UCTOOT CH67

Shi Shu: “How did you know!?”

“When we first met, you said your birthday was in February.”

“You remembered it after I said it just once?”

Xie Wuchi: “I make a point of memorizing certain important information.”

Shi Shu: “Wow, that’s amazing. I thought you could predict the future.”

Shi Shu didn’t actually remember his own birthday very well; he would forget. But on that day, Ms. Bai Mo would place a bowl of longevity noodles in front of him, then take him out to play and buy him things, so he never needed to remember.

Shi Shu: “Oh, looks like it’s still a few days away. What about your birthday? Don’t tell me you’re not going to say, getting all defensive, are you?”

Xie Wuchi paused for a moment. “August.”

“August?” Shi Shu kicked at the rustling snow. “Was that when we met last year? How come you celebrated your birthday in secret and didn’t tell me?”

Xie Wuchi: “We were together the whole time. Did you see me celebrate it?”

“…”

Last August, Xie Wuchi was in the Censorate’s prison, participating in a deadly gamble. If he won, he would enter the court in white robes; if he lost, his head would roll. Shi Shu had a sudden realization and looked at him with a smile. “You have such a strong sense of time, you must have remembered it was your birthday, right? You remembered, but you were in jail. That must have been pretty lonely.”

Xie Wuchi turned his face away and said flatly, “I don’t care.”

“You don’t care? You’re really a stubborn person.”

It seemed that no difficulty could truly affect him.

“Alright,” Shi Shu scraped the slush off his boots, remembering the spectacle he hadn’t finished watching in the afternoon. “What happened with Zhao Shirui and Feng Kuizhi? What was the result of their fight?”

“They went to the military government in Yunzhou to reason with Feng Zhongshan.”

Shi Shu still didn’t understand. “Why were they so angry?”

“It’s a matter of power struggle. One day, you realize that the good friend you spend all your time with is actually your biggest rival in your career. The friendship forged in battle will begin to twist and sour,” Xie Wuchi seemed to find it interesting and showed a smile. “Until any emotion is gone, and only the pursuit of power remains.”

A chill ran down Shi Shu’s back. Hearing those words as he walked on the snow, he turned his head to look at him.

Was there a hidden meaning in Xie Wuchi’s words? His tone always felt so cold and sinister.

There was still some distance to Senzhou city. The three of them walked slowly in the snow as dusk settled. Shi Shu pulled Zihan, who was hiding to the side, and put an arm around his shoulder. “What’s their grudge? Tell me, I’m bored on the road.”

Xie Wuchi saw their arms touching and turned his gaze away. “Twenty-some years ago, the vassal state of Min under the Great Jing’s rule rebelled. Their leader, Yuan Ge’er, was a genius of his time. He led the Min people to quickly conquer Chuituo, Dasheng, and Yong’an. At that time, everyone was terrified of their iron hooves, and the emperor even considered fleeing the Eastern Capital. The Zhao and Feng families had been guarding the border for generations. Zhao Shirui’s father, Zhao Heng, fought a bloody battle and was defeated and killed during a counterattack at the Cha River.”

Shi Shu recalled the scar on Zhao Shirui’s face. “Him?”

Xie Wuchi brushed the snow off his sleeve. “Yes, the wound on his face was from being slashed by the enemy army at that time. Zhao Heng was originally the most prestigious general in the border army. After his death, the court’s army collapsed like a mountain, and they no longer had the heart to fight. At that time, Feng Zhongshan came out with a suggestion: to use the Cha River as a boundary and negotiate for peace by ceding territory.”

Shi Shu vaguely felt that something was wrong. “Why not resist stubbornly? Why negotiate?”

Du Zihan plucked up the courage to interject, “That would only bring temporary peace, right?”

“Yes. You all saw it that day. The Great Min are arrogant and brave. They cross the Cha River from time to time to cause trouble and massacre refugees, but the soldiers of the Great Jing are strictly forbidden from crossing the river to start a border conflict. They can only watch as the other side kills people.”

“Who could be at peace with that? No wonder…”

Shi Shu muttered to himself: No wonder Song Sinan and his group curse Feng Zhongshan whenever he’s mentioned. Negotiating for peace, in exchange for being a doormat for twenty years.

Xie Wuchi slowly nodded and said, “Feng Zhongshan also relied on this proposal and his connection with Great Min to become the first military commissioner of the Great Jing to be enfeoffed while still alive, at the age of forty.”

