Chapter 18: I Want to Accompany My Boyfriend

When Shen Shilang arrived, Taoist priest Li had already set up an altar in the central garden of the Wei mansion to perform a ritual.

Shen Shilang rushed over and kicked the table, sending the offerings and decorations crashing to the ground.

“Shen Shilang!” Wei Jianming roared, “Have you lost your mind?”

Madam Wei, panting with fury, exclaimed, “Shen Shilang! Are you trying to turn everything upside down today?”

“Get out!” Shen Shilang glared coldly at Taoist priest Li.

At that moment, Taoist priest Li felt a chill run down his spine. The man before him made even the moonlight seem cold, exuding a murderous aura that made it clear if he didn’t leave immediately, Shen Shilang might kill him.

How could someone appear so calm yet radiate such intense killing intent?

Wei Ruyan, with her back to Shen Shilang, didn’t directly face his murderous aura but still couldn’t help feeling tense.

“Shen Shilang, don’t go too far!” Wei Ruyan snapped. “You said we couldn’t perform exorcisms in your courtyard, so we came to the garden. What right do you have to interfere here? And why did you hide your martial arts skills? Are you plotting against my family?”

Shen Shilang ignored her and coldly addressed Taoist priest Li: “Are you leaving or not?”

Wei Ruyan shrieked, “What are you all waiting for? Get him! Steward Zhou, call everyone! Bring all the able-bodied men in the mansion! I refuse to believe he can fight off so many people, no matter how skilled he is!”

“Yes, Young Miss,” Steward Zhou hurried away.

Meanwhile, Su Jinshi had just finished dinner with her classmates and was standing outside the restaurant, calling for a ride on her app. The driver accepted but would take ten minutes to arrive.

As they stood by the roadside, the streetlights and neon signs cast a dazzling glow. Mo Jizong turned and saw Su Jinshi’s face illuminated, looking stunningly beautiful, as if covered by a soft film filter.

He recalled how she had caught his attention when she first entered the restaurant earlier, appearing even more beautiful than he remembered.

Fair-skinned and tall, Su Jinshi carried a quiet, scholarly aura, likely from her frequent engagement with literature.

Mo Jizong said softly to Su Jinshi, “Jinshi, let me give you a ride.”

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft; Xiaomai and the others all heard it.

They looked over curiously, while Du Jin even nudged Kang Youwen playfully.

Su Jinshi was taken aback, uncomfortable with Mo Jizong’s familiar way of addressing her.

“No need, thank you,” Su Jinshi smiled. “I’ve already called a cab. I’m going the same way as Xiaomai, so I’ll go with her.”

Mo Jizong’s face showed no disappointment. He simply said, “Then send me a message when you get home to let me know you’re safe. So I can rest easy.”

Su Jinshi felt awkward and could only say, “We have a group chat, don’t we? We can all just report our safe arrival there.”

“That works too,” Mo Jizong nodded, but still didn’t give up. He added, “Jinshi, this is my first time in the capital, and I’m not familiar with it yet. If you have time, could you show me around?”

As old classmates, Su Jinshi couldn’t refuse outright, so she only responded indirectly, “Sure, if I have some free time.”

This response was essentially equivalent to saying, “I’ll treat you to a meal sometime.”

Who knows when there will be time?

“How about tomorrow then?” Mo Jizong quickly followed up. “Tomorrow’s Sunday, you should be free, right?”

“Uh… tomorrow doesn’t work,” Su Jinshi said. She had been thinking about Shen Shilang throughout dinner, and the idea of spending tomorrow showing Mo Jizong around the capital was out of the question.

“I won’t have much free time in the near future, I’m sorry,” Su Jinshi said. After today’s experience, she felt more at ease staying home with Shen Shilang and didn’t feel compelled to force herself to socialize.

“Oh?” Mo Jizong raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes smiling. “But I heard from Xiaomai that you just finished a manuscript and are resting. You shouldn’t have much to do, right?”

Su Jinshi frowned, thinking, ‘Even if I truly have nothing to do, does that mean I must agree to your request?’

Su Jinshi first gave Xiaomai a surprised look. Xiaomai looked innocent; she had just mentioned it casually during their chat.

Then, Mo Jizong added, “Jinshi, you’re not deliberately avoiding me, are you?”

Su Jinshi smiled too. For Mo Jizong to say this showed he had quite an inflated sense of self-importance.

She simply didn’t want to spend time with him; it was hardly avoiding him.

“I really don’t have any free time, I…” Su Jinshi thought of Shen Shilang and, without knowing why, blurted out, “I want to accompany my boyfriend.”

This statement wasn’t exactly wrong.

She spent every day with Shen Shilang, touching him here and there. Although she hadn’t yet managed to get her hands on his most intimate areas, she had explored everything else.

She spent money on him, went shopping with him, and chatted with him.

She missed him whenever they were apart, and for his sake, she who usually loved sleeping in now got up early every day.

How was this any different from actually dating?

“Boyfriend?” Mo Jizong was genuinely surprised this time. After a moment, he said in astonishment, “Xiao… Xiaomai didn’t mention this.”

Xiaomai quickly added, “You didn’t ask, and I can’t go around talking about Jinshi’s private affairs, can I?”

With Xiaomai’s support, Su Jinshi felt relieved.

Mo Jizong forced a natural smile and said, “Well, next time we gather, you could bring your boyfriend. We’d all like to meet him.”

Su Jinshi just smiled without responding.

Even if she really had a boyfriend, why should she bring him just because Mo Jizong said so?

At that moment, a white electric car with green plates stopped in front of them.

Su Jinshi checked her order and said, “My ride is here. We’ll be going now.”

After saying goodbye to everyone, Su Jinshi got into the car with Xiaomai.

As the driver set off, Xiaomai curiously grabbed Su Jinshi and asked, “When did you start dating? How come I don’t know about it?”

“Oh, so you’re keeping secrets even from me?” Xiaomai said, then worried that Su Jinshi might fear she’d spread the news, quickly explained, “I didn’t specifically tell Mo Jizong you had finished your manuscript and were resting. It just came up when we were chatting about everyone’s recent situations, and I mentioned it in passing. Who knew he had ulterior motives towards you?”

Su Jinshi laughed at Xiaomai’s “ulterior motives” description. “I’m not blaming you for that. I know you’re discreet and won’t gossip unnecessarily.”

“Come on, tell me about your boyfriend!” Xiaomai pressed.

“A cyber boyfriend is still a boyfriend, right?” Su Jinshi took out her phone and opened the game to check on Shen Shilang.

With Xiaomai around, she felt more at ease.

However, Su Jinshi wasn’t sure why, but she felt as if she truly considered Shen Shilang as her boyfriend now.

Instinctively, she didn’t want Xiaomai to hear what Shen Shilang might say to her.

So she took out her Bluetooth earphones and put them on.

She could still hear Xiaomai’s voice though, “Oh, it’s an otome game?”