The video footage played on, and everyone watched as Lin Jue suddenly exploded into action, throwing her arms around Xiao Jin. Xiao Jin was clearly stunned by Lin Jue’s move, his body stiffening for a moment.

Then, a truly speechless scene unfolded: Lin Jue began to rub her hands on Xiao Jin’s arm, emitting a subtle chuckle. She slurred, “Oh, young man, your skin is so good, so smooth…”

Xiao Jin seemed a bit helpless. He grabbed her, intending to take her to the bedroom, but they struggled and stumbled all the way, making no progress. Finally, Xiao Jin grew exasperated, picked Lin Jue up bridal style, and carried her upstairs. Throughout this entire process, Lin Jue was like a pervert, giggling and rubbing her face against Xiao Jin’s chest, even patting it and saying, “It’s even bigger than mine.”

At this, everyone silently shifted their gaze to a certain part of a certain person’s body.

Although Xiao Jin’s face was expressionless, Zhou Jiayu clearly saw a vein bulging on his forehead. Lin Jue laughed awkwardly beside him, saying, “Don’t hold it against me, I was drunk, I don’t remember anything…” Her voice, however, grew softer and softer under Xiao Jin’s glare, eventually becoming almost inaudible.

Everyone had seen Xiao Jin’s physique just now; his pectoral muscles were indeed impressive, but to say they were bigger than Lin Jue’s was absolutely impossible. Only a drunkard like Lin Jue could shamelessly blurt out such a vulgar remark.

Seeing this, Lin Jue silently pulled out a tissue and began wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. She whispered, “Let’s not watch anymore…”

Xiao Jin said coldly, “You admit it?”

Lin Jue replied, “Admit what? The child in your belly couldn’t possibly be mine…”

Xiao Jin: “…”

Zhou Jiayu watched, trying not to laugh. Lin Jue’s continued defiance completely ignited Xiao Jin’s anger. With a flick of his hand, the video resumed. In a flash, Lin Jue and Xiao Jin were at the bedroom door, and Xiao Jin pushed it open and walked straight in.

Lin Jue’s eyes widened, and she held her breath, her expression utterly tense. Clearly, she was terrified that something would actually happen between her and Xiao Jin. Fortunately, two minutes later, a dark-faced Xiao Jin emerged from the bedroom.

Seeing Xiao Jin exit, everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

However, that sigh of relief was immediately cut short as Lin Jue, who should have been sleeping in bed, stumbled out of the room, grabbed Xiao Jin’s waist, and shrieked, “Don’t go—there’s a ghost in the room—”

Xiao Jin paused and turned: “Where’s the ghost?”

“On the ceiling, on the ceiling.” In the video, Lin Jue’s expression could be described as utterly pitiful, showing no trace of her previous wildness. Coupled with her usual strong demeanor, Xiao Jin, who already had feelings for her, softened immediately. He said, “Don’t be afraid, there’s no ghost, I’ll go in with you.”

Lin Jue nodded heavily and pulled Xiao Jin back into the room.

Lin Jue’s hand trembled as she tried to light yet another cigarette, but this time she trembled so violently that she couldn’t light it.

After Xiao Jin went in this time, he didn’t come out again. During that time, a few angry roars from him echoed from the room: “Lin Jue—” accompanied by Lin Jue’s sharp laughter: “Little rascal, where do you think you’re going to run!”

Outside, a strong wind howled, lightning flashed, and the heavy rain didn’t stop all night. Zhou Jiayu had wondered last night why it was raining so much in winter, and today, the people in front of him gave him the answer.

It wasn’t until the next morning that Xiao Jin emerged from Lin Jue’s room. He looked incredibly disheveled, his clothes wrinkled, and he stumbled a few steps. His usually expressionless face was furrowed with a frown. Half an hour later, Lin Jue also got up from her bedroom. Looking fresh and invigorated, she didn’t seem like someone who had been severely hungover last night.

At this point, everyone was completely speechless, unable to offer any more excuses.

Lin Jue’s expression was one of extreme pain as she said, “Given the situation, what do you plan to do?”

