Chapter 328: Inside and Outside the Cabin |
Seeing Qiu Wuji’s longing gaze, Chu Ge really wanted to say: “Your servant can’t do it, my lord.”
The situations in the two worlds were different. In this world, who could truly act without any reservations? Even the leaders of nations had limits.
However, he quickly realized that while Qiu Wuji followed the rules of this world, she maintained a different mental attitude when facing challenges. Her confident and unshakable demeanor, even when everyone else’s heart was timid, set her apart. He was indeed far behind.
Retire to peace, and the storm subsides; draw your sword, and the world cowers. A strong person should have such a mentality.
Chu Ge, on the other hand, only knew how to show off in his fictional world and shrink away in the real world. He had plenty of reasons, but was it fitting for someone with the heart of a god and creator of a world? It wasn’t. He could only call it “isolated self-admiration.”
Leaving aside social matters, in terms of mindset when facing enemies, he could indeed elevate himself. It was like the day he punched the molestor, it felt exhilarating.
“So, does it start with removing the mask?” Chu Ge asked.
“A mask is just a temporary measure when you are weak. When it’s time to take it off, you should. But it’s not always the same; sometimes, it can be useful for convenience, just like when I blocked the cameras. These things are not about their physical form but what’s in your heart.”
“You’re talking about…”
Chu Ge chuckled and handed her a cherry, “Disciple is truly enlightened… Master, have some fruits.”
Qiu Wuji, with a cherry in her mouth, said with sparkling eyes, “This cherry is delicious.”
“This is called Che Lizi.” Chu Ge found an opportunity to tease her, “Have you really learned enough modern words?”
Qiu Wuji was unyielding, “This is clearly a cherry; at most, it’s a better variety. What’s the difference with what you called?”
((TL: 车厘子 (chelizi) = sweet cherry, 樱桃 (yingtao) = cherry ))
Chu Ge was stumped; he didn’t know how they were different. They might have different textures and sizes, but there were also different apple varieties, yet they were all called apples.
“You wait a moment,” he secretly turned around and tried to search on his phone.
Qiu Wuji peeked over at his phone from the side.
Chu Ge kept a straight face and put away his phone.
Qiu Wuji, with a wide smile, taunted, “Is this what modern people do?”
Chu Ge defended himself, “That’s right. Modern people are good at using tools! Do you understand, ancient old lady of ten thousand years?”
Qiu Wuji burst into laughter.
The cruise ship suddenly trembled slightly; it had begun to depart from the shore and sail into the sea. The two stopped their playful banter, and Qiu Wuji grabbed some fruits she found intriguing before disappearing from the cabin to enjoy the view of the sea.
The stars and moon had appeared, and only a hint of the setting sun’s glow lingered on the horizon.
The sky was dark, but not completely black. The evening breeze started to howl, and those who had been enjoying the wind on the deck were now seeking shelter inside.
Some crew members were giving explanations, mentioning that there were several levels inside the ship. For example, after dining in the music restaurant on the first floor, you could head to the second floor to enjoy a symphony concert.
Qiu Wuji had no intention of listening to the symphony, as it didn’t suit her taste. While others moved inside to enjoy the performance, she happily walked towards the bow of the ship.
Gazing at the receding coastline, the lights of the city were dazzling, with stars dotting the sky, and the celestial bodies above seemed to be in harmony, creating a beautiful sight.
You could see a few people scattered along the beach a few kilometers away from the dock, still enjoying themselves. The seawater rolled up seashells and washed over the small sandcastles on the beach, just like in the past.
Qiu Wuji’s lips curled into a smile, and her eyes held a hint of nostalgia, as if she had glimpsed her former self.
“I wonder if our sandcastles from back then are still there. I used spiritual energy at the time, so they should have lasted a long time.” She said.
Chu Ge cleared his throat but didn’t say anything. It had been so long, and her cultivation at the time wasn’t very powerful. Even if the waves didn’t wash them away, the sandcastles should have been destroyed by children long ago.
It seemed that Qiu Wuji also realized this. She pouted, tilted her head away from the shore, and turned her gaze toward the setting sun.
The afterglow of the setting sun was still quite beautiful.
The cruise ship sailed towards the direction of the setting sun, as if chasing it in its descent towards the sea’s horizon, making the sun set more slowly. Qiu Wuji watched it with fascination and whispered, “Does this count as Kuafu chasing the sun?”
((TL: Kuafu (夸父) is a giant in Chinese mythology who wished to capture the Sun. Ref. Chapter 289))
Chu Ge said, “It does. However, according to some modern theories, Kuafu might have been chasing the shadow of the sun, which is the gnomon’s measurement of the sun’s position. Could it be that mythology and martial arts stories were like the scientific wisdom of our ancient ancestors?”
Qiu Wuji asked, “So, if you consider mythology as history, what about the giant chasing the sun in your book?”
“Fantasy and reality aren’t necessarily in conflict. The wisdom of our ancestors coexists with imaginative fantasies. Thousands of years have passed, and they continue to flow in our blood.”
Qiu Wuji turned to look at him and said, “So, that’s why we have ‘Chu Tian Wuji’?”
Chu Ge replied, “And that’s why we have Qiu Wuji.”
Qiu Wuji smiled radiantly, “Stop it. I don’t have much wisdom.”
She paused for a moment, then said softly, “I hope the giant in your book can feel your heart.”
Turning their heads to look again, the sun had completely disappeared.
The cruise ship couldn’t catch up with the sun after all.
