Wei Rao clung tightly to Lu Zhuo, unwilling to let go for even a moment. She was afraid that if she released him, Lu Zhuo would disappear. She feared she was only dreaming of him again after falling asleep—before she could be happy for long, she would wake up to find herself alone again.

Wei Rao had such dreams over and over.

No matter where Lu Zhuo placed her—on the couch in the outer room, on the table in the inner chamber—Wei Rao’s hands refused to leave his neck.

Lu Zhuo finally stopped.

She buried her face in his shoulder. Whether he was punishing or gentle, she hadn’t said a single word.

Once they stopped, the sweat on their bodies began to turn cold. On a first-month night, even with heated floors, they couldn’t withstand being exposed like this.

Lu Zhuo lifted Wei Rao again, carrying her to the bed.

He sat down first, steadying her in his arms, then pulled up the blanket to wrap around both of them.

Lu Zhuo lowered her arms to rest around his waist, preventing her arms from getting cold in the air.

Wei Rao’s head pillowed on his shoulder, her face pressed against his chest, which rose and fell with his breathing—nothing could be more real.

Wei Rao’s heart suddenly calmed. For the first time in over three years, she felt such peace.

“I couldn’t be like Mother and Second Aunt, staying quietly at the Duke’s mansion as a dutiful widow for you.”

“I moved to the Princess’s mansion, took A’Bao out to play. When people saw I didn’t live like a newly widowed woman, they thought I had forgotten you. Grandmother and Mother probably thought the same—they didn’t want to delay me and advised me to choose another while I was still young. I hadn’t thought of remarrying, but since you weren’t there and I wasn’t living at the Duke’s mansion, continuing to bear the title of widow seemed meaningless, so I agreed.”

“Once the marriage bond was severed, everyone thought I truly wanted to remarry. They came proposing marriage, and with nothing better to do, I met with each one who came.”

“Among all those men, I didn’t fancy a single one. I agreed to go horseback riding with Li Wei, but throughout that journey, I thought only of you.”

Lu Zhuo stroked her waterfall-like hair, “I sent Zhao Song to fetch you. Why didn’t you come see me?”

Wei Rao laughed softly, “If you had already known what I’d done, would you still have sent Zhao Song to fetch me?”

Lu Zhuo wouldn’t have—which was exactly why he had delayed seeing her for this past month.

He lowered his head to kiss her hair, “I didn’t see you because I was afraid you had truly forgotten.”

Wei Rao’s tears spilled over as she bit his shoulder, “You weren’t afraid I’d forgotten—you were just angry that I refused to remain a widow for you.”

She bit hard, but Lu Zhuo didn’t mind the pain. Only now did he understand why she had delayed seeking him out.

He feared Wei Rao had forgotten him.

Wei Rao feared he resented her and would refuse to forgive.

“If I blamed you for that, I wouldn’t have come tonight.” Lu Zhuo lifted her chin, making her look at him.

Wei Rao wouldn’t look, only remembering how he hadn’t given her a single kind glance on the street, “You came for A’Bao. I didn’t exist in your eyes at all.”

Lu Zhuo pinched her soft, tender face, “And I existed in yours? Apart from talking to A’Bao, did you spare me even one extra glance?”

If she felt wronged, wasn’t he wronged too?

Words were useless. Lu Zhuo pulled up the blanket and pressed Wei Rao down.

Forget all those complications—she was still his woman, and no one could take her from him.

At the Duke Ying Mansion.

Night fell heavily. Duchess Ying had waited for a long time but received no news of her eldest grandson’s return.

“Go to sleep. Shoucheng is a grown man—must you still worry about him?” Duke Ying came out to persuade her.

He expected to see his wife’s worried face, but when he looked, this old woman was smiling.

Duke Ying asked, “What are you smiling about?”

Duchess Ying smiled even more broadly, saying with relief, “If I’m not mistaken, our family will soon have new additions.”

A’Bao slept beautifully through the night. As soon as dawn broke, she woke up, washed her face, combed her hair, and dressed properly before running straight to her mother’s side.

