“Has Master retired for the night?”
Jiang Xu’s eyes widened. Wasn’t that Chu Weiling?
He instinctively turned to glance at Wen Hexue, but saw that the other man had no intention of speaking. Jiang Xu blinked and asked in a puzzled whisper, using only mouth movements, “Aren’t you going to let him in?”
Having likely received no response, Chu Weiling knocked twice more and called out softly, “Master.”
Wen Hexue watched him for a moment before speaking, “Do you want him to come in?”
?? Jiang Xu was utterly baffled by this question. Wen Hexue was the master of this room; why was he asking him instead?
However, although his relationship with Chu Weiling wasn’t exactly great, Chu Weiling might have important business coming to find Wen Hexue in the middle of the night. After thinking it over, Jiang Xu whispered, “He must have something to discuss with you, Master. You should let him in.”
After a pause, he added softly, “But… should I hide?”
Wen Hexue gave him a puzzled look, not quite catching his drift. Yet, as soon as Jiang Xu finished speaking, he jumped up and looked around for a place to hide. His eyes lit up as he looked toward Wen Hexue. Saying, “Master, forgive my rudeness,” he scrambled over. There happened to be a screen behind where Wen Hexue was sitting—wouldn’t hiding behind it be perfect?
Seeing his movements, Wen Hexue actually chuckled. He raised a hand and tapped the air, freezing Jiang Xu’s movements. He looked at the silhouette still lingering on the door and said, “Come in.” Then, under Jiang Xu’s startled gaze, a flick of white light from Wen Hexue’s fingertip caused the large living human to vanish, turning into a small black cat in the blink of an eye.
At the same time, the door opened. Chu Weiling stepped inside, carrying a small, delicate food box in his hand. Wen Hexue had already gathered the black cat—Jiang Xu—into his arms, placing him on his lap and stroking him gently.
Chu Weiling shifted the food box awkwardly. Jiang Xu looked at him through a pair of transparent, glass-like cat eyes, thinking that he looked vastly different from the way he usually acted. He complained internally: How can his attitude toward me be so completely different from his attitude toward Master?
Still, Master’s hands were cool and felt wonderful. Jiang Xu narrowed his eyes in enjoyment. Turning into a cat seemed to have given his body feline instincts; he unconsciously arched his back and rubbed against Wen Hexue’s palm.
Wen Hexue let him do as he pleased, his movements becoming even gentler. He looked up at Chu Weiling and asked, “Coming so late, is something the matter?”
Chu Weiling pursed his lips and gestured with the food box. “I heard the other day that Master likes lotus seed porridge, so I wanted to bring some for Master to taste tonight,” he said awkwardly.
Jiang Xu’s pupils experienced a “cat-sized earthquake” as he watched this bashful display. He stared up and down at Chu Weiling, making sure this was indeed the real person.
Why is this guy being so attentive to Master? And this attentiveness feels a bit weird!
He shook his cat head to stop himself from overthinking, but he was held down by the palm resting on his body. Then he heard Wen Hexue’s calm voice, “That’s just a rumor. Lotus seed porridge is not a favorite of mine.” He glanced at Chu Weiling and continued, “I’ve troubled you to come so late.”
Chu Weiling’s face slowly turned red. He gripped the handle of the food box with both hands, squeezing tightly. Jiang Xu lay on Wen Hexue’s lap, looking up at his expression, his heart filled with growing suspicion—though he didn’t quite dare to guess wildly.
“Then I must have misheard.” Everyone in the mountains knew that Master Wen Hexue was cold and distant. This wasn’t the first time Chu Weiling had been treated this way, but experiencing it again still felt like “pressing a warm face against a cold butt,” leaving him feeling inevitably dejected.
He lowered his eyes and stole a look at Master’s face. The tips of his ears turned redder and redder. When he finally looked away, his gaze happened to land on the small, clean bowl on the table and the single piece of pastry left on the white plate. His expression stiffened. “Has Master… already eaten?”
Wen Hexue looked at him. “I have eaten.” He glanced at the food box in Chu Weiling’s hand and said, “The night is deep and the dew is heavy; you should return early. I appreciate the kind intention.”
Chu Weiling’s grip tightened further, but in the end, he didn’t say more. He set the food box down and said softly, “This was made by me for Master; there is no reason for a disciple to eat it himself. I’ll leave it for Master. It doesn’t matter if you eat it or not.” He smiled, and his usually sharp features appeared slightly tender. “Leaving it here fulfills a wish of mine.”
Watching from the side, Jiang Xu had already felt Chu Weiling’s attitude toward Master was strange, but these words made his “cat brain” go into shock. This was exactly like a teenage boy giving a gift to a secret crush.
Could it be that Chu Weiling’s reverence for Master has gone overboard and turned into something else?
Save me! Jiang Xu covered his cat face and sighed. He hadn’t committed a crime worthy of death; why did he have to be in this situation?
Wen Hexue didn’t know what the little cat in his lap was thinking. He simply pulled down the paws covering the cat’s face and continued stroking the fluffy fur. He didn’t refuse again, but he lowered his head and stopped speaking.
The room was filled with a pleasant fragrance and felt incredibly cozy. Being scratched so comfortably, Jiang Xu unconsciously began to purr.