What kind of official position was a military commissioner? It controlled the military, civil, and financial power of several prefectures, no less than the later provincial governors.

Shi Shu pursed his lips and said out of intuition, “A military commissioner born from a peace negotiation. Zihan, what do you think?”

Du Zihan: “Hard to say, but in novels, they’re usually the villains.”

Xie Wuchi walked forward against the wind and snow. “Yes. Zhao Heng died in battle, and Feng Zhongshan negotiated for peace. Zhao Shirui grew up with Feng Zhongshan and continued to train in the border army. Twenty years have passed, Feng Zhongshan is aging, and power is about to change hands. Now the backbone of the border army is becoming this group of young, new-generation officers. Feng Kuizhi and Zhao Shirui are the most powerful contenders for the next leader of the border army.”

It dawned on Shi Shu. “Power, power, power. They’re starting to fight again, aren’t they?”

Shi Shu thought of something. “This Feng Kuizhi, could he have intentionally taken the Senzhou supply route just to show off? The two of them are competing, a group of people got whipped, and a male pet was conscripted…”

Shi Shu kicked at the snow on the ground. The gate of Senzhou was close. He heard no response and turned his head to see Xie Wuchi with a contemplative expression.

“What are you thinking about, Xie Wuchi?”

Shi Shu always felt that since coming to Senzhou, Xie Wuchi seemed to be brewing something, and had been for a long time.

“I’m thinking about how to replace the ‘old’ with the ‘new’.”

Shi Shu didn’t notice the ground beneath his feet, suddenly tripped on flat ground, and scrambled up awkwardly. Behind him, Xie Wuchi’s hand steadied him. “Are you alright?”

Shi Shu felt the heat from his hand. “How did you know as soon as you arrived that Zhao Shirui and Feng Kuizhi were fighting over this?”

Xie Wuchi brushed the snow off him, checked him carefully, then straightened up and said, “This is the process of human progress. The old faction is aging but holds a large amount of power that they are unwilling to relinquish. The new faction is already mature and wants space to show what they can do. So the ‘new’ and the ‘old’ struggle, snatching, and then become the new ‘old,’ giving rise to a new ‘new.’ Everyone, because of their different interests, will intentionally or unintentionally stand with the ‘new’ or the ‘old.’ No one can escape this law.”

Power.

Xie Wuchi said it softly, then looked up. “And it’s not just about power. Human civilization also evolves through such struggles.”

The hair on Shi Shu’s forehead was blown away by the wind. His skin was fair, the tip of his nose red from the cold. He silently committed these words to memory, holding it in for a long time before answering, “It’s just that there are too many sacrifices that get eliminated.”

Talking all the way, they walked into the courtyard.

Shi Shu was exhausted and threw himself onto a chair as soon as he entered. He wondered how much longer he would have to live this life on the border. Would he be going out to do labor every day and returning in the wind and snow? Or would things get better after winter passed?

The person hired to cook for them was a relative of a local military household. After finishing their work, they bolted the door and left.

With Du Zihan’s arrival, the relationship between the three of them had changed. For example, Shi Shu used to accompany Xie Wuchi while he wrote in his diary, but now that Du Zihan was here, Shi Shu would look at the cats with him, search for cats in the woodshed, discuss what to eat tomorrow, or just play around.

The situation had changed from a bipolar one to a multipolar one with one superpower.

It wasn’t that he didn’t seek out Xie Wuchi; Shi Shu still would. But he wouldn’t for small, unimportant things.

After dinner, Shi Shu sneakily called Du Zihan. “Let’s go, let’s go see the cats.”

Just as Shi Shu finished speaking, an arm suddenly wrapped around him from behind. Before he could even cry out, he was lifted up by Xie Wuchi. “Ah! Help me! Zihan, help me!”

Du Zihan: “Me, me?”

Shi Shu was carried into the room, and the door was even closed. He was pulled all the way inside. A small lamp was lit. Xie Wuchi’s letter was half-written.

Shi Shu was placed on a small stool to the side. Xie Wuchi said, “Sit still. Stay with me.”

Shi Shu: “…”

Shi Shu said seriously, “Brother, do you think you’re respecting my freedom?”

“I’ll go see the cats with you after I’m done writing.”

