Chapter 47 Another Identity

"Really? I wouldn't dare easily believe my wife's words." Xiao Ziyu picked up his book once more, his gaze indifferent, a trace of a smile flashing in the hazy depths of his eyes.

Chuntao set down the evening meal and walked in carrying a basin of water.

"My lady, master, it's time to wash your hands and have dinner."

Moving to the dining table, Xiao Ziyu served her food first as usual before quietly eating his own.

Chen Xingmiao raised her gaze to look at him, placing a piece of meat into his bowl.

"Husband, your health is frail, you should eat more."

Xiao Ziyu looked at the meat in his bowl, stunned for a fleeting moment, and then the corners of his mouth curved upward slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

He raised his eyes, looking at Chen Xingmiao with tenderness, and said softly, "Thanks to my wife's blessings, I have put on quite a bit of weight these past few days."

The two of them chatted back and forth. After finishing the meal, they washed up and went to bed.

In the dead of night, Chen Xingmiao tossed and turned, only to find that the space beside her was empty and devoid of warmth.

Where was the little villain?

She rubbed her eyes, opening them with some reluctance, and by the moonlight, she saw that Xiao Ziyu's shoes were also gone.

No way, in weather this cold, working overtime in the middle of the night again?

Chen Xingmiao wrapped her clothes tightly around herself, came to the door, and the moment she pushed it open, she felt a gust of cold wind rush toward her face.

Her whole body trembled violently, and her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.

It's freezing, good grief, why is he running around instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?

She clutched her garments tightly, hardened her heart, and stepped outside.

On the dark street, the moonlight fell like silver frost. The surroundings were completely deserted and terrifyingly quiet.

She searched all around, but Xiao Ziyu's figure was nowhere to be seen. Just as she was about to give up, turn back home, and go back to sleep—

"Master, it's fine if you just play along with her for fun usually, but showing your face this frequently makes it very easy to expose yourself. Last time you also risked your life breaking into the Empress Dowager's palace; if others find out, we..."

From a dark alley not far away, a man's urgent voice came suddenly, lowered in volume.

??? There's a new plotline!

Chen Xingmiao's heart tightened, her curiosity instantly hooked. She slowed her steps, hunched over, and crept bit by bit toward the source of the voice.

"Who's there!"

Unexpectedly, the moment she got close, a sharp sword thrust toward her in the next instant.

Chen Xingmiao's legs went weak, and she instinctively took a step back as a few strands of hair drifted down instantly.

"Big brother, I'm a good person, I was just passing by, I didn't hear anything..."

Qingfeng's eyes were as deep as an abyss, gazing at her silently.

A moment later, he slowly lowered his hand, the cold light on the blade seeming to dim along with it.

"Go."

His voice was low, devoid of the slightest ripple. He walked away with steady strides, leaving Chen Xingmiao with only a stern back that quickly vanished into the night.

Chen Xingmiao let out a sigh of relief. Regaining her composure, she ran back home as fast as she could.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, and Xiao Ziyu was sitting calmly by the bedside.

Hearing the commotion, he raised his eyes to look, only to see her hair disheveled, her face pale, and taking heavy, ragged breaths.

Her frail frame trembled slightly from the fierce panting, and cold sweat streamed continuously down her forehead, dampening her collar.

"Wife, what's wrong with you?"

As the words fell, Chen Xingmiao looked at him suspiciously. "When did you get back? Where did you just go?"

"I..." Xiao Ziyu hesitated slightly before saying, "It was a bit stuffy, so I went out for a walk."

Chen Xingmiao gave him a doubtful look and did not press further.

"It's very late, go to sleep quickly. Tomorrow I'll send you to the academy."

With that, she dragged her heavy footsteps toward the bed and plunged straight under the covers.

Xiao Ziyu blew out the candle with stealthy movements and lay down on the bed as well.

The two of them lay awake all night. Sunlight filtered through the window and spilled across the bed.

Chen Xingmiao slowly stirred awake. Xiao Ziyu beside her had already risen and was tidying his clothes nearby. She sat up and rubbed her still-sleepy eyes.

"Husband, where on earth did you go last night?" Chen Xingmiao couldn't help asking again, a hint of stubbornness in her tone.

Xiao Ziyu paused his hands, slowly turned around to look at Chen Xingmiao, parted his lips, but didn't know how to explain.

Right at that moment, Chuntao's voice came from outside: "My lady, master, breakfast is ready."

As if seizing a lifeline, Xiao Ziyu quickly said, "Let's eat first, don't let yourself go hungry. Whatever is on your mind, we can talk about it after eating."

Chen Xingmiao pursed her lips helplessly and had no choice but to temporarily suppress the doubts in her heart, getting up to wash up.

After breakfast, Chen Xingmiao dragged Xiao Ziyu to the academy.

Lin Yu was standing at the entrance, and seeing them arrive together, he looked her up and down.

"Morning." The corners of his mouth curved up slightly, speaking unhurriedly with a lazy tone.

Chen Xingmiao nodded and raised her eyes to look at Xiao Ziyu. "Husband, hurry inside, don't be late. I'll come pick you up tonight."

"Alright, be careful on your way back."

Xiao Ziyu raised a hand to gently tidy a stray lock of hair from her temple, then stepped into the academy.

Chen Xingmiao watched as Xiao Ziyu's figure disappeared behind the academy gates before turning around to leave.

At that moment, Lin Yu strolled over to her side, flicking a folding fan, a meaningful smile hanging on his face: "Miss Chen, would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Hearing this, Chen Xingmiao froze slightly, then politely declined: "Thank you for the kind offer, Young Master Lin, but I still have matters to attend to at home and really cannot stay long."

With a polite yet distant smile, she offered a slight curtsy and prepared to turn away.

Lin Yu, however, showed no intention of letting her go just yet. He lightly shook the folding fan in his hand, took a step forward to block her path, his tone remaining relaxed yet faintly revealing a sense of persistence.

"Since when have you become so formal? You weren't like this before."

What is wrong with this guy?

A flash of displeasure crossed Chen Xingmiao's heart, but a smile still forced itself onto her lips.

"I really have matters to attend to, another time for sure." With that, she turned sideways, intending to bypass him.

Seeing that she was still determined to leave, the smile on Lin Yu's face vanished instantly. His expression grew stern, and his voice turned serious.

"Miss Chen, just how much do you actually know about your husband?"

Her steps paused, and the smile previously plastered on her face froze instantly. A flash of panic crossed her features, but she quickly regained her composure.

She raised her gaze to meet Lin Yu's eyes directly and retorted without showing any weakness: "What do you mean by that?"

Lin Yu looked at her with a profound gaze, shook his head lightly, and said, "Miss Chen, some things cannot merely be judged by their surface."

"What are you trying to say?"

Instead of beating around the bush, Lin Yu gracefully raised a hand in an inviting gesture, turning slightly sideways to indicate the interior of the academy: "Care to sit inside?"

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Xingmiao nodded slightly and walked into the academy with Lin Yu, stepping with cautious paces.

The two of them sat down in a secluded pavilion, and Lin Yu personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Xingmiao, pushing it gently across the table toward her.

Suspicious, Chen Xingmiao eyed him warily.

What on earth is this guy up to, acting all spooky and paranoid.

Without beating around the bush any longer, Lin Yu said straight to the point: "I know your husband's true background."