Life Is Like a Play

"Tell me clearly about the effects your cultivation technique will have!" you continued, your tone fierce.

Wan Qingluan was terrified.

So, Wan Qingluan answered all your questions pitifully.

You understood Wan Qingluan's situation.

It turned out Wan Qingluan's cultivation technique had a drawback.

Every month, there were seven days where she would transform into seven completely different personalities.

These seven personalities were:

Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Love, Hate, and Desire.

The one who came to you yesterday was the Sorrow personality.

Tonight, it had already become the Fear personality.

That's why Wan Qingluan found the outside world so terrifying.

You understood Wan Qingluan's current state.

"Severe paranoid schizophrenia!"

You also understood why Wan Qingluan, who was much stronger than you, was now so afraid of you.

"Such unstable emotions?"

You had a headache.

It was one thing if these gentle personalities appeared, but if a violent one showed up, she'd probably beat herself to death.

"No, I can't let Wan Qingluan stay here."

She was a ticking time bomb.

You picked up Wan Qingluan and threw her outside.

But Wan Qingluan's strength was considerable; the speed at which you threw her was no match for the speed at which she returned.

You threw her out, and she was back before you knew it.

She desperately pleaded with you not to throw her out.

After you threw her out a few more times, Wan Qingluan would retaliate and pin you down in the snow.

She would kneel on top of you, rendering you immobile, while tearfully begging you not to drive her away.

"Fine, fine, you'll kneel and beg me not to die, right!"

You couldn't beat her, and you couldn't escape her.

In the end, you could only fiercely beg her to let you go.

Wan Qingluan was very afraid of you, so she let you go.

Neither of you had a realistic assessment of your own strength.

You were already seventy-six this year, and after all this commotion, your old bones were creaking.

You had no choice but to let Wan Qingluan stay.

You guessed she would only stay for a day.

Once the Fear personality passed, Wan Qingluan would surely leave.

The next day, Wan Qingluan, as expected... did not leave.

Not only did Wan Qingluan not leave, but she also moved into the room next to yours.

Wan Qingluan also found three chubby little puppies from somewhere.

She bought goat milk and carefully nurtured them, her eyes full of affection.

You knew this was her Love personality acting up.

You ignored her and continued your cultivation as usual.

On the third day, those three puppies were killed by Wan Qingluan on the spot.

That day, she found fault with everyone she saw, her eyes filled with hatred.

You hid in your room, trembling.

"Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Love, Hate, Desire..."

You knew that Wan Qingluan today was the Hate personality.

"Then tomorrow will be the Desire personality. Is this woman still not leaving? Does she want to tarnish my pure body!"

You never expected that at over seventy years old, you would still face such a trial.

This made you wear a pained smile.

The fourth day, the world was covered in ice and snow.

You were shirtless, your abs exposed.

Pacing back and forth outside Wan Qingluan's room.

Like a peacock displaying its feathers to attract a peahen.

Wan Qingluan shut the door behind her.

She had stayed in her room all day and hadn't come out.

You hadn't expected her to resist your charms.

After all, your handsome looks were second only to the esteemed readers.

You couldn't help but give a thumbs-up to Wan Qingluan's admirable virtue of remaining composed: "Very good, you haven't disgraced yourself!"

On the fifth day, Wan Qingluan resumed her usual cool and aloof demeanor.

But she still showed no intention of leaving.

You could no longer sit still.

Having such an unstable factor around you made you feel very insecure.

You decided to be direct: "Heroine Wan, what exactly do you mean by sticking around? Why are you clinging to me?"

Wan Qingluan looked at you: "I'm very curious about you."

"What exactly about me are you curious about?"

Wan Qingluan had said something similar before.

Wan Qingluan's red lips parted slightly: "In our previous two meetings, I revealed my true killing intent towards you, but you showed no fear, which is why I became curious about you."

"Just because I'm not afraid of dying, you became curious about me?" you asked, frowning.

Wan Qingluan continued: "Of course, it's not just that. It's because you're not afraid of death, yet you have a strong desire to live. It's quite contradictory, but both exist within you."

