Chapter 13: Reader’s Bias

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Reader’s Bias

That night was the most restless night Sui Sui had ever experienced in both his lifetimes. He tossed and turned until dawn, unable to get a proper night’s sleep.

After all, he had just been used by Yizhou as an experimental guinea pig to test the Heart Gu. Although the process itself hadn’t been painful, psychologically, watching a plump Gu worm crawl into his own body was not an experience he wished to relive.

By the next morning, Sui Sui was too lazy to get out of bed. His whole body felt sore, and although the wound on his neck had already been healed by Yizhou, he could still feel a lingering phantom pain where he had been bitten.

However, not wanting to arouse anyone’s suspicion, he reluctantly dragged himself out of bed when Bai Suichen called everyone downstairs for breakfast.

After everyone had finished eating, they started to gather their belongings and prepared to return.

While waiting downstairs for Bai Suichen and the others to finish packing, Sui Sui couldn’t help but think back to everything that had happened the previous night.

No matter how he thought about it, something wasn’t right.

Clearly, all the evidence pointed to this being the protagonist’s first life. In the original novel, the protagonist saving him from the thieves had only happened during his first life. Likewise, Bai Sui Sui joining Wenjian Sect was also an event that belonged to the protagonist’s first life.

So why...

Why had Yizhou already been reborn?

Just where had the timeline gone wrong?

As Sui Sui stood lost in thought, someone suddenly tapped him lightly on the shoulder from behind.

"Junior Brother Bai, what are you thinking about? Is something wrong?" The familiar voice made Sui Sui’s entire body stiffen for a brief moment. He slowly turned around and, sure enough, was met with Yizhou’s gentle smile.

This person really liked appearing behind him without making a sound.

Admit it, Yizhou definitely enjoyed watching him get startled didn’t he?

You’re asking if anything is wrong?

You know full well that everything is wrong.

"It’s nothing, Senior Brother." Sui Sui forced a wry smile, trying his best to appear normal. "I’m just a little tired today, so I was spacing out."

As he spoke, he deliberately avoided looking directly at Yizhou. There were still many people moving around the inn, and Bai Suichen wasn’t far away. He didn’t dare show any hostility in public, especially since he was still pretending to be a lovesick fool.

However...From the corner of his eye, Sui Sui quietly shot Yizhou with an aggrieved glare. It lasted only a split second before he quickly looked away again, but it was enough for Yizhou to catch it. Seeing the little cat silently complaining about him, the corners of Yizhou’s lips curved upward almost imperceptibly. He found the reaction unexpectedly amusing.

Without any warning, Yizhou took another step forward. The distance between him and Sui Sui instantly shrank. Sui Sui subconsciously wanted to retreat, but before he could move, Yizhou had already leaned slightly toward him.

"What, were you too sore after what happened last night?" Yizhou asked leisurely, his voice carrying a faint trace of amusement. "You can’t blame Senior Brother’s technique."

He paused deliberately, letting the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing in an unhurried tone. "After all...It was my first time doing it as well."

His warm breath brushed lightly against Sui Sui’s ear with every word. The sudden closeness caused Sui Sui’s shoulders to tense involuntarily and his ears quickly turned red.

Sui Sui wanted to cover Yizhou’s mouth for a moment. How could he say such a thing in public, wasn’t he afraid of getting caught? And for some reason, he felt that Yizhou’s words sounded strangely ambiguous, as though they carried another meaning entirely. Yet after thinking about them for a long moment he still couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

"What are you two talking about that you have to stand so close?" Bai Suichen’s voice suddenly came from behind them.

The moment Sui Sui heard it, he felt as though he had been granted amnesty. He immediately took two quick steps back and went straight to Bai Suichen’s side, widening the distance between himself and Yizhou without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing Sui Sui’s obvious attempt to avoid him, Yizhou didn’t become angry. Instead, the smile on his face remained as gentle and elegant as ever, as if he had no idea why the other party was suddenly acting that way.

"It is nothing," Yizhou replied with a faint smile. "I simply noticed that Junior Brother Bai looked a little tired. I was wondering if he was feeling sleepy. If he was, I could carry him along the way so he could rest."

