03 asked, 【What’s going on with your second mission? The system is about to crash.】
Lin Zhiji frowned. 【Isn’t this a system problem?】
The two fell silent in unison.
Lin Zhiji asked, 【So what exactly did Xie Yi send back to the general’s residence?】
03: 【…A head.】
Lin Zhiji froze, then understood immediately.
【That mole? The spy sent by the general’s residence? The one trying to kill Xie Yi… was his own father?】
The answer was unexpected, yet somehow not.
That was exactly the kind of ruthless man Xie Pingyue was.
Lin Zhiji had always cursed him as an “old geezer,” but had never thought that far. Even a tiger would not eat its cubs—but Xie Pingyue, just because he lost some power to Xie Yi, was willing to kill his own son.
He suddenly remembered Xie Yi’s expression that day.
It was like stabbing him all over again after he had already been cut open—yet Xie Yi still carried out the mission anyway. No matter what was sent, it was still delivered.
03: 【Wait?! Why are you taking his side?!】
Lin Zhiji felt guilty for a second, then immediately straightened up.
【I’m just on the side of fairness and justice!】
03: …
Lin Zhiji muttered, 【If I had known the spy was sent by that old man, I wouldn’t have taken the mission! What kind of “peace negotiation” is this supposed to be?!】
03 snapped back, 【Don’t talk nonsense! Do you know the consequences of refusing?】
Lin Zhiji: 【What consequences?】
03 paused. 【…Never mind. You wouldn’t understand.】
Lin Zhiji rolled his eyes.
【Fine. Drop it. Any other questions?】03 forced a change of topic.
Lin Zhiji thought for a moment, then asked what had been bothering him.
【Do you know the name of the Fenning Lan family’s prodigy involved in the Du Zhe case?】
03 frowned. 【Why are you asking about a nobody? Just a cannon fodder.】
The words were said lightly—but more cutting than outright insult.
It had never once considered them human.
Lin Zhiji’s chest tightened. He was about to argue, but suddenly realized 03 had gone offline again.
He immediately cursed inwardly.
That useless system.
And of course, at this exact moment—
Xie Yi was back.
Didn’t they say he wouldn’t return tonight?!
Lin Zhiji scrambled out of the bath, quickly dried off, and hurriedly pulled on clothes.
He had just managed to put on his inner robe when a knock sounded at the door.
“Coming, coming.”
He rushed over and opened it.
Xie Yi stood outside, still in his night-black attire.
Lin Zhiji froze.
Xie Yi’s gaze fell on his damp hair and pale red outer robe.
“Were you just bathing?”
Lin Zhiji nodded.
Xie Yi’s eyes darkened slightly. He lifted a fingertip to the wet ends of Lin Zhiji’s hair.
His voice turned low and lingering. “The water’s cold.”
Lin Zhiji’s heart jumped.
He had been so distracted talking to 03 that he hadn’t noticed.
He let out a dry laugh. “I was too tired… I fell asleep while bathing…”
Xie Yi smiled faintly.
Lin Zhiji couldn’t tell if he believed him, but Xie Yi simply took his hand. “Let’s go eat first.”
Lin Zhiji followed him in a daze.
In the front hall, Luo Zhitang was already directing servants to serve the meal.
When he saw them enter, his gaze briefly landed on their joined hands before calmly looking away.
“Master, Young Master Lin, please dine.”
Only then did Lin Zhiji learn that Xie Yi had gone to investigate the Xu and Kou families earlier.
Those two families had extremely tight security; Luo Zhitang had already sent people several times before, all failing. Only Xie Yi could do it.
Xie Yi said calmly, “There is a secret chamber in the Xu family’s back courtyard. It’s the most heavily guarded area. It won’t be easy to enter.”
Luo Zhitang frowned. “Even you find it difficult? Their defenses rival the imperial palace. They’re just wealthy families—why go to such lengths?”
Xie Yi said, “Tell me their situation again.”
Luo Zhitang replied, “The Xu and Kou families rose during the previous emperor’s reign. The Xu family is local to Qingzhou, while the Kou family migrated here. They are closely allied through marriage and, in just a few decades, became the most powerful households in the city…”
“…Most of the land and tenant farmers here belong to them. Merchants all depend on them. Without paying their respects, no business can survive in Qingzhou.”
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes. “Do they have any descendants in court?”
Luo Zhitang shook his head. “The Xu family produced a few scholars and candidates, but no officials. However, they are very wealthy and maintain connections with many court officials…”
But Xie Yi already knew it wasn’t just officials.
From the account book he had obtained from Vice Minister Wu, their bribery even included the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi.
Luo Zhitang, sensitive to money, immediately sensed something was wrong.
“How can two families that rose in just a few decades have so much wealth?”
Even for old aristocratic families, that amount would be enormous.
And yet they didn’t look strained at all.
While they talked, Lin Zhiji kept sneaking glances at Luo Zhitang—but before long, Xie Yi subtly blocked his view.
Lin Zhiji: …
Hmph. Fine. Don’t let me look.
He had originally wanted to listen carefully and find clues from the original book.
