Perhaps it was just an illusion, but Murong Wanyin sensed a trace of killing intent.
When Ye Wudu turned back, his face still carried a gentle smile.
He stepped forward slowly and patted her head. “It’s fine. I don’t blame you. Let’s head back.”
“Mm.”
Murong Wanyin let out a quiet breath of relief.
She had thought Ye Wudu was about to lose control again.
With so many people around, she didn’t want to make a scene.
The two walked in silence. Ye Wudu still held her hand, and he didn’t seem angry at all.
After a while, Murong Wanyin asked softly, “Since you could solve riddles… can you also compose poetry?”
Ye Wudu thought to himself, copying poetry is one thing, composing it myself is another.
He smiled. “If I did, do you think I’d be better than Liu Long?”
Murong Wanyin nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
Ye Wudu burst into laughter. “Afraid I’d get jealous, so you’re willing to lie? How adorable.”
He reached out and patted her head again. Who in this world would dare to treat a female Sword Immortal like this?
Murong Wanyin looked at him, unable to tell whether he was truly amused… or suppressing anger.
Was that a genuine smile?
Or a cold one?
Ye Wudu asked, “Wife, do you think I’m completely useless?”
Murong Wanyin thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Not entirely. You’re quite experienced at being kept.”
Ye Wudu’s lips twitched slightly.
So apart from living off others, he was good for nothing.
He didn’t argue, only continued holding her hand as they walked home.
Her hand was cold… like a piece of ice that could never be warmed.
“The evening clouds disperse, spilling clear chill,
The silent Milky Way turns the jade disk.
This life, this night won’t always be so perfect,
Next year, where shall we behold this moon?”
Without warning, Ye Wudu recited a seven-character quatrain.
It was a poem by Su Shi. Not as famous as “Prelude to Water Melody,” but still excellent.
If he had written it at the poetry gathering earlier, it would have stolen all the attention.
But Ye Wudu had no interest in showing off. He only wanted to quietly raise favorability and obtain rewards.
Did it matter whether those ordinary people thought he was impressive?
As the final line faded, Murong Wanyin stopped in her tracks.
She turned to look at him, her gaze filled with confusion… and a hint of bewilderment.
Though she had lost her memories, her literary foundation remained.
The poem carried a restrained, melancholic mood, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life’s gatherings and separations.
Its language was concise, its imagery vivid, its emotion profound. It was undeniably a fine work.
“You… this poem… it’s truly quite good…”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she offered a sincere compliment.
How much have you been hiding from me?
Nine years… and I never knew you had this kind of talent?
[Ding! Murong Wanyin’s favorability +2. Current favorability: 12.]
Hearing the system prompt, Ye Wudu’s lips curved slightly.
This was an unexpected gain.
Soon, he understood.
In this world, talent could attract beauty.
Unlike his previous life, where only wealth and looks mattered.
By the time they returned to the courtyard, it was nearly time to rest.
Murong Wanyin first rinsed herself in a wooden tub.
Her body never sweated and carried no scent, so frequent washing wasn’t necessary.
But after Ye Wudu had asked yesterday whether she had bathed, she wondered if she might have gone too long without washing.
After bathing, she went to Ye Wudu’s room.
The room was fragrant. A thin stream of smoke rose from the incense burner nearby.
Seeing that Ye Wudu had already fallen asleep, she silently lay down beside him.
About an hour later, she felt a leg drape over her abdomen.
She opened her eyes and turned her head, seeing his sleeping face up close.
They were so close she could feel his warm breath against her skin.
Then, without warning, a hand landed on her chest…
Murong Wanyin frowned slightly. After confirming it was an unconscious movement during sleep, she did not push his hand away.
Meanwhile, Ye Wudu was dreaming again. He dreamed of falling into clouds, holding the softest one in his grasp…
At early morning, when Murong Wanyin woke, Ye Wudu was still asleep.
For some reason, when she looked at him now, he seemed a little more pleasing to the eye.
Could it really be because of what happened last night?
Unable to figure it out, she stopped thinking about it. She got up, dressed, and began preparing nougat. Later, she still had to go out to set up her stall.
[Ding! Murong Wanyin’s favorability +2. Current favorability: 14.]
The system notification sounded in Ye Wudu’s sleep. The Favor Incense had taken effect.
When Ye Wudu woke up, Murong Wanyin had already left.
He began to think about how to earn money quickly.
He wasn’t as shameless as the original owner. There was no way he would rely on her to support him.
With the original owner’s identity, obtaining gold and silver… even spirit stones… would have been easy.
Yet to fully immerse himself in this fabricated life, the original owner had brought only a small amount of money and tricked Murong Wanyin into coming here.
He had chosen hardship for no reason.
Ye Wudu searched through his memories, looking for simple ways to make money.
For example, producing items like soap, toothbrushes, or perfume.
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
This was a cultivation world, not a primitive setting. Anything he could think of already existed.
It seemed that if he wanted to earn money quickly, he would have to find another way.
After thinking for about half an hour, Ye Wudu finally came up with a plan.
There weren’t many cultivators in North Desolation City, so most gangs were made up of ordinary people.
Even the stronger martial artists were just slightly above average, nothing compared to true cultivators.
The city’s underworld forces were chaotic, but two major groups dominated… the Black Cloud Gang and the Iron Hand Gang.
If he could subdue both, becoming the underground overlord of the city, earning money would be effortless.
He soon remembered that today was the day those gangs collected protection fees.
Back when the original owner monitored Murong Wanyin, he had seen them come to collect fees.
To keep a low profile, he had made her obediently pay.
After all, since he had brought a female Sword Immortal here for his own purposes, he didn’t want unnecessary trouble.
“Xiao Wan, don’t blame me for saying this… your man didn’t come again today. Looks like he’s changed his heart.”
Murong Wanyin was absentminded. She felt that over the past two days, her relationship with Ye Wudu had become strange.
But she couldn’t quite pinpoint how.
So she didn’t pay much attention to Zhang Douhua’s words.
Zhang Douhua was still rambling when she suddenly saw a figure approaching and immediately fell silent.
Ye Wudu had arrived.
As soon as he came close, Zhang Douhua secretly handed him a wrapped bundle. “This is bull whip. You better not let such a young woman become a widow in all but name.”
Ye Wudu: “???”
He was completely confused.
How had he made her a widow?
Wasn’t it her who refused to spread her legs?
He turned to look at Murong Wanyin, only to see her face flushed red as she lowered her head.
Why was Zhang Douhua looking at him with such sympathy?
And what was with the bull whip?
What exactly had they been talking about?
Why did it feel like his dignity as a man had been shattered?
Just as Ye Wudu was about to return it…
“Everyone, be sensible. Time to collect this month’s protection fee…”