Yan Zhen’s scalp tingled as he turned to Mentor Yu Xuan, silently asking her,
“Have you not talked this over properly with Little Aunt and Aunt, Mentor?”
Mentor Yu Xuan hadn’t expected her aunt to suddenly turn hostile. They had clearly agreed to coexist harmoniously. She knew her aunt was just distressed over her niece, but if this blew up, it would be a disaster.
“Just play it off for now!”
Their eyes met, but there was no fooling Cai Lian. She narrowed her blood-red vertical pupils and said coolly,
“Is that so?”
Shui Bailan nodded.
“Because Xuan’er said Yan Zhen would soon become the Jialan Holy Son. If they didn’t marry soon, he wouldn’t be able to join the family as a live-in son-in-law. That’s why Sister-in-law rushed their wedding… and Yan Zhen agreed.”
Everyone’s gazes converged on him, even Long Ying, who stared while gnawing on her elbow.
Yan Zhen sighed and said sincerely,
“I’m sorry, Little Aunt, Aunt. I was just deceiving my mother-in-law. As I said before, I want to marry Mentor Yu Xuan—along with Cai Lian, Zi Ji, and the others.”
Cai Lian and Long Ying relaxed a little, but Dean Yu Qing and Shui Bailan felt a sour pang in their hearts.
They had all regarded him as the Yu Family’s live-in son-in-law, pinning their hopes on him, only for him to claim it was all a lie. That was too much!
Dean Yu Qing bit her lip and finally spoke up.
“Little Scoundrel, were all your actions before just a pretense? Have you… never cared about us at all? Was it all just wishful thinking on our part?”
Her voice grew more aggrieved with every word, her eyes rimming red.
“My big sister and second sister have been so good to you, but you… you… Hmph!”
Shui Bailan patted her best friend’s back and turned to Yan Zhen.
“But Yan Zhen, you could join the Yu Family as a live-in son-in-law first. Once you become the Saint Son, you can shed that status, marry Your Highness Zi Ji, and wed other women too. The Yu Family wouldn’t hold you back then. Wouldn’t that work just fine?”
Yan Zhen shook his head.
“Cai Lian and Zi Ji are both pregnant now. I can’t abandon them to marry the Mentor—or any other woman—first. Zi Ji especially, alone in the Heavenly God Clan with a child on the way, facing all those risks and pressures. I can’t betray her.”
Shui Bailan fell silent for a moment before countering,
“And what about us?”
“What?”
“I mean, the matter of us as your concubines… does that not count anymore?”
“Uh… well…”
Yan Zhen was at a loss for words. He met his mentor aunt’s gaze—shy yet stubborn—while Dean Little Aunt stole flushed glances at him from the side. His head throbbed like it had ballooned to the size of a bucket.
“What concubines?” Cai Lian’s eyes sharpened. “Explain yourself.”
Long Ying finished devouring her elbow with a few enthusiastic chomps, then paused to eavesdrop.
Yan Zhen couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud, and even Mentor Yu Xuan guiltily bowed her head.
Shui Bailan spoke evenly.
“We previously agreed that if Yan Zhen joined the Yu Family as a live-in son-in-law, Bailan, Yu Qing, and Sister Yu Yan would share a husband with Xuan’er and become his concubines.”
“What?!” Even Cai Lian, seasoned by countless storms, gaped in shock, momentarily losing her composure. “What is this? Aren’t you Little Xuan’er’s elders? How could you—”
Long Ying’s face lit up with a mix of confusion and admiration. In her mind, if that was the way to marry Yan Zhen Zhen, she wanted in on the concubine deal too!
Dean Yu Qing’s cheeks burned bright red. She couldn’t bring herself to voice their lame excuse—”too lazy to find new suitors”—in front of an outsider.
Shui Bailan adjusted her glasses and answered gravely.
“Because before Yan Zhen sheds his live-in son-in-law status, the Yu Family needs him to sire at least three bloodlines. And taking his wishes into account, cough, we followed an old Yu Family tradition: serving him together.”
Cai Lian’s expression soured. She said coldly,
“Yan Zhen isn’t some breeding tool for you all. Not just anyone qualifies to bear his children. Besides, this goes against all decency. Did you even think about Little Xuan’er’s feelings?”
Mentor Yu Xuan murmured weakly,
“Sister Cai Lian, I didn’t object.”
“…” Cai Lian couldn’t hold back. “Is something wrong with your Yu Family?”
“The Yu Family is matrilineal, with customs that differ from the outside world. This was a last resort,” Shui Bailan explained patiently. Then, steeling herself, she added, “And as for him being a ‘breeding tool’? That’s absurd. I can’t speak for Sister Yu Yan, but Bailan and Yu Qing—we truly like him.”
The abrupt confession flushed Yan Zhen’s face and sparked a twinge of jealousy in Mentor Yu Xuan, who secretly stomped on her lover’s foot.
Dean Yu Qing’s blush deepened. She wanted to protest that she didn’t like him at all, but with this “formidable foe” present, she swallowed her tsundere retort. Covering her face with both hands, she inwardly cursed her best friend as an idiot—why drag her into this?!
Cai Lian thought, as expected. No wonder their looks at Yan Zhen had seemed off from the start. It wasn’t the affection of elders for a junior, but something laced with romantic affection.
She knew that gaze all too well. In her previous life, most of the women around Yan Zhen had looked at him that way—even after his marriage.
To fake becoming a live-in son-in-law and seduce Little Xuan’er’s elders into this!? Cai Lian shot her husband an exasperated glare. Seeing him shrink into a timid ball, her irritation deflated.
She had long understood: finding an exceptional husband was hard. Keeping one was even harder. Let your guard down for a moment, and some genius beauty would steal him away!
“Talk of taking concubines is premature,” Cai Lian said coolly. “But if Yan Zhen doesn’t join as a live-in son-in-law, would you two still insist on being his concubines?”
Shui Bailan murmured softly,
“At least I’m willing.”
She glanced at her best friend. Dean Yu Qing flushed crimson, fidgeting helplessly as she stammered “I-I-I” before dropping her gaze.
Shui Bailan inwardly cursed her useless sister. She’d taken the lead, but her friend still wouldn’t speak up, leaving her to fight alone.
Sure, it was one against one, but her opponent was a Mystic Saint Reborn—the main wife, pregnant to boot. In status and cultivation, Shui Bailan was thoroughly outmatched. Normally, she’d be crushed.
“It’s not a question of timing. We just want your promise,” Shui Bailan said stubbornly. “If none of it counts, then Bailan and Yu Qing have no reason to stay here training. We’ll head back to the academy right now!”
Mentor Yu Xuan’s heart ached at her aunt’s resolute words.
“Aunt, please don’t say that… Yan Zhen!”
She tugged at her lover’s sleeve.
Cai Lian said nothing, simply watching her husband in silence.
The room fell quiet.
Shui Bailan and Dean Yu Qing’s hearts sank. The latter shot to her feet, eyes reddened, and stormed toward the door—only for Yan Zhen to seize her slender wrist and gently yank her down onto his lap.
“Ah!” Dean Yu Qing yelped in surprise, then snapped in shy fury, “What are you doing? Let me go!”
Yan Zhen gave a helpless look.
“I never said it doesn’t count. Why run off like that, Little Aunt?”
