Chapter 8: In the end, Gu Xiaozhu and the other two...

In the end, Gu Xiaozhu and the other two decided to stay here for one night, and even booked the same inn as Shangguan You, since it would be convenient for them to look after each other.

In the afternoon, Shangguan You briefly bid farewell to the three of them and went to repair the teleportation array. Wu Jiangxue, on the other hand, stayed inside, preparing to continue studying a medical technique she had previously acquired.

In the end, only Jiang Zhihe and Gu Xiaozhu were strolling around the streets.

Well... to be more precise, it was Jiang Zhihe who dragged Gu Xiaozhu shopping.

Gu Xiaozhu originally wanted to stay in her inn room, but Jiang Zhihe said that since she was already here, how could she not wander around?

She could guess at a glance that the young man wanted her to go out and explore. After all, he was a regular at Qianweilou, so how could he not have visited Lingyong City?

However, she had never actually shopped there before. She had to admit, she was still a little curious.

As a result of that hesitation, when she came to her senses, she found herself outside with Jiang Zhihe.

Gu Xiaozhu: "..."

The instant I saw the crowds thronging the streets—

She regretted it.

But faced with the boy's bright and expectant eyes, she just couldn't bring herself to refuse.

So she could only silently follow behind Jiang Zhihe, holding onto his sleeve, and stroll with him on the street.

Yes, pull up your sleeve.

She still couldn't overcome her inner hurdle and hold his hand. But fearing they would get separated, she settled for second best and chose to hold Jiang Zhihe's sleeve.

Jiang Zhihe had no objection to this; in any case, the smile on his face had never left since he came out.

"Hey? Xiaozhu, what do you think of this hairpin?"

"Wow! They sell candied fruit here, Xiaozhu, would you like some?"

"Wow! This cut cake looks delicious! Xiaozhu, do you want some?"

Throughout the journey, the boy in red was in high spirits, constantly moving between the various stalls and chattering away with the quiet girl next to him.

At first glance, it seems as if the boy is the one who has never been to Lingyong City before, while the girl is the one who brought him shopping.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, Gu Xiaozhu turned her head to look to her side and stopped in her tracks.

Jiang Zhihe, who was about to continue walking forward, naturally felt the tugging on his sleeve and turned around in confusion: "What's wrong? Are you tired?"

Gu Xiaozhu glanced at the empty corner behind her, then slowly looked away, but her eyes still held a hint of doubt: "I wonder if it's just my imagination..."

"I had a feeling that someone was watching me just now..."

At the same time, she asked herself, "System, did you detect anyone over there just now?"

[I'm sorry, host. My current ability can only detect things within fifty meters of you. I'm sorry I couldn't help you...]

"It's okay, and maybe it's just my imagination?"

Definitely not!

"Then let's go back."

The system's words and Jiang Zhihe's words rang out almost at the same time.

Gu Xiaozhu was taken aback when she heard this, and then looked up at the serious-looking boy in front of her.

Although they said different things, they meant the same thing—

I trust you won't make a mistake.

She didn't understand.

[Host, no matter what, you are the one who created this world. So, although you are a mortal in this world, your intuition and feelings are absolutely infallible!]

Gu Xiaozhu was silent for a moment, then looked at Jiang Zhihe: "But... even you didn't feel it, but I did. I think it must be my imagination, right?"

Jiang Zhihe said seriously, "If I didn't sense it, then it means that the other party's cultivation level is higher than mine, or that the other party is someone who is very good at concealing themselves."

"Either way, it's dangerous for you. So for your safety, let's go back to the inn."

The inn was surrounded by defensive formations set up by Shangguan You as a precaution, and he even set up another defensive formation for each of the three of their rooms.

In any case, their guesthouse rooms are now a relatively safe place.

Gu Xiaozhu: "But...aren't you having a great time shopping? Wouldn't it be a downer to go back now?"

Jiang Zhihe was taken aback at first, and the serious expression he had been maintaining crumbled, revealing a helpless smile: "Which is more important, my feelings or your life?"

Gu Xiaozhu hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "...My life?"

After she finished speaking, she saw the boy in front of her bend down slightly and suddenly move closer to her.

His handsome face with its bright eyebrows and starry eyes suddenly magnified in her vision.

She could almost see the boy's slightly trembling eyelashes and the shadows cast by his dark hair falling across his face.

She was completely stunned.

He is indeed very handsome.

This was the first thought that popped into her mind.

Then, unexpectedly, I got a flick on the forehead.

She almost instinctively covered her forehead, staring wide-eyed at the boy who hadn't yet withdrawn his hand, her eyes filled with disbelief and...accusation.

But the boy replied matter-of-factly, "Idiot, of course your life is more important! Why is that a question?"

Gu Xiaozhu touched her forehead, where the pain was gradually subsiding, and muttered softly, "You could have just said it directly, why did you have to flick my forehead..."

