Month: November 2024 (Page 6 of 6)

Chapter 47 – Many Years Ago

November 4, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chapter 47: Many Years Ago

 

“…”

 

After Long Ling spoke, there was a moment of silence in the bathroom.

 

Tick, tock.

 

The room was extremely quiet. Long Ling heard a drop of water fall in the bathroom, landing on the floor… At that moment, he couldn’t wait any longer. He opened the bathroom door directly and stepped inside.

 

The steam hadn’t dissipated in the bathroom. His phoenix was curled up under the shower, his snowy white shirt soaked from neck to face, his cheeks flushed red, and his beautiful eyes shimmering with moisture.

 

He trembled all over, his black hair messy and scattered over his shoulders, his entire demeanor just as chaotic and enticing as Long Ling had imagined.

 

Long Ling walked quickly over, bent down, and lifted his phoenix. He felt the astonishing heat of his skin in his palm. Su Muluo reached out and gripped his shirt tightly, burying his face deeply in his chest.

 

Long Ling said, “Phoenix?”

 

Su Muluo didn’t speak.

 

So Long Ling turned around, carried his phoenix back to the bed, afraid he might catch a cold. He pulled the blanket over his exposed long legs, gently cupped Su Muluo’s face with one hand, and whispered, “Phoenix, don’t be afraid of me.”

 

“…”

 

Su Muluo still didn’t speak, just lowered his eyelashes. He curled up in Long Ling’s embrace, his consciousness stretched to the breaking point, about to snap at any moment.

 

However, in his dazed state, he had a premonition that this estrus was different from the last time, seemingly not something that could be resolved with just a kiss…

 

In the midst of Su Muluo’s confused thoughts, Long Ling had already kissed his lips. Like before, he did not refuse.

 

But after the kiss, the heat on his body did not subside. He still trembled, clutching Long Ling’s shirt tightly.

 

This was a situation Long Ling hadn’t anticipated. He looked down in surprise at his phoenix.

 

Su Muluo buried his face, his ears tinged with a deep crimson, his voice low and filled with embarrassment: “I… don’t want to be here…”

 

He didn’t want to be in this unfamiliar place, in this strange hotel, with his dragon…

 

After a brief astonishment, Long Ling quickly understood. This time, the situation was clearly more serious than before, and a kiss wouldn’t solve it.

 

But his phoenix was unwilling.

 

After pondering for a moment, Long Ling’s hand gently stroked Su Muluo’s slender back, soothing his phoenix’s tension and unease.

 

“Phoenix, don’t worry,” Long Ling murmured into Su Muluo’s ear, “It’s okay if you don’t want to be here. I won’t push it to the end.”

 

Su Muluo’s eyelashes trembled, he looked up at him, his ink-colored eyes like a pool of fine wine, hazy and intoxicating.

 

Long Ling softly said, “There’s another way… I can teach it to you.”

 

…

 

The next morning, the morning sunlight spilled through a corner of the curtain, and Long Ling opened his eyes.

 

The chaos and ambiguity of last night had passed. The low moans and pleading cries still echoed in his ears. Long Ling lowered his head and looked at the phoenix in his arms.

 

After the night, the blush at the corners of Su Muluo’s eyes had not faded, and there were still traces of tears on his face. He nestled softly in Long Ling’s arms, deeply asleep, showing no signs of waking up.

 

A smile uncontrollably crept onto Long Ling’s lips. He leaned over and gently nuzzled his phoenix a few times, then kissed him on the cheek.

 

They hadn’t gone all the way last night, but before that, they had done what needed to be done.

 

The tears and gasps of his phoenix throughout the night were tightly held in his hands, unable to let go.

 

Long Ling hugged Su Muluo tightly, feeling joyous in his heart, and couldn’t help but kiss his phoenix’s face again.

 

Perhaps next time, he would truly possess his own phoenix.

 

Just as Long Ling was thinking this, Su Muluo in his arms stirred gently.

 

Just waking up, Su Muluo’s mind was still somewhat blank. He raised his head drowsily— and met Long Ling’s smiling amber eyes.

 

“Phoenix,” Long Ling chuckled softly, “Did you sleep well?”

 

Su Muluo: “…………”

 

He stayed in Long Ling’s embrace for a few seconds, then suddenly reverted to his original form and flew away.

 

Long Ling: “?”

 

He immediately sat up, watching as Su Muluo transformed back into a little phoenix and landed on the bedside, silent, turning his back to him.

 

Withdrawing into himself, not wanting to talk.

 

Long Ling thought his phoenix wanted to fly away, but unexpectedly, he just landed on the bedside. He sighed in relief, leaned over, lightly poked it, and said, “Is the phoenix unhappy?”

 

The little phoenix remained silent.

 

Boldly, Long Ling reached out and scooped up the round little phoenix directly into his arms, stroking its head and asking with a smile, “Do you want a kiss?”

 

Little phoenix: “…Chirp.”

 

I’m not paying attention to you.

 

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why are you ignoring me?” Long Ling blinked innocently, “It was the phoenix’s own choice,” he added fearlessly, “And didn’t the phoenix also like it last night?”

 

Little Phoenix: ?

 

Upon hearing this, Little Phoenix immediately pecked Long Ling.

 

Long Ling laughed and held his phoenix in his hands, quickly petting it.

 

Little Phoenix: …

 

Little Phoenix remained silent for a few seconds, fluttering its wings to fly to the top of Long Ling’s head. Instead of pecking him again, it quietly nestled down.

 

Long Ling thought to himself: His phoenix is shy.

 

Feeling pleased, Long Ling continued to have the small phoenix on his head as he headed to the bathroom.

 

While washing up, Long Ling looked at the little phoenix through the mirror, noticing how it would quickly turn its head away when caught looking, which made him want to laugh.

 

But since the phoenix was shy right now, laughing would only embarrass it more, so Long Ling just coughed lightly with his fist against his mouth.

 

The shy phoenix is so cute, incredibly cute.

 

He thought.

 

However, if it’s shy like this now, what will its reaction be next time?

 

Thinking about this, Long Ling felt a bit of anticipation in his heart, but he didn’t say it aloud—he knew if he did, he’d probably get pecked.

 

After washing up, the dragon and the phoenix set off again. Outside the hotel, Long Ling took out a jade pendant and said, “This time, don’t point us in the wrong direction again.”

 

The spirit in the jade pendant immediately swore with great determination, “You can rest assured! Today, we will definitely reach the Su Yuan!!”

 

Long Ling raised his head slightly, and the little phoenix on his head made a chirping sound.

 

Seemingly not entirely convinced.

 

Long Ling said, “I see.”

 

The spirit in the jade pendant didn’t understand the chirp of the little phoenix, nor did it know what they were talking about, “Lord Long Ling, what did you say?”

 

Long Ling said, “It’s nothing, just lead the way.”

 

Although the spirit in the jade pendant had been insisting that Su Yuan was very close to them and they would definitely reach it today, Long Ling still maintained a skeptical attitude… Hours later, he found his suspicions were correct.

 

“No, this can’t be!” The spirit in the jade pendant collapsed, “It must be here! How could I have gone wrong?!”

 

By now, they had been walking in a deep mountain forest all day, surrounded only by tall trees as far as the eye could see, seemingly endless.

 

And now, the sky was dark, the air humid, and rain seemed imminent.

 

Long Ling remained silent, and so did the little phoenix. After a while, Long Ling spoke first, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be wrong?”

 

“I-I-I-I,” the spirit in the jade pendant stuttered, “I think I shouldn’t have been wrong, and the aura of Su Yuan is indeed very close to here… I’m sure, it should be around here!”

 

Long Ling raised an eyebrow, “But there’s nothing here.”

 

And he and his phoenix didn’t feel anything special either.

 

Spirit in the jade pendant: …

 

Suddenly, the spirit in the jade pendant whispered, “My energy seems to be running low again.”

 

Long Ling: …

 

“Sire Long Ling, rest assured! We’re really close!! Su Yuan is definitely nearby!!” The spirit in the jade pendant shook violently, “Tomorrow, by tomorrow, I will definitely lead you there!!” 

 

After saying this, it exhausted its last strength and retreated back into the jade pendant with a swoosh.

 

Long Ling: …

 

The little phoenix jumped down from his head, transforming back into a human and stared at him.

 

Long Ling clicked his tongue, “Can I just throw away this jade pendant?”

 

Su Muluo sighed, “Forget it, didn’t it say we’re already very close? We should be almost there.”

 

Long Ling held the hand of his phoenix and asked, “What should we do now?”

 

“Let’s see if we can find a place to rest for a while,” Su Muluo suggested, “It looks like it’s going to rain soon.”

 

He wasn’t wrong. Moments later, a downpour began, and the sky darkened completely.

 

But just before that, Su Muluo and Long Ling had found a cave to take shelter in. Long Ling lit a fire and used the large branches he had collected earlier to block the cave entrance, forming a makeshift door.

 

Inside the cave was damp and chilly, with only the fire driving away some of the cold. Su Muluo looked around and thought miserably that it was quite memorable, so he took out his phone and snapped a few pictures.

 

Long Ling sat down next to his phoenix and said gently, “The phoenix can transform back and sleep in my clothes.”

 

Su Muluo shook his head, indicating no, and said, “It’s warmer if we lean against each other.”

 

A smile flickered in Long Ling’s eyes as he hugged his phoenix and affectionately rubbed against him.

 

As the rain intensified, it gradually subsided. Su Muluo watched the fire and gradually felt sleepy.

 

He leaned against Long Ling’s shoulder and drifted off to sleep. He didn’t know how long he had slept when he suddenly woke up.

 

—He sensed something was wrong.

 

“Phoenix?” Long Ling hadn’t slept, he had been watching over his phoenix. Seeing the phoenix awake, he gently touched its hair and asked, “What’s wrong? It’s not yet dawn.”

 

Su Muluo didn’t speak. He grabbed Long Ling’s sleeve and stared straight at the entrance of the cave.

 

It was still dark outside, pitch black. Despite the branches blocking it, there was still a gap.

 

And standing at that gap was a figure whose face couldn’t be seen.

 

“…”

 

Perhaps Su Muluo had been staring at the person for too long, because Long Ling asked in confusion, “Is there something outside?”

 

Su Muluo blinked slightly, then turned to Long Ling and asked, “You can’t see it?”

 

Long Ling: ?

 

He looked at the phoenix, then at the cave entrance, saying, “Can’t see.”

 

Su Muluo was even more surprised, saying, “There’s a person with an indistinct face at the cave entrance.”

