064 Never Dislike Me
When Yu Ling’er told Qin Ren that Luo Yao was actually a mount, the first thing Qin Ren thought of was what she had said on the day he first met her.
[This eminence doesn’t know how to ride a mount called a ‘bus’. And it’s so pitiful to be ridden by so many people…]
At the time, Qin Ren hadn’t paid much attention, thinking the Pixiu was mainly embarrassed because she didn’t know how to ride a bus.
But today, he finally understood that the emphasis of that sentence was on the second half.
So it was mutual empathy between mounts…
“Luo Yao… does she often carry people?” Qin Ren remembered Luo Yao saying that her true form was as big as three or four buses.
“Mhm, a Pixiu is a mount.”
Of course, a mount has to carry people. Yu Ling’er glanced at her disciple.
“But most of the time, I’m the one using her. Occasionally, Yourong will ride with me. She doesn’t let the other disciples in the sect ride her.”
“How did she end up at the Flowing Cloud Sect in the first place?” Qin Ren was more concerned about this question.
“I found her, at the foot of the mountain. And then, not long after I found the Pixiu, I found Yourong… hiss! Tsk, what are you doing…”
Yu Ling’er pulled her foot back, her beautiful eyes glaring.
Her disciple had suddenly stepped on her. It was so strange, and it hurt…
Yu Yourong’s specialty was physical techniques. Even without her spiritual power, she still had internal energy. If she had been serious with that step, she could have probably kicked a calf to death on Earth without any problem.
But right now, Yu Yourong just stood there with a stiff face, her expression alternating between red and pale.
She hadn’t even told her brother that she had been found and brought back by her master, but her master, as soon as she entered the house, had spilled everything.
It really feels like she needs another spanking…
“It’s lucky that a good person found you,” Qin Ren said nonchalantly.
“My sister and I weren’t found by anyone when we were little, nor were we adopted by anyone. It was very hard.”
“…”
Yu Yourong figured that her brother was probably saying this for her to hear. She looked up and, sure enough, saw his meaningful gaze. Her heart instantly relaxed, and she suddenly didn’t want to spank her master’s bottom as much.
And for Qin Ren, knowing that Luo Yao hadn’t been captured, the stone in his heart also fell.
If she had been specially captured by Yu Ling’er to be a mount, then the little thing would definitely have a huge psychological shadow after transforming into a human and seeing Yu Ling’er.
But since she had been found and brought back to the Flowing Cloud Sect by Yu Ling’er, just like how he had found Tuantuan, Qin Ren felt that the reason Luo Yao had lied was probably more due to low self-esteem.
“Yourong.”
To find out if there was anything else to it, Qin Ren asked Yu Ling’er to sit for a while and took Yu Yourong to the balcony to ask some more direct questions.
For example, how was Luo Yao treated in the Flowing Cloud Sect?
For example, did anyone bully her?
For example, how did Yu Ling’er treat her?
…
After asking, Qin Ren found that Luo Yao’s status in the Flowing Cloud Sect was actually similar to Tuantuan’s status at home.
However, a Spirit Beast is not a wild beast, not livestock. It is a creature with intelligence no different from a human’s.
Qin Ren put himself in her shoes. If he were ridden on by others for years, he would definitely feel inferior no matter what, especially in front of people he cared about, he would feel ashamed and unable to hold his head high.
And Yu Yourong also mentioned a past incident.
…
Once, she and her master were riding Luo Yao to visit a sect founded by an ancient ape clan to discuss a joint attack on the Heavenly Demons.
In Earth terms, that sect belonged to the “cavalry” type. From top to bottom, everyone in the sect was equipped with a beast common on the Myriad Demon Continent called a “Huan Shu” as a mount.
Of course, the Huan Shu was only common on the Myriad Demon Continent. On Earth, it had also been a Demon Progenitor. According to Yu Yourong’s description, Qin Ren felt that the Western unicorn was probably a Demonic Scion with its bloodline.
And the ancient ape clan was a relatively barbaric race.
Although the sect the master and disciple were visiting that time was also entirely “female” like the snake clan of the Flowing Cloud Sect, a female ape is still an ape. The uncivilized nature in their roots is innate.
So, when the Flowing Cloud Sect came to visit, the sect master of that sect directly had her disciples slaughter the Huan Shu mounts under them on the spot and then roast them as food to entertain Yu Ling’er and her party.
Including Luo Yao.
…
Seeing the Huan Shu, which was also a mount, being casually slaughtered for food, Qin Ren could no longer know what Luo Yao was feeling at that time.
But at least at this moment, from his perspective, the image of the lively and cute little girl appeared in his mind, and a faint ache would well up in his heart.
“Did she eat it then?”
“No…”
Yu Yourong slowly shook her head. It was only now, looking back, that she understood why Luo Yao had refused to eat at that time, why she had behaved a little abnormally.
And what Luo Yao was truly thinking at that time, how could it be described by words like “gloomy”?