Xiao Jin’s expression was calm, but his words were shocking: “Our dragon race has always maintained its purity. I’m only newly adult, and you took advantage of me. It’s unacceptable if you don’t take responsibility for me.”

Zhou Jiayu: “…” What the heck is “purity”? Is “dragon nature is inherently lustful” just a legend? You even went for a turtle and still have the nerve to talk about purity!

Lin Jue clearly thought the same as Zhou Jiayu. She was about to retort when Xiao Jin raised his hand, gesturing for her to stop: “Think carefully before you speak. Although I don’t mind slandering our dragon race, I don’t know if other dragons will.”

Lin Jue immediately wilted. No matter how bold she was, she wouldn’t dare insult dragons. The continuous rain since Xiao Jin got angry was already too much for her to handle.

“How exactly do you plan to take responsibility?” Lin Jue knew she couldn’t deny it now, finally resigned to her fate. “Tell me.”

Xiao Jin’s gaze swept over Zhou Jiayu and Lin Zhushui, then he said, “Get married to me.”

Lin Jue sat upright instantly, her eyes wide: “Get married? You don’t even have an ID card, how can I marry you?”

“I have one,” Xiao Jin pulled out a document and placed it on the table in front of them. “I’m not undocumented now.”

“How did you get one…” Lin Jue was stunned. She processed the information and looked at Lin Zhushui. “Zhushui, did you get it for him?”

Lin Zhushui said, “Yes.”

“Why??” Lin Jue was shocked.

Lin Zhushui slowly took a sip of the tea in front of him. He hadn’t expressed any opinion from beginning to end. Facing Lin Jue’s questioning, he gave an answer that left everyone speechless. He said, “Because he needs to pay living expenses, so he needs to work. To work, he needs an ID card.”

Lin Jue: “????”

Xiao Jin said, “Yes, I paid to live here.”

Although the scene was so serious, Zhou Jiayu had to try hard not to laugh out loud. He always felt that Lin Zhushui had foreseen this day and had prepared his words in advance.

“I have an ID card now, can we get married?” Xiao Jin asked. “You said you’d take responsibility for me.”

Lin Jue looked as if she was about to faint. She stammered, “But I’m thirty-five years old, you…”

Xiao Jin said, “It’s fine. According to your human age, I’m only eighteen.”

Lin Jue said, “Oh, oh, oh, but the legal age for human males is twenty-two.”

Xiao Jin said, “It’s fine. My ID card says twenty-two.”

Lin Jue: “…”

She clearly had nothing to say and simply lit another cigarette.

“So, what’s your answer, Lin Jue?” Xiao Jin’s expression was very serious, not at all like a joke.

Lin Jue’s expression gradually became solemn upon hearing Xiao Jin’s question. She put out her cigarette, sighed deeply, and sat up straight: “Since that’s the case, let’s have a proper talk.”

Xiao Jin nodded.

Lin Jue took a deep breath, seemingly mentally prepared. She said, “Xiao Jin, you are a dragon, I am human. Have you considered the age difference between us? Decades for humans are but a fleeting moment for you. You will watch me slowly grow old, and even die.”

This question was so sharp that Zhou Jiayu’s breath hitched slightly, but Xiao Jin’s expression was very calm. He said, “I have naturally thought about it.”

Lin Jue asked, “What do you think?”

Xiao Jin said, “I don’t mind.”

Lin Jue reached up and wiped her face, speaking with an almost bitter smile, “How could you not mind?”

Xiao Jin’s expression was faint, but the determination in his eyes was so obvious. He said, “I won’t mind. Instead of watching your next few decades alone or with someone else, I’d rather be a part of your life. Is the meaning of life only about death?”

Lin Jue said, “But—”

Xiao Jin said, “I have plenty of time; I can wait.” His tone softened. “I don’t mind.”

Lin Jue was speechless. It was the first time Zhou Jiayu had seen such a discomfited look on her face. Xiao Jin was not human to begin with, and his way of thinking differed from humans. He was firm, stubborn, and unwilling to give up on what he sought.

Lin Jue’s coldness might hurt others, as life on earth lasts only a few decades, and how many people are willing to spend those decades on something uncertain?