The main room door was still closed, with Liu Ya standing guard at the entrance. Seeing the young princess, Liu Ya hurried over with a hushing gesture, “Princess, the Princess and Young Master are still resting. Would it be alright for the Princess to eat breakfast by herself this morning?”

A’Bao didn’t understand the deeper meaning, looking at her parents’ window and saying, “It’s already light out. Why are Father and Mother still sleeping in?”

Liu Ya thought to herself, how could they not sleep? The two masters had hardly rested all night, and there had been another round just at dawn.

“After admiring lanterns last night, the Young Master carried the Princess the whole time and got tired.” Liu Ya smoothly deceived the young princess without changing expression.

A’Bao couldn’t guess at adults’ complicated affairs and believed her.

After coaxing away the young princess, Liu Ya continued standing guard in the courtyard. The Princess and Young Master’s reunion after long separation wasn’t easy—no one should disturb them today.

With Liu Ya’s thoughtfulness and A’Bao being so well-behaved, the two in the room slept until nearly noon.

Even then, Lu Zhuo didn’t want to get up, pressing down on Wei Rao with more desire.

“Are you ever going to be finished?” Wei Rao didn’t believe he was serious.

Lu Zhuo looked at her and smiled, “Before returning to the capital, I secretly swore to keep you bedridden for three days.”

Wei Rao’s face flushed red. What kind of vow was that? She had long known his refined gentleman persona was all an act.

“Get up.” Wei Rao pushed him.

Lu Zhuo moved aside, watching Wei Rao sit up with her hair loose, preparing to dress.

Her snow-white shoulders were covered with marks he had left. Lu Zhuo suddenly grabbed Wei Rao’s wrist, pulling her back into his arms.

Wei Rao glared at him!

Lu Zhuo just held her tightly without saying anything.

Realizing he didn’t mean that, Wei Rao stopped struggling and lay quietly against him.

“I’m sorry.”

The low, hoarse voice sounded in her ear, and Wei Rao was stunned.

Lu Zhuo truly felt guilty toward her, “You’ve had a hard time these three years.”

Wei Rao closed her eyes. The past three years had indeed been difficult, but with Lu Zhuo’s return, all that hardship was worth it.

“What about you? What did you encounter out there?”

Wei Rao raised her head, her gaze falling on the scar on his left cheek. From last night until now, they hadn’t had a proper conversation.

Lu Zhuo touched his scar and smiled, “You should thank this scar—otherwise I might not have made it back.”

Lu Zhuo then told her about his time with Long Bu’s family.

During those three years, aside from the initial deception and final fake death, there wasn’t much worth telling about the middle period. With his legs immobile, he had lived like a dead man.

But it was precisely this part he glossed over that made Wei Rao’s heart ache most.

Her hand moved to Lu Zhuo’s legs, unable to imagine how he had endured it.

Lu Zhuo didn’t want her to be sad, so he took her hand and moved it elsewhere.

Wei Rao: …

The two fooled around for a while before finally getting up.

A’Bao had played a round in the garden and returned to find her parents eating together. Father was still wearing the same moon-white brocade robe from last night, with no cap on his head, as casual as at the Duke’s mansion. Mother wore a crimson silk shirt with a bright red long skirt underneath, beautiful and radiant.

A’Bao couldn’t help feeling proud—her father was the most handsome, her mother the most beautiful.

A’Bao ran in with pattering steps.

Lu Zhuo picked up his daughter and placed her on his lap, asking if she wanted to eat more.

A’Bao did want to eat.

Liu Ya ordered someone to bring another set of bowls and chopsticks.

“Father, is the lantern Mother and I made broken?” A’Bao hadn’t found that lantern this morning.

Lu Zhuo glanced at Wei Rao. He had done it on purpose last night—deliberately catching only one lantern and letting the one depicting just mother and daughter fall and break.

Wei Rao hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but meeting Lu Zhuo’s eyes now, how could she not guess his petty thoughts?

For all his cold pretense, he would even compete with a lantern. Now that their daughter was asking, let’s see what he would do.

