NOVPUBZong Zhao listened quietly, still offering no response.
Xu Wan sensed the softening in his demeanor and reached out her hand, saying, "Could you give me the memorial tablet? You've already cleaned it thoroughly. Let me put it back for you."
Zong Zhao was a passive man, and Xu Wan had come to understand this. At times like these, she needed the shameless persistence of a little troublemaker—if the mountain wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to the mountain. She stretched out her hand to take the tablet, watching for any reaction from Zong Zhao. When she saw none, she stood and returned it to its place.
Then, she walked back, crouched down beside him, and said softly, "Zong Zhao, it’s time to go back for dinner. Come with me?" 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Xu Wan tugged at him lightly, but it took little effort—Zong Zhao let himself be led away.
The path back from the ancestral hall was quiet. Xu Wan felt her palm grow warm, her heart pounding nervously. The atmosphere was strange and awkward. She wanted to let go but worried it might upset Zong Zhao.
In the end, it was Zong Zhao who noticed the tension first. He withdrew his hand like a well-behaved child, not wanting to cause any trouble, and simply followed behind her obediently.
Xu Wan turned to look at him.
His tall figure remained expressionless, yet she could sense his melancholy. Unlike the invincible, flawless image he projected in public, here he was real and unguarded before her.
Xu Wan recalled the little secret she had discovered earlier. She wanted to ask him: Do you really like me? Why? And when did it start?
But after a moment’s thought, she decided against it. What if he actually admitted it and then pressed her for an answer? What would she say?
Xu Wan wasn’t ready yet.
That night, they slept separately as usual.
Zong Zhao had previously claimed he needed to leave early and return late, which was why he slept on the daybed. Now that Chancellor Yan’s case had been resolved, he still remained there.
Xu Wan turned over in the large bed, gazing at his silhouette in the moonlight. "Zong Zhao, are you asleep?" she asked.
Zong Zhao replied, "Not yet."
It was just past hai hour (9–11 PM). Normally, Xu Wan would already be asleep by this time, while Zong Zhao wouldn’t return until near zi hour (11 PM–1 AM), so they rarely crossed paths. But tonight, both were awake—a rare occurrence.
Xu Wan asked, "Now that Chancellor Yan’s case is closed, will you no longer have to leave early and return late every day?"
"Most likely," Zong Zhao answered.
Xu Wan smiled. "That’s good. You’ll finally get to sleep in. You barely rest as it is—it’s exhausting."
Zong Zhao almost responded with a simple "Mm," but remembering she disliked such brief replies, he hesitated, struggling to find the right words. After a long pause, he still couldn’t think of anything.
To Xu Wan, this silence felt like he was ignoring her, leaving the conversation cold.
"You—" "You—" They suddenly spoke at the same time.
Xu Wan chuckled. "You’re the quiet one—you go first."
Zong Zhao was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Did you have something you wanted to ask me?"
"..."
Xu Wan had waited all this time only for the ball to land back in her court. She flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling, and let out an exaggerated sigh. He really doesn’t know how to hold a conversation. This topic is barren.
Hearing her sigh, Zong Zhao asked, confused, "What’s wrong?"
Xu Wan turned onto her side again, studying the man on the daybed. Tentatively, she replied, "I do have a lot of questions for you, but I’m not sure where to start." She wanted to test the waters—see what kind of questions he was willing to answer.
To her surprise, Zong Zhao said, "Ask away. I’ll tell you everything."
Xu Wan was caught off guard. "!"
You look like a man full of secrets, yet you’re offering them up so easily? Without even a moment’s hesitation?
Her pulse quickened, her breathing uneven. She forced herself to calm down before asking, "The fewer people who know about Jin Cheng’s identity, the safer it is. You, the Crown Prince, and Luo Jingfeng are all aware, but Madam Luo and the Crown Princess don’t know. So… why did you decide to tell me?"
What she really wanted to say was: The other two couples have been married for years—their trust runs deeper. Yet even they kept it secret. But you, a man I barely knew when we married, why do you trust me so much?
Zong Zhao explained, "Madam Luo is simple-minded and easily manipulated into causing trouble. The Crown Prince keeps it from the Crown Princess to shield her from involvement. But you—you were drawn into this the moment you took charge of Jin Cheng’s upbringing. You’re the closest to him. I believed you had the right to know."
Listening to his reasoning, Xu Wan’s first thought was: It’s so much easier to communicate when he actually talks.
When she didn’t respond, Zong Zhao grew uneasy. He pressed on, "Do you resent me for pulling you into this?"—into this conflict.
Xu Wan missed the deeper implication and simply replied, "Not at all. This has nothing to do with you. It was your father and mother who proposed the marriage. My stepmother gave me three options, and I chose the Marquis Manor myself. Besides, my greatest wish has always been to live a peaceful life. Staying with the Xu family or marrying into the other two households wouldn’t have worked out. So, like I said—I chose this path, and I’m content."
Zong Zhao asked, "What were the other two options?"
He knew his family only held a marquis title, and his mother came from a merchant background—hardly prestigious in the capital. Worse, he had been missing for years, making marriage to him akin to widowhood. He couldn’t fathom why she had chosen the Marquis Manor unless the alternatives were truly terrible.
Xu Wan let out a light laugh. "One was the Duke of Song’s second son—a man with a house full of concubines and mistresses. The other was Prime Minister Fan’s illegitimate son… Oh, what a coincidence! An old acquaintance—we just brought his family down."
She deliberately framed it humorously, but Zong Zhao didn’t crack a smile. Instead, he sat up abruptly from the daybed, his voice low and dark. "You—the eldest daughter of a minister, with status and standing—and these were your choices? Your stepmother went too far."
Seeing him reach for his shoes, Xu Wan scrambled out of bed to stop him. "Hey, hey, don’t get angry! Why are you suddenly so worked up? What are you planning to do?"
Zong Zhao’s dark eyes burned with fury. "I’m furious. I want to demand justice for you."
Xu Wan couldn’t help but laugh. "No need, no need! That was ages ago. Besides, her own daughter isn’t faring well either—married to that Chen Yunyu, who’s all smiles on the outside but rotten within. The same one whose ribs you broke not long ago."
Zong Zhao stared at her, baffled by her forgiving nature.
Xu Wan patted his shoulder soothingly. "She’s just a woman confined to the inner quarters. Are you really going to storm over in the middle of the night and drag her out for a beating? It’s not worth it. Let’s just focus on living well and cutting ties with them. And look—ever since you returned, I’ve rejected the Xu family with absolute confidence, unafraid of offending anyone. You’ve already helped me. That’s enough."
