Chapter 30 Don't be afraid, I'm here for you.

A hint of surprise flashed in Fu Qinghuai's peach blossom eyes, and then a smile spread across his face.

The hand that was on Xie Xun's shoulder slid down, and the palm covered Xie Xun's waist, holding him tightly in an embrace. Then, he leaned down and whispered in Xie Xun's ear, "Xun Xun is so cute~"

As he spoke, he leaned closer, his chilling breath brushing against Xie Xun's earlobe, causing a blush to rise.

They look even cuter now.

Xie Xun turned his head away without changing his expression, but Fu Qinghuai took the opportunity to cover the back of his hand, his fingers tightening slightly, his large palm almost enveloping Xie Xun's entire hand, his fingertips lingering intimately on Xie Xun's trembling fingertips.

"...Why are your hands so cold? Are you scared?"

Seeing that Xie Xun could tolerate this, Fu Qinghuai began to tease him even more, his voice deliberately gentle, "Don't be afraid, I'm here behind you~"

Xie Xun: "..."

After a long while, he could no longer bear it. A flash of spiritual light appeared between his fingers, and a calming spell was directly applied to Fu Qinghuai's chest. "Get away. I'm cold because of you."

Fu Qinghuai was pushed back, but instead of being angry, he laughed. A faint gloomy aura rippled through the carriage, causing the driver to unconsciously shrink back, and even Liu Xiuyuan in the front seat couldn't help but shiver.

"So Xunxun thought I was too cold? You should have said so earlier, I would have warmed you up right away~"

"No need," Xie Xun interrupted calmly, moving half an inch closer to the car window and saying bluntly, "Just stay away from me."

Upon hearing this, Fu Qinghuai blinked aggrievedly, "When I saved you just now, Xunxun didn't have this attitude."

"Thank you for earlier, but not now." Xie Xun turned his head to look out the window, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, too lazy to pay attention to him.

Fu Qinghuai was not angry at all. Instead, he clung to him affectionately, sometimes putting his arm around his shoulder, sometimes around his waist, and vying for him.

Xie Xun was too tired to continue playing along with him, so he let him be.

Liu Xiuyuan, sitting in the front seat, was terrified by the interaction between the human and the ghost.

He had just clearly seen that the moment the truck rushed towards them, the man in black unleashed a powerful yin energy that materialized in broad daylight, completely protecting Xie Xun.

What's even more terrifying is that he was chatting and laughing with Xie Xun at this moment, unlike ordinary ghosts who are afraid of light and sunlight.

This is no ordinary ghost; it must have cultivated for over a thousand years.

Liu Xiuyuan pondered to himself, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

This overwhelming power reminded him of the ancient beings recorded in ancient texts. For example, the drought demon that could turn the land barren for thousands of miles would probably pale in comparison to this person.

They are probably already close to being ghosts or gods.

To make such a powerful being willingly submit and even pester you with a hint of fawning, young friend Xie's methods are truly remarkable...

Liu Xiuyuan didn't even dare to think too deeply, only feeling a chill down his spine, yet secretly pleased that he had just formed a good relationship with them!

Before long, the car merged into the morning rush hour traffic, and the bright sunlight shone in.

Xie Xun was being held tightly in Fu Qinghuai's arms, his eyes were slightly dark and he was resting with his eyes closed.

Taking advantage of the red light, the driver casually switched to an entertainment channel, and the cheerful voice of a female anchor began to play:

"Last night's Golden Rooster Awards ceremony was truly star-studded! Newcomer Lu Haowen became the youngest actor in history to win all three major film awards! I heard he'll be working with a renowned international director in his next film..."

"Tsk tsk, it's Lu Haowen again."

The driver naturally picked up the conversation, his tone carrying the enthusiasm typical of gossiping, "Uncle, I've been driving for so many years and have driven a lot of celebrities, but he's the most bizarre one. A couple of years ago, when he rode in my car to the film set, the newspapers were criticizing his acting, but in the last two years, he's like a completely different person. He's become incredibly famous, winning awards left and right. He's really something else."

"On the contrary, that Wen Xubai,"

The driver then changed the subject, his voice tinged with regret, "We Hong Kong audiences all know him. He's a great actor, dedicated, and has never been involved in any scandals. He holds his own against veteran actors like Andy Lau and Tony Leung! It's just that he's a bit unlucky. He's been nominated year after year, but he's always the runner-up. It's such a pity."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xun lazily opened his eyelids.

The car happened to pass a huge bus stop advertisement featuring Lu Haowen's handsome, almost flawless face. Remembering the driver's earlier comment about something eerie, a slight unease stirred within him.

Six months ago, he was also attracted by the overwhelming publicity and went to see a movie starring Lu Haowen. However, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles in the theater and couldn't see what was so amazing about the supposedly divine acting skills.

This person's rise to fame certainly felt abrupt and inexplicable.

He looked away uninterestedly, but as he turned to the inside of the car, he caught a glimpse of an entertainment magazine tucked into the mesh pocket on the back of the front seat.

