“Hello, little guy, you will be my pet now, and you have no choice, okay?”

“Squee?” The chipmunk stopped eating as someone was lifting it up. It turned around and looked at Bai Shijue. The chipmunk was stunned by this immortal’s real face.

Because Bai Shijue wasn’t wearing a mask right now, and he couldn’t use his face modification technique once he entered the Forest of the lost mist and also the immortal realm.

Thus, the chipmunk was staring at Bai Shijue’s real face, a face that would shake up two realms just by how breathtakingly handsome he was. There was a reason why Bai Shijue never showed this face and decided to cover it with a mask because he knew it would only lead to bloodshed and many men trying to fight to their death just because of this.

“Squeee!” The chipmunk dropped its nuts and then jumped to hug Bai Shijue on the neck. 

“Wha—” Bai Shijue caressed the chipmunk’s body carefully, and its stripes glowed brightly until it blinded Bai Shijue for a second.

“Pupa, why is this chipmunk so sticky with me now? And what’s with that blinding light coming from this celestial beast?” Yunyu asked.

“That means the Pachinchin already likes you because of your face. The blinding light means that it’s already marking you as one of the people to track forever,” Pupa explained.

“Whoa, so this cute chipmunk already marks me as one of its owners solely because of my face? Hah, as expected, being so breathtakingly gorgeous has its perks!” 

Pupa rolled its eyes, “Don’t forget to hide your real face again once we return to Han Shun. Don’t let him see your face, or he will go mad in love. Anyone who sees your face will be madly in love.”

“I know, I know. You keep saying that, geez,” Yunyu rolled his eyes. Pupa often told him to mask his face because it would be disastrous for Han Shun if he didn’t. It would stop Han Shun from seeing Bai Shijue as his father/big brother/teacher figure, and more like… a lover.

“But, if this little chipmunk already imprinted me, then how about Han Shun?” Yunyu asked Pupa.

“If that chipmunk thinks that Han Shun is suitable for the second imprint, then it will also stick to Han Shun. Don’t worry about that one,” Pupa informed. 

“Ah, that’s relieving,” Yunyu continued caressing the little chipmunk hugging his neck and said, “Okay, little guy, I will name you Chinchin from now on. Let’s go and meet your real owner!”

“Squee!”

**

Han Shun woke up in the morning, and once he opened his eyes, he quickly washed his face and went straight to find Bai Gege again. He couldn’t wait to start another day with Bai Gege. No matter how hard the training would be, he had no worry as long as Bai Gege was here with him.

“Bai Gege!” Han Shun shouted as he entered Bai Shijue’s courtyard.

There was another silence, just like yesterday. Bai Gege was away again, doing something Han Shun didn’t know.

Han Shun’s bright day turned gloomy instantly. He was worried that Bai Gege would leave him, and no matter how much he tried to curb that anxiety, it only grew day by day.

For every minute that he was separated from Bai Gege, Han Shun felt that growing anxiety slowly took over him. He started thinking about things that he shouldn’t do.

Such as;

“Bai Gege keeps leaving every morning. I wonder what is he doing outside?”

“Maybe he is searching for another miraculous ingredient? But Bai Gege is super strong. It wouldn’t take that long to retrieve something, right?”

“Maybe Bai Gege intentionally left the residence because he just found me annoying. Maybe he doesn’t even want me in the first place….”

“Bai Gege… he shouldn’t leave. I will not allow him to leave me, no matter what….” 

Han Shun was busy with his growing anxiety and delusion while sitting under the tree. His face was really gloomy right now, and when Bai Shijue came with Chinchin the chipmunk, he saw that Han Shun had the gaze as if he was ready to kill someone.

“Han Shun? Why do you look so gloomy in the morning?” Bai Shijue asked.

Han Shun got up instantly, he turned his body towards Bai Gege, and he dashed to hug Bai Gege tightly, “Gege, I really thought that you’re leaving me….”

“Leaving you? Why do you keep thinking that I will leave you? I told you that we will go together to the immortal realm as long as you’re diligent with your cultivation practice, right?”

“Un, I’m just scared, Bai Gege. There is something in my heart telling me that you will leave me. No matter what I do, you will not take me with you and living without you… is suffering,” Han Shun said truthfully as he buried his face on Bai Shijue’s robe.

…

Bai Shijue tried to ignore this strange feeling in his heart. Because Han Shun’s fear of being alone felt so familiar for him.

But it wasn’t his place to show weakness or too much emotion, not in front of Han Shun. 

“Well, you shouldn’t think much about that. Look what I got for you,” Bai Shijue said. He carefully grabbed the chipmunk who was still hugging his neck. 

Han Shun looked up, still with tears on his cheeks. He saw a chipmunk looking at him, and they stared at each other with the same bewildered gaze. 

“Squee?”

“Bai Gege…”

Bai Shijue thought Han Shun was just too surprised to react since this should be his first time ever seeing a celestial beast, albeit a non-threatening one. 

“This is one of the celestial beasts I picked up from the forest of lost mist. This celestial beast is very tame and wouldn’t hurt you at all. I already gave this chipmunk a name as well. Its name is Chinchin,” Bai Shijue said.

…

…

“Gege…”

“Hm? What do you think?”

“Did you just replace me with a Chipmunk?”