“Husband, I have something good for you.”
Qin Rui retrieved the small bowl from her cubic storage bag. “With this spiritual artifact, we can catch more shrimp and crabs.”
“As long as we control the bowl near the shore, countless shrimp and crabs will automatically jump onto the bank for us to pick.” Qin Rui’s eyes burned with fervor as she recalled the scene she had witnessed at Qin Ye’s place earlier.
If she weren’t incapable of manipulating Spirit Power to activate this bowl, she would never have brought out such a treasure. However, even after revealing it, when they caught the shrimp and crabs, she could demand a larger share, and the Li Family would have no grounds to refuse. Then she could eat her fill all at once.
As an Artifact Refiner, when Qin Rui claimed it was a spiritual artifact, Li Cheng naturally didn’t doubt her and joyfully ordered his clansmen to activate it.
The moment they saw the spiritual bowl rise, everyone was overjoyed. They had long grown weary of these cunning green-shelled crabs and green-skinned shrimp—hard to catch and constantly causing trouble. Qin Rui’s bowl happened to give them hope.
Their faces were filled with anticipation.
Qin Rui stared intently at the lake surface.
A green-shelled crab emerged, and Qin Rui was delighted. “It’s coming!”
The Li Family’s Martial Spirit Masters stood ready, their eyes gleaming.
However.
The green-shelled crab spat out a stream of water spikes, then plunged with a gurgle into the depths of the lake and vanished from sight.
“What’s going on? This doesn’t seem to match what the Second Young Madam described?” The crowd began to doubt the spiritual bowl.
Qin Rui forced a smile. “It must be too soon. We need to wait a bit longer.”
Li Cheng waved his hand, and several more Martial Spirit Masters assisted in controlling the spiritual bowl.
Yet.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the lake surface remained calm. Whereas earlier, a few shrimp and crabs had occasionally surfaced, now not even a crab’s antenna could be seen.
“Impossible, how could this happen?” Under the strange and suspicious gazes of the Li Family clansmen, Qin Rui couldn’t understand what had gone wrong. She turned and ran off.
It must be Qin Ye—the bowl he used was different from hers.
Li Cheng’s handsome face darkened slightly as he waved his hand. “Continue casting the nets.”
Then, he quickly followed Qin Rui’s trail.
The Li Family members were baffled. They retrieved the spiritual bowl and resumed net casting.
Li Cheng chased after Qin Rui to the Qin Family’s hunting grounds, where he saw Qin Ye push Qin Rui impatiently, causing her to stagger.
He immediately rushed forward and demanded, “Qin Ye, what are you doing?”
Seeing it was him, Qin Ye looked displeased. “Matters between Qin Rui and me are none of your business, an outsider. This is the Qin Family’s hunting territory. Are you, the Li Family, trying to turn against the Qin Family?”
Li Cheng, hearing him escalate the issue to a conflict between families, quickly denied it. “Qin Ye, don’t twist my words. You know perfectly well I have no such intention.”
Qin Ye sneered. “Oh? So after you seized Feng Ci’s prey the other day, today you’re standing on the Qin Family’s turf and claiming you’re not here to steal? Who would believe that?”
Li Cheng was left speechless. He pulled Qin Rui closer and said, “Qin Rui and I are married now. Her affairs are naturally my affairs. As her elder brother, is this how you treat your own sister?”
Qin Ye shot a sharp glance at Qin Rui, let out a cold laugh, and said, “I wondered who you’d chosen, but it turns out to be this guy. No wonder you’ve become increasingly malicious. First, you stole my spiritual artifact yesterday, and today you bring your husband to rob your own family?”
Having her actions exposed by Qin Ye, Qin Rui flushed with anger and shame. “Elder brother, we’re all cousins from the same clan. There’s no need to humiliate your own sister like this. How was I to know you’d casually use a spiritual artifact for drinking? I thought it was just a trivial object, so I took it. As an elder brother, how can you fuss over such an insignificant little thing?”
Qin Ye glanced sideways. Since she had fled from her arranged marriage, it seemed he had never truly understood this talented cousin of his.
