Xiao Siyu did not speak. She merely covered the side of her face that had been struck.
It was the first time she had been slapped. She could feel the fiery pain on that side of her face. Her thick lashes trembled as she slowly raised her head, glancing at Madam Xiao from the corner of her eye. In the dim light, she could see her mother’s stunned expression—she too seemed shocked that she had struck her.
She saw her mother staring blankly at her hand, the hand that had just struck her.
“Ah Yu…”
Xiao Siyu heard her call her name, filled with guilt and regret, but she lowered her gaze again, refusing to look at her.
She closed her eyes.
Earlier, when her mother had scolded her, she had felt wronged but could still understand. Now, however, her heart was icy cold. Her sorrow was not for the slap, but for her mother’s words, her domineering ways…
Someone tugged at her sleeve. She knew who it was, but Xiao Siyu truly did not want to face her now, nor did she know how to. She took a step back. When she opened her eyes, she saw her mother’s stunned and bewildered face beside her. Xiao Siyu’s red lips parted slightly, but she did not know what to say.
In her memory,
her mother had always been noble, dignified, gentle, and considerate.
When she had her first period and cried, refusing to see anyone, her mother had held her and said, “This means my little Ah Yu has grown up. From now on, Ah Yu is a young lady.” When she was about to marry Tu Yici and felt anxious and hesitant about the future, it was her mother who held her and comforted her, saying, “You and Ah Ci grew up together. His affection for you is obvious to everyone. Besides, with me and your brother backing you, what are you afraid of? If Tu Yici dares to mistreat you, your brother and I will never let him off!”
From childhood to adulthood, her mother had taught her to read and write, to understand reason and propriety. She had poured all her love into her.
She had allowed her to face life with pride, unafraid of the future and the unknown. She had thought her mother would always protect her, and she would always believe in her. But now… looking at the woman before her who felt both familiar and strange, Xiao Siyu could no longer see any trace of the past in that face.
Why had the person who taught her reason and propriety become like this? Or perhaps she had always been this way…
It was just that they had never touched her bottom line before.
So all they had seen was her good side.
Xiao Siyu’s eyes were red. She looked at Madam Xiao, her lips trembling as she finally spoke in a shaky voice, “You make me feel more and more like a stranger.”
Seeing Madam Xiao’s pale face and trembling lashes, Xiao Siyu suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness. She did not know why she was so sad. She just did not want to stay any longer, did not want to face her anymore. She strode out, her mother’s urgent voice calling after her, “Ah Yu!”
Xiao Siyu ignored everything and continued covering her cheek as she ran out.
Madam Xiao wanted to chase after her, but how could she outrun the young and nimble Xiao Siyu? Besides, just as she took a few steps, the wooden door behind her creaked open. She turned around to see Xiao Ye stepping out.
Dressed in plain white inner robes, his ink-black hair cascading down his back, the once gallant and imposing heir of the Xiao family now appeared frail and weak.
He stood by the doorframe for support, his jet-black eyes settling on Madam Xiao. There was no warmth in them at all—those dark pupils were even deeper than the night sky above.
“Ye’er, why did you come out?”
At the sight of Xiao Ye, Madam Xiao momentarily forgot about Xiao Siyu. She instructed Jinglan to chase after her daughter before turning to walk toward Xiao Ye. Looking at his pale complexion, she frowned, her heart aching. “Didn’t I tell you to rest?”
As she spoke, she reached out, as if to steady him. But before her fingers could touch him, Xiao Ye shifted to the side, dodging her hand.
For the second time that night, she had been avoided—both times by the children she had raised with love. Madam Xiao’s face instantly turned deathly pale. She stared blankly at Xiao Ye, not yet able to speak, when he suddenly rasped out in a hoarse voice, his tone calm yet resolute.
“I have already told you. Other than Gu Lanyin, I will not marry anyone else.”
“Gu Lanyin, Gu Lanyin—her name again!”
Madam Xiao was once again enraged by the mere mention of that name. She withdrew her hand, clenched it tightly into a fist, her sharp nails digging into the flesh of her palm. It hurt, but she did not loosen her grip. Instead, she stared fixedly at Xiao Ye, her voice trembling with fury.
