Editor and proofreader: Oceanblue

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Although he felt a bit embarrassed, Ye Qingyun shamelessly took sufficient research materials, allowing the experiments to continue smoothly.

After finishing the day’s work, he decided to take a walk to get some fresh air, and Gu Shenyuan accompanied him.

The planet where Gu Shenyuan resided was sparsely populated, and as they walked some distance, they didn’t encounter a single soul.

Ye Qingyun walked in silence, vaguely feeling that Gu Shenyuan had a strange look in his eyes when he walked beside him.

Come to think of it, it hadn’t started today; ever since Gu Shenyuan had personally provided that… material for the research, he had been a little off around him.

Ye Qingyun pondered briefly and understood.

Gu Shenyuan was an introverted, quiet person who highly valued personal boundaries, so he was likely feeling quite shy and uneasy after handing over something so private.

Imagining Gu Shenyuan’s flustered expression as he reluctantly gave him the sample because he didn’t want Ye Qingyun using anyone else’s, Ye Qingyun’s heart softened.

Being a researcher, he was often faced with strange materials, so in the lab, he could approach any subject with a calm mind.

But Gu Shenyuan, not being a researcher, was simply an introverted young man, and Ye Qingyun couldn’t hold him to the same standard.

Softening his tone unconsciously, Ye Qingyun gently reassured him, “Don’t worry; I won’t use your sample for anything inappropriate.”

At most, he was creating a serum to remove the bloodline restriction—for Gu Shenyuan’s benefit, of course, not for some dubious love spell!

…Then again, wasn’t that what Gu Shenyuan had intended by giving him the sample?

Choosing to overlook this thought, Ye Qingyun continued to comfort him, saying, “You don’t have to feel embarrassed. It’s just a research sample, nothing more; think of it as a contribution to scientific advancement.”
Gu Shenyuan lowered his dark lashes, concealing his thoughts, and quietly replied, “…Mm.”

He could tell that Ye Qingyun thought he was feeling shy and uneasy, which was why he tried to comfort him.

But what was there to feel uneasy about? Since he dared to give it, he was prepared to accept whatever Ye Qingyun intended to do with it.

Moreover, he had absolute trust in Ye Qingyun, knowing he wasn’t the type to do anything bad.

As for feeling shy… This was something exciting, something that made his blood boil.

His emotions had been unusual lately, all due to two reasons.

The first was that Ye Qingyun… had made certain contact with him.

Even though he kept telling himself it was just for the sake of the experiment, Gu Shenyuan found it hard to control his thoughts. In his idle moments, he couldn’t help but daydream, causing him to occasionally get lost in thought.

The second reason was related to what Ye Qingyun had said about the Stone of Love effects.

If Ye Qingyun’s hypothesis was correct, and an element within the Stone of Love could genuinely make two people who contributed to the material fall in love, would Ye Qingyun end up loving him?

Gu Shenyuan had always scoffed at such things. He didn’t believe anything could control human feelings; it was just brainwashing, and anyone who believed it was a fool.

But now, deep down, he longed for this to be true, for such a miraculous thing to exist in the world.

He wanted to be able to walk hand in hand with Ye Qingyun, to hold him close and keep him warm when the weather turned cold.

There were so many things he wanted to do, but his current status wouldn’t allow him to.

…He wanted just one chance. Just one.

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Ye Qingyun walked a large loop along the road and was about to head back with Gu Shenyuan when a hovering car descended from above, landing in front of a nearby villa.

Two men jumped out of the car first.

One wore all black, with a stern expression, while the other had a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a calculating gleam in his eyes.

After getting out, they reached back into the car and dragged out a beautiful young man with tearful eyes, looking pitiful and helpless.

“No, please, let me go. I can do other things for you!” the beautiful young man cried out. “I can work for you for free, serve you like a slave!”

“Serve like a slave?” The man with the cigarette chuckled, as though he’d heard a joke. He slapped the young man’s face, exhaling a puff of smoke. “No need for that. Just entertain us.”

After he finished speaking, the other man in black held the beautiful young man down, dragging him toward the villa.

Ye Qingyun felt a sense of déjà vu watching this scene as if he’d seen it somewhere before.

He frowned, thinking hard until it hit him.

No wonder it felt so familiar! This was a scene straight from the original story!

At the time, the author wanted to write a dramatic scene to explore which type of personality would create the most tension with Gu Shenyuan, so they created this storyline.

The tearful young man was one of the most beautiful people in the galaxy, the man with the cigarette was a top-five billionaire, and the man in black was a famous assassin.

The billionaire and the assassin were friends. Captivated by the young man’s beauty, they had schemed together to buy him from his parents, then forcefully took him away.

In the story that followed, the beautiful young man spotted Gu Shenyuan, his eyes brightening as he thought Gu Shenyuan could save him. Seizing a moment when his captors weren’t watching, he broke free and ran toward Gu Shenyuan, pleading for his help.

The two men chased after him, originally wanting to drag him back, but upon seeing Gu Shenyuan’s face, they were struck by his beauty and decided they wanted to take him, too.

