Su Jiu felt that there was no need for her to say more, so she walked out of the Zhao Family’s residence courtyard with Ji Yuxian.

 It was already evening when they left with their horse. The people living in the mountains would usually rest early, and most of them were already asleep at that time.

 Ji Yuxian held Su Jiu’s hand and asked, “Are we going back to the town?”

 Su Jiu looked around and answered, “We seem pretty close to where the Dragon Conqueror Gang used to stay. Why don’t we stay there tonight?

 “Sure!” The man nodded while smiling.

 They mounted their horse, and Su Jiu led them to the Dragon Conqueror Gang’s lair.

 It was almost midnight by the time they reached there. They walked into the mountains under the glistening moonlight.

 Ji Yuxian knew that Su Jiu and the rest had a tough life living in the mountain, and thought he was mentally prepared for the place. However, when he saw the Dragon Conqueror Gang’s three mud houses, he was still shocked.

 These mud houses were much worse than the Zhao Family’s thatched houses.

 The Zhao Family at least had a fenced courtyard, with tables, chairs, and stools.

 As for the Dragon Conqueror Gang, all they had were these three mud houses in the mountains, and none of them had windows.

 They looked at the kitchen outside, and when they entered the house, they found that it was almost empty. There was nothing else, other than an old chair and two heatable brick beds.

 In the mud house, it was as cold as it was outside. At this moment, Su Jiu felt abashed. She took the only chair in the house and wiped it before passing it to Ji Yuxian to sit. “Maybe we should have gone back to town,” she said with a chuckle.

 Ji Yuxian felt a tug at his heartstrings. He pulled her in an embrace and said,

 “All of you used to live here?”

 Su Jiu gave a tight-lipped smile and said, “It may seem like a terrible place to live in now, but we never felt that way back then. We were actually quite happy.”

 They were just trying to survive, that was it.

 If life was much simpler, one would be easily content!

 Ji Yuxian hugged her tightly, feeling that he could never make up for that.

 When he heard of Su Jiu’s suffering in the past, he felt sorry for her. However, after knowing her true identity, he felt guilty.

 She had to wander and suffer for ten years, all because of the Ji Family, or rather, because of him.

 How was he supposed to make up to her for this, the 12 years that she had lost?

 “Jiu’er, that woman has not suffered enough. I should have made her life a living hell!” Ji Yuxian’s voice was seething with hate and pain.

 Su Jiu buried her head in his chest. “Ji Yuxian, having met you alone has made up for all of my sufferings.”

 “Jiu’er!” Ji Yuxian cupped her face in his hands as his phoenix eyes gleamed in the moonlight. “I love you, and I’ll find you in all of my subsequent lifetimes to continue loving you!”

 Su Jiu’s eyes were brimming with tears. She tiptoed to kiss the man on the lips. “I don’t expect you to be with me in the next lifetime. I’m only asking you to be with me in this lifetime.”

 Ji Yuxian’s eyes sparkled as he hugged her tight.

 The cold wind blew into the house. After a while, Su Jiu got up and chuckled. “Wait for me here!”

 Su Jiu walked out and soon came back with some firewood and a vat of wine.

 She proudly waved the vat of wine at Ji Yuxian. “This vat of wine has been buried at the back of the house for two years. Before we went to Shengjing City, Chang Huan had stolen it for me when he attended a wedding. We buried it at the back, thinking that we were going to keep it for ourselves. Who would have known that we would never come back after that robbery?”

 While she was saying that, she lit the firewood she had brought in. As the firewood burned, the house also gradually became warmer.

 She opened the vat and sniffed it, before smiling and passing the wine to Ji Yuxian.

 “This can’t compare to the ones you usually drink, but it tastes good after being buried for two years. Have a sip!”

 Ji Yuxian took a sip of the wine and stretched his arm out to pull Su Jiu in for a kiss, feeding her a mouthful of wine.

 Su Jiu’s eyes sparkled under the light. After swallowing the wine, she threw her arms around his neck, never leaving his lips.

 Breathing heavily, Ji Yuxian placed the vat aside. He carried her and sat her on his lap, With his palm at the back of her head, they continued their kiss.

