My Gentle and Pure Sect Leader Husband - Chapter 33

TL: I decided to change ‘Seventh Son’ to ‘Seventh Child’

****

Two adults and one child stood at the entrance of the courtyard, looking up at the two large pear trees inside and falling into deep thought.

Although it was an unfamiliar place, it was so quiet that there were almost no sounds or movements from other people. Hua Manlou carefully walked forward a step, paused, and Yan Hongyin loosened her grip, allowing the little one to begin measuring the layout of the courtyard by following along the wall.

“When your people planted trees, did they not think to look to the side?” Yan Hongyin said expressionlessly.

“But Wife, your people didn’t look to the side when planting trees either,” Yu Luocha stared at the two pear trees that almost completely blocked the light and said softly.

Yan Hongyin: “……”

Yu Luocha: “……”

Planting trees in the courtyard wasn’t a big deal. On the contrary, perhaps because of the tree that had been in the courtyard behind Yan Hong Hall before, both Yu Luocha and Yan Hongyin had grown accustomed to its presence and had specifically instructed their people to transplant a tree.

But neither of them had truly anticipated that their previous heart-stopping synchronicity would manifest again—this time, even the type of tree was identical, and both had very consistently chosen mature trees rather than saplings.

The left side belonged to Yu Luocha’s half, the right side to Yan Hongyin’s half. The two large pear trees stood facing each other, visibly thriving. By autumn, they would likely bear plenty of pears.

“So… which one do we cut down?” Yu Luocha asked with a solemn expression.

Yan Hongyin responded in a tone that suggested the answer was obvious. “Yours.”

“I won’t!” Yu Luocha firmly defended his property. This kind of concession, once made the first time, would lead to countless more times. “Cut down yours!”

Yan Hongyin calmly said, “I won’t.”

As the two silently stood their ground, little Hua, who had circled around one of the large pear trees, ran over. Just before reaching the two adults, he tripped on a raised brick seam and tumbled forward.

Yan Hongyin, quick as lightning, caught the little one in her arms. Yu Luocha frowned and walked over, stepping back and forth on the distinct seam left by the different brick-laying workers from each side, and said discontentedly, “This needs to be fixed.”

“Mm, I’ll go into town later to ask around,” Yan Hongyin also noticed the seam that divided the courtyard in two.

The implication was that they would find an ordinary craftsman who wasn’t affiliated with either of their factions.

“Fine,” Yu Luocha looked at the two pear trees that nearly blotted out the sky, frowned, and said, “Let’s just cut them both down.”

Before Yan Hongyin could express her opinion, the little one in her arms couldn’t help raising his hand. “Uncle Yu, Seventh Child likes the pear trees.”

The two suspiciously fell silent for a moment, avoiding the topic of cutting down the trees, and walked toward the house by unspoken agreement.

Hua Manlou rested on Yan Hongyin’s shoulder, hearing the rustling sound of the wind moving through the branches, and curled his lips into a sweet smile with good cheer.

However, after entering the rooms, a new problem emerged.

Perhaps because they had never considered the possibility of guests visiting this residence before, nor had they planned in advance for raising a child, this mansion, though not small, had been evenly and equally divided into one kitchen, one medicine room, two meditation rooms, two toilets, two bathrooms, and… two bedrooms.

After touring around, Yan Hongyin and Yu Luocha looked at the rooms before them—though under the same roof, they were divided into two equal portions as if measured with a ruler—and once again fell into silence.

Setting aside the question of whether they resembled a normal family, the problem facing them now was: where would Seventh Child sleep tonight?

In the same room as Yan Hongyin or Yu Luocha?

Yan Hongyin: “……”

Yu Luocha: “……”

No, no, no… that was absolutely impossible.

Whether the two adults slept or not was secondary. The important thing was that Seventh Child was a soft little bundle who had not practiced martial arts and was only seven years old. He absolutely could not share a bed with either of the two, who were dangerous when in sleep.

Sharing a room wasn’t even acceptable!

The two exchanged glances, silently toured both their bedrooms again, and Yu Luocha asked Yan Hongyin via sound transmission. “Is your secret chamber entrance in your bedroom?”

Yan Hongyin looked at him, nodded slightly, and transmitted back, “Yours too?”

In fact, such matters, given their tacit understanding, should have been kept separate, but now…

Yu Luocha unexpectedly shook his head, contrary to Yan Hongyin’s expectations.

Yan Hongyin raised an eyebrow.

“I put it in the bathroom,” Yu Luocha said justifiably. “My secret chamber has a different purpose from yours. Each time I come back, I need to bathe, right? What’s wrong with putting it in the bathroom?”

Both of their secret chambers connected to secret passages that led to their respective power bases in Jinling city.

Indeed, most missions requiring Yu Luocha’s personal attention were not exactly clean affairs.

Yan Hongyin thought for a moment, looking at the curious little one in her arms who was turning his head around, and after ensuring there were no dangerous objects nearby, she put him down to continue exploring the room, then transmitted, “Let Seventh Child sleep in your room?”

Yu Luocha didn’t object to this proposal, but…

He tilted his head and pointed at himself, “Then what about me?”

Yan Hongyin fell silent.

Yu Luocha continued, “Ah Yin, you know that in a child’s understanding, husband and wife are supposed to live together, right?”

Yan Hongyin didn’t respond, turning to enter the bedroom.

Yu Luocha pinched his chin, reached out to gather the little one who was touching this and turning that, and together they went to the bedroom to organize things and familiarize themselves with the environment.

Hua Manlou’s self-care abilities were actually quite strong, but after all, he was a blind child, and it always took some time to adjust to unfamiliar places.

****

Night fell. Too many things had happened today, and the little one with his heavy eyelids quickly fell asleep buried in the soft blankets.

