Chapter 24: The Moonlight is Truly Beautiful Tonight
“It’s very simple. If within two years, my cultivation can catch up to Wenqing’s, then the matter of me marrying into her family will be canceled, and she will marry into the Yan family instead. If I cannot catch up, then I will obediently become Cloud Heaven Palace’s live-in son-in-law.”
That’s right, it’s the “Two-Year Agreement”!
The plot of calling off the marriage was only 50% completed, with the remaining 50% being to propose the Two-Year Agreement, so Yan Zhen took this opportunity to do so!
—Didn’t expect that, did you? No matter how bizarrely the plot deviates from the rails, this young master can forcibly steer it back on course.
—Hey, that’s what professionalism is!
Yan Zhen felt immensely proud inwardly.
Hearing this, Huangfu Xiong’s brow furrowed deeper as he turned to glance at Yan Lie.
Yan Lie spread his hands in a “what can I do” gesture.
Beside them, Huangfuu Wenqing abruptly stood up and quickly declared, “I agree to this agreement.”
Of course, she would definitely profit from this agreement whether she won or lost, so what was there to refuse?
It seemed becoming Yan Zhen’s willing slave was quite useful. The life-or-death Two-Year Agreement from her previous life had now turned into a who’s-on-top-who’s-on-bottom wager.
Hehehe~
Since the parties involved had spoken, Huangfu Xiong could no longer say anything further. After all, he didn’t think Yan Zhen could defeat his granddaughter.
Even if Yan Zhen had regained his talents, he was only a three-star Mystic Disciple, while Huangfu Wenqing was already a five-star Mystic One. Moreover, Huangfu Wenqing would continue to receive Cloud Heaven Palace’s full support in her cultivation, whereas Yan Zhen…
In any case, the gap between them was too significant, and Yan Zhen basically had no chance of surpassing Huangfu Wenqing.
This wager was merely a fruitless act of defiance driven by a youth’s self-esteem.
“Then let’s settle it as such.”
Huangfu Xiong was very satisfied with this outcome, as he did not wish for this matter to affect the relationship between the two families either.
After all, Yan Lie had once been a trusted brother-in-arms who had fought life-and-death battles alongside him.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for finally completing the call-off-marriage plot. You may claim the reward from the system interface.]
—Great!
Yan Zhen inwardly cheered as he quietly claimed the reward, finding it was another special trump card called “Domineering Aura.”
Special Trump Card – Domineering Aura: A card only the protagonist can use. When activated, it can intimidate all friendly and hostile targets within range, effective up to the Mystic General realm.
—Wow, not bad! Specialized for intimidation, a must-have for any protagonist!
“Zhen’er, Wenqing will be leaving early tomorrow morning. You two should go chat for a bit and don’t disturb this old man’s game with your Uncle Yan.”
“Ah?”
“What ‘ah’? You two go play. This old man needs to have a good match with my old buddy Yan!”
Unable to refuse the elders’ instructions, Yan Zhen turned to his fiancée and said, “Then shall we… go chat outside?”
“Sure~”
Huangfu Wenqing didn’t pretend to be reserved anymore, actively extending her hand for Yan Zhen to hold, just like the other day.
Yan Zhen scratched his nose and grasped his fiancée’s delicate, boneless hand, the tender smoothness causing a ripple in his heart while the faint warmth made his heartbeat quicken slightly.
Huangfu Wenqing curved her lips, grasping his hand back as she walked outside briskly.
“Where shall we go? How about the rear garden? Yan Zhen, which way to the rear garden?”
“…I’ll lead the way.”
The Lord’s Mansion’s rear garden featured artificial mountains, flowing streams, flowers, plants, and trees – all the trimmings. The scenery was pleasant during the day, but it had a unique charm at night too.
The stone pavilion at the center of the pond was illuminated, casting a hazy glow over the surroundings and adding an air of mystery compared to daytime.
Seated in the pavilion, one could also see the koi carp drawn by the lights, crowding together and splashing their tails on the water’s surface despite having no food to feed them.
