Since Uncle Zong had put it that way, Mu Wanwan did not refuse again. Right now, she really did need spirit stones.
There was no longer any life-saving ginseng left at home for Mr. Dragon, and she was honestly very worried.
Moreover, even now, she still did not know exactly what kind of injury Mr. Dragon had suffered. Today, after hearing Uncle Zong say that Aunt Yun’er had been cursed, and connecting it with Mr. Dragon’s behaviour in the original book where he fought the leaders of seven clans alone, as well as the strange black-red markings on his face, perhaps he had also been cursed.
Mu Wanwan frowned. Aunt Yun’er had only been struck by a fourth-rank, or at most fifth-rank, curse, yet she had ended up in such a miserable state. The pain Mr. Dragon endured might be even greater than she had imagined.
Also, winter was approaching. She needed money to buy more warming stones, and padded clothes had to be arranged too. Her current speed of earning money was still too slow, and she had no ability to withstand pressure.
What she worried about most was not poverty, nor loneliness. After all, she was used to being alone, and now she had both a dragon and a chirp. What she worried about was people coming to cause trouble.
In the original book, after Ao Qin and Bai Shuiyao got together, they would occasionally come to humiliate Mr. Dragon. He had not come now, perhaps only because he had just taken over Mr. Dragon’s forces and had no time. Once he was free, she and Mr. Dragon might not have any peaceful days.
When the time came, she had to prepare some life-saving things first.
Mu Wanwan thought a little too much and fell silent for a moment. Uncle Zong spoke first. “Girl, I’m afraid I’ll only be here a couple of days later next month. Why don’t you come find me a bit later next time?”
Mu Wanwan was a little surprised. “Uncle Zong, where are you going?”
Uncle Zong’s gaze was complicated, and hope flashed in his eyes. “There’s an auction at the dragon clan market on the third of next month. I heard there might be Jinjiang Grass. I want to go try my luck.”
“Jinjiang Grass?” Mu Wanwan wondered if she had misheard and asked again.
“Mm.” Uncle Zong nodded. “It’s a spiritual grass that can dispel demonic energy and curses. It’s extremely rare, and the price is very high. If I’m lucky enough to buy one, maybe Yun’er can be saved.”
“Even if there’s no Jinjiang Grass, I heard there’ll also be a batch of pills for sale. If I’m lucky, maybe I can buy Snow Condensation Pills, which are very good for beastmen and the demon clan.” As Uncle Zong spoke, he sighed. “I just don’t know what rank they’ll be or what price they’ll sell for. I hope they won’t be too expensive then.”
When he mentioned Snow Condensation Pills being very good for beastmen and the demon clan, Mu Wanwan’s heart moved—
Although the dragon clan was very powerful and had separated out to occupy the largest territory on the continent, strictly speaking, they could probably also be considered part of the demon clan, right?
Snow Condensation Pills that were good for the demon clan might also be very useful for Mr. Dragon. If she could get Snow Condensation Pills, perhaps he would suffer a little less torment. At the very least, if he vomited blood again next time, she would have something to save his life.
Thinking this, although Mu Wanwan felt very embarrassed, she still opened her mouth. “Uncle Zong, I have an unreasonable request.”
Uncle Zong raised his brows. “Go ahead.”
Mu Wanwan considered her words. “Uncle Zong, if you manage to buy extra Jinjiang Grass or Snow Condensation Pills this time, could you save a little for me too? Although I don’t have money right now, I will definitely repay you.”
After saying this, her face turned a little red. Her behaviour could actually be considered very excessive. Uncle Zong had treated her so well, and he did not owe her anything. Both their households had sick people, and neither of them had it easy. Why should he help her?
Uncle Zong was first stunned. Then, after thinking silently for a moment, he did not directly refuse her. “That depends on whether what’s being auctioned this time is Jinjiang Grass seeds or mature spiritual grass. If it’s seeds, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to help cultivate them.”
Mu Wanwan froze. “Jinjiang Grass doesn’t have a rank?”
Uncle Zong said, “It doesn’t, but it’s extremely difficult to cultivate. The price of seeds and finished plants is also worlds apart.”
Mu Wanwan nodded. “I can try.”
Her spiritual energy should be rather special. Perhaps she could successfully cultivate it.
