Chapter 69: Posing as a Married Couple

“Young Master, Lord Cangyu,” Ye Lan turned the cart around toward He Mu. “You two get on. I think this way we’ll enter the city faster.”

Wenren Sheng poked his head out from behind He Mu and suggested, “How about Night Dharma Protector sits on it, and I push with Brother? You’ve worked hard all the way. Take a good rest.”

Ye Lan said solemnly, “No need for the Young Master to worry about these things. I can handle it alone.”

Wenren Sheng couldn’t persuade him otherwise, so he followed alongside. The group pushed the cart loaded with sacks into the city like that.

Central Province City wasn’t just impressive at the gates—the city itself left people dumbfounded. The rare treasures and heavenly materials from Fragrant Ze Mountain were everywhere here, casually turning up at roadside stalls like jade marrow fungus or phoenix wood.

Wenren Sheng stared in awe and, for a moment, forgot his shame as a “country bumpkin.” He pulled He Mu along to wander everywhere, muttering things like “This one’s for the Rabbit Clan kin” and “This one’s for Master.” Before long, he had emptied his money pouch.

“Night Dharma Protector.”

Wenren Sheng looked at the increasingly heavy cart and scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Let me push it.”

Ye Lan waved him off as usual, but this time he added a reminder. “Young Master, Central Province has strict curfews. We’d best find a clinic to take in Xu the Knight before sunset.”

Wenren Sheng nodded quickly. “I asked around while buying things just now. There are plenty of clinics nearby, but most are run by humans. Only one at the end of the street, Mountain Moon Hall, accepts demon patients. Shall we check it out first?”

“Mountain Moon…”

Hearing the name, He Mu pondered for a moment.

It sounded familiar. He seemed to have heard of it back in Fragrant Ze Mountain.

But it hadn’t left much impression. Beyond the familiar name, He Mu couldn’t recall any related memories.

Wenren Sheng added, “The doctor inside is named Shan Yue. Seems like a rat demon too.”

He Mu nodded. “It’s getting late. Let’s go take a look there first.”

The three reached an agreement and soon headed toward the end of the street.

Ye Lan wasn’t weak. Plus, after days of weight training, his arms had gained considerable strength. He rolled up his sleeves on both sides and pushed the cart with a loud clanging, scattering a row of pedestrians as he barreled from the start of the street to the end.

Wenren Sheng feared he would jostle Duoxiren right off. He used lightness skill underfoot while his gaze flicked repeatedly to Ye Lan.

Off guard, he bumped straight into He Mu’s back.

Wenren Sheng yelped “Ow!” and nearly tumbled off the roof beam.

He Mu caught him by the back and pulled him in, teasing, “Who’re you looking at?”

“Night Dharma Protector,” Wenren Sheng pinched his sore nose. “He’s got some real strength. Duoxiren’s true form must weigh over a hundred pounds, but he’s pushing faster than a carriage.”

“Snake demons have strong power, that’s normal,” He Mu said as he scooped Wenren Sheng up horizontally. “Stop running. I’ll carry you.”

Wenren Sheng kicked his legs twice. “I’m not that prissy!”

“Alright,” He Mu smiled. “Truth is, I just wanted to hold you.”

Seeing He Mu so frank, Wenren Sheng stopped struggling and let He Mu carry him.

“Just say so next time,” he adjusted his position. “Let’s go, Brother.”

He Mu’s smile deepened. He circulated his energy again, leaping over several roof beams. He deliberately slowed down a bit and arrived at the street’s end just after Ye Lan.

The end of Central Province’s main street was relatively quiet. Wenren Sheng jumped down from He Mu’s arms ahead of time, straightened his wind-tousled robes, then fixed the tassel on He Mu’s clothes.

With no one watching, He Mu sneaked a grab at Wenren Sheng’s hand and whispered teasingly, “Not even married to me yet, and you’re already this attentive?”

Wenren Sheng’s face reddened. He quickly pulled his hand back and gave He Mu a discreet swat.

“Don’t do that.”

Ye Lan wiped the sweat from his brow and stopped the cart at the clinic door, letting out a long breath.

“Xu the Knight’s pretty sturdy.” He said honestly.

Wenren Sheng still felt bad leaving all the work to Ye Lan, but no matter how he tried to convince him, Ye Lan refused to hand over the cart. He was really a stubborn one.

Wenren Sheng sighed and turned to face the Mountain Moon Clinic ahead.

This clinic didn’t match Central Province City’s style. The facade was simple and plain, with an old plum tree planted in a dry well out front. Above hung a blackwood plaque with elegant script reading “Mountain Moon Hall.”

Wenren Sheng glanced at the sky—nearly dusk. He hurried forward and knocked on the clinic door.

He cleared his throat and asked in a slightly wavering voice:

“Is anyone there?”

…

A long pause, no response.

Wenren Sheng knocked again and asked, “Doctor Shan Yue, we’ve got a patient here, unconscious for days. Could you take a look?”

This time, there was finally some sound from behind the door. He Mu leaned in to listen too—the footsteps inside were light and nimble, probably a short woman.

The wooden door creaked open a crack, and a head veiled in white gauze poked out.

Indeed a woman. She must be the hall master, “Shan Yue.”

“Where’s the patient?”

Her voice was very soft; one had to lean in to hear clearly.

Wenren Sheng stepped aside and pointed to the cart. Ye Lan untied the sack’s mouth, revealing half of Duoxiren’s face.

“It’s him, also a rat demon. He’s been poisoned by something strange,” Wenren Sheng explained. “Could the doctor please check his pulse?”

Shan Yue glanced at Duoxiren a few times, then at Wenren Sheng. She whispered, “No can do. I’m really scared of rats.”

Wenren Sheng opened his mouth. “…Aren’t you a rat demon too?”

“Mm,” Shan Yue said softly. “Rat demons come in many kinds.”

She seemed afraid of talking to people. After just a couple sentences, the door crack was closing.

Wenren Sheng hurriedly reached to block it, but He Mu yanked him back in time, preventing his hand from getting caught.

“Forget it,” He Mu advised. “Too late today.”

Just as he spoke, the door clicked shut.

Wenren Sheng felt disappointed, but the dusk in the sky grew thicker, and nearby shops were starting to close up.

He knew He Mu was right; there was no getting her to open today.

“She doesn’t seem unreasonable,” Wenren Sheng said, rubbing his chin. “When she looked at me just now, there wasn’t fear in her eyes. Feels like she’s bothered by something specific.”

Ye Lan suggested, “How about… tomorrow we disguise ourselves as someone else and try again?”

Wenren Sheng exchanged a glance with He Mu.

“Alright,” he said reluctantly. “Seems that’s our only option.”

Having been shut the door in their faces, the group had no choice but to find another way.

They found a nearby inn that accepted demons and checked in, planning to rest for the night and discuss ways to persuade Shan Yue tomorrow.

Wenren Sheng helped Ye Lan move Duoxiren onto the bed and said, “Rushing won’t help. Night Dharma Protector, please watch him tonight.”

“If anything happens, Brother and I are next door. Just call us.”

Ye Lan nodded and cupped his hands. “Young Master and Lord, go rest first. I’ll keep an eye on this knight.”

With that settled, the four split into the two adjacent rooms.

Before going up, Wenren Sheng called the waiter to boil water. After the long journey covered in dust, he and He Mu really needed a bath to relax.

After the water was ready, the two soaked in a single tub. Wenren Sheng sat in He Mu’s lap, carefully washing his longevity braids.

“How about we two pose as a married couple?” Wenren Sheng suddenly said.

“Sure,” He Mu rested his hands on the tub’s rim with a towel over his head. “But you look so young. If you play my wife, I’m afraid the doctor will be startled.”

“What…” Wenren Sheng huffed lightly. “Tomorrow I’ll buy some fitted clothes and get someone to do my makeup. Should fool her.”

He Mu lifted the towel from his head, leaned forward, pressed against Wenren Sheng’s back, and lightly kissed the mole on his nape.

“All yours, Shengsheng,” He Mu said. “If you really don’t want to, we can just say we’re cut-sleeve. That’s fine too…”

Before he finished, he couldn’t help kissing the skin on Wenren Sheng’s nape and nipping gently.

“Brother,” Wenren Sheng shifted his waist and complained faintly. “You’re poking me.”

Stirred by that, He Mu felt no shame. Instead, he pulled Wenren Sheng closer, pressing his tailbone against the man’s lower back.

“Be understanding.”

As he spoke, he reached down to touch Wenren Sheng, his tone intimately teasing. “You promised to keep me company tonight. Still on, Shengsheng?”

Wenren Sheng leaned back against He Mu, pushing weakly at him.

“Didn’t say no… Wait, I told you I don’t have that!”

…

Wenren Sheng was dazedly kneaded like dough for a good while. When he came to a bit, He Mu had already dried him off and tossed him onto the bed.

He Mu checked Wenren Sheng’s leg—the red patch from last time had healed, back to its pale softness, yielding to the pinch.

Wenren Sheng felt ticklish from the pinch and, realizing this angle left him fully exposed, felt endless shame. He guiltily tried to close his legs.

But He Mu, using the excuse of checking the injury, gripped his knees firmly, refusing to let him hide.

Wenren Sheng blushed and turned his head away.

His undergarments were still on, but still…

So shameful.

He Mu massaged his sore waist a bit, then sneaked a light bite on the side of his leg while Wenren Sheng wasn’t paying attention.

Wenren Sheng winced in pain with a soft hum.

“You bit it red,” he complained quietly. “You’re really something.”

He Mu glanced—sure enough, red. A vivid mark bloomed on the tender white skin.

He Mu pressed his fingertip to the red spot, rubbing ambiguously. “Saying that to make me stop? Or do you want more?”

Hearing that, Wenren Sheng shamefully covered his face.

His thoughts were seen through.

…He wanted more marks.

Though his intimacies with the Mountain God weren’t frequent, Wenren Sheng had gradually come to love the feeling of being covered in hickeys.

The Mountain God’s kisses were always gentle yet wickedly forceful, bringing slight pain that made his body tremble involuntarily.

But the more so, the clearer Wenren Sheng felt he was being possessed, loved fervently.

He was a child who knew gratitude. To repay the Mountain God’s intense love, he yearned ever more to offer every inch of himself—heart and body—without reserve.

He wanted the Mountain God to mark him like this, using the pain of those kisses to remind himself that he belonged to the Mountain God.

That was the meaning of hickeys for Wenren Sheng.

Wenren Sheng said nothing, but He Mu understood. He added several more bites, leaving Wenren Sheng’s legs and feet weak.

After a bit of kissing, He Mu straightened up and wrapped up the earlier topic. “That Shan Yue seems timid. Tomorrow, we pose as patients seeking her out. Best to test the waters first.”

“You catch a cold, lose your voice. I’ll handle talking to her.”

As he spoke, He Mu felt around and fastened a red thread little bell to Wenren Sheng’s ankle.

Wenren Sheng didn’t know what it was for. He shook his leg, hearing the bell jingle crisply.

“What’s this?”

Wenren Sheng blinked at He Mu.

“Soundproofing here’s poor. Too much noise and we’ll be heard,” He Mu caressed the bell. “Endure it well, Shengsheng.”