But Xiao Jin could. If Lin Jue was unwilling, he could wait until Lin Jue was forty, fifty, or even sixty. Like dripping water wearing away stone, he could warm even a rock.

“But I will grow old, and you won’t,” Lin Jue said. “By then, my hair will be white…”

“I can grow old with you,” Xiao Jin said. “I am not human; I am not fixated on appearance.” His tone was sincere, and his gaze toward Lin Jue was filled with stubbornness.

Lin Jue seemed to be at a loss. She sighed again and again, the cigarette butts in front of her almost filling the ashtray.

The room was silent, everyone awaiting her answer.

Finally, Lin Jue slowly opened her mouth and said, “Okay, then let’s try it.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Xiao Jin’s eyes curved into a smile. Zhou Jiayu had heard from Lin Zhushui that he had calculated Xiao Jin to be Lin Jue’s ultimate destiny. Seeing this scene actually unfold brought him comfort.

---

That evening, Lin Zhushui embraced Zhou Jiayu and explained some details about Lin Jue.

Lin Jue and her former lover were childhood sweethearts. She was clever and quirky, he was gentle and generous. They grew up together, studied geomancy together, and ventured into the mundane world together. This should have been an enviable story, but unfortunately, later developments were utterly unexpected.

Soon after Lin Jue and her lover got engaged, he suddenly contracted an incurable disease. Within three months, he gradually lost his vitality in the hospital bed. Watching a loved one slowly fade away is perhaps the cruelest punishment.

Lin Jue began with forced smiles, then fell silent, and finally cried and pleaded. She begged him not to leave, not to leave her alone in the world, reminding him of the vows they had made, and even began to search for forbidden techniques to prolong life.

But how could one snatch a person from the hands of the King of Hell?

Lin Jue’s lover still left. Before he left, he asked her to promise him one thing.

“What thing?” Zhou Jiayu asked, his heart aching as he listened.

“He wanted her to live until she was forty,” Lin Zhushui said. “He had calculated it.”

“Calculated it?” Zhou Jiayu was a bit confused. “Calculated what?”

“Calculated Lin Jue’s true destined match,” Lin Zhushui explained. “He was just a passerby in her life, not her ultimate destination.”

Both Lin Jue and her lover were exceptionally talented. Although things related to one’s own fate were difficult to calculate, he still performed a divination for Lin Jue. This divination allowed him to leave without regret. He knew that before Lin Jue turned forty, someone would cherish, love, and care for her in his place. Although he was unwilling, he couldn’t bear for her to join him in the underworld.

“That variable, is it Xiao Jin?” Zhou Jiayu asked. “Sir, did you calculate this early on?”

Lin Zhushui nodded and said, “Yes, I calculated it.” However, he could only calculate the existence of this variable, not what it was or where it originated. He never expected that during an unintentional exploration, this variable would suddenly appear.

Xiao Jin was the “cause” left behind when Lin Jue and her childhood sweetheart traveled, and eventually gave birth to the “effect” of Lin Jue’s destined marriage. Cause and effect intertwining, fate’s arrangements are always so magical.

“Xiao Jin still has five years,” Lin Zhushui said. “He can do it.”

Zhou Jiayu hummed in acknowledgment, silently praying that it would be so.

After that incident, Xiao Jin moved into Lin Jue’s courtyard. Although he spoke of getting a marriage certificate with Lin Jue, he never actually forced her. However, from then on, wherever Lin Jue went, she was accompanied by a taciturn man. He didn’t speak much, but he quietly took care of her, shielded her from alcohol, warded off evil, and nurtured the delicate flowers in the courtyard.

Lin Jue’s life also seemed largely unchanged, except for the addition of a large black umbrella that could shield both of them.

The best way to let go of a relationship is not to forget, but to overwrite it. No one knew when Lin Jue fell in love, but when Zhou Jiayu and the others learned that Lin Jue and Xiao Jin were officially together, it was on the night of Lin Jue’s thirty-eighth birthday.

