Hearing Lu Wuming's plea, Liu Buli did not hesitate to cup the young man's face. He kissed the other's forehead forcefully, producing a crisp "pop," which earned him another silly giggle from Lu Wuming.
With tears still on his face, his smile held a peculiar charm.
The effects of the alcohol seemed not to have entirely faded. Lu Wuming nuzzled against Liu Buli a couple more times, then looked up, mimicking Liu Buli's earlier action, and planted a firm kiss on Liu Buli's cheek.
Liu Buli did not refuse his affection.
Or rather, anything Lu Wuming wished for, he would never refuse. Reading now.
Pulling the young man back into his embrace, Liu Buli patted Lu Wuming's back, continuing to coax him in that gentle voice. Before long, the young man, who had thrown a brief drunken tantrum, fell asleep again.
This time, however, he slept soundly.
His brows were relaxed, and a smile graced his face, making him look utterly beautiful.
Once the young man was completely asleep, Liu Buli, after a moment's thought, placed him back on the bed and lay down beside him.
He actually had many things to attend to.
But he was more worried that when Lu Wuming woke up and opened his eyes, he wouldn't find him by his side.
The young man had spent too long in darkness and was not yet able to fully trust others. Therefore, as someone who wished to try and open the young man's heart, the first thing he had to do was absolutely not break his promise and disappoint him.
It wasn't the first time he had seen Lu Wuming cry, but no matter how many times he saw it, that heart-wrenching and sorrowful feeling never changed.
He felt for this child, and he wanted to drag him into the sunlight.
He wanted to show the young man all the beauty in the world.
From the past to the present, it had never changed.
The alcohol's after-effects were potent. By the time Lu Wuming was fully sober and opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.
The sunlight was still a little harsh on his eyes, but even so, he sat up as quickly as possible and looked around, eagerly searching for the figure that haunted his dreams.
Fortunately, a mere glance to the side revealed the person he sought.
Letting out a long sigh of relief, Lu Wuming lay back down on the bed. He looked at the person beside him, who was still asleep, hesitated for a moment, then quietly nudged his body, burrowing into the other's warm embrace.
He thought he had been very careful, but with a person of his size moving, even Liu Buli, who was not on guard, would have sensed something.
Yawning, he slowly opened his eyes.
Seeing his little disciple burrowing into his arms, Liu Buli smiled and reached out, pulling Lu Wuming closer, allowing him to nestle completely into his embrace.
His voice was a little hoarse from a night's sleep. Liu Buli chuckled softly, "Wuming is getting more and more clingy now, isn't he?"
Lu Wuming did not reply.
He simply nuzzled contentedly against Liu Buli's chest.
The feeling was incredibly warm, warming him to the core, and he loved it dearly.
If Liu Buli were a parent, he would definitely be the type to spoil a child with unconditional indulgence.
Just like now, even though the sun was high in the sky, Liu Buli, seeing that Lu Wuming didn't want to get up, maintained his position, holding the young man, with no intention of urging him to rise.
Fortunately, Lu Wuming was an understanding child. After another period of lingering affection, he obediently wriggled out of his master's embrace.
It wasn't that he didn't want to continue.
It was just that his master had told him that if he had any physiological needs, he would have to take care of them himself.
He couldn't hold it in, and his master wouldn't help him.
So the young man cast a wronged glance at Liu Buli and obediently went to the toilet alone.
Watching the young man's flushed face and his hasty departure, Liu Buli couldn't help but laugh.
The boy was still a boy, far too naive.
Raising a hand to his forehead, Liu Buli also got out of bed to tidy himself. None of yesterday's mess had been fully resolved, and he still had to inquire about the situation today. After all, the longer it dragged on, the better it would be to get rid of that Duan Liuyun sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as he had hoped. While he was eager to meet Duan Liuyun, the elder informed him that the other party had gone on a trip and would likely not return for ten days to half a month, after which they could discuss further arrangements with Liu Buli.
Liu Buli was anxious but helpless. He could only wait for news from the other side and then instructed the elder, "Remember to give Medicine Master Valley a reply. Just tell them I agree to refine my disciple myself, and I don't need them to come. They and my Dan Sect have always been evenly matched, so they won't dare to say much even if you break the agreement."
The elder nodded repeatedly in agreement and then withdrew.
Lu Wuming listened as these matters were discussed.
Liu Buli made no attempt to shield him from the conversation, and now that his drunkenness had completely subsided, Lu Wuming understood what they were talking about.
The memories that had caused him immense pain in his previous life resurfaced. He now understood language and knew about cultivation, and he understood perfectly what Liu Buli had just said to the elder.
He remembered the promise he had made to himself when he was reborn. If one day his master were to refine him like Liu Buli, he would kill him without hesitation.
Yet, at this very moment, looking at Liu Buli's face, he found himself unable to muster any killing intent. He even pursed his lips and proactively asked, "Master, is there anything Wuming can help you with?"
"Help me?" Liu Buli looked somewhat confused. "You mean help me act to deceive Duan Liuyun and Medicine Master Valley?"
Lu Wuming nodded and said, "If necessary, Master, you can lock me up, feed me those things, and use me to refine the malice. You can do anything to me, as long as... you promise me this is just an act, and Wuming will cooperate with you."
—
(A family elder has health issues, and I need to accompany them at the hospital during this time. I may not be able to update on time, so please don't stay up late waiting. My dears, please take good care of yourselves and never fall ill. It's truly agonizing. Sigh.)