It was the dead of winter, and the house had been unoccupied for a long time, so one could only imagine how damp and cold it was.

Even though they had used a brazier to warm the room in the preceding days and opened the windows to air it out when the sun was strong, the room was still cold.

With a person’s-width of space between them, the cold air snuck in, making one shiver uncontrollably.

A warm body pressed against her from behind, closing the gap between them completely. Someone seemed to tuck the cotton quilt tighter around her neck, driving the chill away. The space under the covers instantly grew warm.

Chen Wanqing didn’t ask why Zhao Jing had moved closer, nor did she question why he was tucking her in.

It was the first time in her life she had slept under the same covers with a man. Even though they had already been sharing a bed for many days, sharing a bed and sharing a quilt were two very different things.

The room was too quiet, and Chen Wanqing’s mind was in turmoil. What little sleepiness she’d felt before had vanished without a trace. She was now wide awake.

But then, Zhao Jing suddenly spoke. "Wanqing, have you ever wondered why the people from the old residence showed up in the locust grove at that exact moment?"

Hearing his question, Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but turn over to look at him.

The moonlight was exceptionally beautiful tonight.

Bright moonlight pierced the night sky, draping the world in a gossamer veil. Silvery threads of light filtered through the oiled paper covering the window, landing on the canopy bed.

In the bright moonlight, Chen Wanqing could see Zhao Jing’s face, handsome in its youthfulness.

Zhao Jing had refined, noble features. Paired with the scholarly air about him, he was at once elegant and dashing—a truly striking young man who made you want to look at him again and again.

He suddenly turned his head to look over at her. Then, as if deciding it was too much of a strain on his neck, he simply turned his whole body to face Chen Wanqing.

Their eyes met, and their breaths mingled in the small space between them. Chen Wanqing’s heart seemed to stop for a beat, and she subtly shifted back a little.

Zhao Jing didn’t seem to notice her movement. He spoke again, his tone unhurried. "Mother said that the people from the old residence have wicked hearts, that they were hoping to scavenge something or profit from a death, which is why they went to lie in wait so early. But, Wanqing, don’t you think that’s too much of a coincidence?"

"There’s a main road near that path, and plenty of people travel it every day. Yet nothing happened before, and nothing happened after. It just so happened that on the very day the people from the old residence were lying in wait, a horse slipped and pulled its carriage into a ditch..."

Chen Wanqing said softly, "It’s certain that there’s something wrong with the people from the old residence. Otherwise, Father wouldn’t have told De’an to use this incident to threaten them. But since Father doesn’t want to dig any deeper, and Mother has also hinted that we should keep our distance from them, Jing, let’s just drop it. In the future, when we have to deal with them, we’ll just be more cautious so they can’t trick or plot against us."

Zhao Jing seemed at a loss for words, but then he chuckled.

’This was the Wanqing he knew.’

’She hated getting tangled up in things.’

’She was someone who liked peace and quiet, who preferred to stay in her comfort zone and not worry about inexplicable matters.’

’And she was clearly an obedient girl, always taking her parents’ words to heart.’

’That was a good thing. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have married him on her parents’ orders.’

’And yet, for some reason, he felt a tightness in his chest.’

Zhao Jing only felt gloomy for a moment before cheering himself up. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This time, he didn’t waste any more words and went straight to the point.

"Since you’re married now, the elders from the old residence probably won’t come to bother you. It’s just your cousin—she’s the same age as you. If you associate with her, you should be very careful."

"Wanyue? You think there’s something wrong with her?" As she spoke, Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but nod slightly. "It’s true, she has come to our home several times to deliberately say all sorts of nonsense in front of Mother. It certainly seems like she has ill intentions... Alright, I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll try to have as little contact with her as possible from now on."

As they talked, the conversation somehow turned to the matter of the county exam.

During dinner, Xu Su Ying had suggested that the two of them move in after the Lantern Festival.

Zhao Jing, however, felt that was too early. He had originally intended to move at the end of the first month.

Remembering this, Chen Wanqing said, "Actually, I agree we should move in after the Lantern Festival. It’s not that I can’t bear to leave my parents and want to stay here to be with them. It’s because after the festival, the county exam process begins."

To take the county exam, you first have to register at the Rites Division of the county government.

Registration requires a guarantee from a licensed Scholar, a fee of two taels of silver, and five other students taking the exam to mutually guarantee one another. You also have to fill out all the required candidate information.