Roaring Dragon-Chapter 137: Jinhuan, Jinhuan

Rustle, rustle...

Autumn rain drizzled softly outside the window, and the Lin residence had gone quiet. The only sound came from the “Poison-Handed Medicine Girl” who was running amok in the outer alchemy room like a madwoman—wasting herbs on some bizarre, eye-roll-worthy concoctions just because “Mom’s not home.”

Xie Jinhuan stood under an oil-paper umbrella, holding Wan Yi—cloaked in a traveling mantle—lightly in his arms. He landed quietly outside her boudoir. Only after confirming no one was around did he push the door open.

Creaaak...

Earlier at the Prince’s Mansion, Lin Wanyi had nearly exploded with anger. Even now, she was still muttering under her breath—though she hadn’t said a single bad word about Xie Jinhuan to his face.

After all, a main wife mustn't be petty.

Once inside, she helped Jinhuan sit on the embroidered bed and raised her hand to check his pulse.

“Stop fussing over me—are you okay?”

“I’m fine. A couple of days' rest and I’ll be back on my feet. Of course, if you give me some pills, I might be full of energy again by tomorrow.”

“Hmph~...”

Lin Wanyi was clearly distressed for the man. She lit a small lamp, walked over to the desk by the window, knelt down, and crawled beneath it to open a hidden compartment and retrieve her stash of secret medicines.

Rustle, rustle...

Jinhuan sat at the edge of the bed, watching idly at first—until he noticed something off about her posture.

She was on all fours, crawling beneath the desk with her entire upper body hidden. Only her curvy waist and legs stuck out, swaying side to side—dense and inviting in every sense...

“...?”

Xie Jinhuan blinked. Suddenly feeling a surge of vitality, he walked over and lightly patted her rear.

“Want me to look instead?”

He wasn’t rough, but the room instantly went quiet.

Lin Wanyi, startled while rifling through the secret compartment, froze. She glanced back—after confirming it wasn’t Zisu behind her, her face flushed with a mix of shame and anger.

“You could’ve asked! Why’d you hit me?!”

“Uh... thought you wouldn’t hear me.”

“...”

Lin Wanyi clenched her teeth in silence. She wanted to snap back.

But what—let him go pat that little priestess instead?

She was already being mocked like some decorative flower vase...

And then, in that forest, he had come running and held her so tightly—eyes filled with panic and worry. He’d carried her warmly the whole way...

She bit her lip gently and said nothing, resuming her search for pills.

“...”

Seeing that she wasn’t mad, Xie Jinhuan crouched down beside her, one hand casually resting near her lower back as he peered inside.

“So why’d you run off to another county today? Scared the hell out of me. What if you ran into danger alone?”

Feeling his hand inch to where it shouldn’t be, Lin Wanyi tensed slightly. She pressed her lips together but didn’t acknowledge his little move.

“My sect reached out. Said they might have a way to get a Jiazi Lotus. Wanted to know if you were interested.”

“Oh?”

Xie Jinhuan’s eyes lit up with delight.

After all, the Jiazi Lotus was a borrowed item. ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ If he didn’t return it, that frosty princess with the killer chariot would absolutely flatten him.

“Of course I want it. What’s the price?”

Lin Wanyi backed out from under the desk, holding a box of pills.

“They want an inner-sect technique from Zihui Mountain. Things like the Slaughtering Immortal Formation or Seven-Star Nails. If you can get your hands on one, they’ll trade you a lotus.”

Jinhuan helped her over to sit by the bed, frowning slightly.

“That’s basically daylight robbery. Martial scriptures are like textbooks—the court distributes them to rope in talent. But the techniques they’re asking for? Those are top-tier killing arts. You’d have to become a direct disciple to even see them...”

“Didn’t Linghu Qingmo fall for you? Ask her. It’s not like techniques can’t be copied. If you pull it off, it’s basically a free lotus.”

“Those are heirloom skills. Only sect masters or technique elders can study them. Qingmo wouldn’t know them. Even if she did, I wouldn’t be allowed to learn them—and even if I did, passing them on is a death sentence. Stealing techniques is a surefire way to get hunted down.”

Lin Wanyi, seeing that Jinhuan had no way in, dropped the issue.

“Just wanted to run it by you. Hmm... I’ll ask if there’s another way to trade for it. One way or another, I’ll get it for you.”

She brought over a scarlet-red vitality pill and offered it to his lips.

Xie Jinhuan was genuinely touched. Still chilled and not quite recovered, he pulled her into his embrace.

“You’re feeding me like this?”

“...?”

Lin Wanyi blinked, puzzled, then cooed like she was feeding a toddler.

“Open wide... aaah~”

Jinhuan chuckled. “I’m not a kid. Put some heart into it.”

Heart?

She thought for a moment, caught on to his meaning—and looked reluctant.

But what—let that little priestess feed him instead?

So, after a beat of hesitation, Lin Wanyi blushed and held the pill between her lips, leaning in close.

“Mm~”

Xie Jinhuan eagerly received it.

The pill tasted bitter, but her lipstick’s faint sweetness masked the sharpness completely.

