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Having already heard the ‘unfounded rumours’ inside the cult, Xie Zhi An took advantage while he was performing acupuncture on Fu Yuan to start to joking around, “Demon Head, what do you think- with this favour of saving your life, how hard it has come- not only do you bear hidden perils but are also poisoned. Why don’t you do as your subordinates say, and offer up your body as repayment?”

“Us people in the Doctors’ Valley lack someone like you with such strong martial ability.”

“Don’t stare at me, if you stare at me so much I get nervous, what will I do if I shake my hands, and accidentally prick the needle wrong?”

Fu Yuan had a slight urge to throw out this person in front of him.

The movement of the hands were quick, and not too long after, Fu Yuan’s back was full of silver needles. Xie Zhi An sat by the bed as usual to wait for Fu Yuan to stabilize.

Other than the occasional grunt of pain, there were no other sounds inside the room, making it extremely quiet. Because he was constantly searching for useful medicinal herbs these few days, Xie Zhi An was also extremely tired. With his hands propping up his head, he hazily wanted to go to sleep, but was also constantly worried about the silver needles on Fu Yuan’s body, so his eyelids would open and close once in a while.

“Quack, don’t tell me you’re asleep?”

The more Xie Zhi An heard this voice, the more he would want to grind his teeth. Though he was very drowsy, Xie Zhi An gathered himself up. His voice was a bit sluggish, but it did not carry a hint of sleepiness, “How can you always call out quack here and quack there. At the very least you haven’t died yet, okay.”

“Chat with me for a bit.”

Upon hearing that quivering sound that was unable to restrain itself, Xie Zhi An was stunned for a bit, and subconsciously softened his voice, “Does it hurt?”

“En[1].”

“Then I’ll chat with you to move your attention away from it.” Xie Zhi An quietly pinched himself for a bit, and the pain chased away his sleepiness. He held up his chin and looked at the back of Fu Yuan’s head, “What do you want to hear me say?”

“Anything is fine.”

“Since I was small, I grew up in the Doctors’ Valley. My father wouldn’t let me go out, so I didn’t have many friends growing up. But on the year I was seven, there was a child that was the same age as me that came to the Doctors’ Valley. His past was quite tragic, but the person was really great- they would always perform tricks I’ve never seen before.”

“But unfortunately, later on, that person didn’t even remember who I was in the end.”

After a long sigh, Xie Zhi An felt that talking about these things weren’t of use, and could only lament for a bit, “Actually, I feel like this demonic cult is quite nice. In the Doctors’ valley, other than my father, the only other person there would be my senior sister- so I could only chat with the flowers and grass. After coming to the demonic cult, I feel the people here are quite lively, unlike how I thought would be sunk with the air of death, or as chaotic.”

This night, Xie Zhi An talked on and on for a long while. As he talked and talked, he himself ended up falling asleep. When he woke up, Fu Yuan had already taken out the needles, and was sitting inside the room slowly eating lunch.

Due to sleeping while leaning on the bedside for a few hours, Xie Zhi An felt his body ache a lot. When he twisted his body, he could hear his own bones crack, “You Demon Head, you don’t know any manners- how could you just partake in such a delicious meal by yourself.”

He sat on the other side by himself without a care, and just as Xie Zhi An took in a mouthful of food, the Demon Head on the other side opened his mouth, “Quack, do you perhaps like me? If not, why are you sparing so much effort to help me? There is no such thing as free in this world, unless you plan on doing against principle[2].”

Xie Zhi An choked on the mouthful of food, almost unable to breathe. After arduously swallowing it, the pair of autumn eyes was covered in a layer of mist, looking even more feminine, “No, what is in that brain of yours of day and night? I’m a man, a proper one!”

“But I like you a bit.”

Before Xie Zhi An could come to react, he heard the Demon Head tell him again, “Xie Zhi An, I’ve come to realize I seem to like you a bit.”

“Once I don’t hear you making noise by my ears, I wouldn’t be accustomed to it.”

“Every time, I would be in so much pain I lose reason- but with you by my side, I would feel especially calm. Even if it hurt more, with you, it wouldn’t seem as painful.”

“Xie Zhi An, can you stay at the demonic cult and be with me?”

