As soon as Yan Fu finished speaking, the wall behind him began to ripple like water, gradually forming a dark silhouette. In just a moment, a person stepped out from the boundary—a monk with delicate features and a shaved head, dressed in simple gray robes. His left hand was raised before his chest with fingers pressed together, while his right hand slowly turned a string of prayer beads.

Clearly, this was none other than Zhai Feng, the monk who had been expelled from Tian Ming Mountain several years prior.

Zhai Feng walked over to Yan Fu’s side, casting a quick glance at HuLü Yan before bowing slightly with his gaze lowered. “Amitabha, this humble monk’s name is Wu De, also known as Zhai Feng, the one you’ve been looking for.”

Peering out from behind HuLü Yan, Mi Lu clung to his robe and greeted Zhai Feng. “Master Wu De, Qiu Bei from Tian Ming Mountain sent us to find you. He said you could reveal certain truths to us.”

“That’s right,” Wu De replied, sighing softly. “Unfortunately, now is not the time.”

Hearing this, HuLü Yan’s expression darkened. “Are you messing with us?”

Sensing HuLü Yan’s growing frustration, Mi Lu quickly ran a gentle hand along his back, signaling him to stay calm. Surprisingly, this small gesture worked wonders; in the blink of an eye, HuLü Yan’s expression softened, and even his gaze toward Wu De and Yan Fu seemed less hostile. If one looked closely, they would notice the tips of HuLü Yan’s ears were flushed red.

Both Wu De and Yan Fu noticed the small interaction between the young couple. Yan Fu looked away knowingly, a bit awkwardly, while Wu De appeared puzzled.

After calming HuLü Yan, Mi Lu asked Wu De, “Why can’t you tell us now?”

Wu De’s gaze lingered on Mi Lu and HuLü Yan for a moment before settling on Mi Lu. “All who know the past have been bound by a silence spell and cannot speak a single word about the truth. Though the silence spell can be forcefully broken using spiritual energy, the consequences… Well, you recently witnessed them, didn’t you?”

HuLü Yan didn’t respond, only looked at Wu De with cold eyes.

Hearing Wu De’s words, Mi Lu began to understand. “May I ask what Master Wu De intends to do?”

Wu De replied, “Qiu Bei has likely already told you everything he could. Now, I need you to accompany me to Drunken City.”

“When do we leave?”

“Immediately.”

–

After leaving Yan Fu’s quarters, Mi Lu and HuLü Yan returned to the courtyard where they were temporarily staying. Mi Lu had previously been fixated on uncovering the truth in Drunken City and hadn’t considered HuLü Yan’s feelings. Since HuLü Yan had shown no resistance, Mi Lu hadn’t thought much of it. Before today, he would’ve followed Wu De to Drunken City without hesitation.

But after learning about HuLü Yan’s origins from Yan Fu, though there was a possibility that Yan Fu had lied, Mi Lu hesitated.

Back in HuLü Yan’s room, Mi Lu pressed HuLü Yan into a chair, hands resting on his shoulders as he looked down at him. HuLü Yan gazed up at him quietly, his dark eyes catching the sunlight streaming in from the window, scattering patches of light over his face.

Feeling Mi Lu’s hands on his shoulders, HuLü Yan instinctively wrapped his arm around Mi Lu’s waist. The touch of HuLü Yan’s fingers on his waist tickled Mi Lu, making him squirm a little, but he didn’t have the heart to push HuLü Yan’s hand away.

“I want to ask you something,” Mi Lu said.

After last night, HuLü Yan seemed to have completely let go of any inhibitions. Boldly, he rested his chin against Mi Lu’s stomach, his gaze lifting to meet Mi Lu’s. Then he responded with a soft “Mm.”

Their positions made Mi Lu feel slightly awkward, as though all his subtle expressions were visible to HuLü Yan. Shifting his chin back, he asked, “Do you want to go to Drunken City?”

HuLü Yan’s expression shifted slightly at the mention of Drunken City.

“If you don’t want to go, we don’t have to.”

After a moment of silence, HuLü Yan replied, “Do you want me to go?”

Mi Lu smiled. “This is your matter. Why ask me?”

“Because you care about my affairs.”