 

Long Ling: “…”

 

He stared motionlessly at Su Muluo. After a few seconds of eye contact, Su Muluo stood up, took Long Ling’s hand, and walked towards the person at the cave entrance.

 

However, as soon as they approached, the person immediately turned around and left their original position.

 

Su Muluo didn’t hesitate, saying, “He’s gone, let’s follow him.”

 

Although unable to see the person’s face clearly, and unsure if they were even human, he had a strong intuition that this person was here to guide him.

 

Long Ling followed his phoenix without objection. By now, the rain had stopped, and outside the cave in the deep night, the person walked between muddy mountain paths without touching the ground, seeming to float all the way.

 

The two followed this person through the deep mountains like this. After an unknown time, the person stopped.

 

Guided by him, Su Muluo and Long Ling arrived at the edge of a cliff. Above the cliff, a cold moon hung in the sky, and below it, a bottomless abyss.

 

Seeing Su Muluo stop in his tracks, Long Ling asked, “Have we arrived?”

 

“Should be?” Su Muluo looked somewhat uncertainly at the person standing at the edge of the cliff, saying, “He’s not moving.”

 

At the same time, a doubt arose in his mind.

 

Su Yuan… Could he be right under this cliff?

 

But who exactly is this person?

 

——As if hearing his doubt, the person slowly turned his head at this moment.

 

Under the moonlight, his body appeared semi-transparent and gradually dissipated. Before dissolving completely, his features emerged, allowing Su Muluo to see his face clearly.

 

In an instant, Su Muluo’s mind went blank. A name that was clearly unfamiliar yet felt like it had been known for years suddenly surfaced.

 

Shuangli.

 

It was precisely when this name came to mind that the scene before him abruptly changed. He felt as if he was rapidly plummeting into a deep pool, engulfed by watery memories.

 

Those long-sealed memories quickly turned into shattered bubbles, enveloping him and swallowing all his consciousness… causing him to faint.

 

“Chief, Chief!”

 

Where the Phoenix Clan lived, flowers bloomed abundantly. It was still early morning when a young man in blue stopped the Phoenix Clan chief who was admiring the flowers and proudly opened his hands to him, “Look what I found!”

 

The Phoenix Clan chief, dr4p3d in a robe adorned with white feathers, his black hair loose and hanging loosely behind him, heard the youth’s words and slightly turned his head. A strand of black hair slid from his shoulder, brushing past his gentle and beautiful eyebrows.

 

After seeing what the youth held in his hands, his expression showed slight surprise as he said, “Is this… a newly hatched clan member?”

 

——In the youth’s hands was an egg, a small, white egg.

 

“Come on, our little ones in the clan aren’t that ugly.” The youth poked at the egg and said, “It’s almost like the eggs of the neighboring Dragon Clan… Although the Dragon Clan’s eggs don’t seem to be that small.”

 

Thinking about it, the Phoenix Clan chief said, “Where did you pick it up?”

 

“Just over there on the back hill, floating down with the water all the way.” The youth said, “I saw it floating on the water, neither sinking nor breaking. It definitely doesn’t seem like an ordinary egg, so I scooped it up.”

 

The Phoenix Clan chief smiled slightly and said, “It seems to have a connection with you. Why don’t you keep it?”

 

The youth immediately waved his hand when he heard this, saying, “I don’t want it. I came to find the chief just for this!”

 

“I don’t have the patience to keep it. If I accidentally break it while raising it, or if some strange and ugly thing crawls out of it one day, how can I manage—so I think I’ll just give this egg to the chief.”

 

The Phoenix Clan chief fell silent for a few seconds upon hearing this, then said, “You’ve said that something strange might crawl out of it, and you want to give it to me.”

 

The youth grinned and said, “Just in case, and even if some strange monster crawls out, the chief can definitely suppress it.”

 

“Besides, if nothing hatches from it, the chief can just stew it and it’ll nourish your body!”

 

The Phoenix Clan chief was probably touched by his concern and remained silent for a while.

 

Seizing the moment of his silence, the youth stuffed the egg into his hand and quickly ran off.

 

“Phoenix… Phoenix?”

 

A deep voice echoed in his ears, and Su Muluo woke up from his dream, slowly opening his eyes.

 

He found himself in an unfamiliar place, and suddenly, it all started to make sense.

 

The youth from his dream was already gone, but he still remembered his name.

 

Shuangli.

 

“Phoenix, you awake?”

 

Long Ling was right beside Su Muluo, holding him close, letting him lean against his chest.

 

“Why did you suddenly fall asleep? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

 

“…No.”

 

Su Muluo sensed Long Ling’s concern, turned his face to nuzzle him, and said, “Just remembered some things.”

 

Seeing his expression, Long Ling guessed something, “Is it about that person just now?”

 

Su Muluo nodded, recalling the dream scene, and slowly said, “He’s from my clan, Shuangli. We should have been close… A thousand years ago, he even gave me an egg to raise.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Long Ling’s attention shifted suddenly, “Phoenix, you’ve raised other eggs before??”

 

He immediately grabbed Su Muluo’s clothes, looking like he was ready to demand answers.

 

Looking at him, Su Muluo was silent for a few seconds before saying, “That egg wasn’t very good-looking. It was small and rough, like a chicken egg.”

 

“And then?” Long Ling asked eagerly, “Did the Phoenix still raise it? It’s outrageous to raise such an ugly egg! I won’t—”

 

Before he could finish, Su Muluo calmly interrupted him and continued, “No, what I meant is, precisely because that egg was ugly, and bare, like a not very appetizing chicken egg, so it…”

 

“It was very likely ]you.”

 

Long Ling: “……”

 

Long Ling: “???”

T/N: Hello hello! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 84 – Master, I'm back

November 3, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chapter 84 (Extra 7)

 

The rain started falling in the mountains.

 

The fine drizzle wove a curtain, linking the quiet valley, undulating hills, and verdant trees into a picturesque scene.

 

Birds took flight, and beasts ran swiftly.

 

A yellow tiger with dark stripes suddenly leapt from the withered leaves, its body drawing powerful, agile, and sharp lines in mid-air.

 

It caught two stray mountain birds, and with the hunt complete, it carried the birds in its mouth, moving like the wind through the rain curtain, disappearing into a cave obscured by wild grass.

 

The cave must have been filled with the tiger’s scent, as no other birds or beasts dared to seek shelter there, even in the rain.

 

The tiger skillfully killed the birds and ate their meat.

 

Then it sat on the ground, licking its fur dry from the rain, meticulously grooming itself before falling asleep to the sound of the gentle rain.

 

On a stone platform in the cave lay a grayish-brown relic. As night fell, the relic emitted a faint silver glow, as if absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to cultivate.

 

At midnight, the tiger was startled awake by a thunderclap. It instinctively turned to look at the relic.

 

Seeing that the relic was unharmed, the tiger lay down again, its eyelids drooping, half asleep and half awake.

 

If the relic wished to transform into human form, it would need at least ten years.

 

Now, it has only been three years.

 

The tiger dreamed of its days in the thirty-three heavens.

 

Back then, it wasn’t a tiger; it was an Immortal revered by all.

 

That night, in the spacious Immortal hall, a cold wind blew through the corridors as the Immortal sat cross-legged on a grass mat, eyes closed, chanting sutras.

 

A black panther stealthily entered the hall, extending its warm, wet tongue to lick the Immortal’s cheek.

 

The fine barbs on the tongue pricked the skin, sending shivers and tingles through it, like countless tiny ants crawling into his bones.

 

The panther thought it had hidden well, but its aura had long betrayed its identity. Its tongue brushed over the Immortal’s robe, parting the collar. The cold night wind carried a chill, grazing the fragile body, but the skin touched by the panther’s tongue burned hot.

 

The fire-carrying ants inside devoured and gnawed at him inch by inch. For a moment, the Immortal statue closed its eyes. The Immortal sitting cross-legged on the mat wavered in his concentration.

 

In that instant, his practice was broken, never to recover.

 

But in this dream, the Immortal broke through the panther’s enchantment. Upon opening his eyes, instead of shattering the panther’s illusion with a palm strike, he looked calmly at it.

 

It was as if he was facing his own desires.

 

A red thread tied to the Immortal’s wrist connected to the panther’s paw.

 

From the moment they met in the forest tens of thousands of years ago, the dying tiger and the dying Immortal’s fate had been intertwined.

 

Love or hate, resentment or infatuation.

 

The Immortal slowly reached out, touching the panther’s illusion.

 

The illusion gradually dissolved before his eyes, turning into a brilliant light, blossoming in his vision.

 

The tiger woke up with a start, lifting its head. Its sharp gaze swept through the dim morning light, seeing the scene outside the cave through the branches.

 

The rain had stopped.

 

The tiger sat up and then noticed the relic that had been on the stone platform was now in its lap. It held the relic, silently examining it.

 

After being reborn, the tiger had nearly lost all its cultivation and couldn’t sense the relic’s condition. It didn’t know how far along the relic’s cultivation was, but it had felt recently that the relic was progressing rapidly, even coming to its lap.

 

It placed the relic back on the stone platform, stood up, shook its fur, and walked out of the cave. The forest, washed clean by the rain, was vibrant and colorful.

 

The faint sounds of birds chirping could be heard.

 

The tiger looked up and roared, startling a flock of birds in the valley. It leapt through the valley, its powerful claws quickly catching stray birds and rabbits, snapping their necks with its jaws.

 

In this life, it no longer pursued compassion, abandoning its roots of wisdom to live as an ordinary tiger.

 

However, it did not regret being an Immortal.

 

Yet, after its heart wavered, it was no longer worthy of receiving the worship of countless disciples in the thirty-three heavens.

 

One thought creates a world, and one thought creates hell.

 

After eating its fill, the tiger went to a stream in the valley to drink. It sensed something amiss, as the mountain wind carried a strange beast’s scent. Turning, it saw a large male tiger.

 

Behind the male tiger stood a female tiger, clearly in heat, staring intently at the drinking tiger.

 

The male tiger, seeing this, became jealous and approached for a fight.

 

The male tiger advanced step by step, growling menacingly.

 

The tiger did not want to fight and had no interest in the female. As it turned to leave, the male tiger, thinking it was being looked down upon, suddenly lunged at it.

 

The tiger was pinned down, and the male tiger’s sharp teeth aimed for its neck to deliver a fatal bite. It quickly extended its paw to block, its right forepaw getting bitten by the male tiger’s sharp teeth.

