Chapter 17: A Sudden Realization
Qi Xiao was awakened by the piercing sunlight. When he opened his eyes, he saw Fu Yunzhi sleeping peacefully on his chest.
“!!!”
Qi Xiao’s mouth fell open, his entire body frozen stiff with shock.
Wh-wh-wh-wh-what happened?! Did I get drunk and have my way with him?!
Fu Yunzhi also opened his eyes. In truth, he had woken up several times, but since Qi Xiao was still sound asleep, he had no choice but to force himself to go back to sleep. This went on until noon. Fu Yunzhi felt he had never slept so soundly…
“Can you let go now?” Fu Yunzhi said coolly.
Qi Xiao numbly released his grip.
Fu Yunzhi propped himself up on the edge of the bed to get up, but his left leg brushed against a certain indescribable, and very spirited, part of Qi Xiao.
Fu Yunzhi: “…”
“That’s normal, right…” Qi Xiao said awkwardly. “You… you have them too… uh!”
Fu Yunzhi grabbed a pillow and shoved it in Qi Xiao’s face, then quickly scrambled off the bed and left the room.
After he left, Qi Shaofeng walked in through the still-open door.
“You’re awake? Ah-Xiao, what was that song you were singing last night? I’ve been curious all night.”
“Singing?”
“Yeah, you were singing very, very loudly. I think the whole inn could hear you. The lyrics had something about rubbing, I’m sorry, I don’t remember it very well, because I was so shocked by your singing.”
Seeing Qi Shaofeng’s mischievous expression, Qi Xiao said wearily, “Can you please leave first? I need some quiet time.”
What kind of person is this, always thinking about twisting the knife and teasing others.
Qi Xiao felt like he wanted to go bang his head against a block of tofu. His storybook was seen by his wifey, his singing was heard by his wifey. His image as a handsome and domineering general was probably down the drain.
Facepalm.
Facepalm.
Another facepalm.
Oh, life…
Wait!
Qi Xiao felt like he had overlooked someone else—Shen Linye! Although he didn’t remember their conversation from last night very clearly, the two points he wouldn’t forget were that he had confessed his pen name, and Shen Linye had said he was a reincarnator!
Qi Xiao was a bit stunned. He had personally experienced transmigration, but he still found it unbelievable. He never thought he would meet a reincarnator!
Then can I ask him… about my final ending with Fu Yunzhi…
For some reason, Qi Xiao was suddenly a little afraid and couldn’t make up his mind.
“General Qi!”
Just as he was pondering, Duanmu Ling called from outside the door, “Alliance Chief Shen is here to see you!”
Qi Xiao took a deep breath. It’s better to get the pain over with quickly, he thought. Good or bad, it’s my fate!
After washing up, Qi Xiao went to the private room where Shen Linye was.
…
The atmosphere was a bit awkward.
It was Shen Linye who broke the silence. After taking a sip of tea, he said slowly, “I won’t tell anyone about you writing storybooks. You must also keep my secret about being reborn.”
“Are you really… a reincarnator?”
“I’ve asked myself that question a hundred times,” Shen Linye said. “I don’t know if it’s real. Maybe it’s just a fleeting dream, or maybe it’s my illusion. Maybe…”
He closed his eyes, as if suppressing something. “Maybe one day I’ll open my eyes and be back in the past where I lost Linglong. I worry every day and night, but I don’t know who to talk to. So, I am truly grateful to you, General Qi, for writing a story about rebirth. It makes me feel that maybe rebirth… is really possible.”
“I think,” Qi Xiao said, “if it were me, I wouldn’t waste my energy worrying about whether I’ll lose it, but rather cherish what I have now. If it’s a dream, then I’ll make the most of it.”
Shen Linye was taken aback, then smiled. “General Qi, your words are truly a sudden realization.”
“You praise me too much. Actually, I also have a question for you, Alliance Chief Shen…”
“The question you want to ask is related to Master Fu, isn’t it?” Shen Linye said.
Qi Xiao nodded apprehensively.
“Many things have changed since I was reborn,” Shen Linye said. “What I say may not be accurate. And… General Qi, are you sure you want to hear it?”
Qi Xiao was silent.
“Fate can be changed. The reason Linglong and I are still together today is because I changed my fate.” With that, Shen Linye took his leave, leaving Qi Xiao alone, staring at his own reflection in his teacup.
Exterminating pirates was not the same as fighting a war. With the participation of the Jianghu, the court only allocated silver and a hundred soldiers from the Qi family army, also known as the Southern Conquest Army, to Yinshui City.
Under Qi Xiao’s command, the magistrate methodically prepared ships, rations, weapons, and other necessities. Three days later, a row of large ships was docked at the port, the banners of Langxuan fluttering in the wind. On the fourth day, as the sun began to rise, they boarded the ships amidst the prayers of the people of Yinshui.
On the deck of the main warship, Fu Yunzhi held a fan in one hand and a compass in the other, walking around. Duanmu Ling followed him curiously, peeking over his shoulder.
“Yunzhi, are you predicting the weather?”
“Mm.”
“How do you do it? Teach me.”
“Get lost.”
The two had become familiar with each other over the past few days and spoke without reservation. Duanmu Ling lamented, “Yunzhi, you must not have had any friends before.” Then he added, “Even if you did, I bet you had no more than three.”
His personality is so terrible. What did he eat growing up?
Fu Yunzhi said smugly, “Then I bet you don’t have any friends either. Even if you do, there’s only one, and that’s me.”
“Then you don’t have more than three friends either, right?” Duanmu Ling asked.
“Qi Xiao and the Emperor,” Fu Yunzhi replied.
Duanmu Ling was devastated. “Hey, hey! What about me?”
Fu Yunzhi completely ignored him, looked up at the sky, then down at the compass. “There will definitely be a storm within these three days.”
“Then why did we choose to set out today?”
“Storms are common this season; we can’t avoid them,” Fu Yunzhi explained. “As long as our ships can withstand it, a storm is nothing to be afraid of. Go tell Qi Xiao to make preparations.”
Qi Xiao and Shen Linye were the leaders of this operation, but Shen Linye was not as adept at managing troops as Qi Xiao, so it was usually Qi Xiao who gave the orders.
“Why me?” Duanmu Ling asked, surprised.
Fu Yunzhi said helplessly, “Qi Xiao has been avoiding me these past few days.”
Duanmu Ling silently lit a candle for Qi Xiao in his heart. It seems he was so embarrassed that day that his spirit has been deeply wounded and hasn’t recovered yet.
Hahahaha! I’m not laughing at all.
When night fell, Qi Xiao returned to his room and saw an unexpected guest.
A cup of steaming hot tea sat on the table, and Fu Yunzhi was sitting there, reading a book.
Qi Xiao: “…”
Did I open a fake door again?
Qi Xiao took a few steps back.
Then, Fu Yunzhi’s cold voice came from inside the room. “Qi • Xiao.”
Qi Xiao immediately bounced into the room.
“Let me see that story of yours about Little Rose and Xuanyuan Aolong again,” Fu Yunzhi said. “I didn’t finish it that day.”
Qi Xiao obediently took it out.
Fu Yunzhi flipped to a certain page. “The sentence structure here is awkward. You should change it.”
“And here, the plot seems to be wrong. Take a look…”
The sound of the waves was faint, and a sea breeze occasionally blew into the room. The atmosphere in the room had never been better.
