The Protagonist is Always Intimidating Me - Chapter 23

…Bai Fan…

Tuanzi silently etched this name in his heart, and then accepted his new name, Bai Meng.

Since even their names were intertwined, they were destined to be together… Tuanzi squinted his eyes slightly. The sunlight was warm that day, and the man’s smile was gentle. Bathed in the warmth, Tuanzi felt light-headed and quietly fell asleep on the man’s shoulder.

To help Tuanzi transform into his human form as soon as possible, the man used dragon qi to nurture him daily. Sometimes, he even found some medicinal pills to aid the process. Under such care, Tuanzi’s cultivation advanced rapidly, and soon he reached the conditions required for transformation, becoming the first in the forest to achieve this.

Later, when Tuanzi accidentally learned that Bai Fan was a dragon, he was shocked for quite a while.

“You’re a dragon?”

“What, Xiao Bai Meng doesn’t believe me~?”

“…But, you never gave off that kind of terrifying aura… I’ve seen a dragon before, and it did…”

At this, Tuanzi shivered slightly, still haunted by the memory. Although after his transformation, his fear of natural enemies had significantly diminished, if he encountered something strong—like a serpent—he would still feel some lingering fear.

“That’s because they weren’t ruthless enough~”

Tuanzi looked at the man, whose slender index finger pointed to his dazzling golden eyes, shimmering with brilliance. He said, “As long as one bloodline overwhelms the other, you can completely conceal those traits.”

At the time, Tuanzi didn’t fully understand, unable to grasp the darkness and bloodshed buried beneath the man’s casual tone. He just felt that the atmosphere had suddenly become oppressive, so he touched the pattern on the back of his own hand.

That pattern, a curved short line encircling a black dot, was more like a small sigil than a character. Bai Fan had drawn it on Tuanzi during his transformation using the juice of glowgrass mixed with a special incantation he had learned.

Tuanzi once asked the man, “What is this for? After drawing it, will I become invincible and defeat everything effortlessly, even the primordial beings?” As a result, the man just pulled him into his arms and rubbed him all over.

“What are you thinking?” The man laughed as he let go. “This is so you don’t get lost~”

“Huh?”

Tuanzi was dumbfounded.

“If Xiao Bai Meng ever gets kidnapped, just shout ‘Bai Fan Gege,’ and I’ll appear~”

“……”

Tuanzi was speechless.

Do you think you’re some kind of summoned beast?! And who would believe such a childish claim! Just because you’re handsome doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want, Da Bai!

Yes, this was the nickname they later gave each other (mutual teasing). Bai Fan was called “Da Bai” by Tuanzi, and Tuanzi was called “Xiao Bai” by Bai Fan. Like children playing a game, the two were never tired of it.

However, in private, Tuanzi once asked the most knowledgeable bird yao in the forest, and was told that this was a sigil linking the two of them. If one of them died, the other would sense it.

After hearing that, Tuanzi secretly went to a quiet spot to examine the pattern. Under the sunlight, the simple markings faintly glowed yellow. After watching it for a while, he quickly looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then put his left hand to his mouth and softly called, “Bai Fan Gege.”

As soon as the words left his lips, Tuanzi realized how foolish he had been. His beast ears popped out from excitement, and his pale face flushed red. Trying to act nonchalant, he turned to walk away, only to see the man waiting for him under a tree not far away.

“Xiao Bai, were you picking fruit again? I told you not to wander off~”

The light deep in the jungle carried a hazy quality, but it perfectly enveloped Bai Fan under the tree, making him seem as though his entire being was glowing. In that forest, the man’s warmth lit the way for Bai Meng as he returned.

“Let’s go~ Let’s go home.”

The man smiled and extended his hand to Tuanzi.

The man’s scent carried a strong hint of mint, and for once, the boy did not show any disdain. Instead, he took the offered hand obediently, stepping through a carpet of fallen leaves.

Hei Quan, as usual, frequently snuck into Tuanzi’s territory to steal fruit.

However, after being beaten by Bai Fan once, he learned to avoid getting caught. Most of the time, it was Tuanzi and Hei Quan who fought, with one forcing the other to call him “Big Brother,” while the other continually launched sneak attacks with new tricks. Everything in the forest continued its rhythm, and their days were filled with their daily bickering and antics. That was Tuanzi’s everyday life.

……………

Later, Tuanzi died, in the man’s arms.

In his final moments, he saw the man appear. There were many things he wanted to say, but he could only quietly close his eyes and stop breathing.

Blood flowed from his throat, draining until the last drop. This awful sensation echoed in Bai Meng’s nerves. He seemed to glimpse strange spirits dressed in peculiar clothing, peering through the thorns. Death was approaching step by step along a dark path, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

Suddenly, light descended from above, dispelling all the ominous shadows. Bai Meng opened his eyes in the same place, still surrounded by the man’s presence.

“…Da Bai…”

He turned his head, wanting to speak to the man, but in that instant, his expression crumbled.

There lay a massive spine, pure white, with a few drops of crimson blood standing out in stark contrast. Bai Meng was very familiar with it, both its aura and form… because it had once grown on the man’s back, supporting Tuanzi’s world… But now, the man was gone.

Bai Meng kept telling himself not to cry, calmly putting away the dragon bones, resolute in one thing.

…Da Bai is missing. I must find Da Bai…

His vision suddenly blurred, and tears spilled from his eyes uncontrollably…

…Don’t cry… I still need to find Da Bai…

…I have to find Da Bai…

With red-rimmed eyes, Bai Meng bade farewell to everyone.

He left the forest and began his journey across the world. He crossed scorching deserts and traversed endless seas of the underworld. Along the way, the faint light on the back of his hand was his courage and belief, but still, he could not find the man.

In the end, he returned to the forest. Time had passed; it was now replaced by tall buildings. He merged into the crowd, habitually speaking to the sigil, always ending with a quiet goodbye.

Bai Meng endured year after year. Time brought indifference and silence, while also taking away the last glimmer of light on the back of his hand. In the end, even the color was lost.

“…It really was a lie…”

Bai Meng murmured, his pitch-black eyes void of expression. He reached for the bottle of liquor beside the bed and drained it in one go. If Bai Fan knew, he would surely scold whoever had led him astray…

Bai Meng thought idly. Over the long years, he had learned both good and bad. Even the dragon bone he had once cherished had become a weapon, and he wielded it effortlessly…

The intoxication slowly enveloped him, and Bai Meng, following its pull, lay down. That night, a long-forgotten dream visited him at his bedside, gently caressing him like a lost child returning home, guiding him into a thick fog.

He transformed back into Tuanzi, and the familiar forest surrounded him. He ran outside, then saw that familiar figure.

The man’s eyes still held a gentle smile, with warmth flowing in his gaze.

“…Xiao Bai…”

Tuanzi blinked blankly. In an instant, the man’s figure began to fade in the dim light.

He opened his eyes wide in panic.

“…Bai Fan…”

“…Bai Fan!!!”

Tuanzi transformed back into his human form. The young boy hurried forward as the man’s figure slowly vanished. His golden eyes were filled with warmth and helplessness.

The night wind that grazed his skin carried a biting chill. Bai Meng felt something flowing from his eyes—was it blood, misplaced from his heart to his pupils? All he knew was that it rushed out of his eyes uncontrollably, unstoppable.

“…* * *”

“…* * *…”

He could no longer hear what the man was saying.

“Bai Fan!!!”

Bai Meng bit his lip, stepping over countless fallen leaves, treading on a path illuminated by sunlight.

He rushed forward, extending his hand to embrace the man.

“……”

“…* * * Don’t cry…”

And then, his Da Bai faded away in his arms.