That Look

After a dull thud, light flashed beneath Ji Jue's hands. Then, faint tremors surfaced along the blade, buzzing uncontrollably. Amid continuous popping fractures, cracks spread across the overburdened spine of the sword, reaching all the way down to the crossguard. A total collapse! After enduring thousands of successful and unsuccessful Dissociation Art impacts over recent days, the long-suffering longsword was finally spent. Like a camel dying with its eyes wide open, it breathed its last under the humiliation of the final straw. A dreamlike wisp of faint light slowly rose from the cracks, falling into Ji Jue's hand, and was instantly absorbed and digested by Deus Ex Machina. "Phew—" Ji Jue leaned his head back in bliss, exhaling a long breath, practically moved to tears. At last, he'd gotten a hit—his first taste since returning from the Border Realm! Pure! Authentic! That was the flavor! What a kick! Feeling countless fragments of imagery rushing at him, along with the agonizing torment of feeling forged into steel, Ji Jue clenched his fists, fingers flexing. At last, along the long road of the Path of Embers, he had taken another step forward. Worthy of celebration! Truly worthy of celebration! Only, his joy hadn't lasted long before he looked once again at the progress on his watch... With the number [1] completely filled, the number [2] finally sprouted a tiny speck of color so faint it could barely be discerned without a magnifying glass. It wasn't even one percent—he'd have to count decimal places! More and more homework, less and less money earned. The progress bar grew ever longer, the ability required more and more pay-to-win grinding, and salvaging equipment was such a pain... Oh no, had he stumbled into a knockoff MMO? Ji Jue couldn't hold it back anymore; sorrow welled up from deep within. Life was unlivable. There was no hope in sight. And so, drained by the depletion of spiritus and crushed by brutal reality, he drifted out of the workshop like a walking corpse and collapsed face-first onto the sofa. Falling fast asleep. Until Ye Chun shook him awake again. Outside the window, dusk had settled, the dim light fading into evening. Ye Chun had changed into a simple black evening dress, her hair pinned up, makeup immaculate. For the first time in ages, she wore a necklace and bracelets, carrying a small clutch. "Got plans tonight?" Seeing Ji Jue's dazed expression, she anticipated his answer and waved a hand preemptively. "Grinding more doesn't count." "No plans." "Great. Hustle up, get your things together, and get ready to head out with me." Ye Chun waved him over, looking cheerful. "Aren't you short on cash lately? I'm introducing you to a gig. If it works out, you owe me a finder's fee!" Holy crap, money?! Instantly, Ji Jue's eyes lit up, widening like bronze bells. All drowsiness vanished. Like a corpse jolting to life, he bolted upright from the sofa. Then he heard Ye Chun ask, "By the way, do you have a suit?" "Uh..." He hesitated. "Technically, yes, but..." "Right, never mind." Ye Chun realized what she was asking. She had seen Ji Jue's suit before—the cuffs were practically unraveling at the seams, and the cut was barely wearable. It might pass if he was blending into the background at a graduation ceremony or some formal crowd event, but for an occasion where he'd stand out individually, he was better off not wearing it at all. She swept her eyes over Ji Jue and finally nodded. "Forget it, just wear what you have on. Go swap into a plain T-shirt." "Is that okay?" "Why wouldn't it be?" She turned to head upstairs, completely nonchalant. "We're going to a concert hall, not a session of the Midtown Senate. Why be so stiff? Go wash up and wait for me." By the time Ji Jue washed his face, tidied himself, grabbed a fresh change of clothes from the workshop, and came out, Ye Chun had already come downstairs. Her pinned-up hair was let down again, her jewelry removed; she had actually switched into jeans and a T-shirt, draped only in a cardigan sweater over top. From an aristocratic young lady heading to a banquet, she had transformed right back into the casual, easygoing senior sister going for a stroll—relaxed, cheerful, and once again close and approachable. Next to her, Ji Jue no longer looked out of place. He couldn't help but pause. "What are you standing there gaping at?" Ye Chun tossed him the car keys. "Know how to get to the concert hall?" "The one in Mingyue Square in Lihua District?" "Right. You're driving." Ye Chun led the way, urging him on. "Changing clothes worked out great. If we hurry, we'll still have time to grab dinner before the show starts. I'm starving." "Ten minutes. Guaranteed!" Ji Jue grinned and made a sweeping gesture of assurance. In reality, it took six. With Deus Ex Machina's assistance, Ji Jue sped through the streets, effortlessly weaving through rush-hour gridlock as if through an empty expanse. Leaving who knew how many drivers choking on his dust, he roared past amid a chorus of curses. Not only did it leave them time to eat, it even gave Ye Chun time to touch up her makeup. Before the performance at the concert hall began, they made their entrance without any rush. Only after taking his seat did Ji Jue realize it was actually a private box. However, even after the performance began, the person who had extended the invitation was late due to a traffic jam—supposedly having been frightened on the way by a car driving like a maniac, swerving into a guardrail, and having to take a cab instead... To this, Ji Jue could only maintain as innocent an expression as possible under Ye Chun's deeply conflicted gaze. Putting on airs, he began watching the performance on stage. According to the brochure handed to him, the performing