Jade furnace, ice mat, mandarin duck brocade, fragrant sweat melting into a mountain pillow.
The sound of carriage wheels outside the curtain, she raised her eyebrows with a smile, startled.
Under the willow's light shade, her low bun and cicada hairpin fell.
One must stake their whole life, to fulfill your joy today.
The above is a proper ancient poem, without ambiguity.
...
It was another clear morning, the sound of waking accompanied by the rumble of carriage wheels.
Thanks to the ingenious creators of these carriages, not only was the interior spacious,
but the exterior also had excellent sound insulation, allowing Zhou Fan to enjoy a state of "ears cleared as if listening to Immortal music" even while the carriage was moving.
In the following days of carriage travel, the feelings between Zhou Fan and Jiang Qingzhi quickly warmed.
...
In a blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed, and Zhou Fan and his party had already arrived in Tong County.
Tong County, located at a vital transportation hub, had highly developed water and land transport.
Most importantly, fifty kilometers north of Tong County was where Linfeng City was located.
And Kang Wang Residence was situated within Linfeng City.
At this moment, inside the Tianji Tower in Tong County.
Zhou Fan was looking at the old man circling around him with a slightly amused expression.
"Eh, that's strange, young man, why do you look so much like the 'Jade Faced Langjun' from the Jianghu back in his younger days?"
"You're not his illegitimate son, are you?"
"No, that's not right. That 'Jade Faced Langjun' was pure and unsullied, and never married in his life. Where would he get an illegitimate son?"
"Strange, it's truly too strange."
"Young man, what's your name?"
After his cultivation Breakthrough to Innate, Zhou Fan's lifespan was extended again, and his appearance became a bit younger. He was now in the prime of his life, like someone in their late twenties.
"Old man, I recall that Tianji Tower doesn't have a tradition of prying into guests' identities, does it?"
"I won't ask you for nothing. As long as you tell me what your relationship is with Jade Faced Langjun, I'll give you this much."
As he spoke, the old man solemnly held out five fingers.
But Zhou Fan ignored him, instead walking quickly to the Tianji Tower front desk and saying,
"I want all intelligence on Kang Wang Residence from the past six months."
"Ten taels of gold."
"Here, take it."
Seeing Zhou Fan's generous spending and handsome appearance, the front desk immediately became fawning, searching for the intelligence for Zhou Fan while also promoting her other services.
The old man beside her saw this and instantly frowned, demanding angrily from the front desk,
"Isn't the profit from your work at Tianji Tower enough to support you? This is Tianji Tower, not a brothel!"
"None of your business, old man! This Young Miss took pity on you and let you hide from the rain here, and now you're barking?"
After angrily scolding the uncooperative old man, the Young Miss at the front desk flirtatiously teased Zhou Fan again.
"Handsome, ignore him. Why don't you spend a night with me? I won't even charge you."
"Also, let me secretly tell you a little secret, I'm still a virgin~"
Zhou Fan looked at the alluring Young Miss at the front desk and said nothing more.
He knew that one's excellence could not be hidden.
After all, Zhou Fan's appearance back then had attracted countless admirers; and Zhou Fan's current appearance and temperament were even more outstanding than before.
Zhou Fan, already accustomed to this, would not say anything harsh to this rather plain-looking Young Miss.
He merely smiled slightly and said, "Where's the intelligence I asked for?"
"Oh, oh, here it is. Handsome, please take it."
The front desk, who had been staring blankly, only then came back to her senses upon hearing Zhou Fan's words.
And after Zhou Fan took the intelligence, he picked up his umbrella and walked out of Tianji Tower without a trace of lingering.
The front desk then, as if waking from a dream, called out, "Hey, handsome, don't leave! I'll give you money, okay?"
"One tael of gold? Ten taels, ten taels! Just smile at me again..."
Zhou Fan, already walking into the rain, ignored the clamor behind him. He held a black oil-paper umbrella, strolling alone in the rain.
The "pitter-patter" of the rain tapped at his ears, and Zhou Fan quietly listened to nature's beautiful melody.
Raindrops hit the ground, shattering into several pieces, one of which flew towards Zhou Fan's pant leg, as if to dampen it.
But it was stopped halfway by the Yin and Yang Qi attached to Zhou Fan's clothes, and the raindrop could only helplessly return to the ground.
Passing through the market, Zhou Fan saw that a few breakfast stalls were still open, so he stepped inside.
When he came out, he had four steaming hot meat buns in his hand.
Then, Zhou Fan discovered a dessert shop not far away.
Recalling Yaya's adorable gluttonous look, the corners of Zhou Fan's mouth curved upward.
His leisurely steps quickened, because Yaya and Qingzhi were still waiting for him at the Luoning Inn.
...
"Husband, you're back."
"Wow, hubby, you actually bought so many delicious things! Yaya loves you to death."
Looking at Yaya eagerly rushing over to snatch the food, and Qingzhi standing gracefully and charmingly by the side.
Zhou Fan smiled from the bottom of his heart. He rubbed Yaya's little head, handing her one snack after another, letting her eat first.
Then Zhou Fan put his arm around Qingzhi's slender waist and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the beautiful woman nestled in his arms.
Zhou Fan smiled and said, "Qingzhi, I will propose marriage in three days. By then, you will be my first good friend, and always will be."
(Sigh, no choice, even in another world, there must be positive energy, so I can only use 'good friend' as a substitute.)
Jiang Qingzhi heard this, and although her heart was very sweet, she still said,
"Husband, I know about your relationship with Yaya."
"In terms of seniority, shouldn't Yaya be your first good friend, Husband?"
Zhou Fan knew Jiang Qingzhi would ask this, so he immediately said,
"Qingzhi, Yaya is different from you."
"I will definitely go to the Cultivation World in the future. That is a world above the Fan Realm. Yaya is my first Dao Companion."
"And you will be my first good friend in this Fan Realm."
"Qingzhi, you are my official friend, Zhou Fan's."
"Husband~"
Listening to Zhou Fan's loving words, Jiang Qingzhi felt as if she was melting in his arms.
However, Jiang Qingzhi still had a sliver of rationality left at this moment. She looked at Zhou Fan's handsome profile and couldn't help but say with some sadness,
"Qingzhi has long known that Husband is no ordinary person. If Qingzhi's beauty fades in the future, I hope Husband will leave a small courtyard for Qingzhi, where I can turn to dust alone."
"Qingzhi, what foolishness are you talking about?"
Jiang Qingzhi used her slender jade hand to cover Zhou Fan's mouth, preventing him from continuing to speak.
She herself continued to speak self-pityingly, "Husband, Qingzhi knows that I am just a mortal woman, destined to be unable to always accompany Husband."
"So Qingzhi only wishes to keep her most beautiful appearance in Husband's heart. Qingzhi does not wish to be a withered old woman in your memories, Husband."
Looking at the deeply affectionate Jiang Qingzhi, Zhou Fan's heart was truly moved at that moment.
He tightly held Jiang Qingzhi's soft hand in his own, and resolutely said, "Qingzhi, that day will never come."
"I, Zhou Fan, will not only achieve Immortal Ascension myself, but I will also take you, Qingzhi, to ascend to Immortality together!"
"Even if one day you truly grow old, I will stay with you until the very last moment of your life."
"Husband~"
"Hmm?"
"Now~"