Villainous Junior Chapter 59
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 59: Name
After the medicinal materials were prepared, Mei Xiaohan notified the Demon Venerable that they could begin.
"The treatment method mainly involves acupuncture combined with medicinal baths," Mei Xiaohan lowered his head, arranging the bundle of silver needles of varying lengths that would soon be used. "Of course, it's unlikely that your memory will fully recover in just one session, so you'll need to be patient. It will take at least three to five attempts to see results."
The Demon Venerable stared at the rows of gleaming long needles, his back tingling. "...Do you need to use so many?"
"What's this?" Mei Xiaohan picked up a long needle, asking with a smile, "Don't tell me the mighty Demon Venerable is afraid of needles?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" The man immediately scoffed, lifting his chin proudly, "I'm not afraid of being cut by swords or chopped by axes, how could these little things scare me?"
"That's good." Mei Xiaohan made a welcoming gesture, "Take off your upper clothes and lie down."
The Demon Venerable tilted his chin up and removed his upper garments in a few movements, lying down bare-chested on the bed, though his movements were slightly stiff.
Mei Xiaohan walked over with the silver needles, glancing at his firm chest and defined abs, and let out a "Wow". "Nice physique."
"What are you doing!" The Demon Venerable immediately covered his stomach with both hands, turning his head to glare at Mei Xiaohan, "Only Meng Chen can look at my body! If you dare flirt with me again, I'll call your guard in here!"
Mei Xiaohan had wanted to tease him more but stopped upon hearing the latter part. After holding back for a moment, he couldn't help but retort. "Who wants to flirt with you? My woodblock's physique is much better than yours."
The Demon Venerable became displeased upon hearing this, wearing an expression that seemed to say 'how could someone so young be so blind'. "What's wrong with your eyes? Are there any men in this world more tall and strong than me? Look at these lines, look at these muscles—"
"I won't look!" Mei Xiaohan shouted angrily, "Lie down properly! Otherwise, I'll call Meng Chen in and tell him you harassed me!"
The Demon Venerable froze and quickly lowered his raised arms, lying flat.
Mei Xiaohan had noticed he was nervous from the start and had been teasing him to prevent it from affecting the treatment. Now that the atmosphere had lightened, his goal was achieved. He took out a silver needle and inserted it precisely into an acupoint.
The Demon Venerable's scalp tingled, and he secretly drew in a sharp breath.
It was true that he wasn't afraid of swords or axes, but he happened to be wary of these thin, cold silver needles. However, Mei Xiaohan was experienced, with quick and precise technique. The silver needles were inserted rapidly one after another, and as he endured, he gradually got used to it.
"Done." Mei Xiaohan inserted the last needle, turning the man into a porcupine. "The needles will be removed after half an hour. You can take a nap first. I'll go prepare the medicinal bath." He then closed the door and left.
At first, he didn't dare sleep, but later, perhaps due to the effects of the needles, his mind grew increasingly heavy, and he unconsciously drifted off.
In his dream, he arrived at a strange place. The space was small, surrounded by shelves made of unknown materials arranged in squares, with wooden boards and bedding laid on top, forming oddly-shaped beds. He sat on one of the beds, with a square glowing object in front of him.
Confused, he leaned forward with a bewildered expression and saw the text within the glowing object clearly.
[Ahhhhh Chen Chen is so handsome I can't!!!!]
[Another day of dreaming about marrying Senior Brother Meng!!]
[Ah, Meng and Big Senior Brother have such good CP chemistry, age gap supremacy!]
[No way, Big Senior Brother seems kind of suspicious with his white outside black inside personality, I think Junior Brother Yin is better, isn't a younger man more appealing?]
[I bet a penny that Yin Chi has a hidden yandere personality. Neither senior nor junior brothers are reliable, I choose to ship the Master [dog face]]
Looking at the dense text against the light green background, an inexplicable sense of familiarity rose in his heart. Though his mind hadn't yet processed it, his body moved instinctively first, reaching out to frantically type on the small squares.
[What nonsense are you all talking about, those guys are obviously no good, how could they be worthy of my Chen-baby!? Chen-baby being single is the only right answer!! Author, listen up, cultivation and leveling up stories should just focus on fighting monsters and advancing, don't add weird romance plots!! Meng Chen is meant to stand pure and untainted at the peak, looking down upon all living beings, no stinky man is worthy of him!! None!!!]
"Still obsessing over your 2D waifu here?" a voice cut in. He looked up to see a teenage boy, who walked over with a grin and hooked an arm around his neck. "What a waste of the campus heartthrob title. Honestly, you should give me that face of yours if you're not using it, I could use it to chase after my goddess!"
Another boy curiously poked his head over. "Just how charming is your Chen Chen? Even I, who never reads novels, want to take a look now."
A third boy with a mischievous grin snatched away the glowing square in front of him, shouting loudly. "Come on, let's all obsess over his waifu together!"
He immediately jumped up from the bed and lunged forward. "In your dreams, get over here and eat my fist!!"
The four boys wrestled together with laughter, the scene gradually blurring until his body felt light and his eyes snapped open.
"Awake?" Mei Xiaohan had just finished removing the needles, "You've got nerves of steel, sleeping so soundly I couldn't even wake you... Perfect timing, the medicinal bath is ready, you can go soak now."
The man stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at him with suspicion. "Is your medical skill really reliable? You didn't mess up my brain with those needles, did you?"
Mei Xiaohan rolled his eyes. "Was your brain damaged by the needles? I've been practicing medicine since I was seven, you're the first person to doubt my skills."
The Demon Venerable hadn't actually doubted Mei Xiaohan's medical skills before, but the dream he just had was too bizarre, full of content he couldn't understand, strange beyond imagination.
