Chapter 23 : Jealousy

Ji Yu didn’t even know what she was nervous about. She just felt a sense of wrongdoing under her grandmother’s gaze.

Since she was little, she had always been seen as a well-behaved child in the eyes of her elders. For the first time in her life, she felt helpless as if she had made a mistake.

Perhaps marrying a demon could be seen as a mistake in the eyes of the world?

Moreover, this mistake was serious enough that it could lead to severe criticism, even making her a criminal in the eyes of the entire human race, unforgivable.

Especially since she was a demon hunter, humans and demons were fundamentally different, and this was an even graver sin…

As Ji Yu found herself unusually nervous, Jiang Shiqiu spoke up, smiling as he addressed the elder “Grandmother.”

The term “Grandmother” left Ji Yu at a loss for words.

She couldn’t help but look at him, realizing that the man beside her hadn’t toned down his behavior despite her grandmother’s memory not being altered. He was still as flamboyant and carefree as ever, and had the nerve to call her “Grandmother.”

Grandmother Ji furrowed her brows slightly, her expression growing more severe.

She couldn’t discern Jiang Shiqiu’s background. To her, he was an exceptionally handsome man, a rare and striking gentleman. Standing next to her granddaughter, the pairing was impeccable and perfect.

However, remembering the news she had heard when they first arrived made her uneasy.

The aunt had greeted them with joy, saying that the young master and the son-in-law had returned and were thinking of her.

Where did this son-in-law come from?

Could it be Shang Yunxiao? What relation did he have to the Ji family? He was just a good-looking face, deceiving an innocent girl.

Only later did she realize that he was the son-in-law brought back by her granddaughter.

It was said that he was the commanding officer of the Demon Division in the imperial city, and had recently married into the Ji family for her granddaughter…

Not only the aunt but all the Ji family members had readily accepted the suddenly appeared “son-in-law.”

Grandmother Ji instantly understood the gravity of the situation.

She wasn’t so old that she didn’t know when her granddaughter got married, much less that the commanding officer of the Demon Suppression Division had suddenly changed, and this person was now her granddaughter’s husband…

Seeing her grandmother’s stern expression and silence, Ji Yu was even more certain that her grandmother’s memory hadn’t been altered and quickly regained her composure.

She stepped forward and gently said, “Grandmother, this is Jiang Shiqiu.”

Jiang Shiqiu, like a son-in-law meeting his in-laws for the first time, obediently followed his wife, smiling as he said, “Grandmother, I’m Jiang Shiqiu, Ji Yu husband. You can just call me by my name.”

Grandmother Ji glanced at her granddaughter, who was holding a bouquet of wildflowers, then at the son-in-law who smiled obediently and gently, though his demonic aura was hard to hide. Instead of reacting aggressively, she said, “Come with me.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Ji Yu watched as her grandmother walked towards the ancestral hall and turned to look at the man beside her, hesitant to speak.

“Wife? Aren’t we leaving?” Jiang Shiqiu tilted his head and asked.

Seeing his nonchalance, Ji Yu sighed, “So, you really can’t alter the memories of the Ji family.”

When the Ji family chose their heir, they never looked at talent but at “absolute clarity.” Whether it was her grandmother, her mother, or herself, they all possessed “absolute clarity.”

So, besides herself, it turned out that her grandmother’s memory hadn’t been altered either.

Jiang Shiqiu didn’t seem concerned and, holding her hand, followed along, saying, “Grandmother seems to be someone who cares for her grandchildren. She surely wouldn’t break us apart. Don’t worry, my wife.”

Ji Yu was speechless, “I think the one who should be worried is you, don’t you?”

What was there to worry about?

That was her grandmother, the elder who cared for her the most. Whatever she did was always for Ji Yu’s own good.

On the other hand, Jiang Shiqiu, a demon, not only infiltrated the human world but also became part of a demon-exterminator family. If word got out, even demons would likely regard him as audacious and then respect him for his bravery.

Not everyone had his kind of courage to walk into their own doom.

Even so, Ji Yu gradually relaxed.

She still had doubts about this marriage and felt that her grandmother might know something. It was a good opportunity to ask her.

—

The Ji family’s ancestral hall was different from other places. The dense forest around it shaded the sky, making the light around the hall rather dim.

Grandmother Ji was waiting for them inside the hall.

When they arrived, they found Grandmother Ji with her back to the door, offering incense to the spirit tablet enshrined in the hall.

The house in Wushan City was not the Ji family’s ancestral home, the ancestral home was located within Wuhai Mountain, and the spirit tablets of the Ji family’s ancestors were enshrined in the ancestral hall there.

Therefore, the hall here enshrined a spirit tablet.

Spirit tablets could drive away demons and evil beings, and even the most audacious demon would not dare to enter the place where the spirit tablet resided easily.

Seeing the spirit tablet on the altar, Ji Yu couldn’t help but glance at the man beside her.

He remained as relaxed and carefree as ever, as if he didn’t see the spirit tablet on the altar.

Ji Yu hesitated for a moment, standing outside the door. She said to him, “You stay outside. I’ll go in alone.”

Jiang Shiqiu tilted his head, quickly understanding, and couldn’t help but smile.

His smile was charming, standing in the sunlight with a bewitching allure, he said with a grin, “Is my wife worried about me?”

Ji Yu looked at him helplessly, realizing he had a bad habit of making things explicit and never understood subtlety, always forcing her to admit things.

Seeing her look of helplessness, Jiang Shiqiu grew even fonder of her, feeling a vague, indescribable emotion welling up inside him, making his heart, which didn’t need to beat, feel as if it were coming alive.

He nodded, saying, “Alright, I’ll stay outside and wait for you.”

Ji Yu gave him another uneasy glance and then turned to enter the ancestral hall.

When Ji Yu entered, Grandmother Ji had finished offering the incense and turned to look.

Noticing only her granddaughter had entered and the “son-in-law” was still in the courtyard outside, Grandmother Ji quickly understood that her granddaughter was trying to protect the man.

She had chosen to meet them here because the ancestral hall enshrined a spirit tablet that could ward off demons. Any demon that approached would be harmed by the tablet.

This surprised her a bit.

If she wasn’t sure that her granddaughter inherited the Ji family’s trait of “absolute clarity,” she would almost believe her granddaughter was bewitched by a demon and had acted against her own intentions.

Grandmother Ji examined her granddaughter closely, confirming that she was unharmed, before speaking, “Ji Yu, when did you marry him?”

Ji Yu replied, “Over half a month ago, at the Yanyue Villa.”

Actually, it wasn’t at Yanyue Villa, but rather an ancient city in the Netherworld, but she couldn’t remember or identify the place.

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Ji was somewhat surprised and looked towards Jiang Shiqiu, who was standing in the courtyard, basking in the sunlight.

Both grandmother and granddaughter knew well that Jiang Shiqiu was not an ordinary person.

Perhaps only the grandmother and granddaughter had minds that were absolutely clear, not altered by any memory changes.

However, this was not necessarily a good thing.

When everyone around is drunk and only one person remains sober, the responsibility and suffering of the sober person are far greater.

It was also this characteristic of the Ji family that led to their significant losses twenty years ago, from which they had still not recovered.

Ji Yu hesitated for a moment and recounted everything that happened at Yanyue Villa and how she met Jiang Shiqiu and they got married.

As she narrated, Grandmother Ji’s stern expression showed signs of shock.

She stood there in a daze, speechless for a long time.

“Grandmother?” Ji Yu called out.

Grandmother Ji came to herself, looking at her granddaughter’s pale face, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

She sighed, noticing the bouquet of wildflowers still in her granddaughter’s arms, and forced a smile as she asked, “Ji Yu, do you like these flowers?”

Ji Yu’s cheeks turned slightly pink.

“These flowers are quite beautiful. The blooms are vibrant and colorful.”

She said somewhat awkwardly, “They’re really lovely, with bright colors.”

Grandmother Ji understood the underlying meaning. It wasn’t about how beautiful the flowers were, but about the person who gave them.

Grandmother Ji’s expression became complex as she thought to herself that perhaps the situation was better than she had imagined.

At least her granddaughter didn’t resist the marriage but had accepted it calmly, even getting along well with the esteemed lord. There was no need to worry about her being harmed.

“Ji Yu, let that young man come in,” Grandmother Ji said.

Upon hearing this, Ji Yu knew her grandmother had accepted Jiang Shiqiu as her “son-in-law,” and a look of relief appeared on her face as she went out to summon him.

Jiang Shiqiu, who had been paying close attention, had naturally heard every word spoken inside. His mood was increasingly joyful.