“…”

Mi Lu’s smile froze, suddenly unsure how to respond. He had assumed HuLü Yan hadn’t thought about such things, yet HuLü Yan’s heart was evidently crystal clear.

There was no way he could explain to HuLü Yan that he had come from another world, nor could he confess that he had used half of HuLü Yan’s heart. After some thought, he said, “It’s what I owe you, I—”

“You don’t need to explain,” HuLü Yan interrupted, as though sensing Mi Lu’s unease. “I don’t care about the reason.”

He grasped Mi Lu’s hand, and, confirming that Mi Lu wouldn’t pull away, threaded their fingers together.

“I don’t care about your past or why you’re by my side. As long as you stay with me, that’s enough.”

He leaned back, pressing a light kiss on Mi Lu’s hand, then looked up at him. “I like you, Mi Lu.”

Mi Lu blinked, sighing softly as he responded with a soft “Mm.”

HuLü Yan’s eyes were steady on him. “Do you like me, too?”

Mi Lu opened his mouth but found himself unable to respond. He could be sure that his feelings toward HuLü Yan weren’t purely romantic. As for why he had agreed to last night, perhaps it was because he’d never been in love and didn’t know how to differentiate between love and other forms of closeness.

In this world, apart from himself, HuLü Yan was the only one who gave him any sense of reality. He didn’t mind continuing on this path with HuLü Yan.

As for how he would continue—with friendship, family, or romance—it didn’t really matter to him. He didn’t reject any of it. So, when HuLü Yan initiated, he had naturally accepted.

But to say he deeply loved HuLü Yan… that wasn’t quite true.

Mi Lu thought about whether he should lie and tell HuLü Yan that he liked him too, but “like” was too heavy a word, and he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

HuLü Yan waited silently, his expression gradually stiffening as the light in his eyes faded.

Just when Mi Lu thought HuLü Yan might say something, he stood up, grasping Mi Lu’s chin gently and tilting it upward. A featherlight kiss brushed against Mi Lu’s lips.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t like me,” HuLü Yan murmured, almost to himself. “It’s fine. Just let me like you instead. I’ll keep liking you, always.”

He lingered against Mi Lu’s lips, then tentatively parted his lips to explore further, gently testing Mi Lu’s willingness. Though HuLü Yan appeared calm, Mi Lu could feel the faint tremor in HuLü Yan’s hand on his waist, as if he were suppressing some fierce, overwhelming emotion.

Yes.

It didn’t matter.

After all, he had never been the type of person others could easily like; even the woman who raised him had come to resent and hate him.

All he needed was for Mi Lu to stay with him forever. Nothing else mattered.

HuLü Yan’s attention drifted to his hand clasped around Mi Lu’s chin. Currently, these hands weren’t his own; while they functioned well enough, they lacked the sensation of his real hands.

Before, he hadn’t minded, but after last night, he realized he needed his own hands back. He didn’t want to continue touching Mi Lu through something as detached as a stranger’s hands.

Unaware of HuLü Yan’s thoughts, Mi Lu was left dazed, face flushed, having to steady himself by gripping HuLü Yan’s shoulders. The two unconsciously ended up near the bed.

Lying back against the soft blankets, Mi Lu nervously glanced at the ceiling, clutching the bedding beside him. He had expected HuLü Yan’s face to appear above him any moment, but nothing happened.

Just as he was about to sit up, HuLü Yan pressed him back down. Then, he felt a sudden coolness below.

“Hu… HuLü Yan?!” Mi Lu’s face went pale with shock.

From his angle, he couldn’t see what HuLü Yan was doing. But soon enough, HuLü Yan’s actions answered his question.

Mi Lu was completely petrified.

In that instant, he truly felt as though his vision went black, and all coherent thought vanished. Even the ringing in his ears drowned out any other sounds. What was HuLü Yan doing? How could he do something like this?!

Though Mi Lu had lived in the information-saturated 21st century, with comprehensive sex education and access to all kinds of resources, his long-term illness had kept him isolated from such matters.

He could barely believe what HuLü Yan was doing, shock and embarrassment pounding against his beliefs. Amidst the buzzing noise, he finally registered another sound—the shattering of his worldview.

