Hu Peng rubbed his nose and followed Zhan Zeyi into the office.
He had been thinking about Zhan Zeyi's words the entire way.
After entering the office, Hu Peng spoke again.
"I thought you moved Tang Yaozong's dowry just to disgust him and protect Tang Qiyue."
Zhan Zeyi looked at Hu Peng as if he were looking at a lunatic.
"I have plenty of ways to disgust Tang Yaozong. Why would I risk my own happiness for that? Does he deserve it?"
That was true.
Hu Peng chuckled awkwardly.
He didn't dare tell Zhan Zeyi that almost everyone thought the same thing. They had all assumed Zhan Zeyi would eventually separate from Tang Qiyue—until they heard that he was washing clothes with his "little wife" outside his house.
That news had shocked everyone.
"You really don't have any feelings for Dr. Qin at all?"
Hu Peng was still curious, but Zhan Zeyi's patience had already run out.
"Are you too free? If that's the case, you can stay tonight and refine the training plan. Tomorrow you'll take those brats out to sea."
Since they were forming a naval special forces team, what was the point if they couldn't even swim?
Their diving abilities also had to meet the required standards.
Zhan Zeyi hadn't come here to relax. His promise wasn't just empty talk.
Within a year, he intended to train a special forces unit.
He used to be a king on land, fighting on all kinds of battlefields. But after his last injury, he realized how few people could fight alongside him at sea.
To fill that gap, Zhan Zeyi had approached his old leader with a plan—to create a unique special forces team whose main battlefield would be the ocean.
When the conversation turned serious, Hu Peng stopped joking around.
The two of them discussed the training plan again. By the time they finalized everything, they realized it was already dark.
"Another surprise training session tonight?"
Hu Peng asked while stretching his neck. His neck ached from talking for so long.
Zhan Zeyi hummed in agreement.
"Now that they've eaten enough meat and eggs, are we just supposed to let them grow fat without training?"
Hu Peng clicked his tongue.
He knew Zhan Zeyi would never waste resources, but he still felt a bit sorry for those soldiers.
Those men had been selected from different war zones. They were physically strong—but also extremely arrogant and unruly.
Zhan Zeyi was a war hero, so they behaved in front of him.
But with everyone else, it was a different story.
Zhan Zeyi wouldn't personally lead most of the training. He was responsible for designing the training plans and evaluating the results.
Of course, sometimes he would step in to demonstrate—especially when those troublemakers needed a lesson.
Regardless, Zhan Zeyi patted Hu Peng on the shoulder.
"I'll leave the men to you. I'm going back to sleep."
He yawned deliberately in a very irritating way before leaving the office, leaving Hu Peng with a twisted expression.
However, Hu Peng was only annoyed for a moment.
Thinking about the three unruly children waiting at home, he figured they would only cause trouble if he went back. It was better to stay here and supervise training.
Zhan Zeyi strolled back slowly.
The night was filled with the sounds of insects and waves. Occasionally, a seabird cried out before settling back to sleep.
Above him stretched a sky full of stars.
Although the island was isolated from the outside world, it had its own unique advantages.
For example, while chaos was spreading elsewhere, the island remained untouched.
Several senior leaders had even deliberately sent their promising descendants here. Their intentions were obvious.
The family housing area wasn't far away, so Zhan Zeyi arrived quickly.
From a distance, he could already see the faint glow of lights.
The island didn't lack generators, but electricity was reserved for emergencies. Ordinary households couldn't use it.
Inside the house, a kerosene lamp flickered weakly in the drafty room.
When Zhan Zeyi pushed open the door, the flame swayed violently and almost went out, but he closed the door in time.
Tang Qiyue was already awake in bed and immediately noticed the gust of wind.
"You're back?"
Her sleepy voice was soft and sweet—sweeter than the brown sugar glutinous rice cakes her mother used to make.
Zhan Zeyi walked to the bedside and saw Tang Qiyue frowning slightly. She clearly hadn't been sleeping well.
So delicate.
That was his first thought.
He blew out the oil lamp, took off his coat, and climbed into bed.
He had bathed in the stream before returning, but his body was still slightly damp.
Tang Qiyue instinctively tried to roll away, clearly disliking the dampness. But she was a moment too slow.
Zhan Zeyi grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace.
"Isn't the bed too hard?"
He held her so that most of her body rested against him. At least it was more comfortable than lying on the cold wooden boards.
They had already slept together several nights.
Although Tang Qiyue was still a little uncomfortable with it, she didn't resist.
After being reborn, she had decided she wouldn't make life unnecessarily difficult for herself.
Since Zhan Zeyi was so proactive, she simply relaxed quietly in his arms.
"When will the bed be finished? Could you weave a bedboard out of bamboo strips?"
A wooden bed was fine, but a hard bedboard would be uncomfortable.
Zhan Zeyi pinched her soft waist.
"Do you think this is a rocking bed?"
If he slept on a bamboo bed, it would probably collapse under him.
"Then can you make a mattress? A thicker one. And we can add two extra quilts."
Tang Qiyue turned her head while speaking and tried to look up at him.
Although they were husband and wife, they hadn't truly acted like one yet.
But her movement caused their waists to press closer together.
Zhan Zeyi wasn't a eunuch.
Naturally, his body reacted.
Tang Qiyue was waiting for his answer when she suddenly noticed the change.
She wasn't too surprised. From the past few nights of sleeping together, she already knew that Zhan Zeyi's injury hadn't seriously damaged his body.
At most, there might be some internal issue.
"Okay."
Tang Qiyue had been lost in thought, wondering whether she should move away to give him time to calm down.
After all, although his body had reacted, he didn't seem to intend to go any further.
But the word "okay" spoken in the darkness made her spine tingle.
She wasn't stupid. She could clearly hear the change in his tone.
Zhan Zeyi could also feel the heat of her skin.
From the beginning, he had said he wouldn't agree to a fake marriage—but he had never said he would force his little wife to do anything.
"What? Scared?"
Zhan Zeyi pressed her neck gently against his own throat, exposing his most vulnerable spot to her.
"What am I afraid of? Aren't you sleepy?"
Tang Qiyue regretted the words the moment she said them.
Her voice sounded weak and unconvincing.
But the words had already been spoken.
So she simply pretended to be sleepy and closed her eyes.
She hadn't expected Zhan Zeyi to suddenly place his hands under her arms, lift her slightly, and then—
his breath covered her lips.