Chapter 123

Lu Xingzhou knew nothing about the bloody changes in the Yama Hall thousands of miles away, or the fall of the Ghost Emperor.

That night, he slept with the little maid until the sun was high, and only woke up groggily when he heard voices outside the courtyard. Listening carefully, it was a Sheng family servant coming to invite them to eat: "Miss A-Nuo, is your master here? Our master and young lady are holding a banquet to thank your master."

A-Nuo was saying: "Is Sister Yao only inviting Master? What about me?"

"Of course, you are invited too, Miss."

"What about Sister A-Nuo?"

"... ur young lady didn't mention that name, she probably doesn't know her."

Lu Xingzhou looked down, and Pei Chuyun in his arms smiled mysteriously: "This Miss Sheng is probably really moved."

Lu Xingzhou said: "No way, the melon-eating girl is always in a rush, she never intended to find a man at all. I suspect she hasn't even been enlightened in this regard."

"Is that so?" Pei Chuyun hummed: "If it's just friends, why is she so hostile to me?"

"Isn't it because you're tea-like every time you see her? I get goosebumps just listening to it."

Pei Chuyun giggled: "To deal with a woman like her, this move is the most useful. One sentence is enough to make her so disgusted she can't eat."

"So where does your hostility toward her come from, why do you want to maliciously disgust her?"

Pei Chuyun's beautiful eyes turned on his face several times before she leisurely got up and smoothed her hair: "I don't know either. You're so smart, you guess."

Do you really think the little demon girl of the Joyous Union Sect isn't afraid of giving herself away, and is really willing to let you grab her buns and sleep every night like this? Those are two different concepts.

Pei Chuyun sighed secretly. She suspected that she had heard more sweet talk from Lu Xingzhou than Shen Tang had, but she never knew how much of those words were perfunctory and how much were true.

Of course, it was also hard for Lu Xingzhou to be sure what the intimate little demon girl in his arms was thinking... Everyone was even.

"Forget it." Pei Chuyun put on her clothes and said leisurely: "It's rare for anyone to bring a maid to a banquet anyway. Going to the Pei mansion that day was intentional; under normal circumstances, it's not very appropriate. You and A-Nuo should go."

"Then where are you going?"

Pei Chuyun was stunned, her smiling eyes curved: "My Young Master, I also need to cultivate, why do I need to go anywhere."

Lu Xingzhou knocked on his head and laughed to himself.

This little cat, who was lazy and nestled in his arms all day and often wanted to sleep, often made him forget that the first half of her life was also spent as a demon sect newcomer who cultivated every day, and was a leader in this world.

It felt like her sleeping was also a way of cultivation.

Lu Xingzhou didn't think much about it and took A-Nuo to eat. Pei Chuyun ate some breakfast in the courtyard by herself and sat there quietly cultivating.

She was actually just waiting for Pei Qingyan. This was the third day. With Pei Qingyan's power and resources, it would be fast to find out what he wanted to check. By now, there were probably some results... She didn't know if Pei Qingyan would come to her door, and she had no intention of running to someone else's house to sell tea at this juncture.

The mere melon-eating girl was vulnerable; bullying her gave no sense of accomplishment.

Sure enough, after cultivating quietly for a while, she suddenly felt something in her heart, and Pei Chuyun slowly opened her eyes.

Pei Qingyan stood quietly in front of her alone, staring at her, his eyes extremely complex.

Pei Chuyun also stared at him, not speaking.

The air was quiet for several breaths before Pei Qingyan spoke in a low, hoarse voice: "You... were deliberately seeking your life experience that day."

"Yes." Pei Chuyun responded calmly.

"Then you should have known in your heart, why... why didn't you say it?"

"Say what?" Pei Chuyun was a bit sarcastic: "Return to the so-called wealthy family? I have no interest. I just wanted to know who my parents were and why my position in the sect was so awkward."

It was indeed as the Mysterious Girl said. When Pei Qingyan investigated and discovered Pei Chuyun's awkward position in the sect and her "suppressed" state, his mindset was completely different from when she came to the door to recognize her relatives.

One could see the guilt in his eyes, and his heaving chest reflected his complex emotions.

Pei Qingyan had just learned that he had a daughter. For eighteen years, he hadn't raised her for a single day, letting her fall into a demon sect, and a demon sect like the Harlot Joyous Union Sect, which sounded like the most depraved one... To Pei Qingyan, it was no different from his daughter falling into a brothel.

If the Harlot Joyous Union Sect could treat her well for her mother's sake, that would be fine. But they didn't treat her well; they gave her a saintess status on the surface, but in reality, they suppressed her everywhere. She had neither the authority a saintess should have, nor even the routine of creating a persona to make her popular. They left her stranded, unknown.

Looking at it this way, the so-called saintess status had nothing to do with good treatment; it was just because this child had high talent and was worth cultivating. It was indeed true; her mother's cultivation was very high, and with his, Pei Qingyan's, bloodline, this child's potential might even exceed Pei Yu's.

Families like theirs had a lot of trouble; this recognition of relatives might trigger a series of problems, as well as the aftermath of the Harlot Joyous Union Sect. But at this moment, Pei Qingyan really had no heart to think too much. On impulse, he said: "Come back with me, recognize your ancestors and return to the clan... I... as your father, will give you everything you've missed for eighteen years."