 The full moon could be seen hanging over the top of the mountains. The gentle moonlight shone like the sun at the break of dawn, shining over the clouds and into the forest.

 It was quiet in the mountains on a winter night, and no sounds of insects and waterfalls could be heard. However, there was an air of gentleness from this house, which pervaded the mountains.

 “Ji Yuxian…” she muttered his name in a flurry, but the firewood crackling was too loud. The voice sounded as if it came from a distance away before it came out of her mouth.

 “Ji Yuxian…”

 Her feelings, that had changed from being lost to being sure of who she loved, were all concentrated in her voice.

 The man only needed to respond with a deeper kiss without saying anything more.

 After a long while, Su Jiu stopped and tried to catch her breath while leaning against the man.

 Su Jiu picked up the vat and took a sip of the wine. The wine was smooth yet strong, giving her a numbing feeling with every sip.

 Both of them sat there till late at night, finishing the entire vat of wine. They were chatting throughout and did not want to sleep.

 This seemed like the life that they had always dreamed of, living in the mountains without a care in the world. Once the sun rose, all of it would be over.

 Su Jiu finally got up from their embrace when the moon was about to set, drowsy from the drinking. She walked out and brought in a bunch of straw to set the bed.

 After arranging the straw on the bed, Su Jiu lay on top of it. She raised her eyebrow at Ji Yuxian and laughed. “Would Eldest Young Master Ji be comfortable with sleeping on a heatable brick bed?”

 Ji Yuxian got up and lay down next to her, smiling. “As long as my wife needs me to, I can sleep even in the most dangerous places, let alone this brick bed!”

 In the empty mud house, the man felt oddly comfortable lying down as his red robe spread over like a blooming lotus, giving color to the room.

 Su Jiu snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes.

 It was just four hours away from daybreak, but that did not matter. Wherever they were, as long as he was with her, she was in a safe haven.

 　　…

 Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian entered the city two days later than the Jun Family. The moment they reached Shengjing City, Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian went straight to Qingxin Tavern.

 As it was not lunchtime yet, the tavern had very few customers. Li Xin and several waiters were clearing tables at the dining hall.

 The moment she noticed Su Jiu walking in, Li Xin’s heart almost skipped a beat, and she immediately lowered her head.

 The other waiters greeted Su Jiu.

 “Li Xin, you stay here. The rest of you, get back to work!” Su Jiu said.

 “Yes!” The waiters all glanced at Li Xin and went to the courtyard.

 “Young Master!” Li Xin slowly called out with her head hung low, gripping the rag in her hands.

 Li Tai happened to walk over and saw what was happening. He had an ominous feeling about it. He served tea to both Ji Yuxian and Su Jiu, and cautiously asked,

 “I’ve heard that you left the city to do something. When did you come back?”

 Ji Yuxian drank his tea slowly and did not answer.

 Su Jiu replied, “Brother Li, go to the cashier and bring me 1000 taels!”

 Li Tai was stunned for a moment, before nodding. “Yes!”

 Soon after, Li Tai brought a wooden tray with 1000 taels and placed it in front of Su Jiu.

 “Brother Li, you’ve been working for me for over two years. Although you never officially joined the Dragon Conqueror Gang, I’ve always seen you as one of our own since the day you decided to work for me!” Su Jiu said calmly.

 Li Tai began to panic. “Young Master, did I do something wrong?”

 “No, you didn’t. But your daughter has betrayed me, and she now follows the Crown Princess Consort.”

 Li Xin immediately looked up at Su Jiu in fear.

 Li Tai was shocked. “What do you mean by this, Young Master?”

 “Brother Li, Li Xin is your daughter. You’re with her every day, yet you didn’t notice that something was wrong with her?” Su Jiu questioned.

 Li Tai was breaking in a cold sweat, and he was wiping it off with his head lowered. He knew that something was up with Li Xin. However, he never expected that she would do something bad to Su Jiu.

 “We have known each other for two years after all, and it is thanks to you that the tavern’s business is so lucrative. Hence, I’m not going to pursue what Li Xin has done to me. Take the 1000 taels and leave Shengjing City with Li Xin!” Su Jiu explained.

