Chapter 58 [VIP]

The light faded, and the longevity lamp slowly fell onto the bed. The two looked at each other, speechless.

Jiang Zhuochen was momentarily stunned, his expression numb, even forgetting his anger. His mind was buzzing, and he stammered, "Master, Master, you've possessed someone?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the soul that had merged into Xu Xing's body seemed to have exhausted its last bit of strength, and was forced to spring out and shrink back into the longevity lamp. The lamp flame flickered twice and then fell silent, falling into a deep slumber.

Jiang Zhuochen picked up the longevity lamp and looked at Xu Xing, whose expression was even more complicated than his own. "Did Master hurt you?"

After saying that, he clicked his tongue twice and then retorted to himself, "That's not right. He can't even speak, so where would his spiritual power come from to hurt you?"

Xu Xing rubbed his throbbing temples, his voice tinged with exhaustion and disbelief: "He didn't do anything."

It was simply a matter of merging into his body. The whole process was incredibly smooth, without the slightest resistance, just like returning home, natural and perfectly natural.

He couldn't quite describe how he felt at the moment the fusion was complete. Although no memories had been restored and his body showed no discomfort or changes, his mind cleared up for a moment as if the dust had settled, as if it were meant to be this way.

He looked at the longevity lamp in Jiang Zhuochen's arms, recalling the profound and all-knowing look in the eyes of Jiang's spirit when it gazed at him not long ago. An answer he had never imagined suddenly popped into his mind.

He is Jiang Zhuochen's master.

Once this thought appeared, it grew wildly like weeds, and my heart pounded inexplicably, as if it were about to burst open my chest.

Xu Xing's head throbbed even more. "Can you call him out of the light?"

Jiang Zhuochen looked on expectantly, his tone filled with deep grievance and worry: "I can't call him... That last move of his must have used up all the little soul power he had painstakingly accumulated. He'll probably be sleeping for several days now."

He hadn't seen his master much since he was able to manifest, so how could he have just fallen asleep like that... He wanted to ask his master how he was able to come out of the lamp, and whether he could come out consistently in the future.

"Why do you want to see your master?" Jiang Zhuochen asked reluctantly.

Xu Xing exhaled, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. When he looked at Jiang Zhuochen again, his eyes unconsciously revealed a familiarity and gentleness that he himself did not realize.

"Don't you want to know... why your master's soul could merge with mine?" Xu Xing said slowly, his gaze fixed on Jiang Zhuochen.

Jiang Zhuochen suddenly raised his head, his fingers, which were gripping the bed, turning slightly white from the force. His voice was filled with urgency and disbelief: "What do you mean? Explain yourself!"

Seeing that Xu Xing did not answer immediately, he could no longer restrain himself. He jumped off the bed with the lamp in his arms, not even bothering to put on his shoes, and rushed to Xu Xing in two steps. He grabbed Xu Xing's wrist and pressed him further, "Tell me! What do you mean?!"

Xu Xing's gaze fell first on his bare feet. The cold floor made him frown. Almost subconsciously, he sighed, bent down to touch his feet, and asked in a familiar tone that was both helpless and indulgent: "Why aren't you wearing shoes again?"

That tone, that expression… Jiang Zhuochen froze, his lips involuntarily turning downwards, and he murmured, “Is it you, Master?”

Xu Xing paused, meeting Jiang Zhuochen's reddened eyes, and felt a sharp pang in his heart. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his voice low and deep: "I'm not entirely sure. That's why I wanted him to come out and ask for an answer."

He couldn't be sure rationally, but the sense of connection at the soul level was so strong that he couldn't ignore it.

Jiang Zhuochen suddenly remembered that Liu Hehuan had once said that Xu Xing might be an 'empty shell' now. A look of regret flashed across his face. He had been so focused on those few wisps of soul that he hadn't taken this vague guess to heart before.

But if he really is his master, then how should he accept the fact that they have been at odds for the past few days? A mix of embarrassment, awkwardness, anticipation, and joy, for the first time in his life, Jiang Zhuochen didn't know what expression to wear when facing his master.

He met Xu Xing's gaze directly into his eyes. Although there was still confusion in them, the previous coldness and suspicion were gone. Instead, there was a reassuring calmness that made him feel inexplicably relieved.

He couldn't help but ask softly, with a hint of cautious probing, "So... is that what you think?"

Xu Xing remained silent for a moment, his heart filled with mixed feelings. "I want to, but I don't want to."

She thought about it because if it were true, she would become the person Jiang Zhuochen longed for and loved so much that he would risk his life for her, which would undoubtedly be a huge surprise.

He didn't want to admit it because once he did, his anger stemming from jealousy, his hurtful words, and even his actions that imprisoned him would all become undeniably absurd and wrong, leaving him feeling like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, unable to find the words to laugh or cry.

Seeing the other person so troubled and silent for so long, the light in Jiang Zhuochen's eyes gradually dimmed. He abruptly pulled his foot away from Xu Xing's warm hand, hugged the lamp, turned around, and climbed back onto the bed, giving him only a hazy profile. His voice was muffled: "Whether you want it or not, it's for the best. I don't want a master who will scold me and lock me up!"

His words were filled with resentment and spite.

