Chapter 54

The carriage was quiet, though it felt somewhat stifling perhaps because the wick of the flower lantern was still burning.

But Yiling couldn’t bring herself to ask Mallow to snuff out the light. Though dim, it persisted, much like the inexplicable stubbornness in her heart.

Strangely enough, Yiling hadn’t expected herself to follow Xie Hengzhi home so spineless.

Maybe it was because the winter night’s wind was too piercing. Or perhaps it was the undeniable authority masked in Xie Hengzhi’s gentle tone as he handed her the lantern.

Of course, Yiling knew that continuing to be obstinate at a time like this was nothing but self-defeating.

She had only intended to spend a little time outside, just enough to avoid being alone with Xie Hengzhi at the residence for too long. It wasn’t as though she planned on wandering the streets all night.

What she hadn’t expected was for Xie Hengzhi to personally come out and fetch her.

In that moment, Yiling suddenly felt a sense of surrender, as if she’d been disarmed.

Boarding the carriage in silence, she mentally prepared herself for a long ride spent in his company.

But to her surprise, Xie Hengzhi, who had previously insisted on squeezing into her carriage without giving her a choice, mounted his horse instead, taking the lead.

The group had already left the Eastern Market, and the surroundings gradually grew quieter.

Yiling secretly opened the carriage window, letting in a gust of biting cold wind.

In the pitch-dark night, the attendants on horseback lit the way with lanterns. The flickering light cast a hazy glow on Xie Hengzhi’s back, as if he were a phantom rather than a real person.

Truly unfathomable.

Yiling frowned as she gazed at Xie Hengzhi’s tall, refined figure.

Although it was already late at night, the lights in Linfeng Yuan remained bright.

Upon hearing from the outer courtyard staff that Yiling and Xie Hengzhi had returned, Mama Cao hurried to the eaves to wait for them.

As usual, the couple entered one after the other, hardly exuding any sense of intimacy.

Yet Xie Hengzhi had personally gone to fetch her. How was it that he strode in confidently while Yiling seemed deflated, utterly devoid of energy?

Lowering her head and waiting until Xie Hengzhi headed straight for the study, Mama Cao quickly approached Yiling and asked, “Madam, why do you look unhappy?”

Yiling replied coldly, “Is there anything worth being happy about?”

Still upset about the earlier incident, it seemed.

Mama Cao, well aware, glanced at Mallow and deliberately changed the subject. “What a lovely flower lantern. Did you buy it, Madam?”

“Does Madam need to buy anything herself?” Mallow replied smugly, holding up the lantern.

“Master gave it to her!”

“Oh my! It must be quite valuable,” Mama Cao said with a wide smile. “Madam, where shall we display it? Perhaps in your chambers, so you can see it every day?”

Mama Cao’s naturally loud voice carried even though she tried to keep it down. Yiling glanced at Xie Hengzhi’s retreating figure. He didn’t pause, but she just knew he had heard.

“Displaying it in my chambers? Ridiculous,” Yiling snapped, turning away. “Throw it—”

She hesitated, reluctant to truly discard it, then amended, “Put it in the storeroom.”

With that, she hurried into the house.

Mama Cao had earlier heard that Yiling and Mallow went to the Eastern Market. Concerned that Yiling might not eat street food and noting she hadn’t been eating well recently, Mama Cao had instructed the kitchen to prepare a feast of her favorite dishes.

Notably, the five-flavor apricot-glazed goose—every time it appeared on the table, Yiling would eat an extra half bowl of rice.

After washing up and changing, Yiling eagerly sat down at the table.

She was famished after a long, exhausting day.

Although her mood was still conflicted, it didn’t affect her appetite.

She had barely begun eating when a familiar feeling crept over her.

Yiling froze mid-motion, her chopsticks halting. She raised her eyes, and in that instant, the faint sense of ease she had felt vanished entirely.

She turned stiffly to see Xie Hengzhi strolling in, utterly at ease. Without a word, he sat beside her, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and began eating.

Yiling’s gaze flickered, and without a sound, she stood up, intending to leave.

Just as she turned, a pair of pristine white jade chopsticks blocked her path.

“Sit down and eat a bit more.”

Yiling: “…”

It was only because she was too hungry that she sat back down.

Certainly not because she was intimidated by Xie Hengzhi’s commanding tone.

Seeing her pick up her chopsticks again, Mama Cao tactfully excused herself from the room.

