Chapter 72: Blue Moonlight (I)

Chen Yunli leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

The afternoon sunlight shone brightly in through the glass door, passed through the appliances, and cast a crisscross pattern of light and shadow on the tiled floor, just like his mood at the moment.

It was complicated and difficult to tell, but better than the previous times. At least this time the separation happened when both he and the mission object knew about it, and the regret was made up for, so it was not so sad.

"Is this kind of field work really done by humans?" Chen Yunli muttered, then realized, "Oh, it's definitely not done by humans. I'm the only human field reviewer."

He rubbed his aching brow and decided to sit for a while before ordering takeout to soothe his tired soul.

But as if the gods heard his thoughts, as soon as he had this thought, someone knocked on the door and whispered, "Your takeout."

"It must have been the wrong order. I didn't order it..."

Chen Yunli denied it reflexively, but before he could finish his words, he suddenly realized that the voice was not that of the delivery man, and it was very familiar, as if it had been echoing in his ears not long ago. He immediately jumped up from his chair.

A tall figure stood outside the door. It was the new colleague Meng Jian whom I met yesterday.

He was holding a drink in his left hand and a dessert box in his right hand. Judging from the packaging, it should have come from a newly opened high-end dessert shop nearby. Chen Yunli had queued up to buy from there before. Although it was expensive, it was worth the money.

Chen Yunli jumped up from his chair, ran to the door and opened it: "Why are you here?"

As she spoke, her eyes subconsciously moved to his hand: "Is the injury healed?"

"It's just a minor injury, don't worry about it." Meng Jian showed him his bandaged palm and handed him the dessert box. He said gently, "This is a return gift for the pancake you treated me to yesterday."

I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but Chen Yunli always feels that he looks more lively than yesterday, and not like an exquisite holographic projection.

"This return gift is a bit exaggerated." A strange feeling flashed through his mind, but Chen Yunli suppressed it as if nothing had happened. He took the paper box with a smile, "My whole bucket of pancakes is only fifteen yuan, and this box of snacks costs five times that—"

"There are also drinks, full-sugar milk tea." Meng Jian added at the right time.

Chen Yunli tilted his head to look at him. He looked serious and upright, and didn't seem to be joking... But why did he feel that his words sounded sinister?

"Then I..." Chen Yunli thought for a moment, "will I give you the difference?"

Meng Jian's eyes curved slightly, and beneath his unfamiliar yet handsome exterior, a familiar cunningness was faintly revealed: "No rush, the difference can be kept and paid back later."

Chen Yunli narrowed his eyes, then smiled and took the milk tea. What a coincidence, it was from the same shop as his favorite, just like the desserts.

"Thank you very much." He stepped aside to make way for Meng Jian. "Let's go, let's go have afternoon tea."

"good."

Meng Jian followed Chen Yunli into the lounge, like a little tail following closely. Chen Yunli saw the shadow of Chen Wenjian on him several times. Every time he turned around, the name was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back.

Had he just left the mission world and still not fully recovered? Otherwise, how could he associate these two completely different people together?

Chen Yunli's eyes darkened. He placed a piece of chocolate biscuit wrapped in rice paper on the lid of the milk tea cup and pushed it to him. He asked casually, "Are you a god? Or an ordinary person like me?"

Meng Jian took a bite of the shortbread, mixed with the cold milk tea, and a sweet and bitter taste appeared on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it without changing his expression.

"None of that." He used his thumb to wipe the cookie stain from the corner of his lip and licked it off quickly. "You can think of me as a demigod who worked his way down to the grassroots to gain experience."

Chen Yunli was choked. "There's no need to use such a harsh word as 'slacker'—if you have enough experience, what position will you be transferred to?"

Meng Jian tilted his head slightly and thought seriously for three seconds: "Maybe it's the God King."

Chen Yunli blurted out: "Are you our boss's biological son?"

“…”

Meng Jian wrinkled her nose, a hint of disgust in her eyes, not sure if it was because of what he said, or because she was tired of eating shortbread with milk tea.

"You're overthinking it. I'm of the same generation as Him."

Chen Yunli reacted and leaned forward curiously, like a wild animal in a melon field: "Seriously? Don't tell me you're kidding, I really believe it!"

Meng Jian raised the corner of her mouth slightly, imitating his movements and moving closer to him: "It's true. He and I were competing for the position of God King, and I won last time, so it's He who sits on the throne."

"Oh...you are competing...wait, what are you competing for?" Chen Yunli widened his eyes.

