Happy Lunar New Year's Eve (May both sides be evenly matched)

But why is Dou Zhen so afraid of the Fifth Prince's favor?

She tried hard to recall, and the man in her memory was stocky and strong because he had practiced martial arts since childhood. He was born to a concubine, and even though his birth mother died of illness early in life, his maternal family still stood strong.

Therefore, even though the Fifth Prince was once expelled from the struggle for the crown prince position because Emperor Su said, "He is brave but not resourceful and is not fit for important tasks. He is only a fine general." However, over the years, he has joined forces with his maternal family to support the Third Prince and has gradually gained a place in the court.

And his birth mother, Consort Huo...

Lin Xu had a rather shallow acquaintance with the Fifth Prince and did not know all the details. He only knew that the Huo family had been granted the title of Founding Duke since the beginning of Emperor Su's reign. The family had few descendants. Apart from the deceased Consort Huo, only the third son, Huo Qizhen, was still serving as an official in the court, but it was only a sinecure in the Secretariat.

However, Huo Qizhen was a coward and was famous in Mujing for being "henpecked". His wife came from the Zhang family, which had declined in recent years, but the Zhang family had produced three Grand Tutors of the Crown Prince and was one of the few noble families in the capital.

Yes.

Everything was indeed premeditated.

Lin Xu recalled that when he went to pay his respects to Madam Bai, Dou Chu had mentioned the Zhang family seemingly unintentionally. That Madam Zhang must be the maternal family of Madam Huo Qizhen.

Perhaps the Huo family, facing repeated declines in recent years, couldn't bear to see their fortunes fall, hence their decision to seek a marriage alliance with a high-ranking official. Dou Huaisheng, now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was already a figure of considerable influence in the court, and moreover, he had the powerful connection of the Princess—a relationship that outsiders envied.

From any perspective, Dou Zhen, who was of exceptional talent and beauty, was an ideal candidate, as she was a young woman of marriageable age, a companion to a princess, and a woman of outstanding talent.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but raise her eyes and scrutinize Dou Zhen's expression.

And what role did her birth mother, Madam Bai, play in all of this? Did Madam Bai already know that the Huo family's arrangement was for ulterior motives?

Perhaps the Huo family was worried that their plan would fail and they would be embarrassed, and they didn't want to publicize the matter too much. So they first used the name of their in-law Zhang family to secretly win over the Dou family and find out what Bai Shi thought.

Dou Zhen still looked like she was about to cry, and the tip of her delicate nose was covered with a layer of light pink, making her even more pitiful.

"To be honest, sister-in-law, I know the Fifth Prince is of noble birth and is an heir to the throne, so I have never dared to be negligent towards him. Ever since I realized that the Fifth Prince seems to have feelings for me, I have tried even harder to avoid him. But the Fifth Prince... is arrogant and self-satisfied, and I dare not offend him..."

Lin Xu stood up with concern and gently pulled Dou Zhen into her arms. The girl in her arms was still in shock and doubt, her body trembling slightly, so she gently stroked her shoulder.

"Third sister, I understand your pain. Fifth Prince, has he made things too difficult for you?"

"No... but I'm scared, especially these past few days when he always wants to be alone with me in a room... even if I manage to come up with a reason, it won't last..."

Lin Xu understood. She hadn't forgotten when the Yao sisters were running rampant in the palace. Yao Su'an was aloof and delicate, and even then, the Fifth Prince's gaze towards her was not innocent.

The Fifth Prince is headstrong and reckless. Now that he has met the new lady and his family members are giving him pointers, it's possible that he has already developed some inappropriate thoughts. In fact, these thoughts may even grow stronger over time.

After all, things that we desire but cannot obtain are the ones that we cherish the most.

"Don't worry, I understand your fear. You just said that this matter hasn't been revealed to anyone yet..."

Dou Zhen, who was leaning against Lin Xu's chest, raised her head, her eyes brimming, and nodded gently.

"Yes, Zhen'er doesn't want this matter to become a big deal, and she doesn't want it to be known by others and used as a pretext... Apart from my sister-in-law, I haven't told anyone else, and I don't dare to tell my mother either."

As expected, the daughter Dou Huaisheng and Bai Shi had raised themselves was indeed sharp-witted. It would be best if Bai Shi didn't know about this—

Even if her current speculation is correct, Bai Shi, who has always hoped that her children would be outstanding, might try to arrange for Dou Zhen to marry into a wealthy family. However, since the matter has not yet been made public, there is still a glimmer of hope.

Lin Xu squatted down and looked at Dou Zhen, who was sitting on the low table with tears streaming down her face. For some reason, the figure in front of her gradually overlapped with the Dou Zhen who handed her a handkerchief at the noble ladies' banquet in the Duke's mansion in her previous life.