Seeing Ji Yu come out, his smile brightened, radiant and charming, like one of those young nobles from Yun Jing, all compliments fitting him perfectly.

Realizing that he had probably heard the conversation, Ji Yu didn’t address it directly and said, “Jiang Shiqiu, let’s go inside.”

Jiang Shiqiu agreed with a smile but suddenly said, “Wife, you should call me ‘husband.’”

Ji Yu: “…”

“I want to hear you call me ‘husband,’” he complained. “Is my wife dissatisfied with me? Is it because I haven’t been good enough?”

Ji Yu just wanted to silence him “That’s not it, stop saying such things!” Not waiting for him to continue, she added, “Grandmother is still waiting for us!”

She hoped he wouldn’t say anything inappropriate in front of her grandmother. The elder was stern and somewhat old-fashioned, likely unable to tolerate the young man’s flirtatiousness.

As they entered the ancestral hall, Ji Yu kept her gaze on him.

The spirit tablet in the hall seemed to have no effect on him. He walked in confidently, showing no signs of reluctance.

With this confirmation, Ji Yu finally felt relieved.

Grandmother Ji watched the pair walking in together.

Her gaze remained sharp. As the head of the Ji family, her cultivation was substantial, with profound magical abilities. Coupled with the Ji family’s trait of “absolute clarity,” no demon could deceive her.

Yet, Jiang Shiqiu still maintained his refined and casual demeanor in front of her. Standing beside her granddaughter, even though they didn’t show any intimate gestures, the affectionate atmosphere between them was evident.

Grandmother Ji spoke, “Young Master Jiang…”

“Grandmother, just call me Shiqiu,” Jiang Shiqiu said with a smile, adopting a respectful tone.

Grandmother Ji was momentarily taken aback.

Although she still couldn’t determine his true identity, if he was indeed her granddaughter’s betrothed, it offered some insight into the situation.

Grandmother Ji didn’t have the ability to make a respected lord from the Netherworld call her “grandmother.”

She chose to ignore this issue and turned to her granddaughter, saying, “Ji Yu, I need to speak with Young Master Jiang alone. Please wait outside.”

Ji Yu was reluctant to leave, but her grandmother’s unyielding expression made it clear that she had no choice but to go.

She gave Jiang Shiqiu one last glance before leaving.

Ji Yu went out to the courtyard, returning to the place where Jiang Shiqiu had been standing earlier.

The area was open and bathed in sunlight. The warm spring sun brought a gentle warmth.

Ji Yu turned to look back at the ancestral hall, but to her surprise, Grandmother Ji waved her sleeve, closing the door and blocking any view from outside.

Ji Yu: “…”

She considered using a spell to eavesdrop, but since both of the people inside were more powerful than her, she feared her attempt would alert them immediately.

So she abandoned the idea.

—-

The conversation inside didn’t take long. After about fifteen minutes, both Jiang Shiqiu and Grandmother Ji walked out from the ancestral hall.

Ji Yu watched them intently, trying to read something from their expressions. Unfortunately, her grandmother’s expression was always stern and unyielding, while Jiang Shiqiu, though smiling, revealed nothing.

Seeing Ji Yu in the courtyard, Grandmother Ji’s expression remained indifferent as she said, “Ji Yu, you’ve worked hard with the matter at Yanyue Villa. Go back and rest well, take care of yourself.”

Ji Yu opened her mouth to say something, but Jiang Shiqiu interjected, “Grandmother, don’t worry. I will keep an eye on Ji Yu.”

Grandmother Ji nodded, saying to him, “Thank you for your trouble.”

The two of them directly ignored Ji Yu, smoothly finishing the “care of Ji Yu” matter before leaving.

Ji Yu: “…”

As she watched her grandmother’s departing figure, Ji Yu turned to Jiang Shiqiu with suspicion.

“What did you two talk about?”

Jiang Shiqiu noticed she still held the bouquet of wildflowers, which, despite being picked in the morning, remained vibrant and fresh due to a spell.

He affectionately took her hand and said gently, “Wife, I’m very happy.”

“Happy about what?” Ji Yu asked.

“Because my wife protected me in front of Grandmother,” Jiang Shiqiu gazed at her with affection, his dark eyes reflecting her image. “It truly touches me that my wife is so devoted to me.”

Ji Yu, not as thick-skinned as he was, felt somewhat embarrassed. She cleared her throat and forcefully changed the topic. “You still haven’t answered me.”

