So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

Birds fluttered through the dim woods, and the gazes of the two met seemed to be seized by a pair of fateful hands, shattering the previous calm and piercing each other's hearts with sharp intensity.

Xie Xun chuckled dismissively. "You don't actually want to marry me, do you?"

Ning Yu felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze. "I'm not good enough for you. Let's end this here. From now on, we'll go our separate ways. I hope the Governor won't make things difficult for me at home."

"Do I look like a bodhisattva to you, letting you come and go as you please?"

"So what do you want? For me to watch you get married and have children, to be your woman who can't be seen in public, and only after you're tired of me can I live my own life?"

The two were arguing loudly. Xie Xun, seeing her sharp tongue, grabbed her and pulled her close. Ning Yu, too lazy to pretend anymore, raised her leg to kick him.

He quickly pressed down on her leg, saying, "I let you off the hook last time, but you've already forgotten your lesson after just a few days."

Ning Yu knew he was referring to the time she turned her back on someone and was punished. "What, are you going to use the Ning family to threaten me again?"

"I won't threaten you with the Ning family. I'll just lock you up in a brothel for a few days and you'll behave."

Ning Yu suddenly thought of the women locked up with wild beasts in the building that day, and his heart skipped a beat. His mind cleared up considerably.

I was so angry with him that I almost broke off all contact with him again.

Seeing that she was pursing her lips and remaining silent, Xie Xun sneered, "Weren't you being very tough just now?"

He paused suddenly as soon as he finished speaking, glancing sideways at the dense woods.

A rustling sound came from the woods to the side. Before Ning Yu could react, she saw him lift his foot and head towards the other end of the woods.

When the old man hiding in the woods realized he had been discovered, he was so frightened that he tried to run away, but no one chased after him. He couldn't help but wonder if he had just scared himself.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he subconsciously turned around and looked closely. He saw the man approaching. Before he could run, he felt a sudden gust of wind, his neck was grabbed, and he was pulled into the dense forest by the man.

Not a single cry for help came. When Ning Yu arrived, she watched as he forcefully snapped the old man's neck with his bare hands. The half of his face hidden in the darkness showed no trace of gentleness.

His true nature is unpredictable and ruthless; what he reveals is merely a facade.

A short while later, the old man died. Xie Xun kicked him away like he was throwing away trash, slowly got up, and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

Ning Yu and Xie Xun were left alone in the woods again.

Having just finished arguing, Ning Yu wanted to get as far away from him as possible, so she turned around and tried to walk away.

Xie Xun's voice came calmly, "Going out dressed like this, do you want to become a laughingstock in the whole camp?"

Reminded by him, Ning Yu looked down at her clothes. During their argument and struggle, her clothes had been torn to shreds.

She glanced back at his cloak, her face softening. "Could I borrow your cloak, Commander?"

"Weren't you just being tough and insisting on breaking up with me?"

Ning Yu glanced at her dead father-in-law, held back her retort, and dared not say another word.

Xie Xun slowly walked towards her, grabbed her chin and lifted it up, "I spared you this time, not so you can take advantage of my favor and climb all over me."

Ning Yu was forced to look up at him, her jaw aching from his rubbing against her. Listening to his condescending tone, she couldn't help but recall the day he humiliated her and then gave her the cold shoulder. She felt like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, waiting for his judgment. She didn't want it to be like that anymore; she really didn't want to be so passive.

"I heard that the Governor is getting married in three months. I believe the Governor is not so desperate that he can't live without me. Three months, after you get married, we will end it."

"Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?"

"Could it be that the governor of Chengdu really can't do without me?"

"Just a woman, and a woman who only knows how to take advantage of kindness," Xie Xun sneered, looking at her lips, now bright red from being kissed. "You've gotten tired of her after three months, so be it."

Ning Yu knew he was arrogant, but hearing his quick agreement, her anger immediately dissipated. She didn't have to wait for him to get tired of her; in just three months, she would be free.

Seeing the joy in her eyes, Xie Xun felt even more annoyed. He wanted to take back what he had said, but his temper wouldn't allow him to speak so bluntly. He grabbed her waist, lifted her up, and kissed her heavily.

With a muffled groan, Ning Yu frowned slightly, but did not struggle. Anyway, there were still three months left, and in three months she could get rid of these hopeless days.

Kiss me.

He looked down at her with a cold gaze.

Ning Yu could tell that he was very unhappy. She calmed herself down, put on her usual affectionate and coaxing demeanor, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips.

She was used to pretending to deceive him, and Xie Xun knew that she was only giving in now because he had relented, so he couldn't help but laugh at her naivety.

If he doesn't want to let her go then, he'll have a hundred ways to make her submit and willingly lie beneath him.

Ning Yu didn't know what he was thinking, but she felt that the forest was chilly at night and that she was wearing thin clothes, so she couldn't help but pull his clothes to cover herself.

Xie Xun took off his cloak and wrapped it around her, then casually placed his hand on her waist, pulled her into his arms, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Just moments ago they were exchanging sharp insults, but now they were hugging and kissing. Ning Yu didn't understand how things had turned out this way, but she could only comfort herself that it was good news. A commander-in-chief of the three armies couldn't go back on his word.

Wow, it's a dog, always biting or gnawing.

"How did you meet Xie Yun?"

A hoarse voice suddenly came from beside her ear, instantly waking her from her dazed state. She saw him nestled in the crook of her neck, kissing her, without looking up at her. After thinking for a moment, she replied.

"Five years ago, I was recuperating at my estate in Fuzhou. On my way back to the capital, I met His Highness Prince Zhao. I only saw him once, and we rarely had any contact afterward."

Fuzhou?! Xie Xun recalled the information his secret guards had gathered earlier, and bit her lip, "He's already so anxious about you after just one meeting?"

Ning Yu was afraid he would investigate, so she raised her face and let him kiss and bite her. She said, "The capital is only so big. We've run into each other a few times. He's not in good health. I know a little about medicine, so I treated him twice. He probably appreciates me, so he treats me especially well."

As she finished speaking, she felt his kisses and bites become even deeper, and the pain made her push him away. "Governor, be gentle."

"He doesn't seem as simple as you make him out to be. You two had a fight, tell me, how did you two get into a fight?"