A Night Alone Together

Cao Longyan carried Meng Hongchen on his back, moving steadily across the vast, frozen plains.

The two remained silent the entire way, save for the sound of Meng Hongchen's soft breathing, which brushed against Cao Longyan's ear, carrying a hint of warmth.

To be honest, Cao Longyan felt a bit ticklish, but he didn't know how to bring it up...

They had been walking for half a day, yet there was still no sign of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy team, and they were still a considerable distance from the outer perimeter of the Extreme North.

As the sky gradually darkened and the temperature plummeted, they knew that if they didn't find shelter soon, neither of them would be able to hold out—especially Meng Hongchen, who was currently in a weakened state.

Cao Longyan scanned his surroundings and quickly locked onto a concealed ice cave.

He used the soul skill of his Sky Dream Ice Worm external soul bone to probe the area, and upon confirming there were no signs of life inside, he immediately carried Meng Hongchen into the cave. He found a dry spot, took a mat out of his soul tool, and gently set her down.

Without waiting for Meng Hongchen to react, Cao Longyan turned and set to work.

He first cleared the snow from inside the ice cave, then took some dried grass from his soul tool and lit a bonfire in front of Meng Hongchen.

Finally, he set up a defensive alarm at the cave entrance to prevent anything from ambushing them while they weren't paying attention.

Sitting by the fire and leaning into its warmth, Meng Hongchen watched Cao Longyan's busy figure in silence, her eyes sparkling and the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward.

Longyan, he's truly so attentive. Everything he does is so orderly, and this steady temperament of his... he's far more mature than his peers.

In the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy, she had encountered many boys, all of whom were exceptionally high-profile.

Yet, no one had ever been like Cao Longyan—quietly taking care of everything, without a word, yet showing gentleness in every detail.

Once Cao Longyan finished his preparations, he brushed the snow off his hands and walked toward Meng Hongchen.

Seeing this, Meng Hongchen quietly scooted to the other side of the mat, her eyes bright and filled with anticipation, hoping he would sit over and get a little closer to her.

But things didn't go as she wished; Cao Longyan walked straight to the opposite side, pulled out a chair, and sat down, facing her across the bonfire.

Seeing Cao Longyan sit down directly, her little mouth pouted slightly, and a flicker of imperceptible disappointment crossed her eyes, though she didn't say anything more.

Cao Longyan didn't notice her change in mood and proceeded to take some tableware and marinated skewers out of his soul tool.

At the same time, he set up a grill, added charcoal, and used sparks from the bonfire to ignite it. Once the coals were burning, he placed the meat skewers on top, flipping them carefully with skillful and fluid movements.

Without the Ultimate Fire, his grilling process had become much more complicated, but fortunately, the taste hadn't changed much.

Looking at the ordinary meat skewers, Meng Hongchen didn't hold high expectations.

It should be about the same as regular barbecue. If it tastes bad, I'll just recite Cao Longyan's name in my head and force myself to eat it.

But the next second, a rich, savory aroma drifted from the grill, permeating the small ice cave and instantly teasing Meng Hongchen's taste buds.

She swallowed subconsciously, a trace of crystal-clear saliva even spilling from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were locked onto the skewers on the grill, completely shattering her previous thoughts, and her cheeks flushed slightly from embarrassment.

Just as she was lost in a daze, Cao Longyan took off a skewer that had been grilled to a golden, charred perfection, blew on it to cool it down, and gently handed it to Meng Hongchen.

"Here, eat. It's freshly grilled; it's not too hot anymore."

Meng Hongchen snapped back to reality, pointing at herself blankly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"This... is this really for me?"

She couldn't believe that Cao Longyan had handed the very first skewer to her the moment it was ready. For a moment, she hesitated, sitting there at a loss for what to do.

It wasn't that she feared poison, but she had never met anyone other than her grandfather and brother who treated her like this. This sudden gentleness caught her off guard.

What she didn't know was that this had long since become a habit for Cao Longyan.

Seeing her hesitate to take it, Cao Longyan frowned slightly, thinking she suspected something was wrong with the skewers or was worried about poison.

He didn't ask, but instead took the skewer he had offered her, along with another one fresh off the grill, and popped them into his mouth, chewing heartily. With a few specks of oil on the corner of his mouth, he spoke calmly after finishing.

"Don't worry, it's not poisoned, and the taste isn't half bad."

"Longyan, I... I didn't mean that! I just... I just didn't expect you to give it to me first!"