The sky was now entirely dark, and the sea breeze was howling, making it hard to keep your eyes open. Almost instinctively, Chu Ge held Qiu Wuji close, and the two leaned on each other to watch the nighttime sea.
The distant horizon had completely merged into one, and it was impossible to distinguish where the sky ended and the sea began. The stars were like decorations on a vast canopy, and it seemed like you could pick them as the ship sailed.
Whether in the book or the world outside, at least in terms of visual perception, it was all the same.
The security guard nearby couldn’t help but say, “Would you mind going inside? We’re already out at sea, and it’s dangerous. I see you’re both dressed lightly. Aren’t you cold?”
In his mind, he thought, these lovebirds are beyond help. Both of them were just wearing simple coats, and they looked like they were dressed for spring or autumn. Standing on the deck in the middle of the sea on a cold winter night, it was like they were daring to freeze to death.
Titanic also sank on such a night and people were frozen to death, you know…
Chu Ge turned to give him a glance and asked, “Haven’t seen you before. Are you a newly recruited security guard?”
The middle-aged security guard hesitated for a moment. This tone was more like that of a boss or a young master, wasn’t it?
He quickly put on a smile and replied, “Yes, that’s right. I joined two days ago. And you are…”
Chu Ge magically pulled out a thick down jacket with a hood and turned to help Qiu Wuji put it on. He flipped the hood up, and the chic girl with a ponytail instantly turned into a round, fluffy ball with her little face hidden in the hood, blushing.
“See, we have some clothes. Not cold,” Chu Ge blinked his eyes at the security guard, “But I think you might be cold. Why don’t you go inside and take a break? I’ll watch over the outside.”
The security guard thought this might be some rich kid’s idea of having fun and hesitated. He retreated to the cabin door, not sure if he should stay or leave.
Qiu Wuji whispered, “You’re just teasing him and shirking his duties.”
Chu Ge grinned, “There’s no one else here anyway. If someone does show up, I’ll fulfill their duty for them.”
“What, you’re going to stand here and play security?”
“No, I can chase people into the cabin if needed; that’s my duty.”
Qiu Wuji laughed, “Noble and responsible.”
Chu Ge looked at her, who now looked like a round snowman, and the more he looked, the cuter she seemed.
He couldn’t help but reach out and pat her face, “That’s why I say, advancing in cultivation isn’t necessarily always a good thing. We lose out on many different styles of clothing. Look how adorable you look in these winter clothes.”
Qiu Wuji grumbled, “Where did you get these clothes? This isn’t a style from our cultivation world. Did you secretly buy them here? Who are you going to give them to?”
Chu Ge couldn’t be bothered with her rambling and said mysteriously, “Where did I get them…guess?”
“Could it be that you can also take out stuff in the real world? That’s amazing. How did you manage it?”
Chu Ge grinned, “I summoned it in the book and then brought it back to the real world.”
Qiu Wuji’s eyes widened.
Could it really be done like that?
This meant that Chu Ge’s control over both the world inside the book and the world outside had almost reached perfection. It also showed that his actual abilities went far beyond what was apparent on the surface, to the point that not even she could discern the details.
Chu Ge looked at her wide-eyed, adorable expression and couldn’t resist picking her up and walking towards the bow of the ship. “How about we play a ‘you jump, I jump’ game?”
“No,” the fluffy ball struggled, “It’s so silly!”
“Well, what do you want to do then? You’re the one who suggested coming to the deck to enjoy the night breeze and the sea.”
“You should also change into a bear-shaped outfit.”
Chu Ge quickly conjured a bear-themed outfit for himself and looked at her, flipping the hood up to become a full bear figure.
Qiu Wuji couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Chu Ge embraced her, holding her as they sat facing the vast sea.
Just like a big bear hugging a little bear, they watched the sea quietly.
“Mommy, look, there are two bears over there!” A child in the ship’s music hall shouted to his mother.
The security guard in the cabin peeked over and was left stunned. He initially thought that this young master was going to engage in some kind of inappropriate activity outside. But this is too kindergarten level, right?
Around this time, Zhu Mengmeng entered the second-floor symphony hall and found a corner to sit and listen to the orchestra’s performance.
She couldn’t really appreciate classical music, and in this aspect, she shared some common ground with Qiu Wuji. She preferred to listen to Jay Chou’s songs, especially the ones with a traditional Chinese style. So, she had instruments like zither and guqin in the teahouse, and in this regard, it could be considered as the budding of friendship between the two.
Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji were infuriating with their constant public displays of affection, and Zhu Mengmeng wanted to see if there were any single and artistic young men in the music park. After all, artistic young men couldn’t be that bad, could they? They must be better than Cai Zhijian, right?
But as she watched, her expression turned somewhat serious.
No single handsome guys.
All she saw were people with their families or balding middle-aged men. The situation was too dire.
She cursed silently, having avoided a display of affection only to step into a scene where she was surrounded by couples. It was as if she was attracting them herself.
Seeing the girls snuggled up against their boyfriends, Zhu Mengmeng couldn’t help but mumble under her breath, “What are you showing off? I hope you break up soon!”
As she was thinking this, she glanced at the love lines connecting the couples, and indeed, they appeared quite dim.
Zhu Mengmeng chuckled to herself, “You’ll break up sooner or later.”
She continued to observe others, and to her astonishment, the love lines connecting the men and women in the audience were dimmer than the previous ones.
She couldn’t help but wonder if modern relationships were all unreliable, or if it’s just that the fate connecting them was approaching its end.