Speaking of the most ancient way, it may sound a bit mysterious and illogical, but in fact, it’s quite logical.

Where should we start?

This starts with the medicinal properties of the Earth Fire Lotus.

The properties of the Earth Fire Lotus are fierce and extremely yang, certainly rare, but it’s remarkably similar to the widely popular aphrodisiac in society.

Because the person who takes the medicine will also experience unbearable heat symptoms, and if the medicine is too strong and not relieved by the opposite sex or timely hospital treatment, they might even burn to death.

Of course, the Earth Fire Lotus is absolutely not an aphrodisiac; they just have similar symptoms.

If Ye Xuan had any other way, he wouldn’t be doing this, but now he’s at a dead end. He can’t just watch Ye Xiaoying burn to death right in front of him, can he?

Right now, we can only treat a dead horse as if it were alive!

If Ye Xuan guessed right, everything would be great. If not, well, he did his best...

A thousand complex emotions surged in Ye Xuan’s heart, and he didn’t know how to express them.

He knew, that treating Ye Xiaoying tonight would inevitably be unsuitable for children, as usual, so when at home, he didn’t use this excuse to escape, yet he never expected the result to be so unprecedented in scale!

Honey, it really wasn’t my fault this time; it was a matter of life and death, completely beyond my control!

Ye Xiaoying let out a piercing scream. It was uncertain whether the pain was caused by the Earth Fire Lotus’s effects or something else.

Ye Xuan’s sharp eyebrows shot up, and he said repeatedly: "Xiaoying, you’re a reasonable woman, but you must remember, I’m not taking advantage of you today!"

...

Ye Xuan guessed right.

Ye Xuan sacrificed his body to gradually lessen Ye Xiaoying’s Earth Fire Lotus symptoms until he completely calmed them.

Ye Xiaoying survived.

Ye Xuan even won the lottery.

A bright red lottery.

Where’s the widow as promised? This widow... turns out to be a virgin?

What the hell?

Suddenly, Ye Xuan felt a surge of guilt.

In a confused mess, yet another pure and unblemished beauty was ruthlessly ravaged by him, someone he always wanted to maintain a relationship with, his longtime classmate.

A shitty life, better left unspoken!

Silence. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The whole room fell into a deathly silence.

Ye Xuan leaned against the headboard, a low-quality cigarette gripped between his lips, smoking aimlessly as if it helped calm his emotions.

Meanwhile, Ye Xiaoying had returned to her usual appearance, almost expressionless, unusually calm.

She just lay beside Ye Xuan, saying nothing.

In absolute quietness.

Ye Xuan finally could not stand it any longer, coughed twice to break the silence, and with a half-smile said: "So... Ye Xiaoying, although I usually like to take advantage of you, this time, I really just wanted to save you, you understand, right?"

"Mm."

Ye Xiaoying nodded lightly without saying much.

Ye Xuan suddenly felt a bit helpless, finally realizing that the price of taking Earth Fire Lotus, as described in ancient books, was indeed this painful.

This is too intense!

If it were random women from society, it’s fine, but anyone with a bit of integrity, having gone through such a thing, they must feel as if their world is collapsing inside, right?

Ye Xiaoying took it quite well, after all, Ye Xuan was her best longtime classmate, and there was some affection between them. If it were a stranger, then simply...

"Too cruel."

Ye Xuan secretly clicked his tongue at the Earth Fire Lotus’s absurdity.

Another brief silence.

Ye Xuan extinguished his cigarette, grinning as he tried to lighten the mood: "Was this... was this your first time?"

Ye Xiaoying glanced coldly at Ye Xuan, still expressionless, and nodded: "Mm."

Ye Xuan pondered: "Then how did you get the widow nickname? Did you marry an old man in his eighties or nineties?"

"I’ve never been married." Ye Xiaoying paused, sighed, and continued: "The Widow Shadow nickname was something I spread myself."

Ye Xuan was dumbfounded: "Why would you give yourself such an unpleasant nickname?"

Ye Xiaoying responded coolly: "To scare people."

Ye Xuan: "..."

Suddenly, waves rose in his heart.

There’s no need to ask more; Ye Xuan understood everything.

Before Ye Xuan appeared, Ye Xiaoying was alone, living in this world, it was not an exaggeration to say she faced constant threats.

She had to protect herself, even if only with a bit of strength, better than none.

So, she became the Widow Shadow.

She not only spread this nickname but also fabricated many false stories about it, instilling fear.

Everyone thought the Widow Shadow was vicious and cruel, stopping at nothing for her goals, heart like a viper, yet no one knew that’s not the reality at all...

Ye Xuan quietly exhaled, smiling as he said: "You’ve had a hard time over the years."

Ye Xiaoying: "It’s been alright."

Ye Xuan hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly said: "I’ll take responsibility for what happened today; from now on, we’re more than just old classmates, you’re my woman, I’m your man.

In the future, if the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you. As long as I’m alive, no one in this world shall touch you, and I’ll avenge your Qin Family blood feud as my own.

You and I are as one, just like a married couple!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaoying was dumbfounded, speechless.

Beneath her impassive exterior, inside, she felt waves raging like a storm, ecstatic with joy, fulfilled and content, as if bathing in sunshine within a sea of flowers, immersed in everlasting happiness.

She never expected Ye Xuan to say these things to her.

She was moved to tears.

Happiness came so suddenly...

Ye Xiaoying looked at Ye Xuan, seeing his unwavering expression, confirming these words were genuine from his heart.

As long as Ye Xiaoying nodded slightly right now, she would become Ye Xuan’s woman, skipping numerous steps she longed for in her dreams, finally obtaining the man she desired.

But... is this love?

Ye Xiaoying blinked, suddenly breaking into laughter, teasing with amusement: "You’re taking responsibility for me? Ye Xuan, are you joking?"

"I’m joking with you?"

Seeing Ye Xiaoying’s laughing face change suddenly, Ye Xuan was stunned, feeling exasperated: "Everything I said is sincere, don’t you think it’s absurd?"

"Is it not absurd?"

Ye Xiaoying replied with scorn: "You saved my life, I should indeed thank you, I’ll remember this great favor, but aren’t you a bit too greedy? Wanting to take responsibility for me? It sounds good as ’responsibility,’ but really, it’s about obtaining lifetime usage rights over my body, isn’t it?"

Ye Xuan: "..."

Damn! Your thinking is really surprising!