Chapter 383 - 390: Straddling Two Boats

Su Wenyue already had her suspicions and knew that Han Yu was not one to be easily swayed by a beautiful woman. However, her words remained unforgiving, “What’s this? I find that Chen Li is quite pretty, and since she’s so devoted to you, it’s normal for you to have taken her to heart and find it difficult to let go.”

Han Yu tapped lightly on Su Wenyue’s forehead in a neither argumentative nor dismissive manner, clearly angered by her words, “Nonsense, don’t you know what kind of person I am? If we’re talking about looks, Chen Li isn’t even comparable to Chi Feifei. I’ve never been moved by her, not in the slightest. If you keep talking nonsense like this, don’t blame me for not being polite!”

Although chastised by Han Yu, Su Wenyue was not angry but felt much better inside. With those words, Han Yu had clarified certain matters and confirmed Su Wenyue’s suspicions. Her expression became gentler as she thought about how she had been acting prickly for a while, giving Han Yu plenty of attitude. It was about time to stop; one shouldn’t go overboard with anything.

“I know very well what kind of person you are, yet the things you’ve done this past year really give rise to speculation. It’s only because I trust you that I asked you a few nonchalant questions. And here you are, having the nerve to scold me!” Su Wenyue’s words were still blunt, but they no longer carried her previous sarcasm and were tinged with a teasing coyness as she glared at Han Yu.

Han Yu looked at his wife, who resembled an anxious little animal in need of petting, and unconsciously rubbed Su Wenyue’s head with indulgence and fondness, “Yes, my wife deeply understands righteousness and knows my heart best. She is the most virtuous wife.”

“You’re only realizing that now? With a wife like me, you should count your blessings!” Su Wenyue huffed, her face full of proud coquettishness.

“Indeed, I am thrice fortunate to have such a good wife in three lifetimes. My wife, you’ve been wronged these past days.” Saying so, Han Yu disregarded everything else and embraced her in his arms, hoping that his wife would feel his guilt and helplessness, ignoring the pain he felt in his body.

Su Wenyue leaned in Han Yu’s embrace willingly, and after a while, she rose and inquired about Chen Li. She might not pay attention to other women, but Chen Li was the illustrious ‘Noble Consort Li’ from her previous life, a woman not to be underestimated. Su Wenyue could not afford to ignore her.

“What’s the deal with that Chen Li anyway? I see her calling you ‘Big Brother Han’ all the time, seeming quite familiar with you. Moreover, she’s so targeted towards Chi Feifei, who is, nominally, your woman from outside. This inevitably makes people suspect.”

At the mention of Chen Li, Han Yu made no effort to hide his disgust, “She’s just a restless woman, but due to some reasons, I can’t be too harsh. You just need to treat her with the basic courtesy due to guests and try to have less to do with her on a day-to-day basis. She doesn’t strike me as a decent person, being restless is one thing, but she’s also loose-moraled.”

With deep concern, Han Yu instructed his wife, his loathing growing more evident, afraid that frequent contact with Chen Li would lead his well-trained obedient wife astray. Proximity to red makes you red, proximity to black makes you black—the things that woman rattled off were all rebellious and unorthodox. He didn’t want his cute and clever little wife to pick up that woman’s ways.

Su Wenyue, who had initially thought Han Yu had a soft spot for Chen Li given Noble Consort Li’s prestigious reputation, was surprised yet slightly pleased by his attitude. No woman truly enjoys watching her man get cozy with another.

“Chen Li seems like a capable person despite her arrogance. What exactly did she do to earn such scorn from you?” Su Wenyue was pleased by Han Yu’s reaction but also curious. After all, Han Yu was not the type to casually criticize, especially not when it came to issues between women.

Han Yu sighed at his wife’s curious gaze and explained the whole story of how he came to know Chen Li, stressing once again that Su Wenyue should keep her distance from this woman.

“So that’s how it is. But Chen Li is really bold, daring to ‘straddle two boats’.” After listening to Han Yu recount Chen Li’s actions, Su Wenyue was speechless, at a loss for words. Her jealousy subsided, replaced by a certain admiration for Chen Li, who dared to act so boldly. She also cast an odd glance at Han Yu, her own man, attractive and skillful, no wonder he had caught someone’s eye.

Of course, this admiration was quite different from another kind. Chen Li was truly a woman who dared to challenge conventional morality. However, in this world, such behavior usually didn’t end well. Even in her previous life, despite Noble Consort Li’s successful rise, after enjoying excessive glory, she still met with a tragic end, criticized and condemned by princes and ministers, resulting in her death.

Han Yu’s face darkened upon hearing Su Wenyue’s remarks, “What do you mean by ‘straddling two boats’? That delusional woman was just wishful thinking. Would I involve myself with such a woman? I only tolerate her for Brother Liu’s sake; it wouldn’t be right to start a feud over a woman. Also, I am your husband. Why do I sense some schadenfreude in your words?”

As Han Yu reached his last sentence, his tone rose slightly, his gaze at Su Wenyue both amused and mocking, causing her to tense up for no reason. Whenever Han Yu had that expression, Su Wenyue was in for it. Each time, she was left miserably dealt with by him. It had been over a year since they’d seen each other, yet she hadn’t grown any wiser. Perhaps Han Yu’s methods of handling her were too memorable.

“How could that be? I just find that woman, Chen Li’s actions, to be utterly inconceivable. Is she treating both you, Husband, and that gentleman as fools? Otherwise, why would she dare to play such a game, which is like playing with fire—careless, and you’ll burn yourself. Moreover, if that gentleman finds out, wouldn’t he become suspicious of you, Husband?”

Dead saints don’t make holy relics, Su Wenyue swiftly changed the subject, steering the conversation towards Chen Li. Even though her concern grew as she spoke, she knew all too well that Liu Xiu would eventually ascend the throne, and if Chen Li became the emperor’s consort in this life too, it would spell trouble for Han Yu. Emperors are unpredictable, and if Emperor Wu suspected anything because of this, it would be an unwarranted disaster. This damnable Chen Li, dragging others down with her selfishness—Su Wenyue would never allow Han Yu to fall into danger over such baseless matters.

Seeing his wife’s worried expression, Han Yu reassured her: “Wife, don’t worry. I don’t think Brother Liu truly fancies that woman. She’s just somewhat useful to him. Even if he found out, it wouldn’t ruin the friendship between us. Brother Liu is no fool; he certainly knows what’s in his best interest.”