Legendary Son-in-Law: The Man with Poison Talismans

"Brother Lin..." His voice was hoarse, as if something was stuck in his throat, and he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Gu An carefully folded the paper and placed it together with the previous one. He looked up at Lin Mu, his eyes filled with admiration, regret, and something else that Lin Mu couldn't understand.

"Brother Lin, someone like you shouldn't just be a live-in son-in-law."

Lin Mu picked up his teacup, took a sip of the now-cold tea, and said calmly, "Whether I'm a live-in son-in-law or not is not up to me. But how I live is up to me."

Gu An paused for a moment, then smiled. All the complex emotions in his smile dissipated, leaving only pure appreciation.

"Brother Lin is right."

He raised his teacup, offering tea as a toast to Lin Mu.

Lin Mu also raised his glass and lightly clinked it with his.

“Brother Gu,” Lin Mu said slowly, taking a sip of tea, “there’s no rush for the introduction. My abilities are not worth troubling Her Majesty the Empress.”

Gu An looked up abruptly, wanting to retort, but opened his mouth and didn't know where to begin. Looking at Lin Mu's calm and collected demeanor, the fire in his heart was doused with cold water, so he could only sit down sullenly, carefully fold the paper, and put it into his sleeve.

“Brother Lin,” he said earnestly, “I will definitely let people see your talent. I will.”

Lin Mu smiled and said nothing more.

The two chatted casually, from poetry to the martial arts world, and from the martial arts world to the local customs and traditions of various places. When Lin Mu asked about the old stories of the Marfa Continent, Gu An told him everything he knew.

"It is said that a long, long time ago, the monsters in this world had much different health and attack power than they do now." Gu An held his teacup, his gaze falling on the moon outside the window. "Back then, monsters were not nearly as powerful as they are now, and Awakened Ones did not face such difficulties. It was only later that the rules of heaven and earth changed drastically, and monsters became stronger and stronger, making life increasingly difficult for Awakened Ones."

Lin Mu asked, "Why did it change?"

Gu An shook his head: "Nobody knows. Some say it's because of the great war in ancient times, some say it's the natural order evolving on its own, and some say... it's the world punishing someone." His voice softened at the end, as if he himself didn't believe it.

Lin Mu did not ask any further questions.

The two chatted like that, and before they knew it, the sky outside the window changed from pitch black to deep blue, and then from deep blue to grayish-white. The moon had already set, and the sea was shimmering with a faint morning light, like a thin layer of golden gauze.

"It's dawn." Gu An looked out the window, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Lin Mu glanced out the window; it was indeed bright now. And so, the night passed.

The boat was still moving upstream, much slower than it had been on the way there. Gu An said it would take another two days to reach Beech.

"Then let's chat for another two days," Lin Mu said with a smile.

Gu An smiled too, a smile that carried an indescribable lightness, as if some burden had been lifted.

For the next two days, Gu An and Lin Mu were almost inseparable.

Gu An was still dressed in men's clothing, still looking like a handsome young man, but it seemed that no one intended to break through that thin veil of secrecy.

Lin Mu could tell that her dressing as a man was intentional. Only in this way could she allow a man into her cabin without any reservations, and sit with him to chat about poetry, literature, and all sorts of trivial matters. Lin Mu didn't expose her, and with the gentlemanly manners he had cultivated in his previous life, he happily interacted with this "Brother Gu." In any case, he felt quite good.

I just don't know if this Brother Gu is only like this to him.

During the day, the two would step out of their cabin and stand by the ship's railing to admire the scenery on both banks. The river shimmered in the sunlight, and the distant mountains stretched out in layers, like a traditional Chinese ink painting. Gu An would sometimes point to the distant mountains and say, "Green mountains faintly visible, waters stretching far and wide," and sometimes look at the clouds in the sky and recite, "The mountains are more beautiful when the clouds come, and like a painting when the clouds go." Then he would turn to Lin Mu, his eyes sparkling, waiting for his evaluation.

Lin Mu would casually offer a few comments, sometimes reciting a line or two of a poem to suit the occasion. Gu An listened intently, occasionally taking out a piece of paper to write it down, muttering, "This line is wonderful, this line is absolutely wonderful."

Lin Mu would occasionally glance at Gu An's chest, thinking to himself, "So flat, even flatter than Chunxing." Looking at her face and figure, there should be some curves, but beneath that moon-white robe, it was completely flat, revealing nothing.

Could it be Princess Taiping? He withdrew his gaze, his doubts deepening, but his face remained impassive.

Tired, the two returned to their cabin. Lin Mu took out his bedding from his storage bag and spread it out on the floor next to the low table.

Gu An was initially a little embarrassed, saying that Brother Lin shouldn't sleep on the floor, and that she should sleep on the floor instead. Lin Mu waved his hand and said, "Brother Gu, don't be so polite. I'm used to it when I'm away from home, and I feel more comfortable sleeping on the floor." Gu An then stopped insisting.