 

It couldn’t help but let out a low growl, its black eyes gradually turning blood-red. Suddenly, it flipped over, pinning the male tiger to the ground with overwhelming strength, biting its cheek and clawing its chest.

 

The male tiger let out a pained hiss as it was struck hard twice by Jiaheng. The blows left the male tiger dazed.

 

However, after exacting his revenge, Jiaheng didn’t deliver a fatal blow but leapt away from the scene.

 

Behind him, the female tiger made a strange noise, wanting to follow him, but was stopped by the defeated male tiger.

 

Jiaheng ignored the two tigers, enduring the pain in his right foreleg as he returned to the cave.

 

Now in his tiger form, it was inconvenient to treat the wound, so he simply cleaned it and fell asleep on a straw pile.

 

In a half-asleep state, the tiger sensed a white light flashing before his eyes, but he was so exhausted that he couldn’t lift his heavy eyelids.

 

His injured paw was held by someone. Though no words were spoken, the gentle and slow actions conveyed a sense of concern and tenderness.

 

The person touched the wound lightly, doing something that quickly relieved the pain.

 

Warmth spread over the wound, surprising the tiger, who wanted to wake up but was too tired. His furry head was gently cradled in the person’s arms.

 

Feeling comfortable, the tiger didn’t struggle, his breathing soon becoming steady.

 

The next morning, upon waking, the tiger recalled the dreamlike scene from the previous night. He looked around cautiously but saw nothing unusual.

 

Was it just his imagination?

 

Lowering his head, he saw that the previously torn wound on his right forepaw was now neatly stitched together, leaving only a faint scar.

 

The wound had healed too quickly.

 

Swallowing his surprise, the tiger stood up, his gaze falling on the relic on the stone platform.

 

The relic lay there as usual, emitting a faint silver glow.

 

The tiger walked over to the relic, his black and yellow eyes staring at it without any discernible emotion. After a while, he walked out of the cave.

 

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out, he saw the female tiger from yesterday in heat.

 

The female tiger wagged her tail, the black stripes on her yellow and white fur, her eyes carrying a unique tiger’s haughty expression.

 

Half fawning, half testing, she approached Jiaheng.

 

The scent of a female in heat naturally enticed the newly awakened male tiger.

 

Jiaheng stood still, his gaze unchanged, allowing the female tiger to approach him.

 

She first sniffed Jiaheng’s scent, detecting a faint smell of blood. Despite his injury, Jiaheng stood tall and strong, like a king overlooking the valley.

 

At first sight, the female tiger had fallen in love with Jiaheng.

 

Unfortunately, the male tiger had been a constant nuisance, unwilling to leave her side despite her pleas. After Jiaheng’s beating yesterday, the male tiger had sulked in his nest, allowing the female tiger to follow Jiaheng’s scent and find him.

 

The female tiger nudged her head close to Jiaheng’s cheek, rubbing against him. Seeing no rejection from Jiaheng, she assumed he accepted her advances.

 

Happily, she wagged her tail, gently nibbling at the soft fur on Jiaheng’s face, flirting, when suddenly she stopped, sensing something amiss. Her eyes filled with caution, alertness, and even fear as she looked behind Jiaheng.

 

Behind Jiaheng was the pitch-dark cave.

 

From the cave emerged a shadowy figure, standing tall and slim, with an eerie ghostly presence.

 

Stepping out of the shadows, the figure’s appearance became clear.

 

His face was unnaturally pale, except for his eyes and brows. His black, sinister eyes were like those of a demon from hell, glaring at the female tiger with a murderous intent.

 

The female tiger, inexplicably frightened, let out an uncontrollable roar.

 

Finally finding a suitable mate, only to be interrupted by this unwelcome guest, the female tiger didn’t want to flee but felt an overwhelming fear upon meeting his gaze.

 

Sometimes, a mere look can determine the outcome.

 

Seeing the female tiger frozen in place, the man grinned, revealing a horrifying smile.

 

Terrified, the female tiger let out a scream and fled as if she had seen a ghost.

 

“…” Jiaheng.

 

Jiaheng didn’t turn around, but the moment the figure transformed, he sensed his presence. His furry face showed no expression as he stared straight ahead.

 

Behind him, the man finally spoke first.

 

“Master, I’m back.”

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 83 – The majesty of the dragons

November 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chapter 83 (Extra 6)

 

Things turned out better than Si Lan imagined. Instead of taking seven days to leave the palace, it only took six and a half.

 

On the evening of the sixth day, Haowei received an urgent report from Yu Wudao, stating that both the Jing River and the East Sea had been disturbed by the demon clans.

 

The Qing Xiaoyao clan of the Jing River, forced to live in the marshlands by the demons, had their clan leader directly flayed and hung on the shore to dry like shrimp. The Dragon King of the East Sea had his tail severed, and several generals from the East Sea were beaten within an inch of their lives.

 

Haowei hadn’t expected Quze to act so swiftly.

 

The Dragon King of the East Sea was one of the Four Sea Dragon Kings and a prominent figure among the aquatic beings, holding a high position in the Heavenly Realm.

 

Now, with the Dragon King of the East Sea humiliated in this manner, if he didn’t step forward to seek justice, it might lead to dissatisfaction among the officials of the Heavenly Realm.

 

But Haowei had previously promised Si Lan not to intervene in the East Sea…

 

His silence made Si Lan mistakenly think he was considering it. Si Lan feared he would go after Quze, so he pondered briefly and decided to employ the “handsome man strategy.”

 

He stretched out his foot—his toes were as tender and white as spring onions—and slid it along Haowei’s spine. Haowei withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Si Lan on the bed.

 

In the twilight of the Ninth Heaven, as the light dimmed, shadows obscured Haowei’s eyes, concealing his emotions. His breath visibly hitched.

 

With one hand supporting his head and the other poking Haowei’s arm, half taunting and half teasing, Si Lan said, “Already giving up so soon?”

 

Haowei’s lips twitched slightly, emitting a muffled chuckle. Leaning forward, he seemed to descend like layers of cumulus clouds pressing down, squeezing the air thin.

 

Haowei grabbed Si Lan’s ankle; the warmth of his palm was scorching. His fingers slowly moved up from Si Lan’s ankle.

 

“Who said we should stop just now? Why are you lying on me?”

 

Though Si Lan had cried several times before, ending up as a “wild chicken” in the end, which made him uncomfortable, he reluctantly let Si Lan go for the time being.

 

Just as he was catching his breath, Si Lan came challenging him again.

 

Si Lan grasped his rebellious hand, placing it on Haowei’s chest. With both hands hooking around Haowei’s nape, he lightly kissed the corner of Haowei’s lips, his voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness. “Now I’ve rested.”

 

“Sure about that?” Haowei’s voice softened a few degrees, his trailing question inexplicably making Si Lan’s heart race.

 

Si Lan felt intimidated but pretended to be relaxed as he deflected, “Hmm… I…”

 

Before he could finish his sentence, Haowei silenced him with a kiss.

 

For the sake of his armless disciple, he didn’t mind sacrificing his dignity.

 

Tsk tsk.

 

Haowei found it rather amusing. Therefore, he deliberately increased the strength in his hand, causing Si Lan to lie on the mandarin duck pillow, his face and expression covered, vaguely discernible from the protruding veins on his side face and the degree of fluctuation in his Adam’s apple, indicating that he endured until his expression became ferocious and his spirit was on the verge of collapse.

 

Help!

 

Why does this world have creatures like dragons?

 

One is tired, and there’s another.

 

They say there’s no land that can’t be cultivated, only oxen who die from overwork.

 

But if this ox is two-headed, the land has already been overworked.

 

Si Lan felt like he was the overworked land, unable to bear it anymore.

 

In the end, he played dead, withdrew his consciousness, and avoided the torment. During the period of withdrawing his consciousness, he incidentally returned to the demon realm to check on Quze’s situation.

 

But soon Haowei noticed his consciousness had left his body.

 

He whispered threateningly in Si Lan’s ear, “Recently, the Nine Heavens’ Biwu Branch has grown new branches. Your tender white body would fit perfectly hanging there.”

 

Still unmoved, Si Lan pretended not to hear him.

 

Haowei continued, “What would we do hanging there? Why not swing on a swing and intertwine our necks? I heard the Phoenix clan likes to nest in Biwu while intertwining.”

 

Si Lan’s consciousness instantly returned to his body, angrily retorting, “Shameless.”

 

Haowei stifled a laugh, “How am I shameless? Wasn’t it you who provoked me first?”

 

Unable to argue with him, feeling guilty, Si Lan changed the subject, “I miss the children. Shall we go get them?”

 

“The Goddess Mother said they should stay for another half month, so the time isn’t up yet.”

 

“…”

 

Seeing there was no way out, Si Lan couldn’t help but sigh.

 

Why, these past few days, did Haowei show no signs of boredom or fatigue and still seemed so enthusiastic? Could it be because of the position, causing their sensory experiences to differ?

 

After hesitating for a while, Si Lan leaned close to Haowei’s ear, revealing his thoughts.

 

Haowei’s face stiffened, his eyes tensing at the corners, and he asserted without question, “Don’t even think about it.”

 

He patted Si Lan’s head heavily, as if questioning what Si Lan’s little brain was thinking about every day. The reason for the extended time was related to their races.

 

Once dragons enter mating season, it can last from three days to a month, so he was already considered a restrained male dragon.

 

As they were conversing, outside the palace, the voice of the celestial servant was heard.

 

In recent days, celestial servants did not dare to approach the palace, and now that there was an emergency, they had found their way inside.

 

“Your Majesty, the disciple of the Goddess Empress, Quze, is seeking forgiveness outside the Palace of Jade Clear.”

 

“Oh?” Haowei glanced at Si Lan, suspecting that Quze’s act of forgiveness was a directive from Si Lan.

 

After all, it’s better to come and ask for forgiveness than to wait to be questioned and accused.

 

It seems Si Lan, while pretending to deal with the corpse, also withdrew his consciousness to find Quze. Tsk tsk, such indecisiveness deserves punishment.

 

　　Haowei took out the gift the celestial lords sent when he and Si Lan formed their bond, finding a thick, long black jade ruyi scepter.

 

　　Si Lan widened his eyes, wanting to stop Haowei, but the ruyi scepter seemed alive and couldn’t be pulled out at all.

 

　　Si Lan blushed in embarrassment; this was their first time playing like this as an old married couple.

 

　　Haowei adjusted his clothes, looking at him calmly, pretending to be angry: “Tidy yourself up and come with me to see Quze.”

 

　　”…” Si Lan.