Seeing this, Meng Hongchen's face turned bright red in an instant. She waved her hands to explain, her voice stuttering, terrified that Cao Longyan would misunderstand her.

Before Cao Longyan could say anything else, she reached out and grabbed two skewers from the grill. Ignoring the heat still radiating from them, she shoved them into her mouth. They were so hot she hissed, her cheeks puffing out and turning crimson, yet she still ate with great relish, not even frowning once.

Watching her hurried, unrefined appearance, Cao Longyan couldn't help but be amused. The coldness in his eyes faded, replaced by a faint smile.

He quickly took a bottle of ice water from his soul tool and handed it to her, the corners of his mouth lifting and his eyes crinkling.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to steal it from you. Drink some ice water to cool down."

Little did he know, this smile of his held a lethal attraction.

Usually, with his blue hair and blue eyes, he carried an air of aloofness, but at this moment, his smile was like a glacier melting.

Meng Hongchen's hand holding the skewer froze instantly. She stared at him blankly, her heart skipping a beat. She even forgot to chew the meat in her mouth, staring in a daze for three seconds until her cheeks were red enough to bleed.

Fortunately, Meng Hongchen had learned to control her emotions this time. She quickly regained her composure, took the ice water, lowered her head, and muttered a "thank you" before drinking hurriedly to hide her panic, though the crimson on her ears could not be hidden.

In the time that followed, Meng Hongchen was completely won over by Cao Longyan's barbecue, eating skewer after skewer and casting all thoughts of "reserve" to the back of her mind.

By the end, the amount she had eaten was nearly ten times her daily intake at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy.

Watching her cheeks puffed out as she ate, looking incredibly cute, the smile in Cao Longyan's eyes grew deeper and deeper.

Once she was full, Meng Hongchen leaned against the fire, watching Cao Longyan clean up the grill, and took a deep breath, gathering her courage.

"Longyan, would you be willing to join the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy and join Mingde Hall? As long as you're willing, with your talent, you will surely obtain the best resources. I can help you customize exclusive soul tools, and even... I can protect you, so no one will ever bully you."

Cao Longyan's movements as he packed his things paused. He looked up, meeting the sincerity and anticipation in her eyes, his tone remaining flat yet tinged with a hint of apology.

"Hongchen, thank you for your kindness, but I am accustomed to being on my own. I have no plans to join any faction for the time being. My apologies."

His stance was firm, yet devoid of any perfunctoriness; he neither curried favor because of Meng Hongchen's status nor appeared cold because of his refusal.

However, as someone telling a lie for the first time, Cao Longyan still felt a flutter of panic deep inside...

Upon hearing his polite refusal, a flicker of disappointment crossed Meng Hongchen's eyes, but she did not press the matter further.

She knew all too well that for someone like Cao Longyan, the more one pushed, the more it would incite his resentment. She feared that her persistent attempts to recruit him would make him loathe her.

She lowered her head gently.

She understood now; she would not force him. As long as he didn't hate her, that was enough.

After a moment of silence, Meng Hongchen wrapped her clothes tighter around herself. Looking at Cao Longyan beside her, she finally set aside the pride of a favored daughter of heaven, her cheeks flushing as she spoke with a touch of shyness and entreaty.

"Longyan, I... I'm a little scared. Could I lean on you while I sleep? Please?"

Cao Longyan looked at the plea and vulnerability in her eyes, and his heart softened slightly.

He had never been good at refusing such requests, especially when the person in question was a girl who had just survived a desperate situation and suffered severe injuries.

Without hesitation, he put back the sleeping bag he had just taken out, stood up to retrieve a large quilt, and sat down beside her, gesturing for her to lean over.

"Come here. With me here, you can rest easy."

Meng Hongchen's cheeks flushed slightly as she leaned over cautiously, resting her head gently against his shoulder. Her body curled up slightly, and as she felt the warmth and steady aura emanating from him, her nerves—tightly wound all day—finally relaxed. Almost instantly, she drifted into a deep sleep, her breathing even and soft.

Cao Longyan could clearly feel the softness and warmth on his shoulder, along with the subtle sensation of her hair brushing against his neck. His body stiffened slightly, but he did not push her away.

He watched her sleeping face, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows in the firelight, her petite nose slightly upturned, and her lips soft and pink.

Though she had not yet fully blossomed, she was already a beauty in the making.

She was truly exhausted... falling asleep the moment her head hit his shoulder...

His gaze was gentle, a stark contrast to his usual icy indifference. As he watched her sleeping face in the quiet, he found himself, quite unexpectedly, becoming mesmerized.

She is so beautiful...