Immortal Ascension Through Marriage: Investing in My Wife Get Returns

Su Yin’s composure did not crack. However, the faintest, unmistakable flicker of amusement touched the corner of her mouth. It was not mockery, nor the cruel superiority of a high-tier cultivator looking down on a junior. It was something infinitely gentler—the reaction of someone charmed, despite themselves, by an obvious and entirely harmless nervousness.

"Young Master Bai," she said, tilting her head slightly, "you seem rather surprised to see me."

Bai Chen immediately shook his head.

"Not at all."

Su Yin raised an eyebrow.

"Not at all?"

"Of course not." Bai Chen nodded several times, far too quickly. "I mean, I knew the Pure Cloud Sect would be visiting the palace eventually. I simply didn’t know that you would be..."

He suddenly stopped.

Su Yin waited patiently.

"That I would be what?"

Bai Chen’s face reddened further.

"Here."

A faint smile appeared on Su Yin’s lips.

"I see."

Bai Chen coughed into his fist, desperately searching for something else to say.

"How have you been?"

"Quite well," Su Yin replied. "And you?"

"I’m well too."

"That’s good."

Silence, as neither said anything else.

The silence then stretched for several heartbeats, as Bai Chen’s expression slowly became one of despair.

Lin Yuan, fighting visibly to keep a straight face, finally decided to intervene with mercy before the boy spontaneously combusted.

"What my brother-in-law means to say," Lin Yuan interjected, his voice instantly rescuing the sinking ship, "is that we are honored by the sect’s visit."

Bai Chen shot Lin Yuan a look of gratitude, thoroughly mortified.

Su Yin, for her part, simply inclines her head again, that same faint warmth still present in her eyes. "The honor is mine. Lord Zhao’s household has always shown the Pure Cloud Sect great courtesy. I only regret this visit must be brief—there are many formalities to attend to before the commencement of the Peerless God tournament."

Before the formal proceedings could transition back to Zhao Wuhen, Su Yin made a deliberate, telling choice of movement. Instead of simply speaking to Bai Qingyue from a polite distance, the Saintess crossed the floor of the receiving hall, moving directly to the wheelchair’s side.

With a soft rustle of her robes, Su Yin crouched slightly, lowering herself so she was perfectly at eye level with Bai Qingyue, rather than looming over her.

"Lady Bai," Su Yin said softly, her tone stripped of all political pretense. "I understand you’ve traveled a long way to be here. I hope the palace has been comfortable for you."

Bai Qingyue, faintly surprised by the direct, unmediated approach, studied the younger woman for a moment before answering with complete honesty.

"More comfortable than most places extend the effort to make it," Qingyue replied, her crystalline eyes softening. "Thank you for asking properly, instead of asking my husband on my behalf, as most do."

"I find people usually know their own comfort better than anyone else could guess at it," Su Yin said simply, offering a gentle smile. "Seemed easier to just ask."

Bai Qingyue’s expression warmed into something genuinely approving. In a world where the crippled were treated as burdens or fragile glass ornaments, Su Yin’s practical, direct kindness was a breath of fresh air.

The remainder of the visit moved at a much brisker pace. Envoy Wuhen and Su Yin exchanged the necessary diplomatic pleasantries, confirming the Pure Cloud Sect’s arrangements ahead of the tournament.

During the exchange, Lin Yuan quietly observed Su Yin. Her position within the Pure Cloud Sect was clearly extraordinary. It was unusual for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to be an active Saintess, let alone lead a diplomatic delegation accompanied by protectors of much higher realms, such as the Nascent Soul elder standing silently near the door. Such an arrangement spoke volumes about the trust the Pure Cloud Sect placed in her judgment and character. Lin Yuan took note of it without making any comment.

He also remembered his first encounter with Su Yin during the clash at the Xu Clan estate. Even in that dangerous situation, she had remained remarkably pragmatic. Rather than allowing her Dao Protector to continue fighting a battle he could no longer win, she had decisively ordered him to retreat. She had recognized the situation and acted without letting pride cloud her judgment.

That memory gave Lin Yuan a slightly better impression of her.

As the delegation concluded their business and prepared to leave, Su Yin turned toward the heavy doors. But before stepping away, she paused once more near Bai Chen. She didn’t linger for an extended period, but the hesitation was enough that it was clearly deliberate rather than incidental.

She offered a final, graceful bow to the room and departed with her delegation.

The heavy doors clicked shut, leaving Bai Chen standing rather stunned in the exact middle of the receiving hall, staring at the door long after she was gone.

Bai Qingyue, watching her cousin with open, delighted amusement, finally broke the silence.

"Well," she said smoothly, leaning back in her wheelchair. "That was subtle."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Bai Chen croaked, still staring blankly at the doors.

Lin Yuan, laughing openly now, walked over and clapped a heavy, reassuring hand on the young man’s rigid shoulder.

"For what it’s worth," Lin Yuan said, a wide grin on his face, "I don’t think it went nearly as badly as you think it did."

.....

Later that night, the bustling noise of Sky Jade City faded into a quiet hum. Within the privacy of the royal quarters, Bai Chen had long since retired to the adjacent martial suite to meditate—and likely to agonizingly replay his social fumble in his head for hours on end.

Lin Yuan and Bai Qingyue lay together in the massive, silk-draped bed. The moonlight cast long shadows across the room.

Bai Qingyue rested her head against Lin Yuan’s chest, her fingers gently tracing the edge of his robe.

"She’s kind," Bai Qingyue murmured softly, half to herself, bringing up the morning’s visit. "Genuinely."

Lin Yuan stroked her black hair, feeling the steady, peaceful rhythm of her breathing.

"You liked her," Lin Yuan observed quietly.

"Yes," Bai Qingyue smiled, closing her eyes in the dark. "I indeed like her."

Lin Yuan chuckled softly.

"If Bai Chen plays his cards right, she might become a member of the Lin family sooner than you think."

Bai Qingyue raised her head slightly and looked at him.

"You’ve already decided to approve?"

"I don’t see a reason not to."

He smiled.

"Besides, that boy has spent so much effort preparing himself for her. It would be a shame to let all that effort go to waste."

Bai Qingyue couldn’t help but laugh softly.

"You really are his brother-in-law."

Lin Yuan smiled and gently pulled her closer.

"Enough talking. You should sleep."

He lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

"Goodnight, Qingyue."

Bai Qingyue’s eyes slowly closed as she settled back against his chest.

"Goodnight, Yuan."

Lin Yuan held her quietly, listening to her breathing gradually become slower and more peaceful.

Outside, the moon hung high above Sky Jade City, and within the quiet royal quarters, Bai Qingyue slowly drifted into sleep.....