At night, the cabin became quiet, with only the sound of water flowing beneath the ship and the wind blowing outside the window.

Lin Mu lay on the ground, staring at the deck above his head, his mind replaying his experiences in the Woma Forest over the past few days.

Gu An lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Occasionally, she would glance at Lin Mu on the floor, then quickly turn back, her heart pounding. Even the occasional snoring of Lin Mu made her feel comfortable.

And just like that, two days and two nights passed by in the blink of an eye.

On the day the ship finally docked, the boatman's shouts came from outside the cabin: "We're here! We've arrived in Beach City! Wake up, everyone, get ready to disembark!"

Lin Mu and Gu An exchanged a glance, both stunned. Time had passed so quickly.

"We've arrived," Gu An said softly.

"Yes, we've arrived."

The two remained silent for a while, neither moving. Lin Mu stood up first, straightened his clothes, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu An: "Brother Gu, until we meet again."

Gu An stood up, clasped his hands in return, and moved his lips as if to say something, but then swallowed his words. Just as Lin Mu turned to leave, Gu An suddenly called out to him, his voice tinged with embarrassment and barely concealed reluctance: "Brother Lin... I still don't know where you live? If you have any new works in the future, that would be great..."

Before he could finish speaking, the tips of his ears turned red again, like the lingering glow of dawn on the horizon.

Lin Mu glanced back at him and said, "The Qin residence in the southern part of Bich City. Just ask around when you get there."

Gu An nodded, took something out of his pocket, and handed it over. It was a jade pendant, warm and translucent, engraved with patterns that Lin Mu couldn't understand; it was clearly no ordinary item. Gu An's fingers trembled slightly, and his face flushed a little, as if he had made a great decision before handing it over.

"Brother Lin, this is for you. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, take this to... to the city to find me." His voice grew softer and softer until the last few words were almost inaudible. He didn't dare to look at Lin Mu, but stared at the jade pendant in his hand.

Chapter 50 The Son-in-Law is Back

Lin Mu looked at the jade pendant, then at Gu An, and without asking any questions, he reached out and took it. It was warm to the touch and still carried a bit of body heat.

"Thank you, Brother Gu."

Seeing that he had accepted the gift, Gu An seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but also seemed even more nervous. He twisted his cuffs with his fingers and whispered, "Take care on your journey, Brother Lin."

Lin Mu nodded and went out the door.

Many people were already disembarking from the deck. The morning light shone on the dock, where people came and went, creating a noisy scene. He stood by the ship's railing, took a deep breath of the air, which smelled of the river, and looked down at the jade pendant in his hand.

The jade pendant appears even more translucent in the sunlight, with its intricate patterns seemingly possessing a life of their own.

Gu An stood by the window, watching the figure on the deck merge into the crowd, gradually disappearing from sight. She stood still, her fingers still gripping her sleeve, her knuckles slightly white.

The sound of a door being pushed open came from behind me, soft but with a hint of urgency.

"Miss!"

Cai Ling burst in, her round face, wide-open eyes, and chubby cheeks making her look like an angry little cat.

"Miss! How could you stay in a room with a man for two days and two nights! If word gets out..."

"Cai Ling." Gu An finally spoke, his voice not loud, but Cai Ling's words came to an abrupt halt.

“But Miss…” Cailing’s lips trembled, her eyes reddening, “I’ve been waiting outside for two days and two nights, I’m so worried. You won’t let me in to serve you, you even let me leave the tea at the door. Who is that person? What’s his background? What if he’s a bad person? What if he’s disrespectful to you?”

Gu An turned around, her face expressionless, but the blush on her ears hadn't completely faded. She walked to the low table, picked up the few pages of paper, carefully folded them, and tucked them into her sleeve.

“He’s not a bad person,” she said.

Cailing leaned closer, her eyes still red, and curiously peeked into her sleeve: "Then who is he? Miss has never treated any man like this before."

Gu An didn't answer. He walked to the window, his gaze falling on the bustling crowd at the distant dock, as if searching for something. But that person was long gone.

Cailing opened her mouth, wanting to ask another question, but seeing the expression on her young mistress's face that she had never seen before, she swallowed her words back. She couldn't describe that expression; it wasn't happiness, nor was it unhappiness, but rather something that had taken root in her heart and quietly sprouted.

"Let's go." Gu An withdrew his gaze and straightened his clothes. "It's time to go back."

She pushed open the door and went out. The morning light shone on her, gilding her moon-white robe with a faint golden hue. Cai Ling followed behind, her lips still pursed. She had a million questions in her mind, but she knew that if her mistress didn't want to talk about it, asking would be pointless.

She could only mutter under her breath, "How am I going to explain this when I get back..."

