The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 128: Master, Clothes Cannot Be Randomly Worn

Chu Wanning's heart raced, and his face flushed red with anger.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that man still standing like a mountain in his original spot. His figure seemed somewhat stiff, but Chu Wanning didn't dare to look at him directly. Nonetheless, he could feel the man's unashamed, naked gaze fixed on him, like a sword freshly withdrawn from the sword-making pool, still emitting a shocking heat, piercing through the waterfall as if it had turned the water into steam. It stabbed Chu Wanning's body, making him feel violated.

Without any reason, Chu Wanning felt deeply offended. His expression became even more unpleasant, and he bit his lip, retreating deeper into the waterfall.

"..."

Furious, Chu Wanning was reminded of those few perverted monsters on the Summit of Life and Death. In the past, there was even a woman who would sneak onto the roof of the Red Lotus Water Pavilion late at night to peep at him while he bathed. Recalling this made his scalp tingle, and the arm that the man had grabbed earlier seemed to be covered in goosebumps.

Fortunately, after hiding in the depths of the waterfall and swallowing water droplets for a long time, the man finally seemed to give up. He turned back three times before returning under the waterfall to continue his shower.

Chu Wanning suppressed the flames in his heart and decided not to linger. He planned to finish washing quickly and leave as soon as possible.

Reaching for his towel on his shoulder, he suddenly realized that the towel, along with the soapberry fragrance wrapped inside, had fallen into the water due to that earth-shattering fall earlier.

At this moment, it was likely already melted…

Should he go back to retrieve it?

Naked, walk past that man under his watchful gaze?

Chu Wanning wasn't just blushing now; his face had turned ashen. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, filled with humiliation.

He refused to go.

So, he stood there like an idiot with his arms crossed, leaning against the mountain rock, continuing to let the waterfall's spray drench him at its deepest point.

Chu Wanning: "............"

Man: "............"

Suddenly, from afar, the man called out hesitantly, raising his voice, "Do you want soapberry?"

"..."

"And there's incense."

"..."

"It can't possibly be just for show like this."

Chu Wanning closed his eyes briefly but still didn't emerge. He said coldly, "Throw it over."

The man didn't throw it. It seemed he felt that treating a stranger in such a manner would be too impolite and disrespectful. Chu Wanning waited under the waterfall for a moment before a peach leaf, imbued with spiritual energy, drifted toward him, carrying a soapberry and two sticks of incense.

Chu Wanning picked up the items and examined them closely, only to pause in surprise.

The soapberry was nothing special; everyone used similar ones. But the person had chosen incense scented with plum blossoms and flowering cherries—two fragrances that Chu Wanning adored the most.

In spite of himself, he gazed through the shimmering veil of water at the tall figure lurking in the distance.

The man asked, "Is this what you want?"

Chu Wanning replied, "It'll do."

The man fell silent once more, and the two of them, standing at a distance from each other, continued washing in their own thoughts, enveloped in a quiet stillness. As Chu Wanning bathed, he gradually relaxed and cautiously emerged from the depths of the waterfall. The water where he had initially stood was too swift, and the force of it had been rather uncomfortable.

But as soon as he stepped out, the man glanced over at him again. Not only that, but Chu Wanning couldn't shake off the feeling that this individual's gaze was peculiar, as if he were holding something back, wanting to say something but hesitant about approaching. It made Chu Wanning's hair stand on end.

After a while, unable to endure the unease any longer, Chu Wanning decided to leave first.

Unfortunately, his clothes were left by the entrance to the pool, requiring him to retrace his steps to retrieve them. With no other choice, Chu Wanning steeled himself, his face stoic and teeth gritted, and walked resolutely towards where the man was standing.

Just as he reached directly in front of the man, at a distance that was neither too long nor too short, the stranger suddenly moved as well. He gathered his long hair, flicking aside his damp bangs, and followed Chu Wanning, apparently preparing to exit the bathing area.

Chu Wanning's temples pulsated with veins, and he quickened his pace. Unbelievably, the man followed suit, also hastening his steps.

Chu Wanning: "..............."

Golden light from Tianwen was already flowing at the tips of his fingers. The reason he refrained from summoning his weapon wasn't out of fear of injuring someone, but rather the belief that they should at least put on clothes before engaging in a fight.

Thus, he picked up his pace even more.

This time, the man didn't continue following him; he came to a halt.

Chu Wanning let out a sigh of relief, but it was only halfway through when he heard the man behind him say, "There's still soap on your hair."

"..."

" Aren't you going to rinse it off?"

Just as Chu Wanning was seething with anger, the man slowly approached him again, this time very close, his voice clear and distinct right behind him.

If Chu Wanning hadn't been so furious, he might have recognized that although the voice had changed, there was still a hint of familiarity. Unfortunately, his heart was ablaze with rage, a turbulent torrent surging within him.

"You..." The man attempted to speak further.

