A Strong Youth Then...

"I'm telling you, Lingling was incredible today..."

At the dinner table, Dugu Yan stuffed herself with food while going on and on to Fang Xuan and Ye Qinru about Ye Lingling's glorious deeds that day.

Dugu Bo was not at home, so Dugu Yan was basically in a free-range state, running around wherever she pleased. This was hardly the first or second time she had come to Ye Lingling's house to freeload a meal, and Ye Qinru was already used to it.

As for Fang Xuan, he did not care much about that. What he cared about right now was what had happened today.

He had not expected that just as he had received news on his end, Ye Lingling would run straight into it on hers.

"That little girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is as ill-bred as ever."

Her precious daughter had been bullied like this. How could a mother possibly not be angry?

The Nine-Heart Begonia lineage had never gotten along with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to begin with. At Fang Xuan's wedding last time, the other side had looked as if they had come to make trouble, only for Yu Yuanzhen's sudden visit to make them somewhat wary.

This time, they had even cursed her daughter as a slut in front of so many people. Ye Qinru was so furious her whole body trembled.

But what could she do? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was powerful. With her ability, she could not gain the slightest advantage.

Yet if she just let it go, she was unwilling, and her heart was full of frustration.

At this moment, Fang Xuan, who had not reacted much all along, spoke.

"Lingling, you want to use this chance to pull the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda down from its position as the number one support-type martial soul, right?"

As his words fell, the whole room went silent.

All three of them looked at Fang Xuan in unison. His words were rather shocking.

"Brother Xuan, how did you figure that out? Was my goal that obvious?"

Having had her true thoughts seen through by Fang Xuan, Ye Lingling was a little embarrassed.

"Heh. It's actually not hard to guess. You're not the type to just swallow humiliation."

What sort of personality Ye Lingling had—how could Fang Xuan not know?

When they had first met, although she had been proud and aloof by nature and did not like to talk much, deep down, she had never been someone who would not dare to fight back after being bullied.

Now, after getting married, her temperament had also become increasingly steady. But to say she had no temper when faced with something like this—Fang Xuan would never believe it even if you beat him to death.

And Ye Lingling's actions clearly did not look like she was trying to smooth things over. Instead, she was digging a pit for the other side, and a very deep one at that.

The foundation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could not be shaken, but making a move against Ning Rongrong was still very easy.

"Let me guess. After this, you were planning to keep provoking her, make her compete with you, then crush her, and spread the matter outward to reduce the reputation of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, right?"

Seeing that Fang Xuan had guessed her thoughts, Ye Lingling stuck out her cute little tongue and smiled playfully.

"No way? Lingling, you're going that big?"

Dugu Yan was also startled by Ye Lingling's idea. She had originally thought Ye Lingling would find a way to mess with the other party, but she had not expected that Ye Lingling actually wanted to kick the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda down from its position as the number one support-type martial soul.

This was practically the same as digging up the other party's ancestral grave. She was playing on no ordinary scale.

"I was bullied right to my face. Of course I have to take revenge. Ah Xuan, you'll support me, right?"

Ye Lingling looked at Fang Xuan. She did not care whether this plan could develop in the direction she imagined or achieve the expected effect.

What she cared about right now was whether Fang Xuan would support her doing this.

"I'll support you. Why wouldn't I? You're my wife. You were bullied. As your husband, am I supposed to stop my wife from taking revenge? Then what kind of man would I be?"

What a joke. He had already been displeased with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to begin with. Now they had even provoked his own wife. If he did not destroy them outright, what was the point?

"But this plan of yours still isn't perfect enough."

"Ah, is there some flaw in it?"

Hearing this, Ye Lingling looked flustered, thinking that there was some problem with her idea.

"Of course there's a flaw. And not a small one, either."

Fang Xuan's expression also became quite serious, as if Ye Lingling had committed some extremely major mistake. It even frightened Dugu Yan at the side.

