TM CH18

Chapter 18 No Point in Overthinking

The temperature difference between day and night on the island was extreme. The night wind blew into the crude wooden house, carrying a damp chill that was harsh on the body.

Gu Yunxing slept on the outside. In his sleep, he felt discomfort and slowly leaned towards the warmer side.

Rong Qi wasn’t cold. Half-conscious, he no longer minded the cramped space. He mumbled a few indistinct words before quickly falling back into a deep sleep.

The sound of rain gradually stopped, and the sky began to lighten.

Rong Qi’s mind was still hazy. Feeling warm all over, he couldn’t help but squint his eyes, lingering in that liminal space between waking and sleeping for a while.

In his dream, it was as if he had returned to his residence in Lihuo Palace.

It was a secluded courtyard, square-shaped, with flowers and plants not particularly abundant, but the place was quiet and clean. Only a few servants quietly kept watch. On the wooden bed in the room, two light-colored blankets lay across. Rong Qi was not someone who cared much about comfort. His living conditions were not as exquisite as Shen Qi’s. The blankets served merely for protection against the cold.

Rong Qi lay in bed, feeling extremely drowsy. He yawned and snuggled deeper into the covers.

Unfortunately, the bedding wasn’t as soft as he had imagined.

When he had the chance, he would go to Shen Qi’s place and ask for a few silk blankets.

The warmth from the covers was soothing. Rong Qi snuggled in closer, faintly hearing voices coming from afar.

“Right Protector Rong…”

“Lord Right Protector….”

“Rong Qi.”

He suddenly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a few strands of hair. Looking up, he found a familiar face. Gu Yunxing’s hair was disheveled, and a hint of drowsiness still lingered on his face from just waking.

Gu Yunxing: “It’s past noon. We’ve overslept again.”

A series of images flashed through Rong Qi’s muddled mind. He snapped back to reality and quickly moved back.

“Be careful!”

Gu Yunxing’s hand came too late. Rong Qi’s head struck the rock wall with a dull thud. A sharp pain surged through his skull, and he couldn’t help but groan softly.

Gu Yunxing awkwardly said, “The cave is cramped. It’s easy to bump into things.” Seeing Rong Qi’s discomfort, he leaned in again. “Did you break the skin? Let me take a look.”

“Don’t come closer!” Rong Qi glared at him, his dark eyes locked onto Gu Yunxing, who was only inches away.

They stared at each other for a moment. Suddenly, Rong Qi gave a forceful shove and quickly crawled out from the inner side. He tidied his robes, his expression slightly unnatural, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Gu Yunxing was very complicated.

“I’m going to wash my face,” Rong Qi said coldly before leaving the room immediately.

Gu Yunxing watched his retreating figure, then shifted into a more comfortable position to sit for a while. After a long pause, he shook his head and let out a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.

Outside, the sky had fully brightened, and the air was mixed with the salty, briny scent of the sea.

Rong Qi stretched out his hand, blocking the sunlight. White light filtered through his fingers, spilling onto his face and causing him to squint. He had actually slept until late morning… and had slept with Gu Yunxing until the sun was high in the sky! Not only had he slept deeply, but he had even managed to have a pleasant dream?

Rong Qi inwardly scorned himself. How could he have been so careless, so completely unguarded?

It was all the fault of this cursed island. Here, the usual concerns of the jianghu were worth less than a roasted rabbit.

But for him to relax like this was really unacceptable.

As he recalled the scene upon waking, an odd feeling stirred in his heart. It wasn’t exactly disgust, but it was certainly unfamiliar, almost strange.

He arrived at the stream and cupped his hands to drink. The water flowed steadily, rushing against his fingertips. The breeze stirred the water, stretching his reflection and distorting it.

Rong Qi sat by the stream for a while.

In the distance, jagged mountain peaks rose beneath a gray, overcast sky, casting an air of desolation and coldness. Occasionally, large birds, whose names he couldn’t recall, flew out from the forest, quickly disappearing from view.

Rong Qi lowered his gaze and reached out, disturbing the flow of the water, scattering the light into a fractured pattern.

“Overthinking is useless. I’m starving.”

