Chapter 269: Ordered to Flirt

"Fine, if she's there, she's there. It'll be a good chance for her to witness my unparalleled medical skills. If she ever has period pains, she can come to me later."

Zu'an snorted and walked straight in.

Now that he had the "Bright Mirror, Not a Stand" skill to conceal his aura, infiltration was much easier. He even had to summon "Strong Wind" one less time than usual during his journey.

Of course, this was also because the Chu family's defenses were strong on the outside but weak on the inside. Their main defensive forces were geared towards fending off external invasions, and they never expected a "house thief" to be lurking within.

He arrived at the window of Chu Chuyan's fragrant boudoir, and with a gentle push, it opened right up. His heart filled with joy. It seemed his wife had intentionally left the door open for him today.

He tiptoed to the bedside and vaguely saw a slender, captivating figure lying on her side on the bed. Unfortunately, the room was too dark for him to clearly discern her face.

This time, he didn't dare to pounce directly and grope around. Last time, he could claim it was an accident, but if he were to touch Qin Wanru again now, not to mention how Qin Wanru would react, Chu Chuyan herself would most likely chop off his hand.

"Wife, is that you?" Zu'an asked tentatively.

A lazy hum came from the bed: "Who else do you expect it to be?"

Zu'an breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went to sit by the bed. "Where's your mother?"

Chu Chuyan shrunk back slightly, avoiding his probing hand. "She knew you were coming to treat me tonight, so she wouldn't feel comfortable staying here and making things awkward for everyone."

Zu'an chuckled, "Your mother-in-law is truly considerate."

"Now you know to call her 'mother-in-law.' Earlier, it felt like you two were about to fight." Chu Chuyan's tone was quite displeased. She had accommodated his feelings that afternoon, so she hadn't said anything, but seeing him talk back to her mother like that still made her unhappy.

"But we didn't fight, did we?" Zu'an's face flushed with embarrassment. "Alright, alright, worst case, no matter what she does in the future, I won't hit back if she hits me, and I won't talk back if she scolds me. How about that?"

"Really? That's not like you." Chu Chuyan's gem-like eyes quietly gazed at him, filled with suspicion.

"Of course it's true. But if she scolds me, I'll come back and kiss her daughter; if she hits me, I'll come back and..." Zu'an left his sentence unfinished, his gaze sweeping over her beautiful, captivating body.

"You'll what?" Chu Chuyan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively clutched her collar tighter. For some reason, despite her cultivation being far higher than his, she always felt an unconscious fear of him.

"I'd just hit you, what did you think?" Seeing her somewhat flustered eyes, Zu'an smiled, a genuinely happy smile.

Chu Chuyan: "..."

This guy definitely didn't mean that!

But she couldn't say it out loud, so she could only glare at him indignantly.

Rage points from Chu Chuyan +5, +5, +5...

Seeing her cheeks slightly puffed up, making her look a little cuter than her usual cold elegance, Zu'an's heart stirred, and he couldn't resist leaning closer.

Chu Chuyan's eyelashes fluttered, and she shyly turned her face away. Her small hands instantly gripped the bedsheet tightly, her mind in great turmoil, unsure how to react.

Seeing that she didn't explicitly object, Zu'an was overjoyed. It seemed that all the time she spent undressing in front of him for healing recently had indeed achieved its intended purpose, fostering enough intimacy.

Just as he was about to kiss her delicate, flawless face, Chu Chuyan suddenly furrowed her brows and put out a hand to stop him. Her previously shy expression instantly reverted to its usual coldness: "You smell of another woman's perfume."

Zu'an was so angry he almost slapped himself. He had made this mistake before, and today he had repeated it.

"You went to see Qiu Honglei again today?" Chu Chuyan asked expressionlessly.

Zu'an: "..."

Before he could say anything, Chu Chuyan already snorted. "Don't bother denying it; the smell is the same as last time. Hmph, you just had a big fight with my mother because of her, and then you immediately went to see her? You're really something!"

Rage points from Chu Chuyan +213!

Feeling her anger rising rapidly, Zu'an panicked. If she continued like this, he would really be doomed.

He quickly explained: "You've got it all wrong! I went to her not for what you think, but because there was no food at home earlier, so I just went there for a meal..."

As he spoke, his voice gradually trailed off.

"Can't you just tell any servant to make you food? Besides, if there's no food at home, you go eat with another woman?" It would have been better if he hadn't explained; hearing his ridiculous excuse only made Chu Chuyan angrier.

Rage points from Chu Chuyan +476!

Fortunately, Zu'an's mind worked quickly. He had already thought of a retort by now: "Of course, I didn't just go there to eat. I heard you were having a headache over the private salt issue, and I was dedicated to helping you with your worries, so I went to the Immortal's Abode."

"What does going to the Immortal's Abode have to do with private salt?" Chu Chuyan frowned.

Zu'an swallowed and quickly explained: "Because your Chu family represents the authorities, many pieces of information are difficult to trace through official channels. But the Immortal's Abode is different. People from all walks of life gather there, and information spreads very quickly. And Qiu Honglei's status is extraordinary, so she might be able to get some useful intelligence."

Chu Chuyan's expression softened slightly. "So, what information did you actually get?"

"I found out that the biggest private salt dealer in Brightmoon City is the Giant Whale Gang, and their leader is exceptionally mysterious; it seems no one has ever seen his true face..." Zu'an recounted everything he had heard from Qiu Honglei, word for word.

After listening, Chu Chuyan couldn't help but say: "Aside from a few bits that might be useful, we already knew most of that. Is that all you gained from your visit?"

Zu'an thought to himself that he had gained more than just that from his trip; there was also the "Bright Mirror, Not a Stand" skill. However, he dared not tell her about it, lest he add fuel to the fire again.

"Of course, that's not all. The main thing is that Qiu Honglei hadn't paid much attention to private salt intelligence before. This time, she promised me she would keep an eye out for me. I imagine new information will come soon enough."

Chu Chuyan said discontentedly: "So, you'll still be going to her place often in the future?"

"This is all for the Chu family's business! But if my wife says the word, and tells me not to go, I absolutely won't go." Zu'an swore solemnly.

Chu Chuyan hesitated. Naturally, she didn't want him to go to such a place. However, considering the Chu family's current predicament, if he could really get useful intelligence from Qiu Honglei, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

"Why is that Qiu Honglei so good to you?" she suddenly asked.

Seeing that she didn't directly refuse, Zu'an secretly smiled. He had long anticipated that given her character, she would never do anything that harmed the Chu family's interests.

"Of course, it's because I'm handsome!" Zu'an declared, puffing out his chest, "You know, even a dignified duke's daughter like you chose me out of countless people, so if a courtesan queen didn't choose me, wouldn't that be looking down on the Chu family's eldest daughter's taste?"

Chu Chuyan: "..."

This guy is absolutely shameless!

Too lazy to argue with him, Chu Chuyan simply said: "Alright, I won't stop you from going to the Immortal's Abode in the future. But next time you go, help me arrange a meeting for someone there."