 Li Tai knelt in front of Su Jiu. “Young Master, you were the one who gave me a job and saved Xin’er’s life. Since that day, I swore to follow you for life to repay your kindness! My daughter has made a serious mistake, and I’m ashamed to face you. But I can’t just leave like that! Otherwise, I won’t be able to hold my head high for the rest of my life.”

 He then turned and shouted at Li Xin, “Come here and kneel!”

 Li Xin trembled and dropped to her knees to Su Jiu’s feet. “Young Master, I know I was wrong, I’ll never do it again! Please give me another chance!” she cried, her face covered in tears.

 Su Jiu scoffed. “You tried to kill me, so why should I keep you here? I’m letting you go now. Go now before I change my mind!”

 “Young Master, I know that I’ve done you wrong!” Li Xin grabbed onto the hem of Su Jiu’s robe, crying her heart out pitifully.

 However, Su Jiu took a step back and turned her back on her coldly.

 Li Tai said, “Young Master, I refuse to accept this money, and I won’t leave this tavern. I’ll make up to you for Xin’er’s mistake. I have a relative in Jingzhou, so I’ll send Xin’er there tomorrow. Once she has settled down, I’ll come back to work for you!”

 “Father, no! I don’t want to leave you, and I don’t want to leave Shengjing City!” Li Xin wailed loudly.

 “The Young Master has given you many chances, and yet you kept making mistakes! How are you supposed to continue to stay here? Don’t worry, I’ll properly arrange for you to stay there.” Li Tai hugged his daughter.

 The father and daughter pair hugged and cried together. Ji Yuxian frowned and walked out with Su Jiu, with an arm wrapped around her waist.

 “If we don’t kill Li Xin, we have to send her away. We can’t be soft-hearted!” the man said softly.

 Su Jiu nodded. “I know!”

 “Li Tai is indeed a loyal person. He should be able to help you, but it’s just too bad…”

 “I never knew that Li Xin was so deeply in love with Xiao Lie!” Su Jiu sighed.

 Li Xin was a child she had watched growing up. Who would have known that she would one day be so madly in love, and be manipulated by Yu Long as a result?

 Ji Yuxian glanced at her and did not continue from what she said. “Where are we going?” he asked.

 “I’m going back home to visit my mother!” Su Jiu replied, “You should head back to the Ji Manor as well!”

 “Alright. In that case, I’ll look for you later!” Ji Yuxian caressed her cheeks gently.

 Su Jiu said, “Let’s meet another day! I may go to the bodyguard agency later.”

 Ji Yuxian’s expression slightly darkened. Su Jiu seemed to be avoiding him on purpose recently. It was fine when they left Shengjing City, but the moment they came back, she started avoiding him again.

 He grasped Su Jiu’s hand. “Are you worried that Yu Long will come after me?”

 Su Jiu looked up with a troubled expression.

 Ji Yuxian smiled as he pulled Su Jiu into his embrace and muttered in a low voice, “Don’t worry. She can’t do anything to me even with the backing of her family.”

 “Ji Yuxian…” Su Jiu gripped on his clothes tightly. “I need to make sure that nothing bad happens to you and Mother!”

 “Wow, so I’m that important to you!” Ji Yuxian caressed her brows gently, grinning.

 Both of them stood in front of the tavern’s entrance. As people walked past and spotted the two displaying affection, the onlookers could not help but take a second glance at them.

 This was because Su Jiu was wearing a man’s robe, but Ji Yuxian blocked the onlookers from seeing her face. Hence, they could only assume that Eldest Young Master Ji was holding a teenage boy in his arms.

 When Su Jiu saw a group of people bumping against one another just to watch them, she burst out laughing and pushed Ji Yuxian away. “Alright, I’m going home!”

 “Mm! Send my regards to my mother-in-law!”

 “Got it!”

 Er Mao had already led the horse carriage there. Su Jiu waved Ji Yuxian goodbye, hopped on the carriage, and headed back to the Su Manor.

 The next day, rumors spread all over the city that Eldest Young Master Ji was homosexual and that he was seen hugging another man on the streets.

