Zhou Zixi, who had gone to the seaside, was eventually found by Chen Zhou and the others.
He was at a huge rock far from the wooden cabin but close to the sea. His body carried the scent of the ocean breeze. When Chen Zhou found him, Zhou Zixi was barefoot on the sand, standing under starlight as waves rushed in, washing over his ankles.
The young man, together with the starry sky and waves, composed a pleasing picture. However, this quiet and beautiful scene quickly became strange due to the intrusion of Chen Zhou and the others.
“You’re here watching the sea alone while we searched for you throughout the seven halls all night. Was that fun?”
Chen Zhou asked Zhou Zixi with an insincere smile.
Without saying a word, Dong Yeyun went straight for a kick. Although Zhou Zixi dodged it, he was caught by Fu Yuan, who grabbed his shoulder and forced him to bow his head.
Qing Ying stood to the side watching Zhou Zixi being beaten by her senior brothers. Though she couldn’t squeeze in to take action herself, she still felt furious and finally threw a small substitute spirit at Zhou Zixi.
After being beaten, Zhou Zixi was dragged by Chen Zhou to the seaside cabin, where he watched him eat. Upon learning that Zhou Zixi had used the shadow technique to go to Ming Li, Chen Zhou also sent a message scolding Ming Li.
Ming Li received the message and was puzzled. “Didn’t you already figure it out?”
Chen Zhou: “I thought he went there himself. Who knew he used the shadow technique? Look at him—he was hungry at the seaside all day!”
Ming Li: “…”
She couldn’t tell whether her senior brother was angry about her concealing the shadow technique or about their junior brother being hungry all day.
*
During the days Ming Li was away, Chen Zhou took Zhou Zixi everywhere.
Initially, Chen Zhou would take Zhou Zixi to tour the other six halls, sitting in on Liang Junxia’s classes for new disciples at Yu Heng Hall.
Zhou Zixi seemed to be of a similar age to these new disciples. Sitting at the bottom of the classroom, he blended in perfectly.
Several unsuspecting new disciples chatted with him quietly, asking him questions about spirit techniques.
Zhou Zixi didn’t speak, but he answered their questions using star threads. This action greatly impressed the new disciples.
While Liang Junxia was explaining a spirit technique above, Zhou Zixi below said, “Trivial skill.”
“Easily defeated.”
“Completely useless.”
Soon, more and more new disciples were attracted by Zhou Zixi’s star threads. As a result, Liang Junxia raised his hand, using a word incantation to expel both him and Chen Zhou from the classroom.
*
When Ming Li returned, she met Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang at the mountain gate.
The two looked quite hesitant and were startled when they saw Ming Li.
“Why are you standing here without going in?” Ming Li asked.
Zhou Xiang hid behind Cheng Jingbai, peeking out with a very troubled expression.
“We’re afraid he doesn’t want to see us,” Cheng Jingbai said with a bitter face.
Ming Li said, “Rounding up, you’re the benefactors who saved his senior brother. Zixi won’t refuse to see you.”
Cheng Jingbai thought: I never expected this kind of reasoning.
Ming Li brought Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang into Bei Dou to find Zhou Zixi at Yaoguang Hall.
The sun was bright at this time. Zhou Zixi stood under the corridor eaves, leaning against a wooden pillar, lazily listening to Chen Zhou teaching the disciples of Yaoguang Hall.
While the other six halls would expel Zhou Zixi when he attended classes, his hall wouldn’t. At most, Chen Zhou would silence him, preventing him from speaking.
With an Eighth Meridian Boundary Pilgrim teaching them, the disciples of Yaoguang Hall were all very focused. Under Chen Zhou’s specific instructions, they didn’t give Zhou Zixi even a glance.
Zhou Zixi suddenly saw Ming Li walking through the corner of the long corridor. His wandering gaze found a direction, and he unconsciously straightened his posture.
Until Zhou Zixi discovered Cheng Jingbai following behind Ming Li, his eyes showed momentary disdain.
Zhou Zixi stared at Ming Li, silently expressing: Senior Sister, it’s fine that you’ve returned, but why did you bring these two?
“Meet some old friends too,” Ming Li said, tilting her head toward the people behind her.
Cheng Jingbai looked eagerly at Zhou Zixi, scratching his head and saying, “If you’re unhappy, I can leave right now?”
A few days ago, Zhou Zixi would have granted his wish and said so. But the shocking emotions brought by remembering Dong Yeshou had not yet been digested, and being taken everywhere by Chen Zhou had significantly tempered his bad temper.
*
In the end, Zhou Zixi just snorted coldly without speaking.
It was again the peanut harvest season. The peanuts grown in Tian Quan Hall were enough to feed all of Bei Dou’s seven halls for a long time, and there were still many unshelled peanuts left in the seaside cabin.
Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang were taken to the seaside to shell peanuts.
When Ming Li arrived at the seaside, she found Xiang An’ge sitting on a huge rock, watching the sea. Several substitute spirits circled under the rock, apparently trying to figure out how to climb up.
Xiang An’ge sensed Ming Li approaching and merely glanced at her from the corner of his eye without turning his head, his gaze still fixed on the sea.
“You’ve had a tough year,” Ming Li said. “When do you plan to return to Wu Fang Kingdom?”
The rock was oval-shaped, with its top cut flat by Ming Li and the others, forming a platform that could seat four or five people comfortably. From here, one could see very far.
Xiang An’ge supported himself with his hands on the edge of the platform, his body slightly raised. After hearing Ming Li’s words, he narrowed his eyes and said, “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Of course not,” Ming Li instantly appeared next to him, looking down at the seated Xiang An’ge. “This past year, you first saved Qing Ying, then my brother, and also Liang Senior Brother and the others. It hasn’t been easy for you.”
“It’s nothing,” Xiang An’ge said. “There’s no Book Saint causing trouble, and no divine oracle to avoid.”
These days were quite good.
Xiang An’ge slightly raised his chin toward the sea ahead: “Wu Fang Kingdom has no sea.”
Ming Li said, “If you want one, you’ll have to figure it out yourself.”
Xiang An’ge: “I helped you save so many people, and you won’t even give me a piece of the sea?”
Ming Li said with difficulty, “A piece of the sea?”
Xiang An’ge turned to look at her.
“They all quite like it here,” Ming Li turned to look at the people by the wooden cabin. “If you like it, just come whenever you want.”
Giving it away was out of the question.
Xiang An’ge smiled, sitting cross-legged and stroking his chin, saying: “I’ll be leaving in a few days.”
“Let me know before you go,” Ming Li asked him. “Want some peanuts?”
Xiang An’ge wisely refused: “Not if I have to shell them.”
Ming Li rubbed her nose, came down from the rock, and failed to recruit this peanut-shelling laborer. Instead, she took notice of the substitute spirits circling below, taking the branch-like claw of a substitute spirit and walking toward the wooden cabin.
*
The wind was strong by the sea, blowing Zhou Xiang’s clothes and hair wildly. She moved to a position closer to the inside of the cabin, looking up at the wind chimes hanging in a corner of the eaves, making crisp sounds.
Cheng Jingbai was dutifully shelling peanuts. Qing Ying washed the muddy peanuts clean, and Zhou Zixi poured her cleaned peanuts into a pot, adding water to boil them.
Dong Yeyun guarded the fire under the pot, with communication talismans continuously flying in and out.
Just as Zhou Zixi walked to the door, Cheng Jingbai, who was crouching at the side shelling peanuts, looked up at him, glancing once before lowering his head again. Zhou Zixi said expressionlessly: “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Cheng Jingbai looked up eagerly: “Are you doing well?”
Zhou Zixi: “If it’s all this kind of nonsense, then don’t speak.”
Cheng Jingbai racked his brains and said, “When will you grow back to your previous size?”
Zhou Zixi gave a cold laugh and was about to act when Zhou Xiang gently tugged at Cheng Jingbai’s sleeve, signaling him to be quiet, and asked herself: “Is there anything you need us to do?”
Zhou Xiang asked very seriously.
Zhou Zixi looked down at these two, and even Cheng Jingbai became serious, as if it had already become a habit.
“No,” Zhou Zixi said. “There won’t be any in the future.”
Cheng Jingbai froze at his words, and Zhou Xiang was also stunned. Her hand gripping Cheng Jingbai’s sleeve tightened as she forced a smile and said: “Are you… drawing a clear line between us?”
Zhou Zixi: “…”
“I mean, you don’t need to help me do anything anymore,” Zhou Zixi bent down, staring at the two of them and saying, “Go do what you want to do.”
Zhou Xiang sniffled: “That is drawing a clear line with us.”
Zhou Zixi’s eye twitched slightly at her words, his gaze somewhat fierce as he looked at Cheng Jingbai.
Cheng Jingbai stroked Zhou Xiang’s hair, thought for a moment, and said to Zhou Zixi: “Lin Xiao and Bushuo are helping out in Dong Yang, so they couldn’t come. They said they’ll come at the end of the year because they really can’t leave Dong Yang’s affairs.”
Zhou Zixi sat down to shell peanuts, his expression mild.
“Now we can walk in daylight without fear,” Cheng Jingbai smiled and said. “Zhou Xiang’s Heart Meridian is also more stable than before. Many things are getting better, and I hope it’s the same for you.”
Zhou Zixi said: “It is.”
Zhou Xiang’s hand gripping Cheng Jingbai’s sleeve quietly loosened as she helped shell peanuts.
