The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 321 Lu Zhan: Not tonight
When Lu Zhan returned after his bath, he saw that Zhi Wan had wrapped herself completely in the quilt, and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you planning to stay wrapped up like this all night?"

Although Zhiwan's head was covered by the blanket, she could still clearly hear her cousin's voice.

And after being wrapped up for so long, she felt a bit hot.

She slowly pulled back the covers and saw her cousin lying beside her, his head propped up, a smile clearly visible in his dark eyes as he looked at her.

Zhiwan's face flushed slightly, but she casually pulled the blanket down a little.

"Would you like some water?" Lu Zhan asked gently when he saw her face was flushed.

He shouldn't have said anything, because as soon as he did, Zhiwan felt thirsty.

"Mmm." She nodded gently.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan got up, poured a glass of water at the table, and handed it to her.

Zhiwan sat up, took the cup, drank a little bit, then stopped and handed the cup back to her cousin.

Seeing that there was still half a glass of water in the cup, Lu Zhan asked, "Why don't you drink more?"

Zhiwan shook her head, "I don't want to drink anymore."

Drinking too much water before bed can make you more likely to wake up at night.

She didn't want to get up at night to relieve herself; that was too much trouble.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan didn't say anything more. After finishing the remaining water in his cup, he said gently, "Then go to sleep. I'm turning off the light."

"Mmm." Zhiwan lay down as instructed.

Lu Zhan blew out the extra candles in the room, leaving only the two in front of the bed.

He lifted the curtain and lay down beside Zhiwan.

Zhiwan was still awake when she felt her cousin lie down beside her, and a strange feeling suddenly swept through her heart.

Unable to resist, she turned to lie on her side and looked at the man beside her.

As soon as Lu Zhan lay down, he noticed his cousin scrutinizing him.

He paused, then raised his hand and patted her head. "What are you looking at?"

Zhiwan shook her head. "I didn't see anything... I just felt a very strange feeling."

"What strange feeling?" Lu Zhan asked with interest.

Zhiwan opened her mouth, but in the end she didn't say anything, instead resting her head on his arm.

Lu Zhan smiled slightly and pulled her soft body into his arms.

"I like the feeling of lying in the same bed with my cousin." Finally, Zhiwan whispered in his arms.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan tightened his grip on her arm, his heart melting completely.

"Why do I suddenly have this feeling?" He gently stroked the top of the girl's head with his chin. "We've slept in the same bed before."

Zhiwan naturally remembered.

Not only in dreams, but also in reality, they slept together.

But the two were not married at that time.

And now, they are lying in the same bed as husband and wife.

Sleeping beside her was her husband, the man she was to spend her life with.

"Besides, we slept in the same bed on our wedding night last night," Lu Zhan added.

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because once he did, Zhiwan found herself in a difficult situation.

"You still dare to say that?" Zhiwan said reproachfully.

Last night, on her wedding night, she was tormented by her cousin almost all night, doing *that* kind of thing, so she didn't have a chance to calm down and properly experience that wonderful state of mind.

Hearing his cousin's coquettish complaint, Lu Zhan immediately realized what she meant. He coughed lightly, patted her back, and said gently, "Don't worry, it won't happen tonight..."

When that matter was brought up, Zhiwan felt a little uncomfortable, but she always felt that her cousin was being hypocritical by saying such things.

What do you mean by "not tonight"?
Who was messing with her in the study just now?
However, since her cousin said so, she believed him.

She fell asleep peacefully in his arms.

The next day was the day the bride returned to her parents' home.

Early in the morning, Madam Wei came to Qingyun Residence with the gift list to find Zhiwan.

"This is the homecoming gift I prepared for you. Take a look and see if anything is missing, and I'll add it."

When Zhiwan saw the stack of gift lists in her hand, she immediately shook her head, "Aunt, there's no need for such trouble. I'm just going back for a short visit and will be back soon. A few gifts will suffice."

“How can this be? Since you have already recognized Da Niu and Er Niu as your elder brothers, the homecoming ceremony cannot be taken lightly. The proper etiquette must be observed,” Madam Wei insisted.

In her view, although Da Niu and Er Niu lived in the Zhi Mansion to help Wan'er take care of the house, Wan'er's first child would have to take the surname Zhi.

If the child is to live in the Zhi family mansion, then the two brothers, Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu, will be her grandson's stewards, so they cannot be mistreated.

In addition, she needs to prepare a substantial inheritance for her eldest grandson well in advance.

We must not mistreat this child.

Some of the gifts she prepared for her return visit today are for the Chen family, but most of them will be locked in the storeroom and left for her eldest grandson later.

Zhiwan was unaware that her mother-in-law was thinking so far ahead. Seeing her insistence, she could only say, "Then let's do as Mother has prepared. There's no need to add anything else."

“Alright, then I’ll have Granny Fang prepare. You and A-Zhan can go directly to the gate of the mansion in a little while. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back,” said Madam Wei.

"Yes, Mother." Zhiwan nodded obediently.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief as soon as her mother-in-law left.

Last night, because of something in the study, she and her cousin didn't go to the orchid courtyard to have dinner with her in-laws. She was worried that her mother-in-law would bring it up.

Unexpectedly, my mother-in-law didn't mention it at all.

When Zhiwan finished tidying up and went out of the house, she saw her cousin coming out of the study.

"Cousin, if there's nothing else, let's set off now."

"Okay," Lu Zhan replied.

When the couple arrived at the gate of the mansion, Granny Fang had already led people to load all the gifts for the couple's return visit onto the carriage.

Upon seeing the two emerge, he immediately stepped forward and reported, "Your Highness, Your Highness's Wife, the return gifts are all prepared; you may depart now."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Zhiwan nodded.

She and Lu Zhan rode in one carriage, Shuang'er, Chen the wet nurse, and Fang the nanny rode in another, and the other carriage contained the gifts for the bride's return visit.

Outside the gate of the Zhi Mansion.

As soon as the carriage carrying Zhiwan came to a stop, she heard a voice outside calling, "Wanwan!"

Zhiwan was taken aback. She pushed open the car window and saw Ouyang Zhenzhu and Princess Changle standing outside.

"You...why are you here?"

"What, are you unhappy to see us? Then let's go." Ouyang Zhenzhu said, and made a move to take Princess Chang Le's arm and leave.

"No, that's not what I meant." Zhiwan panicked and quickly got up and got out of the carriage.

"Zhiwan, come here, let me carry you." Princess Changle stood beside the carriage, stretching out her arms as if to take her.

Just as Zhiwan was about to speak, Lu Zhan, who had followed her out, pulled her back.

He glanced indifferently at Princess Chang Le, "Your Highness need not trouble yourself. I can carry my wife myself." With that, in full view of everyone, he picked up Zhi Wan and carried her directly off the carriage before Chen Jiu could even put down the horse stool.

"Wow!" Ouyang Zhenzhu exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Lu is so strong!"

Princess Chang Le glanced at her sideways and sneered, "Look at your pathetic self! Zhi Wan isn't heavy at all; I could have jumped off the carriage carrying her!"