Ye Lingling also looked at Fang Xuan nervously, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Ye Qinru, on the other hand, had a calm expression. The anger from before was completely gone, and her eyes were filled with the look of someone waiting to enjoy a good show.

"You didn't count me in. For something like this, you actually didn't consider my position. Tell me, isn't that a huge flaw?"

Hearing this, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan both froze at the same time. Then Dugu Yan flew into a rage.

"Are you messing with me? Why did you make it so serious? You scared me!"

"Hey, what kind of talk is that? Lingling and I are husband and wife, of one heart. Her way of doing things clearly left me out."

"We've only been married a few days, and our feelings have already faded. Tell me, isn't that a big problem?"

"..."

Watching Fang Xuan spout nonsense with a perfectly serious face, Dugu Yan felt as if ten thousand soul beasts were stampeding through her heart.

"You disgust me. Aunt Ye, hurry up and control your son-in-law."

Dugu Yan was about to be angered to death by Fang Xuan. She had worried for ages, only for him to shove a mouthful of dog food at her. Was this something a human would do?

"It's just a young couple flirting. You'll get used to it."

As someone who had long since seen through everything, Ye Qinru's expression was calm as well.

Besides, this was her own son-in-law showing how good he was to her daughter. Only if she were ill would she stop him.

Still, what her son-in-law had said suited her perfectly. After all, from Fang Xuan's performance just now, it looked to her as if he was willing to oppose the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for her daughter.

"Good thing I didn't force this boy away back then. Otherwise, I'm afraid I really would have regretted it to death."

Chasing her son-in-law all the way to the crematorium—just thinking about it now left her a little frightened. She had almost ruined her daughter's entire life.

Seeing that Ye Qinru would not help her, Dugu Yan could only sit there by herself and sulk.

She seemed not to realize that she was the only outsider here now. Fang Xuan and Ye Lingling were a proper family.

In the end, Dugu Yan, stuffed full of dog food, sensibly went home on her own.

Night gradually deepened.

Inside the room, candlelight flickered, and warm yellow lamplight cast mottled shadows over the gauze curtains.

Fang Xuan picked Ye Lingling up in his arms and gently laid her on the bed. He leaned down, his warm breath brushing past her ear.

"We still haven't finished settling today's account."

Ye Lingling was drenched in fragrant sweat. A faint blush covered her snow-white skin, and her long snowy hair spilled across the pillow, making that lovely face look even more richly beautiful.

She panted softly, her voice so tender it almost seemed to drip with water.

"Husband... I was wrong. I won't dare do it again next time..."

The final note of that "Husband" lifted slightly, carrying an indescribable tingling sweetness as it slipped into Fang Xuan's ears, making his back go numb and nearly costing him control.

But his will was firm indeed. He did not soften in the slightest because of that plea for mercy. Instead, he let out a low laugh.

"You still think there'll be a next time?"

He leaned in even closer, the pad of his finger gently rubbing the reddened corner of her eye, his tone gentle yet carrying a hidden danger.

"Looks like tonight's lesson still wasn't deep enough. Your husband will have to make you remember properly what it means for husband and wife to be one."

As his words fell, the candle went out with a soft pfft.

The night was gentle, the room full of lingering intimacy.

Outside the window, moonlight lay like white silk over the crabapple branches in the courtyard. The night breeze passed through, and petals fell with soft rustles, as though they too were whispering for the tenderness within the room.

Early the next morning, Fang Xuan dressed with a refreshed air and prepared to go out.

Ye Lingling, meanwhile, lay in bed sleeping sweetly. Last night had taken quite a toll on her; today, she was probably in no state to go out.

Sure enough, when a young man was strong, a young woman lay in bed. The ancients truly did not deceive me.

Fang Xuan leaned beside the bed, his fingers brushing aside Ye Lingling's slightly messy hair. Then he kissed her smooth forehead lightly and said softly, "Rest well. Your husband will go test the waters for you first."