TMWTGD CH48

Having found the necessary information, there was no need to waste any more time at the gathering.

Xie Jianwei had deliberately sent the little skeleton away earlier, and now he prepared to go find him.

Loren asked, “You’re… not going to find Li Fu’er?” He was still accustomed to calling him by his old name.

Xie Jianwei said, “If I go to him now, will he willingly give me his blood?”

Loren thought about it and concluded that Li Fu’er would likely lock him up in the deepest part of the Demon Realm, never to see the light of day again.

Xie Jianwei said, “Let’s go. We’ll head back first and figure things out from there.”

The little skeleton was diligently taking notes. He held a book in one hand and scribbled away on a notepad with the other. Because it was a task assigned by Xie Jianwei, he was taking it exceptionally seriously.

Loren took one look and said, “This guy is really something.”

Xie Jianwei unconsciously curved his lips. “Of course.”

His tone sounded similar to his usual one, but those familiar with him could discern the difference. The subtle pride in his voice was glaringly obvious.

Loren laughed and scolded him, “You lunatic.”

Xie Jianwei didn’t bother to argue.

Perhaps he was a bit crazy. Anyway, as long as it was Lu Li, no matter what form he took, he liked him and would be captivated by him.

But this was quite nice. Being able to love someone to the bone in this lifetime was a very fortunate thing.

Sensing his arrival, the little skeleton hurriedly looked up, little clouds floating around his head.

Xie Jianwei said gently, “How is it? Do you understand it?”

The little skeleton shook his notepad. Xie Jianwei had asked him to take notes on demon magic, specifically recording whatever he didn’t understand.

Xie Jianwei glanced at the notepad and said, “I’ll teach you when we get back.”

The little skeleton had no interest in magic, but he held immense enthusiasm for the idea of Xie Jianwei teaching him.

He was happy, and Xie Jianwei was happy too. Seeing the little clouds around him turn into little hearts, Xie Jianwei’s heart fluttered. He cupped his face and gave him a kiss.

Loren: “…” This is seriously toxic. After looking at this picture of a beauty and a skeleton for so long, I’ve actually gotten used to it!

They left the gathering. Xie Jianwei didn’t say a single word about helping the little skeleton recover his body, and Loren didn’t feel it was his place to bring it up either. After all, when it came to Li Fu’er, Xie Jianwei had always maintained an attitude of avoiding him whenever possible.

He had indeed taken revenge for what happened back then, but that didn’t mean he could let it go.

Loren thought Xie Jianwei was avoiding the issue, but in reality, Master-Planner Xie was making other calculations.

If he wanted Demon Lu Li to offer his blood willingly, he first had to understand him.

The current Xie Jianwei was completely in the dark about the past. Knowing so little, how could he talk about understanding him?

Therefore, Xie Jianwei needed to learn about past events and then prescribe the right medicine. Only then would there be hope of getting Demon Lu Li to offer his blood.

He basically understood the situation of this dreamscape now. The little skeleton was the primary personality, which could be inferred from the fact that he was able to find a way to help him recover his body at the gathering. So the main target for pacification was the little skeleton.

To be lovey-dovey with the little skeleton, he first had to give him a body. Otherwise, looking like this, even if Xie Jianwei said he loved him a hundred times, Mr. Skeleton probably wouldn’t believe it.

After all, he was just a pile of white bones…

Therefore, the little skeleton’s body had to be recovered.

And that brought the problem back to Demon Lu Li.

He had now become the crucial key. Without unlocking this lock, the subsequent steps couldn’t proceed.

Yan Ke had held it in for a long time before finally voicing his suspicion, “My Lord… are you truly certain that is the Lord Marshal?” He was referring to Demon Lu Li.

It was normal for him to harbor such doubts. After all, Xie Jianwei had always recognized Lu Li at first glance. Even when he turned into something like the little skeleton, Xie Jianwei had immediately sensed that it was Lu Li.

