Chapter 8: The Key to The Immortal World
I stood against the wall following the 'kind sir's instructions. My heart was beating rapidly as I admonished myself. I wondered what made me trust this 'kind sir' so much...
All I knew was that when he suddenly grabbed my hand; I felt a fluttery feeling ignite inside my heart.
I couldn't think straight just imagining the little space in between us. My mind drowned out all the noises of the criminals searching for me as I felt the 'kind sir's nervousness through his breath.
'Just an inch away…'
'His lips are just an inch away…'
The 'kind sir' turned his head away, probably to confirm that those men were gone.
However, I felt like he was abandoning me, trying to widen the distance between us.
My heart started racing frantically. 'It hurts…'
My hands slowly reached for his head and pulled him towards me. I could see his confused expression and the widening of his eyes. 'Don't worry...I just want your lips…'
"Muah…" With that, there was no more distance between us.
~+++~
"Ah…" Their lips disconnected. It was purely just lip-on-lip, but Lin Shen felt reluctant to let go.
Lin Shen's mind was blank. The only thing he could think of were the soft touches of her lips.
This was his first kiss! Additionally, he wasn't the one who initiated it! Lin Shen swore he was going nuts.
The girl he helped out suddenly kissed him and he couldn't think properly. His mind was too intoxicated with her lips to respond.
The girl cupped his cheeks with her hands, a loving expression on her face. "I was too intoxicated with your spirit..."
Then, as if awakening from her trance, she hurriedly retracted her hands.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to. I wasn't thinking properly!"
It was only then did Lin Shen awaken from his intoxicated state. He took a better look at the girl.
Her face was a blend of adorable cuteness in addition to a charming vibe. He could tell she was around his age from her youthful beauty. Her frantic apologies and worried expression brought a smile to his face.
"Don't worry about it… even though it was sudden of you, I don't hate it..." Lin Shen blurted out without thinking before realizing what he had done.
"Eh?..." The girl paused suddenly. She could notice that on the 'kind sir's face was a faint blush.
She blushed as well thinking of what that meant. Did he like her? Was he not mad at her?
The two continued staring at each other, lost in their own thoughts.
Eventually, Lin Shen broke the awkward situation. He stepped backwards and showed his hands.
"Well, those men searching for you are gone. Since you're safe now, I should probably head home. I was originally out here for some groceries anyway." He held up the two bags that contained the eggs and showed it to her.
Seeing as Lin Shen was about to leave, the girl hastily stopped him.
"My name is Jie Xiulan. I bought a house across from Jiang Street, but I don't think I can return there since the Wolf's Bane kidnapped me from there. In fact, that would be the least safest place for me."
"Err…were you perhaps stuffed inside a big bag and put into a van?..."
"Huh, yeah I was. How did you know?"
"I guess I saw you being put inside the van." Now things were getting more complicated, just as he had thought when he decided to help Jie Xiulan.
The girl was personally thrown into the back of a van by Jin Da himself. If that didn't say anything about her importance then he would be an ignorant fool.
"How do I say this…" Lin Shen hesitated. "I've already helped you enough as it is. Doing anymore would be endangering myself, including my father."
"I understand…" Jie Xiulan was disappointed with his answer, but she wasn't mad. He said it himself. He had already helped her enough, plus they were just strangers. Insisting anymore would just be selfish on her part.
"I'll be straight with you. Jin Da was the one who kidnapped you. I'll protect you if you can help me ruin him." The contrasting words from Lin Shen short-circuited Jie Xiulan's brain. Did he not just say he would be endangering himself if he were to protect her?
"Do you have a grudge against Jin Da or something? You do know he's very powerful to have become the boss of Wolf's Bane, right?"
"Whether he's the boss or the henchmen, none of that matters. The only thing that does is the fact that he did something he shouldn't have. Now do you want to help me or not?" Lin Shen repeated his condition. He felt tired at the moment. He had already spoken too many words today; his OCD was starting to act up, cranking up his mood.
Jie Xiulan was in a daze when she heard that. 'It sounded so…handsome..?'
She snapped out of her thoughts seeing his impatient look. "I'll help you. Since he tried to kidnap me, he was already marked as an enemy."
"Alright, follow me then." Lin Shen headed back towards the general direction of his home.
"...by the way, I never got your name…"
"Lin Shen."
~+++~
Click!
Lin Shen unlocked the door to the apartment.
"I'm home." He took off his shoes and put them on the shoe rack. A nervous Jie Xiulan followed behind him.
"Don't be nervous. It's only my father and I living in this apartment. He'll understand once I explain it to him." Lin Shen tried to ease Jie Xiulan.
Ding!
A notification arrived on his phone and he checked it.
[Quest 'Go jog outside, it's healthy.' has been completed.]
[Calculating the rewards now…]
[Congratulations, you've obtained 'The Key To The Immortal World'.]
[The reward has been deposited inside your inventory.]
Lin Shen was curious about what this key to the immortal world could do, but he had more pressing things to consider. It was also because he wasn't alone right now.
"Son? Who's this young lady behind you?" At this time, Father Lin arrived at the door due to Lin Shen's announcement. He saw Jie Xiulan standing beside Lin Shen.
Jie Xiulan politely bowed to Father Lin. "Sir, I am Jie Xiulan. I-"
"We kissed. Now I'm bringing her home."
"Eh?!" Jie Xiulan was speechless at Lin Shen's bluntness. Her face was flushed and she looked downwards.
Father Lin was also shocked by his son. His son actually brought back a girl after shopping for eggs…did he mistake the type of egg he meant?
"Oh right. Here are the eggs you told me to buy." Lin Shen gave the eggs to his father before dragging Jie Xiulan to his room.
'So he didn't make a mistake, I'm relieved.' Father Lin wiped a happy tear from the corners of his eyes. 'My son has finally grown up. He kissed a girl and brought her back home, so I guess he is also a responsible person.'
In Lin Shen's room.
Lin Shen plopped down onto his bed as soon as he arrived. "Make yourself at home." A few minutes later he fell asleep. He was too mentally tired. He didn't go outside a lot but he had been forced to stay out for so long.
Jie Xiulan, who had been left unattended, stood there staring at the sleeping face of Lin Shen. She knew it wasn't the right time to be sleeping and that she should call for help as soon as possible, but she too also felt tired.
There was also a strange aura around Lin Shen that kept on constantly attracting her. It was this aura that made her kiss him out of the blue. All things considered, it was highly likely that Lin Shen couldn't see his aura.
"Yawn…" She too was tired. She glanced at the sleeping Lin Shen who occupied the only bed in the room. She blushed as she proceeded towards his bed.
"He wouldn't mind...would he?"
~+++~
Meanwhile, on a house across Jiang Street, a tall and slightly muscular man around 30-40 years of age stood there. He wore a long robe that stuck to his body, showing off his muscles.
"Xiulan's protective talisman broke here, but she herself isn't here. Where could she be?"
He reached into the pocket of his robe and took out a fist sized talisman.
Woosh!
A small gust of air appeared and left a small cut on his finger, which he used to drop a little bit of blood onto the talisman. Inaudible words exited his mouth and the talisman lit up. The talisman then flew into the air and moved towards a specific direction.
"Xiulan is in that direction? I must go now!" He let the talisman fly in the air and guide him, following behind closely. He moved fairly quick, but it wasn't so fast since he had to match the speed of the talisman.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone