Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuzhen’s face lit up with joy, her tears giving way to a smile.

“Really? Xiao Ye, you really agree?”

Ye Fengyun nodded, glancing at Tang Shihan who lay on the bed. She looked to be in excruciating pain, as if she might breathe her last at any moment.

“Good, good, good! Xiao Ye, I promise you, as long as Shihan safely gives birth to the child, we’ll give you a sum of money so you can return to the mountains and live your carefree life.”

Ye Fengyun agreed gladly, but refused the offer of money. After all, he was here to repay a debt of gratitude, not to ask for payment.

Moreover, he feared that those who once tried to kill him would discover his connection to the Tang family and drag them into trouble. For this reason, he said nothing more.

“There’s no time to lose. Let’s begin now,” Ye Fengyun said.

“Yes, yes!”

Tang Dahai was so excited his hands trembled as he turned to Doctor Xiao. “Doctor Xiao, please, let’s begin!”

“Yes, yes!” Doctor Xiao immediately began preparations.

Ye Fengyun climbed onto the bed and lay down beside Tang Shihan.

Her body was drenched in sweat, her skin shining with a sheen but icy cold to the touch.

He took her hand, frowning. “Frostblood constitution?”

Strangely enough, as soon as Ye Fengyun held her hand, Tang Shihan’s face gradually flushed and her body began to warm.

The next morning.

Tang Shihan struggled to open her eyes. In the haze of waking, she saw a figure beside her. Upon seeing him clearly, she shuddered.

Who was this person? Why did he look so frightening?

“Wife, you’re awake?” Ye Fengyun said with a grin.

Tang Shihan sat up, glanced around, her expression turning icy and aloof—like a flower blooming high on an icy peak.

Her voice was cold as frost. “Who are you? Why are you in my room?”

“I’m your husband, of course. And the father of our child. Come on, call me ‘husband’ and let me hear it,” Ye Fengyun replied with a cheeky smile.

Tang Shihan’s brows drew together in silent exasperation. Where had this lunatic come from?

It was bad enough that he was mad—did he have to be so ugly as well?

“Lunatic! Get out!”

She pointed to the door and snapped.

Ye Fengyun paused, then replied in a mock-scolding tone, “Wife, you’re being naughty. Disobedient girls get their bottoms smacked.”

With that, he actually raised his hand as if to spank her.

Tang Shihan was terrified. That grotesque face and raised hand—anyone would think he was about to attack her, or worse.

Panicked, she scrambled to the far side of the bed and screamed, “Get out! Get out! If you don’t leave I’ll call the police! You lunatic, you freak, you scoundrel!”

Their commotion quickly brought Tang’s father and mother running, who hurried in to break up the quarrel.

Still fuming, Tang Shihan pointed at Ye Fengyun and demanded of Lin Yuzhen, “Mom, who is this lunatic? Why is he in my room, spouting nonsense?”

Lin Yuzhen exchanged a glance with Tang Dahai. After a brief hesitation, they decided to tell Tang Shihan everything.

When Tang Shihan learned the truth, she was dumbfounded.

“Mom, Dad, you must be joking. You want me to marry him? To marry this hideous madman?”

Ye Fengyun bristled. Even if you’re my wife, you can’t insult me like this!

Seeing that another argument was about to erupt, Tang’s parents hurriedly sent Ye Fengyun out and stayed to reason with their daughter.

After much gentle persuasion, Tang Shihan’s emotions finally settled.

“Shihan, just bear with it for now. It’s a marriage in name only—once the baby is born, Ye Fengyun will leave. For the family’s sake, can’t you endure it a little?”

Tang Shihan listened in silence, thinking: If accepting him means my illness will end and I’ll have a child, securing my place as heir, then so be it. It’s only a marriage of convenience—husband and wife in name, nothing more. Once the baby arrives, he’ll leave. I may as well accept it, and reconsider later.

Seeing her calm, her parents called Ye Fengyun back in.

But Tang Shihan’s expression remained frosty at the sight of him.

Still, this was her parents’ decision, and she was a filial daughter. After much consideration, she reluctantly accepted Ye Fengyun, though resentment lingered in her heart.

“I’ll marry him, but he must keep a safe distance. I can accept a poor man, but I simply cannot accept one so ugly.”

She spoke bluntly.

