Chapter 148: Moving into the Ning Residence

The steam filled the bath chamber, blurring the mandarin duck water screen by the door. The hot spring, occupying half the room, flowed gently, its waters dotted with floating flower petals. Immersed in the warm spring, fatigue surged within her, and Yu Youwei, resting her head on the edge of the pool, drifted into a deep, unaware sleep.

In her dream, she found herself back in the Cloud Wilderness Marsh, just entering the array space inhabited by demonic creatures.

Sunlight tore through the clouds above, casting down upon a winding valley that stretched from the horizon. Hanging like a sheer veil was a celestial ladder descending from the sky. The shimmering river mirrored the sunlight, and the gray ferns sprouting from the crevices of the stones along the riverbank glistened in the light.

Amid the sparkling gray ferns, countless similar images and outlines overlapped repeatedly. As the sunlight swayed, shards of various patterns flooded in, spinning rapidly before her eyes.

From the depths of her mind came an invisible summons; she reached out and virtually grasped a flashing shard of pattern. Instantly, all the flickering images stabilized, forming a vast but somewhat blurred picture, speckled with grainy spots.

The beam of sunlight from the sky illuminated part of the image, its edges framed like a circle of foliage, seeming to depict a forest path with gentle slopes. In the middle of the path was a dark silhouette, entirely black, appearing to be walking along it.

“That path looks familiar…” Yu Youwei murmured in her sleep. A voice whispered something in her ear, and she suddenly awoke, seeing an enlarged face upside down before her.

“Mo Fei, go play outside. I’ll come out once I’m done bathing,” she said.

“Aren’t you mad at me?” Ning Mo Fei asked cautiously, his eyes moist, as if he had been crying.

Her hand rose from the water, sending up a splash. On her jade-white wrist were two vivid petals, her fragrant shoulder half exposed. Unaware that the bashful boy was staring intently, she pinched his left cheek teasingly. “Be honest now, what mischief have you been up to behind my back? Afraid I’d be mad?”

“I didn’t do anything bad.” Ning Mo Fei’s face slowly flushed, growing red all the way to his ears.

Yu Youwei laughed softly, tugging his earlobe. “You say you didn’t do anything wrong, but look at that face—red as a boiled lobster!” Unaware that from his angle he had a full, unobstructed view of the spring’s intimate scene.

“I’m sick again,” Ning Mo Fei weakly defended.

Alerted by his odd behavior, Yu Youwei quickly slipped beneath the water, speaking seriously. “Then go lie down in bed. I’ll come check on you soon. Behave and hurry up.”

Though unwilling, Ning Mo Fei obediently got up and left. Passing the screen, he looked back wistfully, causing Yu Youwei to inwardly curse her own coldness.

After he left, Yu Youwei dared not linger. Like a great white fish, she leapt from the water, swiftly drying herself. Her long, black, glossy hair was half-dried and allowed to cascade down her back. She then donned the ice-white embroidered dress with colorful butterflies that a maid had hung over the screen.

At the Ning residence, she had brought nothing but a few old clothes worn at the Mu family estate stored in her bag. Yet, once she said she wanted to freshen up, the maids opened the wardrobe and urged her to choose an outfit for the evening.

The wardrobe, filling an entire wall, was stuffed with seasonal clothes belonging to her and Ning Mo Fei. She casually pointed to a somewhat understated gown. The fit was excellent—the icy white base color highlighting her clear, radiant skin, the slender waist easily encircled by a hand, and the floor-length crinkled gauze skirt swaying like snowflakes, embroidered with butterflies seeming ready to take flight.

Seeing his wife enter the room, graceful as a celestial being descended to earth, Ning Mo Fei’s face turned a deep red again. He lay on the bed, fretting, “Youwei, I’m even sicker now. I don’t want to soak in cold water.”

Perhaps from spending too long in the hot spring, Yu Youwei’s cheeks flushed as well. She stepped to the bed, wrapping her arms around him as he leaned against the headboard, whispering, “Mo Fei, once you reach Foundation Establishment, this illness will be gone.”

Ning Mo Fei replied, half understanding, “I know about Foundation Establishment. Big Brother and Second Brother are at that stage, but they’re not as powerful as Third Brother. Third Brother’s already at the Golden Core stage.”

“You’re really smart, you know all that,” she praised.

“Only Youwei says I’m smart. Everyone else talks behind my back, calling me dumb. I know,” he said.

Tilting his head, she watched his pouted lips, so perfect she could almost pour oil from them. She couldn’t help but smile, planting a light, fluttering kiss on his lips, laughing softly, “A drunk person sees the moon as drunk. Those who call you dumb are the ones truly foolish.”

“That’s right! Next time someone calls me dumb, I’ll say that to them,” Ning Mo Fei said happily, his clear, pure eyes sparkling with joy.

Gazing deeply into those bright eyes, Yu Youwei sincerely thought that spending her life hand in hand with him wouldn’t be a bad thing.

“Youwei, I still want to—”

Before Ning Mo Fei could finish, a maid outside announced that the matriarch was calling them to dinner. Seeing his face fall immediately, Yu Youwei laughed heartily.

They lingered in the room a while longer before finally leaving hand in hand, heading toward Jing’an Hall.

Upon arrival, the eldest brother and his wife were already there. Among the women previously seen, only three young wives from the main branch remained.

Mrs. Liu no longer treated Yu Youwei with cold indifference; instead, she greeted her warmly. Yu Youwei, unwilling to engage with such hypocrisy, quietly stood aside while Ning Mo Fei and his eldest sister-in-law conversed endlessly.

Ning Bowen and the matriarch were talking nearby, both observing Yu Youwei with concern over her calm demeanor.

Suddenly, the matriarch beckoned, “Mo Fei, bring your wife over here to sit with grandmother, so she can see if your wife is the most beautiful.”

Among the roughly ten women gathered, including the attending maids, Yu Youwei felt a prickling unease.

Ignoring others’ thoughts entirely, Ning Mo Fei gleefully tugged Yu Youwei to sit beside the old grandmother and boldly declared, “See? Youwei is the most beautiful!”

Yu Youwei’s thick skin gave way; embarrassed, she snapped, “Don’t say nonsense!”

Though jealous, Mrs. Liu feigned magnanimity and smiled, “Fourth brother isn’t speaking nonsense. Among the wives of our generation in the Ning family, sister-in-law, you are truly the most beautiful.”

“Big sister-in-law agrees, so I’m not lying,” Ning Mo Fei said proudly.

The prickling sensation worsened. Yu Youwei sighed softly, “Mo Fei, to you, I’m naturally the most beautiful. To grandfather, grandmother is the most beautiful. To father, mother is the most beautiful. To brothers, naturally their wives are the most beautiful. It’s all a matter of perspective. It’s enough that you think I’m the most beautiful. No need to say it outside, remember?”

Though slow-witted, Ning Mo Fei was obedient and quickly nodded, “I remember.”

“That saying, ‘each flower to its own eye,’ is quite true,” the matriarch smiled, her wrinkles deepening with warmth. Judging by her tone, she heard Yu Youwei’s heartfelt words and felt even more affection for this granddaughter-in-law.

Ning Bowen joined in playfully, “Yes, to grandfather, grandmother is the most beautiful.”

Spitting, the matriarch scolded with a laugh, “You naughty boy, joking about grandmother! Mo Fei, go beat up your eldest brother for me.”