As they left the cave, the bright moon illuminated the night sky. Jinan glanced up, his eyes stinging from the radiant light. The cool breeze and moonlight, however, brought a rare sense of calm to his heart, especially as he held Lixi’s hand.
Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the night’s tranquility. Jinan turned to see a woman who had dropped a clay pot in front of them. She stood frozen, too afraid to pick up the pieces, her eyes fixed on Jinan with fear.
As Jinan stepped forward, she trembled and retreated. A glance around revealed that all the members of the Five Spirits Sect reacted similarly, their eyes filled with barely contained terror and panic. Women clutched their children, while husbands shielded their wives.
With his keen hearing, Jinan could hear the agonized moans coming from the surrounding huts. Everything around him screamed that he was a murderer, a terrifying monster.
Before he could react, Lixi tightened her grip on his hand. Looking at her, Jinan saw his reflection in her eyes. She was comforting him, concerned about his emotions, and considerate of his feelings. Jinan’s gaze softened. He wasn’t as fragile as she might think; he could bear the weight of his sins and withstand the suspicion and hostility of others. Yet Lixi’s care could make even the coldest hell bloom with a hundred flowers in his heart.
“Alright, alright,” Wu Yin clapped his hands nearby. “Our clan’s Jade Silkworm Parasite has fully bonded with its host, and his emotions have stabilized. You can all rest easy now.” Though some still looked doubtful, the hostility in the air lessened considerably at his words.
Wu Yin instructed someone to inform the elders about a meeting in his house later. He then led Lixi and Jinan to a slightly secluded area, showing them to a wooden cabin. “This is the best we can offer in the Five Spirits Sect. Our people live like ordinary mountain folk. General Li, I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with these humble accommodations despite your noble status.”
The conditions here, though basic, were no worse than during military campaigns. Lixi wasn’t one to complain about such things. However…
“One room?” she asked.
“Yes,” Wu Yin confirmed.
Lixi stepped inside, surveying the space. There was no privacy screen, just a table, a cabinet, and a bed.
“One bed?” She turned to Wu Yin.
He nodded. “Yes, the room is small. It’s already quite good to fit such a large bed. In other houses, our people sleep in small beds.”
“But…”
“You’re not planning to sleep separately from the Jade Silkworm host, are you?” Wu Yin cut in, his direct question catching Lixi off guard. His query also caused Jinan to stare at her intently as if echoing Wu Yin’s words—You’re not planning to sleep separately from me, are you?
Why… Shouldn’t they sleep separately? Why did it seem like her desire for separate sleeping arrangements was an unreasonable request?
“The Jade Silkworm Parasite has just calmed down. It’s best if it maintains constant contact with its host. The host’s body provides the most soothing influence,” Wu Yin explained. “In my opinion, our Jade Silkworm host…”
“His name is Jinan,” Lixi interrupted.
Wu Yin nodded. “Right, right. In my opinion, the reason why our Jinan transforms into a child during the day and an adult at night is likely because his body hasn’t fully merged with the Jade Silkworm Parasite. The host’s presence can accelerate this fusion. Once fully integrated, the size-changing phenomenon should cease.” Wu Yin stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Hugging, kissing, and even more intimate contact would be ideal…”
“You can leave now,” Lixi dismissed him.
Wu Yin chuckled. “Don’t be so quick to send me away. I’ll be discussing your situation with the elders later.” He continued, “General, when do you plan to take Jinan away from our Five Spirits Sect? What are your plans for him afterward? Although I previously agreed to let you take the Jade Silkworm, it must eventually return to our sect. While the parasite remains in his body, we need to know his whereabouts to ensure his protection.”
Protection and surveillance, Lixi understood their motives. It was understandable, but she couldn’t provide an immediate answer. She didn’t know where she could take Jinan.
Letting him leave her side? That seemed impossible for now. Bringing him back to the capital? Then what? How would she situate him once there? She was likely to enter the imperial palace soon. Not just Sima Yang, but the entire court and her own general’s mansion wouldn’t allow her to bring Jinan into the palace. Especially given his mysterious background and inexplicable physical transformations.
“Tomorrow, I’ll send a letter to the camp at the foot of the mountain, ordering part of the troops to return to the capital first. I’ll stay in the Five Spirits Sect for three days. After that, I’ll reassess Jinan’s condition and make further plans.”
