Lin Qinghen suddenly understood why Yin Jiuxiao had so much confidence in bringing the Lang Clan under his command all by himself.

With that kind of power, as soon as he revealed his strength, there would be countless people willing to bow down before him without question. The Lang Clan had no choice but to follow him; it wasn’t like they had any other option.

“You…”

Lin Qinghen’s mind went a little blank.

Yin Jiuxiao noticed the stunned expression on his face and, thinking Lin Qinghen wasn’t as “happy” as he’d expected, nervously asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something you’re still not satisfied with, Qinghen?”

Lin Qinghen didn’t answer him, pressing his hands to his head and, after a moment, finally calming down.

Yin Jiuxiao kept talking, trying to reassure him. “I’ve already arranged it with Wei Lin; he’ll come meet you tomorrow. Don’t worry, Qinghen, they’ll all listen to you.”

What was there for Lin Qinghen to be worried or unsatisfied about? Listening to Yin Jiuxiao’s careful, almost flattering words, he found himself with absolutely no reason to be upset.

He looked at him, letting out a heavy sigh without saying a word.

This guy… He’s outrageously powerful, yet at times, he acts like a complete idiot.

They were already married. What was he supposed to do, get a divorce?

Lin Qinghen’s earlier anger at Yin Jiuxiao for acting without consulting him felt so trivial now.

Honestly, as long as the person in front of him was genuine, nothing else really mattered.

He calmed down, finding it almost amusing how fate seemed to toy with him. Lin Zhongtian had carefully scrutinized potential suitors for his precious daughter for so long, only to end up with the one he’d dismissed offhand, the very person who turned out to be the Spirit World’s most talented and powerful individual.

As for his marriage with Yin Jiuxiao, though originally the result of an unfortunate twist of fate, it seemed unexpectedly fitting. In that case, what did the opinions of others even matter?

Regardless of his strength—whether he was a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy or simply someone needing protection—since fate had brought him to him, Lin Qinghen had no intention of letting him go.

Once Lin Qinghen made up his mind, he never wavered. With his decisive nature, the nervous Yin Jiuxiao was about to receive an unexpected surprise.

Lin Qinghen leaned in close and reached out to nestle into his embrace.

Up until now, he had always thought of him as delicate, but that illusion shattered, and as his rationality returned, it became even clearer that Yin Jiuxiao was far from fragile.

Yin Jiuxiao had always been taller and more robust than him, so as Lin Qinghen leaned in, Yin Jiuxiao instinctively wrapped his arms around him, holding him close.

“Qinghen?”

“Forget it; I won’t hold it against you for what’s happened. It’s understandable.” Lin Qinghen spoke up in his embrace, “But no more keeping things from me. Like I said, if we’re going to live well together, everything will work out from now on.”

Hearing this, Yin Jiuxiao’s heart seemed to explode with joy.

He knew Qinghen had a soft heart and wouldn’t stay angry with him for long.

“Alright, from now on, I’ll discuss everything with you,” he said, hugging his wife with a broad smile, his tone even a little lighter. “I’ll never lie to you again. Don’t worry, Qinghen. I’ll protect you and make sure you’re never hurt.”

Lin Qinghen’s heart fluttered, but as he remembered how Yin Jiuxiao had gone out without a word and come back injured, he decided not to let him off so easily. He set out three clear rules with a serious tone.

“I’ll say one thing, and you listen to it. If you can’t agree, then let’s not talk about it,” Lin Qinghen began, counting on his fingers with a stern expression. “First, don’t make decisions on your own and take on everything by yourself. When you disappear without a trace, of course I’ll be worried.”

Today, although he had a feeling about where he was, seeing the empty courtyard left him deeply uneasy.

As Lin Qinghen spoke earnestly, Yin Jiuxiao watched him, feeling his heart melt. He could only nod, not daring to disagree.

“Second, I get that you’re strong now, strong enough to take down Heavenly Tier cultivators, but at home, you’re not allowed to throw your weight around and bully me.”

As he said this, Lin Qinghen reached up to pinch Yin Jiuxiao’s ear, his tone a bit fierce. “I mean it. If I say no, it’s no. You have to listen to me, just like before!”

Yin Jiuxiao nodded along obediently, then added with a hint of grievance, “When did I ever bully you?”

“Oh, plenty of times.” Lin Qinghen huffed, recalling the incident in the bath, and continued with the third rule. “And lastly, repeat what you just said to me.”

With everything he’d just said, Yin Jiuxiao wasn’t sure which part he meant, so he asked, “Which part?”

Lin Qinghen raised his brow, a sly smile tugging at his lips.

His half-serene, half-mischievous face held a playful glint, like a little fox.

“The part about you liking me.”

Yin Jiuxiao was stunned for a moment.

When he realized what Lin Qinghen meant, he leaned forward, his words dissolving into a murmur between their lips, “I like Qinghen. I like Qinghen, only you. I’ll say it as many times as you want.”

