Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 81

“Boo…” The audience jeered below, and everyone started throwing virtual rotten eggs at him. Ling Xiao was laughing so hard that he not only threw his own egg but also grabbed Ying Feng’s and threw it as well.

Despite the onslaught of eggs, Red Head remained undeterred on stage, passionately chanting, “The soul is eternal, and life is fleeting. Love needs to be shown every second! You have only one life and only one soulmate…”

“Are you not going to throw?” Ling Xiao, holding his belly, asked Shang Yang.

“I think what he said was quite good.” Shang Yang hesitated, looking at the items in his hands. “I’m considering whether to throw a flower for him.”

“Wait a moment!” A shout came from the stage, startling both of them. “I see a real flower on stage! A real one!”

Excitedly, Red Head picked it up. “Which little angel threw this? Raise your hand and let me see you, okay?”

From the crowd, Bing Can raised his hand confidently. Red Head, with a look of utter bliss, exclaimed, “I knew it was you, my little angel. Let me thank you in kind.”

He threw the mic to the host and, despite being covered in egg yolk and egg white, gracefully jumped off the stage and passionately kissed his Qizhu in front of everyone. Their stall’s popularity instantly skyrocketed.

The host, who was sweating profusely, took control of the situation. “Clearly, the previous contestant failed to answer his question properly. Who’s the next brave participant?”

“It’s your turn.” Red Head pushed Yu Ji. “We agreed, one turn each.”

Ling Xiao: ???

When did they make such an agreement?

Yu Ji, reluctantly taking the stage under Red Head’s push, drew a question similar to the previous one.

Question for adults: Since forming a pact, what is the one thing you regret the most?

Indeed, the question was apt for Yu Ji, and his answer was pretty much what Ling Xiao had anticipated.

“The thing I regret the most… is probably not being by his side during his tumultuous period. When he needed me the most, I left him alone, which led to him suffering lifelong consequences.” Yu Ji paused. “I’m not a qualified Qizhu.”

The host added, “Imagine leaving your Qizi alone during their tumultuous phase. As fledglings, we don’t have to worry about such issues. We’re free and unrestricted, right?”

“Right!” The fledglings in the audience agreed in unison.

Shuang Feng, with a push, jumped onto the stage. The host, caught off guard, had the mic snatched away by him.

Even Ling Xiao and his group were surprised. This man, whom they often referred to as the “God of Sleep”, seemed unusually proactive today.

“I want to clarify something,” he began without any introduction. “After the coming-of-age ceremony, the one who ran away wasn’t him; it was me. He didn’t abandon me, as he said. I didn’t want to face others’ pity.”

“We all want to escape reality. Essentially, our actions were the same, but the results differed. I seemed more like the victim because I suffered more. But we’re all victims, and we’re also the perpetrators. The one we harm is ourselves.”

“I have suffered permanent mental trauma, and he has been immersed in guilt for a long time. The symptoms of the Qizi’s can be determined by instruments, but only the Qizhu knows the knot in their heart. Because of this visible damage, I gained another person’s guilt, concession, and care. We didn’t originally need to be responsible for each other’s lives. If he was with someone he liked, he wouldn’t need to be so careful and filled with guilt as he is now.”

“So, there’s something I’ve wanted to say for a long time.” He turned to Yu Ji. “It’s not your fault. You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

Yu Ji, holding the mic, couldn’t say anything for a long time. The audience was silent until someone yelled, “They’re just here to show off their love, boo!”

It was as if a floodgate had opened. Numerous eggs were thrown onto the stage, with the fledglings expressing their envy in this way. Shuang Feng shielded Yu Ji behind him, which only incited more people to throw eggs.

Despite the embarrassment, when the two walked off the stage hand in hand, the applause was much louder than the boos.

“Amazing!” Red Head joked, “You two can definitely surpass Ling Xiao’s team by the end of the term.”

“Hey!” Ling Xiao retorted.

Shuang Feng perked up momentarily, then immediately reverted to his usual self. “I’m so sleepy. I want to go to bed.”

“The event isn’t over.”

“We’re not participating anymore.” The two were already several meters away, with Shuang Feng lazily waving his free hand.

After two consecutive challenges, the surrounding crowd raised torches in anger. Seeing the unfavorable situation, Ling Xiao quickly pulled Shang Yang away.

They wandered around, playing and eating, and soon encountered a roaming grand adventure lottery box. Ling Xiao urged Shang Yang to draw a lot.

“Eh, can I?” Shang Yang asked nervously.

