A Good-for-Nothing

316. Spin-Off (4): A Fish Deep in the Sea

Translator: Dragon Rider

Chen Qianlin’s name actually contained Chen Wu’s high expectations for his grandson. “Qianlin” means a fish deep in the sea. Chen Wu hoped that some day Chen Qianlin would become somebody.

And Chen Qianlin did not disappoint his grandfather. As a member of one of the most ancient families of exorcists in Lin City, Chen Qianlin had shown a sign of uncommon endowments at his birth — he had had a smile on his face when he had been born.

Fortunately his grandfather had not named him Chen Smile, or Chen Grin, or Chen Happy … Well, this is a little off the track. Anyway, Chen Qianlin had been different from his peers in his childhood, and he was very talented. He could master anything faster than others. It could be said that he was the most gifted and most intelligent member of the Chen family in generations.

But nobody could get all the good stuff. Chen Qianlin, who had been very smart since childhood, had paid a price for his smartness. Having grown up in an ancient, wealthy family where everything had been handed to him on a silver platter, Chen Qianlin had a really low EQ. On top of that, Chen Qianlin, in his early twenties, had mastered most of the swordplay moves specific to the Chen family, successfully developed the ability to generate shock waves with his sword and become the most powerful member of the family, but after that he had never made any progress.

At that time, he had known something about everything, but he had not been proficient in everything. Maybe he had been far better than his peers and even many of those older than him in terms of a certain skill, but he would suffer a crushing defeat if pitted against a real master or a powerful opponent.

Of course, at that time Chen Qianlin had not realized it.

He had, filled with excitement and oozing confidence, entered for the recruitment examination for STTP that year, with the intention to repay the favor that his “idol” had done him previously. It had been in that place that Chen Qianlin, for the first time ever, encountered someone who upset his plan. Yes, that person had been He Zheng.

This bastard had married Supt. Li, the one he admired the most! He was so undeserving of that!

Chen Qianlin had promptly drawn his sword and challenged He Zheng to a fight. What had happened next has been narrated in former chapters. They had had to reschedule their duel several times before they finally had an opportunity to do it, and the results … Well, there’s no need to repeat that.

Anyway, after some twists and turns of their relations, Chen Qianlin’s attitude towards He Zheng had slowly changed, and in the end, remarkably, they had become bosom friends.

Although the others called the two of them that, neither of them had ever admitted it, but not all bonding has to be declared. Chen Qianlin and He Zheng knew very well how they actually stood with each other.

To put it simply, two men both of whom had a lot of bad habits and weaknesses had at first been ill-disposed towards each other, but after some time had found each other’s positives and become friends.

Well, that was approximately what had happened.

Of course, the relations between Chen Qianlin and He Zheng were not what mattered. What concerned Chen Qianlin was that there was a hidden danger in his life, one that he had perceived.

The name of the hidden danger was Qiu Luo.

Chen Qianlin kept having this feeling that Qiu Luo had some particular feelings for his ass.

It turned out that Chen Qianlin’s speculation was right. Though Qiu Luo, as the spirit of an ancient sword, was handsome, powerful, wealthy, tall, sophisticated and considerate, it did not change the fact that Chen Qianlin, on first acquaintance, got the impression that Qiu Luo was unmistakably a drag queen.

Chen Qianlin did not want his ass mistreated by a drag queen — Faugh! Why would he want to be treated that way?

In a word, Chen Qianlin found Qiu Luo somewhat bewildering.

But when Qiu Luo had explained the situation to him, Chen Qianlin’s heart had softened, and he felt that Qiu Luo was a pretty nice guy.

It had been from that day on that Qiu Luo began to treat him faintly differently from he did the others. In addition, it had struck Chen Qianlin that Qiu Luo was becoming more and more attractive …

Chen Qianlin had not bargained on him being interested in a man, but that man was really … charming.

After the exorcism championship, He Zheng, the little good-for-nothing, had nicknamed him Virgin Chen. Chen Qianlin had been pissed off, and Qiu Luo had walked up to him, leaned over and whispered to him beside his ear, “It’s my fault that you’re still a virgin.”