Shi Shu wanted to retort, but the words got stuck in his throat. “Xie Wuchi, you’re too domineering and unreasonable. I’m not your property. I also have personal freedom and the right to play with whoever I want, hmph.”

Xie Wuchi paused his brush. “Understood. Sit still and don’t move.”

“…………”

“I’ll be with you in a moment.”

Shi Shu: “I don’t need you to be with me.”

Bored, Shi Shu stood up from the chair and sat on the table, reaching out to fiddle with the papers he was writing on. Only then did he notice, “You’re still in contact with the prince?”

“He’s not the prince anymore; he’s been enfeoffed as the Prince of Han. Yes, of course I’m in contact with him.”

Shi Shu picked up the letter and looked at it. “What for?”

Xie Wuchi let him inspect the letter, not stopping him. “It’s not strange for a border army official to be in contact with court officials. It’s not strange for me to be in contact with the Prince of Han.”

Shi Shu could read it, but he was impatient. He roughly made out phrases like “Zhao Shirui… Feng Kuizhi have a rift… advocate for war…” and then just asked him directly, “Read it to me.”

Xie Wuchi took the letter. “Zhao Shirui and Feng Kuizhi are at odds. Zhao Shirui holds a pro-war stance regarding the Jing-Min relationship.”

Only then did Shi Shu come to his senses. “What does the prince need to know this for?”

“He also has to decide whether he advocates for war or for peace. But the interests of the peace faction were carved up long ago. He will most likely advocate for war.” Xie Wuchi sealed the letter with sealing wax and placed it on the desk. It would be sent back to the Eastern Capital in a few days.

Shi Shu’s legs swung restlessly. “Xie Wuchi, you’re not pitifully exiled at all. You actually have a ton of things going on, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Shu’s knee accidentally brushed against the hem of his robe. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Just as he said it, Shi Shu’s leg was grabbed and pulled forward. “Hey, hey, hey?” Before he could finish, he was pulled completely into his arms, his hands having nowhere to go but to grab Xie Wuchi’s shoulders.

A shadow fell over him. Xie Wuchi’s kiss landed on his lips, soft and warm. In the flickering, dark lamplight, he kissed him like that for a while, one hand stroking Shi Shu’s earlobe, a gesture that was somewhat tender.

Shi Shu looked up, brushing his lips.

Why does it feel like I’ve directly entered the dating phase with Xie Wuchi?

Do other people date like this?!

Shi Shu: No, brother.

As Shi Shu was reacting, Xie Wuchi said, “Let’s go, let’s go see the kittens.”

“…”

Shi Shu jumped off the table, bewildered. His hand was suddenly taken by Xie Wuchi. At first, it was with some awkwardness, but it slowly turned into interlocking fingers, their hot hands held tightly together.

The doubtful voice in his heart grew louder.

Huh?

Shi Shu had never held hands with anyone, but his parents would occasionally hold hands when they went shopping. He was being led outside by Xie Wuchi, hand in hand. According to Shi Shu’s memory, they had held hands before, but never with fingers interlocked.

The sound of the wind and snow outside beat against the door, letting out a mournful roar. Shi Shu stumbled and squatted down by the kittens’ wooden box, which was placed by the residual warmth of the fire.

Shi Shu reached out and scooped up these little glutinous rice balls, placing them in his palm. He felt that this scene was very much like a married couple, finished with their work for the day, enjoying a moment of peace at home at night.

Xie Wuchi didn’t touch the cats. He straightened his collar and squatted down, his features very light and proper. He turned his head to watch Shi Shu play with the cats. Shi Shu was happily blowing on the kittens, poking their heads, and squeezing their paws, but the more Xie Wuchi watched, the stiffer his movements became, until he couldn’t play anymore and put the cats back in the box.

“…”

Xie Wuchi: “Had enough of looking?”

“Ahahahaha.”

After laughing a few times, Shi Shu was truly puzzled. “When did Xie Wuchi become so gentle and clingy? His gaze is no longer like he’s looking at a dog, and he’s willing to spend time with people. What does that mean? Has he really fallen for me? No way, brother, what is this?”

He likes me? The evidence for this speculation was mounting. Shi Shu stared at the little balls of fur tumbling in the box. They were so small, one moment crawling on top of another. Laifu stood guard nearby, picking up any that crawled out and putting them back.

