Having slept the entire day, Shen Lingzhen found herself wide awake at night. After forcefully closing the window, she lost all drowsiness.

Jianjia brought a basin of clean water to serve her as she washed up, then brought over food.

Shen Lingzhen saw a pot of clear-stewed chicken soup on the lacquered tray and said strangely, “When I asked the inn for meat dishes this morning, they all said they didn’t have any.”

“Indeed they don’t. This chicken was specially hunted from the nearby mountains by Jingmo following the master’s instructions. The master said that Young Madam, you’re still growing and can’t just eat simple fare. This chicken soup nourishes vital energy and replenishes blood. He hopes that after drinking it, you’ll feel thoroughly comfortable and smile cheerfully.”

Shen Lingzhen heard the subtext in Huo Liuxing’s words and gave a low snort. She sat down at the eight-immortals table and began eating—white rice mixed with pickled vegetables, swallowing mouthful after difficult mouthful. She didn’t even glance at that pot of chicken soup and told Jianjia to take it away.

Jianjia wasn’t stupid either. She had long since detected from various signs that Shen Lingzhen was quarreling with Huo Liuxing, and immediately moved to dispose of the pot.

Shen Lingzhen suddenly raised her palm to stop her.

The one who erred was someone else—why should she make things difficult for herself over Huo Liuxing’s mistakes and reject good food? Drinking this bowl of chicken soup wouldn’t prevent her from continuing to ignore him.

Thinking this, she changed her mind and told Jianjia to put down the chicken soup. She drank three full bowls with determination.

When the inn’s servants carried the emptied pot downstairs, Jingmo next door gave Huo Liuxing a gesture meaning “this time it worked.”

Huo Liuxing’s lips twitched slightly. He paced to the corridor, loosening his muscles and bones while chatting idly with Jingmo beside him. “After the evening meal, one should still get up and move about to aid digestion.”

Jingmo cooperated. “Yes, yes, sitting around all day isn’t good for the body.” Saying this, he glanced at Shen Lingzhen’s tightly closed door and shook his head at Huo Liuxing, indicating no movement.

Huo Liuxing continued looking straight ahead. “The moonlight tonight is quite nice, and the weather is rarely cool—suitable for going out for a walk.”

“Yes, yes, this humble one has lived so many years yet never seen such a beautiful moon.” Jingmo said, looking back once more before shaking his head again.

Huo Liuxing’s brows furrowed as he glanced at him sideways: She ate my chicken—why won’t she acknowledge me as a person?

Jingmo fell into deep thought. The self-harm stratagem didn’t work, and catering to her preferences also failed. What other tactics could he employ?

——

Hearing the corridor fall silent and her ears finally clear, Shen Lingzhen had nothing to do and asked Jianjia to find writing materials. Just as she was preparing to practice calligraphy by lamplight in the room, she suddenly heard rustling wind sounds from the courtyard below, as if there was unusual activity.

From Huo Liuxing’s relaxed and bold behavior today, Shen Lingzhen believed her previous guess was correct—this wasn’t just an ordinary inn, but more like a Huo family outpost in Baibao City.

If so, this place should be an impregnable fortress, undoubtedly safe. Hearing this commotion, could formidable enemies be attacking?

Jianjia became alert at the same moment. Gripping a short sword, she quietly approached the window and gently opened a crack. But then she suddenly froze.

Seeing her strange expression, Shen Lingzhen followed curiously and squeezed to the window to look down at the courtyard.

With this look, she saw a man dressed in dark tight-fitting clothes with a jade belt at his waist practicing sword forms below. The sword was a heavy one, yet in his hands it seemed as light as a bamboo branch. A reverse-palm thrust executed with effortless power, a spinning strike sweeping with magnificent force—the sword tip glittered with starlight under the moon’s watery glow. The mottled tree shadows on the ground moved with the wind, creating an illusion as if witnessing a deity descending.

Shen Lingzhen’s breath caught. She stared blankly, then after her daze, reacted and snorted coldly. “Jianjia, look—there’s truly no shortage of people in this world who are so full they have nothing better to do.”

Below, Huo Liuxing’s sword suddenly slashed crookedly. Jingmo covered his eyes, showing an expression of being unable to bear watching.

When the sound of the window slamming shut came from upstairs, he stepped forward and cupped his hands. “Master, the beauty trap also failed. It seems only the final stratagem remains.”

Huo Liuxing’s patience exhausted, he jutted his chin, indicating he should finish describing whatever terrible schemes he had all at once.

Jingmo lowered his voice and whispered in his ear, “Let’s use a chain of stratagems—lure the tiger from the mountain, take advantage of the fire to rob, force the issue, self-harm stratagem, and press forward inch by inch!”

Huo Liuxing looked at him suspiciously. Though he didn’t quite understand yet, he detected a sense of something formidable.

——

After closing the window, Shen Lingzhen took a simple bath with Jianjia’s assistance and practiced calligraphy until nearly the third watch before feeling slightly drowsy. She got into bed, just feeling relieved that Huo Liuxing had finally stopped pestering her, when she faintly heard a weak “squeak squeak” coming from afar.

