The White-Bone Demon of the Farm is as rich as a country

With Chu Ning'an's return, the turmoil in the An family finally subsided and all matters were settled.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the study. Chu Ning'an sat at his desk, relaxed and at ease, reading an ancient book with gusto. Occasionally, he would look up, his gaze fixed on the carefree, innocent figure not far away. Ru Yue was busily sorting through the contract Chu Ning'an had given her the previous night, her face brimming with unconcealable joy.

Chu Ning'an stared at her quietly, the corners of his mouth rising involuntarily, forming a gentle arc. Even he himself hadn't noticed that at this moment, his handsome face was already filled with a smile.

Ru Yue was delighted to immerse herself in studying these deeds. As she carefully leafed through them, she thought to herself, "Haha! My business hasn't even ventured beyond the capital, but look at these deeds—they're practically spread across the country! In my previous life, I'd have been a thoroughly wealthy woman! Even if I only lived on rent, I could have lived comfortably!" The thought of this made her smile with delight, her mouth wide open.

Ru Yue happily continued to flip through the deed, occasionally comparing it with the map Chu Ning'an had given her to get a rough idea of the geographical locations of the properties. She firmly believed that with Chu Ning'an's vision and ability, every property he acquired must be unique and of considerable value. As she gradually learned more about these properties, Ru Yue became more and more excited, and even couldn't help but humming softly -

"...In this world, winning or losing is nothing but idle talk. Let's exchange it for a glass of aged wine. Heaven has gifted me with a carefree spirit, my romantic life never grows old. I play the sword and sing as my youth progresses. I ride my horse to pursue my life between the sword and the cup. In this world, life and death are nothing but idle talk. Let's exchange it for a drunken bout. I shall live up to my natural carefree spirit, my romantic life never grows old. I play the sword and sing as my youth progresses. I am free to be a madman, not a hero."

The melody was novel and unrestrained, as if it could soar through the sky; the lyrics were even more unrestrained and free-spirited, like a wild horse galloping freely without restraint. This unique melody and lyrics instantly captured Chu Ning'an's attention. He stared at Ru Yue intently, a hint of confusion and bewilderment in his eyes.

You have to know that Ru Yue in front of him was just a little girl who had not yet reached the age of marriage. Where on earth did she get such a bold and uninhibited temperament? At this moment, while humming that touching little song, Ru Yue gradually noticed something strange in her heart.

Such a massive industry would have required an astonishing amount of silver! Even though Magistrate Huo had provided him with many favorable conditions, it was still no small sum. Add to that the several thousand taels of silver notes he had previously given him, and how did he acquire such a vast fortune?

As the two of them pondered their own thoughts, they unexpectedly looked up at each other. Almost at the same time, they both said in unison, "You..." The words were on the tip of their tongues, but they stopped speaking at the same time, as if they had telepathy.

Then they smiled at each other and said in unison: "You speak first." Immediately afterwards, a burst of crisp and pleasant laughter rang out. First, Ru Yue chuckled "hehe" like a silver bell, and then Chu Ning'an also laughed heartily, "hahaha", the laughter intertwined together, echoing in the air, and lingered for a long time.

Ru Yue, with her lotus steps light and graceful, slowly approached him. She extended her jade-white, slender fingers and gently pressed against his beautifully shaped lips. She tilted her head slightly, her watery eyes gazing at his handsome features, like a painting in ink. She couldn't help but wonder: How could someone in this world be so handsome? How on earth could his parents have given birth to someone with such good looks? Heaven must have been incredibly kind to him!

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shake her head slightly, trying to suppress the chaotic thoughts and random fantasies in her mind. She parted her red lips and asked softly, "Buying so many properties must have cost a lot of money, right? Where did you get such a huge sum of money?"

Chu Ning'an knew full well she was merely curious, not suspicious of him. Besides, he had never considered hiding this from her. With a smile on his face, he gently drew her into his embrace, allowing her to rest securely on his strong, sturdy thighs. His eyes, filled with affection and doting, gazed upon her unblinkingly. He extended a finger and gently pointed at his well-defined cheek, the implication clear—kiss me, and I'll tell you the answer.

