"Calm down! We're just getting started!" Meng Fei intervened in a pacifying tone. The two kept trying for a while longer, switching the order of the verses and rewriting them. Meng Fei even revised the entire matrix design. They spent over an hour on this, until they were exhausted and frustrated.

"Okay, it won't do any more to try randomly." He spread dirt to cover up the design with his foot. "Let's rationalize this process and calmly review the enchantment at home."

Li Jiong was in a pitiful state. What would become of him and his companions if he didn't make it back? He was the one who had been carrying the problems caused by Meng Fei on his shoulders, but no one else had the courage to take on such an onerous job!

"You do not come?" Meng Fei called out to him. He was already on his way out, near the front door.

"Where?" The man questioned in a daze, not knowing where he would go now in this unknown place. Where would he sleep? How would you go about eating?

"You have nowhere to go, but I can't leave you at the office. So I'm going to take you to my house. Come on, it's getting cold here."

Li Jiong looked at him in bewilderment and then hurried to keep up. Meng Fei led him to his car in the parking lot. Li Jiong had already ridden in a carriage several times, however, this one was really different. He remembered that there were a lot of them when he fell and they nearly ran him over.

Meng Fei opened the driver's door but seeing Li Jiong paralyzed beside the car he remembered that he didn't know how to open the vehicle door. Glad that no one else was there to see it, he walked around the car and opened the passenger door.

If the employees saw this, they would be sure that they knew each other and that on top of that they were very intimate!

"That's how it opens, but first you have to unlock it with a key, like this." He showed.

Seeing the other still reluctant to enter he added: "Uh, you can come in, it's safe inside." Li Jiong entered cautiously, feeling that the interior of such a carriage was a bit cramped. And that's because it was an SUV, if it were a compact he would have a claustrophobia crisis.

Meng Fei got in and started the engine. "Oh, buckle up too." He taught how to do it. Li Jiong tried to copy the movements but almost found himself tied up by that black rope. He snorted, "What's this thing for?"

"A car runs much faster than a horse. So if you get hit without using it, it can be fatal."

"Didn't you say this was safe?"

"..........."

"Did you see how many of those were on the street? Not all drive defensively and there can be minor crashes. Weren't there horse or carriage accidents where you come from???"

Li Jiong nodded. Indeed, there was nothing definitely safe, just like him trusting to accompany Meng Fei to his supposed home. He looked at the car's dashboard, feeling a little curious but he didn't ask anything, preferring not to lower his head and break the spirit [1].

Meng Fei walked out of the parking lot. He lived a little far from the construction site he was working on and still caught traffic. Soon an awkward silence settled in, making him feel uncomfortable.

Without thinking he turned on the radio to hear the news. Li Jiong stared at the place where the voice came out. Would they be similar to the Communication Matrices? But Meng Fei wasn't talking to them, just listening. And he also used that smartphone when he wanted to talk to someone not present. Li Jiong couldn't believe that there was such a world. Cities as populous as anthills, with structures the size of mountains. People who didn't cultivate spiritual power. No demons to slay. A good Meng Fei? Could there be another of him in that world?

The news finished being narrated and a playlist of music started to play. Li Jiong sighed. Even though the music was different, what were the instruments that created that sound like? Finally he turned to take a look at Meng Fei, he seemed intent on always looking straight ahead and sometimes at the mirrors located on this weird means of transportation. Li Jiong thought of trying to verify that he really had good intentions.

"Why did you decide to help me anyway? You said you didn't even know me and on top of that I almost killed you."

Meng Fei smiled in a relaxed manner. The cultivator was indeed a distrustful person.

"The people of this world would not understand this situation. As you can see, we only believe in something when we see it with our own eyes." He then added, "If I took you to the police they would take you to someone else to find out more about the other dimension. No one would really bother sending you back. And if you end up wandering around without a chance to return, starving, cold, could even fall into the use of drugs, theft, who knows what else."

Li Jiong was still staring at him, the man next to him was so different from the one he knew.

"Do you think you can help me? Have you no interest in the world I came from? Or the power I wield?"

