Han Zhan did not make another move.
Chu Buqu's courtyard was filled with Chu Qianli's people, both inside and out.
She retreated into the house, injured, with over a dozen experts guarding the door.
She had been caught off guard earlier, but now, no matter who approached, she would show no mercy.
Seeing the situation clearly, the Duchess and Chu Hongtao could only lead their people away.
The rest, with their own thoughts, dispersed.
For now, peace reigned.
Everything would wait until the Duke awoke.
On the way back, Han Zhan was preoccupied.
After taking his leave from his parents, Chu Huaiyu immediately went to Han Zhan's room and knocked.
"Fifth Sister made the first move, and you were just saving me. Han Zhan, you did nothing wrong, don't blame yourself."
Han Zhan turned to look at her.
As soon as Chu Huaiyu closed the door, she walked towards him.
Han Zhan looked at the closed door, his feelings inexplicably complex.
Hearing her call Chu Qianli "Fifth Sister," he felt a certain resistance, though he didn't know why.
"Han Zhan, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Chu Huaiyu walked up to him, blinking her innocent, large, watery eyes. "Are you... angry with me?"
"No." Why would he be angry for no reason? "It's just that hearing you call her Fifth Sister feels... a bit unaccustomed."
Chu Huaiyu walked up to him.
Han Zhan quickly realized that the distance between them seemed to be too close.
He instinctively wanted to pull away.
Chu Huaiyu suddenly took two quick steps forward and hugged him.
"Huaiyu!" Han Zhan's tall frame stiffened slightly, and he tried to push her away.
"Do you not like me anymore?" A thin veil of mist seemed to gather in Chu Huaiyu's eyes.
She looked up at him, the mist in her eyes giving her a pitiable glow.
"I know, Father and Aunt Qin have been talking lately about me marrying into the Xuan Prince's mansion. I know you're angry, aren't you?"
Han Zhan was stunned. He looked at her, rendered speechless.
He hadn't seemed to recall this matter.
From that night onwards, the first person he thought of was that woman, surely forced by the royal family to sign a divorce agreement.
So, inexplicably, the first person he went to see was Chu Qianli.
As for Chu Huaiyu... he seemed to have truly overlooked her.
Chu Huaiyu immediately sensed his distraction.
Han Zhan hadn't been like this before. Now, his heart was no longer entirely hers.
Chu Huaiyu felt very uneasy. She realized that Han Zhan seemed to be drifting further and further away from her.
"Han Zhan, don't be like this." She hugged him even tighter.
"Even if I marry into the Xuan Prince's mansion, the person I love... I... the person I love is still..."
She bit her lip, suddenly released Han Zhan, and raised her hand to unbutton her collar.
Her snow-white neck was immediately exposed.
As she continued to pull down her clothes, her round shoulders were also revealed to Han Zhan.
"Huaiyu, what are you doing?"
Han Zhan immediately turned his face away, refusing to look.
"Huaiyu, quickly put your clothes back on."
Although he and Chu Huaiyu had always been close, ever since Chu Huaiyu had saved his life by chance when they were very young, he had always cherished her like a treasure.
Whether it was gratitude or affection, he had promised himself that he would treat her well for the rest of his life.
However, their interactions had always been based on emotion, stopping at propriety; there had never been any improper behavior.
Chu Huaiyu hugging him just now was already highly inappropriate.
Now, in the dead of night, with a man and woman alone in a room, she was even undressing in front of him.
This was completely beyond Han Zhan's capacity to accept.
"Huaiyu, put your clothes back on, I'll escort you back to rest."
He quickly walked to the door, but with Chu Huaiyu in her current state, he couldn't bring himself to open it.
If someone were to see, it would be truly impossible to explain!
"Han Zhan, you really don't like me anymore, do you?"
Chu Huaiyu not only did not put her clothes back on, but she even pulled down her top.
Her slender body was immediately exposed to the air.
A breeze, from somewhere unknown, blew onto her, making her shiver.
She couldn't help but tremble.
"Han Zhan, I'm so cold, can you hold me?"
"Huaiyu, don't do this, quickly put your clothes on!" Han Zhan still didn't dare to turn around.
Nor did he dare to look any further.
"Have you really changed your mind? Have you fallen for Fifth Sister?"
Han Zhan didn't react immediately, wondering who "Fifth Sister" she was referring to.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered.
She was talking about Chu Qianli.
But the address "Fifth Sister" felt truly strange.
He paused, and what flashed through his mind was Chu Qianli's half-smile.
Thinking of it, his mood became indescribably complex.
"Han Zhan?" Chu Huaiyu was taken aback. He was actually spacing out!
In his bedroom, with her upper body exposed and looking so alluring!
He was thinking about something else entirely, his mind not on her.
The more he was like this, the more panicked Chu Huaiyu became.
She couldn't help but take a few steps towards him.
Although Han Zhan didn't look back, he knew her situation.
He couldn't open the door, but if this continued, someone would eventually discover them, ruining her reputation!
"Huaiyu, listen to me, you are about to marry into the Xuan Prince's mansion, you cannot..."
"I know, I am about to become the Xuan Prince's person, but my heart will always be with you."
"Han Zhan, why are you unwilling to look at me? Have you really fallen for Fifth Sister?"
"No!" Han Zhan immediately denied it. "How could I possibly like that woman?"
That woman was wild, overbearing, unreasonable, impolite, and always wore a smile that made one's mood complicated.
It was as if she was always mocking him!
How could he possibly like her?
Absolutely impossible!
Chu Huaiyu breathed a sigh of relief and took two more steps towards him. "Since you don't like Fifth Sister, then you must be angry with me."
As long as he hadn't changed his mind, that was good.
She walked up to Han Zhan, grabbed his sleeve, and said in a voice as gentle as the wind:
"Han Zhan, marrying the Xuan Prince is not my wish. But the Xuan Prince wields immense power, and for the sake of the Duke's mansion, I cannot refuse."
These words made Han Zhan feel strangely uneasy.
Was the Xuan Prince forcing her to marry him?
He hadn't accompanied them to the palace and didn't know what had happened there.
But that Xuan Prince was quite strange, coming to find Chu Qianli while he was ill, yet forcing Chu Huaiyu to marry him.
"Han Zhan, I know you're unhappy, but I truly have no choice. I don't know how to compensate you."
"I don't need compensation." Han Zhan wasn't actually angry, which surprised even himself.
But he truly wasn't.
At least he knew this in his heart.
"Huaiyu, you have been kind to me. As long as you are happy, I will be happy, truly."
"No, Han Zhan, you don't need to say that. I know you're still angry."
Chu Huaiyu clung to his arm and leaned her bare body against him.
"I am about to marry the Xuan Prince, and my body... must be kept for him. But if you... if you like, I... I can go along with you..."
She bit her lip and said shyly, "As long as you don't break my virginity, you can do whatever you want."