Oh no, that won't work!
His son was just an excuse; what he really wanted was to have sex with her.
Oh no, Ren Yingying has led us astray.
Qu Nian was depressed.
The road to consummating the marriage is long and arduous!
Damn you, God! Did I do something terrible to you in my past life that you have to torment me like this in this life?
He's a virgin in his twenties, it's just... shameful!
However, as it turns out, fate has been very kind to him.
After the army marched for another two days, a sudden heavy snowfall began.
The heavy snow, like goose feathers, was carried by the north wind and came quickly and suddenly. People and horses couldn't open their eyes, and a thick layer quickly covered the ground.
At first, they could barely keep up, but after two hours, the snow was already above their ankles, making progress difficult.
Qu Nian ordered the army to camp and rest, and to continue their journey once the snow subsided.
Ren Yingying was shivering from the cold, even while wrapped in the blanket.
Her period has been unusually cold these past few days.
Dog Meat, however, had thick skin and tough flesh, and it burrowed and jumped around inside the tent.
Ren Yingying said weakly, "If you knock the tent down, we'll both be buried in it. I'll be embarrassed, and you'll be embarrassed like a dog..."
Dog Meat: What does "losing a dog" mean?
Holy crap, that's terrifying.
Is Daddy going to take over its body again?
That's absolutely unacceptable.
So the Dog Meat stopped making a fuss inside, wagged its little tail, and swayed its increasingly plump rear end as it went out.
When Qu Nian returned from the meeting, he saw Ren Yingying shivering as she warmed herself by the fire pit.
"Is it that cold?" He took off his coat and tossed it aside, then came over to warm himself by the fire.
You'll see once you try.
Ren Yingying deliberately put her icy hands on his neck, making Qu Nian shiver.
"Why is it so cold? You wasted your time heating it up."
Ren Yingying looked like she was about to jump into a fire pit.
Qu Nian grasped her mischievous hand, gently rubbing it in his warm palm, and said, "I'm afraid we'll be delayed here for four or five days."
Will this delay our trip?
Ren Yingying vaguely felt that there should be some requirements regarding the army's return date.
Did the concept of "force majeure" exist in ancient times?
"A few days' delay won't matter, we can manage," Qu Nian said dismissively, then turned to Ren Yingying's health, "You're not acting right today, you look like a frozen ghost reincarnated?"
Ren Yingying wasn't an ancient woman, and she didn't hide her physiological changes, saying in a low voice, "My period has started."
It turns out she's on her period.
He knew about it before, but he had completely overlooked it.
"Then you wait here, I'll have someone make you some brown sugar water. Oh, and shouldn't we add some shredded ginger too?"
Qu Nian's fluency made Ren Yingying feel dazed.
--Are they sisters?
How did Qu Nian know so much?
Didn't this guy keep saying he was a virgin?
Although at his age and in his current position, being a virgin would easily make people doubt his kidney function, Ren Yingying still believed him.
However, now it seems, haven't they become overly proficient in their work?
Hmph, she'll remember this debt.
She didn't really mind that Qu Nian had other people in his life; after all, everyone has a past.
But if this guy dares to lie to her, then we'll see!
Ren Yingying did not make a fuss.
Mom, I've done it! I actually managed to hold it in.
"Yes," Ren Yingying replied.
Qu Nian immediately ordered his men to do it.
Ren Yingying vaguely heard him say, "... two spoonfuls of brown sugar and a small piece of ginger, the spoon is this big, and the piece of ginger is this big..."
You know so much!
Qu Nian returned quickly, still muttering, "Why didn't you say it hurt sooner? Why did you have to wait until I got back? Just have someone make a bowl of ginger soup. Wouldn't it have gotten better sooner if you had drunk it earlier?"
Ren Yingying felt that everyone was busy settling in and didn't want to trouble others.
No, Mom, I can't hold it in!
A dog's belly can't hold two ounces of sesame oil; she really is the mother of Dog Meat.
"How do you know this is good for women on their period?" Ren Yingying asked aggressively. "Didn't you say before that you didn't even have a maidservant by your side?"
Qu Nian: "..."
He must never tell anyone that he once swapped bodies with Dog Meat.
He'd seen her change clothes, seen her shower, and even crawled into her bed...
Thinking back on the "benefits" he used to receive, Qu Nian almost cried.
It's true, humans are inferior to dogs.
"My mother!"
As it turns out, when people are pushed to the limit, all their potential can be unleashed.
Mother, I'm not making this up, didn't you really say you could give me a younger brother?
Ren Yingying: "..."
Hmm, it seems that way, it makes sense.
Qu Nian thought that it would be even better to say Qu Hua. However, he and Qu Hua always argued fiercely, and Ren Yingying knew that he was unreliable and untrustworthy!
Qu Nian quickly changed the subject. "Are you still cold? I'll have someone bring some meat in, and we can roast it in the tent. You won't be cold anymore after eating some roasted meat for a while."
"Okay." Ren Yingying's appetite was whetted by his words, and she readily agreed.
Qu Nian felt relieved and happily went off to prepare for the barbecue.
And so, Qu Nian stayed with Ren Yingying in the tent for three days.
Dog Meat is a despised third wheel, always leaving early and returning late.
Ren Yingying wasn't the type to choose men over sons, but she couldn't stop Dog Meat.
If this place weren't so isolated, she would definitely have thought that some female dog had seduced her son away.
Alright, go have fun. She's an open-minded mother.
Even a dog's lifespan is only a dozen or so years; twenty years is considered a long life, so it should enjoy life while it lasts.
But when Dog Meat still hadn't returned that evening, Ren Yingying started to get anxious.
Qu Nian also sensed something was wrong, but could only comfort her first.
"Don't panic, I'm here."
Qu Nian arranged for people to find Dog Meat, and in an instant, the army scattered, with shouts of "Dog Meat" echoing through the night sky.
If you didn't know better, you'd think these people were having Dog Meat feast!
But after searching all night, they still couldn't find Dog Meat.
Ren Yingying's whole demeanor dimmed.
She didn't say anything, but just followed the others, trudging through the mud and searching everywhere. Her face was red from the cold, but her lips were bloodless.
It was too cold outside, so Qu Nian forcibly carried her back, preventing her from continuing her search.
"Take a break, rest a bit." Qu Nian wiped her face. "Listen to me, get some sleep, I'll go out now and continue searching for you!"
He understands better than anyone else.
The Dog Meat wasn't Ren Yingying's dog; it was her heart and soul, her life.
Ren Yingying sat blankly by the brazier, her mind filled with countless wicked thoughts.
Was it carried off by wolves? Or eaten by soldiers?
She shouldn't have let the Dog Meat out.
Dog Meat is such a coward, only good at bullying his own kind. If he encounters danger outside, he'll be slow to run away...
The number of people who eat Dog Meat here is countless. Even if some people know that it's her dog, there are still many people who never come into contact with her and don't even know it's her dog...