Concubines Lead to Strength: The Path to Immortality Begins with Taking a Spouse

Along the way, the two didn't speak again.

Liu Qingqing walked very fast, afraid he would notice her face blushing with embarrassment.

Gu Changge merely thought he had taken his joke too far and had angered her, so he didn't dare to speak any more and silently followed.

It wasn't until a moment later, when Liu Qingqing's complexion had returned to normal and no signs of peculiarity could be seen, that she suddenly stopped.

"I didn't say anything," Gu Changge said, because he was worried that he had gone too far, and his first reaction was to desperately assert his innocence.

"..."

"I don't know the way; you lead," Liu Qingqing turned around, saw his innocent expression, and almost couldn't help laughing out loud, which completely dissolved any resentment she harbored.

"Oh."

Gu Changge tugged at the corner of his mouth, realizing he had been making a big deal out of nothing; she didn't seem angry after all.

Not knowing the way and yet walking so fast...

But this time, he dared not vocalize his complaints.

The hearts of women are like needles at the bottom of the ocean...

Soon, the duo had reached the Family Head's courtyard. Since they were there to discuss marriage, naturally, they didn't go to the formal assembly hall.

In the hall, Gu Zhan sat to one side, drinking tea.

Gu Sanfeng was conversing with a woman who bore some resemblance to Liu Qingqing, only she seemed somewhat frail and pale.

As soon as Gu Changge entered the hall, he realized, this was his mother-in-law!

Just when he was pondering whether he would face various difficulties, he saw the beautiful woman stand up and walk directly towards him and Liu Qingqing.

"Uh... Changge has met Auntie."

Gu Changge was about to bow in respect when he spoke,

but his arms were directly held, preventing him from bowing.

This situation...

was not good...

The woman's gesture made Gu Changge's heart skip a beat.

Then, he was utterly baffled.

When he looked up and met the woman's eyes, he saw her eyes were red and tearful.

Isn't this...

What's happening?

Gu Changge sent a pleading look to the Family Head and his uncle; he hadn't done anything!

"In the blink of an eye, you've grown so tall."

"Good... good."

"Good child, do you remember me?"

"When Qingqing was young, she always pestered me to bring her to see you, your parents were still..."

Zhao Ling, upon seeing the young man before her, couldn't help but recall his parents. At that time, the four of them had shared life and death experiences, but now, she was the only one left alive.

"Remember... remember." Gu Changge had finally realized that she wasn't here to trouble him, but rather, was moved by memories?

He still had recollections of those years from over a decade ago.

"Mom," Liu Qingqing reminded her from the side.

This prompted Zhao Ling to raise her hand to wipe her eyes, quickly replacing it with a smile.

She took Gu Changge's hand and made him sit beside her, completely forgetting to manage her own daughter.

As they sat there, they chatted about household matters and old times, with Gu Changge simply nodding in response.

"It's a pity they couldn't see you two getting married."

"It's because I was injured back then and didn't continue adventuring with them, which ironically spared me from the disaster."

Every time the topic turned to Gu Changge's parents, she couldn't hide the sadness in her eyes.

"This here, is prepared for the two of you."

"Just consider it as Qingqing's dowry, you've just started cultivating and you're in need of elixirs, so I imagine these might be of some use to you."

Zhao Ling held onto Gu Changge's hand the entire time and didn't let go until she handed him a storage pouch into his palm.

"This... thank you, auntie."

Gu Changge didn't refuse, reasoning that if he did, it might not look good.

"Since you're getting married soon, it's not a problem to start calling me 'mother'."

"It's just a matter of one day sooner or later!"

Zhao Ling saw him accept the gift she offered, and her mood greatly improved, cheerfully speaking.

"..."

Gu Changge thought to himself that this conversation seemed very familiar, is this what they call karma!?

"I'll still wait a few days until after the wedding, you know, Aunt, I've been quite conservative since I was young."

Feeling Liu Qingqing's gaze from the side, he thickened his skin and said.

"Alright... alright, it's all up to you."

"In these next few days, I'll prepare the wedding garments and everything you need, and if you have any preferences, you can tell me."

Zhao Ling was looking increasingly fondly at her son-in-law, merely being the son of an old friend was enough to win her trust in his character.

Even if Gu Changge couldn't cultivate, she supported Liu Qingqing's decision to marry without conditions, and now that Gu Changge was able to cultivate, her joy was doubled.

It was a long while before Zhao Ling grew a bit thirsty from all the talking.

She then let Gu Changge and Liu Qingqing leave.

Even as the two departed, she couldn't help but add, "Qingqing can be a bit temperamental, if you ever feel wronged in any way, you can tell me, and the Liu Family will back you up."

Hearing this, Liu Qingqing's face darkened.

On the contrary, Gu Changge nodded vigorously, showing understanding!

This was settled then, wasn't it completely secure now?

With such a mother-in-law, it was a guaranteed win!

After the two walked some distance away, Gu Changge began to inspect the storage pouch he had just received.

"My goodness, ten top-grade spirit stones, and various elixirs, a total of over thirty bottles."

"Your mother has really emptied the family coffers for your dowry!"

Gu Changge was somewhat astonished, ten top-grade spirit stones were equivalent to at least ten thousand lower-grade spirit stones, and could possibly even be traded for twelve thousand lower-grade spirit stones!

Adding those elixirs, it might even be enough to trade for a Soul-Shaping Pill!

The Liu Family was somewhat inferior to the Gu Family, and Liu Qingqing's mother, in the Liu Family, had a monthly salary similar to his third uncle; it seemed that after her injury these years, she probably hadn't been cultivating, nor using up these resources, allowing her to save up so much!

His third uncle, needing to cultivate himself, even though he received a slightly higher Tributor, had not saved up enough for a Soul-Shaping Pill.

"Here, take it," Gu Changge said without hesitation, handing over the storage pouch to Liu Qingqing.

"I really shouldn't take it, fearing that you will complain to your mother."

Liu Qingqing turned her face away as she spoke.

She couldn't understand what her mother was thinking, it was indeed too preposterous, and besides, even if it was a dowry, shouldn't it belong to her?

She didn't intend to compete with Gu Changge, but... she had been pampered from childhood, how had she fallen out of favor now!?

"Come on, come on..."

"Take it, I can't use it."

"What's yours is mine, everything I have... all of it is yours."

Gu Changge didn't give her a chance to refuse, grasping her soft, smooth hand and placing the items in her hand.

He spoke truly, for it was better for Liu Qingqing to use the elixirs than himself, and if he truly possessed any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he would definitely give them to Liu Qingqing without hesitation!

Liu Qingqing stared blankly at him, her heart secretly thrilled by his words.

The feeling of neglect from her mother just moments before disappeared in that instant.