The sun climbed over the alley walls and hung high in the sky, its slanted rays pouring through the window of the inn’s second floor, casting a strikingly bright band of light across the floor.That band of light stretched over the scattered, overlapping outer garments of varying shades lying on the floor, climbed up the foot of the bed, and settled on the face of the person sleeping soundly.Disturbing a peaceful dream.After a while, even through closed eyelids, Yun Miao seemed to sense the gentle warmth and brightness. Beneath her tightly shut lids, her slightly protruding eyeballs shifted slightly, and she opened her eyes.But the next moment, seeing the man’s handsome yet youthful face magnified before her, Yun Miao awkwardly averted her gaze.As if she hadn’t been the one who took the initiative last night.Though she only remembered kissing him—everything after that was a complete blank.Just as she turned her gaze away, she inadvertently caught sight of the man’s loosely fastened collar and the fair chest beneath, now covered in red marks.It seemed no matter where she looked, it felt inappropriate.In the end, she chose to shift her gaze upward once more.There, the man’s long lashes rested against his cheeks, his breathing steady, sleeping peacefully.And his thin lips, which she had bitten and broken, were lightly pressed together, the slight curve of his Cupid’s bow faintly visible.Yun Miao was lost in thought when, without warning, the man opened his eyes and met her gaze.Yet he said nothing, only watched Yun Miao quietly, his gaze gentle.Yun Miao knew she ought to say something, but her lips parted without finding the right words.Even his gaze at this moment made her feel even more flustered.Feigning composure, she seized the chance to look away.But because of this, the disarray beneath the man’s clothing once again entered Yun Miao’s line of sight.Uncontrollably, some of the most common tropes from storybooks “quite fittingly” sprang to Yun Miao’s mind.Thinking it was worth a shot, Yun Miao mimicked what she had read and spoke up.“About last night… I’m sorry.”Perhaps it was the first time she had ever said such words, Yun Miao coughed lightly to mask her embarrassment.“But I’ll take responsibility.”Xie Jue’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back. After a moment, he finally spoke: “I’m a Half-demon.”This caught Yun Miao completely off guard, and she couldn’t help but freeze.Whether one was a demon or a human, each had their own territory to live in. But Half-demons were seen as evil spirits in the human world, while in the Demon Realm, they were considered impure in bloodline—unwelcome in both realms.Perhaps sensing Yun Miao’s silence, Xie Jue understandingly offered her an out: “You can pretend nothing happened last night.”For Yun Miao, this suggestion was undoubtedly a good choice at the moment.But as she watched the man’s brows and eyes lower slightly, her heart stirred inexplicably: “I don’t mind.”Hearing this, the other party was clearly taken aback as well.Yun Miao didn’t know what she was thinking as she met those clear amber eyes: “I’ll take responsibility.”But once the impulse faded, she once again shifted her gaze away uncomfortably.She caught sight of the sunlight streaming into the room and abruptly sat up.“What’s wrong?”Xie Jue sat up as well.“I just remembered there’s still urgent business I haven’t attended to.”“What urgent business?”Yun Miao’s descent from the mountain this time was due to strange occurrences in Peach Blossom Village, which fell under the jurisdiction of the Xuantian Sect. The original person dispatched to handle the matter, Senior Brother Shen, had lost contact with the sect several days prior. Thus, her master summoned her and tasked her with going down the mountain to resolve the issue.Having previously reviewed the reports sent back by her senior brother, Yun Miao noted that the strange events in Peach Blossom Village occurred precisely once every ten days.Yesterday marked the eighth day since her senior brother’s last communication, and tomorrow would be the start of the next ten-day cycle.Therefore, she had to reach Peach Blossom Village today.Yun Miao briefly explained the situation to the other person.The man calmly looked at Yun Miao. “I’ll go with you.”Yun Miao initially wanted to say something about the dangers involved but feared the other might misunderstand it as an excuse. In the end, she simply nodded in agreement. “Then let’s set off quickly.”“Alright.”The man thoughtfully handed her an outer robe.Yun Miao took it and put it on, only to remember an important question she had overlooked.“You haven’t told me your name yet.”Hearing this, the man paused in the midst of dressing himself and turned his head slightly. “Xie Jue. The ‘Jue’ as in farewell.”“I’ll remember it,” Yun Miao nodded. “My name is…”“Yun Miao,” the man replied naturally, but then seemed to realize something. “You told me last night.”“Oh, right.”Yun Miao seemed to have forgotten much of what happened the previous night.Yet now, she truly had a companion by her side.She didn’t know how she had ended up losing control and sleeping with him, though he was indeed very much to her taste…/Fortunately, their current location wasn’t far from Peach Blossom Village.After walking for a short while, a stone tablet engraved with the words “Peach Blossom Village” came into view.Beside the tablet stood an old-looking peach tree, fittingly complementing the scene.At that moment, the afternoon summer sun shone upon the lush green branches laden with pink, round peaches—warm and serene, like a true “peach blossom paradise.”And indeed, it was.Peach Blossom Village was nestled against mountains and bordered by water, boasting a beautiful environment. Though not the wealthiest, it was rich in natural resources, and its villagers were known for their simple, honest ways. For centuries, the people had lived in peace and contentment.Of course, that was before the recent strange occurrences…Recalling the reports she had read earlier and her still-missing senior brother, Yun Miao paused briefly in thought.