Inside the Prince Yong's Residence.
Tong Aning got out of bed and, not seeing Xue Lin, asked Yingtao, "Where is Heir Xue?"
Chengxin, carrying a washbasin, said, "The young master is practicing his sword in the courtyard."
Tong Aning washed her face and asked in surprise, "So early?"
Yingtao tied up Tong Aning's hair and said, "I heard from Sichen that ever since the engagement between Miss and the young master was finalized, the young master has been getting up early every day to practice his sword."
[That's incredibly diligent.]
Yingtao and Chengxin exchanged a glance. Yingtao was rather helpless. Why couldn't Miss understand the meaning behind her words?
Tong Aning looked at herself in the bronze mirror, then got up and walked into the courtyard.
A handkerchief suddenly appeared in front of Xue Lin.
Xue Lin said, " Sichen, I don't need it."
What came into Xue Lin's view was Tong Aning's smiling face. She said, "Don't you need mine either?"
Xue Lin paused, then said, "Yes, I'll take it."
Xue Lin took the handkerchief from Tong Aning, wiped his face, and asked in a low voice, "Are you up?"
Although the two had already done the most intimate things last night, there was still a little awkwardness when they met today.
Xue Lin didn't even dare to look Tong Aning in the eye.
Tong Aning was also embarrassed, but she was much bolder than Xue Lin. She circled around in front of Xue Lin and asked with a smile, "Why don't you dare look at me? Am I not pretty?"
Xue Lin looked up and saw that Tong Aning's long hair was already tied up, and her face, though without makeup, was covered with a thin layer of red.
Xue Lin murmured, "Beautiful, beautiful."
Tong Aning chuckled, glanced at Xue Lin's sword, and asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly decide to practice swordsmanship?"
She remembered that Xue Lin used to be unable to fight, otherwise he wouldn't have been constantly chased and killed.
Xue Lin said frankly, "I'm worried that my health is too weak to stay with you forever."
Tong Aning blushed, surprised by Xue Lin's response. She said awkwardly, "Such a distant matter..."
Xue Lin replied earnestly, "Not far."
Nothing concerning Tong Aning is too far off.
Tong Aning met Xue Lin's eyes and felt that Xue Lin had changed a lot. She took Xue Lin's hand and said, "Let's go eat."
Xue Lin nodded.
Sichen and Yingtao set out breakfast on the stone table in the courtyard.
After breakfast, Tong Aning suggested going to the ancestral hall.
Tong Aning knelt on the prayer mat, and Xue Lin Tong Aning down with her.
Looking at the memorial tablets of Prince Yong and his wife, Tong Aning clasped her hands together.
[Good morning, Your Highness and Your Heir Xue. Young Master Xue and I have come to pay our respects.]
Xue Lin looked at Tong Aning, his heart softening.
After exchanging greetings, the two returned to United Hearts Garden. Tong Aning looked around and asked, "Is this where you usually practice your swordsmanship?"
"Um."
"So what should I do while you practice your sword?"
This left Xue Lin speechless. Xue Lin replied, "Do whatever you want."
Tong Aning pointed to an open space and said, "Let's put a reclining chair here. I'll read here while you practice your swordsmanship."
Xue Lin seemed to already see that scene before his eyes—a peaceful and serene moment. A faint smile appeared in his eyes, which Sichen noted down. He asked, "Is there anything else we should add?"
As Tong Aning walked, she arranged things, imbuing the garden that Xue Lin had meticulously crafted with her own vitality. With Tong Aning around, the Prince Yong's Residence seemed to become more colorful, both inside and out.
Yingtao: " Sichen, why are you crying?"
Sichen wiped his face shamelessly, "I'm just so happy, waaaaah, I haven't seen the young master this happy in so long."
Yingtao:"..."
Xue Lin and Tong Aning entered the study. Tong Aning saw the grasshoppers she had woven, one next to another. If Xue Lin were working here, he would have seen them at a glance.
Xue Lin placed the Prince Yong's Residence's properties in front of Tong Aning, Tong Aning clicked her tongue in amazement and exclaimed, "So many?"
"Yes, after my mother and father passed away, my uncle and aunt intended to compensate me, and over the years, this is how much I have."
[This is all money!]
Xue Lin curled his lips into a smile, bringing all of this to Tong Aning's view. He said, " Aning, it's all yours."
Tong Aning hesitated and said, "Isn't this a bad idea?"
Her hands were already pulling him into her arms.
Yingtao:"..."
Miss is really disappointing.
Xue Lin said, "They're all yours."
Tong Aning laughed, her eyes sparkling like fallen stars.
Three days later.
Xue Lin accompanied Tong Aning on her return visit to her parents' home.
The Tong family had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the carriage even before it did.
Su Zhouyue said, "To be honest, although it's only been three days, it feels like three years have passed."
Tong Aobai patted Su Zhouyue on the shoulder, "You just miss Aning too much."
Su Zhouyue looked at Tong Aobai, "You don't want to? You don't even know who tossed and turned all night on the night of Aning's wedding, unable to sleep a wink."
Tong Aobai: "..."
Tong Fengye perked up and asked, "Dad, is there such a thing? How come I didn't know?"
He was slapped by Tong Aobai.
Tong Aobai said irritably, "Don't you know now?"
Tong Fengye clutched his head, feeling suffocated. He hit him again and again. He hit him when Aning was at home, and even after Aning got married, he was still the one being hit.
Why is he so unlucky!
