ASFTB 39: Don’t Even Think About Leaving Him in This Lifetime 1

Jian Chengxi stared wide-eyed at the man’s departing back.

The system’s voice sounded in his mind:【Host, congratulations! You’re finally about to have some real progress with the main character!】

Jian Chengxi almost couldn’t hold the spatula steady. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

The system sounded as if it saw right through him:【You two may have the name of husband and wife, but not the reality of one. It’s not proper at all. Besides, aren’t you quite hungry for him yourself?】

Jian Chengxi’s face nearly went up in flames. “I am not!”

The system clicked its tongue:【You are.】

Jian Chengxi gave a small cough. “Alright, maybe just a little bit…”

The system praised him for his honesty.

Jian Chengxi had to admit it himself, he really did like Li Lingfeng’s looks. After all, he wasn’t blind. Having such a handsome man by his side and not noticing was impossible, especially when that man shared his bed every single night.

But he really was afraid of Li Lingfeng.

This man was far too dangerous and ruthless. The saying “to serve a ruler is like serving a tiger” must describe exactly this feeling.

Li Lingfeng was simply too outstanding.

And he was just an ordinary man who cherished his own life……

The system reminded him:【The pot is about to boil.】

Jian Chengxi snapped back to his senses and hurried to take care of the food in the pot.

The wild vegetables boiling in the pot had already lost their bitterness. Jian Chengxi took out the meat—it was from the magical beast Li Lingfeng had brought back a couple of days ago, something like wild boar meat.

Jian Chengxi thawed the meat and boiled it briefly in water to remove the gamey smell.

“If only there were some cooking wine,” Jian Chengxi sighed. “Too bad there isn’t any here.”

The system popped up:【Host, you can unlock the items in our system mall. There are many things in our mall.】

Jian Chengxi said in surprise, “There’s such a thing? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

The system replied:【You didn’t ask.】

Jian Chengxi: “…”

I’ll shark you sooner or later.

The system seemed to sense the murderous intent and immediately said:【Mainly because, Host, you haven’t unlocked the items in the mall yet.】

Jian Chengxi asked him, “How can I unlock it?”

The system replied:【You need to raise your own safety value to above 30%. Only then will the mall unlock.】

Jian Chengxi almost forgot. “What’s my current safety value?”

The system checked and replied:【Currently 25%, still a little short.】

Jian Chengxi still hadn’t understood exactly how this safety value was defined, but it should be related to the protagonist—that is, his husband. It seems the protagonist’s safety is tightly linked to his own.

The meat in the pot was done.

He took the meat out, chopped it into small minced pieces, first frying one portion to render out the pork fat, then mixed the blanched wild greens with the meat and pressed the mixture into flat cakes.

When the oil in the pan reached the right temperature, he slowly placed them in.

Frying meat cakes was also a skillful task—they couldn’t be cooked too long or too slowly, otherwise they would easily burn.

When they were almost done frying, Jian Chengxi used tongs to take the meat cakes out. The piping-hot cakes were golden brown and crisp on the outside, their rich aroma filling the entire living room.

“Clack…”

A sound came from beyond the glass.

Jian Chengxi glanced to the side and saw the little black dog hopping around outside.

Ever since they’d bought Wangcai, the dog had always curled up alone in a corner, ignoring everyone. Yet for some reason, it was unusually excited this time.

Jian Chengxi met Wangcai’s gaze, and on a sudden hunch, tentatively asked, “Do you want to eat meat cake?”

The dragon cub was so excited it almost grew its horns out, nodding frantically.

Jian Chengxi said with a smile, “This little dog sure is picky with food.”

The dragon cub instinctively ignored that remark. A dragon’s revenge can wait three years—right now, it only wants to eat meat.

Jian Chengxi thought that since he had made quite a lot of meat cakes, it wouldn’t hurt to share some with the little dog, so he took half a small plate, pushed the door open, and went out, bending down to hand them over.

The dragon cub took a bite, then hid to the side to eat.

Jian Chengxi couldn’t help but laugh. “No one’s going to steal it from you.”

It was probably starving. The little black dog finished a meat cake in just a few bites.

Jian Chengxi was watching it when he suddenly heard footsteps coming from the living room. Turning his head, he saw Li Lingfeng’s figure.

The man had just finished his shower and had changed out of his stern, imposing military uniform. Tall and straight-backed, he wore a bathrobe loosely draped over him. Beads of water rolled down from his hair, and the robe, not fully fastened, revealed his firm, muscular chest as he moved. A faint red scar, long healed, stretched downward—a little frightening to look at, yet adding a touch of wild, rugged charm to his handsomeness.

