Lu Heng chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. “Alright.”
Shen Fenghuo hadn’t expected him to go along with her words. Without even properly setting down her bowl and chopsticks, she turned and hurried toward her side courtyard.
“Xiangling, quickly, time for bed!”
She leaped over the threshold. “We have to get up early for work tomorrow.”
Xiangling had been waiting inside the room. Seeing her flustered appearance, she quickly stood up. “Young Mistress, why are you running so urgently? This servant has already prepared the warming utensils and can still—”
Before she could finish her sentence, a tall figure was already blocking the doorway.
Lu Heng leaned one hand against the doorframe, his gaze holding a hint of amusement as he looked at Shen Fenghuo without saying a word.
Shen Fenghuo’s lips twitched, but she forced herself to appear calm on the surface.
Xiangling hurriedly bowed her head in greeting. “Lord… are you staying in the Young Mistress’s room tonight?”
“Mm.”
Lu Heng replied succinctly, taking a long stride into the room. “Prepare hot water for a bath.”
Xiangling was overjoyed. “This servant will go at once!”
As she spoke, she retreated, sneaking a playful, smiling glance at Shen Fenghuo before leaving.
The room was instantly left with just the two of them. Shen Fenghuo stood to one side, while Lu Heng casually sat by the table.
Mother Lu’s enthusiasm was simply unstoppable. The maids made trip after trip, bringing hot water into the room. Steam rose and spread, filling the chamber with a misty warmth, livelier than a bathhouse.
Lu Heng sat for a while before stepping out, and only then did Shen Fenghuo let out a sigh of relief.
The kitchen was heavy with oil smoke, so she always insisted on washing up thoroughly before bed.
Xiangling was outside, giggling and rustling about, though it was unclear what she was doing.
Shen Fenghuo soaked in the bathtub for two ke before reluctantly stepping out to change into her sleeping robe. She sat by the small stove near the window, drying her hair. The warm, gentle heat from the stove brushed against her cheeks.
Propping her chin in her hands, drowsiness gradually washed over her. She thought happily to herself that since Lu Heng still hadn’t come in by now, he had probably gone to sleep in the study.
Soon, the door creaked open, and Lu Heng’s gaze fell upon Shen Fenghuo.
She was wearing loose sleeping robes, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall as she dozed off with her chin in her hands.
“Lord?”
Shen Fenghuo quickly stood up. “You… you’re really not sleeping in the study?”
Lu Heng closed the door behind him, shutting out the cold air, and stepped closer.
His voice was low and tinged with laughter. “We are husband and wife, aren’t we?”
Shen Fenghuo pursed her lips.
There was nothing wrong with that statement—she couldn’t very well chase her own Lord out.
Lu Heng didn’t come any closer. Instead, he turned and walked toward the adjoining room. “I’m going to bathe.”
Shen Fenghuo’s hair was now dry, and she sat by the bed.
During the day, her Lord had seemed gentle and refined.
But now, though it was the same face, something felt off.
He seemed a bit fierce.
So this was it—they were going to consummate the marriage.
Before she could think further, the door to the adjoining room opened.
In the flickering candlelight, Lu Heng emerged.
His hair was unbound, and without the restraint of his outer robe, his broad shoulders and narrow waist were even more pronounced.
Shen Fenghuo stared blankly for a moment before quickly shaking her head.
Shallow, so shallow.
No matter how handsome he was, it couldn’t make up for his unpredictable, fierce nature.
Lu Heng walked to the bedside and leaned down. “Why are you sleeping so far inside? Are you planning to drill a hole in the wall and crawl through?”
“No.”
Shen Fenghuo cleared her throat softly. “The bed is big.”
Lu Heng said nothing more, swinging his legs onto the bed.
He gave the quilt a light shake, and suddenly, a thin booklet slipped out, landing with a soft thud right in the middle of the bed.
Shen Fenghuo’s eyes widened in shock.
Oh no, oh no!
She had clearly put it away earlier—how could it have ended up in the quilt?