Yan Ke couldn’t help but say, “Is it possible… that the Greater Demon is a transformation of it? After all, it is attached to the Lord Marshal’s psyche, so replicating a Lord Marshal shouldn’t be difficult.”

Xie Jianwei said, “If it were only that simple, it would be fine.”

His light remark made Yan Ke’s heart skip a beat. “You mean…”

Xie Jianwei voiced the thought he had harbored for a while: “My concern is that it is still attached to Demon Lu Li’s psyche.”

Yan Ke widened his eyes and said, “If that’s truly the case, then how can we kill it? Wouldn’t killing it mean killing the Lord Marshal?”

But they absolutely couldn’t kill the Lord Marshal. If Demon Lu Li died, this personality would also disappear, and that would cause massive trouble.

Did they have to abandon this dreamscape again? Yan Ke was very anxious.

Xie Jianwei was thinking further ahead. “If there are two Lu Lis in this dreamscape, then are there also two of it?”

With this question, Yan Ke suddenly realized the implication!

Xie Jianwei said, “Where is the other it hiding?”

This was what Xie Jianwei was wary of. Things out in the open were easy to deal with. What he worried about most was a presence hiding in the depths, concealing its aura, making you forget it even existed.

Yan Ke felt a sense of dread. “What should we do?” There were traps everywhere. One wrong step, and they would have to bear immense risks.

He couldn’t help but suggest, “Should we just give up?”

Xie Jianwei chuckled and said, “What nonsense are you talking about.”

Actually, Yan Ke knew he was wrong as soon as he said it. So what if they abandoned this dreamscape? It would serve no purpose other than giving the Lord Marshal two more personalities. And it would only make things worse. If it realized that attaching itself to the Lord Marshal guaranteed its safety, it would just do the same thing from now on. How could they possibly pacify him then?

But Yan Ke couldn’t think of any solution at all. He felt like it was a dead end.

Fortunately, the man in front of him was best at solving dead ends.

A glint flashed in Xie Jianwei’s eyes as he said, “Don’t worry, this dreamscape will only end in success.” He had to hold tightly onto the little skeleton, his trump card.

Even if there was another it lurking around, it didn’t matter. As long as the little skeleton got his body back, it would definitely lose its patience.

Xie Jianwei’s most pressing task was to unlock the first lock.

The key figure was Demon Lu Li.

Yan Ke felt his brain cells were severely insufficient, so he simply shut his mouth.

Xie Jianwei also had an idea for this: first, recall the past events, and then figure out a way to coax Demon Lu Li.

As for how to recall the past events? He couldn’t slowly fish for information from Loren anymore. He needed to see something more precise and clear.

Returning to the Intermediate Realm, Xie Jianwei’s days became leisurely again.

Having reached Six Stars, if he didn’t want to make a push for Seven Stars, he only needed to complete a quota of missions each month.

Reaping just two souls a month was something he could accomplish with a wave of his hand; it truly wasn’t worth mentioning.

Xie Jianwei taught the little skeleton the black magic he had noted down from the gathering.

The little skeleton possessed dark-attribute power, but he had previously been self-taught—the kind that could destroy the world with a single burst of energy. But in reality, he didn’t even know the simplest “voice transmission spell,” which was why he used a notepad every day.

Although Xie Jianwei thought the notepad was cute too, not speaking all the time wasn’t good either. He was already feeling insecure about not having flesh and blood; wouldn’t being a little mute make him even more insecure?

In short, anything he could do to help him regain a bit more confidence, he would do.

The little skeleton learned things very quickly, and Xie Jianwei found teaching him very easy. “Great job. Even though you’ve forgotten everything, your learning ability is still there.”

The little skeleton happily puffed out little flowers.

Xie Jianwei calmly added, “You wanted to learn magic from me before too, but unfortunately, you couldn’t learn what I taught.”

The little skeleton could speak now, but he was still accustomed to using the notepad. “Why?”

