ASFTB 36: Without You, I Can’t Fall Asleep!!

Li Lingfeng had been used to living a solitary life all his years. As a child, he left home for the underground city to live independently. Later, he became a bounty hunter, living a life of blades and blood. Afterward, he married, had children, and joined the army. With over two hundred thousand soldiers under his command, he had also trained many officers under his leadership.

Let alone solving kindergarten problems—he could handle even the most difficult troops.

General Li had never imagined that the greatest defeat of his life would come because of Jian Chengxi—

“Is… is this answer correct?”

In the spacious living room, on the carpet before the sofa, Jian Chengxi handed over his answer sheet. Sitting cross-legged against the table, his bright expectant eyes looked up at the man on the sofa.

Li Lingfeng held the paper in his hand without speaking, his stern face expressionless.

Jian Chengxi’s heart sank a little, and he probed, “Is it a bit off from the correct answer?”

“……”

More than just a bit.

It wasn’t even close at all.

Li Lingfeng lifted his eyelids to look at him, that gaze full of oppressive force making one’s heart tighten.

Jian Chengxi immediately cowered, reaching out and saying, “How about I just do it again myself…”

Li Lingfeng picked up the pen, quickly wrote out a more detailed problem-solving approach on the paper, then handed it to Jian Chengxi and said, “Recalculate it according to this.”

Jian Chengxi took it and found that what was written on it was even simpler and more straightforward, practically to the point that even an idiot could understand it.

“Really impressive.” Jian Chengxi looked at the equation on the paper, then lifted his head to look at him, smiling as he said, “Feng-ge, your grades must have been very good before, right?”

Li Lingfeng said lightly, “I’ve never been to school.”

Jian Chengxi froze. “Then you?”

“Do these things even need to be learned?” Li Lingfeng spoke unhurriedly, his expression blank, “Basically, just one glance is enough to know them.”

“…”

That was insulting!

The hand holding the paper trembled slightly as Jian Chengxi took a deep breath to salvage his dignity, saying, “You can’t put it that way. Actually, these problems are still quite difficult for most people. You can’t generalize too much…”

“Daddy.” A somewhat calm voice sounded from the study not far away, Li Chen said, “I’ve finished writing.”

Jian Chengxi stood up in shock. “You finished all of it?”

Li Chen, who had never done problems before, nodded.

Li Sui­sui also raised his hand and said, “Daddy, Sui­sui only has two questions left to finish!”

Jian Chengxi stammered a little, “I think these problems are actually a bit difficult. How about checking them over carefully again?”

Li Chen put down his pen and said, “They’re very simple problems, no need to check.”

“Not hard at all.” Li Sui­sui sat on the chair, his small body leaning against the table, his childish voice saying, “Sui­sui can even do a few more sheets.”

After hearing the child’s words, Li Lingfeng slowly lifted his head, gave Jian Chengxi a glance, his gaze full of meaning.

Jian Chengxi: “…”

I can’t stay in this house for even one more day.

After dinner, Jian Chengxi took the two children to bathe.

Suisui could already bathe by himself now, but Li Chen’s leg was inconvenient, and fearing he might fall if he bathed alone, Jian Chengxi would bathe him every day and massage his leg afterward.

After finishing the massage, Jian Chengxi asked, “Does your leg still hurt at night lately?”

Li Chen gently shook his head.

Jian Chengxi let out a sigh of relief. In fact, it was only recently that he learned this child’s leg would hurt at night.

Fortunately, the medical skills he had studied were effective.

Jian Chengxi covered his leg with the blanket and said with emotion: “It feels like you’ve grown a bit. Xiao Chen, you’ll be four years old next year. Your father is so tall, surely you won’t be short in the future either.”

He thought the boy would be happy.

Li Chen’s eyes, however, drooped as he said softly: “What’s the use of a cripple growing tall.”

Jian Chengxi’s movements froze.

The child’s brief words were like a sharp blade stabbing into his heart.

Li Chen’s personality was very sullen. Even though his leg hurt every night, he never said a word, it was only when Jian Chengxi noticed something was wrong and asked that he found out. The child was clearly only three years old—an age when other kids would cry and fuss over just a small fall, blooming like bright little flowers—yet he was silent, like wild grass on the roadside battered by wind and rain.

Jian Chengxi’s nose stung with sourness as he spoke, “Don’t say such things. Now that we’ve moved to Sky City, Daddy will talk with your Father and take you to see the Archangel. I heard his medical skills are excellent, he’ll definitely be able to cure your leg. It’s only an injury from a fall, nothing serious. You must believe Daddy, alright?”

Li Chen sat on the bed and looked deeply at Jian Chengxi, finally giving a gentle nod.