She frantically reached out to snatch it, but Lu Heng picked it up first.
He unfolded the pages, his gaze sweeping over the illustrations, a growing smile in his eyes.
Lu Heng looked up at her. "So this is what my wife reads at night?"
"If I said it wasn't, would you believe me?"
Shen Fenghuo instantly felt her cheeks flush under his gaze. "This book… I just flipped through it casually. There's nothing interesting about it. Could you give it back to me?"
A person, at the very least, shouldn't be this embarrassed.
Lu Heng didn't respond, moving even closer to her until his warm breath almost brushed against her ear.
Yet his gaze shifted from the pages to her flushed face, then slowly drifted downward, settling on her lips.
Her lips were exquisitely shaped—full and glossy—and were currently being gently bitten by her pearly teeth.
An inexplicable thought surfaced in Lu Heng's mind—
She looked very kissable.
Lu Heng watched her flustered expression and actually handed the booklet back to her.
Shen Fenghuo snatched it at once, immediately stuffing it under her pillow, wishing it could remain hidden from the world forever.
"To dream upon it?"
Shen Fenghuo hurriedly dug the booklet out from under the pillow and flung it toward the foot of the bed with such force that it spun in the air before landing.
An awkward atmosphere enveloped Shen Fenghuo, when suddenly a rustling sound came from beside her feet.
Something furry brushed against Lu Heng's ankle.
A pure white rabbit was tilting its head to look at him, ears standing straight up.
"Xue Tuan, how did you get out again?"
Shen Fenghuo hurried to pick it up, lifting the quilt as she moved to get off the bed. But Lu Heng was on the outer side, his legs stretched out, blocking her way.
Without a second thought, she lifted her waist and stepped right over him.
The soft hem of her skirt brushed against his arm as Lu Heng watched her treat him like a threshold.
Shen Fenghuo placed the rabbit back in its cage and only relaxed after securely closing the door.
Turning back to the bed, she saw Lu Heng still in the same position and thought to step back over him the same way.
But as soon as she lifted her foot, her wrist was suddenly seized by him. Losing her balance, she gasped and tumbled straight into his arms.
With just a slight pull, she found herself straddling him, the scent of pomelo blossoms growing stronger.
He lowered his gaze and asked, "Shall we consummate the marriage?"
"Lord… is this something one asks about first?"
"It can be asked."
Lu Heng tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "If my wife says yes, then yes."
Shen Fenghuo clenched her jaw, her cheeks still tinged with an unsubsided blush, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.
The rumors in the streets about the Lord being gentle and refined were all lies.
How could he be so blunt and infuriating!
Just as she was feeling embarrassed, she heard him speak again. "Close your eyes."
She instinctively complied, and the next moment, a cool sensation touched her neck.
Shen Fenghuo opened her eyes to see Lu Heng dipping his finger into ointment and gently rubbing it over the red marks on her neck.
His movements were unexpectedly tender, his fingertips slightly cool as they traced the bruises left by the choking. The pressure was just right—neither painful nor ticklish—instead, it carried a strangely soothing quality.
As the ointment melted, a cool sensation spread, dispelling the lingering soreness.
"Don’t go to the Dali Temple Prison recklessly."
His voice sounded above her head.
Shen Fenghuo paused, answering truthfully, "Chen Chu asked me to deliver food there."
"You don’t need to go there anymore."
Lu Heng withdrew his hand. "Just focus on cooking in the Dining Hall. There’s no need to set foot anywhere else."
"Mm."
Shen Fenghuo nodded, hesitating before speaking up. "Then, Lord, are we still…"
"Do you know who I am?"
He suddenly interrupted her.
Shen Fenghuo was puzzled but replied, "My lord is named Lu Jin, courtesy name Shiji."
Upon hearing this, Lu Heng let out a low, soft "heh" sound. "Sleep."
Listening to the steady breathing beside her, Shen Fenghuo couldn't help but let her thoughts run wild.
Just moments ago, he had teased her with the spring pictures and even asked if they should consummate the marriage, yet after applying some medicine, he simply went to sleep?
