Journey Through Realms: Fulfilling Last Wishes

Chapter 15: The Innocent Little Lotus of the Demon Sect

Inside the study at Jianhai Manor, Qin Yuan stood with a group of black-clad men, each one emanating a menacing aura. Their expressions were severe, and their presence filled the room with a chilling tension.

“You are the elite shadow guards of Jianhai Manor, trained meticulously for years. And now, you’re telling me that you couldn’t find two people? That they might’ve been eaten by wild beasts? Did the beasts also eat their clothes?” Qin Yuan seethed, his voice laced with disbelief. They had been searching for two whole days, only to offer him this ridiculous explanation.

“Master, we have failed in our duty. Please punish us,” the lead shadow guard stepped forward, bowing his head in acknowledgment.

They had underestimated the task, thinking two people would be easy to track. In their overconfidence, they had assumed the two were already dead, brushing off their disappearance without thorough investigation.

Qin Yuan was livid. He had borrowed the shadow guards from his father to track down An Ran and Shen Yu, thinking they would be more competent. Now, they had nothing to show for it, and precious time had been wasted.

“I won’t punish you, but clearly, you think you can fool me without consequences. If you can’t find them, then you don’t deserve your place in the shadow division.”

Qin Yuan’s voice was icy, laced with frustration. He was losing his patience.

“We will not fail you again, Master. You have our word,” the shadow guards vowed, realizing they had to recover from this mistake if they wanted to salvage their reputation.

“Good. Now get out and don’t come back until you’ve found them,” Qin Yuan snapped, waving them away.

Empty promises wouldn’t help him find An Ran and Shen Yu. His thoughts were consumed by the nagging feeling that something vital was slipping through his fingers.

After the guards left, Dong Zhu, his personal attendant, approached cautiously.

“Young Master, you haven’t eaten in a day. You need to take care of your health, or you’ll collapse before you find Miss An Ran.”

“I’m not hungry. Take it away,” Qin Yuan said dismissively, his mind still occupied with An Ran’s disappearance. The uncertainty gnawed at him, leaving him restless.

“But Young Master, if you fall ill, who will lead the search? Miss An Ran’s safety depends on you staying strong,” Dong Zhu reasoned, hoping to appeal to Qin Yuan’s sense of responsibility.

Qin Yuan hesitated, then reached for the bowl of porridge, realizing Dong Zhu’s words held some truth.

As he drank, Dong Zhu quickly suggested, “Master, eat some vegetables too. Porridge alone won’t be enough.”

“I don’t need you to tell me how to eat,” Qin Yuan grumbled, but in his frustration, he choked on the porridge and coughed.

Dong Zhu shrank back, realizing he had pushed too far. At least Qin Yuan was eating, so he chose to remain silent. While the atmosphere in Jianhai Manor was tense, An Ran’s morning was a stark contrast.

Having woken early after a deep sleep, An Ran felt refreshed, but as she stepped out of bed, her foot landed on something soft. In an instant, she screamed, her voice piercing the air.

“Ran Ran! What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare? Don’t be scared, Shen Yu is here!” Shen Yu rushed over, startled by the loud cry. He had been resting on the floor nearby and hadn’t expected such a reaction.

“Shen Yu, I think I stepped on a dead body! There’s something under my bed! Why would there be a corpse under my bed?” An Ran babbled, still shaken by the sensation. She had caught a glimpse of something beneath the bed and assumed the worst.

“Ran Ran, it’s not a corpse. It’s just me,” Shen Yu explained, his voice calm. “This place only has one room suitable for sleeping, so I slept beside you on the floor. You were already asleep when I came in, so I didn’t want to wake you.”

An Ran froze for a moment, realizing the ‘corpse’ she had stepped on was none other than Shen Yu.

“Oh… it’s you. But why didn’t you react when I stepped on you?” She asked, still confused.

“I guess I was too tired to feel it,” Shen Yu said with a soft laugh. “My fault for scaring you. How can I make it up to you, Ran Ran?”

An Ran sighed, feeling her initial panic melt away. Of course, it would be Shen Yu.

Why did I overreact so much? She looked at him, unsure whether to be angry or embarrassed.

“Well, I guess you can start by getting up from the floor and making me some breakfast!” She said, trying to playfully shift the conversation to something lighter.

Shen Yu smiled, relieved she wasn’t truly upset. “Of course, Ran Ran. Breakfast coming right up!”

Despite the rocky start to the morning, An Ran felt the awkwardness dissolve as she watched Shen Yu prepare to leave.

