500: 8.100 Not Enough*

8.100 Not Enough*

"I…" Ellen's lips parted in shock, unable to come up with any answer for a moment. "...Of course I am fine." He quickly regained his bearings and snorted in disdain like all the problems in the world were beneath him to care. "What could have happened to me?"1

"Is that so?" Lu Yizhou answered lightly.

Those dishonest lips… How he wished he could shut them up and force them to spit out only the truth. If not for the information he had received from Cyrus and Luan last night, he would have believed Ellen's words for how convincing he was. Lu Yizhou clenched his fists tight although his face betrayed nothing of the frustration in his heart. He was actually asking the first question to test Ellen and as he expected, there was still something the man was hiding from him. 

He had no idea why Ellen suddenly decided to divulge this much information to him. Was it to make him lower his guard? Or… was he planning something grand?

Everytime Lu Yizhou got injured, it was his lover who always got angry, asking him not to sacrifice himself and what not; but when it came to himself, he would shut himself off as tight as a clam, not even bothering to tell anyone when he was hurting inside. This infuriatingly powerful yet achingly fragile man… how could Lu Yizhou not love him more and more? How could he not use his own life to ensure his well being?

"Alright." Lu Yizhou took a deep breath and decided to let him off the hook. For now. He had said that he would support Ellen's choice after all. "Second question."

"As for that…" Ellen fell silent as he reached out to touch his chest. "I… don't really know. It's so quiet here. You have no idea. Oftentimes, Ella and Ellie's negative emotions will be transmitted to me and that's how I know they're in danger. But for the first time… I feel nothing but peace." The gaze he pinned Lu Yizhou with was complicated, tinged with a hint of fragility within like he was admitting something that could potentially shatter him to pieces. "It's been like this… ever since we met you." He let out a weak, defeated laugh that seemed to have been squeezed out from the hollow of his throat. "...Exactly what have you done to us, Lu Yizhou?"

Something within Lu Yizhou seemed to snap at his words. He crossed the room in three large strides and yanked Ellen into his embrace, his arms coming around his lover in a protective grip as though wanting to hide the man behind his ribcage, within the most tender part of him where he would be safe and secure. 

"I love you," Lu Yizhou rasped in a deep voice, head drooping to the crook of Ellen's neck and shoulder. "I love you so much…"

Ellen did not know what kind of life Lu Yizhou had been living before they met. It was not a life worth remembering; unimpactful. He simply existed, drifting along the cold and deserted world like a seed of dandelion blown by the wind. He had no home to return to, nothing to cherish, no future to look forward to…

It was not until Lu Yizhou entered the simulator that he truly 'lived' for the first time. His love, faith, and devotion was all the drive Lu Yizhou had. It was because Lu Yizhou loved him that he came all the way here. It was because Lu Yizhou loved him that he could be fearless and tenacious. It was because Lu Yizhou loved him that he had not given up yet. Only with him… could Lu Yizhou feel whole and complete. 

Lu Yizhou's eyes stung with the force of the overwhelming love he felt for the man in his arms. Perhaps that was why they were fated to meet inside the simulator; because one lifetime would not be enough. Such a short time was simply not enough for Lu Yizhou to prove the extent of his feelings. He needed more and more lifetimes, to love this man again and again…

…until the end of eternity. 

A sharp gasp escaped Ellen's lips. Within the cocoon of Lu Yizhou's powerful arms, his body was shaking lightly and his breathing was fast and uneven. He seemed… shocked, overwhelmed by Lu Yizhou's sudden confession. He swallowed heavily, once, twice and his lips parted to utter breathlessly, "L–Lu Yizhou… I—"

Knock knock knock!

"Ten minutes is almost up!" Sister Chen's voice came from behind the door, breaking whatever atmosphere they were in. "Everyone's been waiting for you!"

Lu Yizhou let himself be shoved away, his arms still loosely wrapped around Ellen's body. Ellen's palms on his chest were scorching like a brand, shaking ever so slightly. He did not meet Lu Yizhou's eyes as he stuttered out, "We… We will talk about this again later."

"Mn," was all Lu Yizhou could say. 

Ellen dashed behind the folding screen and changed his clothes in record time, switching the velvety fabric of an elf prince into the ordinary shirt and trousers he wore prior to the photoshoot. After coming out, he pulled his long hair into a messy bun and stuffed it into the low brimmed hat. After that, he slipped a mask on. The series of movements was completed in less than two minutes. Not even once did he look Lu Yizhou's way even though Lu Yizhou had never averted his gaze off him. 

"Let's go," Ellen said in a low voice and then strode toward the door. He seemed to recall something because he halted on his tracks and went back to the make-up vanity to pull out another mask before shoving it into Lu Yizhou's hands. "Wear that. Your face is too conspicuous."

Lu Yizhou stared at this little leopard who was frightened silly due to his confession and hummed lightly. Before Ellen could turn around, Lu Yizhou suddenly grabbed his wrist, slipped a hand to the back of his neck and leaned down to drop a heated kiss on his lips through the thin layer of mask. His eyes were dark against Ellen's dumbfounded ones. "Later." He promised, heavy and dangerous. "We will talk again later, Ellen."

Ellen's long lashes fluttered wildly as he exclaimed, "I–I know!"

Both of them went out before Sister Chen could barge into the room and drag them out. Ellen chose to walk on Sister Chen's side, leaving Lu Yizhou to trail behind them in a distance close enough for him to hear what they were talking about.

"Nothing happened, right?"

"W–What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know what I mean, Ellen."

"Nothing! I told you, there's nothing!"

"Hmm…"

The cruise ship that was bustling earlier was now as desolate as a desert. Almost nobody was around except for a few ship crews who were doing their rounds and checking God-knows-what. It seemed like Sister Chen was right. Everyone had already gathered in the VIP dining hall.

The closer they were, the louder the voices inside were. People were arguing passionately and the atmosphere didn't lose out to the fish market early in the morning. Sister Chen pulled the door open and a particularly youthful and serious male voice entered Lu Yizhou's ears. 

"Sir, you're being absolutely unreasonable! Everyone is alarmed by the sudden toll of deaths but you only care about your diarrhea?! I think you are very suspicious!"

The corner of Lu Yizhou's eye twitched. He had not actually heard that voice before but for some reason… it sounded very familiar. He could almost imagine how the owner would look like. Bubbly, righteous, a little of an airhead… yes, just like a small poodle who yipped everywhere to draw people's attention. 

Sister Chen beckoned them in and Lu Yizhou walked after Ellen. Almost immediately, his eyes fell on the slender young man standing in the middle of the hall, his brown curls a mess atop of his head. He was currently glaring at a middle aged man across the room. From his current position, Lu Yizhou could only see his side profile. But that alone was already enough for him to identify who it was.

Lu Yizhou could not help but massage his temple.

Though the body he was currently in was a male, there was no way Lu Yizhou could mistake it. That man was Ji Yan.

Lu Yizhou only needed one glance to find Olivia sitting haughtily near him, her arms crossed over her chest and chin tilted defiantly as she supported Ji Yan's declaration.

The two protagonists of this world were here.

It seemed like Lu Yizhou really could not escape from them.

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