Throughout his life, Shi Shu had not lacked for pursuers. After finding out, he would always distance himself to avoid the tragic scene of being called into the office together. Especially since Shi Shu’s uncles and aunts were all teachers; it was hard to imagine the kind of life he lived.

This was the first time he had faced someone’s feelings head-on.

Shi Shu sighed and stood up. “Time for bed. Let’s play again tomorrow. Still have a bunch of things to do. Good night.”

Xie Wuchi: “Wait.”

—Wait for what? I’m outta here!

Shi Shu bolted for his room without looking back. Just as he was pulling out the door latch, a hand blocked the crack in the door. Shi Shu’s eyes widened. Before he could resist, Xie Wuchi stepped into the room.

The moonlight reflected off the snow and into the room, a faint, bluish-white hue. In this faint moonlight, Xie Wuchi hooked his collar, and the clothes on his shoulder slipped to one side, revealing mature, smooth skin.

Shi Shu’s peach-blossom eyes widened. “What are you doing? Hey, Xie Wuchi, what are you doing? Don’t be like this!”

Shi Shu pulled Xie Wuchi’s clothes back up, straightening his robe. “Don’t take it off, don’t take it off. It’s really going to be hard to explain between us.”

Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes and smiled faintly. “If it can’t be explained, then let’s not explain it.”

“No, don’t be like this.”

Xie Wuchi: “I don’t want to sleep alone.”

Shi Shu: “Huh?”

“I have nightmares.”

“What?”

Xie Wuchi actually has nightmares? No, you have quite a few tricks up your sleeve. If it were anyone else, Shi Shu would have believed them, but coming from Xie Wuchi, what is this 190cm man even talking about?

Xie Wuchi: “I don’t know why, but I’ve been dreaming a lot at night recently, dreaming of… the past. Maybe it’s because I’ve been idle in Senzhou.”

Shi Shu: “Was there something bad in your past?”

“Not very good.”

He couldn’t tell if it was a lie, but since he had said this much, the hand Shi Shu was holding the door with started to loosen. “Xie Wuchi, you really…”

He didn’t dislike sleeping with him. Just think of him as a big fluffy bear. Besides, Xie Wuchi was very warm. At least sleeping in his arms, he wouldn’t get cold. Shi Shu first set down three rules. “No taking off clothes, no taking off pants, no touching.”

Just as Shi Shu lay down in bed, a weight pressed down beside him. He was indeed wearing clothes, but slowly, Shi Shu’s eyes widened.

“Don’t take them off! I said don’t take them off—”

Shi Shu’s eyes reflected the top of the bed. He was pressed down by the body on top of him, and his lips were kissed.

Shi Shu’s scalp tingled. He propped himself up on his forearms and scooted back, only to have the tip of his lips kissed again. I give up. Xie Wuchi definitely likes me.

Shi Shu didn’t know what to say. He stared at the hair falling in front of him, the kiss that touched the tip of his nose, and inexplicably thought that if he continued to stay with Xie Wuchi like this, maybe one day in the future, he would go all the way with him, maybe even get screwed by him.

At that time, they might be considered a couple by default.

Thinking of this, he surprisingly didn’t feel particularly hateful toward that outcome. Although he didn’t look forward to it, if that day really came, he would probably still continue to live with him.

What is this? A form of dating? Whatever.

As Shi Shu thought about it, he started to get sleepy and closed his eyes.

When Shi Shu woke up, the wind and snow outside the door hadn’t stopped. Sometimes when he woke up, he would be startled by the other man in front of him, and it would take a few seconds for him to remember what was going on.

Xie Wuchi was also awake. He sat on the bed getting dressed. It had to be said, even in ancient times, Xie Wuchi had great taste in having his clothes tailored. He was always dressed sharply and eye-catchingly.

Shi Shu watched him carefully. Xie Wuchi was tying up his hair with a wooden hairpin, his features very handsome.

Being so handsome, it’s not a big deal to sleep with him.

Shi Shu turned and walked out the door. Du Zihan was also awake, sweeping the snow in the courtyard. Due to his changed thoughts about Xie Wuchi, Shi Shu looked at Du Zihan and imagined if there was any possibility of him dating him.

Du Zihan turned his head and said excitedly, “Holy crap! The snowman I built last night is still here!”

Shi Shu walked closer and kicked away the broken snow next to it. Du Zihan is a no-go.

Shi Shu squatted down to build a snowman, blowing on his cold fingertips. A moment later, he heard Du Zihan’s voice. “Holy crap.”

