With Zhai Bairong absent, Nie Shiyun had no desire to entertain Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü. After the three of them stared at each other in awkward silence for a while, Rong Lü and Duan Mingyu eventually took their leave of their own accord.
The cultivators waiting outside to watch the spectacle saw Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü emerge unscathed, looking nothing like people who had just engaged in a major conflict. However, the expression on Duan Mingyu’s face was stiff and despondent. The crowd couldn't help but wonder what had transpired inside.
Seeing the curious gazes directed their way, Rong Lü swept a cold look over them. He was, after all, a senior at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm; the onlookers immediately lost their nerve and averted their eyes.
Once they had walked a distance away, several people gathered together again and began to discuss in low voices. "Did you see Duan Mingyu’s expression? Could it be that Zhai Bairong really dumped him?"
"He looked so pitiful..." someone nearby murmured.
Although Duan Mingyu had made somewhat of a fool of himself, his sorrowful appearance remained beautiful. It had to be said that many people still felt a sense of pity upon seeing him like that.
However, after thinking it over, the group recalled that Nie Shiyun was usually friendly toward them juniors, putting on no airs of seniority at all. Moreover, his craftsmanship was so outstanding among his peers that the scales in their hearts tipped in his favor. One couldn't help but say, "If it were me, I’d choose Senior Nie too. Duan Mingyu looks delicate and lovely, but I feel like he’d be a handful..."
The person next to him shot him a sidelong glance. "Keep dreaming. Neither of them would have anything to do with the likes of you."
"Hey, we’re just talking privately..."
Ten days later, Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü returned to collect their pills. Zhai Bairong did not withhold any of the agreed-upon amount. Of course, his state during the refinement had been quite good, so the surplus naturally went into his own pocket.
Rong Lü counted the pills; the quantity was indeed no different from what had been promised. Despite the indescribably complex relationship between them, it seemed Zhai Bairong and Nie Shiyun were intent on conducting business professionally.
Until the very end, Duan Mingyu continued to stare at Zhai Bairong with an extremely aggrieved expression. It was as if he believed that if he persistently displayed his inner hurt, his senior brother would "repent and return to the shore."
Nie Shiyun naturally approached Zhai Bairong and said, "You’ve worked hard."
Duan Mingyu watched as Nie Shiyun’s hand naturally came to rest on the small of Zhai Bairong’s back, pulling him slightly toward himself. The intimacy between them was by no means a deliberate performance; it even carried a hint of "protection." In the past, this was clearly what his senior brother used to do for him! His heart jolted as he looked at the two of them in disbelief.
"Senior Brother, you... you..."
Seeing his gaze, Nie Shiyun deliberately smiled and said, "Is there anything else? If not, stop staring at someone else's Dao companion."
Rong Lü was stunned for a moment. He quickly pulled at Duan Mingyu and whispered, "Let’s go."
Initially, like Duan Mingyu and Xu Yehua, he had suspected whether these two had reached some sort of agreement or were deliberately acting for Duan Mingyu’s benefit. But looking at them now, although the reason remained unknown, the feelings between these two were truly deep.
While Rong Lü outwardly agreed with Duan Mingyu about how Zhai Bairong shouldn't treat him this way, he was actually quite happy in his heart. When he had first reunited with Duan Mingyu and learned that he had been involved with his fellow disciple for many years, Rong Lü had felt immense regret, feeling he had arrived a step too late. He had accepted sharing Duan Mingyu with others without hesitation; after all, if it weren't for that arrangement, it wouldn't have been his turn anyway, given the order of arrival.
And at this moment, due to various changes, he had unexpectedly gained the chance to have him all to himself. A selfish thought, unlike any he had felt before, sprouted within Rong Lü.
Duan Mingyu himself, as well as Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong in the shop, remained entirely unaware of this subtle shift.
After the two left, Nie Shiyun still didn't let go.
Zhai Bairong looked at him and smiled. "You did that on purpose."
Nie Shiyun feigned surprise. "Didn't you say you wanted to see me get jealous?"
