Before dawn.

It had just passed midnight.

In a hotel room in the downtown area of City K, Tang Jing had already fallen asleep, while Ye Yuqiao stood in front of the glass window where silver moonlight poured in, gazing down at the brilliant city below.

After midnight, a new day begins.

For her, this day was an unusual one.

A year ago on this day, she donned her school uniform and formally met, and got to know, Chen Hao; it was that evening she completed her first cultivation with Chen Hao, becoming his girlfriend.

Recalling the past on such a significant day felt so wonderful for her.

The interweaving light and shadows left by the constant flow of vehicles on the road below seemed like snapshots of memories. The first day, the tenth, the hundredth... Every day she had spent with Chen Hao started to emerge before her eyes, like a warm and soft nocturne or a cup of fragrant, intoxicating wine.

Just as time flies swiftly by, her memories soon arrived at day three hundred and sixty-five.

This was their one-year anniversary, the day that belonged to her and Chen Hao.

In an instant, her heart filled with bitterness and grievance.

It was because, at that moment, Chen Hao was not by her side.

It had been twenty days since she had had any contact with Chen Hao, so longing outweighed happiness in her heart at this time.

That kind of yearning is unique to lovers separated by distance.

She was anxious that Chen Hao might have forgotten this day, this extremely important anniversary, leaving her to spend it alone.

Though she could tell Chen Hao at any time through the bond of the Nether King's Heart, she wouldn't do so. Instead, with a tinge of sadness, she lay down on her bed, her gaze fixed on the moon hanging high outside the window, pouring out her longing until sleepiness grew heavy.

The night deepened, and silence prevailed.

"Yuqiao!"

In her dreams, Ye Yuqiao saw Chen Hao's face which she somewhat resented at the moment.

"Yuqiao!"

Chen Hao was drawing closer to her.

Suddenly, her eyes shone with a sharp light. She then remembered that she couldn't dream.

The one who appeared before her was the real Chen Hao.

Immediately, her heart filled with excitement, her body trembling with emotion, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Shh!" Chen Hao gestured for her not to wake Tang Jing, then showed a silly smile.

Ye Yuqiao's face darkened, with a look of disgust.

"Hmph, jerk! More than twenty days without a single word!" Ye Yuqiao sent a telepathic message to Chen Hao.

"Ah!" Chen Hao exclaimed in shock, "Yuqiao, wasn't I in closed-door cultivation? And you told me to focus on my cultivation and not to contact you."

"So you really just didn't contact me because I said so! Jerk!" Ye Yuqiao's heart voice grew angry, "I don't even want to see you right now, just go away!"

Chen Hao's face fell, and then he reached out to hold Ye Yuqiao's hand, his tone serious, "Yuqiao, today is our one-year anniversary. I came here especially to see you."

Ye Yuqiao snorted softly and gave Chen Hao a white glance, looking increasingly aggrieved.

After a pause, she suddenly tore a rift in the air in front of her and promptly entered the Nether Acupoint with Chen Hao.

As soon as the two of them steadied themselves, Chen Hao tightly embraced Ye Yuqiao in his arms.

"Happy first anniversary, Yuqiao," Chen Hao said with a light laugh, his eyes closed. "I can't believe it's already been a year!"

"Hmph!" Ye Yuqiao clenched her right fist and thumped Chen Hao's back a few times. She was still harboring feelings about Chen Hao's twenty-day silent treatment.

For her, twenty-some days sometimes felt as short as an instant, and at other times, as long as centuries.

"I hate you, boyfriend."

"Do you really have to say something so discordant on such an important day?" Chen Hao asked.

Ye Yuqiao didn't speak again, nor did she persist stubbornly, but she melted completely in Chen Hao's embrace like a marshmallow and began to sob.

"Oh!" Chen Hao panicked. "Little girl, why are you crying now?"

"I feel wronged!" Ye Yuqiao explained hoarsely, "Even though I know today is a special day and I should be happy, I just feel so wronged. My boyfriend hadn't contacted me for twenty days, and now that I finally see him, I can't even throw a little tantrum."

"You can, you can!" Chen Hao said hurriedly. "Yuqiao, it's my fault; I realize my mistake—it's all because I'm too dumb. You can scold me, or hit me if you want, as long as you're not angry, sad, or feeling wronged; if that's not enough, I'll give you my palm to eat."

Ye Yuqiao suddenly burst into laughter, then pushed Chen Hao away, half crying, half laughing, "Your palm isn't a bear's paw; there's nothing tasty about it! Jerk, I can't stand you!"

Chen Hao chuckled sheepishly, then explained, "I haven't showered in more than twenty days. I just washed my hands a moment ago, so now they are the cleanest part of me; that's why I said I would give you my hand to eat."

"Ew, not showered for more than twenty days, that's disgusting!" Ye Yuqiao said with a look of disgust. "You jerk, you hugged me so tightly despite stinking!"

"If I hadn't mentioned it, you wouldn't have noticed at all; you might even think I smell nice."

During those twenty-some days, Chen Hao, although having not bathed, had spent most of his time in a state of meditative cultivation, which left him practically sweatless, so he didn't smell bad. Moreover, thanks to the fragrant wildflowers of the Yang Wood Forest, after over twenty days, he indeed carried a pleasant scent.

"Little girl, take a good look at me, have you gotten thinner these days?" Chen Hao examined Ye Yuqiao as he spoke.

"Of course, I've gotten thinner! Feeling aggrieved and sulking every day, how could I have any appetite?"

"Sorry, it's my fault!" Chen Hao gently caressed Ye Yuqiao's face with both hands. "It's all because I'm too dumb! How could I take the words of a little girl seriously!"

"You!" Ye Yuqiao's eyes bulged with anger. "What do you mean by that?"

"No, no, no, I didn't mean that, I meant I shouldn't have taken your word to heart and focused on my cultivation without contacting you. I am a jerk, always mischievous, I shouldn't have been so obedient."

"At least you have some self-awareness," Ye Yuqiao pouted, and the look of grievance on her face finally began to diminish.

Then, it was her turn to size up Chen Hao.

"Boyfriend, you've lost weight! You're looking more and more like a monkey."

"I don't mind looking like a monkey," Chen Hao smiled, "as long as I'm the handsomest monkey around."

"You're so naughty!" Ye Yuqiao's voice became calm, her eyes fixed on Chen Hao. "It feels like it's been so long since I last saw you, boyfriend, you've become a stranger."

"Boyfriend, there's something I want to say."

"What is it?"

Ye Yuqiao smiled sweetly, whispering softly, "Boyfriend, happy first anniversary!"

..

..

(Today as I wrote about Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao's first anniversary, I realized I've been writing this book for nine months already. These nine months in the life of Little Bear have been quite unusual, cough cough, and I also take this chance to wish everyone a happy summer vacation.)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.