Xie Jianwei said, “You were a Holy Knight of the Church, loyal to the light, and used the purest light magic. No matter how I taught you, you wouldn’t be able to cast it.”

Previously, Xie Jianwei hadn’t known the little skeleton’s past, so he rarely brought it up.

If he didn’t bring it up, the little skeleton wouldn’t ask either, but he was actually very curious.

Now that Xie Jianwei had opened the topic, he immediately asked, “A Holy Knight? How did we meet?”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes softened as he said, “I was only a Four-Star Reaper then, but while reaping a soul, I encountered a Greater Demon. Seeing that the soul was about to be devoured by the Greater Demon, you stepped in to help, saving both me and that soul.”

The little skeleton’s interest was clearly piqued. “And then?”

Xie Jianwei said softly, “Do you know what the first words you said to me were?”

The little skeleton shook his head. “What were they?”

Xie Jianwei actually blushed a little. “You said my scythe was the most beautiful you had ever seen.”

Little pink bubbles immediately floated around the little skeleton, and he wrote the same sentence on his notepad: “Your scythe truly is the most beautiful.”

Xie Jianwei looked away after a single glance, but the blush spread across his face, even tingeing the tips of his ears a faint pink.

A Reaper’s soul was their scythe.

Being praised for having a beautiful scythe was tantamount to flirting.

And it was very blatant, as if telling a human, “Your naked body is so beautiful.”

Very few people would praise a Reaper’s scythe, because it was a very intimate matter. But Lu Li had blurted it out, his tone sincere and straightforward, full of marvel. This wouldn’t cause resentment; instead, it would make one’s heart pound.

The little skeleton grew increasingly curious about his past with Xie Jianwei, feeling as though it were made of soft clouds wrapping around a rainbow made of candy, as beautiful as a fairy tale.

Xie Jianwei had indeed painted a very beautiful “past” for him.

The little skeleton couldn’t help but say, “What a pity. I can’t remember any of it.”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes dimmed, and he said with disappointment, “Yes, you’ve forgotten it all.”

His tone made the little skeleton’s bones rattle, and he hurriedly said, “I’ll remember once I get my body back.”

“You might not necessarily remember…” Xie Jianwei forced a smile. “But it doesn’t matter. As long as you are by my side, that’s enough.”

The little skeleton: “But there are so many things we did together, I want to remember them…”

Xie Jianwei said somewhat helplessly, “I don’t know what to do either. I’ve heard that a long time ago, there was a holy relic that could restore people’s memories, but that’s just a rumor. There are no records of it at all, so there’s nowhere to look for it.”

Mr. Skeleton was also very disappointed.

Xie Jianwei stretched out his arms, embracing him completely, and said, “It’s okay. We’ll have more memories in the future. Just make sure you don’t forget again this time.”

He spoke softly, and it seemed the warm breath blew through the thick cloak right onto Mr. Skeleton’s bones.

That tingling sensation made him uncontrollably hug him back tightly.

The little skeleton’s voice transmission spell was becoming increasingly proficient, and he sounded more and more like Lu Li. “How many years were we together?”

“Thirty-three years,” Xie Jianwei said softly.

The little skeleton trembled. “Always together?”

“Yes, always…” Xie Jianwei said. “We were always together.”

He didn’t need to say too much. Just this simple sentence gave Lu Li enough room for imagination.

Thirty-three years, keeping each other company day and night.

They loved each other deeply, living a happy life like in a fairy tale.

What was Xie Jianwei like then? What was the Xie Jianwei who spent every day and night with him like? What was the Xie Jianwei who loved him deeply like?

He wanted to see it so badly. How could he forget such an important memory?

He didn’t want to forget!

The little skeleton couldn’t help but ask, “Is there really no other way to recover the memories?”

Xie Jianwei sighed and said, “Perhaps there is, it’s just hard to find. And given your current condition, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be effective anyway. It’s better to restore your body first.”

