Chapter 63

Ji Xun didn't feel anything under the bed. Just as he was about to crawl underneath to take a look, Zhao Zhanlei had already returned from his inspection.

"Xunxun, the Fu family's house is almost completely cleared out. The simulation pods in the computer room, and the study..." Zhao Zhanlei paused, noticing Ji Xun kneeling and crawling on the floor. He asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Did you drop something inside?"

Ji Xun: "..."

Even if he hadn't, he had to say he had.

"Yes, Stone, come and help me look."

"I'm coming." Zhao Zhanlei walked over and knelt down, one hand steadying the bed and the other supporting his weight on the floor. Originally meaning to ask what Ji Xun had dropped, he took one look and saw that the space beneath the bed was completely empty. "There's nothing here."

Ji Xun: "Really?"

Zhao Zhanlei asked, "What did you drop?"

Ji Xun: "Then maybe I didn't drop anything after all."

Zhao Zhanlei: "?"

Can things "maybe" not be dropped?

Realizing that Fu Shuhang had indeed taken those things with him when moving, Ji Xun couldn't quite describe the complex feelings welling up inside him.

He felt a little better.

Yet not quite that good either.

Ji Xun said, "It seems Brother Hang wasn't lying to us. He really has moved. Let's go, Stone."

Zhao Zhanlei was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected Ji Xun's plan for tonight to be this simple.

Zhao Zhanlei stood up and said, "Alright. If I'd known it was like this, you could've just let me come in. I would've sorted it out for you in three minutes, instead of having you climb up and down like this."

Ji Xun: "Consider it training."

Zhao Zhanlei: "Treating breaking into the Marshal's Mansion as training is a bit too thrilling..."

The two of them prepared to leave.

As they walked toward the window, a sudden, strong gust of wind blew right into their faces!

The wind was piercingly cold and fierce.

It directly lifted the dust covers draped over the furniture in the bedroom.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ji Xun caught sight of the dust cover on the table also being whipped up. He couldn't help turning his head to look. Once he clearly saw what was underneath, Ji Xun's mind went completely blank, and he froze in place!

"Xunxun, Xunxun?" Zhao Zhanlei called out to him.

Without answering Zhao Zhanlei, Ji Xun walked quickly toward the table.

Zhao Zhanlei, who had already jumped onto the windowsill, saw Ji Xun return to the bedroom and walked over to his side, asking, "What is it?"

Ji Xun didn't speak. He picked up the exquisitely styled gift box from the table—one that had been carefully cherished and preserved for all these years.

The moment he lifted it, he felt its weight.

The items inside shifted and bumped against each other, making a rustling sound.

Zhao Zhanlei: "What is this?"

Ji Xun lowered his gaze, still remaining silent.

Noticing Ji Xun's slightly trembling cheeks, Zhao Zhanlei reached out and gave him a tug. "Ji Xun!"

Only then did Ji Xun snap out of his emotional haze. He released his unconsciously clenched jaw, looking back at Zhao Zhanlei with a lingering trace of bewilderment and grievance.

Zhao Zhanlei had never seen Ji Xun like this before. He frowned and asked, "Xunxun, what's wrong?"

Ji Xun shook his head with stiff movements.

Seeing that Ji Xun didn't want to talk, Zhao Zhanlei didn't press further. "Then let's go."

This time, Ji Xun gave a soft acknowledgment, picked up the box, and turned to leave with Zhao Zhanlei.

Zhao Zhanlei originally wanted to ask what Ji Xun was holding, but decided the timing wasn't right. Anyway, Ji Xun and Brother Hang shared everything without drawing lines between each other; besides, since this was something left behind during the move, it probably wasn't important...

He stopped that line of thought.

Zhao Zhanlei reached out his hand. "Let me carry it for you. It'll be hard to climb down while holding that."

Ji Xun's voice was a bit hoarse. "I'll carry it myself."

"Alright."

The ceiling of the Fu family's grand hall was high, making the second floor exceptionally high as well. Combined with the fact that climbing up a tree was easy while climbing down was difficult—especially while clutching an object...

