"What can we do? We can only rely on ourselves," Hei Feng said, reaching out to wipe the tears from the boy's eyes. "No more crying."
"Mm," the boy nodded.
Hei Feng stood up and said, "Alright, remember what you promised me. When we see that fellow later, I can help you."
"How will you help me?" the boy asked, looking up.
Hei Feng looked down at the boy and smiled, "Just say that I was curious, and as I was pulling the hair strands, a gust of wind blew them away." He spread his hands.
"Why would you help me?" the boy asked foolishly.
"Because you are our elder brother. If I don't say that, your position beside that fellow will gradually decline," Hei Feng smiled. "Do you understand?"
The boy smiled, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Hei Feng said, extending his hand to the boy. "Want to hold hands while we walk, kid?"
"..." The boy glanced at Hei Feng's large hand, then looked down at his own small hands and said, "When will I grow up?"
"It's great to be a child. Growing up isn't fun," Hei Feng withdrew his hand and said.
"No, I want to become an adult. Only by becoming an adult can I bear some of this pressure. Ever since I came here," the boy pouted and started to cry, "I feel so tired."
"Indeed, for a child your age to bear all this, it would be suffocating," Hei Feng mumbled, squatting down and hugging the boy. "Alright, you're lucky to have met me. From now on, that fellow and I will help you share the burden. You can just focus on being our leader, but don't be harsh. You must always retain your childlike side, work happily, and play happily, okay?"
Listening to Hei Feng's words, the boy leaned his face tightly against Hei Feng's shoulder and burst into tears.
"When you're done crying, go do your work," Hei Feng patted the boy's head.
In the cave, the young man had already locked up the few demon souls.
"When will our sentence be delivered?" the first leopard-patterned demon asked.
"Yes," the second leopard-patterned demon glanced cautiously at the first large-headed demon and said, "How long do we have to stay here?"
"That..." the young man was at a loss for words.
"Don't you know?" the second leopard-patterned demon pointed at the young man and asked.
The young man tilted his head and said, "That depends on what our young leader arranges."
"You are an adult, and you are ordered around by a child. Don't you find it shameful?" the first leopard-patterned demon said intentionally.
"Exactly, isn't it shameful?" they said in unison.
The young man looked at the demons who were intentionally provoking the relationship between him and the boy, clenched his fists, and shouted, "Shut up, or I'll make you taste some hardship." As he spoke, he spread his hand and conjured a long whip.
Seeing this, the demon souls shut their mouths one by one.
"Don't think I can't see that you're trying to sow discord between me and the young leader," the young man said, his eyes narrowing.
The first leopard-patterned demon covered his mouth.
The second leopard-patterned demon gave the first large-headed demon, who was glaring at him, a silly smile.
At the inn, Mu Anxiao had been sneezing non-stop from some unknown time. Sitting at the table, she picked up the teapot and frowned, "Add hot water for me."
The young man, also fed up with Mu Anxiao's commands, stepped forward and said, "I advise you not to drink anymore."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned to look at the young man and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"You sneeze after every sip of water, and then you ask me to add more water. You drink again, and then sneeze again. Of course, your sneezing isn't the problem, it's your loud voice. Some guests were so startled by you just now that they almost spat out their food. So," the young man's mouth curled up slightly, "you'd better not drink anymore."
Mu Anxiao sighed and waved her hand, "Go away."
"You're not drinking anymore?" the young man asked uncertainly.
Mu Anxiao grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and said, "Go away."
"Alright," the young man smiled and turned away.
Mu Anxiao sighed and listlessly cracked sunflower seeds.
At the same time, Shi Yi walked up to the table and looked down at the sunflower seed shells under Mu Anxiao's feet, saying unceremoniously, "Can you please not throw your sunflower seed shells on the floor?"
Mu Anxiao looked up at Shi Yi, who seemed to be looking for trouble, and said, "I didn't throw these."
"Then who did?" Shi Yi asked.
Mu Anxiao looked down and said, "If you want to know who threw these, just go up and take a look."
"I only see you cracking sunflower seeds," Shi Yi said, grabbing Mu Anxiao's wrist.
Mu Anxiao was startled and looked up at Shi Yi again. "You dead rat spirit, I advise you to let go of my hand, or I won't be polite to you."
"You go up," Shi Yi said, releasing his grip.
Mu Anxiao gasped, "What business do you have with where I sit?"
"This is a public place after all. If some guest sees the floor full of..."
"Look over there," Mu Anxiao pointed to the peanut shells under a nearby table.
Shi Yi glanced in the direction of Mu Anxiao's finger. Just as he was about to speak, Mu Anxiao said, "I told you, don't talk to me when you see me, or I won't be polite to you." She widened her eyes.
Shi Yi was taken aback.
"Go away," Mu Anxiao coldly spat out two words.
Immediately, Shi Yi walked away without a word.
Mu Anxiao looked down at the sunflower seed shells on the floor and stood up, heading towards the stairs.
Upstairs, Xu Lan Yan was throwing sunflower seed shells on the floor one by one. Hong Yan looked at Xu Lan Yan with disdain, not daring to speak. The green-clad man said quietly, "Don't you approve?"
Hong Yan hummed in agreement.
Xu Lan Yan heard the green-clad man's voice and looked up, saying, "What are you whispering about?"
"Senior brother, you should pay some attention to your image. This habit of throwing sunflower seed shells everywhere is not good," the green-clad man said frankly.
"Oh, you're lecturing me, junior brother," Xu Lan Yan said, dropping the sunflower seeds he was holding and standing up.
The green-clad man smiled helplessly.
Feng Qi Shi stood by the window, looking at the dim sky outside, his brow furrowed.
At the same time, Mu Anxiao knocked forcefully on the door.
"Who is it?" Hong Yan asked.
"Me," Mu Anxiao responded loudly.
Upon hearing this, Hong Yan hurried to the door and, as soon as she unbolted it, Mu Anxiao pushed the door open, crossed the threshold, and went straight to Xu Lan Yan. She looked expressionlessly at the sunflower seed shells on the floor, "Xu Lan Yan, can you be more considerate?"
"What's wrong with me?" Xu Lan Yan frowned.
Mu Anxiao pointed to the sunflower seed shells on the floor, "It's all because of you that the dead rat spirit is bothering me. If you throw them around again, I'll make you crack sunflower seeds all day until you get so angry you can't function."
Looking at Mu Anxiao's fierce expression, Xu Lan Yan blinked and said, "I won't eat them anymore."