CHAPTER 261: 0173 THE MEANING OF COMPATIBILITY (TWO-IN-ONE)_2

"These things aren’t important." Yun Qian didn’t know what Xu Chang’an was thinking. She grabbed Xu Chang’an’s fingers and seriously said after he looked over: "There’s something I want to ask you."

"What is it?" Xu Chang’an was stunned.

"The sword." Yun Qian brought up the matter that had been bothering her.

Xu Chang’an looked at Yun Qian’s slightly furrowed brows, unable to comprehend, and murmured, "Sword...what sword."

"The sword you promised to give me, it flew away just now." Yun Qian pointed to the sturdy wooden stake in the rain.

Xu Chang’an: "..."

Hiss.

He had forgotten about it.

"The teacher used it," Xu Chang’an explained.

"Used?" Yun Qian tilted her head.

Xu Chang’an then told Yun Qian about Li Zhibai practicing sword in the rain when he went over.

"Why didn’t you bring it back, didn’t she return it to you?" Yun Qian’s tone was calm, but Xu Chang’an could clearly feel that the girl was displeased.

"I was busy grabbing the umbrella," Xu Chang’an sighed softly, thinking about how the rain had startled him earlier, leaving him flustered.

How could he remember to bring the longsword when leaving?

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt warmth on his neck, turning his head to find Yun Qian embracing him.

"Are you okay?" Yun Qian’s tone was gentle.

"I’m fine." Xu Chang’an thought how his emotions had affected Miss Yun again... but he couldn’t help it, facing the closest person, it’s hard to control his unease.

"Better now?" Yun Qian quickly released her hands from Xu Chang’an’s neck, saying, "Then let’s go get it back."

Xu Chang’an’s eye twitched: "Miss, you’re too quick."

Is this the girl’s way of comforting him?

Quite efficient, indeed.

"Shall I hold you a bit longer?" Yun Qian asked.

"No need." Xu Chang’an glanced at the rain pattering outside the window and said, "I’ll go get the sword back now, it’s about time we head back."

Getting wet is no big deal, he’ll use spiritual power to ensure Miss Yun doesn’t catch cold, and as for soaked clothes... they can be washed later.

"Us." Yun Qian said.

"Us?" Xu Chang’an was puzzled.

"We’ll go together."

"No need for that."

Xu Chang’an shook his head: "From here to the teacher’s main building is quite a distance."

"Together." Yun Qian said again.

She had serious business.

She needed to find Li Zhibai to fix her makeup.

"...Then together." Xu Chang’an looked at Yun Qian curiously, it was rare to see the girl being so serious, he naturally couldn’t refuse.

Actually, Xu Chang’an had somewhat guessed Yun Qian’s thoughts.

After pondering, he held Yun Qian’s hand and walked out the door.

Hmm.

He was curious how Miss Yun and the teacher interacted.

——

The thick cloud layers blocked the sky’s only light source, enveloping the entire courtyard in darkness.

A few water droplets fell into the puddles under the eaves, causing ripples.

Outside the eaves, the downpour had slightly lessened but the momentum of the falling rain was still nerve-wracking.

When Xu Chang’an looked at the small umbrella Li Zhibai gave him by the wall, he realized that the umbrella was fine for one person, but wouldn’t suffice for another person like Miss Yun.

Under the eaves, Yun Qian naturally picked up the umbrella by the wall and walked from beneath the eaves to Xu Chang’an’s side after opening it.

"Your clothes are all wet." Yun Qian shook her head slightly as she noticed the moisture clinging to Xu Chang’an.

"Miss." Xu Chang’an looked at the girl so close to him, realizing that the scene seemed mesmerizing.

The rain was dense, the raindrops from high above hitting the ground producing a pleasant sound.

Miss Yun’s white fingers holding the umbrella handle caught Xu Chang’an’s eyes, making it hard for him to look away.

The girl was indeed beautiful, also warm.

The heavy rain splashed nearby in the courtyard.

