Chapter One Hundred: The Feeling of Being Loved as a Child Is Hard to Give Up
The process of casting the soul mark went quite smoothly.
Sang Zhe was initially a bit worried. Wouldn’t it be dangerous to give a soul mark to a powerful Crossing Tribulation Stage cultivator? Could there be a backlash?
But there wasn’t any.
Yu Xia smoothly accepted the soul mark, softly collapsing into Sang Zhe’s embrace with a low moan.
Yet in her beautiful eyes, aside from exhaustion, there was also a deep sense of joy and relief.
“Thank you, Master, for your kindness.”
“No need to thank me. It’s quite rare to see someone so self-aware and taking the initiative to pursue their own goals.”
Sang Zhe replied earnestly, “You deserve it.”
“By the way, how about your cultivation? Do you still need me to give you an antidote to unlock it?”
Yu Xia thought for a moment and lowered her head. “I’ll do as you instruct, Master.”
She had come to a realization.
Despite this man appearing ordinary and unremarkable…
The one who could guide He Hongyi and help her confront her inner demons couldn’t possibly be just an ordinary foundation-building cultivator, right?
Now that she was alone, it seemed wiser to follow him.
Who knows, perhaps being near a true sage would allow her to witness sights she had never seen before.
Even if that didn’t happen, seeking redemption beside him wouldn’t be a bad way to spend the rest of her life.
Sang Zhe hadn’t figured out how to handle things yet, so he decided to put it on hold until he reported back to the company.
Having just accepted the soul mark, Yu Xia was quite drained, so he let her return to her room to rest.
He then happily called out to Nian Nian, feeling a rush of satisfaction from the ten thousand points he had just earned.
“Ten thousand points! I’ve never seen so many points in my life!”
The petite Nian Nian, with her black hair and glasses pushed up her nose, shot him a sideways glance, clearly annoyed.
“Host, don’t forget, you still have to exchange for the pill to change Shi Qingyan back.”
This statement caused Sang Zhe’s previously beaming face to scrunch up again.
“Right…”
“Ugh, what a pity, my hard-earned points…” He lamented as he exchanged for the pill in the system shop.
“Stupid system, let’s call it a truce this time. But next time, you better not leave me hanging like that. I don’t have enough points to keep getting duped!”
“…Hmph.” Nian Nian crossed her arms and turned away.
After getting the pill, Sang Zhe approached Shi Qingyan’s door and gently knocked.
“Senior Sister Shi, are you asleep?”
Moments later, the door opened.
The petite and exquisitely adorable Shi Qingyan stood there in oversized pajamas, holding a pillow, with a mischievous look as she peeked from behind the pillow.
“…What’s up?”
“Uh, the pill to revert your body is here. When do you plan to take it—”
“No.” She suddenly said quietly.
Sang Zhe: “?”
“I think this is fine as it is.”
She turned and slowly walked back to the bed, burrowing under the covers. “Even though my body is smaller, it’s not inconvenient at all.”
“I’m quite satisfied. I don’t want to change back.”
No, that’s not how it works!
I’m not satisfied with you being like this!
You promised that as soon as you changed back, you’d join the Demon Cult, right?
If you don’t join the Demon Cult, how are you going to earn rent money?
You’re not trying to freeload off me, are you?
Thinking of the big talk he gave to Tang Yubbing and Hua Jianglian before, Sang Zhe felt a cold sweat running down his back as he rushed to the bedside to persuade her.
“Hey, my little ancestor, you can’t just stay like this!”
“I, I promised my superior that as soon as you change back, you’d join the Demon Cult, and you agreed, didn’t you…”
Shi Qingyan silently held onto her pillow, burying her face behind it.
She occasionally peeked through a small gap, stealing glances at Sang Zhe before quickly retreating.
“If I change back—”
“…Would you still hug me and coax me to sleep like before?” she asked softly, with her face hidden behind the pillow.
Sang Zhe was taken aback.
Shi Qingyan turned to him, her eyes shyly peeking out, before softly saying:
“Come in.”
After a moment of hesitation, Sang Zhe slipped off his shoes and climbed into bed beside her.
During the time when Shi Qingyan hadn’t recovered her memory, the two of them used to fall asleep like this almost every night.
Cozy under the same covers, Sang Zhe would protect Shi Qingyan in front of him, like a father watching over his daughter.
Now Shi Qingyan wanted it to be the same.
But she waited and waited, yet didn’t feel his embrace.
Grumbling with dissatisfaction, she released the pillow and hopped into Sang Zhe’s arms.
“You still haven’t answered me.”
“If I change back,” her sparkling eyes downcast, she asked softly, “would you still coax me to sleep?”
Sang Zhe pondered for a moment before replying, “Senior Sister Shi has regained her memory. Don’t you think you wouldn’t need anyone to coax you to sleep?”
“Don’t adults also suffer from insomnia sometimes?”
Fair point.
But you’re already an adult; what can I do if you can’t sleep?
I can’t exactly sing ‘Where Did Daddy Go?’ to help you sleep!
“…If you don’t want to, then forget it.” Shi Qingyan suddenly turned away, sulking.
Sang Zhe wasn’t sure what he said wrong to upset her.
After a brief hesitation, he softly said:
“I’m not that heartless.”
“If Senior Sister Shi really needs my help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I’ll help however I can.”
Shi Qingyan kept her back to him and remained silent for a while.
Just when Sang Zhe thought she might be asleep, she suddenly spoke softly:
“Then you can’t leave tonight.”
“Just like before, I want to sleep holding onto you.”
“…Just like when you used to coax me to sleep.” Her eyelids drooped down, her face closely pressed against Sang Zhe’s chest.
Sang Zhe softly hummed in agreement.
He didn’t think much of it.
After all, a change in size might still cause her some discomfort or fear.
Perhaps even though she had regained her memory, her small form would instinctively make her feel like a little girl without a sense of security.
In any case, they had done this many times before.
Simply holding a five or six-year-old girl to sleep wasn’t too difficult.
He thought it over and decided to go along with it.
With that in mind, Sang Zhe gently held her in his arms and softly said:
“I understand.”
“Sleep easy. Daddy is right here with you.”
Shi Qingyan remained silent for a moment before bursting into a quiet giggle.
“You’re not my dad.” She said, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
Sang Zhe chuckled bashfully.
But…
Shi Qingyan understood very well.
Her reluctance to change back wasn’t about missing her fragile self.
…It was about not wanting to give up that feeling of being treated like a child and spoiled by him.
After swallowing that pill, she might never have an excuse to let this man hold her so securely to sleep.
Then next time, what kind of excuse would she find to indulge herself in his warm embrace?
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