troupe was the Empire's renowned Splendor Troupe, and this was the final stop on their Federation tour. As an internationally acclaimed ensemble, tickets for their Yacheng performance were notoriously hard to come by. Before tickets were even released through public channels, they had already been carved up through various connections, leaving scalpers without a single opening to work their trade. The attendees were all either wealthy or distinguished. Looking out from the box, Ji Jue spotted several faces he often saw on television, as well as a few Celestial Chosen, though everyone was accustomed to such sights. As the curtains drew back and faint melodies arose, the quiet murmurs vanished. From the sudden silence, the performance finally commenced. The lighting was good, the music played beautifully, and though following the lyrics in Imperial was a slight challenge, it wasn't too difficult. The elaborate, flashy dancing was genuinely gorgeous. Especially the blonde, blue-eyed woman right at the front—she had an explosive figure and danced with breathtaking grace! Even an uncultured bumpkin like Ji Jue couldn't resist taking out his phone to snap a few photos, bobbing his head pretentiously to the music from time to time. Watching him, Ye Chun couldn't help but laugh. "First time seeing you appreciate art like this," she said. "What do you think?" "Sublime," Ji Jue replied without missing a beat. "It's so very musical, and the dancing is just so utterly ballet-esque!" Ye Chun turned her head away, struggling to stifle her laughter. Having known him for so many years, how could she not know Ji Jue? A STEM nerd through and through, terminally incurious about the arts. There wasn't a single musical bone in his entire body. Forget classical operettas or musicals, he barely even listened to modern music; the only songs he could sing were a handful of ubiquitous pop tunes. And he had only crammed those in advance for karaoke during team-building outings with his project group... "You still need to cultivate your taste. Look at the big bosses in movies—they always listen to Mozart before committing murder and arson," Ye Chun sighed, shaking her head. "With zero artistic appreciation, how are you going to make a name for yourself out there? Without prestige and swagger, you've already lost half the battle." "What does a craftsman need swagger for?" Ji Jue was baffled. Besides, knowing how to play an instrument wasn't going to make an opponent bare their neck for him to cut, was it? If he ran into an enemy, was he supposed to raise a hand and say, 'Hold on, bro, wait till you hear me play the cello'? Sometimes Ye Chun's train of thought was so erratic he genuinely couldn't follow. Still, seeing how intently she was watching, this dance drama must really be something, right? He clapped along with the crowd, suppressing the urge to play on his phone. Soon, Ye Chun's phone vibrated. "Finally here." Ye Chun glanced at the screen. "I'll introduce you in a moment, and then you two can talk on your own. Once my part as the broker is done, I won't get involved in the rest." "Is he trouble?" Ji Jue sensed her helplessness. "Not really. He just likes to show off and be in the limelight. He's not difficult to deal with, and he's a decent guy overall. If I had to name a flaw..." Ye Chun hesitated, letting out a melancholy sigh. "I don't really like the look in his eyes when he looks at me." Ji Jue paused, immediately putting his guard up. Something that bothered even his senior sister? Could he be some kind of lecherous creep? He decisively stood up, switched seats, and sat down right next to Ye Chun. Ye Chun blinked in surprise, her expression turning complicated. Before long, the door to the box was pushed open. A plump, fair-skinned man wiped sweat from his brow, panting as he walked in. He was dressed in a suit like the other spectators outside, wearing glasses on his round face, his smile warm and eager. "Ah, Xiao Chun, you're already here! I'm so sorry, look at this mess. Aiya, drivers these days have no idea how to drive! When I track that guy down, I'm definitely sending him back to driving school to retake his license test!" Grumbling indignantly, after greeting her, he turned his gaze toward Ji Jue beside her, his smile growing even brighter. "And this must be the Mr. Ji Xiao Chun mentioned, right? Oh, my, young and promising! Hello, hello!" He reached out both hands with earnest solemnity, clasping Ji Jue's hand and shaking it vigorously, as if looking at a savior. He presented a business card with both hands. "My humble surname is Chen—Chen Yubo. I do a bit of import-export on ordinary days. If the opportunity arises, Mr. Ji, please look out for me!" As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. What was more, Boss Chen was so warm and affable that it left the secretly guarded Ji Jue somewhat confused. Besides, judging by the tone of his chat with Ye Chun, it didn't seem like they had any bad blood. Until Chen Yubo finally sat down, dragged his armchair closer right next to Ye Chun, pulled out his phone, and expertly began sharing a video of his cat making biscuits a few days ago. Peppered in between were discussions of cosmetics, hair conditioners, and skincare, before swiftly pivoting to which TV drama ship was the sweetest to root for. Only now did Ji Jue notice, with the shift in the man's sitting posture, the slight curve of his tie revealing a flamboyant hot-pink lining. And on his face was the intimate, radiant warmth of a best gal pal... Along with the deeply conflicted, helpless look Ye Chun shot toward him. Ji Jue's expression twitched. Finally, the realization dawned on him. *Fuck, so that look in his eyes was the kindred-spirit look between gay besties?!*