Chapter 609: Scary Lady
’Dan Heng~, Dan Heng~, the dude who likes dudes. Dan Heng~, Dan Heng~, just send me your nudes!’
Sunny whistled the lyrics to his original song — whistling rather than singing only because he didn’t want others to find the gem that was genderbent Dan Heng — as he skipped through Aurum Alley. An offshoot of Exalting Sanctum that, if Sunny were to describe it, seemed to exist for the sole purpose of selling street food.
The street sprawled beneath the towering architecture of the Exalting Sanctum, its stone paths winding between tightly packed shops and food stalls. Warm lanterns hung from curved wooden frames, casting pools of golden light across the bustling avenue, while strings of smaller lights stretched between buildings overhead. Autumn-colored trees stood between the structures, their orange leaves glowing beneath the night sky and giving the entire alley an oddly cozy atmosphere.
Vendors called out to passing customers from behind counters piled high with steaming dishes, skewers, pastries, fruits, and all manner of strange delicacies. The scent of spices, grilled meat, sweet sauces, and freshly cooked food mingled together until even someone with no appetite would probably find themselves hungry.
It was loud, crowded, and strangely cheerful. People wandered between the stalls in small groups, stopping to haggle with merchants, sample food, or simply enjoy the evening.
Aurum Alley wasn’t particularly elegant compared to the grander districts of the Luofu, but that was precisely what made it charming. It felt lived in. Every corner had another shop, another vendor, another smell drifting through the air. If the Exalting Sanctum was where people came to admire the Luofu, Aurum Alley was where they came to eat it.
Whatever that meant.
But that wasn’t what Sunny was here for. He wasn’t here to hang out. Nor was he here to eat — a surprise to anyone who knew him well enough. He wasn’t even here for business reasons!
No, Sunny only had one goal...
And that was to annoy Dan Heng in as many convoluted ways as he could!
But why? How could he do this to his tall, sexy companion, who he definitely did not feel homoerotic feelings towards on a regular basis? Was it not betrayal, no matter how small?
Yeah, pretty much. It just so happened that Sunny didn’t care if it was for the love of the game.
How Sunny found Dan Heng in the first place was, uh... a secret. Very classified. Nobody would know.
Garnering strange looks — perhaps because he seemed like a madman jumping ten feet into the air while skipping, which was highly inefficient according to professional skippers. Sunny already shadowed them, however, so he knew what he was doing.
He ducked behind a stack of wooden crates, barely suppressing a snicker as he peered through the narrow gap between them.
There.
Dan Heng stood several dozen meters away, seemingly oblivious to the chaos unfolding around him. His expression was as stoic as ever, although there was something distinctly unusual about his posture. One hand was tucked behind his back, holding what appeared to be a letter.
Sunny’s eyes narrowed.
’...Interesting.’
A letter? For Dan Heng? In a hidden corner of Aurum Alley?
Sunny’s mind immediately began producing possibilities.
Was it a love letter? A secret message? A threat? A ransom note? Perhaps Dan Heng had somehow gotten himself involved in a clandestine organization dedicated to distributing embarrassing poetry throughout the Luofu.
Whatever it was, Sunny was going to find out.
He crouched lower behind the crates, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Perhaps he could replace the letter with something else. Perhaps he could discretely smack Dan Heng’s ass, leaving him in confusion. Perhaps he could simply shout something incredibly embarrassing from across the street.
The possibilities were endless.
Unfortunately, before Sunny could settle on the perfect strategy, a familiar voice suddenly rang through the alley.
"Hey! Silent But Deadly!"
Sunny’s head snapped around.
For one brief moment, he genuinely thought someone was calling him. Then, he noticed Dan Heng flinch.
The tall man immediately slipped the letter into his clothes, his expression becoming noticeably more guarded.
Sunny blinked.
’...Huh?’
A moment later, a familiar head of brunette twin-tails appeared from behind the corner.
Sushang stepped into view with an enormous grin plastered across her face.
Sunny’s eyes widened. He slowly leaned farther around the crate.
’Wait...’
His gaze flickered between the two, as he silently whispered:
"Dan Heng has a girlfriend?"
His mouth fell open. This was perhaps the greatest discovery of the century.
Dan Heng?
His Dan Heng?
The quiet, brooding, perpetually exhausted man who spent most of his free time reading?
Had a girlfriend?
Sunny’s heart practically leapt out of his chest.
Then Sushang approached Dan Heng with the unmistakable enthusiasm of someone greeting an acquaintance rather than a lover.
"Dan Heng! I didn’t expect to see you here!"
Dan Heng stared at her.
"...Neither did I."
Sunny’s excitement — and jealousy — immediately deflated.
Oh. It wasn’t like that.
He remained crouched behind the crates, silently observing the exchange. He knew Sushang and Dan Heng knew each other. Their relationship had never seemed particularly close, however. At least, not from what Sunny had seen.
So why was she suddenly acting so familiar? Sushang stepped closer, smiling brightly as she began chatting with him.
Dan Heng, meanwhile, looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Sunny’s eyes narrowed.
Couldn’t she see that?
The man was practically radiating the spiritual equivalent of a request to be left alone.
’Geez...’
Sunny muttered under his breath. This was exactly why he was Dan Heng’s best love interest!
Sushang continued talking. Dan Heng continued enduring it. Sunny continued watching, hoping something interesting would happen.
Then a voice spoke from directly behind him.
"That young lady seems bothersome, doesn’t she?"
Sunny nodded automatically.
"Yeah."
He froze. His entire body went rigid.
Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head.
A familiar blindfolded gaze was staring directly at him.
Sunny’s expression became blank. There was a brief silence.
Sunny awkwardly raised one hand in a wave.
"...Hello, scary lady."