"But this will leave a scar," Mu Ran asked anxiously. "Doctor, do you have any medicine to remove scars?"
The old doctor stroked his beard and nodded. "Naturally, but the ingredients are not simple, and the price is not cheap."
Mu Ran immediately said, "I'll buy it. Money is not an issue."
The old doctor waved to his apprentice, asking him to take Mu Ran to get the medicine and settle the bill. Then, looking at the young man, the old doctor couldn't help but say, "Your wife has a true and passionate nature. But for a grown man, a little scar is nothing to worry about. The young master's wife is too nervous."
Cangshu Bai slowly adjusted his robes, his tone light. "She cherishes me because she cares about me."
The old doctor was speechless for a moment.
This young master looked so serious and proper, so why did his words carry such a hint of showing off?
Mu Ran paid the bill, took the medicine, and walked out of the clinic with Cangshu Bai. It just so happened that the sun was high in the sky, exactly time for lunch. She decided to spend some money and take Cangshu Bai to a restaurant for a good meal.
Sitting down in the restaurant, Mu Ran ordered the food. Cangshu Bai poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in her hands to warm them.
Coincidentally, the storyteller sitting in the lobby slammed his gavel on the table and began to speak of the recent rumors that everyone was buzzing about.
"It is said that Li Mohan, the young master of Tianyu Palace, was supposed to marry the eldest miss of Biyun Mountain. However, at that time, Li Mohan was unconscious. Seeing him on the verge of death and akin to a cripple, the eldest miss felt that marrying him would be like living as a widow, without a single benefit to be gained. She threw a massive tantrum right then and there, crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, refusing to agree even if it meant death. She absolutely refused to step half a foot into Tianyu Palace."
Mu Ran coughed, almost choking on the water she had just swallowed.
Cangshu Bai gently patted her back and said in a low voice, "Drink slowly."
Mu Ran blushed and nodded, suddenly feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles.
What crying and making a scene, threatening suicide—she had never done any of those things.
The storyteller continued, "The sect master of Biyun Mountain was caught in a dilemma, but the second miss stepped forward, willing to marry in her sister's place. Dressed in red bridal attire, she stepped into the Tianyu Palace that everyone else avoided like the plague. Who would have thought that in just half a month, Young Master Li would miraculously wake up? Not only were his injuries fully healed, but his martial arts skills were even greater than before. He dotes on this wife who stayed by his side during his time of crisis to the very bone, cherishing her in every way. Now the two of them are in perfect harmony, making everyone envious."
A listener in the crowd chimed in, "The eldest miss must be green with regret, but she can never get back this immense blessing!"
Many people echoed in agreement.
"Isn't that the truth?" The storyteller shook his head and smiled. "Do you all know about the annihilation of the Changqing Sect a few days ago? For a hundred miles around, it was enveloped by a red moon, and the stench of blood soared to the sky. The ruthlessness of that murderous demon's methods is absolutely unprecedented!"
Cangshu Bai also choked on the water he drank.
Mu Ran asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
He shook his head. "I'm fine."
Mu Ran muttered, "You were just lecturing me, yet you don't know how to drink slowly yourself."
Cangshu Bai was uncharacteristically silent.
Mu Ran looked back at the storyteller, feeling very strange. "A while ago, I saw people from the Changqing Sect recruiting everywhere. I didn't expect them to be wiped out overnight."
Someone asked, "The Changqing Sect is a major sect in our city. How could they be annihilated?"
"Don't rush, don't rush. Please listen as I tell you slowly."
The storyteller took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, snapped open his folding fan, and spoke in a rhythmic cadence.
"It is said that the Changqing Sect, relying on its status as a major sect in the city, usually acted quite domineeringly. A few days ago, not knowing the difference between life and death, they actually sent someone to abduct the wife whom the young palace master holds dear to his heart. They thought they had seized a bargaining chip, little did they know, this action directly touched the reverse scale of Li Mohan, the young master of Tianyu Palace!"
The storyteller closed his fan, smacking it sharply against the table, his voice suddenly rising.
"When Young Master Li learned that his wife had been kidnapped, he flew into a rage on the spot. His murderous aura shook the entire Tianyu Palace. Without a second word, he went alone overnight and slaughtered his way to the gates of the Changqing Sect. Anyone who dared to touch his person was walking a dead end! In just one hour, the Changqing Sect was completely massacred, leaving not even a chicken or a dog alive!"
Speaking of this, the storyteller paused and shook his head with deep emotion.
"The world says that the young master of Tianyu Palace is cold and ruthless, but everyone can clearly see that all his fierce brutality was entirely to protect the wife who married him during his time of crisis. Pity the Changqing Sect—they could have provoked anyone else, but they just had to provoke the person Li Mohan would risk his life to protect. Ending up with their entire sect destroyed was entirely their own fault!"
A guest at a neighboring table nodded along. "Isn't that right! True love is seen in times of hardship. The second miss is the truly blessed one. With Young Master Li being so deeply affectionate and righteous, marrying him was worth it!"
A woman looked on with envy. "To be doted on so deeply by the young palace master, the second miss's life is complete. This is true mutual love!"
Someone else mocked, "That eldest miss is too shallow. She threw away such a good marriage for nothing!"
Mu Ran lowered her head and ate her food.
Cangshu Bai heard a lot of the commotion, the most prominent being the female guests in the restaurant envying the second miss for meeting such a good husband.
It was his first time realizing that many girls would have such a favorable impression of a man who would go on a killing spree for them.
Cangshu Bai felt a faint displeasure toward Li Mohan for stealing his credit. Placing a piece of deboned fish into Mu Ran's bowl, he said softly, "Ranran."
Mu Ran looked up. "Hmm?"
"Do you also think that young palace master is very good?"
Mu Ran said, "No."
Cangshu Bai was quite surprised. "What's not good about him?"
Mu Ran simply disliked Li Mohan, what reason could there be?
However, she couldn't let Cangshu Bai see that she had some history with Li Mohan.
So, she lied through her teeth, "He killed so many people and has a nature for slaughter. He might even fall into becoming a demonic cultivator in the end. It's scary. I don't like it."
Cangshu Bai remained silent.
For the rest of the meal, he was unusually quiet.
Mu Ran belatedly realized, "Jinzhi, are you unhappy?"
Cangshu Bai said, "No, I was just thinking..."
"Thinking about what?"
"You hate killing. If one day I were to kill someone, what would you do?"
"I'd hand you the knife."
Cangshu Bai was slightly stunned. "What?"
Mu Ran smiled. "I said, if you want to kill someone, I'll hand you the knife."
Cangshu Bai's lips twitched slightly. "But, you don't like killing."
"But Jinzhi is so good, you would absolutely never kill someone without reason. If there really comes a day when you have to kill, it must be because those people are too evil. Compared to seeing you get hurt, I would definitely prefer to see something bad happen to those who mean you harm."
His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was slightly hoarse. "Wouldn't you be afraid of me?"
"You are my husband, I'm not afraid of you at all." Mu Ran picked up a piece of meat and placed it in his bowl. Looking up with a bright smile, she said, "You better eat more and put on some weight. I'm afraid that if you really have to go kill someone one day, you won't even be able to lift the knife."
Cangshu Bai gave a soft chuckle and obediently nodded. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
