Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

In the evening, a sumptuous dinner was laid out on the table, and the heat gradually dissipated.

Hongdou cautiously observed Jiang Sese's expression and whispered, "Madam, the eldest young master hasn't returned yet."

Upon hearing Hongdou's words, Jiang Sese put down her chopsticks and said, "Take all the food away."

"Yes," Hongdou replied, and the other two maids began to quietly clear away the dishes.

Fu Yun, who was standing to the side, hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't help but step forward and whisper, "Madam...aren't you waiting for the eldest young master?"

Jiang Sese's tone carried a sharpness and resentment that she herself didn't realize: "I'm not waiting anymore."

They've only been married for a short time.

So he's not going home?

Without even a word of explanation, they just walked away?

Jiang Sese grew angrier the more she thought about it, her chest felt tight and heavy, and an indescribable sense of grievance welled up from her chest.

Jiang Sese sat alone under the lamp for a little over half an hour. As the night outside the window grew darker, Hongdou quietly came in and trimmed the candle wick twice. She looked at Jiang Sese several times, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately left without saying anything.

Jiang Sese stared at the flickering candlelight, her mind replaying the resolute figure of him leaving that afternoon over and over again. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and the tighter her chest felt.

When Xie Jue returned, Jiang Sese heard from the other side that the eldest young master had gone to the study and said he would be staying there tonight.

Jiang Sese was so angry she laughed.

Is this a sign that I'm going to give her the silent treatment?

Jiang Sese took a deep breath and told Hongdou to turn off the lights and go to sleep, saying she wouldn't wait any longer.

Hongdou hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, but Jiang Sese had already lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her head.

Hongdou had no choice but to blow out the lamp and quietly slip away.

Jiang Sese was initially fuming, but because her biological clock had kicked in, she drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, she unconsciously turned over, only to bump her arm against a warm wall—someone was there!

Jiang Sese was still dazed, but her body reacted faster than her brain. She suddenly opened her eyes and was about to scream, but the person pulled her into their arms.

"SeSe." A familiar voice rang out above her head.

Jiang Sese stopped screaming instantly, her heart still pounding. A surge of anger rushed to her head, and she struggled desperately: "Weren't you going to sleep in the study? Why are you back? Isn't the study comfortable? Didn't you want to ignore me? Let go!"

Jiang Sese pushed hard against his chest, kicking her legs restlessly, but her voice was still hoarse from just waking up and filled with unconcealed grievance, "You just leave like that, you just don't want to go home, Xie Junheng, you've really grown up."

Xie Jue was about to speak, but when his fingertips touched the damp, cool skin on her cheek, he immediately turned his words into a sigh.

He tightened his arms around her, pulling her close, and rested his chin on the top of her head. He remained silent for a while before speaking, his voice lower and softer than before.

"SeSe, why didn't you tell me?"

Xie Jue tightened his arms, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Jiang Sese sniffed. Actually, she wasn't usually such a fragile person, but for some reason, when Xie Jue asked her why, she felt so wronged that she wanted to cry.

Jiang Sese: "You said before that Chen Jingang is, after all, a prince of the imperial clan, and has the Yangzhou prince behind him. His Majesty has always been lenient towards the imperial clan... I don't want... I don't want you..."

Towards the end, he choked up and couldn't speak anymore.

The person she admired was incredibly intelligent and ruthless; it seemed there was nothing in the world that could stump him.

Sometimes Jiang Sese gets very frustrated.

She, an ordinary person, actually managed to time travel. Not only that, but she also had a system space with no cheat codes whatsoever.

Just as Emperor Jingyuan had hoped.

Jiang Sese felt that if she couldn't help the person she liked, she should at least not hold him back.

Xie Jue remained silent for a long time.

"SeSe, am I really that untrustworthy?"

Jiang Sese opened her blurry, tear-filled eyes. There was an ever-burning lamp in the corner of the wall outside the inner room's curtains. The ever-burning lamp was never turned off when the other lights were turned off. At this moment, in the dim light, Jiang Sese seemed to see Xie Jue's eyes, which had never shown much emotion except for a faint smile, now filled with relief, lingering fear, and a trace of hurt.

Jiang Sese was stunned.

Xie Jue originally thought that no matter how good-natured Jiang Sese was, he should find a way to vent his anger for her.

She knew whether he had the ability or not.

But she remained silent.

They simply said nothing was wrong.

Jiang Sese shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face, "It's not like that, I just don't want to... I don't want to..."

Having read so many novels, she was even less willing to do anything foolish, to be willful, or to place her hopes on others. She was, after all, not a girl of this era.

Jiang Sese took a deep breath, trying hard to hold back her tears: "Fine, think what you want."

Her maturity might seem unnecessary to him.

What she should do is rely on him wholeheartedly.

She finally managed to resolve the matter herself and return safely, but now she still has to be mindful of Xie Jue's attitude.

Jiang Sese smiled and turned over to face inwards, but Xie Jue immediately turned her back over. Before Jiang Sese could speak, Xie Jue had already pulled her into his arms. Jiang Sese struggled desperately, feeling like she couldn't breathe.

But then Xie Jue said, "Sese, I was wrong. You have never been a burden to me. Do you know how I felt when I received the news at the governor's mansion this afternoon? I was angry with myself. I wanted you to trust me, but I failed to protect you."

Jiang Sese then stopped struggling.

Xie Jue stepped back slightly, allowing her to see his earnest eyes: "Are you afraid I'll act on emotion? Afraid that after hearing this, I'll recklessly harm Chen Jingang, afraid I'll do something irreversible for you?"

Jiang Sese bit her lip and didn't answer, but her slightly reddened eyes had already answered for her.

Xie Jue said slowly, "You underestimate your husband too much."

Jiang Sese couldn't help but defend herself, saying, "I didn't underestimate you. I just knew how capable you were. I didn't want to make things worse, that's why I didn't tell you."

"If you think of me, I'll think of you too..."

Xie Jue said, "But Sese, I have never made any decisions for you without your permission, but you have always made decisions for me."

Jiang Sese couldn't think of anything to refute.

Jiang Sese could only say, "So, I'm sensible, am I wrong? Should I be willful and capricious all the time, doing whatever I want, and in the end, drag you down and make you despise me..."

Jiang Sese bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, but they still rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Xie Jue interrupted her sharply, "Even if you implicate me, I'll accept it willingly!"

Jiang Sese was stunned.

Xie Jue hugged her tightly, pressing his face against her forehead. Feeling the dampness on her forehead, Jiang Sese was so shocked that her soul seemed to leave her body.

After a long while, Jiang Sese finally reached out and hugged Xie Jue, burying her face in his chest.