Chapter 18: The Confession of a Scoundrel

After learning the wondrous uses of this cultivation technique, Wang Yu conceived a daring idea. However, its feasibility still required her personal verification.

“Why, though?” Xiaoke asked, perplexed.

“No reason,” Wang Yu replied, her tone petulant. “I am your master now, and what I say you’re called is what you’re called.”

The little figure could only agree helplessly.

Yue Feng watched their little scene unfold, wondering if the two had completely forgotten about him. He nudged Wang Yu’s head with his chin and asked, “So what was with all your sudden exclamations yesterday?”

Wang Yu fell silent. ‘How in the world do I explain this?’ she mused internally.

“N-nothing, really. I was simply overwhelmed by how insignificant I felt after hearing about Haotian Daoist Venerable’s glorious deeds and grand aspirations. I felt so inadequate and a chill ran down my spine, which explains my panic.”

‘That explanation should be fine, right?’ she thought. ‘I genuinely felt my ignorance and terror after learning about such a twisted individual existing in this world. Yes, absolutely no problem.’

Yue Feng stared at Wang Yu for a moment. Though he didn’t sense she was lying, something still felt amiss. He decided to let it go for now. “Yu’er, you mentioned your body was modified. Was that because of Haotian Daoist Venerable?”

Wang Yu nodded. “Yes, it seems my body was specifically designed to adapt to this cultivation method.”

Yue Feng’s curiosity piqued. “What were you like before, then?”

Wang Yu paused, then glanced at Yue Feng with a playful glint in her eyes. “Oh? You want to know?”

“I did, but your expression just made me change my mind.” Yue Feng gently pinched Wang Yu’s soft cheek, then tilted her chin up. He gazed into her eyes and declared,

“I don’t care about your past. I only want to seize your present and your future.”

‘Huh? Was I just hit on?’ Wang Yu’s mind reeled. ‘Wow, young man, if I hadn’t been a man before, you would have already captured my heart by now!’ Even with that thought, Wang Yu felt her face flush crimson with heat.

“Heh, I won’t let you catch me,” Wang Yu retorted defiantly. “I’m going to catch Yue Cai, and then throw a pervert like you into the trash.” Maintaining one’s aura was paramount!

“I think you’re the one who’s been caught by Yue Cai,” Yue Feng teased, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh, and I recall you once saying that if Yue Cai married me, you’d marry me too.”

“Hmph, you scoundrel,” Wang Yu scoffed, suddenly stomping on Yue Feng’s foot before darting out of his embrace.

Watching Wang Yu run off, Yue Feng shook his head with a helpless sigh. He then glanced at Xiaoke, who was still lingering in the room, and promptly tossed him outside. “Go find your master.”

“Brother, I should go tidy up too,” Yue Cai began, but just as she was about to leave, Yue Feng caught her hand, gently compelling her to sit back down.

“Brother~” Yue Cai’s cheeks flushed as she felt her small hand being gently held and played with in Yue Feng’s palm.

“I apologize for neglecting you just now,” Yue Feng said, turning to Yue Cai. He sat shoulder to shoulder with her, his demeanor gentle rather than the forceful assertiveness he displayed with Wang Yu.

He knew Yue Cai intimately, having grown up together. From childhood until now, she had essentially overseen his daily life, and he, in turn, had always protected her.

Their bond was as warm and comforting as that of a long-married couple.

“It’s fine,” Yue Cai replied. “I know Brother likes Sister Yu’er.” There was no resentment or jealousy in her heart, only a touch of envy at the way Yue Feng and Wang Yu interacted.

“Yue Cai, you are not merely an extra to Yu’er; you are just as indispensable in my life.”

Yue Feng looked at her, a pang of heartache mixed with guilt. Perhaps it was their overwhelming familiarity, but he had always seen her only as a younger sister, never truly acknowledging the love she harbored for him.

Had it not been for last night’s events, he might have remained oblivious.

Yue Feng spoke with gravity.

