She had always preferred a peaceful life and didn't want to make any changes unless absolutely necessary. However, Kim Min-jung's existence bothered her. If she remained trapped in the mansion, she would either be killed by Kim Min-jung or die of depression.
To save her life, she had no choice but to leave and find a way to survive.
The next day, Hongli had business to attend to and was busy until evening before returning home. As soon as he arrived, he went straight to Huatang Pavilion.
"Yushan, I'm back!"
His voice was strong and resonant, and he walked with his head held high, showing no signs of illness. Su Yushan asked deliberately.
"You recovered from your illness so quickly?"
With a dry cough, Hongli made an excuse: "I am strong and healthy, this little illness is nothing to me, I will recover easily. I can stay by your side tonight and take good care of you."
As he spoke, his voice grew softer and softer. He lifted her chin with his finger and planted a long-awaited kiss on her lips.
Her lips were so soft that every touch filled him with longing, and he only wanted to savor the fragrance of her lips.
The thought of Kim Min-jung's pregnancy filled Su Yu-shan with a sense of unease, but she didn't show it, gently declining in her voice.
"Hey---you're still wearing your official robes! Go change first!"
These official robes are quite heavy and certainly not as comfortable as casual clothes, so Hongli went into the inner room to change. Afterwards, he casually remarked,
"It's been a long time since I've tasted your cooking, I really miss it. Do you have time to cook tonight?"
She was still hoping he would take her out of the manor tomorrow, so she dared not disobey him and obediently agreed, "I haven't prepared any special dishes recently, I'll go and see what we can make in the small kitchen."
There was only tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and cabbage in the kitchen, so Su Yushan had a chicken slaughtered, intending to make a chicken stew with mushrooms, Mapo tofu, and hot and sour cabbage.
Half an hour later, the meal was ready. After washing his hands, Hongli noticed that there were only three dishes on the table. His eyes flashed with surprise. "Either two or four dishes. How can you make three dishes? This is unlucky."
"We only pay attention to these things when we have guests; there's no need to worry about such details when it's just family eating." She hadn't thought about it that much while cooking, but worried he might become suspicious, Su Yushan changed her tune:
"If Fourth Master feels this is inappropriate, I will prepare another dish."
With dinner already prepared, how could Hongli bear to let her go and make arrangements again? "Alright, you've been busy all day and you must be tired. Let's just leave it at that! Three courses won't hurt. There are no outsiders here, so let's not be so formal."
He stopped worrying about the details and began to enjoy her cooking with satisfaction, praising her with a smile, "This cabbage is cooked very well. Your cooking skills are getting better and better."
Su Yushan casually replied, "Isn't tofu delicious?"
Hongli picked up a piece of tofu, tasted it silently, then looked up and smiled meaningfully, "It's quite tender, but it's still not as delicious as yours."
After a long pause, she belatedly realized that he meant—taking advantage of her.
When he's in love, a few jokes can make her blush; when he's not in love, no matter how much he tries to woo her, her heart won't flutter.
Su Yushan pretended not to understand and silently picked up her chopsticks. "Eat quickly! The food is getting cold."
Hongli thought it was just an ordinary dinner. Little did he know that these dishes would become the last memory on his taste buds.
After dinner, I undressed and went to bed.
The soft red silk curtains cast candlelight, and a powerful undercurrent silently churned within his heart.
Although the two had only been apart for a few days, it felt to him like he had survived a long, harsh winter. Now that she was in his arms, Hongli cherished her like a treasure, holding her tightly and not wanting to leave even the slightest gap.
At Lanzhao Academy, he always rushed through his tasks and acted indifferently, only concerned with completing them. But once he arrived at Huatang Pavilion, even if Su Yushan didn't say anything, just a glance or a soft hum from her could easily ignite a fire in his heart.
His gaze was undisguised, openly revealing his inner thoughts. In the instant he lowered his head to kiss her, his breath on her neck was unusually hot.
"Don't you want children? As your man, I have an obligation to help you fulfill your wish."
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