Gu Jin Chao waited for two full hours.

The sky had already darkened.

Although it wasn’t snowing, the north wind stung her cheeks painfully. Gu Jin Chao had been standing too long; her hands and feet gradually lost feeling.

She stood up from the stool again and walked around to warm herself.

The lamps in the outer courtyard had all been lit. Shu Yan, filled with concern, brought out a candlestick but was sent back inside by Cai Fu.

When would he return…

Gu Jin Chao couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t that she couldn’t endure the cold, but she feared the baby couldn’t withstand it. If she felt any discomfort, she would have to stop waiting. Fortunately, the baby was also well-behaved. Usually, it would kick her when feeling playful, but today it hadn’t been active.

The longer she waited, the colder she felt. Cai Fu saw her face turn white and went to fill a hot water bottle to bring to her.

Gu Jin Chao shook her head in refusal; this level of cold was nothing. When she had been imprisoned before, there was no charcoal fire in winter, and she had survived on cold dishes and cold tea all day. She had slept in a pile of withered straw ash which, although dismal, kept her warm…

The guards on duty had changed twice. Gu Jin Chao sat down when she’d been standing too long, and stood up again when she’d been sitting too long.

She was beginning to lose her heart.

After a while, a strong wind arose, making everything much colder. Cai Fu grew worried: “…It might snow soon. Shouldn’t we wait inside instead?”

“If he doesn’t want to see me, he’ll certainly avoid me,” Gu Jin Chao shook her head. “Go find an umbrella.”

Cai Fu could only go inside to find an oil paper umbrella.

At that moment, Gu Jin Chao saw someone approaching from a distance. She quickly stood up and indeed saw Third Master Chen, with several people following behind him.

Chen Yan Yun also spotted Gu Jin Chao and frowned. His pace quickened.

Gu Jin Chao saw that he was still wearing yesterday’s straight robe, draped with a cape, his expression rather stern as he looked directly at her.

“What are you doing here? This is simply reckless!” Chen Yan Yun’s tone was steady, but his expression was severe.

“It’s so cold out here, and you don’t even have a hand warmer—go back quickly, it’s about to snow.”

With that, he headed toward the study, as if he didn’t intend to pay her any more attention.

Gu Jin Chao grabbed his hand: “I have something to tell you. I can’t go back!”

Jiang Yan and others following Chen Yan Yun were very surprised, looking at each other without daring to speak.

Chen Yan Yun, just as he had last night, pried open her fingers and walked inside, his expression cold.

Gu Jin Chao grabbed his sleeve again, but he pulled away once more: “Go back first! Don’t be willful.”

Gu Jin Chao could barely contain the bitterness in her heart. This was indeed willful of her, but she didn’t want to be willful! What could she do if Chen Yan Yun didn’t see her? She came to intercept him and speak with him properly. She would be shameless if she had to!

She didn’t want things to grow tense between them…

Gu Jin Chao gripped his hand tightly, and as soon as she opened her mouth, tears began to fall: “Yes, I am being willful! I’ve always been willful. Will you listen to what a willful person has to say? Will you hear me out?”

Third Master Chen was startled, and his motion to remove her hand paused.

Once the tears began, they couldn’t be stopped. Gu Jin Chao continued: “How nicely you left! How long I’ve waited for you—you didn’t come back at night. You didn’t even tell Mother, and she asked me where you went! What could I say? Why don’t you tell me where you went last night?”

“You want me to let go of you, but I won’t! I just want to explain everything clearly…” Gu Jin Chao not only held his hand but also clutched his sleeve. Like a child, she was being unreasonable, “How can you make me leave?”

With tears blurring her vision, she looked up but couldn’t see Chen Yan Yun’s expression.

Suddenly, he pulled her up and headed straight for the study. Gu Jin Chao couldn’t keep up with his pace, stumbling as she walked. She wanted to ask him to slow down, but he paid her no attention, dragging her into the study and slamming the door shut with a bang.

