Fuling Temple was a couple of hours' carriage ride away from the Capital City.
After descending the mountain, Jiang Ning rented a horse carriage in the nearby town and didn't arrive at the outskirts of the Capital City until well past the ninth hour.
It would take another half-hour to walk from the city gate to Late Winter Road.
After many days, returning to this small courtyard, Jiang Ning was filled with emotions.
The sky was already turning gray, and it would probably be dark soon.
There was no one at home. Jiang Ning put away her luggage and walked around the house. It was almost the same as when she left—everything was clean and tidy. The only thing out of place was the pile of wine jars by the wall.
Could it be that Liu Ming'an missed her so much that he couldn't contain his longing and drowned his sorrows in wine?
Standing in the courtyard, Jiang Ning speculated on her own when suddenly she heard footsteps outside the courtyard.
Liu Ming'an!
In that instant, Jiang Ning clearly heard her own heartbeat. Joy surged over her like a tidal wave, and she didn't even have time to discern whose footsteps they were before she rushed to the door and flung it open.
"Liu—"
Jiang Ning's joyful voice stopped abruptly when she saw Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi, who was carrying a wine jar at the door, looked pleasantly surprised upon seeing Jiang Ning: "Sister-in-law! You're back from Qushui City!"
Jiang Ning quickly regained her composure, smiling faintly at Zhou Yi: "Brother Zhou, I'm back. Come in and sit."
Zhou Yi nodded, carrying the wine into the courtyard and sitting down on the stone bench in the yard.
Jiang Ning looked at Zhou Yi, her eyebrows knitting tightly.
Why had Zhou Yi become so thin?
And he looked so troubled, completely different from the carefree Zhou Yi she used to know.
Looking at the wine he was carrying, it was exactly the same as the jars by the wall, indicating that he had been drinking with Liu Ming'an all this time.
Before Jiang Ning could ask, Zhou Yi spoke first.
"Sister-in-law, you're back. Brother Liu must be very happy. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be home in about two quarters of an hour. Let's go to Jun Yue Restaurant together. I'll treat you to a feast to welcome you back."
"Alright, thank you, Brother Zhou," Jiang Ning replied, deciding to ask Liu Ming'an first.
After that, the two sat in silence.
Zhou Yi lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on a spot on the ground, looking very melancholy, which made Jiang Ning even more curious.
Two quarters of an hour later, footsteps indeed came from outside the courtyard.
Liu Ming'an arrived at the door, puzzled as to why he hadn't seen Zhou Yi today. Just then, the door was pulled open from the inside, and a figure suddenly threw themselves into his arms.
Liu Ming'an was pushed back a couple of steps by the force, and before he could react, a voice he had longed for day and night sounded muffled from his embrace:
"Liu Ming'an, I miss you."
"Ning!"
Liu Ming'an pushed the person in his arms away slightly, and upon seeing that face, an uncontrollable surge of emotion burst forth. He cupped Jiang Ning's face and kissed her deeply.
Jiang Ning closed her eyes and accepted Liu Ming'an's passion, but she vaguely felt like she had forgotten something.
Zhou Yi, who had followed over, saw the two passionately kissing and couldn't bear to look, his face turning red. He quickly turned around and went back to the stone bench in the courtyard.
This couple is really... too much!
Zhou Yi closed his eyes and pounded his head, trying to shake the image out of his mind.
After a while, Jiang Ning's passion subsided, and she finally remembered what she had forgotten.
She had forgotten about Zhou Yi!
Liu Ming'an, still not satisfied, continued to explore her lips, but Jiang Ning pushed him away, panting: "Stop, stop kissing. Brother Zhou is in the courtyard..."
Jiang Ning's face was crimson, feeling a sense of shame as if caught by a parent while dating.
Liu Ming'an was taken aback, understanding.
"Ning..."
Liu Ming'an looked at Jiang Ning and smiled softly, poking her cheek with his finger.
So cute~ Liu Ming'an couldn't help thinking.
"Stop laughing!" Jiang Ning was a bit annoyed: "Brother Zhou is taking us to dinner. It's all your fault for wasting time!"
"Alright, it's my fault."
Liu Ming'an obediently admitted his mistake and then took Jiang Ning's hand to enter the courtyard.
Zhou Yi, sitting with his back to them on the stone bench, was staring blankly at the bamboo by the wall.
"Brother Zhou," Liu Ming'an called out with a smile.
Zhou Yi turned around and stood up, pretending nothing had happened: "Let's go, to my restaurant."
The three of them walked towards Jun Yue Restaurant, with Zhou Yi leading the way and Liu Ming'an and Jiang Ning following behind.
"Brother Zhou seems off. What happened to him?" Jiang Ning whispered to Liu Ming'an, her voice barely audible.
Liu Ming'an looked at Jiang Ning, a flash of surprise on his face. He hadn't expected her to notice so quickly.
"Speak up, why are you just looking at me?" Jiang Ning urged.
Liu Ming'an's smile faded slightly as he whispered back: "Ning, I don't know. Brother Zhou has been like this for a month."
Jiang Ning frowned, and then Liu Ming'an continued: "About a month ago, Brother Zhou started coming to me with wine every day, saying he was in a bad mood, but he wouldn't tell me anything. He just kept drinking to get drunk. I've exhausted all my words, saying all the good things I could, but he wouldn't tell me anything."
