Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Xiao Yiheng, however, smiled and remained calm.

"Young Master Pei, please don't mistake me for someone else. I am Liu Si, the man Wen Ying picked up from the roadside to be her live-in husband."

He deliberately emphasized the word "son-in-law," as if to assert his sovereignty.

Pei Zeyu's knuckles cracked from his grip. Normally, he could have suppressed his anger, but...

"Even without you, I can still take her away and protect her."

"Take her away? Where can we go?"

Xiao Yiheng raised an eyebrow. "Back to the Duke of Yu's mansion? Second Young Master Pei, your Pei family is currently in deep trouble."

"Wenying finally got her employment contract and regained her freedom, and you still want to take her back to that hellhole?"

Pei Zeyu felt as if he had been doused with cold water. The Pei family was in dire straits, his elder brother had just been forced to resign from his official post, and his father was walking on thin ice in the court.

If he takes Liu Wenying back now, he will not be protecting her, but harming her.

Footsteps sounded again outside the door.

Xue Bi pushed open the door and entered, dressed neatly in a blue robe, his expression calm.

His gaze swept over the three people in the room, finally settling on Liu Wenying.

"Wenying, it's time to go and offer the toasts. The guests outside are all waiting."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yiheng reached out his hand to Liu Wenying.

With palms facing upwards and long, slender fingers, it's an inviting gesture.

Pei Zeyu almost clenched his fists to pieces.

He suddenly grabbed Liu Wenying's other hand and refused to let go.

Xiao Yiheng's voice was gentle, but his words were sharp.

"Young Master Pei, I think you should prioritize things."

Xue Bi also said, "If we can't finish this play today, Wenying's reputation will be truly ruined."

He paused, looked at Pei Zeyu's tightly clenched hand, and said calmly, "It's all fake. What is Second Master Pei afraid of? Is it... a lack of confidence in himself?"

"I just can't stand to see a speck of dust in my eye."

Liu Wenying gently tugged at his sleeve, as if trying to persuade him.

Even if it's just acting, you have to finish the play.

Pei Zeyu's Adam's apple bobbed as he suddenly remembered that he had promised to visit her before the winter solstice.

Later, due to busy affairs at court, he broke his promise.

Later, the late emperor passed away, and he was confined to the palace, where he has been stuck ever since.

"I promised you I would come before the winter solstice."

His clear voice was terribly hoarse, and every word felt like it was cutting into his own heart.

"Unfortunately... I didn't do it."

He slowly released his grip, his fingers tracing across her wrist, leaving a warm sensation.

"Consider this punishment for breaking my promise."

He looked at her, his eyes even more bloodshot.

"After you've finished toasting... remember to come back, I'll be waiting for you."

It's hard to say, and it hurts my heart.

But he knew in his heart that the Pei family was in grave danger, and he could not give her a stable promise, or even protect her.

Forcing her to leave now would truly harm her.

I'm afraid that if I look at it any longer, my emotions will overwhelm my reason.

Pei Zeyu lowered his eyes, turned his face away, and stopped looking at the two red figures side by side.

"Yes, I will be back."

After Liu Wenying agreed, she placed her hand in Xiao Yiheng's palm.

The two walked out of the house, their bright red dresses overlapping briefly at the threshold before separating again.

The door closed, and the room became quiet.

Xue Bi turned to leave, but Pei Zeyu suddenly spoke:

"In those days, Grand Tutor Xue was renowned throughout the land, and I was fortunate enough to see his original calligraphy and poetry."

"I thought that even if the Xue family fell on hard times, they would still have some integrity and talent. I was wrong."

These words made Xue Bi's back stiffen.

He turned around and said slowly, "At least I act with integrity, which is much better than some people who don't even have the courage to protect their loved ones and can only resort to empty words."

Pei Zeyu felt a tightness in his chest, as if he had been stabbed.

Before he could refute, Xue Bi turned and left, leaving Pei Zeyu alone.

