Chapter 111: Abducting a Wife

"Come with me." Outside, Ye Zifei heard Dan Ziyao’s persistent clinging to Ou Xinlai. Shaking his head, he called Ou Xinlai out.

Ou Xinlai was already feeling a headache from Dan Ziyao’s unreasonable fuss. Ye Zifei’s voice was like a heavenly melody to her ears at that moment. She smiled apologetically at Dan Ziyao, then hurried toward Ye Zifei.

Dan Ziyao stomped her foot but didn’t follow. After all, even knowing that Ni Cai was actually Ou Xinlai, liking someone was just liking them. Changing a name wouldn’t alter her feelings for Ou Xinlai at all.

Moreover, from the very beginning, it wasn’t Ou Xinlai who lied—it was all a misunderstanding caused by Dan Ziyao herself. She had reflected on it: the first time she saw Ou Xinlai, Ou Xinlai saved her, and she developed feelings for her. Later, meeting Ou Xinlai again in the Suzaku Kingdom without knowing her identity, she simply had a fondness for her. Thinking of all they’d been through together, the names were false, but the feelings were genuine.

Seeing the good rapport between Ou Xinlai and Ye Zifei, Dan Ziyao was happy and had no reason to play the third wheel.

"Where are you taking me?" Ou Xinlai followed closely behind Ye Zifei, initially assuming Ye Zifei merely wanted to help her escape Dan Ziyao’s pestering. Unexpectedly, Ye Zifei seemed intent on bringing her somewhere.

"Are you looking for elemental fruits?" Ye Zifei glanced back at Ou Xinlai.

Ou Xinlai nodded. "Yes, I’m still missing the last type." She had no reason to hide anything from Ye Zifei and answered truthfully.

"Then come with me." Ye Zifei nodded, signaling she already understood.

Following Ye Zifei, Ou Xinlai entered a grand mansion. The place was heavily guarded, yet surprisingly almost empty. Ou Xinlai raised an eyebrow—such a huge mansion with so few people? Was it a vegetable farm?

Walking beside Ye Zifei, she noticed that among the few people present, many possessed formidable supernatural powers not to be underestimated. This mansion felt like a gathering of the most powerful figures under heaven.

Ou Xinlai glanced at Ye Zifei, guessing that someone who could come and go freely here must have special connections.

She observed the mansion carefully. The few people inside didn’t seem warm toward Ou Xinlai, as if they didn’t even see her.

This struck Ou Xinlai as remarkable. She felt the people here lacked even the most basic curiosity. If it weren’t for those initial glances they had given her upon meeting, she would have suspected that the little white snake had somehow cast a spell to make her invisible to them.

Well, perhaps they were just too well-mannered to show curiosity toward strangers.

With this thought, Ou Xinlai calmed herself. If they couldn’t see her, so be it; she was here with Ye Zifei.

Lost in her own thoughts, Ou Xinlai failed to notice Ye Zifei’s ears turning a delicate shade of red. Maybe for Ou Xinlai, a single glance was nothing, but for Ye Zifei, it meant something entirely different.

Not just anyone could enter this mansion. Those inside were the bigwigs of Ye’s family. If they disliked Ou Xinlai, they would have chased her out without hesitation.

Yet, these people saw Ou Xinlai and allowed Ye Zifei to lead her further into the family’s forbidden grounds, which meant they approved of Ye Zifei’s judgment and choice.

In fact, what seemed like a casual glance was a significant event in the Ye family—bringing a wife home to meet the elders.

The Ye family was peculiar; they didn’t gather everyone solemnly but acted so informally that no one would have guessed the elders had accepted Ou Xinlai.

If Ou Xinlai knew this, she would have thought the Ye family must be from another planet. Who meets the elders like this?

Had there been even the slightest indication, Ou Xinlai would have noticed and wouldn’t have been oblivious for so long.

"Doesn’t your family have many people?" Ou Xinlai asked, still surprised by the calmness of those few. She thought they might be servants. Ye Zifei’s parents should still be alive, right? They hadn’t all passed away?

"My family isn’t large," Ye Zifei answered softly.

"Why is your face so red? Fever?" Ou Xinlai turned to look at Ye Zifei’s flushed face. "Are you unwell? If so, you can tell me another day. It’s not a problem."

