She smiled knowingly, how could she be jealous of a man's looks? It seemed she was truly smitten with Ye Tiancheng, finding everything about him good, even his sleeping form was perfectly adorable. She felt as if she were bewitched, finding Ye Tiancheng devastatingly handsome.
Lying beside Ye Tiancheng like this, she felt incredibly safe. Before long, Liu Lanying fell asleep.
Sleeping so peacefully beside Ye Tiancheng, she woke up refreshed the next morning. This made Liu Lanying understand a truth: why she had been so anxious and unable to sleep was precisely because she lacked a sense of security. Once she had that security, everything changed, and her sleep became more sound.
It seemed that having Ye Tiancheng in her life from now on was a very important matter. If this could be realized, Liu Lanying would be incredibly happy.
“You’re awake? I was planning to sleep a bit longer. I’m just too tired; yesterday exhausted me completely. My body is getting weaker by the day. I hope you don’t mind.”
Ye Tiancheng looked at Liu Lanying. They had even slept in each other's arms for a while last night. Both of them knew they had woken up but hadn’t acknowledged it. The lack of awkwardness now was because Ye Tiancheng found Liu Lanying quite endearing.
If it were a complete stranger, someone purely for a night of pleasure, there would inevitably be some awkwardness upon waking the next day. But now, their interaction was very natural, like an ordinary couple without so many constraints holding them back. It was a very pure emotion.
“Why would I mind you? You’re truly wonderful. I’m just curious how a man like you can have such good skin. It’s so fragrant; it’s making me a bit dizzy.”
Liu Lanying was never stingy with her praise for Ye Tiancheng, making him a little embarrassed, his cheeks flushing.
“How can I, a grown man, smell fragrant? Could it be the smell of sweat? I was too tired last night, so I didn’t shower. I’m so sorry for offending you with my smell. I’ll be careful next time. No, it seems there won’t be a next time. We won’t need to coordinate sleeping together anymore.”
Ye Tiancheng thought Liu Lanying was being sarcastic and felt particularly awkward. He, a grown man, hadn’t paid attention to hygiene and hadn’t showered last night, potentially offending her. He couldn’t help but sniff himself now, finding no strange odor.
“Are you saying I’m really fragrant?”
“Of course, it’s true, Brother Ye. You smell wonderful. Your body has a scent that’s incredibly calming. I can’t quite describe it. If I say it’s like laundry detergent, it doesn’t seem quite right. It’s just a fragrant, human scent.”
Liu Lanying spoke very earnestly, trying her best to express her fondness for Ye Tiancheng. Unfortunately, Ye Tiancheng didn’t quite catch Liu Lanying’s signal. Instead, he wondered if Liu Lanying was possessed, saying such strange things. Ye Tiancheng frowned.
“I don’t quite understand. How can I, a grown man, smell fragrant? Has your nose gone wrong? Am I ill, causing me to emit strange odors?”
Ye Tiancheng couldn’t help but check himself again, finding no illness or any abnormality. Yet, all of this was real. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but since Liu Lanying was saying something good, he decided to take it as a compliment. Fragrant it was, then.
“If you like the smell, you can sniff as much as you want. Anyway, I’m a man who doesn’t pay much attention to such things.”
Liu Lanying smiled at Ye Tiancheng, who then went to shower. Afterward, Ye Tiancheng also showered. When Ye Tiancheng came out, he saw Liu Lanying sitting in front of the vanity mirror.
There was a large collection of bottles and jars on the vanity. Ye Tiancheng curiously went to take a look, but he didn’t understand any of them. He had seen Hou Mingzhu apply cosmetics before, and Hou Mingzhu’s products were of a higher caliber, so he recognized many of the brands. As for the brands Liu Lanying was using, Ye Tiancheng had never seen them and couldn’t comment casually.
“Do you never apply anything to your face? How is your skin so good? It’s simply unbelievable, a man with such good skin.”
“Actually, I’m quite fair-skinned, but I’m afraid of being called effeminate, so I’ve always tried to tan myself. But after tanning, people call me a farmer and say I’m rustic. Isn’t it difficult for a man like me? People should just focus on my abilities and not scrutinize my face so much. Is my face a sin?”
Ye Tiancheng complained helplessly, which made Liu Lanying burst into laughter. “Hahaha, you’re actually quite right. A man being too handsome can also lead to criticism. It’s not easy for someone who looks ordinary either.”
“Exactly! I feel so miserable, always living under the gaze of others. I can’t even live properly for myself. Anyway, I don’t care about my appearance. If you say I smell good, then I smell good. If you say I’m handsome, I’ll admit it. As long as you like it, and we’re happy together, it doesn’t matter if I’m ugly or handsome.”
Ye Tiancheng’s calm and composed demeanor greatly appealed to Liu Lanying. Despite not looking particularly steady, he was very mature and genuine in his actions. The most important quality Liu Lanying looked for in a boyfriend was someone like him, someone who could show her what stability meant, unlike those young lads who acted on impulse and often led themselves astray.