Only then did Jian Chengxi show a smile.

More than whether the leg could truly be healed, what he feared most was the child suffering and being worn down.

From the doorway came the sound of the door opening. Li Suisui walked in wearing a little floral dress, her tiny girl’s body like a small dumpling, speaking in a milky childish voice, “Daddy, Suisui finished bathing.”

Jian Chengxi sat up: “Did you dry your hair?”

Li Suisui’s hair was still misted with water as she stood before her daddy. “No.”

Jian Chengxi sat up and said, “Daddy will go get a towel.”

He walked outside and saw that Li Lingfeng’s study light was still on. Ever since dinner, the man had been handling official business. The entire military had just gone through a handover of power, and he had countless matters to deal with, barely with a moment to rest.

When Jian Chengxi came back with the towel, he also brought along a cup of hot water for him.

Li Lingfeng looked up at him, “Are the children asleep?”

“Not yet.” Jian Chengxi shook his head and said, “They’ll sleep a bit later. I need to go dry Suisui’s hair.”

Li Lingfeng nodded. The man sitting at the desk, documents for approval still in hand, had shed the armor of indifference. Yet even in his military uniform, sitting upright and proper, his stern and austere face still carried a sense of distance. “After you finish, you should go to sleep too.”

Jian Chengxi spoke instinctively, “And you’re not going to sleep?”

After asking the question, he himself was stunned.

In truth, he was still very afraid of Li Lingfeng and usually kept as much distance as possible.

Now, asking such a question felt as if…

He was actively hoping the other person would sleep with him.

Jian Chengxi lifted his eyes to look over, and sure enough, saw Li Lingfeng watching him. He hurriedly added, “What I meant was—are you not sleeping tonight?”

Li Lingfeng gave a faint nod. “Mm, I have some matters to handle.”

Jian Chengxi thought to himself that pulling an all-nighter was practically risking one’s life, but seeing how accustomed Li Lingfeng seemed to it, he didn’t say more and only replied, “Got it.”

He set down the teacup in his hand and turned to leave.

Who would have thought—

Suddenly, the system’s notification sound popped up in his mind:【Current safety value has dropped by 1%, now at 20%】

Jian Chengxi froze, asking, “Why did my safety value drop?”

The system replied:【This is the result of a comprehensive assessment, Host. Your safety value is closely tied to the stability of the world, and the world’s stability is tied to the protagonist. If the protagonist encounters problems, the world becomes unstable, and your safety value will decrease.】

Jian Chengxi suddenly understood the logic, “So Li Lingfeng is the protagonist. If his health is bad or something happens to him, I’ll also be harmed?”

System:【That’s right. Therefore you cannot allow Li Lingfeng to have any accidents, or points will be deducted from you. If your safety value drops below 0%, you will die.】

Jian Chengxi was so angry he nearly exploded, “How can that be!”

Because he was too worked up, the words didn’t just stay in his mind—he actually blurted them out.

In the quiet study, Li Lingfeng lifted his head from the documents. The tall, handsome man sat in his chair, looking at his little wife, frowning slightly, “What’s wrong?”

Jian Chengxi felt so embarrassed he wanted to run away.

But remembering the system’s words just now, he couldn’t allow himself to run away.

He turned back around, his eyelashes trembling nervously, and finally looked at Li Lingfeng. Forcing a smile, he said, “What I meant was, how can you not sleep? It’s bad for your health.”

…

So it turned out to be because of this.

Li Lingfeng hadn’t expected his wife, who usually avoided him like the plague, to actually worry about him, but still he said, “The body of a beastman is very strong. Even if I don’t sleep for several nights, it won’t be a problem.”

Jian Chengxi thought to himself, My safety value has already got deducted, how can it be no problem!

“That… that still won’t do.” Jian Chengxi pressed his lips together, trying to shamelessly insist. “I think it’s still better if you sleep.”

Li Lingfeng found him a bit strange. After all, he knew well that Jian Chengxi was the type who never acted without a reason.

Yet when it came to his little wife, he was always more patient. The man sitting at the desk leaned lazily against the chair, raising an eyebrow, “Reason.”

The tall and imposing figure before him was as steady as a mountain. When he wasn’t smiling, the oppressive pressure he gave off made one almost afraid to breathe. It felt as though if Jian Chengxi didn’t give a proper reason today, Li Lingfeng simply wouldn’t back down.

Jian Chengxi: “I… I…”

His barren brain turned and turned, yet still couldn’t come up with a reason.

