Chapter 1056: Paper Wife

Zuan was utterly bewildered. A million questions filled his mind. It was just a quilt she had slept on; was there any need to be so shy? Could that unusual fragrance just now have been something else?

Yu Yanluo had changed into a silk nightgown, which clung closely to her body, revealing the mature and graceful curves of her figure. The more indistinct the view, the more alluring it became. Especially the astonishing curve between her waist and hips, which perfectly embodied a woman's natural charm.

Not long after, Yu Yanluo re-entered, carrying a brand new quilt. "Here, this is for you," she said.

"Uh, thank you, Madam," Zuan mumbled. He really didn't know what to say; he couldn't very well ask her about the strange scent on the other quilt. Just as he was about to speak, his eyes suddenly widened. Yu Yanluo was bending over to spread the quilt, and the neckline of her loose nightgown gaped open, revealing a generous glimpse of "scenery." In such a situation, Zuan naturally felt embarrassed and awkwardly turned his head away.

Yu Yanluo had just finished spreading the quilt for him when she noticed his odd behavior. She looked down, her face immediately flushing crimson, and she quickly covered her chest, straightening up. She had just changed and was in a hurry to switch the quilts, so it didn't register with her immediately. Normally, she dressed so casually when alone in her bedroom, as it was impossible for any other man to enter her room. Because of this habit and the recent change of clothes, she hadn't realized her exposed state.

However, instead of screaming or panicking like a young girl, she feigned composure and said, "Since you're not asleep yet, come over and let's look at the people from the Duke's Mansion."

Zuan was surprised. "You've finished drawing them so quickly?"

Yu Yanluo smiled faintly. "I've finished a few. I can draw the rest while you look them over."

Zuan immediately became interested. "It's a good chance to learn how to draw from you."

"You want to learn drawing?" Yu Yanluo was taken aback.

Zuan nodded. "The most fundamental requirement for my disguise skill is mastery of drawing. Only then can I perfectly visualize the target's appearance down to the details. After a period of hard practice, I thought I had mastered it, but I didn't expect you to see through it immediately."

"I see," Yu Yanluo realized. "This disguise skill is quite miraculous. This is good; you can examine with me where the problem lies, so you won't reveal any flaws when you go out to 'deceive' people in the future."

Zuan inwardly thought her choice of words sounded strange.

He quickly got out of bed and followed her, noticing that Yu Yanluo had draped a white fur shawl around her neck, clearly indicating she was aware of what had just happened. However, such things were awkward to talk about, so it was best to let it pass.

Yu Yanluo handed him several drawings. "The first one is Steward Ming, the Duke's mansion's steward. He handles all affairs, big and small, and has followed Yanyou for many years, making him the person most familiar with him. If anyone is likely to see through your disguise, it would be him first."

Zuan took the paper and saw a drawing of a man who looked like a steward. He recognized this person; he had met him once when investigating a case at the Duke's Mansion. Indeed, it was identical to the man. What surprised Zuan even more was how incredibly lifelike the drawing was; it didn't look like a painting, but rather a real person.

Just then, the portrait on the paper suddenly rippled, and a wisp of green smoke slowly drifted out from it, settling onto the ground. As the smoke gradually dispersed, a figure began to materialize.

It was none other than Steward Ming!

"Young Master can call me Steward Ming. Feel free to ask me anything concerning the mansion," the figure said, bowing to Zuan. His tone was polite yet somewhat distant, exactly as Zuan remembered him.

Zuan was startled, not expecting him to appear here. His muscles tensed immediately, ready to act at any moment.

Yu Yanluo, standing beside him, smiled sweetly. "No need to be nervous. He's just a character from my painting, not real."

"A character from a painting?" Zuan's eyes widened. He quickly went to check and found that his hand could indeed pass through the figure's body with ease, clearly indicating it had no physical form.

"Young Master, please don't do that. It will easily accelerate my dissipation," the "Steward Ming" said, stepping back with a hint of helplessness.

"It can talk?" Zuan looked at Yu Yanluo, utterly astonished.

Yu Yanluo explained, "He is merely a being created from my painting, though not strictly a living creature. Each time I finish a character and give him detailed settings, he can leap from the paper, identical to the person I intended to draw. However, he has no physical form and will naturally dissipate after a short while."

Zuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "I used to think that 'bringing paintings to life' was just a legend, but Madam has shown me it's not just flowers that can be brought to life, but even living people." He couldn't help but think about the otaku from his previous life who adored their two-dimensional wives. If Yu Yanluo could help, their paper wives could completely transform into real people. Even if they only existed for a short while, it would be enough to drive every otaku in the world mad. Even if one wasn't an otaku, drawing three-dimensional celebrities would surely send their fans into a frenzy. The only regret was the lack of a physical body; they could only be seen, not touched...