Though he was the one saying the words, Yin Jiuxiao felt Lin Qinghen’s silent response, too.

He knew Lin Qinghen liked him back.

So, after all this time since their wedding, Yin Jiuxiao finally let loose, kissing the person in his arms to his heart’s content.

This time, Lin Qinghen didn’t pull away, instead moving his hand to the back of Yin Jiuxiao’s neck, yielding.

In this moment, Lin Qinghen realized how much restraint Yin Jiuxiao must have shown before. Now, unrestrained, he was like a wild beast, increasingly intense, and Lin Qinghen found himself unable to resist.

They were seated on a small couch with the wall right behind them, and as Yin Jiuxiao turned them slightly, Lin Qinghen ended up pressed against the wall, trapped in a deep kiss.

Yin Jiuxiao’s hand rested gently at the back of his head, protecting him but also holding him in place, leaving Lin Qinghen with no chance to escape.

This was all Lin Qinghen’s doing; he hadn’t planned on escaping anyway, and he even found it a bit amusing at first, playfully teasing with his tongue. But soon, as he struggled for breath, he started to regret it.

How could Yin Jiuxiao have so much energy? Did his spiritual power somehow fuel this?

Lin Qinghen, having no prior romantic experience, had largely figured things out on his own. But, clearly, Yin Jiuxiao was even better at improvising.

While holding his head, Yin Jiuxiao wrapped his other arm around Lin Qinghen’s waist.

Lin Qinghen had dressed simply today, and his outer robe was thin, so Yin Jiuxiao’s hand slipped inside, trailing across his skin and resting on his lower back, sending a shiver through Lin Qinghen.

His back arched involuntarily, his breath growing ragged, his eyes tinged with red, sensing that this was getting out of hand.

“…Enough.”

After a long while, Lin Qinghen, gasping for air, managed to push Yin Jiuxiao back a bit. “I can’t breathe… Jiuxiao, stop it.”

If they kept going, he felt like he might be devoured whole.

But the promise Yin Jiuxiao had made to be obedient was immediately broken. If he could retreat now, he wouldn’t be a man.

And right now, Lin Qinghen looked stunning—his calm, subtle scent of herbs lingering only for Yin Jiuxiao, his lips so soft, and his words sounding more like sweet pleas than refusals. He was absolutely captivating.

So, Yin Jiuxiao barely paused, giving Lin Qinghen a brief moment to catch his breath before he leaned in again, pressing their lips together.

This night could only be described as lively.

Yin Jiuxiao had returned early in the evening, and by the time they were done, it was already late into the night.

In the end, Lin Qinghen had to resort to biting, shoving, and kicking to finally make Yin Jiuxiao release him. But even then, the way Yin Jiuxiao looked at him left his legs weak.

Blushing, Lin Qinghen avoided his gaze and quickly retrieved his discarded outer robe, hurriedly putting it back on.

“Enough, behave yourself,” he said, firmly. “Your arm’s still injured, and I have important matters to attend to in the morning, so no more of this.”

He bit out the last sentence with conviction, making it clear he wasn’t joking.

Yin Jiuxiao tried to negotiate, still holding on. “It’s really just a minor injury; it’ll be fine in a few days. Come on, Qinghen, let me handle things for you tomorrow…”

“What can you handle? You didn’t even show up today, so you have no idea what’s going on there,” Lin Qinghen retorted, flicking him on the forehead. “And what do you mean by a ‘minor injury’? I can smell the blood. You shouldn’t be straining yourself if you’re hurt. Look, it’s already reopened, hasn’t it?”

“Qinghen, I…”

“No more excuses,” Lin Qinghen said, pushing him away. His breathing steady now, he regained his usual resolute demeanor. “At least wait until you’re healed. Either listen to me and go to bed quietly, or…”

Yin Jiuxiao’s eyes lit up.

“…Or go sleep on your own from tomorrow onwards,” Lin Qinghen shot him a glare. “What happened to listening to me, huh?”

At that, Yin Jiuxiao wilted. He could tell when Lin Qinghen was genuinely angry versus just playing around.

But he comforted himself, knowing his wounds would heal quickly and Lin Qinghen’s busy schedule would likely only last a few days. There was something to look forward to, after all.

Besides, Yin Jiuxiao understood that Lin Qinghen needed a bit of time to adjust, having gone from seeing him as his “wife” to realizing his true strength.

There was no need to rush; there would be plenty of time later. For tonight, just cuddling was enough. After all, he’d been honest, and Lin Qinghen wasn’t angry anymore. That alone was a win.

And with that, Lin Qinghen, tired from a day of running around, quickly fell asleep in Yin Jiuxiao’s arms.

Yin Jiuxiao was too excited to sleep. Holding Lin Qinghen tightly in his arms, he gazed at him for a long time, finding him more and more endearing the longer he looked. He even stole a few secret kisses before finally feeling satisfied.

Author’s Note:

Yin Jiuxiao filter: “My wife is the cutest in the world, even when he’s mad. Hehe.”