Chapter 27: A Heartwarming Morning

The night passed without incident.

At five-thirty in the morning, Mo Yu awoke from his slumber. He instinctively tried to sit up, but as soon as he moved his arm, he felt a weight pressing down on him. His reflex nearly caused him to fling the weight away. Fortunately, his memory returned just in time, and Lin Chuyi, who was sleeping soundly, was spared.

Wiggling his fingers, he realized that his internal energy had recovered significantly, and the wounds on his body felt much better. Mo Yu lowered his gaze to the fluffy head resting on his chest, a strange, unfamiliar emotion stirring within him. After all, she was the first girl to have ever been in such intimate contact with him.

As the sky began to brighten, Lin Qiyue also woke up. He yawned, stretched his limbs, and opened his eyes.

"Brother Mo, good morning."

"Good morning," Mo Yu replied with a smile and a nod.

Lin Qiyue’s gaze drifted toward Lin Chuyi, who was huddled to the side. Seeing that she was no longer sprawled over Mo Yu, he felt a tinge of regret. However, this feeling passed in an instant; after all, there was plenty of time ahead, and there was no need to rush.

"Brother Mo, what are you doing?" Seeing Mo Yu sitting cross-legged in what looked like a meditation pose, Lin Qiyue couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Practicing martial arts."

Indeed, Mo Yu spoke those two words with a light smile.

Lin Qiyue’s attention was instantly captured. "Brother Mo, can I start learning now?"

Mo Yu exhaled a long breath of stale air, feeling a sense of refreshment wash over his entire body, even dulling the pain in his wounds. Seeing the hopeful expression on Lin Qiyue’s face, he could only shake his head helplessly. "The optimal time for cleansing the meridians has already passed. If you want to train, you will have to wait until tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiyue was not overly disappointed; after all, learning martial arts was not an overnight endeavor. Mo Yu was somewhat surprised by Lin Qiyue’s composure. He nodded to himself, thinking that this disciple of his possessed a much steadier temperament than he had previously shown.

"Brother Mo, come back to town with us today."

"Very well."

The two continued to talk for a long time. Lin Qiyue seemed to have opened the floodgates, speaking of his dreams, his ambitions, and every little thing that had happened during his childhood. For the better part of an hour, Mo Yu listened quietly, offering only an occasional word or two. To him, Lin Qiyue’s upbringing could only be described as plain, yet the sense of happiness that permeated his every word made Mo Yu yearn for such a life.

"Brother Mo, I... I need to rest for a moment." Lin Qiyue swallowed hard and sat down, feeling exhausted.

It was true; maintaining such intense focus for so long was quite tiring. No sooner had he spoken than Lin Chuyi’s impatient, muffled voice drifted over: "You brat, if you wake me up again, you’re not getting any food."

Lin Qiyue was left both amused and exasperated, as he was the one who did the cooking every day. Though he thought this to himself, he did not want to wake her. However, considering he had just been talking about wanting to have a good chat with Brother Mo, he felt awkward stopping now and glanced at Mo Yu with a sheepish expression.

"Let Miss Lin get some rest," Mo Yu said.

"Mm-hmm," Lin Qiyue replied, looking at Mo Yu with gratitude.

Because of Lin Chuyi, the two men fell silent. Mo Yu’s narrow eyes scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no threats from wild beasts before he nodded at Lin Qiyue and closed his eyes.

Knowing that Mo Yu was resting, Lin Qiyue dared not disturb him. He looked at the two of them lying not far apart, a wide grin spreading across his face. Perhaps it was because of his preconceived notions, but he really felt that the two looked like a perfect match.

"I wonder what Brother Mo looks like under all that," Lin Qiyue murmured to himself, staring at the dark, dried blood staining Mo Yu’s face.