Sun Fuyu awoke first. His eyelashes fluttered, but his eyes remained closed as he luxuriated in a soft and lazy feeling. There was a peacefulness in his heart, as though there was no longer anything to worry about.

Another’s breath matched his own, though the heartbeats were a little different, moving in time, then out of time, then in time again.

The corners of Sun Fuyu’s mouth curled up. His laziness dissipated slightly as an urge to jump up to tell someone that he and Wen Zhihao were now truly Dao Companions.

I should complete morning practice, he thought, before remembering that his sword was still with the sword crafter. Though, practising with Wen-ge’s sword was also a good idea, so that the sword could get some experience it wouldn’t otherwise have.

Sun Fuyu opened his eyes and gazed at the sleeping face of Wen Zhihao. But he didn’t want to leave yet.

Wen Zhihao’s eyes opened into small slits. “Hmm?” he hummed sleepily. “Xiao Yu…don’t mind me...” His eyes closed again.

“...”

Sun Fuyu smiled slightly as Wen-ge fell back to sleep. Typical Wen-ge! Sun Fuyu decided to also close his eyes. He could practice with Wen-ge’s sword later.

That breakfast, Aunty Liu Jing gave both Sun Fuyu and Wen Zhihao a sharp, assessing look while they were otherwise occupied with eating.

She felt as though Xiao Fuyu and Xiao Wen both had a greater instinctual sense of the other, with Xiao Fuyu moving his arm back whenever Xiao Wen reached for another dish, or when they both turned to each other, heads ducked slightly, to talk in between managing the children besides them.

Sun Fuyu caught her gaze, and his lips curled up into a warm, brilliant smile, his gaze clear of worries.

Aunty Liu smiled fondly in return, even as she inwardly sighed. Sun Fuyu was happy and healthy, and that was the important part. Though, she suspected that she should hurry up with the wedding preparations.

Breakfast done, students taken to school, Wen Zhihao and Sun Fuyu returned to the outdoor cat cafe garden.

The cats looked up as the familiar human cart descended. A few of them immediately jumped into the cart, curled up, and dozed right there. The cart was infused with the sleepy-human’s qi, and the seating was particularly comfortable, the box-like sides were...irresistible.

Wen Zhihao patted the cats before he and Sun Fuyu stepped down from the cart.

Given how large the cats were, not all of them could pile into the wooden box. The others trailed to Wen Zhihao instead. A few of them also went to Sun Fuyu.

- This human smells different.

- Like the sleepy human! How is that possible?

- Ah! Sleepy human feels different too! Aiya, aiya!

One cat swiped their paw at another’s head.

- They must have dual cultivated, dog-brain!

“Woof!” Who are you calling dog-brain?!

A large demonic wolf bounded over from a distance and attempted to jump onto Wen Zhihao, only to be tackled out of the air by a tiger-striped cat.

Huang Jialing followed behind the wolf at a more sedate pace. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she sensed the tangled auras of the two juniors.

Wen Zhihao cleared his throat guiltily. “Good morning, Cultivator Huang. Should they be training?”

“They’ve decided on a non-violent form of cultivation,” Huang Jialing replied drily. “Powerful but without fighting ability.”

A couple of cats yowled in protest.

Huang Jialing gave these demonic cats a pointed look. “Until I see you take down powerful foes, how am I to know?”

- Of course we are powerful! We don’t need to prove ourselves!

Huang Jialing made an unimpressed noise.

Wen Zhihao glanced at Huang Jialing, then at the meowing cats, only able to hear one half of the conversation. He took out a stack of newly printed butterfly talismans and heating talismans. When Huang Jialing turned back to him, Wen Zhihao was ready to present the talismans to her.

Huang Jialing accepted the talismans and waved them at the cats. “If you’re good, I’ll let you use some of these.” And with that, she farewelled Wen Zhihao and Sun Fuyu and left.

Expectant and pleading cat eyes looked Wen Zhihao’s way.

“... If you want a butterfly talisman, I only have a few left,” he said helplessly.

“Meow!” Write some more then!

Wen-Zhihao-who-cannot-understand-cat-language patted the cat on the head. “There, there, don’t get angry. I’ll activate the remainders now.”

Not long after, butterflies made from light flew through the cat garden, chased by bouncy cats and one dog.

Wen Zhihao smiled a cats-these-days kind of smile and took out his talisman-writing implements.

Sun Fuyu took the opportunity to practice with Wen-ge’s sword. Wen-ge’s sword moved differently: it liked to reduce the number of movements, delivering greater power for each instead. This, in turn, slowed Sun Fuyu’s movements, as he made each as effective as possible, showing the sword how to move in the best way.

Sun Fuyu’s eyes remained focused as he fought imaginary opponents. The qi in the air was cut through by the sword, and his robes and hair fluttered behind him as he moved with precise grace.

Wen Zhihao’s brush made an accidental scribble on the final stroke. Of course, the talisman would still work, but it no longer passed the standard of the Talisman Hall. Wen Zhihao moved it onto the pile of talismans to keep for himself.

He was about to start a new talisman, but then...he didn’t want to anymore. He felt like watching Sun Fuyu instead.

Watching Sun Fuyu almost made Wen Zhihao want to wave around a sword himself, before he remembered how heavy a sword was and how much sweat he’d generate…

It was better to watch Sun Fuyu, like how many people liked to watch sports and e-sports without practising those sports themselves.

Wen Zhihao’s hand moved, the brush pen gliding across the talisman paper. Dynamic lines appeared, a vague figure with lines of hair and an...artistic...rendition of robes. Words appeared next:

The eyes are focused,

The sword glides sharp.

Feelings blossom,

the heart grows warm.

Wen Zhihao quickly put down the pen before he blurted out more trashy poetry. Thank the heavens that his Chinese teachers would never see this, nor his art teachers. He placed the scribbles into his spatial ring.

His entire body relaxed. This is the life, he thought as he watched Sun Fuyu and petted a purring cat in his arms. Lucky he wasn’t a protagonist, or else such a sentiment would have raised a death flag!