Meeting

Compared to the street where the hotel was located, the street in the Rich District was not especially wide, but the population density was much lower too. At the very least, it was not packed to the point where people were rubbing shoulders.

"Little Linzi!"

A somewhat familiar voice came from behind him. It was just that form of address that made Lin Hanye's heart tremble despite himself.

He turned around, and a familiar figure entered his sight.

A Light Purple Dress, a peerlessly beautiful face that revealed a woman's deep affection for the one she adored—only, when that affection saw Liu Erlong holding Lin Hanye's arm, it almost couldn't hold together.

Yes, because Gengxin City was far too crowded, Liu Erlong, to avoid getting separated from Lin Hanye, had taken the initiative to link arms with him. Lin Hanye was only too happy to enjoy it.

The newcomer was naturally Bibi Dong. When she saw the scene before her, her gaze narrowed slightly, and her instincts made her want to raise a hand and swat Liu Erlong to death. But when she saw Lin Hanye's attitude toward Liu Erlong, which held no disgust, the hand she had just lifted was quickly pressed back down again.

If she acted rashly, there would be no explaining it.

She did not want Little Linzi to misunderstand her.

Someone who could call him Little Linzi, and was also Bibi Dong—there was only one possibility. It was the Bibi Dong from the Second Simulation, the one who had lived through a lifetime with him. But the problem was, just how had she obtained the Simulation Memory?

There was no time for Lin Hanye to think. He deliberately revealed a trace of astonishment, confusion, and doubt. In the end, it turned into relief.

He still let Liu Erlong hold his arm as he looked openly at Bibi Dong. "Miss, you've got the wrong person, haven't you? My name is Haibodong, not some Little Linzi."

"Little Hai, who is she? Do you know each other?"

But Liu Erlong was not having it, because she knew Lin Hanye's surname was Lin, and Haibodong was just his fake name. Could it be that the reason he had changed his name was because of this outrageously beautiful woman in front of them?

At that thought, a surge of jealousy rose in Liu Erlong's heart despite herself, and the hand holding Lin Hanye's arm tightened even more. Even her chest was squeezed slightly out of shape.

As for Shao Xin, he had long since taken on the role of a melon-eating onlooker. His intuition told him that "Old Dong" and the young woman before them had a very unusual relationship.

"I have something to discuss with you. May we speak elsewhere?"

From Lin Hanye's reaction, Bibi Dong saw that Little Linzi had also been "reborn." Her gaze no longer turned toward Liu Erlong, while Shao Xin was simply ignored by her altogether. It seemed as if her eyes could only contain Lin Hanye alone. To her, everyone else was just a dead object, with no need to pay them any attention.

"All right!"

Lin Hanye saw Bibi Dong's seriousness. The casual expression on his face pulled back a little, and he nodded. As it happened, he also had many questions.

Then he said to Liu Erlong, "Erlong, you and Shao Xin go rent a courtyard first. I'll talk with this young lady about something."

Liu Erlong badly wanted to refuse, but when she saw the serious look in Lin Hanye's eyes, the words that had reached her lips were swallowed back down along with her breath, and she nodded. She glanced at Bibi Dong again before unwillingly leaving with Shao Xin.

Bibi Dong's aura was truly a little too strong, like a lofty goddess above the mortal world. Whether it was her beauty or that noble, elegant bearing, it made Liu Erlong feel ashamed of her own inferiority despite herself.

She was very curious about how Lin Hanye had gotten involved with this person, but clearly, this question was not suitable to ask right now.

Very soon, only Lin Hanye and Bibi Dong were left where they stood.

The glow of the setting sun was extremely gentle, spilling across the entire street.

The two of them arrived at a teahouse and sat down.

Lin Hanye looked at Bibi Dong, who was close at hand. His gaze moved, and his lips parted slightly, but in the end, he remained silent, as if he did not know what to say. The calmness he had shown earlier in front of Liu Erlong and Shao Xin also collapsed with it, as though he could no longer keep up his disguise in front of Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong soon noticed Lin Hanye's obvious little movement. The coldness in her eyes lessened somewhat as she looked at Lin Hanye with concern and said softly, "I knew you hadn't forgotten me. Actually, you don't need to force yourself. You can keep doing the things you like."

Bibi Dong pressed her lips together, her gaze filled with heartache as she looked at Lin Hanye. She knew what Lin Hanye had once gone through, and she understood even more what he had once experienced. Especially in the "Previous Life," when because of her, he had fallen victim to that Beast in Human Clothing, Qian Xunji's schemes, and died at the hands of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.

Because of that, she understood his current state of mind very well.

She understood even more the bitterness and hardship he carried.

He was doing this to protect her, to keep her from turning against her beastly Teacher. He had chosen to stay away from her, not to have any intersection with her, even going so far as to come into contact with a woman he did not actually like, Liu Erlong, and pretend not to know her.

Thinking of this, Bibi Dong very much wanted to pull Lin Hanye into her arms, hold him tightly, and comfort him.

That's exactly the line I was waiting for. Lin Hanye sensed Bibi Dong's gaze and muttered inwardly, but his mouth spoke with complete naturalness. "Miss Dong, I don't know you, nor do I understand what exactly you're talking about. My name is Haibodong, not some Little Linzi."

"If you don't know me, why do you know my name?"

Bibi Dong looked at him tenderly.

Bibi Dong really had obtained the Simulation Memory. From Bibi Dong's words, Lin Hanye reached that conclusion.

He said slowly, "If you came here to say these things, then there's no need to continue. I don't feel forced or troubled. On the contrary, I'm living quite freely and comfortably."

"...Do you know the identity of the woman beside you?"

Bibi Dong did not continue persuading him. She had seen Lin Hanye's resolve. After a pause, she spoke softly.

She had already had Ling Yuan investigate Liu Erlong's identity thoroughly.

The Illegitimate Daughter of Yu Luomian, Second-in-Command of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, born to a Woman of the World.

"Erlong?"

Lin Hanye froze, then frowned and asked back.

Bibi Dong nodded and looked at Lin Hanye with great seriousness. "She is Yu Luomian's Illegitimate Daughter. If the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon finds out your identity, you'll be in great danger."

"I understand. Thank you."

Lin Hanye nodded, his tone a little heavy.

"I'll help you."

Bibi Dong's gaze was sincere and gentle.

"What does that have to do with you? I know exactly what situation I'm in. I'm nothing more than an Illegitimate Daughter of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. No matter how bad things get, I've already expected it. You don't need to worry about me. This ends here. I don't want you continuing to concern yourself with my affairs."

Lin Hanye's tone suddenly turned stern as he looked at Bibi Dong and started PUA-ing her.

Bibi Dong pressed her lips together and said with considerable confidence, "You don't need to worry about me. Although I'm not the Pope yet, I'm not someone a mere Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can influence."

Anyone who understood Spirit Hall knew how it was. Aside from the Clear Sky Sect of Tang Chen's Era, no one had ever really heard of Spirit Hall fearing anyone.

What a murderous nature. Lin Hanye had no doubt that as long as he nodded, Liu Erlong would vanish from the world in a little while. That was absolutely not what he wanted to see.