Chapter 154 - 0111 Mount Tai not seen (two-in-one)_2

Think carefully.

Miss Yun worked hard on her cultivation today, exhausted and hungry, and yet here I am, bullying her like this, I’m truly not acting like a human.

At the very least, I should pick a day when Yun Qian is in a good mood.

——

"So, nothing’s wrong now?" Yun Qian asked.

"Nothing’s wrong now." Xu Chang’an nodded.

"If nothing’s wrong, then why are you still standing there? Go cook." Yun Qian looked at him, pointing to her stomach.

She had mentioned many times that she was hungry, yet Xu Chang’an acted like he hadn’t heard.

"...I’m just comparing you now to how you were just a moment ago."

"What’s there to compare?"

"There’s nothing to compare." Xu Chang’an was already used to Miss Yun’s lack of "interest."

Having such a seemingly dull wife at home, who always manages to tug at one’s heartstrings inadvertently, and the key is she flirts and then runs away... anyone would feel helpless.

"I’ll go cook then, as compensation for scaring you with that bug earlier. Today, we’ll have something fancy; it might take a while, so please be patient." Xu Chang’an thought for a moment and said, "If you’re hungry, have some preserves to tide you over."

Anyway, she wouldn’t gain weight.

If there’s more sugar, then eat a bit more.

"Something good?" Yun Qian perked up at his words, intrigued.

Xu Chang’an hadn’t made her anything exquisite for a while; lately, it had been mostly simple meals just to fill the stomach, given their limited time together and other things to do.

"I’m not in a hurry now, take your time cooking." Yun Qian nodded earnestly.

"You’re not saying you’re hungry anymore?" Xu Chang’an rubbed his forehead, then took up his token, asking, "Miss, are you tired of eating crab?"

"It’s been a while since I had some." Yun Qian said.

When they were on the island, Xu Chang’an caught crabs, fish, and shrimp by himself by the sea, so after leaving the island, they seldom ate those.

But Yun Qian would never tire of them; instead, she missed those island days.

"Then I’ll get some seafood. It’s convenient because the sect can get any ingredients we want." Xu Chang’an took Yun Qian’s identity jade talisman without asking and said with a smile, "I’ve used up my contribution points, but Miss, with the jade talisman Steward Zhu gave you, you can buy the good ingredients. I’m just living off you."

The jade talisman Zhu Pingniang gave to Yun Qian was of the highest level, even more convenient than Xu Chang’an’s steward order in some matters.

"It’s not for you to use as you please." Yun Qian lightly pushed him, "Go cook quickly."

"Patience is a virtue." Xu Chang’an shook his head, about to walk out with the plate of "bugs," but was stopped by Yun Qian.

"Leave that here." Yun Qian got up, took a few wood carvings Xu Chang’an made for her a while ago from her treasure cabinet, placed them on the couch, and then took the plate from Xu Chang’an, saying, "Your carving has improved, I’ll keep them to look at for a while."

"It’s because I’ve been practicing swordsmanship; my hands are much steadier now." Xu Chang’an looked at the crude and clumsy carvings Yun Qian took out and said, "Miss, you want new carvings? I’ll make you some new ones in a few days."

"How do you know what I want?" Yun Qian blinked, her eyelashes fluttering.

"It’s all written in your eyes."

"Then I’ll cover them up."

Yun Qian glanced at a nearby ribbon, thinking that if everything were seen clearly, life would lose much of its fun.

Fun is what she values most.

"..." Xu Chang’an lit the fire stone in the room and said, "I’m going to cook. If you’re really tired, take a nap. I’ll wake you when it’s ready... Also, I can stay later today because due to the tribulation thunder, the hall has given us time off."

"You mean, you still have to leave?" Yun Qian caught the key point.

"The rules say I should."

"What if there’s an exception?"

"If there’s leave, I must report it to Steward Qin, as Celestial Bright Peak North Garden is under her charge."

"Then go find her."

"...I’ll go after cooking. What time is it already?"

"Why didn’t you go find her when you just returned?"

"I was eager to see your cultivation results, wasn’t I?"