Flicking his sleeve disdainfully, he said, “Now that you know it’s not an ordinary bowl, you should return it to me.”
Qin Rui choked on her words, just as she was about to speak, Li Cheng interjected, “We saw that the bowl was useless, so a careless clansman accidentally broke it.”
The Qin clansmen were bustling with activity not far away. Li Cheng had taken advantage of Qin Ye and Qin Rui’s conversation to get a clear look earlier, the greed in his eyes impossible to conceal.
Such a fine treasure—once it fell into his hands, why would he ever consider giving it back?
Qin Ye had disdained playing with the Li Family since childhood, precisely because of this. The Li Family put on a good front in public but were stingy and wicked behind the scenes. That foolish girl Qin Rui—why did she have to choose someone from the Li Family to marry, of all people?
Li Cheng might appear upright and proper, but at his core, he couldn’t escape the Li Family’s inherent baseness and selfishness. If he hadn’t seen some use in Qin Rui, why would he have agreed to marry her so easily? That foolish girl was still dreaming of a life of luxury in the Li Family.
Well, let her wait and see.
After all, that foolish girl was too dense to understand anything. Only after suffering would she learn what was good for her.
As for the bowl, Qin Ye had no intention of reclaiming it. Impatiently, he shooed them away. “Go back. You’re a married woman now—you shouldn’t be running back to your maiden home so often.”
Li Cheng shot Qin Rui a meaningful look. Stamping her foot, Qin Rui threw a tantrum at Qin Ye. “Elder brother, just give me some of the medicine from that bowl. You only have two bowls—how much could you possibly need? Why not share a little with me? We’ll catch some shrimp and crabs and send you a basket in return.”
“Do I lack your single basket?” Qin Ye couldn’t be bothered to argue further and directly had the two of them driven out.
Even from a distance, Qin Rui’s noisy protests could still be heard.
Qin Ye sneered in contempt and muttered, “What nonsense.”
Never mind that the item was precious and would be gone once used. Just considering the enmity between the Li Family and Feng Ci—and the fact that Feng Ci’s wife had kindly given him such a valuable item—how could he turn around and help a cousin he already held in low regard to annoy Feng Ci and his wife? That would be nothing short of insanity.
As for this cousin, he’d leave it to his uncle and aunt to discipline her. It was none of his concern.
When Song Liuhua learned what Qin Ye had done, she was quite pleased.
Giving him a thumbs-up, she said, “Well done.”
Qin Ye shot her a haughty glance. “I’m not the kind of person who can’t tell what’s important.”
Song Liuhua chuckled. “Absolutely, absolutely.”
As the evening winds grew strong by the lake, Feng Ci took out a cloak and draped it over Song Liuhua.
The couple’s intimate display, as if no one else were around, made Qin Ye unable to bear the sight. He felt an urge to mock Feng Ci but held back. If he spoke up, it would inevitably involve Song Liuhua, and that young lady was not one to let anyone off easily once she had the upper hand. He couldn’t afford to offend her.
However, seeing Qin Rui again made Qin Ye sigh inwardly. Feng Ci’s luck wasn’t so bad after all. Although Song Liuhua might not match Qin Rui in innate talent, she didn’t cause trouble. She neither returned to her maiden home to make unreasonable demands nor interfered with Feng Ci’s hunting. Occasionally, she could even concoct some bizarre but exquisite items, helping Feng Ci make a substantial profit.
Feng Ci must have reaped quite a haul today. Qin Ye was green with envy.
Song Liuhua noticed him staring intently as the Feng family’s Martial Spirit Masters busily gathered goods, and kindly tossed the remaining spirit bowl—which she had intended to keep for herself—to Qin Ye. “Our Feng family lacks pharmacists. If you have extras in the future, Young Master Qin, do share more spirit replenishing pills with us.”
Qin Ye hugged the spirit bowl, beaming. “Certainly, certainly.”
Seeing his friend and wife getting along harmoniously, Feng Ci’s refined face revealed a gentle smile.