Li Lingfeng stood at the doorway. “What are you doing?”

Jian Chengxi stood up and said, “Feeding the puppy.”

Li Lingfeng’s indifferent gaze fell on the little dog. “Didn’t I tell you to let it go hungry?”

Jian Chengxi smiled a bit awkwardly and said, “It just looked so hungry, I couldn’t help feeding it a little. I didn’t expect it to eat so well.”

The pitch-black dragon cub was wolfing down the meat cakes with gusto.

Li Lingfeng’s gaze settled on it. “Why did you buy it?”

Jian Chengxi was momentarily at a loss. Holding the empty plate, he looked at the black dog with its limp leg and, after thinking for a moment, said, “I just thought it looked really pitiful at the time, so I bought it.”

The little dragon perked up its ears to eavesdrop, thinking to itself, Stupid elf, what do you know?

Once I’ve healed, I’ll wash away my shame in one go!!

But since your meat cakes taste good, I’ll spare your life for now.

Thinking that to itself, the dragon cub swayed its head proudly and looked at the two of them.

It froze the moment its gaze met Li Lingfeng’s.

The young masters of this household all seemed easy to deal with, but the man before him radiated an overwhelming sense of dominance.

It was the same kind of oppressive aura one would feel from a beast that had long bathed in blood on the battlefield.

Li Lingfeng said in a low voice, “It doesn’t even look like a dog. In a few days, I’ll have someone send over two new spirit pets.”

Jian Chengxi was stunned. “Huh?”

Even the dragon cub froze.

Its disguise and aura were both concealed very well—even the Empire’s top hunters hadn’t noticed it.

Li Lingfeng nodded. “Mm, it probably isn’t a dog.”

Jian Chengxi hesitated and said, “But Suisui and Xiao Chen seem to like it quite a lot. Are you sure it’s really not a dog?”

Li Lingfeng’s gaze fell on the dragon cub, and the dragon cub shuddered all over!

Jian Chengxi also looked over suspiciously.

The dragon cub bit down on the meat cake, its small black body seeming to waver in the wind for a moment. Then, as if making an enormous decision, it finally opened its mouth and said, “Woof~”

Jian Chengxi: ?

He hadn’t heard it bark once since he bought it and he had thought it was mute.

The dragon cub wagged its tail and ran a lap around the courtyard, its injured leg limping awkwardly as it barked with unyielding determination. “Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Jian Chengxi turned his head toward Li Lingfeng and said softly, “It…”

Li Lingfeng withdrew his gaze. The man seemed to have already seen through everything as he said in a low voice, “You want to keep it?”

Jian Chengxi thought for a moment, then looked up and said, “If you think it’s dangerous, then we won’t keep it, but when I picked it up, it was covered in wounds. I just want to wait a couple of days and let it recover a bit before sending it away.”

Li Lingfeng nodded without objection.

Jian Chengxi looked at the man’s profile under the night sky—it was a little too cold and severe, and something stirred in his heart.

Actually…

Li Lingfeng wasn’t that cold-blooded and heartless after all.

He was actually quite easy to talk to.

Jian Chengxi suddenly grew a little curious and asked, “General, have you ever picked up and raised any small animals before?”

He had thought that with Li Lingfeng’s solitary nature, he probably wouldn’t have raised anything.

Who would have thought—

Li Lingfeng nodded and said, “Mm.”

Jian Chengxi grew interested. “What was it? Where is it? Is it still alive?”

The bright moonlight spilled across the earth. The man lowered his head, his dark, deep eyes reflecting the figure before him. His voice was low and steady, “It’s still alive, right here.”

Jian Chengxi blinked in confusion.

It wasn’t until Li Lingfeng turned and walked back toward the living room that Jian Chengxi, staring at the man’s tall and handsome back, froze for a moment before realizing—

That little animal, could he have meant me?!

When he entered the living room, the kitchen was still filled with the aroma of meat cakes.

Jian Chengxi walked over, picked up the plate, and said, “I didn’t know if you’d like this kind of meat, so I made a few different kinds. Try them.”

Li Lingfeng sat at the dining table.

The table at home was originally made of cold marble. A couple of days ago, Jian Chengxi had made an orange-toned tablecloth to cover it. He was someone who liked plants and flowers, so he had placed a vase of bead-green Zhu grass inside. The touch of green made the space feel warm and cozy.

Li Lingfeng picked up a piece of the cake and took a bite.

Sitting across from him, Jian Chengxi looked at him expectantly. “How is it?”

Li Lingfeng nodded. “Not bad.”

