The Dark Moonlight returns to the capital, and the mad prince is accused of forcing love.

"I wanted to prepare a surprise for you, but the gold leaf got on my hands." Xu Qianhui rubbed her fingertips. "Oh well, you've already found out, so what kind of surprise is this? It's fine if I don't prepare anything."

Her expression was just like that of a little girl who was embarrassed and annoyed when her secret was discovered.

Lin Zuo'an raised his hand to cover his eyes, leaving a slit: "No, no, I didn't see anything."

Xu Qianhui glared at him and said, "You're just trying to fool me. You clearly saw it, but you said you didn't."

"I love Ah Hui's gifts the most. The purse you made for me last year is still with me close to my body."

As he spoke, Lin Zuo'an actually took out an old purse from his pocket, with silver thread trim and a green bamboo surface.

The corners of the purse are worn, but the stitches are well preserved.

Xu Qianhui looked at it for a moment, then slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

Before, seeing him like this would make her heart flutter, and she would feel that there was no one in the world who cherished her more than him.

Looking back now, I realize that even a man's deep affection has its timing.

Yesterday he could take the Grand Tutor's granddaughter to Zuixianlou, and today he can hold an old purse and say he loves her to the bone.

That mouth of hers should be worshipped.

"Okay, okay, then we'll pretend we don't know anything about this."

Lin Zuo'an smiled and leaned closer: "Ah Hui is so kind, she always thinks of me."

"Of course! We're the closest of friends. If I'm not good to you, who else would I be good to?"

As soon as those words were spoken, Lin Zuo'an felt as if he had been gently pressed in the chest.

He bent down and continued to wipe her face with a handkerchief.

He moved carefully, as if afraid of hurting her.

"By the way, why did you suddenly bring a dog? We agreed that I could choose one."

"Qingyi went out to buy things and happened to see Bai Ze. She felt a connection with him and brought him back first."

"That's fine too." Lin Zuo'an smiled and looked down. "I'll get another one tomorrow, so the two dogs will have each other for company."

Xu Qianhui looked at him.

He himself knew that there could only be two dogs.

Why do we need three people?

How big must a heart be to hold so much?

She thought for a moment and gently shook her head: "This yard isn't big, and keeping two dogs might make too much noise."

"Then let's move to a bigger house," Lin Zuo'an replied quickly. "We'll keep the dogs a bit off-center so they don't bother you. You like quiet, so we'll separate the front and back yards, build some trellises, and plant lots of climbing vines so there'll be shade in the summer."

Xu Qianhui lowered her eyes and gently rubbed the edge of the handkerchief with her fingertips.

Lin Zuo'an was never stingy with giving her things.

Jewelry, fine silks and gowns—he would present them to her if she even glanced at them.

She used to mostly refuse.

At that time, she was afraid that others would say she was after the Lin family's wealth, and she was also afraid that her feelings for him would be diminished by money.

But things are different now.

He wanted to keep a mistress in a gilded cage.

She was born delicate.

Taking the golden house away is not excessive.

As for whether or not it's allowed to hide, that's not up to him to decide.

"Why move to such a big house?" Xu Qianhui looked up at him, her eyes slightly red, and spoke softly, "I have no land or property in the capital; I'm just a rootless duckweed. You know, some people don't like me staying in the capital..."

Lin Zuo'an stopped what he was doing.

These words stung him.

He knew who she was talking about, and he also knew that, in the eyes of the Duke of Yu's mansion, Xu Qianhui was a stain on his reputation.

After all, a down-on-her-luck merchant's daughter and a high-born nobleman's son are a match that could never be made in ten lifetimes.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" He gripped her hand tighter. "You have me, how can you be considered rootless?"

Xu Qianhui didn't reply, but lowered her eyes, looking as if she was about to cry.

Those eyes were so wet that it made Lin Zuo'an feel even worse.

"I know you're afraid of being driven out of the capital, afraid of being left alone to suffer in Jiangnan."

His tone softened.

"That's easy. I'll register the new house directly in your name, and also transfer the suburban estate to you. With property and business in the capital, even His Majesty can't force you to leave."

Men, when they feel guilty, often try to make up for their emotional debts with material things.

Then they can continue to embrace their new love with a clear conscience.

Especially people like Lin Zuo'an.

When he wasn't driven by ambition, he was indeed a rare and good man.

They know how to coax and pamper people, and they'll spare no expense, even money and face.

Especially after he spent the day out with the granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, he returned to find that the woman who had been waiting for him was still preparing a surprise for him.

At this moment, as long as he still loves her, his guilt will surely reach its peak.

Xu Qianhui wasn't gambling at all, because she knew he still loved her.

And here we are, with a house.

Zhuangzi also exists.

Xu Qianhui leaned down and kissed the corner of his lips.

"Zuo An, with you standing by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Because I know that you only love me, just as I only love you."

of course.

When they were together, she only loved him.

Now, she loves his business.

By the time breakfast was served, it was already daylight.

Plain congee, pickled vegetables, a few kinds of snacks, and a plate of freshly steamed fish slices.

Lin Zuo'an sat beside her, picked up two pieces of food for her, but only drank a small half bowl of plain porridge himself.

Xu Qianhui didn't try to persuade her much.

Since he has things to do, it's okay for him to eat less.

Anyway, at this dinner table, as long as I don't lose out, that's fine.

After finishing breakfast, Lin Zuo'an took a token from his waist and placed it in her palm.

"Ah Hui, I have some errands to run, so I can't stay with you today. You can use as much silver as you want from the bank account, don't try to save it for me."

Xu Qianhui held the token and looked at him with a smile: "Then I'd like to see a big house."

Lin Zuo'an bent down and kissed her forehead: "Ahui spent my money, I'm overjoyed."

"Then come back soon."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zuo'an became reluctant to leave.

He lingered with her for a while, until the servant outside urged him a second time, before finally leaving the house, turning back every few steps.

The curtain fell.

The warmth inside the room dissipated.

A woman in green brought in a bowl of bird's nest soup and placed it in front of Xu Qianhui, then turned around to tidy up the table.

She picked up the bowls and chopsticks that Lin Zuo'an had used and threw them on the ground.

"What a jinxed man."

Xu Qianhui glanced at the half-bowl of white porridge that had been spilled on the ground and couldn't help but smile.

"You deliberately made plain porridge that he doesn't like?"

"He still wants to eat the food cooked by a servant? What a pipe dream!" Qingyi pouted, her tone full of disdain. "His portion was bought from the alleyway. I heard that family's food isn't clean and will give you diarrhea if you eat it."

Xu Qianhui was both amused and exasperated: "Good sir, he's our cash cow now, we can't afford to offend him."

The woman in green paused, "What? He gave all the properties in Jiangnan to Miss?"

Xu Qianhui really wanted to.

But now that she has no powerful backer, it's easy for her to take over those businesses, but it's also easy for her to be swallowed whole.

It would be better to convert it into silver.

After all, only what you have in your hands truly belongs to you.

She picked up the bird's nest soup bowl and gave half of it to Qingyi.

The woman in green held the bowl, muttering to herself.

"If Miss gives it to me again, Doctor Wang will definitely give her a long dressing down when he finds out."

"Say less, even the blood swallow can't shut you up."

Xu Qianhui picked up the silver deposit token and waved it gently in front of her.

The woman in green's eyes lit up: "A silver deposit token?!"

Xu Qianhui stood up, her skirt sweeping across the dappled sunlight at her feet, her voice tinged with laughter.

"Come on, after you've eaten your fill, let's go help your young lady with her property purchase."