Chapter 64: Chapter Fifty-Seven: I, Gu Xiaoniang, Have Dignity Too

Could there really be someone who understands magic in Luoyunzhai?

Chen Yan paused to think for a moment, then stepped out of the shop with Lu Sisi, glancing toward Luoyunzhai but not approaching it again.

Previously, I’d assumed everyone in Luoyunzhai was a fraud, with no true masters—so I dared stroll in boldly to scout and target them.

Now… I’ve actually met someone who knows magic.

Though I don’t know their depth, just from how they glanced at me with the Qi-seeing technique, they’re certainly no amateur.

Without Qi, how could anyone activate magic?

Deciding in his heart, Chen Yan abandoned the idea of returning to Luoyunzhai immediately—having Lu Sisi with him made things too risky; if anything happened and someone noticed something…

Chen Yan smiled at Lu Sisi: “There’s probably nothing left to see inside. Let’s head back.”

“...Alright.” Lu Sisi nodded with a smile.

Lu Sisi felt a faint regret that this shopping trip might soon end.

But the girl wasn’t greedy—this afternoon’s time had already been more than wonderful to her.

They visited a temple together, strolled and played, ate their way from street to alley.

Though they never held hands like lovers, that side-by-side walking, the occasional brush of limbs, was enough to make Lu Sisi’s heart flutter wildly.

This… must be very much like a date, right?

Lost in thought, she saw Chen Yan walk over to a street vendor, buy two skewers of candied haws, and hand one to her—Lu Sisi froze.

“Strawberry’s for you, I’ll take the hawthorn,” Chen Yan said with a grin.

Lu Sisi took a careful bite.

The strawberry was slightly sour, but the sugar coating outside was sweet and crisp.

Seeing a bit of sugar clinging to Lu Sisi’s lip, Chen Yan smiled and reached over, gently wiping it with his thumb.

·

Dozens of steps away, amid the crowd, Gu Qingyi stood by the roadside, calmly watching Chen Yan and the young girl down the street.

In her hand, she held a milk tea she’d bought and drunk barely two sips of; seeing the two’s intimate demeanor, she didn’t speak, only slightly raised an eyebrow before turning into the crowd and vanishing.

Gu Qingyi had come to Luoyunzhai.

Since she’d helped the shop owner, she, Gu Qingyi, saw things through to the end—today she naturally came to check. She planned to wait until nightfall, find a quiet moment, and question Luo Qing again to see if he’d followed her orders.

But she never expected to run into Chen Yan here—and…

That gentle, beautiful girl—his girlfriend, right?

Earlier this morning, lying in the sun, she’d liked the milk tea Chen Yan brought her—it was sweet and fragrant, winning her favor. So when she stepped out today and saw a milk tea shop, she bought a cup.

But it tasted nothing like the one Chen Yan made for her at home… hmm, he called it “milk green.”

Yet I specifically ordered “milk green” at the shop—why was the taste so different?

She didn’t know that these unnamed street milk tea stalls often used low-grade tea leaves, or even tea powder, and the milk wasn’t always real milk.

This fusion of technology and gimmicks couldn’t compare to the premium tea leaves Master Fang had sent.

She tossed the milk tea cup into a roadside trash bin, put on her mask, and walked toward Luoyunzhai with her head down.

·

In the courtyard behind Luoyunzhai, the collapsed west wing and main hall were now surrounded by construction warning tape.

Though her own east wing remained unaffected, Luo Qing had little desire to stay here.

He was here now only because someone from the street had come to inspect and discuss compensation for the damaged property.

This meant another large outlay of cash—Luo Qing winced, but thought how he’d dodged Fang Zong’s compensation, saving far more.

After all, his junior sister had returned; Fang Zong couldn’t touch him. He could keep it hidden from her for now; if Fang Zong really came looking for trouble, his junior sister, out of sect loyalty, would surely take pity on him.

We fear high-level occult masters, yes—but Fang the Fat, a mere worldly merchant? She wouldn’t fear him.

Luo Qing felt confident. After seeing off the street officials, he tidied his belongings, planning to move to the tea house in a couple of days.

Just as he locked the door to his east wing, a sudden gust of wind sent a stone wrapped in paper flying—it landed with a thud at his feet.

He blinked, bent down, picked it up, unwrapped the paper, and saw three crooked characters:

Letter of Forgiveness?

Luo Qing’s legs went weak; he looked around frantically—no one in sight.

Thinking fast, he clasped his fists and bowed deeply to the empty air: “I’ve already followed the master’s orders—I settled the case, released the man, and even escorted him home myself! Please, great master, show mercy!”

After repeating it twice with no reply, he slowly straightened, exhaling inwardly—his opponent must have been satisfied and left.

Had his ordeal finally ended?

·

Chen Yan got home around seven-thirty at night.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Gu Xiaoniang still reclining on the same lounge chair, her posture unchanged from when he’d left.

Chen Yan walked over and said softly: “Gu Xiaoniang, it’s pitch black—why are you still sitting out here? There’s no sun left to soak up.”

Gu Qingyi lifted her eyelids slightly and murmured: “The starlight is beautiful too. I never saw it in the Prison Platform.”

Chen Yan nodded. “Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Then how about some quick fried rice? Master Fang sent us New Year gifts—there’s sausage stuffed with Maotai wine, smells like soy sauce and liquor. I’ll slice two pieces, steam them, and serve them with the rice?”

Gu Qingyi nodded: “Alright.”

Chen Yan went straight to the kitchen; Gu Qingyi followed, standing by the doorway watching him work.

Master Fang’s New Year gifts were indeed plentiful—there was even a jar of lard—quite down-to-earth, really.

Chen Yan lit the stove and fried the rice in pork lard—when heated, lard released an aroma far richer than any other cooking oil.

The fried rice, boosted by the lard, instantly filled the air with fragrance—before it was even plated, Gu Qingyi swallowed three times.

In the steamer, two slices of sausage released a faint, sweet aroma of Maotai wine.

Though Gu Qingyi didn’t know what Maotai wine was, she found the scent intensely rich, mingling with the meat aroma, making her stare at the steamer for a long while.

As for Gui Geng…

Gu Qingyi had already kicked him back into the courtyard’s swimming pool.

He’s an old turtle—why would he eat rice?

Later, she’d dump some of Master Fang’s seafood—fresh shrimp—into the pool and let him feast on his own.

Chen Yan served himself and Gu Qingyi each a large bowl of fried rice; they sat at the table and devoured it with the sausage.

Gu Qingyi’s eyes brightened with every bite—she found the Maotai-stuffed sausage utterly exquisite, the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted.

Chen Yan watched her and asked curiously: “Gu Xiaoniang… you’ve never had alcohol before, have you?”

Gu Qingyi blinked, then shook her head: “Alcohol clouds the Qi and disturbs the spirit—it harms cultivation. Before I broke through to Tianren, I never drank. After breaking through, I was in the Prison Platform—there was no alcohol there.”

“Then do you want to try some? I’ve got a few cans of beer at home,” Chen Yan said casually.

Gu Qingyi thought for a moment, then shook her head: “I’d better not.”

“Why?”

“I’m afraid you’ll suffer.”

“Huh?”

Gu Qingyi slowly set down her chopsticks, meeting Chen Yan’s gaze: “When I broke through to Tianren and was taken back to the Gu family, my fellow cultivators on the platform threw a farewell banquet the night before I left. The warden himself opened two jars of rare wine. I drank that night… but the outcome wasn’t good.”

Chen Yan’s expression changed: “You didn’t…”

“Yes. The next day, when I left, not a single one of the cultivators who drank with me came to see me off—the warden told me they’d all been beaten into the infirmary by me while drunk.” Gu Qingyi spoke calmly, her sweet, slightly nasal voice soft: “The warden said I get violent when drunk—terribly fierce.”

