HIDDEN EVIL [XIAO SHUXIANG THE SERIES]
211 - Proximity (4)

Xiao Shuxiang could see that the girl beside him was tense, yet still trying to talk. He was happy when Ling Qing Zhu wanted to come clean to him, but it seemed like something was wrong.

"White Cat," Xiao Shuxiang said softly. His voice made Ling Qing Zhu turn his head and look at him.

Xiao Shuxiang said, "I told you once. You can open up to me anytime,"

Xiao Shuxiang said, "Son. Heart business is complicated, but I don't want you to feel pressured. I can always wait,"

"..............." Ling Qing Zhu was stunned. He actually still wanted to say some warm things, but the word 'Son' that was thrown from the lips of his Guardian Protector made him feel slapped.

Ling Qing Zhu was breathing slowly. For a moment, he looked at Xiao Shuxiang like an ordinary young man. He almost said something embarrassing to this person who was the level of his great-grandfather.

"Can I say something?" Ling Qing Zhu opened his voice and his tone was colder than the previous one.

Xiao Shuxiang blinked, "Sure. Just tell me,"

"You're a bitch."

!!

Ling Qing Zhu said, "Seeing you shocked like this, you definitely don't know the reason for what. Stupid,"

"My-White Cat?!" Xiao Shuxiang was shocked of course. The girl beside him suddenly became sniffled for some reason. But if he asked, he would definitely look really stupid.

Ling Qing Zhu was silent for quite a while before she made a soft voice, "Are you ever .... See me like a girl in general?"

Xiao Shuxiang immediately replied, "Of course. I always see you like that. You're even different from all the girls I've ever met,"

"But .... Why do I feel that you think of me as a grandchild rather than another?"

!!

It was a miracle when a figure like Ling Qing Zhu started a protest. Xiao Shuxiang was even surprised by it. Of course, he would not accept this kind of accusation.

Xiao Shuxiang said, "You were the one who first thought of me as your grandfather. Maybe because it's also-"

Xiao Shuxiang suddenly stopped talking when he saw Ling Qing Zhu staring at him. He seemed to realize something and then said slowly, "Is this the reason why your relationship with me never developed?"

"............. Go sleep. I'm gonna go,"

"Wait," Xiao Shuxiang directly hugged Ling Qing Zhu without warning and made the white-haired girl surprised.

Xiao Shuxiang patted the back of his White Cat and said. "I was wrong, I really don't know. I'm sorry. From now on, I will treat you well. Really,"

"............. No," Ling Qing Zhu wanted to say it. His guardian is innocent. All this because he was the one who started it. The one who should apologize is not his Guardian Protector.

"But you're also guilty" Xiao Shuxiang continued. "If you don't see me as your 'grandfather', I won't see you as my grandson either. You always say that and you know what? It creates another boundary between us. I'm not entirely guilty here,"

Therehewas. His Guardian was indeed shameless, but it seemed that Ling Qing Zhu actually liked him. The honesty of Xiao Shuxiang's figure always made his chest flutter.

"Shuxiang," Ling Qing Zhu said, "You want me to apologize?"

"no need. You just can't see me as 'your grandfather' anymore. It feels shitty,"

"Then don't call me, 'Son'. You'll look like an old man when you say it,"

"Don't say that..!" Xiao Shuxiang took off his embrace and looked pouted. He looked at Ling Qing Zhu and said, "I'm not that old. Does this face look like a 'grandfather' in your eyes?"

"How old are you now?" Ling Qing Zhu made a calm voice and the question he was making Xiao Shuxiang blink a few times.

Looking at his Guardian Saint who was still thinking about his answer made Ling Qing Zhu say, "I'm 25 Years Old. I don't know how I was in my previous life. I have no memory of the life of a hundred years ago."

His White Cat's speech was calm, but like a dagger in Xiao Shuxiang's hearing. The young man also tried to defend.

Xiao Shuxiang hugged his White Cat back and made Ling Qing Zhu flinch. Xiao Shuxiang said, "I was 39 at the time. I also don't have much experience to be called 'grandfather'."

"Then .... 'Uncle'?"

"Don't...! You made me want to cry. Please don't say that. I'm still very young. I've never even been married. Just call Xiao Shuxiang,"

"........... No,"

"Xiao Shuxiang,"

"........... No,"

"Then, 'Darling'?"

