Chapter 48
“Ah—” A piercing scream from 179 echoed in Xia Yi’s mind, startling him to shiver all over.
Gu Wenzhu quickly tightened his arm, asking, “Do you feel cold?”
Xia Yi shook his head rapidly, “Not cold.”
“Host, don’t you have acrophobia? Why am I back in the sky as soon as I return?” 179’s tone was quite intense, “And it’s on such a thin spear shaft! I had no time to mentally prepare.”
Xia Yi huffed coldly, “My acrophobia is intermittent; it doesn’t flare up when I’m with Brother Zhu. Didn’t you just connect with the technical system? Did you bring it back so soon?”
“Yes, once his humanoid state is lifted, he can return instantly.” 179’s tone brightened.
This technical system seems a bit slow-witted; it’s either caught up in a pyramid scheme or forced into coal mining. Xia Yi couldn’t help but remind 179, “This time, don’t let it out again; be careful it doesn’t get lost again.”
“Got it.”
Although Xia Yi claimed he wasn’t cold, Gu Wenzhu felt his cool cheek and insisted on going back.
Seeing the long spear start to descend, Qilin quickly flew ahead to lead the way, guiding Gu Wenzhu toward the Bamboo House.
Once inside the courtyard, Xia Yi led Gu Wenzhu around to look at everything, “What do you think? This courtyard.”
Gu Wenzhu nodded, “Very nice, but the corner plot is quite fertile and yet planted with bamboo. It would be better to grow some chili peppers and green onions and set up a trellis for some loofah vines.”
What a good wife, thinking exactly like your husband.
As they spoke, they also checked out the inside of the house, and Gu Wenzhu criticized, “There’s no small cabinet prepared for your undergarments. If you don’t get it back in a couple of days, I’ll go find some wood to make you a cabinet.”
He then picked up the inner garment that Xia Yi had draped over the chair, checking it, “This still has wooden buttons; what if they poke you while you sleep? I’ll have to take this apart and replace it with cloth-covered buttons.”
A whiff of delicious food entered his nose, and Xia Yi then noticed a gauzy cover on the table. Lifting it, he discovered that the disciples had already delivered dinner, steaming hot and ready on the table.
“Dinner time, dinner time.” Xia Yi reached out to serve himself, but Gu Wenzhu stopped him.
“This dish is too bland and not to your taste. I saw a kitchen nearby; I’ll go get you a couple of dishes you love.” After saying this, he rolled up his sleeves and walked toward the kitchen.
Just as Xia Yi was about to speak to the system, he heard 179’s irritated voice, “I know, I know, you’re happy; you don’t need to say it.”
After dinner, Gu Wenzhu began to inspect the bamboo grove.
The bamboo forest in this exquisite little courtyard stood tall and serene, contrasting beautifully with the green tiles, gray walls, red arched doors, and the upturned eaves of the row of houses, as if it were a painting sketched on rice paper.
Extremely beautiful, extremely elegant.
Gu Wenzhu crouched down beside the bamboo, first pinching a handful of soil to rub between his fingers. Good soil, perfect for growing chili peppers.
Then he stood up and tapped on the bamboo joints with his knuckles. Good bamboo, it could be used to make a bamboo couch for the courtyard, and weave a few winnowing baskets.
He crossed his arms and silently pondered, planning to cut it all down tomorrow morning.
Having eaten his fill, Xia Yi rubbed his stomach and slowly walked up behind Gu Wenzhu, his eyes starting to wander.
Because Gu Wenzhu stood straight with his arms crossed, the lines of his back were highlighted beneath his clothing, flowing and graceful. The muscles in his arms slightly bulged, showcasing strength.
Xia Yi had practiced drawing the human form before and considered he had never seen a physique as perfect as Gu Wenzhu’s. Remembering his newlywed night, which had ended before it even began, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of longing.
Just as Gu Wenzhu was contemplating whether to weave a cricket cage for Xia Yi, he suddenly felt a warm chest pressed against his back.
