Chapter 48: First Encounter

Qiu Che had not sat for long when Yu Ming knocked on the door, informing her that Madam Wang had something to discuss and asked her to come over quickly.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Li Qingwu was already sitting there, smiling and chatting with Madam Wang. She glanced up as she heard footsteps.

Qiu Che made brief eye contact with her, then silently looked away.

The atmosphere felt slightly awkward.

Madam Wang looked back and forth between them, vaguely sensing something, and then smiled as she gestured for Qiu Che to come over. "Come, let's eat."

Qiu Che lifted her robes and sat down, subtly urging, "Mother, didn’t you say you had something urgent?"

"Is eating not urgent?" Madam Wang gave her a reproachful glance. "You two... have you had a quarrel?"

Li Qingwu raised her eyes to look at Qiu Che, who calmly replied without turning her gaze, "No."

Seeing that Qiu Che remained unmoved and clearly had no intention of explaining, Li Qingwu quietly picked up her chopsticks and waited for the conversation to continue.

Madam Wang's smile faded slightly. "This matter... I'll tell you later."

Li Qingwu understood. It was something that wasn’t suitable for a "daughter-in-law" to hear.

She quietly lowered her head, pretending not to have heard, and started picking up food.

Madam Wang urged, "Eat, eat."

Qiu Che, however, said coolly, "If there's something to say, you can say it here. Qingwu isn’t an outsider."

Madam Wang showed an awkward expression. "It’s not that Qingwu is an outsider... It’s just that this matter is a family scandal."

She didn’t want Li Qingwu to hear it.

Qiu Che, with a serious expression, said, "Then it should be said even more. Aren’t we family now?"

Li Qingwu’s hand holding the chopsticks tightened slightly.

Madam Wang helplessly said, "Alright... The head of the Qiu family came to visit today."

It was, of course, about Qiu Zhe.

He had had his hands broken by Qiu Che and, in a panic, ran off to find a doctor. The doctor checked his hands, twisted them back into place with a snap, and, amidst Qiu Zhe’s agonized screams, set his broken hand back in place.

When Qiu Che took action, she had considered the consequences. She only wanted him to suffer a little, but never intended to truly break his hand.

The doctor had said it was a minor injury, but Qiu Zhe didn’t believe it.

Or rather, he didn’t want to believe it. Even if it was a small injury, he couldn’t swallow the humiliation and had to exaggerate it into something much worse.

As expected, Qiu Chudong was annoyed by his constant pestering. She also felt that Qiu Che had been somewhat excessive this time.

After all, they were family. How could she strike her older brother in front of others?

He anxiously ran to the princess's residence, fully prepared to quarrel with Qiu Che, but to his surprise, she wasn’t there.

So, he latched onto Madam Wang, causing a scene in the princess's residence, demanding that she tell Qiu Che to apologize to Qiu Zhe, or he would have her expelled from the Qiu family.

Madam Wang had no intention of returning with him, but hearing him threaten her daughter, she was both furious and worried, and couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy.

To this, Qiu Che sneered.

"...Is that all?"

Madam Wang, confused, nodded. "Ah."

Wasn’t that enough?

But even Li Qingwu, after the initial shock, lowered her head again, calmly eating her porridge.

Madam Wang finished speaking in one breath, afraid to see any distressed expression on Qiu Che’s face. When she saw both of them remaining unaffected, she couldn’t help but ask, "What’s with this reaction?"

Qiu Che smiled, picked up a piece of braised pork with public chopsticks, and placed it in her bowl. "Mother, do you think being expelled from the Qiu family would be a good thing or a bad thing for me?"

Madam Wang thought for a moment. "Even if it's a good thing... it sounds bad when said out loud, and it would affect your reputation. If people with ill intentions find out, they’ll surely exaggerate and use it against you."

Qiu Che reassured her, "It’s fine. Do you think my reputation in the court isn’t bad enough already?"

Her words carried a certain "I don't care" tone.

Madam Wang was speechless, wanting to say something but then holding back.

The more Qiu Che behaved like this, the more worried she became.

What if, one day, she lost her power? Would anyone be able to protect her?

It’s not about being afraid of everything, but just in case.

Qiu Che smiled, as if she knew what Madam Wang was thinking. She gently patted her hand to bring her back to her senses. "Mother."

"If that day truly comes, there will be no one who can protect me but myself."

Her meaning was clear.

She left no way back for herself, nor did she need anyone to create one.

Just as she had once told Li Qingwu, she would only move forward.

