I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: My Name is Feng Xiuyan — Feng Xiuyan’s body stiffened, and turning around, he saw…

Inside the room, only the moonlight provided illumination, making it difficult to see clearly. Feng Xiuyan decided to light the lamp so the youth could at least see his face. He initially intended to use his spiritual power to ignite the oil lamp, but just as a faint glimmer appeared at his fingertip, he pulled it back sharply.

The boy had just been frightened by him; if he saw him wielding magic, he would likely be even more terrified.

Forget it, I’ll use the mortal way.

Feng Xiuyan stood up and walked to the table, scanning it for a flint or fire-starter. He frowned slightly, wondering where such a thing would be kept, when Shen Youqing’s voice came from behind him: “Are you looking for the fire-starter to light the lamp?”

“Yes.” Feng Xiuyan turned back to see that Shen Youqing had already climbed down from the daybed. He was rubbing his still-aching nose, a trace of a smile in his eyes.

“I think I put it in the cabinet,” Shen Youqing said, walking over and pointing to the upper shelf. “It should be in the left compartment.”

Following the instruction, Feng Xiuyan opened the cabinet and indeed found a small brown bamboo tube in the upper-left corner. He took it out, examined it, and fumbled to open the cap. However, the expected flame did not appear; only a few tiny sparks flickered at the tip before immediately dying out.

Feng Xiuyan frowned, capped it, and opened it again.

“…” Still no fire.

He muttered to himself, Is it broken? Mortal tools are truly useless. It would be far easier to just snap my fingers.

“Pfft.”

A soft laugh came from behind him. Feng Xiuyan stiffened. He turned to find Shen Youqing covering his mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.

“What are you laughing at?” Feng Xiuyan’s tone was a bit self-conscious, the unlit fire-starter still gripped in his hand.

Shen Youqing finally stopped laughing and pointed at the tool, explaining through his giggles. “That’s not how you use it. You have to blow on the paper wick inside to make it glow, or flick it through the air a couple of times to get the sparks to catch fire.”

He reached out to demonstrate. “See? Like this.”

Feng Xiuyan watched his movements and then looked down at the bamboo tube in his hand. He felt a sudden wave of embarrassment. He had lived for thousands of years and could summon wind and rain at will, yet he had been defeated by a tiny fire-starter and mocked by a child.

His ear tips flushed a faint red. He cleared his throat and, following Shen Youqing’s instructions, blew gently on the wick and gave it a quick shake. This time, a small flame bloomed, illuminating the trace of awkwardness in his eyes.

Shen Youqing leaned in, but the smile on his face froze the moment he saw the man’s face clearly.

Wait! This is the handsome guy who helped me carry the water buckets down the mountain!

“It’s you!”

Shen Youqing’s eyes lit up instantly. His previous caution and tension vanished, replaced by sheer surprise. “I knew your voice sounded familiar! It really is you!”

He scratched his head. “Did you come specifically to find me? Why didn’t you come during the day? Being in my room in the middle of the night without a lamp… you gave me a real heart attack.” He muttered under his breath, “If it were anyone with less courage, they would’ve screamed for help.”

Feng Xiuyan moved the lit oil lamp to the corner of the table. He looked up, his voice calm and steady: “I did come during the day.”

“Huh?” Shen Youqing blinked, dazed. Then, a thought struck him, and his voice filled with disbelief: “You didn’t… wait here from daytime until now, did you?”

He looked Feng Xiuyan up and down. The man’s clothes were neat, but there was a hint of weariness in his eyes. It seemed impossible.

Watching the shock on his face, Feng Xiuyan gave a quiet “Mm.” His finger unconsciously traced the rim of the lamp as he added internally: To be precise, when I came during the day, I was grabbed by a drunk youth who wouldn’t let go of my wrist. After he fell asleep, I simply stayed.

After the shock wore off, Shen Youqing looked puzzled. “Then why didn’t you wake me up? I didn’t mean to sleep so long; I just drank too much earlier…” He rubbed his warm ear, looking a bit sheepish.

“Oh, right! I haven’t even asked your name yet! That day you helped me, I was so busy thanking you and you left so quickly, I didn’t get to introduce myself.” He took a half-step forward, the dim yellow light casting a glow on his face. “Hi, I’m Shen Youqing. ‘You’ as in swimming, and ‘Qing’ as in clear.”

He stared at Feng Xiuyan with expectation. Your turn.

Feng Xiuyan looked into the boy’s bright eyes and heard him state his name so clearly. His hand stopped moving. His name was rarely mentioned to anyone except a few old acquaintances, let alone solemnly told to a mortal.

But looking at the expectation in Shen Youqing’s gaze, the words came without hesitation, his voice softening: “Feng Xiuyan.”

He imitated the boy’s way of explaining: “‘Feng’ as in Phoenix Ling, ‘Xiu’ as in cultivation, and ‘Yan’ as in a grand feast.”

