Chapter 62 Ying Will Vanish into Thin Air

After the pleasure, neither could fall asleep.

Xu Lu Cha embraced Zhang Meng’s waist from behind, his soft chin nuzzling Zhang Meng’s neck.

“Zhang Meng, when things settle down, let’s go traveling, just the two of us.”

“Alright.”

Xu Lu Cha kissed Zhang Meng’s nape: “After we’ve had our fill of fun, let’s have a child. If it’s a daughter, you can teach her, make her as good as you. If it’s a son, I’ll teach him, so he won’t be taken advantage of by others.”

Zhang Meng opened her eyes and said softly: “Alright, as you wish.”

Xu Lu Cha hugged her a bit tighter, affectionately nuzzling her neck: “When we have children in the future, you mustn’t neglect me. You must love me the most in your heart.”

Otherwise, he would rather be labeled “infertile” than have children.

If Yang Qing forced Zhang Meng to take in male concubines because he was “infertile”, he would make Yang Qing regret being alive.

That’s the kind of person he was. Selfish, jealous, and possessive.

Zhang Meng turned to face Xu Lu Cha and wrapped her arms around his waist: “Lu Cha, I promise you everything.”

They embraced for a long time. Zhang Meng was anxious, unable to sleep due to worries about her fate. Xu Lu Cha couldn’t sleep because Zhang Meng had accepted him, he was too happy and excited.

When dawn broke, Xu Lu Cha got up to bathe.

He reluctantly hugged and kissed Zhang Meng for a long while before sitting up, casually putting on an outer robe, and going behind the screen to bathe.

Zhang Meng also got up, put on an outer robe, lit an oil lamp, and sat at the table waiting for Xu Lu Cha.

Soon Xu Lu Cha emerged from behind the screen, fully dressed. He had always loved wearing light green gauze robes, which best accentuated his fresh and otherworldly aura, and made his skin appear snow-white and jade-like.

Zhang Meng stood up, walked over to hug his waist, and nuzzled her face in his neck: “Lu Cha, can you come back early today?”

Xu Lu Cha hugged her waist in return and said softly: “Alright, wait for me.”

After Xu Lu Cha left, Zhang Meng closed the door and went about her usual morning routine of washing and dressing. She adjusted her constable uniform, fastened her sword, and was about to leave when she noticed the crumpled drawing paper she had discarded in the corner of the door last night.

She paused briefly, crouched down to pick up the drawing paper.

After hesitating for a moment, she still smoothed out and flattened the paper. Ying’s exquisitely beautiful features revealed a sense of despair, his red eyes dim and lifeless.

Just one glance at this portrait made Zhang Meng’s heart ache uncontrollably.

She didn’t know what her feelings for Ying were now. Even though Ying had imprisoned her, and because of Ying, she might die, she just couldn’t hate him.

She thought of Ying when he was still human, how from birth he had never received any love from anyone, and was even ostracized and tormented by the villagers, yet he had never resented them.

Later, when the villagers burned him to death as a demon, he still didn’t punish them.

Because of his pure and kind heart, he was enlightened by heaven to become a god. But such a gentle and kind person ultimately fell from godhood and couldn’t even preserve his life.

Perhaps it was all because of her.

She thought of the days spent with Ying, how he was devoted to her every whim, fulfilling all her wishes. Although the days were peaceful, they were indeed quite happy. She couldn’t help but feel distressed that Ying had ended up like this.

Rolling up the drawing and placing it back on the desk.

The contract pattern on her palm had become dull and lackluster, perhaps Ying had already become very weak.

“Zhang Meng, are you ready? Breakfast is prepared.”

Qin Lu’s voice sounded outside the door. Zhang Meng snapped out of her thoughts and replied: “Wait, I’m coming out now.”

Opening the door, Qin Lu was leaning against the railing. Seeing Zhang Meng, she smiled: “You’re really something, sleeping from yesterday afternoon all the way until now?”

“Not really, I woke up in between,” Zhang Meng said awkwardly.

Qin Lu patted Zhang Meng’s shoulder: “Let’s go have breakfast, we’ll go on patrol afterwards.”

Since Jin Yue left, Qin Lu had become the closest to Zhang Meng. Sometimes when Zhang Meng encountered difficult problems, she would talk to Qin Lu.

“Qin Lu,” Zhang Meng followed her steps and asked, “Have you ever heard of the Door Demon?”

Qin Lu turned her head to look at her: “You mean Ying?”

Hearing Qin Lu say Ying’s name, Zhang Meng’s heart skipped a beat. She nodded at her: “Yes.”

“How could I not have heard of him? We grew up listening to his legends.” Qin Lu’s eyes held a hint of reverence, “He was very kind and beautiful. But I heard the ending wasn’t very good.”

Zhang Meng’s heart trembled slightly, suppressing the tremor in her voice: “The ending… wasn’t very good?”

“Mm, I heard he fell in love with a human woman, then fell from godhood and vanished into thin air.”

Zhang Meng’s face paled: “That’s impossible, right? If he fell from godhood and vanished, why do you still worship him?”

Qin Lu looked at Zhang Meng with amusement: “This is just a legend. He’s a god, naturally he couldn’t fall in love with a human, let alone vanish into thin air.”

Seeing Zhang Meng’s pale face and silence, Qin Lu patted her head: “What’s wrong with you? You don’t actually believe this legend, do you?”

Zhang Meng suddenly looked up and asked: “What about that human woman? What happened to her?”

“Seems like she died for Ying,” Qin Lu said after thinking for a moment.

Zhang Meng’s heart raced, her thoughts in chaos, her face as white as paper. She stopped in her tracks, unable to move another step.

Looking at the faded pattern on her palm, somehow tears began to fall.

