Wei Shao’s chest was also drenched in sweat. It seemed as if every pore on his skin was continuously emanating heat. Xiao Qiao’s equally flushed cheek rested upon it, her ear sensing the rapid beating of his heart, which had yet to calm from its intense pounding.

She closed her eyes.

“Otherwise?” she asked, her voice slightly hoarse.

Wei Shao did not answer.

The silence in the darkness continued, inch by inch, like an invisible yet tangible undercurrent, silently enveloping Xiao Qiao’s entire body.

Suddenly feeling cold, she shivered slightly. Goosebumps seemed to rise on her arms and back, and she realized that her sweat-dampened body was still unclothed.

What was once humid heat had now turned to chilly sweat.

She removed Wei Shao’s heavy arm that was draped across her waist and back, fumbling to put on the clothes that had been discarded earlier. She climbed off the bed and lit a candle.

Wei Shao remained lying on the bed, his forehead gleaming with sweat. In the candlelight, his deep eyes gazed at her.

Xiao Qiao slowly knelt beside him, looking directly into his eyes.

“I’m afraid my answer will disappoint you, my husband. Yanzhou means little to me. But the love of my parents cannot be severed simply because I’m married. Even if my husband is you, I cannot do that.”

Her tone was calm, but each word was clearly articulated.

Wei Shao remained motionless. His gaze seemed to gradually freeze, fixed on her face.

“I don’t wish to hide anything from you. This morning when I woke up and didn’t see you beside me, I felt a bit anxious. Do you know why? I remember when I first came to the Wei family a year ago, and you were unwilling to take me to the ancestral temple to pay respects to your ancestors. I thought you still felt the same way. When I saw you appear and take my hand to your grandmother’s room, I felt relieved and even more grateful to you. I didn’t expect that after our lovemaking, you would make such a demand of me…”

She paused, trying to calm the indescribable bitterness in her heart.

“There are some things I’ve only dared to think about before, never daring to mention them in front of you. I was afraid of accidentally touching your taboos. But since you’ve just revealed your thoughts to me, I assume you also don’t want to hear me say insincere words. So I’ll speak frankly.”

She took a deep breath and once again met Wei Shao’s gaze, which was fixed on her.

Perhaps the intense passion from moments ago had gradually subsided, for his eyes now held a certain emptiness, to the point where she felt coldness.

Xiao Qiao continued, “I dare not claim to understand your feelings when paying respects to your ancestors this morning. Indeed, my Qiao family failed to honor our alliance in the past, causing you to suffer the pain of losing your loved ones. My father has never denied this and feels deep remorse. When my family initially sought to make amends through marriage, it was not only to resolve the difficulties in Yanzhou at the time but also to mend relations with the Wei family. After all, those involved have passed on, including my grandfather who has long been buried. For those of us Qiao descendants who remain, what else can we do besides trying to make amends and hoping to resolve the feud between our families?”

Her voice gradually became more impassioned: “I know that I am insignificant, merely a woman, and even serving you with my body is not enough to compensate for even a fraction of your pain of losing your loved ones. But marriage is meant to bring two families together. When the Wei family accepted the marriage, my father saw it as an acknowledgment of the marital alliance and a sign of understanding. I dare not presume such thoughts. But since marrying into your family, I have been treading on thin ice, constantly vigilant, disciplining myself, and observing propriety. My only wish has been to serve you and the elders of the family well, so as not to disappoint my father’s intention of reconciliation when he married me off. I can say with a clear conscience that I have not committed any major faults. To be honest, although I was busy and exhausted today, I was filled with joy when you treated me so tenderly this morning. I believed that if I persevered, even if I couldn’t expect you to extend your love to my family, it wasn’t a daydream to think that one day, you might slowly let go of the feud between our families. Yet, I never expected you to suddenly demand that I sever ties with my maternal clan! I know you have treated me exceptionally well, and I should be grateful. However, everyone is born with parents. Forgive my directness, but I cannot understand or accept this.”

Having finally expressed the words that had been suppressed in her heart for so long, Xiao Qiao felt the bitter ache in her chest, which had almost brought her to tears, dissipate completely. Her entire being felt lighter.

Her appearance was still quite disheveled: her clothes were in disarray, her long hair was messy, and her cheeks and eyelashes still bore traces of tears. The exposed skin at her collar, which she hadn’t managed to cover properly, was marked with the remnants of his passionate love.

However, the gaze she directed at Wei Shao gradually became extraordinarily calm.

…

Xiao Qiao knew she had offended Wei Shao. Not just offended, but deeply offended him.

Some words, no matter how tactfully expressed, should perhaps have remained forever buried in her heart.

If she wanted to speak to them, it would have been best never to let her husband know.