-

Lin Mu walked along the road, glancing down at the money in his Qiankun bag. He had the money he'd earned from looting corpses and defeating monsters.

Several 77 gold coins, 85 silver coins, and copper coins.

Chunxing has been waiting at home for so many days, I wonder how anxious she must be. We should buy that little girl something.

He turned into the busiest street in Beach City and strolled along. He bought two boxes of osmanthus cakes from a pastry shop and picked out some candied fruits. At a general store, he saw a rag doll, about the size of his palm, with not very fine stitching, but it was adorable. Its round face looked just like Chunxing's puffed-out cheeks. He picked it up, looked at it, and then put it in his pocket.

I paused at the sugar figurine stall and had the old craftsman blow a little rabbit out of the sugar; the transparent sugar syrup shimmered with an amber light in the sunlight. Finally, I picked out a pair of silver bracelets for ordinary people at the jewelry stall. They weren't expensive, but they were delicately designed and jingled in my hands.

Having bought everything, Lin Mu found a quiet alley, changed into his simple clothes, and rode his horse towards the Qin residence. The clothes were still the same old, dusty garment with worn-out cuffs, and he looked exactly the same as when he left the city.

Meanwhile, Qin Yumo's companions were gathering at the Qin residence. Song Wanzhu and Su Qinghe sat at a stone table drinking tea, while Shen Zhiyao and Lu Xingci leaned against a pillar, chatting idly. The group prepared to set off again to the Orc Tomb to level up.

Jiang Yanzhou stood in front of Qin Yumo, holding a piece of paper cut from a Beechwood tabloid in his hand, a smug smile on his face.

"Yu Mo, look at this new poem I just published." He cleared his throat and read aloud, "The autumn wind is bleak as it passes over the river city, a line of wild geese flies across the vast sky. Do not say that news from afar is cut off, for the bright moon shines on people everywhere."

After reading it, he raised his chin, glanced at everyone's faces, and waited for their reactions.

Song Wanzhu was the first to clap her hands: "Excellent! Brother Yanzhou's poem has a broad vision and extraordinary style, especially the last line, 'Where does the bright moon not shine on people?' It has a lingering charm and is truly a masterpiece!"

Su Qinghe nodded in agreement, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "It's indeed a huge improvement over the previous ones. Brother Yanzhou has clearly put in a lot of effort lately. There aren't many poems in Bichon City that can compare to this one."

Shen Zhiyao leaned against the pillar and spoke up, which was rare for him: "I saw Brother Jiang's poem when it was published in the Biqi tabloid, and I thought it was good at the time. Hearing Brother Jiang recite it in person today, it has a special charm. I showed it to a few friends the other day, and they all said it was good."

Lu Xingci chimed in, "Yes, yes, I think it's good too. Brother Jiang's poem would be among the top in this issue of the tabloid."

Qin Yumo took the paper and glanced at it, a faint smile appearing on her lips: "Indeed, it's quite good. 'Do not say that news is cut off at the ends of the earth, for the bright moon shines on all people.' These two lines are evocative, warming the heart when read. Brother Yanzhou has made considerable progress recently."

Jiang Yanzhou's smile was as thick as honey, and he raised his chin even higher. He pushed the note towards Qin Yumo, about to say something more...

"Chunxing! Your son-in-law is back!"

A shout at the courtyard gate was like a thunderclap.

Jiang Yanzhou's words caught in his throat, the note in his hand still hanging in mid-air, the smile on his face still lingering, when suddenly he felt as if someone had grabbed his neck. He turned his head sharply and saw a dusty figure striding in, while Chunxing had already flown past like a swallow.

"What garbage!" Jiang Yanzhou slammed the paper on the table, his voice booming, "It's interfering with my recitation of my masterpiece!"

Everyone looked toward the doorway, where a figure dressed in drab gray clothes strode in, looking travel-worn but with his back ramrod straight.

Lin Mu spotted Chunxing immediately and opened his arms to embrace her.

Chunxing, her eyes red-rimmed, buried her face in his chest, clinging to him like a kitten that had been wronged but had finally waited for its owner to return. Lin Mu was jolted back a little by the impact, then patted her back with a smile: "Alright, alright, so many people are watching."

Chunxing then realized her rudeness, got out of his arms, her face flushed, and stepped aside, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, but her eyes were fixed on Lin Mu, as if afraid he would run away.

What did I gain from Chapter 51?

Lin Mu's gaze swept around the courtyard.

Qin Yumo sat on the stone bench, holding a teacup in her hand, without getting up. She looked at him with indifferent eyes, as if he were looking at a leaf that had fallen in the yard. In front of her stood a strange man.

However, her two best friends stood up. Song Wanzhu and Su Qinghe walked over from the left and right, circled around Lin Mu twice, and looked him up and down.