He struggled to sit up, hands grasping blindly, finding HuLü Yan’s hair and tugging it firmly. “HuLü Yan…” he muttered breathlessly, his words garbled, “don’t… don’t do this…”

HuLü Yan allowed Mi Lu to grab his hair, making no attempt to resist. After a moment, HuLü Yan chuckled lightly. “Don’t what?”

“Just… don’t…” Mi Lu stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

He couldn’t even begin to describe what HuLü Yan was doing.

He was utterly dazed, completely out of control of his own actions. How did HuLü Yan even know about this? Wasn’t he four years younger? How did he seem so knowledgeable?

Mi Lu struggled to reel in his thoughts, feeling his face grow unbearably hot. “It’s too dirty…”

“It’s not,” HuLü Yan replied.

Mi Lu felt tears pricking his eyes, trying to close his legs, but all his efforts were in vain…

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. Mi Lu felt as though he were dying, reviving, and dying again. By the end, he was utterly drained.

Meanwhile, HuLü Yan acted as if nothing had happened, even performing the Cleansing Technique for him.

Mi Lu turned his head just in time to see HuLü Yan gulp down something.

Mi Lu: “…”

He couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

Covering his face with his hands, he tried to salvage a sliver of his dignity. HuLü Yan lay beside him, removing one of Mi Lu’s hands and, after a moment’s hesitation, gave him a gentle peck on the cheek.

Mi Lu glanced sideways at HuLü Yan, his voice weak. “Don’t do that again.”

HuLü Yan propped his head up, looking at him. “Why not?”

“It’s not… good,” Mi Lu replied.

“What’s wrong with it?” HuLü Yan asked seriously, brow furrowed as if genuinely contemplating it. “Did it feel uncomfortable?”

“…” Mi Lu was speechless.

“Was it really uncomfortable?” HuLü Yan pressed, his curiosity unquenched. “Where?”

Mi Lu sighed deeply, finally releasing the breath he’d been holding. “Sigh…”

“Come on, tell me.” HuLü Yan leaned closer, half-playful as he urged, “How else am I supposed to improve if you don’t tell me?”

He paused, murmuring to himself, “But I saw them doing it that way.”

This statement pricked at Mi Lu’s heart, the subtle discomfort he’d felt earlier flaring into something bitter and swollen.

Without thinking, he cupped HuLü Yan’s cheeks, pressing them slightly, causing HuLü Yan’s lips to purse.

HuLü Yan blinked in confusion, waiting for Mi Lu to speak.

Glancing at HuLü Yan’s lips, Mi Lu quickly averted his gaze as though he’d been burned, clearing his throat. “What I mean is, you don’t need to do things like that to please me. I’m not leaving unless you tell me to. I’ll stay with you, no matter what.”

Then he lifted his chin, planting a light kiss on HuLü Yan’s forehead.

For the first time, Mi Lu took the initiative, feeling as if ants were crawling all over him, his skin tingling.

And HuLü Yan’s expression changed from solemn to stunned, a rare, genuine smile spreading across his face like a flower blooming in spring.

A heartfelt smile, so vibrant it stole the color from the world, leaving only HuLü Yan in vivid, iridescent hues.

In that moment, Mi Lu felt an undeniable attraction, not just to his looks but to the way an invisible hand seemed to reach into his heart.

He knew—

No matter how unreal this world might be, HuLü Yan’s smile was real.

And HuLü Yan himself was real.

“I didn’t do that to please you.” HuLü Yan hugged him gently, whispering by his ear, “I just wanted you to feel good and be happy. That’s all.”

Mi Lu blinked, returning the embrace. “Mm.”

And HuLü Yan’s words were real, too.

•

Mi Lu ultimately decided to visit Drunken City. However, by the time he informed Wu De, night had already fallen. After some discussion, they decided to set off the following morning.

At dawn, Mi Lu and HuLü Yan arrived at the agreed meeting place, where Wu De was already waiting. Yan Fu had prepared a carriage for them, and since they were acquainted with Ah Jian, he was assigned as their driver.

Before they left, Yan Fu ordered his servants to bring out an array of high-grade artifacts for them to choose from.

Mi Lu quickly declined, “Pavilion Master Yan, we’re already grateful for your hospitality. We can’t accept these artifacts.”

