As Chang Yuncheng hadn't returned for dinner, the maid informed Qi Yue that he had been accompanying Madam Xie until late into the night and hadn't come back. Qi Yue assumed Chang Yuncheng had simply settled in the outer study for the night.

Qi Yue slept restlessly, and in the haze of midnight, she sat up abruptly upon hearing the sound of maids speaking outside and the door opening.

Chang Yuncheng had entered.

The room remained unlit, obscuring the man's expression. Just as Qi Yue was about to speak, he walked straight to the bed and lay down.

The luohan couch felt spacious enough for one person, but cramped for two, especially with a sturdy man like Chang Yuncheng. Qi Yue was instantly pushed to the far edge, leaving her with a wry smile.

This man…

Chang Yuncheng turned onto his side, facing outward, seemingly already asleep. Silence settled over the room.

"Hey," Qi Yue reached out and poked him.

Chang Yuncheng didn't stir.

Still playing hard to get, even now!

Qi Yue couldn't help but smile faintly, then reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Chang Yuncheng’s body stiffened. He reached back to grab the hand Qi Yue had placed on his waist, intending to flick it away, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it. The woman behind him pressed closer again, soft and yielding against his solid, broad back, and Chang Yuncheng’s body gradually relaxed.

The room remained quiet, yet the atmosphere had noticeably softened. Chang Yuncheng allowed Qi Yue to hold him silently for a moment.

"Yue Niang, I will be leaving soon. I worry about you and Mother being like this," he murmured softly after a moment.

"Before..." he continued, not giving Qi Yue a chance to interrupt, "I didn't care about you—I won't deny that. But now..."

He paused, turned over, and his large hand came up to gently stroke Qi Yue’s cheek.

"Now... I find it incredibly difficult to let you go," he said quietly.

Qi Yue looked at him, only discerning the faint glimmer in his eyes in the darkness. Her heart felt soft and tingling.

"You're leaving?" she asked.

"Of course, I can't stay home forever," Chang Yuncheng replied, his hand moving across her delicate skin.

"For long?" Qi Yue inquired.

"I don't know. At least half a year," Chang Yuncheng answered, drawing her head into the crook of his arm and gently stroking her smooth hair.

Half a year. The thought suddenly made Chang Yuncheng feel heavy; he wouldn't see this woman for six months...

"I'm going too," Qi Yue declared suddenly, lifting her head sharply.

Because she moved so suddenly, Chang Yuncheng wasn't prepared and was bumped on the jaw, nearly biting his tongue.

This woman is always so rash!

"What nonsense are you spouting? What would you do there?" Chang Yuncheng pushed her head back down, chuckling. But the feeling of affection spoken so directly was strangely comforting. He couldn't help but pull her tighter against his chest, rubbing his cheek against her head.

"I am certainly going," Qi Yue struggled to lift her head again. "Separation is the killer of marriages!"

What nonsense is that? Chang Yuncheng frowned.

"Stop fooling around. Even if Father indulges you endlessly, he won't let you come with me," he said.

"What do you mean 'Father indulges me'? I have the moral high ground, okay?" Qi Yue retorted.

"Yes, whatever you say is reasonable," Chang Yuncheng smiled.

The sudden gentle tone from this usually rigid man made Qi Yue feel strangely uncomfortable. Was it because of the topic of separation? They had only just begun to become familiar, to share a sliver of intimacy, and now they faced parting...

"I don't care. I must go. Even if I don't stay permanently, I must have visitation rights," Qi Yue pressed her head close to him.

Chang Yuncheng smiled but said nothing. They held each other in silence for a moment.

He was about to speak again when Qi Yue interrupted.

"Fine. I will work hard to put your mind at ease," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I won't look back at the past either. We only look forward."

Chang Yuncheng cupped her face with his hand and kissed her deeply. They separated only after a long while. Qi Yue leaned against his chest, breathless.

"Mother has a difficult temper. You... you must bear with her a bit... If she knew your true feelings, she wouldn't be like this," Chang Yuncheng said.

Qi Yue offered a dry chuckle internally. Let's hope so. However, sighing, since she had decided to live with this man, she would eventually have to confront her relationship with Madam Xie; it was unavoidable. She reached up and held Chang Yuncheng's neck again.

In the dark, Chang Yuncheng saw the bright, intense look in her eyes as she drew close.

"That felt good just now," Qi Yue whispered with a sly smile. "How about another round?"

Chang Yuncheng froze for a second, then burst into loud laughter. The sound erupted suddenly in the room, filling the entire space.

"What are you doing, keep it down!" Qi Yue quickly patted him. "There are eavesdroppers outside!"

Chang Yuncheng’s laughter grew louder as he forcefully pulled the woman into his embrace. This rough woman, this wicked woman, I adore her!

When the sudden laughter erupted, A’Ru and Qiu Xiang outside were startled. Hearing Qi Yue's whispered caution, they exchanged an awkward glance, followed shortly by soft, suggestive gasps. A'Ru quickly led Qiu Xiang away.

Back in their own quarters, the two looked at their own flushed faces and burst into quiet giggles.

"I told you not to worry," Qiu Xiang whispered, smiling. "Husbands and wives always reconcile after a quarrel."

