Chapter 1465: Little Brocade Dragon and the Guardian Phoenix 18

When Jin Chen saw the message, he was holding the phoenix in his arms,...... roasting by the fire.

Early September's autumn tiger, the house had the hot air conditioning on, and the coffee table held a fire heater that might not even be used in winter.

Even so, Chang Li still felt a bit chilly, though it was much better than this morning and last night, not cold enough to make him shiver all over.

Chang Li curled up in Jin Chen's embrace, feeling a long‑lost warmth that made him drowsy; his consciousness was lazy and not fully clear, as if the intoxication hadn't worn off.

This was really tough on Jin Chen.

A perfectly fine fire brocade dragon was about to melt from the heat.

But hot is hot; the dazed phoenix was simply adorable and soft, like a little sticky cake.

Jin Chen couldn't bear to let go.

The movie played on like background lullaby music, and nobody's mind was on it.

After taking human form, Chang Li rarely felt this weak; indeed, one could say he had never been this fragile before—even when he first experienced the heavenly tribulation, he merely woke from a coma, found a cave, and sat in meditation to cultivate.

Fragility and sensitivity are harder to endure than pain, for the latter only harms the body while the former wounds the heart.

Chang Li was grateful that this time he had his dragon with him; just holding it eased most of his discomfort.

"Come, the hot tea is ready."

Jin Chen cast a little spell; the glass kettle on the tea table flew over on its own and steadily poured a cup of warming tea into the cup he held.

He tested the temperature with the back of his hand—just right to drink—and then brought it to Chang Li's lips.

Chang Li held the cup and sipped slowly, two mouthfuls, then turned his head and sneezed.

"I'm not drinking." Chang Li shook his head, curled back into Jin Chen's arms, and the two clung together inseparably no matter who approached.

In this state, Chang Li could only ease a little by curling up in Jin Chen's arms, while Jin Chen, the fire dragon roasted by the room's temperature, also needed to cling to the phoenix to cool down.

No one had settled lunch; after reading Que Ling's reply, Jin Chen thought for two seconds and decided to order takeout.

But how to get the takeout was another problem.

If he let the takeout fly by itself, Jin Chen figured it would end up on tomorrow's social news headline: a delivery guy frightened to death by a monster on his run.

After the founding of the country, becoming a spirit is not allowed!

Having had that experience before, Ling Gun Gun quickly locked himself in the little black room, determined not to be a bitter slave!

Jin Chen fell silent.

Even if a certain system got smarter, it wouldn't be great either.

Can't be fooled.

But if he went to get it himself……

Jin Chen lowered his head and glanced at the little sticky cake in his arms.

Knowing that Jin Chen had ordered takeout, Chang Li seemed to see through his thoughts, staring into his eyes without saying a word, yet feeling wronged and silently coquettish.

He didn't want to be separated from his dragon, not even for a few seconds.

"Alright, alright, I won't leave." Jin Chen kissed the cold corners of Chang Li's eyes.

After some thought, Jin Chen had the delivery person leave the takeout at the door, then, after they left, let the takeout fly in by itself.

Ling Gun Gun: 【Fully automatic takeout, you deserve to have it, and I do too.】

Jin Chen: 【……】

——

Chang Li had no appetite; his hunger and desire for food seemed frozen, so he simply didn't want to eat anything.

Jin Chen coaxed him to eat; Chang Li could only manage a few bites, and the novel experience made him feel quite fresh.

Suddenly he thought back to the days right after he first took human form.

He clung tightly to Jin Chen's waist, eyelashes trembling as he murmured, "If only you had come sooner."

Jin Chen set down his bowl, wiped Chang Li's lips, and soothed softly, "Sorry, I was too slow to take human form."

Chang Li shook his head. "That's not what I meant,"

He just sometimes felt that if a millennium of time had his dragon as company, perhaps it wouldn't be so sorrowful.

He even wondered how he would have endured this sudden illness if Jin Chen hadn't been by his side.

Chang Li rubbed softly against Jin Chen's shoulder; from the corners of his eyes to his brows, every tiny line showed an unprecedented gentleness, as if only being embraced by his dragon could let him live.

"Not feeling well again?" Jin Chen was about to lift him from his arms when Chang Li hooked his neck and forced his head down.

Jin Chen was kissed by his phoenix on the lips.

It was a light peck, yet it sent ripples through his heart, as if he had turned into a soft mass.

This was the phoenix's first initiative to kiss.

Jin Chen's brow lifted slightly, he held Chang Li tighter, and a smile lingered on his lips.

After realizing it, Chang Li grew shy, burying his face in Jin Chen's neck and refusing to lift his head, the tips of his hair turning red.

Afterward, his ears were gently stroked by warm palms.

"The phoenix kissed me on his own initiative; I'm very happy."

"He's cuter than when he got drunk last night."

Jin Chen said softly, his fingertips resting on the back of Chang Li's neck.

【Villain Heartthrob Value detected +5, total now 55!】

——

Lang Shu arrived on the third day of the phoenix's illness.

Three days passed; with Jin Chen's meticulous care, Chang Li merely wasn't suffering as much, but the chill, the bone‑deep cold, had not lessened in the slightest.

Sometimes at night, Chang Li would suddenly wake up chilled, then revert to his original form, turning into a tiny phoenix that burrowed entirely into Jin Chen's sleepwear to feel considerably better.

"Big Boss Jin! Long time no…… wow."

He hadn't even spoken the words yet, Lang Shu almost got baked by the temperature in this Living Room.

He gulped with fear, silently wondering just how cold Senior Chang Li was.

No time for catching up, Lang Shu hurriedly got down to business, handing over the cloth bundle hidden at his chest to Jin Chen.

"This is the companion jade that Leopard Grandpa took from the Treasure Pavilion, returning it to you."

Jin Chen opened the cloth bundle; inside were two dazzling jade stones, one crimson and one icy blue, as if they were meant to be natural partners.

Chang Li sat up from Jin Chen's embrace, holding the two jade stones together, and they fit together perfectly.

"How beautiful, I've never seen anything like it."

Chang Li, thinking to himself, selfishly clasped the crimson companion jade representing the Jin Dragon in his palm, placed the other one in Jin Chen's hand, and curved his brows.

Jin Chen chuckled lowly, also handed over the icy blue companion jade representing the phoenix to him, and added: "Leopard Grandpa said placing the companion jade over the heart might be useful."

"Then I'll give it a try."

Chang Li placed the companion jade over his heart, lowered his eyes and closed them, trying to absorb the heaven-and-earth spiritual energy contained within the jade.

A faint icy-blue light flashed; the chill and fatigue actually decreased significantly—the companion jade works.

Chang Li hadn't even had time to feel happy when he saw a feather drift down.

"Feather."

Chang Li caught the slowly falling phoenix feather, immediately reverted to his original form, and bounced into Jin Chen's embrace.

Chirp!

Quickly check if the dim feather has become beautiful.

Jin Chen frowned with distress, gently stroking the dim feather on the phoenix's chest, and said, "Not at all."

Even the dim areas are growing more numerous.

Chirp...

The little phoenix, feeling dejected, rubbed against Jin Chen's palm, lowered its head to peck at the dim feather, as if wanting to pull it out outright.

The heart-demon, whose seal had loosened, surfaced once again.