Transmigrated as My Best Friend's Ex

83. I’ll Take Care of Him

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

A country in which women had no place needed to be reformed, but it was not Li Qinghao’s duty. There was an old saying, “Blood is thicker than water.” Was it correct?

Maybe the kinship was just a kind of subtle feeling.

Li Qinghao curled up on the sofa. It was 10 o’clock in the evening. Keqi’s enthronement would take place 10 hours later, that was to say, at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.

After Keqi took the throne, Li Qinghao could get a third of the antidote from Frise. But what Nancheng Lie said was right. He wasn’t sure whether Frise would give him a real antidote. Even if he got a genuine antidote from Frise, he was not sure whether she would let him off. He was the only witness, and Frise was unlikely to keep him alive.

So?

Li Qinghao curved his lips into a faint smile.

‘The best way to protect yourself is to wipe out your enemy as soon as you know your life is in danger,’ Li Qinghao thought to himself. He gave a meaningful smile.

Now he could have a good sleep.

In the room, the dim bulb of the bedside lamp cast a soft radiance over his sleeping face. Keqi gently pushed open the door and came in. In the dim light he could see a protrusion under the covers. He went to the bedside.

Li Qinghao was strikingly good-looking. Although he was not the ideal of manly beauty, his features were perfect and classically beautiful. He was fair-skinned. He had bright, rosy cheeks, a strong Greek nose and thin lips. He always spoke in an unhurried, melodious voice.

Keqi sat down on the edge of the bed, reached out a hand and gently stroked Li Qinghao’s cheek.

He looked at Li Qinghao with loving, soft eyes. He was seized with a sudden impulse to possess this man.

“I’m sorry.” When he first realized that he was well disposed towards Li Qinghao, he wanted to nip his affection for him in the bud because he knew Li Qinghao would become his weakness someday. So he sent killers to deal with Li Qinghao.

But now he was very thankful that Li Qinghao was still alive, because he felt a wave of happiness only when he was with Li Qinghao.

Although Li Qinghao was like a time bomb, Keqi was willing to have a try.

Keqi sat quietly, staring at Li Qinghao’s sleeping face. He didn’t stand up until the first signs of the dawn appeared on the horizon. He stretched and felt numb all over. Then he turned around to leave but stopped at the door. He gave Li Qinghao a backward glance. ‘Soon I will solve everything and win my freedom,’ Keqi thought.

“Your Highness.” Jimmy stood respectfully at the door. He took a step towards Keqi.

“Prepare a suit of clothes for Qinghao. I want him to participate in the enthronement.”

“Is it safe?” Jimmy knew that the beautiful man named Hua had tried to take Li Qinghao away yesterday. “If Mr. Li left here, Princess Frise might have her men attack him.”

“I’ll be busy all day today. Even if Qinghao stays in my palace, do you think my guards can stop Auntie’s men from taking him away?” Keqi said with a sarcastic smile. He didn’t think they had the courage to set themselves against Frise.

“So?”

“You go to Nancheng Hotel and invite Nancheng Lie here. With him by Qinghao’s side, Auntie’s men dare not hurt Qinghao.” Nancheng Lie was the most favored young master of the Nancheng family. Frise dared not hurt him.

Keqi wanted Nancheng Lie to protect Li Qinghao. For some unknown reason, he believed that Nancheng Lie would be willing to protect Li Qinghao.

“Okay, I got it.”

“Jimmy.” Keqi thought for a second and continued, “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Your Highness?”

“I know that Auntie is your master. But anyway, you’ve done your very best to take care of me over the years. You even hid something important from Auntie for the sake of me. I’ve remitted a sum of money to your bank account. Jimmy, we both know Auntie’s plan…” He paused for a second and continued, “Take the money and leave here.”

Jimmy was stunned and greatly touched by what Keqi said. He knew what Keqi meant. Keqi was afraid that Frise would kill Jimmy. But where else could he go?

A wave of warmth flooded Jimmy. “Yes, Your Highness.” Jimmy agreed, but he had other ideas in mind. He didn’t intend to leave Keqi. He would stay and try his best to protect Keqi.

Keqi gave a casual smile and left.

Nancheng Lie of course would go to attend Keqi’s enthronement because Keqi was his so-called best friend. Nancheng Group had invested heavily in Leiluo Kingdom. Even if Keqi didn’t invite Nancheng Lie, the committee of Leiluo Kingdom would send Nancheng Group an invitation. So, Nancheng Lie’s attendance was only to be expected.

But Jimmy’s sudden appearance surprised Nancheng Lie.

“Mr. Nancheng.” Jimmy gave a polite smile and continued, “His Highness wants you to do him a favour.”

“Just speak out.” Nancheng Lie sat on the sofa with his legs crossed. He wore a black handmade suit and a white shirt. The simple clothes set his well-built figure off to perfection.

He was handsome in a raffish kind of way. His disordered hair didn’t seem to match his well-ironed suit, but in fact, they were in harmony.

