In Liu Buli's view, any matter he didn't know how to explain could be resolved by reading more books.
After all, books held golden houses and jade-like beauties.
All his knowledge had come from reading during his school days, and now that he was teaching a disciple, this was the only method he could think of.
He took Lu Wuming to the bookstall again, but this time he bought mostly family stories or books with a bit of color. Once he felt the teaching materials were sufficiently prepared, Liu Buli bought Lu Wuming some snacks before bringing him back to the inn.
First, he patiently explained the difference between men and women and the composition of a family, detailing the essential components of a family.
"When a man and a woman who love each other come together, they produce offspring through procreation," Liu Buli said earnestly. "A normal family structure is like this. For example, the family of three we saw on the street today came about this way."
Lu Wuming nodded.
He hadn't actually been paying attention to anyone else, nor did he know when Liu Buli had encountered the family of three on the street. When Liu Buli was by his side, his attention was solely focused on him. He didn't care who passed by or whom they met, and he would never spare them a second glance.
Nevertheless, he understood the distinction between men and women.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Wuming asked, "Master is a man, and I am also a man. Am I right, Wuming?"
"That's right," Liu Buli nodded.
Lu Wuming pondered and asked, "Then can men not have offspring if they are together?"
"Of course not," Liu Buli quickly denied. "The union of yin and yang is the proper way. Two men are double yang; this is an unnatural existence. Without yin, how can there be procreation? Wuming, don't think about strange things."
Lu Wuming said "Oh" and nodded gently.
His expression showed no change, as if his question had been a casual remark without any deeper thoughts.
Liu Buli stared at him for a moment, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, reaching this conclusion.
He wanted to raise his beloved well and hoped Lu Wuming could live a happy and joyful life like a normal person.
He didn't want Lu Wuming to become a "cut sleeve" like himself, because that path was not easy. From the original owner's memories, he could see that it was deeply reviled by the righteous cultivators of the cultivation world.
He himself couldn't change, but Lu Wuming didn't need to be tainted by it.
Lu Wuming was still young. When he grew older and his body was stronger, he would find him a good girl from a decent family. Then they could have a child, and a happy family of three would be better than anything else.
As for his own unsavory thoughts, they had vanished the moment he saw Lu Wuming.
Now, all he wanted was for Lu Wuming to be happy.
All other matters could wait until Lu Wuming was happy.
As long as he was educated well from a young age, his beloved would definitely be upright and proper.
Liu Buli had absolute confidence in himself.
But he would never know that as he listened to his answer, Lu Wuming was thinking that perhaps not having children was also quite good.
When his master had first started explaining, he had actually considered having a child with his master. A child who would carry their shared blood, a symbol of their unity.
If they could have one, it would be wonderful.
But if they didn't, it seemed there wouldn't be much of a problem.
After all, the one he loved was his master, and he only wanted to love his master. If they had a child, according to his master's explanation, love would be divided.
He could guarantee that he wouldn't divide his love, but his master was a gentle person and would surely give a large portion of his love to the child.
Thinking of that scenario, Lu Wuming felt uncomfortable all over.
Therefore, not having children was also a good thing.
His master's affection for him would never be divided.
Lu Wuming silently reached this conclusion, then looked at Liu Buli again and asked, "Master, must a family, as you say, be composed of one man and one woman?"
Liu Buli scratched his head and thought for a moment before saying, "Not necessarily. A small portion of people in this world like their own gender. Love cannot be blocked by gender, so those people will form their own families with their same-sex partners. The only difference is that they won't have children."
Lu Wuming's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but smile.
He continued to ask, "Master, do you like men or women?"
This question was direct and sharp, causing Liu Buli to blush.
He coughed uncomfortably, touched his nose to alleviate the awkwardness, and then looked away. He said, "Master likes men, but Wuming, Master must tell you, this is not the right thing. You should go..."
"I like men too."
Before Liu Buli could finish his lecture, Lu Wuming spoke. He said it very calmly, as if it were a conclusion he had reached after much thought.
Liu Buli was speechless for a moment, unsure how to teach or persuade him.
Lu Wuming, however, picked up the books on the table himself – the books Liu Buli had bought to teach him how to handle his own issues.
He couldn't understand the text, but there were illustrations.
The drawings were quite realistic, with every detail clearly depicted.
But after flipping through them for a while, Lu Wuming couldn't help but frown.
Liu Buli had finally comforted himself. Seeing Lu Wuming's actions, he couldn't help but ask from the side, "Wuming, when you look at books like this, don't you feel excited?"
"Excited?" Lu Wuming blinked.
He had learned this word that morning.
According to Liu Buli's explanation, it was an emotion where one's heart beats faster, their face flushes, and they feel very interested and happy.
He touched the area of his heart. Its beat had not quickened at all. He wasn't excited; he was even somewhat annoyed.
Especially by the depictions of women's bodies, which were nothing like his master's – so beautiful and fair, so delicate that he felt he could crush them entirely with a little force.
Thinking of Liu Buli, Lu Wuming felt his heart beat a little faster. His breathing gradually deepened, and images began to appear in his mind.
He pursed his lips and looked up at Liu Buli. He asked earnestly, "Master, can men do these things with each other? I don't want to read this book; it's boring, and I'm not interested. I want to look at men, can I?"
Liu Buli scratched his head, utterly troubled.
Why had his beloved gone astray from the start?
However, it was understandable, as he himself had gone astray initially.
It didn't matter; whether astray or upright, his beloved was still his beloved. As long as Lu Wuming wanted something, he would give it to him.
Thinking this, Liu Buli stood up without hesitation and said, "Then you wait in the room and look by yourself. Master will go buy you a few more books. Read them carefully and confirm whether you truly like men or if you're just saying it."
As soon as Liu Buli finished speaking, he left.
This time, Lu Wuming did not rush to follow.
He simply sat in his original position, looking down at the open book before him. His fingers slowly traced the patterns, and his mind was filled with images of Liu Buli.
He finally understood what that excited feeling meant when he looked at Liu Buli every day.
He wanted to do these things with Liu Buli.
He wanted Liu Buli to laugh for him and cry for him, just like the women in the book.
That look...
It must be incredibly beautiful.