Unknowing of what his martial siblings were planning, Gui Yin had already returned to Shuangye Peak. His three little disciples had all gone into town to shop around for supplies and for his birthday present. Without them, the normally vibrant and bustling peak had turned quiet.

Gui Yin stepped into his room and closed the door behind him. He walked past his bookshelves and pulled a random book from the pile before sitting down on the divan. He kicked off his shoes and laid back. With a small sigh, he opened the book and allowed his eyes to drift over its contents.

The silence reminded him of his life in the twenty-first century.

After meeting with authors or editing documents all day, when Gui Yin returned home, he would be returning back to a silent apartment. It had only been a week, but Gui Yin was already used to the noise that the children brought.

He turned the page of the book he had barely read. If he was like this now, what was it going to be like when he really returned?

Gui Yin’s fingertip halted on top of the page. He set the book aside and stared at the door somewhat blankly.

Returned? Return to where?

Gui Yin frowned and shook his head. The first word he thought of was “home”, but when he wanted to reaffirm that idea, it immediately felt wrong. In only one week, Shuangye Peak felt more like a home than his small apartment and those three rascals of his felt more like family than his parents ever did. In the past, he felt like he never fit in, but now…in this foreign world, he finally felt like he belonged.

Gui Yin stood. He slipped back into his shoes and left his room.

He walked over to the lake that Shuangye Peak had.

The lake, similar to the name of the sect, was like a mirror that reflected the skies above and the buildings surrounding it. When it was the right season, red maple leaves would float to the surface of the lake, adding a splash of vibrancy to the already beautiful surroundings.

Now was not the time when the maple trees would lose their leaves, but that didn’t detract from the lake’s beauty.

Gui Yin’s steps paused.

“Qinle?”

Gui Yin turned around.

Lin Cangyuan had had a smile lingering on his face until he saw Gui Yin’s expression. Immediately, his expression morphed into one of concern and he took wider strides to meet Gui Yin.

“Are you okay?”

Gui Yin looked at him in confusion. “Yes, I’m fine. What’s wrong?”

“You…just before…” Lin Cangyuan’s words were stuck in his throat.

“Ah. That? Um, I think a bit of pollen got into my eyes,” Gui Yin fanned his eyes and glanced at Lin Cangyuan apologetically. “My apologies, Sect Master-shixiong. Did I frighten you?”

Lin Cangyuan let out a sigh of relief. “You did! I thought you hurt yourself or…something…”

Gui Yin glanced at Lin Cangyuan. His face paled to the point that Gui Yin doubted it was just something so simple. He smiled and reassured Lin Cangyuan again that nothing life threatening had happened to him. However, Lin Cangyuan’s reaction led Gui Yin to wonder what would make him so panicked. Could it have something to do with his memories?

Gui Yin fell into silent contemplation. Lin Cangyuan wouldn’t harm him, nor would he hide something from him that could potentially cause harm. Although they had only gotten along for a week, Gui Yin had always trusted his judgement in people. Everyone in Yunjing Pavilion genuinely cared about Lord Immortal Ninglan. But he was certainly curious about what Lin Cangyuan thought he was crying over.

Gui Yin had been lost in his thoughts until he realized Lin Cangyuan had been ranting about something.

“I just don’t know what to do.”

Gui Yin glanced at Lin Cangyuan. “If you don’t know what to do, then just don’t do anything.”

Lin Cangyuan stared at Gui Yin as if he were crazy. “How can I not do anything?! He’s so persistent in saying he likes me. I feel like I’m ruining the younger generation’s prospects.”

Gui Yin froze. “Wait, who is?”

“You weren’t listening, were you?” Lin Cangyuan frowned. He snatched Gui Yin’s fan from his fiddling hands and repeated himself. “I said Yenuo keeps insisting that he loves me. No matter what I do, I can’t get him off my back.”

Gui Yin’s jaw dropped.

Seeing Gui Yin’s expression, Lin Cangyuan smiled wryly. “Is it that shocking that someone likes me?”

“I—that’s not what I meant.” Gui Yin quickly readjusted his expression. “I was just surprised that Yenuo would…”

“Now, imagine how I would feel,” Lin Cangyuan grumbled.

Gui Yin glanced at the other man. “Well, is it because he’s a man or—”

“Who cares if he’s a man, woman, or monkey? The point is I’m his shizun and he…” Lin Cangyuan let out sigh.

Gui Yin was bubbling with the urge to gossip.

