In her sleep, she clung to him tightly. Yun Ya smiled wryly, propped her cheek with one hand, and waited until he fell into a deeper sleep before she gradually pried his fingers open and freed her own hand, feeling her entire arm had gone sore. Yun Ya washed up first, changing into home clothes—loose-fitting long pants and long sleeves—and let her hair down, which somehow added a touch of gentleness to her. She stepped out onto the balcony, enjoying the night breeze with her eyes narrowed in pleasure. That’s when Yun Shu received a call from Yan Song, whom she greeted with a laughing tone, "Hello, Brother Yan." "Are you asleep?" Yan Song asked in a soft voice. Yun Ya noticed that ever since they had a falling out, Yan Song spoke with even greater tenderness, laced with carefulness, as if afraid that any careless word might anger her. Yun Ya’s lips curled up slightly as she gazed at the stars above, "I’m counting the stars." Yan Song got out of bed and went to his balcony, looking up at the vast expanse of stars, and smiled, "What a coincidence, so am I." Looking at the same patch of sky, listening to the sweet and gentle voice on the phone, a warmth and serenity filled his heart. "By the way, Brother Yan, did Aunt Zhuang look for you for something?" "It’s getting late, you should sleep. I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon." After hanging up, Yan Song leaned against the railing with his hands, gaze fixed on the deep night, his brows slightly furrowed. The transfer order to the Capital City had arrived, and in no more than a month, once the affairs in Jiangzhou were settled, his entire family would follow Yan Nanmo back to the Capital City. Zhuang Xiyue was reluctant to leave; after so many years in this place, they had made many good friends. Suddenly returning to the bustling but perilous Capital City was not something she was willing to dive into after years of laid-back living. Dreading the involvement in its complexity, she had grown accustomed to a leisurely life—drinking tea, tending flowers, and basking in the admiration of a group of women. Life couldn’t be more wonderful, but returning to the Capital City, she could well imagine the storm she would face. The ladies there, any one of them, were more formidable than Yun Shu. Updates are released by novel⟡fire.net Not to mention outsiders, even within the Yan Family itself, with its five sons and a host of uncles, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, and their spouses, the constant overt and covert struggles were enough to give anyone a headache. When Yan Nanmo told her about the transfer, Zhuang Xiyue felt a wave of despair and couldn’t help asking, "Can we not go back? I really don’t want to leave here." Yan Nanmo embraced her with pity, "I know you don’t want to go back, but this is Grandfather’s wish..." Yan Nanmo found himself caught in a dilemma; he knew Ah Yue hated the Capital City, especially the women in the family, but this was Grandfather’s wish, and as a descendant of the Yan family, he could neither refuse nor reject it. The Yan Family needed him, and it was his unequivocal duty to step up. "I promise you, once this turmoil is over, and the elections have settled, we’ll come back here," he assured her. Zhuang Xiyue pouted, "Remember your promise." "You’ve got a month to get ready. After a month, we’ll head back. This promotion for me is like returning home in glory. You, as the Third Young Lady Yan, should also shine."," he said. "Who cares about shining? As long as your aunts and girl cousins don’t bother me, I’ll be grateful," Zhuang Xiyue said with a shudder at the thought of those women. "Don’t be afraid, with Grandfather backing you, no one can do anything to you. Moreover, your husband isn’t someone to be trifled with; if anyone dares to bully you, just bully them back, and I’ll cover for you if anything happens," he reassured her. Zhuang Xiyue wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek, "Darling, I love you to death." Yan Nanmo’s eyes deepened as he pressed her down onto the bed. Their forties were an age when many couples feel languid and listless, yet they were far from feeling any boredom. Compared with the passion of their youth, their relationship now contained a deeper understanding, like an aged fine wine, improved over time, finding new passion every night. Leaning in his embrace, Zhuang Xiyue panted heavily, her fist resting on his chest, "Dammit, you’re going to break my old back." Yan Nanmo laughed softly, his gaze deepening as he looked at her. Zhuang Xiyue pushed him, "Settle down, let’s talk serious. What exactly do you think about Ah Song’s situation?" "What’s there to think about? Third Brother has already arranged everything, right? Following Grandfather’s wishes, he’s been spared the detours. Ah Song is the grandchild Grandfather has the highest hopes for to fill the Yan Family’s vacuum in the military – an opportunity many would kill for. Take Yan Zheng from the second brother’s family; he would love to send his son there. Unfortunately, the lad doesn’t have it in him, not the right material. In fact, Grandfather had this in mind for Ah Song since he was a child, and after over a decade of paving the way, Ah Song’s future is beyond anything we can imagine."