Shock and joy surged through Xi Xianqing’s brain in an instant.

His breathing nearly stalled as he stared at Dish Soap in stunned silence for a few moments. His first reaction was to leap out of bed, rush out of his room, and head straight to Zhu Ming’s door.

However, just as his fingers were about to knock on the door, Xi Xianqing’s hand froze mid-air.

He suddenly calmed down.

First, he belatedly realized that he and Zhu Ming were still in that ambiguous cold war stage of “Please don’t disturb my work” and “Okay, I won’t bother you.”

Second, it was only nine in the morning. Zhu Ming’s door was slightly ajar, and Xi Xianqing could vaguely see that the bedroom curtains were drawn, indicating that the person was still sound asleep with his back to the door.

Third, he realized that if last night’s potion had indeed worked, Zhu Ming must’ve discovered Dish Soap’s ability to display its feathers before he did.

Yet Zhu Ming hadn’t shared the good news with him right away. He had simply left his bedroom door open and quietly placed Dish Soap back into the room.

Xi Xianqing’s hand hanging in front of the door retracted again.

Just then, the villa’s doorbell rang. Xi Xianqing exhaled a breath and turned to open the door.

Leading the group at the entrance was Ye Lu, holding a suit neatly packed in a garment bag. Following her were craftsmen, bodyguards, stylists, and photographers.

The moment Ye Lu caught sight of what was behind Xi Xianqing, her expression lit up with astonished delight.

She quickly stepped closer to him, lowering her voice in disbelief to avoid being overheard. “Xianqing you… can?”

Xi Xianqing lifted his gaze to the living room, where Dish Soap elegantly spread its feathers and strutted about as if proudly showing everyone how healthy it was. For a moment, it felt as if it was a lifetime ago.

“En,” he rasped. “Looks like we can go ahead with the photoshoot with Shen Ying today.”

“That’s wonderful.” Ye Lu let out a long breath, unable to hold back a smile. “I’ve seen Xiao Zhu practically living in the lab these past few days. He must’ve been completely swamped… Oh, by the way, is he coming along today?”

“He’s not going.” Xi Xianqing paused, then added with a hint of irritation, “Developing the medication is something he’s supposed to do anyway.”

Ye Lu’s expression turned hesitant as if she wanted to say more but held back.

Despite his words, Xi Xianqing fell silent for a moment, and the corners of his lips twitched upward briefly, almost imperceptibly.

He thought that maybe after the group photo, he could take a step back and thank him… It wouldn’t hurt.

Dish Soap quietly observed its owner, spreading its feathers wide and leisurely twirling in place, proudly displaying its elegant plumage.

Xi Xianqing suddenly frowned.

Although the green peac0ck was indeed spreading its plumes, when he adjusted his spiritual energy, he realized that he… still couldn’t control the precise movement of each plume.

The display was there, but it seemed… that there was no way to close the plumes.

A subtle sense of strangeness immediately surged into his heart.

“Xianqing, the stylist is ready,” Ye Lu said gently, interrupting his thoughts. “Shall we get you changed now?”

Xi Xianqing snapped back to reality and glanced at Dish Soap again.

No matter what, the peac0ck looked healthy and energetic at the moment. That was enough.

Pushing aside the minor oddity, Xi Xianqing took the suit Ye Lu handed him and said in a low voice, “En. Let’s get ready and head out soon.”

Ye Lu nodded and led the craftsmen into Xi Xianqing’s workspace, carefully packing the completed brooch into a box.

Everything was ready. Before leaving, Xi Xianqing glanced through the gap in the guest room door once more.

The person curled up under the blanket only had a tuft of soft black hair peeking out, still deeply asleep.

Xi Xianqing averted his gaze and left.

–

The photoshoot with Shen Ying went remarkably smoothly.

When the final brooch design was unveiled, Ye Lu, wearing gloves, gently helped Shen Ying pin it to the left side of her cheongsam collar.

“There’s a small mechanism connecting the snake and the lamb. It’s hidden on the back of the brooch.”

Xi Xianqing introduced, “By activating it, the piece can be separated into two independent brooches. If you wish, you can gift one to someone special.”

Shen Ying’s fingers traced along the intricately crafted agate scales of the snake, lightly tapping them before letting her hand fall on the pearl-inlaid body of the sheep.