She quickly pulled away, cheeks glowing, and feeling chilly again, took off her shoes and drew up the autumn quilt over the both of them.

“It’s late. Let’s start your cultivation practice.”

Jinhuan noticed she was being much more obedient after their earlier quarrel. He cuddled her fuller frame into his arms, reclining onto the pillow, sharing warmth.

“Too tired tonight. Let’s rest.”

“...?”

Lin Wanyi’s eyes flickered, suddenly nervous—but she didn’t resist. She realized his hand was warm, tucked tightly into her arms. No way she was letting the little priestess get a single bit of his heat.

Jinhuan was moved, gazing at her beautiful face so close, and asked softly:

“Wan Yi, guess the moment you left the deepest impression on me?”

Her gaze sharpened slightly, as if afraid to meet his eyes.

“On... the pleasure boat?”

“Nope.”

“You... don’t say it’s now, pervert...”

“Still nope.”

He leaned toward her ear and whispered meaningfully:

“It was when you left me food and went back to reheat the dishes. My family had fallen apart. I thought I’d become a wandering rogue. But in that moment, I realized—I still had a home. That... made me feel happy.”

Lin Wanyi hadn’t expected such a heartfelt reply. After a beat, she asked back:

“Guess the moment I liked you the most?”

“First time we met?”

“...?”

She snorted lightly.

“I’m not some silly fangirl. Sure, I thought you looked decent—bit of a heroic vibe, nice temperament. But the moment I really liked you... was when you charged alone into Huajiang Bay. You were just... so manly. But you’re not allowed to do that again. If you pull another reckless stunt, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Xie Jinhuan let out a bitter laugh.

“I’m not really some righteous hero. My dad originally wanted to name me ‘De Yi’—so I’d become an outstanding disciple, super talented and famous. But I figured, life’s too short to worry about others' opinions. When it’s time to enjoy life, I’ll enjoy it. That’s why I’m ‘Jinhuan’—to seize joy.”

Lin Wanyi blinked.

“You mastered eighteen different skills by age three and call yourself a joy-seeker?”

“Hey, what joy could I seek at three? That’s just starting young—back then was the ‘seizing,’ now’s the ‘joy.’”

As they chatted quietly, Jinhuan noticed she was still cold. He sent a wave of internal energy to warm her—only to realize she was wearing a magical artifact.

“Uh... was trying to warm you up. Didn’t realize you had this on...”

“You...”

Lin Wanyi blushed furiously. But thinking back on all the times Jinhuan had protected her—how worried he looked today when he ran to find her...

He was just an energetic nineteen-year-old who wanted to touch her. What crime was that?

“You... you learned all that stuff at age three, just to enjoy life like this?”

“Mhm.”

“You dare ‘mhmm’ me?”

“One must seize joy in life’s triumphs...”

Jinhuan grinned, eyes glinting as he looked at the curvy kitten beside him.

“Wan Yi, earlier you said you were touched I carried you home, so—”

“That was just heat-of-the-moment nonsense! Don’t take it seriously!”

“Oh... As a righteous hero, I’d never take advantage anyway. Let’s sleep, then.”

“...?”

Lin Wanyi recalled that bold declaration she'd made under pressure, and now couldn’t take it back.

She considered pretending to sleep—but Zisu and Qingmo’s dual lectures haunted her mind.

“You don’t even dare kiss your own man to his face?”

“You’re just a useless auntie who can’t even climb a wall...”

She was so mad she could scream.

...

Jinhuan glanced at the quiet and obedient Wan Yi, then looked toward the door.

“Qinwen isn’t staying in the room next door, is she?”

“No. You’ve been coming to my place so often these days, I had her move in with Zisu. Zisu’s not here either. No one’s around—ah! You beast! Wait, wait, wait—!”

Lin Wanyi hadn’t even realized what she’d said before she felt a sudden weight fall over her. Her lover had pulled her under the quilt—hugging, teasing, groping.

Her cheeks stuck out from beneath the covers, flustered and flushed. She tried to dodge, but he held her hand tight. Soon her entire body tensed, and her face blushed deep red, whispering through clenched teeth:

“You... why are you acting like some overexcited kid? What are you even trying to do?!”

“I’m just examining the artifact, no need to be nervous...”

“Ugh...”

She shuddered lightly, sensing he was about to lose control. If she stopped him now, would he go run to that little priestess next?

Lin Wanyi clenched her teeth, glanced at the lamplight. Her face was soon red down to her neck, body steadily warming. After a second of hesitation, she lifted the quilt and peeked down.

“You’ve still got injuries on your arms and legs.”

Jinhuan immediately replied, “Doesn’t hurt. I don’t even feel it.”

I do, though...

She let the covers fall, arching her feet. Unable to resist anymore, she grabbed the peony hairpin from the bedstand drawer—hoping to distract herself and ignore whatever Jinhuan was doing.

But unfortunately, her mind went fuzzy quickly. She wasn’t sure what she was doing anymore—and soon enough, she had her arms around his neck.

Her embarrassed muttering gave way to faint moans, blending into the soft rain outside, lasting... until dawn.