Li Lingfeng’s wrist communicator chimed. He glanced at it and began to say, “You go back and rest fir—”

Seeing time running out, Jian Chengxi steeled himself and quickly blurted out, thick-skinned, “Because I’m afraid to sleep alone. Without you, I can’t fall asleep. You’re my husband, you have the obligation to stay with me, so I want you to come back and sleep with me.”

The room fell utterly silent.

Li Lingfeng’s hand, raised to handle his official business, froze in midair.

Jian Chengxi’s face was burning red. He stammered, “Anyway, that’s it. You go ahead and work. The kids are still waiting for me, so I’ll go first.”

…

The study door was quickly opened and then shut heavily.

On the other end of the communicator, the adjutant who had just gotten through only managed to hear the sound of a door slamming. Curious, he asked, “Marshal, what’s wrong with Madam? Did you two have a quarrel?”

Li Lingfeng sat in his chair, the man’s long hand resting on the armrest, his gaze dark and deep as he looked at the hot drink Jian Chengxi had brought him, still faintly steaming on the desk.

“It’s nothing.” On Li Lingfeng’s usually stern face, his brows lifted ever so slightly, full of meaning, “He was just acting spoiled.”

Adjutant: “…”

In the middle of the night, why am I still getting hit with critical strikes!!!

…

Inside the children’s room, ever since the Snow White incident, bedtime fairy tales had become an essential part of the nightly routine.

Tonight was no exception.

The children’s bed was especially large, and Jian Chengxi sat in the very middle, with the two kids lying on either side of him. He recalled how earlier in the day at school the children seemed a little out of step with their classmates, not very united, and decided that tonight he should tell a meaningful fairy tale.

“Today, we’re going to tell the story of Calabash Brothers Saving Grandpa.” Jian Chengxi’s voice was gentle, “This story goes like this—long, long ago, there were two demons. Those two demons were villains, very bad, committing all sorts of evil. They were sealed under a mountain, but then one day, a pangolin accidentally burrowed through Calabash Mountain and released the demons. It was very frightened, so it found an old grandpa and told him to plant calabash seeds, which could turn things around and defeat the demons.”

The bedroom light glowed a warm yellow, and the night was utterly quiet.

Jian Chengxi’s voice was slow and gentle, “In the end, after Grandpa finally managed to grow the calabashes, the demons, having heard about it and wanting to prevent their plans from being ruined, came and captured him.”

Li Suisui tilted her little face up and asked, “Daddy, why can the pangolin talk?”

Jian Chengxi choked for a moment. “Well, that’s because it’s also a demon.”

Li Chen asked, “Since it’s a demon too, then why would it go find Grandpa to catch the other demons?”

Jian Chengxi was stumped. “That…”

Li Suisui lifted her face in a smile and said, “Suisui knows! It’s because the pangolin wanted to be the king itself, so it needed Grandpa to get rid of the other two demons.”

“…”

Top-tier interpretation.

Jian Chengxi immediately stopped the child’s line of thought. “No, that’s not it. It’s because the pangolin was a good demon. It didn’t want the common people to suffer, so it went to find Grandpa.”

Li Suisui said, “Then why didn’t it plant the calabashes itself?”

Jian Chengxi saw that she had finally asked the key question and smiled, “Because many things can’t be done by just one person—they need help from others. The pangolin didn’t know how to grow calabashes, so it asked Grandpa for help and the kindhearted Grandpa helped it plant them. This tells us an important lesson, each of us will face difficulties, and at times, we’ll all need our friends’ help.”

Li Chen leaned against the pillow, his little face expressionless, and gave a blunt summary of the story, “And then Grandpa got captured.”

“He was so miserable.” Li Suisui said with lingering fear: “Good thing Suisui doesn’t have any friends.”

“…”

You two really know how to find the key points, huh.

Jian Chengxi quickly cleared his throat and said, “No, that’s not it. After the calabash brothers grew, they saved Grandpa. It was because of Grandpa’s kindness that the calabash brothers took turns to rescue him… The five brothers each went up one after another, using their wits against the demons, but they were all defeated one by one. In the end, it was only by uniting together that they subdued the demons. That’s the importance of unity and cooperation.”

The two children listened quietly.

Jian Chengxi earnestly said, “That’s how important the help of friends is. As long as everyone works toward the same goal and gets along kindly, any difficulty can be overcome.”

He originally thought the two children would be very inspired.

Who would have thought—

Li Suisui piped up, “The monsters are really strong, it took five of them just to beat two.”

Jian Chengxi nearly choked. He thought of that dream scene out of nowhere, his own children surrounded and hunted down by a crowd, and just the memory of it made his chest ache.