The two walked hand-in-hand to the stone pavilion and chose a spot to sit.
Just as Yan Zhen was about to let go of her hand, he noticed Huangfu Wenqing’s firm grasp remained.
“That…”
“Hmm?”
The moment he opened his mouth, Huangfu Wenqing responded, her sparkling eyes gazing directly at him in a way that quickened his pulse.
“Nothing.” Yan Zhen blinked and casually remarked, “The moonlight is truly beautiful tonight.”
Upon hearing this, Huang Fu Wenqing’s heart skipped a beat, two small red clouds blooming on her cheeks.
“The moonlight is truly beautiful” was a beautiful expression used by youths in Zhexi Prefecture to confess their feelings, a homophone for “I like you, you’re so beautiful.”
Was Yan Zhen confessing to her? Or was he simply admiring the moonlight?
Huangfu Wenqing glanced up at the night sky and realized with delight that the moon was still hidden behind clouds.
Without moonlight, how could it be “truly beautiful”?
So he must have been expressing his feelings for her in an implicit manner…
Thump, thump, Huangfu Wenqing had never felt her heart beat so rapidly. Even when she had previously lifted her clothes to show him the mystic pattern on her lower abdomen, she hadn’t felt this nervous and shy.
How should she respond? Should she directly say, “I like you too”? Or should she be more implicit like him?
Previously, she had willingly become Yan Zhen’s slave, but he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction to that.
Did this mean Yan Zhen preferred a more implicit approach? But if she was too implicit, how could she properly convey her feelings?
This sudden onset of joy made the Huangfu family’s beloved princess feel a mix of elation and trepidation.
After some thought, she hooked her arm around Yan Zhen’s and leaned against his shoulder, smiling as she said, “Indeed, the moonlight is very beautiful tonight.”
Yan Zhen’s face immediately reddened, for he had also noticed the moon was obscured by clouds, so how could the “moonlight be beautiful”?
Huangfu Wenqing was clearly offering him a way out by going along with his words.
How embarrassing.
To be honest, Yan Zhen was quite inept at these emotional scenes. After all, he had been a single virgin born from his mother’s womb, and his conversations with girls at school mostly revolved around academics.
—Wasn’t this supposed to be a heroineless erotic fantasy world? Why was there such an intimate rendezvous scene?
[Hehehe, the host brought this upon himself.]
—Damn this system!
The softness pressing against his arm, the floral fragrance rivaling that of flowers wafting into his nostrils, coupled with the deep night and their seclusion, it inevitably caused improper thoughts to arise in Yan Zhen’s mind.
—Hold on, this is a heroineless erotic fantasy world. The protagonist is supposed to be an emotionless cultivation machine, not someone who starts having indecent fantasies just from getting a little intimate with his fiancée!
“Yan Zhen, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Huangfu Wenqing said seriously, “Would you like to come with me to Cloud Heaven Palace?”
Yan Zhen was taken aback. “Go to Cloud Heaven Palace? Why?”
“There are renowned alchemist masters residing in Cloud Heaven Palace who may be able to cure your physical ailment.”
Though Huangfu Wenqing knew Yan Zhen would soon regain his talents, if he went to Cloud Heaven Palace with her, they could cultivate and grow together. They would get to spend much more time together compared to her previous life, which filled her with joy at the thought.
Moreover, once at Cloud Heaven Palace, her master would also frequently see Yan Zhen.
Even though her master didn’t know him yet in this life, she felt that since her master had been attracted to Yan Zhen in the previous life, it would likely happen again.
Then her master could be the wife, while she would be the concubine, the three of them living happily together!
Cough, or in case, just in case her master didn’t take a liking to Yan Zhen, then she could have him all to herself, which would be equally wonderful~
The beautiful images playing out in her mind made Huang Fu Wenqing’s eyes crinkle with delight.
However, Yan Zhen shook his head in refusal. “I appreciate your kind intentions, but my talents have already recovered, so there’s no need for further treatment.”
