"Beloved!" Chan’er’s singsong voice drifted into the kitchen, where Li Yundong was drying the last of the dishes . "Your phone box just vibrated a little!"

  Li Yundong bit back a smile . "Alright! I’ll be right out!" he yelled, hanging the dish towel near the sink .

  They had finished dinner fifteen minutes ago and he was now cleaning up the kitchen . After learning of Liuhe’s disappearance, Li Yundong had decided that he had had enough of all the negativity, so he had offered to take Chan’er out for some fun . Chan’er was still in the doldrums when he made the offer, but she agreed nonetheless—though he suspected that she’d done that to ease his worry .

  Regardless, they ended up spending the whole afternoon at the amusement park . The trip was okay, he supposed . Chan’er did have fun on the roller coaster and the Space Shuttle rides . But then something was still missing . Chan’er’s cheeriness, her larger-than-life attitude, was gone . She no longer swatted at balloons within reach, or pointed at random food stalls .

  She was subdued .

  The most painful part was that she had tried to hide her sadness from him: smiling whenever their eyes met; cheering whenever he drew her attention to something he thought she might find interesting, but then staying completely silent any other time .

  When it got too painful to watch, Li Yundong took her hand and led her out of the amusement park . After that, they took a cab back to New Hongsheng District, but stopped by a grocery store to buy ingredients for dinner .

  Chan’er had cheered up a little after dinner, thank Acalanatha for that . Although he suspected that the Beer Duck Stew he’d made for dinner might have played a role in her improved mood……

  Still, this was good progress .

  So . What’s next on the menu? McDonalds? Fried dumplings? He’d buy her anything if it meant cheering her up .

  With one last glance at the sink, Li Yundong padded out of the kitchen and made a beeline towards the living room . The TV was on, and Chan’er was watching soap operas with her feet propped up on the coffee table .

  He stopped behind the couch and patted Chan’er’s head . "Having fun?"

  Chan’er bobbed her head without taking her eyes off the TV screen . "Mm-hmm!"

  Li Yundong’s heart warmed .

  He spotted his phone on the coffee table and launched his Zhenqi at it . It took the device three seconds to float from the table to his hand .

  It was a text from Zi Yuan:

  Meet up tomorrow . Still being watched, but can find a way to get to your apartment undetected . Hongling will be joining . What time suits?

  Li Yundong stared at the screen for a moment . Chan’er giggled at something on the TV .

  He typed out a reply:

  Come around noon . Will cook lunch .

  Chan’er giggled again, which made him smile . Then, Chan’er squeaked when Li Yundong leaped over the back of the couch and landed beside her .

  "Whatcha watching, hmm?" Li Yundong tickled Chan’er’s waist .

  "Kyaa!" Chan’er twisted away from his hands . "Soap shows! Soap shows!"

  Li Yundong smiled . "You never get tired of those shows, do you?"

  Chan’er bobbed her head . "I kinda missed it . " A yearning look spread across her face . "I mean, when we were……"

  Li Yundong ruffled her head . "I know . "

  His phone buzzed again . He unlocked the screen and pulled up another text from Zi Yuan:

  Should we bring anything?

  Li Yundong smiled and typed out a quick reply:

  Yes . Your appetites .

  The phone floated back towards the coffee table . "Chan’er . "

  "Hmm?"

  "Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling will be coming over for lunch tomorrow . "

  Chan’er turned away from the TV screen . "Oh . "

  Li Yundong smiled . "Do you want to try Zi Yuan’s cooking?"

  Chan’er’s eyes sparkled a little . "Can I?"

  Li Yundong pinched her cheek . "I’m sure she won’t mind whipping up a dish or two . " Li Yundong let go of Chan’er’s cheek . "But it’s up to her though . "

  The light in Chan’er’s eyes dimmed a little . "Um…… will we……" She stole a glance at Li Yundong . "Will we be discussing Master’s rescue?"

  "Yeah . " Li Yundong sighed . "We definitely need to come up with a good, solid plan . " Li Yundong held Chan’er’s gaze . "We can’t afford any mistakes . " He shook his head . "Yan Fang is too cunning . Too devious . "

  Chan’er looked down and fiddled with her sleeve .

  "But something tells me that Yan Fang won’t harm your master just yet . "

  Chan’er’s gaze snapped up . Li Yundong could hear the gears turning in her pretty little head . "Bahuang……"

  Li Yundong nodded . "When I was fighting the Great Six’s army, Zi Yuan sent Ruan Hongling to look for you and your master’s sword . " Li Yundong leaned towards Chan’er . "But here’s the thing . Ruan Hongling couldn’t find the sword . " Li Yundong paused for a few seconds . "So either Yan Fang already has it, or……"

  Chan’er’s eyes gleamed . "Or Master had hidden Bahuang somewhere . "

  Li Yundong smiled . "Yeah . "

  Understanding and relief flooded Chan’er’s eyes . "I see……" She sagged against the back of the couch . "Heavens, you’re right, Yundong…… Yan Fang kept screaming at Master to give her the sword…… So Master…… She knew……" Chan’er shot him a hopeful glance . "She suspected……"

  Li Yundong smiled pulled her into his arms . "Your master is a clever woman, Chan’er . I think she managed to figure out that the sword was what Yan Fang was after . I don’t know how, but she must’ve hidden Bahuang after she got ambushed so that Yan Fang had no access to it . "

  "So that Yan Fang would have a reason to keep her alive," Chan’er whispered .