Hearing Liu Ming'an's description, it seemed quite serious. Jiang Ning genuinely considered Zhou Yi as an elder brother and decisively made a decision: "Later, you keep him company drinking, and I'll try to get it out of him."
"Alright," Liu Ming'an immediately agreed.
Arriving at Jun Yue Restaurant, they went to their usual spot. Zhou Yi had a table of dishes prepared and ordered several jugs of wine, then invited Jiang Ning: "Sister-in-law, eat more. Brother Liu and I have already eaten."
Jiang Ning "um"ed in response and picked up her chopsticks to eat. Meanwhile, Liu Ming'an began to execute their plan: "Brother Zhou, come, let's have a few drinks."
"Brother Liu, you have to study tomorrow. Don't drink, okay?" Zhou Yi looked at him disapprovingly.
"Ning is back, I'm happy. I'll take a day off tomorrow, don't worry," Liu Ming'an said half-truthfully, filling both their cups: "Come, Brother Zhou, let's drink to our hearts' content tonight!"
"Alright, since you say so, let's drink until we drop!"
Jiang Ning watched Liu Ming'an with some satisfaction. Yes, teamwork is much more comfortable than going solo.
But soon Jiang Ning changed her mind.
Because after two cups of wine, Liu Ming'an just "thudded" and collapsed onto the table.
Zhou Yi was stunned, pushing Liu Ming'an: "Brother Liu, Brother Liu, what's going on? Are you already drunk?"
Liu Ming'an lay on the table, unresponsive.
Zhou Yi then looked nervously at Jiang Ning, feeling guilty for getting the man drunk in front of his wife.
Jiang Ning: "..."
Looks like I have to step in.
Jiang Ning quickly finished her meal, went to Liu Ming'an's side, and helped him to a small couch in the room.
Zhou Yi stood up awkwardly, waiting until Jiang Ning had settled Liu Ming'an before cautiously speaking: "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry, I really didn't expect..."
"It's okay, Brother Zhou, he's like this," Jiang Ning smiled, interrupting Zhou Yi's apology, and sat down in Liu Ming'an's seat, pouring wine into a cup: "Brother Zhou, come, I'll drink with you. Thank you for preparing this feast for me."
Jiang Ning said and downed the wine in one go.
Of course, she didn't really drink it but used her spatial ability to store it.
Zhou Yi drank as well, seeing her pour more wine and quickly stopped her: "Sister-in-law, don't drink too much, it's not good for you."
Jiang Ning smiled and still poured the wine: "Brother Zhou, I have a good tolerance. When I passed through Wine Selling Town, I won the top prize in the wine-drinking contest."
Zhou Yi's eyes widened. He knew about Wine Selling Town, a famous wine-producing place in the Liang Kingdom. If Jiang Ning could win the top prize in the wine-drinking contest, she must have an incredible capacity.
Jiang Ning drank three cups in a row, her tone extremely sincere: "Brother Zhou, these three cups are for you. You are an elder brother to Liu Ming'an and me for life."
Zhou Yi was moved and drank three cups as well.
Jiang Ning drank another three cups: "Brother Zhou, these three cups are to thank you. When Liu Ming'an and I first came to the Capital City, we were strangers. It was all thanks to your care and support."
"Sister-in-law, it's the least I could do. I'm your elder brother, after all," Zhou Yi said as he drank the wine in his cup.
"Brother Zhou, these three cups of wine are to thank you, a personal thank you from me. Liu Ming'an has no parents or siblings, and you are to him like a brother, a close friend. As his wife, I sincerely appreciate your presence in his life."
...
And so, under Jiang Ning's persuasive words, cup after cup, several jars of wine were consumed. Zhou Yi's eyes glazed over, his speech slurred.
Seeing the moment was right, Jiang Ning couldn't wait to ask, "Brother Zhou, you look so haggard, have you lost money in your business recently?"
"No, no!" Zhou Yi denied emphatically.
"Or is someone in your family sick?" Jiang Ning probed further.
"No... no, my father and mother are both lively and in good health!"
Having ruled out two possibilities, Jiang Ning pondered what else could cause such a profound sadness. Her gaze fell on Zhou Yi's noticeably thinner face, and a thought suddenly struck her.
Could it be "For her, I'd grow thin without regret, consumed by love"?
"Brother Zhou," Jiang Ning softened her voice, prompting, "Do you... really like her?"
"Smash!"
The wine cup shattered on the ground, pieces flying. Zhou Yi, his eyes bleary with drink, shouted at Jiang Ning, "Nonsense! I would never, never like a woman like her. She's a damn... damn... bastard!"
Jiang Ning raised an eyebrow, finding the root of the issue.
But it wasn't quite the love-struck scenario she had imagined; it seemed more complicated, even involving curses.
Jiang Ning pressed on, seizing the moment, "Why do you call her a bastard? I think she's very nice."
Zhou Yi looked at Jiang Ning with frustration, his teeth gritted, "Sister-in-law, how can you, how can you defend her? She hit you, sold you... such a wicked woman, she's a damn bastard!"
Jiang Ning's eyes instantly turned cold.
"Brother Zhou, what exactly did Nangong Muyan do to you?" Jiang Ning asked softly.
But Zhou Yi collapsed onto the table, unconscious, only muttering "bastard" over and over.