 

　　He understood. This troublemaker was deliberately getting back at him.

 

　　He endured the discomfort and accompanied Haowei to see Quze.

 

　　Quze had stripped his upper clothes, a bundle of thorns on his back, kneeling straight on the ground. His black iron arm protruded abruptly, starkly contrasting against his fair and muscular body.

 

　　Seeing him like this, Haowei knew his act of penitence was false, merely showing off his severed arm to gain sympathy.

 

　　This scheme was probably Si Lan’s idea.

 

　　Haowei sat coldly on the high seat. Si Lan originally intended to stand aside but was pulled by Haowei to sit beside him.

 

　　Haowei said, “Quze, you thought coming to the Heavenly Realm to make amends after the incident with Jinghe and East Sea would suffice?”

 

　　”I accept any punishment,” Quze said slowly.

 

　　On the high seat, Si Lan’s expression faltered. He had not instructed Quze to respond this way; he wanted Quze to explain everything and perhaps shed a few tears.

 

　　Haowei was not swayed by tough talk; maybe he wouldn’t say anything.

 

　　As a result, Quze now just stood there foolishly without explanation.

 

　　This blockheaded disciple!

 

　　Haowei glanced at Si Lan and continued, “Considering you did not commit murder but sought vengeance for your clan, I see your intentions. Therefore, you will be confined to Zhuyun Peak for ten years as punishment.”

 

　　This penalty was tantamount to no punishment at all.

 

　　Quze looked up at Haowei, surprise fleeting in his eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t expected Haowei not to punish him despite his lack of plea. His gaze shifted to Si Lan, understanding that Si Lan might have advocated for him in secret.

 

　　He nodded in acknowledgment and left Yuqing Palace.

 

　　As he left, he turned back, wanting to speak to Si Lan, only to see Haowei embracing Si Lan tightly on the high seat. Haowei’s hand slipped under Si Lan’s robe.

 

　　Quze froze for a moment. In the next instant, the doors slammed shut, blocking his view.

 

　　Standing outside, his ears slowly reddened. No wonder Si Lan looked so worn out and fragile when communicating with him through spiritual senses.

 

　　”You promised me that you wouldn’t meddle in the East Sea affair, yet you punished my disciple.” Si Lan took advantage of the situation.

 

　　Haowei adopted Si Lan’s knack for being difficult: “I promised not to meddle in the East Sea affair. I’m currently dealing with your disciple. If he hadn’t come to make amends, it wouldn’t concern me.”

 

　　”…” Si Lan.

 

　　So by letting Quze make amends, he inadvertently harmed Quze?

 

　　Si Lan couldn’t help but grind his teeth, standing up to leave, only to be grabbed by Haowei’s elbow.

 

　　Haowei looked at the water stains left on his leg, his voice slightly hoarse: “You leaked.”

 

　　”…” Si Lan.

 

　　After another intimate moment on the high seat, Haowei finally let him go.

 

　　Finally, biting his neck, Haowei’s voice carried a hint of anger: “I already promised not to intervene in this matter. Yet you had Quze come to the Heavenly Realm to make amends because you don’t trust me.”

 

He felt he would hold Quze accountable in the future, so he decided to preemptively have Quze apologize by coming here.

 

Haowei was genuinely a bit upset, otherwise he wouldn’t have taken out the ruyi scepter just now.

 

Si Lan pursed his lips, his voice breaking: “Uh, it’s not that I don’t trust you, I just don’t want you to bear too much pressure.” If he didn’t deal with Quze and didn’t seek “justice” for the East Sea, the Heavenly Realm would pressure him.

 

Now that Quze has come to the Heavenly Realm so publicly to make amends, punishing Quze was also a way to protect his reputation.

 

He neither wanted Quze to be severely punished nor did he want him to bear the title of “incompetent ruler”.

 

Haowei thought he was calculating everything for Quze’s sake, realizing Si Lan also cared about him. His lips curved slightly upwards, but he tried to maintain his composure: “You speak so persuasively, I can’t always tell what’s true.”

 

Si Lan hugged his waist, burying his head in his chest, full of drowsiness: “Nonsense, I’ve always been straightforward. It’s actually you who used two pseudonyms when we first met.” This made Si Lan think carefully each time he spoke to Haowei, fearful of calling him by the wrong name.

 

Haowei pursed his lips and explained, “At that time, my body fluctuated due to divine injuries, sometimes growing larger, sometimes smaller, so I had to use a pseudonym to deceive you.”

 

Si Lan snorted but didn’t say anything more, his breathing gradually calming down.

 

Haowei turned his head and saw Si Lan struggling to keep his eyelids from closing. He stopped talking and gently stroked Si Lan’s back.

 

Suddenly remembering something, Haowei leaned close to Si Lan’s ear and softly called out, “Sigan.”

 

Si Lan, who was almost asleep, suddenly heard this and widened his eyes, looking at Haowei strangely.

 

Haowei explained, “I heard it’s your childhood nickname, Sigan.”

 

He repeated “Sigan” again, causing Si Lan’s scalp to tingle. “Who told you my nickname? No, who told you this was my nickname?”

 

These three words were a sore spot for him.

 

“It was Xie Li.” When Haowei last visited the Demon Realm and didn’t bring candy for Xie Li, he wasn’t pleased. Then Xie Li told Haowei that Si Lan’s childhood nickname was Sigan.

 

　Si Lan loves it when others call him by his nickname.

 

　Thus, it was during tender moments that Haowei would utter Si Guoyi’s name.

 

　”…” Si Lan.

 

　Si Lan’s lips twitched slightly. He hadn’t expected Xiao Xie to start teasing people now.

 

　Truly, good habits don’t learn, but bad ones do.

 

　At this moment, far away on the Yun Peak, Xiao Xie, who was keeping Quze company while he was under house arrest, inexplicably sneezed.

 

　”I heard from Xiao Xie that you only allow close people to call you by this name. You never told me before. Did you think I didn’t deserve to call you that?” Haowei’s voice softened, his face showing a hint of grievance, though his large hands weren’t honest as they rested on Si Lan’s waist.

 

　He suddenly understood whose tea-scented air he had inherited.

 

　”No, I…” He looked into Haowei’s eyes and felt that if he said anything harsh, the other might tear up. So, he compromised, “You can only call me that when we’re alone.”

 

　A hint of cunning flashed through Haowei’s eyes. “Alright, Si Guoyi.”

 

　”…” Si Lan couldn’t help but clench his fists.

 

　For the first time, a desire arose in his heart to clean up his act!

 

 

 

He had slept in the palace for several days before recovering. During these days, he had been surrounded by “Si Guoyi,” from initial embarrassment to now accepting it calmly.

 

 Si Guoyi was just Si Guoyi.

 

 In this world, besides him, no one else knew what Si Guoyi meant.

 

 A few days later, he and Haowei rode in a carriage to Lingxiao Palace to pick up the child.

 

 Halfway there, passing by somewhere, they faintly heard a familiar voice.

 

 Si Lan lifted the curtain and saw in the undulating lines of the mountains and fields, a black figure swiftly moving like a bean, with a tiger running swiftly ahead of it.

 

 Si Lan instructed the carriage to stop, and he heard the complaining voice of the black figure pierce through the sky like wind and thunder into his ears.

 

 “I said you ignored me, then I said that I would kiss you until you spoke to me.” The black figure chased the tiger, threatening as he ran.

 

 Upon hearing this, the tiger paused momentarily and then ran even faster.

 

 In the fields full of blooming wildflowers, one person and one tiger, and one world.

 

 Si Lan counted on his fingers, only three years.

 

 Yuwuxia actually achieved human form again in three years.

 

 Truly the other side of the Heavenly Way.

 

 Of course, it might also be impatient to achieve human form, and wanted to achieve the true fruit with the Immortal Jiaheng.

 

 Tsk tsk.

 

 Haowei also followed Si Lan’s gaze and saw the man and the tiger. He closed the curtain, blocking Si Lan’s view.

 

 “It’s all over now.”

 

 “Yeah.”

 

 Everything is over.

 

 Whether it’s the tiger becoming an Immortal, the Immortal becoming a demon, or all living beings, we must look forward and embrace a new life.

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 15.2 – Isn’t This Something Worth Celebrating

November 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

“Yes, he scammed over 300,000 yuan, and we were there to get the money back!” Qiangzi said.

Zhong Weishi nudged his arm, and Qiangzi, looking confused, whispered, “What is it?”

“We were there to persuade him to pay back the money as soon as possible,” Zhong Weishi said.

“Persuading someone to repay a debt involves scaling a wall in the dead of night?” The young officer, though still relatively new on the job, didn’t need much imagination to figure out what this group was really up to. “Who’s your leader? Which loan shark company do you work for? Ever heard the saying, ‘Confession leads to leniency, resistance leads to severity?’”

When Zhong Weishi heard the mention of a loan shark, he got nervous and quickly pointed to Gu Lizhou: “We really haven’t done anything illegal. The one who got scammed is his mom.”

A female officer approached quietly and said, “Old Li, I’ve checked all of them. None of them have criminal records. And back at the end of March, someone did file a report saying they were scammed out of over 300,000 yuan. The scammer’s name is Zhang Gou, but the case is being handled by the Zhongshan Police Station. I’m not sure about the current status.”

“It still hasn’t been resolved after all this time?” The officer called Old Li was surprised.

Though the situation had been clarified, a large group of demons and ghosts climbing over the gate of a residential complex late at night still seemed suspicious.

Old Li earnestly gave them all a lengthy legal lesson: “There’s a provision in the <Criminal Law> called the crime of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble.’ What does that mean? It refers to acts like assaulting others randomly, chasing, blocking, insulting, or threatening others, and causing serious disorder in public places through disturbances. This can result in a sentence of five to ten years in prison, along with a fine.”

A bunch of people were so scared that they shook their heads repeatedly, promising that they would never commit such offenses.

Since the police uncles remembered that everyone was a first-time offender and hadn’t caused any serious consequences, they gave them a warning and allowed them to go back to their own homes.

Regarding Zhang Gou’s case, the police said they would continue to investigate and follow up, thanking them for providing relevant information.

Zhong Weishi, feeling as if he had been granted a reprieve, was in high spirits. He went with Da Fei and the others to retrieve their electric scooters. After a brief chat, he felt like something was missing around him, so he turned back and saw Gu Lizhou squatting by the flowerbed, engrossed in his phone.

The sky was dark, and the glow from the phone illuminated his face in a faint outline.

Gu Lizhou’s hair was a bit messy from the wind, and his clothes were smudged with some dust, making him look a little disheveled against the night’s backdrop.