Zhao Zhanlei worried that Ji Xun, whose state of mind was clearly off, might get into an accident.

Speak of the devil.

Ji Xun forced himself to pull it together, deciding to figure things out after getting home.

However, as he jumped from the window ledge back onto the tree, his mind wandered for a split second.

He misjudged the distance.

Failing to land securely on the branch, Ji Xun's foot slipped, and he plummeted straight down!

With his mind completely blank and thinking of nothing else, Ji Xun instinctively hugged the box tightly to his chest.

Terrified out of his wits, Zhao Zhanlei's heart leapt to his throat as he lunged forward to catch him!

However, a fierce gust of wind swept past him, and a black-and-white figure lunged forward a hundred times faster than he could!!

Zhao Zhanlei's heart skipped a beat. In the half-second of his hesitation, Ji Xun had already landed safely—no, not on the ground, but onto a large, sturdy, warm, and soft body.

"Awooo." The white tiger successfully caught its little guide and couldn't wait to stretch out its massive tongue for a lick!

Its front paws were curled and rested against Ji Xun's arms. Without shifting around, it maintained the posture of lying flat on its back with its belly facing upward to catch him.

Its thick, long tail, however, gave a triumphant flick.

General...

Zhao Zhanlei's temples throbbed violently twice.

He slowly turned his head back.

And saw his own Jason being held up by the scruff of the neck by Fu Shuhang.

Being a member of the feline family as well, compared to the heroic white tiger that had just leaped out to save the beauty, the leopard held by Fu Shuhang looked exceptionally small, not even daring to let out a whimper.

And to think it was supposed to be keeping watch.

Fu Shuhang released his grip.

The little leopard hit the ground and instantly vanished into thin air.

Zhao Zhanlei felt his scalp tighten. He had previously thought the "lookout" part of Ji Xun's plan was entirely redundant, never expecting that reality could sometimes be this absurd...

Fu Shuhang had actually returned!!

After moving away for so many days, of all times not to come back, he had to return today.

Of all times, right at this moment...

Sneaking into someone else's house in the middle of the night and getting caught red-handed—Zhao Zhanlei felt like his inner world was collapsing. "Brother Hang, let me explain..."

The white Bengal tiger was rubbing itself against Ji Xun with all its might.

Ji Xun hadn't quite processed what was happening yet.

Having not seen it for nearly two months, General looked even more majestic and seemed to carry a trace of battle-hardened, bloody sternness that wasn't there before.

Seeing the tiger's head nudging against him, Ji Xun instinctively raised his hand to stroke it, his fingers brushing against a long, old scar beneath its eye that hadn't completely faded away...

Ji Xun frowned. Just as he was about to examine it closer, he heard Zhao Zhanlei offering an explanation. Ji Xun immediately pulled his hand back, stood up, and said, "No need to explain!"

Stepping into their field of vision, Ji Xun looked up at Fu Shuhang. "We broke in just to steal things! What are you going to do about it?!"

Fu Shuhang looked at the little guide, who was bristling all over like a hedgehog, and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I wasn't asking for an explanation."

"If you want to come in, I can give you the key."

"Ha! Who wants to come in?" Ji Xun retorted, turning to ask Zhao Zhanlei, "Stone, do you want to come in?"

"No, no, I don't want to come in," Zhao Zhanlei denied repeatedly.

Thinking to himself that Jason was the smart one—in situations like this, one had to hide and let the young couple sort it out themselves—Zhao Zhanlei let out a dry laugh and said, "Well, anyway, Brother Hang, you chat with Xunxun. I just remembered my dad has something he wants me to help with tonight."

Fu Shuhang: "Mhm."

Ji Xun's lips moved, wanting to contradict Fu Shuhang and make Zhao Zhanlei stay, but for some reason, the words wouldn't come out.

Leaving behind a parting "You guys chat slowly," Zhao Zhanlei, unwilling to be caught in the middle like a meat filling in a sandwich, made a swift escape!

The spacious front yard of the Fu estate instantly fell quiet.

General walked up to the little guide and nudged him with its massive head.