He was filled with bitterness. Wenying used the pretense of finding a live-in husband as a cover, but he would rather that person be Xue Bi.

He was ultimately a scion of a fallen noble family, much easier to deal with.

Unfortunately, that person was Xiao Yiheng.

Halfway through the wedding banquet, the guests were quite tipsy.

They were so drunk they were staggering, and some of them even shouted auspicious words as they left.

"May Liu Zhuangtou and Liu Sige have a son soon!"

May you grow old together in harmony, enjoy a long and happy life, and have your days become increasingly prosperous!

Xiao Yiheng faced the direction of the voice and replied gently, "Thank you all for your kind words."

An old farmer patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Liu Si, although your eyesight isn't good, you're an honest man and you know how to talk! We don't ask for anything else, we just hope that you and Village Chief Liu can make a good living!"

Liu Wenying stood beside Xiao Yiheng, smiled and nodded in response.

But when she was socializing, her gaze would always drift involuntarily to that tightly closed door.

The new house was located in a room north of the nursing home, which was originally where Liu Wenying usually lived.

I specially cleaned it up today, with double happiness characters pasted on the window, a bright red brocade quilt on the bed, and nuptial wine on the table.

Although it was a fake marriage, all the proper etiquette was observed.

At this moment, the small room is packed with five people.

Liu Wenying sat on the edge of the bed, her wedding dress still on, but her red agate headdress had been removed and placed aside.

Xiao Yiheng sat opposite her.

Xue Bi leaned against the door frame, while Lu Ye crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his brows furrowed, his gaze sweeping back and forth over the group.

Pei Zeyu sat beside Liu Wenying, the wound on his palm had been simply bandaged, and dried bloodstains were still on his plain white sleeves.

In the tense and oppressive atmosphere, the door creaked open.

Granny Wang came in carrying a tea tray, muttering to herself.

"Those clueless fools still wanted to cause trouble in the bridal chamber! I chased them away. They're so rough in the countryside, how could Wenying's body possibly handle that..."

As soon as the words "bridal chamber" were uttered, the eyes of everyone in the room turned to look at them.

Granny Wang's hand trembled, and the cups on the tea tray clattered.

She had lived to such an old age, and this was the first time she had ever been stared at by so many handsome young men at the same time.

The heat came from all four directions at the same time, making her feel uncomfortable all over, and even the soles of her feet were burning.

Although Xiao Yiheng was blind, his unfocused eyes were strangely unsettling.

Xue Bi's eyes were clear yet profound.

Lu Ye stared intently at him.

Pei Zeyu... his gaze could freeze a person to death.

"Ouch, ouch..."

Granny Wang hurriedly put down the tea tray and gave a dry laugh.

"I'll go see where Luo Luo and Xiao Ya have gone! They're flower girls today, they're probably still playing in the yard..."

As she spoke, she retreated, fleeing out the door as if escaping, and slammed the door shut behind her.

Pei Zeyu's voice was icy cold, making no attempt to hide his jealousy and anger. "The bridal chamber?"

Xiao Yiheng was not flustered at all; instead, he laughed even more amusedly, deliberately adding fuel to the fire with a flippant tone.

"What? Second Young Master Pei, do you perhaps want to join in too?"

"Cough cough cough..." Liu Wenying was drinking the water that Granny Wang brought her when she almost choked.

One sentence was like a trigger that completely enraged Pei Zeyu. He suddenly stood up and was about to grab Xiao Yiheng's collar.

I've disliked him for a long time. His princely status and his unhealed serious injuries have all been burned away by my anger.

"Second Master!"

Liu Wenying's voice rang out just in time. She picked up another teacup, quickly stepped forward, and handed the warm tea to Pei Zeyu.

"Second Master, please have some tea first."

The tea was slightly hot, and the warmth emanated from the porcelain wall. Pei Zeyu's near-out-of-control rationality was pulled back by Liu Wenying.

…………