Chapter 40 - I’ve got this Ancestor’s back (11) – End
Chapter 40: I’ve got this Ancestor’s back (11)
Looking at the pure-blooded ancestor who was petrified on the spot, Lu Deng pursed the corners of his lips. A smile flashed in the bottom of his eyes and they suddenly shone brightly.
The sound of rain grew faint and light from the rising sun broke open gaps in the dark clouds, jumping and falling onto the verdant forest washed by the rain. It reflected on leftover raindrops, creating gorgeous golden sparkles.
The unexpected early morning rain came in the blink of an eye and disappeared just as quickly.
With the sunlight, Lu Deng’s body was instantly filled with power. The welt on his lips also faded clean away.
The pureblood ancestor who failed to execute even a proper kiss sat unmoving in despair. He remained still as if they were thoroughly petrified.
Worrying that the sun would burn him, Lu Deng raised his hand to make the branches and leaves denser. He raised his hand to stand up using Gu Ting’s shoulder and as he did so, the arm behind him immediately shielded him.
It seemed like he wasn’t thoroughly petrified after all.
Lu Deng laughed. He relaxed and leaned against his neck. He nuzzled very lightly against him and then closed his eyes.
When he jumped down from the ship, all the blood aura around him had been used up. The top of his hair was wet with rain and it stuck to his neck, spreading a damp coolness.
Gu Ting regained his senses instantly and quickly took off the thick cloak he actually used as mere fashion statement and used it to cover the other from head to toe. He wiped off the moisture carefully. “Are you cold?”
“Not cold.”
Meeting Gu Ting’s ‘the more one tries to hide, the more one is exposed’ gaze, Lu Deng narrowed his eyes in a smile and shook his head. He let him wipe his hair and then deliberately touching upon his sore spot, he asked, “How are you going to punish me?”
…
Unable to brush it off, Gu Ting’s arm stiffened. He completely put away the majestic cloak and rubbed the person into his arms. He was about to forcibly change the subject when he met those sleek black eyes and his thoughts suddenly focused.
The clear black eyes evidently hadn’t changed but there nevertheless seemed to be something different.
Suddenly forgetting what he was about to say, Gu Ting embraced him and met the smile in his eyes that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart. He raised his hand to touch those gentle and lofty brows. He gently stroked and combed his damp bangs.
Like this was very good.
Seeing him suddenly stop, Lu Deng moved between his arms, and his black eyes revealed warm puzzlement.
Gu Ting just smiled and shook his head. He spread the thick cloak on the gra.s.s and lay down on it with Lu Huaiye.
He slowly undid Lu Huaiye’s b.u.t.tons and rained down countless kisses. Lu Deng trembled slightly but after a moment, he relaxed once again. He fumbled around to hold his hand and opened his mouth the smallest bit.
Gu Ting leaned over. His little prey’s eyes were full of relaxed warmth and harmonious trust. The warm flow of air hit his ears and he protested, half-truth and half-lie, “The punishment is heavy…”
Joy spread in Gu Ting’s chest and he lowered his head on the other’s neck. Carefully confirming that his fangs were still well retracted, he placed a bite on Lu Huaiye’s neck. “It’s not heavy, it’s just right.”
Lu Deng accepted his punishment and lay relaxed on the cloak. The tips of his eyes were bent. He raised his hand and undid his tidy collar for him.
The entire forest was providing strength for him and his body has warmed up. Warm fingertips touched the ice-cold skin. Burned, Gu Ting’s chest slightly grew taut. He leaned over and asked in a hoa.r.s.e voice, “Can Ik2026;make the punishment a little heavier?”
Meeting his eyes with their already transformed dark red irises, Lu Deng smiled and nimbly unb.u.t.toned the remaining b.u.t.tons. He bent his elbows to prop up his body and leaned forward to hug him.
Their heartbeats echoed between their chests. Gu Ting’s eyes darkened. He finally raised his hand to release the black mist, gathering everything into the quiet and silent darkness.
The birdsong in the forest quieted instantly and after a moment, happily rang out once again.
*
It was three months after that Fang Yi received the invitation.
Although he didn’t think those two could have both met an accident so easily, they had seen neither their corpses nor their living bodies, after all. After searching the entire forest to no avail and completely losing any response from Lu Huaiye’s communication device, the Special Service Office still declared him dead and wrote off Lu Huaiye’s ident.i.ty as an agent.
Kang Yan was severely dealt with. Not only was he dismissed from his post and prosecuted, but his special ability core was also completely destroyed. He will probably spend the rest of his days in jail. Thanks to him, the public’s voices of opposition against the Special Service Office came wave after wave. After three months of working day and night, the members of the special operations team took up their weapons for a just cause and after much effort, finally managed to keep their tottering reputation.
While any organization would have it’s share of unreasonable people, at the same time, there would always be those who are quietly trying their best and hoping to effect change.
The “Peaceful Coexistence Act” has been revised once again and was still in trial operation. In the future, many new provisions might be added. The stubborn old fogeys who insisted on sticking to their old ways found some excuse and resigned one after the other. Everything was gradually changing, but it would still take time.
