The young woman didn't look as if she were joking, so Li Nan Ke set aside his teasing mood and asked,

“Why are you suddenly thinking about this?”

Leng Xinnan didn’t tell the man about the Red Rain dream she had encountered, as she herself wasn't sure if it was a forgotten memory or a hallucination created by the Nightmare.

Staring down at the tips of her shoes, she said softly, “I was just asking. It reminded me of a case from a while back.”

“Then it would depend on whether it’s congenital or acquired.”

Li Nan Ke couldn't give a definite answer.

In modern medicine, such conditions did exist; they were generally ventricular or atrial septal defects, a common type of congenital heart disease.

Leng Xinnan made a gesture.

“I mean, taking a piece of one person’s heart and using it to patch another person’s damaged one.”

??

Li Nan Ke subconsciously reached for her forehead, but feeling that it would be inappropriate, he rubbed his own nose instead and said,

“Are you running a fever?”

Leng Xinnan said, displeased, “I’m not sick, and I’m not spouting nonsense.”

“I don’t know.”

Li Nan Ke shook his head honestly. “As a cultivator, you would know better than me if such a secret art exists.”

Leng Xinnan wasn't expecting an answer from him; she just wanted someone to talk to.

In a trance, she placed her hand over her heart and murmured,

“If a piece of one’s heart were missing, would it beat slower than others’? Would one also think less?”

“No.”

Li Nan Ke replied bluntly. “But you’d definitely die more easily than other people.”

“That’s true.” Leng Xinnan laughed in spite of herself.

Gradually, however, the young woman’s delicate brows drew together. “But it feels like my heartbeat is erratic, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.”

“Impossible.”

“It’s true!”

“It’s just your imagination.”

“Feel it for yourself if you don’t believe me.” A little annoyed that he didn't believe her, Leng Xinnan acted without thinking, grabbing the man’s hand and pressing it to her chest.

The next moment, both of them froze.

It was as if time had stopped.

After a few seconds, Li Nan Ke casually withdrew his hand from the woman’s chest and said calmly, “It does seem a little… off.”

“…I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Leng Xinnan gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, also feigning a natural tone.

To quickly dispel the awkwardness, the woman abruptly changed the subject.

“The moon is very full tonight.”

“Mhm, yes… very full.”

The man glanced up at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky, then turned and said, “I’ll go in and check on Little Rabbit.”

Leng Xinnan didn’t move, merely humming softly in acknowledgment.

After his footsteps had faded away, she covered her forehead with her hand and cursed herself relentlessly.

Beneath the night sky, the young woman’s ears felt hot. Her translucent, tender earlobes glowed crimson, like ripe cherries.

Little Rabbit was very efficient.

She soon learned from Qinqin what had happened that night.

Just as Li Nan Ke had surmised, after being abandoned by Old Madam Zheng, the little girl had inadvertently fallen into the collapsed pit trap and was stuck there for the entire night.

While there, she saw a man covered in blood.

She couldn’t see his face clearly; it was as if he had been fished out of a pool of blood.

The man didn’t harm her and staggered away early the next morning.

Even so, for an eight-year-old girl, the experience in that environment was undoubtedly terrifying.

That was what had left her with the psychological trauma.

Even a full-grown adult would likely have been scared witless.

“Let the authorities investigate it.”

Leng Xinnan, her expression having returned to normal, suggested.

After all, it didn’t fall under the purview of a ‘Red Rain’ case, and their current mission was to capture the Yun City Demonic Creature.

It was best to avoid getting involved in anything else if possible.

Li Nan Ke naturally had no intention of getting involved either. After bidding farewell to the others, he returned home.

……

“Husband, is something on your mind?”

Luo Qian Qiu looked curiously at the man sitting by the door in a daze.

Normally at this hour, he would be hugging Sister Goose to alleviate his loneliness, but tonight he was acting out of character.

It was as if he had just fallen in love and then had his heart broken.

Li Nan Ke gazed at the stars in the night sky and said melancholically, “I’m very lost, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Alright, then we won’t talk about it.”

“…”

The man’s expression became this: o(￣ヘ￣o＃)

Luo Qian Qiu carefully ground the dried herbs, added them to a pot of boiling water, then wiped her hands and sat down beside the man. She said softly, “Go on, I am listening.”

