33: Chapter 33 Yang Qingqing!

After finalizing the details with his parents about holding the wedding ceremony in a month's time, Li Guidai and Zhuge Yue looked at each other and smiled, their hearts filled with warmth as they watched the elders—especially his mother, Yang Xiaoqiao—getting all fired up and ready to go all out.

Taking advantage of the break in wedding preparations, Li Guidai decided to take Zhuge Yue on a tour of the place where he had grown up, allowing her to gain a deeper understanding of his past.

Hand in hand, the two of them arrived at Ganlu Town.

This Ganlu Town was an ordinary town under the jurisdiction of the Great Han Dynasty. Compared to the prosperous and vast Lanyun City, where cultivators were as common as clouds, it was hundreds or even thousands of times more backward; the streets were narrow, the houses were low, and the spiritual energy was much thinner.

However, the small town had its own lively atmosphere, with vendors hawking their wares along the streets and children playing and frolicking about, making it quite bustling.

One could also see many cultivators on the road, though most of their cultivation levels hovered around the Qi Refinement Stage. A Foundation Establishment cultivator would already be considered a rare master here.

As they walked, Li Guidai pointed out familiar shops and alleyways to Zhuge Yue, recounting embarrassing stories of his childhood mischief, which made Zhuge Yue cover her mouth and chuckle, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity and tenderness.

As they walked along, they arrived at the entrance of the town's famous "Mengchun Brothel." This was the place managed by his mother, Yang Xiaoqiao, and it was also the old haunt where Li Guidai used to sneak in as a child to get free food and drinks while watching the excitement.

“Come on, Yueer, let me take you to see my mother's territory and visit a few old friends while we're at it.”

Li Guidai took Zhuge Yue's hand and walked inside with practiced ease.

The interior of the Mengchun Brothel was quite elegantly decorated. Since it wasn't the peak hour yet, it appeared somewhat quiet.

Some of the young ladies were chatting and laughing softly or practicing their skills in the main hall or corridors. Li Guidai's entrance immediately drew many gazes.

It wasn't as vulgar as Zhuge Yue had imagined.

It wasn't yet the prime business hours, so it was rather peaceful.

Several women who were busy with chores or resting saw Li Guidai; they were momentarily stunned before breaking into smiles and greeting him warmly.

“Oh! Young Master Touzi is back!”

“And this young lady is... Heavens, she's so beautiful! She looks like a fairy who stepped right out of a painting!”

“Brother Touzi, you've finally deigned to come back and visit!”

Many of the old-timers who knew Li Guidai greeted him with smiles, their tones familiar.

Some of the newer girls didn't recognize him and curiously whispered to each other, asking which family's young master he was. Their eyes were mostly drawn to the ethereal and stunningly beautiful Zhuge Yue beside him, letting out soft gasps of admiration.

They curiously sized up this extraordinary-looking couple, whispering among themselves:

“Who is that? He seems quite familiar with our place.”

“Wow! That lady beside him... she's just too beautiful! I've never seen such a stunning person in my life!”

Just then, a woman wearing neat martial attire with a high ponytail and a hint of heroism and feistiness in her eyes walked out from the inner hall. She was holding an account book, clearly in the middle of handling business.

As soon as she looked up, she saw Li Guidai and Zhuge Yue standing in the center of the hall.

The woman's gaze first lingered for a moment on Zhuge Yue's breathtaking beauty, a flash of imperceptible amazement crossing her eyes. Then, her eyes locked onto Li Guidai, her lips curling into a smirk of playful “disdain.”

She was none other than the adopted daughter of Yang Xiaoqiao and the current practical manager of the Mengchun Brothel—Yang Qingqing!

Yang Qingqing was five years younger than Li Guidai.

Back when she was six years old, she was picking up discarded food from customers at the entrance of the Mengchun Brothel to stave off hunger. Despite the dirt, her delicate features couldn't be hidden, and a few ill-intentioned thugs tried to snatch her away.

It just so happened that the eleven-year-old Li Guidai saw this and cleverly ran inside to find his mother, Yang Xiaoqiao.

Yang Xiaoqiao stepped in and saved her. Seeing that she was alone and had a likeable appearance, and since she had no daughter of her own, Yang Xiaoqiao felt pity and officially adopted her. She gave her the surname Yang and named her Qingqing, raising her as if she were her own biological daughter.

From a young age, Yang Qingqing displayed extraordinary management talent and cultivation aptitude. She was now at the fifth level of the Qi Refinement Stage, making her a minor expert in Ganlu Town.

Her personality was straightforward and feisty, and what she detested most was Li Guidai's former “useless” attitude—his lazy and unmotivated behavior.

Although she was grateful for his “life-saving favor” back then, she couldn't help but needle him with a few sharp words every time they met.

Yang Qingqing set the account book on a nearby table, crossed her arms, and walked over to Li Guidai. She sized him up from head to toe, then glanced at the gentle and elegant Zhuge Yue beside him before speaking in her characteristic, somewhat roguish tone:

“Yo, yo, yo! Look who it is!”

“If it isn't our famous Li Guidai, the Great~ Young~ Master~ Li!”

“What's this?”

“After spending a few years living off a woman in that wealthy Zhuge Family estate, have you... returned home in glory? Haven't seen you in years, and tsk tsk, you still look so... pathetic!”

She emphasized the word “pathetic” particularly hard, her eyes showing unmasked “contempt.”

Hearing this familiar opening, Li Guidai wasn't annoyed; instead, he was amused.

He knew Yang Qingqing's sharp-tongued but soft-hearted nature all too well.

He immediately put on an exaggerated expression of surprise and shot back:

“Oh my! I was wondering which deity had descended to earth with such a grand entrance! Turns out it's just our Great~ Heroine~ Yang!”

He mimicked her tone as well. “What? Haven't seen you in years, and you've managed the Mengchun Brothel quite well, but how come you've also become more and more... flirtatious?”

Yang Qingqing's eyebrows shot up in anger at his words, and she made a move to kick him. “Li Guidai! Are you looking for a beating? Haven't seen you in years, but your tongue has certainly gotten sharper!”

Zhuge Yue watched the two of them interact like children bickering. Seeing Li Guidai so at ease and clearly enjoying himself, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

She could sense that the relationship between this woman and her husband wasn't actually bad; rather, there was a sense of closeness born from their constant bickering.

Li Guidai chuckled and habitually wrapped his arm around Zhuge Yue's slender waist, introducing her to Yang Qingqing: “Alright, alright, enough joking. Let me formally introduce you. This is my wife, Zhuge Yue.”

Then he said softly to Zhuge Yue, “Yueer, this is the sister my mother adopted, Yang Qingqing. We've been bickering since we were kids; she has a sharp tongue but a good heart.”

Seeing Li Guidai introduce her so seriously, Yang Qingqing dropped her playful demeanor. She gave Zhuge Yue a slight nod, her tone much more sincere: “Hello, Sister-in-law. Please excuse my rudeness just now.”

Looking at Zhuge Yue's elegant bearing and stunning face, she had to admit that her adoptive brother had indeed struck it rich to be able to marry such a woman.