Would Du Yueyao living with Liu Qingyan affect Liu Qingyan coming over next door?
The answer is, no!
Liu Qingyan’s cultivation was now high enough that with a puff of smoke, Liu Qingquan and Du Yueyao would sleep soundly through the night, with such good sleep quality they wouldn’t even dream.
Plus, with Shen Ying also staying at the Lu household, three days later, Lu Zheng had to make an excuse about having business and prepared to return to the modern world for a night’s sleep.
Lin Wan, dressed in her police uniform, pushed Lu Zheng onto the sofa. “You’re finally back!”
Lu Zheng: ╭(°A°`)╮
…
“You tell me, merit comes from doing good deeds, yet it becomes a source of trouble for oneself. Where’s the justice in that?”
At Mingyue Tower, Lu Zheng was drinking and eating with Duan Changzai.
Duan Changzai had spent the past few days touring southern Yizhou and had returned to Tonglin County.
“Merit is a good thing, so those who like to reap without sowing set their sights on ordinary people with merit. It’s truly despicable,” Duan Changzai nodded.
“Ever thought of going to the southern border to wipe out the Yuansheng Sect?” Lu Zheng prodded.
Duan Changzai gave a wry smile. “If we could, we would’ve done it long ago. It’s not that simple.”
“Are the Yuansheng Sect’s experts that formidable?”
“It’s not just about the Yuansheng Sect. If we move against them, the entire southern border’s sects would likely unite against us.”
Duan Changzai explained, “At least officially, we can’t act. Ordinary sects have no reason to risk their lives against the Yuansheng Sect either. Even Baiyun Temple wouldn’t make a move.”
Lu Zheng nodded, narrowing his eyes, understanding the logic.
If you reach out, I’ll cut off your hand, but I won’t go to your territory and impose my values.
It’s the same principle as the division of influence among modern nations.
Well, except for the Anglo-Saxons.
“So, if we keep cutting off the Yuansheng Sect’s reaching claws, they’ll quiet down for a while?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Exactly,” Duan Changzai nodded.
Lu Zheng shook his head helplessly, thinking he’d have to deal with the Yuansheng Sect himself eventually.
There’s only a thief for a thousand days, not a guard for a thousand days.
Fortunately, both he and Liu Qingyan had high cultivation. Unless the sect sent their top experts, he…
Could always call for backup!
After the meal with Duan Changzai, who didn’t linger and rode off on horseback as the sky was still light, Lu Zheng returned home.
At his doorstep, he heard clattering noises from the Liu household next door.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
“Young Master’s here!” Liu San opened the door, saw Lu Zheng, and quickly stepped aside to let him in.
Lu Zheng walked past the screen wall and saw candles lit in the Liu family’s front hall, where Madam Liu, Liu Qingyan, Shen Ying, and Du Yueyao were enthusiastically playing mahjong.
Lu Zheng: ???
He shook his head, but this relaxed attitude was good.
The Yuansheng Sect’s leader or a bunch of saintesses weren’t coming. A mere sorcerer, even with centuries of cultivation, wasn’t unbeatable. No need to be overly anxious.
“Big Brother Lu!”
Seeing Lu Zheng return, Du Yueyao greeted him cheerfully and stood up. “Big Brother Lu, want to play?”
Lu Zheng waved his hand. “You keep playing, I’ll just watch.”
With Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying present, Lu Zheng couldn’t pick sides, and with Madam Liu as an elder, he grabbed a stool, sat behind Du Yueyao, watched her play, and chatted with everyone.
“Settling in well at the Liu household?”
“Very well!” Du Yueyao smiled excitedly and shyly. “I sleep side by side with Sister Liu every night, we talk about medicine before bed, and I sleep so comfortably!”
Madam Liu glanced at Du Yueyao and Liu Qingyan with amusement.
Liu Qingyan smiled faintly, playing a tile naturally. “Five wan.”
It was Du Yueyao’s turn, but she hesitated, blinking, then looked back at Lu Zheng for help.
“Chow!”
“Got it!”
Du Yueyao nodded immediately, laying down three wan and four wan, taking the five wan.
“Hmm, one chicken!”
Du Yueyao continued playing with a grin.
Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying exchanged a glance, each smiling.
Shen Ying looked up and asked, “Did Official Duan say anything? Has that person shown themselves?”
“No,” Lu Zheng shook his head. “The Yuansheng Sect’s techniques are extraordinary. Unless they make a move, it’s hard to see through their disguise.”
“Why’s he back in Yizhou? Because their last sorcerer died here?” Liu Qingyan asked.
Lu Zheng nodded. “The Anomaly Bureau thinks so too. They even suspect the sorcerer might have reported finding Qingyan.”
“That’s unlikely, or they wouldn’t have waited this long to return,” Shen Ying said.
“True,” Lu Zheng nodded. “But they did show up at the Rongzhou border. They’re likely in Yizhou now. Yueyao’s relatively more at risk, so we need to stay vigilant.”
“No worries, I’m happy staying at Sister Liu’s!” Du Yueyao smiled.
Knowing Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying were skilled cultivators, Du Yueyao had let go of her initial crush on Lu Zheng, though her admiration grew over time.
No surprise there; Lu Zheng was too different from the men of this world.
Forget poetry, calligraphy, or art—name one capable man in this world who’d willingly cook for his family?
Not to mention Lu Zheng’s equal respect for common folk in his words and his gentle care for Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan.
So, Du Yueyao truly saw this place as home, Liu Qingyan as her sister, and Lu Zheng as her brother.
When visiting her parents, they’d asked about marriage several times, but Du Yueyao brushed it off.
She was only seventeen—why rush?
As Sister Liu said, with merit and a couple more years of qi refining, living a hundred years was no issue.
She’d never been as happy as this year. If possible, she wanted to live with them forever!
Just as a little sister!
She used to sleep alone at home, but thanks to a Yuansheng Sect sorcerer, she now got to sleep with Sister Liu.
Hehe, so happy!
Du Yueyao played her tiles, then giggled out loud.
Lu Zheng looked baffled.
Liu Qingyan asked curiously, “Win?”
Du Yueyao snapped back, her face reddening. “No win, no win, just thought of something funny.”
Shen Ying’s eyes twinkled as she smiled. “What’s so funny?”
Du Yueyao blinked, covering her mouth with a chuckle. “On my way back tonight, I saw some kids in the next alley smear sugar on a yellow dog’s tail. It chased its tail in circles—hilarious!”
Lu Zheng: “…”
Liu Qingyan: “…”
Shen Ying: “…”
Funny?