"Take me off,"

"No want! Then call, 'Suami' just~"

"Stay away,"

"No way,"

"..............."

Ling Qing Zhu had indeed asked Xiao Shuxiang to let go and get away from him, but he himself did not make a rebellion and was just a mere remark.

The white-haired girl was actually either conscious or not-but she reached out and gently rubbed the back of her Guardian Protector.

Ling Qing Zhu said, "........ You've been trying hard."

"Mm, I'm really tired." Xiao Shuxiang made a soft voice, he closed his eyes but still hugged and patted his White Cat's back gently.

"........... You can just sleep,"

"No ...." Xiao Shuxiang refused. He was silent for quite a while before he started to say, "White Cat?"

"Mrs,"

"I don't want this night to end,"

"........... Why?"

"If the night ends and the sun rises, you'll come back cold to me. You're gonna treat me like a stranger again,"

"..............." Ling Qing Zhu breathed softly and began to let go of his Guardian Protector's embrace.

He looked at Xiao Shuxiang and then rubbed the handsome young man's head. Ling Qing Zhu said softly, "........... It won't."

"..............." Xiao Shuxiang watched the face of the girl in front of him and then smiled. He said, "May I kiss you?"

"............. I did it,"

??

"Close your eyes," Ling Qing Zhu's hand stretched out and closed the young man's eyes in front of him. His actions left Xiao Shuxiang stunned for a while.

The foreign movement was so small that Xiao Shuxiang almost thought it was an illusion.

*

*

In the morning, Yi Wen came to the bamboo hut of Xiao Shuxiang along with the Mad Beggar Boy. They looked at Xiao Shuxiang who was outside the hut and like he had just finished cleaning.

Xiao Shuxiang was alone. Ling Qing Zhu had previously left early in the morning. The white-haired girl had a class this morning and was under the auspices of Elder Liu Lang.

"Brother Xiao...!" Yi Wen exclaimed and looked happy smiling. He was about to hug his brother when he saw the unusual look on Xiao Shuxiang's face.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" The Crazy Beggar Boy noticed it. He himself no longer wore makeup because his sacred item had forgotten to be taken up to the Upper Cultivation Realm, he had not even looked for a replacement right now.

"..............." Xiao Shuxiang stared at these two friends, but did not give a greeting like he usually did.

Instead, Xiao Shuxiang instead asked a question and made Yi Wen and the Mad Beggar Boy gasp. The faces of the two people even showed astonished expressions.

Xiao Shuxiang tonelessly asked. "You .... Do you know how to kiss?"

"What?!" The Mad Beggar Boy blinked a few times, he did not mishear.

Xiao Shuxiang flinched as these two people suddenly got so close to him. He clucked and said, "Me-Stay a little."

"Son, who do you want to kiss?!" The Crazy Beggar Boy spoke rather loudly.

"Brother Xiao, do you want to practice with me? We can learn together," Yi Wen felt her cheeks heat up at this moment. He was unconsciously showing a smile that seemed interested.

Xiao Shuxiang shuddered, he shook his head and said. "Forget that question. I want to hear your opinion on the difference between a kiss and a kiss. You're all grown up, so um... Must know something."

Yi Wen blinked. He had only discussed this for the first time, but that did not mean he would feel embarrassed when expressing his opinion.

Yi Wen said, "Couping is done between friends, relatives and parents. Kissing is more personal and romantic. I guess..."

"What do you mean?" The Mad Beggar Boy nudged the girl beside him. He said, "Couping is a short, gentle kiss. While the kiss is obvious, it's the tongue."

!!!

"Crazy Beggar!" Yi Wen was shocked to hear that. The words of the man with the bamboo stick beside him sounded like a bolt of lightning.

"You're so vulgar..! Shameless," Xiao Shuxiang also gave a look of horror at the man who inexplicably did not wear any strange makeup anymore.

With a sinless expression, the Mad Beggar Boy hugged his bamboo staff and said. "What's? Whahuh? I'm just saying my opinion. That's right, right?"

Xiao Shuxiang made a faint voice, his tone sounding insinuating. "You seem very experienced at it. It's amazing,"

"Not really, but I can teach you some techniques. You wanna try it?"

