Although Ling Ye knew that Nanshan refused to have dinner with him out of a sense of propriety, he couldn’t help but feel irritated when he thought about the clumsy excuse she had made up to turn him down.
Even after her lie was exposed, she didn’t bother to explain herself.
This frustration kept him awake for the first time, unable to fall asleep at the usual hour.
The luminous pearls of the Nightless Pavilion had long been extinguished, and the protective barrier had automatically activated.
The spacious sleeping quarters were dark and quiet—an ideal place for a peaceful rest.
Yet, Ling Ye lay in bed, unable to sleep, his face cold as he tossed and turned.
Suddenly, he made a decision.
He would ignore her for a few days.
Let her understand that even if she had saved his life, even if he had agreed to this marriage, he would not always indulge her whims.
The thought of her growing anxious over his sudden coldness, losing sleep just as he was now, or even coming to apologize first thing in the morning, made Ling Ye feel a little better.
His mood lifted, and with that, his sleep returned.
Wrapping himself in his blanket, he drifted off into a pleasant dream.
However, the next day, Nanshan did not come to apologize.
Not only did she not look for him, but she continued to eat and sleep as usual—her appetite even seemed better than before.
Ling Ye’s expression darkened, his face cold the entire day, causing everyone in Canglan Palace to avoid him.
***
“Why do you look so grim? Got poisoned?”
A lively voice interrupted his thoughts as Zhi Can, who had fully recovered after a few days of rest, cheerfully leapt into the courtyard.
Ling Ye gave the uninvited guest a cold glance and turned to head back inside.
Zhi Can jumped down from the tree and swiftly blocked his path.
“I finally recovered. Aren’t you going to join me for a drink at Zhuyue Tower to celebrate?”
“Not interested.”
Ling Ye sidestepped him and walked towards his room.
“Fine, I’ll go ask Nanshan then.”
Zhi Can sighed and turned to leave.
But after only a few steps, he noticed that someone had suddenly appeared beside him.
He blinked in confusion.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t going?”
“I changed my mind,” Ling Ye replied coolly.
“…Alright then,” Zhi Can chuckled helplessly.
As soon as they stepped out of the Nightless Pavilion, he was about to leave directly when Ling Ye stopped him.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Zhi Can thought for a moment.
“Forget…? Oh! You mean Nanshan? I was only going to ask her if you weren’t coming. But since you’re going, there’s no need.”
Ling Ye: “…”
“You want to bring her along?”
Zhi Can asked tentatively.
Ling Ye was just about to say no when, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
Zhi Can saw her too and immediately called out, “Nanshan!”
Nanshan, who had been trying to sneak away unnoticed, forced a smile and approached them.
“What a coincidence!”
“It’s not a coincidence,” Ling Ye said flatly.
“This is the Nightless Pavilion.”
“Ah… right, the Nightless Pavilion,” Nanshan muttered.
No wonder they were both here—she had wandered here aimlessly without realizing.
Ling Ye didn’t expose her weak excuse in front of Zhi Can.
He simply gave her a meaningful look and said, “Canglan Palace is quite large.”
“Huh?”
Nanshan didn’t quite understand.
Ling Ye turned his face away as if he had lost patience, but the air around him seemed lighter than before.
Zhi Can looked back and forth between the two of them and suddenly smiled at Nanshan.
“We’re heading to Zhuyue Tower for a drink. Want to come?”
“I don’t like drinking,” Nanshan frowned.
“Then you can have something else. Or just watch the performances,” Zhi Can suggested.
“There’s a performance?”
Nanshan’s interest was piqued.
“Want to come?”
Zhi Can invited again.
She was tempted, but when she thought about who she would be going with, her excitement faded a little.
Ling Ye saw her hesitation.
He knew she wanted to go but was hesitating because she was worried that he was still upset. After a moment of silence, he decided to be magnanimous, considering she had come all the way to the Nightless Pavilion.
“Come along,” he said slowly. “Zhuyue Tower has good desserts, and the food is delicious. You should try it.”
At the mention of good food, Nanshan’s eyes lit up. “Alright!”
She agreed so quickly, it was as if she had been waiting for his invitation all along.
The corners of Ling Ye’s lips curved slightly, the last trace of coldness in his expression fading away.
Zhi Can watched them both, growing more confused.
“Wait… who likes who here?”
he muttered under his breath.
***
For the first time, Nanshan left Canglan Palace.
For the first time, she rode a flying artifact.
When the boat-like object lifted her into the air, she gasped in surprise and instinctively grabbed the nearest sleeve.
“You grabbed the wrong person.”
Before she could react, Ling Ye pried Zhi Can’s sleeve from her grasp and forcibly inserted himself between them.
Nanshan and Zhi Can had been standing quite close together.
