After Sheng Jun Chapter 50 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 50 Surging Jealousy (part 1)
Jiang Xingzhi slept very well that night.
When he woke up, the sky was already bright, and clear light filtered through the paper-covered door panels, casting square patterns on the wooden floor.
As soon as Jiang Xingzhi threw off the blanket and sat up, the other person in the room heard the movement and came around the screen. "Awake, Deng Deng?"
"Mm." His just-awakened voice carried a hint of drowsiness. Jiang Xingzhi was still wearing yesterday's inner robe, the thin garment draped loosely from his shoulders. During sleep, the front had loosened, revealing glimpses of porcelain-white skin beneath.
Zhong Ming's heartbeat suddenly quickened several beats.
He stood before the screen, hesitating for a moment whether to approach. Finally, emotion overcame reason, and he walked over in a few steps, reaching out to fetch Jiang Xingzhi's outer robe and drape it over his shoulders. "Get dressed first. I'll go out and order breakfast for you."
The half-exposed view was now properly covered. Jiang Xingzhi saw that Zhong Ming's ears had turned red, yet he still restrained himself and helped pull the clothing tighter, making Jiang Xingzhi feel a surge of both shyness and satisfaction.
Was Xu Jian really this much of a gentleman? He had secretly kissed his ear before... He quickly understood: Oh, after all, he was still wearing his disguise.
Jiang Xingzhi said, "Go ahead, I need to change clothes."
Zhong Ming reluctantly released his clothing, hummed in response, and turned to leave.
After the door closed, Jiang Xingzhi quickly changed back into his own clothes, hanging the inn's inner robe to one side. Just as he finished changing, the door was knocked twice and opened again as Zhong Ming entered carrying breakfast.
A square low table was placed in the room. Zhong Ming set the breakfast on the table. "There's steamed fish that you like."
Jiang Xingzhi immediately rushed over happily, picking up his bowl and chopsticks to enjoy the meal.
The breakfast was for one person. Zhong Ming had no appetite for food - after reaching the fasting stage, aside from the few meals he'd shared with Jiang Xingzhi, he rarely ate anything. While Jiang Xingzhi ate, he watched from the side.
He gazed at Jiang Xingzhi's focused eating expression, his mind constantly replaying yesterday's moments, like disconnected water drops falling on his heart, creating ripples.
Why did Deng Deng want to do these things with him?
If things continued developing this way, it wouldn't be good. He needed to quickly return to his "Xu Jian" identity and be properly together with him.
After eating a few bites, Jiang Xingzhi was about to ask if Zhong Ming wanted to try some when he looked up and noticed the other seemed somewhat restless.
He put down his bowl and chopsticks. "Ah Zuo, what are you thinking about?"
Zhong Ming's finger resting on his knee curled. He really couldn't sit still anymore. "Deng Deng, after completing your soul, do you have any special feelings?" Like an impulse to return to a thousand years later or something.
Jiang Xingzhi was instantly enlightened!
Earlier in the Demon Realm, everything had been chaotic and they'd left too hastily, not having time to carefully investigate. Then he'd been distracted by Xu Jian's disguise and nearly forgot about this matter.
He immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks, closing his eyes to carefully sense within himself.
His divine consciousness rolled through his dantian and sea of consciousness. When it passed through his stomach, it still carried the scent of fish... Jiang Xingzhi's throat moved suspiciously - gulp. The fish wasn't finished yet.
The gaze opposite him watched tensely, and as he swallowed, couldn't help but swallow saliva as well - gulp.
Only when Jiang Xingzhi opened his eyes did Zhong Ming tentatively lean closer. "How do you feel?"
Jiang Xingzhi shook his head. "No feeling."
He still remembered that voice from the vast primordial space in Tongtian Hall telling him to "wait" - then he would wait. After all... after all, Xu Jian was already by his side.
Thinking this, Jiang Xingzhi glanced at him again.
Zhong Ming felt his heart tremble under that gaze: What kind of look was that from Deng Deng?
Zhong Ming asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Xingzhi calmly withdrew his gaze. "Nothing, no rush."
No rush? How could there be no rush!
Zhong Ming gripped the fabric on his knee, creating several wrinkles: Didn't Deng Deng want to see him soon?!
While he was anxiously fretting alone, Jiang Xingzhi had already happily finished the remaining half of the fish. He wiped his mouth. "Should we go somewhere to play today?"
Zhong Ming tensed. "No need!"
Jiang Xingzhi's mouth-wiping motion paused as he turned to look at him.
Zhong Ming felt he was now reluctantly giving up something precious: although being with his Deng Deng was truly joyful, these happy first experiences should be saved to do together with his "Xu Jian" identity instead.
Otherwise, when Jiang Xingzhi recalled these memories later, wouldn't his mind be filled entirely with "Bai Mu's" image?
At this thought, Zhong Ming began trembling in body and soul again.
Sensing the confused and disappointed gaze from across the table, he quickly softened his tone. "Let's just go back today."
Seeing Jiang Xingzhi open his mouth, he quickly added soothingly before the other could speak, "We've been happy enough these past few days. Why don't we save the rest for later, so we can be happy slowly together."
Later ~ together.
Jiang Xingzhi's opened mouth closed again: Xu Jian was quite good at making him happy!
