Hua Jin’s message was like a final verdict.

[Lifesaver Xiao Hua: Your destined person is actually the one truly meant for your Xuanziming. You need physical intimacy, a blending of water and milk, to completely cure the inexplicable pain and break the fatal fate.]

[Lifesaver Xiao Hua: Even if it’s just pretend, you have to do what real couples do.]

Do what couples do…

So that means he has to do the things he dreamed about with Qi Xun to completely break this curse?

Ruan Xinyuan felt like he was struck by lightning on a clear day.

Probably seeing that he hadn’t replied for a while, Hua Jin sent another message.

[Lifesaver Xiao Hua: But Yuan, don’t worry. For now, physical contact can ease it. Just take it step by step. You can start by holding hands with Xiao Qi and develop feelings. The couple stuff will naturally follow. Just make sure it’s done before your nineteenth birthday. You still have three months.]

Ruan Xinyuan snapped back to reality, somewhat numbly typing a reply.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Okay, Grandma, I got it. Don’t tell Mom and Dad about this yet, so they don’t overthink it. [Cute Cat Begging]]

[Lifesaver Xiao Hua: Don’t worry, just make sure to handle it well. Let me know if anything changes.]

Ruan Xinyuan placed his phone face down on the table and started daydreaming.

He should have guessed. If just getting married worked, then getting a certificate would just be a formality without much change in outcome.

There must be more to it.

The mind is hard to control, but the body is much easier.

The warm touch of Qi Xun holding his hand a few days ago lingered in his nerves.

People always forget the pain once the scars heal. Today, when the heartache struck again, Ruan Xinyuan was scared. The piercing pain with no known cause was unbearable.

If he hadn’t found Qi Xun, he had no doubt he would die from the pain one day.

He still couldn’t figure out Qi Xun’s feelings for him. Rationally, it seemed like there was some interest but not much. Most actions were probably out of courtesy to a legal husband.

But Ruan Xinyuan couldn’t help but think there should be more interest than before.

Otherwise, why would Qi Xun ask him to call him “husband” and give him White Rabbit candies?

In Qi Xun’s mind, he was still someone who liked him. He had talked about fairness before, and now he wanted physical contact, which seemed unfair to Qi Xun.

Ruan Xinyuan was torn, unable to think of a good solution, so he decided to “bother” Qiao Siming.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: DD, urgent matter, reply quickly.]

Qiao Siming, always with his phone, replied almost instantly.

[Classmate Xiao Ming: Here, here, what’s up?]

Ruan Xinyuan typed quickly.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Bad news, my heartache struck again after two days. I discussed it with my grandma… she told me to ease it, I need physical intimacy, and to cure it, I might need to do that thing. [Soybean Cracking]]

[Classmate Xiao Ming: Wait, what? Ahh?!]

Even through the screen, Ruan Xinyuan could feel Qiao Siming’s shock and imagined his expression, making him laugh with a sense of “finding joy in hardship.”

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: So I’m asking you, with your rich dating experience, any good ways to naturally have physical contact with Professor Qi, like intimate couples do…]

Though shocked, Qiao Siming quickly processed the information.

Soon, he sent a suggestion.

[Classmate Xiao Ming: What’s so hard about that? You’re real husbands now, with a certificate. Every guy has desires. I don’t believe he doesn’t. Isn’t it normal to fulfill physiological needs?]

[Classmate Xiao Ming: Oh right, I almost forgot you don’t actually like him, and you’re shy around him. Professor Qi doesn’t like you either. Hmm, then just… seriously pursue him!]

Ruan Xinyuan’s typing paused, his pupils unconsciously dilating.

Pursue… Qi Xun?

Qiao Siming gave a very authoritative reason.

[Classmate Xiao Ming: I think this is the best way. He knows you like him, and agreeing to marry you so quickly means he naturally has some interest. Just be thick-skinned and say you want to pursue him. Then you can slowly build psychological acceptance, a win-win. [Clapping]]

Ruan Xinyuan pondered the feasibility of this plan.

Qiao Siming made sense.

