The Demon Lords
Chapter 69 - 51 Difficult to be a Stepmother_1

Chapter 69: Chapter 51 Difficult to be a Stepmother_1

Zheng Fan wasn’t sure how he fell asleep, but honestly, he’d slept exceptionally well last night.

He’d been practicing martial arts lately, which felt similar to how ordinary people feel after running a marathon every day. Once a person expended all their energy, they could sleep like a log, with no worry about insomnia or nightmares at all.

However, just as he woke up and gathered his bearings, memories from the previous night began to surface in his mind.

He subconsciously turned to his side and found no one there.

Emptiness, regret, loss...

Huh?

After sitting up, Zheng Fan was startled to find Siniang lying on a pallet on the floor beside his bed.

She was dressed in a long nightgown, the kind a playful girlfriend might wear—like her boyfriend’s oversized shirt. She resembled a daffodil that had drunk its fill of water.

Well... didn’t she agree to sleep on the bed? But really, she just liked teasing men.

Siniang opened her eyes then too. She had actually woken up earlier, sensing the change in Zheng Fan’s breathing rhythm as he roused. However, it seemed more natural to open her eyes at this particular moment.

"My lord, you are awake. Allow this servant to assist you in freshening up."

"Alright."

"My lord, breakfast should be ready in the front hall. Please go ahead and eat. This servant still has some tidying up to do."

"Alright."

Zheng Fan stepped out of the inner room. He saw a very familiar wooden box behind the door, squatted down, and opened it. The Mo Wan lay quietly inside.

Siniang must have packed it away, he thought. Usually, after his nightly bath, Zheng Fan would leave the Mo Wan in the tub to soak a little longer. Perhaps, once it’s had enough of soaking, it’ll be willing to come out on its own.

Recalling the Blind Man’s advice before he left, Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment but still reached out, took the stone from the box, and placed it in an inner pocket of his chest armor. Even if it doesn’t want to come out, it could still be useful for blocking an arrow or something.

Thankfully, Zheng Fan was wearing armor, so there was plenty of space for a small stone.

He pushed open the door. The morning sun was just right.

Zheng Fan clenched his fists slightly, feeling a surge of positive energy. He surprisingly felt an urge to practice a set of "The Times Are Calling" boxing techniques.

Perhaps it was because he was gradually mastering control over his qi and blood. His breathing, regulation, and various bodily functions were visibly improving. He was no longer the sub-healthy, introverted comic artist he once was.

After breakfast, as Zheng Fan was wiping his mouth,

"Master," Fangcao appeared in the courtyard and gave Zheng Fan a slight curtsy. "Master, your horse is ready."

Previously, Liang Cheng had always accompanied Zheng Fan to the government office, but now Liang Cheng and the others were away.

Zheng Fan had initially thought Siniang would, as she’d mentioned, disguise herself as a male attendant and accompany him to the government office. But after waiting outside with the horse for quite a while, he still hadn’t seen her emerge.

Siniang was probably just making an empty promise... he guessed. Hmph, you really can’t take a woman’s word at face value, especially an experienced one.

Zheng Fan wasn’t angry. In fact, he didn’t particularly want those Demon Kings to give him the "princess" treatment with their meticulous, all-encompassing protection. Sometimes, he longed to breathe some fresh air, much like a child not yet grown, always yearning for independence.

Besides, practicing martial arts hadn’t just improved his physical condition; it had also instilled in him a certain... inexplicable self-confidence.

Deciding not to wait any longer, Zheng Fan mounted his horse and rode to the government office alone.

「In the backyard」

Fangcao entered Zheng Fan’s bedroom and went into the inner room. She first walked to the bed, moved the pillow, and froze. A blush spread across her face.

"Looking for this?" Siniang’s voice came from behind her.

Fangcao jumped, startled, and quickly spun around. She stared in fear at Siniang, who had appeared there at some unknown moment.

The Demon Kings rarely informed the servants of their plans in advance; there was no need. For instance, no one knew Siniang had slept in Zheng Fan’s room last night.

Siniang held a sachet in her hand, observing Fangcao with an amused expression.

"The embroidery on this sachet is rather average. Though the stitching is proficient, it lacks finesse. You’ve probably endured too many hard days and done too much rough work in the past. Your embroidery still needs considerable time and effort to improve. Furthermore, the fragrances inside are too muddled. They clash with each other, making the overall effect rather cheap."

"No, Siniang, it’s not what you think, it’s not..." Fangcao stammered.

Siniang smiled, cutting Fangcao off. "Oh, I know exactly what you’re thinking, little dear. You probably fancy A Ming. But firstly, he’s not interested in you in the slightest. Honestly, don’t imagine he owes you anything just because he killed your father. He might have just felt like killing someone that day, on a whim. Secondly, you’re well aware that our master is much more approachable and far kinder than A Ming. So, you figure he’s an easier target."

"No, I didn’t! I only put the sachet there because the Master works so hard at his martial arts. I just wanted him to sleep well at night..."

"Now that I’ve found you out, further denials are pointless. You’d be better off just admitting it frankly. That’s something you need to change for next time. Even though we women don’t have to go to the front lines, stripped to the waist and wielding blades like the men, we should at least possess the courage to act decisively and own up to our actions."