 Many women bawled their eyes out after hearing that.

 It was morning, and just as Su Jiu finished her breakfast, a servant informed her that she had guests and passed the visitation letter to her.

 Su Jiu opened it, and it was from Jun Jin.

 “Bring him to the sitting area at the front! I’ll be there soon!” Su Jiu gave an order.

 “Yes!”

 The Eldest Mistress glanced at the letter. “Young Master Jun? Who is he?”

 “It’s the client from Wulin County whom I went to meet. His entire family moved to Shengjing City!” Su Jiu casually answered.

 The Eldest Mistress looked away and chuckled. “You just returned to Shengjing City yesterday, and he’s already here to visit today? He sure knows where to get his news!”

 “Could something have happened?” Su Jiu wondered.

 Nothing should have gone wrong along the way. Otherwise, she would have received news about it!

 The Eldest Mistress tidied her hair bun and said, “Go have a look first!”

 “Alright then, I’ll head over now!” Su Jiu answered and walked towards the sitting area.

 Jun Jin was not alone in the sitting area. His younger sister Jun Yu was there as well.

 A servant served the tea and left. Jun Jin looked around the house, and he seemed very interested in it.

 On the other hand, Jun Yu seemed a little unhappy. “Elder Brother, didn’t you promise me to take a look around in the city? Why are we here?” she asked with a pout.

 Jun Jin was wearing a light blue robe, and he was handsome and suave. He turned and smiled. “It’s all thanks to the protection of Qinglong Bodyguard Agency that we could safely reach here. Since Young Master Su is back in town, we should visit him to thank him!”

 “You could have come here by yourself! Why did you bring me along?” Jun Yu meddled with the tassels on her clothing out of boredom.

 Jun Jin sat down and laughed. “What do you think of Young Master Su?

 Jun Yu answered nonchalantly, “He’s average!”

 “Just average?” Jun Jin scoffed in shock. “It’s my first time seeing such a handsome and fine man!”

 Jun Yu looked up for a second and commented, “I think the other guy in the red robe looks better!”

 1That man looked like a suave handsome character who had leaped out from a book. He would emanate an aura of nobility when he stood still, an air of mystery when he moved, and a charming smile.

 “Oh! That man!” Jun Jin recalled and smiled. “He’s a rare one indeed!”

 When he turned, he noticed his sister was blushing, and her eyes were sparkling. Jun Jin firmly said,

 “He’s certainly not an average Joe, so don’t even think about it!”

 Jun Yu’s face turned redder as she darted a look at him. “W-what are you talking about? Weren’t you the one who asked me about Young Master Su? That’s why I mentioned the man who’s with him!”

 “Alright, alright, my bad!” Jun Jin chuckled and sighed. “It’s just too bad that Young Master Su is already married. Otherwise, I may be able to play matchmaker for you two.”

 Jun Yu frowned. “Now you’re just being ridiculous!”

 Both of them were chatting happily when Su Jiu entered the room. Seeing that Jun Yu was also there, she smiled, saying, “Sorry to keep you both waiting!”

 “Not at all! I should have passed the visitation letter to you a day before we came. I hope you don’t mind us coming for a visit without prior notice!” Jun Jin said as he stood up immediately, his lips curving into a warm smile.

 “Greetings to you, Young Master Su!” Jun Yu also got up and greeted Su Jiu courteously. She was wearing a dusty pink top and an embroidered pleated skirt. Her eyebrows were carefully drawn, and her eyes seemed to twinkle under the light. Along with her slim figure, these features accented her aura as a mature woman, which complemented her bubbly teenage self.

 “Don’t stand on ceremony! Please have a seat!”

 Su Jiu sat opposite them, smiling. “How’s your journey here?” she asked.

 “With the protection of a bodyguard from Qinglong Bodyguard Agency, everything went well, as he was very professional! My father had wanted to come personally to thank you, but when he just arrived in Shengjing City, many of his old friends came to visit. As such, he’s not available right now., so I came here with my younger sister to thank you instead!” Jun Jin’s voice sounded as warm as the spring wind.

 “Don’t mention it! It’s our job after all!” Su Jiu smiled politely, impressed with the siblings’ manners. They were indeed from a scholarly family.