Although he was happy to see such developments, as the newly appointed deputy director of the Special Service Office and the leader of the Special Operations Team, Fang Yi was so busy his feet could almost hit the back of his head. It was in the middle of all this that he received an invitation to a leisurely afternoon tea. After confirming that the invitation had come from the culprits to his busy-ness, Fang Yi almost couldn’t resist the urge to open the shredder and chuck it in directly.
Taking into account that vampire studies exam that he had failed to pa.s.s, Fang Yi closed the shredder once again and bought five catties of Mao Xuew.a.n.g soup. He read the details of the invitation and headed to it.
Gu Ting’s villa belonged to a vampire. Even if its master disappears, humans have no authority to take it. Fang Yi had once visited it shortly after the incident. His impression of it at that time was a bit bleak. When he came again this time, he was taken aback by the primitive jungle-like vitality of the place.
“Deputy Director Fang, long time no see.”
The tall vampiric ancestor was wearing work overalls. Gardening shears and a chainsaw was thrown to one side. He was squatting in the courtyard, in the middle of lighting a fire. Beside him was a pile of meat skewers.
The innate conditions of vampires were always more advantageous than those of human beings’. Gu Ting had broad shoulders and long legs. On him, these ordinary work clothes exuded striking easy stylishness.
Thinking of Gu Ting’s work in the human world, for a moment, Fang Yi felt it was a pity that the other party couldn’t leave an image. He silently erased all thoughts of leisurely tasting macarons with black tea in the elegant English courtyard. As they say, when in Rome… He squatted down as well and pointed at the fire. He asked carefully, “Afternoon tea?”
“Huaiye wanted to eat some. I wanted to see if I could try making it.”
Just the mention of his name brought undisguised softness in the pureblood ancestor’s eyes. He raised his hand to test the fire temperature on the fire and then casually threw a cl.u.s.ter of dark flames in.
Hearing him mention Lu Huaiye, Fang Yi still couldn’t help but raise some concern, “How is he…Is he okay?”
For a vampire, it might have been possible to escape from such a violent impact. But Lu Huaiye was a human being after all and he had used such explosive power, sparing no cost, to forcibly grow that forest. It might have left behind some irreparable residual effects.
When Lu Huaiye first disappeared, someone once suggested that he might have been embraced by the vampire but judging from the the skewers in front of him, it seems that conjecture failed to match up to reality.
Meeting his eyes that were full of hesitant worry, Gu Ting raised his eyebrows slightly. He raised the corners of his lips. He then clapped his hands and got up. Deliberately answering him vaguely, he said, “He’s taking a nap, I’ll go and see. If Deputy Director Fang isn’t busy, can you help me roast the skewers?”
Deputy Director Fang was in fact very busy but when he thought of his vampire studies exam, he sighed lightly. He took up his appointed role, took the skewers and sat down.
He at least knew that vampire taste buds were different from ordinary people’s. Although the other party had diligently skewered a lot of meat, the taste and texture were still worrying. Fang Yi didn’t say anything in front of Gu Ting and when he saw him leave, he cautiously grilled a single skewer first. He was prepared to give it a timely taste adjustment.
With the vampire’s added dark fire, the temperature was just right. After a short while, the skewers were grilled to a glistening golden color. Fang Yi carefully took a small taste. His expression suddenly turned surprised.
So tasty.
The saltiness was just right. It had a dense meaty fragrance and the marinade was just perfect. Fang Yi couldn’t hold back. He grilled another skewer and put it in his mouth, contemplating about the abnormal situation before him.
The skewers were really delicious.
Leaving the work to Fang Yi, Gu Ting went back to the bedroom feeling quite relaxed. The person on the bed was still sleeping soundly on the warm and clean bedding.
Deputy Director Fang’s visit brought back memories of that day. Looking at Lu Huaiye who was sleeping peacefully in the sun, Gu Ting curled his lips and walked quietly over. He covered the other with his body and leaned in close. He then bit lightly on his earlobe.
Lu Huaiye was sleeping soundly and he pa.s.sed his hand over in a daze.
He placed the fair arm completely unguardedly before the other’s eyes. The smile on Gu Ting’s face froze slightly and he shifted his body to move backwards un.o.btrusively. He held that hand and touched his lips against his fingertips, peppering it with gentle kisses.
This enticed Lu Huaiye to open his eyes. His figure was reflected in his sleek black eyes. He coughed lightly and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
“You’re not going to bite today?”
Gu Ting was not without a guilty conscience. He took the person into his arms and rubbed against the neck of his little prey, who was waiting to be bitten. “I made some meat skewers. Didn’t you want to eat some a couple of days ago? Deputy Director Fang is downstairs helping to roast it. You can probably eat it when you go down.”
Unwilling to annihilate the vitality and turn it into the dark night, Gu Ting completed the initial transformation at the altar. The two lived in seclusion for three months before returning to this villa. It hasn’t been long since their return.