It was the first time in a long while that Ou Xinlai had seen a shy side of Ye Zifei. But shy? Ye Zifei’s shyness was quite unlike any other.

Ou Xinlai looked down at the little white snake on her wrist. The snake flicked its tongue and rolled its eyes, clearly thinking she was a fool. It could understand everything, but Ou Xinlai, the person involved, couldn’t.

The little white snake cast a sympathetic glance at Ye Zifei and obediently curled up on Ou Xinlai’s hand like a background fixture.

"I’m fine," Ye Zifei shook her head and quickly returned to normal. "This is the place." She pointed to a pool in a cave behind the house.

Inside the cave, free from outside disturbances, the water was utterly still, without a single ripple.

But since Ye Zifei had pointed it out, there must be something mystical about it. Ou Xinlai squinted, staring intently at the pool. After a while, she wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but the water seemed to contain shapes—round and resembling… fruits!

"Water-element fruits!" The little white snake, previously a quiet background presence, suddenly raised its head, its tongue flicking excitedly as it wagged its tail, eager to pounce.

Seeing the once lifeless white jade bracelet on Ou Xinlai’s wrist transform into a living little white snake, Ye Zifei frowned slightly but wasn’t surprised. He figured Ou Xinlai must have been spoiling the little white snake, which belonged to her and wouldn’t harm her.

Still, the fact that this little white snake could speak caught Ye Zifei off guard.

After confirming the fruits were water-element, the snake’s body sprang toward the pool. If it devoured all the water-element fruits, it would have collected all five elemental fruits. Once it recovered its dragon bones and dragon sinews, it could revert to its true form!

"Hey, wait!" Seeing the white blur of the snake flying forward, Ou Xinlai tried to grab it but was no match for its speed. She was frustrated.

The Ye family people weren’t fools; they obviously knew about the pool of water-element fruits in their backyard cave. This treasure, which others sought endlessly, was guarded like a family heirloom. So why should they just give away the entire pool for free?

As Ou Xinlai tried to stop it, the little white snake knew exactly what she was thinking.

Yes, it might be taking the family’s treasure, but at worst, it would compensate Ye Zifei with Ou Xinlai herself. It knew Ye Zifei would be more than willing to make such a deal.

So, the white snake casually tossed five fruits into Ou Xinlai’s mouth, then began feasting with abandon.

Ou Xinlai watched helplessly as the greedy little white snake devoured the entire pool of water-element fruits.

She felt a deep pang of helplessness and regret. The snake was hers, but what if Ye Zifei came to settle accounts with her?

"Well, Ye Zifei, my little snake got a bit greedy. How about I compensate you with it? I heard it’s not just a snake, but a dragon!" Ou Xinlai immediately betrayed the little white snake. Since the snake was the one responsible, it should handle the consequences itself.

After its meal, the little white snake shimmered with layers of purple lightning along its small body. Suddenly, the tiny creature in the pool expanded into a massive white serpent over ten meters long.

Ou Xinlai exclaimed inwardly: My goodness, White Lady!

The great white snake flicked its tail. "I guess I’m not getting out of here, but you might." It was certain Ou Xinlai lacked the power to stop it, but Ye Zifei definitely had that ability. Since Ye Zifei allowed it, that meant he had planned this all along!

So, its actions were helping Ye Zifei as much as they were helping Ou Xinlai. The entire pool of water-element fruits was its matchmaking gift.

"Ahem." Ye Zifei cleared his throat twice, then smiled brightly at Ou Xinlai. "My mother said these fruits are a gift for my wife. Now the fruits are gone; you just have to compensate me with a wife." With the big white snake’s assistance, Ye Zifei had no reason to refuse.

"...No negotiation?" Ou Xinlai’s lips twitched as she realized she’d been tricked. Treating elemental fruits as bride price was truly an invention of the Ye family!

"No negotiation." Ye Zifei shook his head.

"Fine!" Ou Xinlai patted Ye Zifei’s shoulder. "Just so you know, you’re my friend, and since my little beast ate your fruits, I have to help you find a beautiful wife!"

She emphasized "beautiful" heavily, signaling that the bride would certainly not be her.