Chapter 555 - 561: To This Extent

Su Wenyue tenderly gathered the three little ones into her arms, chatting with them for quite a while over lunch and coaxing them to sleep before she finally had a moment to speak with Han Yu.

Han Yu knew all along that his wife had been worried; therefore, he stayed by her side, refraining from using the time to arrange other affairs. He feared that returning late would leave his wife alone with her anxious thoughts.

“Han Yu, what exactly happened? What is going on? If it had been something trivial, you definitely wouldn’t hesitate or be afraid to tell me. Did something happen to Second Brother?” Su Wenyue bombarded him with a flurry of questions as soon as she opened her mouth. Han Yu was concerned about telling her not because of the terrible news itself but because he didn’t want to worry her. Considering the children and her mother’s family were all safe—except for Su Hengxuan, and especially with Yiyang Prefecture being so unrestful recently, Su Wenyue couldn’t help but assume the worst.

“Tell me quickly, has something happened to Second Brother?!” The more Su Wenyue thought of the possibility that something might have happened to Su Hengxuan, the more anxious she became. She wished she could extract the truth directly from Han Yu’s mouth. Her speculation was a mess due to past incidents when Han Yu had withheld information that led to bad outcomes. Now in her confusion, she made wild guesses, otherwise, the attitude of Mr. and Mrs. Su would have been a clear indicator. If Su Hengxuan really had encountered trouble, they, as parents, would surely be the most anxious and unable to sit still, wouldn’t they?

Han Yu massaged his forehead, knowing his wife’s temperament all too well. She was getting carried away with her thoughts. And he was right there beside her! Otherwise, who knows how frantic she would have become.

“Wife, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I say someone was in trouble? Stop jumping to conclusions. Your Second Brother is fine. He even sent a letter yesterday assuring his safety. If you don’t believe me, you can see the letter yourself at your father-in-law and mother-in-law’s place,” Han Yu quickly clarified, trying to prevent his wife from worrying further.

“Are you telling the truth, that Second Brother is really alright?” After hearing Han Yu’s words, Su Wenyue’s heart wasn’t as anxious, and since Han Yu’s explanation was logical, it likely was true. However, her tone still held a hint of uncertainty, stemming from her deep care for him. Since being reborn, the relatives who had tenderly raised her were the ones she cared about most.

“Would I lie to you? Just think about it. If your Second Brother had been in trouble, would your father, mother, and big brother be here and behaving as if nothing had happened?”

“That’s true. If Second Brother really were in trouble, let alone Father and big brother, Mother definitely couldn’t have stayed calm. She surely wouldn’t be in any state to scold me. It seems that Second Brother really is alright. That’s such a relief!” Su Wenyue finally cast aside any doubts. Now that she had children of her own, she understood their importance to parents. During the time she had been away, her greatest concern had been for her own children—if they had been in trouble, no mother could remain composed.

Once she knew her family was safe, Su Wenyue was no longer in a hurry, losing the anxious, worried look she had worn earlier. Aside from matters concerning her relatives’ well-being, she was actually a person who could keep her head in any situation. That’s how she had managed, when being tracked by Zhao Fan’s men, to keep her cool and devise a strategy that led the enemy directly to her, and to grit her teeth and deal with the ensuing events along the way.

“Feeling calmer now?” Han Yu teased his wife, seeing her relax, albeit with a touch of helplessness.

Su Wenyue gave Han Yu a glance and pouted, “I was just worried, okay? You looked so uneasy that I couldn’t help speculating. Who knows what might have happened? It’s perfectly normal for me to be concerned. Why keep it from me? You haven’t even told me what the issue is. Don’t think you can get away with this so easily!”

Although Su Wenyue wasn’t as worried and anxious as before, she hadn’t forgotten the matter at hand.

“Alright already. I didn’t mean to keep things from you; I simply had no chance to tell you yet. Whatever you wish to know, I’ll tell you everything. I kept those past incidents from you to spare you the fright. Now I realize, you’re the type to let your imagination run wild the most. If I keep things from you and you catch wind of something and jump to the wrong conclusions, the result might be worse. It’s better to let you know everything upfront. My wife can handle it. So from now on, I will tell you everything you want to know, with just one condition—you must not jump to conclusions!”

“Understood. I won’t make wild guesses from now on. Can you tell me now? I’m really anxious to know.”

“You must have heard some of the news about the situation in Yiyang Prefecture, but the actual state of affairs is even more serious than what’s being said on the outside. At this very moment, Yiyang City is beset with troubles both within and without. It probably won’t be long before the Imperial Court takes it.”

Su Wenyue was startled by the news. She had assumed that since Han Yu came to see her, he must have set up a contingency plan. Even with dire news going around outside, she thought it wouldn’t reach the point of the city’s fall, confident that Han Yu could turn the tide upon his return. After all, during the previous siege by the Imperial Court with superior forces, Han Yu had led the army to a resounding victory over the Zhao Family Army, achieving a defense of Yiyang Prefecture despite being outnumbered. With the Imperial Court’s advantage not even as great as before, how could things have deteriorated to this extent!

In truth, Su Wenyue also found it hard to believe that Han Yu would abandon the grand ambitions that he had always held in his highest regard just for her. Regardless of how much others claimed Han Yu had given up for love, Su Wenyue maintained a clear head, believing she understood Han Yu better than anyone else. Even if he had to sacrifice his life, he wouldn’t give up on his goals—she assumed he would have put everything in place before seeking her out. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stood his ground in Yiyang City at the beginning. Yet, reality hit her like a massive wave.

“How is that possible?! Weren’t both parties still locked in a stalemate? How did it come to the brink of the city’s fall? You’re not joking, are you?”

Apart from her concern, Su Wenyue’s words also betrayed a small sense of panic. If Han Yu had truly gone to such extremes for her sake, what position would that leave her in? His greatest aspiration and obsession throughout this life were to carve out a legacy, and he might have consigned that to flames because of her. Even though it further confirmed his affection for her, she didn’t feel any happiness—not in the slightest—only a heavy heart. She didn’t deserve for this man to sacrifice so much for her, even if she did aim to live a good life with Han Yu post-rebirth, with her own plans in mind.

Moreover, how could she bear to see a man who treated her with such genuine affection lose so much? Her decisive leap off the cliff, leaving herself no way out, wasn’t just out of fear that Han Yu might choose not to save her. It included a reason buried deep in her heart, one she couldn’t articulate—that she cared about this man, liked him, and was willing to sacrifice everything for him. That fundamental resolution allowed her to face death without fear. What is true emotion in this world? It is a force that can overcome inner fears and drive one to risk everything.

Han Yu watched his wife’s reactions unfold before his eyes,