Mind Reading

Early the next morning, Chu Ge did his usual seated cultivation, then went running and did squats and push-ups. By the time he finished his shower, it was still only a little past eight.

His body clock was getting more and more regular.

He had been up quite late with everything that happened yesterday, yet he still woke this early, feeling refreshed.

Whatever else cultivation did, it certainly worked wonders for his health.

That was how a ten-thousand-year-old monster kept her cheeks so soft and rosy. Just look at that gorgeous, mature woman lounging lazily on the sofa with a book. What a feast for the eyes.

The only pity was that she was reading through a phone app instead of a paper book. It lost a little of the atmosphere.

Why were those cheeks getting redder the longer he looked?

"This author is absolute trash!" The beautiful sect master clenched her phone and shook her fist furiously. "What is wrong with this person? Is that how you use 'enough whips to dam a river'?"

Chu Ge had no idea what she was reading and casually played along. "Exactly. Plenty of authors misuse idioms. Read enough and you stop caring. You're doing pretty well with history, though. You even know the proper origin of that expression?"

Qiu Wuji sneered. "I'm not entirely sure of its exact origin, but I know it isn't meant for this!"

"..." Something about this suddenly sounded familiar to Chu Ge. His eyes darted around as he quietly edged backward.

The next moment, Qiu Wuji pulled him through the air toward her. "Want to know who this idiom-abusing trash of an author is, esteemed author Chu Ge?"

Chu Ge said, "...That author is clearly handsome, dashing, and distinguished. What would a novice like you know about his masterful delivery of such precisely worded smut?"

Thump! The driver showing off his skills suffered a disastrous crash and lay pinned to the sofa, his limbs twitching.

Qiu Wuji's aura blazed. "And the female sect master and her female disciples all serve him together... You certainly dare to dream, esteemed author Chu Ge! Why don't you just drop dead, Chu Ge?"

Chu Ge covered his head. "It's just a fantasy! It isn't real... Wait, why are you reading my old books? Studying my prose style?"

"Who would want to learn your filthy prose style?"

"Um... We need to broaden our perspective and look further ahead. You should be looking at my beautiful prose and nuanced descriptions, for instance, not fixating on this particular bit. That isn't what you're supposed to learn..."

"You call that lousy writing beautiful? What sort of delusions do you have about yourself? Is it beautiful? Or evocative? Or does being served by a female sect master make it feel like paradise? And broaden what, exactly? What's broad?"

"For fuck's sake... Why can't I get through to you..."

Ding-dong! Amid the commotion, the doorbell rang.

Both of them paused. Qiu Wuji had not extended her spiritual sense. Assuming Moon Shadow had come over for something, she released Chu Ge and rose to open the door.

The moment she opened it, Qiu Wuji froze. Who was this woman?

She turned a wary look on Chu Ge. Sensing something was wrong, he got off the sofa and followed her. When he saw the woman outside, he was even more stunned than Qiu Wuji.

Gu... Ruoyan?

Gu Ruoyan was just as stunned. Having an extraordinarily beautiful woman open the door was surprising enough, but then Chu Ge appeared behind her. They were wearing identical pajamas, one with a crying face and the other with a smiling face, like some sort of performance art.

He had been on a blind date just recently, and now he was already living with someone else? Were writers really this free with their affections?

Qiu Wuji looked at Chu Ge, her gaze dangerous. It clearly asked, Who is this woman?

Chu Ge came to his senses and hurriedly said, "Miss Gu, what brings you...?"

Gu Ruoyan recovered as well. She stepped back and looked up at the apartment number, then realized how pointless that was. Tapping her forehead, she smiled. "Wrong door. It might be the apartment opposite..."

Was she looking for Moon Shadow?

Sure enough, Gu Ruoyan continued, "Does a young woman live across the hall? Usually wears black, doesn't talk much?"

Since she had already tracked Moon Shadow here, there was probably no point hiding anything. Chu Ge simply asked, "If you aren't even sure someone like that lives opposite, how did you find this place?"

Gu Ruoyan smiled. "Someone told me she lived on this floor, but... I checked, and the apartment opposite is a single room, while this one has two bedrooms and a living room. I misunderstood and thought she would live somewhere nicer."

Underground boxers generally had money. Nobody would expect Moon Shadow to be this poor despite winning fight after fight... No wonder both the Wall-Passer and Gu Ruoyan had first come to the larger apartment on this side.

Once Chu Ge understood, he did not know whether to laugh or cry at the reason he kept getting caught in the crossfire. Then he grew a little wary. Why did Gu Ruoyan's "someone told me" sound like it meant the Wall-Passer? With his later memories erased by Qiu Wuji, that was probably what the Wall-Passer would remember. But hadn't the police taken him away?

He asked with feigned casualness, "Why are you looking for her? Visiting a relative?"

Gu Ruoyan smiled faintly. "Auntie Wu and I are colleagues, more or less. We even intended to... Well, you should feel reassured about who I am. There's no need to be so wary."