Retreating meant falling into an abyss.

Li Qingwu glanced at her subtly.

Qiu Che thought she was also worried and gave her a faint smile before picking up her chopsticks again. "Let’s eat."

"If he comes to stir things up again next time, just have Yu Ming throw them out."

Madam Wang sighed and said no more.

After finishing the meal in silence, Qiu Che placed her chopsticks down first and said, "I have something else to attend to. I’ll leave now."

She signaled for Yu Ming, who had been waiting by the door, to walk with her.

On the other side, Li Qingwu watched her leave, meeting Madam Wang’s inquisitive gaze. Her face flushed, and she lowered her head, pretending to be calm as she continued eating.

Madam Wang studied her for a while before saying, "Qingwu."

"Hmm?" Li Qingwu quickly replied, "Mother, if you have something to say, just say it."

Madam Wang took her hand and sighed softly. "Qiu Che is too stubborn... I fear she doesn’t understand how to be flexible. I hope you can look out for her when you're by her side."

Li Qingwu froze for a moment. "Mother... Ah Ning, some things, if she insists on doing them, I can't change her mind."

Even though her heart was moved, she was clear about how much weight she held in Qiu Che’s heart.

"Ah Ning?" Madam Wang was momentarily confused. "You’re talking about Qiu Che?"

Li Qingwu stiffened.

Madam Wang... didn’t know?

Didn’t she know that was the name she gave Qiu Che?

Madam Wang continued talking, "You might not notice, but I know. She’s always been stubborn, studying without understanding the ways of the world. She was naïve at first... then too cold. But when you're by her side, I can see some warmth in her."

Li Qingwu hesitated, thinking, "Is that so?"

She didn’t think Qiu Che was naïve or cold.

If anything, the Qiu Che in her dream might have had a bit of that, but the one she knew now didn’t feel cold.

But Madam Wang was sure. "Yes!"

She kept talking, but Li Qingwu’s mind wandered, not listening anymore.

The name "Xi Ning," just like the name Qiu Che had in her dream, was the same.

Qiu Che was only eighteen now, about to turn nineteen at the end of the year. Madam Wang hadn’t given her a formal name yet, which was normal.

But how did Qiu Che know that Madam Wang would choose the name "Xi Ning" for her?

If Qiu Che had chosen it herself, and Li Qingwu had had a dream related to her, then it made sense that she would believe her name in the dream was "Xi Ning."

But...

Li Qingwu couldn’t shake the feeling that this "dream" might not have been a dream at all, maybe it was something she truly experienced.

Just... it had taken her a while to remember it.

If the dream was real...

Then, did Qiu Che also know she would have that name? Could it mean...?

Li Qingwu’s mind slowly began to form a hypothesis.

But it was too unbelievable, and she dared not think too much.

Shaking her head, she tried to comfort herself, distractedly wondering.

Maybe... "Xi Ning" was a name Qiu Che had chosen herself?

Qiu Che walked leisurely in front, and Yu Ming followed her closely, her voice soft. "Master, I’ve checked. It was His Highness the Crown Prince who went looking for Qiu Zhe personally."

Qiu Che’s step faltered for just a moment before she continued walking. "Came prepared?"

Yu Ming shook her head. "It seems like it was on a whim. Before this, His Highness the Crown Prince didn’t know Qiu Zhe."

Qiu Che frowned, then spoke in a low voice. "I asked you to investigate the matter with Qiu Chudong. It’s been over a month now... What have you found?"

Yu Ming hesitated. "We’ve found some things. Our people located women who used to serve as concubines in the Qiu family. Some of them even had children, but they were all girls. Qiu Jia... discarded them."

…

Before the Qiu family fell from grace, Qiu Chudong was a notorious womanizer, a spoiled son of a wealthy family, the kind of man who was impossible to save from his own mistakes, with an ever-growing number of concubines in the back courtyard.

Yet, despite his indulgences, his children were few, with only two children; Qiu Che and Qiu Zhe.

Qiu Che had always found this puzzling.

What she didn't expect was that it wasn’t due to a lack of children, but rather that the other children, all daughters, had been discarded, as they weren’t deemed worthy of being kept.

Qiu Che's expression grew cold as she repeated, "They were abandoned?"

"Yes… they were given away. Sent to families that couldn't have children of their own. The concubines knew about it, but most of them remarried afterward and never went to see those children."

When they spoke of it, their faces wore expressions of bitterness, mixed with a numb indifference: "They were just girls, better off gone."

Not a burden to them.