The man who had shown no interest in the rare delicacies and exotic fruits at the banquet was now eating the cakes without a hint of fussiness, and before long, he had eaten quite a few. Perhaps it was because he was no longer in uniform—without the military attire, he didn’t seem so stern and distant. With the bathrobe loosely draped over him, he didn’t look the least bit rough while eating; on the contrary, his movements were unhurried and measured, carrying a quiet grace.

He seemed like someone who almost never lost control.

No matter what he was dealing with, he was always that ruthless and decisive, never showing any hint of emotion.

Jian Chengxi couldn’t help but drift off a little.

Li Lingfeng glanced sideways at him, his voice low and deep as he said, “Aren’t you eating?”

Jian Chengxi snapped out of his thoughts and quickly waved his hand. “I’m not very hungry.”

“Really?” Li Lingfeng pushed the plate toward him. “You might get hungry later.”

Jian Chengxi stared at him with wide eyes.

His voice was a little lazy and magnetic, low and elegant, like satin under the night sky—smooth yet full of depth. Those dark, deep eyes reflected Jian Chengxi’s figure, seeming to carry a trace of a smile. “Make up your strength.”

Jian Chengxi’s face instantly turned red!

His brain seemed to crash for a moment. He stood up from the chair, his voice carrying a faint trace of panic. “I—I’m going to take a shower.”

Li Lingfeng raised an eyebrow.

Jian Chengxi’s mind was in complete chaos. When he reached the stairs and lifted his foot to go up, his thoughts were so scattered that he missed a step.

“Ah…”

Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught himself on the staircase, only bumping his arm a little.

Li Lingfeng’s reaction was swift. The man stood up from his chair, took a few strides forward, and reached out to steady Jian Chengxi’s bent figure. “What happened?”

Jian Chengxi’s face went pale, and he drew in two sharp breaths. “I hit my arm.”

Li Lingfeng looked down and saw his reddened ankle. “Why were you rushing up the stairs like that?”

Feeling a little guilty, Jian Chengxi murmured softly, “I wasn’t paying attention…”

Li Lingfeng didn’t scold him. Instead, his tall figure bent down as he crouched to check the injury. Jian Chengxi hissed in pain, drawing in a sharp breath.

The man lifted his eyes to glance at him, and just as Jian Chengxi was about to speak, Li Lingfeng’s long arms rose—he scooped him up horizontally and carried him up the stairs with steady, powerful steps.

Jian Chengxi instinctively wrapped his arms around Li Lingfeng’s neck.

Li Lingfeng carried him upstairs.

Jian Chengxi was set down on the large bed. Because Li Lingfeng had to bend over to lower him, the man’s bathrobe came slightly open, revealing his well-built arms and solid chest. It was the first time the two had ever been this close. His body was covered with countless scars—knife marks, savage claw wounds, and even some that Jian Chengxi couldn’t recognize at all.

In the crook of his arm, there was one scar that stood out even more. A black, dragon-like pattern winding and coiling across half his arm, looking terrifyingly striking.

Too shocking.

Too fearsome to behold.

Jian Chengxi drew in a sharp breath.

Li Lingfeng’s slightly rough palm closed around his injured arm.

Jian Chengxi trembled all over, instinctively trying to pull his arm back but that very movement tugged at the injured spot, making the pain even worse. The sharp ache brought a mist of tears to his eyes.

Li Lingfeng’s gaze fell on him, looking down from above. His voice was low and slightly hoarse. “Afraid of me?”

Jian Chengxi instinctively wanted to nod, but then realized something and gently shook his head instead.

Under the dim bedroom light.

The fair-skinned young man had a delicate face, his eyes brimming with tears. Even though he was shaking his head, his gaze was still filled with unease and apprehension.

Li Lingfeng was silent for a moment, then reached a hand toward him.

Jian Chengxi’s heart leapt into his throat but all that came was the blanket being pulled up over him.

Li Lingfeng stood up, his tall figure steady and imposing like a mountain. “Get some rest.”

Jian Chengxi looked at him in surprise. “You…”

Li Lingfeng spoke, his voice calm. “If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

Jian Chengxi was stunned. The man who always seemed so authoritative and domineering had never once made things difficult for him. In fact, he was gentle, and deeply respectful of his wishes.

Li Lingfeng turned and left the room.

Jian Chengxi watched his departing back, dazed. He wanted to call out and explain, but didn’t know where to start. What he really wanted to say was that, although he was still a little afraid of him, he no longer wanted to avoid him. He just wasn’t used to it yet; he only needed a little time.

He left…

Was he angry?

Jian Chengxi couldn’t quite figure out what was on Li Lingfeng’s mind.

Then he remembered that they were husband and wife after all. With the way he had been acting, it would probably make anyone feel a little hurt, wouldn’t it?

