Chapter 46: Coaxing the Wife
The weather was lovely, and in the afternoon, many demons in the Yun Ling Realm were lazily basking in the sun.
Rong Xue Man carried tea and snacks into the bedchamber, where she saw the young girl curled up in a small hammock, silent and sullen. She wasn’t holding her favorite pillow as usual but had switched to another one, staring blankly at the misty clouds outside the window.
She set the tea and snacks on the table and looked up. “My dear little Ying, did you and Xiao Yu have a fight?”
Hearing his name, Sang Ying snapped back to reality, her body stiffening as she replied dryly, “No, we didn’t.”
Rong Xue Man sat beside her, gently pinching her cheek with a smile. “Then why have you been hiding here these past few days, refusing to see him?”
Sang Ying stubbornly insisted, “I’ve come to see you before too.”
“But back then, you’d drag me out to play every day. Now, as soon as you arrive, you stay in the bedchamber all day long. You’ve been hiding for several days already.”
Rong Xue Man saw right through her.
“What happened? Tell Mother. If Xiao Yu bullied you, Mother will get justice for you and make him kneel on fruit shells.” As she spoke, she pulled out a large, spiky fruit and skillfully began peeling it.
Sang Ying: “…”
It seemed Xie Lingyu’s father had knelt quite a few times himself.
Taking a bite of the fruit Rong Xue Man fed her, Sang Ying buried her face in the pillow, leaving only her eyes visible, which glistened with a layer of moisture.
“Xie Lingyu and I didn’t really fight, it’s just…”
It was just that whenever she thought about what happened that day, she didn’t know how to face him.
Now that her chaotic Divine Sense had completely cleared and all her memories had returned, the scenes from that night of cultivation kept replaying in her mind—how he had kissed her, and how she had begged him to kiss her…
How could she have done such things? It was so embarrassing, crying and pleading for his kisses like that.
Every time she remembered, her face flushed, her heart raced, and she felt both angry at her own weakness and so ashamed she wanted to crawl into a hole.
And then, on the night she woke up, feeling uncomfortably full in her stomach, Xie Lingyu carried her to the bathing room and sat her on the table to help clean her up.
Too weak to stop him, she could only watch helplessly as his long fingers reached inside and retrieved two lotus seeds.
…That scoundrel Xie Lingyu, he actually put lotus seeds inside!
Once the blocked lotus seeds were removed, the honey jar storing the White Sandalwood Dew was overturned. The rich White Sandalwood Dew spilled out, dripping down the table and pooling into a small puddle on the floor.
The entire room was filled with the scent of White Sandalwood, mingling with the fragrance of Lotus Dew, creating an overwhelmingly sweet aroma.
Recalling that scene, Sang Ying’s face flushed again, and she buried it completely in the pillow. She couldn’t help gritting her teeth. That wretched Xie Lingyu—she had told him not to look, but he insisted on turning her face to make her see.
“Just what?” Rong Xue Man asked gently.
Sang Ying quickly shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just want to be alone for a while.”
But Rong Xue Man smiled softly, lowering her voice. “Is it because of… Dual Cultivation?”
?!
Sang Ying’s secret was instantly exposed, her eyes widening in surprise. She quickly composed herself, coughing lightly as she tried to brush it off, but Rong Xue Man cupped her face in both hands.
“No need to hide it. The dragon clan elders saw the Binding Ring while treating Xiao Yu’s injuries the day before yesterday, and they all know now.”
Sang Ying: “…”
This Binding Ring really leaves no privacy at all!
Since everything was already known, Sang Ying couldn’t pretend anymore and honestly nodded.
She buried her head in Rong Xue Man’s waist, breathing in her fragrant scent, and her long-tense nerves relaxed considerably. She spoke softly, her voice muffled: “Mother Rong, I feel… strange.”
Rong Xue Man’s expression turned unusually serious as she tentatively asked: “Could it be that Xiao Yu really isn’t up to it? The elders did send him a lot of spiritual herbs recently, ah, no wonder he came back so quickly. Normally, who doesn’t take ten days to half a month?”
Sang Ying: ?
Wait, how long?
Rong Xue Man stroked her little face, looking somewhat worried. “You’ve suffered, child. I’ll have Yu Cang think of a way to find a medical cultivator to take a look.”
Sang Ying grabbed her hand, her small face serious: “No need, he’s fine. It’s my problem.”
After just one night, she was already sore and aching all over—if it were half a month, she would really die!
Hearing this, Rong Xue Man felt even more heartache, thinking Sang Ying was just trying to save Xie Lingyu’s face. She patted her head, agreeing on the surface while secretly resolving to have Yu Cang definitely find several medical cultivators.