"So," Qiu Che said, with an unreadable tone, "no one knows whether those children are alive or dead?"

Yu Ming felt a chill run down her spine. Whether it was from the news they had uncovered or the coldness in Qiu Che’s voice, he hesitated before replying:

"We tried to verify what they said by visiting the families who supposedly adopted the children. But they knew nothing about it, claiming they had never adopted any children."

"We initially suspected the women were lying..."

Qiu Che dismissed the idea immediately. "Impossible."

There was no benefit to them in telling such a lie.

Yu Ming was left speechless. "That's true."

"Later, one of our men accidentally discovered something under the Qi residence..."

She paused, her voice thick with discomfort. "There were over ten infant girls’ remains buried there."

Qiu Che furrowed her brow, turning her gaze sharply to Yu Ming.

"The Qiu residence is always well-guarded, but today, both Master Qi and his son were out. Lady Liu has been bedridden for the past few days, so we were able to send an investigator to look into it."

Yu Ming took a breath and continued, struggling to find the right words. "These infants didn’t die naturally."

Some were frozen to death, others starved, and some were strangled to death.

They hadn’t been abandoned.

They had been killed.

Qiu Che stood silent for a long time.

She had always known that Qiu Chudong favored boys, but Madam Wang was not the type to seek fame or profit. She wouldn’t have disguised him as a boy simply for that reason.

Whenever Qiu Che had asked about it in the past, Madam Wang had always changed the subject.

Now, everything made sense.

Girls had to die.

So, from the moment she was born, she had to be a boy.

Perhaps Madam Wang hadn’t known what had happened to the girls who had been born before her, but as a mother, her instinct to protect her had overridden everything else.

She wanted to keep her child, so she had to disguise herself as a boy, just so she wouldn’t be taken away.

By some twist of fate, it had saved his life.

"...Did you find out why Qiu Chudong did this?" Qiu Che asked quietly.

Yu Ming reflected for a moment. "According to the memories of some old people in the capital, the head of the Qiu family and the head of the Lin family sometimes argued... The head of the Lin family often said that it would be better if he was a woman.""

A girl would understand a girl's suffering better, and wouldn't be constantly at odds with her mother over trivial, unpleasant opinions.

Unfortunately, Qiu Chudong, despite his wisdom, had only a son.

That must have angered Qiu Chudong deeply.

So, when he became the head of the family and discovered that Qiu Che was a girl, he often muttered, "If only you were a boy."

Of course, he didn’t truly mean it. He accepted Qiu Che only because it served his purpose of paving the way for his beloved son.

Saying such things was just to provoke people.

Yu Ming took a deep breath, then added, "There’s also some evidence suggesting that the head of the Lin family didn’t die from illness, but... due to something more sinister. However, it’s too long ago, and we can't dig up her grave to confirm the cause of death... But we suspect that Qiu Chudong may have killed her."

Lin Xi, the previous master of the Qiu family, had been in her forties, in the prime of life, when she suddenly fell ill and passed away without warning.

All of the Qiu family’s wealth passed into the hands of her only son, Qiu Chudong.

Now, with suspicions about the true cause of Lin Xi’s death, and with Qiu Chudong being the last person to see her alive, the suspicion fell squarely on him.

Yu Ming finished speaking and lowered her head, waiting for Qiu Che’s response.

After a long silence, Qiu Che stood up and walked into the study. She coldly dropped a sentence: "Collect all the evidence, both human and physical, everything that can prove Qiu Chudong’s guilt. Whether it’s about Lin Xi or those infant girls... make sure all the documents are ready and bring them to my study."

"Understood."

In the garden, Yao Tai was lying on a rocking chair, flipping through a book. After a while, she closed it with a bored sigh. "So boring... don’t they have any new books?"

Li Qingwu sat at a nearby stone table, reviewing account books. Hearing her, she stayed still and replied without looking up: "If you’re bored, why not look at some accounts? There’s so much to go through, I can’t handle it all alone."

Yao Tai immediately rushed over to give her a shoulder massage. "Oh, our beautiful, kind-hearted, and capable princess, thank you for your hard work... take a break if you’re tired, no need to rush."

Li Qingwu shook her head with a smile. "I have to go back soon, I’m about to miss lunch."

"Why do you go home to eat every day?" Yao Tai sighed. "Your superior, Qi Cheng, is really too lenient with you."

"It’s not that he’s lenient," Li Qingwu chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "It’s because I want to go back."

