July still had storms passing through, the air hot and humid, interspersed with drizzling rain, stirring a gloomy mood among the people.

    Lan Qing and Yun Si had to travel to the city of Luo Yang for the Su family, the former hometown of the elderly Furen, was hosting a regular family feast. After delegating their duties to the Second Furen and A-De properly, the couple set off immediately. Their carriage, bearing the Lan family crest, formed in a procession to leave the capital.

    Since they had departed before dawn, Yun Si found it particularly arduous. Struggling more than anyone else due to her difficulty in sleeping and waking, Lan Qing cast sympathetic glances at her small figure bouncing around and admired her in his heart. Even as she swayed like this, she still managed to sleep. Ultimately, it was Lan Qing who couldn't bear to watch her head bump against the carriage wall and felt compelled to support her sleeping form in his lap.

    Yun Si squinted her eyes slyly when he propped her up against him and patted her back gently. She sighed and resumed her sleep, accepting his lap as a pillow graciously.

    As a result, she made no hesitation about practically climbing onto her husband's lap for comfortable sleeping for the entire journey. Thus, Lan Qing had to endure being a human cushion for his wife for three hours until the sun was almost overhead. Only then did the carriage procession stop at an inn for food. Yun Si woke just in time, yawning and adjusting her attire and hair before stepping down from the carriage.

    Upon descending, she heard a sharp squeal and turned back in surprise, only to see her husband sitting with a dignified posture. "Aren't you coming down,, my dear?" she inquired in a gentle tone. "You go ahead," Lan Qing replied simply. Only after his wife entered the inn did he slowly and painfully move his legs one by one.

    Lan Qing couldn't help but wonder whether his sweet wife was teasing him deliberately by using his sore leg as leverage to stand up so forcefully.

    A-Yin observed his master's awkward state with surprise. It was rare to see him lose his composed demeanor like this. Indeed, the Furen was extraordinary.

    Yun Si stepped into the inn first, scanning for an available seat before settling down to wait for someone who was probably dealing with his numb legs outside. She sat waiting while observing the surroundings. Despite the inn's small size, it was bustling, likely a popular rest spot.

    Her delicate face glanced outside, a subtle smile appearing when she noticed her close maids at an outdoor table enjoying the atmosphere. It wasn't surprising for Xiao ying and Xiao Yuan to behave this way; having grown up enclosed within high walls, even though their marriage into the Lan family also confined them, they rarely got out due to their overwhelming responsibilities.

    Feeling the lively environment and the breeze touching her skin made her yearn for the freedom unbound by duties. Yun Si suddenly pondered... perhaps she should seize this moment to escape and explore the vast world outside.

    But then again, dreams are just dreams. Lan Qing would never allow the Furen to just disappear without a trace, for it would surely tarnish his reputation.

    "What are you thinking about, young miss?"

    A man's voice, grating to her ears, broke the silence. Yun Si lifted her gaze to look at him, thinking 'Just my luck.' His face was sharp, his eyes narrow and seductive, and his rough demeanor showed no regard for propriety.

    She sighed deeply as she observed him, but the newcomer seemed indifferent, boldly seating himself at her table without a hint of embarrassment. The young woman frowned, clearly displeased, yet maintained her manners.

    "This table is reserved for my husband. Would you mind moving elsewhere, sir?"

    Her cold voice was devoid of gentleness, her expression indifferent as she faced the man opposite her, who still wore a broad smile, unfazed by her dismissive attitude and proceeded to introduce himself thoroughly.

    "Miss, I am Young Master Su, second son of the Su family, named Su Jian."

    Yun Si knew something about the elderly Furen original family, which held considerable influence in Luo Yang. Indeed, if judged by this man's bearing.

    "And then what?"

    Su Jian was momentarily shocked by the woman's straightforward question. But being a longtime resident of Luo Yang, accustomed to getting what he wanted, he was not about to let an intriguing prey slip through his fingers.

    "Young miss, I find myself quite taken with you. If you would consent to be mine, I assure you a lifetime of comfort and happiness."

    Yun Si nearly laughed out loud at this. How amusing was Young Master Su of the Su family, inducing pity for Lan Qing for having such an embarrassing relative.

    "Do you actually think you can provide me happiness?"

    Su Jian nodded arrogantly, never before having encountered a woman who captivated him so, like a refreshing stream inviting him to taste its hidden flavors.

    "I am Young Master Su of Luo Yang, cousin to Master Lan, a merchant affiliated with the royal court. If you agree to be mine, whatever you desire, I shall procure for you."

    Yun Si smiled again. A cousin to Lan Qing, was it? Following him would grant her everything? She exchanged glances with the newcomer behind Su Jian, only to see a somber, handsome face. She reiterated firmly,

    "Everything, truly?"

    "Absolutely, everything you want.. Even if it's the moon or the stars, I'll fetch them for you."

