Xia Xianning took a deep breath: “I have also considered those concerns of yours, but after thinking it over and over, the only thing that matters most is you.”
He spoke while walking forward, and Luo Yingbai listened, unconsciously stepping back in sync with his footsteps.
Xia Xianning said: “So if you truly didn’t like me, you wouldn’t react this way. You wouldn’t hesitate at all. You would calmly tell me the reasons why we can’t be together, then let go of everything and walk far away, leaving me to sort out my thoughts. Senior brother, your heart is both too hard and too soft. You won’t give any hope to someone you don’t have feelings for, yet you can’t bear to disappoint me.”
Luo Yingbai: “I…”
Xia Xianning: “Senior brother, I’m begging you, don’t ignore your own thoughts because of others. Think it through. If you don’t like me, if you don’t like men, I absolutely won’t force you. But is that really the case?”
Yes, was it?
Luo Yingbai stopped in his tracks. There was no path behind him.
The distance between them grew shorter. Xia Xianning suddenly grabbed his hand, holding it in front of himself, and softly said: “Your palm is sweating.”
Luo Yingbai didn’t know what he was thinking. His mind was in chaos, and he inexplicably said something seemingly unrelated: “Y-you too.”
Xia Xianning appeared calm and composed, but the hand holding Luo Yingbai’s was hot, with a slight dampness in his palm. It turned out that beneath his confident exterior, he was also afraid.
Xia Xianning paused, then smiled and said: “Yes, because I’m nervous, because I love you.”
His voice trembled slightly, but he looked directly at Luo Yingbai, his usually cold and sharp eyes now filled with gentleness and a soft smile, frankly saying: “See, I’m more honest. There’s nothing wrong with saying what’s in my heart.”
Luo Yingbai: “…”
He couldn’t help but cover his face with his other hand, murmuring: “Oh my god…”
Even with his eyes covered, he could feel Xia Xianning’s slightly rapid breathing, his body temperature, and everything that had long been stored in his memory.
Luo Yingbai suddenly turned and kicked the wall behind him hard, shouting at the wall: “I’m going crazy!”
Xia Xianning reached out from behind to touch his shoulder, intending to comfort him, but unexpectedly, Luo Yingbai turned around and hugged him tightly after his outburst.
In that moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Reason completely surrendered, and as their bodies pressed together, emotions stirred, revealing their true feelings.
Xia Xianning was pushed back two steps, suddenly understanding the other’s answer, and immediately embraced the person in his arms without hesitation.
His embrace was suddenly full, and so was his heart. Though the surroundings were silent, Xia Xianning felt like the whole world was as lively as exploding fireworks.
He was ecstatic and disbelieving, the confident facade he had just maintained now completely gone. Almost with a prayer-like reverence, he asked in Luo Yingbai’s ear: “What does this mean?”
He hugged so tightly that he almost lifted Luo Yingbai, pressing their bodies together so closely that even though Luo Yingbai was thin, he could hardly bear such a crushing embrace.
He patted Xia Xianning’s back: “My meaning is that I like you! I admit it, okay? I’m willing to be with you for a lifetime! Are you satisfied now?!”
Xia Xianning spoke with certainty, but after Luo Yingbai’s response, he suddenly felt such good fortune couldn’t possibly happen to him. Only at this moment did his anxious emotions completely disappear. Joy, like a rising tide, gradually spread and finally submerged the embankment.
Xia Xianning pressed Luo Yingbai’s head against his shoulder, gently rubbing his cheek, his smile gradually widening.
Luo Yingbai looked at him and also started laughing.
It turned out that all things, when observed from a distance, seemed painfully complicated. But once decided and committed, it wasn’t so difficult after all.
If not for Xia Xianning’s persistent and decisive approach, he might have struggled for much longer. But now, with a path chosen, whether through thorns or flowers, moving forward was sunshine itself.
The general situation was already clear, and there was no time to listen to further details. Xia Xianning raised his hand and made a “press down” gesture, which was crisp and powerful. Wei Shou immediately fell silent, and he walked directly into the pitch-black morgue.
Earlier, the situation was urgent, and Wei Shou had already spoken quickly. The entire morgue was filled with traces of a fight. To prevent ghosts from seeing light, thick black curtains were originally pulled across all four walls of the morgue. The lights were not turned on, and it was almost pitch black inside, with only quiet breathing sounds that added an eerie feeling to the unknown danger.
Facing this, Xia Xianning did not change his footstep rhythm, walking straight ahead until a voice stopped him: “Stop!” Xia Xianning halted, standing straight, and calmly said: “I am Xia Xianning. Are you looking for me?” The room fell silent. During this brief dialogue, he had quickly adapted to the darkness.
Now Xia Xianning could vaguely see two blurry figures overlapping at the innermost part of the room. It seemed that Yang Zheng was being held in front by Shen Zhaotao.
He faintly sensed an unusual magical power fluctuation in the room. Just as he was about to carefully perceive it, the other party spoke: “Xia Xianning… hmph, don’t have any crooked ideas. Your people are in my hands.”
Shen Zhaotao was just an ordinary person who had been stabbed through the heart and died. Logically, he should not have been able to come back to life. But now, from his tone, he sounded like an unharmed normal person. Xia Xianning could even hear his subtle breathing…
Wait a moment, breathing sounds?!
Xia Xianning’s heart stirred, and he replied calmly: “State your demands.”
Shen Zhaotao said: “I want the spirit tablet. Bring it out quickly, and I’ll return the person.”
Xia Xianning did not speak. Wei Shou and Gou Songze stood outside, and when they heard the words “spirit tablet,” they looked at each other with heavy expressions.
The spirit tablet was an extremely precious magical artifact. Its function was equivalent to a pass to the underworld. Ordinary people would follow the judgment of the King of Hell to determine their destination when reincarnating. With a spirit tablet, one could bypass the underworld and freely choose their next life’s identity.
This function made countless spirits eager.
Luo Xiao had only two tablets, one given to his son and one to his favorite disciple. Even Gou Songze and Wei Shou did not have one, yet Shen Zhaotao was making an outrageous demand.
After a moment, they heard Xia Xianning’s calm voice: “Okay. Will you come and get it, or shall I bring it over?”
“You bring it over, and be quick,” Shen Zhaotao warned again. “Don’t play any tricks.”
A rustling sound, and Xia Xianning now held something. The spirit tablet glimmered with a soft blue fluorescence in the darkness, looking beautiful, radiating pure spiritual energy.
Xia Xianning carried the tablet over, moving somewhat slowly, seemingly reluctant. As the distance gradually decreased, he could see that Shen Zhaotao was holding a dissection knife aimed at Yang Zheng’s temple, the blade tip snow-white.
“Bring it here!” The other party extended his hand and ordered harshly.
Xia Xianning hesitated before handing over the tablet. His repeated hesitation had sparked Shen Zhaotao’s anger. He roughly snatched the tablet. Before he could grasp it firmly, Xia Xianning’s hand loosened, and the tablet fell downward.
