Chapter 46: Appeasing My Wife
The weather was perfect; in the afternoon, many demons in the Cloud Spirit Realm were lazily basking in the sun.
Rong Xueman carried tea and snacks into the bedroom and saw the girl nestled in the small hammock without saying a word. She was no longer hugging her favorite pillow, but had replaced it with another one. She was staring blankly at the clouds and mist outside the window.
She placed the tea and snacks on the table, then looked up and asked, "Little Ying, did you and Xiao Yu have a fight?"
Upon hearing his name, Sang Ying snapped back to reality, her body stiffening, and she stammered, "No."
Rong Xueman sat down next to her, pinched her cheek with her finger, and smiled, "Then why have you been hiding here from me these past few days and refusing to see him?"
Sang Ying retorted stubbornly, "Didn't I come to see you before?"
“But back then you would drag me out to play every day, but now you just stay in your bedchamber all day long. You’ve been hiding for several days now.”
Rong Xueman saw right through it.
"What happened? Tell your mother. If Xiaoyu bullied you, your mother will get justice for you and make him kneel on the fruit shell." As she spoke, she took out a large fruit covered in thorns and skillfully began to peel it.
Sang Ying: "..."
It seems Xie Lingyu's father also knelt quite a few times.
Sang Ying opened her mouth to eat the fruit that Rong Xueman fed her, then buried her face in the pillow, leaving only her eyes visible, which were covered with a layer of damp moisture.
"Xie Lingyu and I didn't argue, it's just..."
But whenever she thought about what happened that day, she didn't know how to face him.
Now that his chaotic consciousness had completely cleared, all his memories came back. The various scenes of his cultivation that night lingered in his mind: how he kissed her, and how she begged him to kiss her...
How could she do such a thing? How shameful! She was crying and begging him to kiss her.
In short, just thinking about these things made her blush and her heart race. She was angry at herself for being so pathetic, and so ashamed that she wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.
The night after she woke up, she felt uncomfortable because her stomach was bloated, so Xie Lingyu carried her to the bathroom and had her sit on the table to help her clean up.
She was too weak to stop him and could only watch helplessly as his long fingers reached in and took out two lotus seeds.
...That bastard Xie Lingyu actually put lotus seeds in there!
The blocked lotus seeds were removed, and the honey jar storing sandalwood dew was overturned. The rich sandalwood dew flowed out, dripping down the table and pooling on the floor.
The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood, which mingled with the fragrance of lotus dew, creating an incredibly sweet aroma.
Sang Ying blushed again as she recalled the scene, burying her face completely in the pillow. She couldn't help but grit her teeth. That wretched Xie Lingyu! She had already told him not to look, but he insisted on turning her face so she could see.
"Just what?" Rong Xueman asked gently.
Sang Ying quickly shook her head, "It's nothing, I just want to be by myself for a while."
Rong Xueman smiled gently, her voice softening, "Is it because of... the joint cultivation matter?"
? !
Sang Ying was caught off guard and her eyes showed surprise. She quickly recovered and coughed lightly, about to brush it off, when Rong Xueman cupped her face in her hands.
"There's no need to hide it anymore. The Dragon Clan elders saw the Binding Ring when they were healing Xiaoyu the day before yesterday, and they already know everything."
Sang Ying: "..."
This hairnet leaves absolutely no privacy!
Now that she knew, Sang Ying had no more excuses and obediently nodded.
She buried her head in Rong Xueman's waist, smelling her sweet scent. Her tense nerves relaxed a lot, and she whispered, "Mother Rongrong, I feel... very strange."
Rong Xueman's expression turned serious for once, and she asked tentatively, "Is Xiaoyu really not good enough? The elders did send him a lot of immortal herbs a few days ago. Hmm, no wonder he came back so quickly. Normally, it would take ten days to half a month for anyone to recover."
Sang Ying: ?
Wait, how long?
Rong Xueman touched her little face, a little worried, "You've suffered, child. I'll ask Yu Cang to think of a way to find a doctor to come and see you."
Sang Ying grabbed her hand, her face serious: "No need, he's fine, it's my problem."
She already had back pain and couldn't take it anymore after just one night. She'll really die in half a month!
Rong Xueman felt even more sorry for Xie Lingyu after hearing this. She thought that she was trying to save face for Xie Lingyu. She patted her head and agreed on the surface, but secretly thought that Yu Cang should find more medical cultivators.
Sang Ying buried her head back in her arms, her voice muffled, and slowly said, "I just felt something was strange after that, and I didn't dare to see him."
