Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation

On the morning of the second day of their journey down the Jin Long River, Jin Shu stood at the bow of the ship, gazing out over the crystal-clear water. Yin’er perched on his shoulder, her tiny face scrunched into a pout. Every so often, a flash of silver scales would catch her eye, and her tail would twitch eagerly. Yet, each time she leaned forward to leap after a fish, Jin Shu's firm hand kept her in place.

“No leaving the ship,” he reminded her for what felt like the hundredth time.

Yin’er huffed but settled back, albeit reluctantly.

“Husband~ What has caught your attention so early in the morning?” came a teasing voice from behind him.

Jin Shu turned to find Biyu standing closer than expected. Her eyes, bright with mischief, peeked out from above her veil. He couldn’t see her expression, but he could easily imagine the cheeky smirk hidden beneath the fabric.

“Ahem. I told you—it’s just to help hide your identity.” He cleared his throat and turned back toward the river, pretending to focus on the scenery.

“Hmm? What is my husband saying? Why don’t I understand?” she asked, her tone as playful as ever.

Jin Shu sighed and muttered, “I swear, between you, Yin’er, and my mother…” His voice trailed off as an inexplicable shiver ran down his spine.

“Oh? Why don’t you finish that thought?” Biyu asked, her sweet voice carrying an edge that made him pause. Her gaze sparkled, but the tone didn’t quite match her expression.

“Ah, no. Never mind. It’s nothing.” Jin Shu waved off the conversation with a quick shake of his head. He had no intention of digging himself into a deeper hole.

Biyu tilted her head, the teasing lilt in her voice returning. “I saw Sun Li leaving your room last night. How are things with him? He didn’t use his Blessed powers on you again, did he?”

“She,” Jin Shu corrected automatically. “And no, we talked it over. I’ve decided to try to look past my younger self’s trauma and accept her beliefs—as long as she doesn’t use her powers on me again.”

“So... she’s a girl now?”

“That’s how she wants to be seen,” Jin Shu said with a shrug.

“Hmm, I see,” Biyu murmured, her tone thoughtful. Then, out of nowhere, she added, “So that means you did touch a girl’s butt.”

Jin Shu froze, his mind grinding to a halt. He opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out. The logic of her statement left him floundering.

“Well?” she pressed, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“I didn’t—” he began, only to falter. Technically, he hadn’t. But... theoretically? No matter how he tried to frame it, he couldn’t come up with a valid response.

Biyu burst into laughter, her giggles spilling out in waves as she watched his expression shift through confusion, panic, and resignation.

“I was just joking,” she said between fits of laughter, her voice warm with mirth.

Jin Shu sighed, leaning against the railing as the ship glided smoothly along the Jin Long River. Yin’er, ever persistent, lunged after an especially fat fish darting beneath the surface. With a quick motion, Jin Shu grabbed her by the tail and hauled her back onto his shoulder. She protested, but he paid her no mind.

Beside him, Biyu leaned against the railing, her veil fluttering gently in the breeze. The movement briefly lifted the fabric, revealing her soft smile. Her hair flowed behind her like evergreen streamers, catching the sunlight in a way that made Jin Shu pause. For a fleeting moment, he wished he had a way to capture the sight forever. Then it hit him—he did.

With a swift motion, he summoned his phone, its smooth surface appearing in his hand. He quickly angled it toward her and snapped a picture.

Biyu tilted her head, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as her veil settled back into place. “What’s that?”

“Um, it’s called a cellphone,” he explained, turning the screen to show her the photo. “I used it to take a picture of you. See?”

“Oh, it’s like a memory orb, except... rectangular?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Her eyes crinkled with amusement. “So, you must have thought I was very beautiful?” she teased.

“I did, and you are,” he replied without hesitation.

Biyu froze, her teasing demeanor vanishing as her cheeks flushed a soft crimson. She turned her head away, her embarrassment clear in the way the tips of her ears burned red. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, but then she turned back to face him.

“Jin Shu?” she called softly.

He had turned his gaze back to the river, watching the ripples dance across the surface. When he looked over at her, he was caught completely off guard. Biyu leaned in, and before he could react, her lips brushed against his.

Jin Shu’s eyes widened in shock, his mind blank. Her soft, rosy lips lingered for just a moment before she pulled back, her eyes meeting his. He stared into the limpid jade pools of her gaze, too stunned to move or speak.

Without a word, Biyu adjusted her veil back into place and turned, hurrying toward the cabin with hurried, almost nervous steps.

Jin Shu remained rooted to the spot, watching her retreating figure. When his brain finally caught up, he whispered under his breath, “Damn it!”

Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind, memories and insecurities flooding him at once. Two rejections from his previous life surfaced, sharp and stinging. “You’re too overbearing.” “You’re smothering me!”

In the depths of his soul, his younger psyche—Kid Jin Shu—turned to glare at his older self. “So that’s what it was. You hide that well.”

Adult Jin Shu whipped around, his expression dark. “What are you talking about?”

Kid Jin Shu raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, I didn’t mean anything bad. It’s just… now I get what’s been holding you back all this time.”

“You don’t know shit, kid!” Adult Jin Shu snapped, though the frustration in his tone sounded hollow.

“Hey, calm down. I can help.”

Adult Jin Shu said nothing but didn’t deny the offer.

Kid Jin Shu’s expression softened. “You’re afraid of rejection,” he began, only to stop as the older psyche shot him a deadly glare. He held his hands up again. “Just hear me out. I don’t have that same trauma. Like you helped me with mine, I can help you with yours.”

Adult Jin Shu hesitated, his guarded expression cracking. “How?”

