The fishing boat rocked heavily, causing Lu Zhou’s heart to skip a heavy beat. Someone stepped onto the boat and squatted down in front of him.
“Passed out?” the person muttered softly. “As expected of the Protagonist. Even going back home, he managed to get himself into such a miserable state.”
A force pulled up his arm, and Lu Zhou’s body lightened. Soon, he landed on a soft, warm surface. Someone had carried him on their back.
“Hiss, why is your body so cold?”
His cheek pressed tightly against the person’s neck, and he felt the other shiver from the chill.
The person carried him unsteadily off the fishing boat and stepped onto solid ground. Lu Zhou’s consciousness, which had been rocked by the waves all night, finally steadied.
The sea horizon was dyed with a layer of dazzling golden light as flocks of seabirds skimmed over the shimmering water. The sun had risen.
“Xun Ji.” Lu Zhou called him.
Xun Ji was somewhat surprised and turned his head slightly, his cheek brushing against Lu Zhou’s.
“You’re awake? How do you feel?”
“Xun Ji.” Lu Zhou called again.
“Yeah, I’m here.” Xun Ji adjusted him upward. “You’re covered in injuries. I’ll take you to the hospital first.”
“Xun Ji… it hurts so much.”
The sensation in his body revived along with bone-gnawing pain. He had endured the long winter night, yet now Lu Zhou trembled all over from the pain.
It hurt unbearably.
He nuzzled Xun Ji’s neck and whispered softly, “It hurts… Xun Ji, it really hurts…”
A scalding sensation dripped onto Xun Ji’s neck and trickled into the collar of his sweater. Xun Ji paused, suddenly recalling that hot sports field a few months ago.
This was the second time Lu Zhou had cried in front of him.
He had only left the Protagonist to his own devices for five days—how had he become so aggrieved?
Before nightfall, he had received a call from Lin Yule saying the Protagonist’s Blackening Value had suddenly risen to 70%. Xun Ji didn’t have time to lament the end of his laid-back life and immediately called Brother Wang to rush through the night to Lu Zhou’s hometown.
Fortunately, Brother Wang had been there once before and knew the way to Lu Zhou’s grandparents’ house. Xun Ji had thought disturbing them in the early hours would be inconvenient, but the old couple’s house was brightly lit with people coming and going. He learned they were all helping search for Lu Zhou.
Xun Ji had kept calling Lu Zhou’s Mobile Phone, but no one ever answered. Luckily, the System served as a voice-activated navigator, capturing sounds within a certain range, which allowed him to follow the ringing and find Lu Zhou successfully.
Looking at the Protagonist who was still humming and hawing on his neck—one moment calling his name, the next crying about the pain—Xun Ji couldn’t help but wonder if this was really what a 70% Blackening Value looked like.
“If it hurts, cry for a bit.” Xun Ji felt a headache coming on. “But can you lift your head to cry? Your tears are flowing into my neck.”
The movement on his shoulder paused for a moment. A hand reached into his neck, wiped the water stains with a sleeve, and then obediently rested back on his shoulder. This time, Lu Zhou stopped crying out about the pain and silently used his own sleeve to catch the tears.
When they met Brother Wang, who had come to pick them up, the tears finally stopped.
“Young Master, you found Lu Zhou!” Brother Wang looked delighted and hurriedly opened the car door for them.
Lu Zhou slowly climbed down from Xun Ji’s back and sat in the warm car.
“Young Master…” Brother Wang leaned close to Xun Ji’s ear and quietly recounted what he had heard about the situation at Lu Zhou’s home.
“To make a child do something like that, his dad really…” Brother Wang wanted to curse but glanced at Lu Zhou in the car and held back, finally letting out a low sigh. “What two pitiful children.”
So that was the reason for the Blackening Value spike. Xun Ji understood. He rested one hand on the car door and asked Lu Zhou without any evasion, “Your home is in such chaos now—do you still want to go back?”
Lu Zhou was silent for a moment, then gently shook his head.
Xun Ji nodded. “Let’s go, then. Pick up Xiao Ting, and we’ll head home.”
It wasn’t until they arrived at that ridiculously large residence that Lu Zhou realized Xun Ji’s “home” wasn’t the school dorms but the Xun Mansion.
Lu Zhou had once thought building a Villa in the school dorm area was luxurious enough, but arriving at Xun Ji’s real home made him realize the dorm was truly just a dorm.
“Brother, I’m back.” Xun Ji, who had returned several times before, led Lu Zhou and Xiao Ting inside familiarly.
In the living room, decorated in an ancient and luxurious style, sat a man around thirty years old wearing silver-rimmed glasses, with a refined and handsome face. He appeared to be waiting especially for them.
Xun Ji tossed his coat casually onto the sofa and pounced onto the man, reaching over his shoulder to grab the water glass in front of him and gulping down several mouthfuls.
“Tired?” The man patted him lightly on the back, signaling him to drink slowly.
“Not bad, just feels like the car ride shook me apart.” Xun Ji hung on the man for a few seconds, forcing himself to perk up. “Has the doctor arrived?”
“Yeah,” the man nodded. “Take your guests over.”
Lu Zhou was about to awkwardly greet him when the man waved it off.
“Lu Zhou, I know you.” He said, “I’m Xun Qian, Xun Ji’s older brother.”
Lu Zhou also knew him—or rather, no student at Yaoxing Academy didn’t know him. Xun Qian, the current president of the Xun Conglomerate and Honorary Principal of Yaoxing Academy.
Lu Zhou subtly clenched his fist. “Hello, President Xun.”
“Enough chit-chat for now—plenty of time later. Hurry and see the doctor, then rest.” Xun Ji slung his arms around Lu Zhou and Xiao Ting, one on each side, and led them away.
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