Chapter 25 Part 1: Playing the Beloved Wife

The man moving above her, intimately close, had been attentive to her reactions, so he naturally heard her murmured words.

Light, both delicate and clinging softly, much like the feeling she gave him in this moment.

But what caught him even more off guard was the content of her question.

Yan Chiyun’s movements paused slightly.

He hadn’t expected her to ask this suddenly.

Like her?

He was very sure he had feelings of attraction for her.

Precisely because of this, even in a situation where her affair was discovered by him, he didn’t want to divorce her, and even hoped she would change her mind.

Pu Jinyu was still waiting for his answer.

She kept her arms around him, feeling each of his intimate thrusts and immersions, preventing herself from being overwhelmed and falling.

Although the man’s force was fierce, it was also tinged with a subtle, almost intangible gentleness.

Even though she could feel his closeness, she wanted to confirm this matter directly from his mouth.

The man didn’t answer.

She asked again.

Yan Chiyun could no longer pretend not to hear.

He asked her in return, “What do you think?”

“I don’t know.”

Pu Jinyu replied quickly, lightly kissing his handsome, flushed, damp, and burning cheek.

“What about you?”

He asked her back. “Do you like me?”

After asking this question, he already had an answer in his heart.

No, she didn’t.

Although he wasn’t well-versed in matters of love and affection, he wasn’t a fool either.

He felt that Pu Wange didn’t have him in her heart, because he couldn’t feel her affection.

What he felt from her was more indifference, formality, and distance.

He couldn’t help but think back to the last time, when she told his little sister that she was deeply in love with him.

He hadn’t believed it then, and subsequent events had proven her words false.

If she truly loved him, how could she insist on divorce?

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of anger, unable to control himself, drawing closer to her with increasing intensity.

Pu Jinyu whimpered softly a few times, squeezing out many crystalline drops of moisture from the corners of her eyes and between her brows.

Her delicate moans, gasps, and tearful cries sounded incredibly alluring.

“…Like, I like you.”

She stammered out a few words.

Yan Chiyun smiled inexplicably.

Although he knew there was a high chance she was lying, it was indeed the answer he wanted.

“You are my wife.”

He paused slightly, catching his breath, raised his hand to brush away the long, damp hair sticking to her face, and looked into her pupils filled with shimmering moisture.

“Naturally, I like you too.”

Her face was heavily smudged, but he didn’t mind.

He lowered his head and placed a kiss between her brows.

“How much do you like me?”

She asked again, her voice delicate and faint, barely a whisper.

“…I don’t know,” Yan Chiyun said in a muffled voice.

Perhaps more than he initially thought.

After all, this time she had slapped his face so hard, and he had still humbled himself to seek reconciliation with her.

In the later part of the night, Pu Jinyu asked no more questions.

She let herself be close to him, responded to his kisses, and sank with him into the fiery depths of the passionate night.

“…”

***

The next day, Madam Yan naturally heard about the commotion in that courtyard.

Learning that they had requested hot water several times, and not just once, her expression turned unpleasant.

Seeing her cold expression, her personal old maid quickly stepped forward to offer a few words of advice, saying that what General Yan said yesterday was right.

Yan Chiyun was not the type to be overly indulgent in matters of romance between men and women.

Whatever he did must have his considerations.

Now that he was the head of the household, it was best not to overly impose her will on him, lest it create discord and estrangement between mother and son.

“Moreover, as this servant sees it, although the eldest young master tolerates that Pu woman for now, it’s merely for novelty.

Mainly because you’ve been urging him lately about having children, and the couple’s passion is running high.

Later, when things cool down, you can bring up the old matter again.

This divorce, it’s only a matter of time, sooner or later.”

“Is that so?”

Madam Yan pinched her brow, her expression still unable to relax.

“Fortunately, this matter hasn’t completely blown up publicly in the capital, otherwise how could my Shu’er and Xi’er establish themselves here?”

Even though it hadn’t blown up publicly, now Yan Mingxi’s marriage prospects were already somewhat difficult.

Those who had seen Pu Wange’s affair that day were all high-ranking officials and their wives.

“Fourth Miss is still young, there’s no rush for marriage matters.

In a couple of years, when the eldest young master tires of Pu and divorces her, Fourth Miss’s marriage will surely be properly settled.”

Madam Yan sighed.

“Hopefully, it will be so.”

“What about Cheng Wenque?”

“The eldest young master still has him locked up.”

He was injured and nearly didn’t make it.

They found someone to administer medicine, but it only kept him barely alive by a thread.

It was said that Cheng Wenque wasn’t behaving himself, constantly shouting.

Now they’ve gagged him, bound him hand and foot, and locked him up.

Usually, they only feed him some stale rice water.

“Keep such a scourge in the Yan residence for what purpose?!”

Madam Yan slammed the table.

