I Am, the Unfortunate One

The next day, dawn light softly filtered in.

Ye Shu opened his eyes.

It was already quite bright outside, clearly far past early morning—nearly time for lunch.

Ye Shu frowned slightly.

Why had he woken up so late today? Logically, he should have been awake before dawn.

Could it really be that he had slept too comfortably last night?

Ah, forget it.

Since he was under surveillance anyway, sleeping in wasn't so bad—it actually fit the image of someone recovering from a brush with death.

These next few days, he couldn't afford to make any major moves anyway.

Just as he was thinking this, there came a sudden rustling in his arms.

"Mmm~"

Looking down, he saw that Jiang Xin was burrowing into his chest like a little pig, snuffling contentedly and letting out pleased little grunts.

"Sleepy... hehe..."

She tugged at the hem of Ye Shu's shirt, letting out a silly, dreamy laugh, just like a little girl who never grew up.

"You silly child."

Ye Shu sighed helplessly.

In the sunlight, the girl's face was especially soft in the morning glow, radiating naive charm. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes squinting in contentment, her pink lips slightly pouted, glistening like a ripe cherry.

Looking at her tempting lips, Ye Shu couldn't help but swallow hard.

Think about it—

If a naive, slightly silly girl were lying in your bed, sharing it with you, showing you such deep trust and dependence, completely defenseless...

Could you resist giving her a kiss?

Anyone who wouldn't was either a saint or crazy.

"We're practically an old married couple by now. Kissing her once shouldn't be a big deal."

Ye Shu murmured to himself, leaning in stealthily.

To be honest, he was nervous. This was his first time trying to sneak a kiss from a girl.

His heart raced.

He held his breath, creeping forward like a thief, slowly closing in on those soft, translucent lips. Then—

"Daddy, what are you doing?"

A childish, out-of-place voice piped up.

Ye Shu's body stiffened instantly. He looked down.

There, squeezed between the two of them, was Jiang Mingyue clutching her stuffed doll, staring up at him with innocent curiosity.

"Well... Daddy is helping your mommy shoo away mosquitoes."

Ye Shu forced an awkward smile.

"Mingyue, why are you up so early?"

As he spoke, he suddenly noticed something odd—Jiang Mingyue's face had a purplish tint, as if she were poisoned.

"Mingyue, what's wrong with your face?"

"The wind was a bit cold last night..." Jiang Mingyue said weakly, leaning softly into Ye Shu's arms.

Last night, in her battle with that vixen—

Though she had once been the Nine Nether Empress, her cultivation was not yet restored. They had fought to a draw, and some residual poison still lingered in her body.

"Ah, so you caught a cold."

Ye Shu sighed in relief, quickly hugging her and soothing her gently. "Don't be scared. Daddy's here."

"Mm-hmm!"

Jiang Mingyue wrapped her arms around his neck, curling up comfortably in his embrace, a sly glint flickering in her eyes.

What did that wretch have compared to her?

Even if she lost in their magical duel, she could still cuddle and act spoiled openly in his arms, while the other woman was left licking her wounds in the dark.

Too bad that woman couldn't see this.

Jiang Mingyue secretly gloated, even as she kept up a weak, obedient expression.

"Daddy..."

She parted her small lips and said weakly, "Mingyue heard that when you're sick, a kiss from your daddy helps you get better faster."

"Huh?" Ye Shu was completely dumbfounded.

Who said that?

He'd never heard of such a thing.

But seeing the anticipation shining in Jiang Mingyue's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

Fine. He would show some fatherly love.

Ye Shu took a deep breath, leaned down, and was about to plant a kiss on Jiang Mingyue's cheek when suddenly she turned her face and pressed her lips to his.

"?????"

Ye Shu's eyes went wide as he stared into Jiang Mingyue's bright, unblinking gaze.

"Mmm~"

Jiang Mingyue even squinted her eyes, licking her lips with apparent relish.

What the—!!!!

Wasn't this illegal?

Just then, the commotion finally woke Jiang Xin from her sleep. She blinked groggily and caught sight of Ye Shu and Jiang Mingyue with their faces and lips pressed together. Her eyes shot open, and she sprang up from the bed.

"Y-You! You pervert!!!"

She pointed at Ye Shu, trembling with fury.

"You animal! So you're after children too! I always knew you had no morals!"

Ye Shu froze for a second, then quickly waved his hands.

"It's not what you think! Let me explain—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Xin grabbed a pillow and slammed it into his face, gritting her teeth.

"What's there to explain?!"

