Chapter 51: Fool, I Won’t Be Coming Back

“What’s wrong?”

Pei Zhouwu set the teacup aside and helped Liu Fuying sit up with both hands.

What he feared most was her falling ill.

If she were to get sick in this place, there would truly be no one to turn to.

“A Ying, are you still feeling unwell?” His face was etched with worry, anxious to understand what had caused her current discomfort.

Perhaps it was because his concern clouded his judgment, but he completely failed to notice the clear distress in Liu Fuying’s eyes.

In such matters, men are ultimately less sensitive than women.

Drowsiness, loss of appetite, nausea…

These were clearly symptoms most women experience in the early stages of pregnancy.

However, it was only when she suddenly felt nauseous and retched that she realized it herself.

“No.” Liu Fuying lowered her gaze and gently pressed down his anxiously gripping hand, patting it as she comforted him, “It might be from lying down too long. I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

In her heart, she thought how coincidental it was.

In just a few days, it would be time to return to the Shen Family. What a coincidence.

But it was just as well.

This saved her from returning with an anxious heart, worrying about what to do if she hadn’t conceived. She could always come back, but returning would be easy; leaving again would be difficult. After all, she had told Pei Zhouwu that she had no parents and nowhere to go. This time, she could use the excuse of celebrating a close friend’s wedding, but what about next time?

Now… at least now she didn’t have to worry about these things.

“Then let’s get up and walk around.”

Pei Zhouwu helped her up, feeling increasingly heartbroken.

“It’s also this courtyard’s fault for being so cramped, with nowhere to stroll. The gravel pond behind the house is covered in uneven stones that are uncomfortable to walk on, the sun is scorching, and we have to be careful not to be discovered by the guards outside. Staying cooped up in the room all day is truly stifling.”

As he spoke, Pei Zhouwu’s tone began to sound off.

Every word carried guilt, every breath seemed to express his sense of indebtedness to Liu Fuying.

But suddenly, a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Still, it’s alright. It won’t be much longer now.”

Liu Fuying, lost in the myriad emotions of her impending departure, failed to catch the hidden meaning in his words. Instead, she playfully asked, “How will it be alright? Could it be that my husband plans to level the mountains outside and build a flower path for me to stroll on in my leisure time?”

Pei Zhouwu’s smile deepened.

He didn’t deny it; instead, he agreed, saying, “For you, I’m willing to try.”

“Alright then.” Liu Fuying hooked her arm through his, her expression coy as she added, “Then I’ll wait for my husband to move mountains and build roads for me.”

Pei Zhouwu turned slightly and pulled her into his embrace.

Of course, he didn’t have the power to move mountains, but he wasn’t just trying to make her happy either.

Moving mountains and building roads here—he truly couldn’t do that. But the world outside was vast and boundless, offering infinite freedom, far beyond what a small path carved through these mountains could compare to.

“Alright.” Pei Zhouwu firmly agreed with this word.

Countless hopes and dreams were hidden within his embrace as he held the person in his arms tighter and tighter.

“When you return,” he slightly bowed, resting his chin gently on her head, his expression filled with affection, “when you return, I’ll move mountains and open roads for you.”

When she returns?

Liu Fuying pressed against his chest, her expression neutral, neither happy nor sad.

She probably wouldn’t be coming back.

Pei Zhouwu, this fool… so foolish it made people…

She slowly closed her eyes, her brows furrowed tightly, unable to relax.

Everything was going according to her plan. She had finally gotten what she wanted, yet somehow, she didn’t feel as happy as she had imagined.

She should be happy.

But it’s just… suddenly she couldn’t bear to part.

Of course, it was hard to let go. There were few lovers in the world as good as Pei Zhouwu. If she were a man, she would surely take Pei Zhouwu into her home as a noble concubine—no, even a noble concubine would be beneath him. She would divorce Shen Xiunian first and then elevate Pei Zhouwu to be her wife.

Thinking of such a delightful prospect, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you believe me?” Pei Zhouwu thought she was laughing at his words.

“No.” Liu Fuying’s laughter came quickly and faded even faster. Instead of feeling at ease, it made her heart ache. “I just think, husband, you’re truly wonderful.”

Pei Zhouwu held her waist with one hand and gently patted her back with the other.

“It’s you who is wonderful, not me,” he said.

His words were far more sincere than Liu Fuying’s, each syllable sounding heavier than the most solemn vow.

“If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t be the me of today—the me who is so happy now.”

Liu Fuying pursed her lips, thinking to herself that this was fine too.

If she could make him feel happiness, it meant she had given him something of value.

Even though she was reluctant, she ultimately had no choice but to leave.

Since she hadn’t eaten much at noon, Pei Zhouwu went to the kitchen and brought over the small pot of porridge that had been kept warm, coaxing and pleading until he managed to feed her half a bowl.

After eating, she lazily lay back down on the bed and fell asleep.

She woke up with a start as the sun was setting, relieved to find herself still in the bamboo cottage at Xiangshan.

Just moments ago, she had dreamed that Pei Zhouwu barged into the Shen Family to look for her.

And… he even fought with Shen Xiunian.

Shen Xiunian was beaten black and blue, and the family guards surrounded them. Even the garrison troops of Shangjing City were alerted, arriving on horseback to encircle the Shen Family and arrest Pei Zhouwu.

Pei Zhouwu, his eyes red, asked her if she would go with him.

Thankfully, it was just a dream.

Getting out of bed and pushing the door open, she saw Pei Zhouwu sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, brewing tea.

When he saw her come out, he turned and smiled at her.

A gentle breeze blew past him, lifting the hem of his pure white robe. His hair fluttered gracefully, like an immortal. That smile made Liu Fuying feel dazed, as if he might ride the wind and leave, never to be seen again.

But in reality, it was she who was about to leave.

Pei Zhouwu had always been the bright moon in the sky. It was she who, greedy for his cool elegance, had dragged him into her embrace, only to abandon him after obtaining him.

She was that kind of person—a scheming, self-serving individual.

The outcome had been written from the very beginning.

Whether she was willing or not, she had to accept it!

“Husband.” Liu Fuying sat down beside him with a smile, coquettishly saying, “I still want to go see Glowworm Land.”

Glowworm Land.

Mentioning this, Pei Zhouwu instinctively recalled their wedding night.

He wasn’t refusing, but he pointed out the drawbacks: “But I’ve noticed your complexion hasn’t been great these past few days. I wonder if it’s because the nights have grown colder lately, and you haven’t been covering yourself properly, which might have made you sick. If you go into the water and catch the wind again, I’m afraid your body won’t be able to handle it.”

Seeing the concern on his face, Liu Fuying suddenly remembered that she was pregnant.

In the early stages of pregnancy, the fetus is unstable, so it really wasn’t a good idea to overexert herself.

The weather was indeed getting colder. If she fell ill, there would be no medicine, and besides, being pregnant meant she couldn’t take random medications to avoid harming the fetus.

If she went into the water, holding her breath for so long back and forth would surely have an impact.

Moreover, she would have to go into the water again in a couple of days, and then walk a long mountain path.

It was always better to avoid unnecessary strain.

“Are you unhappy?” Pei Zhouwu asked, noticing she had been silent with her head lowered for quite some time.

“No,” Liu Fuying replied, leaning over the table and resting her head on her arm as she smiled at him. “My husband speaks wisely. Then let’s not go.”