Chu Wanning couldn't hold back any longer. He spun around abruptly, a burst of golden light erupting from his hand as he swung it down at the man's face, his eyes flashing like lightning, sharp as a knife. His anger knew no bounds; he was ready to pounce and kill: "Are you insane?"

The light of Heaven's Inquiry sliced through the misty veil, hurtling towards the man's chest.

In an instant, the shimmering golden glow illuminated the man's face.

Chu Wanning saw a pair of eyes—bright, gentle, and bashful. They seemed to hold a galaxy of fireflies, accompanied by the stirrings of wind and clouds, and also like a tranquil, deep stream, concealing a forest of memories.

...Mo Ran?!

The attack was about to be retracted, but it was already too late. The willow vine hissed as it struck Mo Ran's muscular and smooth chest. Mo Ran grunted but didn't make another sound. He only lowered his head for a moment. When he lifted his face again, his eyes still held no resentment; they were merely moist, like the first gentle rain of Lin'an after a long, emotional farewell.

Chu Wanning suddenly retracted his Heaven's Inquiry and stood stiffly in place.

After a while, he croaked, "Why didn't you dodge?"

Mo Ran replied, "M-Master..."

Chu Wanning was almost stunned. He had imagined many scenarios of their reunion, but never once did he envision meeting him in the Wonderful Sound Pond, in the hot spring waters. "What are you doing here? When did you come back?!"

"Just now," Mo Ran whispered softly. "I was in a hurry on my journey and got too dirty. I couldn't present myself like this, so I wanted to take a bath first before paying respects to Master. I didn't expect..."

"..." Chu Wanning was momentarily speechless.

Neither of them had expected this.

They both wanted a proper, solemn reunion.

Mo Ran seemingly intended to appear before Chu Wanning neat and clean, without a single blemish.

But what happened?

Not only was he not proper, he was outright ridiculous.

Not only was he not solemn, he was absurd.

Instead of being well-dressed, he was stark naked.

He was clean, if one could stretch the definition to include having nothing on at all.

"Shifu, it really... is really you..." Mo Ran didn't mind these details too much. For five years, he had been awake while Chu Wanning slept. It was just a dream for Chu Wanning, but over a thousand days of piercing agony for him.

His emotions were far more complicated than Chu Wanning's. His eyes were slightly red as he suppressed the surging feelings within him. "For so long, I... I just now... didn't dare to believe it. I thought I had mistaken someone else for you. I even thought that..."

"..." Chu Wanning felt a buzz in his head, momentarily at a loss for words. After a moment, he said, "...If you weren't sure, why didn't you just come and ask me directly? What were you doing following behind me without a sound?"

"I too have a question," Mo Ran whispered softly. "But it's been five years... All of a sudden... It feels like I'm seeing my Master right in front of me. I... I actually feel like I'm dreaming..."

One is often more timid when approaching one's hometown, afraid to inquire about the people there.

Perhaps that was the emotion he felt when looking at Chu Wanning's profile.

In the past five years, he had dreamed too much. He was afraid that it was just another delusion, and when he woke up, there would be tears on his pillow. This reunion, it seemed, was only an empty joy.

Chu Wanning's heart was in turmoil, but he tried his best to maintain a calm and detached demeanor. It was truly difficult for him. His heart was already damp with emotions, yet he had to force out a dry response, "What kind of absurd dream could this be?"

Hearing Chu Wanning's answer, Mo Ran was slightly startled. Something seemed to have clicked in his mind, and he pursed his lips, a glow flickering in his eyes. Originally, he hadn't planned on mentioning that matter right away upon meeting, but hesitating, he realized that if he didn't seize this opportunity while Chu Wanning's defenses were still down, he might never get another chance.

So he paused for a moment before speaking, "Does Master not remember?"

"Remember what?"

Mo Ran's eyes were dark and deep, "It's something you told me before. Dreams that are too good to be true often turn out not to be real."

"That's only because..." Chu Wanning suddenly stopped mid-sentence, realizing that he had said those exact words when he saved Mo Ran at Jin Chengchi. Back then, his heart had truly ached, so he had spoken such pessimistic words. After all this time, he still easily recalled them.

But how could Mo Ran know that the person Jin Chengchi mentioned was actually himself? Could it be that Shi Mo had told him?

Chu Wanning looked up at him, only to see that Mo Ran was also gazing back at him. It dawned on him then that Mo Ran wasn't certain about the truth; he had merely said those words to observe Chu Wanning's reaction.

Mo Ran whispered softly, "It was indeed Master, wasn't it?"

Chu Wanning: "…."

Mo Ran raised his hand, and the skin on his chest tore open, revealing a trail of blood. He forced a bitter smile. "All these years, I've been thinking about the past, wondering what exactly Master did for me. I've thought so much that I eventually recalled Jin Chengchi's illusion – Shi Mo never calls me by my name directly."

He paused, then continued, "Those memories have become more tormenting the more I think about them. So, I decided to wait until Master wakes up, to see you, and ask you about many things in person."