Lowering his gaze, Ji Xun switched the box to his other hand and reached out to touch the scar on General's face.

Just then, Fu Shuhang recalled his spiritual beast.

Having cuddled with his little guide for less than two minutes before being locked away by his master, the white tiger let out a furious, roaring protest within the spiritual realm!

Fu Shuhang ignored it completely.

Meanwhile, Ji Xun's hand touched nothing but air.

The chilling night wind swept through his fingertips.

Curling his fingers inward, Ji Xun pressed his lips together and looked up at Fu Shuhang.

Fu Shuhang met Ji Xun's gaze.

He could no longer put on the icy demeanor he had worn at the banquet.

Because "Zhao Zhanlei" had said that Ji Xun was unhappy upon learning the reason for their move.

Yet over the past month, Fu Shuhang had driven himself like a madman through actual combat "training" on the battlefield, where getting injured and bleeding were everyday occurrences. He had forced himself to forget what should be forgotten, which presumably included how to coax Ji Xun into a good mood.

Or perhaps he hadn't forgotten.

He was simply naturally inept at it.

It was just that in the past, Ji Xun had liked him, holding very low expectations and high tolerance toward him, which had given him a false sense of capability.

Fu Shuhang's gaze dropped to the box in Ji Xun's hands.

A dark shadow crossed his eyes, and his hands, buried deep in his pockets, clenched into fists. Forcing himself to look away, he asked in a low voice, "Didn't hurt yourself when you fell just now, did you?"

Ji Xun's tone was rigid. "No. General caught me."

"That's good." Fu Shuhang was silent for a moment before adding, "I saw Jason from afar. And I saw two chairs from your house placed by the wall."

Ji Xun still pressed his lips together.

Originally, acting as a "lookout" had just been a game.

He had never expected Fu Shuhang to return.

How could Fu Shuhang possibly come back?? He hadn't even sent a single text message all of last night!

The reason he had told Zhao Zhanlei to keep watch at noon—guarding against Uncle Fu, Uncle Gao, and Fu Shuhang—was merely an excuse because he wanted to search for something by himself!

To search for something, to search for something...

Ji Xun felt the emotions he had suppressed earlier suddenly surge upward, crashing wildly in his chest as if they were going to tear him apart from the inside!

One moment it was his sleepwalking disorder causing the Fu family to move away; the next it was Fu Shuhang's passive-aggressive attitude at the banquet; then Fu Shuhang texting him to ask if he was okay and expecting him to be coaxed; and finally, this gift box that had been left behind, completely abandoned...

Ji Xun didn't want to see Fu Shuhang.

Not even a little bit.

At least, not right now.

"Why did you even come back? Didn't you already move? Haven't you already gone to live in the Marshal's Mansion that you're supposed to live in?"

Fu Shuhang: "We moved because—"

"I know! My mom already told me!" Ji Xun cut Fu Shuhang off!

With so many emotions churning in his chest, first one and then another taking the upper hand until they all melted together into grievance and fury, Ji Xun knew Fu Shuhang wouldn't tell the truth, so he spoke straight out: "The Marshal's Mansion had been under construction all along, and now that it's finally finished, of course you had to move out at the very first opportunity!"

Fu Shuhang frowned. "Ji Xun..."

"We ended up in such a mess at the end of the term, so it's completely normal that you didn't tell me you were moving! You're the Marshal's son, so it's naturally normal for you to look down on me!" Finished speaking, Ji Xun straightened his posture, mustered his remaining pride, and walked past Fu Shuhang. As they brushed past each other, he halted, turned his head to look at Fu Shuhang, and said, "Oh, right, these things weren't stolen from your house."

"They were mine to begin with, so I'm taking them back."

Ji Xun declared, "Good-bye!"

With that, Ji Xun turned and walked away directly!

Watching Ji Xun stride away, Fu Shuhang moved his lips and began, "Those things, I originally..."

Ji Xun paused in his tracks.

Fu Shuhang said insincerely, "...originally intended to give them back to you before leaving."

A fire instantly blazed up in Ji Xun's heart, and he lifted his foot to continue on his way!