My rigid, jealous husband has fallen for me, even though I'm a hopeless romantic.

Chapter 173 The Patient Catcher

Gu Peiyan clearly understood the meaning behind Wei Dongning's words.

He'd have to be crazy to agree to her: "It's good that you're not angry. I brought you some candied fruit, would you like some?"

Wei Dongning raised an eyebrow.

A very clumsy attempt to change the subject.

Men are indeed very talented at playing dumb.

Even someone as intelligent as Gu Peiyan is no exception.

However, she didn't intend to expose her.

She had already made all the arrangements before he even got home.

I'll give him a "surprise" later.

Looking up to meet his slightly guilty, evasive gaze, Wei Dongning flashed a bright smile: "Sure, let me try it. I was just feeling a bit hungry."

Gu Peiyan felt a little relieved, got up and took the paper package she had brought back and placed it in front of her.

Wei Dongning casually picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.

The sweetness of the syrup complements the original tartness of the kumquat.

The two flavors intertwined in her mouth, stimulating her to produce saliva continuously.

After the sweetness faded, the sourness took over, making her shiver involuntarily.

Gu Peiyan handed her some fruit tea to cleanse her palate and told her to rinse her mouth: "Is it too sour? Drink some tea to balance it out."

Before he could finish speaking, she took the opportunity to stuff a candied fruit into his mouth.

Caught off guard, I squinted from the sourness.

He swallowed the entire cup of tea.

Wei Dongning, having successfully pulled off her prank, happily ate another piece.

Gu Peiyan smiled helplessly, took out her own book, and sat down next to her to flip through it.

If they had no official business to attend to, sitting together and reading was their daily routine at night.

It's quiet and reassuring.

After spending the last two days together, Xiao Wu has formed a deep friendship with the little calico dog.

It was quite bored without its playmate.

Lying in the cat bed where they had slept together for the past two days, he checked on the little guy's condition after Su Yizhuo took him away.

When Su Yizhuo carried the little calico back to the palace, he didn't take it directly to his own bedroom. Instead, he carried it around the palace for a long time.

In particular, he must have been out of his mind to take it for a walk around the Hall of Diligent Governance.

"What are you doing here at this hour? What are you holding?"

Su Yizhuo stood a little far away with the little guy in his arms, so the Emperor could only see that the little guy was a fluffy ball in his arms.

Su Yizhuo stepped forward and gently placed the kitten in the Emperor's arms: "Father, this is my daughter, isn't she beautiful?"

The emperor looked up at him.

Clearly, the emperor was cursing him with his face, and cursing him with very foul language.

After silently repeating "my own child" three times, she handed the baby back: "Have you named your daughter yet?"

"Huh?" Su Yizhuo stammered.

He was so immersed in the joy of having a cat that he called her "my darling daughter" so affectionately that he forgot to give her a proper name.

Su Yizhuo lowered his head and began to reflect; he really wasn't a qualified father.

The Emperor took a jade pendant from the eunuch and casually tossed it into his arms: "What are you showing off for if you haven't named it yet? Go back and think about it slowly. Consider this jade pendant my gift to the little guy. You may leave now."

Su Yizhuo didn't care about being scolded. He put the jade pendant into his bosom, knelt down to pay his respects, and then turned and left with the little guy in his arms.

The emperor was left alone in the Hall of Diligent Governance, continuing to review the memorials on his desk with a headache.

Wei Dongning heard Xiao Wu's heartless laughter in her mind and found it very strange: "What are you laughing at so happily?"

"Your brother, of course. He took the little guy to see the Emperor, and even though the Emperor didn't like him, he was still all smiles. He doesn't seem very bright."

Wei Dongning could actually understand Su Yizhuo's actions.

They hadn't really enjoyed parental love in their previous lives, and now they were unexpectedly blessed with such loving parents. They always wanted to share good things with them.

In fact, in the early stages, Su Yizhuo was imitating the way the original owner interacted with them.

But a few months later, he truly treated them as his own parents.

This can be considered as making up for the regrets of their past lives.

Wei Dongning thought to herself with these feelings.

Gu Peiyan didn't hear the sound of turning pages for a while, so she looked up and saw her staring blankly. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing." Wei Dongning waved the storybook in her hand at him: "It's just turning the words in the storybook into images in my mind."

It's just standard practice for novel readers.

Gu Peiyan said "Oh," and then looked down at the book in her hand.

Wei Dongning closed the storybook in her hand.

"Not watching anymore?"

"Hmm. The candlelight is dim, and it's getting a bit tiring to look at."

"Alright. It's getting late, let's wash up and go to bed early."

As Wei Dongning waited for him to leave and instruct Qian Rong to prepare water for washing up, she turned and raised an eyebrow at Xiao Wu: "Want to experience what it's like to sleep in the study tonight?"

"I don't think your plan will succeed." Xiao Wu calmly licked his paws: "When have you ever succeeded in trying to sleep in separate beds?"

“Okay, I’ll go by myself then.” Wei Dongning shrugged.

According to her plan, Xiao Fu had already made the bed in the study.

After she finishes washing up, she can go directly there.

Unexpectedly, her plan went very smoothly.

When Gu Peiyan heard her say that she was going to sleep in the study tonight, she did not stop her.

She simply nodded and thoughtfully instructed, "The blankets in the study aren't as warm as this one. Take this blanket and use it."

Wei Dongning calmly directed Xiao Fu to switch the two quilts.

She wanted to see what this man was up to.

She was initially pretending to be clueless and refusing the idea of ​​sleeping in separate beds, but now she's answering so readily.

She wouldn't believe him if he said he had no backup plan.

After Xiao Fu extinguished the candles in the study and closed the door, Wei Dongning got up and hid in the shadows by the bed.

If she's not mistaken, she'll catch someone sneaking into her bed tonight.

Wei Dongning waited patiently with great interest.

But even as she began to yawn, she didn't hear any familiar footsteps coming from outside.

At that moment, she even doubted whether she had guessed wrong.

Fortunately, she was a very patient hunter, and after her sixth yawn, she successfully caught her prey.

Hearing the door open, Wei Dongning slowed her breathing, trying her best to avoid being discovered.

Gu Peiyan stood at the door for a while, and when she didn't hear any other sounds from the study, she quietly pushed the door open and went in.

The moonlight shone through the window onto the bed curtains, preventing him from seeing what was behind them.

Just as his hand touched the bed curtains, Wei Dongning appeared behind him in a flash.

She grabbed his hands, twisted them behind his back, and pushed him hard, shoving him into the bed with her knees on his waist.

She leaned down slightly, breathed into his ear, and asked in a low voice, "Is Lord Gu really planning to throw away all gentlemanly conduct?"

Even after being caught red-handed, Gu Peiyan remained completely calm: "Why do you say that, Madam? I just came to check if you were sleeping comfortably."

"Oh, I see~ Then you can go back now." Wei Dongning released his grip and turned to sit on the bed: "I'm very used to it."