Yiling kept her head down, focused solely on finishing her meal as quickly as possible, even neglecting to pick up more dishes.

She seemed indifferent, yet when Xie Hengzhi placed a piece of the apricot-glazed goose onto her plate, she instinctively shifted her bowl away.

“I don’t like this.”

Xie Hengzhi quietly looked at her for a moment, then stuffed the piece of goose meat into his own mouth.

After slowly chewing and swallowing, he called Mama Cao in.

Still fixing his gaze on Yiling, he said unhurriedly, “Madam doesn’t like this dish. Don’t prepare it again in the future.”

Yiling: “…”

Mama Cao glanced at the two of them in surprise but eventually replied with a complicated expression, “Yes, this old servant will remember.”

Then Xie Hengzhi picked up a piece of scallion-flavored rabbit.

Yiling was just about to avoid it when she heard him say, “You don’t like this dish either?”

Yiling: “…I do.”

Obediently, she pushed her bowl back to him.

Watching her eat the rabbit with a look of resignation, Xie Hengzhi put down his chopsticks instead and looked at Yiling seriously.

“I need to tell you something.”

The moment he finished speaking, Yiling’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

She didn’t even turn her head to face Xie Hengzhi directly. She merely glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before lowering her head even further.

“One shouldn’t talk while eating!”

Xie Hengzhi: “Actually, I—”

Yiling: “I don’t want to hear a single word!”

“…”

In the dead of night.

Yiling lay on the bed, pressing her left arm tightly against the wall, wishing she could shrink herself into a crack.

When Xie Hengzhi lay down, Yiling scooted even closer to the corner of the bed.

Xie Hengzhi, however, had a habit of sleeping near the edge, so the gap between them could easily fit a second regular-sized bed.

“Why are you sleeping so far away?”

His voice sounded faint, as if spoken in a dream, and his tone was calm.

If there weren’t just the two of them in the room, Yiling might not have realized he was talking to her.

After a moment of hesitation, Yiling pulled the quilt up to her chin.

“It’s a bit warm.”

Xie Hengzhi: “Should I have the windows opened?”

Yiling: “…”

Who does he think he’s trying to freeze?

“There’s no need,” she said softly. “It’s your overwhelming masculinity that’s making me hot.”

After her words, Xie Hengzhi remained silent for a long time.

Just when Yiling thought he had no response, she suddenly felt movement on the bed beside her.

“Don’t come any—”

Turning her head, she saw Xie Hengzhi getting out of bed and walking over to the Luohan couch by the window.

He didn’t say a word, not even taking a quilt with him, and just lay down there.

Even though Yiling could sense his disappointment, the absence of his presence on the bed made her breathing feel easier.

The room was dark, and the only light came from outside the window. Yiling turned her head and, by the faint glow, saw Xie Hengzhi, such a tall man, lying cramped on a couch where he couldn’t even stretch his legs.

After all, he had saved her life recently.

A trace of guilt crept into Yiling’s heart without her noticing.

“How about…I sleep on the couch, and you take the bed?”

The pitch-black room remained utterly silent.

Though Xie Hengzhi didn’t respond, Yiling felt as though he was even angrier.

What? She rarely shows kindness, and this man doesn’t even appreciate it?

“No need.”

Xie Hengzhi turned over, his back to her, and said coldly, “Lest you start having inappropriate thoughts, I’ll punish myself by sleeping on the couch.”

Yiling: “…”

The next morning, before dawn, Yiling woke up still fuming.

Where did he get the confidence to think she was infatuated with him?

Though one must know when to yield, Yiling simply couldn’t swallow this insult.

She couldn’t continue hiding; she had to confront Xie Hengzhi and make things clear.

The two of them were destined to remain a fake couple, and he should abandon any ideas of making it real!

Sitting up angrily, Yiling flung open the bed curtains.

The pre-dawn sky was dark as ink, yet the room was brightly lit with several lamps, accompanied by the faint murmur of voices.

Still groggy when she woke, Yiling hadn’t noticed the unusual atmosphere.

Once she rubbed her eyes and looked carefully, she saw Dao Yu directing two maidservants as they packed clothes.

Nearby, Xie Hengzhi, fully dressed, was preparing to leave.

Seeing his travel attire, Yiling seemed to understand something.

“You’re going on a trip?”

Xie Hengzhi turned back when he heard her voice and gave a faint “Mm.”

