Chapter 126: Don't use your mind on me

Long Mother had no desire to continue listening to her mother-in-law defend Gu Lili at every turn. "I'm going out for a walk," she said curtly.

No sooner had she stepped outside than a sharp cry escaped her lips. Startled, Long Tianjiao rushed after her. "Mom, what happened?!"

"I twisted my ankle!" her mother exclaimed. "Help me—quickly!"

Tianjiao hurried to her side and supported her weight. "Is it serious?"

"Of course it is! Take me to the hospital, now."

She quickly called for the driver, and together they escorted Long Mother to the hospital.

After the doctor applied medication, it was clear she wouldn't be able to walk unaided for a while.

Back home, confined to the sofa, the old madam couldn't help but quip, "Shufen, what grudge do you have against the ground? Why must you wage war on it?"

"Mother..." Long Mother replied irritably, "How am I at odds with the ground? I'm the one who got hurt."

"Well, you must have stepped on it too hard and bruised its feelings. So it gave you a little payback." The old madam rose from the sofa with her husband in tow. "Come on, let's go for a stroll and loosen up these old bones."

Watching them walk out, Long Mother muttered under her breath, "Ridiculous old fools."

"Carry me."

The couple had just stepped out after dinner for a quiet evening walk when Gu Lili made her sudden demand. Long Yubei raised an eyebrow. "We just ate. Let it digest first."

"I said, carry me!"

Obediently, he crouched down. She climbed onto his back in a flash and wrapped her arms snugly around his neck. "Let's go to the lake, hubby."

"Alright."

Resting her cheek against his back as a gentle breeze stirred the evening air, she sighed contentedly. "This is perfect."

"What were those materials you had Qingli collect?"

Feigning seriousness, she teased, "They're ingredients for a lethal poison."

He chuckled. "You're into poisons again?"

"Yes. If you ever treat me badly, I'll concoct one to send you straight to the afterlife."

"I'll never give you a reason."

He carried her half a circuit around the lake before she slid down to walk beside him, their fingers intertwining as they strolled hand in hand.

She cherished these quiet, intimate moments between husband and wife—ten fingers laced, the warmth of his palm transmitting a silent kind of devotion. Without overthinking love itself, Gu Lili felt that in this moment, happiness was hers.

Later, after they returned home, Gu Lili stepped out of the shower to find Long Yubei seated at the edge of the bed, his expression unreadable.

"What's wrong?"

He held up a small foil packet between two fingers. "Did you puncture the holes in this?"

Gu Lili didn't flinch. "I did. Finally caught me, huh?"

"Finally?" he echoed coldly. "How long has this been going on?"

"Ever since you brought me back from Yuan Yi's place."

"Lili." His gaze deepened, voice low but intense. "Didn't I tell you we'd have a child later?"

"But I want one," she said softly, making no attempt to shift the blame onto the old madam. "I want to have a child with you. Look at Yueqi—she's adorable, isn't she? Wouldn't it be lovely if we had our own baby? I just wanted it to feel like a happy accident... but I guess you caught on."

"Don't use tricks on me. I hate that."

She was momentarily stunned. "Is it really that big a deal?"

"To me, it is. It's manipulation." Without another word, Long Yubei tossed the packet—along with an entire drawerful of others—into the trash. Then he tied up the bag and took it out himself.