When Luoshen married into Jingkou, Xiao Yongjia had selected dozens of maids and servants to accompany her. Within a few days, she had sent most of them to the estate, keeping only a few by her side—including two cooks.

Luoshen kept the cooks considering that Lu Shi’s eyes were inconvenient and A’Ting was still young, wanting to make things easier for them and reduce their work.

Lu Shi wasn’t one to stubbornly maintain face. Her daughter-in-law’s natal family status was far higher than their own, and she had brought so many servants when she came—this was obvious. She knew Luoshen wasn’t accustomed to the food she and A’Ting made, so when A’Ju suggested having the cooks prepare meals in the future, Lu Shi immediately agreed.

But tonight’s meal was once again prepared by Lu Shi herself, with A’Ting helping—made by their own hands.

Just as the lamps were lit, Li Mu returned from outside.

Lu Shi was very pleased and urged her son to eat.

After washing his hands, Li Mu took his seat.

Luoshen sat across from him, with A’Ting accompanying them at the end.

He seemed very hungry and began eating after sitting down.

Lu Shi didn’t eat much, seeming to concentrate on listening to the subtle sounds he made while eating.

Li Mu put down his bowl and chopsticks, turned to Lu Shi, and smiled: “Your son is full. Thank you, Mother.”

Lu Shi nodded with a smile.

“Brother, when will you return?”

A’Ting also put down her chopsticks and asked.

Li Mu smiled: “Very soon. While brother isn’t home, don’t be wild or mischievous—listen to Mother.”

A’Ting’s eyes reddened as she nodded forcefully.

Watching this scene, Luoshen suddenly felt like she was an extra person.

After comforting A’Ting, Li Mu—whether intentionally or not—looked toward Luoshen.

Luoshen hesitated.

In this situation, she should probably say something too…

But if she spoke, it would inevitably be words telling him to be careful and return soon.

She would rather die than say such things.

So she pretended she hadn’t finished eating, lowered her head to avoid his gaze, and pretended to pick up another piece of food with her chopsticks.

“A’Mi!”

Suddenly hearing Lu Shi call her name.

Luoshen quickly responded, put down her chopsticks, and turned to Lu Shi: “What are your instructions, Foster Mother?”

Lu Shi said: “You’ve been married into our household for some time now and must be missing your parents greatly. Mu’er is going north of the river tomorrow, and who knows when he’ll return from this journey. Without him to accompany you, I imagine you’d be quite bored here alone. Why not take this opportunity to visit your natal home?”

Luoshen was stunned.

During the day, she had indeed been thinking about finding an opportunity to mention returning to Jiankang.

She hadn’t expected that before she could speak, Lu Shi would take the initiative to suggest she go back.

Luoshen suspected she had perceived her thoughts and felt embarrassed, quickly waving her hands: “Foster Mother, I won’t go back. I’ll stay to keep you company.”

Lu Shi smiled and shook her head: “It’s fine. I know you’re filial, but I have A’Ting to keep me company. There’s no need for you to specially stay to serve me—you can return with peace of mind. When Mu’er returns victorious, I’ll have him go fetch you.”

Her tone was clearly sincere.

But a thought suddenly occurred to Luoshen.

Although Li Mu was skilled in warfare, weapons had no eyes—once on the battlefield, there was a possibility of not coming back.

Lu Shi was telling her to return to Jiankang and also saying “when Mu’er returns victorious, I’ll have him go fetch you.”

She didn’t know if she was mishearing, but she felt Lu Shi seemed to have already prepared for the worst.

If Li Mu didn’t return, wouldn’t this mean she could stay at the Gao residence permanently and never have to return to Jingkou again?

“Foster Mother! I really won’t go back! I’ll stay too, accompanying you with A’Ting while we wait for Langjun to return home.”

Luoshen quickly reaffirmed her position.

She did indeed find her son annoying, but heaven could witness that she had never harbored thoughts of hoping he would die soon.

Lu Shi pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and smiled.

“That’s good too. Foster Mother thanks you.”

“How can Foster Mother speak like this! This is what a daughter-in-law should do.”

Luoshen’s face turned bright red.

“Sister-in-law, you’re so good!”

A’Ting’s eyes were red as she came to lean against Luoshen’s side, making Luoshen feel as if she too was infected by this pre-departure atmosphere. She suddenly felt a bit sad, stroking A’Ting’s head and softly comforting her.

Li Mu watched her throughout but never said a word.

“Mu’er, you must depart early tomorrow morning. You must be tired from these past two days. You and A’Mi should return to your room early to rest—there’s nothing more here.”

Lu Shi turned to her son.

Li Mu said: “Let me escort Mother to her room first.”

He helped Lu Shi up.

Lu Shi silently rose.

Luoshen had to follow along, accompanying them to escort Lu Shi to her room. At the doorway, Lu Shi kept urging them on. Li Mu bid his mother farewell, looked at Luoshen, and said softly: “Let’s go back.”

Luoshen followed him back to their shared room, entering one after the other.

The room was already lit.

For some reason, perhaps because of what had just happened, the atmosphere in the room felt extremely strange to Luoshen.

Being alone in a room with him like this even made her feel uncomfortable—something she had never experienced before.

She didn’t look at him, only calling for A’Ju to prepare her scented bathwater.

A’Ju responded. Soon, servants began carrying water in, going back and forth.

Luoshen saw him go directly to sit on the couch that had served as his bed these past days, sitting sideways to her with a scroll in his hand, beginning to read.