“He can’t bear to part with that Pu woman, wants to keep her by his side for novelty, fine.

But must he also tolerate her lover?!”

Even if he’s bewitched and loves her so much he’d accept anything from her, there has to be a limit!

“Send someone to tell him right now: dispose of this scourge quickly.

Don’t let him stay in our Yan residence and defile our family name!

Bring shame to our ancestors!”

“Yes.”

***

When the old maid brought the message over to this side, Pu Jinyu was having breakfast with Yan Chiyun.

The old maid noticed that Yan Chiyun was actually putting food in Pu Wange’s bowl.

She lowered her head and briefly conveyed Madam Yan’s meaning, not saying anything else.

“Hmm, understood.”

Yan Chiyun responded and ordered someone to see the old maid out.

After she left, he observed Pu Jinyu’s reaction.

He noticed she was very quiet, eating her meal peacefully, not saying much, seemingly completely unconcerned and indifferent to Cheng Wenque’s fate.

When the old maid had mentioned Cheng Wenque just now, her expression hadn’t shown the slightest emotional fluctuation.

Did she really like that Cheng Wenque?

Or had she seen those files yesterday and suddenly come to her senses?

If that were truly the case, he would breathe a sigh of relief.

Whether or not it was true, her indifferent attitude was exactly what he wanted.

But after pondering for a moment, Yan Chiyun still decided to tell her how he would handle Cheng Wenque.

Originally, he had planned to kill him directly.

But this man had saved Yan Huaixiao’s life back in the day, so for now, he would spare his life.

However, he had seduced Pu Wange and then slandered and framed her afterwards.

He ordered his men to castrate him, cut out his tongue, and banish him from the capital.

Hearing this, Pu Jinyu paused and looked over.

Yan Chiyun also stopped eating.

“Do you think my punishment is too severe?”

It was indeed somewhat harsh.

Having his tongue cut out, being castrated, and banished from the capital would likely make life a living hell, with no way to survive.

But what intrigued her was that Yan Chiyun’s punishment for Cheng Wenque could be described as torture.

Why did he let her off so lightly?

Just because of that ‘like’?

Was it for her?

No, was it for her elder sister?

If that were truly the case… a flicker of light passed through the depths of her eyes.

“Why haven’t you punished me?” she asked.

They had been married for nearly four years.

In the past, Yan Chiyun had been busy with official duties, leaving early and returning late, rarely sharing a meal with her.

Today, he noticed that she was actually somewhat picky about food, though not very obviously so.

Hearing her question, he asked in return, “How do you want me to punish you?”

“Di—”

Before she could even utter the word ‘vorce’, the man, with a cold face, picked up a small piece of spare rib and stuffed it into her mouth, interrupting her.

His voice was also somewhat cold.

“Shut up.”

Yesterday, they had clearly agreed to let this matter rest and not bring it up again.

Yet she wanted to mention it once more.

Pu Jinyu pressed her lips around the small piece of spare rib in her mouth.

She didn’t say anything more, just slowly and daintily ate it, bite by small bite.

Seeing her fall silent again, likely determined to remain her little mute self, Yan Chiyun sighed inwardly.

He picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it in the bowl beside her, a silent gesture of reconciliation.

Pu Jinyu saw the food the man had placed for her.

She paused for a moment, then ate it anyway.

Seeing that she not only ate the food he had given her but even picked up a piece of carrot and put it in his bowl in return, Yan Chiyun was speechless.

It was like a response to his goodwill, yet it also seemed to harbor a hidden agenda.

Was she doing it deliberately?

This was his most detested side dish.

Pu Jinyu looked up at him directly, seemingly waiting for him to eat it.

Yan Chiyun absolutely hated eating carrots.

She had managed his meals and household affairs for several years now; she must know his preferences clearly.

So this must be deliberate.

Even though it was deliberate, seeing her watch him like this, he still forced himself to overcome his dislike, picked it up, and ate it.

Seeing the man chew slowly with obvious displeasure, the corner of Pu Jinyu’s mouth lifted slightly, a trace of mockery flashing in her eyes.

But he only saw the smile on her face, not the mockery, and became even more convinced that she had done it on purpose.

In the past, he had indeed known too little about her.

He only thought she was virtuous and dignified, always considerate of others, and acted very thoughtfully.

The real her was not like that at all.

She was quite wicked.

Yet the more he learned about her wickedness, the more curious he became about her true nature.

He didn’t feel any aversion to it at all.

***

After breakfast, Yan Chiyun went out for a while, presumably to deal with Cheng Wenque.

He asked if she wanted to come along.

Pu Jinyu shook her head.

“I’ll be back soon.

You can go to the study and read for a while.”

She didn’t respond, just nodded.

Seeing this, he hummed in acknowledgement.

Pu Jinyu watched the man’s departing figure, then turned and went back inside.