Chapter 93: Flirtatious Banter, You're So Bad
With Li Chao’s present level of cultivation, the gold and silver that men in the mortal world prized so dearly were, to him, no more than drifting clouds crossing the eye.
He stood there, tall and straight, a detached calm resting between his brows, as though he had already crossed to the far shore of the mundane world and now looked down upon this turbulent sea of red dust.
On hearing this, Yu Xin’s expression changed slightly, conflicting emotions flickering across her face.
She parted her red lips and said in a voice touched with disbelief and dawning realization, “Several hundred thousand? To you, that has already become a trivial sum?”
Her gaze drifted unconsciously toward the doorway, where a Porsche gleamed in the sunlight, dazzling and brilliant, like a witness to Li Chao’s new life, silently testifying to the earthshaking changes he had undergone.
In that instant, a flood of thoughts rose in Yu Xin’s heart.
As though she could see through the seams of time, she saw every step Li Chao had taken since recovering from his illness, each one steady and swift.
Through countless days and nights of struggle, his figure had gradually become tall and distant, and that pace of growth filled her with both comfort and an inexplicable pressure.
A trace of gloom flickered in her eyes. It was nostalgia for the years they had shared, sincere admiration for all that Li Chao had achieved today, and, beneath it all, a faint helpless self-pity for not having kept up with his pace.
The world around them seemed to fall silent in that moment, leaving only the surging tide of emotion in Yu Xin’s heart, impossible to calm.
“What’s wrong?”
Li Chao’s voice came at just the right time, gentle and laced with concern. He had noticed the change in Yu Xin’s mood, but did not press further; with his usual frankness and sincerity, he simply tried to comfort her.
Yu Xin forced out a faint smile, one that held both bitterness and relief.
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly realized how amazing you’re becoming. I seem to be... falling behind you a little.”
A woman’s heart was like the fine spring rain, endless and soft, forever longing for a world of flowers blossoming beneath the sun, yet also fearing the loneliness of petals falling when wind and rain came.
Yu Xin was exactly like that. Her heart was full of pride and joy over Li Chao’s success, yet there was also a hidden worry she could not name, a fear that she would become dim beneath his radiance.
This contradiction was like a double-edged blade, sweet and bitter at once, and yet it was the truest reflection of her heart.
Seeing her like this, Li Chao’s lips curved into a gentle smile, one that seemed able to dispel every shadow in the world. He took Yu Xin’s hand lightly and said with firm affection, “You don’t need to chase after me at all, because my heart has already been tightly tied to you. No matter where I go, that feeling will never change. It is like the lighthouse in my life, guiding me forward.”
At his words, warmth surged through Yu Xin’s heart, and the corners of her mouth lifted of their own accord. Her eyes shone with happiness.
She said coquettishly, “You always try to make me happy with your tongue. How do I know whether you really mean it?”
A faint blush had already crept onto her cheeks, her shyness plain to see.
Li Chao noticed and a glint of mischief flashed in his eyes. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Who said it had to be only my tongue? I have many more ways to let you feel my sincerity. For example...”
He deliberately stopped there, his gaze full of teasing warmth. Yu Xin immediately understood his implication, and her face turned red as a ripe apple.
“You rascal. You’re too wicked!”
Yu Xin pretended to scold him, though there was not a trace of anger in her voice. Instead, it carried a soft, spoiled sweetness.
She lightly tapped his chest, her eyes full of laughter and love.
Just as the atmosphere was warm and romantic, an abrupt ringtone shattered the quiet.
Li Chao frowned slightly and picked up his phone. It was a call from Liu Dan.
He could not help but wonder whether she had truly something urgent at this hour.
After a moment’s thought, his finger brushed the call button, and he answered at last, the motion carrying a barely perceptible complexity of feeling.
“Dan, what is it this late?”
His voice was gentle, yet somewhat distant, like a cool night breeze, trying to find balance between stillness and ripples.
From the other end, Liu Dan’s voice came through with a faint tremor and a trace of hope, threading softly into Li Chao’s ear through the invisible current of the line.
“Xiao Chao, I’m so sorry to bother you so late. One of the light bulbs at my place suddenly died, and now everything is pitch-black. It’s a little scary. Could you... come by when you have time and replace it for me?”
Her tone carried the helplessness of asking for aid, yet beneath it lurked feelings she found difficult to speak aloud.
Li Chao’s gaze could not help drifting toward Yu Xin beside him. Her bright eyes seemed capable of seeing straight into a person’s heart, and she was looking at him with indescribable gentleness.
Warmth rose in his chest, but so did a trace of irresolution.
After a brief silence, he sighed softly, as if speaking to himself and to Yu Xin both.
“All right, Dan. I’ll come over now.”
“Wait a moment. I’ll change my clothes and be right there.”
He ended the call and turned to Yu Xin, his eyes full of apology and reluctance.
