Yu Mo

Just as Yan Dan was mentally cursing for the twentieth time, she suddenly heard the slanted beaded curtain sway and clink softly. A gentle, deep voice chuckled and said, "Didn't I tell Bai Ling that we didn't need to wait for me? Why is everyone still sitting here?"

Yan Dan kept her head down, looking at her knees. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a dark robe sweeping past her, a faint scent of lotus and wood slowly filling the air. She couldn't help but steal a glance upwards, only to see the person gently lift the hem of their robe and sit down behind a low table next to Zi Lin, their elbow casually resting on the corner of the table, their posture extremely elegant.

Zi Lin's gloomy expression softened slightly: "What's a little waiting? It's only been a little over an hour."

Yan Dan was furious. "Only a little over an hour? How easy you say that! You're just sitting here drinking tea and eating snacks, so a little over an hour is nothing to you. But they've all been kneeling upright. If they had to kneel any longer, they probably wouldn't even be able to stand up!"

Yu Mo chuckled softly, "Forget it, let them get up and sit down. Kneeling like this is tiring."

The clan chief immediately said, "What's a little tiredness? A young lady should act like a young lady, otherwise what kind of behavior is this?"

Yan Dan spent quite a few days with mortals. In fact, the customs of the mortal world were much more difficult for women. For example, they could not raise their heads to look directly at others when walking or talking, and they could not run but could only take small steps. If they came from a good family, they would never leave their homes. In short, mortals had all the rules that demons had, and mortals also had the rules that demons did not have.

But chieftain, your flattery is far too obvious and too unreserved...

Yu Mo took the teacup from Bai Ling, smiled slightly, nodded to her, and said nothing more.

Yan Dan wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but ever since Lord Yu Mo appeared, the chilling wind overhead had vanished, and the entire hall was filled with the warmth of spring. When Zi Lin pushed the brocade box containing the Yanbi Pill, presented by the clan leader, in front of Yu Mo and said, "It's said that this Yanbi Pill is good for conditioning the body, you can keep it for yourself," Yan Dan felt as if she had instantly transitioned from the warm spring breeze to the sweltering heat of summer, her blood boiling with excitement.

She forced her gaze to the clan chief's shiny bald head, trying to calm herself.

Just as she calmed her agitated emotions, she suddenly heard a light clinking sound from above as the lid of a teacup tapped against the glass. Yan Dan involuntarily looked up and saw Yu Moshan holding the teacup, coldly staring in her direction. Without any apparent effort from him, a crack appeared on the teacup with a snap, and the fissure spread outwards like tangled tree roots.

Yan Dan was terrified.

That look... could it be directed at her?

If the Purple Lin Mountain Lord's stern face looked like someone had killed his entire family, then the way the Yu Mo Mountain Lord looked at her only meant that she had not only killed his entire family, but also whipped their corpses. However, Yan Dan thought and thought, even bringing up the matter of plucking three hairs from the Antarctic Immortal's beard in the Heavenly Court, but still couldn't recall when she had offended him.

Fortunately, after a moment, Yu Mo slowly put down his teacup, turned to Zi Lin and said, "Then I shall accept your offer."

Yan Dan stared at the teacup, now reduced to shards of porcelain, her heart pounding with anxiety. She no longer wanted Yan Bi Dan; she just wanted to find a place to hide, even if it meant digging a hole.

The clan chief rubbed his hands together, his beard twitching with a smile: "Mountain Lord, look here, these are all beauties we've carefully selected. I wonder which one catches your eye?"

Zi Lin waved his hand, looking rather uninterested: "Take them all back."

But then Yu Mo suddenly said, "Since that's the case, then I'll just pick one, and only one."

Yan Dan shifted her body very slightly, feeling as if all her bones were stiff and cracking. She tried to think of the bright side of things: the mountain lord Yu Mo hadn't been looking at her, so she wasn't his enemy. And in fact, it was the first time she had ever seen him... That was probably it...

The dark robe drew closer and closer, then passed by her and went behind her. Yan Dan had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Yu Mo say calmly, "I only want the best one. Which of you is willing to stay?"

She certainly wouldn't be the best one, but Yan Dan was confident in her thick skin and immediately responded, "Lord Mountain Master, may I stay?"

Yu Mo stopped and turned his head to look at her with raised eyebrows: "You?"