The little skeleton asked, “Why wouldn’t it be effective?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I’m not certain either, but such holy relics generally require life force to awaken and use. As you are now…”

The little skeleton understood. His chest cavity was empty. The feeling of having lost something extremely precious was truly unpleasant.

Xie Jianwei, figuring the timing was about right, added, “But if this holy relic really exists, you’ll be able to use it once you recover your body.”

“It definitely exists!” The little skeleton intensely yearned for it. He wanted his body, he wanted his memories, he wanted the passionate past he shared with Xie Jianwei.

Xie Jianwei must have loved the person he was before. So he couldn’t lose that version of himself. He had to get everything back, both his body and his memories; neither could be missing! Because he wanted Xie Jianwei’s love, his complete love.

Xie Jianwei chuckled and said, “So it exists just because you say it does?”

The little skeleton said gravely, “It definitely will exist.”

Xie Jianwei shook his head and coaxed him, “Alright, alright. If A-Li says it exists, then it exists.”

He obviously didn’t believe it, but the more he used this tone, the more it spurred the little skeleton on, making him even more certain of the “holy relic’s” existence.

Yan Ke, who observed the entire process, felt… it was a good thing the Military Advisor only loved the Lord Marshal, otherwise the galaxy would have been turned upside down long ago…

Xie Jianwei stimulated the little skeleton from another angle as well, such as their frequently used positions, his favorite postures, and also… well…

Seven days later, the people Xie Jianwei sent out found the “holy relic.”

Loren looked shocked. “Such a thing actually exists?”

Xie Jianwei looked at the gemstone in his hand and cleared his throat, saying, “The world is full of wonders.”

Loren asked, “Can it really show past memories?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Don’t touch it carelessly. What if it can only be used once?”

Loren looked at it and shook his head, thoroughly convinced by Xie Jianwei. “You are truly capable. For Lu Li, you can conjure up anything.”

Yan Ke: In a sense, Admiral, you have hit on the truth again… This was truly “conjured” up by the Military Advisor!

The little skeleton was super excited and couldn’t wait to see his past memories right away.

Xie Jianwei, however, said, “Don’t be in a rush. Let’s use it when you have a body. What if it can only be used once, and your current condition doesn’t allow you to use it? Wouldn’t it be wasted then?”

The little skeleton was somewhat disappointed.

Xie Jianwei comforted him, saying, “This holy relic is a rare find in a millennium. Finding it is a stroke of luck, so we must cherish it.”

What he said made a lot of sense, so the “little fools” had no choice but to agree.

Loren was thoroughly convinced, as he was heard saying earnestly, “Wait a bit longer, it would be too much of a pity if it went to waste.”

Mr. Skeleton nodded and said, “Mm.”

Xie Jianwei added, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe.”

Yan Ke was also convinced. He asked, “My Lord, are you going to use this yourself?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I’m going to use it on Demon Lu Li.”

Yan Ke didn’t understand. “Why? Wouldn’t using it on yourself make you remember everything?”

Xie Jianwei said, “There are unstable factors. After all, I don’t belong to this dreamscape right now. Who knows what kind of memories I would get after using it? There’s only one chance, I can’t waste it on something I’m not sure of.”

Aside from admiring the Military Advisor’s meticulous thinking, what else could Yan Ke do…

So the most reliable method was to use it on Li Fu’er. This way, he could learn about their past, and with any luck, he might even find traces of it.

It was killing two birds with one stone.

As for how to get him to use it.

That wasn’t difficult. Xie Jianwei was a Six-Star Reaper now, after all. Infiltrating the Demon Realm wouldn’t be hard. As long as he went to Demon Lu Li’s bedchamber and found a single strand of his hair, that should be enough.

A few days later, Xie Jianwei found an excuse to go out alone.

His anti-reconnaissance skills were extremely strong, so he could clearly determine that no one was following him.

After infiltrating the Demon Realm, he easily entered Demon Lu Li’s bedchamber.

