I'm About to Die, and Only My Ex Can Keep Me Alive

After a car accident, a blood-red countdown appears in Qi Qing's mind:

[Remaining lifespan: 7 days, 16 hours, 32 minutes, 19 seconds]

Then 18 seconds, counting down one second at a time.

There is another line of small text beneath it:

[Touching Yue Shensi can extend your life. Close proximity: one extra day; direct contact: one extra week; intimate contact: one extra month.]

Yue Shensi is his ex, whom he broke up with four years ago and who just recently returned to the country.

After confirming he wasn't losing his mind, Qi Qing wrapped his long-fingered hand around a wineglass and curved his lips into a smile.

Fine by him. Yue Shensi was better than anyone else.

At least he liked that face.

When they meet again at a party, Qi Qing is astonished by how much Yue Shensi has changed.

His hair has grown longer, and there's a scar on his face. The once elegant, warm, and graceful young man has become gloomy and ruthless, radiating bloodlust.

Qi Qing's fingertip glides lightly over the scar as he says with a smile, "Mr. Yue, why don't you take better care of your face?"

Yue Shensi doesn't even raise his eyes. "Stay away."

Qi Qing: "How far is far? Is this far enough?"

He moves closer and brushes Yue Shensi's lips like a dragonfly skimming the water.

He gets to see the other man's pupils contract sharply.

Qi Qing's smile deepens as he slips a room key card into the front pocket of the other man's suit. "I'll be waiting at the usual place, Mr. Yue."

His countdown increases by seven days, and Qi Qing rises and leaves at his leisure.

Then he goes home and sleeps until morning, not caring whether Yue Shensi shows up.

He keeps appearing around Yue Shensi, stealing a kiss whenever he gets the chance.

Yue Shensi is cold toward him, but never refuses.

Incidentally, the man always has some new injury. Qi Qing has no idea what's going on with him.

Not his problem.

After getting another seven days of life, Qi Qing places a room key card in the other man's palm. "This time, I really will wait for you, Mr. Yue."

Yue Shensi glances at him, closes his hand, then throws it open. The card shatters, its pieces fluttering down like snow.

He says coldly, "Don't push your luck. If you have nothing to do, stay away from me."

Qi Qing sighs and smiles. "All right. If that's what you say, Mr. Yue, I'll listen."

He disappears that very day.

Twenty-nine days later, with his lifespan nearly gone, Qi Qing is drinking in a distant little city.

The atmosphere is great. He's about to get drunk, and a young man he's just met is saying, "Brother Qi, I'm really glad I met you."

The next second, every light in the bar goes out.

Everything around him is a mess. In the darkness, he feels a hand grip his neck and force his mouth open. Someone presses against him and kisses him, so fiercely it feels like a bite. He can even taste blood.

Yue Shensi is furious. He grabs him and shouts in his ear, "You've only got three hours left to live, and you can't see that?! If you want to die, why don't I just fuck you to death right now!"

In the darkness, Qi Qing is smiling.

He guessed right.

**

Four years ago, when they were dating, they were practically mad with passion, hiding away in hotels every moment they had free. Qi Qing got completely hooked.

He proposed.

As a result, Yue Shensi was scared off and fled overseas in a hurry.

Qi Qing could take it or leave it, and didn't dwell on things, but he couldn't say he never resented him.

Until much later, when he learned two things.

First: Yue Shensi left four years ago because he entered an endless game where players risked their lives and danced on the edge of a blade.

Second: The extra four years Qi Qing had lived, and every day of life he'd gained since, had all been earned by Yue Shensi in that endless game.

*A cunning, unhinged beauty shou × a ruthless, taciturn, stoic, obsessive gong. The infinite-flow game is basically just a backdrop. The focus is really on their relationship.

Theme: Love saves everything