Tong Fengye slipped up to Tong Yibin's side, "Big brother, I have something to tell you..."
Tong Yibin waved his hand. "I'm not interested in listening."
He specifically requested leave from the Ministry of Justice, not so that he could listen to Tong Fengye.
Tong Fengye: "..."
"Why are all these people like this!" Tong Fengye kicked a pebble on the roadside in anger.
A laugh rang in his ears. Tong Fengye gritted his teeth, looked over, and met Mu Yao's shy eyes.
Tong Fengye: "..."
It was Mu Yao who laughed at him, so it's alright now.
Holding Tong Siyan's hand, Tong Yi'an asked, "Second sister, why hasn't fourth sister arrived yet?"
Tong Siyan, "It'll be soon."
Tong Yi'an craned her neck, her eyes fixed on the street corner, when suddenly she exclaimed excitedly, "It looks like they're here!"
Everyone turned to look towards the street corner and, sure enough, saw the carriage of Prince Yong's Residence.
Tong Aning poked her head out and waved excitedly at them from inside the carriage.
It looked like they had just gone out for a trip.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Tong Aning jumped down impatiently. "Mother, Father, Eldest Brother, Second Sister, Third Brother, An'an, Sister Mu Yao, I'm back!"
Everyone was delighted and welcomed Tong Aning and Xue Lin into the mansion.
Seeing their expressions, Tong Aning rolled her eyes and said, "Since you miss me so much, I'll come back and stay here."
Su Zhouyue's heart skipped a beat, but she still said, "How can that be?"
Tong Aning took her hand and said, "Why not?"
Although Tong Aning has lived in ancient times for so long, she is still a modern person after all. She can stay in the palace on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and come back to live on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Su Zhouyue was somewhat tempted. She looked at Xue Lin and lowered her voice, asking, "Does the young master also agree?"
Xue Lin heard this and said with a smile, "Mother, I'll listen to Aning. Besides, the Marquis's mansion is more lively than the Prince's mansion."
Thinking of Xue Lin's background, Su Zhouyue couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. She patted Tong Aning's hand and said, "That's fine too."
At the dinner table, Tong Aobai talked about matters in the imperial court.
They'd all heard it before and weren't particularly curious, Tong Aning exclaimed in surprise, "Another fight?"
Tong Aobai nodded. "Yes, they say the two men's wives are the same person."
Usually, it's Tong Aning who leads everyone in gossiping, so listening to Tong Aobai talk about gossip is quite a novel experience.
Tong Aning hurriedly asked, "And then? And then? How did the two of them find out?"
Tong Yibin said, "You just happened to run into them, didn't you?"
Tong Fengye: "What you're saying isn't accurate. It was Lord You who came home and heard from the servants that Madam had gone to buy his favorite sea bass today. But when it was time to eat, there was no sea bass on the table. He casually asked about it, and Madam, being timid, couldn't hide it from him."
At this point, everyone couldn't help but look at the steamed sea bass on the table.
[This suddenly feels very fitting for the occasion.]
Tong Fengye picked up a piece of fish and gave it to Tong Aning.
Tong Aning: "..."
Tong Aning stared at the sea bass in the bowl, thinking, "So the sea bass was bought for someone else?"
[No, the other person doesn't like sea bass at all.]
Tong Aning was shocked, "[Could there be a third person?]"
[Yes, host.]
Wow, what a time management master! Isn't she afraid of getting caught?
[Haven't they caught him already?]
But there's still one person left.
That person should be quite difficult to catch.
[Why... So the other person is Lord You's sister? Who would have thought?]
*
The You Residence is now in complete chaos.
You Wenmei grabbed Zhan Yuhua's hand, her eyes red-rimmed, but her gaze was extremely firm. "I won't let you take her away."
You Wenmei turned back and stroked Zhan Yuhua's face, saying with longing, "She is clearly my Yulang, how could she be my sister-in-law?"
You Wenhuai was furious at the sight. He suppressed his anger and said, "Take another good look."
You Wenmei murmured dreamily, "It's my Yulang."
You Wenhuai: "..."
My sister seems beyond saving, what should I do?
You Wenhuai now wishes he could kill Zhan Yuhua. Not only did she deceive him, but she also disguised herself as a man to deceive his sister.
He said cruelly, "Separate them and take the young lady away."
You Wenmei held Zhan Yuhua tightly, pleading, "Brother, don't take Yulang away. She knows she was wrong, she really knows she was wrong."
You Wenhuai paused, then looked at Zhan Yuhua: "Do you really know you were wrong?"
Tears streamed down Zhan Yuhua's cheeks. Back then, it was precisely because of her vulnerable appearance that You Wenhuai fell in love with her at first sight.
You Wenhuai clenched his fists; the past was truly unbearable to recall.
With tears streaming down her face, Zhan Yuhua said, "Husband, I know I was wrong. I've known I was wrong for a long time."
You Wenhuai choked back a sob, "You..."
Zhan Yuhua said, "I only want monogamy. I only love you and your brother. Lord Zhang was just an accident. Let's live a good life together, okay?"
Zhan Yuhua looked at You Wenhuai with hope in her eyes.
You Wenhuai: "..."
He was so angry that he vomited blood and fell backward.
Zhan Yuhua was terrified and at a loss for what to do. She stepped forward and embraced You Wenhuai You Wenhuai, wiping the blood from his face repeatedly. She cried out in anguish, "Husband, husband..."
Before losing consciousness, You Wenhuai thought to himself that his wife was actually his brother-in-law, and he might as well have died.