In her dream, she and Qing Chen became a loving couple, inseparable and envied by all.
The dream spanned a long period, from meeting and getting to know each other, developing feelings, entering the bridal chamber, to getting married, having children, and a house full of grandchildren… until they grew old together and journeyed to Yellow Springs.
Then? Then Han Qingyue was startled awake.
She couldn't understand why she would have such a dream.
What made Han Qingyue even more terrified was that in the dream world, her beloved and deeply admired Brother Feng was completely absent, as if he had never existed.
Han Qingyue dared not think too much, fearing that not only had her body betrayed Xiao Feng, but her heart had also followed suit.
She gently patted her chest, comforting herself, "It's just a dream, nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about."
"A dream? What dream?" Just then, Qing Chen's voice came from beyond the hanging bead curtain.
"No, nothing!" Han Qingyue's delicate body trembled in fright, her tone somewhat guilty, as she quickly denied it.
How could she possibly tell Qing Chen about something like this?
"Is that so?" Seeing this, Qing Chen stopped pressing the issue, walked forward, and squatted by the bed, asking Han Qingyue for her feet to help her put on her shoes and socks, saying, "The servants have prepared dinner. Let's go quickly."
Looking at Qing Chen, who was diligently putting on her shoes and socks, Han Qingyue's eyes were complex, "Actually, you don't have to be like this…"
The better Qing Chen treated her, the more Han Qingyue felt she owed him, simply because in Han Qingyue's heart, there was another man she absolutely could not betray.
Besides, Han Qingyue was even more worried that one day, she would be unable to resist Qing Chen's advances and would succumb to his tenderness, not only her body but also her heart ultimately betraying Xiao Feng.
"You and I are a couple who have bowed to the elders. As your husband, it is only right for me to treat you well. Who in the world would dare to disagree?"
The words were beautiful, and the reward was equally beautiful.
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Major Achievement in Calligraphy!"
Qing Chen privately believed that the reward of calligraphy would be very useful in a Xuanhuan world with an ancient background.
As the saying goes, seeing the writing is like seeing the person. A presentable hand in calligraphy could prove useful at certain critical moments.
It's about having many skills and being prepared.
Just changing his wife's shoes could grant him a max-level skill. What's there to complain about?
On the other hand, Han Qingyue, listening to Qing Chen's heartwarming words, couldn't help but inwardly grumble, 'A couple who bowed to the elders? When did we bow?'
Han Qingyue wasn't dazed from sleep; if she remembered correctly, she had just finished dressing up and hadn't even seen the guests attending the wedding banquet before Qing Chen abducted her like a bandit…
Her mind was full of thoughts, but Han Qingyue didn't say much aloud. She agreed and left the bedroom with Qing Chen to enjoy dinner.
At the large dining table, there were dozens of delicacies, but only Qing Chen, Han Qingyue, and Qing Xiong were seated.
Qing Chen was the first to pick up his chopsticks and served Han Qingyue a piece of stir-fried meat, "Come, my wife, you've worked hard all day, eat more."
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Speed attribute +20!"
"My wife, this is our Qing Manor chef's specialty dish. You must try it."
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Comprehension Ability +30!"
"My wife, I see your complexion is pale, likely due to insufficient Qi and blood. Here, have a piece of duck blood to replenish it."
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Profound Rank High Grade Armor +1!"
...
Qing Chen keenly seized this opportunity to thoroughly indulge himself.
He gained a full hundred points of Comprehension Ability alone. If it weren't for the fact that Han Qingyue's bowl was already piled up like a small mountain, on the verge of collapsing, Qing Chen would have continued to gain more.
"My wife, you eat first. When you're done, if there's anything else you want to eat, your husband will serve it to you," Qing Chen said with a doting expression.
"Mm," Han Qingyue nodded gently.
Seeing their loving interaction as a couple, Qing Xiong, as the father, felt immensely gratified.
He imagined that it wouldn't be long before his own status would be upgraded.
He couldn't help but fantasize about the beautiful scene of his grandchildren calling him grandpa.
"Father, what are you thinking about?" Noticing Qing Xiong smiling foolishly to himself, Qing Chen couldn't help but ask.
"Grandsons are certainly good, granddaughters are fine too. It's best to have one grandson and one granddaughter, the more the merrier."
"..." Listening to Qing Xiong's reply, Qing Chen frowned slightly, confused. Did he ask about these things?
And Han Qingyue, who understood that Qing Xiong wanted her to bear a son and a daughter for the Qing family, lowered her head and remained silent.
She knew this was an unavoidable matter, but at the moment, Han Qingyue was not mentally prepared.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Realizing his lapse in decorum, Qing Xiong clasped his fist before his lips, coughed once, and resumed a serious expression, changing the subject, "Qing'er, I have already withdrawn all hundred thousand iron cavalry stationed outside the city, as you requested."
He then looked at the astonished Han Qingyue, "No matter how outsiders judged my Qing family before, now, Qing'er's decision is my decision. The Qing family will absolutely not commit acts of rebellion."
"..." Han Qingyue did not respond for a long time, still in shock, staring at Qing Chen with an incredulous look.
She couldn't believe that Qing Chen had actually persuaded Qing Xiong to make a statement and remove the thorn that had been in her imperial father's heart.
Without those hundred thousand iron cavalry, the possibility of the Qing family rebelling was naturally greatly reduced.
Han Qingyue didn't understand why Qing Chen would do this. Could it be… 'For me?'
'Just because I am his wife?'
Just then, Qing Chen seized the opportunity, extended his hand, and grasped Han Qingyue's fair, jade-like, soft, and tender hand, "I will never go back on my word for what I promised you, your husband."
"Thank you, husband!" Han Qingyue did not struggle. This 'husband' sounded more genuine than before.
Qing Chen was not a fool; he could tell from Han Qingyue's eyes that this move had considerable power.
Unfortunately, the doting-on-wife reward had already been received once and could not be re-obtained.
But for Qing Chen, the deeper Han Qingyue's feelings for him, the greater the quality and quantity of the rewards would be, so it was not a loss.
"Um, husband, my hand hurts a little, could you…" Han Qingyue lowered her gaze, looking at Qing Chen's tightly clasped hand.
"Sorry, sorry, I was being reckless," Qing Chen released his hand.
Afterward, the three continued to enjoy dinner. Once Han Qingyue's bowl had a little less food, Qing Chen would immediately refill it, looking for opportunities to gain another wave of rewards.
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: yanwang needle +20!"
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Third-Grade Heavenly Nourishing Pill +100!"
"Successful in doting on wife! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Shadow Puppet +5!"
...
Han Qingyue also seized the opportunity to hand over the gold, silver, and jewels, which represented her dowry from her imperial father, to Qing Chen through her spatial ring.
In addition to a royal-level mansion and dozens of servants and maids.
Qing Chen, however, stated that there was no rush to move, so as not to leave Qing Xiong alone and lonely in the vast Qing Manor.
"All as husband wishes," For Han Qingyue, it didn't matter where they lived; it was entirely up to Qing Chen.
Soon after, the family finished dinner. Qing Chen learned from the servants that there would be a lantern festival in the capital tonight and suggested going to see it with Han Qingyue, taking the opportunity to find chances to dote on his wife.
Han Qingyue nodded.
Unconsciously, she had already grown accustomed to doing these things with Qing Chen that only partners would do.