The Amnesiac, Sickly Beauty Is Pregnant With My Dragon Cub - Chapter 40.2

Yu Xuanji smiled and said, “A-Lan, don’t be afraid. These spiders have already turned into human forms.”

Hearing this, Cang Lan immediately jumped down from Yu Xuanji. She coughed twice and stood in front of her to hide her embarrassment, saying, “You spiders, why did you reveal your true forms to scare my wife?”

Yu Xuanji stood behind Cang Lan, covering her mouth and laughing secretly, as she heard Cang Lan continue, “What if you scared my wife? What would be your crime! Besides, this is my wife’s first time here. If she’s so scared she never wants to come back, what then?”

Lan Yan said in confusion, “First time? But Madame, she…”

After exchanging a glance with Yu Xuanji behind Cang Lan, Lan Yan’s words came to an abrupt halt. She said apologetically, “It’s our fault. We just haven’t seen any newcomers in a long time, so we were a bit forward. We’ll leave right away.”

Lan Yan turned to leave but was stopped by Cang Lan. “Wait! Since you’re here, clean the courtyard thoroughly for me. If there’s a single leaf left, I’ll hold you all accountable.”

Lan Yan led the group of little spiders toward the gate. One of the red little spiders asked, “Sister Lan, are these the two from the stories you told us—the Black Dragon King and her wife?”

“Shh.” Lan Yan shook her head at the red spider and led them into a bamboo forest. She said quietly and cautiously, “Do not let the Black Dragon King hear such words, otherwise…”

The red little spider laughed and said, “The Black Dragon King is narrow-minded. Sister Lan, you’ve told us many times; we remember.”

The smile on Lan Yan’s lips gradually froze, and she warned, “You can’t let her know that either, or I won’t tell you stories anymore.”

After the spider spirits left, Cang Lan was still shaken. She asked with feigned composure, “Wife, why weren’t you afraid of those spider spirits just now? I thought they looked quite hideous and terrifying.”

Yu Xuanji smiled and said, “They grew up absorbing your spiritual energy, so naturally, they are kind spirits. That’s why I wasn’t afraid.”

Cang Lan knew Yu Xuanji was praising her kindness in a roundabout way, so she leaned in with a grin, preparing to kiss her. Then, she heard Yu Xuanji add, “But they were quite pretty, with such vibrant and mottled colors…”

Before she could finish, Yu Xuanji met Cang Lan’s scrutinizing gaze. Sure enough, she heard Cang Lan say, “Why would you suddenly praise those spider spirits, and right in front of me too? No matter how good they look, they’re just ordinary little demons. How could they compare to even half of me?”

Seeing Cang Lan turn her head away huffily, Yu Xuanji pursed her lips, knowing she had said the wrong thing again and made her jealous.

Cang Lan stood on a stool with her arms crossed, a head taller than Yu Xuanji. She looked down at her, and when Yu Xuanji looked up at her, she stubbornly turned her face away again and continued sweeping the “hateful” cobwebs.

Yu Xuanji hugged her waist from behind and rested her chin against her, catching a faint scent—the unique fragrance of a true dragon. She smiled and said, “A-Lan, I know I was wrong. I’ll never say such things again. Please come down first; the four legs of this stool are a bit shaky. Be careful not to fall.”

Cang Lan stiffened her neck. Although being hugged around the waist felt very good, she stubbornly refused to come down.

Seeing this, Yu Xuanji had no choice but to let go of her waist and turn back to the stove to continue wiping the dishes.

Cang Lan had thought Yu Xuanji would continue to coax her, but she hadn’t expected her to just walk away. Already consumed by jealousy, she was now bursting with anger, so she stomped hard on the stool.

A faint sound of wood cracking reached her ears, and Cang Lan stumbled as she fell. She moved quickly to catch herself with her hands, but she neglected the stove behind her. Her head hit it with a loud thud.

Yu Xuanji ran over in a panic and knelt on the floor, carefully cradling Cang Lan’s head in her arms. She pried open her eyelids with her fingers and asked anxiously, “A-Lan! A-Lan, where are you hurt? Did you hit your head?”

The commotion from the fall was quite significant, attracting all the little spirits who were fetching water and sweeping outside. They gathered at the door to see what had happened.

Lan Yan ran over and looked at the unconscious Cang Lan, asking, “Madame, what’s happened?”

Yu Xuanji pressed her palm gently against Cang Lan’s forehead and frowned. “She fell off the stool and hit her head.”

