De’an then piped up, "Since you’re all leaving, why don’t I go along too?"

Zhao Jing said flatly, "Sure. I’ll even help you pack."

De’an: "..."

In the end, Huang Chen, Chu Xun, and De’an were all picked up by Wang Jun’s carriage, leaving only Zhao Jing and Chen Wanqing in the rented courtyard.

Chen Wanqing said sheepishly, "I really did find an inn. I even booked a room."

"Did you pay a deposit?"

"I paid thirty wen."

"That’s not much. Just consider the deposit a loss. Huang Chen had a point—it really isn’t safe for a woman as beautiful as you to stay in an inn alone."

At this point, what could Chen Wanqing say? She could only shamelessly accept his kind offer.

Since it was just the two of them, they decided not to eat out. Chen Wanqing quickly and skillfully cooked a simple meal, and they ate together.

Zhao Jing had never been picky about what he ate, but he was very particular about his living conditions. Whenever possible, he always insisted on bathing before bed. One could only imagine how miserable he must have been in the examination hall, where he could only use a little bit of water to hastily wipe himself down each day, all while having to sleep under quilts that reeked of mildew and were tainted with mouse droppings.

"Wanqing, I want to take a bath."

"Then wait a moment, I’ll heat some water for you. Oh, right, is there a bathing tub here? If there isn’t, I’ll go out and buy one now."

"There is. We bought one before; it’s in De’an’s room. Come keep me company, Wanqing. I’ll heat the water."

The two sat side-by-side, talking. As they chatted, Zhao Jing turned and nestled against Chen Wanqing’s neck.

Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh. "Are you sleepy? Why don’t you just bathe tomorrow?"

"No, I have to do it today. If I don’t get clean, I’m afraid you’ll reject me."

The implication of his words was already quite obvious.

Chen Wanqing never would have imagined that after a grueling three-day ordeal in the examination hall, the first thing on his mind wouldn’t be catching up on sleep, but... that.

They had been married for several months, but had only been together that one time. And because Zhao Jing had to rush off to the Prefecture the very next day, Chen Wanqing hadn’t even had the chance to feel shy about it.

But she still felt uneasy about it. So much so that when she saw him in the Prefecture, she always felt awkward and couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye.

She had only just managed to get over the awkwardness, and now he was suddenly bringing it up again. ’Doesn’t he feel any shame at all?’

She’d spoken her thoughts aloud without realizing it. Zhao Jing heard her and said with a smile, "Wanqing, for a husband and wife to share a bed, for the yin and yang to be in harmony—it is the most natural thing in the world."

"Jing!"

"I’ll say it even if you’re angry with me. Did you not enjoy it? Or... did I hurt you last time?"

Chen Wanqing’s face turned as red as the roses in the courtyard. The blush spread from her cheeks all the way down her neck, and perhaps even the skin beneath her clothes was flushed a deep pink.

Zhao Jing’s gaze was brazen and direct. Chen Wanqing felt scorched by it. In a fluster, she gave him a sudden push, stood up, and fled into her room.

That night, Zhao Jing still got his way.

He was a young man who was incredibly skilled at acting pitiful and wearing her down. He would hold Chen Wanqing, his voice growing hoarse as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear. Within a few sentences, he could grind away her resistance until she surrendered completely, agreeing to anything he asked.

But Zhao Jing really did live up to his mother’s assessment of him.

When it came to certain things, he was a true scoundrel.

For instance, in bed, he never kept his promises. He would take advantage of the difference in their physical strength to have his way with her. He was wild and unrestrained, like a completely different person, pouring out his love for her and demanding she respond in both word and deed...

The next morning, before Chen Wanqing even opened her eyes, she heard faint, shuffling sounds from the courtyard.

It sounded like people were talking in hushed voices. One sounded a bit like Zhao Jing, and the other... a bit like her father.

Chen Wanqing struggled to open her eyes. Harsh sunlight streamed in through a gap in the curtains, brightly illuminating the room. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

As awareness returned, so did the discomfort.

Chen Wanqing’s heart leaped. She quickly sat up to get dressed, but the blanket slid down, revealing the marks scattered across her body. She flushed crimson, wishing in that moment that the ground would swallow her whole so she’d never have to face anyone again.

Chen Wanqing finished dressing but didn’t go out. A moment later, she heard her father leaving. Just as Zhao Jing started walking toward her room, she quickly lifted the door curtain and hurried out. "Why didn’t you ask Father to stay for a meal?"

What she really cared about wasn’t why her father hadn’t stayed, but that she couldn’t let Zhao Jing corner her in the room.

After last night, she had finally seen his true colors.

’Jing is a complete and utter hypocrite!’