Chapter Seventy-Eight: A Stroll Through the Streets

After a solid night’s sleep, Gu Zhiheng woke up just after seven in the morning. The first thing he saw was Liu E sitting on his bed, rummaging through his clothes.

“What are you doing? You’ve messed up all the clothes I folded so neatly, and you even found my bitter tea seeds.” Was this man some sort of pervert? Did he have to be this bizarre?

“Oh, I was just looking to see if there’s anything that would fit me,” Liu E replied, perfectly at ease, without a hint of embarrassment at being caught.

He’d already said he wanted to be Gu Zhiheng’s big brother, and he meant it.

What was so strange about an older brother going through his younger brother’s clothes? Was this kid really so put out by it?

“If you need clothes, go buy some yourself. Why are you going through mine? I’ll take you shopping later, all right?” Gu Zhiheng was exasperated. Why hadn’t Ali warned him that this old acquaintance was a bit off?

“Get out of my way, seriously. If you keep rifling through my things, I’ll hammer you!” He shot Liu E a fierce glare, grabbed his clothes, and went to the bathroom to change.

This man was just odd. He had his own clothes—why go through someone else’s? Besides, Gu Zhiheng was ten centimeters taller; his clothes would be far too large for Liu E.

He quickly changed and began his morning routine, wondering if there was anywhere nearby to get breakfast. Yesterday’s arrival had been so sudden, and thanks to Liu E, he hadn’t had a chance to explore.

As for buying clothes, he’d have to see what the shops offered. If there was nowhere to buy them, he’d have to give Liu E the two unused sets he had left.

“Is there anywhere around here for breakfast? I’m hungry—take me to eat.” Liu E said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world, utterly unabashed.

But by the time Gu Zhiheng emerged from the bathroom, Liu E had already tidied up the clothes he’d messed and put them back where they belonged.

“There’s a place on the next street over. It’s a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk. I’ll take you,” Liu E said, standing and brushing the folds from his long robe. Satisfied there were no wrinkles, he followed Gu Zhiheng downstairs.

“Hey, kid—who is this? Our rooms are only for one person,” the landlord called out, blocking their way as they descended.

“It was late when we arrived last night and you were all asleep. Here’s the money for another room,” Gu Zhiheng replied, handing over the payment before dragging Liu E out.

The guy was so conspicuous; it was impossible for people not to notice him.

“Since you paid for my room, little brother, I’ll treat you to breakfast. How touching—you actually have a conscience,” Liu E teased.

He’d spent the whole night on the sofa. If this kid weren’t so guarded, thinking he’d try something, he’d have slept in the bed with him without a second thought.

The back street was bustling with vendors in the morning. Liu E led Gu Zhiheng into a clean, tidy eatery, ordered breakfast with practiced ease, and sat down across from him, fixing Gu Zhiheng with a steady gaze that sent shivers up his spine.

“Senior Liu, you seem awfully familiar with this place. If I’m not mistaken, you live around here, don’t you?” Gu Zhiheng accused, annoyed at being tricked again.

“You never asked, so I never told you. I live right across from you,” Liu E replied with a cheeky grin, dodging Gu Zhiheng’s glare.

Kids were so easy to fool—so naive and, frankly, adorable.

“Since you know your way around, we’ll shop for clothes after breakfast. Once we buy you something, you can go back and change,” Gu Zhiheng said, still mystified by Liu E’s antics.

And another thing—why, after all this time among mortals, did they still wear long hair and robes? It did look good, but it seemed so impractical.

“Fine, but I have no money. You’ll have to pay,” Liu E replied shamelessly.

There was no helping it; he’d always been like this. When he first met Gu Mojiang, he was dirt poor—five hundred years later, nothing had changed.

The clothes he wore now were a gift from Gu Mojiang five centuries ago. He’d received dozens of sets, enough to last all this time, so he’d never needed to buy any. Not that he could—he truly didn’t have a penny to his name.

“Senior, of all the five-hundred-year-old spirits I’ve met, you’re the worst off. Even Chen Yuan’s doing better than you. The old monsters on Misty Eyebrow Mountain are all filthy rich—just a handful of mortal money is nothing to them,” Gu Zhiheng teased.

“I’m well aware. It’s been this way for five hundred years—I know myself,” Liu E replied, unbothered. So what if he was poor? He had plenty of valuable treasures.

In his home, any random item would be worth a fortune. Mortal money meant nothing to him; he simply had no use for it. Since he’d taken human form, he’d only tasted human food a few times—normally, he subsisted on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Eating was hardly a necessity.

“I told you to call me brother. If you don’t listen, I’ll teach you a lesson,” Liu E said, flicking Gu Zhiheng’s forehead before turning his attention to his breakfast.

The last time he’d eaten human food was over a hundred years ago, when he’d visited the ancestral hall of the Gu family in Golden Phoenix Town. They’d invited him to eat, and he’d obliged. After that, he’d secluded himself in Liujian County and rarely emerged.

Only half a year ago did he end his retreat and send word to the Gu family that he was out. Since then, he’d waited here alone for Gu Zhiheng, not expecting it would take six months.

Life was dull on his own—he passed the time helping villagers: sowing seeds during planting, pulling weeds during the harvest. He did all sorts of odd jobs just to stave off boredom.

He never ate with the villagers—at most, he’d ask for some fruit from their trees, and if they didn’t have any, he’d want nothing at all.

So, many people here knew him. They knew he wasn’t ordinary, but none knew exactly who he was.

“This lifestyle suits you well enough—good for retirement, but you’re a little young for that,” Gu Zhiheng joked as they finished their breakfast.

After paying, they strolled down the street, and sure enough, many of the elderly folks greeted Liu E.

“It’s all just social ties—you’ll understand in time,” Liu E said. He meant to pat Gu Zhiheng on the head but, being a bit shorter, could only settle for his shoulder. And so, the two of them headed off to buy clothes.