Chapter 13

Qianhuan stared at Nanting Jin, his expression blank with confusion. He didn't know how to answer the question. It seemed… he really didn't understand Nanting Jin. Back in the plant courtyard, they could only spend one day together out of seven. When they were together, Nanting Jin would teach him to read and write, and they'd bask in the sunlight. But where Nanting Jin came from, his past—Qianhuan knew nothing. And yet… he knew even less about himself. The carnivorous flower sensed something was off, slowly creeping closer to glare menacingly at Nanting Jin's neck. The man met its gaze, his fingertip brushing over Qianhuan's cheek before slowly releasing his hold. Still cradling Qianhuan, he waited for an answer. The boy pondered in silence, clutching Nanting Jin's sleeve absentmindedly as his mind raced with recent events. Nanting Jin rarely showed such patience. Finally, Qianhuan yawned, his eyelids growing heavy. "Go to sleep," Nanting Jin murmured. Nodding, Qianhuan allowed the carnivorous flower to lead him back to their sleeping spot under the tree. As he prepared to leave, Nanting Jin stopped him. "And the clothes?" he asked. Beyond the clothes, there was his new backpack, always stocked with food and clean water. Qianhuan stammered, "I bought them." Nanting Jin didn't press further, simply instructing, "Don't let anyone see them." Obediently, Qianhuan nodded and turned to leave.

Nanting Jin remained where he was, watching as Qianhuan settled into sleep, then yawned himself. The night wind thickened the shadows in the forest, enveloping him in darkness as he contemplated his next move. Hours later, he activated his communicator. Over the past two days, his team had sent multiple messages, asking about his progress and offering to assist. Their injuries had healed enough, and they could provide support if he provided coordinates. There was also news from Liang Jie's team: they were closing in, targeting the two mutant plants unaware of Qianhuan's existence. Nanting Jin read the messages but didn't reply.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the forest, Liang Jie ordered his subordinates to clear the surrounding vegetation. The shy plant, exhausted from days without rest, struggled to focus. But the dense foliage hid many mutant plants, constantly disrupting its senses. Unwilling to delay, Liang Jie poured a vial of stimulant onto the shy plant, forcing it to regain some energy. It trembled before lifting its leaves to search for clues in the air. A message from Wen Jue popped up on his communicator: "How's the progress?" Liang Jie handed the shy plant over to his men and stepped aside to reply. After careful consideration, he reported that Chili had helped the carnivorous flower and assured his superior, "Don't worry, they won't get far."

Back under the tree, Qianhuan slept soundly, dreaming of the first time he met Nanting Jin in the plant courtyard. It was late afternoon when Carrot secretly took him out to play, leading him near the forest. Never having ventured into the woods before, Qianhuan was curious and thought he might encounter other plants. While Carrot fished for shrimp in a nearby stream, Qianhuan wandered in alone. The forest was quiet, and he meandered forward, occasionally touching the leaves around him. Too timid to go far without companionship, he prepared to return when he spotted a stone cottage and Nanting Jin sitting in front of it. Startled, Qianhuan turned to flee, only to be called back. "Qianhuan?" Nanting Jin said, his voice gentler as if fearing to scare the boy. Qianhuan hesitated, thinking of Carrot outside, but curiosity won out. He approached the cottage, realizing it wasn't a zombie. Nor was it a plant—it could speak and knew his name. Could it be… a human from the picture book? Nanting Jin watched him, his expression unreadable but strangely tender. "Come closer," he coaxed. Standing on the steps of the cottage, he seemed unable to move forward, his demeanor one Qianhuan had never seen. But having just awoken from the plant courtyard, Qianhuan was full of curiosity. The man before him looked kinder than the zombies in his memories, and he felt an inexplicable fondness. Summoning courage, he stepped forward, stopping half a pace away before being pulled into Nanting Jin's arms. The warmth was novel yet slightly frightening. "Don't be afraid," Nanting Jin whispered, slowly drawing him closer. He examined Qianhuan, checking for injuries, then embraced him. The hug lasted longer than Qianhuan was comfortable with, and he pushed back slightly. Nanting Jin loosened his grip, soothingly stroking the boy's silver hair. "It's really you," he murmured, as if to himself, "not a hallucination." Confused, Qianhuan blinked his red eyes and managed, "You… you are…" He struggled to form words, barely retaining any memory of language, wanting to ask who Nanting Jin was and why he knew his name. Nanting Jin's dark gaze met his, and he took Qianhuan's cold hand in his own. "We're lovers," he said quietly. "I'm your boyfriend." Qianhuan didn't fully understand but nodded obediently.

In the morning, sunlight filtered through the trees. Chili climbed a tree, hanging its backpack on a branch and nibbling on a biscuit. It glanced at Qianhuan, still asleep, and kept its distance to avoid being seen by Nanting Jin or the carnivorous flower. But why stay? Chili couldn't explain. Perhaps it was because of Nanting Jin's presence—it felt safer. Or maybe it was worried about Little Cabbage, who still hadn't woken up. Pretending to be concerned, Chili refused to admit it just wanted to see Qianhuan's reaction. Would he be sad? Would he search for Chili? Or would he forget him after waking up? Chili took a big bite of the biscuit, startling a climbing morning glory drawn by the scent. It chased the flower away and stuffed the biscuit back into its backpack.

Qianhuan finally awoke, washed up, and wiped the carnivorous flower's fangs before fetching breakfast for Nanting Jin. The man sat under a nearby tree, and Qianhuan approached, placing half a piece of bread on the ground. "Um…" He moved closer, tugging on Nanting Jin's sleeve. "I remember now." Nanting Jin looked up. "What?" "You like me," Qianhuan said seriously, as confident as he had been the night before when confirming he hadn't mistaken the man. "You wanted to be my boyfriend." His memory of that day was hazy, but he was certain Nanting Jin had said so. He remembered staying in the cottage for a while, Carrot bursting in thinking he was being bullied, and the subsequent visits to the forest that the plants couldn't stop. Nanting Jin remained silent for a moment before smiling faintly. Leaning closer, he asked, "Do you have a name?" Qianhuan pouted, then nodded. He took Nanting Jin's left hand and slowly traced the characters for "Qianhuan" in his palm. The strokes were crooked, and the character for "hui" looked like two circles, but it was legible. After finishing, Qianhuan touched Nanting Jin's little finger. "Is this mine?" he asked, noticing the rough, dark brown ring on Nanting Jin's finger. It looked familiar, but Qianhuan remembered the wooden ring he had given him as light-colored. What had he given him? Nanting Jin glanced at it but didn't comment. "Qianhuan," he said, "come back to the base with me." Liang Jie could arrive at any moment, and with the skilled Chili and the wanted carnivorous flower, Nanting Jin didn't care. Even if Chili had left, the presence of the carnivorous flower would eventually draw attention. It was better to take Qianhuan and hide him away. Whether he had the wrong person no longer mattered. And Nanting Jin, who always did as he pleased, was making an exception for the first time. Qianhuan blinked in confusion, shaking his head. "No, I can't." Nanting Jin's expression darkened. Qianhuan mumbled an explanation, "I need to find Carrot and others…" He had missions to complete and thirty（Intermediate zombie） to kill. Suddenly realizing Nanting Jin might be leaving, Qianhuan grabbed his hand, his eyes pleading. "Will you stay a little longer?" Seeing Qianhuan's reluctance, Nanting Jin's dark eyes deepened. He didn't answer, his suppressed emotions growing darker. Unaware, Qianhuan lowered his eyelids. "Can I think about it?" he asked. He didn't know what to think, but Nanting Jin seemed upset, so he decided to soothe him first.