Lin Yu’er tossed and turned in bed while hugging her teddy bear.
She had just woken up from a nap during daytime cultivation practice, only to find it was already dark outside. Now she was supposed to sleep again – how could she possibly fall asleep?
She threw off the covers and quietly slipped out of bed, tiptoeing outside without even putting on her shoes.
But the moment she opened the door, Zhang Momo’s voice came drifting from behind her.
“Madam, why aren’t you sleeping in the middle of the night? Where are you going?”
Startled, Lin Yu’er turned and saw it was Zhang Momo. “Can’t you sleep either?” she immediately asked.
Zhang Momo replied, “This servant sleeps lightly, so I woke up as soon as Madam opened the door.”
“Oh.”
“Madam still hasn’t told me where you’re going?”
Lin Yu’er immediately made up a story: “Are you stupid? Flowers smell the sweetest and the moon looks the biggest at night! You have to smell flowers at night, and you have to go out at night to see the moon. How could you possibly see the moon during the day!?”
The more she spoke, the more Lin Yu’er felt she was absolutely brilliant.
She thought Zhang Momo was truly foolish to even consider seeing the moon during daytime.
She didn’t want to be around stupid people.
So she eagerly dashed out of the room without hesitation.
Looking up, she saw only scattered stars in the sky – no moon in sight.
Spotting the foolish Zhang Momo following behind her, Lin Yu’er turned and ran, not wanting to be contaminated by stupid people.
Zhang Momo: ?
Lin Yu’er panted heavily as she ran wildly around the courtyard, astonishing the several Shadow Guards on duty!
“What, what is Madam doing?”
“She must be suffering from dream displacement syndrome!”
“What kind of illness is that?”It’s when someone in a waking state believes they’re in a dream, unable to distinguish between reality and dreams. Everything she does while suffering from this condition is the most direct expression of her inner thoughts! For example, since Madam is currently running, what she most wants to express is…”
“Is what?”
“That she wants to run!” Chang Sui spoke up.
Qingjue rolled his eyes: “Where did you hear such nonsense?”
“I overheard it when Zhang Momo and Du Du were discussing Madam’s condition.” Chang Sui hugged his long sword, his expression cold. “Believe it or not!”
Chang Sui always felt that Zhang Momo understood Madam best – though they were master and servant, they gave off the vibe of an experienced doctor-patient relationship.
In just moments, Lin Yu’er had already run out of Crabapple Courtyard.
The night in the Marquis’ estate wasn’t too dark – there were lights along the corridors, and even stone pillar lamps in the green belts.
Spotting the tallest building, she sprinted toward it, pushing open every room door, wandering inside for a while before moving on to the next one.
She gathered all sorts of random items in her hands.
There were lamp stands, seal boxes, incense burners, and she even found a broom from somewhere that she rode while running.
Sometimes she couldn’t hold everything and dropped items while running.
Something would crash and shatter here, something else would roll away there.
Zhang Momo followed behind, picking up the latest dropped items from the ground – brush holders, paperweights, inkstones – and felt utterly speechless.
“Madam, why are you stealing these things from the study? You have no use for them!”
Lin Yu’er’s voice came from ahead: “I do need them! Although this Great Thief God can’t write, I can create art! Don’t slander this Great Thief God’s reputation if you don’t understand…”
Why was she calling herself the Great Thief God again?
Was it because she was stealing things?
Zhang Momo picked up the items one by one, and when she looked up again, Lin Yu’er had already charged toward Rain Creek Pavilion.
“Madam, you mustn’t go there! If the Marquis’s belongings are stolen, you’ll get your bottom spanked!”
Lin Yu’er turned a deaf ear, bouncing cheerfully as she charged inside—
Chang An, who was carrying a wooden bucket from outside, widened his eyes, thinking he was seeing things: “Madam?!”
Zhang Momo chased after her, “Is the Marquis asleep?”
Chang An glanced at the bucket in his hand: “The Marquis is bathing in the bathhouse!”
Zhang Momo: “!!!”
…
He Jiulin leaned against the bathtub, arms resting on one side.
Hearing the noise, he called out:
“Chang An?”
Lin Yu’er poked her head out from behind the screen: “Are you looking for Dog Egg? I didn’t see him when I came. Did he hide away to sneak some food?”
He Jiulin’s brow twitched, turning his head to look.
