Is it bullying?
Or is it to make oneself less attractive?
Miss Yun is, after all, a clever woman.
ââ
Xu Changâan walked to the front of the carriage and picked up the thing that suddenly darted out from the roadside and was constrained to the ground by him.
It was a small snake, looking ferocious, writhing fiercely in Xu Changâanâs hand, as if it wanted to bite him.
But it was obviously a fake hostility; Xu Changâan didnât exert any force, and it retracted its fangs before it even got to bite.
"So, it really is Demon Qi." Xu Changâan frowned.
Xu Changâan silently observed the small snake in his hand closely.
This wasnât a Snake Demon; it had merely been tainted by Demon Qi.
"Immortal Master..."
A Qingyi-dressed woman holding an umbrella stumbled over towards him.
"Immortal Master... show mercy..." The Qingyi woman hurried over, visibly anxious.
The heavy rain obscured her vision, but her ability to recognize it as an Immortal Sect aside from having excellent eyesight was due to Xu Changâan being somewhat conspicuous, with a transparent Barrier enveloping the carriage, visible upon nearing.
Hearing the womanâs voice, Xu Changâan looked up at the woman in front of him.
She appeared anxious, with barely suppressed fear, and most importantly, Xu Changâan sensed a slight incongruity in her aura.
Although her eyes appeared black due to a blinding technique, Xu Changâan easily discerned their true color.
Generally, women wouldnât have light green eyes, right?
Before Xu Changâan could speak, the Qingyi woman exclaimed in surprise, "Xu... Young Master Xu?"
After realizing the Immortal Sect before her was Xu Changâan, her entire body trembled, releasing her burdens and took a long sigh of relief as the fear in her eyes gradually dissipated.
The Qingyi woman bowed repeatedly, apologizing, "Young Master, Iâm sorry for the trouble, itâs my fault for not keeping it in check."
"Um... um?" Xu Changâan blinked rapidly, "You know me?"
"Iâm just a singing actor at the Flower Moon Building," the Qingyi woman carefully explained, "As soon as I opened the door, it darted out... are you alright."
"Iâm fine." Xu Changâan looked at the Qingyi woman with an odd expression, "This Cyan Snake is your pet?"
"Yes." The Qingyi woman gave a brief explanation.
Within a few words, Xu Changâan understood the whole story.
Snakes naturally like water, so encountering such a rare rainstorm, it couldnât control its instincts.
The reason she lived so far out as a Flower Moon Building girl was because the girls there all kept Li Huas. If she lived there with a snake... it wouldnât be long before the snake pet would fall prey to the cats.
"Y-young Master..." The Qingyi woman lowered her head uncomfortably, feeling Xu Changâanâs gaze on her eyes.
Her sisters all believed her eyes to be black, but she knew such a thing couldnât be hidden from an Immortal Sect.
"Oh, itâs fine, just be careful." Xu Changâan handed the Cyan Snake over.
"Young Master Xu, Iâm so sorry, Iâm sorry..." The Qingyi woman took the small snake and continued to apologize.
The Cyan Snake stuck out its tongue towards Xu Changâan before slithering down the Qingyi womanâs clothing to her ankle, coiling around like a green anklet, motionless.
Xu Changâan found it intriguing.
The snake didnât retaliate even while being held.
A young woman raising a snake and taming it to be so docile was quite fascinating.
Of course, the faint trace of Demon Qi on her was more interesting.
A Half-Demon... perhaps.
Xu Changâan shook his head, ready to get back in the carriage and leave when he noticed the Qingyi woman following him.
"Young Master, are you heading to the Unfastened Boat?" The Qingyi woman softly asked, "Did Ms. Zhu invite you?"
"Yes." Xu Changâan turned back, surprised, "How did the young lady know about this?"
The Qingyi womanâs face turned red, and she fidgeted with her clothes, "I...I was going out to the Unfastened Boat too... which is why the little fellow slipped out, causing you trouble."
As the woman continued, Xu Changâan understood.
It all started when the Qingyi woman received an order from Zhu Pingniang saying there was an evening banquet and she was to perform to enhance the atmosphere.
