Chu Yu looked at Wang Lan's forced smile, thinking she was disturbed by Shen You, and patted her hand, saying, "Don't overthink it. Since there's no fate between you, it's better not to dwell on it."
Realizing Chu Yu had misunderstood, Wang Lan sighed in relief and went along with her assumption.
The two chatted for a while until Wei Qingping returned to the carriage. She glanced at Wang Lan and said, "It's fine, don’t worry."
The three of them talked and laughed in the carriage all the way to Bailing. Yet Wang Lan’s mind remained unsettled. Even after arriving at Bailing and entering her own residence, she couldn’t stop thinking about the marks on Chu Yu.
Whose were they?
Even someone as slow-witted as Wang Lan recalled how both Chu Yu and Wei Yun had gone to rest that morning, along with Wei Xia’s suggestive words.
She truly had been dense. If it had been someone as sharp as Jiang Chun, the implications would have been obvious immediately.
Did Jiang Chun know?
Wang Lan couldn’t contain herself. That very night, she went to see Jiang Chun.
Jiang Chun had just finished catching up with Chu Yu when Wang Lan arrived. Smiling, Jiang Chun said, "A Chun, here to see me too?"
Wang Lan exchanged pleasantries with her for a while before dismissing the servants. Then she said, "I came because there’s something I wanted to discuss with you, sister."
Jiang Chun was sipping tea when she heard this. She looked up in confusion and saw Wang Lan forcing a smile as she said, "It seems A Yu has someone she likes outside. Did you know?"
Jiang Chun paused, unsure how much Wang Lan had figured out. After a moment of hesitation, she finally asked, "How did you find out?"
Seeing Jiang Chun’s evasiveness, Wang Lan decided to cut straight to the point. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "Is it Xiao Qi?"
Jiang Chun didn’t answer. She set down her teacup and said calmly, "These matters aren’t for us to interfere with."
"This—this is unacceptable!"
Wang Lan shot to her feet. "An elder sister-in-law is like a mother! A Yu practically raised him. This… this is absurd!"
Jiang Chun remained silent, gently swirling the tea leaves in her cup before speaking slowly, "A Yu is only a year older than Xiao Qi. How could she have raised him? They’ve simply supported each other. Don’t you understand the circumstances of our Wei Manor? After all the hardships they’ve endured together, it’s only natural for affection to grow. It’s a beautiful thing."
"You knew all along, didn’t you?"
Wang Lan finally realized. Jiang Chun nodded, and Wang Lan looked at her in shock. "They’re breaking all the rules, and you didn’t even try to stop them?!"
"A Lan, rules exist to help people live better lives," Jiang Chun said serenely. "Rules that improve lives are called propriety. Rules that make lives harder are called dogma. A single word’s difference, but worlds apart. As long as they’ve wronged no one, what does it matter if they break the rules in someone else’s mind?"
"This is too absurd..."
Wang Lan shook her head in disbelief. "They, you—you’ve all gone mad..."
Jiang Chun stood and handed her a cup of hot tea. "Whether you understand or not, this has nothing to do with you. Keep it to yourself, don’t stir up trouble, and just mind your own business."
Hearing this, Wang Lan froze. Suddenly, Shen You’s face flashed through her mind.
Who one likes—who can control that?
Her anger deflated. Standing before Jiang Chun, she sighed deeply and finally left.Returning to Bailing, under Liu Xueyang's watchful eyes, Chu Yu didn't dare to be too reckless. That very night, she agreed with Wei Yun that it would be best for him not to come over and to exercise some restraint.
But when night fell and Chu Yu lay down to sleep, for some reason, she found herself unable to drift off.
She kept feeling as though someone was beside her, that if she turned around, she would be able to touch them. Yet when she turned and found no one there, not only was the space beside her empty, but her heart felt hollow too. Tossing and turning until midnight, she simply couldn't fall asleep.
Annoyed with herself, she saw that the night had deepened and decided to get up. Throwing on an outer robe, she stealthily made her way to Wei Yun's quarters.
When she arrived, his room was still brightly lit. Not wanting to alert anyone, she quietly hid in a tree, intending to wait until Wei Yun extinguished the lights and the guards around him had left before slipping in unnoticed.
