Thinking about it, Chu Ge felt he had one more thing on his plate now — he couldn't spend the rest of his life holed up indoors typing.
The gatherings he'd meant to turn down, for instance — including but not limited to web authors' association meetups, small local writers' circle get-togethers, and class reunions — he might have to actually show up to some of them.
People in Lin Wuyang's line of work especially: he ought to socialize with more of them. Who knew, he might stumble onto some supernatural situation by accident.
It wasn't that he was all that curious about whether other people had special abilities too. It was that digging up clues about how Qiu Wuji had gotten out genuinely required going out into the world; sitting at his computer typing, he'd never find a single one.
The more Chu Ge thought about it, the more his balls ached. He really did hate socializing. In the past he'd brushed all of it off cleanly. Honestly, as if having his work go off the rails weren't enough — was his whole life about to change too?
But watching Qiu Wuji quietly gather the dishes and carry them off to wash, that ache got rubbed away by a small hand and vanished on the spot.
The advantage of a cultivator was that she washed dishes in seconds flat. In other co-ed rentals, if the woman cooked, the man generally had to do the dishes — that standard division of labor simply didn't apply here. This was better than eating out: tasty, cheap, hygienic, and easy on the eyes besides, with her in black stockings and heels for you to look at.
Psychologically it was deeply satisfying too. In her own world this woman was a peerless master whom everyone revered; here she cooked and washed up like a little housewife. Chu Ge knew Qiu Wuji wasn't so dazzled by free rent that she'd lost her head — she definitely felt guilty about throwing his work into chaos, and meant to make it up to him.
For that alone, what did a few changes matter?
Change number one: exercise.
After dinner he went and wrote a bonus chapter, and by nine, once his food had mostly settled, Chu Ge stepped onto the treadmill.
The treadmill was already there — he'd bought it on impulse one day when he'd gotten fired up to start working out. Before now, though, you'd never have recognized the thing as a treadmill: it was piled high with boxes and assorted junk, like a freight cart for shelving.
As Zhang Qiren put it: "Brother Chu, that treadmill of yours is really useful, huh. Holds a lot."
Just hauling the stuff off it had him drenched in stinking sweat, in this blazing heat. Shamefully, he could only run at eight kilometers an hour, and less than ten minutes later he hopped off like a dog, standing there with his hands braced on his knees, wheezing.
Qiu Wuji was lounging against the sofa with a book, and the glance she slanted over at him carried a sigh of unfathomable meaning.
Chu Ge wanted to die.
"Your running treasure tool here is pretty inventive," Qiu Wuji said, unhurriedly withdrawing her gaze. "It just lacks a bit of constraint. Shall this Sect Master add a barrier around it? Can't get out until you've run the set time. I feel that would work a little better."
"Who do you think I am, Uncle Huang?" Chu Ge rested a moment, felt he was recovering pretty fast, and got his confidence back. "This is just what happens when you go ages without exercising. If I stick with it, I'll last longer and longer! Back in college I could run a marathon, at least..."
Stick with it... Qiu Wuji curled her lip. Just from the way you left it sitting there as a junk cart, I know exactly what your so-called sticking with it amounts to. No wonder. He writes a protagonist of unshakable resolve — so anything he can't do himself, he wish-fulfills into the book... just like the women he can't get.
She was still thinking that when she saw Chu Ge get down and brace the floor with his hands folded in at his chest.
Qiu Wuji scooted several feet to the side, eyes wary. "What kind of sleazy pose is that?"
"It's called a push-up. What would an old lady know?" Chu Ge started huffing his way through them.
However she looked at it, the pose really did resemble... that. This world is so strange. Judging by the way his body reacts, it looks like muscle training, but why would they do it in the posture for doing that thing?
Then, three minutes later, Chu Ge was flat on the floor.
Qiu Wuji's gaze turned strange again.
So this is your half hour?
Chu Ge could no longer keep a straight face. He sprang up. "What do you keep staring at me for? Read your book!"
"Tch." Qiu Wuji's eyes dropped back to her book.
