CH 109

Thank you to SOLEIL for the ko-fi~

For someone who was “afraid of pain,” the word “restrained” wasn’t yet in the dictionary. So, not only did Nan Ge quickly learn about the black pearl ear clip, but others in the base also found out through various means. It seemed that after life stabilized in this enclosed valley, everyone became particularly curious.

Whenever Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu walked by, they were followed by a crowd of curious eyes. Gu Langu still maintained his poker face, taking stoicism to the extreme. Others might not be able to tell, but Shu Shuishui was certain that at this moment, Gu Langu was happy and proud.

Shu Shuishui, on the other hand, didn’t have as many reservations. It seemed that after turning into a human, even his tendency to be easily embarrassed had improved. Of course, it might also be because everyone had become familiar with each other during this time. In essence, whether as a dormouse or a human, Shu Shuishui remained a person who was not naturally outgoing and preferred making an effort to make friends.

In this tranquil valley, Shu Shuishui truly felt a sense of freedom. Even though many people lived in the valley, the atmosphere of mutual tolerance and assistance was genuinely relaxing. Of course, the most important thing was having Gu Langu by his side. It seemed that wherever he was, he could make a home, feel safe, and be at peace.

When they returned to the tent by the lake, even though Gu Langu didn’t speak, his eyes were filled with anticipation, which could be translated as: “When can I wear the black pearl ear clip?”

“Don’t worry,  Gu Gu, you can wear it tonight.” Shu Shuishui had already chosen the materials for making the ear clip, a rare purple metal spirit ore that had excellent spiritual conduction abilities, which paired perfectly with the black pearls. This spirit ore was incredibly tough, and Shu Shuishui drew it into extremely fine threads, followed by a series of shaping.

After the final ear clip was fused with the black pearls, due to the fine threads, it was almost invisible, leaving only a slight hint of purple when rotated. It seemed like a satin ribbon wrapped around the black pearls.

“Gu Gu, it’s done!” Shu Shuishui joyfully looked up from his work, but he found that he was the only one in the tent. Gu Langu wasn’t there. This was quite unusual, and Shu Shuishui felt puzzled for a moment before stepping out of the tent.

Lifting the tent flap, it was already dusk outside. The valley was like a bowl of warm soup, filled with golden radiance, and everyone was comfortably immersed, awaiting the peaceful sleep after sunset.

By the lakeside in the distance, Gu Langu was facing away from the others, doing something. There were no people around, and everyone clearly knew that Gu Langu didn’t like to be disturbed.

Stepping on the cobblestones, Shu Shuishui slowly walked over, his footsteps light, intending to playfully startle Gu Langu, although the likelihood of startling someone like Gu Langu was almost zero.

Gu Langu indeed keenly sensed the approach of someone and cooperated without making a sound, allowing Shu Shuishui to pounce on him and try to make a frightened expression.

Shu Shuishui habitually rubbed his head against Gu Langu’s chin before slipping out of his arms. “Gu Gu, what are you doing? Your ear clip is ready!”

As he spoke, Shu Shuishui took out the completed black pearl ear clip and held it in the air, gesturing for Gu Langu to look. Bathed in the golden sunset, the black pearls emitted a fascinating brilliance. The mysterious, faint purple glow made them even more enticing. The design was actually very simple, resembling pure pearl shapes. Even the ear clip was so thin that it was nearly invisible, but it had a captivating charm.

Gu Langu originally wanted to open his palm to catch the pair of ear clips, but his hand extended halfway and then retracted. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and brought his ear close to Shu Shuishui’s face. “Shui Shui, you put it on for me. I’ve never worn one before, and I’m not sure how.”

Shu Shuishui readily agreed, even before putting on the ear clip, he sneakily reached out to pinch Gu Langu’s earlobe, making him stiffen for a moment. Then he nonchalantly released his fingers and put on the ear clip in a serious manner.

With one ear clip in place, Gu Langu willingly turned to the other side. He even took the liberty to rest his head on Shu Shuishui’s lap, without considering if this posture was appropriate for himself. After all, he was overjoyed.

In the distance, the onlookers who had been secretly observing since Shu Shuishui emerged from the tent couldn’t help but reveal expressions of not being able to look directly at the scene. But this darned dog food was surprisingly appealing. It was because they had too much free time.

Shu Shuishui easily fastened both ear clips and then patted his head soothingly. “All done, Gu Gu. Do you like them?”

Gu Langu obediently sat up and looked toward the lake’s surface. The mirror-like lake reflected Gu Langu’s appearance, and his facial features hadn’t changed at all. However, he now had a touch more elegance and mystique. The black and faint purple colors blended perfectly on Gu Langu’s ear.

Actually, before this, Gu Langu was not too keen on wearing earrings, just like how he initially resisted nail polish. However, as long as it was made by Shu Shuishui, his initial reluctance quickly turned into wholehearted acceptance, and he would promptly flaunt it like a proud peacock.

