After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

Morning had fully broken, and sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window.

Ye Chenyan frowned faintly and abruptly sat up.

For an instant, his head felt as though it were splitting apart. Dazed, he had no idea where he was. A flood of memories that felt both familiar and foreign suddenly forced their way into his mind.

The only son of the family, twenty years of age. Accomplished in neither scholarship nor martial arts, but blessed with considerable family wealth and doting parents...

“Young Master, it’s time to get up.”

A maid pushed open the door. Seeing that he was already awake, she smiled in surprise.

“Why are you up so early today? Usually you stay in bed for quite a while longer.”

Ye Chenyan’s expression turned strange.

On one hand, no one had ever spoken to him like this before, and it felt deeply unfamiliar. On the other, he somehow felt that they had always spoken to him this way.

“Today...” he began tentatively, then touched his throat. It felt somewhat dry.

The maid had already thoughtfully brought him tea to rinse his mouth.

“Surely you haven’t forgotten, Young Master? You’re going to meet Miss Yu today.”

Ye Chenyan froze.

The faint confusion in his eyes vanished at once. Still holding the teacup, he shot to his feet, swept his gaze around the room, then strode over to a bronze mirror to check his appearance.

He had entered the pill in the form of a Coursing Wolf. He had no idea whether that would affect anything.

The person reflected in the mirror looked completely unlike his usual self. He was a frail, scholarly young master who appeared incapable of lifting anything heavier than a brush.

Ye Chenyan frowned and patted his own face in disgust.

He rummaged through the things on the table—embroidered handkerchiefs, rouge, and several hairpins in various designs...

His expression grew even stranger.

He turned back to confirm, “This is the Ye residence?”

By now, his consciousness had fully returned. He understood that he had most likely been pulled inside the Reincarnation Pill, and this was his new identity.

He knew very little about the Reincarnation Pill and had no idea what would happen if the people within it noticed anything abnormal. For now, he decided to play along.

The maid stared for a moment, then covered her mouth and laughed.

“You must still be half asleep, Young Master. Of course this is the Ye residence. What, did you think you spent last night at Flower Warmth House?”

“I didn’t—”

Ye Chenyan reflexively denied it, but quickly stopped himself. He cleared his throat.

“So this is the Ye residence, and I’m meeting Miss Yu today?”

In the memories he had inherited, his name was still Ye Chenyan. Perhaps entering the Reincarnation Pill did not change a person’s name.

If so, then this Miss Yu might be Yu Qingtang.

“That’s right.” The maid’s eyes curved with delight. “The very Miss Yu whose name is famous throughout Pill City. She excels in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and both her talent and beauty are one in ten thousand.”

“Madam practically wore down the threshold of their home before she finally persuaded the two families to arrange a meeting.”

Ye Chenyan’s expression turned subtly odd.

The qin part was believable. As for the rest...

He could not help imagining Yu Qingtang staring blankly at those things, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

The maid had been watching his reaction. Seeing how pleased he looked, she immediately teased him.

“Oh my, you haven’t even met her yet, and you’re already smiling like that. Once you see her in person, won’t she steal your soul away?”

“Ahem.” Ye Chenyan suppressed his smile and turned his head aside. “Who was smiling? I wasn’t.”

He muttered under his breath, “That fellow is always full of surprises. It might not even be him.”

“When are we going to meet her? Let’s go.”

“What’s the hurry?” The maid laughed. “Even if Pill City doesn’t care much for old-fashioned customs, you can’t simply rush over to meet her without preparation.”

“At noon today, painted pleasure boats will pass along the moat. Miss Yu will play the qin at the bow of her boat, and we’ll take another boat alongside hers. Do you still remember the ancient poems you memorized earlier, Young Master? With those added to the scene, you’ll be the perfect talented scholar and beautiful lady...”

Ye Chenyan fell silent.

“Other than that, are there any... strange people in Pill City?”

The maid looked baffled.

“Strange people?”

Ye Chenyan looked away. “Never mind. Noon is still some time away. I’m going out for a walk.”

He had not forgotten that the food box had been pulled inside with them.

The Tianyuan Pill King had deliberately arranged for it to be delivered. Surely he had not done so merely to send a bowl of old-duck soup into the Reincarnation Pill. There had to be something more to it.

For example, the missing people...

The instant Ye Chenyan entered this place, he had briefly believed that he truly belonged to this world—that he really was this useless Young Master Ye, accomplished in neither letters nor martial arts.