Meng Fei suddenly laughed, startling him. "Hahaha, I'm sorry. Whether or not I'm able to help you is what I'll see. Now look, I'm fine living here, I have a job that pays me well and a place to live, I have no interest in myself taking advantage of you. You said a man just like me sent you here, it can't be a coincidence that you ended up in the same place I was. This could be a clue as to how we can send him back."

Li Jiong reflected a bit. He hadn't considered this possibility. While he was thinking about this, Meng Fei parked the car in the parking space of the building he lived in. He had to help Li Jiong unbuckle his seat belt and get out of the car as well. The proximity caused him to smell Li Jiong's soft scent and he couldn't help but think of how good he smelled.

He guided the cultivator to the elevator entrance. Another tight box, thought Li Jiong. Then he realized something. These people lived so close together, in such small places. How could he even breathe? The air in this world was dirty and heavy, he could tell at first sight. What was that polluting the air? Miasma? Meng Fei squeezed the top floor and the elevator started to rise. The sudden jolt caught Li Jiong off guard and he squeezed Meng Fei's arm. "What is happening?"

"This is called an elevator. This building is very tall, so it would take a long time to take the stairs since I live on the top floor. "

"Roof?"

"The top floor."

"We could have gone flying on the sword then."

"..........." I don't have a sword and I don't know how to do this!

"I think I need to get you some other clothes, dressed like that you'll draw a lot of attention." He turned to see him, but found that in addition to being a little taller, Li Jiong also had a stronger build. What did they feed these guys? Did he have any clothes that would fit him? And what would he do with that long hair? A bun or a ponytail?

Meng Fei's head was bursting with questions and then the elevator stopped. There were two apartments on the top floor, but the second was unoccupied, so lucky for them, no one would come to ask questions. Meng Fei went to the entrance hall of his penthouse and opened the door with a magnetic card. Li Jiong didn't feel any trace of spiritual power in any of the actions he had witnessed so far, so he felt more confident about this person. At least he didn't pose any physical danger and as for himself, little by little his spiritual powers were returning.

He would take advantage of that night to sit in meditation and cultivate properly until he was fully recovered.

"Well, this is my apartment." Meng Fei introduced the place as he made his way to each room. "You can sleep in this room, it is used for guests, although I rarely receive anyone. It is a suite, it has a bathroom with a bathtub next to it, to turn it on you just turn this faucet and regulate the temperature. This one is for cold water and this one for hot water. There's the kitchen, I'll see if you can make us something quick to eat. This is my office..."

Li Jiong thought that he would be staying in a cubicle like the elevator but found that this house was relatively spacious, not as much as his sect's residences. He still managed to bump into Meng Fei in the hallway, something that would absolutely not happen there.

Meng Fei left him at ease in the room. He looked at the bed, the cupboards and then decided to take a shower as the other had recommended. He was dirty, sweaty and bruised and he felt a little self-conscious about his current appearance. After a brief struggle with the faucets, he managed to fill the tub and dove into the hot water up to his neck.

Meng Fei was very organized and even his guest room had everything taken care of, from towels in the bathroom to bed linen, so he didn't even bother to check if his guest needed anything. He preferred to take a quick shower in his own suite and then went to the kitchen to see if he had ingredients to prepare a light and quick snack.

Then he remembered that Li Jiong's clothes were dirty. It was better to put them in the wash. But I needed him to wear others instead too! I couldn't leave him walking around naked! Meng Fei panicked and pulled his closet down but none of his clothes would fit Li Jiong. Resigned, he set aside his robe, which, although it would still be a little short, at least managed to adjust the opening. Apparently Li Jiong didn't like anything tight or binding. He knocked twice on the bedroom door, but got no response. He then peeked through the crack in the door and seeing no one the sight entered. He should be taking a shower. I'll get the clothes and leave the robe without disturbing him.

Meng Fei pushed Li Jiong's sword away Carefully, he picked up the clothes in silence. At that moment Li Jiong appeared drying his hair with a towel. He had just gotten out of the shower and heard stealthy movements in the room, after all his hearing was above average. He decided to check it out and grab the cat's tail red-handed! Then he found Meng Fei sneaking out with his clothes.

"What are you doing?"

Author's Note:

[1] Don't lower your head and break your spirit: an expression that means not giving up.

Laughing here with me as I write Meng Fei having gay panic attacks thinking about the naked cultivator parading around her apartment 😅🤣🤣.