When Lu Yan didn't speak, Chen Yuan said, "I think he looks a lot like sister-in-law."
Lu Yan glanced at him coldly, "I think brother-in-law is reading too much into a portrait."
Chen Yuan smiled again, and rolled up the portrait, "That's what I thought too. But that day in court, I realized that there's no reason for the regent to spare the Chen family."
He paused, looked at her significantly, "Except you."
Lu Yan appeared confused, "Brother-in-law, are you saying the Chen family had something to do with the assassination attempt?"
Chen Yuan looked down at his tea cup, "Of course not. But I talked to Jiang Xin, and she said you didn't speak or eat at the banquet that day. Normally, you are the center of every crowd. And lately," he glanced down at her stomach, "Sister-in-law's appetite had been large."
Lu Yan had the sudden urge to slap him.
She smiled poisonously, "I'll be sure to tell Chen Hai how closely you're taking care of my affairs brother-in-law."
"No, don't try to divert my attention. What I want to know is, did you know about the assassination attempt before it happened?"
Lu Yan sat back in her chair, "Of course not."
He continued speaking like he hadn't heard her, "You're very competent. Not only did you divert suspicion by getting injured, you actually escaped alive. Then you made that no-name Ji family general Han kill all the witnesses he captured. And Ji Jing didn't make a single move against the Chen family. If not a disciple Ji Jing is protecting, what kind of relationship do you have?"
"Divert suspicion by getting injured? Ha! What a joke!" Lu Yan laughed scornfully, "Brother-in-law should quit being a scholar and write some stories instead. I guarantee you'll be more successful."
Leaning close to him, she she spoke scathingly, "I'm only alive because I tripped over my skirt. If I knew before, you think I'd do all this instead of going to the imperial guards, or simply staying in the banquet hall? What nonsense!"
Suddenly, her mood changed, and she looked him over thoughtfully.
Leaning back in her chair, she put a hand softly over her stomach and said, "But brother-in-law coming here today to speak of all this makes me think... Are you sure the Chen family had nothing to do with the assassination? Did the assassin try to kill me even though he knew I was a Chen daughter-in-law? Is this how much you value our lives?"
Her voice was even, but her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
Chen Yuan too leaned back in his chair.
Lu Yan continued softly, "If that arrow had been even slightly off... If I had fallen slower... If I hadn't fallen..."
Her voice choked, and she turned her head, hastily wiping her face with her handkerchief.
After a moment, when Chen Yuan still didn't speak, she continued in the same soft tone, "Did brother-in-law ever think about these when you were making your grand plans? You dare to do it, but then turn around and use my child to divert suspicion in front of the whole imperial court."
She looked at him angrily, accusingly, tearfully, "Brother-in-law, what are you planning? Whatever it is, please don't drag us into it."
Chen Yuan finished his tea, and set his cup down with a click. "You don't need to worry about that. Just rest and take care of yourself and your child."
Lu Yan wiped her tears and watched him leave.
---
That afternoon, Chen Hai finally came to her courtyard.
He looked guilty as he asked, "I heard from the maids that you tore your wound open again and it bled a lot when we fought that day. Are you alright?"
Lu Yan just looked at him without speaking.
Awkwardly, he continued, "I wanted to come earlier, but then brother said some things- And I wasn't sure-"
Lu Yan looked down at the cup of tea she was holding. She wasn't sure why she was trying to protect this man.
Perhaps because there was a child in her belly, and this was all just instinct.
Or because he'd been kind to her when she had first married him.
Or because she knew he didn't have a single truly malicious thought in his head.
Or because she felt guilty for entering the Chen family and becoming his wife with bad intentions.
It was all mixed up inside her.
Sometimes she wished he were a brute who hurt and abused her so she could do what needed doing without all these conflicting feelings inside her.
It was truly hard to disregard the first person she'd shared her bed with. No matter what, there was a part of her that remembered how gentle and soft he was with her.
It wasn't something that was special to her. Whoever his wife was, he would treat her the same way. That was just the kind of person he was. Gentle, soft, kind.
But he was also naive, careless and easily-lead.
Lu Yan looked up at him.
When she still didn't respond he got flustered, "I actually came this morning and overheard your conversation with brother. I- I was wrong- I should have listened to you. I've been thinking-"
There was no use wishing for iron to become steel. He was who he was.
She fell into the same old role and comforted him, "Your brother won't truly hurt you. So you don't need to worry too much. I was scared that day and took it out on you."
He immediately came to her side, and took her hand, shaking his head, "No, no, it's I who was wrong. No matter what disagreement we have, we should have talked it through. And you were injured. I completely forgot, and didn't take care of you. It's all my fault."
Lu Yan poured him a cup of tea, "It's alright. I forgive you."
He blinked, "What? Just like that?"
"Why not?"
"Well, brother Jiang said women always take advantage if you apologize first."
Brother Jiang was Jiang Xin's younger brother and Chen Hai's close friend.
Lu Yan scoffed, "Clearly that brother Jiang doesn't know what he's talking about."
Chen Hai shook his head, "No, no, that's what all my friends said. All their wives are like that. Always fighting and seeking attention."
He looked at her warmly, "You're different. You always make me feel so comfortable. Whenever I listen to their horror stories, I feel lucky to have you as my wife."
Lu Yan's guilt raised it's head, "Wouldn't it be great to have a good argument occasionally? Aren't you bored of this peaceful boring life?"
He shook his head again, "The past few days have been really bad. I kept thinking about you, but couldn't bear to come. I was so agitated, I didn't paint these days."
Lu Yan supposed that was a compliment. A sign that he truly cared for her. She only wished he wouldn't.
He continued, "All my friends have been laughing at my expense. It's the first time we've fought like this, and they were so happy to see me suffer like them. It's like they can't bear to see our happy life. They want me to be as tormented as them. I don't know if they're my friends or enemies."
Lu Yan smiled at his smiled, "Well, tomorrow you can tell them it's all resolved."
Chen Hai nodded, feeling genuinely happy at the prospect of showing off his perfect relationship to his idiot friends.
They continued talking about trifles like these.
But they never talked about the child they were going to have or the conversation Chen Hai had overheard.
Lu Yan felt that Chen Hai was like a child who closed his eyes and thought no one could see him.
He believed all these troublesome matters would go away as long as he didn't acknowledge them.
What he didn't know was that soon reality would hit him in the face, and force him to confront everything at once.