Just now, at the peak of emotion, there was an inexplicable heat in my eyes, also filled with tears, but that was an instinctive release; this time, it was different.

Shang Ruyi clearly felt that familiar ache.

But the surging excitement that erupted in her heart quickly swept away the previous ache and grievance.

She widened her eyes, looking at that familiar silhouette in the darkness, and also at those eyes so close, filled with seriousness and solemnity, and softly said, "Really?"

Yu Wenye slightly pressed his lips, and then gently stamped another kiss on her slightly pouting lips.

"I said, I won’t lie to you."

"..."

"From now on, I won’t even more."

"..."

"I’m not saying these to make you have a child, but because I want to give you everything, and our child."

"..."

Her throat choked, Shang Ruyi struggled but couldn’t speak, only feeling the heat in her eyes becoming more overwhelming, as if about to overflow in the next moment. She could only bite her lip, avoiding his continuous kissing, and gently turned over in his embrace, burying her face in the bedding.

Those burning tears immediately spread in large patches silently.

Feeling her turn away from him, Yu Wenye didn’t force her to face him again. Instead, he leaned down further, holding her tightly while delicately kissing her slender shoulders and delicate neck.

The surging hot breath brushed against her cheek, making Shang Ruyi tremble once more.

But when she spoke again, she said, "You didn’t ask me."

"Hmm?"

Yu Wenye was still kissing her, not catching the meaning of the sentence.

Shang Ruyi turned her face slightly, looking at his eyes in the darkness, narrowing with a particular gentleness, and softly said, "Actually, you haven’t asked me all along."

"..."

Yu Wenye’s gaze flickered.

Though he didn’t speak immediately, the entwined Shang Ruyi instantly felt that his heartbeat in his chest intensified.

Shang Ruyi lowered her eyes and softly said, "When I was taken by the Turkic people, you came so urgently, afraid they’d harm my life, but also afraid I’d encounter such things."

"..."

"But why haven’t you ever asked me?"

"..."

Yu Wenye still said nothing, but after a long silence, he pressed his still burning lips on her earlobe, and when he spoke again, his voice was so low it seemed like only a breath, yet because Shang Ruyi was close to his chest, his voice seemed to transmit directly from his chest into her heart.

He said, "Didn’t you just say it yourself now."

"..."

"If nothing happened, I don’t need to ask."

"..."

"If it happened, I wouldn’t ask."

Shang Ruyi’s slender and thin back rose slightly with her heartbeat.

She said, "You don’t ask, but what if I really encountered those things, what then?"

This time, she finally heard the agitation mixed into Yu Wenye’s breath, seemingly confirming his silent yet suppressed worry these days.

What then?

How could he not have thought about it?

If those things really happened, what then?

But no matter how he thought, even if there were a thousand possibilities, even if he had to take more risks, even if he had to go through one, ten more bloody battles, the result he wanted remained the same—just for her to come back.

Compared to this result, everything else, though perhaps important, wasn’t as important.

Thinking this, he exhaled a long breath and said, "You’re my wife. Even if the worst happens, you’re still my wife. That won’t change."

"..."

"Besides—"

"Besides what?"

In the darkness, Shang Ruyi heard him chuckle lightly, though there was a heavy bitterness in that laughter: "Even if I’m not much familiar with Ashina Zhuxie, I know Lei Yu. She, being a Turkic little princess, even if through a marriage of interest, with her nature, she wouldn’t be entirely voiceless in Turkic affairs. Having befriended you, in any case, she wouldn’t let such a thing happen."

"..."

"Furthermore, Ashina Zhuxie took you back just to lure me here."

"..."

"If you had such an encounter and I reached the Turkic Yatai, do you think he could handle that outcome?"

At this, the probing and worries in Shang Ruyi’s mind instantly cleared up. She remembered what Shantong’er said before, hearing in Yu Wenye and Shen Tu Tai’s conversation that Turkic might have an internal conflict, she immediately turned to Yu Wenye: "So, you really guessed that Turkic would have an internal conflict?"

Yu Wenye said, "I guessed this possibility."

"How did you guess?"

"You, personally, hold no value to the Turkic people. Ashina Zhuxie’s passing through Qi County, probably to investigate Taiyuan’s situation. Grabbing you upon knowing your identity has only two reasons."

"What two?"

"One is to retaliate against me, the other is to lure me to Turkic land."

"..."

"The first needs no discussion, so I brought five thousand surrendered soldiers over, and barring any surprises, they’ll likely agree to exchange you; as for the second—"

Shang Ruyi was more sober at this moment: "Leading you to the Turkic, just like today, by the Cangtou River."