But this time, she had said them. For the first time since marrying him, she had responded not with empty courtesy, not with words that belied her true feelings, and certainly not with sweet nothings. Instead, she had given him a response that truly reflected her inner thoughts.

Every time Wei Shao entered the family temple, he might experience a pain that others couldn’t empathize with. So today, his mood had soured again. That’s why he had come back drunk and possessed her.

If she had been clever enough, she should have found a way to please him as she had done before, to make him happy and retract his words.

Although it wouldn’t have been easy tonight, it wasn’t impossible.

But she didn’t want to do that anymore.

Even if they both knew these things in their hearts, if left unspoken, there would always be a thin paper barrier between them, no matter how intimate they became.

It was like nursing a festering wound with an intact surface – seemingly fine, but rotting inside.

Since he had finally bared before her the hatred that he had long buried in his heart, she decided to respond in kind, letting him know her true thoughts.

Perhaps tonight wasn’t the best time. But who could say what truly constitutes the right time?

She wanted to say it. So she did.

…

Wei Shao’s gaze initially lingered on her face, as if he had never known her or seen her face before.

Then, as if feeling a headache, Xiao Qiao saw him close his eyes and raise his arm, using a stiff and slow motion to rub his forehead.

Suddenly, he sat up, got out of bed, and began putting on his clothes.

Xiao Qiao knew he was fully conscious now. Because his eyes were clear.

But his body seemed to still not have fully awakened from the hangover and the intense lovemaking moments ago.

He carelessly put on his clothes without tying his belt and headed towards the door. However, he stumbled, bumping into the nearby clothes rack.

The rack’s feet scraped against the floor, making a brief, harsh sound.

Xiao Qiao quickly got out of bed and rushed after him, supporting his arm from behind.

“Where are you going, my husband?”

Wei Shao stopped and slowly turned his head to look at her.

Her eyes were filled with concern as she looked at him.

Wei Shao felt increasingly agitated. Surprise, disappointment, anger, mixed with a hint of shame at being bluntly refuted by her yet unable to argue back – his head was now throbbing intensely.

He felt he could no longer tolerate this daughter of the Qiao family.

Women indeed should not be treated too well, he thought vaguely to himself.

He stared at the hand that was gripping his arm, expecting her to let go tactfully. But to his surprise, she held on tightly, refusing to release him.

“I know you’re angry with me. But anger aside, it’s only the fourth watch, you’re not sober, and it’s cold outside. Please don’t go out.”

She said, looking up at him.

Wei Shao coldly looked at her for a moment, then raised his hand to remove her grip on his arm. He said hoarsely, “Your heart and eyes are only for your Qiao family, why bother keeping me here? I’m going to the study, so as not to disturb your peace.”

With that, he turned and quickly left the room.

Xiao Qiao chased to the doorway, watching his figure quickly disappear at the end of the corridor leading to the study.

…

On the fifth day of the New Year, Wei Shao rewarded the meritorious officers and soldiers from the battle in Shangdang before the New Year. He held a grand feast to entertain the troops.

On the seventh day, Wei Shao left for Yuyang to inspect the border. He didn’t return to Yuyang until after the Lantern Festival.

Xiao Qiao had also been busy during this time, and it wasn’t until after the Lantern Festival that she gradually had some free time.

On this day, Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao, who had returned to Yuyang yesterday, went to the north room together to have breakfast with Madam Xu. After the meal, they chatted for a while. As they were about to take their leave, Wei Shao suddenly said, “Grandmother, I will be leaving for Jinyang in a few days. I wanted to inform you first.”

Xiao Qiao glanced at him discreetly. She saw him looking at Madam Xu with a serious expression.

Madam Xu was slightly surprised and asked, “Wasn’t it originally planned that you would leave after the first month of the New Year? Why the sudden rush?”

Wei Shao replied, “Jinyang is vast and affairs are complex. Zhang Jian and Li Chongfang sent a letter yesterday urging me to go there soon. Many matters are pending.”

Madam Xu thought for a moment and said, “If you have important business, it’s right that you should go early. How long will you be gone this time?”

“At least two or three months, at most half a year, I’m not certain yet.”

Madam Xu nodded, “Since you’ll be gone for quite some time, and you’re not going to Jinyang for warfare, why don’t you take your wife with you? It would be good to have someone to take care of you.”

Wei Shao said, “She should stay at home. Grandmother is advanced in years, and serving you should be her priority. I’ll be fine.”

Madam Xu looked at Xiao Qiao, thought for a moment, and said, “Very well. It’s good for my granddaughter-in-law to stay at home. It’s not that grandmother needs her to serve me, but I don’t want her to suffer by going on such a long journey with you. Stay at home!”