 “Young Master Su, are you available today? As a way to show our gratitude, I’ve reserved a table at Jing Qin Restaurant to treat you to a feast!” Jun Jin said.

 “There’s no need for that! Your family has just arrived in Shengjing City, and I believe that you have a lot of things to do. We’ll have a chance to meet up for drinks again!” Su Jiu politely declined.

 “Please don’t reject us! To tell you the truth, it’s the first time my sister and I are here, and we are not familiar with the city. If you are free today, could we trouble you to show us around?” Jun Jin looked at Su Jiu, hoping she would agree.

 With the Jun Family in Shengjing City, they would certainly have business dealings with the Dragon Conqueror Gang, so it was best to know one another. Since Jun Jin was the one initiating it, Su Jiu found it difficult to reject his request. “Alright then, I’ll let my mother know about this. Let’s leave together later!” she answered.

 Jun Jin’s eyes lit up. “Sure! Thank you, Young Master Su!”

 Since it was still early when they left the Su Manor, Jun Jin suggested that they visit Su Jiu’s commercial house first.

 The commercial house would often be packed the moment they open in the morning. The crowd came and left incessantly. The commercial house had almost become a symbol of the city’s prosperity and development.

 They went in and toured all three floors. Jun Jin was impressed, and he constantly sang praises about the place.

 In the middle of the second floor, they were once again preparing tables and writing materials for the upcoming poetry contest. Since their first one, Qiao An and Ji Ze had been getting promoted to higher ranks in court. As a result, the contest had grown in popularity, attracting more and more scholars every year.

 There were a handful of scholars who had come from places thousands of miles away just to watch the contest, without participating in it. Despite that, they still felt that they could learn a lot from it.

 Jun Jin examined the poetry collection from last year, and he was very impressed by it. He turned to Su Jiu and said, “Young Master Su, you must send me an invite for this contest! I may not be the best at it, but I can at least learn from all these masters here!”

 Su Jiu nodded. “Sure! It’s our honor to have you participate in the contest!”

 Jun Jin smiled politely.

 Once they left the commercial house, they headed straight to Jing Qin Restaurant.

 The restaurant occupied the most prosperous and scenic area in town. It had almost become a landmark of Shengjing City, such that whenever people from external cities visited, they would certainly choose this place to hold banquets.

 Jing Qin Restaurant faced two water bodies, which was where the two tributaries of Huanhua River merged. On the ground floor, one could see a row of peach blossoms at the river bank, with flowers yet to bloom. The water vapor produced made the place fog up, causing the peach blossoms to resemble a pink sash floating in the air. When reflected on the water, it seemed to soften the usually solemn aura of Shengjing City.

 In the private rooms on the third floor, there was an observation deck in every room for guests to view the entire city’s scenery. Be it the boats in the river, fireworks, buildings, one could see the city’s prosperous landscape from there.

 “I should’ve come here earlier!” Jun Jin sighed in regret.

 “Well, it’s not too late to be here now!” Su Jiu replied as she poured them tea.

 Jun Yu picked up the teacup and hesitated for a while. She could not help but ask, “Young Master Su, may I know who your friend who was with you in the mountains is?”

 Su Jiu raised a brow. “Are you talking about Ji Yuxian?”

 “The man in the red robe!” Jun Yu added.

 “Oh! Yes, that’s him!” Su Jiu laughed.

 Jun Jin whipped his head around immediately. “He’s Shengjing City’s Eldest Young Master Ji?”

 Su Jiu nodded. “Yes!”

 “No wonder…” Jun Jin muttered, with a look of revelation on his face.

 Jun Yu’s eyes sparkled as she further asked, “I’ve heard that this restaurant belongs to the Ji Family. Does the Eldest Young Master come here frequently?”

 Jun Jin frowned and cut her off with a laugh. “The Ji Family is the richest in Daliang Country. When I was in Fanyun, I did have my connections with shops that are owned by the Ji Family. It was my fault for not recognizing when we met that day. What my sister means is that we should visit him!”

 Jun Yu glanced at her brother and noticed that he had also turned red from embarrassment, which he tried to mask by holding his teacup.