"Laid off." Meng Jian brushed off the crumbs from her fingertips, propped up her chin, and looked at him with a faint smile. "Tell me, given that we both have no pay and can't be fired, is it better to be a business owner or an intern?"

"Are the conditions so extreme?" Chen Yunli frowned. "If you have to choose this way, then you should just be the boss. No matter what, the treatment in the company is better than being an intern."

"No, I'm an intern." Meng Jian shook her head, her eyes never leaving his face. Her smiling eyes seemed to be filled with deep affection, but upon closer inspection, they were cold and empty. "Because you don't need to steer the company, and you only do the minor chores. Whether this ship sinks or rises, you are not responsible. This is the current situation in the God Realm. Whoever becomes the God King must support the operation of the God Realm without compensation. If you do well, there is no reward. If you do poorly, even living is a punishment. Do you understand?"

Chen Yunli was stunned.

He hesitated for a long moment and said, "Is your divine realm so abstract?"

"You're also a member of the ship." Meng Jian kindly reminded him, pushing a piece of blueberry mousse cake to his side. "Don't worry, as long as you humans are here, this ship won't sink. Keep eating."

“…”

Chen Yunli held the fork and poked it into the middle of the cake, then with a little force, he split it into two.

Without rushing to eat, he hooked his finger at Meng Jian: "Were you kidding me just now?"

Meng Jian chuckled softly, the biggest expression he had made since they met: "Yes, I was just kidding."

Chen Yunli glanced at him suspiciously, picked up a large piece of cake with a fork and stuffed it into his mouth. His cheeks bulged as he chewed. He was confused and thoughtful, but it did not stop him from enjoying the delicious food.

Meng Jian felt a stir in her heart, and inexplicably wanted to poke his face, but as soon as she raised her finger, the severe pain mixed with the chopping of a knife and an axe and the burning of fire spread throughout her body again along with the trembling of her heart.

He let his raised hand fall back to where it was, and turned his head skillfully to the side. Soon, Chen Yunli's exclamation rang in his ears:

"Meng Jian! Your hand is bleeding again! Didn't you say you were fine?!"

Chen Yunli was stunned by the column of blood spurting out from the back of his hand, which was about thirty or forty centimeters high. After he came to his senses, he jumped up from his chair as if his butt was on fire, and hurriedly took out the napkin given by the store from the dessert box to hold it down for him.

"Hurry, hurry! Press it too... Why is your other hand also spurting blood? Did you become a god through the fountain?!"

He was as panic-stricken as a badger that was caught stealing melons. Meng Jian didn't care about her bleeding hands at all, and was just thinking that he was cute in her heart.

So the next second, Meng Jian coughed up a table full of blood with a force as if he was going to cough out his lungs.

Chen Yunli: Despair.

A few minutes later, a luxury car pulled up outside and took Meng Jian, who was practically a bloody mess, away. Before parting, he grabbed Chen Yunli's sleeve and smiled, saying they'd see each other tomorrow. He refused to leave until Chen Yunli replied the same.

After finally seeing off the giant Buddha, Chen Yunli looked up at the sky speechlessly with his hands covered in blood.

"This idiot, is he here just to liven up my stagnant work schedule? No wonder he bought me dessert and drinks. It turns out he's paying me early compensation for my mental damages!"

As Chen Yunli spoke, he couldn't help but smile again.

This extra episode helped him to get out of the sadness of parting with Chen Wenjian again. Although he was frightened, Meng Jian had helped him by accident, so he would not blame him this time.

I hope that next time we meet there won’t be such a shock as today… Never mind, it’s okay if there is a little bit of shock, just less.

Chen Yunli spread out his hands and returned to the hall to find something to wash his hands.

…

The God King sat on the reef, his arms supported behind his back, looking at the dark sea not far away. Chen Wenjian was immersed in the ink-like waves, his body was dislocated and twisted. Some kind of blood-red ominous power pierced and expanded in his turned-out flesh, and was expelled into the sea as his blood flowed out.

His face was pale and alluring, like the beautiful yet cruel siren in mythology.

"Your injuries have not yet healed. If you forcibly suppress your power and enter the human world, you will be retaliated. Haven't you learned enough from the last lesson?" The God King was helpless.

"I can control it." Chen Wenjian did not open his eyes.

"Yes, as long as you remain calm, theoretically you can suppress it." The Divine King rolled his eyes at him. "But that theory doesn't apply to him. You can't remain calm around him."

Chen Wenjian's eyebrows twitched, wanting to refute, but He was right.

Having finally succeeded in humiliating Him, the Divine King felt refreshed. He stood up, stretched, and said with a smile, "Get ready. He's about to begin reviewing the last paper of the week. I've arranged a perfect identity for you. You're sure to like it."