Yet he had quickly recovered his true self without any outside help. That suggested that anyone with sufficient willpower should not remain lost for long.

Others besides him would eventually come to their senses.

Since he had no clues, he might as well go outside and try his luck.

Ignoring the maid calling after him, he hurried out of the room alone.

As he passed through the courtyard, however, his footsteps paused.

On a weapon rack outside, he saw the demonic weapon he knew so well. His expression turned peculiar.

That thing had actually been dragged in too.

He smiled and shook his head, then slung the spear across his back.

“Young Master... Huh?”

The maid hurried after him and froze when she saw the spear on his back. Her eyes briefly went unfocused before she sighed as though this were perfectly normal.

“You’re going into town carrying that spear again?”

Ye Chenyan glanced back at her thoughtfully.

This place formed a world of its own. Any abnormalities that were not too significant seemed to be corrected automatically.

He flexed his hands.

There was something strange about this place. Neither the spiritual power nor the demonic energy in his body could circulate. He could no longer sense his Golden Core or Nascent Soul, as though he had returned to the mortal body he possessed before opening his mind sea.

Still, with the spear on his back, he could at least use a few spear techniques. That gave Ye Chenyan some confidence, though it also made him even more worried about Yu Qingtang.

He left the Ye residence alone, then turned back to study the magnificent estate of the wealthy merchant family, committing its appearance to memory before heading into the street.

The streets were crowded. Vendors and porters called out endlessly, and the city had no shortage of residents.

Ye Chenyan spent some time wandering around, learning the size of the city and the layout of its districts. Along the way, he nearly got dragged into Flower Warmth House in broad daylight and barely managed to escape.

He carried the demonic weapon openly as he walked. If Yu Qingtang or Qingzhu saw him, they would certainly come looking for him.

Either they had not found him yet, or they had not recovered their memories.

As noon approached, Ye Chenyan had no choice but to return to the Ye residence and prepare to meet Miss Yu.

At midday, two painted pleasure boats drifted across the moat. Waterbirds and fish played nearby, forming a scene rich with poetic charm.

Ye Chenyan stood at the bow of his boat, staring at the vessel opposite him.

If he listened carefully, he could hear qin music floating across the water.

But it was none of the pieces Yu Qingtang had played before.

Ye Chenyan frowned and leaned on his spear as he watched the other boat.

Fortunately, before setting out, he had somehow managed to trick the maid into getting off the boat and staying on shore. Otherwise, she would be urging him to recite poetry right now.

The two boats slowly drew closer, and Ye Chenyan finally saw the figure at the other bow.

The young woman looked every bit the refined lady of a noble household. Her pale blue dress fluttered in the breeze, and although a light veil covered her face, it could not conceal her exquisite beauty.

She was undoubtedly beautiful.

Ye Chenyan cleared his throat.

Miss Yu turned her head slightly and gave him a shy, hesitant glance before quickly looking away again.

Ye Chenyan fell silent.

She did not seem like him.

But perhaps Yu Qingtang had become confused and truly believed himself to be Miss Yu, and had yet to recover.

After thinking for a moment, Ye Chenyan hooked the side of the other boat with his spear.

A maid in a goose-yellow jacket and skirt rushed out of the cabin, both startled and furious.

“What are you doing? How rude!”

Ye Chenyan had already jumped aboard.

He approached the maid and looked closely at her.

“She doesn’t look right. Are you him?”

“What are you talking about?” The maid backed away two steps and pointed at him. “Y-you... scoundrel!”

“Not you either.”

Ye Chenyan lifted the curtain and ducked straight into the cabin to search.

Unfortunately, Miss Yu had traveled light and brought few servants. Aside from several terrified young maids, there was only the boatman.

Ye Chenyan carefully inspected every person aboard.

None of them were Yu Qingtang.

“Tch.”

He frowned, then perfunctorily cupped his hands.

“My apologies.”

With another leap, he returned to his own boat.

The moment he landed, a long-legged white waterbird with a pointed beak suddenly descended beside him.

Ye Chenyan froze and looked it up and down.

Coincidentally, the bird was also studying him.

Delight appeared on Ye Chenyan’s face. He crouched in front of it.

“Don’t tell me it’s you?”

The waterbird turned its head toward the neighboring boat.

