Chapter 288: Warning

Qin Wanru felt a bit regretful after entering the room. After all, her husband and she had just... Was it appropriate for her to come in now? However, her daughter's safety was paramount, and she couldn't rest until she saw her well with her own eyes. So, she steeled herself and entered.

The air still seemed to carry a subtle, indefinable intimacy, and Qin Wanru's heart couldn't help but quicken. But when she saw her daughter lying silently on the bed, she was still greatly alarmed: "Chuyan, what's wrong? Didn't that scoundrel say you were almost better?"

Chu Chuyan slowly opened her eyes, her face flushed crimson: "Mother, why did you come in?"

"Never mind why I'm here. How are you feeling now?" Qin Wanru felt her body all over, checking her. She noticed that her daughter's body was no longer icy cold but had a normal warmth. What surprised her was how much softer her daughter's body felt than usual, as if all her bones had melted.

"I... I'm fine..." Chu Chuyan replied, blushing.

"Then why are you so soft? You can't even sit up," Qin Wanru said, her voice filled with concern.

"It's nothing, just... just very tired." Chu Chuyan's voice was barely audible. She was extremely grateful that Zu An had helped her get dressed before he left; otherwise, the situation would have been even more awkward now.

"Very tired?" Qin Wanru was initially stunned. But being a woman of experience, after a moment, she finally understood, and her face flushed deeply. An uncanny silence suddenly fell over the room.

After a while, Qin Wanru, still worried about her daughter's well-being, hesitated and said, "Zu An just said... he said you'll need a few more treatments to fully recover. How do you feel about that?"

"Oh?" Chu Chuyan gasped. She actually felt that the vital energy in her body was flowing smoothly, though she was still a bit weak. She wasn't entirely sure. "Perhaps... that's right." In any case, they had already been intimate several times, so one more or one less didn't really matter. And... and the treatment process was quite... quite pleasant. She had never experienced such joy in all her life.

Seeing her daughter's endlessly shy expression, Qin Wanru knew exactly what was going on. She never imagined that her daughter, whom she had raised to be a celestial talent, would be conquered by such a man. *Sigh*. Well, even though he had his flaws, at least in this regard, he was quite a competent husband...

"Mother, what's wrong?" Chu Chuyan, noticing her mother's sudden absentmindedness, poked her curiously.

"Oh? Nothing." Qin Wanru snapped back to attention, flustered. "Alright, alright, you rest well. I'll make sure no one disturbs you." With that, she hurried away.

Meanwhile, Zu An had already found Chu Zhongtian, accompanied by Yue Shan. Chu Zhongtian first asked Zu An about his daughter's injuries. Upon learning she was fine, he let out a long sigh of relief. Only then, fully at ease, did he ask Yue Shan: "Was Young Master Wang rescued?"

"He was rescued, but..." Yue Shan hesitated, trailing off.

"What's wrong?" Chu Zhongtian asked, curious.

Yue Shan replied: "Young Master Wang revealed that because the opponent's methods were ruthless, he couldn't endure it and divulged information about the Wang family's salt voucher caravan. Fearing a major incident, I've already sent someone to notify the Wang family. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the Wang family's method of transporting salt vouchers, so I couldn't make more targeted arrangements. Therefore, I urge the Patriarch to speak with the Wang family to take precautions as soon as possible."

"What?!" Chu Zhongtian suddenly rose. The Wang family transported grain to the border, exchanging it for large quantities of salt vouchers, which the Chu family then purchased from them. Although some portions also belonged to the Zheng family, Yuan family, and others, most of them were actually for the Chu family. If something happened to these salt vouchers, they wouldn't be able to legally trade salt for the next year, which would be a massive problem.

Unable to sit still any longer, he rushed towards the Wang family's residence, with Yue Shan following closely behind.

"Did Young Master Wang sustain any injuries? Like a disability?"

"No, nothing like that. Although he clearly suffered some torment, he should recover after some rest."

"That's good. At least we've done right by Brother Wang. Oh, by the way, was Chen Xuan caught?"

"No, Chen Xuan wasn't there. Otherwise, we wouldn't have succeeded so easily."

Watching their receding figures, Zu An thought, *What about me?* Everyone was busy, as if he had nothing to do. "Anyway, I've already taken care of what I needed to." Zu An stretched. The entire process earlier wasn't just enjoyment; he had to constantly monitor the changes in her body and guide the Primordial Qi to repair her damaged organs and meridians. *Sigh*, it truly drained his essence. He was feeling a bit tired now and planned to go back and get some sleep.

But when he returned to his room, he was startled by the chaotic scene, like a battlefield: "What happened? Did we have a break-in?"

Just then, a sinister voice spoke from behind him: "Two women were fighting tooth and nail for you here just now. Don't tell me you didn't know."

"Two women?" Zu An was stunned, momentarily failing to grasp the situation.