His heart felt as sweet as if soaked in honey. He pressed his lips together in a shy smile. "Alright then."
Zhong Ming stared at his upturned lip corners, his whole body slightly freezing.
****
The two packed up and left.
Jiang Xingzhi weighed his deflated money pouch. "I'm almost out of spirit stones. How about we stop by a pawn shop on the way back?"
Zhong Ming considered: Pawn shop? Pawn shops weren't intimate or romantic - that was good.
He agreed. "Let's go then."
As they talked, they walked out through a corridor, passing through the central courtyard where yesterday's public hot springs were located. Although it was daytime, quite a few travelers were soaking in the courtyard springs and sitting at tables drinking and chatting.
As they walked around the hot springs, two young men suddenly approached from diagonally ahead.
The pair exchanged glances, and one of them scratched his head and called out to Jiang Xingzhi. "Are you two also here specifically for this inn's hot springs? Want to make friends and sit down to chat together?"
This was clearly a pick-up attempt.
Zhong Ming saw the young man constantly looking at Jiang Xingzhi, his brow immediately furrowing. He stepped forward to block them when he heard Jiang Xingzhi speak. "Thank you for the invitation, but I have a companion already. We're about to leave."
As he spoke, he even turned to glance at Zhong Ming, the meaning unmistakable.
Zhong Ming's heart stirred. The next moment, his body moved faster than his thoughts, completely forgetting to worry about being "close or not close." He raised his hand to embrace Jiang Xingzhi's waist, pulling him toward himself - this was a gesture of claiming possession.
Seeing this, the two men immediately understood, awkwardly said "sorry to bother," and turned to leave.
Their low discussion drifted to them on the wind:
"I told you they were definitely dao companions, but you insisted they were just brothers."
"I was just thinking of asking to see..."
The two walked away in a few steps, but Zhong Ming's hand still gripped Jiang Xingzhi's supple waist. He slowly savored the other's earlier words: "have a companion already" - what did that mean?
No, no, it was probably just an excuse to refuse them. Just like when they went to Yuhua Sect and pretended to be "dao companions." Deng Deng couldn't possibly really consider him "Bai Mu" as a partner.
Zhong Ming thought it impossible, yet his fingers unconsciously tightened.
Jiang Xingzhi was pulled to bump lightly into his embrace, feeling the burning and powerful hand clasped around his waist, as if not allowing him to struggle free.
His heart grew restless, and he couldn't help thinking: If Xu Jian gripped his waist like this while kissing him, would he be unable to move, only able to tilt his head back and endure...
Hot temperature suddenly rushed to his face. Just as Jiang Xingzhi was imagining their future intimacies, he suddenly heard a frightened voice by his ear. "...Deng Deng, your face is so red?"
Jiang Xingzhi came back to his senses, coughed lightly and lowered his eyes. "You, aren't you going to let go?"
The hand on his waist immediately released, and Zhong Ming quickly stepped back two paces.
Jiang Xingzhi faced him sideways, his cheeks like they were touched by evening clouds, bright and heart-stirring. But Zhong Ming didn't dare to be moved now - his heart was so anxious it was about to stop beating.
He searched for reasons. "Your face is so red, is your frail constitution acting up again?"
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
The heat on his face slowly receded.
He gave Zhong Ming a melancholy glance. "Yes, dizzy from the hot spring vapors."
At this, Zhong Ming actually sighed in relief. "I thought so."
Jiang Xingzhi said softly, "My frail constitution is acting up, and Ah Zuo seems quite happy about it?"
"How could that be." Zhong Ming quickly moved closer, reaching out as if to feel his forehead. "I'm heartbroken for you. Where do you feel unwell? Let me see?"
Smack! The reaching hand was slapped away.
Jiang Xingzhi stepped past him. "You're not a doctor, what's there to see?"
That crisp sound cut through all the white mist swirling in the courtyard, striking Zhong Ming's heart and dropping the suspended stone back into his stomach.
Yes, yes, this was right!
What a good slap, this was the usual Deng Deng!
Zhong Ming peacefully followed after him again.
….
The two left the inn and departed Liu City.
On their way back to Kunlun, they stopped in Xunyang City to exchange money at the pawn shop.
When Jiang Xingzhi walked around the screen to the counter, the shopkeeper's expression wasn't as expectant as in previous visits, but rather troubled. "Customer... that jade ring from last time hasn't been sold yet."
"Why, doesn't that buyer want it anymore?"
"No, the person hasn't come yet." The shopkeeper calculated the time. "According to past patterns, they should have come two days ago."
Jiang Xingzhi pondered. "Probably delayed by something. Let's wait a bit longer, no rush."
He called to Zhong Ming, who was accompanying him nearby, and they left. Walking out of the pawn shop, Jiang Xingzhi couldn't help thinking again of the demon cultivator he'd brushed past last time, and the chaos in the Demon Realm just a few days ago...
Thinking of the Demon Realm, he wondered what the situation there was now.
His wrist was lightly touched by a finger. Zhong Ming asked, "What are you thinking about? If you're worried about not having enough money, I have plenty here, use as much as you want."
Jiang Xingzhi temporarily set aside thoughts of the Demon Realm, glancing at Zhong Ming who was looking down at him. "No need. When we get back to Kunlun, I'll just take twenty percent from Master's fortune-telling fees."
He still owed this person three thousand spirit stones.