Chapter 19: You Need Not Worry

That day after school, Ji Xun sent a message to Zhao Zhanlei in advance, telling him not to wait and to head home first.

Then, wearing a straw hat borrowed from Zhou Xiaoyun to shield his face, Ji Xun hid behind a cluster of bushes not far from the Sentinel building.

The Sentinels emerged from the building one by one. Each of them radiated an overwhelming surge of pheromones.

Ji Xun knew Fu Shuxing wouldn't come out this early, so he crouched down lower. He waited until the Sentinels had trickled out, leaving the area mostly empty. By then, his legs had gone numb. He kept shifting his position, eventually giving up and sitting flat on the ground.

As the sky gradually darkened, Ji Xun rested his chin on his hand, chewing on a blade of grass. He spent his time boredly swatting away mosquitoes. Amidst the buzzing, he looked up in listless anticipation—and finally, he saw the person he had been waiting for. He immediately whipped off his hat, stood up, and shouted, "Stop right there!"

The surroundings were deathly quiet, and the sudden outburst was enough to startle anyone.

Yet, Fu Shuxing’s expression remained cold and indifferent. He looked toward the source of the voice, entirely unsurprised, as if he had known all along that Ji Xun was crouching there. He stood still with his hands tucked into his pockets.

Ji Xun strode toward Fu Shuxing, stopped in front of him, and demanded, "Fu Shuxing, don't you have something to explain to me?"

Fu Shuxing watched him finish his aggressive questioning, then scratched his own neck and remarked casually, "Got bitten, didn't you?"

Ji Xun: "?"

Fu Shuxing pulled an anti-itch spray from his pocket and offered it to him. "There are a lot of mosquitoes at night."

Ji Xun: "..."

Ji Xun refused. "I don't want your things!"

"Then are you going to take my umbrella?"

"Does your name have to be written on the umbrella?"

"My name isn't written on this, either," Fu Shuxing said. "You can use it."

Ji Xun: "..."

Ji Xun felt the itch again and scratched at a mosquito bite on his neck, feeling conflicted. Without another word, Fu Shuxing took the spray and applied two puffs directly to his neck, then turned and walked away.

Ji Xun had intended to argue about Fu Shuxing’s meddling, but seeing him walk off, he quickly chased after him. "You still haven't told me—do you have something to explain to me?"

"Explain what?"

"Xu Yuangui."

Ji Xun stared at Fu Shuxing’s face, hoping to catch a reaction. But he was destined to be disappointed. Fu Shuxing remained unmoved. "Who? Don't know him."

Fu Shuxing knew that the guy surnamed Xu wouldn't dare leak the truth, not even to Ji Xun. But Ji Xun had a backup plan. He sneered and said with great bravado, "Stop pretending! Stone told me everything!"

Fu Shuxing’s footsteps faltered slightly. Xu Yuangui wouldn't dare run his mouth, but that guy Zhao Zhanlei... Fu Shuxing had been emotionally unstable these past two days; he hadn't expected Ji Xun to try a bluff.

And yet, Ji Xun was indeed bluffing!

Seeing that almost imperceptible reaction from Fu Shuxing, Ji Xun seized the opportunity and pressed on, shouting, "You still want to deny it? Speak! Why did you do that?!"

Upon hearing this, Fu Shuxing’s fingers twitched inside his pockets. It seemed Zhao Zhanlei had only mentioned his private confrontation with Xu Yuangui, without disclosing the reason.

Fu Shuxing said, "Avenging you."

"?" Ji Xun didn't believe it for a second. "Do I need you to avenge me? Stop being so hypocritical! Back in the office, if you had just told Instructor Alice that Xu Yuangui was bullying me, you wouldn't have needed this so-called revenge."

Fu Shuxing stopped and looked at him coldly. "That’s none of your business."

Ji Xun: "!!!"

Fu Shuxing continued, "I do what I want. If you don't need my revenge, then at least be useful and don't end up with teary eyes every time someone bullies you."

"?" Ji Xun was so angry he nearly jumped. "I did not! You’re the one with teary eyes! Your whole family has teary eyes!"

Fu Shuxing ignored him and walked away. Ji Xun shouted at his retreating back, "Fu Shuxing, you’re an asshole! Don't think I’ll be grateful to you for this!"

Fu Shuxing acted as if he hadn't heard a thing. Unable to let it go, Ji Xun chased after him, took aim, and gave a hard tug on Fu Shuxing’s right hand, which was still wrapped in gauze and bandages!

Fu Shuxing stopped. Ji Xun, fearless of death, turned back to stick his tongue out at him—"bleh!"—before sprinting away!

Ji Xun knew Fu Shuxing wouldn't chase him. Once he had put some distance between them, he slowed down, thinking to himself that his guess was right: Fu Shuxing must have intervened for the situation with Xu Yuangui to end that way. Zhao Zhanlei knew it too, otherwise, Fu Shuxing wouldn't have fallen for the bluff.

However, Fu Shuxing was definitely hiding the true reason for doing it. That didn't matter. As long as he confirmed Fu Shuxing was behind it, he could always trick the reason out of Stone later! Zhao Zhanlei was clumsy; he’d spill it in a few sentences.

At home, Zhao Zhanlei, currently taking a shower, let out a massive sneeze. Who was bad-mouthing him?

Ji Xun lowered his head to check his communicator. It was too late to call for a flying taxi or ask his father to pick him up. Just as he finished sending a message, someone suddenly covered his mouth from behind!

Ji Xun was startled! He turned his head, and upon seeing it was Fu Shuxing, he struggled indignantly.