"Crazy Beggar, can I kill you now?" Xiao Shuxiang shook his head and then walked away. He was so sorry to have asked such a thing to this insane couple.

"Brother Xiao..?! Wait, where are you going?" Yi Wen caught up with Xiao Shuxiang and walked beside his brother. The Crazy Beggar boy followed them from behind.

Yi Wen, "My brother..?"

"I have to practice" Xiao Shuxiang said. "Elder Xie Yanran may have been waiting,"

"G ...." Yi Wen nodded in understanding. He remained walking beside his Brother Xiao and it didn't take long until he re-opened his voice.

"Brother Xiao," Yi Wen said. "If you see Miss Ling, will you be able to convey my apology to her?"

Xiao Shuxiang turned his head, "What have you done?"

"Ehm ..." Yi Wen was a little nervous, yet she kept talking. "Kurasa .... I was too rude to her,"

Yi Wen said, "I vented my frustration at him. I shouldn't have done that, but .... I don't know why I'm always upset when I see that he still hasn't treated you the right way."

Xiao Shuxiang frowned and watched the girl beside him before saying, "What do you want my White Cat to do? He is a powerful, intelligent and powerful man. I don't want her personality to change just because you don't like it,"

"Brother Xiao," Yi Wen pouted and said. "Do you like it when he's so cold to you? You're married, but I've never even seen you guys so close. Don't hug, just hold hands you rarely do."

The Mad Beggar Boy listened to Yi Wen and felt that this girl's brain had most likely already shifted.

He knew that Yi Wen liked Xiao Shuxiang very much, but why did this girl seem to support Xiao Shuxiang's relationship with Ling Qing Zhu? Whereas Yi Wen should have taken advantage of this situation to capture Xiao Shuxiang's heart.

The Mad Beggar Boy exhaled, "I don't understand Yi Wen's line of thought. He's very hard to predict,"

Xiao Shuxiang himself snorted softly and then smiled. He looked at Yi Wen and said, "Other times when I hold hands and hug the White Cat, I will do it in front of you. How's it?"

"Brother Xiao..!" Yi Wen punched Xiao Shuxiang's arm. He was about to curse when he suddenly realized something.

Yi Wen blinked and with a serious expression in asked. "Brother .... When you asked about the kiss .... Are you and Miss Ling already--"

Yi Wen immediately closed his mouth using his hands. He was flabbergasted and watched Xiao Shuxiang from top to bottom.

"Sa-Brother Xiao .... You turned out to be so big~" Yi Wen took a step away from Xiao Shuxiang and consciously embraced the arms of the Mad Beggar Boy who was seen walking beside him.

The Crazy Beggar Boy himself was jolted with Yi Wen's actions. He was just about to protest when he heard Yi Wen re-open his voice.

"I didn't expect you to be so mature," Yi Wen asked. "Is it possible that you and Ms Ling have already done the wedding refinement?"

Xiao Shuxiang blinked, "Should I tell you such a thing?"

"Jeez~ miss Ling that .... His behavior is cold and tart, not knowing him .... Waitaminute! Did she kiss you first?!"

Xiao Shuxiang flinched. He stopped his steps and made Yi Wen surprised instead of playing.

"Brother Xiao..?!" Yi Wen exclaimed. He released his embrace to the Mad Beggar Boy and held onto both of Xiao Shuxiang's arms.

Yi Wen was in deep shock, "Where is your pride?! Why did you let Miss Ling do it first?! You-you..! Oh my gosh,"

"I'm going to practice, don't bother."

"Brother Xiao, wait..! You must not avoid! You have to explain this to me?!" Yi Wen chased after Xiao Shuxiang who had suddenly just walked away. He also pulled the Mad Beggar Boy's arm and made the man with the bamboo stick jerk back.

"Yi Wen, what are you doing-"

"Speed up your pace. I can't let this happen. Brother Xiao-ku is a male, how could it be that Miss Ling started the attack first? Unacceptable. I don't want to..!"

"It was just a kiss. After all given Xiao Shuxiang's attitude of respecting women, he would naturally not give Ling Qing Zhu any insistence,"

"Crazy Beggar, my brother only appreciates Miss Ling. As for the other women, she could without a doubt skin them. Come hurry..!"

"But don't pull my hand..!"

******