But the more he listened, the sleepier he got. Halfway through eating, he started nodding off.
Just as his head was about to hit the table, a hand gently supported it.
Xie Yi said to Luo Zhitang, “That’s enough for today.”
With that, he lifted Lin Zhiji into his arms.
Lin Zhiji, half-asleep, rubbed against his chest and drifted off again.
Luo Zhitang watched their figures leave, lost in thought.
Songlü, holding a giant bowl of noodles, suddenly appeared from somewhere and said with the tone of someone experienced:
“Mister Luo… you’ve never seen the master like this before, have you?”
Luo Zhitang smiled. “I heard your arm was saved by Young Master Lin?”
“Yes.” Songlü thought of something and said nervously, “You don’t think Young Master Lin is some kind of bewitching fox spirit who’s disturbing the master, do you?”
“I did think so before,” Luo Zhitang admitted openly. “But after seeing him today, I don’t think that anymore.”
Songlü blinked. “Then what do you think now?”
Luo Zhitang recalled how Lin Zhiji looked at him—followed by the master’s cold glance—and his smile grew even gentler.
“Of course I think he and the master are naturally well-matched. With Young Master Lin around, the master even starts to feel more human.”
Songlü: ???
That… doesn’t sound like praise, does it?
—
The next morning, Lin Zhiji slowly sat up in bed, momentarily unable to figure out where he was.
Only after seeing the luxurious bed curtains and the elegant furnishings did he remember—he was no longer in Qilin Stronghold, but in Qingzhou City.
A knock came from outside.
At first, he thought it was Xie Yi. He quickly got dressed, but when he opened the door, he saw Luo Zhitang standing there instead.
Lin Zhiji paused. “Mister Luo… it’s you.”
Luo Zhitang smiled. “Yes. Did Young Master Lin expect someone else?”
Lin Zhiji coughed lightly and waved his hands repeatedly. “No, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”
Luo Zhitang only smiled and did not expose him.
He then asked, “Mister Luo came so early—did something happen?”
“No need to rush. Please wash up first, Young Master Lin.”
He clapped his hands. Servants filed in behind him, each carrying exquisite washing items—lavish to the extreme.
Lin Zhiji had spent most of his time since binding with Xie Yi living quite frugally. He had never experienced anything so “luxurious,” and felt extremely uncomfortable.
After finally finishing his wash, Luo Zhitang suggested taking him out to walk around Qingzhou City.
Lin Zhiji paused. “Does Xie Yi know?”
Hearing him casually call the master’s name, Luo Zhitang’s expression didn’t change. He smiled.
“Rest assured, Young Master Lin. This was arranged by the master.”
Lin Zhiji frowned slightly.
Although he didn’t know why Xie Yi suddenly allowed him to leave his side, going out to relax still made him happy.
He confirmed again, “If I go out, it won’t affect your plans, right?”
Luo Zhitang paused, then smiled even more deeply.
“Of course not.”
Only then did Lin Zhiji relax and happily followed him out.
Compared to the famine-stricken outskirts of Qingzhou, the city itself was relatively peaceful.
Luo Zhitang was also an excellent companion—gentle, knowledgeable, and willing to pay without even blinking.
As for Luo Zhitang himself, from the moment he first saw Lin Zhiji, he had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
He was not someone who easily trusted others, especially not strangers.
Yet Lin Zhiji was different.
That was why, even though he knew the master could be jealous, he still took on the task of accompanying him.
Thinking of this, he suddenly asked, “Young Master Lin has been looking at me since we first met. Is there something wrong with me?”
Lin Zhiji hadn’t expected him to be so sharp and was startled.
Seeing that Luo Zhitang wasn’t angry, he hesitated before finally asking the question that had been bothering him.
“Mister Luo… are you from Fenning?”
Luo Zhitang froze.
Fenning.
Those two simple characters felt like something from another lifetime.
That chaotic, restrained, tragic fate—it felt like something that belonged to someone else entirely now.
He lowered his lashes. “Why does Young Master Lin ask that?”
But Lin Zhiji had already sensed the answer from his reaction.
So Luo Zhitang really was the “prodigy of the Luo family in Fenning” mentioned in that passing line.
The same person 03 had dismissed so lightly as “cannon fodder.”
A genius whose extraordinary life was reduced to a single sentence in a book.
Lin Zhiji suddenly felt a heavy weight settle in his chest.
Noticing his expression, Luo Zhitang said gently, “Young Master Lin must be tired. There’s a tea house ahead—let’s rest there.”
He led Lin Zhiji upstairs, booked a private room, ordered tea, then excused himself.
“I’ll go change clothes.”
Lin Zhiji thought he had unintentionally touched on something painful and felt a bit regretful.
“Alright. Go ahead, Mister Luo. Don’t worry about me.”
After Luo Zhitang left, 03 naturally appeared again.
Lin Zhiji snorted coldly.
03 immediately defended itself: 【I’m not a worm in the villain’s stomach! How would I know he came back so early?!】
Then Lin Zhiji suddenly asked:
【03… are you afraid of Xie Yi?】