Chapter 14: Murdering Her Husband

With a slight turn, Chen Yuyi caught the flash of cold steel between his fingers. It was a long, sharp fruit knife.

The woman holding the knife was clearly taken aback. She tried to pull the blade free, but no matter how much force she exerted, it didn’t budge an inch between his fingers.

“Are you trying to murder your own husband?” Yuyi arched an eyebrow and released his grip.

Immediately, the sudden loss of resistance nearly sent Shen Zhuyun sprawling to the floor.

She was wrapped in a bathrobe, which slipped precariously with her movements, exposing glimpses of delicate skin. Stains still marred her body, splotched and unsightly—she had evidently only just sobered up and hadn’t yet washed.

“I’ll kill you!” Shen Zhuyun steadied herself, gritted her teeth, and lunged at him again.

Seeing her so fierce and determined to take his life, Yuyi could only shake his head. He flicked his finger against the blade.

Clang!

The knife flew from her hand, and she froze in place.

“What’s gotten into you? Why are you trying to kill me?” Yuyi asked quietly, his gaze steady.

Shen Zhuyun stood in stunned silence for a moment, her lips trembling, eyes brimming with tears as she glared at him with hatred. “You stole my first time!”

“For that?” Yuyi blinked in surprise, then couldn’t help but smile wryly. He teased, “If you put it that way, shouldn’t I say you stole my first time? Shouldn’t I be the one wanting to kill you?”

Her lips were pressed so tightly they nearly bled, her tone bitter and trembling. “I never imagined my first time would be taken by someone like you. Maybe to some women it’s nothing, but I meant to give it to the one I loved most. You’re not worthy!”

He had begun to feel a bit sorry for her, but now he was simply perplexed. “You have your reasons, and I don’t object. But I wasn’t at fault here. Still, you call me someone ‘like that’—what kind of person am I in your eyes?”

“The kind who would sell his dignity for money—utterly contemptible!” Shen Zhuyun lifted her chin in pride, as if Yuyi could never compare to the man she held in her heart.

“Fine,” Yuyi said, realizing just how deeply she looked down on him.

Back when they signed the agreement, he never told her the real situation with his family, and she’d never asked. So she’d always assumed he was in it for the money.

“Well, now you have what you wanted—both the money and the person. Are you satisfied?” Shen Zhuyun laughed bitterly. “You gain, I lose. Let’s just call this deal finished.”

“You want to terminate the agreement?”

“I never really meant to kill you—I just lost my head for a moment. Besides, with skills like yours, I couldn’t kill you even if I tried. But what’s the point in talking now? Go. I don’t want to see you again!” She sounded utterly defeated.

Seeing her like this, Yuyi’s heart softened just a little.

“The agreement isn’t up yet. How can I leave?”

“Whether it’s up or not, I’m the one who started it. Don’t worry, I won’t demand any compensation. I’m the one calling it off—you lose nothing.”

A few days ago, Yuyi would have been happy to hear that.

But now, he wasn’t pleased at all.

“You think you can just send me away?”

He had made up his mind: the more she despised him, the more he would stay—first, to get to the bottom of his own “attempted murder,” and second, even if just in name, to do his duty as a husband. After all, she had helped him when he was at his lowest.

Besides, there was that “dual cultivation” opportunity the Dragon King had mentioned—he couldn’t just walk away from that.

Shen Zhuyun’s expression changed abruptly. “You still want the money?”

“Money? Who doesn’t want it?” Yuyi played the scoundrel.

“How much will it take for you to get lost?” Her chest heaved with fury.

“I haven’t quite decided yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” Yuyi blinked mischievously, deliberately playing the rogue.

“You’re shameless, despicable, and vile!”

“I won’t deny it. By the way, your figure is really something. When will you let me have another look?”

Shen Zhuyun recoiled, clutching her robe tightly. “Stay away from me, you pervert!”

“But we’re husband and wife—I have the rights of a husband, you know. Earlier, I didn’t even get to exercise those rights. You were far more… vigorous. I was just along for the ride!” Yuyi grew more amused, making it sound as if something truly had happened.

Shen Zhuyun dropped to her knees, covering her ears. “Please, stop talking. If others hadn’t set me up, none of this would have happened. Please, I beg you!”

Suddenly, her eyes settled on the knife lying on the floor.

“Fine, if you won’t leave, I will!” She snatched up the knife and, eyes closed, turned it on herself.

But she felt neither the cold steel nor pain. Instead, a masculine scent enveloped her—strong and unyielding, as vast as mountain and sea.

She looked up at the face she had always disdained, even loathed. Now, it seemed impossibly deep and imposing, its features chiseled and resolute.