On his way back, he found Gu Yunxing outside, tending to his leg injury. Gu Yunxing had hurt his leg when they fell into the sea, and the bloodstains on his pant leg had already darkened to a deep brown.

Rong Qi knew about the injury, but it was the first time he had seen the wound up close. Gu Yunxing had entered the water the previous night, and the injury seemed a little swollen. Thankfully, it hadn’t bled much. Three distinct blood scabs were visible, and a large patch of bruising extended from the wound, a sight that was startling to look at.

Gu Yunxing had cold sweat on his forehead. He had undone the cloth around his leg and was now rewrapping the injury.

Rong Qi watched for a moment before asking, “You won’t limp, will you?”

Gu Yunxing wasn’t offended. “Thanks for your concern, Lord Right Protector. This humble Gu will strive not to drag you down.”

Rong Qi approached, squatted down in front of him, and carefully examined the wound.

Gu Yunxing paused his bandaging, watching Rong Qi in silence.

After a moment, Rong Qi extended two fingers and prodded at the injury.

Gu Yunxing: “Hiss.”

Rong Qi: “The bone isn’t dislocated. You’re really lucky.”

He withdrew his fingers, clearly unwilling to offer an explanation for having poked at Gu Yunxing’s wound, as if it had been a simple act driven by curiosity and concern.

Gu Yunxing continued tending to his injury and said, “After all this trouble, I can’t just ignore my leg injury. This humble Gu needs to rest for a while, and this humble Gu hopes Right Protector Rong can understand.”

Rong Qi narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Gu Yunxing lowered his trouser and saluted with a cupped fist. “I’ll trouble the Lord Right Protector to take care of me.”

“You want this venerable one to take care of you?” Rong Qi’s face darkened with displeasure. “Not long ago you could still swim in the sea! Who are you putting on this weak and helpless act for?”

Gu Yunxing spoke seriously, “There are times when some things take priority over others.” After a pause, he added, “This humble Gu is hungry.”

Rong Qi’s expression turned even darker. “Oh, I’m hungry too.”

The two of them stared at each other for a long while.

Gu Yunxing lowered his gaze to his injured leg, looking somewhat awkward. “Right Protector Rong, are you really going to make me, an injured man, wander around these mountains and forests?”

Rong Qi: “Why not?”

Gu Yunxing sighed. “…Fine.” He struggled to prop himself up, shakily standing, but moments later, he seemed to lose his strength and wobbled back down to sit again.

Rong Qi stared at him expressionlessly.

Someone who could build a house with his bare hands and dive into the sea to brave the waves was now acting like a ‘delicate willow.’ How had he ever thought Gu Yunxing was a person concerned with face?

Rong Qi’s voice was cold. “You’re so sure that I can’t do anything to you?”

Gu Yunxing smiled faintly. “Right now, we’re relying on each other for survival. We might even have to keep going together from here on out. It wouldn’t do for the Lord Right Protector to turn on me, would it?”

It was true, but hearing it from Gu Yunxing’s mouth made it rather irritating.

Rong Qi threatened, “Gu Yunxing, keep up with this act, and see if I don’t throw you out.”

Gu Yunxing remained unruffled, his tone casual. “Right Protector Rong, it seems you’re not really this humble Gu’s match.”

“……”

Rong Qi fell silent.

Gu Yunxing blinked, about to say something, but was ruthlessly interrupted by Rong Qi.

“Shut up, Gu Yunxing. Talk less, don’t provoke me, understand?”

Gu Yunxing: “……”

Rong Qi: “By the way, when are you going to return my clothes?”

Gu Yunxing: “Since we came here, this humble Gu hasn’t had the chance to wash anything.”

Rong Qi was growing impatient. “What does that have to do with me?”

Gu Yunxing: “I was too busy building the house yesterday. Today is just right.”

Rong Qi: “So?”

Gu Yunxing adjusted his robe and said, “I’ll wear it a few more days.”

Rong Qi stared at him in disbelief, torn between ‘snatching it back by force’ and ‘admitting he couldn’t win.’ In the end, he could only turn away in bitter resentment, storming into the woods. Out of sight, out of mind.