Chapter 13

The next day, Wu Qingluan was awakened by the brilliant sunlight. The sunlight fell directly on her eyelids, causing a slight stinging sensation. She opened her eyes with tears streaming down.

A beam of intense white sunlight was streaming through the gap in the curtains, warming her body. She used one hand to cover her throbbing head due to the hangover and slowly sat up.

But her other hand didn’t touch the soft bedding; instead, it encountered a firm and supple chest.

Wu Qingluan was struck like lightning and turned her head to look at the person sleeping beside her—Yu Xuanwei.

…

Wu Qingluan pulled back the covers a bit. Fortunately, Yu Xuanwei was wearing sleeping shorts, and she herself was in pajamas. She didn’t want to delve into who had changed her clothes for her at this point!

She let out a sigh of relief, leaned against the headboard, and watched Yu Xuanwei sleeping peacefully.

He’s still sleeping! She really wanted to wake him up and give him a piece of her mind!

Perhaps sensing her anger, Yu Xuanwei slowly opened his eyes.

In the moments just after waking up, Yu Xuanwei’s expression was less tense than usual. He looked at Wu Qingluan and said, “Good morning.”

Wu Qingluan nodded tersely, pushed aside the covers, and tried to get out of bed. Suddenly, Yu Xuanwei pulled her back, and in an instant, she was lying on top of him.

“Let go!” Wu Qingluan glared at him.

Yu Xuanwei showed no intention of letting go and leaned in to kiss her again.

This was just too much for Wu Qingluan. Anger surged within her, and she used her head to deliver a hard bump right into Yu Xuanwei.

Yu Xuanwei let out a muffled groan and loosened his hold on her. Wu Qingluan quickly climbed out of bed, kicked him in the shins, and jumped down, saying, “What’s wrong with you, acting crazy so early in the morning? Get up, we need to talk!”

Yu Xuanwei sat up and stared at her intently, saying, “Okay.”

Wu Qingluan felt her heart racing under his intense gaze. It was the kind of look that seemed so certain, like a predator sizing up its prey.

Without further antics, Yu Xuanwei got out of bed, washed up, and changed his clothes.

After breakfast was served, they ate together in silence. Yu Xuanwei remained quiet, and Wu Qingluan wasn’t sure how to begin the conversation. What did this guy really want?

They had slept together last night, with her being quite intoxicated, and yet, nothing had happened. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was a true gentleman or…

And what about what he said last night? Was he just trying to seduce her?

This cunning liar, didn’t he claim it was just a simple sleep-to-repay-the-debt arrangement? What was he up to now?

Wu Qingluan’s face darkened, while Yu Xuanwei appeared deep in thought.

They exchanged glances and spoke simultaneously.

“What do you want?”

“I want to marry you.”

Wu Qingluan: “…”

Did she hear that right? What on earth was this great Young Master Yu  istalking about?

Yu Xuanwei cleared his throat and focused his gaze. “I want to marry you. I really like you and hope you can accept me.”

Wu Qingluan gasped for breath. “But you’re a monk, a practitioner. How can your senses be so unclean?”

“I am a practitioner, not a celibate monk. Marriage and having children are not contradictory to my path.”

Wu Qingluan was almost speechless due to his explanations. She nodded and crossed her arms. “Alright, fine. You can get married. You were already married and have children.”

However, as she mentioned this, a sudden wave of bitterness washed over Wu Qingluan. Her heart seemed to be squeezed, and she felt quite uncomfortable. She suppressed the unpleasant feeling. “So, all those things you did before, like making me pay you back, accompanying you, and sleeping with you to repay the debt, were just tactics to get closer to me? Are you telling me it was love at first sight?”

Yu Xuanwei’s ears turned red. “Yes. But you did break the purified water bottle, and repaying the debt was necessary to avoid karmic consequences. I did it to help you remove obstacles.”

“Thank you!” Wu Qingluan looked at Yu Xuanwei’s otherworldly appearance and suddenly felt a shiver. “Can I ask you something? Do I look very similar to your late wife?”

