**Chapter 39: Encounter at Qinglin County and the Brothel Run by a Millennia-old Tree Demon** - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

**Chapter 39: Encounter at Qinglin County and the Brothel Run by a Millennia-old Tree Demon** In the scene, the shelter was nearly shaken to pieces, finally calming down after a whole hour... *Looking at Guo Lin's pale face, you couldn't help but feel worried.* *You were concerned that the body she painstakingly nurtured back to health might falter again.* *You started blaming yourself for drinking too much deer blood.* *Guo Lin's emotions were complex; it felt like the world around her was being redefined at this moment, and a gateway to a new world was slowly opening for her.* *After that day, Guo Lin lay in bed for three whole days before getting up.* *Thanks to your attentive care, she regained her previous vigor.* *After this experience, Guo Lin became more dependent on you, often clinging to you like a koala.* *Her first act upon waking each day was to shower your face with kisses; you had become her everything.* *She wished to spend her life in this valley with you, forever together.* *But you did not.* *You wanted to go out, to leave the valley and make a name for yourself in the outside world using your divine talent in cooking.* *Spending a lifetime in this valley left you dissatisfied.* *At night, you shared your thoughts with Guo Lin.* "I want to go out; staying here forever is just too dull, and with my cooking talent, I can ensure a life of luxury for both of us." *Upon hearing your words, Guo Lin's body stiffened.* *She threw herself into your arms, remaining silent for a long time; you felt a dampness on your chest.* *Lifting her small face, you saw her eyes brimming with tears.* "But I could have lived a life of luxury; now I just want to be with you." *Hearing her words, you felt a pang of guilt.* *At this moment, you faced a choice:* *Option 1: Stay with Guo Lin in this valley forever, living a simple life.* *Option 2: Persuade Guo Lin to leave with you, to venture into the world and achieve something great.* *Option 3: Abandon Guo Lin and head out into the world alone to carve your own path.* ... Upon seeing the options before him, Su Mo immediately chose the second one. To improve his life rating and earn the "God of Cooking" talent, there was no way he could remain cooped up in this small valley. The third option was out of the question. Without a companion, a solitary simulated scenario was utterly uninteresting. He was of an anxious and impatient nature, eager for wealth and prosperity, a trait he could not change. ... *Listening to Guo Lin's words, you quietly held her in your arms.* "Lin'er, I want to give you a good life; staying in this valley, we live like savages." "Now that it's just summer, it's fine, but come winter, we can't possibly stay in this rundown place." "Moreover, we'll eventually get married and have children; surely you don't want our children to live like savages as well?" *Hearing about having children, Guo Lin blushed.* *Despite your reasoning, she began to consider the possibility that indeed, a better environment would be needed for future children.* *But you were both penniless, and she was worried about the life you would face after leaving together.* "But what if we have no money?" "Opening an inn would require a lot of money." *Hearing her concern, you quickly shared your ideas and plans.* *You knew all about ingredients, including herbs.* *You could gather herbs to sell at nearby town pharmacies.* *Additionally, with game becoming plentiful, you could hunt and sell meat in town—a single deer could fetch at least two strings of coins, and if the fur remained intact, it could sell for even more.* *You could also prepare various delicacies; the wild ingredients were at your disposal, and simply selling snacks could earn significant money.* *Guo Lin agreed that your plan seemed feasible.* *Having been schooled in literacy and arithmetic, she could serve as your accountant.* *This way, you could run your operation on a low budget.* *That night, your conversation grew more and more excited, as if a promising tomorrow was on the horizon.* Even Su Mo felt a sense of anticipation as he watched his simulation self and Guo Lin discussing their plans. He was about to open an inn. Going through the inn opening process via simulation would definitely help him avoid many pitfalls. So even if he did not gain the "God of Cooking" talent, it would still be a win. Of course, gaining it would be the best outcome! *The next morning, you immediately began preparations. The first task was to determine where exactly you were.* *After instructing Guo Lin to stay at home, you set off with a piece of dried deer meat.* ... *You traveled about thirty-some miles before arriving at a small county town. The surrounding villages were sparse, as if the locals were disinclined to farm, letting large tracts of land go to waste.* *Arriving at the town's gates, the guards appeared sleepy and listless.* *From the name on the town’s sign, you learned it was called Qinglin County.* *It was then you realized you were now in the Jiang-Zhe region.* What! Su Mo was surprised. It was Qinglin County! He knew this place well. During a previous "Legend of the White Snake" simulation, he was killed by a millennia-old tree demon in Qinglin County. He never expected to simulate back to this place. Based on prior simulations, it was known that Qinglin County was without a county magistrate, and the lethargic guards were due to the tree demon running a brothel here. The demon captured countless female ghosts to assist in absorbing mortal life essence to survive its tribulations. On the surface, the demon dared not harm the living directly. Therefore, as long as he avoided entering the brothel, he could steer clear of danger in the simulation. *Confirming it was Qinglin County, you left immediately without entering the city.* *The following day, you could bring specialties from the valley to Qinglin County to sell.* *Your concern for Guo Lin's safety alone in the valley urged your quick return.* *On the way back, you encountered a hawker selling candied hawthorn headed for Qinglin County.* *You wanted to buy a stick of candied hawthorn for Guo Lin as a treat.* *Your choice at this point?* *Option 1: Kill the hawker, take all his candied hawthorn, and toss his body in a nearby mass grave.* *Option 2: Ask the hawker for a stick of candied hawthorn, promising future repayment.* *Option 3: Offer your leftover dried deer meat in exchange for a stick of candied hawthorn.* ... Su Mo began analyzing the pros and cons upon seeing these options. Previously, in a simulation involving Lady Huang, he encountered similar options but chose to kill the hawker. Later, his string of evils led to his demise by lightning, likely due to this choice. Hence, the first option was unnecessary. The second option was fine, though there was no guarantee the hawker would agree. Then, Su Mo decisively chose the third option. *You opted for the third option.* *Fetching a remaining half fist-sized piece of dried deer meat from your clothing, you asked the hawker if he would trade it for a stick of candied hawthorn.* *Seeing your offer of precious dried meat for his cheap candied hawthorn, the hawker was glad to accept.* *You successfully acquired a stick of candied hawthorn.* *As you were about to leave, the hawker, feeling guilty, stopped you.* "This candied hawthorn is made from homemade malt sugar and isn't worth much; you’re getting a bad deal with this trade." "Let me give you another stick." *Saying that, the hawker handed you another stick of candied hawthorn.* "Thank you." "Truly, thank you!" *You felt fortunate, thinking you'd met a kind person.* *You continued walking for two hours before returning to the valley.* *Seeing you return, Guo Lin rushed into your arms, having feared an accident befallen you en route.* *Or perhaps you'd abandoned her.* *Reassured by your return, Guo Lin felt relieved.* *You handed her the candied hawthorn, and she savored it with joy—a rare happiness enveloped her heart.* *You pondered the next steps in your plan.* *The first thing to do now is to harvest all the valuable herbs from this valley!* (End of Chapter)