Of course, Dai Xingluo knew it was precisely because of her father's wives that she had come to loathe the hidden clans.
She understood women—especially after they had children.
Every woman would become selfish for her child.
Women of hidden clans could never be of one heart.
For example, the two officially wedded wives of her father treated her mother like an enemy and bullied her relentlessly—
even though her mother's temperament was so gentle.
Dai Xingluo despised all of this.
When she was very young, she had already decided:
if any man she chose ever wronged her, she would kill him outright.
If it was a man she liked too much to kill, then she would kill every woman entangled with him.
That idea had followed her to this very day.
Back in the mountain forest outside the city, when she saw Xu Mu with Xia Sihan, the steel spikes she flung weren't meant as a warning—they were meant to kill.
But after seeing Ye Tong today, something in her thinking shifted.
Perhaps… she really could coexist with this woman, peacefully.
"From now on, the few of us should sleep together," Ye Tong said, taking Dai Xingluo's hand with concern. "When your belly gets bigger, I can help take care of you."
Dai Xingluo was moved. For some reason, she suddenly saw a trace of her mother in Ye Tong.
"Sister… I lied to you," Dai Xingluo murmured, clenching her fists and lowering her head in embarrassment.
"What?"
"I… don't have Xu Mu's child. I just… like him. I said that earlier to make you leave him."
She bowed deeply to Ye Tong. "I'm sorry."
Ye Tong blinked in understanding, then smiled. "Since you like him, do you mind that I'm here?"
"I… don't mind," Dai Xingluo shook her head.
If it were any other woman, she would never agree. But this one felt different.
"Great, then from now on, we'll sleep together," Ye Tong said, face a little flushed—finally, someone to take the fire for her.
"Huh? Sister, what do you mean?"
Dai Xingluo was bewildered. She had just admitted there was nothing between her and Xu Mu—so why sleep together?
And judging by Ye Tong's expression, she seemed eager for it.
Ye Tong couldn't bring herself to say it outright, so she only smiled: "You'll understand when the time comes."
—
By now Xu Mu was already a mid-level alchemist. He had finished extracting all the medicinal essences.
He rolled three blue pills and placed them inside the Fire-Yang Wood sphere.
At a corner of the courtyard, he lit a fire and set the sphere on the flames.
After more than ten minutes of steady burning, the Fire-Yang Wood glowed completely red, like heated iron—
without the slightest damage.
"Not bad."
He could smell it—the Fire-Yang Wood's power had been activated and was fusing with the pills.
Just then he heard a familiar engine note, turned, and saw the Porsche 911.
After it parked in the garage, Xu Mu called out with a smile, "Wife, you're bac—… Dai Xingluo!"
"Brother."
Dai Xingluo lifted the hem of her hanfu slightly and nodded to him with a smile.
Xu Mu's face hardened. He strode over, took Ye Tong's hand, and pulled her into his arms.
"Dai Xingluo, did you think I was joking with you?"
"Sigh, in the end Brother still despises me, to speak to me like this," Dai Xingluo pouted, looking aggrieved.
"Husband, why are you talking to her like that?" Ye Tong hurried over and took Dai Xingluo's hand.
Hidden behind Ye Tong, Dai Xingluo stuck out her pink tongue at Xu Mu.
"You—!"
Xu Mu rolled up his sleeves and moved to teach her a lesson, but Ye Tong blocked him.
"Husband, whatever it is, talk it out."
Xu Mu pointed at Dai Xingluo, voice cold. "I'll say it again: if my wife so much as loses a single hair, I will never forgive you."
His worst fear had still come to pass.
Ye Tong was so innocent and kind—she could easily be bullied by a venomous 'supporting-female-villain' like Dai Xingluo.
"Husband, Xingluo-sis is so nice—how could she do that to me?" Ye Tong said gently, already guessing a bit.
From the very first moment they met, Dai Xingluo had lied about being pregnant—that alone showed she wasn't like Meng Wanyue.
But her goal had been to make Ye Tong leave Xu Mu—that meant she truly liked Xu Mu.
And she had confessed her wrongdoing afterward—so she wasn't someone beyond repentance.
Besides, Dai Xingluo didn't know how formidable Xu Mu really was.
If she wanted time alone with Xu Mu, Ye Tong would grant it.
Let Dai Xingluo try it—day after day.
And day after dawn, even day after crystal.
She didn't believe Dai Xingluo could withstand such "impact." Eventually she'd be crying to have Ye Tong back.
Xu Mu had given a warning—by rights Dai Xingluo wouldn't be so violent as to harm Ye Tong right before his eyes.
Xu Mu returned to the fire and added a few more sticks.
Dai Xingluo walked over, curious. "Brother, what are you doing?"
"Refining pills," Xu Mu replied calmly.
Just then, Ye Yu rode her e-bike into the yard with a backpack.
"Brother-in-law! Playing with fire means wetting the bed!"
Seeing the blaze, Ye Yu fired off a jab the moment she entered.
Dai Xingluo glanced at her—this girl was pretty too: shoulder-length hair, a touch of baby fat, very cute.
But since she called him "brother-in-law," she was obviously Ye Tong's younger sister.
"Who are you?" Ye Yu asked, parking the bike and staring at her.
"Xiaoyu, this is your Sister Xingluo," Ye Tong said quickly. "She's… a good friend of your brother-in-law's."
She hesitated; to her, Ye Yu was still a little brat—some things couldn't be said.
"Hello, I'm Dai Xingluo," Dai greeted with a smile. It seemed her judgment had been right.
From Ye Tong and Ye Yu's attitudes toward Xu Mu alone, she could tell what kind of man he was.
Ye Yu eyed Dai Xingluo warily. Not taking photos, yet wearing hanfu?
Why did she give off vixen vibes?
"Xingluo, stay for dinner before you go," Ye Tong invited warmly.
"Okay~" Dai Xingluo turned and smiled at her.
"I'll start cooking then," Ye Tong nodded and headed into the villa.
Xu Mu sniffed the air—seemed about right. He stopped feeding the fire and let it die naturally.
Even after the flames went out, the Fire-Yang Wood remained glowing red.
He waited a long while. When the wood finally returned to its normal color, he picked it up,
poured out the three refined pills—each a lustrous blue, surfaces gleaming.
Looked like a success.
—
"Dinner's ready!"
Ye Tong's voice carried over.
Xu Mu stowed the items into his storage space and went to wash his hands.
At the table, he rubbed his palms with a grin. "Five dishes today—so generous."
"Because we have a guest, right?" Ye Yu shot a glance at Dai Xingluo.
She put extra weight on the word "guest."
Then she proactively picked food for Xu Mu. "Brother-in-law, have some."
Seeing this, Dai Xingluo narrowed her eyes.
This little girl… was taking shots at her!