“Have you forgotten what she said to you? Have you lost your mind? She has humiliated and trampled all over you, yet you still refuse to let go!”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
Xiao Ye’s voice remained indifferent. “Which is why I will not marry anyone.”
Madam Xiao was livid.
But the more furious she became, the calmer Xiao Ye’s expression appeared. He simply looked at her with an impassive gaze and continued in a light tone, “I will honor the promises I made to you, but in return, I ask that you never disturb her again, and that you do not attempt to harm her or those around her.”
Seeing that Madam Xiao’s face remained clouded with anger, he fell silent for a moment before adding,
“Unless, of course, you are prepared to lose your son.”
“You—”
Madam Xiao’s eyes widened abruptly, her voice trembling. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing much.”
The night breeze brushed against his face. Standing by the door with his dark brows and deep eyes, Xiao Ye remained still. The moonlight cast a glow over his figure, making his already pale complexion seem even more lifeless. His expression remained unreadable.
Under Madam Xiao’s shocked and furious gaze, he spoke softly.
“I’m just tired.”
With that, he turned around and walked back into the room, paying no further attention to her.
—
That night, Xiao Ye slept in a muddled daze.
He did not know when Madam Xiao had left. He wasn’t even sure if he had actually fallen asleep. He dreamt of many things—or perhaps they weren’t dreams at all. They felt more like… fragments of his past with Lanyin.
Scenes flashed by like a carousel, shifting from one to another.
He saw the first time he met Lanyin.
Back then, she was only five, and he was seven. She wore a red dress, adorned with pearls and jade, the accessories jingling softly as she walked. A butterfly knot was tied in her hair. Unlike Gu Qing, she loved to run, loved to laugh.
Whenever she ran, the butterfly knot atop her head fluttered as if it were a real butterfly.
In the memory, he saw himself standing beside his mother, being led forward to greet her and her sister.
Gu Qing was shy. After greeting them, she immediately hid in her mother’s arms, only revealing a pair of timid eyes to secretly observe him.
But her, she was nothing like that. She was unbelievably bold. Before he even finished greeting her, she had already secretly lifted her eyes to look at him.
Those almond-shaped eyes were bright and clear, shimmering as if they could speak. The upturned arc of her gaze held an unrestrained curiosity. When he introduced himself, she suddenly understood.
“Ah, so you’re my fiancé?”
Laughter filled the hall.
He frowned, but she showed not even a hint of embarrassment. She even tried to grab his hand, only stopping when Madam Gu called her back with a chuckle. She shrugged, pouting reluctantly.
“Fine, if I can’t hold it, I won’t.”
That was the first time he met Lanyin.
Xiao Ye had always thought that he didn’t like Lanyin when they first met. He preferred silence, and she was far too noisy.
But now, as he stood watching from an outsider’s perspective, he realized—on that day alone, he had secretly glanced at her countless times.
The scene shifted.
This time, it was their wedding day.
She sat quietly on the bed in her crimson bridal gown. Before the gathered relatives and friends, he lifted the embroidered red veil with a balance rod wrapped in red silk.
Under the flickering light above, she slowly raised her head. Her delicate face held the warmth of spring, her beautiful eyes full of shy emotions.
She only glanced at him once before blushing and lowering her head.
And in the midst of all the teasing laughter, he clearly heard the rapid thumping of his own heartbeat.
—
Scene after scene flashed by.
Every moment from the past three years between him and Lanyin played before his eyes.
From an outsider’s perspective, he watched how Lanyin had changed—from a young woman filled with love and hope to someone who gradually closed off her heart, becoming composed and reserved.
In his dream, Xiao Ye’s eyes turned red. A muffled whimper escaped his throat.
He wanted to cry.
But before he could, he heard another stifled sob.
He opened his eyes.
Under the cold moonlight, a figure sat in the dim shadows.
His vision was blurry from just waking, but he caught a glimpse of a face similar to Lanyin’s and smelled a familiar scent of winter plums.
