If You Don't Want to Marry, Then Don't

These past few days had been the most comfortable Jiang Yuechu had lived since transmigrating.

Every day, she slept until she woke naturally, and the moment she opened her eyes, steaming medicine and fine rice porridge awaited her.

She did not know what had been added to the medicinal broth. She only knew that after drinking it, her whole body felt pleasantly warm.

Her injuries were also recovering at a gratifying pace.

Wei Qing was a good girl, gentle-browed and soft-eyed, speaking in a quiet, delicate voice, always carrying a pleasant medicinal fragrance about her.

She patiently blew the porridge cool before handing it over, carefully wiped the corners of Jiang Yuechu's mouth, and chattered like a girl next door about interesting tales from Liangzhou Prefecture.

"Your skin is naturally so lovely, but you simply don't know how to cherish it."

As Wei Qing combed through her long hair, she said with heartache, "Once you've recovered, I'll take you to the best shop in the city and buy you some rouge and powder. A young lady must dress herself up, after all."

Jiang Yuechu pursed her lips and said nothing.

"Oh, right, you're eighteen this year too, aren't you?" As if remembering something, Wei Qing covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Once you find your footing in the Demon Suppression Office, if you wish to find a good match, Liangzhou Prefecture has no shortage of talented young men."

Jiang Yuechu silently drank her porridge, but the warmth in her stomach seemed to have changed flavor.

If only she were still a man.

With her abilities, she could make achievements in this otherworld, earn enough to fill basins and jars.

Then marry dozens of wives.

No, dozens were unnecessary. Seven or eight like Wei Qing would be enough.

Living in drunken dreams and deathly pleasures every day—awake, gripping the sword that slew men; drunk, reclining on a beauty's knee.

With life having reached this point, what more could one ask for?

What a pity.

She lowered her head and looked at her reflection in the soup bowl.

Delicate brows and lovely eyes, red lips and white teeth.

Would she marry someone in the future?

For the first time, that question circled her mind with such clarity.

Ever since transmigrating, she had been struggling simply to survive.

The pressure of survival had made her instinctively overlook the changes brought by this body.

She still thought like a man, using the most direct and brutal methods to solve every problem.

But this world reminded her at every moment.

You are a woman.

An unprecedented irritation surged up from the depths of her heart.

No matter how powerful demons and monsters were, she could simply kill them with a single slash.

But how was she supposed to break free from this sense of dislocation that had seeped into her bones?

"What's wrong? Does the porridge not suit your taste?"

Seeing that she had not moved for a long while, Wei Qing asked with concern.

"No, it's delicious."

Jiang Yuechu came back to herself and drained the remaining porridge in one gulp, swallowing down those chaotic thoughts along with it.

Forget it.

Could thinking about such pointless things make flowers bloom?

Jiang Yuechu was not someone prone to melancholy.

When the cart reached the mountain, there would naturally be a road.

Besides, she did not need to consider such things right now.

At worst, if anyone dared force her to marry in the future, she would cut them down with a single slash.

Just as she handed the bowl back to Wei Qing, the door was pushed open.

Wei He walked in, still dressed in that black everyday uniform, his steps steady.

The moment he appeared, the little warmth in the room vanished without a trace.

"Brother."

Wei Qing hurriedly rose and bowed.

Wei He nodded, his gaze falling on Jiang Yuechu as he looked her over from head to toe.

"You look much better."

He never wasted words when he spoke.

"Looks like it's time for you to earn back the cost of all the medicine you've consumed."

Jiang Yuechu raised an eyebrow.

That really was something to say...

Though it was the truth, it still sounded rather strange.

That was what she thought, but her expression remained calm.

"I await your orders, sir."

"Mhm." Wei He was quite satisfied with her attitude. "Now that your injuries have healed, it is time for you to take up your post. Go to the Demon Suppression Office and report your name. Someone will guide you through the necessary procedures."

"Yes, sir."

She agreed without hesitation and immediately moved to get out of bed.

"Hey, slow down." Wei Qing hurriedly supported her, unable to stop herself from complaining to her brother, "Brother, her injuries haven't fully healed yet!"

"She won't die."

After saying that, Wei He turned and left.

Wei Qing sighed helplessly and took a brand-new black fitted outfit embroidered with crimson patterns from the side.

"I'll help you change."

When the cool fabric pressed against her skin, when the waist token and horizontal saber hung at her waist—

Jiang Yuechu looked at the spirited girl in the bronze mirror, and the irritation in her heart unexpectedly faded by more than half.

The person in the mirror wore her hair in a high ponytail, her gaze cold, her back straight.

"While serving in the Demon Suppression Office, it's best to be careful in all things." Wei Qing stuffed a brocade sachet embroidered with green bamboo into her hand. "This is a safety talisman I prayed for. Keep it close to you."

The sachet was warm in her hand and carried a faint body fragrance.

Jiang Yuechu gave it a squeeze, feeling the exquisite embroidery upon it, and her heart stirred.

She raised her head and looked into Wei Qing's eyes, filled with concern, then asked as if possessed.

"Miss Wei, if a woman... never marries for her entire life, what would happen?"

Wei Qing froze, clearly not expecting her to ask that.

She thought for a moment, then said seriously, "If you don't want to marry, then don't. As a woman, you can still live very well by relying on yourself."

After saying that, she blinked mischievously.

"Besides, once your accomplishments grow and your rank rises, perhaps you can even learn from Princess Anle in the capital and keep a few male favorites."

Jiang Yuechu: "..."

She silently tucked the sachet into her robes, thanked her, then turned and pushed the door open.

... Demon Suppression Office.

Upon the tall flagpole, the great Demon Suppression banner—black ground, crimson patterns—snapped and fluttered in the wind.

Demon Suppressors in fitted uniforms could be seen everywhere, horizontal sabers at their waists, each one hard-faced and hurrying along.

Jiang Yuechu reported her name to a Demon Suppressor guarding the gates. After twisting and turning through several corridors, she arrived at a side hall.

"Old Wang, the person is here."

Hearing this, the old clerk reluctantly raised his head. His clouded eyes glanced at Jiang Yuechu, showing little change in emotion.

"Name."

"Jiang Yuechu."

"Age."

"Eighteen?"

"Place of origin."

"..." Jiang Yuechu paused.

The old clerk seemed to have known already and simply picked up his brush to write.

"Jingzhao Prefecture, native of Chang'an."

As he wrote, he said without lifting his head, "Once you enter the Demon Suppression Office, everything from before is in the past. Do not dwell on it."

"The lowest rank in the Demon Suppression Office is Ninth-Rank Demon Suppressor. Killing monsters earns merit. Killing a String-Hearing Monster alone earns ten merit points; a Bone-Chiming Great Demon earns one hundred merit points."

"Accumulate one hundred merit points, and you can rise to Eighth-Rank Squad Commander, commanding a squad of Demon Suppressors..."

The old clerk spoke slowly, but every word was clear.

Jiang Yuechu listened in silence, gaining a rough understanding.

So, if she killed one Bone-Chiming monster, she could be promoted?

"This is your appointment document. Keep it safe."

The old clerk tossed a document bearing the great seal of the Demon Suppression Office onto the table.

"From today onward, you are a Demon Suppressor of Xuan Camp, Demon Suppression Office of Longyou Circuit."

"Leave. Your squad commander is waiting outside."

Jiang Yuechu raised an eyebrow.

Waiting outside for her?

But when she came in, she had clearly seen no one outside the door.

Wei Qing