This truly wasn’t difficult. After all, Demon Lu Li was a famous figure in the Demon Realm. A casual inquiry could yield plenty of information.

Xie Jianwei had done his homework in advance and grasped Demon Lu Li’s itinerary for the day.

He wouldn’t leave the palace because there was a banquet outside, but he wouldn’t return to his bedchamber too quickly either.

This timing and distance were just perfect.

Xie Jianwei found a strand of Lu Li’s hair, placed it on the gemstone, and infused it with magic. The surrounding scenery began to distort.

Xie Jianwei absorbed the information extremely quickly. Yan Ke was overwhelmed, barely able to keep up with the massive influx of memories.

No wonder Demon Lu Li hated him. This… was truly a twisted, ill-fated relationship.

Hundreds of years ago, the Heavenly Clan and the Reapers had cooperated for a period of time.

At that time, the Heavenly Realm was the dominant power. The demons were severely suppressed, mostly cowering in the depths of the Demon Realm, not daring to take a half step out.

This was the era when Li Fu’er was in power, the absolute peak and most glorious period of the Heavenly Realm.

Originally, the three realms maintained a delicate balance outside the Human Realm. But now the balance was broken, and the decline of the Demon Realm meant the Reapers could no longer stay out of it as usual.

Li Fu’er proposed that the Heavenly Realm and the Intermediate Realm communicate more.

Even if the Reapers were unwilling, they had to accept it. Whoever had the hardest fist was the boss, and the Reapers weren’t stupid.

At that time, Xie Jianwei was only a Three-Star Reaper. He wanted to promote to Four Stars as quickly as possible, so he accepted an exchange mission and chose to stay in the Heavenly Realm for a while.

Loren also had the same idea, so the two traveled together and went to the Heavenly Realm.

Although the Reapers also had the word “god” in their title, due to the nature of their work, they had never been treated as gods. On the contrary, some humans feared them even more than they feared the god of death.

Angels loathed demons and loathed darkness, so they didn’t exactly like Reapers either.

The Reapers were to stay in the Heavenly Realm for quite a long time. In order to live a bit more comfortably, they took off their long black robes and changed into the white clothes of the Heavenly Clan. Although they didn’t have wings, at least they weren’t as conspicuous.

Imagine a single touch of black amidst a flock of white; it would be incredibly eye-catching.

However, after taking off their black cloaks, their appearances were also exposed.

Most Three-Star Reapers possessed a youthful appearance. Xie Jianwei’s rare silver hair, coupled with his pale skin and exquisite features, made him shine even brighter than the Archangels once he shed his black cloak for the sacred white garments.

Taking off the cloak was meant to avoid drawing attention, yet Xie Jianwei still ended up turning heads wherever he went.

Especially since he was with Loren. One was elegant and refined, the other wild and dashing. If the lingering stares they received along the way could be sold for money, they would likely have become instantly rich.

A few days after they arrived in the Heavenly Realm, Li Fu’er threw a welcome reception for them.

He appeared in person, originally intending to merely exchange a few pleasantries before leaving, but upon seeing Xie Jianwei, he decided to stay.

The esteemed Archangel choosing to remain at such a gathering sent all the angels into an absolute frenzy of excitement.

Xie Jianwei found himself stealing quite a few glances at him as well.

It was truly difficult not to look at him. His dazzling six golden wings, his handsome face, and his striking physique—if the Creator showed any favoritism, more than half of that love had undoubtedly been poured onto him.

Who could ignore someone so radiant and powerful?

Li Fu’er kept his gaze fixed on Xie Jianwei, making absolutely no effort to conceal his interest.

Xie Jianwei tried his best to maintain his composure, but his throat felt parched. Thirsty, he couldn’t help but sip the fruit wine in front of him. The wine was sweet without any bitterness, masking its alcoholic content entirely, yet it was intoxicating nonetheless. Before he knew it, Xie Jianwei had drunk too much.