These ear accessories are very successful, in every sense. They look exceptionally good when displayed separately, and after wearing them, they blend in perfectly. They not only lack any hint of femininity but also add a touch of exclusivity that warns others to keep their distance. Of course, Gu Langu himself was already a big “Keep Out” sign.

Shu Shuishui’s eyes were particularly bright, a sign of his extreme happiness. “Gu Gu, you look absolutely stunning. These ear accessories are truly unique when worn by you.”

Black pearls are rarely easy to pull off, but Gu Langu’s aura was too strong, forcefully suppressing the black pearls’ momentum and telling everyone that he wasn’t just a wearer but a controller.

Gu Langu revealed a silly smile that only Shu Shuishui had ever seen, directed towards the lake. “I really like them. Thank you, Shui Shui.”

Shu Shuishui shook his head. “No need to thank me. Consider it… an engagement gift~”

Gu Langu chuckled softly. “No, it should be a dowry.”

Shu Shuishui’s eyes darted around as he quickly assessed the situation, then shook his head. “No, no, no. We haven’t even had an engagement gift, where would the dowry come from?”

However, Gu Langu had other plans. After hearing this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a string of sparkling crystal bracelets. The crystals on the bracelet weren’t in uniform shapes but looked like shattered ice-blue gemstones. They were similar in size, but each had a unique shape.

The ice-blue crystals emitted powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, indicating that they were not ordinary. Shu Shuishui didn’t recognize what type of spiritual stone this was. While he had seen ice attribute spiritual stones before, they often radiated intense coldness. However, this string of crystals was clear as a shattered blue sky, gentle, peaceful, and inviting, without any sense of aggression.

Gu Langu placed the string of ice-blue bracelets on Shu Shuishui’s wrist. “This is the engagement gift.” He then pointed to the ear accessories on his ears. “And this is the dowry.”

Shu Shuishui was rendered speechless. What could he say?

He reached out and touched the bracelet, and a big smile spread across his face. “Alright, I’ll accept this engagement gift.”

Gu Langu leaned closer, his forehead touching Shu Shuishui’s forehead. “Then, I’ll accept the dowry.”

The two of them smiled in unison.

As time passed, with the fading of the evening sun and the transformation of the valley from the warm afterglow to starlight, Gu Langu and Shu Shuishui remained by the lake, with Shu Shuishui leaning against Gu Langu’s embrace.

“Gu Gu, what is this ice-blue stone?” Shu Shuishui asked curiously.

Gu Langu fell silent for a moment. “I don’t know, I found it when I was on the Huanxing. I thought it looked beautiful and had abundant spiritual power. It seemed perfect for Shui Shui, so I brought it back.”

Not only was there abundant spiritual power, but each of the ice-blue crystal shards on this bracelet was like a spiritual spring, containing astonishing spiritual energy.

Shu Shuishui rubbed the bracelet on his wrist. He noticed that these broken pieces were irregular, like fragments of a whole ice-blue crystal that had been shattered. Some pieces had sharp edges, but they had all been polished smooth, so they wouldn’t cut him.

Clearly, Gu Langu had done the polishing himself. That’s why he was sitting by the lake when Shu Shuishui found him, and he had just finished working on the bracelet.

“Since these crystals were found by Gu Gu, it must be fate. I really like them; they give me a sense of closeness, just like you, Gu Gu. Wearing you on my wrist, I feel like I won’t lose you wherever I go. And these edges are polished just right, they won’t cut me…” Shu Shuishui turned into a chatterbox, lavishing praise on the bracelet to express his affection.

Gu Langu occasionally rubbed Shu Shuishui’s furry warm brown head, indicating that he was listening.

“Gu Gu, should we give names to the engagement gift and dowry, like Lan ring and Shui ring?” Shu Shuishui, who valued rituals, suggested.

Gu Langu nodded approvingly. “What names do you want, Shui Shui?”

Shu Shuishui pondered for a moment. “Little Hand? Little Ear? Little Blossom?”

Gu Langu’s expression was a bit complicated. How could he gently decline?

“Shui Shui, Da Bai would be upset if he heard those names.” Gu Langu suddenly figured out the right use for his son’s name.

Shu Shuishui touched his chin in thought. “Really? Why?”

“Because those names are too cute, and all three of them are cuter than Da Bai,” Gu Langu said solemnly, indirectly praising Shu Shuishui for his excellent naming skills.

Shu Shuishui suddenly realized. “Oh, right, I shouldn’t use those names. So, Gu Gu, what names do you suggest?”

Gu Langu thought for a moment and decided not to be overly modest. “Let’s call the ear accessories ‘Si Gu’ and the bracelet ‘Lian Shu.’ Although they may not be as cute as the names you suggested, they’re simple and easy to remember.”

Shu Shuishui nodded. “Gu Gu, don’t be disheartened. Your first attempt at naming is already great. In the future, you’ll surpass me. With Si Gu, Lian Shu, and Shui Lan, we have the dowry, engagement gift, and love tokens. Is there anything missing… like a secret stash of money for our honeymoon?”

Gu Langu almost slipped into the lake, seriously considering if he had a hidden stash of money problem.