“Xie Jue.”“Hmm.” The man stopped as well, turning slightly to look at Yun Miao. His tone and movements carried a hint of familiarity, though he seemed unaware of it himself. “What is it?”“I can’t share the specific details of what’s happening in this village, but this journey is likely to be extremely dangerous. If I end up in peril, you must leave immediately. Understand?”Yun Miao spoke calmly, but her tone faltered when she looked up and noticed the unusually flushed color on his face. “Xie Jue, what’s wrong with you?”Earlier, as they walked one behind the other, Xie Jue hadn’t shown any signs of discomfort, so Yun Miao hadn’t noticed anything amiss, simply assuming he was a man of few words.Now, seeing him up close, she realized his eyes were slightly lowered, and he seemed somewhat listless. A faint blush had spread across his face, suggesting he was running a fever.Before Xie Jue could answer, Yun Miao took a step closer to him.She stood on tiptoe, one hand resting on his shoulder for support while the other naturally pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.A scalding sensation quickly transmitted through the skin on the back of her hand."You have a fever."Yun Miao withdrew her hand, the warmth from his forehead still lingering on her skin. She retreated slightly, feeling somewhat uneasy, but her gaze met his eyes as she delivered her conclusion.Xie Jue's eyes also flickered away for a moment before quickly returning to normal. His voice was low, carrying a hoarse quality from his illness."It must be from catching a chill last night.""…Sorry, I'll find a doctor for you in a moment."Yun Miao averted her gaze, trying to appear composed as she attempted to say something more, but she merely opened her mouth in vain before falling silent again.Fortunately, at that moment, she caught sight of two elderly villagers peering toward the village entrance from the corner of her eye. She quickly turned and walked in their direction. "Let's go take a look first."Xie Jue clearly noticed her forced composure but chose not to point it out. He nodded and followed her.As the two approached, they saw the anxious expressions on the villagers' faces.Perhaps noticing their approach, the villagers grew even more agitated, frantically waving their hands in large, urgent gestures.The two villagers seemed to say something, their mouths moving, but no sound reached them.Observing this scene, Yun Miao turned to Xie Jue. "A Barrier has been set up here. Are you sure you still want to go in with me?""Yes."Xie Jue nodded.Yun Miao asked nothing further.The two passed the stone stele. An invisible, transparent membrane-like Barrier parted, enveloping their bodies before swiftly and silently sealing itself again.Almost at the same moment they crossed the stele, two overlapping yet equally urgent voices reached them—"Don't come over! Don't enter! Once you're in, you can't get out!!"Hearing the voices, Yun Miao continued walking without pause, heading straight toward the two villagers.Seeing the distance between them shrink, the two older villagers sighed with regret and helplessness."Ah, young lady, why did you come over? That strange thing is coming again today. It was better a few days ago—people from outside could still leave. Now, no one can get out. What a calamity…""Elders, I am a disciple of the Xuantian Sect and have come precisely for this matter," Yun Miao said calmly, her gaze steady as she looked at them. "Could you two take me to see the village chief?"The two villagers examined Yun Miao and Xie Jue behind her, exchanging hesitant glances. "Is this gentleman also…?"The man stood tall and straight, significantly taller than the woman in front of him. Dressed in dark robes with his hair tied simply in a high ponytail, he frowned slightly. His amber eyes held a hint of wildness, making him seem unlike someone from an immortal sect.Noticing their gazes shifting behind her, Yun Miao paused briefly before explaining, "This is my betrothed. He accompanied me here."Yun Miao delivered her answer with considerable composure, but the unintentional pause and her increasingly rapid speech betrayed her.Naturally, no one noticed the subtle flicker in the eyes of the man standing behind her.Upon hearing this, the two villagers exchanged glances between Yun Miao and Xie Jue, shaking their heads almost imperceptibly and letting out a soft sigh.It was unclear whether they felt the two were too young to shoulder such a responsibility or if they were reminded of the young man who had gone missing a few days earlier.But in the end, they said nothing, merely turning around and leaving behind the words, "Follow us."The voice of the elder who had spoken was low, tinged with fear and hopelessness, sounding like the bare, half-sawn branches of an old tree exposed to the cold wind."Thank you both," Yun Miao said, stepping forward to follow. "By the way, uncle, what did you mean earlier when you