"It's just practice makes perfect," Yu Yanluo said, as if discussing something utterly commonplace. "Hmm, what are you thinking about? Hurry up and get acquainted with him, so you won't reveal any flaws the next time you impersonate Yanyou and meet him."

"Oh, right," Zuan's face flushed. What was he even thinking about?

At this point, Yu Yanluo continued, "I've just imbued the painting with all of Steward Ming's relevant information. He will introduce all of it to you; he'll tell you everything if you chat with him. I'll go ahead and draw the others." After speaking, she lowered her head and began sketching rapidly. However, perhaps due to what had just happened, she unconsciously covered her neckline with her hand, even though she was already wearing a shawl.

"Who is she guarding against? Am I that kind of person?" Zuan felt a little dejected, but his attention quickly returned to Steward Ming.

The figure began conversing with him, introducing various details about himself and mentioning some of Jian Yanyou's daily habits. Zuan had to admit that this kind of interactive experience was much easier to remember than pages filled with dense text.

After a while, Steward Ming's figure began to blur, eventually dissolving into specks of starlight and vanishing.

Yu Yanluo seemed to sense something, looking up to ask, "How much did you remember from just now? Shall I draw him again for you to review?"

"No need, I've remembered everything," Zuan replied.

"You remembered everything?" Yu Yanluo's delicate eyebrows furrowed. Due to her beauty, her admirers often went to extreme lengths, with some deliberately feigning great ability to attract her attention. For some reason, she didn't want Zuan to be that kind of person, and a faint hint of disappointment crept into her heart.

"I really did remember," Zuan insisted, pointing to his head. "My memory has always been excellent." Ever since he used the Marrow Cleansing Pill from the keyboard system, which elevated his aptitude to a super-tier, he found that he could essentially learn anything instantly. Previously, Daoist Thickbrow had possessed "A Thousand Faces, One Appearance" for a long time without making much progress. He himself was an eighth-rank cultivator, so his aptitude was clearly not low, proving that "A Thousand Faces, One Appearance" was quite obscure and difficult to comprehend. Yet, Zuan managed to learn most of it during his journey to Cloud-Mid County. If he had this ability in his previous life, he could have easily aced exams like those for Tsinghua or Peking University, or become a top provincial scholar.

"Is that so?" Yu Yanluo was already a little displeased. "Then let me ask you, what are Yanyou's habits before going to bed?"

Zuan was somewhat puzzled, completely unaware of why she had suddenly become angry. Nevertheless, since she asked, he replied, "He never eats or drinks tea for several hours before bed. Additionally, he goes to his study to read alone for a while."

"Oh, and what's his favorite book to read?"

"At that time, he was reading 'The Spring and Autumn Annals'."

After a series of questions and answers, a strange look appeared in Yu Yanluo's eyes. At first, she thought he was boasting, but then she realized he remembered every detail clearly. Only then did she truly believe him. "I'm sorry, I misjudged you just now. It seems your aptitude is one in ten thousand." With her extensive knowledge, she naturally understood the significance of such a photographic memory.

"Still, Madam's painting skills are even more impressive," Zuan said with emotion.

Yu Yanluo smiled. "Next, it would be better if you disguise yourself as Yanyou again; it'll be more appropriate for the task."

Zuan agreed. Since the goal was to train him to deceive familiar acquaintances at the Duke's Mansion while impersonating Jian Yanyou, it naturally made sense to assume Jian Yanyou's appearance for a more immersive experience. So his face began to change, gradually transforming into Jian Yanyou's likeness.

Yu Yanluo watched him intently throughout the entire process. After witnessing the full transformation, she couldn't help but say, "Your skill is truly unique in the world; it's astonishingly ingenious."

"But Madam has made me lose confidence," Zuan said with a wry smile, feeling dejected that his first attempt was immediately seen through.

"I'll help you refine it later, so you won't fear being exposed by others," Yu Yanluo said with a smile, pointing to the paper on the nearby table. "Let's look at the next drawings now."

Zuan nodded, picked up a new sheet of drawing paper, and couldn't help but freeze in astonishment. He had expected to see other important figures like guards from the Duke's Mansion, but instead, the paper depicted an enchanting beauty. Although she wasn't quite as stunning as the confidantes he had by his side, she was certainly a top-tier beauty.

He looked at the other papers, which also featured several other beautiful women. Each possessed her own unique charm, like plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, excelling in their own ways. However, they all shared a common characteristic: judging by their hairstyles and attire, they were clearly married young women.

As his gaze swept over them, the beauties transformed into wisps of smoke and floated out of the paintings. Upon seeing Zuan, they all surrounded him in delighted surprise, exclaiming, "Husband!"

Zuan was utterly stunned!