Sang Ying recounted the entire story of how she and Xie Lingyu had known each other for so long, including how they met, their time as fellow students, and their three-year fake marriage.
Rong Xueman: "So you two only started dating a month ago?"
Sang Ying nodded.
Rong Xueman gritted her teeth, her gentle voice unable to suppress her anger, "What a brat!"
Sang Ying was a little confused and looked up, "Why are you suddenly scolding him?"
Although Rong Xueman is a dragon, she had lived in the cultivation world for a period of time and knew that human cultivators and dragons were different in nature. Human cultivators were reserved and introverted in their emotions, and many of them were too shy to even express their feelings.
Their approach to joint cultivation differs from that of the dragon race. Dragons can cultivate together simply by liking each other, while human cultivation is a long process. They must first fall in love, and only after their feelings deepen can they formally marry, and only then can things naturally progress.
Now that she knows the cause and effect of the matter, Rong Xueman is furious.
That rascal is really something. He had a crush on her for so long, and on the very first day he confessed his feelings to her, he lured her to bed. After they got together, they didn't even have a proper date. All he did was kiss and hug. He even dragged her into a physical incest session before his injuries had healed.
No wonder Sang Ying didn't dare to see him. They slept together without even dating. How could she not feel ashamed?
"Of course, it's because he deserves to be scolded."
Rong Xueman lifted her small face and said, "Xiaoying, you're spoiling him too much. Men are creatures that will take an inch and then a mile. You can't indulge him like this. Otherwise, he'll start to turn the tables and become the master."
...So it seems she really didn't really refuse Xie Lingyu.
The same thing happened that day. Before he could say anything, he just nuzzled against her, and she felt sorry for him because he had been recovering from his injuries for so long, so she agreed to his request.
Even if he did something she couldn't accept in the middle of an intimate moment, she would always soften her heart immediately afterward, at most complaining a few times before letting go of any accusations.
Like when he kissed her there while she was in the hot spring, and like a few days ago when he was cleaning her wound and she didn't want to look, he pinched her little face and turned her around so she had to see...
Sang Ying blinked. "Then what should I do?"
Rong Xueman: "As the head of the family, you must establish your authority. If he makes a mistake, punish him without being soft-hearted. Remember, men become more obedient the more you discipline them."
Sang Ying nodded and took out her notebook to take notes.
Although she was ruthless and decisive in managing the business, carving out her own territory, she was completely clueless when it came to matters of the heart.
Having lost her mother at a young age, she spent fifteen years on Minghua Mountain with only three senior brothers by her side, and not even a female cultivator with whom she could confide her girlish secrets.
For the next three years, she was busy with the Chamber of Commerce, contacting distributors and selecting locations to open branches. In just three years, she rose to become one of the four major chambers of commerce in the cultivation world.
She is intimately familiar with various business methods and price war tactics, and can readily answer any question about regional fluctuations in the import and export prices of any commodity. However, she is clueless about many matters of the heart that are common knowledge to ordinary people, such as matters of the relationship between men and women.
But that's okay, she can learn.
During her stay in Yunling Realm these past few days, Sang Ying also witnessed that Rong Xueman and Xie Yucang were clearly the heads of the household. If Rong Xueman said to go east, Xie Yucang would never dare to go west.
Despite her gentle and mild-mannered personality, Xie Yucang remained silent with just a casual remark, displaying remarkable authority. Therefore, listening to her was definitely the right thing to do!
Rong Xueman knew that she didn't understand matters between men and women, so she explained the process of falling in love between men and women among cultivators to her: "Xiao Ying, you're just too easily swayed. You agree as soon as he coaxes you, but that won't do."
“Although you are now husband and wife, you have never actually dated. He never seriously pursued you, and you agreed to practice together with him.”
Hearing the somewhat disappointed tone in her voice, Sang Ying obediently nodded, "I understand."
"Also, take a good look at this."
Rong Xueman took out several books about joint cultivation and spread them out in front of Sang Ying.
Sang Ying blushed as soon as she saw it, quickly turning her gaze away and whispering, "Rongrong's mother, this isn't necessary..."
Rong Xueman cupped her face and turned her around, her tone gentle yet earnest: "Little Ying, these are normal needs and behaviors, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Male cultivators are reckless, and they might only care about their own pleasure and not yours. Your body is weak, and it's easy for you to get hurt."
