Long Time No See

Gu Chengyin paused for a moment, then spoke with deep affection:

"I also like you, Auntie, and I also want to keep you by my side."

"So having such thoughts is actually very normal. It is not strange at all."

"At least in my eyes, there is absolutely no problem with it."

As soon as these words came out.

Lin Qingyan froze, completely and utterly frozen.

Gu Chengyin could feel that even her breathing had stopped.

Then, Lin Qingyan suddenly raised her head.

Under the moonlight, her aloof and detached facial features, delicate silhouette, and clear eyes were visible.

There was no problem with any of these; she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

But at this moment, her entire pretty face was as red as a boiled shrimp.

It was red from her forehead to her chin, from her cheeks to the roots of her ears.

Even those lips that were usually slightly pursed now bore a faint pink hue.

And Lin Qingyan did not dwell on this, but stared straight at Gu Chengyin.

In her eyes, there was none of her usual aloofness, nor the languor of satisfaction, nor the haziness of arousal.

There was only surprise, disbelief, and a trace of cautious anticipation.

Lin Qingyan asked in a somewhat hoarse voice:

"What... what did you just say?"

The corners of Gu Chengyin's mouth curled up, and he said with a beaming smile:

"I said."

"I also like Auntie."

"I also want to keep Auntie by my side."

"I also want to lock Auntie up so that she belongs to me and me alone forever."

Lin Qingyan's eyes suddenly lit up, but that light only lasted for a fleeting moment.

The next instant, her face grew even redder.

So red it looked like it was going to drip blood.

So red that smoke started rising from her head again.

So red that golden electrical arcs began jumping around her once more.

She abruptly lowered her head, burying her face back into Gu Chengyin's chest, shrinking her entire body into a ball.

"You... you are talking nonsense..."

Her voice was muffled against his chest, carrying a distinct tremble:

"...You clearly wanted to keep your distance before..."

"...The electricity on your body clearly has a time limit..."

"...Clearly..."

As Lin Qingyan spoke, her voice grew lower and lower.

It became more and more muffled, until it completely disappeared into whimpers.

The room returned to silence.

Gu Chengyin did not say any more deeply affectionate words either.

He merely held Lin Qingyan as they sat by the window, admiring the night view of Luodu.

Whatever the case, at least Lin Qingyan would not self-destruct now.

Which meant he wouldn't have to take a Golden Core nuclear explosion straight to the face.

Gu Chengyin could not help but recall the light in Lin Qingyan's eyes when she spoke her true feelings just now.

That was not the fanaticism of possessiveness, nor the distortion of an inner demon, but a nearly naive yearning.

It was like a child seeing their favorite candy and wanting to hide it so only they could eat it.

But she was no child; she was Jingzhe of the Heavenly Master Mansion, decisive and merciless in her killings.

When such a yearning was placed upon her, it became the most dangerous signal.

This also made Gu Chengyin realize that during these days of coming out on patrol,

he was actually doing something highly dangerous.

Using reason to fight against instinctual desire.

Fortunately, he had not sunk into it; he had not been dragged into the abyss by desire.

He could still think, still analyze, still remain clear-headed.

If he ever allowed himself to indulge, what would the consequences be?

Putting everything else aside, just based on Lin Qingyan's appearance, her charm, and the extreme contrast of her various states.

When she was aloof and detached, she was like the snow on a mountain peak or the moon among the clouds, making people only dare to admire from afar but not profane.

Yet when she was gentle and alluring, she was like the spring waters of March or the first warm sun of melting ice, making people want to drown in her.

One breath ago, she was an unreachable fairy, and the next, she was nestled in his arms calling him master.

Just a moment ago, she was calmly analyzing power struggles and situations, and in the blink of an eye, she was steaming with shame just because she let something slip.

Such an extreme contrast became a fatal attraction.

Keeping a distance, marching in place, neither advancing recklessly nor growing distant.

This was Gu Chengyin's strategy, the red line he had drawn for himself.

Because he was afraid of having his weakness grasped by others like Emperor Luo, afraid that once he sank in, he would be doomed eternally.

And he was even more afraid...

Afraid of what?

Afraid that the fairy in his arms would really lock him up?

Not at all.

Gu Chengyin was afraid that he himself would not want to be let out at all.

If he really fell into it, it would absolutely be a life of reveling every night, forgetting the very existence of heaven and earth.

Then he wouldn't be able to cultivate his immortality even a little bit.

Because this was the charm of Lin Qingyan.

She was both the most aloof fairy and the most enticing succubus.

And his actions just now were only to temporarily stabilize Lin Qingyan's emotions.

So that she wouldn't literally die of social embarrassment to the point of self-destruction.

Next, he still had to find a way to correct Lin Qingyan's thoughts.

Just as Gu Chengyin was pondering how to speak.

A sudden clamor came from outside the door.

"Chief Shangguan, please don't be hasty. Wait for me to announce you before..."

It was Chen Busha's voice, shouting loudly, as if he was deeply afraid that Gu Chengyin in the room wouldn't hear him.

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by another familiar female voice:

"I am looking for Gu Chengyin, not Lord Jingzhe."

"General Chen, why do you keep stopping me?"

The female voice was gentle and elegant, carrying a bit of matter-of-factness, completely unaware that there was anything inappropriate about barging into a man's room late at night.

Gu Chengyin's expression changed.

Shangguan Yunying?

Why was she here?

The moment this thought popped up, Gu Chengyin felt the weight in his arms suddenly lighten.

Lin Qingyan had already sprang up, her movements so fast that they stirred up a light breeze.

She stood three paces away, a lingering faint blush still on her face.

But her eyes had recovered a bit of clarity, along with a trace of reproach.

The next breath, Lin Qingyan turned back and shot Gu Chengyin a glare.

Just one glance, yet it made Gu Chengyin inexplicably feel a bit guilty.

As if those thoughts he just had were sensed again.

Then, Lin Qingyan's figure vanished from where she stood.

Leaving only a wisp of cold fragrance lingering faintly in the air.

Gu Chengyin was stunned for a moment.

Lin Qingyan left?

No, not left.

Concealed.

With Lin Qingyan's cultivation level, if she wanted to hide, her presence could not be detected in this room at all.

But why hide?

It wasn't as if Shangguan Yunying didn't know her.

Wait.

Gu Chengyin suddenly realized.

Just now, before Lin Qingyan got up from his arms, what position were they in?

He was sitting, and she was nestled in his embrace.

Her head resting on his shoulder, her hands clutching his sleeve.

As intimate as could be.

If Shangguan Yunying saw that...

Gu Chengyin closed his eyes, not daring to think any further.

Right at this moment, Chen Busha's voice came from outside the door again, this time an official announcement:

"Young Tutor Gu, Chief Shangguan has arrived."

Gu Chengyin opened his eyes and quickly straightened his robes.

He looked down to ensure there were no wrinkles, no mess, and no suspicious traces left behind.

Then he sat up straight and said in a deep voice:

"Come in."

As his words fell, the door creaked and was impatiently pushed open.

The long-lost familiar figure appeared at the doorway.

Shangguan Yunying.

Still the same appearance, just seemingly a bit thinner than the last time they met.

But her eyes were bright and very beautiful.

The moment she saw Gu Chengyin, they lit up as if the starry sky was contained within them.

"Gu..."