"You pedophile!"

"Now I see why you'd ignore a gorgeous girl like me—you've got your eyes on little Mingyue!"

"Deviant! I'll beat you to death!!!"

"Take this! And this!"

"Whoa! I swear I'm not a pedophile! Let me explain! How could I like a kid that young!"

"Still making excuses! Take my Super Ultimate Heavenly Flying Meteor Kick!"

"Agh! For the love of—"

"Stop! Stop!"

The two of them chased each other around the room, pillows flying, tea sets and furniture scattering everywhere. Little Mingyue sat on the bed, one hand touching her soft lips, savoring the memory.

From afar, it almost looked like a cozy family of three.

...

Time passed like flowing water.

After that day, Ye Shu had barely left the house for three months. He spent his time in the courtyard playing with Jiang Mingyue and occasionally teasing Jiang Xin. Life was fairly peaceful.

Except for one thing—every morning when he woke up, he felt something weird.

There was a milky, sweet taste in his mouth.

Could someone be sneaking a kiss from him in the middle of the night?

He also noticed that Jiang Mingyue seemed overly clingy. She would constantly burrow into his arms and find ways to demand kisses and hugs, claiming it was the only way to grow up quickly.

Even Jiang Xin got a little jealous.

But the child was still young, so Ye Shu let her be.

Looking at little Mingyue, he couldn't help but think of his two daughters he had never met. When would he see them?

And where had his master gone?

The Mo family had not made any major moves recently, so Ye Shu remained laying low.

Until a few months later, when an opportunity finally came.

A major event occurred in the Central Continent.

A cultivation cave belonging to a Mahayana-stage cultivator from the Era of Fallen Emperors had appeared. The news spread across the entire Central Continent, and all the great factions sent people to investigate.

The Mo family was no exception.

In truth, this ruin was originally meant to be his fortune—an opportunity for him to rise quickly in the Central Continent.

Thus, Xiaobai had set up a special restriction.

Only cultivators whose cultivation did not exceed the Nascent Soul stage could explore the ruin; anyone stronger would be killed by the barrier.

In other words, it was a gathering designed specifically for him.

A gathering of prodigies.

As a branch of the Mo family, they were entitled to one slot—and this slot naturally fell to Mo Shisan.

What? You're asking about the others from the Mo family's branch?

They're all buried in the ground.

"This relic exploration slot is yours."

Inside the great hall of the Mo clan, the Clan Elder in charge of this branch looked at Ye Shu, his tone cold: “Stay close to the young master on this trip. When you go out and show your face, don’t bring shame upon the Mo family.”

“Yes! I will not disappoint your expectations!”

Ye Shu clasped his hands in a salute, his face brimming with surprise and delight.

“Alright, you may withdraw now.”

The Clan Elder waved his hand, signaling that he could leave.

Ye Shu bowed, then turned and strode out of the hall, the joy on his face gradually fading.

This expedition to the ruins was unavoidable.

The ruins held countless heavenly treasures and rare wonders of the world, all of which would greatly aid his cultivation and recovery.

Most importantly—

He might encounter people from the Qingxuan Sect.

Returning to his courtyard, Ye Shu began to pack his belongings. At the same time, he placed ten milky-white pills on the table and said calmly, “I’m heading to the Central Province soon to explore that Mahayana ruins. I don’t know how long this will take. These ten months’ worth of pills should be enough to last until I return.”

After months of warmth and closeness, the sudden parting stirred complex feelings.

Jiang Xin’s heart was clearly troubled.

She gathered the pills from the table and, just as Ye Shu was about to step out the door, she suddenly spoke.

“Wait.”

“What is it?”

Ye Shu stood at the threshold and turned back.

“It’s just…” Jiang Xin sat on the chair, biting her lower lip, hesitating. “I want to know—who are you really?”

“……”

On this question, Ye Shu fell silent.

At present, his identity was extremely sensitive, and the system had yet to learn of his resurrection…

Seeing this, Jiang Xin lowered her head in disappointment.

“If you don’t want to say, then never mind…”

Yet, in the next moment, Ye Shu gently wiped his hand across his face, revealing a delicate countenance with gentle brows and eyes, and a youthful spirit that would never fade.

“I am the Luckless Man.”

“If my identity is exposed and you get caught up in it, do not hesitate or hold back. Directly reveal the name Ye Shu, confess everything without concealment. It might just save your life.”

“No matter what, living is what matters most.”

With that, he brushed his right hand over his face, pushed open the door, and strode off into the distance.