Chapter 15: Skin Hunger Syndrome (4)

He Qiuting had a dream.

He dreamed of that snowy night when Grandma passed away. He was abroad on a business trip, stranded by severe snowstorms that canceled his flight. Frantic but helpless, he couldn’t return home.

Sitting on a bench outside the airport, his entire body covered in a layer of snow, his face pale from the cold, his eyes bloodshot, he tearfully begged Grandma to hold on a little longer, to wait for him.

On the other end of the phone, Grandma wept, her voice weak and fragmented as she gave her final instructions.

She cried, saying the only thing she couldn’t let go of was him.

She said, without Grandma, their Xiao Ting would have no one to care for him, not even knowing which home to return to during the holidays…

With her last breath, Grandma urged him, Xiao Ting, don’t follow your father’s path. Change your stubborn nature, or you’ll suffer.

Even in the dream, it was brutally realistic and merciless, without a hint of reversal, forcing him to relive the pain and despair all over again.

A tear unconsciously slipped from the corner of his eye.

He Qiuting’s lips parted slightly, a suppressed gasp escaping from deep in his throat as his consciousness slowly returned.

He sniffed, catching the faint scent of leather mixed with rosewood and cedar. Before he even opened his eyes, he felt a gentle caress around his ankle.

It was a warm touch, slowly reviving his starved and withered senses from their numbness.

He Qiuting gradually realized it was a hand.

A warm palm was firmly cradling his cold heel, the thumb gently stroking the protruding ankle bone.

He Qiuting shuddered violently, lifting his eyelids to find himself in Lu Shun’s car.

The back seat had been reclined, and he lay on it, his soaked shirt removed, his body covered with a blanket and Lu Shun’s jacket.

Through the cracked car window, he saw the wind and rain still raging outside, the sky now completely dark.

Lowering his gaze, he saw Lu Shun crouched beside his legs, his slender fingers gently pulling down the edge of his socks.

He Qiuting instinctively tried to retract his leg, but Lu Shun firmly gripped his ankle, pulling it back with authority. Don’t move. Your socks are soaked through. You’ll catch a cold.

The car’s heater was on full blast, warm and cozy.

Lu Shun kept his head down, his brow slightly furrowed, a few damp strands of hair falling over his forehead, glistening with moisture under the car’s interior light.

He carefully removed He Qiuting’s socks, then used a dry towel to gently wipe the moisture from his skin.

He Qiuting’s soles had always been sensitive, and he couldn’t quite endure such contact. He unconsciously curled his toes, but this reaction only made him seem even more endearing in Lu Shun’s eyes.

Has the victim’s family arrived? He Qiuting’s voice was hoarse as he glanced around, his gaze locking onto the prefab house not far away through the window. Is someone watching the body? Has the news started spreading online?

I’ve got your assistant watching the body, and he set up a phone to record. The bridge outside collapsed, so no one can get in for a while. Lu Shun’s expression was grim, his voice tinged with displeasure. Don’t worry about all that. Focus on yourself for now, okay?

I… He Qiuting tried to sit up, but as his skin rubbed against the car seat, it ignited a fiery sensation.

The feeling of hunger and shame instantly spread throughout his entire body.

A fire ignited within him, yet the more fiercely it burned, the colder his skin became. Tormented by this paradoxical state of ice and fire, he unconsciously tilted his neck back, tightened his abdomen, and let out a tactical cough.

He Qiuting, are you sick?

Lu Shun’s voice was soft as he asked, raising his eyes—their rims frighteningly red—before gritting his teeth and saying, How can a person’s body be so cold… to this extent?

He Qiuting had fainted in front of him, his lips tinged an unnatural bluish hue, his entire body cold and rigid like a block of ice. Lu Shun bent down to lift him, only to find him devoid of any vitality, his limbs stiff and difficult to bend.

Terrified, Lu Shun quickly checked for breathing and, upon detecting a pulse, barely managed to calm down before carrying him to the car.

He Qiuting gazed at him, his eyes weary and dim. He could tell Lu Shun had been frightened by his condition and reached out to comfort him, but a sudden surge of discomfort froze him in place.

Goosebumps instantly covered his skin, his hairs standing on end. Under Lu Shun’s watchful gaze, his pale, gaunt profile broke out in copious cold sweat.

He Qiuting curled up uncomfortably on the car seat, his entire body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

He Qiuting? Lu Shun hurriedly leaned in, pulling him from the seat and into his arms, feeling the other’s sweat-drenched, icy body quivering faintly. What’s wrong? Are you still cold?

He Qiuting shook his head, then nodded. Clutching Lu Shun’s wrist, his teeth chattering erratically, he finally managed to force out a complete sentence: I’m cold… Hmm? Your hands are so warm…

Hmm? Why did that sound so manipulative?

