Translated by: Ea

Edited by: b.u.t.ter

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Yuan Tianwen's lips twitched. "It's late, you'd better go back and rest."

Duan Yuyang's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Can you resolve this situation yourself?"

"It'll be over soon if I endure for a while." Yuan Tianwen replied expressionlessly.

"Is it so difficult to find a woman or a man?" Duan Yuyang asked coldly.

Yuan Tianwen suddenly glared at him, "Are you deliberately provoking me?"

"Who's provoking you? I'm serious." Duan Yuyang curled his lips up. "I delivered myself to your doorstep, but you didn't even want me, and now you don't even want to find other people to resolve this. You're really set on tormenting yourself to death."

Yuan Tianwen swept him a glance. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, not just for one moment of pleasure. I want you, but it's certainly not under today's kind of circ.u.mstances."

Duan Yuyang paused, then stood up. "Then you can just endure it yourself."

Yuan Tianwen gave an affirmative hum as he watched Duan Yuyang leave.

He had been with Duan Yuyang for half a year, how could he not understand Duan Yuyang's thoughts?

Duan Yuyang wanted to completely turn their relations.h.i.+p into a casual one-night stand just like that; he shouldn't even think about it!

Yuan Tianwen lowered his head and saw his current situation. He sighed secretly, "You've suffered, brother."

Duan Yuyang was just outside the inner room's door when he heard Yuan Tianwen's murmur and couldn't help but feel happy.

After exiting Yuan Tianwen's room, Duan Yuyang met Su Mo, who had been waiting outside for an unknown period of time.

"Uncle Mo." Duan Yuyang came over to greet him.

Su Mo greeted him with a smile, his eyes filled with warmth. "I didn't expect that you could actually come and see Tianwen."

Duan Yuyang rubbed his nose. "Well, he and I can be considered friends. He suffered such serious injuries, so I have to care about him."

Su Mo smiled noncommittally, "Yuyang, Tianwen was spoiled rotten by his father and I ever since he was a child. Even though we raised him to be an upright, magnanimous, and humble person who doesn't engage in dishonest actions, he's still very lacking in certain areas. For example, he's prejudiced and obstinate, and neither I nor his father can correct those."

Duan Yuyang pretended to not understand but also smiled, "Actually, these qualities are quite good, but he can't be hard on his own body. Humans should be flexible and adapt to different situations when the circ.u.mstances call for it."

Su Mo stared blankly. "You took the initiative to find him, but he actually chased you out?"

Duan Yuyang felt that it was simply shameful to the extreme to talk about this kind of matter with his elders, but after thinking about it, he decided to find out more about the cultivation technique that Yuan Tianwen used.

He nodded, "Will there be any problem if he forces himself to endure like this?"

"With his current cultivation level, even if no one helps him alleviate his problem, he'll only feel uncomfortable at most and have a slower recovery. His life won't be in danger." Su Mo explained calmly, "However, he brought this upon himself. He deserves it, so you don't have to indulge him."

Duan Yuyang, "…."

This should be his birth father, yup.

Su Mo smiled as he continued, "Tianwen, this brat, has had a smooth-sailing life ever since he was a child and has never experienced any setbacks before. That he was deceived by someone this time can only be blamed on his own ignorance. Yuyang, you are a very soft-hearted child, you will forgive him sooner or later–I can see that from your willingness to come over and help him through his difficulties today."

Su Mo's words made Duan Yuyang feel that he had nowhere to hide.

He felt slightly awkward and touched his nose. "Uncle Mo, don't you think that I really have no backbone?"

His marriage proposal was obviously rejected twice, but he still ran over like a fool as soon as the person gestured with his fingers.

Even Duan Yuyang himself felt that he was especially cheap.

But he just couldn't control this heart of his and he couldn't forget the time spent on Flying Luan Peak with Yuan Tianwen.

