Chapter 10: Like a Cat Whose Tail Got Stepped On

The next day, Zhao Lixuan was restless from early morning.

He had to go to the flower sea with Jiang Immortal Lord that evening… What should he wear? Plain white everyday robes weren’t formal enough, but the gold-embroidered ritual attire with cloud patterns felt too deliberate.

In the end, he settled on a broad-sleeved robe of moon-white with golden cloud motifs. He swapped out his jade hairpin three or four times before deciding, aiming for something that was “proper without seeming overly eager.”

Lunch tasted like nothing, and during his afternoon nap, he lay there with eyes wide open, staring at the intricate embroidery on the canopy, utterly unable to sleep.

Zhao Lixuan was consumed by everyday regret.

That Tu Flower Immortal Grass Meadow was his most private, most cherished spot in the entire Unstained Immortal Realm!

Whenever he had free time before, he always loved finding the thickest cluster of flowers to lie down in, letting the star-like blooms—exuding their sweet, clear fragrance—engulf him.

He would gaze through the gaps at the clear blue sky and drifting clouds, lying there for an entire day, forgetting all his troubles.

It had been his personal sanctuary. If it got tainted from now on with awful memories of Jiang Chen, how could he ever go back to properly zoning out?

But if he picked somewhere else…

Zhao Lixuan thought it over. Flowing Rosy Sun Pavilion had a broad view, but it was where he usually sipped tea and watched clouds; Listening Snow White Forest was serene and profound, his place for sword practice and enlightenment; Mirror Moon Silver Lake was nice too, but he didn’t want to bring Jiang Chen there either.

No matter how he racked his brain, his conclusion was that there wasn’t a single place in the entire Unstained Immortal Realm he was willing to share with Jiang Chen!

He muddled through in this distracted state until dusk fell. The appointed time arrived. With the resolve of a man facing death, Zhao Lixuan straightened his robes and stepped out of the Pear Flower Water Pavilion.

Bigger to die early and be reborn soon.

Jiang Chen’s temporary residence, Maple Vine Courtyard, was actually just a wall away from his own place.

Yet ever since Jiang Chen had moved in, this was his first time going over.

The whole Fu Xi Palace was his home—turn this corridor and there were those green bamboos, pass through the moon gate and that old plum tree appeared… He could navigate it with his eyes closed. So why did these few steps feel impossibly heavy today, like he was sneaking around the whole way?

It felt inexplicably like he was about to commit burglary.

Even spotting a few colleagues from afar made him wish he could vanish on the spot, silently chanting, They can’t see me, they can’t see me.

But of course, he ran right into them.

When the other party smiled and greeted him—”Immortal Lord Li Xuan, you’re in such a hurry. Where are you headed?”—he could only force a stiff smile: “Ha, of course… to find Jiang Immortal Lord.”

Actually, that wasn’t a bad way to put it.

After all, Xia Yunjie was always nagging him to put on a good show with Jiang Chen. And now, these colleagues clearly thought their relationship had improved.

So why did it feel like such public humiliation, as if his clothes had been stripped off right there?

“…” Why put myself through this torture?

Crossing the moon gate and winding corridors, he finally entered Maple Vine Courtyard. The yard was as elegantly refined as ever, but in the corner’s little living pool, there should have been several colorful, lively brocade carp swimming. And in the alcove under the eaves, his two fluffy floppy-eared spirit rabbits should have been waiting, always rubbing against his palms.

But now…

Zhao Lixuan silently stared at the empty pond and the rabbit hutch under the eaves, dusted with a thin layer.

What could he do? Jiang Immortal Venerable hated rabbits and fish, so he’d had no choice but to clear them out early.

His precious brocade carp were now crammed into a distant lotus pond with a bunch of dumb spirit turtles, and his two floppy-eared rabbits had been forced to bunk with Yu Rumu, where they got beaten up daily by Yu Rumu’s two big black rabbits.

Damn you, Jiang Chen, usurping the nest.

But there was no helping it—he had to plan ahead with this hard-to-please guy, who always got inexplicably angry. Clearing out anything that might offend him was the smart move.

Still, even the tightest plans had a leak.

As soon as he stepped into the innermost courtyard, Zhao Lixuan halted abruptly, his mind buzzing.

…Loofah flowers?!

Who could tell him why, in the twilight of Maple Vine Courtyard, several lush green loofah vines had sprouted out of nowhere on the flower trellis?

He definitely hadn’t planted these here! So why were those pale yellow blossoms blooming so perfectly in the dusk?

It made the whole Maple Vine Cottage feel exactly like that little courtyard from twenty years ago, back when he and Jiang Chen had lived in the Mortal Realm!

Shit. Jiang Chen wouldn’t think it looks familiar too, would he?

Won’t assume I did it on purpose to hint at something?

…

What made him want to cry without tears was that after he steeled himself and knocked on the door, Jiang Chen just unlocked it remotely with a flick of power. With a creak, the wooden door swung open a crack.