“What’s wrong?” Shi Shu turned around.

“…”

Xie Wuchi was dressed in blue satin, his cloak embroidered with flowing patterns. In the snow, his posture was exceptionally elegant. He stood out against the snowy background, looking very noble.

Du Zihan: “My brother looks like he’s on a fashion show every time he goes out.”

Shi Shu turned his face, his heart inexplicably skipping a beat. “Mind your own business about your brother.”

He praised him for looking good in that robe, so he wore it a few more times. Thinking about it carefully, Shi Shu couldn’t help but smile. How interesting.

“What are we doing today?”

Xie Wuchi responded, “Going to the refugee camp to call a few people for questioning.”

Shi Shu: “I’ll go with you and take a look.”

The north wind blew, and the banners flapped wildly.

Thick yellow clouds pressed down from the sky. Standing on the watchtower of the city suburb, there were sentry posts at intervals. Their iron armor was frozen solid by the ice and snow, but they still stood ramrod straight.

Today was the first time Shi Shu entered the Senzhou military camp. In the distance was a tall gate, with a huge banner bearing the surname “Zhao” stuck in it, flapping fiercely in the wind. Under the banner stood soldiers with ramrod straight posture. Every so often, columns of troops would march by, holding long spears.

There was a solemnity in the army. Even though tens of thousands of troops were stationed in Senzhou, the military camp was very quiet. No one dared to make a sound.

Shi Shu looked from side to side, marveling in his heart, “What a tight military formation…”

They walked together into a tent. Xie Wuchi sat down. Before long, newly arrived refugees and Chou Army officers were called in one after another, waiting to be questioned. In front of Xie Wuchi were brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The person who came was a young man. Xie Wuchi asked him, “Where are you from?”

The man said, “I am from She County, across the Cha River, from Little Zhou Family Village.”

Xie Wuchi: “How did you escape the defense line set up by the Northern Min? Where are the Min’s garrisons located, and how much of the terrain map north of the Cha River can you remember?”

“I can remember a part of it. My uncle’s family brought us to escape. When he was young, he was a horse caravan runner and knows the terrain up there like the back of his hand. Why don’t you find my uncle and ask him for directions?”

Xie Wuchi: “Call them all up.”

Shi Shu sat beside Xie Wuchi, listening to the people in the tent chattering, recalling their escape route south. Every so often, they would say, “I remember there’s a garrison in Chen Family Village,” “Is there? How come I remember it’s Liu Village, with several thousand people stationed there!” “After you go in, there are soldiers patrolling back and forth. If you’re seen, you’ll be questioned.” “That scared me to death. Just thinking about the day I escaped, I walked a hundred miles.”

Shi Shu didn’t quite understand the meaning of “defense line” and so on, until a clear map was drawn on the paper.

Xie Wuchi: “There are garrisons all along the Cha River to prevent a sudden attack from the other side and to organize a responding army. A defense line, on the other hand, is a garrison chosen based on geographical location, also for coordination, to defend the territory. In an emergency, they will inform the surrounding areas and join forces to encircle and annihilate.”

Shi Shu thought, “I get it! If you know where the enemy’s garrison is, you can bypass it and launch a surprise attack from time to time?”

Xie Wuchi smiled. “Yes, that’s a feint. There’s also the main force. Feints and main forces complement each other.”

“So this is a secret. The Northern Min don’t let the refugees escape, partly for fear of leaks. The Dasheng Prefecture has been occupied for more than twenty years, and the old maps are no longer usable. By asking these newly escaped people, we might be able to find out the location of the Northern Min’s garrisons, as well as their key supply and transport routes. Of course, we also have to be wary of spies.”

A ripple went through Shi Shu’s heart. “So that’s how it is. It’s truly amazing that these common people can escape through layers of blockades and return to their homeland.”

Not only did they escape back to their homeland, but they could also provide intelligence to the army.

Shi Shu looked at the map. Xie Wuchi questioned the refugees, bit by bit completing the map of the area across the Cha River. There were still many refugees to question. Shi Shu was getting a bit bored, so he went outside for some fresh air.

The world was a sheet of ice and snow. The cold invaded, and the dead of winter had arrived. Shi Shu ran a few steps to warm up. Unexpectedly, his shoulder was suddenly tapped lightly.

“Xie Shishu!”

