A familiar figure, carrying the slight chill of the night dew, entered the courtyard. Upon seeing Ning Yuyao standing in the courtyard, Shen Yunhao was slightly taken aback.

"It's so late, Yao'er, why aren't you..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl opposite him rushed to him in a few steps, her clear, cold voice filled with barely suppressed resentment and a barely perceptible sob: "Where have you been? Why are you back so late! Without even a word, do you know that..."

The rest of her words caught in her throat due to the overwhelming emotions. She just stubbornly raised her head, but her eyes quickly reddened uncontrollably.

When Shen Yunhao saw Ning Yuyao suddenly become agitated, he thought that his "secret meeting" with Mu Shuangshuang during the day had been discovered. He subconsciously tried to use business as an excuse and blurted out, "Yao'er, um... I may have to leave for a while!"

boom!

However, these words struck Ning Yuyao like a thunderbolt from the heavens!

leave? !

Is he... leaving?

The taut string suddenly snapped.

Tears, already red-rimmed, could no longer be held back and silently slid down her fair, jade-like cheeks.

"Husband... my husband..."

Her voice trembled slightly, all her cool and aloofness gone, replaced by grievance.

"I...I know I shouldn't have done that last night...I just...I just..."

She choked back tears, reaching out to tightly grasp Shen Yunhao's sleeve. Her voice grew softer and softer, and her tone even carried a hint of pleading.

"Yao'er won't do it again... really won't... Husband... don't leave Yao'er..."

At this moment, Ning Yuyao was like a child who had done something wrong.

This was also the first time Shen Yunhao had seen this ice-lotus-like girl have such a vulnerable side... which made his heart ache!

He suddenly realized how much of a misunderstanding his casual remark had caused! He quickly grasped the girl's cold, trembling hand and tenderly wiped away the tears from her face. "Yao'er! Yao'er! Listen to me! It's not what you think! I didn't mean leaving! You've misunderstood!"

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "When I said 'leave,' I meant that I can no longer appear in Wanren City under the identity of 'Shen Yunhao'! I will still stay here, but I need to change my identity!"

Ning Yuyao's crying stopped abruptly. She raised her tear-filled eyes and looked at him blankly, yet with a faint glimmer of hope: "Change...identity?"

“Yes!” Shen Yunhao nodded vigorously and quickly recounted Bai Tianmu Shuangshuang’s discoveries and speculations.

"Using this identity to participate in the Kendo Tournament or make a public appearance is too risky, so I want to disguise myself and participate in the Kendo Tournament under another identity. This way, I can avoid being targeted by the people from Baihe Temple and Xuanhuang Sect too early!"

Seeing Ning Yuyao gradually stop crying, but still looking shaken and frightened, Shen Yunhao softened his voice, "Yao'er, I've already said that I will never, ever leave you in this life. Even if you drive me away, I won't leave. How could I possibly leave on my own?"

He cupped her face in his hands, gently stroking her reddened eyelids with his thumb, his eyes tender. "If Yao'er is really worried, then I won't disguise myself! I'll think of another way."

Ning Yuyao stared at him blankly, feeling the warmth from his palm, and the panic she had felt finally began to subside...

She sniffed softly, the remaining teardrops clinging to her long eyelashes, making her look pitiful.

"No... Brother Yunhao, this is good, safety is the most important thing!"

She moved closer to Shen Yunhao, gently resting her forehead on his shoulder, her voice soft and gentle, "Husband, do whatever you want to do, Yao'er believes in you!"

Only then did Shen Yunhao let out a long sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "Silly girl, don't think such things next time, you scared me to death..."

Not far away, Guan Yingying leaned against the door frame, watching the two embracing, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Looking at it this way, these two really are a match made in heaven!

The more you care, the easier it is to fall into misunderstandings and internal conflicts...

"It's good to be single. I can do whatever I want without worrying about these trivial things... Sigh... Time for bed. Let those two have their fun..."

Back in the master bedroom on the second floor, Ning Yuyao silently made up the bed for Shen Yunhao, then walked to the futon by the window and sat down cross-legged, assuming a meditation posture.

Shen Yunhao looked at her posture with some surprise: "Yao'er, aren't you going to rest?"

Ning Yuyao lowered her eyelids slightly, her lips pursed, and her voice carried a hint of awkwardness: "Husband... you worked hard last night, and you've been traveling and tiring today. Please rest early! I have some insights today... meditation will suffice..."

She recalled Guan Yingying's "hollowing out theory" and her own punishment from the previous night, and felt her cheeks burning. She no longer dared to approach her again...

Looking at her slightly reddened ears and her forced composure, Shen Yunhao understood and felt both amused and touched.

However... he was truly exhausted!

Last night, Ning Yuyao kept me "talking" all night, and this morning I was dragged out of bed to practice swordsmanship at a high intensity. In the afternoon, I was "stung" several times by that little scorpion. I was exhausted both physically and mentally!

He didn't insist any further, but simply walked to her side, bent down, and gently kissed her fair forehead. "Okay, don't stay out too late..."

Lying back on the bed, my body felt more relaxed than ever before, and I quickly drifted off to sleep.

This was the first "sound sleep" he had had since entering Wanren City.

Hearing his steady breathing, Ning Yuyao felt completely at ease.

The moonlight streaming through the window cast a serene glow upon her figure.

...

The next day.

Not long after Ma Tianyu got up, he widened his eyes and said, "What? Brother Shen... you're really leaving? Leaving Fairy Ning and us in this courtyard?"

"Why would I lie to you? He's already gone..."

At this moment, Ma Tianyu's face showed embarrassment: "Um... this... a lone man... uh, a widow and a widow living together in the same courtyard, wouldn't that be bad for Fairy Ning's reputation? Or... should Brother Pang and I move out and find an inn to stay in?"

Guan Yingying stopped what she was doing, glanced at Ma Tianyu sideways, and said with a half-smile, "What? Is Master Ma afraid that he won't be able to control himself? Or do you think that this fairy will have some improper thoughts about you?"

Ma Tianyu was speechless for a moment, and quickly waved his hands: "No, no! Fairy Guan, you're joking! I was just... thinking of Fairy Ning!"

"You don't need to worry about it."

Guan Yingying snorted, her gaze sweeping over the somewhat flustered Pang Shun'an beside her. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes as she reached out and put her arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer to her. "Actually, as long as Xiao'an stays with me, that's enough! As for you..."

She deliberately dragged out her words, watching Ma Tianyu's expression instantly tense, and chuckled: "The door's over there, take it or leave it..."

"..."

Looking at Pang Shun'an, who was being half-embraced by Guan Yingying, his face flushed red but dared not struggle at all, Ma Tianyu's face fell, and he wailed, "This...this world! Is there no justice left!"