Uncle Zong nodded and told her some more about the auction. The two agreed on the time for their next meeting. Mu Wanwan also exchanged several low-grade spirit stones for gold and silver coins.
Only after repeatedly assuring Uncle Zong that she would definitely bring enough spiritual fruits next time did she leave with spirit stones and seeds tucked away.
When she left, Mu Wanwan looked back at Uncle Zong, who was sitting silently in front of the shop—
The beastman was no longer young. There were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. His broad palms were rough, and his nails were slightly cracked. He propped his chin with one hand, his beast markings appearing and disappearing. Something was hidden in his brown eyes, but the moment his gaze met hers, he immediately withdrew his sorrow and opened his mouth into a smile. Mu Wanwan even saw a hint of pleading in it.
Her heart suddenly felt a little sour. She turned away and stopped looking at Uncle Zong’s expression, tightening her grip on the coins in her hand.
Childhood sweethearts promising the rest of their lives, never abandoning each other in danger—how many people could actually do that?
Mu Wanwan admitted that she was a little envious. Thinking of the vegetable dragon at home, her feelings became even more complicated. At first, she had only thought of taking care of him and leaving once he woke up. But now, it seemed to have changed a little.
Mu Wanwan stopped thinking about this question and began buying things according to the household’s needs. She felt that she should put more of her feelings onto the thin chirp. In the future, if Mr. Dragon really disliked her, she could rely on Mengmeng for companionship.
This time, she mainly needed to replenish spirit rice and warming stones. After Mu Wanwan finished buying things, it was still early.
Looking at the time, she decided to sell the pouches she had made over the past two days and see whether she could earn a few coins. She found the shop where she had bought scrap cloth and needlework supplies last time. The two pouches sold for twenty copper coins.
Although the price was not high, she was still quite satisfied. She used the copper coins to exchange for some new cloth and needlework materials, placed them in the basket as cover, and prepared to buy some chicks to raise in the courtyard.
Thinking this, Mu Wanwan headed toward the place where she had bought eggs last time. But as she passed a dark alley, the sound of children laughing reached her ears—
“Selling vegetables again? Don’t think that just because you’re an elf and don’t need to pay an entry fee, you can come every day.”
“No one will buy your vegetables! My dad said your whole family is made up of cursed bad elves.”
Mu Wanwan frowned. Looking up, she saw a familiar little figure. It was Lan’er.
At this moment, she was surrounded by a group of pretty elf and beastman children. She was tightly hugging her large basket. The birthmark on her face had not faded in colour. Her blue eyes were frighteningly bright.
The little elf leading the group was someone Mu Wanwan had also seen before. It was the pretty little girl from the rouge shop. But her cute face was filled with disgust. “Don’t set up your stall behind our shop next time. You’re scaring all the customers away! If it weren’t because your mother saved my mother, we wouldn’t even want to rent the house to you!”
With every word she said, Lan’er’s eyes dimmed a little. Anger suddenly burned in Mu Wanwan’s chest. “What are you doing?”
She walked into the alley. Those children looked at one another. The little girl in the lead pouted and muttered softly, “Busybody.”
Mu Wanwan raised a brow and had already prepared herself to battle these bratty children for three hundred rounds. But the little girl only made a very ladylike face at her and ran away.
Mu Wanwan: “…”
Seeing her run, the other children also scattered. Very soon, only Mu Wanwan and Lan’er were left in the alley.
“Senior?” Lan’er hugged her basket and asked somewhat uncertainly.
Mu Wanwan nodded. She wanted to pull her up from the ground, but only after walking closer did she discover that Lan’er’s ankles were covered in wounds, full of blood scabs, as if they had been cut by something sharp.
“They bullied you. Why didn’t you fight back?” Seeing this, Mu Wanwan could not suppress her anger.
Lan’er bit her lip, shook her head, and said nothing.
Mu Wanwan froze for a moment, then sighed. She reached out and touched her head. “Where’s your brother?”
In her heart, she felt a little resentful toward Feng. If he were here, those bratty children would not have dared to go this far.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she said this, Lan’er began crying. “Brother is sick.”
Mu Wanwan looked at the ragged vegetables in her basket and sighed. “Get up first.”
Lan’er lowered her head and stood up. “Thank you, Senior.”