On the other vessel, the maid tugged at Miss Yu and cried out, “Miss, that man must either be insane or an idiot! He’s talking to a bird, and he was so terribly rude!”

Ye Chenyan fell silent.

Expressionless, he turned and entered his own cabin. He picked up the long pole himself and quickly pushed their boat away.

The waterbird flew from the bow to the stern and landed beside him once more.

“It is me,” it said calmly, “but I am not the Yu Qingtang you are searching for.”

Ye Chenyan was unsurprised. Still poling the boat, he looked back at him.

“Finding one of you is better than nothing.”

“My name didn’t change, so I thought there might be some rule to it. But Senior, you aren’t even human anymore... I suppose it was only a coincidence.”

“Yes.”

Even as a waterbird, Qingzhu carried himself like a grandmaster and showed no alarm.

“That Miss Yu is clearly not the person you are looking for.”

Ye Chenyan sighed.

“Then where is my Yu?”

Qingzhu suddenly turned his head and plunged it into the river.

He emerged with a plump carp in his beak, tossed his head back, and swallowed it whole.

Ye Chenyan stared at him.

Qingzhu glanced over. “What?”

Ye Chenyan pinched the space between his brows.

“Senior, that fish was raw.”

“I am a waterfowl now. I ought to live like one. Only then can this be called experiencing reincarnation.”

Qingzhu finished swallowing the fish before continuing.

“It is inconvenient for me to search the city. Every time I go ashore, people chase me away. It is troublesome.”

Ye Chenyan stared at him.

“Should I take you home with me?”

Qingzhu did not object.

“That will do.”

A short while later, Ye Chenyan returned to the Ye residence with a waterbird.

The moment he entered, he saw the maid frantically signaling to him with her eyes.

Before he could understand what she meant, a stern-looking man stormed toward him and pointed with a trembling finger.

“Unfilial son!”

Ye Chenyan’s eyes widened.

He realized this was probably Master Ye.

“I told you to meet Miss Yu!” Master Ye bent over and clapped his hands in exasperation. “I hoped you would bring me back a daughter-in-law. Look what you brought home instead!”

He pointed furiously at Qingzhu.

“You brought back a bird! I truly—”

He raised his hand as though to strike him.

Before Ye Chenyan could dodge, an elegant, richly dressed beauty rushed out from the side and threw herself around the man.

“Master—”

She drew out the word and wept so beautifully that it was like pear blossoms in the rain.

“It is my fault. I failed to teach our child properly. But his health is poor! He cannot withstand a beating, Master!”

As she cried, she secretly shot Ye Chenyan a look, urging him to run.

The maid behind him had already quietly opened the door.

Ye Chenyan fell silent.

With everyone indulging him like this, it was no wonder the original Young Master Ye had turned out this way.

Still, Ye Chenyan was the one benefiting now. He went along with it and immediately fled.

Once they were outside the Ye residence, Qingzhu followed beside him, ignoring the astonished stares of the people around them, and turned his head toward Ye Chenyan.

Ye Chenyan looked thoughtful.

“Senior, do you still have your storage ring and spiritual treasures?”

Qingzhu did not answer. He merely lifted one slender hind leg.

A small jade-green ring was wrapped around it.

Clearly, his belongings were still with him.

Ye Chenyan chuckled softly.

“That’s good.”

He lifted his hand, revealing the red cord tied around his wrist.

“Fortunately, the one Fifth Senior Brother gave me back then is still here.”

With a waterbird beside him, he swaggered through the streets, following the guidance of the red cord until he reached...

The Yu residence.

Ye Chenyan fell silent.

It really was this place.

The guards at the entrance clearly recognized him. They had evidently heard about the absurd scene he had caused earlier and glared at him warily.

“W-what are you doing here?”

Qingzhu turned his head toward Ye Chenyan, clearly doubting that he would be allowed inside.

Ye Chenyan awkwardly scratched his chin with one finger.

Then he drew a deep breath, bent in a formal bow, and spoke with perfect sincerity.

“This junior behaved recklessly today. I have come personally to apologize.”

Qingzhu fell silent.

The guard froze.

“Huh? Then... what about that bird?”

Ye Chenyan casually pressed Qingzhu’s head down with him.

“It frightened Miss Yu as well. It has come to apologize too.”

Qingzhu opened his beak, but Ye Chenyan immediately pinched it shut.

Qingzhu fell silent.

Author’s Note:

Qingzhu: ...Young people these days have no manners.

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