Chapter 3: Declaration of Protecting the Beloved Wife

Fortunately, Zhang Wuji had a bit more affection for Zhao Min. Even the original character Song Qing Shu had to admit that Zhang Wuji could indeed be considered a true gentleman. According to the original plot, the two of them quickly regained their senses here, and Zhang Wuji soon departed.

However, what shocked Song Qing Shu was that Zhang Wuji let out a deep sigh and affectionately called out, "Zhiruo!" Amidst Zhou Zhiruo's astonishment, he stepped forward and embraced her waist, lowering his head as if intending to kiss her cherry-like lips.

Now, not only Song Qing Shu, but Zhou Zhiruo was also greatly astonished. However, she quickly reacted and managed to break free from Zhang Wuji's embrace, dodging away.

Damn, this script is off! Song Qing Shu's eyes widened in bed as he looked at Zhang Wuji. For a moment, he felt quite confused. It's the middle of the night, and he's trying to seduce a married woman. Is this Zhang Wuji still the same virtuous gentleman from the original story? If I recall correctly, he has Shao Min, the princess, waiting for him back home. It's interesting to see how Zhang Wuji will handle this situation.

Footsteps of disciples on patrol could be heard from outside the room. Zhou Zhiruo's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "Zhang Wuji! You... you..." She was at a loss for words.

"Zhiruo, you've treated me well since we were young. How could I forget your feelings for me? If it weren't for the sake of saving my adoptive father in Haozhou City, you would have been my wife by now." Zhang Wuji sighed and looked deeply into Zhou Zhiruo's eyes.

Zhou Zhiruo's heart was in chaos for a moment. Mentioning the incident from the wedding in Haozhou stirred up her resentment. "You followed that bewitching woman Zhao Min in front of all the heroes. When have you ever cared about my feelings? Now you and Zhao Min are living together, and I've become Mrs. Song. Yet you come here talking about old feelings!"

"This..." Zhang Wuji was caught off guard by the question and stood there stiffly, not knowing what to say.

Seeing his expression, Zhou Zhiruo couldn't help but get angry without reason. She raised her voice, saying, "Zhang Leader, the two of us, a man and a woman, alone together in the deep night, it's bound to provoke gossip. Please leave quickly!"

Zhang Wuji was taken aback on the spot. He whispered, "Then in the future, when I come, I'll avoid your disciples. We can talk slowly. I have a lot to say to you."

As Zhang Wuji's figure disappeared into the darkness, Zhou Zhiruo seemed somewhat absent-minded. She sat on a chair, holding her legs, lost in thought. Her face alternated between moments of shyness and hints of anger.

Now Song Qing Shu finally had the chance to take a good look at his beautiful wife. Exquisite like orchids, ethereal and elegant, she truly embodied the essence of the Han River's grace and the elegance of Emei's finest. She lived up to the praise of "clear and elegant, exceedingly beautiful" from the original work. In the previous adaptations of The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, the actresses who portrayed Zhou Zhiruo were all rare beauties. However, this woman before him seemed to have an extra touch of charm, a bit more alluring than Gao Yuan Yuan, and a bit cooler than Zhou Hai Mei. No wonder Song Qing Shu from the original work was so entranced by her, yearning for her day and night. Even after Zhang Wuji had the first beauty of Mongolia, Zhao Min, he still couldn't forget her.

Recalling their wedding night, Zhou Zhiruo remembered how Zhang Wuji had not rushed to claim her, leaving her heartbroken and at the mercy of Song Qing Shu. The original owner of this body had a chance to seize the opportunity to win Zhou Zhiruo's affections during that time, but unfortunately, due to jealousy and a man's pride, Song Qing Shu refrained from taking advantage of her vulnerability.

"What a fool!" While admiring Song Qing Shu, there was also a tinge of disappointment in his evaluation. He knew that once a woman's heart had turned to someone else, it was nearly impossible to win her over emotionally. To truly displace that person's presence, the best approach was to make oneself her first love. Only by becoming her first man could the lingering feelings for the former love be diluted.

"Back then you acted high and mighty, now you're watching as another man takes advantage of the situation. You made me uncomfortable as well." Alongside his admiration, Song Qing Shu couldn't help but express his frustration towards his predecessor. He internally vowed, "I apologize for taking over your body, but according to the plot, you were supposed to die anyway. The only compensation I can offer is to protect your beloved wife from other men's advances, using your name to establish a reputation..."

The following days followed the normal plot development of the original work. Zhou Zhiruo, together with Zhang Wuji, broke through Shaolin's Three Perfection Array during the Battle of the Lions. Along the way, Zhang Wuji's temporary madness and fierce behavior became the talk of the town.

Originally, Zhou Zhiruo had planned to return to Emei after killing Xie Xun. However, after Zhang Wuji confessed his feelings to her that night, she abandoned that thought.

After the Lion's Roar Martial Arts Tournament, Zhou Zhiruo stayed at Shaolin Temple since Song Qing Shu was too injured to travel. She sent most of her disciples back to Emei and left only one or two to attend to him. The disciples speculated about the deep affection the sect leader had for his husband.

Song Qing Shu observed this with a cold eye. He could roughly guess Zhou Zhiruo's hidden intentions. However, after that night, Zhang Wuji never visited this place again. As Song Qing Shu's health improved day by day, Zhou Zhiruo's face became increasingly anxious.

Black Jade Residual Healing Ointment was a miraculous bone-setting medicine. Combined with Zhang Wuji's use of the Nine Yang Divine Skill to direct its potency into his bone marrow, after a few days, Song Qing Shu could already walk out of bed. Apart from some weakness, he was indistinguishable from an ordinary person.

"Zhiruo, why haven't we returned to Emei?" Song Qing Shu probed Zhou Zhiruo.

"The journey is tumultuous. We'll set off when you're fully recovered." Zhou Zhiruo's voice carried a distant chill.

Having experienced the cutthroat world of modern business, Song Qing Shu was adept at reading situations and putting on a brave face. He realized that he was now a useless person, and the slightly malicious image of Zhou Zhiruo from his previous life's TV drama was deeply ingrained. Considering that Zhou Zhiruo could easily send him to meet the King of Hell with just a flick of her finger, he understood that she held all the power. He wasn't foolish enough to confront her. If he angered her, she could directly kill him without hesitation. Privately living with Zhang Wuji and then pretending to die from injuries could easily be justified by her current appearance of a virtuous wife. No one would suspect anything.

Thinking about his previous promise to the original owner of this body, Song Qing Shu couldn't help but chuckle wryly. It's said that it takes a thousand days to prepare for theft, but there's no way to guard against it for a thousand days. To protect Zhou Zhiruo's chastity, he would have to take it from her first. But... looking at his current feeble state, Song Qing Shu couldn't help but sigh in frustration. He was barely on par with a combat strength of five. Before him, Zhou Zhiruo was like a super Saiyan. Forcibly seizing her was definitely impossible.

In these few days, Song Qing Shu tried to strike up conversations with Zhou Zhiruo whenever he could. Her responses were icy, only warming slightly when discussing martial arts matters.

Originally, Song Qing Shu had intended to establish a rapport with her, but their relationship made little progress. By accident, however, he ended up gaining a new perspective on this world during their casual chats.