When Cheng Jingbai looked up at Zhou Zixi, he hesitated, unable to express what was in his heart because Zhou Zixi had already turned to look at Ming Li, who was walking over with a substitute spirit.
“Senior Sister, are you letting it shell peanuts?” Qing Ying crouched down to talk to the substitute spirit beside Ming Li. “I’m afraid its claws aren’t very useful.”
The substitute spirit brought by Ming Li seemed a bit confused. The round white paper attached to its head flipped over, revealing a blank expression drawing.
“Shell peanuts,” Qing Ying told the substitute spirit. “Look, this one, open it, just take what’s inside.”
The substitute spirit’s tiny, branch-like claws mimicked Qing Ying’s actions, trying to take out peanuts from the basket. Just as it cupped them in both hands, they all fell back through the gaps in its branches.
It didn’t understand and repeated the action over and over.
Qing Ying scratched her head, looking at the peanuts scattered all over the ground, and said to Ming Li: “Senior Sister, it’s a silly one. It can’t shell peanuts.”
Ming Li thought for a moment, picked up the peanuts that had fallen on the ground, and placed them in Qing Ying’s hands.
Qing Ying: “…”
*
Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang stayed at Bei Dou for a few days, witnessing how Zhou Zixi lived at Bei Dou. Zhou Zixi was doing very well, even better than they had imagined.
Thus, those who felt guilty became even more guilt-ridden.
At the mountain gate of Bei Dou, Zhou Zixi and Ming Li saw Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang off.
Walking down the stone steps, Cheng Jingbai looked back at Zhou Zixi at the mountain gate and spoke the words he couldn’t say at the seaside: “Zhou Xiang and I haven’t joined Dong Yang or any sect or organization.”
“So we have no concerns, no need to worry about any standpoint. Anything, just one word from you.”
The young man and woman were so sincere, their gaze toward Zhou Zixi was a wordless promise.
This friendship contained guilt, yet shouldn’t have guilt, but it also couldn’t be allowed to break like this. The promise Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang made to Zhou Zixi would be fulfilled throughout their lives.
Zhou Zixi didn’t speak, but he remembered the first time he met Zhou Xiang, when the dungeon collapsed, and amid the ruins, star fires danced. He met the person who had suffered day and night just like him, separated by only a wall.
They were so tragic, so pitiful.
He also remembered the first time he met Cheng Jingbai, in what seemed like a world-collapsing scene, carrying two kittens as he rushed out of the house, experiencing separation between life and death before being deprived of freedom again.
In Zhou Zixi’s miserable youth, these people had, to varying degrees, moved his heart.
Now everything had returned to tranquility.
“Whatever you want,” Zhou Zixi said.
Cheng Jingbai and Zhou Xiang smiled at his words and waved goodbye.
Looking at these two, Ming Li suddenly recalled the scene when her father asked her brother whether he would join Bei Dou.
From the moment she awakened her star meridian, it was destined that she would protect Bei Dou in the future. Her duty was to protect those around her. She had to be the strongest person, not someone who needed protection from others.
Dong Yeyun had not chosen to enter Bei Dou, had not chosen the responsibility of being a Bei Dou disciple, but instead continued his role as a brother, inheriting the duty of being a brother to protect his sister.
*
Ming Li made a red date, wolfberry, and snow pear soup for Dong Yeyun to soothe his throat.
Dong Yeyun was sending messages at the doorway of the courtyard. Seeing Ming Li coming alone with the hot snow pear soup, he was pleasantly surprised and brought a cushion for her to sit on.
Ming Li placed the snow pear soup on the small table between them.
After chatting about some everyday matters, Dong Yeyun stirred the soup with a spoon. Several times, he almost brought it to his mouth but stopped, asking Ming Li, “Did you make this or did Zixi?”
Ming Li said with an unchanged expression: “I did.”
Dong Yeyun asked again: “Really?”
“Really,” Ming Li said. “He watched me make it.”
After taking a small sip, Dong Yeyun silently put the spoon back and pushed the bowl toward Ming Li.
Ming Li raised an eyebrow: “Not tasty?”
“It’s not a matter of being tasty or not,” Dong Yeyun said with a hoarse voice. “Try it yourself.”
Ming Li took a sip and said, “This is quite good.”
Dong Yeyun asked: “Is it spicy?”
Ming Li: “Yes, it’s spicy.”
Dong Yeyun asked again: “Who puts spice in snow pear soup?”
Ming Li thought for a moment, realizing that perhaps only she would add spice.
Dong Yeyun met her gaze and said, “I am your blood brother, right?”
Ming Li: “…”
“I’ll get you a new bowl,” Ming Li said quietly as she stood up, adding before she left, “Without spice.”
Dong Yeyun watched her departing figure, his gaze full of contentment.