03 instantly exploded.
【Ridiculous! Why would I be afraid of him?!】
Lin Zhiji: …
That reaction really doesn’t sound convincing.
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious 03’s behavior became.
It was just a voice without a body—Xie Yi shouldn’t even be able to touch it.
If anything, he should be the one more afraid.
Yet 03 acted more like a startled bird every time Xie Yi appeared.
03 stubbornly refused to admit anything, so Lin Zhiji had no choice.
He changed the subject.
【Fine. Then I have another question.】
【When I first bound with Xie Yi, why was he able to hurt me?】
03 paused.
【What? That happened?】
Lin Zhiji blinked. 【You didn’t know either?】
【I really don’t.】03 panicked. 【The system has never encountered such a situation before.】
It suddenly thought of something.
【Could it be a bug because you bound a villain?】
Lin Zhiji: 【Uh…】
If it was really a bug from binding a villain, then he could only blame his bad luck.
But he still couldn’t help saying:
【But you never mentioned this during training. Shouldn’t a proper workplace like the Transmigration Bureau at least provide compensation insurance?】
03: 【…】
In the end, 03 reluctantly promised to apply for some points as compensation, then fled.
Lin Zhiji felt a little disappointed, but points were still better than nothing.
He was already running low after exchanging for cement in Qilin Stronghold.
At least squeezing something out of 03 was good.
Lost in thought, he didn’t even notice when Luo Zhitang returned.
“Apologies,” Lin Zhiji said quickly. “I spaced out again.”
“It’s fine.” Luo Zhitang smiled and pushed a cup of tea toward him. “It was my oversight. You only crossed Mount Mei yesterday—you must still be tired.”
His speech was thoughtful, his tone sincere. Compared to Xie Yi and his blunt subordinates, he was almost from another world entirely.
Lin Zhiji chatted with him comfortably, smiling all the way back.
And just as they returned, they happened to meet Xie Yi walking out of the study.
Xie Yi glanced at him, then said to Luo Zhitang, “Come to the study.”
Lin Zhiji’s eyebrow twitched hard.
For a moment, it felt like returning home with a friend… only to run into a boyfriend at the door.
…What boyfriend.
Absolutely not.
He and Xie Yi were definitely not that kind of relationship.
Besides, Xie Yi already knew he went out with Luo Zhitang.
Even so, Lin Zhiji still glanced toward the study before returning to his room.
Inside the study, Luo Zhitang was about to report the day’s events when Xie Yi handed him a sealed letter.
After reading it, Luo Zhitang frowned.
“So the assassins really came from the Kou family.”
Xie Yi replied calmly, “A family capable of raising assassins and elevating a clan so quickly is not simple.”
Luo Zhitang nodded thoughtfully. “It does seem like a noble-house style of operation…”
Then he continued analyzing the Xu and Kou families in detail.
Xie Yi listened without interruption.
Only when Luo Zhitang mentioned the tea house did Xie Yi finally speak.
“You said he spaced out for a long time?”
Luo Zhitang nodded.
Xie Yi’s expression didn’t change much.
“Understood.”
Luo Zhitang was somewhat confused.
He could see that the master treated Lin Zhiji differently, but right now, it also seemed like he didn’t fully trust him.
Luo Zhitang couldn’t help but say, “Master, Young Master Lin has a sincere and straightforward nature. Is there some misunderstanding?”
“I naturally know what he is like.” Xie Yi’s gaze turned slightly cold. “Rather, you—aren’t you the one who dislikes meddling the most on ordinary days?”
Luo Zhitang was startled and hurriedly knelt to plead guilt. “This subordinate has overstepped.”
Xie Yi said without much emotion, “Withdraw.”
After Luo Zhitang left, Xie Yi flipped open the documents on the desk, but after only a few lines, he already felt unable to continue reading.
He stood up and looked around the study.
Compared to the study in Qingping Courtyard, Luo Zhitang’s taste was clearly better; everything in the study was of fine quality.
In the past, even in that shabby small courtyard of the general’s estate, he had always been able to focus without distraction.
Now, however, everything felt wrong.
In the end, Xie Yi simply put down the documents and left the study.
—
Lin Zhiji was sitting by the bed, organizing the spoils from today’s outing.
Although Qingzhou was remote and its resources not very abundant, there were still many locally distinctive small items—rough in craftsmanship, but simple and interesting.
Lin Zhiji planned to put part of them in his own room, and after hesitating, he intended to send another portion to the study.
When he was in Qingping Courtyard before, Xie Yi never said anything, but Lin Zhiji remembered that he would occasionally toy with those little things placed in the study.