Now that Ling Ye, who was much taller, wedged himself in between, they were both pushed aside.
Nanshan was too absorbed in the excitement of flying to care about his sudden pettiness, but Zhi Can looked at Ling Ye as if he had discovered something amusing.
“What are you looking at?”
Ling Ye’s tone was unfriendly.
Zhi Can cleared his throat.
“Nothing.”
***
Zhuyue Tower was located in the busiest part of the Ghost Market.
Since the three of them had come on a whim, they hadn’t brought any guards with them, but a message had been sent ahead to clear the place.
As soon as their flying vessel landed, Nanshan jumped off and stared around in awe.
The underworld’s night was lively.
Everywhere she looked, there were merchants, and each shop had red lanterns hanging outside, giving the entire place a festive feel, like New Year’s.
“Let’s go,” Ling Ye reminded her.
Nanshan didn’t respond.
She was still standing on tiptoe, looking around, her braided hair swaying as she turned her head.
Ling Ye’s eyes flickered slightly.
Without warning, he reached out and pressed a hand to her forehead, forcing her to stop moving and look at him properly.
“What are you doing?” she blinked. In her dark eyes, his face was reflected clearly.
Ling Ye withdrew his hand.
“Let’s go.”
Nanshan suddenly understood and hurried to catch up.
“Do we have to go to the tavern? Can’t we check out some other places first? I just saw a pastry shop with a long line—maybe we could…”
Before she could finish, the doors of Zhuyue Tower swung open.
“Where do you want to go?”
Ling Ye asked.
“N-no, this place is fine too.”
Seeing the dazzling golden decorations of the tavern and the graceful women performing in the air, she was momentarily stunned.
“What are you waiting for? Get up here!”
From the second floor, Zhi Can waved an empty wine cup at her.
Nanshan grinned excitedly.
“Coming!”
Ling Ye had just reached out to help her up, but before he could, she had already grabbed her skirt and dashed forward.
His hand, half-extended, paused before he calmly withdrew it.
Then, without a word, he stepped into the air and ascended.
When Nanshan reached the second floor, she found Ling Ye already seated at the main table.
“How did you get up here so fast?” she asked in surprise.
Before he could answer, her attention was drawn to the table.
“Wow! What is all this? What’s that red thing? Is it a flower? Can you eat it? Can you eat all of this?”
Although Ling Ye knew that Nan Shan refused to have dinner with him out of a girl’s reserved nature, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed when he thought about how she had told such a clumsy lie to reject him—and then didn’t even bother to explain herself after being exposed.
Because of this, for the first time, he couldn’t fall asleep at the usual hour after returning to the Evernight Pavilion.
The luminous pearls in the Evernight Pavilion had long since gone out, and the protective barrier had automatically activated.
The spacious sleeping quarters were dark and quiet—the best place in the world for a good night’s rest.
But Ling Ye was wide awake, lying in bed with a cold expression, tossing and turning.
Suddenly, he made a decision—he would ignore her for a few days.
He wanted her to understand that even though she had saved his life and even though he had agreed to this marriage, he wouldn’t always indulge her whims.
Thinking about how she might become anxious and restless due to his sudden coldness—how she might lose sleep just like him, and maybe even come to apologize first thing in the morning—Ling Ye’s mood suddenly brightened.
With that thought, his good sleep returned, and he pulled up the covers, sinking into a sweet dream.
However, the next day, Nan Shan didn’t come to apologize.
Not only did she not come looking for him, but she also went about her day as usual—eating and sleeping as she pleased, with an even better appetite than before.
Ling Ye’s mood darkened, and he spent the whole day with a cold expression, making everyone in Canglan Palace steer clear of him.
***
“…Why does your face look so dark? Are you poisoned?”
A cheerful voice rang out as Zhi Can, now fully recovered after a few days of rest, leaped into the courtyard with a grin.
Ling Ye gave the uninvited guest a cold glance and turned to leave.
Zhi Can jumped down from the tree and blocked his path.
“Brother, I’ve finally recovered. Won’t you come celebrate with me at Zhu Yue Tower with some drinks?”
“Not interested.”
Ling Ye sidestepped him and walked toward his room.
“Alright, then I’ll go ask Nan Shan.”
Zhi Can sighed and started walking away.
But after only a few steps, he noticed that someone was now walking beside him.
He blinked in confusion.
“Didn’t you just say you weren’t going?”
“I changed my mind.”
Ling Ye replied indifferently.
“…Okay, then.”
Zhi Can chuckled helplessly and prepared to leave the Evernight Pavilion.
But Ling Ye stopped him.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Forget what…? Oh, you mean Nan Shan?”
Zhi Can suddenly understood.
“I was only planning to ask her if you didn’t go. Since you’re going, there’s no need to ask her anymore, right?”