“I was foolish in the past, but now that I understand, I won’t let go. Perhaps I’m too greedy, wanting both Yu’er and not wanting to lose you.

I may be a scoundrel, but I will give everything, even my life, to love both of you. I swear to only love the two of you for the rest of my days. Yue Cai, can you give me a chance?”

Yue Cai had never imagined her brother’s confession would come at such a moment. Her eyes welled with tears.

“Brother, please don’t say anymore. I believe you. I’ve always believed you. I also really like Sister Yu’er, but I don’t know if she’ll accept me.”

Yue Feng gently wiped away her tears. “Don’t worry. I can tell she doesn’t reject you; in fact, she quite enjoys being looked after by you.

The problem lies with me, and with her. I sense she hasn’t truly returned to her authentic self, as if something is holding her back, making her hesitate and afraid to reveal her true feelings.

But I will bring her out of it. My words about not caring for her past and only wanting to seize her future weren’t just empty promises.”

***

Standing outside, Wang Yu watched Xiaoke, who had been unceremoniously tossed out. She calmly gazed back into the room.

She knew Yue Feng had something important to say to Yue Cai; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to break free from his embrace.

Wang Yu had a good idea of what Yue Feng wanted to say. It wasn’t hard to guess. Even if Yue Cai didn’t voice it, she wouldn’t feel comfortable watching Wang Yu and Yue Feng’s playful antics, so Wang Yu had quietly excused herself.

Yue Cai and Yue Feng shared a profound bond, one so deep they would readily sacrifice their lives for each other. ‘They should have been together long ago,’ Wang Yu mused.

They had grown up together, faced hardships side by side, and remained inseparable. Their affection was separated by merely a thin veil, and yesterday’s events had provided the perfect catalyst.

Wang Yu genuinely liked Yue Cai, though not in a romantic sense. Her feelings stemmed from a deep reliance born of the girl’s meticulous care.

Wang Yu never believed she could, like protagonists in novels or TV dramas, simply do a small good deed and charm beautiful women into her orbit. ‘Seriously, dude, cut it out,’ she scoffed internally.

‘That’s just plot convenience, forcing heroines to act foolishly for others.’

Wang Yu offered her heartfelt blessings to Yue Feng and Yue Cai.

In her previous life, while watching anime, she had always detested those oblivious male leads who, despite obvious romantic cues from their childhood friends, somehow failed to notice their feelings.

Then, a new ‘fated’ girl would appear, and the male lead would become utterly captivated as if his soul had been snatched. ‘Did all those years of shared history just disappear?’ she fumed.

‘Are you an idiot? Can’t you see the girl beside you is practically throwing herself at you? If you love her, be direct. If you don’t, be clear about it.

What’s with the hesitation? Thinking you’re not hurting anyone by trying to spare feelings is precisely how you end up hurting them!’

Fortunately, Yue Feng wasn’t like that, or Wang Yu might have died of frustration. Wang Yu knew Yue Feng liked her immensely, yet he intended to have both her and Yue Cai.

Honestly, Wang Yu had no strong feelings about it. If the other person was Yue Cai, she had no objections whatsoever.

Having once been a boy, she couldn’t truly grasp the feeling of jealousy, nor had she ever been in a romantic relationship.

However, Wang Yu felt there would be nothing wrong with continuing to be pampered by Yue Cai.

The idea of having everything handed to her, spoon-fed, didn’t seem unappealing at all. ‘Alright, that’s the thought process of a lazy fish.’

However, Wang Yu couldn’t reciprocate Yue Feng’s feelings right now. It was all too unfamiliar; this world was terrifyingly strange to her.

Compared to the familiar environment of Earth, she didn’t understand this world’s rules. A person ignorant of societal survival rules would either change society to adapt to them or be eliminated by it.

Even if she aspired to be a lazy fish, she still needed to know the rules of society to navigate it successfully and opportunistically.

Plunging into a completely alien world and attempting to play by old rules would very likely turn her into a dead fish.

As for gender, ‘Hmm, does that really impede my ability to drift along and avoid work?’