Because the alcohol hit him so suddenly when he got up, Chang Yuncheng’s steps were unsteady as he went over, and he collapsed onto the small bed, directly pressing down on half of the sleeping person’s body.

“Qi Yueniang…” he called out softly at the same time.

The sleeping person was startled awake by this sudden pressure and let out a cry of alarm.

This cry also jolted Chang Yuncheng awake. Without getting up, his hand grabbed and flung the person to the floor.

“Who are you?” he roared angrily, raising his foot to stomp down.

“Prince, this servant is Feicui, this servant is Feicui!” the person on the ground screamed shrilly in terror, frantically kowtowing.

Chang Yuncheng’s foot landed on the ground beside Feicui with a dull thud. Feicui could even feel the ground shake, frightening her into a cold sweat. If that had landed on her…

Feicui was a maid from Old Madam Xie’s side, whom Chang Yuncheng somewhat recognized.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a deep voice.

“Prince, you drank quite a bit, so the Old Madam had me attend to you in case you needed water at night,” Feicui said it all in one breath without daring to delay.

Chang Yuncheng rubbed his head, remembering he had indeed drunk quite a lot, then been sent back by the old lady…

“Where is the Young Madam?” he demanded.

“The Young Madam is resting in another courtyard. The Old Madam saw you had drunk too much and had you rest in this warm pavilion instead of going to the Young Madam’s place…” Feicui again rattled off the words in one breath, nearly suffocating herself.

Chang Yuncheng understood. He sat down on the small bed to clear his head a bit.

Feicui knelt on the ground, both frightened and cold, her body trembling continuously.

“Take me there,” Chang Yuncheng stood up and said.

Feicui didn’t react for a moment and was kicked by Chang Yuncheng.

“To the Young Madam’s place,” Chang Yuncheng shouted with some annoyance.

Only then did Feicui hurry to get up, busily helping Chang Yuncheng dress, but was pushed away by him.

Chang Yuncheng put on his heavy cloak himself and went out the door.

The cold night wind was bitter. Night patrol women scurried past with hunched shoulders. Suddenly seeing two people approaching, they were startled. When they came closer and dared to challenge them, before they could ask, Feicui with the lantern waved them away.

Everyone recognized Feicui, and seeing Chang Yuncheng behind her made them even more shocked.

“In this bitter cold, how did the Prince come out like this…” the women were even more alarmed, calling out in confusion.

Chang Yuncheng paid them no attention. Feicui naturally didn’t dare linger either, lowering her head and walking quickly away.

The two soon disappeared, leaving the women in a particularly noisy state of surprise.

After crossing through two courtyards, Feicui finally stopped in front of a building. There wasn’t even a single maid or servant at the door, just two lanterns hanging under the eaves—it didn’t look like a place where anyone lived.

She had been deliberately dumped in this place…

“You can go back,” Chang Yuncheng said, stepping up onto the stairs himself.

Feicui didn’t dare speak to stop him and could only watch helplessly as he went forward.

The sound of the door opening woke A’Ru who was sleeping by the door.

“Who is it?” she wrapped her clothes around herself as she got up, asking quietly.

“It’s me,” Chang Yuncheng replied.

A’Ru was so surprised she didn’t react for a moment. Chang Yuncheng outside didn’t urge her, waiting until A’Ru came to her senses and lit the small lamp by her bed.

Qi Yue on the other side was also awakened. She had been sleeping restlessly in the new environment anyway, and hearing A’Ru get up, she also got up.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

A’Ru had already dressed and gotten out of bed to open the door.

“The Prince has come over,” she said to Qi Yue while opening the door.

Qi Yue was also startled and hurried out of bed.

The door opened, and Chang Yuncheng entered with the cold air of deep night.

Seeing the master and servant clearly awakened from sleep and looking at him with puzzled examination, Chang Yuncheng suddenly didn’t know what to say.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Yue walked over and asked.

