Fu Tingyun quickly retreated several steps, exclaiming in surprise: “How can this be? How can this be?”

She wasn’t immobile, so what justification was there for a woman to be carried on a man’s back? If people saw this, wouldn’t they laugh at Zhao Ling for being henpecked, or mock her for being too domineering?

Zhao Ling could guess what she was thinking without asking.

He truly felt sorry for her.

Yet there was no better solution at hand.

Without speaking, Zhao Ling stepped forward, placed Fu Tingyun’s arms over his shoulders, crouched down, and lifted her knees to carry her on his back.

Fu Tingyun let out a soft gasp of surprise and quickly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Zhao Ling reassured her: “At this hour, people are either already home or still watching lanterns on West Street. No one will see us!”

Only then did Fu Tingyun have a chance to look around.

The moonlight shone brightly on the main street. The surroundings were quiet, with only the large red lanterns in front of each house swaying in the summer night breeze.

Her heart calmed somewhat.

Zhao Ling’s broad shoulders, solid back, and steady steps made Fu Tingyun rest her head comfortably on his shoulder.

She recalled her childhood, when she played too late in her grandmother’s room, and her mother would carry her back to her room.

In her eyes then, her mother was just like Zhao Ling now—with broad shoulders, a solid back, and steady steps—giving her an incomparable sense of security and stability. It seemed that as long as she was carried on her mother’s back, no matter what happened, she wouldn’t be afraid… Zuo Junjie was still missing, she didn’t know why her father didn’t recognize her, and she hadn’t yet sought justice from her uncle regarding her eldest sister-in-law’s matter… She still had many things to do. Yet at this moment, her heart felt incredibly peaceful and resolute.

As long as this man was willing to protect her like this, no matter what awaited her ahead, she wouldn’t feel afraid or find it difficult.

Thinking of this, Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but ask Zhao Ling softly: “Are you tired?”

Zhao Ling laughed: “I once carried over a hundred jin of weight and marched more than a hundred li in a day. This is nothing.”

Was that how they had achieved their current prosperity and status?

Fu Tingyun felt a twinge of pain in her heart and unconsciously placed a gentle kiss on his neck.

Zhao Ling’s body stiffened, and his steps faltered briefly.

Sensing her effect on him, Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth curl up in a pleased expression.

“Lord Nine,” she closed her eyes and pressed her face against his back, feeling the warmth that came through his clothes, and murmured, “We must live well together for our entire lives.”

Zhao Ling heard her words.

He made a sound of agreement and said: “We will live well together for our entire lives.” His tone was so firm that it brooked no contradiction.

Suddenly, a loud boom sounded, and the azure night sky bloomed with a magnificent, colorful firework.

It was multi-colored and dazzling.

Like a meteor streaking across the sky, it scattered and fell.

Then another firework exploded in the air.

It illuminated the western sky.

Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but stop and look up.

From not far away came the frustrated voice of a young man: “Had I known that West Street would set off more fireworks, we should have waited longer before returning.”

Another youth responded: “Should we go back?”

“Better not!” a third young man said. “By the time we get there, the fireworks will be over. We might as well enjoy them from here.”

“But it’s still not as good as being on West Street. The Shuangnian Street arch is blocking our view.”

“Then let’s go to Shuangnian Street to watch the fireworks…”

In the quiet night, the young men’s voices were exceptionally clear.

Fu Tingyun and Zhao Ling looked at each other in concern.

Shuangnian Street connected to Chaoyang Gate Avenue and was a main thoroughfare in the capital. If not for that memorial arch, people couldn’t tell which side was Shuangnian Street and which was Chaoyang Gate Avenue. Both sides of the street were lined with shops, now closed, leaving nowhere to hide.

A dim light appeared at the corner of the street.

It was the lantern carried by the group of young men.

Fu Tingyun struggled anxiously: “You, you put me down quickly.”

Could he be stumped by such a minor issue?

While recalling the scenes he had observed when passing Shuangnian Street before, Zhao Ling smiled reassuringly: “Just stay still on my back…” His eyes searched the surroundings and spotted a nearby alley. His voice gained confidence: “Don’t make too much noise or you’ll attract attention.” As he spoke, he quickly entered the alley.

It was a dead-end alley, pitch black. Just as they hid inside, they saw several richly dressed young men, surrounded by a large group of attendants, pass by the entrance of the alley.

Fu Tingyun let out a long sigh of relief: “That scared me to death.”

Zhao Ling couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

His laughter sounded particularly loud in the quiet night.

Fu Tingyun was so frightened that she quickly covered his mouth: “Keep your voice down. What if someone comes to investigate?”

Regardless of the reason, hiding like this certainly wasn’t gentlemanly behavior.

Zhao Ling, however, licked her palm.

Fu Tingyun was startled, and already a tingling sensation was washing over her like waves, spreading from her palm to her entire body… just like when he kissed her… there.

How could this be?

She quickly withdrew her hand.

Zhao Ling let out a soft laugh: “I understand.” Then he turned to look at Fu Tingyun. “Let’s go home.”

In the darkness, his eyes sparkled as he gazed at her intently, as if in this world, apart from her, there was no one else.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but be captivated by his gaze, unable to look away.

