Chapter 201 : Husband

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍three people in the courtyard looked at each other, all completely dumbfounded. Could it be that the Village Chief truly possessed the ability of words becoming law? Saying someone was pregnant and then she actually became pregnant?

Yet ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when they looked at the clearly protruding belly of True Person Mingzhu, they could not help but fall into deep self-doubt.

“That’s ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not right,” Long Tao was the first to notice the contradiction. “True Person, you and I only had our first time ten days ago, but the Village Chief said he diagnosed the pregnancy pulse half a month ago. The timing simply doesn’t match.”

Du ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yiluo stepped forward and casually placed a hand on Mingzhu’s belly, her face also filled with disbelief. “And looking at this stomach, it’s at least three months along. Could a ten-day fetus grow this fast?”

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍village might be bizarre, but at the very least before… everything on the surface had always maintained the illusion of ordinary normality. But now, even that layer of disguise seemed unable to hold any longer.

“True ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Person, quickly look inward first. This fetus… is it normal?”

Long Tao was extremely nervous at this moment. This child… was his after all. It absolutely could not turn out to be some kind of monster.

Mingzhu quickly calmed herself and used her Divine Sense to observe her body internally. To her surprise, she discovered that there truly was a fetus inside her body, and… it was perfectly normal, a completely human fetus. Although it had not fully developed yet, no matter how one looked at it, it did not resemble any kind of monster.

“It must… it must be that the appearance of this child’s gestation has caused some kind of abnormal change in this village.”

Du Yiluo no longer had the relaxed demeanor she had earlier. She spoke with tension in her voice. Long Tao suddenly thought of something and hurriedly asked,

“Has anyone previously lived here as a married couple?”

“At least when I arrived, there wasn’t.”

“Then… what about the original residents of this Bridal Chamber? Can we communicate with them?”

Du Yiluo clearly froze for a moment upon hearing the question, then frowned.

“That’s an interesting idea. It’s worth trying. As long as you flip over the Nameplate at the door so the names can’t be seen and then knock on the door, the villager couple will open it. You might gain something from it.”

“Alright. I’ll do it alone. The two of you stand farther away.”

All three of them had already sensed it. The false daily routine from before seemed to be nearing its end. Now they had to seize every opportunity to gather information, even if it meant using up the precious Door-Knocking Opportunity.

Knock knock knock.

As Long Tao flipped over the Nameplate at the entrance, he still mustered his courage and knocked on the door. Even though he had already lived here for more than ten days, at this moment… it felt as though he was facing an unknown demonic abyss.

Soon, the door opened. Standing inside was a young man. Behind him stood a woman, but the interior of the house was too dim to see her face clearly. One could only barely make out that her stomach was also slightly swollen, about the same size as True Person Mingzhu’s.

“Who are you? What do you need?”

They looked like a normal young couple. The husband appeared somewhat thin and spoke with a cautious tone. The wife, though seemingly pregnant and with her face obscured, had jet-black hair and an upright posture, clearly showing she was well cared for.

“Oh… sorry. It’s like this—we… also live nearby. My wife just became pregnant, and we want to find a physician to examine her. We heard you are newlyweds as well, so… we wanted to come ask.”

Hearing this, the man’s caution faded somewhat. He gently shielded the curious wife behind him again.

“There’s only one physician here, Physician Xu. Walk toward the north of the village, and the third house after turning right is his. My wife’s pregnancy pulse was diagnosed by him earlier. His medical skills are excellent. You can go ask him as well. If there’s nothing else, I’ll close the door.”

Just as the man was about to close the door, the wife behind him suddenly spoke.

“What’s wrong with you? A neighbor rarely comes by to visit. Can’t you at least speak politely? You’re making people think we’re rude country bumpkins with no manners.”

“This… wife, it’s not… I… I understand.”

The husband seemed to both dote on and fear his wife. He quickly spoke more politely to Long Tao and explained more details about that Physician Xu.

But Long Tao could barely hear anything, because… the voice of this wife was far too familiar.

Wasn’t this exactly the voice from that night—the one outside the door that kept knocking, calling him Husband, and even trying to control him with Spirit Speech to make him open the door?

Cold sweat instantly broke out across his body. He wanted nothing more than to escape this place immediately.

At that moment, however, the wife behind the husband secretly raised a finger to her lips and made a “shh” gesture toward him. Then she pointed at her stomach before leaning her face closer to the doorway so that the light from outside illuminated the lower half of her face.

Her lips parted slightly. Although no sound came out, she used a very clear mouth shape and smiled at Long Tao, silently speaking a simple word that nevertheless sent chills through his entire body.

Husband

Meanwhile, the husband standing in front of her, with his back turned, noticed nothing at all. After exchanging a few more polite words, he closed the door, leaving Long Tao standing there in a daze, his back chilled.

What the hell! That woman! Who exactly was she? And was she the same being who knocked on the door that night?!

And it was clearly their first meeting. Why did it feel as though he were some cheating scoundrel who had gotten her pregnant? And that final ambiguous gesture and lip movement—there was absolutely something wrong!

But for the moment… he did not dare tell Mingzhu and Du Yiluo about this. He feared it might cause some serious misunderstanding. Besides… it might also be some kind of trap set by those strange villagers.

When he returned to the village path, the two women immediately surrounded him. Long Tao only reported the information about the pregnant woman inside and the news about Physician Xu.

“That’s it? I saw you chatting with the people inside for quite a while. Ordinary villagers wouldn’t talk that long with someone they just met.”

“Uh… that husband did want to send me away quickly at first, but his wife said that would be impolite, so he said a lot of polite things afterward. But there wasn’t anything useful.”

“Oh? I see. Every household really does have its own characteristics. But… you said the woman inside is pregnant too? And her belly is about the same size as Mingzhu’s?”

“Yes. In any case… I feel like this village won’t remain this stable for long. These two suddenly appearing children might trigger some kind of disturbance. We should make preparations early.”

After discussing things a bit more, the three of them decided that tomorrow morning they would call Acrid Unforgiven over as well and discuss it together. Then they each returned to their rooms.

When Mingzhu lay down on the bed to rest and Long Tao went to the kitchen to reheat the dishes, the Storage Pouch suddenly produced a connection reaction from Xiangjianhuan again. He quickly took out the mirror inside, wanting to see what Saintess Yaxi wanted.

But the very first sentence in the transmitted message struck him like a bolt from the blue.

“What the hell are you doing?! Three months without any news! I was too embarrassed to keep staying in your sect, so I’ve already returned to the Hehuan Sect. I only just managed to reconnect with your mirror again. Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Three months? How was that possible? The last time they contacted each other was only ten days ago. And previously they had confirmed that the time flow here and in the Uncircumvented Heaven World was almost the same. How could it be… that only ten days had passed on his side, but outside suddenly three months had gone by?

Wait! Three months… the fetus inside Mingzhu’s belly also seemed to be about three months along!