"Go now." Yun Qian said seriously, "Matters should be prioritized, as you said."

Between eating and staying over, the latter is more important.

Xu Chang’an, observing Yun Qian’s undeniable tone, already guessed it.

"Then I’ll go find Steward Qin. Miss, please wait a bit longer; I’ll be back soon." Xu Chang’an said with a smile.

"Go ahead." Yun Qian nodded.

Then Xu Chang’an tidied his clothes and went out to find Qinling.

——

The sunset gradually descended, falling on the lake of Celestial Bright Peak, reflecting a few small boats, the scenery picturesque.

Xu Chang’an walked along the lake, heading towards the Steward Hall.

Truth be told, even if Yun Qian hadn’t said anything, he would have gone to find Qinling sooner or later.

Slowing his pace slightly, Xu Chang’an looked at the boats drifting in the lake, thinking of Yun Qian with her eyes covered. He took a breath and sighed after holding it for a while.

It was a genuine sigh.

"Can’t see the forest for the trees."

The ribbon blocked Miss Yun’s eyes, just as he himself blocked her heart.

He hadn’t come back earlier because if he had, Yun Qian’s entire heart would have been tied to him, leaving no room for cultivation.

He was like a leaf, a leaf that could block her gaze; and in blocking that gaze, it also blocked everything outside, leaving her to see only him, ignoring the beautiful scenery outside.

According to the theory of relativity, although Yun Qian could block Xu Chang’an’s view, she couldn’t completely block the sky and scenery, which was their biggest difference.

Xu Chang’an believed it wasn’t because he didn’t love Yun Qian enough but because... Yun Qian didn’t understand worldly matters, whereas he had to be mature.

Diverting attention from cultivation because of affection, how could that be okay?

For more pragmatic reasons, he couldn’t let Miss Yun completely block his sight; he needed to see and prepare for the world around him.

Besides, things outside were quite interesting, like cultivation gatherings and the feeling of breaking through.

He had to find ways to let Yun Qian experience these joys too.

——

After Xu Chang’an left.

"Tribulation thunder..." Yun Qian squinted her eyes.

The tribulation thunder brought a time for rest, which counted as doing a good deed.

The husband’s interest in the outside world was exactly what Yun Qian wanted; after all, if he were truly uninterested in the world outside, that would be the end of everything.

Yun Qian looked at the wood carving in her hand and then at the insects on the plate that were both attractive and unattractive.

The carving was attractive, the insects unattractive.

Her gaze shifted to the red ribbon, and there was a gleam in Yun Qian’s eyes.

Today, she had an unexpected discovery.

The ribbon she used to restrain her gaze, to cover her eyes... her husband actually liked it?

This was something she never would have thought of.

Just like Xu Chang’an said, he really liked her eyes, so before covering them, she had thought Xu Chang’an wouldn’t like it. She was anxious.

As for why he liked it, this was something even Xu Chang’an couldn’t figure out, so Yun Qian was even more unclear.

But Yun Qian now had an additional reason to blindfold her eyes, a reason even far more significant than her initial self-deceiving one.

If the husband likes it, that’s what matters most; it’s not putting the cart before the horse.

Should she wear it regularly now?

Like wearing a veil, she felt there wasn’t much difference.

"..."

After a moment of contemplation.

Alone in the room, she picked up the red ribbon and blindfolded herself again, slowly adapting to the feeling.

She tied the silk ribbon, stood up, walked to the dressing mirror, and sat down—moving slowly but quite steadily.

Looking into the mirror at her blindfolded self, Yun Qian tilted her head, the red ribbon threading through the hair by her ear, lightly swaying at the back of her head.

Would this... look nice?

She got up, returned to the couch to sit quietly again, imagining Xu Chang’an blindfolded with a ribbon in her mind.

Shaking her head.

Her husband looked better normal.

So, his taste was indeed peculiar.

Yun Qian picked up the peculiar snack from the plate beside her.

She couldn’t see the shape of the insects but could smell the faint fragrance of sesame.

She took a small bite.

"...Mm."

This time, he really wasn’t lying; it was indeed a taste she liked.