However, Wei Yun seemed to be very busy, and the lights remained on. So she could only perch on the tree, watching as he knelt before his desk, diligently reviewing documents.
He was completely absorbed in his work, the lamplight casting a warm glow on his noble and refined features. Chu Yu lay against the tree trunk, gazing at the man's calm and steady expression, at the contours of his face outlined by the light, and before she knew it, she began to feel drowsy.
She couldn't understand it herself—how could a soft bed and plush pillows fail to bring her the same peace as watching this man from a cold, windy tree?
Just seeing him from afar was enough to comfort her, and unconsciously, she closed her eyes.
Meanwhile, after finishing the last document, Wei Yun still had no desire to sleep. He pressed his lips together and called for Wei Xia. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "And the First Madam's room…?"
"Her lights went out long ago."
Wei Yun: "…"
He sighed, somewhat helpless. "Heartless little thing."
But just as he finished speaking, a faint snoring sound drifted over from the courtyard.
The sound was very soft, but to someone of Wei Yun's skill, it was unmistakable. In an instant, his covert guards drew their swords and lunged toward Chu Yu!
Wei Yun immediately called out, "All of you, out!"
The guards withdrew the moment they heard his command. Wei Xia chuckled, glancing toward the tree before leading the servants out of the courtyard, stationing trusted aides to guard the perimeter.
Now alone in the courtyard, Wei Yun walked to the windowsill, vaulted over it with one hand, and strode down the corridor to the tree. Though Chu Yu had been half-asleep, Wei Yun's sharp command had startled her awake. Rubbing her eyes, she propped herself up and saw the young man standing beneath the tree, smiling up at her.
He looked up at her, his moon-white robe with cloud-patterned hems pooling on the ground, his hair loosely tied back with a white jade hairpin. His faintly amused eyes held a teasing glint, and the way he looked at her was as if she were a mischievous kitten.
Chu Yu slowly came to her senses, suddenly feeling rather awkward. She was the one who had told him not to come to her during the day, and now here she was, sneaking around to watch him.
"I just couldn't sleep…" she explained sheepishly. "I came over to take a look, that's all."
Wei Yun chuckled low in his throat, his voice carrying a husky undertone, like a gemstone sliding over silk, sending a shiver through her.
Without saying much, he simply reached out a hand. "Come down. It's cold."
Chu Yu looked down at him and couldn't help but laugh. "What if I don't come down? What will you do then?"Wei Yun found her unreasonable behavior even more amusing. With a deeper smile, he said, "If you won't come down, then I'll have to come up."
Chu Yu glanced at the tree branch, thinking it could barely support her weight alone—if Wei Yun climbed up, it might break. So she added, "If I come down, you have to promise me something."
"What is it?" Wei Yun looked at her with a smile.
"You agree to one condition for me. I'll tell you what it is later."
"Alright," Wei Yun replied generously.
Chu Yu was surprised. "So easily?"
"My whole self is already yours. What couldn't you ask for?"
Chu Yu was momentarily stunned. Hearing him speak like this, she felt a little embarrassed and couldn't bring herself to tease him further.
Noticing the blush on her face, Wei Yun softened his voice and said, "Come down now, don't catch a cold."
This time, Chu Yu didn't hesitate. She let herself fall straight into his arms, and Wei Yun caught her steadily.
Wei Yun looked at the girl in his embrace. Moonlight bathed her face, still tinged with lingering redness, her eyes sparkling with playful triumph—lively and adorable, a stark contrast to the composed and dignified Madam Wei she appeared to be in public.
How do you know someone loves you?
When they show you their truest, most unfiltered self.
Seeing Chu Yu like this, Wei Yun felt she hadn't just fallen into his arms but also into his heart. Gazing at her quietly, he couldn't resist lowering his head to kiss her forehead.
Chu Yu froze for a moment before burying her face in his chest. "Why did you kiss me?"
Wei Yun carried her slowly back to the house, his voice gentle. "Did you miss me?"
Chu Yu stayed silent, and Wei Yun took that as confirmation.
He chuckled softly, laid her on the bed, then settled beside her. "I missed you too. So much I couldn't sleep. I ended up getting up in the middle of the night to review documents. Finished all my work, but still couldn't sleep. Now that you're here, I feel like I could fall asleep right away."