“Are you coming with us?” Zhong Weishi looked down and asked.

Gu Lizhou opened his mouth, about to say, ‘No, I’ve called a friend to pick me up,’ when Zhong Weishi grabbed his sleeve and said, “Go, go, go, let’s go grab a late-night snack. Qiangzi said we should celebrate.”

“Celebrate?!” Gu Lizhou was quite surprised, “Celebrate what?”

“We just made it out of the police station in one piece ah! Isn’t that something worth celebrating!” Zhong Weishi said, twirling his keychain and bouncing as he walked, relieved that they didn’t end up with criminal records.

Gu Lizhou couldn’t quite understand why they would want to celebrate after nearly landing themselves in trouble and being questioned at the police station until late at night. But still, there was a spot for him at the snack stand.

Although this late-night snack stand was quite small, it was bustling with business at this hour. The tables were almost spilling onto the sidewalk.

“Come, come, come,” Huangfu Qiang bit off the cap of a beer bottle with his teeth and placed it in the middle of the table. “Tonight we’re going AA! Eat and drink as much as you want!”

Gu Lizhou: “…”

Zhong Weishi stood by the fridge and handed Gu Lizhou a tray. “Don’t listen to Qiangzi’s nonsense. Order whatever you like, however much you want. That guy once ate half a tub of instant noodles with his bare hands. None of us here can match his appetite, going AA would be a blood loss.”

Gu Lizhou thought to himself that this wasn’t really about the money. There was a fly buzzing around in the fridge—could this food really be eaten?

He picked up a skewer of chicken wings and gave it a sniff, realizing that the ingredients had probably been sitting in the freezer for too long. They reeked of ice.

Or the frozen fishy smell!

Though he didn’t usually care much about fancy meals at home, at least he knew where his food came from and how clean it was. Out here, who could say what these things had been through…

While he was still hesitating, Zhong Weishi had already gone off to pay, carrying a tray full of food. He glanced back and saw Gu Lizhou holding just a single skewer of broccoli, picking at it with his fingernail. He immediately understood.

“Don’t like barbecue ah? Then why don’t I send you back first?”

“No, no, no need to trouble yourself,” Gu Lizhou didn’t want to inconvenience anyone because of him.

There were quite a few people joining the celebration. A’Wei brought over a large old-fashioned square table, pushing it together with the others.

“You guys squeeze in a bit, don’t take all my benches ah” The boss was fanning himself with one hand while flipping the skewers with the other.

The air was filled with the smell of grilled meat and cumin, which sparked everyone’s appetite.

Gu Lizhou felt a bit thirsty, so he went next door to buy a bottle of mineral water. By the time he returned, everyone had pretty much finished ordering.

His eyes circled around the empty seats at the table.

In the end, he chose to sit next to Zhong Weishi.

Huangfu Qiang and the others were still enthusiastically discussing their unusual experience that night, “Ai, honestly, the air conditioning at the police station was a bit too cold. While squatting there, I could feel an evil gust of wind blowing at the back of my head.”

Xiao Tian: We can now say we’ve been through the ropes. A day tour of the police station, can you believe it ah!

A’Wei: “The funniest part was Da Fei, when the police so gently asked him, ‘Little girl, are you okay?’ Hahahaha…”

Zhong Weishi had been laughing along for half day. Then he noticed that Gu Lizhou still hadn’t touched his food, so he picked up the best-looking roasted eggplant and handed it to him. “Try this roasted eggplant. It’s pretty good, trust me.”

Believe what ghost ah. We all just did a tour of the police station.

The eggplant was topped with minced meat and garlic paste in the middle, and it smelled really good.

Gu Lizhou didn’t usually like garlic paste, so he used his chopsticks to push the toppings aside and picked a small piece.

“How is it?” Zhong Weishi asked with anticipation in his eyes. “Isn’t it good?”

A layer of hot oil doused the minced meat sizzle, mixing with the eggplant’s natural flavor and the sweetness of the sauce. It was one of those dishes that was addictive after just one bite.

Gu Lizhou nodded, taking several more bites. Only after a while did he realize that his tongue had been slightly burned from the heat.

He didn’t have a big appetite, and he wasn’t used to eating late-night snacks. After eating a few bites, he rested his chin on his hand, watching Qiangzi and the others talk with pride, as if they were boasting about some great achievements.

In his eyes, they were just a bunch of idiots.

The cool night breeze lifted the torn fabric behind Zhong Weishi.

It was quite large with two slits.

The clothes looked like they had been rolled in mud, filthy and grimy.

He also didn’t wash his hands either.

It was unlucky that he had just taken the chicken wings from Zhong Weishi’s hand and ate them.

Gu Li Zhou mentally disliked it.

From his vantage point, he could clearly see Zhong Weishi’s slightly protruding shoulder blades.

Wrapped in a fairly pale skin, shifting as his arms moved, alternately rising and sinking…

Suddenly, an image of Zhong Weishi doing a flip on the balcony flashed through Gu Lizhou’s mind.

An orphan abandoned by his parents, who knows what kind of environment he grew up in.

Judging from the way he spoke before, it didn’t seem like he was ever adopted by a kind family.

When he first met him, his eyes were full of hostility, arrogant and wild, yet time and again he lowered his head for a small amount of money.

How in the world did he manage to take root and survive in this city’s corners?

“Cheers, cheers.” Zhong Weishi raised his glass to toast with everyone, but his elbow accidentally knocked a pile of skewers onto the floor.

He didn’t bother to bend down to pick them up and continued to drink.

The next second, the person beside him picked them up, one by one, and placed them back on the table.

Zhong Weishi froze.

“I’m full, I’m heading out first ah,” Gu Lizhou said as he stood up.

“Huh, you’re already full ah?” Qiangzi looked at him. “Why not stick around a bit? We’ll give you a ride back when we’re done.”

“No, you guys eat.” Gu Lizhou said.

Zhong Weishi bit into a chicken wing, watching as the man’s figure slowly faded into the night.

As soon as he left, Qiangzi clicked his tongue twice. “He’s really out of place.”

Zhong Weishi spat out the chicken bone in his mouth. “People flock together with their kind. He’s just not the same as us.”

The atmosphere became a little subtle after the phrase “flock together with their kind.”

No one felt particularly happy or sad, but everyone understood in their hearts that people like them couldn’t compare with people like him.

That was, until Da Fei’s wig got blown off the table by a gust of wind, and the group burst into laughter, unable to hold themselves up from laughing so hard.

So what if they couldn’t compare?

Poor people also have the happiness of poor people.

Zhong Weishi, borrowing Wi-Fi from A’Wei and the others’ phones, was trying to look for any new rental listings. Suddenly, something was thrown over his head, plunging his vision into darkness.

“fvck, which idiot ah.” Zhong Weishi yanked the object off his head, only to find that it was a brand-new piece of clothing—a men’s T-shirt, still with the tag attached.

He looked up to see Qiangzi and the others all staring wide-eyed at something behind him.

Zhong Weishi, holding the shirt, turned around. Under the dim streetlights, his eyes met Gu Lizhou’s deep, dark gaze.

Chapter 15.1 – Isn’t This Something Worth Celebrating

November 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

In order not to disturb the surrounding residents, the police immediately stuffed the group of people into the car.

One of the officers, before getting into the car, kindly walked up to Da Fei and gently asked, “Little girl, did they bully you just now? If they did, you can tell us.”

The group of people, who had just been put into the police car, were dumbfounded.

Da Fei had already prepared himself to be questioned in the car, but this sudden gentleness left his brain dizzy. The words “Thank you, uncle police officer” were about to burst out of his throat, but he swallowed them back down.

Only to see him shyly waved his arm and shook his head to indicate that everything was fine.

“As long as you’re okay,” The policeman nodded. “It’s late at night, girls shouldn’t stay out; it’s not safe.”

Da Fei was truly touched, and with tears in his eyes, he looked over at Zhong Weishi and the others, showing a helpless expression as if to say, “Don’t blame this brother for not going through water and treading on fire.”

Helplessness is helplessness, but being treated as a girl sure had its perks!

Qiangzi was the last to be caught. As he was being taken away, he still had the look of “I’m the boss around here” on his face, showing no fear of authority, “I was just taking my girlfriend for a walk, what’s wrong with that? Which law says I can’t take a walk here?”

“Stop talking nonsense! Which girlfriend?!” the police asked.

“Her!” Qiangzi pointed at Da Fei.

The kind police just a moment ago, turned his head.

Da Fei: “…”

In the end, the Xicheng District’s Express Debt Collection Team was completely rounded up, not a single one left behind.

Ten minutes later.

Inside the brightly lit Nanxia City substation of Yucheng’s police department, shadows moved about in the distance.

A dozen members of the so-called “organized crime group” were squatting against the wall, waiting to be questioned by the authorities.

Zhong Weishi looked utterly dejected, praying that this incident wouldn’t end up being a major colorful mark on his record.

Gu Lizhou still hadn’t fully grasped what had just happened.

Whether it was that the bed wasn’t comfortable enough or the TV shows weren’t entertaining enough, they had to carry out some sort of plan to arrest Er’Gou and end up in the police station themselves.

He rubbed his tired cheeks and looked around.

On the white walls hung bright red banners: “Eradicate organized crime, benefit the nation and the people, everyone has a responsibility to report criminal activities” and “Fight organized crime to ensure peace, build a better home for the people”…

Then he turned to look at the group of slackers around him—unkempt youths, who looked like they’d drill holes in their noses if they could. He suddenly felt the police might have had a point in bringing them all in together…

What the fvck is this if not extorting protection money!

“Do I look like a gangster?” Zhong Weishi was genuinely puzzled. In his whole life, he’d done all sorts of things, but never anything truly immoral.

Gu Lizhou thought to himself, you don’t look like a gangster, you look like a lunatic.

A slightly older policeman holding a teacup walked over, “What do you all do ah?”

The group instantly began squawking like parrots—shopping, taking a walk, going to the internet cafe, buying late-night snacks, there was a bit of everything…

Gu Lizhou was squatting next to Zhong Weishi when he suddenly heard him say, “Just passing by.”

“…” Did your IQ drop on the floor and you forgot to pick it up!

“One by one,” The one holding the teacup seemed ready for an all-night interrogation. He sat down slowly in a chair, smiling in an almost fatherly way.

A young officer at the side began taking notes.

“Let’s start with you.” The older officer pointed at Gu Lizhou. “What’s your name ah?”

“Gu Lizhou.”