She had been alone since childhood and had never enjoyed the joy of having siblings for even half a day. Even after Liang Si came into her life and she spent every day with him, she always envied the sisterly affection of other families. Since marrying into the Dou family, she hated Dou Huaisheng, feared Bai Shi, and was wary of Dou Yanxun. Only Dou Zhen... had ever given her a bit of care and love like that of a sister.

How could she just stand by and watch Dou Zhen be heartbroken and suffer?

Lin Xu held Dou Zhen's shoulders, her gaze gradually becoming solemn, and she spoke, word by word:

"Third sister, tell me the truth. Are you truly unmoved by the Fifth Prince? Are you truly unwilling to marry him?"

Dou Zhen twitched her nose, which was already red from crying, met her gaze, and nodded gently.

.

After leaving Ningyue Tower, it was already late at night and quiet. Lin Xu walked along the corridor with a heavy heart. The cool breeze blowing from the pond lifted the shawl on her shoulders.

As Zhu Ling lit the lamp, she carefully straightened the hem of her clothes and said softly, "Third Miss has never been so heartbroken. It seems she is truly terrified of the Fifth Prince."

Lin Xu looked up at the bright moon in the sky, only to see dark clouds floating by, with only a few streaks of moonlight falling intermittently, making the night seem even more silent.

She sighed softly, but in her heart she recalled the first snow banquet in winter, and the way Dou Zhen and Jiang Heng looked at each other on the river with floating ice.

She understood perfectly well that Dou Zhen's tears tonight were half from fear and worry about the Fifth Prince's coercion, and the other half from crying for the person she loved most.

Now that she was determined to help Dou Zhen, she needed to carefully devise a way to achieve the best of both worlds. However, she herself was currently in poor health and trapped in a difficult situation—

Just leaving Ningyue Tower and feeling a cool breeze at night made him feel unsteady in his lungs, and a bloody smell surged up again.

Not wanting Zhu Ling to notice, Lin Xu covered his mouth with a handkerchief and quickened his pace. After passing through a bamboo grove, he finally returned to the detached courtyard. There were two lanterns hanging high in front of the main hall. Zhu Ling realized what was going on and whispered, "It looks like Second Master has returned."

Today was an exceptionally long day.

Lin Xu lowered his eyes, tucked the handkerchief in his hand into his bosom, and then stepped into the hall.

Sure enough, upon entering the hall, a very faint fragrance wafted over, as pure as pine and cypress, yet mixed with a hint of coolness tinged with the smell of alcohol. Only then did she remember that Dou Yanxun had been drinking and socializing with Dou Huaisheng and Dou Yanzhou that evening, so naturally he would have been drinking, and probably quite a bit.

Sure enough, a tall figure was lying on the soft couch with its edging. Hearing her footsteps, he raised his half-closed eyelids, but his body remained motionless.

The maids attending her in the palace were all very obedient. Upon seeing this, they all lowered their heads and withdrew. Zhu Ling did not forget to lower the curtain at the door. The beaded curtains touched each other, making a light and crisp sound, just like the lingering worries in her heart.

Lin Xu walked to the dressing table and removed her jewelry. In fact, she had been resting at home all day and did not wear luxurious clothes, except for a simple jade hairpin in her hair.

The empty hall was quiet, with only the sound of her combing her hair. Dou Yanxun was clearly not asleep, yet she remained silent. That long-lost tranquility kept a string in her heart taut, unable to relax.

You've lost weight.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke. But the moment he opened his mouth, she was startled and almost dropped the ivory comb from her hand.

His voice was calm and indifferent, devoid of any emotion, yet he spoke with unwavering certainty about what he had seen at a glance.

Dou Yanxun ignored her panic at all. Instead, he sat up, propped his chin on his hand, and quietly looked her over.

“My husband went on a long trip and worked day and night. He must have had a much harder time.”

Dou Yanxun raised an eyebrow, looking at the profile of the person a few steps away. The person had a straight nose, soft and full lips, and a well-defined jawline—he was clearly much thinner than before he left home.

How could someone lose weight while bedridden and taking good care of themselves with good food and drink every day?

Seeing her silence, Dou Yanxun wasn't annoyed. He simply watched the flickering candlelight cast her long shadow on the carpet. Five whole days had passed since he last saw her. Was she doing alright, all alone at home?

Before he left, things weren't going well between them. He even lost his temper, which was unusual for him. She just stayed silent and stared at herself. Now, does she still remember those things?

Full of questions, he clearly wanted to get the answers from her one by one, but for some reason, when he opened his mouth, he only said lightly, "She has lost weight."

