The Furen had changed!

     Xiao Ying and Xiao Yuan kept telling themselves, watching in amazement as their beautiful mistress flirted and played sweetly with the man beside her, her eyes brimming with affection. Was that really their mistress, or had someone else disguised to be her?

    Yun Si remained oblivious to her maids' inner thoughts, offering only a radiant smile that reached her eyes, allowing her husband to envelop her within his embrace, her eyes fluttering shut as his warm lips met her forehead.

    "Your birthday is coming up soon,"

    he whispered seductively into her ear, to which she nodded shyly, a bashful demeanor on display. Her husband watched her coy reactions with adoration, deciding not to tease his wife any further.

    "Yes, early next month marks my seventeenth anniversary," she replied sweetly, every action of her expressing deep affection for her man.

    From outside A-Yin, who stood waiting to serve them, couldn't help but smile at the scene. This trip to Luo Yang was truly worthwhile, seeing his master and the Great Furen finally understanding each other.

    "Hmm... Last year, I wasn't prepared and gave you only ordinary gifts. This year, what does my Furen wish for? I shall fetch it for you, be it the moon or the stars; just express your desire."

    Yun Si chuckled softly; a line once used by Young Master Su to woo her. She hadn't expected him to remember it.

    "I have everything I need. I don't wish for the moon or stars. Having you by my side is more than enough for me."

    Her words, tender and pleasing, made the servants and maids blush with admiration. Lan Qing laughed gently, nuzzling her cheek as a token of his affection.

    "Alright then, whenever you desire something, just tell me. Even if it’s not your birthday, Si’ Er, I will gift it to you."

    "Thank you."

    Seeing her beam joyfully yet with a hint of playfulness, Lan Qing couldn't help but restrain his burgeoning fondness, advising her to get ready for the evening celebration before stepping away to allow her some privacy.

    Once he had left, Xiao Ying approached closely, examining her mistress flushed face and becoming certain of her thoughts. Her mistress had truly fallen for her husband. The prior restraint was likely due to the numerous concubines and the complexity of their relationship.

    "Congratulations, Furen"

    "Congratulations? For what?" Yun Si asked, puzzled, and frowned slightly.

    "For understanding Master Lan at last, Furen,” Xiao Ying clarified with a sincere smile. Seeing her mistress content was enough for her, knowing how strenuously the Great Furen had strived to find her place among many women in her master’s life.

    ” Stop, you’re talking too much. You know too well already. Why haven't you prepared my bath yet?" Yun Si sharply commanded, visibly irked, pointing her finger. Her petite maid, seeing her mistress deflect and change the topic, giggled and hurried off to prepare as instructed.

    'Furen is so adorable when shy.'

    Leaning against the headboard, Yun Si watched the maids, her mind racing with thoughts. After the eventful banquet at the Su family, she would have many tasks to do. Lan Qing had disrupted their balance, hastening the collapse of their once-neutral relationship. Have walls ever stood without balance?

    The Su family's banquet was lively, swarming with guests. Yun Si had to admit it wasn't surprising to see Su Jian so unruly; much of the Su family’s prestige owed to Lan Qing's support from behind the scenes. Without him, the Su family might well have crumbled.

    Since when had Lan Qing been so kind-hearted?

    She glanced at her husband, dressed in a flowing white robe, exhaling softly. The white suited him, making him with an almost celestial aura.

    Currently, her benevolent husband mingled with acquaintances, it’s men’s affairs and women shouldn’t interfere. Thus, Yun Si didn't follow; she merely exchanged a silent gaze with someone across the room.

    Yun Han smirked confidently, her eyes gleaming more intensely than usual. Yun Si glanced around with curiosity before the music started.

    "Swan's Plea" resonated once more, drawing everyone's attention. Yun Si frowned, spotting Su Li Lin in a fitting red dress. Was she playing this tune for someone?

    Her vibrant indigo eyes locked with someone who had been observing her, their exchange blatantly mocking. The vivacity of her captivated the onlooker’s heart, making it impossible to look away.

    Qing Wen Fu lowered his gaze, concealing his inner turmoil. She was another man's wife; he shouldn't harbor any special feelings, even only general interest.

    As the music ceased, it was Lan Qing who first presented Su Li Lin with a gift, followed by others with their good wishes. Yet, among them, Qing Wen Fu remained aloof, not acting like the rest.

    Yun Si glanced in surprise. Lan Qing had mentioned the night before that Master Qing came to Luo Yang to be betrothed to Lady Su. So, he should have given a seventeenth birthday gift and perhaps even declared their impending marriage.

    Why then was Qing Wen Fu so passive? Did he not pity the lovely Su Li Lin, appearing almost tearful? Such restraint precluded her from enjoying the performance. She pondered, her gaze shifting between the man in black and her husband.

    The contrast between them was stark: one dark, one light; one cold and indifferent, yet the other radiating love to all.