What’s wrong… Chang Yuncheng smiled bitterly—he didn’t know what was wrong either…

A’Ru lit two more lamps, brightening the room.

“How could you come over dressed like this?” Qi Yue saw Chang Yuncheng’s attire clearly and was even more surprised, hurrying to pull him. “Come over here quickly.”

She had meant to pull Chang Yuncheng’s arm, but unexpectedly Chang Yuncheng raised his hand and caught hers.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but shiver, not knowing if it was from the coldness of his hand or from this unexpected contact.

“How could you dress like this? Did you come by yourself?” she said quickly to change the subject while leading him to the inner room.

Two charcoal braziers in the inner room were burning brightly.

A’Ru brought tea over. Qi Yue hurried to take it, using the opportunity to free her hand from Chang Yuncheng’s grasp.

“Why did you come at this hour?” Qi Yue asked again.

Chang Yuncheng felt inexplicably annoyed being looked at by the master and servant.

“I’ll come whenever I want to come. What’s wrong with that?” he asked back.

Qi Yue laughed.

“Oh, this is your grandmother’s house, so it’s your territory too. Sorry, sorry, I asked a stupid question again,” she laughed.

A’Ru hesitated, watching the two talking, then withdrew from the inner room.

A moment of silence fell over the room.

Qi Yue didn’t say anything more either, turning to rummage for something on the bed.

Chang Yuncheng also didn’t speak, slowly turning the teacup in his hands.

The room had only the occasional crackling sounds of charcoal fire and candle flames—peaceful and warm.

“Actually, you don’t need to mind it,” Qi Yue said, her back to him as she organized something.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her.

Qi Yue turned around, holding a quilt and pillow in her arms, and walked to the kang table by the window to spread them out.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t speak, just watched her skillfully make the bed.

“It was something I knew from the beginning, expected, so being treated coldly is natural. If your grandmother’s family had warmly welcomed me, that would have been strange—I probably wouldn’t have dared eat the food. This way is quite good; I ate my fill tonight,” she laughed, finishing making the bed and clapping her hands. “Alright, you sleep here. I’m not giving up the bed…”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Qi Yue was so frightened she cried out, one hand desperately pushing against him. A’Ru in the outer room also hurried in, suddenly seeing this scene and quickly turning around in fright, wanting to withdraw but worried about Qi Yue, standing there at a loss.

Qi Yue struggled, but Chang Yuncheng just held her without making any further moves. Gradually, Qi Yue calmed down from her panic.

Qi Yue hesitated, then reached out one hand to pat Chang Yuncheng’s back.

“That’s about enough. You’re not a child, and you’re a grown man—where does all this… sentimentality… come from?” she muttered.

Bringing such a wife out to visit relatives and having the relatives mercilessly disdain her must be very embarrassing for him as a man. Who wouldn’t want a companion they could proudly take anywhere? It was just unfortunate he didn’t have a choice and was bound to her…

Qi Yue sighed and was about to say something more when Chang Yuncheng suddenly tightened his hold, the sudden closeness making Qi Yue nervous again. Her hand that hadn’t withdrawn pressed against Chang Yuncheng’s waist, and in her nervousness, she pinched and twisted his firm waist muscles.

“Don’t move around!” Chang Yuncheng said in a low, deep voice.

“Who’s moving around?” Qi Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, pushing against him again. “Hey, you disturb people’s sleep in the middle of the night and then act so improperly—are you here to make enemies?”

Chang Yuncheng released her.

“Chattering,” he said dully, lying down on the kang by the window just like that.

Finally freed from this awkward position, Qi Yue breathed out.

“Cover yourself properly,” she said.

Chang Yuncheng pillowed his head on his hands, closed his eyes, and soft snoring sounds began—he had actually fallen asleep.

Qi Yue sighed helplessly and had to take off his shoes and cover him with the quilt herself.

A’Ru stood at the doorway looking over. Qi Yue waved at her, made a sleeping gesture, and blew out the lamp.