Fu Shuxing didn't let go. He held Ji Xun from behind with one arm, his large, bandaged hand covering the little Guide’s mouth.

Fu Shuxing warned him in a low voice, "A Guide will never be a match for a Sentinel in physical strength. If you don't want to suffer losses, learn to be smarter. Don't go around provoking people just because you think you're clever. No one will be by your side to protect you forever."

Ji Xun: "Mmph mmph!"

Fu Shuxing: "Do you understand?"

Ji Xun nodded in submission. Seeing that Ji Xun had taken it to heart, Fu Shuxing let him go.

Ji Xun immediately jumped away, spitting on the ground as if to cleanse his mouth, and then glared at Fu Shuxing. Gone was the submissive look; his eyes were as bright as stars. "None of your business! You’re the one who’s full of himself! Is being a Sentinel so great? No matter how powerful a Sentinel is, don't you still need a Guide to perform mental stabilization for you? Without us Guides, you Sentinels are nothing!"

Fu Shuxing tucked his hands into his pockets and pursed his lips as he watched him.

Ji Xun continued, "Look at yourself! It’s only been a month since you had a mental stabilization, and you’re already cutting your hand while slicing an apple. And you call yourself the 'First Sentinel'? People would laugh their heads off if they heard that! Don't go around saying you’re from the District 12 Sanctuary; I’d be embarrassed for you!"

Fu Shuxing said, "Are you done?"

Ji Xun thought to himself, *Of course not! Just you wait, Fu Shuxing. Once I develop my spirit beast, I’ll definitely be stronger than you. When that happens, I’ll make you apologize to me sincerely for all the wrongs you’ve committed today!*

Fu Shuxing: "Wait until you have a spirit beast before you talk."

Ji Xun: "?"

Fu Shuxing: "You said it out loud, idiot."

Ji Xun: "?????"

Ji Xun’s eyes widened in disbelief. *Did I? Did I just say that out loud? Really??*

*So easily tricked.* Fu Shuxing let out a soft laugh, his mood brightened, and he strode toward the exit of the Sanctuary.

Ji Xun’s father was waiting at the gate. Seeing Fu Shuxing and his son walk out one after the other, he smiled and greeted them, "Shuxing, you just finished too?"

Fu Shuxing was quite polite to Ji Sen, pulling his hands out of his pockets. "Good evening, Uncle Ji."

"Let me give you a lift. I don't see your family's vehicle."

"Yes, my driver had something come up, so I sent him back. Thank you, Uncle."

Ji Xun walked out and heard the two talking. He knew his father was quite fond of Fu Shuxing—the classic "other people's child"—and that they had plenty to talk about. He curled his lip and boarded the vehicle without a word, taking the best seat and purposely sprawling his legs out.

Fu Shuxing didn't mind and sat down beside him.

Once they reached the compound, Ji Xun didn't wait for his father or Fu Shuxing; he ran home by himself.

Seeing his son disappear in the blink of an eye, Ji Sen shook his head and laughed. "This kid. He was crying like the world was ending this morning, and now he’s acting like nothing happened."

Fu Shuxing paused, his voice dropping slightly. "He cried again?" He instinctively assumed it was about the Xu Yuangui incident.

"Indeed," Ji Sen said. "It rained hard last night, and Xiao Xun found a small spirit beast at our doorstep. He insisted it was his, but when the spirit beast went back this morning, he was heartbroken."

Fu Shuxing was stunned, his thin lips pressing together.

The smile on Ji Sen’s face faded. As he walked into the government compound, he said to Fu Shuxing, "Shuxing, Xiao Xun is the same age as you—twelve, turning thirteen at the end of the year. It is a bit late not to have a spirit beast by this age."

Fu Shuxing said, "He will have one."

"Yes. Eventually, he will." Ji Sen glanced at Fu Shuxing, his tone as casual as ever. "But your uncle doesn't want you to use this to hurt his feelings. They say you shouldn't poke at someone’s sore spots. He’s been tossing and turning over this matter lately, his emotions swinging wildly, and he hasn't had a good night's sleep in days."

Fu Shuxing’s thin lips formed a straight line.

Seeing that he seemed to want to apologize, Ji Sen interrupted him beforehand. "Uncle doesn't want you to apologize. I only just understood why Xiao Xun has been acting so strangely after hearing you two at the Sanctuary gate. As his father, I can't help but want to defend my son. What happens between you kids is not for us adults to interfere with. All those jokes about marriage from when you were little—telling your father we should be in-laws—those were just jokes. After all, everyone knows your situation and Xiao Xun's situation very well. You don't need to worry, and you don't need to feel pressured."

Fu Shuxing’s mood turned dark. He moved his lips, saying hoarsely, "Uncle, I..."

"Alright." Without realizing it, they had reached the front door. Ji Sen patted Fu Shuxing on the shoulder and laughed heartily. "I heard that after the final exams, Old Fu is taking you to the battlefield for some experience? That’s great. With great power comes great responsibility. Old Fu and the others have won another victory, and I believe you will be even more outstanding than your father in the future—the student surpassing the master!"

Fu Shuxing couldn't manage to say the words he had intended.

He watched Ji Sen walk into the house—into that bright, warm home. The door opened, and Ji Xun began shouting something at his father; his expression was dissatisfied at first, but then he laughed again, his two dimples deep.

Fu Shuxing clenched his fists tightly. The gauze, which had been wrapped all day, finally began to bleed through once more.

He turned around and walked toward the Fu house, where not a single light was lit.