Liu Buli's words made You Siqi's face turn red.
He certainly didn't have any other thoughts; Liu Buli was completely slandering him!
But he knew he couldn't win an argument with Liu Buli. He opened his mouth, and in the end, honestly chose to give up speaking.
He would prove with his actions that he was absolutely straight!
What was the big deal about sharing a bed? As long as Shen Muzhi thought it was okay, then he was okay with it!
You Siqi thought to himself and, without hesitation, pulled Shen Muzhi into the room.
After the two entered the room and closed the door, You Siqi thought for a moment. His earlier bravado when facing Liu Buli had subsided considerably. He pondered for a while longer, then hesitantly turned to Shen Muzhi and asked, "Muzhi, how about... I sleep on the floor?"
"Why?" Shen Muzhi's face was full of incomprehension. His eyes darted around, and he asked in surprise, "Siqi, what Daoist Liu said earlier, I took it as a joke. Could it be that you really have feelings for me, and so..."
"Feelings for what? Nothing at all. I'm in a hurry to go home. Did you forget what I told you before?"
You Siqi waved his hand, answering with utmost decisiveness. He said, "The first time we met, I told you that my cooperation with you and telling you about this world was all for you to help me find a way home. I'm someone who needs to return. Even if I truly liked you, I couldn't be with you. Isn't that obvious?"
He spoke very plainly and very seriously.
This was indeed something he had agreed upon with Shen Muzhi from the very beginning, the fundamental reason they decided to act together.
It was just that after so much time had passed, Shen Muzhi thought he might have forgotten this goal. At least, he himself, after wandering with You Siqi for so long, had indeed forgotten that the other person intended to find a world completely unrelated to theirs, a world he wouldn't be able to find even if he searched...
The light in his eyes dimmed slightly. Shen Muzhi fell silent for a moment. When he looked at You Siqi again, his face had regained its usual gentle smile. He said, "You're right. Sharing a bed, two grown men, is indeed a bit awkward. My cultivation has made my skin thick over the years; I'll sleep on the floor. Don't argue with me about this."
He said this, but how could You Siqi not argue with him?
You Siqi had always known that he was a weak scholar, incapable of lifting anything heavy or carrying anything. Especially in a world where everyone was a cultivator, he was ridiculously weak.
But even so, he considered Shen Muzhi his friend and couldn't let Shen Muzhi suffer any hardship while they were together.
The two of them pushed and pulled, hesitating for a long time. By the end, as the sky darkened, the makeshift bed on the floor hadn't even been made. They looked at each other for a moment, and finally, they both lay down on the bed together.
The moonlight outside was bright, stirring You Siqi's heart.
He stared at the radiance, lost in thought.
Shen Muzhi lay beside him. He turned his head and, by the moonlight, looked at You Siqi's profile. He opened his mouth and asked softly, "Siqi, are you homesick?"
"Yes," You Siqi nodded, his gaze still fixed on the round moon. He said, "Muzhi, I told you before, in my world, I have friends, family, and many people I can't let go of. Although I've been here for a few months, besides you, I can't find any sense of belonging. So..."
"So, the sense of belonging I've given you isn't enough, is it?" Shen Muzhi interjected with a smile.
His tone was light, as if he were joking.
You Siqi didn't think much of it and simply replied with a smile, "Yes, if you were my lover, maybe I would stay here for you. But alas, a brother can't be as important as relatives and friends from back home. However, even if I go back, I definitely won't forget you!"
He finished speaking and shifted his gaze to Shen Muzhi's face beside him.
Shen Muzhi always wore that faint smile, his eyes unreadable, making it impossible to discern his emotions.
After a pause, he asked, "Siqi, in your world, do you have someone you like?"
"No," You Siqi shook his head. "I spent my free time writing novels. I did go on a few blind dates, but I didn't meet anyone I clicked with. Honestly, I was planning to go on another blind date the next day, but who knew that instead of going on a blind date, I'd wake up in a different world."
Shen Muzhi nodded slightly, offering no comment.
You Siqi, having traveled a long distance all day, was indeed very tired. After watching the moon for a while, he yawned and fell asleep.
He didn't know that after he fell asleep, Shen Muzhi was still looking at his profile.
Is it love?
Shen Muzhi wasn't sure.
But after living for so many years, this was the first time he had met someone like You Siqi.
He didn't pursue cultivation, didn't care about power. He would marvel at the beauty of certain techniques and would, like a little rabbit, shyly hide behind him.
Shen Muzhi knew he enjoyed watching You Siqi's anxious, wide-eyed expression, and he also liked seeing the other person's pitiful arguments with him. Perhaps, as You Siqi said, it was just his own peculiar taste?
He pursed his lips slightly, Shen Muzhi couldn't quite articulate his inner thoughts.
He just felt that if he had some time in the next couple of days, he wanted to find an opportunity to have a good chat with Liu Buli about the issue of love between two men.