From Ning Suyi’s observation, Yu Chengyan was not only skilled in cooking but also exceptionally attentive, with a taste for life’s finer details.
On the grass not far from the campfire, he had laid out a handwoven red rug with subtle patterns and provided each of them with a matching cushion. When the plates of food were placed on the rug, Ning Suyi noticed that the patterns on the dishes echoed the design of the rug, creating a harmonious aesthetic that elevated the otherwise impromptu meal.
Everything about this domestic scene clashed sharply with the young man’s cold and austere demeanor.
A Golden Core peak cultivator should have been fasting for years, secluded and fully focused on cultivation. Who would have guessed that Yu Chengyan not only cooked but also cared about coordinating tableware?
The little cat demon beside them ate with wholehearted dedication, clearly enjoying the meal. She barely had time to speak, her cheeks stuffed, eagerly reaching for more food as if she could not tell fullness from hunger.
Seeing Yu Wei about to choke from taking another bite, Ning Suyi moved to stop her, only to watch Yu Chengyan smoothly snatch the chopsticks from the girl’s hand and offer her a glass of fresh fruit juice.
Once Yu Wei swallowed her bite and drank the juice, Yu Chengyan returned the chopsticks. He had guided her meal with silent precision, so subtly that Yu Wei did not notice and simply followed along, her eating rhythm perfectly controlled.
Ning Suyi’s words, which she had just been about to speak, again caught in her throat. Watching the scene unfold, her earlier thoughts resurfaced.
When a handsome young man and a pretty young woman gather, observers often feel compelled to see them as a matching pair, perhaps even wanting to bring them together.
But the interaction between Daojun Ling Xiao and Yu Wei was so harmonious that it struck Ning Suyi as unusual. Ling Xiao’s considerate care carried no trace of romantic intent, and the occasional warmth in his eyes reminded her of how she doted on the little cat demon herself.
It was not love, it felt more like an older brother indulging a younger sister, or even a father watching over his daughter.
In short, his care for Yu Wei did not seem merely circumstantial, nor did it feel like a first encounter.
This was precisely Yu Chengyan’s oversight. If he wished, he could have concealed it flawlessly.
But before him were two young women, his biological mother and his adoptive mother. In private, Yu Chengyan naturally let his guard down, revealing his true self.
Though most of his attention was on Yu Wei, he noticed that Ning Suyi had eaten little and seemed tense, constantly observing him.
Silently, Yu Chengyan sighed. He knew Ning Suyi’s abilities and cunning; her youth, only nineteen, explained why she noticed irregularities.
Gaining a mother’s trust could be achieved with a single meal, but convincing Ning Suyi would take more than a year.
Yu Chengyan could not wait. He simply wanted to care for Yu Wei, not a moment longer.
Setting down his wine cup, he asked gently, “Miss Ning, not to your taste?”
“Daojun’s skills are excellent, I simply eat lightly,” Ning Suyi replied, taking the chance to ask subtly, “Do Daojun cook often to be so skilled?”
“Yes. I have been secluded with a true immortal for years and am accustomed to cooking for myself,” Yu Chengyan answered.
He waited for her to probe further. Ning Suyi’s curiosity gave him the perfect opportunity to establish his identity subtly, providing a reason for his care for Yu Wei in the future.
Sure enough, Ning Suyi complimented, “I heard you are Daoist Bai Hao’s adopted son. Having witnessed his true teachings, your skill is truly extraordinary.”
“I am grateful to him. Without him, Ling Xiao would not be as he is today,” Yu Chengyan smiled.
Ning Suyi poured wine, using the gesture to bridge distance and show measured admiration. “I have never seen a cultivator so naturally gifted. How many years did it take you to reach the Golden Core stage?”
She was quietly gauging his age, trying to infer whether he had the time to father a child like Yu Wei.
Generally, a century-old Golden Core cultivator is a rare talent, but Xie Jianbai and Yu Chengyan were exceptional.
Not to mention Xie Jianbai, who conquered the world before thirty, Yu Chengyan had reached the Golden Core peak at sixteen, a talent unmatched in millennia.
Yu Chengyan did not know why Ning Suyi asked, but a chill ran down his neck. He vaguely said, “I have been secluded with a Daojun for so long that I am unsure how many years have passed.”
Ning Suyi pressed, “Have you not interacted with the outside world at all?”
Yu Chengyan sensed her suspicion and cautiously answered, “I occasionally saw a few senior elders, but otherwise, no.”
He watched Ning Suyi relax slightly, though a hint of disappointment lingered.
They continued chatting while drinking, seemingly enjoying a pleasant conversation.
