As it turned out, one shouldn't make promises so easily.
Mu Ran had completely overestimated herself. After working with her hands for a long time, she was still nowhere near finishing.
In the end, she lost her patience and dove under the covers.
The young man was caught completely off guard, and only then was he utterly defeated.
A moment later, he fished her out and took her to wash up.
Cangshu Bai's tall, slender body still seemed to be radiating heat. "You are not allowed to do that again."
Mu Ran didn't understand. "Why is it that you can do it to me, but I can't do it to you?"
She was merely following his example.
Meeting her innocent gaze, Cangshu Bai's mouth involuntarily went dry. Uncomfortably, he averted his eyes, avoiding her overly direct stare.
But Mu Ran wouldn't let him off the hook. She lounged against his chest and said, "I like you, so I want to make you happy. Besides, weren't you feeling quite plea—"
He covered her mouth.
Mu Ran couldn't say another word.
Cangshu Bai picked her up, placed her on the bed, and lay down under the covers with her. He patted the top of her head. "Go to sleep."
Mu Ran replied, "Oh."
She closed her eyes with the satisfaction of a mischievous scheme succeeding. What she didn't tell him was that the more gentle, refined, mature, and steady he was in his daily life, the more she wanted to see him lose his cool composure and become a completely undone mess.
Mhm, it really gave her a sense of accomplishment.
Early the next morning, Mu Ran climbed out of bed and, as always, let Cangshu Bai pick out a dress he liked from the wardrobe to dress her in.
Having been married to Cangshu Bai for nearly two years, she had somewhat discovered his preferences.
He liked her to wear brightly colored dresses. The wardrobe was filled with colorful clothes, and it was safe to say that two-thirds of the space was entirely taken up by her things. As for himself, he only had the same few outfits he wore back and forth; his material desires were extremely low.
Cangshu Bai tidied up the girl's long hair. Looking at her before him, a gentle smile spread across his eyes.
The pale yellow ruqun dress accentuated her snow-white skin, as if it had been woven with the softest radiance of spring, wrapping her in warm sunlight. But when she smiled, the light in her eyes was even brighter than the patterns on her clothes, entirely the vibrant picture of someone deeply cherished.
Cangshu Bai said, "From now on, when you go to town, we'll go together."
Mu Ran was taken aback. "Huh?"
Cangshu Bai leaned down, bringing himself a little closer to her, and deliberately pinched her cheek. "I know you've been secretly going to the workshop in town to do business."
Mu Ran played dumb. "Have I? I don't think so, you must be mistaken."
Cangshu Bai quietly watched her performance.
Feeling guilty, Mu Ran lowered her head, twisting a ribbon from her dress around her fingertips. "I just... I just went occasionally, once or twice."
"Just occasionally?"
Mu Ran pursed her lips, and throwing caution to the wind, she raised her head and said, "Alright, maybe I went a little more frequently than that. But it's definitely not because I look down on you or think you earn too little."
He picked her up and set her on the chair in front of the dressing table. Picking up a wooden comb, he gently combed her hair, yet pressed the matter as if he wouldn't let her off easily, "If it's not because you think I don't earn enough, then what is the reason?"
Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Mu Ran said slowly, "I have hands and feet too, and I can earn money to help out with household expenses. I want to save up more money to make our home better, so you won't have to go out late at night searching for medicinal herbs just for a little extra pay."
Cangshu Bai's hand, which was stroking her hair, paused slightly. An inexplicable warmth surged within him, somewhat difficult to dissipate.
He said, "You don't like me going out at night."
"I don't." Mu Ran turned her body to face him and tilted her face up, her dark, moist eyes sparkling with light. "The mountain forests are very dangerous at night. Every time you go out at night, I can't close my eyes or fall asleep. I'm afraid something will happen to you."
Cangshu Bai's occasional nighttime excursions were, in fact, nothing more than going out to kill and plunder treasures. Those enemies from years past had pretty much all been dealt with by him.
He had long since broken through the Nascent Soul stage and reached the Void Insight stage. There were very few people who could be his match. However, above the Void Insight stage were the Mahayana and Tribulation Transcendence stages. There was always someone stronger out there, and there was no guarantee that he wouldn't encounter a more formidable opponent in the future.
But what he excelled at most was assessing the situation; if he couldn't win, he would run. It wouldn't be that easy to kill him.
However, he couldn't say these things to Mu Ran.
Cangshu Bai slid a butterfly pearl hairpin into her hair. His fingertips lightly brushed the butterfly's wings as he gazed into her eyes. Tenderness surfaced on his brow as he softly said, "I promise you, I won't go out to gather herbs at night anymore."
Mu Ran was overjoyed. "Really?"
Cangshu Bai nodded. "Really."
She happily hugged his waist. "Jinzhi, you're the best."
Mu Ran's smiling face fell into his eyes, shining brightly and enchantingly radiant.
He thought to himself that her words were wrong.
It was clearly she who was the best.
Since everything was out in the open, there was no longer any need for Mu Ran to sneak out to town after waiting for him to leave. Today, Cangshu Bai took her out with him. When they arrived at the bustling town, they heard many people discussing the latest news.
"Old Man Longsword, who had disappeared for two hundred years, has finally been caught by Fairy Hongfu."
"I heard that back then, Old Man Longsword plundered quite a few treasures in the Void Secret Realm. Hongfu must have gained a massive haul this time."
"She has been stuck at the Nascent Soul stage for two hundred years. Perhaps this time she has truly reached the point of a breakthrough. If Chiyan Peak gains another Void Insight stage cultivator, the other sects will only be left in the dust."
Mu Ran heard the pedestrians' conversations, but in her heart, she only thought that since the person these cultivators were looking for had already been found, it would be great if they could quickly leave this small place.
Suddenly, a packet of warm pastries was pressed into her hand.
Cangshu Bai said, "Eat some if you get hungry, and don't work yourself too hard. I'll come pick you up after work."
Mu Ran nodded and smiled. "I know. Go on to your work."
After Cangshu Bai turned and left, Mu Ran walked briskly into the Song Family Workshop. Boss Song had already been standing on his tiptoes inside the door, watching for quite a while. Seeing Mu Ran walk in, he couldn't help but tease her with a smile.
"Ah, young people and their sweet romance. Even saying goodbye is full of such tender affection, as if you won't see each other tomorrow."
Mu Ran's cheeks flushed slightly. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound. I still have things I haven't finished. I'm not talking to you anymore; I need to hurry up and get to work."
She quickly walked into the back workroom, leaving no further opportunity for anyone to make fun of her.
Boss Song actually wanted to joke a bit more, but remembering that Mu Ran working meant making money for him, he dropped the idea.
In the medical clinic on the other side of town, Doctor Hu had just finished fetching medicine for another patient.
Cangshu Bai arrived late, walking in from outside.
Right in front of the patient, Doctor Hu pointed at Cangshu Bai and cursed loudly, "So you still remember you have to come to work? Waves of patients have come and gone, and there hasn't even been a sign of you! I pay you to work, not to enjoy yourself. I'm warning you, if you're late again tomorrow, your wages for this month are gone!"
Cangshu Bai had an excellent temper. Without defending himself, he simply took the initiative to organize the herbs in the medicine cabinet.
