Marrying Wife and Concubine Together: After Rebirth, I Remarried the Scumbag's Father on the Sp

The candlelight in the Hall of Gathering Righteousness flickered precariously. Looking at the mess on the floor, Lin Yiwan felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

From suppressing bandits during the day to fighting in the dead of night, her nerves were on edge all day. Only now that the dust had settled did she realize that her whole body ached.

Seeing that her face was pale, Zi'er quickly said, "Madam, please go back to your room and rest. Your subordinates will take care of things here."

Lin Yiwan nodded: "Don't overwork yourself, there's probably another tough battle to fight tomorrow!"

A complex expression flashed across Zi'er's face. How could she rest? She still had to protect Lin Yiwan.

After settling Lin Yiwan in, she quietly closed the door and left.

She turned around and bumped right into a hard embrace.

"Zi'er!" Ying Yi's suppressed voice came from above her head. He hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to sew her into his bones.

Zi'er groaned softly, her nose bumping against the hard, soft armor on his chest. A sour feeling instantly welled up inside her, but her eyes welled up with tears before she could react.

She struggled slightly, her voice hoarse with a hint of reproach: "Let go, this is the madam's courtyard, what will it look like if people see this?"

Instead of loosening his grip, Yingyi rested his chin on the top of her head, tightening his hold while carefully avoiding her injuries.

He carried the coolness of the night dew and the faint smell of blood after a battle, along with a faint scent of pine wood—a familiar aroma etched into Zi'er's very bones.

“So what if I saw it?” His voice was low and trembling with lingering fear. “I heard that you first killed the second-in-command of the Wolf Head Gang, and then fought Hu Tianyi alone. I feel guilty and worried!”

He didn't say the rest aloud, but Zi'er understood.

It was her duty; at that time, she was only thinking about the safety of her wife and didn't care about her own life or death.

Zi'er raised her hand and gently patted his back.

Her fingertips touched the taut muscles beneath his clothes, and she whispered, "I'm fine. Those shrimp soldiers and crab generals can't hurt me."

Yingyi chuckled softly, the vibrations from his chest transmitted through his embrace, carrying a hint of helpless indulgence.

"You're always so stubborn." He loosened his grip a little and looked down at her. The moonlight fell on Zi'er's face, making her features appear gentle. The fierceness she had shown during the battle had faded, leaving only a hint of weariness.

He raised his hand, his thumb gently grazing a thin line on the corner of her lips, perhaps from a cut made by a blade during the fight. Though not deep, it was quite an eyesore.

Zi'er trembled from the heat of his fingertips, instinctively turning her head away, her ear tips turning red.

They were both from the Dark Guard Camp, trained together since childhood, and relied on each other as their only support during those days of living on the edge of a knife.

When feelings secretly blossom, I never dare to express them aloud; only in private moments do I experience such tenderness.

"Why are you here?" Zi'er looked away, glancing at the banana leaves by the courtyard wall, her voice barely audible.

"I was ordered to protect you, Madam." Yingyi answered seriously, but his gaze was fixed on her reddened ear tips, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "Indeed, I was worried about you."

The second half of the sentence was spoken very softly, yet it was like a pebble that rippled across Zi'er's heart.

She bit her lip and said nothing more, letting him lead her by the hand to the wisteria trellis in the corner of the courtyard.

A stone table sits beneath the shelf, now silent except for the chirping of insects.

Yingyi pulled her down to sit, then squatted in front of her and carefully removed her soft boots.

Zi'er had a new scratch on her ankle, which she had gotten while dodging the hidden weapon. The blood had dried, but Ying Yi frowned.

"Does it hurt? Why didn't you apply any medicine?" he asked in a low voice, his tone filled with concern.

Zi'er shrank back, trying to back away, but he held her firmly.

She murmured softly, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."

"Even a small injury hurts." Ying looked up at her, his dark eyes filled with moonlight and her shadow.

He took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out some ointment, dipped his fingertip in it, and gently applied it to her wound. The ointment, with its cool minty scent, instantly relieved the faint stinging pain.

His movements were extremely light, his fingertips calloused, and when they brushed against the skin, they sent a shiver down one's spine.

Zi'er lowered her eyes, looking at his focused brows and eyes, her heart softening as if she had a ball of cotton in her chest.

She suddenly remembered that last winter, when she was poisoned while on a mission, Yingyi carried her on his back and walked through the snow all night to find the antidote.

He was injured at the time, but he persevered and didn't stop for even a moment.

Zi'er suddenly spoke, her voice choked with emotion: "Yingyi, tomorrow's tough battle is likely to be dangerous."

Yingyi paused in applying the medicine, looked up at her, and said in a deep voice, "I know that since those people know about the existence of the roster, they must have other plans. Tomorrow they will definitely fight to the death, but I will protect you and Madam."

His tone was firm, carrying an undeniable authority.

Zi'er smiled, but her eyes reddened: "Who needs your protection? I can fight on my own."

Yingyi smiled, reached out, and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear: "I know you can fight, but I want to protect you, regardless of your status or mission, simply because!"

His voice trailed off, and in the moonlight, even the tips of his ears turned red. Zi'er's heart skipped a beat, and she held her breath.

"Just because of what?" she asked softly, her fingertips curling slightly.

Yingyi looked at her for a long time, so long that Zi'er thought he wouldn't say anything more, before she heard him whisper, "It's just because you are the Zi'er I love."

It was Zi'er, etched in his heart, the one he longed for.

Zi'er's tears finally fell, landing on the back of his hand, scalding hot.

She raised her hand to cover her face, her shoulders shrugged slightly.

Ying panicked and quickly got up, pulling her into his arms and awkwardly patting her back. "Don't cry, did I say something wrong?"

Zi'er nestled in his arms, her voice muffled: "No, I just feel...it's so nice."

It's wonderful that in this world of swords and shadows, there is still someone who cares about me so much.

Ying Yi breathed a sigh of relief, tightening his grip on her arms. He lowered his head, resting his chin on the top of her head, the faint scent of soap lingering in her hair.

He said softly, "Zi'er, after this mission is over, I should bring up our marriage to Madam!"

Zi'er looked up at him, her eyes blurry with tears: "Really?"

Yingyi looked at her reddened eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed, and suddenly leaned down to gently kiss her lips.

It was an extremely light and shallow kiss, carrying the gentleness of moonlight and the coolness of mint.

Zi'er froze, as if all the blood in her body had solidified at that moment, then exploded again, burning her cheeks.

Ying kissed her carefully, as if handling a rare treasure, afraid of disturbing her.

His lips were slightly cool, trembling a little, yet carrying an irresistible tenderness.