Hearing this, Lanyin also felt a sense of relief. As long as it didn’t affect Qi Yubai’s reputation, it was fine. It was fortunate that Qi Yubai and his grandmother had good relations with others; otherwise, such a significant incident would have likely been spread far and wide by now.
She wasn’t afraid of gossip, but she truly didn’t want to burden him again because of herself.
She then turned her gaze to Ting Yun.
Ting Yun already knew what she was about to ask and answered warmly, “This servant had Ji Qing follow her all the way. He returned to report that after the Second Young Miss left the alley, she hired a carriage. Seeing that the carriage was heading toward Zhuque Alley, he did not continue following her.”
Before Lanyin could respond, Shi Yu scoffed from the side, “After being treated like that, she still wants to go back? Our Second Young Miss truly has no shame at all.”
There was a hint of schadenfreude in her tone.
If anyone was the happiest today, it had to be her—watching Gu Qing being discarded was the most satisfying sight. For years, her mistress had endured so much humiliation because of her. Now, seeing Gu Qing taste a bit of that same suffering, how could she not be delighted?
Lanyin, however, neither rejoiced nor grieved. She merely nodded at Shi Yu’s words without saying anything.
What Gu Qing chose to do had nothing to do with her.
Just then, Tianqing came out to summon her, saying that Qi Yubai had something to say to her. Lanyin happened to have something to discuss with him as well. Nodding slightly at Tianqing, she instructed, “Prepare some tea,” before turning and lifting the curtain to enter the room.
Inside the room—
Qi Yubai had already changed into a clean set of clothes. Aside from his official robes, he usually favored gray and blue garments. At this moment, he was dressed in a gray straight-collared robe. Now that the bloodstains were gone, he looked no different from before. When he saw Lanyin enter, he nodded slightly in greeting.
“Tianqing said everything outside has been settled. You don’t need to worry.”
Lanyin nodded, lowering her gaze. “I already know.” She sat down on a chair. Though this was her own residence—where she should have felt most at ease—facing Qi Yubai, she found herself restless.
Guilt weighed on her heart, making it difficult for her to face him as she once did.
Someone like Qi Yubai could piece together the truth with just a few key details. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have solved numerous difficult cases in only three years at the Court of Judicial Review, earning the emperor’s favor. It was often said in the Court of Judicial Review that no matter how cunning a criminal was, they would have nowhere to hide in front of Assistant Minister Qi.
He only needed a glance at the emotions on Lanyin’s face to understand what she was thinking.
He asked her, “You’re blaming yourself?”
Lanyin was startled. She hadn’t expected Qi Yubai to see through her thoughts so easily. Looking up, she met his dark, silent phoenix eyes. Her lips, dry and parched, pressed together as she lowered her gaze once more.
Hoarsely, she admitted, “Yes.”
Unconsciously, she clutched the hem of her robes, her voice trembling with remorse. “If not for me, you wouldn’t have been injured.”
Seeing her bow her head in guilt, Qi Yubai frowned. He didn’t like seeing her like this. He remained seated, but his gaze remained fixed on her.
“Gu Lanyin.” He called her name softly.
It was the first time, in this lifetime, that he had ever addressed her by her full name.
Lanyin was stunned. She hesitantly lifted her head and saw those familiar phoenix eyes as he spoke again.
“You should not punish yourself for someone else’s mistake.”
“If you must blame someone, blame Xiao Ye. Blame him for acting recklessly. Blame him for clinging to you shamelessly. Blame him for losing his mind and hurting others in the process. You can even blame me—blame me for appearing without your permission, blame me for interfering in your life and causing misunderstandings.”
“But the one person you should not blame—” he gazed at her deeply, his voice low and steady, “—is yourself.”
Looking into Lanyin’s confused and uncertain eyes, Qi Yubai explained further, “If I hadn’t shown up today, Xiao Ye wouldn’t have misunderstood you, and I wouldn’t have been injured. Rather than saying you implicated me, wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that I am the one who caused others to misinterpret you?”
“If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you.”
“No, no…” Lanyin quickly refuted, shaking her head. “How could this be your fault? You were only trying to help me.”
Qi Yubai said nothing. He merely looked at her quietly.
He was always such a composed and reserved person, yet at this moment, Lanyin felt a warmth from him that she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Qi Yubai’s warmth was not like the scorching heat of summer.
His warmth was like the gentle sunlight of a winter day—subtle, not overpowering, yet capable of gradually seeping into one’s bones, melting away the cold, allowing the body to relax from the stiffness of winter’s chill.
Because of his words, the guilt in Lanyin’s heart lightened considerably.
He always had a way of reasoning with her, of comforting her.
As she thought this, she looked at Qi Yubai, who sat there like an upright bamboo, his posture poised yet unyielding.
The emotions she had tried so hard to suppress, the ripples she had kept buried for so many days—once again, they began to stir.
“Mistress.”
