Chapter 142 A Family
Duan Lansheng was quick and efficient, boiling another basin of water and being very attentive, not even letting her wring out the towel. Lu Yuanyuan washed her face and rinsed her mouth, and he didn't try to avoid her, standing by her side, his gaze fixed on her movements, as if this simple scene was so pleasing to the eye.
Even with her eyes closed, Lu Yuanyuan could feel those two gazes: "..."
She couldn't help but turn slightly to wipe her face.
Judging by the time, it was almost noon. However, the southern region itself lacked sunlight, and with the rain continuing, the sky was as dim as if evening were approaching. Duan Lansheng poured hot water, carefully closed the windows, and lit a candle in the room.
The room was instantly filled with a warm light, which brushed against Duan Lansheng's profile like fireflies reflected on snow, making the flame pattern on his forehead as bright as blood.
Upon meeting Lu Yuanyuan's gaze, he smiled faintly and suggested, "It's still raining outside, so let's stay home today and not go anywhere. I brought back a chess set from the foot of the mountain, and it's been sitting in my box ever since. I haven't had a chance to show it to you yet. Shall we play a game?"
He looked somewhat expectant.
Lu Yuanyuan pursed her lips and said, "Not today. I have some things to take care of at the palace."
The question of whether glutinous rice balls and the Soul-Crossing Thorns clashed still lingered in her mind; she still wanted to find out. In this world, only Xiao Ruo's system could answer her question. After all, the Soul-Crossing Thorns were something the system had given her.
Duan Lansheng paused for a moment, then quickly took two steps toward her: "Okay, I'll take you there."
That won't do. If I want to see the system, I have to find Xiao Ruo. How can I bring a tagalong along?
Lu Yuanyuan quickly stopped her: "No, don't come."
Startled by her shout, Duan Lansheng stopped in his tracks. He was obedient enough to flutter his eyelashes and silently watched her without saying a word.
This appearance inexplicably reminds one of large dogs that are forbidden by their owners from leaving the house.
Could it be that her resistance was too forceful, making him suspicious?
Lu Yuanyuan's thoughts shifted, she adjusted her tone, walked back, came to him, raised her hand and pressed Duan Lansheng's shoulder, trying to push him back into the chair: "You were in such a state yesterday, you're too weak to come along, I'll be back in two hours at most."
Whether it was a misperception or not, Duan Lansheng's expression seemed to stiffen slightly when she pointed out that he was "physically weak." But before she could think about it, the next second, he grasped her hand.
Duan Lansheng did not sit down following the force of her massaging his shoulders. Instead, he grabbed her hand, slowly inserted his thumb into her palm, squeezed it, and then slowly released it, smiling slightly: "Okay, then we'll wait for you to come back at home."
"Be careful on the road, and come back soon."
...
Lu Yuanyuan arrived at Xuanzhao Palace and, familiar with the place, found Xiaoruo's palace and climbed inside.
There were no servants in the palace. Xiao Ru was sleeping and was startled by her sudden intrusion. After hearing her purpose, Xiao Ru asked curiously, "What do you want to ask my system?"
Lu Yuanyuan said without changing her expression, "There are some things I didn't hear clearly about the Soul-Crossing Thorns, and I'd like to ask about them again."
Xiao Ru didn't doubt her words. A moment later, an electronic voice appeared in Lu Yuanyuan's mind: "I'm here. What do you want to ask?"
Each conversation with the system was a 1-on-1 encrypted call, so Lu Yuanyuan directly voiced her concerns.
System: "Last time you only told me part of the backstory, and I thought Duan Lansheng had already finished shaping Tangyuan's body. But from what you're saying now, it's not over yet. Under this premise, there is indeed a probability that Tangyuan and the Soul-Crossing Thorns will clash. After all, two tigers cannot share one mountain, and these two are in a competitive relationship to some extent."
Lu Yuanyuan's expression turned slightly serious.
At that moment, she was incredibly grateful that she was cautious by nature and had made this trip today.
The system continued, "In other words, we can only use [Soul-Crossing Thorns] when Tangyuan is no longer dependent on Duan Lansheng and can survive independently in the world, in order to avoid irreversible damage to both parties."
Having obtained the answer, Lu Yuanyuan stepped out of Xiao Ruo's palace.
With no other plans, it was time to return to Mangshan. But as she walked through the garden, she suddenly heard a delighted voice: "My Lord Immortal, you're here! This is wonderful!"
A demon servant darted through the flower bushes, ran up to her, bowed, and beamed with joy.
It turned out that just half an hour ago, Jin'ao Island had suddenly sent an envoy to discuss something with her. The Demon King was about to send his attendants to Mangshan to invite her, but to his surprise, she was right there in the palace.
With business at hand, Lu Yuanyuan didn't waste any more time: "Okay, let's go."
Urgent matters came crashing down on her like a blizzard. Lu Yuanyuan was so busy that it was already dark.
