After a long while, Chu Zhaoyou felt his palm getting warm. He blushed and asked, “What did you see?”

Xiao Heng, with unwavering focus, thought for a long time and finally grasped a vague term. He quickly said, “Two dogs.”

He pursed his lips, not daring to say more based on Chu Zhaoyou’s expression, and looked straight ahead with a rather honest expression.

Chu Zhaoyou: “…” After all this time, he was just teaching Xiao Heng to recognize animals.

Self-reliance is still necessary.

With a heavy heart, Chu Zhaoyou found an abandoned thatched cottage at the foot of the mountain. It might have been vacated by the owner’s family or simply served as a temporary residence for hunters. He couldn’t afford an inn, and due to the upcoming task, he didn’t want to impose on others. He couldn’t worry about trespassing at this point.

Under the sky, all land is the king’s land.

I am not in a hurry.

I am not in a hurry.

Chu Zhaoyou silently repeated these words twice and then dug a broken bowl from a corner. The medicine powder given by the old man had to be administered to Xiao Heng three times, once now and then again in a month.

Chu Zhaoyou glanced at the dirty bowl and decided against using it. Xiao Heng already looked rough enough; there was no need to soak the medicine in water. He could take it dry.

…

At first, he was worried that Xiao Heng wouldn’t cooperate.

Soon, he realized that this was an unnecessary concern, to the point where he suspected Xiao Heng was pretending to be weak.

Then he began to worry about other things.

Xiao Heng was probably an elite warrior. His belt buckle was very complex, ensuring that his clothes wouldn’t suddenly fall apart during a mission. Chu Zhaoyou struggled with the buckle, feeling frustrated. It was like a combination lock, and his eyes were filled with tears as he angrily questioned, “You can’t even undo your own clothes? You might as well suffocate yourself.”

Xiao Heng innocently fiddled with the buckle, his movements a bit urgent. He pinched the edge of the buckle with two fingers, his veins bulging, secretly preparing to exert force.

Did he want to force his way out?

Chu Zhaoyou “smack” slapped his hand away. Could he really not think of such a simple solution? It was only because they were too poor to afford a second set of clothes.

Xiao Heng realized his mistake, withdrew his hand, furrowed his brow, pursed his lips, and had a thin layer of sweat on his temples.

Chu Zhaoyou pondered deeply, and as he raised his head, he caught a glimpse of Xiao Heng’s furrowed brow, which instantly made his heart skip a beat.

Could he be starting to have a headache? What a frustrating mechanism. He was sure he had the right method, but he just couldn’t open it, testing his patience.

Feeling anxious, a flash of insight struck Chu Zhaoyou. He changed his approach to personally undo Xiao Heng’s belt, using the pattern he had discovered. With a soft “click,” the black belt fell to the ground.

The heavily guarded belt mechanism made Chu Zhaoyou feel as if he had defiled a pure maiden.

On one hand, he was ecstatic, firmly believing that he had solved the puzzle with his extensive mechanical knowledge. He thought that Lu Ban should take him as an apprentice.

Xiao Heng also breathed a sigh of relief, as the biggest obstacle had been removed. He subconsciously wanted to embrace Chu Zhaoyou, but when he held him, he felt a surge of indescribable emotion coursing through his body. He could only gaze at Chu Zhaoyou with dark, unfathomable eyes.

Chu Zhaoyou felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, avoiding eye contact and starting to fidget. He had always felt that Xiao Heng was different from ordinary people, and now, at his peak, he was even more cautious.

Xiao Heng’s plea was ignored, and an inevitable sense of urgency appeared on his face. He had a headache, but he knew it wasn’t the excruciating pain caused by the Gu attacking his brain and marrow.

Chu Zhaoyou noticed Xiao Heng’s furrowed brow and had to act quickly.

Xiao Heng blinked slowly, lost in thought.

As Chu Zhaoyou slowed down, Xiao Heng’s brow furrowed, and Chu Zhaoyou hesitated… It was all too reminiscent of the essence of a puppet eking out a living under the regent’s control.

Just as he was about to go all out, Chu Zhaoyou had a vague feeling that he was being played.

But what could Xiao Heng possibly understand?

However, the biggest challenge for Chu Zhaoyou was the technical guidance.

What a mess! Frankly speaking, Xiao Heng must have been a complete novice before losing his memory! He looked like he was in his early twenties and didn’t know anything!

Chu Zhaoyou vented his frustration inwardly.

He had thought it would be a straightforward teaching session, but Chu Zhaoyou blushed and clumsily demonstrated.

Clearly, it was the student’s fault, but Chu Zhaoyou blamed it all on the lack of talent.

Couldn’t he learn on his own?

Finally, Chu Zhaoyou closed his eyes in frustration. “I’ve taught you how to make fire by rubbing wood.”

…

…

As the sun set and the moon rose, the North Star twinkled, and the Purple Star moved, heralding the dawn in the east.

Chu Zhaoyou felt as if he were walking on air. “I’m the fool here.”