At thirty-eight, she was still beautiful, with bright eyes and wearing a form-fitting qipao, sitting on the sofa in the center of the room. Time had been so kind to her, unwilling to leave any trace on her. If not for the loss of youthful innocence in her eyes, anyone would have thought her merely a mature-looking girl.

Xiao Jin still sat beside Lin Jue, his eyes downcast, peeling pine nuts. The pine kernels all went into Lin Jue’s mouth.

Lin Jue said, “We’re getting married.”

A huge cake was placed in the room, custom-ordered by Xiao Jin himself. On top of the cake was a golden dragon made of fondant, encircling a girl sitting on the ground. The girl’s appearance was seven or eight parts similar to Lin Jue, her hand resting on the golden dragon’s back, her face filled with happiness.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiayu finally felt a sense of relief. Ever since he learned about Lin Jue and her childhood sweetheart’s forty-year pact, he had been in a state of unease. Although Lin Zhushui didn’t say it, Zhou Jiayu could feel that even he was worried about what the outcome would be if Xiao Jin truly couldn’t melt Lin Jue’s outwardly warm but inwardly cold heart.

Everyone heard Lin Jue’s words without surprise, instead feeling a sense of comfort.

“Congratulations, Senior Martial Aunt,” Shen Yiqiong was the first to offer congratulations. “When are you planning the wedding? I need to prepare a gift for you in advance…”

Lin Jue raised her eyes: “Don’t worry about me, worry about yourself first. When are you marrying your special someone?”

Shen Yiqiong immediately wilted at this, saying plaintively, “I don’t like boys.”

Lin Jue said, “You don’t like boys, yet you introduced yourself so happily? You even talked about liking basketball… And those betrothal gifts, did you return them?”

Shen Yiqiong meekly said no, he didn’t return them.

Everyone laughed at this. With one peach blossom after another blooming in the family, Lin Zhushui had certainly set a good precedent. His four disciples had successively found their partners. Shen Yiqiong was perhaps the one with the most twists and turns; who would have thought he’d casually go exploring a tomb and hook up with the ancestor of a weasel? Because of this, Little Yellow at home had been sulking for several days. If Shen Yiqiong really married that weasel ancestor, wouldn’t his seniority immediately go up? Little Yellow might have to call Shen Yiqiong “Grandmaster Grandma,” and then could no longer scold him freely.

---

The wedding arrangements were almost entirely handled by Xiao Jin. From the style to the size of the wedding dress, he personally oversaw everything. Lin Jue, apart from a few days for wedding dress fittings and photo shoots, spent almost every day lounging in the garden with Zhou Jiayu, enjoying life and putting on a bit of weight.

Zhou Jiayu initially thought she was simply gaining weight from being carefree, but a few days later, Lin Jue discovered she was pregnant.

On the day she found out, as soon as Xiao Jin entered the room, he heard Lin Jue crying and shouting: “Your Majesty, your concubine already has a dragon seed in her belly, you cannot abandon your concubine…”

Xiao Jin: “…” He expressionlessly turned to Zhou Jiayu, his eyes questioning what scene Lin Jue was acting out now.

Zhou Jiayu had been delighted when he first heard the news, and now seeing Lin Jue’s antics, he was torn between laughter and tears. He could only say, “It’s exactly as it sounds, Senior Martial Aunt is pregnant.”

Xiao Jin’s eyes immediately lit up. He took a few steps to Lin Jue’s side, half-knelt, wrapped his arms around Lin Jue’s waist, pressed his face to her belly, and looked up: “Really?”

Lin Jue smiled sweetly: “Mhm.”

Xiao Jin asked, “How long has it been?”

Lin Jue counted on her fingers: “Three months…”

Xiao Jin frowned upon hearing this: “Why did you only just find out?”

Lin Jue brazenly replied, “My period is always irregular…”

Xiao Jin truly had no way to deal with Lin Jue. He held Lin Jue’s hand and earnestly asked, “I want this child; are you willing?” He asked this question with some hesitation, fearing that Lin Jue might choose to give up the child for some reason.

“Okay,” Lin Jue lightly tapped Xiao Jin’s straight nose with her finger. “I’m willing.”