Stepping out of the council hall, Lu Yuanyuan couldn't help but sigh and cover her forehead.
There's a saying that's true: you can't eat just anything, and you can't say just anything. She lied to Duan Lansheng that she had official business to attend to, but she really was dragged out to work overtime halfway there, and she's been busy until this late.
Is her a cursed mouth that's been blessed?
This time was already well past the time she had told Duan Lansheng when she would return.
It was late at night when we returned to Mangshan.
The rain stopped, but the fog lingered. The night air was crisp and cool, and every blade of grass and tree on Mangshan seemed soaked in water; occasionally, a small animal would skim across a puddle. The house glowed with a dim, yellow light in the darkness, quietly awaiting the return of those who came home late.
Lu Yuanyuan stood at the door for a moment before gently pushing it open. With a creak, candlelight spilled out of the room. She immediately saw a chessboard on the table in the hall, with chess pieces scattered haphazardly beside it. Duan Lansheng, dressed in an old robe, his long hair loosely tied back with a ribbon, held a chess piece in his hand.
The candle wick burned, serene and peaceful. Duan Lansheng lowered his head, propping his cheek up, because he couldn't see the eerie flame pattern on his forehead clearly, and it seemed as if he saw him in the past in Mount Shu.
A fluffy little fox head nestled affectionately against his neck. The little guy was quite lazy, with short arms and legs, but he was rather clever. Once he figured out the next move, he would lift one of his tails and nudge the piece with the tip of his tail.
However, his tail was too thick, and the pieces were placed too densely. Every time his tail crossed the board, it created an effect similar to Moses parting the sea, leaving the innocent pieces on either side dangling precariously.
The father and son were playing chess and talking in hushed tones. They stopped talking as soon as they sensed her entering. The man and the fox looked up simultaneously, one pair of bright, sparkling eyes, the other round and clear, both staring at her in a rather amusing way.
Lu Yuanyuan froze, captivated by the two pairs of gazes. She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to explain why she was late. But Duan Lansheng didn't seem inclined to pry into her lateness. He smiled and asked, "You're back. Have you eaten anything?"
Lu Yuanyuan's inexplicable wariness instantly dissipated, and she shook her head. Duan Lansheng noticed her gaze on the table and explained, "This is the chess game I talked about with you at noon. I want to teach Tangyuan how to play first, so we can play together later."
He placed his hand lightly on the table, stood up, smiled again, and said, "Take a rest. There's dinner in the kitchen. I'll heat it up and bring it to you."
Tonight's dinner was also prepared by Duan Lansheng himself, with fresh wild vegetables and chicken laid out on a plate. Lu Yuanyuan had already ascended to the celestial realm and wouldn't go hungry after a busy day, but upon smelling the aroma, she immediately felt her stomach churn and her saliva began to flow.
Duan Lansheng put down the dishes and set out two more sets of bowls and chopsticks, one set in front of him.
Lu Yuanyuan was taken aback: "It's so late, you haven't eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten the glutinous rice balls. I wasn't feeling hungry at first, but seeing you come back suddenly gave me an appetite."
Lu Yuanyuan's fingers tightened on her chopsticks, causing the meat on them to slip off.
Duan Lansheng was dreaming about his future with her. He didn't know she was lying to him.
She wants to take advantage of Duan Lansheng's return home, so the opportunities to eat face-to-face with him like this will only become fewer and fewer in the future.
Lu Yuanyuan concealed her emotional turmoil, picked up the piece of meat again, and instead of responding to Duan Lansheng's words, changed the subject, asking, "Is Tangyuan feeling better tonight? Why did he come out?"
"He felt better after resting in my belly for a while. Mainly, he wanted to see you."
...
Before long, the food was all gone. In modern times, people can go for a walk or watch a movie after a meal. But here, entertainment options are much scarcer, especially since they live on this mountain.
Tangyuan was indeed much more energetic than in the morning. Not wanting to disturb Lu Yuanyuan's meal, he had been obediently squatting beside her until she finished eating, then snuggled into her arms and let out a coquettish whimper.
Duan Lansheng finished cleaning up the dishes and returned to find this scene. He frowned, walked over, bent down, and said, "Did Tangyuan tire you out? Give it to me, I'll go boil some water for you to take a bath."
"Wait a minute." Lu Yuanyuan pursed her lips and said, "Didn't you want to teach me a new game of chess? It's still early, let me learn it."
No sooner had she finished speaking than her shoulder was grabbed, and Duan Lansheng squatted down in front of her, his gaze intense: "You want to play?"
"I'm not sleepy yet, so I'll play with Tangyuan for a while." Lu Yuanyuan looked away and said softly, "But if Tangyuan gets tired, then forget it."
The little fox in her arms eagerly tugged at her clothes with its paws, clearly understanding her words and trying to tell her through its actions that it wasn't tired.
