Fortunately, heaven still favored them. Li Mohan woke up, achieved great things, and cherished Mu Zhizhi to the core. Unexpectedly, through a twist of fate, Mu Feilin gained a good son-in-law.
Mu Zhizhi and Li Mohan were newlyweds, so naturally, she did not want to be separated from him. However, she knew it couldn't be helped. Not wanting to bring up Li Mohan again and add to the sorrow of parting, she changed the subject to what she had seen today.
"Father, guess who I saw in the city today?"
Mu Feilin asked, "Who?"
"It was Mu Ran. I saw her today!"
Mu Feilin furrowed his brows. "Mu Ran?"
"Yes, I saw her. Not only that, but I also saw her with a man. It looks like she got married, but that man is just an ordinary person without even a trace of spiritual roots."
Mu Feilin touched the thumb ring on his hand and said in a deep voice, "Back then, she was so full of pride and left so freely. To think that in the end, she actually gave herself to an ordinary man. What a laughingstock. If she knew that Mohan had already woken up, who knows how much she would regret it."
Thinking of this, Mu Zhizhi's expression soured slightly. "Even if she regrets it, it's useless. Mohan is my husband now, and I won't yield him to her."
Mu Feilin gently comforted his daughter. "Don't worry, Father won't let such a thing happen. I had someone make a new batch of defensive magical artifacts. Go and pick some out."
A smile bloomed on Mu Zhizhi's face. "Father, I knew you treated me the best!"
She left cheerfully, once again becoming that carefree, innocent, and naive little girl.
Once Mu Zhizhi was out of sight, Mu Feilin's face darkened, and he ordered his subordinates, "Go and bring Mu Ran back."
A bright moon hung in the sky.
Cangshu Bai lay on the bed, his robes open, revealing a large expanse of his firm, powerful chest.
At this moment, Mu Ran acted like Liu Xiahui. She merely sat to the side, focused on applying ointment to his scars without a single romantic thought. She stared at his wounds, her mouth never stopping its chatter.
"Tomorrow is the New Year. I've thought it all through. We need to make a few more dishes. Of course, fish is absolutely essential for the 'surplus year after year' blessing. We need to secure a good omen, too."
Cangshu Bai's hand gently caught a strand of black hair falling over her chest, twirling it around his fingertip as he gave a soft "Mm."
Mu Ran's fingertips pressed gently on the ointment, rubbing it in carefully, letting the medicinal juices seep into his scars bit by bit. Her tone was soft and earnest, full of anticipation for the New Year.
"We also need to steam New Year cakes and paste spring couplets. Your handwriting is beautiful. For those few sheets of red paper we bought, let's write 'Peace year after year' and 'Smooth sailing year after year,' alright?"
He gave another soft sound of agreement, his voice low and slightly husky, carrying a lazy sort of dependence. "Alright, whatever you say."
Mu Ran finally looked up at him. Seeing him staring at her unblinkingly, her cheeks warmed slightly. She quickly lowered her head to continue applying the medicine, but her mouth kept moving, meticulously planning out the New Year's chores.
"Oh right, we still need to buy some candies and dried fruits to put on the table and snack on. Last year, I saw Auntie Wang and the others prepare a full plate of sweet treats. They said eating these things makes the whole year go smoothly."
Cangshu Bai's eyes curved slightly. "We will prepare them too."
After finishing the application, Mu Ran wiped her hands with a handkerchief. She leaned down, planting her hands on either side of the man, looking at him up close from above. Their gazes collided, making it feel as though they had shared a sweet kiss.
She asked, "Is it that no matter what I say, you'll agree to it so nicely?"
Cangshu Bai replied, "Sleeping in separate beds is a no. Divorce is a no. Leaving me behind is a no. Walking away on your own is a no."
He paused, his voice softening, carrying a touch of stubborn tenderness.
"Other than that, whatever you say, I will listen."
