On this day, Shen Yanchu did not know where he had scavenged a chessboard, and he was currently immersed in his own game of chess, finding enjoyment in it all by himself.
Meanwhile, Xie Huaizhou waved his long sword nearby, practicing his swordsmanship. Every time the tip of the sword lightly brushed the edge of the chessboard, it caused the chess pieces to vibrate gently, as if dancing a silent dance.
Shen Yanchu was not annoyed; he simply moved the chessboard aside a bit, trying to stay away from Xie Huaizhou’s sword shadows. However, Xie Huaizhou did not seem intent on letting him off so easily, slashing forward with a fierce strike that split the chessboard in two, sending the chess pieces scattering in all directions.
“Xie Huaizhou, what are you doing? Can you not let me play a game of chess in peace?” Shen Yanchu looked at the chess pieces scattered all over the ground, his brows furrowed tightly and his tone revealing his dissatisfaction.
“Then can you stop wasting time here and focus a bit on your cultivation?” Xie Huaizhou refused to yield, snapping right back with a retort.
Just like that, the atmosphere between the two instantly froze, and they entered a silent cold war.
Night fell, and snowflakes unexpectedly began to drift across the world, causing the temperature to plummet sharply. Shen Yanchu quickly fished several thick quilts out of his storage pouch, spreading six layers beneath him and covering himself with another six layers. Even so, he still felt the bone-chilling cold.
As for Xie Huaizhou, he wore only a thin black garment, remaining seated there in deep meditation with his eyes closed, as if the changes in the outside world had nothing to do with him.
Having heard neither complaints nor movement from Shen Yanchu for a long time, Xie Huaizhou felt something was amiss. He opened his eyes to see that Shen Yanchu had frozen into a little snowman, the quilts and snowflakes blending together so that they were hard to tell apart.
“Shen Yanchu, are you alright?” Xie Huaizhou got up and walked to Shen Yanchu’s side. Despite the argument they had during the day, seeing Shen Yanchu in this state inevitably stirred a trace of worry deep within Xie Huaizhou’s heart.
After a moment of thought, Xie Huaizhou reached out and lifted Shen Yanchu out from that pile of heavy quilts. Although Shen Yanchu was a man, he appeared exceptionally slender and delicate compared to the broad-shouldered and sturdy Xie Huaizhou.
At this moment, his brow was slightly furrowed from the cold, and his eyes were tightly shut. His long eyelashes cast faint shadows under the soft light, his bridge of the nose was prominent, and his nostrils trembled slightly. His lips were slightly parted, possessing a beautiful and full contour. Even though they lacked color, they still appeared sexy and alluring, giving one the impulse to lean in and kiss them. A few strands of hair fell loosely across his forehead, adding a hint of sickly beauty that made one want to gently brush them aside just to catch a full glimpse of his gorgeous appearance.
Xie Huaizhou carefully cradled Shen Yanchu, sitting down on the cold, hard stone as he began to circulate the spiritual energy within his body, allowing warmth to gradually transfer over to Shen Yanchu.
Shen Yanchu seemed to sense the source of that warmth, instinctively burrowing into Xie Huaizhou’s embrace to seek more warmth and comfort. His body trembled slightly, but gradually, as Xie Huaizhou’s spiritual energy nourished him, his trembling subsided and color slowly returned to his face.
Xie Huaizhou’s embrace felt like a warm haven, and Shen Yanchu relaxed his tense body within the crook of his arms. With his cheek pressed against Xie Huaizhou’s chest, he could clearly feel the steady heartbeat of the other person, its rhythm acting like a warm flame that banished the chill from his body.
“With you being this afraid of the cold, I wonder how you ever managed to reach the Golden Core stage,” Xie Huaizhou’s voice was deep and filled with care as his palm gently patted Shen Yanchu’s back, transmitting even more heat.
Shen Yanchu opened his eyes slightly, the pair of pupils that had lost their luster due to the cold now regaining their radiance once more. Looking at Xie Huaizhou with a hazy consciousness, he mumbled, “Do not abandon me. It is so cold here, Xiaochu will sweep the floors, will wash the clothes.”
Xie Huaizhou’s fingers gently wiped away the tear at the corner of Shen Yanchu’s eye, his movements executed with the utmost gentleness out of fear that he might hurt Shen Yanchu. At the outer corner of Shen Yanchu’s eye, Xie Huaizhou noticed that tiny red mole, which looked like the final touch on a painting, giving Shen Yanchu’s features an extra touch of charm and uniqueness. An unprecedented wave of protectiveness surged within Xie Huaizhou’s heart.
Outside, the snow fell heavier and heavier, goose-feather snowflakes swirling wildly in the air like a group of mischievous little spirits. Yet despite the raging wind, swirling snow, and biting chill, it had no effect on Xie Huaizhou whatsoever. The spiritual energy radiating from his body formed an invisible yet sturdy barrier, completely blocking the bone-chilling wind and freezing sleet on the outside.
Under his tight protection, Shen Yanchu gradually felt a spring-like warmth enveloping him. His previously shivering body began to warm up, and even the drowsiness brought on by the cold grew increasingly intense.
“You should rest for a bit. Once your body is thoroughly warmed up, we can figure out what to do next together,” Xie Huaizhou said in a soft, gentle voice. His gaze was as tranquil as water, carrying an endless soothing power that felt like gentle spring sunlight resting softly upon one’s heart.
Shen Yanchu nodded slightly in agreement, then closed his eyes tightly and said no more. Before long, his mind settled, and he slowly drifted off into a sweet dream. Meanwhile, Xie Huaizhou sat there steadfastly, maintaining his original posture without daring to make a single move, terrified that any slight motion on his part might disturb Shen Yanchu as he slept soundly.
In the night sky, pristine and flawless snowflakes continued to dance merrily, some gracefully swirling through midair while others drifted leisurely down to the ground. In this silver-clad world, the two sat quietly upon the stone, their figures looking so small yet exceptionally striking. Looking at this scene, it was hard to imagine that earlier that very day, the two of them had been locked in a tense, swords-drawn standoff against one another.