"Hmph, one was Young Miss Pei from the Pei family, and the other was Miss Qiu from the Immortal's Dwelling," Old Man Mi couldn't help but exclaim. "Indeed, every generation produces its talents. For two young women to possess such cultivation, they are truly formidable."

Zu An grumbled inwardly. Two beautiful and charming women fighting would surely be a spectacular sight. And here he was, focusing on their cultivation? Was he even a man? At the same time, he understood. Pei Mianman must have come to see him again tonight and coincidentally ran into Qiu Honglei. *Sigh*, having too many women wasn't ideal. But the biggest loss was that he wasn't there at the time; both women's anger had been completely wasted.

Old Man Mi suddenly stepped forward, appearing in front of him, examining his face up close. Zu An was startled and quickly took a step back: "Senior, is something wrong?" He thought, *This old man isn't some old pervert, is he? Why does his gaze make me feel so uneasy?*

"I'm trying to see what kind of charm you possess, young man. You're alright-looking, but not to the extent of being divinely captivating. Why do so many women fall for you?" Old Man Mi's wrinkled, orange-peel-like face was full of confusion. "That Young Miss Pei, and that Miss Qiu—aren't they both women who could charm countless men? Why would they be interested in you?"

"Senior, I'm not pleased when you say that. Can't it simply be because I'm charming?" Zu An retorted, annoyed.

"You're charming?" Old Man Mi sneered repeatedly. "Are they interested in you because you're a live-in son-in-law? Because of your mediocre cultivation? Or because you're not a man?"

Zu An thought, *This guy's a thousand-year-old virgin with no luck with women, and now he's jealous because someone else has romance.* However, he immediately put on a fawning smile and said, "Senior's insight is truly profound. That Young Miss Pei wants to find something belonging to the Chu family through me. As for Qiu Honglei, I don't know her exact objective, but I assume she also has designs on the Chu family. Of course, it couldn't be because they like me." He had already judged that the old man had ulterior motives, so he dared not tell him the truth, not even that he had regained his virility. It seemed he needed to be careful when with his wife, Chuyan, in the future. He absolutely mustn't let this old man find out. Luckily, Chuyan was thin-skinned, and Qin Wanru probably wouldn't go around publicizing it. Otherwise, if he knew Zu An had consummated his marriage with Chuyan, it would surely cause an immediate uproar.

"It's best that you understand these things," Old Man Mi snorted. "Lately, I've been feeling uneasy, as if a great disaster is approaching. You must ensure your own safety."

Zu An paused, thinking, *If you're facing a disaster, why do I need to protect myself? Could it be that this guy genuinely cares for me like a nephew?* Old Man Mi revealed a chilling smile, then turned and left directly.

He had initially felt that the addition of Pei Mianman and Qiu Honglei introduced too many variables, but then he thought that if such two stunning women really established a relationship with him, it would ultimately benefit him. After hundreds of years, he still hadn't tasted a woman's touch. It seemed heaven had taken pity on him, not only compensating him with Chu Chuyan as a wife but also throwing in a few more alluring lovers. *Hahahaha~*

Zu An pondered for a moment, then lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, he suddenly felt a stir and found a sword resting against his neck.

"Why are you reacting so slowly today?" A woman in the darkness snorted impatiently. By the faint moonlight, one could see her chest trembling slightly with that soft hum.

"Oh, it's you, Xiao Manman~" Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. She was always such a pleasant sight.

"Who else would it be, Qiu Honglei?" Pei Mianman withdrew her sword, frowning. "Don't call me by such a disgusting name."

Zu An thought, *I indeed used the wrong name. It should be Da Manman.*

"By the way, I heard you just had a fight. You're not hurt, are you?" Zu An sat up, instinctively reaching out to check her for injuries.

In the darkness, Pei Mianman's face flushed, and she quickly sat back: "How could that b*tch possibly hurt me?" Despite her words, her hand instinctively touched her left chest. Her heart was still aching from that blow.

"As expected of a heroine, your cultivation is formidable! How could mere villains be your match..." Zu An gushed, showering her with flattery.

Pei Mianman spat lightly: "Hmph, if Qiu Honglei heard you call her a villain, I wonder how heartbroken she'd be." Although she had just left, she couldn't swallow her anger and needed to find out who that woman was. So, after some time, she circled back and investigated a little, only then learning that a woman named Qiu Honglei had arrived at the Chu family today. Coupled with her previous investigations into the other party, she naturally realized who it was right away.

"How could my relationship with her compare to the intimacy between you and me? Of course, I'm on your side," Zu An said earnestly.

"Trusting a man's words is like believing in ghosts. You'd surely speak ill of me like this when you're with her," Pei Mianman said, though a hint of a smile appeared between her brows, clearly indicating she was pleased. "Oh, by the way, there's something else I came back to warn you about: be careful of that gardener in your mansion."