“Ah, Young Master Mi, no need to be so polite,” Yan Fu insisted. “Drunken City is far from Qi City, and you may encounter demonic beasts or other trouble on the way. Bringing these along could be useful.”

Mi Lu continued to refuse, “We appreciate your kindness, Pavilion Master Yan, but we truly cannot accept them.”

“Young Master Mi…”

Yan Fu tried to persuade them, but HuLü Yan cut him off coldly. “Didn’t we take plenty from the Medical Hall, Qi Wantian, and Lin Ji? You can keep yours.”

Yan Fu: “…”

After a moment of silence, Yan Fu cleared his throat awkwardly, instructing the servants to put the artifacts away.

Noticing Yan Fu’s slightly displeased expression, Mi Lu moved in front of HuLü Yan to shield him, apologizing, “Pavilion Master Yan, he’s young and straightforward. Please don’t take offense.”

Yan Fu: “…”

Young? He’s eighteen! When I was eighteen, I had a daughter!

But he masked his thoughts, brushing it off with a wave. “I understand. I was young once, too.”

Mi Lu smiled, no longer saying anything, though when he turned around, he noticed Wu De watching them with an unreadable expression.

Meeting Mi Lu’s gaze, Wu De composed himself, his eyes unreadable. “Young Master Mi, we should be off.”

Yang Rong, who had been waiting for a chance to speak to Mi Lu, quickly took a few steps forward. But just as she was about to call out to him, HuLü Yan blocked her view like a mountain, looking down at her coldly.

“Thank you, Miss Yang Rong, for all your help. We will remember your kindness.”

Yang Rong’s face turned pale, shrinking back like a startled quail.

“Is there something you wanted to say?” HuLü Yan asked.

Yang Rong shook her head. “No, no. Safe travels.”

“Then farewell.”

Without hesitation, HuLü Yan turned and walked away.

Yang Rong watched longingly as Mi Lu climbed into the carriage, then sighed heavily.

Turning to Yan Fu, she asked, “Godfather, what are you sighing about?”

Yan Fu replied, “I fear we may not find peace for much longer.” Then he glanced at her. “What are you sighing about?”

Yang Rong’s cheeks flushed. “Someone’s quite possessive!”

Letting her talk to him wouldn’t have hurt!

–

Yan Fu’s horses weren’t ordinary. This horse was part demonic beast, so it traveled faster than most.

Even so, reaching Drunken City would still take over ten days. In that time, they encountered plenty of demonic beasts and even a few bandits, but Ah Jian and Wu De took care of everything before HuLü Yan could even act.

With Ah Jian and Wu De around, Mi Lu and HuLü Yan found themselves with more downtime—and a lot of time sticking together. To be precise, it was HuLü Yan who clung to Mi Lu.

Whether inside the carriage or walking, even at night when they rested, HuLü Yan was always glued to Mi Lu’s side. Though Mi Lu didn’t mind, Wu De’s occasional glances left him a bit embarrassed, prompting him to put some distance between them now and then.

Mi Lu suspected Wu De wasn’t the type to be overly curious, as he had barely looked up when interacting with Yan Fu and Yang Rong before. Yet with him and HuLü Yan, Wu De was different.

Mi Lu wanted to talk to Wu De about it, but he couldn’t find the chance.

The days passed, and they were only a night away from Drunken City.

Perhaps because of their proximity, HuLü Yan’s condition visibly worsened. Like a caged beast, he paced restlessly, sniffing the air for familiar scents to calm his growing anxiety.

They would have to travel a rough path leading to Drunken City. The road was rocky and uneven, causing the carriage to jolt heavily.

Ah Jian went to check on the horses, leaving Mi Lu, HuLü Yan, and Wu De in the carriage.

Sitting side by side with Mi Lu, HuLü Yan initially sat properly but soon leaned on him, wrapping an arm around Mi Lu’s waist.

Things quickly escalated. Mi Lu pushed him a few times but eventually gave up, pulling the blanket over both of them.

HuLü Yan nestled comfortably, burying his face in Mi Lu’s chest, breathing steadily.

Patting HuLü Yan’s head, Mi Lu pulled his hand back under the blanket, then raised his head to meet Wu De’s gaze.

Not hesitating this time, he asked directly, “Master Wu De, if I may ask, did you know HuLü Yan before?”