Ling Cage: Twelve Talismans? I have everything I need.

Chapter 143 Not Quite Adapted (Please be lenient, reviewers!)
Bai Yuekui's gaze swept over the remaining pile of gifts, and her eyes fell on a long, exquisitely wrapped gift box. She reached out and picked it up.

Unwrap the light gold ribbon, open the box, and inside is a neatly folded dress.

The fabric is a matte silk with excellent texture, and the color is a calm dark blue, almost black, but it can show a subtle luster under the light, making it look low-key and high-end.

She picked up the dress, unfolded it, walked to the huge decorative mirror, and held the dress up in front of her to show it off.

Yang Chen had somehow appeared behind her and looked at her through the reflection in the mirror: "Father-in-law has good taste. The color and style suit you very well, and the size looks just right."

"Should we try them on now?"

Bai Yuekui met his gaze through the mirror, and her hand holding the skirt paused slightly.

She was indeed tempted; the dress, both in terms of material and design, appealed to her.

But it's already late, so there's no need to try on clothes.

She carefully draped her skirt back over the sofa armrest and shook her head: "Tomorrow, I don't want to move today."

Yang Chen nodded: "Alright, then tomorrow it will be."

He raised his hand and smelled his arm: "Tsk, I spent half the day splashing around in the sea with your brother today, and I still feel a bit salty. I'm going to take a shower."

He looked around the spacious apartment and quickly located the bathroom, pointing over there: "The bathroom is over there, it looks quite big."

Bai Yuekui followed his gaze and nodded: "Yes, I see. You go ahead and wash first, I'll wash later."

"Okay," Yang Chen replied, and headed straight for the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom, and a warm glow and steam faintly shone through the frosted glass door.

Bai Yuekui picked up the dress again, then looked down at his casual clothes that were convenient for movement but somewhat loose. He then looked at himself in the mirror again, and the corners of his mouth curved up almost imperceptibly.

After a while, the sound of water in the bathroom had stopped, but Yang Chen still hadn't come out.

Bai Yuekui was somewhat puzzled, so he got up and walked over.

Yang Chen was soaking in warm water, the steam filling the spacious bathroom.

He closed his eyes, feeling the relaxing sensation of the hot water enveloping his entire body; it was indeed much more comfortable than the simple shower in Longgu Village.

At this moment, the faint sound of Bai Yuekui humming a ballad could be heard from outside the door.

'I won't hesitate, I won't stop—those words unspoken in peacetime—we'll meet after the apocalypse.'
The bathroom door was gently pushed open, and the humming stopped.

Bai Yuekui poked his head in, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Why did you take so long to wash?"

Yang Chen opened his eyes and looked at her through the misty steam: "This bathtub is so comfortable, I'm a little reluctant to get up."

He smiled and looked at Bai Yuekui: "Want to come in and try it too? The water temperature is just right."

Bai Yuekui's gaze swept over the spacious bathtub, and without much hesitation, he nodded: "Alright."

She turned her back and deftly took off her clothes.

Seeing Bai Yuekui's actions, Yang Chen reminded him, "Don't litter, the ground is wet."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuekui paused in his actions and gave him a disapproving glance.

"I know."

After carefully folding the clothes and placing them on the shelf to the side, Bai Yuekui slowly walked over, dipped his foot in to test the water temperature, and then put his whole body in.

Yang Chen watched as her smooth back and graceful neck and shoulders disappeared into the water, the surface rippling as she entered.

She sat down beside him, her long legs inevitably touching his, the warm water enveloping them both.

"It really feels very comfortable." Bai Yuekui sighed softly, rested his head on the edge of the bathtub, closed his eyes, and let the hot water soothe his skin.

After a day of sightseeing, although I wasn't physically tired, I hadn't felt this complete relaxation in a long time.

Yang Chen looked at her relaxed profile; the moisture made her face look much softer.

He reached out, scooped up a handful of water, and gently poured it onto her smooth shoulder.

Bai Yuekui opened her eyes, glanced at him, and said nothing. She simply shrank back underwater until the water level was above her shoulders.

The two of them soaked quietly for a while, enjoying the tranquility and warmth.

The only sounds were the gentle lapping of the water and each other's breathing.

Seeing Bai Yuekui comfortably squinting her eyes, Yang Chen felt a slight stirring in his heart. He gently wrapped his arm around her waist underwater and pulled her closer to him.

Bai Yuekui leaned into his arms, the sensation of their skin touching was exceptionally clear.

After a long while, the water temperature gradually cooled down, and Yang Chen gently patted her: "That's about enough."

Bai Yuekui gave a lazy "hmm" and then reluctantly got up from his arms.

The splashing water made a loud noise, and the rising steam made her fair skin blush slightly.