At the same time, Xia Yi purposely lowered his voice, adding a bit of raspy sweetness as he whispered in his ear, “Brother Zhu, let’s go back to the room to play.”
“It’s broad daylight; what do you want to play?” 179’s alert voice sounded, “Host, can’t you be mindful of the occasion? I’m still here.”
“Right, I almost forgot about you being silent. 179, take a break; go play with the technical system.”
179 fell silent immediately, disappearing without a trace.
Gu Wenzhu felt Xia Yi’s warm breath against his neck, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nose.
His face flushed instantly, his eyes blankly staring ahead, expression a bit flustered.
Seeing Gu Wenzhu like this, Xia Yi found it amusing. Gu Wenzhu had always been a serious person; he probably thought that aside from a heat cycle, those things could only be done at night.
He even suspected that Gu Wenzhu was born a serious baby, frowning seriously at the midwife the moment he landed.
Xia Yi’s hand slithered in like a flexible little snake, slipping into the gaps of Gu Wenzhu’s clothing.
Gu Wenzhu swallowed hard, his throat moving up and down. He glanced around, his eyes filled with struggle as he weakly murmured, “Xiao Yi, it’s still early; let’s wait a bit.”
Xia Yi’s expression turned cold as he withdrew his hand, staring at Gu Wenzhu without expression.
Just as Gu Wenzhu felt flustered and was about to say something to soothe the situation, Xia Yi suddenly grabbed his collar and began to drag him into the room.
“Get in here!”
Xia Yi was soaking in a warm wooden tub, lazily closing his eyes in satisfaction. The steam enveloped him, reddening not only his face but also the exposed skin.
Gu Wenzhu was busy in the kitchen, tending to a pot of pigeon soup over the fire.
Not long after he stepped out of the courtyard, a young boy approached him, asking if he needed anything. When he mentioned looking for ingredients like hens or pigeons, the boy turned and left, returning shortly with freshly killed squabs from the back kitchen.
The soup was now ready, emitting a tempting aroma. Gu Wenzhu tasted it for saltiness, carefully scooping a bowl and placing it on a tray to bring to Xia Yi.
“Don’t soak too long; be careful not to catch a cold.” Pushing the door open, he saw Xia Yi still lounging in the water and couldn’t help but remind him anxiously.
Xia Yi lazily responded with an “Mmm,” but suddenly perked up, nose twitching as he opened his eyes, sparkling. “What smells so good?”
He quickly spotted the bowl in Gu Wenzhu’s hand and reached out eagerly. “Hurry, give it to me!”
“No, it’s too hot. Let it cool; you can drink it after you get up.” Gu Wenzhu turned to place the pigeon soup on the side table, then went to the cabinet against the wall to find clean clothes for Xia Yi.
Xia Yi, smelling the aroma, swallowed hard and pounded on the small table beside the tub. “Bring it over here; I’ll drink it once it cools down.”
The small table also held a plate of crystal grapes, which he had prepared to enjoy while soaking in the bath.
Gu Wenzhu couldn’t resist him and reluctantly shook his head, turning back to fetch the tray.
As he reached the small table, Xia Yi impatiently sprang up from the tub, reaching out to grab the bowl. Just as he stepped out of the water, his foot slipped, and he fell to the side of the tub.
Gu Wenzhu, unable to free his hands while holding the tray, could only shout, “Watch out!” Xia Yi, realizing he was about to fall, grabbed wildly and knocked the tray hard.
The tray tilted dangerously, and a bowl of steaming hot pigeon soup tipped over toward Xia Yi’s bare shoulder.
“Host!” 179 screamed in terror, its mechanical voice crackling with static.
In that moment, Xia Yi’s eyes widened in shock as he braced himself on the edge of the tub, unable to avoid the spill.
At that instant, the bowl of soup abruptly froze in midair, as if pressed on pause, suspended in its downward spill.
Saying it was paused wasn’t entirely accurate; although the soup no longer fell, the steam was still wafting gently upward.
A few droplets of oil hung suspended in the air, mere millimeters from Xia Yi’s porcelain-like skin.