Yu Wenye said: "Yes."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, she only now realized that Yu Wenye and Ashina Zhuxie not only faced somewhat similar predicaments, but even—

Between the two, it seemed there was an unspoken understanding.

Looking back now, Ashina Zhuxie must have been planning a military coup from quite early, just never having the right opportunity; and this time, by capturing only herself, he lured Yu Wenye to launch an expedition to the Turkic, and Yu Wenye’s military maneuvers immediately shocked the entire Turkic Yatai, and as expected, Ashina Shali mobilized a large army.

And Yu Wenye, upon her capture and predicting Ashina Zhuxie’s movements, made two judgments and devised two different solutions.

Then, the scene by the Cangtou River occurred.

Looking back at all of this, it was seamless, yet the two hadn’t even met face to face, nor exchanged a single word; just Ashina Zhuxie’s act of abducting her accomplished the plan!

It’s unbelievable!

Shang Ruyi only felt her heart pounding heavily.

Feeling her heartbeat, Yu Wenye sighed, pressing his chest against her thin back, seemingly wanting to steady her heartbeat, softly saying: "So, don’t let your imagination run wild."

"..."

"I am your man, the first and the last. No one else, those who have desired you, approached you, don’t count, only me. Do you understand!"

"..."

The originally heavy heartbeat, upon hearing this, suddenly lost balance.

Shang Ruyi turned her face slightly, her bright eyes flickering a little, and as soon as she glanced at him, his hot breath rushed onto her face, making her cheeks flush.

She immediately turned back to bury her face in the bedding, muffledly saying: "Yu Wenye."

Just as she spoke, her waist was pinched.

"Mm!"

She felt the pain and tickle, struggling slightly but was firmly held in his embrace, unable to move, could only obediently say: "Feng Chen."

Yu Wenye snorted lightly: "What do you want?"

Shang Ruyi said: "Do you really like me so much? Why do you like me so much?"

"You still ask?"

"..."

"I don’t know either."

"..."

"If you were a bit smarter, or a bit duller, I wouldn’t; if you were a bit more beautiful, or a bit uglier, I wouldn’t either... In short, you are just right."

"..."

"Perhaps,"

At this point, his voice became a bit bewildered and hesitant, as if unwilling but still sighed: "This is also a miracle from God Buddha."

Just as he finished speaking, he felt Shang Ruyi’s back begin to tremble slightly.

Yu Wenye was initially confused but soon understood, gripping her waist and forcibly turning her to face him, only to see in the darkness, her eyes just moist with tears were now smiling and curved.

He gritted his teeth: "Why are you laughing?"

Despite being discovered and sensing he seemed upset, Shang Ruyi couldn’t restrain herself, eyes curved, smiling while saying: "So, you started believing in God Buddha too?"

"Who said that?"

"Aren’t you just like me—ah!"

Before she could finish, her left waist was pinched firmly, making Shang Ruyi cry out in surprise and retreat to a side, angrily saying: "What are you doing?"

Yu Wenye glared at her somewhat fiercely, saying: "Who is like you?"

"You clearly told me—ah!"

Her right waist was pinched again.

This time, the initial complaining cry inexplicably carried a hint of charm, making Shang Ruyi feel something and not daring to speak anymore, just hearing Yu Wenye gritting his teeth saying: "You said I was your miracle from God Buddha, but I said you are the miracle."

"..."

"It has nothing to do with God Buddha."

"..."

"It’s just you, only you!"

Clearly, she had just been pinched twice, her heart was raging, but with their bodies closely aligned, the twist of her waist naturally provoked reactions from the person on her, and upon hearing this, the inner flame suddenly soared, engulfing them both.

Shang Ruyi’s heart was on the brink of melting like spring water.

She pursed her lips, looking at the familiar silhouette tinged with sweat in front of her, those features now burning away any coldness with its fire, and even when simply staring at her, his gaze’s warmth already felt scorching.

Suddenly, Shang Ruyi extended her pale, slender, lotus-like jade arms vigorously wrapping around this man, her man!

Her soft, smooth body also pressed tightly against his.

Yu Wenye’s breath turned coarse and heavy.

He reached out, gently wrapping around her slender, trembling waist, discovering no matter how he caressed, pressed, or held tightly, she showed no signs of struggling, instead—yielding.

He seemed to have understood something.

In the darkness, two torrid bodies were ever closely entwined, sinking into that cloying ocean; just moments before, he whispered by her ear: "Hold on!"