Ting Yun’s voice suddenly came from outside the door.
Lanyin’s long lashes trembled slightly. When she snapped back to reality and realized what she had just been thinking, her heart gave a start. She hurriedly withdrew her gaze, forcing herself to use her usual voice as she responded, “…Come in.”
Ting Yun had come to deliver tea, but Qi Yubai did not stay to drink it. As the evening deepened, he noticed Lanyin’s discomfort. So, in Ting Yun’s presence, he rose and said to her, “I’ll take my leave now. You don’t need to worry about Grandmother.”
Lanyin was momentarily stunned but did not ask him to stay. She simply stood up as well and said, “I’ll walk you out.”
Qi Yubai shook his head. After a long night of turmoil, she was visibly exhausted, even if she tried to hide it. Seeing the weariness in her brows and eyes, he couldn’t bear to trouble her further and spoke in a gentle tone, “It’s only a few steps. You should rest.”
With that, he adjusted his sleeves and strode toward the door.
Yet, Lanyin still insisted on escorting him to the courtyard. She silently watched as his figure disappeared into the night. The flickering lantern light cast shadows across the darkness, but his departing figure remained upright and unwavering, just like before.
Thinking of the emotions that had surged within her earlier, Lanyin lightly pressed her red lips together once again.
She rarely found herself in such a state.
Perhaps due to her childhood experiences, she had always been accustomed to—and skilled at—controlling her emotions.
Back when she had feelings for Xiao Ye, she quickly withdrew them the moment she realized they would never be reciprocated. She had assumed that the flutter of emotions she felt toward Qi Yubai would also fade with time if she simply buried them away.
Yet now, she realized—
Not only had those feelings not faded, but they seemed to be growing, pressing against the restraints she had tried to impose on them.
This unfamiliar and uncontrollable sensation left her feeling at a loss.
She knew the best course of action was to stay away from Qi Yubai.
But after tonight, how could she still have the face to avoid him?
She let out a quiet sigh.
Beside her, Ting Yun, thinking she was simply tired, gently urged, “Mistress, it’s late. Let me help you back to rest.”
But Lanyin shook her head. “I’m going to the kitchen.”
Ting Yun immediately guessed that her mistress must be going there because of Lord Qi. She didn’t try to stop her, only saying, “I’ll go with you.”
“There’s no need. You go back first.”
With that, Lanyin didn’t wait for her response and made her way toward the kitchen on her own.
——
“Why are you out here alone?”
Shi Yu had just returned after escorting Qi Yubai and his servant out and instructing Dan Xi to keep watch at the gates. Seeing only Ting Yun in the courtyard, she instinctively glanced around and asked, “Where’s Mistress?”
“She went to the kitchen,” Ting Yun replied.
“The kitchen?” Shi Yu was taken aback. “What’s she doing in the kitchen at this hour? If she wanted something to eat, she could’ve just asked Madam Zheng and the others to prepare it.”
Saying this, she was about to go after Lanyin when Ting Yun reached out and grabbed her arm.
Shi Yu stopped and turned back. “What is it?”
Ting Yun hesitated for a moment before asking in a quiet voice, “What do you think of Lord Qi?”
“Lord Qi?”
After everything that had happened tonight, Shi Yu’s impression of Qi Yubai had improved significantly. Though she still held a sense of respect for him, she was no longer as fearful as before. Hearing Ting Yun’s question, she didn’t hesitate to heap praise upon him.
Only after finishing her praises did she suddenly realize something was off.
She eyed Ting Yun suspiciously. “Why are you asking about this all of a sudden? You… don’t tell me you—”
Her eyes widened in shock.
Ting Yun met her gaze and instantly felt her temples throb. With an exasperated huff, she flicked a finger against Shi Yu’s forehead and muttered, “What nonsense are you thinking?”
Then, lowering her voice, she said thoughtfully, “I was just thinking… if Mistress could marry someone like him, then we would never have to worry about her being bullied again.”
Shi Yu hadn’t considered this before, but now that Ting Yun brought it up, she seriously thought it over.
Their personalities matched well, their appearances complemented each other—and if they really ended up together, Mistress would no longer have to fear being troubled by the Xiao family!
“But what about the feelings between our mistress and Lord Qi?” Shi Yu hesitated. “Didn’t our mistress say she wouldn’t marry again?”
“I don’t think our mistress is indifferent to Lord Qi,” Ting Yun, who had served Lanyin for many years, could see this much. “It’s just that our mistress has been hurt before, so it’s natural for her to hesitate before entering a new relationship. As for Lord Qi—” When it came to Qi Yubai, she frowned. This man’s thoughts were too deep and difficult to decipher. However, compared to his attitude toward their mistress and others, there was a noticeable difference.
“Anyway, Lord Qi doesn’t have a sweetheart right now. Our mistress is in a favorable position. At most, we can create more opportunities for them.”
