As Lin He looked up, she saw that damn Wen Ningxuan swaggering in, a teasing smile plastered across his face. Upon catching sight of the fair, tender skin revealed by the person in the bathtub, the smile froze on his lips. His searing gaze locked onto Lin He, as if looking at prey cradled in his palm—a gaze that made escape feel utterly impossible.

Lin He’s already hot face was now so flushed it looked as if blood could drip onto the floor. She shot Wen Ningxuan a sharp look and demanded, "Go out first, I need to change."

"Er'er, this is our room. Where would your husband go? And where are your clothes?" Wen Ningxuan asked, feigning a search for her attire. After scanning the room, he declared, "Never mind, I can't find them. Get out first; the water is getting cold." As he spoke, he walked over and, with one swift motion, lifted Lin He out of the tub.

Lin He let out a soft gasp, her unclothed body pressed tightly against Wen Ningxuan’s chest. At that moment, Lin He wished she could find a crack in the earth to disappear into. Even though they had shared intimate moments the night before, being exposed so plainly and bare before Wen Ningxuan still felt intensely awkward.

Held entirely in Wen Ningxuan’s embrace, Lin He was so ashamed she dared not lift her head, choosing instead to bury herself against him like an ostrich. Feeling the man's scorching breath near her, Lin He burrowed deeper into his chest, her face burning crimson.

The natural fragrance radiating from the woman in his arms, mingled with the fresh scent of her recent bath, stirred the most primal desires within Wen Ningxuan. He trembled involuntarily, and his clear eyes blazed with a furious inner fire. Wen Ningxuan gently placed Lin He onto the bed, and his robust frame immediately followed, leaning over her.

Just then, Ziyu called from outside: "Miss, has the water turned cold? I’ll bring more in."

Before Lin He could reply, Wen Ningxuan’s cool voice cut through: "Go away."

Ziyu was startled, dropping the wooden bucket she was holding with a clatter. Realizing what was happening, she quickly snatched up the bucket, her face bright red with shame, and hurried away.

Hearing Ziyu’s voice, Lin He pushed against the man above her, just about to speak, when her lips were sealed by a kiss. Unable to utter a sound, Lin He could only yield to the man's will, inwardly sighing at how remarkably robust this man’s stamina truly was.

When Lin He next awoke, she found herself nestled in Wen Ningxuan’s arms. He was propped up on one elbow, his eyes gazing down at her with tender warmth. Looking at him, Lin He noticed his upper body was bare, his hair spread out behind him. His exquisitely handsome face, framed by seductive phoenix eyes that held a trace of languor, instantly reminded Lin He of a saying she’d read in a past life: "Cherish life, and steer clear of heart-stealers."

"Er'er, have you looked enough? If you’ve seen enough, may your husband rise now?" Wen Ningxuan’s tone was filled with playful mockery.

Only then did Lin He recall that this was the first day of their marriage and that they needed to rise early to offer tea. She bolted upright, exclaiming, "Quick! Have Ziyu come in to help me change, we’re going to be late!"

As Lin He sat up, the silk coverlet slipped, exposing more than half of her body. In the eyes of Wen Ningxuan, still reclining on the bed, another cluster of flames sparked. However, mindful that this little woman was newly initiated to the marital rites and her body might not endure more exertion, he smiled with resignation, pulled her close, covered her with the quilt, and said, "No rush, there’s plenty of time. If we’re any later, they’ll be waiting for us to serve the tea."

Lin He gave Wen Ningxuan a gentle scolding glare, then nudged him again. "You need to get up quickly and call Ziyu in. If we’re truly late, Uncle Wen and the others will blame us."

Wen Ningxuan tapped Lin He’s lips lightly, chuckling softly. "You can’t call him 'Uncle Wen' anymore. You must call him Father. And in front of others, you must call me Husband, understood?"

Lin He pouted her lips, nodding with a scarlet face.

Wen Ningxuan threw off the covers and stood up to find clothes to wear. Watching him walk back and forth before her with his upper body bare, Lin He’s face began to flush again. Yet, his physique was undeniably excellent—broad shoulders, narrow hips, not an ounce of excess fat, but without the exaggerated definition of those muscle-bound men; Lin He found this build just right.

By the time Lin He realized what she was thinking, she wanted nothing more than to slap herself. When had she become so lustful? Wen Ningxuan watched the little woman swing between shyness and frustration, curved his lips upward, dressed himself, and walked back over. "I’ll call Ziyu in. Take your time; don't rush."

Moments later, Ziyu and Ziqing entered carrying hot water. Ziyu cast a knowing, half-smile toward Lin He before fetching an outfit from the nearby cabinet. Ziqing attended to Lin He’s washing and dressing. After another flurry of activity, Ziyu looked at Lin He with satisfaction. "Young Mistress, you are ready. You may go out now; Young Master is waiting for you."

Lin He looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a long dress the color of lotus root, overlaid with a goose-yellow outer tunic. The two maids had applied a light makeup and styled her hair into a simple updo, adorned with several seemingly expensive hairpins.

Lin He touched a hairpin and frowned slightly. Ziyu quickly interjected, "Young Mistress, you cannot dress as you did when you were a maiden at your parents’ home. These accessories are necessary. I know you dislike such things, but this is the simplest arrangement I could manage."

Lin He nodded. Ziyu was right; marriage meant their attire and presentation had to change. Lin He was ultimately content with this appearance. After making final adjustments, she left with Ziqing following behind.

Wen Ningxuan was indeed waiting outside. Seeing Lin He emerge, he immediately walked over, speaking softly, "Are you hungry? If so, let’s eat something before we go."

Lin He wasn't actually hungry, having eaten quite a bit when she woke up earlier. Instead, she worried that Wen Ningxuan hadn't eaten, so she asked, "Husband, would you like something to eat before we leave?"

Hearing the address Lin He used, Wen Ningxuan smiled faintly. "No need. We can eat when we return."

With that, he instructed Ziyu to remain in the room, telling Lin He to take Ziqing along. Ziqing, understanding that the new bride was heading out to offer tea and greet the family elders, immediately turned back into the room to gather several items—things Lin He had instructed her to bring for the tea ceremony the night before.

Once Ziqing had everything organized, Wen Ningxuan and Lin He left the room together. As they walked, Lin He took in the courtyard. It probably wasn't the largest in the Wen residence, but to Lin He, it seemed vast—considerably bigger than the entire house she had purchased in the town.

The courtyard was meticulously clean, and there weren't many people about; only occasionally did they pass a servant or two on the path, both of whom showed immense deference to Wen Ningxuan. Wen Ningxuan asked with a light smile, "This is the courtyard where we will live from now on. You must memorize the route, or you might get lost."

Lin He puffed out her cheeks and glared at him. She had absolutely no sense of direction. When they were in Qinghe County, she never bothered memorizing paths when they went out. On several occasions, Wen Ningxuan deliberately walked behind her, and at forks in the road, Lin He would be utterly lost, guessing which way to go with her eyes closed, only to always choose incorrectly. Thus, Lin He found herself unable to argue with his comment.

Wen Ningxuan let out a soft laugh, taking Lin He’s hand. "You only need to remember this path. You can’t possibly not know the way back to your own courtyard, can you? Don't worry about the rest; you can always send a servant to run errands."