Ling Ye: “…”
“You want to bring her along?”
Zhi Can tested the waters.
Ling Ye was about to say no, but just then, he caught sight of someone out of the corner of his eye.
Zhi Can also noticed and greeted her immediately.
“Nan Shan!”
Nan Shan, who had been trying to sneak away unnoticed, forced a smile and walked over. “What a coincidence.”
“It’s not a coincidence. This is the Evernight Pavilion.”
Ling Ye looked at her steadily.
“Oh? Right, the Evernight Pavilion…” Nan Shan chuckled awkwardly.
She had been wandering aimlessly and had somehow ended up here.
Ling Ye listened to her clumsy excuse but didn’t bother exposing her in front of Zhi Can.
Instead, he simply remarked with a meaningful tone, “Canglan Palace is quite large.”
“Huh?”
Nan Shan didn’t understand.
Ling Ye turned his face away, pretending to be indifferent, but his mood had clearly improved.
Zhi Can glanced between the two of them, then suddenly smiled at Nan Shan.
“We’re heading to Zhu Yue Tower for drinks. Want to come?”
“I don’t like drinking,” Nan Shan frowned.
Zhi Can grinned.
“Then you can drink something else. Or don’t drink at all. You can just watch the performances.”
Nan Shan was intrigued.
“There are performances?”
“Want to come?”
Zhi Can invited.
Nan Shan was tempted, but when she considered who she’d be going with, she hesitated.
Ling Ye noticed her hesitation—he could tell that she wanted to go out with him but was afraid that he was still angry.
Seeing this, he remained silent for a moment before deciding to be magnanimous, considering that she had specially come to the Evernight Pavilion.
“Let’s go.” He said calmly.
“The pastries at Zhu Yue Tower are good, and the food is delicious. You should give it a try.”
At the mention of food, Nan Shan’s eyes lit up.
“Alright!”
She agreed eagerly, as if she had been waiting for his invitation all along.
Ling Ye’s lips curved slightly, and the last traces of coldness in his demeanor melted away.
Zhi Can looked back and forth between the two of them, becoming more and more confused.
“…Who likes who, exactly?” he muttered.
***
For the first time, Nan Shan left Canglan Palace and rode on a flying vessel.
When the ship-like artifact lifted into the air, she let out a startled gasp and instinctively grabbed onto the sleeve of the person next to her.
“You grabbed the wrong person.”
Ling Ye immediately pulled Zhi Can’s sleeve away and forcibly inserted himself between them.
Nan Shan and Zhi Can had been standing close together, but with Ling Ye suddenly squeezing in, they both had to move aside.
However, Nan Shan was too excited to care about his sudden possessiveness, while Zhi Can stared at Ling Ye as if he had just discovered something incredible.
“What are you looking at?”
Ling Ye’s tone was less than friendly.
Zhi Can cleared his throat.
“Nothing.”
***
Zhu Yue Tower was located in the liveliest part of the Ghost Market.
Since the three of them had arrived suddenly, they hadn’t brought guards, but they had sent word ahead to clear the venue.
As soon as the flying vessel landed, Nan Shan eagerly jumped down and looked around in amazement.
The Underworld’s night market was bustling—everywhere she looked, there were vendors, and each shop was adorned with red lanterns, making it look like a grand festival.
“Let’s go.”
Ling Ye reminded her.
But Nan Shan didn’t hear him.
She was still craning her neck, taking everything in, her twin braids swinging as she moved.
Ling Ye’s gaze flickered, and he suddenly reached out to press a hand against her forehead, forcing her to look at him.
“What are you doing?” she blinked, her dark eyes reflecting his face clearly.
Ling Ye withdrew his hand.
“Let’s go.”
Nan Shan finally snapped out of it and hurried to follow.
“Do we have to go to the restaurant? Can we check out other places first? I just saw a pastry shop with a long line—maybe we could…”
Before she could finish, the doors of Zhu Yue Tower swung open.
“Where do you want to go?”
Ling Ye asked.
“Uh… nowhere. This place looks great!”
Nan Shan’s eyes widened as she took in the magnificent restaurant and the beautifully dressed dancers floating through the air.
“Why are you just standing there? Get up here!”
Zhi Can, already on the second floor, waved an empty wine cup at them.
Nan Shan beamed.
“Coming, coming!”
Ling Ye had just reached out a hand, intending to carry her up, but before he could, she had already lifted her skirt and dashed upstairs.
His outstretched hand stilled midair before he calmly withdrew it and ascended on his own.
By the time Nan Shan reached the second floor, Ling Ye was already seated in the main seat.
“How did you get up here so fast?” she asked, but before he could answer, her attention was immediately stolen by the food on the table.
“Wow! What’s all this? What’s this red thing? Is it a flower? Can you eat it? Can you eat all of these?!”