The room fell into darkness again, returning to the quiet of night.

As soon as dawn broke, Old Madam Xie learned that Chang Yuncheng had run to his wife’s room to sleep in the middle of the night. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming, until she personally went to the warm pavilion to see for herself and confirmed it, becoming so angry she smashed a teacup.

“Someone pick two pretty maids and send them to Cheng-ge’er. I don’t believe it—how could he be so bewitched by that woman?” she began calling for the stewards again.

Her sons learned the news and hurried over to awkwardly persuade her.

“Speaking of beauties, where could compare to son-in-law’s household…” the eldest son spoke his true thoughts.

Old Madam Xie was stunned, then came to her senses and gave up the idea, though her anger hadn’t subsided. When Chang Yuncheng left, she simply didn’t see him off.

“This is really unreasonable—can’t a husband and wife sleep in the same room…” the eldest uncle’s wife whispered to those beside her.

“Mother, you should say fewer words,” her daughter-in-law said carefully while looking at the wet nurse holding a child, hurrying to instruct that the small blanket be covered properly.

The eldest uncle’s wife pursed her lips and reached out to take the child.

“Is Hao-ge’er feeling better?” she asked.

“Still has some diarrhea,” the wet nurse said quickly.

“Mother, perhaps we should find another physician to look at him,” the daughter-in-law said with some worry.

“Young Physician An is fine. What other physician could be as capable as the An family physician?” the eldest uncle’s wife said. “Didn’t Young Physician An say that when children have diarrhea, starving them for a few meals will cure it? In a couple more days Old Physician An will return, and we can have him take another look.”

The daughter-in-law said “oh” and stopped talking, though still with some worry.

The eldest uncle’s wife rocked the child while quietly complaining that a grandson was still a grandson, but her own great-grandson wasn’t a grandson anymore. Just for seeing people off, they even called the child up when he was still sick. She really didn’t know who was actually surnamed Xie…

Her daughters-in-law and daughters beside her hurried to quietly persuade her.

“Eldest aunt died young, so grandmother inevitably dotes on the Prince…” one daughter said quietly.

“There are plenty of motherless children in the world, but we don’t see them protected like this. Besides, isn’t there still youngest aunt?” the eldest uncle’s wife snorted, her expression between smiling and not smiling, rocking the child in her arms.

The child made muffled crying sounds from within the swaddling.

Chang Yuncheng had kowtowed farewell at Old Madam Xie’s door and came out with Qi Yue.

Everyone gathered around with smiles to say goodbye. This was the first time Qi Yue had seen all the Xie family members since arriving, naturally drawing countless curious, searching, and amazed gazes.

Qi Yue maintained a smile throughout, gracious and dignified, showing no sign of being upset or saddened by the cold treatment she had received. Following Chang Yuncheng, she met all the Xie family members one by one. Others came to visit relatives, but she was meeting them only when leaving.

“This is Zhao-ge’s wife,” the eldest uncle’s wife introduced with a smile.

“Sister-in-law,” Zhao-ge’s wife hurried to curtsy, the child in her arms crying quite severely, making her bow somewhat flustered.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Yue couldn’t help asking. Hearing the child’s crying didn’t sound like normal fussing, her professional habits kicked in.

“He’s not feeling well, has some diarrhea,” Zhao-ge’s wife said.

“Let me take a look…” Qi Yue reached out to lift the swaddling, seeing this was a child of few months. “How old?”

“Almost three months,” Zhao-ge’s wife instinctively answered.

“How is his eating? How does he sleep?” Qi Yue examined while asking.

Zhao-ge’s wife was somewhat stunned and turned to look at her mother-in-law.

“Cheng-ge’er’s wife can also treat illnesses?” the eldest uncle’s wife laughed.

Qi Yue nodded.

“Yes, I’m a physician,” she also said with a smile.

The eldest uncle’s wife’s smile froze—she had only been joking…