translator: baumkuchen
Yin Xun was like a child as he played around happily with the little pigs and the little fox, even wanting to try tying the little fox to the other kite and letting it fly. Lu Qingjiu, as their parent, could only heartlessly stop these bear children from performing their death-seeking antics, saying that foxes couldnโt fly, and that if it were to fall, the whole village would be coming to their home to eat.
Yin Xun, โWhy would the whole village be coming to our home to eat?โ
Lu Qingjiu, โTo celebrate your funeral, of course.โ
Yin Xun, โ……โ
In the end, Yin Xun said that he didnโt want to bother the entire village, obediently tied the kites to a little tree, then sat down and began to eat.
Lu Qingjiu had made the fried chicken himself. Theyโd been coated in a thin layer of flour, then slowly fried in warm oil. After frying, their outer layer was crispy, and the inside was soft and juicy. With a bite, the light yellow chicken juices would seep out. Because it was made from young chickens, even the bones were crisp. With just a bit of force, theyโd break in their mouths.
As Lu Qingjiu drank cold soda and ate the still-steaming fried chicken, he felt like life was actually still very good, there werenโt so many obstacles that couldnโt be overcome.
Halfway through eating, Lu Qingjiu suddenly felt the urge to pee. He put down the food in his hands, wiped them off with a tissue, then said, โIโm going to pee.โ
โOh.โ Yin Xunโs mouth was stuffed full with a chicken leg. โCome back quick, or Iโll have eaten all the chicken.โ As he spoke, he even looked over at Bai Yuehu.
Bai Yuehu stared back coldly. Yin Xun instantly cowered, pulling the chicken leg out of his mouth and taking a bite. โ……Itโs fine, Iโll leave you a leg.โ
Lu Qingjiu said, โYouโre so dramatic.โ
Yin Xun pretended to hmph, aggrieved.
Lu Qingjiu went into the nearby woods and found a secluded corner to solve his issue. Just as he was about to take off his pants, however, he noticed something strange by his feet. Taking a closer look, he found it was a pile of black ants, crawling around in the grass.
If it were just black ants, that would be fine, but Lu Qingjiu felt as if the trail the ants were making was very strange. After careful observation, to his shock, he found that the black ants had unbelievably formed two words: A-Jiu.โ
A-Jiu, was what Lu Qingjiuโs grandmother had called him. Other than that elderly woman who had already passed, almost no one called him that.
A layer of goosebumps formed on Lu Qingjiuโs back. Before he could react, he saw the black ants form another two words: Come here.
A-Jiu, come hereโโ A gentle, elderly-sounding voice rung out by his ears. It was as if Lu Qingjiu had been possessed by a demon, his mind going blank, leaving only one thought: He needed to go over to take a look, his grandma was calling him.
The black ants marked out a path, leading the entranced Lu Qingjiu into the woods. A-Jiu, come here, A-Jiu, come hereโฆโฆ Lu Qingjiuโs mind constantly echoed with his grandmotherโs calls. Only when an unfamiliar man appeared before him did Lu Qingjiu snap out of this trance-like state.
โYouโฆโฆ who are you?โ A guess as to the manโs identity had already taken a vague shape in Lu Qingjiuโs mind.
The man was standing against the light, in the deep part of the woods. He was dressed in black, wearing a long robe that was a little similar to Bai Yuehuโs. His hair was scattered across his shoulders, and his eyes were closed. Even though his features were a little blurry, his handsomeness could still be seen.
Unknowingly, Lu Qingjiu had already walked into the deep part of the woods. Around him, the surroundings were unfamiliar. The slight wind that had originally been blowing against his face had stilled. There were no birds singing in the trees, leaving only silence.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The man walked up to Lu Qingjiu.
Vfflcu atlr, Oe Hlcuple lcralcmalnfis aegcfv, kjcalcu ab gec, yea vef ab tlr qjclm, tf aglqqfv bnfg j rabcf bc atf ugbecv jcv rajuufgfv obgkjgv j ofk rafqr, lc atf fcv, ralii ojiilcu ab atf ugbecv ogbw ibrlcu tlr yjijcmf.
