That night, after Qi returned, he and Huo Jingsha sat around a table in the backyard garden and drank together. This was the first time they had drunk and talked since they met.

Then the following dialogue ensued—

"I've taken Shu Yao as my sworn sister."

"I know!"

"From now on, she will no longer be alone and helpless, without any family members to rely on."

"I know!"

"Since Shu Yao arrived, she has been in a bad mood, which is why her condition has worsened."

"I know."

Is there anything you don't know?

"No, there are six guards in this courtyard right now, all of whom I sent. I know everything about Shu Yao, including when she gets up, when she goes to sleep, what she eats for each meal, and what she does."

Qi tilted his head back and downed a glass of wine, thinking that this guy's possessiveness was really a bit abnormal. Even though Shu Yao was thousands of miles away, he wanted to have everything under his control. But there was something more important now, so he changed the subject, "How do you plan to get Shu Yao to go back with you? Judging from her attitude today, it doesn't seem like she'll be easy to change. This girl is really stubborn when she gets angry."

Huo Jingsha knew perfectly well what was going on. His face was also full of worry; this was his most difficult situation. If he were too forceful, it might backfire; if he let her be, her illness couldn't be delayed any longer. This time, it was his turn to tilt his head back and gulp down a cup of bitter wine!

"How about... we knock her out and take her back? She's suffered so much to save her life, we can't let her go back inside. Xiao Bao has a wet nurse, you don't need to worry about her. Just take good care of Shu Yao, what do you think?" Qi picked up his wine glass and held it in front of him.

Upon hearing this, Huo Jingsha's eyes darted around, a slight smile playing on her lips. She raised her wine glass and clinked it against his, replying with two words, "Excellent!"

*** ***

"Can you please stop coming all the time?" Shu Yao asked the man standing outside the door of Biyue Residence, alone.

After talking with him in the garden that day, she went back and fell asleep. But she didn't know what kind of drug he had given her. When she woke up, she was already in the Huo mansion. She knew what had happened without even thinking. This was not the first time she had witnessed his cunning.

But she really didn't have the strength to go back to Suzhou, and tuberculosis was contagious, so she insisted on not having contact with anyone, including him. Therefore, she locked herself in Bishui Residence and wouldn't let anyone in.

"No! Yao'er, open the door and let me in. I'm not even afraid of death, why would I be afraid of tuberculosis? So there's nothing I can't do. If you don't open the door, I'll have to force my way in," Huo Jingsha said calmly.

"Do you really have to drive me crazy like this?" Shu Yao was speechless with anger at his words. If this continued, she would either die of illness or be driven to death by him. "Go and do your own thing. Go see Xiao Bao more often, or go and handle your cases, arrest your criminals, and ransack your house. Aren't you always happy to do these things? Why do you keep bothering me?"

“I will visit Xiaobao every day and play with him every day. You don’t need to worry about our son. As for other things, I have already informed the Emperor that I want to resign from my position as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. From now on, I will spend all my time with you. Even if you get annoyed with me, I will not leave.”

"What?" Shu Yao was extremely surprised when he dropped this shocking news. He actually wanted to resign from his post.

“That’s right, I’ve had this idea for a while now. I’m tired of those things. Why not put all my energy into you and our son? Don’t you like Suzhou? Once you’ve recovered, we can move to Suzhou and spend our old age there.”

He had pondered the old Taoist's words repeatedly. Committing too many murderous acts could easily lead to morally reprehensible acts. He had lost both his parents and his younger brother in his early years, and now he had caused Yao'er so much suffering. Perhaps it was because his hands were stained with blood that he was being punished by God. After much thought, he decided to quit and spend the rest of his life honestly as an ordinary citizen, accumulating good karma for his wife, children, and himself.

"You've had this idea for a while now?" She was somewhat surprised. You have to understand how hard it was for him to climb to his current position, and it would be even harder to back out. The Emperor would definitely have many dirty tricks up his sleeve. Now that he wanted to leave, how could the Emperor let him go so easily? He might even arbitrarily pin a crime on him to keep those secrets forever.

"Right now, all I want to do is be with you and our son. Nothing else matters. I don't care about the Embroidered Uniform Guard anymore."

The cases are never-ending, and the people can never be caught. He can't waste his whole life on this. Especially after what happened between him and Shu Yao recently, he realized what is most important to him. Now, he will get rid of those obstacles at all costs and be with Shu Yao.

Shu Yao sighed softly. Actually, when she first entered the manor, she had already sensed that this home lacked the cold, ruthless atmosphere of the Imperial Guard Commander's residence. It was because of him; he genuinely cared for her, making the home she and her son in a warm and welcoming place, unlike the gloomy, murderous place that filled them with fear and unease. This realization touched her deeply. Recalling when she was first reborn in this life, how he had brutally cut Mingxia's flesh piece by piece in the courtyard—he was completely different from the Huo Jingsha she knew now…

"Yao'er... open the door, let the doctor treat you, let's be together forever, we still want to give Xiaobao a little sister." At this moment, he was not a high-ranking military officer who held the power of life and death over others, but a pitiful husband who was desperate to save his wife and afraid of losing the love of his life. He pleaded again and again, his voice choked with sobs.

"No, I don't want treatment anymore...cough cough..."

"Don't give up, do you hear me?" He pounded on the courtyard gate twice, as if venting his anger.

"It's not that I'm giving up, but this disease is rarely curable, and treatment would be futile, merely delaying the inevitable, cough cough..."

"Then, then open the door. I've missed you, and I want to see you."

"Whose husband are you? Humph, go find Yuefang, I'm not your wife..." She turned and walked inside in a huff. This was the seventh time he had pounded on the door today.

“She’s not! She’s not! Only you are. I didn’t give you a letter of divorce, nor did I give her a marriage certificate. I only have her indenture. Her status will always be that of a servant in the Huo family.”

Shu Yao didn't care and went into the house on her own, waiting for him to knock on the door for the eighth time to beg her. But then there was no sound. She smiled bitterly. It seemed that he had given up.

Knowing that he might not come again until tomorrow, she turned and went back to bed. The night was unusually quiet. Could she keep her mind clear and think about what to do next?

Lost in her thoughts, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. With the gentle breeze blowing in from the window under the bed, she finally fell into a deep sleep.

In a daze, she suddenly felt someone kissing her, sometimes on her eyes, sometimes on her cheek.

"Stop it..." she waved her small hand casually. The person kissing her remained unmoved, continuing to kiss her gently, as if she were the most delicious food in the world, inviting him to taste her again and again.

"Stop making a fuss... my good son... go find your father, let your mother sleep for a while..."

A deep laugh reached her muddled ears, and the gentle kisses that had been covering her lips turned into intense desire, making her whole body heat up.