“Very well,” Wu Yin nodded. “These three days will also allow me to study the Jade Silkworm host more closely, perhaps finding a way to resolve his size-changing issue.” As Wu Yin turned to leave, Lixi suddenly remembered something.
“Wait here, don’t move,” she instructed Jinan before following Wu Yin out.
Jinan watched Lixi release his hand and leave. He froze for a moment, instinctively wanting to pull her back but knowing he shouldn’t. Suppressing the urge to follow, he clenched his fist and fixed his gaze on Lixi’s retreating figure until she and Wu Yin turned a corner and disappeared.
Meanwhile, Lixi caught up with Wu Yin, deliberately walking far enough to ensure Jinan couldn’t overhear. Once certain, she asked, “Does your Jade Silkworm Parasite always erase the host’s memories? Is there any way to recover them?”
Lixi thought that if they could uncover Jinan’s background, once his body stabilized and his emotions settled, he might be able to return to his hometown and resume his previous life.
Wu Yin looked puzzled. “Oh? He’s lost his memories?”
“You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t,” Wu Yin pondered. “Historically, when the Jade Silkworm Parasite enters a host, it doesn’t erase their memories. It just makes the current master the most important thing to them. They don’t forget their past, they simply don’t dwell on it. If Jinan can’t remember… it’s likely due to complications in the fusion process.”
Lixi contemplated this. “So…”
“Intimate contact between you two might solve the problem.”
Wu Yin’s blunt statement nearly infuriated Lixi. “Nonsense! How dare you suggest such a thing!”
“General, I’m innocent! I’m simply offering the most direct and effective solution,” he defended. “Haven’t you noticed? During sunset and sunrise, when his body should change, your presence, especially intimate contact, prolongs his current state. If you were to be intimate with him in his adult form, it might stabilize him permanently on the first try.”
Wu Yin’s frank words left Lixi flustered, angry, and blushing furiously. Yet she found herself unable to refute his logic.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, “Find another way,” before turning to leave.
Returning to the cabin, she found Jinan in the exact position she’d left him. His red eyes watched her silently as if he’d been holding back for a long time. When Lixi approached, he carefully took her hand, slowly intertwining their fingers. His other hand gently touched her back, pulling her closer. Once sure she didn’t object, he embraced her.
“I didn’t move at all,” Jinan said. “Next time, could you come back sooner?”
His words melted Lixi’s heart.
If Wu Yin’s earlier words were like fireworks, leaving her dizzy and overwhelmed, Jinan’s gentle request was like a floating lantern, swaying gently, warming every cold and sharp corner of her heart.
“Alright,” she agreed.
Hearing Lixi’s response, Jinan seemed to relax completely, his tense muscles loosening. After a quiet moment of embrace, he asked, “Don’t you want to sleep with me?”
Reminded of this issue, Lixi gently pushed Jinan away, rubbing her brow in frustration. “It’s not that… well, it is… we can’t sleep together.”
“Why not? Didn’t we sleep together in the dungeon before?”
“That…” Lixi struggled to answer. “Although we did in the dungeon, that was due to circumstances…”
“We slept together outside the dungeon too.”
Jinan’s words startled Lixi. “When did I…” She suddenly remembered the times when she thought Jinan was just a child. “That was… an accident.”
“In the northern nights, I often slept with you.”
“What?”
“I’d sneak into your tent at night. Your guards were useless; you should replace them. Let me guard you, and no one will get near. I never disturbed your sleep; you never noticed.”
“…”
Lixi walked into the cabin and sat on a chair.
As Jinan tried to approach, she pushed him back. “Stand still. We need to talk.”
Jinan obediently stood in place. Lixi took a deep breath, unsure how to reprimand him. Finally, she ordered, “Stand there for two hours. Don’t move unless I say so!”
“Alright,” he agreed readily, robbing Lixi of any satisfaction from the punishment.
Frowning, she asked, “Do you want to know why I’m punishing you?”
“No.”
Taken aback, Lixi asked, “Why not?”
“Whatever you say, I’ll do it.”
“…”
She was trying to punish him, but he was indulging her.
Lixi realized that, effortlessly, this man before her had made her heart flutter.