After saying goodbye to Ming Xiao, Chu Xinghui went by himself to the library.

He stayed inside for half a day, and when he came out, it was already getting dark.

It was about time to go home.

But just as Chu Xinghui stepped through the door, he was caught by Xie Liufeng, who had come home early.

Seeing Xie Liufeng’s expression was somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, Chu Xinghui found it very strange.

He had never seen such an expression on Xie Liufeng’s face before — one that didn’t really match his age.

Chu Xinghui carefully thought back: during the time they were apart, he shouldn’t have had the time or opportunity to annoy Xie Liufeng.

So he took the initiative to ask: “What’s wrong?”

Xie Liufeng said nothing, staring at Chu Xinghui seriously for a while.

In the end, unable to bring himself to really do anything to Chu Xinghui, he just reached out and lightly tapped his head.

Chu Xinghui was baffled by the tap, looking up at him with confusion.

Xie Liufeng, seeing this, rubbed Chu Xinghui’s hair and sighed softly, letting off steam, murmuring: “Forget it.”

To be honest, this matter wasn’t really Chu Xinghui’s fault.

He had indulged it when the biting happened, and afterwards hadn’t handled it carefully — he shouldn’t have taken his anger out on Chu Xinghui.

Chu Xinghui was even more puzzled.

He really wanted to know why Xie Liufeng acted so unusually today.

He looked at Xie Liufeng for a while, seeing that he seemed determined not to say what happened, he reluctantly withdrew his gaze and continued walking toward his own room.

After all, he had other things to do today. He could ask about it next time.

Xie Liufeng saw what Chu Xinghui was holding and suddenly felt the scene looked familiar. He instinctively called out: “Wait!”

Chu Xinghui froze and tightened his grip on the book.

He turned back casually and asked Xie Liufeng: “What’s up?”

He really wasn’t suited for sneaky things. Xie Liufeng saw the trick at once and asked: “What are you holding?”

Chu Xinghui expressionlessly hid the book behind his back, trying to play innocent: “Nothing.”

Xie Liufeng stepped in front of him and reached out his hand.

Chu Xinghui kept a blank face.

Xie Liufeng sighed dramatically: “Alright, alright, if you really don’t want to show me, then I won’t look.”

Everyone has secrets, after all. He wasn’t upset.

After all, objectively, they didn’t even have a relationship now. He had no reason to care about Chu Xinghui.

Just as he was about to leave, Chu Xinghui called out: “Wait!”

Xie Liufeng turned back and couldn’t help but laugh: “If you don’t want to show me, that’s fine. I’m not mad, just teasing you.”

Chu Xinghui hesitated for a moment but obediently handed it over.

Xie Liufeng flipped through a few pages, and his smile suddenly froze.

Actually, the book was serious, explaining some concepts and simple cultivation methods, not some trash literature sold by street vendors.

However… it seemed to be one of the books he had confiscated from Chu Xinghui last time.

There was even a bookmark inside.

It looked like this time Chu Xinghui had learned his lesson and read most of it in the library before bringing it back.

Xie Liufeng was silent for a moment, feeling a headache coming on: “What did I say to you last time?”

Since he had been discovered, Chu Xinghui stopped hiding and took the initiative to communicate: “Do you remember what the black-robed man asked?”

“He asked if the two of us were cultivating together.”

Seeing Xie Liufeng not speak, Chu Xinghui continued: “So this method works. Why can’t we give it a try?”

Xie Liufeng patted his head, trying to comfort him: “You saw, I’m not that easy to die. These hidden dangers won’t really affect me…”

Chu Xinghui interrupted: “It’s fine this time, but what about next time?”

He looked at Xie Liufeng honestly: “If the hidden dangers on you aren’t removed, I’ll be scared. Every time you leave my sight, I’ll worry a lot.”

Xie Liufeng was silent for a moment but still felt uneasy: “Cultivating together isn’t just about practice, it…”

Chu Xinghui roughly understood his concern and summarized: “I get it, you’re afraid it’ll affect me finding a Dao companion in the future.”

Xie Liufeng smiled helplessly: “…You don’t have to be so blunt.”

Besides, that was too general and not entirely accurate.

Chu Xinghui tried to persuade him: “You should know my temperament. When I care about someone, I’d entrust my life to them. If I meet someone who doesn’t cherish me, it could lead to serious harm or even death.”

“What are the chances that a Dao companion I don’t even know where they are would care about me? Would you rather believe a stranger with no trace than have me as your Dao companion?”

The more he said it, the more he felt this line of thought was very right.

Before Xie Liufeng, he never thought about finding a Dao companion. If he did, the first person he thought of was Xie Liufeng.

It could only be Xie Liufeng.

So why couldn’t they become Dao companions?

Chu Xinghui’s suggestion made Xie Liufeng somewhat shaken.

Thinking that the child he had raised for so long might be bullied by others… it was indeed better to have him be his own Dao companion.