“…” Veins throbbed at Zhao Lixuan’s temple.

—The door’s open, so he should go in himself?

No way was he falling for that. Given their history, who would risk a suspicious situation like lingering in a melon patch or plum orchard—two men alone in a room?

He had experience. Jiang Linyuan was the type to twist people’s intentions; he wasn’t falling for it again, walking in like an idiot only to end up unable to wash away the suspicions even if he jumped into the Heavenly River!

What if he slipped by accident, fell onto the guy, and they “happened” to tumble onto the bed together, with him “precisely” landing on top?

Heh, that image was too beautiful to contemplate.

Luckily, after a moment of deadlock, Jiang Chen finally emerged from inside, his face as cold as a frozen corpse.

The bad part was… Jiang Immortal Lord was dressed today in an ink-black robe that seemed understated but was made of the finest materials with impeccable craftsmanship—subtle luxury. A closer look revealed intricate flowing cloud dark patterns embroidered with fine silver thread at the collar and cuffs, shimmering faintly in the twilight.

And he himself had deliberately chosen a similarly low-key luxurious white robe, with flowing cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread at the collar and cuffs.

The two of them standing there—one black, one white, patterns matching—looked exactly like a pair!!!

Heh.

Zhao Lixuan truly felt he’d die very peacefully this time.

Fortunately, Jiang Chen remained as aloof as ever, not sparing him extra glances. Once out the gate, he strode ahead with his usual swift, brisk pace, wordlessly leaving most of his back to Zhao Lixuan.

“…”

Just outside the gate, they ran into more acquaintances.

Yu Rumu was leading Chu Fusheng to Listening Snow White Forest to admire the newly emerged Flowing Light Firefly Mushrooms, with two other pairs of Immortal Lords tagging along.

Six pairs of eyes turned to them in unison. They looked at him, at Jiang Chen. Then back at him, then at Jiang Chen.

“…” Zhao Lixuan went numb inside.

It proved that in immortal life, you shouldn’t force a business partnership!

Their pairing was probably too discordant—every Immortal Lord’s face held an indescribable expression, and Chu Fusheng’s mouth kept twitching suspiciously.

He couldn’t hold back his laughter because it was just too funny.

The two before them—say their relationship was stiff and awkward, yet they wore matching couple’s robes. Say they were harmonious, yet both faces screamed utter resignation and fatalism.

Stirring the pot without a care, he chimed in: “Yo, Immortal Lord Zhao, Immortal Lord Jiang, where you headed?”

After a moment’s silence, Zhao Lixuan dryly squeezed out: “To see flowers.”

Chu Fusheng, new to the scene and unaware of Flower Valley, blinked. But Yu Rumu’s expression shifted: “To your Tu Flower Immortal Grass Meadow?”

He clearly misunderstood, immediately beaming with sincere delight, his voice warm: “That’s great, Immortal Lord Jiang. Li Xuan treasures that Flower Valley like nothing else—he’s only ever brought his closest friends there…

Truth be told, since you’re old classmates, he’s put a lot of thought into your visit privately. Whether it’s your lodging at Maple Vine Courtyard or the daily meals, Li Xuan specifically adjusted everything to your preferences. He knew you dislike fish soup and costus fragrance, so he had the stewards change them all!

Zhao Lixuan: “…”

Just leave already. Hurry up.

Even as they departed, Yu Rumu glanced back with encouraging eyes: “Li Xuan, get along well. Water drips wear away stone.”

Zhao Lixuan: “…………”

What gave him heart palpitations was that Jiang Chen seemed to actually take in Yu Rumu’s nonsense.

For the latter half of the journey, Jiang Immortal Lord no longer strode ahead so coldly and swiftly; he slowed a bit, allowing them to walk side by side in wordless silence.

Dusk deepened, the last gorgeous streak of rosy glow fading from the sky, blending into somber blue-gray tones. Distant mountains blurred, evening breeze carrying coolness through the roadside immortal grasses, rustling softly.

Twilight closed in, and the man at his side murmured something very low.

“…I don’t, actually, hate, costus fragrance.”

Huh? What?

The wind was too loud; Zhao Lixuan hadn’t caught it.

Jiang Chen pressed his lips thin, staring ahead, and stiffly spat out: “Never mind.”

Zhao Lixuan: “…”

Fortunately, Tu Flower Immortal Grass Meadow wasn’t far.

As soon as they entered the valley mouth, seas of Forget-Sorrow Grass crashed into view.

Golden petals cradling jade-like stamens gleamed with amber warmth under the lingering sunset, like satin unfurled to the horizon. Thousands of Illusory Light Glazed Butterflies danced among the flowers, their wing scales flashing mesmerizing halos like flowing auroras, breathtakingly beautiful.

Zhao Lixuan couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Jiang Chen beside him.

The wind swept the flower sea like a myriad of swaying stars. See? This was the Unstained Immortal Realm’s unique spectacle—how could the Mortal Realm compare?

