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Long San sat quietly for a long time before finally speaking: "Actually, I've met that Nian Yi before." He clenched his fist to encourage himself, remained silent for a while, and then continued.

“Back then, when I was investigating the Soul-Slaying Tower, I found Nianyi. It just so happened that he was being hunted by the Soul-Slaying Tower for killing that long-faced, triangular-eyed man. We…we met back then and chatted for a bit. His junior sister was killed by the Soul-Slaying Tower, right by the Liang River outside the capital…” Long San said cautiously. There was no sound from Feng Ning’s side, probably because she was listening intently. Long San gritted his teeth and continued, “Well, his junior sister was ranked fifth, and they all called her Xiao Wu.”

Long San's voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat at the end. He thought for a moment, then continued, "Feng'er, I've kept some things from you, things that might make you hate me. That's why I haven't told you. I'm afraid, Feng'er. I'm afraid of losing you. I can't imagine how I'd live without you by my side. It's ironic, really. Feng Ning has been married to me for three years, and I've never really looked at her properly. To be honest, our Long family has never treated her like a family. Perhaps she has a sincere heart like yours, but we've never really tried to see it. I was wrong. I married her, but I didn't treat her like a wife. So God is punishing me, and He sent you."

Long San shifted his body, turning his back to the screen. Gathering his courage, he continued in one breath, "That day, I was on my way home when I saw you at the city gate. You were talking to the elder brother guarding the gate. I watched from afar and felt that I had caught Feng Ning red-handed. What were you up to, sneaking out of the city in the middle of the night? So I waited there, waiting for you to see my guilty and frightened expression, waiting for your excuses, waiting for your stammering. But I didn't expect that you would just wave goodbye so casually, only telling me that the city gate was not open. You were so calm, your eyes so bright. You have no idea how much of a fool I looked at that moment."

"I followed you all the way, wanting to see what you were up to. You sat all alone under the lantern of the tavern in the pitch-black night, like a pitiful child. Then you encountered two lecherous thugs. You taught them a lesson, and I couldn't help but show up to help you out. But you acted like you didn't know me and played around. And I acted like I had never known you before. It was the first time I had ever seen such a mischievous, cute, and lively expression on your face."

Long San recalled that night when they first met, and a smile involuntarily curved his lips. He continued, "You ran to the Liang River, and I followed you. Even then, I wasn't sure if you were faking it. I wouldn't easily believe you because I've heard too many lies from Feng Ning. In my memory, Feng Ning always tells a lie. So I secretly followed you. I wanted to know what you were doing there. That's where Feng Ning steals things and goes to meet up with someone. At first, I thought you were meeting your contact again."

Long San sighed, recalling Feng Ning's appearance at that time: "But you didn't see anyone. You just squatted there stupidly, and then kept walking and walking. I asked you what you were looking for, and you said you had lost yourself and wanted to find yourself. At that moment, I felt that I saw the most authentic side of Feng Ning. I thought that her pretense and her lies in the past must have had a reason. Then there was how you begged me to buy you breakfast, how you were nice to the lady selling breakfast, and how you were nice to the soldier guarding the city gate. I had never seen these things in Feng Ning before."

There was no sound from behind the screen. Long San secretly rejoiced, so when Feng Ning interrupted him, perhaps he wouldn't have had the courage to continue. He continued, "Later, when I got home, I told my second brother and Granny Yu everything I had seen. I told them that I was willing to believe your sincerity at that time, that I believed you really had lost your memory. Rather than being hostile, it was better to get along with you. If you could trust and befriend the Long family, you would naturally tell us everything you knew. And so, everything that followed happened... I approached you, accompanied you, and let you wander around me... I just never expected that my original intention was to find evidence of your attempt to seize the Long family's treasures and to expose the mastermind behind it all, but I never expected that I would lose my heart."

,

Long San smiled bitterly: "I had no feelings for my wife for three years, but I fell in love with her after she lost her memory. Feng'er, you can't imagine how I felt at that time. On one hand, I kept telling myself that I couldn't, that the Feng family wasn't benevolent, but on the other hand, you were all I could think about. Later, Bao'er appeared, and I finally chose reason. I gave you a letter of divorce and made you leave the Long family. But after you left, I was filled with longing and finally decided to go find you... Feng'er, I'm saying all this just to tell you that no matter what happened in the past or present, no matter what you did, whether Bao'er was there or not, from that moment on, I was determined to overcome all difficulties and be with you."

The area behind the screen remained quiet. Long San continued, "When we were living in Fuyang City with Bao'er, I went on a long trip. It was on that trip that I met Nianyi and learned that he had a junior sister named Xiaowu. She had to deal with family matters and traveled from Xia Kingdom to Xiao Kingdom. Then, near Lianghe, near the capital, she was killed by an assassin named Lu Yan from Juehunlou, who had a long face and triangular eyes."

