The eager smile on the young man’s face froze. He clutched the silver pieces in his hand, looked up at her, his eyes full of unspoken words. He held back, and in the end, didn’t argue.

Liu Changning stared at him for a moment, her expression unchanged, about to speak.

From not far away came a clear and intimate complaining voice: “How come the wife-master is only returning now? Guang Jing is after all a guest, how can we let him wait for long? You should be punished.”

The newcomer wore a dark red long robe, tall and slender, with a brocade belt accentuating his wasp waist, and the red robe wrapping around his perky buttocks, faintly visible.

Pei Yuanshao curved his lips in a shallow smile, but his eyes were gleaming coldly. He seemed to walk slowly step by step, but with his tall stature and long legs, he quickly strode across the threshold of the main hall and arrived swiftly in front of Liu Changning.

He purposely stood between the two, firmly blocking Liu Changning behind him, and said affectionately to Jing Huan: “I’ve been too busy these past few days and didn’t have time to talk properly with young master Jing. Now that I’ve finally found some free time, young master Jing is about to be sent away by the wife-master…”

He raised his hand with an exaggerated gesture to cover his crimson lips, glanced at the young man whose face had darkened, and asked cautiously: “…Look at my mouth, always speaking the truth… I mean, nonsense! Please don’t blame me, young master Jing.”

When it came to acting, Pei Yuanshao was second to none.

He smiled at the corners of his lips, appearing sincere and genuine.

But if you looked closely, his eyes were as black as if they could drip ink.

He looked sharply at the unmarried young man not far away, coldness spreading in his eyes.

Even if Liu Changning didn’t like him, he only needed to like her quietly, without disturbing her.

If she had thoughts about other young men in the future, he would silently give his blessings.

But her husband could not be this young man before him, who was deep in scheming, unscrupulous, and pretending to be innocent.

How could someone as brutal as him, who shot dead a crow a few days ago, be worthy of her gentle treatment?

How could someone who shamelessly took off his clothes today to seduce her have any self-respect or self-love?

The man not far away was scheming, cruel in his methods, and selfish.

If she got entangled with him, he feared she would get hurt…

Pei Yuanshao had been busy these past few days and didn’t have time to meet this black-hearted man… But today, before he left, he had to cut off his wishful thinking. He had to tell him that there was a husband in this household, and the woman beside him was not someone he could covet.

Liu Changning raised her eyes and scanned her convenience husband. His entire being was like an unsheathed sword, his lips curled, his eyes full of cold intent, his words containing hidden barbs, clearly intentional.

Openly pretending to be the villain, stealing the show. But the teardrop mole at the corner of his right eye trembled slightly.

A hint of a smile flashed in Liu Changning’s eyes, but it was quickly concealed.

Jing Huan raised his head, his light blue phoenix eyes filled with restraint and stubbornness.

Seeing Liu Changning look over, he seemed about to speak but held back, as if he had suffered a great injustice, yet stubbornly turned his gaze away. That appearance was truly enough to arouse a woman’s protective instinct.

Liu Changning had lived three lifetimes. She liked people who were tenacious and unyielding. Whether in the immortal realm or the mortal world, if she encountered people with such character, she wouldn’t mind showing a bit of kindness.

Because she knew how precious such qualities were. Only by being as unyielding as pines and cypresses could one become the genius cultivator Liu Cangyun of the later immortal realm.

Unfortunately, although she admired such people,

That young man not far away had exhausted her only patience. Even though she was sending him away, she had left him a way out. She had fulfilled the kindness he had shown in serving her family properly for a month.

Liu Changning folded her arms across her chest, ignoring him.

Jing Huan felt a trace of surprise in her heart. Her master had never liked those who bullied the weak, yet Pei Yuanshao was treating him with such an attitude…

She remained unmoved, could it be…

Jing Huan felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding in her heart. Could it be… that her performance had been too eager and displeased her?

Thinking this way, she felt it wasn’t right again.

She frowned. In this month of getting along, the master was actually quite different from the heartless Dao ancestor in her impression. Liu Changning had more of a touch of worldliness.

This delighted her, but also made her more panicked.

It meant that she could no longer guess her thoughts, and there was a hint of hidden worry in her heart.

Jing Huan’s heart was in turmoil, but her face didn’t show it. She raised her head, turned sideways, avoiding Liu Changning’s appraising gaze. She grinned provocatively at Pei Yuanshao and said in a dejected tone, “You’re too kind, sir. Guang Jing has troubled the lady… to take care of me for a month. I will be leaving tomorrow, and have nothing to repay with, can only prepare some food to thank the lady…”

Pei Yuanshao snorted coldly, about to continue his outburst.

But he saw the woman behind him walk to his side and grasp his hand, her fingertips stroking his palm.