Jiang Shiqiu’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Actually, it was nothing much. Grandmother was worried that I might not be sincere with you. Fortunately, my sincere feelings are enough to move heaven and earth, and Grandmother finally believes in me, allowing us to live happily together as husband and wife, supporting each other…”

Ji Yu: “…”

“Really?” Ji Yu looked at him skeptically, feeling that with her grandmother’s personality, she probably wouldn’t say such sentimental things.

Jiang Shiqiu maintained a serious expression. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Grandmother.”

He glanced over her shoulder.

Ji Yu, sensing something unusual, suddenly turned around and saw Grandmother Ji had returned and was standing not far away, watching them with a somewhat indescribable expression.

Ji Yu then noticed how intimate her behavior with Jiang Shiqiu had been, standing too close for comfort in front of her elder. Feeling extremely embarrassed, her face turned slightly red, and she quickly pulled her hand away.

Jiang Shiqiu, as expected, was indeed thick-skinned, calling out cheerfully, “Grandmother, Ji Yu doesn’t believe what I say, does she?”

Grandmother Ji’s expression twitched slightly. Seeing her granddaughter’s gaze, she said, “That’s right.”

Ji Yu looked at her grandmother with suspicion, thinking that given how much her grandmother cherished her, she would not assist an outsider.

Could it be that what Jiang Shiqiu said was true?

Jiang Shiqiu, noticing Grandmother Ji’s support, was quite pleased. He said gently, “Wife, see? I wasn’t lying. I would never deceive you.”

Ji Yu ignored his comment and asked her grandmother, “Grandmother, is there anything else?”

Otherwise, her grandmother wouldn’t have returned.

Grandmother Ji remained composed, as if the previous matter was just a minor episode and said to her granddaughter, “Next month is Old Master Chen’s birthday at the Qingyu Chen family. The Chen family has sent an invitation to the Ji family.”

Ji Yu’s expression slightly softened. She said, “I understand. I will attend.”

Grandmother Ji observed her granddaughter and added, “If you don’t wish to go, I can have someone else go instead.”

Grandmother Ji was referring to Ji Buhuan, a talented younger member of the Ji family known for his steady and reliable nature. He had been out training with the Ji family disciples and had not yet returned.

Ji Yu shook her head and said, “Grandmother, there’s no need for that. As the young master of the Ji family, it is most appropriate for me to attend. It would not be fitting to send just anyone and appear disrespectful.”

Indeed, the Ji family didn’t have many people, but they weren’t reduced to such a state.

The Old Master Chen of the Qingyu Chen family was an important figure, and even the court paid him respect on his birthday. The Ji family couldn’t afford to send just anyone.

Given Grandmother Ji’s status, she wouldn’t need to attend personally. Additionally, with her old illness resurfacing, her health wasn’t great. Ji Yu didn’t want to trouble her grandmother with travel.

Hearing this, Grandmother Ji didn’t object further and said, “You should be ready to leave at the beginning of next month.”

She then looked at Jiang Shiqiu, who was by Ji Yu’s side.

In the past, she wouldn’t have wanted her granddaughter to go to the Qingyu Chen family’s birthday celebration. But now that Jiang Shiqiu was with her, who would dare to harm her granddaughter?

Grandmother Ji sighed inwardly.

Fortune and misfortune are always intertwined. It’s hard to distinguish which is which.

She returned to the main courtyard and came to a side room in the main courtyard. There were not two tablets enshrined in the room, but one for the deceased husband of Old Lady Ji, and the other for her daughter Ji Lan.

Grandmother Ji lit incense and offered it to the tablets, gazing at them with eyes clouded by the passage of time.

“Lan’er, he is still… The curse cannot be reversed. It must be this way to save Ji Yu… But I don’t know if it’s right. If he harbors ill intentions toward Ji Yu and refuses to acknowledge this marriage, perhaps one day Ji Yu…”

—

After Grandmother Ji left, Ji Yu had some free time.

She placed the flowers Jiang Shiqiu had given her into a vase, filled it with clean water, and carefully tended to them.

Though this bouquet of wildflowers wasn’t as beautiful as the carefully cultivated flowers in the garden, it had a wild vitality, blooming exuberantly with a subtle fragrance, brightening the room.