Yu Xin smiled lightly, a smile that held both understanding and a hint of playfulness.
“If the light bulb’s broken, then can’t you just enjoy the romance of a candlelit dinner? Or is Dan just...”
She deliberately drew out the last words, her gaze flashing with all-knowing wisdom.
“She’s obviously looking for an excuse to see how busy you really are.”
At this, a faint flush of embarrassment rose to Li Chao’s face. He scratched his head, looking somewhat at a loss.
“Yu Xin, you... you saw through it. If you’re upset, I’ll turn her down right away and stay with you tonight.”
His tone was filled with concern for her and respect for her, as if all pretense and disguise were unnecessary in her presence.
Yu Xin gently shook her head, her eyes shining with warmth and understanding.
“You fool, I was teasing you. Didn’t I tell you long ago that I trust you and understand you?”
“As long as I can be with you, status and position, all those outside restraints, no longer matter.”
Her words were like a spring breeze brushing the face, gentle yet resolute. There was not the slightest hesitation or retreat in her eyes, only deep love and trust in Li Chao.
That tenderness filled Li Chao’s heart with warmth and made his choice even firmer.
“Right now, Liu Dan has just gotten divorced. She’s at a low point in her life, and she really does need someone to give her warmth and comfort.”
Yu Xin continued, her tone carrying both sympathy for Liu Dan and understanding for Li Chao’s imminent departure.
Her words were like a fine rain nourishing Li Chao’s heart, bringing him an unprecedented sense of comfort.
“Go on. I’ll wait for you to come back.”
She gently pushed Li Chao, her eyes bright with encouragement and expectation.
She knew that for Li Chao, leaving at this moment might not be easy, but she believed even more strongly that he would handle everything well and return to her side.
“As long as you keep me in your heart, that’s enough.”
This was Yu Xin’s final reminder, and also her most sincere wish.
She did not need Li Chao to swear any grand vow; she only hoped he would keep this love deep in his heart and, wherever he went, still be able to feel her presence.
Li Chao stood stunned for a few seconds, as though shaken by the depth of her feeling.
Then, suddenly, he drew Yu Xin into his arms and kissed her deeply, their lips pressed tightly together in a passionate embrace that seemed intent on fusing even their souls into one.
At that moment, time itself seemed to stop. All troubles and sorrows vanished into thin air, leaving only two hearts leaning tightly against one another.
When the kiss ended, Li Chao reluctantly released Yu Xin and set off for Liu Dan’s home.
His heart was full of gratitude and guilt—gratitude for Yu Xin’s tolerance and understanding, guilt that he could not always stay by her side.
Yet he knew this was his responsibility, and also reality, which he had to face.
As he walked toward Liu Dan’s home, Li Chao’s feelings were in turmoil.
He thought of that old saying about harem splendor and countless consorts, a life every man dreamed of, but how many could truly have it, and how many could truly control it?
In matters of love, most women were selfish. They wanted a man’s whole love and all of his attention.
Yet Yu Xin could be so magnanimous and forgiving. It truly left Li Chao both astonished and moved.
Soon, Li Chao arrived at Liu Dan’s house.
The courtyard gate stood wide open, as though welcoming his arrival.
He walked straight in and saw Liu Dan standing in the yard in her nightclothes, her face haggard yet unable to conceal the gentle grace of her bearing.
He swallowed involuntarily, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before quickly turning away.
The night was deep. A man and a woman alone together in one room—there seemed to be a faint, subtle tension in the air.
Though Liu Dan’s clothes were simple and casual, her softness and fragility were especially alluring at that moment, making Li Chao’s thoughts wander despite himself.
“Xiao Chao, I really am troubling you. It’s so late, and I still made you come all this way.”
Liu Dan’s voice was soft and tinged with apology. As she spoke, she gently closed the gate, as if shutting out the disturbances of the outside world and creating a relatively private space for the two of them.
Then she picked up a brand-new light bulb from the table nearby and handed it to Li Chao. The movement was natural and smooth, as though she had rehearsed it countless times.
Taking the bulb, Li Chao thought to himself:
So Liu Dan really had come prepared.
He let out a quiet sigh and tried to cast aside the stray thoughts in his head, turning his focus to the task before him.
He went into the bedroom and looked around. The room was neat and warm, and the air carried a faint fragrance. Clearly, Liu Dan had carefully tidied everything up in preparation for his visit.
He carefully switched off the power in the room, and the interior was instantly plunged into darkness.
He fetched a ladder, placed it steadily beside the bed, and climbed up with caution.
In the darkness, relying on years of experience, he quickly found the position of the bulb that needed replacing.
He removed the old bulb with practiced ease and fitted in the new one, his movements swift and smooth.
“All right, the bulb’s been replaced.”
Li Chao climbed down from the ladder and said softly.
He looked at Liu Dan, only to see that she was watching him with a complicated expression, gratitude mixed with something else faintly hidden within her eyes.