Mu Wanwan thought for a moment and asked, “Do you no longer have money?”
A trace of struggle flashed through Lan’er’s eyes. “Last time, Senior gave us one spirit stone. After paying rent, my brother and I could still live by selling vegetables, but my brother suddenly got sick…”
Mu Wanwan hesitated for a moment, then took several silver coins from her pocket. “I’ll buy your vegetables. After this, you’ll have to rely on yourselves.”
Last time, she had already used a spirit stone to repay them for guiding her. This time was out of sympathy. Although a few silver coins were not much, if saved carefully, they could last for some time. This was the limit of what she could help with.
Lan’er cried very hard. As she accepted the coins Mu Wanwan gave her, Mu Wanwan saw that Lan’er’s arms were also covered in wounds, very similar to those on her ankles.
“Thank you, Senior. Thank you, Senior.” Lan’er was somewhat incoherent. With her blue eyes full of tears, she pleaded, “Can I hug you?”
Mu Wanwan did not think much of it. She bent down and picked up this pitiful, unblessed little girl.
Despite how small and thin she looked, holding her actually made Mu Wanwan feel a little dizzy.
But the dizziness only lasted for an instant. Mu Wanwan thought it was her imagination. She felt the child in her arms clutching her tightly and softened her voice. “Alright, it’s okay now.”
Lan’er slowly loosened her grip on the corner of Mu Wanwan’s clothes, her heart filled with guilt and struggle.
“It’s okay now.” Mu Wanwan put her down and rubbed her head. “Then I’ll take the vegetables. Do you want me to send you home?”
Lan’er wiped away her tears and bit her lip, shaking her head.
Mu Wanwan smiled gently and poured the somewhat rotten vegetables into her own basket. “Then I’ll be going.”
Lan’er nodded, hugging her basket as she watched her leave.
Only after Mu Wanwan had gone far away did Lan’er slowly stand up. Because of the movement, blood seeped from the wounds on her ankles.
But Lan’er seemed unable to feel the pain. Carrying the basket on her back and clutching those few silver coins tightly, she limped away.
She did not know how she endured the pain all the way home. She only knew that when she opened the courtyard gate and saw her brother, who had been knocked unconscious and tied up at the side, and the Golden Dragon guard leisurely drinking tea, her eyes instantly turned red. “I already gave her the hallucination grass. Let my brother go.”
“Oh.” Jin Qiang nodded and stood up. He walked to her side and looked down at her from above, pinching Lan’er’s shoulder so hard that she cried out in pain.
“What are you shouting for? I’m just checking.” Jin Qiang was extremely displeased and glared fiercely at Lan’er. Only after confirming that the hallucination grass he had previously placed on her had already been used did he impatiently throw her beside Feng.
Lan’er’s back hit the ground, scraping open a large patch of skin, but she forced herself not to cry out.
“When will she enter the dream?” Jin Qiang asked.
Lan’er endured the pain. “Within three days. She will definitely enter the dream once.”
“Useless.” Jin Qiang kicked her, then looked at the miserable state of the siblings and sneered. “I’ll leave you with your lives for now.”
After saying that, he summoned his spiritual cloud and left.
Jin Qiang was only a very ordinary young dragon of the Golden Dragon Clan. His strength had only just reached the third rank, and he was only a few decades old. This time, he had been lucky enough to snatch up the order issued by Senior Jin Yan. Making a human woman come into contact with third-rank hallucination grass was simply too easy.
It was just that hallucination grass worked better when administered by elves. He did not have much of a foundation and could not bully any powerful elves, so he could only pick on soft persimmons. The Lan’er siblings were just right.
He had left them alive this time because, if there were any more tasks in the future, they would be convenient to use.
Jin Qiang stepped onto his cloud and silently counted the days, preparing to go find Senior Jin Yan in three days. He had even already begun imagining the exhilarating dragon life in which he completed the task smoothly, received Senior Jin Yan’s appreciation, and rose all the way to the peak of dragon life.
……
On Mu Wanwan’s side, she had no idea that she had already fallen into a trap. When she left the city and returned to the Dragon Manor, she was still feeling somewhat emotional. The cruelty of this world was so naked. Even the elf clan, which had the gentlest reputation on the continent, had such a dark side. She did not quite dare imagine what Mr. Dragon’s childhood had been like.