“Where are you from ah?”

“Local.”

“And you?” The older officer gestured toward Zhong Weishi, firing off a string of questions.

Everyone except Zhong Weishi was local, all around 20 years old, the oldest being 26. Some were even students from nearby vocational schools who had skipped class.

By now, all the arrogance and hostility from earlier had vanished. Some of them were on the verge of kneeling down and kowtowing: “Please, please don’t tell my parents ah, uncle officer…”

“What about you? How old are you?” The police officer glanced at Gu Lizhou.

“32,” Gu Lizhou lowered his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” The older officer sighed. “At your age, you could technically be their guardian. So why are you causing trouble like this? Not sleeping in the middle of the night, running around someone else’s neighborhood—what were you planning to do? Were you the ringleader?”

“… Really wasn’t,” Gu Lizhou felt wronged but had no way to explain.

“Political affiliation?” The younger officer asked.

Gu Lizhou: “Party member.”

The older officer clicked his tongue several times in disappointment. “How dare you even say that.”

“Next, political affiliation,” The younger officer pointed at Zhong Weishi.

Zhong Weishi was still quietly conspiring with Qiangzi and the others when he caught the word “affiliation” and made brief eye contact with the officer. Brimming with confidence: “Extremely handsome.”

“Pffft—” The older police spit out a mouthful of liang cha.1Chinese herbal tea

All the people in the room laughed their heads off.

When it was Qiangzi’s turn: “I think I’m pretty handsome too, just slightly less than him.”

The younger officer laughed so hard his stomach hurt.

Zhong Weishi saw that Gu Lizhou had buried his face in his arms, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

“Laughing your ass off ah!”

“He was asking about your political affiliation. Are you a party member?” Gu Lizhou was struggling to catch his breath.

“I don’t know,” Zhong Weishi was a bit speechless. He figured Gu Lizhou would understand, so he turned to him and explained seriously, “I guess not? I really don’t know much about that.”

The group of people couldn’t stop laughing even more.

It was like the classroom scenario where you give a wrong answer and everyone takes turns mocking you. With his ears turning red, Zhong Weishi quickly corrected himself, “Fine, I’m a party member, okay?”

Gu Lizhou held his forehead, “Please stop.”

The officer, who had been laughing like a goose, finally caught his breath and started questioning again, “The one with the peony tattoo on his hand! What do you do for a living?”

“It’s a rose!” Huangfu Qiang retorted, straining his neck.

The officer corrected himself: “Okay, rose tattoo—what do you do for a living?!”

“…” Huangfu Qiang sighed, “Network Administrator.”

The police pointed to Zhong Weishi.

Zhong Weishi didn’t hesitate, “My main job is acting. On the side… I’m a model, a waiter, a campus errand runner, a food critic, and an ambassador for promoting agricultural products…”

“Agricultural products… how do you promote those?” Gu Lizhou was genuinely puzzled.

“They said I make food look really appetizing… so they have me shoot commercials ah, just eating, eating, eating. You know Wuniang Rice? My face is printed on the bag!” Zhong Weishi said excitedly.

The officer stared blankly. “So much? And you still have time to be on TV?”

Zhong Weishi replied, “Mr. Lu Xun2Lu Xun – He was a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. Writing in vernacular and Literary Chinese, he was a short story writer, editor, translator, literary critic, essayist, poet, and designer. once said, ‘Time is like water in a sponge; squeeze it, and you’ll have it.’”

“Next.” The police officer glanced at Gu Lizhou.

“Freelance.”

Zhong Weishi curiously perked up his ears.

The young officer was taken aback. “What kind of freelance work? There’s got to be some sort of range, right?”

“It’s undecided for now.” Gu Lizhou said.

Sure enough, he’s really some pretty boy being kept by someone?

Zhong Weishi sidled up to him with a grin, “So you’re unemployed ah? You should’ve told me earlier ah, I could have shared one of my jobs with you.”

Gu Lizhou felt it was laughable, “Thanks ah.”

“What are you laughing at! What’s so funny! You’re 32 years old, and still don’t even have a proper job. How dare you laugh?” The older officer, seeing how hopeless he seemed, couldn’t help but start lecturing him.

Everyone was snickering, even the female officer on duty pursed her lips and tried to hold back a smile.

Gu Lizhou really wanted to smugly fire back with, ‘One day of your salary doesn’t even match the interest I earn from my bank account, so what’s so NB about you’ But as the words reached the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back down.

There is no need, really, no need to be angry.

Stay calm.

Keep your manners.

With so many people to question, and each person giving different stories, they weren’t making much progress after all this time.

Gu Lizhou’s legs were getting numb from squatting. He didn’t care whether the floor was clean or not and, like everyone else, sat down on the tile. Sneakily, he pulled out his phone and searched for that Wuniang Rice.

God knows why he was so curious.

When the images loaded, his shoulder shook as he laughed again, burying his head in the crook of his arm.

The boy squatting across from him inquired in a low voice, “What are you laughing at?”

Gu Lizhou put up his cell phone.

On the screen was a large yellow agricultural sack, with a poorly printed image in the center of a young boy with his mouth wide open, eating. Behind him, an old lady smiled contentedly as she looked at him.

Although Zhong Weishi had been quite young when he shot this ad, and the printing was fuzzy and difficult to recognize. Gu Lizhou recognized him right away by his eyes.

Several bowls of rice were P3Photoshopped in front of him.

The slogan was striking: “Kid won’t eat? Give them a beating? No! Get Wuniang!”

As he scrolled down, he discovered that the company had gone out of business two years ago.

Gu Lizhou took a screenshot of this photo and saved it.

Zhong Weishi’s ridiculous antics had become Gu Lizhou’s daily source of spiritual sustenance.

It was only after nine o’clock that the conversation finally turned to the climax.

“Scaling the wall and snuck into the neighborhood in the middle of the night just to find this Zhang Gou?”

Chapter 14 – This Is Definitely the Biggest Bust of the Year

November 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Zhong Weishi was momentarily dazed by the words “be careful.”

He watched as the figure in front of him moved forward, bit by bit. In the darkness, Gu Lizhou looked around, his arm half-lowered, shielding Zhong Weishi in front of him.

It was as if he was… protecting him.

This feeling was something Zhong Weishi had never experienced growing up.

It was so strange, so strange that… for a moment, he forgot what they were even doing.

Until a low bark suddenly came from one of the walkways: “Woof!—”

Their first reaction was that Er’Gou had encountered a real dog.1His name was ‘二狗’ which is Er’Gou and the ‘狗’ here meant dog.

The barking sounded a bit distant, and based on the direction, it seemed to come from one of the houses on the right.

Zhong Weishi quickened his pace, but at the same time, he was worried that Er’Gou might suddenly jump out from one of the dark alleys and ambush them unexpectedly. So, he turned around and moved backward, back-to-back with Gu Lizhou.

Gu Lizhou was inexplicably bumped into and his right hand trembled. He glanced back, shocked. “What are you doing ah?!”

“Don’t you watch TV dramas?” Zhong Weishi clasped his hands together, making a finger-gun gesture. “You can’t leave your back exposed to the enemy.”

Even in this tense and thrilling atmosphere, with them hidden in the shadows while the enemy could see in plain sight, Gu Lizhou couldn’t help but retort, “Are you retarded!”

Zhong Weishi couldn’t quite figure him out. Just a moment ago, he raised his hand to protect him like a mother hen shielding her chick, full of devotion, and now he was cursing at him again.

He was also protecting him ah!

The two men’s backs were pressed against each other without a gap, and through the thin fabric, they could even feel each other’s rising body heat.

Gu Lizhou frowned uncomfortably and muttered, “Are you a heater! It’s so damn hot. Can you move away from me a bit?”

The other party didn’t appreciate it. Zhong Weishi pouted and reluctantly turned back around. Just then, a dark figure suddenly shot out of the house at an incredible speed, accompanied by heavy panting and the faint sound of chains dragging on the ground.

Under the phone’s light, their pupils dilated instantly, and they sucked in a mouthful of cold air.

A massive black dog with a bulky body was charging at them.

Its messy and long fur almost covered half of its face. It looked so fierce that from a distance, it resembled a lion—a lion with an exaggerated, edgy hairstyle.

“fvck! What the hell is that…” Zhong Weishi saw its bared teeth, drool dripping from its mouth…

He had a bad feeling.

“Tibetan mastiff.” Gu Lizhou replied.

The killer Tibetan mastiff barked twice at them, its voice deep and heavy like a boulder, rooting Zhong Weishi’s feet to the ground.

When he was young, he wanted to have fun and teased a stray dog by the roadside. As he joyfully petted the stray dog’s head, it suddenly let out an ‘ao wu’ and bit down on his forearm.

The sharp teeth pierced his flesh, and blood flowed profusely. No matter how much he cried and screamed, the stray dog wouldn’t let go, even violently shaking its head.

Until now there was still a clear scar on his arm.

Once bitten by a snake, you’ll be afraid of a rope for ten years.

The imposing presence of the Tibetan mastiff made Zhong Weishi’s legs tremble, and in his mind, he could already picture the dog tearing him apart.

“Why are you stepping on a sewing machine now?! Run ah!” Gu Lizhou grabbed his wrist and took off.

Zhong Weishi’s legs were slow to react, and at first, he was practically being dragged by Gu Lizhou. However, he quickly broke into the fastest sprint of his life, shouting as he ran, “‘ll distract it! You run that way!”

Gu Lizhou really wanted to retort, ‘Distract, my ass ah! Have you watched too many fvcking anti-Japanese war dramas?’ But he didn’t have the energy for nonsense.

“Run back!” Gu Li Zhou’s legs moved while he felt the words bursting out of his throat.

His mind was a complete mess, like a tangled ball of mush—chaos, panic, fear, all sorts of emotions flooding over him.

Whose dog was that?

Why wasn’t it leashed?

Would it bite?

Would tomorrow’s headlines read: Tibetan Mastiff Mauls Resident in Neighborhood, Scene Too Horrific to Witness…

The clearest thought he had was: What kind of sin did I commit to promise Zhong Weishi to watch some square dance performance? Otherwise, I’d be lying in bed asleep right now!

The barking continued right behind them.

Zhong Weishi didn’t dare look back. What shocked him the most was that the same total noob who hesitated to climb the fence just a few minutes ago had already grabbed the bars and jumped over ahead of him.

His posture was wretched but his momentum was lightning fast!

Zhong Weishi followed quickly, grabbing the bars and flipping himself over with all his strength.

There was a light at the door, bright and glaring.