said no one can leave now?"This situation was not mentioned in the case records.According to the information recorded in the files her senior brother had sent back, there was no mention of any Barrier, which was why she had earlier instructed Xie Jue to leave first if she encountered danger.But now, it seemed that might be difficult as well."Ah, young lady, it's not that I'm saying you've come at a bad time, but just a few days ago, people in this village could still escape," one of the villagers said, glancing back at Yun Miao and Xie Jue as they walked, shaking his head regretfully. "That thing seems to be targeting the villagers. Before, even if villagers managed to escape, they would wake up back under the peach tree at the village entrance—the one you saw earlier. But outsiders are different; if they escape, they truly leave."The elder paused before continuing, "But recently, for some reason, it's as if the village has been covered by something, and no one can leave anymore…"Yun Miao nodded upon hearing this, confirming her earlier suspicion: it was a Barrier.But why hadn’t this Barrier appeared from the beginning?If it hadn’t been there from the start, what triggered its appearance later?"Uncle, when did this situation begin?"Yun Miao asked as she followed the two deeper into the village.The elder fell silent, his brows furrowing slightly as he pondered Yun Miao’s question seriously.He even stopped walking, standing still for a moment before turning to face Yun Miao. "It seems… it started not long after your fellow disciple went missing.""Ah, young lady, you’re still so young. Don’t get involved in this mess. Find a way to leave quickly. This is Peach Blossom Village’s own fate."Yun Miao’s gaze subtly swept over the few villagers scattered around, leaning against their doorframes, and she changed the subject. "Uncle, how much farther is the village chief’s house?"Perhaps sensing that Yun Miao could not be dissuaded, the other villager, who had remained quiet throughout the journey, glanced at the two and took over the conversation. "Just a few steps ahead."With that, the man stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door."Coming."Almost immediately, an aged voice drifted slowly from behind the door. After another moment, the creaking sound of the door opening followed."Who is it?"The inquiry slipped through the crack in the door before the person behind it could be seen.Shortly after, an elderly man with white hair and a long beard appeared before the four, leaning on a cane.The middle-aged man who had knocked stepped forward to support the elder.The village chief glanced at Yun Miao and Xie Jue before turning his gaze to the man supporting him.The other person understood immediately: "Village Chief, these are newly assigned disciples from the Xuantian Sect.""I see."The village chief nodded, then turned his head to look at Yun Miao and the other.Yun Miao met his gaze: "Village Chief, we would like to discuss the situation with you.""Please come inside first."Leaning on his cane, the village chief turned and led the way into the house.The others followed, preparing to enter as well.Yun Miao glanced back at Xie Jue, ultimately swallowing the words that would have stopped him.After all, if they truly couldn’t leave now, it seemed necessary for him to understand the current situation.The group sat down on the benches around the square table inside the house.The conversation lasted about a quarter of an hour. The earlier general situation was roughly the same as what was recorded in the report sent back by their senior brother, and the gaps after his disappearance were now filled in.The strange occurrences in the village began two months ago. At first, there were often sounds of flesh and bones being gnawed at night. The villagers simply assumed it was wild wolves from the mountains feeding on prey nearby.It wasn’t until later that villagers started disappearing, and the number of missing people grew larger each time.Finally, the shadow of a monstrously large figure fell on the paper windows, casting into the rooms. It appeared every ten days, abducting some villagers to sate its hunger before vanishing again, repeating this cycle…However, no one knew exactly when or why it had appeared."Two Immortal Cultivators, we entrust this matter to you."After recounting the recent events in the village, the village chief’s eyes, clouded with age, welled up with tears.This was Peach Blossom Village, where he had lived and protected for a lifetime. How could he bear to see it suffer like this?As he spoke, he rose from the bench and bowed deeply to Yun Miao and the other.Yun Miao quickly helped him up: "Village Chief, there’s no need for this. This is precisely the duty of our sect.""We leave this matter to you." The village chief then beckoned to the middle-aged man beside him. "Xiao He, please take the two Immortal Cultivators to settle in. Tonight…"He didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood.The man called "Xiao He" nodded and looked at Yun Miao and the other. "Please follow me, Immortal Cultivators.""Thank you." Yun Miao cupped her hands in salute to the village chief and prepared to follow.But just as she took a step, she seemed to remember something and paused again."Village Chief, is there a doctor in the village? He…" Yun Miao searched for an appropriate term but couldn’t find one, finally resigning herself, "My husband seems to have a fever."
Chapter 4
Mistakenly Believing I Was Given the Substitute Lover Script