 Su Jiu chuckled. “Don’t worry! The Eldest Young Master is not someone who would mind these things. Business is business, friends are friends. He has never mixed them up!”

 “It seems like you’re quite close to the Eldest Young Master!” Jun Jin remarked.

 “Well, yes, a little closer than others I guess!” Su Jiu smiled meaningfully.

 They were still chatting when they heard someone knocking on the door. A waiter came in and said, “Master Jiu, the Young Master is asking for you.”

 Ji Yuxian was here?

 Su Jiu raised her brows and got up. “Please excuse me!”

 “Sure, please go ahead!” Jun Jin replied politely.

 Su Jiu walked out, and the waiter closed the door behind him.

 Jun Yu immediately asked Jun Jin, “Brother, could that Young Master be Eldest Young Master Ji?”

 Jun Jin pondered about it and nodded. “It could be!”

 “Brother, didn’t you say we should visit Eldest Young Master Ji earlier? Why don’t we do it now?” Jun Yu asked impatiently, her eyes glimmering.

 “What’s the hurry? Let’s just wait for Young Master Su to be back, we should go only if it’s convenient. Otherwise, it would be rude of us to visit abruptly!” Jun Jin replied as he sipped his tea.

 Jun Yu kept glancing at the door, seeming a little impatient.

 Meanwhile, Su Jiu walked to the room at the end of the corridor. Jin Feng was standing at the entrance, and he immediately opened the door for her when he saw her coming. He politely said, “Young Mistress, the Young Master is waiting for you!”

 Su Jiu entered the room and saw the man propped up on a chair while drinking tea. His phoenix eyes gazed at the peach blossom forest lazily. The table on the side had a jade-colored vase, decorated with peach blossoms that had blossomed.

 A beauty donned in crimson robes, his resplendence accented by the peach blossoms. What a sight to behold!

 Looking in the direction of the sound, Ji Yuxian put down the teacup he was holding, stretched his hand out to Su Jiu, and smiled.

 “Come here!”

 The moment Su Jiu placed her hand on, he immediately yanked her towards himself.

 Su Jiu turned and landed right in his embrace. She looked up and asked, “When did you come?”

 “I came in slightly later than you!” Ji Yuxian held her with one arm and placed her hand on his palm, kissing her hair. “You have no time for me, but you seem to always have time for others. I’m upset!” he joked with a chuckle.

 However, Su Jiu’s attention was on their hands. “Why is your hand so cold?” she asked.

 The man took a glance and let go of her hand discreetly. He chuckled and said, “Did I accidentally scare you? I came back in from outside, so it’s probably not warmed up yet.”

 He then quickly changed the topic, “You haven’t answered me. Why are you with Jun Jin and the rest?”

 Su Jiu hugged his waist and raised her eyebrow. “You saw them?”

 “No, I heard from Shopkeeper Yuan that you came in with a man and a woman, so I guessed that they were the Jun Family!”

 “Jun Jin and the rest of them have just entered Shengjing City, so they want me to bring them around. I happen to be free today,” Su Jiu said this lazily while leaning against his chest.

 “Since it’s nothing important, don’t go back. Can you keep me company here?” Ji Yuxian kissed her forehead, coaxing her.

 “I can’t do that! The Jun siblings are still waiting for me!”

 “You just came back yesterday, and now Jun Jin is here to visit today. It seems a little suspicious, and I don’t like that!” Ji Yuxian remarked.

 Stunned for a moment, Su Jiu got up and sat on his lap.

 Su Jiu gaped at him, before chortling. “What are you thinking? He thinks I’m a man!”

 “My dear wife, have you not heard of a homosexual man?” Ji Yuxian looked up, and his lips curved into a seductive smile.

 Su Jiu shook her head. “That’s impossible!”

 “It better be! But it’s best if we take precaution!” Ji Yuxian held her chin and began nibbling on her lips.

 The man’s lips were cold, but they emitted a light fragrance, causing Su Jiu’s legs to wobble. She closed her eyes and reciprocated with a deep kiss.