Hearing Jiang Zhuochen's words, Xu Xing knew he had misunderstood and thought Xu Xing was unwilling to admit it. But he opened his mouth, and in the end, he couldn't say anything. He just stared at Jiang Zhuochen's thin back and solemnly promised, "It won't happen again."

Waiting for a response in vain, Xu Xing's heart grew increasingly tender. His complex emotions were replaced by joy; he paused, then changed the subject, his voice softening slightly: "You've been searching for your master for so long, don't you want to see him soon?"

Jiang Zhuochen's back shifted slightly, but he didn't turn around. He said in a low, booming voice, "Weren't you unsure?"

“If you’ve decided,” Xu Xing stared intently at the person opposite him, coaxing him gently, “what do you want to do?”

"I want to hug him." Jiang Zhuochen blurted out almost without thinking, his words filled with longing and a hint of coquetry. He wanted the master who would pat his head, indulge him, and help him put on his shoes.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Xing stepped forward without saying a word, bent down and gently pulled Jiang Zhuochen, who was curled up on the bed, along with the lamp, into his arms.

The hug was both strange and familiar, carrying Xu Xing's usual coldness, yet strangely soothing all of Jiang Zhuochen's unease and grievances. He stiffened for a moment, then softened, burying his head deeply in Xu Xing's shoulder, his deep voice coming through the clothes: "If you hug me, you can't lie to me anymore."

Xu Xing tightened his grip on her arm. "Yeah, I'm not lying to you."

When Jiang Zhuochen finally calmed down, he lifted his head from Xu Xing's embrace. His eyes were still red, but a sly glint flashed in them.

He kicked away the obstructive spirit-sealing talisman beside him, then looked up and asked with an air of self-righteousness, "Can I leave now?"

Seeing his smug look, Xu Xing smiled and nodded indulgently, "You can go wherever you want."

Jiang Zhuochen's eyes darted around twice. "You won't stop me anymore?"

A hint of helplessness flashed across Xu Xing's face as he tapped the space between his eyebrows. "It won't happen again."

Jiang Zhuochen finally couldn't hold back his laughter, so he grabbed the other's neck and pushed him down onto the bed. He then lifted his head and pinched the other's face, touching and looking at it as if he hadn't seen that face in eight hundred years.

This is his master, this is his master!

Xu Xing let him do whatever he wanted, but when the other party was making too much noise and was about to slide to one side, he reached out and steadied him.

After touching Jiang Zhuochen, he lay on top of him and whispered in his ear, "You can't do that again."

He doesn't want to experience the discomfort, fear, and isolation of the past few days again.

The dependent tone made Xu Xing's heart ache terribly. He stroked the back of Jiang Zhuochen's head and comforted him, "Okay, it won't happen again."

"Hmm..." Jiang Zhuochen hummed a sound in his throat.

After hugging for a while, Xu Xing gently patted Jiang Zhuochen's back and said, "Get up, let me change your dressing."

Jiang Zhuochen sat up groggily, opening his arms to let the other person do as they pleased. "But I don't feel any pain anymore."

Xu Xing pressed his finger on the wound and, seeing the other person pouting, joked, "Doesn't it hurt anymore?"

"Of course it will hurt if you touch it," Jiang Zhuochen said, grabbing his hand in dissatisfaction.

Xu Xing lowered his eyes, rubbed his fingertips on the back of the other person's hand, and then withdrew his hand to take the medicine box. "That means it's not better yet."

He removed the gauze and, more carefully than ever before, applied the medicine bit by bit. The bare upper body, with its smooth and delicate skin, was unknowingly exposed to him. Xu Xing's eyes darkened, and he gathered the clothes together to fasten the buttons for him.

Then, he picked up his medicine box and got up. After taking a couple of steps, he heard a noise behind him, turned his head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I want to drink water," Jiang Zhuochen replied, then asked matter-of-factly, "What, can't I go out for a drink?"

Xu Xing smiled and said, "Okay."

The two went to the living room together. Xu Xing put down the medicine box and turned around to find Jiang Zhuochen still curled up on the sofa, holding the longevity lamp and staring blankly, showing no intention of going back to his room to rest.

He walked over, reached out and brushed the other person's bangs back, then casually placed his hand behind his head, and asked softly, "Why aren't you going back to sleep?"

Jiang Zhuochen tilted her head back, glanced at him, and said in a drawn-out tone, "I don't want to sleep in that guest room anymore."

Xu Xing readily agreed: "Then I'll help you find another room?"

Jiang Zhuochen pouted unhappily and didn't say anything.

Xu Xing waited patiently for a while, but Jiang Zhuochen tilted his head, clearly dissatisfied with the arrangement. Xu Xing didn't urge him, but simply stayed quietly by his side.

Finally, Jiang Zhuochen, not receiving a reply, snorted at the man, stood up without a word, hugged his precious lamp, and strode to the master bedroom door. He knocked twice on the door with his knuckles, then raised his chin and stared intently at Xu Xing, his meaning self-evident.

Looking at his awkward yet adorable appearance, Xu Xing couldn't help but chuckle softly, his chest heaving. Without hesitation, he reached out and decisively pushed open the master bedroom door, his gaze landing on Jiang Zhuochen with tenderness and certainty.

A note from the author: