Chi Wan became Yu Jiuzhou’s manager. A Go player’s manager was different from a celebrity’s manager; it was a predominantly leisurely role.
After all, besides participating in tournaments, Yu Jiuzhou had nothing else on her schedule.
They were together every day. While Yu Jiuzhou studied game records, Chi Wan organized ancient medicinal formulas. The first volume was quickly completed.
The tricky part was that she had to prepare the corresponding medicines to prove the authenticity and reliability of the content.
Fortunately, Teacher Wu held a high standing in the industry. Through her introduction, Chi Wan quickly donated the materials and received a commemorative banner and a certificate of honor.
Additionally, she asked Teacher Wu to introduce her to patients in need of treatment—those with difficult and complicated illnesses that conventional methods couldn’t cure, preferably those willing to cooperate with traditional Chinese medicine.
She didn’t directly treat people of high status and power. Once her reputation was established, people would naturally come seeking her out.
Out of ten terminally ill patients, eight showed improvement under her treatment. For the remaining two, she managed to buy them a little more time.
She infused her inner energy into the silver needles, employing the acupuncture techniques she had learned in Great Zhou as well as those she already knew. Not only that, but she also combined the two to create her own unique methods.
Chi Wan’s fame gradually spread, and many hospitals sent her invitations.
The competition among good hospitals was fierce. If a highly skilled doctor had an argument with their superior, the argument would happen in the morning, and they’d be poached by noon. It wouldn’t wait until the afternoon, let alone overnight.
The skill Chi Wan demonstrated was more than enough to make her a hospital’s star attraction, but she regretfully declined all offers.
However, she didn’t completely shut the door. They could establish a good cooperative relationship; she could visit the hospitals for exchanges or hold a clinic for a day when she had time.
Many brilliant doctors weren’t tied to a single hospital and worked at several. She could do the same.
In a month, she might need to travel for three to five days, but the rest of the time she was with Yu Jiuzhou.
Ever since she became Yu Jiuzhou’s manager, Lu Shiwei had become thoroughly enraged. Her fabrications about Yu Jiuzhou’s life story grew even more outrageous, but lies could never become truth.
If Lu Shiwei could invent a life story, they could naturally create one of their own.
Trying to control Yu Jiuzhou with public opinion was simply delusional.
For Yu Jiuzhou, she would rather quit playing Go than be controlled by anyone. She only wanted to achieve her own goals and would not compromise.
The October weather began to cool. The afternoons were still quite warm, but mornings and evenings required a jacket.
After a tournament ended, Chi Wan escorted Yu Jiuzhou from the venue. She had bought a new car, a rather large SUV, which made it convenient for the two of them to get around. When traveling to other cities, they would have to rent a car in advance.
She had memberships with hotels and car rental agencies, so she could just make a reservation. A car would be waiting at the airport, or the hotel would provide a shuttle.
With today’s tournament over, they could finally rest for a while. Chi Wan had booked a sea-view room and was ready to fly over with Yu Jiuzhou.
Strolling by the sea and staying for a month sounded quite comfortable.
A vacation wasn’t a special forces-style tour; it wasn’t meant to be so exhausting.
They reached the car, their packed luggage already in the trunk. They were heading to the airport now, their timing perfectly calculated.
However, just as Chi Wan was about to start the car, an ostentatious red sports car blocked their path.
Then, Lu Shiwei opened her car door and got out. She walked over and began pounding on the car window, which rattled under the blows.
Seeing that the window remained closed, Lu Shiwei simply took off her high-heeled shoe and prepared to smash the glass.
Chi Wan frowned and lowered the window. “Is there a problem?”
“Did you go to my father?” Lu Shiwei pointed the high heel in her hand at Chi Wan, then looked at Yu Jiuzhou in the passenger seat. “Let me tell you, it’s useless. Even if the dojo is taken back, I have plenty of ways to make your lives miserable.”
“Yu Jiuzhou, I thought I treated you well. If it weren’t for me, would you have been able to compete and win championships? And now, the moment you get a little famous, you do this to me. Since that’s how it is, I won’t let you have an easy time either.”
Lu Shiwei was beside herself with rage. Her father had called her home today and introduced her to a blind date. After she had reluctantly met the person, her father actually said that this person was not just a blind date, but a marriage partner.
If this one didn’t work out, there were several other candidates, but she had to get married and become a normal person.
Lu Shiwei didn’t understand how she wasn’t a normal person. After just a few words of protest, the dojo that had been assigned to her was taken away, unless she agreed to marry.
After investigating, she learned that someone had told her father she was a lesbian. Given her father’s old-fashioned views, it was a blessing he hadn’t flown into a greater rage.
And that person was Yu Jiuzhou. First, she had someone record a video of Lu Shiwei pursuing her—not with persistent pestering, but with threats and coercion. It wasn’t hard to see Lu Shiwei’s orientation from the video.
Just like that, Lu Shiwei’s cards were frozen and the dojo was taken back. Unless she got married, she would have to fend for herself from now on.
Chi Wan was not one to let others berate her without fighting back. She abruptly pushed the car door open, nearly hitting Lu Shiwei.
Lu Shiwei reacted quickly and took a step back.
“A generous contract? A championship won because of you? You have some nerve.”
Chi Wan’s retort was unhesitating. “First of all, Yu Jiuzhou owes you nothing. Whether it’s the contract or anything else, she earned it all through her own skill. Otherwise, your dojo in Dongdao would have gone bankrupt. To be precise, she saved your dojo.”
“So, in this matter, neither of you owes the other anything. The qualifications for subsequent tournaments were also won by her. Because of you? Can you play Go in her place?”
“You want to control a person with an independent will for your own selfish desires. Perhaps you don’t know how to love, or you don’t understand that trying to steal someone who is already in a relationship is immoral. But coercing someone and restricting their freedom is illegal. If you have no morals, then go study the law.”
Lu Shiwei was so angry she wanted to raise her high heel. Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. It had been many years since someone had wanted to challenge her fighting ability.
In the end, the furious Lu Shiwei lowered her shoe. “Do you have any idea what your actions will bring upon me?”
Of course they knew; why else would they have done it?
Chi Wan’s tone grew slightly grave. “You are the dojo owner, and Yu Jiuzhou is the dojo’s player. With her skill, it should have been a win-win situation. Everything was your own choice. Besides, you’re an adult, a thirty-year-old adult. If you don’t want to follow your family’s arrangements, you can absolutely resist. If you don’t even have the courage to resist, what good would it do even if you found true love? Wouldn’t the result be the same?”
Coming out or not didn’t matter. Some things didn’t need to be forced upon one’s family. But one also had to consider how to face the family’s pressure. Ideological independence was very important.
Someone like Lu Shiwei, who wanted to have her cake and eat it too, wasn’t wrong, but she shouldn’t drag others down with her.
“What do you know? In the Lu family, only obedience gets you more. Disobedient children get nothing. My talent in Go isn’t high, so I’m already not favored by the family. But in business, I’m stronger than my siblings, which is why I can manage several of the family’s dojos. Meanwhile, some of my older brothers and sisters have nothing.”
On the surface, Lu Shiwei seemed rebellious, but that was only for outsiders. When facing her family, she couldn’t muster a single thought of resistance and would only come to trouble them instead.
Essentially, she bullied the weak and feared the strong. She thought that people like Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou, with no background whatsoever, were hers to manipulate.
Chi Wan sneered and got back into the car. “Then go be your good little girl.”
She started the car and honked the horn, signaling for Lu Shiwei to move.
Lu Shiwei shouted angrily, “You don’t understand anything! I won’t let you off!”
What a powerless cry, as if it was all someone else’s fault and she herself had no problems at all.
Whether she truly didn’t know or was just unwilling to admit it, only she herself knew.
Yu Jiuzhou, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. “Move.”
To her, Lu Shiwei was an emotionally immature person, someone who was dark inside and wanted to drag others down to hell with her.
Furthermore, Lu Shiwei was not that independent, which was why she had thought of approaching Lu Shiwei’s father.
Lu Shiwei was still somewhat clear-headed. If she were independent, she wouldn’t be controlled by her family. If she could be controlled, it would conveniently solve her problem.
They could have had a good partnership. The mistake was that Lu Shiwei shouldn’t have tried to control her.
Speaking of which, Lu Shiwei was very much like her father, almost identical. They were both the type of people who wanted to control others’ lives.
The words “good little girl” echoed in Lu Shiwei’s mind. She could resist, yet the thought of resistance never arose.
To be her father’s good little girl, she could only accept all his arrangements.
Chi Wan honked again, startling Lu Shiwei. Just as she was debating whether to move, Chi Wan slammed on the accelerator and shot forward.
Just before hitting the sports car, she braked, swerved, and the SUV did a spin on the spot before driving straight away from the scene.
It had to be said, Chi Wan’s move was incredibly cool. She was even impressed with herself. She felt the distance between the two cars was only a few centimeters, yet she had passed through with ease.
After leaving the tournament venue, Chi Wan looked at Yu Jiuzhou as if seeking praise. “Cool, right?”
Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t had a chance to get her driver’s license yet, but after all this time, she knew a lot about cars. Chi Wan’s maneuver just now was indeed very cool.
“Cool.”
Chi Wan grinned. The trouble with Lu Shiwei was resolved. Next, they would go on vacation by the sea, return for two tournaments, and then wait for two important tournaments next year to qualify for the Go Sage competition.
To participate in the Go Sage tournament, one had to win seven of the ten major competitions to earn a spot.
Every year, the participants in the Go Sage tournament were the most formidable players in the Go world. Some had held the title of Go Sage for several consecutive years, while some young players defeated the old masters to prove their strength.
The Go Sage tournament was the most authoritative competition in the world of Go. Winning the championship proved you were the best player of the time. It might only be for a year, but it was enough to be recorded in the annals of Go history.
Lu Shiwei would definitely have no time to bother them anymore. Chi Wan would also use her medical skills to prove that they were not to be trifled with.
The network of connections a brilliant doctor could build was not something the Lu family could afford to offend. Just like her teacher, Teacher Wu—given her status in the industry, who wouldn’t show her respect?
Chi Wan wanted a relaxed life, but not a blindly relaxed one. For the sake of their future happiness, some things still had to be done.
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou officially began their vacation. Thinking back to their past life, it seemed they never had a proper wedding, which made her wonder if they should have a romantic ceremony.
She was a person who valued ceremony and believed it was important.
In Great Zhou, she wasn’t the one who had married Yu Jiuzhou. Although Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t given the original owner any face at the time, the original owner had essentially completed the wedding on her own.
Since she was marrying into the princess’s family, the original owner had ridden a horse, making a racket all the way to the Grand Princess’s Residence by herself, and many of the rituals were omitted.
Under a streetlight by the sea, Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou’s shadows stretched long. She stole a glance at Yu Jiuzhou, her gaze falling on the strands of hair scattered over her shoulder.
“What do you want to say?” How could Yu Jiuzhou not feel her gaze? She couldn’t help but ask with a smile.
Chi Wan cleared her throat. “I just saw that there’s a wedding planning team here.”
“So?” Yu Jiuzhou asked slowly, as if she didn’t give the matter much thought.
Hmm… Chi Wan, dissatisfied, took her hand and pulled her closer, forcing them to face each other.
Their shadows nearly overlapped. A gentle breeze swept in, sending ripples across the sea, and the waves lapped over their shadows, layer by layer.
Yu Jiuzhou looked at her steadily, then let out a soft laugh the next second. “Go on, tell me. What do you want to do?”
She had an expression that said: That’s right, I know what you want to do, but if you don’t say it, I’ll pretend I don’t know.
This infuriatingly mischievous air was all too familiar to Chi Wan; it was exactly what she had learned from her, identical in every way.
The night wind was somewhat chilly. The waves, layer by layer, finally surged to their feet. The cold seawater wet the tops of their feet before receding completely.
Chi Wan gazed at Yu Jiuzhou’s teasing eyes, her sight drifting down to her collarbones. They were so fair and delicate you could raise fish in them, so beautiful it was hard to look away, and even more striking in the faint light.
She lowered her head, buried it in Yu Jiuzhou’s shoulder, and gave a light bite. “Wicked woman.”
She always called her a scoundrel, but this woman was just as wicked.
Yu Jiuzhou let out a muffled grunt. With the force of her bite, it definitely wouldn’t hurt. This woman was doing it on purpose.
“Ouch, that hurts.”
Yu Jiuzhou feigned pain.
It was truly intoxicating. Chi Wan took another step closer, and Yu Jiuzhou couldn’t help but step back. As she retreated, Chi Wan pursued her relentlessly.
She was forced to stop only when her legs bumped against a lounge chair.
Chi Wan’s brow twitched, conveying a single message: Let’s see where you can run now.
Perhaps it wasn’t running. A closer look at the smile in Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes revealed that this was clearly a hunter toying with a little fox.
Chi Wan wrapped an arm around her waist, abruptly sitting down on the lounge chair. Yu Jiuzhou lost her balance and fell into her arms, her lips lightly brushing against her skin, sending a tingling numbness through her.
She lowered her gaze, her eyes slightly heated, leaving Yu Jiuzhou no room for refusal.
“Don’t you want to marry me?”
Yu Jiuzhou smiled and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers nimbly. “What do you think?”
They were both foxes; it was just a matter of who was more cunning.
Chi Wan chuckled, taking out the ring that had been in her jacket pocket for a long time. “How did you know I had this prepared?”
She slipped the ring onto Yu Jiuzhou’s finger. It was a gold ring inlaid with purple jadeite, with a hollow, woven design made using an intangible cultural heritage technique. Young people might find it gaudy, but they thought it was just right.
Yu Jiuzhou had very high aesthetic standards. Diamonds didn’t suit her taste. Top-grade purple jadeite was very expensive. Back in Great Zhou, she had loved jadeite of all colors, collecting them like stamps; they looked beautiful together.
A piece of purple jadeite this translucent was not cheap. Fortunately, it was just a cabochon for a ring, so her wallet could still handle it. What was the point of earning money if not to spend it on her wife? She wouldn’t feel the slightest pain spending all her money on Yu Jiuzhou.
Yu Jiuzhou smiled and wiggled her fingers, looking very pleased. She clearly loved the ring. “Actually, I prepared something too.”
“What?” Chi Wan tilted her head.
Could they be so in sync that they both prepared rings?
As if by magic, Yu Jiuzhou took out the necklace she wore. Hanging from the chain was a ring, made of gold inlaid with turquoise.
Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. She did indeed prefer collectibles like beeswax, southern red agate, and turquoise. She liked all sorts of collectibles.
Back in Great Zhou, she had made a turquoise hand-held piece that she played with every day, and she had polished it to a beautiful color.
Looking at the inlay work on this ring, it was equally exquisite, not something an ordinary workshop could produce.
Yu Jiuzhou slipped the ring onto her hand. “I bought this ring at an antique shop abroad. They said it was a ring worn by an emperor. I don’t know if that’s true, but the item is genuine.”
Anything associated with antiques, especially with the word “antique” itself, would have its price inflated many times over its intrinsic value.
Of course, what the two of them cared about wasn’t the value. As long as they thought the other would like it and they had the money on hand, neither would be stingy. They only felt happy spending money on each other.
They had tacitly chosen things the other would like, and both had wanted to propose.
In Great Zhou, every move they made was watched, so they never held another wedding. While it wasn’t exactly a regret, it was something they always thought about.
In the modern world, as long as they wanted to, they could have as many weddings as they liked. No one would care, as long as they were happy.
Chi Wan’s heart softened. For a moment, she felt like she had been tricked. “Did you know my plan all along?”
An intangible cultural heritage ring wasn’t something you could get in a day or two; it had to be ordered well in advance. The ring had only arrived in her hands a few days ago. Could Yu Jiuzhou have found out?
“This is when you should be kissing me, not asking questions,” Yu Jiuzhou’s voice was low and tinged with a hint of huskiness.
Good point.
Chi Wan suddenly tightened her grip on Yu Jiuzhou’s waist, ruthlessly pulling her closer, and without any hesitation, kissed the lips that were inches away.
Their breathing grew ragged, until finally, they could only hold their breath to withstand the fierce assault.
Chi Wan still really wanted to ask her previous question. “Tell me, did you know all along?”
To get an answer, her hand provocatively hooked Yu Jiuzhou’s chin. She was genuinely curious. Could it be that all her plans were completely transparent to Yu Jiuzhou?
Yu Jiuzhou laughed happily, then suddenly bit her finger. “I heard you discussing the details with the other party, you fool.”
Hearing the word “fool,” Chi Wan decided to swallow her words. Off the bed, she was the one being controlled; on the bed, Yu Jiuzhou would be controlled by her at will.
As their breaths intertwined, Chi Wan was still thinking: I’m going to be completely seen through by Yu Jiuzhou, but I’m willing to be.
As if sensing her wandering thoughts, Her Highness Yu Jiuzhou gave her a light bite, pulling her mind back. “Focus.”
“We’re outside,” Chi Wan teased her for her “eagerness.”
Yu Jiuzhou tweaked her ear, her palm stroking her hair like she was petting a cat.
Chi Wan’s lips curled in pleasure. For a moment, she understood why cats loved being petted. It really was quite nice.
She immediately scooped Yu Jiuzhou up and strode towards the villa where they were staying.
That night, Yu Jiuzhou experienced a long-lost recklessness. She didn’t know when it started, but Chi Wan’s technique had improved dramatically, leaving one feeling only tenderness and unbearable desire. Moments of such recklessness had become rare.
Under the dim lights, strands of hair entwined, and restrained desires were unleashed.
Outside the villa, the sea was not calm. The gentle breeze stirred up layers of waves. Watching the waves on the sea, they were gradually growing larger; it was obvious the wind was picking up too.
The weather at sea was fickle. One moment it could be clear skies, the next a violent storm.
What should have been perfect weather suddenly turned into a downpour. The wind and waves grew stronger, and huge raindrops splattered against the sea surface with a crackling sound.
Fortunately, the villa was well soundproofed and didn’t disturb the two inside.
Chi Wan stared dazedly at the ceiling, feeling her own racing heartbeat. The long-lost frenzy left her unable to calm down for a long time.
However, she touched her hair; it felt like she had run a marathon, completely soaked.
After a long while, she patted Yu Jiuzhou’s back and asked, “Shall we go wash up?”
“Mm.”
Though it was just one word, she could feel the charm in it, albeit a little hoarse.
Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t held back just now. It was a good thing they were the only two on the second floor of the villa, the soundproofing was good, and the housekeeper downstairs had already gone to bed.
“Is sister’s throat okay?” Chi Wan couldn’t help but ask while they were washing up.
As expected, she was met with an eye-roll from Yu Jiuzhou. She smiled in satisfaction; she loved it when her wife was like this.
She adored the Yu Jiuzhou in bed, who cooperated with everything she could and unrestrainedly expressed her affection.
Faced with such a wife, Chi Wan would only work harder.
Having Yu Jiuzhou as her wife, who wouldn’t say she was lucky?
Yu Jiuzhou splashed water on her face. “Stop smiling. Hurry up and wash.”
She didn’t have a shred of strength left, or else she would have definitely pushed Chi Wan out.
Chi Wan squinted and smiled, nodding repeatedly. “Okay, okay, I’ll wash up quickly.”
Her wife’s words were an imperial edict; how could she not obey? Her Grand Princess had to be served well.
And she did serve her well. Yu Jiuzhou was so tired her legs felt like jelly. She huffily broke free from Chi Wan’s embrace, refusing to be carried, and supported herself against the wall as she returned to the bed.
Alright, she had accidentally made her wife angry. She lay down next to Yu Jiuzhou, who immediately turned her back to her, giving her no chance to speak.
Chi Wan took out her phone and played a song, “Wife, Wife, I Love You,” with the lyrics: Amitabha bless you.
It was a song from many years ago. If she hadn’t searched for it, she wouldn’t have even known it existed.
Seeing that Yu Jiuzhou was about to break into a smile, she added more fuel to the fire, moving closer to sing, “Wife, wife, I love you, just like a mouse loves rice.”
That didn’t seem to be how it went, but never mind. The most important thing was to coax her wife.
A moment later, Yu Jiuzhou burst out laughing and slapped her arm. “Will you dare to do it again next time?”
“I will!”
Yu Jiuzhou: “?”
What was there not to dare? She might not dare to do other things, but some things, she very much dared.
Even though Chi Wan said that, Yu Jiuzhou had already laughed and was no longer angry. “You rascal, and you still say you’re not a scoundrel.”
“That’s right, I’m a scoundrel, and you’re a wicked woman. We’re a match made in heaven.”
Chi Wan grinned mischievously. Yu Jiuzhou knew exactly what she was smiling about.
“Change the song.”
“Okay.”
Chi Wan switched to some light instrumental music. Yu Jiuzhou knew in her heart that she had Chi Wan wrapped around her little finger, just as she had her.