From a scientific perspective, it could also soothe the mind and body—good for Xie Yi as well as his subordinates.
Just then, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and took the clay figurine from his hand.
Lin Zhiji jumped in shock, but an arm caught him, preventing him from crashing into the bedpost.
However, Lin Zhiji would not be grateful; instead he said angrily, “Why are you here! You almost scared me to death!”
He saw Xie Yi give a soft laugh. His arm pulled Lin Zhiji’s waist and back closer against him, his lowered gaze falling on his face: “What were you thinking about just now, that you were so distracted?”
The distance between the two of them was dangerous, and Xie Yi’s expression even more so.
Lin Zhiji instinctively struggled, but compared to Xie Yi his strength was nothing, completely useless.
Seeing no guilty expression on his face, Xie Yi’s expression eased a little, though he still did not let go. “Don’t want to say?”
Lin Zhiji was completely baffled.
What on earth was wrong with Xie Yi?
Could it really be because he went out shopping with Luo Zhitang and got jealous?
Feeling Xie Yi’s arm tightening more and more, Lin Zhiji closed his eyes and steeled himself: “I was thinking about the study in Qingping Courtyard.”
He pointed at the small items placed separately on the bed and said, rambling, “These are all bought for you. I was planning to put them in your study…”
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes: “So, you were thinking about me?”
Lin Zhiji: …?
What kind of reading comprehension was that?
Before he could even complain, his mouth was sealed.
Xie Yi’s kiss had always been fierce, as if he wanted to swallow him whole.
Lin Zhiji was already a bit shorter than Xie Yi. Being held by his arm, he was forced to stand on tiptoe and tilt his head up, letting out a muffled “uncomfortable.”
Only then did Xie Yi lift him up and place him on the table. His legs were parted, pressed against Xie Yi’s waist.
Lin Zhiji was kissed until he lacked oxygen, tears of physiological response spilling from the corners of his eyes.
Xie Yi kissed away the moisture at the corner of his eye, his voice low and hoarse with a hint of laughter: “Why haven’t you learned to breathe properly even after so many kisses?”
Lin Zhiji kicked in anger.
Xie Yi used one hand to press down his thigh. The scorching palm almost sank into the root of his leg, and at the same time, something even hotter made Lin Zhiji instantly stiffen.
“Don’t move.”
Xie Yi’s voice grew even lower, a suppressed, excited breath rolling out of his throat.
Lin Zhiji was like a frightened, frozen chick—he didn’t dare move at all.
Until Xie Yi once again lowered his head and slowly ground against his lips.
“It’s fine. You’ll get better with practice.”
…
Lin Zhiji lay face-down on the bed pretending to be dead. He didn’t even know how many times Xie Yi had “trained” with him in the end.
In short, by the time night fell, Xie Yi had left.
03 came online complaining, then said in confusion: 【Why is your face so red?】
Lin Zhiji: …
Really bringing up the worst possible topic!
He directly skipped it and asked: 【Did my compensation points arrive?】
03 said reluctantly: 【I finally managed to apply for it for you. You better work hard on your missions to repay me, understand?】
Lin Zhiji replied perfunctorily: 【Got it, got it.】
At the same time, he opened the mission list and was shocked when he saw the remaining points.
He didn’t expect 03 to actually have this much “sheep wool” to shear!
Then maybe…
03 sensed his malicious intentions and hurriedly said: 【I’m leaving, don’t contact me for now!】
Lin Zhiji looked at his suddenly wealthy points and happily checked them several times.
A full three thousand points!
After suddenly becoming rich, Lin Zhiji was in a good mood for the next few days.
However, compared to his ease, Xie Yi and the others were in a much more tense atmosphere, as if the situation in Qingzhou was more complicated than expected.
In fact, Xie Yi hadn’t come to see him in these days.
Lin Zhiji: It is absolutely not because of that “practice more times” thing!
He hesitated for a moment and still decided to go to the study to take a look.
Who knew that just as he entered the courtyard, he saw Luo Zhitang talking with a man.
The man’s back felt somewhat familiar. Lin Zhiji subconsciously called out in his mind: 【Host】
The other party turned around—but it was a completely different face.
Weathered, unshaven.
A pair of black eyes like an eagle’s.
Lin Zhiji thought he was another subordinate of Xie Yi and was about to leave.
But the man walked straight toward him.
Lin Zhiji instinctively stepped back half a step.
But the other party’s eyes carried a lazy smile, and his voice was familiar beyond belief: 【Don’t recognize me anymore?】
Lin Zhiji widened his eyes.
He—he was actually Xie Yi!!