Ru Yue was a very curious person, so seeing him act like this, she didn't feel coy at all. She moved forward without hesitation and, as he suggested, placed a feather-soft kiss on his cheek.

However, how could Chu Ning'an be satisfied with this? How could he easily let go of this golden opportunity to get close to this beautiful woman? He tightly wrapped one hand around her slender and soft waist, while the other hand firmly grasped her slender and fair neck. Then, he suddenly lowered his head and actively and passionately kissed her delicate and tempting lips.

For a moment, everything around them seemed to have fallen silent, with only the sounds of their heartbeats and breathing intertwined, creating an ambiguous and moving melody. Only when he saw her once-white face take on an intoxicating blush, as charming and beautiful as a peach blossom in full bloom in spring, did Chu Ning'an finally let her go, feeling satisfied. However, he didn't continue to keep her in suspense, instead stating bluntly, "I earned all this money through my own ability."

Ru Yue had always been clever, but she had never expected him to get involved in gambling. Her beautiful eyes suddenly widened as she stared at him in disbelief, as if she were looking at a complete gambler.

He smiled faintly, reached out and gently pinched her straight and playful little nose, and said softly, "What are you thinking about?" Then, he held her small head with both hands, his expression turned serious, and explained solemnly, "The largest gambling house in the capital doesn't just offer dice and Pai Gow, they also offer chess! Every time we've been here, I always make time to go and take a look. My chess skills are pretty good, and after a few rounds, I've won a decent amount of money."

Hearing this, Ru Yue's face was filled with astonishment. Her mouth opened wide as she stammered, "You call that acceptable? Just the money you gave me, plus the money you spent on buying the shop, must be at least tens of thousands of taels of silver, right? How did you walk out of the gambling house safely after winning so much money? Didn't they chase you with knives?"

Chu Ning'an smiled awkwardly and said, "Gambling chess is different from other games. Although it's still gambling, it's more about elegance and entertainment. It's divided into different levels. Participants must rely on their strength to climb the ladder step by step. Only when your chess skills reach a certain level and you have enough gambling funds can you truly compete with those masters. And all gambling houses that reach this level will ensure the safety of their customers. Of course, this safety only applies within the casino."

Ru Yue's watery peach blossom eyes were wide open, filled with confusion and bewilderment. Blinking, she asked in a delicate voice, "How could such an elegant casino exist? Aren't you worried that if you go there, rumors will spread that will damage your reputation?"

The man smiled faintly and replied casually, "Haha, you're incredibly ignorant! In this gambling place, participants conceal their true identities. Because of this, no one can know your true identity, so why worry about damaging your reputation? I go to the gambling place to win money. However, the vast majority of people come here with a sincere heart, willing to spend vast sums of money, just to find a true master to play chess with."

Hearing this, Ru Yue couldn't help but frown and shook her head slightly, as if she couldn't agree with it. She muttered, "Dugu Qiubai? These masters really have quirks that are hard to understand."

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she stared at the man and asked, "By the way, how did you even know about the existence of such a place? I guess you're not particularly familiar with this city, are you?"

"I heard this news from the Prince of Kang." To clear up Ru Yue's doubts, he casually betrayed the Prince of Kang. "You know, this prince is a real chess master! In order to find a true chess master to compete with him, he has spared no effort in searching everywhere. Last time, we ran into each other by chance, and we had a conversation that seemed to get along quite well. So he accidentally revealed this to me, and now I have taken the opportunity to make a small profit."

"I see. It seems competition between masters can indeed bring in lucrative profits," Ru Yue replied weakly, a hint of frustration and helplessness etched in her voice. She toiled and worked herself to the bone, yet in the end, she couldn't even compare to a few easy trips to the gambling den. The thought of this instantly dissipated her sense of accomplishment, and everything she'd done seemed less than worthwhile.

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly unhappy?" Chu Ning'an keenly noticed her change of mood and quickly changed the subject to try to liven up the atmosphere again. "I just heard you humming that song, and it felt very special. I wonder what it's called?"

"Is it really good?" Upon hearing this, she instantly became happy again, like a firework being lit, and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "The song is called 'Not Called a Hero'! In the past, I envied those knights who could travel the world with swords, free and unrestrained, so I especially loved this song!"

