Making Pretend Real

Jing Ni first checked her precious daughter's body. Only after confirming that she had no fever or cold, and had not wet herself, did she try feeding her.

Since the tent was small, and Xiao Feng had already seen all of her when he helped deliver the baby, Jing Ni had no intention of avoiding him.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp..."

Watching the little one cling to her breast and drink with gusto, Xiao Feng could not help feeling a little thirsty himself, swallowing unconsciously.

Noticing the strange look on Xiao Feng's face, Jing Ni's beautiful eyes flashed with amusement. "Do you want some too?"

"Cough, cough!"

Caught red-handed, Xiao Feng coughed awkwardly and hurriedly changed the subject. "What are you planning to name this child?"

"Yan."

Jing Ni parted her lips, her expression turning somewhat complicated. "Yan, as in a vow."

"What surname will she have?"

"Wei."

"Wei Yan?"

Xiao Feng softly repeated the name, then gently poked Wei Yan's little cheek with a finger. "Then I'll call you Xiao Yan'er from now on."

"From now on?"

Jing Ni froze slightly. "You're not planning to leave?"

"Leave? Why would I leave?"

Xiao Feng shook his head. "Your body hasn't recovered yet, and Xiao Yan'er is so young. How could I possibly abandon the two of you and leave?"

"B-but Netherworld is very dangerous."

Learning that Xiao Feng had no intention of abandoning her, Jing Ni could not help feeling touched. That only made her even less willing to drag him into this.

"It's fine. I'm strong! I don't even take a mere Netherworld seriously."

Xiao Feng first struck a bicep-flexing pose at Jing Ni, then took a human-skin mask from his Storage Ring. "Besides, I'm skilled in the Disguise Technique. As long as I give you a new face, I guarantee that Netherworld's people won't recognize you at all."

As soon as Xiao Feng finished speaking, he pressed the human-skin mask onto his face and instantly transformed into a middle-aged man.

Seeing Jing Ni's surprised expression, Xiao Feng deliberately asked in a different, hoarse voice, "Well? My Disguise Technique isn't bad, is it?"

Seeing that Xiao Feng had changed not only his appearance but even his voice completely, Jing Ni's eyes lit up slightly.

Jing Ni had once been a Netherworld assassin herself and knew all too well how terrifying Netherworld was, so she did not believe Xiao Feng could stand against it.

However, seeing how formidable Xiao Feng's Disguise Technique was gave her hope of escaping Netherworld's pursuit.

As long as Jing Ni disguised herself and fled to another country, and never used martial arts or the Jing Ni Sword in public again, Netherworld would have a hard time discovering her existence.

"Xiao Feng, thank you!"

Jing Ni stared at Xiao Feng for a while before thanking him with utter sincerity.

Although Xiao Feng had saved Jing Ni's life before, without resolving the issue of Netherworld's pursuit, it had only treated the symptoms rather than the root cause.

Now, however, Jing Ni truly saw hope of surviving, and her gratitude toward Xiao Feng was almost overflowing.

More than half a month later

"Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop..."

A convoy of several dozen people slowly entered Xinzheng City and headed toward Xiao Manor in the wealthy district.

Before long, the convoy stopped outside the gates of Xiao Manor. Xiao Feng, dressed in a fitted black outfit, helped Jing Ni down from the carriage as she held Xiao Yan'er in her arms.

Jing Ni was now dressed in splendid silks and adorned with heavy jeweled ornaments, looking every bit the noble lady. Where was there even a trace of a Netherworld assassin about her?

Jing Ni had taken on this appearance because she wanted to conceal her true identity and better protect her daughter.

In the original story, Jing Ni had once married Tian Meng, the Hall Master of Blazing Mountain Hall in the Farmer Sect, to evade Netherworld's pursuit. She even bore him a son, Tian Ci.

Unfortunately, Tian Meng was a despicable man. After discovering Jing Ni's exceptional martial arts, he pretended not to care. Yet when she became pregnant with her second child and was about to give birth, he used Tian Yan's life to threaten her into revealing her true identity.

When Tian Meng learned that Jing Ni had provoked Netherworld, he was terrified. Fearing that she would take revenge afterward, he took advantage of her weakest moment during childbirth to cripple her eight extraordinary meridians and martial arts. As a result, Tian Ci was born prematurely and suffered from an innate intellectual disability.

Now, because Xiao Feng had rescued her, Jing Ni's fate had changed.

With Xiao Feng's help, Jing Ni had already changed her appearance with the Disguise Technique. However, following Xiao Feng around with a newborn daughter without any recognized status would still easily arouse suspicion.

Therefore, Jing Ni became Xiao Feng's concubine. To outsiders, she was said to have originally been Xiao Feng's maidservant, who had been elevated to concubine after bearing him a child.

Originally, Xiao Feng had only planned to pretend to be husband and wife with Jing Ni, but she insisted on making the act real.

At the end of the day, Xiao Feng was only a hot-blooded young man. Faced with a peerless beauty like Jing Ni throwing herself at him, it was easy for him to be stirred with the ambitions of a conqueror.

Besides, Jing Ni had more than enough milk, while Xiao Yan'er had such a small appetite. If Xiao Feng did not help share the burden, it would be such a waste of food.

Of course, Jing Ni was not so proactive with Xiao Feng because she lusted after his body. Her main purpose was still to conceal her true identity.

After all, Jing Ni was now Xiao Feng's favored concubine. If they continued sleeping in separate rooms, it would inevitably arouse outsiders' suspicions.

Moreover, Jing Ni had only known Xiao Feng for a short time. There was no deep affection between them to speak of.

Perhaps Xiao Feng was currently willing to risk offending Netherworld to shelter Jing Ni and her daughter, but people's hearts were fickle. Over time, that might not remain the case.

Jing Ni could not gamble the lives and safety of herself and her daughter on whether Xiao Feng would remain so kind-hearted forever.

Thus, Jing Ni chose to make the act real. As long as she could make Xiao Feng infatuated with her body, she could ensure that he would not change his mind anytime soon.

As long as Jing Ni bore Xiao Feng a son or daughter in the future, she would no longer have to worry about him abandoning the mother and daughter.

A woman might be weak, but a mother was strong!

Perhaps Jing Ni's actions carried some intent to scheme against Xiao Feng, but she had no better options.

Other than her body, Jing Ni could think of no better way to keep Xiao Feng's heart.

Xiao Feng did not know Jing Ni's true thoughts, but even if he had, he probably would not have cared. Either way, he was getting the better end of the deal.

Upon learning that their master and mistress had arrived, Lai Fu, the steward of Xiao Manor, hurriedly led the servants to the gates to welcome them.

The steward and servants of Xiao Manor were all household slaves Xiao Feng had purchased in the Qin Kingdom, mainly so they could conveniently attend to Jing Ni and her daughter's daily needs.