When he heard that Yuan Tianwen was injured and bedridden, how could he not be distressed? If it wasn't for that tiny amount of self-respect haunting him, he would have already been unable to control himself and gone to visit Yuan Tianwen – even if he had to use an indifferent expression or a frivolous att.i.tude to cover up his concern.

Su Mo paused slightly. He reached out and lightly patted Duan Yuyang's head. "It's Tianwen's great fortune to have a sweetheart like you who treats him so sincerely. However, I don't think that you need to pay too much attention to him. You should let him scratch his head every day in order to come up with all kinds of methods to obtain your forgiveness and acceptance. Don't let him get it too easily…There's no harm in him eating some losses and understanding how precious you are. Only then can he treat you better in the future. Anyways, I only recognize you as my son-in-law and no one else."

Duan Yuyang looked at Su Mo with a dumbfounded expression. That expression was somewhat solemn, stupefied, and also a little cute. It was probably because he lived for so long but hadn't encountered a father who screwed over his child this badly.

Duan Yuyang was a little tongue-tied, "Uncle Su, since when did your words become this straightforward? I'm not used to it."

Su Mo touched his face. "I guess it's because I'm old and can't bother to beat around the bush. In short, even if you do like him, don't let him see it too clearly, or else he won't know how high the heavens are or how thick the earth is."

What else could Duan Yuyang say?

He could only chat with Su Mo some more with a smile and be sent back by Su Mo's people, his heart full of astonishment.

With this kind of dad, Yuan Tianwen's life wasn't easy either.

On Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen's side, they were stopped halfway on the road before they returned to the inn.

They were invited by the Bai family's young master and several elders.

Lin Xuanzhi naturally wouldn't refuse, so he leisurely took Yan Tianhen with him to the Bai family for a free meal.

After entering from the main entrance, Lin Xuanzhi's eyes fixedly followed the attendant who led the way inside, never straying. They circ.u.mvented pavilions and gardens and bypa.s.sed bewilderment arrays and magic treasures defending the gardens before the two finally safely arrived at one of the Bai family's reception pavilions.

The reception pavilion was surrounded by blooming spiritual plants and flowers that emitted an elegant fragrance, making people unconsciously feel relaxed and serene.

Bai Yichen was seated in that ingeniously-made wheelchair, surrounded in turn by three Bai family elders.

After the attendant informed everyone, Bai family's First Elder rose to greet them, but his expression wasn't very friendly.

Bai Yichen, however, greeted them with a smile on his face. He stretched out his hand, "Craftsman Lin, little friend Yan, please sit."

Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen sat down opposite of Bai Yichen.

Peach blossom wine, which was brewed in Heaven and Earth Winery, was placed in front of them, as well as some tea snacks bought from Intoxicating Fragrance Restaurant. They looked extremely delicious.

Lin Xuanzhi smiled as he looked at Bai Yichen. "It's been a while, is Young Master Bai's health still good?"

A simple wine flask was placed in front of Bai Yichen. His eyes swept over the wine flask as he smiled profoundly, "With Xuanzhi's care, naturally every day is better than the last, but this wine flask should have the corresponding set of wine cups in order to look more perfect."

Lin Xuanzhi smiled, "What's difficult about that? I will refine a set of wine cups for you when I leave today."

Bai Yichen's smile deepened, "Then I shall thank you in advance."

Yan Tianhen looked at the two people, who were gazing at each other with smiles, and always felt that there was something between them that he couldn't see. At once, his heart felt a little uncomfortable.

Yan Tianhen picked up a snack and stuffed it into his mouth.

Well, although Bai Yichen's presence was a little irksome, his family's snacks were really delicious.

Bai Yichen wasn't in a hurry to discuss the main topic with Lin Xuanzhi, and Lin Xuanzhi naturally wasn't in a hurry to either, but the other people were so anxious that they couldn't sit still.