Chu Weiling pursed his lips tightly, his hands at his sides clenching. His gaze fell on the sleek little black cat in Master’s hands, and his brow furrowed. In his memory, Master not only disliked people but treated everything in the world with the same cold indifference. He had never heard of him liking small animals. Where did this black cat come from?
“Does Master like cats?”
Wen Hexue’s lowered eyes lifted slightly, and this time a faint smile actually appeared. Chu Weiling was dazed by the sight. Then he heard the Master say: “I only like this one.”
Only likes this one? Chu Weiling looked at the black cat a few more times. He found nothing extraordinary about it, but felt the deep black cat pupils staring at him were somewhat familiar. Before he could think further, Wen Hexue issued an order to leave. “It is late. Go back now.”
Chu Weiling took a few more looks at the cat before withdrawing his gaze. Pursing his lips, he said reluctantly, “Yes. This disciple takes his leave.”
It wasn’t until Chu Weiling left that Jiang Xu jumped out of Wen Hexue’s arms and stood on the writing desk. He wanted to ask about Chu Weiling, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out were “meows.” He waved his soft paws, gesturing for Master to change him back, but saw that Master was acting as if nothing had happened, picking up his book again as if he had forgotten him.
It’s one thing to turn me into a cat, but why is there no after-sales service?!
Jiang Xu jumped down from the desk and climbed back into Wen Hexue’s lap, rolling around and lying on his back. He heard a very soft laugh from above. Wen Hexue took the small paw that was tugging at his sleeve into his palm. A clear, spiritual light released from his hand and flowed into the fluffy paw. Jiang Xu felt his whole body grow warm. The two cat paws before his eyes rapidly enlarged. Before he could react, there was a poof, and he was back in human form.
“What kind of immortal spell is this!” He joyfully touched his restored face and felt his undamaged clothes. He marveled, “Master, teach me!”
However, when he looked up, he froze. Looking at Wen Hexue’s face above him, he realized belatedly that he was currently lying in the man’s lap—in his original form.
Wen Hexue didn’t say anything, but a shallow smile played at the corners of his mouth as he looked back at him. Jiang Xu’s face turned bright red instantly. He scrambled to get up, but in his panic, his foot slipped. He grabbed Wen Hexue’s shoulders only to slide back down and end up lying flat again.
Jiang Xu: “…” Thank you, bad luck only takes a second.
With a bitter face, he pressed his palms together. “I’m sorry, Master! I didn’t mean to slip, and I didn’t mean to take advantage of you!”
“Take advantage?” Wen Hexue laughed softly. He reached out, wrapped an arm around the waist of the person lying on his lap, and with a slight lift, helped him up. Looking at the blushing Jiang Xu, he added, “It is no matter if you do.”
Jiang Xu’s brain was still in a fog. He dazed out and asked, “Master, what did you say?”
Wen Hexue slowly shook his head. “Nothing.” He glanced out the window. “The night is late…”
A situation this awkward? Time to run!
Jiang Xu quickly blurted out, “I’m leaving right now!” He ran to the door, but when he pulled, it didn’t budge. He looked back to see Wen Hexue watching him with a smile.
…Why? Why does Wen Hexue always break his character around me!!
“Master,” he began awkwardly, “why won’t it open?”
Wen Hexue flicked his finger, and Jiang Xu felt a force pull him backward, bringing him instantly before the Master. “Why the hurry to leave?” He stood up and signaled for Jiang Xu to follow. They walked to the back, arriving before a bed that had been prepared earlier. Wen Hexue finally spoke again, “The night is late; rest here tonight.”
There was a thin summer quilt on the bed, seemingly prepared in advance. He looked at the bed, then at Wen Hexue. After a long while, he spoke in surprise, “…I’m sleeping here?” He gave a forced laugh. “Don’t joke, Master. If I sleep here, where will you sleep?”
Wen Hexue didn’t speak, but simply looked at him seriously.
“…” No way. Jiang Xu frowned in agony. “Master, then where will you sleep?”
“There is only this one bed here,” Wen Hexue spoke calmly.
Jiang Xu’s expression froze. So, when 001 said he and Master had to stay together all night, it wasn’t to help him avoid danger—it was to make him experience extreme awkwardness and pain, right? If he walked out of Master’s room tomorrow and someone saw him, wouldn’t he lose a layer of skin from the scandal?
Seeing his expression, Wen Hexue’s eyes crinkled slightly. “Just a joke.” He turned and sat back down at the writing desk. “If you wish to stay, stay; if you wish to leave, leave.”
Jiang Xu stared at his tall, elegant back and blinked blankly. After a long while, he gave a muffled “Mm.”
In the end, he still ran out. Are you kidding me? He and Master had only known each other for a short time. Master was definitely just joking. If he had agreed and lied down on the man’s bed, he would have been the only one dying of embarrassment!
As Jiang Xu walked and thought, he pulled out the jade pendant from his waist. The confusion in his heart grew—where did this jade come from? And why was Master so… so nice to him?
There were too many puzzles and not a single useful clue. 001 was also appearing and disappearing like a ghost. Jiang Xu frowned and sighed, when a figure suddenly flashed before his eyes.
Who is acting so suspiciously this late at night? He was startled, then immediately hid and carefully followed after the person.