"Oh," Yao Tai quickly spun around, sitting back with an elegant posture. She propped her chin, casting a sly glance at Li Qingwu. "What’s going on? Is there something more to it?"

Li Qingwu hesitated, looking at her with a mix of confusion and embarrassment. "It’s not really..."

Yao Tai grinned. "That means there is something!"

Li Qingwu's face turned red. She finally admitted, softly, "I like her... but I haven’t said anything yet."

Yao Tai stared at her, shocked. "That’s it?"

Li Qingwu nodded, embarrassed.

Yao Tai clicked her tongue in disbelief, collapsing back into her chair with a dramatic sigh. "So why haven’t you said anything?"

She had assumed they were already on the same page, just waiting for someone to break the silence.

Li Qingwu bit her lip, her voice quiet. "I don’t know how she feels about me..."

Even though she could accept Yao Tai’s constant "girls can be together too" mantra, she wasn’t sure if Qi Che would feel the same.

If not, there might never be a chance to even say it.

Yao Tai was exasperated. She slammed her hand on the table. "Are you stupid?"

Li Qingwu snapped out of her thoughts, staring at the trembling teapot in front of them. "Huh?"

Yao Tai was almost speechless. "Why care about that? Whether she likes you now or not, you can make her like you later, can’t you?"

Li Qingwu blinked, realizing she might be right.

Yao Tai nodded seriously. "If you like her, just go for it! Use everything, eye contact, body language, everything! Don’t hold back until you’re sure she likes you too!"

Li Qingwu felt her face burn, her heart racing. It was like a revelation.

She stammered, "Does it really work?"

Yao Tai gave her an exaggerated wink. "Trust me, I’ve done it myself. Oh, I haven’t told you yet?"

"Tell me what?"

Yao Tai grinned. "I told you, I also have someone I like! I used this method to catch him, even though he eventually got fed up with me and kicked me to the curb, it was a failure..."

Yao Tai paused, coughing awkwardly. "But don’t worry, Qi Cheng is definitely not that kind of person. Just do as I say, and you’ll be fine!"

"Start by being kind, understanding, and make her feel like you’re special. Then, open up, give her the impression that things are uncertain, and take it slow... in less than a month, I guarantee she’ll fall for you!"

Li Qingwu thought she had already done the first step. Maybe she should start with the second?

Hesitantly, she asked, "Do you really think this will work?"

Yao Tai snapped her fingers confidently. "Of course! If it doesn’t work, come find me, I have more ideas."

She watched Li Qingwu’s conflicted expression with amusement, thinking: matchmaking is always more fun when you do it yourself.

After avoiding dinner for the third time under the pretense of work, Li Qingwu knocked on the study door again.

Now, Qi Che could tell who it was just by hearing the footsteps. As soon as the other person arrived at the door, she knew it was Li Qingwu. She paused her pen, then said in a low voice, "Come in."

Li Qingwu entered quietly.

Qi Che’s eyes instinctively swept over her.

Perhaps due to the etiquette of royal women, even within the princess's residence, Li Qingwu dressed with a dignified elegance every day. She neither appeared too humble nor overly flashy, but she always looked clean and comfortable.

Like now, for example, she wore a goose-yellow long dress, her hair styled in an intricate updo with a pearl pendant pin, and her lips subtly painted. Her appearance was graceful and poised, radiating a natural and effortless charm.

Qiu Che thought to herself, how had she not noticed these things before?

As she was lost in thought, Li Qingwu walked straight up to her and placed a bowl of soup in front of her.

Qiu Che smiled as she looked at it. "What did you make today?"

Li Qingwu replied, "It’s vegetable and lean meat porridge."

Qiu Che asked, "Did you make it?"

Li Qingwu nodded.

Qiu Che set down her brush and picked up the bowl and chopsticks, saying helplessly, "Thank you, but there’s no need to go through all this trouble. It’s not even evening yet, and the kitchen staff isn’t off duty…"

"It’s what I wanted to do."

Qiu Che paused, her hand holding the bowl.

What did that mean? Was it just that she wanted to make it, or did she want to make it for her?

It sounded... a bit strange.

Li Qingwu seemed entirely unaware of her thoughts. She glanced at the pile of scrolls on Qiu Che's desk and asked softly, "Are you very busy lately?"

Actually, Qiu Che wasn’t busy at all, but for some reason, whenever she thought about having to see Li Qingwu while eating, she felt inexplicably restless.

So, she avoided it, telling herself that out of sight meant out of mind.

But of course, she couldn’t say that.