"Hmm?" Yun Qian was waiting for Xu Chang’an to speak after he called her, but there was no noise for a while.

"Hold the umbrella yourself." Xu Chang’an said helplessly, "This umbrella isn’t enough for two."

Though enchanting, the best way now was for Yun Qian to use the umbrella alone, and he would just get wet.

Yun Qian: "..."

She originally wanted to stop the rain, but she had seen Xu Chang’an’s slightly trembling yearning gaze just now.

She knew very well that her husband wished to walk in the rain with her.

After all, she usually never went out, and when it rained, Xu Chang’an wouldn’t let her out either, making the chance of walking together in the rain quite rare.

"Together." Yun Qian said without hesitation.

"Listen to me." Xu Chang’an could vaguely smell Yun Qian’s pleasant fragrance, but he controlled himself.

"You take the umbrella." Yun Qian said, handing the opened umbrella to Xu Chang’an.

Xu Chang’an didn’t take it.

"You said... you’d protect me." Yun Qian suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

Xu Chang’an was stunned, looking at Yun Qian with a tranquil expression, framed by the dense curtain of rain, her gaze like water.

"See, I’m protecting you now..." Xu Chang’an blinked faster, thinking he was restraining his mind, letting Yun Qian walk alone was indeed protecting her.

"It’s different." Yun Qian disagreed.

The rain was new, with a black and white umbrella above.

Having a shield from the rain was quite normal.

But holding the umbrella was having it shield her, not Xu Chang’an.

Only when Xu Chang’an held the umbrella, was it him protecting her.

That was Miss Yun’s logic, quite reasonable.

"..."

So she explained this logic to Xu Chang’an, which naturally resulted in his helpless, yet logical, albeit slightly baffling expression.

"Miss, truly it’s you." Xu Chang’an marveled, sometimes utterly impressed by Miss Yun’s thought process.

Yun Qian didn’t respond to Xu Chang’an, instead repeating what she said: "You said you’d protect me."

"Of course." Xu Chang’an didn’t refuse this time, gently taking the umbrella handle from Yun Qian.

He couldn’t persuade Yun Qian, had to go along with her.

If insisting one should get wet, Yun Qian would certainly be unhappy.

He wouldn’t break his promise to Yun Qian, even though this promise was something she crafted herself.

Of course, before agreeing to the girl’s whim, he discreetly input a trace of spiritual power into Yun Qian’s body to protect her from the cold invasion.

Xu Chang’an held the umbrella and said, "Miss, stay close to me."

"Already am." Yun Qian didn’t need reminding, staying closely by Xu Chang’an as they emerged from the eaves, walking slowly into the rain.

——

The rain was heavy, also windy, with the small black and white umbrella failing to cover much. After only a few steps, Yun Qian paused, whispering near Xu Chang’an’s ear, "My embroidered shoes... are soaked."

"I knew it." Xu Chang’an said helplessly, "Very uncomfortable, huh? Still want to walk with me in the rain again?"

"Yes."

Yun Qian nodded lightly, saying, "I’m just telling you."

Then she paused: "I thought... you’d tilt the umbrella to shield me."

Yun Qian originally expected Xu Chang’an to hold the umbrella to shield her, leaving himself exposed.

Unexpectedly, Xu Chang’an balanced the umbrella to cover both, so now, both their shoulders were already soaked.

Wanting both to shield means neither got fully sheltered.

"Miss wants to say... like a father holding an umbrella for his daughter?" Xu Chang’an smirked: "You think I’m ’selfish’, and not caring for, protecting you?"

"No." Yun Qian looked at her drenched half and seriously said: "I like it this way more."

"Enjoying the rain? If I didn’t have spiritual power protecting you... never mind, if it makes you happy, being willful doesn’t matter." Xu Chang’an looked at Yun Qian’s delighted demeanor, shook his head, eyes full of affection.

"Hmm." Yun Qian looked at Xu Chang’an with increasingly gentle eyes.

He... surely knew how to make her happy.

A couple is all about sharing an umbrella and facing the storm together.