Stepping on the horizontal bar of the fence, Zhong Weishi panted heavily, his throat unbearably dry.

The huge Tibetan mastiff was staring up at them, growling defiantly, “Woof, woof!—”

The fence shook with its impact.

“fvck you!” Zhong Weishi steadied himself and pointed at the dog’s nose. “If you’ve got the guts, come up here and fight me one-on-one ah!”

The Tibetan mastiff raised its heavy front paws, pressing them against the fence.

Zhong Weishi let out an “Oh yo” and climbed a bit higher in fear, his toes desperately pressing against the fence to prevent himself from slipping.

“Idiot,” Gu Lizhou muttered. He picked up something from the ground and tossed it inside, making the Tibetan mastiff pounce towards it.

Hanging on the fence, Zhong Weishi watched the Tibetan mastiff sniffing around the ground. Zhong Weishi didn’t dare say anything.

The Tibetan mastiff didn’t find anything and circled back to pace around beneath them.

“Hurry down already,” Gu Lizhou said, frowning, holding back a laugh. “I’ve seen cowards before, but never one as cowardly as you.”

“And I wonder who it was earlier that climbed faster than me…” Before he could finish, he froze.

When he let go of the bars, he realized he couldn’t get down.

The top of the fence had anti-theft spikes, and his clothes had gotten caught on something. He was stuck, unable to move up or down.

He was left hanging to dry on the fence!

“fvck.” Zhong Weishi looked up at the top of the fence and cursed repeatedly. “What to do ah? What the fvck do I do? My clothes are caught.”

In his panic, he heard a certain someone burst into laughter.

Zhong Weishi had been feeling tense and embarrassed, but when Gu Lizhou laughed, he couldn’t help but laugh too. “Stop laughing already and help me down ah. My neck’s hurting.”

Gu Lizhou said, “Alright,” but he quickly pulled out his phone, afraid that this person might get down any second.

Zhong Weishi pointed at the camera with one hand, but before he could say anything, he heard a rapid “click, click, click, click, click, click—”

A passionate continuous photo taking.

The laughter was unbridled.

“…” Zhong Weishi expletives were stuck. This old man’s childishness was beyond anything he could have imagined.

Just as Gu Lizhou put his phone away, several beams of light shone from a distance. Qiangzi shouted at the top of his lungs, “Ge! What are you doing hanging up there?!”

At critical moments like this, you could only rely on your own brothers—this was what Zhong Weishi thought as he stepped down onto Qiangzi’s shoulders.

Once he landed, he didn’t forget to mock a certain someone. “All you know how to do is watch the spectacle.”

Unfortunately, Gu Lizhou was shameless. “And it was quite the spectacle.”

The fabric of Zhong Weishi’s clothes was of poor quality, so when he came down, there were already two large holes in the back, and his shoulder blades felt a chill.

15 yuan, and he had only worn it twice before it was ruined.

Zhong Weishi sighed.

What surprised Gu Lizhou was that Huangfu Qiang had brought along a bunch of monkeys.

Five or six electric scooters gradually pulled up to the entrance, and about a dozen men, all looking c0cky and sporting outrageous hairstyles, got off.

One of them, with yellow rooster-comb hair, asked, “Where’s the guy? Where is he?”

Zhong Weishi turned and pointed. “In there, but there’s a dog.”

“Dog?”

Since they had lost sight of their target, Gu Lizhou figured that tonight’s operation to catch Er’Gou was probably a bust. Just as he was thinking about heading home to shower and sleep, he saw the group of men, who just arrived, jump over the fence one by one.

The boy leading them fearlessly beckoned the Tibetan mastiff with a finger. “Here, here, here, sit down!”

The Tibetan mastiff stared at him, not moving.

“Then stay standing.” The man said.

“This Tibetan mastiff might’ve been set loose by him to scare people,” Zhong Weishi said. “Look at its chain—it’s unfastened, not broken.”

“Today, we’re gonna beat him so bad his head comes out of his ass,” Said a man wearing a big gold chain around his neck.

Gu Lizhou saw Zhong Weishi chatting with them cheerfully and hesitated about whether to go in again.

“I’m wearing a skirt…” Da Fei said, clutching his upper thigh, also hesitating. Unlike a girl, he didn’t have safety shorts underneath. Shi-ge had lent him an ultra-short skirt, and it was already a struggle considering his height.

“You stay outside and keep watch,” Zhong Weishi said, glancing at Gu Lizhou without saying anything further.

With their current numbers, they didn’t really need one more person, especially if he might just slow them down. The main thing was that he suspected Gu Lizhou might not want to climb the fence again.

However, Gu Lizhou’s thought was: Since I’m already here…

A cold breeze swept past his ears as Zhong Weishi watched the man once again climb over the fence.

Having learned from his earlier experience, Gu Lizhou’s movements this time were swift and smooth.

This time, he truly felt that the man’s legs were indeed long.

When Gu Lizhou landed in front of him, a few loose strands of hair fell, partially covering his eyes, which still showed a hint of weariness and impatience.

“Let’s go, together.”

Zhong Weishi felt a wave of emotion he couldn’t quite express.

Since he was young, he had always believed that there was strength in numbers, and with enough people, anything could be accomplished. Those commissions seemed almost within his grasp.

“Er’Gou is dead meat tonight. We’ll dig him out, even if we dig three feet into the ground!”

Gu Lizhou heard his impassioned words and added casually, “En, let’s hope so.”

But just as they finished planning their strategy and were about to move forward, the sound of blaring sirens roared from a distance, rapidly approaching.

Zhong Weishi felt a chill down his spine, and his eyelid twitched violently.

As they turned, a bright beam of light shone on all of them, casting red and blue hues that illuminated the entire night sky.

It was blinding.

Gu Lizhou raised his hand to cover the light.

Two police cars pulled up at the entrance, followed by several police motorcycles.

A man in uniform leaned out from the passenger seat, holding a megaphone. “What are you doing?! I’m talking to you guys! Get out here, now!”

Gu Lizhou didn’t understand what was going on. When he turned around, he realized that the once intimidating, swaggering group of men beside him had already taken off, sprinting away.

Zhong Weishi patted him on the arm. “Retreat!”

Retreat, what retreat? Where to retreat ah!

They hadn’t done anything illegal, so why retreat ah?!

Gu Lizhou froze, completely at a loss.

Just a few minutes earlier, a concerned resident had reported suspicious individuals climbing the fence into the neighborhood. Before the caller could hang up, they frantically shouted, “Ah, ya, ya, ya, another big group of thugs just arrived! It’s the mafia! The mafia! Ai ya, ya, ya, ya… This is terrifying la!!”

“Hello? Hello, which neighborhood is this?!” The operator kept asking.

“Ah, ya, ya, ya… they’ve climbed over ya! We’re doomed!”

Yucheng had recently launched a special crackdown on gang activity, with banners promoting anti-crime initiatives hanging everywhere. Hearing the terrified screams over the phone, the police sensed this could be the biggest bust of the year.

They immediately dispatched a large force, determined to capture the criminal group in one fell swoop.

Every officer’s heart surged with passion, as if they were back to that time when they just stepped into the police station.

“Stop! Don’t run!—” The loud warning tore through the hot, humid air.

As Gu Lizhou watched a large group of officers vault over the fence, he felt like he was dreaming and needed someone to slap him awake.

“Are you with them?” A police officer came over and snapped Gu Lizhou out of his daze.

“No.” Gu Lizhou shook his head firmly without hesitation. “I don’t know them.”

The officer looked him over—his refined appearance and tidy clothing didn’t fit the image of a gangster. The officer nodded, “If you have nothing to do, don’t wander around aimlessly. Go home and get some rest.”

“He’s lying!” A woman suddenly appeared.

She was the enthusiastic citizen who had called the police earlier. Now that the officers were there, she stood straighter with newfound confidence. “I saw him climb in, then climb out! And then he climbed back in again! He’s clearly with them!”

Gu Lizhou: “…”

The officer gave him a scrutinizing look, his expression shifting subtly. “You’ll have to come with me.”

No matter how many people there were, they couldn’t outnumber the police. No matter how fast a rabbit jumps, it can’t outrun well-trained cheetahs. Both the front and back exits were blocked, and the group was trapped like fish in a net—none of them managed to escape.

In less than ten minutes, the police arrested all of them.

What they couldn’t see clearly in the dark earlier was now visible: the group was full of people with tattoos, earrings, wild hairstyles, and flamboyant outfits—none of them gave the impression of being upstanding citizens.

The lead officer’s face lit up with satisfaction as if it was harvest time. “What are you all doing here so late at night ah?”

“We came to fix a water pipe la, really didn’t do anything wrong… Believe me ah, ah sir.” Zhong Weishi’s imitation of a Hong Kong accent was spot on.

Gu Lizhou’s mouth twitched.

This person is engaged in what?!

“If you didn’t do anything wrong, why did you run?” One officer asked, “Speak properly! We treat our compatriots from Hong Kong and Taiwan equally!”

“I, that…” Zhong Weishi stammered, “Well, everyone else was running, so I thought not running would make me stand out.”

Gu Lizhou: “…”

Policemen: “…”

Chapter 82 – The contradictions of a cub

November 1, 2024 / / 1 Comment

Chapter 82 (Extra 5)

 

After their transformation, the four little pups could also speak.

 

Soft, murmuring voices filled the air, and from all directions came cries of “Daddy,” melting Si Lan’s heart. A smile as warm as spring blossoms spread across his face, uninterrupted and continuous.

 

He felt like the happiest person in the world, having completely forgotten his initial reluctance and resistance to having children.

 

Now, his favorite thing to do was bury his head in the four babies’ bodies, gently sniffing and savoring the faint milky fragrance that surrounded them.

 

It smelled so good, so captivating.

 

However, joy came with its share of pain.

 

The four babies competed for his attention, each not giving in to the other. Every time he appeared, just after calling out “babies,” the four little bundles would already be fighting over who he would hold first, who he would kiss first.

 

“…”

 

He finally understood what it meant when people said, “One word can cause four people to be jealous and fight to the point of bloodshed.”

 

Eventually, he had to establish a rule: they would decide using rock-paper-scissors, whoever won got to be held first. So every time he appeared, he had to watch the four babies play rock-paper-scissors first, before he could reach out to pick them up.

 

Balancing things was really tricky.

 

Especially when there were four to balance.

 

One day, Si Lan finally found the opportunity to be alone with two of the little dragon pups and asked them about their fights with Xiao Yujia.

 

Xiao Zhen remained silent.