“I want to accomplish something great.”

Li Nan Ke said, looking at the woman with great seriousness.

Luo Qian Qiu’s eyes shimmered.

“That’s wonderful. Sister Leng says you’re very smart; you’re bound to do great things in the Night Patrol. If my husband wishes to build a career for himself, then you should go for it with all you’ve got.”

Li Nan Ke said helplessly, “But I also just want to live an ordinary life.”

Luo Qian Qiu was startled for a moment, then couldn’t help but smile.

Li Nan Ke sighed.

“You don’t understand. My very existence in this world is a miracle. If I don’t achieve something great, I’ll feel I’m not living up to my station. But getting serious about it is a huge hassle. There will be countless obstacles in the future, and it will be utterly exhausting for both body and mind.”

This was an issue the man had struggled with ever since he transmigrated.

On the one hand, he wanted to lie flat and just coast through life.

On the other, he was unwilling to be mediocre, especially when the restless element inside him urged him to stand out.

After all, he was a transmigrator.

On one hand, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this gentle, albeit not stunningly beautiful, wife. On the other, he dreamed of having a woman on each arm, of stuffing sword immortals and demonesses alike into his bed.

After all, he was packing a human-sized cannon.

It would be such a waste.

Besides, with his wife’s delicate frame, she certainly wouldn’t be able to handle it.

In short, at this critical juncture before joining the Night Patrol, Li Nan Ke felt he needed to make a choice.

Either to lie flat and coast through life, or to go out and achieve something great.

“I understand what is on my husband’s mind.”

Luo Qian Qiu said gently, “I cannot make this choice for you, husband, nor can I offer any advice. I only want you to know that whatever you decide to do, I will be right here supporting you.”

It was just a simple, comforting platitude, yet it sent a wave of warmth through the man’s heart.

The woman knew that the man just needed someone to listen to him.

That was enough.

After a long silence, Li Nan Ke suddenly stared into his wife’s clear eyes and said, “The truth is, you don’t actually like me.”

“Correct.”

He had expected her to hesitate and then give a more tactful reply, but she answered him directly.

This left the man feeling somewhat hurt.

Luo Qian Qiu smoothed her skirt, the outline of her long, slender legs showing through the fabric. She smiled and said,

“You need not worry about it, husband. I am only repaying a debt. I will try my best to restrain my feelings.”

“Repaying a debt?”

“I owe two debts. The first is to my Master, which I am currently repaying.”

“And the second?” the man asked curiously.

The woman didn’t answer directly. She lifted her head to gaze at the starry sky and murmured softly,

“At first, I was very resistant to being your wife. But later, I found that being with you is… comfortable. However…”

“Here it comes. My ‘good guy’ card is about to arrive.”

“‘Good guy’ card?”

The woman tilted her head, a little confused.

Li Nan Ke waved his hand. “It’s nothing. Please, continue.”

But after the man’s interruption, Luo Qian Qiu lost interest in continuing to speak her mind.

Seeing the worry that still lingered on his brow, she sat up straight and said with a smile, “Husband, if you find yourself troubled in the future, you can try meditating as I do. You may find the answer you’re looking for.”

“Meditate? How?” Li Nan Ke feigned ignorance.

“First, relax your body, and place your hands on your lap.”

“Okay, and then?” Li Nan Ke placed his hands on her lap.

After a brief silence, Luo Qian Qiu said resignedly, “…On your own lap.”

“Oh.”

Li Nan Ke gave a sheepish smile and pulled back the hand he had placed on the woman’s thigh.

“Now, follow my lead and close your eyes.”

“Mhm.”

“Close your eyes!” the woman repeated.

“But, my lady, how did you know my eyes weren’t closed?”

Seeing the dangerous glint in the woman’s eyes, Li Nan Ke didn’t dare tease her any further and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Imagine the stars and the bright moon in the sky. Imagine them revolving around your body…”

“Mhm.”

“Breathe deeply… and again…”

The man followed her instructions one by one.

After a long moment, the two of them opened their eyes at the same time, as if by a shared understanding.

A gentle smile played on Luo Qian Qiu’s beautiful lips. She asked softly, “How was it? What came to mind, husband?”

Li Nan Ke answered honestly, “I was thinking about dual cultivation.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com