FI CH69: Really Fierce

Bai Jiang was mystified. “Hmm?” 0▽0

Xuenima lay flat: [If he knew what you “scratched off” from that lottery ticket, he probably wouldn’t be so cheerful.]

A flick of psychic energy stuffed it back into his sleeve.

Lin Su was serious: Let the child go on his own. Thirty is the age for adventure.

The person in front of him was still turning the invitation over and over, studying it.

Lin Su looked at him. “What are your plans?”

Bai Jiang smiled brightly. “Even though they sent me an invitation after only meeting once… even though it’s addressed to my pseudonym ‘Bai Kang’… even though the other half’s name is just a dash…”

He looked up, pointing to the address bar that read [XX Town, No. 505], his smile clear. “But I think I’ll still go.”

Lin Su saw his expression and said cheerfully, “Good.”

Xuenima: [Xiao Bai is just a human cub. Will this one trip last a lifetime?]

Lin Su was gentle: Stop spouting nonsense.

There was a sudden movement beside him. A hand was raised. He Zhenling took out his phone. “There’s a flight this afternoon.”

Lin Su, “…”

Bai Jiang, “…”

Xuenima was amazed: [I see the shadow of an old acquaintance in him, the King of Hell!]

A hand covered its babbling little mouth.

Across from them, Bai Jiang stared pointedly. “…No need to trouble President He. The wedding is after the New Year.” His gaze shifted, and he beamed. “I can still have afternoon tea with my brother teacher for a few more days~*”

Lin Su was gratified. “How thoughtful, Xiao Bai. But we’re leaving tomorrow.” He paused and turned his head. “…We are leaving tomorrow, right?”

He Zhenling’s lips twitched. “You’re the one in charge.”

Bai Jiang, “…….” ..QAQ..!!

Lin Su, embarrassed for a moment, turned back to the doubly-stricken Bai Jiang and said gently, “That char siu pastry was very good. Are there any more?”

Bai Jiang’s storm clouds turned to sunshine. “Ah, yes!”

He then rushed off to get more pastries.

Lin Su and He Zhenling sat back down on the small sofa.

He picked up his teacup and discussed seriously, “You… shouldn’t bully Xiao Bai too much.”

He Zhenling said casually, “A father’s love is like a mountain; it carries some weight.”

“…”

Lin Su observed objectively, “He’s about to have a landslide.”

Taking advantage of Bai Jiang’s absence, Xuenima crawled onto the desk to paw at the invitation: [The last event was 404 Not Found, this time it’s 505. Do they have some special system for filling out addresses?]

“That’s not 505.”

Lin Su took a sip of tea, his eyelashes lightly concealing his eyes. “It’s SOS.”

Xuenima: […!]

After Bai Jiang took over the matter, Lin Su didn’t ask any more questions.

He remembered the last time he saw Yan Guanyue, the young man was cool and rational, his ranking second only to his and He Zhenling’s. There were no signs of his birth characters being altered. If it didn’t involve a change in fate…

A general commission could be handled by the Tianshi Association.

The next day, they prepared to return.

The Song family of three came to see them off.

Shao Lan, with her arm around Zhou Li, expressed her sincere thanks. “We really don’t know how to thank you. If there’s anything we can help with in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Zhou Li remembered. “Ah, right! Junior Lin, I haven’t given you the payment for the commission yet.”

“The payment doesn’t matter.” Lin Su thought for a moment, still thinking about it. “I really liked the ball-in-a-ball toy in your room. Can you send me a link?”

Zhou Li, “?”

He said generously, “A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. I’ll just send it to you directly! Give me your address, and I’ll mail it to your home.”

Lin Su didn’t refuse and said cheerfully, “Okay.”

Beside him, He Zhenling glanced at the time. “It’s about time.” He then took Lin Su’s luggage.

Lin Su turned his head and waved his hand. “We’re heading back.”

“Safe travels. See you again.”

…

By the time they returned to Xuncheng, it was already evening.

He Zhenling had to go back to the company, so he had Kong Fu send Lin Su back to the apartment first.

Returning home after nearly half a month.