โCt!โ Oe Hlcupleโr qjiw pera rb tjqqfcfv ab ijcv bc j rtjgq rabcf. Ktf qglmx bo qjlc bo tlr qjiw yflcu mea bqfc wjvf tlw mgs bea lcnbiecajglis.
The manโs eyes were closed, but he evidently had already sensed what had happened in front of him, frowning slightly and walking towards the fallen Lu Qingjiu.
Lu Qingjiu watched as the man stopped in front of him, forming a silhouette haloed by the light.
โWhat did you bring me here forโฆโฆโ Lu Qingjiu should have been terrified, but upon seeing that manโs face, mere inches from his own, he strangely calmed, even becoming able to politely ask the question he wanted to ask, โIs there something you want from me?โ
The man didnโt speak, squatting down. Even though his eyes were closed, Lu Qingjiu strangely felt as if he was being stared at by him.
โDid you kill my parents?โ Lu Qingjiu asked, โDo you want to kill me, too?โ
The manโs lips pursed slightly, forming a tight arc. Lu Qingjiu felt as if he wanted to say something, but he just shook his head slightly, saying nothing.
โYou donโt want to kill me?โ Lu Qingjiu relaxed. He could tell that the handsome man before him didnโt seem to feel any hostility towards him, at least for now. โThen what do you want to tell me?โ
The man held out his hand towards Lu Qingjiu, motioning him to place his hand on his.
Seeing this, Lu Qingjiu hesitated slightly, thinking about what to do. But as he was thinking, Bai Yuehuโs voice sounded from the trees behind him, โLu Qingjiu, Lu Qingjiu, where are you?โ His voice was extremely frantic, and he was clearly going to find them at any moment.
The manโs eyebrows furrowed even more. He didnโt give Lu Qingjiu any more time to hesitate, directly grabbing his hand, then writing a word in his palm with a finger.
As his finger brushed against his palm, he only needed to write it out once before Lu Qingjiu understood what the word was.
It was โleaveโ. The person in front of him, was telling him to leave.
โWhat do you mean?โ Lu Qingjiu was a little confused, โYouโre telling me to leave? Leave? Why do I need to leave?โ
As Bai Yuehuโs calls became closer and closer, a hint of anxiety appeared on the manโs face. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he could only utter aborted sounds. And Lu Qingjiu, sitting in front of him, could clearly see that in the manโs mouth, was only half a tongue.
The man before him was, without question, was the black dragon who had been trapped in the put. Heโd escaped his cage and found him, just to write a single word on his palm?
Bai Yuehuโs voice was right behind Lu Qingjiu. He just needed to aside a few trees before he would enter Lu Qingjiuโs vision.
The man also knew that he was out of time. He lifted his hand and lightly stroked Lu Qingjiuโs head, a slightly sad, tender smile on his face. Then, he turned, and instantly disappeared before Lu Qingjiuโs eyes.
Lu Qingjiu still wanted to hear what the man wanted to say, but the man clearly didnโt want to run into Bai Yuehu. His posture as he left was incomparably determined.
โLu Qingjiu!โ Bai Yuehuโs panicked voice rang out from right behind Lu Qingjiu. Seeing Lu Qingjiu sitting on the ground, he hurriedly walked forward and pressed down on Lu Qingjiuโs shoulders. โAre you alright? He didnโt do anything to you?โ
โNo.โ Lu Qingjiu glanced at Bai Yuehu. As if possessed, he didnโt tell Bai Yuehu about what the man had written on his hand, just shaking his head. โHe didnโt seem to be able to speak.โ
Bai Yuehu said, โYouโre hurt.โ
Lu Qingjiuโs palm had been sliced open by a nearby rock when he fell. At this point, his palm was completely filled with blood. Just now, all his attention had been focused on the man, so he hadnโt noticed at all. Only now, with Bai Yuehu saying that, did he feel his palm begin to burn with pain.โ
โI accidentally fell.โ Lu Qingjiu was a little embarrassed. โItโs just a small wound, itโll be fine after I just go back and clean it with some alcohol.โ
Bai Yuehu didnโt agree. His nose twitched slightly, as if he was smelling something. Then, he stared at Lu Qingjiu with a serious look in his eyes. โYou smell of him. He touched you.โ
Lu Qingjiu was dumbfounded for a second, then explained, embarrassed, โNo, he just held my hand.โ And patted my head.