She wasn’t usually one to cry easily. In the more than ten years living in this other world, she had only cried twice – once when Xu Lu Cha drugged her and had relations with her, and now this time.

Qin Lu said it was just a legend, but she felt it was true. Ying would really vanish into thin air.

“Zhang Meng! Why are you crying?! It’s just a legend, aren’t you embarrassed?” Seeing Zhang Meng’s tears falling, Qin Lu was extremely surprised.

Qin Lu hurriedly used her sleeve to wipe Zhang Meng’s tears: “Stop crying, I’ve never seen you so sentimental before.”

Qin Lu thought Zhang Meng was crying because of this somewhat tragic legend, not knowing Zhang Meng was crying because Ying would vanish, crying for her own fate.

Even though Ying had done bad things to Zhang Meng, it couldn’t erase his kindness towards her. If Ying died, Zhang Meng would be heartbroken. If she were to die along with Ying, she would be reluctant to leave this world.

Her friends, her family, her husband, she was reluctant to part with them all.

“Qin Lu, can you help me ask the chief for a few days off?” Zhang Meng grasped Qin Lu’s hand and said anxiously.

“Zhang Meng, what do you need time off for?” Qin Lu looked at Zhang Meng with some surprise.

“I have something very important to do, please.”

After saying this, Zhang Meng let go of Qin Lu’s hand and ran out the yamen gates.

If she really had to die with Ying, she wanted to spend her remaining days with Xu Lu Cha and Yang Qing.

The three of them had never eaten a meal together or had a good chat.

And Xu Lu Cha, her husband. She hadn’t spent enough time with him, there were still so many things she hadn’t done with him.

“Constable Zhang?” The owner of Yingyue Teahouse was surprised to see Zhang Meng suddenly rush into the teahouse.

“Owner, is Lu Cha here?” Zhang Meng ran to the counter and asked anxiously.

“No. Young Master Xu hasn’t been here for several days.”

Hearing this, Zhang Meng turned and ran out.

Zhang Meng inquired at all the famous teahouses in Yun City, but couldn’t find Xu Lu Cha.

Each time she heard the teahouse owner shake their head and tell her: “Young Master Xu is not here,” Zhang Meng’s heart grew more anxious.

The more she cared about Xu Lu Cha, the more unsettled her heart became. Until she happened to overhear people on the street discussing Xu Lu Cha.

“Constable Zhang is really pitiful, marrying such a loose man.”

“Going in and out of taverns with other women all day, who knows what unspeakable things they’re doing.”

A middle-aged man in brown clothes shook his head: “Maybe he’s unsatisfied with Constable Zhang and went out to fool around… Constable Zhang!” His voice faltered, and the man hurriedly stood up, “Constable Zhang, how did you…”

Zhang Meng’s face was cold. She who had always been gentle with the common people showed a cold face to them for the first time.

“If you dare to gossip and insult others’ reputations again, don’t blame me for arresting you and taking you back to the yamen.”

Everyone immediately fell silent, not daring to speak again.

Zhang Meng’s heart suddenly began to ache, pain making her face turn pale white. She clutched her heart, seeing the pattern on her palm flickering, like a flame swaying in the wind, in danger of going out at any moment.

Not daring to waste time, she quickly ran towards the tavern they had mentioned.

“Lu Cha, I can help you testify against Chen Yue, but you’ll have to give me some benefits.” A woman in luxurious clothing, with a fat waist and legs, looked at Xu Lu Cha lecherously.

Xu Lu Cha’s slender white fingers suddenly gripped his folding fan tightly, lowering his gaze to conceal the disgust in his eyes. His beautiful face looked weak and gentle: “Miss Mo, as long as you’re willing to help Lu Cha, Lu Cha will naturally give you the money you deserve.”

“No, no, no, Lu Cha, I don’t need money.” Miss Mo’s fat hand slowly reached for Xu Lu Cha’s shoulder, “Lu Cha, don’t you understand my feelings for you? You only need to spend one night with me…”

A second before that fat hand touched Xu Lu Cha, the dagger in Xu Lu Cha’s folding fan suddenly flicked out. With a flash of cold light, a section of Miss Mo’s finger was cut off.

“Ahhhh!” Miss Mo clutched her hand and screamed. The few women in luxurious clothing present suddenly stood up: “Xu Lu Cha! Why pretend to be chaste, you’re nothing but a loose man!”

“You dare to lay hands on Miss Mo, we’ll definitely report you to Official Zhong!”

Xu Lu Cha’s face was cold as he slowly stood up: “Let’s see who dares to report me.”

Unable to tolerate these disgusting cowards any longer, Xu Lu Cha scraped off the poison powder from his folding fan and scattered it towards them.

The women immediately felt itchy and painful all over, unable to move, crying out in discomfort.

“Xu Lu Cha! Hand over the antidote quickly! Otherwise, we’ll definitely have Official Zhong sentence you to death!”

Xu Lu Cha’s cold beautiful eyes made no attempt to hide his disgust for them. He played with the embroidery on his chest, his voice soft yet cruel: “You think I’ve been discussing Chen Yue’s matter with you useless people for so many days for what? Did you really think I was begging you to testify against Chen Yue?”

Why would he, Xu Lu Cha, need to beg others? The reason he endured talking with them these past few days was simply to find leverage to control them.

He had originally intended to give them some face, but that disgusting Miss Mo actually dared to touch him with her dirty hand. They couldn’t blame him for dropping all pretenses now.

He took out five or six black wooden tokens from his light green sleeve and threw them at them: “Take a look, aren’t these the tokens of your family heads?”

The women saw the tokens on the ground and their faces turned as white as paper. Looking at Xu Lu Cha’s devastatingly beautiful face, it was as if they were looking at a devil.