She secretly glanced up, catching a glimpse of Lu Heng's sleeping face in the faint candlelight.
He was truly handsome beyond words.
But could it really be as Wanniang had said?
Was her lord actually… incapable?
As she pondered, drowsiness washed over her again. Shen Fenghuo turned over and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Before dawn, the world outside the window was shrouded in an impenetrable ink-like darkness when the person on the bed suddenly opened his eyes.
Lu Jin's gaze was clear as he turned his head to look beside him.
Shen Fenghuo was curled up in the crook of his arm, her breathing light and even. Without the candlelight, he could only vaguely make out her serene brows and eyes.
His gaze swept over his own inner robe—neat and intact—and then over Shen Fenghuo's sleeping robe, which remained properly in place. The memories from last night were fragmented and blurry, only a few snippets remained, yet he couldn't understand how things had ended up like this.
Previously, they had managed to maintain the alternation of day and night, but recently, the timing of their shifts had become increasingly irregular.
Yesterday, he had woken up too early at dusk, and today, before dawn had even broken, he was awake again, too early.
As Lu Jin was lost in thought, Shen Fenghuo seemed to feel cold and snuggled closer into his embrace, even throwing one leg directly over his thighs.
Her feet were somewhat cold, pressing against the fabric of his clothes.
Lu Jin paused but did not push her away. He allowed that slight chill to seep through the fabric, indulging her for a moment. Only when her breathing steadied again did he carefully move her leg aside and rise from the bed, moving quietly.
When he stepped outside, Xiangling was already waiting in the corridor, holding out a heavy cloak.
Lu Jin took it and, after a moment of silence, asked, "What time did the young mistress retire last night?"
Xiangling looked bewildered. "My lord, this servant did not dare to disturb much last night."
Lu Jin asked again, "Last night… did I call for water?"
"No."
Lu Jin gave a soft "hmm" and did not press further. "Prepare another warming utensil for her."
"Yes."
When Shen Fenghuo opened her eyes, she felt the emptiness of the bedding beside her. With her usual energy, she sprang up from the bed in an instant.
Xiangling entered carrying washing water and, seeing her full of vigor, couldn't help but glance at her face, tentatively asking, "Young mistress, are you feeling any discomfort?"
Shen Fenghuo rolled up her sleeves to wash up, casually replying, "I'm fine, no discomfort at all."
"That's good."
Xiangling set down the copper basin. "My lord didn't call for water last night. Should this servant help you clean up?"
"Clean up what?"
Xiangling's cheeks flushed. "Oh! I mean… the necessary cleaning!"
As she spoke, she looked Shen Fenghuo up and down, seeing her lively and energetic, with a rosy complexion—not a trace of fatigue to be seen.
She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Young mistress, did my lord… not touch you at all last night?"
Shen Fenghuo nodded frankly. "That's right, we just slept."
"This lord!"
Xiangling stamped her foot in exasperation. "How infuriating! It's been several days since the wedding, how can he still be like this!"
Shen Fenghuo let Xiangling complain about Lu Jin for a while, then casually wiped her face, rinsed her mouth, and hurried off to the Dali Temple.
When she arrived at the kitchen courtyard, Wu Yu was already taking inventory.
"Sister, you're here."
Wu Yu smiled upon seeing her. "Chen Chu went to pick out meat early this morning. He said you're still in charge of the morning meal today, but you can only use the ingredients inside."
Shen Fenghuo entered the kitchen. On the shelves were only a bag of flour, a handful of wilted green onions, a few heads of garlic, and some salt and alkaline noodles.
Forget meat—there wasn't even an egg or a single green cabbage leaf in sight.
Good heavens, good heavens.
They were still trying to make things difficult for her.
But this little challenge wouldn't be enough to stump her.
Author's Note:
A'He: Is this reasonable? Wasn't Lord Lu supposed to be gentle and refined?
Lu Heng: So this is the wife Lu Jin picked for me. Not bad.