“Someone as wonderful as our mistress—anyone who gets to know her would surely grow fond of her.”
Shi Yu, who always believed their mistress was the best in the world, nodded repeatedly. “Then how do we create these opportunities?”
Ting Yun pursed her lips.
Just then, she noticed Xiao Hong bouncing toward them from a distance. Her eyes lit up, and she called out, “Xiao Hong!”
—
Qi Yubai had no idea what Lanyin’s maids were thinking, nor did he know that Lanyin had gone to the kitchen. As he walked back to the Qi residence, he noticed that Zhusheng was nowhere to be seen. He turned to Tianqing and asked, “Where’s Zhusheng?”
In the past, Zhusheng would have come out to greet him by now.
Tianqing, following behind him, pursed his lips lightly and replied in a low voice, “He acted too recklessly today. I punished him by making him kneel in the courtyard, awaiting your decision.”
Qi Yubai gave a faint hum but didn’t say more. Instead of heading to his own courtyard first, he went to Songzhi Garden. As expected, Old Madam Qi was still awake. Upon hearing Jinglan’s message, she immediately stood up. Seeing that Qi Yubai had even changed his clothes, she frowned. “What exactly happened? Why are you back so late?”
Earlier, Qi Yubai had ordered the incident outside to be kept under wraps.
Old Madam Qi only knew that the Xiao family had come looking for trouble but had no idea what had happened or that he had been injured.
“Don’t worry, everything has been resolved,” Qi Yubai said as he supported Old Madam Qi’s arm. After helping her sit down on the luohan bed, he briefly recounted the events that had taken place outside. He knew Lanyin’s temperament—even if he said it was nothing, she would surely come to apologize later. To avoid causing his grandmother unnecessary worry in the future, he revealed only part of the story, omitting the more serious details.
He did mention being injured but downplayed the severity of the wound.
Even so, Old Madam Qi was furious and slammed the table. Normally gentle and kind, she now wore a stern expression. “The Xiao family’s behavior is becoming more and more outrageous! The previous Marquis of Cheng was a rare hero. Your grandfather often praised him to me back then. Who would have thought his descendants would be so disappointing, each generation worse than the last.”
Qi Yubai had no interest in discussing the matter further. Hearing this, he simply said indifferently, “If the Xiao family continues to act this way, they will bring about their own downfall sooner or later.”
In his previous life, after Lanyin left, Xiao Ye and Gu Qing had been at each other’s throats, and within a few years, the Xiao family had fallen into decline.
In this life, if Xiao Mingchuan could truly keep his promise and not disturb Lanyin again, Qi Yubai didn’t care whether the Xiao family existed or not. But if Xiao Mingchuan acted as he had tonight, Qi Yubai wouldn’t mind expediting the Xiao family’s downfall.
Old Madam Qi pursed her lips at these words, her expression still grim. Thinking of Lanyin, she asked, “What about Yin Yin? Is she alright?”
Seeing him shake his head, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, but then sighed again.
“That poor child. Even after separating, she still has to endure such treatment. Starting tomorrow, continue sending people to keep an eye on the Gu residence. She’s the type to keep things bottled up, and I’m afraid the Xiao mother and son might come looking for her again. I don’t want her to suffer any more grievances.”
“I understand,” Qi Yubai nodded.
Lady Qi asked a few more questions about his health and initially wanted to call for a doctor, but Qi Yubai stopped her.
“It’s just a superficial wound. I’ve already applied medicine.”
“Do you think I don’t know you? Even if you’re in excruciating pain, you’ll only show a fraction of it,” Old Madam Qi said with a mix of exasperation and frustration. “I can’t control you, and I don’t want to bother, but remember, your body is your own. I’m old and don’t have many years left, but Yin Yin is still young. If you don’t take care of yourself, how will you take care of her in the future?”
Hearing this, Qi Yubai fell into a rare silence.
In his previous life, he had also died relatively young. Back then, he had no attachments, and life and death meant little to him. Even at the moment of death, he had felt a sense of relief. But now… he lightly pressed his lips together. After a long pause, he held Old Madam Qi’s hand and said in a low voice, “I understand.”
Seeing that he had truly taken her words to heart this time, Lady Qi didn’t press further.
She had been exhausted from the night’s events, and now that her worries were settled, drowsiness crept over her. Qi Yubai personally helped her into the inner room to rest. He attended to her himself, making sure she washed her face and then personally saw her to bed. Only after she had fallen asleep did he leave.
As he walked out of Songzhi Garden and reached the corridor, he noticed a little maid in red with double buns running toward him from a distance.
Recognizing her as Xiao Hong, the maid from Lanyin’s side, Qi Yubai stopped in his tracks.
Xiao Hong, having received Ting Yun’s instructions beforehand, smiled brightly at Qi Yubai despite Lanyin’s earlier orders. “My lord, my mistress has prepared a nourishing soup for you. Please remember to drink it while it’s still warm!”