Lin Su took out his key and opened the door, only to hear a “whooshing” sound from inside, accompanied by two joyous laughs:

“Aha, ahaha, hahaha~”

His footsteps paused. “…”

He closed the door with a click and rounded the corner into the living room.

On the small balcony by the window, the ball-in-a-ball toys were piled up like an ocean of balls. Two figures, one black and one white, were happily tossing the balls around. Beside them was a stack of dismantled same-day delivery cardboard boxes.

Lin Su stopped and clapped his hands. “…It really is a ‘gushing spring’ of repayment.”

Xuenima pawed at a small ball that had rolled to his feet: [It’s about to gush out of the living room.]

Lin Su shook his head, walked over, and said gently, “Are you having fun?”

The two self-absorbed figures froze! They turned their heads.

The White Impermanence gently retracted his tongue. “You’re back.” He held up a small ball. “…Wanna play?”

The Black Impermanence, feigning naturalness, looked around and changed the subject. “This toy you bought is not bad. We helped you set up the nursery first. I didn’t expect you to be at this stage just two months after your wedding night…”

He turned his head. “By the way, where’s your child?”

Xuenima: [Which child is he talking about, Dalang or Xiao Bai?]

Lin Su, “…”

One hand tossed it into the ocean of balls.

Lin Su took out his fate-changing brush and asked, “Are you two being abstract, or are you serious?”

The black and white figures trembled simultaneously! Then they quietly crawled out of the ball pit. “Hey, no more fooling around… no more fooling around…”

The three figures sat back down on the sofa.

The small paper figures Lin Su had cut out were tidying up the living room. He picked up the freshly brewed hot tea and took a sip:

“Why are you here?”

“We were too busy a while ago and didn’t have time to congratulate you on your wedding. We happened to be free today, so we came to see you.”

The White Impermanence said, full of admiration, “I didn’t expect you to have captured the Surveillance Officer…! Doesn’t that mean you can now run wild in any direction you please? But why didn’t you notify us when you got married? You should have at least had a banquet, a hundred or a thousand tables… Everyone is still waiting!”

Lin Su: …Wait.

He sensed a key element. “…Everyone?”

The Black and White Impermanence looked at each other and high-fived with a laugh. “Yes, the entire underworld knows, haha, hahahaha~”

Lin Su: .

No, they haven’t yet… At most, He Zhenling had only secretly kissed his palm.

As he thought this, his heart warmed, and he glanced over.

A deathly pale face suddenly appeared in front of him!

The White Impermanence, “…Why are you blushing?”

“…” Lin Su collected his thoughts and changed the subject. “I’m just rather auspicious. By the way, what were you two busy with a while ago?”

The person in front of him was successfully distracted. “It’s just the end of the year, doesn’t the underworld also have performance reviews? Newly appointed officials in various realms, transferred officials, officials who have fallen from grace… There’s just too much to do.”

The positions of the underworld officials change every year.

Lin Su didn’t pay much attention. “I see.”

The Black and White Impermanence came for a quick visit and then left.

Lin Su didn’t know what they had come for. In the end, he concluded: They’re under too much work pressure and need to do something pointless.

The underworld was busy at the end of the year, and school was no different.

Exams and assignments were piling up. Fortunately, there was the butler for the assignments, and the exams were easy for Lin Su. The month of finals passed smoothly, and the winter vacation began.

The winter vacation was right before the New Year.

Lin Su looked at the date of the New Year and sent a Weixin message to He Zhenling: New Year’s Eve, come gather at my mansion. [Heart]

[Ling]: …
[Ling]: What kind of gathering?

Lin Su sighed and showed his phone to Xuenima. “Nima, he’s being all hot and bothered again.”

He then replied: The kind of gathering that requires putting Nima away. [Heart]

Xuenima: [??]
[Ling]: Hah… [Heart]

Lin Su put his phone away, tossed Xuenima into the ball pit, and said gently, “Alright, go play.”

[Heh. [Calmly]]

…

On New Year’s Eve, He Zhenling arrived in the evening.

Lin Su was in the living room making hot pot.

