Chapter 21: Ye Yiyun’s Resolve

Ling Xiaodong turned around with a bitter smile, only to see Ye Yiyun’s face as cold as frost, her eyes filled with utter disappointment in him.

He had expected Aunt Yun to scold him harshly, but she said nothing. Without a word, Ye Yiyun turned and left.

“Hey, wait, Aunt Yun.”

Seeing this, Ling Xiaodong grew anxious. Even if Aunt Yun was going to scold him, he didn’t want her to just walk away like that. He hurriedly reached out and grabbed Ye Yiyun’s arm.

“Let go! I don’t have a single disciple nephew who would go to a place like that!”

Ye Yiyun flicked her sleeve and left without looking back.

“I really haven’t been there!”

Ling Xiaodong followed closely behind, nervously trying to prove his innocence, but Ye Yiyun ignored him completely.

Biting his lip, Ling Xiaodong devised a plan. He held firmly onto Ye Yiyun’s arm.

“Let go!” Ye Yiyun shouted angrily.

Ling Xiaodong paid no attention and instead loudly shouted amidst the crowd:

“Sis-in-law, let’s just confess to my brother about you carrying my child!”

The noisy crowd nearby immediately froze at this sudden outburst, stopping to watch. After all, people are naturally drawn to gossip.

Ye Yiyun turned back in surprise and looked at Ling Xiaodong.

Ling Xiaodong showed no signs of backing down.

“Sis-in-law, it’s not right to keep hiding this. If my brother divorces you, I’ll marry you!”

“Ling Xiaodong! Are you crazy!”

Ye Yiyun hastily turned back and covered his mouth to stop him from speaking nonsense.

The crowd, like sharks smelling blood, closed in around them, whispering and pointing.

“Hey, isn’t that Qingfeng Daoist from Qingfeng Temple?”

Someone recognized Ye Yiyun. After all, she frequented Peng City and had such an extraordinary appearance; quite a few people in the vast city knew her.

Hearing her name called out, Ye Yiyun quickly lowered her head, covering her face to avoid being seen, while dragging Ling Xiaodong away from the crowd. She hurried until they reached a deserted alley before stopping.

“You!”

Ye Yiyun was about to lash out but was suddenly pinned against the wall of the alley by Ling Xiaodong’s hands.

“Y-You… what are you doing?”

Startled by Ling Xiaodong’s unusual move, Ye Yiyun forgot to be angry.

Ling Xiaodong slowly leaned in, locking eyes seriously with Ye Yiyun. Their faces were so close their noses nearly touched.

The handsome youth’s warm, moist breath brushed across her face, his closeness causing Ye Yiyun’s heart to race.

She no longer knew how flushed her face had become; her beautiful eyes misty, tender like flowing water, hesitant yet welcoming.

A surge of excitement rose, but reason reminded her that this young man was both her disciple nephew and her son-in-law—she had to resist him.

Her mind was a whirlwind, a muddled mess, unsure what to do. So she simply closed her eyes, giving up on resisting, presenting herself like a willing, enchanting prize.

“Open your eyes,” Ling Xiaodong whispered.

Ye Yiyun kept her eyes tightly shut, thinking, “I’m not resisting, so is he really going to humiliate me by forcing me to open them?”

Ling Xiaodong took Ye Yiyun’s delicate hand and pressed it against his chest, speaking again, “Aunt Yun, look at me.”

Blushing, Ye Yiyun reluctantly opened her eyes, mist swirling within them, her gaze flickering.

Their eyes met, clear and distinct—his filled with sincerity.

“Aunt Yun, I swear with my Dao heart that I have never been to any brothel or pleasure house. If I lie, may my body and soul be destroyed and never transcend.”

Feeling Ling Xiaodong’s steady heartbeat beneath his broad chest through her hand, Ye Yiyun’s entire body melted. She no longer cared what he was saying.

“I believe you. I believe you. Now let me go.”

Seeing his plan had worked, Ling Xiaodong chuckled, releasing her hand and stepping back a few paces to give her room.

Ye Yiyun felt her legs weaken, sliding down the wall to sit on the ground.

“Aunt Yun, get up! The ground’s dirty.”

Ye Yiyun coldly pushed away Ling Xiaodong’s hand.

“None of your business.”

She sighed in frustration.

“Ah, if I had known, I wouldn’t have brought you down the mountain. You only cause trouble.”

Ling Xiaodong grinned cheekily. “How could that be? If not for me, Aunt Yun, you’d have been kidnapped and made a fortress wife by now.”

“Hmph.”

Knowing she was in the wrong this time, Ye Yiyun scoffed softly and rolled her eyes without replying.

After resting a moment and calming her racing heart, Ye Yiyun slowly stood, steadying herself against the wall. She peeked cautiously at the alley entrance, ensuring no onlookers were lurking before stepping out.

“Aunt Yun, are we still going to the tailor’s?”

Ling Xiaodong asked.