A sharp pain shot through the back of Cang Lan’s head. After a flurry of blurred vision, she sat on the floor, propping herself up with her arms, but her head felt heavy and dizzy.

The nuptial candles were burning, and a pot of “crossing cups” wine sat on the table. One cup was in her hand, while the other was held by the bride on the bed.

Seeing her fall, Yu Xuanji set aside the etiquette. She put down her wine cup and stepped forward to help the woman up, calling out, “Husband, are you all right? Perhaps you’ve had too much wedding wine and can’t hold your liquor.”

Cang Lan was helped onto the bed by Yu Xuanji. Hearing the girl call her “Husband” in her urgency, she laughed hoarsely and said, “It’s nothing, I’m just a little tipsy. What did you just call me?”

Yu Xuanji’s face flushed instantly. She turned her head away and whispered, “No… nothing.”

Half-awake and half-drunk, Cang Lan rested her chin on her hand and laughed softly. “Really? But I thought I just heard you… mmpm.”

A hand reached out and covered Cang Lan’s mouth.

Cang Lan’s gaze followed the hand up. She looked up to see her bride hurriedly retracting her hand and sitting up straight, though her two hands were nervously twisted together.

The faint fragrance still lingered at the tip of her nose. Cang Lan smiled and leaned in. “My name is Cang Lan—Cang as in ‘the reeds are grey and green,’ and Lan as in ‘a woman beneath the forest.’ From now on, don’t call me ‘Husband’; just call me A-Lan.”

Yu Xuanji repeated the woman’s name several times in her heart, but then heard her say, “As a courtesy, since I’ve told you my name, you should tell me yours as well.”

Yu Xuanji said in confusion, “You are the Dragon God, and it was you who chose me to be your wife. How could you not know my name?”

Cang Lan laughed. “I am the Dragon God, but the one who took you as a wife was not the true Dragon God. It was a thousand-year-old evil flood dragon. It was committing atrocities and stirring up trouble, but I have already subdued it. You can rest easy.”

Seeing the surprise deepen in Yu Xuanji’s eyes, Cang Lan rested her chin in her hands and asked, “I have told you all about my origins. Quickly, tell me your name.”

The bride nodded, glanced at Cang Lan quietly, and said softly, “Yu Xuanji.”

Cang Lan smiled and said, “Xuanji refers to the stars in the sky, and also to fine jade. It is truly an excellent name.”

Yu Xuanji lowered her eyes and nodded gently again. She had been raised in the inner chambers since childhood and was to be married off once she came of age. She had never imagined that she would have such a miraculous encounter with a deity today.

Seeing that she was not much of a talker, Cang Lan laughed and produced a translucent pearl from behind her back. Holding it in her palm, she said with a smile, “Xuanji, tap it with your finger.”

It was Yu Xuanji’s first time seeing such a rare and beautiful thing. Curious, she reached out her fingertip and tapped it.

Instantly, the shimmering little sparks inside, which looked like stars, gathered together and began to slowly swirl around within the crystal sphere.

Cang Lan laughed and said, “The constellation in front of you that looks like a ladle is the ‘Xuanji’ I mentioned. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Yu Xuanji bit her lower lip as she watched this magical scene, becoming even more convinced that this woman named Cang Lan was a deity from the heavens.

Cang Lan placed the cool crystal sphere into her palm and said, “The moon is bright and the stars are few tonight, so I’m afraid we won’t see many actual stars. When the moon turns into a sickle at the beginning of the month, I’ll take you to the heavens to see the stars, all right?”

Yu Xuanji’s eyes widened in disbelief. “To the heavens?”

Cang Lan nodded with a smile. “Mm.”

Yu Xuanji blinked and asked, “Then couldn’t we go to the Moon Palace to see Chang’e?”

The smile on Cang Lan’s lips gradually froze. She clutched her heart and looked sorrowful, and her pitiful appearance made Yu Xuanji’s heart skip a beat. “Hus—A-Lan… have you had too much to drink? Are you feeling unwell?”

They had only shared a small cup of wine from the table; how could she have become so drunk from just that?

Cang Lan clutched her heart and looked as if she were about to cry. “Even though you are my lawfully wedded wife, you mention Chang’e of the Moon Palace on our wedding night. It makes me so sad. Could it be that I’m not as beautiful as Chang’e?”

