Chapter 93:
Why?
Xie Wanning’s eyes gathered cold intent at the bottom, but she did not speak.
She didn’t know when it started, but she had already lost the desire to express herself to him, no longer expecting any feedback from him.
Arguing was useless; she had understood that long ago.
Perhaps one day, when she was completely indifferent to all of this, and the last bit of reluctance disappeared, she could muster the courage to propose leaving.
Lu Ziyan had no idea that the young lady in his arms already had the intention to leave, but her long silence was enough to show her dissatisfaction.
Forcing her to go to the family temple had already made her so aggrieved…
He thought for a moment, slightly tightening his arms, and leaned close to her ear.
“Can’t you bear to leave Er Qing? She’s just a maidservant. If you need someone to serve you, I will arrange it myself.”
“I don’t like strangers serving me closely.” Xie Wanning turned her head to avoid his closeness and said, “I’ve already gotten used to Er Qing serving me.”
Habit…
Lu Ziyan’s eyes darkened slightly, somewhat displeased, but after thinking for a moment, he still agreed: “Alright, then let Er Qing accompany you to the family temple.”
He pinched her waist and chuckled lowly: “Don’t worry, I’ve already made arrangements. I won’t let you live a hard days there.”
—He thought she was afraid of serving Buddha and vegetarianism, so she was aggrieved to the point of crying.
Xie Wanning grasped the hand making trouble at her waist. “I’m a bit sleepy. Can I rest now?”
Tomorrow they would part ways, and they wouldn’t see each other again for several months; tonight was their last moment of tenderness.
But her words were cold, without a trace of tenderness.
His already somewhat displeased heart sank even further.
Lu Ziyan’s face darkened as he gripped her hand in return, casually playing with her slender fingers.
Xie Wanning tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tightly without effort.
Her brows furrowed, and she looked up at him. The moment their gazes met, her heart skipped a beat.
His gaze was truly frightening.
It was as if she had unknowingly touched his reverse scale again…
Xie Wanning’s eyelashes trembled in shock, but Lu Ziyan merely lowered his head and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Both his expression and actions were extremely calm.
He raised his hand to caress her eyes and said in a low voice, “Wanwan seems to have changed. I remember before…”
“Isn’t this a good thing?” Xie Wanning lowered her eyes, her tone gentle and slow: “You’re right, my lively personality should learn to be more steady.”
Lu Ziyan: “…”
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “Quite grudge-holding.”
With that, he gently scraped the tip of her nose, leaned down to kiss her, and said, “Just be steady for these few months. Stay obediently in the family temple, don’t go anywhere, don’t see anyone, wait for me to return to the capital.”
“Alright?”
His words were somewhat inexplicable, as if he wanted to lock her up and isolate her from all outside prying eyes.
Xie Wanning frowned slightly upon hearing this, instinctively wanting to ask why. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but when she met his encouraging gaze, she stopped.
What else could it be…
Hot and cold, it was his usual tactic.
Slap you once, then make you happily offer your face for more.
He was indeed a talented general, using kindness and might to perfection.
Xie Wanning took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress her heart that always couldn’t help but feel expectant because of his every move. She nodded lightly, “Alright.”
She agreed, but Lu Ziyan’s gaze dimmed somewhat.
He said, “Aren’t you going to ask why?”
Why?
Xie Wanning pursed her lips and said nothing.
She had asked “why” many times.
Before Liu Manrou entered the estate, she wanted to ask him about everything concerning her.
At that time, he told her to be more tolerant and not to nitpick over minor details.
Later, less than half a month after Liu Manrou entered the estate, news spread that she was pregnant, and Xie Wanning tried again to seek an explanation from him.
He dismissed her on the grounds that Liu Manrou was a second wife concubine.
What did a second wife concubine being pregnant have to do with her as the eldest branch matriarch?
Later, he wanted to promote Liu Manrou.
That was the last time she sought an answer, but he still didn’t give one.
Not only did he not give one, he also took Er Xia for himself.
What could she ask now?
The two had reached a point of speechless silence.
Lu Ziyan waited, but hearing no response from her, his boiling anger finally couldn’t be suppressed. He gripped her waist and flipped her over beneath him.
He looked down at the young lady beneath him, gritted his teeth, and smiled: “Where did you learn to ignore people?”
His voice carried a hint of ferocity. Xie Wanning shuddered upon hearing it, and he lifted her chin.
“Speak!”
The moment their gazes met, his kiss fell, fierce and urgent.
The frustration pent up all evening erupted in this kiss.
Xie Wanning’s hands were gripped tightly by him and pinned above her head; she had no power to resist except to endure everything he gave.
