Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Items of Devotion (Revised)_1
"Huh?" Fang Ren quickly retracted his hand as his brain raced at breakneck speed. He found an excuse and said, "There's actually a proper time for this kind of thing. It's meant to be opened by a couple on their wedding day.
It's symbolic of the hardships they've been through in their relationship, enduring bitter times for the sweet to come. If it's opened prematurely, it would seem disloyal to the relationship."
"Is that so? How odd..." Mu Huanqing muttered.
"Yes, correct. I think Uncle Han gave it to me so that we would keep it safe until the day comes to open it together." Fang Ren decided that if he was going to lie, he might as well go all the way.
As he spoke, Fang Ren casually placed the set under a pillow. The item made him think of all sorts of fantasies, so he thought it better not to look at it.
Mu Huanqing wheeled herself over to the bed. Seeing that she was about to get in bed to sleep, Fang Ren went over to help her. Although the bed wasn't high, Fang Ren still felt her frail body could fall at any moment.
After getting into bed, Mu Huanqing began to straighten out her clothes. Fang Ren immediately turned around and walked towards the closet, saying, "I'll sleep on the floor."
"Why, shouldn't a husband and wife sleep in the same bed?" Mu Huanqing asked.
"But we aren't husband and wife yet."
Fang Ren said this as he searched the closet for another blanket. However, as he opened all the closet doors, he was momentarily stunned.
"Where's the blanket..."
After a short pause, Fang Ren immediately thought of Uncle Han. Indeed, every plan was under that old guy's control!
"From now on, will you still like other girls?" Mu Huanqing asked as she looked at him.
Fang Ren turned to look at her and answered honestly, "No."
"So that means we will definitely become husband and wife, which makes sleeping in the same bed the same whether it's sooner or later," Mu Huanqing said.
"..."
Fang Ren hadn't expected her to say such a thing.
He admitted to himself that he was very excited right now, since he was faced with a woman of Fairy-level caliber.
But... he always felt things were moving a bit too quickly for Mu Huanqing.
Watching Mu Huanqing continue fixing her clothes, Fang Ren turned his head again to look at the closet, where there wasn't any other blanket, feeling a bit conflicted.
After about two or three minutes, he suddenly came to terms with it. If a girl wasn't afraid of this matter, what was there for him, a grown man, to be shy about?
Besides, who said sharing a bed meant they had to act like a married couple?
"Alright."
Fang Ren turned back around and went to the other side of the bed. Glancing at Mu Huanqing from the corner of his eye, he didn't look in that direction again and took off his outer clothing with his back turned to her.
Turning around to go to the wardrobe again, he saw that Mu Huanqing was already halfway under the covers, though her lower legs were still exposed.
Right, she had no sensation in her lower legs.
Fang Ren walked over, lifted the covers slightly, and tucked her legs inside before covering her up again. It was summer, but with the air conditioning in the room, it wouldn't be good for her legs, which lacked circulation, to be exposed to the cold air.
In the end, he climbed into bed wearing just a tank top and shorts on the other side of the bed. At this moment, his heart was racing.
Lying in bed, Fang Ren didn't rest his head on the pillow, as Mu Huanqing was sleeping on it already.
Swish, swish—
It was the sound of the pillow rubbing against the sheet.
Fang Ren felt something soft bump against the back of his head.
Ah, it was the pillow.
He turned over and saw Mu Huanqing very close to him, looking at him.
"Aren't you going to sleep with a pillow?" Mu Huanqing asked.
"You sleep, I'm fine," Fang Ren said with a smile.
"You'll get a stiff neck."
With that, Mu Huanqing pushed the pillow a little closer to him.
Ultimately, he couldn't resist the kindness of a beautiful woman and and moved to the other side of the pillow.
The pillow was small, and with both of them on it, it was quite cramped. Their faces were less than five centimeters apart, and Fang Ren could distinctly smell Mu Huanqing's breath—she smelled lovely...
Thump, thump—
Fang Ren felt like his little heart was about to leap out of his chest. In his mind, a little angel and a little demon were fiercely battling it out.
Mu Huanqing nodded, her beautiful eyes locked onto his as she said, "Do you know why they're so eager for me to be with you?"
Fang Ren, seeing her getting to the heart of the matter, swatted away the little angel and demon in his mind, and regained his composure to ask, "Why is that?"
"My mother always thought I would commit suicide because of depression. She believes that if I get married and have children, I will have a new motivation for life," Mu Huanqing explained.
"Suicide?"
Fang Ren frowned, "Why would you commit suicide?"
"I never thought about suicide, but she thinks I would," Mu Huanqing stated.
"What happened before?"
"I don't want to talk about those things... All you need to know is that I will try my best to be a good wife to you in the future."
Fang Ren was silent for a moment, then asked, "So you actually never thought about marrying me? You're just complying with your mother's wishes?"
"No, I think getting married is good for me right now, too. After all, I'm just an ordinary person now, and ordinary people should get married and have children," Mu Huanqing said.
Listening to her, Fang Ren could always sense a profound sense of loss in her words, the loss of someone who has become just an ordinary person.
Fang Ren asked, "If... there was a way in this world for you to regain your Cultivation Ability, would you still choose to marry me?"
Mu Huanqing thought for a moment, "No."
After hearing her answer, Fang Ren felt a sudden and profound sense of disappointment, all the excitement in his heart scattering away.
But then he thought, that made sense. How could such a beautiful girl, who had Cultivation Ability and was born into a prominent family, possibly want to marry an ordinary guy like him if not for the accident?
"Alright, you should get some rest since you're not feeling well," he said with a disappointed smile, then turned away to face the other direction.