A’Ru smiled and nodded, then let out a sigh of relief. "Thank heavens. The Young Master and Young Mistress are no longer stiff and fighting. Taking a step back for each other means moving two steps forward," she murmured, before her brow furrowed with worry upon thinking of Madam Xie. "It’s just, Madame..."

Madam Xie was indeed a complicated matter.

"But the Young Mistress is so capable now. Even those in the household who disliked her originally have grown fond of her. If she sets her mind to it, Madame surely will too," Qiu Xiang said brightly, smiling. "I didn't like the Young Mistress initially either, you see. Now, I wish I could treat her like a deity... And I'm sure I’m not the only one in the household who feels this way."

A'Ru nodded. Yes, that was right. If she wanted something, there was nothing she couldn't accomplish. Because this woman truly seemed like she had descended from heaven.

Since Qi Yue had announced her intention, she acted immediately. The next day, she accompanied Chang Yuncheng to pay respects to Madam Xie. This time, Madam Xie did not punish her with kneeling, but barred her from entering. Qi Yue did not storm off as before; instead, she waited outside the door until Chang Yuncheng emerged. Of course, she still couldn't bring herself to perform the self-mortifying act of kneeling, even though kneeling might have shown more sincerity.

At lunchtime, an extra dish appeared on Madam Xie’s table.

"This dish is excellent," Madam Xie said, pleased with the new item. After tasting it, she was even happier, pointing to Chang Yuncheng, who had deliberately come to dine with her. "This was made by the same cook who prepared that late-night snack you sent over the other night. Try it."

Chang Yuncheng didn't need to taste it to know, but seeing Madam Xie finally smile at him relieved him greatly. It seemed Yue Niang’s efforts were having an effect. Indeed, his mother only cared about saving face. Yue Niang’s temperament was a bit too... willful. This was much like how his father resented his own willfulness—it stemmed, ultimately, from affection.

Thus, different new dishes appeared that evening and the following noon, with late-night snacks added in the evening too. Madam Xie initially wanted to personally reward the cook, but after the kitchen staff politely declined several times, and upon seeing Chang Yuncheng’s mysterious smile, she understood: this must be a cook his son had thoughtfully hired from outside out of filial piety. Furthermore, seeing Chang Yuncheng spend his mornings, afternoons, and evenings almost constantly in her presence lately, and having not spoken a word on behalf of that woman, her anger subsided somewhat.

On this day, the son-in-law of Wang Tongye's family returned to the capital. Because of a camaraderie forged through several brawls, Chang Yuncheng went early in the morning to see him off.

"What about that woman? Is she outside again?" Madam Xie asked.

"No," Mama Su replied. "She didn't come today."

Madam Xie let out a cold laugh. "She only puts on a show when Yuncheng is around. When he's not here, she won't even bother with appearances," she sneered, setting down her teacup before suddenly looking alarmed. "Don't tell me she went out with Yuncheng?"

Mama Su quickly sent someone to inquire. Shortly, the servant returned with news.

"The Young Mistress left later than the Young Master. She went to Qianjintang; she didn't accompany the Young Master to the Wang residence," the maid reported.

Madam Xie finally relaxed, then let out another cold scoff. "Qianjintang!" She pursed her lips. "It seems she can't wait to take up residence there permanently."

Inside Qianjintang, Coffin Boy stood awkwardly. This was the first time he had set foot in a business establishment other than a gambling den; he felt utterly out of place. Although Liu Pucheng had personally invited him in, the apprentices and laborers of Qianjintang still stared at him with complex expressions.

"Hey, you're here." Qi Yue walked in from outside and spotted Coffin Boy immediately. It was impossible not to notice him; all the disciples stood far apart, leaving him standing alone in the middle of the vast hall, making him extremely conspicuous.

Coffin Boy turned around and saw a dazzling woman smiling at him. For an instant, it was as if fireworks had exploded before his eyes, shimmering so brightly he couldn't see anything clearly. Seeing the obviously stunned man, Qi Yue smiled again. She hadn't masked her face today, so he didn't recognize her.

"Hey, it's me," Qi Yue raised her hand to cover her nose and mouth, leaving only her eyes visible as she spoke to him again.

Coffin Boy didn't fail to recognize her; even from the sound of her voice, he knew who the woman was. But this was too shocking—how could such a stunningly beautiful young lady be involved in that kind of work?

"Master, you've come." Hu San rushed out from the back hall when he heard the commotion. Seeing Qi Yue, tears welled up in his eyes. "We were worried sick..."

"Worried about what? Didn't I send A'Ru to tell you all I was fine?" Qi Yue laughed.

Since that night when Chang Yuncheng caught them red-handed, everyone had been terrified. Liu Pucheng had dismissed the disciples that very night, fearing they would be implicated. He himself stayed to guard Qianjintang, ready to take full responsibility if people came to smash the shop. He had also worried about Qi Yue, sending Hu San to watch the Dingxi Marquis Residence, especially the side and back gates, because he knew that aristocratic households often dealt with their women through secretive means. He had resolved that if the Dingxi Marquis Residence truly intended to punish Qi Yue, he would risk his life to save her. If he couldn't save her, then he would die too—a life for a life.

Unexpectedly, after a day and a night, nothing happened. Then A'Ru had come to tell them everything was clear. What did 'nothing' mean? It wasn't until today, seeing her with their own eyes, that they fully understood.

Recently the plot progression has been slow? I will try my best to speed up with two updates. RS