“Suisui,” Jian Chengxi looked at her very seriously, “you have to understand no matter how strong those monsters were, in the end the two of them still lost to five. What Daddy wants to tell you is this—working together with others is the most important thing. Never try to fight alone, or you’ll end up like those monsters, with nothing good waiting for you.”

Li Suisui gazed at Jian Chengxi’s face, her round eyes blinking like little black gems.

Jian Chengxi asked gently, “Do you understand now?”

Suisui glanced at her older brother, then gave a small nod. “Daddy, Suisui understands. Making friends is very important.”

Jian Chengxi felt a flicker of hope rise in his heart—this time the bedtime story actually worked, and he almost teared up like a relieved old father.

“From now on, Suisui will make lots of friends. Unity is the most important.” The little girl burrowed under the blanket, giggling happily. “That way, we can beat the Calabash Brothers!”

“…”

Well technically, the logic wasn’t wrong but the role you took on seems a little off.

Nighttime.

When he returned to the bedroom, Jian Chengxi had originally thought that Li Lingfeng wouldn’t pay any attention to what he had said. Who would have thought the man was already back in the bedroom.

Jian Chengxi was a little surprised.

However, the man sitting by the bedside reading lifted his head calmly to look at him and said, “That long?”

Jian Chengxi recalled his bold words in the study and felt a little embarrassed. Back then, he had to improvise because of the system’s task, but now that things had settled, the shame really set in.

Still, he replied. Li Lingfeng, on the other hand, remained composed, as if he were simply fulfilling a husband’s duty.

Jian Chengxi let out a sigh of relief and replied, “Mm… because I tell the children bedtime stories. Sometimes they can’t fall asleep at night, so I tell them stories.”

Li Lingfeng nodded faintly.

Just when Jian Chengxi thought the topic was over, the man suddenly spoke up for no reason, “You can’t sleep alone either. Do you need me to tell you a bedtime story too?”

Jian Chengxi shuddered in horror!

Those long-buried, embarrassing memories suddenly surged up to attack him!

“No, no, that’s not necessary.” Jian Chengxi quickly waved his hands. “I… anyway, since you’re back to sleep here, I can fall asleep just fine.”

Li Lingfeng nodded, as if with a trace of regret.

Jian Chengxi hung up his coat, sat down at the edge of the bed, and, remembering the matter of the child’s leg, said, “About Xiao Chen’s leg, I think we should take him to get it checked tomorrow. I asked a doctor before, and she gave me the contact information of an Archangel.’ She said that the doctor’s medical skills are very impressive, so I thought we could take the child there. But I also heard it’s very hard to get an appointment with him.”

Li Lingfeng spoke, “Which doctor is it?”

Jian Chengxi quickly answered with the name he knew by heart, “Mirage.”

This was a very famous Archangel in the Empire, a healer who had mastered magic for treating wounds. Countless people had been brought back from the brink of death by his hands, and his reputation spread far and wide—making him someone rarely seen.

Jian Chengxi said with some concern, “I heard from the doctor that it’s very difficult to meet him. Without a referral, it might be nearly impossible…”

Li Lingfeng spoke, “Not difficult, I know him.”

Jian Chengxi froze, looking at him in surprise. “The General knows him?”

Li Lingfeng nodded.

Jian Chengxi asked with some surprise, “But haven’t you been away these past few years? How would you know him?”

Li Lingfeng spoke slowly, “A few years back, when I was working as a bounty hunter, I took one of his private jobs.”

Jian Chengxi knew his man had some past, but he hadn’t expected his business to be so wide-ranging, he had even taken a private job from this doctor. Since the doctor ran a medical clinic, what could he possibly need from a bounty hunter?

Humans always have that damned curiosity.

Jian Chengxi couldn’t hold back, “Did he ask the General to search for some rare medicinal herbs?”

Li Lingfeng: “No.”

Jian Chengxi grew even more curious, “Then what was it for?”

Li Lingfeng turned his face slightly to look at him, his gaze carrying a hint of deeper meaning, “Do you really want to know?”

For no reason, Jian Chengxi felt a bit guilty under that gaze, instinctively sensing it wasn’t going to be anything good. He stammered a little as he spoke: “Maybe just forget it, I suddenly don’t really want to—”

“Because his lover betrayed him.”

Li Lingfeng’s voice was cool, carrying a chill.

Jian Chengxi choked up.

Li Lingfeng’s gaze held no emotion, as if he were merely recounting something that had nothing to do with him, “So he contacted me, asked me to bring his lover back—at any cost.”

Jian Chengxi’s heart began pounding for no reason, “Did they come back?”

Li Lingfeng said, “His lover was unwilling to return.”

Jian Chengxi said timidly, “Th-then what happened? Doesn’t that mean your mission couldn’t be completed?”