This is how life should be, she thought. Maybe, just maybe, everything will be fine…

Shen Yu didn’t argue or explain further. Instead, he just gently reassured An Ran, even though he had been the one stepped on and mistaken for a corpse early in the morning. His mindset was simple—his discomfort was secondary to An Ran’s, and as long as she was okay, he didn’t mind the misunderstanding.

“I want to go out shopping, buy clothes, and get some jewelry. If Shen Yu agrees, then I’ll forgive you,” An Ran quickly said, taking the opportunity to voice the desire she’d been holding onto for a while. She figured Shen Yu might object because of her injuries, so this seemed like the perfect moment to bring it up.

“You can go out, but you have to listen to me the entire time. If you agree to that, then I’ll take you shopping,” Shen Yu replied, not surprised by her request.

He had anticipated that someone as lively as An Ran would want to go out, but he needed her to agree to certain conditions for her safety.

“Deal! Let’s go now! We can even grab some breakfast along the way,” An Ran eagerly agreed, ready to jump at the chance to leave. A small condition like this wasn’t enough to dampen her enthusiasm.

“You don’t even want to know the conditions first? You’re really that eager to go out, huh?” Shen Yu asked with a chuckle, a bit taken aback by her quick agreement. He had expected some back-and-forth, but she didn’t hesitate at all.

“Nothing can stop a woman when she wants to go shopping!” An Ran replied proudly, certain that Shen Yu wouldn’t come up with any unreasonable demands. After all, he’d been nothing but kind and considerate, so she trusted him.

But what An Ran hadn’t anticipated was Shen Yu’s small but amusing condition—she had to let him carry her the whole time. Either on his back or in his arms—there was no other way he’d allow her to walk with her injured foot.

Now, lying on Shen Yu’s back as he carried her through the bustling streets, An Ran resigned herself to the situation. She had weighed her options and decided that if she could endure the embarrassment of being carried into town earlier, she could handle this for the sake of shopping.

“Shen Yu, I want that! And this too! Oh, Shen Yu, look at that!” An Ran excitedly pointed out different things as they strolled through the market. Her cheerful calls of ‘Shen Yu’ echoed through the busy streets, and passersby couldn’t help but notice the striking couple. Shen Yu, handsome and attentive, and An Ran, beautiful and lively, made quite the impression. People marveled at how devoted Shen Yu was, buying everything An Ran pointed to without a second thought.

Behind them, the poor attendant tasked with carrying their purchases looked like a walking shop, laden with clothes, food, toys, and trinkets. He wanted to remind An Ran of the growing pile of items but quickly retreated each time Shen Yu glanced his way.

Shen Yu didn’t mind the extravagance. After seeing An Ran wearing the clothes and accessories Qin Yuan had bought for her, he was determined to replace them all. It was worth it to make her happy and remove any reminders of Qin Yuan from her life.

They spent the entire morning shopping, covering nearly every corner of the marketplace before heading back with their arms full of spoils.

Looking at the pile of items they had amassed, An Ran was shocked. She hadn’t realized how much they had bought in her excitement.

“Shen Yu, why didn’t you stop me? Some of this stuff is completely unnecessary!” She exclaimed, feeling a bit guilty.

“I didn’t think any of it was unnecessary. As long as you like it, that’s all that matters. Besides, I can afford it. You don’t need to worry about saving money for me, Ran Ran,” Shen Yu said with a smile. He didn’t mind at all, An Ran’s happiness was worth every penny.

“Shen Yu, you’re the best! I like you so much!” An Ran said sweetly, showering him with praise. After all, he had been so generous—how could she not express her appreciation?

Shen Yu, unaccustomed to such direct compliments, turned slightly red, though An Ran didn’t notice as she sorted through the goods.

“I’ll go prepare some food. You should rest for a bit,” Shen Yu said hastily, finding an excuse to leave and calm down.

“Take your time, Shen Yu. I’m not that hungry yet,” An Ran replied, feeling considerate.

After all, he had carried her all morning, and she wanted to give him a break.

Definitely not because I want to try all the snacks we bought, she thought mischievously.

“I’ll be quick. And don’t eat too many snacks, Ran Ran, or your teeth will hurt,” Shen Yu called back, fully aware of her thoughts.

An Ran laughed, waving him off before grabbing one of the treats to nibble on. He’s too good at reading me!

As Shen Yu left to prepare their meal, An Ran leaned back and smiled to herself. Life had been surprisingly peaceful and sweet lately. Maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out alright.