Yan Dan smiled at him, her smile clear and bright: "Well, while my looks aren't the best, my cultivation is very profound... cough, no, many people say I'm gentle, considerate, and understanding." She knew from Yuan Dan that Mountain Lord Yu Mo preferred tall, gentle, and obedient women. The first criterion was her appearance, but the latter two were definitely desirable. She wondered if it was too late to start learning to be obedient and gentle...

Yu Mo suddenly smiled, a smile as gentle as a breeze, and said decisively, "Okay."

Yan Dan was racking her brains trying to think of any other advantages she could list when she suddenly heard him say this, and she was immediately dumbfounded.

It was too easy, almost... too easy for her to accept.

Yu Mo walked up to her and slowly extended his hand: "Get up, I will have Bai Ling lead you to my place."

Yan Dan reached out and grabbed his hand, momentarily stunned and unable to react. She felt the murderous intent rising in the eyes of her clansmen, as if they wanted to chop her into pieces. She looked up and saw a handsome face, and in his hand, a brocade box containing the Yanbi Pill. Suddenly, she realized how wonderful this world was.

Dan Shu whispered to her father, "Will that older sister stay here and play with me from now on?"

Yuan Dan gently patted the little wolf demon's head: "Your sister isn't playing with you, she has to accompany the mountain lord, be good." He looked up at Yan Dan, still somewhat incredulous, and murmured, "Could it be that she's really tired of the same dish and wants a change?"

Yan Danmei thought to herself with delight, "This Lord Yu Moshan really has an eye for talent. He saw how good I am at a glance. I said it all along: even if I were just a plate of vegetables and radishes, I would be a unique vegetable and radish that surpasses all delicacies in the world."

Suddenly, Yu Mo's gentle, deep voice said, "Bailing, take her to the study and teach her how to put the books away neatly. Then, while you're at it, tidy up my room. From now on, you can leave all these things to her."

Almost instantly, everyone's expression softened. Yuan Dan showed an "I see" look, and Zi Lin said with a smile, "I was just wondering why your standards are getting lower and lower. You even like this kind of thing."

Yan Dan was already numb from the mental torment. She just kept thinking that if only one person said she wasn't good, she could pretend she didn't hear it. But with so many people saying the same thing, was she really that bad?

So, Lord Yu Mo didn't actually want a concubine, he just wanted a maid, which is why he chose her. Why didn't he say so earlier?! Yan Dan was furious. What a scoundrel! He just bullies her, a weak woman who came from afar. Not only does she want to steal his Yanbi Pill, but she also wants to take all his treasures and abduct all his concubines... It's infuriating!

Many years later, Yan Dan learned that Yu Mo's words had reached the Flower Spirit Clan, making her an overnight role model for how her clansmen educated their daughters. Every mother would say the same thing: "If you do this or that, you'll never get married and no one will want you, just like Yan Dan."

She became famous.

"Everything needs to be wiped three times, then dried, and finally wiped with a white cloth. It's done when you see there's no dust left." Bailing deftly wiped the surface of the cabinet clean.

Yan Dan looked around and carefully examined Yu Moshan's room. She couldn't help but ask, "So the mountain lord is so particular about cleanliness that he can't even tolerate a speck of dust?"

Bai Ling looked up and asked in surprise, "No, I've always done it this way, and the Mountain Lord hasn't said it's wrong. Do you think there's anything wrong with it?" She put down the white cloth and pointed to the sandalwood incense burner by the window, saying, "The Mountain Lord hasn't been sleeping well these past few nights. Don't forget to light the sandalwood incense at night."

Yan Dan could only nod and agree. Bai Ling was so meticulous; she figured the Mountain Lord wouldn't even care about a few specks of dust on the table. She was working so hard, it was truly exhausting. Bai Ling handed her the things she was carrying and repeated the instructions: "Wipe it three times, then dry it and wipe it again. Don't forget, and..."

Yan Dan hurriedly reached out and pushed Bai Ling's shoulder: "I know, I know, Sister Bai Ling, is there any more agarwood to order? I've remembered it all."

Bai Ling couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, I won't nag anymore. Look, it's getting dark outside. Lord Yu Mo will be back soon, so we need to hurry." Before leaving, she turned back and reminded him: "Wipe it three times, and then wipe it again with a white cloth."

Yan Dan finally understood why Lord Yu Mo was in such a hurry to find a maid. It would be a waste to turn such a charming beauty like Bai Ling into an old woman. She picked up the hairpin that she had casually taken from Bai Ling's hair when she pushed Bai Ling's shoulder, looked at it in the oil lamp light, gently placed it on the ground, and then began to rummage through the chests and cabinets.

