Chapter 27: Do You Want to Be Dao Companions?
When the villagers arrived and saw the wolf demon captured, those who had lost sheep or had injured family members immediately went up and kicked the wolf cub a few times.
However, when it came to actually harming human lives, the wolf cub really hadn’t done anything of the sort.
Ning Ke gave those villagers some gold and silver as compensation. Then, in front of everyone, he placed a restriction seal on the wolf cub, ordering him to guard Ning Family Village for a year and protect the villagers from other demons as atonement for his crimes.
A hundred-year-old wolf cub was psychologically equivalent to a human child of about ten.
Ning Ke gave him a few spiritual fruits and coaxed him a bit.
The little guy obediently started playing with the village children.
He stopped mentioning anything about the Demon Race reigning supreme or unifying the two realms. Instead, he turned into a giant husky, lying on the ground with his belly exposed, letting the children rub and pet him.
Ning珂 observed him for a few days, and seeing that everything was fine, he decided to take Ning Xiaoxiao and Lou Yunxiao into the city to have some fun.
Their location was close to Nantong City. It used to be under the jurisdiction of the Liuyun Sect, but was now managed by the Music Sect.
Upon realizing they were entering Nantong City, Lou Yunxiao’s mood remained low.
He had visited this place several times in his childhood. Back then, his father and mother would hold his hands, one on the left and one on the right, taking him to see the famous lantern night cruise of Nantong City.
But now, things had changed and the people were gone. Not only was he separated from his parents by death, but even the pair of eyes used to see those lively lights were no longer bright.
In the two years since the sect’s annihilation, he rarely recalled the past, and he rarely cried.
He had been constantly suppressing himself, constantly forcing himself to improve.
But now, standing in this bustling market, looking around blankly, everything within his vision was darkness.
Panic born from the heart, and the sense of alienation from those around him, began to erode his entire being.
“Brother, someone is selling talismans over there! Come on, let’s go look together!”
Ning Xiaoxiao tugged at the corner of Ning Ke’s clothes, but couldn’t move him.
She looked up and found that Ning Ke’s gaze was fixed on their Eldest Senior Brother, who had stopped at some point and fallen behind them.
His eyes swirled with emotions she couldn’t understand.
Different from his usual happy-go-lucky self, she could feel that Ning Ke right now was somewhat sad.
It made her heart clench as well.
A large hand landed on the top of her head, blocking her inquiring gaze. Ning Ke’s voice sounded perfectly normal as he said to her, “Xiaoxiao, be a good girl and go play by yourself for a bit. I’ll bring Eldest Senior Brother to find you later.”
“Okay.” Ning Xiaoxiao let go of the young man’s clothes.
She turned and went to the stall. On the way, she couldn’t help looking back, only to see Ning Ke pushing through the crowd, walking firmly step by step toward Eldest Senior Brother.
Something was sprouting in her heart.
For the first time, Ning Xiaoxiao felt that her brother’s feelings for Eldest Senior Brother seemed not as simple as she had thought.
Fire was burning.
Blood covered the ground.
The sound of flesh sizzling as it scorched.
Lou Yunxiao stood in darkness, as if he could hear the screams and wails of his kin.
He breathed with difficulty, his hands at his sides clenching into fists, tightening constantly until his fingernails pierced his flesh, leaving bloody marks.
He knew he should catch up with A-Ke and Little Junior Sister.
But he couldn’t move a single step.
The chaotic smells around him increased.
He was almost unable to locate the two people who had walked away.
Who would… help him?
Who could… come and help him?
“Senior Brother.”
A sudden shout sliced through the darkness, rushing into Lou Yunxiao’s world.
His cold wrist was grabbed by someone, and in the next instant, Lou Yunxiao felt himself being pulled into an embrace.
A familiar, reassuring scent filled his nasal cavity.
He heard his Little Junior Brother say:
“I’m sorry, Senior Brother, I came late.”
The eyes beneath the ribbon widened slightly. Lou Yunxiao’s body was stiff as he was held by Ning Ke, yet he couldn’t bear to push him away.
Because he could feel that the moment Ning Ke appeared, those terrifying sounds and scenes vanished.
The surroundings returned to being lively, and he was no longer alone.
Now, he had Little Junior Brother.
Little Junior Brother was his family.
The hands hanging by his sides tentatively raised up, and finally, he hugged Ning Ke back.
Neither he nor Ning Ke spoke.
They just embraced quietly until Lou Yunxiao’s mood completely calmed down.
“It was me who walked too slow and fell behind. I don’t blame you.” Lou Yunxiao let go of Ning Ke and asked, “Where is Little Junior Sister?”
“She went to look at the talisman stall.” Ning Ke curled his fingers and scratched his face, feeling a little awkward himself.
He actually didn’t know why, when he clearly could have just taken Lou Yunxiao’s hand and cheerfully led him to catch up with Ning Xiaoxiao, his brain short-circuited and he hugged Lou Yunxiao instead.
Maybe it was because Lou Yunxiao looked too pitiful just now?
Biting his lower lip, palms dug until they bled, standing lonely in the bustling market, looking as if he had been abandoned by the whole world…
“Then let’s go find her,” Lou Yunxiao said after finishing his thought.
He paused.
Then, for the first time, he actively extended his hand to Ning Ke, a thin flush spreading across his cheeks that wouldn’t be noticeable if one didn’t look closely.
“But I don’t know the direction. Could I trouble Junior Brother to… hold my hand?”
Ning Ke stared at the hand presented before him. His fox eyes blinked once, twice, three times. He couldn’t help but say to Xiao Yuan in his consciousness: Xiao Yuan, look, is my status as a bootlicker about to become official?
[…I think you, the actor, are about to become bent instead!]
Ning Ke: I am not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense. Buddy here is straight!
But being straight didn’t mean he wouldn’t hold the offered hand!
After all, he was currently the Little Junior Brother who “wholeheartedly liked” the male protagonist!
He grabbed Lou Yunxiao’s hand and stuffed it into the pocket of his own cloak. Ning Ke said, “This time you have to hold my hand tight. Don’t fall behind and get lost again, understood?”
“Okay.”
T/n: It’s good to be back translating this novel. Have fun reading!
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