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment, took something out of his storage bag, and sealed the deal: “You said before, ‘No matter what relationship I want, you’ll agree.’ Now I think we should become Dao companions.”

Xie Liufeng took the paper signed with his own name and did not expect that what he had written before would actually trap him at this moment.

Although he knew the occasion was serious, he recalled the scene at that time and could not help but curl his lips slightly: “…Was this made for you to use like this?”

Chu Xinghui suddenly solemnly called his name: “Xie Liufeng.”

Xie Liufeng instinctively looked at him.

Chu Xinghui stepped forward and looked him straight in the eyes: “Last time when I thought you were in trouble, I had thought about dying together with you.”

Xie Liufeng suddenly could not say anything to refuse.

There were many methods of dual cultivation, and it did not necessarily require physical contact.

Maybe he could think of other ways.

He pinched the space between his eyebrows, nodded, and agreed to Chu Xinghui’s initial proposal: “…Alright, I will return the book to you. But before that, I must first confirm that this matter will not have any impact on you.”

Chu Xinghui took back the book, barely satisfied.

But he tried to push further and brought up the previous topic again: “So, can we become Dao companions now?”

After the previous reflection, he began to feel that “becoming Xie Liufeng’s Dao companion” was related to dual cultivation but also held its own independent importance.

Even if they did not have to practice dual cultivation, he still wanted to become Xie Liufeng’s Dao companion.

…A contract to always be together, a legitimate relationship that could restrain each other.

Xie Liufeng stayed silent for a long time and did not give a direct reply: “When you understand the meaning of Dao companions, we will talk about this matter again.”

Seeing Chu Xinghui still wanted to say something, Xie Liufeng, already afraid of him, immediately stopped him: “No more nagging. I already agreed to one of your proposals today.”

If it did not work today, Chu Xinghui quickly thought of a new plan: “Then what if I come to bother you again tomorrow?”

Xie Liufeng did not want to speak and reached out to mess up his hair carelessly.

Chu Xinghui felt a little disappointed: “Alright, if you change your mind, you can come find me anytime. Anyway, I won’t find anyone else to be my Dao companion.”

He actually already understood very well.

But Xie Liufeng seemed always afraid that he did not understand enough and would delay him.

Chu Xinghui returned to his room with the unfinished book.

Xie Liufeng looked at his back and pressed his temple with a headache.

It seemed that whenever Chu Xinghui spoke, his bottom line kept retreating.

As long as Chu Xinghui insisted, he actually could not refuse any of his requests.

Retreating to this point, even he did not dare to say their relationship was truly innocent.

*

After Chu Xinghui returned to his room, he first finished reading the book he borrowed. After memorizing the cultivation method inside, he hesitated for a moment and sent a message to the friend closest to him at the moment.

He felt his current situation might need some external help.

Soon, Ming Xiao’s voice came through the communication talisman: “Do you have anything to ask me today? If yes, say it quickly. I’m very busy and don’t want to chat with you.”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

Every time it was clearly Ming Xiao himself who talked the most nonsense.

He considered his friend’s way of interacting with others, hesitated for a moment, sighed: “Forget it, I’ll ask someone else.”

Maybe he should go find Cheng Yu.

At least Cheng Yu knew to build good relationships with customers when selling pills.

Although Ming Xiao did not know what happened, he still asserted: “You are insulting me.”

Chu Xinghui was puzzled: “How did I insult you?”

He had not even said anything yet.

Ming Xiao explained: “You asked me for help and then asked others. Isn’t that a sign of not trusting my abilities?”

Chu Xinghui answered objectively: “It is distrust in your understanding of emotions.”

Ming Xiao flew into a rage: “Who said I don’t understand emotions? I just disdain all these social things! Even if… even if I really don’t understand, I can learn. A genius like me learns very quickly! When I learn it, I can teach you, right?”

Chu Xinghui was silent for a moment: “…Why can’t I learn it myself?”

Why add an unreliable middleman to this process?

Ming Xiao interrupted him loudly, firmly: “Anyway, leave this matter to me!”

Chu Xinghui was silent again: “…I haven’t even said what the matter is.”

Ming Xiao, just now blinded by anger, now remembered to ask: “What matter?”

Chu Xinghui hesitated for a moment, thinking that no matter how unreliable it was, having someone to help with ideas should be useful. So he simply said: “I want someone to become my Dao companion.”

Ming Xiao was stunned for a moment: “Why would you do such a time-wasting thing?”

Wasn’t this friend of his most focused on cultivation? Why would he let anyone but Swordmaster waste his time?

Chu Xinghui did not want to explain these and said directly: “Just tell me if there’s any way.”

Ming Xiao actually had no solution, but it did not stop him from pretending to know: “Isn’t it just to say it directly?”

Chu Xinghui was very troubled: “I said, he didn’t agree.”

Although it was not a refusal.

Ming Xiao found this emotional issue a bit complicated and understood even less.

But that did not stop him from calmly promising without blinking: “Don’t worry, leave it to me! I’ll give you a plan tomorrow!”

 

Support translation: