Wenren Sheng took a deep breath, then took hold of Shan Yue’s hand and stuffed the handkerchief into her palm.
“How did you get rescued later?”
Shan Yue choked up for a moment but eventually took the handkerchief from Wenren Sheng and wiped her tears.
“Later… I was saved by a snake demon whose name I didn’t know,” she said through sobs. “She had theatrical makeup on her face like an opera performer and burst into my family’s courtyard to rescue me.”
“But those black-robed people wanted to kill us all and pursued us relentlessly. To keep me safe, she hurriedly sent me to a household in Central Province and drew the pursuers away on her own.”
Hearing this, Wenren Sheng’s expression froze.
“…Snake demon?”
He looked at He Mu, and their eyes met. They both thought of the same person at once.
“Wenqu Star?”
Shan Yue was stunned for a moment before hesitantly asking, “Wenqu Star? You mean that immortal?”
Wenren Sheng let go of Shan Yue’s hand, his brows furrowing slightly as he quickly replayed the story Shan Yue had told in his mind.
Shan Yue’s family had once been massacred by Siming. Her parents were beaten to death alive, and she was the sole survivor by sheer luck. That night, she had been saved by a snake demon and went into exile in Central Province.
And that snake demon—Shan Yue’s savior—was most likely his own master, Yi Jinxiang.
He Mu crossed his legs and fiddled with the thumb ring in his hand. “So Siming and Wenqu Star’s grudge started back then. Talk about the ways of the world.”
Wenren Sheng felt like his head was about to burn up. He frantically ruffled his hair with both hands, and the braided hairstyle he’d put up that morning quickly unraveled halfway.
Shan Yue couldn’t follow what they were saying. She clutched the handkerchief and cautiously asked, “Do you know my benefactor?”
Wenren Sheng looked up and hurriedly said, “We do! Not only do we know her, I can take you to find her!”
Shan Yue’s eyes lit up. “Really? Where is she now? I’ve always wanted to find her and repay her, but I’m too weak. I couldn’t leave Central Province on my own…”
“Really,” Wenren Sheng said firmly. “She’s my master, the city lord of Cangzhou City, Wenqu Star of the Heavenly Court Immortal Division—the most powerful demon under heaven. Come back to Cang Province with us—”
Halfway through, an idea flashed in Wenren Sheng’s mind, and his words cut off abruptly.
But was Cangzhou City really safe now?
Shan Yue was different from the people he’d met before. She was just an ordinary demon in terms of cultivation. In this world, she was far too weak.
Siming was going to attack Cangzhou City—it was only a matter of time. Even if he’d used illusion arts to buy Cangzhou City five years with his ploy, Siming would soon see through it. She would realize he wasn’t sincerely trying to join her.
And if he brought Shan Yue back, adding pressure to his master… wouldn’t that…
“I’ll go back with you.”
Shan Yue’s words snapped Wenren Sheng out of his thoughts.
He came back to his senses and hesitated. “But going to Cang Province might put you in danger.”
Shan Yue asked, “Didn’t you just say that saving your friend would also save a lot of people in Cangzhou City?”
“…That’s right.”
“Then that’s good,” Shan Yue said, looking at him steadily. “I want to repay her. Take me with you.”
“Don’t rush it.”
He Mu stood up and shot Ye Lan a look, signaling him to bring Duoxiren into the room.
He said, “Cangzhou City is dangerous right now. Before we go back, we need to figure out the toxin from this red lotus, find an antidote recipe, and then we can return.”
Ye Lan soon hoisted Duoxiren onto his back and laboriously stepped over the threshold, setting him down on a rattan chair in the apothecary room.
The rattan chair creaked under Duoxiren’s weight. Ye Lan had to push from behind to keep him from breaking it.
Seeing her fellow demon in his original form, Shan Yue was still a bit scared and turned her head away slightly, not daring to look directly.
He Mu casually flicked a cloth from the table onto Duoxiren’s face, covering it.
“Don’t be scared, divine doctor sister,” Wenren Sheng stood to comfort Shan Yue. “My brother used to be an immortal too. He’s at mahayana realm cultivation now—no one in the world can beat him. Just focus on treating him. We’ll guard the apothecary.”
Shan Yue blinked at Wenren Sheng and cautiously asked, “Are you… blood siblings?”
“Huh?”
Wenren Sheng froze, then remembered he was still disguised as the “mute wife,” his voice hoarse from the cold he’d caught. Shan Yue had no idea of his real identity.
“N-No! I’m not!” Wenren Sheng frantically wiped the powder from his face and explained, “I’m not a woman—I’m a man! And Brother and I aren’t blood siblings—we—”
He paused here, subconsciously tugging at his clothes, and bashfully lowered his voice.
“We… are already engaged…”
“Engaged?” Shan Yue blinked. “Two men?”
Wenren Sheng softly hummed in agreement, then pulled He Mu up from the chair and hid completely behind him, peeking out with just his head.
“Two men. I’m a demon, and he’s human.”
Eyes full of curiosity, Shan Yue pressed, “Then what about your two daughters…”
“Of course they’re fake!”
“If I may be so bold, young hero, how old are you this year?”
“I’m already eighteen,” Wenren Sheng’s face grew redder. “Old enough… to share a bed with my fiancé.”
“I see,” Shan Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’m reassured.”
He Mu up front rubbed his forehead and sighed faintly.
So what exactly had been misunderstood from the start?
Did Shan Yue see him as some guy who bullied a sixteen-year-old kid this whole time?
He wasn’t that kind of person.
While Duoxiren recuperated, Shan Yue let the three of them stay temporarily at the apothecary.