Sang Ying buried her head back in Rong Xue Man’s embrace, her voice muffled as she slowly spoke: “I just feel strange after that… and I’m afraid to see him.”
Sang Ying recounted everything about how she and Xie Lingyu had known each other for so long, including how they met, their time as senior and junior disciples, and the three years of their fake marriage.
Rong Xue Man: “So you two only started being together a month ago, on that day?”
Sang Ying nodded.
Rong Xue Man gritted her teeth, her gentle voice unable to suppress her anger. “What a scoundrel!”
Sang Ying was a bit confused and looked up. “Why are you suddenly scolding him?”
Although Rong Xue Man was of the dragon clan, she had once lived in the Cultivation World for a period of time. She understood that human cultivators, unlike the unrestrained nature of the dragon clan, were reserved and restrained in their emotions—many were even too shy to speak words of affection.
Their approach to Dual Cultivation was naturally different from that of the dragon clan as well. Among dragons, mutual affection was enough to engage in Dual Cultivation, but for human cultivators, it was a lengthy process: first falling in love, deepening their feelings, then a proper marriage, and only then would things proceed naturally.
Now that she understood the cause and effect, Rong Xue Man was furious.
That scoundrel really was something—secretly in love for so long without saying a word, then on the very day he confessed his feelings to the young girl, he lured her into bed. After getting together, they didn’t even have a proper date; all he knew was kissing and hugging, and before his injuries were fully healed, he dragged her into Dual Cultivation.
No wonder Sang Ying was afraid to see him. They slept together without even dating properly—how could she not feel shy?
“Of course because he deserves to be scolded.”
Rong Xue Man lifted her little face. “Xiao Ying, you’re spoiling him a bit too much. Men are creatures who will take an inch if given a mile—you can’t indulge him like this. Before you know it, he’ll be turning the tables and becoming the master.”
…Come to think of it, she really hadn’t refused Xie Lingyu much.
Even that day of Dual Cultivation—before he had even said anything, just rubbing against her—she took pity on him for having a hard time recovering from his injuries and agreed.
Even when he did things during their intimacy that she couldn’t accept, she always ended up softening afterward, at most complaining a few times before letting the matter drop.
Like when he helped her by kissing there in the hot spring, or a few days ago when she didn’t want to look while cleaning his wounds, and he pinched her little face to force her to look…
Sang Ying blinked. “Then what should I do?”
Rong Xue Man: “As the head of the household, you must establish your authority. If he makes a mistake, punish him—never be soft-hearted. Remember, men only become more obedient the more you discipline them.”
Sang Ying nodded earnestly, pulling out a small notebook to take notes.
Though decisive and ruthless in business, carving out her own territory in the trade world, she was completely clueless when it came to matters of the heart.
Her mother had passed away when she was young, and during her fifteen years on Minghua Mountain, she had only three senior brothers around her—not a single female cultivator she could confide in about girlish matters.
For the next three years, she was fully occupied with her trade association, liaising with distributors and selecting locations to open branches. In just three years, she built it into one of the four major trade associations in the Cultivation World.
She was intimately familiar with various business strategies and price-war tactics, able to rattle off the price fluctuations and regional differences of any product at a moment’s notice. Yet, many things considered common knowledge between men and women were completely foreign to her.
But it didn’t matter—she could learn.
During her stay in the Yun Ling Realm these past few days, Sang Ying had observed that between the couple Rong Xue Man and Xie Yu Cang, the former was clearly the head of the household. If Rong Xue Man said east, Xie Yu Cang would never dare go west.
Despite her gentle and soft-spoken demeanor, a single light remark from her would leave Xie Yu Cang speechless, radiating undeniable authority. So, following her advice was definitely the right move!
Knowing Sang Ying’s lack of understanding in romantic matters, Rong Xue Man explained the entire process of courtship between cultivators: “Xiao Ying, you’re too easily swayed. The moment he sweet-talks you, you agree—that won’t do.”
“Although you’re husband and wife now, you’ve never actually dated. He never properly pursued you, yet you agreed to Dual Cultivation with him.”
Hearing the tone of disappointment in her voice, Sang Ying nodded obediently. “I understand.”
“Also, take a good look at these.”
Rong Xue Man pulled out several books on Dual Cultivation and spread them open before Sang Ying.
At the sight, Sang Ying’s ears flushed red, and she quickly averted her gaze, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum: “Mother Rong, these really aren’t necessary…”
Rong Xue Man gently cupped her face and turned it back, her tone tender yet firm: “My dear Xiao Ying, these are normal needs and behaviors—there’s nothing to be shy about. Male cultivators can be reckless, and some might only care about their own pleasure without considering you. Your constitution is delicate, and you could easily get hurt.”