"Oh, I've never heard of this song before." Chu Ning'an responded with interest.

"Do you remember the dream I mentioned?" Ru Yue bit her lip lightly, her eyes determined and unwavering. "That dream, which felt like a lifetime experience, really made me understand a lot of things I didn't know before."

At this moment, her expression became serious, and she faced Chu Ning'an straight, as if she wanted to convey all the thoughts in her heart to him through her eyes.

"I don't know how to put it, or maybe it's just like Zhuang Zhou dreaming of being a butterfly, or was it Zhuang Zhou who dreamed of being a butterfly? This feeling is hard to explain. But it was in that dream that I really understood a lot of knowledge and principles that I had never come into contact with or even thought about before, just like the emotions expressed in this beautiful song." As she spoke, Ru Yue hummed softly, and the beautiful melody echoed in the air, like a clear stream, moistening the hearts of the two.

Chu Ning'an gazed intently into her eyes. In those bright pupils, he saw sincerity, confusion, and a hint of indescribable excitement. He could sense that, although Ru Yue couldn't yet clearly describe the specifics of her dream, she wasn't deliberately concealing her unique experience. Thinking of this, Chu Ning'an couldn't help but feel a deeper attachment. He secretly hoped that one day, when the time was right, she would share everything with him without reservation.

"Can I sing the whole song for you?" Her bright eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement, like the bright stars in the night sky. She looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for an inestimable answer.

"Yes, this song is beautiful." He smiled faintly, his eyes falling on her tenderly and dotingly. For him, as long as she was by his side at this moment, everything else seemed unimportant. Neither the hustle and bustle of the world nor the complicated trivialities could disturb the peaceful and beautiful atmosphere between them. He just wanted to quietly savor every moment with her, letting time freeze in this moment for eternity.

"The sunset glow is pinned on my lapel. The afterglow sends me on an old horse. I am passing by a house in a smoky village. It is just like the flowers flying in my hometown. I have been drunk by the wind and drank tea. I find a tavern at the corner of an ordinary alley. Everyone here is an old friend. The bottom of the bowl is the end of the world.

No matter how far the world is, there is always a home. My humble home is like a mansion. It doesn't matter how much or how little we are brave and ambitious. If we have three points, we dare to call ourselves heroes. We can use swords and fists. Occasionally, we can ask about life and death when we are free. We don't have the name of a hero, but we can weigh some old stories to pay for the price of wine.

I have plucked flowers from the south of the Yangtze River, and have always been as sentimental as I am, loving the world with all my heart. I am lucky to have seven or eight bosom friends who invite me to play the jar and get drunk with the mist and clouds.

I have flown to the north of the river to feed my horse, and I have been as ruthless to the west wind and the yellow sand as I am in cutting the peach blossoms with my sword. It is hard for us to meet in this world, so I thank the green mountains for making my hair turn white, and the frost and snow for giving me a scar on my eyebrow.

After three rounds of wine, the moonlight bloomed, and I was so drunk that I didn't go home until five o'clock in the morning. I talked about my innocent youth, and dared to boast about my jade belt, precious sword, and green horse. I slept under the stars and used frost flowers as my pillow. Even thatched grass was better than a fairy's bed. I made friends freely in the north and south, regardless of winter or summer.

Even winter and summer, my heroic spirit remains undimmed. I sharpen my sword once more and leave the capital. I ask who among those who come here shares my broad mind, willing to accept the sun, moon, mountains, and seas with a smile. I only offer my name, without answering, and turn my head to the clouds to live my life. I do not need to hide my heroic name. Remembering two old stories will pay for the wine. ......"

The sky was bright outside the window. Chu Ning'an listened to Ru Yue's melodious and unrestrained song, and felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction in his heart. If time could just stay here, there would be nothing wrong. Or, if Ru Yue liked to roam the world with a sword, then he would be willing to accompany her as a pair of chivalrous lovers, just like what she sang in her song, in spring, go to the south of the Yangtze River to pick flowers and get drunk in the spring breeze, in autumn, go to the north of the Yangtze River to see the yellow sand of the desert... As long as she was in this life, everything would be fine no matter what.