Shen Meng’s hesitation was evident to Liang Jue, making his originally warm heart suddenly feel chilly, because he had pursued this marriage. While it would be ideal for them to have a harmonious relationship, he had prepared himself for the possibility of not being well-received by Shen Meng even before the marriage.

He believed that people’s hearts are not made of iron, and as long as Shen Meng didn’t have feelings for someone else, he was confident that she would eventually develop feelings for him. For this reason, he had even carefully restrained his own temperament. However, Shen Meng’s attitude made him feel hopeful.

But then, in this particular matter, she showed reluctance, which felt like being doused with a bucket of ice water on a bitterly cold day. Despite wearing warm fur robes, he felt as if he were in an icy cellar, not only physically cold but also emotionally chilled. He lowered his head slightly, long eyelashes covering the disappointment in his eyes.

Seeing his expression, Shen Meng understood that he had misunderstood. However, she didn’t intend to explain too much, simply saying, “Since we’re going tomorrow, let’s prepare some things today.”

Liang Jue suddenly lifted his head, looking surprised. “You want to go with me?”

Shen Meng’s tone was quite casual. “You’re my husband; if it’s not me accompanying you. Do you want someone else to accompany you?”

“No, no!” Liang Jue quickly shook his head, a hint of joy in his voice. His demeanor softened slightly. “I just didn’t expect you to want to come with me. I’m just really happy about it.”

Shen Meng found it amusing; it was just a small matter that didn’t take much time. She didn’t understand why Liang Jue was so happy about it. She was sure she would do many things better than this, but thinking back to her past life, she wasn’t willing to do even such small things for Liang Jue. Promises surged to her lips but were swallowed back.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. She couldn’t guarantee that she could definitely accomplish what she wanted to do now, so it was better not to promise lightly.

The preparation for the return gift was mainly handled by Liang Jue. On the second day after she moved in, Shen Meng handed over all the property accounts under her name to him. Shen Meng added a few items for the return gift, but the general process was outlined by Liang Jue first. If there were no issues, they would pack the items from the warehouse.

Shen Meng had agreed readily but felt some regret the next day. Coincidentally, a gust of evil wind had blown in from somewhere the night before.

The weather, which would have caused sweating from just a few steps earlier, became chilling at night, with cold winds causing shivers. Raindrops even carried tiny hailstones, making noise as they pelted the green-tiled roof, leaving people feeling annoyed and restless, unable to sleep well.

Moreover, Shen Meng had maintained her vegetarian diet that evening. One reason was to help Liang Jue maintain his health and avoid feeling unwell. Another reason was that she was already feeling restless thinking about the next day, so she had no spare mental capacity to consider these matters.

Unlike Shen Meng’s reluctance, Liang Jue was quite enthusiastic about returning home. Early in the morning, he dragged Shen Meng out of bed, eager to return home to see his parents and older sister. However, Shen Meng insisted on staying indoors for an hour due to the cold weather.

She waited until the sun was up before reluctantly climbing into the carriage with Liang Jue. The carriage behind them was loaded with numerous bags and parcels heading towards the Duke’s mansion.

Once Liang Jue’s excitement waned, he became concerned about Shen Meng’s feelings. He could sense that she wasn’t entirely happy about accompanying him, but since she eventually agreed, he knew she cared about him, albeit for other reasons.

Shifting closer to Shen Meng, Liang Jue subtly asked, “Are you feeling unwell? You seem a bit tired.”

Shen Meng shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Liang Jue was about to inquire further, but Shen Meng stopped him by offering a sweet treat from the nearby plate. Taking the opportunity, she silenced him with the snack.

After Liang Jue finished eating, Shen Meng asked him, “How does it taste?” The small pastry had a savory outer layer with a slightly sweet golden crust and a soft, salty filling.

Liang Jue enjoyed the flavor and didn’t hesitate to praise it. “It tastes great.”

“If it’s delicious, have some more, or it won’t taste good when it gets cold.” Shen Meng put another piece into her own mouth and sweetened Liang Jue’s mouth with another.

Eating in silence, Liang Jue refrained from speaking while munching on the pastry. By the time Shen Meng attempted to feed him the fourth piece, he finally realized her true intention. Before he could refuse, the carriage stopped, and they had arrived at their destination.

Since they had reached their destination, Shen Meng stopped feeding Liang Jue and gently wiped away a speck of white sesame from the corner of his mouth. She then took his hand. “Let’s go down together.”

Shen Meng’s initiative left Liang Jue feeling dizzy, so he simply let her lead, without thinking about anything else.

The servants of the Liang Mansion had known early on that the eldest legitimate son would be returning home today. The steward and several reliable first-class maids had been waiting at the gate since early morning. Even those who had previously served in Liang Jue’s courtyard but hadn’t accompanied him to the Shen family were present.

Seeing Liang Jue return, some of the servants even became excited and wiped away their tears, though whether those tears contained genuine emotion was uncertain.

Due to the newlyweds’ few days of rest after the marriage, when they arrived, the two mistresses of the Liang household were still attending court sessions, leaving only Liang’s father to receive them.

When the newlywed groom returns home, there are always endless private conversations with the father. Shen Meng, understanding this, made sure to leave them time and space, sitting idly in the hall, observing her surroundings.

After some time passed, there was suddenly a commotion outside. The cold wind carried familiar voices towards her, causing Shen Meng to involuntarily shiver.

She rose from her seat, and as she stood, she found herself face to face with the last person she wanted to encounter. One was her former and current sister-in-law, Liang Rong, Liang Jue’s only biological sister. The other person, with an elegant appearance and a hint of melancholy between her brows, was none other than Wang Shuyue, who had always kept a close watch on her husband.