The male star on the cover is equally handsome, with deep-set eyes and a calm and gentle demeanor.

He vaguely remembered that his name was... Wen Xubai?

It seems to be the actor the driver mentioned who was a pity. The headline on the magazine cover, "Another runner-up! Wen Xubai misses out on the Golden Rooster Award," is particularly glaring.

Wen Xubai seems to have been in the industry for many years, and his acting skills have always been well-regarded, but for some reason he always falls short and is always just one step away from becoming a breakout star, earning him the nickname "eternal runner-up".

I recently heard that he released a new song, but then it coincided with the collapse of a certain top celebrity's career, and his popularity was completely overshadowed.

"It's all about timing and fate," Liu Xiuyuan shook his head and casually remarked.

Yes, yes.

The driver chuckled and agreed, speaking with a slight Hong Kong accent, "Whether you become famous or not really depends on fate."

The light turned green, and the cars rejoined the traffic. However, they were stuck in their lanes before they had even gone two intersections.

The long line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see, with horns blaring incessantly.

"That's strange," the driver muttered, glancing at the navigation system. "There shouldn't be this much traffic at this time."

Xie Xun looked out the window at the motionless traffic, feeling nothing at all; he had even grown somewhat accustomed to it.

This is nothing, just his daily misfortune.

He recalled one time when he was stuck in traffic all morning while taking a taxi, and when he got out, there was nowhere to go, causing him to miss an important exam.

Fu Qinghuai, with his arm around Xie Xun, idly twirled a strand of Xie Xun's hair and played with it.

"Xunxun, going out with you is never boring."

As he spoke, he glanced at the magazine that was now in Xie Xun's hands. Seeing the man on the cover, his tone suddenly took on a teasing tinge, "Why have you been looking at it for so long? So, Xunxun likes this gentle type?"

Xie Xun didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, and said indifferently, "I just think he has a good appearance and should have a smooth career."

"oh?"

Fu Qinghuai raised an eyebrow, then pressed his advantage, moving even closer until he was practically hanging on Xie Xun, commenting on the magazine cover in Xie Xun's hand, "His eyes are expressive, his nose is high and straight, he's definitely a beauty in the making. What a pity..."

He drawled out his words, somewhat meaningfully, "His complexion is ashen, his spirit is waning, tsk tsk, he's probably not going to make it."

Xie Xun frowned, but said nothing.

Ultimately, it's someone else's fate, none of his business. He's not the kind of person who's so possessive of other people's affairs.

Seeing that Xie Xun didn't react, Fu Qinghuai's mischievousness grew stronger, and he blew even more intensely into Xie Xun's ear, "What, feeling sorry for him? Isn't having me enough? Does Xunxun want to pick up another one to raise?"

"Shut up." Xie Xun turned his head away, finally giving him a cold glance. "You're noisy."

However, after being scolded, Fu Qinghuai chuckled softly. Instead of shutting up, he held the person tightly in his arms in that position, muttering a few words from time to time.

Xie Xun completely ignored him, treating it as nonsense, and didn't reply with a single word.

In the end, what should have been a half-hour drive took more than an hour. It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that the car finally arrived at the small hotel where Xie Xun and his group had stayed when they first arrived in Hong Kong the night before.

Xie Xun got out of the car, his first thought being to return to the mainland immediately and go back to his paper offering shop.

He didn't want to stay in this troublesome port city for even a moment longer.

Liu Xiuyuan also got out of the car with a smile and said warmly, "Thank you, young friend. Since it's so late, why don't you take your luggage and go straight to my teahouse to rest? It will save you the trouble of looking for a place."

Xie Xun's words of polite refusal lingered on his tongue, but he ultimately swallowed them back.

He recalled the helplessness he felt when his life hung by a thread last night, and how Fu Qinghuai had taken his time to watch the show for most of the day before making his move.

One's pure Yin constitution is an asset, but it cannot be the only asset. Fu Qinghuai is powerful, but at this moment he is beyond one's control, a variable.

He couldn't let himself get back into the same dangerous situation as last night.

I need to buy some magical artifacts for self-defense. It would be even better if they could suppress Fu Qinghuai, but it won't matter if I don't have any.

Liu Xiuyuan has been deeply rooted in Hong Kong for many years and is a veritable local bigwig with extensive connections and acquaintances from all walks of life.

He was just missing a reliable way to purchase the ritual implements, and right now, this is a ready-made connection.

Returning to the paper shop would be safe, but buying something to save his life and something to restrain Fu Qinghuai was more urgent.

"Then I'll have to trouble Master Liu."

Xie Xun gave a perfectly measured, humble smile. "I was able to escape danger thanks to your help this time. If you don't mind, Master, I'll treat you to lunch to express my gratitude."

This humble attitude and well-chosen words gave Liu Xiuyuan ample face.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiuyuan's smile widened, and he waved his hand repeatedly, "Young friend Xie is too kind. Now that we're on my turf, how could I let you spend money? Come on, come on, take your luggage and come with me to eat. We'll chat while we eat!"