Long San paused, then gritted his teeth: "On that very day, our Long family guards rescued Madam Long from the Liang River downstream. She had fallen into the water while stealing treasure and injured her head. Coincidentally, she had lost her memory..." Long San's voice became hoarse and deep: "She's completely unlike the Feng Ning of the past. She was innocent and lively, lovely and brave. She was ostracized, but she didn't wallow in self-pity. Instead, she tried very hard to integrate into the Long family's life, to find the truth, and to correct her past mistakes... She's completely different from the Feng Ning of the past. Nian Yi's appearance finally resolved all these inconsistencies. Although she looks the same and has the same voice, Feng'er, you are definitely not Feng Ning."

Long San closed his eyes as he finished speaking. He waited for Feng Ning to scream, for her to rush out and bombard him with questions, for her to jump in front of him and call him a liar, for her to scold him while shedding tears. But he waited and waited, and nothing happened. There was still no sound from behind the screen.

Could she have gone mad with anger? Long San couldn't hold back any longer and walked to the screen, calling out, "Feng'er." No one answered. Long San's heart tightened, and he pulled the screen open. Inside, only Feng Ning's men's clothes that she had changed out of were hanging. Where was Feng Ning?

Long San was dumbfounded. His first thought was to worry about Feng Ning's safety. He turned his head and saw the open window next to the screen. He went over to take a look and found no signs of forced entry. Moreover, if someone had attacked, he would have heard the noise. Given Feng Ning's skills, she couldn't have been taken away silently.

Therefore, there is only one possibility left: Feng Ning ran away on her own!

68. The Long San couple, separated by a bittersweet separation

Long San stood frozen, his mind racing. When did she sneak away? Why did she run away? How much of what he had mustered the courage to say had she heard? Did she run away without hearing it, or did she hear it and then run away in anger?

Long San stared at the empty, wide-open window, meeting the moon and stars high in the sky, as if they were laughing at his foolishness. He had struggled for so long to finally muster the courage to say those words, and she had so brazenly run away?

Long San grabbed a chair and plopped down, completely unable to describe his feelings. His mind was blank, and he just sat there blankly.

After an unknown amount of time, the door was pushed open, and Feng Ning poked her head in. Seeing Long San sitting there, she bit her lip and said softly, "Long San, I'm back."

Long San didn't respond and remained seated in the same position. Feng Ning pouted and wrinkled her little face, then asked in a low voice, "Are you angry with me?"

Long San still didn't respond. Feng Ning slowly strolled in and closed the door. She moved slowly to Long San's side, chuckled, and tried to appease him: "Don't be angry, I got the money back."

Long San didn't even look up. Feng Ning felt a little guilty, so she squatted down in front of him, tilting her little face up to look at him: "Don't be angry. You told me not to go, so I went secretly. I didn't cause any trouble. I just brought your money back." She thought for a moment and added, "We didn't argue or fight." She had stolen it.

Long San looked at her with a complicated expression, but remained silent. Feng Ning wrinkled her nose and whispered, "What's wrong? Are you planning to ignore me?"

Long San stared at her for a long time. Her eyes were clear and her expression was innocent. Long San sighed and asked, "Feng'er, which is more important, me or the money?"

“Of course you’re important, but I went to get the silver, I didn’t sacrifice you. Look, you’re here perfectly fine, aren’t you? If someone used you to threaten me, saying they’d give me all the silver in exchange for you, I would definitely hand over all the silver without hesitation, really!” Feng Ning clenched her fist and added, “Then after I get you back, I’ll definitely find a chance to teach that bad guy a lesson and get the silver back.”

Long San didn't speak, just stared at her. Feng Ning shrank her shoulders under his gaze, and said again, "Of course, money isn't the point. The point is to settle the score if we're bullied. My husband absolutely cannot be bullied."

Long San was still looking at her. Feng Ning really didn't understand what was going on. She tried hard to think and explained again: "That swindler was so infuriating today. I was just so angry. It felt like I was cheated out of my money, so I wanted to get it back. Don't be angry with me for this."

Her legs seemed a little numb from squatting, and she shifted them. Long San sighed, pulled her up, and made her sit on his lap, holding her quietly without saying a word. Judging from her expression, she hadn't heard a single word of the important points he'd said earlier. Long San didn't know whether to be happy or worried. Was it fate, that God thought he should continue to keep it a secret?

