Chapter 3: Cold Air

Yang Shifei had not originally wanted to live off a woman.

In his initial plan, even if Miss Luo truly took a liking to him and the two of them naturally honored the marriage agreement, he could not simply let himself sink into decadence. In the future, he would have to find a decent job, or perhaps learn superior martial arts. In short, he needed to be able to support himself without relying on the woman’s charity.

But things did not go as he wished.

“…”

Yang Shifei held a heavy string of door keys in his hand, staring at the fairly large, quiet residence before him, feeling as if he had fallen into a dream.

He had only spent one night in Eastern City. After moving his lips a little, he had somehow obtained a house in the blink of an eye.

This very house in front of him.

“Young Master, are you listening to me?”

The cool female voice abruptly snapped Yang Shifei back to his senses. He smiled sheepishly and followed the maid leading the way ahead.

“Sorry. I didn’t expect Miss Luo to actually hand this residence over to me. I’m honestly a little overwhelmed.”

Half an hour earlier, he and Miss Luo had chatted about many more things.

Although the conversation had been rather scattered, the atmosphere between them had still been fairly harmonious.

In the end, Miss Luo had calmly accepted the marriage contract and agreed to the marriage.

And this residence was the “betrothal gift” she had sent over.

“This is only temporary lodging.”

The pretty maid turned her head to look at him, her face indifferent. “Although Miss has accepted your marriage contract, there will still be a six-month observation period. Before that, she naturally will not live together with you. This residence is merely being given to you as a place to settle and live.”

Yang Shifei collected himself and smiled. “I understand.”

That eldest daughter of the Luo family had allowed him to stay here probably only because their first meeting had left a good impression. Nothing more.

In other words, this “matchmaking meeting” had passed the first step.

The pretty maid glanced at him, then continued leading him around while introducing the place.

Yang Shifei quietly followed behind her and listened attentively the whole way. He more or less understood Miss Luo’s intentions now.

This residence had once belonged to the Niu family. But because the family had fallen into decline over the past two years, they had been forced to sell it. With no other options, Auntie Niu’s family had moved back to Niu Village as a household and resumed life as farmers.

And because Miss Luo disliked bustle and noise, she had simply spent a little extra silver to buy this residence. It had remained empty and unused ever since. Now, letting him stay here temporarily could be considered a response to the marriage agreement.

“I will bring bedding and several sets of clothes tomorrow, as well as your three daily meals going forward. They will be delivered on time.”

The pretty maid suddenly stopped in the main hall. Her embroidered skirt swayed as she gathered her hair and looked back. “Young Master, are there any foods you avoid?”

“I don’t have any dietary restrictions. Thank you for your consideration.”

Yang Shifei smiled and cupped his hands. “I still haven’t asked your name, Miss.”

“You may call me Tanxiang.”

The pretty maid calmly reminded him, “My mistress’s name is Luo Xian’er. Young Master, do not forget it.”

Yang Shifei nodded in understanding.

Although the name was slightly clichéd, it truly suited that young lady very well. Especially when she had handed him the keys to a big house, she had really seemed like a true “immortal,” as if light were shining all around her.

“Oh, right.”

He slapped his forehead to drive away his stray thoughts and quickly said, “May I ask how I should address the other two young ladies?”

“…Two?”

Tanxiang’s reaction, however, was somewhat strange.

She slightly furrowed her elegant brows and hesitated. “There are only two maids in the Luo Residence. The other is named Moli. What does Young Master mean by ‘the other two’?”

Yang Shifei froze.

Something was wrong.

The confusion on her face did not look fake. Besides, there was no need for her to nitpick his wording over something like this.

Yang Shifei thought back briefly, and for some reason, a trace of coldness rose along his back. The heat of joy he had felt from just receiving this residence instantly faded.

“Miss Tanxiang, are there truly only two maids in the Luo Residence?”

“Young Master, are you teasing me?”

Tanxiang narrowed her cold eyes slightly, seemingly displeased.

But Yang Shifei quickly said with a solemn expression, “Last night, I was led into the Luo Residence by a young maid. Could that young lady have been ‘Moli’?”

“…”

Tanxiang’s eyes gradually widened.

No.

Moli had been in Miss’s sleeping quarters last night, just like her. She had never left.

She had thought this man before her lacked manners and had trespassed into the Luo Residence late at night. So last night, it had actually been…

“Miss?” Yang Shifei asked tentatively. “Did something unexpected happen?”

Tanxiang’s expression calmed. “Young Master need not concern yourself. You only have to live here peacefully.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she left the courtyard with hurried steps.

Yang Shifei watched her rush away, feeling puzzled and also slightly chilled.

The situation at the Luo Residence seemed even stranger than he had imagined.

If Miss Luo and her two maids were ghosts, then what exactly was the other maid who had led him into the residence last night? Human or ghost? Was she even on their side?

“Do ghosts scheme against each other too?”

Yang Shifei could not grasp the hidden currents beneath the situation, so he could only brace himself and pretend nothing had happened.

He was an ordinary person. Right now, he had no confidence to interfere in anything. No matter how curious he was, it would only be asking for trouble.

“…Forget it.”

Yang Shifei patted his slightly stiff face and prepared to put away the luggage he had brought, then go out and look around the town.

Although living off a rich woman was unbelievably tempting, he could not truly just eat and wait for death while relying on a woman for the rest of his life. Besides, whether the two of them would actually end up together was still far from certain. All the more reason for him to be self-reliant.