Dou Yanxun suddenly felt uncontrollably agitated. Something in his heart was almost beyond his control. Looking at that profile, he suddenly felt a sense of fear for no reason.

He was terrified that when she turned around, she would still be giving him that cold, distant look. Clearly, it was disgust. Clearly, it was hatred.

He didn't want to see that expression on her face again.

"Turn around—"

Therefore, he stopped after saying only half of what he had said.

However, the next moment, Lin Xu actually turned around and looked back at him.

Those eyes, usually so clear and sharp as frost and snow, were now shrouded in a thin mist. The two were not far apart, and he could see it clearly. Beneath that mist, there was a deep and lingering sorrow, so intense and persistent that it made his heart tremble slightly.

In that instant, he suddenly understood completely why he had been tossing and turning, why he had been haunted by thoughts of her, and why he had been unable to sleep at night during the days he had been gone.

He gazed at that thin face and slowly stood up.

Even if he was unwilling to admit it, when he looked at the person in front of him, those clear, cold eyes like those of a fawn in the forest, reflecting a mixture of candlelight and night, all his previous struggles vanished into nothingness.

This rendered him unable to resist any longer.

The room was filled with silence, creating an unbearable atmosphere. The two were only a few steps apart, yet neither of them spoke first.

Dou Yanxun stood there quietly, simply gazing at her.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, "Husband, you have a social engagement tonight. If you're tired, you should go to bed early..."

Before he could even utter the word "rest," Dou Yanxun said, "It's just that Father's old acquaintances are drinking and catching up. My elder brother works for them and is especially close to them, so he brought his family along."

Lin Xu responded with an "oh".

Dou Yanxun, dressed in a soft, ice-blue silk robe, had already changed his clothes. Standing in the hall with his back to the light, his sharply defined face made it even harder to discern his expression.

After not seeing him for a few days, she felt somewhat unfamiliar with him when they were in the same room again, and even felt a little lost.

But she had to pretend to be calm, at least until the matter of being poisoned again was thoroughly investigated, so that he wouldn't discover anything amiss.

When Dou Yanxun saw her stand up, she remained silent, with an unconcealable sorrow between her brows. He wondered what she was thinking and felt a surge of unease in his heart.

Why doesn't she ask him how he's been these days?

Does she not miss him at all?

Lin Xu walked forward gracefully, reaching out to his shoulder. Her breath was so gentle that it made him feel incredibly restless.

"It's late... Shall I call someone to help me with my bath?"

Dou Yanxun grabbed her hand.

As she looked panicked, a slight smile appeared on his lips, but a hint of bitterness crept in. He wasn't oblivious to her hidden thoughts.

The undisguised sorrow in their eyes and the panic in their actions clearly showed their fear of him.

But are you still blaming yourself?

Dou Yanxun closed his eyes, unwilling to think about it any further, and simply shook his head. He sighed softly, pulled the person in front of him closer, and pushed her into his arms.

"My husband..."

"Don't be afraid."

Lin Xu could only feel his breath on her neck. The soft silk fabric of his body was extremely soft. She covered her face with that softness, but she could still feel the warmth from his chest.

His voice was low and husky, and because he was holding her, she didn't quite hear it, so she asked softly, "Hmm...?"

After a moment of silence above, his voice, tinged with bitterness and laced with the effects of alcohol, drifted down.

"I was wrong that day. It won't happen again. Don't be afraid."

Lin Xu was stunned for a long time, barely managing to piece together her thoughts from his few words. Was Dou Yanxun referring to the time he lost control and yelled at her on the day they parted?

Although he was furious at the time, it had been so long that she had long forgotten about it.

She had long since stopped blaming him.

Lin Xu then reached out and gently stroked his back.

After a moment's hesitation, she realized that Dou Yanxun was trying to make peace. To show more sincerity, she took a small step forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Dou Yanxun was tall, almost a head taller than her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, hearing his powerful heartbeat resonate in her ears.

"Dou Yanxun, I don't blame you. That day, the parrot accidentally ate poisonous food, and I also misunderstood you. We're even now."

The heartbeat suddenly quickened.

She felt a warm breath spreading from above her head, followed by a soft touch—it was him gently placing a kiss on her hair.

Having not been close to him for a long time, Lin Xu was still slowly getting used to it, but Dou Yanxun held her tightly in his arms, hugging her even tighter.

"What did you call me?"

A ripple of emotion stirred in Lin Xu's heart, and she could only stammer, "Husband."

She seemed to hear his soft sigh. She couldn't hear it clearly, but it felt like he had breathed a sigh of relief, and his embrace softened.