In a daze, her knees were also parted.
He squeezed himself in.
The sash at her waist loosened, and his rough palm pressed against her soft waist and abdomen. Xie Wanning stiffened all over.
She came to her senses, clutched her lapel, and tried urgently to retreat, but her waist was held tightly—how could he let her escape?
“Don’t!” She gripped his upward hand and said urgently, “You promised…”
Lu Ziyan stopped his movements, his eyes bloodshot, looking down at her imperiously, “What did I promise?”
Xie Wanning turned her face away, but he gripped her chin and turned it back.
He lowered his head to rest against her forehead, his lips brushing her lip, and said word by word: “Talk to me properly. Don’t ignore me to make me angry.”
Xie Wanning laughed in anger, “What do you want to hear?”
“Say something nice,” Lu Ziyan stared straight into her eyes, “You know, your eyes used to speak, and everything they said was pleasant to hear.”
Talking nonsense.
Xie Wanning lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and said stiffly: “Get off me first, don’t press on me.”
“…” Lu Ziyan was silent for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t bear to get off. Instead, he buried his face in her neck, kissed her earlobe, and said, “I’m leaving tomorrow. Are you really going to refuse me?”
His voice was low and pleasant, but Xie Wanning grew even angrier listening to it.
In the end, he still wouldn’t let her go!
“Several months, what if I miss you.” Lu Ziyan gently sucked on her earlobe, his voice muffled, “…Will you miss me?”
With that, the hand at her waist began to act restlessly again. Xie Wanning pressed it down hard and gritted her teeth: “I said, my monthly matters are in these couple of days, my abdomen is uncomfortable. If you really want it, I can use my… um…”
The rest of her words were blocked by his kiss, unable to be said.
After a long time, when he finally released her lips, the young lady beneath him had eyes brimming with spring water and flushed lips.
Lu Ziyan gazed at her quietly for a few moments, his adam’s apple bobbing, and hoarsely warned: “Don’t say things that make people angry.”
Xie Wanning’s eyelashes trembled, and she heard him chuckle lowly. His lips fell on her eyelid as he said, “Really not going to feed me?”
Getting more and more outrageous. Xie Wanning gritted her teeth inwardly.
“Alright, if you don’t want to be touched, then no touching. Don’t get annoyed in your heart again.” Lu Ziyan gripped her waist and flipped over, laughing: “As long as you’re not craving it.”
Xie Wanning’s eyes flew open, glaring at him fiercely.
She couldn’t even take a bit of flirting. Lu Ziyan kissed her eyes and sighed: “Alright, alright, I’m the one craving. I crave as soon as I think of you.”
He didn’t tease her further, but crooked his finger and pointed to his neck, “Leave a mark here for me to satisfy my craving, and I won’t touch you. How about it?”
Her body was covered in kiss marks he left, but she had never left any mark of her own on him anywhere.
Even on their wedding night, she had never proactively kissed his body.
Very unfair.
Thinking this, Lu Ziyan tugged his lapel open a bit more and pointed to his collarbone and chest, “These places too.”
Xie Wanning: “…”
After he took Er Xia as a concubine, he surprisingly came to her courtyard more often.
Especially in the recent days, visiting every day. Many times, she had the illusion that the person in front of her actually liked her very much.
She was truly stupid to still hold expectations for him.
She clearly knew he was best at giving her a glimmer of hope, then ruthlessly destroying it.
Lu Ziyan pointed at her brow and asked: “Not this one either?”
Xie Wanning pursed her lips, neither cold nor warm: “…I’m indeed not as experienced as you.”
“…” Lu Ziyan was stunned, and after a long moment, he couldn’t help but laugh.
He rarely laughed so heartily. In the end, he reached out and pulled the bewildered young lady into his arms, “Alright, seeing as you still know how to be jealous, I’ll let you off once.”
Be jealous…
Xie Wanning lowered her eyes, without refuting. Just let it be jealousy.
When Lu Ziyan was in a good mood, he indeed kept his word and didn’t ask her to do anything else for him.
Not long after holding her in his arms, he got up and went to the bathhouse.
When he returned, his body was cold. Standing at the bedside, looking at the young lady sleeping soundly on the couch, his face darkened slightly.
He had never seen a woman who didn’t know how to care for her husband.
Monthly matters, uncomfortable lower abdomen—all excuses to push him away.
Married for over a year, how could he not know when her monthly cycle was?
With Lu Ziyan’s original temper, he definitely wouldn’t let her off so easily.
But no choice, after being married to him for over a year, this young lady had indeed suffered quite a few grievances. If she wasn’t willing in her heart, he couldn’t truly be a beast and force her.
