26: Chapter 26: Wasn't he supposed to marry Wen Yan? Why is he coming after me?

"Consolidate your cultivation properly."

Wen Yan left these words behind and turned to leave the Training Room.

Cultivation in the Martial Dao is just like studying.

Even if you teach and explain every single day, the student's progress isn't necessarily significant.

Often, they need to encounter many problems, rack their brains to think and understand. Only when they truly can't figure it out, then you teach them.

At that point, they actually understand faster and remember more firmly.

Wen Yan was gone, so only the three of them had lunch together.

Shen Youqing had already grown accustomed to having meals at the Lin residence these past few days and was no longer as reserved as she had been initially.

But she still maintained proper etiquette, eating quietly and elegantly.

In the afternoon, Lin Yun tested his limit for withstanding gravity—twenty-two times.

After enduring it for a few minutes, he adjusted the gravity to twenty times and began consolidating his cultivation.

Shen Youqing stopped her training today around four in the afternoon.

"Sister Youqing must be exhausted, right? Here, have some water."

Su Yingxue handed over a bottle of specially formulated Life Qi recovery fluid.

Shen Youqing took it, took a small sip, and explained:

"School starts in a few days. I need to go to the university tomorrow to prepare for the new semester. I'm really very grateful to you all these past days."

Su Yingxue pretended to be upset: "We're already good sisters, Sister Youqing! Why are you still being so polite?"

After saying that, she pulled Shen Youqing towards the bathroom.

"Sister Youqing, even though school is starting, you can still come over often afterwards."

"Husband~, you go wash up too. Later, you'll see Sister Youqing home."

Lin Yun stopped his cultivation and went to another bathroom.

Inside the women's bathroom, steam filled the air.

Two young women soaked in the spacious bathtub. A few flower petals floated on the water's surface, and a faint fragrance permeated the air.

Su Yingxue sighed comfortably:

"Ah, a bath is still the best~ After a day of training, a good soak washes all the fatigue away."

Shen Youqing also relaxed. These days of interaction had made her accustomed to bathing with Su Yingxue.

From their initial reserve, the two could now naturally be naked in front of each other.

"Yingxue, I really want to come train with you too," Shen Youqing said softly.

"But starting tomorrow, I might not have much time."

"After the semester starts, there will be a lot to do—lesson preparation, teaching, handling student affairs..."

Su Yingxue nodded understandingly:

"Being a teacher is indeed hard work. Has Sister made any progress with her Life Qi these past few days?"

At this, Shen Youqing's eyes lit up:

"Yes! I feel like I'm just one step away from 99 points!"

"The equipment here is truly amazing, I don't even know how many times more efficient it is compared to what I used at the university before!"

"Congratulations, Sister! Another step forward on the Martial Dao!" Su Yingxue happily offered her blessings.

"This is all thanks to you, Yingxue, and Lin Yun and Sister Wen Yan's help," Shen Youqing thanked sincerely.

"Hehe, I'm so glad I could help Sister~" Su Yingxue picked up a washcloth and naturally began scrubbing Shen Youqing's back.

These past days, the two had often helped each other like this, and it had become routine.

Su Yingxue's movements were gentle, carefully scrubbing from the shoulders down to the back.

The bathroom fell quiet for a moment, with only the sound of water and their breathing.

Suddenly, Su Yingxue spoke softly: "Sister Youqing, what do you think of my husband, Lin Yun?"

Shen Youqing answered frankly:

"Lin Yun... he has good character, treats people sincerely, and doesn't have the arrogance of a rich young master."

"His appearance is also very handsome, the kind that grows on you the more you look."

"Most importantly, he works incredibly hard on the Martial Dao. His talent might not be top-tier, yet he improves so quickly. The sweat he must have put in behind the scenes must be immense."

Shen Youqing paused to think, then continued:

"And he's very good to you. I can tell he truly loves you."

"In this world, finding a husband who is both excellent and loves you is really not easy."

Su Yingxue listened quietly. After Shen Youqing finished, she spoke:

"Hehe, so Sister Youqing also thinks husband is very good, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Shen Youqing nodded. "Lin Yun is indeed the most outstanding young man I've ever met."

"Then, Sister Youqing, marry husband too, okay? Sister is so beautiful, so outstanding, so gentle and intelligent..."

Su Yingxue continued speaking, but Shen Youqing was already stunned.

She wondered if she was hearing things. What did Yingxue just say? For *her* to marry Lin Yun too?

She didn't hear a single word Su Yingxue said after that. Only that sentence echoed in her mind:

"Then, Sister Youqing, marry husband too, okay..."

Shen Youqing was sure she hadn't misheard. Her entire body rapidly turned red.

From her cheeks to the tips of her ears, down her neck, and then spreading across her whole body—all dyed a bashful shade of pink.

Shen Youqing opened her mouth, only to find she couldn't make a sound, not knowing how to respond.

After a long while, she finally stammered out:

"Y-Yingxue! What nonsense are you saying!"

"M-Me... marry Lin Yun too?"

"Yes! I'm not talking nonsense!"

"I'm serious, and husband is serious too."

"Has Sister forgotten? Husband even proposed to Sister before?"

Su Yingxue's voice was still soft, but earnest, as if this was the most natural thing.

Shen Youqing was stunned again:

"D-D-Did he?"

Her mind was in complete chaos.

Didn't Yingxue say Lin Yun wanted to marry Sister Wen Yan?

Yingxue had told her several times about that agreement between Lin Yun and Sister Wen Yan.

She'd even asked for her help thinking of ways to directly bring Wen Yan home as a bride.

Otherwise, who knew how long it would take for Lin Yun to grow strong enough to defeat Wen Yan?

They were discussing it just fine before. How did it suddenly become about marrying *her* now?

Could it be?

From the very beginning... was it aimed at *me*???

Su Yingxue's voice pulled the confused Shen Youqing back to reality:

"Has Sister forgotten?"

"About two months ago, around the time the Martial Dao college entrance exams ended... Sister should have met someone or received some message, right?"

Shen Youqing struggled to recall.

Two months ago... after the Martial Dao college entrance exams ended...

She remembered!

Back then, a few women dressed in maid uniforms had indeed come to see her. They said their Young Lord wanted to marry her and wished to arrange a meeting to discuss it in detail.

She found it utterly baffling at the time, thinking it was some playboy's prank, and flatly refused without even asking who the other party was.

"They... were sent by Lin Yun?" Shen Youqing's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes," Su Yingxue nodded.

"Back then, husband had just... just resolved to take a wife. He looked for several eligible young women across Jiangcheng."

"Sister was one of them, and the most outstanding one."

"It's a pity Sister refused at the time."

"But it's okay. Haven't we met again now? This is fate!"

Su Yingxue moved around to face Shen Youqing, looking earnestly into her eyes, her face full of sincerity:

"Sister Youqing, what do you think?"

"Marry husband, okay?"

"We can be good sisters for a lifetime, Cultivate together, improve together, together..."

"Yingxue!!!"

"Y-You... do you know what you're saying?"

"H-How could this be possible..."