The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth : Extra 04 - Brandon’s Friendship
Chapter 98: Brandon’s Friendship
Tonight was another Christmas Eve. Brandon pushed open the door, bringing the wind and snow with him. A wave of warmth greeted him as he stepped inside. The Christmas tree was adorned with colorful ribbons and various gifts, and his parents and family had long been waiting for him at home. From the kitchen came the sounds of laughter and the enticing aroma of food.
Mr. Hawk gave Brandon a big hug and laughed. “Come in quickly, we were just waiting for you.”
Brandon smiled. “Sorry, I got back late.”
He set down his luggage, and as he walked in, he saw a handsome blond-haired, blue-eyed young man emerging from the kitchen, carrying a plate of roast chicken. The moment he saw Brandon, his eyes lit up. Setting the plate down, he quickly walked over, wrapped his arms around Brandon's neck, and gave him a deep kiss. “Darling, you’re finally back.”
Brandon held the young man's waist, his gaze gentle. “This time, I took a long leave from my commander. I can stay with you for a while.”
Dane’s face lit up with surprise. “Really?”
Brandon nodded. “Really.”
Mr. Hawk chuckled heartily at the sight of the couple.
Everyone gathered around the long dining table. Dane sat beside Brandon, his hand reaching under the table to tightly hold Brandon’s. Feeling the warmth of Dane’s palm, Brandon instinctively tightened his fingers, interlocking them with his lover’s.
This was the person he loved now.
The table was filled with laughter and joy. They exchanged jokes and stories—it was such a simple and beautiful moment.
But Brandon’s thoughts drifted momentarily. He found himself thinking about that other world again. Yet, it felt like looking through a foggy window—everything from the past was slowly fading with time, while the present was becoming more and more real…
When he first arrived in this world, he had felt out of place, like a thief who had stolen someone else’s identity.
He had questioned his existence, wondering why he had come back to life in the body of someone who should have been dead. But he eventually realized that there was no answer—fate, when it toys with you, never offers explanations.
So there was no point in dwelling on it. If he couldn’t return to the past and had no control over his fate, then all he could do was accept it.
And so he accepted his new identity—living as Brandon Hawk, accompanying this man’s family and friends, taking on his responsibilities.
As for Ji Ling…
Brandon had once thought about approaching him. But when he finally stood close to Ji Ling and saw the carefree smile on his face, he suddenly realized— he had no reason to interfere. In every lifetime, he had always been just a passerby in Ji Ling’s life, a mere supporting character. He had never even expressed his true feelings. And when he finally decided to let go, to walk away, he asked himself: Was it really love that tied him to Ji Ling? Or was it just an unshakable sense of guilt?
Brandon no longer knew the answer.
In the end, he never appeared before Ji Ling. Because he knew that what Ji Ling needed was to not be disturbed. The boy had already been through enough.
Ji Ling had always longed to return to his world. It was obvious from the way he had no attachment to that one. He wouldn’t want to be troubled by fictional characters any longer. And more importantly, perhaps because they had all experienced Ji Ling’s ‘death’ once again, everyone had learned restraint. Even Carlos had stopped crossing the line. At this point, Brandon’s presence was unnecessary.
So, he left and returned to his homeland.
Two years ago, he met his current lover, Dane. Dane was a passionate young man. His love was like molten lava—intense enough to melt glaciers, yet as warm as the rising sun…
For the first time, Brandon understood what it felt like to be loved. And he was willing to love this bright and cheerful man, to try and start anew.
Just like this.
Each of them had their own life now.
And that was enough.
After dinner, Brandon and Dane returned to their room. Lying on the bed, Dane stretched out his arms and embraced Brandon, whispering in his ear, “I want to travel to China. You finally have a break—can you come with me this time?”
Dane had always admired the mysteries of Eastern culture. But because of Brandon’s military service, they had never had the chance to travel. Brandon gazed at him tenderly. “Alright.”
Dane was overjoyed. He lifted his head and kissed Brandon, his green eyes shining brightly. “I love you.”
………………
After Christmas, it was already deep winter. It wasn’t peak travel season, but that didn’t dampen Dane’s excitement. He had prepared a detailed itinerary, eagerly pointing out each sightseeing spot to Brandon.
Because of the cold weather, they avoided the usual crowds. Dane had a wonderful time, and Brandon patiently stayed by his side throughout the trip.