The regret and pain from witnessing their past still lingered in his heart. Now, seeing “Lanyin” suddenly appear before him, he momentarily forgot whether this was reality or a dream.
All he knew was that he desperately wanted to get closer to her.
“Lanyin…”
His voice was hoarse as he called out to her.
His eyes were red as he struggled to sit up, reaching out to pull her into his embrace.
He wanted to apologize.
He wanted to tell her how sorry he was.
But just as he was about to speak, the moment that face turned toward him, all the warmth in his chest was extinguished.
As if plunged into an icy abyss, he stiffened.
The face before him was streaked with tears, but he felt no pity. Instead, a surge of anger consumed him.
“Who let you in here?” he demanded. “Get out!”
It wasn’t the first time she had been treated like this, but Gu Qing still couldn’t accept it.
She couldn’t accept that the Xiao Ye who had once cared for her had become like this.
Tears streamed down her face like broken pearls, all of her grievances pouring out at once.
She ignored his reprimand.
She refused to leave as he wished.
Instead, she threw herself onto him.
Clinging to him with all her strength, she sobbed like a child abandoned by the world.
“Why?”
“Why are you treating me like this?”
“You love me! Why are you lying to yourself?”
“Ah Ye, you promised to marry me. Now that we’re both free, you can marry me!”
She was lost in confusion, crying as she spoke, her words incoherent.
“Even if you still love Sister, Sister is gone now. Why can’t you look at me? I love you—I love you!”
She clung to him so tightly that, for a moment, Xiao Ye couldn’t break free.
The commotion was so loud that it alerted Zhou An outside.
“Your Highness?” he called from beyond the door.
Xiao Ye was just about to tell him to enter when Gu Qing suddenly choked out,
“If it comes to that… if it comes to that, just treat me as if I were Sister!”
“Ah Ye, I’m willing to be anything, as long as you don’t abandon me!”
She never wanted to be discarded again.
Shock and disbelief filled Xiao Ye’s mind.
When he finally came to his senses, he stared blankly at the tear-streaked Gu Qing before him.
And then, an overwhelming wave of disgust surged within him.
With all his strength, he shoved her away.
“Get out!”
“Get out of here!”
Hearing the commotion, Zhou An immediately pushed open the door.
When he saw Gu Qing inside, his expression changed.
“This is my failure—I should have watched over things more closely!”
He knelt on one knee, acknowledging Xiao Ye, but Xiao Ye ignored him. The thought of Gu Qing’s words filled him with disgust. At this moment, he lay on his back with his eyes closed, breathing rapidly, his jaw tight. After a long pause, he spoke in a deep voice, “Take her back to her room. At dawn tomorrow, send a carriage to take her back to Lin’an.”
“No, please don’t…”
Gu Qing’s face changed. She struggled to get up, “Ah Ye, don’t send me away. I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want to go anywhere but by your side.”
Zhou An glanced at Gu Qing, then at Xiao Ye, hesitating, “Young Master, we received news earlier that the Lady of Marquis Changxing is already on her way to the capital. She will likely arrive soon.”
Xiao Ye had been in a daze for over half a month and naturally had no knowledge of these developments. Hearing this, he fell silent for a moment before saying, “Take her back to her room first and keep a close watch on her. For the next few days, I don’t want to see her.”
“Yes!”
Zhou An accepted the order, stood up, and moved to take Gu Qing away.
But Gu Qing refused to leave. She crawled on her knees towards Xiao Ye, wanting to grab his clothes. However, Xiao Ye sat on the bed, looking down at her from above. Just as she was about to reach out and touch his clothes, he finally spoke, his thin lips parting, “Gu Qing, don’t make me disgusted with you.”
Her outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
Her tear-streaked face, pale under the moonlight, showed no trace of color.
Her dark lashes fluttered, and in the end, she was taken away by Zhou An.
Left alone in the room, Xiao Ye thought of Gu Qing’s words and the three years he had spent with Lanyin… He could no longer suppress his emotions and buried his face in his knees. In the dimly lit room, Xiao Ye’s shoulders trembled slightly, and a muffled, restrained sob escaped his throat, like the low roar of a wounded lion.