The fat-headed fish in the glass vase eyed the flowers hungrily. Whenever no one was watching, it would leap out of the vase and nibble on a few petals.

Initially, Ji Yu didn’t realize what was happening. She thought the missing petals were just falling off.

It wasn’t until she saw the fish demon leaping out of the sealed glass vase with its huge mouth open wide, grabbing a petal, and returning to the vase to munch on it happily, that she discovered the truth.

When the fat-headed fish noticed her, it stiffened and decided to play dead.

Ji Yu found it amusing and walked over to look at the fish in the vase, asking, “Since you can leave the vase, why don’t you just leave?”

Was there really such a foolish demon?

The fat-headed fish, seeing she wasn’t angry, stopped pretending and continued munching on the flower petals, glancing at her with its bulging eyes.

Was it that it didn’t want to leave?

No, it was just afraid!

It was certain that as soon as it left, it would be squished by that esteemed one. For that esteemed one, squishing a fish demon was like squishing an ant. It dared not risk its life against his mercy.

Demons had no mercy and acted on their whims, behaving recklessly.

The fish demon looked at Ji Yu, finding this demon hunter very intriguing. Despite being cursed from birth and bound by a marriage contract with another esteemed being from the underworld, Ji Yu still enjoyed his protection.

If it weren’t for seeing through the terrifying entity beneath Jiang Shiqiu’s human skin, it would never have guessed that the man who persistently clung to the demon hunter was a powerful demon himself.

Ji Yu seemed to understand the fish demon’s thoughts and smiled, “Is it because of Jiang Shiqiu?”

The fish demon flicked its tail, about to show its agreement when Jiang Shiqiu’s presence suddenly appeared. Its tail stiffened, and it resumed playing dead.

Jiang Shiqiu walked in from outside.

Ji Yu turned to him and, seeing the fat-headed fish’s nervousness, said, “It’s nothing, just that this fish demon is quite well-behaved and hasn’t tried to escape.”

Jiang Shiqiu glanced at the fish demon and nonchalantly said, “It doesn’t dare to. If it did, I’d make fish head soup out of it.”

Fat-headed fish: “……”

Seeing the fish demon’s bubble eyes almost tear up, Ji Yu smiled and changed the subject, “Where did you go today?”

Jiang Shiqiu’s eyes lit up as he looked at her, thinking that his wife was concerned about him, unaware that she was actually monitoring his whereabouts to prevent him from causing trouble.

The fat-headed fish looked at Ji Yu gratefully, thinking of her as a savior for covering up its nibbling on petals.

Jiang Shiqiu led her to sit on the couch and continued, “Today, someone from the Demon Division came looking for me.”

“The Demon Division? Who came?” Ji Yu asked, puzzled.

Jiang Shiqiu seemed indifferent. “Someone from the imperial city. Their name was Qin something, I forgot.”

“Qin Du!”

“Yes, that seems to be the name.”

Ji Yu was somewhat surprised.

Qin Du was a prominent name among demon hunters. He was from a prestigious family in the imperial city of Yunjing and had outstanding talent. From a young age, he trained in the imperial forbidden grounds and was specially nurtured by the royal family as a talented demon hunter.

It was said that after Jiang Chaoshan retired from his position as the commander of the Demon Division, Qin Du would take over.

He had joined the Demon Division at fifteen and, in just a few years, had solved numerous major cases and eliminated many demons.

It was rumored that many demons hated him deeply and had tried to set traps to kill him, but he had always managed to escape unscathed.

Such a person even received respect from the four great families.

But Jiang Shiqiu seemed to regard it as insignificant.

Ji Yu hadn’t expected the court to send Qin Du. If Jiang Shiqiu had not appeared and taken the position of commander of the Demon Division without actually working, the court might not have sent him.

This suggested that perhaps the memories of mortals in the entire Great Yu realm had indeed been altered by him.

Ji Yu asked, “What did he say?”

“Nothing much, just some some trivial things. The court sent him to the Qingyu Chen family next month.”

Ji Yu understood. Regardless of the relationship between the four great families and the court, on the surface, they maintained a facade of mutual goodwill, all working together to protect the human realm.

For the birthday of the Old Master Chen of the Qingyu Chen family, the court naturally had to show some gesture and sent someone to convey their regards.

Sending someone with a high status wasn’t suitable, and sending someone too low wouldn’t be appropriate either. Sending Qin Du, a young demon hunter favored by the court, was just right.

