Chapter 71 Why Just Watching

Indeed, that was the case. Lyte swiftly began recounting the events that had transpired. Listening as Lyte described the situation from his perspective, Xie Hai Zhu realized that despite his outwardly confident demeanor, he had been inwardly panicking. Even now, Lyte harbored a multitude of anxieties, and he had voiced these feelings to Xie Hai Zhu, hoping she would offer counsel and identify any oversights. ‘Honestly, who asks the person involved to check their own issues?’ Xie Hai Zhu raised her teacup and took a delicate sip, using it to conceal the irrepressible smile playing on her lips. Even if he noticed, it wouldn’t matter. Lyte would likely assume she was happy for his main body… What an endearing fool he was.

Xie Hai Zhu was beginning to understand her ‘cold’ persona now. Lyte was simply too earnest, too upright; one couldn’t help but feel the urge to tease him. Ah, one might wonder if she felt disappointed by Lyte’s current display of timidity and self-doubt, so unlike his formerly flawless demeanor. Not at all. Not only was she herself a person lacking confidence, but she was also intimately familiar with this act: a seemingly ordinary person striving to appear strong and confident merely to help others. She understood precisely how much genuine sentiment was embedded within such actions. While her own feelings were secondary, she would never disregard the earnest intentions of others. Indeed, having witnessed Lyte’s vulnerable side, she found herself respecting and liking him even more. And then there was this—

“Lady Hai Zhu… I am truly sorry, I promised to help Shenhong—” Lyte bowed his head deeply as he spoke of the main body’s plans. To be frank, given how readily Lyte had agreed, if this had been when they first met, she would have undoubtedly suspected him of ulterior motives. But now… one could only conclude that Lyte possessed a charming way with words, instinctively uttering phrases that made her heart flutter.

“Lady Hai Zhu?” Lyte noticed her momentary distraction. Yet she felt no embarrassment whatsoever, nor did she wish to conceal her feelings. At least, not when she was Xie Hai Zhu. She desired to be a little freer, a little more candid.

“Why apologize?” she asked, a sweet smile gracing her lips, her eyes hazy with profound meaning. “Even I harbor different likes and dislikes for everyone.” Lyte’s face flushed faintly under her gaze, but he didn’t avert his eyes. Instead, he diligently suppressed any lingering nervousness and continued with the matter at hand—a trait Xie Hai Zhu particularly admired in him.

“I will investigate this matter objectively, and only proceed once the evidence is conclusive. Please rest assured, Lady Hai Zhu.” Lyte interpreted her words as a reminder for fairness and impartiality. Of course, it was also possible he was doing it on purpose… This ‘ostrich burying its head in the sand’ approach only made Xie Hai Zhu want to tease him more.

“What I mean is, I would treat others differently for the sake of someone I like.”

“Please rest assured, Lady Hai Zhu,” Lyte declared with a hearty laugh. “I will wholeheartedly assist Shenhong and help him resolve his troubles!”

‘Hm? Wait, did that fool Lyte interpret her words as her having feelings for Xie Shenhong?’ Xie Hai Zhu couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘While many of her actions might appear, to an outsider, to show considerable favor to Xie Shenhong, another possibility also existed… Was he truly so afraid of being a toad aspiring to eat swan meat? Where had the Lyte who so brazenly declared his affection for her gone? Surely he didn’t genuinely believe she might be an old grandmother with a multitude of grandchildren, causing him to shy away?’

“My knight, what do you think of me?”

“Lady Hai Zhu, you are exquisitely beautiful; to call you a celestial immortal would be no exaggeration.” Though Lyte was somewhat surprised, his response was rather swift.

“I’m asking, what age difference do you find acceptable between lovers?”

“?” Lyte froze.

“I am only twenty-six this year, you know.”