Bai Yuehuโs lips pursed, the serious expression on his face somewhat similar to that of the manโs from before. Then, he did something that Lu Qingjiu would never have suspectedโโ He lowered his head, and licked the blood on Lu Qingjiuโs palm clean.
โAh!โ The warm and soft tongue slowly brushed against his palm, cleaning the dirt near the wound bit by bit. This kind of action didnโt bring about any pain, moreso numbness. Lu Qingjiuโs face instantly turned red. In a trembling voice, he said, โDonโt, itโs dirty!โ
Bai Yuehu was a little unhappy. โItโs not like Iโll get sick after eating it.โ
Lu Qingjiu said, โButโฆโฆโ
Bai Yuehu said, โIt needs to be cleaned.โ
This โcleanedโ, should have been in reference to his wound, but inexplicably, Lu Qingjiu felt like there was another meaning hidden within. Bai Yuehuโs actions were so serious, making him actually unsure as to whether he should refuse for a moment. By the time heโd managed to react completely, Bai Yuehuโs movements had already stopped. He was pulled up from the ground by Bai Yuehu, and obediently let Bai Yuehu neaten up his disheveled appearance.
After patting off the last of the dirt on Lu Qingjiuโs clothes, just as Bai Yuehu was about to finish up his cleaning, he sensed something else, his eyebrowโs furrowing. Lu Qingjiu then felt a hand press against the side of his head, forcing him to turn it. Then, a forceful kiss landed on his hair.
Lu Qingjiu was stunned by Bai Yuehuโs action. โYouโฆโฆโ
Bai Yuehuโs voice was a little stifled, like he was angry. โHe touched your hair.โ
The originally indignant Lu Qingjiu was actually made to feel a little guilty by that sentence. His mouth opened and closed uselessly. Only after a long time, he said in a small voice, โHe just touched it.โ
โEven touching isnโt allowed,โ Bai Yuehu said coldly, โItโs best if he doesnโt even look at it.โ
Lu Qingjiu, โ……โ Sigh.
Bai Yuehu, holding Lu Qingjiuโs hand, led him out of the forest. Only then did Lu Qingjiu realise that he hadnโt actually gone all that far away from where they were having their picnic, only being a short distance away.
โLu Qingjiu, are you okay?!!โ Seeing Bai Yuehu bring Lu Qingjiu back, Yin Xun let out a huge sigh of relief. He had already come up with countless terrifying possibilities just now, and what he had been most afraid of was seeing Bai Yuehu bring back an utterly broken corpse, or evenโฆโฆ there not even being a body to bring back.
โIโm fine,โ Lu Qingjiu said, โHe didnโt seem to feel any malice towards me.โ
โNo malice?โ Yin Xun mumbled to himself, โIf he didnโt have any malice then what did he bring you away for, I was so scared that Iโm covered in cold sweat.โ Fortunately, Bai Yuehu had brought him back in one piece.
Lu Qingjiu said helplessly, โIf he did feel malice towards me, I would already be dead right now.โ Even though the dragon had been through tortue, he was still a dragon. Even the most powerful human would be nothing more than an ant in front of this mythical creature.
Yin Xunโs mouth twitched. He clearly didnโt quite agree with Lu Qingjiuโs words. In his point of view, anyone who sneakily brought Lu Qingjiu away couldnโt be anything good.
Without him noticing it, the sun had already gone down. Lu Qingjiu hadnโt at all realised that heโd been gone for so long.
Todayโs outing ended here. They packed up their things, and prepared to go down the mountain. However, as they were leaving the mountain, Lu Qingjiu couldnโt help but look back at the forest. He had a kind of feeling, that that man was still there, just that he wasnโt showing himself.
After the wound on his palm had been cleaned by Bai Yuehuโs saliva, he didnโt feel too much pain, but the writing left by the manโs slender index finger has like it had been burned into his palm, making Lu Qingjiu unable to forget it.
โLeaveโ? What did he mean by leave? Did he want him to leave with him? Or did it have some other meaning? Had he fled that place, just to tell him this?
Lu Qingjiu truly couldnโt understand. He couldnโt help but sigh.