Before dinner, the chessboard was cleared away, and Duan Lansheng moved it back to the table and rearranged the pieces. For some reason, he seemed a little flustered when arranging the pieces, and he didn't hold them firmly.
The rules weren't difficult to understand, and Lu Yuanyuan quickly grasped how to play. The three of them each took a piece of one color, and the game began.
Lu Yuanyuan lowered her eyes and placed a piece on the chessboard.
She suggested playing chess not only for the sake of that plan, but also because the reason the envoy from Jin'ao Island had come today was related to the war with the Ghost Emperor.
Even though she wasn't on the front lines and couldn't accurately predict the course of the war, she could still deduce from the battle reports that their current idyllic life on Mount Mang, deliberately created by Duan Lansheng, probably wouldn't last long. They would soon be leaving Mount Mang.
Moreover, ever since she obtained the Soul-Crossing Thorn, she had an inexplicable and strong premonition—that she would not be coming back after leaving.
The phrase "never to return" refers not only to Mangshan, but also to this otherworldly realm of cultivation.
This time it's a real homecoming.
Nine-tailed foxes have very long lifespans. Compared to Tangyuan's entire life, the time she, his mother, occupied in his memory was pitifully short.
Her entanglement with Duan Lansheng dates back to a previous life, which is another matter entirely. She feels guilty towards this child who knows nothing. She will be leaving, so she cannot devote too much emotion or time to him. Therefore, she wants to leave him with some memories of companionship before she departs—though it may be insufficient.
But you never know. If Tangyuan grows up and learns about the entanglement between her and Duan Lansheng in this life, she might not necessarily remember her.
No one knows about her past life, so naturally no one can understand her.
Lu Yuanyuan sighed softly, cleared her mind of distractions, gripped the chess piece, and earnestly entered the zone.
She was engrossed in playing chess, the candlelight flickering softly in the room, her breathing rising and falling gently. Duan Lansheng looked over and could see the woman and the little fox in front of him.
Tonight is not a time he tricked or stole.
He no longer wore the high priest's mask when he was with her.
Lu Yuanyuan already knows the truth, and she has chosen to try to accept them back.
The worst thing in her imagination didn't happen. She didn't hate him for being a monster, and she even liked tangyuan (sweet rice balls).
Right now, the people in this picture look like... a family.
A family.
Duan Lansheng's fingers paused, as if a moth had flown into his chest, restlessly bumping against the walls of his heart, causing an indescribable heat to rise within him.
In the third game, Lu Yuanyuan made a basic mistake and suffered a crushing defeat.
Lu Yuanyuan felt slightly embarrassed and stopped. Duan Lansheng understood, reached out and picked up Tangyuan, patted his back, and gently coaxed him, "Let's stop playing here for today, it's time for us to go to sleep."
Tangyuan blinked, turned back reluctantly, glanced at Lu Yuanyuan, and obediently snuggled into her father's arms, but did not turn into specks of light and disappear like she had in the morning.
Lu Yuanyuan glanced quickly at his abdomen: "Tangyuan doesn't need to go back to your..."
Duan Lansheng shook his head: "Before, he wanted to come out but couldn't. Now, as long as he can materialize, I'll let him stay outside... We've arrived."
As he spoke, he escorted her back to her room. The two of them, one big and one small, stood outside the door, smiling as they said goodnight to her.
Lu Yuanyuan closed the door, slowly squatted down in the dark room, and silently let out a sigh of relief.
The scam officially began on this day.
Honestly, Lu Yuanyuan didn't think her acting was flawless. But perhaps it really was true that when someone desires something too much, they become blinded by hope, lose their intuition, automatically ignore some inaccurate details, and only receive positive signals.
Not to mention, it wouldn't be difficult for her to pretend to gradually open her heart to Duan Lansheng.
Unlike when she was in Shu Mountain, where she had to personally participate in the scheme, this time she didn't need to make any special sacrifices or endure any humiliation or pay any price. As long as she treated Duan Lansheng well, she could make him...believe it was true.
Before you know it, half a month has passed.
During this period, Mangshan received ample rainfall, with rain almost every day. However, none of it was as heavy as tonight. Lu Yuanyuan stayed in her room, listening to the rustling sound of the roof, wondering if the tiles were about to be blown away by a strong wind. Despite the torrential sound of water, she couldn't sleep, so she simply sat up and began to cultivate. She had just completed one small cycle when there was a knock on the door.
The meditation session was interrupted, and Lu Yuanyuan suddenly opened her eyes.
For the past two weeks, she had carefully controlled the boundaries of their interactions, maintaining a comfortable distance from Duan Lansheng. Their most intimate interaction was a handshake, and that was only in Tangyuan's presence. Duan Lansheng also kept his word, giving her time to consider and not pressuring her to be close to him, demonstrating great tact.
This is the first time someone has knocked on her door so late at night.
What happened?
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