"..."

"The thing I most want to ask is... Master, the one who saved me from the bottom of the pond back then, it was actually you, wasn't it?"

As Mo Ran spoke, he stepped closer to Chu Wanning, who instinctively tried to retreat.

Because he suddenly realized just how towering Mo Ran was, like a majestic mountain, with every inch of his body exuding a deadly energy. He noticed, too, how bright Mo Ran's eyes were, as if the sun had descended into those two pools of spiritual clarity, shimmering with an ethereal glow.

Chu Wanning inexplicably felt a sudden panic. "It wasn't me," he said.

Mo Ran clearly didn't believe him.

In his confusion, Chu Wanning latched onto another topic like grasping at a lifeline, but due to his shock, tension, and embarrassment, he forgot that he had just asked this question and received an answer from Mo Ran.

Staring at the man whose chest bore a bloody mark from his mistake, he repeated, "Why didn't you dodge when I accidentally wounded you?"

Mo Ran was taken aback for a moment before his long eyelashes drooped as he smiled.

"I said dreams are too good to be true," he replied again. After a pause, he seemed to mutter to himself, "I want to feel pain. If it hurts, then it's not a dream."

He had already approached and stood before Chu Wanning.

Perhaps because of the sudden reunion, the joy, tenderness, compassion, and sorrow in his heart surpassed everything else. Mo Ran didn't entertain any fanciful thoughts or remember the appropriate distance he should maintain between a master and disciple.

But he didn't.

When emotions run deep, one always remembers that the person before them is Wanning, not Shifu.

Mo Ran's eyes reddened even more, and he lifted his arm with a smile. "I think I got splashed by some water just now." As he spoke, he wiped his face, inadvertently brushing over his eyes.

Staring up at him in a daze, Chu Wanning had been anticipating Mo Ran's return and was thus marginally more lucid than Mo Ran. It was this sliver of clarity that allowed him to notice their current predicament—they were standing naked facing each other, engaged in conversation. Mo Ran was still so close to him, so very close that he could embrace him just as he did in the Netherworld.

He didn't want to continue gazing at Mo Ran's incomparably handsome face, but when he lowered his eyes, he saw the straight shoulders, broad chest, and the bloodstains from Tianwen slowly spreading. The undried droplets trembled slightly with Mo Ran's breath. Chu Wanning couldn't tell whether it was Mo Ran's solid chest that was hotter or the water more scorching.

All around him was Mo Ran's scent, making him feel as if he was losing himself.

"Shifu, I..."

What?

Before Mo Ran could finish his sentence, he saw Chu Wanning suddenly turn and dash away.

"..."

He was stunned.

He really was running.

It was the first time he had seen Chu Wanning so hurried, so desperate to escape, as if something were chasing him, ready to devour his life and shatter his soul.

"I really missed you," Mo Ran stood rooted to the spot, finishing the sentence in a daze before sealing his lips shut.

Why run away...

Mo Ran felt a bit wronged.

Upon reaching the shore and seeing Chu Wanning, whose face alternated between shades of pale and flushed as he hastily dressed, Mo Ran felt even more aggrieved.

"Shifu," he mumbled.

Chu Wanning ignored him.

"Shifu..."

Still, Chu Wanning paid no attention, preoccupied with tying his waist sash.

"Master..."

"What now!" Chu Wanning, finally managing to put on some clothes, let out a sigh of relief. He felt his dignity and sanity return to him beneath the cover of his robe.

His sword-like brows rose, and his sharp phoenix eyes glared fiercely at the audacious disciple who dared to stand taller than him.

"Why can't you speak outside if you have something to say? How is it proper for you to talk to me naked!"

Mo Ran looked slightly embarrassed, curling his hand into a fist and pretending to cough into it. "I... I didn't want to be naked either."

"Then why haven't you dressed first before speaking?"

"..." Mo Ran paused, diverting his gaze to a nearby peach blossom tree. "It's like this..."

He took a deep breath, mustering the courage to continue.

"Master, you're wearing my clothes."

After saying this, Mo Ran's face also flushed as he stared at the swaying branches filled with peach blossoms.

Author's Note:

Scenelet:

On the Death and Life Peak forum, several anonymous posts appeared today.

Anonymous User: Accidentally wore my disciple's clothes. How should I return them without making it awkward? Urgent, waiting online for advice.

Anonymous User A: Sent a bunch of gifts, but they were all rejected by my deity. However, he accepted my handmade item. I wonder if he sees me as an outsider or is just sparing my expenses. I'm not actually poor, even though my name isn't on the rankings. I can still afford the limited edition Jujube Pills from Cold Scale Saintly Hand... Why doesn't he accept them? I'm so troubled.

Anonymous User B: Sigh, my feelings are a bit complicated. He's back.

Anonymous User C: Did the spinning top finally stop? Was it a dream or reality? Which layer of my dream am I in now? Ignore me, I just need a place to vent, like a tree hole.