After having that dream last night, he didn’t feel uncomfortable with the idea of intimacy with Qi Xun, just shy and worried about offending him.

So subconsciously, he wasn’t opposed, and his tolerance for Qi Xun’s touch was high. As for Qi Xun… just pursue him.

Ruan Xinyuan steadied his mind, feeling less troubled, and typed a reply.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Ming, you’re right. [Rose]]

Ruan Xinyuan noted the time. The pain struck around 9 PM today, so as long as he had physical contact with Qi Xun before then, it shouldn’t happen that day.

If he could bear it, he might even test the effectiveness, seeing how long different levels of intimacy could prevent the pain.

Looks like the cohabitation thing needs to be sorted out soon.

He had to thank his grandma for her foresight.

With that in mind, Ruan Xinyuan boldly opened the chat with Qi Xun. At this time, Qi Xun should still be awake.

He carefully typed out a sentence, word by word.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Brother Xun, do you mind if I continue to pursue you while we’re married?]

Qi Xun didn’t reply quickly, probably busy.

Ruan Xinyuan waited, his heart pounding, nervous about the response.

“Buzz—”

He immediately focused on the chat box.

[Professor Qi: Since I don’t mind having someone who likes me sleep beside me, I certainly don’t mind this.]

[Professor Qi: I’ll wait for you to pursue me.]

Ruan Xinyuan’s breath caught for a moment. Qi Xun was more tolerant of him than he expected…

He decided to press his advantage.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Then, do you mind if I cheat a bit while pursuing you, since we’re legal husbands? [Pointing Fingers]]

[Professor Qi: Like what?]

Ruan Xinyuan had a flash of inspiration and made a request.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Like, can I hold your hand when we go grocery shopping the day after tomorrow? [Penguin Spinning]]

He held his phone, intently staring at Qi Xun’s WeChat avatar, waiting for a while with no response.

Did something come up, or did he go too far?

It wasn’t too much, right? Just holding hands.

A bit of a mess.

Ruan Xinyuan muttered, his heart in turmoil, feeling a bit deflated.

Maybe it was “too aggressive.” For Qi Xun, who didn’t like him, such a request wasn’t just cheating; it was moral coercion.

He was about to backtrack and say it was okay not to cheat when Qi Xun’s message finally popped up.

[Professor Qi: Sorry, Xiao Yuan, something came up just now.]

[Professor Qi: As long as you don’t cheat on exams, anything else is fine with me.]

The little flower in Ruan Xinyuan’s heart, which had been wilting, was suddenly watered, bursting with vitality, making his whole heart lively.

He pondered for a long time, unsure how to respond. His earlier courage was spent, and he needed to regroup. Finally, he sent a cute cat goodnight sticker and made a quick exit.

Ruan Xinyuan lingered in the chat, waiting for Qi Xun’s goodnight reply, feeling elated by Qi Xun’s words.

In the end, he couldn’t resist taking a screenshot and went to bother Qiao Siming again.

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: [Chat Screenshot]]

[Abundant Wealth Golden Ingot: Professor Qi is really nice, hehe.]

Three seconds later, Qiao Siming replied with a period, followed by a long message.

[Classmate Xiao Ming: Not a Photoshop? Not a lost phone story? You actually asked directly? And he actually agreed? This isn’t right, bro. Are you showing off? Do you even need my advice? I should just wait for the wedding, right? [I’ll Keep Watching You.jpg]]

Ruan Xinyuan pretended not to see it, using the same trick, sending Qiao Siming a cute cat goodnight sticker before making another quick exit.

*

“Nanyan, did you bring what I asked for last time?” Tai Jiaoyue, in a green gauze fairy robe, walked down from the Bridge of Forgotten Affections.

Qi Xun handed over a brocade pouch embroidered with a red phoenix. “Yes.”

Tai Jiaoyue opened the pouch and took out a strand of black hair.

This was a strand Qi Xun had gently cut from Ruan Xinyuan’s head the night he returned in ghost form.