 As their breathing became heavier, Ji Yuxian reached out to draw the curtains over the observation deck and trapped her underneath him, before planting kisses on the side of her face.

 As the man’s lips traveled down, her clothes began to loosen, revealing her collarbone and fair skin.

 “Ji Yuxian…” Su Jiu muttered his name.

 “I’m here!” Ji Yuxian nibbled on her shoulder. He wanted to leave his marks all over her body so that she would never forget him for the rest of her life. However, as he kissed her soft skin, he could not bring himself to do it.

 Su Jiu let out a soft moan while pulling his outer robe off. Just as she was about to slip her hands into another layer of his clothing, she heard what seemed to be Jun Jin speaking to Ji Feng.

 Su Jiu raised her brows, snapping back to reality. She pushed Ji Yuxian off.

 She forgot about the siblings.

 Ji Yuxian reluctantly got up, frowning. He helped Su Jiu fix her clothes and whispered in her ear, “Let’s go home tonight!”

 Su Jiu pecked him on the cheek and grinned from ear to ear. “Alright!”

 After she spoke, the man did not feel that angry anymore.

 Su Jiu opened the door. It was indeed Jun Jin outside.

 She apologized, “Sorry, Brother Jun. I had something to discuss with the Eldest Young Master. Sorry to keep you waiting!”

 Jun Jin was astounded when he saw her. The girl’s face was still flushed, and red marks spanned from the back of her ear to her neck, where it was covered by the collar of her outfit. If he still did not know what he was looking at, he would truly have lived in vain for the past 20 years.

 He could not help but ask, “You are…”

 A woman?

 Before he could say that, however, someone in red appeared behind Su Jiu. The man towered over Su Jiu and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Young Master Jun!”

 Jun Jin only got more embarrassed and shocked as he stepped back. “Eldest Young Master Ji! My apologies for not recognizing you previously. I hope you don’t mind!”

 “Don’t stand on ceremony, Young Master Jun!”

 “I wanted to visit you another day, but I never expected to meet you here. Why don’t we have a drink?” Jun Jin politely asked.

 Without moving his arm, Ji Yuxian replied, “My wife is unwell, so I’m afraid I can’t join you today. Sorry!”

 He was staring at Su Jiu as he spoke. This could not get any more obvious.

 Jun Jin stuttered in stupefaction, “Yes… yes… Young Master Su…”

 Su Jiu let out a chuckle. “My apologies! I’m used to disguising myself as a man whenever I’m outside. I didn’t mean to keep it from you.”

 Jun Jin had already guessed it, but he was still shocked when he heard Su Jiu admitting it. His cheeks flushed pink as he mumbled,

 “‘It’s my fault for not noticing. I didn’t realize that you’re a…”

 He had his doubts, but perhaps it was because he had never met a woman like her. As a result, he had cast his doubts aside.

 That day at the foot of the mountain, when Su Jiu killed the assassins, she had such a fierce aura that was unlike a woman.

 It turned out that not only was she a woman, but she was also Ji Yuxian’s wife!

 Jun Jin stood there and started to feel very awkward. He hung his head and said, “Since Mi… Miss Su is not feeling well, I guess I should go off for today. You don’t have to see me off!”

 “Take care, Young Master Jun!”

 Jun Jin immediately turned around and scrambled back.

 Meanwhile, Jun Yu was still waiting in the private room. When she saw Jun Jin return, she looked behind him and asked, “Brother, didn’t you say you were going to invite the Eldest Young Master here? Why did you return alone?”

 Jun Jin felt an inexplicable disappointment and did not want to think about Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian. “There’s no need to ask,” he replied. “He and Young Master Su had something on. Let’s head back first!”

 “Oh, alright then!” Jun Yu nodded in disappointment.

 Out of sorts, Jun Jin left first, not realizing Jun Yu’s abnormal reaction.

 It was night time at the Ji Manor.

 In the bedroom, clothes were strewn all over the floor. In the bathroom, it was foggy, and the light was dim.

 Soft moaning sounds filled the air.

 Su Jiu was propped against the white jade wall. Her skin was white as snow and seemed brighter and more intricate than the jade.

