Chapter 80: A Nighttime Visit

The dowry bride slept soundly without a single distraction. As dusk settled outside, Yun Xueyan had already fallen asleep on her bed. Lately, she found herself unusually drowsy. With Duan Nanyu absent, her rest was deeper, free from the anxiety of waking to cold, unsettling eyes at her side.

In the midst of her slumber, she suddenly felt a hand covering her mouth and nose. Yun Xueyan awoke in a panic, struggling desperately as fear engulfed her.

"Yan'er... it's me." A gentle voice called softly.

There was no light in the room, only darkness. Yun Xueyan could not see the face before her, but the familiar voice eased her heart, allowing her to breathe again.

Feng Xilou, dressed in white robes, seemed to emit a faint glow in the night. His features were indistinct, yet his elegant, handsome outline was unmistakable.

"Xilou, how is it you?" Yun Xueyan asked, instinctively wrapping herself in her quilt.

She had heard it was Feng Xilou who had brought her back that night. Did he see everything? The thought made her blush, and she burrowed further beneath the covers.

Feng Xilou, ever attentive, noticed her embarrassment. An amused smile touched his lips as he gracefully helped adjust the quilt, his slender fingers brushing against her hair.

"Yan'er, that night... my only thought was to save you," he said with a hint of laughter, his fingers lingering at the end of her hair, slightly teasing. "There was no time for admiration. So you need not worry."

Moreover, she was still dressed in her undergarments—what could he possibly have seen?

She relaxed, though she still held the quilt tightly, lifting her head with a shy blush. Feng Xilou could not see her expression clearly. "Xilou, why are you here? It's so late."

She glanced toward the window, concern furrowing her brow. "Zihun is still outside keeping watch."

She often wondered if Zihun ever needed rest.

Feng Xilou laughed quietly, turning to sit by her bedside. "Yan'er, just how long have you been sleeping?" Usually, Zihun kept watch only for the first half of the night—he too needed rest.

Otherwise, Feng Xilou would not have chosen this hour. He came to avoid meeting Zihun and to spare her unnecessary trouble.

"I don’t know, I fell asleep early." With Feng Xilou, she always felt at ease, her guard lowered. "Is it really alright for you to visit at night?"

"Don’t worry, this isn’t a clandestine meeting," he teased, helping her to sit up wrapped in the quilt, then leaned himself against the wall.

A clandestine meeting? Yun Xueyan froze in surprise—Feng Xilou had actually used those words.

She covered her mouth, laughing softly, unconcerned now about the man sitting beside her. After all, nothing would happen between them.

"Yan'er, you should smile more," Feng Xilou said, turning to look at her face. Though he could not see her expression, he knew it must be beautiful.

In the darkness, his eyes gleamed like stars, filled with affection and indulgence, as if he wished to melt her into his gaze. Yun Xueyan turned away in flustered confusion, her words stumbling.

"You... why did you come here so late? Is there some reason?"

"I'm about to leave for a few days," he replied. "The court is overwhelmed with affairs lately—so many matters to handle. The emperor is nearly frantic; it's the first time I've seen him so harried. It's rather amusing."

As he spoke, Feng Xilou laughed aloud.

Perhaps he was the only one in the world who could jest about the emperor.