Chapter 491 – Return – The Matter of the Two Boyfriends (04)
The two of them chatted happily in the courtyard of the bamboo cottage.
After confirming that Jiang Langwu really was his husband, Bai Tang felt as though his heart had taken flight. He was so happy that he even ended up eating the two roasted sweet potatoes he had originally brought as an apology.
Before he knew it, the sky had grown dark.
Reluctantly, Bai Tang said, “Time really flies. I should head back now.”
If he stayed any longer, Qiu’er and Xiao A would start worrying about him.
“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!”
The chickens in the backyard suddenly began squawking again.
Bai Tang glanced at Jiang Langwu before saying hesitantly, “Um… I have a favor to ask. I’d like to take two chickens home.”
He spoke with little confidence.
Even though the man sitting across from him was his husband, this was technically their first day meeting in this lifetime. Asking someone you’d only just met for something on the very first day… most people would refuse, wouldn’t they?
He quickly added, “I won’t take them for free. I’ll buy them instead. Is that okay? I really need them right now.”
He took out two gold ingots from his storage pouch. For an ordinary family in the mortal world, two gold ingots would be enough to live comfortably for several years.
Jiang Langwu chuckled softly and pushed the gold back toward him.
“It’s fine. Two chickens aren’t worth that much.”
A bright smile immediately spread across Bai Tang’s face.
“A’Wu, you’re so nice.”
Jiang Langwu raised an eyebrow.
So this is what people in the mortal world call getting a “good person card”?
Receiving one for the first time felt surprisingly novel.
He went to the backyard to catch two chickens. Worried that Bai Tang might not know how to prepare them, he personally slaughtered and cooked them before handing them over.
Suddenly, Jiang Langwu remembered what the little flower spirit had reported yesterday about Bai Tang’s two boyfriends.
Two chickens.
Two boyfriends.
Could these chickens be for them?
“Tang Tang, it’s already getting late. By the time you get home, the chickens will be cold. Why don’t you eat here before you leave?”
Bai Tang shook his head.
“No. I’m a fast walker, so they won’t get cold. Even if they do, I can always heat them up.”
Seeing that he couldn’t persuade Bai Tang, Jiang Langwu still couldn’t let go of the matter of those two “boyfriends.” Before he knew it, the question slipped out.
“Are you taking the food back… for those two friends of yours?”
He phrased it as tactfully as possible.
After all, they had only just met. He didn’t want to leave Bai Tang with a bad impression. If he upset him and Bai Tang never came back, that would be a disaster.
The young man nodded.
“That’s right. How did you know?”
“My two friends are still hungry, so I can’t stay too long. I really have to go back.”
“Where do you live?” Jiang Langwu asked. “The Northern Forest hasn’t been very peaceful lately. I know this may sound presumptuous, but… Tang Tang, why don’t you move somewhere near the bamboo cottage? That way we can look out for each other.”
In truth, Jiang Langwu wanted to separate Bai Tang from those two.
Such an innocent little squirrel shouldn’t be taken advantage of. Even if those two shamelessly insisted on following him here, Jiang Langwu was more than capable of dealing with them.
Hearing his suggestion, Bai Tang’s smile grew even brighter.
Leaning casually against the doorway, he said,
“Don’t worry. They’re really good people. There won’t be any danger.”
“At night, we all sleep together in the tree hollow. We have blankets underneath us, and we cover the entrance with leaves. It’s safe and cozy…”
Hearing Bai Tang’s answer, Jiang Langwu felt his blood rush straight to his head.
Those two really had some nerve.
They ate Bai Tang’s food, lived off him, and now they had the audacity to live with him—sleeping together in the same tree hollow, no less.
How utterly shameless.
Only an innocent little squirrel like Bai Tang couldn’t see that they had ulterior motives.
If they truly loved Bai Tang, how could they possibly be willing to share him with someone else?
They should want nothing more than to protect the little squirrel, placing the very best things in the world before him for him to choose from.
Carrying the two wrapped chickens, Bai Tang turned to leave. After taking a few steps, he suddenly looked back.