Upon hearing this, Yu Xuanji panicked and explained hurriedly, “No, you’ve misunderstood. I’ve just heard people talk about her since I was a child. I’ve been in poor health since I was born, never without medicine. I’ve always been a burden, a ‘medicine pot.’ I rarely leave the house and have never seen the outside world.”

Hearing this explanation, Cang Lan couldn’t help but feel pity. She then saw Yu Xuanji take out a snow-white handkerchief and wipe the bright red rouge from her lips.

Once the rouge was wiped away, it revealed two pale lips with no color at all. Yu Xuanji said, “A few days ago, a fortune teller told my parents that I am short-lived and would not live past seventeen. That’s why my parents had me take my sister’s place to marry the Dragon God.”

Cang Lan asked in confusion, “Sister? You mean the bride meant for the monster this year, wasn’t you?”

Yu Xuanji nodded. “Mm. My sister and I are twins; we look identical to outsiders. I am fated for a short life, while my sister has been healthy since childhood, so I agreed.”

Cang Lan frowned. “All people are born equal. How can one’s fate be exchanged based on such hollow matters?”

As she spoke, a bitter smile appeared on Yu Xuanji’s lips. She sighed and shook her head, not saying another word.

Cang Lan gripped both her hands and smiled. “Don’t be afraid. With me here, if the heavens truly won’t give you a path to live, I will go down to the underworld and strike your name from the Book of Life and Death.”

Yu Xuanji curved her lips and laughed. “How can such things be done so easily? My life is thin; my fortune is meager… to have met you once in this life is already the reward for all my years of being a vegetarian and praying to the Buddha.”

Cang Lan held Yu Xuanji’s hand and slowly pressed it against her heart, saying solemnly, “Wife, rest assured. As long as I am here, I will surely make you live a long life filled with blessings.”

Yu Xuanji’s pursed lips finally relaxed, and she lowered her eyes, nodding gently. “Mm.”

The two of them sat face to face in this manner. The wedding candle suddenly made a crackling sound, which brought Cang Lan back to her senses. She withdrew her gaze and said, “Wife, it’s late. We should rest.”

Yu Xuanji’s face reddened, and even her bloodless pale lips seemed to take on a hint of crimson. She bit her lower lip and looked down submissively, her fingers involuntarily curling into her wedding robes, her eyes filled with shyness.

Cang Lan took off her bright red outer wedding robe and tossed it casually over a nearby screen. She tilted her head and said with a smile, “Wife, take off your outer clothes; it’s uncomfortable to sleep in them.”

Yu Xuanji stammered, “O-okay…”

Her hands uncontrollably began to undo her belt. The more nervous she became, the clumsier her movements were. As she fumbled, she managed to tie the belt into a dead knot.

Seeing Yu Xuanji getting both anxious and ashamed, not knowing where to put her hands, Cang Lan laughed and reached out, quickly undoing the belt for her. She asked with a smile, “Why are you so afraid, Wife? I’m not going to eat you.”

Yu Xuanji slowly took off her outer garment, stiffened her neck, and closed her eyes, as if facing death with determination. “I… I don’t know how to do such things. If you do, just do as you please; I won’t say…”

Before she could finish, Yu Xuanji heard a light laugh nearby, followed by Cang Lan saying, “When I said ‘sleep,’ I meant literally sleep. You are still young, and you’ve suffered such a shock today. How could I, an immortal who has lived for so many years, take advantage of you while you’re vulnerable?”

Cang Lan laughed. “Sleep at my home tonight; I’ll send you back tomorrow.”

As soon as these words were out, Cang Lan saw Yu Xuanji’s expression change. In her desperation, she even proactively grabbed Cang Lan’s wrist, shook her head, and said, “I’m not going back. I’ve already been married off; I am your person now. You just promised not to divorce or abandon me—why are you going back on your word now?”

Cang Lan instinctively held the back of Yu Xuanji’s hand and asked in confusion, “The evil flood dragon is dead; no one will ever become its meal again. If I send you home, your parents will surely be happy.”

Yu Xuanji shook her head. “No, things in the human world are far more complicated than you think. In short, don’t send me back. Let me live with you. I can help you clean the courtyard, bring you tea and water, and do the laundry and cooking.”

Cang Lan smiled, her voice light and soft. “I don’t need anyone to clean the courtyard, nor do I need you to bring me tea, water, laundry, or food. If you are truly willing to be with me, I will always protect you and ensure you live a long life in the human world. What do you think?”

Yu Xuanji curved her lips and slowly nodded. “I am willing.”