Chapter 2309: Love and Chaos: System Showdown 33

Jin Chen scooped up the clingy sweetheart in his arms sideways, letting You Le An sit sideways on his thigh, as if holding a large cushion.

He lightly stroked You Le An's back in an irregular rhythm, the soft pajama fabric conveying a soothing sense of safety.

A low voice sounded in the stillness, tinged with laziness.

"In a few days, your family will also be returning home, then……"

He hadn't finished speaking when he felt the person in his arms tense up instantly.

You Le An buried his face deeper into Jin Chen's neck crook, humming vaguely as a response, yet clearly distracted.

Regarding his family, he harbored complex emotions that defied words.

You Le An clearly knew that he was no longer the original You Le An.

Dad and Mom did not like this soul of his that had come from another world.

He couldn't help but lift his head, rubbing against Jin Chen's neck crook, then raising his face.

"Chen-ge…" he whispered, his voice hoarse from the recent kiss, murmuring like a dream, "Do you like me?"

Jin Chen lowered his head to look at him.

"I like you."

You Le An still stubbornly, with a hint of cautious probing, asked again: "…Is it me?"

Jin Chen's fingertip lightly brushed the spot on his forehead where iodine had been applied, answering without the slightest hesitation.

"It's you."

You Le An buried his face again in the warm, reliable embrace, his eyelashes slowly lowering, his breathing gradually becoming long and steady.

Jin Chen felt the person in his arms gradually relaxing his breath, tightening his hold around his arms a bit more, his chin resting against the soft hair atop his head.

——

In the early hours, You Le An jerked his eyes open, cold sweat soaking his back.

He panted heavily, his chest rising and falling violently, his fingers unconsciously clutching the sheet.

The lingering images from the dream refused to fade from his mind.

He dreamed that he was the utterly wicked villain You Le An from the original story, without a system, without having transmigrated, purely inexplicable malice, having done many unforgivable things to Lin Xi.

And what made him feel suffocated was that in the dream, the deep‑infatuated male supporting character who exacted revenge on him bore a face identical to Jin Chen's, gazing at him with icy eyes as if looking at disgusting trash.

Warm liquid slid uncontrollably from the corner of his eye, splashing onto the pillow and leaving a small dark stain.

"Le An?"

From beside him came Jin Chen's low voice, husky from just waking and clearly worried.

A warm palm lightly brushed his cheek, wiping away the not‑yet‑dried tear.

Only then did You Le An realize he had been woken by Jin Chen.

He looked at Jin Chen, instinctively burrowing into his embrace, forehead against his shoulder, his breath still unsteady.

"You had a nightmare, didn't you." Jin Chen's voice was soft, his hand gliding slowly over his back with a soothing pressure.

You Le An shook his head, then nodded, yet refused to speak.

He feared his voice would reveal too much emotion.

Those dreams were too real; even after waking, the sting of being despised and abandoned clung to him like a shadow.

He lifted his face, seeking Jin Chen's lips in the darkness and pressing a nearly desperate kiss upon them.

This kiss was more forceful and uneasy than usual, as if he sought to confirm something through the utmost intimacy.

Jin Chen did not refuse, but maintained a gentle rhythm, cradling You Le An's neck and lightly rubbing his thumb behind the ear.

You Le An still stubbornly refused to talk about the dream; though he usually appeared extravagant and unrestrained, he was actually hypersensitive to the point of being deadly.

Jin Chen did not press further, gently combing through You Le An's sweat‑damp hair.

You Le An's body was no longer so stiff; listening to Jin Chen's steady heartbeat and feeling the warmth of the embrace, those terrifying dream fragments finally faded.

He wiped away the lingering moisture at the corner of his eye, then lightly bit Jin Chen's collarbone, holding that small piece of flesh between his teeth to relax enough to fall asleep.

——

A few days later, the Jin Family Villa welcomed a special guest.

A black stretch limousine slowly entered the courtyard, its door opening as an elegant lady stepped out.

"Dear!" Lin Ying had already been waiting at the doorway; upon seeing her friend she rushed forward, and the two embraced tightly.

Victoria lightly patted Lin Ying's back, her smile bright: "After all these years, you're still as beautiful as ever."

After releasing Lin Ying, Victoria's gaze immediately turned to You Le An standing to the side.

Her eyes lit up, she opened her arms: "Baby!"

You Le An's face bore a bright smile as he stepped forward a few paces and embraced Mom.

The familiar perfume on Victoria drifted into his nostrils—the scent of his mother from memory—sending a strange ripple through his heart.

You Le An's heart inexplicably clenched; he soon let go, almost instinctively stepping back to press close to Jin Chen.

This subtle movement went unnoticed by anyone else.

While Victoria was busy catching up with Lin Ying, only Jin Chen keenly sensed the tension in the person beside him.

He silently reached out, lightly pinching You Le An's fingers and soothingly rubbing his palm twice.

"Speaking of which, An has changed a lot,"

Victoria turned to Lin Ying, her tone relieved yet tinged with sentiment: "Before, you were so willful—I used to worry."

You Le An lowered his eyes; he disliked this sort of talk, and even more disliked the former self that Victoria spoke of.

That wasn't him.

What made him even more uneasy was his fear that Jin Chen would detect something odd from these fragmentary remarks.

"Mom!" he suddenly exclaimed, his voice a notch higher than usual, cutting off the two mothers' conversation: "Chen-ge said he'd take me to see the new horses at the stables; we're heading out first."

Without waiting for a response, he pulled Jin Chen to his feet and almost dragged him out.

Jin Chen rose cooperatively, politely nodding to the two elders: 'Excuse me.'

Victoria and Lin Ying simultaneously smiled, 'It's fine, go play!'