26 Day 25: The Scum Is Jumpy (1/2)

”Ah?” Chen Sheng said and turned to Fei Yin, surprised. ”There's... there's nothing on the door of...?” he asked.

Fei Yin nodded as he stared at Chen Sheng's face. ”There's none.” He answered as he looked at the pair of deep, dark eyes looking at him back.

A moment of silence passed. Chen Sheng's heart is beating fast, doesn't know whether of sudden fear he felt because of the mysterious transcriptions, or that Fei Yin is looking at him.

Their faces close.

”Master. How's the Upright Sect for y – ” Xia Di suddenly called inside his mind.

Chen Sheng's eyes went wide and felt his heart leapt of out his mouth. ”Holy f - !” he cursed, surprised. He immediately covered his mouth with his hand and looked at Fei Yin, wide-eyed.

The other is also looking at him, wide-eyed in surprise.

”Pft – ” Fei Yin said, then looked away, suppressing his smile. He covered his mouth with his hand, his shoulder shaking.

Chen Sheng's face went red, embarrassed. He looked out the window when he heard the flapping of wings.

Sure enough, the culprit named Xia Di is flying towards his room.

”Master?” Xia Di called again, puzzled when he saw his master is glaring at him. ”W – what?” he asked as he flew outside by the window.

Chen Sheng didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Fei Yin.

Fei Yin coughed and made his face straight. (But he's not straight inside. XD) ”Ehem.” He coughed again, but still looking away. ”What transcriptions did you see, anyway?” he asked and looked at Chen Sheng, a hint of smile on his handsome face.

Chen Sheng's eye twitched, but he didn't say anything. He turned to Xia Di. ”Are you familiar with these transcriptions?” he asked, then closed his eyes as he showed the transcriptions to Xia Di through his mind.

Xia Di's eyes went wide, shocked. ”Master, this is...” he said.

Chen Sheng finally opened his eyes. ”You know the transcriptions?” he asked and looked at Xia Di.

”There're really transcriptions on the door?” Fei Yin asked, surprised, when he heard Chen Sheng spoke. ”But... I didn't see anything...” he said, his voice trailed off. His forehead knotted and he frowned. He probably suspects the Upright Sect and Fei family again.

Chen Sheng ignored him and looked at Xia Di. ”So?” he called.

It was a while before Xia Di answered. ”Master... these transcriptions...” he said. ”This is an ancient text.” He answered.

”'ancient text'?” Chen Sheng asked.

Fei Yin looked at him. ”Ancient text?” he asked, surprised.

Chen Sheng finally looked at him.

”Ancient texts are thousands of years old. Like the name, they're ancient. They appeared since the beginning of time, the moment the people learned how to read and write. But – ” Fei Yin said, then paused.

”'but'?” Chen Sheng asked.

”But... people do things if they've seen it or learned from it. Meaning...” Fei Yin said, then looked at Chen Sheng. ”... there's even more ancient than the ancient texts.” He answered.

Chen Sheng fell silent, as well as Xia Di.

”You really have seen ancient texts?” he asked.

”... if they were really those...” Chen Sheng just said, thinking.

Fei Yin fell silent. ”... does this has something to do with your soul?” he asked after a while.

Chen Sheng sharply turned to him. Fei Yin's looking at him, waiting.

You're so clever! Chen Sheng thought and gave a mental applause to Fei Yin. But, he kept a blank face. ”I don't know.” He answered, then returned the books to the shelf. He looked at Fei Yin when the latter is just silent.

Fei Yin raised his head and looked at him. ”I'll ask brother... and uncle...” he said, his face serious.

Chen Sheng's mouth twitched. He clearly doesn't want to. He thought, referring to Fei Yin. ”I'm not dumb not to notice there's something wrong in your family.” He said. ”So don't bother yourself – ” he told him.

”But – ”

He cut him off. ”If this is just about what you did to my soul, then don't worry.” Chen Sheng told him.

Fei Yin was about to speak when he dropped the bomb.

”It's not you who wounded my soul.” He told him.

”Huh?” Fei Yin said, dumbfounded. ”What do you – ”

Chen Sheng looked at him in the eye. ”It's not you who wounded my soul.” He repeated. Since my soul is different now. He thought. But of course he didn't tell him that.

