“I want him to keep me company.” Su Zhirui shoved Yi Lun aside, becoming somewhat unreasonable.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, don’t be like this. Fourth Brother doesn’t like going out,” Yi Lun hurriedly advised when he saw that Yi Feng showed little expression. Hadn’t these two just been getting along fine? Why had they suddenly flared up?
“What a joke. If he doesn’t like going out, then why did he leave me in that godforsaken place for more than ten days? Wasn’t the threshold nearly trampled flat?” Su Zhirui had clearly taken offense. She hadn’t wanted to be this childish, but she had only been in this place for so long, and already her husband was treating her like this. How could she not feel bitter, not feel hurt?
“That was work,” Yi Lun explained helplessly. Truly, the emperor was in no hurry while the eunuch was frantic—yet the person concerned himself said nothing, simply closing his eyes and sleeping away?
“Work? Out of every three days, he’s gone for four. When he’s home, he makes a fuss about having children; when he’s not making a fuss about children, he sleeps like the dead. You… you… I…” Seeing that Yi Feng was even less responsive, Su Zhirui felt even more stifled. Her words were clearly somewhat incoherent, but it didn’t matter. Admitting defeat had never been something Su Zhirui would be foolish enough to do. Since he didn’t care, then she had no need to hold back either.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, where are you going?” Seeing Su Zhirui turn and stride outside, Yi Lun called out and tried to stop her.
“To find a man.”
Three black lines seemed to fall over Yi Lun’s face as he looked helplessly at Su Zhirui running out the door. Originally, he wanted to chase after her, but when he turned to look at the man beside him, he was no longer in a hurry. There would always be someone who couldn’t hold out and would admit defeat. Though living like this was frightening, it was truly exciting and interesting.
After waiting for a long while without seeing the man beside him make any move, Yi Lun began to lose patience. Seeing the sky gradually darken, could that woman, acting out in anger, even find her way back? Unable to endure it any longer, Yi Lun hurriedly chased after her. But the moment he stepped outside, he saw Su Zhirui alone, hugging her arms as she shrank into a corner by the wall. That small figure looked like a helpless child who had lost the way home.
“Fourth Sister-in-law…”
“I’m done making a scene. Let’s go back.” Su Zhirui swayed as she stood up. In truth, she had never hoped that Yi Feng would come after her. She did not feel that Yi Feng needed to be considerate or protective toward her. If it was only because of that ridiculous husband-and-wife relationship and physical intimacy, then he truly underestimated her, Su Zhirui. She had merely wanted to throw a little tantrum, though this entire play had been performed by her alone from beginning to end.
“Are you all right?” Reaching out to support Su Zhirui, Yi Lun asked with some concern.
“What could possibly be wrong with me?” Su Zhirui retorted, then staggered toward the main doors. When she entered the hall and saw Yi Feng, she did not feel that anything was amiss. It was merely a wife failing to act coquettishly, then making trouble without reason. In ordinary households, scenes like this played out many times every day, did they not?
“Don’t squat in that spot in the future. There are a lot of ants there.” Seeing that she was very quiet, Yi Feng suddenly spoke. Su Zhirui and Yi Lun were both stunned. So it turned out he was not completely indifferent toward her. The reason he had not chased after her was because he knew she had not gone far?
“If I’d known, I would have run farther.” Su Zhirui suddenly burst into loud sobs, her hands twisting the tablecloth in great agitation, as if she were somewhat regretful, and somewhat wronged.
“Eat.” Seeing her cry nonstop, Yi Feng neither comforted her nor showed any reaction. He merely frowned and gave a faint command, then resumed eating on his own.
“Oh.” Su Zhirui was a little dazed. After touching her cheeks, she somehow picked up her porcelain bowl as if possessed and quietly began to eat.
Looking back and forth between the two of them, Yi Lun was somewhat stupefied, then gave a faint bitter smile. If this was how this husband and wife got along, then he would truly have to get used to it in the future.
That night, Su Zhirui rarely slept quietly in Yi Feng’s arms. Her eyes were somewhat red and swollen; it was not hard to tell that she had truly cried for several hours. Yi Feng sighed faintly, pulled the quilt over her, then rested his head back on the jade pillow.
“Fourth Brother, it’s rare for you to get up first today.” Seeing Yi Feng appear in the flower hall, Yi Lun teased him with some amusement.
“I have work. Zhirui is yours to deal with,” Yi Feng said, glancing at him.
“Fourth Brother, you know Sister-in-law isn’t easy to handle.” Yi Lun smiled bitterly. He had known nothing good would come of this.
“She had something on her mind yesterday, so that was why she was being unreasonable. She normally isn’t like that,” Yi Feng sat down and replied indifferently.
“I knew it. So that’s how it is… I understand.” Yi Lun slapped his thigh, speaking with delight as if he had discovered some great miracle. “Fourth Brother, go out with peace of mind. Eleven will soothe Sister-in-law.”
Yi Feng nodded slightly, then finally walked out the main doors in satisfaction.