“Um… can I come visit you again sometime?”
“Of course.”
“The door to my bamboo cottage will always be open for you. Come whenever you like. I live here alone, and it does get rather lonely. If you come, I’ll at least have someone to talk to.”
Hearing that he was always welcome, the young man’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled.
His smile was like the first crescent moon rising into the night sky—gentle, warm, and softly radiant.
“A’Wu, you’re so nice~”
Receiving a good person card for the second time, Jiang Langwu wasn’t happy in the slightest.
What he wanted wasn’t another “you’re so nice” from Bai Tang.
Rather—
His heart suddenly tightened.
Only then did Jiang Langwu realize what he had been thinking.
Why would I think something like that?
He wasn’t satisfied with a simple word of thanks from Bai Tang.
Nor was he satisfied with only seeing him for a short while.
What he wanted was for Bai Tang to stay by his side every moment of every day…
…and for Bai Tang’s gaze to follow him alone.
The Northern Emperor fell silent as he realized he had fallen in love.
In the millions of years he had lived, he had never loved anyone before. The unfamiliar emotion felt both fascinating… and unsettling.
…
Wasn’t the cultivation world supposed to be the last world where I’d see my husband?
So how did he end up chasing me all the way here?
Bai Tang had no idea what had happened, but it didn’t dampen his mood in the slightest.
The entire way home, he hummed a tune from one of his past worlds, skipping cheerfully until he returned to the tree hollow.
Qiu’er and Xiao A were arranging stones nearby to form an illusion array.
It was meant to confuse any pursuers. If the Heavenly Soldiers came while they were all asleep in the middle of the night, losing the initiative would make it far too easy for them to be captured.
Bai Tang called out happily,
“Hey, Qiu’er! Xiao A! I brought back roast chicken! Wash your hands and come eat~”
When their host called, neither of them dared refuse.
Besides, they really were hungry.
At the moment, both Qiu’er and Xiao A were in their human forms.
Qiu’er’s human appearance was rather adorable, while Xiao A looked refined and composed—the very image of a wise scholar.
Yesterday, the rabbit and chicken Bai Tang had brought back had still been raw, requiring them to prepare the meal themselves.
So why was today’s food already cooked?
Qiu’er looked at Bai Tang in confusion.
With a cheerful grin, Bai Tang said, “Come on, hurry up and taste it. Tell me if it’s good!”
Qiu’er and Xiao A had enjoyed plenty of benefits from traveling with Bai Tang. They had tasted all kinds of dishes prepared by the male leads, so with just one bite, both of them recognized it immediately.
“This is the male lead’s cooking.”
“Hahahaha! You never would’ve guessed, right? I didn’t expect it either! I went to find the owner of the livestock today, and I never imagined it would be A’Wu who raised them. And A’Wu is here too!”
Bai Tang continued rambling, still confused.
“But this isn’t a mission world…”
He clearly hoped that the all-knowing Qiu’er could explain the situation to him.
Qiu’er swallowed the chicken in his mouth before explaining, “That’s because this is the Secret Realm of Memories. The place we’re in exists on a timeline from the past. Perhaps, just like us, the male lead was originally from this world and lived here in the past. So it isn’t strange for him to appear here.”
Qiu’er did his best to guide Bai Tang toward getting closer to Jiang Langwu.
“Tang Tang, this is fate! Think about it. No matter which mission world we go to, the male lead is always the Child of Destiny, and the main storyline revolves around him. Although this isn’t a mission world, our previous missions have already proven that the male lead isn’t an ordinary person.”
“Maybe the key to eliminating the Nether aura from your body lies with him!”
Bai Tang nodded.
“You’re right.”
Even if Qiu’er hadn’t said anything, Bai Tang had already planned to visit Jiang Langwu often.
After all, he was his husband. How could Bai Tang not miss him after even a single day apart?
“Oh, right. A’Wu said he wants us to move over and live with him. What do you think?”
Bai Tang asked for their opinions.