A few days later, they arrived at an ancient town surrounded by picturesque mountains and rivers.
Dane, a photography enthusiast, was captivated by the breathtaking scenery. As soon as they checked into their guesthouse, he left Brandon to unpack while he grabbed his camera and headed out alone. He walked up the town’s stone-paved stairways. From the high ground, he could see the entire town—layer upon layer of traditional rooftops bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, forming a beautiful painting.
Raising his camera, Dane adjusted the focus and began taking pictures, so engrossed that he didn’t notice the uneven ground beneath him. Suddenly, his foot twisted, and he lost his balance, tumbling down a short flight of stone steps. Luckily, there were only two or three steps, but the impact against the hard stone was still painful enough to make him break out in a cold sweat.
At that moment, a black-haired young man hurried over. He must have been passing by—he was carrying a bag of steaming hot snacks. Seeing Dane fall, he immediately came over to check on him.
Ji Ling helped Dane up, his expression filled with concern. “Are you okay?”
Dane’s face was pale as he gasped. “Thanks, I think I’m alright.”
Ji Ling thought for a moment and said, “I see you sprained your foot. Where are you staying? I'll take you back.”
Dane said, “At the inn just ahead.”
Ji Ling placed Dane’s arm over his shoulder, helped him up, and smiled. “Alright. By the way, are you here alone?”
Dane shook his head. “No, my boyfriend came with me.”
Ji Ling thought to himself, That's good. That way, I just need to hand him over to his boyfriend.
Because of his injury, Dane walked slowly. With Ji Ling supporting him, it took them about ten minutes to reach the inn. Ji Ling raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You're staying here?”
Dane was puzzled. “Yeah, why?”
Ji Ling glanced sideways and smiled, the corners of his lips curving up. “What a coincidence. I'm staying here too.”
Recently, he had some free time, so he came on vacation with Ning Yu and happened to be staying at the same inn. What a small world…
Dane was delighted, his eyes lighting up. “Really?”
Ji Ling said, “Yeah. Which floor are you on? I'll take you up—”
Dane said, “Third floor—oh, never mind, my boyfriend's here. Brandon, I'm over here!”
Ji Ling was momentarily stunned. He turned his head and saw a tall, blond man walking down the stairs. Wasn't this the man he had run into outside the hotel on his wedding day a year ago?
This was too much of a coincidence…
Brandon also saw Ji Ling. He paused slightly but then walked over naturally, frowning. “What happened?”
Dane said, “I accidentally fell, and he helped me back.” Then he turned to Ji Ling with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I don’t know your name yet. I'm Dane. What about you?”
Ji Ling withdrew his gaze, calmed his emotions, and said, “I'm Ji Ling.”
“Ji, thank you so much today,” Dane said warmly and hugged Ji Ling. “By the way, how long are you staying here? Can I hang out with you?”
Ji Ling smiled. “Of course.”
Dane was thrilled to get a positive response. He had made a new, enthusiastic friend here. He waved at Ji Ling and said, “I'll find you tomorrow then.”
Seeing him hobbling, Ji Ling couldn't help but chuckle. “No rush. You should take care of your injury first.”
Then Ji Ling winked at Brandon and said, “Brandon, I'll leave him to you.”
Brandon, his expression calm and his eyes smiling, said, “Alright.”
With that, they parted ways.
Brandon helped Dane back to their room. He set Dane down on the bed, lifted his foot onto his lap, and carefully removed his shoe. He pressed his fingers against the injured spot. It was swollen but not fractured—just a minor sprain that would heal with rest. Relieved, Brandon sighed and said helplessly, “You really need to be more careful.”
Dane coughed lightly, his face flushing, but he stubbornly said, “It's fine. I can still keep going.”
Brandon was tempted to crack open this fool’s head and see inside. Was having fun really this important?
Seeing Brandon looking slightly annoyed, Dane leaned over and hugged him, whispering coquettishly in his ear, “You rarely get time off to travel with me, and we only have fifteen days. I don’t want to waste a single moment…”
Hearing the soft words in his ear, Brandon suddenly felt his heart melt. After a moment, he said, “Going out isn’t impossible, but no wandering around. You have to stay seated, understand?”
Dane gave a sloppy salute. “Yes, sir!”
