Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

A few days later, one night, the heavy snow that had been falling for several days finally stopped briefly.

Standing in her room, Gu Lengyue packed her luggage and then tightly tucked the jade pendant that Gu Hanfeng had left her into her pocket.

After doing all this, she raised her hand and picked up the jade-colored longsword. The moment her fingertips touched the hilt, the events of that night involuntarily surfaced in her mind:

The candlelight flickered as she knelt before the bed, gazing at the handsome face before her, and softly asked:

"May I?"

".......Can."

"You promised...you absolutely cannot go back on your word."

She pleaded softly, and he responded gently, each word clear and distinct.

Gu Lengyue sighed softly, slung the jade sword across her waist, and slowly walked to Shen Wei's door.

Her hand hovered above the door, her fingertips slightly curled, as if she were about to knock, but she hesitated to bring it down.

She felt she should at least say goodbye...

But she was afraid,

She feared that once she knocked on that door, once she saw his gentle eyes again, the resolve she had finally mustered would crumble instantly.

I fear that I might not be able to resist letting go of all hatred and promises, willingly staying in this courtyard, indulging in this fleeting warmth, forgetting who I am, and forgetting what I should do.

But she had made a promise, and she couldn't forget it, nor could she let it go.

So she withdrew her hand and, under the soft moonlight, quietly left the place.

Along the way, she looked back several times and stopped from time to time, but in the end she made up her mind.

She knew in her heart that a few months of warmth could not outweigh years of cold.

******

Gu Lengyue had left without a trace, as if she had never stayed in the courtyard at all.

He couldn't find a single trace of her departure.

But so be it. Since the girl has made up her mind to face everything alone, any further attempts by him to stop her will probably be in vain.

To meddle in other people's affairs so selfishly is nothing but self-righteous selfishness.

Everyone's destiny should be in their own hands, and she was able to make up her mind to go her own way.

This might be a good thing for her.

Despite trying to comfort himself in this way, Shen Wei still felt a sense of loneliness upon seeing Gu Lengyue's empty room.

The room was not much different from when Gu Lengyue was there; it was still empty, with nothing but a bed and a table.

Perhaps, from the moment Gu Lengyue stepped into this courtyard, she had already planned to leave today and never intended to stay here for long.

Gu Lengyue has already embarked on her own path.

Should I also...?

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

He was a little puzzled, thinking that he didn't know anyone particularly well in the city, so who could be knocking on his door?

He walked to the lacquered wooden door and opened it.

A man and a woman stood outside the door, dressed simply and plainly, seemingly ordinary travelers from out of town. But Shen Wei couldn't help but feel that something was off about their appearance and demeanor...

They must be extraordinary people.

Could it be that you've come to investigate the massacre of the Gu family?

Thinking of this, Shen Wei began to carefully examine the two of them.

The man had a full beard and a hint of arrogance in his eyes, while the woman was tall and graceful with a serene and beautiful face, yet there was an unsettling aura about her that commanded respect.

But after looking at it for a long time, he still couldn't figure it out, so he asked:

"What brings you two here?"

The man spoke first; he appeared arrogant, but his voice was unusually calm:

"Young master, my name is Qiu Wuhen, and this is my sister. My sister and I came from out of town to seek refuge with a relative, but things took an unexpected turn here."

He paused, a hint of helplessness on his face, and continued:

"Our relative suddenly changed their mind and refused to take us in, and unfortunately, the nearby hotels are all full. Now we have nowhere to go. I see that your courtyard is quite spacious, so I'm taking the liberty of asking if you have any spare rooms for us to stay for a few days? We are willing to pay the full price and will not cause you any trouble."

Shen Wei remained vigilant, but upon careful consideration, he could not find any flaws in their words.

Shen Wei then decided to follow their lead and see what they were really up to.

"My name is Shen Wei."

He nodded slightly, his tone softening somewhat.

"To be honest, this mansion, though not luxurious, is spacious. I live here alone, and there are quite a few rooms available. Since you two have nowhere to go, staying for a few days is no problem. Don't worry about the room rate; having company is certainly a pleasure."

Upon hearing that Shen Wei lived alone, both of their expressions changed almost imperceptibly for a moment, but they quickly regained their composure.

"Thank you very much for your help, Young Master Shen. I am deeply grateful."

He then turned to his younger sister, "Little sister, now we finally have a safe place to live!"

The younger sister Qiu Wuhen mentioned simply nodded slightly, her expression indifferent.

"In that case, let me show you both the room first."

Although the courtyard is not large, it has a considerable number of rooms.

Apart from the room where Shen Wei lived and the room where Gu Lengyue had lived, most of the other rooms were originally reserved for servants.

However, there were never any servants in the mansion, so those rooms remained empty.

Along the way, Zhang Hen deliberately chatted aimlessly with Shen Weiman, talking about the local customs and culture of other places.

Zhang Jing followed closely behind, carefully looking around at the layout of the courtyard, as if searching for some clue.

After looking at several empty rooms, as the three walked along the connecting corridor, Zhang Jing suddenly nudged Zhang Hen's arm lightly.

He pointed to a room with its door tightly closed not far away, giving a knowing look.

Zhang Hen immediately understood and quickly turned to Shen Wei, his face plastered with an apologetic smile:

"Brother Shen, could you please take us to see that house again? My sister said she's very interested in it."

Shen Wei looked in the direction the two were pointing, and the room they were talking about was the place where Gu Lengyue had once lived.

"Um... to be honest, that house used to be inhabited. Although the person has moved out, some traces of life are still there. How about I show you two a cleaner and tidier room?"

"No, we want that one."

Qiu Wuhen, who was standing to the side, secretly rubbed his forehead.

This girl is too impatient. How did she manage to solve so many strange cases and gain His Majesty's favor with such a temperament?

Seeing this, Qiu Wuhen was about to speak up to smooth things over and ease the tension when Shen Wei responded with a smile:

"It's just an empty room. Since you two like it, I won't hesitate to show it to you."

Shen Wei then led the two into Gu Lengyue's room. After entering, Zhang Jingchu glanced around the room.

"How long have the people who lived here been gone?"

Shen Wei was silent for a moment, then replied calmly, "They left yesterday."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Wuhen and Zhang Jingchu exchanged a glance, both understanding what the other was thinking.

Then, Qiu Wuhen suddenly changed his mind and said:

"Well, Mr. Shen, although the rooms in your residence are fine, I suddenly remembered that there is a restaurant in the west of the city. It seems to be a bit more secluded, but it should still have rooms available. We won't disturb your peace and quiet any longer."

"Of course, you are welcome to come back anytime if you cannot find a suitable place to stay."

Qiu Wuhen and Zhang Jingchu quickly bowed and thanked them, then turned and hurriedly left the courtyard.

After the two left, Shen Wei stood in front of the door, the smile on his face gradually fading, his gaze fixed on the direction they had gone.

After a moment's hesitation, he concealed his presence and quietly followed.