Xiao A didn’t really mind and was just about to agree when Qiu’er, afraid that Xiao A would ruin his carefully laid plans, quickly answered first.
“No, no! I don’t want to see the male lead.”
Qiu’er looked extremely resistant.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his master. But the situation was special right now. If he met his master, he would have to leave Xiao A and Bai Tang.
So, if he could avoid seeing him, then it was better not to see him.
“Ah? Why not?”
Bai Tang looked disappointed.
He genuinely wanted to stay together with A’Wu, but he couldn’t abandon Qiu’er either.
“Tang Tang and the male lead can be all lovey-dovey together. I don’t want to be forced to watch you two flaunt your affection in front of me.”
Qiu’er answered arrogantly.
But aren’t you together with Xiao A too…?
Qiu’er awkwardly turned away, and Bai Tang kept the words to himself.
After dinner, the little squirrel went to a small pond nearby to drink some water.
Xiao A walked over to Qiu’er and asked, “Qiu’er, what are you afraid of?”
Qiu’er glanced at him.
“You noticed?”
“Yes.”
Their fingers intertwined. Xiao A firmly clasped Qiu’er’s hand.
“Perhaps I can help you.”
Qiu’er sighed.
“You can’t help me. If one day I disappear…”
“I’ll come find you.”
Qiu’er shook his head.
“Don’t look for me, Xiao A. Will you wait for me? Just wait for me for a while. Once we leave the Secret Realm of Memories, I’ll come back.”
“Don’t go looking for someone else. Don’t leave me, okay…?”
When Qiu’er first met Xiao A, he hadn’t liked him.
Although Xiao A had given him a faint sense of familiarity, Qiu’er still disliked him because Xiao A had taken away some of Bai Tang’s attention. He was no longer the only system Bai Tang loved.
But at some point, without realizing it, Qiu’er had grown accustomed to Xiao A’s presence.
He had grown used to Xiao A’s kindness, his care, and even the stern way he corrected Qiu’er’s bad habits…
“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”
Xiao A knew that Qiu’er had a secret. This secret was connected to the host and the master behind him. He also trusted Qiu’er. If Qiu’er said he would come back, then he definitely would.
“Xiao A, you’re so nice~”
Qiu’er threw himself into Xiao A’s arms, a single tear sliding from the corner of his eye.
“Now that you know I’m nice, you aren’t allowed to be so stubborn with me in the future. You can be angry, but even when you’re angry, you’re not allowed to stop talking to me.”
“Okay. I won’t get angry with you anymore.”
…
Inside the bamboo cottage.
Jiang Langwu listened to the little flower spirit’s report.
The anger that had only just subsided was suddenly fueled by her words, flaring up with a whoosh.
“Today, after the little squirrel left the tree hollow, those two boyfriends transformed into human form and did some… shameful things in the bushes…”
The little flower spirit continued describing Qiu’er and Xiao A’s activities in meticulous detail.
The more Jiang Langwu listened, the angrier he became.
With a bang, he slammed his palm down and shattered the table.
“QAQ”
The little flower spirit was terrified.
The Northern Emperor is so scary! His aura is so intimidating! Sob, sob, sob…
Jiang Langwu glanced at the dazed little flower spirit and ground out through clenched teeth,
“Continue.”
“Th-then, they also…”
From the little flower spirit’s account, Jiang Langwu concluded that the two of them were a couple.
If they truly loved each other, why were they deceiving Tang Tang?
They were both demon cultivators, yet they still had the nerve to make Tang Tang find food and drink for them.
Didn’t they feel ashamed?
Jiang Langwu made up his mind.
Tomorrow, he would go meet the two of them and make it clear that Tang Tang belonged to the Northern Forest.
The Northern Forest was not something they could bully.
As night fell, the little squirrel drifted into sweet dreams while Qiu’er and Xiao A sat leaning against each other at the entrance of the tree hollow, gazing at the stars.
“Xiao A, I have a feeling…”
He would soon be seeing his master.
And he would soon be leaving, too.
“It’s all right. I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.”
Xiao A kissed Qiu’er gently.
“It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.”