Qiu Che hesitated and nodded, "…Yes. I’m working on the Qiu family case."

"The Qiu family?" Li Qingwu asked, looking curious.

Mentioning this made Qiu Che’s expression harden in an instant.

She quickly summarized the situation to Li Qingwu, her eyes downcast in thought. "Right now, what worries me most is that those women refuse to come forward as witnesses."

Li Qingwu sat down in the chair beside her. "Are you trying to take down Qiu Chudong?"

Qiu Che nodded. "I’m preparing, but I still need to wait for the right opportunity."

To bring down this father and son pair and ensure there’s no future trouble, she would need to be ready for the risk of her disguise as a man being exposed.

With her current influence, Qiu Che couldn’t guarantee she’d leave unscathed under the emperor’s gaze.

Li Qingwu appeared deep in thought.

Qiu Che asked, "Do you ever think..."

She stopped halfway, then quickly said, "Never mind."

Li Qingwu looked back at her. "What is it? You can tell me."

Qiu Che realized how awkward it felt, as if she wasn’t being herself. But this was something she shouldn’t have said. It wasn’t the right time.

But when she saw Li Qingwu remain silent, she couldn’t help it. She blurted it out.

Taking a deep breath, she loosened her fingers around the bowl and casually stirred the porridge, saying, "I mean, do you think... I’m too cold-hearted?"

Qiu Che had never thought about such things before.

She didn’t care about human emotions or what others thought of her.

But now, asking the question made her nervous, even though her expression remained indifferent. She was unsure how Li Qingwu would respond.

After a brief silence, Li Qingwu smiled softly. "Why would I think that?"

Qiu Che didn’t lift her head, her tone still flat. "They all think so."

Even Madam Wang had once criticized her for being too harsh with her father and elder brothers.

"Actually, they haven’t really done anything to me," she added, "At least not yet. They’ve just scolded me a lot, been biased… and raised me until now, but I’m still trying to join forces with outsiders, looking for evidence to bring them down."

It did sound a bit like cold-heartedness, almost like an ungrateful wolf.

Li Qingwu tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "Then why not think about what they’ve given you, from the time you were little?"

Qiu Che fell silent.

Li Qingwu continued, "Don’t be too hard on yourself. You should know what you’re doing, as long as you have no regrets. I think you’re doing just fine."

It was unspoken, but perhaps because they had spent so much time together, even their words were starting to sound alike.

Qiu Che nodded thoughtfully, and a hidden breath of relief escaped her chest—though she wasn’t sure why she felt relieved.

After a moment, she said, "Have I ever asked you something?"

"What?" Li Qingwu asked.

"You seem to have always liked me," Qiu Che mused, "We’ve met before, haven’t we?"

Li Qingwu paused, then answered softly, "Yes."

Qiu Che hesitated as she ate, her gaze now focused on Li Qingwu.

This wasn’t the first time she had asked this.

She had expected Li Qingwu to fall silent again and brush it off, as she had before.

But instead, Li Qingwu smiled, almost as if she couldn’t bear Qiu Che’s stare, then turned her eyes away to glance around, speaking in a hesitant, nervous voice:

"Do you remember… the Lantern Festival a year ago?"

Seeing the confusion in Qiu Che’s eyes, Li Qingwu nodded in understanding. "I know you don’t remember."

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have told her on their wedding night that she had bought the jade pendant herself.

But that pendant had clearly been given to her by Li Qingwu.

Qiu Che tried to recall, but it was no use.

The Lantern Festival from when she was seventeen was already eleven years ago. What had happened then? If it wasn’t something truly unforgettable, she couldn’t remember.

Li Qingwu smiled gently, "It’s alright. Do you want to hear about it?"

The Yao Tai had said that one must open their heart and accept the other person.

So even though she didn’t particularly want to bring up old memories, if it was for Qiu Che, it wasn’t so bad.

Qiu Che nodded, "What happened? The Lantern Festival? I’m listening."

"Well..." Li Qingwu paused, smiling again. She lowered her voice, "It was really just my one-sided show."

Her early life had been rather uneventful.

Before she turned fifteen, she had been almost invisible in the palace. The emperor had left her to the empress and then forgotten all about her.

She was even less notable than the third prince.

That was, until she turned fifteen and the Lantern Festival came.

The emperor had just had a disagreement with the Prime Minister, and the atmosphere was tense.

At the palace banquet, the emperor had drunk a few cups of wine in silence, then suddenly looked at her among the many princes and princesses.

He stared at this child, whom he had barely seen, for a long time, his gaze growing more satisfied.

