Nangong Chiyu understood, smiled slyly, and simply replied with an "Oh".

Seeing that her son and daughter-in-law always slept separately, Zhao Ruyun thought today was a good opportunity and spoke up.

"Luo Luo, it's been raining for the past few days, and all the uninhabited courtyards in the East Wing are damp. It's not good for Huai Xu to stay there, especially since he has thirty men with him."

"Why don't you stay in the front yard tonight? The west yard is all women, it wouldn't be convenient for you if you went there."

Su Luo looked at everyone at the dinner table. If they were inconvenient, would it be convenient for her if Nangong Chiyu slept in her room?

“There are still empty rooms in the front yard. Tell Chunhua and Qiuyue to tidy them up. He can sleep there tonight.”

With such a large courtyard, surely it can accommodate Nangong Chiyu?

"Madam doesn't know, there was a strong wind yesterday, and the roof tiles of the guest rooms in the front yard were blown off, so they're still leaking now."

According to what Shi Shuang said, Aunt Dong knew that Shi Shuang would have to go to the county tomorrow to buy some tiles before they could be reinstalled.

Looking at Nangong Chiyu, he seemed completely unaware of the matter, while Yanchuan and Yihuan were secretly laughing at each other on the side of the dining table.

Seeing Su Luo looking at them, Yi Huan instinctively put the silver whistle inside her clothes.

It doesn't leak earlier or later, but it just happened to leak during the time Nangong Chiyu was home. Su Luo even suspected that it was caused by their eagle training.

"What a coincidence?"

Aunt Dong nodded; as a servant, she dared not deceive anyone.

"I understand, I'll make the arrangements in a bit."

After everyone finished their meal, Chunhua and Qiuyue tidied up the hall. After the meal, Su Luo was called to the west courtyard by Zhao Ruyun.

He said earnestly, "Luo Luo, half a month has passed. Do you and Huai Xu really intend to live like this for the rest of your lives?"

Zhao Ruyun knew that Su Luo was strong-willed. She was the one who was widowed before, and now that Huai Xu was back, Su Luo still had to live the life of a widow. What kind of talk was that?

"Mother-in-law, isn't this fine too?"

“Luo Luo, Huai Xu told me that he only wants you in his life and that he is sorry for you. But after all this time, I see that the two of you are still just outwardly harmonious. My heart is like it’s being fried in oil.”

"Grandma, what does this have to do with you? Don't cry."

Su Luo couldn't understand. All she did was refuse to sleep with Nangong Chiyu. What did that have to do with their harmonious family life?

“It’s related, it’s very related. Your mother-in-law has seen more of the reality than you have. Luo Luo, you and Huai Xu should get along well. A husband and wife should act like a husband and wife.”

Things are alright now, but Zhao Ruyun is afraid that in the future, Huai Xu's status is different now, and others might take advantage of their feelings for each other.

What will Su Luo do then? She doesn't want to see that day come, even though Huai Xu swore there would be no one else.

"Okay, Mother-in-law, he and I will be fine."

Zhao Ruyun kept wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. "Luo Luo, it's been so long, you should be able to see what kind of person Huai Xu is. If he is not someone you can entrust your life to, your mother-in-law will never force you."

Nangong Chiyu is responsible, patient, and attentive to the children, which Su Luo can certainly see.

“He’s a good person, and he’s good to me,” Su said truthfully.

"Is Huai Xu ugly?" Zhao Ruyun asked Su Luo again.

"Not ugly!"

He's not ugly; in fact, he's quite handsome.

"Then why do you look down on Huai Xu?"

Su Luo frowned and blurted out, "I didn't..."

Only after she finished speaking did she realize that she had been tricked by her mother-in-law.

"Alright, Luo Luo, actually your mother-in-law can tell that you are quite satisfied with Huai Xu. Let him come to your room tonight, and the two of you can get along well from now on."

Otherwise, after I die, I won't have the face to face his father. His father will definitely blame me for not settling our family properly."

Zhao Ruyun cried and pleaded, giving Su Luo a lecture, leaving Su Luo with no choice but to agree to let Nangong Chiyu sleep in her room.

However, he could only sleep on the floor; Su Luo wouldn't let him onto the bed, as she wasn't ready.

"Luo Luo, what did your mother say to you in the west courtyard?"

Nangong Chiyu spread his bedding on the floor in front of Su Luo's bed, a smug smile on his face.

I told you I'd let you sleep with me!

Nangong Chiyu immediately knelt down beside Su Luo's bed, his eyes shining as he looked at her.

"Can I?"

Su Luo, who had been lying down, suddenly sprang up and kicked Nangong Chiyu.

Nangong Chiyu turned to the side and caught Su Luo's kick to the ankle with his left hand.

He gave her a slight push, and Su Luo, who was sitting on the bed, fell down due to inertia.

Before she could even react, a giant was pressing down on her.

Nangong Chiyu pinned her hands to either side of her head, making it impossible for Su Luo to move.

"Nangong Chiyu, you have no shame."

Nangong Chiyu did not take any further action, but instead whispered something in Su Luo's ear.

"What's with the shame? It's not like it's the first time."

Seeing Su Luo like this, he tentatively kissed her below her earlobe.

Su Luo shrank back, afraid that Nangong Chiyu was serious, and hurriedly said.

"I'm not ready yet."

Nangong Chiyu knew when to stop; he hadn't forgotten that Su Luo still had their divorce papers.

But Su Luo didn't mention whether it meant she was ready to accept him.

After releasing Su Luo, Nangong Chiyu asked her with restraint.

When will you be ready?

Su Luo felt that things were getting out of her control. She and Nangong Chiyu had agreed to be just a couple in name only, but he kept getting closer to her.

She only got a lecture from her mother-in-law tonight, how could she have agreed to let Nangong Chiyu sleep in her room? What a mistake.

Furthermore, she discovered that even she herself didn't seem to be so resolute in rejecting Nangong Chiyu, which was truly despicable and hateful.

Now she finally understood why Xie Wanwan got confused whenever Ah Xu was mentioned; Nangong Chiyu made her confused too.

Is this what they call liking someone?

"It's none of my business when I'm ready. Just don't give me any more ideas right now, or else..."

As Su Luo spoke, she took out her usual dagger from the bedside and showed it to Nangong Chiyu.

"Or I'll castrate you!"

After saying that, she blushed, pulled the blanket over her head, and went to sleep.

Nangong Chiyu mischievously lay on the edge of her bed, still nagging Su Luo.

"Luo Luo, don't scare me. I'll wait until you're ready, hee hee hee..."

Su Luo thought he was really shameless. He knew he couldn't beat him, yet he still said that on purpose.

Nangong Chiyu stopped teasing his wife, spread out his bedding, and endured the physical and mental reactions before finally falling asleep.

...

The following day, Nangong Chiyu had six Chiyu soldiers escort Yanchuan and Chengzhu to the academy, and they did not encounter any bandits along the way.

Steward Shi personally went to the county government office to report the situation to Magistrate Jiang, who then ordered his men to investigate the mountains near Yongle County and the neighboring counties.

In case there are indeed bandits hiding there, it would be his fault if they came out to harm people.

Magistrate Jiang investigated for three days but couldn't find the so-called bandits. He even came to the Chen residence in person to explain the truth to Su Luo.

“Deputy Minister of Agriculture, I have searched all the places where there might be bandits as you instructed, but there was no trace of them.”

Thinking about Chengzhu's behavior that night, it's impossible for a child to act out that kind of fear, even without bandits.

The entire Yongle County is also plagued by poor public security, with people robbing others on the road. How are they any different from bandits?