"You weren't really..." Zhai Bairong started to say, but then felt it was a bit dull to point it out. He changed his tune, "But this isn't bad either."
Seeing Zhai Bairong in such a good mood, his words laced with laughter, Nie Shiyun couldn't resist pulling him into a kiss right there in the front of the shop.
There was no one at the shop entrance at the moment, so naturally, no one saw this unique sight.
Their lips touched for several seconds. Zhai Bairong felt it was enough, but Nie Shiyun showed no intention of pulling away. He reached out and gave the other man’s arm a light push, signaling that the shop door was still open.
Nie Shiyun chuckled and applied some force with his hands, pulling Zhai Bairong down so they both tumbled into a seated position.
With a "thud," Zhai Bairong was startled. He was fine, as Nie Shiyun was cushioning him from below. Although a cultivator wouldn't be hurt by such a fall, Zhai Bairong still instinctively worried, his eyes searching Nie Shiyun’s as if asking why he was being so reckless.
"I just wanted to do this," Nie Shiyun said, tilting his head up to kiss him again.
Zhai Bairong had originally intended to pull him up after a couple of kisses, but Nie Shiyun’s body was truly warm. Amidst the intermittent kisses, Zhai Bairong followed his usual habit and leaned into him, forgetting his initial plan.
The weather had been unusually clear today, but now clouds were gradually drifting in. Before long, a light snow began to fall outside the shop. The scene was somewhat similar to the coldest part of winter back in Flower City.
However, while the seasons changed there, this place was in eternal winter. The vast expanse of white could make one's eyes dizzy if stared at for too long.
As usual, there were not many people passing by on the road outside. A trail of footprints left by Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü when they departed was still imprinted in the snow. A curious cultivator came to the front to peer inside, but only saw an empty shop. It was rare for both Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong to be absent from the front, and even the child was nowhere to be seen. However, even when left unattended, no one dared to cause trouble in Nie Shiyun’s shop. Such situations had occurred occasionally before, so no one made a fuss.
Behind the concealment of the counter, faint sounds of labored breathing drifted from the narrow space.
As the wind and snow outside grew heavier, the sparse figures on the road vanished completely. Zhai Bairong still suppressed his voice, not daring to let a sound escape. He bit his lip, his expression appearing somewhat strained.
The space behind the counter was truly too narrow; once seated, there was hardly any room for their legs. Zhai Bairong’s fingers gripped the inner edge of the counter, his sleeves sliding down to the crook of his elbows. Faint veins were visible on the backs of his fair hands and forearms.
Behind him, Nie Shiyun reached one hand through the layers of robes, sliding it up the length of Zhai Bairong's forearm until it firmly covered the back of his hand, his fingers interlacing with Zhai Bairong’s.
Suddenly, the door made a "creak." Nie Shiyun felt Zhai Bairong’s body shudder, and the place enveloping him tightened so much it made his breath hitch. However, both quickly realized it was just the wind rattling the door; no one had come in.
Zhai Bairong breathed a sigh of relief, as did Nie Shiyun. Then, both found it amusing that they were being so tense, and they couldn't help but chuckle.
With a wave of his hand, Nie Shiyun used his power from a distance to automatically close the shop door.
Outside the now-sealed door, not a sound from the room could be heard. In the white world of heaven and earth, there was only the sound of snow. No one knew what kind of springtime scenery was unfolding within.
"Mm... later... let's go to the back room," Zhai Bairong said, his voice hoarse.
Nie Shiyun paused for a moment and asked teasingly, "What’s this? It’s not even over yet, and you’re already making a reservation to continue?"
Being teased like this made it seem as if he were the only one in a hurry. Zhai Bairong’s face flushed hot as he said, "When has it ever actually ended after just once?"
"...True enough." Nie Shiyun laughed and whispered into Zhai Bairong’s ear, their intimacy absolute.
Once they left the secret realm, they would have to deal with a long-distance relationship again, as well as preparing for their breakthroughs and studying the blacksmithing manuals. Now was the time to indulge in each other's company.
"Let's just not open the shop tomorrow either," Nie Shiyun suggested.
"That’s hardly necessary..."
