The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

87

While the youth waded through the creek, he stared at the water's surface absent-mindedly. He was wondering whether or not he had gone insane, to become giddy with joy from a mere sentence.

Mu Yao had long crossed the river, patiently standing at the edge of the bank watching Mu Sheng slowly make his way over. After he carried the person on his back over the river, he very, very carefully let her off his back. Now, she was in his arms instead. Then, without speaking a word to anyone, he sat down in the shadow of a massive Chinese Banyan tree.

The youth raised his glittering, dark pupils and looked towards Mu Yao: "Ah Jie, let's take a rest."

His method of discussion was truly nothing but completely resolute. His tone, although flat, gave one no room to deny.

"....Alright." Mu Yao's expression was complicated as she sat down by the side. She watched him as he lowered his head, peerlessly patient as he helped Miaomiao put on her shoes. Then, he started to play with the hair of the girl laying in his arms as if there was no one else there.

Ling Miaomiao suddenly woke up from her dream. When her eyes opened, they were immediately filled with the beautiful rosiness of dusk whilst groups of geese turned into little dots as they flew south.

Her apricot eyes were dull as she stared blankly at the sky. After turning a few times, she saw the edge of the horizon, where the rise of twilight mingled with the last vestiges of the sun.

She suddenly realized that she was laying in Mu Sheng's arms. In fact, his hand was continuously pulling and playing with her long hair, causing her to feel somewhat itchy.

Her back felt somewhat sore after maintaining such a position rigidly for so long.

She was still somewhat out of it: She only remembered that when they had left, the sun was still going strong in the sky....

She suddenly sat up, facing going completely flush with both shock and fear: "I.... did I actually sleep all the way till nighttime?!"

This black lotus actually let her sleep so long without waking her up at all.

Looking back, she saw that Mu Yao was leaning against a nearby tree, unmoving. She looked positively destitute standing there, almost as if she was about to turn into a boulder.

Because of her, the entire group has been forced to delay their investigation.

"....." The self-reproach in Ling Miaomiao's heart surged like the waves on the high seas, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... It's all my fault..."

"It's fine." Mu Sheng's reply was offhanded and he didn't seem to care. He reached out and used his full attention to help straighten out her skewed hair clip.

"I'm not talking to you!" Ling Miaomiao slapped aside his hand and crawled up with all of her limps. She felt dismayed to the extreme: "Sister Mu, it was all my fault...."

"It's nothing." Mu Yao helplessly smiled at her. Her tone was filled with warmth and pity, "Miaomiao, you've probably exhausted yourself the past few days.... if you're sleepy then just rest. We can just continue later."

By the time they entered the town walls of Wufeng Town, the sky was already dark and lanterns dotted the side of the road.

Mu Yao stopped a pedestrian seemingly rushing back home: "Sir, do you know where Huazhe Restaurant is?"

The pedestrian suddenly grinned as if he had heard a joke: "Do you see these lanterns?" He reached out to point at the bright lanterns in front of the wine shop. His voice was clearly filled with a strong southern accent, "Just follow the lanterns and you'll find your way there."