something. He glanced subtly toward the depths of the villa, and the smile on his face suddenly turned chilling and sinister. He changed his mind and replied, “Then I’ll trouble Dr. Xu.”

“…Huh?”

Xu Xiliu was confused.

What did that mean?

“What are you spacing out for? Push me,” Qin Li said with a frown.

He looked like someone cunning and slick, so why was he acting so clueless now?

Xu Xiliu remained silent for a moment before realizing that the protagonist gong had actually accepted his offer to go out for a walk. It was just that the man was currently too weak to walk, so he needed Xu Xiliu to push the wheelchair for him.

Uncle Zhong, who had been standing not far away, saw this and nodded at Xu Xiliu before leaving. Xu Xiliu looked at the man in front of him, lips pressed together, waiting. His own smile froze for a moment, then he resigned himself to the task, walked behind the man, and began to push the wheelchair. Deep down, he scolded himself for asking unnecessary questions.

He could have been enjoying the mountain night view alone in peace, and now it had escalated into playing the role of a part-time caregiver.

The faint rolling sound of the wheelchair gradually faded inside the villa. A shadow in the living room paused for a moment, then quickly departed.

Xu Xiliu pushed the protagonist gong in silence through the vast estate. Surrounded by the beautiful night view and the gentle evening breeze, under the moonlight, he started questioning his life choices.

Why had he even opened his mouth?

There was none of the ease or relaxation a walk was supposed to bring.

The protagonist gong either said nothing with a dark expression or opened his mouth only to mock him.

Even though Xu Xiliu considered himself a mild person, he could barely stand it.

The only thing stopping him from snapping back was the generous salary and his professional ethics as a doctor. Sometimes he even forgot that the person next to him was the kind of protagonist gong who could not be provoked.

But as time went on, Xu Xiliu felt that his well-hidden irritable nature was gradually awakening in response to this man. He genuinely wanted to go off and throw an uppercut, a lower hook, a left jab, and a right swing at him…

Qin Li listened to the rustling of clothes behind him and figured that this private doctor, who always pretended to be composed in front of others, must be grinding his teeth and cursing him silently at this very moment.

He suddenly felt an urge to turn around and see what kind of expression the other man was making.

Thinking it, he acted on it. Qin Li turned his head and met the slightly surprised expression on the private doctor’s face.

The moonlight was bright, mixed with the warm glow of the villa’s lights. It lit up the young man’s eyes.

A faint warm hue spread across the darkness of his pupils, and for some reason, it looked especially vivid.

For a moment, Qin Li thought he had seen fireworks.

He heard the other man’s voice, lightly smiling as he asked, the sound blending with the night breeze, soft and almost unreal. “Mr. Qin, are you feeling cold? Should we head back?”

Qin Li’s expression faltered slightly.

Cold?

Not really.

He just felt that the night sky was vast.

The air in the villa was indeed fresh, filled with the scent of plants and trees. Even the breeze was gentle and smooth.

But it was a pity that in all the time he had been here, he had never once taken the time to feel it.

Qin Li lowered his gaze in the presence of the young man’s quiet smile.

After a moment, he spoke. “Let’s go back.”

The mountains were lovely, the night sky expansive.

But to him, it was like this sudden walk, something that would eventually come to an end. He still had to go back, alone, to that empty, silent room.

Darkness and filth were what truly suited him.

With a turn of the wheelchair, the surroundings fell quiet again. Xu Xiliu’s peach blossom eyes, still holding a polite smile, twitched violently as he blinked hard a few times.

The gentle smile on his face became distorted.

He let out a long, deep breath.

Oh my god.

That scared him to death.

It was like his heart stopped.

Why did that man suddenly turn around for no reason?

Luckily, he had recovered quickly. If he had been just a second slower, what the protagonist gong would have seen when he turned around would not have been a calm, smiling face, but a fist aimed straight at him.

Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, Xu Xiliu mimed an uppercut behind the man’s back.

That was close.

T/N: Just thinking about Xu Xiliu throwing punches in the air is sending me hahaha