Chapter 181

Ning Ning nestled in Pei Ji’s outer robe, following him step by step onto the flying boat. She obediently sat down in a quiet, secluded corner, as silent as a chicken.

When she arrived earlier, Zheng Weiqi sat beside her. Now, with the two undergoing separate trials and unable to see each other, Ning Ning, feeling extremely embarrassed, didn’t want to face anyone. She gently tugged on Pei Ji’s sleeve after sitting down.

“Pei Ji, can you sit next to me?”

He pressed his lips together, and although his face was expressionless, there was no sign of impatience or refusal in his eyes. After a brief silence, he responded with a low “Hmm.”

In truth, Pei Ji was a bit unhappy.

From the moment Ning Ning said she wanted to go find He Zhizhou alone, he felt as if something was blocking his chest, a heavy weight pressing down, making him feel both stifled and annoyed. He almost blurted out to her: “Don’t always be alone with Senior Brother He.”

The moment this thought surfaced, he found it amusing.

Leaving aside the fact that he wasn’t close to Ning Ning and had no position or reason to dictate her actions, just thinking about himself—

Pei Ji thought that Ning Ning’s good relationship with He Zhizhou had nothing to do with him. She could be close to whoever she wanted; why should he care so much?

…But he still felt, inexplicably, unhappy.

This feeling even affected him when he was helping Qiao Yan escort the dying demon clan members out of the secret realm. His expression was so cold that one demon cultivator shivered and asked, “If you’re going to draw your sword, can you let me die more cleanly?”

Later, when he saw her and He Zhizhou competing in acting skills in front of the mystic mirror, it happened again.

Although Ning Ning felt too embarrassed to face anyone, Pei Ji didn’t think it was such a shameful act. As he watched the scene in the mirror, a small, cowardly thought quietly sprouted in his heart.

Ning Ning was always so lively with He Zhizhou. Senior Brother He could laugh and play with her, but Pei Ji couldn’t do that no matter what.

He was too sullen, with a bad temper, having grown up amidst beatings, scoldings, and the clash of swords. He had no idea how to make others happy. It was a blessing that he didn’t develop a murderous and violent nature.

He always remained as quiet as a background piece. Only when blood was shed could he rely on his swordsmanship and ruthlessness to gain a sense of existence. The rest of the time—

Thinking of this, Pei Ji couldn’t help but feel irritated again.

Ning Ning wouldn’t care whether he could make her happy or not, yet he had been struggling with this for so long. In her mind, this not-so-familiar junior brother must be no different from anyone else.

“Hoo..hoo.”

Cheng Ying sensed his thoughts and said slyly, “So, in your heart, she is very different from others?”

Pei Ji: …

Pei Ji dryly responded, “You’re overthinking.”

“I actually think she treats you quite well. Remember those three words Ning Ning said before?”

He chuckled and pinched his throat, mimicking Ning Ning. “Pei Jiji~ when you heard this name, your heart beat much faster~ Try calling her ‘Ning Ning’ someday instead of always calling her ‘Senior Sister’~”

Pei Ji remained silent, pressing his lips together inconspicuously.

Even if he was unhappy, he wouldn’t show it and trouble others; rather, he habitually kept all his emotions inside.

Ning Ning, already feeling uneasy, naturally didn’t notice his thoughts. She remained silent for a while, wrapped in the outer robe, then suddenly looked up at him.

Her eyes were beautiful, round, and dark like grapes, reflecting a faint light under the lamp. Especially now, with her long hair messed up by the robe, strands floating around her fair face, and her nose and cheeks still pink like peach blossoms. When she looked at him directly—

Pei Ji’s fingers tightened around his sword. He asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”

“You,” she hesitated, her voice small as she quickly looked away, “Did you see… what happened between me and He Zhizhou in the mirror?”

This question should have a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

But Pei Ji asked in return, “Is it important whether I saw it or not?”

He hadn’t expected to say this, and both he and the girl beside him froze.

This didn’t seem like a question Pei Ji would ask. He always hated unnecessary things and never dragged his feet.

Ning Ning was surprised and slightly stunned by these words.

—Is it important?

It seemed, perhaps, that it really was a little important.

She felt strangely concerned about it.

Until Pei Ji asked, she hadn’t realized that after leaving the secret realm in front of so many people, her main worry wasn’t “Oh no, social death,” but “Oh no, I hope Pei Ji won’t see it.”

(T/N: Social death is a popular term on the Internet. It mainly refers to making a fool of oneself in front of the public. It also refers to doing something shameful in the social circle, which makes one unable to raise their head and unable to carry out normal social interactions.)

Ning Ning didn’t speak.

After a while, she wrapped herself tighter in the robe and shrank back into the corner as before.

Pei Ji couldn’t see her expression, only hearing her hesitant voice say softly, “…Mm.”

Pei Ji had never expected such a response.

He didn’t care about any pain or humiliation, but at that moment, because of this one short word, his heart felt heavy.

“If you didn’t see it, I’d be a bit happier.”

Ning Ning, looking like a chubby hamster with her head entirely wrapped in the robe, occasionally bobbed her head. After a pause, she hastily added, “Actually, it’s not that important…! It’s just, um, I kind of wanted to know.”

Pei Ji suddenly felt like laughing.