She stepped out of the bathtub first, grabbed a towel from the shelf next to her and wrapped it around herself, then threw another one to Yang Chen, who was still in the water.

"Hurry up and come out," she said, her voice still carrying a hint of languor from the bath, and she was the first to step out of the bathroom.

Yang Chen watched her departing figure, smiled, and then stood up as well.

Upon entering the living room, I found Bai Yuekui standing in front of the French windows, holding a wine glass and gazing at the night view outside.

Hearing his footsteps, she turned around.

Bai Yuekui slightly moved the wine glass forward, the dark red liquid flowing on the transparent glass.

"Drink?"

Yang Chen approached and looked at the wine glass in her hand with some surprise, then at the opened wine bottle and another empty glass on the table next to her.

He remembered that Bai Yuekui usually wasn't very interested in alcoholic beverages that required careful appreciation.

Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, but I prefer drinking tea.

"Red wine?" He raised an eyebrow and took the glass she offered.

"Didn't you say you didn't like drinking this stuff?"

Bai Yuekui poured the wine into another empty glass, watching the dark liquid swirl around.

"Let's try it today."

She took a sip first, her brows furrowing slightly. Yang Chen looked at her, smiled, and also raised his glass and took a sip.

The two stood side by side in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, drinking and looking down at the bustling city below.

The two drank several bottles of wine while enjoying the night view, but Yang Chen didn't feel even a little tipsy.

"Go to sleep." Bai Yuekui put down the empty cup and turned to walk towards the bedroom.

"Okay." Yang Chen followed.

The two lay down, turned off the lights, and the large bed in the bedroom was so soft it almost swallowed them whole.

The silence lasted for a long time.

After a long while, Bai Yuekui's voice softly sounded in the darkness: "Chengzi, are you asleep?"

"No," Yang Chen replied immediately, his voice clear.

He turned his head and looked at her blurry silhouette in the dim light: "You can't sleep either?"

Bai Yuekui gave a soft "hmm": "Not really used to it."

She had lived in that house in Longgu Village for decades, and this sudden change of environment was indeed a bit difficult for her to adjust to.

"What's bothering you?" he asked softly, reaching out to pull her into his arms.

Bai Yuekui did not answer immediately, but instead pressed herself closer to him, her cheek rubbing against his chest, one of her arms encircling his waist, her hand slowly moving across his back.

The movement was gentle, yet carried a clear intention.

Her wandering hand finally stopped at his side, applying a little force, as if trying to pull him closer.

At the same time, she raised her head, and at an extremely close distance, the tip of her nose almost touched his chin.

In the darkness, her voice was even softer than before.

“Orange…” She didn’t say anything more, just tilted her head back, waiting for his response.

He then lowered his head and precisely captured her slightly parted lips, savoring the lingering aftertaste of red wine.

Soon, Bai Yuekui tightened his arms around his waist, his fingertips digging slightly into his skin, and he tilted his head back to respond to him more deeply.

The gentle probing quickly turned into a passionate entanglement.

My breathing became rapid, and the temperature of the air seemed to be rising.

The night is still very long.

The next morning.

Bai Yuekui stood in front of the full-length mirror, his brows slightly furrowed.

The mirror clearly reflected the faint red marks on her collarbone and chest, which stood out against her fair skin.

She picked up the dress from last night and held it up against herself.

She clicked her tongue softly, but ultimately hung the skirt back on the hanger.

Forget it, I can't wear it.

Just as she was thinking of changing into a dress with a higher neckline, there was a series of knocks on the bedroom door. She knew immediately who it was.

Then came Bai Yuetian's ever-energetic voice: "Yuekui! Chengzi! Are you up yet? The sun's already high in the sky!"

In the bedroom, Yang Chen had already changed his clothes and looked at Bai Yuekui, who was about to change his clothes, upon hearing the sound.

"You change first, I'll go open the door," he said softly, ruffling her hair as he turned and walked towards the living room.

Bai Yuekui watched his retreating figure, then glanced at the red mark in his glasses, and sighed silently.

Yang Chen opened the apartment door, and Bai Yuetian stood outside, looking energetic, dressed in a flashy bright-colored casual outfit, with sunglasses pushed up to her forehead.

"Good morning, Orange!" he grinned.

"Where's my little sister? Still not up? That's not like her."

"I'm up, I'm changing." Yang Chen stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind him.

Bai Yuetian swaggered into the living room, his gaze falling on the mountain of gifts that hadn't been fully unpacked yet.

He stepped forward and casually picked up a few items to look at.

"Damn, why are your gifts so normal?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen looked at Bai Yuetian with a puzzled expression: "Hmm?"

Is the gift I gave you strange?

"Huh?" Bai Yuetian paused for a moment, then quickly said, "No, it's similar to yours."

Seeing Yang Chen's suspicious look, Bai Yuetian quickly changed the subject.

