Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 65

“Mu Ling, are you willing?”

This was the first time Yan Qi had called her by name since their reunion, causing Mu Ling to momentarily freeze upon hearing it.

Mu Ling stared blankly at Yan Qi, who was smiling faintly at her. Perhaps because Yan Qi’s face was too strikingly beautiful, Mu Ling felt her heart pounding wildly again, her cheeks burning as if on fire. It took her a belated moment to realize Yan Qi was proposing.

In that instant, the bewitching glint in Yan Qi’s beautiful eyes faded, revealing their original clarity. The hint of nervousness hidden behind her nonchalant gaze was also caught by Mu Ling.

Mu Ling couldn’t resist such a look from Yan Qi. When a proud person showed vulnerability, it was like witnessing a shattered gem; heartbreakingly poignant.

This was the only girl she had ever loved and continued to love in this lifetime.

She should have grown up safe, happy, and unburdened, becoming the beloved girl from the stories Mu Ling had spun. Yet she was tormented by villains, forced to stain her hands with blood, trampled into the mud. And still, she struggled to grow into a tree amidst the dust, piercing through the unjust heavens that wronged her, standing tall above all.

Mu Ling never expected this beautiful girl to be so easily fooled, devotedly loving only her.

What a fool…

“I was just teasing you,” Yan Qi said, her long lashes fluttering as she lowered her gaze to hide her emotions. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms. Her red lips curled slightly. “You’re still just a child now, too young to understand love. In a few years, I—”

Perhaps even Yan Qi herself didn’t realize how pale her face had become in that moment, the starlight in her beautiful eyes vanishing instantly.

“I accept!” Mu Ling took a deep breath and spoke softly, her voice tinged with shyness but resolute. She mustered her courage to meet Yan Qi’s gaze.

In Mu Ling’s eyes, Yan Qi saw her own reflection:

The reflection showed Yan Qi staring back in stunned silence.

It was an expression rarely seen on Yan Qi’s face. In that moment, the enchanting, tyrannical Demon Queen looked almost silly.

So foolish!

Yan Qi had meant to mock herself, but her lips betrayed her, curving higher and higher. “You said it yourself. You can’t take it back. If you do.”

Earlier, Yan Qi had tried to use her powers to coax Mu Ling into revealing their shared past. But perhaps because Mu Ling’s soul didn’t belong to this world, her abilities had no effect. Mu Ling’s nonsensical ramblings proved she hadn’t been ensnared, deepening Yan Qi’s gloom.

Yet Mu Ling had this talent. One sentence could plunge someone into hell, while another could lift them to paradise. Half an hour ago, as Yan Qi listened to Mu Ling spin wild tales about Lin Qingge, she never imagined she’d feel such joy now.

Seeing Yan Qi’s expression, Mu Ling knew her gamble had paid off. Her heart ached with bittersweetness as she leaned close to Yan Qi’s ear, hugging her arm and giving it a playful shake. “I won’t take it back. Two years from now, when this body turns eighteen, if you’ll still have me I’ll marry you.”

The smile on Yan Qi’s lips indeed drooped as Mu Ling had anticipated. When she turned to look at Mu Ling, her gaze unconsciously carried a hint of wariness: “Why two years later?”

“Because I won’t be eighteen until two years from now!” Mu Ling wrapped her arms around Yan Qi’s waist, her cheeks flushing slightly again: “In my hometown, you’re only considered an adult at eighteen.”

Yan Qi pressed her lips together and turned her head away, refusing to look at Mu Ling, who was clinging to her and acting coquettish. But Mu Ling knew Yan Qi would eventually agree. She also knew Yan Qi wouldn’t believe her claim about ‘coming of age at eighteen’ and would suspect she was secretly plotting something again.

But this was all part of Mu Ling’s deliberate plan.

With her grandfather’s precedent in mind, Mu Ling had been paying closer attention to Yan Qi lately and had finally sensed her unease: Yan Qi had begun unconsciously trying to please her. Sending her fabrics, exotic trinkets, cooking for her personally, even styling her hair. She was becoming more and more like the Lin Qingge of the past.

Moreover, whether intentionally or not, whenever Mu Ling hinted at wanting to leave the Demon Palace, Yan Qi would appear by her side. And whenever Mu Ling mentioned anything related to the modern world, Yan Qi would quickly change the subject, as if afraid Mu Ling would remember her life there.

Once or twice could be dismissed as coincidence, but after it happened repeatedly, Mu Ling felt a sense of déjà vu: Was Yan Qi planning to confine her again?

At first, Mu Ling had been puzzled by Yan Qi’s sudden attentiveness. Doing her hair, cooking for her but after reading The Chronicles of a Prodigy’s Growth, she understood everything: Yan Qi was deliberately imitating the Lin Qingge described in her notebook. And the reason? Most likely, she was afraid Mu Ling would escape again.

At first, Mu Ling found it absurd, but later, she only felt heartache.

When had the once-arrogant, domineering Demon King become so cautious and submissive, lowering herself like this?

Mu Ling had always wanted Yan Qi to be true to herself.

A good relationship should help people grow and bring happiness, not make someone insecure and lose themselves.

So, Mu Ling decided to use these two years to show Yan Qi her love and ease the hidden fears in her heart, so they could be together wholeheartedly, without any reservations.

…

Yan Qi had no idea Mu Ling had already figured out most of her thoughts.

Just as Mu Ling had predicted, after a moment of contemplation, Yan Qi agreed to her suggestion. Of course, she didn’t believe Mu Ling’s claim about turning eighteen, but she wanted to see what Mu Ling was planning for these two years…

But no matter what Mu Ling intended.

