Let me explain, it's not what you think.

That night, everyone in Lu Chen's circle from the Xuan Tian Sect sat in Hu Wei's room.

Chen Xuejiao also prepared a table full of delicious food and sat down to drink with everyone.

After a few rounds of drinks, Hu Wei's room was already quite lively.

Wang Feng drank the most, his face flushed red, and he never put down his wine glass.

"That fiend! If I catch him, I'll tear him to pieces! I'll refine him in the alchemy furnace for forty-nine days!"

Zhang Fan sat next to him, his expression blank, whether from drinking too much or from remembering something, it was hard to tell.

"My wife is gone, my child is gone... all because of him. Senior brother, tell me, what's the point of me living?"

"Bullshit!" Wang Feng slapped him on the back of the head.

"I live for revenge! Once you catch that monster, you'll kill him with your own hands!"

Zhang Fan was knocked forward by his slap. He looked up, his eyes red: "Yes. I want to kill him with my own hands."

Lin Tian sat to the side, holding a wine glass, without saying a word.

As his brothers complained, he drank one cup after another.

Zhuang Jingbai's departure was a significant blow to him.

Hu Wei drank quite a bit today because he was in a good mood.

He patted Lu Chen on the shoulder, quite pleased with him: "Chen'er, you didn't even tell your master before breaking through to the Golden Core stage, not uttering a word, so distant with me!"

"I broke through at the last minute, I didn't have time," Lu Chen said hurriedly.

He was one of only two people present who remained sober.

In such a critical situation, he dared not drink too much.

The more they drank, the more everyone present passed out.

Even Hu Wei was no exception, sleeping soundly with his head on the table.

Chen Xuejiao sat next to him and wiped the sweat from his forehead, displaying the qualities of a virtuous wife.

Looking at his brothers lying haphazardly, Lu Chen sighed and escorted them all back to their rooms.

After finishing all that, he returned to Hu Wei's room and found Hu Wei still slumped over the table, while Chen Xuejiao sat beside him.

"Master's wife, Master..."

"He's fine, he just drank too much. Let him lie here for a while, he'll go back when he wakes up."

Lu Chen nodded and turned to leave.

"Chen'er," Chen Xuejiao called out to him.

Lu Chen stopped, without turning around.

"About you and them..." Chen Xuejiao's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of something indescribable.

Lu Chen's body stiffened for a moment.

"Where did Jiang Huaiyu and Yu Ning go? It's said that Jiang Huaiyu specifically looked for you before he left."

Chen Xuejiao's meaning was clear: she already knew that Lu Chen's identity had been exposed by the two women.

Lu Chen turned around and looked at Chen Xuejiao sitting under the candlelight.

She was stunningly beautiful, her smooth hair gently brushing against her snow-white skin, but there was something in her eyes that he couldn't understand.

"Master's wife..."

Chen Xuejiao did not answer directly, but lowered her head and played with a ball of spiritual energy released from her fingers.

"They've all contacted you?"

Lu Chen paused for a moment, then nodded.

"That's true. They are all smart women. After years of investigating you, it's normal that they guessed your identity."

Lu Chen did not respond.

He knew Chen Xuejiao had already guessed something, but he didn't know how much she had guessed, so it was right for him not to say anything!

"You don't need to be nervous."

"Your mistress isn't here to interrogate you. She just wants to ask you... why did you come?"

"What's coming?"

"You shouldn't have come to Yongning City, this place at the center of the storm. You should have gone as far away as possible."

"I had to come."

Lu Chen's voice was somewhat bitter.

"I am their close friend, their brother, and their relative. If I don't come, it will only arouse suspicion."

Chen Xuejiao stared at him for a long time, then sighed softly and looked at Hu Wei.

"He doesn't know."

She walked towards Lu Chen and stood beside him.

"He didn't know... it was yours!"

After these words were spoken, the room became so quiet that only the crackling of the candlelight could be heard.

At the same time, you could hear the two people's breathing intertwined, like two tangled threads.

"You know, Shen'er, these past few years... I've been under a lot of pressure. Every time I see him, I'm reminded of..."

"Alright, quiet down!"

"Chen'er." Chen Xuejiao called his name, her voice carrying a softness he had never heard before.

"Please...talk to me, anything you want to say. I've been so lonely and depressed these past few years!"

Lu Chen looked at her, at the thin layer of tears in her eyes, and a strange, indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.

Chen Xuejiao was the first to confront him, and also the one who kept it a secret the longest. None of Jiang Huaiyu and Yu Ning could hold out as long as she could, so she was under the most pressure!

"Sigh, you've suffered so much these past years!" He could only manage to say this, forcing himself to speak.

Chen Xuejiao paused for a moment, then smiled.

"That's enough."

She approached Lu Chen, very close, close enough that he could smell the faint, unique fragrance of a mature woman emanating from her.

Lu Chen instinctively wanted to back away, but there was a table behind him, and Hu Wei was still there. He had nowhere to retreat.

Chen Xuejiao made no further move; she simply stood there, looking up at him with her head slightly tilted back.

Her eyes were glistening with moisture, but without tears, like a pool of spring water.

"Chen'er, perhaps only you can understand my concealment and my torment."

Lu Chen remained silent.

His heart was pounding, but he didn't know what he was so nervous about.

"Your scent is so comforting. I'm always on edge on ordinary days, but I don't have to be when I'm with you."

"Can I... hug you? Consider it your treat. You just said so yourself."

"You know, we..."

"Just this once! Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll break down and say things I shouldn't!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen closed his eyes.

As for Chen Xuejiao, she seemed to have found someone to rely on.

The candlelight flickered again, Hu Wei turned over, mumbled something, and then fell into a deep sleep again.