Wu Li pinned the hair ornament back into her hair, smoothing a slightly messy strand at her temple, and raised an eyebrow. You still want to see it?
It wouldn't be difficult. Summoning the earth vein Gu twice in a row would just cost a bit more baleful aura and Gu power, and he would just have to endure another backlash.
If she liked seeing it, he would just summon it once more.
Seeing him about to get up, Chai Xiaomi hurriedly grabbed his cuff. I-I don't mean I want to see it right now!
Then when do you want to see it? He paused his movements.
I... She lowered her head, her voice soft and mumbly, too shy to speak. Um... you...
Hmm?
What was she muttering about?
Wu Li leaned his ear closer to listen.
The moonlight slanted down, its clear radiance flowing over the young man's shoulders. Seeing him turn his head and bring his handsome profile close, Chai Xiaomi steeled her heart, closed her eyes, and blurted out as if risking it all, I want you to show me when you take off your clothes and sleep with me!
As soon as the words left her mouth, she clenched her fists again, secretly encouraging herself: We've already done it a few times, what's there to be coy about?
Be more domineering, Xiaomi!
So she crossed her arms, tilted her face up, and tried her best to put on a righteous look as she gazed at him. As his girlfriend, making a little private request wasn't too much, right?
No.
Who would have thought he would refuse so decisively?
He spoke very fast, and a layer of light red suddenly spread across the tips of his ears.
Why? Chai Xiaomi's face instantly fell. How can you be so stingy? You won't even agree to this little request.
N-no... that's not what I meant, he hurriedly argued. I mean, sharing a bed, we can't do that right now.
His burning gaze fixed on her face as he enunciated every word:
I have to marry you first.
First buy a house and settle down, the three letters and six etiquettes, the four betrothal gifts and five golds, an eight-bearer sedan chair, and ten miles of red dowry—not a single thing will be missing.
Rest assured, all the proper etiquette a Central Plains woman should have for her marriage, I will handle every single piece for you, so you can marry me in grand style and rightfully become my wife.
He had always acted in an unorthodox manner and never cared for rules or regulations.
But in today's world, a woman's reputation was of the utmost importance.
If they consummated their relationship without a proper title, and if others found out, who knew how much gossip would arise? The spit of the public alone would be enough to drown someone.
He was used to being scolded since childhood and was accustomed to all sorts of ugly words. He had long ceased to care about secular morality.
But she couldn't.
He couldn't let her bear even a single word of idle gossip.
This was supposed to be done on the wedding night.
Since the rice was already cooked, he would now make it up to her, piece by piece.
To solidify the true name of husband and wife.
Is there anything else you want? Precious jewelry, a wedding dress embroidered with gold thread, or any other rare items? As long as you ask, I can find them for you.
Over the years, he had secretly gone to the Wuchang Black Market to sell the demon cores and demonic beasts he hunted. Although the means were not glorious, he had at least managed to save up some wealth. If it wasn't enough, he could just get a few more Crimson Blood Silkworms.
No need. Chai Xiaomi shook her head gently.
She raised her eyes, looking at him with a clear gaze. Life is not lived for others to see. What does a piece of marriage certificate matter? What can a contract do? If you truly see me as your wife, then I am your wife.
In her ever-changing new era, with fast-food-style romance, endless news, and inexhaustible gossip, she had seen too many tragic endings to love.
Even after getting married, it still wouldn't stop people from cheating and betraying their past vows.
A red marriage booklet couldn't lock away the footsteps of a changing heart, and a white wedding dress might not necessarily be worthy of a lifetime of moonlight.
So, what exactly did marriage mean?
It was a mold handed to two people by society, pressing living, breathing love into a standard shape to display to the world.
She stopped talking and simply reached out to pinch a strand of his black hair, then picked up a strand of her own. The two strands of hair intertwined at her fingertips, tying into a tight knot.
She held that tiny hair knot up to his eyes, a gentle and lively smile rippling in the depths of her eyes:
Look, we are already a married couple with tied hair.
Her smiling eyes fell into the young man's suddenly softening gaze.
Wu Li was stunned.
He opened his palm, supporting the hands she held out, along with that tiny hair knot.
A strand of his black hair, a strand of her dark hair, thus tightly inseparable in the faint light.
It was like some kind of silent thunder rolling across his heart.
He suddenly felt that the wind in the valley, the grass on the wall, the vague howling of demonic spirits in the distance, and even the entire mortal world that used to annoy him, had all become bearable at this moment, even... a little cute.
However, it wasn't the world that had changed.
It was that in his hands, he had finally caught a piece of warm sunlight that belonged to him.
Do you have scissors?
Chai Xiaomi blurted out, then immediately laughed at herself. In this desolate wilderness, who would carry scissors around for no reason?
Wu Li's eyes flickered slightly. What do you want to do?
Cut this hair knot down. I want to keep it safe as a memento.
Wu Li immediately released a wisp of baleful aura from his fingertips, wrapping it around his strand of hair. In the blink of an eye, the part wrapped by the aura was crushed into ash, snapping instantly.
When that wisp of baleful aura drifted over to Chai Xiaomi's hair, it suddenly became gentle, separating into an extremely fine thread, wrapping around as carefully as a gossamer. Only when it was close to the knot did the aura finally bear to burn it off.
A tiny knot fell softly into her palm.
She admired it with a beaming smile, as if she had obtained a precious treasure.
Mimi.
He called her softly.
Hmm? Chai Xiaomi had already accepted him pinning the Little Sugar Figure nickname on her, and looked up at him.
But I still want to see how you look in a wedding dress. I want the whole world to know you are my wife.
She understood; this young man was seeking a sense of ceremony.
Then we'll just have a simple ceremony.
Skip the house, the betrothal gifts, and all those tedious rules, okay?
He looked at her sparkling eyes, curved his lips, and smiled. Okay.
Wu Li carefully inspected the Qiankun pouch before returning it to Chai Xiaomi.
She safely placed the hair knot and the Ice Bow and Mysterious Arrows inside the Qiankun pouch, then looked at him seriously. Lili, I have something I want to ask you. Since we are husband and wife, there shouldn't be any secrets between us.
His gaze was calm. As long as you want to know, I will tell you truthfully.
Tell me, why did you plant a love Gu in Song Yueyao, and why do you hate Jiang Zhiyu so much? What exactly is the reason behind all this?
His eyes suddenly darkened, and a self-deprecating curve appeared at the corners of his lips.
Sure enough, she still asked.
His gaze fell on the Qiankun pouch at her waist. After a long silence, he slowly spoke:
Jiang Zhiyu is my older half-brother.
And the lord of Lingyu Province, Jiang Runchuan, is my biological father.
Older brother and biological father sounded like cold snorts from his nose, wrapped in deep disdain.
The mockery at the corners of his lips deepened, like a blunt knife slicing open an old scar.
It was laughable. While he struggled and schemed in the darkness, his high and mighty father probably didn't even know he existed.