Yin Xun said, โWhat are you sighing for?โ
Lu Qingjiu didnโt answer. โLetโs eat squid tomorrow.โ
Yin Xun, โWhy?โ
Lu Qingjiu said, โBecause I kept feeling like your kite had a strong squid flavour.โ
Yin Xun, โ……โ Whatโs wrong with squid flavour, didnโt it fly really high!
The author has something to say:
There was a heavy expression on Lu Qingjiuโs face: Iโฆโฆ
Bai Yuehu: Whatโs wrong? Thereโs no need to worry about me, Iโll definitely protect you.
Lu Qingjiu: Noโฆโฆ Thereโs somethingโฆโฆ
Bai Yuehu: ?
Lu Qingjiu: I think I forgot to pee just now.
Bai Yuehu: โฆโฆโฆโฆย
baum: next up from Avis (@bewarethemandragora)- the fighting chickens!!
Does anyone else think that the dragon meant leave by leaving the village.
+1
I did too, I wonder if its because of his heritage that the dragon wanted him to leave the place…
+2
I feel like staying with Bai Yuehu should result in a bad ending (just like happened to grandma, since clearly something went wrong there with her and the dragon) so the dragon wants to save Lu Qingjiu by making him go away.
+1. I thought so too. Maybe leaving the confines of the village would be safer(?) in some sense like in Jiang Buhuan’s case.
+4 have the same thought. It must be to avoid history repeating itself.
that’s right. obviously love between guardian x dragon is something like taboo that’s why LQJ grandma warned him to not fall inlove with his tenant no matter what. she even said on the diary it’s better for LQJ to not ever return the village, so this dragon warning LQJ to leave was also probably to prevent him and BYH to suffer the same fate as them. Aiyo, I feel sorry that the grandpa dragon and grandma met such a sad ending. ๐
+2 it felt pretty intense like LQ should listen and get out!
Fighting FIghting Chicken!
Thanks for the chapter!
thank you for the chaper and for the multiple fanarts! I was thinking about comenting the same thing when I saw the A/N XDD
Hmm, leave our dragon fox? Leave the village? Leave with that old dragon? Aaah, what did he mean? xD
Thx for the ch (ใ หใ ห)
I was just thinking that LQ forgot to pee. ๐
Thank you
๐ ๐ ๐ฃ: ๐ผ โ Everybody was kung fu fighting…โ ๐ถ
Only more mysteries.
Thanks for the great translation โฅ๏ธ
Bai Yuehu being so possessive made me laugh, isn’t that dragon basically Lu Qingjiu’s grandpa? Why is he eating vinegar lol?
Thanks for the chapter and your hard work <3
+1 ( โงโฝโฆ )
*I miss the like button ๐ *
Thanks for the update! ๐
Thanks for the update
Its funny how posessive BYH is.
I feel that his grandpa wants him to leave the village.
Thanks for the chapter.
This is the first time i feel that chickens are cool and domineering lol.
Kingfu Chickens~
Kungfu chickens are so cool and domineering ah~
QAQ so scary! Why does Qingjiu need to leave? Will something bad happen to him? Yuehu, take good care of him!
Thank you for the chapter~
this is making me inexplicably sad ๐ i feel so much for the poor dragon, he probably wanted to save lqj from the same fate as his family. but of course… the power of love will always prevail… or maybe the power of lqj/byh? im sure the dragon loved people too
I bet on my dinner that’s his grandfather
I hope all’ll be well for grandpa dragon~ so sad to see him in this state…
thank you so much for translating its so good ๐ฅบ
I think the dragon doesn’t have bad intentions.
Thanks for the chapter!
I kept thinking:
“Qinjiu, you haven’t peed yet!”
Thanks for the chapter! (โงโฝโฆ)
Bai Yuehu : My wife is mine!! Touching is not allowed, even seeing is a no-no!!! Must clean!
Thanks for the chapter! ๐
Huh..are there a even bigger evil force lurking around๐ฒ๐ฒ
Maybe the punishment for falling in love guardian x dragon, is that you go crazy? So Grandpa went nuts and killed Qingjiu’s parents? Maybe Yuehu would go nuts and kill their little family?
Define thy relationship… When will they get married and have children?๐ sigh