That remark had made Chen Qianlin’s scalp prickle, but his ears had reddened despite himself.

Sometimes things tend to develop like this. If Chen Qianlin did not have any feelings for Qiu Luo, he would not have hesitated so many times afterwards. It was because they felt the same way about each other that the subsequent events had happened in such a natural manner.

Anyway, by a stroke of luck, they had gone out to have a meal. Chen Qianlin had got drunk and been brought home by Qiu Luo. And then … well, they had sort of started seeing each other.

What had made Chen Qianlin feel hard done by was that why the others thought he was a virgin? It was true that previously he had been obsessed with swordplay and did not pay any attention to romantic relationship, but he was a normal man, and he had sexual needs. At least he had masturbated! Did he still count as a virgin?

When he, lying in bed with Qiu Luo beneath the quilt, had clamored at him indignantly, Qiu Luo oozing contentment had naturally squinted and said, “Well, you’re not. They’re mistaken.”

Chen Qianlin had given a little cough, feeling a little awkward.

But Chen Qianlin, a narcissist, after so many years, finally met his first love with whom he had started a sweet, tentative, romantic relationship.

But Qiu Luo was older and thus slightly more experienced than him. Being with a mature lover made him feel very comfortable. Chen Qianlin did not realize that Qiu Luo had been gradually becoming an indispensable part of his life and his whole being.

Afterward, on the eve of the New Year’s Day, Chen Qianlin, without doing much thinking, had brought Qiu Luo back home to meet his parents.

Chen Qianlin’s parents had no aptitude for being exorcists, but they were pretty good at doing business. They had been overseas for years and had seldom come back, but on this occasion, they had returned.

The couple, having spent many years abroad, naturally had divined why their son had brought home another man. Alarm had gone off in their heads. Chen Qianlin was their only son, their only hope of keeping the bloodline going. They must not let him make the wrong choice.

Qiu Luo, without doubt, could tell what they were thinking, but he had said nothing. When they were talking about sleeping arrangements, Qiu Luo had interrupted Chen Qianlin who was suggesting the two of them share a room, and Chen Qianlin’s parents had felt somewhat relieved.

There are two things that cannot be concealed: deep-rooted poverty and heartfelt liking. Qiu Luo had done very well, but the affection that the two of them had involuntarily displayed when exchanging glances had still struck fear into Chen Qianlin’s parents’ hearts.

In the following few days, they had even tried to sound out the relations between Chen Qianlin and Qiu Luo. Though having a low EQ, Chen Qianlin was not stupid. He had soon caught on to what was going on.

Actually he had never planned to keep it secret from his family.

On that day Chen Qianlin had even called his grandfather downstairs to the living room and, in the presence of the whole family, declared his relationship with Qiu Luo.

His grandfather had been so furious he’d been on the verge of suffering a heart attack. His mother had been reduced to tears.

It was not that his family members were narrow-minded. Sometimes, what with their awareness of their responsibility for keeping the family bloodline going, people of the Republic of Hua subconsciously chose to reject it and deny it when faced with this kind of matter.

Chen Qianlin had been annoyed. Without saying anything else, he had gone to his grandfather’s ward and told the old man about Qiu Luo’s identity.

Everybody knew that his grandfather was obsessed with swords, especially famous swords like Sharpness … It had never occurred to the old man that Qiu Luo was a sword spirit.

Chen Wu had been both delighted and worried. On that day Li Zong, who had happened to go to that city to attend to something, had casually told the old man something about Qiu Luo in passing when talking with him. Qiu Luo was Zhao Yidi’s only apprentice …

Chen Wu had recalled that Li Zong seemed to have married a man from the He family. Given that even Supt. Li had married a man, it shouldn’t be that bad if his grandson did the same, should it?

The old man had been swayed, and then things had become much easier.

Anyway, everybody, no matter how stubborn, has a soft spot for something. Qiu Luo always figured out a strategy and plan before making his move. After Li Zong intervened, he and Chen Qianlin had set out to solve the problems on their own.