Mu Ran couldn't hold back and laughed out loud. Cupping his face, she gave him a real kiss.
Last New Year was the first Spring Festival they spent together after getting married.
Having lived alone, Mu Ran at most knew that the holidays involved eating a New Year's Eve dinner, pasting spring couplets, and setting off firecrackers. As for the details, she didn't know how to manage them.
Cangshu Bai seemed to be no better off than her. Regarding the details and specific customs of the holidays, he only had half-baked knowledge.
Fortunately, during that Spring Festival, Auntie Wang enthusiastically guided them, telling them to prepare this one moment and that the next. Only then did the two of them manage, in a flurry of chaos, to scrape together their first decent New Year.
But this year was different.
This was the second Spring Festival they were spending together. The details of what needed to be prepared were all memorized in their minds.
Carefully avoiding his wounds, Mu Ran rested her head on the other side of his chest. She watched as he held her hand, playing with her fingers intentionally or otherwise, and didn't find it annoying at all.
"Jinzhi."
"I'm here."
"If... I mean if, if one day you found out I was hiding something from you, would you be mad at me?"
Cangshu Bai asked softly, "Do you like anyone else besides me?"
She lifted her face. "Of course not!"
Cangshu Bai kissed the tip of her nose. "Then I won't be mad."
Mu Ran was slightly stunned. "That's it?"
He chuckled. "What else did you want?"
To him, even if she were a world-destroying demon, as long as she still loved him, he wouldn't be angry.
Moved, Mu Ran hugged him. "Jinzhi, you're the best!"
Cangshu Bai stroked the hair at the back of her head. "And what if you found out I was hiding something from you?"
Mu Ran raised her head alertly again. "When you told me I was the first girl you ever liked, were you lying to me?"
He said, "No."
"Then do you have another woman on the outside?"
"No."
"Then do you have a child born by another woman?"
He sighed helplessly, "Naturally, I don't have that either."
Mu Ran's expression relaxed, and she lay back down to hug him. "Then there's no problem."
It had to be said that their views on hiding things from each other were truly quite similar. As long as there was no emotional betrayal, it didn't matter even if the other party committed heinous crimes.
After all, they only had each other. Besides each other, they had no relatives or friends.
Cangshu Bai's heart softened. He lifted her chin with one hand, wanting to kiss her again.
But Mu Ran suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, Jinzhi, there's still something we haven't bought for the New Year. The red envelopes for lucky money, we can't miss those."
The fingers Cangshu Bai had on her chin tightened slightly, refusing to let her go just like that. His voice was low and hoarse, "I'll go buy them tomorrow."
Finally, he sealed her lips, rolling over to press her beneath him as his hand slipped into her skirt.
The next day, Mu Ran naturally slept in again.
Cangshu Bai was as radiant and energetic as always. He left a light kiss on her face. "I'm going to the street to buy things. You keep sleeping."
Mu Ran mumbled something groggily, pulled the blanket over half her face, and went back to snoring soundly.
The old woman at the entrance of the alley had already given up the desire to escape. She sat at the doorway all day, looking somewhat pitiful and somewhat comical.
Seeing Cangshu Bai pass by unhurriedly, her entire body trembled. Fortunately, this jinx left without even sparing her a glance.
About the time it takes an incense stick to burn, a group of men wearing the robes of the Biyun Mountain Sect walked in. They cast a brief glance at the haggard, withered old woman, but paid her no mind.
"I thought that cripple Mu Ran had either died out there or been captured and used as a human cauldron. Who would have thought she was still alive and well."
"The Sect Master ordered us to bring her back this time. She is definitely in for a world of pain."
"I heard she married an ordinary mortal man. What if he tries to get in our way?"
"What else? We will just kill him."
"Haha, fair point!"
The old woman watched in silence as the group of men passed by. She blinked, suddenly feeling her mood improve quite a bit.
How wonderful. Another batch of fools marching to their deaths. Once again, she realized she was not the most miserable person in the world after all.