Without another thought, Xie Zhi An immediately agreed to it. When he saw the other party’s dumbfounded expression, he could not help but laugh, “Was it- was it not you who asked me? How is it that you look so surprised right now?”

“Demon Head, there was a part initially that you got right.”

“I, Xie Zhi An, harboured a motive to enter the demonic cult, because I sought[3] after Fu Yuan’s beauty.”

When the Demon Head who was normally not afraid of heavens and the earth, and would even often want to commit bad deeds heard these words, it was as though an iron tree bloomed flowers[4]; his heart beat especially hard, and his face exploded with redness.

The dubious atmosphere did not stay for long, as small movements sounded from the outside. With his internal energy, he pushed the door open, and a flock of people came tumbling down.

“Ah, Leader, what a coincidence.”

“Right, right, we haven’t heard the confession you made to Doctor Xie.”

As Fu Yuan was about gather energy to make a move, Xie Zhi An immediately held down the other person’s hand, and smiled, “Thanks everyone for their concern, I am now with your leader.”

“Who’s with you.”

Xie Zhi An pinched the other person’s hand, and slyly smiled, “What is it- you’ve already said your feelings, and already held this hand. I’ve even looked at your body before- are you not letting me take responsibility? Or were you thinking of playing with me at first, only to abandon me in the end[5], then find someone else?

“Nonsense.”

The two-faced person quietly tightened his hold on Xie Zhi An’s hand, but the heart of person who was smiling instead, continually sunk down. Towards Fu Yuan’s slight unease in his eyes, Xie Zhi An also held the other’s hand tightly.

He recalled how he had run into Chang Ge a few days ago. That person was someone he had met when he was a child in the Doctors’ Valley. Time had passed for long, yet there was no sign of change to him at all.

“Senior[6], I hope all has been well with you.”

When Chang Ge saw him, he didn’t look to be surprised. As though toward an old friend, he weakly smiled towards him, “It’s been a long time. You’ve grown so much within a flash.”

As is fingernail gradually pinched into the palm, Xie Zhi An pursed his lips, and did not know how to bring up the question- but in the end, he could not help but open his mouth, “Regarding Fu Yuan’s poison, is what Senior said all true?”

“Whether or not it is true, did you not already confirm it when you were at the Doctors’ Valley?”

When he walked towards Xie Zhi An’s side, Chang Ge stopped for a moment, “If you want to go back on your word, you can tell me any time. I can simply take you out from the demonic cult. If you do not want to return to the Doctors’ Valley, the skies and earth are just as vast, you can go anywhere.”

Chang Ge left, leaving Xie Zhi An by himself where he stood.

If he wanted to go back on his word, he had the option to retreat. But what about Fu Yuan? Fu Yuan long already had his escape cut off. If he were to back out, couldn’t he already foresee what kind of end would meet Fu Yuan?

From the demonic cult, when he lifted his head to look at the skies, it would look particularly wide, but the vast stars could not even enter Xie Zhi An’s heart[7].

If Fu Yuan was there, it did not matter if it was the Doctors’ Valley or the demonic cult. But if Fu Yuan wasn’t there, even if the skies and earth were just as vast, where could he go?

“What are you thinking about?” The hand that Fu Yuan held his tightened, and knit his eyebrows, “Since you provoked me, no matter your motives, I won’t allow you to leave me.”

The room was silent for a while, and could only hear that person lightly laugh, as well as the caution and seriousness in their voice.

“If there comes a day Xie Zhi An leaves Fu Yuan, then punish me with the suffering of constant illness[8], unable to attain a peaceful end.”

[1] A sound of affirmation. Placeholder for now as I consider replacing it with a “nngh” that sounds more like a ‘uhn’ sound but that just looks weird. Opt to just continue using the pinyin and be done with it.

[2] 无事献殷勤,非奸即盗. The first part means to be so hospitable without any reason, the last portion indicates suspect that the person is evil and is looking to steal something/harbouring evil thoughts.

[3] Also can be read as lust.

[4] Meaning, something that rarely happens, or is hardly possible as the iron tree blooms.

[5] Literally, to mess one up in the beginning, then abandoning them in the end. As they say in modern English slang, pump and dump/ hit and run.

[6] Not to be confused with his senior sister- this ‘senior’ is purely addressing one that is older than himself.

[7] Not pay attention.

[8] Literally, be possessed by the demon of disease.

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