Chapter 1010: My Wife Is Truly Cute

Zhao Zhi's smile suddenly faltered as he frowned. "It seems she didn't want to see me earlier today. Is she still unwilling?"

Han Fengqiu replied, "What woman in the world wouldn't want to marry into the Qi King's household as a concubine? It's a life-changing opportunity countless people dream of but never attain. How could she be unwilling? It's likely she's either too shy or employing a common tactic to attract your attention by feigning reserve."

"Indeed, this woman has successfully captured my attention," Zhao Zhi mused. His mind was still filled with the sight of her swaying as she walked earlier that day, imagining how utterly delightful it would be to lose himself in her presence.

"For some reason, I feel a little restless," Zhao Zhi muttered to himself, his gaze drifting towards the distant Pei family residence in the night, his expression somewhat lost.

Meanwhile, in the backyard of the Pei manor, a sweet, tender moan that could melt bones echoed: "You're hurting me."

"Huh?" Zu An looked up, traces of rouge still lingering on his face, his expression somewhat bewildered.

"Idiot," Pei Mianman chuckled, amused by his rare expression, but then shyly turned her head away. "Have you forgotten? In the Yin Ruins, we were only... only together in spirit."

Zu An was initially startled, then it dawned on him. "Then aren't you still...?"

A cool finger pressed against his lips. Pei Mianman looked at him with eyes that were a mix of playful charm and mild indignation. "Don't say it!"

"I won't say it, I won't, haha!" Zu An couldn't help but burst into laughter. No man would be unhappy in such a situation.

"You rascal!" Pei Mianman finally showed a hint of annoyance, playfully baring her teeth and claws as if to bite him. The two quickly dissolved into a playful tussle.

After their playful scuffle, Zu An held her soft hand. "Manman, I've missed you so much."

"Me too," Pei Mianman replied, her alluring "peach blossom" eyes now like a tranquil autumn pool, gazing at him with soft affection, radiating a silent invitation.

Zu An could no longer hold back; he leaned in and kissed her directly.

Having spent several lifetimes as husband and wife in the secret realm, their synergy was already perfect.

"Mm... it hurts..."

After an unknown amount of time, the maid downstairs was suddenly roused. Hearing persistent creaking noises from upstairs, she couldn't help but feel puzzled. Was her young mistress suffering from insomnia tonight? Why was she tossing and turning so much?

Since Pei Mianman usually practiced cultivation, she had always instructed the maid not to disturb her. Thus, the maid could only worry in secret.

"Tomorrow, I'll prepare some calming medicinal porridge for my mistress to help regulate her sleep."

"Oh, and I also need to tell the housekeeper that the bed needs to be replaced."

Even though the young mistress wasn't particularly favored, she shouldn't have to sleep on such a dilapidated bed that creaked with every turn.

The maid, still half-asleep, pondered this, then turned over to continue sleeping. Yet, for some reason, as she listened to the creaking sounds, her own heart began to stir...

The next morning, Zu An was bitten awake.

"What are you doing?" Zu An gasped.

Pei Mianman's long, waterfall-like hair lay casually draped across his arm. She bared her pretty canine teeth. "You scoundrel, you deflowered me three times!"

Zu An burst into laughter, pulling her into his embrace. "You scoundrel, you should be happy! After all, no other woman has had such a unique experience as you."

"I think you're the one who's happy!" Pei Mianman said, her teeth itching with irritation at his triumphant expression. She bit him hard again, instigating another playful "battle."

After an unknown period, Pei Mianman nudged the man beside her, a lingering blush still on her face. "It's almost dawn. The maid will be coming up soon. You should go back."

Zu An seemed a little disheartened. "Why do we always have to be so sneaky? How about I go propose to your father?"

Pei Mianman replied with a knowing smile, "What about Chu Yan then?"

Zu An's breath hitched. Then Pei Mianman laughed. "Alright, alright, I'm happy you'd even consider it. Our family is currently planning to send me to the Qi King's residence to become the Crown Prince's consort. How could they possibly marry me to anyone else?"

"Your family truly is incredibly foolish," Zu An remarked. "The Qi King is practically finished, yet they're still pushing you into a pit of fire." Zu An, of course, knew the Emperor had already begun to move against the Qi King.

Pei Mianman smiled, pressing her lips together. "I don't like anyone else. Whether it's the Qi King's heir or a commoner, I won't marry them. I will only marry you."

Zu An was deeply moved by her words and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Pei Mianman, however, looked a little flustered. "I really can't go on. Let me recover..."

As Zu An was about to leave, he suddenly had an idea. He retrieved the small "toothpick" sword Xiao Yao had given him from his pocket. "Keep this on you," he instructed. "If you encounter an insurmountable enemy, use it to attack them. It can unleash a strike comparable to a Grandmaster's full-force attack."

Xiao Yao didn't know Zu An possessed many other trump cards, so this item wasn't particularly useful to him. After all, if he truly encountered insurmountable trouble, he still had the Emperor's imperial decree as a decisive move.

While Pei Mianman's cultivation wasn't low, and she possessed divine artifacts like the Fu Hao Owl Zun, she was still somewhat outmatched against truly top-tier masters. And since he couldn't always be by her side, having this for self-defense would give him peace of mind.