So first, finding a livelihood in town that could support him was very important.

As for learning martial arts and wandering the jianghu, that had to be set aside for now.

He had deliberately asked Miss Luo earlier and learned that the Luo family was not a martial arts clan. Trying to use his identity as a “live-in son-in-law” to obtain secret manuals and make his debut was ultimately not very realistic.

Unless he could find a martial arts sect and join it. Otherwise, even if he really had a secret manual for some divine technique in hand, he might end up going berserk while cultivating without even realizing it.

Yang Shifei sighed helplessly and returned to the room to tidy up the bed where he had slept.

Traveling the world with a beauty at his side and a sword in hand—what young person had never fantasized about such a life? But now that he had truly arrived in a world where martial artists were everywhere, his empty pockets were like a heavy hammer of reality smashing onto his forehead, as if telling him—

Forget swords and blades. Better turn back and look more at the little rich woman.

The sun set in the west, and dusk grew dim.

After wandering around Eastern City for most of the day, Yang Shifei returned home thoughtfully.

Ever since transmigrating, he had mostly stayed in the remote Niu Village, so his understanding of this era was still far too shallow.

Now that he had seen it with his own eyes, he finally understood what Auntie Niu and the others meant by a “flourishing age of martial arts.”

Along the way, men and women dressed as martial artists could be seen almost everywhere, and he had even happened to run into a sudden fight. Although he had only watched from afar, the scene of flashing blades and clashing swords was simply the very image of the jianghu he had imagined.

“Although the authorities exist, they don’t seem to strictly control armed fighting.”

Yang Shifei thought back to how a group of soldiers had hurried over at the time, only to simply take the fighters into custody.

The surrounding civilians had also reacted as if it were nothing unusual. Battles between martial artists had even become lively gossip they chatted about with great interest.

“The Liang royal family seems to hold martial artists in quite high regard.”

Yang Shifei casually placed the daily necessities he had bought to the side and sank into thought.

Martial artists had a high status in the Liang Kingdom.

If one could become a martial artist, forget wandering the jianghu with a sword—even in the government office, one could make something of oneself.

But almost every sect around Eastern City only recruited disciples under the age of fifteen, and even the government office was the same. He had no chance at all. Nor were there any martial arts manuals for sale in the streets and alleys. Unless a noble person supported him, that path was completely cut off.

“Looks like I can only first find a bookkeeping job at Yellow Crane Tower… The small inn in the west isn’t bad either. Business seems pretty good. Maybe I can try there.”

Whether he took the path of scholarship or martial arts in the future, Yang Shifei planned to first stabilize his work before considering what came next.

After all, martial arts required large amounts of meat to replenish physical strength, and studying required brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. All of that cost money. And the little money he had left had been completely spent today. He had nothing left.

But on second thought, he found it a little funny.

Before and after transmigrating, he was still worrying about work. He was simply born with a working man’s fate.

“Heh.”

The sudden sound of a mocking laugh startled Yang Shifei.

He quickly turned back toward the outside of the room, only to see the mysterious maid from last night leaning against the doorway, openly studying him with interest.

Unease rose again in Yang Shifei’s heart.

When had this woman come in?!

“Who are you?”

His face tightened as he said in a low voice, “Why are you here?”

The mysterious maid merely curled her lips. An unreadable smile appeared on her beautiful face. With a flick of her shoulder-length hair, she turned as if to leave.

Yang Shifei’s thoughts raced, and he soon gritted his teeth.

This woman’s identity and intentions were both unclear. If he did not figure out her background early, there was absolutely no way he could live peacefully here.

If he simply let her leave now, he would probably be leaving himself a hidden danger.

“Wait!”

He immediately strode forward and grabbed her slender arm. “Last night, what exactly did you—”

Before he could finish speaking, a chill suddenly came from his palm.

Yang Shifei’s eyes widened. As if electrocuted, he abruptly pulled back and retreated, shaking his hand wildly.

But in the blink of an eye, the chill in his palm burrowed into him like something clinging to bone. It swiftly seeped into his flesh, tendons, and bones, then continued surging upward along his arm.

“Holy shit, what the hell is this?!”

Yang Shifei’s face twisted in pain. An unimaginable aching soreness erupted from his right arm, as though thousands of ants were gnawing at him. His vision nearly went black, and he almost collapsed to the floor.

For a moment, he thought he had been killed by the female ghost. But the aching pain had come suddenly and faded just as quickly. After panting for a short while, only cold sweat remained all over his body, as if the unbearable soreness he had just suffered had been nothing more than an illusion.

Yang Shifei gasped heavily and shook his head in lingering fear. Then he quickly focused his gaze again, only to see that the mysterious maid who had been about to leave was now standing in front of him with her hands behind her back, staring at him rather curiously. Their faces were quite close.

“What did you just do to me?”

Yang Shifei pressed his arm and stepped back, his gaze filled with even greater wariness.

He did not know what strange abilities female ghosts in this world possessed. Was it a mental attack, an illusion, or some kind of parasite curse?

While his thoughts were in chaos, he vaguely discovered that the cold air that had just brought boundless aching pain had already spread throughout his entire body. Instead, it brought him a strange sense of fullness. All his fatigue was swept away, and his mind felt clearer and more energized than ever before.

Yang Shifei grew even more stunned.

“I did nothing.”

The mysterious maid tilted her head and revealed a chilling smile.

“You were the one who ‘bit’ me.”

[End of Chapter]