Mei Xiaohan understood something from his expression and said, "Memory confusion is normal during the first acupuncture session. But I'm quite confident in my abilities - after a few more sessions, you'll see results. Don't rush."
The Demon Venerable knew being anxious wouldn't help, so he could only give a dejected "mm."
"These needles have a side effect of temporary weakness," Mei Xiaohan said. "Should I call some maids to help you to the bath, or would you prefer Meng Chen?"
The Demon Venerable answered without hesitation. "Meng Chen!"
Mei Xiaohan made a gesture of understanding and left with the needles. Only then did the Demon Venerable belatedly realize he was still shirtless. He tried to call out, but it was too late—Meng Chen seemed to have been waiting outside and quickly entered.
The Demon Venerable felt a bit nervous. He wanted to move but truly couldn't. Meng Chen's expression remained natural as he walked over, supported him by the arm to help him off the bed, then carried him on his back.
He was startled. "Hey hey hey, careful, I'll crush you!!"
"I'm not that fragile," Meng Chen carried him toward the screen, his voice containing a hint of amusement.
The Demon Venerable felt somewhat embarrassed as a grown man being carried by his beloved, but at the same time bubbles of joy rose in his heart. Before he could dwell on it too long, Meng Chen had already carried him to the medicinal bath tub and helped him sit in it.
"Valley Master Mei said applying this ointment while taking the medicinal bath would enhance the effect," Meng Chen took out a jar of milky-white ointment that gave off a faint medicinal fragrance, and asked, "Shall I help you apply it?"
The Demon Venerable stammered. "A-apply where?"
Meng Chen: "...All over."
With a "whoosh," the man's blood began to boil, and his weakened limbs suddenly found some strength. But he didn't show it, instead acting even more feeble, leaning against the tub wall and saying weakly, "Please help me, I have no strength."
After washing his hands clean, Meng Chen scooped out some of the milky-white ointment and pressed it to the man's collarbone.
Whether from the coolness of the ointment or other reasons, the man trembled slightly, his body gradually tensing.
"It might be a bit cool," Meng Chen warmed the ointment in his palm, then continued applying it to the other's neck, "You'll get used to it soon."
The ointment was cool and smooth, being spread evenly on his skin by that soft hand - the sensation was indescribable.
This wasn't applying medicine, this was soul-stirring!
After finishing the neck, Meng Chen scooped more ointment, his palm gradually sliding down to press against the man's chest.
The Demon Venerable suddenly clenched his teeth, nearly failing to suppress a moan, as several veins bulged on the side of his neck. Meng Chen glanced at him, then lowered his gaze, continuing to spread the ointment with an outwardly calm expression. But upon careful observation, one would notice his cheeks were also somewhat unnaturally red, his gaze rigidly fixed on the water in the tub, not daring to move.
After quickly finishing the chest, Meng Chen moved behind the man and began applying ointment to his back. Now that they couldn't see each other's faces, they both finally relaxed a bit. The Demon Venerable leaned on the tub, feeling that hand massaging his shoulders and back, his scalp tingling with pleasure, half his soul seeming to float away. In his daze, another scene hazily appeared before his eyes.
Amid swirling clouds and rising steam, in a vast bath, he saw himself sitting in the water with one arm suspended, bare-chested.
"I told you not to go, but you went anyway," someone in white robes stood by the bath, beautiful beyond words even while coldly angry. "Now you've learned your lesson, hmm?"
"He challenged me, how could I not go?" he replied righteously, through gritted teeth, "Besides, that guy won't give up on you, I've been wanting to beat him up for a long time."
The white-robed person. "And now your arm is broken."
"He's worse off!" he immediately bristled like his tail had been stepped on, puffing up his chest proudly, "I disabled all his limbs. If it weren't for your sake, I would've killed him outright!"
The white-robed person snorted. "Just take your bath."
His demeanor instantly changed as he shamelessly said, "My arm is broken, I can't wash myself. Help me."
The white-robed person ignored him and turned to leave. He immediately let out an "hiss," frowning painfully. "It hurts hurts hurts— ah the wound got wet, it's going to get infected—"
The white-robed person paused. Though knowing he was acting, they still softened, removing their outer robe and shoes before stepping into the bath.
The moment they entered the water, he reached out with his right hand and pulled them toward himself. The white-robed person stumbled against his chest, shocked and angry. "Wasn't your arm broken!?"
"The left arm's broken, but the right one's fine, see?" He held their waist and planted a heavy kiss on their cheek, coaxing softly, "Don't be angry. I know you were worried about me. But you know how capable your man is - undefeated throughout the land, dealing with that surnamed Pei was easy."
The white-robed person's cheeks flushed. "Can you have some shame?"
"With a wife like you, what need is there for shame?"
"I've warned you so many times not to call me that—"
"Alright alright, then I'll call you darling from now on—"
The white-robed person became furious, viciously pinching the soft flesh at his waist. "Xue--Lang--!!"
Xue Lang.
Like a bolt of lightning piercing through the fog, the man suddenly opened his eyes and abruptly stood up in the tub.
Meng Chen was startled, blinking as he asked. "Has your strength returned?"
The man stared at him steadily, his chest heaving violently, then suddenly reached out and pulled the young man tightly into his embrace.
The white ointment on his chest instantly smeared all over Meng Chen's face and clothes. The cleanliness-obsessed Meng Chen nearly suffocated. "What's gotten into you suddenly—"
"I remember my name."
Meng Chen's pushing hands suddenly froze.
"I was so foolish..." the man murmured, laughing freely beside his ear, "Meng Chen, it turns out you were mine three thousand years ago."