Chapter 361: Chapter 239: No Business at the Government Office, to the Pleasure Quarters...

Xiao Wan’er chuckled but said no more, simply arranging her pillow and lying down.

"Go to sleep."

"Alright..."

...

An unknown amount of time passed.

He drifted in a daze.

Chen Yi found himself in a courtyard, laughing and talking with others.

Xiao Wan’er was there, as was Xiao Jinghong.

The strange thing was, they both addressed him in the same way.

Xiao Wan’er: "Husband, Wuge will be back from Jinling soon. Shall we go and greet him?"

Chen Yi: "Alright, alright..."

Xiao Jinghong: "Husband, if you grant my sister one request, you have to grant me one as well."

Chen Yi: "Alright, what is it?"

"Come spar with me."

"A spar? No, no, absolutely not."

"Husband, it’s not good to favor the new and forget the old."

As she spoke, Xiao Jinghong drew the long sword from her waist, a gentle smile on her face.

"Husband, watch the blade."

In the next instant, a dazzling flash of sword light streaked across the sky, heading straight for Chen Yi’s head.

GASP—

Chen Yi gasped and shot up in bed.

A sliver of light shone into the room through the window.

It was accompanied by the sound of rain lashing down.

Chen Yi let out a long sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. ’Thank goodness it was just a dream,’ he muttered.

’There was no way Xiao Wan’er would ever call me husband.’

After collecting himself, Chen Yi got up and dressed. He looked at his reflection in the copper mirror, forcing a smile onto his face.

’My lady, you certainly gave me a hard time in that dream. From now on, you can’t be pointing blades and swords at your husband anymore.’

’It’s far too dangerous.’

Chen Yi muttered to himself, then pushed the images from his dream to the back of his mind and walked straight out of his room.

It was just past five in the morning.

Xiao Wan’er, Shen Huatang, and the others were already ready to go. Liu Si’er had even fed the horses their fodder at the crack of dawn.

Soon, they had finished their breakfast.

Without lingering, they all boarded the carriage.

Kang Ming and the others had wanted to see them off, but on Xiao Wan’er’s orders, they simply stood outside the residence and watched them depart.

They waited until the carriage vanished into the veil of rain.

Only then did the elderly servants and Kang Ming’s family return to the residence, their expressions not overly sentimental.

"It’s a good thing that the Young Miss is building a Medical Dao Academy here. She’ll probably come stay here often in the future."

"Perhaps the Marquis will come with her."

"The Marquis?"

Kang Ming froze at the words. A nervous look crossed his weathered face, and he quickly began waving his hands and giving orders.

"Then what are you all standing around for?"

"While we still have some time, repair the entire residence, inside and out! Clean everything!"

"We can’t have the Marquis arrive and see that we’ve let the place fall into disarray."

"Yes, yes..."

Of course, Chen Yi, already far away, was unaware of all this.

On the way back, however, he sensed something unusual about Xiao Wan’er, who was sitting beside him.

Not much, just a hint of it.

Ever since they had boarded the carriage, Xiao Wan’er kept glancing at him and smiling, which nearly made him think he’d buttoned his clothes crookedly.

"You seem to be in a good mood today."

"I’ve settled a matter that was weighing on my mind, so of course I’m in a good mood."

"The Medical Dao Academy? This is just the first step of a long journey. We’ve barely even started."

"You’re right. Perhaps I’m celebrating too soon."

Xiao Wan’er said with a smile, "What’s the story behind this ’long journey’ of yours?"

Chen Yi smiled and lifted a corner of the curtain to look out at the pouring rain. He changed the subject, "This rain today... it’s really coming down."

Her beautiful eyes reflected his silhouette. She didn’t press the matter, only silently pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

’It’s impossible anyway, why trouble myself over it?’

’Besides, my body... I don’t have much time left.’

With this in mind, Xiao Wan’er nudged Chen Yi with her elbow. When he turned to look at her, she said with a smile:

"Last night, you promised you would copy those two paintings for me."

Chen Yi paused. "What about it?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking... I’d like you to paint a few more. Not copies, but portraits. One of me, one of my sister, one of Wuge, one of Grandfather... and one of you."

"Separate portraits, or all together?"

Seeing that he didn’t refuse, a hint of joy touched Xiao Wan’er’s lovely face.

"Whatever you prefer. But it would be lovely to have one of all of us sitting together, like the one of Father and Mother with my sister and me."

Chen Yi nodded in agreement.

’I don’t know what’s on her mind, but it’s a small favor. I can just treat it as practice for my Painting Dao.’

Before long, the carriage passed through the south gate of Shu State Prefecture City and onto South Street.

Chen Yi glanced at the sky and said, "I have to make a stop at Hundred Herbs Hall. You all can go on ahead."

Xiao Wan’er didn’t ask any questions, simply telling Shen Huatang to stop the carriage.

As Chen Yi stepped down from the carriage, she asked, "Will you be back for lunch?"

Chen Yi thought for a moment. "No, I’ll be mooching a meal off the folks at Hundred Herbs Hall."

He had a lot to do today and estimated he wouldn’t be done within a couple of hours.

Xiao Wan’er smiled. "Have Wang Ji take you to a restaurant. If you’re short on silver, I have some here."

"There’s no need..."

Chen Yi looked at her stunning face, beautiful whether she was smiling or pouting, and the strange feeling in his heart intensified.

’Did something happen last night?’

’How is it that overnight, Xiao Wan’er seems so much more cheerful?’

Just as they were about to part ways, a voice called out from a short distance away, "Brother Yi?"

Chen Yi and Xiao Wan’er looked toward the sound and saw Chen Yunfan, Cui Qingwu, and their companions waving at them.

Following behind them were Chun Ying and Cui Qingwu’s maid, Huan’er.

’What a coincidence,’ Chen Yi muttered to himself, but kept a neutral expression as he waved back a greeting.

Xiao Wan’er, for her part, did not leave, instead stepping down from the carriage.

When Cui Qingwu saw her, she quickened her pace and held the oil-paper umbrella she was carrying over Xiao Wan’er’s head. "Sister Wan’er, it’s been too long."

Xiao Wan’er smiled and nodded. "Yes, it’s been a while since the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"I was just saying I should come find you, but who knew the new restaurant would open and things would suddenly get so busy."

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