Yu Xuanwei lowered his gaze, and a hidden pain flickered across his face. It wasn’t just similar; it was practically…

As expected, this was a melodramatic world! Wu Qingluan stood up abruptly. “I don’t want to get married, and I don’t want to be in a romantic relationship. Please maintain a respectable distance from me.”

Yu Xuanwei firmly held her hand, took a deep breath, and said in a calm tone, “I won’t give up.”

Wu Qingluan forcefully pulled her hand away. “Stay away from me!”

Wu Qingluan walked angrily along the seaside promenade until two fans recognized her and asked for autographs. It was then that she realized she had come out without any sunscreen protection, and her face was getting sunburned.

She put on a cheerful smile and signed autographs for the two excited young girls, then quickly bought a hat, sunglasses, and a face mask from a street vendor to cover herself up.

Having been out of the entertainment industry for so long, she almost forgot that she was still a somewhat famous celebrity. She needed to be careful about her public appearances.

Qiongzhou was the most beautiful coastal city in Huaguo. As she walked along the bustling streets, watching the tourists pass by, Wu Qingluan’s mood gradually settled.

Her phone kept buzzing with messages, all from friends bidding her farewell and sending their best wishes.

She couldn’t be bothered to reply to each message, so she took off her mask, raised her phone, and took a selfie with a big smile. She then posted it on her WeChat Moments with the caption: “Thanks, everyone! I’m doing better than ever~!”

Wu Qingluan bought a coconut for herself and sipped it as she strolled. She had a flight back tonight and planned to buy some souvenirs for the triplets before leaving.

Having spent only a short time with the triplets, Wu Qingluan hadn’t fully figured out their personalities yet. But from her observations, the eldest seemed to like round objects, the second had a calm demeanor and loved music, and the third appeared to have a strong fondness for chickens.

At times like these, it would be better to have Yu Xuanwei help. Wu Qingluan stared at her phone, debating whether to ask him to join her in picking out gifts.

The triplets were staying at home, and she would continue to encounter Yu Xuanwei. Perhaps…

Lost in thought, Wu Qingluan didn’t notice a couple riding bicycles playfully approaching the boardwalk. The young couple was laughing and fooling around, not paying attention until it was too late to brake when they realized they were about to collide with her.

“Ah! Ahh!” The young couple screamed in panic.

Wu Qingluan tried to jump onto the railing to avoid the collision, but instead of making it onto the railing, she stumbled and fell.

Unlucky!

Suddenly, a gentle breeze brushed her face, and before Wu Qingluan could react, she found herself cradled horizontally in Yu Xuanwei’s arms.

She could hear the loud crash as the bicycles collided with the railing.

Wu Qingluan stared blankly at Yu Xuanwei, “You…” Then, she glanced at the young couple who had fallen in a heap. They were helping each other up, and the front wheel of the bicycle had twisted into a noodle-like shape.

This was too strange.

It wasn’t the first time such a situation had occurred. Yu Xuanwei always seemed to be able to appear suddenly, without a sound, almost as if he could teleport.

Wu Qingluan also remembered the group of chickens that had been magically healed. Could it be that Yu Xuanwei truly possessed supernatural abilities?

She heard Yu Xuanwei let out a soft sigh but didn’t release her. Instead, he continued walking while carrying her.

The path was crowded with tourists, and Yu Xuanwei’s tall and imposing figure already attracted attention. Now, with him carrying her, even more eyes turned their way.

Wu Qingluan heard the sound of several cameras snapping photos. She wanted to get down, “Put me down.”

Yu Xuanwei continued carrying her for a while until they reached a pavilion, where he finally set her down.

Wu Qingluan’s face turned red. She turned away from him and said, “Thank you.”

Yu Xuanwei didn’t say anything but reached out and gently placed his hand on top of her head, giving it a light pat.

Wu Qingluan, still a bit awkward, said, “I need to buy gifts for the triplets. Can you help me pick something?”

“Sure.”