Chapter 8: Reward for cuddling
Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes. Despite not needing sleep since his ascension to the Foundation Establishment realm, the pure tranquility of the night had lulled him into a state of meditative rest. He looked down at the woman in his arms.
Bai Qingyue was still fast asleep, her breathing soft. Curled up against his chest, the tense posture she usually carried had completely vanished. The biting cold that had threatened her body was entirely gone, replaced by a healthy flush on her cheeks.
Lin Yuan smiled, careful not to wake her as he slowly untangled himself from her grasp. He tucked the edges of the blanket snugly around her shoulders to ensure she wouldn’t catch a chill from the morning air.
Just as his feet touched the floorboards, the familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding!] [Host has invested: Time spent cuddling Dan Companion through the night.] [Triggering critical multiplier... calculating...] [Congratulations to the Host! You have triggered a 20X Return!] [Calculating return path... Opting for Insight Generation!] [Reward: 20 Days worth of insight into the Dao of Rain!]
Lin Yuan blinked, momentarily surprised by the system’s notification, as it recognized this emotional and physical intimacy as a valid investment.
Yet, a 20x return was miniscule compared to the staggering one million times return he had received for the blood nourishing pill, but still, a simple night of cuddling yielding a twenty-fold return was already a good concept.
Furthermore, the reward was exactly what he needed. Last night, he had stood on the porch, watching the rain and attempting to comprehend its profound nature. Now, the system had taken that fleeting spark of curiosity and multiplied it by twenty days of straight meditation.
Lin Yuan glanced back at his wife’s cute, sleeping face. He offered a gentle smile, and quietly slipped out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him.
Stepping out into the sunlit courtyard, Lin Yuan found a relatively dry spot on the stone steps and sat cross-legged. He closed his eyes and Instantly, a torrent of profound knowledge flooded his Sea of Consciousness.
It was as if his mind had been transported into an alternate dimension where nothing existed but water. He felt the gentle caress of a morning mist, the crushing pressure of a deep ocean trench, the violent fury of a typhoon, and the steady, enduring patience of a river carving through solid rock.
Twenty days of insight were absorbed in the span of a single morning.
Time flew by in a blur of enlightenment. When Lin Yuan finally opened his eyes, the sun was already hanging high in the sky. A faint, azure aura shaped like a water droplet briefly flickered within his pupils before vanishing. His Foundation Establishment qi had grown significantly denser, flowing through his meridians with the smooth grace of a celestial river.
Feeling entirely refreshed, Lin Yuan stood up and dusted off his robes. He walked back into the house and gently pushed the bedroom door open.
Bai Qingyue was now awake. She had managed to push herself up, her back resting against the wall of the room, with her body still covered by the blanket on the bed.
When she saw Lin Yuan enter, her eyelashes fluttered, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. The memories of last night—of him holding her so securely, of the overwhelming heat radiating from his chest—came rushing back, making her heart flutter in a way she hadn’t experienced in years.
"You’re awake," Lin Yuan said smoothly, walking over to the side of the bed. "Did you sleep well?"
Bai Qingyue nodded shyly, avoiding his direct gaze. "I... I did. It was very warm. Thank you, Husband."
Lin Yuan reached out, casually tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Just as the atmosphere in the room reached a peak of tender intimacy, a sudden sound shattered the silence.
Grumble...
The noise was loud and unashamed, echoing from beneath the blanket.
Bai Qingyue’s eyes widened in sheer embarrassment. The blush on her cheeks instantly flared into a burning crimson. If she still possessed her cultivation, she could have dug a hole in the ground and hidden herself in it. As a former genius of the Bai Clan, she hadn’t experienced mortal hunger, or having her stomach vocalize it so loudly in front of her husband.
Lin Yuan paused for a fraction of a second before a chuckle escaped his lips.
"It seems my wife is a little hungry," Lin Yuan teased lightly, his eyes filled with amusement. "Even a fallen fairy must eat. What would you like for breakfast?"
Bai Qingyue pulled the blanket up to her chin, trying to hide her flushed face. "I... I do not mind. Anything is fine."
Lin Yuan’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of gentle sternness. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the bedframe.
"Anything is not a dish I can purchase at the market, Qingyue," Lin Yuan replied, deliberately using her given name.
"Truly, Lin Yuan, I am not a picky eater anymore," she insisted softly, looking down at her hands. "Whatever is cheapest or easiest to acquire. A plain steamed bun or some boiled rice will suffice. We shouldn’t waste resources on luxury."
"I did not ask what was cheap. I asked what you wanted," Lin Yuan countered, his tone firm. He sat down on the edge of the mattress, forcing her to look up at him. "There is a saying, ’a crying child gets the milk.’ You have spent the last few months swallowing your grievances and accepting whatever scraps the world threw at you. But you are my wife now. You do not need to diminish your existence to save me trouble."
Bai Qingyue bit her lower lip, completely taken aback by his persistence. No one had ever pressured her to be selfish before. In the Bai Clan, she was a tool for the family’s glory. After her fall, she was a burden.
"Speak your desire," Lin Yuan said, leaning in closer. "Even if it is dragon meat or phoenix marrow, if my wife desires it, I will find a way to serve it on a silver platter. Now, what do you want for breakfast?"
Under his gaze, Bai Qingyue’s defenses finally crumbled. The sheer pampering in his voice made her chest ache with an unfamiliar warmth.
"I..." she hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I used to enjoy... Sweet Lotus Seed Porridge. And perhaps... a few honey meat buns."
Lin Yuan beamed, a triumphant smile lighting up his face. "Sweet Lotus Seed Porridge and honey meat buns. A proper answer. Was that so hard?"
He stood up, patting the top of her head affectionately. "Stay put. Rest your body. I am going to the market, and I will be back shortly with your meal."
"Be careful," Bai Qingyue murmured, her eyes following his back as he walked out of the room.
******
Leaving the outer-city, Lin Yuan navigated the bustling streets of Azure Cloud City. The morning market was alive with the sound of haggling merchants, shouting stall owners, and the savory aroma of street food. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Lin Yuan could have easily intimidated the mortal crowd to part like the Red Sea, but he kept his aura entirely concealed. He had no desire to attract the attention of the city guards or the larger sects just yet.
He quickly found a reputable food stall, tossing a few coins onto the counter to purchase two large bowls of the highest quality Lotus Seed Porridge and a half-dozen steaming, freshly baked honey meat buns. He carefully stored them in a basic spatial pouch to keep them piping hot.
His heart was light as he made his way back through the winding alleyways. He was looking forward to seeing his wife’s cute reaction when she ate her favorite food.
However, as Lin Yuan turned the final corner and approached his courtyard, his footsteps abruptly halted.
The warmth in his chest instantly froze.
The doors of the courtyard gate, which he had securely latched before leaving, were unlocked. More alarmingly, the main door of the house—the very door leading directly to the hall and the bedroom where he had left his wife—was slightly ajar, creaking ominously in the morning breeze.
Lin Yuan’s eyes narrowed, a terrifying crimson light flaring within his pupils as his aura violently erupted from his body.
Who dares?