The trope of having a disciple and their shizun together had grown more and more in fashion in the past few years. In fact, it had always been in vogue amongst even the classic xianxia and wuxia stories. Since most modern people felt that a relationship between a disciple and their shizun was less taboo than a relationship between a student and their teacher, this type of forbidden fruit was the most delicious to eat. The idea of a wolf-like disciple dragging their innocent shizun to the dark side was endlessly entertaining and could be executed in a plethora of ways and was often accompanied by an exorbitant amount of plot lines!

And tropes aside, it was still true that modern day students would get crushes on teachers. Most of those cases were puppy love that would vanish as soon as the new school year rolled around. But in the case of Lin Cangyuan and Deng Yenuo…

Gui Yin could only sigh.

Lin Cangyuan’s age doesn’t even need to be mentioned. Deng Yenuo himself was already nearing four-hundred. He was not a naïve little school boy who liked an authority figure just based on looks or because he was treated specially. He was a full-grown adult who could distinguish right from wrong. If he wanted to like Lin Cangyuan, then it was his right to like Lin Cangyuan.

“When did he tell you?” Gui Yin asked.

“Just before you came back,” Lin Cangyuan said absentmindedly. His fiddled with Gui Yin’s fan. A sigh punctuated the loud flourished the fan. “I don’t know what to do. I told him I didn’t feel that way about him, but he still seems to think he has a chance.”

Gui Yin glanced at Lin Cangyuan. “Well, does he?”

“He’s my disciple! If Siyi confessed to you, would you accept?!”

Gui Yin’s face scrunched in disgust. “Siyi is a child.”

“When she’s older. Say she’s Yenuo’s age? Would you consider it?”

“I wouldn’t.”

“See?”

“That’s because I like men,” Gui Yin said. He thought for a moment before adding, “But if I did fancy women, I would at least do her the honor of thinking about it seriously before I rejected.”

Lin Cangyuan stared at Gui Yin. “Are you being serious?”

“Very serious,” Gui Yin said. “I understand that you think of Yenuo as just your disciple. However, you still have to face the fact that he’s a full-grown adult. You’re dismissing his feelings right now because you don’t think he’s sincere, not just because you don’t like him. You think it’s puppy love and that it will pass soon.”

“Because it will,” Lin Cangyuan said insistently.

Gui Yin shook his head. “Lin-shixiong, don’t think about Deng Yenuo as Deng Yenuo for a moment.”

Lin Cangyuan furrowed his brows. “What nonsense are you going to say now?”

Gui Yin hushed Lin Cangyuan and continued. “Just imagine what I’m about to say for a moment, okay?”

Lin Cangyuan reluctantly nodded.

“There was a young man whom you met during your latest excursion,” Gui Yin started, “This young man is tall and handsome, looking a bit like an overgrown puppy. He has a perpetually easy-going smile and eyes that slightly droop at the tails. Aside from his appearance, he has a good personality. He takes care of you during your entire excursion. He cooks for you, cleans for you, and he remembers even the smallest details about you. For example, he knows that you dislike blowing out the candles before bed or he remembers that you enjoy taking cold baths.”

Lin Cangyuan’s expression grew uneasy the longer he listened to Gui Yin.

“Not only that, but the one time you nearly got injured, he jumped out in front of you to save you, injuring himself in turn,” Gui Yin said. “The two of you get along like this for a few years and he suddenly turns to you and says that he loves you with all his heart and that he wants to be with you for the rest of his life. You will be his Dao companion and he will forever be your protector. And, deep in your heart, you know that he is being serious. What do you say to him?”

“…He sounds quite good.”

“But what would you say to him?”

Lin Cangyuan glared at Gui Yin. “I get it already, alright? Stop asking.”

Gui Yin clicked his tongue and snatched his fan back. He flourished the closed fan and looked Lin Cangyuan up and down in disapproval. “Seems like if that person wasn’t Deng Yenuo, then you would accept him.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because…because…because the man you’re talking about is made up,” Lin Cangyuan said. “There is no such man on this earth—only Deng Yenuo. And I would never accept Deng Yenuo’s heart.”

Gui Yin stared at Lin Cangyuan for a long time before nodding. “Then, there’s your answer, I suppose. If this is what you choose, you better act like it. Yenuo is a reasonable person. If he sees that you really aren’t interested, then naturally he would back off.”

“Then, why is he still so insistent now? He still has that childish personality,” Lin Cangyuan said.

Gui Yin listened to Lin Cangyuan huff and puff for a while, but still said nothing.

It wasn’t because Deng Yenuo had a childish personality. It was because Lin Cangyuan was obviously unsure about their relationship. If Lin Cangyuan truly didn’t like him, Gui Yin knew that Deng Yenuo would back away.

As for how he knew…well, it had to be the memories that were slowly awakening in him, bit by bit.