“If you won’t leave, then don’t leave! I don’t particularly want you to go, either.” He reached out to unfasten his cape and threw it onto the nearby golden nanmu wood table.

Gu Jin Chao suddenly felt uneasy.

“I told you… don’t provoke me, and don’t talk to me. Did you take my words as mere noise?” Chen Yan Yun said slowly, “When I’m angry, I can’t quite control myself. Why don’t you listen to me?”

Gu Jin Chao felt her legs weaken; she found Third Master Chen rather frightening in this state.

When Chen Yan Yun reached out to grab her, Gu Jin Chao instinctively tried to dodge.

“Why are you dodging now?” He easily caught her by the waist and pulled her toward the bed. Gu Jin Chao fell onto the bed and before she could get up, he pressed her down with his leg. With one leg half-kneeling on her, she couldn’t rise at all, while his hands were free to untie his belt. “Today you’ve made me angry again… You’re pregnant, why did you come here to wait for me? Your hands are so cold—how long have you been waiting?”

Gu Jin Chao said: “Just two hours… What could I do when you wouldn’t see me!”

She was also angry now, and no longer addressed him with respect.

“When did I say I wouldn’t see you? I just needed to calm down, and you should have waited.” Chen Yan Yun was amused by her anger, “Fine! Gu Jin Chao, I never realized you were so prone to overthinking!”

He was down to his undergarments now. He pulled Gu Jin Chao’s hand toward him: “Let me warm your hands…”

She felt his burning skin… and he still tried to pull her hand downward.

Gu Jin Chao’s face flushed red; she almost wanted to curse him for his shamelessness—what kind of warming was this! She struggled to avoid it, “Chen Yan Yun, I came to explain to you, don’t you…”

“Good calling,” The three words “Chen Yan Yun” from her lips were especially enticing.

Chen Yan Yun leaned down to kiss her, making her ice-cold cheeks thoroughly warm: “How can your explanation work? I’ll ask, and you just answer.”

Interrogation was his specialty; he would find the key points himself.

Gu Jin Chao’s hands were pinned down, and she felt that burning object pressing against her thigh, seemingly more… than usual.

“What did he say to you that day?” he asked hoarsely by her ear.

“It was about something Yu Wan Xue entrusted to me, nothing significant. I agreed to it, but unexpectedly, the Seventh Young Master suddenly became difficult… Not wanting others to misunderstand, Yu Zhu closed the door. Xiu Qu was outside and didn’t understand, so her panic was normal,” Gu Jin Chao answered.

“You’re avoiding the main issue. What did you and he say?” he said softly, “If you don’t answer properly, I’ll punish you.”

She sighed: “I didn’t say much. It was Chen Xuan Qing… I didn’t expect him to suddenly say those things.”

Chen Yan Yun smiled again, “I’ll say it once more—don’t avoid the main issue. What did he say? Why did he hold your hand?”

At the same time, he gave her backside a moderate slap.

Gu Jin Chao’s face turned completely red with embarrassment. Having no choice, she repeated the general events.

His hand opened her collar and suddenly grasped the peak.

Gu Jin Chao’s body trembled, and she angrily said: “I’ve explained everything clearly!”

He leaned down to kiss her, saying softly: “This isn’t punishment.”

Taking advantage of her inability to resist, he pulled her into the currents of passion.

Gu Jin Chao realized that when Chen Yan Yun was intimate with her normally, he was indeed exercising much restraint. When he didn’t restrain himself, she truly couldn’t bear it. After just one round, her waist and knees were sore, and she was covered in sweat. When she tried to close her legs, he pressed them down again. Gu Jin Chao couldn’t help feeling a bit fearful: “Third Master, truly no more…” He kissed her while breathing heavily, his voice still calm: “Just one more time.”

