Chapter 767: Alone and Isolated

Zu An’s hair stood on end the moment he heard those words. He had truly been careless, having just praised Concubine Bai’s delightful scent, and now he was getting his comeuppance so quickly.

Yet, accustomed to overcoming great challenges, he reacted swiftly. He immediately sighed and explained, “This must be the fragrance of Jasly, that expert from the Southern Border. Her spirit-descent technique is truly unpredictable; I nearly died in her illusion.”

“A spirit-descender?” Chu Chuyan’s attention was indeed captured. “Legend has it that spirit-descenders are unique experts from the Southern Border. Their spirit-descent techniques are elusive and can take a life silently.”

“Indeed, during the war between our Great Zhou and the Southern Border, the Southern Border’s spirit-descenders inflicted heavy casualties,” Murong Qinghe, who had spent much time in the military, naturally knew about such matters. “Jasly’s name sounds familiar. She reportedly gave the imperial court’s experts a hard time back then. Brother An, I’m impressed you managed to escape with your life from her.”

Murong Qinghe’s eyes sparkled. She had always admired powerful individuals, and both her sparring with Zu An and his recent accomplishments filled her with heartfelt admiration.

She secretly mused, *How wonderful it would be if Brother Chu were this capable.*

*No, how could I think that way? Brother Chu should simply remain a quiet, handsome man. Crude matters like fighting and killing, I shall take responsibility for those.*

Chu Chuyan eagerly questioned him about his encounter with Jasly. Zu An then broadly described the battle, especially highlighting the spirit-descender’s attack methods, worried that she might suffer greatly if she encountered such a practitioner in the future.

Naturally, he changed the female protagonist of the incident within the illusion from Yun Yuqing to Chu Chuyan.

*Ah, a playboy’s self-discipline still needs more work.*

As expected, Chu Chuyan was instantly overwhelmed with emotion upon hearing how, within the illusion, he had stood against the entire world for her sake, even confronting the emperor in battle.

Chu Youzhao’s face flushed bright red with excitement, thinking, *My brother-in-law is truly wonderful, the best and most formidable person in the world.*

Even Murong Qinghe, standing nearby, had a peculiar sparkle in her eyes, glancing at Zu An, then at Chu Youzhao, a conflicted expression frequently crossing her face.

Zu An secretly wiped away a bead of sweat. He had been concerned that, given their upbringing steeped in loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, they might deem his actions in the secret realm treasonous.

He hadn’t realized that such a romantic tale could be so profoundly affecting for women. No wonder Yun Yuqing had become so gentle and tender after hearing it…

*Ugh, ugh, ugh, thinking about other women at a time like this – what a scoundrel!*

Just then, Zu An’s gaze fell upon the packed luggage beside them, and he was momentarily stunned. “Why are you carrying all this? Are you going on an outing somewhere?”

Chu Chuyan’s expression fell. “It’s not for an outing. I’m returning to Mingyue City.”

“What?” Zu An immediately lost his composure.

Chu Chuyan explained, “Not long ago, I received a message from my mother. Something significant has happened within the Chu family, and I need to return to handle it.”

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, added, “Even with such urgent timing, my sister still intended to come and bid you farewell before leaving. But when she heard about your accident, she became incredibly agitated, pacing here like an ant on a hot pan. I’ve never seen her so anxious in my entire life.”

Chu Chuyan, her face faintly flushed, lightly scoffed, “It’s not as exaggerated as you make it sound.”

Zu An chuckled, pulling her slender, soft waist into an embrace. “It’s only natural for a wife to worry about her husband, isn’t it? Come here for a kiss.”

Chu Chuyan flushed scarlet and dodged, “There are others present!”

“Go on, go on, don’t disturb our time alone as husband and wife.” Zu An waved his hand, impatiently shooing the two ‘third wheels’ out of the room.

“Shameless!” Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe exclaimed, giggling as they ran out.

Despite their words, they felt quite envious of the affection between the couple.

In the capital, they were accustomed to seeing many couples live their entire lives with mutual respect and formality. While there was nothing inherently wrong with this, as it was what everyone was taught from a young age, as women, they always felt such relationships lacked a certain flavor of love and passion.