The next day, Ji Yu met Qin Du at the Ji family estate.

Qin Du was speaking with Grandmother Ji when he saw Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu arriving together and stood up to greet them.

“Lord Jiang, Young Master Ji.”

Qin Du had a youthful face. Despite being in his early twenties, he looked like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, with red lips and white teeth, appearing very well-mannered.

Of course, the well-mannered appearance was just that appearance.

As a talented demon hunter who had been highly regarded from a young age, Qin Du inevitably had a touch of arrogance and a sharp tongue. He had offended quite a few people due to his imposing demeanor and tendency to be sarcastic.

However, at this moment, Qin Du was particularly respectful.

Among the people here, Grandmother Ji was not only an elder with profound cultivation, but her power was far beyond his, which left him no room for impudence.

Not to mention Jiang Shiqiu, who was the newly appointed “Commander of the Demon Division of the Imperial City.” He was not only his superior but also had unfathomable strength. Even a dragon would have to behave obediently in his presence.

As for Ji Yu, despite her reputation as a waste, she was the person Jiang Shiqiu was marrying, and with Jiang Shiqiu around, who would dare offend her?

Qin Du wasn’t foolish, he would never be disrespectful to Jiang Shiqiu’s wife in his presence.

Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu took their seats and listened to the conversation between Grandmother Ji and Qin Du.

Ji Yu observed Qin Du carefully and found that this talented demon hunter, who was highly favored by the court, harbored no doubts about Jiang Shiqiu’s identity.

Qin Du had come to Wushan City not only for official business but also for Jiang Shiqiu. Since Jiang Shiqiu, the commander, stayed in Wushan City without leaving, there were matters that needed to be reported to him and tasks that required his handling. However, Jiang Shiqiu’s temperament was even harder to deal with than Qin Du’s, leaving Qin Du with no choice but to seek assistance from Grandmother Ji.

After Ji Yu understood the reason for Qin Du’s visit, she looked at Jiang Shiqiu.

“Wife, what’s wrong?” Jiang Shiqiu asked with a smile, tilting his head.

Ji Yu glanced at the conversation between Grandmother Ji and Qin Du and gently suggested, “You’re the Commander of the Demon Division. Since Qin Du has come to find you, you should go.”

In his position, he should fulfill his responsibilities.

Since he held that position, he should take on the duties associated with it.

This was Ji Yu’s principle.

Humans are defined by their emotions and desires, and adhering to the principles of law and morality, one should take responsibility.

Qin Du’s heart sank as he listened to Ji Yu’s polite advice.

In fact, he had visited the Ji family today with some trepidation, fearing that Jiang Shiqiu might throw him out.

The “memory” of this Commander Jiang was not someone with a good temperament, almost no one could restrain him, and he had the strength to avoid any restrictions.

Hearing Ji Yu’s tactful advice, Qin Du was very touched. The Young Master Ji was indeed smart and insightful, understanding his hints immediately.

However, he was even more worried that even she couldn’t persuade Jiang Shiqiu.

Jiang Shiqiu, hearing this, looked deeply at Ji Yu and nodded in agreement, “What my wife says is right.”

Compared to Qin Du’s anxiety, Ji Yu was very calm and not surprised by his response. Over the past days, she had a good understanding of Jiang Shiqiu’s temperament.

While she couldn’t pinpoint his bottom line, he still gave her some face when she raised an issue.

Since Jiang Shiqiu agreed, he didn’t refuse. The next day, he began leaving early and returning late.

No matter how late it was, he always came back to accompany Ji Yu to sleep.

At night, as Ji Yu was drifting in and out of sleep, she felt a warm presence and naturally adjusted herself into a comfortable position, snuggling into his embrace.

The pervasive pain inside her eased somewhat with his embrace, helping her regain some clarity.

“Jiang Shiqiu?” she mumbled, “Are you very busy?”

Jiang Shiqiu held her close, his voice particularly gentle in the night, “Not busy, just troublesome.”

He was a bit frustrated. Originally, he only wanted to obtain a mortal identity to facilitate marrying her and to match her status.

But he hadn’t expected that this identity required so many tasks and complexities.

Ji Yu couldn’t help but smile and teased, “I believe you, Jiang Shiqiu. You will manage it.”

For her words, Jiang Shiqiu had to continue working hard, quickly finishing those tasks to carve out more time to be with her.