Xiao Jin smiled. It was a radiant smile, like a child who had received a lollipop. He embraced Lin Jue tightly, the atmosphere between them incredibly sweet.

Zhou Jiayu was also very happy; a new addition was coming to the household.

Over the years, Little Paper’s younger siblings had grown quite numerous, but the only regret was that he hadn’t yet found a partner, instead becoming the “Big Brother.” These paper figures could grow to life-size, but perhaps because he only had one main branch, the 1.2-meter-tall Little Paper never grew bigger, maintaining his current size.

Zhou Jiayu and Lin Zhushui couldn’t have their own children, so Little Paper was like their biological son. However, after so many years, Little Paper’s habit of pulling hair hadn’t changed. His favorite was still Lin Zhushui’s black hair—which had slowly returned from white over the past two years.

This luxurious enjoyment was only occasional; most of the time, Little Paper could only pull hair from weasels. When he learned that Shen Yiqiong was also dating a weasel, he even expressed great approval, clearly eyeing the weasel ancestor’s fur. Under Little Paper’s influence, his younger siblings also developed this habit. Zhou Jiayu had recently been considering telling them to curb it, otherwise, if you napped on the sofa, you could stand up and brush out several grunting little paper figures from your hair.

The wedding was set for early next month. Now, hearing the news of Lin Jue’s pregnancy, it was truly joy upon joy.

For the next period, Lin Jue became the family’s重点 (focus of) protection. All foods forbidden for pregnant women were kept out of the house. Smoking was out, and drinking was largely off-limits.

Lin Jue was miserable, constantly declaring her desire to smoke and drink. Lin Zhushui coolly remarked, “Why don’t you get a perm?”

Lin Jue: “I already did, thank you.”

Everyone: “…”

The early stages of pregnancy brought strong reactions. Xiao Jin, fearing Lin Jue’s discomfort, daily tried various ways to change her diet. As a result, Lin Jue barely ate, but Shen Yiqiong gained a significant amount of weight.

Lin Jue told him to eat less, lest he get fat like a bear.

Shen Yiqiong said, “If I get fat like a bear, maybe he won’t be interested in me anymore?”

Lin Jue said, “You’re dreaming. You were confessed to in a tomb when you were as dark as if you were invisible, and he still fell for you. Do you really expect him to let you go if you gain weight?”

Shen Yiqiong: “…”

Lin Jue said, “He’s not that shallow of a weasel; physical appearance is like fleeting clouds to him—but you’re different. If you really get fat, what girl would like you?” Currently, Shen Yiqiong was still a handsome young man with dark skin. Although his skin was dark, he at least had a sunny disposition and handsome features. If he truly got fat, he might really have to spend the rest of his life with an invisible weasel.

Little Yellow heartily agreed, chirping loudly from the side.

Shen Yiqiong’s expression twisted. He angrily put down his chopsticks and said, “Fine, I won’t eat. You can’t eat, and you won’t even let me eat.”

Lin Jue arrogantly lifted her head: “If you’re not convinced, keep eating.”

Shen Yiqiong: “I’m convinced.”

Xiao Jin said nothing, and simply served Lin Jue another piece of vegetable with his chopsticks.

Lin Jue, full, burped and complained about her sore back. Xiao Jin embraced her and slowly massaged her back and legs.

Zhou Jiayu watched, his eyes full of smiles, but then Lin Zhushui’s hand pressed on the back of his own. Lin Zhushui leaned close to his ear and whispered something softly. Others saw Zhou Jiayu’s ear tips begin to turn red, a flush that then spread to his cheeks and even his neck.

“Is that good?” Lin Zhushui asked.

“Just… just once,” Zhou Jiayu whispered. “My back can’t take it…”

Lin Zhushui slowly said, “It’s fine. If it aches then, I’ll rub it for you too.”

Shen Yiqiong, the only single person present, angrily threw his bowl down and walked out. He was so full of “dog food” that he felt like choking, even beginning to wonder if he was truly a dog.

But then again, it seemed quite easy to find a partner. Shen Yiqiong, thinking of the piles of betrothal gifts sent to his home, began to worry again.