Yan Hongyin had used nails to fix an incense burner holder high up in the room that afternoon. Inside burned a calming incense that Yan Hongyin had specially prepared, ensuring it would last all night and would not burn the little one in any circumstance.

Yu Luocha pulled a pillow from the cabinet, tucked it under his arm, and strolled over to knock on Yan Hongyin’s door.

Yan Hongyin opened the door.

Yu Luocha then held the pillow in his arms, putting on a pitiful and compromising appearance. “Wife, I’ve come to make a bed on the floor.”

Yan Hongyin didn’t say anything, simply stepping aside to silently permit Yu Luocha to enter.

Yu Luocha blinked, a trace of surprise crossing his face.

That easy?

But after he entered the room and his gaze swept around, he asked a question from the depths of his soul, “Ah Yin, how many hidden weapons do you have in this room?”

Yan Hongyin glanced at him, a hint of fatigue between her brows. “None.”

“Hmm?” Yu Luocha uttered a questioning sound.

There were at least a dozen hidden weapon mechanisms that he had discovered in this room, okay?

Yan Hongyin massaged her temples as she sat at the table, saying softly, “Dismantled for over two hours.”

Yu Luocha couldn’t help laughing, then also sat at the table, leaning on the surface and looking up at Yan Hongyin. “That nervous about you?”

Although Yu Luocha had never truly crossed swords with Yan Hongyin in the fullest sense, the previous few times when they had sparred lightly were enough for Yu Luocha to gauge Yan Hongyin’s general level. With Yan Hongyin’s martial arts, only those old immortals or those who didn’t value their lives could fight her to the death. What were those Jinyiwei so nervous about?

“I should be the one asking what your people have been doing,” Yan Hongyin said with annoyance.

The Jinyiwei and Ji Qing had arrived in Jinling city right after her.

Ji Qing knew Yu Luocha’s identity and had vaguely glimpsed the unusual nature of Yan Hongyin’s identity, so assigning him was naturally more effective. In any case, regardless of the considerations, Yan Hongyin would not keep him in Lin’an Prefecture.

For this renovation of the residence, Yan Hongyin had entrusted Ji Qing with the responsibility. She didn’t know what Yu Luocha’s people had done to make Ji Qing so nervous.

Yan Hongyin thought of the hidden weapons now piled in the cabinet and felt a headache coming on.

—There were even Seven-Holed Three-Inch Nails and Storm Pear Blossom Needles!

These were extremely poisonous and vicious hidden weapons, rare even among the Jinyiwei.

Yu Luocha immediately put on an innocent expression. “What could my people do? Oh… is it because of some little things in the secret chamber?”

“What little things?” Yan Hongyin asked warily.

“Recently, the Five Poisons Sect split, with half joining the Sun Moon Divine Sect and changing their name to Five Immortals Sect, while the other half joined me,” Yu Luocha said lazily. “Then they sent over some things said to protect the home, which seem to have been raised in the secret chamber below.”

Five Poisons Sect…

Yan Hongyin took a deep breath.

The Five Immortals Sect’s house guardians were nothing but scorpions, centipedes, toads, geckos, and snakes. This man actually raised these things in their home?!

Yu Luocha noticed Yan Hongyin’s expression gradually turning toward anger and immediately said: “Now that we have a little one at home, we obviously can’t keep them. Plus, I don’t really like those things either; they’re troublesome to care for… Why doesn’t Wife dry them for medicinal use?”

Yan Hongyin’s impending anger suddenly paused.

The poisonous creatures of the Five Poisons Sect were all excellent specimens, carefully selected. If dried for medicine…

“Mm, that works,” Yan Hongyin maintained her dignity, her expression calm as she poured two cups of tea, pushing one to Yu Luocha.

Yu Luocha concealed the smile on his face and lowered his head to drink the tea.

If not for thinking that Yan Hongyin might be interested in those poisonous creatures, he would never have agreed to let the Five Poisons Sect people release bugs into their home.

He knew Ah Yin would definitely like them.

Got her~

The room gradually darkened, and Yan Hongyin lit the oil lamp.

Yu Luocha rested his head on his arm and said softly, “I need to go out for a while.”

Yan Hongyin closed the folding fire stick without surprise. “Mm.”

She knew what Yu Luocha was going to do; in fact, since the Central Plains were her territory, she knew much more than Yu Luocha did.

“…I still feel a bit confused,” Yu Luocha said in a muffled voice. “How did you convince Hua Ruling to give us his son?”

Yan Hongyin recalled using her Commander position to pressure someone for the first time in over a decade, remained silent for a while, then calmly said, “Reasoned with him.”

Yu Luocha felt something wasn’t quite right, but in this home, an appropriate sense of boundaries was necessary.

So he didn’t ask further, but instead said, “So, how do we raise him?”

“…Do I look like I’ve raised children before?” Yan Hongyin lowered her gaze to Yu Luocha, her face still cool and clear even in the warm candlelight.

“Hmm.” Yu Luocha rubbed his face. “Alright, in that case… would Wife mind raising one more?”

A smile quickly appeared on Yan Hongyin’s face and just as quickly disappeared, but she didn’t speak.

Yu Luocha bit his inner cheek, lying on the table and racking his brains.

The oil lamp burned with a slight crackling sound. Yan Hongyin stood up and walked toward the bed, saying softly, “The soft pears from Lanzhou are good. Bring some back for Seventh Child on your way.”

On your way? Lanzhou?

Yu Luocha, who had not actually pinpointed where the Ximen couple’s only child had fled and hidden, suddenly straightened up.

He looked toward the screen, where in the faint candlelight, he could see the Jinyiwei already lying on the bed fully clothed.

After a long moment, he curved his lips into a smile.