Then, in front of the others, he pointed to her, asking her to follow him out of the palace.

The rumors of her extraordinary favor began around this time, likely with the emperor’s approval.

Li Qingwu followed the emperor out of the palace under the envious eyes of the concubines and princes.

The moon on the Lantern Festival was full and bright. Along the South Wang River in the capital, there were countless colorful lanterns.

The streets were full of people, all lit up for the occasion.

That night, there was no curfew. The fireworks and festivities were visible everywhere.

But Li Qingwu knew that the emperor hadn’t brought her out for fun.

He had simply wanted to give her a little hint of favor, buying her some clothes and jewelry, an attempt to make her grateful and loyal to him.

But as they passed the clothing shops and the small stalls selling lanterns, it seemed the emperor didn’t even notice her longing gaze.

He looked ahead, almost disdainfully walking past.

The royal children weren’t supposed to buy such street-market items.

Lanterns were also forbidden.

Over time, Li Qingwu stopped trying to express her desires.

She accepted the fact that she was nothing more than a pawn, obediently responding to the emperor’s long-winded speeches and silently reminding herself not to get lost in the illusion of his love.

It was during this time that she absent-mindedly bumped into someone, nearly falling to the ground.

She apologized quickly, but the man she had bumped into wouldn’t let it go.

He was a strong man in common clothes, and immediately yelled, "Are you causing trouble, you bitch? You want to fight? Who do you think you are? I’ll show you when we get home, get up and come with me!"

Before she knew it, he tried to grab her arm.

Li Qingwu’s first instinct was confusion, but she quickly understood.

She stepped back, avoiding his hand and warned, "Who are you? What do you want?!"

The shouting attracted attention, and the crowd began to gather around.

The man continued, spinning his story. "What’s this act? Don’t make a scene. Come home with me."

Li Qingwu raised her voice. "I don’t know you!"

The man replied loudly, "Everyone, ignore her! She’s just shy. We had a fight, and now she’s making this scene, don’t listen to her!"

The crowd murmured in confusion, but no one stepped forward to help her.

Li Qingwu began to panic. If the man refused to help her, or if the man insisted on dragging her off…

Then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared.

The youth was walking alone, carrying a lotus lantern in his hand, deep in thought, unaware of the commotion around him.

The wind blew through his clothes, making them billow as if he were part of the night itself.

He was like an immortal who had descended from the heavens.

Without thinking, Li Qingwu called out loudly, "Husband!"

The crowd gasped.

Even the man in front of her was taken aback.

Li Qingwu, without hesitating, lifted her skirt and sprinted through the crowd. As the youth turned to look, she grabbed his arm.

In that instant, the lotus lantern fell to the ground with a soft thud.

The flame was extinguished.

"Husband," Li Qingwu was breathless, her voice urgent. "Someone is saying I’m his wife…"

She grabbed the youth’s wrist, almost begging him. "Help me."

The youth froze for a moment.

Then he quickly turned, grabbing her wrist with his other hand. "Run!"

And they ran.

Through the crowd, in the midst of everyone’s gaze.

Li Qingwu, her breath quickening, her heart racing, caught glimpses of her fluttering veil and the youth’s flowing hair ahead of her.

She had never run like this before.

Unrestrained, carefree.

She almost pushed herself to the limit, as if trying to exhaust every breath in her chest.

Her bound feet, the three-inch golden lotuses, had forced her to take tiny steps since she was six, walking with graceful poise.

She was a proper princess, a proper royal lady, one who wouldn't call an unfamiliar man "husband" in public, nor would she let a stranger drag her away.

Though her feet were starting to ache from the running, she didn't call for a stop.

This was crazy.

But so exhilarating.

Hand in hand, they passed through the eyes of the world, weaving through the crowd and many figures, until they finally reached a secluded corner.

As she released the grip, Li Qingwu caught a glimpse of where her hand had been, and there, near the spot, was a butterfly-shaped mark.

It seemed to flutter as if it were about to take flight.

Was it a birthmark?

That thought flashed through Li Qingwu’s mind.

Both of them bent over, struggling to catch their breath, hands on their knees.

They could barely maintain their composure.

They exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Li Qingwu, gazing into the young man’s sparkling eyes, inexplicably asked in the cold night, “What’s your name?”

“Qiu Che.” He straightened up, replying succinctly, “Qiu from autumn, Che from clear... And you?”

Li Qingwu opened her mouth, almost letting her blood rush to her head and blurting it out.

