Xiao Qiao turned her head away, refusing to look at his face. “I don’t want to go back. That’s why I’m not going!”

Wei Shao drew in a sharp breath as if inhaling cold air. He raised his hand to grasp her chin, turning her face back towards him, forcing her to meet his gaze.

After studying her for a moment, his brow suddenly smoothed, and a hint of smugness crept into his expression. “Could it be that you don’t believe what I said? Do you think I’m still involved with Lady Su? Are you upset?”

Xiao Qiao’s brows furrowed slightly. With a sharp “pat,” she swatted away the hand holding her chin. She rose from his lap, clinging to the edge of the tub as she climbed out. Grabbing a large dry towel hanging nearby, she wrapped it around herself and made to leave. Behind her, there was a splash as Wei Shao emerged from the water. He embraced her from behind and said, “Actually, I’ve already been to see her.”

Xiao Qiao froze, slowly turning her head.

His dark eyes met hers, containing a hint of mischief.

Suddenly, Xiao Qiao began to struggle, beating his arms. “The first thing you did when you came back was to see her, and now you’re telling me this?”

Wei Shao laughed heartily, scooping her up and carrying her out of the bathhouse. He laid her on the bed covered with ivory-colored bamboo mats and grasped her clenched fists.

“My visit to her wasn’t what you think—it wasn’t about lingering feelings. Not only was there nothing between us before, but even if there had been, it’s long past. I only wanted to send her away tomorrow.”

Xiao Qiao stopped struggling and stared at him wide-eyed.

“Really?” The words slipped from her mouth.

Wei Shao loved her innocent expression. He pinched her nose gently. “Really. However—”

He hesitated, then continued, “She said she hasn’t fully recovered yet. She can’t leave right away. Manman, I won’t hide it from you—before she was married, she often visited my home. For a time, she even took care of me. I do feel some obligation towards her. Now that she’s said this, whether it’s true or not, I can’t force her to leave…”

His expression showed a hint of difficulty.

Xiao Qiao gazed at him for a moment.

When he vaguely mentioned “taking care of him for a time,” he was referring to what happened when he was twelve years old.

To be honest, Xiao Qiao was already somewhat surprised that the first thing he did upon returning was to try to send Su E’huang away, worried that she might mind.

“It’s alright, I understand! I didn’t ask you to drive her away immediately!” she said generously.

Wei Shao seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He gently pinched her cheek. “You’re not angry anymore?”

Xiao Qiao wrinkled her nose. “When was I ever angry?”

Wei Shao snorted derisively. “You say you weren’t angry! Even Spring Miss felt sorry for me, but not only did you not show any sympathy, you deliberately didn’t reply to my letters!”

Xiao Qiao was stunned for a moment before she realized what he meant. Her eyes widened suddenly. “You were eavesdropping outside?”

Wei Shao snorted. “Nonsense! Why would I need to eavesdrop?”

Xiao Qiao raised her fist to punch his shoulder again, but Wei Shao caught it, pinning her hands above her head. He rolled on top of her, murmuring, “Spring Miss told you to take good care of me, and I heard you agree. How do you plan to do that, hmm?”

Xiao Qiao’s cheeks flushed crimson. As she closed her eyes and shook her head, Wei Shao captured her lips in a deep kiss.

…

Wei Shao hadn’t touched a woman for months, and now, returning victorious, he was filled with pent-up passion like a volcano about to erupt. What happened in the bathhouse earlier was just the beginning. Now that he had her on the bed, he wasn’t about to let her go easily. He continued until late into the night, leaving Xiao Qiao exhausted. Towards the end, she couldn’t help but whimper and cry, which was the state Wei Shao loved her in the most. In a moment of excitement, he finally lost control and finished.

Xiao Qiao was physically tired, but she couldn’t fall asleep.

A thought kept circling in her mind, and now that things had quieted down, it felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat. She had never wanted to voice it as much as she did at this moment.

She quietly opened her eyes and glanced at Wei Shao beside her.

His eyes were closed, seemingly half-asleep. Yet, as if sensing her gaze, the corners of his lips curled slightly upward. Without opening his eyes, he caressed her and mumbled, “Weren’t you crying earlier, begging me to let you go? Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Xiao Qiao gathered her courage and said, “My lord, may I ask what’s inside that red wooden box with the nine-palace lock at home?”

Wei Shao’s hand, which had been caressing her warm, soft skin, suddenly stopped. He slowly opened his eyes, meeting Xiao Qiao’s gaze.

At first, his eyes still held a trace of the afterglow from their lovemaking, appearing somewhat hazy. After looking at her for a moment, that lingering sentiment seemed to fade away, replaced by clarity.

“Weren’t you saying you were tired? Why ask about this now? Go to sleep,” he said, pulling her close and closing his eyes again, his tone somewhat evasive.

Xiao Qiao stared at his face.

