After Baili Tusu recovered from his shock, he heard Ouyang Shaogong say to his adoptive father, "...Qingyutan's schemes are far-reaching. If we let them continue, there will likely be bad consequences. I plan to go out and search for the Jade Balance Fragment soon, so that Lei Yan will not be allowed to use it to harm the world again."

Upon hearing this, Baili Tusu immediately focused his attention. He saw the composed, handsome, aloof, and noble young man whom Ouyang Shaogong called his godfather nod: "Do whatever you want. A-Xun and I will be following you for the time being."

Ouyang Shaogong smiled and bowed, "Thank you for your understanding, Godfather."

A faint smile flickered in Yin Chen's eyes as he said calmly, "We're family, thanking you is too formal."

Ouyang Shaogong then turned to Baili Tusu and asked, "Young hero, what are your plans?"

After a brief silence, Baili Tusu said, "I am willing to do my part."

Ouyang Shaogong was slightly taken aback, then waved his hand and laughed, "Young hero, you have misunderstood me. The matter of Yuheng is an old grudge between me and Qingyutan, and it has nothing to do with you. There is no need for you to go to such lengths."

"To refine medicine from the souls of living people goes against the laws of Heaven. If I see it and do nothing, I will feel guilty," Baili Tusu said solemnly.

Long Xun gave a cold snort. How could he not understand that Baili Tusu's reason was one thing, but another was that this kid didn't trust Ouyang Shaogong at all?

In Baili Tusu's eyes, even if he didn't follow, Ouyang Shaogong would find other ways to force him to.

The painted boat gradually drifted towards the shore with the current.

Seeing his determination, Ouyang Shaogong pondered for a moment, thinking of how clingy Long Xun and Yin Chen were, and how awkward it would be for him to be alone with them on ordinary days. So he smiled and nodded in agreement: "Then thank you very much, young hero."

Baili Tusu shook his head slightly: "No need."

Long Xun had already stepped ashore from the bow of the boat. He turned around and extended a hand to Yin Chen. Yin Chen, quite naturally, handed over his right hand and grasped it tightly. He looked up at Long Xun and gave him a gentle, faint smile. His dark eyes shimmered with a soft, star-like light, revealing an unbelievable tenderness and affection.

Looking into his lover's captivating gaze, Long Xun felt much of his coldness dissipate, and he subconsciously returned a small, shallow smile. A clean, warm, and gentle smile bloomed at the corners of his mouth and in his eyes, his indifferent and lazy eyes shimmering with a shallow light, and even a small dimple appeared on his fair and translucent cheeks.

With a whoosh, a burst of fireworks shot into the sky, then exploded into a shower of red blossoms with a deafening roar. The aloof and handsome young man stepped ashore, his eyes, now filled with a deeper smile, reflecting the dazzling fireworks behind the armored man.

At that moment, the bustling crowds and the lively celebrations faded away. The world seemed vast, and it was as if only the two of them were there, smiling at each other against the backdrop of beautiful fireworks.

Standing on the shore, Baili Tusu watched the tender affection between the two elders. The last bit of complicated feelings he had about meeting a same-sex couple for the first time gradually faded away, and he began to feel a sense of blessing.

The deep affection between them was evident even in their eyes. With such profound love, what difference does gender make?

Baili Tusu shifted his gaze and looked at Ouyang Shaogong behind him, who was lifting the hem of his robe slightly and stepping from the bow of the boat toward the shore.

The small boat stirred up water as they stepped onto it one by one, slightly submerging the steps on the shore. Ouyang Shaogong's cloth boots slipped slightly on the damp ground, and with his other foot already raised, he was caught off guard and leaned back slightly, almost falling backward.

Baili Tusu's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously reached out and grabbed the young man's hand, pulling him towards him. Ouyang Shaogong, who was already unable to maintain his balance, crashed headfirst into him, directly knocking the somewhat dazed Baili Tusu to the ground.

Ouyang Shaogong managed to brace himself against the ground on either side of Baili Tusu's head with his hands, preventing himself from falling completely onto the young hero.

When Long Xun heard the sound and turned around, he saw Baili Tusu lying at his feet, with Ouyang Shaogong supporting himself on the ground, shielding the young hero under his body in a very ambiguous posture, as if the two of them could kiss at any moment.

Long Xun: "..."

His face, which had just calmed down a little, immediately turned as black as the King of Hell.

After several misinterpretations of the reasons for his bad mood, Yin Chen finally had a telepathic connection this time and successfully understood the root cause of his taciturn husband's unhappiness. He quickly pulled Ouyang Shaogong up and subtly moved his body to separate him from the young hero who was still stunned on the ground. Sure enough, he saw Long Xun's aura warm up.

Yin Chen: "..."

So what is Ah Xun thinking? Why does it always feel like he cares about some strange things?

Yin Chen sighed inwardly, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Ouyang Shaogong calmly brushed the dust off his clothes and apologized to the young hero who was a beat slower to get up, "Thank you for your help, young hero. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Baili Tusu seemed a little distracted and didn't dare to look at him, replying stiffly, "Nothing."

Ouyang Shaogong noticed that his attitude was a bit off and was about to ask him more questions when Long Xun suddenly spoke up stiffly: "Achen, Shaogong, it's very late."

Ouyang Shaogong seized the opportunity to shift the focus, teasingly asking, "Does Godfather want to take a break?"

Yin Chen felt inexplicably embarrassed, coughed lightly, and secretly glared at Long Xun. Long Xun, however, completely failed to grasp the hidden meaning in Ouyang Shaogong's words, showing utter lack of tact.

He nodded with an upright expression, glancing subtly at Baili Tusu, who was lost in thought to the side. When he noticed that the young hero's ears were already bright red, his cold expression became even more gloomy, and he repeated, unusually, "It's too late."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!