Loren had long since vanished to god-knew-where on a hunt for romance. When Xie Jianwei stood up, his body swayed involuntarily.

Just then, a warm, large hand caught his arm to steady him.

Xie Jianwei trembled slightly, attempting to pull his arm away, but the newcomer refused to let go. “Would you like to step outside for some fresh air?”

Xie Jianwei’s heart fluttered wildly, stirred by the deliberately lowered, husky voice.

He had no idea whether he agreed or not, but by the time he regained his senses, they were already standing on the balcony.

The nights in the Heavenly Realm were equally bright, overlooking a vast expanse of magnificent, towering white architecture.

Bathed in holy light, they radiated dazzling brilliance, twinkling like stars suspended in a white night.

Taking a deep breath, Xie Jianwei said, “Thank you for the trouble, Your Highness. I am fine now.”

Li Fu’er turned his head to look at him, his voice gentle and soothing. “I never knew what kind of person I would fall for.”

His voice as he said this was like an elegant harp playing a sacred melody, making one’s ears tingle and causing the sea of clouds before them to seem to tremble faintly.

Xie Jianwei didn’t dare to look at him, nor did he know what to say.

Li Fu’er smiled. “After meeting you, I know now.”

Xie Jianwei’s heart pounded furiously, his knuckles turning slightly white as he gripped the railing.

Li Fu’er’s warm palm covered the back of his hand. Looking at him earnestly, he asked softly, “May I like you?”

Xie Jianwei didn’t know if he answered, nor did he know what he was thinking. Perhaps it was the magic of the alcohol, perhaps the man’s voice beside him was simply too enchanting, or perhaps his mind had been bedazzled by the sweeping, breathtaking scenery of the Heavenly Realm.

In short… when Li Fu’er kissed him, he did not push him away.

He couldn’t refuse at all. The fragrant taste of wine intertwined between their lips, as if affection that had been fermenting for ages detonated within his heart. The surging joy was astonishing, yet simultaneously impossible to resist.

In the past, Xie Jianwei absolutely did not believe in love at first sight.

But in this fleeting instant, he proved those four words to be true.

Love at first sight.

As if he had loved him for a very, very long time, he surrendered everything in this lingering, romantic white night.

Upon waking up, Xie Jianwei slowly regained his sanity. He… had been far too crazy.

Doing such a thing with someone he had just met for the first time—and crucially, the other person was a man, an angel… no, an Archangel!

Xie Jianwei felt he had lost his mind. He didn’t even dare to look around, hastily throwing on his clothes and fleeing in panic.

Returning to his quarters, a sleepy-eyed Loren asked, “Where did you go last night?”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Fortunately, Loren was far from reliable. “Got drunk and fell asleep somewhere? I drank too much last night too, and got dragged away by a busty angel… Let me tell you, angels are quite interesting. They look pure, but once the clothes come off, they’re wilder than demons…”

Thinking back to the scenes from last night, Xie Jianwei took a deep breath and said, “I’m tired, I’m going to get some sleep.”

Knowing he had no interest in hearing this, Loren didn’t press the issue. “Yeah, I need to catch up on sleep too.”

The two headed back to their room and collapsed onto their respective beds, falling fast asleep one after the other.

They were staying in the dormitory provided by the Heavenly Realm, a rather nice double room, with Xie Jianwei sleeping in the inner chamber and Loren in the outer one.

After lying down, Xie Jianwei’s heart was still thumping wildly. He kept telling himself, “Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it. You won’t see him ever again.” Yet as he thought this, a deep sorrow washed over him. Would they truly never see each other again? With that sentence echoing in his mind, a sharp pain pierced his chest.

Loren was dozing off in a daze when a knock on the door woke him up again.

Tumbling out of bed with a splitting headache, he grumbled with dissatisfaction, “Who is it? Can’t a guy get some sleep bright and early in the morning?”

Opening the door, Loren nearly jumped out of his skin when his bleary, drunken eyes recognized the visitor.

