This didn’t bother her at all.
She felt that women should never be confined by boundaries. There can be virtuous and gentle ladies, and there can also be unruly and flamboyant women like her from military families.
Now that she had become Fu Zhen, there was no need for her on the front lines to fend off the enemy; she had a new battlefield. She still loved martial arts, but also gladly learned about managing finances and cooking.
Before organizing Pei Zhan’s luggage, she had never done this for anyone else. That day, upon hearing he was leaving immediately, her heart felt an inexplicable emptiness, always wanting to do something for him. But she couldn’t accompany him to the northwest with her current identity, so doing these trivial things for him became natural and appropriate.
Fortunately, the trip was rushed that day, and Pei Zhan had many things to arrange. He didn’t see her busying around, so it didn’t appear embarrassing. At first glance, everything fell into place.
After sending him off, there was nothing much to do for a month.
The revenge against Liang Ning was long settled.
The remnants at the Xu Mansion were all captured.
The Liang Family was peaceful. The eldest and second sisters-in-law were cheerful every day, except they would occasionally perform a double act with Mrs. Ning to urge her to have children soon. They even started to worry about Cheng Chili’s marriage.
The Empress initially asked her and Mrs. Pei to help find a suitable match for Yang Yi. Fu Zhen had kept it in mind, but before any arrangements began, the news of King Yan’s background suddenly spread, making it impossible to discuss marriage.
So she became even more idle.
With nothing to do, days stretched endlessly long.
Besides occasionally visiting Wanbin Building for gossip and learning cooking, she didn’t know what else to do with her time.
Yet Pei Zhan—this man’s shadow had long replaced his childhood image, occupying her every thought.
Bored to the extreme, she wandered along his life’s path, each place explored at her leisure.
Sometimes, Su Xinger would come to visit, and the two of them would take out all kinds of fruit wines brewed by Mrs. Pei and drink together.
In the deep autumn garden, a sense of desolation prevailed. The remaining lotuses wrote desolation on the lake surface, stroke by stroke. They sat on the terrace, talking about their men.
Su Xinger complained about how Liang Chen never took medicine on time, and he ate so quickly it was like dumping food directly into his stomach, really thinking he was made of iron!
After ranting, she took a sip of wine, sighed, and said it wasn’t easy for him either. At such a young age, he carried the heavy burden of the General Mansion. When everyone thought the Liang Family was about to decline, he stubbornly gained back face for the family with his blood and flesh.
After half a jug of wine, she would ask Fu Zhen if she was happy with Pei Zhan, or if she regretted marrying.
Fu Zhen said she didn’t regret it.
Su Xinger was somewhat skeptical. Nevertheless, she was the best listener. Even if she didn’t believe it, she would never pursue the question.
Every time Su Xinger criticized Liang Chen, Fu Zhen would silently assess Pei Zhan in her heart.
But she couldn’t find anything annoying about him.
Perhaps some things require truly becoming a couple to be felt.
But such a relationship was still something to yearn for.
Hearing the sound of feet stepping on fallen leaves from the courtyard, she closed the box, stood up, and instructed, "Go organize the wardrobe inside the green gauze cabinet. It will be for the General’s use in the future."
After she finished speaking, she turned around, and suddenly, her breath caught in her throat...
The doorway was already blocked.
It was the person she didn’t want to admit she missed, but indeed, she constantly found herself missing.
Pei Zhan glanced around the room, left hand on his waist, right hand gently stroking her chin, "What did I just hear?"
The callus on his fingers rubbed against her delicate chin.
Fu Zhen looked at him, took a deep breath, and said, "Yang Tong wasn’t wrong. You’ve indeed gotten uglier."
Pei Zhan paused, touched his face, and frowned, "I should have listened to the second brother and first found a place to clean up, apply some powder, and then come to see you properly."
Fu Zhen sniffled again, stretched her arms to hook around his neck, "Don’t worry, compared to pretty boys, I prefer rugged and tough guys who are dark and skinny."
Pei Zhan’s body turned rigid like an iron bar.
Fu Zhen stood on tiptoe, hugging him a little tighter.
The next moment, she simply lifted her feet off the ground, hanging directly from his neck.
Though the posture was odd and not ladylike, she looked up and laughed heartily, a look of satisfaction, still clearly the proud and proactive Taiping.
Pei Zhan sighed softly, wrapped her waist, and after deeply looking at her, he carried her boldly onto his shoulder...