The Light Goddess Butterfly danced gracefully, its wings shimmering with blue starlight as it descended into the abyss.
The abyss was dark, but it could not devour the butterfly’s brilliance. Like an eternal lamp, it plunged downward, tearing through the black shroud of the void.
The deeper it delved, the colder and lonelier the abyss became.
Yet, the Light Goddess Butterfly remained fearless, pressing forward until it reached the very bottom.
Gently, it landed.
At the darkest depths of the abyss, the darkness suddenly tore apart, revealing the truth hidden beneath—
It was a pair of radiant golden pupils, as brilliant as blazing suns.
—
Ji Mian awoke abruptly.
Awareness returned to him, and the antiseptic scent in the air made him realize he was lying in a hospital bed.
Was that… a dream?
Ji Mian pressed his fingers to his temple, the sharp pain in his head like needles tearing through his mind—a side effect of severe mental exhaustion.
While the healers here could treat physical injuries, they could do nothing for his overextended mental strength.
Ji Mian didn’t linger on his physical pain. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Just now, he seemed to have accidentally entered Chu Shiye’s mental world. Perhaps their previous mental connection had linked their consciousnesses even in a dream.
But those blazing golden pupils he saw at the bottom of the abyss—were they Chu Shiye’s? Or his mental entity’s?
Golden eyes… Whatever it was, it was anything but ordinary.
The creak of the door interrupted his thoughts.
The sound was so faint, but Ji Mian caught it nonetheless.
He turned his head and heard a familiar, slightly cautious voice:
“You’re awake?”
“Mm.”
Ji Mian sat up slowly.
Chu Shiye immediately stepped forward. “Don’t move. Lie down.”
He picked up a pillow and carefully tucked it behind Ji Mian’s back, then pulled the blanket up to cover him snugly.
Sitting down by the bedside, he stared silently at Ji Mian.
Ji Mian blinked at him. “How are you feeling now?”
“I’m fine,” Chu Shiye replied.
In truth, he was in better condition than Ji Mian.
Although he had been on the brink of death, Ji Mian’s treatment had been far more effective than anything the hospital could provide. Most of his physical injuries had healed, and his runaway mental energy had been completely soothed.
But Ji Mian… Chu Shiye had heard what happened. To save him, Ji Mian had pushed himself to the brink, covered in blood, almost depleting his own mental strength.
It was all because of him.
Chu Shiye’s gaze dimmed. He lowered his head and softly murmured, “Thank you.”
Gingerly, he touched Ji Mian’s hand for a fleeting moment, then quickly withdrew, as if both needing to confirm Ji Mian’s warmth and fearing he might hurt him again.
Ji Mian looked puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Chu Shiye mumbled.
Ji Mian tilted his head slightly.
Ah, he sounds so sad.
Like a lost big dog.
He thought for a moment, then said, “Come out and say hello.”
Soft blue light shimmered before Chu Shiye’s eyes. The Light Goddess Butterfly emerged, its elegant wings sparkling as it gracefully circled him before landing on Ji Mian’s shoulder.
Chu Shiye was stunned. “A butterfly.”
“Mm,” Ji Mian affirmed.
“A blue butterfly.”
“Mm.”
“Is this… your mental entity?”
“Mm,” Ji Mian said again, smiling faintly. “I was able to summon it again because of you.”
Chu Shiye hesitated. “Is that… supposed to comfort me?”
“No,” Ji Mian said softly. “It’s the truth.”
Chu Shiye didn’t reply, but his previously dull eyes seemed to gleam with a faint light after hearing those words.
The Light Goddess Butterfly, growing restless, left Ji Mian’s shoulder to flit around the room, sprinkling faint blue starlight as it went.
Chu Shiye reached out to catch the glowing specks, but they slipped through his fingers, flickering out.
“It’s beautiful,” he murmured, “like your eyes. Just as beautiful.”
He wasn’t sure what kind of butterfly it was, but it was undoubtedly stunning.
After a moment of thought, he added, “When I was little, in the countryside, I saw something similar. Just some fluttering moths.”
Light Goddess Butterfly: “…?”
