Divorced woman with child travels through time

Chen Wenfang prepared a variety of dishes: braised fish with scallions, boiled fish fillets, steamed pork slices, and stir-fried pork with scallions. She even had Chen Xuanyu buy a pound of liquor. Chen Wenfang missed chili peppers terribly; why hadn't that time-traveling emperor predecessor found them? Boiled fish fillets with only scallions, ginger, and garlic weren't authentic at all.

"Dinner's ready." Chen Wenfang set out the bowls and chopsticks. Zhao Lue, who was in the yard instructing Chen Xuanyu on sword practice, replied, "Okay."

He then told Chen Xuanyu, "Next time you must pay attention to using skill. When you are small and not strong enough, you can't fight with brute force, understand?"

Chen Xuanyu nodded, "I understand. My mother said that when you encounter a problem, you should think of a solution and use your brain."

“Yes, that’s right. Well said.” Zhao Lue patted Chen Xuanyu’s head and said, “Come on, let’s eat.”

Chen Wenfang poured wine for Zhao Lue, raised her glass and said, "This glass is for you, thank you for teaching him so diligently."

Zhao Lue bumped hands with her and said with a smile, "You're too kind. You cook such lavish meals for me every day, I'm going to eat my family out of house and home."

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "It's only right. I haven't even paid my tuition yet, so it's only right that I treat you to food and drink."

Zhao then said, "Then you'll never finish dividing this up; you're still my savior."

Seeing that the two of them were still arguing, Chen Xuanyu mimicked Chen Wenfang's advice to talk to Shi Tou,

"Alright, alright, we're all family, stop arguing."

Chen Wenfang and Zhao Lue both laughed.

Chen Xuanyu finished eating quickly, picked up the little lantern Chen Wenfang had made for him, and went to find Shitou to play in the dark. Chen Wenfang told him, "Come back early, or Shitou will bring you back if it gets too late."

"Got it." Chen Xuanyu lit the lantern and left; he was going to show it off to Shi Tou.

The two of them slowly drank their wine and chatted.

"By the way, A-Lue, where do you live?" Chen Wenfang asked, picking up a piece of fish.

“In the capital, didn’t you know?” Zhao Lue said, taking a bite of fish as well.

"I don't know, you never said that," Chen Wenfang said with a smile.

"But you didn't ask," Zhao Lue smiled and said, "My house is huge. You'll have no worries about food or clothing if you come with me. I'll find people to take care of you. How about it?"

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "No, I'm fine as I am, but if you want me to count money every day, then I can."

Zhao Lue drank the wine and said, "No problem, I'll pick you up once I'm done."

Chen Wenfang tilted her head, propped her chin on her hand, looked at him with a smile in her eyes, and said, "I'm not going, I want to count at home."

Looking at Chen Wenfang's unusually adorable expression, Zhao Lue said, "You think you can just say you won't go? You have no choice. I'll tie you up and take you there."

Chen Wenfang chuckled. "You're the mountain king? Then I'm not his wife?"

Zhao chuckled, "A bandit's wife would be fine too. Whatever you fancy, I'll snatch it for you."

Chen Wenfang laughed heartily and said, "Isn't that a fortune? We can drink and eat meat every day."

Zhao Lue became even more absurd, saying, "Drinking and eating meat are nothing, I'll get you all the delicacies."

Chen Wenfang tapped Zhao Lue's nose with her finger and laughed, "Where did you learn to be so mischievous with your mouth? You're getting on in years, you can't be so careless."

Zhao Lue readily took her hand and held it in his, laughing, "I'm very composed, I didn't do anything reckless."

Chen Wenfang scratched Zhao Lue's palm with her finger and said, "Let go."

Zhao Lue didn't take it to heart, poured her some more wine, and said, "I'm leaving in a few days, so let me have some time to get to know you."

Chen Wenfang paused for a moment, then casually took a sip of her drink and asked, "Where are you going?"

Zhao Lue played with her hand and said, "A good man's ambition lies in all corners of the world. I also have things to take care of, which I can't tell you now. I'll tell you after I've dealt with them."

Chen Wenfang was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay." She then asked, "When are you leaving?"

Zhao Lue replied, "It will probably be a few more days. If I leave now, I might not have time to say goodbye. Please don't mind. I'll come and pick you up once I've finished my business."

Chen Wenfang paused for a moment and said, "It's alright, you can go ahead and do what you need to do. But I'm going to help Aunt Liu cook in a few days, they're harvesting rice, do you want to come?" She didn't respond to his offer to go with him.

Zhao Lue said, "I'll go with you and help out. I want to eat all the good food you make. We can't let others eat it all."

Chen Wenfang laughed again. This man hadn't said a few serious words before saying, "It's very hard work, and it's dirty."

Zhao smiled and said, "It's nothing. I'm faster at doing things with my martial arts skills. Is my wife worried about me?"

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "No, I was just saying. Why don't you stay home? It's really tiring."

Zhao Lue put his arm around her shoulder and leaned closer to say, "You just care about me."

Zhao Lue's breath was hot against her ear, and Chen Wenfang blushed. She pressed her small hands against his chest and said, "I'm just concerned about you, okay? Stay away. I can't breathe."

Zhao smiled slightly, looked at her blushing face, and let go of her. "Is it so hard to admit that you like me? I'm so outstanding, it's normal for you to like me."

Chen Wenfang was teased by him, but she stubbornly replied, "I only said that I thought you were a refined person and that I was afraid you wouldn't be used to doing those kinds of things."

Zhao Lue leaned closer to her and said, "Then tell me the truth, do you like me even a little bit?"

Chen Wenfang struggled and said, "We'll discuss this later. I just remembered the fire in the pot hasn't gone out. I'll go check it. Let me go."

Zhao Lue stared at her with his dark, bright eyes and said, "I won't let go. I'll let go if you admit it."

Chen Wenfang couldn't break free. After a while, she said, "Okay, okay, just a little bit, alright?"

Zhao smiled slightly, released her shoulder but still held her hand, and said, "That's more like it."

The two drank until Shi Tou escorted Chen Xuanyu home before ending the party. Over the course of the drinks, Chen Wenfang felt that their hearts had grown closer.