"That drunkard's item? I don't want it." Pei Mianman recognized the small sword's origin at a glance and refused with a dismissive huff.

"Don't be silly," Zu An chided, tucking it directly into her clothing. "Yunzhong Commandery is currently rife with unpredictable dangers, and your family wants to marry you off to someone else. Having an extra item for self-defense is a good idea. You're mine now, and you need to help me protect yourself."

"Pah, who says I'm yours?" Pei Mianman scoffed playfully, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms, which only reignited Zu An's desire.

Ultimately, he was sent away. As he made his way back to the temporary lodging, he felt the mental strain from his earlier mission completely dissipate. Recalling Manman's tenderness and passion, he suddenly felt invigorated.

"Brother Zu, what's got you so happy?" Gao Ying and Pei You, who were washing up in the temporary lodging, couldn't help but ask, noticing his beaming expression.

Zu An cleared his throat. "Nothing much, I'm just in a good mood."

Pei You leaned in and sniffed him. "Hmm? You smell so fragrant, much better than the powders used by brothel girls. Do all the young ladies in Yunzhong Commandery have such refined taste?"

Gao Ying also chimed in, looking wistful. "Brother Zu, you went to a brothel and didn't even invite us?"

Zu An was speechless.

These two were truly addicted to the pleasures of the Carefree Pavilion.

Noticing Sang Hong emerging from his room, Zu An cleared his throat. "As imperial envoys, we represent the dignity and image of the court. How can we possibly frequent places of pleasure? It would only make the officials of Yunzhong Commandery mock us."

Sang Hong nodded with satisfaction. Although Zu An might be a bit frivolous in his daily life, he still grasped matters of great importance. Perhaps Qian'er wouldn't be wronged by him after all.

Ah, it's been so long since I left. I wonder if Qian'er has managed to conceive...

Pei You and Gao Ying exchanged strange glances, thinking, *We're friends, what's the point of all this official talk?* Just as they were about to express their disdain, they noticed Sang Hong in the distance and quickly changed their tune. "Brother Zu is absolutely right," they said in unison.

"Brother Zu is truly a role model for our generation."

Seeing their "gritted teeth" compliments, Zu An felt a little awkward and quickly changed the subject. "Haha, why are you two up so early? Are you going somewhere?"

"We're going to visit Lady Yu," they replied, looking somewhat excited. "She's key to this case." Yu Yanluo was renowned as the most beautiful woman in the world in her time. Though they knew such a figure was far beyond their reach, as men, who wouldn't want to witness her beauty up close?

"Oh," Zu An said. "Then you two go. I won't. I was out investigating all night and I'm simply too tired. I'm going to catch up on some sleep."

Manman truly was a delightful little siren; he had barely slept a wink all night.

Gao Ying and Pei You found this strange. *He doesn't want to see the most beautiful woman in the world? Is he even a man?* they thought.

But it was even better if he didn't go; otherwise, he always managed to steal all the spotlight.

"Zu An, get some good rest. You don't need to worry about Yu Yanluo's matter," Sang Hong said. Although he was curious about what Zu An had discovered last night, seeing his weary expression, he didn't press for details and kindly told him to go back and rest.

"Thank you, Uncle," Zu An replied, a flush spreading across his face. He hurried back to bed, collapsing into the covers, and was asleep almost instantly. He was truly exhausted from the night.

Meanwhile, at the Pei manor, Pei Shao and his wife were diligently hosting the Qi King's Heir.

Zhao Zhi gestured to the exquisite gift box on the table. "These are special pastries I brought specifically for Miss Pei from Guiyue Tower. I hope she likes them."

"The Heir is too kind," Madam Pei said, her eyes beaming. She then urged the maid standing nearby, "Why haven't you gone to fetch the young mistress yet?"

Just then, the maid who had been sent earlier returned, stammering, "Miss... Miss says she's tired and wishes to sleep a bit longer. She asked Madam and Master to go ahead and eat."

Madam Pei's smile instantly froze. "This wretched girl, hasn't she had enough sleep after one whole night? The Heir himself came to see her; how could she be so ungrateful?"

Zhao Zhi frowned, thinking, *Pei Mianman is to be my future concubine; how can I allow you to shout at her like this?*

Pei Shao seemed to notice Zhao Zhi's frown and quickly stopped his wife from continuing her tirade. "Ahem, Madam, why don't you personally go and fetch her? Please excuse us, Heir. We've perhaps indulged our daughter a little too much, making her somewhat willful."

"No matter. It's perfectly fine for her to sleep a bit longer. We can simply continue our conversation," Zhao Zhi said with a slight smile. He wanted to use this opportunity to leave a good impression on Pei Mianman.

For a woman so beautiful, a little capriciousness was entirely normal.

Furthermore, knowing she was to marry the Crown Prince, it was natural for her to feel some apprehension and perhaps be unsure of herself. He intended to show her his gentlemanly side, confident that she would soon develop a fondness for him.

Her incomparably beautiful face and that captivating, swaying image resurfaced in his mind. *No wonder she has such a fine figure,* he thought. *It must be from all that extra sleep.*

*Yes, my future consort is truly adorable.*