  Li Yundong nodded . "I think that was her plan . " Li Yundong chuckled . "And it worked . "

  Chan’er buried her face against his chest . "Oh, thank Heavens . "

  Li Yundong planted a kiss on her hair . "She’s going to be alright . Have more faith in your master, okay? She’s strong . "

  Chan’er nodded . "Mmm!"

  They stayed like that for a while, seeking comfort in each other’s presence . Suddenly, Chan’er pulled away .

  "Yundong……"

  Li Yundong smiled . "Yes?"

  "Do you think there’s some kind of special reason why Yan Fang wanted Bahuang?" Chan’er was frowning . "She’s got so many magical objects already . Mo-shībó’s hairpin . That strange box she used to trap Master……" Chan’er stared at him for a moment . "Do you think she’s some kind of collector?"

  Well, technically, the hairpin was now in the hands of that Zheng Yuan dude, but Chan’er didn’t know that . Li Yundong pondered her words for a moment . "I’m not sure about her being a collector, but Zi Yuan did mention something interesting the other day . "

  Chan’er slid closer to him .

  "She said that Liuhe……" Li Yundong glanced at Chan’er . "That’s another sword, by the way . Yan Fang used to own it . " When Chan’er nodded, he continued, "Zi Yuan said that Liuhe and Bahuang can combine to form another powerful sword . "

  "Another powerful sword?" Chan’er stared back at him, stunned .

  Li Yundong nodded .

  Chan’er suddenly grabbed his arm . "What sword? What’s it capable of?"

  "I don’t know, Chan’er . " Li Yundong shook his head . "I don’t even know the sword’s name . " He smiled and padded Chan’er’s head . "We’re gonna have to ask Zi Yuan tomorrow, I’m afraid—"

  His phone rang .

  "Um…… Yundong…… Your phone box has Zhou Qin jiějie’s name on it . "

  As the phone floated towards him from the coffee table, Chan’er reached for the remote and turned off the TV .

  He picked up the call and put it on loudspeaker .

  "Hello," he said, giving Chan’er a smile .

  Chan’er smiled back .

  "H- Hi…… Master?"

  Chan’er’s looked adorably puzzled . Li Yundong watched the quick transition of emotions on her pretty face: puzzlement; realization; understanding; surprise; then finally, joy .

  "Yundong! Y- You……" She gaped . "You’ve taken a disciple?!"

  "Um…… Wait…… Is that…… S- Su Chan?"

  "Yes, Zhou Qin . You’re on loudspeaker, by the way," Li Yundong said, smiling at Chan’er .

  Zhou Qin cleared her throat . "Good evening, Master, Mistress . "

  Chan’er stared at him with disbelief . Mistress? she mouthed the words to Li Yundong .

  Li Yundong shrugged . "Good evening, Zhou Qin . How are you?"

  "No, Master . How are you?" Zhou Qin said incredulously . "You’ve been absent from the university for days . "

  Li Yundong sighed . "First of all . Please drop the Master, okay? Just use my name . Please . "

  "As you wish, Ma— I mean, Li Yundong . "

  "Thank you," Li Yundong said, rubbing his temples .

  "Are you returning to school any time soon?" Zhou Qin asked . "Feng Na xuejie has been asking me for your whereabouts . "

  Li Yundong shared a glance with Chan’er, then sighed . "I’m sorry, Zhou Qin . But I can’t right now . "

  "Oh . Um……" Zhou Qin hesitated for a moment . "Can I ask why?"

  "I’ve got things I need to take care of . " He looked towards Chan’er . "Important things that cannot be delayed . "

  "I see……"

  "Yeah . "

  "Anything I can do to help?"

  "Well……" Li Yundong glanced at Chan’er .

  It’s your call, Chan’er mouthed to him .

  "Yes?" Zhou Qin asked .

  Chan’er moved her lips again: I don’t mind .

  Li Yundong stared at her .

  Chan’er shrugged, then mouthed more words to him: She’s your disciple now .

  Li Yundong nodded . "Actually, yeah . It would be nice if you can help . "

  "Really?" Zhou Qin sounded thrilled .

  "Yes . "

  "Okay . What should I do?"

  Li Yundong shared a glance with Chan’er . "Come by my apartment around noon tomorrow . " He smiled at Chan’er . "And make sure you show up with a healthy appetite . I’ll be making lunch . "

  "Um…… Okay . That’s…… That sounds great . " Zhou Qin paused . "I’ll…… See you tomorrow?"

  Li Yundong nodded . "See you tomorrow . "

  "Right . Good night, Ma—" Zhou Qin cleared her throat . "Good night, Li Yundong . "

  "Good night, Zhou Qin jiějie!" Chan’er yelled at the phone . "Nice hearing from you again!"

  Zhou Qin laughed . "Likewise, Su Chan . Good night to you both . "

  The call ended with a click .