After Crossing Over to the Republic of China, I've Become a Heartthrob Chapter 37

Meeting Ling Junde Again

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Shi Yao was immediately stunned.

He had never imagined that he would see Ling Junde again in such a way.

He stared blankly at Ling Junde's face, which was so strange yet familiar.

Unfortunately, it was only the memory of Shi Rongyu.

He couldn't touch him or communicate with him.

Ling Junde took off his hat and handed it to his junior beside him. His junior took the hat, put it in his pocket, and respectfully lit a cigar for him.

Song Liao said: "To come so late, you should be punished with three glasses of wine." 

"Even three bottles would be fine." Ling Junde opened a bottle of wine and glanced at Shi Rongyu in the corner of his eye: "Who's this?"

Song Liao frowned impatiently: "Just an insignificant person, drink first."

Shi Rongyu's complexion darkened, and he lowered his head deeply.

Shi Yao really disliked Song Liao's attitude of looking down on people. He would like to splash Song Liao with a face full of wine if he could. 

Throughout the banquet, Shi Rongyu was a marginal backdrop. He got drunk alone and secretly drank a lot of spirits.

Shi Yao was so focused on Ling Junde that he didn't pay any attention to anyone else.

No matter when or where, Ling Junde is the biggest of all the big shots.

After a few rounds of toasts, the negotiation was watertight, and underneath the rhetoric, the interests were never compromised.

In the end, Song Yao and Ling Junde each made a concession.

Ling Junde would fully support the establishment of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce, and in turn, the Chamber of Commerce had to make concessions to Keming Company.

After the banquet, Song Liao took Shi Rongyu back.

Just after getting out of the car, Shi Rongyu vomited all over the place.

Song Liao wanted to dislike him for not being able to hold his liquor, but the next second, he fainted.

A doctor was called to make a diagnosis. It turned out to be alcohol poisoning caused by drinking too much alcohol on an empty stomach after a prolonged period of time without food.

When Shi Rongyu woke up, Song Liao asked: "Why have you not eaten? Is it not to your liking?"

He shook his head.

He didn't eat before, simply because there was no one to feed him.

He didn't eat at the banquet because he was afraid of embarrassing him.

But he didn't say this.

Song Liao finally noticed something was wrong: "No one arranged three meals a day for you?" 

After a long period of silence, Shi Rongyu nodded slowly.

Song Liao was furious, and immediately called the master of the kitchen and scolded him.

In front of the whole room, Song Liao said: "Since Shi Rongyu is my person, he is your master. If you dare to neglect him, you will be punished by the family rules and expelled from the residence!"

The kitchen master was so scared that he said "yes" again and again.

Song Liao added: "Prepare the food for the evening, get lost!"

The room full of people quickly emptied as everyone left the scene.

Shi Rongyu felt very touched. 

Shi Yao also felt very comfortable, and for the first time, he felt that Song Liao's performance was so refreshing. 

The matter here was resolved, but Shi Yao was still a bit worried about Ling Junde.

His consciousness floated around the room, trying to escape the limitation of time and perspective.

Even though this was a memory, memories were the world of the past.

Since this is the world of the past, can't I see more of my old friends?

He tried to control his perspective and focus his consciousness.

Gradually, he floated out of the room and saw the scenery in the courtyard.

Could it be?

Shi Liao was speechless. 

Song Yuan was still kneeling here?

It's been so long, even the best knees would be useless, right?

Simply hating iron for not being able to be steel, Shi Yao drifted in front of Song Yuan. A gust of wind blew up and stroked a few strands of his hair.

Song Yuan raised his eyes and glanced into the courtyard.

Shi Yao's heart skipped a beat, and he actually had the illusion that he was looking at him.

He had an idea and floated to Master Song's room, blowing a gust of chilly wind.

Master Song sneezed from the cold, and then remembered that Song Yuan was still kneeling in the courtyard, so he asked someone to shout at him to get up.

Shi Yao watched with relief as Song Yuan returned to his room, burned incense and took a bath. 

Ahem, don't peek in the bath, it's not very ethical.

Where is Ling Junde? What is he doing?

Just thinking like this, his consciousness drifted to the general manager's office of Keming Company.

Ling Junde sat at the desk, carefully wiping a pistol with a piece of silk cloth, with a concentrated and deep expression.

After wiping it, he loaded the gun, aimed it at the target and hit the bull's eye with a ‘bang’.

Shi Yao was startled.

What's with all these dangerous manoeuvres!

With another 'bang', Shi Yao felt a bullet hit him, and after a burst of great pain, he opened his eyes again and returned to that day. 

It was the day that Ling Junde was shot dead in front of him.

Shi Yao hugged Ling Junde, his palms sticky with blood.

Trembling, he said, "Hold on, Junde, the doctor will be here soon."

"It's okay, it's okay, it's all over." Ling Junde smiled lowly: "Don't be afraid."

"No, you can't die." Shi Yao repeated, "No."

"What? I'm still alive and well, and you're cursing me to die, huh?" Ling Junde took off his blood-stained shirt and tore it. Gritting his teeth, he made a simple bandage for himself.

Afterwards, he lowered his head slightly and touched Shi Yao's lips.

Shi Yao froze in place, not expecting things to go this way.

Pinned against the wall, he pressed a deep, unreasonable kiss, brutal and aggressive, mixed with the thrill of blood.

