Chapter 4: The Saint Acts Like a Little Wife

“Elder Meng, are you a dog by any chance? I’m hiding my aura, and yet you still found me.”

Inside the temple, Jiang Che still hadn’t returned home.

Unexpectedly, a dignified old man had appeared at the house.

Dressed in a dark red robe, he stood respectfully before Feng Yaqin.

Feng Yaqin was lying on her side on a pile of hay covered with a blanket, yawning.

The firelight flickered across their faces. When the old man heard Feng Yaqin’s words, he did not take offense.

Instead, he smiled and said,

“Your Grace, please don’t joke. It took me over ten days to find you. I am truly to blame.

Our Zongzhu is already very worried. Please, return with me to the Zhumen as soon as possible.”

Hearing the old man mention the Zongzhu, Feng Yaqin thought of her father.

He was over a hundred years old, but always fretful and restless, as if he would throw a fit if he didn’t see her for a day.

Given that she had been ambushed, he must be beside himself with worry.

But she really didn’t want to leave.

To be honest, the Yaoshi had taken excellent care of her.

Although earlier, when the Yaoshi gave her acupuncture, she was quite scared.

But afterward, the warm current flowing through her meridians was indescribably pleasant.

Later, Jiang Che even gave her a massage. Here, she lived far more comfortably than at the Zhumen.

Besides, Jiang Che could cook many dishes she had never tasted before.

Like the Braised Pork and Dry Pot Chicken—flavors that suited her perfectly.

“Elder Meng, tell my father I’ll return after some time. Please ask him not to worry.”

“That won’t do! You’ve been missing for days. The Zongzhu is deeply concerned.”

“Elder Meng, my mind is made up. Please stop.”

Night had grown especially deep under the thick veil of dark clouds.

Not a sliver of moonlight pierced through the heavy cover.

Jiang Che felt the drop in temperature and guessed it might rain again tonight.

He sighed quietly—he didn’t have a blanket, only a slender and lovely older sister.

What he didn’t know was that his little home had an uninvited guest.

“You’re back, Yaoshi~”

As Jiang Che stepped through the temple door, he heard Feng Yaqin’s voice.

Then a wave of fragrance washed over him before he was suddenly pulled into an embrace.

“Finally back. I was cold and hungry all alone here. If you hadn’t returned soon, I’d have died.”

Her voice beside his ear was a tingling, soothing whisper.

Jiang Che wanted to push her away, but Feng Yaqin’s strength was surprisingly strong.

“Let go!”

“Don’t be shy. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve held you.”

Feng Yaqin showed no resistance at all.

A few days ago, she still treated Jiang Che like a child and often teased him.

But later, things began to change.

Especially after realizing how much she liked him, she would frequently take advantage of him.

At first, Jiang Che thought it was just a joke—he was a mature adult with decades of life experience; he wouldn’t mind.

But the more these playful intimacies continued, the more things felt different.

Their relationship grew closer, which led to that bittersweet conversation earlier.

“If you don’t let go, I won’t make you dinner!

Besides, didn’t you say your foot still hurts and you can’t stand? So what’s this?”

Hearing Jiang Che’s words, Feng Yaqin hurriedly released him and flopped back onto the hay.

She propped herself up with one hand while the other pretended to rub her ankle.

“Ugh, it still hurts. I was too excited just now to notice. Yaoshi, come rub it for me.”

Her voice was pitifully sweet. Jiang Che clenched his fists.

Stop faking it!

Unfortunately, Jiang Che couldn’t see it.

Even Elder Meng, who had watched Feng Yaqin grow up, secretly gasped at the scene.

“Our Saintess at home is a mischievous young lady; at the Zhumen, she’s a peerless beauty.

But here, she acts like a little wife.

Bah! Like a little kitten.”

Jiang Che had returned just in time.

Elder Meng, unable to escape, quickly concealed his aura and hid atop a beam.

“The Saintess refuses to return to the Zhumen because of this little fellow?”

Elder Meng scrutinized Jiang Che carefully.

He detected neither spiritual energy nor demonic aura from him.

He was a bona fide ordinary person.

An ordinary person with a disability at that.

Elder Meng reckoned that under this child’s care, the Saintess must be enduring great hardship.

No matter what, he had to find a way to bring her back.

Just as Elder Meng resolved to return even if it meant defying the Saintess, he heard Feng Yaqin’s voice in his mind.

“Elder Meng, this Saintess will not leave, no matter what. You should go back now.”

The voice wasn’t spoken aloud by Feng Yaqin.

It was clearly transmitted directly into Elder Meng’s mind.

Startled, Elder Meng exclaimed,

“Saintess, you have entered the Moying Realm!”

“Knowing that, why don’t you leave quickly!”

Elder Meng looked toward Feng Yaqin in surprise. Red light suddenly flashed in her beautiful eyes.

She had been stuck at the Modan Great Perfection level for three years, but during her disappearance, she had broken through!

Feng Yaqin was only twenty-four this year. Elder Meng, despite being over a hundred, was only mid Moying Realm.

It seemed today he would not be taking Feng Yaqin back.

“Your servant takes his leave.”

Elder Meng bowed from his perch on the beam and vanished in an instant.

After Elder Meng left, Feng Yaqin exhaled deeply.

She too had recently experienced a breakthrough.

At this moment, Jiang Che put down his bamboo basket and began preparing the stove for dinner.

Feng Yaqin watched Jiang Che silently, her eyes soft as she gazed at him.

Lately, whenever she saw Jiang Che, she couldn’t help but smile.

Too bad Jiang Che couldn’t see it; otherwise, he’d notice a certain older sister looking at him with nothing but adoration.

“Yaoshi, what are we having tonight? Those Braised Pork and Mashed Potatoes you made last time?”

Jiang Che’s mouth twitched slightly. This woman was definitely clinging to him now.

Regarding Feng Yaqin’s presence, Jiang Che felt a mix of comfort and unease.

Though he hid it well, he was glad to have someone with him.

But he also knew Feng Yaqin was definitely a cultivator.

And Jiang Che liked his quiet life just as it was, not wanting it disturbed.

So he hoped she would leave as soon as her injuries healed.

“Have you taken your medicine?”

“I drank it all, not a drop left.”

“Really?”

Jiang Che was half convinced.

He remembered when they first met, she constantly complained about the bitterness and refused to drink it.

No wonder she didn’t recover sooner.

Feng Yaqin pouted in frustration. Jiang Che truly lacked romance; after half a month together, he still hadn’t noticed her feelings for him.

But then again, who formally agrees to be lifelong partners in just half a month?

Except Feng Yaqin wasn’t a typical person.

After setting up the stove, Jiang Che walked over to a smooth stone slab inside the temple, where a kitchen knife lay.

He silently took out the ingredients from the bamboo basket.

Inside were potatoes, rice, and meat—chicken, neatly cut by Hu Qiao’er.

Jiang Che just needed to chop the potatoes and cook.

As for the meat, Hu Jingzhong’s family certainly lacked nothing.

As the only doctor in the village, they lived even better than the Village Head.

When they spoke, even the Village Head had to show some respect.

From afar, Feng Yaqin watched Jiang Che busily preparing, anticipating another delicious meal.

What could it be this time?

Her stomach involuntarily began to rumble.

“Rest well for a while first. Tonight we’re having Chicken Stew with Brown Sauce.”

Feng Yaqin’s eyes lit up—another unfamiliar dish name, surely delicious.