“You should understand these things and know your own body to better take care of yourself. If he disregards you, punish him severely—don’t let him into your bed again.”
Sang Ying thought to herself, Well… Xie Lingyu isn’t the type to only care about himself. That night, he kept asking about my feelings, though I didn’t reply with a single word.
“Now that you’re husband and wife, these matters are unavoidable. Learning more about them won’t hurt. In the future, communicate more—speak up if there are any issues, and things will be more harmonious.”
Meeting Rong Xue Man’s gentle and calm gaze, Sang Ying felt herself calming down as well. She fluttered her eyelashes and gave a small nod.
“But not anytime soon. Let that rascal cool off for a while. Only when he learns how to make you happy should you consider it.” Rong Xue Man snorted coldly.
Sang Ying: “…”
And so, under Rong Xue Man’s supervision, Sang Ying dutifully read through a stack of books, cramming in a wealth of knowledge.
In just two days, Sang Ying had studied countless cultivation techniques and familiarized herself with various methods, feeling as though her heart had grown colder than a blade.
Sang Ying calmly closed the book, certain that she would no longer feel shy when facing Xie Lingyu again!
A gentle female voice sounded from behind: “The lotus flowers in the spirit pond are blooming beautifully. The little spirits below have picked many lotus seeds and just made lotus seed porridge. Come and try some, Xiao Ying.”
Sang Ying: “…”
“Hey, Xiao Ying, are you feeling hot? Your face is so red.”
…
Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, at the Moon-Viewing Terrace of the Dragon Palace.
Xie Yu Cang, having spent another seven lonely nights alone in his empty room, leaned against a pillar with a look of utter despair, his gaze fixed on the white-robed youth staring at the lotus pond.
“Son, when exactly will your wife return my wife to me?”
Xie Lingyu gazed at the mist over the lotus pond, his brows tightly furrowed.
Ever since that day of Dual Cultivation, she had been avoiding him, staying inside the Dragon Palace’s bedchamber all day without coming out.
He had gone to see her many times, but she always found excuses not to meet him, claiming she was tired and needed to sleep even when the sky was still bright.
Xie Lingyu glanced at him lightly: “If it weren’t for your wife stopping me, I would have already taken her away. Why don’t you go and block her instead?”
Xie Yu Cang immediately deflated, “Forget it then. Your mother is very hard to appease when she’s angry.”
He raised his eyes to peer at him, murmuring quietly: “What exactly did you do to upset that young lady? It’s been a week, and she still refuses to see you.”
Xie Lingyu lowered his eyelashes, hiding his dark eyes. If he knew the answer to that question, he wouldn’t be standing here thinking about it now.
That night, everything had been fine. He had asked for her consent before proceeding, restrained himself, followed her request to cultivate only once, no more.
Throughout the process, he had been mindful of her feelings, ensuring she wasn’t hurt, carefully observing her reactions to give her a better experience. When she couldn’t take it anymore, he gave her time to recover, comforting her.
So where exactly had things gone wrong?
“Ah, never mind what exactly made her angry. How can you solve the problem just by standing here thinking?”
Xie Yu Cang spoke with a tone of exasperation: “Let me tell you, in times like these, don’t start by figuring out what you did wrong. Apologize first, make her feel better first—what’s more important, being right or having your wife?”
Of course, Sang Ying was more important.
He frowned, but he didn’t understand where he had gone wrong, nor how he should apologize. How could he make her feel better?
As if sensing his confusion, Xie Yu Cang patted him on the shoulder, speaking with an air of wisdom: “In this regard, you’re not as experienced as your old man. Appeasing someone is an art, and the key lies in winning their favor. As long as she’s happy, she’ll naturally be appeased.”
“Prepare gifts of things she likes and give them to her. Speak as gently as possible, say all the nice things you can. Even if you’re kicked out or turned away, you have to learn to be shameless and persistent.”
“In short, one phrase: if you can’t bear to lose face, you won’t win a wife.”
…
Inside the Dragon Palace bedchamber.
Sang Ying nestled in a small hammock, swaying slowly, holding a pillow while reading a book.
Since that day, counting the days, it had been a week since she last saw Xie Lingyu.
Although she hadn’t seen him, he still had someone deliver medicinal soup to her every day. Over the past few days, her body had recovered quite well, and she no longer felt sore or achy.
Throughout this week, no matter what she did, she would think of him—while eating, while reading, even while sleeping.
She wondered what he was doing now…
“Xiao Ying, today is a festival in the mortal realm. I hear it’s very lively. Would you like to go and have some fun?” Rong Xue Man asked.
Sang Ying snapped back to reality and shook her head, “No, I’ll just keep reading.”
Rong Xue Man tapped her book page. “But you’ve been staring at this page all afternoon.”