“Of course.” This game didn’t require them to go on stage, so they didn’t have to worry about attracting attention.

“Alright then.” Shang Yang carefully drew a lot. Ling Xiao leaned in to see, and the card read: Say the content above aloud three times, and your wish will come true.

“Go ahead,” Ling Xiao encouraged him.

“I… I want to fall in love.”

“Too quiet.” The lottery staff shook his head with a smile.

“I want to fall in love.” He raised his voice a little.

“One last time.”

“I WANT TO FALL IN LOVE!” Shang Yang shouted.

Many people around heard him, and there were cheers and whistles, and some fledglings gave him flirtatious glances. Beneath Shang Yang’s mask, a hint of blushing was visible.

“May your wish come true.” The lottery staff gave him a gift—a small angel halo that floated above his head.

“When you meet someone special, it’ll light up.”

“Thank you.” Shang Yang placed it on his head, instantly transforming into a little angel.

The halo was fascinating. Without any support, it followed its wearer around.

Ling Xiao liked it and wanted one too, so he urged Ying Feng to participate.

“For adults, draw here.”

The lottery staff flipped the multi-faced lottery box with ill intent.

Ying Feng drew a card, and after a while, words appeared on it. He silently pocketed it.

“What did you draw? Let me see.”

Ling Xiao reached for it, but Ying Feng refused. Shang Yang also curiously looked over.

“What if I can’t do it?” Ying Feng asked directly.

“You’ll be penalized.”

“How?”

“For adults, it’s drinking a big cup of wine!”

A staff member immediately brought over the wine, which was indeed a large cup.

“Wow, that’s a lot,” Ling Xiao remarked. “You’re not really going to drink it, are you?”

Ying Feng decisively took the cup.

“Hey.” Ling Xiao hurriedly said, “What did you draw that’s harder than drinking wine?”

Ying Feng acted as if he hadn’t heard and drank the wine in one gulp, attracting many onlookers.

Curiosity nearly killed the monkey, but no matter how Ling Xiao threatened or coaxed, Ying Feng refused to reveal or show the content on the card.

“Ah,” Shang Yang suddenly exclaimed. The halo on his head lit up. Looking to the side, another girl with a halo was looking his way.

The music started at the right moment, and the dance was a traditional event of the Royal Sky Festival, where both fledglings and adults danced hand in hand with their partners.

Bing Can and Red Head had already entered the dance floor. Ling Xiao was urging Shang Yang, “Go, take the initiative.”

“Is it really okay?”

“We’re here with you.”

Shang Yang mustered the courage and approached the girl. Unfortunately, he didn’t understand any social etiquette, but in the end, the girl took the initiative and extended her hand to him.

Ling Xiao and his group followed them from a safe distance that wouldn’t disturb them. Soldiers sent by the Marshal, disguised as a dancing pair, were in another direction, keeping an eye on the scene.

Ling Xiao, draping his arm around Ying Feng’s neck, now with just the two of them, was still tormented by the burning curiosity about the card. “What exactly did your card say?”

If Ying Feng started with “It seems like…” again, Ling Xiao felt he might lose his mind.

Surprisingly, this time Ying Feng straightforwardly showed him the card. Why didn’t he show him earlier? Was it inappropriate for fledglings?

Ling Xiao took a look, and it read: Use release on your Qizi once.

He felt he had seen these words somewhere before. Ling Xiao recalled that in Ying Feng’s notes, among the 99 things couples should do, there seemed to be such an entry.

But he didn’t understand, “What does ‘release’ mean?”

“Do you want to know?”

The two were close, and due to the height difference, Ying Feng’s gaze fell on Ling Xiao’s face. His half-covered eyes conveyed an indescribable feeling. The fluctuating dance lights softened Ying Feng’s sharp features. The usual cold demeanor seemed to melt away. Ling Xiao was entranced and almost unconsciously responded, “I do…”

Ying Feng looked around, ensuring no one’s attention was on them, then slowly leaned in. When they were just a centimeter apart, Ling Xiao caught the faint scent of alcohol from him. Even though Ying Feng was the one who had been drinking, Ling Xiao felt intoxicated.

Ying Feng’s breath whispered into Ling Xiao’s ear, which immediately turned a shade of red, making it look alluring and delicious. As if tasting some kind of delicacy, Ying Feng, following a certain habit of his when he brought Ling Xiao to climax, gently bit his ear, rubbing the tips of his teeth on it.