Gu Shenyuan ignored them, walked away, and casually knocked the assassin to the ground when he tried to make a move.

The billionaire and the assassin didn’t give up easily and continued to harass Gu Shenyuan, much to his annoyance.

The young man, believing Gu Shenyuan had saved him, was infatuated with his prowess and began to pursue him ardently.

There was even a scene in the original story where the young man tried seducing Gu Shenyuan by undressing, but Gu Shenyuan walked away, indifferent.

Readers had joked that Gu Shenyuan and the young man were simply incompatible and that if it were a man with an eight-pack, the story might have gone differently.

Ye Qingyun remembered the joke clearly, so he also recalled the scene in detail.

But something wasn’t right.

In the original story, Gu Shenyuan encountered this scene on a different, busier planet, not back in his hometown.

Yet here it was, unfolding again! Was the story adapting so dynamically?

Just then, the beautiful young man spotted them, suddenly struggled free from the man in black, and stumbled toward them.

It was happening—it was playing out just like the original!

Ye Qingyun’s heart raced, and he instinctively looked at Gu Shenyuan.

In the original story, the young man had tried to throw himself into Gu Shenyuan’s arms for protection, only for Gu Shenyuan to step back, leaving him to fall.

Would this familiar Gu Shenyuan also act according to the story?

The Gu Shenyuan from the story was passive, but this one was assertive; would the scene change?

Uninterested in the unfolding events, Gu Shenyuan only looked at Ye Qingyun and asked, “Tired? I’ll carry you.”

Ye Qingyun replied, “Huh? I’m not tired; look over there…”

Only then did Gu Shenyuan lazily glance over, frowning as he looked at the young man running toward them.
Ye Qingyun watched as the young man ran closer and then tried to throw himself onto him—

In the next moment, Ye Qingyun was pulled into a firm embrace. Gu Shenyuan’s breath brushed across his face, his lips grazing Ye Qingyun’s ear.

The young man missed his target and fell to the ground.

Gu Shenyuan clicked his tongue, ‘Tsk.’

The young man scrambled to his feet, reaching for Ye Qingyun’s sleeve with tears in his eyes, his voice choked as he pleaded, “Please, good sir, help me…”

Ye Qingyun shifted uncomfortably in Gu Shenyuan’s embrace. “…”

Why was this guy coming to him for help? Did he look like he had any combat skills?

Gu Shenyuan had a face that didn’t necessarily scream “expert fighter,” yet standing beside him made Gu Shenyuan seem even more inscrutable and powerful. If anyone wanted reliable help, Gu Shenyuan was the better choice!

Gu Shenyuan stepped back with Ye Qingyun, preventing the young man from grabbing his sleeve.

Looking coldly at the young man, Gu Shenyuan let out a faintly mocking smile.

The young man’s pitiful, tearful look did nothing to stir his sympathy; instead, it raised his guard. Maybe it was overly cautious, but seeing the man run toward Ye Qingyun, his first thought was that this person intended to drag Ye Qingyun down with him to ensure his escape.

The two men who had been pursuing the young man also caught up, and upon seeing Ye Qingyun, their eyes lit up.

The man with the cigarette politely addressed Ye Qingyun, winking flirtatiously, “Sir, may I have the honor of inviting you to my home for tea?”

Ye Qingyun looked at him, eyes widening in shock.

He hadn’t noticed from afar, but up close, this rich, throwaway character bore an uncanny resemblance to Pu Tian—five or six points at least!

Oh god, thankfully, he didn’t have to stick to any character traits here; otherwise, he’d have to feign interest in this person. That thought alone made him sick to his stomach.

Gu Shenyuan also noticed. The veins on the back of his hand, resting on Ye Qingyun’s shoulder, bulged, his hand trembling slightly.

Gu Shenyuan knew well that Ye Qingyun liked Pu Tian, a fact he had long accepted as a thorn lodged in his heart.

He had hoped that, with time, Ye Qingyun’s feelings for Pu Tian would fade. Meanwhile, he’d stay close, confident that he’d eventually make an imprint in Ye Qingyun’s life, someone he’d think of more and more.

But now, this person had appeared.

If Ye Qingyun saw this man as Pu Tian’s substitute and wanted to fall into his arms, what would he do?

He couldn’t let himself think about it, wouldn’t dare to.

Gu Shenyuan’s head began to ache. The curse in their bloodline prohibited them from harming the ones they loved. If he tried to hurt them, the backlash would only be worse. Just thinking about it intensified his headache.

But he couldn’t bear it… If Ye Qingyun went with this person, he would pull him back, even if it felt like he was being torn apart.

He would bring him back, lock him in a room, forbid him from loving anyone else, from even looking at other men, from ever leaving his side.

Gu Shenyuan was jolted back as someone shook him. He opened his eyes against the pain and met Ye Qingyun’s bright gaze.

Ye Qingyun whispered urgently, “What are you waiting for? This guy is disgusting—hit him!”