—

After half a month, the eldest disciple of the Ji family, Ji Buhuan, returned with the Ji family disciples who had been out training.

Upon seeing Ji Yu, the group of people respectfully greeted her, “Young Master!”

Ji Buhuan happily said, “Young Master, when did you return? Are you well?”

Ji Yu smiled, “I’ve been back for over half a month, and I’m doing well.”

After some pleasantries, Ji Yu had the disciples rest and kept Ji Buhuan behind.

“Young Master, how was your trip to Yanyue Villa? Did you encounter any dangers?” Ji Buhuan asked with concern, looking her up and down.

Ji Yu replied, “Everything is fine. You don’t need to worry.”

Ji Buhuan was an orphan adopted by the Ji family. His parents had died in a demon attack, and all his relatives were also dead. The Ji family took him in.

Not only him but many other disciples of the Ji family with different surnames were in similar situations.

The two of them grew up together, and though not related by blood, they were as close as family. Ji Buhuan had always protected Ji Yu and cared for her like a brother or father.

Ji Yu asked Ji Buhuan about the recent training. Ji Buhuan briefly explained the situation.

As they were talking, a gentle voice interrupted, “Wife, what are you doing?”

The two siblings turned around to see a tall man in a flamboyant crimson robe standing at the door. His eyes, as dark as ink, were fixed on them, and though he was smiling, there was an oddly unsettling quality to it.

Ji Buhuan felt as if he was being watched by something dangerous and terrifying. His jaw tightened slightly, and his previously smiling face became serious.

He looked at Jiang Shiqiu and bowed respectfully, “Master Jiang.”

Aside from Jiang Shiqiu’s marriage into the Ji family, he was still the Commander of the Demon Division in the Imperial City, and his status required respect.

Jiang Shiqiu approached with a casual tone, “What’s going on here?”

His tone was affectionate with a hint of reproach.

Ji Yu couldn’t help but glance at him, feeling something was off about him today. She said, “I just heard that Brother Buhuan has returned.”

Jiang Shiqiu walked over to Ji Yu, took her hand, and smiled at Ji Buhuan, “We’ve just returned from Yanyue Villa. Next time we have a chance, we must have a good drink with Brother Buhuan.”

Ji Buhuan smiled and nodded, sensing their closeness, and tactfully found an excuse to leave.

Having been raised personally by Grandmother Ji, Ji Buhuan was composed and perceptive. He could see the underlying hostility from Jiang Shiqiu and found it somewhat amusing. After smiling, he felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy.

Ji Yu watched Ji Buhuan leave until he was out of sight, then turned to the man beside her.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked in confusion, finding Jiang Shiqiu’s behavior today peculiar.

Jiang Shiqiu maintained his smile, “Why do you ask, wife?”

Ji Yu honestly replied, “You just seem very strange today.”

Even though he was smiling, his expression was unsettlingly forced. Thankfully, he was handsome and it was daytime, which helped mitigate the eerie feeling.

Otherwise, people might soon start suspecting his demonic nature.

Jiang Shiqiu led her back to Zhuang Qing Courtyard.

Zhuang Qing Courtyard was vast, filled with numerous trees and exotic flowers. The environment was serene and suitable for recuperation.

As they walked, there were few servants in sight.

Ji Yu couldn’t help but observe him, puzzled by his behavior.

When they reached their room, they saw the plump-headed fish sneaking flowers again. Jiang Shiqiu reached out and grabbed the fish, which was now quite large, almost the size of a food container. This might not be its true form but merely a size it maintained for convenience in stealing flowers.

The fish, frightened, had its scales bristling and looked at Ji Yu with pleading eyes, begging for rescue.

Save me! Why is this lord suddenly so bloodthirsty?

It hadn’t done anything recently, just sneaked some of the flowers he had given to the demon hunter…

Seeing Jiang Shiqiu’s smile, which was gentle yet carried a murderous intent, Ji Yu finally reacted. She hesitantly asked, “Jiang Shiqiu, are you angry?”

Jiang Shiqiu, holding the fish, casually replied, “Angry? Why would I be angry? Is there anything that could make me angry?”

Ji Yu shook her head, “I don’t know.”

A man’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea, and a demon’s heart is even more complex than that. As an ordinary person, she couldn’t guess why he was angry.

Jiang Shiqiu was momentarily taken aback by her honest answer, and her cluelessness made him…