But the remaining bit of rationality stopped her, and she didn’t say her name.

Instead, she simply said, “My surname is Xiao.”

It was her mother’s surname.

Qiu Che smiled. “Miss Xiao.”

“Mm.”

“Why are you so bold?” she teased. “You actually followed me, aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”

The moment she said this, Li Qingwu knew that Qiu Che had understood her meaning.

She should’ve felt a chill at the realization, but looking at his smiling eyes, she felt nothing.

Li Qingwu replied, “You’re not.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

Li Qingwu stood up, calming her breath, and turned her head to avoid looking at him. “Intuition.”

Qiu Che grinned. “Well, your intuition is pretty accurate.”

“What about your family?”

Li Qingwu paused, lying, “They’re dead.”

It was almost like a cruel curse.

Maybe it was the dizziness from running tonight, but she actually found herself telling this to a stranger.

She turned her head and asked, “What about you? Why are you alone?”

Qiu Che paused, half-joking, half-serious, “Buried.”

It was a dark joke, but as they exchanged a look, they both burst into laughter once again.

They didn’t know what they were laughing about, they just wanted to laugh.

Li Qingwu initially tried to maintain her composure, a dignified young lady who would smile without showing her teeth. But when he looked at her, she couldn’t hold it back.

Thankfully, her veil covered her face, or else she would have been far too un-princess-like.

Li Qingwu thought.

They continued laughing face to face for a while, and Qiu Che wiped away the tears from the laughter in his eyes, saying, “Well, since we’re both loners, shall we stick together?”

Li Qingwu blinked. “Hmm?”

Qiu Che asked, “Want to watch the moon?”

Li Qingwu followed his hand to the rooftop of a nearby tavern.

She then looked at their position, hesitating. “...It’s too high.”

And there were so many people below.

Qiu Che extended his hand. “Hold on to me.”

Men and women were not supposed to touch.

But when Li Qingwu put her hand out, she surprisingly didn’t care about those antiquated rules.

She only felt herself swaying in the wind before standing on the rooftop.

Qiu Che subtly removed his hand from her waist.

As he stepped back, Li Qingwu looked up at the moon.

It was bright, round, and almost translucent, pure, without any impurities.

They stood there, a foot apart, silently watching the moon for nearly half an hour.

People below kept coming and going. Occasionally, someone would look up and unintentionally spot their figures.

Their startled gasps were faint, barely audible.

Qiu Che sat with casual grace, looking utterly unconcerned.

Li Qingwu, for some reason, felt a strange sense of calm.

Qiu Che seemed lost in thought, quietly drinking.

The glimmer of laughter in his eyes had faded, replaced by a heavy, lifeless aura that mirrored Li Qingwu’s own.

After half an hour, Li Qingwu snapped out of her reverie and asked, “What about your lantern? You’re not keeping it?”

Qiu Che waved it off casually, taking another swig of alcohol. “No need. There are too many people. It’s probably been knocked into the river already.”

Li Qingwu simply responded with an “Oh.”

A while later, she said, “I have to go now.”

Li Shi might be looking for her.

Qiu Che snapped back to reality but didn’t ask any questions. He just escorted her down.

This time, probably a bit drunk, he wasn’t polite and just picked her up, holding her as he carried her down.

Li Qingwu’s ears turned red.

Fortunately, it was dark, and the street had cleared out. Qiu Che, half-drunk, didn’t seem to clearly see her expression.

Li Qingwu said, “Thank you for today. And I’m sorry for knocking over your lantern.”

“It’s fine,” Qiu Che squinted. “I made it casually anyway.”

“You can make lanterns?”

“I can do other things too.” Qiu Che smiled, though she couldn’t tell if he was joking. “My goal is to be the best carpenter in the city, to open the best carpentry shop, and carve the prettiest flowers.”

Li Qingwu didn’t know what to say. “That’s great.”

She thought for a moment and took out a white jade pendant from her waist.

It was a common item in the palace but the only relic left to her by the maid who had passed away many years ago.

She had worn it close for many years, and it had even absorbed some of her own scent.

Now, she offered the pendant to Qiu Che, saying, “For knocking over your lantern, let me compensate you with this.”

Qiu Che glanced at it, then refused to take it. "No, this looks too expensive..."

"It is expensive," Li Qingwu said, "So don’t lose it."

"If you don’t want it, then let me keep it as a practice piece for my woodwork. I’ll be the first customer at your shop. I’ll come back later and pay you properly."