“It was completed.” Li Lingfeng’s voice was low, without the slightest ripple, like an emotionless machine, “After all, Mirage’s bounty mission was only for me to bring his lover back.”

For a moment Jian Chengxi didn’t understand, and asked in confusion, “But if his lover was unwilling to return, how could you still have brought them back…”

His words were swallowed up in the depths of Li Lingfeng’s dark, pitch-black eyes.

A frightening suspicion crossed Jian Chengxi’s mind, and cold sweat suddenly broke out all over his body.

Li Lingfeng said, “I didn’t kill him.”

It was as if Jian Chengxi had suddenly gone from hell back to heaven. He let out a sigh of relief. “I knew it.”

Li Lingfeng’s expression didn’t change. “I only killed the one who tried to stop me from completing the mission.”

The man’s words were so calm and casual, as if he were merely talking about moving aside a stone that had blocked his path.

Jian Chengxi’s eyes widened.

In an instant, it was as if he were back in that moment when Wang Zhe had died before his eyes.

At times, Li Lingfeng’s kindness toward him would make him forget just how dangerous the man in front of him truly was.

“Mirage has already reconciled with his lover.” Li Lingfeng’s voice was faint as he unhurriedly pulled the quilt over his little wife. “Consider it a warm bedtime story.”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Ok, there was no way he was getting any sleep tonight.

The next day.

Because he had to take the child to see a doctor, he got up earlier than usual.

Early in the morning, Jian Chengxi dragged himself out of bed with a pair of panda eyes.

Li Lingfeng had long since finished washing up. Dressed neatly, the man glanced at him and said, “Didn’t sleep well?”

Jian Chengxi thought to himself that after spending the whole night dreaming about eloping with a lover and then being hunted down, how could he possibly have slept well!!!

He was just about to complain—

Li Lingfeng gave him a deep look. “Didn’t you say you can only sleep well if someone’s beside you?”

Jian Chengxi choked up, then could only grit his teeth and force a smile, “It’s because you were with me, I was so happy that I couldn’t sleep.”

Li Lingfeng raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat skeptical, but still said in a low voice, “There’s a lot going on with the military, but I’ll try to come back every night.”

Jian Chengxi nodded and said, “Alright, I understand.”

As long as you don’t tell me any more of those “warm bedtime stories.”

Everything else can be managed.

Today they were going on a long trip, so a warship was already waiting at the door early in the morning.

Jian Chengxi had originally thought the journey would be quite long, but unexpectedly, Mirage’s residence was actually fairly close to their home. However, the estate was managed with strict regulations—guests needed to make appointments in advance, and even then, entry wasn’t guaranteed.

Li Lingfeng handed over the name token.

Mirage’s butler glanced at it once and immediately said, “Please, come in!”

The people in this residence didn’t seem unfamiliar with Li Lingfeng.

Jian Chengxi felt a bit puzzled. Seeing the way they received Li Lingfeng, he quietly asked, “Are you that close with Mirage?”

Li Lingfeng replied, “Mm. Because whenever his lover quarreled with him, they liked to run off with a paramour. Since I took quite a few of those jobs, I ended up becoming rather acquainted with Mirage in the past.”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Miraje’s wife is really quite the handful.

Everyone walked into the inner courtyard, which was magnificently decorated.

A man descended the stairs. The rumoredly aloof and mysterious Archangel Miraje flapped his wings and flew down, immediately giving Li Lingfeng a hug, “Li, you’re finally back! I’ve missed you to death!”

Li Lingfeng expressionlessly kicked him away.

Mirage’s face was full of grievance as he said angrily, “My wife ran off again! All I did was tell him that his new dress didn’t look good, and he stormed off. This time you have to help me bring him back and while you’re at it, kill that new lover he’s found.”

Li Lingfeng spoke coldly, “No time.”

Mirage wiped his tears, looking aggrieved, “How could this be…”

As he spoke—

His gaze finally fell on Jian Chengxi, eyes widening, “You… you’re Li Lingfeng’s wife?”

Jian Chengxi forced a smile, “That’s me.”

“You’re not the one who cuckolded Li Lingfeng, are you?” Mirage looked as if his eyes had been opened wide to a whole new world, exclaiming in surprise, “Wow, you’re still alive?”

The corner of Jian Chengxi’s mouth twitched. Then he drawled slowly, “Nothing surprising about it. After all, my general has plenty of charm—of course I’d come back to him. Unlike some people… I heard his wife ran off with someone else again.”

Mirage was dumbfounded. After a moment of silence—

Waahh!

Wailing and sobbing!!

Li Lingfeng: “…”