…

After returning home, Zhao Ling personally prepared a basin of hot water to bathe Fu Tingyun’s feet.

Fu Tingyun refused.

Zhao Ling’s face grew serious: “Listen to me. This is no time for empty courtesy. I want to check if your feet have blisters.”

Fu Tingyun could only obediently allow him to move the lamp to the basin and carefully examine her feet.

Her feet were as white as jade, with faint blue veins visible, and pink nails, neatly trimmed.

Zhao Ling kissed the top of her foot and joked: “Fortunately, there are no marks, otherwise I would have regretted it terribly!”

Fu Tingyun remembered how, when they fled from Huayin, Zhao Ling had pushed her in a small cart along the way… The fact that her feet bore no marks was also due to his efforts, wasn’t it?

She recalled that when her fourth cousin was at home, her fingers were as fair as spring onions, but after a few years of marriage, her hands were scarred. Her fifth cousin had once discussed with her sisters the saying “poor couples face a hundred sorrows.” But even back then, they weren’t wealthy! How one lived depended on the person.

After Zhao Ling had washed up and gotten into bed, Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but hug his waist tightly, pressing her body close to his back.

That kind of attachment, which she had never shown before, made Zhao Ling turn over and hold her in his arms, asking softly: “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

These days, he had been too unrestrained, and he wasn’t sure if what he had done was right.

“It’s nothing!” Fu Tingyun responded softly, burying her head in Zhao Ling’s embrace.

Zhao Ling’s heart immediately filled with tenderness, and he gently kissed her forehead: “Then I’ll go blow out the lamp.”

Since their wedding night, Zhao Ling had always slept on the outer side of the bed, and whenever something needed to be done, it was Zhao Ling who got up to do it.

Fu Tingyun gently murmured in agreement, and Zhao Ling sat up to extinguish the lamp.

The bed curtains were immediately plunged into darkness.

Zhao Ling thought about how he had bothered Fu Tingyun all morning, and how they had returned home in the middle of the night, making her walk such a long distance. Despite having fragrant softness in his arms, he suppressed the desire in his heart and only gently stroked her hair, kissing her forehead: “Go to sleep now! If you feel tired, we can rest at home tomorrow and visit Tanzhe Temple the day after. It’s not like the temple is going anywhere!”

Fu Tingyun found his words amusing and giggled a couple of times. She turned this way and that in his arms, finding a comfortable position before settling down.

Zhao Ling was in agony.

First, Fu Tingyun had wriggled around in his arms, and then she turned her back to him, curling her body so that they fit together like spoons, without any gap between them. Fu Tingyun’s round, perky buttocks pressed against his manhood, causing his blood to rush downward uncontrollably.

Zhao Ling couldn’t sleep at all.

He opened his eyes wide, staring at the corner of the bed curtains, constantly thinking about what Master Yan had told him a few days ago: “What a pity about the Marquis of Yingchuan. A hero of his generation, yet trapped by all sorts of messy family affairs.”

When Master Yan was young, he had been implicated in an imperial examination fraud case and permanently banned from official service. Now, although he enjoyed imperial favor, the incident from those years had been too significant to allow him to retake the examinations for an official position, making it impossible for him to enter the cabinet as a minister. Despite this, although Zhao Ling hadn’t known Master Yan for long, he greatly admired the master’s strategies and insights.

Master Yan wouldn’t have said those words without reason, would he?

He thought of the Martial Stability Marquis’s marriage.

Who knew what the Emperor had in mind?

Had the Martial Stability Marquis invited him to the wedding banquet to form a connection, or just to add to the crowd and create a lively atmosphere?

Though they say “when the birds are gone, the good bow is put away,” if the Emperor were also such an ungracious person, perhaps he should make plans early?

As his mind raced, Fu Tingyun felt something pressing against her, growing harder and hotter…

Was Zhao Ling being considerate because she was too tired?

She thought about the frequency with which Zhao Ling had engaged in this activity these past days… Her lips pressed together lightly, and a misty look flashed across her eyes.

Zhao Ling heard Fu Tingyun make a soft moan and turn over as if sleeping restlessly.

He quickly gathered his thoughts and adjusted his position to hold her in his arms again, only to discover that his lower body was painfully hard.

Zhao Ling couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

But before his smile could fade, Fu Tingyun had already snuggled closer, not only that, but she seemed to move around and loosen her collar. Her peach-like, full breasts, separated only by a thin undershirt, pressed against his chest. Her long, smooth thighs also rested restlessly on his waist, with her secret place positioned right against his hardness…

Zhao Ling’s body stiffened.

With just a turn of his body, he could… but he had just made up his mind to let his darling rest well for one night…

As he struggled with this inner conflict, Fu Tingyun had already wrapped her arms around his neck, let out another soft moan near his ear, and her feet, smooth as congealed cream, rubbed against his calves.

With a “boom,” the fire in his heart blazed uncontrollably.

Never mind… tomorrow then, he would let his darling rest properly for the whole day…

He silently vowed in his heart, but his body had already made its own decision, turning over and whispering “darling” in her ear.

Fu Tingyun lazily responded, tightening her arms around his neck, as if unwilling to leave him for even a moment.

Zhao Ling was overjoyed…

Fu Tingyun opened her eyes, pursing her lips in a smile.