“Your… Your Highness Li Fu’er!”

Although the visitor had tucked away his dazzling six wings, who wouldn’t recognize this face? The man who led the Heavenly Realm’s armies across all fronts—even those who had never set foot in the Heavenly Realm had his features etched into their memories long ago.

Li Fu’er said, “Good morning. I am here for Xie Jianwei.”

Loren remained completely petrified. “Here… for A-Wei?”

Li Fu’er offered a faint smile. “Is he in?”

Loren stepped aside and said, “He is… he’s in. He’s sleeping inside right now.”

Li Fu’er asked, “May I come in?”

“Sure,” Loren said, scratching his head. “I’ll go wake him up.”

“No need,” Li Fu’er said. “He tired himself out last night. Let him rest.”

The moment those words hit his ears, Loren’s head buzzed loudly. He felt his mind was simply too dirty, completely misinterpreting the meaning behind those words. But…

Li Fu’er headed straight for Xie Jianwei’s room.

After standing foolishly for a long moment, Loren hurried inside after him.

Xie Jianwei was sleeping quite deeply, seemingly genuinely exhausted. His long hair, left unbound, spilled entirely across the pillow, contrasting with his pale skin, making him look almost as if he were glowing.

Loren thought to himself: My buddy is truly beautiful.

Sadly, before that thought could wander any deeper, Li Fu’er looked at him and said, “You should go rest as well. I will wait for him here.”

Loren: “…”

Li Fu’er actually pulled up a chair and sat down, quietly watching Xie Jianwei sleep.

Loren found this incredibly bizarre. Li Fu’er was far too bizarre.

He actually felt that the gaze Li Fu’er directed at Xie Jianwei was brimming with absolute adoration…

Adoration my foot, do these two even know each other?

Loren stood there dumbly for a while until Li Fu’er asked softly, “Is there anything else?”

“N-No…” With that, Loren turned and went back to his own room. Collapsing onto the bed, he pulled a pillow over his head: Damn it all, what on earth is going on?!

By noon, the first thing Loren did after waking up was rush to the next room, only to be struck dumb upon seeing Li Fu’er.

Xie Jianwei was still sleeping, and Li Fu’er was still waiting.

He hadn’t been dreaming earlier!

Right at that moment, Xie Jianwei’s eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The aftermath of a hangover felt terrible, especially after exerting himself so thoroughly. What felt like soaring to the heavens then was yielding bitter consequences now.

Xie Jianwei ached all over, feeling quite miserable inside.

What was last night all about? He truly never expected that a day would come when he would be as unprincipled as Loren.

No… he was worse than Loren. Loren forgot about his bed partners after a night’s sleep, but he, on the other hand, was still dreaming about him.

Xie Jianwei’s heart felt sour. After opening his eyes, his corners felt dry, and a stifling weight settled heavily on his chest.

Just as he groggily sat up, a familiar yet distant voice sounded by his ear, “How do you feel?”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

He froze for a moment before snapping his head up, finding a man far more dazzling than the morning light standing amidst the brilliant morning rays.

He was entirely stunned, while Li Fu’er smiled faintly. “Good morning.”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes widened. “Y-Why are you here?”

He spoke incoherently, while Li Fu’er gazed at him and sighed, “I was afraid you would run away.”

“Huh?” Xie Jianwei thought he had misheard.

Yet Li Fu’er reached out and touched his cheek, his voice gentle. “I went to handle some matters early this morning, and when I returned, I found you had left.”

Xie Jianwei’s head buzzed. He wanted to say: I drank too much last night. Please forgive me for any offenses.

Unexpectedly, Li Fu’er beat him to the punch, saying, “I was terribly worried that last night was merely a dream, terrified that you might vanish into thin air.”

Never mind Xie Jianwei; Loren, standing by the door, was already frozen into an ice sculpture. He had never known his buddy was one for one-night stands—scratch that, he had never known his buddy liked men!

