I nodded and asked, “So, what did Bai find?”

“He seems to have found some clues about the Jade Ruyi, but none of us are sure whether they are real or just coincidences. So I’m afraid I won’t be at the old residence often in the next few days,” Wen Jiubo took a sip of tea and said.

I replied without thinking, “Then I’m coming with you.”

Wen Jiubo seemed to have expected that I would say that. He frowned and refused me mercilessly, “No.”

My enthusiasm deflated like a pierced balloon. “Why?”

“Because it’s dangerous, and you don’t know when you might get dragged into it and die,” Wen Jiubo said airily.

I said without hesitation, “I’m not afraid of danger.”

“I know.” Wen Jiubo looked at me as if I was a pain in the ass. “But it has nothing to do with you, I don’t want to take you. Because you’re weak and incompetent, if I take you with me, I’ll have to look after you all the time, and it will distract me.”

I said dryly, “So you’re saying, I’ll hold you back?”

“Yes,” Wen Jiubo admitted mercilessly.

I depressingly looked at him and could not find the words to refute him. After all, he was right. I probably could not help him if he took me with him, perhaps not only would I not help him, I would also be a distraction.

Although this was true, I still felt a little upset in my heart.

I was not sure if Wen Jiubo saw something from my expression. He suddenly tapped my forehead.

“However, when I’m absent, I give you special permission to act as an exorcist on my behalf.”

I did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Acting as an exorcist on your behalf?”

“Yeah,” Wen Jiubo said seriously. “I mean you’ll be able to take the commissions for me and solve people’s problems, how is that? In case someone goes through a bad situation while I’m away, you cannot sit idly by and do nothing.”

“Come on.” I didn’t take him seriously. “You don’t need to pity me, okay? It’s not like I’m going to die if you’re away from me. I have to go to school.”

“Really?”

All of a sudden, he leaned over with a sly fox-like smile on his face. “Won’t you miss me when I’m away?”

He was so close to me that I had to push him away.

“No, I won’t!”

“Not at all?”

“When did you become so embarrassing?”

“But I’ll miss you.”

“You dirty fox!”

————————————————

After I finished the long conversation with Wen Jiubo, it was already evening. He was ready to go out to meet Bai somewhere else. I picked up my stuff and was ready to return to school.

“If anything happens, you have to call me,” Wen Jiubo told me.

“I know, why are you nagging me as though my mom?” I smiled and said. “Besides, I have to attend classes in school, nothing will happen!”

Wen Jiubo rolled his eyes. “Even if nothing happens, even if it’s just because you’re feeling lonely in the middle of the night, it’s fine to call me.”

I suddenly blushed, and I pushed him out of the door. “You talk too much!”

Wen Jiubo laughed heartily and then he snapped his fingers, and the heavy wooden door closed behind us.

I didn’t know if it was because I was worried about Wen Jiubo, but I didn’t sleep well that night after I returned to my dorm. I did not have any strange dreams, but his face constantly showed up in my dream.

Why am I so worried? He is Wen Jiubo. He just went out to find a treasure, what will happen?

Early in the morning, I was awakened by Zhou Lang’s loud shouting.

“Wakey, wakey! Rise and shine!” He shouted as loud as he could.

“I know, I know!” I uncovered my quilt, my hair probably really messy. “What are you yelling at? We’re not deaf.”

Zhou Lang chuckled. “Well, if you don’t get up, you’ll be late for class.”

I yawned and lazily got up. I almost fell off the bed since I was still thinking about the conversation I had last night with Wen Jiubo.

Just when I got out of the dorm building, I saw Shi Yitong and Su Xiaoyun. I was not sure whether it was a coincidence or they were just waiting for me.

“Gu Yu! What a coincidence, let’s go together?” Su Xiaoyun ran over and said cheerfully.

I helplessly glanced at them. “Coincidence? Weren’t you two waiting for me to come out? I’m really sorry that I got up late today.”

Su Xiaoyun chuckled. She grabbed my clothes. “You knew? you’re such a clever boy.”

I laughed. “Stop flattering me, I won’t give you any pocket money. But since when do I need two ‘heavily armed’ bodyguards?”

“Buddy, what you just said is hash. No one is your bodyguard.” Shi Yitong came over and put his arm around my shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in days, and we don’t know where you’ve been. We were so worried about you, that’s why we came here to see you, okay?”

After hearing this, I began to realize that I had not seen them in a while.

Or I should say, I had not seen them since I dreamed of Wen Jiubo’s future death. After that dream, I was trapped in the time loop with Zhu Xuan. From my perspective, it had been a long time, but in fact, it was only three or four days since the last time I met them.

However, Shi Yitong and Su Xiaoyun were completely unaware of what happened since I never told them about my dream.

For the first time in my life, I thought this was a really good thing, and I was not going to tell them since no one knew better than me that the more they knew, the more dangerous it was for them.

And I was the last person in the world who wished to see them getting hurt.

“Nothing, nothing,” I vaguely replied. “I..uh, caught a cold a few days ago, flu, and I had a high fever. So I stayed at the old residence. Wen Jiubo, you know, he’s a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. So I asked for leave from school for a couple of days.”

“Really?” Su Xiaoyun narrowed her eyes, she obviously did not believe me. “But Gu Yu, you’re clearly absent-minded. It’s written all over your face. Are you still trying to fool us?”