“Nn…” Ling Xiao nearly let out a moan, but he held back. His vision changed, seeing rapid transitions between day and night, clear skies, and twinkling stars. He closed his eyes, and the visuals accelerated.

He felt a tingling sensation starting from the top of his head, moving through his face, reaching his heart, and spreading through his body. Whenever it touched, it felt like feathers lightly scratching, like ants swarming, until this tremor swept through his entire body, causing waves. His body began to tremble slightly.

All feelings finally condense. The sleeping ones woke, the dormant ones looked up, and without any contact, desire burst out, and his mind went blank for a minute.

He slowly tightened his arm around Ying Feng, and his toes became the only fulcrum. Because of the surge of blood, he had to bury his head into Ying Feng’s shoulder to prevent others from seeing him like this. Ying Feng gently nibbled along his ear from bottom to top, grinding it carefully. Ling Xiao tightly bit his trembling lips. The music drowned out his occasional moans, but he knew this very well and was still ashamed.

The feeling hadn’t stopped as waves after waves kept coming, rolling in layer by layer, like the never-ending tide. Ling Xiao was drowning in it, rising and falling involuntarily. The ripple-like excitement spread somewhere and rebounded after touching the edge, amplifying the pleasure where it overlapped, until every cell in his body joined this fervor.

Ying Feng let go of his ear and whispered, “Breathe.”

The word seemed to jump in his ear. Only then did Ling Xiao realize he had been holding his breath for a long time. He almost passed out from suffocation and would probably be the first person to have suffocated himself to death.

“That’s enough…” Ling Xiao moaned intermittently. Even he wasn’t sure whether such a weak sound could penetrate the dance music and be captured by Ying Feng.

As Ling Xiao wished, Ying Feng withdrew his power. Instantly, Ling Xiao felt drained, his legs too weak to support his body. Ying Feng, with his arm around Ling Xiao’s waist, subtly exerted more strength to support him. Ling Xiao’s entire weight leaned and hung onto Ying Feng, resting his head against Ying Feng’s lower jaw and breathing heavily.

Thankfully, a lyrical song was playing at that moment, so their overly intimate behavior didn’t arouse suspicion from others. Ling Xiao was incredibly grateful that Ying Feng didn’t act on the spot. He wondered who came up with such a ridiculous challenge.

Shang Yang passed by them, fully immersed in the event. Any previous shyness was gone. As he passed, he gave Ling Xiao a cheerful smile. Ling Xiao strained to curve the corner of his mouth as a response; given his current state, it was a feat in itself.

Turning around, Ling Xiao noticed that he had dampened Ying Feng’s shoulder and collar. As for a certain spot on his own body, he didn’t need to look to know the situation.

For the remainder of the dance, Ling Xiao practically hung onto Ying Feng. Shang Yang and his dance partner were having so much fun that Ling Xiao didn’t have the heart to urge him to leave.

The party finally came to an end, and Shang Yang reluctantly bid his partner goodbye.

“Her name is Jue Yin. I want to be friends with her,” Shang Yang said to Ling Xiao, somewhat embarrassed.

“Why not? Of course you can.”

“I don’t have a personal terminal, so I gave her the Bishop’s contact information.”

Ling Xiao: …

I hope the Bishop won’t mind!

“Your face is a bit red. Is it because it’s hot?” Shang Yang asked with concern.

“Uh, yeah, haha, from dancing,” Ling Xiao replied, feeling awkward.

“Thank you for taking me out today. It’s the happiest day since I’ve awakened.”

Ling Xiao felt a mix of emotions. “I’ll take you out again when we get the chance.”

“Thank you,” Shang Yang said, looking at the two of them with envy. “You two are so close. I hope I can have a relationship like yours someday.”

After Shang Yang left, Ling Xiao, feeling drained, leaned onto Ying Feng limply.

“It doesn’t consume mental power.”

Ling Xiao: ??

“What doesn’t?”

“My new ability.”

Ling Xiao: …

It’ll kill people, okay?!

Ying Feng thought Ling Xiao didn’t understand and earnestly explained, “It can last as long as you want.”

“You try lasting three minutes!” You’d probably drop dead in less than a minute!

“There are too many people here.”

“Huh?”

“We can try it when we get home.”

“…You misunderstood! That’s not what I meant!”

Ying Feng dragged him a few steps and eventually just hoisted him onto his shoulder.

All the talk about being close was deceptive; they even had different communication frequencies. How could they be in love? Most importantly…

“I really didn’t mean that! Put me down! Hey!”

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