That night, Ye Qiu had no intention of sleeping.
His mind was a bit messy, so he simply released his Blue Silver Emperor and petted it.
His eyes darted to his back, where Zhu Zhuqing was lying on her side.
'By the way, will I be able to pet a cat in the future?'
He shook his head, trying to shake these messy thoughts out of his mind.
His top priority now was to become stronger; rabbits, cats, and such had to be put aside for now until he grew a bit older!
"You're disturbing my Dao Heart!" Ye Qiu sighed, and in a daze, some sounds seemed to appear in his ears.
"Brother~" The voice was ethereal and clear, yet extremely illusory.
"Who's speaking?" Ye Qiu turned his head to look in Zhu Zhuqing's direction; she was motionless, and the voice didn't sound like her.
'Could it be an auditory hallucination?' Ye Qiu frowned, completely baffled.
Slap! He gave himself two more light slaps; Ye Qiu felt he must have been so dazed by the flirtation that he was hearing a girl's voice.
"Hmph!" He exhaled a turbid breath, sat back down properly, and thought, 'What can relieve my worries? Only meditation!'
"Hehe... Brother is silly~"
The Blue Silver Emperor beside him emitted a faint light, its body twisting as if a person, its delicate frame trembling with laughter.
Zhu Zhuqing hadn't fallen asleep yet; she naturally heard the commotion from Ye Qiu's side, except for the auditory hallucination he heard.
'Hmph! I thought he was so proper, but it turns out it was all fake.'
'By the way, he seemed to blush when he kissed me, too! Hehe...'
Recalling her bold actions earlier, Zhu Zhuqing's face also flushed with embarrassment, but seeing Ye Qiu's reaction, she felt it was all worth it!
She turned over, looking at Ye Qiu's meditating back. She felt that Ye Qiu should have understood her meaning by now. With a smile on her lips, she peacefully fell asleep.
...
Outside, the morning sun was rising.
Ye Qiu was still meditating, but Zhu Zhuqing had already woken up. She was sitting beside Ye Qiu, and after watering the Blue Silver Emperor, she had been staring at him.
She planned to leave!
Before leaving, she had to remember Ye Qiu well.
More importantly, she had to make him remember her too; she couldn't let him forget what he had done to her, as he had previously said.
Under her gaze, Ye Qiu's brows seemed to twitch slightly, and then his face became a faint red.
Seeing that Ye Qiu was even more flustered than her, Zhu Zhuqing temporarily put away her embarrassment and took off the item that originally belonged to her from Ye Qiu's eyes.
"Oh!" She found that Ye Qiu had actually finished meditating. With a mischievous smile, she said, "Ye Qiu~ Why aren't you opening your eyes? Am I very scary? Aren't you uncomfortable holding your breath? Whoosh~"
She blew a gentle breeze towards Ye Qiu's eyes; his slightly narrowed eyes blinked several times, forcing him to open them.
"Why are you so close to me?" Looking at the beautiful face so close to him, Ye Qiu turned his face away before he dared to breathe.
"Haha~ You weren't acting like this when you were applying medicine to me!"
"I've already forgotten that."
"You dare!" Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing immediately pulled his collar and pressed him to the ground. "Now, I forbid you to forget!"
"Really?" Ye Qiu looked at her. Was she testing him again?
Seeing Ye Qiu frozen and unresponsive, her sharp claws extended. "Did you hear me clearly!"
"I heard you clearly, I heard you clearly!" The words might be fake, but the claws on his neck couldn't be fake, right?
Ultimately, Ye Qiu chose to yield, as he truly couldn't forget...
"Then, after thinking all night, have you understood my feelings?"
"Huh?" Ye Qiu chuckled awkwardly. Was this something he could say? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if it was really just a delusion?
"Huh? You're still saying 'huh'? It seems you're not very sure." Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, her eyes carrying a hint of shyness, and a bit of anger in her heart, annoyed that this guy was so unyielding!
