Chapter 278

unedited

Lin An remained silent. Xi Ning didn’t know what to say for a while, so he simply took Lin An’s palm and touched his rough joints, “I have never regarded you as a servant……”

Not a servant, then as a friend? Lin An wanted to remind Xi Ning that even if he was a friend, he shouldn’t hold his hand so affectionately, but he didn’t speak out his thoughts.

Xi Ning also tried to explain, “I don’t dislike you at all, and I don’t think you look bad. In fact, it doesn’t matter if you wear a mask or not when you are in front of me.”

It’s almost like a hidden confession, Xi Ning is afraid that being too straightforward will scare Lin An away. He only noticed it when he accidentally sits on Lin An’s lap and feels his body’s reaction…… Other than that, Lin An hides all his emotions very well.

Lin An moved his fingertips unintentionally, rubbed the skin of Xi Ning’s palm lightly, and replied in a low voice, “I understand, Your Highness.”

Xi Ning reluctantly released him, “What time is it now?”

SInce the window was closed, the sight in the car was a little dark. Lin An got up and pushed open the window, “It’s still early.”

After dinner, Xi Ning took a walk along the side of the road. Only during the meal time did he have a chance to take a walk on the ground.

The convoy started a little later than usual tonight. Xi Ning saw several people from the mercenary group were busy with something, it seemed that something had happened. He glanced curiously, and when he passed two mercenaries who were talking, he heard them whisper that someone in the mercenary group went missing.

“Went missing?”

Xi Ning stopped and asked. The passing mercenary and his companions looked at each other and answered hesitantly, “Yes, Your Highness.”

He then said that they only noticed their companions was missing when they were about to change shifts at night, the people in their mercenary group would never leave without authorization during their mission, plus the journey this whole time was very safe, so apart from changing shifts every day, the number of people was not counted at other times.

It’s not certain when the two people went missing. The head of the mercenary group has arranged for someone to go back to search for them for a while. If they don’t find anything, they can only be regarded as killed.

They were now very close to the ghost forest, but an incident like this happened on the road, and the cause was unknown. At this time, the head guard came over and asked Xi Ning to go back to the carriage to rest first. The mercenary who was talking to Xi Ning got up and left.

Xi Ning looked at his back and asked the head guard, “How could someone went missing?”

The head guard replied, “Don’t worry, Your Highness, no suspicious people were found along the way, they were probably just left behind.”

Xi Ning nodded and stopped asking.

He returned immediately and rested for a while. When he was about to fall asleep, the convoy started again. He didn’t know whether they had found the missing people or not.

However, Xi Ning felt that they had traveled safely for the whole journey, how could something suddenly happen, the two mercenaries probably just left without permission, so he didn’t care too much.

After he fell asleep, Lin An used spells on him as usual. He sat on the floor beside the bed, reached out and picked up a strand of Xi Ning’s hair and kissed it.

In the past, he would only touch Xi Ning’s hair and hands, but he had already hugged him quietly once during the day. Lin An seemed to have tasted the sweetness and couldn’t help but hug Xi Ning again and tighten his arms.

He didn’t hold him for too long. He was afraid that Xi Ning would be uncomfortable when he woke up because of his posture, so he put him back.

At this time, the system successfully deciphered a small part of the spells, and the effect of the spell on Xi Ning was slightly weakened.

It tried to contact Xi Ning, “Master? Can you hear me, master?”

Xi Ning didn’t respond, so the system had to give up. It was tired out after deciphering the spells for a long time, so it took a rest while being on standby mode.

When the carriage shook in the middle of the night, Xi Ning was woken up, but because the effect of the spell had not completely disappeared, he opened his eyes in a daze.

Through the moonlight, Xi Ning saw a familiar figure lying not far under the bed, he got out of the bed like a conditioned reflex, and slowly moved over to it.

Lin An woke up when he heard the sounds. He was surprised that Xi Ning broke through his spell, and lifted the quilt on him, “Your Highness?”

Could it be that Xi Ning has built resistance toward his spell already?

Lin An didn’t know what Xi Ning was planning to do, and when he was hesitating whether to increase the amount of spiritual energy, Xi Ning naturally cuddled into his arms, stretched out his arms and hugged his waist, “Lin An……”

Lin An was stunned. Although he hugged Xi Ning when he was unconscious, but it was completely different from now. He didn’t dare to move and replied with a stiff tone, “Your Highness, I’m here.”

Xi Ning raised his head and rubbed the side of his neck, feeling the familiar scent, and hummed, “Hug me……”

Lin An instantly sobered up. Did Xi Ning discover what he did? But why did he come over and hug him…… Lin An was going to use his spiritual energy to put Xi Ning to sleep again, but Xi Ning didn’t see him reach out and said dissatisfied, “I want you to hold me to sleep.”

This time, his voice was louder and clear. Lin An’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, and he could hardly believe his ears.

He tried to reach out and hug Xi Ning and Xi Ning really quieted down, leaning against his arms and quickly fell asleep.

Lin An was flattered and confused at the same time. Could it be that Xi Ning had been in the Cliff Valley Forest for a long time and had never seen an outsider. Since this is the first time he went to the outside world, and he happened to be in contact with him the most, he probably didn’t know how to interact with people and set boundaries.

No matter what, Lin And was very happy with the situation, and Xi Ning didn’t need to understand this in front of him.

When they reach the ghost forest, Xi Ning would probably also like that place. The environment was on par with the place he used to live, just that it didn’t have his clan people.

Lin An stretched out his fingertips and gently stroked Xi Ning’s face, leaned in to feel his breath, and kissed the tip of his nose.

Xi Ning doesn’t need his clan people, all he needs is just me.