Qiu Che, still a bit slow from the alcohol, thought for a moment before accepting it. "…Alright."

"What will you carve?"

Li Qingwu thought of the lantern and said, "...A lotus flower."

"Alright. Remember to come pick it up."

Li Qingwu replied, "I will."

She turned around and took a few steps back in the direction she had come from.

Qiu Che also turned, preparing to jump back up to continue admiring the moon.

But Li Qingwu couldn’t help herself. She turned back again and took two steps back into the thinning crowd.

She raised her voice and called out to Qiu Che, who had already turned away. "Hey—"

She didn’t call her name.

But Qiu Che, as if they shared some kind of silent connection, instantly turned back.

At that moment, the night wind lifted a corner of Li Qingwu’s veil.

Qiu Che saw her standing alone among the people, dressed in a bright yellow gown, strikingly beautiful, just like her exposed eyes and brows, which were equally breathtaking.

She said, "I’ll come find you."

Li Qingwu didn’t wait for an answer. She turned and continued walking down the road she had come from, feeling as though she had briefly intersected with another world but was now returning firmly to her own path in life.

Yet, when she passed by the Nan Yang River, her gaze couldn’t help but search along the riverbank.

By chance, the lantern was still lying exactly where it had been, untouched.

Li Qingwu thought, That’s good. If Qiu Che passes by here later, she can take it back.

After all, it was something she had made with her own hands, it would be a pity if it was lost.

She withdrew her gaze and walked past without looking back.

A little while later, a pair of embroidered shoes hurriedly stopped in front of the lantern.

Li Qingwu, face flushed, picked it up, thinking to herself.

She just didn’t want the lantern to be picked up by someone else.

She was just keeping it safe for Qiu Che.

She was just…

She was just waiting, looking forward to their next meeting.

Though they had only been apart for a mere quarter of an hour, those clear, bright eyes had already left a mark in her heart.

When Li Shi found her, Li Qingwu had already composed herself. He, however, didn’t notice any of it and immediately started scolding her in anger.

Li Qingwu didn’t dare to say what had happened. She just mumbled that she had wanted to release a lantern and had gotten separated in the crowd.

At least she was outside, so Li Shi shot her a fierce glare and didn’t say anything more.

He had intended for Li Qingwu to throw away the ruined lantern, but Li Qingwu, rarely stubborn, refused to let go of the lantern that no longer lit up.

Father and daughter stood at the riverbank, glaring at each other for a long time, while Cui Wen Shen quietly stood by, watching in silence.

After a while, Li Shi, irritated, flung his sleeve. "Back to the palace!"

Li Qingwu relaxed her tense posture but still clutched the lantern tightly.

Once back at the palace, because of this incident, she was punished with two months of confinement. To the outside world, it was reported as voluntary seclusion for contemplation.

Li Qingwu felt like a thief.

Afraid that the emperor and empress would notice something strange, she quietly hid everything related to Qiu Che after that day.

Her lantern, and her memories.

She became obsessed with the "lotus" and liked butterflies. She embroidered countless handkerchiefs with lotus patterns, wrote the name "Qiu Che" over and over, and drew her features countless times. But she couldn’t stop that face from fading in her memory, turning into a silent ink painting.

And the reunion she had longed for never came.

A year later, she overheard that this year’s top scholar was named Qiu Che, and her long-dead heart stirred back to life.

She secretly snuck out of the palace again and went to Linglong Pavilion, where she met Qiu Che once more.

But by then, when their gazes met, it was already completely unfamiliar.

Li Qingwu later tossed and turned many nights, wondering, What if on that Lantern Festival, I had stopped someone else? What if on the day of the parade, I hadn’t gone out of the palace to see the scholar, thinking it was the person from my memory...?

Would the result have been different?

But now, it seemed like it didn't matter anymore.

She had always known that Qiu Che was never someone who entered her world on her own, but rather someone Li Qingwu had pulled into it, a light she had imposed upon herself.

She had never dared to blame Qiu Che for not remembering that playful first encounter, nor had she dared to mention the playful promise.

She never dared to tell Qiu Che, I’ve come back as promised.

You’ve forgotten me.

Because she didn’t have the standing to say it.

From the beginning to the end, it had all been her own scheme.

And subconsciously, she thought that if she said it out loud, Qiu Che would take everything back.

The connection between them would simply sever, with nothing left to bind them.

She had fallen into the story first. She had sunk into it first. And she had also been the first to shrink back in fear.

Li Qingwu thought, She deserved it.

Cowards don’t get love.