Chen Wenjian raised his eyelashes and asked coldly, "Are you so kind?"

"Although I lost to you in the last competition for the job, we are brothers after all, and I'm not one to hold grudges. This concerns your lifelong event, so I won't cause you any trouble." The God King smiled like a fox. "Just go with peace of mind... I mean, just go and have a relationship with peace of mind."

Chen Wenjian: “…”

Very good. If there are ghosts in this world, He will flood this guy’s house when He comes back.

…

The next morning, Chen Yunli walked into the office humming an old tune. After breakfast, he took out the dusty cleaning tools after a long absence and did a thorough cleaning inside and outside.

After working until half past ten, he stood in the newly renovated hall, wiping the sweat from his face and nodding with satisfaction. He then watered the half-dead potted plants and the thriving garlic sprouts, sat back in his office chair, opened his email, and looked at the last paper awaiting review.

"Talking about immortality, talking about eternal consistency - talking about the role of white moonlight in shaping life's character" (also known as "Don't love anymore, there will be no results").

"Most white moonlights die early. I hope I'm not one of them."

Chen Yunli clasped his hands together and bowed to the computer screen, then clicked on the paper without hesitation.

The familiar feeling of dizziness hit his brain, and he closed his eyes as usual, allowing his consciousness to be dragged into the abyss of darkness.

…

In the ancient times long ago, outstanding people emerged in large numbers, all kinds of people competed with each other, and strong people were like rain. Their existence created a glorious era that lasted for a thousand years. However, this era gradually faded away with their deaths. Even the history books that recorded their deeds have long been covered in dust and turned into strange stories for gossip in the market.

The spiritual energy of the world today is exhausted, the path to immortality is completely destroyed, and the cultivation of mortals stops at sharpening their bodies and cannot go any further.

Immortals became legends, and chivalry became popular, which people called the world Jianghu.

"Where's my identity introduction?"

After the system finished giving the outline of the world view, there was no further response. Chen Yunli waited for a moment, making sure that it would not speak on its own initiative, and could not help but ask curiously.

System: "The auditor's identity in this world is Jian Ling."

"What the hell?"

"Ancient history books were written on blue bamboo slips and hidden underground. Over the years, they cultivated into spirits, known as Jianlings."

"Then what?"

The system was silent for a long time. Just when Chen Yunli thought it wouldn't respond, it suddenly said, "Auditor, you are now a simple spirit, born from a long-lost history, of which only fragments remain. Once this history is fully collected and compiled into a book, your first stage of mission will be completed. However, you do not possess any memories related to that history. You will only feel some sense of connection when you encounter people and things related to it."

"So my mission is to guide someone to the history that gave birth to me?"

"Yes, find them all and organize them into a book." The system corrected.

"What does this have to do with the thesis title? Isn't the thesis about the role of white moonlight in shaping personality?" Chen Yunli thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Oh, so the protagonist of that period of history was someone's white moonlight?"

"Yes."

"Then... who is this person looking for history?"

Before he finished speaking, a faint, warm yellow light suddenly lit up before Chen Yunli's eyes. The light was diffused around the edges, and at first glance, it looked like the setting sun. But as his vision focused, he saw that it was actually the light from half a candle.

Chen Yunli was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, his body suddenly felt lighter, and his vision extended in all directions, switching to a third-person perspective.

He "saw" a brilliant starry sky, a quiet bamboo forest, a clear cold spring, the stone path beside the spring disappearing into the bamboo gate, the moonlight falling under the eaves in front of the courtyard, the night wind blowing in through the half-open door, and draping over a figure bent over the desk.

The man was wearing a gray-white undershirt with a blue outer shirt draped over his shoulders. The wide sleeves were tightened at his wrists, resting against his palms, making his fingers look slender.

He gently placed a roll of yellowed bamboo slips on the table and unfolded it carefully. The broken corners caused by insects and ants and the broken ends of the straw ropes were clearly visible in the candlelight. It did not look shabby at all, but instead added a sense of antiquity and heaviness.

The warm light of the candlelight seeped into the mottled handwriting, outlining the dusty ancient history stroke by stroke. Chen Yunli's "true body" also gathered and took shape in this meager warmth, turning into a translucent green butterfly perched on a corner of the bamboo slip, with flickering light spots lingering around it, like a dream.

He folded his wings, shook his antennae, and "peeked" at the man's lowered face.

Fortunately or unfortunately, he saw a familiar face.

They had just separated and were reunited after a long separation.