After this time passed, Gu Jin Chao collapsed in his arms, without even the strength to lift a finger. Only then did Chen Yan Yun embrace her and lie down. If not for considering Gu Jin Chao’s pregnancy, he wouldn’t have ended things so soon. He rarely lost control, but once he did, he tended to be rather excessive.

“Now it’s your turn to speak,” Chen Yan Yun let her lean against his chest, “I’ve asked my questions, now I’ll let you speak.”

Gu Jin Chao turned to embrace his waist, finding him looking down at her, his gaze full of tenderness.

They had indeed gone too far just now. When she was angry, she called out “Chen Yan Yun.” He hadn’t been polite either, even mocking her.

Gu Jin Chao smiled first, feeling peaceful in her heart: “In common households, a fierce woman argues with her husband, calling his full name. Some men are even afraid of their wives because of this… There’s no mutual respect at all.”

Chen Yan Yun, recalling how she had called out “Chen Yan Yun” earlier, couldn’t help kissing her: “You can call me that in private. However, I won’t be afraid of you. The wife follows the husband; you should listen to me.”

Gu Jin Chao turned her face away, not wanting his kiss, and said seriously: “…Let me tell you about what happened before.”

Chen Yan Yun made a sound of agreement.

They embraced, skin against skin. The candlelight was dim and yellow.

Gu Jin Chao seemed to truly return to that youthful time, recalling her foolish past.

“I first saw him in my third uncle’s study. I thought he was a lecher and bit him. Chen Xuan Qing has a scar on his left hand—that was from my bite… I was young then and just felt somewhat fond of him. Besides, he didn’t like me.”

“You know how people always want what they can’t have. The more he ignored me, the more I seemed to like him. He used to humiliate me; I truly had no shame then and was quite bold.”

She rested her head on his chest. Unable to see his expression, she assumed he was quietly listening without responding.

Gu Jin Chao raised her head to look at him, but he pressed her head down: “Just continue speaking. I’m listening.”

He didn’t want her to see the expression on his face, afraid it would frighten her.

These stories were uncomfortable for him to hear, but he needed to listen to her complete account.

Gu Jin Chao continued: “Later, my mother fell ill. That year I matured a lot and became more sensible. I stopped pursuing him. After my mother died, I was heartbroken and followed my father to Daxing to return to our ancestral home. Then later, I met you… I always felt I wasn’t worthy of you.”

Gu Jin Chao smiled; this was truly how she felt.

“You were the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, while I was just the motherless eldest daughter from a small family. When you came to propose, I was very surprised. And with the prior matter with Chen Xuan Qing, I was quite hesitant. Until I married you… I wanted to draw a clear line with Chen Xuan Qing and rarely saw him. I just didn’t expect Chen Xuan Qing would… It’s not entirely his fault. He’s just a bit stubborn.”

Gu Jin Chao had also pondered Chen Xuan Qing’s behavior. She felt that he was merely unwilling to accept the situation. When something that once clung to you suddenly no longer wants you, you would naturally feel uncomfortable. He needed someone to guide him.

After a long silence without hearing Chen Yan Yun’s response, Gu Jin Chao raised her head: “Third Master, do you not want to hear more?”

After a moment of silence, Chen Yan Yun finally moved her hair to one side: “I’m listening. I understand now. I’ll handle this matter; you don’t need to worry about it.”

With that, he got up and began dressing. Gu Jin Chao quickly grabbed him: “It’s so late, where are you going?”

He smiled helplessly while tying the cords of his straight robe.

“You don’t think I brought so many people back just to play, do you? I’ve been busy these past few days; even last night when I didn’t return, I was working. Tonight I was supposed to discuss matters with my advisors. I planned to finish my work and then talk to you… but you insisted on not letting me go.”

Thinking of what had just happened, Gu Jin Chao felt embarrassed and annoyed. She made a sound of acknowledgment and retracted her hand. She had indeed thrown caution to the wind, clinging to him earlier.

…How was she to know that Chen Yan Yun had things to do? She had thought he simply refused to see her!