Chapter 449: I

A few more days passed, and with only one day left before Qin Huai Dao's wedding, Chen Yan got up in the morning, gave no lessons to any students, didn't go to the Xianlya, set up a lounge chair, and leisurely basked in the morning sun in the backyard.

The warm sunlight fell on his face, and he lazily stretched his body, feeling supremely comfortable.

"Ah, at this moment, the mood and the sky, nothing for the little immortal~"

Just as he voiced his feeling, a voice came from behind.

"The words are fine, but the person is not a good one."

Gao Yang walked slowly holding her daughter, stopped beside him, and glanced with her peripheral vision at the person still on the lounge chair showing no sign of getting up.

"Counting the many Dukes of the Tang Dynasty, except those already old and frail, which one does not spend the whole day busy, serving the state and the people?"

"Look at yourself again, huh, still the Duke of Wei, that 'Wei' title has become meaningless for you. As a County Magistrate, you just lie at home doing nothing, yet you're extremely leisurely."

Chen Yan lifted his eyelids slightly, "What about being the Duke of Wei or not, I don't care; you could ask your Father Emperor to strip it from me. Moreover, I go out on busy official duties, you complain I return too late and have little time for you. When I finally steal a break from work, you still complain I stay at home, saying I'm unambitious and lazy."

"How can I satisfy you?"

"If you can balance both, I'll be satisfied, just like you balance me and Li Lizhi." Gao Yang, stretching her head toward Chen Yan while looking at her daughter, seemed a bit displeased.

Clearly she herself works hard every day raising the child, without even hiring a wet nurse, feeding her herself, yet the daughter clings to Chen Yan, turning her head left and right and peeking whenever she hears his voice.

Chen Yan smiled, "What's that? From your tone, you sound rather resentful."

"How could I have any resentment?" Gao Yang rolled her eyes, "After all, you spend a day with me, then a day with Li Lizhi; no one gets more, no one gets less. How could there be any resentment?"

"Then shall I spend a little more time with you?" Chen Yan asked again.

Gao Yang, as a woman, is actually easy to satisfy; as long as you show her a little extra affection now and then, she's delighted.

And since Gao Yang conceived a child, and now the baby is two months old, she's indeed exhausted; spending a bit more time together wouldn't hurt.

Gao Yang fell silent, only looking at him with a meaning‑laden gaze.

"Alright, come."

Chen Yan shifted aside; his custom‑made lounge chair was big enough for two.

Gao Yang hummed and whined as she lay down holding her daughter; Xiao Sui An stared with wide eyes, drooling as she stared intently at Chen Yan, continuously going "mmm".

Chen Yan chuckled, scooped the daughter over, and let her sit on his belly.

"Look at her, she's not affectionate at all," Gao Yang complained, "Had I known, I'd rather have a son; I heard sons are always close to their mothers."

"What a pity you don't," Chen Yan gently pinched the daughter's chubby cheek, his mood brightening considerably, the previous worries temporarily forgotten.

"Hmph! Your little lover!"

Gao Yang let out a light hum, holding one of Chen Yan's arms, resting her head on his shoulder, watching her husband tease the daughter, feeling an indescribable satisfaction.

As Chen Yan said, she is a person with a very strange personality, sometimes contradictory.

On one hand, she hopes Chen Yan stays busy, wishing he could soon leave Weinan County, return to Chang'an, and step into the Court where he can fully showcase his talents.

Gao Yang feels Chen Yan is undervalued; despite all his achievements, he remains a County Magistrate, and even though he obtained a Duke title, what good does it do?

Just an empty title.

Yet on the other hand, she is content with life in Weinan County; although there are occasional upsets, when she sits quietly and recalls them, they always make her laugh.

Perhaps, when they grow old, the days spent here will be their most treasured memories.

She stared at the man's handsome profile, tucked her head into his neck, inhaled his scent deeply, and her eyes became slightly hazy.

Chen Yan only felt a tickle, but didn't stop her; instead he teased, "You, I don't know where this flaw comes from—Li Lizhi learned bad habits from you; she used to tempt me to bully you."

"You two do have different vibes."

"After all, they're sisters; it's no wonder their tastes are similar," Gao Yang curved her eyes, this time not avoiding anything.

Because she knows that once she and Chen Yan lie down, Xiang Lan will guard from afar, preventing anyone from approaching.

"Besides, who would corrupt Li Lizhi if not clear?"

Chen Yan choked, "Anyway, it wasn't me."

"Heh, who knows?" Gao Yang said meaningfully.

She never had these flaws before; they only appeared after meeting Chen Yan.

"She just needs to be put in her place!" Chen Yan retorted irritably.

Gao Yang smiled, didn't argue, and simply held Chen Yan tighter.

In a sense, his words weren't without reason.

Gao Yang indeed needs to be put in her place, but not just anyone can do it; only Chen Yan can give her that feeling.

That feeling that makes her willingly indulge, causing her whole being to tremble and go mad.

She has thought more than once: if she hadn't met Chen Yan, and instead met someone who didn't care about her status, who would dare whip her in front of everyone, even strike her in the Imperial Palace until she lost her temper, and then completely conquer her with unparalleled talent and ability—what would become of her?

Whenever she recalls these, Gao Yang always feels terrified.

If she had originally married someone other than Chen Yan, a mediocre person, she imagines she could have done anything.

And when she thinks there was no such possibility because she already married Chen Yan, Gao Yang feels immensely grateful.

She is grateful that the person is Chen Yan, grateful that she is enamored with only him.

"Husband… will we… stay together forever?" Gao Yang couldn't help asking.

"That depends on whether you're obedient." Chen Yan said, teasing the daughter while smiling in his reply.

"If you're obedient and don't cause me trouble, we'll of course be fine together."

"If you're disobedient, I'll send you to the Princess's residence, and when the daughter grows up, I won't even let her honor you, leaving you to die alone in solitude!"

"You're such a bastard." Gao Yang, realizing Chen Yan was joking, pretended to be angry, "This is the daughter I raised with great effort; you wouldn't even give her a chance to honor me?"

"No way!" Chen Yan said. "The daughter's still young and won't remember; I'll just have her call Li Lizhi 'Mother', that's fine. She'll indeed call Li Lizhi mother."

"Bastard!"

Gao Yang gave him an elbow.

"Ah, after all this time with me, how is it that you still only know how to say 'bastard' or 'jerk'?"

Chen Yan was very melancholy.

The insults people use in this era are truly base; the worst is a single phrase like "damn your mother," which makes someone like me—deeply shaped by the internet and who starts by greeting others as "your eighteenth‑generation ancestors"—feel completely out of place.

Gao Yang ignored him, smelled the scent on his body, and gently closed his eyes.

"I will be obedient… I promise!"

"......"