Speaking of, although Bai family's main branch had been in power for a long time and these few elders also held some of the highest positions within the Bai family, due to the fact that the Bai family hadn't stirred up any trouble those years and that such a fierce young master held the absolute authority while overseeing a rigid set of family rules, the elders here weren't very ambitious or scheming.

Bai family's First Elder said directly with a dark expression, "Craftsman Lin, today we invited you here, one because Young Master said that he was a friend of yours and kindly invited you. Two, I also have some questions to consult with you."

Bai Yichen only sipped his tea and didn't comment on Bai First Elder's att.i.tude.

Lin Xuanzhi didn't care much about it either, "If First Elder has something to say, then please speak directly."

First Elder narrowed his eyes, "I heard Old Four say that you want to set up a Craftsmen Alliance with the Bai family and the other major families and sects as backers in order to provide some convenience to those lone independent craftsmen?"

Lin Xuanzhi nodded as he confirmed calmly, "Indeed, I have such intentions."

Second Elder smiled coldly, "Sure enough, heroes arise from the ranks of youths. I didn't expect that Craftsman Lin would have such ambitions at a young age, and his appet.i.te is even more frightening."

This kind of open praise and secret disparagement, coupled with First Elder's frigid irony and scorching cynicism, made their thoughts obvious. Lin Xuanzhi knew from a glance that these elders were very dissatisfied with Lin Xuanzhi's presumptuous a.s.sertions that wanted to drag Bai Fourth Elder underwater.

Lin Xuanzhi just wanted to talk it out lightly, but he didn't expect for Yan Tianhen to swallow the dessert in his mouth and blink as he said, "My Dage doesn't eat a lot, he has a small appet.i.te. I'm afraid you don't understand my Dage very well."

The sneer on Bai Second Elder's face immediately stiffened.

Several pairs of eyes all looked towards Yan Tianhen, who didn't have too much sense of existence.

Yan Tianhen was a little at a loss. He still held a sweet in his hand and was about to stuff it into his mouth but was compelled to ask, "What are you looking at me for?"

"Nothing." Lin Xuanzhi laughed and gently rubbed the top of Yan Tianhen's head.

Yan Tianhen comfortably rubbed Lin Xuanzhi's palm with his head and grinned at him. Lin Xuanzhi saw this and didn't have any superfluous thoughts anymore. His family's Ah Hen was just so endearingly silly and cute.

Bai Yichen couldn't help laughing, "Your Dage indeed doesn't eat much. Second Elder's words still await verification."

Second Elder almost couldn't resist the urge to twitch his mouth. He closed his mouth and wondered at the same time, did this kid do it deliberately, or did he do it deliberately?

The momentum was already interrupted and had become much worse than before. There was no need for him to chase the heart of the matter anymore.

However, the att.i.tude of the Bai family elders was clearly laid out on the table. They were very dissatisfied with Lin Xuanzhi duping Bai Fourth Elder. Lin Xuanzhi naturally needed to understand some rules and explain along this line of topic.

"Yesterday I just saw Bai Fourth Elder and occasionally mentioned a sentence or two, but I didn't imagine that Bai Fourth Elder was actually very interested, so I talked a lot without paying attention." Lin Xuanzhi's tone was neither servile nor overbearing. He continued leisurely, "Naturally, the Craftsmen Alliance is only a tentative concept. There are many imperfections that need to be filled in. This is just a fledgling idea in my mind, and I never mentioned this to anyone either. Furthermore, I also never overestimated my own capabilities and attempted to put it into practice."

"You don't dare to put it into practice, but you actually dare to say it." Bai First Elder gritted his teeth.

Lin Xuanzhi readily followed the flow, "I dare to talk about it, that's all. I just spoke of it casually, it's not worth mentioning."

Not worth mentioning your a.s.s!

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Editor's Little Commentary:
b.u.t.ter: Wahhhh, Su Mo is so cool! I need to be more like Su Mo! Have a problem? Throw money at it! Still not solved? Throw more money! Is your son stupid? Throw him under the bus to teach him!