When Qing Linyun returned to his dormitory, the moon was already high in the sky.
He pushed open the door, casually draped his coat over the back of the chair, and was about to sit down when the soul communication device in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
Qing Linyun frowned, thinking it was a call from Na Nali and the others.
He took it out and saw two words on the caller ID.
Na'er.
Qing Linyun was taken aback.
Answer the phone, "Hello?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, then a voice trembling with tears rang out.
"Brother! Where are you!"
Qing Linyun's ears were ringing from the shout, and he quickly held the communicator away. "I'm in the dorm, what's wrong?"
"You're lying!" Na'er's voice was urgent and aggrieved. "I saw it all! You and her, you and her, you were so close!"
Qing Linyun was confused. "Who? Who am I with?"
" Gu Yue!"
Na'er spat out those two words through gritted teeth, her voice filled with jealousy.
"She sent me photos! You two are on the bridge, and your profile is practically touching hers! She also said, she also said, that your brother is with me!"
Qing Linyun remained silent.
He fell silent.
There are too many flaws; Qing Linyun doesn't even know where to begin.
So Gu Yue actually did this? When did she take the picture? On the bridge? This Silver Dragon Fish, it looks so aloof, but it's actually good at tattling behind people's backs?
And most importantly, Na'er, have you noticed that I don't know Gu Yue's contact information? How did you Gu Yue meet? Haven't you thought about it?
Silly Na'er, you've already given yourself away, haven't you noticed?
He rubbed his temples; he had a slight headache.
" Na'er, listen to me."
"I won't listen!" Na'er's voice was already starting to crack on the other end of the communication line. Clearly, if Qing Linyun didn't give a reasonable explanation soon, Na'er was about to burst into tears.
"Brother, you've changed! You used to only go shopping with me, but now... now you're actually going to the food street with her! And you even bought her candied hawthorns!"
"She insisted on going; the candied hawthorns were just something she grabbed."
"You bought her candied hawthorns!" Na'er's sobs intensified. "You've hardly ever bought them for me! You're so unfair!"
Qing Linyun fell silent again.
He felt that all the injustices he had suffered in his life had accumulated to this night.
" Na'er, listen to me."
"That photo is just the angle. I swear to you, I was at least half a body length away from her; it's just that angle makes it look closer."
"Real?"
"Real."
Qing Linyun decisively.
"If I'm lying to you, may I be struck by lightning."
Na'er fell silent for a moment, seemingly processing the sincerity of the curse.
"Then why did you go shopping with her?"
She asked me out.
"She said she wanted to go out for a walk, and I couldn't very well refuse. Besides, I was just thinking of keeping an eye on her for you."
"Keep an eye on her for me?"
"Yes."
Qing Linyun was completely serious.
"Think about it, Gu Yue is usually such an arrogant person. If she took the initiative to ask me out, there must be something going on. If I don't go, how will I know what she's up to? This is called infiltrating the enemy's ranks."
Na'er was silent for a while, and the sobbing in her voice gradually faded.
"Then you're not allowed to buy her candied hawthorns anymore."
"No, no, I'll only buy for you."
"Don't let her wear your clothes."
"I didn't put it on her; I draped it over her shoulders."
"That won't do!"
"Okay, okay, that's fine, we won't do it anymore."
"Don't let her call you brother."
Qing Linyun: "She didn't call me that."
"Absolutely not!"
"Okay, okay, no, no."
On the other end of the call, Na'er's voice finally sounded less aggrieved and instead carried a hint of smug satisfaction.
That's more like it.
Hearing the slight emotion in her voice, Qing Linyun's heart softened.
He suddenly remembered the time when he had just brought Na'er back.
The dirty-looking Na'er was squatting in the corner of the alley. Qing Linyun recognized her; it must be Na'er.
As if possessed, he squatted down and extended his hand to her. "Come with me?"
The little girl stood there stunned for a long time before timidly placing her hand in his palm.
From then on, he had a little tail following him around.
At first, she was too shy to speak, but as they got to know each other better, she started calling him "brother" all the time and became incredibly clingy. Wherever he went, she followed. Even when she went to sleep at night, she would only close her eyes if she was holding his arm.
At that time, he thought that this girl probably regarded him as her father.
" Na'er," he said softly.
"Um?"
"Study hard at Shrek," he said softly. "Don't think about me too much. I'll come back to see you after I'm done with this."
There was silence on the other end of the communication for a while.
"Knew."
Na'er's voice was muffled, as if she wanted to cry again but was holding back.
"Brother, you must remember what you said. Don't lie to me."
"Yes, I'm not lying to you."
"Then you should go to sleep early."
"The same to you."
The call has ended.
Qing Linyun held the soul-guided communication device, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at the moon outside the window for a long time without moving.
He knew, of course, that Na'er's dependence on him had long exceeded the scope of a younger sister's dependence on her older brother.
That little girl has grown up.
But he kept pretending to be confused.
Sometimes he couldn't quite explain whether the girl felt familial affection for him, or something else entirely. And what his own feelings were for her.
He shook his head, dismissing those thoughts.
Tonight is another mess. He continued along with Na'er's words, deliberately concealing the fact that, from his perspective, Na'er should not know of Gu Yue's existence, nor could she possibly have Gu Yue's contact information.
It can only be said that this is an unspoken step in the right direction.
Na'er was probably provoked by Gu Yue, which is why she called me without thinking and mentioned Gu Yue.
"Oh, silly girl."
Why think so much?
He was talking to himself.
"Let's sort out this mess first."
He tucked the soul-guided communication device under his pillow, and without taking off his clothes, lay on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Outside the window, moonlight streamed in quietly.
His eyes were closed, but his mind was racing, filled with thoughts of tonight.
Gu Yue.
At the company.
The Soul Beast Clan.
And then there's that bodyguard/private tutor who earns 1 billion a month.
As he thought about it, he suddenly felt like laughing.
'Coming to Eastsea City was definitely the right decision.'
'Money's made, an apprentice's taken on, and even the Silver Dragon King's daughter has come knocking on my door.'
'It's just that Na'er has a bit of a headache.'
'Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time.'
Qing Linyun shook his head, stopping himself from thinking about it. He sat up straight, cross-legged on the bed, and began to cultivate, channeling the Soul Power within his body.
He's already at level 97, not far from becoming a nine-ring Titled Douluo. Tang San's awakening is imminent, and no matter what, every bit of increased Soul Power is a guarantee of success.
After ending the call, Na'er felt much better after Qing Linyun's reassurance. But then she paused, suddenly remembering something.
'No, from my brother's perspective, how could I possibly know about Gu Yue? And he even has Gu Yue's contact information. I'm doomed.'
The newly purchased soul-guided communicator fell to the ground with a thud. Na'er stared into the distance, tears welling up in her eyes.
Of course, Gu Yue, back in her dorm, had no idea that Na'er was such a swindler.
If Gu Yue found out, she would be so angry she'd vomit blood, leaning against the bed and calling Na'er an amateur.