“Thank you.” She said, “I like it.”

The photographer directed them to adjust their poses and look at the camera. Without speaking further, they stood side by side beneath the cherry blossom trees in the garden of the Mo Xue Ji Restaurant, each releasing their spiritual manifestations.

Cherry blossom petals drifted down gently. Xi Xianqing stood on the left, his green peac0ck spreading its dazzling tail feathers with pride. Shen Ying placed her hand over the brooch on her chest, while a graceful snake coiled elegantly around her arm.

The two looked toward the camera.

During a brief break as the photographer adjusted his equipment, Shen Ying spoke quietly. “In another year, I plan to hand this restaurant over to my team and open a small shop at the foot of the mountain.”

Xi Xianqing was stunned.

“We’ve talked it over and decided not to change the paths we’ve each chosen to follow.”

It was as if Shen Ying had read Xi Xianqing’s mind. “She has her life, and I need time to handle the social obligations my father left behind. It’s not something you can just let go of overnight.”

Xi Xianqing remained silent for a long while before asking, “What kind of cuisine do you plan to serve at your new shop?”

Shen Ying looked at Xi Xianqing like she was surprised and laughed.

“I haven’t decided yet. Honestly, if I didn’t have to consider customer preferences or public opinion, I’ve always wanted to open a cake shop since I was little.”

Her tone was lighthearted. “But the seaside is already saturated with dessert cafés. It might be hard to get started.”

Xi Xianqing looked at her thoughtfully. “Perhaps you could consult with someone experienced in running small shops by the sea for advice.”

Shen Ying was stunned and smiled slightly.

“To be honest, when we first met, I was a bit wary of you.”

She spoke openly. “I’d heard rumors about you—most of them saying that Young Master Xi was aloof, arrogant, and had a superiority complex.”

Xi Xianqing: “…”

Shen Ying chuckled. “But after these few conversations, I’ve found that Young Master Xi is far more perceptive and considerate than I initially thought. You’re much more humane.”

The photographer signaled that the next shot was about to begin. They both fell silent and turned to face the camera again.

The flash went off, followed by the crisp sound of the shutter clicking. The first assessment was officially over at this moment.

But Xi Xianqing remained lost in thought, Shen Ying’s words echoing in his mind.

Perceptive, considerate, and humane, is that person really himself?

Or if he had gone to District Two alone, would he have completed the assessment as smoothly? Would he have earned this kind of evaluation from Shen Ying on his own?

He heard Shen Ying speak softly in his ear, “In any case, you can rest assured about Old Master Xi’s response and assessment.”

Xi Xianqing said hoarsely after a moment, “Thank you.”

After the photoshoot, Shen Ying invited the entire team to have lunch at Mo Xue Ji Restaurant as a celebratory gesture.

Everyone on the team had poured their efforts into the project, and Xi Xianqing couldn’t refuse. By the time he returned to the villa, it was already nearing dusk.

He changed his shoes and paused for a moment at the entrance before heading toward the guest room.

However, as he passed the dining table, his steps suddenly halted when he spotted an unexpected guest.

Xi Xianqing’s brows wrinkled instantly, “What are you doing here?”

Zhou Zhou was happily munching on a chicken wrap while scrolling through research papers. Hearing the question, he looked up in confusion, and the dumb-looking roe deer spiritual manifestation by his feet looked blankly as well.

He pointed to himself. “Me? I’m waiting for Zhu-ge to wake up ah.”

Xi Xianqing was wordlessly and slightly stunned.

It’s already completely dark outside. What time is it? This person is still not up?

Snapping back to reality, Xi Xianqing’s tone turned cold. “Why are you looking for him again?”

The roe deer beside Zhou Zhou blinked once more, mimicking its owner’s expression. “I’m here to continue helping Zhu-ge figure out how to help you spread your feathers ah.”

Xi Xianqing felt that this idiot’s brain wasn’t too bright and pointed to the green peac0ck behind him. “Aren’t I already well?”

Zhou Zhou was bewildered. “Fine? Who told you that?”