She froze, suspecting she had heard wrong. But in the next moment, a clear “squeak squeak” sounded much closer to her.

Shen Lingzhen’s hair instantly stood on end. She scrambled up from the bed, nervously clutching the quilt corner and looking around with the help of the room’s dim candlelight.

With this look, her vision blurred as she saw a dark shadow dart past from under the eight-immortals table.

She froze for a moment, then frantically called out, “Jianjia, Jianjia!”

No response came from the corridor.

Shen Lingzhen panicked. Just as she was about to shrink into the corner of the bed, she suddenly felt a chill on her back. Turning her head, she saw a plump black rat staring at her with beady rolling eyes.

She shrieked “Ah!” and scrambled off the bed. Stepping into her boots, she ran outside. Reaching the corridor, she found the long hallway completely empty, the surroundings deathly silent.

Shen Lingzhen tentatively called, “Jianjia?” Getting no response, she said softly, “Jingmo?” As she hesitated about what to do, another furry thing scurried past her feet. She nearly jumped, racing all the way to Huo Liuxing’s guest room door and pounding desperately. “Husband! Husband, are you there?”

Huo Liuxing yanked open the door, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

She stammered, pointing outside, “In my room there’s… there’s a huge mouse!”

Huo Liuxing pulled her into the room and leaned out to investigate.

Shen Lingzhen, still in shock, hid behind him, clutching his robe hem and trembling.

Huo Liuxing turned back with a serious expression. “This place is remote—it’s not strange to have mice. Jianjia and Jingmo went out on patrol. Shall I go catch it for you?”

Shen Lingzhen nodded vigorously like pounding garlic.

Huo Liuxing took his sword and went next door, instructing Shen Lingzhen who followed closely behind, “The mice here are fierce—they bite people. Hide well.”

Shen Lingzhen had never seen Huo Liuxing face such a formidable enemy before. Hearing this made her even more terrified.

Huo Liuxing extended one hand toward her, speaking gently, “Come, hold onto me.”

She immediately offered her hand.

Huo Liuxing held her with one hand and gripped his sword with the other. Lightening his steps, he slowly walked in, moved his ears to locate by sound, then suddenly slashed fiercely toward the diagonal front.

He shattered a piece of wooden floorboard.

He sighed. “This creature is too nimble—not easy to catch.” Saying this, he continued closing his eyes to concentrate, then struck again, severing a table leg.

When he swung his sword a third time and split the bed board, Shen Lingzhen was on the verge of tears. “Can you manage this or not?”

Huo Liuxing apologized. “Different skills for different tasks. I admit, I truly can’t catch mice.”

“Then listen—is the mouse still there?”

Huo Liuxing carefully discerned. “Still there, but it’s hiding.”

He could hear that? Shen Lingzhen was terrified, her hand curled in his palm covered in fine sweat. “What do we do?”

Huo Liuxing thought for a moment and analyzed, “If we continue trying to catch it, never mind how long it will take, even if we finally catch it, your room won’t be habitable anymore.”

Shen Lingzhen looked at the mess covering the floor with a distressed expression, knowing his words weren’t unreasonable. “Then I’ll change rooms.”

“As they say, ‘all roads lead to Bianjing.’ Change rooms—who’s to say the mouse won’t follow you there?”

Shen Lingzhen looked at him with a mournful expression, her face saying “what else can we do?”

“How about this—you sleep in my room tonight.” Huo Liuxing suggested with an unchanged expression. “If a mouse really appears, I can also protect you.”

Only now did Shen Lingzhen finally realize something. Looking at Huo Liuxing again, she felt his current earnest appearance was hypocritical to the extreme.

She abruptly yanked her hand back and pointed at him, eyes wide. “You did this on purpose! You deliberately sent Jianjia away and deliberately put mice in my room!”

Huo Liuxing sighed. “Yes, except for my place, all the guest rooms in the inn now have mice. Choose for yourself.”

Shen Lingzhen stepped back. “I’d rather sleep on the streets than share a bed with you!”

“Who gave you the audacity to sleep on the streets?” Huo Liuxing grabbed her by the collar. “Come with me.”

Shen Lingzhen raised her hand to push him away. This push instead provoked him to hoist her over his shoulder in one motion.

She cried and struggled. Huo Liuxing kicked the door open with one foot, then closed it behind him with his other hand. He carried her onto the bed and pinned her down with his elbow. “Shen Lingzhen, you were the one who told me to be myself. I’m someone with limited patience, a bad temper, and no spirit of selfless devotion. I maneuvered with enemies outside during the day, risking life and limb, then came back to your cold treatment. You’ve tormented me for so long—if you don’t let me taste some sweetness soon, I’m going to lose my temper.”

Shen Lingzhen was so frightened her ears buzzed. She saw his lips moving but didn’t hear what he said clearly. Her entire mind was filled with the thought that Huo Liuxing pressing her onto the bed at this moment was exactly the same as in her previous nightmare.

She cried out in alarm, “Don’t… don’t strangle me!”

Huo Liuxing was both annoyed and amused. He extended one hand, spreading his five fingers to look. “How would I strangle you?” Saying this, he reached his hand to the back of her neck, stroking it a few times and making as if to apply force. “Like this?”