Shi Shu turned around and saw a bright, sunny smile.

“Song Sinan, what a coincidence.” Shi Shu took a closer look. It wasn’t just him; there were other soldiers beside him, all appearing to be guards from the “Chou Army.”

Song Sinan smiled and asked, “How come you’re at General Zhao’s military camp?”

Shi Shu: “I came with my brother. How about you? Isn’t the Chou Army stationed elsewhere?”

Song Sinan: “I came with my brother too.”

Not far away stood a man with a dark complexion, handsome and resolute. It seemed he had military intelligence to report. Shi Shu only saw an incredibly stern figure in the wind. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Your brother is busy, and my brother is busy too. So what now?”

“I don’t know. We were also thinking about how to pass the time. This area is very spacious. Want to practice wrestling? To strengthen our bodies.”

“…………”

Shi Shu: “It’s the middle of winter. I’ll watch you guys first. I’ll join in later.”

“Sure! We’re all in the army now. How can we do without a strong physique? Watch us! You all compete!” Song Sinan clearly had organizational skills. He quickly directed several young guards, saying, “Come on! The winner gets an extra bowl of meat tonight!”

Shi Shu couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes squinting. They were all just a group of youths. The army had its own ways of having fun, just as the rich had theirs.

“Damn! Throw him! Use your head!”

“To the left, hook his leg!”

“Pin him down for a little longer, and you’ll win!”

“…”

So intense!

Shi Shu couldn’t resist. “I’m in! Who’s fighting me?”

Song Sinan said, “I can’t fight you, I’m still injured. Pick one yourself.”

“I pick?” Shi Shu couldn’t conveniently pick the tallest, nor was it good to pick the smallest, so he picked one from the middle and said, “I’ve never practiced before, I’m stating that first! I can race you, but wrestling is just for fun!”

“Fine, fine, we all know.”

Shi Shu turned his head. “Zihan, what about you?”

Du Zihan: “Uh, I’m a scholar, I won’t participate.” After speaking, he couldn’t hold back a smile and squatted down.

The youths’ voices flew from the training ground.

Xie Wuchi, who was tracing the ravines and mountains on the map, heard the commotion and stood up. He lifted the curtain at the entrance.

And then he saw Shi Shu being thrown by a strong man, “whoosh,” flying out. Then Shi Shu was rolling around in the snow, laughing. “Damn! Holy crap! What do you guys eat to grow up? Why are you all so strong?”

There were many smiling faces in the snow. Xie Wuchi watched calmly, his expression not cold, but without any warmth either.

Not far away, Song Sigui returned from reporting military intelligence and reprimanded, “Making such a racket here, don’t you see where you are? What a disgrace. Hurry up and leave!”

Song Sinan quickly shut up and said, “We’re leaving.”

Shi Shu: “Huh? So soon.”

Shi Shu propped himself up on his hands in the snow, sitting lazily, and reached up to brush the snowflakes from his hair.

Song Sinan took something out from his bosom. “A gift for you. See you next time.”

When Shi Shu caught it, he realized it was a rope, but it had some iron wires tied to it, and the knots were very complicated. It was a weapon of their own invention.

“Use this thing to tie stuff, it’s especially tight. We’re heading back to the Chou Army camp first. See you next time!”

Shi Shu held the gift and stood up. “See you next time!”

Shi Shu had originally put away his smile, shaking the snow from his clothes, but the next moment he saw Xie Wuchi, his eyes immediately curved again. “Did you see that just now?”

Xie Wuchi walked closer and helped him brush his hair. “I saw.”

Shi Shu: “They’re pretty interesting. It’s just that I haven’t practiced, so I lost. If I had practiced and settled a bit, I would have definitely won.”

Du Zihan said, “Yes, settle.”

Xie Wuchi didn’t know what he was thinking, seeming a bit absent-minded. He picked the snow off Shi Shu’s face, piece by piece. “Alright, let’s go home, good boy.”

Hearing that nickname, Du Zihan looked up at the sky in despair. Shi Shu’s heart also skipped a beat. He wanted to facepalm. Xie Wuchi, you really are…

But on the surface, Shi Shu pretended not to hear, but he couldn’t keep it up. “Xie Wuchi, watch it!”

Xie Wuchi lowered his head in thought, looked at him without a word for a moment, then his gaze returned to the group of people walking away in the wind and snow.

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