‘Five years since transmigrating, plus four years reborn—her mental age perfectly aligned with that number…’ Xie Hai Zhu mused inwardly. Lyte’s mouth parted slightly, and he remained in a daze for a long moment before finally, with a knowing look, he stated, “Please rest assured, Lady Hai Zhu, I will relay this matter to Xie Shenhong’s main body.”

‘Oh, you! To actually bury your head in the sand to such an extent, using her main body as a shield! Did he need her to spell it out before he would give up?’

“Very well, I’ll leave it to you then.” However, much to her chagrin, she still possessed a degree of reserve. Besides, Xie Hai Zhu was well aware that her current fondness for Lyte hadn’t yet reached the point of a wildly beating heart, or a love-unto-death intensity. While she liked him, if she had to categorize it, it was akin to the affection one held for a close brother. It was perhaps the kind of feeling where she wished to spend as much time with him as possible, feeling a pang of loneliness if they couldn’t; where she felt the urge to play a prank when he was smug, and would decisively offer aid if he encountered trouble. Moreover, these were merely the ‘uninhibited’ emotions she felt while embodying Xie Hai Zhu.

After Lyte bid her farewell, she teleported back to the city and reverted to Xie Shenhong. The desire to constantly tease Lyte, which had been so potent moments before, now cooled. The reason was simple: though she had already come to terms with most of her negative emotions. Deep within her heart, however, she still clung to certain fundamental convictions. Indeed, she was precisely such a troublesome person. Yet this was precisely what she wished to do, and the kind of person she aspired to be.

****

“Then… let’s begin.” Taking out his phone and disabling the silent mode, Xie Shenhong began calling his acquaintances, one by one, those who were surely worried about him—

“I’m fine, just went out for a stroll.”

“Truly, nothing’s wrong. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Yes, I understand. I will.” He spoke in a low, weary, despondent tone, tinged with a hint of despair.

“From now on, I’ll be relying on you…” After the calls concluded, Xie Shenhong retrieved a golden pocket watch. He gazed at the ‘minute’ hand, which had never moved before, but now rested at the third mark, and murmured softly.

“Seriously, what on earth is he doing?” Upon receiving the notification from Dongfang Qinglong, Li Tianming immediately displayed a look of furious indignation, as if he intended to devour someone alive. When he had made contact with the target, he had successfully concealed this emotion.

“Lord Shenhong, it is truly wonderful that you are unharmed!” He knelt on one knee, respectfully bowing his head to the other. Yet, after a long wait, no follow-up expressions of aversion or dissatisfaction came, neither a helpless sigh nor a confused groan. He cautiously raised his head, only to see the red-haired young man before him, his eyes vacant, his expression utterly lifeless—a mere shell of a person. Li Tianming’s heart instantly lurched, and he immediately inquired with concern.

“Lord Shenhong, what has happened to you?” The red-haired youth cast an indifferent glance at him, still maintaining his kneeling posture of respect, and spoke flatly:

“I am fine.” Li Tianming immediately lowered his head.

“Lord Shenhong, your subordinate deserves death ten thousand times over!” Silence.

“Lord Shenhong, your subordinate’s attitude was improper earlier; I beg you to mete out punishment!” No reaction came.

“Lord Shenhong…” Li Tianming confessed and pleaded for forgiveness for every ‘offense’ he could recall from the past few days. Finally—

“Oh.” He was met with only a faint, almost inaudible acknowledgment from the other. After waiting for a while longer, and seeing Li Tianming speechless, the red-haired youth turned stiffly, slowly dragging his heavy body as if to depart.

“Please wait a moment.” Li Tianming hastily called out. The red-haired youth slowly halted, turned his head, and regarded him with eyes devoid of any emotion. There was no resistance, no hint of impatience. Yet Li Tianming found himself unable to utter a single word. He merely raised his left hand, making a gesture in the air as if to hold someone back. The red-haired youth waited for another moment, then silently departed. Li Tianming, meanwhile, let out a heavy sigh, took out his phone, and dialed a number:

“It’s me… We need to accelerate progress on that matter.”