………..
The deep night would eventually pass.
The scene flashed to the next day.
Before leaving, Lu Ziyan specially woke up the young lady who was sleeping like a little pig.
“Do you remember what you promised me last night?”
Xie Wanning nodded dazedly.
Lu Ziyan was somewhat dissatisfied with her perfunctory response, pinched her nose, and asked: “Repeat it. What did you promise me?”
With her nose pinched, Xie Wanning couldn’t breathe, twisted her head to dodge his hand, and her sleepy brain cleared a bit.
Covering her nose, she said nasally: “Go to the family temple to pray for blessings for you, wait for you to come back and pick me up.”
Lu Ziyan hummed, pulled down her hand, and asked lowly: “And?”
Xie Wanning thought for a moment and added: “Don’t go anywhere, don’t see anyone, just stay in the family temple.”
The little young lady early in the morning was so obedient.
Lu Ziyan’s gaze softened, he leaned down to kiss her hair, “Keep sleeping, wait obediently for me to pick you up.”
Xie Wanning was extremely sleepy, forced herself to look at him once, then fell deeply asleep again.
She was personally escorted to the family temple by Ming Jian, bringing only Er Qing as a maidservant companion.
Food, clothing, and daily needs were all delivered by Ming Jian.
The entire Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate rumored that the young madam had committed some unknown offense, fallen out of favor with the young lord, and was being sent to the family temple even before his expedition.
Among noble families, female relatives were only sent to the family temple for punishment for major offenses.
And in most cases, there was no hope of leaving; they would remain there for life, eking out their remaining years.
Unknown how Lu Ziyan had spoken about it, but regarding Xie Wanning entering the family temple, none of the several madams of the Lu Family commented or obstructed; they all pretended it wasn’t happening.
Since marrying into the Lu Family, Xie Wanning rarely went out socially. After moving into the family temple, with Er Qing by her side unable to leave, she was completely cut off from the outside world.
Life in the family temple was quiet, but also lonely.
Besides Er Qing, there were only two old nuns cleaning; no one to talk to her.
Day after day, aside from copying Buddhist scriptures, she only embroidered to pass the time.
When Lu Ziyan was by her side, she copied scriptures, he watched; she did needlework, he watched.
Watching her gradually shed the last bit of her lively personality, just as the other him had said.
From the vibrant and adorable young lady when she first married in, becoming a silent, quiet-loving, dignified madam who rarely smiled.
Many things aren’t understood without experiencing them personally.
Like this world’s self casually saying to go to the family temple and wait for him to return.
Perhaps due to some hidden reason he had to do it this way, thinking he had arranged everything properly, not skimping on food, clothing, or daily needs.
But he wouldn’t understand that not everyone can endure such a prison-like life.
The story continues to move forward quickly.
Summer passed, autumn arrived.
On the day when thin summer dresses were shed and autumn clothes put on.
After Xie Wanning moved into the family temple, the tightly shut temple door was knocked on.
It wasn’t Ming Jian who came, but Lu Ziyan’s younger sister Lu Xiyao in person.
She and Xie Wanning were once close female friends in the boudoir, but later for some reason, she grew cold toward this eldest sister-in-law.
This time, she came personally to the family temple to apologize to her elder sister-in-law.
Every word and sentence was sincere.
Xie Wanning had been in the quiet family temple too long, already extremely lonely. Suddenly, a familiar person came to visit—still a sister she had been close with since childhood, repeatedly saying she came to apologize. Joy immediately appeared on her face.
Lu Ziyan, accompanying her, saw her unguardedly open the door, and his expression changed slightly.
“Don’t you remember what I told you when I left?”
But his words could only be heard by himself; he was still just a bystander in this world, unable to stop anything.
The family temple door opened, and Lu Xiyao, in afei long skirt with a white cape outside, saw her open the door, removed her hat, and smiled Yingying at Xie Wanning: “Sister-in-law.”
Though it was his own younger sister, Lu Ziyan’s gaze toward Lu Xiyao at this moment already held cold intent.
He had personally witnessed how this sister stabbed at his elder sister-in-law’s heart.
Not close to the legitimate elder sister-in-law she grew up with, but instead friendly with the concubine in front of Wanwan.
Since she could do something to hurt his Wanwan’s heart like that, how could she suddenly come to show goodwill without reason.
Especially at such a time.
Lu Ziyan couldn’t bear to blame his Wanwan for not being cautious.
After all, the other him hadn’t revealed a single hint when leaving.
And his Wanwan had been confined in the family temple for several months, already lonely for too long.
With the husband’s younger sister coming to visit, how could she be on guard.
Two chapters combined~~~