“If my lord won’t tell me, then I’ll guess,” she said softly.

“Originally, I always thought the box contained keepsakes related to Lady Su. But later, I gradually felt that wasn’t the case. Now, I’m even more certain that what’s in the box probably isn’t related to Lady Su at all. Since it’s not about her, and you became so angry when I accidentally touched it before, I’ve been thinking… perhaps it’s…”

She trailed off.

Wei Shao slowly opened his eyes again, looking at her. “It’s some mementos my father left me. There, I’ve told you. Now can you sleep?”

His tone was a bit cold.

That box had always been kept in a prominent place before, as a constant reminder to himself not to forget the death of his father and brother years ago. Only by being strong could one strike others, rather than being struck. After the incident with the nine-palace lock, Wei Shao put the box away.

He had been in a good mood tonight.

The Western campaign had achieved its goals ahead of schedule. He was one step closer to his grand ambition of contending for supremacy.

The news of Lady Su’s arrival in Jinyang, which had troubled him for days, was easily resolved thanks to Xiao Qiao’s understanding.

The woman he adored was becoming increasingly intimate with him, and the passionate lovemaking they had just finished left him feeling immensely satisfied in body and mind.

Everything had put him in high spirits.

But out of the blue, she suddenly brought up the box that he still didn’t want to discuss with her much, which made Wei Shao feel somewhat annoyed. Moreover, he vaguely felt a sense of wariness.

He had a feeling that she might be using this opportunity to make some kind of request that he wasn’t ready to address yet.

So he stared at her, his gaze revealing a hint of displeasure that was barely noticeable.

…

It was just as she had guessed—she had misunderstood before.

It wasn’t because of Su E’huang, but because the box contained things related to the most painful memories of his youth that he had reacted so strongly to her touching it before.

Seeing him staring at her with a hint of wariness in his expression, Xiao Qiao slowly let out a breath. She raised her hand and gently traced his eyebrow, saying, “Now my mind is at ease. To be honest, I always thought the box contained keepsakes from Lady Su. When you forbade me to touch it and became so angry when I accidentally did, I felt quite upset. It turns out I misunderstood. Since it’s Your Late Father’s belongings, I deserve any scolding from you, no matter how harsh.”

She moved closer to him, pressing a kiss to his lips. With their foreheads touching, she whispered, “My lord, you don’t know, but I envy Lady Su for being able to accompany you during that difficult time in your youth. When my grandfather broke the alliance, leading to the death of your father and brother, and you were severely injured, I was only three or four years old—just an ignorant child. How could I have understood the pain you endured then? Thankfully, heaven has blessed me, and now you’ve become the man by my side. If there’s anything I can do to ease the pain in your heart from those years, Manman is willing to do it.”

The invisible armor of wariness that had formed around Wei Shao gradually receded with Xiao Qiao’s whispered words. His heart softened once again. He embraced her, seeking her kisses as his breathing quickened, and he took possession of her body once more.

…

The next day, Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao slept in late before rising. They spent the entire day in their chambers, not leaving each other’s side. When Wei Shao heard that Xiao Qiao had barely left the office compound for the past six months, spending her days in the rear courtyard copying scriptures—often for half a day at a time, having completed several volumes by now—he felt very sorry for her. The following day, he took her out for a horseback ride in the western suburbs of Jinyang.

They returned at dusk, and a servant informed them that the wife of the Left Fengyi Duke had sent someone earlier, requesting Lord Wei to visit the courier station, saying she had important matters to discuss. Upon learning that the lord and lady were out, the messenger left, but not before emphasizing that the Duchess had urgent business and implored Lord Wei to visit once he was informed.

Wei Shao didn’t say much at the time and simply entered with Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao glanced at his expression. “Are you going, my lord?”

Wei Shao hesitated, looking at her.

Xiao Qiao sighed inwardly but kept a smile on her face. She raised her hand, holding a wildflower she had picked on their way back from the western suburbs, and lightly tapped his nose with it. “What’s there to be conflicted about? If she has matters to discuss, why not invite her here to talk? Isn’t that more convenient than you going to the courier station?”

Wei Shao’s eyes lit up slightly, and he smiled, embracing her. “Manman always knows what’s best for me.” He immediately called for someone to go to the courier station and invited Su E’huang to come to the office to talk.

“Aunt, are you going or not?” Su Xin looked at Su E’huang, waiting for her answer.

Su E’huang’s face was initially displeased, but gradually she regained her composure. After a moment of reflection, she said, “Why wouldn’t I go?”

…

The next day, Wei Shao, dressed formally, received Su E’huang, who was led in by a servant, in one of the front hall pavilions of the office compound.

Su E’huang had shed the disheveled, languid, sickly appearance of a few days ago. Today, she was neatly groomed and elegantly dressed. Although her brows still seemed to carry a hint of sorrow, her spirits appeared much improved from before.