“Still going? It’s all your fault! I’m too ashamed to stay in Peng City now!”

Ye Yiyun raised her hand and smacked Ling Xiaodong’s head hard.

Ling Xiaodong held his head and said, “I’m already seventeen. Aunt Yun, why do you still like hitting my head?”

“So what? Can’t hit you? I will!”

Ye Yiyun lightly tapped twice more, noticing that Ling Xiaodong was now much taller than her; her hand could barely reach his head.

“Bend down! Didn’t you see how tired my arm got?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ling Xiaodong sighed and bent his head closer, but instead of a slap, a warm, soft hand gently stroked his cheek.

Confused, Ling Xiaodong looked up.

“Sigh, Aunt Yun, it’s not your fault. Even if you don’t provoke those women, they’d swarm around you like wild bees.”

Ye Yiyun paused, then said, “This time down the mountain has been quite an eye-opener. If we leave you be, how many peach blossoms will chase after you? This time, when we go back, you’ll become a Dao companion with Miss Xiaoyan, alright?”

Ling Xiaodong was puzzled why Aunt Yun suddenly mentioned Miss Xiaoyan but obediently replied, “As long as Xiaoyan agrees, I’ll follow Aunt Yun’s plan.”

“Mm, let’s go.”

For some reason, Ye Yiyun looked a little lonely. Watching her retreating back, Ling Xiaodong felt as if something had vanished, leaving him uneasy.

Ye Yiyun was aware that her recent changes were strange. Though it had only been a few days since coming down the mountain, she was increasingly unable to control herself, failing to act like a proper elder in front of Ling Xiaodong.

Whenever she spent time with him, she lost the mature and steady demeanor she usually maintained, behaving as if she were ten years younger, back in her youthful prime.

Youth was good, but such an attitude was not appropriate for a senior to a junior, especially since she was Ling Xiaodong’s mother-in-law.

The ambiguous behavior of a few days ago could be dismissed as closeness between elder and junior, but just now, when Ling Xiaodong had pinned her against the wall and she hadn’t resisted—in fact, she even vaguely hoped he would lean down and capture her lips—Ye Yiyun was shocked by her own bold fantasies.

Cultivators had clear minds, piercing to the heart’s core, unable to deceive themselves.

She knew harboring feelings for her disciple nephew was a grave mistake, one she must not repeat. Mentioning Miss Xiaoyan was to completely sever any possible connection between the two.

But she couldn’t shake the hollow feeling inside. For twenty-seven years she’d never been moved, and now the first person she liked was her own son-in-law. Ye Yiyun scolded herself for shamelessness and lack of restraint, failing to fulfill her responsibilities as an elder.

*****

Underground in Peng City.

In a cramped cavern, the sound of iron picks striking never ceased—clanging, pinging, maddening.

In a small room carved out deliberately, Xiao Qing was complaining to Mu Qinghe.

“Your Highness, look! Both my hands are full of blisters! The Chief is abusing me! Digging the dragon vein is one thing, but yesterday she didn’t even let me eat!”

Xiao Qing held up her battered hands, lamenting the Chief’s cruelty.

Mu Qinghe propped her head on one hand, eyes vacant as she stared at the empty wall, seemingly lost in thought.

A slender finger pressed against her rosy lips. For some reason, her pretty face flushed.

“Your Highness? Your Highness?”

Xiao Qing waved her hands in front of Mu Qinghe’s face until she snapped back.

“Huh? Ah! I was listening. Aunt Luo really was a bit too much.”

Xiao Qing crossed her arms, her small face still fuming.

“Your Highness, you weren’t listening at all just now!”

Though they were mistress and servant, having grown up together like sisters, their private interactions were always casual.

“No, no. How about this? Today we swap meals. You can have all of mine.”

Xiao Qing brightened. The Saintess’s meals were special. Although they often shared, having the whole portion alone was rare.

“Thank you, Your Highness. By the way, what were you just thinking about? You looked so absent-minded, your face even turned red.”

Suddenly remembering yesterday’s scene, Xiao Qing teased, “Could it be that handsome Daoist from yesterday?”

“N-No way! Don’t imagine things!”

Mu Qinghe, caught in a daughter’s secret thoughts, panicked.

Seeing her blush, Xiao Qing was stunned for a moment. She had only said it casually, but the reaction was so big. Then understanding dawned, her eyes gleamed as she whispered, “So you really were thinking about that Daoist from yesterday? Tell me exactly what happened!”

Mu Qinghe furrowed her brows, threatening, “Hey, it’s all nonsense. If you say more, I won’t swap anymore!”

“No, no, no, if you don’t want to talk, I won’t force it. It’s just that I guessed your secret—no need to be mad!”

“You… you deserve a beating!”

“Oh, Your Highness, mercy! Hahaha, don’t grab my waist, it tickles! I was wrong, I was wrong!”

The girls’ laughter and playful teasing filled the room long after.