Shen Yanchu sat below the podium, listening in listless boredom as old man Huiming droned on endlessly, flowing like a rushing river. Yet those words sounded as obscure and incomprehensible as a heavenly scripture to him, and he failed to absorb a single character.
Right then, Shen Yanchu cursed inwardly in despair: Sigh! My learning ability must have long since degenerated back to the stone age! Since listening was a lost cause either way, he simply narrowed his eyes, intending to take a quick nap. Sure enough, in less than a quarter of an hour, Shen Yanchu plunged deeply into dreamland, his body swaying like a flickering candle in the wind.
Seeing this, Xie Huaizhou’s lips lifted upward in an involuntary smile, though even he failed to notice the subtle grin that had surfaced on his face.
Xie Huaizhou gently extended his left hand, softly gathering Shen Yanchu’s slightly slender shoulders and carefully easing his upper body down onto his own lap.
Feeling this warmth and comfort within his dream, Shen Yanchu subconsciously shifted his body, wriggling like a cute little kitten as he tried to find the coziest position possible.
At that moment, a light woody fragrance drifted leisurely into Shen Yanchu’s nose. This scent was woven from a deep forest and fresh spring water, refreshing the mind and leaving one intoxicated.
Gazing at Shen Yanchu, who was fast asleep before him, Xie Huaizhou thought he looked as obedient and gentle as a tame little rabbit, bearing no resemblance to his usual mischievous self.
Thus, Xie Huaizhou’s gaze drifted uncontrollably toward Shen Yanchu’s snow-white, smooth, flawless neck, a fragile sight that seemed ready to shatter at a touch and stirred deep affection in the heart.
Looking closer, a tiny vermilion mole rested right at the edge of his eyelid. Usually, when Shen Yanchu kept his eyes open, it remained hidden, but now with his eyes closed, that splash of red appeared exceptionally prominent.
Completely lost in his gaze, Xie Huaizhou could not resist reaching out a hand, wanting to touch it.
Xie Huaizhou’s eyes were deeply drawn to that tiny mole, and his fingers lifted slightly as if moving on their own to touch that alluring skin. Yet just as his fingertips were about to reach the target, a sudden surge of spiritual energy batted his hand away.
Xie Huaizhou’s gaze turned sharp in an instant. He looked up to meet Ji Yanche’s provocative stare, the warning in those eyes so clear it practically shouted: Do not cross the line. A faint, ambiguous smile tugged at the corner of Xie Huaizhou’s mouth as he softly parted his lips: What can you do to me?
A flash of anger crossed Ji Yanche’s face, but helpless against Xie Huaizhou’s provocation, he could only grind his teeth in silence.
Just as the tension between the two escalated, Shen Yanchu woke up. Xie Huaizhou instantly withdrew his sharp aura, reverting to an innocent expression as he positioned the hand Ji Yanche had struck right within Shen Yanchu’s line of sight, whether intentionally or not.
Xie Huaizhou’s hand was white as jade, but a patch of angry red swelling stood out prominently, bearing a faint trace of purple bruising upon closer inspection. Shen Yanchu immediately noticed this detail, concern welling up in his eyes. As someone with an appreciation for hands, Xie Huaizhou’s hands were the most beautiful works of art in this world.
“What happened to you?” A trace of pity laced Shen Yanchu’s voice.
Lowering his head slightly, tears shimmering in his eyes, Xie Huaizhou’s voice carried a choked sob: “While you were sleeping just now, I was worried the sunlight would hurt your eyes, so I tried to shield you. Who knew that Ji Yanche…” He left the sentence unfinished, yet it already conveyed his grievances and Ji Yanche’s roughness.
Gently stroking Xie Huaizhou’s hand, Shen Yanchu blew softly upon it, trying to ease the pain. “Does it hurt?”
Dropping his eyelids slightly, Xie Huaizhou let a perfectly measured hint of moisture flash through his eyes. He bit his lower lip lightly, pretending to endure the pain while purposefully displaying his own fragility. His fingers trembled slightly, as though Ji Yanche’s strike still left him shaken, yet he put on a brave front.
“Mhm, a little bit, but I am fine,” Xie Huaizhou said in a low voice, carrying an imperceptible tremble that made it seem as though the entire world owed him a measure of care.
Sitting in the back row, Su Rongyu and Jihe cracked melon seeds while watching the spectacle like a play, exchanging smiles that made them look like a pair of clever little foxes who had stolen honey.
“Hey, I thought Shen Yanchu was already a master at playing the innocent victim, but it turns out Xie Huaizhou is no slouch either. When he puts on an innocent act, even an audience member like me almost falls for it,” Jihe whispered, holding back laughter.
“Haha, this is called being cut from the same cloth. In my opinion, those two are a match made in heaven. One acts, one spoils, they are a pair tailor-made for each other,” Su Rongyu chuckled, tossing a peeled tangerine toward Jihe like a flying disc with an acrobatic precision.
Jihe caught the tangerine like an expert, holding it firmly before continuing to trash-talk while she ate: “If the two of them opened a theater troupe, business would surely boom, and we could tag along to watch free shows.”
“Right, right! We will sit in the front row, with endless melon seeds and tangerines!” Su Rongyu chimed in, the two trading banter back and forth like comedians in a cross-talk routine.
Casting a sidelong glance at Jiang Siwang, who was sleeping beside him like a dead pig, Ji Yanche wore a cold smirk, his expression mirroring the utter helplessness of looking at an antique about to fall apart, filled entirely with the thought of how on earth did such a creature get born. He sighed softly, then shook Jiang Siwang mercilessly with enough force to rattle a tree laden with ripe fruit.
“Ji Yanche, are you seeking your own death? How dare you interrupt this young master’s fine dream!” Jiang Siwang kept his eyes closed, spittle flying as he clearly dreamed of standing majestically at the Immortal Demon Assembly, wiping out the entire field with a single strike and claiming the top spot on the Heavenly Ranking, only for Jihe’s inopportune wind to blow it all away.
“If you do not get up soon, Shen Yanchu is going to become someone else’s prize,” Ji Yanche said coldly, his tone dripping with mockery.
“Someone else? Oh, you mean that Xie Huaizhou? Ha, with his personality, he is more boring than a piece of wood and couldn’t scare away an ant. What kind of threat could he possibly pose?” Jiang Siwang waved a hand, his attitude clearly saying, Only I am worthy of Shen Yanchu in this world.
Ji Yanche sneered inwardly, wondering if this guy had lost his brain inside his dream. To think he had previously viewed such trash as a formidable rival, what an insult to his own intelligence.
Watching these youngsters, Elder Huiming could not help sighing to himself that children grow up and refuse to stay behind, every single one of them finding a match.