Chu Lian hadn’t expected such a brazen action from him. She glared at him fiercely as a warning.
But who could have known that He Changdi knew nothing of restraint? He continued to rub that soft and perky area with force.
He leaned against Chu Lian, resting his head on her shoulder. He sniffed the faint sweet smell of her body and touched his lips to her reddened earlobes. He requested in an overbearing manner, “Lian’er, you’ll share a carriage with me tomorrow.”
Chu Lian felt that her lunatic husband had suddenly turned into an extremely possessive child ever since he had gotten injured..
With what he just said, she was able to deduce the reason behind his actions earlier.
Chu Lian asked helplessly, “What about Sister Hui then?”
Sima Hui was a lady after all, so she couldn’t just squeeze into a warm pen with the two of them. Furthermore, she had a good relationship with Sima Hui. The female general had taken good care of her while she been staying at the border camp. It wouldn’t be right for her to set Sima Hui aside just to accompany He Sanlang.
“She’ll be fine in a carriage by herself.”
After getting ignored by his wife the whole day, He Sanlang was starting to become obstinate.
Chu Lian could almost feel sweat drops on her head. How had she not realised before that this man was so stubborn and possessive? He was even getting jealous over another woman.
From what she understood about He Changdi, Chu Lian knew that if she didn’t give him a proper answer now, there would be no end to this tonight.
Chu Lian put her hands on his chest and forcefully pushed him away to create some space between them.
He Sanlang looked at her with his head tilted downwards, obviously displeased.
Chu Lian stared up at his handsome face and broke out into a smile.
Her beautiful eyes formed into crescent moons. Watching her smile was like watching a fragrant flower blossoming instantly and it dazzled He Sanlang.
Chu Lian suddenly hooked her arms around He Changdi’s neck and forcefully pulled him down.
He Sanlang obediently bent over until his head was at the same level as hers. Their gazes met; Chu Lian could see every single eyelash of his clearly.
The smile on Chu Lian’s face widened a little more. She set her lips next to He Changdi’s ear and whispered something.
Once Chu Lian was done speaking, He Changdi’s icy expression melted away, only to reveal sparkling warmth beneath. His pupils dilated until his eyes were like black holes, as if trying to suck her into his soul.
With a husky voice, he sought confirmation from her, “Really?”
Chu Lian refused to repeat herself, so she just continued smiling at him with her arms around his neck.
He Changdi lifted her up with one hand at her waist and the other under her butt. With just that small bit of effort, he managed to carry her like a child, scaring her into tightening her grip on his neck.
This was a lucky moment for He Sanlang. While Chu Lian was panicking, she pressed her chest against his face unintentionally.
When Chu Lian finally noticed what was happening, her face was red beyond belief.
He Sanlang’s leg still hadn’t completely recovered, so despite how excited he was, he didn’t dare to make any more rash moves. After carrying Chu Lian for a while, he put her down.
He personally neatened up Chu Lian’s disheveled clothes, before warning her with a deep voice, “You can’t lie to me! Or you’ll face the consequences!”
The blush on Chu Lian’s face hadn’t receded yet, so when she heard what he said, she could only nod silently to gloss over it.
When it was time for dinner, Laiyue noticed that his master was in a much better mood than usual. He only dared to peek at him from time to time, wondering just what could have happened to make Third Young Master this happy.
Seated beside her husband, Chu Lian could obviously sense the change in him as well. The normally quiet and restrained He Sanlang was now breaking out into smiles occasionally while eating. She held up her rice bowl to hide the roll of her eyes she couldn’t hold back.
She had only promised to consummate their marriage when they returned to the capital. Look at how happy he had become from just that.
The next day, they left Suzhou the same way they had arrived: with Chu Lian sharing a carriage with Sima Hui, while He Changdi sat alone.
Laiyue found it really odd. Third Young Master’s good mood hadn’t faded at all since he had boarded the carriage. Third Young Master didn’t even order him to disturb Third Young Madam during lunch time.
When Chu Lian had set out on the journey to the north, she had taken small, desolate roads so that she could get there as quickly as possible. It was different now since they weren’t in a rush. She went shopping on the whole journey back to the capital. Furthermore, Sima Hui was someone who knew how to have fun, just like her, so they went around looking at all the shops and shopping crazily. She purchased plenty of local specialities along the way.
Sima Hui was from a wealthy family, while Chu Lian had never lacked for money since she opened Guilin Restaurant. Thus, during the journey to the capital, the two ladies spent at least three thousand taels between them.
The carnage completely shocked Laiyue into speechlessness.
He mulled over how the amount Third Young Madam had just spent was about the same as all that he and Third Young Master had brought when they had left for the northern border. Seeing how much of a spendthrift Third Young Madam was, he worried over whether Third Young Master would be able to support her lifestyle.
He Changdi, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care at all. He even ordered Laiyue to follow Chu Lian, take note of what she liked, and report everything back to him later.
Their trip continued in this manner until Chongzhou, where Great General Qian and the other officers caught up with them.
From then on, the pace of their journey to the capital got even faster.
Even though the pace had increased, it still took approximately twenty days.
When they reached Zhangzhou, the closest city to the capital, He Sanlang was already able to ride a horse as per normal.
They bumped into Prince Jin and He Erlang there, who had just settled the corruption case in Zhangzhou, and decided to return to the capital together after some discussion.
Although Chu Lian and the others hadn’t arrived at the capital, they had already sent letters ahead of them.
Everyone, including Matriarch He, Countess Jing’an and Princess Duanjia, was eagerly waiting for the couple to return by now.