Chu Yu gave an embarrassed hum of acknowledgment. Wei Yun pulled her closer into his arms and sighed. "Let's not sleep separately anymore, alright? I'll be careful. What do you think?"
Chu Yu kept her face hidden against his chest, silent. Thinking she still had reservations, Wei Yun added, "If Mother really finds out, we'll admit it and face the consequences, alright?"
Still, Chu Yu said nothing. Wei Yun gently pulled her back and sighed. "A Yu, tell me what you're thinking. Your silence scares me."
"My silence..." Chu Yu fidgeted slightly. "Isn't it because I'm embarrassed?"
And so, the matter of sleeping apart was never brought up again.
In the days that followed, Wei Yun began preparations to attack Qing Province, while Chu Yu focused on gathering medical supplies.
The earthquake in Qing Province was imminent, and she needed to stockpile as much disaster relief material as possible. Wei Qingping assisted her in preparing the herbs, though she didn't understand why Chu Yu was doing this. But she never pried into others' affairs, so she simply helped without question.
Apart from official matters, Chu Yu spent her remaining time keeping Liu Xueyang company at home. Seeing how busy she was, Liu Xueyang couldn't help but advise her gently, "A Yu, don't overwork yourself. If you ruin your health, who will take responsibility?"
Chu Yu smiled and agreed verbally, but she continued doing what she needed to do.Liu Xueyang noticed Chu Yu's haggard appearance and felt a pang of sympathy. She turned to Gui Momo beside her and said, "I don't understand why A Yu is being so stubborn. With all these military affairs going on and Xiao Qi handling things, she should rest when she can. Why does she have to worry about everything?"
"After all, the First Madam is alone," Gui Momo replied casually as she massaged Liu Xueyang's legs. "With no one to care for, of course she needs something to occupy her mind."
These words resonated with Liu Xueyang, who sighed worriedly, "You're right. A Yu is so single-minded, determined to remain chaste for A Jun. Keeping herself busy must be her way of coping with the pain. Speaking of which, when we visited Lord Yan's residence before, wasn't his son still unmarried?"
"That's correct."
Gui Momo smiled. "The Yan family is a prestigious clan in Kun Province, a noble lineage spanning centuries. The eldest son of the Yan family is said to be both talented and handsome, a true romantic. In my opinion, the First Madam isn't being stubborn—she just has high standards. It's not easy to find a man who meets them. Lord Gu had some past conflicts with the First Madam, but if she were to meet another outstanding gentleman, who knows what might happen?"
"You make an excellent point." Liu Xueyang held Gui Momo's hand and pondered for a moment. "Very well, prepare an invitation for me. Let's invite Madam Yan and her eldest son to the manor for a visit."
Gui Momo acknowledged the order.
The next day, Madam Yan arrived at Wei Manor with her eldest son, Yan Yunlang. As soon as they arrived, Liu Xueyang sent someone to summon Chu Yu to join them as a hostess.
Without giving it much thought, Chu Yu dressed casually and went out to greet the guests.
Meanwhile, at the government office, Wei Yun was discussing military strategies with his subordinates when Wei Xia hurried in and whispered in his ear, "The Old Madam has invited Madam Yan and her eldest son to the manor for tea, and she's asked the First Madam to accompany them!"
Wei Yun's expression shifted, his eyes turning cold. He straightened up and glanced around before asking, "Who is this eldest son of the Yan family?"
"Is it Prefect Yan Yunlang?"
Shen Wushuang quickly recalled someone. Wei Yun looked up and saw Shen Wushuang's solemn expression as he said, "Kun Province's most notorious playboy, a legendary romantic. It's said that no woman he sets his sights on ever escapes his charm."
Wei Yun's face darkened, and he abruptly stood up to leave.
Shen Wushuang, unsure what he had said wrong, asked in surprise, "Your Highness? Your Highness, where are you going?"
Without turning back, Wei Yun grabbed his coat and strode out of the room, his voice icy. "Going home."
Shen Wushuang was stunned and exchanged a glance with Qin Shiyue across the table.
This wasn't a return home—this was a march to confront an enemy!
Author's note: A little jealousy keeps love alive.
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