Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Be My Woman

Bai Zhi Yan’s voice was pleasing to the ear—soft like sticky rice, matched with her adorable and pitiable face that made it hard for anyone to refuse her.

But Zhou Luo shook his head.

"I can’t take you home."

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhi Yan could no longer hold back her tears and began to sob.

"Wuwu…but alone…I’ll definitely be snatched away…wuwu…I should never have run away…wuwu…"

Seeing the girl like this, Zhou Luo felt a pang of pity.

He knew well that a woman as beautiful as her would draw countless covetous eyes if she went out alone. Returning to Lotus Cloud City—that place of unknown whereabouts—was basically impossible.

Yet he was merely a son-in-law of the Lin Family. Even with elevated status, he couldn’t leave Maple Leaf City and was thus unable to help.

Still, having saved her already, he couldn’t bear to watch her fall back into the fire pit.

After much thought, he asked instead, "I can’t escort you home now. But you may come back with me temporarily. If opportunity arises later, I’ll assist you then."

"Really?"

Bai Zhi Yan looked up again, teary eyes fixed on the man before her, face brightening with surprise.

"Mm, but only if you become my woman," Zhou Luo stated bluntly.

"Ah?"

The words left Bai Zhi Yan momentarily stunned, her mind blank.

She stared dazedly at Zhou Luo’s tall figure and clear-cut features, unsure how to respond.

"Of course, just pretend," Zhou Luo clarified. "Otherwise, I’m helpless."

The family wouldn’t tolerate an unknown woman entering their gates.

Unless she was his woman.

What’s more, with that cultivator outside aware of the details, the family would likely assume Zhou Luo had taken a fancy to an ordinary woman without suspicion.

Meanwhile, Bai Zhi Yan’s thoughts spun dizzily.

For a moment, she truly believed he meant to marry her—how fortunate it was mere pretense.

Yet…why did she feel a tiny flicker of disappointment?

At the thought, a faint blush rose to her cheeks.

"Best decide quickly," Zhou Luo urged after glancing at the time.

"I—" Bai Zhi Yan studied his solemn face and bit her lip, knowing this was the only path.

Finally, she nodded gently. "Alright."

"Good. There are a few matters you should note…"

Having secured her agreement, Zhou Luo swiftly briefed her about the Lin Family customs.

Though she’d only be pretending to be his woman, apart from sharing his chambers, she must perform all duties expected of a concubine perfectly to avoid revealing the ruse.

Bai Zhi Yan quietly committed these words to heart.

Outside the room, the unconscious cultivator finally stirred awake.

He rubbed his head, looking around with a bewildered expression, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly rushed to Zhou Luo’s room, knocking on the door.

Zhou Luo opened the door, gazing at the other person with confusion. "Who are you?"

Seeing Zhou Luo was still there, the man sighed in relief. He said he had made a mistake and quickly departed.

Watching the man’s retreating figure, Zhou Luo narrowed his eyes slightly.

As the man left the eighth floor, he muttered to himself, "This is really strange. Who on earth was the foolish one who poisoned me?"

His first thought was Zhou Luo, but then he felt that Zhou Luo probably didn’t know how to use toxins and hadn’t had a chance to buy any. Plus, he had only been unconscious for about ten minutes, and since Zhou Luo was still in his room during that time, he couldn’t have done anything significant. So he ruled out Zhou Luo.

In the end, he could only guess that a thief had targeted him, but after seeing his identity card, the thief got scared and fled.

When he went downstairs, Zhou Luo also appeared with Bai Zhi Yan and left the Tian Xia Restaurant.

He silently followed them again.

…

As they arrived at the gate of the Lin Family, the guard saw an extra woman with Zhou Luo and immediately stopped him.

The family didn’t allow internal members to bring outsiders inside, since if an exception was made, allowing one person to bring someone would set a precedent for others, increasing the burden of family management and making it easy for ill-intentioned people to slip in.

However, if it was a relative, the family would still consider it carefully and agree only after strict scrutiny.

This was why Zhou Luo had proposed to make Bai Zhi Yan his woman.

That guard led the two to a special inspection area.

The person in charge was a middle-aged man.

Upon recognizing it was Zhou Luo, he immediately greeted them with a welcoming smile.

Zhou Luo then realized that this man belonged to the faction of the Great Elder.

After brief questioning and learning that she was a woman brought back by Zhou Luo, the man didn’t make things difficult for him.

He just reminded him that women with spiritual roots should not be brought back in the future.

Because the Zhou Garden was close to the spiritual vein, if one more person cultivated here, it would consume a bit more of the spiritual vein’s energy.

Though the increase was minor, it was the family rule.

From now on, if they wanted to bring an outsider with spiritual roots into the family, they would have to provide spiritual stones.

This time, he didn’t pursue the issue, but next time they brought someone, they would have to pay.

Realizing that Bai Zhi Yan actually had spiritual roots, Zhou Luo was quite surprised.

He took the opportunity to ask about the quality of her spiritual roots.

"You didn’t know she has Sixth Grade spiritual roots?" the person in charge asked, staring at him in shock.

"Sixth Grade spiritual roots?" Zhou Luo also exclaimed in amazement.

He truly had no idea.

He hadn’t expected that a woman he casually saved actually had Sixth Grade spiritual roots.

At that thought, the look in his eyes when he gazed at Bai Zhi Yan instantly became intense.

If he united with someone with Sixth Grade spiritual roots, would their offspring also be of the Sixth Grade?

Being stared at like that, Bai Zhi Yan lowered her head shyly, her right hand clutching her skirt tightly.

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhou Luo thanked the man a few times and then left with Bai Zhi Yan.

After the two had departed, the man who was following Zhou Luo also entered the room and relayed all the details of the journey to the other person.

After learning the entire sequence of events, the other person naturally assumed that Zhou Luo had heroically saved a beauty, and the woman had fallen for him.

"Zhou Luo is indeed fortunate,"

he couldn’t help but murmur in reflection.

After all, finding a woman with Sixth Grade spiritual roots in such times was quite rare.

On the way to the Zhou Garden, Zhou Luo’s gaze towards Bai Zhi Yan was distinctly different.

Where before he had simply wanted to help her, after learning she had Sixth Grade spiritual roots, he began having other intentions.

Of course, he wouldn’t force her; such things could proceed gradually. After all, he had no clue when he might be able to send her home.

Zhou Luo bringing Bai Zhi Yan back to the Zhou Garden naturally drew attention from the other women.

But they didn’t hold any objections, especially since Zhou Luo had previously talked to them about it.

Therefore, the group of wives and concubines joyfully welcomed Bai Zhi Yan into the home, and upon hearing about her misfortune, they felt deep sympathy and showered her with care.

This made the originally uncomfortable Bai Zhi Yan slowly lower her guard and start trying to fit into this large family.

Seeing such a harmonious scene, Zhou Luo felt satisfied.

On the very night Bai Zhi Yan arrived at the Zhou Garden,

she had just changed into a loose beige outer garment and was about to go to sleep,

when suddenly the door was pushed open, and Zhou Luo walked in.