So, the Shadow Spider Lance extended from her back, directly propping itself around Ye Qiu.
"What are you trying to do?" Ye Qiu's brow twitched, and he almost activated his Spirit; this was too dangerous!
"To make you understand better!" With that, she bit him on the mouth.
Their eyes met. This time, Ye Qiu didn't hesitate; three tomoe immediately appeared in his eyes, and just as he was about to use a Spirit Ability, a spider lance was already pressed against his eyelid.
Reluctantly, the red in his eyes faded, allowing the rogue cat to do as she pleased.
This time, it lasted longer than last night, making Ye Qiu's face flush red, almost bringing tears of humiliation to his eyes.
"Hiss." A sharp pain came from his mouth.
After a long while, their lips parted.
"Now... Now do you understand?" Before she could catch her breath, her eyes were filled with alluring charm, her face flushed, and she eagerly questioned Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu was still adjusting his breathing, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her increasingly displeased expression, so he quickly nodded.
"Tell me!"
"Huh? Do I have to say it out loud?"
"What do you think!" Sitting on him, pressing his chest with her hand, the Shadow Spider Lance hovered high! It was clear she wouldn't stop until he spoke.
"Gulp..." Ye Qiu swallowed, turning his head away, his face full of embarrassment, and whispered, "You... you like me."
This feeling was too embarrassing; Ye Qiu couldn't help but close his eyes!
This was completely different from saying 'I like you'!
Hearing Ye Qiu's answer, Zhu Zhuqing's face and neck blossomed with red, her eyes filled with satisfaction, and her voice carried joy. "Say it again!"
"You like me~" Ye Qiu's face was flushed, and even his toes felt his discomfort.
"Hehe! Did you hear my confession yourself!" She looked at Ye Qiu beneath her with a teasing gaze.
"I heard it!" Ye Qiu was on the verge of tears. Is this your confession? Why do I have to say it?
He should have been more confident from the start!
Now he regretted it immensely!
"Um... Although I already know, I already have a rabbit—oh no, I already have Xiao Wu!" Although a bit awkward, Ye Qiu had to make himself clear.
"Did I ask for your permission?" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes dimmed almost imperceptibly, but she remained strong. She had promised to leave a deep impression on him!
"Huh?" Ye Qiu was stunned.
"I'm just informing you, letting you know! Hmph!" Zhu Zhuqing finally retracted her Shadow Spider Lance, stood up, and pulled Ye Qiu up with her.
With a flushed face, she straightened his clothes for him, who was still bewildered.
"Release your horse!"
Ye Qiu looked at her strangely, then bewilderedly did as she said.
Zhu Zhuqing mounted the Iron Hoof Horse and said to Ye Qiu, "I've helped with that matter. If I really go to Soto City, I'll protect that girl named Xiao Wu well!"
"Then thank you..."
"Goodbye! Giddy up!"
Ye Qiu's thanks were interrupted by her voice and the horse's neigh. She rode the horse like an arrow from a bowstring, darting directly towards the cave entrance.
"Damn it! My horse!" Ye Qiu, coming back to his senses, shouted, reaching out to grasp at the cave entrance.
Zhu Zhuqing's voice came from outside, "Ye Qiu! You wait for me!"
Her voice was loud and cheerful. Hmm... she already had a new goal! She wanted to desperately become stronger! Strong enough not to be bound by engagements or family! She wanted to break free from fate and embrace Ye Qiu!
And that girl named Xiao Wu, she wanted to see what she looked like!
Ye Qiu ran out of the cave, but the person and horse were already gone.
"She just left!?"
Just moments ago, she was as passionate as fire, and now she just smacked her lips and left?
'How does this count? Who betrayed whom?'
This huge contrast made Ye Qiu feel a bit anxious and uneasy; the more he thought about it, the more depressed he became.
"Damn it! I was taken advantage of again, and I lost a horse!"