Leaving the Underworld sounds simple enough, but before departure, there are always matters to attend to.
That matter... is Lin Wanxiao.
To be honest, Chen Yi never thought he would encounter Lin Wanxiao and Xiuhe in the Secret Realm within the Capital City, let alone have Lin Wanxiao regard him as her husband.
It seems that this Secret Realm was part of the Empress Dowager’s sche. She had long calculated that Lin Wanxiao would drink the Amnesia Wine, and would later arrange for him to enter the Secret Realm, where so amorous entanglents might unfold between them.
A fleeting night of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold.
Yet, events did not ultimately unfold that way.
It’s not that there weren’t any monts of intimacy—during the ten days in the Secret Realm, he and Lin Wanxiao did share so physical closeness, like cuddling and embracing.
For this widow who had always adhered strictly to propriety, even a simple embrace or tidying a sleeve would cause her cheeks to flush with embarrassnt.
No longer like the tense and distant woman she was upon leaving the underground palace, she now resembled a gentle little wife patiently staying by his side.
One evening, Chen Yi practiced swordsmanship until late. Lin Wanxiao didn’t disturb him. She quietly went to the kitchen, then brought him a bowl of chilled waterlon soup.
It was, exactly, what parched and sweat-soaked Chen Yi needed to quench his thirst.
The quiet, ticulous care cultivated in Lin Wanxiao’s scholarly upbringing even stunned Yin Tingxue.
And this was just the tip of the iceberg.
After drinking the Amnesia Wine, Lin Wanxiao seed to place her entire being upon Chen Yi.
During the ti at the Cui Estate, Chen Yi wasn’t devoid of other won around him—whether it was Dong Guifei, with whom he discussed Buddhist Law, or Yin Tingxue, who was gentle and obedient. Even though neither woman shared a bed with Chen Yi, the underlying ambiguity between them was unmistakable.
Lin Wanxiao silently observed all this.
Each ti, she rely squeezed her own hand lightly. She neither feigned obliviousness nor allowed jealousy to flare, instead offering soft words of persuasion before burying the rest deep in her heart.
After relinquishing resentnt, Lin Wanxiao revealed the virtues of a truly genteel woman.
In this small courtyard, though neither seductive spring nor amorous atmospheres were present, it sohow ensnared Chen Yi like a haven of gentle peace.
But still...
The ti for farewell had co.
At the Cui Estate, Xiuhe caught sight of Chen Yi’s figure in the distance and quickly shouted:
"Madam, Young Master has returned! Young Master has returned!"
Having said that, Xiuhe hurriedly approached Chen Yi, speaking quickly:
"Young Master has been gone for two or three consecutive days now. I thought Young Master wouldn’t co back!"
Chen Yi parted his lips, unsure what to say.
Fortunately, Lin Wanxiao appeared in ti. Her steps were asured and unhurried, yet her body leaned forward slightly, like a fledgling bird peeking out.
Lin Wanxiao approached Chen Yi, bowed gracefully, her gaze filled with tenderness.
Xiuhe eagerly called out:
"Aren’t you coming in? I’ll go to the kitchen and bring you sothing to eat."
But Chen Yi didn’t move.
Xiuhe, puzzled, was about to reach out to tug at the Young Master.
After pondering for a mont, Chen Yi finally said:
"Xiuhe, please leave for now. I have sothing to discuss with Madam."
Xiuhe froze, confused, and unwilling to leave just yet.
She was about to say sothing when Lin Wanxiao, understandingly, intervened:
"Xiuhe, listen to the Young Master. He is above in rank here."
Upon hearing this, Xiuhe reluctantly left the courtyard.
The courtyard now held only Chen Yi and Lin Wanxiao.
Neither spoke imdiately, enveloped in shared silence.
Facing this young lady of the Lin Family, the colorless pallor of her face over recent days had receded, replaced by a healthier glow. Her brows no longer carried the weight of suffering, and her words had grown more frequent—so different from her initial days of mourning.
It seed as if her once desolate life had found a faint hope.
Chen Yi hesitated for quite a while, unsure of how to begin.
He wasn’t one to walk away heartlessly without a second thought, but between him and Lin Wanxiao—although sothing had transpired, in truth, nothing had actually happened.
As for Lin Wanxiao... no matter what she thought personally, in reality, she was more of the Empress Dowager’s tool to keep him here—a pawn trapped by circumstance.
Chen Yi remained utterly silent, unable to decide how to proceed.
And then Lin Wanxiao, who had also been quiet, suddenly spoke:
"Are you... leaving?"
Chen Yi looked up at her, Lin Wanxiao’s expression serene, her lips slightly parted. Her luminous eyes glimred, as though she had already expected this.
After so hesitation, Chen Yi nodded: "Yes."
Lin Wanxiao opened her mouth, wanting to say sothing, but eventually lowered her gaze and murmured:
"Co back soon..."
"..."
Chen Yi’s heart stirred unexpectedly. She didn’t say goodbye, nor did she utter "see you again."
After a brief silence, he said:
"It feels like... a dream."
"A dream?"
Lin Wanxiao’s eyes showed confusion, unsure of his aning.
"eting you here—it truly feels like a passing dream," Chen Yi elaborated.
For reasons unknown, Lin Wanxiao felt a faint headache. She couldn’t grasp the deeper aning behind his words. Yet, as he was her husband, she followed his lead and replied:
"In the Peony Pavilion, those lovers too t in a dream."
"...I rember."
Chen Yi didn’t elaborate further. He stepped back two paces, offered her a faint smile, and said:
"I must go now."
Lin Wanxiao waved him goodbye. As Chen Yi turned to leave, she suddenly seed to recall sothing. She quickly stepped forward and tugged at his belt.
"This part isn’t tied properly."
Leaning down, Lin Wanxiao deftly tightened his garnts, securing the belt firmly as she had done nurous tis in the past ten days.
Chen Yi stood still, watching her quietly.
When Lin Wanxiao finished tidying his clothes, she straightened up and t his gaze.
Suddenly, her lips felt warm.
Chen Yi had leaned down to kiss her.
It was fleeting, like the touch of a dragonfly skimming the water, a brief mont of contact, then separation. Lin Wanxiao stared at him in awe, slowly realizing—this was her first kiss.
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