It darted to his face, gave his cheek a light flick with its wings, and zipped back to Ji Mian’s side.
Chu Shiye: “…”
Did this butterfly… just slap me?
Ji Mian chuckled lightly. “Although many people’s emotions are linked to their mental entities, mine is different. It has thoughts of its own, independent of my feelings.”
In other words, it wanted to slap you. That wasn’t my decision.
Chu Shiye fell silent.
He wisely changed the subject. “It seems… special.”
“Mm,” Ji Mian said, raising a finger. The Light Goddess Butterfly perched delicately on its tip, its antennae brushing against him affectionately. “It’s indeed special.”
The Light Goddess Butterfly was an extraordinary creation of Old Earth, a creature long extinct with the end of that era.
Ji Mian wasn’t worried about his identity being exposed through his mental entity. Few people in this age recognized the Light Goddess Butterfly, and thanks to the efforts of the Ji family, his mental entity had always been kept a secret.
Even if the Ji family later made his information public, a B-level ability user—no longer S-level—would hardly attract much attention.
Especially here, on this isolated, backward planet where news traveled slowly. To this day, no one had mentioned hearing anything about him.
To the world, the name “Ji Mian” was like insignificant dust, long since scattered across the vast universe.
The Light Goddess Butterfly alternated between perching on Ji Mian’s palm, his shoulder, and finally resting in his soft black hair.
Chu Shiye quietly watched the scene before him.
For many ability users, their mental entities were nothing more than possessions, pets, or unbreakable toys. Even though they would feel their mental entities’ pain if harmed by enemies, self-inflicted damage wouldn’t cause the ability user any physical discomfort.
Furthermore, as long as their mental strength was sufficiently robust, a damaged mental entity could quickly regenerate. Because of this, some individuals were indifferent, even cruel, to their own mental entities.
But for Su Lan, his mental entity seemed more like a close friend, a family member, or even a cherished child he had carefully nurtured.
…Could Su Lan raise children?
The Light Goddess Butterfly suddenly darted in front of Chu Shiye again and swatted at him with its wings.
Chu Shiye: “?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Ji Mian said casually. “My mental entity can read a tiny portion of others’ thoughts—not much, just a little bit.”
Chu Shiye: “…”
Chu Shiye: “A very impressive mental entity.”
Ji Mian smiled brightly. “Wait a second, I’ll tell it not to do that to you anymore.”
He gently tapped his mental entity. The Light Goddess Butterfly curled its antennae and obediently accepted the instruction.
Chu Shiye: “This ability… can it be turned off?”
“Of course,” Ji Mian replied. “It’s my mental entity, after all.”
Chu Shiye was momentarily taken aback.
Su Lan was truly extraordinary.
Mental energy outbursts required at least an A-level mental ability user to soothe them, yet Su Lan… was supposedly only C-level?
The thought passed through his mind, and Chu Shiye paused.
Wait—was Su Lan really just C-level?
Because Ji Mian had always claimed to be a C-level ability user, Chu Shiye hadn’t questioned it deeply. He had merely speculated that Ji Mian’s true strength might be closer to B-level.
But if he was only B-level, there was no way he could have calmed a mental energy outburst.
So… was he B-level? Or… A-level?
Ji Mian noticed Chu Shiye’s extended silence and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Chu Shiye: “Thinking about how amazing you are.”
“Really amazing.”
“You’re such a sweet talker,” Ji Mian said with a faintly raised tone. “But I have something I want to ask you.”
Chu Shiye: “Go ahead.”
Ji Mian: “In that mine, what did you encounter?”
Chu Shiye fell silent for a moment and was just about to answer when Ji Mian suddenly coughed uncontrollably, covering his mouth with his hand.
Chu Shiye’s expression shifted immediately. He stood up to support Ji Mian, gently patting his back as the coughing fit wracked him.
Ji Mian’s throat felt raw from the violent spasms, cold sweat forming on his pale forehead as darkness encroached on his vision.
The Light Goddess Butterfly fluttered anxiously around him, its wings scattering shimmering starlight in every direction.