Fei Yin's eyes went wide. He blinked, still shocked. ”Then... how – ” he said, confused.

It's time to tell him the truth. Chen Sheng thought. So that he'll stop following 'me' (Chen Shen). ”My soul has already been wounded.” He answered slowly.

Fei Yin turned to him sharply.

Chen Sheng leaned on the wall. ”Do you know how my soul has been wounded? Why was it wounded?” he asked.

Fei Yin opened his mouth, his lips trembling.

Of course you'll be shocked. You've been carrying a burden you shouldn't have for the past 15 years. Chen Sheng thought.

”Didn't... didn't I... didn't I accidentally hit you with my soul force that time - ?” Fei Yin asked, puzzled. He's referring to the time when his power awakened and he reached the first level of Qi Condensation Stage. This happened because he protected Chen Shen for the first time against the bullies.

Fei Yin's face is pained and confused as if he's been woken up from a bad dream and everything has been a lie.

Since it's all a lie, and it's a very, very bad dream. Chen Sheng thought. ”That's just what you thought.” He told him.

Fei Yin stared at him, asking.

Chen Sheng walked towards the chair and sat. He poured tea to the cups on the table. ”Drink first.” He told him and handed him a cup. ”This'll gonna be a long story.” He told him.

Fei Yin hesitated, then finally sat. He took the cup. ”Tell me first...” he said, his hands holding the cup trembling. ”If I didn't wound your soul... then who?” he asked and looked at me.

Chen Sheng took a sip before he answered. ”Me.” He answered.

Fei Yin's eyes went wide.

”I had a Qi Deviation.” He answered and drank the tea.

”But... how - ?” Fei Yin asked, don't know what to say first. ”How - ?” he asked and looked at Chen Sheng.

Cheng Sheng drank in one gulp then put the cup on the table. ”Believe it or not... I've always been envy of others.” He said, then smiled. ”Especially... you.” He said and looked at Fei Yin.

Fei Yin's eyes went wide, shocked. ”W... why...?” he asked, his voice so low you'll know he's having a hard time talking.

”Well... why don't you look at yourself?” Chen Sheng asked and looked at Fei Yin.

Fei Yin froze. ”You've... always protected me back then...” he said, then lowered his head as if he's been betrayed.

Well, he was. Chen Sheng thought. ”Mm.” he answered. ”At least in that aspect, I'm stronger than you.” He answered.

Fei Yin's face distorted. His face is inexplicable now. He doesn't know whether to be angry or what.

Chen Sheng continued. ”But... as I've said, it's not just you I'm envious about.” He continued. Fei Yin looked at him. ”Yes. I'm jealous of my brother... I'm jealous of your brother... I'm jealous of everyone.” He said and shrugged. ”Even Senior Brother Sun and Senior Brother Wu at that time... yes, I'm jealous.” He said carelessly.

”Why?!” Fei Yin asked, mad. ”It's I who should be jealous!” he said, glaring at Chen Sheng. ”You have a loving family while I only have a backstabbing family!” he yelled. ”You have the love of all the world while I – ” he said.

Chen Sheng looked at him. Ah. He's going to have a Qi Deviation at this rate because of too much shock, pain and anger. He thought and cut him off. ”Your family loves you.” He told him.

”What?!” Fei Yin said, mad, still glaring at him.

Chen Sheng refilled his cup. ”Your parents were so hard on you because they only wanted you to be stronger.” He started. ”See? Back then I'm protecting you from the bullies, but look at you now...” he looked at him. ”You looked now that no one could bully you.” he told him. ”You've gotten stronger. You have your brother to verify my statement.” He said and looked at Fei Yin. When he didn't answer, he continued. ”Your brother isn't bullying you. He's just teasing you.” He said.

”That's not – ”

”Not what you see, but that's what everybody, aside from you, see.” Chen Sheng told him.

Fei Yin glared at him since he couldn't refute his words.

He continued. ”Your brother knows you like me.” He simply said.

Fei Yin's eyes went wide and his face red, both in anger and embarrassment.

Chen Sheng shrugged and continued. ”Everybody has different ways of expressing love.” He told him.