For convenience, Ye Lan stayed in the north corner room, while Wenren Sheng and He Mu took the east side chamber. Next door was the decoction area, and a faint medicinal scent would drift into their room. Wenren Sheng loved the smell.
At the third quarter of the Xu Hour, he lit an oil lamp, dipped his brush in ink, and neatly wrote a line on the paper.
“Anyway, there’s nothing else to do while we’re stuck in Central Province. I’m going to write a book about the Mountain God.”
He Mu paused in grinding the ink.
“About me?”
“Yeah.”
Wenren Sheng looked up at him, his pupils clear and bright like fresh snow.
“When I was little, I loved searching the bookshops for anything about you. But every time, I’d spend a whole day just to find one or two fragmentary scrolls.”
Beyond those fragments, Wenren Sheng could only catch glimpses of “Cangyu True Monarch” in obscure immortal registries.
Even if it was just a sentence or two, he’d read it over and over for ages, then carefully fold a corner of the page so he could find it again next time.
With that, Wenren Sheng set down his brush, stood, and wrapped his arms around He Mu’s neck. He tiptoed and nuzzled stickily into the crook of his neck.
He said, “I think Brother is amazing. A god’s story shouldn’t be so sparse. I want to record you, so more people can know.”
“I’m not an immortal anymore,” He Mu said with a laugh, holding his waist. “Besides, people in this world prefer compassionate bodhisattva-like gods. No one would want to read about me.”
“Then I’ll keep it for myself!” Wenren Sheng pouted. “And… I want to write a little about our story too.”
“Mm,” He Mu leaned down and kissed Wenren Sheng’s temple. “What kind of story do you want to tell about us?”
Wenren Sheng had this all planned out. He excitedly let go and counted on his fingers.
“The story of how the Mountain God picked me up! When I was still a little kid, the Mountain God took me back to the divine temple and raised me. The moment I came of age, he proposed right away. Then we did lots of intimate things together…”
“…………”
“Stop, stop,” He Mu interrupted as it sounded more and more sinful. “Better not write it.”
“Why not!” Wenren Sheng was unhappy.
He Mu said honestly, “The way you put it makes me sound like I had designs on you since you were little and devoured you the instant you grew up. That’s just too…”
Wenren Sheng’s face turned red. “I didn’t think that!”
He Mu quickly stroked his bristling hair.
“I know you didn’t think that… Sigh, alright, alright, I was wrong. Sorry, Shengsheng.”
Hearing this, Wenren Sheng shot him a sulky glare before throwing himself into his arms and mumbling, “Even if the Mountain God had wicked thoughts about me from early on, I wouldn’t mind. You raised me, so I’m yours by right. What’s wrong with that!”
He Mu lightly patted Wenren Sheng’s back, thinking to himself that after all these years under Wenqu Star’s tutelage, how had this kid’s ideas still not been corrected?
With such an obedient personality, if anyone else had snatched him away, he’d probably be tricked head over heels, body and soul, in no time.
Sigh. Good thing the one Wenren Sheng met was him.
Wenren Sheng clung to him for a while before suddenly feeling something in He Mu’s collar poking his cheek.
He straightened up, reached into He Mu’s collar, and looked up at him curiously.
“What’s this?” It felt like a book.
“What?” He Mu rummaged in his collar and pulled out a book. “Oh, this.”
It was one of the Spring Palace Diagrams Wenren Sheng had hidden under the bed. He’d grabbed it on his way out.
!
Spotting the familiar cover, Wenren Sheng’s eyes widened, and he lunged to snatch it.
“Where did you get that!”
He Mu was faster and raised the book high out of his reach.
“I found it under the bed,” He Mu said innocently. “No idea who stuffed it there. I left in a hurry and haven’t even opened it.”
Wenren Sheng tiptoed desperately, straining to grab the book. His voice grew strained.
“You haven’t looked? Then… don’t look! This book’s mine—you can’t look!”
He Mu held his waist from behind, book still raised.
“Hey, why not let me see? Your master told me to read more books. I’ve turned over a new leaf lately. From now on, I’m gonna be a cultured guy.”
Wenren Sheng jumped up and finally snagged a corner. They each tugged one side, locked in stalemate midair.
Wenren Sheng urged, “Let go!”
He Mu asked, “What’s so shameful about this book?”
“Nothing shameful… but you just can’t look!”
“Books are made to be read. I need to study it properly so I can protect you better later, right?”
“There’s,” Wenren Sheng’s face burned red, “nothing to learn in here. You won’t learn a thing—give it back quick!”
“Oh…”
Hearing that, He Mu finally let go.
Wenren Sheng couldn’t stop his momentum and lost balance, toppling backward. Luckily, He Mu caught him before he sprawled out.
But He Mu clearly wasn’t letting him off easy. He kept the position, gripped Wenren Sheng’s wrist, and slowly slid his hand up, a finger flipping open the pages.
The battered booklet shed several pages with a rustle, lurid Spring Palace Diagrams flashing by.
“What about our two daughters then?”
He Mu leaned close, saying on purpose,
“If I don’t study this properly, how are we gonna raise daughters? You planning to raise them with someone else?”
He Mu got into it more, squeezing Wenren Sheng’s wrist a bit harder.
“Engaged to me, but thinking of starting a family with someone else?” he said to himself. “That hurts my feelings, Shengsheng. How are you gonna make it up to me?”
Wenren Sheng squeezed his eyes shut in mortified fury, thinking, isn’t this impossible to begin with?!
He finally saw it—these were all just He Mu’s excuses to trick him into bed!
And he’d… actually fallen for it so many times like an idiot!