After speaking, he secretly observed the boy’s reaction.

Shen Youqing nodded. “Feng Xiuyan… that’s a beautiful name.”

Gurgle…

A clear, loud stomach growl broke the silence of the room. Shen Youqing’s face turned bright red. He instinctively clutched his stomach, scratching his temple in embarrassment. He had slept through the entire afternoon and missed dinner; his stomach was staging a full-scale protest.

Feng Xiuyan’s gaze followed the sound, landing on the hand pressing against the stomach. A very faint smile flickered in his eyes.

“…”

Shen Youqing coughed to break the tension. Recalling that Feng Xiuyan had been waiting since daytime, he asked, “You haven’t eaten either, have you?”

In truth, Feng Xiuyan didn’t need three meals a day like mortals; he only required a bit of spiritual essence each morning. But seeing the boy’s apologetic look, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He simply nodded, letting the assumption stand.

“Ah, it’s all my fault!” Shen Youqing slapped his thigh. “But it’s okay, I have some snacks and fruit in the cabinet. It’s so late now, the kitchen is definitely closed. Let’s just have a quick bite to tide us over.”

He turned to the cabinet, nimbly pulling out a box of Lotus Crisps and two clean apples from a cloth bag, placing them on the table.

“Try this!” Shen Youqing pushed the pastry box toward Feng Xiuyan, his voice full of recommendation. “These are Lotus Crisps from Yipinzhai in the capital. I heard they’re limited edition. This is all I have left, tell me what you think.”

“Eat up! I’ll get you some water. Tea might keep you awake at night, so water is the safest bet.”

He chattered away as he grabbed two cups and headed for the water jar in the corner. His steps were light as he muttered, “Good thing I changed the water this morning; it’s not too cold or too hot, just right.”

Feng Xiuyan sat down and looked into the box. There were three pastries left—the exact number remaining after Shen Youqing and Wen Shubai had eaten earlier that day.

He recalled the scene he had glimpsed through the window earlier: the boy smiling while pushing the box toward Wen Shubai, the two of them leaning close in a lively atmosphere. His heart sank again.

Shen Youqing’s voice continued to drone on. His mouth wasn’t big, yet words flowed out like an endless stream. Feng Xiuyan wondered: Does his mouth not get tired from talking so much in a single day?

Just then, he heard Shen Youqing mention: “Wen Shubai said earlier that these were too sweet. I wonder if you’ll think so too…”

In an instant, the softness he felt from the boy’s chatter was replaced by irritation at the mention of “Wen Shubai.”

When Shen Youqing returned with the water, he saw Feng Xiuyan sitting motionless. “Why aren’t you eating? Is it not to your taste? Don’t be polite—just treat this place like your own home, don’t be stiff.”

Feng Xiuyan’s temple twitched. His annoyance spiked. He had heard the boy say those exact words to the Wen kid earlier today—in that same casual, warm tone.

He looked up at Shen Youqing, his voice tight with a tension he didn’t recognize: “Do you say that to everyone who comes here?”

Like Wen Shubai today?

Shen Youqing blinked, then waved it off with honest sincerity. “Of course not! I only say that to people I’m on good terms with.”

The phrase “on good terms with” felt like a small thorn pricking Feng Xiuyan’s heart. So, that Wen kid is also someone he’s ‘on good terms with’?

Looking at the Lotus Crisps, he suddenly lost his appetite. His fingers curled, but he said nothing.

Shen Youqing set the water down, oblivious to the shift in mood, and handed him a pastry. “Hurry, try it.”

Feng Xiuyan stared at the offered snack, but his hand didn’t move. He stood up silently, his aura turning cold. Even the lamp light seemed to dim.

“I have things to do. I’m leaving.”

His voice was emotionless. Without looking at Shen Youqing again, he turned and walked toward the door, his pace hurried as if he were escaping.

“Eh? …Why leaving all of a sudden?” Shen Youqing stood frozen with the pastry in mid-air, face full of confusion. He watched the man’s back disappear through the door before he could even say a word to stop him.

We were fine a second ago. Why did he get mad just because of one sentence? It’s like I did something wrong. How bizarre.

Shen Youqing put the pastry down and took a sip of water, grumbling quietly. “That guy is super handsome, but his personality is way too weird. Leaving without a reason… it was the same last time…”

He sighed at the empty room and popped a piece of Lotus Crisp into his mouth.

Meanwhile, Feng Xiuyan, having left the room, transformed into a streak of silvery light and plunged back into the pond. The little black fish swam over, circling him and provocatively brushing its tail against his scales.

Filled with irritation, Feng Xiuyan had no patience for the “stupid fish.” He gave it a cold glare, flicked his tail, and dived deep into the thickest patch of water weeds to hide.