Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 569: The Little Pig Turns Out to be the Big Bad Wolf

In the end, Lady Three's low mood did not last for more than an hour. Once she decided it was better to just sleep, her mood suddenly improved.

When Zhao Changhe held her close, she no longer kept up the pretense of a lofty venerable anymore, no longer insisting on being the one to tease him. Instead, she allowed herself to relax lazily in his embrace.

After all, this man was incredibly dependable. With him around, she could take a break. She did not need to think too hard or even fight all that fiercely. Everything always seemed to turn out just fine in the end.

Once everything was settled, wasn’t it only right to relax and enjoy some leisure time? What was the point of overthinking?

Zhao Changhe loved holding her, too. Among all his close companions, Lady Three had a particular softness about her. Holding her was especially comfortable. At times like this, she was not the formidable Shelly; she was more like a cat.

Lady Three picked up a piece of fruit and turned to feed it to Zhao Changhe. “You reek of alcohol. Try smelling a bit more pleasant.”

Zhao Changhe bit into it with a little surprise, "Mango!"

Lady Three raised an eyebrow. “You've had it before? Has the Tang Clan's trade become so extensive? Oh, right, you seemed familiar with that coconut before, too. Are you the one from the sea, or am I?”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “It was you who taught me all of this in my dreams.”

Lady Three’s eyes twinkled, a teasing smile forming on her lips. “Is that really how you won the hearts of your lovers—with such corny lines?”

“Well, with lines that corny, I still managed to win over Venerable Black Tortoise.” Zhao Changhe dropped the pretense and let his hands wander.

At first, Lady Three seemed like she wanted to resist, but she was too lazy to move. By the time she processed the situation, he had already made his move. Resigned, she muttered, "Fine, I'll allow it this time since you've earned it."

She had said those same words many times before. As Zhao Changhe kept “earning” more, the rewards had become routine, so much so that they now felt perfectly natural.

As he continued, Lady Three let out a faint sigh. "Alright, that's enough... Are you having fun, playing like a child?"

"If I were like a child, I wouldn't just be playing. I'd be wanting a bite."

Lady Three gently cradled his head. “Alright, alright~”

If this continues, I might actually want it...

She feared that if she truly wanted more, he would not be able to keep up. Considering his situation, she gently changed the topic. “During the fight earlier, my ribs were still bothering me... it hurts.”

“Let me take a look.” Zhao Changhe lifted her onto his lap, his hands circling to her side, gently massaging her ribs.

The Rejuvenation Art surged through him, channeling into her bones.

The Rejuvenation Art was a technique at the level of the fundamental laws—it was more than just a matter of infusing true qi. From the very beginning, Zhao Changhe’s spirit could not fully support it, and his understanding was not quite enough to grasp its depths. During their time stranded on the island, Zhao Changhe had recovered physically, but his spirit was exhausted, preventing the Rejuvenation Art from reaching its full potential. But now, with his soul sea restored, the Rejuvenation Art naturally worked as it should.

Though it might not be strong enough to mend a full fracture instantly, it was perfect for the final stages of recovery. Lady Three's ribs visibly mended, becoming as smooth and flawless as jade. No trace of the injury remained as his treatment was more effective than any medicine.

Lady Three let out a soft moan. The sensation of her bones healing was both painful and ticklish. It was truly peculiar.

A Tang Clan sailor passing by outside the cabin kept his head down and quickened his steps. The sounds coming from inside the cabin were quite... peculiar...

Lady Three quietly assessed the strength in her body, finding herself fully recovered. Due to her study of the crystals, she even felt a little stronger than before she got injured.

The old saying was that it took a hundred days to heal a bone injury, especially in a place with limited medical resources. Yet here she was, fully healed after barely ten days.

But to Lady Three, these past days had felt unusually long. It was her first time being this vulnerable, relying so closely on a man. Her first time being truly dependent on someone.

Now, she was fully recovered—able to easily beat Zhao Changhe to a pulp if she wanted. And yet, she still allowed herself to be held, indulging in his touch. She even adjusted her position slightly to make it more comfortable for him. It was almost as if her strength had returned for nothing.

Is this what Vermillion Bird felt as well?

Reflecting on ten days ago, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

Wait... he's playing with them again...

Zhao Changhe kissed her neck. “Feeling better now? Does it still hurt?”

Lady Three squirmed slightly, feeling ticklish from the kisses. She could not help but smile. “Hey... Did you use the Rejuvenation Art, exhausting half of your soul energy, just so that you can continue playing?”

"What do you think?"

