Chapter 74
Chapter 74
C74 – He Felt He Was Unworthy of Mu Sifa
“Would you like me to be gentle with you at this moment?” Mu Sifa gazed intently and mischievously at Shang Xiaojie.
An emotional stir was evident in Shang Xiaojie. Observing this, Mu Sifa’s calm demeanor faded, and his mood shifted to discontent.
“Why do you always behave this way!”
“Do you not prefer it?” He gently touched Shang Xiaojie’s face, wearing a soft smile.
Shang Xiaojie certainly wasn’t fond of it. Yet, Mu Sifa’s tone, gaze, and demeanor were all so tender. How could he muster the courage to voice such sentiments?
“I thought you were preoccupied?”
In a flustered move, Shang Xiaojie shifted the conversation and averted his gaze out of awkwardness.
He was uncertain about how to respond to Mu Sifa’s inquiry.
At the moment, Mu Sifa treated him with immense kindness and softness.
However, Mu Sifa’s emotions were unpredictable. Shang Xiaojie worried that confessing his true feelings for Mu Sifa would leave him open to playful teasing.
If things were that way, he’d prefer to stay silent and steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Do you want me to stay occupied? Don’t you want my company?”
Mu Sifa inquired, grinning as he toyed with Shang Xiaojie’s hair.
The proximity and the charm of Mu Sifa’s voice made Shang Xiaojie instantly anxious, especially with such a query posed to him.
“What’s your answer?”
With a teasing gesture, Mu Sifa tweaked Shang Xiaojie’s lips and arched an eyebrow.
The force of the pinch left Shang Xiaojie’s lips protruding, expressing a look of befuddlement. His face seemed to convey, “How can I answer when I’m like this?”
It was then that Mu Sifa realized and swiftly released Shang Xiaojie, although appearing as if he was suppressing a chuckle.
At times, Shang Xiaojie genuinely resembled a playful creature, the sort that could induce laughter in an instant.
“What’s so funny?” Shang Xiaojie responded with a hint of irritation.
“It’s amusing, truly amusing!” Mu Sifa appeared as though he was struggling to contain his mirth.
Funny?
Shang Xiaojie was taken aback. He brought his hands to his face, murmuring, “Is it because I look unattractive?”
Unattractive? Had he not examined himself thoroughly in the mirror or perhaps seldom looked at his reflection? Was he unaware of his own appearance? With his innate cuteness, any expression he wore would hardly be considered unattractive!
Could it be that he was so taken aback by my appearance that he remained silent and kept gazing at me?
Anxiety welled up in Shang Xiaojie. He had never been confident about his looks; hence, even a mere facial gesture from Mu Sifa was enough to unsettle him.
“It’s because I’m unattractive, right?” Shang Xiaojie inquired with a downcast look, holding back tears.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Mu Sifa said gently, tapping Shang Xiaojie’s forehead with a smile.
Mu Sifa’s affection seemed boundless, but it remained a mystery whether Shang Xiaojie had fully realized it.
“So, I am unattractive then?”
Although Shang Xiaojie never sought validation for his looks, he’d be heartbroken if Mu Sifa didn’t appreciate him solely due to his appearance.
With Mu Sifa being both good-looking and affluent, and Shang Xiaojie feeling he lacked in many aspects, how could he ever match up to someone as striking as Mu Sifa?
“Lost in your thoughts again?” questioned Mu Sifa with a hint of concern.
“No, I’m not pondering anything.”
Fearing that Mu Sifa had deciphered his insecurities, Shang Xiaojie hastily brushed it off.
But Mu Sifa was no fool. He could clearly see Shang Xiaojie’s conflicted and distracted demeanor.