 

Xiao Kan pouted, grabbing Si Lan’s clothes, and angrily said, “It’s because those two always bully me and my brother, even when we were in Dad’s belly.”

 

Si Lan: “Why do they bully you?”

 

“They think my brother and I look weird and ugly.”

 

Xiao Zhen nodded in agreement, looking sad.

 

When they were still eggs, they couldn’t talk, but they had a telepathic connection, and could convey their thoughts to each other through their minds.

 

At that time, Xiao Xun and Xiao Dui were already incompatible with them, always squeezing them. On the day they were born, they were kicked out ahead of time by Xiao Xun and Xiao Dui.

 

Si Lan was surprised. He had never thought that the conflict between the little dragon pups and Xiao Yujia was actually due to their different appearances.

 

“They say my brother and I are shameless and always naked.” Xiao Kan wrinkled his nose and said innocently, “But we clearly have scales on us.”

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but bow his head, touching Xiao Kan’s head gently and comforting him: “Yes, Xiao Zhen and Xiao Kan are not shameless at all. Next time I’ll talk to them. Don’t let them say that to you.”

 

“Okay, Dad, hug…” Xiao Kan coquettishly held Si Lan’s thigh, while Xiao Zhen held the other. Si Lan seemed to be carrying two oil drums, so he couldn’t walk.

 

He was half helpless and half indulgent as he looked at the two children. He recalled what Haowei said last night. The godmother wanted to take the four babies to the Palace of the Sky.

 

He was reluctant at first, but now he felt that he might send them to exercise. Otherwise, they would be tied to his legs every day and grow up to be Daddy’s boys and Daddy’s daughters.

 

After talking to the little dragon pups, Si Lan went to Xiao Xun and Xiao Dui again. Xiao Xun and Xiao Dui were combing each other’s hair at the moment, with a deep sisterly love.

 

Seeing him, the two immediately took human form, each hugging Si Lan’s arm and rubbing their heads against Si Lan’s arm.

 

Si Lan’s heart softened. He reached out and touched the heads of the two little girls, giving them some candies.

 

He didn’t require them to drink the immortal dew or follow phoenix habits. He just reminded them that besides him and Haowei, they couldn’t randomly reveal themselves to others.

 

“Xiao Xun, Xiao Dui, why do you always fight with Xiao Zhen and Xiao Kan?” Si Lan asked.

 

Xiao Xun, who was eating candy, put down the candy paper. Her bright black eyes looked at Si Lan with a little water, and she pulled Si Lan’s sleeves: “Daddy, did my brother say something?”

 

“No…”

 

“Wu, Dad, it’s our fault. My brother didn’t mean to bully us, and he didn’t mean to take away Xiao Kan’s nutrition and almost hurt Xiao Kan. Wu, Dad, if you blame me, blame Xiao Kan.”

 

“We are sisters. We should give all the chances of living to our brother and make our brothers stronger and stronger. Sisters should suffer a little, nothing.”

 

Si Lan smashed his tongue, never thought that Xiao Xun, who has always been gentle and obedient, would say so much, the tone was strange, full of tea.

 

At this time, Xiao Dui snorted: “Dad, what did the two little dragons say in front of you? I think they deserve it.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

“Xiao Dui, don’t say that. Whether my brother beats us or scolds us, it’s because we sisters did something wrong.” Xiao Xun pulled Xiao Dui’s sleeves.

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but persuade him: “Xiao Zhen and Xiao Kan didn’t say anything. Dad was just curious. Why do you four always like to fight when you meet? Just now, Xiao Xun, you said that your brother almost killed Xiao Dui. What does it mean?”

 

Xiao Xun’s delicate eyebrows were about to wrinkle together, the corners of her eyes were red, and she looked pitiful: “In fact, Dad, this matter can’t blame our brothers. At that time, Xiao Xun and Xiao Dui formed in Dad’s belly. Xiao Dui was still small, and she was not enough nutrition. As a result, the brothers came out again and squeezed Xiao Dui into the corner and took away Xiao Dui’s nutrition. Xiao Dui almost… Almost died.”

 

Si Lan had never thought about it, and there was such a thing in the middle. When he felt the babies in his stomach, it was a month later, when the four eggs were formed. He didn’t know that Xiao Dui had experienced such a thing in his stomach!

 

Thinking about this, Xiao Xun started a fight with the two dragon eggs, looking like she was always unreasonable, but actually favoring Xiao Dui.

 

It may also be because of this partiality that Xiao Dui, who came out later, did not look weaker than the dragon cubs.

 

Si Lan bent down and gently patted Xiao Dui’s head, saying, “Brothers were probably unconscious when they were in Father’s belly. Fortunately, Xiao Dui, you had your sister to protect you. Now you’re healthy with no issues.”

 

Xiao Dui’s mouth curled up slightly.

 

Si Lan turned to pat Xiao Xun’s head and continued, “Xiao Xun, you’ve done well in protecting your sister. Earlier, Father misunderstood you, and he apologizes to you.”

 

Xiao Xun pouted, “Father, please don’t say that.”

 

“Xiao Xun, I heard from the brothers that they’ve been letting you and Xiao Dui have your way more often since they came out. They must have realized their mistakes. Shall we give them a chance?”

 

Xiao Xun fidgeted with her fingers, blinking her pretty eyes. “Whatever Father says is true. Xiao Xun dares not contradict.”

 

Si Lan sighed inwardly.

 

Si Lan’s lips twitched. Where did this tea-filled conversation style come from? Neither he nor Haowei were like this.

 

It seemed true as the ancient texts said, “Dragon breeds nine sons, each with a different personality.”

 

So, this matter should be blamed on Haowei.

 

“I heard from the brothers that you said they don’t wear clothes, just their bare bodies…”

 

“But they never wore clothes to begin with, just bare bodies covered in cool scales.” When Xiao Dui first crawled out of his shell and saw the true forms of the two brothers, he felt like he was seeing some ugly monsters.

 

They didn’t even have a single hair!

 

Si Lan chuckled softly at this revelation.

 

This was probably discrimination between species.

 

Xiao Xun added, “Brother also said we’re furry and black like moldy eggs. Although it hurt us to hear, Xiao Dui and I never blamed them or dared to complain to Father.”

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but ruffle Xiao Xun’s hair, intending to have a serious talk with her, but her peculiar remarks gave him goosebumps.

 

But when he met Xiao Xun’s watery eyes, his heart was instantly softened, and he couldn’t bring himself to scold her.

 

Unconsciously, he spoke gently, “The brothers’ words were hurtful. We shouldn’t speak like that about girls. I’ll make sure to teach them.”

 

Si Lan had initially come to “teach” the two little girls, but as he left, he promised to educate the two little boys instead.

 

At this moment, Xiao Zhen and Xiao Kan had just climbed into their newly built dragon’s nest and inexplicably shivered, causing Xiao Zhen to sneeze.

 

—

 

Under Si Lan’s mediation, the four children turned hostility into friendship and no longer fought incessantly. After a while, the Goddess Mother’s people came to take the four children to play at Yuqing Palace.

 

Si Lan felt reluctant, giving careful instructions to the four children before they boarded the carriage. He kept watching until the Heavenly Horse carrying the carriage disappeared into the floating clouds.

 

Haowei seemed indifferent, even a hint of relief in his expression.

 

Finally, those four little troublemakers were gone.

 

Si Lan complained, “You didn’t say anything to the children.”

 

Haowei reached out, lifted Si Lan around the waist, and carried him into the room. Warmth radiated from his body as if his internal fire was spreading out.

 

Si Lan instinctively hugged Haowei’s neck, staring at him with wide eyes.

 

Haowei said calmly, “There’s no need to worry about the children. They’ll be happier with the Goddess Mother than at Yuqing Palace.”

 

Si Lan glanced around; luckily, there were no celestial servants nearby.

 

“What are you doing? Put me down.”

 

“I can’t wait any longer.”

 

He had indeed waited too long. After finally sending the children away, he didn’t want to wait any longer.

 

As soon as the two entered the room, Si Lan felt a strong pressure envelop him. Turning around, he saw that the person holding him had transformed into a dragon.

 

The enormous dragon wrapped around him, slowly undoing his clothes.

 

“Haowei…”

 

Si Lan called out softly, his voice becoming gentle as he too revealed his true form. Golden feathers were pressed against the dragon scales, casting a golden hue.

 

They rarely engaged in this form of intimacy because it usually required at least three days of rest afterward.

 

Si Lan was about to speak when his voice was muffled, and his hands were firmly held above his head as Haowei murmured beside his ear.

 

“Si Lan, you smell so good.”

 

Especially after giving birth, Si Lan’s body became even more fragrant, as if every bone seam was sprinkled with spices, exuding a mesmerizing scent drop by drop.

 

Haowei greedily savored every inch of fragrance on Si Lan’s body.

 

Si Lan’s thoughts quickly became muddled, entangled in the desire woven by Haowei.

 

Dazed, Si Lan heard Haowei ask, “You haven’t been eating Childbearing fruits again, have you?”

 

Si Lan: “…”

 

It seemed that having these four children had left some shadows for Haowei, so he needed to make sure.

 

It’s clear he really doesn’t want children now.

 

Si Lan suppressed a smile. “No.”

 

After a pause, Si Lan added, “But I really want a little dragon daughter.”

 

His original idea was one dragon son, one dragon daughter, one Yujia son, and one Yujia daughter, but it didn’t turn out as he envisioned.

 

He felt having a little dragon daughter would be quite interesting too.

 

Haowei coolly responded, “No, two daughters are enough.”

 

Si Lan fell silent, choosing not to speak further. Haowei flipped him over again, and he found himself lying face down on the soft couch, with the iridescent feathers on his tail swept up to the back of his neck by Haowei.

 

After a moment, Si Lan felt like his bones were about to dissolve. He lifted his head and saw feathers from his body scattered everywhere.

 

“Stop… stop…”

 

“I can’t stop.”

 

“…Damn it.”

 

Si Lan gritted his teeth and uttered these words, a kiss falling on his lips. Haowei’s hoarse voice sounded in his ear, “Fine, I’m a damn fool.”

 

His magnetic voice, like the rustling of leaves in the wind, almost instantly made Si Lan surrender.

 

Unconsciously, Si Lan curled up in Haowei’s embrace, his body trembling slightly, his gaze slightly unfocused.

 

This damn fool.

 

Originally planned for three days, now it might be seven.

 

He suspected he would eventually perish in the Yuqing Palace. This was probably Haowei’s way of unifying the Six Realms through intricate means!

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

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