While Liyue and Ruo once again focused on their chess game, Li Yao moved beside Han Li and sat to his left side. Yue Li was on the right, and before him was the duo of Liyue and Ruo in the middle of a witty battle.
Wei Yuanfen and Hua Feilan sat to the side, both exchanging glances. They were the ones with the most shallow relationship with Han Li, after all, and they knew it. Even though it was not awkward because they were all familiar with each other, both of them still subconsciously compared themselves to each other.
Taking inventory of everyone with a glance aimed at their eyes, Han Li brought all attention in the room to himself, except for the duo playing chess.
Han Li placed a hand on the chessboard, and Ruo and Liyue looked at him.
"None of you are people I don't trust. You are all people I rather enjoy being with. And no need to look around; that includes you too, Hua Feilan."
Hua Feilan blinked. She was the tallest person in the room—taller than even Han Li—and when all of their gazes focused on her, she felt her gaze falter.
Clearing her throat, she nodded.
She was not inexperienced in dealing with the gaze of a crowd; she used to run a matchmaker service before she became Han Li's disciple, after all.
Liyue sneakily took his hand and placed it out of the chessboard.
Ruo moved a pawn and said in passing, "But I'd say not to do that."
"Hm..." Surprised, Han Li paused. "You mean?"
"You have too many women. How can you trust them all?" Ruo frowned as one of her rooks was killed. "I don't mean to offend anyone here, but they're all like horny rabbits after your affection. I don't know. I have a feeling that if you were to die, you are bound to die in an internal conflict rather than an external one.
"Maybe one of your women who you trust so much would backstab you perhaps?"
Yue Li and Liyue looked at Ruo with a gaze filled with displeasure.
"That's not so kind, Ruo." Even Hua Feilan was frowning.
Han Li wasn't offended but intrigued.
It was not that he hadn't considered it himself; after all, he was a man, in his own opinion, with only one weakness: His women.
Of course, he had always known the risks attached to it. He was sure the only people whom he genuinely cared about wouldn't do anything untoward to him, but The Spirit was a clear example of how his trust could backfire.
Had it had more time and had Liyue not been so blessed with all that she had—it could have ended up crazy.
He would have only fallen deeper and deeper in love with 'Liyue,' who was actually the Spirit, and when the Spirit had enough of using him to her agendas, she would probably get rid of him or go do her own devices.
One had to be pragmatic even in love. Being a cynic wouldn't help him gain actual worthwhile relationships, but being naive wasn't his style.
He'd rather not have too many things going on in his back; he had already been a bit too loose with his heart. Han Li liked being sure about things. Only then could he not look back into his backyard and focus all his attention on cultivation.
"Why do you say that?" To Ruo, he asked.
This woman he had countless untold feelings towards was a weird person. She didn't talk much and was always doing something. Her only friend outside his circle of women was Shin Wenyu, Monk Hen Shin's disciple.
She was not far too different from the Ruo in his memories. She was even still attached to Yue Li like a daughter to a mother.
The only difference was he hadn't been able to win her heart like in the past life.
"And you will be on his bed in some more time." Liyue interjected, "Don't be too shameless! I know you love him, witch. How dare you talk bad about him. Shameless, shameless, too shameless! I'll watch you moan under him one day, you bet."
Wei Yuanfen blushed.
"Who said that I love him?"
Her short hair especially stood out in the room full of long-haired women, and she blinked nervously as Han Li threw her a silent glare.
He was taking in everyone's reactions with clear curiosity.
Hua Feilan remained silent, but feeling awkward, she said, "I don't mind entering in a binding that confirms we can't betray each other. It just gives us more confidence, right? We can all trust each other even if no emotional attachment is considered.
"Isn't it... good to have that? To trust others with no limits considered—not to trust, but to know that you won't betray me."
Li Yao nodded to that.
"Indeed, I also support it. It's the rational thing to do with all the people he considered his women. At least, it is better in my opinion."
Ruo nodded at Hua Feilan and Li Yao as if they were the only smart ones in the room.
Liyue smirked and moved a chess piece.
She said calmly, "Checkmate."
Ruo looked at the board, and her cute face changed slightly.
"You must have cheated when I wasn't looking!"
It was the first time Liyue saw Ruo so flustered.
That made her sure that it had indeed been a good idea to cheat.
"We can trust each other even without your 'oh so smart idea,'" Liyue looked at Han Li's hand still resting above her head. "He just has to keep trustworthy women around us. Only people we trust. Or don't even bother with them—he can tell them apart fine enough. I trust all of you."
Ruo calmed down and shrugged.
"Your enemies don't 'betray' you, people you consider friends do. You should read some books, Liyue!" She shook her head, "Naive idiots. This is why I hate talking with you all, a bunch of true idiots."
Yue Li pinched her ears, but Ruo only growled.
"You are a fool too, Mom! The biggest fool. I bet you will be the most heartbroken when someone stabs your son on his back, and you could have prevented it."
Yue Li faltered there. She was obviously supportive of the idea now.
Han Li suddenly laughed softly, unable to hold himself back, and pinched Ruo's cheek.
That made her puff in irritation.
"I was here to talk about exactly that, too." He nodded smilingly. "It would be better to have some safety measures in place so that someone couldn't impersonate one of you—or even me."
He took his hand from Liyue's head and Ruo's cheek before growing serious.
All grew subconsciously... silent.