Lady Three bit her lower lip. “Enough already... What's so fun about this anyway?”

"Don’t you already know how fun it is?" Zhao Changhe whispered. "We have a long, boring journey ahead of us. What could be more fun than this?"

Lady Three did not respond, her heart slightly stirred by his words.

The setting now was unlike before. They had a warm cabin, soft bedding, clean and cozy, with a faint floral scent in the air. Outside, the sea lapped gently against the hull, devoid of the earlier storm’s fury. The storm was gone, replaced with a lazy, relaxed mood. It was as if she had weathered the storm, and now, in his embrace, she felt the most secure she had ever been.

The turmoil within her—the matters of family, the cult, grudges, beliefs, and uncertainty—all blended together. It was not that she felt nothing but rather that she forced herself to abandon her worries.

In his embrace, it seemed possible to forget it all, to banish all her worries.

Half in a daze, Lady Three felt Zhao Changhe’s hand tilt her chin slightly to the side—his actions possessive. She turned obediently, only for her lips to be captured in a deep, unrestrained kiss.

For no reason, Lady Three felt a faint twinge of embarrassment. I am still a venerable, right?

Yet that thought quickly evaporated as the emotions quickly broke through her defenses, like an electric current that made her feel as if she was drifting among the clouds.

Suddenly, she realized that despite their closeness in the past—whether stranded on the island or sharing a bed in Lai Qi’s quarters—this was their first real moment of intimacy.

There were no more excuses, no more pretense, no more playing around. This was a pure, unguarded exchange of emotions between a man and a woman.

At some point, her dignified robes had come slightly undone.

Lady Three instinctively felt something was wrong and placed her hand to stop her clothes from falling.

His hand paused as well. Silence filled the air, with only the relentless rhythm of the waves and the quickened breathing of the two caught in a haze of emotion.

His voice whispered in her ear, "Lady Three..."

Lady Three drowsily responded, "Hmm?"

Zhao Changhe's voice was low, almost pleading, "Is now still not the time...?"

Time for what? She thought sarcastically. As if you've ever been capable before...

She bit her lip, teasing him, "If you dare, then go ahead... Hmph, acting like you can really do it."

She even shifted slightly, teasingly offering herself. “Go on, then.”

But the moment she settled back down, Lady Three's eyes widened in shock.

What is that?!

Truth be told, despite all their earlier flirtations, Zhao Changhe had never had much of a reaction. There was a reason for that—he had been physically and mentally exhausted for quite a while. Everything he did required sheer willpower, and there simply had not been much left for anything else.

But this moment was different. They were both in a much better state now.

Lady Three's heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest. She gasped, “Wait, wait, this isn’t—mmph...”

Her lips were sealed once again, whatever protests she had muffled back into incoherent sounds.

Her eyes widened, dazed and bewildered, as if she had forgotten she was far stronger than him and could easily break free. A lifetime of training seemed to have slipped away in this instant.

The blind woman put a hand to her forehead.

Initially, Zhao Changhe had not been this impulsive. No matter how many opportunities arose before, he had always held himself back. He was not someone consumed by lust. He had chances with Xia Chichi, with Tang Wanzhuang, yet for one reason or another, he refrained each time. It was the same with Lady Three earlier—given her rib injury, she clearly could not handle anything too strenuous.

Lady Three's mind was reeling. She had no strength to resist and perhaps no real desire to.

The blind woman could almost feel the flood of emotions surging within Lady Three. It was a tide that no one could hold back. It was like trying to sever a stream with a blade, only for the water to flow more freely. Well... In all fairness, it was also her own doing.

From the window came a sudden, sharp intake of breath, followed by a low groan and the sight of blood.

The blind woman left in frustration.

This idiotic love cult—at least other places make you pay!

Meanwhile, the couple, oblivious to the dramatic thoughts of their unseen spectator, were in their own world. Lady Three clutched Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, panting for a long while before she angrily bit him. “Liar!” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“When have I ever lied to you?” Zhao Changhe whispered close to her ear. “It’s you who’s been lying, and to yourself, no less. From the moment I became your little pig, wasn’t the entire point of it to... well, get dirty?”

Lady Three was momentarily speechless.

She could not even recall if Zhao Changhe had come up with this “little pig” idea or if she had just invented it on a whim to amuse herself back then.

Now, the joke was all on her.

Zhao Changhe picked her up and whispered in her ear, “Venerable, are you ready now?”

Lady Three braced herself against the windowsill, biting her lip as she looked back at him with a hint of grievance. “If you let up even the slightest, I swear I'll charge you with dereliction of duty!”