His tone was warm and considerate, making him sound like an attentive senior brother who genuinely cared about his junior.

Sui Sui sneered inwardly.

Liar.

This man really deserved an Oscar Award for his acting.

If he hadn’t personally experienced everything that happened last night, even he would have believed Yizhou’s innocent appearance.

"No need, Senior Brother." Sui Sui hurriedly refused, shaking his head. "I’m fine. I wouldn’t want to trouble you."

As he spoke, he subconsciously moved another half-step closer to Bai Suichen, as though the distance between himself and Yizhou wasn’t quite far enough.

Bai Suichen didn’t think much of the exchange. Seeing that everyone had gathered, he simply nodded and led the group toward the gates of Qingqiong City.

Before long, they boarded the flying beast once again and began their journey back to Qi Lou City.

After arriving outside the city, Yizhou suddenly stopped in his tracks. "I have something I need to take care of first," he said. "You can all return first without me."

Bai Suichen nodded without suspicion. "Very well. Don’t come back too late."

Yizhou acknowledged him with a smile before turning and walking in another direction. Only after his figure completely disappeared into the crowd did Sui Sui quietly let out the breath he had been holding the entire journey.

Finally...That terrifying person was gone.

After returning to the Bai Mansion, Sui Sui greeted his parents before quickly retreating to his room. He threw himself onto the bed and immediately fell asleep, making up for the rest he had lost the previous night.

He only woke up when it was almost time for dinner.

By the time he arrived at the dining hall, everyone else was already seated around the table. As Sui Sui took his seat, his gaze instinctively swept across the room. However, after looking around once, he realized one person was missing. Yizhou wasn’t there yet.

Noticing his searching gaze, Bai Suichen explained, "Yizhou said he has something to take care of outside. He might return a bit late tonight."

Hearing that, Sui Sui secretly felt delighted.

It’s better if he doesn’t come back at all tonight.

Maybe then I can avoid losing another mouthful of blood.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, the family casually chatted among themselves.

"Oh, that’s right, Xiao Sui." Mother Bai looked at him with concern. "Your brother told me you want to return to the Wenjian Sect already. Will your body be able to handle it?"

"Yes." Sui Sui nodded obediently. "I’ll go back together with Brother when he returns to the sect."

Although that was what he said, the truth was that after everything that had happened the previous night, his enthusiasm for following the protagonist to Wenjian Sect had diminished considerably.

For a brief moment, he had even thought about staying home instead.

Unfortunately, that thought only lasted for a moment. With Yizhou’s temperament, if he suddenly went back on his word, Sui Sui had no doubt the man would simply drain all of his blood in one sitting.

Compared to that, following him to the Wenjian Sect seemed like the safer option.

Besides, although Yizhou currently treated him as nothing more than an experimental guinea pig, he had still spared his life. Based on everything Sui Sui knew from the novel, as long as he didn’t touch Yizhou’s bottom line or betray him, the protagonist wouldn’t kill him without reason.

There was another reason as well.

One Sui Sui absolutely refused to admit out loud.

Yizhou was still his favorite character.

It was ridiculous, really. Even after blackening into a bloodthirsty demonic cultivator, even after treating him like a living test subject, Sui Sui found his tolerance toward Yizhou was inexplicably higher than expected.

Maybe it was because he knew how Yizhou had ended up like this after reading the novel. Or maybe it was because everything that had happened so far was exactly what he had expected. Either way, although he was caught off guard by the early blackening, the other’s course of action wasn’t out of expectation.

Anyway, he was already tied to Yizhou.

If he simply let Yizhou continue down the same path as in the original story, the world would eventually be destroyed by his hands. By then, Sui Sui wouldn’t be able to live peacefully either. Besides, there was still Bai Suichen’s death and the massacre of the Bai family waiting to happen.

There were simply too many things he couldn’t ignore.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid, though.

...Besides, he still had to visit the Wenjian Sect library.

If his guess was correct and this body really wasn’t an ordinary cultivation cripple, then perhaps the answers he was looking for could be found there.