“...”

Chen Yan quietly pulled Gu Qingyi’s plate of Maotai sausage toward himself.

Gu Qingyi saw his motion and smiled faintly: “Don’t worry—it won’t happen with this. That time, I drank nearly half a jar.”

She paused, then looked at Chen Yan: “What did you do today?”

“Hmm, went shopping with a friend, visited a temple,” Chen Yan replied casually.

Gu Qingyi remembered the ancient temple near Luoyunzhai and nodded: “I noticed you were texting someone on your phone before dinner… the way you smiled… the person you went out with today was a girl, wasn’t it?”

“How’d you know?”

Gu Qingyi’s tone was calm: “If you were texting a man, you wouldn’t smile like that—so smug.”

Chen Yan simply nodded: “Right, it was a girl.”

“Girlfriend?”

Chen Yan thought for a moment—he had no reason to hide anything from Gu Qingyi now. She’d once mistaken herself for his arranged bride, but now she was his stepmother.

A son dating someone? No need to hide it from his stepmother, right?

I, Chen the Great Benefactor, walk upright—what’s there to hide?

I’m not actually trying to act out some porn…

“She’s not my girlfriend yet… but if things go on like this, she probably will be,” Chen Yan said sincerely.

“Mm.” Gu Qingyi nodded, lowering her face as if deep in thought, then raised her head, feigning maturity with a deliberately old-fashioned tone, mixed with her sweet, nasal voice: “You’re not getting any younger. It’s time to find someone, settle down, start a family, and expand the Chen lineage…”

Chen Yan rolled his eyes.

Lady, are you getting too into character?

You’re talking like you’re really the mistress of the Chen household.

I’ll only stay in your world for another half-year—after the ghost marriage is complete, I’ll return to cultivate and pursue my breakthrough.

Before I leave, if you’ve chosen this girl as your partner, bring her to meet me.

I… will grant her a blessing.

Chen Yan snorted. He thought to himself: Enough already, you’re getting carried away with this act.

You cultivate the War Dao—you’re not skilled in spellcraft or fortune. Your bestowing of blessings may not be as effective as the spells I can cast to add fortune and luck for her.

But…

“You’re really only staying for half a year?”

“Seeking breakthroughs and pursuing the Dao is my lifelong pursuit,” Gu Qingyi said solemnly, nodding. “If not for this marriage delaying me by a year, I would have already entered deep seclusion to seek another breakthrough.”

Chen Yan smiled tentatively: “So… Gu Xiaoniang, before you leave, can you do me a favor? You promised—you’d help me complete the spirit marriage and recognize you as my legal mother. You said you’d protect me, let me walk with impunity, and beat up people for me.”

“Fine, who do you want me to beat up?” Gu Qingyi picked up another slice of sausage and tossed it into her mouth.

“I have two targets. One’s far away—in Gangcheng. After the New Year, once we finish preparing for the spirit marriage, I’ll take you there.”

“The other is right here in Jin Ling. This man insulted a friend of mine—and also crossed me. So…”

Gu Qingyi tapped her bowl. “Easy. Since he’s in Jin Ling Prefecture, I’ll just step out and beat him for you. It’s no trouble. What’s his name? Where does he live? How badly do you want him hurt? Just tell me.”

As Gu Xiaoniang spoke, she secretly thought: I’m the Cheng family’s legal mother. Someone has offended the only bloodline of the Cheng family—I’m helping beat him up… wouldn’t the Ancestor approve?

“His name is Luo Qing. He lives at Luoyun Studio, at the foot of Mount Qixia…” Chen Yan said quickly.

“…”

Gu Qingyi’s eyes widened. She stared curiously at Chen Yan.

Uh… I beat him last night already. I even tore down his house!

He cooperated fully, bowed his head in submission, and did whatever I told him.

Do I go beat him again today?

That… doesn’t seem right.

I, Gu Xiaoniang, have some pride!

Maybe… I should go blindfolded?

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