The transformation of the altar was actually just a simulation of the vitality of human beings. It allowed he vampire to “resurrect” and regain his breathing, heartbeat and body temperature. But it had no affect on his vampiric powers. It was precisely for this reason that although could take in food from both sides, the only way he could replenish power was still only through sucking blood.
Towards Gu Ting’s attempts to suck blood, Lu Deng had always maintained a firmly encouraging att.i.tude and he would try to feed him at every opportunity he gets. It was a pity that the pureblood ancestor who got perfect scores on theory was still unable to overcome the shadow of his repeated failures and even up until yesterday, still could not smoothly bite perfect round holes on his little prey’s arm.
Lu Deng held a smile back and nodded. He leaned in his warm arms and gave a little yawn.
He had spent all night last night revising the painting. It was when the sky was turning light that he finally felt somewhat satisfied. He put away his brushes and went to bed. Even at this hour, he has only had a few hours of sleep.
Originally, when Gu Ting hugged him, he had been able to muster up some energy. But now, even Gu Ting’s arms were now warm and the sunshine was just right, making it more difficult to keep his eyes open.
Gu Ting was reluctant to wake him up. He took him fully into his arms. He slowly patted his back with one hand and gently rubbed his lips against his temple.
The first painting Lu Deng painted for him was left on the sightseeing ship and he did not have time to bring it out. He later tried to find it but the sightseeing ship was completely destroyed in the second explosion.
The newly painted picture stood in the corner of the room. He had started painting it from the altar. Even with his current body, he can only leave a misty shadow on photographs. Lu Huaiye drew the two of them together, just theirs backs as they walked forward hand in hand. Layers of dark colors were spread out in the background but the end were warm and clear sunshine.
Gu Ting actually already thought that painting was very good but Lu Huaiye still revises it frequently. With his latest brush strokes, the outline of a blood rose against the dark night had just been completed.
He was only able to coax to other to sleep that morning and it was indeed still early for him to get up at this time. He felt the body in his arms gradually relax, his breathing became even once again. Gu Ting smiled helplessly. He lowered his head and pecked him twice on his lips. “Deputy Director Fang is downstairs. He’s a little worried about you. Go down and let him see you, okay?”
“Did Deputy Director Fang come?”
Vaguely remembering the existence of the protagonist, Lu Huaiye broke free from his drowsiness and rubbed his eyes. “I remember that he’s very busy recently…”
“He is very busy. But he still wants my pointers for the exam so he couldn’t not come.”
Gu Ting held his hand. He soaked the soft cloth towel in the warm water he had prepared and wiped his face for him. He took a step back and looked carefully for a while. He then raised the corners of his lips with satisfaction and leaned in to kiss him again. “Okay, let’s go downstairs.”
The clothes he had on him were casual loungewear. Wearing them out wouldn’t look strange. But after all, someone had come to pay them a visit, Lu Deng still fumbled about for a change of clothes. He washed his face to muster his spirits and once again led Gu Ting by the hand.
Gu Ting smiled and turned the bell around his neck. They headed downstairs together. In deadpan earnestness, he showed off in a low voice, “I made the skewers this morning and I pared them all from the branches in the garden. It much cleaner than those that can be found outside. I also marinated the meat well…”
He said it to make a show of being very much in earnest and Lu Deng raised his head to listen carefully. Meeting the expectant look in his black eyes, Gu Ting couldn’t help the corners of his lips for ticking up. He placed a kiss on those eyes, adjusted his collar for him, and walked briskly out of the villa. His footsteps then suddenly stopped.
In the courtyard, Deputy Director Fang was nowhere to be seen. On the ground were five catties of Mouxue w.a.n.g soup, weighing down on a furled canvas.
As the wind blew, the canvas unfurled. On the side of the ship, a person’s figure had been completely outlined, standing in the afterglow of the setting sun. It was just waiting for the details to be painted.
The small hill-like pile of meat skewers have disappeared. Only the pieces of wooden sticks were left, spelling out a huge “thank you”.
Meeting Gu Ting’s incredibly stunned gaze, Lu Deng finally couldn’t help but chuckle. He walked over to pick up the canvas, carefully putting it away. He patted him comfortingly.
“It’s okay, let’s just roast some more together—I wasn’t lying to you when I said I almost went selling skewers back then but I just suddenly changed my mind…”
“Okay, let’s just roast some more…”
It took a long while for Gu Ting to relax. He retracted his arm and nodded his head. He gave his agreement in a low voice, but his pupils had quietly turned dark.
*
Deputy Director Fang was still unable to pa.s.s the vampire studies examination.
Translator’s note:
And so ends this arc. Next is an entertainment industry one and it’s gonna be a long one. So, before I start that, I’m going to have to take a break. I’m so sorry! I’m not trying to make a habit of it, I swear! But end of the year doesn’t mean end of work. It just means more work and more non-work but equally as important social obligations. So, I will have to duck out for roughly two weeks. I will see you all again on Jan 4, 2021.
So an early Happy Holidays to everyone!