"You should understand these things, understand your own body, so you can treat yourself better. If he doesn't care about you, punish him severely and never let him into your bed again."
Sang Ying thought to herself, "Hmm... Xie Lingyu isn't the kind of person who only cares about himself. That night he kept asking her how she felt, but she didn't reply to a single word."
"Now that you're married, these kinds of things are inevitable. It's good to know more about each other. You should also communicate more in the future and talk about any problems so that things will be more harmonious."
When Sang Ying met Chen Jing's gentle and calm eyes, she also calmed down, her eyelashes trembled, and she nodded slightly.
"But not anytime soon. You should give that brat the cold shoulder for a while, and wait until he knows how to coax you into being happy." Rong Xueman snorted coldly.
Sang Ying: "..."
And so, under Rong Xueman's supervision, Sang Ying obediently finished reading a stack of books and crammed a lot of knowledge.
In just two days, Sang Ying read countless cultivation techniques and became familiar with various cultivation methods. She felt that her heart had become colder than a knife.
Sang Ying calmly closed the book, confident that she would no longer be shy in front of Xie Lingyu!
A gentle female voice sounded from behind: "The lotus flowers in the spirit pond are blooming beautifully. The little demons below have picked a lot of lotus seeds and just made lotus seed porridge. Xiao Ying, come and have a taste."
Sang Ying: "..."
"Hey, Hotaru, are you hot? Your face is so red."
...
The Moon-Gazing Terrace of the Dragon Palace is shrouded in mist.
Xie Yucang, who had been alone in his empty room for seven more days, leaned against a pillar with a resentful expression, looking at the white-robed youth gazing at the lotus pond.
"Son, when are you going to give my wife back to me?"
Xie Lingyu frowned as she looked at the misty lotus pond.
Ever since that day of joint cultivation, she has been avoiding him, staying in her bedchamber in the Dragon Palace all day without coming out.
He went to see her many times, but she always made excuses not to see him, saying she was sleepy and wanted to go to sleep even when it was still light out.
Xie Lingyu glanced at him gently: "If your wife hadn't stopped me, I would have already taken her away. Otherwise, why don't you go and stop her?"
Xie Yucang immediately deflated, "Then forget it. It's hard to coax your mother when she's angry."
He looked up at him and said quietly, "What did you do to offend that girl? It's been a week and she still doesn't want to see you."
Xie Lingyu lowered his eyelashes, obscuring his dark eyes. If he knew the answer to this question, he wouldn't be here thinking about it now.
Everything was fine that night. I did it after getting her permission, and I restrained myself, only practicing once as she asked.
Throughout the process, he was always mindful of her feelings, ensuring she didn't get hurt. He also carefully observed her reactions to make her feel better, and when she couldn't take it anymore, he gave her time to calm down and comforted her.
So where exactly did things go wrong?
"Oh dear, no matter what caused your anger, you can't solve the problem by just sitting here thinking."
Xie Yucang was somewhat exasperated: "Let me tell you, in times like this, don't think about where you went wrong first. Apologize first, make up with her first. Reason is important, but your wife is important too."
Of course, Sang Ying is more important.
He frowned, but didn't understand what he had done wrong, how to apologize, or how to appease her.
As if sensing his question, Xie Yucang patted his shoulder and said calmly, "You're not as professional as your dad in this area. Coaxing people is an art. The key is to please them. As long as they're happy, you'll naturally win them over."
"Prepare a gift for her whatever she likes, speak as gently as possible, and say all the nice things you can think of. Even if you get kicked out or turned away, you have to be shameless and persistent."
"In short, you can't get a wife if you're unwilling to lose face."
...
Inside the Dragon Palace's sleeping chamber.
Sang Ying nestled in the small hammock, swaying gently, reading a book while hugging a pillow.
Since that day, she hasn't seen Xie Lingyu for a week.
Although he didn't see the person, he still had someone deliver herbal medicine to him every day. In the past few days, his health has improved a lot, and he no longer has back pain.
During this week, she thought of him no matter what she was doing—while eating, while reading, and even while sleeping.
I wonder what he's doing right now...
"Xiao Ying, today is a festival in the human world. I heard it's very lively. Do you want to go and have some fun?" Rong Xueman asked.
Sang Ying snapped out of her reverie and shook her head. "I'm not going. I'd rather read."
Rong Xueman tapped on her book page, "But you've been looking at this page all afternoon."
"If you miss him, then go see him."
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and the little demon outside said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived and wishes to see the Crown Princess."