He glanced at the peac0ck behind Xi Xianqing, swallowed the last bite of his chicken wrap, and a puzzled look flickered in his eyes. “Did Zhu-ge not tell you how he got your peac0ck to spread its feathers yesterday?”

Xi Xianqing sensed something was off and pressed his lips into a tight line. “What do you mean?”

Zhou Zhou’s expression suddenly tensed as he realized he might have accidentally let something important slip.

The roe deer shifted its gaze uneasily. Zhou Zhou took another slow bite of his chicken wrap, clearly stalling with terrible acting. “It’s nothing ah. It’s just, it’s just—”

Xi Xianqing had no patience for Zhou Zhou’s hesitant tone anymore. He took a deep breath, then directly snatched the half-eaten chicken wrap from Zhou Zhou’s hand.

Zhou Zhou: “…!”

When he raised his eyes, he saw Xi Xianqing’s cold, piercing gaze as the man pressed him further. “Are you saying the reason my peac0ck could display its feathers isn’t because of the potion he gave me yesterday?”

​​Zhou Zhou, whose beloved chicken wrap was pinched in someone else’s hand, was nearly soulless. He blurted out in a panic, “Of course not. The potion Zhu-ge gave you yesterday was just a mental relaxant to reduce the tension in your consciousness linked with your spiritual manifestation ya!”

Xi Xianqing frowned, “What?”

Zhou Zho stiffened strangely and looked at Xi Xianqing’s face, immediately realizing that he appeared to have stirred up a huge basket.1Exposed something significant.

“A few days ago, Zhu-ge asked you to release your spiritual manifestation in the lab pod, then he closed the door.”

Zhou Zhou stammered, avoiding eye contact. “D-do you remember?”

Xi Xianqing had an impression and nodded slowly. “At that time, he said he wanted to run a small test.”

Zhou Zhou gave an ‘en‘. “At that moment, Zhu-ge had a sudden idea. He figured that if chemical methods like medicines weren’t effective, maybe switching to using a certain type of physical method might work instead.”

Xi Xianqing frowned habitually. “…Physical method?”

“Do you remember the sensor gloves Zhu-ge often wears?”

​​Zhou Zhou’s mood shifted as he entered his professional zone, becoming more animated. “Under normal circumstances, those gloves can only transmit spiritual energy temporarily, allowing for basic actions like petting or inspecting spiritual manifestations.”

“But if you take an appropriate dose of neuro relaxant, lose control over your spiritual manifestation, and Zhu-ge, while wearing gloves, transmits enough spiritual energy,” Zhou Zhou said, “Then not only will he be able to touch your spiritual manifestation, but he’ll also be capable of performing certain interactive actions that are normally impossible.”

Xi Xianqing’s Adam’s apple shifted slightly.

“For example, prying apart your feathers barehanded.”

Zhou Zhou patiently elaborated, the roe deer behind him nodding along with its head swaying. “Actually, if it’s just helping to lift up a drooping tail ah or propping up sagging ears, those are relatively easier tasks.”

“It’s just that for you, Mr. Xi, your peac0ck… feathers are just too much and too long.”

Zhou Zhou scratched his head. “Manually handling all of them would result in excessive spiritual energy depletion. So, initially, we only considered the idea but decided to try other feasible medications first.”

“But—” He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.

​​Xi Xianqing’s throat unconsciously tightened. “But since the medicines developed afterward didn’t work, so…”

“Yes.” Zhou Zhou cautiously swiped the chicken wrap from Xi Xianqing’s side. “So last night, Zhu-ge manually pried apart the tail feathers of your spiritual manifestation, one by one.”

“The reason you can spread your tail feathers now isn’t because you’ve regained the ability to do it on your own.” Zhou Zhou swallowed. “It’s just that Zhu-ge transmitted his mental energy to your spiritual manifestation, temporarily giving it the semblance of a peac0ck spreading its tail.”

“You can think of it as him manually… opening your tail for you last night.”

–

Zhu Ming opened his eyes drowsily.

Tiredness and coldness seeped into him from every pore. The exhaustion from spiritual energy depletion left him feeling like a mammal in hibernation; he reckoned he could sleep for another three days and nights.

But ultimately, he chose to force his eyes open—not for any other reason but simply because, after sleeping a whole day, his stomach was empty, and he had no energy left.