The two were very close, so Jiang Zhihe could naturally hear the girl's mutterings. He continued, "Of course, it's to teach you a lesson!"

Gu Xiaozhu: ...Huh?

He straightened up and looked at the girl in front of him: "No matter what, you should always put yourself first, not others!"

"Do you understand?"

Gu Xiaozhu nodded: "I understand."

Jiang Zhihe asked suspiciously, "...Really?"

When Gu Xiaozhu was asked this question, she suddenly felt a little guilty: "Um... I should... know."

Jiang Zhihe remained silent, simply staring at her.

Gu Xiaozhu couldn't stand the stare any longer and finally spoke up: "Um... I will try my best... to correct my thinking!"

Jiang Zhihe nodded in satisfaction and finally extended his hand to her: "Then let's go back. Just in case that person tries anything with you, you should still hold my hand."

Gu Xiaozhu glanced at him, and finally extended her hand to him as well.

But before she could even take his hand, the noisy commotion around her suddenly disappeared.

She was stunned, and her outstretched hand grasped nothing.

She looked up suddenly, but her pupils contracted sharply.

The street was still the same street, but Jiang Zhihe and the surrounding crowd that had been shouting had all disappeared.

She was left all alone, standing forlornly on the empty, desolate street.

"...Jiang Zhihe?"

"……system?"

There was no response.

In that instant, intense unease and fear swept over her entire body.

She almost froze on the spot.

“…Xiao…”

"……bamboo"

She thought she heard something.

“…Xiaozhu…”

It sounds like someone is calling her name?

"Xiaozhu!"

A crisp sound suddenly rang in her ears, as if breaking through some kind of barrier, instantly clearing her mind!

At the same time, there was also heat and force coming from my wrist.

The bustling sounds of the crowd reached her ears again. She belatedly looked up and met a pair of eyes filled with worry and fear.

"...Jiang Zhihe?"

"I'm here, I'm right here!"

Looking at the boy's vivid expression and the crowds coming and going around her, she finally felt a real sense of grounding. The sense of security she had lost was gradually returning, and her wildly beating heart was slowly calming down.

Only then did she realize that she hadn't actually grabbed Jiang Zhihe's hand, but his hand was still tightly gripping her wrist, as if he were afraid she would disappear.

So was that...an illusion?

[Host! Host, thank goodness you're finally awake!]

The system also spoke at this moment.

[I was so scared! You suddenly stood there motionless, and the light in your eyes disappeared. Neither I nor Jiang Zhihe could wake you!]

[Oh my god, I feel so useless! I can't even wake you up when you're trapped in an illusion, sob sob!]

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm awake now, don't worry," Gu Xiaozhu reassured herself.

She also responded to Jiang Zhihe in real life: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Jiang Zhihe, however, kept his lips tightly pressed together, his expression was far from pleasant, and there was even a hint of anger in his eyes.

Looking at his expression and then at her wrist, which was still being held, Gu Xiaozhu thought for a moment but decided not to pull her hand away.

After all, the boy in front of her seemed even more afraid than she was.

If that's the case, then let him hold on if he feels safe holding your wrist.

"We can't stay on the street any longer, we need to go back right now!" Jiang Zhihe said, pulling Gu Xiaozhu away.

But suddenly, he paused. He looked at his hand, which was tightly gripping the girl's wrist, and subconsciously loosened his grip.

Oh no, did I grip too tightly just now?

Oh my god, did I hurt her?!

I……

Before his brainstorming had even finished, he felt a warm and delicate touch enter his palm.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the girl had taken my hand without my noticing.

"Shall we go back?"

Gu Xiaozhu looked up, her clear eyes reflecting only his image, as if he were everything in the girl's eyes.

Suddenly, I was filled with a great sense of satisfaction, and the previous frustration completely dissipated.

I wish she could just keep looking at me like that.

Thinking this, he sighed silently and finally shook his head to clear his mind.

"Let's go back."

He grasped the girl's hand that was holding him, and the distance between them seemed to shrink considerably.

The boy and girl's silhouettes stretched long on the ground, their hair fluttering in the breeze. Their black and apricot-colored hair intertwined, like the irreplaceable bond between them.

In a shop a few hundred meters away from the two, all the windows were closed, the shop was dark, and the floor was covered with overturned shelves and shocking red bloodstains.

"Thump!"

It was the dull thud of a gun hitting the ground.

A pale finger slightly lifted a corner of the bamboo curtain, and the sunlight streaming in from the window made him feel uncomfortable.

Despite this, he kept staring intently at the shrinking figure at the end of the street, his eyes gleaming with intense hunger.

"It smells so good...I really want to eat it..."

His gaze shifted slightly, landing on the ground.

On the ground lay a corpse with terrified eyes, long since lifeless.