Chapter 1183: The River God’s Bride 18

Tang Wan understood that Bingtong’s refusal came from genuine concern for her safety. She was not the kind of person who would recklessly walk into danger simply out of curiosity, so she quickly nodded and said with a reassuring smile, “I understand. Don’t worry, Tongtong. I know you’re doing this for my own good.”

Seeing her so readily give up the idea, Bingtong visibly relaxed, the tension in his heart easing at once. “Mm,” he replied, a faint smile appearing on his face. As long as she no longer thought about going to the Demon Market, everything was fine.

To shift the atmosphere, Tang Wan looked ahead and asked with interest, “Hmm? Tongtong, what’s that place over there?”

“That’s the library of the He Bo Palace,” Bingtong answered.

“Can I go take a look?” she asked.

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation, immediately leading her inside.

The moment they entered, Tang Wan’s gaze was drawn to the walls, where numerous portraits were displayed. Dozens of images depicted past River Gods, each with a different form, while among them were only two or three scattered portraits of women.

“Tongtong, are these… all the previous River Gods?” she asked.

“Yes,” Bingtong nodded.

“And these women?” she continued, pointing at the smaller number of portraits.

“They are the brides of the River Gods,” Bingtong replied.

Tang Wan blinked slightly. “Only these few?”

“That’s because only they were willing to stay with their River Gods in the end,” Bingtong explained. As he spoke, a faint redness crept into his ears. “In the future… our portrait will be placed here too.”

“I see,” Tang Wan said with a soft smile, nodding. “Then there will definitely be a place for us here.”

After that, her attention shifted to a desk nearby, where a book lay open. Curious, she stepped closer and looked down at its contents.

However, the text written within was completely unfamiliar. The characters were unlike anything used by humans, and no matter how she looked at them, she could not understand a single word.

Just as she was about to ask Bingtong about it, he suddenly moved forward in a blur, quickly closing the book with an almost guilty urgency.

Tang Wan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

There was clearly something unusual about this.

Still, she did not expose it directly. Instead, she put on a confused expression and said softly, “Tongtong… I’m sorry. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to look at that. But it’s alright—I can’t read it anyway.”

As she spoke, her voice gradually softened, carrying a hint of hurt, as though his reaction had stung her.

The effect was immediate.

Bingtong panicked at once, his expression turning flustered as he waved his hands hurriedly. “No, no, my lady, don’t misunderstand! I didn’t mean it like that. It’s not that you can’t read it… it’s just… it’s not suitable for you to read.”

Even as he spoke, he felt a wave of regret. He had forgotten that the text was written in the language of demons—Tang Wan would not have understood it regardless. His earlier reaction must have made her feel rejected.

But the truth was, the book was not some forbidden secret.

It was simply… awkward.

Its title alone was enough to explain everything: A Complete Guide to Human Women’s Schemes. It was a collection of lessons passed down from previous River Gods, detailing the various tricks human brides had used to deceive them—methods to gain trust, to leave the water, and ultimately to escape.

That was why, when Tang Wan had spoken earlier about cooking for him or going ashore, he had instinctively doubted her. According to everything recorded in that book, those were exactly the kinds of tactics human women used.

Seeing his troubled expression, Tang Wan lowered her gaze slightly, her voice turning faint and sorrowful as she spoke, “There’s no need to explain, Lord He. I understand. I’m just an ordinary human… how could I expect your trust or affection?”

She paused, then continued in a softer tone, “Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll stay quietly in my room and won’t go anywhere.”

As her words fell, she turned and hurried toward the door, her movements hurried as though trying to hold back tears.