Chapter 344: The Mask and the Kiss

"There’s nothing between Hu Jintao and me. I’ve already rejected my Senior Brother’s proposal."

Bai He hurriedly distanced himself from Hu Jintao.

"Is that really your decision to make?"

Bai He nodded his head vigorously.

"It is. Of course it is."

"Then why didn’t you come to see me back then..."

Now, the moment she heard he was going to make things difficult for Hu Jintao, Bai He hurried to defend another man.

Ye Shiyuan found himself deeply conflicted.

On one hand, he did not want Bai He to admit to having any relationship with Hu Jintao.

On the other hand, hearing Bai He so anxiously deny their relationship somehow made him angry as well.

"Shiyuan, don’t keep dwelling on the bad things I did. I also pleaded with Sect Master for you before. I even defended you. Have you forgotten all of that?"

How could he be like this?

He remembered the one time Bai He had failed him, yet completely forgot all the times Bai He had treated him so well.

Ye Shiyuan shot him a glare.

Bai He instinctively shrank his neck.

"You said you like me?"

Bai He nodded.

"Yes."

"How are you going to prove that you’re not lying to me?"

Bai He’s eyes darted around.

Suddenly remembering something, he immediately grabbed hold of his own clothes.

"Don’t even think about it. Impossible."

Ye Shiyuan frowned.

"What exactly is going through your head?"

Only then did Bai He realize that he had misunderstood.

Ye Shiyuan did not seem to have meant that at all.

"I... I wasn’t thinking anything."

Ye Shiyuan let out a quiet snort.

"You certainly know quite a lot. Who taught you all that?"

"I learned it from reading novels."

Who would teach him something like that?

If Bai He claimed his biology teacher had taught him during school, would anyone even believe him?

Ye Shiyuan slowly crouched down in front of Bai He.

He was slightly shorter than Bai He from this position.

Tilting his head upward, he looked directly into Bai He’s eyes.

The angle was just right.

His fingers gently squeezed Bai He’s palm.

"Master, this is the last chance I’m giving you."

"Don’t disappoint me."

Bai He looked at him.

"If I disappoint you... then you’ll give up on me?"

As if.

Those words echoed silently in Ye Shiyuan’s heart.

He did not say them aloud.

Ye Shiyuan took Bai He’s hand and helped him to his feet.

Standing up together somehow felt much better.

"Shiyuan, then when you fight Hu Jintao..."

"Don’t mention him."

Ye Shiyuan was clearly unhappy.

Bai He pressed his lips together.

"I just don’t want innocent people to get dragged into this."

"Master, just because you don’t like him doesn’t mean he is innocent."

What did that even mean?

"Hmm?"

"He seems to be quite interested in you."

Bai He was shocked.

Yes, he had refused to marry the son of Elder Shi Yuqi, but Hu Jintao did not seem to have any intention of giving up.

He appeared to still have some thoughts in that direction...

"I’ve already made things clear with him. He just needed some time to sort himself out. He hasn’t come looking for me anymore, so he must have understood."

"You’re really going to great lengths just to defend him."

Ye Shiyuan’s palm tightened slightly as he suddenly pulled him into his arms and lowered his head to kiss his lips.

At some point, the mask on his face had already been removed.

He did not care at all whether anyone was around.

Again?

Bai He still did not manage to react in time.

Ye Shiyuan had changed.

He was not like this before.

Bai He simply could not keep up.

Tears almost came to his eyes as his eyes widened.

"Mm... mm..."

Ye Shiyuan slowly let him go.

Their breaths were still tangled together.

Bai He’s fair face was faintly flushed red and his cheeks felt hot as he grew shy.

He instinctively licked his lips, unaware of just how alluring that small action was.

Ye Shiyuan’s expression tightened as he reached out and wiped the corner of his lips with his finger.

"You really are..."

Bai He shrank back slightly.

"Let go of me."

Ye Shiyuan truly did not know what to do with him anymore.

"Time is almost up. They will be coming soon."

Bai He pushed him away in shock.

"If that’s the case, how dare you still do something like this?"

"I’m not afraid. Why should you be afraid?"

"Whether you’re afraid or not is your business. I can’t not be afraid. Even if I get scolded, I will still be afraid."

Bai He was not made of stone.

Who would enjoy being scolded?

Being yelled at by his Senior Brother all the time, his little heart would not be able to take it one day.

Ye Shiyuan looked down slightly and Bai He felt something being placed into his hand.

He looked down and said, "A mask? Isn’t this your mask? Why are you giving it to me?"

"Put it on for me?"

Ah?

Bai He was becoming more and more unable to understand what Ye Shiyuan meant.

"You can put it on yourself, can’t you?"

Ye Shiyuan was already sitting beside him.

"What are you hesitating for? Put it on for me."

He really was impossible to deal with.

Bai He walked behind Ye Shiyuan and helped him put on the mask.

His fingers accidentally brushed against his ear and he immediately pulled his hand back.

He adjusted the mask carefully for him and could not help but say softly, "I really don’t understand why you always wear a mask."

"Trouble."

"What trouble is there?"

"People."

"Cough."

Ye Shiyuan said those word in a concise and blunt manner.

Bai He coughed lightly.

This was a bit amusing.

[ Host, in the original story, Ye Shiyuan was set up as a ’heartthrob’. Many people liked him, mostly because of his appearance. Now a lot fewer people like him. Maybe the mask contributed to that. ]