Shen Lingzhen squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

He released his hand and sighed. “I won’t strangle you. I received an urgent message from the front lines tonight saying my father led troops into battle while injured today to suppress the refugee riots and fell victim to enemy treachery…”

Shen Lingzhen slowly opened her eyes and stared at him blankly. “Is he badly hurt?”

“His life isn’t in danger, but he shouldn’t keep pushing himself at the front lines either. Tomorrow morning I have to head north to meet him. This trip will take at least three to five days. So just stay with me properly for half the night—even if you’re just pretending to reconcile with me and throw another tantrum afterward, that’s fine. Just don’t make me worry about you when I leave, alright?”

Shen Lingzhen felt uncomfortable under his burning gaze and turned her head away, murmuring softly, “You only know how to frighten me—would you really worry about me…”

He said with amusement, “If I don’t worry about you, then am I really so full I have nothing better to do than perform these tricks that even Bianjing children stop playing at age seven?”

Shen Lingzhen’s gaze flickered. Her heart pounded even faster than when she had seen the mouse.

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and said as if mustering all her courage, “Then I’ll pretend to reconcile with you for one night—hurry up and lie down!”

Huo Liuxing breathed a sigh of relief and got onto the bed. Seeing her immediately retreat far to the side, he said, “Can you pretend a bit more realistically?”

Shen Lingzhen opened her eyes. “How can I be more realistic?”

He beckoned, indicating she should come closer. “Come let me hold you.”

Shen Lingzhen shook her head frantically. “When you slept before, you never… never held me.”

“That’s because before it was all real. Anyway, tonight is pretend—what does it matter?”

Shen Lingzhen found herself momentarily unable to refute this. As she frowned, trying to find the flaw in his logic, she heard him urge, “I’m leaving before daybreak. At most there are only two hours left. Endure it and you’ll have peace.”

She sniffled, closed her eyes and steeled her heart, inching toward him bit by bit. “Fine then, go ahead and hold me.”

Huo Liuxing smiled, opened his arms to embrace her, and gently nuzzled her hair with his chin. “That’s much better.”

——

Shen Lingzhen realized something was wrong again in her sleep.

“Reconciling” could be pretend, but how could “holding” be pretend? Even if it was pretend, he was still truly holding her—what was the difference?

She was furious, but having been tormented by the mouse ordeal, after falling into deep sleep she simply couldn’t wake up. By the time she finally awoke, daylight was bright and that “culprit” beside the bed had long since vanished without a trace.

Shen Lingzhen summoned Jianjia to confirm Huo Liuxing’s whereabouts.

Jianjia said, “The master headed north before daybreak. It was quite arduous—it was pouring rain at the time, yet he just mounted his horse and left.”

The frustration blocking Shen Lingzhen’s heart suddenly extinguished upon hearing the words “pouring rain.”

She looked toward the window where rain still poured and asked, “Has the rain not stopped at all?”

Jianjia shook her head. “This area seems to be entering the rainy season. These next days will probably be damp and hot—not easy to endure.”

Shen Lingzhen nodded, getting out of bed with considerable worry. Sure enough, the rain only stopped after falling for most of the day. The following two days were the same—the weather alternating between rain and respite, never truly clearing up.

She stubbornly refused to ask Jingmo about Huo Liuxing’s news. But by the fourth day of rain, she truly couldn’t hold back anymore. Yet coincidentally, she didn’t see any trace of Jingmo the entire day.

Somehow Shen Lingzhen became restless and anxious, unable to sit still all afternoon. Finally, at dusk, when she heard urgent knocking at her door, her heart leapt to her throat.

She opened the door to see Jingmo standing completely drenched, wiping his face. “Young Madam, we need to relocate.”

“Has something happened in Baibao City?”

“No.” He frowned. “It’s that the master has been out of contact for a day and night. This humble one worries that if this place is exposed, you’ll be in danger, so I plan to escort you to the main lord first.”

Shen Lingzhen swayed, nearly losing her balance. Supporting herself against the door frame, she said, “How can this be? Wasn’t this trip precisely to meet Commander Huo?”

“Some complications arose midway. Currently the main lord has safely withdrawn to the rear, but the master instead…”

His words were vague and evasive. Shen Lingzhen recalled the previous time he and Huo Liuxing had conspired together to trick her, and momentarily harbored doubts.

Jingmo saw her meaning and smiled bitterly. “Young Madam, this humble one was wrong before, but you must believe me this time. The master’s situation these past days has truly not been good. You may not know, but his legs haven’t fully healed. In this kind of rainy weather, they could flare up at any time. This humble one fears…”

Shen Lingzhen froze. “You’re saying his legs…”

Jingmo nodded. “If they had truly been perfectly fine ten years ago, how would we dare conceive such an audacious scheme to deceive the world? The master’s legs were indeed ruined back then. It was only by luck that they were healed two years later.”

Shen Lingzhen’s throat tightened. Suppressing the sourness that instantly rushed to her nose, she nodded and turned to pack her luggage, then stopped. “If I go somewhere safe, what about him? Can we go find him first?”