    Such flirtatious banter amused her. With a slight smile, she continued, "But I already have a husband."

    Su Jian frowned, displeased. It didn’t matter whether she had a husband or not. Whatever he desired, he would obtain. In Luo Yang, the Su family was paramount, incomparable to an ordinary man like her husband.

    "It doesn’t matter. You can simply divorce him. Just please me, and I could even make you my Third Furen."

    Hearing Young Master Su’s proposal, the beautiful face of Yun Si broke into a smile again, contrasting the increasingly tense atmosphere surrounding the man behind. . .

    "To become your Third Furen, is it? I'm not interested. I'm already the Furen" she responded with pride.

    Su Jian's eyes gleamed with condescension, thinking to himself, "Being the Furen of your pathetic husband or becoming the well-provided Third Furen of the Su family?"

    "Interesting," the lady mused with a playful smile, turning to inquire of the new arrival with her clear eyes, "What do you think, my dear?"

    Following her gaze, Su Jian attempted to maintain his dignified posture to intimidate the man behind him. He flicked his fan with a loud snap, puffing up his chest and tilting his face so high that his forehead nearly vanished from view.

    However, upon seeing the other, his previously cunning face instantly blanched, and his voice faltered.

    "L…Lan Qing!"

    Lan Qing squinted at his younger relative, indifferent to his apparent fear, and turned to look at his wife, who was still sitting there with a sweet smile, seemingly oblivious.

    'If he hadn't come over, would she have continued entertaining my cousin? ,and that sweet smile, was it really necessary to be that charming?'

    The more he thought, the more irritated Lan Qing became. But since he couldn't vent his frustration on his wife, he redirected his anger towards the other man.

    "A-Yin."

    "Yes, Master?" A-Yin promptly approached, understanding from his years of service that his master's temper was flaring.

    "Beat him hard, but don't break anything. Then send him back to the Su’s manor."

    Beat him like that, really?

    Su Jian bolted upright, his eyes ablaze with defiance. "Lan Qing! Even beating a dog considers its master's face. Do you dare beat me like this?"

    Lan Qing merely glanced at him and gestured for A-Yin to proceed.  No one could stop him to do so. As Lan Qing brooded, Yun Si could not help but smirk again.

    Young Master Su was truly astonishing. How many people would dare compare themselves to a dog as he did?

    "Beat him hard but don't break anything," Lan Qing’s thought, proving once again how creative he was. A-Yin shook his head before nodding to the guards who had come with them to seize Young Master Su's arms and drag him out of the inn.

    Soon, muffled cries accompanied by thuds and smacks drifted in the breeze, causing the inn's patrons to tremble in fear. In Luo Yang, where the Su family monopolizes the salt trade and the Lan family holds considerable commercial power, even high-ranking officials dare not meddle. Yet this couple, audacious and undeterred, how did they muster such fearless hearts to act so brazenly?

    Yun Si raised her eyebrows slightly when she saw her husband sitting down with a stoic, unsmiling face. His sharp eyes sparkled dangerously, seeming to suppress his anger.

    Is he that angry? Lan Qing, who usually doesn't show his emotions... What is he angry about? Is he jealous...jealous of Su Jian with her? She could hardly believe it!

    The meal passed tensely. Lan Qing's gaze sharp as a snake eyeing its prey. Yun Si doubted she could have continued to eat comfortably without him there. As they left the inn, A-Yin and the others were already gone. The delicate figure followed her husband onto the carriage, wishing he would finally realize something.

    'Lan Qing... Are you intending to disrupt our balance? When will you see it?'

    The carriage moved into the Su family's manor. The tall figure stepped down and reached out his strong hand to the person inside the carriage. Yun Si tilted her head slightly before placing her soft hand in his warm palm. The chill on her beautiful face vanished, replaced by a practiced sweet smile.

    Side by side, a man and a woman, their white and purple garments fluttering, creating a captivating sight for onlookers.

    Master Su is the half-brother of the elderly Furen. Because the former Master Su's chief wife had only one daughter, the inheritance fell to Su Mingqi, the male heir of the secondary wife.

    This must be why his mother harbored bias against the secondary line, Yun Si mused with a smile. She greeted Master Su politely yet noticed a hostile glint in his eyes.

    Master Su viewed her as an enemy?

    She wasn't surprised. She guessed A-Yin had already delivered the battered Young Master Su before they arrived. It would be odd if he wasn't resentful. But did she need to care? His own folly led to his beating. If revenge was sought, it should be directed at the man beside her, not her.

    Their eyes met directly. There’s no need to be afraid. Master Su, within his heart, scorned the woman in front of him, thinking her just a young girl devoid of maturity.

    She'll have to pay the price for the harm done to his son, sooner or later!

    Even the strongest men hesitate in front of a beautiful woman, as strength itself may not endure the beauty…