After Li Zong and He Zheng’s duel with the Demon King, everybody in the realm of cultivation had felt their powerlessness when faced with death, and Chen Wu had come to realize that it was time he let the younger generation handle their own personal business.

When Chen Qianlin’s parents tried for the fifty-second time to stop Chen Qianlin from seeing Qiu Luo, Chen Wu had walked downstairs and, looking at the confrontation between them in the living room, casually said, “The children can take care of themselves when they grow up. If the Chen family is doomed to decline in our hands, there will be nothing we could do to make a difference. Let Qianlin make his own choice.”

Since even Chen Wu had put it this way, Chen Qianlin’s parents had had no alternative but to agree. In addition, Qiu Luo was indeed talented and capable. Slowly the Chen family had changed their attitudes towards the romantic relationship between the two of them.

After that … One day Chen Qianlin suddenly snapped at Qiu Luo, “My mother spent a month at home this year, but more than half of the time she was praising you. Has she forgotten which one of us is her son?”

Qiu Luo’s lips curved in a smile and with that he drew Chen Qianlin over, gently stroked his hair and said, “Don’t be silly. She did that only because you’re her son.”

At that time Chen Qianlin had joined the fourth action group and been appointed the deputy group leader. He and He Zheng had cracked many cases together, and Qiu Luo had been gradually taking over Zhao Yidi’s duties. The two of them had both been working hard.

And after yet another few years, Chen Qianlin, having lived with Qiu Luo for quite some time, came to know that Qiu Luo’s lifespan was much longer than that of common people and started putting greater efforts into cultivation. Finally, at the age of forty, Chen Qianlin successfully reached the level of Sword Primordiality. Because of his enhanced Qi, his lifespan was greatly extended.

But he still couldn’t outlive Li Zong or He Zheng.

At the age of 150 or so, Chen Qianlin found himself on the verge of entering the cycle of incarnation. He was a geriatric now, but surprisingly, when he was leaning against Qiu Luo’s chest, the gleam in the depths of his eyes was still one of youthful enthusiasm.

He said, “Don’t try to look for me. I want you to forget me.”

Qiu Luo just kissed Chen Qianlin lightly on the forehead as he had done numerous times over the years. Before Chen Qianlin closed his eyes, Qiu Luo wrote a small Chinese character “Qiu” on Chen Qianlin’s palm.

Afterward someone joined Zhao Fei in his lover-search. Qiu Luo volunteered to be a field agent. He and Zhao Fei traveled around the world. Two men, with longing to be reunited with their significant others, were looking for their respective targets.

Years later, Zhao Fei found Zhou Yize, who had been reincarnated as Zhang Jingqiu’s grandson, Zhang Dabao.

Zhang Dabao had a friend who had grown up with him, and who was a cat Yōkai that Zhang Dabao had found at the roadside when young. He had just developed the ability to assume the form of a human being. The Yōkai was surnamed Chen, and its given name was Lin.

His palm bore a little Chinese character “Qiu”.

Zhao Fei, after finding Zhou Yize, gave Qiu Luo a phone call. When Qiu Luo went to see him, Chen Lin was wheezingly practicing swordplay alone in the large back yard of Zhang Jingqiu’s residence.

When Qiu Luo arrived, Chen Lin was holding a long sword in his hand and wielding with seeming proficiency, but it struck Qiu Luo that something was missing.

Qiu Luo removed Sharpness, the sword he had carried with him for decades, from his belt and handed it to him.

“Try this one.”

Chen Lin glanced at him, took it and, without saying anything, pivoted around and hugged him.

It turned out that some memories had been engraved onto his soul, and even his soul being reincarnated could not blur them a bit.

Afterward, they gathered together, and Zhao Fei made a phone call to Zhang Jingqiu who was in a nursing home, and demanded he rename Zhou Yize. Chen Qianlin was eating fish. He Zheng pulled Chen Qianlin’s tail which he had carelessly left showing, and with that the two of them started scrapping.

Zhou Yize, Qiu Luo and Li Zong were talking about work.

Life moved on in tranquility.