After a while, Yu Chengyan, loosened by the wine, revealed a more relaxed demeanor and said thoughtfully, “Before ascending, the True Immortal told me that my family still exists in the mortal realm. I was too young and undisciplined to know before. If I reach the Nascent Soul stage, I hope to traverse the world and see them once more.”
Seeing Ning Suyi ponder, he knew he had spoken enough. With her sharp mind, she would soon suspect a blood relation with Yu Wei.
Among demons, blood ties create natural bonds. Ning Suyi had not considered this before, but after checking her records, she would rationalize his behavior as blood attraction. A verification of lineage would make him part of their family, perfect.
Yu Chengyan was using his knowledge of his adoptive mother to handle Ning Suyi. She was intelligent, and if he revealed too much, she would question him. Better to let her investigate herself.
It was exhausting but necessary. This was the only way to abandon his disguise and immediately care for Yu Wei. Otherwise, under Ning Suyi’s scrutiny, he would need a year of restraint to earn her trust.
That meal was full of hidden intentions. Ning Suyi masked probing questions with respect and admiration, while Yu Chengyan carefully maintained the image of a diligent young cultivator, subtly revealing himself.
After the exchange, they turned to Yu Wei, who was blissfully engrossed in her food, cheeks still puffed, innocent eyes unaware of the intrigue around her.
Between them, the three of them possessed seven hundred ninety-nine “minds.”
Why not eight hundred? Because Yu Wei accounted for one.
After the meal, Yu Chengyan escorted them back to the mid-mountain of the outer gate and stopped there.
Yu Wei, satisfied and content, flopped against Ning Suyi. Her normally clear cat eyes appeared dreamy, unusually obedient from sleepiness.
“Stay safe,” Yu Chengyan said gently, “See you tomorrow.”
All outer gate activities for Yu Wei were now suspended. Tomorrow would mark her first day training with Yu Chengyan. They had not told her; only Yu Chengyan could control the little cat demon now.
After all, cats, even when boundaries are relaxed, assert authority instantly.
On the way back, Yu Wei, refusing to climb, transformed into a white cat and slipped into Ning Suyi’s arms like flowing liquid.
Ning Suyi felt reassured. Yu Wei could now act freely, and with Yu Chengyan unable to stop her, chaos could have ensued.
Back in the dorm, Yu Wei rested briefly, preventing other female disciples from asking what happened.
Later, in the dead of night, the night-owl girl awoke and eagerly read her hidden notebook in the dark.
By dawn, when Ning Suyi caught Yu Wei’s sparkling eyes, she realized Yu Wei had not slept through the night and worried if she would train properly.
They ate breakfast under the watchful eyes of the outer gate disciples, then returned to the creek, now their temporary secret base with Yu Chengyan.
The black-robed Yu Chengyan was already waiting by the water, alone.
Alone, he seemed cold and aloof, fitting the image of a heavenly prodigy.
But when he saw them, his frosty demeanor melted, and he smiled faintly, his clear eyes sparkling.
“Then… I’ll leave Xiao Wei in your care,” Ning Suyi said hesitantly.
Though Yu Chengyan’s stern face was intimidating, she felt he might not fully manage Yu Wei.
“Understood, Miss Ning,” Yu Chengyan nodded, “See you tonight.”
After yesterday’s meal, Ning Suyi no longer doubted Yu Chengyan. She worried for Yu Wei like a parent sending a child to school, cautious and reluctant to leave her, fearing disobedience or distress.
Once Ning Suyi departed, Yu Chengyan’s attention turned fully to Yu Wei.
“Shall we start training?” he asked tentatively.
“Mm, okay,” Yu Wei responded promptly.
Oddly, though she obeyed, Yu Chengyan sensed something missing, something strange.
“But…but…” Yu Wei circled, rubbing her belly pitifully, “I didn’t eat enough breakfast. Make me a good meal first, then we can train.”
This was more like her. She was not shirking responsibility.
Yu Chengyan nodded, knowing her tastes perfectly, and prepared a breakfast worthy of a “heavenly cat.”
After breakfast, Yu Wei said, “I want to lie down a bit and digest.”
Once digested, it was noon.
Under Yu Wei’s expectant gaze, Yu Chengyan prepared lunch.
After lunch, Yu Wei whimpered, “The afternoon sun is perfect for napping. Let me sunbathe a bit.”
Yu Chengyan sensed trouble, about to reply, but the little cat, in her original form, leapt lightly into his arms.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed his words.
At night, when Ning Suyi came to pick up the little cat, she saw Yu Chengyan holding her sound asleep, a few tufts of cat fur clinging to his robes, evidence he had been holding her for quite a while.
Ning Suyi: …
Yu Chengyan: …
He finally spoke with difficulty, “She fell asleep, I could not bear to move her.”
Who could wake a sleeping little cat from one’s arms?