"Junde, wait... You, wait." Shi Yao didn't dare to push away for fear of hurting him: "Your injury."

"It's just a blow to my shoulder, not a big deal." Ling Junde braced himself against the wall with one hand and put his arm around him, "How about you? Does it hurt?"

It was only then that Shi Yao realised that his left arm had been shot and was bleeding, and the intense pain was radiating through him.

Ling Junde ripped off his shirt and lowered his head to bandage Shi Yao: "How could you be so thoughtful as to take a bullet for me, huh?"

It took time for Shi Yao to realise that in this world, Ling Junde wasn't dead.

He took a bullet for him, and he didn't die.

He burst into tears, not sure if it was because he was hurt or touched. 

Shi Yao hugged him tightly: "Great, great."

"Great? You like being shot?”

"Yes!" Shi Yao looked at him with tears in his eyes: "You didn't die, that's great!"

Putting the bandage back on, Ling Junde smiled helplessly, "Shi Yao, you really are..."

"What?"

"Stupid." After bandaging him up, Ling Junde took out his cigar, lit it up and took a drag, the ashes falling to the ground.

"You're smoking now? Can't you go to the hospital first?"

"What? Is it up to me?"  

"No, I'm just thinking of your safety." Shi Yao advised, "If you want to live a healthy life, I don't expect you to quit smoking and drinking, but at least restrain yourself a bit at this time!"

"Okay," said Ling Junde, putting out his cigarette, "I'll listen to you, go to the hospital."

"Mhmm."

As they drove to the hospital, Ling Junde held the steering wheel with one hand and put his arm around Shi Yao with the other.

Shi Yao couldn't help but remind him, "Boss, can't you drive safely?"

Ling Junde's arm around him tightened again: "The closer you are to me the safer you'll be."

Shi Yao was speechless.

After treating his wound at the hospital, he drove back.

Shi Yao asked, "Boss, where are we going?"

Ling Junde said in a deep voice: "As I said, I'm taking you to experience earthly pleasures."

Shi Yao gulped: "Really? After all this, you're still going?"

"What? You can't?"

"N-n-no way!" Shi Yao retorted, "Men can't say no."

"You're such a white rabbit, have you had any experience before?"

Shi Yao coughed, feeling a little embarrassed: "No, because I follow male virtues."

Ling Junde laughed and immediately turned the car around, driving so fast that Shi Yao's bandages almost flew off. 

"Boss, what are you doing?"

"Since you don't have experience, don't go to that kind of sensual place, it's not suitable for you."

"Oh." Shi Yao thought, it's fine, go back to sleep!

What he didn't expect was Ling Junde's next sentence: "I'll teach you myself."

"Wait, I can't," Shi Yao blushed, "firstly, I don't like men; secondly, we're both hurt; and lastly, it's inappropriate!"

"I'm just teaching you, I'm not going to do anything to you, don't be nervous."

"Oh, but, I still feel inappropriate, next time... next time."

Driving the car into the villa, Ling Junde opened the door and carried Shi Yao out: "Never wait for next time, never wait for tomorrow. Cherish the moment and enjoy the present. You never know what will come tomorrow." 

Shi Yao struggled for a while: "Boss, I can walk, can you let me down?"

"You're injured," Ling Junde carried him straight upstairs and put him on the bed: "Now, you can start, what do you want to learn?"

"Don't ask such strange questions, I don't know!"

"Start with kissing? Then practical skills."

"Wait, what are you talking about, practical skills?" Shi Yao's alarm bells went off: "No, I don't want to learn!"

"It's a practical skill, you'll have to learn it anyway."

Shi Yao was blushing, Ling Junde wouldn't want to play for real, would he?

"Boss, don't joke with me!"

Looking at Ling Junde's eight-pack abs, Shi Yao gulped.

Who can handle this?

Ling Junde smiled, lowered his head and stroked his face: "I won't tease you anymore, you're sweating from fright."

Shi Yao: ? Thank you.

Kissing him on the lips, Ling Junde said, "See you tomorrow."

"Okay, good night."

As soon as he said that, everything in front of him vanished in time. 

Shi Yao returned to his disembodied state of consciousness.  

His heartbeat still hadn't calmed down, what was that all about? 

He couldn't figure it out.

What if, Shi Yao thought, what if that was another parallel universe?

In the other world, Ling Junde wasn't dead, he was still alive.

Just thinking about it made him feel happy.

However, this joy didn't last for long, with a sudden dizzy spell, he was pulled back to the main perspective of Shi Rongyu, reviewing the memories belonging to Shi Rongyu again.

This time, he was in a large council chamber.

On the curtain was written in large letters: 

[Cambridge Alumni Association.]

Cambridge University was known as Cambridge in the Republic of China.

As soon as Shi Yao had figured this out, he heard a voice, warm and springlike, that was as pleasing to the ear as any.

Professor Han was holding a glass of red wine and raised his glass to Song Liao: "Duheng, it's been a long time."

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

I am back! My friend and I are working through the backlog and we are just finishing up the last few chapters, so they should be up in the next few days!

I also have the first EPUB file for this book done (it will be released in two parts), and will release both it and the second on my Discord once the book is completed and I've given some time for any potential bonus chapters to be uploaded.

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: July 11, 2023