Shen Muzhi's intuition had never been wrong. You Siqi was indeed like a little rabbit.
When bullied, his eyes would redden, but a gentle pat on his head was enough to make him obediently nuzzle back, sticking close to him.
However, Shen Muzhi was a man of his word. He had promised not to go all the way, and he had indeed restrained himself.
But everything else, short of the final step, had been done. And even things that shouldn't have been done, were done. By the end, You Siqi felt his consciousness blurring.
He pushed Shen Muzhi.
The latter merely smiled and replied, "Wait a moment, there's still one more thing to try."
You Siqi: ...
He affirmed once more in his heart that this male protagonist was definitely not as naive as he seemed.
...
When the two left the room, it was already two days later. From Shen Muzhi's perspective, he hadn't done anything outrageous. It was just that You Siqi had been thoroughly worn out. According to You Siqi himself, he was just an ordinary person. Even without reaching the final step, he couldn't endure such a prolonged prelude.
Shen Muzhi made a mental note of this, then wrapped an arm around You Siqi's waist, contemplating that it was indeed time to let the other party cultivate properly.
Not for any other reason, but at least so that their next encounter could last a little longer.
He had to admit, he was somewhat envious of Lu Wuming.
As they were about to leave, Shen Muzhi didn't forget to pick up the secret manual that had been in the room. It was only after they went out that he realized Liu Buli had already left his room before them. He was, as always, brimming with curiosity about his surroundings. However, he clearly knew about the plot, so he hadn't entered any of the rooms where treasures were kept. Instead, he had gathered all the secret manuals, spreading them out on the floor to study them one by one.
Seeing Shen Muzhi emerge with You Siqi in his arms, Liu Buli's eyebrows shot up, and a wide smile instantly bloomed on his face. He exclaimed, "Yo, it looks like you two have achieved your happily ever after? Congratulations!"
Under normal circumstances, after such a remark, You Siqi should have flushed red and retorted.
But this time, he didn't.
Not only that, but he even buried his head in Shen Muzhi's embrace with a shy expression. The blush on his ears crept down his neck. He drooped there, looking utterly pathetic.
This reaction was quite unexpected. Liu Buli's eyes widened as he looked at Shen Muzhi, his face full of surprise. "You guys really... did it?"
"Not completely, but it's close," Shen Muzhi said, stroking You Siqi's head and pulling him closer into his embrace, a wide, joyous smile on his face.
Liu Buli's enthusiasm for shipping them immediately intensified. He sidled up to the couple and said, "Hey, we're all good friends now, so don't be shy. Tell me, what all did you do? How was it?"
Even Shen Muzhi felt a little embarrassed by the insistent questioning. He cleared his throat, pointed to the secret manuals on the floor, and changed the subject. "It looks like you've studied all these things? Is there anything good you've found? Let's all take a look together."
Shen Muzhi had merely intended to change the subject.
But he hadn't expected that upon hearing his words, Liu Buli's expression would suddenly turn grim.
With a cold laugh, he said, "These manuals are all about methods to kill ghost tribes. Do you want to learn them?"
...