She saw his iron-strong hand gripping the knife, fresh blood slowly dripping from the tip, making her dizzy.

“Are you an idiot? A few jokes and you’re ready to die?” His gentle voice echoed in her ears, leaving her dazed, as fleeting impressions flashed through her mind…

Only when Yuyi took the knife from her did she return to herself.

“Why did you save me?”

“If I didn’t, was I supposed to just watch you die? I already saved you once before. You may not value your life, but I do.” He tossed the knife behind his back and crushed it into a lump of iron. The knife could never have harmed him, but it had been too close to her body—he hadn’t dared risk it.

Hearing his words, Shen Zhuyun assumed he was mocking her again, and whatever feelings had been stirred up vanished.

“Last time, I wasn’t ready to die, so you got your way. But this time, I really wanted to die. I don’t need you interfering!”

Yuyi looked at her and sighed. “I don’t know if you’re foolish or just naive. Don’t you know whether you’ve lost your virginity or not?”

Her eyes flashed. “What do you mean?”

“My dear lady, don’t you understand the basics? After… that, a woman always feels something. Do you feel anything now?” Yuyi sighed again. He’d never been with a woman, but you didn’t have to eat pork to know what a pig looked like.

She was stunned, her expression shifting rapidly. “You mean… nothing happened between us?” Her cheeks flushed crimson.

“Go check for yourself. And remember, you owe me two lives now—don’t try to chase me away again!” Yuyi turned away, unable to suppress a quiet laugh. For all her fierce exterior, Shen Zhuyun was, at heart, a pure and traditional girl.

“Wait!” she called as he was leaving.

“What is it? If it’s just to drive me away, save your breath. Right now, you should take a bath and get some rest. As for what happened today, I’ve already handled it for you—there’s nothing to worry about.” He didn’t look back as he spoke.

She hesitated, a bit embarrassed, not quite understanding his last words.

As Yuyi’s figure disappeared around the corner, she caught sight of the lump of iron on the floor. She immediately recognized it as the former knife, and her pupils contracted as she gazed in his direction, her expression complicated.

Only then did she head toward the bathroom…

The next morning, Yuyi entered the main hall to find a note on the table—Shen Zhuyun had already left the villa.

“There’s wound ointment in the medicine chest. Find it yourself.”

The handwriting was delicate and elegant, without a trace of hesitation.

“Her script truly matches her nature,” Yuyi murmured, shaking his head, though he hardly needed any ointment. Still, he appreciated the gesture.

He realized then that beneath her cold and distant facade, Shen Zhuyun was not truly heartless; she simply hid it well.

Surprised at how much his opinion of her had changed, Yuyi smiled and cleared his mind. Rather than wasting energy on the mysteries of women, he thought, he’d be better off focusing on his cultivation.

With time to spare, he sat cross-legged and circulated his internal energy.

For now, all he could do was consolidate his current level. Advancing further would be difficult on his own. As the Dragon King had said, he needed an opportunity.

Such opportunities could not be forced—they required luck, elixirs, and the right circumstances. Each was different, but all were interconnected.

Though Yuyi understood this, he still felt lost. With the Dragon King asleep, even if it were awake, there might be nothing it could do—he would have to seize his own fate.

“I must keep a calm heart. On the path of cultivation, haste leads to ruin. Let things unfold as they will,” he reflected after finishing his practice.

Suddenly, his phone rang—it was Wang Xinyan.

“Little Yu, do you miss your big sister?”

He was speechless. “Sister Yan, could you not call me Little Yu? It sounds like a eunuch in some ancient palace.”

She laughed. “I just can’t help myself when I think of your attentive service. Alright, I’ll call you Xiao Yu instead. I just got back from the capital and am on my way to the bar. Come over—I have a gift for you!” Her voice was full of mystery.

“You really got me a gift?” Yuyi felt a warmth in his heart. In Jiangcheng, Wang Xinyan was the person he felt closest to.

“Of course—I promised, didn’t I? You’ll see when you get here. Okay, see you soon!” She hung up with a cheerful laugh.

Yuyi shook his head—his “big sister” was always so fiery and direct.

With that, he decided to skip the Golden Hotel; there wasn’t much work for him there anyway, and as long as he didn’t quit, he doubted they’d mind his absence.

He tidied himself up, left Shen Zhuyun’s villa, grabbed a bite to eat on the street, and headed to the Soaring Bar.

The bar hadn’t started renovations yet and should have been deserted, but the entrance was surrounded by men in black suits.

Yuyi frowned—had something happened?

“Our boss is inside on business. No unauthorized persons allowed!” As soon as he approached the door, several black-clad men stepped forward, blocking his way, their tone unfriendly.

Quite the show of force.

Yuyi suddenly realized these men looked oddly familiar…