Too Much To Handle! The Canary Forced Love on The Grim/Vicious Villain - Chapter 21

“Abs? Why pose with something you already have?”

System: “…”

“Host, has anyone ever told you—you’re really hot.” What, you’re not even pretending anymore? Seducing your wife straight-up? Using your looks as a weapon, how low-level!

Don’t say you don’t know how to flirt—you’re practically unstoppable right now.

Jiang Xu sucked in a sharp breath, his whole body going stiff.

[Holy crap holy crap! What is Si Yuhuai doing? Isn’t this way too forward?!]

[Wait—no, something’s off. There’s something here. This guy definitely has something!]

[Crap! The feel of this…]

[I hope I didn’t just drool. Buff, handsome guys with abs are exactly my type!]

[Oh my god! When will I get to face such perfect abs in person?!]

The system could see from Si Yuhuai’s relaxed brows that its usually repressed host was basking in the praise. If he didn’t restrain himself, his mouth would be curved into a Nike swoosh.

That joy he normally only revealed after messing with people now shone through like a light in the deep dark sea.

Si Yuhuai hooked an arm around Jiang Xu’s neck and yanked him close.

“We’re both men. Don’t tell me you don’t have abs?”

Jiang Xu stared at him coldly.

[Boss, you’re way too chatty today!]

Si Yuhuai’s gaze dropped to the doodled clown sticking its tongue out on Jiang Xu’s white T-shirt. That grin looked like it was mocking Jiang Xu.

Then Si Yuhuai lifted Jiang Xu’s shirt and pressed his hand against his stomach—

“Tsk…” Si Yuhuai’s brows curved, his tone dripping with ridicule even as a smile tugged at his lips. “Look at this—layer upon layer of pork belly fat.”

He couldn’t resist giving the soft belly a couple of squeezes.

That plush feeling—say no more!

Jiang Xu shot back stubbornly: “Exactly! Because I don’t have what everyone else does, that makes me stand out from the crowd.”

[Fine! I admit my eat-sleep-eat lifestyle lately has plumped me up. But having no abs isn’t my fault!]

[Starting tomorrow, I’m going to turn things around! Everyone thinks I can’t do it, but I’ll be the one who proves them wrong!]

Si Yuhuai’s lips curled, showing no disgust at all.

“Yeah. Being chubby has a one-of-a-kind feel to it.”

Jiang Xu shoved him away, then angrily ate two extra bowls of rice that night to cope with his body-image stress.

Lately, when Zhou Xuning came over to study, he noticed Jiang Xu carrying a camera everywhere.

He even cleared out a display case at home just to put the camera in.

Zhou Xuning felt a stab of jealousy.

“Brother Huai is way too biased. Last time I asked him for new equipment, he told me my grades weren’t good enough.”

Jiang Xu felt a little guilty at that.

Si Yuhuai really was generous with him.

Food, drinks—that much Jiang Xu could accept.

But recently, he realized the truth: he was just cashing in on this face that looked so much like Jiang Yu’s.

He felt a little unworthy, but… so what!

Si Yuhuai was rich. It wasn’t like he forced him to spend money.

Besides… time was ticking. Only two months left.

Jiang Yu would be back soon.

Jiang Xu told himself his mission now was just to make as much money off Si Yuhuai as possible. But deep down, there was an undeniable heaviness.

He thought, Si Yuhuai wasn’t an idiot. At least when he gifted him that camera, he knew he was giving it to Jiang Xu, not Jiang Yu. That was enough.

Jiang Xu patted Zhou Xuning’s shoulder: “Si Yuhuai’s just all bark. Once you ace your exams, he’ll look at you differently.”

Zhou Xuning smiled: “Yeah, I feel good about this review session. Not as chaotic as before. But Jiang Xu—are you really going to stay home every day? What’s so great about staying in all the time?”

Jiang Xu sat in a chair, resting his chin on his hands, staring out the window in thought.

To be honest, he was starting to feel a little bored lately.

Especially after getting that camera, he had photographed everything in and around the estate. There wasn’t much left to capture.

So he was beginning to feel like going out.

He thought, from the moment he woke up, he’d been in this villa, even forming a fledgling attachment to Si Yuhuai.

But even if he didn’t leave now, in three months he’d still be kicked out.

Maybe it was better to start going out, learning to live without Si Yuhuai, so he wouldn’t be too pathetic when the time came.

That night—

When Si Yuhuai was squeezing the flesh on Jiang Xu’s belly and asking if he still wanted to stay home, Jiang Xu shook his head.

“No, I’m planning to go back to school.”

Si Yuhuai’s drowsy mind snapped alert, like an alarm going off.

“You… want to go to school?”

Jiang Xu nodded. “Yeah. Exams are coming up. If I cram, I should be fine. I’ll review properly these days and aim for a good score.”

He carefully set the camera on the bedside table, yawned, then grabbed Si Yuhuai’s wrist.

“Goodnight!”

Si Yuhuai had no idea why Jiang Xu had suddenly changed his mind.

He didn’t object to him going to school, but he couldn’t figure out the reason behind it.

His instincts told him—it wasn’t that simple.

Jiang Xu really did start preparing for school.

Before returning to the Jiang family, he had been attending school diligently. But after Si Yuhuai caught him, he’d been on leave.

Now, Jiang Xu got up early to eat breakfast. The butler, worried about the summer heat, packed washed fruit and iced tea for him.

While Jiang Xu ate, the butler noticed Si Yuhuai’s stiff expression and secretly rolled his eyes.

[You’re the one who told him to go to school. Now that he’s really going, you’re sulking?]

Si Yuhuai: “…”

Dressed in a tailored suit, Si Yuhuai crossed his legs lazily, his gaze locked on Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu bit into a bun, slurped some soup, eating happily.

“Jiang Xu, are you planning to commute or live on campus?”

Jiang Xu blinked, conflicted.

[Logically, I should board at school, right? I don’t mind. Give me a doghouse and I can sleep there. But… Si Yuhuai…]

He bit his lip, thinking: [What if Si Yuhuai starts sleepwalking again?]

Si Yuhuai’s brows smoothed out. Clearly, Jiang Xu still cared about him.

But just as he was about to say something, Jiang Xu thought: [Eh, whatever. He hasn’t sleepwalked in ages. It’s probably cured. Worst case, poor Uncle Sheng will lose some sleep.]

Si Yuhuai’s face instantly darkened.

Heartless brat.

Jiang Xu said: “I’ll board. It’s easier.”

The butler immediately objected.

“Young Master Jiang Xu, I’ll arrange for a driver to pick you up after class. Just come home—it’s much more comfortable here.”

[Please, pity an old man like me. Who wants to stay up all night chasing after a man scarier than a ghost?]

Si Yuhuai: “…”

So everyone was lining up to dislike him now?

Was that right?

Wasn’t he supposed to be the head of this house?!