Held in his arms, Feng Ning felt comfortable and closed her eyes. She quickly grew tired. After causing such a ruckus at the brothel, she had drunk quite a bit. Now that things had calmed down, she felt warm all over and wanted to sleep. She shifted her body, curling herself into a ball, and found a comfortable position in Long San's arms, drifting off to sleep.

But Long San was unwilling to let her go. He shook her and made her open her eyes: "Feng'er, don't sleep yet."

"I'm sleepy." Feng Ning buried her head in his chest, unwilling to move.

How much of what I just said did you hear?

"I heard everything. You asked me if you're more important or the money." Feng Ning tried to clear her groggy mind and remembered what Long San had said after she entered the room. She mumbled in response, "I already said you're important. You're the most important." She hugged his waist, feeling incredibly comfortable at that moment. She snuggled closer and felt sleepy.

Long San was quiet for a while, then suddenly picked her up and carried her to the bedside. Feng Ning didn't open her eyes, only let out soft whimpers like a kitten, and nestled comfortably in his arms.

Long San placed her on the bed and lowered his head to kiss her lips. At first, Feng Ning obediently responded, parting her lips and letting him do as he pleased. But Long San was relentless and clung to her too tightly. Feng Ning finally couldn't breathe and became a little annoyed. She opened her eyes and pushed him away.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Long San lifted himself up, untied her belt, and used his large hand to push open her clothes. Feng Ning blinked, somewhat waking up, and said in a hoarse, coquettish voice, "I want to sleep, I'm sleepy."

"I'll sleep later." Long San said irritably. He had struggled for so long only to reveal his true feelings in vain. She ran away for a pittance of silver and wouldn't listen, but when she came back, she said to him, "You are the most important." If there is anyone in this world who can manipulate him without him even realizing it, it must be her.

He removed his clothes and bit her ear. Feng Ning's ears were very ticklish, and he could hear her breathing as he sucked and bit. Long San felt a burning heat in his heart and body. She was his Feng'er, hers. No matter what had happened in the past, no matter what would happen in the future, she was his wife, and he was her husband. They belonged to each other, and only to each other.

Long San held Feng Ning tightly, their skin rubbing together, their necks intertwined in caressing. Long San eagerly entered her, becoming one with her. Feng Ning let out a soft moan, clinging tightly to his back. Their eyes met, locked, unable to look away. The collision and embrace, the sweet, sticky intimacy, made them both intoxicated. Feng Ning, panting softly, still tried to coax him, "You're so annoying, so annoying! I want to sleep."

Long San was amused by her antics, so he turned her over and penetrated her even deeper. Feng Ning was panting heavily, and Long San leaned in to bite her ear: "How annoying?"

Feng Ning trembled uncontrollably as he manipulated her, clutching her pillow and enduring his strength, calling out softly, "Long San, Long San..."

Her voice was sweet and delicate, and her body was incredibly soft. Long San was so aroused by her that his scalp tingled and his bones went numb. He simply wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up to sit on his lap with her back pressed against his chest. He turned her face with his large hand and kissed her small mouth. This time, he couldn't move around too much, but it was extremely tight and intoxicating. Long San stroked her lower abdomen, pressing down on her until Feng Ning trembled and shrank back. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, and her cries were swallowed by him.

The night passed quickly, and the two only stopped when they were completely exhausted. Feng Ning was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open, letting Long San wipe and clean her, while she kept muttering, "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it..."

Her face was flushed, so delicate it seemed to drip with honey. Long San felt a surge of tenderness, kissing her repeatedly and holding her tightly. Feng Ning shifted her body, snuggling even closer in his arms, and soon drifted off to sleep. Just before falling asleep, she suddenly thought, "Long San, you said you had something to tell me. What was it?"

Long San was taken aback. Why did this come up now? He felt it would be hard to find the courage to be honest with her again, but the atmosphere was so good now, and she was extremely tired. If he told her, would she not be in the mood to be angry and just want to sleep? When she woke up, her anger would definitely have subsided by more than half. At that time, wouldn't it be easier to be forgiven for whatever he had done?

Long San hesitated for a moment, and when he looked down again, he saw that Feng Ning was sleeping soundly, her pink face pressed against his chest, her long eyelashes like small fans, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Long San couldn't help but sigh deeply. It seemed that God was indeed not willing to give him the chance to confess.

Long San was physically exhausted, but his mind was unusually clear. He thought about many things: Nian Yi, Feng'er's sect, Qiao Ling and Qiao Li, the real Feng Ning who had disappeared without a trace, the man who had tried to kill Feng'er several times, Bao'er... He thought about all night and finally fell asleep at the crack of dawn.

Long San slept very soundly. When he woke up, Feng Ning was gone. He lay on the bed in a daze for a while before slowly getting up.