Pei Chuyun looked at him expressionlessly, not responding.

Pei Qingyan's beard trembled slightly, and he pursed his lips.

Pei Chuyun finally sneered: "I come from the Harlot Joyous Union Sect. Prime Minister Pei should think clearly before speaking, don't swallow your words later; it's very meaningless."

Pei Qingyan calmed down a little, but the guilt in his heart deepened.

Harlot Joyous Union Sect... He didn't know if this child knew about what happened back then, but he really couldn't have married her back then because the other party was from the Harlot Joyous Union Sect.

How could families like theirs marry a woman they knew was from the Harlot Joyous Union Sect? What would that become?

At that time, promising her as a concubine was the only solution. After a long time, slowly creating some ambiguous other background for her, and then finding a way to bring her home, that was the safest way. But unexpectedly, things were unpredictable, and there was no date for meeting again.

Now it was the problem of the Harlot Joyous Union Sect again. Pei Qingyan really didn't want to do it again, and finally said in a low voice: "I will handle this matter... just look at your own wishes."

Pei Chuyun said coldly: "What if I don't want to?"

Pei Qingyan blurted out: "Then you can't stay in the Harlot Joyous Union Sect anymore; that's not a good destination!"

Pei Chuyun looked at him sarcastically: "I haven't recognized you yet, and you want to arrange my life, right? If I really recognize you, will you arrange some marriage for me in the name of thinking for my own good?"

Pei Qingyan was stunned; that was really something he would do.

Pei Chuyun said coldly: "I was wondering if Prime Minister Pei discovered he had a daughter outside, and if he was overjoyed, thinking he had another tool for marriage."

"Absolutely not!" Pei Qingyan said hurriedly: "Don't worry, the Pei family doesn't need that! It's just... it's just that the Harlot Joyous Union Sect is really not a good place, you..."

"I think Prime Minister Pei hasn't thought it through, please go back first." Pei Chuyun said this and suddenly wanted to laugh.

This sentence was also said by Lu Xingzhou at the Pei family back then. It was as if she was learning from the Young Master... But at this moment, she could really understand the mindset of Lu Xingzhou when he said this. The other party seemed sincere but was full of worries, without a decisive resolution. What kind of response could he expect?

Whether it was her or Lu Xingzhou, neither of them were little brats who didn't know north from south just because they were promised a few things.

Pei Qingyan also felt that this sentence sounded familiar. He thought about it and finally shook his head and laughed: "It seems you've learned a lot from following Lu Xingzhou..."

Pei Chuyun smiled with curved eyes: "Why, you think the Harlot Joyous Union Sect identity is bad, but you don't think it's shameful for me to be his maid?"

This was the first time Pei Chuyun had smiled since the two met, which made Pei Qingyan lose his focus. After a long while, he shook his head and said: "Because this is clearly fake... He should be helping you seek your life experience, right?"

"Hmm." Pei Chuyun still wanted to laugh in her heart. It seemed that Lu Xingzhou's image in the eyes of the Pei family was quite good. I don't know if you would be able to laugh if you knew that your daughter is held by him every day to sleep, used her little mouth to help him the day before yesterday, and was filled by him yesterday.

Thinking of this, she suddenly felt happy, not knowing what kind of mindset this was.

Pei Qingyan said: "Just for this matter, even if I owe Lu Xingzhou a huge favor. When he comes back, you can tell him that what he said before about us not thinking it through can be discussed again."

Pei Chuyun thought to herself that she had reached the initial goal she wanted to be reached by that bastard... The reason that guy brought her to the capital was originally to achieve the result of getting the Pei family's favor, but she didn't know if he still needed it now.

But when the words reached her lips, they turned into asking for more for him: "Do you only owe Lu Xingzhou such a favor?"

Pei Qingyan was stunned: "You mean..."

"Yesterday, Pei Yu toured the garden. In order to create an opportunity for his friend to pursue Sheng Yuanyao, he took a group of people far away, which led to Sheng Yuanyao almost being assassinated. Lu Xingzhou saved Sheng Yuanyao, which can be considered a huge help to Pei Yu; otherwise, you and the Sheng family might have already turned against each other. Not to mention killing Ye Wufeng last night, which can be considered avenging Pei Yu's friend. These are all favors."

Pei Qingyan had been focusing on investigating Pei Chuyun's life experience for the past two days and hadn't really paid much attention to these things. Now that it was pointed out, he nodded slightly: "We will hold another banquet to invite Lu Xingzhou."

Speaking of this, the father and daughter suddenly had no topic and fell silent.

Pei Chuyun was silent for a moment, pulled out her hair, and handed it over: "Test it first. You need to be clear, and I need to be clear. Some things shouldn't be said at this time."

Pei Qingyan took it silently: "Okay."

Pei Chuyun finally stood up and said in a low voice: "No matter how much the Harlot Joyous Union Sect is looked down upon by you, it is a true first-rank demon sect. As a saintess, my pursuit of the Dao cultivation exceeds others. Therefore, the Pei family's wealth and generations of officials can be powerful, can be respected by everyone, but that has no meaning to me. All I want is a father."

After saying that, she ignored Pei Qingyan, turned around, and went into the room.

Pei Qingyan pursed his lips, watching the closed door silently. After a long time, he sighed low and left with some exhaustion.