But Jiang Chen’s ink-black eyes reflected the riot of colors, utterly unmoved by the stunning vista.

He just shot back a cold glance. Then, under Zhao Lixuan’s puzzled stare, he lowered his gaze, bent down, and plucked several rare unopened buds—still tender and green—from the flower sea with his slender fingers.

Suddenly, he grabbed Zhao Lixuan’s wrist and stuffed the dew-kissed, cool buds into his palm without explanation.

The warmth in his palm lingered.

Zhao Lixuan stared blankly, looking down.

The Forget-Sorrow Grass buds were tightly furled into a bundle, slender in form, greenish-gold in hue…

Wait.

This shape, this color—why did it look more and more like golden needle vegetables waving in the wilds of the Mortal Realm?

No way?

Zhao Lixuan knew golden needles all too well.

Back then, Jiang Chen loved them, so he’d unhesitatingly thrown gold at buying an entire hillside in Luo State—just because the wild golden needles there grew especially lush every year.

But golden needles had to be picked at their tenderest, before blooming, or they’d toughen. He’d always harvested them as buds and never bothered checking what they looked like fully opened.

So this was it?

Which meant…

“Oranges born in Huainan are oranges; born in Huaibei, they become trifoliates,” he murmured incredulously, clutching the buds. “Hard to imagine Forget-Sorrow Grass in the Mortal Realm is just an ordinary wild vegetable?”

“Hard to imagine?”

Jiang Chen slanted a narrow-eyed glance at him, thin lips quirking slightly, eyes full of mockery.

Zhao Lixuan pretended not to notice—he had no intention of arguing in his favorite flower valley. But the next instant, another buried memory surfaced…

That year, the hillside golden needles grew so abundantly they couldn’t eat them all. Then came days of steady rain, blocking mountain access.

When the sky finally cleared, he eagerly dragged Jiang Chen up, only to find most had quietly bloomed in the rain—yellow flowers blanketing the hills.

“They’re all tough now. Can’t eat them.”

He gazed at the flower sea with mild regret, then hugged the silent youth’s arm beside him, grinning carefree: “But look, little Jiang—turns out when this veggie blooms old, the flowers are still pretty nice.”

“…”

The evening breeze rose, stirring his plain white robes.

A few fireflies drifted up from somewhere, flickering in the deepening dusk. Zhao Lixuan felt dazed, visions flashing: butterflies, loofah flowers, summer nights—overlapping, blurry pasts that were real and dreamlike.

He’d always thought he remembered every detail from twenty years ago clearly.

Turned out, not really.

At least, he’d forgotten seeing Forget-Sorrow flowers.

And probably many other things, long washed away by time…

The wind grew chillier.

An indescribable melancholy and sourness welled up. No moment made Immortal Lord Li Xuan more acutely realize that those naive, fervent days in Mortal Realm’s Luo State truly felt like a previous life.

…

That evening, they sat together in silence amid the flower sea.

Watching the vast night, stars emerging, moonlight spilling like mercury, Illusory Light Glazed Butterflies dancing—no one said another word.

On the way back, a faint wine scent wafted on the night breeze into Zhao Lixuan’s nose.

He glanced sideways and saw Jiang Chen had produced an exquisite jade flask from somewhere, tilting his head to drink silently.

Back when they first met, only Zhao Lixuan was a lousy drunkard who loved booze.

He’d always eagerly drag Jiang Chen to sample fine wines, gradually getting him hooked.

At the time, Zhao Lixuan hadn’t known Jiang Chen was a Butterfly Immortal, nor that butterflies craved sweets and alcohol by nature.

He’d once thought little Jiang was indifferent to everything, yet strangely fond of Luo State’s famous “Butterfly Drunk”—quite amusing.

Since Little Jiang liked it, he bought it for him every day.

Unfortunately, the physician soon issued a strict order: alcohol was detrimental to his chills, and he was forbidden from drinking any more.

Thus, Zhao Lixuan could only watch over Jiang Chen day after day, allowing him only the slightest sip during major holidays. By the time they parted ways, Jiang Chen had quit drinking entirely. So how…

“When did you start drinking again?”

It was just a casual question. Yet Jiang Chen’s hand paused slightly on the jug, his knuckles tightening. After a long moment, his low voice drifted over on the evening breeze:

“Just… these past few years.”

“What are you drinking today? It seems different from last time.”

Zhao Lixuan sniffed lightly at the crisp aroma in the air, laced with a soft, lingering sweetness. “It smells like Moonlight Dew from the north.”

He didn’t know which nerve this had struck in Jiang Chen.

Those black pupils suddenly darkened, carrying a suppressed storm about to break. Then he shifted his gaze away, falling into silent self-mockery once more.

Zhao Lixuan recalled how, at the contract ceremony last time, he had reacted the same way—suddenly like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, fierce with annoyance and hurt.

Just a casual question. Making small talk, that’s all.

Why can’t I even ask this?