When Shu Qingyi returned to the cave, he had two wild fruits in his hand.
The treasure he had just snatched was still slightly warm in his sleeve. His mood wasn't bad, and he was even plotting to tamper with the fruits. That way, if Mu Ran and her husband ever really tried to make a move against him in the future, he would have an extra means to keep them in check.
But as his gaze fell, that ruthless calculation instantly froze.
The firelight flickered inside the cave, casting a warm yellow glow upon the stone walls.
Mu Ran, leaning against the cold stone wall, had actually drifted into a light sleep.
Her figure was slender, and now, carrying a child, her back was slightly curled. Her long hair hung down loosely. The firelight plated a soft, warm halo on her cheeks. Her features were peaceful, her breathing gentle, and not even her brow was furrowed. She looked like a spring flower blooming peacefully in the warmth, completely defenseless.
The murderous intent and schemes that had been churning in the depths of his heart were inexplicably smoothed away in this instant.
Only the soft crackling of the firewood could be heard in the cave. Her peaceful, sleeping appearance made the surroundings seem even more tranquil.
Shu Qingyi stood at the edge of the firelight holding the wild fruits. He fell silent for a moment, and eventually suppressed the thought of tampering with the fruits for the time being.
He slowly approached, his footsteps extremely light.
But Mu Ran still woke up.
She opened her eyes. The moment she saw clearly that it was him, the corners of her lips naturally curved upwards. That faint smile revealed joy, and even hid a kind of long-accustomed reliance.
"You're back."
Shu Qingyi's steps faltered slightly, his heart inexplicably skipping a beat.
He even absurdly developed an illusion, as if someone was waiting for him to come home.
Shu Qingyi suppressed his inexplicable emotions, sat down in front of her, and reached out his hand holding the wild fruits. "These are the only things to eat that I could find here."
After a cultivator reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, eating is no longer a necessity.
However, when a female cultivator becomes pregnant, the fetus requires more spiritual energy, and sometimes she needs to rely on eating to replenish the strength in her body.
Shu Qingyi originally wanted to take a bite of the fruit himself first to show that he hadn't poisoned it, but Mu Ran had already casually picked one up and brought it to her mouth to take a bite.
The words Shu Qingyi hadn't spoken were choked back down.
Mu Ran looked up at him. "What's wrong?"
Shu Qingyi lowered his hand and looked at the other fruit he was holding. He said indifferently, "Nothing. It's just that I scouted around outside just now and didn't run into a man wearing black clothes."
Mu Ran smiled. "So that's how it is. Don't worry, when the time comes, my husband will find me."
Shu Qingyi: "..."
Wasn't her mindset a bit too optimistic?
Mu Ran asked him, "Did you get into a fight outside?"
Shu Qingyi lowered his eyes to look at her, perhaps surprised by how she could have known.
With just one look, Mu Ran saw through his confusion. She propped herself up, leaned closer, and gently raised her hand, reaching her fingertips toward him.
By the time Shu Qingyi snapped out of it and realized he should dodge, the pads of her fingers had already landed on the stray hairs by his temples.
She smiled. "There's snow here, and a bit of dust. It's obvious at a glance that you've fought with someone."
Mu Ran's fingertips gently brushed away the crushed snow and fine dust clinging to his temples. Her movements were natural and intimate, completely displaying a habitual closeness.
Shu Qingyi's whole body stiffened almost imperceptibly. The slight urge to retreat from just a moment ago was actually completely halted by this gentle touch.
She was very close to him, making the woman's features even clearer.
Her brows and eyes were docile, her eyelashes long, and the tip of her nose slightly red. She looked like she had just woken up, carrying a bit of the tenderness unique to pregnancy.
Because she was so close, he could even clearly see the faint light in the depths of her eyes and smell the light, clean scent on her body. There was no trace of murderous intent, nor any calculation—only complete trust.
Even though her cultivation level was higher than his, at this distance, he could easily kill her.
But his fingers clenched and relaxed several times, and in the end, he just restrained himself without making any unnecessary movements.
Mu Ran raised her eyes, light dancing within them, and smiled softly. "There, you look handsome and tidy once again, Young Master."
Just as the hand that had rested by his temple was coming down, he suddenly grabbed it, leaving it suspended in mid-air.
Mu Ran looked at him, her eyes revealing curiosity.
It was only for a moment before he let go of her hand again. Hiding his own hand behind his back, he clenched it into a fist in frustration. He turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.
"The secret realm will close in half a month. If we can't leave before it closes, then we'll be trapped here until the next time it opens."
Mu Ran stared at his slightly reddened ears. As if suddenly struck by intense interest, she leaned closer to him again. Her eyes observed that bright red color from an even closer distance with keen interest.
Shu Qingyi wanted to step back again, but on second thought, if she took a step forward and he took a step back, it would only make him look even more cowardly.
So, he could only force himself not to look at her. Stiffening his neck and bracing himself, he felt her every breath. But as long as he didn't meet her gaze, it still felt like he was winning.
His voice was slightly hoarse. "I meant to say, if he can't find you within this half a month, will he abandon you and leave, or will he continue to search for your traces inside?"
"He won't abandon me."
Her unhesitating answer made Shu Qingyi's heart inexplicably skip a beat once again.
He pursed his lips and abruptly lowered his eyes to meet her gaze. "Madam has likely never experienced the fickleness of human nature, so you don't know that even the closest of people can draw swords against each other for petty gains."
But Mu Ran said, "I was once used as a chess piece by my own family. They wanted to marry me off to a comatose man paralyzed in bed just to exchange for more cultivation resources. Does that count as experiencing the fickleness of human nature?"
Shu Qingyi's expression paused slightly.
For no reason, a trace of regret suddenly welled up within him.
Mu Ran suddenly smiled again. "But I don't believe that true love doesn't exist in this world. My husband once severed his own arm to save me. So no matter what happens, he will definitely not abandon me."
Sever his own arm for someone else?
The corners of Shu Qingyi's lips twitched into an arc of mockery.
Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him.
How could anyone truly be willing to personally ruin their own cultivation path and sever an arm for another person?
In Shu Qingyi's eyes, all sacrifices in this world hid a weighing of pros and cons, and all deep affections were wrapped in calculation.
He had seen too much betrayal and exploitation; he had long stopped believing in giving one's whole heart or following someone in life and death.
The young man in green had a cold expression that hid mockery. Mu Ran saw it, but she felt more sorrow than anything else.
She looked at their two shadows on the stone wall and leaned forward slightly again. Seeing those two shadows also slowly drawing closer, she said softly:
"One day, you will definitely meet someone who loves you with all their heart, just like me and my husband. You will be happy."
The mocking arc on the young man's lips froze. It wouldn't fade away, nor could it be lifted any higher.
He suddenly felt that her voice was somewhat jarring, and the firelight in the cave was a bit glaring.
The youth wanted to voice a vicious mockery, but he noticed her gaze.
The two silhouettes on the stone wall were still separated by a short distance.
The young man's hand, resting at his side, curled inward almost imperceptibly. After a long moment, he leaned forward ever so slightly, the movement so faint it was barely noticeable.
On the stone wall, their shadows finally intertwined, leaning into one another as if truly embracing.
The corners of her lips curled upward, her entire being radiating a profound joy.
The dark-haired boy lowered his gaze. Watching the delicate flutter of her eyelashes and the shimmering light dancing in her eyes, he found himself involuntarily softening his breath.
Soon after, a subtle, fluttering warmth bloomed within his chest, spreading like a sweet ache through his veins to the very tips of his fingers.
