In Fucha's memory, Hongli was always gentle and spoke properly. Even though he didn't dote on her much, he still respected her extremely.

Since she entered the manor, he had never spoken to her so harshly. But today, for the sake of Su Yushan, he broke off all pretense of civility with her, coldly and sternly warning her, completely forgetting that she was his wife and Su Yushan was just a lowly maid!

In that instant, she felt no resentment, only envy.

Fucha was born into a prominent family; her ancestor was the Grand Secretary during the Kangxi Emperor's reign. She received an excellent upbringing from a young age, starting from an extremely high point in her life. As a result, she had a broad perspective and never easily envied anyone.

Yet at this moment, she was incredibly envious of Su Yushan.

Hongli always called Su Yushan by her maiden name without any hesitation, so tenderly and affectionately. But he always called her Fujin (wife of the emperor) and never called her by her name. Perhaps he didn't even remember that she had a name. Her name was Yuying!

What good is a noble birth if her husband has no place for her in his heart? She longs to marry a man who disregards rules and always stands firmly by her side, but unfortunately, her husband already has someone else in his heart, and she will never have someone who would protect her like that in her lifetime.

Thinking of this, she suddenly felt very pathetic. However, fate had already decided that she had gained dignity, so the favor would belong to Su Yushan.

After assessing the situation, Yu Ying gradually calmed down, suppressed her fluctuating emotions, and explained softly, "Actually, I was just worried about Fourth Master's health, and I didn't mean to make things difficult for Princess Su."

If he really wanted to find someone else to vent his anger, why would he need her to facilitate it? "I know my own body; you just need to take care of yourself and the baby in your womb."

Hongli cares so much about Su Yushan that he is willing to suffer for a woman. No matter how much she thinks of him, it is superfluous. He will not be grateful, but will only hate her.

If that's the case, why bother with all this trouble? With a wry smile, Yu Ying lowered her eyes and said, "Fourth Master is absolutely right. I have overstepped my bounds. From now on, I will know my place and will no longer meddle in other people's business."

She thought that Hongli would leave after giving her a warning, but he didn't. Tonight, he actually chose to stay at her place.

At first she did not understand his intentions, but she finally figured it out in the middle of the night.

Both Princess Gao and Princess Fucha came to complain, wanting to see Hongli. She had promised them that she would persuade Hongli to go to their room, but instead of going to Huatang Pavilion, he came directly to her.

If this gets out, Princess Gao and Princess Fucha will resent her again.

Yu Ying sighed inwardly, realizing she had shot herself in the foot. She shouldn't have meddled! She hadn't helped at all and had only gotten herself into trouble. What a blunder!

Having resolved the matter, Hongli was finally at ease and went to Huatang Pavilion as usual the next day.

At that time, Su Yushan was drawing a portrait of Yunfang. When Hongli saw this, he felt a pang of sadness, "You have drawn portraits of all of them, but you will never draw one of me."

Yunfang asked in surprise, "Huh? Sister Yu, haven't you ever drawn a portrait of Fourth Master?"

Su Yushan replied calmly, "Fourth Prince, your countenance is beyond the power of my clumsy pen to describe your magnificent appearance."

She was praising people, but there was no trace of affection in her eyes. It was hard for Hongli to believe her. "Stop with the flattery, I want a portrait of myself too."

Yunfang covered her mouth and laughed, "I'm not in a hurry. Sister Yu, you can put my portrait aside for now and paint the Fourth Master first!"

Su Yushan replied, "I have never painted men, and I only paint for fun; it is hardly worthy of being presented in a refined setting."

Hongli raised an eyebrow indifferently, "It's alright, I'm willing to be your practice piece."

"..." With a slight change of thought, Su Yushan put down her brush, saying that she was a little tired today and couldn't paint anymore.

Yunfang tactfully stood up, rubbing her lower back, "Sister, you've worked hard drawing my portrait. If you're tired, take a break. My back is also aching from sitting. Let's draw it another day!"

She left just in time, but Hongli was displeased. "Why is it so hard for you to paint a portrait of me? Am I really that ugly? Am I not worth your time?"

The reason Su Yushan didn't dare to agree was because she had her own concerns. "Back then, when you planted the aster in the courtyard, I took good care of it and watered it myself, but in the end, you still pulled it out without hesitation. The belt I embroidered for you was only half-finished when you cut it up. If I were to draw a portrait of you, who knows when you might be unhappy and tear it up again."

She spoke gently, yet with a heavy, calm tone, recounting those cruel facts. Each word was like a gentle autumn rain, slowly falling upon the steps of his heart. Though so soft, it resonated deeply within him.

"I thought you didn't care. You never mentioned those things to me. But it turns out you do care?"

Is this considered caring? It's just an analogy. "I don't blame you. After all, I left first. It's only natural that you're upset and take it out on those flowers and belts. However, after this incident, I don't want to put in so much effort again."

In terms of sacrifices, Hongli believed he had given no less than her. "I loved you so much in the past, yet you still left me. But after you came back, I forgot the pain once the wound healed and still couldn't help but continue to love you."

When you truly love someone, you don't dwell on right and wrong, gains and losses, or fear repeating past mistakes. Even knowing you might be hurt again, you'll still go for it without hesitation!

He gazed into her eyes and softly recounted his emotional journey.

Su Yushan's eyes stung slightly, and she felt a lump in her throat. Did she not love him?

Back when he got married, she had thought about giving up on the relationship, but in the end she was moved by his persistence and decided to abandon her own deep-seated beliefs and accept the fact that he had to accompany his wife while he was with her.

If she didn't love him deeply, she should have locked her heart away long ago, instead of lowering her guard and giving him her heart.

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