Now that things have come to this, she must find Yan Bi Dan. Even if she can't find Yan Bi Dan, she must find a similar treasure that can dispel yin energy to replace it. Most people usually hide important things deep in closets or locked places. Now that she's in, she'll search carefully.

As for the tables and chairs, they were already clean enough, so there was really no need to wipe them again.

When Yu Mo suddenly pushed the door open, Yan Dan was standing on a round stool, rummaging through a high cabinet. She was already moving very quietly, and being completely absorbed in her task, she hadn't noticed anyone approaching. Only when she heard the door creak open did Yan Dan react immediately, leaping down with the force of a tiger and crouching on the floor, pretending to search for something.

Yu Mo strolled to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then walked over to her after a moment. Yan Dan was very nervous; she had moved quickly enough that she shouldn't have been noticed... She saw Yu Mo walk to within five steps of her, bend down, pick up Bai Ling's hairpin, and hand it to her: "Is this yours?"

Yan Dan quickly stood up and smiled slightly at him: "This belongs to Sister Bailing, not mine."

Yu Mo gave a faint "hmm" and casually placed the hairpin on the table: "So you were helping her find it."

Yan Dan thought for a moment and realized that now that the person in question was back, she couldn't look for the items anymore, but she had to be gentle and considerate. So she stepped forward and said, "The tea has gone cold. I'll go and get a fresh pot."

Yu Mo, feeling a little sleepy, propped his forehead with his hand and said softly, "No need, something cool is fine."

Remembering Bai Ling's instructions, Yan Dan went over and lit the incense, then asked tentatively in a soft voice, "Mountain Master, are you very tired? Would you like me to massage your shoulders?"

Yu Mo glanced at her with some surprise, but before he could speak, there were two knocks on the door. Bai Ling pushed the door open and said, "I lost my hairpin. I don't know if it's..." She spotted the hairpin on the table and happily picked it up. "This hairpin is my favorite. I'm so glad that you found it, Mountain Lord."

Yu Mo said slowly, "I didn't find it; Yan Dan found it for you."

Yan Dan was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding why Yu Mo would say that, but Bai Ling's next words immediately plunged her into an ice cave: "Huh, Yan Dan, how did you know I was looking for this hairpin?"

Yan Dan could only manage a dry laugh: "When you left, I noticed something seemed to be missing from your hair, so I looked around..."

Bai Ling held the hairpin, thanked him repeatedly, and left. Yan Dan, however, felt a cold sweat break out all over her body for no reason. It turned out that being a thief in one's own home wasn't such an easy thing after all.

Yu Mo didn't seem to care much about the matter, and said indifferently, "I don't find that quilt very comfortable. Could you please bring me a thinner one?"

She had searched through most of the cabinets in the room. She remembered where the quilt was, so she opened one of the cabinets with practiced ease and picked out a thin quilt.

Suddenly, Yu Mo said, "It seems that Bai Ling has already told you where everything is and what it is."

Yan Dan stood stiffly in place, clutching the blanket, and after a short while said, "Yes." Now that Bai Ling was gone, there was no one to question him. He wouldn't be so bored as to wait until tomorrow to ask Bai Ling, would he?

She patted the quilt, which was already quite soft and should be very comfortable to sleep under. Then she put the quilt away from the bed. While doing these things, she suddenly smelled a very pleasant fragrance. She turned her head slightly and saw Yu Mo take out a brocade box from under the books on the table, open it, look at it, and then casually toss it back down.

Yan Danzhen wanted to slap herself a few times. The thing she was looking for had been carelessly left there, and she had actually been rummaging through drawers and cabinets, only to end up in this embarrassing situation now...

When she finished her work and went back to the mountain lord, she found him slumped over the table with his eyes closed, as if he were asleep. Yan Dan leaned down and looked at his young and handsome face, wondering with distress whether he was really asleep or just resting. She wasn't sure, and seeing the Yan Bi Dan right in front of her, yet not daring to reach out and take it, felt too guilty.

Yan Dan reached out and gently nudged his shoulder, saying softly, "Mountain Lord, if you're sleepy, go to bed."

Yu Mo hummed in agreement, but remained motionless: "Call me again in half an hour."

Yan Dan could only watch the hourglass, constantly glancing back at the Yanbi Pill, continuing her internal struggle and torn between two options. To take it or not to take it—it was truly a difficult decision. Watching the sand silently slip away, Yan Dan's eyelids grew heavy, and she eventually drifted off to sleep.