"Well, my dad just told me to go over there."

Yang Chen continued to stare at Bai Yuetian.

Bai Yuetian felt a little uneasy under Yang Chen's gaze and was just about to make up something to brush it off when the bedroom door clicked open.

Bai Yuekui came out.

She wore a beige stand-up collar shirt paired with dark trousers, covering the collar completely, making her look neat and tidy.

"Let's go then." She didn't ask any more questions and went straight to the entrance to change her shoes, her tone calm.

Bai Yuetian immediately forgot about the previous topic and chimed in excitedly, "Yes, yes, hurry up, Dad just called to urge us."

Yang Chen glanced at Bai Yuekui's high collar, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

...

Inside Bai Jingyu's office, the table was already laden with a sumptuous Chinese and Western breakfast, steaming hot and fragrant.

Upon seeing the three enter, Bai Jingyu immediately smiled and invited them to sit down: "You're here? Please sit down. I didn't know what you liked to eat these days, so I had someone prepare a little something for you all."

His gaze, carrying an imperceptible expectation, shifted between his children and Yang Chen.

The four of them sat down, and the atmosphere became somewhat quiet for a moment.

Bai Jingyu took a sip of water and casually asked, "Um...did you...like those gifts?"

Bai Yuekui was stirring the porridge in the bowl with a small spoon when he heard this. Without stopping, he looked up at his father.

"Yes, Orange and I like it very much. Thank you, Dad."

Yang Chen immediately smiled and echoed, "Yes, father-in-law, thank you for your trouble."

Bai Jingyu's face instantly broke into a smile, and he said repeatedly, "I'm glad you like it, I'm glad you like it!"

Gaining his daughter's approval made him happier than anything else.

His gaze shifted to his son, filled with the same expectation.

"What about Yue Tian? Are those things I gave you... still appropriate?"

Bai Yuetian's eyes darted around, and his hand holding the chopsticks stiffened for a moment.

Saying I like it? Wouldn't that confirm that in my dad's eyes I'm someone who needs that kind of "art collection"? What if that impression gets ingrained?
But to say I don't like it... it's a gift my dad prepared.

Moreover... objectively speaking, the gift was indeed quite to his liking, but it came at the worst possible time and was a bit too direct.

He was torn between his inner turmoil and his facial expressions were unpredictable.

Seeing his son's embarrassed expression, Bai Jingyu seemed to understand something, and the smile on his face became somewhat subtle and awkward.

It seems... he probably... maybe... gave his adult son something that didn't quite fit the role of a father?

"Uh..." Bai Jingyu tried to salvage the situation.

"I like it!" Bai Yuetian interrupted him abruptly, almost blurting it out.

I spoke a bit loudly, and only after I finished did I realize that I had overreacted.

Bai Yuetian took a deep breath, his voice weakening: "It's just... Dad, you might... um... have slightly misunderstood your son's glorious and valiant image... In the future... in the future you can buy something else, really!"

Bai Jingyu was a little embarrassed when he heard this: "Ah, okay, okay... I didn't think it through. I will definitely pay attention next time."

He picked up the cup again, took a sip, and looked away.

Did I misjudge my son's preferences?
...

The awkwardly atmosphere of breakfast was finally over.

Bai Jingyu wiped his mouth and looked at the three of them apologetically: "I'm sorry, I was supposed to spend today with you. But Teresa said this morning that Xiao Kui has a slight fever and is resting at home, so I have to go back and take care of him."

He paused, then remembered the important matter and his tone became more serious.

"By the way, the first batch of supplies on your list has been delivered by ASH and is stored in a private warehouse under my name. You can go and check it at any time."

He looked at Bai Yuekui and Yang Chen: "The address and permissions of ASH have been synchronized to you, and they are all stored in the same area."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuekui put down his utensils and asked, "You have a fever? Is it serious?"

She paused, as if remembering something, and then said, "Also, I... haven't gone to school yet?"

Bai Jingyu nodded, his expression softening considerably when his youngest daughter was mentioned.

"Yes, she just has a slight fever. She probably caught a cold the day before yesterday. Teresa saw her and said it's nothing serious, but she needs someone to stay with her. We plan to send her to school next month."

At this moment, Yang Chen spoke up, "Father-in-law, you should go and take care of Xiao Kui first. Yue Kui and I will go check on the supplies later."

He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Or I can go with you to see Xiao Kui. I have to go back to the village later. There was an unusual gathering of Devouring Beasts outside the shielding tower before, so we can't be careless."

Bai Yuekui nodded and said, "Yes, Chengzi's talisman can cure diseases. Let him go with you."

After hearing this, Bai Jingyu didn't say anything more and agreed. He also wanted to see how talismans could cure diseases.

(End of this chapter)