Even Ye Fengyun’s patience had its limits. He retorted, “Excuse me, but I have no interest in getting close to a sickly woman like you. Besides, I saved your life. Instead of being grateful, you bite the hand that feeds you! If your parents hadn’t begged me, do you think I’d have stayed? You should count yourself lucky to have me, you know?”

The Tang family was speechless—how could he be so shameless?

Tang Shihan was livid. How could any man be so brazen?

After much earnest persuasion from her parents, the two finally stopped arguing, but their relationship remained strained.

Tang Dahai and Lin Yuzhen then called Doctor Xiao in to discuss. “For now, let’s keep Shihan’s pregnancy a secret until the first trimester is safely past.”

Ye Fengyun was displeased. “She’s my wife, pregnant with my child. Why can’t I say so?”

Tang Shihan snapped, “Who’s your wife? If you’re not using your mouth, perhaps you could donate it to someone who needs it.”

Lin Yuzhen quickly mediated, “The old matriarch said that whoever gives birth to a boy will be heir. We’re only worried that if the family finds out about the pregnancy, someone might try to harm Shihan.”

Ye Fengyun declared, “With me here, let’s see who dares harm my wife!”

Tang Shihan pressed a hand to her forehead, exasperated. Not only was he ugly, he was mad and stupid. Her future seemed bleak indeed.

Lin Yuzhen pleaded earnestly, “Just bear with it for Shihan’s sake. Not everyone has your skills, and we only want to keep her safe.”

In the end, Ye Fengyun grudgingly agreed to their plan.

That evening, Lin Yuzhen returned home to find Ye Fengyun meditating on the living room sofa—actually floating slightly above it.

She was so startled she dared not speak.

Just then, Ye Fengyun opened his eyes and greeted her with a grin, “Mom, what is it?”

The word “Mom” caught Lin Yuzhen off guard. This man certainly knows no boundaries.

“The old matriarch has called a family meeting at the ancestral home tonight. You and Shihan should get ready.”

Tang Shihan emerged, icily announcing, “I’ve heard. A major corporation—Longhai Group—has just entered Yunchuan City, investing in new projects. I imagine that’s why the old matriarch called this meeting.”

Tang Dahai nodded gravely, “Our Tang Corporation is a leader in Yunchuan’s media and advertising business. Under your management these past years, we’ve flourished. If you can secure the Longhai Group project, you’ll surely be named heir.”

Lin Yuzhen smiled, “If we get the contract, Shihan, you’ll be promoted from deputy manager to general manager. This is a great opportunity!”

Tang Shihan nodded. She took this chance very seriously.

Glancing at Ye Fengyun’s grotesque face, she felt a pang of resistance. Bringing him along would be an embarrassment.

But the old matriarch had ordered every Tang family member to attend—and specifically told Shihan to bring her husband. For the sake of the family, she had no choice but to take Ye Fengyun with her.

Lin Yuzhen and Tang Dahai left for the ancestral home first. Tang Shihan, unwilling to be seen with Ye Fengyun, instructed Housekeeper Zhang to take him shopping for suitable clothes.

“Go buy some decent clothes with Housekeeper Zhang. Once you’re done, take a taxi to the ancestral home yourself.”

With that, she drove off.

Ye Fengyun followed Housekeeper Zhang to a clothing store.

“Welcome, sir.”

The sales clerk, a trainee, turned pale at the sight of Ye Fengyun’s ghastly appearance, but forced a smile and greeted him.

Looking around, Ye Fengyun suddenly caught sight of a hideous figure in the mirror.

“What the—who’s that ugly guy?”

He leaned in for a closer look. “Oh, it’s me. I wondered who it was.”

He stared into the mirror for a while, finally realizing just how frightening he looked. Living in the mountains, he’d rarely paid attention to his appearance.

“My face really does need fixing. I remember the Rejuvenation Pill can restore one’s looks. Making it would be easy for me, but the ingredients are rare.”

He nodded thoughtfully. Having mastered countless medical texts, he knew the value and rarity of every herb.

“The gall of a century-old Red Python, Rejuvenation Herb, a thousand-year-old Changbai Snow Lotus, rootless water from the Tianshan, stalactite from Kunlun, and the enigmatic Mechanism Stone. If I can find these six ingredients, I can become a handsome man. But they’re as rare as unicorn horns. Looks like I’ll need to find a way to make some money for the herbs.”

After picking out a few sets of clothes, Ye Fengyun took a taxi to the Tang ancestral home.