Xia Yi slightly parted his lips, maintaining his original posture, dumbfounded as he supported himself on the edge of the tub.
“Come out quickly.” Gu Wenzhu’s calm voice broke through, laced with a hint of urgency.
Only then did Xia Yi regain his senses, responding briefly before scrambling out of the tub, completely naked.
“Did you do this? Did you stop the soup in mid-air?” Xia Yi rushed over to Gu Wenzhu, excitement in his voice as he asked.
Gu Wenzhu hesitated for a moment before nodding, “I suppose so.”
He focused his eyes on the soup, and as if understanding his thoughts, the suspended liquid began to flow back in reverse, slowly returning to the bowl.
“Wait.” Xia Yi suddenly said.
Gu Wenzhu quickly halted the soup, looking at Xia Yi with tension.
Xia Yi stretched out his hand, carefully plucking a half squab from the suspended soup. Breathing a sigh of relief, he popped it into his mouth, casually telling Gu Wenzhu, “It’s fine now; just serve the soup.”
When every last drop returned to the bowl, Xia Yi glanced at the soup on the table and leaped in front of Gu Wenzhu, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Brother Zhu, you can actually manipulate water!”
Gu Wenzhu was equally bewildered, a bit uneasy, but seeing Xia Yi’s delighted expression made him forget his worries.
Soon, he was taken aback by a new discovery: Xia Yi was just standing there completely naked, nonchalantly nibbling on half a squab.
Shaking his head in resignation, Gu Wenzhu quickly grabbed some clean clothes to cover him.
“Host, you really are quite an eyesore.” 179 couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
After dressing Xia Yi, Gu Wenzhu retrieved a clean towel and covered Xia Yi’s head, ready to rub it down vigorously.
“Wait.” Xia Yi was typically afraid of this.
In his original world, he had short hair that could be shaken off like a dog after washing, but here, he had long hair. Each wash took considerable effort. After washing, he had to rub it with a dry towel for a while before letting it dry, which was quite a hassle.
“Brother Zhu, come try and suck the water out of my hair!” Xia Yi’s eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to give it a shot.
Gu Wenzhu paused slightly, “Alright, let me try.”
As soon as he finished speaking, sparkling droplets of water began to rise from Xia Yi’s head. Those droplets slowly floated upward and then merged into a flowing stream in the air, gently rippling.
“Wow!” Xia Yi exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder as he reached up to touch the water.
His hair was completely dry, soft and refreshed, exuding a faint fragrance of soap.
Seeing Xia Yi’s expression, Gu Wenzhu chuckled softly, playfully feeling inspired.
Just as Xia Yi extended his finger, curious to poke the hovering stream of water, he noticed it starting to change shape.
Slowly, it sprouted four hooves and a pair of antlers, transforming into a little deer that lowered its head to graze.
The little deer looked as if it were made of transparent crystal, exquisitely detailed down to the tiniest feature. Its large eyes blinked slightly as it tilted its head toward Xia Yi.
“Wow, wow!” Xia Yi could only let out more exclamations to express his surprise and amazement.
The little deer lifted its hooves and began to run in the air. Sunlight passed through its body, creating a small rainbow wherever it went, resembling a colorful shooting star streaking across the sky.
As it continued to run, it began to change shape again, the hooves and antlers fading away to form a tail.
It transformed into a fish.
“Wow, wow, wow!” 179 couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted along with Xia Yi.
The fish, like the little deer, was completely transparent, resembling one made of crystal. It swam gracefully through the air, waving its flexible tail fin and occasionally releasing small bubbles.
It also left behind a rainbow reflecting sunlight, creating wavy colorful patterns in the air with its tail.
Next, Gu Wenzhu conjured up little rabbits, tigers, and chicks, each one vivid and lifelike.
He even made a transparent Qilin, which was so surprised that it flapped its wings and flew after it, reaching out its paws to play.
Xia Yi’s eyes sparkled brightly, captivated, as if he had entered a world he had dreamed of since childhood.
In the stories his mother read to him at bedtime, in the colorful dreams of his youth.
And right here in this room.
