Now that Yan Xiao has realized her feelings for Shen Muzhi and has made a decision, she will not back down.

Upon hearing Shen Muzhi's question, he didn't hesitate and nodded in agreement.

Yes, I like you.

Although I'm not sure when it started, I'm certain now that I do like you—the kind of liking between a man and a woman, the kind of liking where I want to be with you forever.

Shen Muzhi was overjoyed to receive such a definite and straightforward answer, but her face inexplicably flushed slightly. However, she didn't hesitate to continue speaking:

"Don't worry, Yan Yan. I, Chen Muzhi, swear to God that I will treat you very, very well from now on and do my best to be a good husband. I will never let you down. If I break this promise, may I be struck by lightning and die without a complete corpse."

Yan Xiao didn't believe in swearing oaths to heaven; she only believed in herself.

"You don't need to swear. I informed you beforehand yesterday that if you dare to betray me, I'll make you a eunuch. I'm serious, not joking."

Yan Xiao's words immediately calmed Shen Muzhi down from his pink bubble of infatuation. He had no choice but to calm down, mainly because his second brother was feeling a bit chilly.

He tightened his grip on Yan Xiao's waist slightly, his eyes solemn and devout, and said earnestly:

“That day will never come. If it does, I’ll give you my life without you even lifting a finger.”

"good."

Yan Xiao leaned against Shen Muzhi, following his lead, her tone unusually gentle:

"Be careful after I leave. Your life is in my hands now. You can't have any problems without my permission, do you hear me?"

Shen Muzhi knew that Yan Xiao was concerned about him, and he was naturally happy. He earnestly promised:

"Alright, my wife, don't worry, I've got it."

The two were sharing intimate words, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness, when a sound from outside the door ruined the atmosphere:

"General, Lord Qi says he has something to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, Yan Xiao tried to leave Shen Muzhi's embrace, but Shen Muzhi showed no intention of letting go.

Shen Muzhi was furious. His wife was rarely so gentle, and he wanted to hold her a little longer, but there was someone so blind to his feelings.

Yan Xiao looked up at Shen Muzhi with a puzzled expression, but could only see his taut jawline. She couldn't help but remind him:

"Qi Chengfeng is looking for you, who knows what he's up to? Aren't you going to check on him?"

"He obviously couldn't come up with anything good; he probably just wanted to see if there was anything wrong with my body, or if I was going to die."

Shen Muzhi's tone was full of resentment, all directed at Qi Chengfeng. As he spoke, he affectionately nuzzled Yan Xiao's head, his words brimming with reluctance.

"I've already made arrangements. I'll send you away when night falls. I don't know how long I'll have to wait before I can hold you like this again."

Hearing his somewhat pitiful tone, Yan Xiao realized that this person was no longer the stern, unsmiling character from the book.

His existence has drastically altered his life trajectory and influenced his temperament.

This gave her the illusion that her current infatuation was because of him, and this feeling made her feel at ease and happy.

She smiled, raised her hand and gently patted his back, her voice soothing:

"A brief separation is for our longer future. I'll be waiting for you to return home when you've accomplished your mission."

Shen Muzhi wasn't a procrastinator; he was just a little reluctant to part ways with Yan Xiao, having just confessed his feelings to her.

Although he was very reluctant, he rationally let go:

"Okay, I won't make that day too long. If you're tired, take a break. I'll go and meet Qi Chengfeng first."

"Okay, go ahead."

After responding with a smile, he watched Shen Muzhi leave the room.

Just as Shen Muzhi had expected, Qi Chengfeng hadn't come to him with anything important; he had only talked about some trivial matters.

His main purpose was to see if Jiang Xinrui had succeeded.

When he saw Shen Muzhi appear before him unharmed and without any signs of poisoning, he was disappointed, but still held some hope.

So he asked Jiang Xinrui indirectly about her current situation.

His exact words were that Jiang Xinrui had a past relationship with him and almost became his wife. He hoped that Shen Muzhi could spare Jiang Xinrui's life for the sake of their future alliance with Yanyun City.

It appeared to be pleading for Jiang Xinrui, but in reality, it was an attempt to subtly inquire about Jiang Xinrui's current situation.

As he wished, Shen Muzhi directly stated that he hadn't had time to deal with Jiang Xinrui yet, but would consider his request later.

Qi Chengfeng believed Shen Muzhi's words and thought that Jiang Xinrui had not yet had a chance to make a move.

Each of them had their own ulterior motives, and after getting what they wanted to know and what they wanted to convey, they ended the conversation.

When Shen Muzhi returned to his room, Yan Xiao was catching up on sleep.

Thanks to Shen Muzhi, she barely slept last night. After waking up, she first treated herself and then treated Lou Guyu, which was quite tiring.

She has to travel tonight, and it's obvious she won't get a good rest, so she's working overtime to conserve her energy.

When Shen Muzhi returned, he did not wake her. He watched her by the bedside for a while before going to take care of the rest of the matter.

Yanxiao is right. The short separation is for their longer future. He has to give Yanxiao a peaceful and prosperous life, and he can't let her wait too long.

When Yanxiao woke up, it was already getting dark. Shen Muzhi had arranged for someone to prepare food for her, and as soon as she woke up, someone brought the food into her room.

Upon receiving the news, Shen Muzhi brought Lou Guyu, who was already able to get out of bed, with him.

When Yan Xiao saw Lou Guyu peeking around behind him, he didn't say anything, but Lou Guyu was somewhat flattered.

Okay, it's more shock than favor. I don't understand why they invited an outsider to their dinner? Didn't they never give him a chance to watch the show before?

Something unusual is bound to happen; those who actively stay with him and refuse to leave are completely different.

When Shen Muzhi asked him to sit down, he wisely, or rather cautiously, sat down a little further away from the couple.

After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't hold back and spoke up, "Brother-in-law, just say what's on your mind. There's no need for this. You're making me uneasy."

Shen Muzhi was taken aback by the question, but didn't know how to answer. Could he say, "Now that I know you're my brother-in-law, I'm thinking of treating you better so you won't cause me any trouble later?"

Yan Xiao looked at the two of them with amusement. Noticing the awkward atmosphere, she tapped the table lightly and said to Lou Guyu in a teasing tone:

"Look at you, so spineless. All you did was invite you over for a meal. Do you think your own sister and brother-in-law would harm you?"

Lou Guyu took Yan Xiao's words as just a reference to his previous flattery and didn't think much of it.

Seeing that the two seemed to be alright, he relaxed a bit, assuming that his injury had made the couple realize their conscience.