After Lan Muyan returned to the military camp, with only the two of them left at home, life was incredibly pleasant without any disturbances.
She was soft-tempered and gentle, rarely causing trouble for him.
Sometimes, when he made her blush, she wouldn't say harsh words, but would coldly turn to other matters, ignoring him.
However, Tantai Ye seemed addicted, wanting to see her shy appearance. He teased her almost every day, tossing in suggestive jokes from time to time.
The more Lan Murou ignored him, the more he persisted.
Later, she couldn't stand his shamelessness and finally snapped at him.
Tantai Ye loved it when she got angry with him. When she yelled at him, he would hold her and kiss her endlessly.
Lan Murou was utterly helpless. He was stubborn, impossible to drive away, clinging to her, and always secretly climbing through the window.
At night, she was drowsy when she felt a familiar presence lift the curtains and slip in.
Her whole body tensed, instantly waking her up.
Seeing the person on top of her, a sense of powerlessness surged from the bottom of her heart.
Tantai Ye lifted the covers, held her in his arms, and softly called out, "Rou'er."
Lan Murou ignored him. Unable to break free, she turned her body and closed her eyes.
It had been raining often in Gusu lately, and the weather was cold and overcast.
Tantai Ye saw she was only wearing a thin undergarment. He hugged her from behind, covered her with the quilt, and obediently held her as he closed his eyes.
Lan Murou was very sleepy and accustomed to it, quickly falling asleep.
After she fell asleep, he opened his eyes, turned her over, and kissed her passionately.
He finally understood why Xiao Chi Zhan couldn't sleep without holding someone. Looking at the person he cherished most every day, unable to kiss, hug, or sleep with her, was torture.
But the scenes of her desperately choosing death before had nearly driven him to collapse. He dared not provoke her again.
Seeing that she was about to wake up, he quickly stopped his actions, held her in his arms, and was so gentle it was unlike him.
In the past few days, Lan Murou had been going to the shops frequently.
Back then, after her parents died, her family's property was divided among her uncles. Later, Tantai Ye helped her deal with those people, but her family's shops and estates were also mostly ruined, leaving only a few old servants to help manage them.
She had recently been thinking of tidying up the shops, and Tantai Ye dared not stop her, letting her do as she pleased.
Unexpectedly, upon her reappearance, old neighbors recognized her.
An old aunt, a widow who had nothing to do and loved playing matchmaker, saw her return and started arranging a marriage for her.
"A young girl like you, Muyan isn't here either. How can you manage without a man?"
Lan Murou, with her hand being held, smiled awkwardly.
"Auntie, I'm not in a hurry."
"Why aren't you in a hurry? You're already past sixteen, it'll be hard to find someone. If you don't marry quickly, you'll become an old maid."
The aunt smiled and stared at her.
"You're so beautiful. I've lived for so long, and I've never seen a girl in Gusu as pretty as you."
"Let me tell you, the young master from the county official's family in the east of the city is about your age and is looking to get married. This old woman will arrange it for you, how about a meeting?"
Lan Murou quickly refused, "No, no."
"Don't be shy, just hide behind the screen and take a look. If it works out, you won't have to worry about food and drink for the rest of your life."
The aunt chattered on. Lan Murou couldn't even imagine what Tantai Ye would do if she went to meet another man.
She hurriedly pretended to be unwell and ran away.
But who knew, the aunt was not giving up. Perhaps the matchmaking fee was substantial, and she brought the young master to see her while she was at the shop.
That Bai Yan took a liking to her and brought people to propose the next day, completely astonishing Lan Murou.
When she heard the news and rushed back, she saw Tantai Ye furiously chasing the man away, the chests on the ground scattered everywhere, his expression as if he wanted to eat someone.
Bai Yan, terrified, scrambled to escape and cursed the aunt for not inquiring about the situation properly, for introducing someone who already had a man.
The aunt was also very wronged. Seeing her return, she grabbed her hand and started complaining.
"A blind man, and such a temper. What were you thinking, girl? You've wasted my good intentions."
"Get lost."
A stool flew from nowhere, scaring the aunt into running out with curses.
"You dare to discreetly see other men, Lan Murou, do you have me in your eyes at all."
Tantai Ye was almost furious. He had been humble and submissive for months to avoid upsetting her, yet she had gone behind his back to see other men.
Anger and killing intent surged forth.
He wished he could draw his sword and kill that damned Bai Yan.
But seeing the person who gracefully entered the hall, he forcibly suppressed his temper, tore off the white silk he was wearing, put his hands on his hips, and kicked a stool in annoyance.
"You only know how to bully me."
Hearing his slightly aggrieved voice, Lan Murou found it inexplicably incongruous.
She glanced at the scattered boxes on the floor, her heart unmoved.
After so many years, she was already accustomed to his temper.
She silently began to clean them up, completely ignoring him.
Seeing her silence, Tantai Ye instinctively wanted to pull her up to confront her. But seeing her cold profile, he began to panic and quickly restrained his temper.
However, the thought of her smiling sweetly at another man made him want to kill, and he couldn't suppress that bloodthirsty killing intent.
Lan Murou didn't care what he was thinking. She put away the items, thinking of sending them back to the people another day.
"Lan Murou."
He awkwardly pulled her up, his tone harsh.
'If the general wants to get angry, go back to your manor. My home cannot accommodate your esteemed presence.'
Her tone was cold and distant, as if returning to the time when she first arrived in Gusu. His heart grew more panicked, and he hugged her tightly, pinning her against him.
"Rou'er."
Lan Murou took a deep breath, wanting to push him away, but couldn't budge him.
"If you dare to see other men again, I will kill them."
The words in his heart almost escaped his lips, but Tantai Ye suppressed them in time, his face buried in her neck flickering with madness.
Lan Murou had been with him for many years, and naturally knew what kind of person he was at heart.
She sighed helplessly and stopped struggling.
"You are already married to me. I don't allow you to look at other men."
"Which eye saw me seeing anyone else?"
Tantai Ye was displeased. "Then why did that person just say he wanted to marry you?"
To say he wanted to marry his woman in front of him, Tantai Ye, was asking for death.
If it weren't for fear of upsetting her, he would have flayed that person alive just now.
He did not allow anyone who coveted her.
"It was just a misunderstanding."
"It's because everyone thought you were alone. If you acknowledge me, people will dare to introduce others to you."
Lan Murou: "----"
She wearily rubbed her forehead and murmured weakly.
"We are impossible."
Although her voice was low, Tantai Ye's martial arts skills allowed him to hear her words, and his expression instantly turned grim.
The hand holding her waist suddenly tightened, and he fell silent.
Lan Murou sensed the change in him and said softly.
"Everything in the past is over, and I have forgiven you. Go back to Shangjing, be your great general, and let's never see each other again."
Hearing her words, Tantai Ye felt as if his entire being had been hollowed out, ice shards raging within him, piercing him all over.
He hugged her tightly, buried his face in her neck, and his voice was hoarse.
"I'm not going back. Wherever you are, that's where I'll be. If I do anything wrong, I'll change. Rou'er, I can give up everything, as long as I have you."