Chu Ge couldn't go on exercising. Grumbling, he carried his pajamas into the bathroom, then poked his head back out. "You want to wash up? Seeing as your cultivation hasn't even reached inedia yet, you probably haven't gotten to the point of being untouched by dust either."
Qiu Wuji said mildly, "I know the cleansing technique. Want me to use it on you? Saves time and effort."
Chu Ge pulled his head back in. "No thanks. It feels weird — it's not the feeling of having washed properly yourself. It's only good as a stopgap when you're out and about."
The bathroom door closed, and soon the splash of running water came from inside. Qiu Wuji set the book on her knees, her gaze drifting.
So this is why sharing a home with a man is such a hassle. Only a door between us, a man naked in there washing up... it really leaves a person restless.
Mm. Bright wind and clear moon. I didn't see anything anyway.
And Chu Ge's last remark — she couldn't tell whether it had been a little deliberate, but either way it had hit home.
Never mind the cleansing spell — even though my true body has long been free of dust, every so often I still get the urge for a good soak. A woman is a woman, after all...
He was probably doing it on purpose. As if he doesn't know my habits. Is he also hoping to experience what it's like to have a woman washing on the other side of the door?
Pah! Absolutely shameless. Well, this Sect Master simply won't wash, then! Qiu Wuji rose indignantly and went back to the second bedroom.
The moment she stepped in, she froze.
The second bedroom had had no bedding before, just a bare bed board, and she'd planned to keep cultivating cross-legged as usual. But this time, walking in, she saw the sheets, pillow, and blanket already laid out neatly, giving off a faint fresh scent.
This is... Chu Ge bought all this and set it out before I even came back?
Just how badly was he hoping someone would live here with him?
I really don't need to sleep... Qiu Wuji looked silently at the little pig pillow on the bed, not knowing what she felt.
The night deepened.
Chu Ge, determined to fix his daily routine, wrote another half chapter or so as stockpiled chapters for tomorrow, then got into bed.
The air conditioner hummed softly, delivering cool comfort in the sweltering summer and quietly smoothing away the restlessness inside him. Chu Ge lay with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling, wondering whether Qiu Wuji knew how to use the AC. Oh, it probably doesn't matter if she doesn't. Her usual immunity to heat and cold should cover it, right? She wore that thick magic robe out on the street before.
He waited a long while; no sound came from the next room. Worn out from the exercise, Chu Ge didn't hold out long tonight — while waiting, he slipped unknowingly into a drowsy sleep.
The instant he dropped off, Qiu Wuji seemed to sense it. Sneaking like a thief, she slipped out of the next room, and clutching today's pajamas, darted into the bathroom.
You lecher. Thinking you could fantasize about this Sect Master bathing through the door — did you think I can't hear when someone's asleep? Hmph.
After a brief study, the bathroom fixtures weren't hard to figure out. Qiu Wuji carefully undressed, revealing a body white as cream.
Washing up is so nice... Too bad it's a bit small here, there isn't even a soaking tub...
Facts proved that whether mortal or immortal, the time a woman takes in the bath is catastrophic. Chu Ge had dozed for nearly an hour; unused to turning in so early, his full bladder woke him, and he rubbed his eyes and staggered off to the toilet.
He had just stepped out of his room when he came face to face with Qiu Wuji, slipping out of the bathroom like a thief.
The two of them met in the middle of the living room, both taken aback. Chu Ge stared blankly at Qiu Wuji fresh from the bath — her hair damp, carrying the clean scent of shampoo, her whole person like a flower ripe to bursting, dewy and vivid.
They were wearing identical couple's pajamas, the little cartoon smiles on their chests looking at each other, unbearably cute.
For a moment, all was silent.
Qiu Wuji's face slowly flushed blood-red.
Getting caught sneaking a bath is bad enough, but this outfit is mortifying — what kind of unified sect-disciple garb is this supposed to be!
The silence stretched several full seconds. Just as Qiu Wuji was about to find an excuse to blow up, Chu Ge suddenly smiled faintly and said softly, "Good night. Get some rest."
The words Qiu Wuji had been about to explode with were swallowed back down. She turned her head and watched his back as he went into the bathroom, speechless for a long moment.