A Wish for Your Lasting Joy - Chapter 3

Just as Xu Changhuan leaned closer and closer, and I thought I was finished, footsteps sounded in the hall. A woman’s voice called out.

“Xu… Changhuan.”

He frowned and flicked a hand toward the doors. “Do you have a death wish?”

Grateful, I tried to see which brave soul had come to my rescue. But the moment I turned, Xu Changhuan pressed my head against his chest. My forehead struck something hard with a thud.

When I realized what the warmth against my cheek was, my face flamed.

Man, could you please wear your clothes properly?! His heartbeat carried through his chest into my ear, pounding until my head spun. I fumbled to pull his robe closed, only to drag the collar even farther open.

Neither of us said anything.

At last, the newcomer seemed unable to bear it any longer.

“You two… In broad daylight…” she said in dismay.

Xu Changhuan freed a hand to catch my restless right one. He lowered his head and spoke suggestively.

“Don’t be so impatient. We have company.”

I looked up at the smile that never reached his eyes. Hey! Talking like that was a great way to give people entirely the wrong idea.

He plainly couldn’t be bothered with me. His grip on my wrist tightened in warning, and he looked up at the visitor.

“Jiang Hua. Don’t assume I won’t kill you.”

The name made my ears prick up. What point in the story were we at? Why was the heroine here?

“Changhuan,” Jiang Hua said, “the demonic path defies the natural order. You can’t follow it forever. If you’re willing to turn away from evil, the gates of Mount Yuexuan will always be open to you.”

“Not interested,” he replied lazily. “I’ve repaid my debt to Mount Yuexuan. Don’t come looking for me again.”

Jiang Hua fell silent for a moment, then her tone grew pleading.

“Changhuan, Mount Yuexuan was in the wrong back then. Master has been tormented by guilt all these years. Please don’t be angry anymore.”

He sneered. “What? Still trying to hold that debt over me?”

“How can you think that of us? We simply don’t want to watch you fall to the demonic path.”

“Worry about yourself.” Xu Changhuan gave her a cold look.

She was left speechless. After another silence, she said, “The dead can’t return to life. Why treat these girls this way? They’re only substitutes. What have they done to deserve it?”

Wait, wait, wait. Who’d died? Now this was juicy. Go on, I was listening.

I eagerly raised my head to look at Xu Changhuan. He glanced down at me and laughed, then continued in the same indolent tone.

“Even as a substitute, you wouldn’t make the cut.”

I gazed at him with admiration. Wow. He really dared say that to her? Wasn’t he afraid he’d enjoy tormenting his future wife now, only to spend the rest of his life desperately trying to win her back?

Jiang Hua was too furious to speak. Xu Changhuan finally seemed to remember that I was still here enjoying the show. He glanced at me, leaned back, and released me.

“Out.”

Oh, absolutely. I’d never heard a sweeter word. I scrambled out of his arms, moving so wildly that I pulled his entire collar open.

I couldn’t resist a couple of extra looks. When I raised my eyes again, I met his murderous gaze. With a frightened jolt, I practically crawled out of the Hall of Rapture.