He Qiuting felt a wave of exasperation, convinced this System would drive him insane sooner or later.

Piles of troubles loomed before him, and He Qiuting knew he had no time to indulge in illness. By daybreak, public opinion would explode, the victim’s family would come screaming for him, and calls from partners and banks would flood in incessantly…

He Qiuting was always like this—habitually envisioning the worst-case scenarios in advance.

If he showed up half-dead for the press interview tomorrow, the brand’s reputation would surely suffer. Better to resolve this Skin Hunger Syndrome completely now.

But since their breakup, Lu Shun had become restrained—his embraces and touches were cautious and polite, far from satisfying his skin’s current craving.

He Qiuting needed him to be impolite, not like this: holding him while frantically wrapping him in a blanket, then patting his back over the fabric as if scratching an itch through boots—utterly ineffective.

Did you not eat or something… He Qiuting blurted out abruptly, startling Lu Shun.

What? Lu Shun asked.

He Qiuting didn’t repeat himself. Instead, he forcefully threw off the blanket, wrapped his arms around Lu Shun’s neck, and calmly embraced him.

Lu Shun stiffened instantly, his breath halting for a moment. You…

This was the first time He Qiuting had actively reached out to hold him.

After a long pause, Lu Shun’s hand stroked He Qiuting’s lower back, pressing him deeper into his embrace.

A scorching palm slowly caressed the expanse of bare back…

Lu Shun’s breathing grew heavy as he stared into He Qiuting’s beautiful eyes, effortlessly drowning in their depths. He swallowed hard, restraining himself, and asked in a hoarse voice, …Are we making up, President He?

He Qiuting shook his head, slightly closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh. Science says hugs can relieve anxiety. Will you help me?

Sure. Lu Shun rarely bothered guessing others’ intentions, focusing only on what attracted him in the moment.

He turned and switched off all the car lights, pressing He Qiuting down onto the backseat as he pounced like a starving wolf.

I’m anxious too. I need relief as well.

Lu Shun seemed to have gone mad, his strength overwhelming. He Qiuting’s chest ached from the impact as he lay back, watching Lu Shun’s features suddenly loom close in the dim light before helplessly closing his eyes.

Their necks entwined in an embrace, their breaths mingling together. Lu Shun seemed to have received some form of permission, rubbing his face fiercely against He Qiuting’s neck, unleashing all the pent-up hunger accumulated over the past month in that single moment.

His chin pressed against He Qiuting’s collarbone as he lowered his head, using soft lips to kiss the bluish veins on his neck, nibbling and gently sucking before moving to another patch of skin, careful not to leave marks.

He still remembered being given the cold shoulder for three months after leaving a hickey on He Qiuting’s neck – a lesson that had greatly improved his kissing technique.

While boldly continuing his actions, Lu Shun justified his behavior: President He, kissing also relieves anxiety. Science says it can even boost immunity.

…Ten minutes of kissing equals half an hour of jogging.

Lu Shun tentatively kissed He Qiuting’s face, first cheek to cheek, then rubbing his nose against the other’s cheek before finally lightly kissing those soft lips.

He Qiuting didn’t respond, lying still as a corpse. The arms that had initially held Lu Shun now hung limply at his sides, indifferently enduring the passionate kisses.

It was only when Lu Shun’s hand touched the belt below his waist…

He Qiuting opened his eyes, grabbed the other’s wrist, and pushed him aside. Get off. We’re not doing it.

Lu Shun obediently climbed off him, then helped him sit up from the seat, silently handing over a bottle of water.

He knew perfectly well – with all the troubles He Qiuting was dealing with now, he couldn’t possibly be in the mood.

He Qiuting took a sip to moisten his throat, a miraculous hint of color unexpectedly appearing on his pale face.

Just then, that damned System popped up again.

Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden achievement – Passionate Car Sex

What’s wrong with letting loose appropriately now and then?~ Hehehehe~

He Qiuting nearly spat out his water. Passionate? Car sex? This System was even better at exaggerating and distorting facts than entertainment industry paparazzi.

But it wasn’t all bad – he knew that achieving any accomplishment would bring rewards.

Rewarding host with early entry into the next symptom!

He Qiuting pricked up his ears, listening carefully. This answer was crucial to him. All he asked was that his illness remain subtle, dignified – at the very least, something that could sustain him through the upcoming press interviews and conferences.

Host has been too ill these past few days, and System feels so heartbroken seeing this~ 55555~ So I’ve specially prepared an adorable condition for you that causes no pain and doesn’t affect daily life~

The System deliberately kept the suspense going.

He Qiuting was extremely irritated inside. As his anxiety surged, his eyes suddenly grew intensely hot. He blinked in confusion, then felt a warm stream flow out.

Congratulations, Host, on binding with new condition—Incontinence of Tears.

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