Chu Shiye moved to call a doctor, but Ji Mian stopped him before he could. “It’s nothing…”
Another cough wracked him, but he managed to steady himself slightly. “They can’t treat this.”
Overuse of mental energy couldn’t be resolved with conventional treatment.
Chu Shiye’s lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line. He placed his hand on Ji Mian’s back and softly said, “Drink some water.”
Ji Mian didn’t take the glass. Instead, he replied gently, “Thank you. Just leave it by the bed.”
Chu Shiye stayed silent, his gaze locked onto Ji Mian’s face.
From the very beginning, something had felt off.
Even when Ji Mian was speaking to him and appeared to be looking at him, his eyes… didn’t seem entirely focused on him.
Thud.
The sound of the glass being placed on the bedside table echoed softly. Ji Mian turned his head and reached out a hand toward the table—
But his hand was intercepted by another.
Ji Mian’s fingers, chilled from his frailty, were held in a grip even colder.
Chu Shiye was still holding the glass, standing motionless by the bedside. His expression was inscrutable, an unfathomable mixture of emotions clouding his face.
The moment stretched in silence, heavy with unspoken questions.
Ji Mian seemed to realize something. “Ah, you tricked me.”
Chu Shiye: “…”
“Alright, as you suspected,” Ji Mian shrugged, his tone casual as though discussing the weather, “I’ve lost my sight.”
“But,” he added calmly, “it’s only temporary. So don’t go throwing me out, Mr. Landlord.”
Chu Shiye: “…”
The morning light spilled into Ji Mian’s eyes, soft and tranquil, like ink-black gems resting beneath the surface of a clear stream.
Chu Shiye saw his own reflection in those beautiful eyes, yet it also felt like he saw nothing at all.
After a long pause, Chu Shiye bowed his head, gently took Ji Mian’s hand, and placed the glass of water into his palm.
Ji Mian drank quietly. Chu Shiye sat down beside him with deliberate care, keeping vigil without a word.
Even though he couldn’t see Chu Shiye’s expression, Ji Mian could sense the heavy, somber atmosphere that surrounded the Alpha.
Ji Mian: He’s gone silent again.
Is he secretly crying?
Just as Ji Mian was about to speak, he heard Chu Shiye’s low, melancholy voice:
“Is there anything…” Chu Shiye began hesitantly, “that would make you happy?”
“As long as you tell me, I will definitely do it.”
Ji Mian: Oh dear, he sounds even sadder now.
Ji Mian turned toward him, thought for a moment, and then smiled. “Let me pat your head, and I’ll be happy.”
Chu Shiye: “Okay.”
Without hesitation, he obediently knelt by the bedside, guiding Ji Mian’s hand to rest atop his head.
Ji Mian patted him gently, then a little more, fingers threading lightly through his soft hair.
Chu Shiye stayed still, head bowed, letting Ji Mian’s warm and careful touch settle into his scalp.
His amber eyes fell to the floor. Before meeting Su Lan, he had always disliked being touched by others. And yet now… he didn’t mind.
Why?
By the time Ji Mian had finished petting him, his own mood had significantly improved—though whether Chu Shiye felt any better was hard to say.
Satisfied, Ji Mian withdrew his hand—only for Chu Shiye to grab hold of it, refusing to let go.
The motion had been purely instinctual. As soon as he realized what he’d done, Chu Shiye froze.
Ji Mian: Huh? Why isn’t he letting go?
Chu Shiye: …Why isn’t he pulling his hand back?
Silence fell between them, thick and awkward.
Ji Mian: Hmm… Should I be the one to pull away? Would that make it even more awkward?
Chu Shiye, dumbfounded: …Why hasn’t he pulled away yet?
The two stayed that way, motionless.
Seconds turned to minutes, and still, Chu Shiye held Ji Mian’s hand.
They stared at each other, neither making a move.
Both were completely, utterly stuck.
R : guys… is this dog food ??? Why do I suddenly want to turn off the light arhg
R : Bonus chapter because WP screwed me up again!!! Chapter 22 wasn’t published automatically—argh! I’ll have to rethink the update time again…
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
