Jin Chen's teasing words were still ringing in his ears. Xie Qingmo only felt his ears slightly hot. How could he have the mind to continue practicing sword?He stopped, turned around without saying a word, and walked towards his residence deep in the bamboo forest.Jinchen was not annoyed. He leisurely followed him a few steps behind, casually twisting the bamboo leaves with his fingertips, putting them to his lips, and continued to whistle intermittently and out of tune.It echoed slowly in the silent bamboo forest. The tune was not pleasant to the ear and had a bit of nonchalant mischief. Xie Qingmo quickened his pace after hearing it.Just as he reached the fence gate of the small courtyard, Xie Qingmo paused and saw a figure standing outside the gate, peeking his head in.Xing Yan also saw him, his eyes lit up, and he immediately smiled and walked over to him quickly, "Second Senior Brother! I finally waited for you!"Xie Qingmo almost subconsciously turned his head and glanced behind him.No one is empty.Only in his hand hanging by his side, a piece of lush green bamboo leaf appeared without him noticing.The Chen sword hung quietly at his waist."I was wondering why I heard someone blowing a bamboo leaf whistle just now."Xing Yan approached carelessly, his eyes swept over the leaf in Xie Qingmo's hand, and then he grinned, "So it's Second Senior Brother! This blowing... well, it's quite interesting."He tried to find a word that wasn't too hurtful.Xie Qingmo: “…”The Chen sword at his waist suddenly made a short and clear sound.Xie Qingmo ignored Xing Yan's teasing, "What's the matter?"Xing Yan scratched the back of his head and his smile faded a little, "Second Brother, it's... it's Xiao Cheng..."Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Xie Qingmo."If it's related to Liu Qingcheng, you can leave."Xing Yan was choked, and immediately showed grievance on his face. He pouted, "Second Brother, please don't be mean to me... Weren't we very close before? Okay, okay, let's not talk about it anymore."He quickly waved his hands and looked at Xie Qingmo eagerly, "Then...can I go in and sit for a while? Just for a while."Xie Qingmo looked at him silently for a moment, and finally nodded and pushed open the simple fence door.Xing Yan immediately became happy, and followed him into the courtyard as if he was familiar with the place. He sat down on the stone bench in the yard, and took out a carved wooden box from his arms and placed it on the stone table as if he was presenting a treasure."Second Brother, this is a snack that Fourth Sister made especially for you. She remembered that you loved eating this. Come and try it!"Xie Qingmo sat down on the other side, picked up the coarse earthenware pot on the table, and poured a cup of tea for Xing Yan and himself."How are you?" he asked, putting down the teapot.Xing Yan held the teacup in both hands, but didn't drink. He just supported his head with his hand, and his tone was a little listless."Everything... everything is fine. Nothing serious happened in the peak. It's just..." He stole a glance at Xie Qingmo's expressionless face and lowered his voice, "It's just... without you here, I always feel like something is missing."He didn't dare to mention Liu Qingcheng, but he couldn't understand in his heart why Xiaocheng was so pitiful and cute, but couldn't get along with his second senior brother."correct!"Xing Yan seemed to suddenly remember something, and tried to liven up the atmosphere, hurriedly taking something out of the storage bag around his waist."Xiao Cheng... uh, that's him. He knows that you, Second Senior Brother, love swords like your life, so he went to the Spiritual Products Pavilion to find a top-grade sword tassel! It's full of spiritual energy!"The sword tassel was indeed gorgeous and exquisite. The silk ribbon was made of rare ice silk, and the end was adorned with a moist warm jade buckle.Xing Yan held it up as if he were presenting a treasure, thinking that his second senior brother would be satisfied with this gift.He leaned over excitedly and wanted to hang the beautiful sword tassel on the hilt of the Chen sword hanging on Xie Qingmo's waist.state! state! Two solid and merciless knocks suddenly rang out!The hilt of the Chen Sword seemed to have eyes, and it hit Xing Yan's forehead hard and fast several times as he came closer.All the dirty stuff is thrown at me!"Ouch!"Xing Yan was caught off guard. He covered his forehead where two small red spots appeared, and was completely stunned.Xie Qingmo looked at Xing Yan's painful, confused and silly expression, and the corners of his lips curved upwards, almost unable to hold it back.He gently brushed the scabbard of Chen Sword with his fingertips, and said to Xing Yan who was covering his forehead: "It seems that my sword... doesn't like the sword tassel that Liu Qingcheng gave me."Xing Yan felt that the punishment was even more unfair than the one he received from his master.He rubbed his forehead, which had two small bumps, and his eyes widened. "Second Brother! Your sword is too fierce! It wasn't like this before!"The Chen Sword at Xie Qingmo's waist hummed softly again, and the sword tassel swayed slightly with a hint of disdain.The past was before and the present is now.Xie Qingmo didn't respond. He picked up the teacup and took a sip, his eyes falling on the food box on the stone table.When the box was opened, a few pieces of snow-white and delicate pastries exuded a sweet aroma.Xie Qingmo's gaze lingered on the pastry for a moment, but he ultimately did not touch it."Thank Lan Yi for me.""Oh..." Xing Yan was a little disappointed, but he quickly cheered up and started chattering about what happened in the peak. His master had just obtained a new spiritual herb, his eldest brother would be back soon after leading the team down the mountain for training, and his fifth junior brother had made some funny mistake during his training.Xie Qingmo just listened quietly, occasionally responding with "hmm" or "got it".The tea was refilled twice, but the box of Yurong cake on the stone table remained intact.Xing Yan spoke until his mouth was dry, and the indescribable feeling of suffocation in his heart surged up again.He scratched his hair and said sullenly, "Second Brother, you are alone in this back mountain... aren't you bored? There's no one to talk to. In the past, we...""I'm used to it." Xie Qingmo interrupted him and put down the teacup, "A place for quiet cultivation should be quiet."“But it’s too quiet!”Xing Yan blurted out, then realized that his tone was too harsh, and lowered his voice, "... Everyone actually misses you a lot, it's just... it's just..."After trying for a long time, I still couldn't say something like "It's just that Xiaocheng is too pitiful and everyone has to take care of him."I just felt that both sides were wronged and my face turned red.Chen Jian vibrated slightly again, this time with a hint of impatience.Xing Yan subconsciously shrank his neck, feeling the two lumps on the back of his head still aching slightly.Xie Qingmo stood up, and his intention to see him off was obvious. "It's getting late, we should go back."Xing Yan stood up with his head drooping, and moved towards the gate of the courtyard, looking back every few steps, still muttering, "Second Brother, remember to eat the cakes... I, I'll come to see you another day..."Until Xingyan's figure completely disappeared at the end of the bamboo forest path, the courtyard gate closed silently.He lowered his head, looking at the green bamboo leaf in his hand that was a little wilted from being squeezed, and his fingertips unconsciously stroked the veins of the leaf.Jinchen appeared silently beside him, almost sticking close to him, and raised his hand to reach for the leaf in Xie Qingmo's hand.Xie Qingmo subconsciously wanted to pull his hand back.Jinchen's movements were faster. With a deft flick of his fingertips, the bamboo leaf fell into his palm. He then looked up at the sunlight, as if checking for any damage."Thank you Qingmo."Xie Qingmo glanced at him sideways and saw Jinchen standing with his back to the sunlight in the bamboo forest, pinching a leaf and shaking it, his voice carrying a bit of the clarity unique to young people."I don't like sword ornaments given by others, and you are not allowed to accept them."