Chapter 73: Chapter 71: Gentle Night

The sky was dark, and the lights flickered inside Huai’s pawnshop.

Zhao Huai saw that the shop was still lit and the door was open, knowing that Madam must still be waiting for him.

Meanwhile, the myna bird couldn’t wait anymore and flew to the beam, calling out.

“Home, we’re home.”

Zhao Huai entered and looked around.

𝔫oѵ𝑒𝙡.com

The room was meticulously tidied, and hanging on the wall was an ink painting with a plum blossom snow scene.

It had to be said that Madam had a unique love for plum blossoms, which represented perseverance, integrity, and a soft exterior but a strong interior. She liked them very much.

At this moment, Yu Qinghan was wearing a thin white dress, sitting on the bed in the bedroom, slowly cultivating.

Discovering that Zhao Huai had powerful cultivation had given her quite a shock.

She must hurry and improve her own cultivation.

Although her talent was not bad, the years of fighting in the north and south had consumed much time, slowing her cultivation progress.

Now, only one step away from reaching the Initiation Stage, she must seize the time to break through.

Hearing the door opening, Yu Qinghan withdrew from her cultivation state, glanced at the room, and smiled warmly, “Husband, you’re back.”

Zhao Huai slowly pushed the door, took off his bamboo hat, hung it on the wall, and replied softly.

“Yes, I’m back. I had many things to do today, that’s why I came back late.”

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet.”

Zhao Huai came straight home, so naturally, he had forgotten about eating.

“How can that be? Let me make you a bowl of noodles.”

Yu Qinghan pouted and went to the kitchen.

Zhao Huai looked at her busy figure and smiled, feeling an unspeakable warmth in his heart.

Compared to the past when he was all alone, now there was someone in his life who worried about him and was waiting for him to come home.

This feeling was wonderful.

“Here it is.”

Soon, a steaming hot bowl of clear soup egg noodles was placed in front of Zhao Huai.

The noodles were sprinkled with scallions and lean meat, and it was hard to resist the temptation.

Zhao Huai chuckled and took out a red object from behind him, “Madam, look, what is this?”

“It’s sugar-coated haws.”

Yu Qinghan saw a stick of haws coated with red sugar and couldn’t help but feel delighted.

“I know you like sweets, so you’ll definitely like this.” Zhao Huai smiled.

At this, Yu Qinghan’s face turned red, and she was touched that her husband remembered her little habits. She stuck out her tender tongue and licked the sugar coating of the sugar-coated haws, smiling like a blooming flower.

“Mmm, it’s very sweet.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

As Zhao Huai was eating heartily, he suddenly noticed that someone was staring at him intently with both hands cupping her cheeks. It seemed like she was thinking about something.

“Madam, why are you staring at me?”

Being stared at by his wife, Zhao Huai couldn’t help but smile. He felt that there was something strange about her tonight, different from usual.

“My husband’s appetite is so good, I am fascinated by watching you eat.” Yu Qinghan straightened her body and smiled.

“Madam, don’t tease me.”

Zhao Huai shook his head and suddenly realized that someone was missing from the room. He couldn’t help but ask:

“By the way, where is Xiang Yun?”

“She went back in the afternoon, saying that her family was urging her to return. She sneaked out to visit me while passing by.”

Yu Qinghan stood up and walked to the window as she said this, gently pushed open the window. The moonlight outside was incredibly clear, pouring down like clear water.

“That girl didn’t even say a word.”

Zhao Huai clicked his tongue and glanced at the silver moon outside. Looking at his wife’s fair and beautiful side face, he felt that she was somewhat melancholic tonight, and couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

After all, her background was quite miserable.

Abandoned by the Emperor, her aristocratic family declined, her father passed away early, and she had conflicts with her family, which led to her being expelled. It could be said that she had lost everything.Others might find it hard to understand this kind of loneliness.

But he was different; he’d been used to living as a bachelor, so he understood her feelings very well.

It was just like the emotions he had felt when he first came to this world, helpless, lonely, and lost.

Having lost his appetite for noodles, Zhao Huai suddenly stood up, went to Yu Qinghan’s side, hugged her slender waist and whispered in her ear:

“I’ve been here all along.”

Yu Qinghan withdrew her gaze from the bright moon and responded with a smile.

‘Qing Han, let’s go to the rooftop to stargaze. What do you think?” Zhao Huai suggested.

To emphasize closeness, he didn’t call her ‘Madam’ but directly used her pet name.

“Sure.”

It was already late May, and the weather was gradually getting warmer. The night sky was cloudless, the moon was large, and countless stars twinkled incessantly.

Zhao Huai led Yu Qinghan to the rooftop of the third floor, opened a skylight, and climbed up the ladder.

“The scenery tonight is nice.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as he looked at the myriad of stars.

Zhao Huai plopped down on the ground, not sitting properly but with legs bent—one foot hoisted, one foot flat—both hands resting behind his head, leaning against the wall without a care, a lazy air emanating from him as he slowly closed his eyes.

He allowed the cool night breeze to caress his face.

“Husband’s pose looks quite unrestrained.”

Yu Qinghan covered her mouth and laughed.

In response to her questioning, Zhao Huai, without opening his eyes, leisurely replied, “This isn’t being unrestrained. It’s being relaxed.”

Having said that, he showed a contented expression.

“Relaxed?”

Yu Qinghan murmured to herself. It was the first time she had heard this term.

“Yes, look, ordinary people spend their days running around and dealing with various emotions, tired from coping. Even cultivators have to face all kinds of troubles, grudges, schemes, and dangers. It’s so exhausting. Why not rest a bit and take it easy?

“When you put it that way, it does make sense.”

Yu Qinghan thought about it and realized he was right. After all her hard work, she still hadn’t achieved what she truly wanted.

Thinking about this, she smiled slightly, “But with my husband, I already feel very relaxed. ”

Seeing that her mood had improved, Zhao Huai felt gratified and said with a smile:

“Try sitting like this. It’s quite comfortable.”

Yu Qinghan let out an ‘oh’ and followed his example, lying down casually. However, she felt this way of sitting was not suitable for wearing a skirt.

Her feet involuntarily curled, and her slender, straight legs were exposed from under the skirt.

Zhao Huai reveled in the sight, his eyes squinting in amusement as he said,

“Why not lean on my shoulder? The effect would be even better.”

Yu Qinghan immediately saw through his little thoughts and scolded, “You’re so dirty.”

Zhao Huai lowered his head and looked at his robe. During the day, he had been running around in the forest, even falling from a tree, so it had gotten quite dirty.

“Haha, I forgot.”

He chuckled dryly to cover up his embarrassment.

However, after hesitating for only a moment, Yu Qinghan still leaned her head on him. She knew that her husband was a clean person and that his current dirtiness must have been for some reason. How could she actually dislike him for being dirty?

Zhao Huai raised his head to look at the moon while the beauty in his arms closed her eyes as if she was about to fall asleep.

The cool breeze brushed past them, blowing strands of her hair, making him wrinkle his nose. The soft, black hair played across his face, tickling him.

He slowly climbed his hand onto her slender waist and couldn’t help pinching it. Clearly, he felt Madam’s body shiver slightly.

“Madam, you smell so nice.” “How about now…”

“You’re too bad.”

Yu Qinghan didn’t know when she had opened her eyes, but she pursed her lips and scolded without any intent of refusal.

“Heh.”

Zhao Huai chuckled wickedly, scooping up the beauty in his arms, holding her like a princess.

He hurriedly descended the rooftop, eager for a romantic night.