She had better not think about leaving again. Otherwise, once Yan Qi succeeded in transcending the void and becoming a god, she would drag Mu Ling back without fail.

With their own hidden agendas, the two made their engagement official. Mu Ling watched as Yan Qi hastily summoned Shuang’er to announce the news. Shuang’er had long expected this and wasn’t surprised, though she cast a slightly pitying glance at Mu Ling.

Ah, a substitute was still just a substitute. Back then, the Demon Lord had been in such a hurry to marry Mu Ling that she wouldn’t wait a moment longer, throwing the Demon Palace into chaos. Now, this substitute was given ample time to prepare for the wedding but who knew what might happen in two years?

In the end, it just wasn’t real love.

Mu Ling was unaware of Shuang’er’s silent complaints. Having successfully completed the first step of her plan, she was in high spirits and began contemplating her next moves. However, as the Demon King, Yan Qi lacked nothing. What could she possibly give to express her feelings?

……

Four or five days passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, Mu Ling had secluded herself in the Demon King’s palace, wholly absorbed in cultivation. She seemed to have developed a fascination for alchemy, pestering Yan Qi for various materials and tinkering away in her chambers.

Seeing Mu Ling so obedient, apparently devoted to preparing for their marriage, Yan Qi seemed to lower her guard somewhat. She no longer spent every waking moment with Mu Ling, instead turning her attention to managing affairs within the demon realm.

Still, Yan Qi made it a point to visit Mu Ling’s chambers for at least two hours each day. Occasionally, Mu Ling would catch the faint scent of blood on the hem of her robes, but the two shared an unspoken understanding. Mu Ling never asked about such matters.

In this world where black and white had blurred beyond distinction, Mu Ling could no longer discern right from wrong. The demons were cruel and brutal, the immortals deceitful and hypocritical. The entire realm had descended into chaos. Powerless to change it, Mu Ling chose not to listen, not to dwell on it.

On the evening of the fifth day, Mu Ling took the newly perfected elixir she had crafted, conjured a rabbit to take on her appearance, and masked her own aura. To her surprise, she slipped out of the demon palace without any hindrance.

Beyond the palace lay the ever-expanding Lufeng Town. By the time Mu Ling arrived, the streets were aglow with lanterns, a dazzling spectacle of lights amid the bustling crowds and lively clamor.

It was the Moon Chasing Festival once again.

Men and women jostled shoulder-to-shoulder along the streets. The demon realm was far more liberal than the immortal world. Mu Ling even spotted several young couples holding hands as they strolled.

Infected by the festive atmosphere, Mu Ling couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Everything fascinated her. She looked left and right, nibbling on a sugar figurine one moment, biting into candied hawthorns the next, then purchasing a jug of local osmanthus wine, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Finally, her gaze landed on two exquisite lanterns displayed at the highest point of a vendor’s stall: one was a crystal-clear rabbit lantern, strikingly similar to the one Lin Qingge had given her years ago; beside it crouched a snow-white fox lantern.

Unable to answer the vendor’s riddle, Mu Ling couldn’t win the lanterns fairly. But she had money. Yan Qi had showered her with countless spirit stones.

Unfortunately, the vendor was stubborn, insisting she could only buy one lantern:

“Miss, our tradition here is that you may only purchase one lantern, one for a lifetime. If you fancy the other, have your suitor buy it for you.”

Mu Ling sighed, her eyes briefly flickering toward a certain direction, her lips curling slightly. Feigning reluctance, she chose the fox lantern.

……

As she wandered further out, Mu Ling reached the moat surrounding Lufeng Town. Willow trees lined the banks, and many young couples stood waiting, lanterns in hand.

Mu Ling, too, stood beneath a willow tree, lantern in one hand and wine in the other, savoring the scenery with serene contentment.

Her charming appearance and radiant smile drew admiring glances. A year of cultivation had lent her an ethereal grace, and before long, a handsome young man, blushing, approached to offer her his lantern.

But Mu Ling shook her head, declining every one of them.

Mu Ling gazed contentedly at the starry sky before turning her attention to the lotus lanterns drifting along the moat. After a long pause, she smiled and looked into the empty space before her: “Aren’t you coming out yet?”

…

Yan Qi appeared before Mu Ling, his face ashen with anger.

His hands were clasped behind his back, struggling to suppress the urge to strangle those young men who had wanted to give Mu Ling lanterns. He spoke coldly, “How did you know I was here?”

Sneaking out in the middle of the night, drinking no less, and attracting admirers like bees to honey.

“I wanted to see fireworks,” Mu Ling replied, her lips curving into a smug smile, emboldened by his indulgence. “If you set off fireworks for me, I’ll tell you…”

Yan Qi pressed his lips even tighter together, but in the end, he extended one hand from behind his back and waved it forward.

No one knew what spell she had cast, but with a series of “bang, bang, bang,” enormous, dazzling fireworks burst into the sky.

“Mu Ling, you’d better behave today. I’m very—” Yan Qi frowned as he looked at Mu Ling, but before he could finish the word “angry,” he met her smiling eyes. All his grievances melted away in the fireworks reflected in her gaze. There, he saw unmistakable admiration.

“Because I wanted to give a lantern to the one I love!” Yan Qi heard the girl he cherished most say with a laugh, holding up a fox-shaped lantern and offering it to him.

This was for him?

Yan Qi stiffened, for a moment even doubting whether he was dreaming. His grip on the rabbit lantern hidden behind his back. One that looked just like Mu Ling almost faltered.