"It's not good."
"I can eat all of these. If you don't want to eat, then forget it."
"Shen..." Gu An had barely uttered the first syllable when her gaze inadvertently fell upon the book in Shen Xian's sleeve. She then relented, "I'll allow you to eat, but can you let me see this thing of yours?" She gestured towards Shen Xian's sleeve.
For the past month, every time Gu An brought him food, Shen Xian would take out his book.
However, Gu An had long been curious about what it could be. She felt that now was an opportunity.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's expression shifted. He deliberately pushed the book further into his sleeve and said, "No."
"Then don't eat."
"I..."
"Let me see it," Gu An extended her hand.
Shen Xian knitted his brows, hesitantly took the book out of his sleeve, and handed it to Gu An.
A smile tugged at Gu An's lips. "That's more like it." As she took the book and flipped it open, she frowned.
Shen Xian knew Gu An would wear that expression after seeing the book. He picked up his chopsticks and, feigning nonchalance, began to eat.
Gu An: "...." She swallowed, quickly flipping through the contents of the book. She discovered that it contained descriptions of the flavors of various dishes, along with illustrations of the food.
Shen Xian said, "These were all drawn by my junior brother."
For three years, Shen Xian had never mentioned having a junior brother. Hearing him say this now, Gu An was also surprised, "You have a junior brother?"
"Yes," Shen Xian said, lifting his bowl and eating as he spoke. "My junior brother's name is Shen Yan. I used to lie to him, telling him I had no sense of taste. In the end, I tricked him into eating a pill in front of the alchemy furnace. After that, I lost my sense of taste."
Listening to Shen Xian's words, Gu An suddenly recalled the first time she met Shen Xian at the inn.
She couldn't help but remember that plate of rotten leaves. Thinking back now, any normal person would have vomited if they ate it.
But he hadn't that day. And later, every time they tasted something bad, Gu An and Xu Lan would complain for a long time, but he never did.
On the contrary, he always liked to say that food should not be wasted.
Gu An, upon reflection, finally realized that all those words were Shen Xian's lies to cover this up.
"...." Her eyes darkened as she asked, "Can your sense of taste be cured?"
"...." Shen Xian shook his head.
"Then..."
"I think I'm quite content the way I am now."
"But..."
"Don't say anymore," Shen Xian reached out and took the book from Gu An's hand. "My junior brother always felt regret for my lack of taste, so he tasted all sorts of delicacies for me and recorded them in this book for me to read, to help me imagine those flavors."
Upon hearing this, Gu An asked cautiously, "Your junior brother, is he Shen Yan?"
Shen Xian said, "Yes, his name is Shen Yan. I thought you wouldn't remember."
Gu An: "...." She had always thought Shen Yan was Shen Xian's master. Who would have thought he was Shen Xian's junior brother? She felt a bit bewildered.
"What's wrong?"
However, Gu An did not want Shen Xian to know about her past with Shen Yan.
So, she said, "Nothing, I just didn't expect you to have a junior brother."
"I didn't intend to mention it, but I thought you would know sooner or later."
"Yes," Gu An forced a smile.
Shen Xian did not notice Gu An's nervous expression.
In the following days, Gu An fell into another wave of worries.
Sitting at the table in the courtyard, she propped her chin with one hand, contemplating the relationship between Shen Xian and Shen Yan, and the instructions Xu Lan had given her that night.
Ultimately, she dismissed Shen Yan from her mind and decided to help Shen Xian recover his sense of taste, and perhaps, find a way for him to remember her.
With these thoughts, she left a note saying she was going out and departed.
Half a month later.
Gu An, still dressed as a beggar, returned to the courtyard. She looked at Shen Xian, who was watering flowers in the center of the yard, and said, "I'm back!"
Upon hearing her, Shen Xian did not stop his actions. "...."
Gu An glanced at Shen Xian's busy back and asked, "Why are you ignoring me?"
Shen Xian said, "So, you do know how to come back."
Gu An had long expected Shen Xian to be angry about this, so she smiled and walked forward, saying, "The person I love is here, so of course I know how to come back."
Immediately, Shen Xian turned to look at Gu An and asked, "Where did you go?"
"I went to all the places we've been, and I've put our memories into this." Gu An confessed, pulling a pill from her sleeve.
Seeing this, Shen Xian furrowed his brows, walked up to Gu An, took the pill from her hand, and said, "Are you crazy?"
"This is the Jie Shi Pill. It contains my memories with you, but it hasn't been fully developed yet."
"Your memories with me?"
"Yes, it can neutralize all poisons in the world, and it can also make you remember me, or... make me remember you."
"I haven't forgotten you. How could there be a need for me to remember you?"
"You are an immortal, and I am... a cultivator of demonic arts, and I have no immortal destiny," Gu An remembered Xu Lan's words, saying, "Your master will definitely not agree to us, so to prevent your master from taking your memories, I developed this Jie Shi Pill. If you eat it, you won't forget me, and our memories will always be in your heart."
"My master will definitely agree to us."
Gu An knew in her heart that Shen Xian couldn't change anything. She also knew that what she was doing might be in vain.
But even so, she had to try, even if he only vaguely remembered her.
"Yes, in the future, I will definitely give you a big surprise," she said.
Shen Xian had wanted to find Gu An for the entire half month she was gone, but he was also worried that she might suddenly return.
Thus, he agonized between going and not going for over half a month.
Just as he was preparing to make up his mind to go look for her, she returned safely.
Looking at her now, he retracted all the words he intended to admonish her with and smiled.
Gu An also smiled and put away the Jie Shi Pill.
Shen Xian asked, "Why did you put it away again?"
"Do you want to eat it?"
"No, I don't."
"Then that's right. This is the result of my half-month's effort, after all. Of course, I have to keep it safe. What if..."
Gu An had only spoken half her sentence when Shen Xian suddenly reached out, placed his hands on her arms, then leaned down and gently kissed her lips, saying, "My master will definitely agree to us. This will never be needed."
In all the time they had been together, this was the first time Shen Xian had kissed her. Looking at Shen Xian now, her heart pounded, and she said, her face flushed red, "I know." She swallowed.
Then, Shen Xian hugged her.
Within Gu An's body, Mu An Xiao woke up the moment Shen Xian embraced Gu An.
"Hey, they're hugging," she said, patting her head. "Three years. My consciousness has been dormant in her body for three years. Uh, these two... so..."