Gu Yan Chen had been extremely tired these past few days. After a comfortable hot bath, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
Looking at his unshaven face, Lu Nian Fu couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. She wondered how he had endured these past eight days, having visibly lost weight from exhaustion. She gently pulled the quilt over him.
Simultaneously, she ordered the victory banquet, which had just been arranged, to be postponed. After a perfunctory dinner, she went to bed early to rest.
With another person in the bed, it no longer felt so empty. Lu Nian Fu, breathing in his familiar scent, quickly drifted into sweet dreams.
For the past eight days, neither of them had slept soundly. Once they finally did, they slept until well past noon. Gu Yan Chen had given himself a holiday and lounged in bed, unwilling to get up. Lu Nian Fu had somehow rolled into his arms. On a cold day like this, having a human heater behind her and not having nightmares, it was so nice to just hibernate in bed.
However: "Are you sure you don't want to get up? What about the victory banquet the manor has arranged for you?"
Gu Yan Chen replied, "Isn't it fine as long as we get there before the meal?"
"That's true."
Lu Nian Fu nestled contentedly in his embrace, closing her eyes again. Suddenly, the hand around her waist stirred. His large palm gently caressed her waistline, giving Lu Nian Fu goosebumps.
She pressed down on the offending hand. "What are you doing?"
Gu Yan Chen looked innocent. "Don't tease, let me hold you?"
"Just holding?"
"If Madam desires a kiss, that can be arranged too." His warm breath tickled her ear as Gu Yan Chen acted on his words, planting a soft kiss behind her ear, then moving forward along her cheek.
The kiss was so gentle that Lu Nian Fu couldn't muster any strength to resist. By the time she came to her senses, Gu Yan Chen had already pinned her beneath him.
A flurry of kisses landed on her forehead, her cheeks, and then sealed her slightly parted red lips.
Outside, the winter was biting cold, but the temperature inside the room rose steadily. Lu Nian Fu, dazed by the kisses, looked at the handsome face so close to hers and slowly closed her eyes.
"Miss, have you woken up? Madam has arrived."
Qing Ya's voice jolted Lu Nian Fu back to reality. She glanced down and saw that her inner garment had been pulled aside. She quickly pushed him. "Get up, quickly."
Gu Yan Chen grumbled, unwilling, and rested his face comfortably on her chest. "Make her wait."
Lu Nian Fu didn't mind making Madam Li wait a while, but what good could staying in bed at this hour bring her?
She decisively slapped away Gu Yan Chen's arm holding her. "Stop messing around. What would people think in broad daylight?"
Gu Yan Chen's eyes lit up. "Can we do it at night then?"
Lu Nian Fu faltered, the blush on her face receding. She asked softly, "Didn't we agree I'd observe mourning?"
Gu Yan Chen: ......
He pulled her clothes back up and asked in a muffled voice, "Did I scare you? Don't worry, I won't. It'll just be kisses, okay? Trust me?"
She was already married to him, what else could she do but trust him?
Lu Nian Fu got up to dress. Gu Yan Chen felt a little awkward. With soft warmth in his arms and it being early morning, it was incredibly hard to restrain himself. He took a deep breath and suppressed the rising desire in his lower abdomen with his internal energy. To see but not be able to touch, was there anyone more miserable in this world?
Lu Nian Fu tied her brocade jacket. "Perhaps you should sleep alone then."
She wasn't an innocent, naive girl. She naturally understood what a man was like when his desires were aroused. What if one day things got out of hand? How would she face her father then?
Gu Yan Chen sat up, looking pitiful. "No, you can't treat me like this because of one mistake."
Lu Nian Fu explained, "I'm doing this for your own good. Do you want to take a cold shower in the middle of winter?"
Gu Yan Chen blinked. Once he confirmed she wasn't truly angry, his expression turned lewd. "You even know about that. How many erotic paintings did you secretly look at behind my back?"
Lu Nian Fu: ......
Shameless scoundrel. This conversation couldn't continue. She abruptly pulled open the door and walked out.
Gu Yan Chen flopped back onto the bed, savoring the memory. Alas!
After the incident in Yancheng, Lu Nian Fu had no mind to bother with Madam Li. Qing Ya, while escorting her to the flower hall, recounted the situation at the Lu manor these past few days.
Madam Li had been paralyzed, and Li Chuan Hu had eagerly moved in with his entire family, acting high and mighty for a while. He then gave Steward Lu a sum of money and dismissed him. Steward Lu had said that this was not what was agreed upon and that the money was not even enough to bribe a beggar.
Li Chuan Hu told him not to be greedy.
The two then argued.
Steward Lu had worked at the Lu manor for many years and commanded considerable respect. As long as the servants' deeds of sale were not found, Li Chuan Hu would never be able to open the storeroom. Since Lu Song wanted to take things from the storeroom, Li Chuan Hu, who already considered the Lu manor his own, naturally wouldn't allow it.
Thus, the matter reached a stalemate.
Then, Madam Li recovered and filed a lawsuit against both of them.
At that time, Yancheng had just been taken, and Jiangnan was in a state of panic. Magistrate Luo, unwilling to adjudicate the case, ordered Li Chuan Hu, Lu Song, and others to be imprisoned. Two days later, the news of Gu Yan Chen recapturing Yancheng arrived, and Magistrate Luo finally ascended the court.