Chapter 1179: The River God’s Bride 14

“It’s no trouble,” Bingtong replied without hesitation, his tone casual. “The little demons have nothing much to do anyway. If you want to eat in the future, just have them go out and buy it for you.”

Tang Wan listened, then shook her head slightly, her expression softening as she spoke in a gentle, almost thoughtful tone. “But… if there’s a chance, I’d still like to cook for you myself. Do you know? Among us humans, after a woman gets married, it’s very normal for her to prepare meals for her husband.”

She said this lightly, but her thoughts were anything but casual. She did not mention it out of mere whim. If she was to continue living here, she needed a reason—an opportunity—to leave the depths of the river, even if only temporarily. She was human after all; she could not remain beneath the water forever, cut off from sunlight and the world above. Yet she could also sense Bingtong’s lingering caution. He feared she might run away. So she needed to show him, step by step, that even if she returned to land, she would not abandon him.

Only by doing so could she earn his trust.

However, when Bingtong heard her words, his reaction was not what she expected.

At first, there was a flicker of emotion in his eyes, as though he had been moved by the idea. The thought of his wife cooking for him… it was undeniably tempting. But almost immediately, that softness hardened into something guarded.

Memories surfaced in his mind—stories left behind by previous River Gods. There had been human brides before who had said the same things, who had acted gentle and obedient, only to flee the moment they reached land. If not for the binding mark left by their marriage, they would have vanished without a trace.

And now… Tang Wan was saying the same thing.

Was she trying to deceive him as well?

The thought stirred an uneasy heaviness in his chest, and before he could stop himself, his expression darkened slightly.

“Ding! Bingtong’s favorability -1. Current favorability: 78.”

Tang Wan blinked in confusion, caught completely off guard. She had only suggested cooking for him—how had that caused his favorability to drop?

At that moment, Bingtong pouted faintly, his tone turning stubborn as he said, “My lady, I don’t need you to cook. You just need to stay here properly. If you run around… then I’ll make you stay and give me baby fish.”

Tang Wan fell silent for a brief second, both startled and exasperated. Threatening her with such a thing… it was childish, yet strangely sincere in its own way.

Still, she knew better than to confront him directly. Instead, she let her expression soften into something faintly melancholy, her voice lowering as she spoke, “I know… you’re just worried about me. You don’t want me to do anything tiring like cooking.”

She paused, then continued gently, “But Tongtong, I have to eat every day. If your subordinates have to go out constantly just for me, even if you don’t mind, they might grow tired of it. And… I’m human. I can’t stay underwater forever without ever seeing the sun. If I do…” Her voice trailed off slightly, as though weighed down by the thought. “I might end up like a fish kept in a tank—slowly weakening until there’s nothing left.”

As she spoke, she lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes clear and earnest. “Or… are you worried that I’ll run away if I go ashore?”

“I… I’m not!” Bingtong denied quickly, though the hesitation in his voice betrayed him.

Seeing this, Tang Wan stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She raised her hand slightly, her tone steady yet sincere. “Tongtong, you have to believe me. I chose to marry you willingly. If that’s the case, why would I run away?”

“But…” Bingtong still hesitated, the conflict in his heart evident on his face.

Tang Wan watched him for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, her expression turning quiet and resigned. “Forget it,” she said gently. “If you’re still worried, then just pretend I never said anything. For me… as long as I can stay by your side, it doesn’t matter where I live. Even if I can’t adapt to life here and end up… living a shorter life because of it, that’s fine too.”

Her words were calm, but there was a subtle heaviness beneath them, like something unspoken lingering in the air.