Hibernating animals could rely on stored fat to survive, but he wasn’t one of them—he was literally starving to death.

The curtains were drawn, the lights were off, and the view was pitch black.

He groggily propped himself up and switched on the bedside lamp.

—His vision gradually cleared. Zhu Ming yawned lazily, intending to pull the wheelchair closer, but as he lifted his head, he was nearly scared out of his wits.

Not far from the bed, Xi Xianqing sat silently on the sofa.

He had likely just returned from the group photo session. He wore a black satin-lapel suit adorned with classical golden double-breasted buttons. His long legs were crossed elegantly, exuding a poised and aristocratic air.

Standing silently beside him was Dish Soap, whose tail feathers were still fanned out. The peac0ck twisted its butt, arrogantly dipped its head, and pecked at its chest feathers, casting what felt like a cold and disdainful glance toward Zhu Ming.

Beautiful.

As if admiring a cherished work of art, Zhu Ming didn’t hold back his praise in his mind.

Immediately after, his gaze moved slightly and fell back onto the green peac0ck’s owner’s face.

Freshly woken, his vision was a little blurry, and the light from the bedside lamp was dim. Zhu Ming squinted slightly to make out Xi Xianqing’s expression—cold, gloomy, and exceptionally grim.

Zhu Ming immediately felt a sinking feeling in his gut but he still kept his composure.

“When did you come back?” The words left his mouth before he realized how hoarse his voice sounded.

Zhu Ming quickly cleared his throat and raised his volume slightly. “…Why are you sitting there the whole time? You could’ve woken me up.”

The person on the sofa still didn’t say anything.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet. Zhu Ming paused for a moment before taking the initiative to speak again. “How did the group photo go? Shen Ying—”

Xi Xianqing interrupted him. “You used your spiritual energy to help me spread its tail, didn’t you?”

That stupid roe deer’s broken mouth… really can’t be trusted.

Zhu Ming gritted his teeth and cursed Zhou Zhou a thousand times in his heart.

Still, he maintained his composure outwardly, curving his lips into a relaxed smile. “…Aiya, well, it was an urgent situation, so we had to resort to some unconventional methods.”

Xi Xianqing enunciated each word clearly. “Do you understand that rapid spiritual energy depletion can lead to blurred vision, unconsciousness, or even blindness?”

This man had searched it online, it wasn’t easy to fool around.

“What you’re referring to is the general information online.”

Zhu Ming rubbed his nose sheepishly. His tone softened as he patiently explained, “But if the person transmitting the spiritual energy is a professional with a medical background, they’ll be very measured in their approach. The whole process is relatively safe—you just need a couple of good naps to recover.”

“Besides, look at Dish Soap—it’s fully fanned out.”

He lifted his face, gesturing toward the green peac0ck beside him, its massive tail feathers spread wide in elegant silence. “How beautiful is that ah? Doesn’t it look like a giant banana leaf fan…”

“Zhu Ming.” Xi Xianqing called out his name.

If before Zhu Ming had only a vague sense that Xi Xianqing was in a bad mood, the moment his full name was spoken, Zhu Ming realized with absolute clarity that the man was angry.

Very angry.

Xi Xianqing stood from the sofa and took deliberate steps toward the bed.

The smile on Zhu Ming’s face gradually faded. His body instinctively leaned back slightly as he looked up at Xi Xianqing’s face.

The white fox lying on the pillow shook its tail, burying its face warily in its fluffy fur. Its eyes darted cautiously between the two tense individuals.

Xi Xianqing finally stopped.

“If the next time you take the liberty of using your own body to perform your so-called treatment without consulting me,” Xi Xianqing gazed morosely at Zhu Ming’s face and coldly said, “Then I will terminate our agreement and divorce you.”

Author’s notes:

The Spitfire Sparrow’s limited return ψ(｀∇´)ψ

The banquet mentioned in the synopsis will take place in just a few chapters. As for this instance, Dish Soap didn’t fan out its tail willingly—it wasn’t Xiao Xi’s voluntary act. So, this can only be considered a rehearsal, not the true first time. (Serious nod)

Chapter title: Manually Spreading Its Tail

Jie Jie: I decided to omit it from the Chapter Title section as it would be a spoiler :blobpeek: