After being reborn, her aloof ex-husband and her crazy deceased husband got into a fight.

The next day, Lan Tingzhou got up after daybreak, which was quite unusual, while Gan Cai'er slept until late morning.

After she woke up, she did not get up immediately, but lay on the bed in a daze, her eyes dim.

"Miss, are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Xiao Hong asked worriedly.

Gan Cai'er slowly shook her head and said in a hoarse voice, "Xiao Hong, you go down first. I want to rest for a while longer."

Xiao Hong went out looking worried.

Actually, Xiao Hong's worries were unnecessary; Gan Cai'er was perfectly fine.

Although Lan Tingzhou was too unrestrained and reckless last night, he controlled his strength and did not hurt Gan Cai'er.

However, it was precisely this thoughtfulness and consideration that made Gan Cai'er even more upset.

Lan Tingzhou's warm breath seemed to still linger in her ear, teasing her and making her heart flutter.

But such a good man was ultimately not hers.

Gan Cai'er felt like a thief, stealing this moment of tenderness from Shen Yunxi.

She craved it, clung to it, and couldn't bear to let go.

But in the end, it all has to be returned.

A bittersweet emotion welled up in Gan Cai'er's chest, a deep, intense feeling that threatened to drown her.

Suddenly, a wild thought arose in her mind: could she keep the Lanting Boat instead of giving it to Shen Yunxi?

The moment the delusion arose, images of Lan Tingzhou and Shen Yunxi's time together in her past life flashed before her eyes.

There was no need for many words between them; a single glance was enough for them to understand each other's thoughts and feelings. It was a tacit understanding and mutual knowledge that outsiders could not penetrate.

In their eyes, which met, there was tenderness, pity, shyness, and a faint lingering affection.

The idea that Gan Cai'er had just had was quickly fading away.

How could I possibly compare to Shen Yunxi?

She stared at the embroidered bed curtains in the inn, a faint self-mockery creeping onto her face.

It seems we need to find a way to expedite Lan Tingzhou's move into Luming Academy. Once he's settled in, the monthly sexual relations on the first and fifteenth of the month can be skipped.

The less time you spend with him, the less painful it will be when you separate in the future.

Gan Cai'er fell asleep again, exhausted and preoccupied with her own thoughts.

In contrast to Gan Cai'er's low spirits, Lan Tingzhou was unusually radiant that day.

Still the elegant room of Mingpin Tea House

"Heh, it's true what they say, good things really do make you feel great. You look like you're walking on air today," Lu Qingning teased.

Lan Tingzhou smiled, lowered his head to drink his tea, and ignored Lu Qingning's teasing.

"Speaking of yesterday, I heard you really stole the show," Lu Qingning said with a smile.

“Now many people are asking about you everywhere, especially those with daughters at home.”

"Oh, by the way, you really love braised pork knuckle in chili oil?"

Lan Tingzhou glanced at him and saw that the latter was staring at him with a mocking expression, so he couldn't help but smile faintly.

"You're so fond of gossip, it's a waste of your talents to work in the Imperial Guard. Why don't you try working in the Court of Justice?"

"Alright, then forget it!" Lu Qingning quickly waved her hand.

"Most of the things handled by the Court of Justice are immoral, and I cannot bear that punishment."

Lan Tingzhou lowered his eyes and smiled.

"By the way, if you have some time recently, please keep an eye on the Du residence for me."

"Is there something wrong with the Du residence?" Lu Qingning asked.

Lan Tingzhou recounted the incident of Gan Cai'er hitting someone.

"Haha, sister-in-law is truly a woman of character, just my type! I must meet her another day." Lu Qingning clapped his hands and laughed.

Lan Tingzhou glanced at him and said calmly, "Well, I'll treat you to braised pork knuckle in chili oil another day."

"Well, that's not necessary."

"However, it's not uncommon for wives and concubines to vie for favor in wealthy households. Why do you find this matter unusual?"

“Under Lord Du’s rule, Danzhou is a place of peace and prosperity, where people live and work in peace. He doesn’t seem like a muddle-headed person who would allow his household to fall into such chaos,” Lan Tingzhou said.

"Now that you mention it, there does seem to be something strange about the Du residence." Lu Qingning stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"tell me the story."

"Lord Lu's trip south this time is by imperial decree to inspect the prefectures and counties along the Miluo River."

"In other places, Lord Lu only stays for three to five days, but when he arrived in Danzhou, he stayed for more than a month, saying that he regretted not meeting Lord Du sooner."

"Staying a little longer isn't a big deal. It's just that I always feel he treats Danzhou differently than other places."

Lan Tingzhou frowned and pondered for a long time, but still couldn't come up with a solution.

"Keep an eye on things. If something really happens, there will always be some clues."

"Alright, don't worry. With me here, I will never let the Du family cause trouble for your younger brother and sister-in-law."

Lan Tingzhou always kept his thoughts to himself, but Lu Qingning could still guess a thing or two about them.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Qingning."

Having his thoughts exposed, Lan Tingzhou was not annoyed, but simply thanked him generously.

"You've certainly made a name for yourself at this lotus-viewing banquet. What are your plans now?" Lu Qingning asked.

"Let's take the prefectural exam first. As for the rest, let's take it one step at a time."

"Lord Lu introduced me to several friends this time. After I finish the exam, I will visit them one by one. If I can get their recommendation, it will be easier to participate in the provincial examination."

"The prefectural and provincial examinations haven't even finished yet, and you're already thinking about the provincial examination? Tsk, tsk, the way you talk about the imperial examinations, it's like you're taking candy from a baby?"

"Ha, if you can't even do this, how can you talk about entering officialdom, let alone taking revenge?"

Lu Qingning choked and was speechless.

Well, it's presumptuous of him to talk about the imperial examination with someone who has been called a child prodigy since childhood.