Chapter 58 FORTY-EIGHT

Chapter 58: Chapter FORTY-EIGHT

Xin Linhua sits amongst the scattered books and bedspreads.

He’s flipping through a book with immense focus and dread.

If only he had known...

If he had known that this is what a guide is supposed to do– the method that’s been practiced in the institute, he would have gone under the radar and fly solo.

That was the initial plan.

The plan was to be a wastrel, a drifting vagabond with nothing better to do. He had planned to be that F-Rank guide who can’t be bothered to honor some family agreement or engage in institute business.

But the moment he sighted Rong Yizhan, that blindfolded youth with a terrible temper, a cold persona with a ’touch me not’ attitude, he just had to abandon his plan.

Thinking back now, he had done everything he said he wouldn’t do.

He wouldn’t get a Sentinel– sike! He got the strongest with a toxic warning sign.

Gun to his head, he wouldn’t guide anyone in the institute– the heavens were definitely not on his side that day. He didn’t even get three days of peace before he discovered his abilities to guide!

And just when he made up his mind to live peacefully and do whatever it takes to piss off Rong Yizhan for the rest of the man’s life, the institute threatened to take Rong Yizhan away.

From then, everything went to hell. From loner to rift janitor– time and time again, he had to risk his life to clear rifts just so he could have the only thing– one he ever wanted; Rong Yizhan.

Now, he’s been told that he has feelings for that same person.

He? Xin Linhua. Have feelings...for Rong Yizhan? Never!

So what? Yeah, he gave him a nickname. That’s because Rong Yizhan reminds him of one his favorite animals, he even had one as a pet so he gave him that nickname. It doesn’t mean anything.

It’s perfectly normal to be protective over someone. His father and brothers are protective over him, it doesn’t mean anything!

"Damnit, Gao Shi!" Xin Linhua flings the book across the room "Manipulative bastard! I should know better than to ask the likes of him for advice! He’s trying to shake me! As if! Like him!? No fucking way!"

"Xin Linhua?"

The youth jolts up from the floor. The voice outside is no one but Rong Yizhan himself. Speak of the blindfolded devil!

"Yaras?!" Xin Linhua jogs towards the door and flings it open "You’re back."

Rong Yizhan frowns slightly. He tilts his head like he’s trying to listen to something, but there’s nothing...

"How was training?" Xin Linhua blocks the doorway with his body "You should take another bath."

"I plan to. Who were you yelling at?"

"Me? Yelling? No one."

"You were talking to yourself?"

"Yeah!"

Rong Yizhan has nothing to say. He stands for a few seconds before walking towards his room.

"By the way..." He pauses "If you want to date someone, you’ll have to break off our pairing first. You should focus on the person you like."

The door closes behind him.

Xin Linhua stands for a long while, his brain slowly processes what Rong Yizhan just said.

"Wait, what!?" He snaps back to reality "That’s not it! I don’t–"

He swallows the rest of his words. What’s the point of explaining, he’ll just look more guilty.

Besides, the person he supposedly likes is Rong Yizhan. Impossible!

"Damnit! Everyone is trying to mess with my head today!"

Xin Linhua walks into the kitchen.

Back on earth and now, he has a habit of cooking what he eats only or whatever is made in his presence.

Probably because he fears he’ll ingest something he shouldn’t. Even though he was immune to almost everything– poison included, the fear remains even in this new life.

He sometimes eats take outs and restaurant foods, but that’s only on occasions where he meets up with Zhao Xi or when they get back from clearing a rift and he’s way too hungry to wait.

He takes out a few ingredients, laying them out of the kitchen counter. His gaze travels to Rong Yizhan’s bedroom door.

"Yeah, it’s just a normal thing. Nothing more than that."

Yeah, cooking for him is normal as well. Since they’re both going to eat the food, it doesn’t count as him doing something special for Rong Yizhan!

A long time passes. An aroma flows out of the kitchen and spreads through the entire dorm.

Rong Yizhan’s bedroom door creaks open. The man walks out in a pair of sweats, a towel on his head.

"Dinner is–" Xin Linhua’s eyes widen.

"Dinner is ready?"

"Yeah." Xin Linhua nods "Dry your hair first and then eat dinner."

"I’ll multitask."

The two sit on the couch in the small living room, the TV before them is broadcasting the news about the rift they had cleared the day before.

Xin Linhua is doing everything but watching the news.

By everything– he’s watching Rong Yizhan. He leans in a bit, staring relentlessly at his face.

"Xin Linhua. I know you’re weird, but this is a whole new level." Rong Yizhan mutters before turning away from the TV.

"What do you mean?"

"You’ve been acting strange." Rong Yizhan places the plate down on the coffee table "First you gave me a hard time about the rift, then you had a 360? change in personality and left. Now you come back and you’ve been staring at me like I have something on my face."

Xin Linhua freezes. He slowly moves back, probably realizing that Rong Yizhan is right.

"Sorry."

"I think you should visit the Infirmary." Rong Yizhan says bluntly "You might need a check up more than I do."

"You know that’s an insult, right?"

"I’m aware."

Rong Yizhan stands to his feet and clears the plates and cups. He quickly washes them and arranges them in their respective cabinets.

He walks back to the couch and sits back in his original position.

"Uhn?" Xin Linhua blinks "You’re not retreating back into your cave?"

"No. Who knows what crazy thing you might do next? I’ll get blamed for it as well, might as well keep an eye on you."

"How will you do that?" Xin Linhua waves a hand in his face "You can’t see."

Rong Yizhan grabs his wrist in a flash, his fingers wrap around the pale skin.

"I can’t see, but I can ’see’ your shenanigans regardless. So, watch the news and go to bed quietly."

"Let go of my hand first."

Rong Yizhan releases his hold. Xin Linhua rubs his wrist, a hateful look in his eyes.

"S?rlar?n?, hepsini ortaya ??karaca??m, Yaras?."