A burning breath, thick with unspoken desire, lingered between their brows. The hand stroking her hair moved languidly, tracing the curve of her captivating eyes, the soft blush of her cheeks, before finally settling at the collar of her robe.

Seeing his hand about to loosen her garments, Yu Qingwu trembled slightly. After all, she had shared a bed with Xie Jin Yan for over half a year. His intentions were clear.

Why was this man suddenly consumed by such thoughts, especially after they had just discussed Qu Shanshan?

Yu Qingwu frowned, catching his hand at her collar, a touch of reproach in her voice as she stopped him. "Your Highness, this is the sect. Besides...it's broad daylight. Behave yourself."

"How am I not behaving?" Seeing the flush on Yu Qingwu's face, Xie Jin Yan's eyes flashed with amusement. He gently straightened her collar, feigning innocence. "I merely noticed your collar was askew and wished to tidy it. What were *you* thinking?"

"Ah, I understand now. My Senior Sister is captivated by my beauty and, finding us alone, cannot contain herself..."

"..."

"You..." It was clearly him being improper, yet he twisted it into her being impatient?

Yu Qingwu was no fool. She had seen the fire in his eyes, knew exactly what he desired...

Hmph, now that she had seen through him, and he realized his slip, he was turning the tables!

Silently cursing him, Yu Qingwu didn't mince words. She glared at Xie Jin Yan, indignantly scolding him, "Stop trying to shift the blame. I'm not like you, always being so lecherous."

"As if *you're* not the flirtatious one. If you weren't, you wouldn't have been shamelessly trying to seduce me at the Shen estate in broad daylight..."

"Xie Jin Yan, enough!" Seeing the man becoming increasingly explicit, Yu Qingwu interrupted him sharply, pushing him away and sitting on a chair at the side. Her face flushed, she forced a stern expression, glared at him, and returned to the original topic, questioning him seriously, "Your Highness, you said that those male disciples who fawn over Qu Shanshan are mostly driven by the desire to take advantage of her. What about you? I've noticed you've always been on good terms with her. What are *your* intentions?"

This...he had finally managed to change the subject, only to have it turned back on him.

He truly had no interest in Qu Shanshan and had never actually crossed any lines. The past rumors of flirtation were mostly spread by Qu Shanshan herself to make her seem more popular.

But whether his Senior Sister would believe him if he said so was another matter entirely.

He watched her for a moment, his gaze complex. Meeting her questioning eyes, Xie Jin Yan's pupils constricted slightly.

But he was, after all, the Crown Prince, the one who plotted strategies in court. He wouldn't be flustered by something like this.

Xie Jin Yan adopted a composed demeanor, his phoenix eyes looking at her with deep affection and sincerity. He softly countered, "A'Wu, what do you think? What do *you* think my intentions are?"

What did she think?

That was hard to say.

It wasn't that she didn't want to believe Xie Jin Yan. It was just that his past had been so outrageous.

Even though he had repeatedly explained that his past debauchery was all an act for his rivals, he had still been debauched, and right before her eyes.

Especially after hearing his description of those male disciples' true intentions, Qingwu couldn't help but wonder if...Xie Jin Yan, her handsome and doting husband, might harbor the same kind of despicable thoughts.

If that were the case, what kind of man had she married? And what kind of disgusting and terrifying man had she fallen in love with?

Their eyes met, and Yu Qingwu's lips trembled as she gazed into those affectionate, wounded phoenix eyes. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but then closed it again.

"I...I don't know." After a moment of hesitation, she gently shook her head, troubled. "I used to think that the male disciples who fawned over Qu Shanshan either couldn't see through her tricks, or genuinely admired her unrestrained and carefree nature. But now, I don't understand anymore."

So, because he had revealed the despicable intentions of those male disciples, she suspected that he was cut from the same cloth.

Xie Jin Yan suddenly regretted telling Yu Qingwu those things. Why had he brought it up in the first place?

Now, the good impression he had worked so hard to create was cracking.

He had only brought trouble upon himself!

Though inwardly annoyed, Xie Jin Yan maintained his facade of elegance. His handsome face was gentle and affectionate as he took Yu Qingwu's hand, softly asking her, "A'Wu, I know my reputation was terrible in the past, and that I appeared to be quite debauched in the eyes of others. It's only natural for you to have doubts after hearing those words today."

"But let me ask you this: since we married, have you ever seen me with another woman? Have I ever laid a hand on any of the maids in the manor? I don't even have a concubine."

"Furthermore, we've shared a bed and spent so much time together. Isn't that enough for you to understand me? After being husband and wife for so long, do you still see me as such a despicable and base person?"

If he was going to be base, he would at least choose the right person...

Of course, Xie Jin Yan didn't say those words aloud.

His eyes were filled with hurt, and his expression was quite dejected. Combined with his stunning looks, it was hard to blame him.

Moreover, after washing up and changing into a light-colored casual outfit, he no longer appeared as cold and oppressive as he did in his usual dark brocade robes. Instead, he seemed more ethereal, further enhancing his pitiable and innocent air.

Seeing him like this, Yu Qingwu suddenly felt that she might have gone too far. If he truly was such a despicable person, he wouldn't have needed to mention those male disciples to her. He could have just made up another excuse. Why did he have to say so much?

"I...I didn't mean it that way. I was just asking." Yu Qingwu bit her lip, avoiding Xie Jin Yan's gaze. Changing the subject, she added, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I'm exhausted from traveling all this way. I'm going to make the bed."

With that, she withdrew her hand from his, turned, and walked towards the inner room.

As she walked, she rolled up the wide sleeves of her robe, preparing to tidy up the bed.

However, when she reached the bedside, Qingwu froze.

The quilts and blankets were neatly folded on the shelves in the room.

"What do you think, Senior Sister? Did I make it well?" She turned around, wanting to ask Xie Jin Yan a question.

But he had already walked over, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his hand caressing her arm as he chuckled, "Did you really think I specifically called you here to make the bed? Although I'm used to being served, I'm not so useless that I can't even make a bed."

"Alright, I'm tired too. Let's sleep. We still have to meet the other senior brothers and sisters tonight. We'll be busy."

As he spoke, he suddenly picked her up.

Yu Qingwu was very light. Xie Jin Yan effortlessly placed her on the bed, gently took off her shoes, and lifted her feet to massage them.

Yu Qingwu was indeed tired from the journey, so she allowed Xie Jin Yan to attend to her.

She squinted slightly, just as she was about to lie down, a knock came from outside.