Hongye also noticed that she was distracted. She glanced at Mu Wanwan’s clothes, which had been dirtied by Lan’er, then at the vegetables in her basket, which had been fresh before entering the market and were now tattered and broken. She automatically imagined a grand scene of Madam being bullied and tactfully said nothing.
Mu Wanwan returned early this time, and the weather was still alright. It did not rain.
The ox cart moved at a decent pace. By the time she said goodbye to Hongye and returned to the familiar little courtyard, only half a day had passed.
Mu Wanwan locked the courtyard gate, placed the basket in the courtyard, and pushed open the room door—
“Chirp!”
As soon as she entered, Mengmeng, who had recovered some vitality, launched a chirping attack at her. Mu Wanwan could not help revealing a smile. She touched its fluffy little scarf and enjoyed the little fluffy chirp affectionately rubbing against her. She only felt that the gloom and exhaustion from the morning had lightened considerably.
After rubbing the fluffy chirp, Mu Wanwan drank some water and rested for a while. Only then did she walk to the bedside and look worriedly at the black-red markings on Mr. Dragon’s face.
Over these days, according to her observations, the black-red markings on Mr. Dragon’s face did not move all the time. Usually, when the markings moved, they were accompanied by symptoms like Mr. Dragon’s tail rotting, him vomiting blood, or his face turning pale.
Before, she had not known that Mr. Dragon might have been cursed. She had only thought that he had suffered very serious internal injuries. But today, after meeting Uncle Zong and hearing about that curse that could drain talent, she had gained a new understanding of Mr. Dragon’s injuries.
Perhaps Mr. Dragon had been cursed.
Her brows gently furrowed. Mu Wanwan reached out and slowly traced the markings on Mr. Dragon’s face. Then she carefully pinched the fluffy ears that had somehow appeared again and softly told him what had happened today.
She wanted to find someone to confide in. Although Mengmeng was very cute, it was only a chirp and had not awakened spiritual intelligence. Mu Wanwan was still more inclined to treat Mr. Dragon as the person she could talk to.
“Uncle Zong said the spiritual fruits I cultivate can lessen the effects of curses. I don’t know whether you were cursed too,” Mu Wanwan said, taking out the spirit stones from her pocket and placing them beside his pillow. “From now on, I’ll change your meal plan. You’ll eat spiritual fruits every day.”
A certain dragon, who had just woken up after sensing the dense spiritual energy fluctuation and then heard this terrible news: “…”
A vegetable dragon had no right to speak. Although he would have to eat unpleasant fruits, hearing that Madam was considering things for his sake still made Mr. Dragon feel a little secretly happy. His divine consciousness swept over the four mid-grade spirit stones by his pillow, and his heart felt a little sour.
He knew. His Madam was not a very powerful cultivator, and he also knew how hard every day was for her.
These spirit stones this time were probably the result of many days of her hard work.
But she had not kept even a little for herself. She had given all of them to him.
Mr. Dragon pursed his lips. With these spirit stones, plus Madam’s fruits, he should be able to connect the fourth fragment of his core. At that time, he should be able to move. At the very least, he should be able to wake for more than half an hour every day.
Only, whether or not he should wake up in front of Madam, he had not decided yet.
When he was asleep, she would let down her guard in front of him and would not be afraid of him. But if he woke up, perhaps Madam would no longer treat him with this kind of closeness.
“Mr. Dragon…”
Mu Wanwan called him once. Just when Mr. Dragon thought Madam wanted to say something, a crisp cry sounded by his ear—
“Chirp~”
“Chirp chirp~!”
Mengmeng had finished eating the fruit and was lying obediently on the table, staring at Mu Wanwan with its black-bean eyes.
“Ah, right, it’s time to change Mengmeng’s medicine.” Mu Wanwan patted her head. “I almost forgot.”
The divine consciousness Mr. Dragon had just released, preparing to look at Wanwan, awkwardly stopped in midair after hearing these words.
This chirp again!
He was a grudge-holding dragon. He still remembered how this fluffy chirp had caused Madam to not look at him even once last night!
Mr. Dragon felt wronged. Yesterday, she had not looked at him. Today, now that he was awake and had even exposed his fluffiness, why was she still not touching him and instead touching the chirp?