Brandon couldn't help but smile.
………………
Since Dane was injured and couldn't move around much, but also refused to stay in the inn, he enthusiastically invited Ji Ling out for a meal the next day. He had already done his research online and knew exactly which restaurants were famous for their delicious food. He absolutely had to try authentic Chinese cuisine—otherwise, this trip wouldn’t be worth it!
Ji Ling was impressed by his boundless energy but still felt a bit concerned about his injury. He glanced at Brandon as if to ask, You're really letting him go out like this?
Brandon shrugged helplessly. “It’s fine. I'll take care of him.”
Ji Ling could only nod and say, “Alright.”
At that moment, Ning Yu came out of the inn, intending to ask who was there, but when his gaze landed on Brandon, his brow furrowed slightly.
Ji Ling had no idea. Since Brandon had never appeared before him or revealed his identity, he was completely unaware. But Ning Yu knew of Brandon’s existence. When he first arrived in this world, he had investigated everyone who had been around Ji Ling, especially this man who shared the same name as Brandon from the book.
But soon, Ning Yu realized this was probably just a coincidence. After all, Brandon was currently holding another man's hand. He had no reason to be here for Ji Ling.
With that in mind, Ning Yu remained composed. His expression softened into a smile as he asked casually, “What's going on?”
Ji Ling turned and smiled. “This is my new friend, Dane. He invited us to eat together.”
Dane curiously glanced at Ning Yu and greeted him with a friendly smile.
Ning Yu nodded and said to Ji Ling with a doting tone, “Alright.”
And so, the four of them went out for a meal.
To avoid parking issues, they only took one car. Brandon and Dane got into Ning Yu’s car. Ning Yu and Ji Ling sat in the front, while Brandon and Dane sat in the back. The whole ride, Dane chattered non-stop, snapping photos of the scenery with his phone and exclaiming in excitement.
Before long, they arrived at the restaurant.
Since the restaurant was quite famous, it was packed with tourists coming and going. It took them a while to get a table, and they finally sat down by the window.
Dane curiously glanced at Ning Yu, then lowered his voice and asked Ji Ling, “Is he your boyfriend?”
Ji Ling smiled openly. “Yes.”
Hearing that, Dane instantly felt even closer to him. What a stroke of fate—he and Ji Ling were bound to become good friends!
Soon, the food was served. Dane found the first bite a little too spicy for his taste, but after a moment, he realized the flavors were incredible and started digging in enthusiastically.
Mysterious Eastern cuisine!
Ji Ling was also enjoying himself. The food here was quite good—at least they weren’t getting ripped off.
After the meal, Dane wanted to get up to go to the restroom. Brandon was about to stand up to help him, but Ji Ling happened to be going too. He smiled and said, “I'll go with him.”
With that, the two of them left together.
At the table, only Brandon and Ning Yu remained. Without the two lively ones, the atmosphere suddenly felt much quieter.
After a moment, Brandon spoke first. He looked at Ning Yu and said in a deep voice, “I'm glad you two are doing well.”
Ning Yu smiled. “Thank you. I'm also glad you found your own happiness.”
After those brief words, silence fell between them once again.
Before long, Ji Ling and Dane returned.
They parted ways at the restaurant entrance since Dane had to head back. Brandon had already set rules with him yesterday—he was allowed to come out for a meal, but hiking and running around were absolutely out of the question. Even though he didn’t want to leave, Dane had no choice but to reluctantly say goodbye to Ji Ling.
He hugged Ji Ling tightly and sighed. “Ji, I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll miss you.”
Ji Ling smiled. “Me too. You're always welcome to visit again. I'll take you to try some authentic street food next time.”
That finally cheered Dane up. His eyes lit up as he said happily, “Really? It's a deal!”
Ji Ling nodded. “It’s a deal.”
Only then did Dane let go of Ji Ling. Brandon quickly reached out to support him, gave Ji Ling a slight smile, then waved down a taxi. Soon, they disappeared from sight.
Ning Yu looked at Ji Ling, his gaze warm and gentle. “Are you full? Do you want to go back and rest, or take a walk?”
Ji Ling’s eyes curved into a smile. “Let’s take a walk. The scenery here is pretty nice.”
Ning Yu nodded. “It is.”
The scenery here was beautiful, but the most beautiful place was wherever Ji Ling was.
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