Sang Ying was taken aback and instinctively wanted to find an excuse not to see him, but Rong Xueman stopped her.
"Look, everyone's come looking for you. Go on, little Ying, my sweetie."
Rong Xueman pulled her out of the hammock and pushed her shoulder to the door, "Let's test the results of the special training."
Sang Ying was pushed out like that, and the door behind her closed. She looked up and met those dark, deep eyes without any warning.
The young man gazed at her quietly for a few moments, then whispered, "Junior Sister."
Sang Ying's eyelashes fluttered, and she slightly shifted her gaze. "What do you want from me?"
"It's a festival today, and there will be a lantern parade tonight. Would you like to go see it?"
Lanterns...!
Sang Yingxin was immediately intrigued. After hesitating for a moment, she whispered, "Then let's go take a look."
Upon arriving at the destination and seeing couples everywhere, Sang Ying suddenly realized that today was Qixi Festival.
A lantern was clearly offered to her by a finger bone. Sang Ying paused, took the handle, and held it up, looking down at the candle while her fingers fiddled with the petals.
The two walked slowly down the street, passing one stall after another. Xie Lingyu bought some Qiaoguo (a type of fried dough) and handed it to her.
Sang Ying glanced at it, took it, and silently began to eat.
After a while, the slender fingers handed over another candied hawthorn with a bright, clear color.
Sang Ying took it, opened her mouth, and bit off a piece.
Chew, chew, chew.
A little while later, a few glutinous rice balls, sugar cakes, pear blossom-flavored sweet rice balls, hibiscus milk cakes, fresh flower and ham cakes, and butter shortbread appeared...
Sang Ying burped: "...Xie Lingyu, are you feeding the pigs?"
The young man then stopped.
It was quiet for a short while.
A beautiful jade rabbit hairpin was handed over by slender fingers.
Sang Ying looked at it and thought the workmanship was quite exquisite. She then handed it to him and said, "Put it on for me."
After a while, a butterfly-shaped beaded flower appeared on her head.
A little while later, a hair ornament with iris tassels appeared on her head.
A little while later, a pair of gilded rose hair clips appeared on her head.
Sang Ying: "...If you wear two more layers, my head will break off."
The young man then stopped.
Sang Ying glanced at him furtively. Why was he acting so strangely today?
The lantern parade began, and a lively procession of floats passed through the center of the street. Sang Ying's eyes lit up as she looked at the exquisite lanterns.
But soon, the view ahead was completely blocked by the crowd. Sang Ying was not tall, and even if she stood on tiptoe and stretched her neck, she still couldn't see anything.
Suddenly, her waist tightened, and the young man picked her up.
Sang Ying was taken aback. Sitting on his arm, her view suddenly opened up, and she saw the parade.
But she wasn't really thinking about the lanterns; her mind was instead on the young man.
Her ears turned slightly red. With so many people around, how could he have picked her up without saying a word?
Soon the lantern parade vehicles were gone, and the crowd dispersed. The young man put her down, and Sang Ying lowered her head, straightened her skirt, and walked to the riverbank without saying a word.
The two stood on the riverbank, watching the willows sway in the breeze and the lanterns floating slowly on the water.
It was quiet for a long time.
Why did you suddenly ask me to look at the lanterns?
"I'm sorry, junior sister, I was wrong."
The two voices, uttered simultaneously, collided in the wind, causing both to pause in surprise.
Sang Ying immediately understood. It turned out that he thought she was angry, which was why he had been doing so many strange things today, trying to apologize to her.
She gave a soft hum and picked up Qiao: "What did you do wrong?"
Xie Lingyu paused, then tentatively asked, "Was the mistake... making my junior sister cry all night?"
It would have been better if she hadn't brought it up, because once it was mentioned, Sang Ying remembered that night again, her ears turned red with embarrassment, she glared at him angrily, and turned to leave.
Xie Lingyu quickly followed her back to the Dragon Palace.
It was already late, and Xie Yucang had long since coaxed his wife back to her own quarters, so Sang Ying could only return to her bedchamber alone.
Xie Lingyu watched the girl sit back in the hammock, then walked over and knelt down in front of her on one knee, looking her in the eye, and said in a softer tone, "Junior Sister..."
Suddenly, the girl in front of him took out a black iron washboard and threw it on the ground.
She kicked her toes to get into position, raised her wet eyes to look at him, crossed her arms and struck a pose full of arrogance, her fair little feet stepping on his knees, her ears slightly red as she stumbled along.
"Kneel down."
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