Sure enough, it was because he was too ugly now.
For an instant, darkness rose in Mr. Dragon’s heart. He even wanted to swallow this chirp whole. But very quickly, he suppressed the thought—
He really was too selfish. If he swallowed the fluffy chirp that could interact with her, then what?
He was unconscious and recovering from his injuries. He was used to loneliness. Did that mean she had to spend every day facing spiritual plants that could not speak, living a tasteless life with a useless dragon like him?
She had already given enough for him.
Mr. Dragon worked hard to persuade himself. His divine consciousness wrapped around Mu Wanwan as he watched her smilingly change the fluffy chirp’s medicine. His mood gradually calmed. Looking at her slightly curled lashes and bright eyes, his heart itched. Blushing, he shamelessly wound his divine consciousness around her, sliding all the way from beside her ear down to her neck.
Her collarbone was distinct, hidden beneath her clothes.
Mr. Dragon’s head began to grow dizzy. The shoulder he had accidentally glimpsed last time suddenly appeared in his mind, making the dragon feel breathless.
Only, that sweet suffocation did not last long before he discovered a small, inconspicuous marking on Mu Wanwan’s neck.
His fingertip suddenly trembled. All of Mr. Dragon’s charming thoughts scattered completely.
Hallucination grass.
Who had put hallucination grass on her? Was it those enemies who wanted to see him suffer?
One name after another flashed through his mind. Mr. Dragon only felt a chill in his heart—
Why, when he was already like this, were those dragons still unwilling to let him go?
Why use this method to make him suffer and humiliate him?
Hallucination grass would not cause physical harm. It only had one effect: entering dreams. It was often used in interrogations. A person affected by hallucination grass would emit an invisible, odourless aura. Once the people around them failed to resist it, they would expose things in the dream that they might subconsciously be unwilling to recall.
Judging from the mark on Mu Wanwan’s neck, she should have been affected by third-rank hallucination grass.
Only a dragon who could see his soul lamp could judge his current strength. Most likely, the dragon who made a move against Madam knew that he was not living quite as miserably as expected and wanted, preferably, to make Madam despise him and make him suffer.
To them, perhaps this was just a prank, like when he was young.
Mr. Dragon’s eyelashes trembled, but he had to admit that he was afraid.
If Madam saw those dark parts of his past in the dream, would she fear him? Would she hate him?
He did not know what memories he subconsciously did not want to recall, but he knew that his hands had never been clean. Those who had wanted to kill him, those who had betrayed him, those who had humiliated him—
Most of them were dead.
What if… what if what he subconsciously did not want to recall were bloodthirsty scenes?
If she truly came to hate him, what should he do?
He knew. Her feelings toward him were only pity. If she knew that he had once been a vicious dragon, would she hate him? If she saw his original form, would she find him disgusting?
Mr. Dragon knew that those dragons’ goal had been achieved. They simply could not bear to see someone treat him well. They wanted to see him suffer, see him humiliated, see him anxious.
“Mr. Dragon, does it hurt badly?” Her voice sounded by his ear. Mr. Dragon fell into a daze. By the time he came back to himself, his fingers had already clenched the bedsheet tightly, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
Mu Wanwan was a little worried. She had just finished applying medicine to the fluffy chirp, and when she turned back, the dragon had a face full of pain. His ears were twitching restlessly, and the black-red markings on his face had also begun moving uneasily.
She sliced the last small piece of ginseng and fed it into his mouth, then sat worriedly by the bed and said softly, “Please, this time, you absolutely must not vomit blood. Please.”
Now, whenever she saw the black-red markings moving nonstop across his pale face, she felt terrified. If this dragon vomited blood again and used up all the spirit stones, she would have no solution at all.
And the next time she could leave would be even later.
Her unintentional words lit hope in Mr. Dragon.
That was right. If he was injured and vomiting blood, would she stay awake to take care of him? The effect of third-rank hallucination grass was not strong. As long as they endured three days, she would not discover anything.
**Author’s note:**
Mr. Dragon: “If Madam discovers that I wasn’t actually a weak, helpless, pitiful dragon in the past, and sees my ugly original form, she will definitely dislike me, hate me, find me disgusting, abandon me and leave me, turning me into a resentful dragon locked in the inner chambers.”
Mu Wanwan: “???”
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