Pei Yuanshao’s expression stiffened slightly. Men and women should maintain distance… why did she suddenly…

A hint of expectation flashed in his eyes, but he heard her low laughter: “Alright! He’s leaving tomorrow, no need to skip dinner for an outsider.”

Her voice was extremely low, as if speaking right against his eardrum.

Pei Yuanshao felt a bit of tinnitus. He nodded dazedly, letting her lead him by the hand to sit at the square table.

Speaking of which, Jing Huan’s culinary skills were truly good. A table full of dishes, with a fragrant aroma, truly rivaling the taste of the town’s restaurants.

The woman beside him seemed to greatly enjoy the food Guang Jing had prepared, and ate two bowls of rice in one go.

Pei Yuanshao stared at her blankly. Liu Changning, feeling the gaze of her convenience husband, impatiently turned her head to glance at him.

Seeing that he hadn’t touched a grain of rice, she picked up some vegetables with her chopsticks and placed them in his bowl.

She asked indifferently, “Can my face fill your stomach? Guang Jing’s cooking is good, why are you just staring? Try it!”

Jing Huan, who had been watching the two of them, slightly improved her previously displeased expression upon hearing these words. Her cooking skills couldn’t be considered good!

The master might have forgotten that she had once learned culinary arts specifically for her preferences. She only knew how to cook the foods she liked.

Unfortunately… she had been cooking for her for a month.

Yet she couldn’t remember her.

It was hard to tell whether there was more disappointment or relief in her heart.

—

Guang Jing was an extremely considerate young man. After dinner, seeing that the convenience husband had a poor appetite, he specially prepared a bowl of mutton soup for him.

Liu Changning had never liked mutton; its gamey smell was extremely strong. Taking the medicinal soup from Guang Jing’s hands, she was extremely disgusted. Entering the inner room, she placed the mutton soup on the Eight Immortals table.

She called out to her convenience husband, “This is the mutton soup Guang Jing made for you. Drink it quickly, the smell is really unpleasant.”

Pei Yuanshao put down the book in his hand and walked closer. He pointed strangely at the porcelain bowl on the Eight Immortals table: “For me to drink?”

Liu Changning nodded impatiently and said, “You didn’t eat much at dinner. Guang Jing made this especially for you, drink it quickly.”

“You… don’t like mutton?” Pei Yuanshao saw her holding her breath, looking at the mutton soup as if it were poison, his expression becoming increasingly strange.

Liu Changning turned her head, her patience completely exhausted. Pinching her nose, she looked at him sideways and instructed, “Drink!”

Pei Yuanshao lowered his head, a smile flitting across the corners of his lips. How could a woman not like to drink mutton soup, such a nourishing thing?

Moreover, the person before him was not capable. If she didn’t like to drink mutton soup, how would she emit an alluring fragrance in the future, how would she make young men bear and raise children for her?

Pei Yuanshao pursed his lips, a flash of light passing through his eyes. No, for the future… she couldn’t be picky about food.

This mutton soup should be for her to drink.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with clear, rippling light and a hint of hesitation. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “I… the injury I received a few days ago hasn’t fully healed. The doctor said that mutton is a cooling food, and I can’t eat much of it before the wound heals.”

“Really?” Liu Changning looked at him suspiciously. Seeing him nod repeatedly, his blood-red teardrop mole trembling along.

After a moment of hesitation, she pinched her nose and said, “I’ll take it out and pour it away!”

Pei Yuanshao quickly protected the porcelain bowl, pointing at the silhouette waiting outside the door, persuading, “Guang Jing is waiting outside to take the bowl! If the wife-master pours away the mutton soup this time, it will surely chill his heart. After all, he’s leaving tomorrow, having served diligently in our home… now that he’s about to leave, it would be heartbreaking.”

The convenience husband’s crimson lips moved up and down, babbling non-stop, truly understanding the greater good.

Liu Changning impatiently interrupted him: “You can’t drink it because of your wound, and you won’t let me pour it away, so what should we do…”

Pei Yuanshao’s eyes lit up: “Why don’t the wife-master drink it for me!”

“Wife-master?” Liu Changning stroked her pointed chin, looking at his bright, hopeful gaze.

She said displeased, “You’re even calling me wife-master now? Are you deliberately trying to make me drink it?”

Pei Yuanshao’s eyes flickered slightly, his neck straightening as he persisted, “If you drink this mutton soup for me, I’ll grant you one wish in the future, how about that?”

Liu Changning’s eyes rolled, tilting her head, thinking for a moment. Pinching her nose, she picked up the porcelain bowl and drank the gamey mutton soup in one gulp.

“Alright!”

She indeed had one thing she wanted him to agree to. Since she had enough travel expenses, she was planning to leave Xi Qiao Village in ten days. This matter of divorcing her husband…