Tai Jiaoyue touched her brow, murmured a spell, and the black hair floated into the Three-Life River, drifting on the emerald surface, carried further by the flowing Three-Life Water.

A brilliant light flashed before Qi Xun’s eyes as he watched the willows on the bank quickly sprout and grow. A tender green leaf, like a small boat, danced down to Tai Jiaoyue’s palm.

Tai Jiaoyue chanted another spell, handing the leaf to Qi Xun. “Use it to cut your fingertip.”

Qi Xun did as instructed. The leaf’s edge was sharp, and with a slight cut, golden liquid flowed from his fingertip. The willow leaf, stained with Qi Xun’s blood, seemed to gain intelligence, playfully sticking to Qi Xun’s palm.

Tai Jiaoyue couldn’t help but tease, “Looks like your beloved is a cheerful and cute person.”

Indeed, very cute.

Qi Xun couldn’t resist rubbing the leaf’s surface with his finger. The leaf clung closer, but soon it stopped moving, quietly turning yellow in his palm until it completely withered and lost its vitality.

The atmosphere turned somber, and the glowing willows in the distance dimmed.

“You should know, when the Three-Life Water absorbs a person’s hair and grows willows, the fallen leaf represents the mortal’s three souls and seven spirits. I saw it lively and vibrant, so the seven spirits should be intact. But after gaining your intelligence, it withered quickly…” Tai Jiaoyue frowned slightly, looking seriously at Qi Xun, who was staring intently at the leaf in his palm.

“It means he’s missing a soul.” Qi Xun closed his palm, looking at the Three-Life River, his gaze turning cold.

Seeing he understood the issue, Tai Jiaoyue didn’t explain further, instead asking, “Have you noticed anything unusual about him in the mortal world, different from other mortals?”

Qi Xun thought silently, finally speaking, “Yes, he doesn’t love me or know me well, yet he wants to marry me and pursue me.”

Maybe he’s after your looks and money.

Tai Jiaoyue flicked her hair, her mouth twitching slightly, muttering to herself but not saying it aloud.

Qi Xun knew what her expression was silently criticizing, but he didn’t mind, continuing, “He’s only eighteen in the mortal world, no need to seek marriage so early. There must be another reason, perhaps related to the missing soul, but he won’t tell me the truth.”

When Ruan Xinyuan proposed, Qi Xun’s first reaction was ecstatic joy, agreeing almost instantly. But upon calming down, he realized there must be something fishy. With no movement in his red thread, yet determined to pursue him, it was suspicious.

Unfortunately, though a ghost, he couldn’t read minds.

Now, realizing Ruan Xinyuan was missing a soul, he naturally connected the dots.

Perhaps Ruan Xinyuan had reasons to marry and approach him, and he… was the chosen one.

Regardless, Qi Xun was grateful to be that choice.

Tai Jiaoyue turned serious, “He can’t be registered in the Pavilion of Life-Registrar. The missing soul, if fate, is hard to defy. At most ten years, he’ll perish again in the mortal world. The next time his soul reunites for reincarnation, it might take hundreds, even thousands of years.”

Qi Xun sent the leaf into the Three-Life River, speaking calmly, “No matter how many years, I can wait. Even if I have to strip my soul and vanish from the world, I’ll find a way to complete his missing part.”

Tai Jiaoyue wanted to say more, but seeing Qi Xun’s resolute expression, she knew it was futile, only sighing in the end.

Whether it was worth it, countless people had asked this nearly obsessed man a century ago.

Back then, Qi Xun wasn’t called Qi Xun.

But his answer had always been the same.

“Above the nine heavens, below the underworld, in the vast human realm, without him, even the sky falling and the earth shattering wouldn’t matter.”

*

Ruan Xinyuan scanned the area, quickly spotting a shopping cart, and pulled one over to Qi Xun.

“Let’s go in.” He hadn’t been to a supermarket in a while and was a bit excited.

But Qi Xun stood still, making Ruan Xinyuan look at him in confusion.

Qi Xun gave him a gentle smile, extending a well-defined hand, tilting his head as a reminder, “Didn’t you say you wanted to cheat?”