Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

"How did you do it?" Jiang Sese paused for a moment, then asked again.

Previously, Xie Yujiao slapped Chen Jingxuan's concubine and caused her to miscarry. However, not long after, things took an unexpected turn. The concubine changed her story, saying that she had plotted to frame Xie Yujiao and deliberately provoked her. She claimed that the child was already unstable, which allowed Xie Yujiao to barely escape.

Jiang Sese instinctively felt that something was wrong.

She could have kept it to herself and not asked.

As long as Xie Jue treats her well, that's enough.

However, the Xie Jue she knew was different from the Xie Jue written in the book. Jiang Sese didn't want to think about how the Xie Jue in the book was; she just wanted to know what the Xie Jue she knew in front of her was thinking.

Xie Jue was silent for a while before saying, "I bribed that concubine. I gave her a sum of money and made her change her story, saying that she deliberately fell down and framed Yu Jiao. Chen Jingxuan believed it, and Yu Jiao believed it too, and that's how the matter was settled."

Jiang Sese stared at him without blinking: "Then what's the truth?"

Xie Jue looked at her without flinching: "The child in that concubine's belly was indeed killed by Yu Jiao's slap."

Jiang Sese's fingers stopped on the jade pendant at his waist.

Jiang Sese lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say.

It was him after all. That's exactly the kind of person he is in the book—protective of his own, willing to go to any lengths for the Xie family, ruthless and merciless.

When she first read about these things in books, she just thought he was a doting brother.

She only wanted to be his sister, not his enemy.

"Do you think I did something wrong?" Xie Jue asked suddenly, looking at her slightly lowered eyelashes.

"...SeSe, not everything in this world is clearly black and white." Xie Jue paused slightly, then added softly, "...You're too soft-hearted."

He always felt that she was contradictory. Despite being dependent on others and only wanting to protect herself, she would always stand up for unrelated people.

If Wang Jingshu already knew he liked her at that time, that's why she spoke to him.

What about the Su Hemei incident?

Xie Jue remained silent, waiting quietly for Jiang Sese to speak.

After a long while, Jiang Sese finally let out a soft breath, looked up at him, and shook her head, saying, "I don't think you did anything wrong. I understand that you want to protect Yu Jiao. It's just that I think you shouldn't be so considerate of Yu Jiao in everything. As the Book of Rites says, 'If you don't teach them with the right way and guide them with righteousness, you will eventually harm them.'"

Jiang Sese said earnestly, "I know you're not afraid of her being spoiled, and I know you'll still clean up her messes if she makes another mistake, but she can't act recklessly just because you're there to clean up her messes. Otherwise, what won't she dare to do in the future?"

"You once told me the story of the Marquis of Yongjia from the previous dynasty. It is said that the Marquis of Yongjia doted on his younger brother, who then used his power to kill someone, and the Marquis of Yongjia covered for him. Later, the younger brother became even more unscrupulous and killed three more people. When the case came to light, even the Marquis of Yongjia himself was implicated and stripped of his title. History books say that excessive love can be harmful. You protect her, which is love for her, but if you protect her to the point that she doesn't know right from wrong and can't distinguish between good and evil, then you are harming her."

Xie Jue looked at Jiang Sese quietly without saying a word.

Jiang Sese glanced at Xie Jue and then asked, "How is the concubine now?"

Xie Jue: "She has been sent out of the manor to be cared for. I gave her a sum of money, and she will not appear in the capital again."

Jiang Sese then silently breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought Xie Jue had silenced the person!

If it were Xie Jue from the book, he would definitely have done the same thing. I should have asked after all.

Regardless, Jiang Sese prefers Xie Jue the way he is now!

Xie Jue suddenly reached out and gently grasped her wrist. The movement was very light, but it made Jiang Sese pause slightly. His fingertips were a little cool, but the force was a bit stronger than usual, as if there was something stuck in his heart that he could only say through this action.

"There's something I didn't want you to know." Xie Jue looked into her eyes, his gaze deepening. "But you're my wife, and I don't want to hide it from you. Actually—I originally intended to silence that concubine."

Jiang Sese was startled, and a cool breeze swept over her back.

Jiang Sese looked at him; his expression remained indifferent, but the emotions in his eyes were more complex than ever before.

Jiang Sese quickly calmed herself down.

"Then why didn't you...?"

Xie Jue lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long while.

"I used to not believe in reincarnation. I only cared about this life and never placed my hopes on the vague concept of reincarnation. I took responsibility for everything I did and didn't ask for a next life. But now—"

Xie Jue paused, then looked up at her. "I hope for an afterlife, and I want to accumulate good karma for it."

Jiang Sese stared at him, stunned for a long while, and then suddenly reached out and hugged him tightly.

Jiang Sese buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled: "Xie Jue, we'll be together in the next life!"

Xie Jue slowly said, "Okay."

His voice was very low, so low that her name fell on his lips like a very soft sigh.

He didn't say anything more, but gently rested his chin on the top of her head, thinking to himself—if there really is an afterlife, he would still marry her.