That night passed quickly. As Mu Zibai and Wenren Lingmeng chatted about what had happened while she was unconscious, Mu Zibai also told her a few short stories.
Before long, dawn arrived.
Hearing a rooster crow outside, Mu Zibai and Wenren Lingmeng both looked toward the window. Neither had noticed how quickly time had flown; time spent together always seemed to pass this fast.
"Is it morning already?" Wenren Lingmeng gazed at the sunlight peeking through the gap. She hadn't seen the sun in so long, and she didn't want time to pass so quickly. There was still so much she hadn't told Mu Zibai.
"You should get up. Aren't you going to fix yourself up? It wouldn't look good if they saw you like this." Mu Zibai pinched Wenren Lingmeng's cheek.
The night before, they had talked, teased each other, and tussled until Wenren Lingmeng was both embarrassed and annoyed. Her hair was a mess, and they'd tugged the covers back and forth until they nearly tore.
"I'm only like this because of you," Wenren Lingmeng complained.
She was a mess now, and it was all Mu Zibai's fault. He was the one who wouldn't behave, always reaching over to touch her here and there. She couldn't even dodge him. He was so clingy.
Wenren Lingmeng liked it and resisted it at the same time, feeling quite helpless. What could she do? Mu Zibai was her husband.
Mu Zibai felt just as helpless. He needed to earn points, but Wenren Lingmeng was rather shy and refused to stay close to him whenever he wanted, so he could only...
Mu Zibai suddenly remembered something. They'd talked all night yesterday, and he'd forgotten to ask her about it.
Wenren Lingmeng hadn't fallen into a coma or gotten sick. She'd entered a deep sleep, much like someone comprehending the Dao. Why had she fallen into that state?
By all rights, Wenren Lingmeng had never cultivated, much less studied any cultivation techniques. She hadn't taken any pills or consumed any rare treasures, either.
So what had caused her to fall asleep? It remained a mystery.
"Lingmeng, do you remember what happened before you fell asleep?" Mu Zibai asked.
At his question, Wenren Lingmeng remembered, too. She'd been so caught up in the joy of waking up that she'd nearly forgotten to tell him.
She hurriedly said, "About that... That day, I saw someone who seemed to be on the moon. I saw him, and he saw me. I think we looked into each other's eyes, and then I passed out."
"Someone on the moon?" Mu Zibai was puzzled. Wenren Lingmeng had seen someone on the moon? His first thought was Chang'e—or Wu Gang?
Probably not. This was only a myth, after all, and this wasn't the world of Investiture of the Gods.
Besides, the moon was so far away. How could Wenren Lingmeng, who had no cultivation at all, see what was happening up there?
It was certainly strange.
Mu Zibai wondered if some immortal cultivator expert had noticed Wenren Lingmeng's talent and sent her an inheritance from thousands of miles away.
"Do you feel any different now?" Mu Zibai asked.
Wenren Lingmeng carefully checked how she felt. "No. I'm exactly the same as before. Nothing's changed."
"That's strange."
It seemed that wasn't the reason. Mu Zibai stroked his chin and continued, "Did you get a good look at what this person looked like?"
Wenren Lingmeng tried to recall more details, but couldn't. She could only shake her head helplessly.
"I can't remember. It's all blurry. I can't even tell whether the person was a man or a woman. I only know that their hair was very long. Really long." Wenren Lingmeng thought for a moment, then added, "I have a vague impression of them. If I saw them again, I think I'd recognize them."
"Forget it. If you can't remember, don't worry about it. You're fine now, anyway," Mu Zibai said with a smile.
"Mhm."
Mu Zibai fell into thought. He was afraid this matter wasn't so simple, and he naturally believed everything Wenren Lingmeng had told him.
But who was this person? They must have been incredibly powerful. Why had they made Wenren Lingmeng fall asleep?
He hadn't heard that Wenren Manor had offended anyone or crossed paths with an expert like that.
Besides, this person was up on the moon. Just how terrifyingly powerful would they have to be? Phoenix Nirvana Realm? Or even more terrifying than that?
Mu Zibai didn't dwell on it any further. He'd take things one step at a time.
"Where are my clothes?" Wenren Lingmeng looked around, clearly wanting to change.
"I'll get them for you."
Mu Zibai fetched a set of clothes—a pale blue dress—and handed it to Wenren Lingmeng. "Mother made this for you. Put it on and see if it fits."
Wenren Lingmeng looked at the dress. While she'd been unconscious, her mother had sewn her a new outfit every month and dressed her in it, hoping she would wake up soon.
She hugged the dress close, then looked at Mu Zibai. Their eyes met.
"Why are you still standing here? I'm going to change. Hurry up and get out," Wenren Lingmeng said, shooing Mu Zibai away. How could she change with him standing right there?
She sat on the bed, but made no move to get up.
Mu Zibai sat down beside her. "What's the big deal? Besides, I've already seen everything. And I was the one who changed your clothes for you before."
Wenren Lingmeng flushed with embarrassment. Just hearing about it made her want to crawl into a hole. She stammered, "What are you talking about? I don't want you to! It's all that wild girl Xiao E's fault. No, I don't want you to!"
With that, she threw a pillow at Mu Zibai. He caught it.
This girl could be bold one moment and shy the next.
"Fine, I'll go cook for you. I'll make you something good. You must've suffered a lot while you were unconscious," Mu Zibai said gently.
Since Wenren Lingmeng hadn't forgotten anything and had been aware of things, she must have really experienced six months of plain congee. It couldn't have been pleasant.
Even though her meals had improved afterward, she'd still been eating congee.
"Mhm! Tell the kitchen to make plenty, and whatever you do, don't prepare congee!" Wenren Lingmeng emphasized. She'd gotten sick of eating congee over the past few months. Just looking at it made her nauseous.
She never wanted to eat congee again for the rest of her life.
She had to make up for all the good food she'd missed these past few months and enjoy a proper feast of delicacies from all over the world.
Just thinking about it made her mouth water.
Mu Zibai saw right through her. She must have been starving for something tasty. What a little glutton.
He turned and left the room.
Watching Mu Zibai walk out, Wenren Lingmeng felt a little disappointed. He was really leaving?
Hadn't he said he'd help her change? She'd been waiting for him to insist a little longer, so she could reluctantly agree.
He knew she was shy and the passive sort. And now he wasn't even thick-skinned enough to press the issue. She felt disappointed.
Looking at the dress, she wondered how her parents were doing. Once they found out she'd woken up, they'd surely pull her into a long conversation.
Hundreds of miles away, Wenren Lanzhang was sitting up in bed, wrapped in a thick quilt. These past few days had been damn strange! He kept feeling drafts through his padded jacket, as if he were possessed. Gazing into the distance, he wondered how Wenren Lingmeng was doing. He'd wanted to go with her, but there was too much to do and he couldn't get away. He could only hope Lingmeng would get better soon. As he thought about it, he sneezed several times.
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