At the very least, there must have been fear and sadness, right?
Although the Pixiu was a Spirit Beast and the Huan Shu was just a wild beast, it was precisely because of this that the sense of identity and stigma of being a “mount” was even stronger for Luo Yao.
Qin Ren even felt that perhaps at that moment, Luo Yao would have felt that she was Yu Ling’er’s “slave.” Watching other slaves being slaughtered like consumables by their masters—if this were to happen to a little girl on Earth, it would definitely be considered a psychological trauma.
But fortunately, a silver lining in the misfortune, Luo Yao was not human, nor was she strictly speaking a “little girl.”
A three-hundred-and-twenty-one-year-old adult Spirit Beast could wash away many things with time alone.
————————
“Yaoyao.”
After a brief moment of thought, Qin Ren went to the bedroom and called out to the little girl who was not taking a second nap but was playing Landlords with her cards revealed.
“What’s wrong? What are we eating today?” Luo Yao rubbed her little tummy. She had almost forgotten that she hadn’t had breakfast yet.
“We’re eating out today.”
Qin Ren changed her clothes, smoothly combed her hair into two twin ponytails, and then clipped on two small pineapple-shaped hairpins. After washing up, he led the pretty little girl out.
“Yourong, take your master for a shower or something. Change out of those clothes. I’ll be back around 10.”
“Oh, okay.”
Passing by the dining room, Luo Yao timidly hid by Qin Ren’s side and stole a glance at Yu Ling’er. It was also Yu Ling’er’s first time seeing the Pixiu in human form. She had wanted to say hello or something, but she was stunned and couldn’t speak, only clenching her hands and blushing in embarrassment.
After all, it was really hard for her to connect such a petite girl with the majestic and imposing Spirit Beast she had been riding for two or three hundred years.
It just felt… strange.
On the other hand, after getting on the elevator, Luo Yao belatedly looked up at the sky, thought for a moment, and felt a little strange.
Qin Ren said he would be back around 10, but it was only 8 now.
Did it take that long to eat breakfast outside?
Luo Yao looked down at the large hand holding hers, then looked up at his eyes.
“Are you sleepy, Qin Ren?”
“Not sleepy.”
Qin Ren’s answer was decisive. In fact, he was incredibly sleepy. He was only full of energy now because he had something to do. When the backlash came, probably not even a few bulls could wake him up.
He took Luo Yao to the Golden Arches, ate a crispy hash brown, a McMuffin, and a lime Coke. They finished quickly, but they didn’t go straight home afterwards. Instead, he led her towards the riverside park.
“Where are we going?” Luo Yao’s little steps were full of a light, bouncing feeling, because she felt that Qin Ren’s palm was particularly warm and comfortable today, so she couldn’t help it.
“To see something fun.”
They walked further than they usually did when they went to the park. Then they saw a crowd of people in a field ahead and heard the sound of a sound system and a microphone.
Luo Yao had never been out at this time before and didn’t expect so many people to be gathered outside at this hour.
“What are they watching?”
“Wipeout.”
“Wipeout what?” The just-full Pixiu was very sensitive. Hearing this, she felt a little hungry again.
As a reality challenge game show, Wipeout had been produced by various TV stations and had a long history.
Rongcheng TV also had one.
And with the development of the times, they now often invited some popular internet celebrities and streamers to participate.
Although Qin Ren was not interested in these, ever since he had followed the local TV station’s official account for a free nail clipper by the roadside, his WeChat had been pushing Wipeout notifications almost every week. Besides those who actively signed up and some deliberately arranged “insiders,” there would be some guest appearances of varying sizes every week.
Although the venue was very close, for a person like Qin Ren, if he was really not interested in something, he wouldn’t even bother to look at it, even if it was right in front of him. In addition, the summer event was held in the morning, so Qin Ren himself had never gone to watch.
But today, after finally coming, a certain Pixiu seemed very interested. Her little hand was tightly stuffed in Qin Ren’s palm. She spun around in the noisy crowd, bouncing and jumping, wanting to see how the foolish humans were tormented by those strange contraptions.
“Alright! The next contestant is another great beauty!”
“Eh, she’s wearing hand guards and knee pads, very professional…”
…
The two hosts, a man and a woman, on the stage were awkwardly carrying on with unnecessary hosting, but it didn’t affect the enthusiasm of the crowd, especially when the so-called “beauty” came on stage. From the old men to the sixth-grade elementary school students, countless male compatriots in the crowd stared with wide eyes and open mouths, eagerly anticipating.
What they were anticipating was, of course, not her clearing the course, but to frantically train their dynamic vision in the brief moment the beauty fell into the water and got wet.
“Qin Ren, Qin Ren!”
A new round began after the beauty had a simple, awkward chat for half a minute. Luo Yao’s eyes sparkled as she called Qin Ren’s name.
There were too many people. She couldn’t see.
So, Qin Ren squatted down and lowered his head.
“Get on.”
“Eh…?”
Luo Yao was stunned.