Besides, the strong dark eyebrows gave his face aggressive look. People said we could judge a man by his eyebrows. It could be seen that Nancheng Lie was not an ordinary man. With a smile in his deep eyes, he had an aura of elegance.

He looked lazy and graceful like a flamboyant panther.

Nancheng Lie was indeed a very attractive person.

“Mr. Li wants to shoot a video at Prince Keqi’s enthronement. Prince Keqi is concern for the safety of Mr. Li, so he hopes you can accompany Mr. Li to attend the ceremony.” Nancheng Lie’s gaze put intolerable pressure on Jimmy. For some unknown reason, he was afraid in a way that was quite new to him. Never before had Nancheng Lie looked at Jimmy in this way.

He had been a sleeping leopard, and now he woke up.

“Keqi cares about Li Qinghao so much. Does he really fall in love with a man?” Nancheng Lie stood up and his strong aura blanketed the vicinity.  He was 188 cm tall.

Keqi was not here and Nancheng Lie was not in a mood to play an infatuated man, so he addressed Keqi disrespectfully by his first name. Nancheng Lie was seized by something akin to a homicidal urge at the thought he used to call that man Xu. He wanted to tear Keqi to pieces.

Jimmy trembled uncontrollably. He was frightened by the the murderous look in Nancheng Lie’s eyes.

He didn’t understand why Nancheng got angry all of a sudden. He knew that Li Qinghao was Nancheng Lie’s ex and that Nancheng Lie loved Han Mingxu. Was Nancheng Lie jealous?

Jimmy didn’t understand or want to understand the kind of relationship between two men. Now he just wanted to fulfil the task. “Mr. Nancheng, what do you mean by that?”

“Don’t worry, I will take good care of him,” Nancheng Lie answered in a meaningful tone.

…

Li Qinghao was surprised when he accepted a beige tuxedo from the servant. ‘I have been forbidden to go out for the past few days. Why did Keqi suddenly change his mind and allow me to attend the ceremony?’ Li Qinghao thought to himself.

The confusion was cleared up a few minutes later. He heard the sound of footsteps outside, and soon Nancheng Lie appeared at the door. Li Qinghao was stunned.

Nancheng leaned against the door with a faint smile, his eyes shining with evil.

Li Qinghao raised his eyebrows and asked, “Why are you here? Did Keqi ask you to come?” He was asking questions, but his tone was affirmative. Without Keqi’s permission Nancheng Lie wouldn’t have been allowed into the palace.

In a melodious baritone, Nanheng Lie replied, “I’m here to protect you.” He walked into the room. “Why haven’t you changed clothes yet? Are you waiting for me to help you?” Nanheng Lie came up to Li Qinghao and looked fixedly at him.

“No.” With a surprised expression on his face, Li Qinghao took a glance at Nancheng and felt that Nancheng behaved like someone possessed. Was he jealous of Keqi?

“What are you afraid of?” Nancheng Lie quickly picked up the clothes. “I’ve undressed you many times. Trust me, I know how to dress you.”

Li Qinghao rolled his eyes at Nancheng Lie and asked, “What happened to you? Why did you speak in a sarcastic tone of voice? Are you…” He crossed his arms over his chest and studied Nancheng Lie’s face. “Are you jealous?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Nancheng Lie snorted loudly and sat down on the sofa.

Li Qinghao burst out laughing. “Mr. Nancheng, I think you misunderstood me. I didn’t say you were jealous of the closeness between me and Keqi.”

Nancheng Lie looked a bit embarrassed. He kept silent.

Li Qinghao was in a good mood. He picked up his clothes and walked towards the bathroom. Suddenly, he turned around and asked again, “Nancheng Lie, are you really not jealous?”

Bang…

An ashtray whistled past Li Qinghao’s ear. The wind from its motion whipped his shoulder-length hair around his head. He gave a brighter smile and turned back towards the bed. He was going to change clothes in the bedroom.

After putting the tuxedo on the bed, he began to take off his home clothes.

He first took off his shirt. He slowly unfastened the buttons of his coat with his slender fingers, revealing his scarred chest. Nancheng Lie couldn’t take his eyes off Li Qinghao. When he saw the scars on Li Qinghao’s chest, his heart skipped a beat and he couldn’t help but take pity on Li Qinghao.

Li Qinghao must have been in great pain at that time.

At first Nancheng Lie didn’t think of Han Mingxu. He was thinking that Li Qinghao must have been in great pain when he had rolled down the hillside.

But soon he thought of Han Mingxu. Li Qinghao was badly injured in the accident two years ago. What about Xu? Waves of heartache penetrated his every pore, and he turned pale. He placed one hand on his chest, winded and shaken.

Li Qinghao noticed that there was something wrong with Nancheng Lie. He ran up to Nancheng Lie and asked, “What’s the matter with you, Nancheng Lie?”

Nancheng Lie lay huddled up on the sofa with his right hand clenched on his chest. His face was as pale as a ghost and… his hands were as cold as ice.