I Just Wanted To Live but I Somehow Became Better Than the Protagonist

“Shall I take you to find her now?”

“Don’t! Uh… I mean, let’s do it later. First, show me around your Ye family.”

A slight smile crept onto Ye Yong’s lips; a little girl with hidden intentions would surely be fun to tease later: “In that case, how about I take you to the back mountain of our Ye residence? The scenery there is beautiful after the snow, it’s quiet and there aren’t many people around.”

“What are we going there for?” Liang Xiaorou’s gaze began to wander, her cheeks flushing slightly. She sensed the implications—no one and quiet.

“Of course, to enjoy the scenery.”

“Alright, fine, since you insist on recommending it, I’ll go take a look.”

90 What to Hold

The Ye family estate was vast, with many hidden spots in the back mountains. Ye Yong chose a secluded area at the edge of the estate, where servants wouldn’t come, and guards only patrolled occasionally, creating a serene atmosphere.

Liang Xiaorou was a cultivator; despite her petite figure, she walked quickly and didn’t tire easily. After some time, they reached a peak over a thousand meters high, the scenery around them laid bare, with distant villages and towns visible, enhanced by the pristine white snow that added a touch of beauty to the scene.

“Is that Chengying City?” Liang Xiaorou pointed to a distant cluster of buildings. Though she had been in Tianluo Sect for years, she had never visited the three great cities of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

“No, Chengying City is still further away.”

“Oh…” Liang Xiaorou was somewhat distracted. If he dared to make a move on her in such a remote place, she would definitely bite Ye Yong to death.

Yet Ye Yong acted very honestly, setting up tables and chairs, brewing spiritual tea, laying out desserts, and then reciting a few lines of fitting poetry before pulling out a canvas to paint, showing no other unusual behavior.

What should have been comforting only made Liang Xiaorou more unsettled.

What does he mean? Is he really just showing me the scenery? Even if we’re sightseeing, shouldn’t we walk around? Suddenly starting to paint—what’s that about?

Ye Yong sat at the edge of the cliff, his back to Liang Xiaorou, holding a brush and focused on the canvas. She felt an inexplicable urge to kick him down the mountain.

“Hey!” Losing interest in the desserts, after a while, Liang Xiaorou stood up, somewhat displeased, and walked over to Ye Yong. But when she saw the content of his painting, her annoyance vanished instantly.

A girl with a bun hairstyle, petite in stature, stood at the cliff’s edge, gazing into the distance as if she held the world in her grasp.

Though only her back was visible, Liang Xiaorou recognized herself at once.

“Do you like it?” Ye Yong didn’t turn around, completely absorbed in his painting.

“Barely.” Liang Xiaorou mumbled, secretly studying Ye Yong’s profile.

——

Qin Shidream heard of the Liang family’s arrival and immediately made her way to the reception hall. Though she too was a guest, the presence of the Liang family warranted her attention. After all, she had received many tokens of gratitude during her time with them.

Upon entering the hall, she noticed the absence of Ye Yong and Liang Xiaorou. After exchanging pleasantries with the Liang family members, she inquired about the whereabouts of Ye Yong and the others.

Liang Mengchao, upon hearing this, promptly declared that Ye Yong had taken his daughter off to wander, urging Qin Shidream to find them, insisting that having familiar faces around would surely bring more joy to his daughter.

Liang Zhiping and the others silently shook their heads, fearing that it would not be joy but rather gloom that awaited them.

What kind of father is this?

Seeing Qin Shidream about to leave, Liang Zhiping quickly interjected, “Miss Qin, please wait a moment. Wasn’t it suggested by Young Master Ye last time that our families—the Liang, Ye, and Qin—should become friends? We have come to foster ties with the Ye family, and later we intend to visit your Qin family. I would like to inquire about the preferences of your family head and elders.”

Liang Xiongwei shot Liang Zhiping a glance, clearly pleased. At least this uncle was competent, unlike her father, who not only failed to seek benefits for his daughter but also seemed intent on obstructing them.

“I actually don’t quite…” Qin Shidream felt a sense of bewilderment. The Liang family boasted a powerful Void Realm expert, their overall strength surpassing that of the Ye family. The Qin family was already inferior to the Ye family; it should be the Qin family asking about the Liang family’s preferences, not the other way around.

Wait, could it be that they intended to keep her here? To create an opportunity for those two to be alone?

Qin Shidream was no fool; lacking life experience was one thing, but some insights came naturally to women, an instinctive understanding without the need for teaching.

“It’s fine, take your time. The more details you think of, the better. Our three families forming a bond is beneficial for all. You must consider your own family,” Liang Xiongwei continued, further solidifying her suspicions.

But the Liang family had the upper hand here. If she left now and jeopardized the alliance, she would become a pariah in her own family. No matter how she felt about it, the Qin family had raised her; even without a sense of belonging, she could not act against their interests. Reluctantly, Qin Shidream suppressed her impatience and began to recall the interests and hobbies of her family head and the elders.

Most importantly, she trusted Ye Yong, believing he would not do anything to Liang Xiaorou. Just then, a memory of the close ties between the Great Zhou Dynasty and Ye Yong flickered in her mind, causing her resolve to waver.

—On a certain mountain;

“It’s done, take it.” Ye Yong handed the finished painting to Liang Xiaorou, who received it with joy, admiring it closely, her fondness growing with each glance.

Once she had savored it enough, Ye Yong remarked, “We should be heading back soon; it’s been nearly two hours.”

“Why go back so soon?” Liang Xiaorou tucked the painting away. “I still want to enjoy the scenery a bit longer.”

“Alright, then I’ll take you somewhere else, like Chengying City.”

“Can’t we stay here?” Liang Xiaorou found Ye Yong inscrutable. Hadn’t he just emphasized how quiet and empty this place was? Was he really here just to paint? Was she overthinking it?

“It’s not that we can’t, but the temperature is a bit low. I’m afraid of the cold. If only there were something to hold onto to warm myself up,” Ye Yong said, deliberately looking away, his hands lightly tapping against his thighs.

—

Liang Xiaorou’s cheeks flushed; she knew it! The big bad wolf had finally revealed its true face and fangs. Yet, this little Red Riding Hood, fully aware of the danger, still chose to step into the wolf’s jaws: “So, what do you want to hold to warm your body?”

“I don’t know, do you have any recommendations?” Ye Yong continued to tap his thigh, as if waiting for something.