Stabilizing Madness [Interstellar]

Chapter 14: Negotiation

Chapter 14: Negotiation

    In the opulent hall, adorned with gold and silver, two strikingly handsome men sat opposite each other on classical sofas.

    Xu Qingran lounged, with his legs crossed, sinking deep into the sofa.
    Across from him, the other person, pressing a communicator to his ear, replied with lowered eyes, "Yes, I have some matters to attend to at home today, so I won't be joining the evening's event."

    Delicate fingertips unconsciously stroked a black glove on his left hand, until the busy individual finally ended his last call and looked up to meet his gaze directly.
    The atmosphere in the living room was strangely tense, as if on the verge of a showdown.
    Sister Song, holding a bowl and stirring the egg inside, peeked sneakily from the kitchen towards the distant living room, then furrowed her brows in confusion.

    This hardly seemed like the ambiance of a couple's interaction.
    After a while, Shen Tingyu initiated the conversation, "Congratulations, Mr. Xu, on finally leaving the Evil Tower."
    Shen Tingyu had envisioned various scenarios for meeting Xu Qingran again, but this explosive encounter was unexpected.

    He usually wouldn't return home so early unless on a mission, which could keep him away for weeks. However, with the recent proactive movements from the Silver Dragon faction, and having no pressing duties these days, he came back early to deal with Xu Qingran's situation.
    His return had coincidentally overlapped with Sister Song's outing.

    The room Sister Song arranged for Xu Qingran was rumored to belong to the 'future lady of the house', hence sharing a bathroom with him.
    Shen Tingyu began to hesitate.

    As an E-type with a strong sense of territory, accommodating Shen Tianyi was already his limit. The Shen family had also received a notice from the Empire, and failing to keep Xu Qingran could complicate matters later, which he preferred to avoid.
    Lost in thought, Xu Qingran responded with a sarcastic smile, "Yes, thanks to my dear censor who designed a fast-track route for me. Otherwise, who knows how long I would've had to stay in there."

    His appearance seemed less vibrant than their first meeting.
    The skirmishes in the arena left numerous wounds on his body, visibly thinner, yet his sharpness remained undiminished. The bandages around his neck were finally removed, but the varying shades of bruises on his skin were still visible.

    Those cold yet expressive peach blossom eyes made it easy for one's imagination to wander.
    Shen Tingyu snapped back to reality, picking up on the subtext in his words.
    Shen Tingyu thought to himself that this guy indeed had the difficult temperament the rumors suggested.

    And quite a grudge-holder too.
    He gave a wry smile in response, saying, "You're welcome."
    His skin was thick indeed.
    Xu Qingran had already had a cooling-off session in his room, courtesy of the system.
    He agreed with the system's view that Shen Tingyu was merely a tool for his upgrade. So now, looking at him, he saw nothing but a maxed-out mental pool on the left side of his face and his lightning ability on the right.

    Instantly feeling more at peace.
    Besides, he tried to put himself in Shen Tingyu's shoes.
    If he were in Shen Tingyu's position today, he probably would have done something similar, and maybe even more ruthlessly if displeased.
    After all, two tigers can't share one mountain, unless they are male and female.
    Both being men, they couldn't coexist.

    The system whispered, "One being dominant, the other submissive, could work."
    "Shut up," Xu Qingran retorted, "Do I look like the submissive type to you?"
    The system thought that their host indeed possessed a body perfect for a treasured submissive, in every way.