Chapter 621: All You Have To Do

    "Xinxin..." the man visibly breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of him, his emerald eyes thawing like a clear stream flowing through a rainforest. His once neatly combed hair had become slightly tousled, with a curly strand falling over his forehead, evident that he had rushed all the way here.

    "I came here as soon as I received the message. You..." pausing for a beat, he scanned Gu Luoxin from head to toe before taking one step closer, shutting the door behind him. "Are you okay?"

    His voice, seemingly flat and emotionless, was tinged with a hint of barely perceptible concern.

    Gu Luoxin bit down on his bottom lip. Hard.

    Don’t cry, he told himself once more. You must not cry now—not in front of him!

    He had barely been able to keep his emotions in check earlier, but now... now that Noir was standing in front of him, now that those beautiful emerald eyes were staring right at him, all the plans and calculations and mental preparation he had so painstakingly constructed seemed to be reduced into nothing. They easily crumbled like a sandcastle swept by a wave, or like lace unraveling stitch by stitch, leaving the raw and vulnerable pieces left bare in the open.

    Big, fat tears rolled down his eyes as he stumbled forward a step before throwing himself into Noir’s arms. "S-Senior... senior...!"

    He tightly, desperately clung onto the man’s lapels as if it was the only lifeline that could pull him out of the quagmire beneath his feet. His body just moved naturally to the person he trusted and liked the most, and in his haste, he failed to notice a few things—like how Noir’s body felt like solid steel beneath his touch, how his eyes flashed in an inhuman glow for a split second, or how faint wisps of white steam slipped from his lips with every breath. He didn’t even notice how the tall and broad figure stiffened for a brief moment when Gu Luoxin’s soft body crashed into his arms, only to gradually relax and wrap an arm loosely around his waist, patting his back in a comforting gesture.

    Nor did Gu Luoxin catch the quiet curiosity in those emerald eyes as they trailed toward the soft feathers on his wings, reaching out to tug at them ever so gently.

    "What is it? Calm down and tell me everything slowly."

    Noir’s voice always carried a low and magnetic quality that seemed to penetrate the eardrums. Gu Luoxin often found himself bewitched, and before he knew it, he had done Noir’s bidding like a little puppet at his mercy. This time was no exception.

    As if spellbound, Gu Luoxin felt himself calming down inexplicably. It was truly unbelievable how a single sentence from the man could achieve what he could not in the past fifteen minutes.

    Maybe because he had a strong, unshakable belief—

    That even if the sky came falling down, Noir would be there to support it.

    Although his voice was still tinged with faint sobs and hiccups, he spoke in a coherent manner, briefly explaining his identity and the lifeless body left in the lounge. All the while, Noir listened with nary a change in his expression and, while Gu Luoxin wasn’t paying attention, he retrieved a handkerchief from his coat pocket, grabbed Gu Luoxin’s chin, and began wiping the mess on the young man’s face.

    Gu Luoxin abruptly paused.

    He had only now spotted Noir’s bionic hand, which was quite similar to that of the doctor. But unlike the doctor who only equipped the machinery on his dominant hand, both of Noir’s hands had been transformed.

    Come to think of it, he—he was still clinging onto Noir like a leech!

    Gu Luoxin’s mind went blank. His first instinct was to let go and take a step back to open some distance between them, but he bit the inside of his cheek and resisted against the urge to do so. It didn’t seem like Noir minded their current proximity, so... he should be allowed to do this much, right?

    Giving his head a strong shake, he forced himself to focus on the matter at hand, "What should we do, Senior? Young Master Ares’ body... we must not let anyone discover it and... and whoever poisoned him must have known that I’m a fake, so we can work together to catch them off guard! Also, you must be careful!" He urged anxiously, concern and fear spilling out of his reddened eyes. "Master Grinu is planning to assassinate you. It seems like he will act during the ceremony and—"

    "I know."

    Gu Luoxin blinked twice, flabbergasted. "W-What did you just say? You know? You’re aware of the assassination attempt?!"

    "I know the ceremony will not end peacefully," Noir elaborated, his tone calm without the slightest hint of surprise. "That body, leave it to me. I will take care of it. I will also help you find the two servants’ whereabouts. I have a hunch they will be the breakthrough."

    "How will you..." Gu Luoxin still wanted to ask, but a sudden knock on the door caused him to flinch in shock, and he instinctively scrambled backward, pulling himself away from Noir’s warm and intoxicating embrace.

    Noir himself did not show any particular reaction as he lowered the arm wrapped around Gu Luoxin’s waist in a natural manner. Instead, he reached out and stroked the edge of the young man’s eyes gently as if smudging the red hue suffused into the skin, his touch icy cold compared to the other person’s warmth.

    "Don’t worry," Noir uttered the most shocking words with the most deadpan face. "All you have to do is stick close to me and marry me today."

    "Hello, Young Master Ares! I’m the make-up artist you have requested. Please pardon my lateness!" The person outside greeted cheerfully.

    As Gu Luoxin remained in a daze, Noir turned and pulled the door open, sending the make-up artist’s jaws dropping in sheer shock, disbelief and astonishment. "E-E-E-Eldest..."

    "Take care of him well." Noir only left that one brief sentence before leaving in large strides, leaving only Gu Luoxin and the make-up artist staring at each other in stunned silence.

    The make-up artist slowly took in Gu Luoxin’s dazed and disheveled appearance, his beet-red face, and his teary, swollen eyes that had clearly cried. He looked like he had been bullied mercilessly. In an instant, ten thousand unspeakable words flashed through the make-up artist’s mind, each scenario wilder than the last.

    "..."

    Help, have I just walked in on a secret affair?!