Amidst the curling steam, the man’s handsome features appeared hazy and ethereal, his cool gaze tinged with surprise.
Then, he abruptly sank deeper into the water.
Grabbing a towel from the water, he covered his chest.
“Ma-Madam… why have you come?!”
His fair skin was concealed with restraint, but Lin Yu’er didn’t understand, leaning closer instead. “Why are you so flustered? What treasure are you hiding in the water?”
He Jiulin saw her approaching, “Don’t come closer!”
Lin Yu’er paid no heed and walked over.
He Jiulin covered himself again with the wet towel, reaching back to grab clean clothes from the wooden stand nearby.
His eyes fixed on Lin Yu’er, his hand groped behind him several times without finding the clothes, accidentally knocking over the stand instead.
With a “clatter,”
The clothes rack immediately toppled, and the clean garments in the wooden tray scattered across the floor. Lin Yu’er paused mid-step.
Recalling the time Chang Sui had asked her for an antidote, she inquired, “Are you having another episode? Should I use my Demonic power to treat you?”
He Jiulin quickly waved his hands, “No, no, no! Madam, turn around. I need to get dressed.”
Lin Yu’er blinked, “Why should I turn around? Aren’t you my male consort husband? Can’t I look at your body?”
He Jiulin hadn’t expected Lin Yu’er’s reasoning to be so straightforward and was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
Ears slightly red, he managed, “It’s not that you can’t look…”
Lin Yu’er simply moved aside the items on one side, sat down, her eyes brimming with clarity and innocence. “Go ahead and dress. Let this Madam see how the men of this realm differ from the men of my Demon Realm.”
Just then, Chang An, carrying water and hesitating at the doorway, called out uncertainly, “Master? Should this servant come in or not?”
He Jiulin’s expression remained cool, “What do you think? Hurry up and think of something!”
Chang An: “This servant is foolish and doesn’t know how to advise Madam.”
Before He Jiulin could reply, Zhang Momo waved to Lin Yu’er from the doorway.
“Madam, this servant has something to report!”
“If you have something to say, just say it. Come over here and speak…”
Responding to Chang An’s plea, Zhang Momo gritted her teeth, “Madam, what I have to say concerns the Demon Realm.”
Hmm?
Something about the Demon Realm?
That demanded attention.
Only then did Lin Yu’er reluctantly go over.
Zhang Momo began her bluff, “You’ve forgotten one thing—demons cannot be with humans, or they’ll give birth to deformed children.”
“This Madam hasn’t rolled around with him. This Madam is just looking casually; I won’t get pregnant.” Lin Yu’er eyed her suspiciously. Was this fool Zhang Momo unaware that merely looking at someone doesn’t cause pregnancy? Truly stupid.
Zhang Momo said with a straight face: “Madam, your cultivation has advanced, your demonic power reaches the heavens. Perhaps the radiation from your techniques is so potent… what if the Marquis gets pregnant?”
Chang Sui: “!!!”
How bold of Momma!
To think she could even fabricate such an excuse.
Then he felt some sympathy for the madam. Although the madam is easily deceived, you shouldn’t deceive her to death!
What is this radiation thing?
First time hearing that cultivation techniques can radiate!
Yet Lin Yu’er actually started stroking her chin thoughtfully after hearing this: “So Momma is so foolish, not knowing you can only look at the moon at night, because she’s been affected by the radiation from my demonic power?”
Zhang Momo gritted her teeth: “Exactly.”
Lin Yu’er made an “oh” sound, unconsciously beginning to float with pride again.
“So my demonic power is already this powerful, unknowingly able to influence those around me!”
Chang An: ?
Isn’t the key point why a man would get pregnant?
How come the madam only heard the words praising her and suddenly became proud?
He immediately shot Zhang Momo a “this works?” look.
Zhang Momo immediately played along: “Yes, yes, this humble servant has been influenced by the madam’s demonic power, holding the madam in utmost reverence. Now I can’t bear to be apart from the madam for even a moment! Because every time I leave the madam’s side, I feel I’m missing many opportunities for enlightenment!”
“Tsk, if I leak just a tiny bit of demonic power and it benefits you so greatly, it’s merely child’s play!” Lin Yu’er’s heart swelled with pride, yet she maintained appropriate modesty: “So where’s that what’s-his-name Dogegg, where’s the study? I need to demonstrate my true specialized skill!”