"I heard you, I'm definitely going to marry our Hong Dou!"
"Chen Zhiyi, I want to be with you for the rest of my life."
Yun Ming didn't like to make promises, but this promise had to be made. Even if he didn't marry her, it was no different from marrying her now.
Although Hong Dou was still young, there was no need to reveal it so early.
But he feared regret the most, so once he made a decision, he would never hesitate or procrastinate. Delaying would only lead to complications.
"Pah, pah, pah, just now it was 'marry,' and now it's 'be with'?"
"It all means the same thing."
Hong Dou was noncommittal, her mood already joyful. She put all her earlier shyness behind her and asked about serious matters.
"How far have you gone with Senior Sister?"
"About the same as with you."
"Oh, then you can only marry the two of us in the future, no more, got it?"
Losing to Ye Qingxuan, Hong Dou accepted it.
She was the latecomer, so she had no right to say anything.
But she wasn't as generous as Senior Sister; two was the absolute limit, no more philandering.
"..."
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
The smile on Hong Dou's face gradually disappeared. Could this scoundrel have someone else? But why didn't she know? That shouldn't be.
Yun Ming was unexpectedly awkward, rubbing his nose.
He hadn't expected Hong Dou to ask so suddenly, but his hesitation just now must have been noticed.
Senior Sister, he could still explain.
As for Martial Uncle, he feared he wouldn't survive the night if he told her.
This was no longer just a matter of feelings; a disciple having an affair with his master would truly be condemned. This was a rule of Yun Kui Mountain.
Of course, Bai Xian herself was a rule of Yun Kui Mountain.
But by all accounts, it was inexcusable.
It wasn't something that could be openly revealed to the world, like the Hoshimi Family's old master. If he saw Bai Xian in Yun Ming's arms, looking like a little girl...
He would probably drop his jaw in shock.
If Xuan Mingzi knew, he would definitely hang Yun Ming upside down from a tree at Sui Bian Temple and whip him for three days and three nights.
Big Senior Brother would give a thumbs-up, indicating, "Junior Brother is awesome!"
"A role model for our generation... To be a person, one must dare to do what others cannot. As the saying goes, flowing water doesn't strive to be first; it strives to be inexhaustible."
"I never thought Junior Brother and Martial Uncle had been playing the long game all these years. That's truly a small knife to the butt, an eye-opener!"
However, Hong Dou didn't give him time to find excuses or explanations. She directly grabbed his neck and said fiercely,
"Confess and be lenient, resist and be punished severely!"
"Ugh... I'm going to die, I'm really going to die..."
"Speak quickly."
"It's Martial Uncle, just her, truly no more!"
Hong Dou's head buzzed. What did she just hear? Martial Uncle? Which Martial Uncle... Is there someone in this world whose surname is Shi and is called Shu?
"Don't tell me it's Master Bai Xian..."
"Uh, I only have that one Martial Uncle, right?"
When people are in extreme shock, they become speechless. They can't even get angry, only feel absurd.
Master Bai Xian, she's at least over a hundred years old, isn't she?
Yun Ming's brain is fried. When you were still a little kid, Master Bai Xian was already raising you. How could she fancy you?
"Idiot Yun Ming, stop dreaming... You and Martial Uncle have no chance. You're so bold. If Martial Uncle actually agreed to you..."
"I have no objection."
These were words spoken in anger.
After all, how could Martial Uncle possibly agree to Yun Ming?
This was a zero-probability event. Hong Dou wasn't even sure if Yun Ming was joking just now, the philandering scoundrel.
Liking someone is normal.
But let's not dream, okay?
In Hong Dou's impression, Bai Xian had always been a kind elder, though she always looked like a young girl.
But do you really treat her like a young girl to date?
Hong Dou thought about it and started laughing in exasperation... She pulled Yun Ming's ear and mercilessly mocked him, "You're really too much. Not only do you want Senior Sister, but you also want Martial Uncle. If that actually happens, I'll listen to whatever you say."
"You said it!"
"No, you scoundrel, are you actually going to try it?"
"You don't understand..."
"Do you even hear what you're telling me? Shut up, I don't want to hear you talk about anyone else tonight."
Hong Dou ended the topic.
She simply considered Yun Ming to be dreaming and fantasizing.
Yun Ming had no choice either.
He was telling the absolute truth. If Hong Dou didn't believe him, then she shouldn't cry later.
The two then talked about other things, such as how to abduct the child tomorrow, and whether Ling'er would be worried if she woke up at night.
And also—
The bright moon in the sky, the clear breeze in the mountains.
Bones softened by fragrance, golden lotuses and jade feet.
A secluded valley, a beautiful woman leaning close.
The night passed quickly, with boundless tenderness.
It was dawn.
One night was perhaps too brief; the long-standing affection of these years could not be fully expressed, and neither dared to cross the line.
They only tasted a little, yet their hearts itched.
Finally, they had no choice but to change their clothes, too embarrassed to face anyone, and dared not bring up the events of last night again.
"Good morning, Nicole, have you thought about it?"
At the Orphanage, Yun Ming was still full of spirit.
The director looked at the young couple and sighed softly. Ah Nan's worries were not unfounded. He hadn't seen them early in the morning.
Yet the two returned from outside the Orphanage.
Where did they go, what did they do?
He knew nothing.
These young people, he smiled, rubbing Nicole's little head, encouraging her to speak her mind freely.
"Brother Yun Ming, I still want to stay at the Orphanage."
"..."
Hong Dou covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. In the end, before he could even utter the words they had discussed last night, he was directly rejected.
It was rare to see this guy stumped.
"Sigh... Alright then."
"I see that you have an astonishing physique and are quite a good candidate for martial arts. What a pity, what a pity."
Yun Ming was naturally depressed inside.
However, he also had a slight guess in his heart: in the game, Nicole was willing to be adopted only after Nomi's passing.
The Orphanage's financial situation was already not good.
If it weren't for his intervention, it might have continued to worsen. If the Demara family had then taken a liking to Nicole...
And casually promised some aid to the Orphanage...
The girl would have had no choice but to go.
But now it was different. Nomi was cured, and the Orphanage was not in such dire straits. This little girl might still naively be thinking—
In the future, she would rely on her own intelligence and talent to earn a lot of money.
And then give back to the Orphanage, instead of being taken away and severing ties with the Orphanage forever.
He fell silent, then asked after a moment,
"Are you really not coming with me?"
Even the children were amused now. They all felt that this big brother really liked Nicole, but Nicole was indeed the prettiest and smartest child in the Orphanage.
Several times, good families had wanted to take her away.
She never left.
"Can I come to you for refuge in the future, Big Brother?"
The little girl blinked, took small steps, and looked up at Yun Ming, her pink pigtails swaying.
No, was this paving the way for herself in the future?
She doesn't want to leave now, but she'll come to find a backer later, right? Good, good, even I, your benefactor, am being calculated against.
"You can."
Yun Ming still answered in a muffled voice.
Do a good deed to the end, send the Buddha all the way to the West. Just like in the past, when he bought skins for characters in games, if she came to him, he could reminisce a bit.
After all, they were all game characters he once liked!
It's not impossible to let you have a little free ride.
But what Yun Ming didn't expect was that upon hearing this, Nicole also smiled brightly, made him squat down, and said she had a secret to tell him.
Why did this routine feel a little too familiar?
Like my rebellious disciple...