NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18: Master's Wife?
Chapter 18: Master’s Wife?
The next day, Lin Mu indulged in the rare luxury of sleeping in.
Though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly when he opened his eyes, the sound of vigorous martial practice echoing from the courtyard told him he had woken up late.
When Gu Xing saw Lin Mu emerge from his room, he froze for a moment.
But he quickly stepped forward to greet him. “Master, you’re awake!”
“You little rascal.” Lin Mu lightly tapped Gu Xing’s thigh with his cane, his tone tinged with displeasure. “All you think about is martial arts—have you forgotten your duty to help your master get dressed in the morning?”
“How was I supposed to know which room you were sleeping in~?” Gu Xing muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” Lin Mu didn’t catch it and pressed for an answer.
“Nothing!” Gu Xing waved his hands hastily, flashing a grin. “I said I was wrong, and I won’t do it again!”
“Master, don’t be angry!”
“If there’s a next time, see how I punish you!” Lin Mu snorted coldly before asking, “Today’s the first of the month, right?”
“Yeah, it’s time for Uncle Meng to deliver the herbs again.” Gu Xing chuckled.
With a clinic as large as Benevolent Clinic, it was impossible for Gu Xing, the only apprentice, to handle everything alone.
So, Lin Mu had entrusted the task of purchasing and delivering herbs to a former patient he had once treated.
The man was a middle-aged, burly fellow with only his left arm. No one knew his full name, only that his surname was Meng, so Gu Xing always called him Uncle Meng.
Every month on the first day, rain or shine, he delivered the herbs on time. For over a year, he had never missed a single delivery.
But his true identity was a secret known only to Lin Mu in the entire Great Yu Dynasty.
“Tell Wutong to prepare more food today,” Lin Mu instructed Gu Xing.
Just then, Ji Wutong stepped out of her room.
The moment she spotted Lin Mu standing in the courtyard, her fair face beneath the veil flushed pink.
After Lin Mu left last night, Ji Wutong had tossed and turned in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep.
It wasn’t until dawn that exhaustion finally overtook her, and she managed to doze off briefly.
Little did she expect she’d end up being the last one to wake.
“Um…” Ji Wutong stole another glance at Lin Mu before asking softly, “Are you hungry? I’ll go prepare breakfast now~”
“Master’s Wife, no need to trouble yourself!” Gu Xing quickly raised his hand and called out. “I already made porridge this morning—it’s simmering in the pot!”
“We can eat soon!”
With that, Gu Xing wore an exceedingly smug expression.
Though young, he had already guessed that Lin Mu and Ji Wutong would wake up late today.
So, after getting up, he had prepared breakfast in advance, even making extra porridge.
However, neither Lin Mu nor Ji Wutong paid any attention to his latter words.
Their focus was entirely on the title Gu Xing had just used—”Master’s Wife.”
“Mas… Master’s Wife…?” Ji Wutong repeated the word softly under her breath.
Her rosy cheeks grew even pinker, her earlobes particularly flushed.
“You brat, what nonsense are you spouting?!” Lin Mu was stunned for a moment before raising his wooden staff and smacking Gu Xing on the forehead.
“Miss Wutong is unmarried—how dare you tarnish her reputation?!”
As he spoke, he landed a few more strikes.
Gu Xing yelped in pain, dodging and running around.
But no matter how he tried to evade, Lin Mu’s staff always seemed to predict his movements, blocking his path.
“Oww~ Master, stop hitting me!”
“I was wrong, I admit it!”
Another strike landed on his rear, and Gu Xing quickly cried out for mercy.
“Wrong about what?”
“I was wrong… to call her Master’s Wife too soon?” Gu Xing blinked, testing the waters.
“Pfft—” Hearing his answer, Ji Wutong couldn’t help but laugh.
All traces of anger and embarrassment vanished, and she even forgot to refute him.
Her reaction only confirmed Gu Xing’s suspicions further.
Even Lin Mu was left dumbfounded by Ji Wutong’s laughter.
This woman… isn’t she angry?
As expected of a martial artist—so unrestrained and unbothered by trivialities! Lin Mu silently gave Ji Wutong a mental thumbs-up.
Meanwhile, at the Gu family estate…
The atmosphere was filled with sighs and groans.
“Stop pacing in front of me—you’re giving me a headache!” Gu Motian kicked Gu Ming in the rear, his expression brimming with disdain.
But Gu Ming, sporting a shiny bald head, remained oblivious. Instead, he turned to Gu Yueling and asked, “Little sister, what do you think?”
“Still handsome, right?”
With that, he rubbed his bald head, growing even more pleased with himself.
From today onward, he was officially a disciple of Master Yehe, with the dharma name Suhe.
“Brother, are you really sure about this?” Gu Yueling sighed and asked again, “Are you truly going to become a monk?”
“My hair’s already shaved—of course I’m sure!” Gu Ming grinned and pulled out a manual from his robes, boasting, “See this? This is my initiation gift!”
“Master said that as long as I cultivate the Buddhist teachings diligently and temper my mind, this manual will help me reach the Second-Grade Martial Artist realm!”
“Father, from now on, let’s address each other separately!”
“I’ll call you ‘Father,’ and you call me ‘Master Suhe.’ How about it?”
“How about I call your grandmother?!” Gu Motian finally snapped and struck out with his palm.
A surge of powerful internal energy sent Gu Ming flying, landing face-first in the dirt.
Then, he turned to Gu Yueling, his eyes pleading. “Yueling, how about you quit Emei Sect instead?”
“Look at me—I’m getting old. I can’t just live out my days alone in Yanshan City!”
“My request isn’t much—just marry someone and give me a grandchild.”
“After that, you can join Emei Sect or Shaolin for all I care. How about it?”
These past few days, Gu Motian had been so worried his hair had turned white.
Who would’ve thought that despite having both a son and a daughter, he’d end up with no one to care for him in his old age?
“You’re afraid of offending Master Yehe, but not afraid of offending my Master and Emei Sect?” Instead of answering directly, Gu Yueling countered with a smile.
That shut Gu Motian up immediately.
True—if Master Yehe was someone he couldn’t afford to offend, was Emei Sect any easier to deal with?
If I’d known it would come to this, I never would’ve gone to Benevolent Clinic to break off the engagement with Lin Mu.
Back when Gu Yueling became a disciple of Emei Sect’s leader, she was still engaged to Lin Mu—something the sect had known about but didn’t oppose.
After all, Gu Yueling and Lin Mu were childhood sweethearts, and their marriage had been arranged by their parents.
Emei Sect wasn’t so heartless as to forcibly tear apart a fated couple.
But now, news of the broken engagement had already reached Emei Sect.
At this point, convincing them to let Gu Yueling marry someone else would be nearly impossible.
Maybe… I should talk to Lin Mu again and reinstate the engagement?
The more Gu Motian thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
If my daughter marries Lin Mu, surely Emei Sect can’t interfere, right?
His demand wasn’t excessive—just a grandchild. That’s all he wanted.
“Yueling… what do you think of Lin Mu?” Gu Motian tentatively probed.