 With a “splash,” the man emerged from the water. His intricate face still had water droplets on it, giving off a seductive aura. He leaned against the girl’s back to catch his breath.

 Su Jiu’s eyes fluttered open, and she turned around to kiss him on the lips.

 The two never separated from each other in the water. Su Jiu hooked her leg around the man’s waist…

 Tonight seemed to be it, Su Jiu thought to herself. She could feel her heart palpitating with both nervousness and excitement.

 The man’s black phoenix eyes gleamed in the dim light as his desire took over him. He roughly squeezed her against him, almost as if he was trying to push her into his body. He planted kisses down her collarbone, breathing heavily as his body tensed up. Just then, he abruptly stopped.

 He stopped right there, panting heavily as if he was making a difficult decision.

 Su Jiu’s arm was hurting from his tight grip.

 “Ji Yuxian…” Su Jiu’s voice was slightly hoarse from the water vapor in the bath.

 “Mm!” The man sounded nasal as he carried her out of the pool, wrapped her in a towel, and walked to the bedroom.

 Su Jiu’s head was leaning against his chest, and she could hear his heart beating quickly, as well as his skin flushing pink.

 As they sat on the bed, Ju Yuxian brought out a new towel to dry her hair gently.

 Su Jiu closed her eyes for a while, before taking a peek at his bare shoulders.

 After a while, Ji Yuxian gently tucked her in bed and said, “It’s late now. You should sleep!”

 Hearing his words, Su Jiu was confused and slightly disappointed.

 She placed her index finger on his chest and awkwardly muttered, “Ji Yuxian, I… I’m not afraid anymore!”

 The man let out a laugh, grabbed her finger, and gently kissed her forehead. “Do you want to do it?”

 Su Jiu looked up. “I’m afraid you’ll fall ill from holding it in so much!”

 “I can still hold it back!” Ji Yuxian planted a kiss on her forehead again. “Doctor Gu said that your heart disease will easily act up now, so we should refrain from sleeping together. I can still wait!”

 Pursing her lips, Su Jiu seemed to not believe what he said, but she still nodded. “Oh.”

 “You’ve been taking medication for months now. Should we get Doctor Gu to check if you’ve gotten better?”

 “If I’ve gotten better, does that mean I don’t have to take medications anymore?” Su Jiu asked hopefully.

 “There could be a reduction in the dosage! Is the medicine unpleasant?” Ji Yuxian asked while caressing her face.

 Su Jiu shook her head. “It’s not too bad!”

 Ji Yuxian had requested Doctor Gu to turn the medication into sweet-tasting pills. Although it masked the smell of the herbs, it was still inconvenient having to take them all the time.

 Ever since she began taking Doctor Gu’s medicine, her heart disease no longer acted up as often.

 “When you’re a lot better, maybe you don’t have to take them again!” the man consoled her.

 “Mm!”

 Su Jiu nodded, and suddenly felt very sleepy. She slowly closed her eyes and eventually fell asleep.

 Ji Yuxian gently stroked her hair. Listening to her steady breathing brought him comfort and tranquility.

 The night began to quieten down, and gusts of wind started blowing outside, causing the leaves of the young banana tree to rustle against the windows.

 The room was dimly lit. The only sounds that could be heard in this cool spring night were the crackling of the candle, and the drum that sounded that it was 11 p.m. at that moment.

 Just then, Ji Yuxian frowned, and his body started to tense up from the sharp pain. He took a deep breath to control the pain and gently removed himself from Su Jiu. He covered her with the blanket and got off the bed.

 His steps were already unsteady as he walked out of the room. Under the lantern, his face looked ghastly pale.

 Jin Feng ran over and helped him. He was about to say something, but Ji Yuxian stopped him and shook his head.

 Jin Feng glanced at the room and kept quiet, understanding what Ji Yuxian meant.

 The wind blew against the man’s red robes, which fluttered majestically in the wind. Cold sweat rolled down from his forehead to his cheeks as he slowly walked to the study, using all of his strength to endure the pain.

 When he was a distance away from the bedroom, he felt a shudder on his chest, and he suddenly coughed out a mouthful of blood.

 “Young Master!” Jin Feng called out in shock.