Before long—

Footsteps sounded again outside the door.

Jian Chengxi looked up, not realizing that a hint of joy had surfaced in his eyes. Li Lingfeng came in carrying a medicine box, sat down by the bed, and said, “There’s medicine here. You can apply some.”

Because of his physical condition, there were always plenty of medicines kept at home.

Jian Chengxi looked at him a little uneasily.

Li Lingfeng’s cold, stern profile showed no hint of emotion. “What is it?”

Jian Chengxi choked up. What he wanted to say was that before, whenever he was hurt, Li Lingfeng would always help him apply medicine. Yet this time, he had told him to do it himself. He wasn’t exactly helpless but was Li Lingfeng really angry with him…

Jian Chengxi felt a little wronged inside, but didn’t dare say anything. “It’s nothing.”

The medicine was a thick ointment—very effective when applied, but it still stung uncontrollably when it touched the swollen skin. After spreading a bit of it, he was already grimacing in pain, unable to hold the ointment steady anymore.

Li Lingfeng looked at his little wife and said, “Give it to me.”

Jian Chengxi thought he meant to apply the medicine for him.

Li Lingfeng merely took the ointment and put it away, saying quietly, “I’ll have the doctor come and take a look at you tomorrow.”

Jian Chengxi looked at him in surprise.

Li Lingfeng packed up the medicine box. Since Jian Chengxi was so resistant to and afraid of his touch, if he were to apply the medicine for him, it would only deepen that fear. So he chose to give him some time and distance to breathe.

“I’ll go downstairs to clean up the dishes,” Li Lingfeng said as he stood up. “You should rest first.”

Jian Chengxi could only nod.

He wasn’t someone who could keep things bottled up. The moment Li Lingfeng left, he sighed heavily.

The system said:【Just explain things to him properly, that’s all.】

Jian Chengxi smacked the pillow a few times, buried his face in it, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed. “I know that too, but when I see him, I really get a little scared. And I’ve never done that kind of thing between husband and wife before—I just can’t say it out loud.”

The system comforted him:【The most important thing between husband and wife is communication. If there are barriers or misunderstandings, you have to talk them out, otherwise you’ll only grow more and more distant.】

Jian Chengxi felt that made sense. “Then I’ll have a good talk with him later.”

The system was very pleased:【That’s it! Win your man’s heart back!】

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Why are you even more excited than I am?

He lay in bed waiting for Li Lingfeng to come back, but after waiting and waiting, the person who was supposed to return still hadn’t shown up.

…

Half an hour later—

When Li Lingfeng finished communicating with the deputy general and handling the military handover in the Underground City, he came back to find the person on the bed already curled up into a small ball, even letting out soft snores.

Jian Chengxi had always been a messy sleeper, taking up half the bed all by himself.

Li Lingfeng walked over and lay down.

Almost as soon as he did, the sleeping person seemed to instinctively sense the warmth and snuggled over on his own. Afraid that he might brush against the injury on his hand, Li Lingfeng naturally pulled him into his arms.

In that familiar embrace, Jian Chengxi found a comfortable position and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Lingfeng took some ointment from the medicine box beside him and applied a thin layer to that fair arm. Only after seeing the swelling and redness subside a little did he finally feel at ease.

The person sleeping in his arms furrowed his brows slightly but didn’t wake up.

On the contrary—

He even felt a bit cold and instinctively nestled deeper into Li Lingfeng’s arms.

Li Lingfeng’s gaze was calm as he lowered his head, staring at the side profile of his little wife’s face—so unguarded in sleep.

Perhaps…

Only at times like this would he want to draw close to him.

When he wouldn’t be afraid of him.

If not for his own power and authority, Jian Chengxi would probably have run away long ago, wanting nothing more than to stay as far from him as possible.

But so what?

He had never been a kind or soft-hearted person.

From the moment Jian Chengxi had grabbed the corner of his coat, pleading for help, the price of that rescue was set. For the rest of his life, he would never be able to leave him, and would have to spend a lifetime repaying it.

The next morning—

When Jian Chengxi woke up early, the space beside him on the bed was already empty.

Today was the day the two children had to go to school.

Jian Chengxi didn’t have time to think much. When he got up, he originally thought the wound on his arm was still there, but unexpectedly, it had disappeared overnight. It was quite strange.

Li Suisui had already put on her clothes early in the morning.

Jian Chengxi helped the little girl put on her school uniform. The uniform of this noble school was blue and white; the girls’ lower half was a knee-length skirt, and the upper half was a uniform with a small ribbon.

Li Suisui stood on the bed and spun around. “Daddy, do I look good?”