Lu Zhuo had his strategy, smiling, “That one is broken. Shall Father help A’Bao make another one?”

A’Bao had made many lanterns with Mother, but had never seen Father make one—of course, she was willing.

After the meal, Lu Zhuo picked up A’Bao and gestured for Wei Rao to follow. The family of three went to the study.

Everything needed for making lanterns was prepared. Lu Zhuo taught A’Bao to make the lantern frame while Wei Rao ground ink, watching the father and daughter.

Time to start painting.

Wei Rao had never seen Lu Zhuo paint before. As soon as Lu Zhuo picked up the brush, Wei Rao, like A’Bao, watched his brush tip with rapt attention.

Lu Zhuo’s painting skills surpassed Wei Rao’s. The first figure he drew was a woman in a long dress. Though only showing her profile, Wei Rao immediately recognized herself.

“This is Mother,” A’Bao recognized it too.

Lu Zhuo smiled and continued painting.

Beside Wei Rao’s figure, he gradually outlined a tall man holding a little girl with one hand while holding the woman’s hand with the other.

“This is A’Bao and Father,” A’Bao giggled.

Lu Zhuo continued adding scenery. When the ink dried, Lu Zhuo assembled the lantern and asked A’Bao, “Shall we continue admiring lanterns tonight?”

A’Bao agreed immediately!

Before they knew it, evening arrived, and the final night of the lantern festival began.

Just like in the painting, while admiring lanterns, Lu Zhuo’s hand continuously held Wei Rao’s, never separating for a moment.

Returning from lantern viewing, Lu Zhuo naturally stayed at the Princess’s mansion again.

“You haven’t returned home for two nights without sending word. Won’t Grandmother and the others worry?” Wei Rao said somewhat embarrassedly. She and Lu Zhuo weren’t currently husband and wife, yet they were living together like this. Who knew what gossip it might cause? Aside, Wei Rao didn’t know how to face the people at the Duke’s mansion.

Lu Zhuo looked at her still-flushed face and smiled, “Worry about what? Grandmother and Mother have urged me many times. If I don’t return, they naturally know where I am. Even if they’re worried now, they’d only worry about me returning too early without bringing you back.”

Wei Rao felt guilty, “How can I return with you?”

Lu Zhuo replied, “You are my wife. When I wasn’t in the capital, you moved to the Princess’s mansion temporarily. Now that I’ve returned, you should naturally return to the Duke’s mansion with me.”

Wei Rao lowered her long lashes, “I… I already returned to my natal family. It’s spread among relatives and friends.”

Lu Zhuo was unconcerned, “If I had died, whether our marriage was dissolved could naturally be decided by Grandmother. But I’m still alive. We have a marriage certificate as proof. Unless I write you a divorce letter, as long as I say the marriage contract still stands, you remain Lu Zhuo’s wife and the Lu family’s daughter-in-law.”

Wei Rao looked at him in shock. Could it work this way?

Lu Zhuo just smiled.

When a man died, a woman’s return to her natal family was just a verbal agreement between both sides—the woman simply took her dowry and left. So as long as he returned, the marriage certificate from when he wed Wei Rao still counted. Never mind Wei Rao being willing to return with him—even if she were unwilling, even if she truly wanted to remarry, as long as Lu Zhuo didn’t let go, she couldn’t have her way.

“Raorao, you belong to me for this lifetime,” Lu Zhuo leaned down, looking into her eyes with this declaration.

Wei Rao silently met his gaze. When Lu Zhuo leaned down to kiss her, Wei Rao turned her head away. Taking advantage of his surprise, Wei Rao whispered in his ear, “While you live, I am your wife. If you dare die again, I dare leave again.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhuo seemed to see her pain and resentment when she searched for him desperately at Iron Scorpion Ridge but couldn’t find him.

He held Wei Rao tightly.

Once was enough—from now on, he would never leave again.

Wei Rao wouldn’t give him another chance to leave either. Even if Lu Zhuo went to war, she would accompany him.