“Acceptance,” Kid Jin Shu said firmly. “Accept all of their love. Well, maybe not Sun Li’s—not just because she’s biologically male, but also because I might actually die if I had to be around her too long. Let’s start with Biyu and Xue, yeah?”

“But—”

“Nope,” Kid Jin Shu cut him off. “Come on, man, it’s my life too. Just let go.”

Adult Jin Shu’s brow twitched in annoyance at being interrupted, but after a moment, he sighed. “You’re right. It is your life as well. Fine. However—” his voice hardened slightly,“—don’t go overboard. You can’t go chasing after every pretty girl you see.”

Kid Jin Shu blinked. “Really? You agree?”

The older psyche nodded, his expression softening.

Back in reality, Yin’er tilted her head, her bright eyes fixed on Jin Shu. “Yin’er wants a kiss.”

Jin Shu laughed and gently lifted her off his shoulder, pressing a kiss to her fluffy head. “There. Happy?”

“Yay! Yin’er loves Daddy!” she chirped, giggling with delight.

Jin Shu chuckled, his tone softening. “Daddy loves you too.”

Turning away from the railing, he headed toward the cabins, carrying Yin’er inside. As they entered the hallway, he set her down. “Go find Sun Li and ask her to get the chef to prepare a fish for you.”

“Fish?!” Yin’er exclaimed, her tail wagging excitedly.

“Yeah, yeah. Go on.” He waved her off.

With a burst of energy, Yin’er flew down the corridor at lightning speed, disappearing around a corner. Jin Shu continued at a more leisurely pace, his demeanor subtly shifting. His stride gained a cocky rhythm, his posture more relaxed, and his expression carried a smug smirk. If anyone were watching closely, they might have noticed a distinct difference.

“Ah, it feels good to finally have my body back… well, I guess I never really lost it, but it still feels different,” he muttered, his voice carrying an unmistakable cheekiness.

He stopped in front of Biyu’s door.

Knock, knock!

The door swung open after the second knock, revealing Biyu standing on the other side. She blinked up at him, her expression curious.

“Hello, little beauty,” Jin Shu said with a cheeky grin.

Bang!

The door slammed shut in his face.

“Ah!” Jin Shu winced, clutching his nose. “Ow! What the hell?”

The door cracked open slightly, and Biyu peeked out with an apologetic look. “Sorry,” she said, though her eyes quickly narrowed. “Wait a second... who are you?”

“What do you mean? It’s me!” he replied, his voice muffled as he pinched his nose.

“You’re weird,” she said suspiciously, her eyes scrutinizing him.

“What’s that supposed to mean? How am I weird?” Jin Shu pulled his hand away, inspecting it for blood. Breathing a sigh of relief when he saw none, he glanced back at her.

Biyu crossed her arms, tilting her head as she gave him a once-over. “Your stance, your attitude... even your voice. It’s like you’re younger or something.”

Jin Shu froze, his eyes widening. Even his mother hadn’t noticed when his psyche switched, or if she had, she never mentioned it. But Biyu? Somehow, she caught on instantly. He shook his head to clear the swirling thoughts and decided to play it cool.

“I’ll admit, I’ve been a little cold to you before,” he began, leaning against the doorframe. “I was afraid of rejection. But after you kissed me, I decided to let you into my heart.”

Biyu blinked, her expression turning blank. “What are you saying? What kiss?”

Jin Shu groaned, knocking his head lightly against the doorframe. “Ah, not this again! You and Li Xue pulled the same thing last time!”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Biyu said, her tone deadpan.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “Let me jog your memory.” He leaned forward to push the door open, only to bounce back as the door refused to budge. He’d underestimated her strength—again.

Biyu laughed, watching as Jin Shu stumbled backward and landed flat on his rear. Her laughter was light and melodic, but it only served to bruise his ego further.

Even within his soul, both his psyches were roaring with laughter, as though they were watching the climax of a romantic comedy. Jin Shu scowled internally. “I swear, you two are the worst.”

Jin Shu sat on the floor rubbing his sore nose, he couldn’t help but grin. “You know, I might be weird, but you’re not exactly normal either.”

Biyu leaned against the doorframe, a smirk evident even under her veil. “Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Jin Shu climbed to his feet, dusting himself off. “You should. It means you’re perfect for me.”

Biyu blinked, her teasing demeanor faltering for a moment. “Perfect, huh?” she murmured, almost to herself.

Jin Shu took a step closer, his confidence unwavering despite his earlier tumble. “Yeah. You’re strong, clever, and sharp enough to keep me on my toes. What more could I want?”

Biyu quickly turned her head, the tips of her ears reddening beneath her veil. “Idiot,” she muttered, though her voice lacked its earlier bite.

Jin Shu’s grin widened, and for the first time, his internal psyches were silent, as if watching and waiting. The quiet moment stretched between them, and Jin Shu took a deep breath.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” he said, his tone suddenly lighter. “I have a fish-hungry furball to chase after.”

He turned and walked away, his smirk still in place, leaving Biyu standing in her doorway, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Inside his soul, Kid Jin Shu crossed his arms with a smug expression. “See? Not bad for my first time, huh?”

The older psyche sighed but nodded. “Alright, kid. I’ll admit, you’re onto something.”

“Damn right, I am.” Kid Jin Shu grinned. “Now let me handle the next one too. This is fun.”

“Don’t push your luck,” the older psyche muttered, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone.

Jin Shu chuckled aloud, ignoring the odd look from a passing crew member. For the first time in a long while, he felt lighter, like he’d taken a step closer to finding balance—not just with himself, but with the people around him.