Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1012 - 627: You Act Like Me?

Chapter 1012: Chapter 627: You Act Like Me?

It was just past the hour of Chen, and the guesthouse was already nearly empty.

The occupants of this unassuming inn were mostly merchants and travelers. With the city under martial law at the moment, anyone wishing to leave had to head to the checkpoint near the city gate tower to wait in advance. Otherwise, once a long queue formed, they might end up delayed in the city for an entire day.

In the guesthouse’s main hall, dozens of wooden tables were sparsely occupied by seven or eight scholarly-looking travelers. They sipped the cheapest yellow wine and ate the simplest of breakfasts.

As a major border town, Zhenxi Prefecture City’s inns typically housed either profit-driven merchants or impoverished scholars meandering through the land.

Standing by the second-floor railing, Xu Yuan overlooked the hall below. He couldn’t quite understand people like them.

Dayan was in chaos, with bandits and demonic threats rampant. Yet these powerless scholars roamed freely across the country, relying on selling calligraphy and paintings, or writing names and letters in exchange for travel expenses, all while traversing the landscapes of Dayan.

They were present in Di’an City, in the Northern Frontier, and even here in the Western Desert.

Perhaps this was the unique romance of scholars in this era.

As he mused, one middle-aged scholar in linen robes seemed to notice someone on the second floor and looked in Xu Yuan’s direction.

For an instant, their gazes met. The scholar broke into a hearty smile and raised his cup to Xu Yuan in invitation.

Xu Yuan froze momentarily, glanced at his own coarse linen clothing, and smiled as he shook his head in polite refusal.

If he had the time, he wouldn’t mind chatting with these people to hear about their lives. But today, he had other matters to attend to.

"Creak——"

The wooden door behind him let out an aged groan. Along with the sound of footsteps on wooden planks, Li Junwu’s deliberately lowered voice whispered from behind:

"Changtian, what are you looking at?"

"....."

Xu Yuan turned slightly to glance at her, only to see a handsome young gentleman standing jauntily at the doorway.

When dressed in red attire, Li Junwu’s eyebrows carried an air of heroic grace. But in male garb, her feminine charm made her seem somewhat delicate.

As he watched, Li Junwu had already walked to his side and stood still.

Retracting his gaze, Xu Yuan gestured below:

"Looking at those scholars."

Li Junwu cast a glance at the group below. Her expression remained unflustered:

"Just a bunch of aimless literati. What’s there to see?"

In Dayan, scholars often disdained one another, and martial artists held an even lower opinion of scholars.

Xu Yuan glanced at her with mild surprise and said:

"You seem to dislike them quite a bit?"

Li Junwu was unfazed and replied:

"Some of these scholars hold official ranks yet spend their days wandering aimlessly. When trouble arises, it’s those in power who must clean up after them."

Xu Yuan shook his head and murmured:

"They’re simply following the teachings of the Sub-sage from seven hundred years ago: to walk ten thousand miles, help countless people, and spread the Way across the land."

"Such pretentious rhetoric. At the end of the day, isn’t it just for fame and to gain an edge during the imperial examinations?"

"Judge actions, not intentions."

Xu Yuan chuckled and casually took out a Human Skin Mask from his Sumeru Ring, handing it to her: "Put this on first, and then we’ll head to the government office."

Li Junwu accepted the mask, a touch of surprise flashing in her eyes:

"Will this mask block Will-spirit detection?"

"The Geometry Institute created it. No one but a Saint can see through it."

"Just like the one you’re wearing?"

"Apologies, but not even a Saint could see through mine."

"....."

As Li Junwu put on the mask, she clicked her tongue in mock annoyance:

"Look at you, bragging like that."

Letting out a soft laugh, Xu Yuan shot an ambiguous glance toward the room behind them. In a low voice, he asked:

"Did you settle the matter with the Goddess?"

Li Junwu rolled her sharp, beautiful eyes and replied quietly:

"You’d already done half the work yourself. Why make me take over all of a sudden?"

Xu Yuan sighed faintly and replied as if it were only natural:

"Even if Jia Yi brought this upon herself, I can’t go overboard. She’s still useful. But you’re different. Besides, isn’t this part of the fun between you two?"

Li Junwu pursed her red lips momentarily, then snorted softly:

"I have no idea where you learned these binding techniques. When we return, Jia Yi will surely have a hard time recovering."

"Life needs a little excitement."

Xu Yuan nudged her slim waist with his elbow and grinned: "I’m selflessly teaching you this. You’ll get to use it someday too. A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt, you know?"

Li Junwu pursed her lips and huffed:

"With all your tricks, anyone who becomes your beloved is truly doomed to suffer."

"You’re not a fish, so how would you know the fish’s joy~"

"Anyway, I prefer gentler things."

"Huh? I’m teaching you to use it, not asking you to try it out with me."

"......"

Hearing this, a peculiar light flickered in Li Junwu’s dark, lustrous eyes. She looked away, her gaze landing on the main hall below:

"Enough. Stop babbling! Let’s get moving."

"......"

Xu Yuan’s expression turned somewhat strange as he tilted his head to study her side profile.

That odd feeling from earlier surged back. Looking at his companion, he suddenly felt he might have grasped something fleeting yet significant.

Feeling his stare, Li Junwu turned back and glared at him, her tone irritable:

"What are you staring at? Never seen this before?"

Xu Yuan grinned and tentatively asked:

"Li Junwu, last night... were you being serious?"

Suppressing the surge of emotions in her chest and quickly gathering her thoughts, Li Junwu answered with a faint smile:

"Hmm... Which part are you referring to?"

After studying her for a moment and finding no clues, Xu Yuan decided to leave it for now:

"It’s nothing. Maybe I misunderstood. Let’s go."

"..."

Li Junwu clenched her fists instantly.

You bastard!

After all the mental preparation, you’re just letting it slide?

As she followed him, trying to act casual, Li Junwu teased:

"What, are you thinking about becoming my live-in husband? I was absolutely serious about that, you know~"

"....."

Xu Yuan didn’t respond, continuing forward as if he hadn’t heard a word.

The two walked into the main hall. The innkeeper immediately approached them, but Li Junwu waved him off dismissively. Once outside, the street bustled with open shopfronts and street vendors, their calls creating a lively atmosphere.

They walked in silence. Xu Yuan led the way, while Li Junwu followed behind, feeling mildly uneasy.

After walking an entire block, Xu Yuan suddenly stopped and turned to look at her.

Li Junwu instinctively straightened her spine. Even her bandaged chest felt slightly tighter, but her expression remained as calm as ever, waiting for his reply.

The next moment,

"Hold on. Zhenxi Prefecture is your turf. Why are you making me, the guest, lead the way?"

"......"

Li Junwu nearly threw a punch at his face on the spot.

Where was the response she had been waiting for?

Suppressing her irritation and disappointment, Li Junwu, still in her male disguise, feigned indifference and walked past him.

After quickly determining the direction, she prepared to lead the way but heard Xu Yuan’s calm voice transmitted through the air:

"Li Junwu, you... aren’t just acting with me this whole time, are you?"