“What are you waiting for? Get on.”
Qin Ren continued to keep his head down and squeezed the Pixiu’s soft palm.
“Ride on my shoulders. Then you’ll be able to see.”
Luo Yao had never ridden on anyone before. Under Qin Ren’s constant urging, she finally, shyly, clung to his collar, and her delicate and smooth legs straddled his shoulders. Amidst the scattered gazes of the surrounding people, her little face blushed with embarrassment.
“Are you sitting tight?”
“Wait… wait a little longer…”
Luo Yao tugged at her dress. The soft cotton fabric inside could only cover a limited area. And the particularly tender skin of her inner thighs was tickled by the short hair on the back of Qin Ren’s neck. She had to smooth it out properly, making them stick a little in the same direction.
“Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
A nectar-like fragrance floated in the air, and a warm, pillow-like feeling was on the back of his neck. But Qin Ren was not distracted by these messy things. He gently held Luo Yao’s two little legs and slowly stood up.
“I can see~ Qin Ren~”
“Sit tight.”
Qin Ren was tall, and Luo Yao, sitting on his shoulders, was also tall. Then she looked around and saw that there were other little girls riding high like her, but they all seemed to be a little smaller than Luo Yao, about the same as Tang Bobo. This made the eighteen-year-old High Immortal a little shy.
Splash—
Gaudy music, the host’s commentary, the sound of falling into water, laughter, applause—it had it all.
Qin Ren found it very noisy, which was one of the reasons he never watched Wipeout.
But today, there was a string of clear, silver-bell-like laughter from time to time, clean and pleasant. It made Qin Ren unknowingly stand there for a full hour. It wasn’t until the entire show was over and a pair of small hands on his head gently scratched his hair that he supported his old back and slowly lowered the little girl from his shoulders to the ground.
“I heard you giggling like a little hen. Is this show that interesting?”
“Mhm~!”
Luo Yao nodded vigorously, then shook her head vigorously.
“But it’s very stupid. I don’t want to watch it again after seeing it once.”
“Really?”
Luo Yao didn’t speak. Then the joy on her face gradually faded, and she quietly hugged Qin Ren’s arm.
“Qin Ren.”
“Mhm.”
“Did… did they laugh at you…”
“Who are they?”
Qin Ren smiled and stroked her head.
“And why would they laugh at me?”
“Just the people around…”
Luo Yao suddenly regretted it. She had been so focused on watching the foolish humans fall into the water that she had forgotten to count how many people around were secretly laughing at Qin Ren…
If… if there were a lot, she should have gotten down immediately.
Luo Yao could be naughty with Qin Ren, throw a little tantrum, and angrily kick his strange thing. But Luo Yao had never thought of riding on Qin Ren’s shoulders and letting him be laughed at by others.
Qin Ren was not a Spirit Beast. The feeling of being ridden on by others must not be a good one…
As Luo Yao was thinking this, she was held in the arms of the half-squatting Qin Ren.
“Did you know, they won’t laugh at me. They should be envious of me.”
“You’re just coaxing me…” Luo Yao didn’t believe him. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted it. Her little hand clutched Qin Ren’s shoulder and tugged gently.
“I’m not. You saw it too. There were other people riding high, right?”
“Mhm…”
“So, among all the little girls riding high, only the one on my shoulders is the most well-behaved, the prettiest, and the cutest. Who wouldn’t be envious?”
Luo Yao was seriously regretting it. She couldn’t listen to Qin Ren say such things. Her heart couldn’t help but be happy, and then she would blush and be embarrassed. So she hid her face in the crook of his shoulder where he couldn’t see and hummed softly.
“Really…”
“Of course it’s real. What about you?”
Qin Ren slightly separated her from his body and looked into her watery eyes.
“I lifted you so high. Weren’t you at least a little proud of me or something?”
“No.”
Luo Yao first denied it, then couldn’t stand Qin Ren staring at her. Her ears grew hot.
“Just a little…”
“Then am I amazing?”
“Amazing…”
Luo Yao blinked her eyes and looked around in embarrassment. What was wrong with Qin Ren today? He was so narcissistic.
“Only the cutest Luo Yao can ride the most amazing Qin Ren. Only the most amazing Qin Ren can be ridden by the cutest Luo Yao. What do you think?”
Luo Yao was silent. She had heard something in his words. She pondered for a long time.
“Qin Ren… you really won’t dislike me?”
“I won’t. Unless one day, you’re no longer by my side. Then I can dislike you as much as I want.”
Luo Yao lifted her head, looked at the sky. A moment later, her cool, moist lips drew near, with a hint of shy panic, and softly printed a kiss on Qin Ren’s face.
“Qin Ren, you’re never allowed to dislike me ever again.”
Looking at the deep blush that gradually spread across the little girl’s face, Qin Ren smiled.
“Mhm, never.”
“…Are you sleepy…”
“Not sleepy.”
“…Hold my hand. Let’s go back…”
“Mhm.”
…
