After Su Bao'er left with Banxia, ​​Su Yan didn't say anything and silently tidied up the house for Chen Yao.

Shen Yao, who was wiping his sword, saw Su Yan about to move the wine jar. He raised his hand, the blade resting on her shoulder, and demanded, "What are you doing?"

Su Yan's eyes were full of disdain as she pushed the knife off her shoulder and met Shen Yao's gaze. "Clean up your doghouse..."

“No need…” Shen Yao continued wiping the knife in his hand, and was about to pick up the wine jar next to him to drink when he found that he had missed.

Looking up, Su Yan was holding the wine jar in her arms. "Give me the wine..."

Su Yan sneered, her attitude resolute, "Shen Yao, you're a man, is it really worth it for a woman? Besides, Ye Qingzhu is still alive, isn't she?"

"You don't understand..."

"I don't understand?" Su Yan was almost amused by Shen Yao's words. "Shen Yao, when did you become so indecisive? You're not like a man."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yao suddenly looked up and glared at Su Yan, his expression incredibly desolate, and the pain and resentment in his eyes were something Su Yan was clearly seeing for the first time.

It seems that this has been quite a blow to Shen Yao.

Su Yan has always been someone who responds better to gentle persuasion than harshness, and seeing Shen Yao's expression, she really couldn't bear to scold him.

Su Yan's tone softened, and she asked softly, "Lord Shen, would you like to tell me what kind of person Ye Qingzhu really is?"

Shen Yao seemed to want to confide in someone about his unhappiness. When someone offered him a way out, he naturally went along with it and told them about his relationship with Ye Qingzhu.

In reality, their meeting was not as wonderful as the rumors suggested.

It is true that Ye Qingzhu saved Shen Yao in the desert, and Shen Yao also respected his savior. Both of them were law-abiding citizens and had no romantic relationship.

Upon returning to the capital, Ye Qingzhu, who had always been aloof, suddenly changed her personality, becoming incredibly passionate towards Shen Yao and expressing her affection.

Shen Yao didn't take it seriously at first, thinking it was a joke, but he didn't expect Ye Qingzhu to pursue him relentlessly, sticking to him every day.

Shen Yao was completely baffled, but he knew very well that he had no romantic feelings for Ye Qingzhu, only gratitude for her saving his life.

That day, Shen Yao originally intended to talk things out with Ye Qingzhu, but he was tricked into drinking a few cups of wine and then lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he found himself lying naked in bed with Ye Qingzhu, and his men had seen them in this state. In order to protect the woman's reputation, Shen Yao stayed with Ye Qingzhu.

After returning to Chang'an, he was granted a marriage by the emperor. However, the Shen family had a rule that a man of the Shen family could only marry one wife in his life. Anyone who took a concubine and abandoned his wife would be removed from the ancestral genealogy and would not be buried in the ancestral grave after his death.

In addition, Shen Yao was a stubborn man, and since he already had a fiancée, he flatly refused the emperor's bestowal of marriage.

But now that Shen Yao knows Ye Qingzhu's death might have been a hoax, and that her sudden expression of love for him might have been premeditated.

At this moment, Shen Yao felt as ridiculous as a clown, risking his life on the battlefield for a lie, giving up the opportunity to revive the Shen family, giving up his chance to stand out, and giving up everything.

Su Yan listened to the whole story in silence, and couldn't help but doubt Ye Qingzhu's identity.

If Ye Qingzhu approached Shen Yao with a specific purpose from the beginning, what was it for?

Su Yan racked her brains but still couldn't figure it out.

He could only silently comfort Shen Yao, "Lord Shen, what's done is done, and there's no use in regretting it now. But one can't keep looking back forever. Don't you want to find Miss Ye and ask her for clarification?"

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Shen Yao's lips. "Su Yan, you really don't know how to comfort people..."

"Huh?" Su Yan looked bewildered. "Lord Shen, how should I comfort you?"

Seeing Su Yan's bewildered expression, Shen Yao couldn't help but smile. Actually, after recounting the things that had been weighing on his mind, he didn't feel so bad anymore.

"No need for comforting me, I'm hungry, make me some food!" Shen Yao said with a smile.

"Cooking?" Su Yan was puzzled, but seeing that Shen Yao's mood had eased up a lot, she went along with it. "Cooking is something my Bao-ge is best at. I've already asked him to go buy groceries, and he should be back soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Bao'er and Banxia were seen standing at the door, one carrying fish and the other carrying a basket of vegetables.

Su Bao'er looked at Su Yan with a resentful expression, "Are you still my mother? If I'm not here, how will you live..."

Caught talking badly, Su Yan walked over with a guilty look on her face, took the groceries from the two children, and said with a fawning smile, "Brother Bao, you've worked hard. I'll cook today's meals..."

Su Bao'er pouted and angrily snatched the ingredients back from Su Yan's hands. "No, Mother's cooking skills are well known. Mother, you should just wait and eat..."

After saying that, Su Bao'er carried the vegetables to the kitchen, while Banxia looked at Su Yan and then at Su Bao'er's departing figure. She seemed to have made up her mind and ran after Su Bao'er.

Watching Su Bao'er's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Su Yan couldn't help but ask, "Does Brother Bao look down on me?"

Shen Yao's originally gloomy face was amused by the way the mother and son were getting along. He didn't answer Su Yan's question immediately, but nodded silently.

About half an hour later, a table of delicious food was placed on the table, and Su Yan stared in surprise.

Because she rarely eats at home, although she knew Su Bao'er could cook, she never imagined that her skills were so good that she could become a master chef.

Su Yan couldn't help but give him a thumbs up in admiration, "Brother Bao is really amazing, no wonder he's the number one handsome man in Suizhou."

Having tasted Su Bao'er's cooking, Shen Yao couldn't help but give a thumbs up, completely agreeing with Su Yan's words.

Overwhelmed by the praise, Su Bao'er was as smug as a peacock displaying its plumage in front of Banxia.

His face practically screamed, "Praise me! Praise me!"

Just as everyone was chatting and laughing at the table, there was a rapid knocking at the door.

Before anyone could open the door, a loud bang was heard, and Xie Yu led a group of soldiers in.

While everyone was still in a daze, Xie Yu saw Su Yan, went up to her, grabbed her, and dragged her towards the door.

Shen Yao was the first to react, quickly snatching the sword from a nearby soldier and holding it to Xie Yu's neck. "Xie Yu, what are you doing?"

At this moment, Su Yan also came to her senses, broke free from Xie Yu's hand, and angrily questioned, "Let's talk this out. You almost broke my hand."

Xie Yu used a lot of force, and Su Yan's wrist was already a purplish-red color.

"There's no time to explain, the princess is in trouble, you must come with me..."

"Princess?" Su Yan was even more confused. "Wasn't the princess perfectly fine just a few days ago? Please explain what happened..."

Xie Yu's face was filled with anxiety, "The Rouran envoy is dead..."

"What!" Su Yan and Shen Yao exclaimed in unison.

"The princess killed him..."

As soon as Xie Yu finished speaking, Su Yan and Shen Yao felt as if their heads were exploding. They looked at each other, unsure of how to react.