Yiling’s temper flared again.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

The maidservants froze at her angry outburst, turning to look at their two masters.

It was only after receiving a look from Xie Hengzhi that they resumed packing.

“I tried to tell you last night.”

Xie Hengzhi replied, “You’re the one who didn’t want to listen.”

Yiling: “…”

So that’s what he wanted to say.

But now wasn’t the time to argue over that. Yiling was consumed with one thought: her own survival.

Glancing around in panic, Yiling blurted out, “Take me with you!”

Xie Hengzhi wasn’t surprised by her request, given how long they had spent together.

“I’m leaving on official business, not a leisurely trip. What would you do by coming along?”

“I…I’ll…take care of you!”

Even she didn’t believe her own words, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on. “Traveling away from home, don’t you need someone attentive to your needs?”

Unfortunately, Xie Hengzhi remained unmoved.

“I mentioned this to you before: in Mengyang Prefecture, the plague is spreading. The situation has worsened, and I must go see for myself.”

What’s more, this time it’s the emperor’s direct order. What does it matter that he’s bringing his family along?

However, these words didn’t need to be spoken aloud. Just hearing the word “plague” made Yiling’s expression change.

“Plague… plague…”

She murmured to herself, then lowered her eyes and fell silent.

With the departure imminent, Xie Hengzhi didn’t have time to continue engaging with her.

As he turned to leave, the woman behind him suddenly spoke: “W-will you protect me?”

Her voice trembled, as if on the verge of tears.

Xie Hengzhi stopped in his tracks, looked out at the night, and pursed his lips.

When he turned back, he indeed saw Yiling with her disheveled hair, looking at him expectantly.

Perhaps it was because she had just woken up; her eyes were still a little red, and it seemed like she might start crying any moment.

Xie Hengzhi turned his face away, took a deep breath, and then spoke: “Have you thought this through? Mengyang Prefecture is poor; there won’t be big beds or places to relax there.”

Before Yiling could say anything, a few maids who were packing up behind her trembled.

What… What kind of indecent words were these?

The atmosphere froze for a moment, and Yiling realized the words sounded odd.

But she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was wrong, staring blankly at Xie Hengzhi for a while before stammering, “Even if the bed is small… we could try to squeeze in.”

Yiling insisted on coming along, and once they were out, it was Yiling who felt helpless.

Mengyang Prefecture was no paradise; it was a remote, desolate place with long and rugged roads. By noon, the bumpy journey had already made Yiling feel extremely nauseous.

What’s more, she had to sit in the same carriage as Xie Hengzhi the entire time.

This trip was for official business, and Xie Hengzhi wasn’t the type to splurge. He had only sent two carriages, one for carrying the luggage and the maids, and Yiling didn’t even have the option to switch carriages.

Mengyang Prefecture was far away, and it would take at least half a month to get there without delay.

If they encountered snowfall along the way, they might even have to sleep outdoors.

Thinking about enduring such hardship close to the New Year, Yiling felt like crashing her head into a wall.

But she didn’t dare to truly die. She could only resign herself and put on a deadpan expression.

At such a moment, Xie Hengzhi, of course, had to ask knowingly.

“Aren’t you unhappy?”

Yiling didn’t want to reply and pretended not to hear.

Xie Hengzhi glanced at her sideways and said leisurely, “When you begged me to take you, you didn’t have this attitude.”

Yiling turned her head, giving him a hollow smile—now you know what it means to burn the bridge after crossing it.

She raised her hand to open the carriage window, trying to get some fresh air.

After crossing several mountains, the carriage was now passing through a plain.

It wasn’t arable land, and the barren, yellowed grass covering the vast wilderness only made Yiling feel more depressed.

Just as she was about to close the window, she caught a glimpse of Li Chun running freely.

The boy, who had grown up in the frontier, had been cooped up in the capital for too long, and seeing the open wilderness, his true nature burst forth.

He couldn’t resist galloping his horse but didn’t dare stray too far from the group. After running a distance, he turned back and circled around Yiling and Xie Hengzhi’s carriage before rushing off again.

Yiling closed the window with a grim expression, still able to hear Li Chun’s joyful “Woo-hoo” in the distance.

“Why is he so happy?”

Yiling asked, expressionless.

Beside her, Xie Hengzhi spoke calmly, “Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t have a wife with a temper like yours.”

“…”
Yiling nodded. “And he doesn’t have a husband who’s so sarcastic.”