Chapter 302 - 0194 Lying on the Clouds to Observe

Time, three quarters past You hour.

Location, behind a Moon Sect gate in the Celestial Bright Peak North Garden of the Chaoyun Sect.

By the window, you can see an odd silhouette. If you open the window to look, you’ll find a young man lying on a couch, holding a book and pretending to read, appearing very leisurely.

But his gentle and handsome face... seems slightly tense, so much so that he needs to gently tap a bamboo bookmark with his fingers at an irregular rhythm to remind his heartbeat not to escalate excessively and lose composure.

Meanwhile, beside the young man, is a woman lifting her light white long skirt, standing on the couch, her eyes filled with a hint of curiosity and tension.

The woman is slightly on tiptoe, stepping on the mat, as if unsure of what to do.

Xu Chang’an couldn’t help but turn his head for a glance...

He thought to himself thankfully that the room was spacious enough that even though the lady stood on the couch, she still couldn’t reach the ceiling.

Hmm...

How did things turn out like this?

Xu Chang’an suddenly felt a headache.

Yun Qian wanted to give him a back massage by stepping on him as a "return gift" for a massage and therapy.

The lady strictly adheres to a reciprocal rule between them, Xu Chang’an knows this, but he didn’t expect that after his casual words, Yun Qian would insist on giving him a back massage no matter what.

No words could change her mind, even knowing that Li Zhibai might visit anytime, she remained stubborn.

It wasn’t exactly a casual remark, because anything he could say in front of Yun Qian would be something he had a great interest in.

Yun Qian was aware of his fondness, which is why she was persistent.

Xu Chang’an quickly propped himself up and took a glance, his eyes skimming over Yun Qian’s feet.

He couldn’t exactly be described as having a foot fetish, but he liked perfect things.

Moreover, the most important thing was that the person in front of him was Yun Qian.

He had said long ago that he was a fickle person; anything belonging to Yun Qian... he liked.

Plus, at times, people have dark thoughts, and for Xu Chang’an, who constantly scrutinizes his own heart, these darknesses were even more openly exposed to the sunlight.

For example, watching the serene and noble lady standing there wanting to step but hesitating was the best seasoning in a tranquil life.

The kind that makes you want to eat three bowls of rice with it.

But then again, can a husband liking his wife really be called a dark thought?

The Supreme Principle of Heaven and Earth, the Impermanence Dao can’t possibly control this matter.

It’s just natural.

Yun Qian’s ankles are exquisite; in Xu Chang’an’s eyes, they, along with her fingers and dark hair, are rare treasures in the world.

Xu Chang’an seemed to not care about Yun Qian’s troubles, carefully looking at the novel in his hand, his gaze pausing for a moment on the name "Wanwan," and then he seemed to say casually: "Miss, don’t hesitate, just step on up."

"Will it be heavy?" Yun Qian asked.

"Of course not." Xu Chang’an said earnestly, "I do have some cultivation after all."

"Really?" Yun Qian’s delicate face remained as expressionless as ever, as usual, drowsy and calm, but upon closer inspection, there was a hint of retreat.

Even Yun Qian, who had lost most of her memories, was unsure of the extent she could reach in front of her husband.

Before Xu Chang’an made that suggestion, she had never thought that one day, she would... step on him?

Moreover, he seemed quite expectant.

Xu Chang’an indeed anticipated it.

Even aside from his fondness for Yun Qian, purely speaking of massage, he looked forward to it. After all, a massage from a wife to her husband is far superior to any massage chair.

"What’s there to hesitate about?" Xu Chang’an found Yun Qian’s retreat a bit odd.

The girl is not like him, with many dark thoughts—only Xu Chang’an would consider normal intimacy between a couple as dark thoughts, whereas Miss Yun would express what she wanted without reservation, usually making it him, the husband, who gets embarrassed.

But Yun Qian would hesitate, and it was always related to him.

"How have I affected you, Miss?" Xu Chang’an couldn’t help asking.

"..."

Xu Chang’an’s voice fell on Yun Qian’s ears, making her grasp her skirt’s hem a bit harder, unable to respond for a moment.

Yun Qian’s thoughts were simple; she knew that Xu Chang’an very much liked and anticipated this.

After all, she had read those books and knew Xu Chang’an liked going barefoot?

It sounded a bit strange.

But if he didn’t like it, then why would those transcribed books have so many barefooted women or related plotlines?

Yun Qian had seen them; just casually flipping through, she had names like Wanwan, Ah Zi, Miao Girl, and so on.

Without exception, these women were all strong-willed ladies.

This type of distinct personality coincidentally is what Xu Chang’an wants her, a "person without self," to have.

Yun Qian does not know what necessary connection there is between "personality" and "barefootedness," but she had tried going without shoes around the house before.

The result... was that he, of course, personally put shoes back on her.

So, Yun Qian would hesitate, unsure of whether she, a person lacking personality and strength, could meet Xu Chang’an’s expectations.

That’s the simplicity of it.

However, what Yun Qian hadn’t realized was that her abyss-like darkness, in Xu Chang’an’s eyes, could shine so brightly that he admired and appreciated it.

Xu Chang’an watched Yun Qian clutching her skirt with a "befuddled" expression and sighed softly.

The lady could pique his interest, but more than that... she allowed him to face his own dark thoughts and dispel them completely.

In any case.

Now, he didn’t have a trace of amorous thoughts left, replaced by a heartache for Miss Yun, who was having a hard time.

In appearance, it seemed to be Yun Qian’s stubbornness, but if you investigate carefully, you’d know Yun Qian’s actions were directed by him.

He was the one who brought it up.

It was his anticipation that made Yun Qian want to do it.

Facing Yun Qian’s puzzled gaze, Xu Chang’an sat up slightly: "Wealth, beauty, food—I like them all, even I... in the face of desire, find it hard to maintain myself."

He can restrain his dependency on the system, the monotony of cultivation, the uncertainties of the future, and he can reflect on his own thoughts without deceiving himself.

This doesn’t make him outstanding by any means, but his self-control is at least commendable... yet he always loses control in front of Yun Qian.

Observing from beneath the clouds.

The scenery here is not something anyone who hasn’t seen it could understand, much less understand why normal intimacy between a couple would seem "dark" in his eyes.

Because he liked it so much, he subconsciously felt his desires were unsightly.

Though... giving a back massage really isn’t that big of a deal.

"Miss, I guess I truly am a bad person." Xu Chang’an said helplessly.

"Bad person? Truly?"

"?"

The fleeting joy in the lady’s expression, which Xu Chang’an couldn’t comprehend, was dazzlingly bright.