In contrast, Zu An’s unconventional demeanor struck them as refreshingly novel. They sensed in him a profound love for life and a vibrant zest for existence.

After they stepped out, they exchanged glances. Murong Qinghe couldn’t resist asking, “Do you think your brother-in-law won’t be with your sister in there again…?”

Mid-sentence, a faint blush spread across her sun-kissed skin. Clearly, the scene she had inadvertently witnessed that night had left an indelible impression on her young mind, as she frequently dreamt of it.

In her dreams, however, the female protagonist was sometimes Chu Chuyan, but other times it was herself; as for the male protagonist, it was sometimes Chu Youzhao, yet other times it was Zu An…

Each time she recalled this, she would blush furiously, wondering why she would dream of other men. *Hmm, I absolutely cannot let Brother Chu know.*

Chu Youzhao also wore a peculiar expression: “Surely not…”

Her tone, however, was not entirely certain, for she knew her flirtatious brother-in-law’s true nature.

“Should we take a peek?” Murong Qinghe, bold since childhood, couldn’t help but feel eager.

Chu Youzhao jumped, “Don’t even think about it, no!”

She wasn’t worried about her sister; after all, there was no harm in Murong Qinghe, being a woman herself, seeing them. Her concern was that it would be too disadvantageous for her brother-in-law to be seen.

While the two whispered and debated outside, the couple inside were not engaged in what they imagined, but were instead embracing warmly.

“Chuyan, what exactly is so important that you must return?” Zu An’s voice was tinged with reluctance. With Chu Chuyan gone, he truly felt like a stranger in the capital.

Chu Chuyan nestled in his embrace. “I’m not entirely sure, but Mother would never send a message without good reason. Clearly, something significant has happened within the Chu family.”

Zu An’s voice grew stern: “Is someone trying to target the Chu family again? I’m quite influential in the capital now; if I find out who it is, I’ll lead a force to wipe them out.”

“I know you’re formidable,” Chu Chuyan said, stifling a laugh. “But I’ll need to go back and investigate the specifics before I can tell you more.”

“Alright, I really don’t want to see you go,” Zu An said, looking at her with a touch of sadness.

“Ah Zu, I don’t want to leave you either,” Chu Chuyan replied, gazing at him with lingering reluctance.

The two naturally leaned in for a kiss, as if wanting to completely absorb each other into their very beings.

When Zu An escorted Chu Chuyan to the city outskirts, the blush on her face had still not faded. “Ah Zu, I will come find you as soon as I have dealt with matters in Mingyue City.”

“Good, contact me as soon as you return,” Zu An instructed. “I can now mobilize many resources in the capital, so we won’t be bullied as we were before.”

Chu Chuyan hummed softly in acknowledgment, then turned to her sister beside her. “Youzhao, please take good care of your brother-in-law during this time.”

Zu An, standing nearby, looked utterly bewildered. “Did you say that backwards?”

Even Murong Qinghe looked puzzled; her Brother Chu was a quiet, handsome man, how could he possibly take care of this tough and capable fighter?

Chu Chuyan shook her head. “Youzhao is cared for by her great-uncles here, and Qinghe assists her daily, so I’m quite at ease concerning her. It’s you who has faced so many dangers in the capital recently; you won’t always be so fortunate.”

Chu Youzhao, standing beside them, was visibly excited and puffed out her chest. “Sister, don’t worry, I will definitely take good care of brother-in-law.”

Zu An smiled faintly, touched by her concern. He took her hand. “Chuyan, thank you.”

They had initially planned to escort her only to the city outskirts, but ended up walking several more miles beyond. Alas, all partings are inevitable.

Upon returning to the capital, Zu An’s spirits remained low. Chu Youzhao, sensing his mood, didn’t disturb him and left with Murong Qinghe, allowing him to have some peace.

Zu An lay on his bed, lost in thought. Da Manman was gone, Xue’er was gone, Zheng Dan was gone, Qiu Honglei was gone, and now even Chuyan had left.

A profound sense of loneliness, of being utterly alone in a vast world, filled his heart.

“Do you need someone to drink with you?” a cold voice suddenly asked from the window.

Zu An turned to look, his gaze first falling upon a pair of long, snow-white legs. “Principal Jiang?”