    Qing Wen Fu gazed indifferently at the blushing face of Su Lilin, who was visibly embarrassed and clung tightly to her older cousin's arm. Her tear-brimmed eyes made her look particularly pitiable, evoking sympathy from everyone present at the celebration, primarily organized by the Su family to announce Su Li Lin’s engagement to a member of the Qing family.

    Instead of witnessing a joyous occasion, the scene unfolded as a distressing spectacle of a man apparently tormenting an innocent young woman.

    Remaining stoic, Qing Wen Fu did not engage in conversation or express any sentiment, maintaining an air of detachment above it all. He had agreed to come, primarily to appease his grandfather at their manor.

    However, his grandfather was not an ordinary old man; just the sight of Su Li Lin’s pretentious antics was enough to provoke his grandfather to beat him with frustration.

    Who would want a wife so skilled in duplicity? He was not a theater owner to enjoy such performances constantly. And even if he were, he certainly wouldn't choose such an apparently unskilled actor.

    Watching Su Lilin being consoled and led away by Lan Qing, Yun Si shook her head in disapproval. This Qing Wen Fu showed no inclination to cherish and nurture the delicate women, unlike her husband, who was even comforting his younger cousin.

    As the banquet faded into a duller atmosphere, only the eldest son of the Su family remained actively engaging with guests. Even Master Su and his wife, despite their smiles, seemed visibly strained.

    As the night progressed and the moon dipped lower, the banquet started to end, and people gradually departed.

    Yun Si, left to return to her accommodation alone, regretted not having her maids accompany her, especially now that her husband, who arrived with her, was nowhere to be found.

    Her footsteps echoed on the path, slightly illuminated but still dim. Amidst the silence, she detected a faint echo of another's steps.

    Who could it be?

    Her thoughts turned momentarily to her husband, but she dismissed them, knowing well he wouldn't follow her so quietly. Alone in this unfamiliar place, her anxiety grew.

    She didn’t know who’s following her, yet she resolved to defend herself if necessary. She thought while digging her nails into her sweaty palm to dispel her fear. What was there to be afraid of? We only live one life; at worst, we just die!

    The footsteps maintained their rhythm, pausing when she did and resuming as she moved. In the barely visible darkness, Yun Si allowed a genuine smile, sensing the intention of her silent follower.

    From the festive hall to her accommodation, the distance wasn't far, yet someone had followed her discreetly.

    With a heartfelt smile now playing on her face, she turned to acknowledge the presence behind her, then gracefully entered her accommodation, vanishing inside. Shortly after, her voice mingled with those of her maids inside.

    Outside, a man stood still, originally concerned for her as she walked alone on the dimly lit path. He guessed that the Su family members deliberately ignored her, but due to the norm between men and women, he couldn't escort her directly and only followed at a distance.

    Unexpectedly, she turned back to thank him with such a genuine smile, igniting a warmth inside Qing Wen Fu reminiscent of youthful infatuation. If not for the fact she was another's wife, he might have stayed close to her side.

    As the tall figure disappeared from the area, the beautiful indigo eyes of Yun Si returned to the present. She leaned against the window frame; her delicate face lifted to gaze at the moon above. The night was nearly over, the moon beginning to wane, signaling the approaching dawn. Why hadn't her beloved husband returned yet?

     ‘Yearning for a love that’s steadfast and true, like waterfowl that mate for life, aging together too.’

    'Lan Qing, do you realize... Once, I wished it were you.'

    After returning from the party, the exhausted Yun Si allowed her two maids to assist her in changing into her nightwear.

    She gazed outside into the pitch-dark night, then dismissed her close maids to rest. Initially, Xiao Ying and Xiao Yuan hesitated, wanting to stay by the door, but realizing their master would soon return, they agreed to leave for rest.

    Yun Si gave a thin smile, amused by Xiao Ying's concerned tone turning into a nagging old-woman-like voice. Time truly changes people. She grabbed a robe following the warning, waited for the door to close securely, and then stepped to gaze out the window, her deep indigo eyes intensifying in the dark.

    Rooster crows carried by the wind marked time better than any clock. Giving up on waiting for someone, Yun Si headed to bed, musing how unstable wall inevitably led to collapse…

    The room light extinguished, Yun Si began to doze off, glancing at the space beside her, feeling the chill of the sheet under her touch, gradually succumbing to sleep.

    As dawn neared, brightening the horizon, a tall figure quietly approached the accommodation. Glancing around, seizing the moment, he stealthily entered the guest house.

    Stopping in front of a room where only the Great Furen of Lan family obviously resided alone, he carefully nudged the door open, wary of not making a sound. Spotting the serene figure in white asleep on the bed, a vile smile crept across his face. His rough hand cautiously shut the door once inside.

    The intruder, broadening his grin, eyed Yun Si’s figure hungrily, his demeanor predatory. Yun Si, usually a light sleeper, had just managed to drift off and was oblivious to the evil looming over her.

    As the man's weight pressed down, Yun Si’s eyes snapped open, instantly aware of the anomaly. Adjusting to the darkness, she recognized the face of her assailant: Su Jian, the Su family’s young master!