“Xiao Yingzi, hurry over here! It’s bad! Mom seems to have stopped breathing! Come quickly and take a look! You’ve scared me to death! She looks dead.”
Liu Lanying was wiping her face while chatting with Ye Tiancheng. They were quite harmonious, and Liu Lanying realized how good it was to have a companion. But suddenly, she heard Liu Dajun shouting from outside. Liu Lanying’s face showed surprise, and her heart ached.
Although her mother had late-stage cancer and her condition had stabilized temporarily, she was still going to pass away. However, hearing the news of her mother’s death was something no daughter could bear.
Those who haven’t lost their mothers cannot understand that heart-wrenching pain. No amount of psychological preparation is useful. The moment she saw her mother’s cold body, Liu Lanying finally broke down in tears.
Ye Tiancheng could only hold her in his arms. He could only try his best to comfort Liu Lanying, urging her to take care of herself. The funeral arrangements that followed were troublesome, and Liu Dajun was useless, only crying with Liu Lanying. At critical moments, he couldn’t do anything but add to the chaos.
At this moment, someone had to take charge. Ye Tiancheng had to step forward. After all, as Liu Lanying’s son-in-law, with his mother-in-law’s passing, these funeral matters would fall to him.
Funerals were indeed quite complicated, especially in the countryside. They needed to prepare a coffin, invite geomancers, and follow their steps precisely on how to send off the elder.
Especially since the elder had expressed a preference for listening to a band before her death, they had to hire one.
The expenses were one thing, and the noise was another. Ye Tiancheng felt as if he had been under someone else’s control for those three days, with no freedom in his life.
Whatever others directed, Ye Tiancheng did. Day after day, he immersed himself in the funeral affairs, feeling utterly despondent.
Finally, it was the day of the burial. It was early morning, and the band began playing mournful music. Soon, Liu Lanying’s mother would be laid to rest, and the funeral would conclude.
Everyone was crying their hearts out, while Ye Tiancheng hadn’t even woken up. He couldn’t empathize with Liu Lanying’s mother.
Ye Tiancheng felt sorry for Liu Lanying, which was normal, but he had no particular feelings for her mother. He just wanted everything to end quickly, otherwise, he really couldn’t hold on any longer; he was exhausted.
Finally, the funeral ended, and Ye Tiancheng prepared to get some much-needed sleep. However, the burial site was within the grounds of the old Liu family residence. Just as Ye Tiancheng lay down, he felt a strange aura. The aura was very familiar, and Ye Tiancheng quickly identified it as a fragment of the Fuxi Qin.
“How can there be a fragment of the Fuxi Qin? Does the Liu family’s old residence also have one?”
Ye Tiancheng quickly realized that this matter was not as simple as it seemed. Was his encounter with Liu Lanying also fated? It seemed too coincidental.
Just as Ye Tiancheng was pondering this, he suddenly heard the voice of the Great Green Snake. “Ye Tiancheng, long time no see. I’ve missed you dearly. I’m still in slumber, cultivating. My appearance now is only to speak a few words with you. I heard the sound of the Fuxi Qin fragment, which is why I woke up. This Fuxi Qin fragment is fraught with danger, so be extremely careful.”
Regardless of why the Great Green Snake had appeared, its appearance was enough. Ye Tiancheng truly missed his old companion. Hearing the Great Green Snake’s voice filled his heart with warmth.
It was a feeling of immense satisfaction, as if he had been reborn, returning to those glorious days spent with the Nuwa Stone and the Great Green Snake.
“You’ve finally appeared! That Nuwa Stone fellow hasn’t shown up either. What are you two up to? Now only Little Stone is left. Little Stone was quite active a while ago, but now she’s nowhere to be seen. Who knows where that girl has run off to go crazy.”
“I know that Little Stone is in your spiritual consciousness space. Occasionally, she wanders into your storage ring. It’s good that you now have three divine artifacts, but your own abilities have been significantly depleted. The three of us can’t help you now. Be extremely careful and don’t act recklessly. If you die, we will also be greatly harmed.”
Upon hearing the Great Green Snake’s words, Ye Tiancheng naturally chose to obey. The Great Green Snake had always been the most sensible among all the divine artifacts, unlike the Nuwa Stone, who often bickered with him, and Little Stone, who felt like a child to Ye Tiancheng, unable to help much at critical moments.
She could only revive flowers and plants. He wasn’t sure if this ability was powerful or not, but he hadn’t seen any offensive capabilities from Little Stone.
If there was someone truly capable, it had to be the Great Green Snake. In terms of combat power and maturity, it was more like a mature divine artifact, unlike the other two, who clearly seemed to be just going through the motions.
“Alright, Great Green Snake, I’ve noted it. You also need to take good care of yourself. If you see Little Stone, make sure to look after them too. We are now mutually dependent. I will improve my strength, but don’t forget, we are always together and will not abandon each other.”