Chapter 29: Ning Qingxue's Second Impression

Ye Mo, exhausted, didn't notice Yun Bing had already woken. He covered her with a quilt, saying, "You're lucky! Given your attitude, I almost didn't save you, but I'm in a good mood today."

He closed the door, carried the middle-aged man and Zheng Wenqiao outside, stripped them naked, beat them severely, and kicked them in the groin before piling them in the back of his BMW. He drove to Genesis Square, parked conspicuously in a busy area, and left all the windows open.

…

Ning Qingxue grew increasingly worried as Ye Mo remained out all day. Their planned trip to obtain a marriage certificate had been forgotten.

Their morning encounter was awkward. Xu Wei wondered how Ye Mo, seemingly so poor, had attracted such a stunning woman as Ning Qingxue. It seemed to defy logic that Ning Qingxue would live with him before marriage. Xu Wei, though finding Ye Mo a good person, felt Ning Qingxue was out of his league.

Ning Qingxue echoed Xu Wei's thoughts, wondering about Xu Wei's living situation given Ye Mo’s apparent intimacy issues. However, neither woman broached the subject.

Uncomfortable alone in the unfamiliar yard after Xu Wei left for work, Ning Qingxue waited in vain for Ye Mo’s return. She noticed a meticulously cultivated flower garden, initially assuming Xu Wei was responsible, but realizing it was on Ye Mo's side of the yard. One plant, a silver grass, stood apart, pampered and isolated.

Exploring the house, she found Ye Mo's room simple: a bed, a desk, a small box, and a herb-boiling pot. Respecting his privacy, she left them undisturbed.

Ye Mo, she realized, was both different from and similar to Li Mumei's description, a disconcerting contradiction. She recalled her discomfort, even jealousy, at Su Jingwen's birthday party, witnessing Ye Mo's flawless dance and gift-giving. Now, seeing him living with Xu Wei, she felt oddly calm. His nonchalant acceptance of her 500,000 yuan card confirmed Li Mumei's assessment, erasing her remaining guilt.

All that remained was obtaining the marriage certificate, copying it for Li Mumei, releasing her private photos with Ye Mo, and hoping it would finally deter the Song family.

…

Ye Mo returned to find Xu Wei and Ning Qingxue asleep. Instead of entering, he went to his usual cultivation spot in the back yard.

Ning Qingxue heard him arrive late, followed later by Xu Wei entering her room.

Ye Mo’s cultivation session passed quickly. He completed his martial arts routine, washed, and was greeted by Xu Wei, who quickly masked a strange expression before rushing off to work. Ning Qingxue, also awake, heard them but waited until Xu Wei left before emerging.

Confirming Ye Mo tended the garden, she mused, "A grown man tending flowers?" She wondered if this indicated unexpected sexual preferences.

"Oh, you're awake" Ye Mo said, then, after an awkward silence, added, "Why do you look so bad? Didn't you eat yesterday?"

Ning Qingxue shook her head. "I wasn't hungry."

Ye Mo was speechless. While his cultivation mitigated the effects of fasting, Ning Qingxue’s pallor was understandable.

"Go wash, we'll eat," he said, returning to his precious silver heart grass.

After she was ready, he took her to a nearby restaurant, where they ordered rice porridge and buns. He devoured two bowls of porridge and five buns; she managed half a bowl and half a bun, despite her previous fast.

"Why did you agree to marry m—" Ye Mo began, but Ning Qingxue interrupted.

"It's a deal," she said, her tone sharper. Ye Mo's unhesitant acceptance of her money and his living situation with Xu Wei had soured her mood. She suspected the indifferent Ye Mo at Su Jingwen's party was a facade. While she might have explained her motivations regarding the Song family earlier, now, she just wanted the transaction completed. The deal concluded, they would be strangers.

Sensing the shift, Ye Mo smiled faintly and dropped the topic, uninterested in emotional attachment, even within the context of marriage.

Obtaining the marriage certificate was simple, requiring only IDs and a photo. Ye Mo reflected on the complexities of marriage in his past life and the surprising ease of divorce in this one.

Before he could dwell on this, Li Mumei arrived to photograph them for their "private" photos.