Given the Liu family’s stature, how could they marry a woman in her forties or fifties? Moreover, Liu Xuan himself is quite average in appearance, with decent abilities.

Or could it be that Cao Benyuan’s sister is truly as beautiful as an immortal?

Liu Xuan knew Chen Mo’s confusion, and he shyly scratched his head, saying, "Actually, Ying’Er is just in her late twenties, the daughter old Patriarch Cao had later in life..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo was stunned.

Liu Xuan’s wife, Cao Ying, was born to Cao Benyuan’s father and a concubine in his sixties.

And Cao Ying is more than ten years younger than Liu Xuan.

To this, Chen Mo could only admire his youthful vigor because, after all, Cao Benyuan’s father was just an ordinary man.

Being able to father children at such an age is indeed impressive.

...

"Your Highness, then I shall not disturb your rest any longer, I will take my leave now."

After a few more casual remarks, Liu Xuan sensed the lack of interest in Chen Mo’s words and took his leave promptly.

Chen Mo nodded slightly.

After Liu Xuan left, Wu Xin’Er entered gracefully with her hands overlapped at her waist, her voice melodious: "My husband, it’s time to wash up."

Wu Xin’Er beckoned, and Ji Xi’Er, under the control of the Charm Skill, brought hot water in from outside.

"My husband, allow me to attend to your washing." Wu Xin’Er took the wooden basin of hot water from Ji Xi’Er’s hands, placed it on the side table, wet the towel, wrung it dry, and handed it to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo took it with a helpless smile: "Xin’Er, I’ve told you, let the servants do these things, you don’t have to tire yourself."

He noticed a significant change in Wu Xin’Er, who used to be independent, cool, and a bit mischievous, but after marrying him, she seemed to have transformed completely into a housewife, caring and attentive to his needs, handling even the smallest matters with utmost care.

"Serving my husband is my duty." Wu Xin’Er’s education always prioritized family interests over individual ones. After marriage, the family became her core, and the husband her priority.

In addition, Wu Xin’Er aimed to elevate her status in Chen Mo’s heart; with so many women around him and shallow feelings between them, she was still a consort, the mistress of the Prince’s Mansion’s inner quarters. Managing it well required Chen Mo’s support and affection.

As Chen Mo resumed his original appearance and wiped his face, Wu Xin’Er approached to help him take off his outer robe. By then, he had finished wiping, and Wu Xin’Er smoothly took the towel, placed it on the nearby rack, and brought hot water to his feet, bending down:

"Allow me to wash your feet..."

"No need, I can do that myself."

"But I have yet to wash your feet." Wu Xin’Er looked up at Chen Mo.

"Then, you may proceed." Chen Mo sat at the bedside, letting Wu Xin’Er help remove his boots and put his feet into the hot water, and then she gently massaged them with her hands.

Chen Mo closed his eyes, enjoying the service, and said, "Xin’Er, what do your father and mother like? When visiting your home, we shouldn’t go empty-handed. Even at the wedding, I didn’t see your father-in-law."

"Just you going is enough; the house lacks nothing. Father manages affairs outside the family and rarely comes home all year. Before I left Jiangnan, he sent me a letter stating that if the marriage came through, the arrangements would be handled by my uncle."

Despite saying so, Wu Xin’Er mentioned some preferences of her parents to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo committed them to memory.

...

After a brief chat, feeling it was enough, Chen Mo lifted his foot, and Wu Xin’Er used a dry cloth to wipe it.

When Wu Xin’Er was going out to empty the water, Chen Mo pulled her into his arms and let Ji Xi’Er handle it.

Blushing, Wu Xin’Er realized what Chen Mo intended but did not refuse, lightly saying, "My husband, I will close the door."

"No need." With a wave of his hand, Chen Mo summoned a breeze that closed the door.

Wu Xin’Er rose from Chen Mo’s embrace, prepared the bed, then sat sideways on the soft couch. A phoenix-patterned ribbon cinched her waist, the hairpin gently placed on the nearby table, her ink-black hair cascading down her back, a hint of moisture on her jade-like cheeks.

Her legs bent on the couch, white bare feet peeking from beneath her skirt, Chen Mo’s gaze fixed intently, causing her foot to slightly arch, her lips softly tightening. After a brief hesitation, she sat up straight, released the waist belt, and gently loosened her collar...

Though it couldn’t compare to MiaoZhen or Ji Xi’Er, Yunxi and others, the moment her collar opened didn’t exude budding allure but was exceedingly pleasing.

One could clearly see her collarbone and the contour between her bosom.

"A... fashionable dudou?" Chen Mo was startled. The style of this dudou perfectly displayed Wu Xin’Er’s elegance and charm, befitting a noble lady.

Chen Mo leaned in closer: "Xin’Er, where did you learn this?"

"No... no problem? This dudou was given by Jiang Ning... she said you’d like it," Wu Xin’Er softly replied, her body instinctively shrinking back.

"..."

"Jiang Ning knows my taste quite well..." Chen Mo pressed down on Wu Xin’Er’s hands with one hand, then reached up and pulled on the dudou’s strap, lowering his head to kiss...

Instinctively, Wu Xin’Er resisted a few times, her white bare feet gently kicking twice on the soft couch, but soon she stopped struggling, holding Chen Mo’s head, closing her eyes...

...

...

The night was quiet.

Due to the curfew, almost all the candles in Jianghe County had been extinguished. Only scattered inns and taverns still had lights on, with silence so deep that not even a dog bark was heard.

"Help, someone, help! Miss has been kidnapped, someone..."

With a loud shout, the previously dim government office brightened up with a blaze of light, and a Black Shadow leapt from the backyard to the rooftop, something slung over its shoulder...

"My lord, something terrible has happened; the young miss has been taken away." The maid’s tearful cries echoed.

The constables on duty rushed over, and Liu Xuan saw a fleeting Black Shadow on the rooftop in the firelight.

"Stop, thief." Liu Xuan leapt onto the rooftop, following.

Cao Benyuan, arriving a step later, glanced into his daughter’s room. Seeing it empty, he quickly organized the constables to give chase.

Before long, a commotion erupted in the city, the constables’ calls of "Thief!" illuminating households in curiosity, heads sticking out of windows to watch.

Suddenly, a Black Shadow flew by, stepping on someone’s head to leap higher.