Sect Master Qiu's First Solo Outing

"You're wearing that in this heat?" In the clothing store, Chu Ge's face twitched as he tried to stop Qiu Wuji. "Jeans are hot."

"What business is it of yours? Would I fear a little heat or cold?" Qiu Wuji continued in her cranky mood. "Other women look lovely in simple white shirts and blue jeans. Besides, my legs will be completely covered. I'm not as indecent as you."

Overwhelmed by the feeling that his daughter had grown up and become rebellious, Chu Ge could do nothing but watch Qiu Wuji enter the fitting room.

A little later, his eyes lit up.

Qiu Wuji wore a simple white shirt and blue jeans. She thought the outfit was perfectly modest, with her legs completely covered... but the skinny jeans hugged her long, straight legs, and the shirt tucked casually into her waistband accentuated her slender waist and generous curves.

Wasn't this clearly even sexier?

Whether she had an instinct for styling or had picked it up from pictures online, she had even put her hair in a high ponytail. The sheer sex appeal and vitality she radiated made it impossible to look away.

She really could make anything look good. A beautiful woman looked beautiful in whatever she wore.

Other customers nearby were already raising their phones to take pictures. Qiu Wuji seemed to sense something and frowned slightly.

Every camera aimed at her promptly stopped working.

Hearing the startled exclamations around them, Chu Ge quietly swallowed and asked under his breath, "What did you do to them?"

"I merely manipulated a small electrical current to interfere with them. I didn't damage their belongings."

"...You really do understand me pretty well, actually. You knew to add that last part."

"Hmph." Qiu Wuji asked, "How does this outfit look? Is it strange? Why are they trying to take secret pictures?"

Chu Ge squeezed out two words. "I'm sold."

Qiu Wuji shot him an irritated look. Thinking back, she had seen a content creator dressed this way in a cooking video. It was perfectly normal, and nobody in the comments had suggested the outfit catered to any particular fetish. It should be fine.

She couldn't be bothered to argue with Chu Ge about it and promptly paid. "Speaking of which, why are you tagging along while I shop for clothes? Have you nothing to do? Shouldn't you be writing or training?"

"I've finished today's ten thousand words, but..." Chu Ge thought about it. He really did seem to have more to do now. Physical exercise and meditation both took quite a bit of time. "Then shall we head back?"

Qiu Wuji said, seemingly casually, "You should head back."

"Huh?" Chu Ge asked in surprise. "What about you?"

"I'm not a child. Why must you follow me every time I go out?" Qiu Wuji said sternly. "Can't I explore on my own? I've been in this world all this time. Have I even been farther than three streets away?"

"You don't have ID..."

"Nobody checks your ID when you're just walking down the street." Qiu Wuji leaned half a foot closer and gazed into his eyes with a smile. "I know a fair amount about this world now, Chu Ge. You can't fool me anymore."

She had wanted to ask whether he regretted it a little, but there seemed to be no need.

They looked into each other's eyes at close range. Qiu Wuji's image was clearly reflected in Chu Ge's eyes, but she had deliberately used some mystic arts to conceal her own, leaving no reflection of him.

Chu Ge watched her quietly for a while, then suddenly smiled. "Don't stay out too long. Remember, no violence. That really will get someone checking your ID."

With that, he turned and left.

My daughter's grown up. She's rebellious and won't listen anymore. Boohoo, she's not nearly as adorable now...

Qiu Wuji pressed her lips together as she watched Chu Ge's nonchalantly retreating back, sorely tempted to say, You're putting on an act again...

Forget it. His acts were actually quite successful every time. After all, he knew her too well. She really did believe a man should be magnanimous and free-spirited. In fact, she even admired someone like Yan Qianlie, who truly had something of an unrivaled demon lord's bearing-far more impressive than the Poison-Hand Demon Lord.

He knows everything. That's just cheating.

Meanwhile, I really know far too little about him. Doesn't that put me at a disadvantage...?

That inexplicable thought flashed through Qiu Wuji's mind. She soon pushed it aside and slipped into a nearby subway station.

She had long wanted to try this so-called subway.

"Please show your health code." She was stopped before she could even enter.

Qiu Wuji: "?"

What's a health code now? The shows I watched never said you needed one to enter a station. Looking at the security staff's uniforms, which resembled those of government officers, she slowly backed out of the subway station under an older woman's wary gaze.

Sect Master Qiu's first subway trip ended before it began.

No matter. People in those shows hail taxis too. Apparently they're just more expensive.

Qiu Wuji checked her WeChat wallet. After buying her new clothes, her balance had dropped to double digits. Her expression turned glum. I don't know if that'll be enough...

A taxi drove past.

Another taxi drove past.

Qiu Wuji waved, but nobody paid her any attention.

This isn't right. In TV dramas, they stop as soon as you wave. Why won't they stop? That last one clearly had its vacant sign on.

Sect Master Qiu stood beside a main road where stopping was prohibited, waving awkwardly. She couldn't shake the feeling that passersby were looking at her like she was an idiot.

Suddenly, a taxi rolled slowly past her. The window lowered, revealing Chu Ge's smiling face in the back seat. "Walk a little farther and turn right. They can stop there."

Qiu Wuji: "..."

What do I do if I really want to blow this car up?

The taxi slowly continued forward. Qiu Wuji failed to carry out her car-bombing plan and hurried after it, finally managing to get in.

Qiu Wuji's first solo outing had officially failed.

They sat side by side in the back seat, both stiff and proper, neither looking at the other nor speaking.

Feeling the powder-keg atmosphere beside him, Chu Ge knew that if he dared tease her, this car really might cease to exist...

Amid the silence, the driver finally couldn't help speaking. "So, where exactly are you two going?"

Qiu Wuji finally spoke. "The Divine Miracle Nightclub."

Chu Ge narrowed his eyes slightly.

A nightclub... where did Qiu Wuji hear about that place? Did she search the Wall-Passer's soul after all?

In the rearview mirror, he saw the driver's gaze turn a little surprised as well. The man kept studying them in the mirror.

That place...

Was it shady?

Chu Ge finally couldn't resist asking quietly, "The guy who went through the wall?"

"Yes." Qiu Wuji stopped giving him the silent treatment and said softly, "I'm only going to take a look. I won't do anything reckless. Stop looking at me like that."

"No wonder you changed into something easier to move in." Chu Ge pursed his lips. The problem was that she looked far too fresh and wholesome in this outfit. It didn't seem to fit that kind of place.

Wait, no. I don't even know what that kind of place is supposed to look like. If I take TV dramas as reality, I only need to look at what just happened to Qiu Wuji-a living lesson in what not to do.

"If you don't want to do anything reckless, then listen to me when we get there." This time, Chu Ge grew serious and lowered his voice. "You even wanted to leave me behind. Don't think you understand that much already. If I let you muddle through alone, you'll probably get into trouble."

Qiu Wuji turned to look out the window.

He's got me under his thumb again. How humiliating.

To Chu Ge's surprise, the Divine Miracle Nightclub wasn't very far away. With no traffic jams at night, the taxi ride took only fifteen or sixteen minutes.

They got out. Even the nightclub's sign was very understated. Some of the lights spelling out "Divine Miracle Nightclub" were dead, and the frontage looked rather old and shabby.

Seeing Chu Ge looking up and studying it, Qiu Wuji finally couldn't help asking, "It's this close. Don't tell me you've actually... never even heard of this place?"

Fuck, is it a crime to be a homebody who writes?

Chu Ge said with a straight face, "If I came to places like this all the time, you might not exist."

The driver, who had stayed parked while waiting for another fare: "???"

What exactly is your relationship?

(End of chapter)