Taking a soft breath, Xie Jianwei said, “Last night, we…”

Clasping his hand, Li Fu’er actually repeated himself once more: “Do the words from last night still count? Xie Jianwei…” He asked earnestly, “May I like you?”

Loren inhaled sharply, nearly dropping to his knees.

Xie Jianwei’s face flushed crimson instantly. Keeping his head bowed, he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to say.

Li Fu’er added, “I know this is very abrupt, but I don’t want to lose this opportunity. I’ve never been in love before, and I hope this won’t frighten you.”

Frighten him? Xie Jianwei was indeed frightened—frightened by his own fiercely pounding heart, and frightened by the joyous blossoming within it.

Everything fell into place so naturally; two people drawn to each other tumbled headlong into passionate romance.

It was only half a month later that Loren finally asked, his face full of disbelief, “What exactly is going on? You and His Highness Li Fu’er…”

Setting aside the fact that they were both men, the main issue was that one was an angel and the other a Reaper. Did they have a future together?

Xie Jianwei said, “I don’t know either.”

Loren sounded rather anxious. “Once the exchange concludes, you’ll be returning to the Intermediate Realm, won’t you?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Of course.”

Loren asked, “Then what will His Highness Li Fu’er do?”

Xie Jianwei hesitated for a moment before finally answering, “He said he plans to step down from the position of Heavenly Clan leader.”

There were seven Archangels in the Heavenly Clan, but only one could be the Archangel Commander.

Li Fu’er was the leader of the Heavenly Clan, virtually tethered to the Heavenly Realm. But if he resigned from this post and became an Archangel with no administrative duties…

Loren exclaimed in shock, “How is that possible? He’s Li Fu’er! Without him, how could the Heavenly Realm ever have achieved what it is today??”

Lowering his eyes, Xie Jianwei said, “I didn’t take it seriously either. He was probably just saying it casually.”

Finding this reasonable, Loren urged him, “You must keep a level head. Even if Li Fu’er wanted to relinquish the Archangel position, his supporters would never agree to it.”

Xie Jianwei said, “I understand.”

Loren added cautiously, “Also, don’t expose your relationship with Li Fu’er, otherwise it will become incredibly troublesome.”

If Li Fu’er truly abandoned the entire Heavenly Realm for Xie Jianwei’s sake, those birdmen would probably want to slaughter Xie Jianwei a thousand times over.

His voice trembling slightly, Xie Jianwei said, “I know all of this.”

Seeing him like this, Loren felt his heart ache for him, but this matter truly couldn’t work. There was absolutely no future in sight.

Xie Jianwei and Li Fu’er were exceptionally devoted to each other. It was as if they had finally found their missing halves, wishing they could be together every single moment, their sweetness enough to make any couple in heaven or on earth burn with envy.

Yet Xie Jianwei remained perpetually anxious. He carried the mindset of taking it one day at a time, because Loren was right—he and Li Fu’er had no future; he saw no hope at all.

But half a year later, Li Fu’er said to him, “Whatever rumors you hear about me from now on, please do not take them seriously.”

Puzzled, Xie Jianwei asked, “Why?”

Li Fu’er kissed him and said, “I am preparing to run far away with you.”

Xie Jianwei merely thought he was coaxing him, so he didn’t reply, simply offering a smile.

But what Li Fu’er said next reignited Xie Jianwei’s quieted heart.

“The Heavenly Realm needs a wise and mighty Archangel, so as long as I become incompetent and corrupt, stepping down from this position will be effortless.”

Xie Jianwei’s pupils shrank drastically. “What are you going to do?”

Li Fu’er blinked at him. “Smear my own reputation.”

And so, many, many years later, people would remark: “Among our fiercely loyal and chaste angels, didn’t we also have an Archangel with a scandalous private life?”

Their Archangel had only one person in his heart his entire life. He was simply willing to shoulder countless infamies for the sake of this one person.

The first angel who saw Xie Jianwei gasped in surprise, “So beautiful.”