Hot steam swirled around the table. He Zhenling stood at the living room entrance and raised an eyebrow slightly. “You only invited me?”

Lin Su said dotingly, “You’re asking even though you already know.”

The man chuckled lightly and walked over to take a seat. Just as he took off his coat, he saw Lin Su pause, his chopsticks stirring the bottom of the pot. “Oh, but this wasn’t the original plan.”

He Zhenling stopped and lowered his gaze: ?

Lin Su said with regret, “I originally wanted to ask the butler to come and cook, but then I thought, it’s the New Year, so I’d better forget it. I just made hot pot myself.”

“…” He Zhenling’s lips moved, and he said softly, “You’re so kind.”

“I think so too.”

The hot pot was already boiling. There were two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table. He glanced around. “Where’s your Ama?”

Lin Su pointed to the ball pit. “In the nursery.”

He Zhenling raised his eyes. “…Nursery?”

Lin Su sighed lightly. “The Black and White Impermanence set it up.” As he spoke, he couldn’t help but make a wave gesture and placed a hand on his lower abdomen. “You know, we…”

He Zhenling’s eyelid twitched! He subconsciously pulled his hand away and looked away. After a couple of seconds, he turned back. The white steam swirled in his eyes, creating a touch of warmth. He lowered his eyes and smiled:

“We what? Continue.”

Lin Su, “…”

He Zhenling’s fingertips brushed over him. “Didn’t you say you were going to put your Ama away?”

There was a rustling sound from the ball pit, and a head popped out: [O.O]

Lin Su’s wrist tingled, and his face grew a little hot from the steam. He tried to look calm as he shifted his gaze to the bubbling hot pot. “It’s… it’s ready. Don’t talk about these things in front of Dad.”

“…”

A soft chuckle came from beside him. A fingertip lightly touched his palm and then withdrew. He Zhenling rolled up his sleeves and put a plate of food into the pot:

“Eat up, vegetable.”

Lin Su gave him a sharp sideways glance: Is he being suggestive?

He swished the vegetables in the pot, divided them in half, and put some in his bowl. “An equal share of beauty.”

He Zhenling looked at the large bowl of vegetables. “…Hah.”

The hot pot meal lasted for two hours.

In the middle of it, Xuenima got hungry from playing and came over to share a few bites. After eating, Lin Su curled up on the sofa. Xuenima curled up in his lap, and they both squinted their eyes: Hooo…

Just as He Zhenling was about to clear the bowls, Lin Su spoke up. “I’ll have the paper figures clean up later.”

He Zhenling paused for a second and praised, “You really are living a divine life.”

“That’s how we live in Lin Family Village.” =u=

A soft laugh seemed to come from beside him. The man withdrew his hand and sat down.

The night was deep now. It was the New Year, and greetings were coming in from all directions. His phone buzzed constantly. Lin Su jumped back and forth between Weixin and WeChat.

He Zhenling glanced over. “Busy with business?”

Lin Su, hugging his Nima-brand pillow, typed rapidly. “Holiday greetings… Don’t you post in the association and company group chats?”

“I sent red envelopes.”

“…”

Lin Su praised, “That’s certainly enough.”

Just as he finished replying to one, a message from Bai Jiang popped up: Brother Teacher, Happy New Year’s Eve~ [Confetti] [Cheerful]

[Su]: Happy New Year’s Eve, Xiao Bai [Paw]

After replying, Lin Su happened to remember: the wedding date on Yan Guanyue’s red and white invitation seemed to be around the New Year… Bai Jiang said he was going to check it out. He wondered how that was going.

He casually asked: Xiao Bai, where are you?

[Bai Jiang]: I’m at a wedding in District 505.
[Bai Jiang]: I’m locked in a box right now, and I hear them outside saying they’re going to drown me in a pond. The local customs here are really fierce, haha~ ^▽^

“…”

Lin Su’s pupils shook: What happened!!

__

Author’s notes:

Xiao Bai: I was almost a goner~*
He Daniao (Big Bird He): ?
Kun (Author): Ask one, and the other stays silent.

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