You remained silent, a hint of confusion showing on your face.

Wan Qingluan tilted her head slightly: "You give me the feeling that you're... playing!"

"Yes, playing, that's the feeling!" Wan Qingluan's eyes lit up as she found the right words.

She seemed pleased: "You're just a minor Bone Tempering martial artist, yet you're not afraid of me. You're not even afraid of Lin Jingzhi. You seem to fear no one, as if you don't even care about this world!"

You looked up at Wan Qingluan in surprise.

She could accurately sense your state.

You knew this was just a simulation, and death posed no threat to you.

Therefore, you had maintained a carefree, "playing house" attitude all along.

You avoided trouble, trying your best to stay alive longer.

This was solely to have more time to improve your cultivation and then transfer it to reality.

However, you had never told anyone about this mindset.

A chill ran down your spine.

Could Wan Qingluan, this woman, actually read minds?

Are people from the Demonic Cult really this sinister?

"Why do you think I have this kind of mindset?" you asked.

Wan Qingluan's lips curved slightly: "It's also because of my cultivation technique."

"Can I practice your amazing cultivation technique?" you asked, feeling a bit speechless.

What kind of technique was this amazing, able to see through people's thoughts?

Wan Qingluan chuckled: "Of course, you can practice it, but you might be disappointed. This technique doesn't actually read minds; it's just very good at observing expressions and demeanor."

"Observing expressions and demeanor?"

"Before my cultivation technique advances to the Grandmaster level, I need to temper my heart in the mortal world and find my own path. That's why you see me in different identities each time."

You suddenly understood: "So you're practicing your cultivation technique by experiencing different identities. You can tell if someone is lying just because you've met more people and experienced more things?"

Wan Qingluan smiled slightly: "I didn't expect you to be so clever. That's basically it."

You breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Wan Qingluan couldn't truly read minds, she wasn't that dangerous.

You asked again: "What identity are you experiencing this time?"

You finally understood why Wan Qingluan had been lingering around you and refusing to leave.

She must want to practice her cultivation technique while staying with you.

Wan Qingluan didn't hide anything and said directly: "This time, I need to be the wife of an ordinary family."

Your expression turned strange, and you coughed twice: "Ahem, can you play the role of a flight attendant or a nurse? I like those types."

Wan Qingluan frowned: "What are flight attendants and nurses?"

"Uh... nothing. A housewife is also quite good."

Wan Qingluan nodded, seeming to understand but not quite.

[You decide that from now on, you'll fix anything broken around the house yourself.]

[You are determined not to let any neighbors who are bald repairmen come to your house.]

[You don't want to be that useless husband who's impossible to wake up, as if he's taken a sleeping potion.]

[You ask again, "Shouldn't your experiences pursue authenticity? If you speak them out, won't they lose their effectiveness?"]

[Wan Qingluan gives you a look with her pure eyes, "I only need to experience the state of mind. If every experience had to be completely real, I wouldn't have enough lives to experience them all."]

["So I just need to play along with you?"]

["Yes."]

[You size up Wan Qingluan for a moment, "Heroine Wan, you haven't fallen for me, have you?"]

[Wan Qingluan calmly looks at you, "Young Master He, are you always this confident?"]

["Heroine Wan, there are so many people in this world, and you specifically chose me to play your husband. Isn't your behavior obvious enough?"]

[Wan Qingluan ponders for a moment, "My primary interest in you is curiosity. Secondly, you're not bad to look at, which is why I asked you to play my husband."]

["Is that so?"] [You are skeptical.]

[You add, "Back where I'm from, there are many cases like this. People pretend to be a couple to meet parents, and in the end, the fake relationship becomes real."]

[Wan Qingluan maintains a cool demeanor, understanding your concern. She says, "I know what I'm doing."]

[You nod, "As long as you're aware of the implications."]

[You think for a moment longer, "Heroine Wan, what do I get out of this?"]

[Since Wan Qingluan is asking you to play her husband, it certainly won't be voluntary labor.]

[Wan Qingluan speaks calmly, "What do you want, Young Master He?"]