A profound and composed silhouette.

Luoshen went to bathe, moving gently and carefully, trying not to make even the slightest water sound.

A’Ju attended her bath as usual, seeming to want to say something but hesitating, her expression somewhat strange, but ultimately saying nothing and no longer mentioning returning to Jiankang.

Luoshen quickly finished bathing. Since her long hair was somewhat damp at the ends, after coming out she didn’t immediately go to bed but sat at her dressing table.

Qiongshu came over to help dry her wet hair.

Looking in the mirror, Luoshen saw Li Mu raise his face, his gaze seeming to move from the scroll in his hands to her silhouette.

The bronze mirror couldn’t clearly reflect the man so far away.

But vaguely, Luoshen sensed his expression was serious as he looked at her back, seeming to be thinking about something.

Suddenly, the man’s shadow in the mirror moved—he put down his book, actually got up from the couch, and began walking toward her.

Luoshen felt slightly nervous.

“You may go.”

He stopped and spoke to Qiongshu, his tone gentle.

Qiongshu glanced at Luoshen, softly agreed, put down the hair towel, rose, and withdrew.

“What do you want?”

Luoshen didn’t turn around.

Behind her was silence.

Unable to help herself, Luoshen turned back, meeting his gaze directly. She saw him suddenly smile slightly at her and sit where Qiongshu had just been.

The distance between them suddenly became very close.

Luoshen tensed all over and immediately straightened up, about to rise and leave, when she felt one shoulder lightly weighted down.

He actually raised his arm and gently pressed her back down, then withdrew his hand.

Against her will, Luoshen was pressed back to the dressing table by the force from her shoulder. Her ears grew hot, and she felt secretly annoyed.

“What are you trying to do?”

She turned her face away, her voice cold.

“That day you acted righteously, standing up for my sworn brother Jiang and his wife. Brother Jiang and his wife are very grateful, and so am I, yet I never thanked you. Don’t blame me for that.”

She suspected she had misheard—she actually heard him speaking to her like this from behind.

She slowly turned her head back.

He was looking at her, his eyes gentle.

Luoshen met his gaze for a moment: “I wasn’t helping you. I just couldn’t stand the Shen family’s behavior!”

She snorted again: “There’s no need for your thanks. If you don’t blame me for forcibly interfering, I’d be eternally grateful!”

He smiled.

“Why would I blame you? You did what I failed to do. And even if I had done it, I might not have handled it as appropriately as you did.”

Luoshen’s heart felt as if something had seared it, and she blurted out: “If that’s the case, why did you scold me when you came back that night?”

He was startled: “When did I ever scold you?”

“You did! You definitely scolded me!” Luoshen retorted.

But even she hadn’t noticed that her tone already carried a somewhat coquettish complaint.

Li Mu’s brows moved slightly. Looking at her indignant appearance, he seemed to want to laugh but forcibly restrained himself.

Having blurted this out, Luoshen herself realized she shouldn’t speak to him this way. Her face couldn’t help but redden slightly. She turned her head and moved to get up and leave, saying: “Forget it, I won’t lower myself to your level…”

That shoulder was weighted down again. Against her will, she was guided to sit back down.

He casually picked up the hair towel that had been put down earlier, gently gathered her long hair hanging down her back with his other hand, and began drying her still half-wet hair ends, saying: “Jingkou is a place that looks north and also where northern refugees gather—a mix of people with complex power structures. Dealing with a Shen family is naturally more than enough for you. I was afraid you might encounter people with ulterior motives and suffer losses, so I reminded you a few times—it wasn’t criticism.”

Luoshen was stunned, biting her lip without making a sound.

Li Mu also stopped talking, only continuing to carefully dry her hair.

“I have some business—I arranged to meet with Brother Jiang. I’ll go and return quickly. You should sleep.”

Luoshen remained sitting.

He looked at her motionless head for a moment, hesitated, then added: “My mother’s suggestion earlier was sincere. I’m leaving for the north tomorrow. If you want to return to Jiankang, don’t force yourself to stay—I’ll have someone escort you back, and I’ll fetch you when I return.”

Luoshen said softly: “I won’t go back.”

“That’s fine too. I’ll have people protect you all and leave someone at home. If anything happens, they can notify me immediately…”

His voice suddenly paused and stopped.

Having just bathed in hot water with warm feet, Luoshen hadn’t put on socks—her bare feet had originally been hidden under her skirt hem. From getting up twice and being pressed back down, her skirt had become disheveled, revealing some of her feet.

Round, tender, and delicate—two adorable little feet.

Noticing his gaze had looked over, Luoshen’s face reddened as she quickly drew them back, hiding them completely under her skirt again.

But the atmosphere suddenly seemed to change due to this small movement.

Li Mu was silent for a moment, put down the hair towel, said “You should sleep first,” rose, and walked out.

He returned at midnight. A lamp had been left burning in the room.

Luoshen lay on her pillow, chin propped on her elbow, quietly opening her eyes and watching through the bed curtains as he undressed, extinguished the lamp, and finally lay down on his couch.

Nothing more was said that night. Luoshen just dozed fitfully. When dawn was barely breaking, she suddenly opened her eyes and discovered that where he had been last night was already empty.

Li Mu was gone.

Morning mist drifted over the river, the waters hazy with smoke. Dozens of ferry boats were moored along the shore, boatmen holding oars ready to depart.

He would embark on this campaign of perhaps unknown fate together with those three thousand Palace Guard soldiers.