Chapter Thirteen: Hidden Affections

As Chu Youcai was about to leave the City God Temple, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. His whole body felt drained, his legs buckled, and he slumped to the ground, leaning against a nearby pillar before quickly falling into a deep sleep.

Though the night's battle seemed brief, it was harrowing for Chu Youcai. Having used the Dragon Crocodile Technique twice, he had overdrawn his strength and now slept with a rare, peaceful sweetness.

When he awoke, the sky was already bright. Sunlight poured in from outside, filling him with a languid ease.

“I didn’t expect that using the Dragon Crocodile Technique twice would leave me so depleted. Clearly, I still have much room to improve.”

“That snake-shadow demon was so powerful it nearly knocked me out with its strange soundwaves. If I want to contend with Lei Yinyang, I must also strengthen my resistance in this regard.” Chu Youcai began to reflect.

Then, seeing the sunlight outside, his heart jolted with sudden anxiety—he remembered that Yun Cuixian must have been waiting at home for him far too long. Without delay, he hurried back, gripping the red fox fur tightly in his hand, worried for Hongyu, her only kin.

He soon reached his residence and knocked on the door with urgency.

A sharp, unfamiliar voice called from within, “Who is it?”

The voice was cold as frost, utterly strange to him.

Chu Youcai paused, then replied, “It’s me, Chu Youcai.”

At once, the door opened and Yun Cuixian rushed out, her face alight with joy. Ju Xue stood nearby, and in the courtyard was a young woman clad in red. Her beauty was gentle and refined, unforgettable at first glance, rivaling Yun Cuixian’s in its brilliance. Yet her expression was steely, her face cold as ice.

Upon seeing Chu Youcai, the woman in red grew even more distant, giving a dismissive snort before saying to Yun Cuixian, “Now that he’s back, I’ll take my leave,” and strode out of the courtyard.

Chu Youcai immediately guessed that this was Miss Shangguan, the neighbor who had rescued Ju Xue the night before. He hadn’t expected her to be so beautiful, nor for her to seem so hostile toward him. Why was that?

A trace of doubt lingered in his heart.

He asked, “It seemed just now that Miss Shangguan was here guarding you. Did something happen?”

Yun Cuixian replied softly, “This morning, a brothel madam brought some men from the gambling house. She claimed that you had sold me and tried to seize me.”

“Ju Xue even suffered a sprained wrist at their hands.”

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“In the end, it was thanks to Miss Shangguan that they were driven off.”

“But not long after, even more people arrived, claiming to be sent by Master Lei. They demanded that we immediately hand over a thousand taels of silver.”

“Once again, Miss Shangguan chased them away and stayed to guard us until now.”

Hearing this, Chu Youcai’s gaze turned cold. He had feared the madam might come, but had not expected such despicable tactics—bringing gambling house thugs and even hurting the maid. A murderous intent welled up inside him.

He took a vial from his robe and approached Ju Xue. It contained one of two medicinal decoctions he had brewed the previous day. “Take half of this orally and apply the rest externally,” he instructed.

Ju Xue’s arm bore several wounds and was mottled with bruises—a serious injury.

Seeing this, Chu Youcai felt a pang of guilt. Yun Cuixian and Ju Xue knew nothing of martial arts, and although Hongyu, as a spirit medium, could see ghosts, she too had no martial skill. If not for the neighbor Miss Shangguan, disaster would surely have struck.

He felt both grateful and curious about Miss Shangguan.

As the medicine was applied, Ju Xue felt a soothing warmth. Soon, the pain in her arm faded, and the cuts and bruises began to disappear.

“What kind of elixir is this, to work such wonders? It’s far more effective than the best remedies sold in the city’s pharmacies,” Ju Xue marveled, her gaze at Chu Youcai tinged with awe. Every day, Chu Youcai seemed to bring more mysteries and surprises. Though she was only a humble maid, to serve such a master was her greatest comfort—she never dared hope for more.

Once Ju Xue had finished applying the medicine, Chu Youcai looked around and, not seeing Hongyu, asked, “Where’s Hongyu?”

“She stood watch at the door all night, waiting for you, but you never returned. I persuaded her to get some rest just now,” Yun Cuixian replied softly.

Chu Youcai sighed inwardly, though his face betrayed nothing. Casually, he asked, “Miss Shangguan seems quite hostile towards me, doesn’t she?”

Yun Cuixian hesitated, then said, “She seems to dislike all men.”

“Is it because of my bad reputation?” Chu Youcai smiled faintly.

“No, it’s not that…” Yun Cuixian blushed, and under his steady gaze, she finally whispered, “She seems to believe what the madam said about you. But I know my husband isn’t that kind of person. I showed her the poem you wrote for me, and only then did she fall silent. She really is cold to all men, so I hope you won’t blame her.”

Chu Youcai gave a wry smile. Yun Cuixian truly looked out for him, always considering things from his perspective, even asking him not to blame Miss Shangguan. How could she know how much shame he felt, and what right did he have to blame anyone else?

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This Miss Shangguan exuded heroic spirit, a blade concealed behind her composed exterior. Her cultivation was doubtless profound, her abilities well hidden.

Fortunately, he had written poetry and saved Hongyu, redeeming himself in Yun Cuixian’s eyes from the reputation of a dissolute youth. Otherwise, she might well have believed the madam’s slander. The thought brought Chu Youcai some relief.

Just then, Yun Cuixian looked at Chu Youcai with tender concern. “You must be exhausted. Let me go heat some food.”

Upon reuniting with Chu Youcai, Yun Cuixian sensed a subtle change in him—an air of confidence and warmth, a gentle reassurance that made her feel safe, someone she could trust and rely on.

Ju Xue quickly interjected, “Madam, let me do it. My arm is fine now.” She hurried inside, leaving Chu Youcai and Yun Cuixian alone.

Watching Ju Xue’s retreating figure, Chu Youcai chuckled softly. Yun Cuixian, however, blushed.

Turning back, Chu Youcai gazed intently at Yun Cuixian’s elegant beauty, pure as a magnolia blossom. Despite her gentle grace, her face bore signs of exhaustion—she had devoted herself to him, endured much heartache, and had even been willing to sacrifice ten years of her life for him, while he had let her worry and fear for his sake.

At that thought, Chu Youcai felt he had done far from enough. He resolved to make her life truly happy and to help her restore the years she had lost.

At that moment, he drew Yun Cuixian into his arms and said softly, “Cuixian, you’ve had something on your mind these past days that you want to tell me, haven’t you?”

“I…”

Yun Cuixian’s heart brimmed with words and tender feelings, yet when she tried to speak, they stuck in her throat. How had Chu Youcai endured all those years, hiding his talent? What hardships had he suffered? What was his past?

She longed to care for and understand him, but knew that for now, her most important duty was simply to love him well. One day, he would reveal everything to her, and together they would face whatever trials awaited.

Just then, the door suddenly opened.

Hongyu burst in, still bleary-eyed from sleep, clad in her nightclothes. She rushed to Chu Youcai’s side, seizing his hand and asking, “Did you…see anything in the City God Temple?”

Her face was filled with eager anticipation, the beauty mark at the corner of her mouth like a blossom about to bloom.

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