“If you miss him, just go see him.”
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. A little demon outside called out, “Demon Empress, the Crown Prince is here and wishes to see the Crown Princess.”
Sang Ying was taken aback and instinctively wanted to make an excuse to avoid him, but Rong Xue Man stopped her.
“See, he’s come looking for you. Go on, little Ying, my dear.”
Rong Xue Man pulled her out of the hammock and pushed her toward the door by her shoulders. “Perfect timing to test the results of your special training.”
And so, Sang Ying was pushed out. The door closed behind her, and when she looked up, she was caught off guard by those deep, dark eyes.
The young man gazed at her quietly for a moment before speaking softly, “Junior Sister.”
Sang Ying’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she averted her gaze. “What do you want with me?”
“Today is a festival in the mortal realm. There will be a lantern parade tonight. Would you like to go see it?”
Lanterns…!
Sang Ying’s heart was instantly captivated. After wrestling with herself for a while, she whispered, “Then let’s go take a look.”
When they arrived at the location and saw the streets filled with couples, Sang Ying suddenly remembered that today was the Qixi Festival.
A lantern was clearly offered to her by slender fingers. Sang Ying paused, then took the handle and held it up, lowering her gaze to watch the candlelight as her fingers gently brushed the petals.
The two of them walked slowly along the street, passing one stall after another. Xie Lingyu bought some Qixi pastries and handed them to her.
Sang Ying glanced at them, accepted, and silently began to eat.
After a while, slender fingers offered her a brightly colored candied hawthorn skewer.
Sang Ying took it, opened her mouth, and bit off one piece.
Chew, chew, chew.
A little later came several glutinous rice balls, oil-sugar cakes, pear blossom wine rice dumplings, hibiscus milk cakes, flower ham pastries, butter shortbread…
Sang Ying let out a small burp. “…Xie Lingyu, are you fattening a pig?”
Only then did the young man finally stop.
The quiet didn’t last long.
Slender fingers offered her a beautiful jade rabbit hairpin.
Sang Ying examined it—the craftsmanship was quite exquisite—and handed it back to him. “Put it on for me.”
A moment later, a butterfly pearl flower adorned her hair.
Another moment later, an iris tasseled hairpin was added.
And yet another moment later, a pair of gilded rose hair clips joined the collection.
Sang Ying: “…If you add any more, my head is going to break.”
Only then did the young man finally stop.
Sang Ying stole a glance at him. Why was he acting so strange today?
The lantern parade began. A lively procession of floats passed through the center of the street, and Sang Ying’s eyes lit up as she admired each exquisitely crafted lantern.
But soon, her view was completely blocked by the crowd. Sang Ying wasn’t tall, and even standing on tiptoe and craning her neck, she couldn’t see a thing.
Suddenly, her waist tightened as the young man lifted her up.
Sang Ying was startled, seated on his arm, her view instantly opening up to the parade.
But her mind wasn’t really on the lanterns; instead, it drifted to the young man.
The tips of her ears flushed slightly. With so many people around, how could he just pick her up without a word?
Soon, the lantern parade floats moved on, and the crowd dispersed along with them. The young man set her down, and Sang Ying lowered her head to straighten her skirt, saying nothing as they walked to the riverbank.
The two stood by the riverbank, watching the willow branches sway in the breeze and the lanterns drifting slowly along the water.
They remained quiet for a long time.
“Why did you suddenly ask me to see the lanterns?”
“I’m sorry, Junior Sister. I was wrong.”
Their voices, speaking at the same time, collided in the wind, leaving them both momentarily stunned.
Sang Ying suddenly understood—he thought she was angry, which was why he had been acting so strangely today, trying to apologize.
She let out a soft hum and put on airs. “What did you do wrong?”
Xie Lingyu paused, then cautiously replied, “Wrong for… making my junior sister cry all night?”
If he hadn’t mentioned it, she might have let it slide. But at the mention of that night, Sang Ying’s ears flushed with embarrassment. She glared at him angrily, turned, and walked away.
Xie Lingyu hurried after her, following her all the way back to the Dragon Palace.
By now, it was already late. Xie Yu Cang had long since coaxed his wife back to their own quarters, leaving Sang Ying to return alone to her bedchamber.
Xie Lingyu watched as the young woman settled back into her small hammock. He walked over, knelt on one knee before her, and met her gaze at eye level, his tone softening. “Junior sister…”
Suddenly, the young woman pulled out a Black Iron Washboard and tossed it onto the floor.
She nudged it into place with her toes, then lifted her damp, glistening eyes to look at him. Crossing her arms, she struck a commanding pose, her fair, delicate foot resting on his knee. Her ears flushed slightly as she stumbled over her words.
“Kneel.”