Colleagues...

A classified agency?

Mentioning his mother really did lower Chu Ge's guard. Come to think of it, his mother had said the woman she was introducing this time was a civil servant. A government employee could certainly be trusted. If Moon Shadow could work with the authorities, that would clearly be much better than the miserable state she was in now.

He certainly had not expected this coincidence.

Qiu Wuji, who had been standing there all this time, finally picked up on something slightly off in their exchange. She could no longer hold back. "Chu Ge, who is this?"

Chu Ge gave an awkward smile. "An old acquaintance. She should be trustworthy."

Gu Ruoyan blinked teasingly. "And who is this beautiful lady?"

For some reason, a powerful impulse surged through Chu Ge-an impulse he had not felt even when Qiu Wuji was at her most alluring, fresh out of the bath. He suddenly reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, saying each word with deliberate seriousness. "This is my girlfriend."

An unemployed bum?

My girlfriend is prettier than you, more ethereal than you, and more capable than you.

Even if she isn't really my girlfriend... Don't get angry. Help me save face here, and you can beat me up afterward. The instant his hand touched her waist, Qiu Wuji went rigid, but her first reaction was to restrain herself and resist throwing him away.

She sensed that Chu Ge was making a show of defiance... Was that the right description? Not exactly, but something like it.

Whether that was what he meant or not, he certainly was not trying to get all lovey-dovey with this woman. That much was clear!

That was a good thing!

She endured the discomfort of having his arm around her waist and smiled faintly. "Miss... Would you like to come in and sit down? Have some tea?"

Gu Ruoyan smiled back. "No, thank you. I still have official business to attend to. Please, carry on."

Gu Ruoyan turned gracefully and knocked on the door opposite. Moon Shadow opened it, looking surprised. Then she saw something Gu Ruoyan held out, fell silent again, and invited her inside.

Qiu Wuji transmitted her voice to him. "I saw identification with an emblem on it, much like the ones on those constables' hats."

"The national emblem," Chu Ge said quietly. "She really does work for the authorities. That's good for Moon Shadow. We'll stay out of it."

Qiu Wuji gave him an ambiguous smile. "When are you going to take that paw off my waist?"

Chu Ge pulled his hand back as though shocked and smiled apologetically. "Just saving face..."

"But she doesn't seem to care."

Chu Ge said, "..."

"Showing someone who doesn't care about you how well you're doing is childish and pointless." Qiu Wuji turned to him with a slight smile. "You aren't usually like this. Did something provoke you?"

"Not really. We just went on a blind date, and she wasn't interested..."

"As long as you respect yourself, what others think of you doesn't matter. Don't be so childish next... Wait, a blind date?" Qiu Wuji's expression grew serious, and she nodded. "Then you did exactly the right thing."

Chu Ge said, "..."

Qiu Wuji said, "..."

She felt as though she had let something slip...

Why did it become exactly the right thing when it involved a blind date?

The atmosphere grew strange.

Under Chu Ge's increasingly burning gaze, Qiu Wuji began to stammer. "I-I mean, there's a saying online. Once you couldn't be bothered with me; tomorrow I'll be out of your league. Yes, that's the spirit you need! I-the Father God of this venerable one is certainly out of anyone's league! Go write your book. What's so great about working for a government office? A bestselling author famous around the world is highly respected too, isn't he?"

"Mm." Chu Ge interrupted her flustered rambling with a smile. "Stop calling them constables and government offices like that. It sounds strange. Different departments in this world have their own names. Look them up online."

Qiu Wuji let out a breath. "Then what department does she belong to?"

"No idea. It's classified."

"Did you know she was probing our minds just now?"

"Huh?"

Qiu Wuji huffed. "Of course, I blocked the important information. She could only see what was on the surface."

Moon Shadow looked at Gu Ruoyan's identification, her face pale. "Are you... here to arrest me?"

Gu Ruoyan smiled. "Arresting people isn't my responsibility."

She was deeply surprised.

Despite Moon Shadow's powerful ability, her thoughts were perfectly clear to Gu Ruoyan at a glance.

Yet that woman beside Chu Ge had seemed full of nothing but, Who is this woman? Is she an old flame of Chu Ge's? Should I kill her? Beyond that, Gu Ruoyan had been unable to make out her identity.

The same applied to Chu Ge. His every thought had been laid bare: that woman was not his girlfriend... Actually, whether she was or not, it felt like they would be together soon enough. That did not matter. Yet Gu Ruoyan still could not make out his girlfriend's identity.

Was it because neither of them had thought about it? Hmm... That was possible too. Their son surely wouldn't be involved in anything problematic, anyway. It wouldn't be right to ask too much...

Name: Gu Ruoyan.

Position: Chief of Information Section Two, Special Affairs Division, National Security Bureau; deputy director and editor-in-chief of the National Supernatural Ability Information Agency.

Ability: Mind Reading.

Development level: Intermediate.

Type: Multiple classifications.

Potential: S.