She hadnât expected to meet Xu Changâan this way.
The Qingyi womanâs eyes suddenly brightened, she said, "Young Master, youâre so esteemed, how can you drive the carriage yourself... let me do it."
This would be the least she could offer as a compensation.
"Thatâs unnecessary, especially in such heavy rain..."
Xu Changâan instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing the Qingyi womanâs pleading expression, "Young Master, Iâve worked as a coachman before, and although my eyes donât serve much use, they see clearly."
"..." Xu Changâan pretended not to understand, yet he didnât refuse and handed over the short whip.
"Miss, trouble you."
The Qingyi woman sat at the front of the carriage, staring uneasily at the transparent rain barrier overhead, "Itâs me who has taken advantage."
In such heavy rain, if she were alone, sheâd get drenched to the bone.
Watching the Cyan Snake crawl back onto the girlâs wrist, Xu Changâan shook his head, entered the carriage, and said to Miss Yun, who seemed calm.
"Miss, in short... now thereâs someone to drive the carriage."
"Mm." Yun Qian thought it was a good thing since Xu Changâan could stay in the carriage with her.
"So, what happened?" She inquired.
Xu Changâan narrated everything to Yun Qian, then quietly remarked, "That young lady is actually a Half-Demon, but considering Senior Zhuâs temperament, itâs not surprising."
"Oh." Yun Qian nodded.
Speaking, Xu Changâanâs expression felt somewhat awkward.
This Qingyi young ladyâs Half-Demon identity was very apparent.
"Miss, did you know? Snakes are notably nearsighted, yet that girl had excellent eyesight, itâs said... these kinds of things indeed canât be understood logically."
"Mm." Yun Qian acknowledged.
"Moreover, the girlâs eyes are a light green, possibly due to Ms. Zhu applying a simple blinding technique, but... I can see through Seniorâs blinding technique. Whether Senior cared or didnât... why wasnât an effective Spell employed?" Xu Changâan was puzzled.
Logically speaking, if even he could see through it, what was the point of the blinding technique?
To hide her Half-Demon nature among ordinary girls?
But any Immortal Sect member would recognize it.
He couldnât quite comprehend it.
Yun Qian, however, said, "Blinding technique? That thing doesnât work on you."
Her husbandâs eyes werenât to be deceived by anyone.
He was more likely to deceive others.
"Iâm merely an Immortal Sect member, not an Immortal." Xu Changâan was quite helpless over Miss Yunâs blind trust. Just as he was about to say more, he noticed Yun Qian staring directly at him.
The gaze of Miss Yun was clear and pure, but Xu Changâan felt her eyes were dark and profound, making him feel guilty.
"Miss, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Is this everything you wanted to tell me?" Yun Qian inquired.
"..."
Xu Changâan was silent for a while, then turned his head, "I donât understand."
Pretending to play dumb.
Yun Qian asked, "You said earlier that it was just the snake that darted out that made the carriage sway."
"Yes..." Xu Changâan wanted to nod but changed his reply at the end, "If Miss believes it so, then it is so."
"But I donât think so." Yun Qian shook her head, then smiled.
Because she knew that even in such trivial matters, Xu Changâan wouldnât lie to her, it made her quite happy.
"Alright then..." Xu Changâan looked at the smile on Yun Qianâs face and finally conceded.
He reached out to tidy Yun Qianâs somewhat disheveled clothing, helplessly saying, "I admit, I could have caught that small snake completely, no need to swerve, let alone fishtail."
The real reason he made such a big move was deliberate.
To put it plainly, he bullied people on purpose.
"Miss, how did you know I was intentionally bullying?" Xu Changâan was very curious.
"Because it didnât hurt that much." Yun Qian pointed to her forehead.
Earlier, the Spiritual Power her husband provided acted as a buffer, so even after rolling once, she didnât feel anything.
It was utterly painless, simply soiling her clothes,
Clearly, it was premeditated to make her fall.
"Is it that you donât like the way I dress?" Yun Qian asked.